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Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
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Volume 133 Edition 18
Arrest made in Posey County home invasion By Dave Pearce An Evansville man remains lodged in the Posey County Jail on a $500,000 bond as the result of a home invasion that occurred at 29 Lee Drive in Mount Vernon on Tuesday evening. Mount Vernon Police have arrested 25-year-old Adrian Valentine of Evansville in connection with the home. According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, Mount Vernon Police were called to the mobile home of Danielle N. Moore at around 8:06 p.m. Police say they responded to an armed robbery in Mount Vernon. According to the Probable Cause for Arrest document, three men forced their way into the home and held a couple and their
Adrian Valentine child at gunpoint. Jerome E. Stewart, a visitor at the home, had at first reported been shot. When police arrived, they found that Stewart had not been shot but rather had been hit in the face with a handgun and had blacked out. Stewart told police that they men told him they would kill him if he did not up “the money.” Stewart then told police he told
the men where “the money” was because he was afraid they would kill him or the others. Stewart told police the men stole $10,000 in cash that was hidden in a sock inside a Christmas tree in the master bedroom closet. Moore told police the men had stolen her cell phone. Moore and her 8-year-old child were followed into the master bedroom by two of the men while Valentine allegedly threatened and beat Stewart in a front room of the home. Police sealed off the crime scene and no one entered (including the victims who were already outside) until Moore gave police permission to search. At that point. Posey County Sheriff’s Detective Tom Latham and Mount Vernon Police Detec-
tive Thomas Rueger entered the crime scene and began by searching outside the home where they found a cellophane bag filled with a leafy, plant-like substance. The bag, which appeared to contain marijuana, was found under a bush east of the front porch at the address. Some tire tracks were also found on the north/south drive that runs to the east of the home. The victims indicated the men left from that side of the home. Stewart’s injuries included a large laceration on the top of his head and another large laceration above his left eyebrow. Stewart also complained of pain to his side where he said he was kicked and stomped by the subject who held him at gunpoint. He refused medical treatment at that time but later
Stewart said four of his ribs were broken and he had stitches to his eyebrow. Police say Valentine is the suspect who struck Stewart in the face. They say Valentine admitted to being involved in the robbery. Police found several bloody shoe imprints on the outside deck of the trailer. Officers say the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests may follow. Stewart told police that he had been told the names and/or nicknames of the subjects involved and the next day, Stewart picked Valentine out of a pictorial line-up. Stewart’s family informed police that Valentine had been posting things on his Facebook page about the robbery. Stewart told police that he
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Poseyville town-wide yard sale Get your closets and the garage cleaned out. The St. Francis Relay for Life team is sponsoring the town-wide yard sale in Poseyville on May 11. There will be multiple sales throughout the town and the surrounding areas. Maps will be available in the Posey County News and at the usual locations. Get your address on the map for $4 by contacting Katie Mayes at 457-0469 or Brenda Garris at 781-9001 by Wednesday, May 1. All addresses on the map must be pre-paid. Monies benefit the North Posey Relay for Life. Romeo (Matt Helfrich) fends off zombies so he and Juliet (Lindsay Calvert) can escape in “Just Add Zombies” held at North Posey High School over the weekend. The Zombies, from left to right, are Bess
Helfrich, Sara Saum, Sydney Feldhake, Kalina Carl, Paige Johnsonl, Lyle Bozarrth, Ryan Philpot, Wyatt Tepool, and Jess Morrical. Photo by Dave Pearce
Two arrested on drug charges, another gets 11 years By Dave Pearce On April 27, 2013, uniformed patrol officers of the Mount Vernon Police Department detected a strong odor of ether while on routine patrol which they were able to trace to a residence located in the 1000 block of West Second Street in Mount Vernon. Through Posey County Prosecutor Travis Clowers, the officers were then able to obtain a search warrant for the residence during the early am hours. Upon executing the search warrant in which uniformed officers of the Posey County Sheriff’s Department also assisted, officers discovered an active clandestine methamphetamine laboratory on the property site. Personnel of the Posey County Drug Task Force were summoned
to the scene to assist in the search and to further investigate the meth lab incident. Drug Task Force officers discovered numerous items related to the manufacture of methamphetamine. Following the search, the property owner, Richard Hanmore, age 39, of Mount Vernon and Rachel Koontz, age 35, also of Mount Vernon were arrested on numerous drug related offenses. Both Hanmore and Koontz were transported to and lodged in the Posey County Jail. An investigation by the drug task force is continuing into the incident. “This is just another example of the cooperation between police departments and between uniformed patrol officers and detectives to increase the active law enforcement
drive on purging our community of illegal drug activity which has a direct effect upon all citizens,” said Drug Task Force Director Kenneth Rose. “Quite often, illegal drug activity leads to other crimes such as thefts, burglaries, purchase of illegal weapons, etc. By attacking the illegal drug activity in our community, it helps reduce our citizen’s homes from being burglarized and police officers from having to face the added dangers of having to get those illegal weapons out of the hands of criminals and off our streets. Citizens are urged to continue contacting law enforcement authorities in relaying tips of illegal drug activity in their neighborhoods.” On Monday, April 15, 2013, Mount Vernon resident Stephen Miller appeared before the Hon-
orable James Redwine in Posey County Circuit for sentencing. Miller pleaded guilty to one count of Dealing in Marijuana, as a Class C felony, and one count of Dealing in a Schedule II controlled substance, as a Class B felony. Miller was sentenced to five years in prison for count 1 and 11 years in prison on Count 2. The counts will be served concurrently, for a total of 11 years. Miller’s arrest stemmed from a long-term drug investigation called “Operation Fair Warning” which culminated in the arrest of over 30 individuals for illegal drug activity. The operation was conducted by the Posey County Narcotics Unit, and supervised by Kenneth Rose, an investigator with the Posey
Poseyville Town Hall opens Beginning with the Poseyville Town Council meeting on May 8, 2013, all meetings will be held at the new Poseyville Town Hall located at 38 West Main Street. All council meetings are open to the public and are held on the second Wednesday of each month, beginning at 4:30 p.m. An open house and dedication will be held on April 27, beginning at 2 p.m. The new Town Hall is located at the corner of Main and Church streets in Poseyville.
