Jasper Library Board: Big decisions coming soon
The Jasper Public Library is in a holding pattern waiting for information to be finalized on several costs for the cultural center. The Jasper Public Library board is asking the public to approve a referendum to increase property taxes to pay for their portion of the combined Jasper Arts and Jasper Library project at the…
18-year-old arrested on molestation charges; police seeking additional victims
Wednesday, Santa Claus police arrested Gage Nelson, 18, on preliminary felony charges of child molesting and dissemination of material harmful to minors. The arrest was made following a three-month investigation of circumstances involving alleged sexual conduct and showing of pornography to an 11-year-old girl. Through information obtained during the investigation, authorities have reason to believe…
Hit-and-run crash damages two vehicles in Jasper; Reward offered
Update: A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the identification and arrests of the individual or individuals in the tan Ford minivan. The reward is being offered through the Community Strike Force fund. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Jasper Police Department at 812-482-2255. Original: Police are…
Police: Drone peeping still voyeurism and drones require registration
A few drone sightings and complaints in Jasper prompted police to remind the public of new and existing regulations on the unmanned aircraft. First, a citizen saw a drone flying near a home’s windows and reported it to police. Based on this report, the department wants to remind the public that it is a crime…
Jasper Park Board meeting notes
The Jasper Parks Board meeting was held Tuesday afternoon with four out of five members were present. Board President Roger Seger was absent. The board attorney, Renee Kabrick, opened several quotes on budgeted items, the first being 25 golf carts. Louisville based Cunningham Gof Cart was awarded the contract on Yamaha gas powered units, at a net…
Ferdinand Town Council: Timber sale nets better than expected returns
Attendance at the Ferdinand Town Council’s Tuesday night meeting was lighter than usual, with only three students, two parents and one Boy Scout in addition to the regulars. Also missing was Councilman Ron Weyer, who had just come out of back surgery. Still, that didn’t prevent a heavy slate of items from being checked off…
Huntingburg Council: Market Street Park steps forward
Four Huntingburg residents made comments at the public hearing on the Market Street Park Stellar Project Tuesday evening. Two commended the city’s efforts in moving forward on the Stellar Project while two others had questions about the plans for the new park. Crystal Buehler told the council she and her family moved to Huntingburg about…
Council creates 12 points for budget cut considerations
The Dubois County Council plans on taking a stand against propping up the general fund with Economic Development Income Taxes (EDIT). The county’s budget took an influx of $1.685 million from the EDIT fund to float through 2016. This is the fifth year in a row the EDIT fund has been tapped to supplant the…
Inmate faces charges after X-ray reveals contraband
An inmate is facing trafficking charges after an X-ray revealed a cigarette lighter and suspected synthetic marijuana in his rectum. According to authorities, jail officers suspected an inmate was smoking an illegal substance in the county security center. During the investigation, officers suspected another inmate, Eric B. Crowe, 26, of 2704 Corona Dr., Evansville, was in…
Dog display on cross reported stolen
Deputies are asking for the public’s assistance in locating items taken from a stone cross located on a property south of Birdseye. Deputies were called to 8042 S. State Road 145 on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. for the report of the theft of two orange straps, a tow strap, a military-style sleeping bag and a…
One man shares his story of domestic abuse
Joseph and Larry met through Grindr, a popular social and dating app for gay men. They continued seeing each other and eventually, Larry told Joseph how beautiful he was, how special, making Joseph become more and more attached. Joseph grew up in a comfortable middle-class family, with two parents who’d worked hard to ensure he…
Jasper home heavily damaged in basement fire (updated)
Update: Authorities suspect a light ballast caused the fumes from the stain and glue remover to combust in the house fire. Total damages are still unknown. Original: Jasper volunteer firefighters responded to a house fire on W. 14th St. early Sunday morning. According to Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang, units were called to the 1202 W. 14th…
Four injured in truck vs. SUV collision
Four people were injured when a truck collided with a small SUV at the intersection of State Road 162 and County 815S, north of Ferdinand at 3:08 p.m. Sunday. According to police, Amy L. Rickelman, 46, of Ferdinand, was northbound on State Road 162 in a 2011 Kia Sorento and she stopped to turn west…
Hit-and-run driver injures 77-year-old Huntingburg man (updated)
Update: The vehicle involved in Saturday’s personal injury hit and run has been located but the Sheriff’s Department is still investigating the incident. Original: Police are seeking the driver of a Pontiac Sunfire who struck a John Deere Gator side-by-side and injured its 77-year-old driver Saturday morning. According to the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Wilfred A. Buechler,…
Committee to recommend new routes on Jasper Power Plant
With bids running between $300,000 and $900,000 to demolish the Jasper Power Plant, the Jasper Electric Committee decided to seek another route to decommission the former asset. According to Jasper Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger, the soft price of steel, as well as unknown environmental variables in the demolition of the power plant drove up pricing on…
Daffodil Stroll Spring Gala — A night of dancing and romancing
Want to enjoy a splendid evening while simultaneously helping the Huntingburg Volunteer Fire Department? A night of dining and dancing, complete with both a silent and live auction and all sorts of other festive entertainment? A night on which to don your most sumptuous semi-formal attire and welcome spring? You are in luck — just such a night is…
