The Press-Dispatch
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READER GUIDE Subscriptions: Change of address: subscribers changing addresses will please give old address as well as new one along with phone number. We cannot guarantee prompt change unless this is done. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Press-Dispatch., P.O. Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 or e-mail to subscribe@ pressdispatch.net. Subscription rates: One year: $35 for Pike County and all 475/476 zip codes; $38 in the state of Indiana; $55 elsewhere in the USA. Paid in advance. Subscriptions taken after noon on Friday will not receive a paper until the second edition after their subscription date. About us: Andy Heuring and John B. Heuring, Publishers Andy Heuring, Editor John B. Heuring, Adv. Mgr. Eric Gogel, Production Mgr. Monica Sinclair, Office Mgr. Cindy Petty, Adv. Sales Pam Lemond, Adv. Sales Brakston Farrar, Adv. Designer Matthew Haycraft, Sports • • • Published every Wednesday by the Pike County Publishing Co. Phone: 812-354-8500 820 E. Poplar St., P.O. Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 • • • Entered in the Post Office in Petersburg, Indiana for transmission through the mails as Periodical Mail, postage paid at Petersburg, In- diana – published weekly. (USPS 205-620) Contact us: Phone: ....................................................................... 812-354-8500 Fax: ........................................................................... 812-354-2014 Andy Heuring, Editor editor@pressdispatch.net Advertising ads@pressdispatch.net General News news@pressdispatch.net Circulation subscribe@pressdispatch.net Saturday morning line break Petersburg City workers Darrin Cook and William Rainey were out pre-dawn Saturday morning fixing a wa- ter line break on Highway 57, near CR 550 N. City Services Manager Ross Elmore said they were able to iso- late the immediate area, limiting those who were without water. He said they put a repair clamp on the line and had it going within a couple of hours. The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, December 15, 2021 A-3 LOCAL Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg NEWS BRIEFS Blood drive January 19 at Petersburg Library The Pike County Library is partnering with the Amer- ican Red Cross to host a blood drive on Wednesday, Jan- uary 19 at the Petersburg Branch Library, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for ages 16 and up. To make an appointment, call Carly Tegmeyer at 812-354-6257 or make an appoint- ment online at www.redcrossblood.org/give. Time to register for Birthday Club If you haven't submitted your birthday within the last 6 months, please register again at www.pressdispatch.net/ birthday. Entrants have a chance to win monthly prizes from local businesses and a three-month subscription to paper. Upcoming event? We want to know! Do you have an upcoming event? Send it to news@press- dispatch.net. Since 1990 CHRISTMAS Dazzle her THIS Southgate Center, Jasper www.olingerdiamond.com • 812-482-4214 Holiday Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday Noon - 4 p.m. Open Friday, Dec. 24, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 8-10 a.m. Otwell Community Center Dining Room Breakfast with Santa Mon. - Fri. 9:30am-5:30pm • Sat 9:30am-3pm 816 E. Main St., Petersburg • 812-789-3046 HOLIDAY fresh & silk beautiful jewelry by floral arrangements Great GIFT IDEAS: • Lanterns & Chimes • Decor & More Last Minute GIFTS Pike County to receive part of $15M READI grant By Andy Heuring Pike County is one of five counties in the Indiana First Region that received a $15 million grant on Tuesday af- ternoon. Indiana First Region is made up of Pike, Knox, Spencer, Perry and Harrison counties. On Tuesday, Indi- ana Governor Eric Holcomb announced which groups got what portion of $500 million of the Regional Economic Ac- celeration and Development Initiative (READI) Program. Holcomb called the READI program "A bold, transforma- tional initiative that will dedi- cate $500 million in state ap- propriations to promote strate- gic investments that will make Indiana a magnet for talent and economic growth." Pike County Council Pres- ident Jon Craig said the pro- gram is similar to the Stel- lar program, which Peters- burg applied for several years ago. But he said those projects were nearly all aimed at qual- ity of life issues. The READI program is aimed toward tal- ent retention, talent attrac- tion and