On Sunday, February 27 the Superintendent of Greencastle Community Schools, Jeff Gibboney, sent parents notification that masks will no longer be required on school buses. This change in the Covid return to school plan takes effect February 28 and is in line with updated CDC guidance.  

State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) said he is looking forward to local communities tackling health challenges like diabetes and obesity through a new state grant he helped create.

In 2021, Baird supported a law creating the Indiana Health Issues and Challenges Grants, which will award $50 million to local and statewide service providers, and planning organizations to address longstanding problems. Now, the Indiana Department of Health is accepting grant applications, and Baird said he hopes local providers like health departments, municipalities and nonprofit organizations apply.

"Some of Indiana's national health rankings demonstrate the need for addressing these persistent health challenges," Baird said. "We need to be more proactive if our state is to continue being a top destination for families and businesses in the Midwest."

Funding can be used to prevent or reduce mental and physical health issues for Hoosiers, including in the areas of tobacco use, food insecurity, obesity, lead exposure, hepatitis C, and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and cancer.

Applications for Indiana Health Issues and Challenges Grants are due by March 31, 2022, with award notices issued by the Indiana Department of Health by July 1, 2022.

For more information and to apply, Baird encourages organizations to visit in.gov/health/grant-opportunities and click on "Health Issues and Challenges Grant."

A crash involving a semi tractor-trailer and transit van resulted in a death Thursday morning on Interstate 70.

Troopers from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post indicate that at approximately 6:40 am, Ramaz Chokheli, 51, of Brooklyn, New York, was operating a 2019 Volvo semi tractor-trailer eastbound on Interstate 70.  Chokheli was stopped due to the clean-up of multiple vehicle accidents that had occurred earlier in the morning.  It was at this time that a 2020 Ford Transit van was traveling eastbound and failed to observe that traffic was slowed or stopped in the area, running into the rear of Chokheli’s semi tractor-trailer.  The force of the collision caused the van to erupt in flames. 

A trooper was located near the accident scene and attempted to extricate the driver out of the transit van, but was unable to do so because of the damage from the collision and the intense heat from the fire.  Sugar Creek Volunteer Fire Department arrived shortly after and worked to extinguish the fire.  

ISP has confirmed that the driver of the transit van is deceased, however positive identification of the driver is not yet available.  Once positive identification has been made and family members are notified, the driver's name will be released.  

Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a contributing factor of the accident.  

Trooper Robertson was assisted at the scene by several troopers of the Putnamville Post, Sugar Creek Fire Department, Honey Creek Fire Department, Trans Care, Lambert’s Wrecker Service, and Vigo County Coroner's Office.

Starting this week, more than 200 state and local law enforcement agencies will be stepping up patrols to help curb dangerous and aggressive driving. The enforcement campaign will run from Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, through Monday, March 21, 2022.

The safety initiative is designed to reduce crashes and traffic fatalities and to promote safe driving around St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA Tournament. It also comes at a time when roadway deaths continue to climb across the state and nation.

In response, officers will be conducting high-visibility patrols over the next several weeks, showing zero tolerance for anyone driving aggressively, over the speed limit or under the influence. The extra enforcement is funded through National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

“Last year, Indiana saw more traffic fatalities than we've seen in over a decade, and it doesn’t appear to be improving,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI Executive Director. “So far this year, fatal crashes in Indiana have claimed the lives of 2.5 people every day on average with over 100 lives lost already. It’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to turn this around.”

Nationwide, traffic fatalities continued to rise at a record pace last year, according to newly released federal data. NHTSA projects that an estimated 31,720 people were killed on U.S. roadways in the first nine months of 2021, a 12% increase from the same period in 2020.

In Indiana, preliminary data from ICJI shows that 941 people died in fatal crashes last year. While that’s up 5% from 2020, it’s a 16% increase from pre-pandemic 2019 and represents the highest number of traffic fatalities since 2005.

Alcohol and drug impairment, distracted driving, speeding and not wearing seat belts are some of the leading causes behind the rise in fatalities.

“We cannot and should not tolerate the continuing crisis on our roadways,” said Robert Duckworth, ICJI Traffic Safety Director. “Every driver and vehicle occupant has a responsibility when traveling. We need more people to take this seriously and to drive like their life depends on it – because it does.”

