The Press-Dispatch

June 9, 2021

The Press-Dispatch

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B-4 Wednesday, June 9, 2021 The Press-Dispatch EAST GIBSON Submit East Gibson news items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: egnews@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Winslow Elementary School The student council brought in the Kona Ice truck for all the students to cele- brate the end of school. First graders Sadie VanMeter, Carson Houchin, Braxton Barley and Parker Tincher enjoy their Kona Ice treat. Reagan Drew, Khloe Bolin, Abi Truitt and Sophia Branum finish up their Ko- na ice cups Wade Gonzales sprays Mrs. Stoll on their kinder- garten water day. Fifth graders Zoe Russell and James Taylor cross the finish line at the end of the PTO Silly Run fund- raiser. Jaxon Wibbeler jumps the hurdles during the PTO Silly Run obstacle course. All the students enjoyed an afternoon of fun with bubbles and an ice cream treat at the end. Wood Memorial teacher Michael White said he and his wife talk- ed about starting a brick-and-mor- tar rage room before they launched their new version of the concept. "We're like, what if we did a mo- bile rage room? So we started the business, and this is the first week- end we've been open," White said on Madison Street in Oakland City Sat- urday. For the uninitiated, in a "tradition- al" rage room, breakable items are set up inside a place where partici- pants can pay money to go inside and destroy things, sometimes with bats or other tools, in an attempt to give the breaker a cathartic release. The trend has been growing in cities, but hasn't come to Gibson County until now, with White's mobile unit. "We're all human. We all have emotion, positive and negative," he said. "I've definitely tried it. It's satisfying to throw something and know you don't have to clean it up. You're not hurting anyone. It releas- es different emotions, positive and negative. Who doesn't need mental release these days? " He said after seeing an article that the number of domestic violence cas- es had gone up since COVID began, he hopes the business might also do good in a broader way. "We've got to help people release anger and rage without hurting any- one," he said. Left: Isaiah White throws a cup into the mobile rage room his dad opened in Oakland City Saturday. Above: Oakland City resident Al Cooper tries out the mobile rage room on its opening day Saturday with the help of proprietor Michael White. Mobile rage room business opens in Oakland City Commissioners table TIF requests for two libraries By Janice Barniak Commissioners tabled TIF re- quests for two South Gibson librar- ies, hoping to solicit all projects that may come up before the TIF expires in 2025, weigh their mer- its, and then prioritize them and de- cide between them all at one time. Commissioner Warren Fleet- wood advocated for the idea, after adding the Fort Branch teen center and YMCA have already moved on for funding consideration. "The good part is we do have funding available for some of these projects. There will be projects we don't have funding for...We've al- ready got two great projects, and we may have a few more," he said. He suggested a due date of ear- ly August or late July, and said the commissioners will let people know they're looking for community proj- ects. Commissioner Mary Key was ret- icent about planning to spend all the money at once for projects that may or may not meet the requirements of the State Board of Accounts. She also expressed concern about the Fort Branch gym project specifical- ly, as to whether it would meet the parameters the state has set for use of the TIF funds. While libraries have fallen under educational use, she said she isn't sure the gym proj- ect will qualify. "Does that make that a possibility for libraries to go to the head of the class? Possibly," Key said. Librarian Laura Happe asked whether the Fort Branch gymnasi- um project will be placed before the library project; their goal would be to break ground within a year. According to Fleetwood, the gym and YMCA projects have already moved on to redevelopment board. Key was also concerned about the projects that could come forward to support suppliers — the econom- ic development money generated through the Toyota TIF district is supposed to support infrastructure. "There's possible Toyota projects that money is there for. We can't spend that money knowing that money is supposed to go toward road and infrastructure for Toyo- ta and be spent within that TIF dis- trict," she said. Fleetwood disagreed, saying he saw the gym project as having a greater quality of life impact than the library, and also that more qual- ity of life projects are needed. "I love a good sewer line as much as the next guy. I love indoor plumb- ing...I feel like we've invested sig- nificantly with Toyota," he said. "I think Toyota is extremely happy with Gibson County." He said he believes the county has done projects without a particu- lar purpose or development in mind. "We're not just helping out a se- lect group of million dollar busi- nesses that probably don't need county taxpayer funding," he said. Commissioners did pass one proj- ect on to redevelopment last week, and that was to fix the HVAC sys- tem at the Gibson County Senior Center. Without air conditioning, Di- rector Julia Rahman said the cen- ter's employees are suffering and the center won't be safe for seniors when temperatures peak this sum- mer. The HVAC system is quoted at $52,170, which was passed to the TIF board, but the center would al- so like to fix the gravel parking lot so that people's walkers and wheel- chairs can move smoothly, and to keep seniors from tripping on the way inside. The center receives money from the City of Princeton, SWIRCA, Medicaid reimbursement, the coun- ty budget and Patoka Township, but their maintenance budget was de- pleted by roof repairs. "We're just doing a lot," said Rah- man. Key was concerned, again, about whether the project would fit the pa- rameters for which economic devel- opment money could be used. "I'll second it because there is an urgency," she said. Barton Honor Roll Principal Jane Reed, of Barton Township Elementary School, would like to announce the Honor Roll for the fourth Grading Period of the202 20 -21 School Year. FOURTH GR ADE A-B Honor Roll Haley Deisher Harper Gray Lexi Sandifar Christian Tkacz FIF TH GR ADE All A Honor Roll Kaigan Nossett Carly Schoonover Gavin Strickland A-B Honor Roll Savannah Craney Roxi Heichelbech Cirra Lemeron Josh Lin Emma Pierce SIXTH GR ADE All A Honor Roll Kinley Stoffel A-B Honor Roll Brylee Brogan Keziah Doerner Elle Schlottman Jesse Willis

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