combating popula- tion scarcity. The Indiana First Region presented their plan to trans- form rural, southwest Indiana to the READI judges in Speed- way, Ind., on Monday, Novem- ber 29, 2021. Pike County Eco- nomic Development Corp. ex- ecutive director Ashley Wil- lis said, "The region pitched that we are in coal country and because of market forc- es, we must transform the re- gion to have necessary infra- structure, housing, economic development, education, pro- grams, childcare and much more to be competitive in the future. The READI program will springboard our region in- to a thriving transition." Indiana First Region has re- quested $50 million in grant funds. Willis said, "It has been a privilege to work with these four stellar counties and their leaders through this process. It's been a wonderful experi- ence to represent Pike Coun- ty and work for generational change that my children and future generations will be able to enjoy. It's been a pleasure to work diligently with Pike County Council president Jon Craig and John Mandabach, Business Development direc- tor of Bowman Family Hold- ings, as we prepared the re- gional presentation. Pike County and the Indiana First Region has a robust plan for success and we are just get- ting started! " Pike County was well rep- resented with support during the presentation from Com- missioner Jeff Nelson, Pike County Library director Stephanie Rawlins and Pike County Chamber director Jill Hyneman. Pike County had submit- ted the following projects list: Wastewater improvements in Petersburg are based on the expansion of proposed resi- dential developments, based on feedback from the Pike Co. Housing Study in 2018. If suc- cessful, it would extend on SR 356 and Pike Avenue, and con- nect Hornady Park. • Wastewater improve- ments for Town of Spurgeon. • Wastewater improve- ments for I-69 developments. • New playground equip- ment at Hornady Park and ex- tend fitness trail. • Revolving Loan Program for construction of a shell building. • Case study for previously mined areas for development opportunities. • Funding for training pro- gram for Renewable Techni- cian Program • Library Amphitheater Construction Willis and Craig said Tues- day they don't know which projects in the $50 million worth of requests from Indi- ana First Region were funded. Craig added they also don't know if the state designated which projects were funded or if the local entities will have a say in who gets what portion of the $15 million granted to the five-county region. Each of those counties also had a list of projects they wanted funded. Craig said they were sup- posed to find out more details on Wednesday. Two arrested for drunken driving over weekend By Andy Heuring Two people were arrested for drunken driving in sepa- rate incidents over the week- end. A Washington woman was arrested early Sunday morn- ing when police were called to check on a report of a suspi- cious vehicle. Michelle Wininger, 52, of 620 W. Walnut St., Washing- ton, was arrested after po- lice received a call of a sus- picious vehicle on CR 150 N., near Petersburg, at 2:38 a.m. Pike County Sheriff's Sgt. Jar- ed Simmons said Petersburg Officer Scott Arnold arrived first and said the engine of Wininger's vehicle was run- ning when he arrived. Deputy Simmons said when he talked with Wininger, he could smell the odor of an alcoholic bever- age and her eyes were blood- shot. She told him she had been in a fight with her hus- band and wanted to drive to her daughter's residence to feel safe. She failed field sobri- ety tests and was taken to the Pike County Jail, where she tested .12 percent for blood al- cohol content. The legal limit is 0.08 percent in Indiana. She was charged with op- erating a vehicle while intox- icated. A Petersburg man was ar- rested early Saturday morn- ing after police noticed him driving left of center. Anthony Mercer, 26, of 156 N. Whitelock Ave., Apt. 15, Pe- tersburg, was arrested at 1:49 a.m. by Pike County Deputy Clint Boger. Deputy Boger said he was driving on Highway 56 west of Petersburg when he noticed Mercer driving left of cen- ter. He pulled Mercer over in the White River Chapel park- ing lot. Mercer said he was out looking for his cellphone he had lost and was just talking, which caused him to go left of center. He failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the Pike County Jail, where he tested 0.13 percent for blood alcohol content. He was charged with operating a vehicle while in- toxicated.