Throughout the campaign, state and local officials will be encouraging motorists to focus on safe driving and follow the rules of the road. This means wearing a seat belt at all times, driving sober, watching for pedestrians, driving distraction-free and obeying all posted speed limits.

However, some precautions should be taken before getting behind the wheel. For plans that involve alcohol, designate a sober driver ahead of time or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.

Motorists are encouraged to call 911 if they encounter an impaired or unsafe driver on the road.

February 24, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) today announced changes to its COVID-19 data dashboard to better reflect the current state of the pandemic and a shift in school reporting requirements.

Effective today, the unique individual positivity rate and unique individuals tested fields will be removed from the dashboard at www.coronavirus.in.gov. In addition, a new Indiana youth COVID-19 dashboard, reflecting cases, hospitalizations and vaccinations in Hoosiers ages 0 to 19, will be published.

This dashboard will replace the current school dashboard effective Monday, Feb. 28.

State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, said the changes reflect the evolution of the pandemic, the availability of home test kits and recent updates to school guidance.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have been committed to providing accurate and timely data to help Hoosiers make the best decisions for themselves and their families,” Box said. “Due to the increased availability and use of home tests that are not reported to the state, the unique individual positivity and unique individuals tested fields no longer provide an accurate reflection of COVID-19 testing in our state.”

Box noted that schools are no longer required to report cases to the state health department, making the current school dashboard obsolete. The new youth dashboard will better reflect the impact of COVID-19 on children up to age 19, she said.

Hoosiers in need of COVID-19 testing can find a site at www.coronavirus.in.gov. Individuals seeking a COVID-19 vaccine can visit www.ourshot.in.gov or call 211 to find a location.

The Family Support Services of West Central Indiana Gone Event returns this year with a new theme and location on April 9.

Make plans to set sail on the FSSWCI Caribbean Cruise. This fun-filled evening supports numerous FSSWCI programs such as the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Victim Services and Supportive Housing Programs in Putnam, Clay, and Parke Counties, Healthy Families and Family Preservation Programs in Putnam, Owen, Boone, and Montgomery Counties, and the Recovery Coalition in Putnam County. Come out and sport your finest Caribbean themed cruise wear, all while benefiting the victims and families that Family Support Services of West Central Indiana serve every day.

The Caribbean Cruise is an exciting evening filled with great food, music, a live and silent auction featuring some tremendous items, and other fun activities. This year’s event is proving to be better than ever, so make plans to attend and support while you still can! The planning committee is still seeking sponsors and auction item donations. Individual tickets are available for purchase.

The Family Support Services Caribbean Cruise will be held on April 9 at the Tiger Pointe Country Club in Greencastle beginning at 6:00 pm. Please call 765-653-4820, extension 101 or email Scott Monnett at scott.monnett@pcfss.net for ticket, sponsor, and auction donation information.

Visit the Caribbean Cruise page on our website at www.fsswci.net for additional information. 

Putnam County Commissioners have rescinded the mask mandate for the county's buildings and offices.

The move comes nearly a month after masks were required during a growing number of Covid cases across the country.

Covid numbers continue to decrease dramatically prompting the move by the commissioners who voted 2-0 in favor of rescinding masks.

Commissioner Rick Woodall was not at the meeting Monday.

A tech support rep calls and offers to fix a computer bug you haven’t even noticed, or a popup warning appears on the screen instructing you to dial a number for help. In this con, scammers pose as tech support employees of well-known computer companies and hassle victims into paying for their “support.” 

Within the last year BBB Serving Central Indiana has received numerous Scam Tracker reports from consumers losing more than $5,000 to tech scams. 

How the?Scam?Works: 

A call comes through on the Caller ID, a popup on the computer screen or you receive an email from someone claiming to be with tech support from a well-known software company. Microsoft, Comcast, Norton and Dell are all popular choices. The scammer ceates a sense of urgency—the computer is sending error messages, they've detected a virus, or your computer is about to crash causing a massive loss of data! 

