“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
North Posey honors day set
North Posey High School will hold its annual Honors Program on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 in the high school main gym. The program will begin at 8:15 a.m. with the presentation of academic and scholastic awards.
NHS registration set
Parents wishing to register new students for New Harmony School’s next school year may come to the office anytime to do so. These would be new pre-school, kindergarten, and other students new to the school.
Poll worker training set
Storms, floods put Posey in Emergency State By Dave Pearce Mike and Julie Butler and their daughters had no intentions of becoming a farm family. But when they woke up on Wednesday morning, there were parts of three grain bins within a hundred yards of their rural Posey County home. They had blown from the neighbor’s home, just as so many things had blown through Posey County the night before. “I’m usually not too much on things like this but they just kept saying over and over on television that it could be really bad,” Mike Butler said later in the week as a construction worker repaired the roof of his home. “It just kept getting louder so I got up and looked out the back door.” When I opened the door, all I heard was ‘swoosh,’” Butler continued. “There was a huge
amount of pressure on the door and it felt like the air was being sucked out of our house. I yelled into the house and told the girls to head to the basement.” Butler’s story was not unlike many Posey County residents regarding a stormy week, particularly on Tuesday evening. New Harmony Police Officer Scott Champlin said he was trying to help and was headed toward New Harmony on SR69 near the entrance to New Harmonie Park when his Chevy Suburban was moved on the roadway by the wind. The National Weather Service has not officially declared that a tornado hit Posey County but if tree and building damage is any indication, the results speak for themselves. Winds in excess of 90 miles per hour were reported by area television storm spotters.
Besides the area near Butlers, several farms around the Griffin area sustained damage. The Fifer Farm just east of Griffin and the Ziliak Farm just west of Griffin also sustained heavy damage, as did several trees and building in the Blue Grass Road area off Hoefling Road near Parker’s Settlement. Butler’s neighbor, Steve Herrmann, lost most of a barn as the parts of the red building were strewn along the roadway and into nearby fields. Another neighbor lost a shed that had housed an RV while yet another neighbor’s tree blew onto the garage, but saving the vehicles from total loss. Posey County Sheriff Greg Oeth has seen a lot in his three decades in public safety service, but
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Ambulance decision is expected at May meeting
Commissioners ask entities to stop rental
Major flooding expected
Major flooding is expected for Posey County in the coming week. Empty sandbags are avaiable from the posey county EMA by calling the office at 838-1333 and leaving a message. Also, the posey county EMA has a page on facebook where additional information can be found.
MVHS Class of ‘76 meets
The Mount Vernon High School Class of 1976 reunion meeting on Thursday, April 28 at 7:15 p.m. at Schneider & Evans office, 833 East Fourth Street, Mount Vernon, Ind. Questions: call Chris (Nix) Harp at 812-499-2658 or Becky Higgins at 812-204-7388. It’s time for Family Matters of Posey County’s Rummage Sale. Scheduled for Saturday, May 7, from 8 a.m.—noon. in the Rent One parking lot, Fourth Street Mount Vernon. Save your treasures while spring cleaning, and we’ll help find them a new home—and maybe find new treasures for you to take home. Call 838-6875 for storage information and volunteer opportunities.
Egg hunt reset
The Poseyville Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt, originally scheduled for this past Saturday, has been rescheduled for this coming Saturday, April 30, at 9 a.m. We will meet in the parking lot of North Elementary prior to the hunt, which is open to anyone 10 years old or younger.
NHS Alumni to meet
The New Harmony Alumni Association will be holding the 99th annual dinner and dance on Saturday, May 28, 2011. Dinner will be at 6:00 (doors open at 5:00), the dance will be immediately after the dinner and will be open to the public. For more information check the website at www.newharmonyalumni.org
Band Boosters raise funds
The MV Band Boosters are selling smoked meats. This is our most popular fund raiser. Orders for ribs (approx 5 lbs = $20), butts & half loins (approx 4-5 lbs = $25), & whole loins (approx 8-10 lbs = $35). Orders must be pre-paid. Place orders through May 5th with your favorite band student or booster. For more info, call Kristy at 838-4479.
ThePCN
(USPS 439-500)
Volume 130 Edition 18
Training for clerks, judges and inspectors working the polls in Precinct 7 and 11 will be held Monday April 25 at 6 p.m. at the Hovey House in Mount Vernon. Early voting is now taking place at the Courthouse Election room Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Election room will also be open Saturday, April 30 from 8 a.m. to noon. There is only one contested race in the primary between Democrats Ed Adams and Al Gibbs. The primary winner will face Republican Andy Hoehn in the general election November 8.
Family Matters sale set
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Dr. George and Peggy Rapp in their New Harmony home.
