Jasper assistant superintendent hired as Greene County superintendent
From principal, to assistant superintendent, to superintendent; Bob Hacker was hired as the new superintendent of the White River Valley School District in Greene County. In a special meeting on Wednesday night, the school trustees took less than five minutes to approve Hacker for the position. Hacker will replace Dr. Jerrill Vandeventer as the White…
Jasper mayor announces second set of city chats
Jasper – Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz announces the second annual series of City Chats scheduled for May and June. Building upon last year’s events, the City Chats are opportunities for officials to converse with the general public and for citizens to learn more about city government. The 2013 City Chats will take place at community…
Ward named interim director of Dubois County Humane Society
Jasper — The Dubois County Humane Society announced Cara Ward has been hired as the interim executive director for the recently reorganized non-profit. “With the recent re-organization efforts led by the governing board, this is an exciting time for expanded volunteer efforts and public involvement in the mission of the Humane Society,” said Ward. In collaboration with…
IHSAA allows homeschoolers to play high school sports
The Indiana High School Athletic Association voted to allow home-schoolers play in high school sports at a meeting on Monday. The new rule will take effect in the 2013–2014 school year. According to the new rule, a student enrolled in a non-accredited private school or homeschool now has the opportunity to try out for a…
Homeschooled students could participate in high school athletics after today’s vote by the IHSAA
(via Evansville Courier & Press) INDIANAPOLIS — The organization that regulates high school sports will decide today whether to let some homeschooled students participate in high school athletics. The move by the Indiana High School Athletic Association comes two years after the issue bubbled up at the Indiana General Assembly,…
Huntingburg Council meeting notes
Special from WITZ AM/FM The Huntingburg City Council held their second and final meeting of the month and worked through a shortened agenda. First, Huntingburg Chamber Director Nick Stevens thanked the council for their help and support during recent events – the car show and the just completed Jazz Fest. Stevens reported that they had…
New curriculum from Vincennes University allows transfer to all Indiana colleges
Vincennes — A new 30-credit-hour core curriculum from Vincennes University is designed to save students money on their first year in college. The Vincennes University Board of Trustees met Wednesday and approved adding a General Education Transfer Core Certificate to the curriculum. The certificate is designed to transfer among all colleges in Indiana. Enrollment is projected…
Lawmakers reach agreement on biennial budget
A draft of the budget bill calls for a 5 percent cut in individual income tax phased in with two cutbacks 3 percent in 2015 and 2 percent in 2017. The budget will be before the House and Senate this Friday and is expected to pass. [quote style=”boxed”]“Today Hoosier taxpayers won a great victory. The agreement reached…
Two new marshals in Town of Holland
The Holland Town Council swore in two new marshals at a special meeting on Wednesday. Ron Drew, a 34-year veteran police officer who most recently served as Huntingburg’s Chief of Police, is the new town marshal and Paul Voegerl Jr., a retired Marine, will serve as deputy marshal. Drew, 62, of Huntingburg, is married with…
A tale of two trucks and $90,000
Jasper Street Department Commissioner Raymie Eckerle was proud as punch to inform the Jasper Board of Public Works about saving the department and city about $90,000 on a new dump truck. The Street Department has used two military surplus dump trucks to carry tearout materials from street repairs for disposal for many years. According to…
Ferdinand Park Board opens new restroom/shelter house to 18th Street Park
The Town of Ferdinand’s Park Board has officially opened its new handicap-ADA compliant/accessible restroom and shelter house facility in the Town’s 18th Street Park. To save as much money as possible on the project, the majority of the project’s construction was performed “in-house” by the town employees. Project oversight was handled by Ferdinand’s Property Manager…
I-67 Coalition pushing for 8 year completion proposal
Huntingburg — “I think the stars are starting to align.” So said Coalition President and CEO of OFS Brands Hank Menke. He was speaking about the I-67 Coalition’s continued progress towards a connection between the improved U.S. 231 portion and I-69 east of Washington. “Conexus has identified 19 future corridors in the state that are…
Jasper HomeTown Competitiveness promoting random acts of kindness
The Jasper HomeTown Competitiveness Initiative is promoting the area become involved in the national “Pay It Forward Day” on Thursday, April 25th. The pay it forward initiative involves people doing random acts of kindness for others without expecting anything in return. The goal is to create a positive ripple effect of giving by paying the kindness…
Child Abuse Prevention Awareness essay and drawing winners
The Dubois County Department of Child Services sponsored an essay and coloring contest for all area schools to promote Child Abuse Prevention Awareness. Here are the contest winners and their submissions. Click on any of the images below to enlarge them. Grades 6-8 contest winners. Grades K-5 contest winners
Lt. Gov. Ellspermann part of surprise award at Huntingburg Annual Chamber Luncheon
A torn meniscus and an invitation from Lt. Government Sue Ellspermann ensured two honored guests attended the Huntingburg Chamber of Commerce Annual Luncheon on Friday. Alan and Connie Nass were chosen to receive the chamber’s annual Golden Leaf Award during the luncheon. Connie had originally planned on taking a tour of southern Indiana with her…
I-67 Development Corporation met with senate and congressional leaders
