Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1882
E, “OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZ L MAINTAIN.” AND OUR RIGHTS WE WIL Posey County’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
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Volume 135 Edition 28
Agreement with Midwest means bypass is ahead with State Road 69 on the north side of the city. The specific location of the bypass was not defined. The construction of the $2.5 billion facility is expected to create 200 full-time jobs and a large number of temporary laborer jobs. The construction phase of the project will generate additional traffic through the city. County officials quickly realized the current city and state roads would not handle the wear and
By Valerie Werkmeister Posey County got a huge payday last Tuesday, July 7, as county commissioners and council members signed an incentive letter to be sent to Midwest Fertilizer Corporation (MFC). The heart of the letter states the county will receive $27.5 million to construct a bypass around the City of Mount Vernon. The western bypass would connect State Road 62 on the west side of Mount Vernon
tear on the roads. It would also make travel through town cumbersome for local residents. County officials held several meetings and discussions with The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in an effort to get the bypass project on the state’s ‘to-do’ list. INDOT was unable to accommodate Posey County’s needs within the desired timeline. The county has been working to find a so-
lution to finance the bypass project for over a year. Commissioners and council members were excited to present the details of the letter during their joint meeting last Tuesday. Commissioner president Carl Schmitz stated he has spent the last few weeks on the phone hammering out details of the incentive
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Poseyville Fire must reload
The Posey County Fair will be overseen this year by royalty, left to right, Princess Jenna Wehmer, Teen Queen Alyssa Juncker, Queen Summer Oeth, and Duchess Emma Yarber. Photo by Dave Pearce
By Valerie Werkmeister Members of the Poseyville Town Council met last Wednesday for their July meeting with most of the discussion centering on the needs of the fire department and the recent fire at Ziggy’s Pub, Poseyville Fire Chief Sam Martin and council member Ron Fallowfield expressed their appreciation for the food and drinks provided to volunteer firefighters by Susan Weatherholt, owner of J.L. Hirsch’s Department Store. Both buildings are adjacent to one another and could have easily spread. Martin stated they were able to contain the fire to a 20 foot by 20 foot area. He explained the Poseyville Fire Department will need to replace 15 gallons of foam borrowed from Wadesville Fire Department to extinguish the fire. The department also incurred the unexpected expense of replacing four tires on the brush truck. Martin stated the truck blew a tire while he was returning equipment to each department the following day. Council members noticed an improvement since Nix installed a muffler on their dust collector at their business on Fletchall Street. The muffler has reduced the noise considerably. Council members have seen a decrease in the number of noise complaints.
The council approved two resolutions. Resolution 2015-07-08-01 established a town election board and Resolution 2015-07-08-02 allowed for the emergency transfer of funds to various accounts in need of funds to pay for expenditures. Julie Mayo informed all department heads that work has begun on the budget for next year. She requested budget information for next year to be turned in by July 24. The council will have a meeting with the Department of Local Government and Finance on August 12. Council members stated they will not ask for any increase in funds and hope to maintain the same budget amounts. Town employee Ken Gorbett questioned whether leaves could be dumped at the yard waste site. During leaf pick-up season, the town spreads leaves on farm fields after the crops are harvested. Gorbett felt it would be more convenient if town employees could deposit the leaves in the yard waste site instead. Ron Fallowfield stated he would discuss the matter with the director of the Solid Waste District. The next regular council meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, in the town hall.
Cabela’s shows interest in MV tourney
By Lois Mittino Gray Jeremy Coe appeared before the Mount Vernon Board of Public Works at its June 9 meeting to tell a ‘big fish’ story and board members were very positive about his proposal for a big catfish catching tournament at the city riverfront. Coe is King Kat Tournament Trail Director for the popular sports outfitter, Cabela’s. “You sit in the middle of everything when it comes to a perfect place for a competitive catfish tournament. You are near so many states. I know you are working to revital-
ize your riverfront and this really brings big crowds and has a great economic impact,” Coe explained. He said Cabela’s typically has around 20 tournaments a year and, “We would like to establish a home here on this section of the Ohio River.” Once a tournament works out in an area, that city usually hosts one every year. Teams of two persons enter the big fish tournament. A third person may be in the boat if under 16 years of age or over 65. Coe said there are around 45 boats for a one day Saturday tournament, which he recom-
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PHS Volunteer Autumn Bousum is all smiles with of Nolan and Tyler Bisner and their recently adopted dog ‘Marley’ at Woof Stock. Photo by Zach Straw
Accident sends two to Deaconess
Class of 1978 Double Nickle Gathering planned We would love to see all the Mount Vernon Senior High School Class of 1978 classmates join us at Hawg ‘N Sauce on the patio on Saturday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. Please come as you are, bring your significant other if you’d like, and help us celebrate our 55th birthdays together. Everyone will be responsible for their own food and drinks. If there are any questions or to save your spot, please call/ text Kay at 812-483-2922.
NP Class of 1960 to hold reunion The North Posey High School Class of 1960 will hold its 55th Class Reunion on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Red Wagon in Poseyville, Ind. 5 p.m. - Cash Bar and Social, 6 to 9:30 p.m. – Buffet Dinner and Socializing. The following classmate have not been located: Mike Huston and Margaret Matlock. If you have any information, please call Ruth Redman at 812-673-4627 or Bill Butler at 812-204-7009 with the current address of these classmates.
