The Owen News -- Aug. 1, 2025 (Vol. 2, Issue 8)

County preps for budget hearings

By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor

The annual Owen County budget hearings are just around the corner, with three days scheduled to plan the county’s budget for 2026.

The hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27 through Friday, Aug. 29, starting at 8 a.m. in the commissioner’s room on the second

floor of the Owen County Courthouse, located at 60 S. Main St., Spencer. But this year, due to the passing of property tax relief elements in Senate Bill 1, the county will have to cut

between $300,000 and $400,000 from their budget, and the exact impact of that

“Property taxes are a primary source of funding for local government units, including counties, cities and towns, townships, libraries and other special districts including fire districts and solid waste districts. Property taxes are

BUDGET | PAGE 5

Like father, like chief

Terry Sips named SPD Chief, continuing family legacy

By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent

Veteran police officer Terry Sips was recently selected to serve as the next Chief of Police for the Spencer Police Department (SPD).

Sips, a 1986 graduate of Owen Valley High School and 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, assumes the new role following the retirement of former CHIEF | PAGE 6

Terry Sips, who began his career with the Spencer Police Department in December of 2006, was recently selected to serve as the department’s new chief of police. TRAVIS CURRY | THE OWEN NEWS

Confirmed cases of bobcat fever in southern Indiana, tick prevention key

By Hannah Amos Correspondent

With confirmed cases of the highly fatal cat disease cytauxzoonosis, better known as bobcat fever, in the counties surrounding Owen County, animal health workers are asking cat, and all pet owners, to be mindful. Bobcat Fever is a tickborne illness primarily caused

by Lone Star and American Dog ticks.

These ticks, after having a blood meal from a bobcat, the natural host species for the parasite that causes the disease and gives the disease its name, can pick up and transmit the parasite to domestic cats, Denise Derrer, Public Information Director of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), said via email.

Though affected bobcats, generally, don’t get ill from the parasite, the disease can be fatal for domestic cats. Clinical signs start to develop within five to 14 days after the bite. Symptoms to look out for are lethargy, inappetence, fever, difficulty breathing, anemia, jaundice and seizures. Affected cats

Murder trial delayed

By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent

The latest postponement in the pending murder trial for Quentin Lamont Porter, Jr., accused of the July 2024 shooting death of 23-yearold Malik Darea Sims, pushes the projected start date to early 2026.

Township Trustee passes away

By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor

If there was an Owen County Commissioners, Owen County Council meeting or legislative breakfast, you were likely to see Barron Barnett. And, you were likely to hear him speak up about a myriad of issues—taxes, regionalism, representation and more.

| PAGE 6

Poultry Club to host 50th anniversary Staff Report

The White River Poultry Club will host its 50th anniversary fall poultry show on Saturday, Aug. 30 at the Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., in Spencer. The open show will feature bantam, large fowl and waterfowl classes, with judging to get underway at 9 a.m. All birds will be

| PAGE 18 FEVER | PAGE 5

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Obituaries

Barnett, 76

Barron E. Barnett, 76, of Poland, Indiana passed away at his home on Monday, July 14, 2025. He was born May 16, 1949, in Seymour, Indiana to Eugene R. Barnett

and Alta Wolka Barnett.

Barron proudly served his country in the United States Army.

He was a 1967 graduate of Arlington High School in Indianapolis. Later, he attended Ivy Tech earning an associate’s degree.

Barron went on to work at the Chrysler Corporation, RCA Manufacturing, Switzer Engineering, Mosier Safe Securities, and Rolls-Royce Manufacturing where he spent 31 years.

He was also the Jackson Township Trustee in Owen County for two years. Barron was an active member of Elks Greencastle, IN; also an active member of American Legion; active with Moose Lodge in Greencastle, IN; active with Amateur Radio Club in Spencer, IN; and was the president of Cataract Lake Area Crime Watch.

Barron was also very much involved in the Gen-Con gaming (World Plan Games) gathering at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

Government Meeting Calendar

Aug. 4

Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. at the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.

Aug. 7

Owen County Board of Commissioners, 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 11

Owen County Council, 6 p.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Owen Valley Fire Territory Board, 6 p.m. at the Owen Valley Fire Department, 401 Walnut St., Spencer.

Cloverdale Community Schools Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale.

Aug. 12

Gosport Town Council, 7 p.m. in the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.

Aug. 14

Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.

Aug. 15

Owen County Board of Commissioners, 10 a.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 18

Owen County Public Library Board, 5 p.m. in the OCPL Vault Room, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.

Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. at the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.

Aug. 20

Spencer Redevelopment Commission, 6 p.m. at the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.

Aug. 21

Owen County Board of Commissioners, 6 p.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 26

Spencer Plan Commission & BZA, 6 p.m. at 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. 27-29

Owen County Council

He is survived by his beloved wife of 28 years, Martha Loker Barnett; his children, Atlanta Visker (Jamie) and Vaughn Barnett; grandchildren, Xander Visker and Riley Visker; one niece; and two nephews.

Barron was preceded in death by his parents and brother Willard Barnett.

Cremation was entrusted to Samaritan Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be made to samaritanfunerals. com.

Budget Hearings, 8 a.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 28

Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of Trustees, 7 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.

Sept. 1

Owen County Courthouse closed in observance of Labor Day.

Sept. 2

Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. at the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.

Sept. 4

Owen County Board of Commissioners, 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

Community Events Calendar

Aug. 1

Blood drive, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Open Class Building, Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., Spencer. Hosted by the Owen County Extension Homemakers, Owen County Fair Board and the American Red Cross. Register online at redcross.org. Enter the Spencer zip code, 47460, to find the drive held in Owen County.

Aug. 2

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Don George Pietz.

Free electronics collection event, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Owen Valley High School, 622 S.R. 46W, Spencer. Drive up or walk. Rain or shine. For more information, email E-Cycle@idem.IN.gov.

Annual Quiltathon fundraiser beginning at 10 a.m. at Unraveled Quilt Store, 381 Fletcher Ave., Spencer. Proceeds benefit the local Bikes for Tykes program, S-OCS lunch programs and Backpack Buddies. Supplies will also be collected for Teachers’ Warehouse.

Hot Summer Nights Rock the Block end of summer celebration, 3 to 9 p.m., presented by The Historic Tivoli Theatre and sponsored by Sweet Owen Tourism and Spencer Main Street. Free showing of “Footloose” at noon at the Tivoli, car show from 2 to 6 p.m., and live music with The Rotations and special guest Bubba Wiggles at 6 p.m. (bring a lawn chair).

Aug. 2 to 3

Gathering of the People Powwow, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Cataract. Admission fees vary. The event features Buffalo Child who will serve as emcee and perform a Hoop Dance. More information can be found on the Facebook event page.

Aug. 5

First day of classes for Cloverdale Community School Corporation students.

End of Summer Celebration, 5 to 7 p.m. at The Home Team Properties, 106 N. Main St., Spencer. Kona Ice, bounce house, popcorn, and more. This is a free community event, co-sponsored by Ruoff Mortgage, Owen County Sheriff Ryan White, Josh Kennedy Goosehead Insurance, and Cathleen’s Gymnastics & Kid Camp.

Spencer Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Lester F. Litten Community Building, 59 N. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 6

First day of classes for Spencer-Owen Community

Schools Corporation students.

Aug. 7

Spencer Exchange Club meeting, noon at the Owen County Family YMCA, 1111 W. SR 46, Spencer.

Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park board meeting, 4 p.m. in the Program Room inside the MCSP Nature Center. Open to the public.

Gosport Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.

Coal City Crime Watching meeting, 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Baptist Church, 4019 Main St., Coal City. Open to the public.

Aug. 7 to 10

Gosport Lazy Days Festival in downtown Gosport.

Aug. 8

Bonus Blood Drive, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Open Class Building at the Owen County Fairgrounds, hosted by The American Red Cross. Donors can register at redcross.org for a time slot.

Green & White Football Scrimmage, 6 p.m. at Clover Country Stadium at Cloverdale High School. Watch the Cloverdale Youth Football League take on the CHS football team in the annual Green & White Scrimmage. The event will also feature bounce houses, vendors, and more.

Live music with The Night Riders Band, 8 to 11:30 p.m. at the Gosport VFW Post #7850, 159 E. Main St., Gosport.

Aug. 9

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by This Burning Ghost.

The Friends of the Library monthly book sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room of the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.

Owen Valley Choir Kick-Off Picnic, 12 to 2 p.m. in the Owen Valley High School cafeteria. Open to students in grades 7-12. Meet the choir directors, fill out paperwork and have your questions answered.

Live music with Cabin Row, 8 to 11 p.m. at the Gosport VFW Post #7850, 159 E. Main St., Gosport.

Aug. 10

Grand opening and ribbon cutting, 12 to 4 p.m. at Compass Rose Farm Sanctuary, 622 Flatwoods Rd., Spencer. Hosted by the Owen County Chamber of Commerce.

Aug. 11

Jolly Homemakers meeting, 1 p.m. at the Freedom Community Center, 5558 Freedom-Arney Rd., Freedom.

Spencer Main Street Annual Meeting at Abram Farm Event Venue, 380 S.R. 43S, Spencer. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Cash bar. For more information, visit spencermainstreet.org.

Aug. 12

Braysville Homemakers meeting, 5:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. Elevator access is available. For more information, call 812829-5020.

Aug. 13

Harrison Homemakers meeting, noon at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office, 180 S. Washington St., Spencer.

Aug. 14

White River Beekeepers meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Current and prospective beekeepers are welcome to attend.

Spencer Masonic Lodge #95 stated meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the Lodge, 361 N. Harrison St., Spencer.

Aug. 16

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Steve & Pam. Annual Coal City Community VFD car show and fish fry, 1 to 6 p.m., 4212 Main St., Coal City. For more information, visit the Coal City Community Volunteer Fire Department on Facebook. Band Community Performance, 6 p.m. at Owen Valley’s Patriot Field.

Live music by Ivan Parker and son, Josh, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Spencer First Assembly of God, 428 S. Washington St., Spencer. A free will offering will be taken. For more information, call 812-829-2184.

Aug. 17

Spencer Pride annual meeting, 4 p.m. at the commUnity Center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. A free night for NEW Hope: Recovery Group launch and film event, 6 to 9 p.m. at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. The only addiction recovery support group in Owen County. Door prizes, meet and greet and free showing of the documentary film, “The Addicts Awake.”

Aug. 19

Owen County Democratic Party monthly meeting, 5:30 p.m. at the Democrat Headquarters, 152 E. Jefferson

St., Spencer. Dinner and social begins at 5:30 p.m., with the meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Spencer Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Lester F. Litten Community Building, 59 N. Main St., Spencer.

Aug. 20

Owen County Homesteaders meeting, 4 to 6 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Spencer Pride Board of Directors meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer.

Aug. 21

Spencer Exchange Club meeting, noon at the Owen County Family YMCA, 1111 W. SR 46, Spencer. Calico Homemakers meeting, 4 p.m. Meetings are held at a different restaurant each month. For more information, call 812-829-5020.

Aug. 23

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Zach Mobley.

Aug. 26

Owen County SWCD Board of Supervisors meeting, 4:30 p.m. at the SWCD office, 788 Pottersville Rd., Spencer. Open to the public.

Aug. 30

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Micah Mobley. White River Poultry Club 50th anniversary fall poultry show, 9 a.m. at the Owen County Fairgrounds, 364 S. East St., Spencer. Spectators are welcome and parking is free, so make plans to attend and celebrate this golden anniversary event with the White River Poultry Club.

Sept. 4

Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park board meeting, 4 p.m. in the Program Room inside the MCSP Nature Center. Open to the public. Gosport Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport. Coal City Crime Watching meeting, 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Baptist Church, 4019 Main St., Coal City. Open to the public.

Sept. 6

Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by Rikki Jean. Arts, Blues & BBQ Festival at McCormick’s Creek State

Food Inspections

Routine food inspections were conducted by the Owen County Health Department during the month of July 2025. Reported below are the critical and non-critical comments left for these establishments:

Jail Bookings

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Booking information is provided by the Owen County Security Center. These are preliminary charges and may change as cases are processed through the circuit court system. To follow a court case, search the state’s court records at mycase.in.gov. This information is public record. All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

7-1

James Watson, 62, Indianapolis, preliminary charge of intimidation. Arrested by Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Deputy Tony Stevens.