Members of the I-67 Development Corporation traveled to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, April 16 as part of a fly-in to update local representatives on the road project. The group is pursuing the construction of an interstate from Bowling Green, KY to I-69 in southeast of Washington. Members Hank Menke, Eric Schue, David Holt, Mayor Denny Spinner,…
Protestors appear at area post offices
Tables in front of the Huntingburg and Jasper Post Offices appeared yesterday morning with pairs of protesters handing out literature and happily arguing their cause with whoever approached. Posters attached to the tables braved the wind to protest President Barrack Obama. They call for his impeachment and even liken him to Hitler by adding that…
ALERT: Weather Radio temporarily out of service, switch channels
According to the National Weather Service In Paducah, Kentucky the KIG76 NOAA Weather Radio located at Evansville, Indiana and operating on 162.55 MHz is temporarily out of service. This is the NOAA weather radio that most of DuboisCounty depends on to receive their weather alerts. Until KIG76 is repaired, the NWS is requesting everyone monitor…
Ferdinand waste center abuse must stop
Ferdinand — Ferdinand officials are concerned that continued abuse of the yard waste collection area on East 23rd Street will force them to close it down. “Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen residential trash, shrubs with root balls still attached, and, most recently, treated lumber scraps were left there—all of which must be hand-sorted…
Memorial Hospital Announces 2013 LCM Outstanding Physician Award Winner
Jasper – Scott Beckman, M.D. has been named the 2013 Little Company of Mary Outstanding Physician Award winner at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center. This award is named in honor of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, the sponsors of Memorial Hospital. The LCM Award is given annually to a physician on…
Jasper Council meeting: Large building project causes complaints
An upset couple appealed to the city council about a 2400 square foot building being constructed on a property adjacent to their own along 36th Street. Jerry and Ann Hilgefort own a lot adjacent to 327 E. 36th Street and have broke ground on a new home. The homeowner at 327 E. 36th Street plans on…
Former Boy Scout exec pleads guilty in federal court
(via Evansville Courier & Press) EVANSVILLE — A former local executive of the Boy Scouts’ Buffalo Trace Council pleaded guilty to six child pornography charges in federal court on Wednesday. Ryan C. Bieler, 34, appeared in U.S. District Court at Evansville and waived his right to a grand jury indictment — the formal…
Candlelight shines for awareness of child abuse
Jasper — On Tuesday evening Dubois County joined other 83 other organizations across the state in recognizing the state’s most vulnerable citizens, its children. Organized by the Indiana Department of Child Services, Families with Direction —the Dubois County charter of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana— and the Kids First Trust Fund, about 30 people were on hand to…
Don’t make ordinances just to make ordinances – Dubois County Sheriff
Dubois County — Is it necessary for the County Commissioners to pass an ordinance declaring their support of the 2nd Amendment as debates rage on about gun control in the nation? Spurred by national tragedies like the Sandy Hook Shooting, some that consider the right to safety to be intrinsic in the Constitution are pushing for the…
Beaver Lake half inch to four feet shallower
Jasper — Beaver Lake is full again but residents and landowners are skeptical about whether it’s as full as it used to be. Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger has been fielding calls from the skeptical group. “They are saying it is anywhere from a two feet to 4 feet shallower,” he explained. The city has been hearing complaints…
Jasper, Forest Park and Southridge most hospitable schools in southwest Indiana
The Southwestern Indiana Officials Association named Forest Park, Southridge and Jasper High Schools the winners of their “Hospitality Awards” for 2012-13. By a vote of members, officials in all sports cast their vote for the school which provides the best hospitality. Forest Park, Southridge and Jasper were the schools tallying the most votes this year…
Jasper Utility Service Board meeting: Retirees, sludge, electricity and Third Ave. Project
Jasper — Jasper utilities will be hiring two new utilities managers this year. Wendell Toby with Electrical Distribution plans on retiring by the end of May and Mike Oeding with Water and Gas will be retired by the end of June. Toby has worked for the city for 44 years and Oeding has been with the…
Changes ahead for local Catholics
Changes ahead for local Catholics (via Evansville Courier & Press) Catholics are bracing for an announcement expected in late June about a major reconfiguration of parishes, intended to bring “renewed vigor” to a church facing a shortage of priests and a decline in Mass attendance. The Diocese of Evansville will merge or link churches following…
Huntingburg Council meeting: Parking tickets pack bigger punch
The Huntingburg Council took Police Chief Art Parks’ recommendation to increase fines for parking tickets and decided to add even more weight to the upcoming ordinance. Originally, Parks requested the $1 fine for violations of timed spots be increased to $5; additionally he requested the $5 fine for improper, yellow-zone and handicap parking violations be…
Ferdinand Town Council: Woohoo! Get ready to Fondo
First the bad news — the Ferdinand Chainsaw Carving Fest has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Now for the news flash — a fondo is not the same as a fondue. Nor is it a shortened way of saying “fond of” in a text message. Ferdinand Town Council members and all present at their…
County residents need to contact county before burning
A Red Flag Warning by the National Weather Service caught local fire chiefs by surprise last Saturday. The NWS issued the red flag warning due to atmospheric conditions being favorable for a wildfire to occur. Brush piles and yard clippings in the county are legal to burn but residents are required to contact the county…
