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

Owners Josh Singh (left) and Harry Singh, pictured alongside employee Prince Singh (right), welcome customers to their new convenience store and Shell gas station at 5720 Main St. in Freedom. In addition to standard convenience store staples like snacks, beer, wine, and fountain drinks, BJ Market serves hot food items - including chicken and breakfast sandwiches - and will soon feature made-to-order options through an upcoming partnership with Hunt Brothers Pizza. The business is now open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. TRAVIS CURRY | THE OWEN NEWS

Robert Boltinghouse took the lead of the Owen Valley High School Patriots seven years ago, after spending about 15 years as a special education teacher, athletic director, assistant principal and middle school principal in other districts.

In the fall, Boltinghouse will return to Edgewood High School, the school he taught at for eight years and graduated from in 1998, as principal. He hopes to bring the skill set he developed at OVHS, his vision for career pathway development and philosophy of individualizing education for students.

Despite a slightly larger student body and change of day to day scenery, Boltinghouse’s goal stays the same.

“It’ll be the same mission at Edgewood,” Boltinghouse said. “No matter who you are, no matter where you go, leave it better than you found it.”

Andy Cline, Spencer-Owen Community Schools Superintendent, has worked with Boltinghouse since he began as superintendent five years ago. He said Edgewood is receiving a student-driven principal.

“He will be thinking about the kids first in whatever capacity that may be, whether it’s academics, or the arts or athletics,” Cline said. “He will always put those students first. He’ll look to support those kids and their families in whatever ways he can.”

OVHS legacy

At OVHS, Boltinghouse helped develop a career pathway program containing about 20 options that give students the opportunity to tailor their high school education to explore a career of their choice and integrate them into the community to gain experience.

It was a team effort, Boltinghouse said, that required a supportive staff, teachers and guidance department to work together to focus on individual students and interests while equipping them with skills they could use after graduation.

Derek Morgan, S-OCS School Board President, said he thinks of Boltinghouse as a “bold and decisive leader,” qualities that make him an asset for Edgewood.

“He is somebody who sees a problem, and identifies a path forward and pursues that path and goes at it with force,” Morgan said. “He doesn’t sit back and wait for things to get worse.”

Both Cline and Morgan pointed to Boltinghouse’s work to revitalize OVHS through an inclusive culture and fun atmosphere. One project the principal executed was placing bright graphics and phrases around the school. They made students feel seen, like they were a part of something, Morgan said.

“That’s been something he’s worked hard at and something that I think is going to be a lasting legacy in that building,” Morgan said. “I think everybody should strive to make the place better than they found it, and I fully believe that he’s left it better than he found it.”

Boltinghouse said he tried to stretch the money from the school’s Coca-Cola sponsorship to take care of and show appreciation for teachers and revitalize the school. OVHS was in good shape and well maintained, he said, but “very bland and very boring.”

“We wanted the student body to have an identity,” Boltinghouse said.

The project, parts of which used district money and local sponsors, included bright, Patriot-themed wraps on the gym doors, a track and field record board and signs with phrases like “Proud to be a Patriot” and “Patriot Proud.” Outside, at the front of the school, blue channel letters light up to spell “Home of the Patriots,” a way to market the school from State Road 46, Boltinghouse said.

When Boltinghouse first came to OVHS, he would hear people say things like, “What do you expect? This is Owen County,” an outlook he believes stunted students from seeing they could succeed and achieve.

The signage and “Patriot Nation” mantra came from his desire to remind students on a daily basis that they belong.

“They start to build a belief and a pride in themselves, that no matter what they want to do, college, workforce, military, that they could go out and they could achieve those things,” Boltinghouse said. “I think that has shifted. Kids take pride in what they’re doing.”

Plans for Edgewood High School

Edgewood leadership had given him opportunities to return to the school in the past, but it never felt like the right time, Boltinghouse said. This year, Edgewood principal Dirk Ackerman is retiring, with Boltinghouse’s role to officially begin July 1.