Alice Ondrovich, 61, Poland, IN, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. OCSD Deputy Jordan Hardey was the arresting officer.

Amanda Mayfield, 35, Indianapolis, preliminary charges of probation violation and theft. Arrested by Spencer Police Department (SPD) officer EJ Westgate. Charles Wiley, 35, Solsberry, preliminary charge of theft. OCSD Deputy Jordan Hardey was the arresting officer.

7-7

Arepa Burger, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations. Carlson Concessions, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations.

Dottie’s Cinnamon

7-2

James Greene, 42, Spencer, preliminary charge of auto theft. Arrested by OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller.

7-3

Daniel Johnson, 74, Quincy, preliminary charge of invasion of privacy. OCSD Deputy Riley Pardue was the arresting officer.

7-4

Carrie Everroad, 43, Ellettsville, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. Arrested by SPD officer Ben Muncie.

7-9

Christopher Johnson, 47, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, criminal mischief, and probation violation. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer. Walter Wittman, Jr., 41, Spencer, preliminary charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by OCSD K9 Deputy Charles Hallam.

Matthew Crichfield, 40, Terre Haute, preliminary charge of driving while suspended with a prior charge. SPD officer Bryce

Rolls, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations.

Super Twist Ice Cream, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations. Jay’s Kitchen, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations.

Brock was the arresting officer.

Tristan Strausburg, 29, Greenwood, preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated endangering a person, and refusal of chemical test. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Cory Poland.

7-10

Bradley Mackey, 52, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a syringe, possession of paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia.

OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer.

Allan Clark, 36, Spencer, preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, and probation violation. Arrested by SPD officer Bryce Brock.

Charles Atkinson, 42, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of probation violation and resisting law enforcement (two counts). OCSD Sergeant Torrey Wallace was the arresting officer.

7-14

Peggy Whitlow, 67, Bowling Green, preliminary charge

Outlaw BBQ, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations.

Serena’s Food Hut, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations.

Angel’s Cup of Heaven, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations. Hoosier Mama Cookin, food truck, at 2025 Owen County Fair. No violations 7-23

Sweet Valley Ice Cream, food truck. No violations.

of operating while intoxicated. Arrested by OCSD Deputy William Browne.

7-15

Travis Sanders, 58, Poland, IN, preliminary charge of possession of methamphetamine. OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark was the arresting officer.

Brayden Pemberton, 22, Lyons, IN, preliminary charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by SPD officer EJ Westgate.

7-17

Keith Wiley, 38, Spencer, preliminary charge of possession of a narcotic drug.

OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller was the arresting officer.

Ashley Hodge, 31, Spencer, preliminary charges of public intoxication and failure to appear.

OCSD Deputy Jordan Hardey was the arresting officer.

7-18

Joshua Sims, 43, Cloverdale, preliminary charge of operating a motor boat while intoxicated. Arrested by Indiana Conservation Officer Patrick Labhart.

7-20

Wendell Hart, 57, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a syringe. OCSD K9 Deputy Charles Hallam was the arresting officer.

Amanda Whelchel, 40, Quincy, preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, criminal mischief, residential entry, and intimidation. OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler was the arresting officer.

7-21

Teresa Jacobs, 40, Bloomington, preliminary charges of theft, possession of methamphetamine, and failure to appear. Arrested by OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller.

7-22

Michael Zook, 41, Terre Haute, preliminary charges of driving while suspended, failure to appear, and auto theft. SPD officer Bryce Brock was the arresting officer.

Rebecca Ditto, 33, Terre Haute, preliminary charges of failure to appear and driving while suspended with a prior charge.

Arrested by SPD officer Bryce Brock.

Tandy Rardon, 59, Spencer, preliminary charges of domestic battery and sexual battery. SPD officer Bryce Brock was the arresting officer.

7-23

Walter Wittman, Jr., 41, Spencer, preliminary charges of criminal recklessness, leaving the scene of an accident, and criminal mischief.

Arrested by SPD officer Seth Givans.

7-24

Quintin Monnett, 26, Brazil, preliminary charges of intimidation and

probation violation. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.

7-26

Bradley Sheese, 56, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, probation violation, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Elijah Volrich.

7-28

Stephanie Deviese, 40, Clinton, IN, preliminary charges of false identity statement, possession of paraphernalia, driving while suspended with a prior charge, and possession of methamphetamine. OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer. Steven Roache, 32, Freedom, preliminary charge of domestic battery. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Riley Pardue.

7-29

Athena Skiddle, 46, Spencer, preliminary charge of criminal mischief. SPD officer Bryce Brock was the arresting officer.

Jesse-Lee Williams, Sr., 44, Spencer, preliminary charges of criminal recklessness, resisting law enforcement, and operating while intoxicated. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Stephen DeWitt II. Dustin Richardson, 41, Freedom, preliminary charge of intimidation. OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller was the arresting officer.

Marriages and Dissolutions

The following marriage licenses were issued in the month of July. Please note that this information is based on the applications. Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from when they are issued, and the information below does not reflect whether or not the two individuals followed through with a marriage or if the signed marriage license was returned to the Owen

County Clerk’s office.

7-1

Patrycja Kuczynski (age 28) & Jesus Alfonso Flores (age 29)

Shawna M. Hammond (age 25) & Aaron G. Mangin (age 26)

7-3

Holly Grace Edwards (age 24) & Gabriel Alejandro Acevedo Garcia (age 37)

Isaiah Lee Carpenter

BUDGET | FROM PAGE 1

administered and collected by local government officials,” according to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) website.

Council President Polly Chesser said that she still doesn’t have an exact picture of what the impact will be for the county’s budget, despite budgets being required to be submitted to DLGF by Oct. 1.

“I have been to at least two different state backed events to learn more about this and they basically got up and talked for 45 minutes trying to explain SEA (Senate Enrolled Act) 1 and at the end they pretty much said in both of them we really don;t know what the impact is going to be,” Chesser said. “That has given us a huge unknown to go into budget hearings.”

County Councilman Anton Neff said that the Legislative Services Agency estimates that Owen County government stands to lose approximately $350,000 in revenue from property tax.

“Now other units of government, like the schools, townships, the library, that also get property tax, they’ll also have a certain dollar amount of loss that is projected by that same group,” Neff said.

The total tax impact in Owen County, which includes the other units of government, was estimated to be about $1 million during the last county council meeting.

“Now, whether or not that’s accurate, whether or not that ends up being the actual amount once next year starts and property

FEVER | FROM PAGE 1 can also have enlarged lymph nodes, spleen and/ or liver, Derrer said via email. Without medical intervention, death can result two to three days after the fever presents.

Though there are confirmed cases in Monroe, Greene and Martin counties, Derrer said it’s challenging to track where the disease is since bobcat fever is not reportable to the BOAH. The cases that are confirmed were reported directly from private veterinarians and labs that do the testing, but it is not mandatory for them to report their findings to the BOAH, Derrer said.

(age 21) & Hannah Elizabeth Comte (age 22)

7-11

Emily J. Tucker (age 22) & Kain M. Brown (age 22)

7-14

Hanna Kay Martin (age 51) & Justin Ashley Reppert (age 50)

7-15

Jesse Michael Ranard (age 33) & Cora Elizabeth Taylor (age 27)

taxes are billed, etc, whether or not that’s accurate, no idea. It is a starting point, though. It’s what we have from the state,” Neff said.

The council and the auditor’s office are trying to use data from the assessor’s office and previous properties that qualified for the homestead exemption to estimate the change in property taxes.

“Fortunately, the amount of the loss is not near what it originally would have been, and that would have been a tougher thing to adjust to. You’re talking millions of dollars at that point. So definitely, in kind of the context, $350,000 is certainly better than what it could have been,” Neff said.

In preparation of the loss in revenue, the council liaisons for the various departments have asked department heads to be conservative in their requests and try to hold to their current budgets as best as they can.

Neff was confident in the county’s ability to make due with the loss in property tax revenue for 2026.

“I would generally tell folks we are so fortunate not to have any significant debt other than your typical vehicle loans and things like that. We don’t have any major obligations that are active at the moment. Yes, we’re working on a jail project, and that will involve debt, but we have earmarked money for that. So at the moment, we’re fortunate there,” Neff said. “We also have decent cash balances that have built up over the last couple of years, and so that allows us

“Pet owners need to assume it’s out there and able to spread, because ticks are found statewide,” Derrer said via email.

Derrer recommends pet owners use preventive measures for their cats, such as keeping them indoors and using flea and tick medication.

Dr. Grant Minnemeyer of Ridgeline Veterinary Services located in Spencer also strongly recommends using preventive measures as well, due to how fatal and expensive treating the disease can be.

He recommends using monthly flea and tick medication, along with keeping cats indoors.

“The hard part is, most of these cats by the time they’re getting to

7-18

Jacob Patrick Dowell (age 24) & Hailey Marie Perry (age 20)

7-21

Megan Marie Locke (age 21) & Steve Allen Arms, Jr. (age 34)

The following dissolutions of marriages were filed during the month of July in Owen County Circuit Court 2.

to help weather a storm or a challenge like this. So we would be in a much different negative situation if we had tapped out all of our debt and had low cash balances, and that is certainly not the case, and we’re very thankful for that.”

He also reiterated that the county has other revenue sources such as the motor vehicle fuel tax and income tax.

“There’s a lot of moving parts. As we work through the process, more and more of those become clearer, more accurate,” he said.

At this time, the council has no plans to levy additional taxes.

“The council did express or re-express its desire to work within our means, and I think that’s something we need to honor,” Neff said.

“None of us are in favor of piling another tax burden on our citizens when they’re already stressed out as it is,” Chesser added.

Chesser expressed disappointment in the quick changes to property tax that was made in this year’s legislative session. She also expressed frustration by the notion from the state that counties would need to tighten spending.

“I understand not all counties are like our county. We are a very frugal council. We try not to blatantly spend money. We take it very seriously. It’s not our money; it’s the taxpayers money,” she said. “I feel like it was rushed. I feel like it wasn’t vetted well. I feel like there’s so may unknowns, and it is so complicated that nobody really understands it fully, and they don’t know what the impact is going to be.”

the vet clinic are already significantly affected,” Dr. Minnemeyer said. “[They’ve had a] severe fever. They’ve had a reduced appetite for a while … and normally don’t survive that initial 24- to 48-hour period. The cats that do survive, it’s a pretty intense treatment.”

When it comes to treating affected cats, a feeding tube filled with expensive antimalarial medication is used. Of the cats that are treated, there is a mortality rate of 50 percent.

“Treatment is difficult, to say the least, and this is all from a lot of experience, like in Oklahoma and Missouri, they’ve all had it for a lot longer than we have in Indiana,” Dr. Minnemeyer

7-3

Katelyn B. Mills & Davinder Singh

7-8

Travis Newport & Amber Ellis

7-9

David Rigney & Monica Rigney

7-23

Christina Buffington & Johnnie D. Buffington, Jr.

She also was concerned that those that need the relief the most won’t receive it, despite the impact it has on county governments.

“The problem is I think the average person is going to be very disappointed on how much they save because it’s not going to amount to that much, but it is going to cumulatively impact the county governments.” Chesser said.

If a property owner qualifies for the full amount of relief, they could save up to $300 on their annual property tax bill.

Chesser said that while it would have a drastic impact on Owen County, she’s more in favor of providing direct relief to the elderly and those with the greatest need for relief.

“To me that is just, it’s wrong. I mean, for an elderly person on a fixed income to lose their house to a tax sale because they can’t afford their property taxes. That’s just wrong,” she said.

Neff encouraged citizens to attend the budget workshops in person or to watch them online.

“It is the one stop shop opportunity for the public to really learn and understand the various departments and issues that are facing county government, and the challenges we have to face, the problems we have to solve, the reasons why it costs so much for X or Y or Z,” Neff said. “It is my favorite time of the year because of that, and I think that it’s a golden opportunity. And we will encourage questions and would be happy to answer questions that people have.”

said. “It’s a newer thing here, so we’re all kind of going through the process of trying to know what to do when we see [a] suspect case, but prevention is far and away the way to go because treatment costs are significant.”