Rest assured the tech support employee can fix the problem but only if they're allowed to remote access the troubled machine. Once access is granted, the caller will often run a “scan” and claim the computer is infected with viruses. The offer is made to fix and repair the machine for a fee. That may not be the end of the scam. If you allow remote access, malware may be installed on your machine. Malware often scans files in search of personal information, which scammers then use to commit identity theft.? 

According to a recent BBB Scam Tracker report, a Bloomington woman reported losing $1,400 to this tech scam. She called the number in a pop-up message after her computer screen went black. At the time, she believed she was speaking to a technician at Microsoft. “He then told me that he will download an ad blocker Adguard and cleaner and charged me $699 for the software - I thought this was a good way for me to protect my information online, so I wrote out a check for $699.” Later, she realized additional charges had been taken from her account and that’s when she knew she had been scammed. She is now taking steps to shut down her bank account and file a police report.  

Tips to spot this scam:

• Never give control of your computer?to a third party unless you are absolutely certain it is the representative of a computer support team?you initiated contacted. 

• Legitimate tech support companies don’t make unsolicited phone calls. A popular way for thieves to get in touch with victims is through cold calls. The callers often claim to be from a tech company. Scammers do and they can spoof official looking phone numbers, so don’t trust Caller ID. 

• Look out for warning screens:?Nearly half of tech support scams begin with an alert on the victim’s computer screen. This pop up will have a phone number to call for help. Instead, disconnect from the internet and wi-fi connection by? shutting off the device and restart it with an antiviral scan. 

• Be wary of sponsored links.?When searching online for tech support, look out for sponsored ads at the top of the results list. Many of these links lead to businesses that scam consumers. 

• Avoid clicking on links in unfamiliar emails.?Scammers also use email to reach victims. These messages point consumers to scam websites that launch pop-ups with the fake warnings and phone numbers. 

If you are a victim of a tech support scam: 

• Contact the bank immediately to report the incident and describe exactly what happened. 

• Take the laptop, tablet, mobile device, or computer that was infected to a trusted local business and have it checked out. 

• Remove any software that authorized remote access to the device. 

• Change all of the passwords used to access bank accounts, social media and other websites that contain personal information.? 

• File a report with?BBB Scam Tracker?and with law enforcement authorities, such as the FTC? 

Learn how to protect yourself, go to “10 Steps to Avoid Scams” and?sign up for scam alerts.? 

Learn more about?BBB Accreditation Standards?and?BBB Standards for Trust. 

Read BBB's complete study?with more details on who is behind tech support scams, how they are requesting money, and whom they are victimizing, as well as BBB’s recommendations for dealing with the problem.

February 18, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) Thursday announced changes in COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools and childcare programs to reflect declining cases across the state.

The department also will begin to reduce its COVID-19 response operations because there is less demand for testing and substantial availability of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment at health provider locations.

“These changes reflect the rapid decline in COVID-19 cases as we emerge from the omicron surge and the fact that all school-age children have been eligible to be vaccinated since November,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “While they do not remove the need for continued vigilance, they will ease the reporting burden on schools and help ensure that children can stay in school.”

Beginning Feb. 23:

• Schools no longer will be required to conduct contact tracing or report positive cases to IDOH.
• Schools no longer will need to quarantine students who are exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, regardless of vaccination status or whether the school requires masks.
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for five days and may return on Day 6 if they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication so long as symptoms are improving, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Individuals should wear a mask through Day 10 any time they are around others inside their homes or in public.

Schools are expected to continue assisting local health departments with notification in the event of an outbreak or cluster and are encouraged to continue to share information with families when a case is identified so parents can monitor their children for symptoms.

Similarly, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is lifting quarantine requirements for children exposed at their childcare program. Children who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home for five days regardless of symptoms. It’s recommended that children who can correctly and consistently mask return on Day 6; for those who cannot do so, it is recommended they return on Day 8. Full guidance will be posted here.

Indiana’s positivity rate has fallen from 33.6 percent on Jan. 19 to 13.1 percent on Wednesday. Demand for testing also has fallen significantly.

