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Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
Tuesday January 3, 2012
Volume 132 Edition 1
Fate of Wabash River bridge remains uncertain By Valerie Werkmeister The fate of the Wabash Bridge in New Harmony is still uncertain, but one thing is clear: Posey County officials do not plan to take over the bridge. During their last meeting of 2011, Posey County Commissioners discussed the topic that has brought many on both sides of the bridge to a difficult crossroads. Commissioner Jim Alsop stated, on behalf of the commissioners, that they do not feel it is in the best interests of Posey County to take over the maintenance responsibilities for the bridge. He further elaborated that they were rejecting the Indiana Department of Transportation’s (INDOT) proposal that offered a transfer of 35 miles of low-traffic highways to the county in exchange for $2.7 million. The bridge is currently privately owned
by the White County Bridge Commission and doesn’t qualify for state or federal grants. Transferring ownership of the bridge is the only way to open it up to other funding source opportunities. Since most grants come with the stipulation of a local funding match, INDOT’s $2.7 million proposal was meant to help. Commissioners felt that this one-time deal was not cost-effective in the end when long-term road maintenance was evaluated. During a public meeting in November, Alsop urged White County and more Illinois officials to contact Posey County to discuss the topic. “Illinois isn’t interested in the bridge either. We haven’t received any contact from Illinois since that meeting,” Alsop stated. We’ll leave it open for INDOT to develop another proposal.
Commissioners accepted and approved bids for a variety of county supplies including the following: •Fuel – Wabash Valley •Tires and tubes – Reis Tire •Plastic Pipe – Southern Indiana Drainage •Metal Pipe – Metal Culverts Inc. and CPI Supply •Gravel – Mulzer Crushed Stone and McDonald Stone •Stone and rip rap – Mulzer Crushed Stone •Labor and construction equipment – Russell’s Excavating, DK Parker and Jerry Chastain Jr. •Fuel for EMS Department – Wabash Valley •Fuel for Sheriff’s Department – Wabash Valley Commissioners agreed to trade hats for
the upcoming year as Alsop was chosen as the new president. John Sherretz will assume the role of vice president. Commissioners also approved a bid from Word Systems, Inc. for an upgrade to the digital recording system in the Superior Court area at a cost of $1,195. Alsop noted he had received a check from Welborn Health Systems for $26,629 as a reimbursement for health insurance premiums. County holidays for 2012 were approved as follows: January 2 and 16, April 6, May 8 and 28, July 4, September 3, November 6, 12, 22 and 23, December 24 and 25. The commissioners plan to continue the same meeting schedule of the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Their first meeting of 2012 will be held on January 3, at 9 a.m. in the Hovey House.
Posey County Young Life to open new digs, clubhouse next month
Town of Poseyville officials are sworn in by Judge Redwine during a special ceremony held at the Poseyville Community Center on December 29. From left are: Judge Redwine, Nancy Grimes - newly elected clerk-treasurer, Julie Mayo - utility office, Ron Fallowfield - council member, Bruce Baker - town council president and Steve Ahrens - council member. Photo by Valerie Werkmeister
The Honorable Judge James Redwine, Posey Circuit Court, administers the oath of office and swears in the five members of the Mount Vernon City Council on Wednesday afternoon, December 28, in the City Hall Annex. Pictured L to R are Andy Hoehn, Bill Curtis, Steve Fuelling, Sue Shelton and Becky Higgins. Judge Redwine also administered the oath of office to new Clerk-Treasurer Denise Dike, who, in turn, swore in her two deputy clerk-treasurers (L to R Angie Kissinger and former Clerk-Treasurer Cristi Sitzman), city department heads and their assistants and the city administrative assistant/building commissioner (Sherry Willis). Due to illness, Mayor John Tucker will take the oath of office at a later date. Photo by Pam Robinson
By Pam Robinson The New Year brings a much-anticipated new clubhouse to Mount Vernon Young Life, part of Posey County Young Life, a non-denominational Christian club for high school students. After purchasing the property and building of the former Keck Ford on Highway 62 west of Mount Vernon, Black’s Chapel United Methodist Church donated the body shop to Young Life to host their weekly club meetings. Keith Oeth, Executive Director of Young Life, says volunteer laborers are hustling to finish renovations to the body shop in time for the first club meeting of 2012 on Monday, February 6. His faith tells him the grand opening of the clubhouse will happen right on schedule. “It’s amazing how God has opened one door after another,” Oeth comments. In addition to Black’s Chapel, individuals and businesses have donated