theHARRISONpress Here for you since 1925
pairs Quality Body &owPan inPrticReing at Homet rrison, IN West Ha 211 N. State St. ise r Hardware) (Next to Ka 812-637-0412
SEE OUR AD IN THE SERV
ICE DIRECTORY!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Harrison, West Harrison, Crosby, Harrison & Whitewater TWPs.
Arctic cold keeps area on high alert Schools close, people check on neighbors, Greater Harrison guts out frigid, frosty days Patricia Huelseman Harrison Press Staff Writer phuelseman@registerpublications.com
On Monday, Jan. 6, and Tuesday, Jan. 7, Harrison experienced arctic weather that affected most of the country.
What meteorologists are calling a “Polar Vortex” sank its teeth into nearly the entire nation. In Fargo, N.D., temperatures dropped to 32 below. In Mobile, Ala., weather dropped to 30 degrees, where teachers and principals entertained talk of closing schools for Tuesday due to freezing weather. Here in Greater Harrison, folks suffered around 5 below but with windchill, temperatures felt as low as 33 below. Such extreme weather affected the area in many ways. Frigid temps put a freeze on students returning to school from winter break. Southwest Local Schools Superintendent Chris Brown explained school was closed Monday “mainly because we weren’t sure what the roads were going to look like.” With heavy precipitation all day Sunday and the intense
freeze over night, Brown expected slick road conditions. He also expressed concern for students and teachers being exposed to freezing weather, but the primary conflict was icy roads as well as accessibility to parking lots. Harrison Fire Chief Rob Hursong also made small adjustments in preparation for the weather. “In the event that we would have any fires … I’ve advised officers to ask for additional resources.” This, he said, was to better deal with the freezing temperatures and intense weather. Duke Energy stated it was “closely monitoring the forecast and was prepared to respond if winter weather should cause power interruptions for our customers.” Though snow does not typically cause power outages, Duke expressed concern because of the combined freezing rain, snowy conditions, weakened trees, saturated grounds and deteriorating traffic conditions. Duke intensified its plans in anticipation of any necessary repairs during the freezeout. According to Harrison Councilman Jim Robertson, Duke Energy was willing to work with customers experiencing financial difficulty. Ordinarily, power is turned
off when electricity bills go delinquent. Duke would allow the power to remain on as long as the customer has set up a plan for later payment. “You have to be making arrangements to pay, and you can avoid being disconnected in severe weather,” he said. Robertson said there are other ways to escape the cold as well. “If someone needs to come in out of the cold, we’ll let them hang out at the community center.” In the past, there has not been a great need for this, he said. Likewise, Crosby Township Senior Center was available for anyone trying to escape the cold. Kim Downey, township community coordinator, said this could be arranged by calling 738-1440. Downey also said in severe weather, it is important to ensure the welfare of the elderly. “The folks who are members of our senior center,” she said, “We check on them.” When this story was filed, it was -3 but forecasts called for a low of -10, indicating the potential to shatter the 90-year-old record. While the warmest weather recorded for Jan. 6 in Greater Cincinnati is 72 in 1946, according to the National PHOTOBY JOE AWAD/HARRISON PRESS Weather Service, the coldest The temperature plummeted to 3 below before lunch Monday, Jan. 6. hit -7 in 1924.
SW picks up tab for guards Joe Awad Harrison Press Editor
jawad@registerpublications.com
SUBMITTED PHOTO/HARRISON PRESS
Tyler Sawyers, 14, a resident of Harrison Township, is proud to hold the Southern Indiana Racing Association 2 Cycle Jr. Championship title for Yamaha kart racing.
Harrison Twp. lad, dad & bro can’t part from art of kart
Patricia Huelseman Harrison Press Staff Writer phuelseman@registerpublications.com
Tyler Sawyers, 14, a resident of Harrison Township, is proud to hold the SIRA 2 Cycle Jr. Championship title for Yamaha kart racing. The SIRA (Southern Indiana Racing Association) is a go-kart racing organization
with members from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The association accommodates racers from age 5 and up. It includes many competitors with years of experience, some with professional racing backgrounds. Sawyers has been “karting” for about three years but the official start of his career is hazy because Sawyers has
been behind the wheel of a kart since he could reach the pedals and control the steering. For the Sawyers family, karting is part of life. Tyler’s dad, Tim, started racing when he was about 12. He hasn’t left the kart since. Tyler’s older brother, Ayrton, 18, named after professional racer Ayrton Senna, has been
SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS! www.mywarrantyforever.com Lifetime Powertrain Warranty included with virtually every New/Used purchase*
www.hirlingerchevrolet.com • 800-964-8336 New W. Harrison I-74 Exit 169 • Pre Owned Harrison I-74 Exit 3 1. All rebates, in lieu of any special financing. 2. Must show proof of current ownership and trade a 1999 or newer vehicle. 3. Covers only scheduled oil changes with filter & tire rotations according to your new vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule for up to 2 yrs or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. Does not include air filters. Max of 4 service events. Excludes Silverado 2500 & 3500 vehicles. See dealer for details. Take delivery by 1/10/14.
just as committed. In 2013, Tyler Sawyers took home his first championship. The division in which Sawyers raced was limited to competitors between ages 12 and 15. Ten races were held in different locations mostly
SEE KART, PAGE 8
$750 $2,000 $1,500
$5,250
The changing of the guard came quickly in Harrison after city council ripped out the pay for three school crossing guards in December and the Southwest Local School Board voted to pick up the tab two days later. Council passed a zero balance budget for 2014 on Tuesday, Dec. 17, and the school board voted unanimously Thursday, Dec. 19, to assume the $13,000 annually for the three guards. Little light was shed on why the expense was part of the city’s budget or how long the municipality had paid the bill, but several councilmen said off the record for nearly a year the expense would be among the first to go if the city’s budget took an income hit in 2013. It did and the pay was eliminated among several other maintenance and staffing cuts. Southwest Superintendent Chris Brown said he was informed of council’s decision
by Mayor Joel McGuire. The school board then met briefly in executive session Thursday before voting to assume the costs. One guard works the busy area in front of Harrison Elementary School on Broadway, another works Harrison Avenue a block north, and the third patrols Stone Drive in back of Whitewater Valley. “One of our number one goals is safety, and we feel very strongly those are needed for the safety of our students,” said Brown. Although we don’t have a whole lot of budget room either, we have to have them for the safety of our staff and students, and the board agreed.” The district contacted its attorneys who recommended local law enforcement employ the guards. That won’t happen but Harrison Police Chief Chuck Lindsey has agreed that his force will continue to train and update the crossing guards, said Brown. A phone survey revealed about 50 percent of school districts in and around Cincinnati pay the salaries of crossing guards, said Brown.
Wrecks abound near Miamitown, Page 8 Copyright Register Publications, 2014
89th Year, No. 2
#9385
OVER 40 SILVERADOS IN STOCK!