Southern Indiana Living MarApr 2013

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8 1 2 - 9 4 9 - 7 1 5 1 • f l o y d m e m o r i a l . c o m / w e i g h t l o s s

silivingmag.com • 3

From the Editor 

Who doesn’t love a break? For school kids and 

teachers everywhere, spring break is the ultimate 

good time. The weather is shaping 

up, school is out, and the realization that 

school is not far from being over for the year sets in. 

As a kid and then college student I had a lot of wonderful 

spring break experiences. And some not so wonderful 

— some years I stayed home to work. Other years 

brought Laguna Beach, Colorado, Italy, relaxing weeks 

with family and friends ... so many good memories! 

As an adult not working in the educational world without 

school aged children, spring break might be on hold 

for a while, but at least I can live vicariously through the 

folks who do get to enjoy a week o. 

Our spring issue is jam packed with ideas for you and 

your loved ones to get out and enjoy. 

Bob Hill gives us advice on starting a garden. Elise 

Walter outlines some great, easily accessible trips. Loren 

Haverstock introduces the Indiana Cave Trail, and I have 

a chat with the sta at Falls of the Ohio. 

We also have the courageous stories of two local teenagers 

learning to live with blindness. These stories and the 

rest of this jam packed issue will give you plenty to read if 

you are blessed with some time o this spring — whether 

it is a week of vacation or, if you are like me, and will only 

have a few stolen moments of quiet in your home. 

Happy Spring! 

One year in college, spring break brought a trip to Colorado 

with my then-boyfriend now-husband, Jeff. We met in the 

beautiful state and enjoy return trips from time to time. 

With love, 

Abby Laub 

Above: As a kid, spring break often meant extra time at 

grandma and grandpa’s house. Here I am playing dress-up 

with my grandmother’s accessories, and ... a table cloth! 

Left: Spring break two years ago consisted of a fun day in 

Louisville running the Kentucky Derby Festival half marathon. 

March/April 2013 • 4

Happy 200tH, New albaNy ... 

Bicentennial Gala kicks of celebration 

In January at The Grand, New Albany’s Bicentennial Gala 

found hundreds of people reveling in the spirit of two centuries 

to be celebrated. Guests enjoyed music by Jamey 

Aebersold Jazz, followed by dinner and dancing to music 

through the decades. The celebration was coordinated by 

Develop New Albany. Bottom right, from left: John and 

Sara Whitbeck, and Dennis and Jo Smith. Right: Teddy 

Roosevelt? Almost, thanks to costumed look-alike John 

Watkins, right. Margie and Scott Blair struck a pose. Bottom 

Left: Michelle Kristiansen, left, and Stefanie Grif¿th 

were all smiles as co-chairs of the Bicentennial Gala. Left: 

New Albany residents Michelle Kristiansen, left, and Stefanie 

Grif¿th were co-chairs of the Bicentennial Gala. 

Upcoming events: 

• The Barney Bright Legacy 

(through March 29) 

• 200 Years of Style Show 

Saturday, April 6 

• Help make the World’s 

Largest Scrapbook 

For more information, visit 

www.newalbany200.org 

or e-mail 

info@newalbany200.org. 

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in THIS issue 

March/April 2013 

A walk in the garden with Bob Hill • 9 

Top 10 easy spring break trips • 10 

For Love of the Kitchen • 12 

Cooking column NEW to SILM 

New Albany’s ‘Prince’ • 14 

TV star Josh Dallas stays true to his roots 

Farsighted • 18 

Two local teens Àght blindness with courage 

Don’t drop your Áashlight • 24 

Exploring the Indiana Cave Trail 

28 

14 

Falls of the Ohio 

River • 28 

A chat with the sta 

Postcard dining at 

The Overlook • 34 

Coming in the 

next issue • 46 

Flashback • 42 

Reader photos • 47 

Everyday 

Adventures • 50 

Southern 

IndIana Living 

MARCH | APRIL 2013 

VOL. 6, ISSUE 2 

PUBLISHER | 

Karen Hanger 

karen@silivingmag.com 

EDITOR IN CHIEF & 

CREATIVE 

DIRECTOR | 

Abby Laub 

abby@silivingmag.com 

SALES REPRESENTATIVES | 

Kimberly Hanger • kimberly@silivingmag.com 

Sandy Payne • sandy@silivingmag.com 

Donna Jones • donna@silivingmag.com 

ONLINE EDITOR | Sam Bowles 

COPY EDITOR | Jenna Esarey 

DISTRIBUTION | Jim Hamilton, Chase Scott, 

Dana Scott, Summer Whelan 

CONTRIBUTORS | Jeff Laub, Jason Byerly, 

Kathy Melvin, Kelly Leigh Miller, Bob Hill, 

Ali Wyman, Elise Walter, Michelle Hockman, 

Loren Haverstock, Drew Murter 

Contact SIL 

P.O. Box 145 

Marengo, IN 47140 

812.989.8871 

karen@silivingmag.com 

SUBSCRIPTIONS | $25/year, Mail to: Southern 

Indiana 

Living, P.O. Box 145, Marengo, IN 47140 

SUBMISSIONS | Do you have a story idea or 

photo opportunity? E-mail abby@silivingmag.com for 

our submission guidelines. Not all will be accepted. 

18 50 

SNAPSHOTS | We invite you to submit a photo 

of yourself reading Southern Indiana Living in an 

interesting place. E-mail high resolution, color photographs 

to abby@silivingmag.com. Include names, 

location and your phone number. 

ADVERTISING | Take advantage of prime advertising 

space. Call us at 812-989-8871 or e-mail ads@ 

silivingmag.com. 

Southern Indiana Living is published bimonthly by SIL 

Publishing Co. LLC, P.O. Box 145, Marengo, Ind. 47140. 

Any views expressed in any advertisement, signed letter, 

article, or photograph are those of the author and do not 

necessarily re¾ect the position of Southern Indiana Living 

or its parent company. Copyright © 2013 SIL Publishing 

Co. LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced 

in any form without written permission from 

SIL Publishing Co. LLC. 


Join us Online. 

Southern Indiana Living magazine is expanding 

to the web. Not only can you view our complete 

online issues, you can see exciting new 

exclusive content that you can’t ¿nd in our print edition! 

See for yourself at www.silivingmag.com. 

+ 

Coming online in March, we will feature a local 

police of¿cer, Robert Brann, who has served in 

multiple presidential inaugurations. 

And we will get behind the scenes with the 

new CEO of Holiday World, Matt Eckert. 

+ 

Follow us on Twitter @SILivingMag 

Follow our editor @abbylaub 

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>


Less is more 

How to start a vegetable garden 

Truth be told we make vegetable gardening much too 

complicated. There are a zillion books, articles and TV 

shows on the subject but it’s still mostly a business in 

which all you do is dig a hole, stick in a plant and add 

water — being generally certain you begin with the plant’s 

roots facing down. 

Sure, there’s all that stu about amended soil, mulch, sun, 

shade, bugs, disease, staking, companion planting, adding the 

right nutrients and semi-worthless weed whackers – but that’s 

about it. Plants were around long before we were and they’ll 

still be here long after the last iceberg melts into the sea. 

So let’s take this vegetable garden thing one step at a time — 

especially for those of you who want to start your Àrst one and 

have been a little afraid to try. 

Expect success 

... and failure. 

-Bob Hill 

Rule 1: Start small, and then go even smaller. 

You want success. You want something to show 

o to family and friends. Pick a well-drained spot 

that gets six to eight hours of sun, is close to water 

and is maybe even located in a spot where you can 

still gaze fondly out the window at its beauty and 

productivity come the dog days of August. 

Rule 2: How are you Àxed for gardening tools? You can’t 

plant potatoes with a tablespoon. At a minimum you’ll need 

a good spade or turning fork, hand diggers, a good pair of 

pruners and maybe an old-fashioned hoe. The designer garden 

jeans, $50 garden gloves and imported, half-acre sombrero can 

come later – although you will always need skin protection and 

sunscreen. 

Rule 3: You need good dirt. If you live in a fairly new subdivision 

chances are your soil has the consistency of reconstituted 

asphalt. Get some compost or peat moss and work it deeply 

into the soil. Rent a tiller. Get your teenage son up o his iPad. 

Plan on repeating all that next year as your garden and ambition 

grow. No decent dirt — no decent veggies; another reason 

to start small. 

