The Posey County News, March 1st 2011 Edition

Page 1

“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Since S ince 1882 1882 ~ Successor Successor tto oT The he P Poseyville oseyville N News ews a and nd T The he New Har Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN

Tuesday M March 1, 2011

Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper

$1.00

(USPS SP PS 4 439-500) 39-5 500)

Volumee 130 Edition 10 V

MV Fire Chief Roger Waters to retire Serious injury on I-64

By Pam Robinson The Mount Vernon Board of Public Works and Safety honored the request of Mount Vernon Fire Chief Roger Waters to advertise his position, which will become vacant early this summer. After the meeting, Mayor John Tucker spoke about Waters’ service to the city. “Chief Roger Waters as a member of the fire department has always performed exemplary, has always done his job. We’ve been very fortunate to have had him all these number of years. As you well know, it’s not always been easy to keep police and firemen, but Roger is a local resident who hired on here and stayed with the department. Roger has over 30 years here. I wish

On Thursday evening, February 24, at approximately 5:17 p.m., Indiana State Police responded to single vehicle crash on I-64 at the 13 mile-marker that seriously injured an Illinois driver. Preliminary investigation revealed Robert Owen, 42, of Grayville, Ill., was driving his 2003 Ford Mustang westbound on I-64 at the 13 mile-marker when he lost control, left the roadway and struck the end of the guardrail in the median. At the time of the crash, the area was receiving hard rain. Owen was not wearing his seatbelt and had to be extricated from his vehicle by Poseyville Volunteer Fire Department. Owen was taken to Deaconess Hospital where he is currently being treated for his injuries. The driver was cited for speed too fast for current conditions. Investigating Officers are Trooper Paul Stolz of the Indiana State Police. The Assisting Officer was Poseyville’s Town Marshall Doug Salzman.

him well in his next endeavor, whatever it might be. I’m sure he’s going to spend time with his new grandbaby. I’m sure he’s looking forward to spending time there,” Tucker stated. “He’s really enjoyed the job, you could tell. He has taken a lot of interest in the department as far as equipment-wise in keeping it up. There’s not a day goes by that he doesn’t come in and we talk about a piece of equipment that needs to be checked, looked into or replaced. He stays on top of that. Obviously, it’s important that the police and fire department—all departments—have the equipment they need. And Roger has really stayed on top of it.” Waters himself declined an interview regard-

Abatements make progress By Dave Pearce The Posey County Council took positive steps for two abatements during their recent Tuesday morning meeting. The Council gave preliminary approval for an abatement for Bristol Myers for a project which has already been started. William Hayes, representing Bristol Myers, was on hand for the public hearing which yielded no objections to the proposed abatement. Hayes was advised, as is standard procedure, to interview and hire as many Posey County residents as possible. Hayes was also told that the Council would request the company to purchase as many supplies as possible in Posey County. The project at Bristol is expected to be completed by March 1, 2012. The Council also heard a request for an abatement from Cargill, Inc., Company representatives were on hand and told the Council that in order to provide additional grain storage to maintain their market share, they would be building an additional 3.5 million bushel grain storage facility. The Council assured company representatives that since the abateWul-Wee (aka Dave Ritzert) and Kipper (aka Hadi Shriner Eric Kippenbrock) clown around and make balloon toys for the young and ment has been officially requested, young at heart to help celebrate the15th anniversary of the Children’s work could begin on the project. The amount to be spent on the projLearning Center of Posey County on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Orientation night set Orientation for students who will be entering seventh grade in the 2011-2012 school year will be held on Tuesday, March 15 at 6 p.m. at North Posey Junior High. Current sixth-grade students at North Elementary and South Terrace will receive their orientation packets prior to this evening. St. Wendel students should contact the school about prognosis testing and enrollment prior to orientation. Students should bring their seventh-grade orientation packet, along with the completed information forms, to orientation on March 15, 2011. Please call the school office at 673-6617 if you questions.

MVJHS musical set The cast for the junior high musical this spring - Enchanted Sleeping Beauty - has been determined. 56 students have roles in the production. Performance dates are Friday, April 15, at 7 p.m. and Sat., April 19, at 3 p.m. More information will be provided as we get closer to the production dates.

ect was questioned by the council. Representatives on hand could not answer the question since the paperwork had been filled out by Cargill officials. The current request appears to be for $7.5 million for real estate and another $5 million for equipment, for a total of $12.5 millions. The company representative indicated that the project would probably mean the addition of three employees. In other business: •County assessor Nancy Hoehn was on hand and reported that work is well ahead of schedule in her office and that her office will be proactive and aggressive in oil and gas production taxing in Posey County. She indicated the benchmark for the current date is to be at about 25 percent complete and that her office’s work currently stands at approximately 50 percent complete. Hoehn also said she will be checking records with the Department of Natural Resources in an effort to make sure taxes are being properly paid on gas and oil production. She indicated that letters will be going out to give producers an opportunity to make corrections to reports currently on file. •The Council proved the appointment of Harold Morgan to the Alexandrian Public Library Board.

Saturday soup supper to help blind New Harmony student attend convention

Family program is March 1 Mount Vernon High School, in cooperation with Youth First and Safe Schools/Healthy Students, will be hosting a Strengthening Families program beginning Tuesday, March 1. The program is a free nine-week program for youth (ages 10-14) and their families. This program can benefit every family as it is all about taking families and making them stronger. Each session includes: free family dinner, door prizes, daycare for young siblings, homework club for siblings, and an awesome final incentive for program completion. To register or for more information, call Denise Schultz at 421-8336, or dschultz@ youthfirstinc.org.