Taking the lead of the Edgewood Mustangs this fall felt like an opportune chance to use his skill set in career pathway development and keep the momentum the school already created going. Boltinghouse specifically believed he could help the school bolster its hands-on learning opportunities.

“It’s a chance to go home,” Cline said. “There’s always high expectations going home. Just take the best things that you have and go home and make your hometown better. That’s what I’ve always said to him in our conversations.”

Following some construction down the line, Edgewood is set to be one of the first schools in the state to offer opportunities in robotic manufacturing and the addition of a medical-related wing for a medical pathway program in partnership with Cook Medical and Boston Scientific.

Just like in Owen County, Boltinghouse plans to reconnect with people he knew while growing up in the area and build connections with the businesses and organizations in the community to connect the school and students with chances for experience.

“To be back at Edgewood, I told them in the interview, this is not just a job for me,” Boltinghouse said. “This is something that I take very serious, but it’s also kind of an honor to be back and serve the same community that invested so much in me.”

Making the decision to move schools was difficult and bittersweet, Boltinghouse said. But, the move was about his vision and where the Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation is headed.

“I was definitely not out shopping for jobs,” Boltinghouse said. “I probably would not have left for anything but Edgewood, and it just had to be the right time, right place.”

New principal search

Owen Valley’s search for a new principal is already underway, with about 18 applicants, Cline said. The hiring committee has begun reviewing applications and holding interviews for the position and is expected to narrow down a finalist soon, Cline said.

“He will be missed, and he has made a positive impact on our kids,” Cline said. “But as we move forward, we’ll try and find a person with similar qualities, and who has an endearment towards our community and our kids.”

Council to consider initiating bond process after favorable financial review

Owen County is now closer than ever to beginning the long-awaited jail project.

With a site selected, prospective negotiations to lower utility infrastructure costs and a more favorable financial position, the process of issuing government bonds for the project could begin at the June 8 County Council meeting.

The Owen County Council heard a presentation from financial advisor Jeff Peters on the county's financial position at its May meeting. Peters is with Peters Franklin based in Indianapolis.

Peters has been a longtime adviser on the county’s finances, especially in pursuing the construction of a new jail.

In the update given by Peters, he said that the implementation of a new local income tax structure has been pushed back from 2027 to 2028 due to activity in the state legislature. This means that the earliest Owen County would see additional income tax revenue is 2029. This restructures the local income tax to consolidate the separate local income tax (LIT) funds into one, eliminating the jail LIT and the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) LIT.

Additionally, 25 percent of the revenue from one of the income tax levies had to be sent to municipalities. A new formula has changed the percentage, which is now based on the proportionate share of the municipality's population. This means more of that income tax revenue will go to the county.

“Based on the best information we have today, the way the legislation is written, your income stream is better than what we had previously anticipated for that reason,” Peters said. “The good news is based on the new jail project site and the two estimates that have been delivered, which is an option of 104 beds or 112 beds, we believe that you can fund either one of those scenarios based on these things we’re going to walk through.”

Peters also cited a growing income tax base for the county. The county saw a 4.3 percent increase from 2023 to 2024, the most recent year for which audited income tax receipts are available. He said that this means that income tax revenue for the operational side of the county’s budget is sufficient and growing.

“We would believe that you will have sufficient income tax revenue along with your other revenue to meet the needs that you’re going to have going forward and be able to cover the inflation on that,” he said. “If you think there are some big issues coming up where that’s not going to be true, then we probably want to talk about that because that is one of the primary assumptions, that you’re going to have enough revenue to do everything you wanted to do.”

He said that, based on this information, the county could support an annual debt service of $2.745 million for the new jail facility.

The 104-bed version of the facility would have an annual debt service of $2.25 million, while the 112-bed version would have $2.65 million.

The difference, beyond the number of beds available and price, also lies in the number of holding and detox cells in the area adjacent to what would be the sally port. If the county later needed to add to this portion of the facility, both the cost and the scope of work could pose challenges. For example, to add to that portion of the facility, they would have to tear down the sally port, expand the holding area and then rebuild it.

