& Cowboy Boots
Arrest made in Sims murder
By Travis Curry Correspondent
Authorities with the Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), with assistance from the Bloomington Police Department (BPD), have arrested and charged 25-year-old Quentin Porter, Jr. of Bloomington in connection with the murder of Malik Darea Sims.
The body of Sims was discovered off of Stephenson Road near
the Owen-Monroe county line by a passerby on July 15.
An autopsy later revealed the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the head. The death was ruled a homicide by the
examining pathologist.
Porter, who had been sought on an arrest warrant issued by the Owen County Circuit Court, faces charges of murder and auto theft in connection with the death of Sims.
Humane society, partners take in nearly 350 animals
By Nicole DeCriscio Correspondent
The Owen County Humane Society and several partner rescues took in nearly 350 animals from a residence on Truesdel Road.
The residents, Cody Wood and his wife Amanda Simpson, were both charged in relation to the condition of the animals. Wood was charged with a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to an animal on July 2. Simpson was also charged on July 2 with a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to an animal and a felony charge of failure to properly dispose of a dead animal. Charges
property on
are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
The probable cause affidavit is written by Owen County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Musgrave. Musgrave wrote in the affidavit he was notified of a colt “that was being neglected and malnourished.”
He first went to the property with Deputy Jordan Hardey on July 2.
“When we arrived, farm animals were uncontained on the property including chickens, ducks, cats and a dog,” the affidavit reads.
It also said that nobody answered the door.
ANIMALS | PAGE 15
Road where nearly 350 animals were deemed to show signs of neglect is shown.
Beem mansion celebrates 150 years
By Nicole DeCriscio Correspondent
If you’ve always wanted to see the inside of the David Enoch Beem house or otherwise known as “the house on the hill” you’re in luck.
Authorities have not said what they believe may have led to the shooting.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, at
This year marks 150 years since the house was built, and the current owners, Stefan Welsh, his wife Quinn Harmon and their son Mylo, are opening their home to the community
on Aug. 17 as part of a day-long festival to celebrate the milestone anniversary.
Email suggests $100K difference in appraisals not including timber value
By Nicole DeCriscio Correspondent
The idea of swapping county-owned land on State Road 43 in exchange for land owned by Brett Franklin first was discussed during a joint council and commissioners meeting in April.
At the time, Commissioner’s President Gary Burton suggested the county consider a swap of 107 acres from the county that would allegedly cost $9 million to bring sewer to, for 30 acres owned by Franklin. The goal was simple: acquire land for the jail project without cutting into the $25 million allocated for the project.
Now, the proposed deal is for the county to swap 96 acres of county-owned land south of Franklin Road, including between five and
“It’s just a day that we’re inviting folks from all across the community to take a look at the house and enjoy other local businesses,” Welsh said.
The festival, which is being called Hill Fest 150, will include approximately 40 vendors and several food trucks BEEM | PAGE 11
The annual Gosport Lazy Days Festival is just around the corner. This year’s theme is “Come Together,” and the festival will take place from Thursday Aug. 8 to Sunday, Aug. 11. This year, there is a first annual golf scramble at Rolling Meadows at 11 a.m. on Aug. 3, ahead of the festival.
The full festival schedule
LAZY DAYS | PAGE 10
A
Truesdel
NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS
TRUSTED NEWS FOR A THRIVING COMMUNITY
HOW TO CONTACT US
ADDRESS:
114 S. MAIN ST. SPENCER, IN 47460
EMAIL:
INFO@THEOWENNEWS.ORG
WWW.THEOWENNEWS.ORG
OUR BOARD
PRESIDENT
NICOLE DECRISCIO
VICE PRESIDENT
NIKI GESSLER
TREASURER
KURT ROSENBERGER BOARD MEMBERS
TRAVIS CURRY
ASHLEY FLEETWOOD
AARON LAGRANGE
CORRESPONDENTS
ELLIE ALBIN
HANNAH AMOS LEANN BURKE
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
LOLA GARRISON
PICKUP LOCATIONS
BABBS SUPERMARKET MILLGROVE COUNTRY MART SOMMHERR’S BAKERY SPENCER PRIDE
CORRECTIONS POLICY
WE AIM FOR AS CLOSE TO PERFECTION AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEND CORRECTIONS TO INFO@THEOWENNEWS.ORG.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WE WELCOME LETTERS TO THE EDITOR UP TO 300 WORDS. OUR FULL POLICY CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
HOW TO DONATE
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES ACCESS TO RELIABLE, RESPONSIBLE AND ETHICAL NEWS. OUR MODEL IS RELIANT UPON DONATIONS MADE BY OUR READERS. ONLINE DONATIONS CAN BE MADE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, BY USING THE QR CODE BELOW OR THROUGH THE OWEN COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. CASH OR CHECK DONATIONS CAN BE MAILED TO US AT THE ADDRESS ABOVE.
ABOUT THE OWEN NEWS
THE OWEN NEWS IS THE PRINTED NEWSPAPER OWNED BY THE OWEN NEWS PROJECT, INC, A NONPROFIT 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION. AT THE OWEN NEWS PROJECT, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING RELIABLE AND UNBIASED LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION TO EMPOWER OUR READERS AND BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY.
Government Meeting Calendar
Aug. 5
Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Aug. 7
Owen County Board of Commissioners, 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Aug. 8
Spencer-Owen School Board, 7 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.
Aug. 12
Owen County Council, 6 p.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Owen Valley Fire Territory Board, 6 p.m. at the fire department, 401 W. Walnut St., Spencer.
Cloverdale Community School Corporation Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale.
Aug. 13
Gosport Town Council, 7 p.m. in the Gosport
Obituaries
Coming soon! Our community, through the Needs Assessment completed as part of the Large Impact Planning Grant, resoundingly said that obituaries are a priority.
At The Owen News, we strive to get obituaries into the print product. However, the nature of a monthly paper means that printed obituaries can never be the main way to share this information with our community.
Our goal is to have our website be the go-to place for obituaries and to have this space, in our printed paper be a space of rememberance of those who have passed.
Correction
The photo of the property damage associated with the “Disaster declaration made” story about damage related to the June 25 storm and published on July 5 erroneously listed John Strouse as the property owner. The property belongs to Chad and Angela Bainter.
The profile on 911 Director Cherie Anderson published in the July 5 edition erroneously listed her years of service at Indiana University’s Emergency Management Department as five years. Anderson spent three years at IU and moved to Indiana in 2017.
Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.
Aug. 15
Owen County Board of Zoning Appeals, 7 p.m. at the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Aug. 19
Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Aug. 20
Advisory Plan Commission, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Aug. 21
Owen County Board of Commissioners, 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Aug. 22
Spencer-Owen School Board, 7 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.
Aug. 26
Spencer Parks and Recreation Board, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal
Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Aug. 27
Spencer Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Gosport Town Council, 7 p.m. in the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.
Aug. 28
Owen County Council Budget Workshop, 8 a.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer. Spencer Economic Development Commission, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Aug. 29
Owen County Council Budget Workshop, 8 a.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Aug. 30
Owen County Council Budget Workshop, 8 a.m. in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Community Events Calendar
Aug. 2
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer.
Aug. 3
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Market is located adjacent to Babbs Supermarket at 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Caleb Hawkins. Weather permitting.
Brotherhood Scholarship Car and Tractor Show, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cooper Commons on East Cooper St., Spencer. Registration continues from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Judging takes place from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Entry fees apply. Concessions will be available.
Gathering of the People Powwow, gates open at 10 a.m. at the Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., Spencer. Grand entry will be held at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Buffalo Child will perform a Hoop Dance from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A Glow Dance begins at dusk. Admission is $3 for those ages 3-12, $5 for ages 13-59, and free for children under age 3 and elders 60 and over.
Aug. 4
Gathering of the People Powwow, gates open at 10 a.m. at the Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., Spencer. Grand entry will be held at 12 p.m. Admission is $3 for those ages 3-12, $5 for ages 1359, and free for children under age 3 and elders 60 and over.
Aug. 5
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Meet the Teacher Night at McCormick’s Creek Elementary School, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 1601 Flatwoods Rd., Spencer.
Aug. 6
Gosport Farmers’ Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Gosport Town Park. Weather permitting. Cataract Lake Area Crime Watch, 6 p.m. at the Cataract Volunteer Fire Department.
Aug. 7
Senior Friends of
Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Caring for Caregivers, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library.
Aug. 8
Owen County Homesteaders, 4 to 6 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library.
Gosport Lazy Days Festival, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Gosport.
Maximizing Your Employment Benefit Program Workshop, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Exchange, 114 S.Main St., Spencer. Free. Sponsored by Bill C.Brown Associates. Limited seating. Call 812-829-3245 or email myowenexchange.com to reserve your spot.
Aug. 9
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. 2024 Gosport Lazy Days Festival, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. in downtown Gosport.
Aug. 10
2024 Gosport Lazy Days Festival, 6:45 a.m to 11 p.m.. in downtown Gosport.
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Market is located adjacent to Babbs Supermarket at 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by JC Clements. Weather permitting.
The Friends of the Library monthly book sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room at the Owen County Public Library,10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Aug. 12
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Jolly Homemakers meeting, 1 p.m. at the Freedom Community Center, 5558 FreedomArney Rd., Freedom. For more information, call 812-829-5020.
