What started as a routine welfare check resulted in Owen County
Sheriff’s Department
(OCSD) Sgt. Detective
Nathan Martin being shot in the line of duty and airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital.
Martin has since been released and is recovering.
On the afternoon of Friday, June 12, the Owen County Probation
Department contacted OCSD requesting they respond to a home in the 4000 block of Texas Pike in Spencer to conduct a welfare check on Wendell L. Hart, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by Detective
| PAGE 4
Michael Tummers with the Indiana State Police (ISP). A welfare check on Hart, 58 of Spencer, was initiated because Hart, who was on probation, had missed a check-in with his probation officer, his electronic monitoring system had been disabled and he could not be reached via his cell phone. Deputies William Browne and Jacob Williamson who performed the welfare check announced their
By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor
OBey d pair
Structural failures, security risks mount at Owen County Jail
wen County is spending more than $100,000 each year just to keep its aging jail limping along.
“That’s just trying to keep it running,” Jail
Commander Major Bill Snodgrass said. “There’s a lot of stuff that we should do that I’m not doing because I don’t want to spend the money.”
He pointed to the peeling paint on the walls in the jail cells at the Owen County Security Center, but he can’t see spending money on a cosmetic repair when a new facility is on the horizon. Or rather, with a new facility being closer than it has been since the need for a new jail was first discussed more than a decade ago. Snodgrass said he’s avoided cosmetic
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
Sue McNeive heard what sounded like a roaring train on the night of June 17. She sat on her reclining couch at her home on Buskirk Road in rural Gosport, surrounded by her four chihuahuas and German shepherd, Choco. TORNADO | PAGE 22
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
T o fund large capital projects, it is common for governments to use municipal bonds. They function REPAIR | PAGE 25 FUNDING | PAGE 26
OV’s Aubrey Sparks earns All-Star honors Incoming Owen Valley High School junior Aubrey Sparks put on a strong performance at the 18th BRIEF | PAGE 15
From left, Sheriff Ryan White and Jail Commander Major Bill Snodgrass answer questions about the current jail and the proposed design of a new facility. More photos from inside the Owen County Security Center can be found on The Owen News’ website, theowennews.org. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS
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Candidates declare for S-OCS school board race
By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor
Five individuals have filed for the three seats available throughout Owen County for the Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees.
The seats up for reelection include Districts 2, 3 and 5. Those seats are currently held by Mark Rogers, Lizz Bixler and Jack White, respectively.
Bixler is the only incumbent seeking reelection.
Joseph Pavich is running unopposed for District 2.
Bixler is being challenged by Anthony Bonds, while Jacob Zeunik and Jama Brown are both vying for the District 5 seat.
These candidates will appear on the ballot for the Nov. 3 General Election.
For the first time this year, candidates had the option to
declare a party affiliation if they chose to do so.
Four of the five candidates chose to remain nonpartisan and not declare a political party.
Brown was the only candidate to declare affiliation with a political party by designating herself as a Republican.
While candidates must reside in the district they seek to represent, all registered voters that live within the
Government Meeting Calendar
July 6
Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
July 9
Owen County Board of Zoning Appeals, 7 p.m., Commissioners’ Room, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
July 10
Gosport Town Council work session, 9 a.m. at Gosport Town Hall, 3 E. Main St., Gosport. The council, along with Gosport Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Leonard, will discuss what the town wants to do about creating a fire territory. According to minutes from the council’s April meeting, the town has until June 30, 2027 to progress toward a fire territory or district.
July 13
Owen County Council and Commissioners work session, 5 p.m., Commissioners’ Room, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Owen County Council, 6 p.m., Commissioners’ Room, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Owen Valley Fire Territory Board, 6 p.m. at the Owen Valley Volunteer 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.
July 14
Gosport Town Council, 7 p.m. in the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.
July 15
Spencer Redevelopment Commission, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
July 16
Owen County Board of Commissioners, 6 p.m.,
Commissioners’ Room, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer. 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.
July 20
Owen County Public Library Board, 5 p.m. in the OCPL Vault
S-OCS district can vote in each of the school board races.
As of June 25, no candidates had filed for the Owen County seat on the Cloverdale Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees representing Taylor Township.
For Cloverdale Township, Aragon Gould (R) and current board president Vivian Whitaker have both filed.
Room, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Spencer Town Council, 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer.
July 21
Owen County Advisory Plan Commission, 6:30 p.m., Commissioners’ Room, Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Community Events Calendar
July 2
Gosport Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.
July 3
Fantastic Friday: Field Day Fun, 3 to 4 p.m. in the pavilion at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Rescue Recovery of Owen County weekly meeting, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 156 E. Market St., Spencer. Come connect every Friday night with others walking the same journey, where you will find support, strength and hope from breaking the chains of addiction. Free childcare and coffee available.
July 4
Spencer Celebrates 250, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 14 N. Washington St., Spencer. Enjoy live music (by Gravy Bird, West Fork Revival, This Burning Ghost and Bubba Wiggles), a bounce house and face painting. Food available for purchase from Civilian Brewing Corps and the Spencer VFW Post #1405. Sponsored by Spencer Main Street, Inc., and VFW Post #1405. This is a free block party event.
Mural dedication ceremony, 11 a.m. at the Spencer VFW Post #1405, 78 E. Franklin St. The mural is located on the east side of the building, along South Washington Street.
Live music by southern Indiana singersongwriter Nick Dittmeier, 5 p.m. at Owen Valley Winery, Vineyard & Bistro, 491 Timber Ridge Rd., Spencer. Free.
Cloverdale American Legion Post #281 Fourth of July Celebration, starting at 5 p.m. at Post #281, 501 S. Main St., Cloverdale. Live music by Cabin Row at 6:30 p.m. Vendor booths; food will be available for purchase. Fireworks begin at dusk. Free concert and community fireworks show at Tier 10 Music & Sports Park, 2499 S.R. 43S, Spencer. Featuring performances by Bonita and Blue Flame beginning at 7 p.m. The fireworks show begins at 10 p.m.
July 5
Spencer Pride general meeting, 4 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer.
July 6
Mini Art Open
Studio, 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Activity Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Mainstream Fiber Networks ribbon cutting, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Spencer Municipal Building, 90 N. West St., Spencer. Hosted by the Owen County Chamber of Commerce.
July 7
All Ages Storytime, 10 a.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Teen Retro Game Night, 4 to 7 p.m. in the Teen Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Snacks provided.
Journal Making, 6 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Spencer Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Lester F. Litten Community Building, 59 N. Main St., Spencer.
July 8
Free showings of “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer.
Harrison Homemakers meeting, noon at the Purdue Extension-Owen County office, 180 S. Washington St., Spencer.
Crafternoon, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Fiber Art Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. in the Youth Services Area at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Iris Youth Group meeting, 5 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. A group for LGBTQ+ teens and allies (ages 10 to 19) to connect, support each other and have fun.
Community Yoga, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. Designed for all people of all abilities. No experience required.
Unbound Recovery meeting, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Access Church, 499 N. Main St., Cloverdale. This is a faith-based, 12-step recovery community for anyone struggling with addiction or compulsive behaviors.
July 9
Gosport Farmers’
Market, 3 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Lighthouse Fellowship Church, 5392 S.R. 67, Gosport.
Teen Music Lab, 4 to 7 p.m. in the Teen Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Create your own music using one of the library’s computers.
Cupcake Decorating, 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Call 812-829-3392 to reserve your spot.
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. July 10
Fantastic Friday: The Water Show, 3 to 4 p.m. in the pavilion at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Craft Night, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. A group for people who quilt, scrapbook, paint, decoupage, etc. Bring your own supplies to work on a project while others do the same. For more information, contact Terry@SpencerPride.org.
July 11
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by He & Harmony.
Gosport VFW Post #7850 80th Anniversary Celebration, beginning at 4 p.m. at Post #7850, 159 E. Main St., Gosport. Free hamburgers, hotdogs, and sides from 4 to 6 p.m. Karaoke with Average Jo’s from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Live music by Matt Lundquist, 5:30 p.m. at Owen Valley Winery, Vineyard & Bistro, 491 Timber Ridge Rd., Spencer. Free.
July 13
Jolly Homemakers meeting, 1 p.m. at the Freedom Community Center, 5558 FreedomArney Rd., Freedom. July 13 to 17
Illumination Station Vacation Bible School, 5:30 to 8 p.m. nightly
at the Gosport United Methodist Church, 119 N. Seventh St., Gosport. For more information, contact VBS Director Pam Grohman at 812-879-4698 or email gosportumc@gmail.com.
July 14
All Ages Storytime, 10 a.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
All Bugs go to Kevin: Jewels of the Undergrowth, 11 a.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Teen Retro Game Night, 4 to 7 p.m. in the Teen Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Snacks provided.
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 812-8295020.
Adult Euchre Night, 6 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Rescue Recovery of Owen County weekly meeting, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 156 E. Market St., Spencer. Come connect every Friday night with others walking the same journey, where you will find support, strength, and hope from breaking the chains of addiction. Free childcare and coffee available.
Cataract Lake Crime Watch meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Cataract Volunteer Fire Department, 9582 High Ridge Trail, Spencer.
July 15
Free showings of “Bad Guys 2,” 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer.
Crafternoon, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Fiber Art Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. in the Youth Services Area at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Community Dinner, 5 to 7 p.m. at The Cunot Lake Community Center, 5530 IN 42, Poland.
Spencer Pride Board of Directors meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. Unbound Recovery
meeting, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Access Church, 499 N. Main St., Cloverdale. This is a faith-based, 12-step recovery community for anyone struggling with addiction or compulsive behaviors.
July 16
Spencer Exchange Club meeting, noon at the Owen County Family YMCA, 1111 W. SR 46, Spencer.
Gosport Farmers’ Market, 3 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Lighthouse Fellowship Church, 5392 S.R. 67, Gosport.
Calico Homemakers meeting, 4 p.m. Meetings are held at a different restaurant each month. For more information, call 812-829-5020.
Trivia Night with Rance Fawbush, 6 p.m. at Owen Valley Winery, Vineyard & Bistro, 491 Timber Ridge Rd., Spencer.
Family Movie Night featuring “The Goonies” (1986), 6 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Rated PG. Cataract School House and General Store Community Impact Meeting, 6 p.m. in the Viquesney Meeting Room at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. Open to the public. Hosted by Owen County Preservations.
July 17
Fantastic Friday: Professor Steve’s Digging into Science Show, 3 to 4 p.m. in the pavilion at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Rescue Recovery of Owen County weekly meeting, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 156 E. Market St., Spencer. Come connect every Friday night with others walking the same journey, where you will find support, strength and hope from breaking the chains of addiction. Free childcare and coffee available.
July 17 & 18
Free clothing and school supplies giveaway, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Freedom Church of the Nazarene Fellowship Hall, 5505 Jefferson St., Freedom.
July 18
Owen County Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 459 W. Morgan St., Spencer. Live music by High Sierra.
Owen County Theatre
CALENDAR | PAGE 7
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.
6-1
Betsy Hovis, 44, Bloomfield, preliminary charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Special Deputy Levi Miller.
6-3
Christopher Sheese, 43, Bloomington, preliminary charges of probation violation and child exploitation, possession of child pornography (six counts).
OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer.
Timothy Shadrick, 37, Evansville, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia, driving while suspended with a prior charge, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia.
| FROM PAGE 1
presence and knocked on the door to Hart’s residence. There was no arrest warrant for Hart at that time.
“They heard a male state that they had five minutes to get off of his property, followed by immediate gun fire from inside of the residence,” the affidavit reads. “The responding officers maneuvered to the northwest corner of the residence, taking a covered position.”
Hart then exited the front door and fired multiple shots. It was then that Browne and Williamson called for backup, including Martin, to later arrive on scene.
“Officers returned fire, after announcing their presence again, as Hart advanced towards their location. Hart can be heard yelling at the officers, ‘Where are you b*tch? Come here b*tch,’ as he advanced,” the affidavit reads. “Hart was observed outside of the residence yelling at the officers to get off his property, he would kill them and to get out of his town.”
Hart fired another shot that struck Martin in the upper torso as
Arrested by Spencer Police Department (SPD) officer Ben Muncie.
6-5
Michael Richards, 42, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, unlawful possession of a syringe, obstruction of justice, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia (two counts). OCSD Deputy Cory Poland was the arresting officer.
6-6
Eric Edwards, 39, Mooresville, preliminary charge of domestic battery. Arrested by OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler.
6-7
Daniel Doerflein, 37, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of criminal mischief, failure to appear, and intimidation.
OCSD Deputy Brennan Clark was the arresting officer.
Tristan Strausburg, 29, Columbus, IN, preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person and probation violation. Arrested by OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler.
he stood near the driveway entrance to Hart’s residence.
Spencer Police Department (SPD) officer Bryce Brock and OCSD Lt. Clint Wampler were standing next to Martin when he was shot.
Officers notified dispatch that shots had been fired and an officer was down. In response, officers from several agencies, including OCSD, SPD, ISP, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, made their way to the scene, according to Sgt. Matt Ames, public information officer for the Indiana State Police (ISP) Putnamville District.
“As additional officers began arriving at the scene, Hart opened the north door of his residence. Officers can be heard giving verbal commands to Hart to drop the gun and show me your hands. Officers then fired multiple shots, ultimately striking Hart, who ran back inside the residence and again barricaded himself,” the affidavit reads.
The OCSD quickly posted an emergency alert on social media, warning local residents of an active “criminal
6-8
Chelsea Finchum, 30, Indianapolis, preliminary charge of theft. OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller was the arresting officer.
John Todd, 36, Spencer, preliminary charge of disorderly conduct. Arrested by SPD officer EJ Westgate. Mackenzie Wyatt, 21, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of harassment and intimidation. OCSD K9 Deputy Daniel Rhienhart was the arresting officer.
6-9
James Bullock, Jr., 36, Poland, IN, preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated ad leaving the scene of an accident. Arrested by OCSD Deputy Stephen DeWitt II.
6-10
Joshua Wright, 32, Spencer, preliminary charges of domestic battery, interference with the reporting of a crime, and disorderly conduct.
OCSD Special Deputy Levi Miller was the arresting officer.
6-11
Evan Rice, 29, Indianapolis, preliminary charges of probation violation and attempted
incident.” Neighbors were urged to avoid the Texas Pike area, lock their doors and immediately report any suspicious activity to 911.
Because authorities were initially uncertain if Hart was still in the garage or had escaped into the dense surrounding woods, a massive perimeter was established. The ISP aviation unit deployed helicopters to scour the area from above and later assist investigators with aerial photography.
The tense standoff lasted between two and two-and-a-half hours. It ultimately came to a peaceful conclusion after police negotiators and Hart’s family members successfully convinced him to surrender. The Indiana State Police SWAT team moved in and took Hart into custody without further incident.
Hart was transported to a hospital in Bloomington to address injuries he received during the incident. He was booked into the Owen County Jail on June 19. He can be seen wearing a sling in his booking photo.
On June 22, Hart
residential entry. Arrested by SPD officer Zach Brock.
6-14
Brady Miller, 28, Jasonville, preliminary charge of operating while intoxicated. OCSD Deputy Elijah Volrich was the arresting officer.
6-16
Joseph McBride, 48, Linton, preliminary charges of probation violation and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by Jacob Williamson. Breanna Frields, 27, Bloomington, preliminary charges of failure to appear and theft. OCSD Lieutenant Clint Wampler was the arresting officer.
6-18
Brooke Neal, 47, Unionville, preliminary charges of driving while suspended with a prior charge, failure to appear (two counts), possession of paraphernalia, and possession of methamphetamine. Arrested by SPD officer Bryce Brock.