If the county runs into issues in the future funding the jail project through the current income tax levy, it can increase the levy to 2.9 percent, up from the current 2.5 percent. A 0.1 percent difference comes out to approximately $550,000 annually.

“I still think under the model that we’ve talked about before, at this point, you can stay at the 2.5 percent and fund everything that you want to do,” Peters said.

This honors the council’s desire not to raise property taxes to fund the jail project.

That being said, in order to move forward with the jail project before the income tax revenue comes through in 2029, the county will have payments due in 2027 and 2028 totaling approximately $3 million. The county ended 2025 with $6.5 million in cash reserves in the general fund, which is roughly a year’s worth of operating cash, according to Peters.

“That’s a great benefit to you and shows that you have been diligent about saving that money going forward,” he said.

Currently, the county also has $2.5 million in economic development, $1.6 million in their public safety LIT and $4 million in the correctional facility LIT funds.

“But as we had talked about before in the model that we had developed, we were going to take all of that $4 million, pledge it toward the project to buy down the bond size, so that’s already been accounted for and spent,” Peters said.

Doing so helps save on interest and total principal, and Peters said that it is possible to spend cash reserves on making the debt payments in 2027 and 2028.

Councilman Nick Robertson asked if the county’s financial position looked better than it did when Peters last presented information to them four months ago.

“It does, and the three biggest points on that is the formula that made you share with cities and towns got better to your benefit. We saw a 4.3 percent actual increase in your income tax base in the county, so that shows that you’re growing and the ability to share four percent of your income tax toward EMS is a big safeguard if you foresee a problem when we get into the future years,” Peters said.

Councilman Anton Neff asked about using the $4 million in the jail facility LIT to fund the debt service payment.

“In the model, we’ve already committed it to buy down the bond, so it’s already been committed to the project itself. If you want to utilize that, I think that’s an option, and we would just go back, pull the $4 million out and up the debt service. So instead of being $2.5 or $2.6 million, now it might be $2.75 and $2.8 million,” Peters said of the rates.

Neff pointed out that the county could also sell the property that the current jail and storage units sit on in order to help with the shortfall in year two after the jail is built.

Although that could not take place until the new facility is finished, which will take about 18 months.

Those two properties have not yet been appraised to know how much the county could make from the sale.

The total cost of the project, including purchasing the 17 acres between Walmart and the Owen County Family YMCA and the necessary sewer upgrades, would be $38.5 million for a 112-bed facility or $37.4 million for a 104-bed facility.

Neff did not share Peters’ optimism on the county’s financial position.

“I’m going to still need some time to look at these numbers, but I still think we’re scraping it pretty thin here. We’re on thin ice with these kinds of numbers, and it may sound good on paper,” he said. “I don’t think it takes into account the distribution to other units of government, which the state legislature in the next session will definitely be tinkering with again. So we’ve got to be careful about banking on the entire capacity because we may end up having to give some of that capacity up to support the towns, support the library, support the schools, because they’re all going to want their share.”

County Auditor Sheila Reeves asked if it was feasible for the council to be able to move forward with a decision at their June meeting.

“It’s really up to you as the fiscal body and what assumptions and risks you’re willing to accept at this point from the bond selling part of it,” Peters said.

He said that the county has demonstrated the needed reasonable expectation that they could pay the bond through income tax and not property tax. To do the latter, the council would have to begin demonstrating that property tax revenue could support it. That isn’t how the council wants to move forward.

In addition, the courthouse will serve as the initial security collateral for the bond's interest payments during construction as long as the value is considered equal to or greater than their interest payments due on the bonds. Once construction is complete and the county has the jail facility and property back in its possession, following the BOT or Build-Operate-Transfer process.

Robertson asked what Peters would think if he were a resident of Owen County.

“You made a commitment to build a jail based on income taxes that you imposed twice. I think you need to build a jail and try to pay for it with income taxes, and at this point in time, you have the ability to do that,” Peters said.

