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Past commissioners approved payments for this year

Highway Superintendent Greg Melton was suspended without pay on Saturday, March 22, amid concerns over unpaid and held claims for the department.

Those unpaid claims total $1,037,985.59, according to a spreadsheet shared by County Auditor Sheila Reeves.

Commissioner President Sam Hobbs first confirmed the suspension last week.

“It is a personnel issue, of course, and we’re under the advisement of our attorney to follow certain protocol, which we’re doing to the max,” he said. “He is suspended. He has not been terminated. We’re conducting a thorough fact-finding.”

Hobbs expressed multiple times that no theft or other criminal activity had occurred.

“I will put out there boldly… no money has been stolen. It’s not like there has been a theft of money,” Hobbs said. “I want people to understand that right now. It’s not a thing about stolen money… I don’t want anybody accusing Greg or saying that Greg Melton stole money from the county highway. That would be a false statement.”

Then, earlier this week, Hobbs shared additional details about the budgetary issue they were looking into.

“We’ve uncovered numerous unpaid invoices,” Hobbs said, adding that the majority were from 2024.

According to the spreadsheet of unpaid claims from Reeves, $296,504.11 of the claims are from 2024, with the oldest dating back to April 2024. That claim, which is for $1,495.70, is for storm damage repairs to bridge number 52 by CLR, Inc.

“We are still actively looking for some answers. We’re going to leave no stone unturned,” Hobbs said. “It’s easy to say that everything is one person’s fault. As of right now, I don’t believe that is the case. … I think there’s a whole scenario of things that we’re still digging into and uncovering.”

Hobbs said that Melton will have an opportunity to share his side of what happened at the April 17 commissioners meeting.

“I think he has the right to defend himself,” Hobbs said. “We’re giving him that right to speak his mind.”

Hobbs reiterated that Melton has not been terminated and he believes it is important for Melton to have a chance to share his side.

“I want the guy to have a chance to speak,” Hobbs said.

As of press time, Hobbs once again confirmed that the fact-finding is not a criminal investigation, but rather an internal investigation to which they’ve asked for assistance from the State Board of Accounts.

The list of unpaid claims, dates and vendors include: 

• Oct. 22, 2024 – Evergreen, $141,873.67 for multiple stone invoices.
• April 10, 2024 – CLR, Inc., $1,495.70 for storm damage to bridge #52.
• Oct. 14, 2024 – CLR, Inc., $28,440, with an original bill of $228,440, and $200,000 scheduled to be paid on April 4, 2025.
• Jan. 27, 2025 – CLR, Inc., $192,960 for completion bridge #106.
• Oct. 7, 2024 – CLR, Inc., $28,720 for completion bridge #114.
• Feb. 28, 2025 – Caterpillar, $3,031.50 for late fee-lease payment. 
• Nov. 18, 2024 – Milestone, $55,151.82 for surface. 
• Nov. 18, 2024 – Milestone, $31,441.66 for surface.
• Dec. 17, 2024 – Palmer Trucks, $502.80 for plow parts.
• Feb. 26, 2025 – E 3 Bridge, $103,018.95 for material.
• March 19, 2025 – United Consulting, $10,428.03 for bridge inventory.
• March 26, 2025 – Vestis, $539.53 for uniforms.
• Sept. 12, 2024 – Southeastern Equipment, $8,878.46 for multiple unpaid months - lease rentals. 
• March 26, 2025 – Premier Energy, $2,798.72 for fuel. 
• Jan. 10, 2025 – Frye Towing, $2,344 for claims January and February. 
• Feb. 4, 2025 – Vomac Truck, $555.34 *four other claims paid Feb. 19, 2024 to Jan. 7, 2025.
• April 4, 2025 – Vomac Truck, $337,131.67 for est. new truck lease, first pay 2026. 
• March 14, 2025 – Spencer Hardware, $24.98 for lumber.
• March 27, 2025 – Lincoln Park Stone, $76,390.48 for multiple loads March 5 to March 27.
• March 24, 2025 – Seal Master, $3,037.50 for heated hose machine.
• March 1, 2025 – Menards, $676 for shelf.
• March 19, 2025 – Bedford, $410.09 for office supplies.
• March 5, 2025 – Napa, $4,360.68 for multiple claims.
• March 24, 2025 – Kaden Shaw, $200 for Chevy driver side door.
• March 12, 2025 – Rural King, $2,981.68 for tanks, meters and filters.
• March 4, 2025 – Walmart, $86.12 for office supplies.
• March 4, 2025 – Office Depot, $76.21 for office supplies. 
• March 27, 2025 – REMC, $430, past due one month. 

Hobbs said he does not count the 2025 claims, as many of them are new. In fact, $741,481.48 of the claims have a 2025 invoice date.

He said they are still looking into 2023 and prior.

“This is going to take some time,” Hobbs said. “We’ve had the highway office staff contact every vendor that we use, every one of them, and search to see if we had any outstanding invoices for them.”

Hobbs also addressed rumors surrounding layoffs and said that none are planned at this time for full-time employees. However, part-time and seasonal employees will not be working for at least the next 30 to 60 days.

Currently, Deputy Superintendent Chad Walker is leading the department.

Hobbs also addressed that the cleaning of the highway department’s garage and shop was a coincidence with discovering the unpaid claims and Melton’s suspension. Melton and Highway Liaison Commissioner Dave Risk also confirmed this.

Hobbs said that road repairs and the work for the $1.5 million community crossings grant that the county received are the focus of the department.

“We’re going to make those repairs,” Hobbs said. “I don’t want the taxpayers to think that we’re going to let them down.”

Adding, “I appreciate the vendors for working with us,” and, “I don’t like it at all that we’re in this situation.”

Melton confirmed his suspension.

“I was suspended last Saturday. I was not given a reason. They did not comment. I was told to start with, I was suspended for two weeks, now indefinitely,” he said. “I feel like I have done absolutely nothing that I wasn’t told to do.”

He cited a long history of the county building bridges in the late fall or early winter and paying for them in the spring once the bridge fund received the spring settlement. The bridge fund is one of the few property tax-dependent highway department funds, while other funds rely on fuel taxes, vehicle registrations and wheel taxes.

When asked about this history, former commissioner Joel Lowe said, “That’s fact.”

“We agreed to pay, we had some ARPA funds that we were going to use, as well as bridge funds from 2025 into repairing bridges in 2024,” Lowe said. “They went ahead and did the work in 2024, but they were going to invoice in 2025. We as commissioners – me, Bob Curry, and Gary Burton – agreed to that.”

He said that he believes that it is only the bridge fund that is without funds, which the commissioners knew would be the case in 2024 when approving bridge work.

“I supported all of this at the time, with the highway superintendent, Gary Burton and Bob Curry, that we would take ARPA funds and [the] bridge fund and pay for the critical bridges, which we were going to have to close or not even use them at all. We agreed to this,” Lowe said. “We all agreed to let CLR fix our critical bridges in the fall of 2024. We were going to use ARPA funds to pay for those, a portion, not all of it, but a portion, and then [the] bridge fund. That was going to wipe our bridge fund for 2025, which meant we’re not building any bridges in 2025. But having said that, most bridges were going to make it another year.”

He said that closing some of those bridges would stifle traffic and the plan was to pay them in 2025.

“The thing that troubles me the most is that the highway superintendent was held accountable for things that me, my fellow two commissioners and the county council were looking after,” Lowe said. “Greg [Melton] did everything he was asked to and voted on by commissioners, and he never took any actions into his own hands.”

Recordings of at least one previous commissioners meeting support this. During the Aug. 23, 2023 meeting, Melton brought up bridge 138, located on Sutton Road. During that meeting, the commissioners reviewed the plans and prepared the bid packet, including adding the approaches to that bid packet and all future ones.

“Commissioners, this bridge will be paid for out of [the] bridge fund, so there is not a question about funding,” Melton said, estimating the cost to be between $200,000 and $230,000.

Burton asked for the amount in the bridge fund.

Melton said he did not know it off the top of his head, “but this will come out, if it was the winter build, come out of next year’s.”

Burton acknowledged it, saying, “It’s fine Sheila if we’re going to roll it over to next year.”

“By the time we get our December [tax installment],” Burton began, before Melton finished, “It won’t be a problem.”

Bridge-related claims, regardless of year, total $365,062.68.

If you remove bridge claims and 2025 claims, the total number of unpaid claims from 2024 totals $237,848.41.

Burton did not return a request for a phone interview prior to press time.

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To increase awareness and provide additional services to residents of Owen County, Area 10 Agency on Aging Dementia Outreach Specialist Amy Guerrettaz collaborates with organizations such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Service and Dementia Friendly Indiana. Guerrettaz also offers free confidential memory screenings by appointment.

A memory screening is a simple and safe “healthy brain check-up" that tests memory and other thinking skills. The National Memory Screening Program is an initiative of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. To schedule a memory screening at Area 10 Agency on Aging in Ellettsville, call 812-935-2582.

Area 10 also offers free Dementia Friendly Business training throughout Owen County. Organizations can demonstrate their commitment to empowering those living with dementia and their care partners by becoming a Dementia Friendly Business. For additional details, call 812-935-2582 or email aguerrettaz@area10agency.org.

Currently, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Service provides Navigating Aging and Dementia classes at the Owen County Public Library every other month. These classes are designed to help individuals maximize their own self-care and learn new skills for supporting a loved one living with dementia. For more information or to register, contact Dayna Thompson at dthompson6@iuhealth.org or 812-353-9299.

Upcoming class dates and topics include: April 11, Understanding Brain Change – Normal vs. Not Normal Aging; June 11, Positive Physical Approach and Hand-Under-Hand; Aug. 8, Building a Support Team; Oct. 10, Connecting for Success; and Dec. 10, Care Partner Stress Management.

Growing up in Owen County, I have vivid memories of visiting Owen County Public Library (OCPL), only I wasn’t there for books, I was there to check out the VHS of the musical Annie for the hundredth time. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself as the future director of the library.

The love of reading did not come naturally to me. My older sister could and would read anything put in front of her, while I could barely sound out simple words. My grandparents and parents rushed into action and found a tutor to help me. After more after-school tutoring sessions than I could count, I could figure out the words on the page, but that zest for reading still wasn’t there. And then it happened!

I feel like most avid readers are either born that way or can tell you the moment they become readers. For me, it hit my seventh-grade year at Owen Valley Middle School. I don’t know if it was having my first author visit, working at the student bookstore or hearing Darla Staley read aloud with all the character voices, but for the first time, books weren’t just piles of pages with ink on them. Books were suddenly alternate worlds that I wanted to be a part of. Almost immediately, I knew two things: I wanted to read every book I could, and I wanted to grow up and be one of the people who helped others want to read! So that is what I did, I went to school to be an English teacher.

After graduating from Indiana University, I was fortunate enough to get the job of my dreams, teaching language arts at Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS). Not only did I get my wish to show others the joy of reading, but I would get to do so in the place and with the programs that made me a reader.

I was re-introduced to the library after I started teaching at the Lifelong Learning Center (LLLC), the library’s adult education program, where I just celebrated my 10th anniversary. The LLLC offers a range of classes, from high school equivalencies to laser printing, digital literacy and Microsoft certifications, just to brush the surface. Being a part of adult education gave me a new perspective on the library system; it showed me that a library is more than a place to check out a book or movie, but rather a hub of knowledge and learning.

Looking forward, I cannot express how proud and privileged I feel to continue the legacy of OCPL. At any given moment, the library building is abuzz with patrons looking for books, using computers, learning new skills and even playing instruments. Some are even looking for movies like I did. I am constantly amazed by all the talents of the staff, seamlessly jumping from assisting one person to another. With their dedication, I know OCPL will continue to grow and serve the ever-changing needs of our community.

To quote Little Orphan Annie, “I think I’m gonna like it here.”

As the community gears up for an exciting season of learning and creativity, several SPARK clubs and workshops are set up to ignite curiosity and skill-building among participants of all ages. Here’s a sneak peek into the upcoming events:

Entomology SPARK Club

Dive into the fascinating world of insects with the Entomology SPARK Club! This club offers hands-on experiences in identifying, collecting and studying various insects. Perfect for budding entomologists and nature enthusiasts, this club provides a unique opportunity to explore the miniature world of insects. This will take place on May 29 and May 31.

Sewing SPARK Club

Unleash your creativity with the Sewing SPARK Club. Whether you're a beginner or have some sewing experience, this club provides a supportive environment to learn and enhance your sewing skills. From basic stitches to creating your own garments, participants will enjoy a range of projects that cater to all skill levels. The last two sessions will take place on April 24 and May 12.

Gingerbread Creation Workshop

This workshop is a delightful opportunity for 4-H members to design and decorate their own gingerbread houses. With a variety of candies and icing at your disposal, let your imagination run wild and create a gingerbread masterpiece! Attendees will walk away with a project they could display as a 4-H project at the Owen County Fair! Stay tuned for the date!

Needle Craft Workshop

Explore the art of needlework in the Needle Craft Workshop. Participants will have the chance to create beautiful, handcrafted items while learning the intricacies of needlecraft. The workshop provides all necessary materials and guidance, making it accessible for beginners and experienced crafters alike. Stay tuned for the date!

Mini 4-H Mess Makers

For the younger crowd, the Mini 4-H Mess Makers club is a fantastic way to get hands-on with fun and messy projects. Designed for 4-H members in K-2 grade, this club encourages creativity and exploration through activities like painting, slime, play doh and more. It's all about having fun while learning new skills! Stay tuned for the dates!

Electricity Workshop

Spark your interest in science with the Electricity Workshop. This workshop offers an interactive experience where participants can learn about the principles of electricity and circuits. Through engaging in experiments and projects, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how electricity powers our world. Stay tuned for the date!

Photography Workshop

Capture the beauty around you with the Photography Workshop. Whether you're a novice or an experienced photographer, this workshop provides tips and techniques to improve your photography skills. The workshop covers the basics of camera operation and more advanced techniques for capturing different types of images, offering guided photo walks to practice skills. Stay tuned for the date!

Bridges to Adventure SPARK Club

Prepare for the great outdoors with the Bridges to Adventure SPARK Club, focusing on survival skills. It's an excellent opportunity for adventure seekers to gain confidence and knowledge in outdoor survival. The last session is on May 17th.

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These 4-H SPARK clubs and workshops are designed to inspire and educate, offering something for everyone. Don't miss out on the chance to learn new skills, meet like-minded individuals and have a great time. Mark your calendars and get ready to embark on a journey of discovery and creativity! Have any questions or are you interested in any of these programs? Stop by the Purdue Extension Office or follow us on Facebook by searching Purdue Extension-Owen County or Owen County 4-H – Indiana.

How often have you seen a sign along an old country road that reads, ”Brown  eggs for sale?”

A long time ago, I saw such a sign while out for a casual country drive.

There’s a certain amount of romance to be found in brown eggs for sale in the country. It brings to mind pictures of long, hot summer days in June, the smell of fresh cut hay and a backyard full of chickens.

It was a sign such as this that planted the idea of having my own chickens.

When I was a younger adult, I lived in the country on several acres. One day, I decided that it was time for a henhouse to be built and for some baby chicks to be ordered to put into the henhouse. And so, it began.

Lumber was found from the remnants of an old shed for the chicken coop. Next, little nest boxes were built, along with a little door for the chickens to go in and out. Chicken wire fencing was placed around the henhouse to protect the chickens from predators. And fresh straw for the nest boxes.

I ordered some chicks from the local hardware store. I learned that Rhode Island Reds were the chickens that laid brown eggs. So, I ordered 25 Rhode Island red chicks.

While waiting on the chicks to arrive, I kept myself busy by ordering things that I needed: a heat lamp to keep the chicks warm, chick feeders and waterers, and feed.

I found an old box and layered it with newspaper to keep the chicks dry. It seemed like a lot of money, but I figured that I’d get my money back when I start selling eggs.

At last, the much anticipated chick day arrived. I drove into town to the hardware store to pick up my chicks and then headed home.

The first few days with my new chicks was wonderful. They chirped, ate and slept. They grew fast and soon it was time to move them into the chicken house.

I quickly settled into a routine, feeding my chickens and checking for eggs every morning. An unforeseen problem developed though. Not all of the chickens were hens. There were a few roosters in the batch! I separated the boys from the girls, and I was back in business.

I’ll never forget the exhilaration that I felt the first time I found the first brown egg in a nest box. I gingerly picked it up from the nest and proudly carried it into the house.

After a few days, I started finding more and more eggs. It wasn’t long until my refrigerator started overflowing with brown eggs.

I realized that I had to start marketing my eggs.

I made a sign that read “brown eggs for sale” and strategically placed it at the end of my driveway. Days went by without a phone call. Why wasn’t the phone ringing off the hook with egg orders? I didn’t know the answer to that question, but I did know that I had eggs everywhere.

I had to start giving eggs away to my friends and family. They ended up with a bunch of eggs in their refrigerators too.

I decided to go talk to some people that I knew that raised chickens and sold eggs. I started out the next morning to go to their home. After I arrived in their driveway, I went to the door, and knocked. My friend came to the door and asked if she could help me. I quickly told her that I had seen her sign advertising eggs for sale and that I wondered if she was still selling them. She said that a few years ago, she got the idea to raise chickens and to sell eggs. She said her chickens laid so many eggs that she couldn’t find enough buyers for them. She said that she finally had to get rid of all her chickens.

I thought I’d faint when she asked me if I wanted to buy some brown eggs. I shook my head no and left.  Some kind of mumbling sounds could be heard coming out of my mouth as I made my way back to my car.

I got out of the chicken business after that. I can tell you that in the future, if I see a sign that says “brown eggs for sale” I’ll probably stop and buy a dozen. And with the price of eggs these days, that’s something to think about. After all, there’s a certain amount of romance to be found in brown eggs for sale in the country.

Who said romance is dead?

Happy Easter!
– Susan

When I published my first article in September of 2006, the idea of being enshrined in a hall of fame for my work in outdoor media was not something I imagined. When I received the news of my induction in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, I was shocked. It’s a humbling honor I never expected. I’m grateful for the recognition, but more so view it as a responsibility to further increase my efforts of promoting and protecting our natural resources, and the enjoyment of the great outdoors for as long as God will allow.

My love of nature has always been evident and has continued to grow in strength over my 46 years. Early camping trips to Indiana State Parks laid the foundation of seeking adventure in nature. Fishing trips with my grandparents to the northern reaches of Wisconsin and Minnesota began at eight-years-old. They introduced me to the excitement of exploring new destinations. I’ve chased that carrot ever since. Never able quench my thirst for fishing new lakes, paddling new rivers and exploring forests and prairies I’d never met before.

My journey over the past 20 years has taken me on adventures beyond my boyhood imagination. I left Indiana after graduating from Purdue University and headed to Colorado. My stay was short before moving to Montana. I consider my four years under the Big Sky the adventure of my lifetime, but I found my place in Missouri. The last 15 years here have been filled with outdoor adventure. The Missouri Model of Conservation sets the bar for the rest of the country. The incredible diversity of high-quality opportunities here ranks Missouri right at the top of places to live if you love to fish and hunt.

I am without question an outdoors generalist. I love it all. If the season is open and someone wants to go, I’m interested. I fish all year, hunt turkeys, shed antlers and mushrooms in the spring, and just about everything else in the fall. As I have noted in previous columns, I’m enjoying the pursuit of a personal quest to successfully hunt in every state by the time I turn 50. Hunting is just the vehicle I’m using to meet incredible people while exploring as much of our beautiful country as possible.

It's the people and places I’m most interested in. I have never aspired to be a how-to writer. Instead, I prefer to focus on the “why.” Why should you visit this destination? Why should you consider this way of fishing or hunting? Why should you care about clean water? Why does it matter to conserve wildlife and native habitats? My hope is to motivate an audience to care about our shared natural resources, then to go out and explore for themselves with just enough information to get started. I wholeheartedly believe the journey is the destination. My hope has always been that my audience uses the information I share and advice I give to help figure it out and make the most of it with their tribe.

The list of people I owe gratitude for the opportunities I have been given and others for their involvement along the way is far, far too long to attempt. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today if not for the love and support of my family. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, brother and cousins all played a role in my early development as an outdoorsman. Friends along the way have joined me on countless adventures. None more so than my current partner in Driftwood Outdoors, Nathan “Shags” McLeod. My daughters, Bailee and Annabel, have given me the joy of sharing time outdoors with my children. There is no greater gift. 

Most of all, I want to thank you. Everyone who has read my columns over the last 19 years has given me the opportunity to live a dream come true. If anything, I’m persistent, as I haven’t missed a week yet, and I don’t plan to anytime in the future.

I grew up reading outdoor columns in the local newspaper. I studied fishing and hunting magazines, owned some of the first VHS hunting tapes and attended as many seminars as possible. To emulate those early icons of my life has been amazing. All of you have given me the chance. Thank you.

See you down the trail…

For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.

The Endwright Centers’ 2025 Senior Games is quickly approaching. 

This year’s theme is “Around the World in 40 years,” to celebrate 40 years of our Senior Games here in Owen and Monroe Counties.

 Going along with the theme, games and food for this year’s Senior Games will be from around the world. The first priority is for seniors 50+ to have fun, laugh and enjoy the comradery of other seniors. Events will be held in several locations around Bloomington and Ellettsville and will take place from April 22 to May 9. Join us this April as a participant, volunteer or sponsor. 

 For more information, or to register for the 2025 Games reach out to Kris Campbell at kcampbell@area10agency.org or call 812-935-2542. Or get more information online at area10agency.org.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host an open house and presentations for the Franklin Street Groundwater Superfund Site on Thursday, April 17 at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. 

Presentations are set for 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., with the EPA to share details about current and upcoming sampling activities throughout Spencer, which include soil, groundwater and vapor intrusion sampling at commercial and residential areas.

According to the EPA, Tetrachloroethene (PCE) was detected in finished water samples collected from the BBP Water Corporation (BBP) as part of regularly scheduled required testing for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). In 2014, IDEM conducted additional sampling and detected PCE in raw water at all three active drinking wells.

Monthly raw water samples collected since 2014, the EPA has said, continued to show detections of PCE. Groundwater samples collected at various locations down and upgradient to possible sources was also reportedly contaminated with PCE. Despite several investigations in the area, the origin of the contamination is unknown.

According to IDEM, the municipal water supply in Spencer is blended and treated before distribution to residents and meets the Safe Drinking Water Act standards.

PCE has not been found in BBP’s finished water since the air strippers at the water treatment plant were turned on in May of 2017, completely removing it from the finished water.

“Even before then we weren’t using the well that had the contamination,” BBP CEO Todd Gardner told The Owen News in May of 2024, “so we never sent treated water that was contaminated. It was a well that wasn’t being used at the time that it popped up on.”

For questions of if you need special accommodations, call 312-886-6595 or email muhtsun.ruth@epa.gov.

To learn more, visit epa.gov/superfund/franklinstreetgroundwater

Routine food inspections were conducted by the Owen County Health Department during the month of March 2025. Reported below are the critical and non-critical comments left for these establishments:

3-5

SommHerr’s Bakery, 125 E. Main St., Gosport: 2 non-critical. All foods prepared within the establishment not intended for immediate consumption must have dates on the labels. Can use “prepared on,” “packaged on” or “expires by” dating. Cold-holding equipment needs to have a temperature-measuring device for easy viewing.

Dollar General #11053, 600 N. Seventh St., Gosport: No violations found.

3-11

Gosport Tavern, 130 E. Main St., Gosport: pre-operational inspection. Suggestion – hang “watch your step” signage on the inside of both bathroom doors.

3-28

Dollar General #3676, 293 W. St. Rd. 46, Spencer: 3 non-critical. Observed dust buildup on the front of Pepsi/Celsius cooler. Observed a buildup of debris inside the cooler. Observed dirt buildup on the wire racks of the milk cooler. The floor needs to be cleaned under the trash can containing mops and brooms, located in the back corner of the store.

Circle K #4700020, 148 E. Morgan St., Spencer: 3 non-critical. Observed soda spilled on the floor of the walk-in cooler. Observed syrup on the floor, walls, nozzles and hoses on the syrup boxes for the fountain machine in the back storage area. Clean up to prevent insect/rodent attraction. Door handles and cabinet surfaces are sticky to the touch.

Circle K #4702370, 404 W. Morgan St., Spencer: 1 critical, 2 non-critical. Observed ants under the counter containing coffee machines. Management has spoken with an exterminator. Cleanup counter and storage area to remove debris. Syrup boxes for soda fountain: observed some leaking onto the floor, a buildup of syrup on the floor, nozzles and hoses. Clean up to prevent insect/rodent attraction. Buildup of debris under the storage shelf containing extra syrup boxes and extra drinks.

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As the chill of winter abates, many fitness enthusiasts search for Spring events that help motivate them to renew or commence training. Friends of McCormick’s Creek 5K Run/Walk is just such an event. 

Runners and walkers from across the state look forward to a fun-filled morning of fellowship, challenging themselves and encouraging others to attain their personal best times. This event is for all ages and fitness levels, whether it’s your first 5K or your hundredth. Online registration is available at: runsignup.com/Race/IN/Spencer/FriendsMcCormicksCreek5k

Runners and walkers are encouraged to register soon to take advantage of the early discount and receive a race shirt.

This Mag 7 Series road race, winding through blossoming trees and wildflowers at scenic McCormick’s Creek State Park, is scheduled for Saturday, April 19, with an 8:30 a.m. start time. Packet pick-up and race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. at the Nature Center. McDonalds and Babbs Supermarket will provide refreshments. There will be a prize drawing and age group awards following the race. 

Proceeds from the race fund park improvements, restoration from the tornado, and educational programs and events. The Friends of McCormick’s Creek would like to thank all the sponsors who make this event possible.

Platinum Sponsors: Hoosier Energy, Sweet Owen Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Boston Scientific

Gold Sponsors: Owen County State Bank and Spencer Lions Club

Silver Sponsors: Green Dental and Insurance Services Inc.

Bronze Sponsors: Home Team Properties, REMAX Select Associates, Commercial Service, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, MYPath, Byers Home Furnishings, Racetrackers, Crane Credit Union, Endeavor Communications, Ridgeline Veterinary Services, McDonalds, Babbs Supermarket and Canyon Inn

For more information email race-director@friendsmccormickscreek.org.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) recently announced the list of recipients of the Spring 2025 Community Crossings Matching Grant (CCMG) Program.

According to INDOT, more than $200 million was awarded through the program aimed at improving roads and bridges throughout the state of Indiana.

To qualify for funding, local governments must provide local matching funds – 50 percent for larger communities or 25 percent for smaller communities – from a funding source approved for road and bridge construction. Communities are also required to submit an INDOT-approved asset management plan for maintaining existing roads and bridges.

The Town of Gosport was among the latest recipients and will receive $198,807. The town will provide the required 25-percent construction match.

Gosport also received funding during the round of CCMG grants announced in November of 2023, with that funding utilized to complete portions of street paving and sidewalk improvements in the spring of 2024.

Established by the Indiana General Assembly in 2016, the CCMG Program aims to advance community infrastructure projects, strengthen local transportation networks, and improve Indiana’s roads and bridges.

Open to all local government units in Indiana, the CCMG Program offers two rounds of applications each year, one in January and one in July.

The Gosport Volunteer Fire Department is actively seeking dedicated individuals to join its volunteer firefighter program. Applications are available at Gosport Town Hall during normal business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office is closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m.

In addition to completing a membership application and other requirements, applicants are asked to sign the “Volunteer Firefighters Pledge,” which reads as follows:

“I will attend all training sessions so that I may be fully informed and efficient in the proper operation of all equipment, regulations and tactics. When responding in the fire apparatus or personal vehicle, I will observe all traffic, obey all laws and be prepared to stop if traffic should not yield. Upon returning to the station, I will obey all traffic regulations.

“I will comply with orders given by the Fire Chief, or the highest-ranking officer present on scene, and will gladly assist in the care, maintenance and improvements made to equipment or buildings in my spare time and will attempt to make all work details called.

“I will participate in all fund-raising events, helping the department grow.

“I will protect all department equipment as well as humanly possible from theft, damage or improper use. I will not allow any department keys to be duplicated.

“I understand that I am expected to make at least 50 percent of runs, meetings and work details through the year, and if I fail to attend three consecutive training sessions or meetings without a legitimate excuse, I will gladly return all department items to the Equipment Captain or another officer of the department and no longer be an active member of the fire department.

“I agree to conduct myself in a manner that is respectful and courteous to those around me and to treat all members of the department with trust and respect at all times. I will participate in the duties and functions of the fire department only in the state of strict sobriety.

“I pledge to comply fully with each of the above agreements without any reservations.”

Anyone interested is encouraged to apply, regardless of prior experience. For further details about the volunteer firefighter program and its requirements, call Gosport Town Hall, 812-879-4334, or firefighter Ron Neibel at 812-821-4082.

Gosport Town Hall is located at 7 E. Main St., Gosport.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Booking information is provided by the Owen County Security Center. These are preliminary charges and may change as cases are processed through the circuit court system. To follow a court case, search the state’s court records at http://mycase.in.gov. This information is public record. All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

3-8

Kory Kleinow, 32, Bloomington, preliminary charges of probation violation, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of paraphernalia. Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Lieutenant Clint Wampler was the arresting officer.

3-9

Cristobal Osiel, 33, Spencer, preliminary charge of operating without a license when required. Arrested by OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler.

3-10

Kelcie Grigsby, 29, Spencer, preliminary charge of writ of attachment, failure to appear. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

3-13

Ronald Cooper, 61, Poland, IN, preliminary charge of possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by OCSD K9 Deputy Charles Hallam.

Rex Smith, 38, Freedom, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer.

Jeremy Sizemore, 49, Plainfield, preliminary charge of invasion of privacy. Arrested by Indiana Conservation Officer Nicholas Hartman.

Jeremy Reynolds, 47, Vincennes, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine (two counts), possession of a narcotic drug, unlawful possession of a syringe, carrying a handgun without a license, and failure to appear (two counts). OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

3-14

Cathy Ray, 54, Indianapolis, preliminary charges of invasion of privacy and failure to appear. Arrested by OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller.

3-16

Stephen Dwyer, 22, Bloomington, preliminary charges of theft and criminal mischief. OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer.

3-17

Ryan Walden, 27, Freedom, driving while suspended with a prior charge. Arrested by OCSD Sergeant Brandon Gasparovic.

Kyal Campbell, 33, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of residential entry, resisting law enforcement, and criminal trespass. OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark was the arresting officer.

Carlos Sanchez, Jr., 31, Indianapolis, preliminary charge of battery. Arrested by Spencer Police Department (SPD) officer Chester Richardson.

3-18

Michelle Wess, 40, Indianapolis, preliminary charges of public intoxication and failure to appear. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

Kenneth Long, 37, Ellettsville, preliminary charges of theft and driving while suspended with a prior charge. Arrested by OCSD K9 Deputy Daniel Rhienhart.

3-19

Walker Spurlock, 26, Spencer, preliminary charge of failure to file as a violent sex offender. OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer.

3-23

Jordan Calhoun, 27, Martinsville, preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Elijah Volrich.

3-24

Kyle Ordway, 33, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of domestic battery on a person less than 14 years old, disorderly conduct, and false informing. SPD officer Ben Muncie was the arresting officer.

3-25

Korey Taylor, 31, Bloomington, preliminary charge of writ of attachment. Arrested by OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller.

Hope Grow, 40, Gosport, preliminary charges of driving while suspended with a prior charge and probation violation. OCSD Deputy Elijah Volrich was the arresting officer.

Ashley Clark, 33, Spencer, preliminary charges of unlawful possession of a syringe and probation violation. Arrested by OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler.

3-26

Damian Phillips, 24, Spencer, preliminary charges of intimidation and disorderly conduct. SPD sergeant Terry Sips was the arresting officer.

Jeremy Kilgore, 21, Spencer, preliminary charges of intimidation, pointing a firearm and disorderly conduct. Arrested by SPD Sergeant Terry Sips.

3-31

Collin Fernandez-Russ, 20, Coal City, preliminary charges of illegal possession, consumption or transportation of alcohol by a minor, and criminal recklessness. OCSD Sergeant Torrey Wallace was the arresting officer.

Adam Bean, 39, Spencer, preliminary charges of unlawful possession of a syringe, and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by SPD reserve officer Jeremy Burke.

Sunshine Fisher, 33, Gosport, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark was the arresting officer.

4-1

Joshua Donoghue, 40, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of assisting a criminal and failure to appear. Arrested by Indiana Conservation Officer Caleb Hutchison.

Matthew Tussey, 40, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia. Indiana Conservation Officer Caleb Hutchison was the arresting officer.

The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and the days are getting longer—spring is finally here! Just like nature shakes off the chill of winter, it’s the perfect time for us to do the same. Whether it’s refreshing your routine, spending more time outdoors or finding new ways to relax, spring is all about renewal and rejuvenation.

If winter stress has left you feeling drained, now is the time to reset. Try deep breathing exercises, daily walks in nature or getting creative with crafts to bring more peace into your day. Simple changes—like decluttering your space, staying active and soaking up the sunshine—can do wonders for your mind and body.

This spring let’s bloom into a season of less stress and more joy! What’s your favorite way to refresh and unwind?

Stress is a normal part of life, but too much can harm your well-being. Purdue has some tips and tricks to help manage it:

• Practice Mindfulness: Engage in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, to reduce anxiety and improve attention. 
• Engage in Physical Activity: Regular exercise increases endorphins, improves sleep and boosts self-esteem, all of which helps alleviate stress. 
• Improve Time Management: Efficiently managing your time can reduce stress by allowing for rest and personal activities. 
• Identify Stressors: Recognize the sources of your stress to develop effective coping strategies. 
• Maintain Social Connections: Spending time with family and friends provides support and helps mitigate stress. 
• Adopt Relaxation Techniques: Incorporate relaxation methods such as deep breathing, counting slowly or taking short walks to manage immediate stress. 

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

Here are some programs that I have coming up soon:

April 16

Hero Story Time. I will be at the library every other week to read a book from our “hero” series teaching about being kind, controlling behaviors, being a good friend and more for our preschool age kiddos. Join us at the library at 10 a.m. Contact the Owen County Public Library or the Purdue Extension-Owen County Office for more information.

April 17

Parents Forever, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office. This is an educational program for families experiencing divorce, separation, a change in child custody or just wanting to learn how to parent better together. Please pre-register for this event by calling 812-829-5020 or emailing lowder0@purdue.edu. 

May 5 

Get WalkIN Owen County. This competition will be held each day, Monday through Friday, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Courthouse Square. Each day you will log the amount of time that you walk and the day that you walked. Our local health department will be giving out swag on certain days throughout the competition. At the end of June all those that have completed six or more weeks with us will be entered in a drawing for some bigger prizes. Stay tuned to Purdue Extension’s Facebook page and website for more information on this event. You can always email lowder0@purdue.edu or call 812-829-5020 for more information. 

June 9

Matter of Balance. Stay tuned for more information, but mark your calendars for this class. It will be held each Monday, from 10 a.m. to noon, for eight weeks at the Owen County Public Library.

More programs will be added throughout the month, so stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for updates.

If you're interested in a program on food, finance, family or health, let me know—I’d love to bring one to your group or organization.

To feature a program at your event/meeting, email the details to lowder0@purdue.edu. I look forward to connecting with you!

There are a few practices that gardeners and farmers alike depend upon to get a plant to grow in the spring.

Soil temperature

Clay soils take time to warm and provide an environment that is conducive for good germination of seed or start of transplant development. Darker soil, typically with more organic matter, tends to warm up faster than a brown soil type. Soil temperature needs to be in the range of 50 degrees for germination. Deeper planting will make a lesser temperature, and more crop residue will cool soil down. Anyone planting seeds must monitor soil temperature and be mindful of soil type, depth of seed placement and residue cover. Potatoes can be planted now but plant them two to three inches deep, otherwise sprouting may be subdued by a cooler soil temperature.

Planting later in May typically ensures warmer soil temperatures will follow. April planting can be tricky and seed placement an inch too deep can be problematic. Also, small seeds require less soil depth at planting. Don’t bury your mustard seeds!

Soil contact

We call this seed-to-soil contact with respect to planting seeds, be they lawn grass, corn or lettuce. The seed needs coverage of soil to have a moist environment and to not dry out. We typically get enough rain in April to not have a dry seedbed issue. But never say never. I had soybean seed one dry spring that took two extra weeks to germinate because of a dry seed bed. Getting seed covered with soil is important: lawn grass only needs a spritz of soil covering the seed to do well. Again, follow planting depth recommendations and don’t plant too deep.

Light

Trick question! Seeds DO NOT require light to germinate. What light reaches a seed of corn planted two inches deep? Seeds need oxygen and moisture. Get that seed covered. Light is only a necessity when photosynthesis starts.

