News in Brief

Fatal single-vehicle accident on U.S. 231

Austin M. Perdue, 26, of Cloverdale, passed away following a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on U.S. 231 in northern Owen County around 1 a.m. on Oct. 18. The accident took place near Hardware Road and County Road 1250 North. The Indiana State Police conducted the crash investigation.

Spencer woman killed in tragic accident

Cheyenne Sears, 25, of Spencer, passed away following a deadly crash on State Road 67 near Paragon on Oct. 25.

According to the Morgan County Sheriff's Department, a driver of a Pontiac travelling northbound on State Road 67 struck a deer. The deer was thrown into southbound lanes where it struck the windshield of a Chevrolet Blazer.

Sears was a passenger in the Blazer. The driver of the Blazer and a juvenile passenger in the rear seat were both transported to the hospital for their injuries. No one in the Pontiac was injured.

Sears worked at Trilogy Health Services as the Assistant Director of Health Services at The Springs of Mooresville and was the mother of twins born earlier that month.

Speed limit reduced on SR46 in Spencer

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) recently reduced the speed limit on State Road 46 in Spencer. The speed limit was decreased from 40 mph to 35 mph on S.R. 46 between just east of Crane Avenue and North Fairview Avenue on the town's east side. The reduced speed limit, INDOT said, is intended to improve safety. Advanced speed limit warning signs were installed to help emphasize the change.

Local VFC award recipients

Owen Valley Fire Territory (OVFT) and the Clay Township Fire Company were among 100 rural and volunteer fire departments from 54 Indiana counties awarded a total of $453,386 in Volunteer Fire Assistance Capacity (VFC) awards from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. OVFT received $5,000, while the Clay Township Fire Company was awarded $2,200, both for "wildland firefighting assistance." The grants are administered by the DNR Division of Forestry and made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Few details known about skull found in June

The Owen County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) is still investigating after a human skull was found on June 29 on private property in northern Owen County.

Despite cadaver dogs being deployed, no additional human remains were found.

Preliminary results indicate that the skull had been there for several years and belongs to a female of African American descent, according to Sheriff Ryan White.

"We have no ID. So without DNA to find out who it belonged to, you have nowhere to start," White said.

He said they are awaiting additional testing from the Indiana State Police laboratory and that they hope they can derive DNA from the skull.

The lack of bone marrow makes DNA difficult to derive. Without it, White said OCSD does not have much to go off of.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the sheriff's department at 812-829-4874. As always, callers may remain anonymous.

Shooting range created for OCSD

County-owned property adjacent to the former landfill in Patricksburg has been repurposed to serve as a private shooting range for use by the Owen County Sheriff's Department.

The idea to utilize the property in this way started last year. Because it is the same property as the former landfill, permits had to be filed through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Rezoning was not needed because of how the property was already zoned.

The range is built in a hallowed out area where the topsoil for the landfill was pulled from. It allows the sheriff's department to shoot up to 200 yards.

Ground was broken in the Spring. Per the agreement with IDEM and the county, Owen County Highway Department is responsible for maintaining the roadway to the back of the property. Because it had not been used, the roadway had been neglected, and new rock needed to be laid.

The highway department also delivered "junk rock" that could not be used on the roads to help level the area for a small building to host classes.

"It had sat there for many years because they can't use it on roads. There's no use for it. It's mostly mud. It does have some rock in it, but it's mostly mud, but it packs really well," Sheriff Ryan White said.

Sponsors sought for Christmas lights display at Cooper Commons

The Town of Spencer Parks Board is hoping to make Cooper Commons shine bright for the holiday season. In addition to festivities happening at the Spencer town square this December, take a stroll or a drive down to Cooper Commons from Dec. 6 through Jan. 11, where lights will spread holiday magic. Sponsors are currently being sought, with the sponsorship levels being $50, $100 and $150. All donations are tax deductible through the Owen County Community Foundation.

Cooper Commons recreation project near completion, ribbon cutting

Work is progressing smoothly at the corner of E. Cooper and S. Main streets in Spencer on the new restroom facility, basketball, and pickleball courts. E&B Paving of Bloomington expects the project to be complete before Thanksgiving.

The Town of Spencer Parks Board would like to invite the public to the official ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 19 to commemorate the new amenities at Cooper Commons. Ribbon cutting will be at the northeast corner of Cooper and Main streets in Spencer.

There will be a grand opening in the Spring, so be on the lookout for more information about that coming soon.

SRO Bill Browne wins Hamilton Center award

Spencer-Owen Community Schools School Resource Officer (SRO) William "Bill" Browne received the volunteer award at Hamilton Center, Inc.'s annual Hamilton Awards Dinner on Oct. 28 at Sycamore Banquet Center on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

"William is deeply dedicated to the students and adults he serves at the Spencer-Owen School Corporation. He developed the Hope Squad, a peer-nominated program in which students are trained by school staff to serve as trusted individuals who can connect peers in distress with mental health resources. He also created the CARE Program, designed to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and individuals in recovery through community events and outreach activities. In addition, William helped reinstate the DARE Program, which educates students about the dangers of drug use and equips them with the skills to make safe, responsible choices. To date, more than 250 students in Owen County have successfully completed the program, fostering mental health awareness, drug prevention, and community connection," the press release reads.

Whistle Stop Café to serve meals

Whistle Stop Café will serve a meal and hold various craft classes as weather allows from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday through Thursday at 36 Concord Rd., Spencer. There will be a salad bar and/or a hot meal served. Contributions are welcome but not necessary.

Owen County is part of Dementia Friendly America

Through collaborative efforts with Area10 Agency on Aging, Owen Valley Memory Care, Babbs Supermarket, Home Instead, Elara Caring and Owen County resident volunteers, Owen County is now registered as a member of the Dementia Friendly America (DFA) network. DFA is a multi-sector, national network fostering dementia friendly communities that are equipped to support people living with dementia and their care partners. More information can be found at www.dfamerica.org.

Dementia Friendly Business Training has been completed by many Owen County organizations including, McCormick's Creek State Park, Save-A-Lot, Owen County Health Department, and Spencer Pride.

To schedule this complimentary training for your place of business, contact Area10 Agency on Aging's Dementia Outreach Specialist, Amy Guerrettaz at aguerrettaz@area10agency.org

County government officials attend AIC conference

Several Owen County Government officials recently attended the Association of Indiana Counties' (AIC) annual conference held Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 in Orange County.

The 67th annual conference offered county officials a wide variety of professional development courses as well as opportunities to network with their peers. The AIC's annual conference is the largest gathering of county officials around the state, and this year saw a new record attendance.

Representatives from public agencies, private entities and local elected officials addressed issues such as: cost saving strategies, transportation, economic development, property tax reform, cyber security, federal funding, human resources, artificial intelligence, criminal justice, public safety, elections, preservation of records, employee wellness and more.

Owen County's officials in attendance were: Treasurer Shelly Townsend; Clerk of the Circuit Court Diane Stutsman; County Councilman Anton Karl Neff; County Council President Polly Chesser; and Highway Department Secretary Bennita Woodward. Neff spoke during the conference general session as Indiana's appointment to the National Association of Counties' Board of Directors and had the honor of presenting the AIC's Arthur R. Himsel Award to Allen County Assessor Stacey O'Day during the conference banquet.