The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1325545
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 PIKE PUBLISHING VOLuMe 151, nuMBer 1 NEWS TIPS Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Email ����� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local ����������������� A1-6 Anniversaries ����������A4 History ������������������� A7 Obituaries ����������� A8-9 Sports ������������������ A10 Home Life ���������� B1-10 Church ��������������B3-5 Opinion ������������� B6-7 Classifieds ���������� B8-9 Legal Notices ����������B9 USPS 604-34012 $1.00 20 PaGes TWO seCTIOns FOur InserTs PeTersBurG, In 47567-0068 Watson injured in Monday crash A Oakland City man was seriously injured Monday night when he crashed into a utility pole. Shawn Watson, 33, was driving north on Highway 61 in Campbelltown at 8:47 p.m. when the crash occurred. Indiana State Trooper Ryan Angermeier, who investigated the accident, said Watson ran off the right side of the road then overcor- rected. Watson's 1990 Ford Ranger then went across both lanes of traffic into a yard on the west side of the road sideways and hit a utility pole, just behind the cab on the passenger's side. Trooper Angermeier said Watson suffered facial injuries, and complained of back and chest pain. He was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent's Hospital in Evansville. While at the hospital, Watson submitted to a blood test and tested above the legal limit for blood alcohol content in Indiana, accord- ing to Angermeier. See STUDENTS on page 2 See REVIEW on page 2 See COUNCIL on page 2 2020-Year in Review: May to August COVID-19 virus begins to grip the county MAY A rural Spurgeon man died after being shot by police. Michael Faries, 69, of 7857 S. Meridian Road, Oakland City, was pronounced dead from the shooting, despite CPR efforts by police. Pike County Deputy Sheriff Paul Collier and Petersburg Police Cpl. Kyle Mills re- sponded to Faries' residence after receiv- ing 911 calls about hearing strange noises at the residence. Police arrived and talked with Faries' wife, Paula. She asked police not to go into the house, but police told her they need- ed to talk to him because he was the one who made the call. When Deputy Collier and Cpl. Mills went into the house, Paula said she heard her hus- band yelling and then heard Collier yell "let me see your hands," and then heard gunshots. Indiana State Police began an investigation of the shooting. It was the fifth time police had been called to the Faries' residence in the last year. • Anthony Woolsey, 33, of rural Winslow, was killed in a head-on collision on Highway 64, about a mile west of Meridian Road. Ac- cording to the Indiana State Police, Woolsey crossed the center line and hit a large box truck head-on. The truck was driven by James Coffey, of Louisville. Coffey and his passenger were both taken by ambulance to the hospital, with non-life threatening injuries. • Grants were made available to local busi- nesses through a Community Block Grant through the Office of Community and Rural A ffairs. Twelve grants were available. • The second COVID 19 - case in Pike Coun- ty was confirmed on Friday, May 1. • Jarrod L. Bruce, 47, of rural Oakland City, was arrested on possession of meth and oper- ating a vehicle while intoxicated charges af- ter a trailer he was pulling came unhitched, crossed the centerline and slammed into the vehicle of Maklaine Conner, 23, of Petersburg. Conner was driving north near the Diplomat Motel on Highway 57. A fter the collision, her car went airborne and overturned. She es- caped serious injury. • An Indiana State Police investigation in- to the shooting death of Michael Faries de- termined Faries drew a loaded pistol from his pocket before he was shot by Pike Dep- uty Paul Collier. • The third case of COVID in Pike County was confirmed on Sunday, May 10. • Pike Central's 2020 graduation was done virtually. Each student individually was able to walk up and get their diploma in cap and gown, while being filmed. It was later broad- cast on social media. Pike Central had 149 seniors graduate. Madison Warner was named Valedictorian and Ethan Gentry was Salutatorian. • The fifth confirmed case of COVID was announced. Pike County Health Nurse Amy Gladish said none of the five cases had re- quired hospitalization. • Pike County School continued to be cre- ative in dealing with COVID. They allowed se- niors and their family members to lineup in the parking lot and do a parade in their vehi- cles. Each stopping and receiving their diplo- mas from Principals Brian Holland and An- Sports continue as scheduled By Andy Heuring Pike County Schools returned to school on Monday, but in virtu- al learning. Last week, Superinten- dent of Schools Dr. Suzanne Blake announced they would doing remote learning through Wednesday, Jan- uary 13. Blake said this would give a peri- od of 14 days from New Year's Eve get-togethers before they returned to the classrooms. "It is our intent to return to in-person learning in the classrooms on January 14 and go back to a normal schedule. We know it is important that these kids are in the classroom and back to everyone doing in-person learning. That is our goal." Fourteen days is the quarantine time frame for people exposed to COVID. Blake said she had seen where other school corporations were an- nouncing in early December that they were going to go to virtual learning for a 14-day period after the holidays. "It intrigued me." She said when Pike County returned to red, they decided it was time go back to virtual learning. She said, as of now, sports are Students to return to classroom on January 14 By Andy Heuring The Petersburg City Council reorganized and named Scott Jenkins as president of the council during their first meeting of the year on Monday night. Jenkins was nominated by fellow council member Jody Hoover. Brian VanMeter sec- onded Jenkins' nomination after asking Jen- kins if he wanted the position. Jenkins said he did unless someone else wanted it. Jenkins was elected by a 3-0 vote, with Re- publican councilmen abstaining from the vote. Jenkins replaces Gary Leavitt as council president. Mayor R.C. Klipsch said the president of the council runs the council meetings if the may- or is incapacitated or can't attend the meeting. Mayor Klipsch said Petersburg has re- ceived their purchase order on the project to relocate a water main that is under Highway 61. Councilmen voted last summer to relocate the line in conjunction with the Indiana De- partment of Transportation's project to rehab Highway 61. INDOT's project is scheduled to start this year. Klipsch said a purchase order is really an order to proceed on the project. He said con- sultants told him Petersburg didn't want to get started on the project until they got the purchase order. Petersburg is receiving a re- imbursable loan for 80 percent of the project. He said he hopes they will be able to award bids on the project in their February 15 meet- ing. "We don't want to be responsible for de- laying the INDOT project." The INDOT project will run from Highway 57 out to the White River in three phases. The Scott Jenkins named president of city council Tech Center nearing move-in day The Elmer Buchta Entrepreneur and Technology Center, located at the interchange of I-69 and Highway 61, just south of Petersburg, is nearing completion. Pike County Economic Development Corp. executive director Ashley Willis shows off the center on a tour with Allison Edrington, an Oakland City University student, who is doing an internship for the Pike EDC. Willis said she is hoping to start moving into the 8,700-square foot facility on January 11. "It is exciting." It has several rooms with large expansive windows, allowing natural light in and nice views of the outside. Willis said if COVID allows, they hope to have a ribbon cutting and open house in February.