Good seed

Germination of seeds is not a problem with stored seeds that are dry and have not been compromised with moisture. I am never afraid to plant

seed from last year, if it has been stored properly. The University of Illinois has a fascinating study going back decades where seeds were stored and each year some were planted and germination recorded.

Early season diagnostics

Each planting failure or problem sets up a crime scene investigation. “Why did my seed not grow?” could be due to a variety of causal factors like insects, fungal disease or soil conditions. Like any crime scene, the earlier you collect evidence, the better your chances to figure out what went wrong. Standing in foot tall corn trying to determine why there are skips in the row is often able to yield enough clues. Monitor your garden or crop field weekly and give me a call at 812-829-5020 or email luzar@purdue.edu if you have questions. Happy planting!

The halls of Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS) are often filled with the usual chatter of students and teachers going about their day. But in recent weeks, those halls have also echoed with something even more powerful: an incredible outpouring of love and support for one of their own.

Thirteen-year-old Kira Herrington, a bright and beloved OVMS student, was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a crucial part of the body’s immune system. While Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is considered highly treatable, the journey is far from easy. Kira has already undergone two surgeries, including a biopsy and port placement, and has met numerous doctors along the way. Despite these challenges, she has remained resilient, facing her battle with an inspiring level of strength.

Currently, Kira is undergoing an intense chemotherapy regimen, which includes three consecutive days of treatment every couple of weeks for three to four months. The toll of the treatment, combined with the emotional and financial stress on her family, is immense. Recognizing this, the OVMS community sprang into action, determined to make a difference.

One of the most heartfelt efforts came from OVMS teacher and Student Council Sponsor, Mr. Marc Ruble. Wanting to help Kira’s family, Mr. Ruble challenged the student body to raise $300 by Thursday, March 13. If they succeeded, he promised to sleep overnight on the front lawn of the school. What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary.

Students, teachers and families rallied together, surpassing the initial goal in a matter of days. Donations poured in, and by the time the fundraiser concluded, the school had raised approximately $3,000—ten times the original target. The overwhelming generosity of the OVMS community left everyone in awe, proving that even in difficult times, kindness and compassion shine the brightest.

Kira’s mother, Laura Herrington, expressed her deep gratitude in a heartfelt Facebook post. “He (Mr. Ruble) is one of the best for sure. So, so grateful for his and the whole school’s support and everyone in the whole community who has donated and supported us. We can truly never thank you all enough.”

Beyond the school walls, the support for Kira and her family continues to grow. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with travel expenses and groceries for the family of seven, allowing them to focus on what matters most—Kira’s health and well-being.

In times of adversity, communities often reveal their true character. OVMS has shown that their character is built on empathy, strength and unity. Kira’s battle is far from over, but she is certainly not fighting alone. With the unwavering support of her school, family and the broader community, she continues to inspire those around her with her incredible courage.

For those wishing to contribute, donations can be made through the GoFundMe page dedicated to Kira and her family (https://gofund.me/108fd789). Every contribution, no matter the size, is a testament to the power of community and the belief that no one fights alone.  

I’ve always loved Spring. Between flowers blooming, the weather warming up and morel mushrooms, there’s a lot to love about this time of year.

But now, April holds something else to love and celebrate – the anniversary of the print start of The Owen News. 

While the conversation sparking the idea for The Owen News happened three years ago, last April, we started providing a monthly printed product filled with local content. And it’s been a wild year. 

In early 2024, our board set the goal of releasing the first edition of The Owen News ahead of the solar eclipse. Afterall, the start of a new newspaper in today’s online world is relatively as rare as a total solar eclipse, and it was our hope that visitors to our community would know that we have a lot to be proud of. 

As a board, we didn’t know what to expect or whether or not we would be able to sustain printing a paper in the long-run. While we’re still working on total sustainability, we’re a lot closer than we were a year ago. 

At that time, all we had to go on was the faith and trust that our community would be there to support and value local news. And our community showed what can happen when we rally together around something to better our lives and the lives of our neighbors. 

We’ve hit a lot of milestones in our first year:

-In May, we held a ribbon cutting to celebrate with our community. 

-In August, we printed our first Fair Special Section. 

-In September, we won nonprofit of the year from the Owen County Chamber of Commerce. 

-In November, we launched our first NewsMatch campaign, leading to receiving the full match of $23,500.

-In January, we hired myself and our Advertising and Business Manager Lola Garrison. 

-In February, we won Regional Opportunities Initative’s Quality of Place Innovation Awards. 

-Last month, we brought back the beloved Morel Mushroom Contest.

And we’re only just beginning. We have a lot of hopes and plans for the remainder of 2025 and the start of 2026. A few of them include:

-Producing our first Graduation Special Section;

-Hopefully winning some awards at the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists banquet next month;

-Expanding to a twice-monthly printing schedule;

-Expanding our advertisement options and pick up locations;

-Growing our members;

-Developing a community information and resource app;

-Growing our volunteer base and training some volunteer correspondents;

-Having a successful NewsMatch 2025 campaign; and

-Publishing the first The Owen News Community Calendar. 

There is a lot to look forward to, and we know that the sky's the limit if our community works together. After all, the reason we’re here celebrating one year of printing Indiana’s first nonprofit newspaper is because of our community and the support we’ve received. We truly couldn’t do this without the support from the Owen County Chamber of Commerce, the Owen County Community Foundation, our advertisers and pick up locations, our board, staff and volunteers (including Kim Frazier who delivers papers for us and that I forgot in January’s column) and most of all, you, our readers.

If you have questions about or want to be part of one of our goals, please reach out to me at info@theowennews.org.

A while back a friend and I went crappie fishing in Big Oil Creek off the Ohio River near Derby, Indiana. He caught 13 crappie, three of which were in the 12-inch range. I caught three, none of which were that big.   

After thinking it over, I came up with four factors. One, my buddy was experienced on the water we were fishing. He had been there numerous times and had caught lots of crappie, and he knew the spots. In these waters, if you’re inches away from the fish, you might as well be miles. That’s typical of persnickety crappie.

Two, he was in the front of the boat. When you’re cruising around dropping your minnow beside one stump after another, the guy in front does get the first crack at the choice spots. On the other hand, there are a lot of stumps in these creeks. The best spots are where a clump of stumps form. Your minnow placed right in the middle of the heap is the goal. I had plenty of good shots at spots too, but I didn’t connect as often.

The Long Pole’s Advantage

Three, he had a 10-foot-long crappie pole, while I had a standard spinning rod, a six-footer. The thing was, he would often catch fish right beside my minnow. He seemed to have “the touch.”

Naturally I had to go out and get one of those long poles myself, and I have to admit it does have a place in crappie fishing. I purchased a casting type reel for the rod, but I’ve found I do better with an ultralight spinning reel and six-pound fluorocarbon line. At times you might want to toss the minnow a ways, and the casting reel makes that difficult. The six-eight pound fluorocarbon line allows me to bend the fine wire crappie hook, if I pull gradually when I get hung up. And if you fish around cover, which is most of the time in crappie fishing, you will get hung up, a lot. Some cover you can see, but most you can’t. The long rod allows you to drop the minnow or jig straight down and retrieve it straight up, cutting down on hangups.

Don’t Be Too Quick

Another thing my buddy taught me is not to pull the trigger too soon on biting fish. Let them take it, take it, till you can’t stand it, then ease back on them. I jumped the gun too many times, and I jerked too hard. When I saw the cork disappearing under a limb or log, I got antsy, fearing loss of fish and rig. The jerking too hard is because of my bass fishing experiences. Putting the hook through both of the minnows’ lips from the bottom up seems to help with hooking fish. A Gulp nibble on the tip of the hook cuts down a little on getting snagged, and it adds color and appeal. 

 The embayments off the Ohio offer nice crappie opportunities almost all year long. Big and Little Oil, Big and Little Deer and Poison are creeks located in Perry County upstream from the Cannelton Dam. You could have a warm spell in November or December and get a few, and you might even have a good outing in January or February. You could get crappie there on the hottest day in July. Of course, right now through May is prime. As with any other fishing, you can have slow days as well. A lot depends on creek conditions, as rains screw up the works. Then it calms down fairly soon, and the crappie get back to their normal routines. But some years have been a special challenge for a couple of reasons. For one, the amount of rainfall. You need fairly clear, stable water conditions for the bite to be right.

The Carp Problem

The second reason is a toughie. There are numerous Asian carp in these creeks. What effect this has on the crappie fishery is pretty much unknown, but it can’t be good. These plankton feeders muck up the water, coloring it even when there’s little rain. They consume a food source shad need to survive. No shad—few crappie.

 If you don’t keep up your guard, they’ll also body slam you while you’re serenely motoring along. If these fish are shallow and a motor comes puttering, they go into panic mode. On a June trip we witnessed several jumpers, and then as we wrapped up one morning, a seven- or eight-pound carp jumped four feet out of the water and landed at my partner’s feet. He was glad it wasn’t in his lap. He had experienced a higher speed carp encounter at Reelfoot Lake, so he knew what these fish could do to a boater. We were idling along. If we had been cruising faster, that one could’ve hurt. Fewer carp have been the case recently—let’s hope it keeps up.

 It’s fishing season. Best of luck. 

Spencer-Owen Community Schools is thrilled to share that 27 of our outstanding seniors have met the rigorous requirements to earn the Governor's Work Ethic Certificate (GWEC), which is a prestigious recognition of their dedication to employability skills, academic achievement and a minimum of six hours of community service.The GWEC is a statewide, employer-recognized certification designed to prepare students for success in college, careers, and beyond. Recipients have demonstrated excellence in persistence, respectfulness, teamwork, initiative and efficiency, while also meeting high standards for attendance (98%+), academic performance (2.0 GPA+) and behavior (1 or fewer referrals).

Congratulations to the following students for this remarkable achievement:

• Calvin Dean
  
  
• Anya DeFord
  
  
• Skylar Dill
  
  
• Elliza Gentry
  
  
• Kalyn Greene
  
  
• Catie Harris
  
  
• Allyson Heidrich
  
  
• Trizza Jover
  
  
• Sawyer LaGrange
  
  
• Lucas McBee
  
  
• Eli McDaniel
  
  
• Rheann McMillen
  
  
• Makayla Nichols
  
  
• Vishwa Patel
  
  
• Alyeska Ranard
  
  
• Ezra Rehmel
  
  
• Kearston Roan
  
  
• Rylan Robinson
  
  
• Anna Sare
  
  
• Kennedy Shay
  
  
• Landon Summerlot
  
  
• Julia Sutton
  
  
• Ashlin Thacker
  
  
• Emily Tucker
  
  
• Josimar Trejo
  
  
• Maddex Weaver

‍

To celebrate their success, these students will be featured on a billboard across from OVHS in mid-April for 12 weeks. We extend a special thanks to our friends at the Owen County Community Foundation for generously providing the grant to cover the billboard cost.Patriot Pride is on full display with this incredible group of seniors. Their hard work and dedication exemplify the values of Owen Valley High School and the bright future they have ahead.

The Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) held its annual community meeting on March 27 in the 4-H Building at the Owen County Fairgrounds. 

The program featured live music, a silent auction, charcuterie-style dinner, special presentations and the showing of a documentary film related to land conservation.

SWCD Executive Director Tammy Bingham provided the evening’s welcome message, followed by an election of officers and the annual meeting.

SWCD Chairman Corbin Abrell called for nominations for a vacant board position. The re-election of Corbin Worland, treasurer, to the SWCD Board was voted on and unanimously approved by attendees.

Other members of the Owen County SWCD Board of Supervisors include vice chairman Steve Fox, Tim Dunfee, Doris Scully and Chris Gonso. 

Many local businesses, residents and organizations sponsored door prizes, distributed by Owen Valley FFA members after SWCD Outreach staff Amy Arnold read aloud the winning numbers. Silent auction winners were announced later in the evening.

The program’s special presentations started with Indiana State Department of Agriculture Resource Specialist Holden Abrell who requested attendees fill out surveys related to Owen County agricultural priorities and challenges.

Laura Demarest, West Central Indiana Watershed Alliance’s 319 Watershed Coordinator, provided an overview of the Fish Creek Watershed Management Plan previously completed and ongoing Implementation Grants.

“The Fish Creek Watershed is quite larger than what most people think – it covers over 170,000 acres,” Dermarest said, pointing out the diversity of the watershed comprising forested land, cropland, pastureland and over 10,000 acres of managed lands including McCormick’s Creek State Park.

Demarest reviewed the impairments for Fish Creek identified during the planning and monitoring process and explained the next steps for starting to address impairments impacting the watershed.

The 319 Grants primarily address issues related to sediment, nutrients and E-coli from non-point source pollution. The SWCD, being aware of these issues, was awarded an IDEM 319 Grant for $114,950 where the County matched $76,633 with cash and in-kind labor and contributions. Furthermore, the County applied for and was awarded $350,000 for implementation funding which is leveraged by $233,333 of match and in-kind contributions. The implementation and cost-share grant will begin in 2026.

Priority areas for implementation grants and cost-share were explained as well as eligible and ineligible activities for the funding. Cover crops, field borders/riparian buffers, livestock grazing practices, wetland enhancement and tree/shrub establishment are among the eligible activities.

Grant applications are not yet available, but the Owen County SWCD can add names to an interested parties list. The Advisory Committee will establish program guidelines and grant caps in early 2026 and make applications available. For more information, contact the SWCD at 812-829-2605, or visit the SWCD office at 788 Pottersville Rd., Spencer.

Amy Rednour, a first-generation mushroom farmer and owner of A Fungus Amoung Us LLC, served as one of the evening’s exhibitors, in addition to providing a presentation on her Owen County farm. She shared tips related to morel mushroom hunting and gave an overview of the type of mushrooms grown at their farm. The farm specializes in fresh and dehydrated mushrooms along with seasonings, extracts and other products.

The evening ended with a showing of the documentary, “The Story of America’s Private Lands Conservation Movement – an exclusive documentary by the USDA.” The film provided a look into the life of Hugh Hammond Bennett, who helped move American agriculture out of the Dust Bowl era.

Yellow is the color of spring this week. The daffodils and the forsythia are blooming. The bright yellow blooms brighten gardens. Those two domesticated flowers say spring has finally arrived. Daffodils always bring a smile to my face. The bright yellow blooms exude joy.

Daffodils are stubborn. They survive without attention or care. Several times, when I have been hiking in the woods, I have walked into a sunny spot of ground covered with the golden blooms of the narcissus. The daffodils are a reminder that someone once called that place home. The homesteader planted them and waited for the blooms to come in the spring. Planting bulbs is an exercise in faith. Planting bulbs is a statement. “My feet are through wandering; I am staying here for a while.”

In several places along the roads of Owen County daffodils mark old home sites. The bulbs have multiplied over the years, and the bright yellow blooms have spread across the clearings that surround the old home sites. They are the only clue that a family once called that spot home. A few have escaped and now grow in the ditches between the roads and fields.

Daffodils are poisonous, deer won’t eat them, neither will squirrels nor moles. On the side of a hill above Sciscoe Creek where it flows into Lake Monroe, the daffodils a woman of my clan planted two centuries ago still cover the hill with bright yellow blooms to herald spring's arrival. A few years ago, part of my family trekked back to the old home site. The bright yellow blooms of those daffodils were a beacon to help us find the site my ancestors called home. All that remains of the cabin is a few rotting timbers and the stone foundation. The daffodils and some spearmint plants have survived. I like knowing that the women in my family planted those plants. I dug a few bulbs out of the ground with a pocketknife and brought them home to the Ridge. Their golden blooms brighten my garden this week. I know my many times great-grandmother Sciscoe would approve of sharing her daffodils with me.

Daffodils or narcissus come from around the Mediterranean Sea. Planting native plants is something I support, but I want my daffodils too. A beautiful yellow native is also blooming. The south facing slope is carpeted with small yellow trout lilies. The leaves are more plentiful than the blooms. The mottled leaves are beautiful beside the green moss. They have a single yellow bloom about an inch wide. The blooms have three petals and three sepals which curve backward. The blooms look like caps for elves. I can imagine dainty elfin ladies dancing through the dew wearing one of the blooms atop her curls.

Many morel hunters are checking their ‘early’ spots for mushrooms because they usually appear when the trout lilies bloom. I saw plenty of blooms on my hike today, but no morels. I urge you to take a walk in the woods to enjoy the awakening land. Nature is a great stress reliever.

'til next time,
Annie

Spencer Town Council members Jon Stantz, Evan McKalip and Mike Spinks met in regular session March 17, along with clerk-treasurer Cheryl Moke, town manager Hunter Stogsdill and town attorney Richard Lorenz.

Following approval of the March 3 meeting minutes, the council heard from Julie Coffin, President of Spencer Main Street, with a request to approve the organization’s fifth annual Tailgate Sale on the Square. The council voted 3-0 in favor of the event, scheduled for April 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on East Market Street. In the event of rain, Coffin said the sale will be rescheduled for May 3.

The council also voted 3-0 to approve the temporary closure of four parking spaces along the west side of South Main Sreet. to accommodate an open house event for Rustic Delights, located at 65 S. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 5.

Under public issues, the council voted 3-0 to approve signatory authorization resolution 2025-01, giving the council the ability to move forward with a planned wastewater infrastructure improvements project and council president Stantz authorization to sign relevant paperwork.

Acting on a motion from Stantz, seconded by McKalip, the council voted 3-0 to authorize the signature of amendments to the wastewater treatment plant’s Asset Management Plan, as well as a modified State Revolving Fund (SRF) plan process related to the wastewater infrastructure improvements project budget.

In other business, the council voted 3-0 to approve four invoices from Commonwealth Engineers related to wastewater system improvements and extensions, including Wastewater Improvements Phase 1, $11,400; Wastewater Improvements Phase 1, $55.57; MCSP (McCormick’s Creek State Park) Project, $3,285.68; and miscellaneous on-call, $2,786.57.

Two additional invoices were also approved for payment: $2,550 for Steve Egemo Concrete (sidewalk repairs) and $7,800 for Dubois Excavating LLC (sewer line replacement on James Drive).

Spencer Police Department (SPD) Chief Richard Foutch later addressed the council, requesting and receiving unanimous council approval to hire Ben Muncie as a full-time officer, filling a void left following the departure of officer Kyle Jackson.

“We’re still going to move forward with the hiring process,” Foutch said. “We know we’re going to have one, maybe two positions that will need to be filled in the near future. We currently have 10 applicants.” 

Foutch also noted officer Zack Brock is scheduled to graduate from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy on April 25.

Under street department news, the council learned the department recently cut down and removed a tree near 237 S. Montgomery St. that had shown signs of heavy decay.

Sewer department superintendent Ryan Klaassen provided the board with a quote to purchase a new 28-horsepower pump for a lift station located along Beem Street totaling $6,598, as well as a quote to repair the existing 28-horsepower pump at a cost of $3,982. The council voted 3-0 to approve both requests.

Klaassen also noted the department’s new hydro-jetter trailer purchased from Brown Equipment Company (BEC) was to be delivered soon, while the order had been placed for its previously approved purchase of a new service vehicle from Curry Auto Center.

The Spencer Town Council will meet again on April 7 and April 21. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St.

As many people in our community are discovering, the MYPath trail is a great place to walk, run and ride a bicycle. With new improvements, MYPath has also become a great place to sit, talk, share a picnic and meet others.

Last year, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) revealed that loneliness and social isolation were affecting the mental health and well-being of Hoosiers, especially in rural communities. During the pandemic, a lot of gatherings were cancelled. A lot of social networks were frayed. To help, OCRA offered the Building Socially Connect Communities grant program.

The MYPath Riverfront Trail was in the process of being paved. A new bridge was on the way. We knew the path was going to be a nice trail for the community. But we also knew it could be more. Wouldn’t a new trail be a great resource for people to get together? Our Wednesday walks were nice activities for a small group of people. Couldn’t other groups meet, at other times, for other reasons?

MYPath could be more than a trail. It could be a resource, a facility for community groups to meet.

We submitted our Meet Me on MYPath program to OCRA. We shared that, according to census records, Owen County has 2,500 people living alone. In a county of less than 22,000 people, that is “a gripping number,” we said. Through partnerships with area organizations, we would host events at MYPath, giving more people an opportunity to connect with one another.

First, we needed infrastructure for gatherings. People are encouraged to come to MYPath regardless of physical abilities. Some people can run a long way, but due to health considerations, other people can’t walk very far at all. All should feel welcome. So, we asked for seven benches along the trail, for resting, bird watching or just talking.

To help support events, we asked for a new pavilion, with picnic tables. We shared plans for a new fire ring with benches. We proposed way-finding signs so visitors could follow all the side trails. And we pledged partnerships with Area 10 Agency on Aging, Boys and Girls Club of Owen County, Owen Valley Rehabilitation and Health Care and Spencer Pride.

Thankfully, OCRA granted us money to pursue our goals. It was a matching grant, so the Owen County Community Foundation and community members provided resources too.

From the beginning of MYPath, we envisioned the trail being an amenity for gathering. In fact, our original construction plans included benches and signs with a placeholder for a pavilion. Unfortunately, the bridge cost way more than anticipated. To afford the trail and the bridge, we needed to scale back our plans, eliminating the benches and signs.

OCRA’s efforts to Build Socially Connected Communities and our efforts to build a socially connected trail matched perfectly. Thank you to OCRA for completing our vision.

OCRA’s contributions are working as planned. We see people resting on the benches, talking to each other and trail walkers. The Boys and Girls Club of Owen County has already had a walk on the trail, where they were having fun trying to complete a nature scavenger hunt. Spencer Pride has a Rainbow Birders event planned for July 19.

We hope you have had a chance to see the new benches. The new pavilion is fabulous, and it is known as Dave’s Pavilion, in honor of the late Dave Allen, who was a tireless community advocate and founder of the JROTC program at Owen Valley High School.

Trail usage is increasing, thanks in part to the upgraded trail and the new benches and tables. Our Wednesday at 10 a.m. walks have been growing. We just added a new event, Wag and Walk, with walkers and leashed dogs on Sundays at 2 p.m.

Feel free to join one of our scheduled walks. Of course, you are certainly welcome to visit the trail on your own time. If you have a chance to bring a friend or neighbor, please do. At the very least, please nod politely to other people using the trail. If loneliness is a challenge in our community, we can all do our part, so others feel connected.

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Kyle Hannon is the project manager for the MYPath Trail System. He has served in many community development and trail connection roles throughout the state. On many weekends, he serves as an interpretive specialist at McCormick’s Creek State Park.

It’s time to begin planning your 2025 fishing trips, with fishing licenses available to purchase for this year’s adventures on the water.

Licenses valid now through March 31, 2026, can be purchased through the new DNR Fish & Wildlife Activity Hub at GoOutdoorsIN.com, via the mail, or through in-person retailers listed at on.IN.gov/HuntFishLicenseRetailers.

With your 2025 fishing license, you can aim for a new state record, as was recently confirmed for Lafayette angler Isaac Switzer.

His shortnose gar weighed two pounds, 15.9 ounces, beating the previous record by more than 10 ounces.

Switzer caught the fish on June 17, 2024, while using a Carolina rig and cut baitfish. It’s the second time in less than four years the species’ record has been broken, both times by catches on the Wabash River.

“I was fishing with my older brother on the Wabash River at night as we had done a hundred times before, targeting gar and catfish,” Switzer said of his record catch.

He said he instantly knew the fish was a shortnose gar record, having researched the record and catching similar-sized fish of the species previously.

Switzer considers gar one of the best Hoosier fish and hopes that the recent broken records raises awareness about them.

Gar are common throughout Indiana in rivers, streams, creeks, inland lakes, reservoirs, sloughs and marshes. Anglers who want to target the species or another Indiana sport fish can use DNR’s Fisheries Status & Trends dashboard to find lakes and reservoirs where they are most abundant.

The previous shortnose gar record was set by Kyle Hammond with a two-pound, 5.6-ounce fish caught in Wabash County in 2021. Hammond also holds the spotted gar state record, which he caught in 2024.

Learn more about the Indiana Record Fish program at on.IN.gov/recordfish.

Learn about purchasing a fishing license at on.IN.gov/fishinglicense.

A resolution authored by Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) and State Sen. Eric Bassler (R-Washington) honoring the Owen County Chamber of Commerce (OCCC) unanimously passed the Indiana Senate on March 11.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 27 celebrates the 100th anniversary of the OCCC and recognizes the important work it does within the Owen County community.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community, and chambers of commerce help foster growth among local businesses in the communities they serve and beyond," Bray said. "I'd like to congratulate the Owen County Chamber of Commerce for a century of service to their community, and I look forward to working with them to promote continued growth in the area."

The Owen County Chamber of Commerce was founded on June 25, 1925 and has grown to more than 270 businesses and organizations from throughout the county and beyond.

"As someone who owns and operates my own small businesses, I've seen firsthand how important a chamber of commerce is to its community and the people it serves," Bassler said. "For 100 years, the Owen County Chamber of Commerce has championed its neighbors and promoted locally owned businesses across the county, and I am grateful for the work it has done to support growth and opportunity."

To learn more about the Owen County Chamber of Commerce, visit MyOwenChamber.com.

Bray represents Senate District 37, which includes Morgan County and portions of Johnson, Owen and Putnam counties.

Bassler represents Senate District 39, which includes Daviess, Greene, Knox, and Martin counties and portions of Owen and Sullivan counties.

Working in the absence of Katrina Lewis, the remaining six members of the Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Board of School Trustees met in regular session on March 10 to approve routine matters, recognize student and staff members of the month, and to address several items under the new business portion of the meeting.

Under routine matters, the board voted 6-0 to approve meeting minutes for executive and regular sessions held Feb. 10.

Acting on a motion from board member Melissa Carrell, seconded by Emily Haltom, the board voted unanimously to approve the latest claims and financial reports, which CCSC Superintendent Greg Linton advised totaled $2,463,999.17 since the board’s previous meeting.

Next, the board recognized the corporation’s Student of the Month honorees for March, which included Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) first-grader Mila Green, Cloverdale Middle School (CMS) student Ryder Pettijohn and Cloverdale High School (CHS) student Isabella Montgomery.

“Thank you for being good kids and good students,” board president Vivian Whitaker said at the conclusion of the presentations, addressing the Student of the Month recipients. “We’re so happy that you’re Clovers. Each of you have bright futures ahead of you.”

Carrie Hall, special education teacher at CMS, was recognized as the latest Staff Member of the Month.

Also recognized were Rumor Jones and Wyatt Lane, who earned Good Citizen Awards for the month of March, presented by Cloverdale Town Marshal Adam Hull.

“Rumor is a silent leader in the fifth grade,” Hall explained. “She pitches in around the classroom and the school whenever she can. You can count on Rumor to always do the right thing.”

Hall added, “Wyatt is a wonderful young man. He works hard in class and always puts forth his best effort. Wyatt is very caring and a friend to many. He often gives to others and likes to make birthday gifts for his classmates.”

Next, the board heard a presentation led by CCSC Director of Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Ames regarding planned diploma and student schedule updates.

“As Indiana graduation requirements have changed, it’s really important that our academic programs here at Cloverdale change as well, not only to support our students, but to support our teachers and our school community,” Ames said. “The updates are necessary in order for students to gain the skills and knowledge they need to be successful and, quite frankly, to be able to graduate. We want to make sure they are ready for their career paths and can think critically, work well with others, and handle the future challenges that they will face, not only in school, but also in college or in the workforce or military.”

Ames added, “By making these changes now we can create a more engaging and supportive learning environment for our students and help them on their road to success. We didn’t want to just sit back and wait…  we wanted to be pro-active and jump right in.”

A few of the key points of Ames’ presentation included making sure students have options to personalize their graduation plan to align with their unique interests and goals; to ensure work-based learning is accessible to more students; the ability to earn high school credit at the middle school level; adding additional dual credit classes to provide students with increased opportunities for college credit; utilizing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test to assess potential military recruitment; and to open up space within the high school schedule for flexibility in the graduation pathway.

The board also heard from CHS Principal Sonny Stoltz, who commented on the school’s ongoing participation in the “Leader in Me” program.

“If things go well with our last training session in April, we’ll be ready to apply to be a Leader in Me high school,” Stoltz said. “What makes that even more special for us is that we’d be the first Leader in Me school in the state of Indiana. I have to give a ton of credit to everyone involved. This whole program has been counselor, teacher and student driven.”

The Leader in Me program aims to help students with leadership skills, character development and personal growth, both in school and in their personal lives.

James Wade, CHS Athletic Director, later provided the board with an update regarding the addition of Vincennes Lincoln to the Western Indiana Conference, the success of the school’s new outfitting of athletic teams, athlete reward program, and the development of a Booster Club beginning in May. Wade said the Booster Club aims to be in service beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Moving on to new business, the board voted 6-0 to approve a resolution determining the need for renovation and improvements to facilities throughout the school corporation, including the “construction of a training facility, site and athletic improvements throughout the school corporation and the purchase of equipment, real estate and technology and leasing all or a portion of the project from the Cloverdale High School Building Corporation.”

Next, the board acted on a motion from Donna Fidler, seconded by Joe Mann, voting 6-0 to adopt a resolution approving a form of lease agreement. The agreement says in part, “the Cloverdale High School Building Corporation has previously been organized pursuant to the Indiana Nonprofit Corporation Act of 1991 for the purpose of constructing, renovating and improving facilities for the use of the Cloverdale Community School Corporation.”

The board also cast separate 6-0 votes to approve the adoption of a resolution reapproving the formation of the building corporation and appointing a new member, as well as the issuance of one or more series of bonds and one or more series of BANS (Bond Anticipation Notes).

Also under new business, the board unanimously approved the distribution of Early Literacy Achievement Grant Funds, the CES/CMS Snails to Trails Summer Program and the acceptance of one grant and three donations for CHS.

Acting on a recommendation from Superintendent Linton, the board also unanimously approved the creation of an assistant principal position at CES, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

“As the board is aware, the student population at CES continues to increase with the addition and growth of our preschool program,” Linton noted. “CES has the highest enrollment of our three schools. The increase in student enrollment, and the overall increased social/emotional needs of students in general, has generated the need for [CES Principal] Mrs. [Mary] Elkins to have additional help in managing CES.”

In addition, the board unanimously approved the following professional leave, field trip, and facility use requests:

Professional Leaves

Feb. 18 – Sarah Campbell, CPI training, ONT/Area 30.

Feb. 26 – Paige Glassburn, CPI training, ONT/Area 30.

Feb 26 – Jill Schreiber, webinar on disability and community, CMS.

March 13 – Chelsey Meluch, SPED 101 for Administrators, Area 30.

March 18-20 – Taulbee Jackson, ILearn PLD Review virtual workshop, CMS.

March 19 – Heather Clingan, Indiana FFA proficiency grading, Southmont High School.

March 21 – Jared Metzger, annual tour of schools, CES/CMS/CHS.

April 2 – Ivy Oberkrom, required CPI training, ONT.

April 7-8 – Cathy Ames, Sam Brown, and Tara Baugh, Safe Schools Advanced Academy, Indianapolis.

April 16-17 – Cathy Ames, Title Con 2025, Plainfield.

May 7 – Beth Williams, hang artwork for Art Fair, CES/CMS.

2025/2026 school year – Carrie Hall, one day each month, Asset Program, online.

Field Trips

March 13 – CES fourth grade class, Indiana State Museum.

April 11 – CES first grade class, Terre Haute Children’s Museum.

April 11 or 12^th – CHS band, Northview High School.

April 22 – CHS Academic Super Bowl Team, Greencastle High School.

April 24 – CES kindergarten, Historic Tivoli Theatre, Spencer.

May 9 – CES sixth grade class, Bogey’s Family Fun Center, Terre Haute.

May 10 – CHS Academic Super Bowl Team, Purdue University.

June 2-9 – Snails to Trails, South Bend.

June 3-10 – Snails to Trails, Kentucky.

June 4-11 – Snails to Trails, Indianapolis.

June 5-12 – Snails to Trails, Crawfordsville.

June 6-13 – Snails to Trails, St. Louis, Missouri.

Facility Use

March 5 – Haltom 8U softball parent/player meeting, CMS Media Center.

March 11-12 – Cloverdale Community Youth League (CCYL), CPS, AED, and first aid training, CMS library.

March 19 – CCYL board meeting, CMS library.

April 30 – CHS National Honor Society induction ceremony, CHS cafetorium.

April 30 – Drama Club school play, CMS cafeteria.

May 8 – Annual Arts Fair, CES and CMS.

Additional personnel matters receiving unanimous board approval included:

Employment

Holly Watkins – part-time bus aide.

Alisan Staletovich – CMS guidance secretary.

FMLA

Lori Halloran – CMS teacher.

The Cloverdale Community School Board will meet again on Monday, April 14 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale. Members of the board include Vivian Witaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II.

The murder trial for Kenron Laing, accused of the November 2022 shooting death of 39-year-old Gildardo Garcia Salinas in northern Owen County, is scheduled to begin April 21 in the Owen County Circuit Court.

A two-year investigation culminated in the arrest of Laing, 24, in November of 2024.

Detectives from the Indiana State Police (ISP) Bloomington Post traveled to Fort Liberty, northwest of Fayetteville, North Carolina on Nov. 14 of last year where they were joined by Army Criminal Investigation Division agents in arresting Laing without incident.

Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with over 52,000 military personnel.

According to an article published in the Nov. 20, 2024 edition of Stars and Stripes, a daily newspaper reporting on matters concerning members of the United States Armed Forces, Laing enlisted in the Army in August 2023, about 10 months after Salinas was killed.

Private First Class Laing was identified by Stars and Stripes as a petroleum supply specialist assigned to the 82nd Airborne’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

An initial hearing was held Nov. 21, where Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim said Laing was advised of the charges against him and his constitutional rights as an accused facing criminal charges.

Public defender Megan Schueler was appointed by the court to represent Laing, who remains in custody without bond at the Owen County Security Center pending the upcoming trial by jury.

The court has allotted five days for the jury trial.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case by ISP Detective Ian Matthews, authorities from the state police were contacted on Nov. 2, 2022 to initiate an investigation following the shooting death of Salinas. The shooting happened at Salinas’ residence in the area of North Cataract Road and U.S. 231.

Authorities with the Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) were first on the scene, having been notified via a 911 phone call received at approximately 8:25 p.m., the probable cause affidavit indicates. The caller reported gunshots had been fired and a male had been shot. Police arrived shortly thereafter to find Salinas deceased outside of his home from apparent gunshot wounds.

In total, authorities say two discarded iPhones were discovered at the scene. The first was located in a gravel area, the probable cause affidavit indicates, approximately 15-20 feet east of the victim’s body. Identified as a black iPhone housed in a clear case, the phone appeared to authorities to have been “wiped” or factory reset. Although the screen read “The iPhone has been locked,” an associated Gmail account would reportedly help police determine the phone belonged to Laing.

According to the probable cause affidavit, authorities with the ISP Cyber Crimes Unit were able to uncover identifying information from the phone which was used to gather subscriber information and records from both Apple and AT&T. The subscriber of the phone and associated service, authorities would discover, was listed as “Mr. Kenron Laing.”

Additional coverage of the case was published in the December 2024 issue of The Owen News. The article can be accessed on our website at here.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission (NRC) recently granted final adoption to allow the limited, regulated trapping of bobcats in designated southern Indiana counties.

Bobcat Trapping Rules

In 2024, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation (SEA 241-2024) directing the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to have rules in place for bobcat harvest by July 2025.

The approved rules include:

• Establishing a bobcat trapping season in 40 southern Indiana counties, including a limit of one bobcat per trapper and a cumulative season limit of 250 bobcats for all trappers combined.
• Allowing bobcats and their parts that are legally acquired to be sold.
• Allowing bobcats that are found dead to be kept by people with a permit.
• Adding bobcats to the list of species for which a game breeder’s license is required.

The NRC granted preliminary adoption of the rules in September 2024, and it later held two public comment periods and two public hearings.

Research maintained by the DNR and Purdue University shows that the bobcat population in Indiana has expanded during the last two decades. This research can be reviewed at on.IN.gov/dfw-rule-changes.

Bobcats have well-established populations in the 40 counties where trapping will be allowed. Analysis shows that this high-quality habitat can support regulated harvest while also maintaining a healthy, sustainable bobcat population.

After the rule’s adoption, DNR anticipates that Indiana’s first bobcat trapping season will begin this fall. A summary of all rules and regulations will be available in the annual Hunting & Trapping Guide, which is typically available in August.

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Communities in Senate District 39 will receive more than $7.5 million to improve roads and bridges through the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program (CCMG), said State Sen. Eric Bassler (R-Washington).

