SEE INSIDE FOR 2015-16 BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION 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 28, 2015
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Volume 135 Edition 30
Paying Tribute... Legionnaire Clint Willis looks on as Sergeant John Meador presents the newly minted Korean War Memorial at Riverbend Park in Mount Vernon on Saturday morning. See story in our upcoming Veterans Day edition. Photo by Zach Straw
MacBook, textbook rental fees determined at MV schools By Lois Mittino Gray Mount Vernon High School parents had a question they’ve been wondering for a long time answered at the July 6 Mount Vernon School Board meeting. How much are these new MacBook laptop computers being issued to my child in the fall going to cost me? School Superintendent Tom Kopatich announced that a device rental fee of $25 will be assessed each high school student this year. Regular textbook rental fees will be charged as in other years, depending on what courses the high school student signs up to take. School Board Member Kathy Weinzapfel noted that the reasonable $25
MacBook fee “is the cheapest textbook they will be renting.” Seniors will not be able to keep their MacBook after graduation. The computer will be refreshed for use by next year’s incoming freshman class. Kopatich said the 2015-16 school year textbook fees reflect changes in the cost of social studies textbooks, along with changes in consumable textbook prices. Elementary textbook fees are K - $ 93.76, Grade One $131.98, Grade Two - $116.87, Grade Three - $ 93.87, Grade Four - $91.98, Grade Five - $ 94.10, and Grade Six - $111.33. Junior High rates are Grade Seven- $126.45 and
Grade Eight - $129.16. Grades Nine - 12 are dependent upon course selection. In addition, all students in grades K - Eight will be charged a $10 Art fee for art supplies. All students in grades Six - 12 who play one or more sports will be charged an Athletic fee of $25 at the beginning of the school year. Grades Nine - 12 will pay a parking fee of $10 for the first sticker and $1 for each additional car sticker. The parking fee pays for paving, upkeep, lights and security cameras which benefit student safety and documents any property damage. In personnel matters, the board accepted the intent to retire from Joyce Allbright,
effective September 9. She is an Administrative Office Secretary/ Human Resources Specialist who has worked for the district for 18 years. Resignations were accepted from: Charlene Baldwin as a MV Junior High School Nurse, Stacy Culley as a junior high Teacher Assistant and Rachel Deno as a junior high Secretary. Benjamin Gentry as Assistant Coach Soccer - Boys HS, Kenton Mahoney Math Teacher - JHS; Assistant CoachFootball - JH; and Student Council Sponsor, Bailee Schelhorn as Assistant Coach Vol-
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Logan is newest MV firefighter, open house planned By Lois Mittino Gray The Mount Vernon Board of Public Works meeting on July 23 began with a special swearing-in ceremony for newly hired firefighter, Dakota Logan. Clerk-Treasurer Christi Sitzman administered his oath in front of Mayor John Tucker, Fire Chief Wes Dixon and other elected officials. His parents, Delynda Rowe and Andy Logan proudly stood alongside him. It was announced that the public will get an opportunity to meet Logan and other fire and police officers when they host an Open House of their new public safety facility slated for Thursday, August Andy Logan (left) and Delynda Rowe are the proud parents of 27 from 4-8 p.m. Police Chief Grant Beloat startMount Vernon’s newest firefighter. Dakota Logan was adminised the business portion rolling by tered his oath of service at the Board of Public Works meeting by presenting two plans developed Clerk Treasurer Christi Sitzman. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Briefly
by Lieutenant Lemberg requesting new training equipment. The first one was approved to purchase a live taser simulation suit for $1,598.50 from Taser International. It includes the suit, a training plan, and simulation cartridges that can be used for a longer time. The second plan was approved to purchase rubber training aids (weapons, guns, knives) for $823.33 from various vendors. Both will be one time purchases. Board Member Bill Curtis asked if Lemberg is certified to use all the equipment and the Chief replied yes, that the officer is a certified instructor in taser. Lemberg is also in the process of developing a third plan to submit next month for approval. In an act of kindness, Beloat asked that an old bicycle from the
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NHGC learns about ‘birdscaping’
MV Class of 1976 pre-planning gathering set for August 7 The MVHS Class of 1976 is having a pre-planning gathering at Hawg N’ Sauce in Mount Vernon. All 1976 classmates are invited to be there on August 7, 2015 at 6 p.m. to discuss our 40th Class Reunion for next year. Please RSVP to classmate Becky Higgins before August 4, 2015 if you are able to attend (and have a good time catching up with old friends) call 812204-7388 or email - belyhi@aol.com.
