Beacon April 2021

INSIDE 

The BEACON 

Local Photographer 

in State Exhibit 

Erin Schuerman, Osgood, is 

featured in the annual Nature and 

Farm Photo Exhibit. Page 6A 

Smallest Snowman 

A Greendale resident built a miniature 

to celebrate the snow. 

Page 3B 

Lawrenceburg Measures 

Up 

Elise Bostic kept tract of the 

snowfall while others frolicked 

and rode sleds. Page 7B 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

CINCINNATI, OHIO 

Permit No. 9714 

The road to nowhere has been 

sung about by the likes of the Talking 

Heads, Ozzy Osborne, and Carole 

King. Each made that “road” sound 

like a dead end. But that is not always 

the case. 

One railroad track to nowhere is 

potentially a link that can tie several 

communities together, bringing trails 

and infrastructure to Dearborn and 

Franklin Counties and beyond. The 

Genessee & Wyoming Railroad line 

enters Indiana in West Harrison and 

continues westward. However, a hiccup 

exists in New Trenton where a 

washout of the track has made the use 

By Maureen Stenger 

On a frigid snowy January afternoon, 

I traveled to the heart of Bright 

to learn all about the history of the 

Providence Presbyterian Church on 

Salt Fork Road. The picture-perfect 

white church could easily adorn the 

front of a postcard. I eagerly headed in 

to meet with the ruling Elder and the 

Reverend of the church, Dan Johnson. 

Presbyterian polity is a form of church 

governance- each church is governed 

by elected Elders. The Presbyterian 

Church Book of Order clarifies, “that 

ruling Elders, together with teaching 

Elders, exercise leadership, government, 

spiritual discernment, and discipline 

and have responsibilities for the 

life of the congregation as well as the 

whole church.” They are elected by 

the congregation. Reverend Johnson 

has served in this capacity for the last 

three and a half years. 

As Reverend Johnson explained 

THE 

BEACON 

www.goBEACONnews.com | PUBLISHED MONTHLY SINCE 1994 | April 2021 

Railroad Spans Numerous Projects in Two Counties 

Owen Menchhofer, Osgood, 

plunged. Chris Robers, Mike 

Orlando, David Baumgardner, 

Mike Brand, Travis Wooley, Matt 

Hicks, and Corey Norrod were in 

wet suits to assist plungers. 

David Johnson, Osgood, plunged 

to help Special Olympics. 

of the rail impossible. 

Enter Dearborn County. 

The Dearborn County Redevelopment 

Commission oversees the West 

Harrison TIF District, approximately 

fifty-five acres targeted for economic 

revitalization. In 2014 the Redevelopment 

Commission collaborated with 

Whitewater Mill LLC, resulting in a 

$37.4 million investment by the mill 

for a new facility on Old U.S. 52. The 

accessibility of the rail line played an 

integral part in the company’s decision 

to locate their business in Dearborn 

County. 

Today One Dearborn serves as the 

Jim Helfrich plunged on behalf of 

the K of C Council #231. 

Polar Plunge 

The 2021 Special Olympics 

fund raiser brought out the 

community and the chain 

saws to clear a path in the 6” 

ice lane on Feb. 13, 2021. 

(Photos by Dawn Helfrich) 

Mike Lewis, Bill McDonald, Toni 

McDonald, and Keri Johnson doing 

their “toe dip.” 

central economic development organization 

for Dearborn County. Mike 

Perleberg, Executive Director for One 

Dearborn, shared, “Genesee & Wyoming 

is already a huge partner in West 

Harrison for rail development, one 

of the biggest attractions in Dearborn 

County. Without their assistance, the 

flour mill deal would not have happened.” 

Mr. Perleberg has been working 

with representatives at Genesee & 

Wyoming concerning the expansion of 

the rail further through the West Harrison 

TIF district. He shared that the 

Continued on page 3A 

Ivy Tech Names 

Grubbs Assistant 

VP of Recruitment 

Ivy Tech Community College has 

named Shakira Grubbs the statewide 

assistant vice president of Recruitment. 

Ms. Grubbs previously served 

Shakira Grubbs 

as vice chancellor 

for Enrollment 

Services and Student 

Success at the 

Lawrenceburg 

Campus. In her new 

role, Ms. Grubbs 

will work directly 

with campuses to 

increase inquiries, 

evaluate the effectiveness 

of recruitment efforts, and 

ensure consistent outreach initiatives. 

“I’m looking forward to applying 

my experiences with my time across 

the Student Affairs teams with Lawrenceburg 

to the college’s campuses 

statewide to meet their recruitment 

goals,” said Ms. Grubbs. 

“The entire Lawrenceburg and 

Batesville faculty, staff, and administration 

are excited and extremely 

proud of Shakira being selected as the 

Assistant Vice President of Recruitment 

for Ivy Tech Systems Office 

in Indianapolis. Shakira has served 

the Lawrenceburg service area since 

2010 when she was initially hired as a 

Career Services Advisor,” said Mark 

Graver, Chancellor of Lawrenceburg’s 

Campus. “We wish her much success 

as she begins her next chapter at Ivy 

Tech serving all Hoosiers.” 

Ms. Grubbs holds her Bachelors of 

Science in Communication Education 

from Miami University and a Master’s 

of Education in College Student 

Personnel with the University of Dayton. 

Presbyterian Church Celebrates 190th Anniversary 

The Providence Presbyterian Church celebrates 

its 190th anniversary. 

to me, “Presbyterians are 

probably the most one hundred 

percent democracy you 

ever imagined. Our church 

is ruled by a session meeting, 

a session group that 

consists of several Elders, a 

treasurer, and a clerk of session, 

I work for them.” The 

session group meets every 

three months and discusses 

any pressing issues. The 

Elders in the session consist 

of the property Elder, a 

clerk of session, a worship 

Elder, a congressional 

life Elder, and an outreach 

Elder. Each person has 

specific responsibilities that 

they oversee that helps the 

church keep going. 

And going is what the church continues 

to do as it embarks this year on 

its one hundred and ninetieth anniversary! 

Early settlers to this area who 

were of the Presbyterian faith faced 

numerous hurdles if they wanted 


THE BEACON 

PO Box 4022 

Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025 

Glenn 

Scholl 

Agent 

812-637-3700 glennschollinsurance.com 23947 Salt Fork Rd, Bright, IN 

Glenn Scholl Agent

Page 2A THE BEACON April 2021 

By 

Tamara 

Taylor 

What Happened to 

the Magic? 

One of the greatest joys of 

the winter season is the beauty 

that it instills upon us. 

Snow. 

When I was a child, I found 

no greater joy than waking 

up in the morning and seeing 

that white fluff covering 

the ground... and the roads. 

Whoohoo! 

Turn on the TV (only those 

in their thirties and older can 

remember what it was like 

when we didn’t have internet!) 

and wait patiently for the 

school listings to scroll across 

the bottom of the screen. 

Of course, the name of my 

school took forever to pop 

up because the names were 

in alphabetical order. Then 

they would throw in a curve 

and list the schools alphabetically 

and divided by state or 

county. Maddening! 

I always say snow days are 

a surprise gift, even when my 

children were growing up. 

Not anymore. 

E-learning has taken the 

place of the gift. A “gift” in 

and of itself. 

Happier thoughts. Along 

with the beautiful snow comes 

my favorite sound- snow 

quiet. No car noises, just a 

blanket of pristine white quiet. 

Later the laughter of those 

throwing themselves down 

hills on sleds and building 

ridiculously large snowmen 

can be heard echoing across 

the way. 

Hopefully, the youngsters 

of today are shown the magic 

of a snow day by their elders. 

The gift of a snow day should 

not be lost. 

I am very blessed to be 

friends with an incredible 

couple, Larry and Loraine 

Rumsey. Every day during the 

winter I trudge down to the 

barn to give my horses hay, 

and every day I think that I 

should take the time to text 

Larry Rumsey to tell him how 

great the hay that I bought 

from him is this year. Well, I 

finally did it. 

A few days later, I received 

a reply thanking me for the 

text and hoping that I have 

had a “Joyous January” and 

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(812) 537-2020 • lawrenceburgeyecenter.com 

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is more important 

than ever. 

We’re here to help with your tax 

prep. Safely drop off your docs 

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4 VILLAGE RD 

BATESVILLE | 812-934-4626 

will have a “Fabulous February.” 

For those of you who 

know Larry, I’m pretty sure 

you will agree that the text 

had a little help from Loraine! 

So I wondered what adjectives 

we can use for March. 

Feel free to send me your 

suggestions... 

Once again, I found myself 

pondering the question of why 

we live where we do. What 

keeps us here? Okay, technically 

it’s the snow when it 

is 8” deep, making the roads 

impassable. I personally have 

a ten-mile-long driveway that 

is uphill both ways... you get 

my drift. 

After our first major snowstorm, 

I got a call from my 

neighbor, Dave Terrill, who 

asked, “Do you want your 

driveway plowed?” What a 

saint! As I walked back from 

delivering baked goods to 

thank Dave and Patty for their 

kindness, the answer to my 

question hit me. Take a look 

at one of those real estate 

sites that show homes for 

sale in our area. Yes, you are 

seeing correctly- the number 

of properties for sale around 

here is virtually nil. It’s not 

because of the location, 

the perfect weather, or the 

property values. It’s because 

of the people. Neighbors like 

Dave and Patty Terrill and 

Brian and Becky Terrill who 

take time out of their busy 

schedules to help others. I am 

certainly very grateful. 

Speaking of neighbors, one 

of our fellow neighbors has 

been sharing the gift of music 

with so many for so many 

years. On Valentine’s Days 

past, Al Geis could be found 

adding a little extra to holiday 

deliveries around Batesville. 

He and his fellow quartet 

members would accompany 

Valentine deliveries and perform 

a musical accompaniment. 

How sweet. 

Mr. Geis of Batesville 

is a member of the Southern 

Gateway Chorus. Kent 

VanderKolk, the president of 

Publisher/Editor 

Tamara M. Taylor 

Publishers Emeritus 

Elizabeth Morris, Celeste Calvitto 

Sales Manager - New Accounts 

Gene Belew 

Editorial Assistants 

Connie Webb, Cherie Maddin 

Columnists & Contributors 

Debbie Acasio, Melanie Alexander, 

Doris Butt, Susan Carson, 

Gloria Carter, Susan Cottingham, 

PG Gentrup, John Hawley, 

Mary-Alice Helms, Merrill and 

Linda Hutchinson, Korry Johnson, 

Laura Keller, Debbie McCane, 

Chris Nobbe, Fred Schmits, 

Marie Segale, Sue Siefert, 

Maureen Stenger, Rhonda Trabel, 

Bob Waples, Lorene Westmeyer 

Barbara Wetzler, Lisa West, 

Debbie Zimmer 

Production 

FX-Design, Inc. 

Southern Gateway Chorus, 

shared, “Al has been a member 

of the Southern Gateway 

Chorus for many, many years 

and has been a loyal presence 

on our risers lending his 

strong baritone voice to our 

productions. Al has competed 

with the Chorus at the annual 

International competitions 

held all over the USA 

and in Canada. He recently 

shared that the 2019 competition 

held in Salt Lake City 

ranked among his favorites, 

but not for the singing. Al 

and a couple of other of the 

Chorus members took on the 

responsibility of ensuring 

three young brothers, also 

members of the Chorus were 

given the opportunity to travel 

to Salt Lake City and compete 

with their singing friends in 

the Chorus. Al took on this 

massive task of his own volition, 

knowing the brothers 

were looking forward to the 

contest but family events were 

preventing their involvement. 

Al also volunteers in our audio-visual 

effort, assisting in 

the dissemination of our audio 

recordings to online customers 

and by being a “strong 

back” during our recent 

location from our rehearsal 

space.” 

As an active member of the 

St. Louis Church congregation, 

Mr. Geis is a natural 

fit for their choir. He has 

supported the efforts of the 

church by taking communion 

to those who are unable to 

make it to service. He and his 

late wife also mentored young 

couples to help prepare them 

for married life. 

Mr. Geis’s religious dedication 

plays a major role in his 

life. He attends service every 

morning and has been heard 

to say that his religion guides 

him in all that he does. 

Al Geis is often described 

as “Everything Kiwanis.” He 

is the driving force behind the 

annual festival that is held in 

Batesville. Our own writer, 

Sue Siefert, is a Kiwanis 

Over 21,650 distribution & growing! To advertise, call 812-637-0660 

THE 

BEACON 

For advertising rate inquiries 

and to submit news and photos: 

editor@goBEACONnews.com 

Phone: 812-637-0660 

website: 

goBEACONnews.com 

The Beacon is an independent 

monthly publication with 

distribution in Dearborn, Ripley, 

Franklin and Ohio Counties in 

Indiana and Harrison, Ohio. 

Published since 1994. 

Beacon News, Inc. 

PO Box 4022 

Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025. 

Member: 

Dearborn County 

Chamber of Commerce, 

Ripley County 

Chamber of Commerce, 

Bright Area Business Association, 

Batesville Chamber 

of Commerce 

Al Geis helped mold the 

future of Batesville for 

generations to come. 

member with Mr. Geis. She 

shared, “Al was instrumental 

in introducing the Kiwanis 

Club to Batesville in March of 

1977. As a long-time business 

owner, he was aware of the 

need for a civic organization 

to serve the community and 

recruited many other likeminded 

community members 

for service to others that 

has continued for forty-four 

years.” 

The Geis family makes it 

a point of going on a family 

trip every year. Al Geis has 

earned the title of planner and 

instigator of the annual trip. 

He is the one who notices if 

someone’s glass needs to be 

refilled at family outings and 

is very attuned to other people 

and meeting their needs. 

For decades, Mr. Geis 

has been giving back to his 

community in so many ways 

including by being very active 

in the Batesville Chamber of 

Commerce. He spent years 

volunteering on committees 

and helping with events. 

Tricia Miller, the chamber’s 

executive director, described 

Mr. Geis as, “A great community 

partner.” 

Thank you, Al Geis, for all 

of your years of dedication to 

making life in our community 

the joy that it is today and for 

bringing joy to the lives of 

others in the most thoughtful 

ways. 

Has anyone noticed that 

UPS tracking has changed 

with the message “Check 

back tomorrow for updates.” 

The first time I got this message, 

I felt like I was communicating 

with a Magic 

8-Ball! If your kids don’t 

know what that is, GO GET 

ONE FOR THEM! (Yes, these 

things are still being sold.) 

A Magic 8-Ball is made to 

look like an eight-ball, is used 

for fortune-telling or seeking 

advice. It was invented in 

1950 by Albert C. Carter and 

Abe Bookman. The inspiration 

for the Magic 8-Ball 

was a spirit writing device 

used by Mr. Carter’s mother, 

Mary, who was a clairvoyant 

in Cincinnati. The traditional 

black-and-white 8-Ball has 

twenty possible responses- 10 

positive, five negative, and 

five indifferent. 

Everyone needs a little 

magic in their lives... 

Happy thoughts. 

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Twenty-seven Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.

April 2021 THE BEACON Page 3A 

Communities and RR Find the Right Track 

Continued from page 1A 

continuation of the line will 

incentivize other businesses to 

locate in the area, especially 

those who would benefit from 

rail service. 

“One Dearborn maintains a 

relationship with Genesee & 

Wyoming for a shared goal of 

track development in the West 

Harrison TIF District, ideally 

for a new user,” stated Mr. 

Perleberg. 

The solid relationship that 

One Dearborn has developed 

with Genesee and Wyoming is 

evident on the railroad’s website, 

https://gwrr.com, where 

the West Harrison TIF District 

is touted as a “Prime 86-acre 

industrial site adjacent to 

I-74 ramp and IORY (Indiana 

and Ohio Railway) branch 

line. All utilities accessible. 

Convenient access to Indianapolis, 

Cincinnati, Dayton 

and Columbus.” 

What makes this rail line 

a valuable commodity for 

economic development in 

West Harrison? Genesee & 

Wyoming, Inc. is the largest 

regional short line rail operator 

in North America. This 

specific 469-mile track connects 

Detriot with southeast 

Indiana and Southwest Ohio. 

The wheels fall off the 

track, so to speak, around 

New Trenton. The current 

track has become inoperable 

due to washouts. The cost of 

repairing the track appears to 

be unfeasible. 

Enter Franklin County. 

The Genesee & Wyoming 

rail map shows a line continuing 

from Dearborn County 

into Franklin County and 

through Brookville. According 

to the Indiana Department 

of Transportation (INDOT), 

a large portion of the track 

has been abandoned from 

Brookville near Ninth St. to 

Millville and a little beyond. 

