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E, “OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZ L MAINTAIN.” AND OUR RIGHTS WE WIL
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
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Volume 135 Edition 24
Kopatich ‘honored’ to be District Supt. of the year
District Supt. of the Year Tom Kopatich welcomes kindergarten student Madyson to her school. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
By Lois Mittino Gray Mount Vernon School Superintendent Tom Kopatich felt honored when he opened a letter this week informing him that he is the District VII Superintendent of the Year award winner. He was nominated by peers and was voted unanimously as the recipient by the 31 school superintendents in the IAPSS district. The Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents has eight districts total and all eight district winners will be considered for the Indiana Superintendent of the Year recognition. The state winner will be announced at a banquet in December. “This is very humbling to get such an honor from my peers. I surround myself with good people and I really enjoy my work. I have loved every step of my education career, but superintendent is my favorite. It is fun and we have a great community to work with,” he noted. His ‘steps’ in education total 33 years in three districts. Kopatich began by serving five years at Castle, then went on to teach seven years at Gibson Southern. He arrived at Mount Vernon to teach health and serve as the boys’ basketball coach and has remained a Wildcat for 21 years. He went on to become assistant principal at the high school, building and grounds director, curriculum director and has been superintendent for five years. Born in Davenpor, Iowa, Kopatich moved to Warrick County when his dad accepted a job opening up the new Alcoa plant in Newburgh. He attended Castle High School
where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Janice. She teaches physical education at West Elementary. The two married, both unemployed, and one week later, he got the Castle job to start his career. They have two children. Kyle, 26, is in medical school at Pikeville, Ky. Kendra, 24, is a science teacher in Northeast Dubois County. Kopatich attended Western Kentucky University and was graduated with a degree in Secondary Physical Education and Health. He earned a Masters Degree in Administration, a principal’s license, an EDS and doctorate degree through Indiana State University. Kopatich is quick to acknowledge the role of former school superintendent Dr. Keith Spurgeon in his career as both a friend and mentor to him. “He’s such a good person and I’ve learned a great deal from him,” he said. Kopatich is pleased with the progress the school district has made during his five-year stint. “We started full day kindergarten, more eLearning, more dual credit, the Hedges Health Clinic, new athletic facilities and building upgrades. Our relationship with the community is good and we have Skyward for parents and over 70,000 followers on Facebook. We have a strong school board that is community-oriented and puts the students first. Student achievement scores are going up each year. It’s certainly an honor to be in this job.”
New Harmony gracious host to state Master Gardener visitors
Constance Feagans of Martinsville, Marcia Onnybecker of rural Vanderburgh County, and Judy Turner of Logansport talk about the tour afterwards as they enjoy refreshments in the doll shop By Lois Mittino Gray Workingmen’s Institute Director Ryan Rocicki got the biggest laugh of the day when he called the local library ‘New Harmony’s Attic’ in his welcome speech to 46 Master Gardeners visiting town on Thursday, June 4. The visit was part of a pre-session bus tour entitled ‘Gardens of Utopia’ offered to attendees of the state conference ‘Dig, Sow, Grow’ being held
on the USI campus from June 4-6. Those who opted for the pre-tour exited the bus to go in to the library’s Room for the Dissemination of Useful Knowledge. Following Rocicki’s welcome, members of the New Harmony Garden Club showed their Hoosier Hospitality by serving a lunch of Pat Gosh’s famed curry chicken and pea salad, fresh fruit, lemonade,and Tammy Allison’s freshfrom-the- oven dinner rolls. After a library museum tour, the group was divided in half to begin touring. Half of them toured historical sites with Historic New Harmony personnel in trams and the other half went with Garden Club members in golf carts to see local gardens and labyrinths and Fragrant Farms. After an hour,the groups traded places. “We have spent a whole year planning this event and the weather turned out great for it and the guests were so enthused to be here,” said Cathy Cotrupi, Community Engagement Manager with Historic New Harmony. A special topics tour for everyone after the historical and garden tours included the Minerva Society exhibit at the Fauntleroy Home, the Thomas Say exhibit at the Beal House and
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Kelly Beuligmann was chosen as this year’s Courage Award winner during North Posey’s Relay for Life event on Saturday. She is pictured with her son, Benjamin, and husband Jeremy. Photo by Valerie Werkmeister
ACLU attorneys file suit against Black Township Trustee Special to the News A disabled, indigent Posey County woman has sued a local official who denied her access to necessary financial assistance because she could not take a drug test required by the official to submit an application for assistance, claiming the drug testing requirement violates the United States Constitution. The lawsuit against Black Township and Lindsay Suits, the Black Township Trustee,
was filed yesterday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on behalf of Mary Neale, a resident of the township. Neale previously received aid from the trustee only after submitting a urine sample and passing a drug test. Last year, when Neale’s physical disabilities made submitting the sample impossible, she was unable to apply for benefits. The Black Township Trustee’s policy of
Briefly
wrong to condition the receipt of government benefits on the waiver of fundamental rights that protect all of us.” The class action lawsuit, Mary Neale, et al., v. Black Township, Posey County, Ind.; Lindsay Suits, 3:15-cv-82-RLY-WGH, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on June 11, 2015.
