The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/221682
A-2 Wednesday, December 4, 2013 The Press-Dispatch H Holiday events tersburg. It will feature sales and special promotions by local merchants, as well as carriage rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Santa Claus will be at Marge's Hallmark and there will also be a storyteller for children. The event is sponsored by Holly Walk set the Petersburg Professionfor Saturday, als and Business AssociaDecember 14 tion. Marge Leavitt said arThe annual Holly Walk is ea organizations are invited scheduled for Saturday, Deto set up vending along Main cember 14 on Main St., PeSt. to participate in event. Continued from page 1 with Santa from 9 to 11 a.m. Bring your pet and have their picture taken with Santa. The cost is $5, with the proceeds going to the Lions Club. H New districts A ramp for Robert Michael Stephens and Bruce Rutledge work on a wheelchair ramp at Michael and Laura Stephens' house in Petersburg. The Stephens are parents of Robert Stephens, who was severely injured this fall when he was hit by a truck as he rode his bicycle across the street. Laura said they are hopeful Robert will get to come home in January. So, they were taking advantage of the warm weather to get the ramp built. There is a fundraiser scheduled for Saturday night at Friends. A band will be performing and numerous items will be auctioned off with the proceeds going toward the Stephens family. Petition for Genealogy Center support circulating By Andy Heuring After weeks of attending library board, commissioners, county council and school board meetings, a group has started an online petition to solicit support for the Pike County History/Genealogy Center. The petition states: The existing Historical Society Museum is beyond repair and has become an eyesore on Main Street. It needs a new place. The new library does not have the space needed for a growing Genealogy Dept. The records in the Courthouse basement are outgrowing the space and are deteriorating due to the conditions there. If they are sent to the State, they will be stored in a warehouse and for all practical purposes, inaccessible to the people of Pike County to whom these records belong. Creating a Pike County History Center will solve several problems. It will make use of a build- ing that is presently unused and is costing the taxpayers money for maintenance, insurance, etc. The library has the funds to support this project for at least five years and we expect it to be self supporting by that time thru usage fees, donations, community support, in addition to grants available. It will create an attraction to Petersburg that will bring in people from all over the United States and believe it or not they will bring their money with them. They will need lodging, food, gasoline etc. It will make more space in the new library for books there. And will create more space for the Genealogy Dept. and the Museum to grow. The library has two roads to travel, one is to stagnate and die, the other is to grow and thrive. Genealogy is the fastest growing hobby in the United States. There are lots of individuals who have items to donate to the museum but will not with it in its present state. It will be a progressive undertaking that outsiders (businesses and individuals) will look at when deciding to make a move to Pike County. It will become something that everyone in Pike County can use and be proud of. It will solve the problem of storing Courthouse records. The records will remain the property of the County and will fall under the rules of the County. At the same time, they can be catalogued and digitized, preserving them for the generations to come. Some of these records date to 1806 before Indiana became a State. "We are wanting whoever is going to take this property to not accept it and make the library board to take a look at a possible way to make this happen," said Jerry McGillem, president of the Pike County Genealogy Society. "What we would real- ly like to see happen is to go back and do a feasibility study of their own to see what it would take to make it happen. I believe that Pike County will support this, if not just vocal but monetarily. I believe we can make it happen," said McGillem. McGillem said on Tuesday they already had more than 340 people who had signed the petition. He said people from Alaska and California with Pike County ties have signed the petition. McGillem said this shows there is support from people who would travel to Pike County and support the facility. He said if they could make the records in the courthouse freely accessible to the public, it would have a tremendous draw. The petition can be found at change.org online. Then do a search for Pike County Library Board Continued from page 1 ton 2 and 3, Clay, Patoka 1, Madison and Logan. It has 26 percent of the population with 3,368 people and 2,483 registered voters ; District 4, held by Myreon Krohn, is Patoka 2, Winslow, Lockhart and Monroe for 29 percent of the population with 4,684 people and 2,641 registered voters. Barnes said the law requires counties to make a "good faith effort" to balance the various districts out. However, she said it does not list a specific numeric amount for an allowable variation. She said a firm outside state government has been circulating information saying the number is a 10 percent variation. But she said that simply isn't true. "In fact, Indiana Supreme Court is on record saying districts with as little as 10 percent can be found to not meet certification requirements." "This is not going to be easy. It is complicated," said Commissioner President Brian Davis. Barnes said the county commissioners, according to state law, have the sole authority to establish the districts. Commissioners Assistant Melissa Bryant said during Monday's meeting she had done some research on it and given some scenarios to the commissioners for them to study before the next commissioner meeting. Barnes said even though the county has until December 31 to recertify the districts, she encouraged them to do it as soon as possible, because once it is done, the County Clerk has to move registered voters into the correct districts. The 2014 election begins early. Candidates may officially declare their candidacy as of Wednesday, January 8 H Sentencing postponed McDonald, 24, of Winslow on November 6. He was arraigned in Pike Circuit Court on Friday, November 8. Pike Circuit Court Judge Jeff Biesterveld recused himself, because when he was prosecutor he had prosecuted cases against Morton. Pike County Prosecutor McDonald said he and MorNo judge yet in ton's court-appointed attorMorton case ney Tom Dysert had agreed In a separate murder on a judge, but that judge case, a judge has yet to be appointed for the Chris Mor- had declined the case. Dysert said on Tuesday ton case. they hoped to have a judge Morton, 32, of Winslow, is accused of shooting his es- selected in the next few tranged