Rule 4: Plant what you like to eat. Do you like salads; tomatoes, 

lettuce and cucumbers? Do you want fresh beans? Do 

you want potatoes or sweet corn — which will require more 

space and some special care? Being able to bring your home 

grown vegetables directly into your heavily mortgaged house 

for lunch or dinner will make gardening even more fun. 

Rule 5: OK, you know what you want to plant but when do 

you plant it? If you want lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots 

— and each of those o ers a greater probability of success — 

their seeds can go in the ground about the Àrst of April. You 

can also plant onion “sets”, and baby onions you can buy in 

bunches. 

Plant them in evenly spaced rows following directions on the 

package, or, what the heck, just create a Big Ol’ Patch of lettuce 

and cut o as needed. There’s incredible joy in watching 

something you planted as seed come up as something to eat. 

It’s almost magic. 

Rule 6: Around here wait until mid-to-late April to plant the 

warm season crops such as corn, beans, peppers, cucumbers, 

pumpkins, squash and tomatoes – and many people won’t 

want to plant tomatoes until after the Derby, when they can 

then be mulched with losing pari-mutuel tickets. 

Plants such as tomatoes and peppers can be purchased 

as tiny babies and stuck in holes twice as 

deep and wide as its root ball, roots down. Tomatoes 

should be staked. Pumpkins and squash will 

need room to spread. Cucumbers can be grown up 

on trellises. Beans are best eaten right o the plant. 

Add some annuals Áowers like marigolds or zinnias 

to add garden color. 

Rule 7: Mulch your crops. It’s a rule few people follow with 

any regularity but it makes such a di erence in time, labor and 

good crops. Buy some mulch in bags or bulk and place it a few 

inches deep between plants. You’ll water less and eat more 

– and the garden will look better. Have I mentioned yet you 

should begin small. 

Rule 8: Bugs, disease, drought, famine, pestilence and destruction. 

Nobody ever said gardening was going to be easy. 

There are all sorts of critters and pathogens out there wanting 

to cause harm, BUT a healthy, well-watered and loved plant in 

good soil will have a strong resistance to all of them. 

Meanwhile study up on the enemy, hand-pick marauding 

bugs o your plants, learn to recognize the good ones and expect 

to lose some plants, or at least have them weakened. 

Rule 9: Expect success...and failure. This is all about starting 

something you’ve always wanted to do, and enjoying the fruits 

of your labor. Life is all about learning. 

Rule 10: A LOT more information is available by just going to 

Google and hitting 

Purdue University 

Vegetable Garden. 

It’s a great horticulture 

school. It’s 

your tax dollars. 

Now get out there 

and plant! • 

Bob Hill owns 

Hidden Hill 

Nursery and can 

be reached at 

farmerbob@ 

hiddenhillnursery. 

com. 


Top 10: 

Easy spring break trips 

You don’t have to go far from Southern Indiana to 

have some fun family time over spring break. Here 

are a few suggestions. 

1. Find fun for everyone in and around Cincinnati, 

Ohio. Try Newport on the Levee (www.newportonthelevee.com) 

just across the river in Kentucky, featuring 

Newport Aquarium, shopping, restaurants, movies, and a 

beautiful view of The Queen City. Attend a Reds game, and 

be sure to try some famous Cincinnati chili. Check out the 

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (www. 

freedomcenter.org) for some fascinating American history. 

Also nearby is Great Wolf Lodge (www.greatwolf.com), an 

indoor water park with themed suites. 

2. Enjoy some American history at Abraham Lincoln 

Boyhood National Memorial (www.nps.gov/libo/) in 

Lincoln City. In Rockport, you can Ànd the Lincoln Pioneer 

Village and Museum (www.lincolnpioneervillage.com). 

To extend your learning, visit the two Lincoln exhibits at 

the Indiana State Museum (www.indianamuseum.org) in 

Indianapolis (on display until July 25) or the Abraham Lincoln 

Presidential Library and Museum (www.alplm.org) in 

SpringÀeld, Illinois. 

3. The French Lick Springs Resort and West Baden 

Springs Resort (www.frenchlick.com) are a close-to-home 

source of fun with their pools, indoor sports, arcade, golf, 

historical tours, entertainment, horseback riding and special 

activities for kids ages six to 10. Also in French Lick, 

Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water Park & Resort (www. 

bigsplashadventure.com) o ers the fun of a water park 

without any worries about the weather. 

4. How about a trip to Indianapolis? The Indianapolis 

Zoo (www.indyzoo.com) features a dolphin theater with 

daily shows, a shark pool, and a baby elephant. The Children’s 

Museum of Indianapolis (www.childrensmuseum. 

org) is widely regarded as one of the best in the nation. 

Other options include visiting the Indianapolis Museum 

of Art and its gardens, the Indiana State Museum, the Indianapolis 

Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, or the 

Rhythm! Discovery Center (www.rhythmdiscovery.org) 

where you can visit many exhibits about the science and 

history of percussion, then enjoy an interactive area where 

you can try percussion instruments. 

5. Head to Louisville, Ky., and explore the Kentucky 

Science Center (www.kysciencecenter.org), hike in the Jeffersonville 

Memorial Forest, ride on a riverboat or visit the 

Louisville Slugger Museum (www.sluggermuseum.com). 

Many attractions feature special spring break activities. 

The Kentucky Derby Museum (www.derbymuseum.org) 

is a great stop even on a non-racing day. Various tours of 

Churchill Downs are available (reservations are encouraged). 

6. Drive south to Mammoth Cave National Park (www. 

nps.org/maca) in Kentucky for cave tours, camping, hiking, 

canoeing, horseback riding and bicycling. Children 

ages eight to 12 can take a special tour with a park ranger, 

and families can take an introduction to caving course together. 

7. Make a memory by doing a zipline tour with friends 

or family. Choose from six di erent tours with eXplore 

Brown County (www.explorebrowncounty.com), and take 

time to explore the rest of the area. Other options include 

Dagaz Acres in Rising Sun (www.dagazacres.com), Rawhide 

Ranch (www.rawhideranchusa.com) in Nashville, 

and Lark Valley Zip Lines in French Lick www.larkvalleyziplines.com). 

8. At the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington (www.kyhorsepark.com), 

you can go horseback riding, take a horsedrawn 

trolley tour, or go on a tour of horse farms. Pony 

rides are o ered for children. Nearby in Harrodsburg, tour 

a preserved Shaker community in Shaker Village of Pleasant 

Hill (www.shakervillageky.org). 

9. If the weather’s good, visit one of the many state 

parks in Indiana, Illinois or Kentucky. You can enjoy hiking, 

biking, Àshing, canoeing, camping, and more. A few, 

such as Ferne Cly e State Park in Illinois, even o er rock 

climbing. Some of the parks have inns on site, including 

Clifty Falls State Park near Madison. 

10. There’s no shortage of attractions and activities in St. 

Louis, Mo. Visit the Gateway Arch; take in a baseball game 

at Busch Stadium; tour the zoo; let the kids’ imagination 

go wild at Magic House (www.magichouse.org), an interactive 

children’s museum; walk around Forest Park, site 

of the 1904 World’s Fair; feed bualo and goats at Grant’s 

Farm (www.grantsfarm.com) and see the Budweiser 

Clydesdales; check out City Museum (www.citymuseum. 

org) or the St. Louis Science Center (www.slsc.org); and 

enjoy great dining and shopping. Explore St. Louis (www. 

explorestlouis.com) has lots of helpful information for trip 

planning. • 


Story // Elise Walter 

Photos // Michelle Hockman 

Clockwise from top: The 

Belle of Louisville, Louisville 

Slugger Museum, Kentucky 

Science Center, Muhammed 

Ali Center, Actors Theatre of 

Louisville. 


On any given day, we 

all wear many different 

hats. I, myself, 

wear the hat of a sister, 

granddaughter, writer, coffee 

enthusiast, music lover, and 

on my better days, cook. 

Just like us, the culinary creations 

that are born in our kitchens 

also wear many dierent 

hats. Cooking can wear the hat 

of celebration, entertainment, 

or family tradition (impressing 

the mother-in-law doesn’t hurt 

either!). Food really is like a 

magical cure all, bringing happiness 

and satisfaction to any 

situation, and putting a smile 

on every face. 

With spring upon us, we can 

look forward to the baseball 

games, redbud trees, the excitement 

of Spring Break, the 

warmth of Easter dinner, and 

precious time spent with family. 

I have chosen to share two 

recipes which have served very 

dierent purposes in my kitchen, 

but have both proven huge 

hits with my family. 