Softly suffering: Witnessing domestic violence isn’t just upsetting; it’s dangerous
Black eyes. Bruises. Scratch marks and stiff upper lips. Those are tell-tale signs of domestic violence. Cortisol overload. DNA changes. Those are the signs people don’t see, yet new research shows these consequences could be even worse. On March 17, VUJC will host a workshop titled, “The Silent Witnesses: Working with Clients Who Grew Up in…
Law enforcement blitz planned around March Madness
Local law enforcement and Indiana State Police will participate in increased patrols to increase education and enforcement against dangerous and impaired driving in March. “Between Indiana’s deep-rooted basketball pride and the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, much of Indiana celebrates throughout the month of March,” said Deputy Tim Lampert in a press release. “Celebrating responsibly is…
Arrest: Jasper man on meth driving with children in car
An early morning traffic stop in Tell City resulted in the arrest of a Jasper man on operating while under the influence of meth charges with children in his vehicle. At 2:43 a.m. Thursday, Trooper Charlie Johnson was patrolling Main Street in Tell City when he observed a southbound 2001 Chrysler traveling 52 mph in…
125 mph pursuit ends with drunken driving arrest
A late night pursuit in Crawford County ended with an English resident in jail. At 1:10 a.m. Thursday morning, Trooper Justin Mears was on Interstate 64 near the 94.5-mile marker when he observed a 2015 Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling westbound at a high rate of speed. Trooper Mears activated his radar, which indicated that the…
Letter: Mayor Seitz: Investment wouldn’t occur without tax abatements
Recent meetings of the Dubois County Council have called into question the abatement process for the county and one council member has chosen to include the City of Jasper in her remarks. The suggestion that the city, the county, schools, or any other taxing entity has been harmed by the tax abatement program implemented by…
County Council questions tax abatement effectiveness in light of budget shortfalls
County Councilwoman Becky Beckman asked if the county is attracting new businesses to the area or simply bolstering a good old boys club with local companies with the current tax abatement programs? She also questioned the effectiveness of abatements if they weren’t creating jobs in the area. A little history: Indiana has a statute on…
Explosions, gunfire near Anderson Valley church lead to two arrests Wednesday
Deputies arrested two men near Birdseye on felony counts of intimidation and criminal recklessness Wednesday. According to authorities Damian McBride, 19 and Josh McBride, 39, both of 8042 South State Road 145, Birdseye, were arrested on felony warrants issued by the Dubois County Circuit Court. Both men face two counts of Level 5 felony intimidation,…
Huntingburg man arrested for two counts of theft
Huntingburg officers arrested a Huntingburg man for theft after responding to a complaint of unusual activities at a storage rental business Wednesday morning. According to police, they were called to B&P Rentals at the corner of 8th and Van Buren streets at about 6:45 a.m. The caller said they observed several people going into a…
American Pickers seeking items from Huntingburg & Holland residents
“American Pickers,” a History Channel documentary series that explores antique picking, is currently looking for people with interesting and unique items in the Huntingburg/Holland area. The show follows two skilled pickers, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they find antique treasures they’ve never seen before and learn the story behind the items. One of the…
Council declines to kiss sheriff’s …
For Dubois County Sheriff Donny Lampert, the wound created by the county council’s decision to give the new community corrections director an unprecedented raise is still fresh. At Monday’s council meeting, the wound reopened when the council declined to support Lampert’s request to pay a kitchen staffer at the jail an additional $181.75. Lampert asked…
Two drivers injured after vehicles flip in high-speed crash
Two drivers were injured and their cars totaled just after noon today following a high-speed crash near Duff. According to police, Paxton A. Combs was westbound in a 2010 Chevrolet Colbalt following a 2008 Toyota Scion TC driven by Kelsey M. Hinton on Duff Road SE, just east of County Road 600 W. at about 12:13…
Arkansas woman critically injured when her truck collides with parked semi-tractor
An Arkansas woman was listed in critical condition after the pickup truck she was driving slammed into a stopped tractor-trailer on Interstate 64 near the Ferdinand exit. According to Indiana State Police, Pamela J. Sorrells, 59, of Randolph County, Ark., was westbound on Interstate 64 near the 64-mile marker (one mile east of the Ferdinand…
Popplewell court dates set; his father escorted from courthouse after medical incident
Accused murderer and rapist Kyle Popplewell, 25, was in Dubois County Circuit Court Monday. At the request of Popplewell’s attorney Steven Ripstra, the omnibus hearing originally scheduled for Monday was moved a month down the road to March 28 at 9 a.m. Ripstra requested the move to give his office more time to work out…
Dubois firefighters called to 2 fires Sunday afternoon; One displaced a family
Updated: Details on the family’s needs are outlined at the end of the story. Original: A house fire temporarily displaced a Dubois family Sunday afternoon. Dubois Volunteer firefighters were called to the report of a house fire at 4660 Zehr Road south of Dubois at about 12:06 p.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found smoke in the…
Dubois County deputies respond to shots fired and explosions near church
Deputies responded to a call of shots fired and explosions near a church in the southeastern portion of the county at about 8:48 a.m. Sunday. The caller reported that the church congregation at the Anderson Valley Christian Church at 8084 South State Road 145 had witnessed three individuals later identified as 39-year-old Josh McBride, 19-year-old…
