T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 139 Edition 14
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
$1.00
Portion of SABIC sold to another Saudi company By Dave Pearce In a surprise move, at least to Posey County government officials this week, representatives of SABIC announced that Saudi Aramco signed a share purchase agreement to acquire a 70 percent majority stake in SABIC from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in a private transaction. The agreed purchase price for the shares is SAR 123.40 per share, totaling SAR 259.125 billion, which is equivalent to USD
$69.1 billion. According to a company press release, the remaining 30 percent publicly traded shares in SABIC are not part of the transaction, and Saudi Aramco has advised that it has no plans to acquire these remaining shares. The transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. SABIC officials declined to comment on the purchase or affect it could have on the Posey County
plant. When contacted, media relations officials indicated “we are not granting interviews at this time.” In a separate correspondence with The Posey County News, company officials offered an explanation as to why the acquisition would be a good thing.. “As you know, our industry is experiencing robust demand growth and greater competition for energy, feedstock and market access. At the same time, petrochemicals are ex-
pected to be the fastest growing sector of oil demand to 2040,” the letter stated. “Today’s agreement will enable us to compete more effectively by complementing Saudi Aramco’s strengths, crude oil and gas availability, downstream assets, and ability to invest for growth at a very large scale, with SABIC’s capabilities, petrochemical assets, channels, and access to market,” the letter continued.
Saudi Aramco supplies one in every eight barrels of crude oil produced in the world, and has global participated refining capacity of 4.9 million barrels per day and 16.8 million tons of petrochemicals production capacity, with long-term downstream growth plans. SABIC is a major global petrochemicals company with 61.6 million tons of petrochemicals production capacity,
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Clowers is Superior Court judge By Dave Pearce Posey County Superior Court, the Honorable Judge Travis Clowers. It has a nice ring to it and with an appointment from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, it will become reality in the next few weeks. Current Posey County Prosecutor Clowers applied for the job when Judge Brent Almon announced late last year that he would be stepping down in late February. On Wednesday, Holcomb announced that Clowers would be the replacement. “By virtue of the power vested in me as Governor of the State of Indiana, and pursuant to the Indiana Constitution and the laws of the State of Indiana, it is my pleasure to appoint you as judge of the Posey County Superior Court,” Holcomb said in a letter to Clowers. The appointment came as no huge surprise to those who are familiar with Clowers and his record as Posey County Prosecutor. He is currently serving his third term after defeating a multi-term incumbent in his first bid for politi-
cal office. His record in court speaks for itself but Clowers is quick to point the credit in other directions. “I was so fortunate to work with such good law enforcement,” Clowers said Travis Clowers of his success in the office of prosecutor. “And to have such a good team in the prosecutor’s office. I will always be proud of what we were able to do while we were here.” Clowers took very seriously the responsibil-
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New Harmony Dollar General Store employee Candace Randall enjoys some of the stores first customers after opening in New Harmony on Monday. Customers John Lyke and Bridgett Winerberger visit the store here on Friday, March 29, 2019. An official grand opening has been set for April 6 at 8 a.m.. The first 200 customers in the store will receive a tote with samples and other free items. The first 50 customers will receive $10 gift cards (one per family). Photo by Theresa Bratcher
Owens to head Posey Chamber Trail becomes reality
The new Posey County Director of the Southwestern Indiana Chamber of Commerce is busy learning the ins and outs of his new position. Photo by Pam Robinson In addition, Owens worked at By Pam Robinson Randy Owens, the new Posey Bristol-Myers Squibb for almost County Director of the Southwest 33 years. The last 16 years with the Indiana Chamber can certainly call company, he spent in Mount Vernon this area his home. For 33 of the past in Quality, Packaging, and Regula38 years, the Lewisport, Kentucky, tory. His educational background native and his wife, Cindy (a Mount has prepared him to lead as well. He Vernon native) have lived in Posey earned a bachelor’s degree in chemisCounty. The two were married at try from Murray State University and Faith United Methodist Church in a master’s degree in industrial manMount Vernon in 1981, a year after agement from University of Southern meeting at Murray State University. Indiana. He seeks the best interests of Posey Their two children and now five grandchildren have been raised in people, for he knows many of them, and wants to meet and come to know this area.
the remainder. “I have children, grandchildren, friends, and acquaintances who live in Posey County. I would love for the entire county to thrive so that everyone could enjoy a great quality of life,” Owens states. “I think when it comes to our communities, we should seek a win-win relationship with our neighbors and local businesses. I truly believe in the slogan, ‘Together We Thrive.’” To reach that goal, Owens encourages area consumers to develop a buy-local mentality. “I’ve come to the realization it is better to spend four or five dollars more locally than it is to get on Amazon or some other website and purchase things,” he states. “I think you’re being a better community citizen if you shop locally wherever possible.” Likewise, he wants to build Chamber membership to increase visibility for local merchants and to increase business networking opportunities. Owens points out such tangible benefits as the Chamber’s free ad package for new members help to promote business. He’s introducing new tangibles as well—namely, featuring a Posey County business periodically on the Posey Office Facebook page, which provides local Chamber news.
