We're "ON" It! - The Owen News

From left, former Gosport VFW Post 7850 Commander Mike Oakes, Post Commander David Cornett, state auxiliary president Carolyn Patch and 2026-2027 State Commander Dave “Muffin” Hammons pose for a photo next to the 80th anniversary celebration banner. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS

Attendees enjoyed free hamburgers, hotdogs and sides as part of the 80th anniversary celebration for the Gosport VFW Post 7850 on July 11. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS

The monument commemorating the 80th anniversary of Gosport VFW Post 7850, which was founded on June 24, 1946 can be seen. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS

A cake celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Gosport VFW Post 7850 can be seen. NICOLE DECRISCIO | THE OWEN NEWS

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A new patriotic mural was officially dedicated on July 4 as part of the “Spencer Celebrates 250” block party hosted by Spencer Main Street and VFW Post #1405. The Independence Day celebration drew local families and veterans to North Washington Street, between East Morgan and East Franklin Streets, for an afternoon of free public entertainment and a historic tribute to local military service.

The day featured family-friendly festivities, including a bounce house and face painting, alongside live musical performances. Food and refreshments were offered throughout the afternoon by Civilian Brewing Corps and Post #1405.

The centerpiece and a special remembrance

The centerpiece of the celebration featured the official dedication of a new patriotic mural on the east side of Post #1405. The VFW Honor Guard kicked off the ceremony with a formal presentation before a crowd of local families and veterans.

Prior to the ceremony, the artist and organizers had the honor and privilege of remembering Army veteran and VFW Post #1405 member Mike Barger, the late husband of Past Department President and current Secretary of the VFW Post #1405 Auxiliary Sharron Barger. In a deeply moving tribute, Mike’s family mixed a small handful of his ashes into the paint, forever making Mike a part of this commemorative mural as they placed their own brushstrokes onto the wall, filling in the words “VFW Post 1405.”

Completion of the mural was made possible through the financial support of the Owen County Community Foundation, Wally DeFord, Rob Babbs, the Spencer Exchange Club, the Sons of the American Legion and the Spencer VFW Post #1405 and Auxiliary.

The artist behind the vision

The vibrant artwork was painted by neighboring Monroe County resident Adam Long. Remarkably, Long has no formal art training—having studied elementary education and business at Franklin College—and didn’t begin painting professionally until the age of 40. Today, he and his wife, Nicole, live in Smithville with their daughter, Lorene Maree.

Long noted that Owen County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marce Johnson came up with the original design concept for the project, while he added his “own spin with vivid colors and life.”

It took Long an estimated 20 hours to complete the piece on the VFW wall—a process made richer by the community itself.

“I enjoyed seeing many old friends stop by and made several new friends,” Long shared. “People were inviting!”

Reflecting on the unique addition of Mike Barger’s ashes to the artwork, Long noted the profound emotional weight of the project.

“Public art often tells the stories of communities, but this piece now carries something even deeper—the memory of a man who served his country and the love of the family who continues to carry his legacy forward,” Long said.

This is not Long’s first landmark piece in the area; in early 2025, he created a memorable mural for Travis and Krista Dill at their property along West State Road 46. For that project, Long quickly built upon an initial flag and eagle concept, expanding it over an estimated 40 hours to incorporate the scenic falls at McCormick’s Creek State Park, alongside “Spencer, Indiana” and the name of the couple’s business, KMSJ Services.

To contact the artist or to view more of his portfolio, visit “Adam Long” or “Art Happens” on Facebook.

A deeply rooted history of service

Following the Honor Guard’s presentation, Owen County Historian Tony Neff took the podium to deliver an insightful keynote address.

Neff explicitly connected the national milestone to local heritage, noting that July 4, 2026, marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, PA.

“This momentous event cannot be overstated,” Neff said. “Because the signing of the Declaration of Independence is the foundation stone of the world’s oldest modern constitutional democracy: Our United States of America.”

Neff walked the crowd through the earliest days of local settlement, pointing out that when Indiana became the 19th state in 1816, the first pioneers arrived in what would become Owen County.

He noted that in November of that year, Phillip Hart, his family, and James Bigger settled on the land where Boston Scientific is located today, just a few years before Spencer became the county seat in 1820.

Owen County’s lifelong connection to American conflict

The central theme of Neff’s address was the unbroken line of military service that defines local families.

He highlighted that Owen County residents have participated in every single American war, insurrection or expedition since 1776. Reading from an original Revolutionary War recruiting flyer that called on “all brave, healthy, able bodied and well-disposed young men” to join General George Washington, Neff emphasized that this exact mindset has long been the norm for the county.

“Revolutionary War, Indian Wars and War of 1812 veterans settled in Owen County,” Neff explained, crediting research by local historian and veteran journalist Dixie Richardson for identifying 34 American Revolutionary War veterans who made the county their home. “Owen County and Spencer are named after soldiers who died in the Battle of Tippecanoe: Colonel Abraham Owen and Captain Spier Spencer, both from Kentucky.”

The symbols on the wall

Turning the crowd’s attention to Long’s newly unveiled artwork, Neff broke down the deliberate historical and patriotic symbolism crafted into the design.

“The mural we are dedicating today shows the American flag and the freedom and unity it symbolizes,” Neff shared. “An American Eagle and the strength, independence and resilience it symbolizes. A WWI Doughboy in the heat of battle, showing the courage, honor, patriotism and the sacrifices of our veterans.”

Local heroes: The Cassady cousins

Neff illustrated that courage by sharing the remarkable, interwoven histories of two Spencer High School graduates from the class of 1914 who went on to serve with distinct heroism in both World Wars.