The CCMG, established by the Indiana General Assembly in 2016, aims to advance community infrastructure projects, strengthen local transportation networks and improve Indiana’s roads and bridges. Since its enactment, the program has awarded more than $2 billion in state matching funds for local construction projects.

In Senate District 39, the following communities received grants:

• Daviess County received $1,120,970.25;
• Knox County received $1.5 million;
• Martin County received $1,106,930.25;
• Merom received $24,842.42;
• Newberry received $102,000;
• Oaktown received $82,200.57;
• Owen County received $1.5 million;
• Shoals received $271,411.50;
• Sullivan County received $1.5 million;
• Washington received $260,753.75; and
• Wheatland received $74,999.58.

"Maintaining high-quality infrastructure throughout our state ensures that state and local government leaders deliver the vision for a brighter and safer way of life for districts like Senate District 39," Bassler said. "The Community Crossings Matching Grant Program is a great way to align the progress of our economy with the infrastructure stability that Hoosier communities rely on."

Through the program, the Indiana Department of Transportation matches up to $1.5 million annually when localities invest in road and bridge repairs. Counties with populations fewer than 50,000 and cities and towns with populations fewer than 10,000 receive a 75%/25% match, while counties with populations greater than 50,000 and cities and towns with populations greater than 10,000 receive a 50%/50% match.

To view the full list of communities receiving matching funds, click here.

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Last month, the Spencer Lions Club presented a generous $5,000 donation toward the expansion of Owen County’s Outdoor Emergency Warning System, now slated to get two more sirens thanks to a matching grant awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  The Lions' contribution will count as part of the match requirement.  The approximate additional two locations that this FEMA grant will make possible will include the area of Cuba in Montgomery Township and the area of Adel Road between Franklin and Clay Townships.

Accepting the check from Spencer Lions Club Treasurer Jim Query is Owen County Emergency Management Director Jack White, shown here along with siren committee members Owen County Councilman Anton Karl Neff (also a Lion) and Bruce Hamlin.  This photo was taken in front of the existing siren site at Cooper Park in Spencer, which is pictured to the right.

If you, an organization or a business would like to help contribute toward the local match for this FEMA grant, consider a donation to Owen County Government via “Siren Fund 4917”, directed to the attention of the Auditor’s Office, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer, IN 47460. PHOTO AND CONTENT SUBMITTED BY ANTON NEFF.

Jerry D. McBee of Freedom was named to the Wabash College Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester. McBee maintained a 3.5 grade point average or better on a 4.0-point scale.

Located in Crawfordsville and founded in 1832, Wabash College is a private liberal arts college, which teaches men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively and live humanely.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced plans to reduce the speed limit on State Road 46 in Ellettsville, on or after April 1^st.

The speed limit on SR 46 will decrease from 45 mph to 35 mph from Red Hill Road to West Arlington Road.

According to INDOT, the decreased speed limit is “intended to help enhance safety and mobility along SR 46.”

INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

April 21

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs. North Putnam at North Putnam.

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April 28

5 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs. Southmont at Cloverdale.

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May 8

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed track & field at Putnam County Meet at Greencastle.

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May 12

5:30 p.m. –  Co-ed track & field vs. North Clay and South Putnam at South Putnam.

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May 13

5 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs. Owen Valley at Owen Valley.

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May 17

8:30 a.m. – Co-ed track & field at WIC Meet at Owen Valley.

‍April 17

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs South Putnam at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs South Putnam at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs Linton-Stockton and North Central-Farmersburg at Linton-Stockton.

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April 19

10 a.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball at the County Tournament at North Putnam.

10 a.m. – Varsity girls’ softball at the County Tournament at North Putnam.

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April 21

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs Shakamak at Shakamak.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Indian Creek at Cloverdale.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Indian Creek at Cloverdale.

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April 22

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Greencastle at Greencastle.

5 pm. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Greencastle at Greencastle.

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April 23

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ track vs South Putnam, Lighthouse Christian Academy, and Owen Valley at Cloverdale.

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April 24

4 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs Monrovia at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Northview at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Northview at Cloverdale.

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April 25

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Shakamak at Cloverdale.

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April 26

9 a.m. – Varsity boys’ golf at Bob Arnett Invitational at Rea Park in Terre Haute.

10 a.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ track vs Edgewood at Edgewood.

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April 28

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs North Putnam at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Bethesda Christian at Bethesda Christian.

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April 29

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ track vs North Central-Farmersburg at North Central-Farmersburg.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Owen Valley at Cloverdale.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Owen Valley at Cloverdale.

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May 1

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Parke Heritage at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Parke Heritage at Cloverdale.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ track vs Cascade and Tri-West at Cascade.

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May 5

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs South Putnam at South Putnam.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Clay City at Clay City.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs South Vermillion at Cloverdale.

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May 6

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ track at County Track Meet at Cloverdale.

6 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Eastern Greene at Cloverdale.

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May 8

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

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May 9

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Monrovia at Cloverdale.

‍April 17

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade baseball vs John Wooden Middle School at Owen Valley.

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April 21

5:30 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade baseball vs Edgewood at Edgewood.

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs South Putnam and Greencastle at South Putnam.

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball vs Cloverdale at Owen Valley.

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April 22

5:30 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball vs Eminence at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs Eastern Greene at Owen Valley.

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April 23

5:30 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade baseball vs Greencastle at Greencastle.

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April 24

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball vs Batchelor at Batchelor.

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April 28

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball vs Brown County at Owen Valley.

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April 29

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball vs Edgewood at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade baseball vs Bedford at Owen Valley.

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May 1

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs Jackson Creek at Owen Valley.

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May 3

8:30 a.m. – Co-ed track & field at Patriot Invitational at Owen Valley.

9 a.m. – Seventh and eighth grade softball at Eminence Invite at Eminence.

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May 5

6 p.m. – Co-ed track & field vs. Edgewood at Edgewood.

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May 6

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade girls’ softball vs. Edgewood at Edgewood.

‍April 17

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs. Edgewood at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Linton-Stockton at Linton-Stockton.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs Northview at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity co-ed track & field vs Monrovia at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Junior varsity boys’ baseball vs Monrovia at Monrovia.

7:30 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ softball vs Linton-Stockton at Linton-Stockton.

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April 19

12 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Shakamak at Owen Valley.

12 p.m. – Junior varsity boys’ baseball vs Shakamak at Owen Valley.

9:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis at Sullivan Invitational.

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April 21

4:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs North Daviess at North Daviess.

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April 22

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs Northview at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Northview at Northview.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Northview at Northview.

7:30 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ softball vs Northview at Northview.

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April 23

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs Terre Haute South at Terre Haute South.

5 p.m. – Varsity co-ed track & field vs Cloverdale at Cloverdale.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs West Vigo at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs West Vigo at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ softball vs West Vigo at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Junior varsity boys’ baseball s West Vigo at Owen Valley.

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April 24

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs West Vigo at Owen Valley.

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April 25

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Eastern Greene at Eastern Greene.

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April 26

12 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Clay City at Owen Valley.

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April 28

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs Indian Creek at Indian Creek.

5 p.m. – Varsity co-ed track & field vs Eastern Greene at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Monrovia at Owen Valley.

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April 29

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Cloverdale at Cloverdale.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Cloverdale at Cloverdale.

7 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ softball vs Cloverdale at Cloverdale.

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April 30

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ softball vs Greencastle at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs South Vermillion at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ baseball vs Greencastle at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ softball vs Greencastle at Owen Valley.

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May 1

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ golf vs. Edgewood and Bloomfield at Edgewood.

5 p.m. –  Varsity girls’ softball vs. Clay City at Clay City.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ tennis vs. Brown County at Owen Valley.

7:30 p.m. –  Junior varsity girls’ softball vs. Clay City at Clay City.

Last month, I said I’d take my readers on a stroll through a summer meadow to enjoy sun-loving wildflowers. Although most of the plants I am going to mention thrive in a meadow environment, they also will thrive in a small garden space.

Most of us do not have large expanses of land to grow our favorites. These plants will thrive in a small yard or in containers on a patio. I hope you will give a few of them a try this year. Growing native plants invites the pollinators and the birds to visit you. They are easy to grow and most of them self-seed.

One of my favorite native plants is Butterfly Weed. Asclepias tuberosa is that fiery orange bloom that attracts butterflies along most of our country roads. This prairie plant grows well in full sun and likes average, well-drained soil. It has a long tap root and does not like to be transplanted. The plant will reach a height of 30 inches. It is an important larval food source for monarchs. I have grown it in the Owen County clay. It behaves well in a bed of mixed natives.

Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is a plant that most people recognize. The tall plants are covered with big purple daisy-like flowers all summer and well into fall. In the fall, the spiky-orange seed heads attract small birds. The plant, which can reach heights of 40 inches, does well in a small garden space. I am going to try it in a pot this year.

We can’t have a meadow without grass. My favorite grass is Little Bluestem. Some of the old folks in Owen County call it poverty grass, probably because it will grow in any kind of soil. It seems to love the clay covered hills and fields of Owen County. Schachyrium scoparium is the most widespread grass of the prairie. It is native to every state except Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. The tiny shoots emerge a rich bluish green in the spring. In autumn the three-foot-tall grass turns pale orange-red. A snow-covered field of Little Bluestem grass is a fantastic sight. Plant a single clump in a mixed perennial bed for a focal point or along a fence for some winter color.

Other grasses that could add interest would be bottle brush grass (Hystrix patula) with its unusual seed head or Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). Ground feeding birds and small mammals love the seeds; they smell like popcorn.

A meadow or a garden needs some yellow blooms. Black-Eyed Susans or Kansas sunflowers do well in a mixed garden or a meadow. They bloom all season.

I love goldenrod, especially the variety called Wreath or blue-stemmed goldenrod. Solidago caesia has lance-shaped leaves on an arching branch. The small yellow blooms grow in the leaf axis.

A mixture of these plants will give you blooms for months. Getting them established will take some work, but you will have years to enjoy them. A bonus is that you are helping all the pollinators and the birds.

‘til next time,

Annie

The time has come for me to write my last newspaper article as Director of the Owen County Public Library; I am about to embark on that new adventure called “retirement.” My last day at OCPL will be Friday, April 25.

I am so thankful to have had the privilege of serving as Director of the library these last 12 plus years. I am very proud of the work we have done at OCPL, and the part I was able to play in our accomplishments here, all the things we have built and services we have added.

I want to thank the OCPL Board that hired me: Frank Coffin, Don Taylor, David Weaver, Dodie Schinske and Myrna Fields. Barbara Winders joined the board within a year or two, joining a core group that I called my Dream Team Library Board. I was so pleased to find that they were all library users, which makes such a difference in the viewpoint of a library trustee. I came to rely on them so much for advice, guidance, encouragement and eventually, friendship.

I am so blessed to have worked for and with such caring people. They have been supportive of our desire to be of service to this community in all the various ways we have endeavored to serve. They have shown concern for our staff and have lived up to their responsibility to monitor the way taxpayer money is spent. I think that our new director will find that she is serving with her own “dream team” of board members.

Our four administrators, each manage their own department, their own staff, and their own budget. They order their own materials and services, hire their own staff and never go over the budget I give them each year. Thank you so much, Debbie, Anne, Brad and Amy for your commitment to the library. I have enjoyed these 12 years of working together.

Thank you, programmers, past and present, your work requires so much coordination, commitment, patience, imagination, at times empathy and the ability to see patrons’ needs and the heart to want to meet those needs. Thank you, Cyndi, Brooke, Hannah and most especially, Jenn for all that you all put into being so amazing, and Scott, our Bookmobile driver extraordinaire!

Thank you to all our clerks from past years, and our current and new clerks for the great customer service you provide. Thank you all for your friendly smiles, listening ears, and great book recommendations. For the extra responsibilities you have taken on, thank you, Nikota, Jessica, Jennifer and Nick.

Fond memories of Laura continue as we welcome Shannon. I am confident she is going to excel at the genealogy position.

Thank you to both of the hard-working, driven Adult Education directors we have had, for preserving this much-needed program. You change lives.

We threw so much work at our bookkeeper, Ale, when she first started here! It’s a wonder she ever took the job. But she faced every difficulty as a challenge, with patience and unbelievable competence.

Thank you, Tyler, for keeping our technology up to date, secure and running smoothly.

Thank you, B.J., for all you put into teaching and meeting the needs of your students.

Thank you to the many individuals, businesses and organizations who have donated in various ways to the work of the library. Special thanks to Tom and Kaye Earney for making the library pavilion possible; to the Owen County Community Foundation, for helping us with project after project. To Cook and Boston Scientific for your donations. To the more than 62 individuals who help fund testing fees for the Learning Center students working for their GED.

Thank you to our very dear Friends of the Library group, for all your hard work and support. You are all wonderful, and I don’t know what we would do without you.

To our patrons, I have come to know and love so many of you and will miss seeing you on a regular basis. Thank you for making this job such a happy experience.

Remember that the library is here to uphold the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to peaceably assemble for every resident of Owen County. If you can walk through the library and not find any books you agree with, we aren’t doing our job. If you can walk through the library and can’t find any books you disagree with, we aren’t doing our job. A public library should provide different points of view for your consideration.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve Owen County for the last 12 years. Please welcome our new Director, Brittany Van Hook.

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The seven-member Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Board of School Trustees met in regular session on Feb. 10 to approve routine matters, recognize student and staff members of the month, and to address several items under the new business portion of the meeting.

Under routine matters, the board voted 6-0-1 to approve meeting minutes for work, executive, regular and annual finance sessions held Jan. 13, as well as work sessions held Jan. 18 and Jan. 28.

Acting on a motion from board member Donna Fidler, seconded by Mike Rightmyer II, the board also voted unanimously to approve the latest claims and financial reports, which CCSC Superintendent Greg Linton advised totaled $2,664,190.23 since the board’s previous meeting.

Next, the board voted 7-0 following a motion from Melissa Carrell, seconded by Emily Haltom, to approve Board Policies Vol. 36, No. 1 and Special Update.

The board later recognized the corporation’s Student of the Month honorees for February, which included Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) student Harper Lotz, Cloverdale Middle School (CMS) student Ally Shepherd and Cloverdale High School (CHS) student Autumn Wheeler.

“All of you young people honored here tonight represent the best in our school corporation,” board president Vivian Whitaker said at the conclusion of the presentations, addressing the Student of the Month recipients. “You each have parents and family with you here tonight. You’re lucky to have them here to support you, and that’s a big reason why you’re all being recognized here tonight, because of how much they care for you and have set examples and standards for you to be. I wish you all continued success in school.”

Megan Puckett, Knoy Resource Center Program Director and third grade teacher at CES, was recognized as the latest Staff Member of the Month.

“We received an email this afternoon. They had a site review of the Knoy Center, and it was very, very positive,” Whitaker said. “We want to thank Megan for everything she has done in that program.”

The goal of the corporation’s Knoy Resource Center is to provide students with academic and enrichment opportunities, as well as additional activities to complement their regular academic programs at CES and CMS.

Also recognized was Cooper Wilson, a third grader at CES, who earned the Good Citizen Award for the month of February, presented by Cloverdale Town Marshal Adam Hull.

“Cooper always prioritizes others and genuinely cares about the safety and wellbeing of his classmates,” Hall said. “His infectious smile and positive attitude create an environment in the classroom where everyone feels valued. Cooper’s leadership qualities make him a role model for his fellow students, truly embodying the spirit of citizenship at Cloverdale Elementary.”

Moving on to new business, the board voted 7-0 to approve Title IV federal grant funds totaling $19,706.54 for the 2024-25 school year.

The board also voted 7-0 to approve a Special Education Teachers Summer Stipend Day for nine teachers.

“All of our special education teachers and staff have to transition students’ IPs (intellectual property) over into a new system,” Linton explained. “It’s a good bit of work, so we want to be able to provide them with a paid day over the summer to be able to have some time to do this, so they don’t have to do it on their own time.”

Similarly, the board voted 7-0 to approve a Summer Stipend Day for teachers who participated in the Indiana Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN) pilot program.

“We have several teachers that participated in the ILEARN pilot program, and we would like to give them some time this summer as well to be able to analyze the data we have collected from that process,” Linton said, “and to be able to use what we’ve learned and to be able to implement that into the classroom next year.”

The board also cast separate 7-0 votes to approve acceptance of a grant for CHS, as well as donations for CES and CHS.

In addition, the board unanimously approved the following professional leave, field trip, and facility use requests:

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Professional Leaves

Jan. 10 – Michaela Marcum, Praxis 5205 test for license renewal, CES.

TBD in Feb. – Nick Winders, shadow Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program at Greencastle Middle School.

TBD in Feb. – Megan Schroeder, Carolyn Hall and Jill Schreiber, transition to Individualized Education Program (IEP), CMS.

TBD in Feb. – Morgan Barley, Whitney Roberts, Rachel Scott, Debra Estep and Chelsea Reed, transition to IEP, CES.

Feb. 12 – Jill Schreiber, Reading Routines Workshop, Area 30 at Greencastle.

Feb. 13 – Chelsey Meluch, Nicole Campbell and Lori Halloran, Leader in Me Community Day, Monticello, IN.

Feb. 17 – Chelsey Meluch, School Safety Basic Training, Indianapolis.

Mar. 19 – Ethan Linton, Indiana State University (ISU) Educational Extravaganza, ISU Career Center, Terre Haute.

Mar. 31 – Sandi Price, Snails to Trails clerical work, CMS.

Apr. 29 – Megan Puckett, IN Afterschool Network Conference for Knoy, Plainfield.

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Field Trips

Jan. 17 – Cloverdale JAG, IVY Tech, Terre Haute.

Jan. 18 – CHS Winter Guard, Martinsville High School.

Jan. 25 – CHS Winter Guard, Plainfield High School.

Feb. 3 – CMS eighth grade class, Putnam County Fairgrounds, Area 30.

Feb. 15 – CHS Winter Guard, Brownsburg High School.

Feb. 22 – CHS Winter Guard, Terre Haute South High School.

Mar. 7 or 8 – CHS Band, Terre Haute South High School.

Mar. 8 – CHS Winter Guard, Franklin Central High School.

Mar. 8 – CMS Ethics Team, Prindle at DePauw, Greencastle.

Mar. 14 or 15 – CMS Band, Monrovia High School.

Mar. 15 – CHS Winter Guard, Decatur Central High School.

Mar. 15 – Bring Change 2 Mind, Colts practice field, Indianapolis.

Apr. 25 – CES second grade class, Skate World, Deming Park.

May 9 – CES fourth grade class, Putnam County Fairgrounds.

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Facility Use

Jan. 10-Mar. 28, Fridays – Performing Arts, A Class Winter Guard instruction, CES gymnasium.

Feb. 1 – Student Council, Homecoming Dance, CHS auxiliary gymnasium.

Feb.3 to May 7, Mondays/Wednesdays – 4-H meeting, CHS agriculture room.

Feb. 19 – Cloverdale Community Youth League (CCYL), youth volleyball pictures, CES gymnasium.

Feb. 28 – CMS sixth grade dance, CMS.

Feb. 28 – CES PTO, Knights and Princesses Ball, CES gymnasium.

Mar. 2 to May 25, Sundays – 8U softball practice, CHS auxiliary gymnasium.

Mar. 7 – CES PTO, Boys Night Out Dance, CES gymnasium.

Mar. 7 – C.H.O.I.C.E. positive behavior support program, ice cream social, CES/CMS cafeteria.

Apr. 12 – CCYL, Youth Jamboree Day, CHS varsity softball and baseball fields.

Apr. 19 – CCYL Easter egg hunt, CHS football field and nature trail.

Apr. 26 – CCYL youth softball and baseball pictures, CES gymnasium.

Apr. 30 – CMS Drama Club, play, CMS cafetorium.

May 16 – CHS FFA, celebratory banquet, CHS cafetorium.

May 20 – Cloverdale PTO, CES track & field day, CHS track, football field and facilities, and CES playground.

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Additional personnel matters receiving unanimous board approval included:

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Retirement

Mary Miller – CMS registrar/secretary.

Debra Warfel – CES and CMS choir teacher.

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Resignations

Autumn Lewellen – CHS Alternative Education Program (AEP) Discipline Assistant.

Lori Halloran – Knoy teacher.

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Employment

Jane Huge – CHS business instructor, long-term substitute, 2024-25 school year.

Seth Geiger – CES and CMS choir, long-term substitute, 2024-25 school year.

Jamie Gibson – intermittent bus aide.

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FMLA

Debra Warfel – CES and CMS choir teacher.

Lesley Spatta – CHS teacher.

Brad Sandy – CES teacher.

Paige Glassburn – CES Pre-K teacher.

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Coaching Hire

Sara Howard – CMS seventh/eighth grade girls’ track coach.

Michael Nees – CHS assistant track coach.

Seth Geiger – CHS assistant boys’ track coach.

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Coaching Volunteer

Roger Tonna – CMS volunteer assistant wrestling coach.

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The Cloverdale Community School Board will meet again on Monday, March 10 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale. Members of the board include Vivian Witaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II.

Working in the absence of councilman Jon Stantz, Spencer Town Council members Evan McKalip and Mike Spinks met in regular session Feb. 18, along with clerk-treasurer Cheryl Moke, town manager Hunter Stogsdill and town attorney Richard Lorenz.

Following approval of the Feb. 3 meeting minutes, the council heard from Colleen Minnemeyer, a member of the Spencer Parks and Recreation Committee, regarding the committee’s plan to develop a vacant lot on the northeast corner of S. Main and E. Cooper Streets into a pocket park.

Typically, a pocket park occupies one to three municipal lots and is smaller than one acre in size. The committee envisions public restrooms, a full-size basketball court and two pickleball courts occupying the currently unused space.

Minnemeyer presented the council with a progress update, including a proposed site development plan prepared by architecture firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA). She noted REA’s original plan was divided into two phases in the event the entire project could not be funded at once. The Spencer Parks and Recreation Committee is actively applying for grant funding, Minnemeyer said, and feels strongly that they will be able to secure a sizable portion of the overall project cost.

Although completing the entire project in one phase would be more cost-effective, Minnemeyer said the committee is willing to undertake the project in separate phases as funding allows.

In other business, the council voted 2-0 to approve three invoices from Commonwealth Engineers related to wastewater system improvements and extensions, including Wastewater Improvements Phase 1, $11,400; Wastewater Improvements Phase 1, $686.83; and MCSP (McCormick’s Creek State Park) Project, $15,665.15.

Spencer Police Department (SPD) Chief Richard Foutch later addressed the council, reporting he had posted an employment ad on the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy website. Foutch said the department aims to hire at least two additional officers due to impending changes to his department and officers attending the academy.

Foutch also presented the council with a quote from John Jones for the purchase of a new police pursuit vehicle. The quote was for $62,043.50, with additional police radio system costs bringing the grand total to $65,608.55.

Councilman Spinks made a motion to approve the purchase of the vehicle for the SPD. McKalip seconded the motion, which passed 2-0.

In addition, Foutch publicly thanked the Owen County Health Department for donating a ZOLL manufactured automated external defibrillator (AED) to the Town of Spencer. Towns are required to have an AED in case of emergencies. AEDs are described as life-saving tools that deliver critical care to someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest before an ambulance can arrive. The AED cabinet has been installed on an interior wall of the Spencer Municipal Building.

Sewer department superintendent Ryan Klaassen provided an update on the sewer plant and collections, explaining that a damaged sewer line on James Drive needed to be replaced. Tree roots, he said, have caused a 100-percent blockage of the sewer line. He presented a quote from DuBois Excavating for $7,800.

Spinks made a motion to approve the sewer line replacement quote from DuBois Excavating. McKalip seconded the motion, which passed 2-0.

Klaassen also presented the council with two quotes from Brown Equipment Company (BEC) for the purchase of a hydro-jetter trailer, both of which were lower than quotes obtained two years ago for similar equipment. The council took the quotes under advisement until its next meeting.

Lastly, Klaassen presented the board with a quote for the purchase of a new service vehicle from Curry Auto Center. Again, the council took the matter under advisement until its next meeting.

Regarding the Owen Valley Fire Territory, clerk-treasurer Moke reported that a new attorney was recently hired by the fire territory board – Christine Bartlett with Bloomington-based Ferguson Law. Bartlett also serves as an attorney for the Spencer-Owen School Board, Moke explained.

The council met again on March 3 with all three council members in attendance, along with clerk-treasurer Moke, town manager Stogsdill, and town attorney Lorenz.

Following acceptance of the Feb. 18 meeting minutes, the council voted 3-0 to approve an ABATE of Indiana memorial ride event request for May 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. The SPD will provide a police escort out of town at the conclusion of the event.

Under departmental reports, the council learned the SPD received eight applicants for its open police officer positions. Plans call for interviews to be conducted within two weeks.

Street department superintendent Tony Floyd told the council his department had focused attention the previous week on sweeping town streets of sand and salt left behind from treating streets over the winter months. Their efforts help prevent excess salt and sand from being washed into storm sewers and surface waters.

Floyd also provided the council with an update related to the Community Crossings Matching Grant (CCMG) program. The program provides funding for cities, towns and counties across Indiana to make improvements to local roads and bridges, with Spencer prepared to again apply for funds to repave select streets.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) holds two CCMG Call for Projects each year, one in January and one in July. Floyd said he and the Town of Spencer will apply for the next round in July.

Floyd also requested council permission to supply and spread a single load of stone at the Brad Harris property located off Hyden Road, just outside of town limits. Floyd said the department utilizes the drive as a turnround when plowing snow.

“Every four or five years we’ll bring them a load of stone and utilize one of our tractors to spread and grade the drive,” Floyd said. “It’s just a friendly thank you for letting us use their drive.”

Councilman McKalip made a motion to approve the request, which was seconded by councilman Spinks and approved 2-0-1. Stantz abstained from the vote, noting a family connection to the property owner.

Klaassen, superintendent of the town’s sewer department, provided the council with an update on the ongoing sewer line issue on James Drive. He noted the line was to be replaced later in the week. He also requested and received council permission to purchase a new 28 horsepower pump for a lift station located along Beem St., not to exceed $2,500.

Lift stations are mechanically operated and designed to move wastewater, sewage waste or excess stormwater from a lower elevation to a higher elevation to prevent problems from developing.

Returning to quotes provided at the council’s Feb. 18 meeting for the purchase of a hydro-jetter trailer and a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado service truck, the council voted unanimously to approve both purchases for the sewer department. The trailer quote was for $84,000, and the service truck quote totaled $80,073.

The council also voted 3-0 to provide up to $325,000 toward the Spencer Parks and Recreation Committee’s plan to develop the vacant lot at the northeast corner of South Main and East Cooper Streets into a pocket park. A large portion of the funding will come from the town’s Rainy Day and Riverboat funds.

Councilman McKalip noted the base bid for the plan, which only includes the bathrooms, all concrete work, one pickleball court and a half basketball court totals $303,687. The committee, working in collaboration with the Owen County Community Foundation, remains focused on fundraising to support the construction of a second pickleball court as well as the installation of a full basketball court rather than a half court.

In other news, the council spoke with Owen County Humane Society Board President Becky Brown, who was in attendance to discuss the local shelter’s capacity and funding issues. Although the shelter is often unable to accept stray animals due to limited housing capacity, she emphasized the shelter will always respond to calls received from the town and county related to animal neglect, abuse or hoarding, regardless of the shelter’s ongoing limitations.

The Spencer Town Council will meet again on March 17 and April 7. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St.

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The Parks Board of the Town of Spencer is moving forward with plans to enhance Cooper Commons by adding a public restroom, a full court basketball court and two pickleball courts on a currently vacant lot on the Northeast corner of Cooper and Main Streets.

Titled the Cooper Commons Recreation Project, it aims to add much-needed amenities that will provide new opportunities for outdoor activity and community engagement.

The planned upgrades align with the growing demand for recreational amenities in Spencer. Pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, will now have a dedicated space in the community, while a new basketball court will provide a space for intergenerational play. The addition of a restroom will make Cooper Commons more accessible and comfortable for visitors at the park, those using the MYPath Trail and community events, such as parades in Spencer that gather at the Fairgrounds and at Cooper Commons.

“This project is the first of many big and small updates being discussed to improve the parks in Spencer. When deciding on what to do first, we went back to the Parks Master Plan and saw there was a clear winner — the need for bathrooms at Cooper Commons. The board is working diligently to apply for grants and raise funds to make this - and future improvements happen,” said Kristen Portteus, Parks Board President.

The project is moving to the bidding phase in March, with a goal of construction starting in May and a completion of October to November.

The Parks Board is actively seeking additional support to help bring these exciting improvements to life. Every contribution, big or small, will play a crucial role in making Cooper Commons a better place for residents of all ages. The board is calling on the Spencer and Owen County residents, businesses and organizations to get involved in the project by spreading the word and making donations that will be matched by the IHCDA CreatINg Places grant.

Donations can be made to the Owen County Community Foundation, directed to the ‘Cooper Commons Recreation Project’. An online link will be available soon to donate, so stay tuned for more information online.

Anyone interested in learning more about the project or to get involved is encouraged to come to a Parks Board meeting. Meetings are open to the public and occur every 4th Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Town of Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West. St., Spencer.

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Is it the thrill of the hunt, or the taste of the magnificent morel that drives Owen Countians wild? Whether foraging in the woods or frying up a batch of flavorful fungi is your favorite part of the annual spring tradition, The Owen News is pleased to announce our first-ever Morel Mushroom Contest!

In addition to “Sweet Owen” bragging rights, the mushroom hunter who finds the largest morel (length + width) will receive $50, while second place will be awarded $25, and third place $10.

The contest is open to Owen County residents only and will officially close at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Entries cost $5 each and are not limited, so keep hunting as the season progresses. Entry fees may be paid online, by check or money order or by cash at the time of entry. All proceeds will support The Owen News. The winners will be announced in our June 2025 issue.

The contest is limited to yellow or gray morel (sponge) mushroom varieties. All entries must have been found in Owen County.

All entries must be measured at our office, 114 S. Main St., Spencer, either by appointment by calling 812-510-4662 or emailing info@theowennews.org. Office hours specifically for the mushroom contest are:

• March 20, noon to 5 p.m.
• March 25, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
• March 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• April 1, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• April 3, 2 to 5 p.m.
• April 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• April 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• April 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• April 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• April 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• May 1, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• May 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• May 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• May 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• May 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
• May 23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This year’s contest is sponsored by A Fungus Among Us, LLC.

As a reminder, morel mushrooms typically start to emerge when the soil temperature reaches around 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. They prefer air temperatures in the 60s and 70s during the day and no lower than 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

For the best longevity and to prevent mushrooms from going bad, mushrooms should be stored in a brown paper bag or lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Storing them in plastic traps moisture, leading to a slimy texture and creates the potential for mold growth.

The best way to harvest morel mushrooms is to cut them at the base with scissors or a knife, or pinch them off at the base with your fingers. Cutting or pinching ensures that the mushroom is removed without damaging the mycelium, which is the underground network that helps the mushrooms grow.  

Using a mesh bag is also recommended because it allows the spores to fall back to the ground as you continue your hunt, potentially helping to maintain or increase the morel population.

Morels are found in various habitats, often near dead or dying trees such as elms, poplars and ash trees, as well as in old apple orchards. Morel mushrooms are considered to be mycorrhizal, meaning they form a mutualistic relationship with the roots of trees. This relationship benefits both the fungus and the tree, with the fungus receiving carbohydrates from the plant and the plant gaining access to more water and nutrients from the soil due to the increased surface area provided by the mycelium of the fungus. This dual nature of morels—being both mycorrhizal and saprotrophic—explains why they can be found in a variety of environments, including around dead or dying trees.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Printed local newspapers have been a given for most of our lives.

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Over the last decade, however, what had become a fixture of most of our cities and towns is no longer a norm, but rather the exception – especially in rural communities.  The Owen News offers a testament to what is possible when a community pushes back against what might seem inevitable and in the process, finds a local solution to keep community members informed and connected.

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The Owen News, this year’s winner of the Quality of Place Innovation Award was recognized at Regional Opportunity Inc’s (ROI) Annual Report to the Region on Feb. 18 in French Lick. The Quality of Place Innovation Award recognizes projects and meaningful community improvements that enhance the Indiana Uplands as an inventive, industrious, and friendly place to live, work, and play.

“In an age dominated by national news and social media, local news outlets remain vital to the overall health and connectedness of small communities,” said Travis Curry, President of The Owen News Board of Directors. “By shining the spotlight on local government, achievements, events and challenges, The Owen News aims to foster a sense of belonging and shared community for our readers. We are honored to share this award from ROI with the entire Owen County community, whose financial and collaborative support makes it possible for our non-profit to focus on delivering the best journalism from Owen and the surrounding areas.”

As reported by Indiana Public Media in their series Paper Cuts, local newspapers in south-central Indiana have suffered steep circulation and staffing declines. This left many Hoosiers without access to truly local journalism—coverage that prioritizes their communities, not just regional or state-level stories.

In Owen County, the northernmost of the Indiana Uplands counties, The Spencer Evening World, once a vibrant daily newspaper had become a weekly newspaper and website, dominated by headlines about state government and news from other cities.

Unwilling to accept the demise of local news, the Owen News Project, Inc., the underlying non-profit behind what today is known as The Owen News, established a 501(c)3 non-profit in the fall of 2022 and received a $10,000 Large Impact Grant from the Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) to launch and a $30,000 implementation grant to support the printing of the newspaper in 2024. Most recently, OCCF committed $300,000 to support the newspaper’s work. The foundation is also offering bookkeeping, administrative and fundraising support throughout the next three years.

“The Owen News fills a news gap in an Indiana Uplands community and, in the process, is offering a sustainable model for other communities to replicate,” the ROI press release reads.

“By restoring access to truly local journalism, The Owen News strengthens community connections and ensures that the stories, defining the Indiana Uplands as a vibrant place to live, work and play, are told,” said ROI Vice President of Economic and Community Development Julie Halbig.

“Traditionally, local news has only been tied to our democracy and holding those in power accountable. While that is certainly one of the many important aspects of local news, the impact stretches much further into the very fabric of our society and communities,” Executive Editor Nicole DeCriscio said. “Local news has a direct impact on economic development and overall quality of place and life. It is an honor to receive this regional award, which shows both the value that our part of the state places on local news and the recognition that local news is essential to thriving, successful Hoosier communities.”

When March finally arrives, we know warmer temps are right around the corner.

It may be possible to catch fish the usual way now (de-iced) since they’re hungry after the winter’s fast. The early season is the best time to catch the biggest bass in the lake or to get a nice bunch of crappies. But you must fish dead slow and be very patient. The afternoons are usually best.

Remember to renew your hunting/fishing licenses soon. You don’t want to be caught without proper documentation. It’s embarrassing and expensive. A couple of times I have nearly run afoul of the law, due to my ignorance or carelessness.

Once I was merrily fishing away at Turtle Creek Reservoir near Merom, south of Sullivan. My dad and I were in a cove which was near a county road. A couple of conservation officers stopped and asked us to read the numbers from our licenses. My dad complied, but as I frequently do, I had left my wallet locked up in the car. I always imagine I might fall in the lake and there goes the contents, and a wallet is uncomfortable to sit on all day. The officers were not pleased with my claim, and in hindsight, it sounded phony. They debated what to do. They played “good cop, bad cop,” a scenario in which one wanted to write me a ticket then and there and the other argued for meeting us at the ramp. Luckily the good cop won out, and we all had a semi-pleasant meeting back at my car, where I produced my license. I could’ve saved stress and fishing time by having my paperwork on my person.

The Indiana DNR launched the Activity Hub on Dec. 11. You can purchase your licenses, check in game, register with the HIP (Harvest Information Program) and perform other tasks. Call the DNR Customer Service Center at 317-232-4200 if you need assistance.

Another time my dad and I were not so fortunate. We were at Dogwood Lake (Glendale) in the late fall. It was duck season, and the entire eastern section of the lake was off limits to fishermen. This restricted area was our favorite, so we resigned ourselves to staying as close to the cutoff zone as we could. Fishing wasn’t good, and things got much worse when an official-looking boat approached. The fellow identified himself as the Glendale property manager and asked, “You boys know anything about an angler’s boat motoring through a decoy setup?”

We had not done this and thought anyone who did would be nuts, because somewhere close would lurk a guy with a shotgun. We vehemently denied any guilt, but he asked us to accompany him to his office. When we got there, a conservation officer was present. After quite a bit of discussion in which my dad, never one to anger that much, grew quite upset, the officer wrote us up. My dad, an upholder of all laws, was absolutely incensed—I had never seen him that mad. We weren’t guilty, but we paid the price for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. My upright father was concerned that since I was a Jasper teacher, my good name would be soiled forever. I’m pretty sure Dad, a retired teacher and community leader, had never gotten a ticket for anything in his life. I have forgotten what the penalty amounted to, but we paid it and moved on. We consoled ourselves by knowing the newspaper notice of the fine would be in the Washington papers and not Jasper’s. It was a difficult situation for everyone, so we put it in the past. Spilled milk. Lesson learned.

