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Beacon Feb 2025

Southeast Indiana's most beloved periodical. Positive news, Regional coverage, Community Committment.

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INSIDE

The BEACON

What an Honor!

Local teacher surprised with top

educators award. Page 6A

A Christmas Gift

Greendale resident Ariya Dawn

Holley brought a smile to Santa’s

face.

Page 5B

Community Cheer

Versailles was alight with joy during

the holiday season. Page 8B

The Beacon

(USPS #25510)

ISSN 2835-5067

Volume 31. Issue 2

is published monthly by Beacon News Inc

8018 State Road 48, Aurora IN 47001

Periodicals postage at

Lawrenceburg, IN and at

additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER:

Send address changes to The Beacon,

PO Box 4022, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

3

THE

BEACON

www.goBEACONnews.com | PUBLISHED MONTHLY SINCE 1994 | February 2025

MS4 – A Program to Protect Our Waterways

By Cheryl Damon-Greiner

Imagine pristine rivers and streams

winding through our towns, home

to thriving wildlife, and a cherished

destination for families who rely on

them for healthy outdoor activities

and clean drinking water. Now, picture

those same waterways threatened

by the pollutants that flow from our

streets, driveways, parking lots, fields,

and yards every time it rains. Most

stormwater- the water from rain and

melted snow- runs over the ground

and down storm drains or drainage

ditches. The water flows through

a network of underground pipes

Adaline and Harper Cox at the Aurora Lions

Club pet parade with Elf Chad Tyler.

Elle Pennington, Lawrenceburg,

at the Greendale

homes tour.

Aurora Public Library- More Than Just a Few Books

By Maureen Stenger

Any time I get to do a story in Aurora,

I enjoy it because I really like the

charm of the quaint river town. Walking

down the streets of the historic district

makes me feel like I have stepped

back in time with the mom-and-pop

shops and inviting restaurants. A

staple of the town is the Aurora Public

Library on Second Street. The current

library was built in 1913-1914 by an

architectural firm in Cincinnati. The

Renaissance revival style brick building

is located in the heart of the downtown

Aurora Historic District and was

accepted into the National Register of

Historic Places in 1993.

Aurora was founded in 1819, at

which time land was set aside for a future

library. In these early days when a

library building was not available, organizing

a subscription library was not

unusual. Typically, someone from the

community would volunteer to keep

and open channels directly into our

streams, rivers, and lakes. A reliable

adage says, “If it’s on the ground, it’s

in our water.” To combat this, our

community is taking a significant step

forward with the implementation of

the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer

System (MS4) programs in Greendale,

Lawrenceburg, Aurora, and Dearborn

County including Hidden Valley.

These programs are designed to

reduce pollution and protect our local

waterways. With these programs, we

are not just addressing an environmental

issue, but investing in the health

and well-being of our community.

Santa arrived in Batesville in a helicopter in 1958. Visiting him in

this photo are Debbie Acasio and her aunt Jenny Awad.

Winter Fun!

Residents throught the

community were caught

enjoying all the holidays

and winter have to offer.

More to come...

(Photos by

Debbie Acasio)

Officer Pam Taylor with daughter Trinity

at Cops and Kids shopping program.

the books and materials

in his or her home. In

1901, the first meeting

of the board of directors

of the Aurora Public

Library took place, and

the public library was

officially established.

Library materials were

kept in the city building.

Abby Sutton researches

the history of the Aurora

Public Library. She

writes, “The library building itself was

a gift donated to the community of

Aurora by Miss Georgiana E. Sutton.

Georgiana Sutton was a well-known

and respected woman of Aurora. She

was very intelligent and loved to travel

all around the world. She was a great

lover of books and reading. When she

passed away in 1910, she left $10,000

specifically for the construction of a

building for the Aurora Public Library.

The MS4 program is an unfunded

federal mandate. Communities must

implement the program with local

resources and funding strategies. MS4

programs are part of a nationwide effort

to manage stormwater runoff and

reduce pollution. They are required by

the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) and involve a comprehensive

approach to controlling pollutants at

their source. First required in 1987

through amendments to the Clean

Water Act (CWA), during Phase I

communities greater than 100,000 in

population were regulated. In 1999, the

Continued on Page 3A

By Cheryl Damon-Greiner

Did you have that special teacher

who really connected with you, and

who you remember to this day?