As a result:

• The IDOH testing and vaccination clinic across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will end operations on Saturday, Feb. 26.
• IDOH will suspend its testing and vaccination strike teams that had been deployed across the state but will continue to make mobile vaccination and testing units available upon request.
• Indiana National Guard support for long-term care facilities and hospitals will end March 14, and no new requests will be accepted after Feb. 26.

Greencastle Community School Corporation contacted families via phone and email with updates to the Covid-19 Return to In-Person Instruction Plan. 

After closely monitoring national, state and GCSC COVID data, they found a steady decrease in the number of positive Covid-19 cases in the both the community and the schools. Effective immediately masks will be recommended but not required in GCSC facilities, they will however, still be required on buses due to a federal mandate still in place. Schools with a weekly COVID-19 positivity rate above 5% will be required to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, until the weekly positivity rate drops below 4%.  

*******UPDATE*******

Our 800 number is back up and currently working.

Attention Parke County REMC members:  Our 800 number is currently down.

If you need any assistance, such as reporting an outage or making a payment, please call 765-569-3133.

Again, Parke County REMC members should call 765-569-3133 for any assistance. Please check our Facebook page or website for additional updates.

Parke County REMC. 765-569-3133

A fire caused significant damage to a Parke County emergency services provider.

Parke County EMS reports that its station at 395 Parkway Drive in Rockville caught fire at 1:30 Wednesday morning.  The cause was a fire that started in the engine compartment of an ambulance that had returned to station about 40 minutes before.

Parke County EMS now has one ambulance listed as a total loss and two others out of service until repairs can be made. A large amount of medical supplies and equipment was also damaged.

Plans are being made to keep ambulance service going in Parke County while awaiting repairs.

Two crew members were treated for smoke inhalation.

A teen reported missing has been found safe.

The picture and information was posted by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at request of the mother who stated the teen may be in area.  He was reported missing in Morgan County but the mother said he could be in Putnam County.

The poster listed him as a student at North Putnam.

A note on the initial posting indicated the boy was home and safe.

Shortly after 8:00 AM Tuesday morning, the Reelsville / Washington Township VFD received a call of a vehicle on fire in a driveway. When they arrived at the scene, the engine and cab were fully engulfed.

It took 1000 gallons of water to put the fire out.

Greencastle Fire Department assisted on scene. No injuries have been reported.

More details available about a serious car accident on U.S. 231 Sunday as area roads became slick and dangerous.

Law enforcement and medics responded to 231 between U.S. 36 and Fincastle just after 4:30 Sunday afternoon.  John Mason, 87, of Terre Haute, and a passenger, were trapped inside of their truck after sliding off the road and hitting a pole.  The live power lines fell across their vehicle. 

Parke County REMC shut down power to the site and Roachdale firefighters worked to remove the occupants of the vehicle.  They were transported from the scene with on-life threatening injuries.

U.S. 231 was closed for a few hours Sunday while crews made repairs to the lines and cleaned up the site.

Neysa Meyer was selected as the next Executive Director of the Putnam County Community Foundation (PCCF), a nonprofit public charity established in 1985 to facilitate significant and sustainable change throughout Putnam County.

Meyer has served as the PCCFCommunications Directorsince 2018. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Meyer fulfilled several roles at Kiwanis International. She started her career in philanthropy with the United States Peace Corps, serving in Cambodia.

“Neysa Meyer brings many strengths and a wealth of knowledge to her new role as Executive Director of the Putnam County Community Foundation. Neysa’s service as communications director has been impressive and appreciated. She also has extensive experience in fundraising and operations. Neysa will be able to hit the ground running toward her vision for the future of the foundation,” said Jeff McCall, President of the PCCF Board of Directors. “On behalf of the board, we are confident that Neysa can lead us to new heights as Executive Director and look forward to working together in the important work of community service.” 

Meyer takes over for Brandon Wells, who is departing PCCF for another position in the philanthropic world. During Wells’ tenure, PCCF assets grew to a historic high of $43 million and annual grantmaking exceeded $1 million. Additionally, Wells oversaw PCCF relief efforts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that awarded 39 grants totaling more than $168,000 to nonprofits and other charitable initiatives.

