The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1007585
A-2 Front Wednesday, July 25, 2018 The Press-Dispatch SCHOOL Continued from page 1 MERGE Continued from page 1 to retire." Gartin has pretty much single-handedly run PAWS with few helpers and volunteers. According to Georgina Williams at Friends for Ani- mals, a Daviess County Res- cue Group, "Nola asked if we would consider taking over the shelter (in Petersburg) and running it." She added, "It took me by surprise. My mouth went dry." The letter from PAWS stated, "A fter several joint meetings with PAWS and Friends for Animals, it was proposed that Friends for Animals will take over the day-to-day operations of the shelter. Initially, PAWS will become a Division of Friends for Animals and will then become known as 'Friends For PAWS.' Both rescues will continue to op- erate separately, with occa- sional events combined." Williams added that it would be an honor to help Gartin, whom she described as "a very sweet person," she just would need help from volunteers in the Petersburg community. Williams also said that if help is not found, PAWS, which runs 365 days a year, could close. PAWS and Friends for An- imals both run with the men- tality that "the animals come first," said Williams. According to Williams, Gartin does a great job with the animals, and that it is a hard job for just one person. She really cares about the well-being of the animals. The goal of both organi- zations is to find new homes for animals. Williams said, "They shouldn't have to live their life in a shelter...thank goodness it (PAWS) is a no- kill shelter." Friends for Animals has 20 something volunteers that help foster animals and work towards fundraising ef- forts. They also have a very high turn-over rate for an- imals, and they only have two or three dogs in fos- ter care in Washington and only six cats. However, the PAWS shelter has several dogs that need good homes, one of them being Tagz, a 10 -month-old, high ener- gy dog who needs a lovely home with room to run (pic- tured). For people in the Pike County community, if you cannot volunteer your time, PAWS could use donations and items to keep it run- ning. Williams added that things like food, blankets, cleaning supplies and paper towels are always very use- ful. Nothing will be turned down, because if it doesn't help them, they can give the items to someone else who could use the help. The PAWS letter states, "Animals must be taken to vet appointments for medi- cal needs, shots, and spay or neuter appointments. Shy dogs and cats desper- ately need socialization so they become adoptable. Dogs need to be exercised, brushed and played with. Cats and kittens also need attention and socialization. Volunteers skilled in social media and photography are also needed to spread the word about animals avail- able for adoption and to ad- vise to the public about shel- ter needs." There will be an Adopt-a- thon this Saturday, July 28 at Petersburg Hardware, where PAWS and Friends for Animals will both be from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to work towards finding homes for the furry friends they have. If you would like to volun- teer, call Georgina Williams at 812-254-4813. %ORFN3DUW\ KRVWHGE\WKH6DPDULWDQ&HQWHU DPHQWDOKHDOWKVHUYLFHVSURYLGHU -RLQXVIRUDQDIWHUQRRQRIIXQIHDWXULQJ DFWLYLWLHVIRUNLGVYHQGRUVDQGJLYHDZD\V 7KXUVGD\-XO\_WRSP 10DLQ6WUHHW_3HWHUVEXUJ 5DLQ'DWH$XJXVW Otwell Community Center Spring Street, Otwell Proceeds go to Otwell Miller Academy Bring a donation of a school supply (crayons, pencils, notebooks, ets.) to get a free pass to bid in our silent auction. Otherwise, $1 to bid. Must be 21 to bid. Come bid on many items donated by the ven- dors as well as tickets to the Children's Muse- um in Indianapolis, Koch Family Museum in Evansville, Bowling, Indianapolis Pacers bag, Indianapolis Colts Bag and one night for 2 at French Lick Indiana. "When you care enough to send the very best" 716 Main St. 812-354-9372 Petersburg Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 9-5; Friday 9-6 Marge's Shop • Precious Moments • Candles • Magnetics: Icons, Phrases and Boards • Photo Frames • Holiday and Everyday Items • and Much More! Coming August 10 Marge's Hallmark is upgrading to a Gold Crown Store! SUMMER SIDEWALK S A L E 75% OFF Save 50% to select items We're making room for new items for the 2018 -19 school year will be conducted at Pike Central Middle School and Pike Central High School on Wednesday, Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 2, from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 3, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Monday, Aug. 