6-19
6-24
Rhonda Carter, 51, Spencer, preliminary charges of battery resulting in injury to a public safety official (two counts) and domestic battery. SPD officer Ben Muncie was the arresting officer.
6-25
Zachary Atkinson, 41, Bloomington, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia, fraud, theft, possession of methamphetamine, counterfeiting, and pretrial release violation. OCSD Major William Snodgrass was the arresting officer. Wendell Hart, 58, Spencer, preliminary charges of probation violation and criminal trespass. Arrested by OCSD Major William Snodgrass.
was charged with five felonies and a misdemeanor in relation to the incident. Those charges include felony counts of attempted murder, battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery with bodily injury to a public safety officer and two counts of criminal recklessness. Hart is also facing a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.
According to court records, a notice to seek habitual offender status has also been filed by Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim.
An initial hearing
took place on June 22. Owen County Public Defender Jacob Fish was appointed to represent Hart, and a cash-only bond of $250,000 was set, noting that Hart would be placed on GPS Level 3 monitoring if the bond is met.
Kerry Noe, 52, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia. Arrested by OCSD Sergeant Brandon Gasparovic.
Robert Greene, Jr., 44, Spencer, preliminary charges of possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia. Arrested by OCSD
A jury trial is currently scheduled for Dec. 15.
Prosecutor Kim would like to remind everyone that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
During the June 25 county commissioners meeting, the commissioners voted 2-0 to provide Martin
with full pay while he is recovering from his injury. Commissioner Sam Hobbs said that the other officers on administrative leave because of the incident receive 100 percent of their normal pay, but Martin, who was injured in the line of duty would only receive 66 percent through workers compensation. Hobbs said an updated policy is in the works.
“There’s no sense in the guy being cut short of his pay in this type of situation,” Hobbs said.
Senior Correspondent Travis Curry contributed to this article.
SHOT
2026 Owen County 4-H Fair events
Staff Report
Owen County Fair week begins next week with a host of events at the fairgrounds at 364 S. East St., Spencer.
The fair’s Carnival - Arm Band Night$30 Unlimited is open from 6 p.m. to close Monday, July 6 and returns each night until Saturday, July 11. The Kiddie Tractor Pull beside Exhibit Hall is for kids 85 pounds and under and follows the same schedule.
The fair’s theme is “America 250,” and over the past two weeks, a slew of pre-fair events have taken place at the fairgrounds, including the Dog Show, Baby Contest, Creative Expo and Exhibit Open Hall Judging for a wide range of 4-H projects.
Here’s the rest of the fair schedule:
July 4
• 7 to 11 a.m.Livestock Check-In at the Livestock Barns, includes cattle, goat, poultry, rabbits, sheep and swine
• 11:30 a.m.Exhibitor Meeting for all livestock exhibitors at the Show Arena
• 1 to 5 p.m. - Horse and Pony Enter at the Horse Barn
• 5 to 7 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open Judging at the Exhibit Hall, includes baked foods, garden, mini foods and preserved foods
July 5
• 1 p.m. - Market Beef Show at the Show Arena
• 5 to 6:30 p.m.Community Vesper Service at the Show Arena
• 7 p.m. -
Perishables Auction at the Show Arena
• 7:30 p.m. - Queen Contest, Princess Contest and Little Mister and Little Miss Contests at the Show Arena, $5 per seat
July 6
• 9 a.m. - 4-H Rabbit Show at the Rabbit Barn
• 9 a.m. - Mini 4-H Rabbit Showmanship/ Vintage Showmanship at the Rabbit Barn
• 2 to 9 p.m.Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
• 2 p.m. - Exhibit Hall Open Class Building opens
• 3 p.m. - Sheep Show at the Show Arena
• 3:30 p.m.Mini 4-H Sheep Showmanship/Vintage Showmanship at the Show Arena
• 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
- Book 2 Barn Event at the Show Arena
• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.Spirit Night and Senior Recognition at the Show Arena
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6 p.m. - Kiddie Tractor Pull beside the Exhibit Hall
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.Kevin Wright at the Free Stage
• 8 p.m. - Barnyard Bash at the Main Arena, tickets are $5 for those 12-years-old and up, $3 for 4-to-11year-olds and free for children 3 and under
July 7
• 7 to 8 a.m. - State Fair Swine Optional Check-In at the Swine Barn
• 9 a.m. - Dairy Goat Show at the Show Arena
• 10 a.m. - Mini 4-H
Goat Showmanship/ Vintage Showmanship
at the Show Arena
• 11 a.m. to noonBook 2 Barn Event at the Free Stage
• 2 to 9 p.m.Exhibit Hall open
• 2 p.m. - Open Class Building opens
• 3 p.m. - Meat Goat Show at the Show Arena
• 5 to 7 p.m.Optional Poultry Meat Pen Check-In at the Poultry Barn
• 6 p.m. - Horse and Pony Contesting at the Horse Arena
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6 p.m. - Kiddie Tractor Pull beside Exhibit Hall
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.Thomas Petry at the Free Stage
• 7 p.m. - Poultry Meat Pen Weigh-Ins at the Poultry Barn
• 8 p.m. - Mud Volleyball at the Main Arena, tickets are $5 for those 12-years-old and up, $3 for 4-to-11year-olds and free for children 3 and under
July 8
• 9 a.m. - Poultry Show at the Poultry Barn
• 9 a.m. - Egg CheckIn at the Poultry Barn
• 9 a.m. - Mini 4-H Poultry Showmanship/ Vintage Showmanship at the Poultry Barn
• 2 to 9 p.m.Exhibit Hall open
• 2 p.m. - Open Class Building opens
• 4 p.m. - Dairy Cattle Show at the Show Arena
• Beef Cattle Show following the Dairy Cattle Show at the Show Arena
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6 p.m. - Kiddie
Tractor Pull beside Exhibit Hall
• 6 to 7:30 p.m. -
The S.O.U.N.D.S. at the Free Stage
• 8 p.m. - Hog Wrestling at the Main Arena, tickets are $5 for those 12-years-old and up, $3 for 4-to-11year-olds and free for children 3 and under
July 9
• 9 a.m. to noon4-H Horse & Pony Fun Show at the Horse Arena
• 2 to 9 p.m. - 4-H
Exhibit Hall open
• 2 p.m. - Open Class Building opens
• 3 p.m. - Swine Show at the Show Arena
• 4:30 p.m.Mini 4-H Swine Showmanship/Vintage Showmanship at the Show Arena
• 6 to 8 p.m. - 4-H Scholarship Auction at the Show Arena
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6 p.m. - Kiddie Tractor Pull beside Exhibit Hall
• 6 to 7:30 p.m.The Rotations at the Free Stage
• 8:30 p.m. - Vintage Round Robin at the Show Arena
• 8 p.m. - Livestock Auction Entry Deadline at the Show Arena
• 8 p.m. - ATVIndiana State Dirt Series Flat Track Racing at the Main Arena, tickets are $10 and $5 for those 12 years old and under
• 10 to 11:30 p.m.
- Release All NonAuction Livestock at the Animal Barns
July 10
• 7 to 8:30 a.m.
- Release All NonAuction Livestock at the Animal Barns
• 9 a.m. - Round Robin Showmanship at the Show Arena
• 2 to 9 p.m. -
Exhibit Hall Open
• 2 p.m. - Open Class Building opens
• 4:30 to 6 p.m.
- Livestock Auction Buyer Meal in front of the Poultry Barn
• 4:30 p.m. - Exhibit Hall Newspaper Pictures (Grand and Reserve Grand) at the Exhibit Hall
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6 p.m. - Kiddie Tractor Pull beside Exhibit Hall
• 6 p.m. - 4-H Livestock Auction at the Show Arena
• 8 to 10:30 p.m.
- Line Dancing at the Poultry Barn, tickets are $5 for those 7-years-old and older and free for children 6 and under
• 8 p.m.Motorsport Madness at the Main Arena, tickets are $10 and $5 for those 12-years-old and under
July 11
• 9 a.m. to noonRelease 4-H Exhibit Hall projects at the Exhibit Hall
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Release Open Class Exhibits at the Open Class Building
• 11 a.m. - Old Fashion Country Fair Games/Pet Parade at the Show Arena
• 5 p.m. - Midwest Territory Wrestling outside Grandstands
• 6 p.m. to closeCarnival - Arm Band Night - $30 Unlimited
• 6:30 p.m. - Power Wheels Derby at the Main Arena
• 7 p.m. - Demo Derby at the Main Arena, tickets are $10 and $5 for children 3 and under
All State Fair Static Projects are due to the Extension Office at 4 p.m. July 29.
CATARACT MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Filling the gaps: County works to address understaffing and crumbling roads
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
Despite a recently fully filled crew, the Owen County Highway Department and its pothole patching team hasn’t made much progress this summer.
June storms and multiple tornadoes have occupied the department with cleaning fallen trees and other debris blocking roads.
“We’ve just not had the manpower with what we’ve had to deal with,” department superintendent Chad Walker said at the June 25 Owen County Board of Commissioners meeting.
As long as big storms don’t continue to roll into the area, the crew will resume patching the roads on June 29, Walker said.
“What I’ve told people is we have to open roads
before we can patch holes on other roads,”
County Commissioner Norman Warner said. “I mean, people have to be able to get in and out. It’s a public safety issue. That has to take precedence. Not popular, but that’s how it is.”
Working with asphalt is very weather dependent, Walker said, because of the asphalt plants that shut down if there’s a chance of rain.
Commissioner Sam Hobbs emphasized the importance of fixing the roads, being open with county residents about the progress the department has made and where it plans to start fixing next. He also suggested that it could be justifiable for the county to get quotes from private companies and see if it can afford the help to fix the roads.
“Sometimes the pain is gonna be worth the
gain,” Hobbs said. “I’m just thinking outside the box because I know we’re way behind schedule, but we’ve got numerous calls from all over the county.”
At the meeting, the commissioners also discussed a position in development that was suggested to relieve the commissioners and the auditor’s office. The position would designate a person to take calls, answer questions and relay information to the commissioners, as well as handle human resources duties for the auditor’s office.
Auditor Sheila Reeves stressed the importance of finalizing a job description so the county can get started hiring someone to fill the role.
On June 12, Owen County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Nathan Martin was shot while conducting a welfare check. Hobbs
Highway Department fills
said while he has been recovering, he has only been receiving 66 percent of his pay. The commissioners passed a motion to sustain his full pay and work to get a new policy enacted.
The commissioners also approved a new postage machine contract to move forward.
Additionally, the commissioners briefly discussed the county jail project, with the announcement that the future jail property owner approved moving the closing date from July 4 to July 31. On July 13, the county council and commissioners will meet to review moving forward with the jail.
“I want the public to understand that on July 13, it’s just for the council to approve moving forward with the jail project,” Hobbs said. “There’s still a lot of legwork to do.”
Heather Huntington, county building and planning department administrator, asked the commissioners to help gather a clear idea of what parcels were affected by the recent severe weather. She wants to consider exempting those who lost meter boxes from having to pay permit fees when the county does electrical inspections and repairs.
Reeves said the county has an ordinance that deals with similar emergencies on a caseby-case basis.
“I just feel like they’ve been through enough,” Huntington said.
The Commissioners will meet again at 6 p.m. on July 2 and July 16 in the Commissioners’ Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
open positions, commissioners approve America 250 event, health grant application
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
The Owen County Highway Department announced six filled positions during the June 4 county commissioners meeting, with plans to ramp up road and pothole fixtures throughout the summer.
The department filled two laborer and four operator positions, creating a team of 20 with the “manpower” to flesh out the patching crew, highway superintendent Chad Walker said at the meeting.
“The majority of them will start Monday,” Walker said. “Once they’re there, it is full throttle on hot boxes and filling pot holes.”
Hot boxes are machines that keep asphalt at the optimal temperature for patching roads throughout the day. As long as it isn’t raining, Walker said, the crew expects to be working on the roads everyday.
“Once these guys get there, that’s gonna be their bread and butter every day,” Walker said.
Walker also said Tower Road, between U.S. Highway 231 and Fidler Road, would be closed for about a week starting June 9 to replace a box culvert — a concrete structure used to allow water to flow under the roadway — so the road can be resurfaced, which will take place in late summer or early fall of this year.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but the result will be a much smoother and safer road surface to drive on,” the department wrote in a Facebook post. The post also said the resurfacing is funded through the Indiana
Department of Transportation 2026 Community Crossings Matching Grant.
In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Connie Murphy, the county’s connect chair for the Indiana anniversary committee, came to the commissioners to request a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Owen County Courthouse steps by Mark Rogers at 6 p.m. July 8, the same day the document announcing the 13 colonies’ separation from Great Britain was first read publicly in 1776.
The commissioners approved the request.
Another option to celebrate the anniversary was to plant a “Liberty Tree.” Spencer Main Street board member Jacob Balash requested the commissioners approval to use a grant from the state to plant two trees with commemorative plaques flanking the sidewalk at the front of the courthouse.
Commissioner Norman Warner said he likes trees and the idea of the anniversary plaques, but had concerns over security. Courthouse security and their cameras need to have an unobstructed view, and growing trees could hinder it, he said.
One audience member suggested Veteran’s Memorial Park, an idea Warner said would be fitting. The commissioners ultimately denied the request due to security.
Also at the meeting, the commissioners approved a bid from Servpro, a professional restoration and cleaning services company in Bloomington, to
clean, strip and wax the floors and landings on all three floors of the courthouse.
Warner said the maintenance was “long overdue” and said the floors are part of “our view from the public.”
The commissioners also approved the Owen County Health Department to apply for the annual Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant. The grant helps the department keep response plans for different public health scenarios updated. This could be infectious disease outbreak, tornadoes, water contamination and bioterrorism, among other situations.
The grant also currently contributes to paying the contract for Allan McBride.
The commissioners voted to adopt a revised county building permit fee schedule. County attorney Tony Overholt said the amendment, Ordinance 2026008, is designed to bring the fees more in line with what nearby counties are doing to fund the county building department and make it self sufficient.
“We hadn’t updated those fees forever,” Warner said. “What we were charging was, quite frankly, ridiculous compared to other counties and municipalities around us.”
The county building department will lose revenue from the storage units it owns. They sit right next to the jail and will be torn down and sold with the rest of the property to offset the jail costs.
“We’re gonna try to make that up in some other ways, and this is one of the ways we’re gonna try to do that,” Warner said.
According to a proposed new fee schedule that will become effective Aug. 11, Class I structures will be $1,000 plus 20 cents per square foot over 2,000 square feet. Additions or alterations to Class I structures are $700 plus 25 cents per square foot over 1,250 square feet.
Previously, Class I structures were $750 plus 20 cents per square foot over 2,500 square feet. Additions or alternations to Class I structures were $450 plus 20 cents per square foot for over 1,250 square feet.
Class II structures in the new schedule will be $400 plus 20 cents per square foot over 650 square feet. Unfinished porches and decks are 10 cents per square foot and additions or alterations to Class II structures are $200 plus 20 cents per square foot over 500 square feet.
The previous fee schedule had Class II structures as $200 plus 10 cents per square foot for over 720 square feet. Additions or alterations to Class II structures were $125 plus 10 cents per square foot for over 500 square feet.
The new schedule also set fees for demolition permits, electrical and re-inspection, among other fees.
The fees cannot be changed for a five-year period following amendment, Owen County Auditor Sheila Reeves said.
Beginning with the June 4 meeting, the commissioners announced a three minute limit to public comments. Warner also announced the community picnic scheduled for June 20 was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts with the organizers.
County plan commission approves subdivisions, water protection ordinance moves to commissioners
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
Owen County is preparing for a data center.
