The Press-Dispatch
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$1.00 20 PAGES FOUR SECTIONS NO INSERTS PETERSBURG, IN 47567-0068 Wednesday, Ja nua ry 11, 2023 PIKE PUBLISHING VOLuMe 153, nuMBer 2 NEWS TIPS Phone: ����������������������������������� 812-354-8500 Email ��������������������� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local �������������������������A1-6 Sports ������������������������ B1-4 Home Life ������������������������C1 Obituaries �����������������������C2 History ����������������������������C3 School �����������������������������C4 Classifieds ������������������������C5 Legals ������������������������������C6 Church ��������������������� D1-2 Opinion �������������������������� D3 USPS 604-34012 See REVIEW on page D4 See PARKING on page 2 Fire in Lake Minnis neighborhood is total loss A fire call on late Sunday afternoon to a camper in the Lake Minnis neighborhood was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Peters- burg Fire Chief Ross Elmore said he has been unable to speak to the owner of the camper to confirm any information at this time. No injuries were reported and Petersburg Fire Department was assisted by Jefferson Township. The fire is currently under investigation. Commissioners have first meeting of the year By Sherri Griffin editor sherri@pressdispatch.net Pike County Commissioners met for the first time 2023 last week and nominated Mark Flint to remain as President and Jeff nelson to remain as Vice President at the beginning of the meeting. County Commissioner attorney Val Fleig discussed the purchase of the Mariah street, Winslow land sale and said the county received two bids, with the highest bid be- ing $2,100. Commissioners agreed unanimously to accept the $2,100 bid from david and Tina Gayhart. Paid time off (P TO) for part-time employees was discussed. Commis- sioner assistant Kristi dischinger said her proposal for Commission- ers would be an extension of the P TO policy already passed and any part-time employees hired prior to 2022 and who completed their in- troductory period would be grand- fathered in and receive the equiv- alent of their personal time due to them on January 1 in P TO hours, and vacation time will be prorated for 2022 and granted on January 1, 2023, in the form of P TO hours, which would involve 16 county po- sitions. The Commissioners approved the policy unanimously. all P TO time will be assessed and granted on January 1 each year, beginning January 1, 2023. a county employee handbook pol- icy was also proposed by dischinger that 95 percent of time would be changing from sick, personal and vacation, to P TO. The Commission- ers all approved the change. In new business, new Pike Coun- ty sheriff Jason McKinney re- quested to apply for a credit card through German american Bank. The matron will be responsible for submitting itemized bills, receipts for services or items, and a signed claim form to the auditor's Office for payment. Monthly statements will be reviewed by the Matron and subsequently the County auditor for accuracy. e911 director ryan Benner re- City discusses parking ordinance, hire new policeman By Andy Heuring Press-Dispatch News news@pressdispatch.net The Petersburg City Council passed an ordinance establishing angle parking on Walnut st. and hired new a policeman during their Tuesday night meeting. The meeting was moved to Tues- day night because Monday was a city holiday. The council passed by a 5 -0 vote an ordinance that estab- lished angle parking on Walnut st. between 10th and 11th sts. "That is the way most people are already parking," said Mayor r. C. Klipsch. He said the ordinance will require angle parking in those spaces. Klipsch also said they talked with staff at the health department and school, which he said both wanted angle parking. Petersburg's board of public works and safety voted 5 -0 to hire a new police officer. Petersburg Police Chief Kyle Mills recommended aar- on sutt. The board two weeks ago approved him as a reserve officer. at the time, Mills said sutt wanted to eventually be a full-time officer. sutt was hired to replace Chase dotterweich, who resigned to take a deputy's position with the Pike County sheriff's Office. Mills said he had anticipated dot- terweich was going to be resigning, when he presented sutt as a reserve at the last meeting. Mayor Klipsch issued the oath of office to sutt as several family mem- bers and friends watched. Councilmen scott Jenkins and John Melhiser expressed concerns about the expense equipping and training officers only to have them leave a few months after they take the job. Mills said they no longer let them take the city-supplied equipment with them such as a bullet proof vest. Mills said he hoped the vest dotterweich had could be worn by sutt. But he added you don't want him to have to wear one that doesn't fit because you have that on all day