Due to the costs and it being an intensive treatment, Ridgeline Veterinary Services, though they haven’t had confirmed cases of bobcat fever, plan to transfer the care of affected cats to the 24/7 internal medicine clinics that have access to the drugs needed. Dogs and other species besides cats are not known to get the disease, Derrer said. With that, Dr. Minnemeyer

said, no matter the animal, it’s important to keep up on flea and tick medication, especially with him noticing tickborne illnesses getting worse.

“In regards to Lyme disease in dogs and all of these tick diseases [they] continue to get worse in this part of Indiana,” he said. “Check your animals for ticks. Keep them on preventions. Check yourself for ticks.”

Infections of bobcat fever, due to it being a seasonal infection, start in March and they’re not expected to end until September, according to Oklahoma State University.

CHIEF | FROM PAGE 1

police chief Richard Foutch.

The announcement was made during the July 7 meeting of the Spencer Town Council.

“We had four very good candidates (for the position),” explained council member Evan McKalip, noting all four of the candidates were current officers with the Spencer Police Department. “It was honestly a difficult decision – great candidates all around – and I truly appreciate the work each of you do.”

Sips began his career with the SPD in December of 2006, forty years after his dad, Gary Sips, began his long tenure with the department in 1966.

The elder Sips retired from the SPD in 1992 after serving the community for 26 years, including 18 years in the same role his son recently assumed, making the pair the first known father-son duo to lead the department as chief of police.

“It’s truly an honor. I grew up around the department and had always wanted to be a police officer,” Sips said. “Tony

TRUSTEE

| FROM PAGE 1

Barnett, who had become a staple at these sort of meetings, passed away suddenly earlier this month. He was the Jackson Township Trustee at the time of his passing.

During the July 17 commissioners meeting, the first government meeting since Barnett’s passing, Sam Hobbs, president of the commissioners, asked for others to keep Barnett’s wife Martha and his family in their prayers. He also took a moment to remember Barnett.

“Barron Barnett was very active, very active in the meetings. You’ve got to give Barron due diligence,” Hobbs said.

Stevens was my mentor, Mike Hendricks and Joe Pettijohn were my firearms instructors, and Jim Witmer from the Bloomington Police Department was my physical tactics instructor. I’ve had some great officers, including my dad, help me along the way.”

A graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), Sips has furthered his law enforcement career by serving as a physical tactics instructor, taser instructor and pepper spray instructor. In June of 2024, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, a position he held until his recent hiring as chief of police.

During his time at the ILEA, Sips was voted class president by his peers, gave the graduation speech and was selected as the Herman H. Freed Award recipient.

Established in 2004 and named in honor of Major Herman Freed, the first executive director of the law enforcement academy, the award is presented to a student who demonstrates the qualities of: Integrity, Loyalty,

“That guy, he showed up to every meeting and always had something to say.”

County Council

President Polly Chesser also shared her appreciation for Barnett’s level of engagement with local government. Chesser had spoken to Barnett earlier on the day of his passing.

“It was very sad the first commissioners meeting I went into and he wasn’t there, and there was a big hole because he’s always been so good about coming to all the council meetings and the commissioners meetings. He was very engaged. He took his township trustee position very seriously,” Chesser said.

Chesser recalled many

POULTRY | FROM PAGE 1

judged by American Poultry Association (APA) and American Bantam Association (ABA) rules (whichever applies).

Open show judges will include Lewis Cunningham and Matt Lhamon, both of Ohio, and Jason Branson of Indiana. Junior show judges had not been

Ethics and Attitude. The basic class students determine the award winner by vote, though the top vote recipient must also meet the approval of the ILEA staff and must not have failed any academic or practical component of the basic course.

Sips will oversee a department of 10 full-time officers and seven reserve officers and has his sights set on increasing the SPD’s use of advancements in information technology (IT) and communication systems, among other goals.

“The latest technological advancements will allow us to link with other departments and other agencies, both federal and state, to obtain a lot more information that will enable us to identify suspects, vehicles, stolen property and other things more quickly,” Sips explained. “This doesn’t necessarily replace other tried and true methods of police work, but it can help us be more efficient and aid in investigations. We want to keep up with current law enforcement trends.”

While the overall crime rate in

speeches that Barnett gave at the meetings, including one citing concerns of regionalism that could take away the voice of local residents.

“He was engaged, and that was very commendable,” Chesser said.

After beginning to serve as Jackson Township Trustee, Barnett gave the far northwest part of Owen County a voice as decisions were being made.

“Owen County has lost a truly good one, far too soon. I had the pleasure of getting to know Barron well over the last year. Barron’s exceptional management and innovative thinking as Jackson

announced as of press time.

Show rules indicate a champion will be chosen regardless of the number of birds in a class, while Best of Show will be chosen from the Best Bantam, Best Large Fowl and Best Waterfowl.

and around Spencer is nowhere near that of larger metropolitan areas, the SPD deals with almost daily instances of illegal drug offenses, domestic violence and property crimes such as theft.

“Unfortunately, domestic reports and property crime are the biggest issues we deal with locally, along with the meth and other drug offenses,” Sips said.

Spencer’s newest police chief hopes to use the experience he has gained from his years of military and law enforcement service to lead the next generation of officers in the department.

“We want our officers to be people of character and integrity; the kind of officers you would want to have protecting your family and your property,” Sips said. “I believe we have that here, and I’m looking forward to leading this department and continuing to serve our citizens.”

Sips and his wife, Shanel, make their home north of Spencer. The couple has five children between them and recently welcomed their first grandchild.

Township Trustee, and his dedication to the Republican Party left a lasting, positive impact,”

Owen County Republican Party Chair Kristi Risk said.

“His caring demeanor and witty humor connected with many. He will be deeply missed, but his legacy of thoughtful leadership and kindness will undoubtedly live on.”

Risk said that details for a caucus to fill the Jackson Township Trustee seat will be posted on the party’s Facebook page. Residents of Jackson Township that are interested in being considered for candidacy and are Republicans in good standing should contact Risk via email at ocgopchair@gmail.com or via text at 812-821-2490.

Risk said all candidates will be vetted for party affiliation.

Barnett’s friend Ernie DuFault, who also frequently attends government meetings, spoke about Barnett during the July 21 county council meeting.

“A lot of you in this audience know Barron Barnett, and you know his tenacity for making things happen. He was a strong advocate for the county, worked for the county for a long time in different positions,” DuFault said. “He had a lot of drive, and he touched everybody, I think, in this room in one fashion or another. So, as my friend, he’ll be dearly missed.”

Aug. 15. For complete rules or for more information, visit the White River Poultry Show page on Facebook or email emmyn74@gmail.com.

Rogier Poultry Supplies will be on site with supplies for exhibition poultry and backyard flocks.

Birds shown in the Junior Show, open to exhibitors ages five to 18, will not be permitted to show in the Open Show. Junior Show champions will compete for Best Bantam, Best Large Fowl and Best Waterfowl in the Junior Show.

Entry fee is $5 per bird. Entries are due by Friday,

Spectators are welcome and parking is free, so make plans to attend and celebrate this golden anniversary event with the White River Poultry Club.

Location and Contact Information:

Hours: 189 S. Main Street | Spencer Across from Napa Auto 812-829-BABY(2229) newbeginningsowen.org Monday: Noon-4:00p.m. Thursday: Noon-4:00p.m. *Appointments available af ter hours as needed

John 10:10 “.......I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Owen County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship now open

Press Release

The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Owen County through the Owen County Community Foundation.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and one scholarship in Owen County.

LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis, leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.

The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Owen County through the Owen County Community Foundation, is open to all Indiana residents who:

- graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2026 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2026;

- intend to pursue a fulltime baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and

- meet the criteria specific to their local community foundation.

Visit owencountycf. org/students for complete information regarding Owen County’s application criteria.

Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in

Owen County and apply for this scholarship by creating an account at bit.ly/OCCFscholarship.

Applications must be completed and submitted by Aug. 31, by 11:59 p.m. to be considered.

Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: eligibility, academics, leadership and accomplishments.

One finalist will be nominated by the Owen County Community Foundation, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients.

Scholarship recipients will be notified in December.

Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception.

The primary purposes of LECSP are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

The Owen County Community Foundation is

again pleased to offer LECSP for its 27th year in Owen County.

“The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is one of the most transformative opportunities available to Owen County students. Thanks to the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc., this fulltuition scholarship not only makes college financially attainable—it also opens doors to leadership and service. We’re honored to help identify and support exceptional local students who are ready to make a lasting impact on their communities and beyond,” said Janet Rummel, President & CEO of the Owen County Community Foundation.

About the Owen County Community Foundation: The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) is a public charity founded in 1994 as a resource to connect caring individuals with causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community.

Since its founding, the OCCF has been able to grant more than $12.3 million to area nonprofit and charitable organizations in our community and over $3.2 million in early childhood –adult education funding since 1994.

The OCCF is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Owen County, now and for generations to come. For more information, visit owencounty.org or call 812829-1725.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private

philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company.

Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location.

In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion.

The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

About Independent Colleges of Indiana

Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.

Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities.

ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5.5 billion annually.

Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest fouryear, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.

Gosport Lazy Days Festival begins Aug. 7

Staff Report

Downtown Gosport will come alive with the familiar sights and sounds of the annual Lazy Days Festival beginning Aug. 7. This year’s theme is “Small Town Proud.”

The full festival schedule includes:

Aug. 7

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 Pastor Bill Grandi, presentation of colors by the Gosport VFW Post #7850, National Anthem sung by Rose O’Neal, Committee introduction by Lazy Days President Chris Wesley, announcement of Outstanding Senior Citizens and Outstanding Citizen and presentation of Little Miss and Mister

6:30 to 9 p.m. – Live music

by Aaron Grubb and Rose O’Neal on the Bandstand

Aug. 8

10 a.m. until after the day’s last program – Gosport History Museum open

3 p.m. – Tim Dittemore Memorial Car Show (sponsored by Meineke Car Care)

4 p.m. – “Gosport in the ‘70s” program at the Gosport History Museum

4 p.m. – Tim Dittemore Memorial Car Show

5 p.m. – Vendor booths open

5 to 7 p.m. – Gosport VFW Post #7850 Auxiliary fish fry

5:30 to 7 p.m. – Kid’s games

6 p.m. – Car show judging

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. –Live music by Crossroads Collective on the Bandstand

9 to 11 p.m. – Live music by Cabin Row on the Bandstand

Aug. 9

10 a.m. until after the day’s last program – Gosport

History Museum open

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. – Bike race begins 9:30 a.m. – Baby Contest sign-in (must be preregistered)

10 a.m. – Baby Contest begins

10 a.m. – Free kid’s games

10:30 a.m. – “Gosport in the ‘70s” program at the Gosport History Museum

11 a.m. – Vendor booths open

11a.m. to noon – Matt Kalita Magic Show

12 to 1 p.m. – Parade line up and registration at the Community Building (see Caleb Corder for number and line-up location)

1 p.m. – Parade

2 p.m. (or 15 minutes after parade ends) – “Gosport

in the ‘70s” program at the Gosport History Museum

2 p.m. – Bed Race

3 p.m. – Journey Wrestling

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 to 7 p.m. – Live music by Arkley Boge on the Bandstand

8 to 11 p.m. – Live music by Eastern Wing Band on the Bandstand Aug. 10

Community Church Service in the Park 10 to 10:45 a.m. – Gospel sing 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. –Sermon

12 p.m. – Community pitch-in (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.

Gathering of the People Powwow to take place Aug. 2 & 3

Staff Report

The Gathering of the People Powwow will take place this weekend, Aug. 2 and 3, in Cataract.

Gates open at 10 a.m. each day, with Grand Entry taking place at noon on Saturday and Sunday and at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The event is an all ages event. Children under the age of three will be admitted for free. Children under the age of 10 can be admitted for free with a small candy donation for the candy dance or for $3 per child.

Those ages 10 to 59 will be charged $5 for admission, and those aged 60 or older will be admitted for free. Veterans and first responders will be admitted for free with proper identification. The event features Buffalo Child who will serve as emcee

and perform a Hoop Dance. He has been in over 100 movies, films, and TV shows. His Hoop Dance will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. each day. The event will also have a glow dance at dusk on Saturday. Additional information can be found on the event’s Facebook page. Those interested in more information can contact one of the following organizers: Cyndi Capps at 812821-4406. Rachel Blythe at 812-698-7378. Sarah Baysinger at 812-229-2596.