Conservation officers have a tough job. They have plenty on their hands without having to deal with us law-abiding folks who just neglect to know the rules. Those who intentionally flaunt the law, such as deer poachers and fishermen who keep more than the limit, deserve prosecution. A really difficult aspect of a CO’s job is assisting recovery of drowning victims. The next time you see one of these officers, thank them for their service. They deserve it.

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Libraries throughout the state of Indiana are required to complete a survey each year, answering about 70 pages worth of detailed questions about our operations. Some of these questions are required by the federal government, others by the state library. The questions cover information about our library, about what services were offered in the past year and how many hours per week these services were available. They ask about our buildings, the Bookmobile, about our library users and basic information about our community.

They want to know all about what revenue we receive and how we spend it.  The state is so interested in this part that there is actually a second extremely detailed report that covers our finances much more thoroughly.

The report also covers the programs we offer, what ages we plan for and how many in each age group attend those programs.

They also want to know how often our computers are used, how often materials are checked out and how many materials and how much equipment we have available for you.

They ask about our Board of Trustees and information about our employees; how many we have, their level of education, experience and approximately what they are paid and what benefits we offer them.

And finally, there are about seven pages of state required standards which we must comply with, and in many instances, must show evidence of being in compliance with, to be considered “within Standards.” In all the years I have been here, we have always been ruled “In Compliance” with those standards, and I’m so happy to report, we have always exceeded many of those standards.

After completing the report in the past, I have usually shared some of the information that was revealed by the report for the public that I thought might be of interest; usually by means of a newspaper article.

The following information is our “scorecard” for 2024 based on those findings:

We currently have 5,604 Registered Library Card Holders. And as a side note, we do not charge Owen County residents for library cards. We only require that adults bring proof of address and a photo ID. If the photo ID has your correct, current address, no other information is needed.

We also do not charge a fine for materials that are turned in late.

While we encourage all Owen County residents to register for a library card, many frequent library users do not have a card because a card is not necessary for so many of the ways they use the library:

Cards are not necessary to use Wi-Fi from anywhere outside of the building.  Cards are not necessary to use Wi-Fi or the computers in the building, to use the annual free tax preparation service or the legal help kiosk, to attend adult education or language classes. A card is not necessary to access the newspapers and magazines or any of the books available in the library to be read while you visit here. A card is not needed to use the resources available in the genealogy vault. Many residents who do not have a card come in often to use the copy machines, the fax machines and to attend programs, exercise classes, educational classes; whether library-sponsored or one of the many programs or meetings held in library spaces by other groups or individuals. A library card is not necessary to reserve one of at least eight spaces available for meetings, events or study areas, in most cases without charge, or to shop the Friends of the Library monthly book sale.

So, while we are happy that more than a quarter of Owen County residents have a library card, that number does not come close to telling the whole story of library use here.

The library does not charge for the items that we are able to access for you through the state courier system. Last year we borrowed 537 items from other libraries for our patrons here. We also provided 480 items to other libraries around the state.

In 2024 we provided 350 library-planned programs in the library for children aged 0 to 5 and had a total attendance of 3,068 for all those programs combined.

We provided 188 programs for children 6 to 11-years-old with a total attendance of 5,106.

For young adults we provided 115 programs with an attendance of 944.

For adults we provided 129 programs for 3,152 attendees.

We also provided 266 programs of general interest for all ages and counted a total of 5,170 in attendance at those programs.

The meeting rooms here were used 659 times by outside groups.

While this number is never static, since we are always adding to our collection, we currently have 62,552 books available to check out; 6,719 audio materials, 9,148 videos and 62 other circulating items, including hot spots (these are new hotspots this year, and improved in quality from the ones we had previously). Last year 72,738 physical items were checked out, and 45,905 books, audiobooks and movies were checked out from the children’s collection. Other physical items, such as hot spots were checked out 402 times.

Our digital library includes books, audio, videos, research databases and online learning platforms. Especially popular with children are Tumblebooks and Worldbook online.

Our electronic collection is always expanding, but currently we offer about 13,183 downloadable e-books, 4,285 electronic magazines and 21,296 audiobooks. A total of 38,764 online materials were checked out in 2024.

The Bookmobile provided 1,152 hours of public use throughout the year, providing 186 children’s programs (ages 0 to 5), with a total attendance of 1,786 children; 144 programs for children (ages 6 to 11), with a total attendance of 4,188; 52 programs for adults with an attendance count of 1,778, and one general interest program attended by 123 people.

As usual, we exceeded the number of books that we are required to purchase per capita.

Our seven-member Board of Trustees all serve voluntarily without pay, as do our Friends of the Library.

The OCPL staff members have a wide variety of previous work experiences, and come to us with various levels of education, with three staff members holding a Master of Library Science degree.

The Owen County Public Library is open 59 hours in a typical week – Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m, Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Some regularly scheduled programs to look forward to in March:

• Tuesdays, 10 to 11 a.m., Cuddle Up Program for parents and their infants or toddlers.
• Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Homeschooled children from kindergarten and up.
• Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Crafting with B.J.
• Thursdays, 10 to 11 a.m., Fun with Friends for children ages 3-5.
• The First Friday of each month, 2 to 3 p.m., Watercolor Painting
• Friday, March 8, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friends of the Library Book Sale in the Community Room.

Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) contractor CLR, Inc. recently began work on a small structure paved invert project on State Road 43 South, between Parkview Drive and Wood Drive, south of SR 46E.

According to Sidney Nierman, Public Relations Director for INDOT’s Southeast District, the small structure paved invert work includes the installation of new concrete headwalls, which help to support the areas surrounding the drainpipe. New headwalls, she explained, will also be installed at each end of the drainpipe along SR 43S.

In addition, Nierman said crews will work to fill in areas of the drainpipe that have experienced deterioration over time to improve the overall drainage in the area.

The project, part of a contract awarded to CLR in July of 2024, is expected to be completed in late April, weather permitting.

Temporary traffic signals are being utilized while work is in progress.

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It’s getting so bad that a guy can’t get any work done.

A couple weeks ago, I was determined to assemble a couple picnic tables to go with the new pavilion on MYPath. It wasn’t a complicated process. I just needed to attach the table, legs and benches with bolts. Darrell White volunteered to help me.

As we started unpacking the boxes that held all the parts and materials, David Henk approached. He had just been on the trail with his camera and large lens. He was taking photos of some of the birds that hang out near the path. Darrell is also a photographer, so that led to conversations about photography, birds and MYPath in general.

Eventually, we got back to work. The tables had been delivered to the Soil and Water Conservation office. The destined location was under the pavilion, which is down the trail and across the bridge. So, we had to both assemble and transport. Due to rain, snow and mud there were some other complications, like the instructions being frozen in ice, then disintegrating. But it wasn’t too complicated. The interruptions were the thing that made it a longer process.

As we were moving one table into place, we met a couple that were new to Owen County. They had been living and traveling in an RV for many years. They decided to settle down and had recently moved into one of the houses in the Cook development on Texas Pike. The husband was recovering from an ankle injury and needed a steady, level path, like MYPath. They were interesting, and their dog was very nice.

A woman walking a dog passed by. We only talked with her briefly. Then a neighbor from across River Road came over. He has been keeping an eye on the trail construction and activity on the path. He stopped by to say he liked the pavilion. We chatted for a while. He reported on activities that are happening when nobody else is looking. It’s nice to have neighbors watching out for the trail.

We were enjoying the conversations. But I kept looking at a bag full of bolts, washers and nuts. I kept looking at the upside down tabletop, waiting for us to attach the legs. The seats fit on the legs. None of it was happening while we were talking.

Local artist Thomas Maher was walking down the path. He stopped to talk to us about having some art along the trail. He makes sculptures out of scrap machinery. I had met him briefly at the inaugural meeting of the new Sweet Owen Arts Commission. We agreed that art along the trail would be fantastic. He promised to send me photos of samples (which he emailed me, and they look great).

Tony Craig from the Owen County Community Foundation walked by. We see him on the trail regularly. This time he was not going to get a free pass. We recruited him to help us load one of the tables for transport. The tables are very heavy, and the extra set of hands was appreciated.

When Darrell and I finally assembled that last table and carried it to its spot, we started laughing. We agreed we could have finished the job a lot faster if all those people hadn’t been interrupting us. We were chuckling about those people getting in our way while we were trying to make something for people.

It is moments like that when you start to really get a feeling for the importance of a community trail like MYPath. We didn’t send invitations to the community to come watch a couple guys put picnic tables together. We just happened to be there at the same time several members of the community chose to use this new resource. And it was a friendly atmosphere where we could just chat.

Darrell and I decided that all the chatting delayed our project completion by about an hour. And we enjoyed every minute of it.

***

Kyle Hannon is the project manager for the MYPath Trail System. He has served in many community development and trail connection roles throughout the state. On many weekends, he serves as an interpretive specialist at McCormick’s Creek State Park.

Owen Valley High School (OVHS) is dedicated to preparing students for success beyond graduation by offering an impressive selection of 20 Career Pathways. These pathways provide students with valuable opportunities to explore their interests, gain real-world experience and develop essential skills that align with future careers. Through this initiative, OVHS ensures that students graduate with a strong foundation for college, technical training or immediate entry into the workforce.

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The Benefits of Career Pathways

Career Pathways offer students numerous advantages that contribute to their overall academic and career success. One of the most significant benefits is early career exploration. By participating in a career-focused curriculum, students can identify their strengths and passions before making critical decisions about their future. This early exposure helps them select a career path that aligns with their interests and long-term goals.

Another key benefit is relevant coursework. Each Career Pathway provides specialized instruction tailored to specific industries, making learning more engaging and applicable. Whether a student is interested in engineering, business, or healthcare, OVHS ensures they acquire the knowledge and technical skills needed for success in their chosen field.

Additionally, OVHS emphasizes work-based learning opportunities. Students have access to internships, apprenticeships and job shadowing experiences that bridge the gap between classroom instruction and real-world application. These hands-on experiences enhance their understanding of workplace expectations, industry standards and professional networking.

By engaging in Career Pathways, students also experience improved college and career readiness. The focused coursework and hands-on training better prepare students for higher education or vocational programs, ensuring they make informed decisions about their next steps after high school.

Studies show that career-focused education contributes to higher graduation rates. When students see the direct connection between their studies and their future careers, they are more motivated to succeed academically. OVHS students benefit from this engagement, leading to one of the highest levels of achievement and completion in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, OVHS fosters stronger community connections by partnering with local businesses, industries and organizations. These collaborations provide students with mentorship, networking opportunities and potential job placements, strengthening the bridge between education and employment.

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Diverse Career Pathways at OVHS

Owen Valley High School offers a comprehensive selection of Career Pathways, ensuring that every student finds a program that aligns with their interests and ambitions. The Patriot Pathways include:

• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Precision Machining
• Radio & TV Broadcasting
• Education Careers
• Digital Design
• Business Marketing
• Biomedical Sciences
• Human & Social Services
• Criminal Justice
• Fashion & Textiles
• Civic Arts (Band, Choir, Visual Arts)
• Agriculture
• Natural Resources
• Food Science
• Horticulture
• Animal Science

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Preparing Students for a Bright Future

At OVHS, the mission is clear: to equip students with relevant, real-world experiences that set them up for success. Whether students plan to attend college, pursue technical training, join the military or enter the workforce, these Career Pathways provide the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to thrive in their chosen fields.

With a strong commitment to student success, Owen Valley High School continues to lead the way in career-focused education, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for life beyond high school. For students looking to take control of their future, OVHS provides the pathway to success.

The Gosport Volunteer Fire Department is actively seeking dedicated individuals to join its volunteer firefighter program. Applications are available at Gosport Town Hall during normal business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office is closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m.

In addition to completing a membership application and other requirements, applicants are asked to sign the “Volunteer Firefighters Pledge,” which reads as follows:

“I will attend all training sessions so that I may be fully informed and efficient in the proper operation of all equipment, regulations and tactics. When responding in the fire apparatus or personal vehicle, I will observe all traffic, obey all laws and be prepared to stop if traffic should not yield. Upon returning to the station, I will obey all traffic regulations.

“I will comply with orders given by the Fire Chief, or the highest-ranking officer present on scene, and will gladly assist in the care, maintenance and improvements made to equipment or buildings in my spare time and will attempt to make all work details called.

“I will participate in all fund-raising events, helping the department grow.

“I will protect all department equipment as well as humanly possible from theft, damage or improper use. I will not allow any department keys to be duplicated.

“I understand that I am expected to make at least 50 percent of runs, meetings and work details through the year, and if I fail to attend three consecutive training sessions or meetings without a legitimate excuse, I will gladly return all department items to the Equipment Captain or another officer of the department and no longer be an active member of the fire department.

“I agree to conduct myself in a manner that is respectful and courteous to those around me and to treat all members of the department with trust and respect at all times. I will participate in the duties and functions of the fire department only in the state of strict sobriety.

“I pledge to comply fully with each of the above agreements without any reservations.”

Anyone interested is encouraged to apply, regardless of prior experience. For further details about the volunteer firefighter program and its requirements, call Gosport Town Hall, 812-879-4334, or firefighter Ron Neibel at 812-821-4082.

Gosport Town Hall is located at 7 E. Main St., Gosport.

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Owen County 4-H is buzzing with excitement as it announces entomology as the Project of the Year for 2025.

This fascinating field, which involves the study of insects, promises to engage and educate students in new and exciting ways. With a focus on hands-on learning and scientific exploration, the entomology project is set to be a highlight of the upcoming Owen County Fair.

Students who participate in the entomology project will have the opportunity to delve into the world of insects, learning about their biology, behavior and ecological importance. From collecting and identifying different species to understanding their roles in various ecosystems, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of these incredible creatures. The project encourages curiosity and scientific inquiry, making it an ideal choice for young minds eager to explore the natural world.

One of the most exciting aspects of this year's project is the special incentive for students who complete their entomology projects. Those who turn in a completed project at the 2025 Owen County Fair will receive a free T-shirt themed to the Project of the Year. This unique T-shirt will serve as a badge of honor, showcasing the students' hard work and dedication to their studies. It's a wonderful way to reward their efforts and celebrate their achievements.

In addition to the entomology project, Owen County 4-H is offering a SPARK Club specifically designed to support students in their entomological endeavors. The SPARK Club will provide additional resources, guidance and opportunities for hands-on learning. The club will meet on two separate dates, ensuring that all interested students can participate.

The first SPARK Club meeting will take place via Zoom, allowing students to join from the comfort of their homes. This virtual session will cover the basics of entomology, introduce key concepts and provide an overview of the project requirements. It's a great way for students to get started and ask any initial questions they may have. This will take place on Thursday, May 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The second SPARK Club meeting will be held in-person, offering a more interactive and hands-on experience. During this session, students will have the chance to work directly with entomology experts, participate in fieldwork and engage in practical activities. This in-person meeting will provide invaluable experience and help students gain confidence in their abilities. The in-person session will take place on Saturday, May 31 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office in Spencer. All participants must be registered as 4-H members and must sign up for the workshop on 4-H Online.

Owen County 4-H is committed to providing enriching educational experiences for its members, and the entomology project is a testament to this dedication. By offering both virtual and in-person support through the SPARK Club, the organization ensures that all students have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

As the 2025 Owen County Fair approaches, excitement is building for what promises to be an unforgettable year. The entomology project is set to inspire and educate, fostering a love of science and nature in the next generation of 4-H members. With the added incentive of a themed T-shirt and the support of the SPARK Club, students are sure to have a rewarding and enriching experience.

For more information about the entomology project and the SPARK Club, please visit the Owen County 4-H Facebook page or contact the 4-H office directly by calling us at 812-829-5020 or emailing owences@purdue.edu. Let's make 2025 a year of discovery and learning as we explore the incredible world of insects together!

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Antlers are a big reason why many hunt for deer and elk. I’m not saying it’s right, but it is the truth. The desire for big bucks continues to increase as the number of big bucks also increases on the landscape. In most states, hunters can only kill one or two bucks each season, so collecting big antlers one buck at a time doesn’t add up too fast. Shed hunting is the answer for how to amass a pile of antlers in a far faster way. Here are a few tips on how to improve your chances of success.

Each year about this time, deer, elk, moose and other species lose or “shed” their antlers. This is where the name “shed antler” comes from. On private and most public lands, you can pick up as many shed antlers as you can find. So, if trophy antlers are your thing, then strap on your boots and head for high deer density locations. You never know what you might come across.

I admit to loving antlers. Not nearly as much as I love food, especially medium-rare back straps covered with sautéed Vidalia onions, baby portabellas and blue cheese crumbles then lightly drizzled with Worcestershire sauce, but I do love antlers nonetheless. Sheds are nice because they can be accumulated quickly and put on display in various manners.

I have a pile of whitetail deer shed on my fireplace hearth and elk antlers in my man cave. Some people turn sheds into chandeliers; others throw them in the rocks outside their house. My neighbor has a chain of sheds hanging on his front porch. Sheds are great for decorating.

Shed antlers are also great for educating. Sheds let us know which bucks made it through the season and help keep us motivated until next September. Four hours into a freezing cold December hunt, many of us fall under the impression not a single deer made it through the season. Sheds prove they did. Find a promising shed, and I guarantee you’re more likely to get out and put up a trail camera come August and plant a food plot in June.

Shed hunting isn’t rocket science. The basic premise is bucks drop their antlers in late winter, and you hike around trying to find them. However, just like in all other types of hunting, he who is prepared is most likely to be successful. Serious shed hunters develop and work a strategy.

So, where do you look for sheds? They show up everywhere. I once found one in the middle of a gravel road. A buck must have jumped the fence and jarred it loose right there. Bedding areas, feeding areas, fence lines and trails connecting such are key locations. Bedding and feeding areas are prime because this is where deer spend most of their time. Fencerows are often successful spots because they often follow fence lines and jar antlers loose when jumping them. Ditches are the same way.

Antlers could just as easily fall off while a buck is traveling to or from these areas. Walking major trails on the property you’re shed hunting may turn up some antlers. Mature bucks, though, usually stick to traveling in the thickest cover, even in the off-season. Be sure to work your way through the tight spots on your property.

South-facing slopes attract deer during daylight hours looking to take advantage of the sun’s warmth during cold months. If you can locate a bench, which is a level shelf of land running through a declivity on a south-facing slope, you’ve located a high-probability shed hunting location.

Shed hunting not only often turns up prized antlers, it gives you a great excuse to get out and exercise in the winter. If you’re wondering what to do one weekend afternoon this month, get out and shed hunt before squirrels eat the antlers.

See you down the trail…

For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on www.driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18

In late 2023, I resolved to do something about our iconic but aging Coal City “Old Grouch” signs. It was the second version of the sign, the design featuring smiley face artwork. The signs were well-worn, the paint was faded, and the wooden frames were rotting away from years of outdoor aging. I took several pictures and sent them to A Sign Stop in Terre Haute with a request to duplicate the 4’x4’ signs.

Well, what I received was a draft design featuring Sesame Street characters. My wife, who is a semi-retired elementary school teacher, thought it was appropriate. I was perplexed because I thought it would be a simple reproduction of the sign shown in the pictures I submitted. Steve at A Sign Stop told me he thought it would not be suitable for a welcome sign, so he used the Sesame Street characters. I had failed to communicate to him that it was not a welcome sign, but Coal City’s iconic festival sign. Anyway, the design grew on me.

I personally funded this project; two local men, Rick and Lyman, helped me install the new framework and signs.

Next, I had to figure out a way to get the community involved with a fundraising idea. Years before, I came across the Original Old Fashioned Almanac Calendar through a historic, out-of-state hardware store. They used the calendar to advertise their store, and I saved the name and address. The Tennessee company has produced this classic calendar for over 140 years. It is an American tradition.

In 2024, I started offering the calendar for sale for a donation of $25. The calendar featured a custom header about our sign. I ordered more for 2025, but with a different header. I plan to continue to offer this yearly calendar, each with a different header about Coal City and Jefferson Township. A tradition is born.

If you would like to contribute and invest in a local, visible cause please consider ordering your 2025 Coal City “Old Grouch” Original Old Fashioned Almanac Calendar. Email MakeCoalCityGreatAgain@proton.me or call 812-859-4266.

Phase two of the project is the Coal City welcome sign. I teamed up with Jason Kinney from the Owen County Historical & Genealogical Society for this phase of the project; his historical knowledge was invaluable. We selected key structures with historical value and relevance, and I contracted with David Pigg, a pencil artist from Terre Haute, to draw each of the structures. Eight drawings are completed and the sketches scanned for the draft design of the sign, which will be eight feet wide and five or six feet tall and set in a permanent structure on the north and south ends of town.

Routine food inspections were conducted by the Owen County Health Department during the month of February. Reported below are the critical and non-critical comments left for these establishments:

2-13

Sweet Valley Ice Cream, 330 W. State Road 46, Spencer: No violations.

Pantry Pizzeria, 330 W. State Road 46, Spencer: No violations.

Papi Chulo’s Cantina, 330 W. State Road 46, Spencer: 1 critical. Observed open, pre-made food with no “prepared-on” or similar labeling in the walk-in fridge. 2 non-critical. Observed improper scoop for salsa storage; observed frozen chicken products sitting out and un-thawed (2:10 p.m.). When asked how long they’d been out, was informed they were set out that morning.

2-20

Hopper’s Hut, food truck: 1 non-critical. Must clean off food prep surfaces before preparing food.

Casey’s General Store, 639 W. State Road 46, Spencer: 1 critical. Observed food products (Combos Stuffed Snacks) being stored with antifreeze. 1 non-critical. Observed open ice cream cones laying on the counter behind the cold brew machine.

2-24

Chambers Restaurant, 72 W. Market Street, Spencer: 2 critical. Observed no designated handwashing sink in back kitchen. Recommendation – dedicate one bay of the two-bay sink in the middle of the kitchen as the handwashing sink; observed employee cutting tomatoes for salad bar without wearing gloves. 1 non-critical. Observed several ceiling tiles with an accumulation of dust, water damage and warped in the kitchen above food prep surfaces.

Owen Valley High School's Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) students showcased their impressive skills at the Region 8 Career Development Conference in French Lick, Indiana, bringing home a slew of awards and demonstrating their readiness for future careers.  

The competition, which included 10 other JAG programs, highlighted students’ abilities in a range of essential workforce skills.

Melissa Gillenwater, the 11th and 12th grade JAG Specialist at Owen Valley High School, expressed immense pride in her students' achievements.

"These students have worked incredibly hard to develop their skills, and their success at the regional conference is a testament to their dedication and the power of the JAG program," Gillenwater said. "We are thrilled to see them excel and represent Owen Valley so well."

The JAG program is a resiliency-building workforce program that equips students with in-demand employability skills and provides a bridge to post-secondary education and career advancement opportunities.  The regional Career Development Conference allows students to demonstrate these skills in various competitive events.

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Owen Valley students earned top honors in several categories:

Employability Skills: Landon Summerlot, 1st Place; Macie Raymond-Schelfo, 2nd Place

Business Plan: 1st Place – Kale Paquette, Daniel Worthington, and Ella Powell

Project Based Learning (PBL): 2nd Place – Lilly Cox, Gaige Fluet, and Morgan Freeman

Career Preparation: Rylee Burner, 1st Place

Financial Literacy: Ian White, 1st Place

Digital Design: Jason Dotson, 1st Place

Digital Design Brochure (Chapter): 2nd Place

Outstanding Senior: Kearston Roan, Honorable Mention

These outstanding achievements earned the students trophies and cash prizes: $200 for 1st place, $150 for 2nd place and $100 for honorable mention.

Six first-place winners from OVHS—Landon Summerlot, Rylee Burner, Ian White and the Business Plan team of Kale Paquette, Daniel Worthington and Ella Powell—will advance to the Indiana State Career Development Conference in Indianapolis on March 14.  They will compete against top JAG students from across the state.

“We are excited for our students to compete at the state level and showcase their talents once again. Their success is an inspiration to all of us at Owen Valley High School,” Gillenwater said.

Well March is here again and that means it’s once again time for March Madness. To be clear, it’s time for lots of college hoops, more correctly NCAA basketball tournaments.

For some people that live in Indiana, basketball isn’t just a sport, it’s a religion. I’m not trying to be sacrilegious, just keeping it real. Many of us can attest to the fact that there are a lot of people in Indiana that are fanatics when it comes to basketball. In fact, you can drive down almost any country road or through many small towns and find a basketball goal. Sometimes you’ll find them attached to old barns or attached to a garage. I’ve even seen them nailed to a tree before. In any case, how many of us can remember shooting some hoops in the backyard with our parents when we were kids?

Today there are sports clubs and the YMCA and other places where kids can play basketball. It’s just part of our history. It’s in our DNA.

I, myself, have spent many a day over the years trying to make that round ball hit the hoop. Not that I would ever assume to be an exceptional player or anything. But there’s something about living in Indiana that causes one to get that special madness this time of year.

I must confess I am guilty of experiencing this madness as well. This madness is particularly worse during the month of March when tournament time rolls around for Big Ten basketball. I’m talking about college basketball and television and streaming games online.

Or, if you’re lucky, you might possess season tickets for games and perhaps even drop a few bills for tournament play.

Almost everywhere you look this time of year, you can see signs of the madness. Online stats, people getting into office polls with the “brackets” of teams that made the cut and people walking around displaying their favorite teams on T-shirts, hats and other paraphernalia.

Yes, I fear that March is full of this madness. And even though I am sure it occurs in other states, I tend to think we Hoosiers have the madness a bit more than others around the country. Of course I could be prejudiced. I grew up with Hoosier basketball as my father was an avid fan of one particular team.

As a child, I watched as my father would sit in front of the television where he would get all excited, sometimes even jumping up and down yelling at the TV screen.

It was a roller coaster of an affair, but a love affair all the same. One minute he was upset about a foul that was just called on his team and the next minute, he was jubilant over a ball that landed inside the hoop to bring his team into the lead.

Sometimes he would attend the games too. He was a season-ticket holder. But personally, I think he enjoyed the living room games the most.

Of course, it only stands to reason that I was influenced by his behavior. After a while, I began to watch the games too. Soon, I was also jumping up and down and getting all excited and sometimes even upset by a call made by the referees. The madness lived on.

I cannot fail to mention that food plays an important role in March Madness. I am not sure why it does but every diehard basketball fan that I know makes a trip to the store before the big game to purchase a lot of junk food which will be consumed before, during and after each game. It’s just a given that food must be a part of this ritual. I think pizza has always been my favorite. But of course, some people have tailgate parties and grill hot dogs and brats. And we must not forget the beverages. Enough said.

Of course, this madness is not for everyone or for the faint of heart, but it is a wonderful sport after all. You really cannot knock it until you’ve tried it. But I must warn you. It is highly addictive, and it usually only takes one game to get you hooked.

So, this column is dedicated to all the faithful basketball fans out there. You know who you are. Stand tall and be proud of your madness. After all, it is March, and you do live in Indiana. What more can I say? Game on!

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Booking information is provided by the Owen County Security Center. These are preliminary charges and may change as cases are processed through the circuit court system. To follow a court case, search the state’s court records at http://mycase.in.gov. This information is public record. All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

2-6

Robert Bandy, 44, Freedom, preliminary charges of domestic battery on a person less than 14-years-old (two counts), intimidation and disorderly conduct. Arrested by Spencer Police Department (SPD) officer Bryce Brock.

Christopher Elrod, 49, Quincy, preliminary charge of domestic battery. Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Deputy Brennan Clark was the arresting officer.

Meredith Enkoff, 37, Spencer, preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and criminal trespass. Arrested by SPD officer E.J. Westgate.

2-9

William Dean, 47, Spencer, preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person. OCSD Deputy Jacob Williamson was the arresting officer.

2-10

James Blankenship, 40, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of domestic battery, criminal mischief and criminal recklessness. Arrested by OCSD K9 Deputy Joseph Musgrove.

2-12

Rebecca Maegerlein, 44, Spencer, preliminary charges of cruelty to an animal (seven counts), possession of paraphernalia and failure to appear. OCSD Sergeant Brandon Gasparovic was the arresting officer.

2-13

Alexander Jordan, 25, Spencer, preliminary charges of failure to appear and intimidation. SPD officer Patrick Patterson was the arresting officer.

2-16

Joshua Hall, 19, Spencer, preliminary charge of intimidation. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Cory Poland.

2-17

Sara Whitaker, 36, Freedom, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and probation violation. OCSD Deputy Tony Stevens was the arresting officer.

2-18

Carrie Stichter, 45, Alamo, IN, preliminary charge of auto theft. Arrested by OCSD Major William Snodgrass.

Joseph Taylor, 42, Spencer, preliminary charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine. Indiana Conservation Officer Caleb Hutchison was the arresting officer.

2-20

Megan Peterson, 39, Ellettsville, preliminary charge of criminal trespass. Arrested by OCSD Deputy John Lowder II.

Krystal Dennison, 27, Freedom, preliminary charges of unlawful possession of a syringe and probation violation. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

Sunshine Fisher, 33, Gosport, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia and driving while suspended with a prior charge. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Cory Poland.

Destiny Goff, 29, Spencer, preliminary charges of identity deception and criminal trespass. OCSD Deputy Elijah Volrich was the arresting officer.

2-21

Quinton Ruble, 31, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of probation violation and dealing in methamphetamine. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark.

Brandon Collins, 20, Freedom, preliminary charges of reckless driving and resisting law enforcement. OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler was the arresting officer.

2-22

Andrew Stout, 36, Indianapolis, preliminary charges of failure to appear, operating while intoxicated and carrying a handgun without a license. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark.

2-23

Tarin Medley, 38, Spencer, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. SPD officer Patrick Patterson was the arresting officer.

Bryan Herrington, 35, Spencer, preliminary charge of operating while intoxicated. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Jacob Williamson.

2-24

Michal Hale, 43, Spencer, preliminary charges of intimidation, criminal mischief, trafficking and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish or salvia. SPD officer Bryce Brock was the arresting officer.

Brian Abrell II, 34, Spencer, preliminary charges of driving while suspended with a prior charge and possession of paraphernalia. Arrested by OCSD K9 Deputy Joseph Musgrove.

2-25

Michael Farris, Jr., 37, Spencer, preliminary charges of failure to appear and dealing in methamphetamine. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

Joseph Blendin, 32, Bloomington, preliminary charges of possession of a firearm by a serious felon and theft. SPD officer Ryan Combs was the arresting officer.

2-26

Brian Cline, 45, Spencer, preliminary charges of operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator (HTV), failure to appear and auto theft. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark.

Brent Shelton, 40, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a serious felon, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, dealing in marijuana, hash oil, hashish or salvia and neglect of a dependent; child selling. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

2-27

Robert Maier, 57, New Palestine, IN, preliminary charges of stalking, operating with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 to .14 and computer trespass. Arrested by SPD Sergeant Terry Sips.

2-28

Angela Gillin, 47, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia. SPD officer Ryan Combs was the arresting officer.

3-1

James Stewart, 25, Coatesville, preliminary charges of driving while suspended with a prior charge, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish or salvia. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Stephen DeWitt II.

3-3

Maria Stewart, 41, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of counterfeiting (five counts). OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller was the arresting officer.

Jeremy Walker, 47, Bowling Green, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. Arrested by SPD officer Ryan Combs.

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Happy spring everyone from the Health and Human Sciences corner for Purdue Extension-Owen County. My name is Jamie Jo Lowder, and I am happy to be a resource for the community and hold programming for all things food, family, finance and health related.

As we spring forward with daylight saving time, many of us feel the effects of lost sleep. That’s why the second Monday of March—March 10, 2025—is National Napping Day, a perfect reminder to recharge and prioritize rest.

According to Purdue Extension, sleep is essential for overall health, improving memory, mood and even immune function. Research suggests that short naps—around 20 to 30 minutes—can boost alertness and productivity without leaving you feeling groggy.

Here is a fun fact: Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Leonardo da Vinci indulged in a good power nap. These are some magnificent minds in history that knew the importance of a good quality nap. Our furry little friends do not have any qualms about taking naps throughout the day. Humans are the only mammals who delay sleep.

Here at Purdue Extension, we emphasize the importance of consistent sleep schedules, limiting screen time before bed and creating a relaxing bedtime routine to ensure quality rest. While naps can be beneficial, they shouldn't replace a full night’s sleep, which adults need for physical recovery and mental well-being.

So, this National Napping Day, take a well-earned break, embrace your inner cat, and enjoy a quick snooze—you just might wake up feeling like a genius! For more sleep health tips, I have classes available on the benefits of sleep. Contact me if you are interested in one of these programs.

Here are some programs that are happening in March:

• March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 – Steps to a Healthy You, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office. Steps to a Healthy You is a five-session series focused on eating a healthy Mediterranean-style eating pattern (a.k.a. eating the Med Way). Sessions focus on the 7 Simple Steps to Eating the Med Way. Each session explores one to two simple steps, a mindfulness skill and features Med Way recipes. Food demonstration and/or cooking instruction is included in each session. Please pre-register by calling 812-829-5020 or emailing lowder0@purdue.edu.
• March 18 – Sleep on It: Why Sleep Matters, 10 to 11 a.m. at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office. We will talk about why sleep is so important and help give you tips to promote good sleep habits. We will also cover the benefits of sleep, risks of poor sleep, stages of sleep, when to contact a healthcare provider, barriers to quality sleep and ways to improve sleep quality. If you have any questions or would like to sign up for this program, please email lowder0@purdue.edu or call 812-829-5020.
• March 19 – Crafting to Reduce Stress, 6 to 7 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Please register by contacting the library, 812-829-3392. We will be going over techniques to help reduce stress as well as making a craft.

Sneak Peak - During the month of May we will offer a county-wide Get WalkIN challenge. Stay tuned for more information on this program in next month’s edition of the newspaper.

More programs will be added throughout the month, so stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for updates!

If you're interested in a program on food, finance, family or health, let me know—I’d love to bring one to your group or organization. To feature a program at your event/meeting, email the details to lowder0@purdue.edu. I look forward to connecting with you!

We made it through winter!

Looking ahead, the third week of March is observed as National Agriculture Week. Why celebrate our ability to feed ourselves and many around the world? Well, all you have to do is look at recent years and the negative impact of food insecurity around the world and we realize what a blessing our food supply truly is. We have an abundant and safe food supply in the United States and should think about how important that is to a stable economy and society. We are all involved in agriculture because we all eat three meals a day, every day. Let’s take a moment during National Agriculture Week to count our blessings and recognize the farmers and agribusiness families that provide abundant and wholesome food, as well as provide fiber and fuel from our farms.

Purdue Extension-Clay County is hosting a garden expo on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clay County Fairgrounds. I am currently soliciting vendors for this event, which is an area event. My intent is for the expo to showcase businesses that provide garden plants, supplies and services. Vendor space is $50 for the table space, and two tables can be reserved for $90. There will be gardening talks each hour, on the hour, and a youth activity center will be available. We are getting decent feedback about the event, and I think the crummy winter is helping everyone yearn for warmer weather. Vendors: email me at luzar@purdue.edu if you would like to participate in the event. Gardeners: make note of the March 29 date and plan to attend.

Our upcoming Home Vegetable Gardening Series offers vegetable growers the opportunity to learn more and increase the success and quality of vegetable production in their gardens. The series is three evening sessions: April 8, 15 and 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sessions will be held at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office meeting room. Purdue specialists will discuss garden preparation, pest management, organic pest control and timely topics. The program fee is $30 for all three sessions. Register by March 28 at https://cvent.me/Mm7XQ. Purdue presenters will conduct the training across the state via Zoom. I will serve as the local host and facilitator. Let me know if you have any questions.

Due to logistics, we have moved the Owen County Homesteaders program to the Purdue Extension-Owen County office meeting room. Program date is set for Thursday, March 20. Program time is 4 to 6 p.m. If the weather is nice, we have the attached carport to look at the items homesteaders may present. I have been asked if this program is only open to Owen residents? No, it is open to all area residents.

Owen Soil and Water Conservation District is sponsoring the March 28 Lunch and Learn. The session is to be held in the Purdue Extension-Owen County office meeting room from noon until 1 p.m. Come join the program for a roundtable on garden soil issues, vegetable gardening topics and whatever topics clients bring. Last month, we discussed fruit tree care, soil amendments and soil health issues. This is an informal session that features topics you are interested in.

We have eight exciting sessions planned for the Indiana Master Naturalist program in Owen County. Sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays starting in April. Sessions will cover wildlife, settlement of Owen County, geology, forestry, water quality and much more. Program fee is $60 and Owen SWCD is sponsoring five scholarships. Classes will be based out of the Purdue Extension-Owen County office. Call us at 812-529-5020 for questions.

