The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1493779
$1.00 20 PAGES FOUR SECTIONS PETERSBURG, IN 47567-0068 Wednesday, Ma rch 1, 2023 PIKE PUBLISHING VOLUMe 153, nUMBer 8 NEWS TIPS Phone: ����������������������������������� 812-354-8500 Email ����������������������sherri@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local �������������������������A1-6 Sports ������������������������ B1-4 Church ����������������������� B5-6 Classifieds �������������������C1-2 legals ������������������������� C2-4 Home Life ������������������������C5 History �����������������������������C6 Church ��������������������� D1-2 Opinions ������������������������ D5 School ���������������������������� D6 USPS 604-34012 SPORTS B1 See CPR on page 2 LOCAL A3 See RESIDENT on page 4 See BEE on page 3 See CITY on page 3 Talking with Patoka Fire Chief Brandon Truitt Chargers fall to Spartans 60-58 See PLUNGE on page 2 Insurance rates rise again for Pike County By Sherri Griffin editor sherri@pressdispatch.net Tony cochran of German american, spoke to the Pike county commissioners about increased premiums for Pike county renewal rates for the March 2023 to March 2024 year. cochran gave the commis- sioners two options to com- pare prices with. Option one called for coverage to remain as is with a margin clause and option two called for the remov- al of the margin clause which covers if a loss occurs, but to instead, increase values on the Pike county courthouse and the Pike county sheriff's department in case of a ca- tastrophe. With Option one, the renewal rate would go from $221,502 to $236,917, leaving coverage as is. With option two, the cover- age would go from the $221,502 to $244,392, but with increased values so a margin coverage clause would not be needed. commissioners discussed whether to hold a special meet- ing or make a decision at the March 6 meeting. cochran stated that if the commission- ers agreed to a renewal with German american, something could probably be worked out to wait until March 6, even though policies expire on March 3 and 4. Pike county commissioner President Mark Flint told cochran that the commissioners would discuss the matter and let him know as soon as possible. In other business, Pike county attorney Val Fleig opened up bids for the commu- nity crossing Matching Grant - Phase 2. after reading the three bids received, the com- missioners will be taking the bids under advisement before making a decision. CPR/AED training making community a safer place By Jill Hyneman correspondent news@pressdispatch.net "It makes our community a safer place", Quentin Tharp, one of the participants of Friday's cardiopul- monary resuscitation (cPr) and automated external defibrillator (aed) training that Memorial hos- pital and health care center (Mh- hcc) facilitated, said. "Memorial hospital and Memori- al hospital Foundation are grateful to partner with the Pike county community to be able to provide such a vital education program", sarah Maddox-Barnett, Business development Liaison from Mhh- cc, said. The Memorial hospital Founda- tion funded the program and sisson steel provided the facility fees and lunch. The training was located at the elmer Buchta Technology center. "The training was very educa- tional, and everyone should have the opportunity for this training in our community," Jeff Brooks, cPr training participant, said. "It's important to teach people how to respond in an emergency so they are not waiting and looking to see who will respond", Lyndsey cor- rell-eckert, a health educator and Program Facilitator for Memorial hospital, said. The second trainer was Zach Worm a health educator from Mhhcc. They taught skills including cPr, aed use, and relief of choking in adults, children, and infants. Training started with how to assess the situation by making sure the area is safe, checking for responsiveness, shouting for help, have someone phone 911, having someone get an aed, and checking for breathing. Then educators went on to train- PCMS student Mya Furman advances to National Spelling Bee By Mendy Ross correspondent news@pressdispatch.net Pike central sixth grade student Mya Furman is up for challenging herself and is now advancing and qualifying for the 2023 scripps na- tional spelling Bee (snsB), Indiana regional spelling Bee on saturday, March 18. "every year we do a classroom spelling bee, then determine a grade level winner, and then the grade level winner competes against the other grade level win- ners at PcMs," Language arts Teacher christine Waddell, said. "Mya beat the seventh and eighth grade winners." There are 17 stu- dents who have advanced to the next level this school year. On Feb 10, Furman took a 40 -minute