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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
Legion Old Uniform night set
Post 5 American Legion will host it’s annual “Veterans Appreciation Night” AKA “Old Uniform Night” on Saturday, Nov. 12 this year. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. followed by entertainment and then a dance from 8 to 11 p.m. The Evening activities are open to all Post 5 Legion Family members (Legion, Auxiliary and SAL).
Demo women to meet
The Posey County Democratic Women’s Club will meet at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, which is a change from the original meeting place, on November 17, at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. The agenda will include the election of officers for the coming year.
Johnson ham loaf sale set
The United Methodist Women of Johnson United Methodist church are again making their famous ham loaves for sale in time for Thanksgiving. The price remains the same at $2 each. They will be available at the church on November the 11. Please call Rosemary Alsop at the church office, 682-4648 or Marsha Bailey 682-4852 to place orders and make arrangements for pick up.
Griffin Old Timers change
The scheduled Griffin Old Timers Sack Lunch Picnic is being changed to the third Friday of each month, and the group is moving inside the Fire Station for the winter. The next Griffin Old Timers Sack Lunch Picnic will be on Friday, Nov. 18 at 11:30 a.m.
Griffin trash clean-up set
Trash should be out by the alleys of homes no later that 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 12. No sticks, tree limbs, car batteries, appliances, air conditioners, or burning barrels wll be allowed for pick up. Dried paint will be allowed If it is not dried, it will not be picked up. If you have any questions contact 851-3503.
Veteran’s program set in NH
The New Harmony School Veteran’s Day Program will be November 11 at 8 a.m. in the school gym. Please invite all parents, grandparents, neighbors, and any other veterans you may know.
Marrs Vet Day program set
The Veteran’s Day Program will be presented by Marrs Elementary fifth grade students on Nov. 11, 2011, at 2 p.m.in the school cafeteria. All Veterans are welcomed and encouraged to attend.
Mount Vernon play is here
Mount Vernon Senior High School Thespian Troupe 982 will present Jim Leonard’s award winning play ”Anatomy of Gray” on Nov. 10, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the school’s Performing Arts Center. Set in the late 1800s, “Anatomy of Gray” draws the audience into the life of the mythical Indiana community of Gray. A new doctor arrives just before a mysterious illness besets members of the community. Playwright Jim Leonard notes that the story, “deals with death, loss, love, and healing in a unique coming of age story.”The cast includes, Mikey StephenEmerson (Galen Gray), Michelle Huff (June Muldoon), Melanie Davis (Rebekah Muldoon), Austin Denning (Phineas Wingfield), Olivia Martin (Tiny Wingfield), Elijah Gray (Crutch Collins), Samantha Olsen (Belva Collins), Michelle Walker (Maggie) and Mat Seifert (Homer). The ensemble features Taylor Burden, Marshall Hadley, Matthew Meador and Ellie Plunkett.Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door. For information, please call 812-838-4356.
Volume 131 Edition 46
man Agency suggests Posey take over bridge Posey charged with By BARRY CLEVELAND Of The Times Staff The Indiana Department of Transportation has proposed a means of providing some money to upgrade the Wabash River Bridge at New Harmony, Ind. But it’s not clear that the offer will be accepted. INDOT announced Thursday that it “has presented options to the White County Bridge Commission and Posey County (Ind.) Commissioners for funding rehabilitation” of the 80-year-old span, which is owned by the bridge commission, a three-member body set up decades ago by Congress to operate the two-lane structure. The presentation was made dur-
ing the Posey commissioners’ Sept. 6 meeting; two of the three members of the bridge commission (Chairman Jim Clark of Carmi and Dr. David Rice of New Harmony) were also present. “A member of the White County Bridge Commission initially approached INDOT seeking a solution to their funding challenges,” Will Wingfield of the INDOT staff told The Times Friday, explaining why the September presentation was made. However, since that meeting, “INDOT has not received a formal position or opinion from either group, so the plan is for continued dialogue on the matter,” he added. Robert Zier, INDOT’s chief of
staff, told the Posey and bridge commissioners last month that “because the 80-year-old toll bridge carries less than 1,000 vehicles per day, INDOT does not feel that taking over maintenance would advance the purpose and goals of the state highway network. “The state has successfully leveraged federal funding, grants and new technology for bridge improvements and is eager to offer technical assistance,” he added. But because the bridge commission is not a governmental body, “it is not eligible for many state or federal funding opportunities,” he said. By becoming a public or non-
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Board urged to make no quick decisions Teachers, citizens urge board to look at possible options before voting By Rhys Mathew The community raised many questions at the Nov. 3 town hall meeting to discuss the future of New Harmony School. Dr. Phyllis Amick, a consultant hired by New Harmony School Board, presented the same information presented at the first meeting, but more questions were presented to Amick and the board members at this recent meeting. A common thread among questions was a request for more time in the decision making process. Rick Johnson, who has taught at New Harmony School for 34 years, said, “This is home, and it’s a special place.” Johnson felt that the community has not had enough time to collaborate and organize their efforts. “We’re asking the school board to postpone their decision until spring time. One month is not enough time to make a decision.” Rebecca Jessop also hoped that the request for more time is granted. “To call a community together and say, ‘Here are your choices and here are the disadvantages to each of those choices without the advantages,’ with one month to decide, puts the community in a very, very tough spot.” Laura Nicholson also pointed out the defeatist tone of the meeting, saying, “”We’re being presented with ‘Can’t do this, can’t do that,’ and we’re being asked to make a decision in one month.” Many attendees also suggested enhancing the school’s curriculum using the talents of the commu-