“I am honored and excited to accept the role of Executive Director,” said Meyer. “The Putnam County Community Foundation is well-positioned to grow our assets and our impact. We have a dedicated staff, an energetic board, and strong momentum. I look forward to engaging more donors, additional nonprofits, and new volunteers in meeting the needs and aspirations of our beloved community.”

Meyer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Sociologyfrom the University of Indianapolis and a Master of Public Affairs degree in Nonprofit Management from the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI. She has also earned nonprofit leadership and management graduate certificates from Arizona State University.

Meyer lives in Greencastle with her husband, Adam, and their daughter, Charlee.

Hard work and perseverance has paid off for Sheila Holloway and the Putnam County Recovery Coalition. Due to their diligence, Greencastle is getting two NaloxBoxes. One will be located in Robe-Ann Park while the other will be at the Putnam County Public Library.

Holloway also stated a third would be going to Cloverdale.

Naloxone, also referred to as Narcan, is a medication that can reverse an overdose by opioids and even prescription medications. It works by blocking the toxic effects of the overdose when given to a person showing signs of overdosing. In many cases, it is the difference between life and death.

Sheila Holloway explained Naloxone has even been reported to save the life of pets when they have ingested the prescription medications of their owners.

The boxes are provided at no cost to the host and each unit will contain six to eight doses of naloxone, instructions for use, and treatment referral cards. Holloway will be in charge of refilling the stations.

This is just one of the many steps Sheila Holloway and the Putnam County Recovery Coalition are taking towards the growing addiction epidemic.

Holloway also mentioned events open to the public. February 16 at 6:00 PM at the Putnam County Public Library will be a panel of speakers, Faces of Hope. This is a free event for those who need educated on substance abuse or have questions about addiction. Panelists include Anjali Cohen, Lynn Dunning, Eric Rippy, Joshua Query, and Dylan Lindsey.

February 21 at 6:00 PM at Area 30, is Narcan Training. This free event, open to the public, will teach attendees what to look for in a potential overdose situation. They will also be handing out Narcan while supplies last.

As Holloway stated, Narcan should be in every home just like a fire extinguisher.

In the first half of the 2022 legislative session, State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) voted to advance several key priorities, including a sweeping tax-cut package to help hardworking Hoosiers and businesses.

Now in the hands of the Indiana Senate, Baird supported what would be the largest tax cut in state history, putting over $1.3 billion back in Hoosiers' pockets. The state's budget reserves are expected to hit a record $5 billion at the end of fiscal year 2022, which is $3 billion more than expected.

Baird said House Bill 1002 would deliver direct relief to working Hoosiers by reducing the individual income tax from 3.23 to 3%. To encourage new investments, this legislation would also lower the business personal property tax while ensuring homeowners and schools aren't negatively impacted. In addition, the bill would lower Hoosiers' utility bills by repealing the 1.4% Utility Receipts Tax.

"Indiana is already top-ranked for its low taxes, but it's critical that we continue to attract industries of the future and encourage capital investment," said Baird, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which drafts the state's budget. "Lowering the business personal property tax would encourage new investment, which will open up job and economic development opportunities."

To alleviate the state's ongoing nursing shortage, Baird supported House Bill 1003 to boost the health care workforce pipeline by providing flexibility to those seeking licensure. By 2031, Indiana will need 5,000 additional nurses and nursing programs will need to increase their graduating classes by 1,350 each year to meet this need. This is in addition to the current 4,300 nursing job openings statewide.

"Nurses have been nothing short of heroes throughout the pandemic," Baird said. "We need more Hoosiers to step up for these critical roles, and providing flexibility to the training and licensing process could make that more efficient."

To reduce jail overcrowding, Baird supported House Bill 1004 to allow judges to send Level 6 felony offenders to the Indiana Department of Correction instead of county jails. The state often offers greater access to mental health and addiction treatment services.

Baird said a recent report shows nearly 75% of all felony criminal filings in Indiana are Level 6 felonies, with many of those substance-related, like drug possession or operating while intoxicated.

Baird said there's a lot of work left to do in the second half of session as the Indiana House of Representatives will consider Senate bills and the Senate will consider House bills. Watch session and committees, and view legislation at iga.in.gov.

