The Press-Dispatch
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Local ........ A1-14 History ......... A12 Sports .........B1-6 Classifi eds . B7-10 Church ........C1-3 Home Life....C4-6 Obituaries....... C7 Opinion .......C8-9 School.... C10-11 WHAT'S INSIDE: CONNECT WITH US: NetEdition ...pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook.....facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .........news@pressdispatch.net Phone:.................. 812-354-8500 Fax: ...................... 812-354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING See WINSLOW on page 6 Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Volume 149 Number 3 Phone (812) 354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Three sections 36 pages Six inserts See ARREST on page 2 See PROSECUTOR on page 6 By James Capozella Two new Winslow Town Coun- cil members took the oath of of- fice from Clerk-Treasurer Stacy McCandless at the beginning of the first board meeting of the new year. Josh Popp is the new board president, Debra Lamb is the vice- president and former board pres- ident Dick Brewster is the third member. Brewster nominated Josh Popp and then Popp nomi- nated Debra Lamb and in short order, the business was complete. The two new council members and Brewster spent nearly three hours in the meeting, listening to residents and town employees, and answering their questions. Popp and Lamb ended the meet- ing asking each department for a lists of things they need or have concerns about. They included the fire department, street, water, sewer, town marshal, community center and animal control. Asked by Popp if Brewster had a report, he said no. But he and some citizens had a complaint Winslow Town Council has new officers Winslow Town Board members were sworn into office during the regular Monday meeting at the Winslow Community Center. From left to right: board president Josh Popp, vice-pres- ident Debra Lamb and former president Dick Brewster. Newly elected clerk-treasurer Stacy McCandless performed the swearing-in ceremony. James Capozella photo Fran Lewis bows out after serving six terms By Andy Heuring Filing for Petersburg city of- fices is underway. There will be at least one new face on the city council. Six-term councilman Fran Lewis has announced she will not seek re-election. Lewis, a Democrat, who was elected in six-consecutive terms, said Tuesday she will not seek re- election. Lewis currently holds the at-large seat. She has served in that position for three terms. Originally, she was elected to the District 3 position, but after three terms, switched to the at-large po- sition. "I have been doing this for more than 20 years. I just think it is time for someone else to step up," said Lewis. She said there wasn't anything that led to her want to get out oth- er than time. She said her hus- band retired in October and she just decided she wanted to be able to be flexible with her time. As of Tuesday, the three peo- ple who have filed so far are May- or R.C. Klipsch, Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Selby and District 4 Coun- cilman Brian Van Meter. All three are incumbents. Republican incumbent Gary Leavitt in District 1 said he in- tends to seek re-election, but he hasn't filed yet. District 2 incumbent John Mel- hiser said, "Right now it is my in- tention to seek re-election." District 3 councilman Bertis Jenkins, a multi-term incumbent, could not be reached for comment about his re-election intentions. Candidates have until noon Fri- day, February 8 to file in the pri- mary. Three incumbents file for election in Petersburg By Andy Heuring A former Otwell man died of an apparent suicide Tuesday morn- ing after calling Pike County's Central Dispatch. Rodney Whitehead, 64, of Haubstadt, was found dead in the garage of his former residence near Otwell. The Pike County Sheriff's De- partment was dispatched to 10447 E. SR 56, Otwell, in reference to a suicidal male. In the garage at the residence, they found Whitehead deceased from a gunshot wound. Whitehead was married in October 2018. He had recently moved to Haubstadt and was in the process of selling the Otwell house where he was found. Pike County Sheriff Kent John- son said the sheriff's department was conducting an active death investigation and would not com- ment on it until it was completed. Former Otwell man found dead Frosty the Man-Eating Snowman John Gayhart (left) steps back from a seven-foot-tall snowman that he, Daniel Baker and Gayhart's seven-year-old son, Wyatt, built in front of his Campbelltown residence on Satur- day, Jan. 12. The snowman, situated along Hwy. 61, appeared to passersby to be devouring a small child. Ed Cahill photo Donna Fiscus By Andy Heuring A Petersburg woman was ar- rested on a charge of dealing meth after police recorded con- trolled buys with her in early Jan- uary. Donna Fiscus, 45, of 325 E. Ken- nedy Ave., Petersburg, was arrest- ed by Petersburg Police Cpl. Jar- ed Simmons on Friday evening as police searched two residences. Fiscus was preliminarily charged with dealing in meth, at least one gram and less than five grams, a Level 4 felony; posses- sion of meth, less than five grams, a Level 