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Thursday, August 14, 2014
Issue No. 33
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Rising Sun native, Dr. Chris Riverfront work to resume City to provide Walcott, returns home to funds for food, events, neutering practice family medicine Events, funding
The words “family” Gary Scudder and and “medicine” take Phumeza Msikinya, on a renewed meanalong with Fam Faming as Dr. Christopher ily Nurse Practitioner Walcott returns home Vanessa Longacre this week to practice and the entire staff at medicine at the Rising the Rising Sun Medi MediSun Medical Center. A cal Center,” added native of Ohio County Dr. Walcott. “To “Toand a Rising Sun High gether, I am sure we School graduate, Dr. can accomplish great Walcott is excited to be things as we work coming home to practo keep our patients tice family medicine healthy and our com comin the community he munity safe. knows so well. “Being an excel“It’s not every phylent doctor involves sician who has the more than making opportunity to settle correct diagnoses and down with their wife ordering the proper and son and open a full treatment. It requires good two-way com time practice in their communication with the hometown. I consider patient so they feel myself very fortunate Dr. Christopher Walcott to be able to do what I comfortable in asklove, which is to pracing questions or adtice medicine, in the community I love,” dressing concerns. Seeing your family medinoted Dr. Walcott. cine physician should be a pleasant experi“My parents and much of my extended ence, almost like seeking the advice of a family, along with many of my childhood respected friend. friends and acquaintances, still live in the area “I believe that helping patients to underso practicing medicine here is much more stand their disease or their potential for disthan a job. It’s like a special calling to give ease goes a long way in empowering them to something back to my hometown and to all make healthy choices in almost all aspects of of the region.” their lives.” Dr. Walcott is a graduate of the Indiana A member of DCH Physician Partners, Dr. University School of Medicine and recently Walcott is currently welcoming new patients completed a three year residency in Fam- to his practice at the Rising Sun Medical Cenily Medicine at the Community (Hospitals) ter, 230 Sixth Street. Same day appointments Health Network in Indianapolis, where he may be available. For more information or served as a Chief Resident. to schedule an appointment, please call the “I am looking forward to working with Drs. Center at 812-438-2555.
RESIDENT OF RED WOLF SANCTUARY
BOB MATTINGLY PHOTOS
Resident of the Red Wolf Sanctuary in Rising Sun for about a week, this melanistic red fox has black coloring rather than the more typical red coat. The youngster, named Nova, was dumped at a pet store by its previous owner, then brought to Red Wolf, where, like most youngsters, it loves to play with toys. Sanctuary tours are available by calling 812438-2306.
BY CHANDRA L. MATTINGLY Staff RepoRteR
Rising Sun's Riverfront Erosion Control and Bikeway Project is rolling forward again after the city council and its engineer came to an agreement Thursday, Aug. 7, said Rising Sun Clerk-treasurer Rae Lynn Gipson. Council signed a Reservation of Rights and Tolling Agreement with Land Consultants, Lawrenceburg, which lets the project proceed without preventing the city from filing a future insurance claim regarding project-related losses, Gipson explained. That possible claim involves the loss of a year's time because something was left out of the project design. The agreement does not address whether Land Consultants or the city's project manager Mike Northcutt was responsible for the oversight, she said. But the Indiana Department of Transportation would not let the city proceed with the project without the full design, she said. INDOT administers the $2 million Transportation Enhancement federal funds which were awarded several years ago for the work. The grant, which has been renewed at least once, runs out in 2015, said Gipson. Without INDOT approval, “if we did it, we had to do it with our own money, not the grant funds,” she said. The city did decide to pull out one section, the boat ramp, and completed that with city funds. Under a negotiated agreement, the city will pay Land Consultants $55,363, including $7,378 for the final invoice for the design contract from July 2011, and $47,985 for a design change order. Upon completion of design work during construction, the city will pay Land Consultants an additional $9,000, according to information pro-
vided by Gipson. Hopefully, the work will start in March or April 2015, she said. The contract for the project was awarded to Beaty Construction.