Extension Educator Dave Osborne from Ripley County will lead a fun program at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 10.

Osborne is an avid fisherman and will be discussing water quality issues, fish health and fish preparation. A fish fry will be featured from Osborne’’s catch of the day. Come learn about fish preparation, concerns with fishing wild and to have any questions answered that you may have about fishing in Indiana. Seriously, Osborne has fished all over! Again, contact the Purdue Extension-Owen County office for questions.

Blackmail, road trips and handsome British strangers highlight first-time author and 2009 Owen Valley High School graduate Nikota Brault’s self-published novel, “Where Beauty Never Fades: A Destined Encounters Novel.”

Brault hosted a book signing event on Feb. 18 at the Owen County Public Library (OCPL) in Spencer, where among other details, the first-time novelist discussed the book’s central character, 23-year-old Remy Montgomery.

“Remy seems to have it all, but in reality, she has lived in a gilded cage her entire life on the Upper East Side of NYC,” she explained. “Blackmailed into an engagement by her womanizing, egotistical boyfriend wasn’t on Remy’s to-do list, but here she is. After all, how could she have predicted that her controlling mother would have constructed this awful situation? If Remy stays, she is subjecting herself to a lifetime of unhappiness but, if she leaves, Remy risks the happiness of the one person she cares for most, her dad.”

Ultimately, Remy is forced to make an impossible decision.

“On the eve of her wedding, Remy finds a lucky opportunity to escape her unwanted life sentence with the help of Oliver Aldey, a handsome British stranger,” Brault continued. “Together they embark on a multi-city journey that eventually leads Remy to her safe haven and a place where beauty never fades.”

Brault is no stranger to storytelling, cultivating a love of writing that began in the third grade into her first novel, a labor of love that took seven years to complete from start to finish.

“I don't have the luxury of writing full-time,” Brault said. “The first line of the novel just popped into my head one day and was just rolling around over and over and over, and the main character just started talking to me over the course of the next seven years.”

A 15-year employee of the OCPL where she serves as head of circulation in the Youth Services Department, Brault said she enjoys the creative freedom of writing in her spare time.

“It’s a good outlet for getting things out of your head and for getting ideas down on paper,” she explained. “It’s an outlet for your emotions and another way to express yourself.”

Brault, who now makes her home in nearby Bloomington with her husband Russell Knapp, said she had already begun working on her second book, though the future release date is not known.

“I'm about six chapters in,” she said. “I already have a lot of people chasing me down wanting to know when it will be published, which means a lot."

As for how many books she envisions writing in the series, Brault said “two for sure, but there could potentially be a third based on another character in the world the book encompasses.”

Geared toward the new adults and adult book categories, “Where Beauty Never Fades: A Destined Encounters Novel” involves a series of twists, turns and romance that no doubt has readers clamoring for the second installment in the series.

“Where Beauty Never Fades” is available for purchase online through Amazon, Walmart, Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million to name a few. The book can also be purchased directly from the author by contacting her via email at nikotawrites@gmail.com.

Brault can also be found on various social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by searching Nikota Writes.

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The news that there is a request before the Commissioners to restrict the choices of informed parents to expose their child to a man who dresses in women’s clothes while reading a story concerns me. The move especially concerns me because it is based on ignorance about the varieties of human sexual expression. I’m old enough to remember a couple of occasions when women came home from the hospital without their baby and the parents were slow to announce whether the child was a boy or a girl. What was happening was that surgeons were tidying up the child so that it fit more clearly in either the male or the female category. Sometimes they picked the “right” category to adjust toward and sometimes the child grew up uncomfortable with the choice. The idea that there are two clearly differentiated sexes is nonsense. The county needs to avoid getting sucked into political posturing – for all our sakes.

Leslie Nieves

It’s almost time to “spring forward.” Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9.

Digital devices, including computers, TVs and cell phones, will automatically update to the new time at 2 a.m., but all other clocks should be manually changed before going to bed on the night of Saturday, March 8, turning them ahead by one full hour.

Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday of November each year. This year the clocks will “fall back” an hour on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Colin Harris is serving as an intern for the Indiana Senate Majority Caucus during the 2025 legislative session, said Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray.

Harris, a native of Spencer, is the son of Craig and Cheri Harris. Harris graduated from Owen Valley High School and is a graduate of Indiana University with degrees in English and criminal justice.

"Interns are extremely helpful to the daily operations of the Senate, especially during a busy legislative session," Bray said. "I am always glad to have interns from our local community coming to the Statehouse to gain professional experience and am excited to have Colin interning with us this year."

As a legislative intern, Harris tracks and analyzes bill data, provides constituent services, staffs Senate committee hearings and meetings and conducts legislative policy research

"I am thankful for this opportunity to intern for the Senate, and I am looking forward to all I will experience and learn through my time at the Statehouse," Harris said.

Senate Majority interns work through the duration of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end by April 29.

The Owen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host its annual meeting on Thursday, March 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building at the Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., Spencer.

Annual meetings of the SWCD are mandated by state law, requiring public reporting on the district’s finances and grants, current activities, upcoming plans, and as an opportunity to elect new board supervisors. Meetings are open to the public; board supervisors are voted onto the board by county landowners.

Attendees at the upcoming event will enjoy a hearty charcuterie feast with refreshments and desserts, all while enjoying music performed by Tammy Pate from High Sierra.

In addition, the evening will feature the opportunity to learn upcoming SWCD programs, projects and events, and to meet resource technicians, volunteers and board supervisors. Laura Demarest, Watershed Coordinator, will introduce the SWCD’s recently awarded Fish Creek Watershed 319 Implementation Grant and how you may qualify for its benefits.

Amy Rednour, owner of A Fungus Among Us, LLC, a first-generation mushroom farm located in Spencer, will also be on hand to lead attendees into the secret world of mushrooms. She may even share tips on finding morels.

Tickets are $10 for adults, free for children aged 12 and younger.

Please RSVP to owenSWCD@gmail.com or call Tammy Bingham at 812-606-6505. Tickets also are available at the SWCD River House, 788 Pottersville Rd., Spencer. Call the SWCD office with any questions or for more information.

Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board President and Board Legislative Liaison Derek Morgan and Superintendent Andy Cline attended the Indiana School Boards Association’s seventh annual State House Day at the Indianapolis Hyatt Regency on Feb. 18.

The annual gathering offered school board members an in-depth briefing on the education bills under debate this session, informative panel discussions with top lawmakers and a special opportunity to connect with representatives and senators from their area.

The morning opened with the ISBA lobbying team providing an update on bills impacting public education and an overview of ISBA’s advocacy efforts to date. Following the briefing, a panel discussion was held with leaders from the four legislative caucuses. Next, the chairs and minority party members of the House and Senate education committees participated in a conversation and audience Q&A.

During lunch, attendees were seated with legislators from their region, providing an opportunity for school board members to share their local perspective on issues of concern. Finally, board members made their way across Washington Street to the State House to observe session and conduct additional meetings with lawmakers.

“Our voices matter in shaping education policy, and this event was a great opportunity to engage with lawmakers on issues impacting our schools,” Morgan said.

The annual event is part of ISBA’s award-winning Legislative Action Network, a program that leverages the unified voices of Indiana school boards to inform, influence and shape sound education policy.

“School board engagement in organized grassroots advocacy is crucial,” ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin said. “School board members can bring attention to issues that might not be on legislators’ radar, and their informed perspectives can directly sway lawmakers’ decisions on proposed policies.”

The legislative leadership panel featured House Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Karickhoff, Senate School Funding Subcommittee Chair Eric Bassler, House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta and Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder. The education committee panel consisted of House Education Committee Chair Bob Behning, Senate Education and Career Development Committee Chair Jeff Raatz, House Education Committee Ranking Minority Member Vernon Smith and Senate Education and Career Development Committee Member Fady Qaddoura.

Two of the three Owen County Commissioners are new to their positions. Those new commissioners are former sheriff Sam Hobbs and David Risk.

In fact, the only commissioner who isn’t new to the position is Gary Burton, the board's former president. 

At the beginning of the commissioners’ first meeting of 2025, held on Jan. 9, Hobbs was unanimously elected president of the board, and Risk was unanimously elected vice president. 

Immediately following the reorganization, Hobbs gave a monologue about what can be expected from the board moving forward.

“It’s going to be kind of a lengthy meeting. We got a lot to go through. I’m not here to upset the apple cart with anybody, but I’m going to. It’s just the nature of the beast,” Hobbs began. “I base my faith off of God being in control because He is. We’re just here to do His will and try to make the best of a community that is falling apart.”

After sharing his long-standing attendance at these sorts of public meetings, Hobbs commented on a trend.

“The thing that I’ve seen in the last several years of coming to the meetings and stuff like that is the discord and dislike between the employees, whether you’re elected or appointed or whatever, has turned into a hatred. And it’s going to end. The reason I say that is we’re a team here together,” Hobbs said. “We were elected to serve the people and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. The people have a voice. You’re taxpayers. You’ll have a voice in every commissioners’ meeting. That’s only right. I expect your ideas, your vision, your goals and your solutions to some of the problems that we have.”

Hobbs then quoted Proverbs 23:19.

“This county is going to have a vision for everybody, not just for self-centered seeking thumb-sucking selfish people. I won’t tolerate it. I won’t tolerate rude behavior from nobody,” Hobbs said. “I’m in no way here to tell anybody to pack up and get going. If you’re not doing your job that’s required of you, there’s going to be a problem.”

Hobbs then said that employees are the county’s biggest liability and the county’s biggest asset.

“We’re going to work together as a team,” he said.

He then reiterated that the commissioners do not have any authority over other elected officials. He also said that commissioners should allow for autonomy and leadership from the county’s department heads saying they have a business to run. 

Hobbs was clear that department heads could and should ask for guidance and help from the commissioners when needed and said the commissioners will not interfere unless asked or unless there is an issue. 

“I’m new at this part [being a commissioner], but I’m not new at being around here. I’ve seen how some people have been treated and mistreated, and rest assured of one thing. That’s coming to an end, like real soon,” Hobbs said.

Then, instead of making the usual first meeting of the year liaison appointments, Hobbs announced that those appointments would not be made until February. He cited a “legal problem” but did not go into details. 

“There’s some things facing this county that is going to be revealed in the next 30 to 60 days that could change the whole outlook on certain things,” he said. 

One and only one liaison appointment was made, and that was for Risk to serve as the liaison for the highway department. 

“Gary cannot do that because his wife works there,” Hobbs said. 

Until appointments are made in February, Hobbs said that he would serve as the liaison for the auditor’s office and appointed department heads. He noted that elected officials can go to any of the commissioners that they want.

The commissioners then began with the routine business of approving the meeting minutes and claims. 

In both this meeting and the Jan. 23 meeting, the commissioners addressed the extensive and inappropriate amount of out-of-cycle claims. 

The board then went on to new business.

“This is where the rubber is going to meet the road for some of you,” Hobbs said, adding that it was unfortunate that not everything was going to be good news.

The first matter that was addressed was the contract with Dana Kerr for his services as county attorney.

“We’ve been through this for a couple of months. The current attorney is not here today. He is sick. We wish him the best in his recovery,” Hobbs began. “Dana is not here today, but we have to proceed with business. This has been discussed briefly in a couple commissioners meetings. The contract that the current attorney has is on a week-to-week basis at the moment.”

“Mr. Kerr’s last day will be Jan. 31. I’m not going to sit here and bad mouth him, run him down or anything like that. He did what he did and done what he’s done for what he thought was right. He’s an attorney. I do feel and I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mr. Kerr was led down a couple roads that he shouldn’t have had to go down. That’s my two cents worth. I think if Mr. Kerr had things to do over again, they would be done different. Again, this is my opinion.”

With that, Hobbs moved to relieve Kerr of his duties as county attorney as of Jan. 31. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. 

“This is not the end of this story,” Hobbs said. 

After allowing him to introduce himself, the commissioners hired Tony Overholt from Frost Brown Todd Attorneys in Indianapolis. Overholt has served as the attorney for the county council. The commissioners hired Overholt, who has been an attorney for 30 years, for six months. Overholt has experience representing local government. 

Overholt will be paid between $350 and $375 per hour. 

There is $160,000 budgeted for the county attorney. Under Kerr’s extended 2022 contract that served from week to week until the end of January, approximately $13,000 would have been spent from the $160,000 budgeted for county legal expenses. 

The council separately has budgeted approximately $40,000 for their legal expenses, as Kerr did not represent the council.

At the high end of Overholt’s rate, the county commissioners would have a total of 392 hours before exceeding the appropriation. This translates to a weekly average of roughly 7.5 hours per week without going to the county council for an additional appropriation. 

During the approximately four-hour first meeting, the commissioners also: 

• Worked toward getting a county human resources officer. It was noted that the county attorney should not serve as the HR person. It was also noted that a proposal to fund such a position had not previously been brought before the county council, according to council president Polly Chesser. Hobbs said the goal would be to take insurance responsibilities away from the auditor’s office and to remove drug testing for county employees from the health clinic run by the county health department.
• Discussed and accepted the resignation of the 911 dispatch director, Cherie Anderson. Anderson was not present at the meeting.
• Removed the blue line in the commissioners room that was previously placed to restrict the public from approaching the area where elected officials sit.
• Overturned a previous ordinance dealing with the 911 advisory board to restore it to what it was prior to the ordinance passed in 2024. “The 911 advisory board was basically taken out of any decision-making that involved the 911 dispatch center, other than policies and procedures,” Hobbs said. Burton said he believed it was just the financial side. EMA Director Jack White said that members of the board were not asked for input when that change was made.
• Moved the county maintenance department back to the armory and moved EMA to the previous office location on the Washington Street side of the brick building on the corner of Market and Washington Streets. This is instead of the front of the same building, which is where Jack White had been moved to.
• Addressed an issue concerning the Veterans Service Officer vehicle. Risk asked about the vehicle for the VSO, and VSO Dennis Bucy said they have a 2001 brown van and that they previously also had a 2005 Ford Explorer. The Ford Explorer was purchased, at least in part, through donations from veterans. “I won’t tolerate our veterans being disrespected,” Risk said. He moved to return the Ford Explorer back to the VSO immediately. Hobbs seconded the motion and asked where the vehicle was, and it was said that it was with the county building department. Suzanne Simmerman from the building department said that it was sitting on the empty lot with everything out of it. Hobbs asked when that happened, and Simmerman said at the beginning of the year. Burton said the building department vehicle broke down and he had asked Bucy if he needed both vehicles. At the time, Bucy did not have a driver to transport veterans. This was in May of 2024. “We didn’t know it was donated by, the money was donated by veterans. Had no idea,” Burton said. Simmerman said the building department vehicle was fixed in September or October. 

The commissioners also held a joint meeting with the Owen County Council on Jan. 23. A story on that meeting will be made available soon on The Owen News website, theowennews.org. The commissioners met again yesterday, Feb. 6, and they will meet again at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the second-floor Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

In celebration of its 31st anniversary, the Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) is thrilled to announce the return of the $1 for $1 Anniversary Match Campaign, building on the incredible success of last year’s 30th anniversary event. 

In 2024, nearly $200,000 was raised to support local nonprofits serving Owen County. This year, OCCF invites donors and nonprofits to make an even greater impact.

Running from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28, this match campaign offers a $1 for $1 match for donations made to Agency and Designated funds established at OCCF. These funds specifically support the work of nonprofits serving Owen County, providing them with both immediate resources and long-term sustainability.

“Spencer Main Street, Inc., took a big step forward in 2024 by establishing an agency fund with ‘our’ Owen County Community Foundation,” Julie Coffin, President of Spencer Main Street, Inc. said. “I think we don’t even realize yet how this strengthens our organization in terms of keeping us sustainable and giving us longevity. And those are vital qualities to have because we intend to keep working to make sure that Historic Downtown Spencer continues to be the heart and center of our community for another 205 years. The first word of our mission statement is ‘collaboration,’ and we are so grateful for OCCF’s support and collaboration as we all go forward!”

How the Match Works
For every dollar donated to an eligible fund, OCCF will provide a matching gift, which is designed to strengthen nonprofits in two ways:

• 60 percent of OCCF’s match will go into the fund’s permanent endowment, ensuring sustainable, ongoing support for the organization.
• 40 percent of the match will be immediately available to address pressing needs or launch new initiatives.

This model allows nonprofits to meet immediate needs while building a stable financial foundation for the future.Participating Funds
Only Agency and Designated funds are eligible for the match. These funds support a wide range of causes, including youth development, historic preservation, animal welfare, community health, and more. A full list of participating funds is available on the OCCF website or by contacting the OCCF office directly. As of Feb. 5, the following funds were included in the matching campaign:

• Area 10 Agency on Aging
• Bennie J & Joan R. Woodruff Methodist Church Fund
• Bonness Family Fund
• Boys & Girls Club of Owen County Fund
• Braysville Homemakers Fund
• Carolina Cemetery Fund
• Cataract Volunteer Fire Department Fund
• Economic Development Fund - Owen County Chamber of Commerce & EDC
• Flona Everly Query Memorial Fund - Vandalia Preservation Association
• Freedom Community Center Fund
• Garrard Chapel Church & Food Pantry Fund
• Gosport History Museum Fund
• Irene & Arthur Kelley Beech Cemetery Fund
• Irene & Arthur Kelley Patricksburg Lutheran Cemetery Fund
• Jim Vance Owen County YMCA Fund
• Jark R. & Marilyn K. DeFord Library Fund
• JMF Drescher Fund
• J. Welch Wampler Fund - Ferry Bridge Maintenance
• La Campagne Ministries Fund
• Lloyd H. & Rosalie E. Lucas 4-H & FFA Fund
• Mark of Discipleship Fund
• McCormick’s Creek State Park Fund
• MyPath Fund
• New Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center Fund
• OCCF HR Fund
• O’Connor Family Fund - Summerfield Health Center
• Olive Hill Cemetery Fund
• Owen County 4-H Council Fund
• Owen County 4-H Livestock Fund
• Owen County CASA Office Fund
• Owen County Garden Club Fund
• Owen County Humane Society Fund
• Owen County Ministerial Fund
• Owen County Preservation Fund
• Owen County S.O.U.N.D.S. Fund
• Owen Valley Alumni Association Fund
• Owen Valley Band Boosters Fund
• Owen Valley Jr ROTC Fund
• Palmer’s Pawsitively Powerful Animals of Owen County Fund
• Riverside Cemetery Fund
• Senior Friends of Owen County Fund
• Spencer Main Street Fund
• Spencer Pride Fund
• St. Jude Catholic Church Fund
• The Owen News Endowment Fund
• Tivoli Theatre Endowment Fund
• Visionary Fund
• White Cemetery Fund
• William Donald & Maxine Wells - Fiscus Cemetery Fund
• Winters & Shouse Cemeteries Fund
• YMCA Legacy Fund

‍How to Donate
Organizations can accept donations in the following ways:

1. Online Donations: Donors can contribute directly to their favorite fund online during the match period at bit.ly/donate2occf.
   
   
2. Mailed Donations: Donations sent via mail must be postmarked between now and Feb. 28 to qualify for the match. Donors should list the fund name in the check memo. 

‍Join Us in Building a Brighter Future“The success of last year’s 30th Anniversary Match Campaign was a testament to the generosity and commitment of our community,” Karah Bobeck, OCCF’s Programs and Communications Director said. “We’re excited to offer this opportunity again and look forward to seeing the incredible impact it will have for Owen County nonprofits.”Nonprofits interested in participating in this campaign and establishing a fund at the OCCF, should contact the OCCF’s office at 812-829-1725.

A two-year investigation recently culminated in the arrest of 24-year-old Kenron Laing of Crown Point, Indiana. Laing was arrested on a warrant in connection with the 2022 murder of Gildardo Garcia Salinas, 39, in northern Owen County.

Detectives from the Indiana State Police (ISP) Bloomington Post traveled to Fort Liberty, northwest of Fayetteville, North Carolina on Nov. 14 where they were joined by Army Criminal Investigation Division agents in arresting Laing, who authorities say was taken into custody without incident.

Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with over 52,000 military personnel.

According to an article published in the Nov. 20, 2024 edition of Stars and Stripes, a daily newspaper reporting on matters concerning members of the United States Armed Forces, Laing enlisted in the Army in August 2023, about 10 months after Salinas was killed.

Private First Class Laing was identified by Stars and Stripes as a petroleum supply specialist assigned to the 82nd Airborne’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

After waiving extradition, Laing was transported from the Cumberland County Jail where he had been awaiting extradition to Owen County to stand trial.

An initial hearing was held on Nov. 21, where Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim said Laing was advised of the charges against him and his constitutional rights as an accused facing criminal charges.

A public defender was appointed by the court to represent Laing, who remains in custody without bond at the Owen County Security Center pending a trial by jury, which is slated to begin on Aug. 11, 2025.

Fatal shooting

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case by ISP Detective Ian Matthews, authorities from the state police were contacted on Nov. 2, 2022 to initiate an investigation following the shooting death of Salinas. The shooting happened at Salinas’ residence in the area of North Cataract Road and U.S. 231.

Authorities with the Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) were first on the scene, having been notified via a 911 phone call received at approximately 8:25 p.m., the probable cause affidavit indicates. The caller reported gunshots had been fired and a male had been shot. Police arrived shortly thereafter to find Salinas deceased outside of his home from apparent gunshot wounds.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Salinas, his wife Brandy Pocasangre, and her 14-year-old daughter were inside the home when they heard noise coming from the kitchen door on the home’s east side.

“She stated that after hearing the noise they realized that a black male was attempting to push his way into the door, prompting (Salinas) to grab his shotgun that was nearby in the kitchen, holding it horizontally across his chest to block the male from coming inside,” the probable cause affidavit notes.

Salinas was reportedly able to “nudge” the intruder outside the door, with the door closing behind them. Once outside, the probable cause affidavit details how Salinas engaged in what his wife later advised sounded like a “struggle or fight
on or near the outside porch.”

Fearful, Pocasangre told authorities how she waited for a short time before she “yelled from inside the home and walked toward the east side door as she heard numerous gunshots,” the probable cause affidavit explains. Now armed with a handgun that had been retrieved from inside the home by her daughter, Pocasangre reportedly opened the door and saw the same black male that her husband had confronted at the door fleeing on foot from the south side steps of the porch to an awaiting vehicle parked to the north of the home.

The victim’s wife later described the shooter to authorities as a “black male wearing black/dark clothing with a hoodie, balaclava-style mask covering his chin area, skinny, dark complexion, wide nose, black hair in front with fuzzy braids or Afro, possible whiskers, ‘peach fuzz’ on face.” He appeared to be in his early to mid-20s, she told police, and stood approximately six feet tall.

Although the suspect had been wearing what appeared to be a balaclava-style mask when he initially confronted her husband at the door, Pocasangre described to authorities how it was “pulled down below his chin, allowing her to see his full face.”

She also recounted to authorities how she attended to her injured husband after the vehicle fled, noticing he had a “gunshot wound to the upper forehead and additional gunshot wounds around his chest and abdomen,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Pocasangre attempted to administer CPR and lifesaving measures until
authorities arrived, the probable cause affidavit reveals, while also checking on the welfare of her daughter and instructing her to call 911 for help.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they encountered Salinas laying in the grass near the east side door of the home. The injured man was still moving, the probable cause affidavit details, which prompted authorities to call for emergency medical technicians (EMT), who upon arrival also attempted lifesaving measures before Salinas succumbed to his injuries. He was later pronounced deceased at the scene.

Phones recovered at scene

During the investigation that followed, detectives learned from Pocasangre how Salinas had discovered an abandoned black bag in the courtyard of an Indianapolis-area motel. Salinas was employed by a landscaping company, authorities would discover, and had been on the hotel grounds that day with a landscaping crew.

Contained inside the bag were drugs and drug paraphernalia, according to the statement given to authorities by Pocasangre, along with an iPhone. She told authorities how her husband had sent her a picture of the motel courtyard and showed her a video of him “stomping out the drugs,” stating to her that the drugs could hurt someone, “especially a child.”

Salinas brought the bag and iPhone home with him after leaving work later that day, according to the probable cause affidavit, showing his wife the iPhone and its case before reportedly telling her he planned to return the phone to his workplace the next day.

Further details provided by Pocasangre would lead authorities to believe the suspect, later identified as Kenron Laing, had attempted to enter the home after tracking the phone to the couple’s northern Owen County residence.

In total, two discarded iPhones would be discovered at the scene. The first was located in a gravel area, the probable cause affidavit indicates, approximately 15 to 20 feet east of the victim’s body. Identified as a black iPhone housed in a clear case, the phone appeared to authorities to have been “wiped” or factory reset. Although the screen read “The iPhone has been locked,” an associated Gmail account would reportedly help police determine the phone belonged to Laing.

According to the probable cause affidavit, authorities with the ISP Cyber Crimes Unit were able to uncover identifying information from the phone which was used to gather subscriber information and records from both Apple and AT&T. The subscriber of the phone and associated service, authorities would discover, was listed as “Mr. Kenron Laing.”

The second phone, described as a dark-colored iPhone housed in an orange, clear case was recovered by authorities after it was spotted by Pocasangre after she had moved Salinas’ truck from where it had been parked in the couple’s driveway. This was the same phone, Pocasangre advised authorities, that Salinas brought home with him that day, along with the bag in which it had been found. Salinas had shown her the phone and its case, the probable cause affidavit recounts, while the two of them had been standing in the driveway.

Following the discovery, the victim’s wife reportedly advised police how she felt the phone had possibly “been tracked” by the individual who ultimately killed her husband.

The culminating investigation led authorities to conclude both phones belonged to Laing, the probable cause affidavit details, with police making the connection through verified phone numbers and email addresses.

Murder weapon

Through a series of interviews and surveillance video, authorities were also able to determine that Laing had been staying at the Indianapolis-area motel with his sister, identified in the probable cause affidavit as Kennisha Laing, then age 20. Police later applied for and were granted a search warrant for the AT&T cell phone records associated with Kennisha’s phone, discovering that it too had traveled a similar path as Kenron Laing’s cell phone from the motel to the area of the crime scene on the date and time of the murder.

The investigation would ultimately take an even deadlier turn when on July 28, 2023, authorities learned Kennisha Laing had been booked into jail in Cook County, Illinois on charges of first-degree murder.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case against her brother, Kenron, Kennisha Laing reportedly shot and killed a 16-year-old juvenile female at a hotel in South Holland, Illinois, before barricading herself in the room and eventually being arrested.

Once in police custody, authorities say she described the revolver handgun she used in the crime, identified as a Taurus model 856 “38 Special +P,” as belonging to her brother, Kenron Laing.

Two fired bullets collected from the many fired by the Illinois State Police Laboratory during their investigation of the firearm were later requested and obtained by local authorities. Those bullets, the probable cause affidavit advises, were tested by the Indiana State Police Evansville Laboratory for comparison against a bullet retrieved from the spine of Salinas during an autopsy conducted on Nov. 4, 2022 at Terre Haute Regional Hospital.

The test, authorities say, identified the two items as having been “fired in the same firearm.”

The case remains under investigation, and Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim has issued a reminder that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Last month, the Owen County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the same contract for county attorney services – almost.

At the first meeting of the month, Board President Gary Burton brought the topic up, as the current contract ends at the end of 2024.

“We cannot go into a new business year with no county counsel, and I mean that by a county attorney,” Burton said, acknowledging that there would be new commissioners on the board. “We cannot start a new year without legal counsel for reorganization.”

Except that’s not true.

Despite it being common sense and best practice, Indiana law doesn’t require that county commissioners have an attorney. Rather, Indiana Code 36-2-2-30 states, “The executive may employ and fix the compensation of an attorney to represent and advise the executive.”

It provides the same for county councils in Indiana Code 36-2-3-10.

Burton continued.

“With that being said, it is a two-year agreement, same as it’s been for the last several years. The pay rate is the same for 2025,” he said. “There is a 2026, five percent increase which would be discussed at budget hearings. Other than that the agreement is the same as it was when we signed this to bring Dana [Kerr, the current county attorney] on.”

Except it wasn’t.

The new contract provided a clause requiring payment for the remainder of the year’s annual fee, or $160,000, if the contract is terminated by the county. This includes if the two incoming commissioners, Sam Hobbs and David Risk, take official action to terminate the contract at the initial January meeting. The two newcomers would have a 2-1 majority over the only incumbent commissioner, Burton.

“The County recognizes that Attorney has given up the vast majority of his clients to serve the County and that, as a solo practitioner, Attorney will need sufficient time to rebuild the Attorney’s practice,” the contract reads. “Therefore, the annual fee is determined to be earned on the first day of the year and any termination by the County that becomes effective before the expiration of this agreement, County shall pay any balance due on the annual fee.”

“I don’t feel that it’s my responsibility to determine who is going to be counsel in the future,” current commissioner Joel Lowe said, acknowledging that the board needed counsel at the start of the year.

Commissioner Bob Curry moved to approve the contract, and Lowe seconded the motion. The motion passed 2-1, with Lowe abstaining.

Except that wasn’t the end.

At their next meeting two weeks later, the topic came up again following comments and questions from citizen Allan McBride.

Lowe clarified why he abstained.

“This is based on my opinion, my thoughts and my feelings, not personal. I didn’t feel it was the business of the two commissioners leaving the position to have any say as to who was going to represent [the Board of Commissioners] into the new administration,” Lowe said before adding, “I personally looked at the contracts, and they were stated as being the same as last year. They were not the same.”

Lowe held up copies of the contract.

He added that he had “issues with the way that our county attorney has conducted business with the county.”

“I believe that our attorney was placed in positions that he didn't need to be placed into, morally and ethically,” Lowe said.

Lowe claimed that he had shared with Curry and Burton that he was not on board with the contract.

“I’m an individual commissioner. I’m allowed to think and respond how I see fit. That’s why I abstained,” he said.

Except Lowe’s actions inadvertently and unintentionally halted the contract, possibly making it null and void.

Lowe signed the contract “when I should not have in confusion,” he said.

“I didn't list my signature as a nay, yay or abstained. I signed it. Owen County Auditor Sheila Reeves will not attest that contract. She’s told me so. The document’s no good,” Lowe said. “These gentlemen have the right to bring forth a new contract, most certainly they will. But I don't stand on the fact that I have any business dictating who is going to be the attorney for the new incoming executive body. It’s not my place. “

He continued.

“I was misled to believe that we have to have an attorney, or that the board of commissioners of Owen County have to have an attorney present the first day, the first meeting. I have yet to find any, and Dana, you're welcome to provide it to me if you've got it, any legal documentation, saying anything of that sort. I was misled to believe that.”

Hobbs said that he “isn’t there to run anyone out,” but affirmed that it is something that should be addressed with the new board.

“I’ve spoken to you,” Lowe said. “I’ve talked about an easy transition. My thoughts, [on] how I wanted to see the rest of the year go was to deal with the on-hand emergencies and daily business. I surely didn't need to see or anticipate ordinances, resolutions, contracts shoved through.”

Lowe also pointed to the potential conflict of interest created by Kerr writing a new contract that pertains to his legal services.

Curry stated that he thought that Lowe agreed with the contract.

Burton said that a 30-day extension of the current contract that is set to expire at the end of December is feasible. He added that in the six years he has served on the board, there has been three different sets of commissioners.

“Whatever contracts were in place never got changed, they just rolled over,” Burton said. “Now if you want to make that decision once the new board is established, that makes sense, but I don’t know that it’s good sense not to have an attorney because everything we do here, [there] could be legal ramifications if the wrong decision is made.”

Lowe then added how he hopes the next board will address the matter.

“I want to make sure that Mr. Kerr has the appropriate time to establish himself,” Lowe said. “And I'm just going to say it’s poor human behavior to throw somebody onto the street so I think that’s a serious consideration. I would hate to be sitting here and asked to leave a job with no pay, no benefits… We don't just throw people out on the street.”

Hobbs pointed out that there is a current contract, which has a 30-day notice provided to terminate it.

Burton said they would honor the old contract.

“I’ll be honest with you, It sounds to me like you're saying there's a lot of dishonesty and…” McBride began before being interrupted by all three commissioners who spoke over one another.

“Listen…” Lowe started.

“No,” Curry said.

“There’s been none, zero,” Burton said.

Except when the contract was presented, it was said that it was the same as the previous contract, aside from a possible rate increase for 2026.

Hobbs asked the board to clarify that they are rescinding the contract and extending the current contract for 30 days.

Ultimately, the board unanimously rescinded the new contract, which Lowe said he believes is null and void because Reeves will not attest to it with his signature.

With entry lines nearly reaching the back door of Owen Valley High School, approximately 400 concerned citizens packed the OVHS Auditorium and provided two hours worth of comment concerning the draft Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) set before the Owen County Plan Commission.

A UDO is a local policy instrument that combines zoning, subdivision and other regulations into a single document.

More than 25 individuals signed up to provide public comment, at the Oct. 22 meeting, with each comment being against the UDO in general or the current draft of the document.

The meeting followed an Oct. 6 open house held at the Owen County Courthouse.

“This UDO document that we have before us is a draft. I don’t know if that was ever made clear to everyone, but a draft is a document that’s in progress, and we will edit it as needed,” Plan Commission President Norm Warner said. “We already have planning and zoning. It was implemented in 2002. I don’t know how many folks knew that this UDO is an update to those documents. There are parts of the UDO that bring us into compliance with state statute. The rest can be changed to fit our needs.”

Warner continued providing background information at the start of the meeting.

“The only way the zoning on your property can be changed is if you come to the planning commission and you ask for it to be changed. These documents don’t do any of that,” he said.

He noted that the plan commission is an advisory board. As such, the commission can choose to make a favorable, unfavorable or no recommendation before the matter goes to the county commissioners.

“No one on the steering committee or the planning commission sitting up here wrote a single word of this document. This was done by a consultant with input from the steering committee. The problem with that is due to the times of the meetings, which was right in the center of the day, I work a job, and most of the people up here do as well. I made three out of 10 meetings,” Warner said. “No decision on this thing will be made tonight or any time in the near future by this commission, until we have time to go through it [and] document [changes] chapter by chapter.”

He added,  “What we do not want to do is get in a hurry here at the end and get stuff that we do not want.”

He proposed creating a subcommittee or steering committee set by the Plan Commission to act as a working group to review and edit the draft UDO.

“And if it takes a year, it takes a year. If it takes 16 or 18 months, it takes 16 or 18 months. There is no hurry. So if you think we’re going to shove it through, that’s not the case. Won’t let it happen, not as long as I’m sitting here anyway,” Warner said.

Plan Commission member Bill Purcell shared the attendance of the various steering committee members for the UDO and pointed out again that the meetings were held during the middle of the day.

“Please be kind to those people because they were doing their best,” Purcell said.

It was determined that Purcell would chair the subcommittee.

Warner began the public comment period by reading a statement from former sheriff and commissioner-elect Sam Hobbs.

“To the people of Owen County, as your commissioner-elect for 2025, I encourage everyone to just take a deep breath and relax,” Warner read on Hobbs’ behalf. “I believe we need to regroup and sit down with the people of Owen County to establish what is in the best interest of the people of Owen County. The draft needs to be dissected, and we, the people need to address each and every chapter slowly and take as much time as needed to establish what’s best for the citizens of Owen County… I will not, as your commissioner-elect, move forward with this current draft until it is meticulously and thoroughly examined and resolved.”

Members of the public had up to three minutes to speak.

Several of the initial comments centered around not wanting a UDO at all, and many of the comments criticized the Plan Commission.

“The planning and zoning board here, they are not your punching bag for today. They were handed this by another entity. It is not them that this stuff is for. It’s not them that will approve it. They are here to make adjustments for it and send it to the commissioners for approval or denial. It’s your commissioners that you need to be in an uproar with,” County Council candidate Joe Frye said. “If we send something back, and we say we don’t want it, then what you’re going to get is what’s already there. So we’ve got to comb through it. We’ve got to fix it.”

One member of the public requested that footnotes are included to indicate what the changes are, what the previous zoning law dictated and whether or not it is based on state statute.

Commissioner candidate William Jennings also spoke. He said that the UDO would never pass with him on the board.

“I call this meeting adjourned. I think we ought to adjourn because 90 percent of the people here do not want it,” he said, recommending that the Plan Commission vote to not recommend the UDO that night.

County Council President Polly Chesser, who is seeking re-election this year, spoke up from the audience.

“You do not want this going to the commissioners right now. I promise you, because they don't have to take [the Plan Commission’s] recommendation. If they sent this to the commissioners right now, the current commissioners that are sitting on there, I guarantee would pass this, disregarding whatever they said,” Chesser said. “What they’re doing, slowing it down until after the first of the year is exactly what needs to be done.”

