April 1, 2020

15 years ago

March 30, 2005

Harrison County officials Monday night approved $12 million — $6 million less than requested — toward the construction of a hospital in northwest Corydon. The project has been a subject of debate since early 2002. County Council chair Gary Davis broke a tie vote in favor of providing the funds over three years at $4 million a year for a new hospital facility.

Indiana State Police troopers from the Sellersburg post will begin checking sexual offender registries in Harrison, Floyd, Washington, Clark and Scott counties to make sure past sexual offenders are complying with the law.

A man suspected of robbing two branches of First Harrison Bank last week was arrested Thursday following a traffic stop. Travis M. Ruby, 18, of Louisville was stopped for speeding on Interstate 265 in Floyd County just after noon on by Indiana State Police Sgt. Manville Nagle. During the stop, Nagle learned that Ruby was “a person of interest” in the March 22 robbery of First Harrison Bank’s Highlander Point branch in Floyd County.

Golf Shores Fun Center, a 26-hole mini-golf facility, owned by George and Patti Ethridge, is set to open in June at the site of the former Country Folks Buffet. The project will cost just shy of $300,000.

Deaths: Catherine Wilson, 78; Lawrence Lee, 66; Gerald Crecelius, 84; George F. Vaughn, 71; George Canary, 63; Roy A. McAdams, 54; Michael R. Boley, 51; Edith Graham, 80; Lorene J. Lee, 96; Ethel M. Harvey, 72; Charles R. Weyrauch Sr., 72; Leo Hardy, 90; Elsie G. Shickle, 96.

25 years ago

April 5, 1995

Harrison County officials last week narrowly approved a new $8.8 million jail and court complex that, for the most part, will be paid for with local income taxes. Despite construction bids that came in above estimates, the price tag can still be handled as planned, with payments to be made from the County Economic Development Income Tax, said project architect Joseph A. Mrak of RQAW of Indianapolis.

To increase compliance on a section of highway that has been the site of eight traffic fatalities in less than seven months, police have begun a crackdown on violators. Indiana State Police have assigned unmarked cars to work S.R. 135 in New Salisbury and Interstate 64 at the Georgetown exit.

Motorists driving past Morgan Elementary School parking lot late in the afternoon on March 27 probably thought a smoking van was on fire. In actuality, the scene was staged. A commercial for Navistar International, starring the Palmyra Volunteer Fire Dept., was being filmed. Fire Chief Ron Booher said when Navistar marketing personnel were in Louisville earlier this year for the Mid-America Truck Show, they inquired if anyone in the area had several Navistar International trucks that could be used to film footage. The Palmyra VFD had 3 — a 1981 tanker, a 1990 pumper and a 1993 rescue truck.

Lanesville baseball coach Gary Bernardi reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out a winner during the season-opening game. With Billy Myrick at third base and Shawn Teeter at first, having just reached on a two-out error in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 2-2 game with Perry Central, Bernardi flashed a sign to Teeter that told him to head for second base. The Eagles (2-0) were hoping that Teeter could get caught in a rundown long enough to let Myrick race home with the winning run, and that’s just what happened when Perry Central took the bait. Lanesville prevailed 3-2.

Deaths: Lois Eskew, 93; Billy D. Heil Sr., 59; Stoy E, Watson, 78; James C. Struble, 44; Lois Gaessler, 57; Ray N. Welch, 74; Florence Asher, 82; Boyd Hooper Sr., 94; William S. Sutton, 85; Bonnie J. Corbin, 68; Hugh E. Gray Sr., 83; Donald Swainston, 70; Gertrude Ferber, 84; Wayne C. Smith, 43; Jack Cabiness, 70; Hazel P. Keith, 77; Elizabeth Jameson, 52; Arthur Zollman, 56; Martha Michols, 60; Willard O. Smith, 67; Joanna Fowler, 68; William G. Kelley, 83; Alice V. Kelley, 71; Margaret LaPlant, 77; Sue Ann Hayes, 41; Raymond Marcum, 63; Alice Patterson, 58; Minnie P. Wilson, 82; Reva Heishman, 61; Viola Montague, 76; Mabel M. Palmer, 85; Martin L. Dear, 87; George D. Martin, 34; Mae E. Jenkins, 82; John Burcham, 73; Flora A. Southard, 84; Woodrow L. Ingle, 66.