Councilman Joe Frye asked if Peters had seen counties in worse financial positions.

Peters said he had but that when he started working with Owen County six or seven years ago, the county was close to one of the worst that he has seen.

“I think operationally you’re in real good shape. If you need to undertake a project, which you all agree you should, you have the means to do it at this point in time,” Peters said. “I don’t think you’re in bad shape now. I think you were.”

Frye asked Peters what his vote would be if he were on the council.

“It would be yes. It’d go back to [the fact that] you as a fiscal body made an obligation when you raised those taxes to replace the jail, and if you have a viable option to do it, I think you know the time has come,” Peters said.

He added that the price of the jail project six or seven years ago was not $37 or $38 million.

“And it’s not going to get any cheaper,” Council President Polly Chesser said.

Peters will be at the council’s next meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. June 8 in the Commissioners’ Room on the second floor of the Owen County Courthouse, 60 S. Main St., Spencer.

With the acquisition of property along the White River, MYPath was extended another 2,000 feet toward its ultimate goal of connecting with McCormick’s Creek State Park (MCSP).

The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) and the Owen County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) secured the property at 1375 River Road, which will connect MYPath to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ boat ramp on River Road. A hiking trail will be improved along the river side of the road.

“MYPath is proving to be a popular trail and gathering spot in Owen County. We are excited to be able to expand this trail and offer even more recreational opportunities for the community,” said Janet Rummel, CEO of the Owen County Community Foundation.

One feature of the new trail is the Limestone Ledge, a rock shelf that is about eight feet wide and 600 feet long. Though White River floods of six feet and higher cover the ledge, most of the time it is a scenic feature that is used for fishing and hiking.

“This new property will add to the educational programming we provide to farmers and other county residents,” said Tammy Bingham, Executive Director of the SWCD. “Recently we have hosted Master Naturalist and Hoosier Riverwatch programs. This new property will be an excellent fit.”

Once completed, the new trail will end within a mile and a half of the McCormick’s Creek State Park gatehouse. Trail advocates and the park are considering options for the next step for the trail, which is connecting to Indiana’s first state park.

MYPath is a project of the Owen County Community Foundation. They have been partnering with SWCD on the trail along the White River. The OCCF purchases the land for the SWCD, and MYPath is granted a right-of-way for the trail.

S-OCS Legacy Award recipients named

Spencer-Owen Community Schools (S-OCS) celebrated its educators recently during the corporation’s annual End of the Year Staff Celebration, highlighting the 2026 Legacy Award recipients. This year's honorees were nominated by Owen Valley High School (OVHS) seniors, who selected educators who made a lasting impact on their journeys through elementary, middle and high school.

The distinguished 2026 honorees include: Jeanne Gee (Patricksburg Elementary School), Matt Cazzell (McCormick’s Creek Elementary School), Brad Garrison (Spencer Elementary School), Shelly Roofe (Gosport Elementary School), Marc Ruble (Owen Valley Middle School) and Cathy Woodruff (OVHS).

GES teacher named Indiana D.A.R.E. Teacher of the Year

Shelly Roofe, a teacher at Gosport Elementary School (GES), was named D.A.R.E. Indiana Teacher of the Year. Roofe was honored at an awards ceremony held at the Governor’s Residence on May 13.

The award is presented by D.A.R.E. Indiana to an educator who demonstrates exceptional dedication to fostering student safety, teaching drug abuse resistance and who consistently goes above and beyond in implementing D.A.R.E. lessons to positively influence young students.

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

OVHS Band earns ISSMA All-Music Award

The Owen Valley High School (OVHS) Band has officially earned the prestigious ISSMA All-Music Award for the 2025–2026 school year. Presented by the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA), the award recognizes music programs that achieve exemplary "Gold" ratings across all major sanctioned musical events.

