T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 138 Edition 27
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
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Board reviews city’s fireworks regulations By Lois Mittino Gray With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, fireworks rules and the city noise ordinance were discussed at the June 21, Mount Vernon Board of Works meeting. Board Member Larry Williams said he is starting to get complaints and questioned Police Chief Tony Alldredge about the state laws. Chief Alldredge replied he needed to take a look at it because he thinks the state law has changed and would email the board all the information. He felt most complaints would be covered under the city’s noise ordinance. The city of Mount Vernon ordinance prohibits loud noises between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Fire Chief Wes Dixon added the
city cannot be more restrictive than the state law in this case. Mayor Bill Curtis said it is called the “right to celebrate.” Alldredge later found that, according to the state, June 29 through July 3 allows fireworks from 5 p.m. until two hours after sunset, July 4 allows them from 10 a.m. to midnight, July 5 through July 9 is back to 5 p.m. until two hours after sunset. These times are protected for consumer use and may not be prohibited by the city, even if they go past the noise ordinance times. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has a sheet online of safety tips, facts on injuries and the rules of use. Only
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NH council stands firm on building decision By Lois Mittino Gray During Open Forum at the June 19, New Harmony Town Council meeting, local resident Dan Barton asked whether it was really true that the former New Harmony School building is sealed up tight in this heat with no air conditioning in use. In the past, that action resulted in extensive black mold growth throughout the building, requiring expensive cleanup. “We have made the decision to seal it up and not repair the HVAC system,” Town Council President Alvin Blaylock told him. “We do not want to spend $10,000 plus to put a band-aid on the system. There is a Freon leak on one side and water is leaking
from the cooler and the bill is high.” The $10,000 figure refers to a $9,500 quote to fix the cooler with a warranty of five years. “You mean to say that you are willing to sustain a quarter million dollars in mold damage over not spending $10,000? You still have $20,000 left in the school fund,” Barton queried. President Blaylock said that fund has not been charged yet for mowing and other maintenance to try to keep up the building. “We have made our decision on this,” he firmly said. Barton inquired as to why monthly funds reports have not been posted as usual for
A large crowd enjoyed the Lion’s Club annual fireworks show at Mount Vernon’s River Bend Park on Saturday evening. Photo by Zach Straw
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New adventure: Kitchen, giftware shop opens in New Harmony
Mary Beth Guard, the self-professed “ Queen of the Air Fryer” shows off one of the eighty machines she has for sale at Capers Emporium, New Harmony’s newest business on Main Street. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Briefly BMV Fourth of July Hours Offices to be closed Wednesday, July 4 and reopen Thursday, July 5. Student Registration August 2-6, 2018 8-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. North Posey High School Keck-Gonnerman Antique Tractors Saturday, July 7, 2018 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Red Wagon, Poseyville Fourth of July celebration July 4, 2018 10 a.m. New Harmony American Legion Post 370 Spot Shoots Sunday, July 15/22/29, 2018 1 p.m. Black River Spot Shoot, NH
More information on these and other events inside today’s Posey County News
(USPS 439-500)
By Lois Mittino Gray Mary Beth Guard calls herself “The Queen of Air Fryers.” The selfprofessed royal claims she can make a pizza in four minutes and a cheesecake in thirteen in the new kitchen devices that cook with hot air. Guard has eighty of the air fryers for sale in three sizes at her new shop called, “Capers Emporium: A Kitchen and Gift Adventure.” Capers had its “soft opening” on Saturday, June 30 with food demonstrations, samplings, door prizes and special sales available to those who ventured into the delightful new store, located on the southeast corner of Tavern and Main Streets in New Harmony. Mary Beth and her husband, Michael, have spent over two years refurbishing the historic building, built in 1915, that once housed the New Harmony Odd Fellows organization and Owens Market. Purchased from the Indiana Landmarks Commission, the business sparkles with new oak plank flooring put in by Ben Gadd, installed LED lighting,
and fresh woodworking around the windows and custom-built shelving. Mary Beth has shopped at markets all over the United States to fill these shelves with unique items and interesting handmade giftware that gives a sense of whimsy and fun to shopping. “One half of the store is kitchen gadgets of all kinds, infused olive oils and varied seasonings, Fiesta tableware and Bentley glasses, aprons and linens, and all kinds of good things to eat,” she noted. “If you love popcorn, we have it covered. There are Whirlygig brand poppers, the gold standard of popping machines, all kinds of seasonings, and 25 kinds of popcorn,” she enumerated. Flavors include the likes of green apple, blue raspberry and cotton candy, as well as traditional caramel and cheese corns. There are even popcorn socks! Candy from Grey Ghost in South Carolina, sauces and jams, teas and coffees and flavorings are available, too. The other side of the store has displays of creative, imaginative and offbeat gifts. There are dolls and art-
Oh the places you’ll go 85-year-old doesn’t sit in one place long The Golden Years By Pam Robinson Long-time Mount Vernon resident Martha Alldredge lets no grass grow under her feet. Keeping her lawn trimmed with her riding lawn mower seems a slight task to the 85-year-old. After all, she climbed to the snow-capped peak of an icy mountain during her National Geographic Explorer tour of the Antarctic Archipelago, or the tip of Antarctica, in February 2017. For 11 days, Martha, her son, Larry, and his wife, Dawn, would sleep as their ship traveled to the morning’s new destination, always a surprise. “They can’t say the destination Martha Alldredge, age 85, sits atop a snow-covered mountain peak in ahead of time because it’s based on Antarctica after her brisk climb. The experience was part of a National Geographic Explorer tour of the Antarctic Archipelago, or the tip of AntContinued on Page A9 arctica, in February 2017. Photo submitted.
work made with repurposed materials, butterfly wings, children’s clothes and pajama sets, stuffed pillows, and even men’s boxer shorts with funny sayings. A person could spend several hours looking at everything and reading the witty sayings on dish towels, greeting cards and signs. Customers see colorful umbrellas and outfits with angel wings when they look in the shop windows from the street. “You can’t see it all at once. It will take several trips to see the thousands of items we have,” Mary Beth said looking around with pride. “Opening the store part is phase one of my Capers rollout plan. When things are running smoothly, phase two will kick in when our kitchen/classroom area gets certified for commercial production. We will have classes in the evening and offer a meal alternative in New Harmony for eating and to observe hands-on cooking. The cooking counter features four induction ovens and a cooktop stove and large vent
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Rodgers sentenced to one year in prison Special to the News On June 28, 2018, former Farmersville Elementary School teacher Camella Rodgers appeared in the Posey Circuit Court before Judge James Redwine and was sentenced on two felony counts of Child Seduction. Rodgers previously appeared before the Court and pled guilty, without a plea agreement from the Prosecutor’s office, to Child Seduction as a level 5 felony and Child Seduction as a level 6 felony. Rodgers faced up to six years in prison and both the Prosecutor and the defense attorney had the opportunity to argue for what sentence each felt was appropriate.
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