6 felony; maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felo- ny; possession of marijuana; pos- session of paraphernalia; and pos- session of a controlled substance. According to Simmons' report, he received information they could do a controlled buy with Fis- cus on January 3. Cpl. Simmons said they set up a controlled buy with a confidential informant, who met Fiscus at a residence located at 3917 W. River Road, Peters- burg, and then drove to Fiscus' residence in Meadowbrook at 325 E. Kennedy Ave., Petersburg. His report said Fiscus pulled a gram of meth out of her bra and sold it to the informant for $100. The in- formant then met with Cpl. Sim- mons and gave him the meth that weighed 0.8 grams. Cpl. Simmons said the next day, January 4, he was contacted again and told Fis- cus wanted to sell the in- formant an- other gram for $100. This time, the infor- mant pulled up in front of Fiscus' residence, where Fis- cus, who was standing in her driveway, walked out to the infor- mant and made the transaction of selling a gram of meth for $100, according to Simmons' report. Simmons said he then met with the informant, retrieved a small plastic baggie with a yellow twist tie on it. His report stated the sub- stance in the bag field tested posi- tive for meth. Simmons then got a search warrant for Fiscus' residence in Meadowbrook and the residence on River Road. The search war- rants were served simultaneously. Sheriff Kent Johnson, Peters- burg Police Sgt. Chad McClel- Fiscus charged with dealing meth after controlled buys By Ed Cahill Chris Satterfield was re-elected for a second one-year term as president of the Pike County School Corporation's Board of Trustees dur- ing its regular monthly meeting held on Tues- day, Jan. 8. Satterfield is currently serving the third year of his third four-year term as a member of the school board. In addition, Chris McKinney was re-elected as the school board's vice-president, and Steve Potter was re-elected as the school board's secretary. The school board – consisting of Satter- field, McKinney, Potter and two new mem- bers, Forrest Manning and Howard Knight – subsequently voted unanimously to re-appoint Chelsea Yon as the school corporation's trea- surer for 2019. "Chelsea has attended professional devel- opment opportunities, communicates with other school finance officials, and adheres to State Board of Accounts guidelines for school finance," said Pike County School Superinten- dent Suzanne Blake. "I am also recommend- ing that Mrs. Yon serve as the executive sec- retary of the Pike County School Corporation Board of Trustees for the 2019 calendar year." The school board also approved the re-ap- pointment of Lorice Chamberlain as deputy treasurer for 2018. "Lorice is knowledgeable of the duties of this position," Blake said. "She is willing to at- tend professional development opportunities and communicate with other school finance officials while ensuring compliance with ac- counting and school budgeting guidelines." In addition, the school board approved the meeting dates and times for its regular month- ly meetings during 2019 as recommended by Blake – Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m.; Tues- day, April 9 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, June 11 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Ju- ly 9 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.; Tues- day, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.; and Tuesday, School board reorganizes during first meeting of year McDonald tells county council his case load has doubled By Andy Heuring Some startling statistics were revealed last week when the coun- ty council voted unanimously to approve Pike County Prosecutor Darrin McDonald being a full- time prosecutor. McDonald, while justifying his full-time status, told the council the number of cases filed by his office had doubled in the last five years. In 2018, the Pike County Pros- ecutor's Office filed a total of 642 felonies and misdemeanors. More than half of those were misdemeanors, which typically are alcohol, marijuana and more serious traffic charges. However, they also filed 265 fel- ony charges. The vast majority of those (208), were Level 6 felonies, which is the least serious felony. Disturbingly in 2018, nine Level 2 felony charges were filed. This is the next to most serious class of felony in Indiana. A Level 2 fel- ony is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison. Level 2 crimes include manslaughter and serious deal- ing charges, typically with large quantities and usually with an- other aggravator such as involv- ing weapons or being done near a school or park. The nine Level 2 felonies is more than double the four Level 2 felonies filed in all of 2015, 2016 and 2017. McDonald told councilmen the number of criminal cases filed has steadily increased. In 2015, there were 378 cases. In 2016, there were 533 cases filed, and 559 in 2017. "We are feeling the strain. I'm concerned about everyone in the criminal justice system," said Mc- Donald. Councilmen asked McDonald what he thought was causing the increased number of cases. Prosecutor is now full- time position See REORGANIZE on page 6