The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1306441
B-3 Wednesday, November 4, 2020 The Press-Dispatch Pilings holes cut for Iron Bridge replacement Ragle, Inc. and subcontractors are preparing the Iron Bridge for transport and readying the foundation for the replacement bridge by cutting 17-foot deep holes through sandstone and limestone. The holes are about 15 inches wide and will secure steel beams to keep the ballast in place along the railroad tracks. The Charger Bridge in Petersburg will be removed and the Iron Bridge will be refurbished and placed over Prides Creek for pedestrian traffic only per INDOT regulations. James Capozella photo wife left the mobile home, went across town to a friend's house, where they got a gas can out of his truck. They both returned to the mobile home and set another fire in the bed- room just west of the kitchen, then poured gasoline on it," states the affidavit. The affidavit continues that Jacob said "he didn't really think it worked until he woke up around 9:30 a.m. and had a message that the mobile home burned." It also states Jacob said Thelma was inside with him for most of the fires, but did drop him off once, drove around the block, then picked him up. Wells interviewed Thelma Smith later the same day. "She explained how pushy and mean Christopher Heiple had been with them," stated the affidavit. It says Thelma admitted, "they talked about burning the mobile home and her uncle told them to put a candle in the closet of a bed- room and leave it." She said they tried it, but it didn't work. According to the affidavit, she then went through the dif- ferent times they tried to set it on fire before finally pouring gasoline on it. Wells interviewed Billy Joe Dillon a week later on Oct. 28. According to Wells, Dil- lon said Jacob was at his house with his son, John Dillon, and was talking about wanting to burn the mobile home. Billy Joe said he suggested putting a candle in the closet, "since that is what Dillon's brother did one time to burn his mo- bile home about 10 years ago," stated the affidavit. Wells also interviewed John Dillon on Oct. 28. Ac- cording to Wells, Dillon said he remembered being at his father's residence and Jacob Smith was talking about want- ing to burn the mobile home. He also admitted being at the trailer on Oct. 18, helping Smith move and hearing him say he wanted to burn the mo- bile home. "He also admitted to being in the mobile home with them when Jacob Smith set the first fire," states the affidavit. Dillon, of 1003 E. Beards- ley St., Winslow, was charged with obstruction of justice, a level 6 felony. ARSON Continued from page 2 AIR QUALITY Continued from page 1 PROJECT Continued from page 2 Friday & Saturday November 6 & 7 Musical- Tree-Lighting Snoopy Hallmark 3-Wick Candles Holiday Treat Jar 716 Main St. Petersburg • 812-354-9372 Visit us at facebook.com/margeshallmark Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 9-5; Friday 9-6 BOXED CHRISTMAS CARDS & CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP BUY 1 ½PRICE GET ONE BUY 1 get one FREE FREE with $125 purchase SAVE $10 Sales & Bargains roughout VIP Gi Bag • Gi Bag • Mug • Glasses • Ornament Free with $60 purchase • Tea Towel • Salt & Pepper Shakers • and More $115 Value $25 Value Holiday OPEN HOUSE Indiana NRCS Sets Deadlines for Voluntary Conservation Programs December 18 will be the application deadline for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and January 8 will be the application deadline for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in Indiana. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve soil health, improve water and air quality and create wildlife habitat. Also included in this sign up are several state and national initiatives. CSP is an important farm bill conservation program that helps producers who are already practicing good stewardship to take their natural resource management to the next level. The program helps to improve both their agricultural production and provide valuable conservation benefits such as cleaner and more abundant water, as well as healthier soils and better wildlife habitat. For more information about farm bill programs and other technical and financial assistance available through Indiana NRCS conservation programs, please contact your local field office @ 812.354.6120 ext. 3 BEGINNING NOV. 4 NOW OPEN Wednesday & Thursday, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Joe Mama's 350 W. Main St., Petersburg 812-354-2606 "I guess last time we were here, we were told it was going to be $ 300,000. We are pret- ty happy it is in the $ 60,000 range," said Commissioner Mark Flint. Flint and Commissioner Jeff Nelson voted to approve fund- ing the additional costs. Com- missioner Ryan Coleman was not at the meeting. The commissioners voted to request a transfer of $16,798 from machinery and equip- ment to CR 350 N. Rehabilita- tion to pay for the land acqui- sition portion of the project. The road will be the access to a proposed industrial park just south and east of I-69. "The industrial road proj- ect for CR 350 N is critical to bring in new business to the I-69 interchange. Once this road is complete it will open up about 1,500 acres for develop- ment uses to retail/commer- cial, light industrial, and resi- dential. Business and industry require roads, infrastructure, and utilities and with this ex- panded and upgraded road it is just the beginning for pros- perity in our community. For- tunately, INDOT recognizes the importance of this project and they are showing their support by their willingness to provide an 80 % match for the additional cost, so this is a win-win for Pike County's eco- nomic development strategy," said Pike County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Ashley Willis. In other business, the com- missioners voted to approve a number of transfers. In the EMS budget, EMS director Chris Young said they are transferring $550 from PERF to radio supplies to purchase an 800mhz radio. They also are transferring $2,649 from rent and $4,401 from PERF to Group Health to make the ac- counts balance at the end of the year. The other transfer was $14,000 