everyday. Pike Central's FCA faith with purpose By Mendy Ross Correspondent news@pressdispatch.net There are three events the Pike Central FCa, Fellowship of Chris- tian athletes, tries to organize each school year, the see you at the Pole event, the Bring your Bible To school event and the annual rally. Ca is a student-led organization sponsored by PCMs teacher Mrs. nikki nalley and Co-sponsor PCHs teacher and coach Mr. Hunter el- liott. according to FCa's statement of Faith outline for their core belief as a ministry: "FCa unites two pas- sions, faith and athletics, to impact the world for Jesus Christ." They have been on this mission for more than 65 years. FCa groups, called "Huddles," include Middle school and High school students who typically meet once a week. This year there are approximately 50 students ranging from sixth grade to twelfth grade. even though the group's name con- tains "athletes," students are not required to be in athletics in order to be a part of the meetings. according to nalley, many of the FCa generated resources revolve around athletics and related sports activities to discipleship and belief in Jesus Christ's teachings. Their high school leaders have weekly de- votions that they share with the oth- er students. students share prayer concerns and praises, and pray with and for each other, for their school and the community. Their current focus is on the students, however FCa is also about supporting and encouraging the coaches, as nalley added, "which is a personal goal that I want to incorporate more to encourage our other coaches more in the future too." "I did not really choose to sponsor FCa, God Chose me," nalley said. "I was approached by two young ladies who were members at that time to jump in and help out Mr. Jeremy ross who was the previous sponsor." nalley chose to say 'yes' to God's calling around 2009, "be- cause He chose me and I just felt that is what the Lord wanted me to do. as a Christian, our workplace is our biggest mission field to lead others to Christ." she wanted to help Christian students realize they weren't alone. "uniting stu- dents who believe in Jesus Christ by supporting them and encouraging them in their faith and belief in our savior, Jesus Christ," said nalley. Other FCa huddles have a Fields of Faith event on the Football field in the Fall. "We have held ours in the spring in the Hs gym," nalley said. "The young ladies who asked me to help, that is one thing they wanted me to help with was orga- nizing an annual "rally." They had attended a Fields of Faith event at another school and they felt lead to start that here at Pike Central." "since I have taken over, we have aligned our meetings more so with the greater FCa group and we have utilized their resources to help grow our local group. Our FCa group has participated in many different activ- ities and it varies from year to year, Pike Central's FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a student-led organization sponsored by PCMS teacher Mrs. Nikki Nalley and Co-Sponsor PCHS teacher and coach Mr. Hunter Elliott. Through the years, the FCA students have packed shoe boxes at Christmas for Operation Christmas Child and donated them to Samaritan's purse; bought Christmas items for local families who needed assistance; participated in other local events at the fairgrounds; shared their faith with their fellow students by participating with floats during Homecoming and hosted a prayer tent during Riley Dance Marathon. 2022 in review A look back at the final third of the year SEPTEMBER • John and andy Heuring sold The Press-Dispatch and South Gib- son Star-Times to Heartland Media Group, owned by don Hurd. The Press-Dispatch was founded in 1898 by a. J. Heuring and had been in the Heuring family until september 1, 2023. • Bradley Woods, 42, of Washing- ton was found guilty on all counts including burglary with serious bodily injury, burglary resulting in bodily injury and battery by means of a deadly weapon in Pike Circuit Court. The charges stem from an incident in Winslow on novem- ber 21, when dennis Clark called police claiming Woods and david Padgett, after a dispute, had kicked in his door and beat him, including kicking him in the face and beating him with a baseball bat. • Petersburg Police and the Pike County sheriff's dept. responded to a request to serve an eviction notice and found more than 400 marijuana plants, some of which were eight to 10 feet tall, according to Petersburg Police Chief Kyle Mills. • Winslow Town Council mem- bers argued over the legality of an advertisement of a piece of property the town was offering for sale. Coun- cil President debra Lamb said the advertisement did not meet Indi- ana Code because it didn't list a le- gal description of the property or a See MEETING on page 2 See FCA on page 2 CHARGER WRESTLERS UNDEFEATED AT FOREST PARK INVITATIONAL SPORTS B1