The Press-Dispatch

July 1, 2020

The Press-Dispatch

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Wednesday, July 1, 2020 PIKE PUBLISHING VOluMe 150, nuMBeR 27 $1.00 20 PaGes TWO seCTIOns FOuR InseRTs PeTeRsBuRG, In 47567-0068 SAVE $ 4 NOW + BEAT THE INCREASE! See page A-3 for details NEWS TIPS Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Email ����� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE THIS ISSUE Local ������������������������������A1-10 Classifieds ������������������������� A7-8 Sports ���������������������������������� A9 Church ���������������������������� B1-3 Obituaries ����������������������������� B4 History ��������������������������������� B5 Home Life ��������������������������B6-8 Opinion ������������������������� B9-10 USPS 604-34012 See DUNIGAN on page 3 New look, new printer You may notice a different look to your front page and your address la- bel. The changes are the result of tran- sitioning to a new printer. The Press-Dispatch has been print- ed in Henderson, Ky., by The Glean- er since 1999. They ceased their com- mercial printing operation in June, so your paper is now being printed in Ow- ensboro, Ky. by the Messenger-Inquirer. The transition is expected to go smoothly, but there is a chance a few subscribers may see a delay in receiv- ing their paper. If you have not received your July 1 edition on the normal day, report it to us at 812-354-8500. Also, you may want to take this op- portunity to save $4 on your one-year subscription price during our July Bar- gain Period, prior to a rate increase coming in August. You can call, or mail your information to us at: PO Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567. See page A-3 for more details. Dr. Howard Dunigan stands beside the first car he collected and the only one he every fully restored. It was his father Arthur Dunigan's first car, a 1924 Model T Ford. Howard got it out of a cornfield, where it had been sitting for years and restored it. It is one of about 50 cars Dunigan estimates he has collected through the years. Dunigan retired on Saturday, June 20, after practicing dentistry for 60 years in Petersburg. He opened his practice on Main St., Petersburg, on June 20, 1960. Dr. Dunigan retires after 60 years dentistry practice A splashing good time Nicholas Norrick, Gabriel Guzman and Lucas Stewart were all playing together in the Kiefer Splash Park at Hornady Park on Monday. The splash park opened late last week. Property taxes due July 10 Pike County property taxes for the Spring installment are due Fri- day, July 10, 2020. Pike County Trea- surer Marta Query warned, "If you have not paid your taxes, please do so within the next few days as penal- ties will be added as of July 11, 2020 on any unpaid tax." Because of the COVID-19 pan- demic and economic crisis brought on by it, Indiana backed off the dead- line by two months. The first install- ment is usually due on May 10. The Treasurer's Office is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. "We are only allowing three people in the office at one time, due to COVID-19 pro- cedures," said Query. Payments can be made with cash, check or credit card (2.5% fee) in the Treasurer's Office. Online and phone credit card payments are available, but both carry a 2.5% con- venience fee. To use a credit card over the phone you must call 877- 690 -3729 and use a J code of 2485. "All payments require statements. If you do not bring your statement with you, be prepared to pay a $1 re- print fee for each parcel," said Que- ry. Robling pleads guilty to murder; sentencing July 23 By Andy Heuring A former Petersburg woman pleaded guilty to murder in Gibson Superior Court on Wednesday, June 24. Ashley Robling, 30, of 200 W. Pike Ave., Apt. 207, Petersburg, was charged with murder on April 19, 2018, in Gib- son County. She is accused of killing Samu- el Bethe at his residence in Buckskin at 8755 S. 850 E. Firemen responding to a report of a fire at Bethe's trailer home found Bethe's lifeless body on March 16, 2018, according to a prob- able cause affidavit. The affidavit states, female inmates at the Gibson County Jail told police in recorded in- terviews that Robling said she and Robling's boyfriend, Jacob Wilson, had murdered Bethe execution style. The inmates said Robling told them Bethe was a bad guy and he had raped her. The inmates also said Robling had lived with Bethe at one point. According to the affidavit, Robling and Wilson were accused of stealing Bethe's truck and $ 35. It claims they then drove to Paducah, Ky., to a convenience store, where they ditched Bethe's truck and stole an SUV. It also states, inmates said Robling told them she and Wilson were going to rob a local bank after stealing the truck. Police, in the affidavit, said video from the Paducah convenience store shows a woman get out of a pickup truck that drove onto the convenience store lot, then get into an SUV and drive away. Gibson County Prosecutor Michael Co- chren said Gibson County has filed a life with- out parole murder charge against Robling. He said Robling was on probation for a felo- ny charge when the murder was committed. Robling's change of plea hearing had been scheduled for several dates, including April 18 and May 11, and finally happened on June 24. