The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1480912
NEWS TIPS Phone: ������������� 812-753-3553 Email ����editor@sgstartimes�com INSIDE Local ����������A1-10 Obituaries ������ A3 Church ��������A8-9 Sports ���������� B1-4 School ���������� B6-7 Opinion �������B8-9 History ������������ B9 Legals ������������ B10 Classifieds ����� B10 Two Sections • No Inserts Fort Branch, IN 47648-0070 (USPS #205-620) See BLESSING on page 3 $1.00 20 PAGES TuESDay, OcTObEr 5, 2022 VOLUME 68, NUMBER 14 South Gibson SPORTS B1 LOCAL A4 TITANS TOP MT. VERNON Day of Caring returns Star-Times wins two HSPA awards The South Gibson Star-Times won first and second place awards in the Hoosier State Press Associations Foun- dation 2022 Journalism Awards. The Star-Times staff won first place for the Backyard Adventures section for Best Special Section. The Back- yard Adventures section highlights festivals, events and tourism in South- ern Indiana. Andy Heuring and Eric Gogel won second place in the same category with the Star-Times special section for Gibson Southern's Football State Championship. The award were presented on September 23 in Indianapolis at the HSPA's Better Newspapers Contest Awards Banquet. GCAS hosts Blessing of the Animals By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com A fter Father Gary Kaiser prayed for Gibson County Animal Services, the pets inside, the staff, and a gathered assortment of animals at the animal services building Sunday, he joked he'd done these Feast of St. Francis blessings before and priests online Homeowner suspects arson post-fire By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Megan Dunn of Owensville thought her car had caught fire in an unfortunate acci- dent Wednesday night. She said discovering propane under the burned out body has led her to believe other- wise. The family was asleep when they heard booming sounds and saw large flames. She, her kids and her fiancée rushed outside around the time an ambulance arrived, called by a neighbor. The fire began in one car, moved to another and then began to burn a garage reno- vated to be a nursery. "They got everything put out. I went inside the home, to make sure it was out. I assumed it was an accident. I didn't know what happened, but I called Ford and a mechanic because I'd just had it worked on. Everything that could have caused it to blow up would have had to happen when it was running, but it hadn't run for seven hours," Knowles Vanoven See ARSON on page 2 See VANOVEN on page 7 See KNOWLES on page 7 Two vehicles were fully engulfed in fire in Owensville at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, a fire that nearly spread into the home. A pet owner explains a kitten's health problems to Fr. Gary Kaiser who did a Blessing of the Animals Sunday in Princeton. From left, freshmen Jeremiah Mullenax, 14, and Tali Maurer, 15 won Prince and Princess at Homecoming, and seniors Keelyn Wilkerson and Macade Chandler won Homecoming King and Queen. See additional photos on page A-6. Wilkerson, Chandler take Titan titles By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Titans crowned seniors Keelyn Wilkerson and Macade Chandler Homecoming Queen and King in a pre-game ceremony Friday night at Gibson Southern. Wilkerson, 17, said she was honored the student body chose her. "It was very exciting. I was shocked. I was happy so many people supported me," she said. "This community gets involved in so many things, and we all support each other. Honestly we all just come together and it's just really good to be a Titan...It's a great school." Wilkerson, daughter of Stephanie Wilker- son of Haubstadt, and Chris Wilkerson, of Fort Branch, is a member of Sunshine Soci- ety, FCCL A, art club, track and cross country. Chandler, 17, was also surprised. "I wasn't expecting it. All the kids on court are really great people. I feel great I want to say 'thank you' to everyone who voted for me," he said. The Titan pole vaulter is the son of Brad and Kyla Chandler, of Princeton. He said his life philosophy is simple. "Be a kind person to everybody. Spread love," he said. Among underclassmen, Freshman Tali Maurer, 15, and her escort Jeremiah Mulle- nax, 14, won the princess and prince titles. Maurer is the daughter of Chad and Kim Maurer of Princeton and a member of Sunshine Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, choir, theater and more. Mullenax is the son of Dan and Annessa Zickefoose of Haubstadt, as well as a soccer player. The Homecoming Court and Homecom- ing fundraising committee — led by junior Jaedyn North — were able to raise $1,603 for Riley's Children's Hospital during their Mira- cle Minute fundraiser Friday night, breaking the previous record of $1,010. Vanoven: Address crime at its heart By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Capt. Bruce Vanoven is running as Repub- lican candidate for Gibson County Sheriff on a plat- form of building bridges between law enforcement and the community, other agencies and employees. That's hard in a time when law enforcement is facing less community support, he said. With the community, he said that means bring- ing back the National Night Out where people can interact with law enforcement, "People fear what they don't know," Vano- ven said. "Law enforcement is being vilified by organizations and ideologies." Knowles vows to be tough on crime By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com According to Sheriff's Candidate David Knowles, a Democrat, Gibson Country's voters tell him they want a sher- iff who will deal with the drug problems, thefts and Owensville-area coal trucks speeding. "A lot of people are talking about the speed of the coal trucks, espe- cially around Owens- ville. They come into town, they know what the speed is, and early in the morning they don't seem to care what the speed is," Knowles said. Knowles added he'd address drug issues by having a full-time narcotics offi- COFFEE WITH THE CANDIDATES Gibson County Sheriff's race By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com The Gibson County Sher- iff's race will see Republican Bruce Vanoven and Demo- crat David Knowles face off for the top law enforcement position in the county. Indiana defines the Sher- iff's Department as over- seeing peace, court secu- rity, jail operations, crim- inal investigations, appre- hension of people charged with criminal activity, serv- ing warrants and other court documents. The South-Gibson Star Times asked candidates to talk about their vision for the jail, addressing drug issues and facing the hiring diffi- culties at the local level. While the election is Nov. 8, those who want to vote in the election should regis- ter in person at the election office, online at https:// indianavoters.in.gov or by mail postmarked Oct. 11. Absentee ballots should be requested by Oct. 27, and returned/postmarked by Nov. 8.