from technician va- cation and sick leave to EMS equipment to purchase 12-year-old cots. Young said he was notified Pike County EMS was going to get $24,593 in reimburse- ments. He said $ 9,500 of that will go to Malcon, which au- dits the county's EMS billings and applies for the reimburse- ment. E911 director Dave Cape- hart requested three trans- fers. They were $500 from Incentive to Assistant Direc- tor salary, $500 from Incen- tive to IDACS Coordinator and $ 3,000 from Incentive to part-time. Capehart said he had several people off with COVID earlier and they got by with working overtime. The commissioners voted to request all of the transfers, which will also have to get ap- proval of the county council. The next commissioners' meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. Monday, November 16 in the courthouse auditorium. By Andy Heuring Petersburg opened bids on phase one of the wastewater rehabilitation project during their meeting Monday night. They received five bids, with the base price ranging from $2.77 million to $ 3.83 million. Phase one includes an equaliza- tion lagoon and the headworks. The estimated cost of the project was $2.5 million. The five bids were: •Graves Plumbing Co., of Switz City Base $2,772,772, Alt. 1 $191,919, Alt. 2 $ 34,343 •Kieffer Bros. Construction Co., of Mt. Carmel, Ill. Base $2,889,014 Alt. 1 $184,619, Alt. 2 $10,000 •Debra-Kiemplel, Inc., of Evansville Base $ 3,364,199 Alt. 1 $ 325,000 Alt. 2 minus $20,000 •Deig Bros. Lumber and Construction, of Evansville Base $ 3,597,400 Alt. 1 335,400 Alt. 2 $ 81,800 •Blankenberger Bros., Inc., of Cynthiana Base $ 3,836,000 Alt 1 $275,000, Alt 2 $ 8,000 Clint Roos, of Midwestern Engineers, Inc., recommended they take the bids un- der advisement and let him review them. He said he would then make a recom- mendation at their next meeting. "We will take them under advisement and we will try to award these at the next meeting," said Mayor R.C. Klipsch. It was approved by a 3-0 vote of Klipsch, Jim Gaskins and Jon Welch. Petersburg also voted 4-1 to provide 50 percent of the cost of an air ambulance membership. In the previous meeting, the city council voted 5 -0 not to pay city employees' and fire department person- nel's memberships to Air EVAC. The fee had increased to $55 a year. Klipsch asked the council if they want- ed to considered a similar membership to PHI. It is the other service in this ar- ea that provides air ambulances. Peters- burg Police Chief said PHI has two heli- copters in the area instead of one. Peters- burg Fire Chief Ross Elmore said PHI has IFR capable helicopters, where Air EVAC doesn't. IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rate versus VFR ( Visible Flight Rate) meaning it cannot fly when visi- bility is low. He said they still won't be able to fly in bad weather. Councilwoman Jody Hoover suggest- ed they pay the whole fee. "It is just $ 35." Councilman John Melhiser said the employees were covered by workman's comp if it is an accident that happens while they are working. He suggested the city pay half the fee. Councilmen voted 4-1 to approve pay- ing half the fee. Scott Jenkins voted against the measure. In other business, Fire Chief Ross El- more said the fire department was going to host a Red Cross blood drive on Fri- day, November 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. He said people wanting to donate blood could do so by registering online with the Red Cross. Klipsch and Elmore said the street sweeper was working well. "From the amount of dirt he is dumping for us to haul off, I'd say it is working really well," said Elmore. Mayor Klipsch said Indiana's Gover- nor Eric Holcomb had extended munici- palities doing virtual meetings through the end of the year. Monday night's meet- ing was via Zoom. Klipsch said he an- ticipated Petersburg's meetings being conducted virtually through the end of the year. Petersburg's next meeting is sched- uled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, November 16. Petersburg opens bids for wastewater rehab project Hoosier Energy Ratts Generat- ing Station and national sulfur dioxide control strategies," said Thiede. EPA is proposing to redesig- nate the Southwest Indiana area to attainment and to approve In- diana's maintenance plan to en- sure that the area will continue to meet the sulfur dioxide stan- dard. The redesignation will not be final until the public has had an opportunity to comment on the proposal. According to a news release from the EPA, If the Southwest Indiana area is redesignated, it will meet all NA AQS." The same release stated, "Reduced sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere means cleaner healthier air for the residents of Southwest Indiana, especially children, the elderly, and those who suffer from asthma and are particularly sensitive to effects of sulfur dioxide. Reduced lev- els of sulfur dioxide and other sulfur oxides is also good for the environment. A decrease in these compounds means less chances of haze and acid rain, which can harm sensitive eco- systems." Thiede said, "Nationally, av- erage concentrations of sulfur dioxide decreased 82 percent from 2000 to 2019. All other air pollutants regulated under NA AQS – carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, partic- ulate matter and ozone – have also significantly decreased thanks to the various air qual- ity management and control strategies developed and im- plemented at the local, state, regional, and national level." "A big thank you to Indianap- olis Power and Light for invest- ing in pollution control mea- sures that allow Pike County to breathe easier and move into attainment status for SO2. It is great news for business growth opportunities. Often there are heavy industrial companies that may produce some level of SO2 and without the attain- ment status that meant heavy industrial companies had ad- ditional hurdles and expenses to locate in Pike County. Eco- nomic development is about minimizing risk and cost and this announcement truly sig- nifies Pike County is open for new business industry," said Pike County Economical De- velopment Corp. Executive Di- rector Ashley Willis.