This abandoned track spans 

approximately eight miles. 

The tracks were removed in 

the 1980s and have been developed 

into a biking/hiking 

trail known as the Whitewater 

Canal Trail. 

As visionaries, the Whitewater 

Canal Trail Group 

would like to continue its 

efforts and expand the current 

trail through Brookville and to 

the Dearborn County border. 

However, working in tandem 

with Genessee & Wyoming 

would be paramount in 

Visit 

goBEACONnews.com 

where 

EVERYTHING 

happens! 

making that vision a reality, 

especially in the washed-out 

area of New Trenton. 

In a recent interview with 

the Beacon, Governor Holcomb 

expressed his strong 

desire to see trails expanded 

throughout Indiana. As a part 

of his Next Level Connections 

Initiative, the Next Level 

Trails program will make 

possible critical trail connections 

within and between 

communities throughout the 

state. The potential continuation 

of the Whitewater Canal 

Trail along the damaged areas 

of the railroad would move 

southeast Indiana forward 

toward Governor Holcomb’s 

vision. 

The impact of the IORY 

line on our community 

doesn’t stop at economic 

development and trail expansion. 

Public health and 

environmental safety have 

arisen due to a sewer main 

that runs along the railroad 

in the town of Brookville. A 

sewer main that runs alongside 

the railroad track has 

become compromised due to 

erosion. The exposed line has 

bowed and could potentially 

burst which would be catastrophic 

not only for the town 

of Brookville but also for 

the Whitewater River. The 

town of Brookville has been 

awarded a $600,000 grant 

from the Office of Community 

and Rural Affairs (OCRA) 

to address the issue of the 

sewer line and hillside stabilization 

but was in jeopardy 

of losing the funding due 

to lengthy communications 

with Genesee & Wyoming. 

Fortunately, State Senator 

Raatz was able to step in and 

help facilitate communications 

with the railroad. After 

the town paid $5300 worth 

of permit fees to Genesee 

& Wyoming, the project is 

finally underway. A portion 

of the total fees went toward 

an annual occupancy permit 

fee that was supposedly not 

applicable based on an agreement 

made in 1962 between 

Brookville and the railroad 

company. 

Senator Raatz shared, “I 

had been in communication 

for at least a year with 

Brookville Town Council 

regarding a problem posed by 

hill slippage and the potential 

compromise of a sewer line 

located within the hillside. 

As time passed the sewer 

line showed visible damage, 

which elevated the issue to a 

crisis due to the possibility of 

an environmental catastrophe. 

The issue created a need for 

significant funding to accomplish 

the objective of repairing 

the sewer line and the 

stabilization of the hillside to 

prevent further slippage.” 

Senator Raatz added, “After 

the funding was secured, 

the issue then became locating 

appropriate personnel to 

obtain a permit to cross and 

utilize the railroad property 

for repairing the hillside and 

sewer line. The Town of 

Brookville was very active 

in locating the appropriate 

office where the permits to 

cross property lines could be 

obtained. I was contacted to 

help push the process forward 

as there were deadlines for 

the funding that were rapidly 

approaching. I made several 

calls to get in touch with appropriate 

personnel to get 

the process moving forward. 

What I failed at was saving 

the town of Brookville $800 

in permit fees from the railroad. 

Overall it was a success 

and it was my pleasure and 

duty to participate in the process 

to advocate for resources 

and push the process to get 

the job done.” 

As these and other projects 

come to fruition, one can only 

hope that continued relationships 

between community 

leaders and Genesee & Wyoming 

continue to grow to the 

point of mutual support both 

financially and economically. 

Who knows- perhaps a donation 

to the Town of Brookville 

to the tune of $5300 will happen 

down the line. 

What is it? 

Last month’s item was a french curve. The tool was 

invented in the 1800s by the German mathematician 

Ludwig Burmester.It is used by architects, designers, and 

engineers alike to create 

smooth curves. As with 

so many things, digital 

applications are now more 

common. 

The french curve was 

identified correctly by Ray 

Lohrey, Brookville; Kurt 

Detmer, Manchester; Jim 

Last month: French curve 

Rainey, Bright; Joe Laugle, 

Bright; Denese Denman, 

Aurora; Ron Frederick, West Harrison; Bobbie Robinson, 

Sunman; Paul Knue, West Harrison; Dennis Gilmour, 

Rising Sun; and John Porter, St. Leon. 

Jeff Cramer, St.Leon, shared, “My father was an 

engineer and I studied drafting in my younger days. A 

French curve is a templet used to connect two points on a 

curve.” 

Patricia Medlock, Guilford, also correctly identified the 

item as one she used as the mechanical drafting instructor 

at South Dearborn High School for thirty-three years. 

This month’s item was submitted by Sunman resident 

Ed Noel. It measures 12” long and is quite handy. Please 

e-mail your guesses along with your name and the 

community in which you live to editor@goBEACONnews. 

com by Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2021. 

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Presbyterian Church Steeped in Community History 


to practice their faith in a 

Presbyterian Church. They 

had to travel to Harrison, 

Ohio to their Presbyterian 

church via Jamison Road. 

Jamison is still a long winding 

road, and in those days 

imagine no pavement and no 

bridge to traverse the Whitewater 

River. These brave 

settlers would have to forge 

ahead of their own accord 

but there were times when 

dangerously high water prevented 

them from being able 

to worship. 

Understandably, frustrations 

in the community began to 

mount. 

The community members 

decided to petition a fellow 

member of the Presbyterian 

Church, a shopkeeper named 

John Gibson. Mr. Gibson 

owned a portion of Miller 

Township named Providence 

and graciously donated a plot 

of ground to build their own 

church, thus Providence Presbyterian 

Church was born. 

Mr. Gibson would also donate 

the land that Gibson Cemetery 

is on to the church and to this 

day the church maintains the 

cemetery. So, the early settlers 

set out to build their own 

Church Members dressed in period clothing to pay homage to the founders of the Providence 

Presbyterian Church (Photo Courtesy of John Blasdel Jr.) 

John Sr. and Wilma Blasdel fiftieth Wedding Anniversary 

Renewal of Vows at The Providence Presbyterian Church 

(Photo courtesy of John Blasdel Jr.) 

Church 

Minister 

and Ruling 

Elder, Dan 

Johnson. 

A log cabin was built on the 

Gibson property known as 

The installation of the new 

Providence and John Gibson 

Celtic Cross by the late Curt 

a founding member of the 

Viel and Dave Viel. (Photo 

church also served as its first 

courtesy of Tiny Witt) 

Elder. 

church, of course without the The original church was 

modern tools and equipment torn down and rebuilt several 

times to accommodate a 

we are fortunate to have today 

but build the church they did. growing congregation. The 

In 1831 they received permission 

from the Presbytery of 1899, and a basement was 

present building was built in 

Oxford, Ohio (an administrative 

body representing local happen, the church had to be 

added in 1938. For that to 

congregations of a district) raised up to accommodate the 

and appointed Rev. Sylvestor construction of a basement. 

Scovell of Harrison Presbyterian 

Church a committee 1960 when two classrooms 

More upgrades continued in 

to organize the new church. were built. In the 1970s the was a carpenter. When he 

church finally got indoor restrooms 

retired, he became known for 

and running water. The always fixing things around 

sanctuary was also redone the church. He was also 

in the seventies, and in 1980 known as the resident “baby 

the church office and multipurpose 

holder” during church ser- 

room were added. vices. 

Credibility • Advocacy • Education • Visibility 

In 1981, the one hundred He soothed many crying 

and fiftieth anniversary of babies back in the day while 

What Can The Chamber Cross was donated by the church choir. During this 

Edward Allen Viel family. It time, a weather vane adorned 

Do For You? Just Ask! was installed and continues to the church steeple. After some 

the church, a beautiful Celtic his wife, Louise, sang in the 

adorn the top of the spire of kids shot off the ends of the 

812-537-0814 

the church. 

vane, only the spire was left. 

Edward Allen Viel, affectionately 

known as “Lem,” loved church, so he commis- 

Lem wanted better for his be- 

www.dearborncountychamber.org 

Here for You 

sioned his fellow parishioner, 

Bert Wagner, to design and 

submit plans for a cross. 

Dave Viel, Lem and Louise’s 

oldest son, shared, “My 

dad took a picture of the 

church and had an architect 

use to scale and draw up the 

cross to make it the right size. 


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Providence Presbyterian Church A Part of Generations 

Presbyterian bowlers Mary Sicking, Louise Vick, Elnora 

Britton, Wilma, and Gloria Blasdel. (Photo courtesy of 

John Blasdel Jr.) 

Various antiques donated to the Providence Presbyterian 

Church throughout the years. 

The stunning stained glass 

window adorning the wall 

of the Providence Presbyterian 

Church. 


Then, Dad had it made which 

cost around seven hundred 

dollars. 

Dad told us he needed help 

building scaffold to remove 

the weather vane and install 

the cross.” The Viel’s sons, 

Dave, Stephen, and Curtis, got 

the stainless-steel cross to its 

new home atop the steeple in 

September of 1981. The Viel 

sons asked for permission 

from their current employer 

to use their crane to hang the 

cross. Dave Viel elaborated, 

“Curt and I got in a skip box 

and I gave Steve hand signals 

which he relayed to the 

driver on how we wanted 

him to move the crane. When 

Curt and I got to the top of 

the church there were a lot 

of bugs flying around and 

Curt thought it might be bees. 

However, it turned out to be 

flies. I cut off the weather 

vane and we installed the 

cross which had a long bolt 

that went all the way through 

the church steeple. Fellow 

parishioner Bert Wagner 

installed a nut on the bolt to 

secure the cross. The Harrison 

Press was there taking pictures 

and there were a lot of Bright 

residents watching us. Everyone 

thought the crane was the 

biggest they had ever seen.” 

Jenny Viel Bulach, Dave 

Viel’s daughter, shared with 

me “I remember when they 

were hanging the cross, my 

grammie (Louise Viel) made 

us all touch it before they 

wiped it down to hang from 

the crane. I still tell my kids 

that I touched that cross every 

time we go thru Bright.” Her 

grandmother Louise also 

taught many of the ladies at 

that church how to make the 

simple pie crust that Jenny 

still uses for every pie she 

ever makes. “I have so many 

great memories of that church 

and the people there!” 

John Blasdel of Bright also 

has heartwarming memories 

of his youth spent in the 

Providence Church in Bright. 

Both of his parents belonged 

to the church. He 

shares “In fact, our mom and 

dad were in the same Sunday 

School classes and ignored 

The family of Rev. Sharp in 1969. Front- Danny, age 2. 

Middle Row- Hope, age 18; Mrs. Sharp; Faith, age 20; 

David, age 8. Back row- Ted, age 13; Rev. Sharp. (Photo 

courtesy of John Blasdel Jr.) 

each other at all cost! Then 

finally in 1948 after dating for 

mom’s junior and senior year, 

they were engaged. 

They married in the church 

on June 18, 1949.” Subsequently, 

all four of the John 

Sr. and Wilma Blasdel children 

were baptized, confirmed, 

and became members 

of the church. 

Mr. Blasdel shared with 

me his fond recollections of 

growing up in the church, 

“My best memories are of 

getting ready for our annual 

Christmas programs. Bertha 

Diefenbach, my great aunt, 

was meticulous in her preparations 

for the spectacular. It 

was always magical to see 

the backdrop of blue sky and 

silver stars above the manger, 

with the glowing star, turned 

on just at the right time for 

the shepherds and wise men 

to follow and find the newborn 

baby Jesus. The angels 

appearing (on ladders) behind 

the manger seemed to really 

be floating there above Mary, 

Joseph, and the babe to my 

six-year-old eyes!” 

In the 1960s, church member 

Joyce Huffman and Mr. 

Blasdel’s mother, Wilma took 

over creating the pageant. 

From Christmas productions 

to floats in the annual 

Bright Parade, church picnics 

and fellowship the Providence 

Presbyterian Church 

have endured. Reverend Dan 

Johnson shared with me that 

many of the beautiful belongings 

inside the church have 

been donated through the 

years by various people who 

hold the church in the highest 

esteem. When another area 

church was in the process of 

constructing its own building, 

the Providence Presbyterian 

Church was gracious enough 

to invite them to hold their 

services in their building until 

theirs was ready. This favor 

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was repaid by that church 

providing the new carpet 

for the Presbyterian church. 

The Providence Presbyterian 

Church has a wonderful fellowship 

with the First Presbyterian 

Church in Harrison and 

will even swap congregations 

from time to time. 

With the one hundred and 

ninetieth anniversary approaching 

Minister Dan Johnson 

wants people to know 

there is so much more to the 

cute white country church 

than meets the eye. 

An enduring spirit prevails 

even during these difficult 

times, much like that unwavering 

faith that willed early 

settlers to fight for their own 

place of worship on this side 

of The Whitewater River. 

Every Sunday at 10:30 A.M. 

worship services take place, 

and all are welcome. Reverend 

Johnson shares, “What I 

have learned is that whenever 

this congregation needs something 

or somebody, somebody 

always steps forward to fulfill 

that need. There is a reason 

that we have been here for one 

hundred and ninety years.” 

This story would not have 

been possible without the 

wonderful contributions of The 

Viel Family, The Blasdel Family, 

and the late Joyce Huffman. 

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Local Photographers Finalists in State Exhibit 

Submitted by 

Oak Heritage Conservancy 

Two kids play in a creek. 

A farmer checks his crops. A 

butterfly flits down to land on 

a native wildflower. These are 

just a few of the winning images 

in the fifth annual Nature 

and Farm Photo Exhibit. Amateur 

photographers from southern 

Indiana submitted photos, 

from which the top forty were 

chosen. Contest organizers are 

now asking the public to help 

select a Grand Prize Winner. 

“This year, the contest was 

inspired by Earth Day, so expect 

to see photos of wetlands 

supporting wildlife, people 

enjoying nature, and more,” 

says Liz Brownlee, executive 

director for Oak Heritage Conservancy, 

a nonprofit that protects 

natural areas in southeast 

Indiana and opens preserves to 

the public. 

“We asked the photographers 

to submit photos showing 

how Hoosiers celebrate 

‘Earth Day Every Day.’ Now 

we want the public to think 

about how our natural areas, 

our family farms, and our actions 

can help make our home 

planet healthier.” 

One photo in the exhibit 

highlights one of the easiest, 

and most enjoyable, ways to 

celebrate nature. Erin Schuerman, 

of Ripley County, 

Indiana, entered a photo of 

her two young sons crouching 

and looking at bugs. Erin 

says, “Every Sunday when the 

weather permits, we hike at 

Versailles State Park and get 

ice cream afterward. This is a 

photo of my boys stopping to 

check out one of the little critters 

on the path. (No bugs were 

harmed!)” 

“Just pausing to pay attention 

to nature is something we 

can all do,” 

adds Ms. 

Brownlee. 

Oak 

Heritage 

has a few 

other ideas 

for how area 

residents 

can help the 

planet and 

celebrate 

Earth Day 

2021, starting 

with 

the Photo 

Exhibit. 

“We’re 

inviting folks to check out the 

winning photos and vote for 

a Grand Prize Winner. And 

when you vote, you get to pick 

out an Earth Day challenge.” 

The challenges offer something 

for every nature lover (or 

nature-lover-to-be), from art 

projects that use natural materials 

to a ‘zero waste’ challenge 

(including tips on how 

to avoid generating any plastic 

waste for an entire day). 

“And one of the challenges 

is self-serving: we’re challenging 

people to support nature 

right here in southeast Indiana,” 

adds Ms. Brownlee. 

Oak Heritage collaborates 

with George Rogers Clark 

Land Trust (GRCLT) to host 

the annual contest and exhibit. 

Both groups protect land in 

southern Indiana. Oak Heritage 

focuses on natural areas, like 

old-growth forests, wetlands, 

and pollinator habitats. They 

open their properties to the 

public to visit. GRCLT protects 

working farmland, especially 

farms with the best soils. Both 

groups conserve land forever 

so that the land will always be 

habitat or farmland and can 

never be developed. 

Erin Schuerman, Osgood, submitted a winning 

photo showing her sons stopping to 

investigate bugs at Versailles State Park. 

Ella Peetz, Batesville, is 

a Youth winner. She took 

this photo in her family’s 

woods. 

Ms. Brownlee encourages 

everyone to take a look at 

the photos, and then vote for 

a Grand Prize Winner. The 

winner will receive a one-year 

membership to Oak Heritage 

Conservancy. Anyone can 

become a member, and support 

land conservation in southeast 

Indiana. 

