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154TH YEAR ISSUE NO. 35 $1
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
E. coli in ‘raw’ Aurora water; not in distributed H2O By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter cmattingly@registerpublications.com
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Artist Michael Blaser paints aboard the American Queen, a paddlewheeler plying the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Blaser is known for his river and steamboat scenes, and was commissioned by Aurora residents Doug and Marlene Denmure to paint a scene of Aurora’s riverfront circa the 1950s.
Aurora couple commission riverfront painting
Denmures’ donation slated for Aurora library By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter cmattingly@registerpublications.com
Long overshadowed by neighboring communities such as Cincinnati and Louisville, Aurora finally will have her own historic waterfront portrait created by nationally-known artist Michael Blaser. A native Midwesterner who has lived along the Mississippi River all his life, Blaser is a sought-after painter who specializes in riverboat history. He has been commissioned by Doug and Marlene Denmure, Aurora, to paint the Aurora waterfront as it existed in the 1950s. The painting will be unveiled at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, during a 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. reception at the Dearborn Country Club off Ind. 148, Aurora. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. A collection of his work, including one of the largest exhibitions of river artwork of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, will be on display throughout the evening. The event also will feature music and refreshments served by the
Dearborn County Club. Blaser will be it would be nice if Aurora Public Liavailable to sign copies of the limited brary had a painting of Aurora. They'd edition piece. met Blaser briefly That Friday at the unveiling in morning, Blaser “... He made a comment Lawrenceburg, and will be visiting area the couple have schools to speak to some folks Aurora several prints of his about art and the including of would really be an work, rivers. the Lawrenceburg The Denmures, interesting town to painting. Aurora, plan to do“I'd heard after nate the finished, paint.” he did Lawrenceoriginal painting Doug Denmure burg's painting … to the Aurora PubAttorney he made a comment lic Library Saturto some folks Auroday, Sept. 20. The ra would really be library is installing an interesting town track lighting in the main floor of the to paint,” said Denmure. Blaser had building, the original library, where said the river town was very attractive the painting will hang to the left of the from the river with its church steeples, circulation desk and be visible after one the Southside School and Hillforest – climbs the steps and enters. and it was not blocked by a levee. “We met him briefly at the unveiling When the Denmures contacted Blaof the Lawrenceburg painting,” said ser, “he was happy and excited” about Doug Denmure, referring to a painting painting Aurora, said Doug Denmure. of Lawrenceburg's riverfront done by “He's the one who decided the 50s era,” Blaser that now hangs in the Lawrence- added Denmure, an Aurora attorney. burg Public Library. Following the artist's reception, gi“He's pretty well known as a river clees reproductions of the painting as and steamboat artist,” said Denmure. well as other works by Blaser will be The Lawrenceburg Blaser painting, un- available at the Framery, 575 Main St., veiled in February 2012, looked so nice Lawrenceburg. For more information, in the library the Denmures thought call the Framery at 1-812-537-4319.
G’dale changes mind on Georgetown sewer extenstion By Chris McHenry Contributor New information about the number of houses involved in a proposed sanitary sewer expansion on Georgetown Road has modified the Greendale Board of Works attitude toward the project. At their Aug. 25 meeting members discussed a listing of 13 homes included in the area, and agreed that given the information available it would probably not pose a threat to capacity issues for Greendale. The homes were included in a for-
© REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, 2014
mal complaint filed by the Dearborn County Regional Sewer District with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission asking that Valley Rural Utility Company be required to turn the area over to LMS Utilities. That area of Georgetown Road was included in the original territory assigned to VRUC but a contract with Greendale limits VRUC’s service to homes within 300 feet of its present lines. The problem arose when homeowners discovered their septic systems were either failing or did not meet current standards.
The Board of Works has now agreed by consensus to work with VRUC in their quest to serve the homes. The original proposal asked that VRUC provide service to the homes, which would then pass through Greendale’s sewer system to the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District for treatment. Greendale officials were initially concerned that if the number of houses involved were too large, it could trigger a “build out” of Greendale’s system, costing potentially several million dollars.