Area 10 accepting projects for Safe at Home event

Press Release

Area 10 Agency on Aging, along with community partner Loren Wood Builders, is again planning for this year’s Safe at Home event to make seniors’ homes safer and more accessible.

During the event, Area 10

tackles many projects all at once with multiple teams of volunteers. Most will be outdoor projects.

The one-halfday community service event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4. The goal is to make homes safer for older Hoosiers—each

year, one in three adults age 65 and older falls, resulting in $19,000 on average in healthcare costs and is the leading cause of injury death for this age group. Research shows the best way to prevent falls for persons at moderate to high risk of falls

includes home modifications, which can be as simple as installing a $30 grab bar in the bathroom.

We are looking for eligible home projects for the day. If you or your loved one lives in a home that has any of the following needs, give us a call at 812-8763383 and speak to

one of our ADRC representatives. Be sure to mention Safe at Home!

Eligible projects may include: leaf raking, gutter cleaning, shrub trimming, handrail installation, grab bar installation, replacing light bulbs and smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector

installation. We are accepting interested calls through Aug. 29 to allow time for follow-up and site visits. We also are looking for volunteers. To volunteer, contact Chris Myers at cmyers@ area10agency.org or 812-935-2503.

Contact information sought for past fair queens

Submitted Article

The Owen County Fair Queen Committee is searching for contact information for the following former Owen County Fair Queens: 1948, Janet Asher 1954, Joan Beach 1965, Sue Giddings Scheiman 1967, Connie Smith 1969, Sally Johnson 1971, Diane Herring 1977, Melanie Herring

1980, Tammy Weaver

1982, Candi Smith

1983, Marilyn Marquez

1994, Chrissy Deckard

1995, Chris Scholl Jarrett 2000, Amber Gramentz If you have any information (phone, address, email, etc.)

please contact Becky Wallace at 812-8594343 or Tom Wallace at the Chamber of Commerce, admin@ myowencounty chamber.com or 812829-3245.

OVHS students lead fundraiser for MCSP trails

Press Release

Students at Owen Valley High School recently raised $45,000 to support trail restoration efforts at McCormick’s Creek State Park.

After serious tornado damage to the facilities and trails at the park in March 2023, a bridge on Trail 5 remained closed, limiting access to the full length of the highly popular path to Wolf Cave.

Members of the school’s Students for the Planet group, who grew up making memories hiking Trail 5 through Wolf Cave Nature Preserve, were determined to restore use of the trail by raising funds to replace the structure. The group formed “Patriots for the

Park” and publicized their campaign. Their fundraising efforts, along with contributions from the Indiana Parks Alliance and the Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park, allowed them to qualify for a matching gift from the Owen County Community Foundation.

“Patriots for the Park is deeply appreciative of every organization that came alongside us to help us meet our goal,” remarked Amy Lanham, Spencer-Owen Media Specialist and Students for the Planet advisor.

“The students learned many valuable skills, including marketing, graphic and web design, creating and selling products, making and meeting timelines and communicating a vision. Working with this group

will always be one of the most rewarding of my career in education.”

“We’re incredibly proud of these student leaders and their commitment to preserving one of our community’s most treasured places,” said Janet Rummel, President & CEO of the Owen County Community Foundation.

“Their efforts demonstrate the power of youth-driven philanthropy, and we were honored to match their fundraising to help restore access to the natural beauty of McCormick’s Creek State Park.”

Champak Patel, a retired Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) engineer, donated his time and worked with

Indiana State Parks’ landscape architect Caryn Atkinson to significantly reduce the project cost by designing the new bridge. Strauser Construction will begin work on the bridge soon.

DNR Division of State Parks’ trail funding jump-started the project, and the dollars raised by Patriots for the Park are reimbursing those expenses. Using this donation, which will go to the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (IndianaNRF.org), the park will be able to move forward with replacing other damaged trail structures.

“It is both humbling and encouraging to see how much these high school students and the community support McCormick’s Creek,” said property manager Dwight

Brooks. “Our partners help us make the park a great place for making memories, and the future of philanthropy and McCormick’s Creek are in good hands.”

See the list of all donors to the project at patriotsforthepark. wixsite.com/patriots-forthe-par. Learn about the Indiana Parks Alliance at indianaparksalliance.org and about the Friends of McCormick’s Creek at friendsmccormickscreek. org.

Explore the work of the Owen County Community Foundation at owencountycf.org.

More information is available about the impacts of the tornado and recovery at on.IN. gov/McCormicksrecovery.

ICOG offers Hoosiers help with government transparency questions through new hotline

Press Release

The Indiana Coalition for Open Government will initiate a help line for Hoosiers, media members and government officials to answer questions concerning public access in the state.

ICOG hopes this effort will help new Public Access Counselor Jennifer Ruby close the current backlog of advisory and informal opinion requests, along with having the time to hire adequate staff to better serve the public. The action is a response to media reports that Hoosiers who have reached out

to the PAC, have not received a response or the responses have been very slow.

“If we can answer half the questions the PAC normally gets, it buys her time to get the office caught up so that Hoosiers who need formal opinions can receive them from her office in a timely manner,” said ICOG president Zachary Baiel.

Anyone is welcome to contact the 260-ASK-ICOG (260-275-4264) help line with a question concerning the application of the Open Door Law or Access to Public Records Act, the two statutes that are the foundation of Indiana’s

government transparency statutes. Hoosiers can learn more by visiting our help line page at indianacog.org/help

The ICOG board includes several members with decades of experience in utilizing the Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act to monitor actions of state and local government units. While answers provided by the help line can’t be considered legal advice, we believe we can help direct those who contact us understand their rights and the obligations of government units under the access laws.

Hoosiers, whose questions

require an informal or formal opinion from the PAC, will be referred to that state office, but ICOG expects many queries can be satisfactorily answered through the help line.

ICOG intends to operate the help line for approximately 90 days. It will then assess the continuing need for such a public resource. Depending upon the need and demand for help, ICOG could extend this service.

The Indiana Coalition for Open Government is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization created to help Hoosiers advocate for government transparency. Learn more at indianacog.org.

Duke Energy offers tips to save energy, money

Press Release

July is typically the month when Hoosiers experience the hottest weather. And with soaring temperatures closing out this July, Duke Energy has tips to help you take control of your energy use while keeping you and your family cool.

Tips to save energy and money

Set your thermostat to the highest comfortable setting. Even a couple of degrees can help save energy and money. Keep in mind: Your system

will run longer – using more energy – the hotter it is outside even if your thermostat setting never changes. Use cooler water for washing clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a laundry load’s energy use in half. Run heat-producing appliances during cooler morning hours for additional savings. Close curtains and blinds on the sunny side of your home to help prevent the sun from heating your home. Operate ceiling fans

in a counterclockwise direction in the summer, which pushes cooler air back down into the room.

Savings programs and incentives

Get a free home energy assessment. Duke Energy customers receive free energyefficiency products, customized usage report, low-cost tips and expert recommendations to help them see energy savings by signing up for our free Home Energy House Call. Need an upgrade? Customers can take advantage of rebates for equipment like HVAC

systems, hot water heaters and pool pumps as well as upgrades like attic insulation through our Smart $aver program. Get paid for shifting energy use. Customers can receive a credit on their bill for automatically shifting their energy use to times when demand for energy is lower. Enroll your smart thermostat in our Power Manager® program.

Payment assistance

Interest-free installment payment plans can help customers who need flexibility with paying their energy bills.

Visit our Special Assistance page for more information.

For more ways to save, visit duke-energy. com/SummerSavings.

About Duke Energy Indiana

Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 920,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.

Owen County 4-H Council seeks members

Staff Report

The Owen County 4-H Council is seeking interested volunteers who would like to join the council starting in October.

The 4-H Council is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that supports and enhances the 4-H youth development program. Council

members serve a three-year term and meet monthly to plan, discuss and oversee local 4-H activities and initiatives. To serve on the council, individuals must become registered 4-H volunteers, which includes completing a background check and required training through Purdue University. Council members typically

dedicate between three to 15 hours per month, contributing their time and talents to help shape meaningful experiences for 4-H youth. Subcommittees within the Council focus on specific efforts such as organizing the Scholarship Auction, fundraising for awards and supporting various programs throughout the year.

The Council meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Those interested should reach out to Cassie Linville at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office, located at 180 S. Washington St., Spencer. Linville can be reached via email at cassiel@purdue.edu or by phone at 812-829-5020.

CCSC Board votes to fund JAG program at CHS for 2025-26

By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent

The Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Board of School Trustees, working in the absence of board member Emily Haltom, met July 14 to approve routine matters and to address several items under the new business portion of the meeting.

Under routine matters, the board voted 4-0-2 to approve meeting minutes for executive and regular sessions held June 9. Katrina Lewis and Mike Rightmyer II both abstained from the vote due to being absent from the June 9 meeting.

Acting on a motion from Rightmyer, seconded by Lewis, the board voted 6-0 to approve the latest claims and financial reports, which CCSC Superintendent Greg Linton advised totaled $3,313,472.32 since the board’s previous meeting.

Addressing new business, the board held a hearing for additional appropriations, where superintendent Linton noted the corporation’s agreement with Brain Tree Academy continues to generate more revenue and expenditures that can be anticipated during the budget approval process each year.

“This causes the corporation to use more education fund appropriation than was approved during the September 2024 budget approval process,” he explained. “Therefore, I am requesting the board to approve an additional appropriation for the education fund in the amount of $4,300,000, and $2,800,000 in the operation fund. The additional cash is in both funds as cash balance; however, I need to be given the authority to use the cash through the remainder of the calendar year to cover additional expenditures.”

Following the public hearing, the board cast separate 6-0 votes to approve the additional appropriation resolutions as well as a resolution to transfer the amounts from the corporation’s education fund to its operation fund.

“During the 2025 budget process the board approved this exact same resolution,” Linton explained. “The State Board of Accounts allows a school corporation to transfer up to 15 percent of the incoming revenue

that is received in the education fund. At the time that we put the 2025 budget together, that was 2.7 million dollars. Due to the increased revenue that we have through a variety of funding streams, our new 15 percent total would be 3.6 million dollars.”

Next, the board voted unanimously to approve the purchase of 203 Brown Avenue, north of Cloverdale High School (CHS), for $15,000. The property will be utilized to create additional parking.

Acting on a recommendation from CCSC Curriculum Director Cathy Ames, the board voted 6-0 to permit CCSC to apply a School Profile Amendment with the Indiana Department of Education to officially add a new virtual high school: Clover Distance Learning Academy High School.

“This addition is being requested due to the continued growth of our virtual education program,” Ames noted. “The increasing demand for flexible, remote learning options among our student population necessitates the creation of a dedicated virtual high school to better serve our students and their families.”

Linton agreed, noting the Clover Distance Learning Academy High School will enable the corporation to continue its successful partnership with Braintree Academy, which has been instrumental in supporting the delivery and development of highquality virtual instruction.

Requests to approve coordinator employment agreements and school bus driver agreements also both received unanimous board approval.

Next, the board voted 6-0 in favor of funding the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) position at CHS for the 2025-2026 school year.

“The Indiana JAG program was cut from the state budget for the 20252026 school year,” Linton said. “I recently met with Kim Snodgrass, Indiana JAG director, to discuss the possibility of CCSC financially supporting our JAG program for the 20252026 school year, as the national JAG organization lobbies Indiana to include funding for the program for the 2026-2027 school year. She assured me that there would still be some state activities for students, and there would be no changes made at the national level. Mr. (Karl) Turk

currently teaches four Spanish classes each day at CHS and completes JAG responsibilities the rest of the day. I am requesting the board put Mr. Turk on a CCSC teacher contract for the 2025-26 school year to allow him to maintain his current responsibilities for JAG and Spanish. The contract will represent an additional cost of $51,107 to the budget, which we can afford. The contract would be for one year to see what happens at the state level.”

Other items receiving board approval included requests to approve the creation of a CHS Agriculture Workplace Specialist position; changing the Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) student services coordinator position to full-time; support staff handbook changes; Cloverdale Middle School (CMS) instructional assistant pay related to the Back to School Bash; renewal of current paid coaching staff; a $30,000 grant benefitting the preschool program awarded through the Putnam County Community Foundation; a $34,559.88 grant awarded to Knoy from the Putnam County Community Foundation; and a $500 grant, also from the Putnam County Community Foundation, to benefit the Kids Make a Change program at CES.