This latest accolade keeps a historic streak alive: OVHS has captured the honor every single year since the award’s inception in 2018–2019. With this achievement, Owen Valley remains part of an elite group, standing as one of only nine schools in the entire state of Indiana to maintain a perfect, uninterrupted streak of All-Music awards.

U.S. 231 drainage improvement project

Work is officially underway on a $2.6 million drainage improvement project on U.S. 231 south of Spencer. Drivers traveling between Old Highway 67 and Goose Creek Rd. should expect delays, as Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Crider and Crider, Inc. has reduced lanes to a strict 10-foot width limit in both directions.

The project, which began late last month, is scheduled to run through late July, weather permitting.

Sidewalk project underway in Freedom

Construction is officially underway on a sidewalk improvement project along U.S. 231 in Freedom. Drivers traveling between County Road 550 West and Freedom-Arney Rd. should expect delays, as Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Crider and Crider Inc. has implemented a strict 10-foot lane width restriction for both northbound and southbound traffic.

The ongoing project is part of a $2.6 million contract awarded in February 2026 and is slated for completion in late July, weather permitting.

‘Serving Owen County Together’

The sixth annual "Serving Owen County Together" community outreach event will take place June 27 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A rain date is scheduled for June 28 from 12 to 4 p.m. if needed.

The event is a collaborative partnership between Servant's Heart, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, For Bare Feet, Changing Footprints, and numerous local clubs, groups and churches. Together, they aim to share free resources with community members in need.

Attendees can access a wide variety of free items, including non-perishable food and drinks, clothing, socks and shoes, furniture and bedding, hygiene products and infant supplies. All items are free to those in need, and members of the community are encouraged to attend.

The event will take place in the front parking lot of the Owen Valley Middle School/High School complex. Parking will be available on the side and back of the schools.

Owen County Fair Baby Contest

Get ready for some serious cuteness! The 2026 Owen County Fair is hosting its annual Baby Contest on June 27 inside the 4-H Building. Embracing this year's patriotic fair theme, "America 250," the event kicks off at 10 a.m.

The contest is open exclusively to Owen County residents and features six different age groups ranging from newborns up to 35 months. Little ones will take the stage throughout the morning and early afternoon, with special awards up for grabs in each group for "Best Costume" and "Best Personality."

Parents, please note that registration takes place 30 minutes prior to your child's specific age group slot, and judging will begin promptly at the posted times. For the full schedule of age brackets or for general inquiries, visit the Owen County Fairgrounds Facebook page or call 812-828-7476.

Owen County Fair Little Miss & Mister Contest

The search is on for the next Little Miss and Mister of Owen County! The 2026 Owen County Fair has officially announced its annual pageant, which will take place July 5 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Show Arena. Held in conjunction with the Owen County Fair Queen Contest, this year's event embraces the patriotic fair theme, "America 250."

The contest is open exclusively to Owen County residents who are between the ages of five and seven (as of June 29, 2026). Parents looking to enter their children should note that pre-registration is required, along with a $15 entry fee. The hard deadline for turning in registration forms is 4 p.m. on June 15.

For more information or to request a registration form, call 812-821-1141.

Vintage Round-Robin Competition

An exciting showcase of showmanship is coming to the 2026 Owen County Fair. The Vintage Round-Robin Competition will take place July 9 at 8:30 p.m. inside the Show Arena.

This unique competition will challenge contestants to show 10 different animal species: cows, dairy cows, goats, sheep, rabbits, pigs, horses, dogs, cats and poultry. Participants will compete for a grand cash prize of $100.

Space is highly limited, as only the first 12 contestants to register will be allowed to compete. The registration fee is $20. Those interested in securing their spot should call 812-322-4322 to register today.

Annual Beach Bash Expo

Mark your calendars! The Owen County Health Department and Owen County Chamber of Commerce will host a Beach Bash Expo on July 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This exciting community event will take place at Owen Valley Middle School (OVMS), located at 626 IN-46, Spencer.

