The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1081488
C-12 Wednesday, Februar y 13, 2019 The Press-Dispatch EAST GIBSON NEWS Submit school news: Email: egnews@ pressdispatch.net Deadline: Noon on Friday Francisco Elementary UPCOMING SPORTS SCHEDULE THURSDAY, FEB. 14 Wrestling (7 & 8) at South Spencer, 5 p.m. FRIDAY, FEB. 15 Boys' Basketball ( V ) vs. Gibson Southern, 5:30 p.m. SATURDAY, FEB. 16 Boys' Basketball ( V ) vs. North Knox, 5:30 p.m. EF1 Tornado tears through Oakland City By Janice Barniak Tracy Tinsley, who works third shift, was sleeping in her Oakland City home alone—her husband was visiting family in the hospi- tal—when what the Nation- al Weather Service called an EF-1 tornado narrow- ly missed her mobile unit, uprooting a nearby tree in- stead. "I was lying in bed, and my trailer started rock- ing. I thought it was the cat scratching. I told the cat to stop, then I sat up. I realized it was wind. Then I heard the storm sirens. There was no- where to go. Our neighbor's carport was in that back al- ley; it completely picked it up and spun it around." During the minutes the tornado cut a path through town, trees narrowly miss- ing her neighbor's car, though the wind was so loud she didn't hear the large tree in her yard topple over. She came outside and re- membered noticing first her three-month-old grand- daughter's toy boat was across the street, floating calmly in the floodwater, as if it was on a little trip, in the middle of downed trees, mangled metal and bits of debris. With eight rabbits, two goats, three dogs, three cats—Little Bit, Thor and Blue Baby—and one pig, she said it's amazing no people or animals were hurt. Her dogs are terrified of storms, and this time they weren't the only ones. "I was scared. I was bawl- ing hysterically. I called my mom because she lives in the next town over. She said it was 50 -mile per hour winds, and I said, 'No mom, you don't understand. You've got to come see around my house.'" Ron Burns was painting near a window on the sec- ond floor of the Oakland City Golf Club, when he saw the trees outside start bending. "Then all of a sudden, there go the trees, there goes the roof. It was all gone in a matter of seconds," he said. He said, in the moment, it didn't occur to him to be afraid. "Then once the roof came off, I decided to come off the ladder and get away from the window," he said. He said they're lucky no one was outside golfing at the time; many times he and his friends would be. "We golf all winter out here—me, Berryman, Fields and Squeak. We don't care if it's snowing, as long as there's no snow on the green." Then I heard the storm sirens. There was nowhere to go." -Tracy Tinsley, Oakland City A tornado picked up a gazebo along Ind. 64 in Oakland City Thursday. Ron Burns tells his story to a friend of seeing the storm sweep through the Oakland City Golf Club Feb. 7. Police and city street crews went immediately to clear paths after the EF-1 tornado that left no injuries, but much property damage, in Oakland City Thursday. No injuries have been reported as a result of the tornado. Commissioners continue to recommend more jailers By Janice Barniak The Gibson County Sher- iff's Office reported on Feb. 5, during the County Com- missioners' monthly meet- ing, there were 168 incar- cerated in the Gibson Coun- ty Jail's 120 -bed facility. While the facility aver- aged 154 in January, there were close to 170 on some days, said Sheriff Tim Bot- toms. County Commission- er Steve Bottoms said the Dept. of Corrections has recommended six additional jailers, though a new study of the facility is about to be- gin. "This report, we keep bringing it up. The num- bers keep going up. We are concerned about the jail for the safety of the inmates and the employees," said Com- missioner Bottoms. Currently, the jail aver- ages more than 50 inmates per jailer, roughly, but the ratio is higher when jailers transport prisoners to oth- er counties. New program aims to increase support for dog bite events By Janice Barniak According to Gibson County Animal Services Di- rector of Operations Mary Essary, January marked the beginning of a new part- nership between GCAS, the health department and the Gibson County Sheriff's Of- fice as the county looks to re- duce and better handle dog bites. "I think we got a really good program started," Es- sary said, adding that the Sheriff's Office will be able to dispatch animal control at the push of a button. There were seven dog bite investigations in January, according to Public Health Nurse Diane Hornby. In other animal news, GCAS brought straw for people who needed it for their animals during the plunging temperatures, and a fundraiser will support the GCAS from 10 :30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Feb. 13 at Hacienda on U.S. 41 N., near Darmstadt. Show the digital coupon available at Facebook.com/ events/280915362585354/ to give 20 percent of the to- tal to animal services. County considers new policy on employee use of vehicles By Janice Barniak Gibson County Commis- sioners will have an exec- utive session at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12 at the North Annex (or following the Gibson County Council meeting) to discuss a change in the Gibson County Employee Handbook that would stipu- late where employees driv- ing county-owned vehicles can park after use. Some employees are pro- vided with county-owned vehicles for their use. The handbook will now say the vehicles shall be parked at whichever location commis- sioners approve after their use. Commissioners' coun- sel Jim McDonald said the meeting is closed because the vehicles are considered an employee benefit. The handbook change would not include Sheriff's Office vehicles. Raygen Hicks and Kadence Abell practice a dance in music class for a program. Kenzie Rudolph photoS Alessa Sloan enjoys her practice of a dance rou- tine in music class. Mrs. Julie Like teaches fourth grade students a dance for their upcoming music program. Jakob Graman and Andrew Berberich sing in Mrs. Like's fourth grade music class. Sixth graders Chase Stewart and Kaden Doern- er eat lunch together at Francisco Elementary. Bianca Young in the crochet club at Francis- co Elementary. Kynleigh Liver- more crochets a Val- entine heart neck- lace at Francisco El- ementary. Cailyn Leaf, a sixth grader at Francisco Ele- mentary, and Ms. Lepeau work in the crochet club during lunch to create Valentine necklaces. Blain Carter waves to the camera while he walks to lunch at Francisco Elementary. Alexa Pharris and Aubree Reed are also included.