The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1447470
B-2 Wednesday, Februar y 2, 2022 The Press-Dispatch See the Business Box for special services on page D-7 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 Respect for Human Dignity • Quality • Justice • Stewardship • Compassionate Caring Now Offering DOT Physical Exams! Ben Stillman, D.O. PES 12109D Engineers of Indiana display their 2nd place Robot Skills trophy. Team members are Sophi Wilson and Korbin Trowbridge. Not pictured is teammate Gavin Mounts. Amelia Wilson and Kalli Franklin await results as they have their robot inspected by a judge. Makayla Kapp, Ben Bolin, and Kyron Piersma com- pete in a teamwork challenge. Keaton Stafford concentrates on pushing balls with his robot. PES Circuit Jokers robotics team earns first place By Sherri Sebella Petersburg Elementary Ro- botics teams participated in their first robotics competi- tion of the season at Imman- uel Lutheran School in Sey- mour recently, where the Cir- cuit Jokers team placed first and earned a spot at the India- napolis State Competition this spring. "The teams did very well, with three out of five Peters- burg teams placing in the top 14 out of 27 teams to make it to the finals," Terra Knust, sec- ond grade teacher and one of the coaches for the Robot- ics Team, said. "Susannah Ju- lian (my co-coach) and I were very proud of all our teams, as it was their first time to com- pete. All our team members this year are brand new to ro- botics." The teams began practic- ing in November and it took the teams different lengths of time to finish their robots. "Some of the students had just finished the week before the competition, but they hung in there and did a great job com- peting," Knust said. "In addition, they all had outstanding behavior and sportsmanship. Team 12109B Circuit Jokers won the compe- tition, which qualified them for the Indiana State VEX IQ Competition, which will be March 12 at Lucas Oil Stadi- um in Indianapolis." Petersburg Elementa- ry Robotics Team mem- bers Grayson Schultheis and Korbin Trowbridge joined the team because they watched their older brothers' competi- tions and thought they would enjoy it also. "It sounded like it was go- ing to be really fun," Schul- theis said. "My brother did it and he really liked it, so I want- ed to give it a try. I didn't think we were going to win at first, so when we won, I was speech- less. I didn't know what to say. When we head to Indy, we will be doing the same thing, but a lot more people will be there." Schultheis is nervous about winning the state competition. "If we win state, we go to Tex- as. I don't like flying, so we're driving. I don't like heights," Schultheis said with a giggle. Korbin Trowbridge, who placed second in Robotics Skills, still plans on head- ing to the state competition in March. "This Saturday we have a competition, but we have to learn new controls to make our robot faster," Trow- bridge said. "I think we have a pretty good chance to go to state. I'm pretty confident. State is going to be at my fa- vorite football team's stadi- um, the Colts. That would be so great to go where my favor- ite football team plays." Knust's favorite thing about coaching robotics is seeing what amazing things kids can do. "I love working with the ro- botics kids," Knust said. "Even though it's very time consum- ing, I get so excited to stay af- ter school and practice with them, even if we are meeting four days a week. When you first start out, the kids know very little and usually noth- ing about VEX robotics (edu- cational robotics). You slowly begin to see each team mem- ber's strengths." Knust sees the students begin to show their talents in building, coding, recording in the notebook or driving. "The skills these kids come out of this with are priceless," Knust said. "Robotics takes a lot of pa- tience, teamwork, commu- nication skills, being brave when working with new peo- ple, speaking in front of a judge, time management, re- sponsibility, problem solving; I could go on and on." Knust has been involved with many extra-curriculars in her 23 years of teaching, but in her eyes, VEX Robotics is by far the most rewarding and challenging activity of which she has been a part. Due to COVID, the teams will only compete in two tour- naments and one skills event prior to state competition. Normally, students partici- pate in four to five events per year. Several schools have de- cided to not host tournaments due to COVID. According to Knust, each tournament has the same challenge. The teams build one robot for each competi- tion. Time varies as to how long it takes students to build their robots, ranging from one to three months. "Every practice, we prepare for the ultimate goals, which are State Competition in Indi- anapolis and Worlds Compe- tition in Dallas," Knust said. "It is a high honor to make it to State and if you make it to Worlds, well that is the ex- treme honor. Each practice, Susannah and I push the kids to work hard and let them know that these achievements are possible. I know that after this first competition, where the kids found out what it feels like to win, they now have a new fire inside of them." "The next practice after the competition, we saw a change where they suddenly became very serious and there were all kinds of coding going on." Big plans for Taste of Pike County By Sherri Sebella The Pike County Chamber of Commerce and Pike Coun- ty Economic Development