The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1200597
Local ����������� A1-8 Opinion ������� A6-7 Homecoming � A8 Sports ��������� B1-6 School ����������� B7 Classifieds ��� B8-9 East Gibson ���B10 Church �������� C1-3 Home Life ��� C4-7 Obituaries ������ C7 History ����������� C8 WHAT'S INSIDE: Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Fax: ��������������������������812-354-2014 E-Mail ����editor@pressdispatch�net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, January 15, 2020 Volume 150 Number 3 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Three sections 26 pages Five inserts See METH on page 2 See COUNCIL on page 2 See DISMISSED on page 2 By Andy Heuring Numerous incumbents have filed for office in the first week, as well as a new name for county Treasurer. Susan Brittain has filed for Treasurer. It is an open position as current Treasurer Marta Que- ry is at the end of her second term, which has a two-term limit. So far, Brittain is the only can- didate for Treasurer. Several incumbents have filed for their county positions. All three at-large county coun- cilmen have filed for re-elec- tion. They are Democrat Todd Meadors, and Republicans Greg Willis and Dennis Bishop. Both Republican Commission- ers. Ryan Coleman, Dist. 3 and Jeff Nelson, Dist. 1. have filed. Incumbent County Clerk Lana Griffith, a Republican, is seeking a second term. Two people have filed for Coro- ner. Republican Ray Brooks filed last week and Democrat Nick Henson have both filed. They are seeking the open seat currently held by Gretchen Harris. She al- so is in the last year of her sec- ond term, which is the state-set term limit. The first day to file in Indiana for local office was on Wednesday, January 8. The filing period will remain open until noon Friday, February 7 in the County Clerk's office. Incumbents begin filing for office in primary election By Andy Heuring The Pike County Council elected Jon Craig as its president as they reorganized in their first meeting of the year. He replac- es Greg Willis, who had served as the coun- cil president for the last nine years. Wil- lis made the motion to nominate Craig as president. Craig was elected by a 6 -0 vote. Councilman Todd Meadors did not attend the meeting. "Nine years is long enough. It is time for someone else," said Willis. Willis was elected vice-president after being nominated by Dennis Bishop. Councilmen voted to approve a pay rate of $10 for employees working Saturdays at the trash collection sites. Commissioner Assistant Kristi Disch- inger, who oversees the employees at the county trash collection sites, said on Satur- day all six sites are open and it is hard for her to get employees to work on Saturday. They are all part-time employees who can only work a maximum of 24 hours a week. She said she has tried to advertise for employees at the weekday rate of $ 8.50 an hour, but she hasn't been able to get anyone interested. She said she has talked to a cou- ple of people who said $10 an hour would entice them to work on Saturdays. Councilman Randy Harris said he didn't like the precedent that was setting. "I think it just opens the door for other employees to say, 'Gee, I have to work on Saturday.'" Dischinger said she understood that, but these employees are making about half what the other county employees make. Councilman Willis asked what the su- pervisor got paid. Dischinger said $10.10. She said the county was paying Pike Arc $105,085 a year when they were contract- ed to operate the manned sites. She said now the county is paying about $73,000 a year. "I have good employees as far as con- sistency. They don't call in or ask off very much. But when they do, it is a problem," said Dischinger. Councilman Max Elliott said he under- stood Harris' concern, but said having a person hired as a "floater" for 20 hours a week between the sites would be more ex- pensive than paying $10 a hour on Satur- days. Dischinger said it would cost about $ 3,250 a year in extra pay to pay the $10 an hour on Saturdays. She said Saturdays are by far the busiest day of the week for the trash sites. Harris moved to allow the $10 an hour and it was approved by a 6 -0 vote. Sheriff Kent Johnson told the council a video and audio recorder system used to record when someone is being tested for blood alcohol content, as well as recording police interviews with witnesses and sus- pects, needs to be replaced. He said the unit in the Datamaster room has quit working and because it is so old, the system is no longer supported. He Craig elected president of county council Unmanned boat on river investigated The Pike County Sheriff's Office got a scare Tuesday afternoon. At about 1 p.m., they got a call from IPL employees saying they saw a small boat upside down, floating down the White River. Sheriff Kent Johnson said they went to the Highway 61 bridge over the White River and could see the boat floating towards them. He said when they arrived, Randy Kissel was get- ting ready to launch his boat to go duck hunting. So he took Chief Deputy Dallas Killian up- stream to the boat. They found it was a small plastic fishing boat with no motor on it. Sheriff Johnson said they think the current flood water had just caused it to float away. He said they haven't received any reports of a missing person. By Andy Heuring and Janice Barniak The charges against a former Pike Coun- ty teacher arrested over Labor Day have been dismissed in Gibson County Court. Christopher Render, who was in his sec- ond year of teaching at Pike Central was fired on October 14, 2019 by Pike County Schools following his arrest on September 1, 2019. He had been charged with stran- gulation and domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old. Render consistently refuted the accusa- tions, first at the scene, where police pho- tographed what were called injuries both to his face and his wife's neck, and again when appearing in court Sept. 11 to request coun- cil, when he called the accusations "false charges." On Friday, January 10 in Gibson Superi- or Court, Judge Robert Kreig issued an or- der dismissing the charges. It stated: The Court now having reviewed the State's Mo- tion and no objection offered by the defen- dant, and being duly and sufficiently ad- vised now grants the State's motion and orders that . . . State of Indiana vs. Chris- topher M. Render be dismissed without prejudice. Gibson County Chief Deputy Prosecu- tor Abigail D. Brown-Cox entered a mo- tion in Gibson Superior Court that same day stating: in the interest of justice, move the Court for a dismissal of the above cause. . . Therefore the State of Indiana requests the Court grant this motion. Render sent an email to the South Gib- son Star-Times stating: Now that the wheels have (sic) of just have cleared my name. My next most is to sue the Pike County School Corporation." Dr. Suzanne Blake, Superintendent of Pike County Schools said, "At this point not a lot I can say. It is just an ongoing sit- uation." Render was not a tenured teacher and consequently was a probationary teacher until he achieved three school years with an effective teacher rating. In Indiana a teach- er has five school years to attain three ef- Battery charges against former PC teacher dismissed Homecoming INSIDE THIS EDITION • SEE PAGE A-8 PIKE CENTRAL BASKETBALL Kids having fun These three kids were out having fun Monday afternoon in the sunny weather. Grace Mullen, Elijah Chambers and Noah Mullen took advantage of the nice weather for January to horse around in the bed of pickup truck. After heavy rains over the weekend caused moderate flooding, the sun came out on Monday with temperatures in the low 50s, and again on Tuesday. The forecast was for a high of 59 degrees on Wednesday and a return of winter on Thursday and Friday. By Andy Heuring A Petersburg man has been ar- rested on drug-related charges in- cluding a level 2 felony charge of dealing in methamphetamine af- ter police executed a search war- rant on Thursday. David Fuqua, 65, of 1307 E. Cherry St,. Petersburg was ar- rested by Indiana State Trooper Brayden Angermeier after the Indiana State Police Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the search. Fuqua was arrested on charges of dealing in methamphetamine more than 10 grams, a level 2 fel- ony; unlawful possession of a fire- arm by a serious violent felony, a level 4 felony and maintaining a common nuisance. Also arrested at the same time were Jennifer Might, 37, and Bry- Fuqua arrested on felony meth charges