Research shows that the single most

important in-school factor affecting

student achievement is the quality

of the educator in the classroom.

And a very special seventh-grade

English/Language Arts teacher at

South Ripley Junior High School is

one of those quality educators. Mrs.

Katie Lanter was recently awarded

the national 2024 Milken Educator

Award for her innovative instruction

and results in the classroom

and in school, and her exemplary

educational accomplishments and

leadership beyond the classroom.

The Milken Educator Award, created

by philanthropist Lowell Milken, is

the teacher’s equivalent of an Oscar

or Grammy, providing public

acknowledgment of the educator’s

performance followed by an award

of $25,000.

In today’s society, more teachers

are leaving the profession, and fewer

young people are pursuing careers

in education. The Milken Educator

Award aims to reverse this trend by

focusing public attention on the need

for able, caring, and creative people

to join the teaching profession in

order to make learning achievable

for all students. The honor rewards

outstanding educators who represent

the top 1% of the teaching profession

for the quality of their teaching, their

professional leadership, their

Continued on Page 6A

The historic Aurora Public Library

0years

Ripley County

Teacher Receives

National Award

Her wish was that the building would

be erected under the supervision of her

brother, Dr. H. H. Sutton. The building

was to be dedicated to her mother and

father, Dr. and Mrs. George Sutton.”

On October 15, 1914, the Aurora

Public Library dedication was held. At

that time, the library board members

were all gentlemen. The library book

selection committee consisted

Continued on Page 4A

THE BEACON

PO Box 4022

Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025

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Page 2A THE BEACON February 2025

By

Tamara

Taylor

People let me tell you ‘bout

my best friend...

I recently had a scare concerning

my eyesight. What

looked like a huge geranium

flower passed across my

vision and decided the view

was so great that it took up

residence. Not something to

mess around with. I found

myself sitting in front of Dr.

Kim Covington Hudson, a

native of Bear Branch. Am I

ever grateful that she chose

come “home” to serve her

community!

Dr. Hudson, owner of

Lawrenceburg Eye Center,

graciously rearranged her

schedule and saw me almost

immediately, something that

is almost unheard of these

days. She quickly diagnosed

my concern and set me up for

a follow-up appointment.

In the meantime, I made

an appointment at an eye

institute, just in case I had

been unable to see Dr. Hudson

quickly. Quite honestly, I

forgot to cancel that appointment,

so when the time came,

I thought, well, what could

another opinion hurt? The

diagnosis- exactly the same.

Three months later, I went

back to Dr. Hudson for my

follow-up appointment. She

examined my eye for quite

a long time, going back and

forth with that irritating little

green light... and then I knew

why. She had found a hole.

Something not even the big

boys with all of their fancy

gadgets had found.

Dr. Hudson sent me to see

a specialist quickly, so off

I went. At the appointment

with the specialist, I received

detailed instructions about

surgery. I asked the specialist

about when we should schedule

the surgery. His response

was, “Now.”

Okay...

A few weeks after the

surgery, I scheduled a postoperative

appointment with

a specialist who gave me the

green light to go on an international

flight the next day.

Talk about cutting it close...

The specialist had known

Dr. Kim Hudson for a long

time, just like the friend who

calls Kim his best friend. Both

used the same adjective when

We are here for all

of your Industrial needs.

Asphalt & Concrete repairs. Footers, foundations,

formed walls and machine foundations.

110 Forest Ave, Aurora, IN 47001 812-926-1471

describing Kim- ENTHUSI-

ASTIC! But then I think everyone

who was a cheerleader

in Bear Branch is...

As most of you know, a

zoning change was recently

requested for agricultural land

in Manchester to be changed to

a commercial site. As I sat in a

county planning meeting, I listened

to Manchester residents

voice their concerns calmly

and professionally, yet still

getting their point across. An

acquaintance, Ed Yelton, stood

up. (Who doesn’t know Ed, the

“Mayor of Manchester!”)