In other business, council approved paying for Bicentennial Walkway repair, providing funds for a community Thanksgiving dinner, funding some advertising for the Regatta, and transferring $2,000 into the animal control funds for spay and neuter certificates, said Gipson. The walkway has some brick issues on the west side, so council withheld $2,300 from Jonas Memorial Arts' total bill of $123,534 for the walkway, she said. Jane Yorn, executive director of Safe Passage, which provides assistance and housing to victims of domestic violence, told the council about the nonprofit's mission, said Gipson. Yorn said the city had given $5,000 to Safe Passage a couple of years ago. The council took no action at this time. Brother Jim Jenkins of the Rising Sun First Baptist Church asked for the city's support for this year's Thanksgiving dinner, said Gipson. The council approved providing about $400 to the Rising Sun churches ministerial association to help with the cost. For the Rising Sun Regatta, city council approved spending $275 for five advertising spots the five days before the Regatta this weekend, Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17. The Rising Sun Lions Club was granted exclusive vendor rights for the Fourth of July 2015 celebration City council unanimously voted to approve a change for the Rising Star Casino from “riverboat gaming” to “onshore gaming,” said Gipson. Gipson said other riverboat gambling communities have been offering their support to their local casino operations in this way, including Evansville last month. Northcutt told council $25,000 funding could be available for a comprehensive
INDOT corrects slide on Ind. 262 Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews from the Aurora Subdistrict are making repairs at a slide located on Ind. 262 approximately three miles south of Dillsboro. INDOT scheduled slide correction operations to begin Tuesday, Aug. 12. Work to correct slide conditions is expected to continue for several days. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic around workers and equipment at the site which is situated between Martin and Huesman Roads. INDOT officials advise motorists to expect delays. For area highway information, monitor social media sites: www. Facebook.com/INDOTSoutheast and Twitter @INDOTSoutheast. Verify travel plans at TrafficWise: http://www.trafficwise.in.gov.
August pool hours
The Rising Sun Pool will continue to be open through Sunday, Aug. 31, said Rising Sun Clerk-treasurer Rae Lynn Gipson. With school back in session, pool hours now are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. week days, noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.
plan through EDC, with the rest of the cost to be funded by the plan commission over a two-year period, said Gipson. Northcutt suggested the city might seek a grant from the Ohio County Community Foundation to help with the cost. He presented an estimate of $50,000 for the work from HWC Engineering.
Navy Bean
Council approved routes and street closings for the Navy Bean parade and the 5K run day. “The Lions have sponsored the fireworks as long as I can remember,” said Gipson. The Lions Club will have a food booth and, if additional vendors are interested, will have the right to contract out vendor spots during the Navy Bean Festival. Meanwhile, the club will contract to buy the fireworks, making a $7,500 down payment and additional $7,500 when the fireworks are delivered, said Gipson. Then the city will reimburse the club for the fireworks through its community event funding. The stage for the Navy Bean Festival will go up Monday, Oct. 6, with the stage and bean tents to be set up Tuesday, Oct. 7. Rides will be set up starting at noon Wednesday, Oct. 8, on Main and Poplar streets. The city is providing $5,000 funding for the festival, said Gipson.
Other business
The council did turn down one request, from Steve and Penny Brett, 205 N. Front St., said Gipson. “His steps would protrude over halfway across the sidewalk,” she said. With the steps on a public sidewalk, the city would be liable for accidents. And neighbors on both sides did not approve, said Gipson. Rising Sun Mayor April Hautman announced new appointments: Angela Siekman to the Revolving Loan Board; Debbie Thomason to replace Ross Colen on plan commission; Dana Hildebrand to replace Bud Radcliff on tourism; and Billy Hoffman to replace Mark Guard on the utility service board.
Saturday Whitlock Day in Rising Sun Saturday, Aug. 16 will be proclaimed “Whitlock Day” by Mayor April Hautman. In conjunction with the Rising Sun Regatta in this Bicentennial year, the Ohio County History Museum is hosting an open-house to celebrate J.W. Whitlock. Beginning at noon, Board President Lane Siekman will welcome members of the Whitlock family and visitors to the reception. Mayor April Hautman will read a proclamation declaring “Whitlock Day” and recognize Whitlock family members in attendance. J.W. Whitlock’s great-granddaughter, Dana Wolfe-Hildebrand will then narrate a short presentation on Row Whitlock’s racing days, in keeping with the Regatta. The public is invited, light refreshments will be served. Come and learn more about the Whitlock family’s contributions to our history, chat with Whitlock family members and tour the Whitlock Gallery in the museum which houses the world-famous Hoosier Boy racing boat.
WEATHER TODAY HIGH ......82 Friday HIGH ......81 Saturday HIGH ......85 Sunday: HIGH ......88 Monday HIGH ......89
Mostly Sunny LOW.....60 Sunny LOW.....59 Mostly Sunny LOW.....64 Mostly Sunny LOW.....67 Mostly Sunny LOW.....70
INSIDE today COMMUNITY OBITS SPORTS
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Copyright Register Publications, 2014
131st Year, No. 33
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