members are working togeth- er to bring a spectacular event to the public next month. Taste of Pike County 2022 will be Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m. at Glezen Revival Cen- ter, just a few miles south of Petersburg off Highway 57. This event will showcase all that Pike County has to offer your taste buds, and also lo- cal businesses and organiza- tions will participate in a Fam- ily Feud style game show, for entertainment, called "Pike Feud." Postponed due to increased numbers in COVID cases, Chamber of Commerce exec- utive director Jill Hyneman said this gives her more time to add restaurants, caterers and team members for the game show entertainment planned for the evening. "I hope to include more lo- cal restaurants and caterers from out-of-town, in order to give everyone a chance to participate," Hyneman said. "Since we changed the date, it opened things up. So far, we have Petersburg Hardware, Friends and JayC Foodstore signed up for the Pike Feud Game show. This is some- thing we have never done be- fore. We usually have an annu- al dinner. It has a whole new feel." The restaurants and cater- ers will provide small-sized portions. Chamber member food vendors will be paid $200 to participate and non-Cham- ber members will be paid $100 to participate in the Taste of Pike County. Registration ends on Saturday, February 5. Vendors are requested to give a short interview during the event, but attendance is not required to participate. For more information, tick- et purchases, or questions, contact the Chamber office at 812-354-8155 or email cham- ber@pikecounty.in.gov. Ashby arrested on six charges By James Capozella A Petersburg man was ar- rested near 1 a.m. Saturday, January 22, after officers were dispatched to an active phys- ical altercation at 843S CR 325W. Casey Ashby, 35, 843S CR 325W, Petersburg, was arrest- ed for battery, domestic bat- tery, possession of a syringe, possession of methamphet- amine, neglect of a dependent and invasion of privacy. Pike County Sheriff Dep- uty Sgt. Jared Simmons was dispatched to the residence regarding a report that Ash- by was assaulting everyone in the residence, according to the report. Simmons, Deputy Kane Osgatharp, Petersburg Patrolman Taylor Deffendoll and Indiana State Trooper CJ Boeckman responded to the call where Jessica Ashby, Ca- sey Ashby and Heather Bow- ers had injuries. Simmons arrived knowing there was an active warrant for invasion of privacy and al- so a no-contact order for Ca- sey Ashby. During interviews it was determined that Ash- by was under the influence. He became belligerent and screamed for the officers to shoot him because he wanted to die, according to the report. Ashby was beating his head on the back of a chair, opening a head wound even more. Casey Ashby's head injury occurred when Bowers hit Ca- sey on the head with a flash- light while trying to get Ca- sey off Jessica. Jessica had her clothing ripped off and was fighting off Casey when Bowers hit him. As a result, Bowers was thrown into a window and had lacerations on her arms and head. Jessica had a cut on her forehead, several marks on her back and had been punched in the stom- ach. During the investiga- tion, officers found syringes, a spoon with meth on it and baggies containing metham- phetamine. Traffic stop leads to pot bust By Sherri Sebella An Indiana State Trooper who had his emergency lights activated on the northbound shoulder of Interstate 69 near Petersburg, pulled over an In- dianapolis woman, when she failed to move over into the passing lane as she passed the officer. Per a probable cause affi- davit, Indiana State Trooper James H. Manning was in his parked, fully marked Indiana State Police patrol car on the northbound shoulder of In- terstate 69 north of the 43.5 mile marker, with his emer- gency lights activated, when a black 2021 Nissan Versa trav- eling northbound in the driv- ing lane failed to move over into the passing lane when it passed the trooper. Manning observed that there were no other vehicles traveling along with the Nis- san Versa that would prevent the vehicle from moving over into the passing lane when it passed Manning, so he initiat- ed a traffic stop. Driver of the vehicle, Bria Murry, 26, of Indianapolis, ad- mitted to seeing the patrol car with its emergency lights acti- vated. While speaking to Mur- ry, Manning smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Murry and her occupant were asked by the trooper when the last time they had smoked mari- juana was, and they both said they had smoked marijuana earlier that day. Manning read Murry her Miranda rights and called for officer assistance. Manning asked Murry if there was anything in the vehicle that he needed to know about and she said that there were prob- ably just crumbs on the floor. A short while later, addi- tional officers arrived on the scene and stood with the oc- cupants of the vehicle while Manning and Pike County Sheriff's Deputy Cody Jones, conducted a search. During the search, two burnt, hand rolled cigarettes containing plant material were found in the front seat passenger ar- ea. Also located was a small amount of plant material lay- ing on the front seat passen- ger floorboard, which Man- ning believed to be marijuana. A Standardized Field Sobri- ety test was performed and there were no signs of im- pairment. Murry and her occupant, Samantha Ambrose, 34, were cited and released for Posses- sion of Marijuana.