“Last year, over 1,000 

people voted for a winner. It 

was so encouraging to have 

that many people looking at 

the photos and thinking about 

conservation in Indiana. We’re 

hoping to break that record and 

have over 1,200 people vote 

– and consider how they can 

help the planet – this year.” 

To see the photos, go to 

https://oakheritageconservancy.org/get-involved/photo 

exhibit/. 

Here Comes the Sun 

By Linda Hutchinson 

When the album, Abbey 

Road, hit the airwaves back 

in 1969, I don’t think the 

Beatles realized how vividly 

they would be describing 

the winter of 2021 with their 

chart-topper, Here Comes 

the Sun. For many, the past 

several months have been that 

“long, cold, lonely winter” 

that the Beatles described in 

the song. I don’t know about 

you, but the line “it seems like 

years since it’s been here” not 

only fits the Beatles hit, but 

the feeling many have about 

normalcy in our world today. 

This past year has been 

tough not gathering with 

family and friends to celebrate 

special holidays and 

life events. Weddings have 

been postponed or reduced 

in size. Baby showers and 

birthday celebrations have 

been canceled. I went to my 

first “drive-by” baby shower 

recently. I’m sad for that new 

expectant mother who was unable 

to celebrate with family 

and friends. Sporting events 

have been limited or restricted. 

We were all encouraged 

to celebrate the holidays in 

the safety of our own homes 

and not to travel. Cabin fever 

in southeast Indiana has been 

at an all-time high this past 

winter. People are ready to get 

out and live life again whether 

the sun is shining or not. 

So what’s your theme song 

as we shake off our cabin fever 

and embrace life again? Like 

I said before, Here Comes the 

Sun has been stuck in my head 

lately. I’m ready for the sun; 

how about you? I’m ready for 

life to get back to normal and 

to start living life again in a 

community with other people. 

Just the other day, I found 

myself actually excited when I 

heard advertising on the radio 

for a concert event coming to 

town this summer. 

What would your theme 

song be for this coming spring 

and summer? Maybe classic 

rock isn’t your thing. Maybe 

you’re a country fan. How 

about Everything’s Gonna Be 

Alright by Kenny Chesney? I 

am so thankful for the people 

God has put in my life who 

continue to speak truth and 

hope even when things look 

difficult or dark. If you don’t 

have those kinds of people in 

your life, the time has come 

to find them. I love hearing 

Kenny Chesney sing, “there 

ain’t no doubt it’s gonna work 

out, come on sing it with me.” 

Maybe, you’re like my old 

friend Frank who loves his 

Motown. Maybe your theme 

song as spring approaches 

would be Dancing in the 

Streets by Martha and the 

Vandellas. You are ready to 

get out and enjoy life again. 

I love the line in that song 

where it says, “It’s just an 

invitation across the nation. 

A chance for folks to meet. 

There’ll be laughing, singing, 

music playing...dancing in the 

street.” Let’s commit right 

now that we’ll never take life 

for granted again. Let’s shake 

off the past year and live life 

to the fullest this spring. Call 

up an old friend and go hiking 

at the park. Take the kids and 

head to the playground. Dust 

off that bike and go for a spin 

around the subdivision. Get 

a song in your heart and start 

dancing again. It’s time! 

Linda Hutchinson is the 

Executive Director of Rock 

Solid Families, a faith-based, 

nonprofit coaching organization 

in West Harrison, IN. 

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W 

hat's 

The Big House on the Knoll 

M 

Our People 

in the 

By Mary-Alice Helms place with its polished wood 

To a newcomer ILITARY 

in the area, mantle. There were overstuffed 

couches, a huge, heavy 

the house probably comes 

as Wa surprise. After miles of walnut library table (a wonderful 

hiding place for games 

hat's 

treacherous dips and curves, 

the highway Happening suddenly becomes 

flat and ST. straight. LEON To this numerous fancy chairs and 

In of “Hide and Seek”), and 

point, both sides of the road fringed lamps. The initial impression 

in the rooms of that 

have been heavily wooded By 

as the traveler drives Donna east on house was of highly polished 

Davidson 

St. Rd. 252 out of Brookville. wood. From the woodwork 

Suddenly the vista opens Community up and gleaming floors peeking 

and becomes rolling Correspondent farmland. around the flowered carpet, to 

On the north side of the road, the massive Victorian furniture, 

shone the most beautiful 

one’s 

donnadavidson.thebeacon@yahoo.com 

eyes are drawn up a 

gently rising stretch of neatly dark wood. 

mown lawn to a knoll, where The dining room would 

sits a beautiful old Victorian have been an antiques lover’s 

brick house. Happening It might In not be paradise. 

as imposing BRIGHT as some antebellum 

styles in other places, a huge sideboard, complete 

Dominating one wall was 

with their gigantic By columns. with mirror, wooden columns, 

But it has a graceful, Debby majestic and intricately carved finials. 

Beside the door leading 

presence as if Stutz it were a queen 

surveying her kingdom. That to the side porch stood a tall 

Community 

house was built Correspondent in 1920 by coat stand, fashioned like an 

our uncle, Charlie Fruits, and armchair. It, too, had a mirror 

his wife, Aunt Pearl. 

and large decorative hooks for 

debbystutz.thebeacon@yahoo.com 

When we were growing up hanging coats and hats at each 

I thought it was the most magnificent, 

fascinating place in A hinged seat provided ac- 

side. 

our world. And I just learned cess to a storage space in the 

that it is, Sof necessity, BEACON going to bottom portion. At the opposite 

end of the room, there was 

be razed. 

When we were PORTS 

kids, my a pass-through to the kitchen, 

sister and I loved going to allowing cooks to place steaming 

dishes for easy transfer 

SCENE 

visit Aunt Pearl and Uncle 

Charlie, their son, Arnold, and to the round oak table. When 

his wife Lilah Lee. Going By into it was pulled apart and fitted 

the wide front door was Jack like with its extra leaves, that table 

entering another era. Facing Zoller could comfortably seat twenty 

the door was a tiled fire- 

beaconsports people or more. The cabi- 

@live.com 

nets above the pass-through 

showed gleaming china and 

glassware through glass doors. 

The east wall of the room 

held large double windows, 

allowing a panoramic view 

of the farm’s grassy pastures 

and luxuriant trees. An oldfashioned 

(even by 1940s 

standards) telephone, with 

its cone-shaped mouthpiece, 

earpiece hanging in its cradle 

on the side and a handle to 

be turned to summon an operator, 

also had its place on 

that wall. My favorite thing 

in the whole house stood 

in the dining room. It was 

a lovely curio cabinet with 

both sides and the door made 

of curved glass, its shelves 

filled with delicate china or 

crystal objects. It could keep 

me mesmerized for a long 

time. 

When the house was built, 

it was a wonder to many of its 

neighbors because of its innovations. 

At a time when few 

country homes had access to 

electricity, Uncle Charlie had 

a “Delco Plant” built in a large 

shed beyond the back wall. 

This was a Delco generator, 

powered by gasoline, which 

supplied enough electricity 

for the big home, which was 

never without power. There 

was a monstrous coal furnace 

in the house’s basement. I 

was fascinated by the way the 

amount of heat coming up the 

registers could be regulated. 

No thermostats? No problem! 

I remember a small wheel 

on a dining room wall, with 

sprockets around the edges 

over which a tiny chain was 

looped. The ends of the chain 

went through holes in the 

floor, and the ends fastened 

to the door to the draft on the 

furnace. When one end of 

the chain was pulled over the 

wheel upstairs, it would tug 

the door open, causing more 

heat to be generated. When 

the other end of the chain felt 

a pull, it would drop the door, 

shutting down some of the air 

and lowering the heat. 

Ingenious, no? The home 

boasted running water as well 

as two bathrooms, also rarities 

in country homes in the early 

20th century. The entire upstairs 

was built with the future 

in mind. It was a complete 

apartment, planned for the 

day when Arnold, then only 

three years old, would bring 

his bride home. And he did. 

He and Lee raised their two 

daughters, Phyllis and Linda, 

in that house. 

I could tell so many stories 

about the wondrous days 

spent in that amazing house; 

of my sister and I roller skating 

or playing dolls on the 

broad wrap-around porch, of 

Lee teaching us to bottle-feed 

a baby lamb, of table-groaning 

feasts at that dining room 

The big house on the knoll. 

table or on the screened-in 

back porch. I could tell of 

threshing-ring dinners and 

visits from the Huckster 

wagon, and so much more. 

Maybe I will tell those stories 

at another time. 

The only living heiress to 

the house, Aunt Pearl and Uncle 

Charlie’s granddaughter, 

Linda Schnitker, is sad about 

the decision to have it razed. 

She sees it as the only feasible 

alternative to losing it to rot 

and decay. No one has lived 

there for years, and the cost 

of paying taxes on the empty 

property is overwhelming. 

Attempting to bring it back to 

its former glory is also costprohibitive. 

It needs everything 

from a sewer system to 

new plumbing and completely 

replaced wiring and heating. 

While the big house on the 

knoll might soon be gone, the 

memories it created will last 

forever. 

By 

Melanie 

Alexander 

On this snowy morning 

By 

with the prospect Maxine of an 

impending winter Klump storm, 

a thought came to me that 

the aroma from Community a batch of 

Correspondent 

brownies baking in my oven 

would be most welcome. That 

maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com 

thought was prompted by the 

fact that this is my “annual” 

chocolate column. 

Years ago, I penned a 

springtime column in the 

Beacon featuring chocolate 

recipes to provide ideas for 

bakers in the community 

as they entered treats in 

a fund-raising effort that 

supported the North Dearborn 

Food Pantry. Known as “A 

Chocolate Affair” sponsored 

by St. Teresa Benedicta of the 

Cross parish, the event was a 

chocolate lover’s dream! 

So in honor of chocolate, 

I am sharing with you some 

of my favorites that are 

also quick to prepare while 

satisfying a craving for 

chocolate. The first recipe 

uses a chocolate cake mix 

as the base and adds various 

goodies. Feel free to change 

out the flavors of chips (I like 

to use salted caramel) if you 

like. 

Almost Candy Bars 

1/2 cup butter or margarine 

1 package chocolate or 

devil’s food cake mix 

1 cup butterscotch chips 

1 cup chocolate chips 

1 cup flaked coconut 

1 cup chopped nuts 

1 can condensed milk 

(NOT evaporated) 

Preheat oven to 350°. In 

a large mixing bowl, cut 

butter into the cake mix with 

a fork or pastry blender until 

crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over 

the bottom of an ungreased 

(10 x 15-inch) cookie sheet. 

Press lightly. Sprinkle both 

flavors of chips, coconut, and 

chopped nuts evenly over the 

dough. Pour condensed mile 

evenly over ingredients. 

Bake at 350° for 20-30 

minutes until lightly browned 

on top. 

Cool completely before 

cutting into bars. 

These bars make the 

sacrifice of Oreo cookies 

worthwhile. 

Red Velvet 

Cheesecake Bars 

24 Oreo cookies, finely 

crushed 

¼ cup butter, melted 

6 squares semi-sweet baking 

chocolate 

3 packages (8-oz) cream 

cheese, softened 

¾ cup sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 eggs 

1 tablespoon red food 

coloring 

Heat oven to 350°. Mix 

cookie crumbs and butter. 

Press onto the bottom of a 

13x9-inch pan that has been 

sprayed with cooking spray. 

Melt 4 chocolate squares 

as directed on the package. 

Set aside. Beat cream cheese, 

sugar, and vanilla until well 

blended. Add eggs and beat 

just until blended. Remove 

2 cups of batter; mix with 

melted chocolate and food 

coloring. Carefully spread 

over crust. Cover with 

remaining plain batter and 

spread this evenly over the 

chocolate layer. 

Bake 26-28 minutes or 

until the center is almost 

set. Cool completely. Melt 

the remaining 2 squares of 

chocolate and drizzle over 

dessert. 

Refrigerate for at least 4 

hours. Yields 16 servings. 

These cookies are soft 

and smooth and dusted with 

confectioners’ sugar. Although 

the sugar dusting is a little 

“messy” it is also the reason 

they are so tasty. 

Chocolate Drop Cookies 

1 egg 

1 box chocolate cake mix 

½ cup + 2 tablespoons flour 

1 8-oz. container Cool Whip 

(remove from freezer to 

soften) 

1½ tablespoons water 

Confectioners’ sugar for 

dusting 

Beat egg and cake mix. Add 

flour, Cool Whip, and water. 

Beat well. Note: This dough 

will be very sticky. 

Make 1-inch cookie balls 

using a teaspoon to lift the 

dough and roll the ball in 

the sugar. Using spoons or a 

small spatula to coat the outer 

surface and loosely shape it 

into a ball. Place the balls 

onto an ungreased cookie 

sheet and bake at 350° for 

10-15 minutes. The cookie 

will split on top when done. 

Remove cookies and cool on 

a wire rack. 



FROM 

H ere 

By 

Ollie 

Roehm 

My wife, Saint Mary, and I 

received our COVID vaccinations 

a couple of days 

ago. After being pretty-much 

locked down for a year, it was 

a fairly big deal. OK, a really 

big deal. Hopefully, by the 

time you read this, life will 

be much safer for you and 

everyone. 

The past year has been a 

very tough one for us as it has 

for so many others, especially 

those in our age group. 

We have had very limited 

face-to-face contact with our 

grandkids and the rest of the 

family. There has been no 

face–to–face contact with 

friends and acquaintances. 

Every trip to the grocery 

store, or anywhere, was made 

with extreme caution. We 

were bound and determined 

to stay safe from COVID. My 

friends, living in fear and isolation 

takes its toll, and living 

in fear is no way to live. 

But it looks like we’ve 

made it through and maybe 

it’s time for some reflection 

on our stay in the East Street 

jailhouse. As I reflect I realize 

that being locked down at 

home for a year because of 

a worldwide pandemic was 

very hard. But I must admit 

that some darned good things 

came out of it. Here are a 

few. 

Spent less money 

The cost of having and 

driving a car has been greatly 

reduced. 

When you can’t go anywhere 

you don’t spend money 

on gasoline, a major expenditure 

for us and most people. 

We’ve put very few miles 

and wear and tear on our 

cars over the past year which 

contributes to retaining their 

value. 

We spent no money on 

entertainment, restaurants, or 

bar tabs. 

Traveling was out, so we 

spent nothing on vacations, 

hotel rooms, and the like. 

Dressed more comfortably 

Sweat pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, 

and crocs composed 

the day-in, day-out uniform. 

It seemed weird the few times 

I wore jeans, a shirt, and 

shoes. 

Showers and shaves became 

optional 

Nothing more needs to be 

said other than I was very OK 

with that. 

JOIN US FOR 

SUNDAY BRUNCH 

Creativity happened 

I wrote a song about the 

lock down called “Everybody’s 

Hidin’” and was lucky 

enough to get it recorded with 

some stellar Cincinnati and 

Nashville musicians. It was 

well received and a lot of fun 

to do. 

While cleaning out and organizing 

some things I found 

a bunch of songs, song lyrics, 

and setlists I thought I had 

lost over the years. 

Among the songs were 

some that were better than I 

had originally thought. 

My friend and band mate 

Roger and I recorded demos 

of them and they turned out 

very nice. 

Found the true meaning 

of Facebook 

We used Facebook a lot to 

keep in touch with family and 

friends. Facebook sometimes 

gets a bad rap, and deservedly 

so. 

There is a lot of silliness, 

vitriol, and ugliness. But it 

can be a wonderful communication 

tool and it served that 

purpose well for us. 

Life is precious 

There has been a horrific 

amount of suffering and death 

because of the pandemic. It’s 

going to haunt this world for 

a long time. 

Six family members came 

down with the virus over the 

past year and, thankfully, 

all have now recovered. I’ll 

never forget the constant 

worry we endured after they 

tested positive. 

But I believe that something 

good has come from all 

the bad. 

Most, if not all, of us now 

have a deeper understanding 

of the value of human 

life. We value our family and 

friends more. We take things 

for granted less and appreciate 

more. 

Maybe we are better people 

now. 