Spencer Main Street Annual Meeting, 5:30 p.m. social hour, with dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Abram Farm, 380 IN-43, Spencer. Tickets are $20 in advance online or $25 at the door.
Aug. 13
Gosport Farmers’
Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Gosport Town Park. Weather permitting. Braysville Homemakers meeting, 5:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, Spencer. Elevator access is available. For more information, call 812-8295020.
Aug. 14
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Harrison Homemakers meeting, 12 p.m. at the Owen County-Purdue Extension office, 180 S. Washington St., Spencer. For more information, call 812-8295020.
Caring for Caregivers, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library.
Aug. 15
Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Owen County ribbon cutting, noon to 1 p.m. at 2141 Shepard-Patrick Rd., Spencer. Hosted by the Owen County Chamber of Commerce. Calico Homemakers meeting, 4 p.m. Meetings are held at a different restaurant each month. For more information, call 812-829-5020.
Aug. 16
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer.
Aug. 17
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Market is located adjacent to Babbs Supermarket at 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Finding Trouble. Weather permitting.
Owen County Friends of the Library Yard Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room of the Owen County Public Library. Donations may be made Aug. 16 from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
Owen Valley Wine Run 5K, 10 a.m. at the Owen Valley Winery, Vineyard & Bistro, 491 Timber Ridge Rd., Spencer. The race will be timed and scored by J3 Timing.
Hillfest 150, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the David Enoch Beem House, 635 W.Hillside Ave., Spencer. Celebrate the home’s 150th anniversary. Art
vendors, food and drink, home tours and history, and kid-friendly activities.
Aug. 19
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer.
Aug. 20
Gosport Farmers’ Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Gosport Town Park. Weather permitting.
Aug. 21
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Caring for Caregivers, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library.
Aug. 22
Website Design for Beginners Workshop, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Exchange, 114 S.Main St., Spencer. Free. Sponsored by Bill C.Brown Associates. Limited seating. Call 812-829-3245 or email myowenexchange.com to reserve your spot.
Aug. 23
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Bowling Green Old Settlers Reunion in Bowling Green. The twoday event will feature musical performances, a horse pull, baby contest, toddler contest, Little Miss and Mister contest, pedal tractor pull, antique tractor pull, and more. For a complete schedule of events, pick up an Old Settlers festival booklet or visit the Bowling Green Old Settlers Inc. Facebook page.
Aug. 24
Bowling Green Old Settlers Reunion in Bowling Green. The twoday event will feature musical performances, a horse pull, baby contest, toddler contest, Little Miss and Mister contest, pedal tractor pull, antique tractor pull, and more. For a complete schedule of events, pick up an Old Settlers festival booklet or visit the Bowling Green Old Settlers Inc. Facebook page.
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Market is located adjacent to Babbs Supermarket at 459 W. Morgan St.,
Spencer. Live music by This Burning Ghost. Weather permitting. Car show and fish fry, hosted by the Coal City Community Volunteer Fire Department, 4212 Main St., Coal City. The car show takes place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the fish fry from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Spaghetti dinner, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Freedom Community Center, 5552 FreedomArney Rd., Freedom. For more information, call 812-821-1846.
Aug. 26
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. At 6 p.m. there will also be a chicken dinner with pitchins.
Spencer Main Street monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Viquesney Room at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. Open to the public.
Aug. 27
Gosport Farmers’ Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Gosport Town Park. Weather permitting.
Aug. 28
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer. Caring for Caregivers, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library.
Owen Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center ribbon cutting, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 920 N. SR 46W, Spencer. Hosted by the Owen County Chamber of Commerce.
Aug. 30
Senior Friends of Owen County Bingo, noon to 3 p.m., at 400 E. Jefferson St., Spencer.
Aug. 31
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Market is located adjacent to Babbs Supermarket at 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Nicholas Graham Hall. Weather permitting.
White River Poultry Club Fall Show, 9 a.m. at the Owen County Fairgrounds, Spencer. Come see all the different varieties of poultry, or enter the show.
Letter to the Editor
Thankful for The Owen News
“My ducks are absolutely NOT in a row. In fact, at this point in my life I have no idea where my ducks are!”
JAIL PROJECT | FROM PAGE 1
seven acres that have Indiana Department of Environmental Management restrictions due to it being the former county landfill, for 9.64 acres of the 30 owned by Franklin.
The State of Indiana places limits on how much government agencies can lose if appraisals are too far off in a land swap deal, and those limits don’t apply to Redevelopment Commissions (RDC) that can consider other value-based factors that can’t be represented in an appraisal such as the county’s need for a location for the jail. Burton and County Council President Polly Chesser both sit on the RDC, along with RDC President Craig Coffman, member Bobby Hall and ex-officio member Derek Morgan, who is appointed by the Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees.
The process also happens to circumvent the approval of the county council, which serves as the fiscal body of county government.
Public records request provides approximate appraisal difference Emails obtained through a public records request that the auditor’s office complied with show that Burton received the appraisals from Rich Figg of Bloomington-based Figg Appraisal Group on June 14, two weeks before the June 28 RDC meeting, and several days before the June 19 commissioners meeting. Transferring the property to the RDC to allow for the difference in appraised value was not brought up at that time.
Burton forwarded the appraisal reports to County Auditor Sheila Reeves. Reeves responded by asking if Burton wanted her to print copies for the other two commissioners – Bob Curry and Joel Lowe.
Burton responded the following Monday, June 17, “Please give me an extra copy for Brett Franklin. GB.”
Reeves then responded that she would do so, to which Burton responded, “Thank you! I will try to get with him before Wednesday if possible.
An updated appraisal was emailed to Burton on June 19, and that appraisal was forwarded to County Auditor Shelia Reeves on June 24.
While the appraisals themselves were not able to be obtained through the public records request, the attachment file names associated with the email indicate that 96.39 acres of county land was appraised and that 9.57 acres of the property
But I do know, I do like your newspaper. Oh, I love the large print. Bless you! I can hold The Owen News newspaper in my old hands
owned by Franklin was appraised by Figg.
Another email from Chesser to her fellow council members, Reeves and the council’s attorney Tony Overholt gave insight as to what sort of gap exists between the appraisals. In the email dated June 9, Chesser also sought advice from Overholt as to whether or not the process as presented to them was indeed legal.
“It was reported that the county land was appraised roughly $100,000 more than TriState’s land,” the email reads.
Commissioner unaware of RDC purpose, process at July 3 meeting
The July 3 commissioner’s meeting was the first commissioner’s meeting following the receipt of the appraisals that the jail project and the RDC were mentioned in.
“The jail update has been moved over to the redevelopment committee,” Burton said.
County Attorney Dana Kerr went through the proposed timeline that was first discussed during the June RDC meeting.
“Can you explain more in depth as to why we’re turning this over to the redevelopment for those who aren’t up to speed? I’m a little behind on this myself,” Lowe said in the meeting.
Kerr explained that county land was likely to be appraised for more than the jail site property.
“My question would be are we leaving anything on the table,” Lowe said. “My worst fear is I don’t want to leave anything on the table here.”
Burton said that the infrastructure difference makes it valuable to the county.
“At what point did we decide to turn this over to the redevelopment committee?” Lowe asked.
Burton responded, “It has to come back to us anyway.”
Process circumvents council’s fiscal power
Then, during the July 8 council meeting, the topic came up twice, first as an update near the start of the meeting and again during public comment.
Chesser asked if Burton wanted to give the update and explain the RDC component.
“We just turned it over to the redevelopment committee. By state guidelines, it’s best that we let them take care of the transfer of the property, that way if there’s any difference in values it goes into more of a redevelopment or economic development for the county,” Burton said. “We’re doing it the legal way, and we’re doing it the right way.”
He added that the environmental study will
and read it. The good news. I do not have a computer anymore. I do not like texting. I like our old ways of getting news. And I can go back to
be pursued during this process as well.
“We obviously don’t want to do a transfer of property and find out that we have an issue,” he said.
Councilman Anton Neff asked several questions to clarify the timeline and specifically that the council would not have any vote on this land purchase. Councilman Andy Wood also asked if the “goal post” was being moved away from the 30 acres, and Burton said that the full 30 acres isn’t buildable.
Later, during the public comment portion of the meeting, former sheriff and currently unopposed Republican commissioner nominee Sam Hobbs asked several questions relating to the project.
“I kind of get the sense that this board change was in relation to something that happened. I don’t think it happened on a whim. I kind of get the feeling that this whole circumvention of the council thing happened because there was something they wanted done and didn’t want brought back here which looks like it worked out,” Wood said.
He noted that any county purchase goes through the council.
“I’m just seeing lots of things that undermine processes in order to get a desired result, and I don’t like it,” he said.
Neff noted, “There’s still the potential for a loss.”
He reiterated that the desire across the board was to have zero cost related to the site of the jail so more money could be put into the building of the facility. The first best option financially was to build upon land already owned by the county. The second best option, he noted, was to do an even land swap.
“Whether that’s an equitable swap is yet to be determined and whether that is exactly what we want to end up doing may or may not come to a vote,” Neff said of the council.
