Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN
“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Posey County’s only locally-owned newspaper
$1.00
(USPS S4 439-500) 39 5 0 0)
Volume 134 Edition 30
Major portion of 200 block of Main is coming down By Lois Mittino Gray The last hurdle in demolishing five eyesore buildings on Main Street was knocked down at the Mount Vernon Board of Public Works July 24 meeting. “This is the last official action in a long chain of events in that part of town. This is a definite step forward,” noted Councilman Brian Jeffries as resolution 14-13 passed unanimously. The Resolution Authorizing Purchase of Real Estate at 201, 207, 209, 211 and 213 Main Street, Mount Vernon, Posey County, Indiana, authorizes the city to exercise options to purchase the properties and execute all necessary documents. First, the city is authorized to get apprais-
als from David Matthews and Associates and Appraisal Consultants, Inc., and pay their fees. The purchase price is usually set close to the average of the two appraisals. In community surveys the decaying storefronts on Main Street have consistently ranked high on the list of resident concerns. The blighted area consists of the Old Mini-Mall and its surrounding stores around a quarter block of Main and West Second streets. When all legal matters are in place, demolition should start around October according to Mayor John Tucker. He said to soften the blow of the cost, money is already appropriated for the demolition and it will be reopened for negotiation
with contractors. He felt it will be more ‘amicable’ this time as there are no facades to save or partial ones to work around. Out with the old and in with the new as the board continued on to the fire and police public safety building under construction. Councilman Bill Curtis presented an update on percent construction completed by contractors to date and pay requests from Terry Burnworth. Curtis met with the site supervisor and said, “All in all, everything seems to be pretty much on schedule, especially duct work and electrical.” In other board action: • Police Chief Grant Beloat announced testing for a new police
hires list will start Friday, July 25 at 8 a.m., at the high school track with physical agility tests and written tests administered. • Beloat also requested permission to purchase a new truck for the Animal Control officer’s use. The current truck is a 2004 Dodge Dakota with over 70,000 miles on it and is on the ‘ten year mark.’ He shopped prices with Dodge, Ford and Chevy products and the lowest price was a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 two-wheel
drive for $20,000 at Expressway Dodge. Jeffries asked if a trade-in will be taken and that was affirmative. Mayor Tucker explained that EDIT funds were set aside for this purchase and Beloat requested that if funds were sufficient, he would like to buy the extended warranty package. The Chief was given permission to purchase the truck and if funds are sufficient, also the extended warranty
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Hagemann joins Wolfgang for event Special to the News for the New Harmony Bicentennial Philip Hagemann is a composer entitled Variations on a Harmonist and choral conductor who was born Hymn. and raised in Mount Vernon but has Hagemann will conduct Posey lived in New York City for many County’s own Wolfgang Orchestra years. He has published 75 choral and Chorus as they premiere his new compositions and composed ten onework at Murphy Auditorium in New act operas and two full-length operas. Harmony on Saturday, August 9, at His best-known choral piece is a 7:30 p.m. Christmas novelty titled ‘Fruitcake,’ Other selections on the concert which has sold over 150,000 copies will include: Beethoven’s 5th Symand been performed by thousands of phony 1st Movement, Mozart’s choruses. Requiem Confutatis & Lacrimosa, Hagemann has maintained close Harold Arlen’s Over the Rainbow, ties with Posey County, his home Satchmo! A tribute to Louis Armcounty. For 32 years he has sponsored strong, traditional songs Saints a competition for Posey County high Bound for Heaven and Old Dan Philip Hagemann school music students, the Finals of Tucker, and Paul Dresser’s On the which are usually held in Thrall’s Opera House. Several Banks of the Wabash; led by Dennis and Nancy Noon. of his operas have been performed in New Harmony. He The concert is free and the public is invited. was asked to compose, and has composed, a new work See entire Bicentennial Schedule on Page A2.