Smoked Salmon with capers 

Bacon 

Goetta 

Sausage 

Scrambled Eggs 

Seasoned Potatoes 

French Toast 

Pancakes 

Pasta 

Fried Chicken 

Baked Chicken 

Eggs Benedict 

Fresh Fruit 

Grilled Asparagus 

Assorted Salads 

Create your own Omelet 

Beef carving station 

Chocolate Fountain 

Assorted Desserts 

$15.95 

8 7 9 

3 6 

8 4 1 5 

4 1 

7 2 3 9 

9 6 5 8 

8 1 5 3 

7 3 6 

2 9 

Sudoku 

Sudoku is a logical puzzle game that may seem difficult at 

first glance, but actually it is not as hard as it looks! Fill a 

number in to every cell in the grid, using the numbers 1 to 

9. You can only use each number once in each row, each 

column, and in each of the 3×3 boxes. The solution can be 

found on our website www.goBEACONnews.com/print_ 

edition. Click on the link for Sudoku and view the solution 

for this month and last. Good luck and have fun! 

NURSE NOW Helpline for 

After-Hours Medical Advice 

Submitted by 

St. Elizabeth Healthcare 

We have all been there 

before- in the middle of the 

night or the weekend, you 

have been hurt or your child 

is not feeling well. You don’t 

know whether to seek emergency 

care immediately. From 

a high fever, to a possible 

broken bone, to a potential 

concussion, evaluating how 

urgent the situation is can 

be difficult. If only you had 

an expert to call to give you 

some advice... 

These types of questions inspired 

St. Elizabeth Physicians 

to launch the new NURSE 

NOW help line. The service 

is available to everyone in 

the community after business 

hours and on the weekends 

by simply calling 888-4STE- 

NOW free-of-charge. A registered 

nurse trained to assess 

your needs over the phone 

will help determine the severity 

of the situation and advise 

you on potential next steps. 

“The nurse can help you 

decide if the health concern 

requires immediate medical 

care or if it’s okay to wait and 

see your provider,” says Sara 

Browne, Manager of Virtual 

Health at St. Elizabeth Physicians. 

“If an appointment is 

necessary the nurse can even 

schedule you for a virtual 

visit or in-person appointment 

while you are on the phone.” 

The NURSE NOW helpline 

is available for all types of 

medical questions and concerns, 

including: 

• Does my child need 

stitches? 

• What type of doctor 

should I see for this problem? 

• What is the correct dosage 

for this medication? 

• When is a fever too high? 

• Should I be concerned 

about this rash? 

“Our NURSE NOW program 

may help you or your 

loved ones avoid an unnecessary 

Urgent Care or Emergency 

Department visit after hours, 

reducing exposure to COV- 

ID-19,” says Andrew Bradford, 

Director of Virtual Health at 

St. Elizabeth Physicians. “It’s 

a safe way to get trusted health 

information and advice.” 

The nursing team can also 

consult with an on-call provider 

if additional expertise is 

needed. 

In the event of a life-threatening 

condition or emergency, 

call 9-1-1. The NURSE NOW 

program is not meant to replace 

your healthcare provider 

or provide life-saving support. 



S 

ALUTE TO THE 

MILITARY 

By P.G. Gentrup 

Corporal Robert A. Hastings 

served with Company 

K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry 

Regiment, 24th Infantry Div. 

Cpl. Hastings 

during the 

Korean War. 

In 1951 he 

was killed in 

action at the 

age of 20. 

Pallbearers 

at his funeral 

were members 

of the 

Lawrenceburg 

American Legion Post 

239: Lawrence Scaletta, Eneas 

Barrott, William D. Murray, 

Lyndon Moon, Sam Wheeler, 

and Robert Oberting. 

Cpl. Hastings was the son 

of Bertha Hastings. Upon her 

death, he became the ward of 

Grant Carter. He graduated 

from Rising Sun High School. 

Cpl. Hastings entered the 

Army in 1948. He was awarded 

the Purple Heart, Korean 

War Service Medal, Republic 

of Korea War Service Medal, 

United Nations Service Medal, 

National Defense Service 

Medal, Army Presidential Unit 

Citation, Republic of Korea 

Presidential Unit Citation, 

among others. 

Cpl. Robert A. Hastings was 

a True American Hero. We 

must never forget the tremendous 

sacrifice he made for our 

great nation. 

From A Dog’s Point of View 

By Chip and Tammy Turner 

Hi, it’s me Chip again, still 

here waiting for my forever 

family to come and get me. 

Chip 

They all tell 

me I am a 

very good 

boy here, 

and I will 

give you so 

much love. I 

am a fouryear-old 

neutered 

male boxer 

mix, plus I only weigh 38 lbs. 

If you adopt me, you’ll see 

that you don’t need any other 

pets, because I will be a 

perfect fit. 

These days more people 

are working and staying at 

home which has resulted 

in an increase in adoptions. 

People are making more time 

for their pets and need to be 

aware of things that can be a 

danger to them. Some poisonous 

plants that you may 

not have considered are lilies 

(considered highly toxic for 

cats), marijuana, tulip/narcissus 

bulbs, azalea/rhododendron, 

castor bean, cyclamen, 

yew, amaryllis, chrysanthemum, 

English ivy, peace lily, 

pothos, and schefflera, just to 

name a few. 

If you notice you pet vomiting, 

drooling, diarrhea, weakness, 

depression of the central 

nervous system, call your 

veterinarian immediately. 

So take care of your 

furbaby, keep them inside 

in the cold weather, and just 

love them like they love you. 

Come and see me, Chip, the 

handsome Boxer, soon. 

Wags & Kisses, Chip 

By 

John Hawley 

Purdue 

Extension 

hawley4@purdue.edu 

Early Spring 

Gardening Tips 

Spring is nearly upon us! 

As the snow melts and buds 

begin to break, the time has 

come to assess your garden 

and landscape needs for the 

upcoming growing season. 

In today’s article, I will share 

some of the most critical 

early spring gardening tips 

for you to consider. 

Don’t Neglect Indoor 

Plants 

As temperatures rise, 

indoor plant care should not 

be forgotten. When you begin 

to dial back the thermostat, 

remember that sunny spring 

days will warm your home 

quickly, especially in areas 

near windows. Be sure indoor 

plants, such as potted ferns, 

vining ornamentals, and 

succulents, are adequately 

watered. As new growth appears, 

remove decaying plant 

material and apply fertilizer 

as needed. If plants are 

overgrown, consider carefully 

pruning, repotting, or dividing 

them into new containers. 

Prepare Your Landscape 

Like hibernating bears, 

many homeowners emerge 

from the cold and dreary 

winter ready to start anew in 

the spring. Take advantage of 

improving outdoor conditions 

by removing old and decayed 

foliage from perennial flower 

beds, pruning dead canes on 

roses, and planting new trees 

and shrubs if soils are dry 

enough to be worked. 

Don’t hesitate to mow your 

grass early as doing so will 

remove dead plant material 

and help promote rapid 

spring growth. Remove any 

protective winter coverings 

on plants as soon as possible 

to prevent stunting of spring 

growth. If you have struggled 

with weed problems, consider 

using pre-emergent herbicide 

products in landscape beds. 

Be sure to follow all label 

instructions closely. 

Be Cautious Working in the 

Garden 

While outdoor safety is 

always my top concern, I 

also urge caution for gardeners 

eager to work or till soils 

too early in the spring. This 

recommendation comes from 

personal experience and firsthand 

accounts shared by local 

farmers and gardeners. Our 

heavy clay soils are notorious 

for clumping when worked 

too early. This clumping can 

create headaches throughout 

the growing season. Soils 

are ideal when they resemble 

cottage cheese and crumble 

in your hand, so be sure your 

garden is nice and dry before 

working. 

Understanding planting 

dates is another critical element 

for early spring garden 

work. Planting too early or 

improperly hardening off 

plants started indoors can 

be a headache. Our average 

date of the last freeze falls 

between April 11-20, according 

to the Midwest Regional 

Climate Center. Be sure to 

watch the weather closely and 

prepare accordingly. Many 

gardeners in our area wait 

until after Mother’s Day to 

get vegetables in the ground. 

However, some cold-hardy 

plants can be started much 

earlier. 

A plethera of garden tasks 

to consider exist in the early 

spring, but don’t overwhelm 

yourself! The allure of garden 

center displays and DIY videos 

may have you dreaming 

of dozens of new projects, but 

quality always beats quantity. 

Consider what goals are 

feasible this growing season 

and tackle them one by one. 

By doing so, you will likely 

accomplish more and spend 

less! 

To find gardening resources 

from Purdue University 

experts, search “Indiana Yard 

and Garden – Purdue Consumer 

Horticulture” on your 

home computer or smartphone 

or feel free to email me 

at hawley4@purdue.edu. You 

can also reach our office at 

812-926-1189. We are located 

at 229 Main Street, Aurora, 

IN 47001. 

Look for my next article in 

the May issue of The Beacon! 

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By 

Doris 

Butt 

Community 

Correspondent 

goodolddays@goBEACONnews.com 

Spiders on the Wall 

Our trip to Cincinnati is 

quiet. I do not even turn on 

the radio. I am sure Ray and 

I are thinking the same thing. 

It is time for the odds to catch 

up with me. I have an appointment 

for a hip check-up. 

Hip replacements, on patients 

born with dislocated hips 

such as mine, are complicated. 

At the time of my first 

surgeries, long-term discomfort 

had moved into pain. I 

was exhausted from years of 

trudging around. I missed a 

year of teaching for the surgeries. 

My left hip required 

special skills. My doctor 

placed the prosthesis where a 

normal hip socket should be 

and ground the cut-off femur 

to fill the hole where doctors 

of my childhood had placed 

it. Such grafting required 

me to spend 6 months on a 

walker. 

Later I clearly remember 

walking the halls of the 

school and experiencing 

the joy of not having any 

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discomfort. I was fifty-five. 

I knew there was no doubt 

I would face hip revision 

(second replacement) in my 

lifetime. 

My reasoning was correct. 

Now my doctor is a hip revision 

specialist. Five years ago 

he replaced the left hip socket 

that had three broken and two 

loose screws. My right hip 

replacement is now 14 years 

old. I anticipate its review will 

not be good. 

The waiting room is not 

cool, but I shiver in the 

anxiety of the coming exam. 

I pick up a magazine but 

cannot concentrate enough to 

read. 

Soon my name is called. 

Ray and I are led back to 

the examining room. I am 

soon called for x- rays of my 

hips. The x-ray table is cold. 

From ages two to five I spent 

months in Children’s Hospital 

in Cincinnati getting a very 

stubborn pair of dislocated 

hips set as best doctors could 

do in those days. I was left 

with a limp and sway that 

just became part of me. The 

cold x-ray table is one of few 

memories of those early hospital 

days. 

After the x-rays, Ray and 

I wait in anticipation of their 

review. My doctor’s confident 

perky surgical assistant, Shannon, 

arrives with the x-rays 

and places them in a light 

frame. 

Those stark images of metal 

and plastic in my hip x-rays 

always catch my attention. 

There is the staff piercing 

deep in the hollow of the 

bone. The ball and the socket 

are held by fierce-looking 

screws protruding into the 

pelvis bone. 

Her words run together as 

she explains although the 

hip is stable, the plastic in 

the cup is beginning to wear. 

Soon it will give off fragments 

that irritate the area 

and the bone will begin to deteriorate. 

It needs to be done 

in the next six months. There 

was no thought then or later 

of it being a manufacture’s 

fault. 

My response, I cry. 

Just for a minute or two, 

I think, “Why me?” I really 

don’t want to go through this 

again. It is one of the few 

times in my life I wish I had 

been born with normal hips. 

Then I begin to place the 

blame on myself for carrying 

too much weight. 

I put my self-pity aside to 

listen as best I can as Shannon 

sympathetically leads 

me through the familiar 

procedures. There will be 

a pre-admission test where 

fluids from the hip area are 

taken to make sure it is not 

infected. Last time I glanced 

at the doctor’s monitor and 

saw that huge needle pierce 

deep into my hip. I think, 

this time I will not look. I 

will need the three blood 

draws. That brings a smile as 

I think of one eventful draw 

where I woke up on the floor 

with heaps of people staring 

down at me. I learned one 

should not skimp on meals 

on blood day. There must 

be a physical too. This time 

I will have something new. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must wear a brace for 6 

to 8 weeks to prevent my 

hip from dislocating during 

recovery. 

Ray and I agree to schedule 

the surgery as soon as possible. 

We will be notified of the 

date. No doubt there will be a 

delay in heading to Inverness 

for the winter. 

We leave the office and 

enter the elevator. I break our 

quiet ride. “I don’t want to 

see spiders on the wall.” Ray 

smiles. My mom saw spiders 

on the walls when she was 

By Stefanie Hoffmeier 

Each year on April 22, people 

around the globe celebrate 

Earth Day. The first Earth 

Day was celebrated in 1970 

when a United States senator 

from Wisconsin organized 

a national demonstration to 

raise awareness about environmental 

issues. Rallies took 

place across the country and, 

by the end of the year, the 

U.S. government had created 

the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). By 1990, 

countries around the globe 

were joining in the Earth Day 

celebration to make our planet 

a happier, healthier place to 

live. 

By doing little things, you 

can help make the Earth, and 

your community, a better 

place. By doing little things 

like planting a tree, recycling, 

reducing the amount of trash 

you produce, and picking up 

litter alongside the road, your 

actions can make a difference. 

Have you ever thought 

about the amount of trash you 

produce? The average person 

makes about 4.5 pounds of 

trash per day. That is enough 

from just one person to fill up 

an entire gym in a lifetime. 

By taking the extra time each 

week to recycle, you can 

help the environment and 

save natural resources. For 

example, recycling an aluminum 

can takes just 5% of 

having some dementia from 

an illness. How can that be, I 

remember wondering. Well, 

I had a spider experience! 

During my last hip revision 

recovery, the little brown 

creatures were crawling all 

over my hospital room wall. 

“I don’t want to see spiders 

on the wall,” I repeat. 

“Well, just don’t get carried 

away with your morphine 

pump!” Ray answers as he 

gives me a hug. Then we have 

a good laugh. 

Things will be okay. 

Make Every Day Earth Day 

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the energy and emits a mere 

5% of the greenhouse gases 

that making a new can from 

scratch does. A can’s journey 

from the recycling bin back 

to store shelves takes less 

than 60 days, and aluminum 

is infinitely recyclable. By 

simply recycling your aluminum 

cans, you can reduce 

your waste, save energy, and 

reduce greenhouse gases. 

Picking up litter is another 

great way to help our environment. 

Many people have the 

misconception that our trash 

decomposes and becomes dirt. 

Even if litter becomes buried 

in the dirt alongside the road, 

it doesn’t disappear. Most 

items are preserved for years 

before they break down. A 

plastic bottle takes 700 years, 

and an aluminum can takes 

200-500 years to decompose. 

Styrofoam, one of the worst 

offenders, never breaks down. 

If not cleaned up, most of the 

litter you see alongside the 

road will be there long past 

your lifetime, or worse yet, 

may eventually be washed 

into creeks and rivers. Cleaning 

up the trash not only saves 

our planet but makes our 

community a more enjoyable 

place to live. 

For Earth Day this year, 

choose to do at least something 

small. Taking small 

steps such as recycling 

electronics or disposing of 

household chemicals properly 

can make a difference. 

Make a resolution to 

change some of your habits 

throughout the year, not just 

on Earth Day. Get your family 

involved. It’s never too early 

to teach kids about the great 

planet on which we live and 

ways to make the Earth a 

better place. Children of all 

ages can participate in family 

recycling efforts such as sorting 

recyclables or helping to 

take them to a drop-off location. 

After you drop off those 

recyclables, stop by one of the 

Dearborn County parks and 

take a hike. Take a moment 

to enjoy the Earth and the 

cleaner community that you 

are helping to save. 

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debbystutz.thebeacon@yahoo.com 

April 2021 THE BEACON Page 1B 

S 

BEACON 

PORTS 

SCENE 

By 

Chris Jack 

Nobbe 

Zoller 

beaconsports 

@live.com 

sports@goBEACONnews.com 

EC Girls’ Basketball 

Claims Back-to-Back 

Sectional Titles 

The East Central girls’ 

basketball team recently 

completed another fine season 

under the guidance of head 

coach Kevin Moore. The 

Lady Trojans finished the season 

with 

By 

a 19-5 record, won a 

second consecutive Maxine Sectional 

14 title, another Klump EIAC crown, 

were ranked #9 in the 4A state 

rankings Community and #14 in the overall 

state rankings. 

Correspondent 

Kevin Moore has created a 

maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com 

winning culture at helm 

of the Lady Trojan program. 