Even though a massive facility housing servers and using up to 5 million gallons of water each day isn’t planned for the county, the plan commission is gearing up for the possibility with a water protection ordinance.
At the commission’s June 16 meeting, the members continued a discussion about how to protect the county water that began in February. They also approved two subdivisions and announced a vacancy in the commission.
At the meeting, member Alfio Saitta said the commission is looking to fill in a gap in county and state guidelines.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources regulates high capacity wells that have the capability of withdrawing 100,000 gallons of ground water in a day. County Commissioner Norman Warner said the county has its own regulations for sources that draw less than 10,000 gallons in a day. The proposed ordinance would cover the “gray area” in between, he said.
“I think we’re kind of working to a solution that is a more elegant thing than passing an ordinance that says no data centers, which doesn’t do anything for anybody,” Saitta said. Saitta said he spoke with the BPP Water Corporation CEO, who said the company doesn’t
CALENDAR | FROM PAGE 3
& Arts Alliance Summer Camp Performance, 10 a.m. at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer. Young thespians take the stage and share all they’ve been working on at camp. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for kids.
Rainbow Rollers open game night, 4 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. Games
have clients that use more than 10,000 gallons of water a day and wasn’t sure if it could handle that volume without a significant growth in infrastructure.
At the plan commission’s April 21 meeting, Warner said the water protection discussion would need to come to a result soon.
“On the backside of that is going to be a discussion of potentially putting a moratorium in place for data centers, or at least something in place for Owen County,” he said. “If the state takes that away, it takes it away. There’s nothing we can do about that. We need to at least have something in place to protect our water and then to protect our electric grid.”
At the June meeting, Warner pointed to Parke County, which on June 15 approved an ordinance restricting data center development in the county by blocking projects that would stress water and electricity resources, WTHI-TV reported.
“I think it would behoove us to get something like that in place so that we’re not at the mercy of trying to figure it out on the fly while there’s something going on,” Warner said.
Saitta explained that the ordinance would take into consideration a project such as a data center, but also acts as a way to reassess and reevaluate the county’s water resources and put “those in a relationship with community needs.”
The commission unanimously approved a motion Saitta made to present the ordinance to the commissioners
will be provided and volunteers will be available to assist with learning new games. Contact Rainbow. Rollers@SpencerPride. org for more information.
First Annual Patriot Invitational, 5 p.m. at Patriot Field, Owen Valley High School. The event will feature four soccer teams playing a combined four matches. Free admission. Concessions will be available for purchase.
Live music by modern blues duet Bel
on behalf of the planning commission.
“This is not an anti-data center thing that we’re doing here,” Saitta said. “This is simply trying to marshall the resources that we have on the ground here at Owen County.
Also at the meeting, the commission made the final plat approval for the 202602 Woods Minor Subdivision and passed the 2026-06 Kevin Cooper “Cooper Manor” Minor Subdivision on to the county commissioners, with some caveats.
The commission approved the subdivision, with the condition that it be split into two parcels instead of three. This would include a lot that already contains a house, with a section carved out of the third lot for a pole barn to be constructed, and the remainder. The commission made the condition to avoid delaying progress further.
The commission also moved to delay moving forward with the 2026-05 Land of Indiana, INC “Porter Ridge Subdivision” Major Subdivision so Travis Norman, who represented Land of Indiana, could provide the commission with more information about the project.
Norman said the subdivision would consist of 253 acres split into 12 tracts of land, with the smallest being 5 acres, and the largest being 68. The property is located on Porter Ridge Road and Cedar Lane in Clay Township.
“We’re not looking to do a normal subdivision,” Norman said. “We’re just looking to try to, at the best, preserve this area,
& The Bad Wolfe, 5:30 p.m. at Owen Valley Winery, Vineyard & Bistro, 491 Timber Ridge Rd., Spencer. Free.
Tim Spurlock gospel concert, 6 p.m. at The Glorious Church, 8006 S.R. 43S, Spencer. Don’t miss this hometown favorite singing his great gospel hits. Doors open at 5 p.m.
July 19
Rainbow Sunday Circle, 4 p.m. at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, 17 E. Franklin St., Spencer. A group for
but maximize what we can do with it now that we’re ready to sell it.”
Norman said the plan includes a private road shared by seven of the tracts, with a shared maintenance agreement.
The commission told Norman they would consider the plans once they receive a drainage report, plans for retention and detention ponds, an agreement for the private road, septic samples and any covenant or home owner’s association plans that the subdivision may have.
At the end of the meeting, building and planning department administrator Heather Huntington read a statement announcing it would be member Donna McIntyre’s last meeting, as she moves to Kentucky.
“I want to thank all the board members and community from my Owen County hometown,” Huntington read. “It is filled with nothing but love and compassion for each other. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to spend many years here and build many memories, but we are now at a point in our life where we have made some changes, and we are now moving to Kentucky.”
The commission also announced the interviews for a plan commission vacancy would take place during an executive session at 6:30 p.m. June 30. The next plan commission meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. July 21 at the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
people who wish to live a more peaceful, joyful and loving life.
July 20 to 24
Vacation Bible School, 7 p.m. nightly at the Spencer Church of Christ, 702 E. Morgan St., Spencer. All ages are welcome; infant-adult classes.
July 20
Dino Dig Sandbox making class, 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Call 812-8293392 to reserve your spot.
July 21
All Ages Storytime, 10 a.m. at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer.
Teen Retro Game Night, 4 to 7 p.m. in the Teen Room at the Owen County Public Library, 10 S. Montgomery St., Spencer. Snacks provided.
Spencer Lions Club meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Lester F. Litten Community Building, 59 N. Main St., Spencer.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Leaders of the Town of Spencer’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion stand with their hands on shovels at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony on June 24 in Spencer. The project was designed to increase the plant’s treatment capacity from about 0.7 to 0.88 million gallons per day. More photos from the ground breaking can be found on The Owen News’ website, theowennews.org. CHLOE ODEN | THE OWEN NEWS // After several weather-related delays, the Sweet Owen Arts Commission revealed its newest public art project, a painted pedestrian crosswalk. The first painted crosswalk mural is now displayed in front of the Owen County Fairgrounds, near the intersection of South East and East Clay Streets, and is ready to welcome visitors throughout fair season. A future painted crosswalk is planned in front of the Owen County Public Library. This project was made possible with a grant from the Indiana Health Department. Work began in May with the help of volunteers and community partners, including students from Owen Valley High School who assisted during their day of service. If you’re attending events at the fairgrounds this summer, be sure to stop by and take a look.
SUBMITTED PHOTO. // Dementia Friendly Owen County had a ribbon cutting to mark their work. There is a care partner support group that meets at both 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23.
VCPA hosts Annual Strawberry Fest
By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent
History, community and sweet treats came together on June 7 for the Seventh Annual Strawberry Fest, hosted by the Vandalia Community Preservation Association (VCPA).
The historic village in Owen County welcomed a fantastic turnout of locals and visitors alike for an afternoon dedicated to celebrating regional heritage and supporting community preservation.
Attendees gathered at the historic oneroom schoolhouse to enjoy homemade strawberry shortcake before heading over to the chapel for a lively performance of bluegrass fusion by Blue Flame Music.
Organizers declared the event a resounding success, with all proceeds directly benefiting the ongoing maintenance and preservation of Vandalia’s landmark chapel and schoolhouse, both of which are proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
FROM
fills
TRAVIS
TOP: Members of the Vandalia Community Preservation Association (VCPA) serve up fresh strawberry shortcake inside the historic one-room Vandalia School. Pictured from left to right are volunteers Cathy Boler, Jason Kinney, Caroline Riley, Barb Shoemake and Susie Summerlot. // Blue Flame Music
the historic Vandalia chapel with their signature live bluegrass fusion on Sunday afternoon. Pictured, left to right; Savanna Musgrove on fiddle, 2018 National Flatpick Champion Luke Lovejoy and 2023 National Mandolin Champion Ethan Batan.
CURRY | THE OWEN NEWS
County Council talks Rural Transit funding,
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
The Owen County Council discussed new positions, Rural Transit funding, the jail project and a riverfront restoration project during its June 8 meeting.
Owen County municipal adviser Jeff Peters took questions from the council about the county jail project, its funding and potential income tax changes in the next couple years. Peters is with Peters Franklin based in Indianapolis. For the county highway department, the council members talked about the position currently held by Bennita Woodward, the highway department secretary.
County highway department superintendent Chad Walker said Woodward does the work of about three positions, acting as administrative assistant and secretary and is set to work 35 hours per week. It would be “absolutely wrong” for her to not get a pay raise, he said.
She helps manage payroll, the budget, the Community Crossings Matching Grant (CCMG) program and insurance, among other duties.
“It amazes me what you do, and you do it well,” council president Polly Chesser said. “I know how hard you work.”
The council moved to take time to review and evaluate her position, hours and compensation with a consultant, with the July 13 council meeting as the next date to discuss.
Amy Guerrettaz, Area 10 Agency on Aging Executive Director, urged the council to contribute $30,312 to complement what has already been raised and pledged for the Rural Transit public transportation service for 2027.
Rural Transit provides door-todoor service to Lawrence, Monroe, Owen and Putnam counties. Last year, Guerrettaz said, Owen County
residents used the service for 7,962 rides to medical appointments, grocery stores and other services.
She read testimonies from residents who depend on the support, including John K., who gave up driving in 2005 due to declining eyesight and regularly uses it for doctor appointments and other services.
“We really need the service,” the testimony said.
Owen County makes up 19.11 percent of the trips for all four counties, and operations within the county cannot be funded without local match support, Guerrettaz said.
The total local match for 2027 is $100,059 and $69,747 has already been raised and pledged, leaving the $30,312 deficit Guerrettaz requested from the council members.
Council member Anton Neff said the council has time to make a decision and encouraged Guerrettaz to come to the council’s 2027 budget workshops in August.
Additionally, the council considered a request for an Emergency Medical Service Mobile Integrated Health program.
According to the state EMS website, the MIH program delivers care to patients’ homes or in a mobile environment. It includes telehealth platforms and in-person teams that can provide health screenings, vaccinations, treatments, followups, social work, substance abuse resources, mental health resources and chronic disease management, among other services.
Owen County EMS Director Cris Lunsford is applying for the grant through the Indiana Rural Health Association and received approval from the commissioners to proceed at their May 7 meeting. The request also includes adding a paramedic position, Neff said.
The position is different from the typical paramedic
that makes runs and works 24 hour shifts and is a bit more administrative, he said. The program would limit people from using the hospital as their primary care physician and do preventative work to reduce repeat calls, Lunsford said at the May meeting.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Chesser said.
“Something like this would be really nice to kind of alleviate those.”
The county would receive $200,000 for the first year of the program. The council unanimously approved the request.
The council also discussed the need for a new position within the courthouse to handle human resources and administrative duties. County commissioner Norm Warner explained the value of the position for the commissioners, saying it would make them more easily accessible to the public.
“It’s supposed to do two things for us,” Warner said. “It’s supposed to alleviate the human resource function from the auditor’s office, and it’s also supposed to man an office for the commissioners to be our person in the office on a dayto-day basis.”
An official proposal was not created yet, but Warner and auditor Sheila Reeves gave updates and explanations for the need for the position. It would create a point person to take calls, answer vendor questions and relay information from residents to the commissioners, as well as ease the load of the auditor’s office by handling HR duties.
The council, commissioners and auditor’s office will continue to decide what tasks the role would take on, pay and hours.
“It’s a work in progress,” Warner said.
Tammy Bingham, Executive Director of the Owen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD),
asked the council to consider helping fund the next steps for a riverfront restoration project partly funded through the Department of Natural Resources and Lake and River Enhancement (LARE).
The LARE program gives assistance for projects that “reduce non-point sediment and nutrient pollution of surface waters to a level that meets or surpasses state water quality standards,” according to the DNR.
The SWCD previously completed a LARE Restoration/ Construction project in December 2025.
Bingham said she identified four additional critical sites that need to be stabilized and reinforced to preserve the White River bank’s integrity near Cooper Commons and the MYPath
Riverfront Trail. Bingham recently secured a $44,000 LARE Design/Engineering Grant with a match of $11,000, bringing total costs for the project to $55,000. Bingham said she has obtained $4,000 in an in-kind match and friends of MYPath pledged $500. She plans to reach out to other entities and apply for another LARE grant. Her hope from the council is that they would pledge $5,000 to help with the project.
“I think that would look good for you,” Bingham said. “I think it would look good for the county, for the community. This is for future generations to come.”
MYPath and the SWCD recently acquired property to extend the Riverfront Trail closer to McCormick’s Creek State Park, Bingham said. Preserving the riverbank is
something that will draw people to the county to use the MYPath trail, she added.
Bingham said the county needs to decide by the fall and asked that her request be put on the agenda for the next meeting. The council approved the postponement to July.
All council members were present for the meeting. They approved additional appropriations for the probation fund and county commissioners: $45,000 for care of patients was approved unanimously and $150,000 for other services were approved by all members except Neff, who abstained.
The Owen County Council will meet again at 6 p.m. July 13 in the Commissioners Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.
Spencer Council boosts police capabilities
By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent
The Spencer Town Council addressed police technology upgrades, department staffing requests and property plat approvals during its regular bimonthly meeting on June 15.
Council president Jon Stantz, vice president Evan McKalip and member Ginger Kohr were present to conduct the town’s business,
alongside clerk-treasurer Cheryl Moke. Town attorney Richard Lorenz participated in the session remotely via telephone. Following a swift approval of the prior meeting’s minutes and the standard docket of municipal claims, the council transitioned into departmental updates.
Spencer Police Department Chief Terry Sips provided an update regarding the department’s fleet vehicles,
reporting that a Dodge Ram truck was at the body shop for repairs. Sips estimated that it would likely be three weeks before the vehicle was fully completed and returned to active patrol service.
Chief Sips then introduced Officer Ryan Combs, who delivered a presentation to the council regarding TLO, an online investigative tool widely used by law enforcement agencies.
Combs
explained that the platform significantly accelerates suspect identification and evidence gathering during criminal investigations. The service costs the town $900 annually, which accommodates an average of 75 specialized searches per month.
Combs noted that the Spencer Police Department can combine its search data and tools with Owen County law enforcement
agencies for more rapid and effective information sharing across jurisdictions.
Following the presentation, the board designated Chief Sips and Assistant Chief Rannix Tinsley as system administrators, while Combs and officer Bryce Brock will serve as the primary users authorized to conduct searches.
Several town entities had no developments to report during the mid-June session.
Sewer department
superintendent Ryan Klaassen was absent, and no updates were submitted on behalf of the Spencer Redevelopment Commission or the Owen Valley Fire Territory.
The Spencer Town Council will meet again on July 6 and July 20. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Spencer Municipal Building at 90 N. West St., Spencer.
Spencer Council approves fiber broadband pact, expands street crew
By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent
High-speed internet expansion and local infrastructure updates took center stage June 1 as the Spencer Town Council tackled a swift but productive agenda during its regular biweekly meeting.
The session, led by council president Jon Stantz, vice president Evan McKalip and council member Ginger Kohr, featured unanimous votes on major technological advancements and vital department personnel shifts. Clerk-Treasurer Cheryl Moke was also
TRIAL |
FROM PAGE 1
seduction signed a plea agreement on June 4, pleading guilty to the felony with his other charges to be dismissed at sentencing.
Jayson Tatlock, 46, was arrested last year on one felony count of child seduction in which a child care worker engaged in fondling or touching with a child aged 16 or 17. He was facing
present to oversee municipal business.
