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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2015

Authorities arrest Judson on federal charges of voter fraud, witness tampering Times staff report

JUD S ON

Sullivan County councilman Max Judson was indicted on four counts involving election fraud and witness tampering by a federal grand jury in October. If convicted, he faces up to five

years in prison for the each of the three fraud charges and up to 20 years on the witness tampering charge. A trial date is scheduled for March 21 in U.S. District Court in Terre Haute. A pre-trial hearing is set for 2 p.m. on Feb. 22. The first three federal counts

Johnus L. Orr charged for alleged murder of stepsister

OR R

Times staff report Last January brought an answer to the lingering question from the previous year, as police arrested Johnus L. Orr on Jan. 20 for the alleged murders of his stepsister Tiffanie Adams and her

unborn child in November 2014. Adams’ body was discovered by a farmer while harvesting in a cornfield located just northeast of Sullivan at CR 300N and CR 325E on Dec. 30. On Jan. 2 last year, law enforcement agencies identified the body as the 20-year-old Adams, who had been missing since Nov. 5. An autopsy conducted the next day ruled Adams’ death a homicide and determined the fetus she was carrying was viable, which led to an additional murder charge. See MURDER on B4

Bad year for town council incumbents; Sullivan mayor Lamb re-elected was the top vote-getter for the Dugger town council. A Sullivan Mayor Clint few weeks later, he resigned Lamb was easily elected to from the county council, a second-term by garnering then was replaced by Byron nearly 67 percent of the Ward in a Democrat caucus vote, defeating challenger late in December. Jeff Wamsley in the Nov. 3 The following are municipal general election. recaps of the town elecLikewise, the Sullivan tions: city council and clerk-trea• Carlisle — Two of surer races were a sweep by three incumbents retained the Democrats. their council seats. That being said, Azalia Barfield multiple town counfended off a chalcil incumbents were lenge from Jerry voted out in townHayne in Council conducted elections Dist. 3. Clint Durall in Carlisle, Dugger, ran unopposed in Farmersburg, Council Dist. 2. L A MB Hymera, Merom and Harold Hatfield Shelburn. is the newcomer on the None of the six county council, defeating incumtowns was immune in their bent Joan Orr in Dist. 1. elections. All three incum- Orr filled out the term of bents were replaced in her late husband Bill Orr Hymera, two each in since he passed away in Dugger and Farmersburg, June. with Carlisle, Merom and Incumbent Suzan Shelburn losing one apiece. Ridgway ran unopposed Toss in a game of musi- for clerk-treasurer. cal chairs, as sitting county See INCUMBENTS on B6 councilman William Pirtle Times staff report

B2/ Carlisle Bicentennial

Carlisle Bicentennial was worth the wait

allegedly occurred on or about March 22 and May 6, 2014: • Soliciting a voter to complete an absentee ballot application, knowing the voter, a Greene County resident, was ineligible to register to vote and vote in the Sullivan County primary.

• Pre-marking an absentee ballot so that another person voted for someone different than intended. • Obtaining and distributing absentee ballots to voters without authorization. See JUDSON on B6

ONGOING SAGA

Times file photo Daryl McCullough, left, who was hired as the Hymera town marshal on Dec. 8, is shown following a brief physical altercation with former town marshal Darrick Cullison, not shown, during a town council meeting that night. McCullough was eventually fired for not passing a preliminary test necessary to become marshal.

Hymera town marshal firing

GOES VIRAL Times staff report

lenty of collateral damage has been left in the wake of this year’s efforts by the Hymera Town Council to fire its town marshal. After a tumultuous past several months dealing with this often volatile issue, town marshal Darrick Cullison was fired, his replacement dismissed, then a third prospect withdrew his application. Also, the entire three-person council — Clarence “J.R.” Weddle, Russell Knight and Marty Getchell — in addition to its clerk-treasurer, Jill Street, were ousted dur-

ing the election process. Weddle and Street were defeated in party caucuses, Getchell lost in the Nov. 3 general election, while Knight chose not to run for re-election. But most memorable is the “The Fight” during a Dec. 8 meeting between Cullison and his replacement, Daryl CU LL ISON McCullough, filmed by two TV news stations that went viral nationally, and internationally, in a heartbeat. Oh yes, a lawsuit filed by Cullison against the town is still in the process, along with an Indiana State Police investigation into the fight. See VIRAL on B2

Civic center opens for business to steady stream of events Times staff report The dedication of the Sullivan Civic Center finally came on Sept. 18 after a lengthy planning and construction process, and the facility has seen a steady stream of events since that time. Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb spoke of the civic center’s opening in a larger scope during the grand opening and open house that day, noting many talk of the city’s erosion. “This town’s dying, and it’s over,” he recounted hearing from people. “I’m here to tell you it

B3/ Sunrise Coal

175 employees let go from Sunrise Coal’s Carlisle mine

isn’t dying. ... It’s not whether we can make a difference. We are making a difference. “This is not about Clint Lamb,” the mayor said. “Seventy-five people came together and made this happen.” Sullivan City Redevelopment Commission President Jim Exline called that Friday, “a most wonderful, spectacular day for Sullivan. “Close your eyes for one moment and picture what was here three years ago,” he said. “Underneath was contami-

nation (referring to coal ash in the soil from years before it was even Central Elementary). Picture that.” The civic center was built on the former cite of Central Elementary, which sat vacant for several years on the city’s rolls before 2012, when the city received a grant to demolish the building. That demolition occured during the summer of 2013. Exline noted more is to come as the civic center is simply the first step in a larger picture.