The Àrst recipe wears the hat 

of sweetness and fun by putting 

a delicious, lick-your-Àngers 

spin on a traditional favorite for 

your family to help make and 

enjoy this spring. You know 

how much your family loves 

fruit cobbler … Now imagine 

it in a mouthwatering wae 

cone, smothered in vanilla ice 

cream. It sounds sinful, but I’ll 

bet God loves extra ice cream, 

too. 

The second recipe wears a 

much fancier hat, the kind you 

wear to Easter service and show 

o to all your friends. This 

recipe for Pork Loin with Pan 

Sauce makes for an absolutely 

mouth-watering dinner, earning 

you some much deserved 

ooh’s and ahh’s from your family. 

An added bonus is just how 

easy the recipe is to prepare, 

a quality that is handy when 

you’re juggling your cook’s hat 

with your very busy mom hat. 

Enjoy! 

The many hats of cooking 

Pork Loin with Pan Sauce 

Ingredients 

½ cup olive oil 

½ cup soy sauce 

¼ cup red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons parsley Áakes 

2 teaspoons dried mustard 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

Pepper to taste 

1 1-pound pork tenderloin, silver skin removed 

Combine all marinade ingredients and 

reserve ¼ cup for pan sauce. Place pork tenderloin 

in marinade for three to four hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over 

medium-high heat, sear tenderloin for 4 minutes 

on each side. Place tenderloin in oven 

and bake for 40 minutes, or until meat has 

reached 160 degrees. Let cool for at least Àve 

minutes before slicing. 

Pan Sauce 

Pan scrapings 

¼ cup of pork marinade 

While the tenderloin is cooling, place the 

skillet back on the stove over medium heat. 

Add any pan scrapings and marinade, letting 

the mixture boils for two to three minutes. 

Pour over the pork tenderloin. 

Serves six. 

Illustration // Kelly Leigh Miller 

Cobbler in a Cone 

Ingredients 

1 cup Áour 

1 cup sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

¾ cup milk 

1 stick butter 

1 large can peaches 

(or 1 cup of your favorite fruit) 

½ cup brown sugar 

¼ teaspoon cinnamon 

Wae cones 

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional) 

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine 

Áour, sugar, baking powder, and milk. Melt 

butter and pour into 13x9 baking dish. Pour 

Áour mixture over melted butter. Top with 

chosen fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar and 

cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Once the cobbler is Ànished, place scoop 

of warm cobbler into wae cone and top 

with desired amount of vanilla ice cream or 

whipped cream. 

Serves six to eight. 

Ali Wyman is a writer and recent 

graduate of Indiana University Southeast 

who lives for books, music and 

family. She thinks In our fast-paced 

lives it’s nice to stop now and then 

and enjoy life’s gifts. No gift means 

more to me than a good meal with 

the ones I love. Ali can be reached at 

aliwyman@umail.iu.edu. 


ENTERTAINING FOR DERBY? 

Clark Memorial Hospital Foundation 

for the 5th Annual 

presented by American Senior Communities 

MAY 3, 2013 • DERBY EVE 

7:30 pm - 12:30 am • Kye’s I & II 

RSVP by April 22, 2013 

Tickets available at triumphgala.com 

$250 - VIP Reception & Glam Suite 

$100 - General Admission 

featuring Jamey Aebersold Jazz & V-Groove 

Corporate sponsorships also available 

Hearty Hors d'oeuvres 

Silent & Live Auctions • Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides 

Cocktail Party Attire • Red Tie Optional 

Proceeds to benefit Cardiac Services and Community Education 

Initiatives of Clark Memorial Hospital 

For more information contact Rondi Langdon 812.283.2105 

www.triumphgala.com 

facebook.com/triumphgala

New AlbANy’s ‘PriNce’ 

TV star Josh Dallas stays true to his roots 

Story // Kathy Melvin 

From the time he took the stage at 

New Albany’s Mt. Tabor Elementary 

School as the Jack-in-the-Box in his Àfth 

grade production of Aesop’s Falables, 

Josh Dallas knew he was destined to 

become an actor. 

Josh Dallas 

graduated from 

New Albany 

High School in 

1997. 

The New Albany native is a rising 

star in television and Àlm, and has 

already made a name for himself on 

the international stage. He currently 

stars as David Nolan/Prince Charming 

in the ABC hit series, “Once Upon 

A Time,” and splits his time between 

the set in Vancouver and his home in 

Los Angeles, returning to New Albany regularly to visit 

family and friends. Over the holidays he sat down for a 

quick chat about his hometown, the people that shaped 

his career and how happy it makes him to do what he 

loves. 

“I love coming home as much as possible,” he said. 

“New Albany is my hometown, and I owe it so much. It’s 

such a special place and it just keeps getting better and 

better. I feel a great sense of pride.” 

Dallas, 35, returned to Vancouver in January to Ànish 

22 episodes of “Once Upon A Time”, which is viewed by 

13 to 14 million people every week. 

How does he feel about playing Prince Charming — 

every woman’s romantic fantasy? 

“If I really thought about it, I’d probably crumble 

into the fetal position,” he quipped. “I hope I’ve made 

him more of an ‘every man.’ I want him to be more than 

beautiful speeches.” 

Playing the Áawed, weak, human character of David 

Nolan on “Once Upon A Time”, he said, allows him to be 

more than just a “metaphor for romanticism.” He loves 

the fact that the show is very character-driven and believes 

that the way the story was created allows them to 

go anywhere in literature. He hopes that translates into 

a long run. 

Production wraps in March and he hopes to make it 

home again for Kentucky Derby activities. Last year he 

was in the Pegasus Parade during the Derby Festival. 

To the outside world, it doesn’t seem like a long road 

from Jack-in-the-Box to stardom, but everyone agrees he 

has worked hard and stayed grounded in his hometown 

roots. 

“As an actor, you know the job will end,” he reÁected. 

“Coming home keeps it real. I’m trying to take it for 

what it is and enjoy the moment. It’s spectacular to go to 

work and do the thing you love to do most in the world. 

I realize how lucky I am.” 

David Longest, longtime theater director at New Albany 

High School where Dallas graduated from in 1997, 

was thrilled when Dallas left the set of “Once” to Áy back 

for his retirement party last year. 

“There’s always that fear that the pressures of Hollywood 

could change them, but he has always been, and 

remains, such a true person,” he said. “He’s a sweet boy, 

so genuinely kind and very polite, just like he’s always 

been. He hasn’t changed at all.” 

The two stay in touch, even though Longest has now 

retired and moved to Florida. 

Both Longest and Dallas himself, credit great parenting 

for who the star has become. 

“I was raised to set very high standards for myself,” 

Dallas said. “My grandmother always said, ‘It doesn’t 


cost anything to be nice’.” 

He said he is thrilled that his family can 

enjoy his success with him. 

His aunt, Susan Dallas of Je ersonville, 

who took Dallas to his Àrst live stage play, 

“Les Miserables”, said she doesn’t remember 

a time when her nephew didn’t want 

to be a performer. She agrees with Longest, 

that he remains as sweet and warm as he’s 

always been. 

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Dallas’ mom, 

Dee Dee Zellner, taught for years at the Weber School of 

Dance in Je ersonville, Ind., and his aunt was a dancer 

for the Louisville Ballet. He used to Àll in at Weber recitals, 

once playing Prince Charming. He was never a big 

fan of tap, though. He once attended one of his mother’s 

tap classes, but all she had on hand were red patent leather 

shoes with bows. “I never went back,” he laughed. 

Dallas remembers when Longest, and Floyd Central 

High School theater director Glen Edwards, came to his 

ninth grade musical, “Little Shop of Horrors”, a sort of 

scouting trip. 

“They came to see me perform and it was so exciting,” 

he said. “At that point I decided I wanted to feel that 

good all the time and that’s when I started to get very 

serious about pursuing my acting goals.” 

He was quick to point out, though, that the teachers in 

the arts programs here have a great eye for recognizing 

talent and nurturing it in all their students, not just him. 

“They give all their students that support,” Dallas said. 

“The arts program in Floyd County schools is so unique 

and so special. There is no doubt in my mind that if it 

wasn’t for that program, I would not be doing what I’m 

doing today.” 

New Albany High School has been invited to the International 

Thespian Festival at the University of Nebraska 

often over the years. In 1997 Dallas performed with them 

without knowing he has being watched by scouts from 

Mountainview Academy of Theatre Arts, a prestigious 

theater conservancy in London. Just days later, he was offered 

a full-ride acting scholarship given to one American 

student every three years. In London, at the age of 20, he 

got his Àrst professional job with the Royal Shakespeare 

Company and then landed a leading role in the English 

National Opera’s production of On the Town, which 

went on to play a season at the Paris Opera. 