A Crawfordsville man was arrested  on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, an investigation into Christopher Gene Beke, Sr., 43, began with a report by Google LLC, after the company determined a Google user uploaded sexually explicit images of minors to Google servers in 2021. The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received these reports, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office identified the Google user as Beke, Sr., who had prior convictions for Child Molesting and Possession of Child Pornography. Upon execution of a search warrant, and with the assistance of “Hunter”, IMPD’s Electronic Detection K-9, Beke was found to be in possession of devices that contained sexually explicit images of minors. Beke admitted to police that his phone would contain illegal images.

“This case is a great example of how an international corporate giant like Google can use technology to detect child sexual abuse images being stored online and then quickly get that information into the hands of local law enforcement officers,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Using these internationally generated leads, our ICAC Task Force can put local boots on the ground to stop people who traffic in sexually explicit images of children. And a special thanks for the incredible work of our law enforcement partners in Montgomery County.”

“Detective French and Detective Kirby have worked tirelessly on these cases, and we are grateful for our partnerships with the ICAC Task Force,” said Montgomery County Sheriff Ryan Needham. “We will continue to commit all of our resources to these types of crimes and work with our partners to ensure we do our part in keeping children safe.”

Beke, Sr. is charged with Possession of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct (with a Prior Conviction). The defendant made his initial court appearance today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Doris L. Pryor of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and was ordered detained pending trial. If convicted, Beke, Sr. faces a sentence of at least 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Crawfordsville Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (including the County Sex Offender Registrar), and the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office also provided valuable assistance.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Korobov who is prosecuting the case.

This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.

Additionally, this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. 

Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) introduced the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act to ensure Veterans get the timely attention and treatment that they deserve when contacting the VA.

“Veterans and servicemembers make tremendous personal sacrifices to defend our great nation, and our appreciation for their service shouldn’t end when they complete active duty,” said Congressman Jim Baird. “As a fellow Veteran, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to receive timely medical care and secure medical appointments. Reports that the VA is not prioritizing our Veterans’ time as they should is not only unacceptable, but in serious cases, can have a profound impact on our Veterans’ health. Our Veterans have sacrificed so much in service to our great nation; it’s time that the service they receive at the VA better reflect this country’s gratitude.”

"I'm proud to join Representative Jim Baird in introducing this vital piece of legislation to improve veterans’ experiences and care with the Department of Veterans Affairs," said Congressman Salud Carbajal. "The bipartisan VA Same-Day Scheduling Act would require that veterans who make a phone call requesting care are able to schedule their appointment during that phone call. I’ve fought to improve VA telephone services for as long as I’ve been in Congress, and I will continue to champion this cause because our brave veterans deserve access to quality and timely care."

“No matter the conflict, our veterans never wasted a second jumping into the fight,” Congressman Brian Mast said. “This country has a responsibility to treat veterans the same way by wasting no time in providing the care they need.”

“For years VA medical facilities across the country have wasted our veterans precious time. Veterans should be able to receive the care they need when they need it,” said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks. “As a 24-year Army veteran and former Director of Public Health, I understand the serious medical issues facing many veterans. Our heroes sacrificed so much in service to our country; they deserve access to the care they need.”

Republic Services has notified the city that trash routes for Thursday, February 3 and Friday, February 4 of this week will not be run on Saturday due to the weather.     Residents on the Thursday and Friday routes are asked to hold their trash until Thursday and Friday of next week.   

Additional bags of trash may be put out to account for the delay in trash pickup.    Republic will have extra crews in Greencastle on Thursday and Friday next week to help with picking up the increased trash volume.

Under normal circumstances this would be a girls basketball sectional semifinal night across Indiana.  This week's winter storm has been anything but normal.

New schedules are now in place for the sectional sites at Southmont and Danville.

Southmont will host 2A sectional semifinals Saturday afternoon.  Gates will open at 1:00 pm Saturday.  Southmont will play Parke Heritage at 2:00 pm followed by the Riverton Parke - North Putnam semifinal.

The championship is Tuesday night.

At Danville, the Wednesday quarterfinals have yet to be played.  They are scheduled for tonight.  North Montgomery will play Crawfordsville at 6:00 pm followed by the Danville - Monrovia matchup.  The winners will meet in one of Saturday's semifinals.