B5/ Farmersburg Council

Farmersburg Town Council approves 22 percent sewer rate increase

See CENTER on B3

‘

A most wonderful, spectacular day for Sullivan.”

— JIM EXLINE

Sullivan City Redevelopment Commission President

B7/ Dugger Charter School Dugger Union opens doors as its own charter school

PG4/ Sullivan woman charged with animal neglect awaits trial • PG8/ State title by North Central earns No. 1 sports story

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Carlisle Bicentennial was worth the wait

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Times file photo Numerous people turned out for one of the concerts held during the Carlisle Bicentennial celebration, which ran between June 10-14.

Times staff report After two years of planning, Carlisle celebrated its 200th birthday in June with all involved pleased with the five-day festival. “Oh my gosh, we were ecstatic about (the turnout),” Bicentennial Committee treasurer Mary Ann Dudley said soon after the festival ended. “We kind of hoped for a lot, but it went above and beyond what we hoped it would be.” “The tractor pull (on the final day) was very successful,” committee president Larry Cox said. “All the events were very successful, and a lot of people have commented they would like to do something every year. They really enjoyed it.” “I just get compliment after compliment about the committee, and they’d love (for us) to do it again,” Dudley added. The festival ran between June 10-14. Friday and Saturday brought the most people to Carlisle’s downtown, with BritBeat and the VanDells performing with Saturday evening capped by fireworks. “Everybody couldn’t believe, for Carlisle, how big the fireworks show was,” Dudley said the week after. “We had friends in New Lebanon who said they could see them from their front porch.” Both Dudley and Cox were pleased with the turnout for Saturday’s parade, with Dudley believing the entries were just over 80. “I believe it was closer to 90,”

Viral

Cox said. Two memories from the celebration stick out for him. “How the local community turned out and how the people just cleaned up for this,” Cox said of his first impression. The second involved meeting a descendant of James Ledgerwood and his son Samuel, who were initial settlers of what later became Carlisle. “We met descendants of Sam Ledgerwood, and that was pretty nice,” he said. “One came from Connecticut. He was out taking a driving vacation and meant to be here a few days earlier. Right after the closing ceremonies, he came up to me and our VFW commander. “He wasn’t aware there was a Ledgerwood cemetery in Carlisle,” Cox continued. “He signed one of our (commemorative) books and that was pretty neat.” Although rain was predicted leading up to the festival, Carlisle received hardly a drop that week. “We got no rain during the festival,” Dudley said. “It was like amazing. We had to make a decision (whether to move music into the school gym) three hours before each show. “We got the tractor pull in (Sunday), and, then, the rain hit,” she said. “Somebody was looking out for us because we were tracking storms on Friday,” Cox added. “It was pretty amazing because, right when our entertainment was to start, we had storms to the south of us

Continued from B1 The marshal issue began in earnest in June, leading to the termination of Cullison on Oct. 13. McCullough was hired to replace Cullison at the Dec. 8 meeting, but, only moments later, the pair were involved in their fist fight. Less than a week later, McCullough proceeded to fail a written test in an Indiana Law Enforcement Pre-Basic Course on two separate occasions. The council then was expected to hire Randy Tate, who also interviewed for the position and passed the test, on Dec. 23. But he withdrew his application just prior to the meeting, which was canceled.

and storms to the north of us,” he continued. “It didn’t rain on our parade.” Although the Bicentennial Committee provided all the entertainment for free, Dudley said it finished in the black, with about $5,000 left over from donations and fundraisers. “I think everybody made some money,” she added of vendors and carnival providers. “We have a little bit of money to hopefully have a little festival next year,” Dudley said. Cox believes the Bicentennial Committee met its goals with the celebration. “We made a lot of improvements for the town of Carlisle,” he said. “That’s what we were looking for ... something that would help the town and improve the town. We wanted to leave our footprint for our generation.” The thrills of the Carlisle Bicentennial Celebration were tinged by sadness a day later with the passing of longtime Carlisle Town Council President Bill Orr. After a long illness, several people said seeing the bicentennial come to fruition was important to Orr. “He’d been ill for a while, and he got to ride in the parade Sunday,” council member Azalia Barfield said soon after his death. “That was one of the things he wanted to do.” “It’s going to be a big loss,” fellow member Clint Durall said. “I know he said he wanted to see the bicentennial, and I’m glad he got to see it.”