“I joked with Josh that I hoped he would come home 

and not become too British,” said Longest. “He’s such a 

debonair, All-American looking guy.” 

Dallas returned to America and his career has rocketed. 

Five days after being back in the states he got a call 

o ering him the role of Fandral in 2011’s blockbuster 

“Thor”, by Marvel Studios. He’s also starred on “CSI: 

Crime Scene Investigation” and “Hawaii Five-O”. He has 

also appeared in “Red Tails”, opposite Bryan Cranston 

and Cuba Gooding Jr. and appeared in “Ghost Machine”, 

“The Descendent: Part 2”, “The Boxer” and “80 Minutes”. 

In addition to getting home to visit family, Josh makes 

time to speak to students and has also donated auction 

items to arts and education foundations. 

“We have a wealth of wonderful arts in this area. I was 

lucky to have landed in the right place,” Dallas reÁected. 

“I cannot imagine schools without arts programs.” • 

“New Albany is my hometown, and I owe it so much. It’s 

such a special place and it just keeps getting better and 

better. I feel a great sense of pride.” 

Josh Dallas plays Prince Charming in the ABC 

hit series Once Upon A Time. 

-Josh Dallas

Donate. Shop. 

Change Lives. 

Serving children, adults and our community 

through the power of donated goods. 

Southern Indiana 

www.goodwillsi.org 


MONTE CARLO NIGHT 

Presented by Hosparus Southern Indiana 

March 16, 2013 • 7:00 PM • Kye’s II in Jeffersonville 

Join us for casino games, dinner by-the-bite, March Madness viewing area, silent and 

live auctions, raffles and more! For more information, contact Vanessa Braswell at 

(812) 542-2808 or vbraswell@hosparus.org. 

$75 Admit One (doors open at 7 pm) 

$100 VIP Admit One (doors open at 6 pm) 

Get your tickets online at www.hosparus.org. 

www.hosparus.org • A non-pro8t hospice care provider

F- 

AR- 

SIGH- 

TED 

Two local Teens look 

ahead To fuTure despiTe 

challenges wiTh blindness 

Story // Drew Murter 

Photos // Loren Haverstock 

Blindness is an uncomfortable thought. 

Maybe it’s an idea you link in your mind 

with other words like “claustrophobia” or 

“lost”. But blindness is very much a reality 

for thousands of people across the country, 

thousands more around the globe, and 

even a few in our own back yard. 

But, as with anything worth Àghting, there are 

always people standing up, raising money and performing 

research in hopes of inching closer to cures 

as time goes by: cures for degenerative diseases with 

alien-sounding names such as choroideremia and 

stargardt. The Foundation Fighting Blindness is an 

internationally recognized organization dedicated to 

the study of these visual disorders and helping those 

who suer from them learn how to cope and resume 

their regular lives. The Foundation is headquartered 

in Columbia, Md. 

One of the ways the Foundation helps is by sponsoring 

charitable 5K walks, called Vision Walks, across 

the country every year. All proceeds from the Vision 

Walks go toward funding further research for Ànding 

preventions and cures. The walks also have the 

added function of raising awareness for the foundation’s 

work and spotlighting local residents who are 

struggling against blindness in some capacity. This 

past year saw an estimated 75,000 participants in 51 

Vision Walks throughout the nation raise $24 million. 

One of these Vision Walk fundraisers was held in 

Louisville on Oct. 27, 2012. Three hundred walkers 

took part, raising a total more than $38,000 — $7,000 

of which was raised on the day of the walk alone. 

The stories of many brave men and women, both 

the blind and the seeing, who share the foundation’s 

heart and mission were told during that weekend, 

but the Louisville Vision Walk thrust two teenagers 

in front of the crowd that weekend, the 2012 Youth 

Co-Chairs of the walk Samantha Mayberry and Ty 

Grin. 

Samantha, 15, lives in Harrison County and is a 

freshman at South Central High School. She likes listening 

to music and watching movies at home with 

her family. She used to participate in drama at school 

until the program was closed down, so she’s been 

looking into another place where she can satisfy that 

passion recently. By all accounts, Samantha is just an 

ordinary teenager, but she suers from a condition 

called retinitis pigmentosa. 

“I noticed she had trouble in dim light, running 

over things and tripping over things,” Lori Mayberry 

said recalling her daughter’s early symptoms. 

“My great aunt had RP, too, so I knew that a lack of 

night vision was a possible sign.” 

Samantha was ocially diagnosed with retinitis 

pigmentosa (RP) in 2001 by a specialist in Chicago 

when she was 4, but her mother says the problems 


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Samantha Mayberry was ¿rst diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in 2001. 

began when they noticed her right eye turning inward 

when she was only 2. 

Its possible that Ty, 18, has also been dealing with his retinitis 

pigmentosa since a very young age as well, but if so, 

he doesn’t recall it ever bothering him until he was 16. The 

Henryville High School senior was diagnosed with the disease 

in the summer of 2011. His world was not shattered, 

but with the diagnosis came a realization that things were 

changing. “I honestly didn’t know what to think, I was 

nervous,” Ty said reÁecting on that season of uncertainty. 

“Everything was the same…just no one else saw like I did.” 

Looking back, there were signs along the way that the 

Sellersburg native had vision problems at least since he 

was 10, the most telling being when he could no longer see 

a ball hurtling toward him while playing sports. 

“We thought he was just clumsy,” his mother, Joanna 

Kane, said. “He might have had it all his life, but it didn’t 

show up on any tests before.” 

Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic disorder, essentially 

a decaying of the retina in the back of the eye. Typically, 

people who suer from RP experience greatly diminished 

night vision, and peripheral vision that gradually closes in, 

in some cases leading to total blindness. Retinitis pigmentosa 

is a rare disorder, even among already rare issues of 

extreme blindness. 

Only about 120,000 people in the United States suffer 

from this condition. Dr. Stephen Rose, Chief Research 

Ocer at the Foundation, likens the early eects of RP to 

holding up toilet paper tubes to your eyes. Basically, it’s a 

more extreme version of tunnel 

vision. 

“The eye is like a camera, 

and the retina is like the Àlm,” 

Dr. Rose explained. 

Whatever the eye is looking 

at gets Àltered through to the 

retina, which interprets the 

image through two types of 

cells, aptly named rods and 

cones. Rods identify black and 

white shades and are essential 

for night vision. Cones identify 

colors and are essential 

for day vision. RP Àrst attacks 

the rods, which is why people 

who develop the condition 

notice their night vision deteriorating 

Àrst. 

Dr. Rose pointed out, however, 

that a person’s sight 

can still be great in the macula 

(center) of the eye, even 

20/20, but that small circle of 

center vision is all they have 

to work with. Ty still has great 

back and center vision. He 

could even legally drive under 

the State of Indiana’s driving 

guidelines, but specialists 

have advised him not to for 

his own safety. 

Samantha says she still has 

pretty clear vision on a bright, 

sunny day but dim lighting continues to be her nemesis. 

“It’s dierent, in dim light,” she said. 

Other light-centric phenomena like rainbows and stars 

also elude her sight. They both have trouble seeing the 

board at school, and occasionally even something written 

on a piece of paper right in front of them. But Samantha 

said the worst part about living with RP was losing the 

ability to drive. 

“I’ll never be able to drive,’ Samantha said, ‘that’s kind 

of taken away my independence”. 

Ty wholeheartedly agreed. “Hands down not being able 

to drive and no night vision, you lose your independence.” 

Both teens get rides to wherever they need to go, but 

its awkward at times, and frustrating when a driver isn’t 

available during those moments when they feel the need 

to just get out of the house. But the pain of being without 

a vehicle at their disposal is often eased by the company of 

caring family members and good friends. Ty likes to play 

video games and read comics, but his favorite activity is 

hanging out with his friends. They play jokes on him now, 

holding their hands next to his face, waiting to see if he’ll 

realize what’s going on, but he says it’s all in good fun. 

“They joke around, but they’ll help me with anything.” 

Getting connected with the Foundation Fighting Blindness 

has also served to keep their spirits aÁoat despite the 

frustration that overwhelms them at times. “We love the 

Foundation, they’ve been great with him,” Joanna said. She 

discovered the organization after Ty’s diagnosis while re- 


searching possible preventions 

on the web. 

