The Press-Dispatch
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Local ����������� A1-8 Sports ��������� B1-5 Shopping ���� B6-7 Opinion ������� B8-9 Classifieds B10-12 Church �������� C1-3 Home Life ��� C4-5 Obituaries ������� C6 East Gibson ���� C7 School �������� C8-9 History ����������C10 WHAT'S INSIDE: Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Fax: ��������������������������812-354-2014 E-Mail ����editor@pressdispatch�net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Volume 149 Number 51 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Three sections 30 pages Six inserts See AMBULANCE on page 2 See McDONALDS on page 2 By Andy Heuring County Commissioners heard complaints about Meridian Road (Line Road) and voted to approve a contract with the Patoka Fire District to house an ambulance crew in the southern part of Pike County. These actions took place during their Monday morning meeting. Grant Fulkerson said he and about eight other residents live on the section of road from CR 150 S. (Sugar Ridge Road) north. "The road has increasingly gotten real- ly bad. Last spring, they put some chip and seal down. It is basical- ly mud with really bad potholes," said Fulkerson. "I just thought it was kind of dis- crimination to fix like an eighth of a mile of the road," said Fulk- erson. He said it was paved from Sug- ar Ridge Road to Dewey Jones' house. County Highway Assistant Su- perintendent Josh Byrd said Me- ridian had been put on a list of roads to pave for which they are requesting grant money from the Community Crossroads program. He added if the state decides to give Pike County a grant for that project, the county would pave it. He said the reason they stopped where they did is because they didn't have the money to go any farther with the paving. Commissioner Ryan Coleman said the Community Crossroads Grant is all contingent on which paving projects the state picks. Marcee Weisling said there was a deep ditch at the intersection of Meridian Road and Division Road that is dangerous. She said high school kids are driving fast on the road and eventually are going to crash into the deep ditch. She re- quested a guard rail be installed. James Ohning said, "These poor people are getting deluged with dust and dirt. We have pic- tures of their house being envel- oped by dust. I have never seen such a horrible piece of road in my life. . . We have never gotten any- thing done to it." "Now hold it, I know it is bet- ter than what it used to be," said Byrd. He then asked the other res- idents if they agreed it had gotten better. They agreed with Byrd it was better than it used to be. "You bought a home on a rock road. It is going to be dusty," said Commissioner Ryan Coleman. Byrd said he had put down tree sap on the road to try and control the dust. Commissioner Nelson said he lived on a rock road for 20 years. "I knew what I was getting." "We are trying to work on it. We have put it on the Communi- ty Crossroads list. We hope it gets picked to be paved. Hopefully, it will get picked. We will definitely ditch it. We are getting that done." Nelson said, "We will look at getting a guardrail there. . . No one is being discriminated with. If you think so, you need to get out a little. We have miles and miles of rock road. I lived on a rock road for 20 years. I knew what I was getting." "We will get something done," said Byrd. Commissioners also voted 3- 0 to approve a contract with the Patoka Fire District to house an ambulance and crew for the Pike County EMS at their Arthur lo- Petersburg Elementary School hosted a VEX IQ Challenge robot- ics competition on Saturday, with 35 teams from all over southern Indiana, and Petersburg swept the top five places in the competition. "Saturday was a wonderful day for PES robotics," said team spon- sor Terra Knust. She said 35 teams competed in the day-long competition, which is the first time for Petersburg to host an event. "We had a great turnout," said Knust. She add- ed several coaches from other schools thanked Petersburg for hosting a competition, because it is one of only a few in the im- mediate area. "It wouldn't have been possible if it were not for our great volunteers. I'm very appre- ciative of the parents, communi- ty members, PES staff members, and Pike Central Middle and High School students who helped out with the event." Knust said more than 40 people volunteered to help with the competition. "There were also several busi- nesses that donated, and we couldn't have done this without them." In the finals, Flaming Drag- ons and Sour Power, both from Petersburg, won first place and Dabbing Einsteins and Pink Peg- asus, also both from Petersburg, won second place. Flaming Drag- ons was named the Robot Skills Champion. Other award winners were: Ex- cellence Award, the Farmersville Falcons; Design Award, VEX Su- per Heroes; Energy Award, Barr Reeve Red; Judges Award, The Lions; and the Sportsmanship Award, The Nerd Bots. PES sweeps robotics competition Commissioners urged to fix Line Road; ambulance moved to Patoka McDonald's closes its doors in Petersburg By Andy Heuring McDonald's in Petersburg closed on Sunday for the final time after 24 years. A sign appeared in the door on Sunday that stat- ed: "A fter 24 years, the McDon- ald's restaurant in Petersburg will close on December 15 for the final time. As part of the plan to build a better McDonald's across the country, we recently modernized a location in Vincennes and will be updating other restaurants in the area with new technology and more inviting decor. "Additionally, all current em- ployees have been offered posi- tions at our other locations: Vin- cennes, Washington and Loogoo- tee. We appreciate and value our employees and the patronage of our long-time customers, and we look forward to welcoming them to our nearby McDonald's loca- tions. "Wally and Deb Nowakowski, McDonald's Owner/Operators." A call to the Nowakowski offic- es in Vincennes was not answered or returned. The Petersburg store had a troubled past. In the last few months, the stored was close for three days due by the Pike Coun- ty Health Department after they failed an inspection due to insect infestation. In years past, an employee was arrested on a charge of poisoning another employee's drink. In an- other incident, an employee was arrested for selling drugs from the back of the restaurant. On Monday and Tuesday, crews were removing the golden arch- es sign in front of and from the building. The restaurant located in Pe- tersburg after then-Mayor Ran- dy Harris made continuous pleas to them to locate a restaurant in Petersburg. Harris said he was going to Petersburg Elementary School and reading to students. They started complaining about Early deadlines for holiday editions The Press-Dispatch will have early dead- lines for the Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 editions, due to the holidays. DEC. 25 EDITION The deadline for all advertising, classi- fieds and news content is 10 a.m. on Mon- day, Dec. 23. Readers can expect to receive their pa- pers in the mail on Tuesday, Dec. 24. JAN. 1 EDITION The deadline for all advertising, classi- fieds and news content is 10 a.m. on Mon- day, Dec. 30. Readers can expect to receive their pa- pers in the mail on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Model train show at the Gospel Center Julian Hornby in a train engineer's hat watches excitedly as a large scale train makes its way around a big loop. It was one of many train sets on display at the annual Model Train Show in the Gospel Center Church's gym. See more photos from the train show and Holly Walk on page A-8. Final preparations for robotics competition Ellie Arnold turns on her robot and makes the final adjustments just before the heat begins. Arnold teamed with Joshua Smith in this heat. Half-way through the heat they have to change controllers. PES won the top five places in the competition that had 35 teams from around Southern Indiana. See more photos on page A-4. Bell ringers needed Bell ringer volunteers are needed this Friday and Satur- day for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle fundraising cam- paign. This bell ringing cam- paign is the largest fundrais- er of the year for the Salvation Army. Funds raised stay with- in the Pike-Gibson County area to help people in need. Call Cal Biddle at 812-582-2385 to sign up to ring at the Dollar General Store or Petersburg Hardware.