Dr. Scott Terry, left, a local dentist, assists Dr. Kirk Hearne, a local optometrist, in moving equipment to the new Hearne Vision Care office on Friday. Hearne Vision Care is now open at 130 N. State St., just west of its previous location on East Poplar Street.-Staff Photo by Bryce Mayer
This week's featured cat is Aladdin, a one year old male. He is available immediately but will need to be brought back to be neutered. According to the Animal Control staff, Aladdin is a lover. He climbed up on this reporterís leg so she could take his picture without all the fuss. Wednesday, December 5, 2018
The ARC of Jennings County, in conjunction with the of St. Mary's/St. Ann's Knights of Columbus Council, will host its annual Christmas party for any individual having an intellectual or developmental disability and their caretakers next week. The gala will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, at St. Mary's Parish Center, 212 Washington St., North Vernon. Wednesday, December 5, 2018
All but one of Jennings County's schools earned what might be called honor roll and honorable mention recognition.
The Indiana Department of Education has issued its annual letter grades - officially known as School Accountability Grades - for all schools for 2017-2018. These grades, which also include a percentage number with them, are based on results of Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-plus (ISTEP) exams taken by students in grades 3-8 and 10 last spring.
Six of the eight schools in the Jennings County School Corporation (JCSC) system increased their grades from the previous year while two dropped but only slightly.
"Our schools gained 243 total growth points," reported Katie Brennan, JCSC's director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, reported to the school board Thursday. "I commend the JCSC staff and students. Great job."
School board member Earl Taggart agreed.
"I give my heartfelt thanks to the students, teachers, administrators and our superintendent (Teresa Brown)," he said. "This improvement just didn't happen. They all need to be congratulated." Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana will bring its mobile food pantry to Church of the Nazarene in North Vernon on Saturday, Dec. 8. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon.
By a 4-3 decision Thursday, the Jennings County School Board voted to proceed with adopting a pair of $5 million bonds - $10 million total.
One of the bonds is to fund a facility for the Jennings County High School wrestling program. The other bond is to upgrade other athletic facilities - baseball and softball fields and tennis courts - at the high school.
The projects will not result in any additional taxes and now is the time to go ahead with them, said the majority.
"Our kids deserve top-rate athletic facilities," said board member Amy Pettit. "Two years ago, we (JCHS) had to give up hosting the baseball sectional because of our field. Our kids deserve support for great athletics just like they do for great academics."
Pettit, Earl Taggart, Pat Sullivan and Steve Elmore voted in the affirmative. Tony Daeger, Travis Shepherd and Warren Lucas dissented, though all three said they support the proposed projects.
Daeger said he thinks more time is needed for planning. Monday, December 3, 2018
The Jennings County Fair Board will select new board members and elect officers for the next 12 months at a special meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m.
Jennings County Youth Foundation (JCYF) volunteers have been working hard to get ready for the upcoming Affordable Christmas Toy Store. More volunteers are needed, says Kelly Hatton.
The Indiana State Police-Versailles Criminal Patrol Team made two drug arrests and seized nearly five ounces of crystal methamphetamine in Jennings and Bartholomew counties on Friday.
The Jennings County Council is getting a bum rap, says its current president, Mike Kelley.
"People are blaming us for the (proposed) jail when all we did was what the county commissioners asked us to do," said Kelley, now finishing his fifth term representing District 1. "We gave the commissioners a vehicle to fund the jail. That doesn't mean they have to build it."
Kelley was referring to the special-use income tax - also known as the jail tax - that the county council narrowly adopted last month.
The tax, at a rate of .65 percent of adjusted gross income, is specifically designed to fund the jail project based on the commissioners' setting the total at an amount not to exceed $28 million.
The jail tax takes effect Jan. 1. The council voted 4-3 to adopt the tax with Kelley, Dave Woodall (R-at large), Tony Eder (D-District 4) and Larry Maschino (D-District 2) in the majority. Josh Yeager (R-District 3), Paul Belding (R-at large) and Howard Malcomb (R-at large) dissented.
The countdown is on for the Jennings County Coordinating Council's Christmas Food Basket and Toys project. With little over two weeks to go before the fund-raising deadline, Bee Murphy is scurrying all over the county to find whatever donations she can for the project.
It's going to be difficult to top last year when Stellar Plaza overflowed with people enjoying a myriad of holiday festivities, but not impossible according to one man.
Whether or not a proposed new jail gets constructed in Jennings County is the million-dollar question these days.
Make that the multimillion-dollar question since the project has an estimated price tag in the neighborhood of $28 million.
Whatever happens, money has already been spent toward the project in terms of studies, lobbying for a legislative act to pave the way for a jail tax and consultant fees.
One such fee came up earlier this month when the Board of County Commissioners reviewed a bill submitted by Rick Hall for $58,703.82 in expenses he incurred from Jan. 10 to Nov. 13 for his legal work on the project.
"That is a bitter pill to swallow for a jail that may not get built," said Matt Sporleder (R-District 3), president of the commissioners, as he and Dave Lane (R-District 2) and Bob Willhite (R-District 1) voted unanimously to pay the bill.
The county previous paid $20,000 to Hall, an attorney who specializes in government services and is with the Barnes & Thornburg law firm in Indianapolis, for his successful efforts to get a bill through the state legislature earlier this year that gave the Jennings County Council authority to enact a special-use income tax to fund the jail project. Monday, November 26, 2018
The arrangements are being finalized for the Plain Dealer & Sun to deliver the wish lists for children in this community to the man who resides at the North Pole.
The old Butlerville School still stands, though just barely. Bit by bit, the former home of the Bulldogs is falling in, more or less collapsing on itself.
Winners of the 2018 Turkey Give-A-Way sponsored yearly by the Plain Dealer & Sun have all been notified and, with the exception of one person, have all picked up their certificates for a free turkey.
It's not often that your gift to a charity will be automatically doubled, but that is exactly what will happen as the Jennings County Community Foundation celebrates "Giving Tuesday" on Nov. 27.
A U.S. Army major and the "Father of Strings" are the newest members to be inducted into the Jennings County High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
Maj. Amos Fox, a 1999 JCHS graduate, is being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Eric Jarboe is being inducted as an honorary Hall of Famer.
Fox was nominated for the honor by Ronita Knarr and Eddie Ertel.
"Amos is living proof that hard work and dedication pay off," the two wrote in the nomination letter. "He has proven it is possible to overcome obstacles with perseverance and self discipline, leading to the attainment of personal and professional goals."
Fox has already been the recipient of the Col. Tom Felts Leadership Award, School of Advanced Military Studies Distinguished Honor Graduate (top student), Draper Armor Leadership Award and Honorary Rolls of the Blackhorse Regiment.
Fox is the current operations officer for the 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division based in Ft. Bliss, Texas. He previously served as a planner for the 1st Armored Division and the Combined Joint Force Land Command-Operation Inherent Resolve in the campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq for two tours. His previous assignments include troop commands and staff positions in the 4th Infantry Division, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and the U.S. Armor Schools 16th Cavalry Regiment. Wednesday, November 21, 2018