Brady Schickel mans his position during a recent all star baseball tournament. The baseball seasons are winding down as school is slated to start in Posey County the second week of August. Photo by Garry Beeson
New Harmony celebrates, looks at uncertain future By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the New Harmony Town Council learned at its July 17 meeting that the town’s yard waste dump site is being ‘buried’ by illegal non-resident dumping. Town Street Superintendent Bobby Grider reported that a tandem trailer truck loaded with tree logs and limbs was seen dumping at the site around the July 4 weekend. “In spring it was huge loads of leaves, so many we had to burn them and the ash pile is still smoking now two months later,” he said. As a result, since traffic into the site cannot be regulated on weekends, the fence into the area by the old fairgrounds will be locked. A camera will be set up on the premises. Residents can check out a key on weekends from the town hall, town marshall, or Councilman Don Gibbs. “We offer this as a courtesy to our citizens and we want to make sure they are not hindered in their weekend work,” Gibbs emphasized. Events in New Harmony planned in August and September also took center stage. Historic New Harmony Director Connie Weinzapfel presented an update on the Bicentennial Celebration planned for August 1-10. Advertising has been widespread including the Chicago Tribune, AAA Midwest Travel magazine,
Indiana Historical Society Traces magazine, WNIN radio and cable television and newspaper ads. Flyers with the schedule of activities were printed for all residents in the 47631 zip code. With this advertising and calculated staff overtime needed for activities, expenses are estimated at $4,550. Only $6,300 is left in the town Bicentennial account. Weinzapfel explained that $3,400 is still needed to pay Concept Sound and Light for the ‘Salute to New Harmony’ program in Murphy Auditorium on Friday, August 8. The Council approved another $2,000 to make sure there were sufficient funds for this. A discussion followed on ways to have remote sites to listen to the special program if the 360 available seats in the auditorium are filled. Councilman Andrew Wilson wondered if it could be streamed over the Internet and this possibility will be checked Linda Henning, Marketing Director for Elastec/American Marine, appeared before the council to announce that the Carmi-based company is hosting an intensive oil spill cleanup workshop the week of September 8-11. Over 100 professionals will pay a fee to attend including first responders, industry reps and potential customers to train for an environmental disaster.
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Appeals Court upholds sentence
Villages of Indiana announces foster parent information nights At any given time there are 10,000 children in Indiana’s foster care system. The Villages of Indiana is hosting foster parent information events. The Villages is a private, statewide non-profit organization provides an array of family services, including foster care training and certification for Hoosier parents. Upcoming info nights in the Evansville area are scheduled for: Aug. 21 or Sept. 18, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. The Villages at 100 N. St. Joseph Ave., Suite 200, RSVP to 800-601-7754 PC Democrats to host Poker Run Posey County Democrats will host a Poker Run Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 10 a.m. Location: Lueder Barn, 810 Upper Upton Road, Mount Vernon, Ind. 50 percent of proceeds from Registration will go to the Posey County Relay For Life. Cost - $15 per driver, $5 each passenger. Under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent. For more information call 812-4554693 or 812-568-2225. Open House and All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry Owen Dunn Post 5 American Legion at 203 Walnut in Mount Vernon, Indiana will hold an Open House and sponsor an ‘All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry’ on Saturday August 2, 2014, serving from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Carry-out is available. Call 838-5122 to arrange for large carry-out orders. Post 5 American Legion will be open to the public all day. Please bring friends and family to the American Legion, socialize and enjoy the all can eat Catfish filet dinner. New Harmony to hold FEMA Flood Map community meeting At a recent Town Council meeting, council member Linda Warrum announced a community meeting with representatives of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to answer questions regarding the proposed FEMA Flood Map for New Harmony. Insurance reps also have also been invited. Council president Joe Straw made a special request to share this announcement with business members; presumably in response to NHBA’S June 5 letter to him asking for an informational meeting. While it’s not clear that Council has formulated an official response to the proposed FEMA flood map, this is a start. This meeting is open to all residents of New Harmony. Saturday, August 23 at 9 a.m. at The Granary, 413 W. Granary Street. For more information, contact Town Hall at 812.682.4846.