Councilman Nick Robertson also criticized the process.
“It seems like some of the truth is being withheld from us, and here we are to make some decisions. We control the purse strings. How can we make good decisions to protect the public if we’re not given good facts?” he asked before adding, “This bothers me.”
He pointed out that the initial agreement was that the trade would be for 30 acres.
“We can’t see an estimate? We can’t see appraisals? This is a farce,” he said.
RDC accepts property, attorney advises appraisals not for public
The jail project
reread and it is still there – not lost in the clouds. Please continue your good works.
proportion of the July 11 RDC meeting started with Dustin Meeks, an associate attorney with Barnes and Thornburg.
— Patricia Haltom
“The reason to do that is the redevelopment commission has the ability to dispose of property using more simplified procedures than the county does,” Meeks said.
He explained the two resolutions. The first authorizes the RDC to acquire the property from the commissioners, and the second ratifies the receipt of the appraisals for the properties.
Kerr said that there would be a public hearing that will occur as part of the process, likely in September.
Chesser asked if the appraisals would be made available for the public to view.
“Both of the statutes, 36-7–14-19 and 36-714-22 provide that the appraisal documents are only for the review and information of the redevelopment commission, so those documents are not public records,” Meeks said.
Chesser asked what the purpose was behind those state statutes.
“The reason that the general assembly has provided this particular requirement around appraisals is that… the redevelopment commission exists as a more flexible tool for local units of government to engage in economic development transactions, And that often requires negotiation with third parties,” Meeks said. “The statute is structured to avoid a situation where the redevelopment commission is not able to engage in negotiations because the information that they give you creates a kind of information inequality between the negotiating parties, who then engage in negotiations with a third party or acquiring property from. So here, where, the redevelopment commission is going to acquire a piece of property, it would be disadvantageous, for example, for the owner of that property, to have a copy of appraisals that you have, to know what the true value of that property might be.”
Except, Burton already requested a printed copy of the appraisals for that property owner, Franklin.
Coffman asked if it could become public afterward.
Meeks said the term sheet, which would be set by the value of the county-owned property would be made public because there would be a 30-day period in which anyone could put in an offer in conformance with the term sheet to purchase the 96 acres of county property.
Meeks said that there is no law against making those appraisals public.
“It’s just that statutorily they’re designed to not be public records documents themselves for the strategic reasons that the redevelopment commission is engaged, generally in a property transaction related to those appraisals,” he said.
“The whole purpose of this confidentiality is to protect our entity when we’re in the negotiation process,” Coffman said.
He said he wanted transparency afterward.
“Certainly after the consummation of the transaction, when there isn’t the possibility of that information being public would damage your negotiating position, there wouldn’t be any reason why you couldn’t publish those documents. It would just be potentially disadvantageous. And the General Assembly has provided the ability to not disclose that information to avoid that disadvantage,” Meeks said.
Coffman then opened the meeting to public comment.
“There’s gonna be a lot of unanswered questions at this point, but I am interested in your concerns so we can weigh those as a body,” he said. “We’ll be glad to be transparent about it when we’re allowed to.” Hobbs asked if the RDC could legally share the appraisals if they wanted to.
“The statute provides that the documents are for the redevelopment commission’s information and not for public distribution,” Meeks said. “The statute doesn’t provide a penalty for the distribution of those.”
“I’m on board with this transfer, and I feel like it is absolutely in the best interest of the county. I’m not on board with not having appraisals being public. I want this to be totally, totally transparent,” Chesser said. “I’ve told multiple people that come to this meeting, it is going to be made public what the appraisals are and you’ll see that it’s not that far apart, and now that we can’t even do that, I can’t, that upsets me.” Coffman noted that if the RDC thinks that the appraisals are too far apart, the RDC could decide to not move forward with the swap.
“I just want to touch base on the county’s aspect with this,” Burton said. “We’re trying to transfer a piece of property that we’ve had in our possession for over 50 years with no tax monies coming in on 96 acres. Zero dollars with the liability of a landfill, transferring that piece of property that can be
County welcomes new 4-H Youth Educator
Submitted Content
Cassie Linville started as the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator in Owen County on July 1. She was born and raised here in Owen County and while she was not directly involved with the agricultural world early on in her childhood, she was gifted with moving next to a field of horses when she started middle school.
This sparked her interest in the industry and began her involvement. Throughout her middle and high school years at Owen Valley, she completed numerous projects in her few years of 4-H making her short time in the organization very memorable.
Cassie showed livestock including horses, sheep, goats, swine, chickens and rabbits as well as completing dozens of exhibit hall projects. Some of her most fond memories in Owen County 4-H include winning senior Round Robin, receiving grand champion animal poster, competing on the national meats judging team, white water rafting in Kentucky with the Junior Leaders group and spending countless hours with friends practicing and preparing for competitions.
Cassie continued her involvement in Indiana 4-H after high school while serving as a summer intern for three years at the Purdue Extension-Owen County Office. Once at Purdue
used for a forest farm, tree farm, whatever for a usable piece of property with the infrastructure that we need, at no dollars, all we’re gaining is property tax on the backside of that.”
Burton could not answer how much the county would gain in property taxes.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources offers a property tax incentive
she worked as a student assistant for the Indiana State 4-H office assisting in state programming and continuing that work through the summer at the Indiana State Fair.
She was heavily involved in FFA throughout high school which sparked her interest in attending Purdue University.
As a member of Owen Valley FFA, Cassie competed on numerous levels of competition including Career Development Events such as Livestock Skillathon, Meat
to landowners who agree to manage their land for timber, wildlife habitation and water quality through their CLassified Forest and Wildlands Program.
DNR provides the following explanation and example, “The enrollment in the program reduces that assessed value for tax purposes to $1 per acre. Taxes are then calculated based on that assessment: $1 x number of acres x tax rate. For a 40acre tract at a two
In addition, she competed in Leadership Development Events including demonstrations on the district and state levels. Cassie went on to attend Purdue University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education with minors in Animal Science, Crop Science and Horticulture. During her time at Purdue, she worked in research labs and barns, was the President of Purdue
percent tax rate, the taxes would be $0.80 (landowner would receive minimum tax bill of $5).”
Councilwoman Amy Casebeer was present at the RDC meeting and asked about the timber on the countyowned land.
“My concern is Amy, if we market that timber and cut that timber, that is the only reason anybody would buy this property that I can tell,” Chesser said.
Casebeer asked if the timber value was included in the
Collegiate 4-H and was very involved in her campus ministry. Following her time at Purdue University, Cassie has spent the last seven years as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. While she loved her time with students in public education, she is excited to work with Purdue Extension to develop programs and empower volunteers to build up the next generation of leaders within our great county.
When she is not immersing herself in the agriculture world or helping young people find passions within the industry, Cassie can often be found going on adventures with her husband, Westin, and their dogs. They often spend their free time going camping, kayaking or traveling around to find new places to explore. On her nights off work, she can often be found making crafts such as crocheting and embroidery or going on hikes with her dogs, Caliber and Mowgli.
If you are interested in getting involved with Owen County 4-H or have students in grades K-12, please reach out to Cassie. The Purdue Extension-Owen County office is located at 180 S. Washington St., Spencer. She can also be reached at 812829-5020 ext. 4, or emailed at cassiel@purdue.edu.
Owen County 4-H has numerous ways to get involved and we would love to add you to the team!
appraisal, to which Burton said it was not.
Sheriff Ryan White noted that to build at the current jail site, it would cost between $1.8 and $2.4 million to house the county’s inmates elsewhere and that the site doesn’t allow for additional growth should it be needed as the population grows in the future, placing the county in the same predicament in the future.
“Why would we spend that much taxpayer money
building two jails when we can build one jail, get what we need and have the room for future expansion if that is needed? We will shoot ourselves in the foot if we build on that property,” White said. Both resolutions were approved unanimously, 4-0, by the RDC. Morgan was not present for the meeting.
The commissioners moved forward with their identical resolution during their July 17 meeting.
Judging and Horse Judging on the area, state and national levels.
Cassie Linville, 4-H Youth Development. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
S-OCS votes in new board member
Jack White returns to board following passing of Lt. Col. Dave Allen
By Hannah Amos Correspondent
The Spencer-Owen Community Schools (S-OCS) Board of School Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Jack White to fill the open seat on the board following the passing of Lt. Col. Dave Allen at their July 11 meeting.
Board president Derek Morgan, vice president Mark Rogers, secretary Rick Smeltzer, Chad Cooper, Sonia Brinson and secretary pro tem Lizz Bixler along with S-OCS Superintendent Andy Cline were present at the meeting, with Morgan attending virtually.
The meeting opened with the unanimous passing of the previous meeting’s minutes, motioned by Cooper and seconded by Brinson.
Next, the board addressed the open seat with a nomination of a replacement member.
Prior to the meeting, a work session was held where three potential nominees introduced themselves and their ideas to the board.
White, a former board member and the county’s current emergency management agency director, Tom Abrell, former board member and retired dentist, and Frank Coffin, a former Owen County Public Library board member and textbook writer, were in the running for being nominated.
In the board meeting, Bixler nominated White. With no other nominations Cooper moved to vote on the nomination, seconded by Bixler. The motion passed 6-0, and White was voted in as the district five board member.