50 years ago

April 1, 1970

Eighty-year-old Arlie Fogal of New Middletown has ended his brief but brilliant career as Grandfather clockmaker. He began doing the wood work six years ago and has constructed 16 beauties. It takes 300 hours to complete a clock. Fogal was formerly a school teacher (math and physics) and principal at the old Mauckport and Morgan Township high schools.

New Middletown Home Demonstration Club celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the club at a meeting March 11 at the home of Katheryn Wolpert of Elizabeth. Three charter members were present: Mrs. Harold Rupp, Mrs. Edna Burger and Mrs. Iva Vogt.

William H. Melton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Denzil Melton of New Middletown, has been promoted to product manager in the marketing department of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Bernard Joseph Walter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Walter of Palmyra, recently left for recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Center in San Diego. He enlisted in the Navy’s electronic program.

Births: Boy — Diana Sensing; girls — Jane Lewis, Donna Bischoff.

Deaths: Ivan Hugh Smith Jr, 17; Charles H. Rhodes, 91; Alta Agnes Melton, 82; Clarence Henderson, 78; Maida Richert, 71; Michael Ray Hellard, infant; James Wolf.

65 years ago

March 30, 1955

Loren Wiseman was given the Star Farmer Award at the CCHS FFA Parent and Son Banquet held in the high school cafeteria March 22.

Wyandotte Post Office will remain open despite the fact that Postmaster Sam Bretz received word three weeks ago from the Postmaster General that because of the small amount of mail going through the office that it would be closing.

The suburbs of Palmyra on Highway 135 South have been taken into the incorporation. New streets have been graded and rocked, and street lights are being installed. Palmyra welcomes good citizens and industry to locate in their town.

Award winners at the basketball banquet at Corydon Central High School Thursday night were Don Orme, Jim Noe, Herbie
Woertz, Roger Crosier and Polk Pendleton.

The Rev. R. Paul Stroup, pastor at St. Peter’s and Gethsemane Lutheran churches, has resigned to accept a call at St. John’s Lutheran Parish at Covington, Ohio.

Births: Boys — Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Huckelby, Mr. and Mrs. John T. Kirkham; girls — Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hunter, Mr. and Mrs. August Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Garland, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Garmon, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Benton, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Crone, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Applegate.

Deaths: Dora Wolfe, 86; John J. Newman, 70; Clyde Rosenbarger, 58; John Phipps, 92; Margaret Fisher, 95; Susie Backherms, 80; Thomas E. Wiseman, 76; Emma Denbo, 74; Minnie Brown, 78; Lee Faith, 74.

75 years ago

April 4, 1945

Cpl. Charles Arnold of near Fredericksburg was killed in action in Luxemburg on Dec. 16.

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rainbolt and daughter, Eleanor, moved to New Albany Tuesday where they purchased a home in the east end.

Births: Boy — Mr. and Mrs. Harry Miller; girls — none.

Deaths: Emma Wolfe, 66; Emma Pope, 82; Emma Rhodes; Lavinia Wolpert, 80; Charles Marsh, 83; Robert Johnson; Nathan Bowman, 55; Laura Brooks, 57; Etta Chappell; Edith Sands, 64; Anna Hellman, 56.

100 years ago

April 7, 1920

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Kirkham of Webster Township left Sunday afternoon for Benton County to reside. Their marriage took place Saturday at New Middletown. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D.H. Wells, and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Amzie Kirkham.

Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Sherman and two children of Alexandria spent last week here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Watson.

Births: Boys — none; girls — Mr. and Mrs. Walter McKnight, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Buckles.

Deaths: Mrs. May Schearer, 43; Mrs. Isabelle Floyd, 75; Miss Julia Jenkins, 68; Joseph Wisman; Albert Neely Best, infant; Jacob Leffler, 85.