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 �����������AX-X Home Life �����AX-X Opinion �������AX-X Legals �������������� AX Sports ���������� BX-X School ����������� BX History ������������ BX Church ��������BX-X Classifieds ������� BX Two Sections • One Insert Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) $1.00 16 PAGES TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2022 VOLUME 67, NUMBER 52 South Gibson Police make cocaine arrest at underage drinking party Connor Snyder, 20, of Evansville, was ar- rested on charges of cocaine possession, mar- ijuana possession, and minor consumption at a Fort Branch house party located at 167 W CR650 S on June 11 that involved, according to police, underage drinking and juveniles in a physical altercation. He bonded out at a cost of $750, and ap- peared in court June 21, where his hearing was set for July 12. According to the probable cause affadavit, police were called to a large party that report- edly had underage drinkers. When Deputy Logan Lashbrook arrived, he saw roughly 30 vehicles in the front yard and about 50 people around a fire before many peo- ple started running from the residence. None of the drinkers outside were over 21, although a few were over 18, and no one at the party admitted to consuming alcohol. The homeowner was home and according to the report "noticeably intoxicated." The juve- niles were told to go home, leaving about 11 vehicles on the property, which sheriff's depu- ties checked for juveniles who might have hid in them when police arrived. One vehicle had an orange pill bottle of narcotics in plain view. The vehicle owner—Snyder—was found at the party, intoxicated, and he allowed police to search the vehicle where they found cocaine in the pill bottle and raw marijuana, (at least that is what the substances tested positive for during field tests, according to the report.) They found a grinder with marijuana residue and open, empty alcohol containers in the ve- hicle. Snyder tested .108 on a portable breath test for alcohol. Library board stirs controversy over usage agreement requirement By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com According to Owensville Carnegie Librar y Board Trustees, it was the best at- tended librar y board meeting in memor y as locals showed up to voice disagreement with a requirement that those who have events on the librar y lawn sign a usage agreement and carr y an insurance policy to protect the librar y against lawsuits. Until recently, usage of the grounds around the librar y has been more casual because the Owensville town held the grounds, but when the librar y board wanted to pursue a grant to allow an expansion to make the librar y ADA accessi- ble, the area, known as Steel- man Park, was transferred to the librar y because it was a requirement to pursue the funding. When the Owensville Town Board discussed the transfer, they voted after asking for as- surance it wouldn't affect the Owensville Watermelon Fes- tival. In November, as Owens- ville Community Planners put together a Christmas event, they discovered after wards the librar y had asked those in- volved to sign a usage agree- ment. As they geared up for the annual Watermelon Festival this year, the festival was pre- sented with a contract, accord- First 2 people graduate Addiction Solutions By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Addiction Solutions in Princ- eton graduated their first two members of their recover y pro- gram last week. According to Indiana's Nex- tLevel Recover y program, In- diana has recently ramped up statewide recover y efforts by helping 56,000 people into opioid treatment program and provid- ing addiction treatment through Indiana's Medicaid. The state dedicated $1.4 million to expand recover y residences. Despite those efforts, Gibson County still had 51 emergency room visits due to drugs last year. A white female between ages 15- 24 died last year due to drug use. Gibson County had 299 EMS incidents in 2021 that included ad- ministering naloxone, popularly known as Narcan, meaning that more than 1 percent of EMS calls require naloxone, according to data collected by the state at indi- ana.gov/recover y/data. Gibson County reported 662 drug arrests in 2021. Of those, 384 were released the same year they were arrested, and of those, 30 of those convicted of drug charges were re-arrested within the same year of ser ving their sentences. Re-arrest rates in Gib- son County were highest for local white men in their early 20s who only had high school educations. Joshua Rickard, 42, of Knox County, and Brandon Paris, 42, of Princeton said it wasn't until they hit their worst moments they were ready to change. Rickard began in addiction at 10 years old, was tried as an adult and received a 30-year sentence at age 16, ser ved 10 of those years and was in and out of prison since. He said meth in his family was generational, and during his meth addiction he had misplaced loyal- ty to the people who fed his addic- tion over his own family. Just before he entered the pro- Youth theater performs 'Chicago' By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Gibson County Youth The- atre performed "Chicago" in Princeton over the weekend, featuring a large cast for the murder-musical. The satirical play, famously choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse in the 1970s, lampoons the celebrity criminal concept and is based on the true stor y of a 1920s crime. From Gibson Southern, Bri- elle Armstrong, a sophomore, performed as Mona; Jonathan Dixon, a sophomore who has performed with the youth the- ater since second grade, per- formed in the ensemble; and Draven Watson, a junior, per- formed in the ensemble. From Princeton Commu- nity, Ethan Montgomer y was Amos Hart, Brady Doninger was Martin Harrison, Alana Haas was Kitty, Sean Haegele was Sgt. Fogarty and Jaiden Harner was the announcer. Caitlin Meredith played June and Juliet Wilhite played Katelin. Tru James, Andrew May, Nicholas Pfeiffer, Will Sailer and Samantha Wright were all in the crew. Ian Dillon, Jenna Ellis, Braeden Davis, Cade Hurt, Rugar Jenkins, Gage Maglis, Sawyer McKimmy, So- phie Parke, Jacob Payne, Abbi Robinson, Matthew Weist, Shawna Shoultz, Sara Slunder, and MacKenzie Thompson performed in the ensemble. From North High School, Maribeth Hartsburg per- formed as Roxie Hart; Ainsley Kunkel was Velma Kelly; Eli- jah LaRue played Billy Flynn. Zachar y Shelton was Fred Casely and Laci Winn played both Mama Morton and Liz. Katy Stawiarski was in the en- semble. Max Brittingham, a recent INDGA grad, was in the crew. Kenzie Winn, a junior at New Tech Institute played An- nie. Citizens voiced their concerns about the librar y Thursday night in Owensville during a meeting that spilled out of the room into a hallway with standing room only. Brandon Paris, who graduated from Addiction Solutions last week, shared a photo of his baptism. Faith has been an import- ant part of his recover y he said. At right, Josh Rickard shares some time with his sons after graduating Addiction Solutions last week, celebrating 11 months sober. He's tr ying to break a cycle of generational addiction that led him to experiment with drugs at 10 years old, and to be put into an adult prison at 16. Elijah LaRue plays celebrity lawyer Billy Flynn during a big dance number in the Gibson County Youth Theater performance of "Chicago" Sunday. Council looks at parking on Trailer Park Drive By Janice Barniak SG Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Fort Branch Town Council plans to pass an ordinance to decrease parking on Tretter Park Drive. The ordinance will re- strict parking by poles on the south side of the road but still allow parking in front of two homes on the north side that don't have any other parking. People on the south side will have Eastview Street available to park as well, but the change will allow a clearer pathway through the area. Gibson County Youth Theater Sunday. See LIBR ARY on page 2 See GR ADUATES on page 2 ALL-CONFERENCE Seven players made the PAC All-Conference team. SPORTS B1