The Press-Dispatch

May 27, 2020

The Press-Dispatch

Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1251675

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 1 of 20

Local ��������������������A1-10 History ����������������������A6 Sports �����������������������A7 Classifieds ��������������A8-9 Church �������������������B1-3 Home Life ��������������B4-8 East Gibson ���������������B8 Obituaries ��������������B7-8 Opinion ����������������B9-10 WHAT'S INSIDE: Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Fax: ��������������������������812-354-2014 E-Mail ����editor@pressdispatch�net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, May 27, 2020 Volume 150 Number 22 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Two sections 20 pages Three inserts See COVID-19 on page 10 No parade or ceremonies; rosters to be realigned By Andy Heuring Petersburg Little League is starting practice next week. League president Tim Stafford said all the teams, except the 3-4 T-ball teams will play this summer. "We had a meeting last week and voted, and all the leagues except 3-4 T-ball want to play," said Stafford. Last week, Governor Eric Holcomb moved up the date summer sports leagues could start practicing by about a month from the original plan. "We could have started practicing this week, but we don't have everything worked out yet," said Staf- ford. He said they reached out to the Pike County Health Department for guidelines on preventive measures. Some of those will include having hand sanitizer available, as well as having parents sign a form saying they know about COVID-19 and the dan- gers, and that child does not have a fever or has not knowingly been around any one with it. They also have logistical problems to deal with. Stafford said they had sign-ups before the pandemic outbreak and shutdown. So they had their teams selected. But several people have decided they don't want their kids to participate. "We have some teams that everyone is going to play and some that almost everyone isn't going to play." So they are going to have to drop some teams and realign rosters. There will be no parade and no opening ceremonies. "We are just going to start practicing and start playing." Petersburg Little League to begin practice next week By Andy Heuring Primary Election Day is set for June 2, 2020. There is only one contested race on the ballot. Newburgh Nurse Practitioner Cindy Ledbetter and Michael Griffin are vying for the Republican Dist. 75 State Rep- resentative nomination. The winner will face Democrat John Hurley. Ledbetter is a nurse practitioner special- izing in mental health. She has more than 30 years medical and administrative expe- rience. She is in the first term of serving on the Warrick County Council. Ledbetter graduated from Ivy Tech State College in 1999, University of Southern In- diana with a BSN in 2011 and USI with an MSN/Family Nurse Practitioner degree in 2013. Griffin is a graduate of Harrison High School in Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana. He retired from First Federal Savings Bank as senior vice-pres- ident of commercial lending in 2015. He is a member of the Jaycees of Newburgh and a founding member of the Kiwanis Club of Historic Newburgh. Griffin is also a mem- ber of the Newburgh United Methodist Church. The only other race on the ballot is the race for the Democrat party's nomination for president. Joe Biden is the presumed nominee as the other major candidates have withdrawn, but several withdrew too late to have their names removed from the ballot. Early voting can be done in person in the courthouse auditorium from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the rest of this week, May 27 to May 29. Voting at the Winslow Community Cen- ter can be done from 8 a.m. to noon on Sat- urday, May 30 in the auditorium and the gym. On Monday, people can vote from 8 a.m. to noon in the Clerk's Office on the sec- ond floor. Voting centers will be open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voting centers are located at the Gospel Center Church's gym- nasium, Otwell Community Center and the Winslow Community Center. As of Friday, there had been 358 mail-in ballots received by the Clerk's office. Tues- day afternoon, Clerk Lana Griffith said 18 people had voted in the courthouse. Primary election is Tuesday See SCHOOL on page 2 By Andy Heuring Pike County Schools were able to move $1 million from Operations to their Rainy Day Fund in their last meeting on Tuesday, May 12. They also purchased new Eng- lish books for high school and approved $ 80,000 in pool repairs, as well as making numerous hires for the '20 -'21 school year. School board members voted 5 -0 to move the money from Operations to the Rainy Day Fund. Only a few years ago, Pike County Schools were transferring money from the Rainy Day Fund to pay operational costs. Dr. Suzanne Blake said now they are able to put money into the Rainy Day fund. She said instead of having to use the Rainy Day Fund to operate, they have been able to use it for several large items they hadn't been able to do. The school board also voted 5 -0 to pur- chase new English books and curriculum. Assistant Superintendent Dana