The Press-Dispatch
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A-2 Front Wednesday, May 8, 2019 The Press-Dispatch COUNCIL Continued from page 1 CHARGES Continued from page 1 man's case. The affidavit said Wright expressed remorse for tak- ing the money, saying he was in need of money be- cause of family circumstanc- es. Wright said no other mon- ey had been taken and no other evidence had been tampered with. On April 1, Wright went to the Petersburg Police De- partment. He gave an enve- lope to Chief Baumgart that contained $ 9,436 to replace the money he had taken. He also turned in his radio, badge and police identifica- tion, along with a letter of resignation. He then went into his office and retrieved a large document manila envelope from a cardboard box on the floor and pulled out the three Petersburg Police evidence containers from which he had taken the money. Indiana State Police Sgt. Greg Ashby was assigned to investigate the case. He talk- ed with Chief Baumgart and went over the case with him. He then called Cpl. Wright and didn't get an answer. However, Wright called him back a few minutes lat- er and left a message saying he was mowing. He added he would stay off the mow- er for a while if Sgt. Ashby needed to call him back. Ashby, in the probable cause affidavit stated, "Mr. Wright was very polite an said he had given his state- ment to Chief Baumgart and told him everything and that would be his statement. . . Wright did volunteer re- morse for his actions and expressed he missed the job and camaraderie with police officers and he would have to account for his actions." Wright was booked in- to the Pike County Jail on May 3. He was released on a $15,000, 10 percent cash bond. An initial hearing on the charges is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 12 in Pike Circuit Court. Energy Plus Credit Union ribbon cutting Energy Plus Credit Union celebrated joining the Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting last Wednesday. The credit union, located at the Petersburg IPL plant, is now open to residents of Pike and Daviess counties. They are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. and from 10:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Above are: Hugh Eskew, of the Pike C of C; Krista Robinette, Director of Pike C of C; Cari Palmer, CEO; Chris Hahn, Board Director; Angela Pancake, Branch Manager; Brian Pepmeier, Supervisory Commit- tee Member; and Sara Ross, teller. By Andy Heuring A Tell City man was ar- rested on preliminary charges of possession of co- caine and operating a vehi- cle while intoxicated (con- trolled substance) after po- lice stopped him for speed- ing on I-69. Thai Duong, 27, of Tell City, was arrested by In- diana State Trooper C.J. Boeckman at about 10 :30 p.m. Thursday, May 2. Trooper Boeckman said he was running radar on I- 69, near the 47 mm, when he saw Duong driving 85 mph in the 70 zone. He stopped Duong, who said he was on the way from Jasper to the hospital in Evansville to see his mother. Trooper Boeck- man, in a probable cause af- fidavit, said he thought this was odd because Duong was north of the exit people from Jasper would normally take to get to Evansville. Boeckman also stated he noticed Duong repeatedly fidgeting in the car, speak- ing rapidly and having jumpy, rapid movements. Duong told Trooper Boeckman he had a knife in his pocket. He was asked to get out of the car so the knife could be removed. When Trooper Boeckman ran the license, he found Duong had multiple addresses in south- ern Indiana. Boeckman then asked Duong a second time where he was going. This time, according to the probable cause affidavit, Duong said he was on the way to hospi- tal because his baby's mom- ma was having a baby and he was going there to see the birth. Pike County Deputy Buck Seger and Deputy Jared Simmons arrived to assist. Deputy Seger had K9 Offi- cer Bleck do a free air sniff of the vehicle. Bleck indicat- ed illegal drugs in the vehi- cle. A search of the vehicle lo- cated two pills identified as Xanax, two baggies that con- tained a white powdery sub- stance and what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. Trooper Boeckman, in the affidavit, said Duong was cocky and arrogan,t and bragged about his mon- ey and how he uses drugs for fun. He also said he would get out of the arrest with his "big hot shot lawyer." It also said Duong told po- lice he was really in Wash- ington visiting friends be- fore heading to Evansville. He also admitted using meth a couple of days earlier and cocaine recently. Duong failed field so- briety tests and was taken to the Daviess Communi- ty Hospital, where he test- ed positive for Benzodiaz- epines, cocaine, amphet- amines, methamphetamine and THC. A fter being released from the hospital, he was taken to the Pike County Jail. Tell City man arrested for cocaine possession, OVWI Prom photos available Last week's prom photos were the courtesy of Harting Studios in Petersburg. These and more are avail- able from the studio. Call 812-354-8037. 2020. The projection for end- ing cash and investments in 2020 to be $1,372,800. "I'm very pleased with these numbers. We are un- dertaking a major, major project. It is good to have these numbers going for- ward," said Mayor Klipsch. "Certainly a good position at the end," said Rogers of the water department. He said the sewer department numbers weren't "quite as rosy." The operating receipts in 2018 were $ 680,554 which is up about $47,000 over the 2017 receipts. However op- erating disbursements had increased to $ 398,268 from $ 356,870 in 2017. Rogers said Baker Tilly is forecasting customer col- lections to be $721,700 in both 2019 and 2020 with dis- bursements being $468,100 in 2019 and $482,200 in 2020 to have total net operating receipts for $253,600 in 2019 and $239,500 in 2020. DOG PARK TO BE RESEARCHED Mayor Klipsch said the Leadership Council spon- sored by Extension Ser- vice and Chamber of Com- merce came up with the idea of getting a dog park in Pe- tersburg. He said Carl Ben- ner has agreed to donate one acre across First St. from Somebody's Place. Klipsch said he likes the idea but there are a lot of issues that need to be figured out before they moved forward on it. "We don't need to rein- vent the wheel," said Klipsch as he passed around docu- ments from similar parks in Jasper and Bloomington. The proposal is for it to be an area where unleashed dogs can play. In a similar matter, Coun- cilman Fran Lewis said she has several elderly ladies ask her if the city can get a place for them to dispose of limbs and yard debris. Klipsch said Petersburg has a large chipper and that would be feasible, but he said they need to work out ho. He said they used to have a concrete pad on Fourth St. that would work, but he added they had trou- ble with people abusing it. In other matters, Klipsch said it is a violation of a city ordinance to blow grass clippings into the street. He said it stops up their storm drains, makes the road slick and looks bad. He said he just wanted to give notice to get people talking about it, not to assess fines. But he added, "When Kyle (Code Enforcement Of- ficer Kyle Mills) gets back we are going to get a little more aggressive on this." Mayor Klipsch said he will be in Japan in May when the next council meeting scheduled. Councilmen de- cided to forego the second meeting of the month. "You need to have one meeting a month and you have already done that," said City Attor- ney Brian Mahoney. Klipsch has been invited to Japan by the Japan Foun- dation as their guest on a Grassroots Exchange Net- work-Japan. Klipsch will meet with officials of Nippon Steel, which he said already has five facilities in Indiana. His letter of invitation states: The purpose of this program is to develop a network with the Japanese business leaders and gain a deeper understanding about Japan and Japanese compa- nies by inviting community and business leaders in the Middle West and Southern region of the United States." The next meeting of the Petersburg City Council is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 3. CREATIVITY. OUR SPECIALTY. The Press Dispatch PIKE COUNTY'S NEWS NETWORK Design by two of Indiana's top designers is included with every ad purchase. Call today! 812-354-8500 OR ADS@PRESSDISPATCH.NET