Stories from Tuesday, January 3, 2012

LYONS -- Greene County Coroner Sherry Wilson confirms a pair of fatalities in a two-vehicle head-on crash that occurred on County Road 200S (Old Lyons Road) at the intersection with County Road 1025W Tuesday night. Wilson said the two victims -- a male and a female -- were pronounced dead at the scene.

Bloomfield School District will be operating on a two-hour delay on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Please see photo gallery below of Saturday's ceremony. --- The waiting is the hardest part. Taking the oath of office Saturday, Linton's new Mayor John Wilkes ended nearly six months readying himself to assume the office he knew he'd hold since July. No Democratic rival emerged in the primary, and no Republican was slated by July. That meant Wilkes had plenty of time to prepare himself. Now, he felt more than ready to do the job, and more than a bit tired of the wait. "I'm glad it's over," Wilkes said, smiling as he wended his way through a crowd of nearly 500 well-wishers. Former City Councilman Kelly Fogelsong congratulated his longtime friend after the mayor was sworn in Saturday. "John's been a family friend all my life," said Fogelsong, who ran for mayor in 2008 against Tom Jones. "I think he's proven himself as President of the Greene County Council. He's super - just a good guy - and I'm proud of him for stepping up." Wilkes consulted with the city council to relocate the ceremony from City Hall to the Linton Fire Station. He did so to accomodate citizens and supporters. Still, the turn-out on a warm December day surprised even seasoned politicians. On Saturday, the hot dog line stretched well back into the fire station's bay. What it implied to Linton's newly sworn in officials about the community's strength brought smiles. "I'm overwhelmed with the number of people. I didn't think there'd be this many," Wilkes admitted. "I think this shows that many people in Linton are interested in their community and they want to move forward together." Newly-elected Ward 5 City Councilman Fred Markle, whose downtown business Markle's Music is a Main Street neighbor to Wilkes' Mercury Cleaners, concurred. "I figured there'd be around 100 people here," he said. "I couldn't believe it." For Markle, Saturday's ceremony marked the end of what in many ways amounted to a long campaign. He'd sought the office twice previously in 2003 and 2007 before winning election this last campaign season. "I don't think that it hit me real hard until last week," Markle said. "I was speaking to the mayor, and I said next week, you and me will be part of Linton's history, not just as a couple of guys who were shop owners. Now we're with people like Doc Ball and all the past council members." Clerk-Treasurer Jack Shelton -- who's served one prior term with the late Mayor Jimmie K. Wright and two terms with the late Mayor Tom Jones and his successor and wife Patti Jones -- couldn't resist a bit of good natured teasing about Wilkes' other job. "Working with John Wilkes will be a new experience," he kidded. "Of all the mayors I've worked with, he's the only one I know who can literally take us to the cleaners." Along with Ward 7 Councilman Nigel Lehman, sworn in for his fifth term Saturday, Shelton is one of the longest-running elected officials locally. "If God gives me the longevity to get through this term, I think I will be the longest-serving clerk-treasurer Linton's ever had," Shelton said. Saturday's ceremony had the feel of a family picnic. That's fitting, said Shelton's wife Sonna. "If we all work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish with God's help," Sonna Shelton said. "(Jack's) been in the job long enough it's almost like working with family." Family -- and a political legacy -- were also present as Ward 6 Councilman Jathan Wright smiled, shaking hands as he was surrounded by family. At 22, Wright might just be the youngest city councilman Linton's ever elected. Still, the grandson of the former mayor Jimmie K. Wright didn't mind being upstaged a little by someone quite a bit younger -- and perhaps the next generation of Wrights to enter politics someday: his infant nephew Aiden Wilson. Held by Jathan Wright's sister Shandi Wilson, Aiden was all smiles as the city's administrative assistant Fran Abbott cooed at the child. "I'm looking forward to starting my first term," said Wright. "There's a lot of things to get done, and I think everybody's ready to roll up their sleeves and get started." Other council members concurred. "I'm tickled to death, and ready to go," said Councilwoman Linda Bedwell, adding mustard to her frank. "You know, I looked out the window waiting for the ceremony, and all I could see was a dilapidated house. I think we're going to get things like that taken care of." Wilkes agreed. While he's not yet announced which city council members will be heading up efforts to improve the park and clean up run-down homes and lots in the area, the mayor's intent is to let the council spearhead many of his initiatives. "There's a lot of projects in the coming weeks that I want to cover, and I want the city council to spearhead those projects," he said. "Things like blighted properties and the parks are projects I want to include the council in." Markle's ready to go. "These changes will be slow changes. It's not all going to happen next week," he said. "But we're going to get people more involved in this city. We have to -- and today was a good start."