The town residents, many who attended the monthly meetings, spoke volumes at the ballot box. Picking up the pieces in 2016 on the town marshal, and other issues, will be new council members James “Scott” Enstrom, Gary “Skip” Enstrom and Carl Samm. Also new will be clerk-treasurer Nicole Hall. “Got some issues to resolve, improve upon things,” James Enstrom said. “We’ll be setting out some goals.” “Want to get things straightened out, lined out,” Samm noted. Both agreed the open town marshal position will be readvertised, applications will be taken, and they will go through the interview process — again.

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175 employees let go from Sunrise Coal’s Carlisle mine

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Times file photo At the end of July, Denver, Colorado-based Hallador Energy Company announced it was laying off 175 employees of Sunrise Coal LCCʼs Carlisle mine

Times staff report Citing unforeseen changes in the coal market, the company that owns Sunrise Coal LCC’s Carlisle mine reduced its staff by 175 people at the end of July. ColoradoDenver, based Hallador Energy Company, which owns Sunrise, moved the majority of its production to the Oaktown Complex. “A large number of employees will transfer from Carlisle to Oaktown. Unfortunately, a reduction in force of 175 employees is necessary, effective (July 27),” a release from the company said. “We thank these employees for their service and dedication.” A letter to an employee that circulated on Facebook bearing Sunrise Coal letterhead, dated July 26 and signed by “Sunrise Coal, Management” indicated that “(u)nfortunately, the demand for coal has significantly decreased over the last few months. Because of this and other external

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factors effecting (sic) the coal market, Sunrise Coal must reduce its workforce.” The letter indicated that the employees will receive pay for unused vacation days; that employee benefits ended the day the letter was dated; and that the worker would receive temporary coverage, while also suggesting visiting WorkOne to apply for unemployment benefits. A few days after the layoffs, the Sullivan Rotary Club provided school supplies for students from families affected, along with those recently affected by Raybestos terminations. The news release announcing the layoffs noted that “2015 brought mild weather and a glut of low priced nat(ural) gas. Most of our customers were surprised by these conditions and purchased too much coal for 2015. In an effort to assist our customers balance their current needs and to secure long-term fuel supply, we agreed to modify several of our contracts.

“To implement these changes,” it continued, “production at our Oaktown Complex will be increased and production at our Carlisle Mine will be decreased. For the next couple of years, we expect Oaktown to represent more than 90% of our production.” According to Sunrise Coal’s website, the Carlisle mine produced about “3 million tons of bituminous coal annually” and “290 employees at the Carlisle Mine operate (four) underground mining units using the room and pillar approach ... Our No. 5 coal seam is 350-440 feet deep, and it is accessed through a 2,400-foot driveable, dualuse slope.” Sunrise Coal acquired the Oaktown mine in 2014, its website entry on the location notes, and “(a)ltogether, Carlisle, Oaktown and the War Eagle reserve (another coal seam now harvested through Oaktown) have become a 230 (million-)ton underground coal complex.”

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a park featuring an amphitheater, fountains and botanical gardens. Lamb stated that the first phase of the $2 million project came in on budget and on schedule. The project was funded through the city’s Riverboat Fund, which comes from gambling establishments throughout the state and is split among municipalities. Additional monies will come from the Cumulative Capital Development fund, which is earmarked for such improvements, and the Downtown Improvement line in its General Fund, along with Trash, Garbage and Refuse and Economic Development Income Tax funds. When the project was first presented to the Sullivan City Council, Lamb said the project would be paid with $130,000 annually drawn from those funds. The second phase is to be paid through corporate and other donations, fundraisers and the use of the civic center itself. Since September, rarely has a week gone by without the civic center hosting an event.

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Continued from B1 “It’s phase one of a bigger project,” Exline said. “The designs (for Sullivan Central Plaza) are even better than what you will see inside.” He credited Lamb for his vision, noting he wanted to place a park in the location that would bring people downtown “and not a park that replicated what we had on the south side of the town.” Jen Thompson, president of Friends of Central Plaza, thanked “all the dreamers and goal-setters” who made the opening possible. “I believe in what is going to happen out here,” she continued in regard to the larger park project. “I’m demanding a better quality of life for everyone here and everyone (in Sullivan) at home now. “We want the best,” she concluded. “We deserve the best.” Original drafts, presented by Terre Haute-based Garmong Construction Services, for the complete plaza included

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Times file photo Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb speaks behind a podium during the ribboncutting ceremony of the Sullivan Civic Center held Sept. 18.

