The Press-Dispatch

December 29, 2021

The Press-Dispatch

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YMCA responds to naming controversy By Janice Barniak Gibson County Commissioners read a letter from the YMCA address- ing a naming controversy in their meeting Dec. 21. In a previous meeting, Redevelop- ment Board member Larry Michel said he'd received many comments from community members regard- ing the YMCA being named the Toy- ota Indiana YMCA. Because the Rede- velopment Board devoted more than $13 million in TIF funding for the cen- ter, Michel said he believes the Gib- son County taxpayers should take the credit with the facility called the Gib- son County YMCA. However, Toyota Motor Manufac- turing of Indiana was not just a ma- jor, but an early contributor, accord- ing to a letter from local YMCA CEO Jonathan Pope. TMMI committed to the contribu- tion in October 2020, securing the naming rights, and having a wide- ly-recognized company back the proj- ect with a lead gift was critical in se- curing other funding and adding cred- ibility to the project, Pope said. "We are thankful for the major con- tribution from Gibson County," said Mary Key, reading Pope's letter aloud during the commissioners' meeting. "We intend to recognize every gift." Key added that the Deaconess Aquatic Center seems to have gone through a similar process. Michel still questioned the move, saying that the Redevelopment Board evaluated the project as the Gibson County YMCA, and it was not, at that time, presented to them as the Toyo- ta Indiana YMCA. Commissioner Warren Fleetwood pointed to the YMCA's response as showing a willingness to communi- cate and said that it was possible the Redevelopment Board could contin- ue the conversation with the YMCA. Commissioners approve $5k on courthouse project By Janice Barniak County Commissioners, in a meet- ing Dec. 21, approved $5,000 to firm RQAW for engineering services to de- sign the magistrate hearing room in the courthouse. The work will involve putting a pass-through between the former CASA office and former Supe- rior Court probation office to accom- modate the county magistrate Roman Ricker. Judges Jeffrey Meade and Rob- ert Krieg expressed safety concerns with Ricker being in close contact with people whose cases he was ad- judicating. As for the probation department, that has moved into the former bank building on Courthouse Square. The total cost of construction is es- timated at $ 30,000, and, according to Attorney Jason Spindler, because the area was previously renovated from its function as a law library, it is not necessary to get additional approval to repurpose it from the historic reg- istry. The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, December 29, 2021 B-3 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 Oakland City Eagles building destroyed by fire By Janice Barniak It was bartender Angie Hornby, working a night shift around 10 :15 p.m. Dec. 21, who smelled smoke and called 911; when the employees heard crackling in the walls, they evacuated the building, which led to no one being hurt in the fire that completely destroyed the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 4288 building on East Washington Street in Oak- land City. "The bartender called 911. Her and other Eagles members were able to evacuate the building properly. I commend her for doing her job and getting the patrons out of the build- ing," said Oakland City Police Offi- cer Michael McGregor, who was one of the first to respond and is also a member of the club. The fire started in the southeast corner, he added, and East Gibson Fire Territory immediately asked for mutual aid because of the two sto- ry structure, which was inaccessible due to a building remodel that had wrapped the building in metal, pre- venting any roof or window access, before the fire eventually burned a hole through the roof. The fire department called in mu- tual aid from Barton, Somerville, Francisco, Fort Branch, Petersburg, Patoka Township and Spurgeon fire departments, but departments had to stay back as the second floor caved in and the fire worsened. Gibson County Sheriff's Office, Gibson County EMS and the Oak- land City Police Dept. all assisted. "It was an all-nighter," McGregor said. "Everybody was wore out." Railroads Norfolk Southern and Indiana Southern lines were shut down as the fire was so close to the railroad tracks. Two tankers at a time fed the aerial lines to knock down the fire. The Indiana State Fire Marshal ar- rived at 3 p.m. the next day to the se- cured scene, and ran an investiga- tion, the results of which have not been released. Because of a renovation layering a metal structure over the building, the fire at the Oakland City Eagles building was fully involved before it broke through the roof and firefighters could get water to the second floor. Photos courtesy Michael McGregor GCHD: Expect Omicron By Janice Barniak Gibson County's COVID numbers are climbing, with the county in the red, Health Dept. Director Diane Hornby told Gibson County Commis- sioners Dec. 21, and locals should ex- pect Omicron. "Everyone is aware. The new strain is in Indiana," said Hornby, adding as far as they know, it is not yet in Gib- son County. "It will be here. Our num- bers are not good. We are in the red and the last five months we're staying up pretty high." She cautioned people to be careful around their elderly or immune-com- promised relatives. Meanwhile, the health department is doing all three kinds of COVID vac- cinations for adults Mondays through Wednesdays, with children on Thurs- days. Attorney Jason Spindler asked how people would know which variant they had if they tested positive. Hornby said the state doesn't test all four million specimens, and han- dles it with random samples. There are no symptom differences that would indicate which variant a per- son has, nor are symptoms the same among patients with the same vari- ants. "Let's use some good judgment and ask our citizens to use good judg- ment," said Commissioner Warren Fleetwood. Gibson County is currently at a to- tal of 7,590 cases and 125 deaths, with 274 cases in the last two weeks as of Monday. However, due to the holi- days, there has been some delay in reporting. LOCAL OUTREACH TO KENTUCKY CONTINUES By Janice Barniak This week, locals continued out- reach to the tornado-devastated ar- ea of Kentucky through Toyota and local Sheep Dog Impact Assistance members. Toyota Indiana's fire depart- ment visited the Cayce, Ky., Volun- teer Fire Department Dec. 22. The Cayce department lost their entire station, including four fire engines and equipment. Toyota Indiana gave one of their fire engines and two Tacomas full of donations from their employees to the volunteer fire department. On Christmas Eve, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance members brought a truck full of toys and es- corted Santa with the donations to the drop-off point, where the southern Indiana chapter of the group met with chapters from Ar- kansas, Florida, Georgia and Ohio to provide for families in Dawson Springs. Local organizations The Barthel Agency and Gibson County Cham- ber of Commerce acted as drop-off points and veterinarian John Feutz loaned the group the truck to haul a trailer of presents and supplies. Sheep Dog Impact Assistance from across the country filled tables of toys and brought Santa to Dawson Springs, Ky., Christmas Eve. Toyota Indiana members posed in front of a fire truck headed to Cayce, Ky., last week as a do- nation from Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Indiana.

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