In addition, the board approved the following professional leave, field trip, and facility use requests: Professional leaves

Aug. 12 – Ethan Linton, Expulsion Examiner Workshop, Area 30, Greencastle.

Aug. 14 – Tori Maldonado, Cathy Smith, Jessica Fidler and Autumn Lewellen, Using AI and Checkpoint Report Data to Prepare Students on iLearn, Area 30, Greencastle.

Sept. 4 – Nicole Campbell, Navigating 504 Workshop, Area 30, Greencastle.

Sept. 25 – Chelsey Meluch, Preventing/ Eliminating Chronic Disruptive Behavior, Area 30, Greencastle. Field trip

Third Friday of each month – CMS PIE, 6:30 to 8 a.m., Putnam County Fairgrounds. Facility use

Two days each week, softball field, softball practice.

June 20 – CHS gymnasium and hallways, volleyball camp.

July 14 – CHS auxiliary gymnasium, travel

softball practice, agility, conditioning.

Aug. 29 – CMS gymnasium, CMS sixthgrade dance.

Sept. 26 – CMS gymnasium, CMS eighthgrade fundraiser.

Oct. 31 – CMS gymnasium, dance.

Additional personnel matters receiving unanimous board approval included: Resignations

Shanon McGuire – CES custodian

Tyce Jackson – CMS math teacher/athletic director

Dani Cummings – CES instructional assistant

Employment

Anna Tallent – CES special education (SPED) teacher

Autumn Lewellen – CMS math teacher/ athletic director

Kiersten Wade – CES

instructional assistant

Sara Varnes – CES instructional assistant

Alethea Mann – CES/ CMS health aide

Melissa Kline – CMS instructional assistant

Tyce Jackson – CES special education (SPED) instructional assistant

Silas Plasters – CES custodian

Debra Meek – bus driver

Tamera Moy – CMS Café assistant head cook

Drew Boyette – CHS Ag Workplace Specialist

Coaching resignations

Nick Winders –football coach

Josh Stewart – baseball coach

Coaching Hires

Kade Schroer – CHS assistant football coach

Chelsey Adams –CMS eighth-grade girls’ volleyball coach

Kiersten Wade –CMS eighth-grade girls’ basketball coach

Brandon Moon –CMS eighth-grade boys’ basketball coach

Lori Pieper – CMS seventh-grade girls’ volleyball coach

Michael Glassburn –CHS junior varsity girls’ basketball coach

Autumn Lewellen –CHS varsity girls’ volleyball head coach

Lori Halloran – CHS junior varsity girls’ volleyball coach

Jason Frye – CHS

freshman football coach

Coaching volunteers

Autumn Lewellen – CHS volleyball/girls’ basketball assistant coach

Kristin Kukman – CHS volleyball/girls’ basketball assistant coach

Tori Combs – CHS girls’ volleyball assistant coach

Brooke Hart – CHS girls’ volleyball assistant coach

Darin Campbell – CHS girls’ volleyball assistant coach

Paige Glassburn – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Emily Mann – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Kiersten Wade – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Kassie Wade – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Veronica Carter – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Michael Nees – CHS girls’ basketball assistant coach

Joey Hart – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Chase Haltom – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Brandon Moon – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Jalen Moore – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Patrick Rady – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Daniel Varnes – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Noah Betz – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Eli Kelley – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Nolan Kelley – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Josh Michael – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

JD Hoover – CHS boys’ basketball volunteer assistant coach

Mike Parks – CHS football volunteer assistant coach

Tom Winders – CHS football volunteer assistant coach

Michael Nees – CHS football volunteer assistant coach

Billy Boyette – CHS football volunteer assistant coach

Drew Boyette –CHS football volunteer assistant coach

McGuire Lee – CHS football volunteer assistant coach

Debbie Steffy – CHS volunteer assistant girls’ golf coach

The Cloverdale Community School Board will meet again on Monday, Aug. 11 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale. Members of the board include Vivian Whitaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II.

READI 2.0 funding for four projects to accelerate housing, childcare, and healthcare in the Indiana Uplands region

Press Release

The Indiana Uplands READI Steering Committee, Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) have announced that $4,093,000 in Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) funding has been committed to four projects in the Indiana Uplands region. These projects will improve the region by accelerating the expansion of housing, childcare, and healthcare facilities.

“These four projects exemplify the transformative outcomes envisioned through the Indiana Uplands’ READI initiative,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI).

“By expanding workforce housing, childcare, and healthcare capacity, we are enhancing the community conditions necessary for attracting new industry expansions, jobs, and talent. Together with our previously announced READI 2.0 anchor investments, these initiatives contribute to the Indiana Uplands’ entire READI 1.0 & 2.0 portfolio of more than 30 projects and programs strategically selected to build a stronger workforce, a more resilient regional economy, and attractive communities to live, work, play, and invest.”

Poplar Ridge Apartments, Huntingburg (Dubois County)

Premier Property Management Kerstiens Realty LLC is investing $16,041,000 to develop a new market-rate, multi-housing community that will support local industry and attract new employees. With a total of 126 high-efficiency units,

the community will feature 24 one-bedroom apartments, 48 two-bedroom, 24 threebedroom, 18 two-bedroom townhomes, and 12 threebedroom townhomes with garages. In addition to securing a $1,594,000 tax abatement from the City of Huntingburg, this project was awarded a $1,493,000 READI 2.0 allocation. READI funds will be used to purchase the materials and labor associated with the infrastructure on this project.

Tower Subdivision, Leavenworth (Crawford County)

A $12,530,214.20 public-private partnership between Cook Group, the Crawford County Economic Development Corporation, the Town of Leavenworth, and the Community Foundation of Crawford County will support the development of a 57-unit single-family subdivision. Near an Industrial Park and Interstate 64, the project has been awarded a $1,850,000 READI 2.0 allocation. Cook Group, the parent corporation of Cook Medical and French Lick Resorts, will act as developer for the project, funding the construction of homes, while local and READI funds will be used to prepare the site, build roads, and provide water and sewer, electric, and fiber infrastructure to the subdivision. Completed homes will be sold below market value to attract new Crawford County residents, regional workforce talent, young families, and first-time homebuyers.

Healing Horizons / Daviess Community Hospital, Washington (Daviess County)

Daviess County, Daviess County Hospital, and the

Daviess Community Hospital Foundation are investing $5,057,995.96 in a publicprivate partnership that will expand the hospital’s emergency department and upgrade its radiology services with advanced diagnostic capabilities. A total of $500,000 in READI 2.0 funds has been allocated for construction costs and medical equipment.

Early Education Center, Nashville (Brown County)

In addition to a $250,000 READI 2.0 allocation, Brown County Schools is leveraging $836,151 in grant funding from Early Learning Indiana, Brown County Community Foundation, and the Indiana Department of Education’s Explore, Engage, Experience (3e) program to renovate its Early Education Center with a new toddler classroom, food prep area, two toilet rooms, and a health clinic area. This renovation will add 10 toddler seats and enable the center to serve eight infants. This project expands essential childcare capacity in a county with limited facilities, while also enabling Brown County High School students in the Early Childhood Education Ivy Tech Dual Credit pathway to graduate with a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and the skills to care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

housing, infrastructure, and place-based assets; and enhance the region’s unique cultural, artistic, physical and livable amenities. In addition to these new READI 2.0 project announcements, the Indiana Uplands READI region previously announced $9.5 million in READI 2.0 funding commitments for three regional anchor projects: Simtra BioPharma Expansion (Bloomington), Indiana University Microelectronics (ME) Core Facility (Bloomington), and the Regional Wellness Center (Jasper).

A total of 27 projects and programs were awarded READI 1.0 funding in the Indiana Uplands region. For more information, announcements, and Indiana Uplands READI project updates, visit: regionalopportunityinc.org/ readi/

Learn more at IndianaREADI.com.

About Regional Opportunity Initiatives

Indiana’s $1.25 billion READI program is bringing vibrancy to regions across the state to accelerate shovel-ready projects and programs that will transform Hoosier communities, attract talent, and improve quality of life. READI, which has been nationally recognized for its success, encourages regional collaboration and data-driven, long-term planning that will benefit current and future residents for generations to come. The state’s $1 billion investment, which secured additional funding awarded by the Lilly Endowment, is expected to attract a minimum 4:1 match of local public, private, and nonprofit funding, yielding at least $3 billion invested across all 92 counties to enhance Indiana’s quality of life, quality of place, and quality of opportunity.

ROI and a regional steering committee manage $60 million in READI 1.0 and 2.0 matching funds awarded to the Indiana Uplands region to grow the region’s capacity as a national hub for innovation; develop and attract indemand talent; advance

Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance economic and community prosperity in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands (Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, and Washington counties). ROI is growing potential and possibility through a focus on advanced industry sectors, regionalism, transformative school and workforce redesign, and placemaking strategies. Learn more at regionalopportunityinc.org/

About the Indiana Uplands

The Indiana Uplands is an 11-county region encompassing Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington counties. In a region replete with talent and resources, it is home to Naval Support Activity Crane, the third-largest Naval Installation in the world; the number one small Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for specialized employment in the medical devices and equipment category,2nd in the pharmaceuticals category; and an automotive and heavy manufacturing cluster that has grown by more than 93 percent since 2012. Uplanders—from students to visionaries, artisans to entrepreneurs— call our 11 counties home. Find your place to thrive at inuplands. org/

New Arts Commission forms

Artist-designed amphitheater could be part of Coopers Commons rennovations

SOAC News Release

With the help of a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Sweet Owen Arts Commission (SOAC) has formed to promote and advocate for artists in the Owen County area.

The new arts group was created after the Indiana Arts Commission reached out to the Owen County Chamber of Commerce asking for volunteers to participate in the Creative Convergence gathering in Lebanon, Indiana and hosted by Ball State University.

After a two-day session, the volunteers started working to officially create an arts commission for the county and to use input from the artists on a future public works project.

After a series of meetings, including a public meeting on Jan. 29 and concluding with a public meeting on July

final design drawings for an amphitheater project.

If Spencer is awarded a grant to renovate Cooper Commons, the amphitheater may be a part of it, thanks to the input of local artists.

In addition, SOAC is

on a crosswalk project in Spencer. On Oct. 25, SOAC will host Arts in the Park in Cooper Commons.

Fortunately, Owen County is home to strong arts communities, like the Owen County Art Guild

work to strengthen these groups and, through web presence and promotion, help people find the groups as well as local artists. Though not a part of government, SOAC will communicate with of the arts community.

SOAC was granted not-for-profit 501c3 status in April. The website sweetowenarts.org has more information about the organization and several artists who work in Owen County.

SOAC received the final design drawings for an amphitheater project. If Spencer is awarded a grant to renovate Cooper Commons, the amphitheater may be a part of it. SUBMITTED GRAPHIC.

BACK TO SCHOOL

The annual Back to School Expo hosted by The Owen County Chamber of Commerce and the annual Beach Bash hosted by the Owen County Health Department combined the efforts into a Back to School Beach Bash at Owen Valley Middle School. During the event, 600 backpacks with school supplies were distributed along with personal hygine items. Several community organizations that provide resources or services to students were present at the event. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY AARON LAGRANGE.

Owen Valley High School Sports Calendar

Aug. 7

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Edgewood at Owen Valley.

Aug. 11

4:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs LintonStockton at LintonStockton.

Aug. 12

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Terre Haute South at Terre Haute South.

Aug. 14

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Daviess at Owen Valley.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Daviess at Owen Valley.

Aug. 15

7 p.m. – Varsity football vs North Daviess at Owen Valley.

Aug. 16

9 a.m. – Varsity co-ed cross country at Valley Cross Kickoff at Owen Valley.

11 a.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Lighthouse Christian Academy at Owen Valley.

12:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Lighthouse Christian

Academy at Owen Valley.

Aug. 18 6 p.m. – Junior varsity football vs LintonStockton at LintonStockton.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Shakamak at Shakamak.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Shakamak at Shakamak.

Aug. 19

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Terre Haute North at Terre Haute North.

Aug. 20 5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ soccer vs Monrovia at Monrovia.

5:15 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Monrovia at Monrovia.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ soccer vs Monrovia at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Monrovia at Monrovia.

Aug. 21

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Cascade at Cascade.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’

volleyball vs Cascade at Cascade.

