The Press-Dispatch
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Local ...........A1-8 Opinion .......A6-7 Sports .........B1-5 Classifi eds .... B6-7 Church ........C1-3 Home Life........C4-8 Obituaries........... C8 School......C10-11 History ......... C12 WHAT'S INSIDE: CONNECT WITH US: NetEdition ...pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook.....facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .........news@pressdispatch.net Phone:.................. 812-354-8500 Fax: ...................... 812-354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING See HEROIN on page 2 $ 1 Three sections Four inserts 28 pages Wednesday, January 17, 2018 Volume 148 Number 3 Phone (812) 354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) By Andy Heuring Apparently, the severe winter weather is to blame for a delay in new light poles be- ing installed along Main St., Petersburg. "I spoke to them (Duke) the week be- fore last and they had it scheduled for that week. I was under the impression it would be last week," said Petersburg Mayor R. C. Klipsch. Klipsch said that schedule was subject to emergencies. "They are talking about doing some engineering work on the indi- vidual locations. It (the light pole project) was a priority, but I guess the weather has interfered with that," said, Klipsch. The plan calls for 23 temporary wooden light poles to be put in place of the poles that were taken down. The new lights will be LED lights. In November, strong winds blew over five poles along Main St., next to the courthouse and down the next block south. When town officials were able to the see the poles' exposed bases, they found the four metal stakes, about one inch in diame- ter, had deteriorated to the point they were gone or only about a quarter inch of the rod remained. Crews from Duke arrived and removed the fallen poles and when they saw the bas- es, a decision was made to remove all the remaining original poles. It isn't known when the poles were originally installed, although Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Selby had a picture from the 1950s that showed the light poles were in place then. Petersburg has received a grant to do a Streetscape project that will replace all of the light poles with ones matching the seven poles already in place in front of the Downtown Terrace, First Federal Savings Bank and Parsifal. However, that project isn't scheduled to be under construction until 2021. Bad weather delays street light installation PIKE CENTRAL 2018 THIS FRIDAY • PAGE B-8 Pike Central High School's graduation rate for 2017 was 92.70 percent, a 3.8 per- cent improvement over the school's gradu- ation rate of 89.3 percent in 2016. According to figures released by the In- diana Department of Education on Friday, Jan. 12, 127 out of a possible total of 137 students graduated from Pike Central in 2017. In 2016, 117 out of a possible total of 131 students graduated from Pike Central. Pike Central High School's non-waiver graduation rate saw an even larger improve- ment, rising from 80.2 percent in 2016 to 90.51 percent in 2017. Statewide, the graduation rate fell from 89.1 percent in 2016 to 87.19 percent in 2017, while the non-waiver graduation rate fell from 82.38 percent in 2016 to 80.10 percent in 2017. During 2017, 92 out of 94 Pike Central High School students who paid full price for their meals graduated – a 97.8 percent average – while 35 of 40 students who re- ceived free or reduced meals graduated – an 87.5 percent average. During 2016, 70 out of 71 Pike Central High School students who paid full price for their meals graduated – a 98.6 percent average – while 47 of 54 students who re- ceived free or reduced meals graduated – an 87.0 percent average. In addition, 73 out of 74 female students – or 98.65 percent – and 54 of 63 male stu- dents – or 85.71 percent – graduated from Pike Central High School in 2017. During 2016, 61 out of 63 female students – or 96.8 percent – and 56 out of 68 male students – or 82.4 percent – graduated from Pike Central High School. PC graduation rate for 2017 improves over previous year By Andy Heuring So far, election filings have been fairly light, mostly incumbents. But some of that may be due to the weather, since filing just opened last Wednesday. Candidates for county offices have until noon, Friday, February 9 to file for office. School board candidates can file between Janu- ary 25 and August 24. Candidates for the Winslow Town Council have until July 2. This is a different date than reported last week. So far, the candidates to file are: Jody Lynn Hoover (D) for Auditor; Lida Ann Robinson (D) for Recorder; Kent E. Johnson (D) for Sheriff; Mike Goodpaster (R) for Assessor; Randall J. Harris, Jr. (R) for County Council Dist. 1; Max Elliott (R) Council Dist. 3; Travis Troutman (R) Council Dist. 4; John Davidson (R) Clay Township Trustee; Sandra Barrett (D) Monroe Twp. Trustee; Elaine Barrett (D) Monroe Twp Advisory Board. Ten candidates file for office in first week By Andy Heuring You can't go a day without hearing about the opioid addiction problem plaguing the United States and Southern Indiana. Hero- in was the plague of the 60s and 70s, but as the hippie generation passed and cocaine and other drugs appeared, heroin pretty much disappeared until the last few years. Heroin has reared its ugly head and is de- stroying people's lives. Most who end up addicted to heroin will tell you they never thought they would do that drug. A state policeman working undercover drug investigations said currently the main Cook shares his story of heroin addiction, recovery First of a three-part series Model trainmaster Roy Stilwell operates one of many trains at once from his stack of transformer train controllers. The maze of HO gauge train tracks on multiple levels and platforms in his garage keeps him busy nearly every day. See story and addi- tional photos on page A-3. Blast off! Xavery Weisman and Sadie Willis scream as they sail over a jump built on the side of a hill in Hornady Park. Kate- lyn Neal is in the back of the sled not visible. The girls were some of the about 40 people who gathered in the park to sled Saturday afternoon. See more pictures throughout the A-section.