White took the oath of office and was sworn in before adjournment of the meeting.
Other items discussed during the meeting related to new business and personnel.
In new business, Brinson, seconded by Bixler, moved to waive the reading of the NEOLA Special Policy Updates for June 2024: 5136 personal communication devices; 5200 attendance; bylaw/policy 0100 definitions.
business was a request to approve Keystone Cooperative Energy Contract 2024-25, motioned by Brinson and seconded by Bixler. This contract is for fuel, it’s a fixed rate throughout the year. Diesel fuel will be $3.12 for the year, down from the prior $3.60, and unleaded will be $3.01, down from the prior $3.19.
The motion passed 6-0.
Bixler then moved to approve the acceptance of the Owen County Health Department food services donation, seconded by Rogers.
The donation, $1,166.87, will pay out outstanding lunch balances of current S-OCS students. The motion passed unanimously.
Next up was a request to approve the classified handbook updates, brought forward by Brinson who made the motion which was seconded by Cooper. A part of the update was the increase of substitute teacher pay from $10 an hour to starting pay being $13. This request was approved 6-0.
Bixler, seconded by Cooper, moved to pass the transportation handbook updates. It passed 6-0.
Brinson motioned to approve a one-time stipend for Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS) Principal
and doing their work above and beyond. The motion was seconded by Morgan and passed unanimously.
Rogers moved to approve the 2024-25 certified administrative and classified director contract renewals, seconded by Bixler.
For the certified administration there was Brittanty Greene as Spencer Elementary School (SES) principal; SES Assistant Principal Aaron LaGrange; Matthew Cazzell as McCormick’s Creek Elementary School (MCES) principal; Carol Watson as Gosport Elementary School (GES) principal; Patricksburg Elementary School (PES) Principal Michael Robison; Arthur; OVMS Assistant Principal Duane Potts; Robert Bolthinhouse as Owen Valley High School (OVHS) principal; OVHS Assistant Principal Jake Steinmetz; Director of Special Education Brady Tragesser; and Director of Curriculum Matthew Taylor.
In the classified director contracts there was Technology Director Norm Warner, Maintenance Director Jeff Mauder, Transportation Director Floyd, OVHS Athletic Director Brad Greene and OVMS Athletic Director Jaclyn Totten.
All contract renewals were approved 6-0.
The final subject in
the new business was the request to appoint a S-OCS board member to the Owen County Redevelopment Commission (RDC), a twoyear commitment. Brinson moved to pass the request, with Rogers seconding it. Morgan was nominated to serve, since he is the current representative. Morgan being the RDC appointment was approved unanimously.
Moving on to the personnel section, Cooper moved to approve the classified and certified resignations and retirements, employment and ECA positions with Brison seconding.
Under the classified and certified resignations and retirements were the retirements of OVHS Language Arts Teacher Kim Dilts and Corporation Nurse Julie Allen and the resignations of OVHS P.E./ Strength Coach Joe White, SES Preschool Instructional Assistant Jamee Southern and PES Pre-K Instructional Assistant Jamie Butler.
Under employment was the transfer of Floyd from assistant transportation director to transportation director and the employments of Kenzie Brown as a GES second grade teacher, Schyler Smith as a OVHS Spanish teacher and Jasper Baltz as a OVHS math teacher.
For the ECA positions: OVHS Set Director Zachary Turnbull, OVHS Percussion Director Aaron McCommas, OVMS seventh grade Head Football Coach Aaron Siek, OVMS Assistant Football Coach Kyle Jennings and Joel Freeman, OVHS Interim Head Football Coach Eric Crouch and extracurricular positions for OVMS for the 2024-25 school year.
Also under ECA was the resignation of Michael Shepard as the assistant OVMS football coach. Everything in the personnel section was passed 6-0.
The meeting adjourned 7-0. The next meeting will feature a budget workshop at 7 p.m. on Aug. 8 in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E.Hillside Ave., Spencer.
Jack White taking the oath of office and being sworn in by S-OCS Deputy Treasurer, Tobi Slicer. White was appointed to the board following the passing of Lt. Col. Dave Allen. PHOTO BY S-OCS.
Gosport approves a change order for new water treatment plant
By Hannah Amos Correspondent
The Gosport Town Council’s July 23 meeting — with Don Hall, town clerk-treasurer; Marian McGee, council president; Ernie Arnold, vice president; Micheal Miller, member, and Terry English, town attorney — present started with the approval of the July 9 minutes.
The second topic on the agenda was the approval of the July 23 bills payment.
Gosport paid $478.07 to Duke Energy, Casey’s $280.60, and Truesdel Heating and Cooling
$185.29 for general bills. For the water bills, they paid BBP $75, Smithville $226.88, IN 811 $35.15, Duke $1,192.83 and Utility Supply
$448.38. For sewer, they owed Duke $1,829.22. For motor vehicle and highway, they paid Duke $127.90.
The water plant project was $174,299.35.
The payment of the bills was approved unanimously.
Moving on, they addressed two water line issues.
One was approving a temporary line from the meter to a house.
Due to the resident’s water line being down, the resident asked the board if it would be possible to run a temporary line, while her permanent line was being fixed, Hall said on behalf of the resident, who was not able to attend the town council meeting.
The temporary line was approved by the council 3-0.
The other water line issue dealt with a private water line that affected the Trader, Thacker and Applegate households.
The private, galvanized water line obtained a leak, affecting the three households. Due to the line going through town limits, and residents not knowing exactly where the leak
is, the discussion was over what the town would be responsible for and what the residents would be responsible for.
Though it is a private line, it uses Gosport water services. Due to this, the three households’ water was shut off.
English said the town is responsible up until town limits. Where the master meter currently sits, anything beyond roads like Smith and Lingle Road is considered private.
For the three households, this meant they would be responsible for fixing the line from
the master meter to their home.
The Traders brought up the idea to potentially move the master meter closer, to a more central location.
Miller brought up the potential of Grays Estates, a neighborhood in Gosport, as a location for a new master meter closer to the families.
Jason Trader had a concern of being responsible for the new hook up fee to the new master. The council said Trader wouldn’t be responsible for the hook up to the master meter, but
he would be to his meter.
The council compromised and decided to install a new master meter closer to Grays Estates, if they are able to obtain an easement agreement from the neighborhood. The households would be responsible for fixing their line from that meter to their homes.
The council also agreed, until the new meter is put in and until the line is fixed, to have the water turned on from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. so the households could use running water.
The
compromise passed 3-0.
The council also discussed a change order related to the ongoing water treatment plant project. The change order includes the addition of three line filters for the protection of the variable frequency drives to be installed on the high-service pumps in the water treatment plant. This change resulted in an additional cost of $7,762.61.
The original contract price was $2,573,736 but with the addition, it is now $2,581,498.61.
All three council members approved the change.
The meeting ended with recognizing town utility employee Scott Minnick for working three years for the town. The council decided, to recognize his hard work, to give him five days paid vacation time. Minnick’s vacation time was approved unanimously.
The next Gosport Town Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 in the Gosport Community Building.
MURDER | FROM PAGE 1
approximately 2:21p.m. on July 15 deputies from the OCSD responded to a location on Stephenson Road regarding an unresponsive male discovered by a passerby. Owen County Emergency Medical Services personnel also responded and upon arrival, a black male was located and determined to be deceased.
The deceased male was reportedly found approximately 20 feet north of the gravel roadway, wearing red gym shorts, a white tank top, no shoes and had a black plastic bag pulled over his head. Evidence technicians also found suspected blood and glass fragments.
While on the scene, authorities reported that an individual appeared and said he and Sims share their location with one another through “Find My iPhone,” and Sims’ last known location through this feature was in immediate proximity of where the crime scene had been established. Authorities noted that individual indicated this location stayed constant as Sims’ location for over the past 20 hours, indicating Sims had been in that location since the afternoon of Sunday, July 14.
Law enforcement was able to preliminarily identify the deceased black male as Sims, 23, of Bloomington.
Authorities further noted that a second male subject, who was found to be a long-time friend and a current roommate of Sims, arrived at approximately 5:25 p.m. from the west end of the established crime scene. According to the probable cause affidavit, that individual stated the last time that he saw Sims was on Sunday, July 14, at approximately 1 p.m. Later in the investigation the roommate stated he was leaving the apartment and saw Sims after 2 p.m. on their front porch with another male that he knew as Quentin Porter, Jr., aka “QP.”
A person who was later identified as the girlfriend of Sims provided detectives with information that she received a Snapchat message from Sims on July 14 at 3:15 p.m., according to the probable cause affidavit. This message thread was later viewed from Sims’ Snapchat account. In this message the Snapchat account identified as belonging to Sims stated, “Be this ni**a QP got me going through some bulls***.”
The investigation led authorities to determine that
Sims had a gray 2012 Audi A4 registered in his name. The registration for this vehicle was searched through Flock Safety, a system of solar-powered cameras that utilize license plate and vehicle recognition technology and real-time alerts, throughout the investigation. The results of these searches identified a dark colored Audi bearing the same registration traveling northeast near The Village at Muller Park on South Muller Parkway on Sunday, July 14, at 5:41p.m. in Bloomington.