Def- fendoll said they cycle through one set of books each year. "Last year, it was Reading. This year, it is English." She said she took the English depart- ment to a book fair, where various book companies make presentations. She said there were four different companies. "It re- ally is a sales pitch by all the companies. Four English teachers saw the presenta- tions and picked their two," said Deffendoll. Once they had it down to two companies, they met with each to question the com- panies. Deffendoll said everyone's favorite was the Pearson myPerspectives. She said one of the things they liked was the textbook had tearable pages, with assignments and worksheets on them, that could be torn out and turned in. She said it also was on a Chromebook platform as well. The company also offered the teachers a library of 2,000 novels they could use in their class as well. "It was a 26 -page list of books," said Deffendoll. She said the other positive is it costs less than the books they were using this year by about $4. The school hired several new teachers. Kim Schiovonne was hired as a replace- ment for retiring German ACP teacher Fritz Krahl. Superintendent Blake said sel- dom does a hire fit the position as well as Schiovonne. She said Schiovonne has expe- rience with ACP for the same Indiana Uni- versity program Krahl had worked through and had taught an immersive class similar to one Krahl started at Pike Central. Ron Hanson was hired as a music teach at Petersburg Elementary School to replace Karen DeCoursey, who retired this year. Other new hires starting in the 2020 - 2021 school year are: • Christopher Mohammed hired as the Business/Computer Science teacher at Pike Central High School • Jorden Froderman hired as special education teacher at Pike Central Middle School • Jennifer Ficklin hired as kindergarten teacher at Winslow Elementary • RaeAnn Brock hired as a teacher at Winslow Elementary. Board member Chris McKinney asked if all the teachers hired have active licens- es and if any emergency licenses would be needed. Dr. Blake said no emergency li- censes were needed. Brittney Biesterveld and Colton Potter were hired as part-time summer help. Bi- esterveld for 29 hours a week and Potter for 20 to 25 hours. The motion to approve the summer help was made by Chris Satterfield and second- ed by Howard Knight. The motion carried 4-0, with Steve Potter abstaining. The school board also made numerous coaching and extra curriculum hires. The fall sports hires were: • Dave Stephens hired for Varsity Foot- ball Coach • Jarrod Gideon hired for Girls' Varsi- ty Golf Coach • Natalie Burkhardt hired for Girls' Var- sity Assistant Golf Coach • Jacob Western hired for Boys' Varsity Soccer Coach • Josh Stieneker hired for Boys' Varsity Assistant Soccer Coach School board moves $1 million into Rainy Day Fund Sixth COVID-19 case confirmed in county as state begins reopening By Andy Heuring Pike County's total increased by one over the last week to a total of six confirmed cas- es of COVID-19, still the lowest totals in Indiana. Pike County Health Nurse Amy Gladish said the person who tested positive is self- quarantining at home. There was a dramat- ic increase in testing in Pike County dur- ing the last three weeks. On May 1, Pike County announced they had the second confirmed case. There had only been 66 people tested in the county as of May 4, which was about two months into testing in Indiana. As of May 25, the number of people tested has increased to 166 people. Free testing centers have been established in Jasper, Princeton and Vin- cennes, and testing is now available to more people than just those with symptoms. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb an- nounced last Wednesday he was moving stage three of the opening plan two days earlier than planned. Holcomb and other state officials said even though positive tests continue at similar rates, they be- lieve that is largely due to much more test- ing being done. The number of ventilators in use for CO- VID-19 has dropped in the last month from Walnut Hills Memorial Day ceremony Mark Schlechty was the guest speaker at the Walnut Hills Memorial Day services this past Monday. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3587 closed the ceremony with a 21-gun salute and "Taps." Members who participated included Post Commander Chris Kinman, Honor Guard Commander D.R. Minnis, Ray Stilwell, Joe Cummings, James Capozella, Mike Western, Steve Pride, Mike Howard, Jim White, Tim Harden, Jim Freeland, Ross Wiliams, Don Southwood, Mike Higdon and Reno Richardson. Andy Heuring photo Drive-thru graduation Pike Central's Class of 2020 was allowed to drive in a parade past the school to receive their diplomas from Princi- pals Brian Holland and Andy Igel. Daisy Ivers, who joined the National Guard, had the most awesome ride. As a surprise, fellow National Guard mem- bers picked her up in an armored Humvee and drove her through the parade. Climbing down from it in high heels, a gown and dress did prove a challenge for Ivers, but the 'cool factor' far outweighed the inconvenience. See additional photos on page A-7.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Press-Dispatch - May 27, 2020