“We quickly put a team 

together, Team Ty, for 

the Vision Walk 2011... 

we raised $2000 last 

year.” Team Ty raised 

an additional $5000 for 

this past year’s Vision 

Walk. 

The Mayberrys have 

been longtime subscribers 

to the Foundation’s 

newsletter, In 

Focus, and had been 

aware of the Vision 

Walks since their inception 

in 2006. Dr. 

Howard S. Lazarus, 

Medical Chair of the 

Louisville Walk, personally 

invited the 

family to join the Àrst 

Louisville Walk in 

2009, and they’ve been 

participants ever since. 

Jessica Miller, a former 

director of the Louisville 

Walk, encouraged 

Lori to take an active 

leadership role for the 

5K’s local branch. Lori 

currently sits on the 

Louisville committee 

and Samantha has 

been asked to be the 

youth chair two years 

in a row. 

“It’s a productive 

way for her to advocate 

for herself,” Lori 

said. 

Ty was asked to be a Youth Co-Chair along with Samantha 

this year after the adult Louisville Chairs saw one of 

the videos he had taken part in with other Henryville students 

petitioning Lady Antebellum to come play a show at 

their prom after a tornado wreaked havoc in their town on 

March 2, 2012. 

Being Youth Co-Chairs has not only given Samantha 

and Ty the ability to share their own stories, but it’s also 

granted them a platform from which to advocate for other 

people living with degenerative retinal diseases. They’ve 

both made appearances at local venues to raise awareness 

of Vision Walk and the foundation’s mission. 

Samantha said participating in the Vision Walks has 

opened her eyes to just how many people share her and 

Ty’s unlikely condition. “It’s brought me closer to people, 

to people like me. I’ve met a lot of people at the Vision 

Walks.” “There was a whole world of people with my condition,” 

Ty said, recalling his Àrst Vision Walk in 2011. “It 

helps them put a face on this…I love that I can help.” 

At the core of the Vision Walks is the prospect of a bright 

light at the end of a 

dismal tunnel, a hope 

of someday Ànding 

a cure for these cruel 

diseases. Dr. Rose suggests 

those days aren’t 

quite as far away as 

they might seem. The 

foundation’s research 

and testing over the 

past few decades has 

led to over 45 children 

with RP and similar 

disorders having their 

vision restored to different 

extents. It’s still 

too early to cry out 

cure, but these are 

exciting times at the 

Foundation. 

Clinical trials for 

adults with retinal 

related disorders are 

ongoing, and Dr. Rose 

says more trials are always 

being prepared. 

“Our search for 

a cure knows no 

bounds,” Rose said of 

the Foundation, which 

has raised over $500 

million in the name of 

Ànding preventions 

for RP and other visual 

diseases since its 

inception in 1971. “To 

be blunt, our job is to 

go out of business so 

Ty Grif¿n doesn’t recall his Retinitis pigmentosa bothering him before 

nobody has to hear 

the age of 16. 

‘you’re going blind’ 

ever again.” 

But the push for a cure never seems quite fast enough for 

people like Ty and Samantha. 

There are four identiÀed types of Retinitis Pigmentosa - 

Recessive, Dominant, Xlink and Sporadic – each one inherited 

through family lines in some fashion, with the exception 

of Sporadic RP that can inexplicably develop in young 

children without any family history of the disorder. 

Since the genetic deterioration inherent in each variant 

of the disease can dier so much from the next, only people 

whose RP is stimulated by the same genetic defects as the 

RP being studied in any given clinical trial can join in. Lori 

says Samantha has been waiting a long time to get into a 

trial, but so far her particular strand of RP hasn’t come up 

in the cards. But they’re still willing to wait. 

Meanwhile, neither young Hoosier is putting their life 

on hold while the Foundation continues to make strides in 

the medical science community. Ty has been taking part in 

transition conferences for people learning how to live a regular 

life while going blind, and he’s also been doing what 

// story continues on p. 41 



Harrison County Lifelong Learning, Inc. 

Region 10 WorkINdiana 

Certification Programs 

Automotive Service 

Technician 

Truck Driver 

Welding 

Certified Nursing 

Assistant 

Expanded Duty 

Dental Assistant 

Pharmacy Technician 

Computer Support 

Specialist 

Workforce Development Training Now Available! 

The WorkINdiana program 

allows students to work toward 

a GED and career certificate at 

the same time. 

Harrison County Lifelong 

Learning is an active 

member of the Region 10 

Adult Education Consortium. 

This group serves Clark, 

Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, 

Scott, and Washington Counties 

in Southern Indiana with 

free Adult Education classes 

and Official GED testing. The 

regional partnership also 

includes career and technical 

education centers, Work- 

Ones, community colleges 

and local economic development 

representatives. 

The consortium, in 

conjunction with the Department 

of Workforce Development 

(DWD) has implemented 

short term occupational 

training to adult students 

resulting in industryrecognized 

certifications. 

The DWD created the 

WorkINdiana certification 

program because almost 

one third of Indiana’s workforce 

(over 900,000 individuals) 

does not have the 

skills necessary to succeed 

in today’s workforce. 

Currently the Region 

10 consortium offers 

the following WorkINdiana 

certification programs: Automotive 

Service Technician, 

Truck Driver, Welding, Certified 

Nursing Assistant, Expanded 

Duty Dental Assistant, 

Pharmacy Technician 

and Computer Support Specialist. 

“We determined 

that these training programs 

have a promising future and 

are conveniently located for 

our adult students,” notes 

Doug Robson, director of 

Harrison County Lifelong 

Learning and consortium 

member. 

For more information 

on WorkINdiana, please 

call 812.981.3777. 

Healthcare Employment Continues to Grow 

Harrison County 

Lifelong Learning, Inc. 

101 Hwy 62 W. Suite 104 

Corydon, IN 47112 

812.738.7736 

A recent Bureau of 

Labor Statistics report showed 

continued demand in the 

healthcare sector, with 

45,000 health care jobs 

added to the economy in December 

2012. These jobs 

accounted for nearly one-third 

of total non-farm payroll employment. 

Ambulatory health 

care services, hospitals, nursing 

and residential care facilities 

reported the largest increase 

in jobs added. 

By and large, the 

most job demand has been for 

pharmacy technicians, with 

nearly 2,700 job openings 

according to Hound.com, a 

leading job site. As the Patient 

Protection and Affordable 

Care Act in enacted, hospitals 

and healthcare facilities are 

preparing to serve millions of 

Americans who will soon be 

eligible for health insurance. 

Let us help you achieve academic success! 

www.HarrisonLifelongLearning.com 

This, along with 

an aging baby-boomer 

population, has resulted 

in a boom of health care 

services that is expected 

to continue through 

2016. 


If you have never been spelunking, the various 

cave systems along the Indiana Cave Trail are 

an excellent place to start. 

Between the waterfall in Squire Boone Caverns, the sparkling Crystal Palace 

of Marengo Cave, and the underground boat tours through Bluespring 

Caverns, there is something to pique everyone’s interests. 

With each location hosting multiple tours, you could enjoy casual walks 

weaving through a maze of dazzling stalactites and stalagmites or even go 

on a unique explorer’s trail that actively uncovers new passages and hidden 

rooms within the caves. Regardless of the trail you choose, once you 

enter the caves the wow factor kicks in and you will be treated to breathtaking 

formations and mesmerizing sights of some of the most stunning 

natural wonders in the country. 

Squire Boone Caverns is located near Corydon and features a rushing 

river and waterfall, highlights rarely seen in caves. The cavern is also home 

to the largest functioning rim stone dam on a commercial tour in this country. 

With a lit pathway, the tour walks you directly over the river so you can 

witness the power of the water that helped carve this underground wonder. 

Squire Boone Caverns was discovered by its namesake, Squire Boone, and 

his brother Daniel Boone in 1790. Legend holds that Squire Boone actually 

escaped capture by hostile natives by hiding in this very cavern. Among 

his last wishes was to be laid to rest in the cavern, and upon entering the 

cavern you will shu e past Squire Boone’s Ànal resting place to pay your 

respects to one of the original southern Indiana spelunkers. 

Another area cave that has earned national recognition is Marengo Cave 

in Marengo. The cave was discovered by two small boys in 1883 when they 

noticed what they thought was a sinkhole and went exploring with only 

their lit candles. They quickly realized what a gem they had discovered 

and brought more people back with them for a second look. In less than a 

month Marengo Cave was being actively explored and toured. This cave system is signiÀcantly more spacious than some of 

its neighboring caves and with such large, open rooms it has previously served as an ideal location for major town events 

like weddings, school plays and the annual square dancing competition. In more recent years the cave has played the role of 

movie set to the 2001 Àlm Madison, and Fire Down Below in 2008. 