Resident Will Daubenspeck spoke about the UDO, citing the potential for growth both along the I-70 corridor and State Road 46. He said he experienced the creation of a UDO in Hamilton County years ago and that it was part of why he moved to Owen County in the first place.

“This is your chance to make a stand properly to protect yourself,” he said. “If you don’t put the right things in this UDO, you’re gong to be wishing you would’ve… Everyone’s wanting to fight against it. These people up here will help you put in what needs to be put into it to protect yourself and your property. So this meeting should be more about things that you don’t want in it versus we don’t want a UDO. I’m telling you, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve lived it. That’s the reason I moved to Owen County…I don’t think those people standing up there really want to be talking about this right now, but I’m going to tell you, if you don’t put regulation in to control growth, you will be sorry. I’ve seen it.”

Resident Chris Carey also spoke on the matter.

“What we really need to keep in mind, I know you guys don’t have any power to really do anything, except for the commissioner [Bob Curry who sits on the plan commission], and the other commissioners and whoever else is involved with bringing this in and sticking it in our laps, if they’re not going to show up and allow us to voice our opinions, we need to take it to them,” he said. “Find their addresses, their phone numbers, their emails and just light it up and tell them what we think, and don’t let up. I mean, we need these people to understand this is our county, they work for us, they’re our employees, and we can’t just go making these decisions willy-nilly.”

Commissioner candidate Dave Risk also spoke on the matter. He commented on the Enabling Act and what is and is not legally required of the county.

“There’s a structure already in place in Indiana code for ordinances,” he said. “I have verified we are not required to have a UDO in Owen County.”

He added, “The purpose of a UDO is to combine the various series of local ordinances into one document.”

Chesser then took her three minutes to speak.

“These people have nothing to do with getting this done under the radar. It was not them. They’re doing exactly what they need to be doing. They’re slowing this down until we get our new commissioners in because like I was trying to say, if they pass this right now… and said no we don’t want this, the commissioners can still say, ‘We don’t care what you say. We want it anyway.’ So the fact that they are slowing this down and getting your input and listening to all of you, that’s what needs to be done. That’s what should have been done in the first place,” Chesser said.

She added that the steering committee was filled with good people but that the daytime meetings meant they were not always there and understandably so.

“Those people on the committee are going to listen to their neighbors, they’re going to take out the crap, and they’re going to protect you. So the fact that they're doing it this way is awesome, and that’s the way it should have been done,” Chesser said before encouraging people to stay engaged both with this issue and other county government matters.

The Plan Commission will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Warner said that the OVHS auditorium would not be available but that he would look into reserving space at Owen Valley Middle School.

‍

NewsMatch is a collective, matching campaign through November and December for member publications of The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), of which The Owen News is part of. NewsMatch provides a 1:1 match for any donations or memberships made to the Owen News. It also provides certain goal-based bonuses.NewsMatch will match monthly pledges at the amount for the full year. For example, a recurring donation set up at $10 per month would be matched at $120 for the entire year. 

Additionally, The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) is providing a local match of up to $20,000, creating a 2:1 match. This means that every dollar donated to support local, independent journalism will be tripled, helping us to fulfill our mission to be Owen County’s leading source of reliable and unbiased local news in order to foster an informed and engaged community. 

The Owen News specifically has the goal of raising enough funds to hire an inaugural Executive Editor and other staff. 

“Moving beyond our volunteer-only model will allow The Owen News the opportunity to expand coverage and increase our print frequency. There is so much more that we want to do and cover that is restricted by our reliance solely on volunteers” Board President Nicole DeCriscio said. “Volunteers are, and still will be essential to the long-term sustainability of The Owen News, but we need key staff positions to build capacity.”

In conjunction with the NewsMatch campaign, The Owen News is also launching membership tiers, which includes the ability for The Owen News to be mailed directly to members. As part of Newsmatch, the donation portion of the individual sponsorship or membership tier will both count toward the fundraising goal and will be considered tax deductible. 

The membership tiers and benefits are as follows:

Friends of the Owen News ($5 per month/ $60 per year): Benefits include: mailed print edition of The Owen News, access to members-only merchandise that will have an exclusive annual design, a monthly e-newsletter with behind-the-scenes insights, and recognition on The Owen News website.

Headline Supporter ($15 per month/ $180 per year): Benefits include: all Friends of the Owen News benefits and an Owen News tote bag.

Columnist Champion ($25 per month/ $300 per year): Benefits include: all Headline Supporter benefits, an Owen News mug, your name listed in the printed edition of The Owen News, and a special invite to an exclusive quarterly virtual Q&A session with the editorial team.

Editor’s Circle ($50 per month/ $600 per year): Benefits include: all Columnist Champion benefits, an Owen News travel mug, and special recognition in the annual member guide and report.

Publisher’s Partner ($100+ per month/ $1,200+ per year): Benefits include: all Editor’s Circle benefits, an Owen News t-shirt, and a ¼ page ad for individual use (subject to The Owen News’ ad policy). 

“One of the most asked for amenities concerning The Owen News is the ability to have the paper mailed directly to them. We hear those requests, and introducing the sponsorship tiers is the answer to that. We believe quality local news should be accessible to our entire community. As such, these sponsorship tiers and the addition of mailed copies of The Owen News does not replace our current at-will donation, pick-up model. Our newspapers will still be available for pick-up at local businesses,” DeCriscio said.

Those interested in making a donation or becoming a member can do so through OCCF by visiting this link.

Individuals interested in volunteering with The Owen News should email volunteers@theowennews.org. Volunteers are needed in several areas including as trained correspondents, fundraising and staffing festival booths to name a few. 

“The non-profit news model allows us, first and foremost, to be a community partner in our community. But most importantly, by being a non-profit, The Owen News will forever be owned by our community,” DeCriscio said. “At the end of the day, the success of The Owen News thus far is a testament to the strength of our community, and we’re relying on community support to capitalize on this important fund-matching opportunity.”

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A Gosport home was destroyed by a fast-moving fire that broke out around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

The first wave of firefighters and emergency personnel arrived on the scene a short time later to find heavy smoke billowing from the roof and flames engulfing the front porch of the home at 246 E. South St.

Homeowner Bryan Rogers was at home when the fire broke out and was reportedly unharmed, declining medical treatment at the scene from the Owen County Emergency Medical Service.

The American Red Cross was later contacted to help meet Rogers’ immediate emergency needs.

According to the Gosport Volunteer Fire Department, a cause for the fire was undetermined.

Firefighters estimated around 30,000 gallons of water was used to battle the morning blaze.

The Gosport VFD received mutual aid from the Owen Valley Fire Territory, Bean Blossom Township-Stinesville VFD, Owen County Sheriff’s Department and the Owen County EMS.

Fire personnel were called back to the scene around 12:30 p.m. where they were able to quickly squelch the rekindled debris at the home, located on the southwest corner of East South and South Second streets.

The idea of swapping county-owned land on State Road 43 in exchange for land owned by  Brett Franklin first was discussed during a joint council and commissioners meeting in April.

At the time, Commissioner’s President Gary Burton suggested the county consider a swap of 107 acres from the county that would allegedly cost $9 million to bring sewer to, for 30 acres owned by Franklin. The goal was simple: acquire land for the jail project without cutting into the $25 million allocated for the project.

Now, the proposed deal is for the county to swap 96 acres of county-owned land south of Franklin Road, including between five and seven acres that have Indiana Department of Environmental Management restrictions due to it being the former county landfill, for 9.64 acres of the 30 owned by Franklin.

The State of Indiana places limits on how much government agencies can lose if appraisals are too far off in a land swap deal, and those limits don’t apply to Redevelopment Commissions (RDC) that can consider other value-based factors that can’t be represented in an appraisal such as the county’s need for a location for the jail. Burton and County Council President Polly Chesser both sit on the RDC, along with RDC President Craig Coffman, member Bobby Hall and ex-officio member Derek Morgan, who is appointed by the Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees.

The process also happens to circumvent the approval of the county council, which serves as the fiscal body of county government.

Public records request provides approximate appraisal difference

Emails obtained through a public records request that the auditor’s office complied with show that Burton received the appraisals from Rich Figg of Bloomington-based Figg Appraisal Group on June 14, two weeks before the June 28 RDC meeting, and several days before the June 19 commissioners meeting. Transferring the property to the RDC to allow for the difference in appraised value was not brought up at that time.

Burton forwarded the appraisal reports to County Auditor Sheila Reeves. Reeves responded by asking if Burton wanted her to print copies for the other two commissioners – Bob Curry and Joel Lowe.

Burton responded the following Monday, June 17, “Please give me an extra copy for Brett Franklin. GB.”

Reeves then responded that she would do so, to which Burton responded, “Thank you! I will try to get with him before Wednesday if possible.

An updated appraisal was emailed to Burton on June 19, and that appraisal was forwarded to County Auditor Shelia Reeves on June 24.

While the appraisals themselves were not able to be obtained through the public records request, the attachment file names associated with the email indicate that 96.39 acres of county land was appraised and that 9.57 acres of the property owned by Franklin was appraised by Figg.

Another email from Chesser to her fellow council members, Reeves and the council’s attorney Tony Overholt gave insight as to what sort of gap exists between the appraisals. In the email dated June 9, Chesser also sought advice from Overholt as to whether or not the process as presented to them was indeed legal.

“It was reported that the county land was appraised roughly $100,000 more than Tri-State’s land,” the email reads.

Commissioner unaware of RDC purpose, process at July 3 meeting

The July 3 commissioner’s meeting was the first commissioner’s meeting following the receipt of the appraisals that the jail project and the RDC were mentioned in.

“The jail update has been moved over to the redevelopment committee,” Burton said.

County Attorney Dana Kerr went through the proposed timeline that was first discussed during the June RDC meeting.

“Can you explain more in depth as to why we’re turning this over to the redevelopment for those who aren’t up to speed? I’m a little behind on this myself,” Lowe said in the meeting.

Kerr explained that county land was likely to be appraised for more than the jail site property.

“My question would be are we leaving anything on the table,” Lowe said. “My worst fear is I don’t want to leave anything on the table here.”

Burton said that the infrastructure difference makes it valuable to the county.

“At what point did we decide to turn this over to the redevelopment committee?” Lowe asked.

Burton responded, “It has to come back to us anyway.”

Process circumvents council’s fiscal power

Then, during the July 8 council meeting, the topic came up twice, first as an update near the start of the meeting and again during public comment.

Chesser asked if Burton wanted to give the update and explain the RDC component.  

“We just turned it over to the redevelopment committee. By state guidelines, it’s best that we let them take care of the transfer of the property, that way if there’s any difference in values it goes into more of a redevelopment or economic development for the county,” Burton said. “We’re doing it the legal way, and we’re doing it the right way.”

He added that the environmental study will be pursued during this process as well.

“We obviously don’t want to do a transfer of property and find out that we have an issue,” he said.

Councilman Anton Neff asked several questions to clarify the timeline and specifically that the council would not have any vote on this land purchase. Councilman Andy Wood also asked if the “goal post” was being moved away from the 30 acres, and Burton said that the full 30 acres isn’t buildable.

Later, during the public comment portion of the meeting, former sheriff and currently unopposed Republican commissioner nominee Sam Hobbs asked several questions relating to the project.

“I kind of get the sense that this board change was in relation to something that happened. I don't think it happened on a whim. I kind of get the feeling that this whole circumvention of the council thing happened because there was something they wanted done and didn't want brought back here which looks like it worked out,” Wood said.

He noted that any county purchase goes through the council.

“I’m just seeing lots of things that undermine processes in order to get a desired result, and I don’t like it,” he said.

Neff noted, “There’s still the potential for a loss.”

He reiterated that the desire across the board was to have zero cost related to the site of the jail so more money could be put into the building of the facility. The first best option financially was to build upon land already owned by the county. The second best option, he noted, was to do an even land swap.

“Whether that’s an equitable swap is yet to be determined and whether that is exactly what we want to end up doing may or may not come to a vote,” Neff said of the council.

Councilman Nick Robertson also criticized the process.

“It seems like some of the truth is being withheld from us, and here we are to make some decisions. We control the purse strings. How can we make good decisions to protect the public if we’re not given good facts?” he asked before adding, “This bothers me.”

He pointed out that the initial agreement was that the trade would be for 30 acres.

“We can’t see an estimate? We can’t see appraisals? This is a farce,” he said.

RDC accepts property, attorney advises appraisals not for public

The jail project proportion of the July 11 RDC meeting started with Dustin Meeks, an associate attorney with Barnes and Thornburg.

“The reason to do that is the redevelopment commission has the ability to dispose of property using more simplified procedures than the county does,” Meeks said.

He explained the two resolutions. The first authorizes the RDC to acquire the property from the commissioners, and the second ratifies the receipt of the appraisals for the properties.

Kerr said that there would be a public hearing that will occur as part of the process, likely in September.

Chesser asked if the appraisals would be made available for the public to view.

“Both of the statutes, 36-7–14-19 and 36-7-14-22 provide that the appraisal documents are only for the review and information of the redevelopment commission, so those documents are not public records,” Meeks said.

Chesser asked what the purpose was behind those state statutes.

“The reason that the general assembly has provided this particular requirement around appraisals is that… the redevelopment commission exists as a more flexible tool for local units of government to engage in economic development transactions, And that often requires negotiation with third parties,” Meeks said. “The statute is structured to avoid a situation where the redevelopment commission is not able to engage in negotiations because the information that they give you creates a kind of information inequality between the negotiating parties, who then engage in negotiations with a third party or acquiring property from. So here, where, the redevelopment commission is going to acquire a piece of property, it would be disadvantageous, for example, for the owner of that property, to have a copy of appraisals that you have, to know what the true value of that property might be.”

Except, Burton already requested a printed copy of the appraisals for that property owner, Franklin.

Coffman asked if it could become public afterward.

Meeks said the term sheet, which would be set by the value of the county-owned property would be made public because there would be a 30-day period in which anyone could put in an offer in conformance with the term sheet to purchase the 96 acres of county property.

Meeks said that there is no law against making those appraisals public.

“It’s just that statutorily they’re designed to not be public records documents themselves for the strategic reasons that the redevelopment commission is engaged, generally in a property transaction related to those appraisals,” he said.

“The whole purpose of this confidentiality is to protect our entity when we’re in the negotiation process,” Coffman said.  

He said he wanted transparency afterward.

“Certainly after the consummation of the transaction, when there isn’t the possibility of that information being public would damage your negotiating position, there wouldn’t be any reason why you couldn’t publish those documents. It would just be potentially disadvantageous. And the General Assembly has provided the ability to not disclose that information to avoid that disadvantage,” Meeks said.

Coffman then opened the meeting to public comment.

“There’s gonna be a lot of unanswered questions at this point, but I am interested in your concerns so we can weigh those as a body,” he said. “We’ll be glad to be transparent about it when we’re allowed to.”

Hobbs asked if the RDC could legally share the appraisals if they wanted to.

“The statute provides that the documents are for the redevelopment commission’s information and not for public distribution,” Meeks said. “The statute doesn’t provide a penalty for the distribution of those.”

“I’m on board with this transfer, and I feel like it is absolutely in the best interest of the county. I’m not on board with not having appraisals being public. I want this to be totally, totally transparent,” Chesser said. “I’ve told multiple people that come to this meeting, it is going to be made public what the appraisals are and you’ll see that it’s not that far apart, and now that we can’t even do that, I can’t, that upsets me.”

Coffman noted that if the RDC thinks that the appraisals are too far apart, the RDC could decide to not move forward with the swap.

“I just want to touch base on the county's aspect with this,” Burton said. “We're trying to transfer a piece of property that we’ve had in our possession for over 50 years with no tax monies coming in on 96 acres. Zero dollars with the liability of a landfill, transferring that piece of property that can be used for a forest farm, tree farm, whatever for a usable piece of property with the infrastructure that we need, at no dollars, all we’re gaining is property tax on the backside of that.”

Burton could not answer how much the county would gain in property taxes.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources offers a property tax incentive to landowners who agree to manage their land for timber, wildlife habitation and water quality through their CLassified Forest and Wildlands Program.

DNR provides the following explanation and example, “The enrollment in the program reduces that assessed value for tax purposes to $1 per acre. Taxes are then calculated based on that assessment: $1 x number of acres x tax rate. For a 40-acre tract at a two percent tax rate, the taxes would be $0.80 (landowner would receive minimum tax bill of $5).”

Councilwoman Amy Casebeer was present at the RDC meeting and asked about the timber on the county-owned land.

“My concern is Amy, if we market that timber and cut that timber, that is the only reason anybody would buy this property that I can tell,” Chesser said.

Casebeer asked if the timber value was included in the appraisal, to which Burton said it was not.

Sheriff Ryan White noted that to build at the current jail site, it would cost between $1.8 and $2.4 million to house the county’s inmates elsewhere and that the site doesn’t allow for additional growth should it be needed as the population grows in the future, placing the county in the same predicament in the future.

“Why would we spend that much taxpayer money building two jails when we can build one jail, get what we need and have the room for future expansion if that is needed? We will shoot ourselves in the foot if we build on that property,” White said.

Both resolutions were approved unanimously, 4-0, by the RDC. Morgan was not present for the meeting.

The commissioners moved forward with their identical resolution during their July 17 meeting.

Authorities with the Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), with assistance from the Bloomington Police Department (BPD), have arrested and charged 25-year-old Quentin Porter, Jr. of Bloomington in connection with the murder of Malik Darea Sims.

The body of Sims was discovered off of Stephenson Road near the Owen-Monroe county line by a passerby on July 15.

An autopsy later revealed the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the head. The death was ruled a homicide by the examining pathologist.

Porter, who had been sought on an arrest warrant issued by the Owen County Circuit Court, faces charges of murder and auto theft in connection with the death of Sims.

Authorities have not said what they believe may have led to the shooting.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, at approximately 2:21p.m. on July 15 deputies from the OCSD responded to a location on Stephenson Road regarding an unresponsive male discovered by a passerby. Owen County Emergency Medical Services personnel also responded and upon arrival, a black male was located and determined to be deceased.

The deceased male was reportedly found approximately 20 feet north of the gravel roadway, wearing red gym shorts, a white tank top, no shoes, and had a black plastic bag pulled over his head. Evidence technicians also found suspected blood and glass fragments.

While on the scene, authorities reported that an individual appeared and said he and Sims share their location with one another through "Find My iPhone," and Sims' last known location through this feature was in immediate proximity of where the crime scene had been established. Authorities noted that individual indicated this location stayed constant as Sims' location for over the past 20 hours, indicating Sims had been in that location since the afternoon of Sunday, July 14.

Law enforcement was able to preliminarily identify the deceased black male as Sims, 23, of Bloomington.

Authorities further noted that a second male subject, who was found to be a long-time friend and a current roommate of Sims, arrived at approximately 5:25 p.m. from the west end of the established crime scene. According to the probable cause affidavit, that individual stated the last time that he saw Sims was on Sunday, July 14, at approximately 1:00 p.m. Later in the investigation the roommate stated he was leaving the apartment and saw Sims after 2:00 p.m. on their front porch with another male that he knew as Quentin Porter, Jr., aka "QP."

A person who was later identified as the girlfriend of Sims provided detectives with information that she received a Snapchat message from Sims on July 14 at 3:15 p.m., according to the probable cause affidavit. This message thread was later viewed from Sims’ Snapchat account. In this message the Snapchat account identified as belonging to Sims stated, "Be this ni**a QP got me going through some bulls***."

The investigation led authorities to determine that Sims had a gray 2012 Audi A4 registered in his name. The registration for this vehicle was searched through Flock Safety, a system of solar-powered cameras that utilize license plate and vehicle recognition technology and real-time alerts, throughout the investigation. The results of these searches identified a dark colored Audi bearing the same registration traveling northeast near The Village at Muller Park on South Muller Parkway on Sunday, July 14, at 5:41p.m. in Bloomington.

The searches using Flock Safety then identified the same vehicle at the intersection of State Road 46 and Stinesville Road in Monroe County at 6:24 p.m. on July 14. Authorities say the next time this vehicle is seen by cameras is at 10:43 p.m. on July 14, traveling northbound at the intersection of South Harding Street and W. Troy Avenue in Indianapolis. The same Audi is then seen on camera at the eastbound exit ramp of Interstate 70 to North Post Road at 11:11 p.m.

Sims' vehicle was later located on the evening of July 16, according to the probable cause affidavit, on the northeast side of Indianapolis, parked outside of an address registered to the grandmother of Quentin Porter. On the evening of July 16, law enforcement officers served a search warrant at the grandmother’s residence to search for evidence related to this crime. Porter was not found at the location during the execution of the search warrant.

During that search, the probable cause affidavit indicates the grandmother and other family members all stated that Porter arrived at approximately 11 p.m. on July 14. He reportedly arrived alone and was driving the Audi A4 that belonged to Sims. Authorities reportedly asked Porter if the vehicle was his and he responded vaguely that, "it was going to be his."

The vehicle was processed on the morning of July 17 by evidence technicians with the Indiana State Police (ISP). During the search of the vehicle, evidence technicians with the ISP stated a large amount of blood was found inside the vehicle. There were also signs of an attempted clean-up of the blood based upon traces of bleach found and areas on the interior that had been spray painted. There were also seat covers placed over the car seats, likely to conceal or cover the blood.

An evidence technician from the ISP also located a purchase receipt from O'Reilly Auto Parts dated July 15, at 10:22 a.m. which showed the purchase of seat covers and duct tape. The receipt from O'Reilly Auto Parts contained the last four digits of the credit card used to make the purchase. These items were reportedly found inside of Sims' vehicle at the time of the search by ISP and also observed inside the Audi A4 prior to the recovery on the date the vehicle was located. O'Reilly Auto Parts was contacted, and an employee viewed the surveillance video and confirmed that a single black male entered the O'Reilly Auto Parts and conducted the purchase. Photographs of the black male completing this transaction at O'Reilly Auto Parts matched a known photograph of Porter.

The probable cause affidavit further reveals that on July 17, at approximately 9:00 p.m., an individual called JL Transport Towing and Recovery in Bloomington. The person stated that their car needed to be towed from the grandmother’s address in Indianapolis to either Midas or Firestone in Bloomington. This person stated the vehicle that needed to be towed was a 2012 or 2013 Audi and paid $400 in advance and the payment was made with a credit card identified as the same credit card that was used to purchase the seat covers at O'Reilly Auto Parts for Sims' vehicle.

An initial hearing in the case was held in Owen Circuit Court on July 25, where a not guilty plea was entered on Porter’s behalf. Jacob Fish was appointed as his public defender. Pre-trial conference dates are set for Sept. 5 and Dec. 13, and a jury trial is slated to begin on Jan. 21, 2025.

“This is an example of what law enforcement can do when we work together,” Owen County Sheriff Ryan White said. “All the agencies involved have worked endlessly since we first received the call on July 15th. We put our resources together in one cohesive effort to bring justice for Malik. I cannot thank our partner agencies enough for their assistance with this case. We may not be a large agency with many resources, but we know we are never alone. Agencies like Bloomington Police Department, Indiana State Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, and the Indiana Conservation Officers are always willing to lend a hand to serve the people of our community, and we are always willing to do the same for them.”

Detectives with the OCSD were assisted in the investigation by Indiana State Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the BPD.

Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim issued a reminder that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Static, muffled, choppy voices speaking barely intelligible codes is the current fire radio system in Owen County.

The fire radio system is analog, but new Owen County 911-Communications Director Cherie Anderson has plans to improve it by changing it to digital signals, a signal that makes the voices as clear as water.

A system the Owen County police departments already have.

First, Anderson asked the commissioners to approve the rescinding on the Ritter Strategic Services (RSS) contract, a contract originally signed in February. After starting in March, looking over it, she feels the work can be done without RSS, which could potentially save the county $55,000.

The attorney found no issue with the request, stating that since there was not a meeting of minds, a meeting where both parties are present and can discuss the terms and conditions of a contract, then the contract wasn't valid.

The commissioners approved rescinding the contract unanimously, 3-0.

Moving on, Anderson brought up the vendor request proposal for the radio tower project. Currently, there are no bids, but Anderson is working on creating a proposal to send to vendors. Once she receives bids, the due date being June 24, Anderson plans to have the 911 Advisory Board hear them in a public meeting June 26.

The commissioners approved the sending of the proposals.

"I'm kind of hitting the ground running with this, because I would like to see the entire system installed and in place by potentially late fall," Anderson said.

Though there is not an official cost for the project, the Owen County Council, in a previous meeting, estimated the project to be around $500,000.

To help fund the project, the county council proposed using the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund. The commissioners approved the council's proposal.  

Gary Burton, president of the board of commissioners, said $350,000 from the ARPA fund would be an appropriate amount, with the balance being taken care of by the county council. The commissioners approved the amount from the fund.

When it comes to ARPA funds, both commissioners and county council members must approve the expenditure. Commissioners are tasked with the planning and proposal, while the council is responsible for the expenditure itself.  

"This is important money to be spent for a very important project," Burton said.  

While the radio project is still being planned and finalized, Anderson also brought up the state of the towers and discussed tower maintenance.

Anderson visited the four fire radio tower sites — Freedom, Hoosier Energy, Ponderosa Road and Patricksburg Community Volunteer Fire Department — along with the backup tower on Rocky Hill Road. She stated these sites "needed extensive construction work" on the buildings that house the radio equipment.

She described the Freedom site being a dilapidated building with gravel flooring as well as having a mouse problem. The Rocky Hill Road site was described as having water damage.

Burton said the roof of the Rocky Hill Road site had been repaired, and Anderson noted that though there was no standing water, the damage was still visible on the ceiling tiles and the floor was “spongy.”

"The problem with that is we have one maintenance guy. So he needs two or three other hands to get some of this stuff done, so we have to hire out," Burton said. "I agree with everything you're saying. Cherie (Anderson) this stuff needs to be dealt with and fixed immediately."

He recommended Anderson to send these issues to the maintenance department, as well as discussing with maintenance the possibility of hiring out to get the towers repaired.

Anderson asked if it would be possible to transfer the $55,000 that was saved from canceling the RSS contract to use on the towers before installing the new digital equipment.

Burton said it would be fine to transfer the ARPA funds towards maintenance, and Anderson said she would come back with quotes pertaining to the maintenance of the towers.

The discussion for the fire tower radio project continued during the June 10 county council meeting.

Anderson brought up the ending of the RSS Ritter contract, and proposed that moving forward she'd organize a committee for the project — made up of members who would use the frequency — to hear the vendor proposals and bids, while having a public meeting to hear the proposals.

"My recommendation is that we don't (select) the lowest bidder, that we hear the vendors out and hear each of their proposals," Anderson said.

County council member Anton Neff asked if Anderson would seek out more professional help, like how the Ritter contract was intended. He cited the last time a radio project was done, it was vendor-driven, and he wanted to make sure past mistakes weren't repeated.

County council president Polly Chesser said the previous project resulted in the vendor leaving the radios worse than what they were originally.

Anderson responded, saying that there will be assurances built in throughout the process. She said the vendor wouldn't be paid the full amount unless the system was at least 85-percent better than it was.

The council encouraged Anderson to form the Radio Fire Tower Project committee as soon as possible, but to review ideas and proposals before the public meeting idea. Neff also suggested opening the committee to be a bit broader and having law enforcement and emergency management agency voices included, instead of strictly those using the fire tower frequencies.

Anderson also brought forward the maintenance issues of the towers again. She said in the meeting she was working on bids for the cost to fix the existing structures or creating new structures.

The goal is to have temperature controlled, secure spaces for the radio equipment to be housed. She wants to protect the investment in the new fire frequency by upgrading the security of the equipment and potentially having more cameras and/or installing alarm systems.

Since the county doesn't own the land the towers are built on, except for the one at the Particksburg Community VFD, but, instead, lease the land, the council told Anderson to look into the leases, which she'll provide more information about at the next meeting.

"The main reason for this, going all the way back to the main reason, is there are many scenes where there's zero communication with dispatch," county council member Steve Carrell said. Carrell is also a firefighter with the Cataract Volunteer Fire Department. "We just cannot talk to anyone. There is no communication. We're trying to get through, nothing happens. We literally have to send somebody either up a hill in a vehicle to call or we pick up our cell phone."

Anderson said the anticipated date to have the new digital radio system in place is by the end of fall to early December.

With the foundation of the current jail crumbling and sinking while construction costs rise, Owen County is looking for a location to build a new jail, and soon.

The concern is that failure to do so could lead to a lawsuit that would bankrupt the county while forcing them to the same result — building a new jail.

The location of the current jail will be within the flood plain and size could not accommodate the four-acre facility planned to bring it up to code. The county specifically purchased storage units on an adjacent property to the current jail when they were for sale with the intention of building the new jail there.

Furthermore, bringing sewer services to the county-owned property on State Road 43 has been estimated to cost $9 million, which would be almost a third of the $26 million that the county council has determined the county can afford.

In order to cut out the cost of purchasing additional land, in a joint council and commissioners meeting in April, it was proposed that the county trade part of the land, including the former county landfill, for part of the property in and around the quarry currently owned by Brett Franklin, owner of Tri-State Timber, LLC. In that meeting, it was proposed that the county trade between 90 and 107 acres for 30 acres owned by Franklin.

Throughout the month of June, the acreage the county would receive in the deal has shrunk to just under 10 acres.

And to circumvent potentially losing the deal due to a difference in the appraisals and to allow for more flexibility in considering value beyond the appraisal the commissioners are looking to use the County Redevelopment Commission (RDC) as a passthrough for the property exchange.

“'I’ve had conversations and looked all over this town and county for property to build a jail, which is a huge concern and issue right now. I’ve toured so many jails in the last six or seven years, I don’t care if I ever see another one,” commissioner Gary Burton, who also sits on the RDC, said at their meeting on June 29. “We’ve been turned down in every direction that we possibly went.”

He continued.

“A lot of people might have thought I was crazy with the idea of 96 acres for 10, but that property out here that we’re talking about is non-buildable. It’s hills, hollers and has a five-acre old landfill on it that is limited to what can happen there. It’s the only flat piece on the whole property. The rest of it’s all for beans.”

He said the property “would make a good timber farm.”

Burton also said that the 9.64 acres they are looking to receive from Franklin is the only buildable land, and that the rest of it goes back into the quarry and is used for a log yard.

Burton continued advocating for the 9.64 acres.

“It gives the county room for growth for other buildings if need be,” he said.

He added that the commissioners entered into an agreement with Elevatus Architecture firm.

“This particular structure has to sit on, at least, four acres of property, just the building itself,” Burton said.

He then described some of the legal challenges, including two sets of appraisals from two different companies.

He said he contacted Rich Figg of Figg Appraisal Group and Jeffrey Goldin of Goldin Appraisal Group, both out of Monroe County, because there is not anyone in Owen County that “does those types of values.”

“I asked him to get them as close as they possibly could, and say that honestly. Help us get this as close as possible; one has infrastructure, one doesn’t,” Burton said.

He said that they ran into a wall and asked county attorney Dana Kerr to present more.

Kerr said he spoke to someone from the Indiana Association of Counties regarding the matter.

“If the appraisal for the property the county wants is more than the other property, then the county can trade that property plus the extra money, but there is no provision to get that property if what [the county is] giving up is worth more than the property they’re getting by appraisal,” Kerr said.

But the RDC is able to do so.

“Those appraisals should be requested by the RDC because since they could be off, it would be very difficult for the county to just get the property or to buy the property,” Kerr said.

Kerr suggested the county sell the property, but noted that they seem to like the idea of a property swap.

“We could go either way with that Dana. But I think we're all in agreeance with the council and our special meeting. If we can get this done with zero dollars, that was our hope,” Burton said. “Because what we’re finding is the county property, because of the amount of it is going to be worth a little but more than the roughly 10 acres that we’re looking at out here.”

Burton said that the property owner was not going to pay the difference because that was not part of the proposed deal. He also said that county council president Polly Chesser, who also sits on the RDC, had previously asked if there was more land that Franklin could add to help even out the appraised values.

“There’s just nothing there that is buildable on that site,” Burton said of the surrounding acreage owned by Franklin.

Kerr said that the appraisals would have to be requested by the RDC.

“Owen County can give the RCS that 97 acres … and then this RDC can enter into an agreement with the other property owner,” Kerr said. “The RDC has to have the appraisals, but it doesn’t matter what they say as long as the RDC takes into consideration what those appraisals are, because the RDC could say ‘look, we need a jail, we need a jail site, so that makes that property worth more to us,’ so even if the other property appraises for more, it doesn’t matter. You can still just swap the property.”

The RDC would then give the property back to the county.

“So basically you’re saying that the RDC has an ability to smooth out any differences of the appraisal based on the perception of what the county needs and the value we see in the properties, as opposed to the current situation, with [which] the county does not allow for that,” Craig Coffman, president of the RDC said.

“The land value to us is so much more important for what we’re trying to get accomplished, regardless of what that’s worth out there,” Burton said in the affirmative.

Burton said that the difference is not millions of dollars and that the appraisals are a lot closer than that.

“But there’s enough difference that it can cause scrutiny, I guess. But this way it is more important that we have a site to have future growth because right now we’re landlocked,” Burton said, referring to the current jail placement.

Coffman noted that as a certified public accountant (CPA) he knows that valuations are subjective and that it doesn't account for the location or utility access.

“It sounds like in our hands, we have the ability as a condition to work that out,” he said, adding that it sounds like it is in the best interest of the county.

“It absolutely is,” Burton affirmed, adding that it means the money not spent to purchase land can be used on building the jail.

The commissioners agreed to get blueprints for a $25 million jail, with $20 million for the jail structure itself and $5 million for soft costs.

“If we don't have to spend a dime out of our coffers in any way, shape or form to make this transaction, that's what it's all about,” Burton said.

Kerr said that the first step would be for the RDC to adopt a resolution authorizing/ratifying obtaining appraisals for both properties and a resolution approving the acquisition of the county property. The timeline for this is on or before July 17 when the commissioners meet again.

Burton had appraisals in sealed envelopes that he had not opened yet.

He also said the RDC could keep the property until the jail was built on it.

Chesser brought up ensuring that it passes the environmental study before purchasing or trading for the property.

“If we get this process started, Polly, I don’t see a reason why we can’t go ahead and do a test on that site. I mean, this is going to take a couple of months,” Burton said. “I want to say this to everybody here, other than Polly and I, I think that her and myself are in agreeance that this is the site, this is the place that it needs to happen, and we’re ready to move forward. So I know this seems like a process, but it’s the legal way to do it by the State of Indiana.”

“That’s why it’s really important to me to make sure we have all our ducks in a row,” Chesser said.

Burton stressed the importance of the project.

“But this is very, very important for the growth future of Owen County, and this jail project has been on tap for long before I got here. So it’s time to move forward. We came up with a plan. We’ve got a dollar amount. We’ve got a company. We’re ready to move forward,” he said.

Bobby Hall, who also serves on the RDC, clarified that the RDC would serve as the “handler of the business end of it all.” He noted that it is a standard process and that the Town of Spencer is doing the same thing with their sewer project at McCormick’s Creek State Park.

Kerr said that the RDC’s role is to help develop the county, and they can use that as a very significant factor in deciding what they can do. He too said the county could not rebuild on the current jail site, and Chesser said that it likely would not pass the environmental study.

Burton said that visitors likely wouldn’t know that it is a correctional facility from the road if it were not for the signage.

“It’s a very nice looking building,” he said.

Kerr said that with this design inmates, who are entitled to a certain number of hours of sunlight per day, will no longer need the old-style yards. Instead, as a two-story facility, the windows at the ceiling satisfy the requirements.

Burton said another bonus is the war room, of sorts, with a meeting room that he estimates as three times the size of the commissioners’ room in the courthouse.  

“That’s something that we don't have that was a big selling point for me is to make sure that was about to happen because the jails that we’ve toured, a couple of them had that,” Burton said.

Derek Morgan, president of the Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees and an ex-officio member of the RDC, asked about the public response so far.

“I can assure you, Derek, from our meetings as a joint session, everybody was on board with the land swap. This room was full, and there wasn’t one [member of the] public against it,” Burton said.

The proposed land swap in that meeting was that the county would receive 30 acres.

The group said that the only risk to the RDC was the cost of appraisals which Burton said the commissioners would reimburse the RDC for.

“I can tell you from the county standpoint, you’re our last hope, or this commission is, I’ll put it that way. Without spending any money, I shouldn't have said it that way. We can always say, ‘Yeah, we’ll pay the difference,’ or ‘We’ll just buy the property.’ We are just trying to save our reserves,” he said.

Hall moved that they move forward with the proposal and not have any commitments set in stone yet. Burton seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The landfill opened in 1959 and closed in 1983. Burton said five of the acres are the landfill and that per the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), the top layer cannot be disturbed. He said that the obligations of that site transfer to the new property owner and Franklin is aware of them.

