The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/89560
A-8 Wednesday, October 24, 2012 The Press-Dispatch Cook and sponsored by American Nursing Care and Amber Manor. GE Tree Service sponsored the flowers and provided the stage. The winners, center front, were Sydney Davis, Second Runner-up; Little Miss Interstate Albany Ashley; Tessa Vinnedge, First Runner-up; and Sydney Boyd, Third Runner-up. Haven Roy won the Directors Award. The other contestants (not in order) were: Keanna Bowers, Allie Harrison, Angel McGavock, Kieleigh Davis, Athalee Loveless, Rea- gan Craig, Hallie Bailey, Libby Stone, Kayla Cannon, Abbie Harrison, Gabby Collins and Skieley Murray. The Little Miss Interstate Pageant was held Saturday afternoon on I-69 near the Petersburg exit. The pageant had 17 contestants and was directed by Kelly Celebration notes optimism and potential of I-69 600 people made their way to I-69 Community Days celebration on the surface of the new highway that will link Evansville to In- dianapolis. The southern three sections of the high- way extend from High- way 68 in Gibson County to Highway 45 just north of the Crane Naval Depot in Greene County. Indiana Department of Transpor- tation is not setting a date for the opening, but will say they hope to open it in late November. "This community is for- On Saturday, more than By Andy Heuring ever changed," said Alycia Church, Executive Sec- retary of the Pike Coun- ty Chamber of Commerce just shortly before a group of elected officials and sup- porters cut a ribbon to cele- brate the highway. "It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Church. This is the first time IN- DOT has allowed people together on a section of highway before it has been opened to traffic. Saturday morning about 50 classic cars parked along the northbound lane just south of Highway 61. The Pike Central Swing Choir sang the National Anthem and Miss Pike County Han- nah Crow used a pair of gi- ant scissors to the cut rib- bon in front of hundreds of onlookers, who gathered on a cold, damp, windy Octo- ber morning just to see the spectacle. Church said the biggest attraction was to see the highway, which will make the world a smaller place and a shorter and safer drive to wherever for the residents of Pike County. "We can get to where we prospect looking for a new home," said Craig. He added, "I was just re- ally encouraged by the sup- port from the community. Everyone has been so opti- mistic about what the high- way has the potential to do for our community." Pike County Growth want to go, but more impor- tantly they can get to us," said Church. One of those attending Council Director Paul Lake talked about the potential of the highway. "First and foremost: con- cult for Pike County to safe- ly, quickly and economical- ly access Indianapolis and the northern portions of In- diana. Here again, access time to those other spokes in the transportation wheel are things companies con- sider when making deci- sions on locating a new fa- cility in an area, or expand- ing an existing facility." "The interchange on the ceremony was Howard Dunigan, DDS and his wife, Grace. He started practic- ing in Petersburg in 1960. He said it is something he never thought he would see. "I thought I probably would never drive on it. It is going to change our community forever," said Dunigan. Addressing that change was Petersburg Mayor Jon Craig. "This is literally our new front door. Until we are suc- cessful in getting the north- ern exchange, this is our one way on and off the inter- state. We have to do a good job of making a good first impression, whether that is a family traveling down the road who stops here to buy gas and groceries, or if it is an economic development VIDEO NETedition Exclusive nectivity and opportunity. I-69 provides Pike County with a much faster connec- tion to both intra- and in- ternational markets. Today business and industry are driven by a need to provide service to their clients in a quick, efficient and prof- itable manner. Access to modern surface transpor- tation is critical in achiev- ing this. While we have a wonderful two-lane high- way system now, the ma- jority of business develop- ment leads that communi- ties receive often require a limited-access four-lane interstate be within 20 or 30 miles. Without this vital link, a community will not even be considered," said Lake. He added, "I-69 also be- gins to address the 'miss- ing spoke' of the Indiana in- terstate system which has for decades made it diffi- State Road 61 will pro- vide good access to our lo- cal community from those passing through or doing business here, and may likely spur additional com- mercial and industrial de- velopment nearby, should existing sewer lines be ex- tended. A good example of how an interstate can at- tract commercial and in- dustrial development is, if the appropriate infrastruc- ture is put in place, can be seen by looking at the inter- change of Interstate 70 and State Road 67 near Plain- field. Once sewer and wa- ter were made available to that interchange and sur- rounding area, development exploded and continues to this day. The retail servic- es, warehouse, light manu- facturing and distribution and hotel development have added millions in payroll for new jobs and property tax- es," said Lake. received after being selected as the one and only Little Miss Interstate at the end of the pageant held on I-69 Saturday as part of the Petersburg celebra- tion for the soon to open four lane highway. There were 17 contestants in this first and probably on- ly Little Miss Interstate Pageant sponsored by Am- ber Manor Nursing Home and American Nursing Care along with GE Tree Service. Albany Ashley holds the trophy and flowers she who came out to the Celebration on Saturday. Some brought chairs and oth- ers were wrapped in blankets as they watched the Little Miss Interstate Pag- eant and enjoyed the cloudy and cool day on the interstate. It was their one and only chance to be on the new highway before it opens to traffic sometime before the end of this year. There were quite a few Pike County residents and others interested in I-69 69 celebration. Yager and his brothers, Quade, Conner and Grant, as well as his cousin, Andrew, attended the ceremony Saturday morning. Brady Yager looks under the hood of a classic hot rod on display at the I-