Finishing touches to Ellspermann’s Christmas decor donated by Jasper business
Businesses and groups from across the state including one from Jasper came together to decorate the Lt. Governor’s office this Christmas season. “I’m excited to share the beautiful decorations and Christmas tree with the hundreds of visitors who tour the Statehouse this season,” said Lt. Governor Ellspermann. “I have never forgotten that this working Statehouse…
Jasper Arts: Hoosier Desk partnership and plans moving forward fast
The elephant in the room didn’t have time to raise its trunk before Jasper Community Arts Commission president Mike Jones started the discussion on the Hoosier Desk property at the regular meeting Monday. The group is in a rush to get some facts together to present their case to the Jasper Common Council for support…
Substance Abuse Council announces $21,572.42 in grants
The Dubois County Substance Abuse Council (SAC) announced $21,572.42 in grant funding. Under the direction of Indiana Criminal Justice Institute awarded the funding during the September 2015 applications. The Governor’s Commission mandates SAC to provide funding in three categories: Treatment/Intervention, Prevention/Education, and Criminal Justice Services. The SAC Executive Committee awarded grant applications in the Prevention/Education…
Fit by bit; activity trackers cut city’s healthcare costs
Don Foerster is concerned about people moving. Movement is exercise and for Foerster, the City of Huntingburg’s safety director, exercise is good for the city’s health insurance budget. And to get more city employees moving, Foerster has innovated a new program involving Fitbit Activity Trackers. Fitbits are special bands worn on the wrist that prompt users…
Santa Claus postmark now available for your special Christmas cards
The special Santa Claus holiday postmark is now available at the Santa Claus Post Office. This famous small-town post office is the only one in the world with the Santa Claus name and receives over 400,000 pieces of mail in December. The Santa Claus Post Office has offered the special postmark every holiday season since…
Jasper Police Department partners with publisher to provide information
The Jasper Police Department is working with a publisher to bring local children and adults up-to-date drug and alcohol information. L.A.W. Publications creates handout materials to educate children and adults about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, as well as a variety of safety issues such as identity theft and gang-related violence prevention. They…
Holland’s Todrank to join Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Today, Holland’s Joe Todrank was announced as an inductee to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Todrank and 13 others will be honored during the 2016 Mens’ Induction Class on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. From the announcement at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame: Joe Todrank left a lasting impact on Southern Indiana basketball as…
Foundation to give $12,000 to local nonprofits over year-end giving blitz
In the spirit of #Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back, the Community Foundation will launch 12 Days of Giving, a year-end blitz of 12 days of granting, a total of $12,000 to local charities. Starting on December 2, the day after #Giving Tuesday, the Foundation will be giving away a $1,000 grant…
Juveniles injured; police seeking truck that fled ATV accident
Conservation officers are seeking a red truck that was involved in an all-terrain vehicle accident that sent three juveniles to Memorial Hospital Thursday afternoon. According to authorities, the three juveniles were operating an ATV on Harts Gravel Road near Birdseye at about 5:15 p.m. when a red truck drove up and struck them from behind….
Jasper candidates agree on judge for recount; next steps varied
The three candidates for Jasper mayor have agreed on a judge to oversee the recount. On Monday, November 16, representing incumbent mayor Terry Seitz, Indianapolis attorneys David Brooks and Samantha DeWester filed for the recount of the votes cast in the municipal election. The election resulted in a tie for mayor between Seitz and challenger…
Huntingburg Council meeting: Wastewater project financing discussed
With the City of Huntingburg increasing the capacity of its wastewater system, residents should expect about an 18 percent rate increase. The increase was discussed at a recent joint meeting involving the Huntingburg Common Council, Huntingburg Board of Public Works and the utility rate advisory board. Huntingburg rate consultant Otto “Buzz” Krohn recommend the increase to…
Jasper School Board meeting: Ireland Elementary expansion moving forward
The Greater Jasper School Board approved the bond terms to continue forward with an expansion of Ireland Elementary. Superintendent Dr. Tracy Lorey explained that the school district “will be funding the expansion at Ireland through lease financing, so the building corporation technically purchases the portion of Ireland Elementary School, and the district will lease that…
A shameless plug and some writing lessons from Scott Saalman
I sent Scott Saalman some questions about a year ago. Today, on his birthday, he decided to share his answers with me. Scott has made a living writing written thousands a lot of columns for The Herald in which his self-deprecating humor usually gets at least a couple chuckles. He recently published his second book…
Local schools denounce ISTEP results
A letter denouncing the ISTEP results was sent out to all Dubois County students’ families today. Signed by all four area school superentendents, the letter encourages the community to make their voices heard in regards to the apparently politically driven testing. Dear Parent, Guardian, Community Member; In the next few weeks, the Indiana Department of…
County Council meeting: New legislation could cut $100,000 in income for the county
The county is facing another loss of income with recent changes to personal property tax laws. The state legislature approved an exemption for anyone with a personal property acquisition of less than $20,000. The exemption must be filed with the county, and the county can apply a service fee for the filing. The service fee…
Braun named as 2015 Sister Nancy Boyle award recipient