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INSIDE TODAY OBITUARIES.......................2
SPORTS..........................8-9
The water Aurora Utilities customers are and have been getting “tested good” Tuesday, Aug. 26, a day after samples taken of untreated water at the wellheads came back positive for E. coli, said Aurora Utilities Superintendent Randy Turner Friday morning, Aug. 29. Nonetheless, Aurora Utilities issued a boil water advisory Friday morning, as directed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, he said. IDEM officials told Aurora that was the only way to handle the situation, and also advised Turner that the way the utilities samples water at the wellheads needs to change. Meanwhile, South Dearborn Schools notified parents via automated phone call of the water advisory. SD ad-
Cradles to Crayons Helping your children grow
Before & after school care available as well as school break options for the new balanced school year • 6 Weeks to 10 Years Fully licensed center • Meals & snacks provided Fun & Educational activities • Safe, secure, supervised
See WATER, Page 10
Grant could help seniors age in place By Erika S. Russell & Denise F. Burdette Editor & Asst. Editor Lawrenceburg city council was ready to help Lifetime Housing Group fix up a resident’s house by providing matching funds. Lifetime Housing Group is a separate entity from Lifetime Resources. The housing group applied for grants for several houses in Dearborn, Ohio and other Southeastern Indiana counties, part of the ongoing aging in place intitiative. The grants help folks update their properties inside and out to accomodate an older person’s changing needs, said Carla Burkhart, with Lifetime Housing Group. One of the houses on this grant application is in Lawrenceburg, and the total repairs slated for the house are estimated between $15,000 and $16,000, and the match needed is $1,780, explained Burkhart at council’s Monday, Aug. 18, meeting. Councilman Bill-Bill Bruner asked if there were still funds available through Lawrenceburg Main Street, which did have a residential improvement grant program. Those funds are for exterior improvements only, and are capped at $500, said Pat Krider, Lawrenceburg Main Street Director. She said later in the meeting Main Street could provide $500 of the match, since some of the improvements are for exterior work. Bruner said he was in favor of matching the grant, and Clerk-Treasurer Jackie Stutz
WEATHERforecast
Today: High: 86 Low 64
vised water fountains in the schools in Aurora and Dillsboro would be blocked off. Water would be provided to students, and precautions taken in the cafeterias for lunch. Samples at the city's three wellheads are taken using yard hydrants because the water lines themselves all are underground, said Turner. If a faucet were installed, it would be subject to freezing in winter. But before the samples were taken Aug. 25, there were bird droppings on the hydrants, he said. They were rinsed off and splashed with chlorine. Nonetheless, all three samples from that day, one from each wellhead, tested positive for E. coli, he said. “I didn't know what to do because it's raw water. We don't give people the raw water anyway,” said Turner, explaining the water goes
Wed: High: 87 Low: 65
said she would look for a line item in the city’s budgets with money available. Burkhart said all she needed now is a signed commitment letter. Councilman Mike Lawrence said he thought there was a line item for improvements, and deputy clerk-treasurer Suzanne Orndorff had a current copy of the budgets, and found the line item with money. Council unanimously approved the match for the grant. Stutz also said the city needs to write the check for the grant by the end of the year, since the money is in the 2014 budget.
County hedges
Meanwhile, Burkhart appeared before Dearborn County council members Monday, Aug. 25, during the first day of county budget hearings. Burkhart said it was the first time Lifetime Housing Group has approached Dearborn County council for money. The request for $8,900, however, was not approved as council members continue to look for ways to slash the budget amid dwindling riverboat revenue sharing funds. Five of the homes Lifetime Housing Group is trying to help rehabilitate are located in the county, outside municipal boundaries. One is in Guilford, one near Aurora and three near Moores Hill. The $8,900 was requested to match grant funds and to show local financial support and committment for the pro-
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