The headline item for the evening was the approval of a Broadband Economic Development Agreement between the Town of Spencer and Mainstream Fiber Networks, LLC. Aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, the pact moved forward seamlessly when Stantz offered a motion to sign the agreement. McKalip seconded the motion, which secured unanimous approval from the board in a definitive 3-0 vote.
The council also finalized routine paperwork for the Sudol
a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor battery charge and misdemeanor charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
According to the plea agreement, Tatlock, a Spencer resident, will plead guilty to the child seduction charge and his other charges will be dismissed. His sentence also cannot exceed two
property, located at 40 W. Clay St. A motion by Stantz to sign the presented planning and zoning mylar map was seconded by McKalip and passed with an identical 3-0 vote.
Prior to these measures, the council quickly handled routine business, unanimously passing motions to approve both the minutes from the previous meeting and the latest docket of municipal claims.
In operational reports, street department superintendent Tony Floyd approached the council with a personnel request to handle
years.
“The parties remain free to present evidence and argument regarding the appropriate sentence,” the plea agreement says. “The Court is not bound by any sentencing recommendation other than the cap set forth herein.”
The agreement also says that the no contact order in place to protect the victim will remain in effect throughout
the town’s seasonal workload. Floyd requested that a former temporary laborer be brought back onto the payroll in a permanent part-time capacity, logging 24 hours per week. Recognizing the department’s ongoing maintenance needs, the council gave the transition its full approval.
Spencer Police Chief Terry Sips provided an update on law enforcement personnel and operations, noting a key return to the lineup. Assistant Chief Rannix Tinsley was officially cleared to return to active duty. Additionally, Chief Sips informed
the sentence. Tatlock is required to register as a sex offender and must pay a $100 child abuse prevention fee.
Tatlock also previously served as an Owen County sheriff’s deputy, a Seymour Police Department officer and an investigator for a public defender’s office. He was first investigated in June 2024 after an Indiana Conservation
the council that he has obtained competitive repair quotes for two department fleet vehicles.
Several updates were benched due to absences. Sewer department superintendent Ryan Klaassen and town attorney Richard Lorenz were both away from the meeting. As a result, no reports were submitted on behalf of the sewer department, town attorney, redevelopment commission, parks board or the fire territory.
Officer received a report of alleged sexual misconduct during a fishing trip to Cataract Falls that Tatlock took with a juvenile female.
Tatlock allegedly admitted to getting the victim gifts, touching her during the lake trip and emailing with her.
The Monroe County Community School Corporation shared a message with families and employees on June 24, 2025 describing
the incident and saying it immediately placed the resource officer on administrative leave and launched an investigation upon receiving a report of an alleged assault from the victim’s guardian.
Tatlock was previously set to go to trial on June 16 at the Owen County Courthouse, but now is scheduled for a change of plea hearing at 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 5.
Gosport Town Council works to alleviate water runoff flooding, recover from tornado
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
Water runoff causing flooding for town residents was a primary topic of discussion at the June 23 Gosport Town Council meeting.
Niebel said the town has been trying to find a solution for the flooding for about three years.
“We’re gonna get it fixed,” council president Marian McGee said.
At the June 9 meeting, the council approved a motion to purchase three yards of concrete to add a curb at a Fifth Street address to redirect water from flooding the property’s yard. The yard, street and sidewalk are level, with nothing to stop the water.
For one house at the intersection of Second and North Streets, water from a drain that was recently cleared had been flooding and gushing into the yard and garage. Town resident Ron Niebel suggested putting a large pipe down or putting up a wall in the area. The council discussed how best to alleviate the flooding without just diverting the water into another person’s yard. “Something has to happen,” council member Michael Miller said.
But, at the June
23 meeting, McGee said the homeowner decided he did not want a curb added.
The council is reevaluating how to address the issue. McGee said one of the only other options is to raise the sidewalk. The concrete approved at the previous meeting had not been purchased yet.
Also at the June 9 meeting, the council approved a bimonthly meeting schedule from June to September, returning to having meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of those months. The meetings, which are at 7 p.m. at the Gosport Community building, are suggested for the
following dates:
• July 14
• July 28
• Aug. 11
• Aug. 25
• Sept. 8
• Sept. 22
• Oct. 13
• Nov. 10
• Dec. 8
Gosport Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Leonard and the council scheduled a work session to discuss what the town wants to do about creating a fire territory for 9 a.m. July 10. The session will be open to the public and likely take place at Gosport Town Hall at 3 E. Main St., Gosport. According to minutes from the council’s April meeting, the town has until June
30, 2027 to progress toward a territory or district.
“If the council does nothing and just rides it out the county will basically take over the fire department,” the minutes said.
At the June 23 meeting, Leonard told the meeting attendees that part of County Line Road would be closed the next day. He said crews working to clean debris and trees from the road after the previous week’s tornado hauled out 26 loads that day.
The town council will meet again at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. Ninth St., Gosport.
Gosport Council approves curb addition, property auction
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
At the June 9 Gosport Town Council meeting, the council members discussed sidewalk improvements, a surplus lot being sold at public auction and an amendment to the council’s meeting schedule.
All three council members were present for the meeting. This included president Marian McGee, member Michael Miller and member Ernie Arnold. At the meeting, the council members approved a motion to purchase three yards of concrete to add a curb at 358 N. Fifth St. to redirect water from flooding the property’s yard. The yard, street and sidewalk had been level, with nothing to stop the water.
the understanding that the excess concrete would be used to fix sidewalks throughout the town.
Town resident Ron Neibel estimated that the concrete would cost $200 per yard. McGee predicted that the area would be fixed at the beginning of the next week. The council approved the motion with
Gosport Town Attorney Terry English asked the council to approve Resolution #26-1, which would allow the town-owned property at 122 W. North St. to be sold at public auction.
The auction will take place at 6:30 p.m. July 14 at the Gosport Town Hall at 7 E. Main St. English said the opening bid will be set for $6,300 to reimburse
the town for the amount spent in attorney fees and site restoration to bring the property to marketable standards. The lot won’t be sold for under the amount set for the opening bid.
According to the resolution, immediately following the sale and before 5 p.m. July 16, the buyer must deposit $500 to English and execute a binding purchase contract.
English clarified that it is the responsibility of the buyer and not the town to guarantee that
the property is free and clear of judgements, liens or other encumbrances of record and is free of title defects.
The council approved the resolution.
Town resident Robert Wheeler, Jr. attended the meeting with concerns about a speed limit sign and some town properties for the council to look into. McGee told Wheeler the town would check out the issues he raised.
The council also approved a mileage reimbursement rate of 62.5 cents per mile.
Miller made the recommendation that the council return to having meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
“There’s just so much stuff that’s going on,” Miller said. “I don’t feel like we’re getting it done right. We need to be able to talk more.”
McGee added an idea that the council return to one meeting per month in the winter.
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2026
Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application open
Press Release
The 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Owen County through the Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF).
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 OCCF, is open to all Indiana residents who: - graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2027 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2027; - intend to pursue a full-time 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 the Owen County application criteria.
Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Owen County and apply for this scholarship by creating an account as bit.ly/
OCCFscholarship. Applications must be completed and submitted by Monday, 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 OCCF, and their name will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipient. The scholarship recipient 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 eff orts 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.
OCCF is again pleased to off er LECSP for its 28th year in Owen County.
“The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship reflects the belief that investing in young people is one of the most important ways we can build a stronger future for Owen County. This scholarship not only opens doors for outstanding students to pursue higher education, but it also encourages them to develop their talents, leadership skills and commitment to service. We are proud to be part of a program that helps our students achieve their dreams while strengthening the quality of life in our community for generations to come,” 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, OCCF has been able to grant more than $12.3 million to local students, area nonprofits and charitable organizations in our community.
OCCF is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Owen County, now and for generations to come.
For more information on the scholarships awarded or how to begin your own philanthropic journey, please visit owencountycf. org, call 812829-1725 or stop by our offi ce located on the Courthouse Square at 60 E. Market St., Spencer.
About Lilly Endowment Inc: Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolisbased, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts
remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, Lilly Endowment Inc. is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, 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 28 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,400 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5.3 billion annually.
Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.
Owen County’s past Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipients
1998 — Kristen Sweat Heath
1999 — Heather Jo Light & Amber TrowbridgeMullin
2000 — Jacqueline Hart & Emily MacMorran Wandel
2001— Amber Augustus, Emily Dieter Vella & Kristen Fuhs Wells
2004 — Sarah Goddard-Martin, Michelle Heck & Jeanna Morris
Srinivasan
2005 — Audra Duling Hopf & Ryan McKalip
2006 — Dinah Bailey Jacobs & Emily Schenck Pavich
2007 — Kellan Babbs & Matthew Wall
2008 — Ethan Fields & Ethan Kesterman
2009 — Kyle Faulkner & Alex Swenson
2010 — Carlye Peterson & Elizabeth Schneck Jones
2011 — John Petry
2012 — Jacy Schrougham
2013 — Tyler Schenck
2014 — Morgan Schafer
2015 — Darby DeFord
2016 — Eleanor Coffin
2017 — Andrew Johnson
2018 — Elizabeth Beeman
2019 — Andrew Mauder
2020 — Allie Goss
2021 — Kristine Arnold
2022 — Dev Patel
2023 — Emma Paauwe
2024 — Noah Bridges
2025 — Vishwa
Patel
2026 — Dustin Jackson
Award-winning documentary returns to Spencer with filmmaker
By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor
Laura Paglin
first drove to Pike County, Ohio, because of a crime that had captured national attention.
She kept coming back because of the people.
Paglin shared that story with a Spencer audience last week following a screening of her documentary, “This is Pike County,” at the Historic Tivoli Theatre.
The film made its Owen County debut in late January during the inaugural Blue Box Film Festival. The festival, which was coordinated by Lex Barrett and Mandy Samick, coincided with inclement weather that prevented Paglin from being at the festival. At the Blue Box Film Festival, “This is Pike County” won best feature film and audience choice feature film.
The film details how a rural community in Appalachian Ohio is tested with several challenges – a former uranium plant being decommissioned and used to process toxic waste, addiction, poverty and an unsolved mass murder.
“Between the temptation to give up and the urge to hold on, the film lingers on what it means to come of age in a place left behind,” the description on Paglin’s website reads.
Mitch Teplitsky, who connected Paglin to Barrett and Samick, kicked off a question and answer portion of the encore screening.
He began by asking her how Paglin, who is based in Cleveland, learned about Pike County, which is a 3.5 hour drive from her.
Paglin said she first heard of Pike County when it made national headlines for a mass murder of
eight individuals in April 2016. Eight members of the Rhoden family were found shot to death, executionstyle in four different locations across the county.
“I heard about this, but I figured, that’s not really for me,” Paglin said.
But a year later, she was talking with a friend, a crime writer, who said the murders still had not been solved.
So, she decided to make the trip, and ended up going alone after her friend was unable to make it.
That trip happened to be during the annual Pike County Dogwood Festival that takes place in Piketon during the last full weekend of April.
Paglin didn’t know what to expect or if people would even talk to her.
“People were actually pretty open about talking to me. I was sort of surprised. I wasn’t sure how I would be received, being really a complete outsider,” Paglin said. “I found ultimately I was attracted more to just the whole mood of the place.”
She began visiting the area roughly once per month for two years to film, still not knowing if she had a documentary.
But she was drawn to the place and the people – from the Piketon Motel that resembles Bates Motel to a gentleman at the local diner talking about philosophy.
But she wasn’t sure how to put things together and described her filming as random across two years.
“Ultimately, I kind of set a theme of the next generation, are they going to inherit all these problems –the environmental, the drugs, the lack of employment? What are these kids going to be like?” she said.
She still wasn’t entirely sure if there was a film to be made.
Paglin shot and edited the film herself, which she said was partly out of necessity but that it also kept it more intimate.
“[After] about a year, I kind of had to evaluate, and then I did decide to focus more on Lily [Lawson], the little girl, because she’s really the one who has the potential to grow and change,” Paglin said.
Paglin said she has kept in touch with Lily, who was 11 when the film was being made and is now 19.
“It’s been difficult because they kind of see me as Santa Claus, having money, and I mean, just compare it to their situation. I have to be kind of careful,” Paglin said.
She said she offered to help Lily with her future.
“She’s had so much dysfunction in her life,” Paglin said. “But she’s earnestly trying, and the family is in a better place than they were.”
Paglin said the demeaning former stepfather depicted in the film is no longer part of the family, Lily’s biological father earned sobriety and Lily enrolled herself in an online high school to finish school.
Paglin said the two talk several times a month and that Lily has seen the film.
“Lily said it made
her kind of be more determined to make something of herself, so they kind of got to see themselves in perspective, and I think they’re grateful for me to capture their lives,” Paglin said.
One of the things that Paglin spoke to was the change in how documentaries are produced and then selected for distribution.
“It’s been a struggle, and that’s partly because even though I think this is my best film, and I’ve been at much more prestigious festivals like Sundance in the past, the market is so saturated now,” Paglin said.
She has also produced and directed “Unseen” (2016), “No Umbrella: Election Day in the City” (2006) and “The Nightowls of Coventry” (2004).
Paglin said that
the increase in the number of film programs and the increased access due to technology has made it more competitive.
“Festivals have kind of their tastes in certain films,” she said.
She said what makes “This is Pike County” difficult is that it has no villains, the protagonist is a community, the story is layered and it’s slow.
Paglin said she was surprised by how trusting and welcoming the community was to her overall.
“I think there are actually some similarities to here,where people in general are, maybe it’s sort of a southern aspect with it, or Midwestern, where they kind of liked me asking questions and talking,” she said.
“I just became part of the community
after a while. I mean, it’s so small, and I’m living there, and I’m going to the diner.”
She also highlighted the ability to falsely assume that nothing is going on in a small town and used Spencer as an example.
“I think you could go anywhere. It might look like if we drive through Spencer, oh there’s just a little square; it’s really quiet, but things happen,” she said. “I think if you spend time in any place, there will be things if you listen.”
Paglin also said that she likes showing her films in person.
“I really really love just showing it in person because, especially after making it for years and years, I just find there’s nothing more rewarding as a filmmaker than to show it and have conversations,” she said.
From left, “This is Pike County” Director and Producer Laura Paglin answers audience questions following an encore screening of the film while Mitch Teplitsky moderates. Paglin’s film made its Owen County debut during the inaugural Blue Box Film Festival in January where it won best feature film and audience choice feature film. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2026
BRIEF | FROM PAGE 1
Annual Indiana Girls AllStar Basketball Classic hosted at Anderson University.
The multi-game event showcases the state’s top underclassmen, dividing standout freshmen and sophomores into multiple matchups. Sparks made her mark in Game 3 of the showcase—a Futures game featuring Class of 2028 and 2029 prospects. Playing for Team Red, the 5-foot-7 shooting guard scored 26 points, with 21 of those coming in the first half alone. Her offensive performance led her team and earned her Co-Most Outstanding Future Player honors for the game alongside Angola’s Kendal Vanderwal, who finished with 25 points.
OV Bass Fishing Team nets third place state finish
The Owen Valley Patriots bass fishing team reeled in massive success at the 2026 State Championship, capping off an outstanding season with a third-place overall team finish.
This stellar performance marks Owen Valley’s fifth top three state finish within the last nine years, further cementing the program’s reputation as one of the most consistent and talented high school angling powerhouses in Indiana.
The Patriots found plenty of action on the water with several standout individual performances. The duo of Louis Barnes and Carsyn Wheeler delivered a strong showing to capture fourth place overall in the tournament.
Adding to the team’s historic run, Austin Boltinghouse and Bryson Hamilton finished in second place in the highly competitive State Angler of the Year points race.