“You know the two types of

cuttin’ edges?” he asked.

Silence from the Planning

board members. I was

intrigued by where this was

going...

“There’s a cuttin’ edge on

a tractor blade, and a cuttin’

edge on a bulldozer. The

difference is, one leads to

growth and crops. The other

cases damage that can’t be

reversed.”

Impressive.

Mr. Yelton’s point was that

we have to be careful about

the changes we make. While

spot zoning may look pretty

and shiny on the surface, the

long-term effects have to be

considered.

Afterward, I chatted with Ed

and said that his analogy was

thought-provoking. He shared,

“It came to me when I was

working in the field on my

bobcat. Divine intervention.”

I believe I now have a best

friend in Manchester too.

Earlier I mentioned an international

flight. I had the honor

of traveling with the most

incredible people. One was a

veterinary ophthalmologist. I

felt much more comfortable

about my own eye concerns

since many human treatments

have spun off from the veterinary

world. And this woman

Kim Covington Hudson

even worked on the federal

canines that keep the White

House and Pentagon safe. I

can’t make this stuff up...

I also traveled with a judge,

a baker, a candlestick maker,

and a sound engineer who

worked with both Dolby and

Bose. Heck, I didn’t even

realize those were real people!

Boy, could this guy hear

everything. No whispering

secrets around him...

And then there were Nikki

and Denny from Montana, a

couple who had been married

for over sixty years. They

ran circles around me for two

weeks. Very impressive.

This couple had the gift of

Ed Yelton

banter mixed with humor and

respect down to a science.

Both are highly intelligent and

have intriguing stories.

This wasn’t their first rodeo

by any means. Nikki and Denny

have traveled the world

from Pikes Peak to Paris and

all places in between. (Think

about it- it’s a lot of places

depending on if you travel

east or west.) They made the

trip so memorable for me.

The next time you’re sitting

on the couch thinking about

how old you are, remember

Nikki and Denny. You are

never too old...

Yeah, they’re my best

friends, La. Pa-da-da-da-yah...

Dearborn County Designated

Stellar Pathways Community

Dearborn County recently

received the honor of becoming

a designated Stellar

Pathways community. The

Stellar Pathways program

provides funding for community

improvements that

impact the quality of place.

Each project was judged on

four components- planning,

leveraging existing assets,

growing regional investments,

and stimulating future growth.

One Dearborn led the

coordination of the plan for

Dearborn County. Projects

include areas from the City

of Greendale to the town of

Dillsboro, the community of

Bright, and Dearborn County

overall.

The county-wide portion

of the plan focuses on a

renter-occupied infill housing

program. Fifteen senior rental

units are included. The project

also addresses blight, increasing

property values, housing

shortages, reinvestment in

county parks, and enhancing

senior residents’ quality of life.

Additional information

about each of these projects

is available in the community

columns in section B of this

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CLIFTON CAMPUS: 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

The BEACON - Great News for Great People.


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 3A

MS4 Planning and Implementation Moves Forward in Southeast Indiana

Austin Woods and Mayor Patrick Schwing, Aurora MS4

Dennis Kraus, Jr. and Sandy Whitehead, Dearborn

county MS4

Continued from Page 1A

Phase II MS4 program was

initiated, affecting communities

larger than 10,000, or

with significant potential

for growth. Indiana began

implementation of the MS4

program in 2003. In 2024,

Dearborn County cities and

towns addressed MS4 with

the collaboration GLAD

(Greendale, Lawrenceburg,

Aurora, Dearborn County) so

that member communities can

work together toward regional

stormwater goals.

In Indiana, the MS4 program

is regulated by the

Indiana Department of

Environmental Management

(IDEM). The goal is to

prevent harmful substances

from entering our storm drains

and, ultimately, our rivers,

streams, and drinking water.

Some steps to safeguard our

stormwater and water sheds

were already being enforced,

but the MS4 components take

procedures to a new level of

detail. Requirements are the

same for every location and

are monitored closely. Key

components of these MS4

programs will work to have a

positive impact on our towns.