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 2018 -19 school year begins for Pike County School Corporation schools on Wednesday, Aug. 8, with the first full day of classes for students. Teachers will report one day earlier, on Tuesday, Aug. 7, for a work day. By Andy Heuring A man who stole a tractor Sunday afternoon and was chased down by Pike Coun- ty residents in a woods fac- es numerous charges and damages that could exceed a quarter-million dollars. Ryan Thomas Page, 26 of 2316 Chicksaw Trace, Vin- cennes was arrested Sunday at about 1 p.m. after he stole a large four-wheel drive ar- ticulated John Deere tractor with a large disc from Solar Sources and drove off with it damaging almost two miles of county roads. Vernon Barnett, who lives at 1585 N. CR500E, said he had just walked out of his fa- ther's house after dinner on Sunday and heard a screech- ing noise. Barnett said he saw the tractor coming down CR500E, going back and forth in the road. "My first impression was he was having tire trou- ble." Barnett said the trac- tor turned onto their lot. "He stopped and I thought he was going to get off the trac- tor, but it was still revved up, and then he took off behind our shed. I thought, 'there is no place to go back there,' and then he started coming back toward our pole build- ing. I ran over toward him waving my arms and yelling for him to stop. He swerved left and the back dual wheels missed the building but the back of the field finisher clipped our building," said Barnett. "I jumped up on the trac- tor and opened the door and said, 'This is the end of your ride,'" said Barnett. Barnett said he pulled Page out of the tractor and then Page partially fell off the side of the tractor. "I could tell there was some- thing not right about him," said Barnett. He said Page was limping and said he needed to walk it off. "I told him he could walk it off there in the yard." Barnett's son, Travis, had called Pike County As- sistant Highway Superin- tendent Josh Byrd, who lives nearby to come over because of the damage to the roads. Byrd said while he was talking with Travis he could hear yelling in the background so he called central dispatch and ask for the police to respond. Barnett said he walked with Page and tried to get him to stay in the yard, but Page walked away from him toward Travis' residence. By then Byrd had arrived. Bar- nett said when Byrd arrived he yelled at Page and told him to sit down where he was on a pond dam. "He sat there for a couple of minutes and then I think he heard the police on Josh's radio and he jumped up and took off running into the woods." Barnett, his son Travis and Byrd ran after him. "He was a speed demon," said Byrd of Page's run- ning. "But he didn't have any shoes on and it really slowed him down when he got into a briar patch in the woods." Barnett eventually caught him. The three of them got restrained Page and took him out of the woods, and Trooper John Davis arrived and took him into custody. Davis said Page failed field sobriety tests and was taken to Daviess Communi- ty Hospital, where he tested positive for marijuana, meth, opiates and barbiturates. Trooper Davis said Page somehow got onto Solar Sources property and found the tractor that was in an ar- ea behind their offices at the Charger Mine. He drove it through several fields, then got onto CR225N and drove east to CR500E and then about four-tenths of a mile to the Barnett's property "gouging the road all the way," said Trooper Davis. Once he was on Barnett's property he disced it up as well. Vernon said along with damaging his pole building, Page ran over a hose tearing it in two, yanked over and drug his power washer and nearly pulled his hydrant out of the ground. John Stachura of Solar Sources said he wasn't sure of the model number of the tractor, but it was a large four-wheel drive John Deere with quad dual wheels. "I think the disc, which we just bought last year was about $ 90,000," said Stachura. He said it was owned by Solar Ag, which is a branch of Solar Sources. He added it appears there wasn't much damage to their crops. "He drove it along the edges of the fields," said Stachura. Byrd said it appeared Page had driven into and over several large trees ranging from 10 to 18 inch- es in diameter. Preliminary charges against Page are: auto theft, a Level 6 felony; theft, Lev- el 6 felony; criminal reck- lessness causing more than $50,000 damage and operat- ing while intoxicated, a Lev- el 6 felony. He is also being charged with habitual of- fender. Tractor theft, chase lead to multiple felonies Page's spree damages county roads, private property Indiana State Troopers James Dotson and John Davis put Ryan Thomas Page, 26, of Vincennes, through field sobriety tests. The scrape marks from the farm disc he drove are visible on the road. He was arrested on numerous charges after he drove a large John Deere tractor and disc, owned by Solar Sources, about two miles along county roads. Below, the tractor is in the background along with visible damage to Vernon Barnett's property and the county road. He was eventually stopped near Barnett's property on CR500E and was apprehended.