The Press-Dispatch
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Three sections 30 pages Six inserts Wednesday, December 11, 2013 75¢ Volume 145 Number 50 Phone (812) 354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-340) Hollywalk set for Saturday; parades questionable By Andy Heuring The Hollywalk in Petersburg is a go for Saturday; however, the Petersburg Christmas parade is off for this weekend and Winslow's parade is questionable. Hollywalk on despite weather Nuttin' for Christmas Daylon Statt sings a solo part of "I'm Gettin' Nuttin'" during the Winslow Elementary Schools Christmas program on Thursay. The kids performed during school as a dress rehearsal, but because of the winter storm the performance at night was cancelled and a date for it has not been scheduled. See related photos on back page. Winslow firemen face suspension Several haven't completed state-mandated training By Alden Heuring A large portion of the Winslow Fire Department has yet to complete state-mandated firefighter training, according to fire department members Steve Nelson and Bart Stemle, and many of those refuse to do so. Nelson and Stemle asked the Winslow Town Council for support at the council's regular meeting Monday night to help bring the department back to legitimacy. "They need to be suspended from everything until they have their mandatory training," Stemle said. "The state has been enforcing and mandating it for the last 10 years; we just haven't been checked. They could show up anytime, pull our records, and we'd be done." Stemle said only "seven or eight" members of the department have completed their mandatory training. "Some of them probably have not been contacted to be signed up for training, and some have decided they will not take the training," Stemle said. "Mandatory training only takes four two-hour classes." Nelson and Stemle said they will suspend any member who doesn't have the training until they've signed up and completed it. However, Stemle said, those who refuse to take the training "don't care." "We've talked about it, and until something's written in stone, they don't care," Stemle said. "The people who haven't taken the training are still coming to fires and trying to run the show." Nelson and Stemle asked the town coun- cil to write a letter backing Nelson's decision to suspend all untrained fire personnel. Since the next mandatory training session in the area is scheduled for January, the suspension wouldn't last long—for those who are willing to sign up and finish the classes. "If you can put together a letter for our next meeting on the 16th, that would be great," Stemle said. "The mandatory training has to be complete before they can do any active fire fighting. If you don't sign up for the classes, turn in your equipment. If you do sign up, keep your equipment, and you can participate in fire fighting after the training is complete." The council agreed to draft and sign a letter supporting the suspension of untrained fire fighters. Continued on page 2 Santa will be at Marge's Hallmark from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Children's Story teller Susan Stafford will be there from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also, the free carriage rides are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. "I think we will have the carriage rides. In the 16 or 17 years we have been having them, they have never cancelled because of weather," said Leavitt. She said heavy rain or freezing rain are the only conditions that would affect the carriage rides. Also, there will be numerous sales by the local merchants. The Hollywalk is sponsored by the Petersburg Business and Professional Association. For the first time in the more than 60 years of Christmas parades in Petersburg and Winslow, they were called off for weather after winter storms dropped about a quarter inch of ice and 13 inches of snow on top of that on Friday. Even though the main roads were opened ,the snow banks lining the roads would have made parking a nightmare. Amy Barber, organizer of the Petersburg parade, said because of a travel advisory issued by the county commissioners only allowing "essential travel" in Pike County for seven days and worry about more winter weather this weekend they have will not have the parade on Saturday, December 14. She added the Pike Central High School band, a perennial performer in the parade, will be out of town in a previously scheduled competition. Barber said they are considering scheduling the parade for Saturday, December 21. She said they would make an announcement by next week. The Petersburg Delts Breakfast with Santa has been cancelled for this year. Winslow parade may go this Saturday "We had planned to have it on Saturday, but it's supposed to be more bad weather so we aren't for sure," said Winslow Fire Chief Steve Nelson. Otwell Breakfast with Santa is Saturday The Breakfast with Santa and Vendor Fair at the Otwell Community Center are scheduled for Saturday, December 13. They had been set for last weekend, but were also victims of the winter storm. Breakfast with Santa will be from 9 to 11 a.m., and the Vendor Fair will start at the Continued on page 2 Funds approved to purchase ground for EMS building By Andy Heuring County councilmen approved $25,000 to purchase ground for a new EMS Building by a 4-3 vote. The vote approved a request that had been tabled the previous two meetings and moves the county a step closer to building a new EMS Building on Illinois St. beside the city of Petersburg's proposed new Fire Department Building. Councilmen Myreon Krohn, Randy Harris and Joe Sutton voted against the measure. Harris said he voted against it because he felt there were too many options not explored by the county including the option of getting Petersburg a current fire barn when they build a new one. "We might also want to talk to John Melhiser about his lot and building," said Harris. "I just really don't think we know what we need yet. I don't see buying a piece of ground until we know what we need, especially if we don't know how big of ground we need. Until they can convince us they know what they need I don't want to buy anything," said Councilmen Joe Sutton. "We had an EMS Building and it fell into disrepair. I'm still trying to figure out why we can't repair what we had. The decision to split up into two facilities is going to add more costs," said Sutton. Several questions were asked by councilmen before it was approved. "Is this still a valid request?" asked Councilman Greg Mangin. Commissioner Brian Davis, who attended the meeting, asked Dennis Bishop if he had talked with Mike Voyles, who owns the property. Dennis said he had spoken recently with Voyles. The property had not sold, but he said, "They want an answer." "Then, yes this is still a valid request," said Davis. Bishop then asked Davis if the county needed to own a specific piece of property before a building design expert could do a proper design. Councilman Mangin, an engineer said, Continued on page 2 PIKE PUBLISHING Demi Arnold and Emma Gutzweiler were out riding their four wheeler around Winslow in the snow on Friday morning. Several inches of snow had already accumulated and eventually totaled more than 10 inches. Winter storm causes school, event cancellations By Andy Heuring A winter storm dropped about a quarterinch of ice early Friday and then between 10 and 13 inches of snow on top of that by Friday night. It has left a long line of cancellations and a few wrecks in its wake. The Winslow and Petersburg Christmas parades were cancelled, as well as numerous other events. School was cancelled through Wednesday. It will be made up on May 22. "We have had a few, but not as many as we would have expected," said Pike Coun- WHAT'S INSIDE: Local ........A1-10 Gift Guide ......A8 Church .......C1-6 Obituaries ......A3 Sports ........B1-2 Opinion..........C2 Shopping....A6-7 Classifieds ..B9-11 History ...........C7 ty Sheriff Jeremy Britton about wrecks due to the storm. "I think for the most part, Friday when the storm hit most people stayed home," said BRitton. He said there were a few slide-offs and some more serious accidents but no injuries. (See related story for accident details.) "We didn't handle it very well," said Winslow Utilities Manager Andy Smith about the town's efforts to keep the streets cleared off. "We plowed all day Friday and NEWS TIPS: Phone:.................812-354-8500 Fax: .....................812-354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net Saturday and then our snow plow broke. We fixed it and plowed Monday and it broke again," said Smith. He said they had men out spreading sand by hand and using the town's backhoe. Pike County Highway Department Superintendent Roger Ham said the county plowed snow for three days straight and finally went home and got some rest Sunday night before coming back in Monday morning. "We were in pretty good shape until Continued on page 2 CONNECT WITH US: NETedition ... pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook .... facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .......... news@pressdispatch.net