DQ to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network On Tuesday, July 28, 2015 Dairy Queen is raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network and Riley’s Hospital for Children. $1 of each blizzard or coupon for a blizzard purchased that day will go towards this great charity. Last year Dairy Queen raised over $3,000 during their Miracle Treat Day.
MV Kiwanis Club to host Family Swim Night The Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club will host a Family Swim Night Thursday, July 30,2015 from 6-8 p.m. at Brittlebank Pool. Free Snacks will be available.
St. Mary’s, area agencies sponsor free physicals, immunizations The EVSC School-Community Council, in collaboration with ECHO Community Care, St. Mary’s Children’s Services, Vanderburgh County Department of Health, and the Evansville Courier and Press, will sponsor free school physicals, sport physicals and immunizations for uninsured and underinsured students. The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 1 at ECHO Community Health Care, 315 Mulberry Street, Evansville. School physicals, IHSAA High School sport physicals, and immunizations will be provided free of charge. This is open to Kindergarten, Sixth and Ninth grade students from Vanderburgh, Warrick, or Posey County who have no health insurance or who are underinsured. The student must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and they must have their current immunization record. Interpreters will be available to assist Spanish-speaking families. Appointments are required. Please call EVSC Center for Family, School, and Community Partnerships at 812-4358343 today to schedule your appointment.
By Lois Mittino Gray Renowned local bird expert Sharon Sorenson has a friend who lives in the city and has counted 106 different kinds of birds in her backyard without even putting up one single bird feeder. “People think that the secret to getting birds is spending a lot of money on bird food and feeders, but it’s not, the secret is one word---habitat.” Sorenson told her secret and how to achieve it to about 35 New Harmony Garden Club members and guests on Saturday, July 11 in the Room for the Dissemination of Useful Knowledge at the Workingmen’s Institute. Sharon recorded an amazing 116 bird species and 54 butterfly species as visitors to her west side Evansville home. She has lived on the property for 49 years with her husband Charles and will soon celebrate their 50th Golden Wedding anniversary. Together the pair amend the landscape, attend the flowers and take beautiful photos of the visitors all year long. Sharon’s talk was
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Noted avian author Sharon Sorenson (left) presents an autographed copy of her book on birdscaping to Susan Huelsmann who won it in the Garden Club raffle. The club also purchased a copy of the book to donate to the WMI library. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Stone is new MV band director
By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the Mount Vernon School Board learned at their July 20 meeting that the band can play on once more and right away, too. Joseph Stone was chosen to be the new high school band director and he starts already this week conducting band camp. Christmas in August to be held at Harmonie State Park Stone, a first year teacher from Kentucky, replaces the On August 1, 2015 from 2-4 p.m. Operation Christmas Child will hold a much-honored Nicholas Grant Jones who went back box packing event. If you cannot help pack, donations of school supplies, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys, hard candy and new clothing items are to teach in his hometown. Stone’s other assignments much needed. To donate or for more information contact Linda Schneider are to teach band classes at the junior/senior high schools and be assistant instrumental music teacher at swampland@tds.net or 812-449-1876. at the junior high. National Night Out slated for August 4 The Sheriff’s Department will be hosting the National Night Out event In other personnel matters getting the new school at the Cynthiana Park on August 4, 2015 at 6 p.m. There will be free food, year ready to go, John Daniel Stratton from New entertainment, and fun activities for all ages. The entire Posey County Harmony was hired on as a carpenter at the bus gaCommunity is invited to attend. rage. Rebecca Tucker will move with her family from
Retrospective........A4 Legals ...................B4 Classifieds.........B5, 8 Community...........A5
former bike patrol program be declared surplus and given to a special needs young man who would like to have it. It has been stripped of all police decals and is approximately twelve to fifteen years old. Curtis commented that bikes that old have very little value and all approved it as surplus. “I’ll let him know, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled,” Beloat said of the gift. Curtis asked Beloat what the policy is for stolen bikes that are recovered. He replied they hold them for 30 days and then release them to someone else. They keep records of who took the bike in case there are claims on it later. Street Commissioner Max Dieterle asked permission to declare
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Olney,Illinois to be the Administrative Office secretary/receptionist for maintenance/transportation. Sara Batteiger was hired to work in the Administrative Office as a Human Resource Specialist. “This is great news since two new households are moving to our area,” noted Board Member Beth McFadin Higgins. Resignations were accepted from Teresa Bloodworth, a Teacher Assistant at the Fine Arts Academy; Kristine Deig, a teacher at West Elementary; Lynn Culley-Sims, JH Student Council Sponsor and Lauren Stemple as HS Assistant Volleyball Coach. Melony Hurm was given permission to attend an eRevolution conference in Evansville.
Sports ...............B1, 3 Bus/Ag .................A12 Opinion ................A13 TVGuide...........B9-10
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