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Opinion ............................. A2 Obits ................................. A3 Retro.................................. A4 General .............................. A5
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P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Volume 140 Edition 30 $1.00
Indiana’s state-wide amended mask mandate in place Posey residents, elected officials, question governor’s Executive Order penalty By Dave Pearce An email sent by Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham to county employees and office heads on Friday made the rounds of local television stations and social media. Upon hearing that Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb had issued an Executive Order that all Indiana residents must wear face masks beginning on Monday or face a Class B Misdemeanor and/or a fine, Latham issued the email. In the email, Latham indicated that his deputies would not be enforcing the executive mandate handed down by the governor because the legislative branch, not the
executive branch, is charged with making laws. Latham said the governor’s mandating masks with a misdemeanor penalty for violation would be unconstitutional. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill echoed a similar opinion to the Executive Order and indicated that a special session of the Indianan law-making body would be required before any such penalty could be imposed. Late last week, the governor amended the executive order to eliminate the portion of the Executive Order that indicated that violation of the order would come with a penalty. A clarification of Latham’s stance was
posted on The Posey County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page following the amended mandate. “After the dust has, somewhat, settled from the latest discussion pertaining to Governor Holcomb’s order, I wanted to clear some fuzzy points,” Latham said in the post. “What had been posted was an internal county-wide email I sent, due to phone calls I had received in what was going to be Governor Holcomb’s order, and if people would be going to jail for any violations. It was not a public distribution intention.” This was not intended to bring Governor Holcomb any discredit or disrespect. I have
been privileged to speak with Governor Holcomb on several occasions, and there’s no doubt in my mind he has the public’s best interest in mind, trying to make the best decisions for our health and economics,” Latham continued. Here’s the reason I made the statement, which has no reflection as to whether one should or should not wear a mask. I instructed deputies not to make any arrests based on the original order because ultimately it would have been a false arrest. If that had been the case, the potential of civil
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Body found in Ohio River identified Special to the News Workers at the office of Posey County Coroner Bill Dennning have been able to identify the body of a woman, “Jane Doe” who was recovered in the Ohio River on February 10, 2020. DNA samples were taken from Jane Doe and sent to the Indiana State Police Lab and they received a hit on those results. The woman has been identified as 54-year-old Wilma Jean Crawford of Henderson, Ky. The iden-
tification was also confirmed through fingerprints by Indiana State Police Lab Technician Mallory Webb confirming Jane Doe was Crawford. Family has been notified and they are preparing to lay Crawford to rest. “Through the cooperation of several agencies and local media we have been able to successfully get her identified and give her family a chance to give her a proper burial. My personal thanks to all those people that helped in any way to make this possible,” shared Denning.
Posey cemetery care is questioned By Dave Pearce The condition of Posey County cemeteries, several specifically in Marrs Township, became a topic of discussion during the Posey County Council’s Tuesday meeting this week. However, it seems the hands of both the Posey County Commissioners and the Posey County Council are tied at this point as Marrs Township Trustee Kristina Seifert, who oversees the care of the Marrs Township cemeteries, does not answer to local officials. Posey County Councilman Tom Schneider brought up the alleged problem and told those in attendance, “This is really a hot button for some families out there.” Posey County Commissioner Carl Schmitz was on hand and was asked to elaborate on the matter and he
indicated the Marrs cemetery issue has a long history within the County. Schmitz indicated that the commissioners have been at odds with Seifert over the cemetery issue for nearly six years. He said that Seifert has appeared before the Commissioners and has asked them to take over the care of the cemeteries. Schmitz indicated it is the Trustee’s decision and responsibility as to how often the cemeteries are mowed. Councilman Aaron Wilson asked if the Council had the authority to hold the trustee accountable from the financial end of things. However, County Auditor Meagan Greenwell indicated that the Council could request
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MSDMV Aug. 7 start date confirmed By Lois Mittino Gray Mount Vernon School Superintendent Matt Thompson told the school board at its July 20, meeting that he is not considering pushing the date for the first day of school back later into August, as was done recently by the Evansville school district. The first day of school for the MSD of Mount Vernon is still set for August 7 at this time. “We will continue to be in communication with the county health department, especially if there is a large spike in COVID numbers, but our plan is in place,” he told board members. Staff will return on August 6.