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Sullivan woman charged with animal neglect awaits trial officer entered the property around 3:35 p.m. that day and found one of the dogs and a cat locked on a sun porch before A Sullivan woman who was charged in one of the worst entering the main house. “Inside the residence, there (were) large amounts of animal neglect cases in recent memory in Sullivan County is clothes and trash piled up everywhere, and we had to walk still making her way through the court system. Rebecca Marquis, 34, was charged with 10 Class A through ‘paths’to navigate the house,” Garrett stated. “There misdemeanor counts of cruelty to an animal in Sullivan was feces everywhere on the floor that wasn’t covered in Circuit Court on Aug. 7 for the conditions five dogs, seven clothes or trash.” The crated dog was found to have its collar imbedded cats and six newborn kittens found at her residence. Authorities were first informed of the case on Aug. 1, into its neck, which had caused an infection to set in. Four of the kittens were found dead at the scene, when staff with The Humane Society of Sullivan while the other two reportedly died en route to the County and Sullivan City Police Department officers shelter. were called to the home at 212 W. Giles St. in referThe other cats had to be euthanized due to their ence to a wandering dog. condition. The neighbor who reported the animal also “They were severely dehydrated, infested with informed SCPD Assistant Chief Micheal Garrett that fleas and worms,” said Rebecca Carmichael, a “he had not seen anyone at the residence for several THSSC registered veterinary technician. “Some days.” M A R QUI S could hardly walk.” Garrett and THSSC staff went over to the home The dogs, she noted a few days after they were taken and found another dog chained up under a carport. As a staffer provided some food for the second dog, from the residence, were making quick progress in recovery. “It was really bad,” Carmichael added. “It was probaGarrett stated that he and another officer observed through a nearby window two cats, one of which “had a large growth bly the worst I’ve seen ... “I think if those dogs had been in that house any longer, the size of a golf ball where its right eye should be,” as well they wouldn’t have made it,” she added. “And it was the as the crated dog. “From the window I could see the animal’s rib cage, neighbors who told us. We rely on the public to be our eyes hips and spinal column protruding severely,” Garrett added and ears.” She suggested anyone who suspects animal neglect in his report. After receiving a search warrant for the property, the might be occurring should contact the authorities. Times staff report

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Times file photos Above, Sullivan County Sheriffʼs Department staff lead Johnus Luke Orr into the Sullivan County Courthouse for a hearing conducted in his murder trial. He is accused of killing his stepsister Tiffanie Adams and her unborn son. Below, law enforcement crews located Adamsʼ cellphone at the end of August in a lake near where her body was found.

different dates like Nov. 10 or 11 and even around Christmas Eve.” “Pings” from Adams’ cell phone and the late return of a green Chevrolet Blazer that Orr had borrowed placed Adams and Orr near the same location soon after her disappearance and within two miles of where her body was discovered in a cornfield just northeast of Sullivan on Dec. 31, the probable cause affidavit stated. “Right now, the evidence we have leads us to one arrest,” Cottom said then. “That may change if additional information becomes available.” An original Oct. 26 trial date was vacated after a joint motion was filed by Springer and defense counsel John A. Kesler II, with Sullivan Superior Court Judge H.R. Hunt currently slating the

trial for March 7. Hunt has denied motions by Kesler to move the case out of Sullivan County or bring in a jury from an outside county due to pre-trial publicity. A legal expert told the Times that the matter could be revisited during jury selection if unbiased jurors cannot be seated. Other legal wrangling has occurred over the use of the cell phone records and ping evidence at trial (allowed by Hunt); past criminal conduct of Orr; a polygraph test taken by Orr (disallowed); and whether Orr’s wife can testify against her husband (denied but court cannot preclude her from invoking marital privilege unless made in presence or statement was intended to be communicated to a third person).

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Continued from B1 A few days later, Sullivan County Prosecutor John Springer and area law enforcement held a press conference, laying out the case against Orr, then 32. That evidence included cellular phone records, a borrowed vehicle that wasn’t returned on time, past allegations of rape by Adams against Orr and a missing SD card from a trail camera from the residence of Adams’ mother and stepfather — where Adams was reportedly last heading prior to her disappearance. “We have probable cause to believe that she was killed on Nov. 5,” Sullivan County Sheriff Clark Cottom said at that time. “There was some misinformation that she had been seen on

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Farmersburg approves 22 percent sewer rate increase

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Times file photo The Farmersburg Town Council finally voted 3-2 in early July to ratify a 22 percent increase in the townʼs sewer rates to make up for unpaid accounts.

Times staff report The Farmersburg Town Council wrestled for several months on how to best deal with the town’s sewer utility financial situation. The council finally voted 3-2 in favor of an ordinance calling for a 22 percent rate increase in early July, effective at the end of August and reflected in the September billing cycle. “It’s my first year on the board and seeing they haven’t done a rate increase for 11 years is commendable they could make it by for that long,” member Jon council Ludwig said. “But realistically, we have to comply with (Indiana Department

of Environmental Management). It’s got to the point where the rates are not paying the bills.” Many town residents spoke out on the issue of the sewer rate increase, filling the town hall on several occasions. Ludwig made the motion to approve the increase, seconded by Howard Thompson. Those two were joined by clerktreasurer Cindy Davis. Woodrow Power and Jim Bishop voted against the increase. “After much consideration, thought and prayer, I know we need a raise … but don’t know if we need 22 percent,” Bishop stated prior to the vote. “The people I talk to, I hear a lot more nays than yeas. I’m