The searches using Flock Safety then identified the same vehicle at the intersection of State Road 46 and Stinesville Road in Monroe County at 6:24 p.m. on July 14. Authorities say the next time this vehicle is seen by cameras is at 10:43 p.m. on July 14, traveling northbound at the intersection of South Harding Street and W. Troy Avenue in Indianapolis. The same Audi is then seen on camera at the eastbound exit ramp of Interstate 70 to North Post Road at 11:11 p.m.
Sims’ vehicle was later located on the evening of July 16, according to the probable cause affidavit, on the northeast side of Indianapolis, parked outside of an address registered to the grandmother of Quentin Porter. On the evening of July 16, law enforcement officers served a search warrant at the grandmother’s residence to search for evidence related to this crime. Porter was not found at the location during the execution of the search warrant.
During that search, the probable cause affidavit indicates the grandmother and other family members all stated that Porter arrived at approximately 11 p.m. on July 14.He reportedly arrived alone and was driving the Audi A4 that belonged to Sims. Authorities reportedly asked Porter if the vehicle was his and he responded vaguely that, “it was going to be his.”
The vehicle was processed on the morning of July 17 by evidence technicians with the Indiana State Police (ISP). During the search of the vehicle, evidence technicians with the ISP stated a large amount of blood
was found inside the vehicle. There were also signs of an attempted clean-up of the blood based upon traces of bleach found and areas on the interior that had been spray painted. There were also seat covers placed over the car seats, likely to conceal or cover the blood.
An evidence technician from the ISP also located a purchase receipt from O’Reilly Auto Parts dated July 15, at 10:22 a.m. which showed the purchase of seat covers and duct tape. The receipt from O’Reilly Auto Parts contained the last four digits of the credit card used to make the purchase. These items were reportedly found inside of Sims’ vehicle at the time of the search by ISP and also observed inside the Audi A4 prior to the recovery on the date the vehicle was located. O’Reilly Auto Parts was contacted, and an employee viewed the surveillance video and confirmed that a single black male entered the O’Reilly Auto Parts and conducted the purchase. Photographs of the black male completing this transaction at O’Reilly Auto Parts matched a known photograph of Porter.
The probable cause affidavit further reveals that on July 17, at approximately 9:00 p.m., an individual called JL Transport Towing and Recovery in Bloomington. The person stated that their car needed to be towed from the grandmother’s address in Indianapolis to either Midas or Firestone in Bloomington. This person stated the vehicle that needed to be towed was a 2012 or 2013 Audi and paid $400 in advance and the payment
was made with a credit card identified as the same credit card that was used to purchase the seat covers at O’Reilly Auto Parts for Sims’ vehicle.
An initial hearing in the case was held in Owen Circuit Court on July 25, where a not guilty plea was entered on Porter’s behalf. Jacob Fish was appointed as his public defender. Pre-trial conference dates are set for Sept. 5 and Dec. 13, and a jury trial is slated to begin on Jan. 21, 2025.
“This is an example of what law enforcement can do when we work together,” Owen County Sheriff Ryan White said. “All the agencies involved have worked endlessly since we first received the call on July 15th. We put our resources together in one cohesive effort to bring justice for Malik. I cannot thank our partner agencies enough for their assistance with this case. We may not be a large agency with many resources, but we know we are never alone. Agencies like Bloomington Police Department, Indiana State Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, and the Indiana Conservation Officers are always willing to lend a hand to serve the people of our community, and we are always willing to do the same for them.”
Detectives with the OCSD were assisted in the investigation by Indiana State Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the BPD. Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim issued a reminder that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
STYLE STATION
A crime watch meeting is more than just a social event. It’s a place where neighbors who live around you can share observations and concerns about your neighborhood’s normal and abnormal occurrences. Like cars and trucks that are normally there and those cars and trucks that just don’t belong on your neighbor’s property. Sharing contact phone numbers to be used before calling the police when discretion is the rule of the day.
The Cataract Lake Area Crime Watch covers Jackson and Jennings Townships in Owen County and Cass Township in Clay County. Our purpose is to coordinate training for citizens concerning observation, detection and procedures on reporting crime. Our goals are neighbors looking out for each other and being good responsible citizens. Please join our team and prevent crime.
We meet the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 P.M. at: Cataract Volunteer Fire Department 9582 Hi Ridge Trail Phone number: 765-795-3790
President of Cataract Lake Area Crime Watch is Barron Eugene Barnett. His phone number is 765-795-5289.
Quentin Lamont Porter, Jr.
August is back to school month
By Ginger Kohr, OCPL Director
Between the end of the library’s Summer Reading activities, families getting in one last vacation trip, and local schools starting throughout the month of August, activities at the library are somewhat flexible this time of year, as some of our clubs, activities, and meetings are starting, some are rearranging, and others are continuing as usual.
Crafts with BJ will continue every Wednesday from 3:30
to 5 p.m.
The Care for the Caregiver group will continue to meet on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. Book Club will meet on the last Wednesday of the month as usual:
Aug. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Activities for the pre-teens and teens, including Anime club, Dungeons and Dragons, the Lego Club and Retro Games club, will resume after school starts. Days and times will be announced at a later date. Please drop in, call, or check our website or Facebook page for further
information about these.
Homeschool Group will resume on Wednesday, Aug. 21 and will continue to meet on Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
Fun With Friends will begin again on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m.
Cuddle Up (which has been story time for all ages throughout the summer) will also resume and will meet on Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
Thank you to everyone who participated in Summer Reading. The caterpillar (each section containing
the name of books read by the children) is SO long!! The Fantastic Friday events were well attended, and we want to thank all the adults and children who came and helped make them successful. One hundred and two children attended Stevens Marionette puppet show. One hundred and eighty-six enjoyed Fred Walden’s slithery reptile friends. One hundred and twenty-five came to see Mark Booth’s Birds of Prey, and 181 children got to play in the water at the Water Show. It
was a hot day in July for a Field Day, but nonetheless, 31 actively participated. Magic Don’s Tribute to Harry Potter brought in 120, and Professor Steve’s Excellent Adventure entertained 96 children.
Our last event was set for Friday, July 26 - a Foam Partywhich is always our biggest draw. We hope everyone enjoyed the fun. We expected around 200 for that event.
Best wishes to all the students and teachers going back to school.
Purdue Extension-Owen County programming update
Owen County agriculture programming. With the arrival of Cassie Linville as our new youth educator, I am pleased to intensify outreach effort relating to agriculture, horticulture and natural resources. As always, feel free to contact me at the office on our spiffy new phones with voicemail at 812-829-5020.
Customers may also reach me on my cell at 812236-6039 or email at luzar@ purdue.edu
Client Questions/Plant Samples
What are these spots on my pepper leaves? Why is my sugar maple tree looking distressed? Growing season means pest season.
Feel free to send me a text photo of your plant issue at the beforementioned cell number. If you have a plant sample you want
evaluated, Mondays work best to drop off a sample for me to inspect. Site visits are reserved for things that need a “hands-on” evaluation. Often, crop fields need to be inspected in person to gain a true appreciation of what is taking place. If I cannot figure out your plant problem, I have a variety of tools in my resource toolkit. One resource is my network of fellow Extension educators and specialists. Some specialize in tree issues, some in pasture weed management. Another resource is other Extension programs from fellow land grant schools like the University of Illinois or University of Kentucky. The Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab is also a useful service, with sample submission costing $11. This fee may be expensive for learning what is ailing one shrub, but can pay dividends when assessing whole field concerns.
Pre-harvest PARP Aug. 27 at Clay County Fairgrounds
This PARP event will feature a breakfast provided by The Wabash Valley Community Foundation at 8:30 a.m. The program will feature Dr. Fred Whitford, who will address farm
semi readiness and DOT inspections. Farm safety relating to harvest operations and grain storage will also be presented. The program will conclude at 11 a.m. and the $10 PARP fee is going to be sponsored by Indiana Corn Growers Association and Indiana Soybean Alliance. Reservations are appreciated but not required.
Indiana Master Naturalist Program
Indiana Master Naturalist (IMN) is coming to Owen County in September and October! The program can provide you with many hands-on opportunities to learn about our Hoosier natural resources. It also provides a way for you to share that through volunteer service. Clay County IMN members had a blast teaching others about Indiana birds during the Clay County Fair. Each hour of class time is matched with an hour of outreach.
The IMN program series will take place on Tuesday evenings, beginning Sept. 10 and conclude on Oct. 29. Program time will be from 6 to 9 p.m. for each class session. Each class topic will cover research-based information on topics such as forestry, water quality, ecology, native plants,
invasive plants, soils and geology, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, and conservation and utilization of our natural resources. Speakers are lined up for their teaching ability, subject matter mastery, and enthusiasm teaching adults (must be 18 to enroll in class). Class fee for the program is $75 per person or $90 per couple. Early enrollment is encouraged, as this program is capped at 15 to accommodate class space. Contact Purdue ExtensionOwen County for questions or to enroll.
Gauging Interest in Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program
Purdue ExtensionOwen County has not hosted a training series for several years. Would you be interested in a training series to become a Purdue Extension Master Gardener? I could arrange the program for an evening class or morning class of three hours. Program cost would be around $150 for everything. Let us know if you are interested! The program series is a big time commitment: usually there are around 14 class sessions. If you are interested, I would really like to discuss more about the program with you.