Indiana Senator Jim Tomes recently visited New Harmony School. Pictured are, front row seated left to right, Lydia Deckard and Joshua Brown. Second Row Standing left to right are: Lauren Kissel, Zoe Heinlin, Gabe Sartore, and Ayden Ramey. Adults are teacher Robyn Wells and Senator Tomes. nity. Rick Johnson said, “We’ve would be willing to give a progot to get creative and we have to gram on the [origin] of words in be unified. We need [the commu- the English language; this would nity’s] wisdom, talents and time to raise standardized test scores.” keep this school. This community Don Williams reminded attendhas the most talented and creative ees of a previous accomplishment people of any community around.” in the community. “Just eight or Rebecca Jessop, a former Latin nine years ago, a group of students teacher and school board member from this wonderful school decidin another community, offered her ed that the Ribeyre Gymnasium time and talents to the school. “I should not fall into disrepair and be lost forever. Look at the gym now—they did it. As long as there have been schools in New Harmony, there have also been visionary people. We desperately hope there will always be a school in New Harmony.” Senator Tomes was able to attend the meeting, and agreed that the state policy is not helping small schools. “I know this is a terrible crisis you are dealing with here; I will do everything within my power to continue working with state level government. If we could resurrect any kind of funding to buy you more time, I want to try to do that. This is a phenomenal school, and I know that it’s the lifeblood of this community.” The next step for the board is to collect the surveys given to community members and compose the New Harmony Scoutmaster Tim Wily gives directions to Cade results. At this time, the school Latshaw prior to the retirement of flags during ceremonies held board hopes to have decision made over the weekend. Photo submitted. by the end of this year.
child molesting following MVPD investigation
By Dave Pearce An 18-year-old Mount Vernon resident has been arrested and charged with Child Molesting a class A Felony, as the result of an investigation by the Mount Vernon Police Department. According to information provided by Mount Vernon Police Chief Grant Beloat, on October 30, 2011 at about 6:30 p.m. Mount Vernon Police Brakie responded to a call of an alleged child molesting case at a Pearl Street home. Officers were advised that the suspect, 18-year-old Stephen J. Brakie of Mount Vernon, Ind., had inserted an object into the genitalia of a four-year-old child. The child was taken to Deaconess Hospital for medical examination and treatment. The investigation continued and on November 1, 2011 Brakie was brought in for questioning. At 11:49 a.m. the interview with Brakie was concluded and it was determined that probable cause existed to arrest Brakie and charge him with Child Molesting. According to the Probable Cause for Arrest, when police arrived at the residence, they met the father of the victim who told them that Brakie had been at their home approximately 40 minutes prior to the phone call to police. The father advised police that his fouryear-old daughter complained that her privates were hurting and that Brakie had done something to her. The father advised that the girl was bleeding from the area. The child was taken to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville where police were advised there was tearing and an abrasion to the area. The nurse in charge advised police that the injuries were consistent with something penetrating the area and that an incident had indeed occurred. The young girl was released to the custody of her parents and an interview was then set up at Holly’s House in Evansville. During the course of interviews, it was determined that Brakie had indeed been at the residence and that he had picked up the young girl and presumably had taken her outside. Just a few minutes later, the young girl’s two sisters came into the house and reported that the young girl’s privates were bleeding. The young girls originally told her father that she had fallen but upon further questioning, the girl had indicated that she had been molested with a foreign object. Later, the young girl told her father that it had been a “grinder handle” that was used in the molestation. The young girl told police that
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Deadline nears for New Harmony Bicentennial logo contest The New Harmony Bicentennial Commission has extended the deadline for its logo design contest to November 15, 2011. The goal is to encourage broader participation by area artists.
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Inside this issue... Retrospective ................. A4 Legals........................... B5-6 Classifieds ................. B6-8
According to Logo Committee Co-Chair, Maggie Rapp, the judges met to review logo submissions and decided that none of the entries, to date, expressed the logo in a way that captured the past, present and future of New Harmony. Also, several of the design entries would not reduce or enlarge well for use on commemorative merchandising, such as mugs, glasses, or key chains. With these stipulations in mind, it was decided to solicit additional entries by extending the contest deadline, and to
allow artists, who had previously submitted entries, the opportunity to modify their designs. The specifications that only one logo design can be submitted per artist and that each logo must include the phrase “New Harmony Bicentennial” and “1814-2014,” still apply. Also, all entries must be original designs. More information and contest rules are available at www.usi.edu/ nhgallery and at www.hoosiersalon.org/newharmony.html, or you may call 812-682-3156. Applications can also be picked up at the
New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, 506 Main Street. Artwork will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, and relevance to the history of New Harmony. Completed applications, along with logo designs must be submitted no later than November 15, 2011, at 5 p.m. Applications may be mailed to the New Harmony Bicentennial Commission, P.O. Box 200, New Harmony, Ind. 47631, or delivered in person to the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art.
Go to www.poseycountynews.com Community ........... A5 Social ...................... A6 Deaths ................... A3 Sports .................. B1-3 School.................... A9 Bus./Ag .................. A8
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