Rapps earn USI Honorary degrees By Pam Robinson Dr. George and Peggy (MacNary) Rapp of New Harmony have been distinguished by the University of Southern Indiana, or USI, to receive honorary degrees—Doctor of Science and Doctor of Laws, respectively—during commencement exercises on Sunday, May 8. In recognition, the Town of New Harmony has issued the proclamation establishing May 8 as George and Peggy Rapp Day. That evening, the Rapp-Owen Granary Auxiliary will host a reception to honor the Rapps from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Schnee-Ribeyre-Elliott House in New Harmony. Although no relation to Johann George Rapp, who founded a utopian society in New Harmony during the 19th century, Dr. George Rapp lives with his wife Peggy in a beautifully restored Rappite home that witnesses their love of the arts and education as well as historic preservation. It features numerous original paintings, often lighted as in a museum. Indeed, the Rapps are well-known in art circles throughout the state of Indiana for their support of artists and their work. George is chairman of the newly organized committee to help the American Impressionist Society centered in Indianapolis, the Rapps’ primary place of residence. In New Harmony, they founded the Hoosier Salon of New Harmony, a 501(c)3 nonprofit
art gallery. They help to maintain the New Harmony Gallery of Art headquarters as well. Their sponsorship along with the Indiana Plein Air Painters, or IPAPA, makes possible the annual Plein Air Paint Out each spring in New Harmony, now recognized as one of the finest in the nation. The Rapps recall the Paint Out started 13 years ago with 35 artists. It has grown now to draw over 150 professional artists in addition to nearly 50 student artists. Peggy supervises, trains and prepares materials for all volunteers who run the event—70 this year alone. The proceeds from the sale of art at the event support the Hoosier Salon, covering both its operating expenses and public programs. Historic New Harmony benefits from Peggy’s special touch as well, namely through the annual Hat Luncheon she co-founded to help support it. Moreover, USI benefits from the Rapps’ generous gifts and donations for programs and student scholarships. Likewise, Peggy was the catalyst to start the Garden Club in New Harmony. With her continued guidance, members have volunteered in an organized effort to beautify New Harmony. First, they provided flowers
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By Dave Pearce The Posey County Commissioners appear to be throwing down the gauntlet to backers of a plan to change or bring another ambulance to Posey County. Near the conclusion of Tuesday morning’s Posey County Commissioner’s meeting, President Scott Moye indicated that the body will be sending out a letter the week. The letter will be asking those entities who currently house Posey County’s three ambulances to terminate the monthly rental agreement, effective June 1, 2011. “We are going to send this letter to the town boards and to Marrs Township,” Moye said at the conclusion of reading the letter’s contents. “By no means does that send a message as to what we will do. That information will be presented the first meeting of May (changed to Wednesday, May 4 because of the Primary Election on May 2).” A crowd is expected at the May 4 meeting slated for 9 a.m. at the Hovey House in Mount Vernon. A crowd estimated at over 300 was in attendance at the Posey County Community Center when results of an ambulance study were presented late last month. Moye said that the commissioners are searching for a solution to the current Emergency Management Services problem and is also looking for the most efficient way to spend taxpayer dollars. Moye indicated that while the amount would not be huge, it would save the county about $9,000 annually if all three entities agree to drop the rental charges. Earlier in the meeting, the commissioners voted to raise the pay of Posey County Animal Control officer by some $5000 annually. Moye explained that the raise would put Chuck Mobley’s pay more in line with other animal control officers in the area. He explained that the reason the pay is so much lower than others in the area is that the previous officer was already an employee of the city and this was additional money for him.
Phenomenal Woman Denning named PCCF director By Pam Robinson Point Township resident Johnna Benton Denning has been named the new director of the Posey County Community Foundation, or PCCF, a nonprofit public charity created by and for the people of Posey County. Denning started the transition to her new job yesterday. She will keep parttime office hours until Thursday, May 19, when she assumes full responsibilities. Until then, she is also wrapping up projects for Keep Evansville Beautiful, where she has served as development manager since last November. PCCF President Bill Gillenwater commented on the hiring process, a joint effort of the PCCF and the Community Foundation Alliance, and Denning’s winning credentials. “Johnna was one of 35 applicants for the position at the Posey County Community Foundation,” he said. “Of those, we narrowed it down to 10 individuals to look at their applications. Of those 10, we selected five to interview, and out of those Johnna was rated as the number one. She had the experience in grant making, fundraising, working on boards—she had actually worked on the board of the Posey County Community Foundation.
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Inside this issue... Retrospective ................. A4 Legals ....................... B10-11 Classifieds .............. B6-9
New PCCF director Johnna Benton Denning
Go to www.poseycountynews.com Community ........... A5 Social ...................... A6 Deaths ................... A3 Sports................... B1-6 School................... A9 Business/Ag ............ A8
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