Annual SWCD is tonight The Annual Meeting of the Posey County Soil and Water Conservation District will be held Tuesday, March 1 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Holy Angels Catholic Center in New Harmony. Hans Kok will be the guest speaker. The evening consists of an awards presentation, brief business meeting, supervisor election and dinner.

Easter Seals Special Events/Communications Coordinator Chelsea Schmidt (L) poses with Sophie Grace Weinzapel (R), a first grader at St. Philip School. The daughter of Greg and Julie Weinzapfel, Sophie has been named the local Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center child representative. She was present with Schmidt at a St. Philip School assembly on Friday afternoon to promote disability awareness.

DUI crackdown slated

Weinzapfel to represent Easter Seals

Beginning Friday, March 4, Indiana State Police at the Evansville District will join more than 250 other Indiana law enforcement agencies across the Hoosier state in the Drunk Driving. Through March 20, officers will work overtime to conduct highvisibility enforcement activities designed specifically to identify impaired drivers. Motorists will also see an increased number of patrols looking for aggressive drivers and unrestrained motorists during the 17-day enforcement period. In March 2009, there were 41 fatalities on Indiana roadways. Of these, 24 percent involved a driver who was legally intoxicated.

ing his retirement. In other business: •Wastewater Superintendent Rodney Givens reported that his department had received its new five-year permit, costing approximately $335 a year and billed quarterly. He continued and stated that the effluent wet toxicity testing would be more expensive, approximately $2,100. Finally, he referenced the gas station’s request for ground water testing, which is being studied further. •Street Commissioner Roy Maynard reported that the hole at Upton Road and the city limits was caused by a rotted culvert. He said for a few days the road will be down to one lane while it is repaired.

On Friday, Feb. 25, at 1:15 and 1:45 p.m., approximately 193 students at St. Philip School, 3420 Saint Philips Road South in Mount Vernon participated in assemblies featuring the Easter Seals Hop-N-Ing disability awareness program. The children learned about disabilities to show their support for classmate Sophie Grace Weinzapfel, who has a severe/profound hearing loss and receives services at the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville. Sophie, the 2011 local Easter Seals child representative, is a first grader at St. Philip School and attended the 1:15 p.m. Hop-N-Ing assembly. She is the daughter of Greg and Julie Weinzapfel. On Friday, students participated in the interactive assemblies presented by Chelsea Schmidt, special events and communications coordinator for the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center. The unique curriculum uses a set of dolls with a variety of disabilities to encourage role-playing and discussions. In the days to come, students will participate in the second phase of

Continued on Page A5

By Pam Robinson The Church of the Nazarene, located at 531 E. Steammill St. in New Harmony, is hosting a special soup supper this Saturday, March 5. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and will help sponsor six Southwestern Indiana families visiting Orlando this July 3-8 for the National Federation of the Blind Convention. The featured homemade soups are chili, potato, and vegetable, served alongside one of a variety of sandwiches. Dessert and drink (tea or lemonade) will be included in the supper also. Diners may eat inside at the church fellowship hall or ask for carryout. There is no set price for admission. Instead, donations will be collected. Members of Church of the Nazarene, Dave and Jeanette Sturgell and their family will travel to the July convention to learn more about how they can promote independence for their 9-year-old daughter Taengkwa, who they brought home to New Harmony from Thailand in August 2007. She is the youngest member of the Sturgell family, which includes three birth children—daughters Parker (14) and Brooke (16) and son Jake (18). It will be their first trip to the convention along with four families from Gibson County and one family from Warrick County. Although Taengkwa is enrolled at New Harmony School, she receives special services and studies at Haubstadt Community School with visual instruction teacher Jeanie Lee. In the third grade now, Taengkwa reads and is still learning Braille. Mom Jeanette underscores that Taengkwa’s skill in reading Braille will make her 70 percent more employable when she reaches adulthood. A preemie, Taengkwa didn’t receive treatment for her fragile, underdeveloped eyes and thus lost her sight. A foster family in Thailand brought her into their home from the neighboring Bangkok orphanage when she was five months old. Starting at age 3, she studied in a boarding school, coming home to her foster family only on weekends. Although the boarding school helped its students to learn self-care in hygiene, no other skills were taught to the visually impaired, such as using a cane or reading Braille. Jeanette says it’s common to see the blind begging in Thailand, where no social services are provided. When the Sturgells brought the then 5-year-old Taengkwa to their New Harmony home, she could express three needs—I’m hungry, I’m thirsty and Mommy, toilet. Within six months, she was speaking English well and navigating the house well. Today, Taengkwa speaks perfectly, but is working on comprehension. By 8th grade, she will catch up to her peers in comprehension as well. She can see only light—and perhaps shadows. Jeanette says she either sees shadows or hears the echo off vehicles and farm machinery since she rides her tricycle around an “obstacle course” without running into anything. “She’s been so much fun,” Jeanette says. “She’s also appreciative of things we take for granted.”

Inside this issue...

ThePCN

Retrospective ................. A4 Legals ............................. B5 Classifieds ................ B6-8

Go to www.poseycountynews.com Community ........... A5 Social ...................... A6 Deaths ................... A3 Sports ................... B1-5 School ............... A8-9 Business/Ag ......... A10

457476310


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Posey County News, March 1st 2011 Edition by The Posey County News - Issuu