Ramblings: Ticks are such a nuisance
By Annie Bright Guest Columnist
The other day I took a short hike in the woods with my greatgranddaughter.
Unfortunately, we both collected ticks. We took precautions to discourage them, but ticks are sneaky. Be sure to check for them frequently. Children and pets are especially vulnerable to ticks because they are short and closer to the places ticks live.
It is a good idea for adults to check each other’s backs, too. Like chiggers, ticks like to hide under tight fitting clothing.
We have several types of ticks in southern Indiana. The brown dog tick, the black legged tick and the Lone Star tick are the most common. They all feed on the blood of mammals. The black legged tick is smaller and has a longer snout. They transmit Lyme disease. The American dog tick is a round, brown tick. They can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The Lone Star Tick is also
LAZY DAYS | FROM PAGE 1
includes: Aug. 8
5 p.m. – Vendor booths open; registration for free Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest
5:30 p.m. –Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest begins 6 p.m.
–Opening ceremonies, with an opening prayer by Craig Brighton, presentation of colors by Gosport VFW Post 7850, national anthem sung by Polly Chesser, Committee introduction by Lazy Days President Chris Wesley, announcement of Outstanding Senior Citizens and Outstanding Citizen and presentation of Little Miss and
A guide to tick sizes and types published by the St. Joseph County Department of Health can be seen. COURTESY PHOTO.
round; the females have a white star on their backs. They have been linked to alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic reaction that occurs in people if they eat red meat after being infected. All varieties of ticks carry other diseases too. If they attach themselves, the site can become infected after removal.
Adult ticks prefer long grass, low brush or shrubs, where they can crawl or jump on a mammal for their next blood meal. Tick larval and nymph stages prefer shady, moist ground litter. Ticks have a boring life; they perch on leaves of low brush or on grass stems and wait for a mammal to pass by.
Mister
6:30 to 9 p.m. –The Trio Band
Aug. 9
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
–Gosport History Museum open
3 p.m. –Tim Dittemore Memorial Car Show (sponsored by Meineke Car Care)
4:15 to 6:15 p.m. – Cary Spear
4:30 p.m. – Car show judging
5 p.m. –Vendor booths open
5 to 7 p.m. –Gosport VFW Post 7850 Auxiliary fish fry
5 p.m. – Kalita magic show
5:30 to 7 p.m. –Kid’s games
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Crossroads Collective 9 to 11 p.m. –Major Danger Aug. 10
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
–Gosport History Museum open
As the potential host moves by the tick, it crawls onto the host and proceeds to look for a place to settle down to get its next meal.
Populations of ticks can be reduced around the home with minor landscaping changes. Landscaping efforts that have shown to be effective are: Keeping grass mowed short and removing tall weeds. Removing underbrush and leaf litter in woody or shady areas. Reduce tick population by removing places where rodents can live.
Treating pets to prevent tick attachment. Pets bring ticks into the home.
6:45 to 7:15 a.m. – Gosport Lion’s Club 5k registration
7:30 a.m. –Lion’s Club 5k begins
8:30 a.m. – Bike race registration
9 a.m. – Baby Contest sign-in (must be preregistered)
10 a.m. – Baby Contest begins 10 a.m. – Free kid’s games
11 a.m. –Vendor booths open
11a.m. to noon –Silly Safari
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. –Parade line up and registration at the Community Building (see Caleb Cordoer for number and lineup location)
1 p.m. – Parade 2 p.m. – Bed Race
3 p.m. –Journey Wrestling
Often tick-infested areas cannot be avoided because of work or recreational activities. You can reduce the possibility that you will collect ticks. Wear shoes that cover the entire foot (no sandals), socks and long pants. Pant legs should be stuffed into sock tops. Ticks will climb upward on the outer surface of clothing looking for bare skin. They will also crawl up your leg, underneath your clothing. Wear lightcolored clothing to make it easy to see crawling ticks. Hats will also deter ticks from getting in your hair.
The Indiana Department of Health suggests the following regarding insect repellant. Use repellents with DEET on clothing and skin. Concentrations of DEET between 10 percent and 30 percent are adequate. A concentration of 10 percent protects for two hours, while a 30 percent concentration will protect for five hours. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, DEET solutions should not be used on children less than two months of age. Concentrations above 30 percent should not be used on infants and children. When using
3 p.m. – Kappa Kappa Sigma Raffle
3 to 7 p.m. –Kid’s games 5 to 7 p.m. –Gosport VFW Post 7850 cheeseburgers
5 p.m. – Euchre Tournament at Gosport VFW family room
5 to 7 p.m. –Reece Phillips Band
DEET, always heed the manufacturers’ recommendations. Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing, but do not apply repellent to skin that is under clothing. Do not spray it on your face. Wash treated skin with soap and water after returning indoors. Insect repellents without DEET are also available. My personal recipe for insect repellent is tea tree oil, lavender oil and eucalyptus oil in some skin so soft bath oil. If all this fails and you find ticks attached to your body, be careful how you remove them. The recommended way is to grasp their heads with a pair of tweezers and gently pull them out. Do not twist when you are removing them, the head may come off and remain in your skin. This has happened to me, and it creates a nasty infection. Wash the area and apply antibiotic salve. Watch the area for infection or rash. A red bullseye rash is a sign of Lyme Disease. If either occurs, call your doctor.
May your summer be full of adventure and devoid of ticks.
‘til next time, Annie
8 to 11 p.m. –Cabin Row Band Aug. 11 Community Church Service in the Park 10 to 10:45 a.m. –Gospel sing 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. – Sermon Noon –Community pitchin (fried chicken provided by churches). Please bring the following items according to the first initial of your last name: A-G: side dish; H-N: dessert; O-U: drinks; and V-Z: bread/rolls.
It’s Just a Country State of Mind: The Dog Days of summer (at the Old Swimming Hole)
There were no video games or cell phones, no AirPods or game streaming. There was no modern technology as we know it today.
By Susan Anderson Guest Columnist
Every year about this time in Indiana, we enter into what is known as the “dog days” of summer. The days are hazy and warm, the nights are balmy, and the crickets seem to sing a little louder as if they know that summer is winding down.
Historically the time is known as the rising of the star system, “Sirius,” better known to us as the “Dog Star.”
The days during this time are typically known to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The hottest days are usually somewhere between mid-July until the end of August, though it can vary.
I’ve often enjoyed this part of the summer (not the heat), because it never fails to bring with it a sense of nostalgia.
I find myself thinking back to the time when I was a kid and spent my summers in the country doing all the things that kids do in the country.
I hung out with what I call the “gang,” and we always managed to find some sort of entertainment to keep our days full of adventure.
Lunch was a peanut butter sandwich in a brown paper bag, and if we were lucky, Kool-Aid in a thermos for thirsty adventurers.
We really had to use our imagination to invent things to do.
With several of us to do the thinking, you can only imagine the elaborate plans that we came up with.
But imaginations and kids were meant to go together, so it was a grand time for all of us, and I cannot remember a time when life was any simpler than it was back then, when we were children.
We were a Mötley Crüe to say the least.
For some reason no one ever got called by their real name, but instead got christened with a nickname that would be destined to be stuck with them for life.
I was rather small, but very full of energy so you can imagine what I was called.
Most everyone called me “short stuff” due to my small physique.
During the Dog Days of summer, we would all gather at a local creek not far from our homes. The creek was affectionately named the “old swimming hole.”
Our swimming hole was in a place where there was a sandy beach that lined one side of the creek.
BEEM | FROM PAGE 1 along Hillside Avenue between Beem and Lincoln streets in Spencer.
Civilian Brewing Corps and Owen Valley Winery will also be selling beverages on the property.
A full list of vendors was not yet available in time for printing, but individual vendors will be listed.
It was probably about 4-feet deep in the deepest spot. We all knew how to swim, but given my name was short stuff, I usually stayed in the more shallow part of the creek.
There was a grapevine growing up a big tree on the banks of the creek, and it made for a great way to jump into the deeper parts of the water.
We had broken a piece of it loose and would walk back as far as we could, take a running jump to swing out over the water, then let go of the vine in mid-air.
It made for the best of times as we often had contests to see who could make the biggest splash.
Of course weight was a big factor in the contest, and as I was a lightweight, I never won. But it was great fun to be a part of the competition regardless of one’s size. Even though we had hours and hours of fun there every summer, the creek was not without its hazards.
One particular summer day, we were all splashing around, having a great time when someone yelled at the top of their lungs “snake!” There it was, a rather large water snake, staring us down.
Our splashing had attracted it to us and somehow, it had snuck up on us.
It had appeared out of nowhere and also appeared to be a bit
The festival, which is free to attend, will also have live music and kid-friendly activities such as lawn games and a slip and slide.
House tours depart every half hour and will be offered for $5 or $10 depending on the tour. The $5 tour includes the main floor and the second floor, while the $10 tour adds on the tower and the barn loft. Tour
angry at all of us. We took off swimming as fast as our little legs and arms could take us with the exception of one girl whose name shall be kept confidential, to protect her identity. She hadn’t even earned her nickname yet. But she soon would. She stood in the middle of the creek and proceeded to scream and scream.