girlfriend Kelsely days. Continued from page 1 If the Life Without Parole sentence is not upheld, then the judge would pronounce sentence based on the sentencing parameters set by state statute. Murder in Indiana carries a standard sentence of 55 years with up to 10 years added or 10 years subtracted. H German American offers insurance building to City of Petersburg Continued from page 1 Disabilities Act (ADA). "We would have to make the bathrooms compliant and I think the double doors, if you're facing the building, on the right side, if we open those back up, we'll be okay, ADA-wise." "Is the rest of it ready?" Lewis asked. "I mean, is the rest of it in pretty good shape?" "I think so," Coleman replied. "Maybe we just need, as a council, to go in there and look. Really, it's two big, open buildings that they have temporary partitions in, for the most part." Lewis asked Coleman if it was feasible to add a drivethrough window to the building. "There is a drop box that's still operational on the side of the building," Coleman replied. Coleman added that he and City Clerk Tammy Selby had discussed the possibility of installing a standalone drop box near the curb where individuals could drop their water bill payments without having to get out of their vehicle. "It would be like a mailbox," Coleman said. Acting Fire Chief Rich Coan said he took care of the building's maintenance when he worked there "four, five years ago." "The bathrooms are probably what they've had the most trouble with, so you definitely are going to need to do something with the bathrooms," Coan said. "The lighting is the old fluorescent, most of it with the eight-foot, some of it with the four-foot. You're probably going to end up re-doing some of the lighting. The worst part of the building was when you got up in the attic, with the insulation there." "But, other than that, I mean, it's a nice building," Coan added. "It'd make a great city hall. There's plenty of room for everything." "Even if we have to spend a little money, I mean, we're getting the building for free," Coleman said. "And it wouldn't be the $1.2 million that was proposed in the Stellar application for the Integra building." Council member Gary Leavitt said that the only thing that concerned him about relocating City Hall is that it would leave an empty Sleepin' Angel Farm Products Sold at Bertram's Supply in Winslow Meet & Greet Glenna Stop by Bertram's Supply Sat. Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m. for FREE Bar of Soap or Lotion! Register for Prizes! Glenna Russo 789-5287 storefront in downtown Petersburg. "There has been someone, if we were to make that move, possibly interested in putting a business in here," Coleman said. Coleman said that the Petersburg Police Department would remain where it currently is located but that he was checking into the availability of the Good Samaritan Center at the corner of East Main Street and 4th Street. "Once they get moved, if that building is vacated, that would be a wonderful police department," Coleman said. "So we'll wait and see how that goes. I think the police department and city hall in there together, we may not be able to meet the needs of the police department, and it would cut down on the available space that we would have for storage and things." "I think the Good Samaritan building would be ideal for the police department, right across from the jail," Leavitt said. Coleman said that relocating City Hall to the German American Insurance building was something the council should start think- ing about. "I told them that we were interested but the council would have to pass that," Coleman said. "And I told them we weren't in any great hurry." Coleman said that the building could be made ADA-compliant and the necessary infrastructure installed before city hall was actually moved. "There would be no hurry in moving in," Coleman said. Lewis said that she was excited about the possibility of relocating city hall. "My first thought on it is it's a great-looking city hall, if you look at it; it'll be right across the road from the mixed-use," Lewis said. "And think about driving down through Petersburg, if you look over and see that. I think it just looks like a municipal building. I'd like to see us look into that and, hopefully, we can get it worked out without too much cost to the city." Coleman noted that the cost to the city would be a lot less than what had previously been proposed when the former Integra Bank building was being considered. "It's a good opportunity, I ThankYou! We, the VFW members would like to thank the following individuals, Nathan DeWeese, Darin Cook and Gary McCandless for diagnosing and solving our dilemma. VFW Post 3587 think," Coleman said. "City Hall doesn't have a good first impression when you walk into the front door, and I think there are a lot of people who are marked by first impressions." In other business, the council voted unanimously to grant an easement to Mike Voyles for an existing water line that runs across a portion of the property the city had previously purchased as the future site of a new fire department. According to City Services Manager Gary McCandless, the six-inch water line taps into the main on Illinois Street in front of TriCap, crosses the field and comes out at a fire hydrant on Goodlet Street. Coleman also announced that closing for the Downtown Terrace project was scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Indianapolis. In addition, Coleman said that the Fenol medical building was close to being ready to be moved to its new location. "A lot of dirt being moved," Coleman said. "That's good for Petersburg." "Things are looking good in the city," Lewis added. Petersburg Chief of Police Chuck Baumgart said his department had recently begun concentrating on speeding along Main Street and 9th Street. "We've been noticing that we've had people exceeding the speed limit, so we've been concentrating on that, trying to keep people slowed down," Baumgart said. In addition, Baumgart noted that with the holidays fast approaching that people should take precautions to prevent themselves from being crime victims, such as not leaving gifts and other property in vehicles overnight and ensuring that doors are locked when leaving their homes unattended. "Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean the criminals are on holiday themselves," Baumgart said. "We'll keep an eye out, but you guys need to help." Baumgart also urged residents not put boxes that their gifts came in on the curb. "Criminals are looking for that," Baumgart said. "So make sure you take them to the facilities right away and get them away from your house." OTWELL RURITAN VENDOR/ CRAFT SHOW DEC. 7, 2013 • 10am-3pm (EST) In the Otwell Gym 2301 N. Spring St. • Otwell 30 VENDORS Contact: Denise Schnarr (812)617-0333 and/or otwell3@netzero.com Also, the Otwell Community Center will be having Breakfast with Santa that same day from 9am-11am