The program is one of only 

four in the state who have 

won sixteen or more games 

in each of the previous nine 

seasons. Others include the 

basketball hotbed of Bedford 

North Lawrence (BNL) which 

holds a local connection as 

former South Dearborn standout 

Mandy (Schmahl) Harrell 

serves as an assistant for the 

Lady Stars. 

This year’s mark of nineteen 

wins is the third-most 

in program history with the 

team setting the all-time win 

total of twenty-three during 

the 2019-2020 season. In 

addition, the team completed 

a perfect 7-0 EIAC record 

to claim the conference title 

for the second time in three 

years and the fifth in the past 

decade. 

While the team has enjoyed 

great local success, it has 

proven difficult for the Lady 

Trojans to break through in a 

very tough 4A sectional that 

includes Columbus schools, 

Bloomington schools, and 

Martinsville. The 2020 sectional 

saw the Lady Trojans 

claim their first sectional title 

since 1992 and their first in 

the classed system. 

The Lady Trojans would 

also advance to the 2020 

regional title game before 

falling to Bedford North 

Lawrence. 

The Lady Trojans had a 

defensive scoring average of 

39 points per game. 

In an effort to defend their 

Sectional 14 crown, the Lady 

Trojans would open action on 

Feb. 2 against the 14-5 Lady 

Olympians of Columbus East. 

Despite Columbus East 

averaging 59 points per game, 

East Central played solid 

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The East Central Lady Trojans celebrate a Sectional 14 title. This was the program’s 

second consecutive title and the sixth in program history. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Moore) 

defense to find the halftime 

score to be 16-16. The Lady 

Trojans exploded in the third 

quarter, outscoring the Lady 

Olympians 18-4 in the quarter 

and would go on to win 43- 

27, holding the Lady Olympians 

to more than 30 points 

below their season average. 

The semifinal game brought 

another defensive challenge 

for the team as they faced 

the Lady Artesians of Martinsville, 

ranked #10 in 4A 

with a record of 16-4 and the 

fifth-highest scoring average 

in the state at over 66 points 

per game. 

The Lady Trojans found 

themselves down 26-18 at the 

half, but would again have a 

big third quarter and win the 

quarter 14-6 to tie the game 

at 32. Ties would then be the 

theme. The first overtime 

ended with still a tie game at 

58. 

East Central would score 10 

in double overtime and pull 

away to win 68-62. Despite 

the high score, EC’s defense 

held Martinsville to over 17 

points below their average in 

regulation and still six below 

for the entire game. Once 

again, the defense was a tremendous 

factor in the win. 

The Sectional 14 title game 

would be a chance to avenge 

a season loss by 10 to the 

Lady Bull Dogs of Columbus 

North, who came in sporting 

a 13-5 record. The defense 

would again prove crucial in 

this game. East Central would 

take the lead at 15-14 at the 

half after holding the Lady 

Bull Dogs to only 3 points in 

the second quarter. 

The Lady Trojans would 

outscore Columbus North 

17-6 in the final quarter to secure 

its back-to-back sectional 

crown with a 38-29 championship. 

IHSAA Regional 4, held 

Feb. 13, gave the Lady Trojans 

a chance to avenge the 

season loss (and last year’s 

regional final loss) to BNL, in 

ranked #3 in the state. BNL 

would get out to a 15-10 lead 

after one quarter and took a 

24-21 lead into halftime. 

“All game long both teams 

went on runs where the opposition 

responded. Going 

into the fourth quarter, we 

were trailing 35-31; however, 

they started the fourth on a 

9-0 run,” stated Coach Moore. 

“With about 3:30 to go in 

the game, we were down 11 

(46-35) and forced to get 

after them in a full-court trap/ 

press, which produced a few 

turnovers.” Despite these final 

efforts, the Lady Trojans were 

not quite able to scratch out 

another victory, falling to the 

Lady Stars 51-50. 

Coach Moore shared, “We 

were led in scoring by sophomore 

Josie Trabel and junior 

Hope Fox who provide a 

great scoring duo but we have 

East Central senior Bryer 

Hall claims his first semistate 

title at 170 lbs. He 

leads a field of six Dearborn 

County wrestlers to 

the state finals. Others include 

Blake Wolf, Ben Wolf, 

Ryan Bovard, and Kole Viel 

of East Central along with 

Eli Otto of South Dearborn. 

(Photo by Chris Nobbe) 

For most of the local girls’ 

high school swim seasons, 

the season concluded at the 

Columbus North Sectional. 

Although many swam well, 

the IHSAA Finals is always 

an extremely competitive 

meet for which to qualify. 

East Central senior Kyra Hall 

was able to qualify again this 

year after finishing 12th at last 

season’s championships. Hall 

competed on Feb. 12-13 for 

the state event. 

so many quality pieces that 

surround them and allowed 

us to be so dynamic. We will 

graduate four great seniors in 

Kyla Maxwell, Emma Ertel, 

Charsan McCory, and Natalie 

Schnell, who all played roles 

in some capacity, but we will 

return 11 letter winners, 3 starters, 

and 5 kids that have played 

significant varsity minutes.” 

“We’re in the running to be 

selected to participate in the 

Hall of Fame Classic which 

would be a tremendous honor. 

It’s a testament to all the kids 

that have gone through this 

program and put in the time 

and effort to get this program 

to the level it is at. However, 

we’re not satisfied with making 

it to a regional. We want 

to give ourselves a chance to 

win a state championship.” 

South Dearborn senior Eli 

Otto claimed a third place 

finish at the Semi-State to 

advance to the state championships. 

He joins five Trojan 

wrestlers to advance to 

the state finals: Blake Wolf, 

Ben Wolf, Bryer Hall, Ryan 

Bovard, and Kole Viel. 

(Photo by Chris Nobbe) 

Kyra Hall Touches the Wall on Great Career 

Hall finished significantly 

faster this year than last and 

was able to garner a 13thplace 

tie with a finals time 

of 56.97, which was slightly 

slower than her preliminary 

time of 56.61. She was also 

only .01 of a second from 

placing 12th again. She concludes 

her Trojan Swimming 

career having reset the school 

record in this event several 

times and with multiple state 

finals placements. 

visit 

www. 

go 

BEACON 

news.com 

for 

up-to-date 

community 

stories! 

IMMUNITY SUPPORT 

Back To 

School 

And 

Back To Work 

Essentials 


Page 2B THE BEACON April 2021 

BRIGHT/ 

SUGAR RIDGE 

By 

Bob 

Waples 

Community 

Correspondent 

bright@goBEACONnews.com 

March’s salute goes to 

Cadet Fourth Class Hannah 

Greene who is in her second 

semester at the United States 

Air Force Academy in Colorado. 

A strict academic/leadership 

assessment, a physical 

fitness test, and nomination by 

a member of Congress were 

required for admission to the 

Academy. Hannah reported to 

basic training in June 2020. In 

her first semester, she made 

the Air Force Dance Team as 

well as Dean’s List. Hannah 

will go thru survival training 

and jump qualifications this 

summer. She is on track to 

graduate in 2024 and be commissioned 

as a 2nd Lieutenant 

in the US Air Force. Hannah 

is the daughter of very 

proud parents, Chrisy and 

Brett Greene. Congratulations 

Hannah. I salute you. 

O 

ur 

Dearborn County Chamber of 

Commerce presented Loving 

Hearts Hospice and Palliative 

Care with the small business 

award for 2020. Owners 

Jamie and Jamie Osborne 

humbly accepted this award. 

They are very grateful for the 

acceptance the community 

has given them over the years 

while building this hospice 

agency. Loving Hearts served 

sixty-seven patients in 2019 

and one hundred eighty-nine 

in 2020 throughout Dearborn, 

Franklin, Ripley, and Ohio 

counties The Osbornes are 

grateful to their amazing team 

of end-of-life care professionals, 

the patients and families 

they serve, and the community. 

They are honored to be 

invited to care for people at a 

very vulnerable stage in their 

lives. I am so very proud of 

my niece and nephew-in-law 

not only for the award but 

for the amazing job they do 

in caring and giving. CON- 

GRATULATIONS. 

A big THANK YOU to our 

Dearborn County Highway 

Dept road crews for doing an 

awesome job of keeping our 

roads clear this winter especially 

in February… the entire 

winter wrapped in one month. 

Hannah Greene 

CommunitiesHIDDEN 

And speaking of thank 

you… another thank you to 

our Laura Drive neighbor, 

Gary, who has cleared all 

nine of our driveways and 

road each time we get snow. 

What a blessing he is, especially 

to an old guy like me. 

THANK YOU, Gary. 

Upcoming April birthdays: 

Tate Chipman (3), Joan 

Erhart (11), Julius Huffman 

(11), Paul Warhoff (14), 

Donna Neyer (18), Judy 

Greer (21), Judy Viel (23). 

Happy twentieth anniversary 

to my niece and nephew-inlaw, 

Jamie and Jamie Osborne 

(14). 

By the time you read this, 

spring will be about a week 

away, so Happy Spring and 

goodbye winter. Get those 

lawnmowers ready. 

The happiest people don’t 

necessarily have the best of 

everything. They just make 

the best of everything they 

have. 

Happy Easter, and stay safe 

and well. 

Next 

Beacon Ad 

Deadline 

Mar. 29. 

Visit 

go 

BEACONnews.com 

for more 

communnity news 

VALLEY LAKE 

By 

Korry 

Johnson 

Community 

Correspondent 

hvl@goBEACONnews.com 

Well, well, it’s been one 

year since our world was 

turned upside down. Unimaginable 

but hopefully 

our lives are now moving in 

a positive direction. Soooo, 

spring is here! Celebrate the 

outdoors, watch the trees and 

plants start to bloom, enjoy 

birdies chirping, children 

playing outside (make them 

go outside and play!). Be 

happy. We have a lot to be 

grateful for here in HVL. The 

Children’s Activity Committee 

is planning on having the 

2nd Annual Driveway Chalk 

Contest on Apr. 24. Further 

details to follow. We are tentatively 

planning on the Easter 

Egg Hunt the Sunday before 

Easter, Mar. 28. 

Snow, snow, snow was the 

trend a month ago. I am sharing 

some fun snow pictures 

with our HVL kids enjoying 

life! 

Congratulations to Andrew 

Reniff who signed a letter of 

intent to play college soccer 

at Tiffin University. WAY TO 

GO! 

Fully climate controlled Luxury Auto Storage 

in Lawrenceburg In. 

513-305-5533 4Speedon50.com 

Andrew Reniff, Parents: Ann and Robert Reniff, Sisters 

Caitlin and Hailey Reniff, Grandparents Barb and Tom 

Turner. 

Carter and Morgan Blaut, 

along with Cameron Wolfe 

were sled riding down the 

HVL dam. 

Dominic Branam and Elliott 

Johnson building an igloo. 

Don’t forget to wear your 

green and enjoy St. Patrick’s 

Day on Wednesday, Mar. 17. 

Everyone is Irish on this joyous 

day! 

April Birthdays: Chase Mc- 

Cracken, Ashley King, Kara 

Winderrowd, Kellee Case, 

Tami McCracken, Jaxen 

Lischkge, Yalonda Lischkge, 

Taylor Johnson, Linda Miller, 

Courtney Lewis, Michael 

Hirsch, Jacob Smith. 

April Anniversaries: Jennifer 

and Greg Johnson 

PLEASE STAY SAFE and 

FIND YOUR KINDNESS! 

Please email me, Korry H. 

Johnson, if you have something 

to share in next month’s 

article at hvl@goBEACON 

news.com Share your positive 

news at The Beacon! 

Should I Do A Rollover? 

Many employees are fortunate to have the opportunity 

to be a participant in an employee sponsored retirement 

savings plan. Employee sponsored plans come in all 

shapes and sizes. Some of the most popular plans are the 

401(k), 403(b), 457, Thrift Savings, and SIMPLE IRA. These 

plans provide a tremendous service to employees by 

making it easy for them to set money aside for retirement 

typically growing tax deferred until it is used for income 

in retirement. However, with these noted benefits, there 

are some potential drawbacks to these plans. 

#1 Potential for Underperformance 

A participant of an employee sponsored plan has limited 

investment choices. In other words, the participant is 

cut off from the entire universe of investment choices. 

Instead of being able to pick the best of the best in every 

category, the participant is forced to pick the best from 

the options available. This creates a greater potential 

for underperformance in the market and comparative 

benchmarks. 

#2 Lack of Service 

Most employee sponsored plans are outsourced to a third 

party service, leaving the participant to be a number, not 

a true person. Often times, 

participants will only meet 

with the plan administrator 

initially to set up their 

investment options and 

then receive minimal if any 

support in the future when it 

comes to taking advantage 

of ever changing market 

conditions. 

#3 The Roth Option 

Although it is increasingly 

becoming more popular, not 

every 401(k) offers a Roth 

401(k) option. The Roth 

option is where you pay 

taxes on the contributions 

Roger Ford 

“Employee sponsored plans 

can be a great retirement 

savings tool... there are some 

drawbacks which when 

addressed canhelp to avoid 

some pitfalls.” 

you make rather than deferring them. By using the Roth 

option and paying the tax on the contribution, the funds 

grow tax free from that point forward insulating you from 

any future tax increases. If you believe taxes are likely to 

go up in the future, rolling over your funds can provide 

you with the opportunity to convert your pre-tax 401(k) 

money to the Roth option before taxes go up! 

A final important note to share, these employee 

sponsored plans usually allow for an “in-service 

rollout” once the participant reaches age 59 ½ or when 

employment has ended. An in-service rollout allows the 

participant to move from the employee sponsored plan 

to an IRA that is in his/her care, custody, and control. By 

doing this, it opens the entire universe of investment 

options, creates the opportunity to develop a deeper 

personal relationship with an advisor, and opens the 

opportunity for tax planning. Best of all, if still employed, 

the employee can continue to participate in the employee 

sponsored plan and get the match if the company is 

providing one. 

If you are over age 59 ½ or have money with a previous 

employer and would like more information, we would be 

happy to sit down with you and discuss your options. 

Employee sponsored plans can be a great retirement 

savings tool, and I don’t want to sell them short. 

However, there are some drawbacks, which when 

addressed head-on can help to avoid some pitfalls. 

Conservative Financial Solutions | Roger Ford 

10403 Harrison Ave., Harrison, OH 45030 (513) 367-1113 

307 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 (812) 537-1347 

ConservativeFinancialSolutions.com 

Securities offered through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC (MAS), member FINRA/ 

SIPC. Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals 

through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Adviser. 

MAS and Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies. AEWM and 

Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies. 



GREENDALE 

By 

Gloria 

Carter 

Community 

Correspondent 

greendale@goBEACONnews.com 

The month of February has 

been a winter wonderland of 

record-breaking winds, cold, 

and snowfall, but, it still does 

not beat the winters of 1977 

and 1978. I remember three 

days in January being very 

cold, so I did some factchecking 

and saw the low on 

Jan. 16, 1977, was 21 degrees 

below zero, Jan. 17 was 24 

degrees below zero, and Jan. 

18 was 25 degrees below 

zero. That year the Ohio River 

froze over and crazy people 

were walking across it! That 

winter was so cold that the 

attic of my house was making 

popping, cracking, and boom 

noises caused by the contraction 

and expansion of my 

home, which was creepy even 

though it was normal. The 

winter of 1978 was not much 

better. On the morning of Jan. 

26, an arctic air mass arrived 

in our area. The temperature 

was near zero and winds 

were around 50- to 70-milesan-hour, 

with a snowfall of 

around 12 inches and snowdrifts 

15-25 feet high. The 

blizzard of 1978. These two 

winter years make Feb. 2021 

look mild! 

I went searching for the 

smallest snowman in Greendale 

and found one at Homestead 

Park while taking my 

grandson Korben Carter 

O 

ur 

The smallest snow person 

in Greendale. 

sledding. I love the snowman’s 

hair. The kids have 

been out of school with e- 

learning days, the ski slopes 

have been very busy, and 

our furnaces have been running 

nonstop with this brutal 

February. Sunshine and warm 

weather will be so welcomed. 

We are now in the month of 

March, and February is in the 

past. 

I have been enjoying indoor 

soccer with my grandson, 

Allen Seymour. I love indoor 

soccer games because of the 

smaller playing field, shorter 

playing time, and rough 

play. In February, Allen was 

sworn into the Army National 

Guard. He will be obligated 

to serve one weekend a month 

for eight years while still being 

able to attend a college or 

a trade school. 

Allen is looking forward to 

his new adventure. 

Think spring- we are only 

about five days away. Our 

spring bulbs will be popping 

out soon, and I can’t wait. 

Share your Greendale news 

with me at greendale@go 

BEACONnews.com. 

