The Press-Dispatch
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75¢ Happy New Year Three sections 26 pages Three inserts Wednesday, January 1, 2014 Volume 146 Number 1 Phone (812) 354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-340) Boundaries for county districts change in 2014 Local candidates begin announcing their candidacy By Andy Heuring The calendar may have just turned to 2104, but the election of 2014 is already in motion. It officially begins next week on Wednesday, January 8, which is the first date for candidates to officially file. The last day to file a candidacy in Indiana is noon on Friday, February 7. The Press-Dispatch has two candidate announcements being published this week. (Candidate announcements submitted to The Press-Dispatch will be published with in two weeks following their filing.) There are several local, state and nation- "They will still all vote in the same precinct. They will just have different candidates.` County Clerk Carol Austin al offices up for election in 2014. Locally, Auditor, Recorder, Sheriff, Assessor, Prosecutor, Commissioner District 2 and all four County Council district seats are up for election as well as the township advisory boards, township trustees and delegates to state convention for both parties. Locally the races could be confusing for voters, because 15 of the 18 Pike County precincts are now in a different county council district. The districts now are: • District 1: Clay, Logan, Madison, Washington 2, and Petersburg 1, 2, and 4. • District 2: Washington 3, Petersburg 3 and Jefferson 2. • District 3: Winslow and Patoka 1 and 2. • District 4: Jefferson 2, Marion, Monroe and Lockhart. Pike County Clerk Carol Austin said her office has completed moving the precincts into the new districts, but because none of the precinct boundaries changed, voters won't be receiving letters. "They will still all vote in the same precinct. They will just have different candidates on the ballot," said Austin. She said the voting place for three precincts will change. Logan and Patoka 1 will now vote in the Littles General Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, which is located on the Sugar Ridge Road east of Glezen. Jefferson 1, which previously voted in Alford or Algiers, will be moved to the Otwell Community Center. On the state level, three State Representative races for districts 63, 64 and 75 will be contested in Pike County precincts as Continued on page 2 Rescue personnel ranging from volunteer firemen, Conservation Officer divers to water rescue teams set up on both sides of White River early Sunday morning when Adam and Kathryn McGill were swept into the flood waters by currents. Adam was rescued, but searchers were unable to locate Kathryn as of Monday evening. Woman missing after car swept off SR257 By Andy Heuring A Virginia woman is missing and her husband was rescued from a tree top after the vehicle they were riding in was swept into floodwaters of the White River by a fast moving current early Sunday morning. Kathryn McGill, 31, was riding in a Chevrolet Colorado pickup with her husband, Adam McGill, 35, sometime before 8 a.m. Sunday morning when they attempted to cross the Homer Capehart Bridge over the White River on Highway 257. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, McGill was driving south on Highway 257. Lt. Duane Englert said Adam McGill is in the Navy and was home visiting family, who live in the Glendale area, and he and his wife were on their way to Jasper. "Her license said Des Plaines, Ill., but they had been living in Norfolk, Va.," said DNR spokesman Gordon Haywood. Englert said the McGills were going south and realized they couldn't make it through the water, so they started backing up, but the vehicle started taking on water and then was swept off the road on the Pike County side of the bridge. Jefferson Township Fire Chief Roger Young said the road dips down on the Pike County side of the bridge. He said just off the side of the road, it is about 12 to 15 feet Continued on page 2 Year in review: the second half of 2014 news July • Phyllis and Jerry Claridge narrowly escaped with their lives when a semi-truck loaded with coal overturned on Highway 61 as they were out for their morning walk. Jerry was able to jump out of the way of the truck. Phyllis, who was walking behind Jerry, was hit by the load of coal as it spilled and rolled down the side of the road. It hit her and carried her about 20 to 30 feet into a cattle gate. She was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. • Strong storms hit the county, downing numerous trees and causing damage in the Otwell area. A carport was thrown across the road, a Buchta building was blown onto a road, as well as other less serious damage in the area. • About 60 people attended the Winslow Town Council's meeting and expressed concern about rumors that the Winslow Community Center was going to close. Town