The expo is packed with incredible, free resources for local families, including vaccines and hearing screenings, backpacks filled with supplies, haircuts, clothing, socks and hygiene products (children must be present at the event to receive a backpack). The expo will also feature bounce houses, games, prizes, refreshments and a "Touch a Truck" experience.

Come out to connect with community partners, access vital resources and kick off the back-to-school season with some beach-themed fun!

On what would have been former Owen County Sheriff Harley Melton’s 91st birthday, the Owen County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) dedicated its new shooting range in his honor.

Melton was a four-term sheriff.

The range is located on county-owned land that was previously the Patricksburg landfill.

Prior to this range, the department trained on property owned by Melton, who has since passed away.

OCSD Chief Deputy Matt Miller gave the opening remarks, in which he highlighted what the department used prior to the new range and ensured that proper appreciation was given for the many years in which officers in Owen County and surrounding counties all trained at the range on Melton’s property.

To Miller’s understanding, somewhere around 1978, when Melton was a reserve deputy with the department, he offered space on his property for a range.

“There’s a lot of people standing here today that trained out at that range and shot out at that range, and there’s a lot more officers out there all over the place,” Miller said. “For a long time, that range was used by most of the surrounding counties.”

Miller noted that it also included state agencies and that Melton allowed the various law enforcement agencies to use the range at no cost.

“That was something that Harley took on himself to build that range and allow agencies to come in and use it to train,” Miller said.

The range had eight lanes, a storage shed to store targets in and an old bridge that Miller said he has fallen off of a couple times.

“I don’t know if Harley envisioned when he built it what it was going to be, and how long it was going to operate and how many police officers were going to train at that range,” Miller said. “I find it hard to believe that with the training that officers did out at that range, that that range and him allowing that facility to be used didn’t have some impact on saving lives at some point, whether it’s officers’ lives or members of the public due to the training that officers got at that range.”

Miller said that when he started his career in law enforcement as a reserve in Monroe County, the first range he shot at was Melton’s range.

“Every department since that I went to used Harley’s range, so that was my home range from the beginning,” Miller said.

Miller said that they wanted to recognize Melton for giving up part of his property for the range for nearly 50 years.

As the requirements and firearms have changed for departments, OCSD needed a space where they could have more lanes and shoot from further back, and the former landfill was identified as a potential space. The department worked with the county commissioners and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

The new range has 12 lanes and allows officers to shoot from as far as 200 yards.

The pavilion, range and a small shed for storage that now sits on the property were funded through the department’s firearms fund. This meant that the department did not need to ask the county for any additional funding to build the range.

Miller, who has run the department’s firearms program since 2009, said he is still going to miss aspects of Melton’s range.

“It seems like there was hardly a time that I was out there popping off that I didn’t hear Harley’s buggy fire up, cruising down the road there. He’d stop at the picnic table there at the parking lot and kind of sit and watch for a minute,” Miller said.

He also recalled a time when he and a new deputy were out in the pouring rain trying to complete the 40-hour pre-basic training, and Melton came and spoke with the pair for 45 minutes.

Miller said he always stressed to new officers Melton’s contributions, not just in his years of service to the department, but also for what he did for officers in Owen County and others, allowing them a place to train.

Melton’s son, Greg, was present at the dedication.

“Greg, on behalf of the sheriff’s office and citizens of the county, I want to thank Harley and your family for what you guys have provided to the law enforcement officers for all these years, and that it’s with the greatest respect and appreciation that we’d like to dedicate the Sheriff Harley E. Melton Memorial Range to the memory of Harley and the unmeasurable gift he gave to deputies like me and the citizens of the county that he loved,” Miller said.

Greg Melton was unable to speak at first as he fought back tears.

“Well, he absolutely loved that. He loved being sheriff, and he loved his men,” Greg Melton said.

“And he did like telling stories,” added Amy Casebeer, Greg Melton’s wife.

“And one of the things that I really appreciate is your people kept him included,” Greg Melton continued, recalling a time when an officer let his dad shoot his AR.

Several other memories of Harley Melton and his lasting legacy were shared as the dedication concluded.