Communities 

ST. LEON 

By 

Debbie A. 

Zimmer 

Community 

Correspondent 

stleon@goBEACONnews.com 

I missed a birthday last 

month- Colton Hoog on Mar. 

6. Thank you to Grandpa Art 

for letting me know! 

As I am writing this, I’m 

looking out my window at 

the beautiful snow! It sure is 

pretty glistening in the sun!! 

But enough is enough – ha, 

ha – I am ready for warmer 

weather and spring to arrive. 

Condolences to the family 

of Gerhard Deddens. Born 

on February 10, 1931, in 

Scharrel, Germany, Gerhard 

completed his apprenticeship 

as a Master Baker in Germany 

before coming to the United 

States in 1953. As a German 

citizen, he was drafted 

into the United States Army 

in 1955 where he earned his 

U.S. citizenship. Gerhard 

married Frances Kramer on 

June 18, 1960. That same 

year, they opened Deddens 

Bakery in Rushville, shortly 

thereafter moving the business 

to Sunman. 

Gerhard’s biggest love was 

his family. The other love 

Gerhard had was for America, 

his adopted homeland because 

of the many freedoms and 

opportunities provided here. 

He lived the American dream. 

Gerhard knew that success 

didn’t come easy. His strong 

work ethic and love of God 

were passed on to his children. 

Gerhard was a seventyyear 

member of the Kolping 

Society, a parishioner of All 

Saints Parish, and a member 

of the St. Joseph American 

Legion Post 464. 

Gerhard will be deeply 

missed by his children Rose 

Linton, son-in-law Steve Weigel, 

Dave (Michelle) Deddens, 

and Lynn Deddens of Sunman; 

his brother Theo (Lena) 

Deddens of Germany; twelve 

grandchildren, and one greatgranddaughter. 

I have worked 

with the Deddens family for 

many years. You will not find 

a better family to work with. 

Rest in peace, Gerhard. 

Paul Volk, 88 years old, 

passed away on Feb. 6, 

2021. A true country boy at 

heart, Paul enjoyed farming, 

Brown Swiss Dairy cattle, 

and his hay business with 

his son, David. After Paul 

semi-retired, he continued 

to help his son and grandson 

Jordan, with farming chores. 

He and his late wife of over 

fifty years, Alice, immersed 

themselves in farming life by 

being involved in the Brown 

Swiss Association, and 4-H 

activities. 

Faith played a big part in 

Paul’s life. Prayer was part 

of his daily routine. He had a 

great sense of humor, although 

dry at times. He had a 

twinkle in his eye and a great 

smile that would let you know 

he was kidding around. He 

adored his grandchildren and 

great-grandchildren whom he 

lovingly called “snipes.” A 

United States Army veteran, 

Paul was a member of the 

St. Joseph American Legion 

Post 464, 4-H, and All Saints 

Catholic Parish. 

Paul will be greatly missed 

by his four children Marie 

(David) Frey, Lisa (Larry) 

Allen, Linda Volk, and David 

Volk; many grandchildren and 

great-grandchildren; and four 

siblings. 

April Birthdays– 1 Patty 

Herth, Jeanette Dole, 2 

Paige Hoog, Terry Zimmer, 

Marie Connolly, 3 Marge 

Fogelson, 4 Jennie Maune, 

Brad Callahan, cousin Scott 

Brier, 5 Gerilyn Chaffee, 6 

Abbie Alig, Pete Andres, 7 

Diana Alig, my husband Ron. 

More next month. 

Happy sixteenth anniversary 

to my daughter Jennie and 

Todd Geisheimer on Apr. 9. 

Get in touch with me with 

any news at stleon@go 


Dearborn County Visitors Center 

#theplace2play 

We’re Ready When You Are 

April 2021 

JANUARY 2017 

April 1-23 – Youth Art Exhibit - Call for Entries - The Dearborn Highlands Arts Council is 

seeking creative student art entries for the 2021 Youth Art Exhibition in the Gallery at 331 Walnut Street, 

Lawrenceburg. This annual event is a great opportunity to share and highlight the talent and creativity of 

students. The 2021 Youth Art Exhibit will open at the Gallery March 1 and will be on display through Friday, 

April 23rd. Awards will be presented at the reception on Friday, April 23, 6pm - 8pm. 

April 1 – Hillforest Victorian House Museum Opens for 65th Touring Season - 

11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Hillforest Victorian House Museum, 213 Fifth Street, Aurora. Hillforest was the home of 

industrialist and financier Thomas Gaff and his family between 1855 and 1891. The historic home is listed on 

the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992. Admission 

charged. For information call 812-926-0087 or visit www.hillforest.org. 

April 3 – Breakfast with the Easter Bunny - Main Street Aurora Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 

at 228 Second Street, Aurora, IN 47001 8:30am & 10:30am. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. For more information & 

reservations call 812-926-1100 or visit www.aurora.in.us. 

April 3 – Easter Egg Hunt - Easter egg hunt at Aurora City Park at 1pm. Sponsored by Vietnam Veterans 

of America #71. For more information call 812-926-1100 or visit Main Street Aurora 

April 5-10 – Shop Hop - Quilter’s Garden - This year Quilters Garden’s Shop Hop will be held all 

week instead of just 4 days to give people more days to shop which will reduce the number of people in the 

shop each day. Their hours that week will be Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. For more 

information go to Quilters Garden’s Facebook page. 

E 

ven though April is still not 

back to 100% normal, we’re 

getting there and we’re ready when 

you are here in Southeast Indiana. 

From art shows to shop hops, 

Hillforest Museum, Easter events, 

community activities, and our bike 

share program, we are prepared to 

welcome our visitors in a safe and 

healthy manner. Thank you for your 

support, and we encourage you 

to contact us with any questions, 

comments or feedback. We look 

forward to seeing you here in 

Southeast Indiana! 

April 9, 10 – Over the Moon Vintage Market - A delightful inside market full of repurposed, 

vintage, worn, chippy, rusted items with patinas showing decades of wear. In styles of cottage farmhouse, 

prairie, industrial etc. along wth romantic and upcycled clothing. Jewelry has been transformed from 

heirloom, costume and elegant pieces. Location is inside Agner Hall, Lawrenceburg Fairgrounds. Hours are 

Friday - 4pm - 9pm; Saturday - 9am - 4pm. For more information call 513-973-2565. 

April 10-24 – Southeastern Indiana Art Guild Spring Art & Photography Show - All 

new works by members of the guild. Location is at 302 Second Street, Aurora, IN. for more information call 

812-221-1252 or email at mamalovesart@gmail.com. 

April 11 – New Alsace Conservation Club - Sausage & Pancake Breakfast - Sausage 

& Pancake Breakfast at New Alsace Conservation Club will be held, Sunday, April 11, 2021. Breakfast will be 

served from 7:30am until noon. The menu will consist of biscuits & gravy, sausage & pancakes, home fries, 

ham, eggs to order, fruit, coffee & juice. The American Legion Post 452, Northwest of New Alsace off North 

Dearborn Road, 25329 Legion Road, New Alsace, IN. Cost: $10.00 Adults; $4.00 Children under 10; Free for 

Children under 3. For more information call 812-623-2431 or New Alsace Conservation Club 

April 24 – Civic Park Annual Opening Community Cookoff - Enjoy the afternoon at the 

Opening of Civic Park Annual Community Cookout from 12:00 - 4:00pm. For more information visit 

www.thinklawrenceburg.com. 

Dearborn County Convention, 

Visitor and Tourism Bureau 

320 Walnut St. • Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025 

www.VisitSoutheastIndiana.com 

Stay healthy. Bring your mask and 

hand sanitizer along! 



NEW ALSACE 

By 

Laura 

Keller 

Community 

Correspondent 

newalsace@goBEACONnews.com 

Three Agricultural Experience 

students (a class that 

may be taken after completing 

Ag Power 2) from East 

Central High School used 

pieces of history to create furniture 

that will be cherished 

by many in the community. 

James Bulach, Jake Kuhn, 

and Troy Shumate recently 

designed and built tables 

made from the gym floor at 

the former North Dearborn 

Elementary School located off 

North Dearborn Road, which 

was originally North Dearborn 

High School before East 

Central High School opened 

in the 1970s. 

John Maxwell salvaged 

the flooring from the vacant 

school building, and agriculture 

teacher Roy Johnson 

asked James, Jake, and Troy 

to come up with an idea and 

build projects from the flooring. 

Troy and James came 

up with an idea to turn the 

flooring into tables using the 

old bleacher board as a border 

as well as the table legs, then 

spent time during the fortyfive-minute 

class period creating 

the gym tables. The tables 

were posted on social media, 

and the interest from the community 

exceeds the tables that 

have been built. What a great 

way to preserve the history of 

our area. Great job to James, 

Jake, and Troy! 

O 

ur 

Tables made from North 

Dearborn Elementary 

school gym floor. 

Dennis and Mary Kraus 

celebrated their fiftieth wedding 

anniversary on Jan. 9, 

2021. They were married at 

St. Paul Church in New Alsace 

in 1971. They are blessed 

with five children, five grandchildren, 

and two great-grandchildren. 

Congratulations to 

Dennis and Mary. 

Adam and Julie Fox 

welcomed their third son, 

Weston, on Dec. 27. Weston 

was welcomed home by his 

two brothers, William and 

Wyatt. Congratulations to the 

Fox family. 

The North Dearborn 

American Legion Post 452 

will be hosting monthly 

euchre tournaments on Apr. 

18 and May 16. Doors open 

at noon and games start at 1 

p.m. There is a $5 entry fee 

with a cash payout to the four 

highest scores. Refreshments 

are available for purchase. 

Call 812.623.3695 for more 

information. 

I would love to hear from 

you! If you have news in the 

New Alsace area you’d like 

me to share, please contact me 

at newalsace@goBEACON 

news.com. 

SPECIALIZES IN 

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around the corner. 

Start the season right. 

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one-on-one care, competitive pay rates 

All interested applicants please contact 

ADVANTAGE HOME CARE 

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460 Ridge Ave. Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 EOE 

Communities 

BATESVILLE 

LOGAN 

By 

Susan 

Carson 

Community 

Correspondent 

Try Our 

New 

Entrees! 

Try Our 

New 

Entrees! 

Try Our 

New 

Entrees! 

*Lime Only 

$3.99 Margaritas 

ALL DAY Monday 



*Lime Only 

*Lime Only 



By 

Sue 

Siefert 

Community 

Correspondent 

batesville@goBEACONnews.com 

Supporting those who support 

the community … 

Area non-profits have been 

impacted by the pandemic 

as they’ve struggled to raise 

funds to provide for the services 

and programs they have 

traditionally afforded their 

communities. 

In 2020, the Batesville 

VFW Post 3183 provided 

2,226 hours of community 

service through their projects, 

the Honor Guard attended 

thirty funerals, and the post 

offered outreach programs 

including their Teacher of the 

Year, Patriot’s Pen, and Voice 

of Democracy recognitions. 

With the post’s treasury approaching 

a negative balance, 

members submitted grant 

applications along with letters 

of support from Batesville’s 

N I C O L E & J O H N W U E S T E F E L D 

24486 Stateline Road 

Bright 

$2.49 Bottle 

domestic beer 

Saturday 

$2.49 Bottle 

domestic beer 

Saturday 

$2.49 Bottle 

domestic beer 

Saturday 

Batesville VFW Post 3183 

Jim Wagner and Tom 

Fritsch. 

Mayor Mike Bettice and Fire 

Chief Todd Schutte, seeking 

funds for the post to not only 

continue serving the community 

but to help to keep its 

doors open. The organization 

received a $5,000 grant that 

will help to ensure that the 

post remains viable in 2021. 

Commander Tom Fritsch and 

Community Service Officer, 

Jim Wagner, express their 

appreciation on behalf of the 

post’s members. 

The Batesville Kiwanis 

also scrambled to raise funds 

during the pandemic to ensure 

that their many studentfocused 

programs would continue 

in 2021. Because of the 

public’s awesome support of 

the Kiwanis’ Christmas Cash 

Raffle, much of the funds 

needed have been secured. 

logan@goBEACONnews.com 

We have had one of the 

longest cold snaps in over ten 

years. Like any good Girl or 

Boy Scout, I have been reaping 

the harvest of my labor of 

“being prepared.” I have cut 

firewood, stacked it outside, 

and hauled racks of it into my 

garage to stay dry. My brother, 

Mark Dunevant, helped 

put the snowblade on the 

tractor. I got out my generator 

to make sure it would start 

in case of a power outage. Its 

battery was dead, so I had to 

revert to trying to pull-start 

it by hand. After exhausting 

myself, I thought maybe 

it was too cold. I brought it 

inside to let it warm up. Even 

though I knew this was not 

the right place to run a generator, 

I gave it a try. Oh rats, 

it started! Fortunately, it shut 

off all by itself. Then I had to 

air the place out. So far, we 

haven’t needed the generator, 

but I have spent several 

hours on the tractor plowing 

snow from my mom’s and my 

driveway. Plowing snow is 

like the winter alternative to 

mowing grass in the summer, 

only it comes with an urgency 

to get it done and help others 

who may not have the 

equipment or the ability to do 

it themselves. Mark plowed 

his driveway and then went 

next door to plow Patrick 

McCorkhill’s. Not too long 

after that, Patrick showed up 

at Mark’s door with two fresh, 

hot pizzas to say, “Thanks.” 

My friend and neighbor, Tom 

Jacobs, came over to my 

house to plow my driveway 

with his ATV. His help gave 

me a good head start on my 

work. We are all grateful to 

have kind friends, family, and 

neighbors with giving hearts. 

One of the most wonderful 

ladies I have ever had the 

A Family Tradition Since 1800’s 

Q U A L I T Y S E RV I C E • C O M PA S S I O N • D E D I C AT I O N 

25615 STATE ROUTE 1 • DOVER, IN 

(812) 576-4301 WWW.ANDRES-WUESTEFELDFH.COM 

We accept 

(Limit competitor’s 

$5 maximum per 

coupons 

$30 Or More. 

coupon When You Spend 

(Limit Or 1/2 $5 price maximum on 2nd per coupon 

meal. 

Not When Valid You Friday Spend or $30 Saturday.) Or More. 

Or 1/2 price on 2nd meal. 

Not Valid Friday or Saturday.) 

812-747-7262 

812-747-7262 

Treasurer, 

Dennis Harmeyer 

joins 

members 

in thanking 

the public! 

Recognition 

is also 

Dennie Harmeyer due Alvin 

Harmeyerticket 

seller extraordinaire! 

The Batesville Area Historical 

Society saw a considerable 

decrease in donations 

while its doors were closed 

for several months. Appreciative 

community member, 

Jolene Rockwood blessed the 

BAHS with a generous gift 

from the Rockwood Foundation 

– a portion of which is 

being spent on their upcoming 

exhibit, with the remainder 

being saved for future expenses. 

Curator Carolyn Dieckmann 

expresses the society’s 

appreciation to Jolene, and to 

all who continue to support 

the BAHS. 

These are but a few examples 

of what can be accomplished 

when a community 

pulls together! 

That’s Sue’s news for now. 

Ann Jeffries at her piano. 

pleasure of knowing is Ann 

Jeffries. She has always been 

a servant to her family and 

her community. For many 

years, her husband Leroy 

(Jeff) Jeffries was the Logan 

Township Trustee. When he 

stepped down, Ann became 

the trustee. Ann established 

a food pantry in their basement 

to help those in need. 

By 2005, this Christ-centered 

mission had outgrown the 

Jeffries’ home. Some churches 

took over and moved the 

North Dearborn Food Pantry 

to its present home on North 

Dearborn Road. 

Ann is a very talented musician. 

She does not read musicshe 

only plays by ear. All you 

have to do is name a song, especially 

an old classic hymn, 

and off she goes. She barely 

even looks at the keys. When 

I was in high school, Bev 

Jeffries Cornelius, Harry 

Lyness, Randy Lyness, and 

I had a quartet at church, and 

she played the piano for us. 

We had a great time with her. 

Mar. 27 will be her ninetyseventh 

birthday. Happy 

birthday, Ann! 

Buy 24486 1 Lunch Stateline or Road Dinner 

Bright 

at regular price 

Get 1 Lunch We or accept Dinner 

competitor’s 

at 1/2 coupons price 

Excludes steaks (Limit $5 and maximum seafood 

per coupon 

When You Spend $30 Or More. 

Expires Apr. July Or 1/217, 11, price 2021 

on 2016 2nd meal. 


Not Valid Fri. or Sat. 

