The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1473974
Petersburg hires two new officers By Andy Heuring Editor editor@pressdispatch.net The City of Petersburg hired two new officers Monday night, bringing the total num- ber of officers back up to six. "We can't get you guys on board and going fast enough," said Petersburg Mayor R. C. Klipsch just after reading them the oath of office at the beginning of the city council meeting. Chase Dotterweich and Tony Neal were hired as the new of- ficers. Both brought numerous friends and family to the meet- ing to see them take their oath of office. Dotter weich is a Peters- burg native and has worked at Toyota since high school. Neal is from Knox County and ser ved 10 years in the Air Force where he was an MP. He now lives in Ireland and where he owns a dog care and training business. Petersburg Police Chief Kyle Mills said he hopes to have both through the basic training and on the streets by September. He added officer Taylor Deffendoll will be going to the academy in late August. "There will be a couple of weeks we will only have three officers so there is going to be a lot of overtime, but hopeful- ly only for a week or so," said Mills. He said he hopes by next summer to have the two new hires through the academy and have the police depart- ment back up to full strength at six officers. The board of public works accepted the fire district's recommendation to add three new firemen to the Petersburg Fire Department. They voted 3-0 to approve Jordan Ison, Johnny Black- mon and Ty Burns for mem- bership. Fire Chief Ross Elmore said they had lost a few members and gained a few members. "We are still at about 38 mem- bers," said Elmore. John Melhiser asked what the maximum number was for the fire department. "Tammy (Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Sel- by) has an interpretation and I have an interpretation, but it is about 50," said Elmore. Melhiser asked how many guys typically show up on a fire call. "About 12," said Elmore. $1.00 20 PAGES FOUR SECTIONS THREE INSERTS PETERSBURG, IN 47567-0068 WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2022 PIKE PUBLISHING VOLUME 152, NUMBER 29 NEWS TIPS Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Email ����� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local ����������������� A3-6 Sports �����������������B1-2 History �������������������B3 Home Life ������������C1-2 Opinion ������������� C3-4 Classifieds ���������� C5-6 Church �������������� D1-3 Obituaries ���������������D4 USPS 604-34012 Eight-year Pike County 4-H member looking forward to this year's fair By Sherri Sebella News Editor sherri@pressdispatch.net It's not just the great fair food that Pike County eight- year 4-H member Jordan Schatz looks for ward to in the coming week, but participat- ing in the Miss Pike County Pageant and running the 4-H set of barrels in the rodeo. Schatz is a busy girl, she is also entering a Floriculture project, which she created a centerpiece for, and showing horses, goats, rabbits and chickens for the livestock por- tion of the fair. Though she is an eight-year member, she did win the ten- ure award for having so many projects and being an active participant in the 4-H program since joining in fifth grade. "I joined 4-H when I was 10 years-old," Schatz said. "My cousin was doing 4-H, and that made me want to do it too. But, throughout the years, I have definitely grown to love the community and people who have helped me through- out the whole process." There are plenty of fond memories Schatz can think of when she reminisces about her time in 4-H. "I had loads of fun doing projects and creating memories," Schatz said. "One of the funniest experiences I have had, was when a chicken got loose on animal check-in. It was early in the morning and someone left their cage door open for their chicken, and he was a jumper. It took about four of us to finally wrangle him, to catch him and put him back." Some other highlights Schatz laughs about as she looks back include the time she did Hog Wrestling. "Now that was a fun day," Schatz said. "Me and my team had mud ever ywhere." When Schatz showed a cow for the first time, she used a friend's cow for the show that ties into the Top Herdsman Award. "He was such a char- acter, he slobbered up the judges arm and ever ything," Schatz said. "By far one of my favorite animals to show that week was Andrew the cow." Being an active member of the 4-H Pike Flying Manes Horse and Pony Club brought lots of laughs and lots of tears shed throughout the years, according to Schatz. "From throwing brushes to each oth- er, because someone always los- School selects consultant to do facility needs study, band director, asst. principal By Andy Heuring Editor editor@pressdispatch.net The Pike County School Corp. selected a consultant to do a facility needs assess- ment, hired a new band direc- tor and an assistant principal during their meeting last Tuesday. The school board voted 4-0 to hire SiteLogIQ, which Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Blake recommended. "The initial phase will include a blacktop to rooftop assess- ment of our facilities and our needs. We will have the option to include a feasibility study and comprehensive as- sessment which will review our academic programs and needs and will include input from our staf f and our com- munity," wrote Dr. Blake in a recommendation to the board. Blake said a committee had