Boltinghouse and Hamilton’s remarkable season-long consistency has earned them an elite bid to compete at the National Championship on Kentucky Lake this month (July). Their qualification marks the second consecutive year that OV has successfully advanced a team to the national tournament stage. Program organizers expressed deep gratitude to the parents and dedicated volunteer boat captains whose extensive travel commitments and support made the memorable 2026 championship season possible.
First Annual Patriot Invitational boys’ soccer tournament
Local soccer fans are in for an action-packed evening as Owen Valley High School hosts its First Annual Patriot Soccer Invitational on Saturday, July 18.
Presented by Anthony’s Lawn Care, Tree Removal and Landscaping, all tournament matchups will take place at Patriot Field (the Owen Valley High School varsity field) located at 622 S.R. 46 in Spencer. The tournament kicks off with game one at 5 p.m., featuring a matchup between host Owen Valley and Seven Oaks Classical School. Immediately following, game two will see Eastern Greene face off against South Vermillion at 6:15 p.m. The action continues into the evening with the consolation round, as the losers of the first two games compete in game three at 7:30 p.m. The invitational concludes with the championship matchup in game four at 8:45 p.m., where the winners of game one and game two will battle it out for the tournament title.
Admission to the entire event is completely free for all spectators, and concessions will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Anyone with questions regarding the tournament is encouraged to reach out to coach Stephen Jones at 812-679-8533.
CHS grad dominates in Prospect League opener
Former Cloverdale High School (CHS) standout Drake Hoffa is making a major impression on the summer baseball circuit.
The 2025 Clovers graduate, who currently plays collegiate baseball as a right-handed pitcher for Vincennes University, was recently honored as the Prospect League’s ArmCare.com Pitcher of the Week for the opening week of the 2026 season.
Suiting up for the Danville Dans, Hoffa put together a dominant stretch on the mound from May 26 to June 1. Over the course of two game appearances, the local product logged six complete innings pitched while giving up zero hits and zero walks. Hoffa completely stifled opposing batters, racking up 10 strikeouts and earning a perfect 2-0 record alongside a flawless 0.00 ERA to guide the Dans through a successful opening week of play.
OVSC celebrates successful season League organizers, coaches and families are celebrating the conclusion of another highly successful youth baseball and softball season at the Owen Valley Sports Complex (OVSC) in Spencer. Despite battling a mix of summer rainouts, high temperatures and plenty of mosquitoes, the 2026 league season successfully crossed
the finish line thanks to the dedication of local players, volunteer coaches, umpires and supportive parents. Organizers expressed deep gratitude to the community and local sponsors whose commitment keeps Owen Valley youth sports thriving each year.
The tournament brackets wrapped up with thrilling championship games across multiple age divisions. In the 12U leagues, Languell Title Company captured the baseball championship title over finalist Lifeway Baptist, while HomeTeam Properties secured the softball crown against finalist OC Rentals. The 10U division saw Tucker Paving claim the baseball championship with Elite Auto finishing as the finalist, while OCSB (Owen County State Bank) took home the softball title ahead of finalist BBP Water Corporation.
The competitive spirit continued through the younger divisions on the diamond. In 8U play, Mason Private Locating won the baseball championship over finalist Truesdel Heating, Cooling & Maintenance and General Interior earned the softball title over finalist JSR.
Finally, in the 6U division, Pete’s Economy Muffler finished as the baseball champion with Bone Dry taking the finalist spot, while Valley Optical secured the softball championship over finalist Pfeiffer’s Auto Repair.
League officials congratulated all the young athletes on their hard work and sportsmanship, wishing everyone a safe summer before returning to the ballpark next season.
Spencer Lions offer free Summer Food Service Program
The Spencer Lions Club has officially launched its annual Summer Food Service Program, which will run weekdays through July 31. Healthy lunch meals are served on a firstcome, first-served basis from noon to 1 p.m. at the Lester F. Litten Community Building, located at 59 N. Main St., Spencer.
The program provides free meals to all children aged 18 and under. Free admission to the meal service is also extended to individuals over the age of 18 who are enrolled in a state-approved educational program for the mentally or physically disabled. For all other adults wishing to eat, meals are available for purchase at $3 each.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, meals are identical for all participants, and discrimination of any kind is strictly prohibited during the service. For more details, general questions or regulatory information regarding the program, community members can contact Lion Charlotte Query at 812-829-4496.
OVMS summer
football workouts
Middle school athletes looking to hit the gridiron this upcoming season can now prepare for the Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS) summer football program.
Activities will begin with equipment distribution during pad pickup on July 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Following equipment distribution, official summer workouts are scheduled to begin July 14. These training sessions will regularly take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
To participate in any of the scheduled sessions, all student-athletes must have a completed physical form on file with the school. For more details or questions regarding the summer workout schedule, please contact the OVMS athletic department at 812-8292249.
MCSP to celebrate 110th anniversary
McCormick’s Creek State Park (MCSP) is gearing up for a historic dual celebration this July 4th, marking both Independence Day and the park’s 110th anniversary. Dedicated on July 4, 1916, as a centerpiece of Indiana’s centennial celebration, MCSP holds a proud legacy as Indiana’s very first state park.
The site’s rich history dates back to 1816, when it was first settled by John McCormick after serving as a shared hunting ground for Native American tribes.
Over the decades, the park evolved from a popular local picnic spot into a protected natural treasure, aimed at preserving its scenic limestone canyon, native resources and waterfalls.
Its historic landmarks tell a story of their own: the park’s beloved Canyon Inn originally opened in 1888 as a sanitarium founded by Dr. Frederick Denkewalter, while much of the enduring stone infrastructure, iconic arch bridge, shelters and 90-foot fire tower were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930s.
The upcoming anniversary highlights the park’s centuries-long role as a vital outdoor landmark. While recovery
and trail restoration efforts continue following a damaging tornado in March 2023, the park remains open for a full lineup of celebratory, family-friendly events.
Visitors on July 4 can participate in park activities starting with an all-day Red, White and Blue Scavenger Hunt hosted at the Nature Center.
Later in the morning, the Nature Center will also host a patriotic crafting session titled “Nature’s Fireworks” starting at 11 a.m.
The festivities will conclude in the evening with a guided night hike called “O’Say” Can You See a Firefly, which departs from the Canyon Inn at 9:30 p.m. to look for summer’s natural light display.
Park visitors are invited to come out, participate in the activities and explore the history and outdoor heritage that have defined Indiana’s state park system for 110 years.
Standard daily gate admission fees apply, which are $7 per vehicle for vehicles with instate license plates and $15 per vehicle for out-of-state visitors. Valid Indiana State Park annual entrance passes ($50 for residents, $120 for non-residents) or a Golden Hoosier Passport ($25) will also grant full admission to the park and the day’s activities.
New playgrounds inside MCSP
Playgrounds at Deer Run and Pine Bluff inside McCormick’s Creek State Park east of Spencer are among the 43 playground updates that are being installed across Indiana State Parks.
These playground updates are made possible as part of a $50 million grant awarded to the Indiana DNR by Lilly Endowment Inc. in 2024. The grant is being used for a variety of enhancements at Indiana State Parks, including $11 million invested into playgrounds.
The new playgrounds provide updated equipment and improved accessibility. Sixteen playground installations have already been completed, five more will be complete by early June, and the remainder will be completed by fall 2026. An updated playground is also planned for Sunny Acres inside nearby Lieber State Recreation Area.
This historic investment is an important part of the statewide effort to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and improve accessibility across DNR properties, reflecting DNR’s commitment to ensuring that all Hoosiers have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
Sticks, pastels and ripped paper: Kids learn new skills at county art guild summer camp
By Chloe Oden
girl writes about a chicken jockey from “A Minecraft Movie.”
They’re all participants at the Owen County Art Guild’s fourth summer art camp.
Volunteer Leslie Asher helped lead the camp and said the children worked through several projects of different mediums. One of them involved using Indian ink and two-foot long drawing sticks. The kids created monocolored paintings on paper propped against easels.
The children also used pastels to create pastel drawings of green frogs sitting near lily pads in a pond, using their hands to blend the colors.
The young artists did a different project this year, which moved away from what the guild typically does, and created their own children’s books, using their imaginations to practice
storytelling.
Lucas Smeltzer wrote the story about Porky the pig. He said it’s fun to see how silly art can look when it’s only halfway finished but also appreciates the reward of a completed work.
“It’s kind of challenging when you’re doing it, but at the end, I think it’s worth it just to see what you came up with and just all of the things you can do,” he said.
Felicity Arthur’s favorite thing to draw is horses. She said that creating art makes her, “Excited for what it’s gonna look like at the end,” she said. “I love it a lot.”
For one collage project, the children painted a series of squares and drew designs on top. Then, they ripped them into pieces. On another sheet of paper, the kids glued the pieces in a halo of hair around a watercolor painting of a woman in dress.
Not only did the children create pieces of art to take home and present at the art show at the end of the camp, but they created artist trading cards to share with the other participants.
At the end of the five-day camp, Asher and the other volunteers, Sharon Moore and Linda Barrett, taught the kids how to do a gallery walk. Each child created 16 small cards and went around the room trading their original work with the other kids.
“They get a little piece of each person’s art,” Asher said. “It’s very cool.”
Asher said that what she enjoys most about leading the camp is watching the kids explore and be creative when creating and designing the different projects.
She hopes the camp gives them “the love of being creative and doing art.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Linda Barrett collects campers’ works of art from a shelf on June 11 at the Owen County Art Guild. Barrett works as a volunteer at the guild. // A summer camp participant colors on a sheet of paper at the Owen County Art Guild. // Another summer camp participant draws with a marker. Sixteen children participated in the camp this summer. // A camper’s collage art is displayed at the Owen County Art Guild. The collages combined watercolor and ripped pieces of paper. CHLOE ODEN | THE OWEN NEWS
Second Annual Chester Chicken Chuck brings feathered fun
Press Release
Laughter filled the Owen County Courthouse Square on Saturday, June 13, as residents and visitors gathered for the Owen County Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Chester Chicken Chuck.
Beginning at 10 a.m., the unique event combined hometown fun with a beloved piece of Owen County history, drawing participants of all ages to downtown Spencer.
The festivities kicked off with a special appearance by Owen County’s own Medal of Honor recipient, Sammy Lee Davis, who served as the honorary Master of Ceremonies and had the honor of tossing the very first chicken to officially begin the competition.
The main event, the Chester Chicken Chuck, featured seven teams competing to catch as many rubber chickens as possible as they were launched from the rooftop of the Owen County Courthouse by members of the Owen Valley Fire Territory.
This year’s competition included a new twist—a special Santa Claus Chicken, worth two points, adding even more excitement to the fast-paced contest.
When all the
chickens had flown, The Mighty Clucks, consisting of Liam Ruple and Andrew Moore, emerged as this year’s champions, earning bragging rights and the grand prize of Babbs Fried Chicken for a Year.
Following the championship competition, attention turned to the Charity Chicken Chuck, where six teams competed to catch just one chicken.
Thanks to the generosity of the Owen County Community Foundation, each participating team received a $50 donation for the charity of its choice, making the event not only entertaining but impactful for local nonprofit organizations.
This year’s celebration also expanded with several new activities that brought even more community involvement.
A Chicken Window Decorating Contest invited local businesses to showcase their creativity with custom chicken designs painted by local artist Steve Adams.
The winning business, Spencer Pride, took home a traveling trophy topped with a chicken, earning a full year of “clucking rights.”
Participants also
had the opportunity to show off their creativity during the Chicken Costume Contest, where Jenny Osbourne and Chris Summit captured first place and the $50 grand prize with their crowd-pleasing costumes.
The fun continued with the ever-popular Open Flys, giving everyone a chance to join in the excitement.
The festivities began with the Little Chick Fly for children ages 12 and under. Foam chickens, each carrying a prize sticker, were dropped from the courthouse roof, and young participants redeemed their catches at the Babbs tent for prizes.
Next came the Teen Scramble for ages 13 to 17, followed by the Babbs Open Fly for adults ages 18 and older. Every chicken
was a winner, but one lucky participant, Robin Reynolds, caught the special prize chicken and walked away with the grand prize—a 98-second shopping spree at Babbs SuperValu.
The Chester Chicken Chuck is more than just a fun-filled competition. It is a modern recreation of a cherished Owen County tradition dating back to the 1930s.
Shortly before Christmas, residents gathered downtown to catch live chickens, ducks and turkeys, which they would then prepare for their family’s holiday meal. The event was originally created by Dwight Johnson, Fred White and Chester Babbs as a way to encourage residents to shop locally during the holiday season.
Chamber continues
that tradition of supporting local businesses while celebrating the community’s rich history. Chester Chicken himself proudly carries the name of one of the event’s original founders, Chester Babbs.
The Owen County Chamber of Commerce extends its sincere appreciation to the Owen Valley Fire Territory, volunteers, participants and the many sponsors whose generosity made this year’s event possible.
Whole Bird Sponsors: Babbs SuperValu, Smithville, Spencer Main Street, Cook Medical and Owen County Community Foundation
Half Bird Sponsors: Insurance
Nugget
Sponsors: ToteAlly Fresh, Bates
Mechanical and Andy and Beth Cline
Popcorn
Sponsors: Byers Home Furnishings, Boys & Girls Club, Patriot Manufacturing, Busy Bee Café and Owen Valley FFA
With another successful year in the books, the Second Annual Chester Chicken Chuck once again proved that few communities can combine history, hometown pride and feather-filled fun quite like Owen County.
The Chamber is already looking forward to welcoming everyone back next year for another chance to
Spencer Pride earns first-ever Chicken Chuck window painting contest
Press Release
The Owen County Chamber of Commerce is egg-cited to announce the winner of the inaugural Chicken Chuck Window Painting Contest.
Seven businesses and organizations around the courthouse square participated in this year’s competition, transforming their windows into colorful chicken-themed displays in celebration of the annual Chamber Chester Chicken Chuck.
Each participating location adopted its own uniquely named chicken character, bringing plenty of personality and creativity to downtown Spencer. This year’s flock included:
• Yolko Ono at Spencer Pride
• Newsworthy Nugget at The Owen News
• Bawk Lava at Sweet Escape Bakery
• Mavis Drag-hen-fly at
The Dragonfly Gallery
• Penny the Philanthro-hen at the Owen County Community Foundation
• Orville Reden Bawk Bawker at The Tivoli
• Bell at Medical Polymers
The Owen County Chamber also decorated a window and named it’s chicken Wall-Horn Leghorn
Three community judges visited each location and evaluated the creative displays before selecting a winner.
After careful consideration, Spencer Pride’s “Yolko Ono” rose to the top of the pecking order and was named the first-ever Chicken Chuck Window Painting Champion. Spencer Pride was officially recognized during the Chamber Chester Chicken Chuck event, where Connie Murphy received the
traveling trophy topped with a chicken. The trophy can be proudly displayed throughout the coming year, along with the coveted “clucking rights” that come with being the contest’s first champion.
To add to the fun, Chester’s chickens have “escaped” throughout downtown Spencer.
A special Chicken Chase map has been created to help community members track them down and visit each decorated window. Maps can be found online on the Owen County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Participants are encouraged to take photos with the chickens they discover and share them on social media using the hashtag #ChesterChickenChase. Don’t be a chicken—grab a map and join the hunt!
participating businesses and organizations for helping bring creativity, color and community spirit to downtown Spencer.
The Chamber would like to thank all of the
Each chicken added its own flair to the festivities and gave visitors plenty to crow about.
This year’s first competition was no yolk, and we look forward to seeing even more egg-ceptional chicken creations hatch in the years to come.
Spencer Pride won clucking rights in the inaugural Chester Chicken Chuck window contest. More photos of all of the entries can be found on The Owen News’ website, theowennews.org. SUBMITTED PHOTO.