Below the rolling hills of Bedford rests a third unique cave system, Bluespring Caverns, which prominently features 

Myst’ry River on which you will cruise eortlessly on a guided boat tour. From the illuminated vessel you will be treated 

to schools of rare blind Àsh and crayÀsh that spend their lives in total darkness below the surface. Bluespring Caverns also 

oers overnight adventures in the winter for the true explorers to venture into undeveloped parts of the cavern and seek out 

new passages. 

Opening in Spring 2013, Indiana Caverns in Corydon will be the newest stop along the Indiana Cave Trail. In addition 

to being one of the longest show caves in the country, the cave also features newly discovered animal bones dating back to 

the Ice Age. While viewing the ancient bones, claw marks and animal tracks, visitors will also be treated to a boat ride and 

waterfall along the trail. This cave truly holds something for everyone. 

Each of the cave systems in the region has its own identity and unique story to tell. Whether you are looking to spend the 

day taking in the serene sights of underground rivers, lakes and waterfalls, or you are more interested in getting your hands 

dirty on the crawl tours exploring unseen passages, the southern Indiana cave trail will not disappoint. • 


Don’t drop your Áashlight 

Explore the region’s natural wonders on the Indiana Cave Trail 

Story // Loren Haverstock 

Opposite page. 

Visitors take a boat ride 

through Indiana Caverns. 

Photo courtesy 

Indiana Caverns. 

This page 

Top: The Rock of Ages 

formation, which encloses the 

Crystal Palace room, is a 

highlight of Marengo Cave. 

Photo // Loren Haverstock. 

Bottom: Indiana Caverns is 

the neweest member of the 

cave trail. Photo // Ryan Cox 


Your community, brought to you by... 

By the River’s Edge ofers history of 

New Albany 

A dinner and program to celebrate the release 

of Historic New Albany, Indiana: By the 

River’s Edge, a hardback book commissioned 

for the Bicentennial in 2013 was held recently at 

The Grand in New Albany. 

(Above left) Seated: David and Debbie Barksdale, 

and Connie Sipes. Standing: Shelle England, 

Peggy and Terry Cody. 

(Above right) Irv Stumler, author Jim Crutch- 

Àeld, photographer Robin Hood, Pat Stumler. 

(Right) Charles and Marcia Booker, Jamey Aebersold, 

John Neace. 

March/April 2013 • 26 

Advertisement

Salvation Army’s 

Bed & Bread Gala 

Area residents gathered to support 

the Salvation Army of Southern Indiana’s 

mission to do the most good as 

they Àlled the IUS Hoosier Room for 

the second annual Bed & Bread Gala 

Feb. 8. Pictured below: Kevin Harned 

of WAVE-TV 3, center, was the guest 

speaker. Surprise presentations were 

made to Dale Orem, left, who received 

the Lifetime Achievement Award, and 

John Belski, who received the Service 

to Mankind Award. Other key planners 

were the Salvation Army’s Roxanne 

Haley, Major Steve Kiger, and Major 

Pam Kiger. 

Pictured at top: Personifying the 

event’s theme, the Pillsbury Doughboy 

mingled among guests at the Salvation 

Army’s Bed & Bread Gala. Leading the 

sponsor lineup were, from left to right, 

Dottie and Dennis Ott of Dennis Ott & 

Co., Kevin Cecil and Diane Murphy 

of Your Community Bank, and Kevin 

Fuchs of General Mills-Pillsbury. 

Guests helped raise thousands of 

dollars for the Salvation Army, which 

“meets human needs in the name of 

God without discrimination” in Clark, 

Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and 

Washington counties. 

Community gathers to support 

Jacob’s Well 

The second annual fund-raising dinner and 

silent auction to beneÀt Jacob’s Well drew 360 

guests to Kye’s recently. The event raised money 

for the non-proÀt that is housed in the old Utica 

Elementary School in Clark County. A wide array 

of silent auction items attracted interest among 

guests (pictured) at the fund-raising dinner for 

Jacob’s Well, which provides temporary housing 

and education for single mothers and their children. 

The site gives them a place where hope and 

opportunity Áourish and new lives begin to grow, 

according to founders Barbara and Kevin Williar. 

New Albany • Clarksville •Floyds Knobs • 

Sellersburg • Je ersonville • Bardstown • Louisville 

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Advertisement 


Southern 

Indiana’s 

ancient 

seas 


At no other fossil bed can visitors walk on ancient history. 

Falls of the Ohio River in Clarksville gives visitors a whole 

new way to view their past. 

Story // Abby Laub 

Photos // Abby Laub and Falls of the Ohio 


Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Naturalist Jeremy 

Beavin chuckled as he described some Àrst-time visitors 

who don’t realize they have just trod on history millions 

of years in the making. 

“We’ll get people who will go down there and walk on the 

fossil beds for an hour and come back up and say ‘Where are 

the fossils?’,” he said. “Our task is to really broaden people’s 

image of what a fossil is and show them what these are. A lot of 

people’s thoughts of fossils are dinosaurs.” 

At the park — situated on 

the banks of the Ohio River 

in Clarksville, with spectacular 

views of the river 

and Louisville — there is a 


Million dollar view + millions of fossils: 

Falls of the Ohio State Park wows visitors 

“You had mammoth, buffalo, deer, ¿sh, all of 

your birds, mussels. This was a pretty awesome 

place to be ... People have known about it ever 

since there were humans in the area.” 

Did you know?? 

-Alan Goldstein 

Southern Indiana used to be a massive sea Àoor. Above is a 

diorama of what the Devonian sea Àoor may have looked like. 

16,000-square-foot museum 

and countless fossils telling 

the intricate story of the region’s 

history. The Falls are 

approximately 2.5 miles long 

in an area where the river 

gradually drops nearly 30 feet. 

Interpretive Naturalist Alan 

Goldstein explained that the 

outcropping of stone jutted 

into the path of the meandering 

river drastically shaped 

the events of the area’s history, 

all the way back to prehistoric 

times. 

The Falls of the Ohio has 

more accessible Devonian 

fossils than any single place 

on earth. Vast deposits of Devonian 

fossils have also been 

discovered in Western Australia, 

Goldstein said, but they 

are buried in mountains in the 

middle of a wilderness and 

are very dicult to get to. 

“Our fossil bed, when it’s 

exposed, is the most accessible 

fossil bed in the world,” 

Goldstein said. 

The bed is best viewed in 

the summer and fall when 

water levels are lower in the 

river. In the winter and spring, 

water levels might be 30 feet 

higher and the fossils are impossible 

to see. Visitors have 

come from nearly 80 countries 

since the mid-1990’s to visit 

the Falls of the Ohio to see 

millions of fossils, but they 

would like to see more. 

“People just don’t even 

know this is here, even people 

in this area,” said Paul Olliges, 

a Falls volunteer and member 

of the Naturalist at Heart program. 

“They think it’s 100 miles away ... But it’s the reason why 

there are 1.2 million people here in this area.” 

A recently retired IT professional, Olliges said he loves the 

“mesh of the science, the history, the engineering aspect, river 

dynamics and geography” at the park. 

“There’s a whole bunch of stu that went on here, and it’s 

really signiÀcant from the paleontology end and history and 

geology,” he said. “The falls of these rapids are the reason these 

cities are here. Most of the Ohio River banks are farmland. 

There’s a reason communities 

are where they are.” 

He cited many other historical 

references about the Falls, 

including the use by Native 

Americans in crossing the 

river, and the stop made by 

George Rogers Clark. 

Olliges along with fellow 

Naturalist at Heart Joan 

Rose work hard to promote 

the park’s fascinating history. 

They lead tours, answer 

questions, assist the full-time 

sta and consider themselves 

ambassadors of the park. But 

most of all, they want people 

to realize what is in their back 

yard. Rose, a retired Louisville 

Fire and EMS professional, 

said she recently talked to curious 

visitors from as far away 

as Wyoming. 

“People come here when 

they’re having a good day,” 

she quipped — unlike her old 

job. “I have always been an 

outdoor nut, and I love the 

history, the fossils, geology, 

the birds. I used to come down 

here before the building was 

even built.” 