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10 :30 a.m. Thursday, July 23 in Gibson Su- perior Court. By Andy Heuring Three new candidates have been added to the ballot for the position of county council at-large. Republican Nathan Evans was added to the tick- et last week by the Republican par- ty. Two candidates were added on Tuesday. Cathy McFarland filed as an independent candidate for coun- ty council. Summer Sorgius also was added to the Democrat ticket for county clerk. Evans and McFarland join the three incumbents who filed during the traditional filing period in Janu- ary and February. Those are: Repub- licans Greg Willis and Dennis Bish- op, and Democrat Todd Meadors. County council at-large elects three people, so the Democrat party can add two more candidates. Three names added to fall ballot See BALLOT on page 2 By Andy Heuring Petersburg dentist Dr. Howard Dunigan is calling it quits after 60 years in practice. "I've seen a lot of teeth. I just figured 60 years was enough," said Dunigan. Dunigan came to Petersburg via Korea. However, he grew up in Oakland City and graduated from Oakland City High School in 1950. He went to Oakland City College for one year, before going into the Army to serve in Korea. "I was in the medics. My brother, Jer- ry, was a dentist in Mt. Vernon, so I asked to be in dentistry." They obliged. "I wasn't a dentist, I was just a helper. My job was to pedal the drill," said Dunigan. He explained, often they were oper- ating out of tent in the field with no electricity. So he pedaled the drill with one foot. He said he did this so much, his pedal leg got bigger than his other leg. When he returned home in 1953, he decid- ed he wanted to be a dentist. So he went back to college this time at the University of Evans- ville. "I got the GI bill they paid me $130 a month, which paid for me to go to school," said Dunigan. He said at Oakland City College, his tuition was $ 64 a quarter and at University of Evansville, his tuition was $130 a quarter. "My dad would give me $ 30 and I would get a week- ly $5 meal ticket for $4.50." He then went three years to St. Louis Den- tal School. Dunigan set up on June 20, 1960, in the Medical Arts Building on Main St. He said Dr. Joseph Elbert and Optometrist John Kidd had the building there and he moved in with them. He was there for 15 years. Dunigan was defi- nitely old school. "I worked 70 hours a week the first 10 years I was there. We didn't even think about having a dental hygienist. I did ev- erything. I cleaned teeth, did root canals, ex- tractions, dentures. You did everything. Now they send people to oral surgeons. " Dunigan said he worked late nights, some- times until midnight, and weekends. "I did it to help people out. Being open on Saturdays and at night helped them." A fter 10 years, he decided to back off. So he worked 60 -hour weeks, working full days Mon- day through Saturday, but taking Thursday af- New cell phone, drunken driving laws go into effect today By Andy Heuring A long list of new laws will take effect today in Indiana. At the top of the list is a new law banning people from handling a cellphone or mobile device while driving. But isn't the only law that changes what is and isn't legal in In- diana. On July 1, other laws, including the le- gal age to purchase tobacco or vaping supplies increases from 18 to 21. The minimum age to get married changes from 15 to 16 years old and adds other requirements. There were al- so several gun laws altered. In all, there were 903 new laws introduced in the 2020 Indiana General Assembly. Of those, 168 bills were sent to Governor Holcomb. Be- low is a summary of legislation that was signed by the Governor and became law. The most talked about is House Bill 1070 dealing with cellphone use while driving. DISTRACTED DRIVING •Provides that a person may not hold or use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, unless it is: used via hands free or voice-oper- ated technology, or being used to call 911 to report a bona fide emergency. See NEW LAWS on page 4

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