The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1471290
NEWS TIPS Phone: ������������� 812-753-3553 Email ����editor@sgstartimes�com INSIDE Local ����������� A1-8 Home Life ����� A6-7 Sports ���������� B1-3 Church ��������B4-5 History ������������ B5 Opinion ���������� B6 Classifieds ���� B7-8 Legals �������������� B8 Two Sections • Two Inserts Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) See JUNETEENTH on page 3 $1.00 16 PAGES TuESDay, JuNE 21, 2022 VOLUME 67, NUMBER 51 South Gibson COVID testing sites ends June 30 By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Gibson County Health Dept. will end their on-site COVID test- ing June 30, according to GCHD Director Diane Hornby, who told Gibson County Commissioners June 14 the department will pro- vide at-home tests after the on- site ends. The positive cases have gone up this month, as people come back from vacation, but she said she's noticing that people mainly come to the health department when they're pretty sure they're posi- tive. "We are definitely seeing more. A nursing home in the area did have an outbreak. There were two deaths from that," she said. "COVID is still here." The health department will leave their tent and trailer where they are, in case they need them again. The grant to do coronavirus testing ends June 30, however. The nurse who has been pri- marily doing COVID testing will take a school liaison position to work with schools three days a week at $25 an hour to get chil- dren vaccinated, Hornby added. Redevelopment dollars to continue at same rate By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Gibson County will keep a 60 - 40 split pass through for the TIF district, with 40 percent going to schools after a recommen- dation from the redevelopment commission. According to Commissioner Warren Fleetwood, with the number of projects the TIF cur- rently has, including a Tulip Tree Drive project, Redevelop - ment President Phil Young rec- ommended they keep the pass- through the same. They needed an answer in a June meeting, however, on the direction Com- missioners would like them to take. " There's a lot of information there. I'd like a little more time to study it...I don't know why we're getting it so late," said Commissioner Mary Key. "I'm going to lean on Phil's recommendation," said Fleet- wood before the board unani- mously approved keeping the capture the same. Zombie run at Fort Branch By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Don Steinmetz of Fort Branch Community Pride presented a proposed route for this year's Zombie Run during the town council meeting June 15. The Zombie Run is a new fea- ture of Sinister Cellar's Hallow- een Haunt and the downtown Fort Branch Halloween that will make a full day of local entertainment on Oct. 29. The run will begin at 9 a.m. in Fort Branch Communi- ty Park, Steinmetz told the Fort Branch Town Council, asking them if they could approve or im- prove the route, and allow the run- ners to close the roads. The run would have a small zombie run for children then the 5K for adults, and also a walk. The board tabled approving the run to get more information on closing the roads, which is tricky with so few local police. Marshal Darrell Parker said he'll have to coordinate manpow- er to close the intersections. The board will also reach out to the Som- mer- fest run orga- nizers to find how they close their roads for their annual run. "There can't be a route busier than 68 in Haub- stadt" said Steinmetz. The board will vote on the route/road closures at the next meeting, July 20. County declares rescue funds as lost revenue By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The county has declared just over $ 6 million in American Res- cue Funds as lost revenue, said Economic Development Coalition consultant Debbie Bennett Stears- man, and the county's department heads will put their projects up for review, but off the top, Gibson County Commissioners have set aside $ 800,000 for bonuses to el- igible county workers. The county declared the money as lost revenue, Stearsman said, because that allows it to be used for most county projects, from roads to sidewalks to buildings, although there are restrictions against using it to pay for jails, schools, long-term care facilities or to pay debt. She asked the county council to approve paying the $ 800,000 out of the money that has already arrived as well as the grant admin- istration fees. Fort Branch sign will be on US-41 By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com A second "Welcome to Fort Branch" sign has found a home after many months. According to Scotty DeLong of the Fort Branch Town Council, the owners of the Subway complex, located at US - 41 and Coal Mine Road, will allow the sign to be put on their proper- ty as a permanent installation. A few other property owners had been approached and turned down the chance to host the hand- made wooden signs made by Gib- son Southern's shop class. The first was placed near the water wells. The signs have been recently updated to boast the state-cham- pionship-winning Titan football team. Lyles Station remembers Juneteenth By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Lyles Station Historic School and Museum celebrated June- teenth, the anniversary of the freeing of the last slaves in Gal- veston, Texas in 1865, on Satur- day. Rhea Jones-Price, the first black attorney to primarily prac- tice in Knox County, gave the keynote address, explaining Juneteenth as a cultural celebra- tion that, in 1865 post-Civil War, was celebrated as the day slavery ended. She said A frican Ameri- cans have a complicated relation- ship with the Fourth of July as an Independence Day because at the time the United States was cele- brating its freedom, so many peo- ple were enslaved. She asked the audience to imagine the joy of living in one condition and learning every- thing had changed, and asked people to imagine a time they'd received good news in their lives or a change in status. "Good news gives us relief... Robert "Bob" Gooch put dollars toward recognizing local World War II veterans with a plaque in Lyles Station Museum's Alonzo Fields gallery. Sommerfest thrills Sommerfest kicked off Thursday night with rides and games in Haubstadt. See more photos throughout this edition.