Stories from Thursday, February 8, 2007

Family was the deciding factor for one woman's recent move to the area. Wanda Hampton may have only spent the last six years of her life in Bloomfield, but they have happily been spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. "When we retired my husband (Garold) asked me 'Where do you want to live?' and I said where most of my kids and grandkids are," she explained...

CLAY CITY -- Union used a pressing defense to trim a 17-point deficit to two points early in the fourth quarter, but North Central's Jacilyn McClain scored nine of her 21 points in the final eight minutes to help the LadyBirds come away with a 68-59 victory in the opening game of the Class A Clay City Sectional Wednesday night...

WRV splits with Bloomfield White River Valley-Worthington defeat Bloomfield 21-13 in a sixth-grade girls basketball game Wednesday night. Kyla Karr had 17 points and nine rebounds to pace the winners. Sydney Kail had four points and three steals. Maddy Dyer had 10 rebounds and one assist and Megan Rose grabbed three rebounds...

PAOLI -- In order for the Linton-Stockton girls basketball team to have a chance against the Class 2A No. 17-ranked Mitchell Bluejackets in the opening round of the Paoli Sectional, Linton coach Mike Riggleman pointed out three areas of emphasis his team needed to achieved to be successful...

Billy Williams, 61, of Worthington, passed away Monday, Feb. 5, 2007 at St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz. Arrangements are pending at Welch & Cornett Funeral Home in Worthington.

John M. Laxton, 82, of Dugger, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007 at his residence. Born Nov. 13, 1924 in Sullivan County, he was the son of John M. and Onie Hickman Laxton. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Dugger and Dugger American Legion Post No. 224...

Roy L. Jones, 72, of Loogootee, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, at Memorial Hospital in Jasper. He was born on Dec.20, 1934, in French Lick, to William and Nellie (nee Hobson) Jones. He worked at National Gypsum in Shoals for four years and then enjoyed a career as a carpenter for 30 years. He was a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1016...

Ina N. Arthur, 80, of Bloomington, passed away Monday, Feb. 5, 2007 at Bloomington Hospital. She was born on Feb. 13, 1926, in Monroe County, the daughter of Roy W. and Eschoel (Clark) Jolliff. She was a private home health-care provider and homemaker and previously worked at RCA of Bloomington. She was a longtime member of the Church of Jesus Christ...

The Bloomfield Apple Festival Committee met Wednesday night to discuss the upcoming festival scheduled for Oct. 5-6 with the parade to follow Oct. 7. Committee Secretary Christina Small explained, "We have had several volunteers for different sub-committees ... entertainment and events, parade, buildings and grounds, promotion, vendors ... but we still need more."...

NEWBERRY -- A Newberry resident has thrown in his hat for a spot on the Newberry Town Council. Joseph Henry, a Republican, recently filed for candidacy of the three-member town council. He explained, "I hadn't heard about anybody else wanting to do it. There's three council positions and only two are filled."...

In the past month or so, the Linton Police Department has been investigating break-ins, and early this morning, an arrest was made. Scott Sozzi, 19, Linton, was arrested by Det. Duane Collenbaugh at around 1 a.m. "We believe that he was involved in the other break-ins as well," said Linton Police Department Chief Troy Jerrell...

Some Bloomfield volunteer firefighters voiced their concerns about their ability to provide adequate fire protection to the town during the Bloomfield Town Council meeting Wednesday night. The town has recently received a community grant that will in part pay for a new fire engine, but until another engine is serviced the department is solely relying on an aerial engine...

What will come of Linton's old city hall building has become a relatively hot topic recently. The building, which most recently housed the police and fire departments, has been vacant since the public safety departments moved into separate facilities...

CLAY CITY -- Joe Pigg has won four sectional championships during his first nine years as girls basketball coach at White River Valley, but none of them have come at Clay City. Pigg and his Lady Wolverines continued that streak when they lost to host Lady Eels 43-39 in the opening round of the Class A Clay City Sectional here Wednesday night...