Criticism of the commissioners’ decision to move forward with the Elevatus contract was also a point of discussion at the June 10 county council meeting.

Chesser gave an update that the group met and went to see an Elevatus jail in Missouri that was almost complete. At that meeting, which preceded the RDC meeting, she asked for an update on the appraisals since Burton was at the council meeting.

“In our commissioner meeting [on June 5], fellow commissioners agreed to go ahead with the contract agreement with Elevatus that was finalized today (June 10),” Burton said.

“I do know that I’ve had a fellow councilman and then some others that were concerned about not putting [the Elevatus contract] up for bids. Is that something that is not usually done in something like that?” Chesser asked.

“Architects are not normally put up for bid,” Burton said.

Councilman Nick Robertson asked if the commissioners could have saved money by bidding it out.

“You don’t normally put architect bids out to bid,” Burton said. “You pick the company that you like the design.”

Burton said that the county had potential plans from RQAW Corporation from Fishers, Indiana that placed the project at $23 million and were a few years old.

Robertson continued to ask a question but was interrupted before he could finish.

“But we want to use…” Robertson said before Burton interrupted him, “The new sheriff and Polly and I have been on several tours and felt this was the best for the county because it comes with a large conference room. It’s a decision of the commissioners.”

Robertson wondered if RQAW could have had different plans and included that conference room in an updated proposal. Burton said it wasn’t part of their design and that it was different. He also blamed RQAW for $200,000 spent repairing things that were a design fault on the new Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) building.

Sam Hobbs, who is both former sheriff and the Republican nominee for Commissioner District 2, asked questions about the decision from the commissioners.

“We had a joint session between the commissioners and council, and Joel Lowe, who is not here, said that the drawings would go out to bid,” Hobbs said.

He asked why RQAW did not have a chance to bid on the project. He also asked how the commissioners could approve a contract that wasn’t finished yet.

Councilman Anton Neff clarified that the commissioners did not send the architecture contract to bid because it is a professional service, but ensured that they would have a bidding process for the construction of the jail.

“Just of the size and nature of the project, and the fact that the public is watching very closely over this project, I think maybe there is a miscalculation there,” Neff said of the commissioners’ decision to sign the Elevatus contract without bids. “It would have been wise to maybe reach out a little bit broader just for the effort to make sure there weren’t other firms that could offer their option.”

Burton said there are three firms in the state and that the other firms could not get within the county’s budget.

“Don’t get me wrong. That’s great, but I think just making some kind of effort would have been a good thing from a public standpoint,” Neff said.

“It was discussed in a commissioners meeting. It was public, and it’s on YouTube. It’s done, and it’s been voted on. I can’t go back and fix that,” Burton said.

“I know. I just think it’s unfortunate. That’s just my opinion. I think that it was clear at the work session a while back that we wanted to be, basically in an effort to be open and transparent, and those were some things that we wanted to see. And I think that for folks that follow back up on this meeting or read about it, there’s going to be a lot of folks that are not particularly happy with the way this happened,” Neff said. “I think that’s an error on our part, the county’s part in not doing that step. And yet it might have taken a little extra time, but to have those companies come in and speak would have probably been a wise idea, and it’s done now.”

Burton said that they had RQAW’s designs at the joining meeting in November 2023.

Neff pointed out that it was based on older design and things have changed through their discussion since then.

“We felt that we were saving the taxpayers quite a bit of money,” Burton said.

“On paper it may appear that way, but I think there’s a lot of moving parts,” Neff said. “It’s a bit complicated to make that connection, in my opinion, but I hope that moving forward, when we get to construction and other aspects of the project, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure people have a fair shake at this. And we can help ourselves keep the costs low as well.”

“That’s state law,” Burton interrupted.

“I know,” Neff continued, “but also make sure that we’re doing good for the public, to know what we’re doing and why we’re doing things the way we are.”

The RDC will meet at 2 p.m. July 11 to consider the necessary resolutions for the jail site acquisition. The full timeline of the proposal approved by the RDC can be found online.

Wood panels lined with Owen County history, donated decorations and reused booths make up the new family restaurant in Spencer, Indiana along State Road 46.

For Jenifer McCart and Andrea Davis a sense of family is important, and that's what they aim to bring to Owen County in their new restaurant, Busy Bee Cafe.

The two cousin owners, after working together at Crossroads 46 Diner, started their family-owned restaurant, opening it March 27.

The cafe stemmed from McCart's desire to start her own food truck, and when Davis learned of McCart's idea, she decided to join in. As other servers heard of the idea, McCart and Davis decided to think bigger and own a restaurant instead.

At the restaurant they employ friends and family, but their family sentiment spreads to their customers.

"I just purely care about the customers," Davis said. "Another main reason why we did this is because we want to be able to give to the low income side of this community."

McCart added it's important to have affordable meals that are quality and aren't frozen and processed. Busy Bee provides homemade meals along with having local ingredients.

For both McCart and Davis, it's important to give back to their community, using all of their resources they have in their arsenal to help.

Davis said they aren't "trying to be billionaires," but they enjoy seeing their customers come in and then "leave with a smile on their face and a full belly," said McCart.

Recently, the two set up a program to give veterans discounts at the restaurant.

This desire to have a family connection in their restaurant comes from their history in Owen County and their time at Crossroads.

The sense of community and family has spread to the design of Busy Bee as well with donated decorations, furniture, and local history decorating the walls.

There's a mix of family photos and photos from the Owen County Public Library's archives along the walls. Davis hopes to cover the walls with photos and decorations.

To Davis, who was in charge of decorating the cafe, history is important to her. To her, it's important to show where she comes from as well as bringing nostalgia into the cafe.

She also feels that the history on the walls reflects what Busy Bee stands for and what a community can be.

"Community is a team and everybody has to look out for each other," Davis said. "With everything in the economy, in the world, and how hard everything is and everybody's just trying to make it. We have to look out for our own and make sure that we're putting it back into the schools, putting it back into our own places and our own people here."

For Davis and McCart, community is the passion behind the restaurant and what started it. The nicknames they've given their customers and local veterans is a backbone of what the restaurant is.

"We have nicknames for all of our customers and our vets that come in that have no place to go for Thanksgiving, and we truly care about them," Davis said.

This care has extended to McCart inviting some veterans to her own Thanksgiving.

"I grew up poor in certain times of my life and couldn't afford certain things," Davis said. "So, it's like when I know that a lot of this community does struggle, but I want them to be able to come in, talk to your server, have a conversation because sometimes they will come in twice a day and you're only open from 6 [a.m.] to 3 p.m., and they want to come in twice a day just to be able to talk to somebody, and so that's where the girls and the service, I mean, that's the whole point of having the servers to be able to have that relationship with them rather than just going to fast food getting what you need."

The name, Busy Bee, comes from a mix of things. It started from McCart's bee tattoos Davis liked, as well as the saying "busy bees." A saying the two cousins relate to as they've worked in the food industry.

"We were servers nine months ago or however long ago, and running through the aisles and what we are," Davis said. "We're constantly looking like bees running around."

Taking the name, a theme of black and yellow was made with foods incorporating the words honeycomb, hive, and bumblebee.

In the future, Busy Bee hopes to expand their business hours. Currently, the restaurant is open from 6 a.m to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday and 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday. They plan to stay open later on Thursdays and Saturdays, along with the current Friday time.  

Along with extended hours, they hope to utilize their stage area and have local bands perform as well as potentially having karaoke nights for children. Those are just some of the ideas the two have, but to them, their space provides endless possibilities.

With coffee and the community as their source of motivation, Davis and McCart are focused on growth.

Members of the community gathered around the statue of “The Spirit of the American Doughboy,” located on the Owen County Courthouse lawn at 11 a.m. for Memorial Day.

Many different organizations were involved with the Memorial Day service, such as the Owen County Honor Guard, the Spencer American Legion Post 285 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1405.

John Bailey, commander of Post 285, announced the event, going through the history of the day as well as recognizing and thanking veterans and Gold Star families in attendance.

The ceremony opened with the lowering of the flag by George Crites, first vice commander of Post 285, and Mitchell Muse, Post 285 second vice commander. The opening prayer was led by Mike Harvey, Post 285 adjutant. 

In his prayer he asked for remembrance to all the veterans who lost their lives in and out of combat. 

“They did a great service and they would give their lives for this country, which is so important to us,” Harvey said.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Cassey Murphy, president of the Auxiliary Unit of Post 285. Bill White, VFW Auxiliary Post 1405 president, sang the National Anthem. 

Guest Speaker Lt. Col. Russell Callaway, retired United States Air Force and senior aerospace instructor for the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) at Owen Valley High School, spoke on his experience in the military and of loss.

“Unfortunately, most of us who spend time on active duty have lost a coworker, a friend, or even, if they served in active duty, lost a loved one,” Callaway said. “It's difficult, right? But we pay respects to those that we've lost, but it's the families too, that bear that burden for the rest of their lives.” 

In his speech, Callaway talked about one of his first experiences with the death of another service member. In Germany, around 2003, F-16 fighter pilot Luke Johnson got disoriented in fog and crashed his plane. Callaway, at the time, was a first Lieutenant, meaning he was in charge of getting the personal effects and giving them to Johnson’s spouse.

“[Presenting the effects] was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life, and to this day, I don't think she's remarried,” he said.  “He was the one, that was it.”

After his speech, Callaway announced the Owen County Honor Guard’s 21-gun salute, which mimics the highest honor given in the military and is done at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.  

Another tradition of Memorial Day was the placing of the wreaths, done by Murphy, Muse, VFW Post 1405 Auxiliary President Laura Goldman and Joe Goldman, the former Owen County veterans service officer. Followed by the playing of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes by Marine Corps veteran Bobby Easley, the nephew of Bailey. 

The service closed with Warren Havenor’s of the VFW Post 1405 closing prayer. After the conclusion of the ceremony, Bailey encouraged the gathering to go to the Veterans Memorial Bridge to honor the lives lost in the U.S. Navy as well as the noon ceremony at the Soldiers Memorial Pavilion in Riverside Cemetery. 

Elizabeth “Bizzy” Stevens' three-year-old daughter will never remember what it was like to be held by her mother. 

“You and you alone stole the opportunity from this little girl,” Stevens’ grandmother, Linda Wood, said of her great-granddaughter. “She will not remember her mom’s touch.”

When the young child wants to give her mom a hug, she goes to Chambersville Cemetery to hug the only thing she can – Stevens’ headstone. 

“To [her], Biz is a picture,” Julie Feguson, Stevens’ mother, said during her victim impact statement as part of the nearly two-hour sentencing hearing held last week. 

Stevens was found dead with a gunshot wound to the back of the head on Texas Pike on Sept. 14, 2021. On April 24th of this year, an Owen County jury found 39-year-old Jay White guilty of murder and obstruction of justice. 

Approximately 30 individuals were present at the sentencing hearing. 

At the start, Prosecutor Ben Kim and defense attorney Megan Schueler were summoned into the chambers of Special Judge from Monroe County, Darcie Fawcett. The day before, Schueler filed a motion for the court to vacate the guilty verdict and a motion for a directed verdict. Vacating the verdict would void the determination made by the jury, and a directed verdict is one in which the judge rules that there is legally not enough evidence for a reasonable jury to reach a different conclusion. 

Before the sentencing proceedings could begin, Fawcett denied both motions. 

Schuler argued that Stevens' death would have been impossible to achieve from the front seat to the back seat as the prosecution suggested and was corroborated by testimony from Tyler Byers.

“His entire testimony was incredibly dubious,” Schuler said. 

Schuler also argued that White believed he had to agree to the polygraph, which he failed, in order to speak to police. 

She asked for the verdict to be overturned or for a new trial to be granted.

Kim argued that they would be rearguing the evidence and that it is within a jury’s right to choose which evidence to believe or give weight to. 

Fawcett noted that neither expert definitively said how close or how far away the gun was fired or the path of the exit. 

“I do believe [the verdict] was supported by the evidence,” Fawcett said. 

The court then moved into the sentencing hearing. 

Ferguson was the first to take the stand. She said that on Sept. 15, 2021, White’s sister sent her a message around noon saying that Stevens was missing. Later that afternoon, she found out that a body was found on Texas Pike. 

“I had a sickening feeling in my stomach,” she said.

And at 5:02 p.m., she received the call confirming what she feared – her daughter was dead. 

Ferguson admitted that her first thought was revenge. 

“You are the luckiest individual in this courtroom,” she said to White, adding that what stopped her was that she did not want her granddaughter to lose her too. 

Ferguson also submitted a separate written statement that was entered into evidence. 

Five photos were also entered into evidence including a photo depicting Stevens’ gravesite on Mother’s Day with her daughter hugging her gravestone.

She testified that Stevens’ daughter saw an image of the headstone on the front page of the May edition of The Owen News accompanying the story of White’s guilty verdict and said, “That’s mommy’s place.”

Among the photos was a photo of Stevens in her casket. 

“I kept praying to God that everyone was wrong and it wasn’t her,” Ferguson said. 

Another photo was taken Sept. 6, 2021 and is the last photo of Stevens with her daughter.

“She’ll have no recollection of this day ever,” Ferguson said of her granddaughter. 

Ferguson also testified that her granddaughter has said, “Gigi I want a real mommy.”

“How do you explain it to a three-year-old when I don’t understand it at 51?” Ferguson said. “Part of my mind is stuck on Sept. 15, 2021 at 5:02 p.m.”

She said she did not believe White to be remorseful and asked for the maximum sentence of 65 years for Stevens’ murder.

“His feet should never touch soil outside of a prison wall,” she said. 

James Wood then took the stand. He spoke about the business relationship that he had with White’s father, Bud White who owned a logging company. Wood owned a trucking company, and the two had done business together for nearly 30 years. Stevens was his youngest grandchild. 

“There’s always going to be an empty chair at our table on Christmas and New Year’s thanks to you,” James Wood said. “I don’t know what sentencing you’ll get, but in my mind, it’s not enough.”

His wife Linda Wood also took the stand, where she spoke of how Stevens’ daughter’s story is forever marred by her mother’s murder.

It was then Schuler’s chance to call witnesses to speak to White’s character. Chia Ruble, White’s sister-in-law was the first to take the stand. 

She spoke about White raising her sister Amber’s daughter as if the child was his own. 

Ruble also called White “upstanding” and “trustworthy,” despite acknowledging that he lied to police. She said it was because White trusted someone else to take care of it and said that he put himself in jeopardy for Byers. 

“His word is his bond,” Ruble said. 

Janet Lucas, White’s mother, also took the stand. 

She spoke of White’s childhood, noting that he would stand up for the underdogs. 

“Jay was a good kid,” she said, adding that he was a “country kid.”

Stevens wasn’t a stranger to her either.

“All my kids had a heart for Bizzy,” she said, later adding that “She kind of landed at our place.”

Lucas said that Bud White was hard on the boys and that he put them to work when they could legally drop out of school in the 10th grade. She said that both of her sons ended up the opposite, saying, “He’s just not violent.”

According to Lucas, White did not ever receive a driver's license and that he has some trouble reading. 

Finally, White’s wife Amber White took the stand. 

She spoke about how she and Jay met and she testified that she started nursing school one week after they got married. She said that while she was stressed about going to school and working full-time, Jay told her to quit work and that he would support their family. 

“He’s a very good dad,” Amber White said of her husband, adding that there were only three instances of corporal punishment between the two children in 17 years. 

Kim asked the court for a sentence of 60 years for the murder charge, and Schuler argued that the majority of White’s offenses in the past were centered around driving without a license. She also said that White responded well to probation in the past and that this is not a crime to likely happen again. She asked for mitigating factors to allow the court to go below the minimum sentencing of 45 years. 

Fawcett first addressed Ferguson, “You have the court’s sympathy.” She also added that all of the children impacted, both Stevens’ daughter and White’s two children, should receive professional support to understand what has happened. 

She also focused on the loss of a mother to a young child. 

“It’s plain and simple not measurable,” she said. 

While she did not consider it an “aggravator” in determining sentencing, Fawcett noted that White had contact with the court for a license violation just 34 days before Stevens’ murder. 

She also noted that while there is hardship on White’s dependents, she could not get to the point where it was classified as undue hardship. 

White was then sentenced to 60 years in the department of corrections, with five years suspended to probation on the murder charge. 

In count two, which was a level 6 felony for obstruction of justice, White was sentenced to 360 days in the department of corrections. 

Time served will also be applied. 

She also mandated that should White be released, he must check in with Owen County probation within 72 hours of his release. 

Fawcett noted that she would leave the appearance for Schuler who had 30 days to initiate an appeal on White’s behalf. 

White did not wish to make a statement to the court, and Schuler said she plans to file an appeal. 

Hannah Amos contributed to this article.

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Selfless, genuine, patient, loving, the epitome of good are just a few of the many words used to describe the late Lieutenant Colonel Carl “Dave” Allen who passed away recently following complications from a nearly six-year long battle with cancer. 

Allen’s legacy throughout the community includes starting the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program at Owen Valley High School (OVHS) and serving the community through The Exchange Club, Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) and on the Spencer-Owen Community Schools (S-OCS) school board. 

Allen served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years where he was in charge of bunker controlled nuclear codes. During his service, he was awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and the Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal. 

“Dave was part of the nuclear deterrent,” Darrell White, former CEO of the Owen County YMCA and friend of Allen, said. “I can’t think of anyone I would trust more to be in that position.”

White first met Allen at the YMCA, where he was an avid pickleball player, but they had the opportunity to get to know one another through The Exchange Club. 

It was after his retirement from the Air Force that Allen started the JROTC program.

Tom Wallace, board chair of the OCCF and a retired OVHS teacher, recalled Allen creating the program. 

“With soft eyes, warm smile and a firm handshake I was greeted and charmed by Col. David Allen,” Wallace said. “Each day with purpose, high expectations, patience and love Col. Allen would develop citizens of character that would be dedicated to serving their nation and community.”

Rhonda Schafer also taught with Allen and later served as principal of OVHS during Allen’s tenure. 

“He thought of others before himself,” Schafer said. “He was just a great person to bounce ideas off of and get advice.”

She described how Allen advocated and taught students important life skills. 

“He definitely wanted positive things for our students,” Schafer said, adding that Allen always thought about how every kid could succeed. 

She also recalled a day when Allen, who was interested in genealogy, came into her office saying they were related. She was skeptical since her grandfather came from Germany and Allen was originally from Frankfort. But, Allen had learned that they were indeed distantly related through Schafer’s grandmother’s side. 

“What a person to find out that you’re related to,” she said. 

Ronda Stogsdill first met the Allen family when they began attending the church that Stogsdill attended. In addition to a friendship with Allen and his family, Stogsdill served with Allen on the board of OCCF and The Exchange Club. 

“The students he taught received a great blessing not only academically but in life. He planted so many seeds and shaped future leaders with values of integrity and discipline. He had a unique ability to inspire and guide young minds while encouraging them to believe in their own inner strengths and abilities,” she said. “I believe this role came so naturally to him because of what a wonderful father he was to Billy and Katie. He was always alongside them supporting them in their activities.”

Owen County Medal of Honor recipient Sammy L. Davis first met Allen when Allen invited him to speak at OVHS. 

“We became brothers after that,” Davis said. “Our time together was always very special.”

Davis also spoke to the relationship Allen had with his students. 

“He loved his students immensely and, from my experience, in talking with the students, they all loved him,” he said. 

Fellow S-OCS board member Chad Cooper noted something Allen said while teaching the JROTC program, "He said in all his years of teaching, he’s found that kids don’t change; it’s the parents that do.”

Several of Allen’s former students have taken to Facebook to share the positive impact he had on their lives. 

One such student was Donnie Clifford Jr. who offered the following to The Owen News, “I first met Col. Allen my freshman year in JROTC. From the first moment I met him, I could tell that he was a good man with a heart of gold. I also had the pleasure of having him in a business class senior year. In that year, he helped me with everything, from homework to talking about life; he was always there.” 

Another was Robbie Bean, who met Allen during a lunchtime recruiting period for the start of the JROTC program. Allen became a mentor and friend to Bean. 

“He made it very clear that it didn’t matter how you were raised,” Bean said, adding that Allen said everyone has to make their own path. “He always made it known you had to work on yourself.”

Allen retired from OVHS in 2022 but took a break following his cancer diagnosis in 2018 and 2019 before returning to teach business classes.

It wasn’t long before Allen found other ways to create positive changes within the community. 

“You would think that a cancer diagnosis would slow him down, but it did not. It just gave him a new perspective and outlook on life. He relished every moment and seized every opportunity to give back and improve the lives around him,” Stogsdill said. 

Schafer said Allen struggled with the decision to retire in the first place.

“He was going to continue to make his mark,” Schafer said. “He made it his mission to still help others and make a difference.”

Serving on the scholarship committee and board for OCCF was one of the ways Allen continued to give back.

“Upon retirement Dave reached out to the community in which he lived. At the Owen County Community Foundation, Dave served once again with purpose, high expectations, patience and love on the Scholarship Committee and more recently the Board of Directors. Dave was devoted to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Owen County with the foresight and understanding that decisions made today will impact generations to come,” Wallace said. “All who encountered Col. Allen will take a piece of him with them as each of us serves all citizens of Owen County.”

S-OCS Board President Derek Morgan also spoke to Allen’s lasting legacy within the community. 

“Dave's absence on our board, in our community and in the lives of his family will be difficult to overcome. Dave's dedication to public service has made him a valued member of the S-OCS School Board these past two years,” Morgan said. 

He worked with several of Allen’s cadets when Morgan served as the Jobs for America’s Graduates Specialist at OVHS. 

“His unwavering commitment and genuine care left an indelible mark on everyone he taught, and I find solace knowing that this mark will ensure his legacy endures for years to come,” Morgan said. “My hope is that we are able to honor his memory by continuing the work he was so passionate about.”

Stogsdill recalled a time Allen went above and beyond to offer her support.

“The special thing about Dave is he did all of these things with a big heart. He had endured so much that he had a special perspective allowing him to see you,” she said. “We were at a [OCCF] retreat, and I stepped outside. Having recently lost my husband, I just needed a break. He came outside and sat on the patio and said, ‘You may not want to talk right now, and you don't have to. I don’t want you to be by yourself, and I’m willing to sit here with you and not say a word.’ I didn’t even know anybody saw me leave the room, let alone be willing to miss part of the session to make sure a friend knew they had a friend. But, that is Dave, the epitome of good and a true friend.”

Allen is survived by his wife Julie, his children Billy and Katie, daughter-in-law Elizabeth and granddaughter Olivia. He is also survived by his sister Carlena “Jody” Davis. 

“There is nothing he loved more than being a husband, father and papa. He also loved touching the lives of so many of you. I know so many of you have stories of my dad. Words are insufficient to describe how amazingly loved our dad was and there truly are no words to say in times like this. Just know we love and appreciate your prayers and support,” Katie Allen posted on Facebook when announcing her father’s passing. 

Allen’s service took place Thursday June 6, with visitation from 2 p.m. until the start of his service at 6:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Allen’s family asks for memorial donations to be made to OCCF in his memory to the Dave Allen Memorial Fund. 

A total of 3,350 voters cast ballots in the local 2024 primary election, a 21.9 percent turnout of the county’s 15,295 registered voters. Election summary results show 1,087 votes were cast by walk-in absentee ballot, 87 by paper absentee and a combined 2,176 on election day at the county’s eight vote center locations.

Complete primary election results for local office races were as follows:

Commissioner, District II (Republican)

• Sam Hobbs – 1,872
• Robert (Bob) Curry – 828

Commissioner, District III (Republican)

• David Risk – 1,228
• Amy L. Casebeer – 1,093
• Joel Walter Lowe – 326

Commissioner, District III (Democrat)

• William L. Jennings – 260
• John Wayne Keene – 200

County Council, At-Large (Republican) (3 seats)

• Polly Chesser (R) – 1,285
• Joe Frye (R) – 1,264
• Daniel Browning (R) – 1,206
• Norman Warner III (R) – 1,180
• William (Bill) Pursell (R) – 1,037

County Council, At-Large (Democrat)

• Sandra (Wood) Calvert – 453 

County Auditor

• Sheila Reeves (R) – 2,280

Precinct Committee, Clay 1

• Verl Keith (R) – 76
• Roger Daniel (R) – 55

Precinct Committee, Clay 2

• Daniel Browning (R) – 132

Precinct Committee, Franklin

• Leroy Gentry (R) – 101
• Denise Line (R) – 49

Precinct Committee, Harrison

• Troy Lantz (R) – 43

Precinct Committee, Jackson

• John Hunter (R) – 101
• Barron Eugene Barnett – 48

Precinct Committee, Jefferson

• Andrew (Andy) Wood (R) – 108
• Greg A. Melton (R) – 48

Precinct Committee, Jennings

• Susan M. Huftel (R) – 61

Precinct Committee, Lafayette

• Cris Lunsford (R) – 130
• Vincent P. Meyers (R) – 46

Precinct Committee, Marion

• Christine J. Hutson (R) – 95

Precinct Committee, Montgomery

• Lori L. Warner (R) – 110

Precinct Committee, Morgan

• Sharon Close (R) – 89
• Kenneth (Kenny) Anderson (R) – 71
• Craig D. Lopossa (R) – 23

Precinct Committee, Taylor

• Charlie Hallam (R) – 79
• Nick Robertson (R) – 50

Precinct Committee, Washington 1

• Sam Hobbs (R) – 210
• Patty Edwards (R) – 135

Precinct Committee, Washington 2

• Joe Frye (R) – 150
• David R. Weaver (R) – 58

Precinct Committee, Washington 3

• Gary R. Dubois (R) – 89

Precinct Committee, Washington 4

• William (Bill) Pursell (R) - 46
• Richard Dunigan (R) – 34
• Janet Stogsdill Schmidt (R) – 26

Precinct Committee, Wayne 1

• Viola M. Hall (R) – 60
• Larry Bruce Norman (R) – 40

Precinct Committee, Wayne 2

• Gary Burton (R) – 119

State Convention Delegate, At-Large 

• Daniel Browning (R) – 1,738
• Sam Hobbs (R) – 2,040
• Verl Keith (R) – 1,727
• Denise Line (R) – 1,425
• David Risk (R) – 1,785
• Kristi Risk (R) – 1,678
• Lori L. Warner (R) – 1,686
• Norman Warner III (R) – 1,660

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Petition filing for those interested in running for a seat on the Spencer-Owen School Board opened on May 21^st and will close at noon on June 20th.

S-OCS board seats up for election include District 1 (Wayne and Harrison townships), District 4 (Jefferson and Clay townships), and two seats in District 5 (Washington Township).

Candidates must gather at least 10 signatures from registered voters within their school district. The required documentation includes the CAN-34 petition form and the CAN-12 Statement of Economic Interest. Both forms are needed for a complete submission and must be filed with the Owen County Voter’s Registration Office prior to the deadline.

Early voting for the 2024 general election begins October 8^th. The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the Tuesday, November 5^th election is October 24th.

For additional information or assistance with the filing process, candidates can visit the Owen County Voter’s Registration Office, located on the first floor of the county courthouse, or call 812-829-5028.

Anyone interested in running for the Cloverdale Township seat on the Cloverdale Community School Corporation Board may bring the necessary completed paperwork to the Owen County Voter’s Registration Office, but the documentation must be officially filed in Putnam County.

The Cloverdale school district is composed of Cloverdale Township as well as Jackson, Jennings and Taylor townships in Owen County.

The Spencer-Owen Community Schools (S-OCS) Board met for their public meeting on May 23. In attendance was board president Derek Morgan, vice president Mark Rogers, secretary Rick Smeltzer, secretary pro tem Lizz Bixler, Chad Cooper and Sonia Brinson, virtually, along with S-OCS Superintendent Andy Cline.

School board member Col. Dave Allen was absent due to health reasons. 

Before the meeting students Alayna and Ariyah Snodgrass led the Pledge of Allegiance. 

The board started the meeting approving the prior meeting’s minutes, 6-0.

The meeting had no old business, but Smeltzer moved to approve four field trips: the Vincennes University Owen Valley High School (OVHS) Girls’ Team Basketball Camp from June 16 to 19, the Purdue Northwest University OVHS Boys’ Team Basketball Camp from June 17 to 19, the 94th Annual Indiana FFA Convention at Purdue University from June 17 to 20, and the Officer Planning & Retreat-Indiana FFA Leadership Center in Trafalgar from July 21 to 23.

All trips were approved unanimously.

Bixler made the motion to approve textbook reimbursement allowable costs for Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS) and OVHS. Rogers seconded the request. 

“These are fees that we’re not actually collecting from families. We no longer collect textbook rental fees, but [this is] the cost that we need to make sure we are asking for the proper amount,” Cline said. “So that we get full reimbursement from the State of Indiana when reimbursement is actually dispersed.”

The motion passed 6-0.

Rogers made the motion to approve three professional development contracts: Ryan Flessner Consultant Services for OVMS mathematics, C.L.A.S.S (Connected Learning Assures Successful Students) and Thinking Maps Training for S-OCS Elementary Schools. Brinson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The next request, moved by Bixler and seconded by Cooper, was to accept the 2023-24 Perkins Education Readiness Grant, a $100,000 grant. 

OVHS technical education teacher Ryan Cowden will use the funds to further curriculum in his class by purchasing equipment and curricular materials for the classroom.

It was approved 6-0.

Rogers made the motion to approve the NEOLA Policy updates, which are available to read on the school board’s website. Bixler seconded the motion to approve. Prior to the request, Smeltzer moved to waive the readings and Rogers seconded. Both motions passed unanimously.

There were 29 policy updates: 0164 Notice of Meetings (new); 0164.1 Regular Meetings (rescind); 0164.2 Special Meetings (rescind); 0164.3 Emergency Meetings (rescind); 0164.5 Member Participation in Meetings Thru Electronic Means of Communication (rescind); 0164.6 Meetings During Declared Disaster Emergencies (rescind); 0165 Meetings (replacement); 0165.1 Notice of Regular Meetings (rescind); 165.2 Notice of Special Board Meetings (rescind) 165.3 Notice of Emergency Meetings (rescind); 165.4 Notice Requirements Established by Other Statutes (rescind); 165.5 Series of Meetings (gatherings) (rescind);1422.01 Drug-Free Workplace (new); 1520.08 Employment of Personnel for Extracurricular Activities (revised); 1662.01 Threatening and/or Intimidating Behavior Toward Staff Members (technical correction); 4120.08 Employment of Personnel for Extracurricular Activities (revised); 4362.01 Threatening and/or Intimidating Behavior Toward Staff Members (revised); 5340.01 Student Concussions and Sudden Cardiac Arrest (revised); 5350 Student Suicide Awareness and Prevention (revised); 5517.01 Bullying (revised); 6320 Purchasing (revised); 6320.01 Purchasing Using Online Reverse Auctions (rescind); 7540.02 Web Content, Apps and Services (revised); 8210 School Calendar (revised); 8452 Automated Extrernal Defibrillators (AED) (revised); 8455 Coaching Training, References and IHSAA Reporting (revised); and 9130 Public Complaints and Concerns (revised). 

The last item for the board’s new business was the request to approve the superintendent’s proposed 2024-2026 employment contract, moved by Smeltzer and seconded by Brinson. Cline will be paid $135,000 per year. In addition to his normal pay, the contract provides for a slight yearly bonus if the superintendent is rated as effective or highly effective. The effective rating bonus is $1,000, and the highly effective bonus is $2,000.

It passed unanimously, 6-0.

Moving on to the personnel section of the meeting, Smetzer moved to approve the classified and certified resignations, ECA– coaches and sponsors and classified and certified employment.

There were seven resignations: McCormick’s Creek Elementary School (MCES) Pre-K Instructional Assistant Emilie Earnest, MCES Pre-K Instructional Assistant Jeanette Hedrick, OVMS Cook Emily Macy, Spencer Elementary School (SES) Latchkey Supervisor Hannah Pendleton, SES Cook Carolyn Steuer, SES Instructional Assistant Shaina Persons and S-OCS Transportation Coordinator Kelly Sorensen.

OVHS varsity volleyball coach Bethany Kay also resigned.

There were three new hires: OVHS math teacher Colton Sample, temporary OVHS substitute Spanish teacher Marissa Taylor, and OVHS Custodian Zachariah Carter. 

All sections in personnel were approved 6-0.

In the board's comments, the board congratulated the 2024 OVHS graduating class as well as wishing the Allen family well.

Bixler noted the importance of the passing of the field trips because they were previously limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It's good to see all of these field trips being planned again,” she said. "Every time I see one, I'm just super excited.”

In administrative comments, they echoed the comments of the board.

In the superintendent's comments, Cline recognized the board for being recognized by the Indiana School Board Association for commendable governance as well as the OVHS band program being recognized as an All-State Music Award nominee. He also shouted out to multiple S-OCS sports teams.

After the meeting was adjourned, the floor was open to public comment. Concerns on the state of and employees of the transportation department were raised.

Laurie Selstrom, a current deaf school driver and mother of former Transportation Coordinator Kelly Sorenson, John Sorenson, the husband of former Transportation Coordinator Kelly Sorenson, and Kathleen Angrick, a mother of children in the school district and ride with Selstrom, spoke on their issues with the department.

Overall, they had issues with how individuals were treated by others in the department.

Morgan said via email the board will review the comments made on personnel.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on June 13th in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at S-OCS Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.

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Campaign finance reports filed in May show two local political candidates spending thousands of dollars on their respective 2024 primary election campaigns, while many others spent a few hundred dollars or less. The two candidates reporting the greatest expenditures also identified sizeable monetary contributions from individuals in their bid for seats on the Owen County Board of Commissioners and Owen County Council.  

The Owen News reviewed all available campaign finance report filings covering Jan. 1 to April 12, the end of the pre-primary reporting period. It should be noted that campaign contributions included in-kind contributions and loans, as well as cash contributions.  

Owen County Commissioner, District II

Incumbent commissioner Robert (Bob) Curry, a Republican, reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period. He listed a single $700 itemized contribution from his wife, Brenda Curry, along with one expenditure, also totaling $700, for yard signs purchased from Nite Owl Promotions.

Republican opponent Leonard “Sam” Hobbs II also reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, while his itemized contributions totaled $26,200. He reported a loan to himself totaling $5,000, in addition to a direct contribution of $10,000 from Mike McCracken, a second $10,000 direct contribution from Mike McCracken, a $1,000 direct contribution from Will Daubenspeck, and a $200 direct contribution from Ernie Dufault. 

Hobbs’ campaign expenditures totaled $11,032.12 and included: Main Street Checks ($17.71), Winners Circle Designs ($3,000), Spencer Hardware ($468.02), Daniel Browning ($200) campaign contribution, Norman Warner ($200.00) campaign contribution, UPrinting ($250.80), Postcard Mania ($662.34), Postcard Mania ($932.69), Postcard Mania ($813.38), Winners Circle Designs ($1,280), 48-Hour Print ($214.26), Postcard Mania ($813.97), Norman Warner ($200) campaign contribution, Republican Party-Owen County ($300), Postcard Mania ($555.95), Postmaster-Spencer ($53), and Winners Circle Designs ($1,070). 

Hobbs’ remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period totaled $15,167.88. 

Owen County Commissioner, District III

District III challenger David Risk, a Republican, reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, while his itemized contributions totaled $23,050. Contributors to his campaign for the county commissioner seat in District III included a $10,000 direct contribution from Mike McCracken, along with an $8,000 direct contribution/loan, also from Mike McCracken. Additionally, his campaign finance report listed a loan to himself totaling $5,050.

Risk’s campaign expenditures totaled $16,902.55, including: Main Street Checks ($17.71), Patriot Manufacturing ($150.32), Uprinting ($250.82), Postcard Mania ($662.34), Rocket Signs ($6,398.25), Fountain County GOP ($44.90), UZ Marketing ($608.18), Winners Circle ($909.50), Postcard Mania ($932.69), 48-Hour Printing ($214.26), Kelsie Reyes ($1,000), Walmart ($18.84), Owen County GOP ($300), Spencer Hardware ($134.63), Walmart ($30.58), Vistago Print ($659.95), Walmart ($55.70), USPS ($205.00), USPS ($106.68), RWB Consulting ($500), Committee to Elect Kristi Risk ($2,000), Postcard Mania ($539.76), Postcard Mania ($539.76), USPS ($106.68), Ethan Wright ($500), and USPS ($106). 

Risk’s remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period totaled $6,147.45.

Republican challenger Amy Casebeer reported $1,705 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period. She did not list any itemized or unitemized contributions.

Casebeer reported a lone direct campaign contribution from herself totaling $1,705 and one expenditure, also totaling $1,705, to Nite Owl Promotions. 

In the District III democratic race for county commissioner, John Wayne Keene reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period. He also listed $0 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period and no expenditures.

