The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/343487
A-2 Wednesday, July 9, 2014 The Press-Dispatch 8–7 . Mon. 8–noon . Tues. 10–7 . Wed. 8–5 . Thur. 8–5 . Fri. Now Locally Owned and Operated Dr. Clint Shoultz 715 S. 9th St., Petersburg 354-9400 Don'T ForgeT your BaCk To SChool eye exaMS By Andy Heuring A Vincennes man was ar- rested Friday night after he crashed into an oncoming SUV on CR 200 S. (Bruster Branch Rd.). Jason S. Deffendnoll, 36, of 1424 Broadway St., Vin- cennes, was arrested on a charge of operating a vehi- cle while intoxicated with a prior conviction in the last five years, a class D felony. Indiana State Trooper John Davis said he respond- ed to the report of a wreck and found Deffendoll had crossed the centerline while driving east on CR 200 S., hitting a 1999 Dodge Duran- go, being driven by Kermit Underhill, in the rear quar- ter panel. Deffendoll then crashed into the woods, ac- cording to Trooper Davis. Trooper Davis said he im- mediately noticed Deffen- doll was impaired. He failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the Daviess Com- munity Hospital where he tested 0.27 percent for blood alcohol content, according to Davis. The legal limit for blood alcohol content in In- diana is 0.08 percent. When Deffendoll was medically cleared, he was transported to the Pike County Jail. Trooper Davis said two of Davis' passengers were cit- ed for open container viola- tions. No one was injured in the crash. Crash leads to DWI arrest By Andy Heuring Motorists may have no- ticed the numbers paint- ed on Highway 61 between Highway 64 and 57. INDOT spokesman Cher Elliott said those numbers are prelimi- nary work on a future pav- ing project. She said the project will start at Highway 64 and 61 at the Arthur Junction and con- tinue north past Pike Cen- tral schools, where High- ways 56 and 61 combine, and then continue to the in- tersection of Highway 57, which is Main St. in Peters- burg. It will then turn south to where Highway 56 turns to the west near McDonalds. Elliott said it is scheduled for a September 2015 letting and estimated the construc- tion would take place in the Spring of 2016. Highway 61 to be paved A man and his girlfriend were arrested Friday night following a fight. Joshua D. McCandless, 22, and Megan McKend- ry, both of 3676 CR 125 S.(Oatsville Rd.), Peters- burg, were both arrested on charges of domestic battery and battery by bodily waste. Pike County Deputy Sher- iff Chad Tharp responded to the report of a domestic dis- pute. Deputy Tharp talked to the both McCandless and McHendry and they both said they got into an argu- ment. McCandless said she spit in his face and slapped him, so he slammed her in- to a chair. McHendry said McCandless spit on her and slammed her into a chair be- fore Joshua's father separat- ed them. Both were taken into cus- tody by Deputy Tharp and Deputy Buck Seger. 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Rita Faith was also added to the Democrat ballot seek- ing the position of Washing- ton Township Trustee. The position just recently opened up when Judy White, a two- term trustee, announced she was not going to seek re-election after originally filing in the primary. On the Republican side, County Chairman Mark Flint added Travis Trout- man to the ballot to chal- lenge Myreon Krohn for the County Council District 4 seat. Continued from page 1 H Candidates added to ballot By Andy Heuring County commissioners voted to not pay a portion of a claim for a gate over a county road and argued against hiring an assistant EMA Director. Both actions came during a 15 minute meeting Monday morning. The commissioners vot- ed 2-0 to only pay part of a claim from the Indiana De- partment of Transporta- tion. The full claim was for $ 95,860. However, Com- missioner president Bri- an Davis said the original contract was for $ 89,000 for road work on CR 75 W., which is also known as Belt- line Road. It had to be relo- cated after supports for the I-69 overpass of Highway 57 were in the middle of the original road. It was relo- cated and INDOT negotiat- ed with Pike County for the cost of the work. However, later, a set of gates was put at the rail crossing. "They added farm gates at the crossing for $ 6,800. It serves no use for the public. I don't think we need to pay for the gates," said Davis. "Who ordered the gates? " asked Commissioner Jeff Nelson "All I have is letters back and forth between INDOT," said Commissioner Assis- tant Melissa Bryant. "We have a contract for $ 89,000 and then gates are above this," said County At- torny Val Fleig. "These are cattle gates you can buy at Rural King and put reflective tape on them," said Nelson. He added, "I make a mo- tion to pay the $ 89,000 por- tion of the bill." Davis and Nelson both voted to pay only the origi- nal part of the bill. Commis- sioner Ryan Coleman was not at the meeting. The project is 100 percent rewimbursable by the state. The commissioners also failed to give their blessing to the hiring of an Emergen- cy Management Agency As- sistant Director. Commissioner Assistant Bryant read a letter from the Pike County Advisory Board to the commissioners that unanimously recommend- ed Holly Bryan to be hired as an assistant to EMA Di- rector Tonda Dixon to work 24 hours a week. "She (Tonda) has the au- thority to hire this position. She is just asking for our blessing," said Commission- er Davis. "So we don't actu- ally have to vote on it." He asked for a motion on it. After a long pause Nel- son asked, "Do you want my opinion? " "I just don't think we can justify the position. I'm amazed they have budgeted money for it," said Nelson. Davis explained the posi- tion was left open after Er- nest Hume retired. Nelson said he didn't think they needed that po- sition. "It doesn't have any- thing to do with the appli- cant," said Nelson. "We are a county of 12,000 people. There are counties around us that don't even have a full-time director. I just don't see how we need an assistant," said Nelson. He added a lot of the re- sponsibilities of that posi- tion had been moved to the 911 Director. Some of those, according to Nelson, includ- ed responsibility of assign- ing addresses to new resi- dences. "I guess it dies for lack of a second," said Davis. In other business, the commissioners voted 2-0 to approve two transfers in the EMS budget. Director Chris Young said in July the state of Indiana changed the clas- sifications of EMTs they rec- ognize. The category of Ad- vanced EMT is no longer recognized. Young said Ad- vanced EMTs who did not pass a "crossover" test to become intermediates now have been moved back to the Basic category. "I did not have any money budgeted for the Basic cate- gory," said Young. "But we still have plenty of paramedics," asked Nelson. "Yes, we have eight para- medics," said Young. The commissioner voted 2-0 to transfer $12,046.54 from Intermediate to Basic EMT and $16,854.42 from Advanced to Basic. The next commissioners meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 21. Commissioners tighten their purse strings Highway 61 closed to all traffic Highway 61 is closed at the edge of Monroe City and for the next few weeks there will be no shortcut around it, as all access to Monroe City streets is blocked. It will remain closed through the summer. Gates on the Beltline Road were at the center of a controversy. They were included in a construction project, adding about $6,500 to the cost. County Commissioner Brian Davis and Jeff Nelson complained they weren't part of the original project and served no purpose for the public. The road is a coun- ty road from Highway 57 to the gates at the railroad tracks. From that point, it is a private road.