The Press-Dispatch
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The Experts Are More Affordable Than You Might Think. Whether you're looking for a quick replacement or the benefits of an advanced, high-efficiency system, Carrier has the solution to fit your budget and comfort needs. ©Carrier Corporation 12/2016. HIGH EFFICIENCY COMFORT YOUR WAY 812-743-2382 303 Breckinridge Rd, Monroe City Email: perryshvac@gmail.com Craig Perry Vance Perry Chase Perry HEATING & AIR-CONDITIONING Perry ' s LLC Serving the area since 1950. Perry ' s Perry ' s The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, September 1, 2021 A-7 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 Puzzled about what to read? ..and you will have your solution. subscribe to 812-354-8500 Musician Charlie McCracken talked about how his life changed by overcom- ing addiction at the opening of Addiction Solutions Saturday afternoon. He then played praise music for the crowd, as he credited God with his recovery. Community welcomes Addiction Solutions By Janice Barniak Addiction Solutions board member Stephanie Bishop re- members the day she and her friend, Michelle Gooch, were discussing the need for a re- covery house in Princeton. They contacted the owner of a Vincennes-area recovery house and Addiction Solutions was born. Saturday, the com- munity came out to encourage and celebrate the opening of the home for addicts who are ready to move on from their former lives. Bishop, who has been sober for eight years, has a heart for addiction recovery and in par- ticular this house, which is lo- cated on Emerson Street in Princeton in what used to be her own home church. "This is where I rededicat- ed my life to the Lord, this is the first place I came when I got clean and sober," she said. The home now has 15 people who have struggled with ad- diction taking a similar jour- ney in the same building. The hard work was getting a loan; on paper, buying the church didn't make sense. "It just didn't look right on paper. He said, if you believe in it, I believe in it," Bishop said. Commissioner Warren Fleetwood said the communi- ty was coming together to sup- port the center, from donating food items to appliances. "This shows what this coun- ty can do," he said. "When you're in need, they'll reach out to you." Downtown Princeton, Inc. director Hannah Whitehead donated a mural to Addiction Solutions. "I wanted to do something special for when people are done with the program," she said. The mural looks like feathers. "This program means a lot to me. I'm really, really proud you've done this. It was a miss- ing piece in our community. I wish it would have been here for somebody special in my life. I'm just happy you guys are doing this," Whitehead said. Mothers' request: Don't drink and drive By Janice Barniak Mother Tabitha DeVasier put up signs and pictures this week at the site on Old U.S. 41, where three years ago, an impaired driver took the life of her son, Trevor Watt, and his best friend, James Gasaway, but she says she does it know- ing that peo- ple will like- ly drink this holiday week- end. She just hopes, through the boys' fami- lies' efforts at awareness and Logan's Promise's free rides, that no one will choose to drive impaired. She said she doesn't think people respond well to statis- tics, but the victims' names at the memorial site do a little more to bring home the dev- astation of losing a person to a drunk driver. Princeton Mayor Greg Wright has agreed to again make a proclamation that September will be an aware- ness month in remem- brance of people injured by impaired drivers, she said. When people see orange rib- bons around the square, she hopes it will remind them of the consequences of driving impaired. She said having the city government recognize the month makes her feel they're slowly making a difference. "It's tiring," she said of scrolling social media to see people are drinking and driv- ing. "You feel like no one is listening. There's another person. Another person. I was there once, before Trev- or passed away." Also, with Logan's Prom- ise and Promark partnering to give free rides, she said there is no reason for any- one to drive under the influ- ence this weekend. DeVasier has spent time since her son died talking to those convicted of DUI about the impact that choice has made on her life. "I tell them, 'even though you don't feel lucky, you're lucky you're not in a cof- fin. You're lucky you're not in prison for killing some- one,'" she said. If she has a long-term goal, she said it would be to get free ride ser- vices for ev- ery weekend of the year sponsored by compa- nies so that no one has to make the choice to drive im- paired. Secondly, she said if she had the power to change something more, it would be that people didn't have the ability to get four or more DUIs. "I'm just a mom that works. I have no power besides my story," she said. "But I want to know I saved a mom from the call we got this holiday weekend three years ago." For those interested in helping the families re- member Watt and Gasaway, friends and family will gather at the boys' former employ- er, Spud Hut, Sept. 1 around 5 p.m., then later move on to a 7 p.m. gathering at the me- morial site of the boys' acci- dent. "We want to make it a cel- ebration of life, to remem- ber funny stories," she said. Once they discuss the boys' lives, they'll release lanterns into the sky. Nationwide, alcohol-im- paired fatalities (involving blood-alcohol content of 0.08 g/dL or higher) in 2019 rep- resented 28 percent of the to- tal traffic fatalities. During the Labor Day period, 38 per- cent of the fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver. The National Safety