GREENE COUNTY DEPARTMENT JAIL LOG LINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY LOG The Linton Police Department log for Dec. 30-Jan. 2 included: One refusal to leave; three follow up investigations; two juvenile/delinquent cases; one report of stolen property; one theft report; two vandalism cases; one protective order violation; one drug investigation; one personal injury traffic accident; four property damage traffic accidents; three suspicious person/vehicle; three burglary cases; one child abuse/molest/neglect case; one intoxicated driver(possible); one attempted burglary; one arrest on a warrant; one domestic dispute; one animal complaint; one disorderly conduct case; two community relations events; two battery cases; and 15 traffic stops.. ...

GREENE CIRCUIT COURT Civil Filings Julie Zygai and Steve Zygai, dissolution of marriage. GREENE SUPERIOR COURT Criminal Filings State vs. Allen D. Willis, three counts of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle with a Schedule 1, 2, 3 or 4 contolled substance; possession of methamphetamine (at least 3 grams); possession of marijuana...

A Westphalia man was treated at Greene County General Hospital following a Friday afternoon, two-vehicle wreck on State Road 54, northwest of Linton. Greene County Sheriff Department Deputy Richardo Marques reports a 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada, driven by 22-year-old Jarod L. ...

The leadership of the Greene County Commissioners will not change in 2012. District 2 Commissioner Steve Lindsey was re-elected president and District 1 Commissioner Kermit Holtsclaw was re-elected vice president for the third straight year. Both are Democrats...

Criminal charges have been filed in connection with an Oct. 31 head-on crash near the Greene-Daviess county line that injured four people, including the defendant. Allen D. Willis, 50, of Camby, located in Morgan County, was charged Friday in Greene Superior Court with three counts of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle with a Schedule I, II or III controlled substance causing serious bodily injury -- all class C felonies; possession of methamphetamine (at least 3 grams) -- a class D felony and possession of marijuana, a class A misdemeanor.. ...

The new Bloomfield Town Council members kicked off their first meeting of they year by electing Eric Harrah to serve as president. "I would gladly like to nominate Eric Harrah as president, "councilman Dave Harding said in Harrah s absence. Council members Doug Frye and Harding voted to table designating Farmers and Mechanics Bank as the town' s banking institution until Harrah 's return...

At the very brief Switz City Council meeting Tuesday evening, the council agreed to keep the regular meetings for 2012 at the same time and on the same day as 2011 -- 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. Sewer Superintendent Dave Fish reported that a suction line at the sewer plant was plugged and he had contacted Graves Plumbing to look at it...

Two Jasonville individuals were arrested early Tuesday morning in rural Clay County. According to information provided by the Clay County Sheriff's Department (CCSD), at approximately 1 a.m., deputies with the department received a tip regarding the possible location of a man and woman, both from Jasonville, who were wanted on outstanding arrest warrants in Greene County...

SWITZ CITY -- In Tuesday night's Greene County Invitational opener, the defending champions picked up right where they left off almost a year ago. JT Yoho drained 32 points, Miles Hutchison 17 and Logan Frye 11 as the Eastern Greene Thunderbirds rolled past Linton-Stockton 78-63 to kick off the 2012 edition at White River Valley High School...

SWITZ CITY -- Union High School boys basketball coach Chip Langley is still searching for defensive consistency. The Bulldogs put up little resistance as North Central shot 59 percent and held off Union for a 71-58 victory in a battle of Sullivan County teams in the opening round of the Greene County Invitational here Tuesday night...

Bloomfield Youth Baseball League will be having registration for 2012 Baseball Season. It has been schedule for 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Bloomfield JC Building. Parents should bring a copy of their child's birth certificate with them to registration...