DeaRboRn county RegisteR
REGISTER
THE THEDCREGISTER.COM
RegisteR Publications 156TH YEAR ISSUE NO. 36 $1
THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 2018
Co. council Elaborate tax evasion scheme leads to charges considers State: bar owner did not file taxes for 20 years tax hike By Joe Awad Managing Editor
Budget shortfalls are expected for health insurance, road work By Denise Freitag Burdette Assistant Editor newsroom@registerpublications.com
Property tax caps, decreases in riverboat casino revenue, the construction of an expanded county law enforcement center and administration building. These are just some of the stressors the Dearborn County budget has been hit with in recent years. Although county council has taken many steps to cut millions in costs, including
not replacing some positions left vacant, a shortfall looms for 2018. To shore up the budget, county council members are considering an increase in the county income tax to pay for employee health insurance and help provide funding needed by the county transportation department. A public hearing regarding the proposed tax increase has been set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Dearborn County Govern-
jawad@registerpublications.com
Two women connected to TC’s Side Street Tavern, Dillsboro, have been charged with three felonies each, involving an elaborate scheme of tax evasion, money laundering and theft, but the primary perpetrator of an alleged 20-year conspiracy escaped charges because he is dead. Rita Schnebelt, 75, of 11854 Old
U.S. Highway 50, Dillsboro, and Andrea Ward, 39, of 1716 Copperfield Drive, Moreton, Ill., have each been charged in Dearborn Circuit Court with conspiracy to commit corrupt business influence; conspiracy to commit theft; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Schnebelt kept the bar. Ward kept the books. Thomas W. Ward, who lived at 10584, Beatty Road, Moores Hill, and former owner of the tavern, died about
three years before the Indiana State Excise Police investigation began last December. A report from the State’s Senior Revenue Tax Auditor Tammy Ostermeyer shows that Ward, as the tavern’s sole owner, did not report income from the tavern for at least the past 20 years during which the bar made $2,595,583, corresponding to state taxable income of $302,461. Alleged crimes cover a broad range
See SCHEME, Page 7
AMERIGO?
See HIKE, Page 7
Nelson Elliott is remembered as a Renaissance Man By Marc Emral Staff Reporter
memral@registerpublications.com
Nelson E. Elliott led a full life. He was an auctioneer, realtor, appraiser, educator, broadcaster, salesman, ran a produce and nursery business, and was a volunteer for many non-profits. Mr. Elliott, Aurora, died Saturday, Sept. 15, at Dearborn County Hospital in Lawrenceburg. “He was an overall great person,” said friend Mark Ginder. “He always enjoyed people. He knew a lot of people and got along with everybody.” Ginder said he met Elliott when their children attended Milan schools together. That started a long friendship. “My son, Eric, played in his band and my sons worked for him at the auction company,”
said Ginder. Elliott was born on May 28, 1938, in Cincinnati. He graduated from Lawrenceburg High School in 1956. While still in school, he inherited the Hi-Liters Dance and Show Band in 1955. After high school, he attended Hanover College, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He was employed at several community schools, including Dillsboro Public School as band and choir director; Batesville High School as band and choir director, and assistant football coach; and was principal of Moores Hill Public School. For seven years, he was operating partner of Ewing’s Produce and Nursery in Aurora and Green Thumb Garden Center in Dillsboro. He received an Indiana Auc-
See ELLIOTT, Page 7
FILE PHOTO
Nelson Elliott sounded Taps for 52 years at military funerals.
Contact Register Publications (812) 537-0063 © REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, 2018
PHOTO BY TIM ASHCRAFT
Driving got a little dicey Sunday, Sept. 16, at the Ameristop in Greendale on U.S. 50 near the expressway. Greendale police said more information will be released after an investigation is concluded.
Twins are not identical but a perfect match By Jenny Awad Contributor Although they are not identical twins, Jerret and Jayd Sechrest of Aurora have the next best thing in common, life-saving bone marrow. In July, Jerret’s grandmother, Judy Muncy, noticed Jerret was very pale. When she inquired if he was feeling OK, he said he was weak, having heart palpitations and nosebleeds. Grandma Judy kicked into “grandma mode” and immediately made a doctor’s appointment. Within an hour of the blood tests, his father, Jeremy Sechrest, received a call to get Jerret to Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati because he had extremely low blood counts. After more blood tests, leukemia was ruled out and Jerret was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia is a rare disease in which the bone marrow stops producing enough blood cells. Any blood cells the marrow does make are completely
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Jerret far left, stands with his siblings, Makayla, Montana and twin, Jayd Secrest, all were tested for a possible bone marrow match. normal, but there are not enough of them to serve the body’s needs. Jerret would need a lifesaving bone marrow transplant. Luckily, twin Jayd was tested along with other members of the family and Jayd was a match. To prepare Jerret for the transplant, he needed lots of donated blood and plate-
lets from Hoxworth Blood Center. Jerret also had to go through a round of chemotherapy to kill off his old bone marrow. The chemotherapy made him terribly sick. Jayd also had to prepare for the donation with booster shots and donating blood. About two liters of bone
WEATHERforecast
marrow was harvested from Jayd’s hip. Through an IV port in his arm, it took about eight hours for Jayd’s bone marrow to enter his twin’s body. With a poor immune system, Jerret still is in isolation at Children’s and will continue there for at least another month until his
See MATCH Page 7
Today: High: 89 Low: 72 Friday: High: 85 Low: 62 Saturday: High: 73 Low: 58 Sunday: High: 72 Low: 59