Aug. 22

7 p.m. – Varsity boys’ football vs Brown County at Brown County.

Aug. 23

9 a.m. – Varsity co-ed cross country at Cardinal Invite.

9 a.m. – Varsity girls’ golf at Western Indiana Conference match.

10 a.m. – Varsity girls’ soccer vs Greencastle at Greencastle.

Aug. 25

6 p.m. – Junior varsity football vs Brown County at Owen Valley.

Aug. 26

5:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs North Daviess at North Daviess.

Aug. 27

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Edgewood at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ soccer vs Sullivan at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs Linton-Stockton at Linton-Stockton.

6 p.m. – Varsity coed cross country vs

Cloverdale High School Sports Calendar

Aug. 14

6 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Bloomfield at Cloverdale.

Aug. 15

7 p.m. – Varsity football at County Jamboree at South Putnam.

Aug. 16

9 a.m. – Varsity girls’ golf at Braves Invitational at Terre Haute North.

9 a.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Covington at Riverton Park.

10 a.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ cross country at Puckett Invitational at Greencastle.

Aug. 18

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Central at Cloverdale.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Central at Cloverdale.

Aug. 19

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs South Putnam at Cloverdale.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs South Putnam at Cloverdale.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs South Putnam at Cloverdale.

Aug. 20 5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf three-way match vs Covenant Christian and Greencastle at Greencastle.

Aug. 21 5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Crawfordsville at Crawfordsville.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Cascade at Cascade.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Cascade at Cascade.

Aug. 22

7 p.m. – Varsity football vs Riverton Park at Riverton Parke.

Aug. 23

9 a.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball at Union Invitational at Union-Dugger.

10 a.m. – Varsity girls’ golf at WIC match.

Aug. 25

4:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’

Lighthouse Christian Academy at Lighthouse Christian Academy.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ soccer vs Sullivan at Owen Valley.

Aug. 28

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs Edgewood at Owen Valley.

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs South Vermillion at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

Aug. 29 7 p.m. – Varsity football vs Southmont at Owen Valley.

Aug. 30 10 a.m. – Varsity boys’ soccer vs Bloomfield at Owen Valley. Noon – Varsity girls’ soccer vs Bloomfield at Owen Valley.

Sept. 2 5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ soccer vs Bedford North Lawrence at Bedford North Lawrence.

6 p.m. – Varsity co-ed cross country at Mustang

golf vs Owen Valley and North Putnam at North Putnam.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity football vs Riverton Parke at Riverton Parke.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs South Vermillion at Cloverdale.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs South Vermillion at Cloverdale.

Aug. 26

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Clay City at Clay City.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Clay City at Clay City.

Aug. 28

5:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Shakamak at Shakamak.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

Aug. 29

7 p.m. – Varsity football vs North Putnam at Cloverdale.

Invitational at Edgewood.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Brown County at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Varsity boys’ soccer vs Mitchell at Mitchell.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Brown County at Owen Valley.

Sept. 3

4:30 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs Bloomfield at Owen Valley.

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf vs Sullivan at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

Sept. 4

5 p.m. – Varsity boys’ tennis vs Brown County at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Clay City at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Clay City at Owen Valley.

Sept. 5

7 p.m. – Varsity boys’ football vs Cloverdale at Cloverdale.

Aug. 30 9 a.m. – Varsity boys’ and girls’ cross country vs Riverton Parke at Riverton Parke.

10 a.m. – Junior varsity football vs North Putnam at North Putnam.

Sept. 2

5 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf three-way match at South Vermillion.

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Bloomfield at Cloverdale.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Bloomfield at Cloverdale.

Sept. 3

4:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ golf three-way match at Cloverdale.

Sept. 4

6 p.m. – Junior varsity girls’ volleyball vs Greencastle at Cloverdale.

7:30 p.m. – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs Greencastle at Cloverdale.

Sept. 5

7 p.m. – Varsity football vs Owen Valley at Cloverdale.

Trailing or Leading: MYPath payback is natural, financial

By Kyle Hannon Project Manager, MYPath Trail System

The paved section of MYPath has only been open for about 10 months, but lots of people have been walking, running, cycling and simply enjoying the trail. Most of the users would say this trail has been worth the investment in recreation. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could say it has been worth the investment financially, too?

Some people balk at the cost of trails. That’s understandable.

The Riverfront Trail section of MYPath, a 10-foot

wide, paved, ADA accessible path with an 80-foot long, 14-feet wide, steel bridge was nearly $1 million. How can we justify paying that much for a relatively short trail?

If we were at a party and I started talking about the financial justification of trails, I would start mentioning “multipliers.” And you would politely back away and find someone more interesting to talk to.

So, let’s tell a story about the trail. Bob and Jane live in Indianapolis and like to find new trails to hike. They see the MYPath Trail System Facebook page and decide to visit the trail. They decided to go to Civilian Brewing Corps for lunch.

Then they stop to fill up with gas and start making plans for their next visit. This is a real economic impact from attracting visitors to your trail. Imagine what the impact will be when we connect to McCormick’s Creek State Park and its 600,000 annual visitors.

Now, another story, and this one is not imaginary. The company that laid the blacktop was Tucker Paving of Spencer. The workers on all parts of the trail construction got lunches, drinks and fuel. I didn’t ask to see their receipts, but I’m sure it was mostly local. When I need materials for installing the trail counters, or nearly everything else I do at the trail, I go to Spencer

Hardware. How much money was spent locally on this local project? How much of this money would not have happened if MYPath did not exist? It is hard to quantify, but you know it is something. And one more story that is not made up. Have you noticed the new sidewalk and lighting on South Main Street? That came from grants to the MYPath Trail System from ROI and Smithville Charitable Trust.

Radius Indiana oversees the Monon South trail that stretches from the Clarksville, Indiana area to Mitchell, Indiana. They contracted with the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands

for an economic impact study. Eppley estimated 22 percent to 34 percent of trail users will be out-of-town visitors. Projected spending will be $34,000 to $111,000 per mile.

While spending by visitors is nice, the private investment drawn to trails is transformative.

As I have toured other community trails, people point to the new stores and even housing developments that want to locate close to trails. According to an Indianapolis Star story from July 31, 2024, the Monon Trail through Carmel has attracted more than $1 billion and the Nickel Plate Trail in Fishers has attracted $515 million in private

investment.

Last session, the Indiana Legislature provided $0 for trails. However, they created a summer study committee to look at the economic value of public lands. I will be watching closely. I am confident MYPath is contributing to this community in terms of health, recreation and money.

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.

Outdoor Type: How to fish a wacky rig

available if you can put up with the heat. Plastic worms are a top summer bait for bass. It’s a natural lure that fish like year-round. In my last column, I talked about experiences with a worm rigging technique called wacky style. My wife says I’m wacky about fishing, so this method suits me well. Here are some insights that I hope you can use. It’s a good time to be on the water. The weather is usually

stable, with early and late in the day the peak times. A few years ago, my cousin Ron clued me in to a worm fishing method involving hooking the lure in the middle. He used a black and red Strike King Shim-E-Stick, which is available in most tackle stores. The hook is very important. A wide-gap weedless design that has the right size to come through the middle of the worm and leave plenty of hook-up space is the ticket. Fit an O-Ring tightly over the bait’s middle, and place the hook under the ring. An O-Ring tool is available which makes insertion of the rings simple. The ring must be very snug to avoid hook slippage on the worm. I’ve also heard of some guys using zip ties. There are several lures like

the Shim-E, and I’ve tried a couple of others. It’s just that there’s something about this particular bait that, as its name suggests, does the shimmy just right. There may be others that do as well. I’ve seen bass pro Kevin Van Dam use the Strike King Ocho effectively, and there’s the original Gary Yamamoto Senko. The bait must have the right amount of flex. If it’s too stiff, the ends don’t waggle enticingly. It also needs to be tough enough to withstand several bass thinking it’s their dinner. Bass usually don’t drop this bait, but you don’t want to wait too long. The hookset doesn’t have to be like yanking out a log. The wacky hook is more exposed than in a Texas rig. Just a nice firm pull back does it. If you’re

using a weedless hook, maybe a little more wait time and set force are needed. The non-weedless has a super hookup ratio and the weedless somewhat less, but sometimes the cover demands the hook guard.

I feel that if a bass is in the vicinity of this bait, and you work it right, he or she will likely eat it. Just don’t overwork it. Subtle twitches with your rod moving ten o’clock to eleven will be enough. Repeat: You can’t work this lure slowly enough. Pretend it’s a live night crawler that might come off the hook if you’re too aggressive with it. This takes patience. Don’t get antsy. Slow down and work over an area thoroughly. An additional plus about the right worm is that when you give

backward. If a fish is following it trying to make up his mind, that action usually does the deal. Bluegill or crappie may hit it, but they don’t pester this rig as much as some other worms, such as the curly tails. The best way to fish it is with no weight, unless you have to get it down deeper than about eight feet. A slip sinker doesn’t allow the proper bait action. Using a very light, clamped on lead weight above the hook would be ok,

nail weight into the worm’s head. The key is this bait’s slow fall. The Shim-E or other Senko-type bait should be another tool in your bass arsenal. My personal favorite color for clear water is Morning Dawn, a bluegill imitator. For off-colored water, maybe try green pumpkin. Just be patient and don’t work this lure too fast. Believe a bass is studying it, because one probably is.

The author displays a wacky worm rig that he uses often. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LARRY LAGRANGE.

Driftwood Outdoors: Catching a musky is challenging

By Brandon Butler Guest Columnist

Indiana is a sleeper state for musky fishing. As surprising as it may sound, Indiana is home to one of the premier musky fisheries in the country. Lake Webster, the Barbee Chain and the Tippecanoe Chain are the most popular musky fishing lakes of northern Indiana, but a few lesserknown waters remain favorite destinations of those in the know.

The Hoosier State’s most productive musky waters are in the northeast region where a number of other lakes and rivers produce trophy musky. None of these lakes are large by any means, but all boast astonishing musky densities.

Muskies are a native fish species in Indiana, but ironically only to the extreme southern tributaries of the Ohio River. Yet, for over three decades now, muskies have been growing in number and popularity

in northern Indiana’s natural lakes.

There are currently six waters being stocked with musky in northern Indiana. They are Lake Webster, the Tippecanoe Chain (three lakes), the Barbee Chain (seven lakes), Skinner Lake, Everett Lake and Bruce Lake. Several other lakes have been stocked over the years and still hold good populations of fish.

The most notable is Loon Lake, which was one of the first Indiana lakes to be stocked with musky.

The history of the northern Indiana musky fishery is rooted in a success story of collaboration between anglers and the DNR.

The DNR and Hoosier Musky Club both need to be commended. This example of the public and government working together to establish a fishery remains a shining example of how to accomplish such a task.

The DNR began the musky stocking program after the anglers presented the DNR with their desire

for establishing musky in a number of northern Indiana lakes. The initial stocking of musky took place in 1978 when a select group of lakes were stocked with fingerlings.

Lake Webster was included in that stocking and received an initial 350 musky between 10 and 12 inches long. After 1981, aggressive stocking efforts ensued. The collaboration between the musky clubs and the DNR continued to work well as each contributed fish to the stocking program.

Since the late 1990s, the musky population of Lake Webster has served as Indiana’s brood stock for musky eggs. All muskies now stocked in the state originate from adults captured there. The state no longer imports any muskies from outside states, so Indiana’s musky program is completely self-sustaining. To collect eggs and milt, the DNR captures the Lake Webster adult muskies in large fish traps. DNR

biologists collect eggs, which are then fertilized with milt. They hatch at the East Fork State Fish Hatchery in southwest Indiana. The fingerlings are stocked in Indiana lakes and reservoirs.

At the time they are stocked into the fisheries, musky average eight to 10 inches in length. It is estimated they’ll reach 30 inches by the time they’re four years old, and most should be close to the magic mark of 36 inches, making them a legal fish, by the time they reach five years of age. During their last 30 days at the hatchery the musky are fed minnows to help hone their predatory instincts.

Very few muskies are kept by fishermen. This is what we anglers want to hear and work to promote. However, it is not illegal to keep a musky. If your heart is set on putting a musky on the wall, and a reproduction just won’t satisfy your desire, then know that Indiana has a daily limit of one musky that must measure at

least 36 inches.