By Lois Mittino Gray Under New Business at the March 28, Mount Vernon Board of Works meeting, Mount Vernon Mayor Bill Curtis was visibly elated to finally get to invite the public to the Main Street Trail Groundbreaking Ceremony. It is slated for Tuesday, April 9 at 9:30 a.m. on the vacant city lot at the corner of Second and Main streets. If it rains, he added that the ceremony will move to inside the local American Legion. Board Member Larry Williams exclaimed, “Great news. This has been You’re Invited a long time coming.” Curtis agreed, to the saying, “It was touch and go there for Main Street Trail a while. It was getting a little pricey. Groundbreaking There are a lot of people involved in Ceremony it: public, private and corporate. Let’s Tuesday, April 9, 2019 hope it all goes well.” 9:30 a.m. at the vacant city The five million dollar project was lot at the corner of Second made possible by a grant from the and Main Streets. Indiana Department of TransportaWe are excited about this tion, local funds, and many generous project and can’t wait to see it donors. The Trail project was almost completed. Hope each of you will be able to join us in this scuttled, due to its rising costs, after celebration. the grant was delayed and finally got on track again. It is the second step, phase two, of the downtown improvement initiative from Riverbend Park up Main Street to Sixth Street. It will eventually end at Brittlebank Park in other phases. The trail will have new street lighting and sidewalks, new plantings, and a pocket park near the City Hall. Eyesore property will be purchased for demolition, all adding to the revitalization of the downtown area. The Mayor said residents will see the start of the project on March 29. He said signs will be going up concerning the construction and some
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Tender to the touch Heberer’s gift of nursing has affected both plants and people By Pam Robinson Mount Vernon native Judy Heberer has spent a lifetime as a nurse to people and plants. She has left a little sparkle wherever she goes in the bright smiles and brilliant blooms she has nurtured to good health. The 73-year-old professional has graced most households and landmarks around Mount Vernon with her special touch. Although her parents, Bertha Marie (Bayer) and Henry Lang, started out in the house at the corner of Third and Park in Mount Vernon, they moved their family of three children in due time to the country and farm life. “I’m a farm girl, so it’s in my genes,” Judy states about flower gardening. “My mother, aunts, and cousins all had beautiful gardens.” Needless to say, Judy was in 4-H close to 10 years and learned to sew and bake as well as to appreciate forestry. She was the runner-up in the 4-H Queen contest in 1963. While growing up on the farm, Judy watched her mother not only tend a beautiful garden, but also share her compassion with the patients of several doctors in Mount Vernon and, later, with the elders for whom she provided in-home care. Her diary reveals her interest in Mount Vernon resident Judy Heberer stands near her colorful decohealthcare, also passed down to her daughter. rations in her yard. Her yard has long been a showplace. Photo by Pam Immediately following her graduation from Mount Robinson Vernon High School with the Class of 1963, Judy started married her high school sweetheart, Don Heberer, at her home classes at Evansville School of Practical Nursing. A week after completing her LPN training, on September 19, 1964, she church, Trinity United Church of Christ, in Mount Vernon. While her three daughters were toddlers, Judy taught the
The Golden Years
(USPS 439-500)
three-year-olds at Trinity Weekday Nursery School. Soon enough, the nursing profession called her. She worked first for Mount Vernon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Afterward, she worked for family practice doctors: Dr. John Vogel, Dr. Gordon Vogel, and Dr. William Sutton. Detassling corn and working as a lifeguard and swimming instructor while growing up had taught Judy a strong work ethic and a love for helping people. Until her retirement, she worked outside the home. She semi-retired from Dr. Sutton in 1996 and worked part-time at Solarbron as well. Her battle with breast cancer in 2008 forced her to stop working a while, but she wouldn’t be beat and returned to work. She ultimately retired from paying work in 2010. Her volunteer commitments have kept her on the rolls of the actively working. Judy had always stayed busy with her own home flower gardens from the starts handed down by her mother aunts, and cousins. “When they started downsizing, they would share seeds and plants with me,” she explains. With her semi-retirement in 1996, however, Judy yearned to do more. She started taking the Master Gardener class. At the same time, she listened intently while a cousin told her volunteer gardeners were being recruited for the West
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