History like no other 

Though the park was only 

established in the 1990s, nature 

has been at work for much 

longer. Scientists estimate that 

the park is 390 million years 

old. With accessibility to 220 

acres of fossil beds when the 

river is at its lowest point, visitors 

can literally walk on the 

fossil beds and examine history 

up close. 

“We have naturalists and 

geologists and volunteers that 

can help visitors identify and 

know what they’re looking 

at,” said Naturalist and Vol-

Alan Goldstein and 

Kelley Murphy are 

eager to answer 

visitors’ questions and 

give tours. 

unteer Coordinator Connie 

Farmer. 

Stepping out onto an ancient 

sea Áoor is an unusual 

treat. In ancient days, the 

Louisville and Southern Indiana 

area was covered by 

a massive tropical ocean, 

teeming with sea creatures 

that are now fossilized. The 

Devonian age was the age 

of Àsh and the species are 

ancestors of today’s modern 

Àsh. Goldstein said at 

the Falls there are primarily 

interesting coral structures. 

Making a waving motion 

with his hand, he joked 

that visiting the park is like 

“dry snorkeling” and that 

most fossil beds are only 

viewable in cross sections. 

The Falls’ rock outcroppings 

provided a place for 

animals to hunt and Àsh 

and made for a perfect 

place for Native Americans 

to live since the Paleo-Indian 

times. Goldstein said 

this was the only place 

where animals could ford 

along the river and was essentially 

the “food court” 

of the Paleo-Indian world. 

“You had mammoth, 

bualo, deer, Àsh, all of 

your birds, mussels,” he 

said. “This was a pretty 

Planning your visit to the Falls 

The best time to visit Falls of the Ohio State Park is in August, 

at the river’s lowest point. In drought years the fossil 

beds are sometimes exposed as early as May. 

Take a tour, visit the interpretive center, or simply explore 

the park on your own. Also part of the park is the George 

Rogers Clark Home Site and Boat Ramp, Gardens at the Falls 

of the Ohio and the Hale Wetland. 

Activities at the park include bird watching (look out for 

bald eagles and great blue herons), Àshing, boating and hiking. 

Or simply enjoy the peaceful view of Louisville while 

sitting on fossils. A handicap accessible ramp is available. 

The grounds are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 

p.m. Interpretive center hours are Monday through Saturday 

from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. 

It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is 

$5 for adults, $2 for children. Parking is included if visiting 

the Interpretive Center, otherwise it is $2 per vehicle to visit 

the park. 

The park is accessible from the Ohio River Greenway Trail. 

Other park activities include summer day camps for all ages 

For more information, call 812.280.9970 or visit www.fallsoftheohio.org. 


Guests walk on the riverbed, that is covered 

with nearly 30 feet of water in the winter and 

spring months. The best time to visit Falls of 

the Ohio is August, when the Ohio River is 

at its lowest point. 

awesome place to be ... People have 

known about it ever since there were humans 

in the area.” 

The Àrst Europeans to discover it were 

French trappers from Canada, and the 

Àrst specimens were collected by naturalists 

in the 1700’s. Fossils were taken 

to collections at museums in Europe. The 

Àrst named fossil that is still valid today 

was described in 1820, Goldstein said. 

“The fossils we have here are much 

older than dinosaurs,” said Interpretive 

Manager Kelley Morgan, adding that 

there is no evidence that dinosaurs actually 

roamed in this area. 

Farmer added that when scientists 

began really studying the fossils at the 

Falls, they identiÀed more than 500 species 

new to science. She said it is impossible 

to calculate how many fossils exist 

at the park. 

“InÀnity,” Beavin said. 

“And beyond,” Goldstein added. 

Fossils range in size from a grain of 

sand to some as large as the park’s interpretive 

center. Most are the size of a 

human hand. Beavin said when you’re 

walking along you might think you’re 

stepping on a rock but it’s really a fossil 

the size of a table. That is where the 

friendly sta comes in handy to help visitors 

identify what they are seeing. 

Goldstein said this particular fossil exposure 

reaches to Bualo, N.Y., and that 

in most of the other locations it is buried 

under glacial gravel. 

Exposing the gems 

The sta at Falls of the Ohio State Park 

do not mind telling people over and over 

where the fossils are and what they mean. 

Their typical days do not include digging 

and exploring for new fossils, but 

rather educating the public. They give a 



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Postcard dining 

Te Overlook Restaurant: 

A Taste of Southern Hospitality Along the Ohio River 

Story and Photos // Loren Haverstock 

Perched high atop a blu in the picture-postcard town of Leavenworth, the aptly named 

Overlook Restaurant peers out over a 10-mile panoramic view of the Ohio River as it welcomes 

patrons from all over Indiana and Kentucky. Located just two miles from exit 92 on 

Interstate 64, the Overlook is as much a place for a well-timed rest, as it is the destination 

for many travelers in the region. 

Owner Karen Haverstock said that more than anything, it is the view that draws guests 

to the restaurant, “When you step out onto our deck and take in the view of the river and 

the natural, lush surroundings you can feel yourself relaxing. It’s a truly serene sight to take 

in, and you won’t Ànd anything comparable in terms of the view anywhere in this region.” 

The Overlook Àrst opened its doors in 1948 as a casual café and grocery. Although it took 

some time for word to spread, eventually people began wandering in not just for the homecooked 

food, but also to get a peek at the magniÀcent river views. Although the menu has 

evolved, the charming character of the restaurant and sta has remained a constant across 

the decades. 

After changing hands half a dozen times since its founding, the Overlook is currently 

owned and operated by Roger and Karen Haverstock of Marengo, Ind. The Haverstocks 

took over the establishment on Jan. 1, 2010, with a fresh plan to build upon previous successes 

by introducing new changes. 

September/October March/April 2013 • 2012 34 • 34

BUSY. BUSY. 

BUSY. BUSY. 

BUSY. 

They brought in 

some new sta and 

freshened up the lobby 

and dining rooms. 

Adorning the brightly 

painted walls of 

the dining rooms are 

pieces of Àne art from 

regional artists. In the 

lobby, a new display 

case greets customers 

with rows of decadent 

desserts. 

If you are lucky 

enough to be shown 

to a window seat, 

you will be treated 

to a bird’s eye view 

overlooking the 

“horseshoe bend” of 

the Ohio River. From 

this vantage point 

you can see across 

Kentucky’s banks 

and into Indiana 

again as the river valley 

snakes its way westward around the bend. 

Even with a stunning view, the Haverstocks agree that nothing is better than walking 

through the dining room and seeing the familiar faces of people they have known 

for years enjoying a birthday celebration with friends or a dinner out with family and 

truly having a good time. 

“While we appreciate all of our customers, there’s nothing quite like seeing our 

friends and neighbors from here in Crawford County and southern Indiana having a 

good time at our restaurant,” Karen said. “It really makes it all worth it to see people 

enjoying themselves here with us.” 

The food at the Overlook is among the best in the region. Although known for its 

southern comfort food, the restaurant also boasts seasonal specials such as PaciÀc 

salmon Áown in from the Alaskan coast. Many travel websites, including Yelp and 

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The staff of The 

Overlook includes 

(from left) 

Tracy Pierson, 

Lonnie Snawder, 

Karen Haverstock, 

Lani Farler, 

Cathy Mills and 

Katherine Tucker. 

TripAdvisor, recommend trying the fried 

chicken dinner, apple topped pork chops, 

and the coconut cream pie with sky-high 

meringue. 

Perhaps the most popular of all the recent 

upgrades is the opening of Walter’s 

Pub, a separate establishment opened by 

the Haverstocks in 2010 with outdoor 

seating which oers an unparalleled 

view of the Ohio River. A long-term goal 

is to develop even more outdoor seating 

options, Karen Haverstock said. 

While the Overlook’s menu is certainly 

worthy of exploring, Walter’s Pub 

holds its own in terms of good food and 

atmosphere. Located in the basement of 

the Overlook Restaurant, the pub oers 

indoor and outdoor seating options. 

With around 20 dierent beers available 

and cleverly named cocktails -Bloody 

Meriweather and Horseshoe Bender, to 

name a few, the pub has become a local 

Friday night favorite. 


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patrons at Christy’s On Salem Square 

on a recent Saturday evening. 

Photos // Shayne Dowling 



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continued from p. 21 

most high school seniors do — checking 

into potential colleges. 

So far he’s looked at Indiana State 

University, Indiana University and Ball 

State, among a few others. He’s looking 

for a good school where he can ride his 

bike from class to class without having 

to worry about dodging tra c getting 

across a congested street. 