Although this column focuses on fishing the natural lakes of northern Indiana, it’s worth noting that there are four musky fisheries in the southern half of the state. Eagle Creek Reservoir, Brookville, Lake Waveland and four connected strip pits in the Dugger Unit of the Greene-Sullivan State Forest are stocked with musky each year. The pits are Bass, West, Black Cat and Duck Lakes.

Catching a musky is more challenging than most freshwater fishing opportunities. It’s a lot like hunting. You must put in time and have patience. When the stars align and you end up cradling a musky in your arms, you truly are holding a trophy of a lifetime.

See you down the trail… For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.

Beyond the Stacks: What you might not know the library offers

By Brittany Van Hook OCPL Director

visited the Owen County Public Library (OCPL) in a while, you might be surprised by everything that’s waiting for you beyond the bookshelves.

Whether you stop by in person, connect through our bookmobile or browse from the comfort of

your home, the OCPL offers a wide variety of materials and services designed to meet the needs of today’s readers, learners and explorers.

Beyond books, the OCPL provides magazines and newspapers for inlibrary reading, along with CDs, DVDs and video games available for checkout. For those needing internet access on the go, we also offer portable internet hotspots that can be checked out for free. These devices provide Wi-Fi access anywhere a cellular signal is available, making it easy to stay connected for work, school or leisure.

If you’re planning a fun and educational outing for the family, the library has two Eiteljorg Museum passes available to check out. Each pass offers free admission for up to four adults and any accompanying children or grandchildren under the age of 17. In addition to admission, the pass includes free parking in the White River State Park garage (as available), a 15 percent discount in the museum store and a 10 percent discount at the café. The passes are first-come, first-served and can be checked out for seven days – an excellent way to enjoy

Owen Valley Middle School Sports Calendar

Aug. 16

9 a.m. – Co-ed cross country at Patriot Invitational at Owen Valley. Noon – Eighthgrade football jamboree.

Aug. 19

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs Brown County at Brown

County. Aug. 20

6 p.m. – Seventhgrade football vs TriNorth at Tri-North.

7 p.m. – Eighthgrade football vs TrNorth at Tri-North. Aug. 21

5:30 p.m. – Coed cross country vs St. Vincent De Paul,

Eminence and Seven Oaks at Owen Valley.

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs Clay City at Clay City. Aug. 23 9 a.m. – Girls’ volleyball at Patriot Invitational at Owen Valley.

Aug. 25 6 p.m. – Girls’

a cultural experience in Indianapolis at no cost. For those who enjoy technology or creative projects, the OCPL also offers 3D printing services that allow you to turn your ideas into tangible creations. In addition, your library card gives you free access to Creativebug, an online learning platform featuring thousands of video classes in crafting, sewing, baking and more.

Of course, books remain at the heart of everything we do. Whether you prefer traditional print, downloadable eBooks or streaming audiobooks, the OCPL

volleyball vs St. Charles Borromeo at St. Charles Borromeo. Aug. 27

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs Edgewood at Owen Valley.

Aug. 28

6 p.m. – Seventhgrade football vs Indian Creek at Owen Valley.

7 p.m. – Eighth-

grade football vs Indian Creek at Owen Valley. Sept. 2

offers thousands of titles accessible from your phone, tablet or computer. And if we don’t have the specific title you’re looking for, we may be able to borrow it for you through our Interlibrary Loan service, which is available for books and audiobooks.

At the OCPL, we’re here to help you connect, learn, explore and grow. Visit us in person, explore our website at owenlib.org, give us a call at 812829-3392 or stop by one of our bookmobile locations. You never know what you’ll discover at the library.

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs North Clay at Owen Valley. Sept. 3 5:30 p.m. – Coed cross country vs Edgewood at Edgewood.

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs LintonStockton at Linton-

Cloverdale Middle School Sports Calendar

Aug. 14

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade football vs West Vigo at West Vigo.

Aug. 19

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade volleyball vs Greencastle at Cloverdale.

Aug. 21

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade football vs Riverton Parke at Cloverdale.

Aug. 25

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade volleyball vs Eminence at Cloverdale.

Aug. 26

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade volleyball vs Monrovia at Cloverdale.

Aug. 28

5:30 p.m. – Co-ed cross

DELAYED | FROM PAGE 1

Although originally set to get underway on Jan. 21, the trial was delayed until May 12 of this year. On May 5, however, a hearing was held in the Owen County Circuit Court I on a motion for continuance filed by the defense. Arguments from both sides were heard, with the court ultimately resetting the start date to July 21.

A series of subpoenas/ summons were filed on July 9 and July 10 in preparation for the Aug. 4 start date, however, the trial start was again cancelled on and rescheduled for Jan. 20, 2026 beginning at 9 a.m. in Owen County Circuit Court I. Porter remains in custody without bond at the Owen County Security Center pending the upcoming trial by jury. The court has allotted eight days for the trial, excluding Saturday and Sunday.

Stockton.

6 p.m. – Seventhgrade football vs North Clay at North Clay.

7 p.m. – Eighthgrade football vs North Clay at North Clay.

Sept. 4

6 p.m. – Girls’ volleyball vs Cloverdale at Owen Valley.

country vs Greencastle and North Putnam at Greencastle.

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighth grade football vs Eastern Greene at Eastern Greene.

Aug. 30

11 a.m. – Co-ed cross country vs Riverton Parke at Riverton Parke.

Sept. 2

4:30 p.m. – Co-ed cross country vs John R. Wooden and Monrovia at Cloverdale.

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade volleyball vs Edgewood at Cloverdale.

Sept. 4

6 p.m. – Seventh and eighthgrade volleyball vs Owen Valley at Owen Valley.

More in-depth coverage of the case was published in the August 2024 issue of The Owen News. The full article can be accessed on our website.

Porter did appear in the Owen Circuit Court I on May 12 and 13 alongside his attorney Jacob Fish to face related but separate charges of escape and battery against a public safety official.

Jury selection in this case began and concluded on day one of the two-day trial, followed by the State of Indiana, represented by county prosecutor Benjamin Kim, presenting evidence and witnesses before resting its case. Not having adequate time to conclude the trial in a single day, the jury was recessed until the following day when Porter was ultimately found guilty on both felony counts.

A notice of appeal was received by the court on July 11.

Healthy lunchbox ideas kids will love

By Jamie Jo Lowder Health and Human Sciences Educator, Purdue Extension-Owen County

down and pencils get sharpened, it’s time to shift gears from popsicles by the pool to lunchboxes on the go. Whether your kids are headed to kindergarten or middle school, one thing stays the same: they need fuel to stay focused and energized. And what better way to start the school year off right than with fun, nutritious and easy-to-pack lunch ideas?

A note to remember

Research shows that tucking a handwritten message into your child’s lunchbox can brighten their day, bolster self-

esteem and strengthen your connection – even when you’re apart. Mental health professionals say these notes offer “positive reinforcement,” reinforcing resilience and emotional well-being. Whether it’s a joke, a doodle, an encouraging mantra or a simple “I love you,” these notes – snuck on colorful paper or napkins – bring warmth and a sense of belonging right at noon. Build a better lunchbox with MyPlate Use MyPlate guidelines by filling lunchboxes with fruits, veggies, protein, grains and dairy. For example: carrot sticks, grapes, yogurt, cheese and wholegrain crackers make a balanced and playful meal.

Make your own Lunchables Craft your own version of these lunchbox favorites. Try packing whole-wheat crackers, low-sodium deli meat, cheese cubes

and fresh produce – all thoughtfully portioned and fresh. Letting kids help with prep teaches independence and eases morning pressures. Fun recipe ideas that pack a punch Extension offers delicious options, like: Roasted Chickpeas –seasoned, crunchy and protein-packed.

Pocket Apple Pie – cinnamon-filled tortillas baked to golden perfection.

Hummus with Veggie Sticks – a fiber-rich, kidfriendly dip.

Apricot and Cottage Cheese Pita – sweet, savory and refreshing Plan ahead, stress less Purdue Extension advises weekend prep: wash and chop produce, boil eggs, cook grains and pack in containers. This cuts morning chaos and ensures all meals are balanced. Go green with your lunch routine

Try using ecofriendly lunch habits:

reusable containers, local produce and plantbased meals reduce waste while teaching kids environmental stewardship.

Healthy packing checklist Food Group Ideas

Protein: Hummus, chickpeas, cheese, eggs, deli meat

Whole Grains: Wholewheat bread, tortillas, pasta, brown rice

Fruits & Veggies: Apples, grapes, carrots, cucumbers

Add-Ons: Hummus dip, yogurt, trail mix, roasted chickpeas

And of course, include an ice pack – and that special note!

Tips for a smooth start

- Snack Bins: Keep prepacked snacks accessible in fridge and pantry for speedy morning prep.

- Kid Engagement: Let kids choose items and craft their lunch. It boosts eating enjoyment and builds life skills.

- Rotate Options: including a fruit and a

veggie daily, with whole grains and low added sugar. A well-packed lunch does more than just satisfy hunger – it fuels learning, boosts energy and sends a powerful message: You are cared for. With a mix of wholesome foods and a simple, uplifting note tucked inside, you’re not just feeding your child’s body – you’re nurturing their heart and mind, too.

As we launch into a new school year, let’s remember that what we pack in a lunchbox can shape more than a student’s day – it can shape their confidence, focus and joy. So, slice those apples, seal up that hummus, and don’t forget the napkin doodle or “You’ve got this!” scribble. It might just be the best part of their day.

Here’s to healthy meals, happy hearts and a fantastic school year ahead!

Owen County Fair: A celebration of youth, community and tradition

By Cassie Linville 4-H Youth Development Educator

hometown pride.

From the moment the gates opened, the fairgrounds buzzed with excitement.

successful year, drawing hundreds of families, friends and neighbors to celebrate the achievements of local youth and the enduring spirit of community. Held from July 6 to 11, the fair was a vibrant showcase of talent, hard work and

The 4-H Exhibit Hall brimmed with creativity and innovation, featuring projects in agriculture, science, arts and more. From intricately decorated cakes to detailed woodworking and robotics displays, the exhibits reflected the dedication and diverse interests of Owen County’s 4-H members.

Livestock shows were a major highlight, with young participants proudly presenting the animals they’ve raised and cared for throughout the

year. Whether it was cattle, swine, poultry or goats, each show was a testament to the responsibility, knowledge and passion of these young agriculturalists.

The Vintage Showmanship 4-H Council fundraising events, in particular, drew a large crowd and celebrated the timeless skills and traditions passed down through generations of 4-H families.

“This fair is more than just an event –it’s a celebration of growth, learning and community,” said a representative from Purdue Extension–Owen County. “Our 4-H members have worked incredibly

hard all year, and this is their moment to shine.”

The fair also featured a wide range of Mini 4-H projects, giving younger children a chance to explore interests from dinosaurs and geology to cupcake decorating and photography. These budding 4-H’ers brought energy and enthusiasm that promises a bright future for the program.

Behind the scenes, the Owen County Fair Association played a crucial role in making the event possible. Their continued support, along with countless volunteers, sponsors and local

businesses, ensured that the fairgrounds were welcoming and well-equipped for a week of celebration.

“The community support this year has been phenomenal,” said one 4-H parent. “From donated supplies to packed bleachers at the livestock shows, it’s clear that Owen County believes in its youth.”

Evening events brought the community together with games, contests and live entertainment, creating a festive atmosphere that extended well beyond the barns and exhibit halls.

The fair wasn’t just about competition – it was about

connection, tradition and recognizing the potential of every young person involved.

As the final ribbons were awarded and the last animals loaded up, one thing was clear: the 2025 Owen County 4-H Fair was a resounding success. It honored the past, celebrated the present and inspired the future – all through the lens of youth achievement and community pride.

Here’s to another year of growing leaders, building friendships and keeping the 4-H spirit alive in Owen County.

Purdue Extension: Plan your pastures for performance

By Jim Luzar

A productive pasture can provide adequate nutrition for goats, sheep, horses and cattle when properly managed and rested. Forage can be an “orphan crop,” with little attention paid to fertilization,

soil pH and weed control. As with any crop, pasture performance can be enhanced with some key management efforts. This article highlights a few steps pasture owners can take to improve pasture performance for better grazing and hay production.