Not valid with 812-747-7262 

daily specials. 

24486 Stateline Road 

$5 Bright 

off purchase of 

on 

$30 

purchase We of accept 

$30 

Expires Apr. 17, 2021 

Expires Not Valid July competitor’s 

Fri. 11, or 2016 Sat. 

Not Valid Fri. 

coupons 

Not valid with or (Limit daily $5 maximum specials. Sat. per coupon 

Not valid When 

with You Spend 

daily $30 Or More. 

specials. 

Twenty-seven Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together. 

Try Our 

New 

Entrees! 

*Lime Only 



Try Our 

New 

Entrees! 

*Lime Only 



$2.49 Bottle 

domestic beer 

Saturday 

$2.49 Bottle 

domestic beer 

Saturday 

$5 off on 

Or 1/2 price on 2nd meal. 


812-747-7262 

Buy 1 Lunch 

at regular 

Get 1 Lunch 

at 1/2 p 

Excludes steaks 

Expires July 

Not Valid Fri 

Not valid with da 

$5 off 

purchase 

Expires July 

Not Valid Fr 

Not valid with da 

Buy 1 

a 

Get 1 

Exclu 

Ex 

N 

Not v 

$ 

purc 

Exp 

Not 

Not vali


DOVER 

By 

Rhonda 

Trabel 

Community 

Correspondent 

O 

ur 

CommunitiesReProm 

dover@goBEACONnews.com 

Recently I noticed some 

families ice skating on their 

ponds. This brought back 

memories of my childhood 

when we would have cold 

weather lasting several weeks. 

When we finished our chores, 

we would go down to the 

pond to skate, but we had to 

wait to get the all-clear from 

our dad that the ice was thick 

enough to skate on. We would 

invite our friends over to join 

us after school, after basketball 

games, and on weekends 

whenever possible. A fire 

at the end of the pond was 

always a necessity, and we 

had lanterns on the pond to 

help guide us around at night. 

Sometimes if the sky was 

clear, the moon provided additional 

light. This neighborhood 

pond I just mentioned 

had its own generated powered 

utility lights for nighttime 

skating. Boy, how times 

have changed. I am thrilled 

Area residents experience the joy of ice skating on a 

frozen pond. 

to see some of these young 

kids enjoying a winter sport. 

The past several winters were 

not cold enough for ponds 

to be safe for skating. The 

neighbors taking part in this 

great sport on the pond were 

Pete, Peggy, Macy, Owen, 

and Olivia Lyness, Chad 

Gutzwiller, Isabella Nichols, 

Jeff, and Kelly Spencer 

(owners of the pond), Cooper, 

Cohen, and Quinn Spencer, 

and Dennis, Hilary, Gwen, 

and Rhys Stonefield. I would 

have loved to join them 

myself because skating was 

my favorite sport back in the 

day, but these mature (notice I 

didn’t say OLD) bones could 

not take it. 

Congratulations to Chad 

Gutzwiller, a teacher at Franklin 

County Middle School, 

for being selected as February’s 

Teacher of the Month. 

He teaches seventh grade and 

was nominated by a parent of 

one of his students. The parent 

said he embraced this challenging 

year by sending daily 

emails to all of his students, 

in class, or quarantined. Mr. 

Gutzwiller took on this year 

as if he had been teaching, inclass 

and virtually, his whole 

career. He also started a daily 

video for all students to watch 

from home which helped them 

cope with the COVID situation. 

With all the changes and 

challenges, he reminds them 

that they are not alone. 

The purpose of the “Educator 

of the Month” program 

is to recognize outstanding 

Franklin County educators 

who demonstrate excellence 

in the classroom, leadership in 

the school, dedication to the 

students, and involvement in 

the community. 

Parker Becknell, Chase Bellman, Nicole Wuestefeld 

Becknell, Patrick Becknell, Braden Becknell, and Colton 

Bellman 

Mr. Gutzwiller is the son of 

Ed and Melanie Gutzwiller 

and is a former resident of 

St. Leon. Mr. Gutzwiller 

loves teaching because he 

loves discovering that spark 

to ignite the motivation and 

enthusiasm for the student 

while also challenging them 

to become the best version of 

themselves. Sounds like he’s 

an amazing teacher and those 

students are lucky to have 

him. Keep up the good work 

Mr. Gutzwiller! 

I also had a reminder of 

how dependent we are upon 

our power companies and 

road crews in the winter. 

Recently, a person driving on 

our road slid on the ice and 

hit a utility pole, resulting in a 

power outage for the majority 

of the evening. I just gave 

up, got my blanket, and read 

my book by flashlight. Thank 

you to the power company 

crews and the road crews who 

work long hours in the cold 

and blowing snow and ice. We 

appreciate you! 

Nicole Wuestefeld Becknell 

and Patrick Becknell 

recently celebrated their 

wedding on a beautiful farm 

in our community. The event 

was filled with joy and a bit 

of fun as the groomsmen, 

Father Meyer, and the bride’s 

father all sported flamingo 

socks. (Rumor has it that the 

bride did not!) Best wishes to 

the happy couple. 

If you have any Dover news 

you would like to share, just 

email me at dover@go 


Scoutmaster Ron Bacu and 

Renee Bauer. 

OLDENBURG 

By 

Sue 

Siefert 

Community 

Correspondent 

oldenburg@goBEACONnews.com 

Congratulations in the 

’Burg 

Congratulations to Oldenburg 

Academy junior, 

Renee Bauer who is the 

first tristate female to earn 

her Eagle Scout designation! 

Renee joined the Ft. Hamilton 

Daniel Beard District of 

Scouts on February 1, 2019 

when thousands of girls ages 

11-17 were first admitted to 

its program. Since then she 

earned fifty-one merit badges 

in eighteen months and attended 

Wilderness First-Aid 

camp. The Sunman resident 

provided landscaping around 

the American Legion Post 464 

sign in St. Leon as her Eagle 

Scout project and is shown 

with her Scoutmaster, Ron 

Bacu. Way to go, Renee! 

Front- Debbie Lamping, Charlene Weberding, Kris 

Wampler, Sr. Anji Fan. Back- Jonathon Maple, Helen 

Yane. Not Pictured- Mary Gehring. 

During Catholic Schools 

Week, Oldenburg Academy 

honored their staff members’ 

service anniversaries, including 

Debbie Lamping ’73, 25 

years; Jonathon Maple ’07, 

10 years; Charlene Weberding, 

25 years; Helen Yane 

’95, 5 years; Kris Wampler 

over 25 years in Catholic 

education; Tori Holtel ’11, 

5 years; S. Anji ‘11, 5 years. 

Congratulations to all for your 

dedicated service to OA! 

Congratulations to OA’s 

winners in the Scholastic Art 

and Writing Awards recently 

with nine students winning 

fourteen awards. Congratulations 

to Kayla Cleary, Renee 

Bauer, Marissa Eckstein, 

Hannah Haverkos, Madelyn 

Henry, Ava Hornbach, 

Taryn Rodgers, 

Jalyn Stenger, and Anna 

Wanstrath. Marissa and Hannah 

each received the highest 

award given and their works 

will continue for further competition 

in New York! 

dress exchange 

bring a dress & take a dress 



AURORA 

By 

Margaret 

Drury 

Community 

Correspondent 

aurora@goBEACONnews.com 

By the time you read this, 

I hope that the “fallout” 

from the groundhog seeing 

his shadow is GONE! Since 

we live in a big ole’ drafty 

house, and if you do not keep 

moving, you get cold. SO… 

In preparation to write this 

month’s column, I bundled up 

in about five layers of clothing 

and made a cup of hot tea 

to keep my hands & innerds 

warm. 

Not sure if you noticed or 

not, but a big ole’ house in the 

Hanover/Westside neighborhood 

just off Highway 350 

got a new facelift. Its owners 

were awarded a grant from 

the Aurora Façade Improvement 

Matching Grant (FIMG) 

program in 2020. The city 

created the Downtown Strategic 

Revitalization Project and 

the FIMG program in 2016 

to stimulate reinvestment 

and to polish the appearance 

of the historic downtown. 

After several years of success 

and noticeable investment 

downtown, the city expanded 

the program to include and 

encourage investment in the 

residential, Westside neighborhood. 

Last year the city 

leveraged $50,000 to spur 

nearly $200,000 worth of 

investment in the Downtown 

and Westside neighborhoods. 

The 2021 FIMG Program will 

continue to include exterior 

preservation, restoration, 

and rehabilitation of properties 

but will be expanded to 

include structural repairs that 

O 

ur 

are needed to save a structure. 

The program will also be 

expanded to include all properties 

within the Aurora city 

limits. The city is now accepting 

applications for the 2021 

FIMG Program until Apr. 2 at 

4:00 PM. The design review 

committee will make award 

recommendations to Aurora 

City Council on Apr. 12 at 7 

P.M. For additional details on 

the FIMG program you can 

go to the city’s website www. 

aurora.in.us. 

Randy Turner of the 

Aurora Lions Club shared 

that the club was considering 

having two of their events this 

spring, the Scholarship Breakfast 

and the Chili/Spaghetti 

Dinner. They would be hosting 

the breakfast and dinner 

as drive-through events. Both 

events are fundraisers for the 

annual college scholarships 

that they provide for graduating 

seniors of South Dearborn 

High School. Their scholarship 

award started in 1982, 

with a single $500 scholarship, 

the program has grown 

to the point where $10,000 in 

scholarships has been given 

each of the past five years… 

which I think is AMAZING! 

Stay tuned for more details 

on their events so you can 

support this worthy cause. We 

sure could use some of their 

chili right now! 

Randy also shared that 

the Lions Club Farmers Fair 

Board is looking for new 

ideas of things people want to 

see or not see at the fair. He 

thought that possibly folks 

might want to see a “Battle of 

the Bands” and get the Ferris 

wheel back on the fairway; 

he also said an idea was put 

out there to cancel the Pet 

Parade. Randy recommended 

that you contact Joe Burkart 

with your ideas. His email is 

Communities 

joeburkart69@ 

gmail.com. Here 

is your chance 

folks… what do 

you want to see at 

the Farmers Fair? 

Let them know as 

it will be here before 

you know it! 

As I shared 

last month, our 

beloved city pool 

is vintage 1960s and is WELL 

past its lifespan. A 3v3 Basketball 

Tournament to “Fill the 

Pool” is being held on Mar. 13, 

20, and 27. Register at www. 

auroraparksandrec.org/fill-thepool-tournaments. 

Thanks to 

Denise Rose and her team for 

putting this together. 

Have you noticed the recent 

increase in truck traffic on 

US 50 near George St.? The 

increased traffic is due to 

farmers bringing their grain 

MANCHESTER 

By 

Lisa 

West 

Community 

Correspondent 

manchester@goBEACONnews.com 

Most of us are familiar 

with sports like basketball, 

football, and swimming. But 

did you know that archery is 

a team and individual sport? 

South Dearborn has archery 

teams from elementary level 

through high school, and this 

group is growing in both size 

and competition success. 

Several Manchester youth 

participate in this sport. Currently, 

South Dearborn has 

over sixty-five archers, with 

twenty-two of those from the 

Manchester area. The group 

is so large that practices are 

One of Aurora’s “Grand Dames” was 

restored thanks to an Aurora Façade 

Improvement Matching Grant. 

into the grain transportation 

company. With grain prices at 

a high, farmers are cashing in 

their crops causing an influx 

of trucks to the facility that 

has never been seen for this 

duration. Although this has 

posed concerns and delays 

for folks passing through the 

area, we ask for your patience. 

Instead of being upset because 

of the truck traffic, take a deep 

breath, spread some kindness, 

and thank the farmers in these 

trucks for feeding us. The 

Archery Coach Matt Crisswell, 

Monica and Makayla 

Crisswell. 

split up across four different 

schools. They typically 

practice two times a week 

where they learn and review 

the eleven basic steps of archery. 

The coaches emphasize 

proper technique, safety, and 

of course, fun! 

Matt Crisswell is a local 

parent-turned-coach. 

He shared some of the 

background of this activity. 

Archery is a sport or skill 

of shooting with a bow and 

arrow at a target. The meets 

are generally held in a gymnasium, 

where groups of archers 

line up across the floor and 

shoot at bullseye-type targets 

from various distances. 

Scoring is on a 300-point 

system, where the athletes 

shoot rounds from both ten 

and fifteen meters, where each 

round can bank a maximum 

J. Miller Steakhouse 

celebrated Valentines 

Day with a full house of 

“lovely” diners. Three 

large teddy bears were 

given away, one of 

which was claimed by 

Remi Chandler, shown 

here with her mother 

Lyndsay and sister Jaylee 

Rae. (See ad pg. 2A) 

city has been working to help 

manage the traffic as best as 

possible through this influx of 

trucks. 

Jack Cady and Kainen 

Wanstrath. 

of 50 points. 

Coach Crisswell said, “I 

like to see the kids focus and 

succeed, as this is a self-challenging 

sport.” 

Two Manchester Elementary 

sixth-grade students 

shared why they love archery. 

Elliana Pfaff said, “I like how 

it makes me feel confident 

and powerful. I also like how 

it’s an individual challenge 

and also a team challenge” 

Jack Cady stated, “It’s fun 

and gives you something to 

do. I like that I am competing 

with myself and competing 

with others.” 

The South Dearborn group 

has been so successful that 

they have qualified for Indiana 

State Competition, which 

will be held in March. 

It’s your 

day when you 

Support the Specialty Retail, Personal 

Services, Professional Services and 

Restaurants of Downtown Aurora 

#SHOPSMALLBEFOREYOUSHOPBIG 



LAWRENCEBURG 

By 

Debbie 

Acasio 

Community 

Correspondent 

O 

ur 

Communities 

lawrenceburg@goBEACONnews.com 

I am a self-proclaimed soup 

snob. I look with suspicion at 

any soup that is not delicious 

and not homemade. While I 

love making soup, I have a 

slight problem…. I don’t like 

eating the same soup for days. 

So when my friend, Lester 

Ampt, scraped my driveway 

with his tractor after a recent 

snowstorm, he got some 

of my vegetable soup (and 

brownies- his favorite). He 

was a happy man. Recently 

a bunch of the ladies from 

St. John Lutheran Church, 

including me, delivered some 

homemade soups around the 

community. Elverda Kaiser 

got Carolyn Stroup’s broccoli 

cheddar soup, and her 

daughter Teresa Martini got 

vegetable soup from Mary 

Ann Pettit. Pastor Larry 

Knigga got a couple of bowls 

of my chili. Lora James who 

was working during soup 

preparation time graciously 

supplied the crackers. Beverly 

Hahn was thrilled and 

surprised with her special 

delivery of soup. Soup makes 

people feel loved. 

Speaking of spreading love, 

Rachel Reynolds and Sarah 

Lansing deserve a thank you 

for their “beyond the call of 

duty” help for those taking 

shelter at the Boy Scout Cabin 

for a few weeks this winter. 

While the city of Lawrenceburg 

graciously opened the 

cabin as a temporary shelter 

due to bad weather, these 

SUNMAN 

By 

Maureen 

Stenger 

Community 

Correspondent 

sunman@goBEACONnews.com 

St. Nicholas seventh- and 

eighth-grade students, as 

well as some members of 

the community, peacefully 

marched from St. Nicholas 

School to Sunman Park in 

honor of The March for Life 

normally held in Washington 

D.C. Once everyone reached 

the town park, they prayed 

the rosary. Amy Wolfe and 

her family participated, and 

she shared the importance 

to her. “We march for all the 

innocent little babies that 

can’t speak for themselves. 

We want to defend and 

stand up for the belief that 

all human life is sacred and 

valuable at every stage.” 

Johanna Witte 

Elise Bostick and Lillian Scott sledding in front of 

Lawrenceburg Primary School. 

ladies brought in food and 

raised money for donations. 

Ken Maddin, with his knack 

for organizing, has also been 

working tirelessly on community 

blessing boxes that are 

filled with much-needed items 

to the homeless. The donations 

of food from the Clearinghouse, 

as well as blankets and 

sleeping bags from private 

individuals, have been a blessing 

to those in need. 

Congratulations to Nick 

Goepper for his gold medal 

win in the Men’s Ski Slopestyle 

in the X Games in Colorado. 

A Lawrenceburg native, 

this is his fifth gold medal. 

Speaking of snow adventures, 

the children of Lawrenceburg 

schools recently traded their 

Valentine’s Day parties for 

snow fun since school was 

canceled on “party day” due 

to snow. After a full day of E- 

learning, they were off to the 

levy for sledding! No complaints 

were heard about the 

unused Valentine’s Day boxes 

The Sunman 

Police graciously 

provided the 

escort to keep 

participants safe. 

