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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
Volume 140 Edition 27
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
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Stewart arrested for threats Special to the News on a Facebook live video feed and that he Nickolas Stewart, age 28, of Mount Ver- meant the statements as threats. non, was arrested on Thursday morning for Stewart was arrested without incident on making threats to burn down county build- the charge of Intimidation, which is a Level ings. 6 Felony. Stewart faces Sheriff’s Office reports a possible sentence of indicate that Detective up to 2 ½ years in prisKyle Reidford with the on. Posey County Sheriff’s “This type of threat is Office met with Stewart taken very serious, espeon Thursday morning recially with what is going garding a complaint that on across this nation,” Stewart had posted threatstated Posey County ening videos to his personSheriff Tom Latham. al Facebook page. “This is a prime examAccording to records, ple of how this type of Stewart had posted multibehavior will not be tolNickolas Stewart ple videos on social media erated in Posey County where he made statements and it will be dealt with that he would burn down the Posey County appropriately.” Superior Courthouse, the Posey County CirStewart is currently lodged in the Posey cuit Courthouse, the United States Post Of- County Jail and will appear in the Posey fice and the Posey County Jail. Circuit Court on Tuesday, July 7 at 9 a.m. Monte and Maverick Anderson were proudly waving the American flag as the family waitIn speaking with Detective Reidford, All persons arrested are presumed inno- ed for the Annual Golf Cart Parade to make its way down Main Street on Saturday. Photo Stewart admitted to making the statements cent until proven guilty in a court of law. by Dave Pearce
Council finally OKs funding for Tresslar demolition By Lois Mittino Gray The Mount Vernon Common Council finally made the decision to take action and get the walls of the Tresslar Building ‘tumblin down’ by approving to let the demolition bid packets at their June 18, meeting at the Hovey House. Councilwoman Dana Baldwin made a motion that Mayor Bill Curtis be authorized to proceed forward with the bid packets as soon as possible and check into opportunities for financing the work. The motion carried unanimously and Curtis thought he could get the packets prepared to go out by July
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The councilors and Mayor all agreed the eyesore building on Fourth and Main Streets is in bad condition, especially after a portion of its back wall collapsed last year. Fire Chief Wes Dixon spoke at the podium recounting the story of the day back five years ago, when a five ton piece of iron fell off the façade, and his department had to remove it from the roadway. Later on, windows fell out onto the Main Street, and last year a car went through the plate glass window right into the building. “I’m not a structural engineer, but
that can’t be good for the building. From our fire station, we can literally see the building fall before our eyes. Even though it is a very slow collapse, it needs to come down,” he urged the group. The holdup to starting the demolition work these past few months was the possibility of a grant from the Indiana Office of Rural and Community Affairs (OCRA) for demolition funds. The Mayor announced he just learned the application date was moved back once again, due to COVID monies spent elsewhere, and now it was set at January 1, 2021. He stated at a
previous council meeting that if that delay would be the case, they would move forward with a private company, using city money. “Should we wait until January or use our own money?” he questioned. Councilman Andy Hoehn replied, “Let’s get the ball rolling and move forward. It’s time.” He suggested the city explore financing with a local bank for a five or ten year loan, so this project doesn’t take a big chunk out of the city money at once. “This would hedge our money as best as we can.” The cost of the project was ban-
tered about, too. Originally set at $400,000, Curtis conceded that was the figure used for the grant estimate. Baldwin feels that, after making inquiries, it will be more along the lines of $250,000, or lower. “This is the perfect time to do this. After COVID, contractors will bid low to get people back to work,” she speculated. In another hot council issue: • Jim Powers appeared before the councilors to discuss the ongoing problem of semis in his subdivision cutting through streets with
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MV Council addresses COVID By Lois Mittino Gray During the routine department reports at the July 2, meeting of the Mount Vernon Board of Works, board member Andy Hoehn asked every department head if there were any city employees testing positive for the COVID-19 virus on their staff. Police Chief Tony Alldredge told Hoehn one of his officers recently tested positive for the virus. The officer developed symptoms, so he went to get tested. After coming back with a positive result, the officer provided a contact list that included his two midnight shift partners. All three are now off with a fourteen day self-quarantine. “They are considered essential employees as police officers and I could have made them still come to work wearing a mask, but I did not want to endanger any of my staff and felt quarantine would be safer,” the Chief told those present.
Fire Chief Wes Dixon said three firefighters have been tested and results were all negative. “They worked the same late shift as the policemen involved, but felt they were not around the officers in quarantine long enough to be exposed,” he explained. Board member Hoehn questioned any COVID-19 tests in the water department and sewage department. Utilities Superintendent Chuck Gray stated the wife of one of his employees tested positive, but that was three or four months ago. The employee was quarantined for 14 days with no problems, and Gray’s department has had no issues since. Street Department Head Max Deiterle said he had a similar situation to Superintendent Gray. He had an employee whose partner tested positive, so he was quarantined for fourteen
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New Harmony resident Tom Cochran receives the Volunteer of the Year Award from Ryan Rokicki, Director of the Workingmen’s Institute, during the Fourth of July Celebration held in New Harmony on Saturday. Photo submitted
Adapting to changes, staying the course... Steve ‘Harv’ Keitel never thought of working anywhere other than Bud’s By Lois Mittino Gray In a day and age when many people are transient and jump from one job to another, Steven Keitel is the exact opposite, a great example of employee loyalty. In 1980, as a young 16-and -a-half-year-old student, he hired on at Bob’s Bicycle Shop for an after school and summer job and never signed anyone else’s time clock. On June 15 of this year, he celebrated his fortieth anniversary at the location, as a Bud’s Hardware employee. “We couldn’t do what we do here without Steve. He’s such an important part of everything we do every day,” said grateful business
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co-owner Jimmy Key. Key and partner Phillip Wells bought the business five years ago from Bud Funkhauser, whose name it bears. “Steve just doesn’t know anything else but hard work, and he’s good at it,” Key remarked. “I worked for Bud (Funkhouser) for a long time, and I enjoy the work,” Keitel observed. “I really like to fix things and do odd jobs around the house, so I can help customers with their projects. I am the only one here who repairs screens. My favorite thing to do is help the customers with their projects,” he replied when asked to name his favorite. Steven often works behind the cash register at the counter in his role as Assistant Manager. Keitel says he never thought about working anywhere else. “They say kids today may change jobs every five to seven years. That’s not for me!,” he said with a shake of his head. The dedicated employee is a real handyman at home and that is his main hobby. A lifelong resident of Mount Vernon, he is presently fixing up and remodeling his dad’s house on Blackford Road, which he recently purchased to share with his wife, Lavon. The couple has two children, Cassandra and Lee and has a two-year old grandchild, Waylon. Although he celebrated his fortieth ‘ruby’ anniversary, Keitel is not ready to retire yet. “I’m too young to think about that at 56,” he
New employee Wade Dixon (Left) asks veteran employee Steven Keitel a question about Bud’s. Hardware as they talk behind the counter. Photo by Lois Mitino Gray remarked. Jimmy Key invites everyone to come by and wish Steven a ‘Happy Anniversary.’ A full page ad appears in this week’s paper to tout the milestone and celebrate with sales. A young novice employee, Wade Dixon, who has worked at Bud’s Hardware for only 13
months, in contrast to Steven’s 40 years, walks up to the counter. “Steve is the best worker we have at Bud’s Hardware,” he told me. Noticing his boss standing next to Steven, he added, “other than Jimmy, of course.” “Nice save, Wade,” Jimmy said with a grin and a wink in Wade’s direction.