regional qualifier on-line test that consisted of 25 type-in-the- word spelling questions and 25 mul- tiple choice vocabulary questions. she is one of 17 to pass the test and move on. "We are very proud of her," Furman's mother, angela, said. "she has put in a lot of time and hard work studying and it has paid off. she cannot believe she has made it this far. Furman studies a 2023 Words of the champions study list and the Word club app. There is a 450 -word list to practice on the Word club application and 4,000 words on the champions study list to help pre- pare students for the spelling bee. Furman has participated in spelling activities since elementa- ry school. she has won classroom spelling bees and was a part of Pike Central sixth grader Mya Furman is advancing and qual- ifying for the 2023 Scripps Na- tional Spelling Bee (SNSB), In- diana Regional Spelling Bee on March 18. "Every year we do a classroom spelling bee, then determine a grade level winner, and then the grade level win- ner competes against the other grade level winners at PCMS" Language Arts Teacher Mrs. Christine Waddell, said. "Mya beat the seventh and eighth grade winners." City doubles longevity pay, approves water contract with school By Andy Heuring Press-dispatch News news@pressdispatch.net The Petersburg city council vot- ed to approve a five-year contract to provide water to Pike central high school and Middle school and dou- bled the longevity pay for city em- ployees. Petersburg Mayor r. c. Klipsch said the 50 -year contract Petersburg to provide water to the Pike central schools had expired last year. he said the new contract is basically the same except it does not cover a line from the Pike central water tow- er to the Pike county highway de- partment. Pike county schools is in the pro- cess of taking their water tower of out operation. Petersburg's new wa- ter tower at the top of half-Mile hill makes it possible for Petersburg to supply them with water without the school's old tower. a study showed refurbishing the old tower at the school was going to cost more than $500,000. Klipsch said the new agreement makes Petersburg the sole water See R ATES page 3 Polar Plunge at Prides Creek raises $92,635.13 for Special Olympics By Sherri Griffin editor sherri@pressdispatch.net On saturday, February 25, 179 brave souls ran into the water at Prides creek Golf course for the an- nual special Olympics Polar Plunge. according to Frannie smith, orga- nizer for the special event held each year at Prides creek, $92,635.13 was raised for the special Olympics Program in this area. "It was an ab- solutely awesome day," smith said. There were many "super Plung- ers," who raised at least $4,000 for the event participating on saturday. Those who are super Plungers will get to plunge for a second time at eagle creek in Indianapolis on sat- urday, March 4. Our local Pike county sheriff's department, along with Indiana state Police, police from other com- munities and community members participated as a team, together. Ja- Cops and Community Team comprised of Pike County Sheriff's Department police, some Indiana State Police officers, local police officers and community members run into the water on Saturday for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge. The team raised over $3,500. Petersburg resident charged with embezzling over $156,000 The United States Department of Justice indicts Ellen L. Corn eVansVILLe- ellen L. corn, 47, of Petersburg, Indiana has been indicted by a federal grand jury on fifteen counts of wire fraud, after allegedly embezzling over $156,000 from a dubois county nonprofit or- ganization that facilitates a youth mentoring program. The indict- ment was unsealed on February 27, 2023, following corn's arrest and initial appearance. according to court documents, corn served as the executive director for the nonprofit from March 2017 through au- gust 2022. during her employ- ment, corn had various financial responsi- bilities in- cluding entering all income and expenses into the organization's accounting software. Over that five-year period, corn allegedly stole more than $156,000 Ashley Polen Willis, MPA, EDFP, Executive Director of Pike County Economic Development Corporation trains in chest com- pressions during a recent course offered at Elmer Buchta Technol- ogy Center. "Memorial Hospital and Memorial Hospital Foundation are grateful to partner with the Pike County community to be able to provide such a vital education program", Sarah Maddox-Barnett, Business Development Liaison from MHHCC, said. Team Minions celebrated with yellow smoke bombs as they were announced the costume winners for the 2023 Polar Plunge at Prides Creek on Saturday.