The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1480126
Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg LOCAL The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, September 28, 2022 A-3 Armstrong Family Heart of the Clover Fund Created By Sherri Sebella News Editor sherri@pressdispatch.net The Armstrong Family Heart of the Clover Fund was established this year to help with funding assistance for 4-H families to pay the re- quired fees for participation and also for 4-H leaders to request funds to assist low-in- come families purchase sup- plies for projects. "The fund was set up to honor the Armstrong Fam- ily because it por trays their hear t," Brooke Goble, Pike County Purdue Extension Office Educator, said. "They are often the first to show up to lend a hand, take on the tough jobs, and reach in their pockets, for a child in need." The Armstrong Family was presented with the award at the recent Pike County Pur- due Extension 4-H Achieve- ment Awards event. The Armstrong Family was presented with the Armstrong Family Heart of the Clover Fund Award at the recent Pike County Purdue Extension 4-H Achievement Awards event. Front left to right includes Audra and Stanley, along with back, left to right, Rhet, Jason, Kr ystal, and Trenton. "The fund was set up to honor the Armstrong Family because it portrays their heart," Brooke Goble, Pike County Purdue Extension Office Educator, said. Patoka Township Volunteer Fire Department starts rescue team By Sherri Sebella News Editor sherri@pressdispatch.net The Patoka Township Vol- unteer Fire Department for- mally started its Special Oper- ation Division (Rescue Team) in 2022, but its roots started back in 2014. Stella Jones presented a con- fined space/high angle scenar- io, and the department began purchasing rope rescue equip- ment soon after. "We sent five members at that time to Vin- cennes for rope and confined space training," Joshua Popp, Patoka Township Volunteer Firefighter and Special Oper- ations Officer, said. "A couple of years passed and a call that I was involved with, highlighted the need to expand and formal- ize outside the normal medical and fire call." According to Popp, these situations pose dynamic re- sponses. "No two calls are the same, and pose a great risk to the rescuer, but we have a growing group of Firefight- ers and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who are training to handle those calls," Popp said. "We recently had a course for more than 50 hours in rope rescue, swift water, and confined space rescue at our department as a pilot program and Indiana Department of Homeland Security certifica- tion course. Along with what we are doing, our other depart- ments such as Petersburg and Jefferson Fire Departments, have all been working togeth- er the last few years with joint training such as grain bin and ice rescue. We are working to be able to provide even more expertise to and with our local agencies, typically done by volunteers." The Patoka Township Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased a water raft for their Division. This will help the department sup- port the Clog the Patoka and calls like a semi-trailer being stranded on a flooded road. "We never know when nature or something else will disrupt our normal day-to-day lives, but we are building a ser vice that can be relied upon to an- swer difficult calls and train others to help," Popp said. Popp has a K9 partner, Hela, that is an Australian Shepherd who will be one year old in No- vember. "She is in training for Open Air Scene," said. Popp and Hela do search training with Ohio Valley Search Res- cue, where they are also mem- bers. Popp is training Hela to use on search missions for missing people. "We are working to build this pilot program into more permit courses and have oth- er departments and agencies be able to attend, to expand the knowledge and skills re- quired for Search and Rescue. The goal is to have responders trained on operating as a team in a dynamic call, keep up proficiency with core rescue tasks and capabilities, along with developing a task force of responders made up of EMS providers, firefighters, and police who work together "So Others May Live." If anyone is interested in joining the Special Operation Division, or has any questions, feel free to contact them at pt- vfd.sot@gmail.com. Hela, that is an Australian Shepherd who will be one year old in November. "She is in training for Open Air Scene," said. Joshua Popp, Patoka Township Fire De- partment Volunteer Firefighter and Special Operations Officer. Popp and Hela do search training with Ohio Valley Search Rescue, where they are also members. Popp is training Hela to use on search missions for missing people. The Patoka Township Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased a water raft for their Division. This will help the department support the Clog the Patoka and calls like a semi-trailer being stranded on a flooded road. "We never know when nature or something else will disrupt our normal day-to-day lives, but we are building a ser vice that can be relied upon to answer difficult calls and train others to help," Joshua Popp, Patoka Township Volunteer Firefighter and Special Op- erations Officer, said. Indiana Military Museum to recognize Viet Nam Vets By James Capozella Press-Dispatch News news@pressdispatch.net Indiana Militar y Muse- um in Vincennes will have a VietNam Veterans Appre- ciation Day on Saturday October 15. Coleman-Stew- ar t VFW Post 3587 will provide free admission for any honorable discharged Pike County Veteran. The VFW will also have a bus available for transpor tation to the event, leaving at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and returning at 3:30 pm. Gates open at 9 a.m. and at 10 a.m. a Huey helicopter and Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Sammy Davis will arrive on the grounds. Rides on the Huey start at 10:30 a.m. as does book sign- ing by Sgt. Davis. There will be a 12:15 break for lunch with rides resuming at 1:15 p.m. A battle scenario for the public including Huey battle- field extraction takes place at 2:30 p.m. The outdoor events are free to the public and the in- door museum fee is $7, paid by the VFW for all Pike Coun- ty veterans. Food vendors, militar y ar tifact vendors and living histor y exhibits will be a par t of the day-long activi- ties. To sign up for the trip con- tact Jim White at 812-354- 6551 between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Deadline to sign up for the trip is October 8. Two separate OVWI arrests By James Capozella Press-Dispatch News news@pressdispatch.net≠A Solsberr y man and a Winslow man were arrested for OVWI in separate inci- dents this past week. Jody Allen Workman, 52, 13202 E Oak Haven Dr., Sols- berr y was charged with OVWI and OVWI endangering by Pike County Sheriff Deputy Clint Boger on September 25 when Workman was stopped for reckless driving on I69. Deputy Boger released the vehicle he had stopped for speeding and responded to a reckless driving dispatch from Gibson County that shook his vehicle when it came by at a high rate of speed and almost crashed into him, according to the report. When Deputy Boger caught up to Workman, he was un- able to pass field sobriety tests and assisted by Deputy Buck Seger used a portable breath test which indicated a .025 % BAC. Workman was charged with OVWI refusal after hitting items in the patrol car and say- ing "you'll get your payback" and telling deputies that half his family members are cops. On September 20 at ap- proximately 9:30 am, Bret A. Nelson, 62, RR#2 Collins St. Winslow, was arrested for OVWI after Dispatch sent Petersburg Police Chief Kyle Mills to the Petersburg Hard- ware Store for a highly intoxi- cated person leaving the store. Chief Mills and Sheriff Kent Johnson located a car at Mc- Coy and 8th Street matching the description given police by Robin Smith at the store. Nelson was stopped after turning into a driveway on 8th Street without signaling the turn. He then exited his vehicle and was told about the complaint. Nelson said he drank until about 3 a.m. and then finished some wine in the morning. Nelson failed field sobriety tests and had a PBT test of .118 BAC according to the report. Nelson was trans- ported to the Pike County Jail.