The other semifinal is already set with Greencastle to play Tri-West.

The sectional championship at Danville is Tuesday night.

February 4, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

February 3, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

February 3, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

The Indiana Department of Health has announced that all state-run COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics will be closed Friday due to hazardous weather conditions.

This includes the clinic across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Additional updates to state-operated sites will be posted at www.coronavirus.in.gov and www.ourshot.in.gov as needed.

Individuals with appointments at a state-run site will be notified with instructions to reschedule. Because sites run by local health departments and other entities also may be affected, anyone who has an appointment or plans a walk-in visit to a COVID-19 testing or vaccination site should contact the site to ensure it is open before going.

Visit the Indiana Department of Health at www.health.in.gov for important health and safety information, or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StateHealthIN.

February 3, 2022 School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

Ahead of an expected winter storm, the City of Greencastle today outlined its plans to clear the streets, as well as offered for guidance to residents in preparing for the inclement weather.

With the winter storm approaching Wednesday night into Thursday, the city requests residents refrain from parking on city streets as much as possible. Moving vehicles off of streets will allow city plow trucks to move more efficiently around the community. For residents who do need to be on the roads, please allow plenty of room for plow trucks to operate.    

The city’s immediate priority will be to clear streets. City parking lots will be plowed after streets. The city will be closing parks and Forest Hill Cemetery until crews can catch up on snow removal on city streets.

“Our city departments are prepared for the storm, and the equipment the Department of Public Works uses to clear the streets is ready to go,” said Mayor Dory. “The city has ample road salt and sand, and other city departments will assist with snow removal. We do encourage our residents to stay home, if possible, and let our staff clear the streets, so we all can safely return to our daily activities.”

Local employers will be notifying their employees through their in-house communications channels in regard to any weather related scheduling changes or shift cancellations.

Republic Services has announced that Thursday’s trash routes will be run on Friday and Friday’s routes will be run on Saturday.   Please place trash bins in a location for easy access by the trash truck.   Bins should not be placed where they become a hazard to snow plows.

Residents are advised to minimize travel during the storm and to be prepared at home. If your residence should lose power, be sure to follow safety precautions with the use of kerosene heaters, wood stoves and portable generators.

The city will coordinate with the Putnam County EMA should the need arise to open a shelter in the event of widespread power outages.

Information on road conditions around the state can be found at www.trafficwise.org. Travel advisories can be found at www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory.

School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

Deputies with the Owen County Sheriff’s Office served an order to seize animals at SuPaca Farms located on North County Line Road East south of Gosport.

The order was issued by Owen Circuit Court 1 following an investigation by deputies into the neglect of animals at the property on Friday. During the investigation deputies were accompanied by the Indiana State Veterinary Office who assessed the condition of the animals. After the State Veterinary Office determined the animals on the property were in poor health, lacking food and water, and were severely malnourished, deputies applied for and were granted the order to seize the animals with the assistance of the Owen County Humane Society.

Seven alpacas, three llamas, nine dogs, three chickens, and two horses were seized from the property and transported by the Owen County Humane Society to receive medical care and temporary placement.

28 deceased alpacas were located on the property.

School and Business Closings, Cancelations, and Delays

The Indiana Department of Transportation is preparing for a major winter storm expected to impact all regions of the state over the next 2-3 days. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings for areas north of I-70 from 7 a.m. Wednesday morning to 1 a.m. Friday morning and winter storm watches are in effect for central and southern parts of Indiana. 

An Indianapolis man was arrested following a sexual misconduct investigation in Parke County.

Indiana State Police initiated a criminal investigation on July 28, 2021, after receiving information from the Vermillion County Department of Child Services concerning allegations of sexual misconduct with two females, under the age of 16.

The investigation revealed that Jacob Stone, 22, of Indianapolis, had allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with two female minors under the age of 16.  The allegations took place in Parke County.

After reviewing the investigation, the Parke County Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant on January 22.  Putmanville Master Trooper Jason Owens arrested Stone on the active warrant on Saturday without incident. 

Stone was transported to the Parke County Jail and was being held with a $15,000 bond.