Council members stated there were no immediate plans to close the facility and that they would do everything in their power to keep it open. • Adam Myers, 23, of Winslow, was arrested on charges of criminal recklessness after he drove his car over Jordan King's foot on the Winslow Elementary School parking lot. A second person said they have to dive out of the way to keep from being hit by Myers. • Pike Central High School graduate Bradon Barragan placed second in the National Skills USA welding contest. • Ashli Riley is named the 2013 Miss Pike County. Samira Shalabi-Loges was named First runner up and Chelsea Faith was named Second Runner-up. • Pike County School's Board of Education announced they were cutting the Pampered Chargers Day Care Center for the 2013-14 school year as a cost cutting Continued on page 2 Commissioners purchase property for EMS barn Flames erupt from a camper parked next to Max Horrall's residence at the corner of Walnut and First Sts. in Petersburg on Monday, December 23. Trailer fire spreads to adjacent house By Andy Heuring A quick moving fire spread from an engulfed camper to the house it was parked next to Monday evening. However, Petersburg firemen were able to extinguish the fire in time to limit the fire damage to the house. The camper was a total loss. Both were owned by Max Horrall. Petersburg Fire Captain Jeff PIKE PUBLISHING Nelson said Horrall had just put a new heater in the camper. "Obviously that is what caused the fire," said Nelson. He said Horrall "sometimes" lived in the house and camper located at the corner of First and Walnut Sts. in Petersburg. Passerbys called in the fire at about 9 p.m. When firemen arrived, the camper was fully en- WHAT'S INSIDE: Local ..........A1-8 Classifieds ....B8-9 Health.........C4-5 Obituaries ......A3 Church .......C1-8 History ...........C7 Sports ........B1-5 Opinion..........C2 gulfed and the southwest corner of the house was starting to burn. Within a few minutes, firemen had the flames extinguished. Horrall was not at home when it started, but arrived while firemen were there. "I remember looking out a window and seeing Max outside. I was glad to see him out there walking around," said Nelson. NEWS TIPS: Phone:.................812-354-8500 Fax: .....................812-354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net By Andy Heuring County commissioners voted to purchase an acre of ground on Illinois St. for the new EMS Building and adopted a new holiday pay policy for county employees of 247 agencies. Both actions were taken during an end-of-year special meeting Monday morning. County Attorney Val Fleig summarized the purchase agreement saying it called for the county to pay $25,000 for the one acre plot on Illinois St. and that if the property is determined at a later date by the design professionals to be unsuitable for the building, the agreement can be voided. "Is this site suitable for this?" asked Commissioner Ryan Coleman. "It is according to DLZ. But they said we shouldn't go any smaller," said Commissioner Jeff Nelson. The agreement was approved by a 3-0 vote. At the same time, the Commissioners approved a personal services agreement with DLZ for the EMS Building project. According to the agreement, "DLZ will provide the aforementioned professional services for the lump sum fee of $37,000. If the scope of work, schedule or probable construction costs are modified, DLZ reserves the right to review our professional services fee with Pike County and to make adjustments accordingly." "They were the only ones who would do it that cheap," said Commissioner Nelson. Holiday pay policy changed The county's holiday pay policy was amended for employees of 247 agencies of the Emergency Management Services, sheriff, jail and central dispatch. It states: Employees in a 24/7 department, such as sheriff, jail, EMS and 911 operators, shall celebrate the holiday on the day it falls instead of the national recognized day. Example: a holiday falling on Saturday is recognized on the previous Friday and a holiday falling on Sunday is nationally recognized on the following Monday. "If an employee works the holiday that falls within the employee's 40 hour work week, the employee shall be paid straight time for hours worked plus eight hours holiday pay at time and a half. "If the holiday falls on an employee's scheduled day to work and an employee takes off, the employee shall be paid eight hours straight time holiday pay. "If an employee works the holiday, the employee shall be paid straight time for hours worked and holiday pay of eight hours at time and a half." In other business, the commissioners approved and signed a "letter of acknowledgement" concerning the county's deal with PeContinued on page 2 CONNECT WITH US: NETedition ... pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook .... facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .......... news@pressdispatch.net