The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1467872
NEWS TIPS Phone: ������������� 812-753-3553 Email ����editor@sgstartimes�com INSIDE Local ����������A1-12 History ������������ A6 School �������� A7-9 Church �����A10-11 Sports ���������� B1-7 Home Life �����B8-9 Opinion ����B10-11 Legals �������������B11 Classifieds ������B12 Two Sections • No Inserts Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) See MITCHELL on page 2 See EMS on page 2 $1.00 24 PAGES TuESDay, May 17, 2022 VOLUME 67, NUMBER 47 HUGE WINNING WEEK FOR LADY TITAN SOFTBALL SPORTS B4 South Gibson Southwestern Indiana's first EMT dies at 77 By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com CL Mitchell, southwestern Indiana's first EMT, founder of area rescue services, and known to local first responders as "Grandpa" died May 9. According to EMS Director David Pond, Mi- chell began in the military, and worked every- thing from Life Flight, to AMR, to Gibson County EMS. While he retired in 2020, he maintained his affiliation with the first response teams and helped, for example, with inventory. Pond, speaking to the county council May 10, said he had consulted with him only three days before. "He was a mentor to many of us. Great guy," Pond said. "He was just friendly with ev- erybody. The last few years he'd been strug- gling." "CL very well known, worked LifeFlight." "Everyone called him grandpa." He was awarded the paramedic emeritus by Gov. Eric Holcomb, Director Kinney and Medical Director Michael Kaufman upon re- tirement. Former Gibson County EMS Director Jim Allen told the Star-Times upon Mitchell's re- tirement that he learned much from "grand- pa." "Improvise, adapt and overcome. That's what he taught us," Allen said. Mitchell was known to be able to quote from the OSHA manual, and was flown by employers to teach other places. Mitchell's all-day OSHA classes were fa- mous with the young recruits he liked to call "probies," short for "probationary." At the occasion of Mitchell's retirement, Indiana EMS Commission President Lee CL Mitchell Council approves 24 hour pay for EMS By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Gibson County first responders will see raises ranging from $10,500 to $11,500 per person in their next pay period, assuming county commissioners approve an updated contract in their next meeting—and all with- out passing a new public safety tax. Over the last few months, EMS Director David Pond told Gibson County Council he was losing employees to other services be- cause their pay was higher and they paid for all 24 hours of their shifts. Gibson County EMS members were get- ting paid for 16 of 24 hours with the other eight considered sleep time. Paramedics cur- rently make $19.78 an hour with advanced EMTs at $18.25 and Basic EMTs at $13.90. The council had discussed both an hourly raise and 24 hour pay, but the cost to do both was outside the council's budget. Councilman Jeremy Overton talked with Warrick County EMS about how they made the transition, and discovered they'd lowered their hourly rate so the raise would be about 8.5 percent. Gibson County's raise, percentage-wise, will be more, but lowering the hourly rate by less than $2 allowed the council to pass the pay raise while delaying a tax increase for at least this year. Overton said paramedics' hourly pay will go from $19.78 to $18.05, which will amount to an $11,500 annual increase when their built-in overtime is accounted for. When added to a lower insurance cost and greater number of vacation days, Overton said he believed the county would be able to compete with neighboring services for workers. Advanced and basic EMTs will jump about $10,500, with advanced pay moving to $16.66 instead of $18.25, and basic EMT pay mov- ing less because they were more underpaid compared to area services, so they will go hourly from $13.90 to $13.50 but be paid for 24 hours. OWENSVILLE HOSTS CLEAN UP DAY Counter-tops, carpet, commodes and more By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The town of Owensville hosted a Clean Up Day May 14, for residents to throw away heavy trash including bath vanities, batteries, carpet, counter-tops, doors, tubs, furniture, lawnmowers, microwaves, and more. Some- one even brought the front end of a car. "We want to see people sprucing the town up; people getting rid of their unwanted junk," said Clerk Treasurer Vanessa Riggs. The town has passed ordinances requiring clean up, Riggs said she hoped people would have a chance to get rid of items before they had fines or fees. "It will make everything look nice," she said. The town collected more than 30 tires and six T Vs Saturday. Clownin' around Christian clown Buttons makes Tim Smith a friendship bracelet, in Princeton, Sunday, at an outreach event for New Life Nazarene Church. Ethan Bellinger hauls a couch on the back of an ATV Saturday, in Owensville during Town-wide Cleanup Day. They may need a third large dumpster from solid waste next year, after filling two several hours before the event closed. More photos on A-5.