South Gibson Star-Times

NEWS TIPS Phone: ������������� 812-753-3553 Email ����editor@sgstartimes�com INSIDE Local ����������A1-12 Obituaries ������ A3 Opinion ���������� A7 Home Life �����A8-9 History �����������A10 Classifieds ������A11 Legals �������������A11 Sports ���������B1-12 School �������� B7-9 Church �����B10-11 Two Sections • One Insert Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) See COSTUMES on page 2 See SCHOOL on page 2 See OLYMPICS on page 6 See CONWAY on page 2 $1.00  24 PAGES   TuESDay, OcTObEr 12, 2021  VOLUME 67, NUMBER 17 South Gibson LOCAL A6 SPORTS B1 BOYS' AND GIRLS' XC, BOYS' SOCCER ARE REGIONAL BOUND FAMILY HAS 31 DAYS OF COSTUMES IN MEMORY OF TOM MAURER By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Tom Maurer, the first Gib- son County case of COVID, may have died in May of last year, but his memory per- meates October for the fam- ily as they celebrate with 31 days of costumes. "It did not start with the costumes," explained An- drea Maurer Spink, Tom's daughter, who is spearhead- ing the 31 days. "I grew up here and lived away for 21 years. I came back Fall of 2019." That fall, her father had the chance to take her then three- year-old daughter, Maria, zooming around Haubstadt in his golf cart to see the Halloween and fall decorations, some- thing the family couldn't do in big cities like San Diego, where they'd lived previously. The granddaughter and grandfather bonded over the rides. A fter he passed away, and with Octo- ber approaching and fall decor coming out, Spink realized her daughter's memories of Grandpa were centered on the holiday. "For my daughter, that was her link to him, she started al- ways talking about my dad," Spink said. "I thought, 'how are we going to get through October, what are we going to do? ' I was working from home more." The family decided to kick off the month with 31 days of costumes last year, posting a picture every day of the month on social media. "It brought joy. It brought people together," she said. "It takes a lot, though, and I didn't think we'd do it again. Then I started getting messages from people." About two weeks before Halloween, when she ran into peo- ple, they started asking if 31 days of costumes was going to come back. Even though her husband isn't a local, people would rec- Fort Branch student awaits heart transplant By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Mother Abby Conway considers every day with her six- year-old son, Charlie, a blessing, and has since the day he was born. While that might sound like a sentiment every moth- er experiences, Conway has an extra reason—Charlie was born missing a left ventricle in his heart and after three sur- geries, he's in heart failure and on a heart transplant quali- fication journey. There is currently no other surgery he can have and treat- ment for his issue is considered palliative—there is no cure. Town looks to buy wellhouse property By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The Town of Owensville plans to test drill on a piece of land owned by John Braselton, with the intention of discovering if it could be the site of a new wellhead. According to Councilman Dwayne Matsel, if there's noth- ing underground for the town to use, it would void the con- tract, but right now, with the starting negotiations, or what he called the "high price," Braselton quoted the town $25,000 per acre for the seven acres of farm ground. "That being said, the alternative would cost us millions," Matsel said. "The only other alternative is to completely up- root the current facility up there and rebuild it somewhere else, including all the water lines." The town would only buy the amount they needed for set- backs and new wells, but has hope that the new wells would have quality water. Matsel said they know the wells the coal company dug near Braselton's property have much lower nitrate levels than Ow- ensville's current water. The agreement to test drill would be executed after the farming season, as Braselton's currently using the land for crops. School cancelled for fleeing fugitives South Gibson Schools cancelled Friday after police pur- sued a fugitive into Haubstadt. "South Gibson Schools, in an abundance of caution, made the hard decision to close the schools in the area, not know- ing if the fleeing individual was still in the area," wrote the Gibson County Sheriff's Office in a press release. "As a re- sult, multiple concerned citizens called Gibson County Cen- tral Dispatch at around 7:20 a.m. to report a suspicious male walking on Interstate 69, near Interstate 64." According to the report, the night before, Oct. 7, at approx- imately 7:15 p.m., Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of theft that had occurred at Menards in Princeton. The reporting party was able to give a description of the ve- hicle and the occupants. Deputy U.B. Smith was on U.S. 41, near Princeton, and observed a vehicle matching the descrip- tion given by the caller. Upon trying to stop the vehicle, a pur- suit ensued down U.S. 41 from Fort Branch. Stop sticks were set up at U.S. 41 and County Road 1025 South, near Haub- stadt, and upon approaching the stop sticks, the vehicle struck the patrol vehicle beside the stop sticks. At that point, one of Tom Maurer Special Olympics awards volunteers, families Special Olympics of Indiana recognized those who keep the program going at their annual banquet Saturday at Southside Park in Princeton. The Finnerty family and Elizabeth Clutter won Family of the Year, said Special Olympics Coordinator Garie Belcher. As a newer family to the Gibson County Special Olympics, they've embraced the volunteering efforts. Clutter became an athlete in 2017, starting her family's journey with the Gib- son County Special Olympics. She became one of their highly active athletes with her participation in basketball, track and field, and this year being a senior in high school has not slowed her down. Clutter's mom, Anna Finnerty, saw that there was a need during the basketball season and stepped up without hesitation and assisted coaching basketball, then took on her own team in the 2019 -2020 season. Anna's passion for Special Olympics drew her husband, Chuck, to also become a volun- teer. He assists Anna with coaching basketball and helps with track and field. Elizabeth's brother, Andrew, is too young to be a volunteer, but he is always helping whenever he can. Andrew even "par- ticipated" in the virtual summer games last year alongside with Elizabeth. Anna recently took on the treasurer role without a second thought, when Mary stepped down. The Finnerty fam- Annalise Spink, Maria Spink and Cruz Maurer play pirates during the 31 days of Halloween in memory of their local grandfather, Tom Maurer, who died of COVID. Eric Moore high-fives Special Olympics athlete Oliver Lewis. Charlie Conway, 6, who is in heart failure, awaits a transplant that could extend his life by 10 years or more.

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