VFW sponsors new mural as part of America 250
BRIEF | FROM PAGE 15
SWCD Riverfront Restoration Project accelerates
The Owen County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has announced that phase one of its highly anticipated Riverfront Restoration Project has been a major success.
According to SWCD Executive Director Tammy Bingham, the initial phase accomplished all its targeted goals, successfully stabilizing a key area along the White River that had been eroding for decades and threatening both Cooper Commons and the MYPath Riverfront Trail.
The initial $100,000 Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) construction grant was awarded in 2024 to control severe erosion and flooding along the riverbank. This critical work was made possible through a Community Investment Grant from the Owen County Community Foundation, which successfully inspired matching funds from both the Spencer Town Council and the Owen County Council. Completed in December 2025, the initial repairs have proven durable and have been highly praised by the community.
Following a six-month assessment period to evaluate the project’s durability, impact and local reception, the SWCD is officially moving forward with the next phases of the restoration. Bingham announced she has secured a $55,000 LARE design grant to engineer solutions for additional critically unstable sites along the river.
Once these designs are approved, the district will apply for a subsequent LARE construction grant. Thanks to the initial local and state investments, a project timeline originally projected to take seven years—and later reduced to four—is now on track to be completed in just two years, preserving the vital natural resource for future generations.
WOW 2026 Women’s Conference
The Christian Life Center, located at 157 S. Montgomery
St. in Spencer, will host the WOW 2026 “Dancing in the Rain” Women Of the Word event from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 11.
This year’s featured guest speaker is Tara Dickson—author, podcaster and Director of Education for Heart Christian Academy. After losing her husband in 2016, Dickson turned her personal journey of grief into a mission of hope, which she now shares through her podcast Seek and Savor and her devotional book Let All the Weary World Rejoice.
The day promises an uplifting lineup of music, singing, local speakers, praise and prayer. A $20 donation is requested for each participant, which includes a goodie bag, a book, snacks and lunch. Attendees are also welcome to bring a young lady along for free (though she must still be registered).
Registration applications can be sent to Shiloh Wesley Chapel UMC, P.O. Box 554, Spencer, IN 47460. For more information, contact wells.bdmd@yahoo.com.
Employer Partnership Exchange event is July 14
Local business owners, managers, HR professionals and skilled trade employers are invited to help shape the next generation of local employees at the upcoming Employer Partnership Exchange.
The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 14 at Owen Valley High School, located at 622 S.R. 46 in Spencer. Attendees are asked to use the building’s back entrance, and a complimentary lunch will be provided.
The exchange acts as a direct bridge connecting area employers with schools to develop graduation-aligned, work-based learning (WBL) opportunities. During the session, business leaders will receive a comprehensive overview of the high school’s WBL program, including an explanation of required graduation seals, student hour requirements and the various experience pathways available such as internships, apprenticeships, career mentorship and job shadowing.
allow participating businesses to complete a Letter of Interest, identify specific workbased learning designations they want to offer and ask questions regarding program expectations and support. School representatives will also be on hand to help employers schedule follow-up meetings to develop individualized student engagement pathways that address local workforce demands.
Organizers ask that all interested industry partners RSVP for the event by July 3. For more information or to secure a spot, community members can contact Marce Johnson at 812-829-3245 or via email at exchange@ myowencountychamber.com. Alternatively, inquiries can be directed to Jake Steinmetz at 812829-2266 or jsteinmetz@socs. k12.in.us.
Free ‘Adulting 101’ virtual series for young adults
Are you a young adult or recent high school graduate ready to take on independent living with confidence?
Purdue University Extension is hosting Adulting 101: Embracing Independence, a free four-part virtual series designed to teach you essential, practical life skills. This valuable series will help participants bridge the gap between graduation and full selfsufficiency by tackling everyday challenges that everyone eventually faces.
The interactive sessions will take place on consecutive Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom, starting on July 21 with a dual focus on self-care and car care. The following week, on July 28, participants will learn vital quick meals, kitchen tips and household tips. On Aug. 4, financial advisor Justin Campbell will lead a crucial discussion on personal finances, and the series will wrap up on Aug. 11 with strategies to protect your digital self, alongside basic interview skills.
Advance registration is required to access the virtual meetings. To secure your spot or to learn more, contact Beth Evans by calling 574-235-9605 or emailing bevans4@purdue.
need of special accommodations to attend this program should contact Evans by July 7.
Tivoli plans ‘Summer Send-Off’
Say goodbye to the season in style! The Historic Tivoli Theatre in downtown Spencer is hosting a jam-packed “Summer SendOff” event Aug. 1 featuring cars, live concerts and cinema. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and settle in for a full day of community fun. The festivities kick off with a car show hosted by the B-Town Dub Club from 1 to 5 p.m., concluding with an awards ceremony from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Both the car show and the awards are completely free to the public.
Music lovers can enjoy free live concerts from 2 to 5:30 p.m. (with a brief intermission for the car awards). The stage will feature country tunes from Zach N Den alongside classic rock sets from the 46 Drifters.
For moviegoers, the Tivoli will also host two indoor screenings of Spider-Man: Brand New Day at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Regular admission ticket prices apply for the cinema screenings at $7, $5 and $3.
Registration open for MYPath 5K Run/Walk
Fitness enthusiasts and community supporters are invited to grab their friends and hit the trail for the upcoming MYPath 5K Run/Walk. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, kicking off at 8:30 a.m. at the Owen County Fairgrounds in Spencer.
Participants will enjoy a picturesque route that begins and ends at the fairgrounds, winding through the grounds, looping through Cooper Commons and showcasing the natural beauty of the MYPath trail itself.
Registration for the event is $25 per person, which includes a commemorative event t-shirt. All proceeds raised from the run/ walk will directly support the ongoing maintenance and future extensions of the MYPath trail system. Interested participants can sign up online ahead of time at bit.ly/MYPath5K.
Adam Long (right) and his assistant Brandon Query (left) work on a mural on the Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Spencer, Indiana. Long has a Facebook page named Art Happens. A dedication will take place at 11 a.m. on July 4. AARON LAGRANGE | THE OWEN NEWS
Trailing or Leading: MYPath in the economic driver seat
By Kyle Hannon Project Manager, MYPath Trail System
We have talked about the economic impact of trails.
People who use the trails tend to spend money, boosting the local economy. And we talked about the trail counts. The pavement, bridge and other improvements have brought an increasing number of visitors to the MYPath Trail.
Now it’s time to combine those concepts and talk about real dollars.
Last year a group of graduate students from Indiana University conducted a thorough study of MYPath and
the regional trail concept. One of the key findings was an economic impact analysis. Based on similar economic studies of similar trails in similar communities, they estimated the impact of local users was between $7.21 and $11.33. The median value of that is $9.27 per visit.
We have had trail counters in three spots on MYPath. These are simple counters, not cameras. They do not provide any photos or any videos of any visitors. What they do quite well is record when something passes by.
We have been recording MYPath crossings since April 2023. In May of 2023, we recorded 698 passages. In May of 2026, we recorded 2,791 passages.
Okay, it’s time
for some math. Take the economic impact of each person, $9.27, and multiply it by the number of people who visited in May of this year. I needed my calculator for this. The economic impact of MYPath, for the month of May 2026 was $25,873.
If you doubt the economic impact of a trail visitor, I invite you to join us for a Wednesday walk. Better yet, join those of us who meet at Main Street Coffee before the hike. I get at least a cup of coffee. Sometimes I get a muffin. More than once, I’ve gotten breakfast. Others in the group have had breakfast by the time I get there, and at least one usually orders a lunch to be picked up later. I frequently get lunch somewhere else.
The people who don’t join us at Main Street Coffee may fill up their gas tank, visit Babbs or take advantage of being in town to do other shopping. The economic activity is real. It is at least $25,873 for a single month. And it is happening only because the MYPath trail exists.
I submitted this column before I had the chance to download the June 2026 numbers. Do you think they will be higher? Do you believe we will hit 3,000 monthly users before the end of summer? Then the impact will be $27,810. Will we hit 5,000 users one of these months? That’s $46,350. Those are only monthly figures. What will be the impact for a year? Now, these are just local users. The economic impact for non-
local users is between $13 and $30.50 per person. Overnight visitors generate between $98 and $176.98 each.
As MYPath expands and people become more aware of it, usage and economic impact will increase. Just wait until we connect to McCormick’s Creek State Park. In Owen County, we are fortunate to have events and activities that draw visitors and their money. Think how good the Owen County Fair is for local businesses during fair week. Think of the Apple Butter Festival. Think about the other fun events we host around the square. These are all important parts of the economic mix. Do they generate over $20,000 each month?
I haven’t even
talked about the positive impact on housing and development. Recently, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail reported the impact of that trail through our capitol city is at $3 billion.
Right now, a paved MYPath with a bridge is less than twoyears-old. And it is starting to grow, in both usage and its reach. It is time to start treating MYPath as a key economic driver in Owen County right now. And it’s only going to get bigger.
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.
A new chapter for The Owen News
By Nicole DeCriscio Executive Editor
for Owen County and a belief that our community deserved it.
reader of The Owen News, you’ve probably noticed this issue looks a little different. You’re right.
The calendars are shorter. There are fewer columns than usual. And this issue is arriving on a Thursday, not the usual first Friday of the month.
While the holiday explains the Thursday publication, the shorter calendars and fewer columns have a different explanation. Beginning this month, The Owen News is expanding to a twice-monthly publication schedule.
Four years ago this month, the founding board of what would become The Owen News met for the first time.
None of us knew exactly what would come of that first meeting. All we had was hope and a vision for what local journalism could mean
I personally am forever grateful for those founding board members who generously gave of their time and talents based on an idea that had never been done in Indiana – a nonprofit newspaper. You could almost even call it a pipe dream.
But as we all know, two years ago, thanks to the support of this community, that dream became a monthly paper.
Since then, you’ve helped us build something remarkable. Throughout the last two years, the paper has grown, nearly doubling in size from 16 pages to 28 pages, to tell more stories and dig deeper into the challenges and successes in our community.
We’ve produced special sections, increasing what we offer each year, for the fair, graduation and elections. Each one reflects our commitment to documenting the moments that shape Owen County and embracing the important role that a local, community newspaper
should play.
And now, it’s time to increase it some more, offering two editions each month on the first and third Fridays.
We’re also investing in how we deliver the news online, bringing more timely reporting to our website and launching an app this fall so local news can reach readers directly.
None of these changes are about growing for the sake of growing. They’re about serving Owen County better. Publishing twice each month means we can share more of Owen County’s stories. Every step we’ve taken has been guided by one simple question: How can we better serve our community?
That question has shaped nearly every decision we’ve made, including hosting our first Meet the Candidates forum in April, investing in digital news and deepening our reporting.
That same question also led us to another exciting milestone as part of our next chapter: leasing our own office space on Spencer’s downtown square.
We’ll be moving into the former office of the late John Fuhs, whom we miss deeply. John devoted decades of his life to serving Owen County. Being in the space that was John’s for more than 30 years is an everpresent reminder of what it means to serve our community well.
While we have appreciated the start and beautiful space at The Exchange, we’ve quickly outgrown it, not only in terms of space, but in its ability to meet the unique needs of a growing newsroom. In order for us to continue to grow and build The Owen News, we need a home of our own, where our staff can gather and our community can connect with us.
Once our space is ready, we can’t wait to share it with all of you, to honor John and the Fuhs family and to specifically celebrate and thank those that have or will step up to help us take this next step. (And yes, we’re still looking for furniture if you have something you’d like to donate!)
Four years ago, I wasn’t sure if we’d ever be able to publish our
first issue. Today, we’re publishing twice a month and opening our own space downtown. That’s not something I take for granted.
Because at the end of the day, our success is the community’s success, and we’re only able to do this because of our community’s support. I’ve long said that if you take care of your community, your community will take care of you. The last four years have proven that to be true.
Maybe you’ve donated or become a member. Maybe you’ve bought an ad.
Maybe you’ve called with a news tip, written a letter to the editor, shared one of our stories, picked up a copy for a neighbor or simply encouraged us when we needed it most.
However you’ve supported The Owen News, you’ve helped write our story. As we begin this next chapter, I know we’ll continue writing it together because Owen County believes local news is worth having and worth supporting.
So yes, this issue looks a little different, and I can’t wait to see what we write together next.
OCAE celebrates a year of student success
By Brittany Van Hook OCPL Director
The Owen County Adult Education (OCAE) program is proud to celebrate another successful year of helping residents achieve their educational and career goals. During the 2025–2026 program year, students demonstrated remarkable dedication and perseverance,
resulting in numerous accomplishments that will positively impact their futures.
One of the year’s greatest achievements was the earning of 22 High School Equivalency diplomas, opening doors to new employment opportunities, higher education and personal growth for students throughout the community.
In addition to these academic milestones, 19 learners earned industryrecognized certifications in QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel, gaining valuable workforce skills that are highly sought after by employers. These certifications help
students strengthen their resumes and increase their competitiveness in today’s job market.
OCAE students also expanded their technology and professional skills through advanced training opportunities. During the program year, 10 learners successfully completed courses in Salesforce and CompTIA A+, building expertise in customer relationship management and information technology support.
Best of all, these educational and workforce training opportunities were provided at no cost to the learner, helping remove barriers to education
and allowing more Owen County residents to gain the skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce.
“We are incredibly proud of all of our students and the progress they have made this year,” said OCAE staff. “Each accomplishment represents hard work, determination and a commitment to building a brighter future.”
As the program looks ahead to the 2026–2027 year, new educational and workforce training opportunities are being planned. Community members interested in earning a high school equivalency diploma, gaining workforce
certifications or developing new skills are encouraged to stay tuned for the upcoming class schedule.
To learn more about available courses or express interest in future classes, complete the interest form at https://forms.gle/ coBBeTpFwvYEcNBS7 and a member of the Adult Education team will contact you. Interested individuals may also call 812-829-3392 ext. 212 for additional information.
Whether your goal is to earn a diploma, gain a new certification or prepare for a career change, Owen County Adult Education may have a class for you.
Where youth shine: 4-H at the Owen County Fair
By Cassie Linville
place where hard
creativity and
community pride come together. From July 5 to 11, the Owen County Fairgrounds will once again host one of the most anticipated events of the year, inviting families, friends and neighbors to gather and celebrate. At the heart of the fair are Owen County 4-H members, whose projects and
events truly shine throughout the week.
Visitors to the fair are encouraged to take time to explore the 4-H Exhibit Hall, where months of learning are displayed in creative and inspiring ways. Rows of exhibits highlight projects such as artwork, photography, foods, sewing, woodworking,
science, technology and many other areas of interest. Each exhibit represents a young person’s dedication, problem-solving and willingness to try something new. Fairgoers often leave impressed by the variety and quality of work created by local youth.
the Owen County Fair features special events that celebrate youth achievement and bring 4-H members together.
Livestock projects are another cornerstone of the 4-H experience at the Owen County Fair. Throughout the week, 4-H members will show beef, swine, sheep, goats, poultry and rabbits, demonstrating the care and commitment required to raise animals.
Behind each show is a story of early mornings, daily chores and valuable lessons in responsibility and leadership. Watching these youths in the show ring offers a glimpse into the dedication that defines 4-H.
Beyond exhibits and livestock,
One highlight of the week will take place on Monday, July 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the Senior 4-H Member Recognition. This meaningful event honors older 4-H members for their dedication and accomplishments, including several seniors who have completed 10 years of 4-H involvement. Their commitment reflects the lasting impact 4-H can have on young people as they grow, learn and lead.
