Live Blog July 26 at 7 p.m.
We are currently updating the blog-cast as the Public Forum has started. Comments are welcome tonight Become part of the commentary. Take part in the discussion this evening. [adrotate group=”2″] For the record, the DC Freep has attempted to portray the questions and answers during the public forum as accurately as possible during the rapid succession…
Umbaugh report findings released by City of Jasper
The City of Jasper released the Umbaugh Economic Impact report today. H.J. Umbaugh and Associates was asked to provide assistance in studying the potential financial impact on the utilities and operations of Utilities in Jasper if the proposal to lease the power plant to Jasper Clean Energy is approved. According to Mayor Schmitt the proposed…
Whatever floats your cardboard boat
Holy Family School is hosting their first annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. The challenge is for amateur boat builders to design and construct a boat out of corrugated cardboard and attempt to float it on Patoka River. The think-tank behind this soggy idea is the marketing committee at Holy Family School. Kerri Mehringer, a volunteer with…
A candid video interview with Jasper Mayor Bill Schmitt
A brief summary of the video and interview The City of Jasper is on the verge of deciding what to do with the old coal fired power plant; do they go through with the biomass conversion or tear it down (or Let It Sit as the Facebook group is called). In this interview Schmitt reveals…
The video interview with Pastor Chris Breedlove
Chris Breedlove has been the pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Jasper for four years, but within the past two years Breedlove has been very active in opposing the city of Jasper’s proposal to convert the old coal fired power plant to a biomass power plant. In the following interview Breedlove explains his…
Press Conference regarding the economic impact for the Jasper Clean Energy Center
A press conference was held this morning with the City of Jasper regarding the release of the economic impact study completed by Bingham Economic for the power plant project. The study addresses the potential tax revenue from the Jasper Clean Energy Center, royalty payments, and the new jobs created with the project. Here is a…
Bingham Economic Impact Analysis for the Jasper Clean Energy Center Project
Bingham Economic Impact Analysis for the Jasper Clean Energy Center Project.
Lease Summary for the proposed power plant project
CITY OF JASPER JASPER CLEAN ENERGY CENTER July 21, 2011 TOPIC EXPLANATION REFERENCE Landlord: The City of Jasper Preamble Tenant: Jasper Clean Energy, LLC Preamble Premises: 1163 E. 15th Street, Jasper, Indiana (approximately 6.5 acres) Preamble Exhibit 1 Term of Phase I:(Interim Period) Effective Date to Commencement…
The Huntingburg Mayoral Candidates respond to League Stadium movie night fiasco
Janet Kemp’s response: I am writing this editorial as a candidate for the Mayor of Huntingburg. I write this with the hopes to explain my main reasons why I disagreed with a political party sponsoring a community event and celebration. First and foremost, I am a candidate for Mayor, and after working so closely with…
Huntingburg denies lease for planned Republican Party movie night at League Stadium; Mayor chastises parks superintendent for screening city requests
The Huntingburg Parks board met last night for the monthly meeting. On the agenda was the proposed lease of League Stadium by the Republican Party. At the June board meeting Denny Spinner approached the board concerning leasing the stadium to show “A League of Their Own” to celebrate the 20 anniversary of the production and…
Jasper releases proposed lease with Jasper Clean Energy
The City of Jasper has released the Proposed Lease Agreement for the public. Here is the link to download the document for review.
New group formed to get people involved in local aviation at the Huntingburg Municipal Airport
So I found myself in a small plane with decor that reminded me of my parent’s old wooden paneled station wagon. This wasn’t where I was supposed to be right now; this was supposed to be a little breakfast and some talk about airplanes with a bunch of enthusiasts from the area. But there came…
Former Bomber is now a Yankee; Cory Wade shores up big league bullpen
Bomber owner John Bigness had heard the name Cory a lot in his 10 years as owner of the Dubois County Bombers and the former Bluff City Bombers (Alton, IL, 2002-04). When the New York Yankees signed Cory Wade on June 13th to shore up their bullpen, Bigness, a lifelong Yankee fan, couldn’t help but…
Former Razorback Petrino arrested Sunday night in Huntingburg for OWI and drug charges
Former Backup Quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks, Nick Petrino was arrested Sunday night for OWI, possession of marijuana, a legend drug , and paraphernalia. According to the police report, a Huntingburg Officer was dispatched to the 400 block of North Main Street for a possible drunk driver operating a 2010 Mercedes with Arkansas plates. The…
Jasper Clean Energy agrees to provide extra funding for city fire department and security deposit in proposed lease
The City of Jasper continues to address the concerns of citizens during the lease negotiation. Today the city released more details concerning this process. Jasper Clean Energy has agreed to donate $50,000 to the Jasper Fire Department and $25,000 donation annually for the city’s volunteer fire department. According to Mayor Schmitt this is because the…
Jasper announces the schedule for biomass public forum
The Jasper City Council and Utility Service Board met last night to decide on the format of the upcoming public forum regarding the biomass proposal. In lieu of a sparse attendance from the public the two boards heard remarks from the Dr. Alan Johnson, Dean VUJC. He was approached by the city to moderate the…
Nicholson declares Republican candidacy for Jasper Clerk Treasurer
Cindy Nicholson has announced as a Republican candidate for the position of Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Jasper. The 50-year old lifelong resident of Jasper has been office manager for her family’s company, Gudorf Supply Co. of Jasper and is also employed at the Doodlebug. Nicholson considers her years in business as one of her…
The review of the proposed biomass conversion of the Jasper Power Plant by Dr. Shaddix
Review of Twisted Oak Proposal and Associated Literature Christopher R. Shaddix, PhD Consultant to Jasper, IN Utilities Board July 5, 2011 Summary of proposal: Twisted Oak proposes to repower the existing 14.5 MW stoker grate boiler, previously operated on a local coal source, as a 15 MW biomass boiler utilizing locally grown Miscanthus.1 In addition,…
Report from energy consultant due for public soon, City releases preliminary findings
The City of Jasper released more details regarding their research into the proposed biomass power plant. Mayor Schmitt stated that in the city’s efforts for general due diligence they have contacted a specialist in the field of combustion research and biomass fuels. The city felt this was necessary to address concerns of emissions and the…
Library Closed Today July 12th due to heat
The Jasper Library is closing today, Tuesday July 12 due to the heat. The special program, Snakehead Ed, will still be held at 10 am and 2 pm at 10th St School.