NP honors program is May 16 North Posey High School will hold its annual Honors Program on Thursday, May 16, 2013, beginning at 8:15 a.m. in the main gym at the high school.
NP Babe Ruth to open
North Posey Babe Ruth will kick of the season on Sat., May Continued on Page A5 11, 2013 at Viking Field. That night, members of the 2013 North Posey Vikings will be recognized. Opening ceremonies should begin at around 4:40 p.m. The opening night game will also be played live to New York with their mentor Dana Taylor, on ESPN radio. director of vocal music at MVHS. Taylor explained that the 22 MVHS vocalists joined with 158 additional high school vocalists represent- Viking physical date set North Posey High School ing national (California, Pennsylvania and Verwill be conducting IHSAA mont) and international (Australia and the UK) Athletic Physicals on Saturday communities. Although the young singers spent a great deal May 4, 2013 at the high school of time in rehearsal after they arrived Thurs- nurse’s office, 8 a.m. until 10 day evening, April 4, until their performance a.m. Physicals will be free on Sunday afternoon, April 7, they managed and our for North Posey High to walk in Central Park, ride the Staten Island School and Junior High Student Ferry, and roam to other venues in New York. Athletes. Student Athletes must For example, Hillary and her mom, Donett bring with them a completed May, took in the Broadway musical, “Wicked,” IHSAA Athletic Physical form the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and signed by their parents prior to Glinda the Good before Dorothy dropped in receiving their physical. Physical on Oz. “It was just amazing,” Hillary says. For forms can be picked up in the Melanie, breakfast at Tiffany’s with her sister High School Athletic Office. Lauren was a highlight of the trip. “It was just Crosswalk service set like the movie,” Melanie comments. Early on, Melanie made her musical debut CrossWalk Fellowship will at home when she sang with her Nana to the be having a special service on guitar accompaniment of her brother Tom, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. with the now a musician in Scotland. She has enjoyed Rev. Rick Clendenen. Rick is a vocal music lessons with Shay Barnett for the powerful preacher who brings past two years as well. Yet, both Hillary and fresh revelation from God’s Melanie attribute much of their success to the Word with humor and passion. inspiration of their Mount Vernon Junior High CrossWalk Fellowship is located School choir director, Ellie Moore. at 1510 North Cullen Avenue in Evansville, Ind. For further Continued on Page A5 information call 812-464-2446.
MVHS duo ‘rocks the hall’ in the Big Apple
Pictured L to R are MVHS juniors, Hillary May and Melanie Davis, outside Avery Fisher Hall at New York’s Lincoln Center. The 17-year-old vocalists performed solos there on Sunday, April 7, 2013, for the New York premiere of composer Christopher Tin’s “Calling All Dawns.” The young women have become inseparable friends as a result of their shared passion for singing. Photo by Donett May
ThePCN
By Pam Robinson Hillary May and Melanie Davis, juniors at Mount Vernon High School, or MVHS, started a bucket list in childhood. They recall composing together a song expressing their ardent desire to someday sing in New York City. The 17-year-olds just recently fulfilled that dream. Through video audition, they competed against student vocalists from across the US, Australia, Canada and the UK to achieve this honor. During their first trip ever to “The Big Apple,” they each were featured in solo performances at the New York premiere of composer Christopher Tin’s “Calling All Dawns.” Distinguished Concerts International New York, or DCINY, presented the production on Sunday afternoon, April 7, 2013, in Avery Fisher Hall at the esteemed Lincoln Center. A 2011 Grammy award winning work, “Calling All Dawns” presents 12 movements, each in a different language. Only ten soloists performed in its New York premiere: Hillary and Melanie were two of four high school soloists; the remaining soloists were professionals. Hillary sang the part of the “young girl” in “Mado Kara Mieru,” a Japanese song about the seasons, while Melanie sang “Se É Pra Vir Que Venha,” a Portugese song portraying an older woman’s review of her life. MVHS was well represented at the New York premiere. A a total of 22 high school vocalists, including Hillary and Melanie, traveled
Inside this issue... Retrospective ................... A4 Community ........... A5 Social ...................... A6 Legals ............................... B8 Deaths ................ A3 Sports .................. B1-5 Classifieds ..................... B5-7 Church .................. A6 Bus/Ag .................. A9
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