The board discussed virtual learning, wearing masks, teacher health concerns, and adopted a recommended resolution to suspend school policies that conflict with statutory waivers or extensions granted by the Governor, state agencies, and the legislature during the pandemic. Change in Marrs Elementary parent pickup routes, and two new courses at the high school with the new Industrial Technology teacher were approved, as well as other personnel and financial concerns. Thompson said that he’s received many positive comments so far from parents about the reopening
plan that was in the local newspaper and Internet. More detailed information will soon be available on the school websites to answer COVID questions and first day facts. A survey was put out to parents regarding whether they preferred on-site instruction or total virtual learning at home for their children. With a fifty percent response, less than ten percent of MV parents are considering virtual, far less than the 17 percent estimated by the state. As for the virtual learning curriculum, plans call for using Apex Learning, Inc., for junior and senior
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In front of a healthy stand of corn, Point Township resident Ruth Mueller looks at the rain gauge on Sunday afternoon only to see that the shower left no measurable precipitation. Barring unforeseen circumstances, farmers are expecting record crops. Photo by Dave Pearce
Hard work never hurt anyone... Bert Fieber credits her work eithic with her longevity, will celebrate 100th Wednesday By Lois Mittino Gray As the warm summer breezes swirled around her, Bert Fieber sat in the gazebo in the backyard of the Charles Ford Retirement Community and whispered her secret for living 100 years in two words, “Hard Work.” The centenarian will be feted on her hundredth birthday on Wednesday, July 29 with a special celebration chock full of activities. Elberta “Bert” Fieber was born a century ago on July 29, 1920 to George and Ollie Wasson on a 100-acre farm in Posey County. She was the firstborn and together with her siblings, she began her years
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of “Hard Work” on the family farm. “I worked in the cornfields with my father, helped tend a big vegetable and flower garden, and had to milk the cows. I hated doing that one,” she reminisced. For fun, Bert loved to run track when she was young and always enjoyed playing games with her family. “My favorite thing to do with my siblings was to go to ball games. Sometimes, we would eat my favorite meal, mom’s fried chicken, before we went.” Bert was the first in her family to get married when she wed Ray Fieber when she was about 25-years-old. Her husband helped his dad farm and, then in later years, he worked for Farm Bureau. When asked what she liked about Ray, she replied, “He was pretty nice to me and was helpful in the house whenever he could be.” Bert did some work outside of the home, but she was mainly busy with her children. She had two sons, both deceased, one as an infant and the other, Douglas, who just died last year in 2019. When her children were small, the young mother liked to go out and play baseball with them. Her family attended Mount Vernon baseball games and she still loves to watch her beloved Red Sox
play on television. She thought maybe she was about 20 or 25 when she got her first TV, but it may have been a later date. Bert loved to laugh with Lucille Ball, listen to Dolly Parton belt out her songs, and fawn over Frank Sinatra crooning tunes on the radio. In her prime, she loved to dance, especially to whirl in a waltz. Happy memories were family parties. Sad ones were remembering polio and how fearful everyone was for their children before the vaccine was developed in the 1950’s. Spry Bert remained vibrant and active through the years, still driving her Ford well into her 90’s, when she moved to the Charles Ford Retirement Community about 18 months ago. “I really like living in the Ford Home,” she said. “Everybody is really nice, and there’s always something different to do.” Golf cart riding is her favorite planned activity and she likes to ride around town and down to the river. “My family used to have picnics by the Wabash River in New Harmony,” she recalled. The staff of the retirement community plans to celebrate the special centenarian on Wednesday with a full slate of activi-
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Bert Fieber turns 100 during Covid-19 pandemic.