The Press-Dispatch

April 6, 2022

The Press-Dispatch

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NEWS TIPS Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Email ����� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local ����������������� A1-6 Sports �����������������B1-3 Classifieds ���������� B4-6 Home Life ������������C1-6 History ������������������� C3 Opinion ������������� C4-5 Church �������������� D1-3 School ���������������� D4-5 East Gibson������������D5 Obituaries ���������������D6 Home & Garden ����E-F USPS 604-34012 $1.00  40 PAGES  Six SECTiONS  TwO iNSErTS  PETErSBUrG, iN 47567-0068 wEdNESdAy, APril 6, 2022  PIKE PUBLISHING  VOlUME 152, NUMBEr 14 New law limits e-Learning days By Sherri Sebella A house bill that was recently passed by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, limiting eLearning days for schools, could have the poten- tial of causing serious issues for stu- dents here in Pike County, accord- ing to Pike County School Corpo- ration Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Blake. The bill, House Bill 1093 (HB 1093), limits schools to three eLearning days that are not at least 50 percent synchronous (live, on- line classes). HB 1093 became pub- lic law on March 15. The law will go into effect this July. "It is my understanding that HB 1093 will limit schools to not more than three eLearning days, if the day consists of less than 50 percent synchronous learning," Blake said. "An eLearning day that is at least 50 percent or more will be acceptable. One challenge local schools face is internet accessibility. Many areas of our county to do not have reliable, high-speed Internet access. We have a program for hot spot devices that may help with connectivity issues. Families may contact the technolo- gy department or central office for a device. Another concern is that our younger students are not expected to take home a Chromebook on a daily basis." In the past, teachers have had the flexibility of deciding what will work best for their students and they had the discretion to post homework as- signments, post instructional vid- eos, or hold Google Meets or Zoom meetings. That may now change with HB 1093. According to Blake, teachers are required to be available a minimum of four hours per day, on an eLearn- ing day. "With the provisions of HB 1093, we will need to review our eLearning guidelines and will work closely with PCTA (Pike County Teachers Association) representa- tives," Blake said. The use of remote learning or eLearning days, was heightened during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic for schools all throughout the state. "Previous- ly, our district only used eLearn- ing days to offset the need for snow days," Blake said. Schools can request waivers to this new law under "extraordinary circumstances," the bill reads. A school may submit to the depart- ment a request to waive the require- ments set forth to include a virtual student instructional day totherwise excluded under subsection to meet the one hundred eighty (180) day re- quirement established if the virtual student instructional day was con- ducted because of extraordinary circumstances. The department may waive the requirements for the school after consideration of the re- quest. This law does not apply to a dedicated virtual education schools. "We realize that students learn best in the classroom, with in-per- son instruction," Blake said. "HB 1093 was not on our legislative ra- dar, so very few of us were aware of the eLearning language in the bill, until it was signed." See E-LEARNING on page 2 See AMBULANCE on page 2 See CITY COUNCIL on page 2 Pike County Commissioners hear concerns about ambulance issues By Sherri Sebella In a quick meeting held by the Pike County Commissioners on Monday, April 4, all Commissioners were present with the exception of Ryan Coleman. Ryan Benner, Director of the 911 Emergency Management Agency, sought an additional appropriation of $5,000 from General Fund 1000 for maintenance and upgrade of the weather siren system. Benner said many of the sirens are not working correctly. "This ad- ditional is the amount it will cost to upgrade the weather siren system for the county, as well as provide main- tenance to the neglected siren sites," Benner said "The batteries have not been changed since 2011. One siren has repairs that need to be made. The whole system needs an upgrade. It is $2,500 for the upgrade needed for the whole system and $2,500 to start a maintenance program for the weather sirens." Commissioners approved Ben- ner's request and approved Benner to oversee maintenance on the system. Chris Young, Emergency Medi- cal Services Director, spoke to the Commissioners about a variety of issues. Young told Commissioners they had received a check for the ambulance that was totaled, for ap- proximately $143,000. The replace- ment that Young ordered has been delayed until the end of the year, ac- cording