Some of the key components

of the MS4 Program are:

Public Education and Outreach:

Educating residents

about the impact of stormwater

pollution and how they can

help reduce it. Simple actions

like proper disposal of waste

and reducing the use of chemicals

on lawns can make a big

difference. Preventing pollutants

from seeping into the

watershed under your land can

be accomplished by cleaning

up pet waste. Clean vehicles

and outdoor furniture with environmentally

safe products,

preferably over gravel or grass

rather than concrete to allow

the soil time to absorb some

pollutants. Flourishing parts of

your landscape act as a filter

for water runoff. Also, never

put oil, paint, soap, litter, yard

waste, or other pollutants into

storm drains.

Public Participation and

Involvement: Community

involvement in stormwater

management activities is vital.

Volunteers can help with

clean-up events, tree planting,

and other initiatives offered

by businesses and schools

to improve water quality.

Several public departments

tasked with overseeing the

implementation of MS4 have

hired additional staff to follow

through on the daily, monthly,

and annual reports required

Publisher/Editor

Tamara M. Taylor

Founding Publisher

Elizabeth Morris

Editorial Assistants

Connie Webb, Cherie Maddin

Columnists & Contributors

Debbie Acasio, Susan Carson,

Linda Cromer, Carolyn Egbert,

PG Gentrup,

Cheryl Damon-Greiner,

Kami Hamilton, Jeff Hermesch,

Laura Keller, Amanda Kirchner,

Merrill and Linda Hutchinson,

Chris Nobbe, Marcia Parcell

Crystal Richardson, Sue Siefert,

Bonnie Starks, Maureen Stenger,

Richard Stoll, Alan Thorup,

Rhonda Trabel, Randy Turner,

Bob Waples, Lisa West,

Debbie Zimmer

concerning stormwater safety.

Dearborn County established

a social media page, Dearborn

County MS4, to provide

information and updates while

striving to inspire residents to

do their part in the protection

of stormwater.

Illicit Discharge Detection

and Elimination: Identifying

and eliminating illegal discharges

into the storm sewer

system. Identification includes

finding and fixing leaks from

septic tanks. The sources of

spills and the dumping of

household or business waste

can become a significant

source of pollution. Cleaning

polluted stormwater can cost

millions of dollars every year.

Prevention with detection and

enforcement of the guidelines

is both fiscally and environmentally

sound. This step also

requires ongoing training of

county employees tasked with

enforcing MS4 guidelines.

Construction Site Runoff

Control: Implementing measures

to control runoff from

construction sites. The installation

of silt fences, sediment

traps, and other best management

practices will prevent soil

erosion and sediment from entering

waterways. These sites

are visited regularly by trained

inspectors. Infractions must be

remedied immediately.

Post-Construction Stormwater

Management: Ensuring

that new development

includes managing stormwater

effectively. Solutions may require

the creation of retention

ponds, green roofs, or permeable

pavements that allow

water to soak into the ground.

When you think of how much

water runs off old roofs and

across blacktop parking lots

and driveways, and how much

litter is washed into sewers

with every rainfall, you can

understand why MS4 incorporates

new design features into

its guidelines.

Pollution Prevention and

Good Housekeeping: Reduce

Over 22,000 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

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, IN 47025.

Production

FX-Design, Inc.

© 2025 Beacon News, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

pollution from municipal

operations and maintenance

activities. Regular street

sweeping, proper disposal of

hazardous waste, and maintaining

stormwater infrastructure

will have an impact on

cleaner stormwater.

Each community in Dearborn

County will need to

follow the MS4 guidelines,

but each will have different

focuses based on their

infrastructure, land use, and

growth. One may have new

businesses being built, while

others are dealing with issues

occurring in residential or

rural zones. All are concerned

with stretching resources and

staff hours to ensure compliance

with MS4. And they are

all committed to being good

stewards of the environment

and to providing the most

effective protection of our

water. Local MS4 project officials

include Alan Duncan in

Greendale; Linda Hartman in

Hidden Valley; Austin Woods

and Mayor Patrick Schwing

in Aurora; Sandy Whitehead

in Lawrenceburg/Dearborn

County; Nicole Daily, Director

of Dearborn County Planning

and Zoning; Kyla Dick Potter,

Stormwater Coordinator with

Dearborn County Soil and

Water; and Dennis Kraus, Jr.,

Dearborn County Surveyor.