The first, Captain Thomas G. Cassady of Freedom, bypassed a medical career to volunteer as an ambulance driver in France in 1916. He later joined the French Foreign Legion, became a fighter pilot and shot down five German planes.

When the United States entered WWI, he joined the U.S. Air Service and claimed four more aerial victories. On the day Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, Cassady was called back to duty by the Secretary of the Navy to serve as an undercover agent in Vichy France, where he endured a year of German imprisonment before being exchanged. He concluded his service as a Chief Intelligence Officer for the OSS in newly liberated Paris.

The second hero, Admiral John H. Cassady, served in the Navy during WWI and rose to command the famed aircraft carrier Enterprise in the Pacific theater during WWII. Neff revealed an extraordinary piece of naval trivia regarding his appointment.

“In 1943, Admiral Cassady took over the command of the aircraft carrier Enterprise in the Pacific from Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix, who was also born in Spencer, and who also served in both WWI and WWII,” Neff told the crowd, noting that Mullinnix tragically went down with his ship later that year. “This is the only time in Navy History where a major Navy ship command was exchanged where both Admirals were from the same small town, Spencer.”

A lasting tribute

Closing his address, Neff emphasized that the vibrant new imagery on the VFW wall serves as a visual testament to the continuous protection of American liberty.

“In conclusion; this powerful, 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence mural, by the Spencer VFW Post #1405, we dedicate today, exemplifies our veterans’ role in establishing and maintaining our nation and the freedoms we enjoy,” Neff said, offering a final word of gratitude to the community and a blessing for the country. “For 250 years, the story of America has been shaped by the service and sacrifices of the brave men and women who answered the call of duty.”

The new mural now stands as a permanent fixture in downtown Spencer, ensuring that the legacy of Owen County’s veterans—now physically and spiritually holding the memory of heroes like Mike Barger—continues to greet and inspire residents for generations to come.

After more than a year of delays, the Owen County Circuit may make a decision on Quentin Lamont Porter, Jr.’s involvement in the murder of Malik Darea Sims this month.

Porter’s trial is set to begin 9 a.m. July 21 at the Owen County Courthouse. Porter, 27, was charged with one count of murder for the death of Sims, 23, shortly after the man’s body was found by a passerby July 15, 2024 off Stephenson Road near the Owen-Monroe county line. 

An autopsy report determined Sims was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. He was found about 20 feet from the road wearing red gym shorts, a white tank top, no shoes and had a black plastic bag pulled over his head. Evidence technicians also found what they believed to be related blood and glass fragments.

While law enforcement was at the crime scene, an individual appeared and told them that by using “Find my iPhone” software he could see Sims’ location had been at the spot he was found for at least 20 hours, according to a probable cause affidavit. Law enforcement preliminarily identified the body as Sims.

Another individual, Sims’ friend and roommate, showed up to the scene at about 5:25 p.m. and told investigators he last saw Sims at about 1 p.m. the day before. He later said he saw Sims after 2 p.m. that day with Porter on the front porch of their apartment.

Detectives also spoke to Sims’ girlfriend, who said Sims sent her a Snapchat message mentioning Porter the day before he was found. It said, “Be this ni**a QP got me going through some bulls***.”

Using Flock Safety data and cameras, law enforcement tracked Sims’ gray 2012 Audi A4 and found it was driven to an Indianapolis address registered to Porter’s grandmother on July 14, 2024. As of December 2025, more than 1,800 Flock license plate reader cameras operate in at least 80 Indiana counties and can track drivers in real time. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for the residence on July 16, 2024, and did not find Porter there at the time, according to the affidavit. 

During the search, Porter’s grandmother and family members told officers Porter arrived at the residence in the Audi A4 at 11 p.m. on July 14, 2024, and told them the vehicle “was going to be his” after being asked if it belonged to him.

Indiana State Police evidence technicians processed the vehicle on July 17, 2024, and found a large amount of blood, bleach traces and spray paint on parts of the interior, as well as seat covers that led police to believe Porter had attempted to clean up or conceal the blood, the affidavit stated.

Using a receipt and surveillance video, ISP found that a man matching a picture of Porter had purchased seat covers and duct tape found in Sims’ vehicle at 10:22 a.m. on July 15, 2024, from O’Reilly Auto Parts.

At about 9 p.m. on July 17 2024, someone called JL Transport Towing and Recovery in Bloomington to tow what they said was a 2012 or 2013 Audi from Porter’s grandmother’s address to an auto care shop in Bloomington. The caller paid $400 for the towing with the same credit card used to purchase the items from O’Reilly, according to the affidavit.

The Owen County Sheriff’s Department arrested Porter with assistance from the Bloomington Police Department, ISP and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Porter is also facing two level 6 felony charges for auto theft and identity deception, as well as two misdemeanor theft charges. His trial was previously slated for Jan. 20, 2026, but was delayed to July after Owen Circuit Court I Judge Don VanDerMoere II declared a mistrial. 

Of the 120 jury questionnaires sent out for Porter’s trial, 42 were not returned. The court was left with two open juror seats and only one potential juror remaining. 

In May 2025, Porter appeared in court to face related but separate charges of escape and battery against a public safety official, level 5 and 6 felonies. He was found guilty on both counts.

During the July trial, Porter will be represented by public defenders Jacob Fish and Megan Joan Schueler. Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim would like to remind everyone that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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.

Owen 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 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 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 had 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 pre-sentencing 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, the 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 pointed to the potential loss for 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.

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 into 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. 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. 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."

The former Bloomington High School North school resource officer charged with a felony count of child 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 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 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 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 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 8:15 a.m. on July 7.