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Giles to join clients as retiree
PC Alliance holds Q2 Luncheon Join us from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at the CountryMark Pavilion, 6855 Lower New Harmony Road, Mount Vernon, Ind., for the Posey County Alliance Q2 Luncheon, sponsored by Evansville Western Railroad and McFadin Higgins and Folz, LLP. We’ll meet Midwest Fertilizer Corporation President and CEO Mike Chorlton and learn more about the game-changing development planned for Posey County.
MVSHS Class of 1980 plans reunion The Class of 1980 MVSHS is currently planning their 35 year class reunion for October 3, 2015 at Western Hills Country Club. We are looking for the following classmates and if you should know of their where abouts, please contact Jeanne Bishop Wehr (812)483-9101 or Vicki Embrey Bethel (812)781-0378: Daniel Baird, Dorothy Blum, Cindy Bradley, Donnie Breeden, Mary Burdette, Larry Case, Norman Chastain, Cynthia Click, Ladonna Elliott, Kelly Feldman, Terry Garrett, Ronald Gatewood, Billy Gootee, Elizabeth Green, George Grindall, Raymond Haas, Carla Hanmore, Tina Harris, Kevin Hughes, Kevin Johnson, Michael Johnson, Dennis Juncker, Anje Krantz, Dora Lance, Debra McCarty, Sandra McFadden, Theresa Morris, Susan Myers, Eric Nichols, Martha Ortega, Sheila Orth, Ricky Osborne, Robin Reich, Tony Reich, Cheryl Robinson, Tammy Snyder, Kevin Tomlinson, Gary Trammel, Mark Vanzant, Samuel Walden, Guy Whelan, George White, David Wright.
Posey 4-H Fashion Revue is July 7 The public is invited to attend the 2015 Posey County 4-H Fashion Revue and Extension Homemakers’ Style Show at no charge on Tuesday, July 7, starting at 7 p.m. in the Community Center of the Posey County 4-H Fairgrounds. Four-H youth members and Extension Homemaker adult members will show off their creations at this time, and awards will be presented to all participants. For more information on this or any other 4-H Fair or Extension activity, please contact the Posey County-Purdue Cooperative Extension Service by calling 812-838-1331 or emailing poseyces@purdue.edu.
North Posey volleyball camp slated The North Posey Lady Vikings are hosting their annual volleyball camp on July 20 through July 22. Camp will be held at New Harmony High School in the gym. Camp times are for fourth through sixth graders will be 8 until 10 a.m. Seventh and eighth graders are 10 a.m. until noon. Campers may sign up at the door on the day of camp.
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requiring applicants for assistance to take a urine drug screen violates the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Further, the trustee’s failure to accommodate Neale’s disability when she sought to apply for assistance violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. “The Constitution prohibits this type of suspicionless search and seizure,” said Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana legal director. “It is
By Lois Mittino Gray Kay Giles thinks that the senior citizens she cares about so much will miss hearing stories about Barney the most when she retires on July 1. Barney is her devoted little Yorkie and the antics of her pooch delight the oldsters. Kay will be retiring as Executive Director of the Posey County Council on Aging after 30 years on the job. Before that she was a caseworker with SWIRCA for five years making a career total of 35 years in the senior care business. “When I took my caseworker position so long ago, I was warned that the job would make me old before my time. How wrong that was. The seniors have taught me about life and keeping strong and keeping positive,” she said. An open house reception is planned for Wednesday, June 24 from 2 until 5 p.m. at the senior center on 611 West Eighth Street in Mount Vernon. The public is invited to attend. A private celebration for family and staff is planned for the night before. In her position, Kay attends the many functions and lunches her organization plans. She attends board meetings, does paperwork and writes grants. She was just notified that the department will receive $58,000 to purchase two new vehicles next January. “That will give us a fleet of 12 vans. When I started, we had two vehicles, a wheelchair van and a sedan. What a way to finish out.” The fleet of vehicles goes out every day to take seniors to doctor visits and on grocery runs. One group goes out at 6:30 a.m. for dialysis and then another group gets taken at noon. To qualify for the services, individuals must be over 60 or disabled. It is Medicaid approved and fees are nominal or a suggested dona-
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After a 35-year career in the field, Kay Giles will retire on July 1. A party will be held in her honor on June 24 from 2 until 5 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Senior Center at Kiwanis Park on Eighth Street. Photo by Lois Gray tion. Giles said it is necessary now to charge some as it is expensive to run the vans, including insurance. Hot lunches are served at the Poseyville senior center through SWIRCA on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. New Harmony has lunch available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Center made by Chad the Chef at the Ford Home. The Mount Vernon center offers lunch on Wednesday cooked by Kay’s own staff. Seniors may eat for $3.50,
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