Democratic challenger William Jennings reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and made note of itemized contributions totaling $628.15, all self-funded. He reported $0 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Jennings’ expenditures included: Johnnys Signs ($335.00), WCLS radio announcement ($97.76), Johnnys Signs ($192.60), and Staples ($37.44).

Owen County Council, At-Large

Incumbent Republican Polly Chesser reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and itemized contributions to her re-election campaign totaling $1,800. Contributors to her campaign for county council at-large included a direct contribution from herself totaling $1,700, along with a $100 direct contribution from Nina Morris.

Chesser’s reported expenditures totaled $1,548.55 and included: Owen County Republicans ($100), Rob Mason ($157.44) for equipment repair, Postmaster-Martinsville ($68), Tab Co. ($1,148.11) for printing, and the Gosport Community Building ($75).

Her remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period totaled $251.45.

Republican challenger Norman Warner reported $75 cash on hand at beginning of the reporting period and itemized contributions totaling $1,451.29. He received a direct contribution from the Committee to Elect Sam Hobbs totaling $400, along with a direct campaign loan from Warner and his wife, Lori, totaling $1,051.29.

Warner did not list any itemized expenditures or any remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Daniel Browning, also a Republican, reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and one itemized contribution, a $200 direct contribution from Leonard Sam Hobbs.

Browning’s itemized expenditures totaled $413.03 and included: Vista Print ($46.42), Signs on the Cheap ($266.96) for yard signs, and Amazon ($99.65) for hats. 

Republican challenger William Pursell reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and one unitemized contribution totaling $100. His campaign finance report did not identify any campaign expenditures in his bid for county council at-large, or remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period. 

Daniel Joseph “Joe” Frye, also a Republican, reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and a lone itemized contribution totaling $1,500, a self-funded campaign loan. 

Frye reported one itemized expenditure totaling $1,217.23 to signsonthecheap.com ($1,217.23) for signs. His remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period totaled $282.77.

In the democratic race for Owen County Council at-Large, Sandra (Wood) Calvert reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and one unitemized contribution totaling $40. Her remaining cash on hand at the end of the reporting period also totaled $40.

Owen County Auditor

Incumbent county auditor Sheila Reeves, a Republican, noted no expenditures were incurred by her campaign due to utilizing yard signs remaining from her prior election bid. She reported $0 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Precinct Committee Members

Republican Viola Hall, incumbent precinct committee member for Wayne I, reported $0 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period and itemized contributions totaling $295.32, all self-funded.

Her expenditures also totaled $295.32 – a single purchase of yard signs from Nite Owl Promotions.  She listed $0 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Larry Bruce Norman, Republican challenger for Wayne I precinct committee member, reported $276.45 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, all self-funded. His itemized contributions totaled $251.45 and unitemized contributions $25. 

Norman’s expenditures totaled $276.45 and included: Signs on the Cheap ($251.45) for yard signs and Hub City Slaps ($25.00) for decals and stickers.

In the race for Morgan Township precinct committee member, Republican candidate Sharon Close reported $200.47 cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period. She made note of one itemized contribution totaling $200.47 from herself and one expenditure, also totaling $200.47, from Signs on the Cheap. She reported $0 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

To continue their work in the Owen County community, The Owen News was awarded a Large Impact Grant of $30,000 from the Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF).

Nicole DeCriscio, The Owen News Board President, said the grant will allow the nonprofit paper to continue to print monthly without financial stress, while also providing time for the paper to strengthen community bonds with advertisers to a sustainable point through to 2025.

"The financial support provided by the OCCF allows The Owen News to continue to report verified local information and is a catalyst for a re-energized local economy due to a reformation of a common community spirit," Tom Wallace, OCCF Board Chairperson, said via email.

Another aspect of the grant will be budgeted to help pay some correspondents, DeCriscio said.

The correspondents and reporters of The Owen News are volunteers, along with having a journalism advisory board that is a resource and helps train volunteer correspondents.

"Our model is different, and it takes time to not only share and explain that model with people, but to also make the community used to it, and especially, in a landscape where there has been a lack of local news for almost two years," she said.

This unique model of The Owen News is what stood out to OCCF, and is a part of the organization being awarded the grant. 

"Led by their distinguished board of directors and an independent journalism advisory board, they developed a marketing and sustainability plan, researched how other communities are rebuilding local news and trained citizen journalists," Janet Rummel, OCCF President and CEO, said via email. "Helping to build a local news outlet that has the trust of our community may be one of the Community Foundation’s most impactful grants in recent years." 

The Owen News Board describes the work on the model as "building the ship as [they're] sailing." The board works to continuously learn and grow in delivering quality news to the Owen County community.

"I could go on for days about what happens to a community when you lose news, and when I say news, I mean quality, local news," DeCriscio said. "Communities become more divided and no longer have a sense of community as a whole but then, statistically, local news is vital to the economic success of an area and impacts everything financially." 

With this grant, the board hopes to instill and gain more trust in the Owen County community.

Along with this grant, the nonprofit news organization receives funds to improve and grow from at-will donations, which keeps the paper free for pick-up. Donations can be made through the OCCF to either a long-term endowment fund or a fund that The Owen News has immediate access to, online at theowennews.org or via mail at 114 S. Main St., Spencer, Indiana 47460.

OCCF also granted La Campagne Ministries a $30,000 Large Impact Grant to prepare their facility for the launch of the Boys and Girls Club in Owen County. More information about this grant and the Boys and Girls Club will be highlighted in an upcoming story.

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The Vandalia Community Preservation Association (VCPA) Strawberry Fest will take place on Saturday, June 8th, from 2-4 p.m. at the Vandalia Historical Chapel and the historic Vandalia Schoolhouse.

Enjoy strawberries, shortcake, and ice cream, served at the schoolhouse from 2-4 p.m., and live music at the chapel from 2:30-4:00 p.m. The High Sierra band will perform a variety of bluegrass, country, folk, and gospel.

The cost of the event is $12 for adults and $5 for children age 10 and under, and covers both the food and the live music. Proceeds benefit VCPA for preservation and maintenance of the historic chapel and one-room schoolhouse.

The event will take place in the village of Vandalia (six miles west of Spencer on State Road 46) at 5471 Vandalia Road. Visit the VCPA Facebook page, www.facebook.com/vandaliacpa, and website, www.vandaliacpa.org, for more information.

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Motorists should expect detours to continue on State Road 43 this summer as the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) begins additional bridge rehabilitation work in southeastern Owen County.

According to Sidney Nierman, INDOT Southeast Public Relations Director, the S.R. 43 bridge replacement project at Porter Ridge Road over Big Raccoon Creek was nearing completion late last week. The project began in August 2023 as a planned three-month bridge deck replacement by contractor Ragle, Inc., but grew to encompass a full bridge replacement.

Previous delays, Nierman said, were encountered due to weather and design plan changes.

While the reopening of the bridge over Big Raccoon Creek is welcome news for motorists, contractor Ragle, Inc. was scheduled to close another section of State Road 43 on or after June 3rd, shifting their focus to a structure spanning Little Racoon Creek. This closure, which takes place between Stogsdill and Burke Shiloh roads, is expected to be complete by early September, weather permitting.

During the closure, motorists should use the official detour route which follows S.R. 46 to I-69 to S.R. 48.

This latest project is part of a $3.2 million contract awarded to Ragle, Inc. in July 2023.

INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Camping outdoors is not for everyone, but without a doubt, it’s something that everyone should experience at least once in their life. As a child, I camped out in my parents’ backyard almost every summer, and my parents took my brother and I camping at various park campgrounds located throughout the state. 

As I grew older, my friends and I became more adventurous and started camping by ourselves in the woods near my parents’ house. 

In this day and age, camping has become a bit more sophisticated. There are all sorts of gadgets and devices on the market geared towards making a person’s camping trip as civilized and comfortable as possible. 

I like camping the old-fashioned way and try to leave as much of the comfort of civilization at home as possible. 

Of course, the one exception I’ve made to this rule is mosquito repellent. I enjoy roughing it as much as the next person, but I draw the line when it comes to being in the great outdoors, listening to the sound of mosquitoes as they fly around my ears, looking for the next landing site on my body. 

A little piece of civilization can be a fine addition at a time such as this. 

When I camp, I first have to find a good spot to set up the tent. For me a good spot consists of a flat piece of ground that is free of big tree roots so that sleeping on the ground will be as comfortable as possible. 

It should also be an area that is somewhat shady to protect the campsite from the heat of the day. 

Camping under a pine tree is always a good choice. 

The layer of pine needles on the ground makes for a soft bed to sleep on at night, and the branches of the trees provide just the amount of covering for shade. I do have to contend with the pine sap now and then, though.  Pros and cons to everything I guess. 

A reminder to make sure there are no old, dead trees nearby. You sure don’t want one to fall on your tent. 

After having found a good spot to camp, then it’s time to set up the tent. Even though there are many different types of tents available, I prefer a smaller tent since it’s lighter and I only need space for myself. 

Gathering firewood is next on the agenda. Starting campfires is essential for camping because this is the means by which you will cook the hotdogs and marshmallows that you brought along. There’s nothing like the taste of wieners and marshmallows cooked over an open fire out in the woods.

 In the evening after the camp has been set up, the darkness begins to descend over the earth. It’s time to sit down by the fire to swap traditional campfire tales with other campers. 

As the logs on the fire pop and crack and the smoke rises into the sky, the scary stories are traded back-and-forth.

 They are designed to make the listener more fearful than the last one until finally, the chills begin to run up and down one’s spine and the little hairs on the back of one’s neck are standing up on end. 

When it’s finally time to turn in for the night, it’s suddenly as if the wilderness outside the tent has come alive with sound. A stick on the ground snaps under the weight of some unseen predator as it‘s rummaging through the trash can outside the camp. 

There’s a sound of an owl hooting in the distant forest as the wind rustles through the leaves on the trees. 

The shadows of the branches can be seen dancing along the sides of the tent as the full moon rises in the black velvet sky. It is now very apparent to the inhabitants in the tents that the campfire stories have done their work. An extra blanket comes in handy at a time like this.

 Regressing back to childhood habits of hiding under the blankets from the invisible creatures of the night leaves one with very little pride but with a feeling of security all the same. 

When the fires of the night finally begin to slowly burn down to the place of dying embers, the sky on the eastern horizon comes alive with colorful hues of pink and orange as the morning sunrise makes its presence known. It’s the time of the morning when the first light comes and it brings with it the new day. That’s the time when life begins anew for all of us that inhabit this earth that we call our home. There’s something special about waking up outside in the woods in the early morning hours. 

Things always look different in the light of day. The campfire monsters are long gone, and you find yourself alone in the light with your thoughts. The air smells fresh and clean, and the birds are singing. The day is filled with promise. 

That’s what going camping is all about. It’s just you and the morning and the great outdoors. Does it get any better than that?

What a heartwarming event the ribbon cutting for The Owen News was. Energetic young folks with backing from great organizations within the community got this wonderful, informative reporting of things that matter and are important in Sweet Owen. 

The first nonprofit newspaper in the state. I am just bursting with pride. 

I intend on donating to Owen News newspaper as my small part of not letting journalism die around the world. 

The news is being taken over by big money and power influences. In our little corner, there’s a beacon of light that’s emitting the happenings in Owen County. It reveals our small county life. What could be better?

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Maureen Kipp

Just a little news from the state forest in your backyard. As planned, the Division of Forestry is preparing to axe many trees near the Fish Creek Campground in the Owen-Putnam State Forest.

While it is correct that they will NOT be doing this directly in the campground, I am still at a loss as to why they are doing it. 

I do understand the basic intent of these techniques. You cut down the larger or interfering trees to give other trees greater access to sunlight. The smaller trees grow quickly into the sun, and there is a bonus if these younger trees are more “desirable.” They will get more of that precious light. And, over time, you get more marketable trees from your public land.

That said, I do not understand why this approach must be used everywhere in the state forest. Of the more than 6000 acres in the Owen-Putnam State Forest, only about 100 acres are not in “the rotation”, the sequential and relentless application of this technique to grow sawtimber trees.

Personally, I have faith in the strength of God, DNA, human resourcefulness, and human judgment, in that order. It is our poor judgment that leads us to both extremes (either no logging or industrial tree farming) on our public lands. I feel it is wrong to think that any of us knows Nature better than Nature at this point. We ought to let nature be nature some of the time. Somehow 1.6% of the time does not seem like enough. 

I now return to the campground. Do we really need to axe that area? It has a campground and one of the most accessible trails in the forest. The campground is in a 120-acre tract.

Logging has its place, just not every place.

Please let them know whatever you think at the OPSF office at 812-829-2462 or at the Governor’s office at 317-232-4567.

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Jeff Marks

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The Coal City Community Bible Church ministered to our community for many years with programs for small children to senior citizens. The church was struck by lightning on Tuesday, April 2 and was a total loss. We are all thankful nobody was injured. The church has insurance, but it will never cover all their loss and expenses. Please consider donating to help their congregation rebuild.

Please make out checks to “Jefferson Township — Church Fire Donation.”

Either mail or drop off your check to Owen County State Bank, 201 W. Morgan Street, Spencer, Indiana or donate online at https://www.givesendgo.com. 

The Jefferson Township Community wishes to thank the following responding fire departments: Coal City, Patricksburg, Franklin Township (Freedom), Clay City, Highland, Worthington, Clay Township and Spencer.

For questions, please contact Daryl Kasper, Jefferson Township Trustee, at 812-859-3663.

Too much rain, a 10 degree below zero evening back in December, a sneaky insect pest, a plant disease infecting the tomatoes: solving plant problems is akin to one of those crime scene investigative shows. So many potential culprits, yet the good guys finally identify the real villain. This article provides a current overview of plant issues challenging Owen County farmers, gardeners and homeowners.

The first step in solving the plant crime is looking for evidence. Taking a representative sample in a timely manner is crucial. The next step is to determine if the problem is caused by a living organism (biotic) or a nonliving causal factor (abiotic). For example, purple corn is showing up in the area and sometimes makes growers think a plant problem is being caused by a chemical. What is happening now is due to cool, wet weather and the lack of uptake of phosphorus. Not from a low soil test level, but because environmental conditions have limited the corn plants uptake of P.

Other abiotic factors we are seeing in the area include soil compaction, poor rooting due to wet planting conditions and winter injury of landscape plants (boxwoods took a beating with the cold snap of December 2022 and December 2023). Knock Out roses look ragged now because of the cold winter injury, just that one negative 10-degree day in 2022 killed all my lovely Knock Out roses. Herbicide drift is another potential abiotic causal factor that requires careful investigation by the state chemist’s office.

Once we rule out an abiotic factor, then we evaluate possible biotic factors. The big player in biotic factors are fungal diseases like fusarium, blight and rust. About 85 percent of biotic factors are caused by fungus. Insect damage is always a challenge because so much of their damage is caused when we are asleep. Insects either chew on a plant or suck the sap. Cabbage riddled with chewing holes is often caused by the cabbage looper, the larval stage of the white moth hovering around your brassicas.

Once we identify the real villain, we can prosecute with an appropriate punishment. Sometimes we have no real treatment to recommend, like the dead boxwood. Other instances may warrant a pest control treatment and suggested label recommendations. We don’t recommend home remedies that are not research based. Moles are not repelled by chewing gum, so I never recommend it. I did have a client tell me that it did if Wrigley’s gum was used. Again, no research, no recommendation.

The summer is young and plant problems will keep coming until frost. Contact me at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office at 812-829-5020.

Or, contact me via cell phone at 812-236-6039. My email address is luzar@purdue.edu. You can attach photos to either cell or email messages. If the problem is more challenging, we can arrange a site visit. Challenging issues may require submitting a sample to the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab for $11. I understand that some inquiries will not justify $11, so I will do my best to make identification. But an economically important crop with look-alike disease symptoms should certainly warrant the fee. I have to go now… I just received a photo of a weed called black medic!

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Our United States Senate has acted in favor of conservation by unanimously passing America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024. This reauthorizes a dozen provisions to bolster the conservation of fish and wildlife, and the habitats they call home, across North America. The Act especially provides an important protection for America’s anglers.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies released a notification of applause for the Senate for passing the reauthorization. The unanimous consent shows complete support for some of the nation’s most successful conservation programs. Including, the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).

“Thank you to Chairman Carper (D-DE), Ranking Member Capito (R-WV), and the many bipartisan cosponsors for championing the bill,” said Chuck Sykes, Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and President of the Association. “The unanimous support for this legislation is exactly the bipartisan commitment we should see for conservation that enhances habitats, ensures healthy populations, and provides greater opportunities for hunters and anglers.”

NAWCA was created in 1981. In the over 40 years since, the program has put more than 3,200 projects on the ground in North America. This projects have restored almost 32 million acres of wetlands. NFHP partnerships have led to over 1,500 successful conservation projects in all 50 states. These projects benefit anglers through protections of fish and aquatic habitats.

“NFHP continues to be one of the most effective and highly leveraged conservation programs in the nation,” said Robert Boyles, Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board and Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. “Reauthorization and increased resources for NFHP will mean even more voluntary projects between state, federal, NGO, and private partners to reverse declining fish populations and enhance aquatic habitats.”

The ACE Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) and increases funding for the program to $10 million per year. NFHP is a voluntary, non-regulatory, and locally driven program that has funded more than 1,300 on-the-ground aquatic habitat improvement projects since 2016. 

“The ACE Reauthorization Act will bolster America’s $148 billion sportfishing economy through funding for programs such as the National Fish Habitat Partnership, Chesapeake Bay Program, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act” said Mike Leonard, Vice President of Government Affairs at the American Sportfishing Association. “We applaud Senators Carper, Capito and the 14 additional bipartisan cosponsors for their leadership on this issue and their commitment to enhancing angling opportunities for America’s 54.5 million anglers.”

This legislation has been a top priority of the Congressional Sportsman Foundation (CSF) since the ACE Act was first signed into law in 2020. Leading up to passage, CSF worked to secure bipartisan cosponsors to demonstrate the wide-spread support for this legislation. CSF also worked to secure modifications to the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships (NFHP) language to improve the program’s ability to drive limited dollars to where they are needed most.

“At a time when Congress appears to be extremely divided, we continue to see that issues of importance to sportsmen and women remain an area of strong bipartisan support,” said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane. “The unanimous Senate passage of the ACE Reauthorization Act is a clear result of the bipartisan efforts of CSC Members Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Capito, and the other leaders of this legislation to deliver wins for sportsmen and women across the nation.”

ACE includes many priorities for the sportfishing industry, including funding for fish habitat restoration, pollution reduction, invasive species management, and the protection of traditional tackle. The Act will provide a five-year protection to ensure the EPA cannot be petitioned to regulate lead tackle under for five years.

See you down the trail….

For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on www.driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.

Owen County Preservations (OCP) is seeking nominations for its Annual Preservation Award. Two recipients will be chosen.

The requirements for this award are as follows:

• Building must be a minimum of 75 years old.
• Must have wood siding or stone/brick exterior (no vinyl / aluminum siding).
• Windows can be updated; they are not required to be lead glass.
• Restoration work must have been completed within the last five years (interior or exterior).
• Structure must be located in Owen County.
• Can be a residence, church, or business structure.

Photos of the restoration are required for the OCP Annual Business meeting.

Nominations should be emailed to rwhite47460@gmail.com. The submission deadline is July 15, 2024. Please provide the physical address of the building being nominated to enable OCP officials to conduct a site visit.

When I was in high school one of my favorite summer jobs was picking strawberries for a neighbor who sold them commercially. The neighbor paid us, and she fed us lunch after we had harvested many quarts of the ruby berries.

Strawberries were a favorite of the indigenous people of the Americas. The people of Chile were cultivating them when the Spanish invaders arrived. Strawberries were an important part of the culture of the people who lived in the eastern woodlands of North America. The commercial strawberry sold today is a cultivar derived from a cross between Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America, and Fragaria chilioensis from Chile in South America. Now there are many varieties grown around the world.

The wild strawberry still grows along the roadsides and in the meadows. That plant, Fragaria virginiana has a white bloom. The small heart shaped fruit is edible and quite tasty. I have a golden memory tucked away of my grandson, Dalton, and the tiny wild strawberry. My granddaughter, Elizabeth, Dalton and I were driving north to visit my son, Jim. My daughter Suzi was with us. Traveling had become difficult for her at this time. We stopped at an ice cream shop for lunch in Monon, Indiana. We were enjoying lunch at a picnic table beside a field. Dalton, age six at the time, was wandering around in the field. I noticed he was popping something in his mouth. I got up to investigate, never thinking it might be something to eat. He had discovered a patch of wild strawberries and was devouring them as fast as he could pick them. Elizabeth asked the people in the ice cream shop if the meadow had been sprayed. They said no. We watched him pick berries until red juice ran down his little chin. I think this was the happiest I had ever seen him. What prompted him to taste the first one? He would not eat the berries from the grocery. The happiness we all felt on this day is a gift I cherish.

The native strawberry plant makes a nice ground cover. The berries are delicious, and the leaves can be dried to make tea. Birds gobble up the sweet fruits. There is a mock strawberry that comes from Asia. That plant has similar leaves but yellow blooms.  It produces a fruit that is edible, but it is not as tasty.

In her book, “Braiding Sweetgrass,” Robin Wall Kimmerer, devotes a chapter to strawberries. I found it interesting that she also picked strawberries for a neighbor as a teen. She explains that strawberries are a gift from the Earth, and according to their legends, strawberries grew from the heart of Sky Woman’s daughter after she died. The name in Potawatomi is ‘ode min’ or heart berry. She maintains that gifts from the Earth, like wild berries, come with an obligation for us to reciprocate. Too many of us take the gifts of nature for granted and do nothing to ensure that there will be gifts for others in the future. 

‘til next time,

Annie

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“What will you do when it floods?”

As we talk about the MYPath trail along the White River, we get asked that question. A lot.

The smart-alecky answer is, “Not hike that day.”

The longer answer is a little more complicated. People in Spencer and Owen County are serious about floods. They didn’t ask “if” it floods. They asked “when.” Flooding is an unpleasant part of life in the lowlands along the White River.

Locals have seen and splashed through many floods over the years. From the MYPath perspective, we used part of one of our grants to place a marker on the corner of Wayne and Main commemorating the flood of 1913. If you visit that corner, you will see that our new sign is next to a limestone block that was the original high-water marker. If you look closely, you can make out some of the letters. The new sign says the same thing as the old marker.

This year, the heavy rains fell on April 10 and 11. This was not a massive rainstorm, considering Spencer’s history. But it was big to us. We were scheduled to lead a hike on February 12. This was not just any hike. This was an important hike with one of our key partners, McCormick’s Creek State Park.

Each year, McCormick’s Creek State Park hosts Wildflower Weekend. It is a fun event, featuring special wildflower-themed hikes. Participants can find and learn about these natural beauties.

For the past few years, McCormick’s Creek has started its Wildflower Weekend with a Friday evening hike at MYPath. It is quite an honor to host this event at the MYPath Riverfront Trail. Last year, we were even able to host this hike when the park had to cancel the rest of the weekend events because of the devastating storm. We take our responsibility for hosting a Wildflower Weekend hike very seriously.

This year, I had been out to the trail to make sure we had ample wildflowers along the trail construction activities. Sure enough. We had many wild violets, phlox, buttercups and even some spring beauties. In addition, I was ready to talk about the Monarch Waystation near the trail and the eagles’ nest, across the river, but visible from MYPath. It was going to be fun.

Then the rain came and the river rose. And continued to rise.

Friday morning, I checked the river level. I’ve seen it higher. But it was not predicted to crest for several hours, a couple feet higher than it was that morning. Begrudgingly, I cancelled the Wildflower Weekend hike at MYPath.

It was a good thing. The flooding was worse than I had seen in the last three years. The water crawled over the bank and flooded the lower areas of the trail. Elliston Creek backed up, completely flooding the site for the new bridge and a significant portion of the New Meadow along River Road. Even the DNR boat launch on River Road was invisible under deep water.

Back in the McCormick’s Creek, Wildflower Weekend continued as planned on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors enjoyed beautiful wildflowers and informative hikes along the way. It was wet there, but nothing was under water. Kids could win a Smoky the Bear sticker for identifying wildflowers on a bingo card.

Though everybody was having fun in the park, my mind kept going back to MYPath. I was able to follow the flood levels from the National Weather Service. Water levels were slowly dropping. But not far, or fast, enough.

The next Wednesday, our Weekly Walkers ventured out to see the damage. There wasn’t really much damage. Water rose. Water receded. Some mud was left, a snapping turtle, and fish that had ventured a little farther than they should have.

The next week, crews from Milestone Construction were back on site, preparing the shore along Elliston Creek for a future bridge. The trail itself was fine. A dead fish was still there, dried out on the trail. A lot of tracks from a lot of animals made their mark across the mud. And wildflowers were blooming.

The following week our weekly walkers discovered that two other fish survived at least a week in a shallow mud puddle. Those fish were returned to the river.

So, the lesson of flooding is pretty much what we thought. We won’t hike that day. We will wait. The water will recede, nature will reappear, and trail life will return to normal. Except for the fish.

***

Kyle Hannon is the project manager for the MYPath Trail System. He has served in many community development and trail connection roles throughout the state. On many weekends, he serves as an interpretive specialist at McCormick's Creek State Park.

Around this time, from Memorial Day to Father’s Day, I get nostalgic about my Dad and the good times fishing and hunting that we had. I fondly recall the yearly trips we would take to Kentucky Lake in late May after school was out. Sometimes we caught fish, sometimes not so much, but the memories are still sweet.  

My Dad had to grow up fast. His father, Oscar, suffered from chronic stomach problems. One day on the farm in southern Indiana “Ossie” started vomiting blood, and he couldn’t stop. No one could help him. The cause of death was a bleeding ulcer, a malady that would of course be treatable today. He was only 39, and my dad was 16, the oldest of a family of six boys, the youngest son being two. Those were tough times. Somehow the family scratched out a living from their acres and what they could raise, catch, or kill. Mark, the two-year-old, always looked to my father, Clyde, as his father. The irony was that Dad outlived all of his brothers, finally passing at 96 in 2011. The saying that the time one spends fishing doesn’t count against one’s life span might be true.

If he wasn’t laboring on the farm, Dad would often hike through the woods all the way down the valley behind his house to fish in Oil Creek. He probably started with catfish, sunfish, and rock bass, with an eye to feeding his family. There might have been fishable farm ponds around in the early thirties, but he never mentioned them. Rosemary Saddler lived with her parents further down on Oil Creek, so the narrow creek might have had some influence over what girl Dad became interested in. There was also something about pies that she baked, and she was cute as well. They married in 1938 and opened a grocery/gas station in St. Croix in 1940, which Mom with various helpers operated while Dad taught school, interrupted only by WW2 and his Coast Guard service.

As a teenager, Dad scraped up enough money to buy his first guitar from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. He got hold of an instruction manual and learned to play, eventually joining local groups, including one from St. Meinrad, the Denning Family Band. They played mostly for weddings. Dad said he really liked the crowds over near Jasper, Ferdinand, and St. Meinrad because the audience often paid them to keep playing well past their appointed time, with a generous tip involved. Dad in his later years enjoyed composing music as well. He counted as friends a fiddle player from New Albany named Sleepy Marlin. Sleepy appeared on TV with Randy Atcher’s WHAS program Hayloft Hoedown. He enjoyed quail hunting and would usually visit us sometime during the bird season. The Marlins music groups have carried on their father’s heritage.

Dad attended college, which was rare in those days. I’ve heard the story that his mother told him that he wasn’t much good for farm work, something about being too lazy for the manual labor involved. She said he might as well try to get his teacher’s license. After two years at a Danville college, he taught in several of the Perry County elementary schools, some of which were one-room, and finally ended in the nice facility which is Perry Central Elementary near Leopold. He didn’t have to haul wood or coal for the heating stove there. In retrospect, Dad most likely paved the way for my high school English teaching career.

I became his fishing and, to a lesser extent, hunting buddy at a young age. Most of my male relatives were outdoors guys, and I always looked up to them. Getting the limit of squirrels was a goal, but I seldom achieved that. I remember clearly Dad taking me and my new 20-gauge Remington Wingmaster three-shot pump to a woods when I was maybe 10. A squirrel was frantically escaping through the trees right over my head, and I blasted away three times, only slowing him down some. Dad’s double-barrel finished him off, but I claimed the squirrel as my own, my first kill, sort of. I recall taking it to my Grandma across the road and showing it off. She loved me, so she pretended to be impressed.

Quail were common around St. Croix, so Dad early on had a bird dog. Before I was of age, he had Lady, which he told me was a fine hunter. In my time we had a big wide-ranging pointer called Pretty Boy that Dad had purchased from our dentist in Tell City. The doc said that frequently out of frustration he had nearly shot PB, so he offered him to Dad at a good price. My father could scope out a bargain. Cover was thick around our home, and PB was out of sight most of the time. He might be on a point for a good while and we’d never know it until we heard the whirr of wings and PB barking as if to say, “Where were you guys? What do I have to do? Shoot them for you?” That dog would aggravate the heck out of us with not coming to our calls or busting birds, but then he would make a nice point, hold it, find the dead bird, and thus get back into our good graces.

Still, fishing was our main thing, and we had a lot of good trips together over the years. I treasure those times and recall them often. Thanks for all you did for and with me, Dad. You were a good example for a young man to follow.

Events for all ages are planned for the summer, and Fantastic Fridays are back starting June 7 and every Friday in June and July at 3 p.m.! So, hang this on your refrigerator, there is a lot going on:  

• Friday, June 7: Steven’s Puppets present Goldilocks and the Three Bears. A chance to see real marionette puppets in action telling the familiar story. 
• Friday, June 14: Fred Walden will be here with some creepy, crawly friends.   
• Friday, June 21: Mark Booth is bringing Birds of Prey!  
• Friday, June 28: Prepare to get wet! It’s time for a long-time favorite program:  the Water Show!
• Friday, July 5: Our own Field Day, be prepared to run, jump, hop, skip and be active.

We may as well go ahead and tell you what we have planned for July:  

• Friday, July 12: Magic Don Miller’s tribute to Harry Potter.
• Friday, July 19: Professor Steve’s Excellent Adventure.
• Friday, July 26: Our new annual favorite program that is fun for everyone:   Foam Happy Foam Party! 

But Friday isn’t the only day for summer events: 

Every Tuesday at 10 a.m. there is a story time for all children.

Every other Wednesday at 11 a.m. there will be a craft activity: June 12 and 26 and July 10 and 24. 

Wednesdays at 2 p.m., for ages 10 to 18, we have a new program: “How to do stuff.” There will be some basic cooking, some basic sewing and some other skills too… but what will be cooking and what will you sew?  

Anytime we are open: Bring the kids in to play and pick out stacks of books to read together. Keep those reading skills sharp all summer!  

Older kids can continue to enjoy activities with Bradan:  

• On Mondays, we have Lego Club from 4 to 6 p.m. 
• Wednesdays are for Anime Club for teens from 2 to 5 p.m.

• Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. are for the popular Dungeons and Dragons group.  

We won’t leave out the adults.

• Book Club with Hannah will continue to meet the fourth Monday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. Join the fun of discussing a book that you all have read. One book can inspire many viewpoints.
• Care for the Caregivers meets every Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. Caring for those we love can be hard work, can be heart-breaking, can cause fatigue, loneliness, and then feelings of guilt for feeling that way. Sometimes the caregiver needs to get away just for a little while to have their own emotional batteries recharged. You don’t have to drive all the way to Bloomington, you are welcome to join us at the library. 

• Watercolor painting class meets the first Friday of every month at 2 p.m.  
• B.J.’s Crafts time is every other Wednesday, June 12 and 26 and July 10 and 24 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

If you have been attending an event that is not listed here, it does not necessarily mean the group is not meeting, but rather, that the class is full and not seeking new attendees at this time.  

Attention: There will be a craft supply swap on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Remember all that stuff you bought when you got all excited about that new craft… the one you aren’t doing anymore at all?  

Bring in that stuff you don’t use anymore, and trade it in on some new craft stuff. Get some new ideas, learn a new skill, start a new hobby! Or find some new materials for your current hobby. 

The Friends of the Library will have their monthly Book Sale on Saturday, June 8 in the library’s Community Room from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stock up on summer reading!  

A classic 'tale as old as time' will hit the Tivoli's stage for the Owen County Civic Theatre's (OCCT) 10-year anniversary. 

With a cast of more than 60 being directed by Jessica Turnbull, the resourceful non-profit is working to put on the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast.”

Due to the anniversary, Turnbull looked to the Owen County community for inspiration and chose the beloved title.

“We thought it would be nice to tip our hat to people that had been involved in a production over the last two years that was not part of our group as well,” she said.

Along with the community being a part of the decision making, Turnbull’s love of fairy tales also motivated her to direct and put on the show.

With every performance OCCT does, Turnbull hopes to educate and bring the arts to the community.

“I'm bringing the thought of community to this,” she said. “I think that's always a much bigger reason for me doing anything here. I love the arts, and I love bringing that to the community. So, anything I do, I'm trying to do through that lens.”

One way Turnbull keeps “the thought of community” in mind is through the audition process. She’ll “rarely turn people away,” and instead, she’ll focus on what they can bring to the production. She aims to have the community involved in the process as well as providing them a learning experience. 

“It's important to utilize as many people and as many skills as possible, so that you have a very community driven show, and that's more of my goal here,” she said. “Not more so than having a good show, but I think by focusing on community and viewing it through that lens, you will have a good show. You're going to bring your best because you're accessing as many talents as you can. It's a good spirit to carry to the community.” 

Turnbull has decided to replicate the historical wear of the time period to make their production of the classic unique. Turnbull and the cast hope to bring the frills and ruffles of the Rococo period to the stage.

“My background in art history and just art at IU [Indiana University] makes me always identify the shows I'm doing through that lens of history and what people might have worn and even the processes of doing their hair,” Turnbull said. “I'm interested in preserving history, that's another element you can educate people with.” 

Natasha “Tasha” Shaw in the role of Belle is helping with the historically accurate costumes by making her own costumes for the show.

To ensure the accurate clothing, Shaw and Turnbull researched fabric that would’ve been used during the Rococo period, which was linen. Shaw ordered the fabric, dyed it herself to get the right shade of blue to connect it back to the cartoon movie, found a historically accurate pattern and sewed it. The whole process for the blue dress took a month. 

The cast has many challenges with adapting the production to the stage, given the many different versions of the fairy tale. The most prominent being the 1991 cartoon Disney movie. 

"As simple a fairy tale as it is, it has a lot of specificity to it,” Wyatt Tucker, the Beast, said. “I feel like that is its greatest strength as well as a weakness when you're trying to adapt it because everyone has all these preconceived notions about how the role should be played, what you should sound like, [and] what you look like. And I guess at the end of the day, I just respect everything that came — because of course that's what we all grew up on, and we have a great admiration for it. But that's a standard that I may or may not be able to achieve, realistically. So, it's just all about doing our best trying to live up to that, it's something that we aspire to, but not letting it overwhelm me.”

For Shaw the weight of the adaptation is personal.

“‘Beauty and the Beast' was my life growing up. I wanted to be Belle more than anything in the world. I carried books around with me before I could read because I wanted to be Belle,” Shaw said. “I came into rehearsal, knowing exactly how I wanted to play the role, and also knowing that so much of Belle’s character is who I am, too. And I guess that sets me up to a very different standard where I mostly want to put on the best show that I can for myself as opposed for a Disney-loving crowd.”

To Shaw, Belle showed that being different is a “badge of honor," and to be given the opportunity to be Belle feels like her “dreams are coming true.”

Along with the different versions and adaptations of the characters, the cast has been given the opportunity to grow in new experiences.

Tucker, as the Beast, is in a new type of role that he hasn’t been in before. In prior performances of other shows, he has been casted as comedic or villainous roles. 

A role like the Beast gives him a chance to try something new.

“I never imagined that I would be in this type of role and [have] the ability to flex my dramatic muscles and really try to get my way into this type of character,” Tucker said. “It's been really, really fascinating.”

Turnbull is joyed by Shaw’s and Tucker’s portrayals of the characters, noting that Shaw sounds similar to Disney’s animated Belle and finds Tucker’s performance of the Beast brings a “different human element.”

“He's not as ferocious. It's almost like you can see that he's a little defeated. He understands that the curse is almost forever,” Turnbull said. “So it's almost like he's given up hope, and you can see that. So, I think he's taking — from my standpoint as director witnessing how they're playing — it seems like that, and I think that's a refreshing take.” 

OCCT will offer four chances for the community to be their guest with the performances taking place at Owen Valley High School’s Auditorium June 7 at 7 p.m., June 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and June 9 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for students, $7 for children 12 and younger, and 2-year-olds and younger are free.