their time, talent and treasure to avoid using a single penny of Young Life’s budget, provided through 100 percent fundraising. Oeth expresses his deep appreciation to Black’s Chapel not only for providing the clubhouse building, but also for volunteering to pay the electric bill every month. Charles Walter drew up the blueprints for the renovation. Then, Eric Lutton installed the sound, and Mark Grigsby put in all the plumbing with the assistance of Jeff Freeman. Rodney Shephard donated furnaces through his business Shephard Services. Bruce Hall Body Shop donated the black paint for the ceiling while Floors & Walls donated the white paint for the walls. Another donor, wishing to remain anonymous, supplied a complete set of like-new kitchen cabinets on the condition Oeth take them out to make way for a different style of cabinets. Oeth expects donated flooring from Mount Vernon Parks & Recreation once the old building is demolished. The spacious, 3,500 square-feet clubhouse will enclose a central club meeting room, complete with a stage and adjoining sound booth. At the back of the club meeting room is the kitchen, where kids can heat up a snack and purchase a soft drink for 25 cents. Adjacent to the club meeting room is the game room for pinball and video games. Young Life can now enjoy outdoor activities on the grassy lot at the back of the clubhouse, and parking is ample. The new clubhouse is the second for Mount Vernon Young Life. While the club was growing in 2004, Young Life committee members hosted meetings in their homes. Since 2005, a year after the club formed, Rodney Shephard and his stepfather Jim Brown have rented the front portion of their office building on Mulberry Street. “We’re excited,” Oeth says. “I have prayed standing over this grate in this [main club meeting] room that God will work here in a mighty way.” Even in the planning and preparation stage, God hasn’t let Oeth down.
Poseyville’s Rutledge ‘Livin’ the dream’ as police officer By Dave Pearce While most people are celebrating the beginning of the new year, Poseyville native Justin Rutledge is celebrating his first full year as a Henderson police officer. It takes a lot of things to make a dream come true. Just ask the 23-year-old North Posey High School graduate. The son of Roger and Tonya Rutledge began living his dream this year when he began his career at the Henderson City Police Department. But it was anything but easy for the persistent but qualified man who is nearly finished with his bachelor’s degree at USI. “This is what I have always wanted to be,” Rutledge said, while sitting at the table of his parents’ Poseyville home. “I can remember since junior high, probably about the seventh grade, this is what I wanted to do.” While Rutledge has been a friend of longtime Indiana State Trooper Frank Smith, who Rutledge said influenced him, it was perhaps his brother who had the most to do with his decision to decide that law enforcement was for him. “My brother (Tommy) worked at the (Posey County) jail,” Rutledge said. But being of service to the community and giving back has long been in the blood of the young officer, despite being shy on years. He is a member of the Poseyville Fire Depart-
ment and began the cadet program in Wadesville when in was in the eighth grade. He also worked in the same room with his mother at North Posey mentally and physically handicapped children. He says those times taught him some of the patience that has been mandatory for him to be a police officer. He still misses the students he helped teach at North Posey. Rutledge has four classes (or one full-time semester) left before he can walk across the stage and claim his sheepskin in criminal justice and a minor in business administration. But the opportunity to earn money to help pay for his final few classes appealed to him and he decided to apply for the Henderson City Police Department in January of 2010. “The hiring process alone took nine months,” Rutledge explained. “There was a written test, then a physical test, then a psychological profile and finally, I found out that I got the job.” But nothing has come easy for the pleasant young Poseyville sharpshooter. “Right after I got hired, I was in a fourwheeler accident and tore my ACL and had to have surgery and a lot of therapy,” Rutledge explained. “It was two weeks before I was supposed to start. And I am so thankful
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Poseyville native Justin Rutledge gets into his Henderson City Police car preparing to begin his shift. The 23-year-old won two awards within his class. Photo by Dave Pearce
Inside this issue...
ThePCN
Retrospective ................. A4 Legals.............................. B8 Classifieds ................. B6-7
Go to www.poseycountynews.com Community ........... A5 Social ...................... A5 Deaths ................... A3 Sports ................... B1-5 School................... A6 Bus/Ag.................... A6
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