As with most agronomic crops, a key building block to a good stand of pasture is understanding the soil, from drainage to fertility to soil pH level. Soils vary with respect to drainage capacity and the ability to move water through the root zone of plants. Many acres of pasture in Owen

County are well drained, sloping soils. Lack of water holding capacity is more of an issue on these soils. Pastures that are not well drained can become compacted with excessive livestock traffic, limiting growth potential of the forages. Pasture drainage can also play a role in the sustainability of a stand of alfalfa.

An alfalfa field with poor drainage will not have a good prognosis. Alfalfa requires well-drained soil. Soil pH is another important factor in determining the success of a pasture. Alfalfa requires

a pH around 7. Most grasses and clovers can tolerate a soil pH between 6 and 7. An accurate determination of pH can be found in a soil test. Landowners may be eligible this fall for a free professional soil test, courtesy of Holden Abrell with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. A soil test will provide recommendations for liming.

Have you seen a pasture with broomsedge growing? Chances are good that this soil is acidic. Don’t guess, just test! Another benefit of a soil test is the determination of soil fertility,

especially phosphorus and potassium. Low levels of P and K will not grow a robust pasture.

It is a crop that needs nutrition in order to grow and develop. Fall will be a great time to conduct a soil test and make needed adjustments. Sometimes pastures require renovation. This involves adding seed that comes into good contact with the soil. The only time I recommend sprinkling seed on top of soil is late winter frost seeding. The freezing and thawing of the soil can help place the seed deep enough for proper

germination. Weed control is another issue in pastures. There are too many acres that do not get clipped in order to prevent weed seed production. Weeds produce competition for forage and sometimes require chemical control.

Always read and follow the label for any herbicide product you may select. Some products require a twoweek withdrawal of grazing animals following application.

Questions about your pasture? Contact Purdue ExtensionOwen County at 812-829-5020.

Superintendent welcome letters

Cloverdale begins new school year on Aug. 5

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students, Welcome back! I hope this letter finds you rested, recharged and ready for an exciting new school year. As your superintendent, it is both an honor and a privilege to extend a warm welcome to all our returning families, as well as a special

greeting to those joining our school community for the first time. We are excited to begin this new chapter together, filled with promise, growth and shared success.

This year, our focus remains on academic excellence, student well-being and building a strong, supportive environment for

every learner. Our dedicated educators and staff have been working diligently over the summer to prepare engaging lessons, meaningful programs and safe, welcoming classrooms. We are committed to nurturing not only academic success but also the character and confidence of our

students, ensuring they are equipped for the future.

We recognize the essential role families play in our shared mission, Success for Everyone! Your involvement, encouragement and communication with school staff are critical to student success. Throughout the year, we will offer

opportunities to stay connected, whether through parent-teacher conferences, family events, volunteer opportunities or school newsletters. Together, we can build a school culture rooted in respect, collaboration and high expectations.

Thank you for entrusting us

with your child’s education. As we begin this school year, let us move forward with optimism and a renewed sense of purpose. We are truly excited to see what we will accomplish together!

Sincerely,

Greg Linton, Superintendent Cloverdale Community School Corporation

S-OCS begins new school year on Aug. 6

Welcome Back, Spencer-Owen Families!

As the summer days begin to wind down, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the start of the 2025–2026 school year at SpencerOwen Community Schools. Our halls will once again echo with laughter, learning and the energy that only the start of a new school year

can bring. We are proud to welcome back our students, staff and families on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Spencer-Owen Community Schools serve as the heart of our rural community, where four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school come together to educate, support and inspire our young people. Whether your child is stepping

into kindergarten for the first time, entering their final year of high school or anywhere in between, we are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and enriching environment for every student.

Over the summer, our dedicated staff have been preparing classrooms, planning engaging lessons and ensuring our buildings are ready for learning. We’re also continuing

to focus on academic growth, improvement to school facilities and further fostering strong connections between school and home.

This year, we look forward to continuing the strong traditions of Spencer-Owen while embracing new opportunities for growth and innovation. We encourage families to stay connected, get involved and partner with us throughout the

school year. Together, we can help every student thrive.

On behalf of the entire SpencerOwen Community Schools team, we wish everyone a successful, joyful, and inspiring school year.

We can’t wait to see you on Aug. 6!

Respectfully, Andy Cline, Superintendent Spencer-Owen Community Schools

Spencer-Owen Schools introduce safe visitor management system

By Kris Samick S-OCS Director of Communication

In a continued effort to prioritize the safety of students and staff, SpencerOwen Community Schools (S-OCS) is proud to announce the implementation of the new Safe Visitor Management System, known as KID Account. This innovative system is now in place at all school buildings within the district and is designed to manage all visitors, parents and students with the highest standards of safety and accountability.

The KID Account system brings several new features to S-OCS campuses, including instant national sex offender screenings, visitor badge printing and electronic hall passes. These updates will streamline the check-in process while significantly enhancing the district’s ability to monitor who is in each building at all times.

As part of this new procedure, all parents and visitors will now be required to present a valid driver’s license upon entering any S-OCS building. This identification will be scanned through the KID Account system to ensure the visitor passes the screening requirements. Individuals without a valid driver’s license can be entered manually into the system. Upon approval, school administration will authorize access to the building and issue a visitor badge.

Superintendent Andy Cline and building leaders across the district are united in their commitment to protecting the school community.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” Cline said. “Implementing this system allows us to provide a more secure environment without compromising the welcoming atmosphere we value so deeply.”

To help make visits to our

schools more convenient for families, parents and guardians may still complete a Volunteer Background Form for the current school year. Once approved, this form grants them automatic access and a preprinted visitor badge for quicker entry during future visits. This process is ideal for frequent visitors, such as parent volunteers and chaperones.

The district encourages all parents and guardians to participate in this background process as a way to support school safety while maintaining ease of access.

“We are committed to creating a secure, respectful and positive learning environment,” said MCES Principal Matt Cazzell. “Our new visitor management system is just one of the many ways we are working to make that vision a reality.”

If parents have any questions about the new system or need assistance with the background form, they are encouraged to contact their child’s building principal directly:

- Owen Valley High School: Principal Robert Boltinghouse, 812-829-2266

- Owen Valley Middle School: Principal Tom Arthur, 812-829-2249

- McCormick’s Creek Elementary School: Principal Matt Cazzell, 812-828-6000

- Spencer Elementary School: Principal Brittany Greene, 812-829-2253

- Gosport Elementary School: Principal Carol Watson, 812-879-4694

- Patricksburg Elementary School: Principal Dr. Mike Robison, 812-859-4525

Spencer-Owen Community Schools remains steadfast in its mission to foster a safe, supportive and enriching educational environment for all students. The introduction of the KID Account system marks another meaningful step forward in that commitment.

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campaign or service medal. Additionally, service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days. Receiving hostile fire or imminent danger pay also qualifies. Call

or come in to the post anytime to discuss!

Ramblings: Finding peace

By Annie Bright Guest Columnist

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling discombobulated lately.

Discombobulated?

That was a term my father used to indicate he was “out of sorts” or “off key” or “down in the dumps.” It is a perfect word to represent our emotions when life throws us out of balance. Sometimes life throws so many issues and events at us we become discombobulated. That word makes me smile

today. Just a little smile. Add it to your dictionary of weird words. It comes in handy when life makes you feel just not yourself.

Here is another term you may not be familiar with – Shinrin-yoku. That is a new term for me, I wonder what language that is? It means forestbathing. That is a term the younger generation has created for walking in the woods. It doesn’t require removing your clothes, just go take a walk in the woods or any wild place.

Research confirms that being in a forest has a calming and stress-reducing effect on humans. Studies indicate that time spent in a forest decreases the stress hormone cortisol. Anxiety, depression, even fatigue is diminished by time

spent with trees.

Another research study demonstrated that walking in a forest had a greater impact on cardiovascular function than walking in an urban park. Another study proved that spending time surrounded by nature puts our sympathetic nervous system in the “rest and digest” state. Evidently, sitting under a tree tells our parasympathetic nervous system, “Calm down, time to relax.” None of this comes as a huge surprise to me. The amount of research being done on the subject does surprise me.

Nature has a way of calming us, restoring our vigor and improving our moods. We must make the effort to spend time surrounding ourselves with the

wonder of nature. Taking a walk in the woods or along the river is excellent selfcare. I think spending time getting acquainted with nature is vitally important to a child’s development. They need to wade in creeks and listen to spring peepers and hear the birds sing their morning songs. We all do. The world seems dark and mean currently. Most of us worry about our children, the economy, health issues and the future of our country. The environment, even the weather, seems to be changing. The TV news anchors give us negative reports. It is easy to become discombobulated.

Owen County offers many places to enjoy the natural world.

McCormick’s Creek State

Park, Cataract Falls, Green’s Bluff Nature Preserve, Owen-Putnam State Forest and the MYPath Trail along the White River in Spencer. My favorite is the OwenPutnam State Forest. You will find small creeks, deep ravines, lush ferns, ancient cliffs covered with soft green moss and trees so tall and thick they shut out the sunlight. At the Fish Creek Campground, there is a small lake that is an easy walk from the parking lot. Visit the Sweet Owen Convention & Visitor’s Bureau on the courthouse square and pick up a booklet about places to hike in the county. Go take a hike and hug a tree. I am as soon as it stops raining. It is the best medicine for what ails me.

‘til next time, Annie

It’s Just a Country State of Mind: Back home in Indiana

By Susan Anderson Guest Columnist

who have lived in Indiana for most of our lives, we are used to being called “Hoosiers.”

Most of us just accept the name, no questions asked. We commonly associate the name with the IU athletic teams, the “Hurrying Hoosiers.” But collectively, for all of us that make our homes here in Indiana, we are considered Hoosiers.

So just what is a Hoosier?

Over the years, I have often been asked this question by my friends who live out of state. I

haven’t always had a ready answer for them. The most common explanation that’s quick to come to my mind is, “A Hoosier is a person who is a native of Indiana.”

But where did the name come from? I’ve often heard the terms “Hoosier hospitality,” “Hoosier traditions,” and many more.

And I have heard different versions of how the name came to be, but I am not sure that anybody really knows.

The meaning of the term has often been the cause of great controversy in many conversations, and the origin has been disputed by some local history buffs.

The most widely accepted story that I could find goes back to the early Indiana pioneers. It seems that they

used to greet one another from their log cabin doors by shouting out, “Who’s yere.”

Another story was about a contractor by the name of Samuel Hoosier who preferred hiring men from Indiana. They became known as Hoosier’s men or Hoosiers.

Still yet another account is about early settlers that were vicious fighters that fought like European soldiers of the time. They were known to “hush” any opponent, henceforth, the name Hoosiers.

Other stories claim that the word came from a Native American word, “hoosa,” which meant maize.

The name even came up in the Indiana legislature when Rep. J.D. Prescott introduced a bill to officially recognize Harry

Hoosier as the inspiration for the Hoosier name.

Harry Hoosier was a black minister who became a wellknown preacher in the 1770s. The bill did not pass.

I think all these theories are well and good, but none of them felt right to me. I decided that being a Hoosier must be something so special as to defy explanation. I think that smalltown Indiana is like no other place on earth. You must live here for a while to get it. It’s a place where people know your name, and if they don’t, they wave at you like they have known you for years.

When I think of Indiana, several words come to mind: Tradition. Self-sufficiency. Hard-working. Friendly. The people here are just different.

It’s like certain

jokes are only understood if you are Hoosier. It’s an understanding between people. The air is of a certain quality, the people more so. I think it’s something that you just know on the inside and that comes with years of living here.

A few years ago, I lived out of state for a few months. I got rather homesick, and before long, I moved back home to Indiana. While I was gone, I really missed my Hoosier roots. I was sort of a displaced Hoosier if you will. It just goes to show, you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take Indiana out of the girl. Once a Hoosier, always a Hoosier.

A Hoosier is someone who was born here, who lives here and loves it. Indiana is a place to feel at home. It’s my home. I am a

Hoosier, and I am proud of it. The lyrics to a song written in 1917 by Ballard MacDonald and composed by James F. Hanley, “(Back Home Again in) Indiana,” seem to say it best: Chorus: Back home again in Indiana, and it seems that I can see The gleaming candlelight still shining bright, Thru the Sycamores for me. The new mown hay sends all its fragrance From the fields I used to roam. When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash, Then I long for my Indiana home. If you know, you know. From one Hoosier to another, it’s good to be at home in Indiana.

— Susan