Of course, this only managed to make the snake more upset, and it started to move about in the water swimming towards her which only intensified her determination to scream louder.
We were all terrified, especially the girl in the water, but I think the poor snake was more terrified than anyone else.
We were yelling at it to go away and waving our arms.
Eventually, the snake made his way along and eventually the girl stopped screaming.
In the end, no harm was done to the girl or the snake, and later we all had a good laugh about it, except for the girl who did the screaming.
After the snake slithered off into the weeds, the girl got out of the creek and made her departure by quickly mounting her bicycle and peddling down the street towards her home. Needless to say, she never came back to the swimming hole for quite some time, if ever. Those
tickets can be purchased online through the Facebook event page. Tours start at 11 a.m. and the last tour starts at 8:30 p.m.
“We want to have as much availability as possible,” Welsh said.
Each tour can accommodate 20 people, and Welsh said that a few of the slots are already filled.
“For so long, people
were some good days!
Not too long ago, I revisited the old swimming hole just to see what it looked like. The place didn’t look like it used to as the weeds were all grown up all over what was the sandy creek bank and the grapevine had grown up thick and tall and had grown all over the trees. It actually looked rather forlorn and abandoned. That made me feel a little bit sad, but at the same time it brought a warm feeling to me as I remembered the happy times I had spent there during the Dog Days of the summers of my childhood. And I now realize that as long as there are the Dog Days of summer and kids with imaginations, life will go on. And the old swimming hole will continue to exist. It may have been replaced by swimming pools and other forms of swimming holes that are offered in today’s world, but it’s the spirit of adventure in the child that will make it live on.
Nostalgia! It sure is a nice place to visit from time to time, but from now on I think I will stick to the local swimming pool. As far as that girl’s nickname, well, some things that happen at the creek, are better left at the creek.
Happy swimming and enjoy the Dog Days!
Susan (aka short stuff)
haven’t been able to come up and see the inside, so it’s led to a lot of stories about it,” Welsh said. “We knew living here we needed to share it with the community. We just want to make sure we’re opening the grounds and allowing people to see the house that’s been so prominent for the last 150 years.”
Trailing or Leading: Faith and a 5K
By Kyle Hannon Project Manager, MYPath Trail System
Have you ever watched a great football game? When the excellent teams are preparing to score the winning touchdown with a pass, have you noticed the quarterback throws the pass BEFORE the receiver is open? Both the quarterback and the receiver know where the ball is going to be. They just have faith that both the receiver and the ball will be at the right place at the right time.
I’m working on that same kind of faith right now.
As we have discussed in this column, the MYPath trail is going to bring
a new level of recreational pathway to Owen County. Walkers, cyclists, strollers and wheelchairs will all be able to use the new Riverfront section of MYPath to experience nature. This is important to us because our county is 11th from the bottom of the state in access to trails. Another, related, statistic is that we are less healthy than our Hoosier colleagues (We are 73rd out of 92 counties.) What better way to introduce the community to a new trail and a healthy activity than to host a 5k run/walk on the new MYPath trail? Please plan to take part in the Friends of MYPath Inaugural MYPath 5k at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Here is where we have to count on a lot of things falling into place. Today, we cannot have a race on
MYPath. The surface is under construction. There is no bridge. We aren’t exactly sure what the race route will be. But I have confidence, faith, that everything is going to be in place by Oct. 19.
The Inaugural MYPath 5k is going to be a fun event. It will consist of paved and unpaved surfaces. It will start at the chicken at the Owen County Fairgrounds. Then it will run across Cooper Commons. Why? Because in the near future there will be a MYPath route through Cooper Commons to connect to the Fairgrounds. That exact route is not determined yet, so we will have a nice, mowed path through the grass to approximate the future trail. A MYPath shelter and stone marker exist at the corner of Main Street and the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge right now.
Then the race route will use the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge to cross the White River. You may have noticed the extra lane painted on the bridge. That is marked by the county and we really appreciate it. We consider it part of MYPath.
Once across the river, participants will run or walk on the soon-tobe-paved MYPath Riverfront Trail. The path crosses Elliston Creek on a soon-to-beplaced new bridge. Like I said at the beginning, the trail is not paved, and the bridge does not exist today. I have seen the plans, and I have talked to the construction crews. I have confidence, faith, that the pavement and bridge will exist before our event, with a couple weeks to spare.
After following the White River for a while, the trail connects with River
Road. The County Commissioners gave us permission and their blessing to use one lane of River Road for the race. Sherriff Ryan White is granting a deputy to help with traffi c control and to keep participants safe. After the short section of River Road, runners and walkers will reconnect with a new MYPath trail section that winds through the tree tubes. You may have read about the tree tubes in this column a couple months ago. Now you will have a chance to see them up close.
From there, the race returns to Cooper Commons and the fairgrounds’ chicken.
Between now and race day, Friends of MYPath will be finalizing the route, recruiting volunteers and seeking sponsorships. We really think this will be a special
event, combining paved and natural surfaces to introduce you to a new trail, new river views and a new event. Please stay tuned for opportunities to register or volunteer for the Inaugural MYPath 5k. Contact me at Mypath@ owencountycf.org if you are interested in participating, volunteering or sponsoring.
Even though we still have a lot of steps to take, I have faith we will be ready. The pass is in the air. I hope you will join us on Oct. 19 to make the catch.
Kyle Hannon is the project manager for the MYPath Trail System. He has served in many community development and trail connection roles throughout the state. On many weekends, he serves as an interpretive specialist at McCormick’s Creek State Park.
Driftwood Outdoors: Frog gigging offers summer fun
By Brandon Butler Guest Columnist
Frog legs are one of nature’s delicacies. Contrary to some reports, they don’t taste like chicken. They taste like frogs. The white meat is sweet and succulent. They’re especially good when dipped in drawn butter. I suppose they’re not for everyone, but I look forward to a mess of fresh, well-cooked frogs as much as any steak you could put in front of me. Now is the time of year to collect a mess of frogs on lakes and ponds throughout the Midwest.
There are different rules in different states, but for the most part you can take frogs a few different ways. A gig or spear that has a head not more than three inches in width and a single row of tines, a bow and arrow, club, your bare hands, a fishing pole or a hand
line. If you want to use a firearm to shoot frogs, you can shoot them with air rifles or a .22-caliber loaded with bird shot. Usually, to shoot them you must have a hunting license. On a frog gigging adventure with my cousin, Derek, we made the rounds along the shoreline of a small, moss-covered pond. About 50 yards from where we expected
the bullfrogs to be, I fired up the five-million candlepower spotlight. A couple of quick back-and-forth scans across a small stretch of cattails revealed two glowing eyes. They look like white marbles sticking out just above the water. Derek killed the power down on the trolling motor and we ever so slowly approached the frog. With the spotlight in
my left hand and a gig in my right, I steadied my feet for the jab. Shinning the bright light in the frog’s eyes keeps him statue still. I thrust the gig on a 12-foot handle at the target and find my mark. I set down the light and pulled the big frog off the prongs and tossed him in a basket. We switched spots and repeated the process over and over. When we pulled out of the water at 2 a.m., we had 17 jumbo bullfrogs. It was a good haul for the night. We used a small jon boat, gig and spotlight. When we got back to my place, it took 20 minutes to clean the frogs. We washed and rinsed the 17 sets of legs, then placed them in a bowl of salt water to brine overnight. The next afternoon, I pulled the legs out and patted them dry. Then dipped them in beaten eggs and tossed them in seasoning. They hit the peanut oil in a cast
iron frying pan at 350 degrees. They sizzled for 10 minutes and turned out perfect.
Frog gigging is a fun way to hook kids in the outdoors, and it compliments other outdoor opportunities. Travel to a lake or pond. Set up a nice camp. Fish by day and gig frogs by night. Sounds like a great weekend to me.
In Indiana, the frog season is open from June 15 through April 30 of the following year. The daily bag limit for game frogs is 25 (in aggregate). The possession limit is 50. Bullfrog and green frog are considered to be game species and regulated by hunting and fishing laws in Indiana.
See you down the trail…
For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.
Frog gigging is a fun and enjoyable outdoors activity for kids. PHOTO COURTESY OF USFWS.
Outdoor Type: Hooked (literally) on
memorable nearcatastrophe in my fishing career happened when I was in my teens, fishing with my dad on a hot summer night in our small jon boat. We were using Jitterbugs, a topwater lure that gurgles enticingly as it dances across the water. Since it was pitch dark, we couldn’t see our lures, so we relied on the sound of the strike to know it was time to set the hook.
We had caught some nice bass that night, but the mosquitoes were really humming. We were covered with bug spray,
but the pests still hovered right near our faces.
I made a long cast toward the dam then started slowly winding. An explosion followed. I set the hook, but made no contact. The hefty double-treble hook lure came flying back in the dark and hit me square in the mouth.
“Ok. I’m alive,” I thought. “No concussion. I think I have all my teeth. But… hang on a sec.” One of the treble hooks had lodged somewhere
in my mouth. It wouldn’t come out.
Dad eased over with his flashlight and took a look. One of the treble hook points was buried in the tip of my tongue.