BBBS seeks mentors, volunteers Come join the fun and learn about helping others by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Posey County. Become a mentor or volunteer time with the fundraising and planning group. Either way, you can make a big difference in a child’s life. Visit our Facebook page, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Posey County, to see children on our waiting list. To learn more, come to Brittlebank Pool, Wednesday, July 22, 2015, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Meet some of our Big and Little matches and volunteers. Start something for kids in our community.
Elks hosts Relay For Life fundraier event Mount Vernon Elks Lodge 277 will be having a fundraiser Friday, July 17, 2015 and Saturday July 18, 2015 to benefit Relay for Life. Carry out lunches of fish fillet or grilled pork chop, potato salad, oven baked beans, pickle and onion are available for $7.50 per lunch. Canned drinks will be available. Call 812-8383361 to pre-order your lunches. Pick up times are 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. both days. Delivery on large orders is available.
Early Learning Indiana recruits AmeriCorps members Early Learning Indiana is recruiting 15 AmeriCorps members to work on family engagement in pre-K settings. Members will work with organizations in Indianapolis, Evansville, and Fort Wayne. As an AmeriCorps member, you will be on-site at a high-quality pre-K program, where you will help to build the capacity of your program to engage families in their child’s education and you will lead and organize family engagement activities yourself. Members in Evansville will be supported by a site supervisor and an early childhood expert at 4C of Southern Indiana, Inc., - who will offer weekly trainings on Fridays. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who has an interest in early childhood education, pre-K, authentic family engagement and nonprofit management. Parents of young children are especially welcome to apply. Apply today: http://bit.ly/engagepreK.
MVCC sets date for Ice Cream Social Mount Vernon Community Church - Black’s Chapel UMC will be hosting their annual Ice Cream Social, under the awning, on Saturday, July 25, 2015 from 5 to 8 p.m. This event is free to the community. Come enjoy homemade ice cream, hot dogs, cookies and entertainment. MVCC-Black’s Chapel is located at 1800 West Fourth Street, next to the water tower.
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mends for Mount Vernon to start out. A two day tournament on a Friday-Saturday will draw around 55 to 60 boats. Anglers can put in from any location set up in the tournament rules at 5 a.m. to catch bait, fish from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and be in the weigh in line at the boat ramp by 4 p.m. The five biggest catfish per team are weighed in and then live released back into the river. A polygraph is on hand to ensure honesty as the grand prize is at $5,000.
By Dave Pearce Two New Harmony residents were hospitalized following an accident which occurred on State Road 69 near Romaine Road early this past week. According to the accident report, Patricia Wilson, 60, of New Harmony was traveling northbound on State Road 69 in her 2015 Lincoln MKX when her vehicle could not avoid a collision with a 2010 Dodge Ram truck being driven by George R. Winerberger, also of New Harmony. The Winerberger vehicle was southbound on State Road 69. Winerberger told police that he looked down at his speedometer to see if the battery light was on and when he looked up, the Wilson vehicle was in his lane and they collided head-on. Wilson told police she was traveling northbound and
as the Winerberger vehicle was approaching, she saw it swerve into the northbound lane and correct back into the southbound lane. But then, as the vehicle neared, it crossed left of center again and into her lane. She told police she steered her vehicle left in an attempt to avoid being hit but was hit head-on. A witness, traveling behind Winerberger in a semi, told police he observed the Winerberger vehicle cross the center line multiple times. He indicated that as the Wilson vehicle approached, the truck, being driven by Winerberger, crossed the center line and was almost completely in the northbound lane. He said he observed the Wilson vehicle as the driver attempted to avoid the collision but was unable to do so. Both drivers were taken by Posey County EMS to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.
‘Jackpot’ swells as winner lurks By Lois Mittino Gray The Treasure Hunt Contest, sponsored by the American Legion Owen Dunn Post 5 of Mount Vernon, is the ‘talk of the town’ these days. The jackpot is up to $255,084 with only four possible numbers left - 16, 30, 31, and 45. Ticket chances sell for a dollar each at the Legion with the next drawing of the possible winner on Saturday, July 18 at 8 p.m. Dave Sharber, the Legion’s Chairman of Charity Gaming for the past twelve years, said this contest began a year ago on July 12, 2014. A 52 number board was purchased for $250 from Nannicola Company of Ohio, a licensed provider of these charity game boards. Every drawing afterwards, one ticket was pulled out of the barrel with one name and one number written on it. The flap on that number is opened up on the master game board and the winner gets what is shown underneath that number. So far, the 48 numbers already picked have had winning sums ranging from $500 to $100 under the flap. Nowadays, participants know the word Jackpot is lurking behind one of only four unopened numbers. Sharber said the Indiana Gaming Commission has a “myriad of rules and regulations to follow and a license for most everything.” Sharber carefully makes sure the rules are followed on all their charity gaming activities ranging from bingo games and raffles to pull tabs and hunts. He said anyone can buy a ticket if they are age 18 with no limit and for the last draw-
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Laura Frisby and Dave Sharber invite everyone over 18 years of age to buy a ticket in the American Legion’s Treasure Hunt contest. The Legion will use the proceeds for its many community and national programs for veterans and their families. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray ing, about 35,000 tickets were sold. “It may seem like a lot of ticket competition, but the odds with only four
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