Sowing the seeds of love, Memorial Hospital celebrates 60 years of caring community partnership
The combination of the love and caring of Christianity can find no better companion than that of a hospital. This is no better exemplified than the story of Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center and the Sisters of Little Company of Mary as they celebrate 60 years of spiritual and physical healing in Dubois County….
John Becher of Becher Kluesner Funeral Homes involved in a fatal motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon
From Orange County Sheriff’s Department: At 4:00 p.m. the Orange County Sheriff’s Department received several 911 calls reporting the crash on State Road 56 west of French Lick. Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the scene, along with French Lick and West Baden Police Officers, members of Orange County Rural District 1 Fire Department…
High temps and humidity cause frizzy hair and early closure for Jasper Public Library until AC fixed
The air conditioning is still broken at the Jasper Public Library. Parts are expected to be in next week and hopefully the 20-year old air conditioning unit will be repaired early the next week. “A new air conditioning unit would cost about $30,000; repairing this one will be $17,000, so the board decided to repair…
Jasper attempts to address concerns of citizens with new lease agreement details released today
A press conference was called to announce some additional details to the ongoing lease agreement between Jasper Clean Energy (Twisted Oak and its constituents) and the City of Jasper over the Jasper Power Plant. Mayor Bill Schmitt explained that in the course of the negotiations Jasper Clean Energy has agreed to accommodate stricter emissions standards…
Restaurant scam hits area
Restaurants in Dubois County are being hit by a scam that involves ordering large amounts of food for nonexistent events. Becky Menke at Cool Beans Cafe in Huntingburg took a call recently that was routed through the state’s hearing and speech impaired telephone system called Relay Indiana. The system allows a hearing or speech impaired…
The Library Bond wording changed by the State Board of Accounts and the Department of Local Government Finance
“Shall Jasper Public Library issue bonds to finance the construction of a new public library located at South Newton Street, Jasper, Indiana (the “Project”), which Project is estimated to cost not more than $7,300,000 and is estimated to increase the property tax rate for debt service by a maximum of $0.0534 per $100 of assess…
Jasper Public Library closing early today due to air conditioning failure
For the well being of staff and patrons, the Jasper Library will close at 3pm today, Wednesday, July 6, 2011 because there is no air conditioning and the indoor temperature is 88 degrees and rising. The Library will re-open at 9 am Thursday, July 7, but may close early again. Call 482-2712 before you visit…
Huntingburg Foundation seeking input on $20,000 ArtWorks Initiative grant; public meeting and online survey available
Foundation’s ArtWorks Initiative to discuss $10,000 Grant ArtWorks host public meeting to set funding priorities The ArtWorks Initiative, a two-year proactive grant opportunity from Huntingburg Foundation, is set to meet Tuesday, July 12 at 9 AM in the Old Town Hall Ballroom in Huntingburg. Please send in your R.S.V.P. for attending this meeting to foundation@huntingburg.org…
County Council approves half million dollar purchase of 50 acres next to park
County Council approved the purchase of two parcels of land adjacent to the Dubois County Park at the meeting on Monday evening The parcels are split into one ten acre plot with a residence on it; the second parcel is 40 acres classified as agricultural land but is wooded. The council discussed the purchased price…
Utility Service Board still has questions; no public forum date set for biomass questions
The big news at the public meeting concerning the public forum was that there was no news. The City Council and the Jasper Utility Service Board (USB) met in a closed executive session to discuss the power plant proposal and decide on the agenda for the public forum. According to USB Chairman Wayne Schuetter the…
John Burger states his side
John Burger (democrat) is the third candidate in the Jasper Mayoral Race. Although he has not written a statement regarding the biomass power plant during an interview yesterday and Monday he stated he was against the proposed biomass power plant. “I don’t want Jasper to be a guinea pig for this plant.” Burger said. He…
