The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1191166
Local ����������� A1-8 Sports ��������B1-12 History ����������� B5 Shopping ���� B6-7 Classifieds ��B8-10 Opinion ����B11-12 Church �������� C1-3 Home Life ��� C4-6 Obituaries ���� C7-9 School �������� C8-9 East Gibson ���C10 WHAT'S INSIDE: Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Fax: ��������������������������812-354-2014 E-Mail ����editor@pressdispatch�net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Volume 149 Number 50 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Three sections 30 pages Four inserts See HOLLY WALK on page 3 See SHUTDOWN on page 2 See CENTER on page 2 By Andy Heuring IPL announced on Monday they were planning to retire two of the four units at their Petersburg plant, which is expected to reduce their workforce by 110 to 130 em- ployees over the next three years. However, it also calls for keeping the other two units operating at least through the year 2039. The announcement was made as part of a state-required Integrated Resource Plan re- view during a public advisory meeting. "In- dianapolis Power and Light Company lead- ers presented a pathway that modifies its electric generation strategy through a fore- cast spanning 20 years. Stakeholders and meeting attendees reviewed IPL's preferred portfolio as part of the IRP planning pro- cess overseen by the Indiana Utility Regu- latory Commission (IURC)," stated an IPL news release. "During today's meeting, IPL officials in- formed stakeholders its preferred resource plan retires two of the four units at its Pe- tersburg Generating Station. IPL intends to file its IRP with the IURC next Monday, Dec. 16; as a result of the formal filing and need for replacement capacity, a third par- ty will issue an all-source request for pro- posals on IPL's behalf," stated the release. Their preferred plan calls for the Num- ber 1 unit at Petersburg to be retired in 2021 and then two years later, the Number 2 unit to be retired in 2023. About 300 people are employed at the Pe- tersburg plant. They have the capacity to generate 1,760 MW in the four units at Pe- tersburg: Unit 1 220 MW, Unit 2 410 MW, Unit 3 520 MW and Unit 4 520 MW. Courtney Arango, with IPL, said they expect to reduce their workforce by 30 to 40 people when Unit 1 is retired in 2021, and another 80 to 90 people in 2023 when they retire Unit 2, bringing their workforce to less than 200 people at the Petersburg plant. These moves will reduce the amount of electricity generated from coal to only 28 percent of what is generated by IPL. In 2007, 79 percent of the electricity generat- ed by IPL was by coal. Their other sources in 2007 were 14 percent by natural gas and seven percent from oil. In 2019, they gener- ated 43 percent from coal, 45 percent from natural gas, eight percent from wind, three percent from solar and one percent from oil. They project in 2023 that source mix for electricity will be 28 percent from coal, 47 IPL to shut down two units at Petersburg plant Merchants to have special drawing By Andy Heuring The Annual Holly Walk and Model Train Show in Petersburg will be this Saturday. They will feature promotions and sales at lo- cal merchants, free carriage rides and a visit with Santa. The Train Show will give away two train sets and feature refurbished dec- orations from Citizens Bank that were on display in the 1960s and 70s in their windows at Christ- mas. HOLLY WALK The horse drawn carriage rides will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are free and will start from the intersection of Seventh and Main sts. on the south side of Main St. Santa will be in the Santa House from 11 to 3 p.m. on Eighth St., near the courthouse. Another new feature this year will be the carol- ing. The Petersburg First United Methodist Church's youth group will be caroling on the streets from 1 to 2 p.m. during the Hol- ly Walk. Petersburg merchants will have a drawing with numerous prizes and gift cards from their business- es. Shoppers can pick up a card at any of the participating busi- nesses. Then when they go in- to the businesses, they get their card punched. They must have seven card punches to qualify for the drawing at 4 p.m. in Marge's Hallmark. A fter seven punches, they can put their card in a draw- ing box at any of the participating merchants. The winner doesn't have to be present to win and no purchase is necessary. The participating businesses are: Silk Designs, Marge's Hall- mark, Bath Bombs and More, Mikel's Graphics, Cakes and Coffee, Kuttin' Loose, Studio 603 and Taste, Solutions, Make Me Unique, Ole Flower Shoppe and China Wok. MODEL TRAIN SHOW The 7th Annual Model Train Holly Walk, model train show this Saturday in Petersburg Trash collection sites to close for renovation By Andy Heuring A core group of people who have worked steadily for eight years to bring about the Buchta Entrepreneurship and Technology Center along with local, state and federal officials braved the cool temperatures and steady rain to officially break ground on a $2 million center to promote growth and retain local talent. The Buchta Entrepreneurship and Tech- nology Center is an 8,600 square foot facil- ity to be located just south of I-69 on the west side of Highway 61. Crews have been working there for a couple of weeks, but the ground-breaking ceremony was Mon- day morning. The facility will provide office space, guidance, worker space and access to high- tech equipment for students, former stu- dents and anyone who thinks they have the idea for the next greatest thing. The facility was born out of a highly suc- cessful Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program at Pike Central with the idea of giving students a place to take their ideas and turn them into successful busi- nesses. It was one of several projects that was included in Petersburg's Stellar proj- ect applications. But when Petersburg wasn't selected, it was feared the project might just die. "When we didn't get the Stellar the second time, things looked pretty bleak," said Joe Dedman. So they started coming up with ideas. Cindy Gaskins with the Pike County Community Foundation said in 2014 the Lilly Foundation was offering a match of $100,000 to a community project that could raise $200,000. Dedman said they decided to start talk- ing to local businesses. He approached El- mer Buchta, Jr. about the project. Buchta said Dedman talked to him about the project and introduced him to the kids in Pike Central's STEM program, which had a science project that was one of 10 in- vited to the White House Science Fair, and later to MIT. "I went there and met them. They were so talented and engaging I got to thinking about this. I thought 'yes, this is a project I could get behind.' Then people started coming up to me telling me we 'couldn't do it.' That fired me up more," said Buchta. Buchta said he decided it was a perfect fit to honor his father, Elmer Buchta, who with an 11th grade education was a self- taught engineer and entrepreneur. He fig- Buchta Tech Center breaks ground Monday Pike County's trash collection site will close for a couple days at a time over the next two weeks to accommodate upgrades The Solid Waste District will install new buildings at the col- lection sites. They are still using the original buildings which were yard barns. Over the decades the buildings have deteriorated to the point they had to be replaced. The Petersburg, Bowman and Otwell sites will be closed from Thursday, December 12 through Saturday, December 14. The Otwell and Bowman sites which are normally closed on Wednesdays, will be open on Wednesday, December 11 to ac- commodate the weekend closures at the other sites. The Petersburg site may close early on Wednesday, December 11 due to the building project. The Winslow, Stendal and Coe sites will be closed from Thurs- day, December 19 through Satur- day, December 21 due to the proj- ect. HOLLY WALK HOLLY WALK This Saturday See page 3 for details Petersburg Santa's reindeer? Briar Bruce is all smiles and a little embarrassed about her antlers while talking with San- ta at Winslow's Winter Wonderland on Saturday morning. See additional photos on page A8. Members of the Buchta Entrepreneur and Technology Center building committee, along with state and local offi- cials, had a ceremonial ground-breaking Monday morning for the Buchta Entrepreneur and Technology Center. Con- struction is expected to be completed by Fall 2020. Above are: Brian Simpson, Scott Willis, Jim Gaskins, Joe Dedman, Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Elmer Bu- chta, Jr., Mick Hetman, Dave Jochim and Pike County EDC Executive Director Ashley Willis.