backing the people and opposing the 22 percent increase.” “This was the hardest decision I’ve had to make … It literally sickens me to do this,” Power mentioned. The rate increase was recommended by Steven Brock, MBA, CPA, of Indianapolis-based Brock and Therber, Associates, Inc. back in April. Brock reiterated at the July meeting the rate increase allows the town to extend the term of its bond with First Financial Bank from four years to 10 years, lowering the town’s bond payments by $46,000 per year. Brock said the 22 percent increase was the min-

imum amount the bank required to restructure the bond. Without it, he said, a 40 percent increase would be needed. “If we bite the bullet now, maybe in six months we can go to a flat rate plan,” he stated. “The town is not currently making enough money to pay its expenses. Nobody likes it, but I recommend the 22 percent increase.” Brock first discussed the rate increase with the council in January, before making his recommendation in April. Since then, the council met four times — once in May, three times in June — discussing the pros and cons of an increase before a decision was reached in July.

Times names honorable mentions for year’s biggest stories

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Times file photo Water spews from the side of the Merom water town after it was shot full of holes just as 2015 was rang in on Jan. 1. This story is among the Timesʼ honorable mentions.

Times staff report

• On April 14, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it was undertaking an exhumation process of 388 servicemen currently buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, commonly known as the Punchbowl. Among those was believed to be Carlisle native Fire Controlman, First Class, Paul Andrews Nash. • Farmersburg native Leslie Ann Lindsay was selected as an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader in April after auditioning. She was one of the final 28 chosen for the spots. • After a trip to a Terre Haute restaurant on May 27 resulted in another patron posting to Facebook a picture of Dugger resident Conner Kendall breastfeeding her child and attempting to shame her for doing so, her own Facebook post defending a mother’s right to breastfeed her child went viral. See MENTION on B6

SULLIVAN TIMES Daily

While the 10 stories featured in this special section were selected based on the amount of discussion they generated at the time of their publication and their lasting effects on the community, that doesn’t mean other stories were any less interesting. Here is the Time’s selection of stories that also deserve being highlighted this year: • Right at the turn of the year, on Jan. 1, 2015, the Merom water tower was shot full of holes. Cold weather delayed repairs to the tower, and Merom residents Joseph Shawn Porras, 47, and Timothy Joseph Porras, 19, have been sentenced in October in connection to the incident. A third man, Jeremiah E. Mahan, 20, is awaiting a Feb. 16 trial date. • On Jan. 6, 2015, the state legislature heard the first reading of a bill that would disband the Sullivan County Magistrate Court. The bill’s

author, Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford, said the decision was based on statistics that showed Sullivan County only needed two judges. When finally passed, it set the termination of the court for July 1 of this year — a year later than the original version indicated. • Carlisle’s Tim Ridgway was inducted into the Wabash Valley Musicians Hall of Fame on Feb. 8. He has played with numerous groups over his life, but he is probably best known for his work with Tim and the Tomcats, which has been in existence since 1985. • On the weekend of April 11, the Sullivan High School Super Mileage Team placed first in the diesel-powered prototype division of the Shell Eco-marathon American contest for the third straight year. They scored 1,436 miles per gallon, beating out the second-place Wawasee High School team from Syracuse, Indiana, whose vehicle registered 1,227 mpg.

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Times file photo Democrat Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb, left, shakes hands with his Republican challenger Jeff Wamsley after winning his re-election bid on Nov. 3.

clerk-treasurer, defeating incumbent Jill Street earlier in a party caucus. • Merom — Two of three incumbents were retained for town council. John Gettinger Jr. and Jackie Gettinger topped the voting, with the third council spot going to newcomer Kaleb Westbrook. Incumbent John Sullivan was voted out with a fourth-place finish. June Shacklett was retained as clerk treasurer. • Shelburn — Three incumbents were retained for their four-person town council. Incumbents Bradley Cagle, Marion Allen Mason and James Ward were the leading vote-getters. Jesse Kasinger claimed the fourth spot by three votes over incumbent Mark Hayes. Jay Southwood was reelected as clerk-treasurer.

Continued from B1 The fourth count alleges Judson, on our about March 22 and July 8, 2014, hindered, delayed or prevented communication by the aforementioned voter to a law enforcement officer of information relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense. Judson was arrested Sept. 28 by on Indianapolis-based FBI special agents and made his first appearance in federal court later the same day. The incidents involving Judson reportedly occurred prior to the 2014 primary election, when he was running as a Democrat for his seat on the county council. The election concluded with Judson winning by only an 18-vote margin over former councilman Sonner Faught. Other close races that may have been affected by Judson’s alleged actions included Sullivan

Superior Court Judge where H.R. Hunt defeated Ann Mischler by 29 votes and Sullivan County Sheriff where Clark Cottom won the primary by 24 and 29 votes over David Haddix and Jim Pirtle. Each race featured a disparity in absentee ballots between the winner and loser, although Cottom had only 28 more absentee votes than Haddix while Pirtle collected more than 200 than either other candidate. Nobody who lost in the primary filed for a recount. Faught told the Times soon after Judson’s arrest that he didn’t regret not asking for a recount. “Normally, there’s no point in a recount until they find something has been done in the voting,” he stated, with it pointed out to him that certain state statutory timelines exist to file for recounts. “The votes are in and I lost,” Faught replied. “So I left it up to the investigators.