Happy birthday 

to Evelyn 

Wagner who 

will be turning 

ninety-eight 

years young on March 12! 

Wishing you nothing but good 

health, happiness, and many 

blessings for the coming year. 

I would also like to give 

a shout-out to the stellar 

East Central High School 

Jolisa Thomas, Jasmyn Blackburn, Brooke Karsteter, Riley Mock, Hannah Williamson, 

Abby Banta, Nicole McCool, Adisyn Donk, Chauntel Vinup, and Cheyenne Vinup at 

Senior Recognition night at LHS. 

Nora Fehr first grader 

Daughter of Holly Fehr. 

waiting patiently for them at 

school. 

Happy birthday to Johanna 

Witte who recently celebrated 

her eighty-first birthday! One 

of thirteen children, she was 

raised by parents who immigrated 

from Germany and had 

settled on a one-hundred-fiftyacre 

farm near Negangards 

Corner in Sunman. She and 

her husband Wally raised four 

children on Ludlow Hill in 

Lawrenceburg. Happy birthday 

Johanna! 

Spring is just around the 

corner. The newly updated 

The March for Life through Sunman 

(Photo courtesy of Amy Wolfe) 

Wrestling Team and their 

coaches who have been 

having a very successful 

season. EC wrestlers and 

Sunman residents Ben 

and Blake Wolf and Ryan 

Bovard have all advanced to 

the state finals. 

Nani, Owen & Jack Schwier, Elise Bostick and Lillian 

Scott at the Levy. 

Owen Schwier, a senior at 

Lawrenceburg HS. 

and innovative Arch Street 

Park playground should 

be ready by May 1. The 

previous playground equipment 

will be repurposed in 

Aurora. And some exciting 

new additions to come to the 

downtown riverfront. Nine 

pergolas with swings will 

be installed to allow relaxed 

viewing of the Ohio River, 

its river traffic, and wildlife. 

I know where I will be this 

summer! 

Karter & Lillian Scott enjoying 

a snow day. 

Elverda Kaiser enjoying her 

soup delivery. 

215 E. Broadway St, P.O. Box 513 

Harrison, Ohio 45030 

(513)367-4545 Fax: (513)367-4546 

www.jackmanhensley.com 

We believe in going beyond what is 

expected to offer each family a caring 

compassionate service for 

an affordable price. 

“Providing funerals and cremations with dignity and compassion.” 

215 E. Broadway St, P.O. Box 513 

Harrison, Ohio 45030 

(513)367-4545 Fax: (513)367-4546 

www.jackmanhensley.com 

Celebrate with us! 

Thursday, April 22nd! 

6980 State Route 128 

LOCATION OPENS EARLY AT 

7:30AM - FOR CANS ONLY! 

FREE HOT DOGS AND DRINKS! 



O 

ur 

All Saints boys CYO basketball team claimed the title of 

the 2020-2021 Batesville deanery champions. 

Seniors Griffin Werner and Sam Kirchgassner received 

All Deanery awards while Peyton Lyness and Luke Hornbach 

hold the championship trophy. 

YORKVILLE 

& GUILFORD 

By 

Laura 

Keller 

Community 

Correspondent 

yorkville@goBEACONnews.com 

Feb. 7 was an important 

day for sports fans – and I 

don’t mean football fans. 

Superbowl Sunday was also 

the Batesville deanery CYO 

boys basketball championship 

game. The All Saints 

team finished the season as 

the champions this year, after 

ending the 2019-2020 season 

as runner-up. Although the 

season looked different than 

in past years, the team was 

grateful for the opportunity 

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to play. Coached by Tony 

Trossman and Austin Kear, 

or “Chief,” the team consisted 

of Tanner Fox, Jack Gierach, 

Matthew Graf, Nathan 

Graf, Luke Hornbach, 

Sam Kirchgassner, Peyton 

Lyness, Quinten Melcher, 

Noah Mersmann, Landon 

Raines, Griffin Werner, and 

Hayden Werner. 

After the championship 

game, five players were 

named All Deanery including 

two players from All Saints- 

Griffin Werner, son of Duane 

and Cindy Werner, and Sam 

Kirchgassner, son of Dan 

and Robin Kirchgassner. 

Congratulations to the players 

on a great season! 

If you have news in the Yorkville/Guilford 

area you’d like 

me to share, please contact me 

at yorkville@goBEACON 

news.com. 

Mark Goetz 

939 Dudley Pk, Edgewood, KY 41017 

parks 

dearborn 

county 

playgrounds, fishing, 

disc golf, bird watching, 

hiking, sports fields, and more! 

Bright Meadows 

2095 Einsel Rd, Lawrenceburg 

County Farm 

11706 County Farm Rd, Aurora 

Gladys Russell Wildlife Refuge 

13364 White Plains Rd, Milan 

Closed for construction 

Guilford Covered Bridge 

4785 Main Street, Guilford 

Closed for construction 

Rullman Wildlife Refuge 

19233 Turkey Point Rd, Guilford 

www.dearborncountyPARKS.com 

Communities 

HARRISON 

By 

Debbie 

McCane 

Community 

Correspondent 

harrison@goBEACONnews.com 

The snowfall we’ve had 

has brought gorgeous, 

picturesque scenes, blanketed 

in soft whiteness that sparks 

memories of sledding in 

childhood, skiing, and other 

winter sports. 

That same beauty also 

brings uncertainty and worry 

about the morning commute. 

That same snowfall also 

brings out the community 

spirit in so many of us. 

When people step up to help 

another pull their vehicles 

out of ditches, offer to clear 

another person’s driveway 

and walkway, even stop and 

DILLSBORO 

By 

Lorene 

Westmeier 

Community 

Correspondent 

dillsboro@goBEACONnews.com 

What a beautiful snowstorm 

we had on Feb. 8. That 

is if you didn’t have to drive 

in it. And then there is the 

cold weather B r r r! 

This month we feature 

“New faces in new places”. 

The “New face” in the Dillsboro 

Police Dept. is Kevin 

Turner. He has been with 

the Greendale Police Dept. 

and the fire dept. for twenty 

years. Kevin has always been 

RISING SUN/ 

OHIO COUNTY 

By 

PG 

Gentrup 

Community 

Correspondent 

risingsun@goBEACONnews.com 

For the people who were 

complaining about the lack of 

snow, I certainly hope you’re 

happy now with the recent 

accumulating snows. A lot of 

people are having fun with 

their sleds, but many are not 

liking the bad road conditions. 

Please be careful. 

I think next year I may 

travel to Florida for the month 

of February. It would be nice 

7247 State Road 46E 

Batesville, IN 47006 

812.932.3300 

sit with a traumatized young 

motorist who lost control of 

her vehicle on the black ice 

and waiting for her parent to 

arrive, that is who we are as 

a community. Even our road 

crews were out clearing and 

salting our streets early to 

help ensure our safety. 

We are that community, a 

community of caring people. 

I am so thankful for all those 

selfless people who make 

our existence so much more 

enriched. 

Spring is almost a reality 

for us and several events are 

planned for 2021. The annual 

Easter celebration will be on 

Apr. 3, and a modified Easter 

egg hunt is planned along 

with other activities. Harrison 

is also tentatively planning to 

have the six-week Summer 

Fun program for the local 

kids. Summer concerts are 

also being planned. We can 

also start looking forward to 

interested in history and attended 

Butler University to 

become a teacher, but went 

into police work instead. He 

is now working toward his 

degree in history. Kevin is a 

lieutenant on the Dillsboro 

Fire Dept., a member of the 

Northcutt-Laaker Post 292, 

Chairman of Trinity Lutheran 

Church, a Dearborn County 

council member, and an 

EMT. Kevin resides in Dillsboro 

with his wife Marissa 

and daughters Katelyn and 

Molly who, along with their 

dad, are very active in music. 

Another “New face” can be 

seen at the Dearborn County 

Prosecutor’s Office. Garrett 

Bascom, who graduated 

from South Dearborn High 

School in 2013, went to The 

to walk on a warm beach 

instead of along the Ohio 

River with wind chills being 

in the teens and lower. I have 

been blessed with good health 

and was able to complete 

4000 miles last year but will 

cut back to 3000 this year. 

That should be enough to 

keep me in shape. I do enjoy 

the fresh air and recommend 

it to you. Just get out, do what 

you can, and you don’t have 

to overdo it. You will notice a 

difference. 

I recently spoke to four 

classes at Lawrenceburg 

High School. Ethel Sandlin 

and Rita Kirchgassner do 

a tremendous job with the 

students. They have been 

reading the book The Things 

They Carried With Them 

about items we carried with us 

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the Fourth of July festivities. 

A special thank you and 

congratulations goes out 

to the City of Harrison 

Finance Department for their 

recognition for Excellence in 

Financial Reporting by the 

Government Finance Officers 

Association. The department 

consists of Finance Director 

and Tax Commissioner Cathy 

Stockhoff, who handles 

our $21,000,000 budget, 

the Accounts Receivable 

and Payable Clerk Karen 

Rackers, and Human 

Resources Generalist Bryan 

Kelly. The department 

processes our utility 

payments and works with 

RITA (Regional Income Tax 

Agency). They also handle 

the payroll for all employees 

and handles all the expenses 

for the city. It’s so nice to 

know that we have such 

professional people keeping 

our city running so efficiently. 

College Of Mount St. Joseph 

to study communications and 

leadership. While in college, 

he was on the Budget Committee 

and worked for the 

Cincinnati mayor’s office. 

Upon graduation in 2017, 

Garrett joined the office of 

the Indiana Attorney General 

as his Special Assistant. 

Garrett passed his bar exam 

in Sept. 2020 and was sworn 

in on Oct. 6, 2020. He is now 

Attorney for the Prosecutor 

of Dearborn County. Garrett 

lives in Dillsboro with his 

wife Haley and their eightmonth-old 

twins, Walker 

and Olivia. Those of us in 

Dillsboro who know both of 

these friends know that they 

will be successful in their 

“New places.” 

Willis “Baby Doll” Bentle, 

WW II veteran. 

in Vietnam. I had my rosary 

from St. Lawrence, along with 

my St. Christopher’s Medal 

that I carried. I also had a 

silver certificate dollar bill 

since we weren’t allowed to 

have United States currency. 

Having a piece of home with 

me was important. I also still 

have my military-issued dog 

tags and some of the letters 

many different people wrote 

to me. 

I never dreamed time would 

fly this fast. My World War 

II buddies are dwindling. 

Lawrence Lyttle is now in 

assisted living. 

Take a minute to send a 

100th birthday card to Willis 

“Baby Doll” Bentle who 

turns the century mark on 

March 21, which is also my 

wife’s birthday. Baby Doll 

went on my very first Honor 

Flight with me back in 2008. I 

worked with him at Seagrams 

right after I graduated in 

1965. Always, just a great 

guy. Mail cards to 21585 State 

Line Rd., Lawrenceburg, IN 

47025. 

Another great guy and 

WWII Veteran, Frank 

Savage, of Greendale will 

turn 100 on June 1. We 

have been blessed with the 

presence of these men. 

Please continue to take time 

to check on your neighbors. 

We have to take care of each 

other. Please consider taking 

the vaccine shot to help 

protect the ones you know 

and love. May God Bless. 



Paislee, age 1½. 

Kelli Campton’s buddy. 

Owen Witte, age 11. 

MOORES HILL 

By 

Barbara 

Wetzler 

Community 

Correspondent 

mooreshill@goBEACONnews.com 

Moores Hill is a town of 

neighbors helping neighbors. 

Thanks to all who shoveled 

snow for neighbors, shared 

food and firewood, looked 

O 

ur 

Braelyn Gabbard, age 9. 

Oliver Witte, age 3. 

Autumn Wolfe, age 10, 

sled from 1995. 

after lost pets. Thank you to 

Lanny Dell for keeping the 

roads plowed. Kudos to Flo 

James and Candy Miller and 

Post 209 for offering a warm 

gathering spot, take-out for 

anyone in town, and companionship 

for our veterans, 

especially during rough winter 

weather. Thank you Moores 

Hill for all the acts of kindness. 

Lynn Allen shared a recipe 

for snow cream: 4 cups fresh 

snow, 1 cup milk, ¼ cup sugar, 

and 1 tsp vanilla, mix and enjoy! 

Communities 

MILAN 

By 

Susan 

Cottingham 

Community 

Correspondent 

milan@goBEACONnews.com 

March... In like a lion, out 

like a lamb! This saying is 

especially appropriate this 

year. The month certainly 

came roaring in like a lion, 

starting in February. While the 

snow was beautiful, the cold 

weather slowed things down 

a bit, and most of us did not 

get out to experience the many 

inches of snow we had. I know 

I preferred to enjoy the view 

through my window. I did see 

a few snowmen on my brief 

trips out, but families out sled 

riding were scarce. Thank 

you to those who posted their 

winter fun photos on social 

media. They brought a smile to 

my face. I do think, however, 

that we are all ready for the 

milder weather that should be 

arriving any day now. 

The seed catalogs appeared 

in my mailbox right on time, 

and I spent hours leafing 

Linda Schwartz and Brenda 

Ochs announce, “Moores 

Hill Alumni: The MHS Alumni 

Committee feels it is best 

to cancel the Annual Alumni 

Dinner for 2021. It is a difficult 

decision, but many of 

our alumni are in higher-risk 

age groups, and we just want 

everyone to be healthy and 

safe. See you in 2022!” 

Happy April Birthday to 

Dorothy White, Brenda 

Ochs, Penny Wagner, Linda 

Schmidt, Kathy Enzweiler. 

through them while the snow 

was flying. I got my garden 

seeds started indoors while the 

snow was still on the ground, 

and now I am looking forward 

to the tomatoes, peppers, and 

cucumbers that I have been 

planning for in my garden. 

Of course, since it is 

March, I must mention 

March Madness! We expect 

our state to be the center of 

attention with the NCAA 

Basketball Tournament being 

held exclusively in Indiana 

this year. Selection Sunday is 

March 14, and the final game 

is scheduled for Monday, 

April 5. Welcoming a few 

extra visitors to Milan would 

be nice as people travel to and 

from Indianapolis. This is an 

exciting time in Indiana and 

it always seems to coincide 

with spring break. When our 

kids were at home, we often 

traveled during spring break. 

Many times we were on the 

road when an important game 

was being played, so we had 

to catch snippets of the game 

whenever we could... no cell 

phones or internet to keep us 

informed. My son tried some 

innovative ways to keep track 

of his favorite teams while 

we were traveling. Good 

memories. 

Many of you may also 

have plans for spring break, 

so I hope you have a safe, 

enjoyable, and memorable 

week for all the right reasons. 

We all hope to enjoy a gentler, 

warmer, kinder world as the 

month comes to a close and 

hopefully goes out like a 

lamb. 

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M 

DEAR 

ARIE 

By 

Marie 

Segale 

marie@goBEACONnews.com 

Dear Marie, 

I have a daughter who has 

been going through a rough 

few years of becoming an 

adult. She has had some 

challenges physically, spiritually, 

and emotionally. What 

concerns me is that she is 

not speaking to me. She does 

not answer my phone calls, 

texts, or emails. I did not see 

her this past Thanksgiving or 

Christmas. 

I am being totally ignored! 

I believe I raised her to be 

better than this. Marie, what 

can I do? 

Karen in Bright 

difficult. This young person 

is struggling to grow up; 

we must be patient and let 

her realize the effect of her 

behavior. 

Someday you may have an 

opportunity to discuss what 

happened between the two 

of you. If not, you can rest 

assured that this is not your 

problem. The problem lies 

with the one doing the ghosting. 

Have a pressing issue? Contact 

Marie at marie@goBEA- 

CONnews.com. 

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Dear Karen, 

Being ignored is so frustrating! 

When I hear about 

this from parents, I always 

wonder, does this child realize 

how much this behavior hurts 

the parent? 

To start, remember that being 

“ghosted” as they call it, 

says more about the other person 

than it says about you. It 

tells us the other person is not 

able to or refuses to accept the 

responsibility of communicating 

what is going on concerning 

their thoughts or feelings. 

Emotions and fear can be very 

scary; some people choose to 

ignore them instead of bringing 

them out and dealing with 

them. 

Being ghosted and ignored 

feels insulting. Realizing 

that someone we thought we 

were close to is behaving in 

a selfish or cowardly way is 



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Beacon April 2021

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