narrowed a list of consultants and inter viewed two. "We did consider others, but they seemed to be the best suited to do the study," said Blake. She added it was a unani- mous recommendation for SiteLogIQ by the committee. "They were the most com- prehensive. They were look- ing at ever ything. Lighting, air quality, age of the building, age of equipment in the build- ings. They were going to hit the ground running and can start this semester. They can do it with kids in the class," said School board president Steve Potter. He added one of the things SiteLogIQ wanted to see is the student traffic patterns during the school day. "We didn't hear that from the other people. They said 'We could probably do that.' When I heard 'probably' it tells me they don't do this ev- er y day," said Potter. One of the things the school board has mentioned that is to be considered by SiteLogIQ is a third gymnasium at the Pike Central campus, with a prelim- inar y estimated cost of more than $6 million. The board also voted to hire a new band director. Andrew Bunker, who was a section leader of the University of Al- abama's Million Dollar March- ing Band was hired, Dr. Blake said he came highly recommended by for- mer Pike Central band direc- tors Richard Bernhardt and John Miller. They also hired Scott Gu- dorf as Assistant Principal at Pike Central. Gudorf has taught --- at Pike Central for -- years. Chris Ashworth, who had led the Charger Brigade to the state finals last year, resigned two days after the last school board meeting to take a posi- tion with Washington. Contestant photos for all five 2022 pageants inside 1 0 1 st Annu a l J u l y 2 4 - j u l y 30 , 2 0 2 2 pike county pike county 4-H Fair 4-H Fair LOCAL A3 PAGEANTS WAVE IN 101 ST FAIR See SCHOOL on page 2 See PIKE on page 2 See SCHOOL on page 2 Petersburg Mayor R. C. Klipsch reads the oath of office to new Petersburg officers Tony Neal and Chase Dotter weich during Monday night's meeting. Jordan Schatz is an 8-year 4-H member from the Pike County Feathers & Fur 4-H Club. She is a recent grad- uate from Pike Central High School. Jordan has participated in the Goat, Floriculture, Horse & Pony, Jr. Lead- ers, Poultr y, Rabbits, Arts & Crafts, and Recycling projects. She is also this year's Farm Bureau Tenure Award Winner. Highway 61 near Verne to close July 20 State Road 61 near Ver ne will be closed be- ginning on or around Wednesday, July 20 to al- low for a culver t replace- ment. This closure will take place between south Hickor y Cor ner Road and County Road SE 650. During the closure crews will be replacing a pipe. Work is expected to take two days to complete, de- pending on the weather. The official detour for motorists is SR 61 to State Road 241 to US 50 to US 41. Local traffic will have access up to the point of closure. Minor injuries in Arthur crash A Friday morning crash near Arthur resulted in com- plaint of head pain. Dennis Turner, 65, was stopped on Highway 61 waiting for north bound traffic to clear so he could turn left onto CR550 S, when Kimberly Truitt, 18, of Washington slammed into the back of his vehicle, according to Indiana State Trooper Hunter Manning. Manning said Turner, driv- ing a gray Toyota, was turn- ing left to go to the rifle range. Truitt told Trooper Manning she saw the vehicle slowing, but didn't think it was going to stop. She looked down to adjust her radio, then when she looked back up Turner was stopped. Truitt couldn't get stopped and her maroon Toyota slammed into the back of Turner's vehicle. Turner complained of head pain from the 10:36 a.m. accident. Petersburg woman accused of stealing car and debit card By Sherri Sebella News Editor sherri@pressdispatch.net A Petersburg woman was accused of auto theft and conversion after police received a call from Thom- as Miller, 64, of Oakland City, on T uesday, July 12, stating Deanna Wilson, 43, of Petersburg, had stolen his Ford F-150 tr uck from his front yard and used his debit card at the bank to withdraw $200, without his permission. Miller told police he thought he had to wait 24 hours to repor t a stolen vehicle. Police ar rived at Miller's residence and he said he and Wilson had gotten into an argument on Monday, July 11. Miller said he and Wilson had an ongoing relationship and that she was in and out of his house for the past cou - ple of weeks. Miller said on July 11, Wilson drove his F-150 to the liquor store to pick up alcohol, since he does not have a valid driver's li- cense. He said Wilson retur ned to his residence and that is when the argument took place. Miller said Wilson star ted putting junk into the back of his F-150 and then she went inside his house to take the keys to the vehicle, and Miller told her she was not allowed to take the vehicle. According to the probable cause affidavit, Miller told police that Wilson said she was going to the neighbor's house to get help with her things. Miller said Wilson took off in his F-150, almost hitting him. Miller said Wil- son drove past the neigh- bor's house and kept driving east on State Road 64 after he told her she could not take his truck. Miller said he told Wil- son she could use his debit card for the alcohol but she took an addition- al $200 out of his account without permission. As of Tuesday, July 12, Wilson still had not re- tur ned the vehicle and Miller had been unable to contact her. Police told Miller that they would look for his vehicle and that charges would be filed.