“We just have to see how it turns out,” Faught said of the legal process. “I lost the election in the absentee ballots. I hesitate to say something until something does happen or doesn’t happen. It’s in the offing. ... Let it play out.” As part of the investigation into the charges, the FBI requested absentee ballots from the Sullivan County Clerk’s Office on June 17, 2014. Judson had a pre-trial hearing on Oct. 13, at which time IFCD Assistant Federal Defender Gwendolynn M. Beitz was named as his public defender. The federal grand jury findings were announced two days later. Beitz filed a motion on Nov. 23 to delay the trial, with the order granted on Nov. 24. Judson resigned from his appointed position as a member of the Sullivan City Board of Public Works and Safety on Oct. 7. He has attended the last two county council meetings in 2015.

Continued from B5 • Dakota Cain Smith, 21, Sullivan, and Dalton J. Hood, 16, West York, Ill., were arrested June 2, 2015, after they allegedly robbed the Shelburn Junction gas station at gunpoint and attempted to rob a Hutsonville grocery store that day. Smith was sentenced in December for the crime, while Hood is awaiting a trial date this month. • Richard “Ricky” Moon, 67, Terre Haute, was killed while driving his moped along U.S. 41 just north of its Wolfe Street intersection on July 4. The suspected driver of another vehicle has not been found, and no arrests have been made in the case. • The American Association of State Troopers recognized Sullivan native and 10year veteran of the Indiana State Police

Joseph “Ryan” Winters on July 28 with its 2015 National Trooper of the Year Award for saving a family of three from a burning home in April 2014. • On Sept. 4, the first documents were filed in Sullivan Superior Court in a battle between ALHI/Peabody and Pioneer Oil Company, Inc. and Sunrise Energy, LLC over who had superior rights to extract minerals from about 74 acres of land located a few miles south of Dugger. • New Lebanon’s Mickey Shorter won the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Stock Championship in tractor pulling with his John Deere 7820, also known as the Buck Eater, in September 2015, and he was featured on national television for the success. • On Oct. 1, ownership of Trotter Sporting Center changed hands. Joe and Teresa Trotter, who

owned the establishment for 47 years, sold it to new owners Alannah and Ben Wolfe. • On Dec. 1, 2015, the Sullivan City Police Department began searching for a pair accused of stealing a Salvation Army kettle from the Casey’s General Store in the city. Eventually, Mike Myers, 36, Terre Haute, and Malena Shumaker, 32, Sullivan, were arrested and charged in connection to the theft. • On Dec. 23, Laken Rochelle Lewis, 23, Linton, turned herself into police after being charged for defrauding two Sullivan County charities — Christmas for Kids and Sons of Honor. She reportedly told those groups that she represented a mother (her sister) dying of brain cancer whose kids needed help at the holidays. The charities later discovered she had no sister and the children were her own.

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Established .............................................. 1970

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bents Howard Thompson and Woodrow Power. Thompson was defeated in a Democrat caucus, while Power did not seek re-election. The other two council members, Jon Ludwig and James Bishop, are not up for re-election until 2018. • Hymera — When their first town council meeting convenes on Jan. 12, it will be a totally new cast of characters. “Scott” James Enstrom, Gary “Skip” Enstrom and Carl Samm emerged victorious, while incumbent Marty Getchell finished fifth in the balloting. As for the other two council incumbents, Clarence “J.R.” Weddle was defeated earlier in a Republican caucus while Russell Knight did not seek re-election. Nicole Hall is the new

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Continued from B1 • Dugger — Two of three incumbents were replaced for town council. Pirtle led the slate of 11 candidates, and will be joined by John Chesterfield and incumbent Lawrence Bedwell. Voted out were incumbents Kermit King and Dwight Nielson. Also voted out was incumbent clerk-treasurer Riggleman, Michelle defeated by Mendy Smith in decisive fashion. • Farmersburg — Lisa Ruckriegel was declared the winner of the clerktreasurer race over Lisa Taylor by receiving a majority of 149 votes cast, according to town election officials. Town council candidates Dusty Russell and Michael Cazee ran unopposed, replacing incum-

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Dugger Union opens doors as its own charter school

Times file photo Kids enjoy the playground equipment on the first day of school (Aug. 11) at Dugger Union Community School, which opened this year under its own laurels as a charter authorized by Grace College.