Now what to do? Head to the ER? You must realize that Dad and I were serious about fishing, and bass were biting. At least an effort would be made to remove the hook.
I can still see Dad sidling up to me with his flashlight in his mouth, studying
my mouth. He first used snips to cut off the hook from the big lure so that only a quarter inch or so of the shank protruded from my tongue. OK. Progress. Much more manageable.
Now how to get it out. Barbs on hooks are there for a reason. They prevent a fish from shaking off. They also prevent hooks from being removed from tongues.
So, to the ER? Wait. The hook wouldn’t back out, so Dad suggested
he try pushing it through my tongue, since the tip was fairly narrow. Sounds incredibly painful, but really not so much. The mosquitoes hovering around the flashlight in Dad’s mouth were no help to his concentration.
My everso-patient father carefully, delicately pushed and pushed and eventually voila, the point finally protruded through the bottom of my tongue. With
pliers, Dad gently pulled the hook through. There was some blood, but not enough to quit fishing. After all, the bites were coming before all the drama started. I rinsed my mouth out with some water, and we carried on. It takes more than just a minor incident like a hook in the tongue to put an end to a fishing trip. Later some antiseptic at home was a wise precaution. The next day, my tongue was only slightly sore. Dad should’ve been an oral surgeon. That was not the only hook in the tongue incident I’ve been a part of. More later.
Today’s trivia: The strongest muscle in the human body is in the tongue. It’s also the single muscle only attached at one end.
An old ad describing the Jitterbug bait. Lure inventor Fred Arbogast made the first one in his basement shop using part of a spoon and a piece of broom handle during the Great Depression. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LARRY LAGRANGE
“Deputy Hardy pointed out a brown and white colt near the backside of the house, contained in fencing. The brown and white colt was in a small fenced-in area with multiple goats, a sheep, a duckling and a dog. I could see the brown and white Colt’s ribs, and his pelvis could be seen through his coat. There was a bale of hay in the fenced-in area. There was a large container with dirty water inside of it,” the affidavit reads.
The affidavit then noted that Musgrave could see two horses as well.
“Both horses look to be extremely malnourished,” the affidavit reads. “I could see the horses’ ribs and hip bones through their coats.”
According to the affidavit, Musgrave also witnessed several cages of birds that did not appear to have any food or water and a cage connected to the side of a barn that had multiple puppies without access to any water.
In addition, “In the yard next to the driveway, there were three dead chickens,” the affidavit reads.
This information led to a full search and seizure warrant that was executed at noon on July 8. This was the first of two that were executed, with the second warrant being served 10 days later on July 18. In total, 348 animals were seized as part of the warrant – 17 dogs and puppies, 29 ducks, 225 chickens and roosters, 21 sheep, nine rabbits, 10 cats and kittens, 23 goats, two bearded dragons, two cows, four pigs and four horses. In addition, four animals could not be captured because they flew away – a black hen, a rooster, a guinea fowl and a Muscovy duck, according to Becky Brown, Executive Director of the Owen County Humane Society.
Musgrave noted that when executing the July 8 search warrant, most of the poultry did have food and water in their cages.
During the warrant, the animals were evaluated by district veterinarian Dr. Heather Solomon-Gabl, who is referred to as Dr. Solomon in most references throughout the affidavit.
Two bearded dragons were found to be dehydrated, underweight and without a heat lamp inside the residence.
“Doctor Solomon evaluated two horses that were fenced in together. The horses had hay to eat and a water bowl near them. Their water bowl did not have any water in it. I could see the horses’ ribs through their coats. Doctor Solomon determined that the two horses showed signs of neglect. Doctor Solomon evaluated a colt that was fenced in next to where the other horses were. “I could see the colt’s ribs and hip through its coat. Doctor Solomon determined that the colt showed signs of neglect. I observed what appeared to be a dead chicklet on the ground near the colt,” the affidavit reads.
“Due to the large amount of free-ranging chickens on the property, Doctor Solomon decided to evaluate ten chickens and from there determine if all of the chickens needed to be
seized,” the affidavit reads. “After evaluating the chickens she determined that the chickens showed signs of neglect. Doctor Solomon pointed out three chickens to me that were suffering from wounds to their feet. One of the chickens Doctor Solomon evaluated appeared to be missing a large amount of feathers on the bottom of it.”
Solomon then went to evaluate a pig.
“Doctor Solomon was surprised to find dead animal carcasses inside the pig’s pin. Doctor Solomon located seven animal skulls inside the pig’s pin and two animal carcasses. The pig also had no food in its pin,” the affidavit reads.
The affidavit also describes a baby goat “whose back end was covered in feces” that Solomon said was lethargic. There were also another two dead goats found in that area of the property and several dead chickens in the barn.
The affidavit also describes another horse that was on the property.
“The horse was skinny and had a halter on its head. The halter appeared to have been on the horse for a long amount of time. When the halter was removed from the horse it had a deep wound on the bottom of its jaw that appeared to be caused by halter wear. Doctor Solomon evaluated the horse and determined it was being neglected,” the affidavit reads.
It then says that Musgrave and Solomon walked into the field where the horse was located.
“We discovered a dead baby goat in a muddy pond,” it reads.
The affidavit says that multiple animals were taken to the Purdue Veterinarian Hospital for immediate treatment due to the poor condition they were in.
The following rescues were involved in seizing the animals in addition to the Owen County Humane Society: A Critter’s Chance located in Martinsville, Oinking Acres Farm Rescue and Sanctuary located in Brownsburg, Compass Rose located in Spencer, Jenkins Forever Farm located in Edinburgh and Winking Reptile Rescue.
“Thank goodness for our rescue partners that have helped us in previous rescues,” Brown said. “There’s no way that our small facility could have handled this.”
Brown said that several of the animals were rated as one on a five-point scale used to assess animals. On that scale, zero is dead, one is considered next to death, two is considered sick and unstable, and five is considered completely healthy.
Brown noted that there is a lack of county-wide ordinances for animal care standards. The Town of Spencer does have ordinances in relation to animal care.
“We don’t have any ordinances throughout the county, which means we follow state, Indiana code on animal treatment. And some of the Indiana Code statutes are very undefined there. They’re open to vast interpretation of what adequate shelter is. There’s no standard,” Brown said.
Indiana Code does not provide that farm animals have to have any shelter, but those animals do need to have access to food and water. However, the access to food could just be a pasture, according to the state law.
Brown highlighted another gap in the local regulations when compared to other counties.
“Other counties have ordinances that you need to live on the property to have any domestic animals of any kind. Owen County doesn’t have that,” Brown said.
Brown said that there are resources available to help individuals who need some temporary assistance, and that in the past, folks have contacted the sheriff’s department or the nonemergent dispatch line to ask for help. Those agencies then get in touch with Brown who searches for resources or finds a way to help out if possible.
Brown said that large animal cases like this one pose a challenge to the volunteer-run humane society that does not receive county funding. The Town of Spencer does provide some funding to the humane society.
“When we receive a case like this, it is months and months of getting through this and trying to get back to normal. Where at this point in time, we have zero ability to take in one more dog or one more cat. If somebody
comes in with a stray, we can’t help, and that’s problematic,” Brown said. “We’re not able to function at any normal level when you have a case like this.”
As of July 27, three goats and three chickens have passed away, and there are still some animals at Purdue Veterinary Hospital.
“Some of these animals were so depleted that they get regular blood transfusions from healthy animals to keep them alive,” Brown said.
She said that several of the birds had respiratory illnesses.
She then reiterated what is needed for responsible animal ownership.
“There is a degree of commitment and responsibility to making sure that your animal has proper vet care,” Brown said, adding that some of it, such as dewormers, can be implemented at home through supplies from a local farm store. “But have the means and the awareness of what you need to do to take care of an animal and to rehome or sell responsibility so you’re not passing on a problem to an unsuspecting person.”
The Owen County Humane Society is taking donations to help with the care of these animals and Brown said that funding will be shared with their rescue partners that have taken in and cared for the other animals.
FROM TOP: Horses that were taken through a warrant for suspected animal neglect can be seen. // A duck with an injured leg that was found on the property can be seen. SUBMITTED PHOTOS.
Champion Versatility Team Alexysis Ingram, MiaRose Hess and Kenzi Mixler. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Showmanship champions Akaydia
Madi Amick Sr. and Laylah Belcher Jr. SUBMITTED PHOTO. Grand Champion English Halter Mare Ruthie Belcher. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Reserve Grand Champion Western Halter Gelding MiaRose Hess and Grand Champion Western Halter Gelding Kenzi Bixler. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Western Showmanship champions Miley Amick Jr., Kenzi Bixler Intermediate, Madi Amick Sr. and MiaRose Hess Advanced. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Grand and Reserve Grand English Halter Geldings- Josey Mobley. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Grand Champion Western Halter Mare Audri Roberts. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Reserve Grand Champion English Halter Mare Audri Roberts. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Reserve Grand Champion Western Halter Mare Lilly Givans. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Reserve Grand Champion Western Horsemanship- MiaRose Hess. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
Reserve Grand Champion english equitation Madi Amick Grand Champion english equitation MiaRose Hess. SUBMITTED PHOTO.