The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
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NEWS TIPS Phone: ������������� 812-753-3553 Email ����editor@sgstartimes�com INSIDE Local ����������A1-12 Home Life �����A8-9 School �����A10-11 Sports ���������� B1-6 History ������������ B7 Church ��������B8-9 Opinion ����B10-11 Legals �������������B11 Classifieds ������B12 Two Sections • No Inserts Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) See ELECTION on page 6 $1.00 24 PAGES TuESDay, May 10, 2022 VOLUME 67, NUMBER 47 Cox breaks record at Showcase OWENSVILLE YARD SALE SPORTS B1 LOCAL A5 South Gibson EMOTIONS RUN HIGH ON ELECTION NIGHT By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com When Nick Burns, one of many coun- ty-position newcomers elected to office Tuesday, heard he'd won the Republican nomination for commissioner, he wept. His phone started ringing, and didn't stop, even as he made his way to the headquar- ters with a large group of friends cheer- ing. "The commish! " A supporter yelled, and the others joined in. "The commish! " His phone kept ringing. "All I want to say is that I'm thankful for everyone coming out. I'm glad I did it the right way. Just staying positive...The phone calls started. Then I started crying, and I'm still crying. You hear my phone now," he said, after three missed call no- tifications came through as he spoke. It was a good night for newcomers to offices on the Republican ticket, which had many close, down-to-the-wire, races during the primary. (Democrats had no contested primary elections this year.) Longtime incumbent councilman Jere- my Overton, on the other hand, had a qui- et night with family and friends even as he won the Republican nomination over Owensville's no zoning candidate Jerry Moore; whereas, fellow incumbent coun- cilman Craig Pflug fell to political new- comer Bob Schleter, a no zoning candi- date. Overton was pleased with his win, and the results were, percentage-wise in line with previous elections when he'd had opponents, though he was surprised by a lower turnout with the high-profile Sher- iff's race on the ballot. "I'm appreciative for everyone who came out," he said. He added, by Thurs- day, he was already back to work coun- cil-wise, fielding four EMS calls on a new proposal that could pay Gibson County EMS for 24 hours, match wages to War- rick County, without the county having to pass a new safety tax. EMS personnel would see an $11,500 raise in their base Theresa "Terri" Ann Conner Haubstadt woman suffers fatal crash A rollover crash May 4 killed a Haubstadt woman, ac- cording to a Gibson County Sheriff's Office report. Theresa "Terri" Ann Conner, 65, was driving CR 25 W at 6:07 p.m. during cloudy conditions when police say she overcorrected in steering causing the Dodge Cali- ber to roll. When police arrived, Con- ner was incapacitated. According to the report, wit- ness Eric Martin was travel- ing north on CR 25 W when he saw the vehicle go airborne and roll across the road. Witness Jay Foster told po- lice he saw people approach after the vehicle landed on its roof. Connor had a severe head injury despite using her seat- belt—her airbag did deploy. She was trapped in the ve- hicle. Deputy J. Robb with the Gib- son County Sheriff's Office; GCSO investigating officer Logan Lashbrook; Marshal Jeremy Volk of Haubstadt Po- lice; Officer J. Beck with Fort Branch Police; Fort Branch Fire Territory's Engine 19; Haubstadt Fire Territory's En- gine 5; two Gibson County EMS trucks; a St. Vincent he- licopter; Sullys Towing; and finally the Gibson County Coroner all responded to assist the call, however the ac- cident was fatal. (See obituary page 3.) Haubstadt looks to increase water rates in time for July bill By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com A fter a rate increase by Gibson Water, Haubstadt Town Council planned a water rate increase between 12.6 to 15 percent to account for raises by Gibson Water, a raise they said would amount to approximately $7 monthly for the average user. "It's pretty much just a pass through from Gibson Wa- ter," said Clerk Bonnie Wagner. Engineers recommended passing the increase at the 15 percent to cover a few system improvements that will be needed down the road, rather than delaying and pos- sibly needing to raise those rates again. Next month's meeting, on June 6, will include a public hearing to get input on the rate increase, but the coun- cil expects to pass the water increase effective for the Ju- ly bill, if nothing at the hearing changed their position. Owensville clarifies clean-town ordinances By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Owensville Town Council put all their town clean up ordinances into a clearer package at their meeting May 2, hoping the ordinance would make sense to everyone once it was written out plainly without amendments, re- peals and other changes. One change was increasing the transparency on what it would cost if the town cleans up a neglected proper- ty— $200 per hour per employee, with a minimum of $400 per hour. The cost is more if the town's heavy equipment, like a backhoe, would need to be used. Before town employees clean up properties, owners are fined $150 and will have time to pay and clean up the property themselves. As for junk and abandoned vehicles, the new ordinance clarifies public versus private property rules. A partially dismantled vehicle cannot be on public prop- erty at any time, according to the ordinance. Disman- tled cars on private property need to be behind a priva- cy fence. The cost for junk vehicles that are visible is $50 per vehicle per day. "You could have 15 if they're behind a privacy fence," said Councilman Dwayne Matsel. Junk cannot be visible more than 20 days, vehicles with expired plates cannot park on public property. "We're going to have a lot of privacy fences in town," said Matsel. "We'll need a privacy fence ordinance," joked an audi- ence member. "I'd rather not," said Matsel. Under certain conditions the town can automatically dispose of abandoned vehicles to a scrap yard when aban- doned on public property. Landowners will be responsible for the fines levied on a property when tenants violate junk, vehicle and other clean town ordinances. BY THE NUMBERS CLERK Jim Morrow .............................. 48.73% Tim Schurmeier ������������� 51�27% SHERIFF Deborah Borchelt .................... 33.73% Bruce Vanoven �������������� 66�27% COUNTY COMMISSIONER Nick Burns ���������������������40�11% Mary Key .................................. 33.37% William "Bill" Tuley ................ 26.52 % COUNTY COUNCIL DIST. 3 Craig Pflug ............................... 42.54% Bob Schleter ������������������ 57�46% COUNTY COUNCIL DIST. 4 Gerald "Jerry" Moore ............. 37.37% Jeremy Overton ������������� 62�63% Born to be mild? Lisanne Fears is leading three mustangs and a mule-stang 5,000 miles across the country, riding on highways and urban areas to show mustangs can be trained to overcome their wild reputations� She'd like to see 5,000 mustangs adopted as a result of her trip� Story and more photos on the next page� From left, Campaign Manager Kim Price Smith, Republican Commissioner Candidate Nick Burns, and his fa- ther Larry Burns celebrate Nick Burns winning the Republican nomination for commissioner� He will face Dem- ocratic nominee Tim Hughes in the fall