to the dealer, due to not be- ing able to obtain a chassis for the ambulance. Young said as of 8 a.m. on Monday, April 4, the ambulance service has had 215 more runs than last year. They also had 142 trans- fers, which averages two to three transfers per day. "It's non-stop," Young said. "We are at full-staff. We are one of the on- ly counties around that are." Young also requested an additional appro- priation in the amount of $1,177.02 from EMS Donation account into the Miscellaneous Expense account to purchase furniture for the EMS sta- tion, which was approved. Pike County Superintendent Josh Byrd requested an additional appro- priation of $11,000 for Fund 1176 MVH into the Vehicle Insurance ac- count due to price increase. Com- missioners approved Byrd's request. Byrd also requested to hire an addi- tional employee to replace someone who retired. Byrd wants the new em- ployee's start date to be by April 28. Commissioners approved Byrd's re- quest for the new hire. The Pike County Highway Depart- ment will pave the Winslow trash site the week of April 11, accord- ing to Byrd. The site will be closed from Monday, April 11 until Thurs- day, April 14, weather permitting, for the paving project. The goal is to Michele Teague's second grade class at Petersburg Elementary works on an assignment during the school day. Under Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's new law, which takes effect in July, eLearn- ing days will be limited to three days per calendar school year, that are not at least 50 percent syn- chronous (live, on-line classes). Special meeting scheduled The Pike County Board of Commissioners have called a special meeting on Thursday, April 7, at 9 a.m. in the Court- house Basement Auditorium to discuss and act upon LPA (Local Public Agency) and INDOT exchange contract. A second Executive meet- ing will be 9:15 a.m. or imme- diately following the special meeting, to discuss the strat- egy with respect to initiation of litigation. Malmgren crashes into parked vehicles A Petersburg woman had minor injuries after she ran off the right side of the road while driving north on Highway 57, Tues- day afternoon. Tammy Malmgren, 23, of Petersburg was driving just north of Petersburg making a call when she ran off the right side the of the road, hit a mailbox and then slammed into two vehicles in the parking lot of Top Notch Small Engines and Repair at about 2 p.m., according to Indiana State Trooper John Davis. Davis said Malmgren's 2007 Malibu was probably a total loss. She was treated at the scene by Pike County EMS but de- clined a trip to the hospital. Early voting for primary is underway Early voting for the May 3 prima- ry election in Pike County began yesterday. People may vote early in the Clerk's office on the second floor of the courthouse any weekday in April from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. except April 15, which is Good Friday. The Clerk's office will also be open on Saturday, April 23 and 30 from 8 a.m. to noon and Monday, May 2 from 8 a.m. to noon for ear- ly voting. Those wanting to vote by mail may call the Clerk's office at 812- 354-6025 to request an absentee ballot application. The application will be mailed out to the person to fill out and return. Then a ballot will be mailed to an applicant. Clerk La- na Griffith said the application has to be received by the Clerks' office by April 21. By Andy Heuring The Petersburg City Council approved an ordinance to increase the Petersburg/Wash- ington Township Fire District's Cumulative Fire Equipment Replacement Fund tax rate from 0.0283 to 0.0333, and discussed how close Petersburg came to being without wa- ter recently during their Monday night meet- ing. They also discussed looking into having city-wide trash pickup. The council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance to increase the Cumulative Fire Equipment Replacement rate to 0.0333 per $100 of assessed value. Mayor R. C. Klipsch said the rate increase will raise annual reve- nue by about $13,000. Klipsch said the fire district rate used to be the 0.0333 rate, but over the years it had slowly been reduced without the council realizing it was being reduced. Klipsch said last year Pe- tersburg tried to return to the original rate, but they didn't find out about it until just be- fore the deadline to change it. They applied to have it changed, but then learned Washington Township also had to pass the same ordinance and request the rate be changed. "So we are trying again this year," said Klipsch. "If we don't get it this year or we find there was some technicality, we will try again next year." Klipsch explained it is important to get it back to the original rate because when AES moved nearly $ 90 million of assessed value on paper only from Pike County to Morgan County, where they received tax abatement City approves ordinance to increase fire fund tax rate

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