Times staff report When classes began for Dugger Union Community School in August 2015, it marked the beginning of the first year the charter school was open under local control. It was only about three months earlier that the news came from its authorizer, Grace College, that Dugger Union Community School Corp.’s application had been accepted. “I feel like a mountain has been lifted off my shoulders,” DUCSC board president Kyle Foli said during a May meeting Grace College when Executive Officer of Academic Affairs Tim Ziebarth told those gathered at the school’s gymnasium that Grace would sponsor the charter. “We look forward to working with you to make the school all it can be ... and believe (your school) could be a model for char-

ter schools across the nation,” Ziebarth had said just prior to Foli speaking. That set off a slew of hirings for teacher positions, all the way up to the first day of classes on Aug. 11. But that piece of good news came nearly a year and a half since the community received their first piece of bad news: when Northeast School Corp. announced its plans to close Dugger Elementary and Union Junior/Senior High schools on Nov. 11, 2013. After several attempts by Dugger town and Cass and Jefferson township residents to save the schools, the NESC Board of Trustees voted 3-2 on Dec. 2, 2013, to close the schools. Soon after, those residents began work to form DUCSC and apply for a charter through the Indiana Charter School Board. However, during a May 5

hearing, the ICSB denied the charter. Then, after a month of work, DUCSC officials announced a tentative plan with Indiana Cyber Charter School and its authorizer Trine University to set up a satellite of the school at Dugger. It opened later in August 2014, officially called Indiana Cyber Learning Community – Dugger Campus but referred to locally as DUCS. The plan was meant to be a bridge until DUCSC could successfully obtain a charter with another authorizer. Finally, Grace College appeared, and the rest is history. Since opening, the school hit its 230 enrollment benchmark by September, and the DUCSC board has since begun eyeing possible improvements building and expansion of its board.

Established ...................................................................................... 2000

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State title by North Central earns No. 1 sports story stepped into the role of setter.â&#x20AC;? Netherlain set a singleseason record with 553 digs and Royer set a record with 52 assists in a match.

Times staff report North Central winning the Class 2A softball state championship, the first state title won by any Sullivan County team, was the obvious choice as the Top Sports Story of 2015. There were three more teams that won sectional championships, and other standout performances in 2015, earning a spot in the Top 10. 1. North Central won its eighth sectional, third regional and first semi-state championship on the way to winning a state championship in softball. The Ladybirds of coach Erica Arnold outscored opponents 36-3, including five shutouts. North Central defeated Eastern Greene 17-0 and Linton 1-0 to win the South Knox Sectional. In the regional title contest at North Posey, the Ladybirds won 1-0. In the semistate, North Central beat Indianapolis Scecina 13-3 and Monrovia 1-0. They defeated Boone Grove 3-0 in the Class 2A title game. Katelynn Kennedy pitched a three-hit shutout, giving her a 23-1 record for the season with an ERA of less than one. Kennedy singled and scored the first run on a double by Mia McCoskey in the first. The North Central Ladybirds wrapped up their season with a record of 274, including ending the year with 23 consecutive wins. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the best feeling in the world,â&#x20AC;? said Arnold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe this. I knew these girls had it in them, â&#x20AC;&#x153; Alaynee Street of North Central, the daughter of Darcy and Jack Street of Shelburn, was named the Mental Attitude Award winner. 2. The No. 2 Sports Story of the Year was Sullivan winning its first baseball sectional since 1993. Sam Steimel led the way by pitching a perfect game. The freshman struck out six and did not issue a walk over seven innings, as the Golden Arrows defeated Linton 3-0 in the Class 2A title game. Sullivan hosted the sectional for the first time since the late 90s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sam was phenomenal tonight,â&#x20AC;? Sullivan head coach Matt McLaren said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Really, he overmatched them all night, and we had some good plays behind him too. John(athan) Cox had a diving catch, and Kade Plummer with a hell of a play. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was just a really good effort from everybody and a team win. You have to take your hat off to Sam for just dealing. He is just way beyond his years as far as

Times file photo The North Central softball team is pictured after winning the 2015 Class 2A state championship, the first state title in the history of Sullivan County.

baseball â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I.Q., knowledge, talent, everything.â&#x20AC;? 3. Sullivan repeated as sectional champions in boys golf. This was voted at the No. 3 Sports Story of 2015 in Sullivan County. The Golden Arrows won the Linton Sectional with a round of 286. Colton Kuppler, Jace Moody, Nathan Pirtle, Riley Pirtle and Austin Bobbitt teamed up for Sullivan. Despite finishing six strokes better than it did in 2014, the Golden Arrows did not qualify for a second straight trip to the IHSAA state tournament as a team. The Golden Arrows fell three strokes short of advancing as a team, finishing with a four-man combined score of 303 in June at the Washington Regional, which took place at the Country Oaks Golf Club in Montgomery. Sullivan was represented at the state tournament, though. After finishing with a 74 to pace the Golden Arrows, Kuppler survived a playoff versus four other golfers with the same score to be one of the five individuals to advance to state. He shot 78-81â&#x20AC;&#x201D;159 at the state finals, tied for 54th position. 4. The Sullivan boys soccer team upset favorite South Knox to win the Class A North Knox boys soccer sectional championship, earning a spot at No. 4. After dominating White River Valley in the semifinals, the Golden Arrows needed 80 minutes of regulation and 14 more in overtime before Sullivan earned its third sectional championship in boys soccer. A header by Kade Monroe with 3:16 to play in the first of two, sevenminute overtime sessions, was the only goal of the match as the Golden Arrows defeated South Knox 1-0. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was just a weird situation,â&#x20AC;? said Monroe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had a corner kick and I was able to get set up in front of the goal. I just wanted to get