Samantha, with most of her high 

school career still ahead of her, is taking 

things a bit slower. But with that said, her 

one major aspiration for the future is still 

a tall order. 

“Above all, I really hope for a cure.” 

For more information on the Foundation 

Fighting Blindness and where their 

research currently stands, visit their website 

at www.blindness.org. For more information 

on the Vision Walks and how 

you can get involved in the 2013 Louisville 

5K, visit www.visionwalk.org. • 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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// continued from p. 36 

In addition to the clever libations, the pub also o ers freshly 

baked pizzas, sandwiches and appetizers. Guests are often 

treated to the musical stylings of various cover bands and solo 

acts that come to play from as far away as Vincennes and Bloomington. 

A favorite of the Walter’s crowd is Crawford County native 

Joe Lahue, an acoustic guitar player who covers everything 

from classic rock to new pop. 

“We wanted to open the pub to oer something to a dierent 

demographic that the restaurant may not have been reaching, and 

to also oer a place for patrons to have a before or after dinner 

drink,” said manager John Leonard. “It has been well received 

and people love our deck and live music. We try to oer people a 

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Visit us on the web! 

www.silivingmag.com 

Follow us on Twitter @SILivingMag 

Follow our editor @abbylaub 

And, Like us on Facebook for daily posts — 

including contests, information on your area, 

photos and more. 

Classic Oldies 

FM 102.7 

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Stephenson’s 

General Store 

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Amish Crafts, Antiques, 

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618 W. Hwy. 62 

812-739-4242 

Open Mon - Sat, 7AM - 8PM 


Coming in 

may/June! 

Be sure to look for our May/June 2013 issue for exciting 

coverage on local artisans, Southern Indiana wineries, the Lucas 

Oil Buell Aranas race team, and much more. You will not 

want to miss this jam-packed issue! 

Visit www.silivingmag.com for more information and new, 

exclusive content. 

Adam Arana, right, 

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Southern Indiana Living reader Maggie Helton, a volunteer at Falls of the Ohio River, took this photo at 

the Harrison Avenue Boat Ramp in Clarksville. 

Go, Colts! 

The winner of 

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Crossroads Campaign 

Falls of the Ohio River 

State Park relies heavily on 

the generosity of donors. 

Dani Cummins, executive 

director of the Falls of the 

Ohio Foundation, said the 

Crossroads Campaign is 

about $3.8 million dollars 

into its $5.5 million campaign. 

Money raised will help 

fund new exhibits in the 

Interpretive Center and an 

orientation Àlm. 

The Foundation was created 

in 1987 to build a Àrst 

class educational facility. 

The foundation has spearheaded 

the e orts to bring 

the park to the caliber it is 

today, and now is looking 

to give a necessary update 

to the center’s museum. 

“The typical lifespan for 

museum exhibits is Àve 

to 10 years, so we are way 

overdue,” Cummins said. 

“We want to make the new 

exhibits more interactive 

and immersive for today’s 

learner and for visitors of 

all ages — preschoolers all 

the way up to grandparents.” 

There are many ways to 

contribute to the campaign, 

including memberships 

and pledges. 

For more information 

visit www.fallsoftheohio. 

org or call 812.283.4999. 

Checks can be made payable 

to The Falls of the Ohio 

Foundation, 201 W. Riverside 

Drive, Clarksville, IN 

47129. 

Pictured inside the Falls of the 

Ohio Interpretive Center are 

(From left) Kelley Murphy, 

Connie Farmer, Jeremy Beavin 

and Alan Goldstein. 

// continued from p. 32 

lot of school Àeld trips, lead fossil hikes, take 

indoor excursions, lead special events and 

tours, and answer endless questions. They 

agreed that the best part is that no two days 

are the same. 

“I love having di erent scientists and di erent 

specialists and archaeologists [on sta ],” 

Farmer said. “The volunteers, sta and everyone 

have their own little area of expertise. It’s 

just a very interesting place to work, things 

are always changing” 

Beavin said the fact that he gets paid to 

“play with nature and the outdoors” is hard 

to beat. He said he enjoys seeing kids from inner 

city Louisville come to visit. 

“We get a lot of kids who have never been 

in the woods or nature,” he said. “You can see 

home, you can see the city, but it’s quiet. You 

can listen to the birds, you can really get those 

kids who may never have a real opportunity 

to touch nature.” 

Morgan added that she never tires of the 

park’s location nestled on the river. 

“It’s a million dollar view,” she said. “It’s 

beautiful.” • 


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The hope of Easter 

Cling to hope and 

swallow your fear 

There’s nothing quite so terrifying 

as an Easter egg. At least in my 

case there wasn’t. 

Back in the days when Holiday 

World was simply Santa Claus 

Land they had a playground with several 

concrete structures that included 

an igloo, a giant Àsh and an egg. The 

egg was cracked open in the middle 

and big enough that you could 

stand up inside of it. Doesn’t sound 

so terrifying, does it? 

Wait for it. It’s coming. 

The two things you need to understand 

at this point in the story 

are these: 

Even though I’m an only child, 

I have an uncle named Brian who 

was just a few years older than me 

who took on the role of my sadistic 

older brother. 

I’m claustrophobic. I think you 

see where this is going. 

So back to the egg. My mom 

thought it would make a cute picture. 

I was Àve. It was a giant 

egg. What’s not to love? I’m sure 

it would have been Àne if I’d been by 

myself, but Brian went in with me, and 

that’s when things got ugly. 

I remember stepping into the egg. I 

remember turning to face the camera. I 

remember us leaning in together for the 

picture. Then I remember him whispering, 

“Did you hear that?” 

“What?” I said. 

“It’s the egg. It moved.” 

“Huh-uh,” I said. 

“Really, there it went again. It’s closing.” 

“Closing?” 

“It’s going to swallow us alive!” 

“Moooooom!” I screamed and bolted 

for dear life. I haven’t eaten an egg since. 

I wish I could say that was the last 

time I let unreasonable fear get the best 

of me. Unfortunately, I’d be lying. In the 

35 years since what I refer to as the “Egg 

Incident” I’ve cowered from more fears 


than I’ve faced. Fear of bullies. Fear of 

conÁict. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. 

You name it, I’ve probably been 

afraid of it at one time or another. 

Maybe you can relate. Maybe, like 

me, you’ve heard that voice whispering 

in your ear that whatever you were 

dealing with was going to swallow you 

alive. Maybe you hear it now. And maybe 

you know that on the surface, your 

fear is just as ridiculous as my Easter 

egg. Or maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s a real, 

in-your-face kind of fear, like your marriage 

falling apart or chilling news from 

the doctor or even the specter of death 

itself. 

Whatever your fear, whatever you 

face, the good news of Easter is that our 

fear has no basis in fact. Even when it 

looks like all hope is lost, hope is actually 

just getting started. 

Shortly before that Àrst Easter, 2000 

years ago, Jesus’ body was laid to rest 

in a tomb. A massive stone was rolled 

into place and the entrance was sealed 

by Roman soldiers. The darkness of the 

tomb swallowed the dead body of Jesus 

along with the hopes and dreams of all 

who followed Him. 

Death, chief of all fears, ruled the day. 

Fear no longer whispered in the ears of 

Jesus’ friends. It screamed. 

But then came Easter. Then came the 

dawn. An earthquake. An angel. A 

body that began to move. A stone that 

began to roll. And fear? Fear was replaced 

with awe. 

When Jesus stepped out of the 

darkness of the tomb, fear Áed. 

Death, it’s Àercest ambassador, 

had been snapped like a twig by 

the King of life, and someday that 

King will return to make all things 

right. On that day the Bible says, 

“the saying that is written will 

come true: ‘Death has been swallowed 

up in victory.’ ‘Where, O 

death, is your victory? Where, O 

death, is your sting?’” 

So no matter how great your anxiety, 

no matter how overwhelming 

your circumstances, the only one 

getting swallowed around here is 

death in the sweet victory won by 

Jesus on Easter morning. No matter 

what whispers you hear this 

week, cling to the truth and the hope 

that is sure to swallow your fear. • 

Illustration // Kelly Leigh Miller 

Jason Byerly is a writer, pastor, husband and 

dad who loves the quirky surprises God sends 

his way every day. He believes life is much 

funnier and way cooler than most of us take 

time to notice. You can catch up with Jason on 

his blog at www.jasonbyerly.com or follow him 

on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasondbyerly.

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It’s the perfect choice for patient-friendly care. 

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Southern Indiana Living MarApr 2013

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