Coun- cil, which shared those sta- tistics, estimates 466 people will die on U.S. roads over La- bor Day weekend. TO GET A FREE RIDE Free rides worth up to $25 are available from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sept. 3- 6 in Vanderburgh, Gib- son, Warrick and Posey counties through Lo- gan's Promise and sponsored by Promark. To take advantage of the safe ride program, use Lyft with the code SEP TEMBER2021DD. Mothers of James Gasaway and Trevor Watt, pic- tured, raise awareness of impaired driving each year in memory of their sons, who were killed by a driver who was impaired. Woman injured in Oakland City crash A local woman landed a Toyota Corolla upside down in a stream just off CR 1300 and CR 75 S. in Oakland City. Alexis Stunkel told Gibson County Sheriff's officers she didn't know the road turned from asphalt to gravel, and hit the gravel at 45 miles per hour, launching through a guardrail, causing the acci- dent. Stunkel was able to exit the vehicle and get towards the road, though she had neck and shoulder pain and was transported to Deaconess Midtown. A witness said Stunkel and passenger Easton Stun- kel escaped the vehicle, walk- ing through water up to their shoulders. Gibson County continues in red By Janice Barniak Gibson County spent an- other week in the red adviso- ry level of COVID-19, showing as of 1 p.m. Monday the sev- en-day positivity rate at 21.11 percent. For South Gibson Catholic schools, that will mean masks are now required, as well as social distancing to the extent it can be done, and people on campus limited to essential personnel. The release from the school said extracurricu- lar events would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. "The Diocese and its of- fices have great concern for the health and wellbeing of the faithful, including parish- ioners, employees, visitors, and the students, faculty and staff in our 26 diocesan Cath- olic schools. With the increase in COVID-19 cases in our re- gion, we recognize the need to update diocesan policies to better address this reality," wrote the school officials in a release. As for actual cases in schools, the Indiana State Dept. of Health website showed seven student cases since Aug. 27 at Gibson South- ern, no new cases at Owens- ville since Aug. 27, no new cas- es at Haubstadt Community School (though there was an indication to parents about a potential case, and the num- bers may not yet be updated), and 10 new student cases in Fort Branch as of Aug. 27. In the diocese schools, (which population-wise are smaller) there were no new cases at Holy Cross, and less than five new student cases at both St. James and Sts. Peter and Paul (meaning the state doesn't give an exact number to preserve anonymity). The advisory guidelines for South Gibson Catholic Schools are updated weekly on Wednesdays, with chang- es taking effect Thursdays. OTHER COVID NEWS • Gibson County Health Department announced those needing a COVID test also need to make an appointment at coronavirus.in.gov. • According to Channel 44 news, Christian Nurses Against Vaccination Mandates protested at Wesselman woods Friday morning after Deacon- ess and Ascension St. Vincent hospitals required nurses to be vaccinated and set a dead- line to have the vaccinations finished. Meanwhile, Deacon- ess reported the highest num- ber of COVID patients being treated since the pandemic began, reported record vol- umes and asked people that are in search of a COVID test to not show up to an emergen- cy room to get one. From left, Jamie Day, Will Weatherford, Trina Cameron, Kevin Heuby, Krissy Hannel, Todd Kolehouse, Patty Vanoven, Stephanie Bishop and Austin Wiggins cut the ribbon to open Addiction Solutions in Princeton to help addicts on the road to recovery. Labor Day Fest returns to Princeton The 135th Labor Day Cele- bration will be at the Gibson County Fairgrounds in Princ- eton Sept. 3-6. The public is encouraged to attend the event and participate in is its free carnival rides, 2021 pag- eants, contests, demolition derby, food booths, crafts vendors, motocross, kara- oke, rummage sale, poker run, kids' games, laser tag, cornhole, horseshoes, gos- pel sing, refocused wrestling and car show. The celebration will have several free events, including carnival rides, parking/shut- tle rides for all events and open karaoke. The 135th An- nual Labor Day Parade will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 6. This year's celebration comes after having to can- cel all 2020 events, outside of a small parade, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the delegates are continually listening, watch- ing and monitoring the state of the nation and their com- munities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they are happy to have attendees return in a safe manner. The Labor Day Associa- tion was established in 1886, and the 135 -year-old Celebra- tion is the second oldest con- tinuous Labor Day Celebra- tion in the Nation. The Labor Day Association's core is or- ganized labor and its mem- bership includes 64 tri-state unions. The Celebration hon- ors all who labor in this coun- try and not just union mem- bers. The Association sup- porters include politicians from both major parties, civic groups and business- es that honor the American workforce. Pregnant... or think you are? Call:1-877-257-1084 or Locally Call: 1-812-354-2814 • Free pregnancy testing • Free counseling and info. on pregnancy options. • Confi dential counseling for women & men who are suff ering from post-abortion syndrome. • Residential Care • Health and assistance referrals. • Training and education. • Assistance in getting baby and maternity clothes washpcc@sbcglobal.net www.washingtonpregnancycenter.com