a shot on goal. It turned out to be a great shot on goal with a header, and it went in. I am so very thrilled.â&#x20AC;? 5. The success of the Sullivan football team was voted at the No. 5 Sports Story of 2015. After losing to Linton and Northview and starting 1-2, the Golden Arrows won seven games in a row. They defeated South Vermillion 48-26, Edgewood 50-8, Greencastle 59-6, South Putnam 42-34, West Vigo 50-27, North Putnam 27-14 and Washington 36-14 in the Class 3A Sectional game. They ended the season with an 8-3 record after falling at Gibson Southern in the semifinals of the sectional on Oct. 30. The eight wins were the most since coach Otto Clements led the Golden Arrows to the identical mark in 2003. There were several standout performers for the Arrows, including junior Trey Powell. The Class 3A All-State honorable mention quarterback broke six school records, including pass completions in a game (28), touchdown passes in a game (six), pass attempts in a season (323), pass completions in a season (216), passing yards in a season (2,817) and passing touchdowns in a season (35). North Central 6. advancing to its first sectional championship game in football was voted as the No. 6 Sports Story of 2015 in Sullivan County. The Thunderbirds defeated North Knox and Tecumseh at home to make its first title game in football, where they lost to eventual Class A state runner-up Linton. North Central, led by coach Travis Nolting, finished the season with a 7-5 record. They had several standout performers, including senior Cale Adams, who won the Thunderbirds Offensive Lineman of the Year Award and helped the T-birds rush for a school record 4,239 yards, 6.9

yards per carry, 353 yards per game. J.T. Basinger led in tackles and set a school record with 25 tackles in a game. 7. The success of the Sullivan girls golf team was voted as the seventh best sports story of 2015. The Lady Arrows finished with a 27-8 record, the most in school history. They finished second in the Western Indiana Conference tournament and missed advancing to the regional by one position. They also set a school record for nine holes (180), 18 holes (387) and for season average (193). Team members included McKenzie Pirtle, Gretchen Burkhart, McKenzie Gentry, Caylen Andre, Ellie Eslinger and Kaylyn Frey. Gretchen Burkhart won the team Mental Attitude Award and Pirtle won for MVP and low medalist (44.18). She also advanced to the regional for a third consecutive year. She broke her own school record for nine holes with a 39. 8. The success of the Sullivan and North Central volleyball teams was voted as the No. 8 Story of the Year for 2015. NCHS advanced to the Class A Clay City Sectional title game, where they came up short against defending sectional and regional champion Bloomfield. North Central coach Lyndsey Cummings was in charge of the Ladybirds, who were led by five seniors. They finished 21-8, 4-3 in the Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference, including a sectional win over Shakamak. It was the second consecutive season with 20 or more wins. Anna Orsburn (defensive MVP), Katelynn Kennedy (captain and offensive MVP), Kourtney Patrick (captain and assists awards), Mia McCoskey (captain, best server award, offensive MVP and Ladybird Pride Award),

Povlin (assists Ariel awards), along with Chasity Dunn and Cheaney Deckard, were the top seven players for the Ladybirds. Sullivan defeated West Vigo and Edgewood in the first two rounds of Class 3A Owen Valley Sectional 26 before falling to defending state runner-up Northview in the title match. Sullivan improved from six wins in 2013 and 12 in 2014 to 25 wins in 2015. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has been an amazing season, watching these girls grow together as a team,â&#x20AC;? said Sullivan coach Sue Chagnon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started with the same core hitters with Ashley and Adison (Durall) (Perry) outside and Nikki (Hutchcraft) and Ryli (Bobbitt), who both had off season surgeries. Lexi (Netherlain) also returned on defense. We were fortunate that Emma Royer

9. Lexis Drake finished in sixth place at Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals, which was voted as the No. 9 Sports Story of 2015. She competed in the 89 division at Springfield, Mass. Drake tied for third place, making 21 out of 25 free throws, but finished sixth after a shoot-off with three other girls who also made 21 attempts. 10. The completion of the new Student Activity Center was voted as the No. 10 Sports Story of 2015 in Sullivan County. The former activities building was given a facelift that cost just under $2 million. The dedication ceremony and open house took place in August. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This building was originally built in the early 1960s and was used for junior high physical education classes and their athletic contests, etc.,â&#x20AC;? said Southwest School Corp. assistant superintendent Jon Stuckey. Receiving honorable mention as an individual was Sullivan girls soccer player Emily Greggs. She was selected second team All-State by the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association and was second team all-District 6 after scoring 27 goals in 2015.

Established .............................................. 1980

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