Following senior recognition, the fairgrounds will come alive with energy during 4-H Spirit Night, an annual favorite for members and spectators alike. Spirit Night brings together 4-H community clubs from across Owen County to compete in a variety of fun, teamwork-focused games. Clubs earn
points throughout the evening for participation, teamwork and enthusiasm, all in pursuit of bragging rights for the coming year. Laughter, friendly competition, and club pride make Spirit Night a celebration of the community connections that 4-H helps create. The Owen County Fair offers more than just entertainment—it offers a chance to see learning in action and to support the youth who are shaping the future of the community. Whether walking through the Exhibit Hall, watching a livestock show or cheering on clubs during Spirit Night, fairgoers will see firsthand how 4-H projects and events shine.
Everyone is invited to join us at the fairgrounds this July to celebrate the dedication, growth and achievements of Owen County 4-H members.
TORNADO | FROM PAGE 1
When an EF-3 tornado passed through Owen and Monroe counties, McNeive said the roughly 45 seconds it took the twister to rip the metal roof from her home and mangle her yard felt like an hour.
The National Weather Service determined the tornado, which traveled 18.5 miles and had a maximum width of 880 yards, was rated a three on the Enhanced Fujita scale, reaching 136 to 165 mph gusts of winds.
Just before the storm disconnected the woman’s electricity, Choco laid his head on McNeive’s feet.
“I heard trees falling around me, and I was so scared, I prayed to God,” she said. “God was the only thing that saved us.”
She couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. For a while, she sat in the dark, frozen, terrified, before going to light an oil lamp and make sure most of her house was intact. In the morning, she emerged from the house. Her picnic table and chairs on the porch were scattered. The only thing remaining was a stone angel statue.
McNeive’s husband, who died three years ago, had given it to her.
“I don’t even know how I’m gonna move forward,” she said.
She plans to stay in her home, and try to make repairs. McNeive’s daughter set up a GoFundMe page to help her rebuild. As of June 26, it had amassed more than $16,200 in donations.
Not all of McNeive’s neighbors will be able to fix their homes. Just down the road, a tree fell through the roof of a house, right where Mary Pence’s former neighbor was hiding.
Pence and her
husband moved from their Buskirk Road home 14 years ago, but remain close with their neighbor Carolyn.
Pence watched the news that night and realized a tornado was heading right toward Carolyn, who lived alone. She called her former neighbor, waking her just in time to seek shelter.
“She no sooner got in her closet, where she was sitting, then it hit her house,” Pence said. “The tree came down through the closet she was sitting in and water was just pouring in.”
Carolyn had lived in her home for more than 30 years, but the damage and the cost to fix it might be too much.
Pence and her husband came in the morning to help Carolyn assess the damage, secure her home and track down some of her belongings. Her detached garage was destroyed and the wind had swept her back porch to the front yard.
Amy Rice and Mike Fouts, with the American Regulators in Goshen, Ohio, arrived on the street at around midnight after the tornado passed through. American Regulators mobilizes volunteers to travel to disaster sites and provide search and rescue, disaster response and connect aff ected communities with recovery services.
Rice is an emotional crisis responder.
“As we go home by home, we do assessments, we’re doing cleanups. I meet with the homeowners, and I talk with them,” she said. “Most of what I do is listen. The biggest thing people need to understand, that are working with victims of natural disasters, is to listen to them, to let them tell their story.”
Another home was ripped from its foundation and scattered in pieces in the wooded area behind it. All that remained was a slab of concrete and the belongings salvaged from the yard, including a kayak, booster seat, lawn mower, fishing pole and Nerf gun.
Rice said she and the other volunteers were working to help get the residents totes for the recovered items and set up a storage unit while they start to move forward.
“We want them to understand that we are out here for them,” Rice said. “We are not out here for any monetary give back. We’re not out here to take them for anything. We are out here for the people. We are out here to help them, to care for them and to, in their time of need, to help them see what can be done, and get it done for them, so that they can start to move and take the first steps into recovery.”
Fouts said the area was one of the hardest hit. The NWS initially dubbed the tornado as an EF-2 and had to end its survey of the damage in Monroe County at the entrance of the Morgan-Monroe
State Forest due to the amount of tree damage preventing the team from traveling further.
The rest of the tornado’s path was later surveyed by drones and found debarked hardwood trees near and east of Interstate 69, consistent with EF-3 damage. Satellite imagery also later showed tree damage spanning all the way to the Monroe County border.
The NWS also determined that night, three EF-1 tornadoes, which cause 86 to 110 mph winds, hit Jackson, Vigo and Clay counties. Seven tornadoes, ranging from EF-0 to EF3, left damage in Illinois that night as well.
One Buskirk Road homeowner was taken to a hospital to recover from a hurt ankle, Rice said.
The American Regulators were joined by a wealth of lineman and disaster response workers the day after the storm, sawing trees, clearing debris and fixing power lines.
Owen County Emergency Management Agency Director Jack White said in an email that early damage assessments found most damage was to infrastructure
caused by downed trees on power lines and roads.
“I know the power companies have been working hand in hand with the Owen County Highway Department to restore electricity and clear roadways,” White wrote. “I have received reports of two dwellings with significant damage.”
White encouraged anyone with damage to call 211, the system county residents can use to report damage.
On June 19, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun issued a state of emergency for 63 counties due to the severe weather, flooding, tornadic activity and derecho impacting the state between June 9 and 18. The state also opened its disaster relief fund for individual assistance for eligible applicants.
A couple days later, on June 21, tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for northeastern Owen County. The NWS reported based on survey damage, an EF-0 tornado caused tree damage near Patricksburg. It had peak winds of 80 miles per hour, a track length of 0.9 miles and a maximum width of 25 yards.
Sue McNeive and her German shepherd, Choco, sit on her porch on June 18 on Buskirk Road in rural Gosport. Choco sat with McNeive during the tornado that damaged her house and yard the night before. More photos of the damage from the EF-3 tornado that impacted rural Gosport can be found on The Owen News’ website, theowennews.org. CHLOE ODEN | THE OWEN NEWS
S-OCS hires principals, raises school lunch prices
By Chloe Oden Correspondent
The Spencer-Owen Community School Corporation (S-OCS) might not be able to afford to continue offering all elementary school students free breakfast.
Superintendent Andy Cline told the S-OCS Board of School Trustees at its June 11 meeting that the district is analyzing whether or not it can continue to offer the breakfast. The board set a potential price for the breakfast and discussed price increases to school lunches.
The board requested a 10 cent maximum increase for elementary and secondary lunches, making them $2.90 and $3.30, respectively.
Reduced breakfast and lunches will stay the same, at 30 and 40 cents.
Adult lunches are not subject to the 10 cent maximum and will increase by 20 cents, making them $5.20. Across all S-OCS schools, 348,650 meals were served during the 2025-2026 school year.
S-OCS Food Service Director Balinda Wagner said the district’s reimbursement rates haven’t kept up with inflation, causing the district to reevaluate if they can sustain the program if the surplus costs are left to the district to pay.
Previously, the district was receiving close to $54,000 per year through funding issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly covered the free breakfast. The district also used to receive food through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program.
“That money was used to provide minimally processed local proteins and produce,” Wagner said. “The farmers would get paid for that, and then the schools would receive that food, free of charge, because of the grant money paid for it. We would be able to get fresh beef from Fischer Farms.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cut the program in March 2025, along with the Local Food Purchase Assistance cooperative agreement, totaling a roughly $1 billion cut in programs that connected communities to local farmers and ranchers.
If the district decides to proceed with paid elementary school breakfast, it would be $1.40. If a student qualifies for free or reduced meals, they will still receive free breakfast, Cline said.
During the 2025-2026 school year, the district served 104,947 free breakfasts for elementary school students, Wagner said in an email. Across all the elementary schools, 649 students qualify for free meals, 90 qualify for reduced meals and 523 don’t qualify for either.
All board members were present during the meeting and approved Cline’s contract renewal from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028 for $135,000 annually. The contract also includes a $2,500 stipend if the corporation receives an A letter grade and a $1,000 stipend if it receives a B.
The board approved former assistant principal Jacob Steinmetz to take over as Owen Valley High School principal and former interim principal Kris Samick as Patricksburg Elementary School principal.
Samick will also remain in the Director of Communications role.
The board also approved the 2026-2027 student handbooks for the elementary schools, Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS), Owen Valley High School (OVHS), OVHS Alternative School and the OVMS and OVHS athletic handbooks.
The board also unanimously approved the following items:
• Harmon Consulting Services, LLC 2026 to 2027 contract.
• OVMS first floor flooring quote.
• OVMS surplus item list for English/Language Arts.
• One time stipend for superintendent.
During the meeting, OVMS Principal Tom Arthur gave a presentation detailing data about the school. The school issued more than 460 high school credits this past year, the attendance rate slightly increased, and the school’s discipline record has continued to trend downward, he said.
Arthur also talked about the school’s approach to teaching math. This past year, the middle school had student teachers from Indiana University. Arthur received an email from IU Clinical Assistant Professor Lori Burch, who asked how the school had developed its conceptual understanding framework.
She told Arthur that IU teaches students that the students they go on to teach need to understand the “why” behind math and how things work.
“‘The problem is when I send them out into the field, there’s not very many classrooms that that’s actually happening in,’”
Arthur remembered Burch saying. “‘It’s still very procedural instruction,’ she says. And Dr. Burch looked at us and said, ‘To be honest with you, I think you guys are the only ones that’s actually doing this.’”
Arthur said the school is working to create more partnerships to give college students field experience inside OVMS math classrooms.
Cline also announced the district had just finished up the grant preparation process for a $35 million artificial intelligence grant, part of a consortium of 10 school corporations. The district will find out by September if it will receive money or not, he said.
He encouraged businesses to attend the Owen County Chamber of Commerce’s Employer Partnership Exchange event from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14 at OVHS. New diploma requirements mean more community service, work or apprenticeship for local teenagers.
“We need our businesses to be prepared to take on some of our students for that type of work,” Cline said. “Whether it be paid or not, it is going to be a requirement that will be a challenge for Owen Valley High School.”
The board also approved three resignations, one contract, one retirement, one transfer and 13 employment requests. The full list can be found on The Owen News’ website, theowennews.org. The board will meet next at 7 p.m. June 16 in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office, 205 E. Hillside Ave., Spencer.
SRO contract extended, facility upgrades approved by CCSC Board
By Travis Curry Senior Correspondent
The Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Board of School Trustees met for its regular session on June 8, addressing a hefty agenda of routine financial approvals, community partnerships and a major leadership transition.
Five of the seven board members were present at the session, with members Katrina Lewis and Emily Haltom absent.
In routine financial business, the board reviewed and approved claims and financial reports totaling $3,162,581.18. The approved amount covered two standard payroll cycles for the school corporation’s employees.
The evening marked a significant milestone for the corporation as Superintendent Greg Linton attended his final school board meeting after 12 years at the helm. Linton is set to transition into a new role leading the Cloverdale Distance Learning Academy (CDLA).
During the superintendent comment portion of the meeting, Linton took the opportunity to thank the board, faculty and community for what he described as “12 very enjoyable years.”
Linton expressed his deep appreciation for the board’s unwavering support, noting that while there were challenges along the way, he always knew the board trusted the administration team to make the best decisions possible.
He also shared a lighthearted moment, thanking his wife Heather for her presence and noting her reminder that he had been in education for 37 years.
Looking ahead, Linton welcomed Dr. Stacy Mason, who will officially assume superintendent duties on July 1, expressing confidence that the
district will experience a “seamless transition” under her leadership.
CCSC Board
President Vivian Whitaker offered an emotional farewell on behalf of the board, pointing to a plaque of Arthur L. Johnson.
Whitaker stated that Johnson had been a lifelong role model, mentor and friend, and noted that Linton was the only person to ever fully check all those same boxes for her. Whitaker echoed Linton’s praise regarding the hiring of Dr. Mason, calling it a stellar choice, though she noted that some people, like Linton, simply cannot be replaced.
Moving into other business, the board approved an addendum to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) originally signed in June 2025 with the Town of Cloverdale. The addendum extends the current agreement for the town to provide the school corporation with a full-time school resource officer (SRO) through the 2026-2027 school year, with no other changes made to the original document.
The board also took time to celebrate student achievement, recognizing Cloverdale Distance Learning Academy third-grader Addison Neiswinger for being named a 2026 National Math Star nominee. Cathy Ames, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, informed the board and audience that Neiswinger placed in the top two percent of the approximately 84,000 third-graders across the state of Indiana based on her test scores.
Facility upgrades were also at the forefront of the meeting. Linton presented a proposal to replace the existing track, the fencing around the football field and the scoreboard at the high school. Linton emphasized the administration’s desire to thoroughly evaluate the facility to determine the best next steps for providing
quality athletic areas for district students. The board provided verbal agreement to move forward with the project proposal.
In personnel and administrative actions, the board approved Coordinator Employer Agreements for the 2026-2027 school year for Food Service Coordinator Billy Boyette, Maintenance Coordinator Eddie Byrns and Transportation Coordinator Joel Kennelly. The agreements maintain the same compensation rates as the previous school year.
Additionally, the board approved the creation of a new special education instructor position at Cloverdale High School (CHS), as well as a special education instructional assistant position to replace the current C.L.A.S.P. position.
Outdated furniture at Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) was also officially declared for disposal.
Community outreach programs will soon have a new home following the board’s approval of a lease agreement with Judith Butler for the former Purple Cow Building, located at 103 S. Main St. In a written recommendation, Linton explained that moving the CHS food pantry and FFA thrift store to the downtown location will allow both programs to expand and better serve the community. The building will also be utilized to support the Work Based Learning curriculum and related graduation pathways.
Finally, the board approved a facility improvement request submitted by Athletic Director James Wade on behalf of the Cloverdale Community Youth League (CCYL). The approved upgrades include improvements to the concession stand at Murphy Stadium and the installation of new fencing around the back diamond of the softball complex. In his written request, Wade noted that as partners
with the CCYL, these enhancements will help the league run more smoothly and host more games, ultimately benefiting future student-athletes.
In addition, the board approved the following field trip and facility use requests: Field Trips
May 21 – Arts Honors Club, St. Louis, Missouri.
June 4 and 5 –CHS boys’ basketball, Vincennes University, Vincennes, IN.
June 28 through July 2 – Soul Harvest Church, Cross Oak Camp.
July 26 through Aug. 14 – FFA, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis.
Facility Use
June 1 through July 31 – Indiana Rebels baseball, 15U practices, CHS baseball field.
June 13 – Jalen Moore Basketball Camp, CHS gymnasium and auxiliary gymnasium.
Aug. 28 – CMS sixth grade dance, CMS gymnasium.
Oct. 6 – Indiana FFA, SAE for all committee meeting for Ag teachers, CHS Knoy/LIM Room.
The Cloverdale School Board—which includes Vivian Whitaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II—is scheduled to reconvene for its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 13. The meeting will be held at the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale.
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2026
REPAIR | FROM PAGE 1 repairs, like the new paint, for the last six years.
In the first six months of the year, Owen County has spent $44,305.39 on repairs just to keep the current jail functioning.
According to numbers provided by Snodgrass, HVAC repairs have cost the county $38,889.64, and plumbing repairs $2,732.85.
And those numbers are only climbing.
Snodgrass estimated that there is another $10,250 in repair expenses that have not yet been billed, including replacing a leaking HVAC valve and blower components serving both the entire facility and the administrative offices.
In addition, at a recent jail committee meeting it was estimated that each month the county waits to start building a new jail increases the cost by approximately $125,000.
A sinking foundation
In the current jail, all the sewer lines are beneath it, so as they deteriorate and need repair, the jail’s concrete floor must be broken to access them. Then, new concrete has to be poured to repair the floor.