Maureen Braun has been named the 2015 recipient of the Sister Nancy Boyle, Little Company of Mary Award (LCM). Braun received the award on Saturday, November 7, during the biennial Memorial Hospital Foundation Gala hosted at West Baden Springs Hotel in West Baden, Indiana. The Sister Nancy Boyle, LCM award is given annually to an…
Gallery goes straight to the heart for children
Beginning today, visitors entering the Dubois County Courthouse will be met by the faces of several children seeking forever homes. Over a dozen life-size portraits of adoptable children in the state’s foster care program are on stands in the foyer of the courthouse. Each image includes an information card for a prospective parent to pick…
Patoka Township seat vacancy filled
Jaclyn McPherron of Huntingburg was selected to fill a vacancy in the Patoka Township Advisory Board by a caucus of Republican Precinct Committeemen. The caucus was held on Wednesday, November 18th. Three candidates sought the office according to Dubois County Republican Party Chairman, Don Hayes, who chaired the caucus. The vacancy was created when Jeffrey L. Bounds, who held…
Jasper Council approves $150,000 to begin planning downtown redevelopment
The Jasper Common Council approved $150,000 for a developer to plan the downtown redevelopment project. The Jasper Redevelopment Commission began the process of redeveloping the courthouse square and a block in each direction leading from the square as part of the recommendations from the Jasper Downtown + Riverfront Master Plan. The redevelopment commission created a…
That’s a nice boulder
A boulder made its way into the middle of First Street in Huntingburg yesterday but not without a little help. Andy King at Mor-For-Less reported the store’s camera’s picked up the entire incident. Apparently, a northbound tractor-trailer pulled into the store’s parking lot from U.S. 231 with the intention to use it to turn around….
Veterans History Project to record veterans’ stories at Northwood
U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly’s office will host a Veterans History Project event at Northwood Retirement Community Assisted Living from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 20. Donnelly serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Veterans History Project is an effort by the library of Congress to preserve the historic experiences of those…
NE Dubois school board drops insurance for board members
Tuesday evening, Northeast Dubois School Corporation school board members voted unanimously to end health insurance benefits for the board members. The move comes as the school corporation explores cost-cutting measures to balance a general fund budget for school operations. The health insurance benefits will end December 31. “We have been working on it for awhile….
Sobriety checkpoint planned for Dubois County this Friday
Troopers from the Indiana State Police Jasper Post will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location in Dubois County on Friday, November 20, 2015. Those drivers passing through the checkpoint area should have their licenses and registrations ready to present to troopers and will only be detained briefly while troopers determine whether further…
Astra Theatre ready for The Next Act; group to purchase the historic theatre in December
Raising $465,000 is a daunting task for any group, regardless of the cause. But that is what was needed to begin the process of reopening the Astra Theatre; $300,000 for an endowment to create an annual fund to pay for the theatre’s maintenance and about $165,000 to purchase the building — the sales price hasn’t…
Emerging Leaders donates $5,000 to Astra Theatre group’s efforts
About 25 members of Dubois County Emerging Leaders met last week for the annual granting party to decide which of the 22 local nonprofits would recieve $5,000. Formed in 2012 through the Huntingburg Community Foundation, the group was seeded with donations from German American Bank and Jasper Engines to create an initial endowment for Emerging…
Jasper Utility Service Board meeting: November 16, 2015
The Jasper Utility Service Board met for their regular meeting and took the following actions: -Approved Gas/Water Manager Ernie Hinkle to accept the low quotes on chemical supplies for 2016. Hinkle stated he would provide the Utility Service Board with a list of the approved suppliers and the respective chemicals at the next meeting. -Wastewater…
Seitz files for recount
Jim O’Neal, WITZ AM/FM News Director contributed to this report An attorney representing current Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz has filed for a recount for the 2015 municipal election results. Seitz and challenger Democrat Wayne Schuetter tied in the mayoral race with 1,856 votes each. The three-person election board comprised of Clerk Bridgette Jarboe, Republican representative…
Heartland Half Marathon raises $16,150.61 for Heart and Vascular Center
The 2015 Heartland Half Marathon put on by DC Multisport raised $16,150.61 for the Philip R. Dawkins Heart & Vascular Center. Kevin Manley, Treasurer of DC Multisport, presented a check to Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center’s Martie Bickwermert, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services last Friday. In total, DC Multisport has been able to give $98,493.38…
Public help sought to identify mailbox vandals
The Dubois County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s help in an investigation of mailbox vandalisms in the Dubois area. According to the department, on Sunday, they received a large number of reports of vandalized mailboxes. They are asking that anyone with information as to the identities of the vandals contact the Dubois County Sheriff’s…
Phone call keeps Jasper native safe during Paris attacks
Cameron Betz could have easily been in the midst of the horrific attacks in Paris Friday evening. Instead, a delayed phone conference with his boss and last minute plans for a trip on Saturday kept the Jasper native at his hotel located about 15 miles from the city. “Normally I am in the vicinity of…
Huntingburg Common Council greets new K-9 officer
The Huntingburg City Council was introduced to the newest officer on the Huntingburg Police Department during their first monthly meeting last night. Canine officer Ester is a two-year-old German Shepherd trained as a drug detection dog. Ester joined the force this week with her new partner, Officer Josh Hemmer. Hemmer told the council that he’s…