Retrospective ...... A 4 Legals ............... B 4 - 5 Classifieds ........ B 7 - 8 Community ......... A 6
Speakers and experts will work out of the Atheneum and New Harmony Inn facilities. Elastec is the largest manufacturer of oil spill equipment in the United States and second largest in the world and exports to over 100 countries. “We are promoting New Harmony heavily as a venue and we want the merchants to know they will be here on those dates in case they want to have longer hours or specials,” Henning said. Interested persons may visit the demonstrations, but safety is foremost and all visitors must get an entry badge. In other council action: • Replying to a question as to whether the town was spraying for mosquitoes, Gibbs replied they have not sprayed lately as it has been so hot. He said the insects are probably getting active again now that there is a cool spell, so he will deal with it. He reminds all residents to also check their water sources and eliminate all standing water areas where breeding takes place • The council set a public meeting for Saturday, August 23 at 9 a.m. at the Granary to discuss the FEMA floodplain redesignation and its effect on the community. Town Council Presi-
Special to the News duct with a Minor, all Class B felonies. Judge Almon On July 22, 2014, the Indiana Court of Appeals up- also ordered that sentence to be served consecutively held the 100 year prison sentence Jacob Aaron Phillips to his Vanderburgh and Warrick County sentences for a received for repeatedly abusing a young female family total sentence of one hundred (100) years in the Indiana member over a number of years in Vanclerburgh, War- Department of Corrections. rick and Posey Counties. Phillips appealed his Posey County sentence to the This particular case began on April 27, 2010 when a Indiana Court of Appeals and argued that his Posey seventeen (17) year old family member of Jacob Aaron County sentence should not have been ordered to be Phillips went to Holly's House in Evansville, Indiana served consecutively to the Vanderburgh and Warrick and reported that she had been sexually County sentences. assaulted on a weekly basis by Phillips. On July 22, 2014, the Indiana Court The victim reported that the sexual of Appeals upheld the 100 year prison abuse began shortly after she turned sentence as appropriate. six (6) years old and continued until The Indiana Court of Appeals held she was approximately sixteen (16) that ‘a single aggravating circumstance years old. Evansville Police Detective may support the imposition of conBrian Turpin took a formal statement secutive sentences. In its sentencing from the teenage victim and then obstatement, the [Posey Superior Court] tained a confession statement from identified not just one, but several agPhillips as well. gravating factors. The record reveals Phillips admitted that he had enthat Phillips molested [the victim] over gaged in various sexual acts with the a long period of time. By the time [the child victim over an approximate ten victim] was ten or eleven years old, (10) year period while he and the victhe fondling and touching escalated Jacob Aaron Phillips tim resided in Vanderburgh, Warrick to oral, anal, and vaginal sexual interand Posey Counties. course. Occasionally, Phillips required [the victim] to On October 15, 2012, Phillips was convicted in the perform oral sex on him. The record further reveals that Warrick County Circuit Court and was sentenced by Phillips would engage in sexual intercourse with [the Judge David O. Kelley to a total sentence of thirty- five victim] at least three times a week. On two occasions, (35) years in prison. On October 19, 2012, Phillips was Phillips engaged in sexual intercourse with [the victim] convicted in the Vanderburgh County Superior Court in front of her mother. and was sentenced by Judge Robert J. Tornatta to a Lastly, the record reveals that the sexual molesting total sentence of fifty (50) years in prison and served caused [the victim] to develop depression, anxiety, and consecutively to his Warrick County sentence. she had trouble with her relationships with men. Based On October 22, 2013, Phillips was sentenced by on the foregoing, it is abundantly clear that the trial Judge S. Brent Almon in Posey County Superior Court court considered these circumstances to be aggravatto serve fifteen (15) years in prison as a result of his Continued on Page A12 having pled guilty to three counts of Sexual Miscon-
Deaths .............. ...A3 Church ...............A 1 1 Social .................. A 5 School ................. A 7
Sports ...............B1, 3 Bus/Ag ................ A 7 Opinion ............. A 1 3 TV Guide........ A9-10