This all adds to the cost of repairing the jail.
In fact, a few years ago, when a drain collapsed in one of the holding cells known as a drunk tank, it cost $34,000 to repair.
Sheriff Ryan White said with the excess rain in mid-May, the entire facility smelled like raw sewage, and as he pointed out, if you look closely on the outside of the facility at its corners, the brick is cracking as the jail sinks further into the ground.
White, Chief Deputy Matt Miller and Snodgrass led a tour of the facility, and the first issue they pointed out was that the outside door leading into the sallyport is rusted and unable to be secured.
This is something noted in this year’s jail inspection report.
“As mentioned in previous years’ inspection reports, some doors do not function consistently in PODs F and J and require frequent repair. Sallyport side door does not lock at all, causing facility security issues from the outside,” it reads.
This also means that between the booking area and holding cells, there is only one locked door preventing escape.
There hasn’t ever been an escape at this jail facility, but White said they’ve come close.
“We had a murder suspect who made it all the way to this door and tried to get out,” he said.
The jail inspection report also routinely
indicates derogatory marks because items are stored in the hallway due to inadequate storage, and items cannot fit through the doors, which are not ADA-compliant. This poses a hazard for ingress and egress in the event of an emergency.
White pointed to the sealer for inmate belongings, which has cut down on disease, odors and insect infestations such as lice and bedbugs.
“It won’t fit through the door. We wanted it in here, but it won’t fit through the door,” White said.
The indoor rec room is empty. Snodgrass would like to get some limited stationary workout equipment, but it too won’t fit through the door of the current facility.
The door between the indoor and outdoor rec spaces is also defective. While it doesn’t pose the same security threat as the sallyport door, in order to shut and lock the door, it has to be lifted with a crowbar.
When entering one of the pods, White pointed out the boot marks on the door leading into the pod.
“This is from them having to kick the door repeatedly to get the door to function,” White said.
Miller said there are doors that haven’t worked properly since he started working in the jail in 2004.
Cracks run along the edge where the floor and the wall meet as the two separate, and the jail sinks down. This causes insect problems as well.
“The inmates will take toilet paper, roll it up, get it wet and stuff those holes to keep the ants from coming up because since it’s sinking, it has access to bugs,” White said.
He also said that they have been fortunate because the current design provides bars up above the cell door, which are all possible ligature points and are off camera from what jail staff can see without entering the pod.
Aside from the high step both in and out of the shower, which the department said has led to inmates falling, the floor of the shower is rusted out, with a white liner added in as an attempt to avoid replacing it, which is pricey.
One of the questions on the jail inspection report asks if plumbing fixtures are repaired promptly.
“Yes, however, as mentioned in last year’s inspection report, because of the age of the facility, plumbing issues continue to plague operations as the plumbing fixtures continue to deteriorate, causing operational interference,” it reads.
What’s worse is that, according to county commissioner Sam Hobbs, the county will be unable to insure the building next year unless they have started working on a new facility.
The county also risks being sued due to the conditions of the jail and the need to preserve constitutional rights.
“The vast majority of people in that facility are not convicted; they’re pretrial; they’re presumed innocent, and they are not criminals at this point,” Miller said. “And even if they are, they still have constitutional rights and the basic conditions that we have to provide for them that we have no choice in that matter.”
Eliminating blind entries
One of the important aspects of a new jail is safety, both for staff and inmates.
In the new design, the jail officer at the command center can see inside of every cell in every pod without relying upon a camera or a small window into the pod.
“Each cell, unlike now, each one of these cells also will have cameras in them. So all your shenanigans happen inside the cell, because we can’t see in the cell,” White said.
Currently, inmates have the ability to use paper to block the window and throw wet toilet paper at the camera to block that view.
“This creates a safe environment, one for the inmates, because if there’s a fight, we can see it,” White said of the new facility. “Whereas now we have no idea until we go back and review footage… Plus if we have to make entry, we don’t know what we’re entering. We have no idea; we can’t see.”
White said it is impossible to change that in the current facility.
Miller said this means officers have to enter the block blind.
“You have no idea what’s on the other side of it,” he said. “Not only is that an issue for the staff, it’s an issue for the inmates because when they do that, it prolongs our entrance into that block to stop whatever may be happening in there.”
When that happens, a road officer has to be dispatched to the jail. That officer could be in one of the far-flung parts of the county, requiring 20 minutes or more just to get to the facility.
In addition, the design of the booking desk in the current facility poses a risk to the jail officer booking them, as they can simply walk around the desk.
“When I worked in here, we had one jail officer that was on
the floor and almost handcuffed with their own handcuffs before the other officer heard him yell and was able to get around here and get to him, so it does happen,” Miller said.
The new facility eliminates that risk.
“This jail is so much more secure than that one. It meets all ADA standards. The safety for our officers and the inmates is absolutely amazing,” White said.
Future-proofing the facility
As the project becomes a reality, Snodgrass and White stressed the importance of building for the future. There’s a balance between setting the facility up to be used for the full 70 years and trimming costs.
Snodgrass worked in the previous jail, before the current one was built.
“In my opinion, you always want to build for the future in something that’s this expensive, that’s going to be around that long, not for what works for today; it needs to be bigger than what you need today,” he said.
Snodgrass said that when the current jail opened in 1988, it featured 36 beds. It quickly became too small and was expanded to 72 beds by adding extra beds in the cells. This caused more wear and tear on the infrastructure.
White said that the 112-bed facility is essential to the future because it has parts that cannot be expanded upon later should the county ever need another pod added on to the facility. The idea of the need for a second pod isn’t far-fetched.
White and Hobbs, who was sheriff for two terms before White, said that the maximum that the current jail has had in the last decade was 104 inmates.
Prior to COVID, the jail averaged between 70 and 80 inmates on any given day.
With the pandemic came changes to presentencing guidelines and the ability to release those who are accused on their own recognizance, and that has meant that the average population is between 40 and 60.
“To be honest with you right now, if we were to go out and serve every warrant that is active in the county right now, we’d fill this thing up double,” Miller said. “That’s just kind of how it goes.”
In addition, potential legislative changes could mean that the Level 5 felons are eventually housed at the local level, not just Level 6 felons and those with misdemeanor charges.
White also pointed to the potential loss of
Circuit Court II, which was nearly cut by the legislature this past year. He said that would cause a delay in the courts that would increase the inmate count as well.
As part of the design, the rec area for the new facility includes a toilet and a shower. This means, in a pinch due to a temporary increase in inmates, the new facility could house more inmates by putting portable beds called boats in the area.
Miller also explained that it’s very rare that the current jail could hold 72 inmates and properly classify them.
“You have to understand that when you’re talking about the population of inmates, a 72 bed count… that means physically we have a place for 72 people to lay their heads,” Miller said. “According to jail standards and different statutes, we’re required to classify inmates.”
That requirement began in 2014 and requires that inmates be segregated not only between men and women but also by the type of crime. They are also required to house codefendants separately. If the county were to build the 104-bed facility, it would lose adequate group holding and detox holding cells. White explained that these cannot be added on later, as they would require tearing down the sallyport, expanding the secure part of the jail and then rebuilding the sallyport.
“You can’t go back. Once it’s done, it’s done, and you lose that forever,” White said.
White also addressed why the site of the current jail isn’t adequate for a new jail. There are power line easements that would have to be relocated and three residences that would have to be purchased, in addition to the logistics and cost of housing Owen County’s inmates elsewhere for at least 18 months while the jail is being built. These all significantly drive up the cost. It also means the county could never add another pod on, if needed.
“We shoot ourselves in the foot in the future,” White said.
There is a joint meeting of the county council and the county commissioners at 5 p.m. on July 13. Details on the considerations, comments and concerns from the county council as well as coverage of the jail committee meeting that took place last week can be found on the Owen News’ website, theowennews.org.
“The song and dance is over,” Hobbs said. “We have to move forward because we don’t want to waste any more money.”
Spring Patriot Award winner honored during banquet
like a mortgage or bank loan and — paired with a buildoperate-transfer (BOT) model — are fated to fund almost all of Owen County’s proposed jail project.
the BOT model for the project to protect the county and taxpayers, Owen County Sheriff Ryan White said.
for the county and the taxpayer,” White said. “It is a system that provides protection so that we’re not getting charged beyond what we have and what we can afford.”
With this model, which the county is using for the first time, it enters a contract with the jail builder that sets a maximum amount of money for the project, known as a Guaranteed Maxium Price or GMP. So, if the builder exceeds that amount, the excess costs are their responsibility, not the county and its taxpayers.
The BOT model also does not require a bidding process, White said. The selected contractor can find a company it is familiar with and has a relationship with. The county also may use local subcontractors they know and have used before.
The BOT model became an option for governmental bodies in 2022, when Senate Enrolled Act 166 went into effect and allowed those entities to finance projects with public-private agreements.
However, the jail project is different from other ways governments use the BOT model, like for a subway system or roadway, which can collect fares and tolls. Typically, the company involved in building the project would operate it for a contracted amount of time until they reimburse themselves for the costs. After,
but is funding the construction through bonds. These are initially backed by using the Owen County Courthouse as collateral. Once the construction is complete, the jail itself becomes the collateral for the bonds.
Jeff Peters, the county’s municipal adviser for the project, said a county jail doesn’t act as collateral in the same way that a house might for a mortgage.
“Nobody would have a use for it other than the county,” he said. “So the security and the repayment comes from the taxpayers that utilize the jail or have the jail utilized on their behalf.”
Peters’ job is to serve as the fiduciary for the county and look out for its best interests to ensure it gets a fair deal that meets all of its needs and requirements in the open market transaction.
In this case, the companies involved in building the jail are Build BW and Garmong Construction Services. Garmong specializes in BOTs, White said, and will act as a liaison between Build BW and the county commissioners. The county also entered into an agreement with Elevatus Architecture firm.
To fund the project, the county plans to use county resident income taxes, which are set by the county council. Governments can also use property tax repayments,
Owen Valley High School Patriot Award winner for the spring season, Noah Hall (right) is pictured with Owen Valley High School Athletic Director Brad Greene at the 2026 Spring Sports Banquet that took place on June 9. Hall broke a long standing school record for high jump this year.
AARON LAGRANGE | THE OWEN NEWS
county’s growth. A higher population results in more people contributing to the money garnered from income taxes.
money into $5,000 increments. Then, those increments are sold to a “broad market of people” who buy and resell them “to the people who most want that certain amount of debt and interest income.”
In return, the county gets the lowest interest rate it can.
“As different buyers bid against each other to buy these securities, they obviously accept lower and lower yields,” Peters said. “So, therefore, the interest costs to Owen County and its taxpayers are going to be less.”
One benefit of municipal bonds for Owen County taxpayers is that they are tax exempt, Peters said. Therefore, the people who buy the bonds get a smaller, untaxable yield or interest rate. The county and its residents, in return, are anticipated to pay about 4.5 percent, a much smaller interest rate for the bonds than they would at a commercial bank loan or mortgage, Peters said.
Municipal bonds can reach maturity, or reach the point where the issuer repays the initial amount borrowed, in as little as one year. The county jail project will mature in about 20 years, Peters said. Each year, the county will pay back part of the bond.
However, White said, the county could repay the bond several years earlier, depending on the
The proposed jail is expected to cost between $37.4 and $38.5 million total, depending on the chosen jail design. About $4 million is already reserved from the county levying income taxes from residents over roughly the past six years. Municipal bonds will fund the remainder.
Although the securities will be repaid by income taxes, the back stop, or safety net, is property taxes. Owen County has “no anticipation of using property tax to pay it back, but it makes for the best security in the market,” Peters said.
As a result, bond holders are more comfortable with buying the debts and therefore accept smaller yields and charge less interest, Peters said.
For funding a large capital project such as the jail, there are a few other options. One of these is a bank loan — a bond funded by a single bank. However, Peters said, banks typically charge higher interest rates and want debt that is 10 years in length or less. The county’s plan to use an open market, where the bond is split into small pieces, results in lower interest costs for the county and its taxpayers, he said.
Another option would be for the county to continue saving up money until it could pay for the jail in cash, like it has with the $4 million. The county is 15 to 20 years away from that, Peters said, which is not a feasible length of time for the shape the jail is in. Right now, the jail is not in compliance, White said.
“None of us want to build a jail,” White said. “That’s not what we want to do. There’s lots of things that I
would rather do, law enforcement related, or that helps the community in other ways. But if we don’t [build a jail], and we end up being sued, then it’s gonna cost every taxpayer a whole lot more in property tax, because they would have to raise the taxes to pay for the lawsuit.”
Additionally, the cost of building a new jail will continue to grow by about $2.5 million each year, White said.
“Waiting is not in our favor,” he said. “The only way it’s gonna be cheaper is if you do it sooner than later.”
The Herald-Times reported former Owen County Sheriff Sam Hobbs said a new jail would have cost $12 million in 2015 and according to The Spencer Evening World, in 2021, a new jail was expected to cost $20 million. Due to inflation and rising costs, the cost of building a new jail has grown by approximately $15 million in five years to reach the $37.4 and $38.5 million total expected in 2026. When jail construction begins, White said he will be consistently involved with the contractor and subcontractors, giving input on security decisions.
Some logistics of funding are uncertain, Peters said. The county council can’t vote on income tax rates and allocations again until July 1, 2028, and must do so before Oct. 1 that year. Along with that, the state legislature meets again in 2027 for a long legislative session, and again, in 2028 for a short session, before the council can vote.
So, the state legislature may change the rules and the allocations before that time, Peters said.
The council’s goal is to not have to raise the income tax rate, but the future is up in the air.
It’s Just a Country State of Mind: The little house outback
By Susan Anderson Guest Columnist
attended an auction. It was out in the country at someone’s house.
They had restrooms set up for people, but I couldn’t help but notice something out of the corner of my eye that was more historical than any of the antiques that the auctioneer was offering up. It was an outhouse.
Now some of you might not be old enough to remember what they are,
but they were usually an old, wooden, small, outside building no bigger than a closet. It had a bench to sit on that had a hole in it. A hole was dug out underneath, so that a person could sit to relieve themselves.
In other words, it was the equivalent of a modern bathroom. This was before running water and electricity.
And I thought since it’s the 250th anniversary of our country, what better thing to write about than a piece of history. It just shows you what modern progress has brought us.
I became so
fascinated by the subject that I went to the local library to do research on outhouses. I also used the Internet.
Now before you start thinking that this writer is one outhouse short of a door, this is something that was historical before modern technology. Even my parents talked about how they had one when they were children. I couldn’t fathom the idea when I was six-years-old when they were talking about it, but that’s a story for another time.
From colonial times through the early 20th century, these simple wooden structures were placed 50 to
100 yards from homes to manage waste, while the iconic crescent moon on the door was used to provide light and ventilation.
Back in the day, it sparked widespread historical debate. Crescent moons supposedly represented the women’s facility while a circle or sun shape represented the men’s facilities. This way there could be no confusion.
Sometimes the outhouse was called the privy.
Today, outhouses are mainly built for decoration, even though I suspect some people use
them for the real purpose.
Actual outhouse legality is decided by the states and county health departments. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates human waste disposal to prevent groundwater contamination and disease transmission. The EPA does provide guidance to the states.
The transition to indoor plumbing swept through wealthy urban areas in the mid-19th century, but rural parts of the United States continued to rely on outhouses well into the mid-20th century. Today,
these historical structures survive only on historic farm steads, in parks and at outdoor events.
Our country has come so far in the last couple hundred years, but we still have so far to go. You have to hand it to the inventors and innovators of our times. Where would we be without them?
In any case, this was a little bit of humor thrown into a great big birthday that’s coming up. Happy 250th birthday to the United States of America!