The implementation of

these MS4 programs will have

a profound positive impact on

our local environment. Cleaner

waterways mean healthier

ecosystems, safer recreational

areas, higher property values,

and better quality drinking

water for everyone. The collective

effort requires the participation

of all citizens. By

embracing the MS4 programs,

we can ensure that our area

remains a healthy, beautiful,

thriving place to live for

generations.

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


Page 4A THE BEACON February 2025

Local Library District Poised for Growth to Serve the Community

Continued from Page 1A

of all ladies.

On a crisp November afternoon

before Thanksgiving, I

had the pleasure of meeting

with Aurora Public Library

Director Leslie Sutherlin,

whose cheerful disposition

put me right at ease. Mrs.

Sutherlin has been the director

since 2022 and is a former

public educator of thirty

years. She started her career

in Greenfield near Indianapolis,

then taught at the South

Dearborn School District

where she was an English

teacher. Mrs. Sutherlin then

became a library staff member

at the high school and then

progressed to all of the district

libraries and enjoyed working

with all of the kids. She says,

“I was really the only staff

member at South Dearborn

that saw kids in the classroom

from kindergarten until senior

year. I would watch them go

all the way up, and it was really

fun to see them grow, and

it was just a unique perspective

and I loved that element.”

Mrs. Sutherlin did not plan for

her current career change, but

the director position provided

her with the flexibility needed

to care for her disabled son.

As you walk up the steps to

the library, beautiful bronze

sculptures greet you. Mrs.

Sutherlin shares that it came

from a company called Randolph

Rose. One of the statues

was purchased in commemoration

of Mary Alice Horton,

who was a long-time former

library director. Inside the

library is beautiful and historical

with its arched windows

and ornate woodwork.

The Aurora Public Library

was renovated in 1997. The

renovations included two

wings and an elevator being

added to the building. Prior

to the renovation, only the

top floor of the library was

used, and the basement was

not utilized. But that has

all changed. To tie into the

original structure, openings

made throughout the building

An Aurora brick marks a

nod to Georgiana Sutton

whose foresight and

bequest made the library

possible.

NEW YEAR.

The bronze statue spurs thoughts of childsplay and imagination

with a reference to Fido Dido.

The Aurora Public Library exudes charm and knowledge in every corner.

that exposed the stone were

thoughtfully preserved under

acrylic glass and framed as

architectural elements.

The Aurora Library purchased

the old train depot

up the street some years ago

which, at the time, had a roof

that was in severe disrepair.

The original train depot that

stood on this spot had burned

down, after which the town

raised the funds to rebuild

it as a brick depot. In those

days, most of the Baltimore

Ohio depots were made of

clapboard, brick being the

more costly choice. The train

at the Aurora depot ran from

Cincinnati to St. Louis. Passenger

rail at those depots

ended in the 1970s. Thus,

many of these depots are no

longer around. Fortunately,

the library had the funds

available to purchase the brick

depot in Aurora and fix it up.

The library was lacking sufficient

meeting space and a

kitchen that could be utilized

for larger events. Purchasing

the depot was beneficial for

the library which now serves

as a library of local history.

When Mrs. Sutherlin took

over, the plan for the depot

included interior painting and

reorganization. The depot had

always been a place for the

library staff historians to be

able to find things, but now

the space is reorganized so

that patrons can find what

they are looking for. Custom

furniture was built to accommodate

different table

configurations and expand potential

usage. Mrs. Sutherlin

elaborates, “That was another

challenge they had. They had

purchased some tables previously,

but it’s such a small

space that that’s all you could

do. We had mobile furniture

so you could have classrooms,

we can have lectures, we can

have large meetings with

groups so it is multi-purpose

at this point.”

Mrs. Sutherlin continues,

“One problem with the Depot

was there was rotting wood

in the eaves. So, they are on a

project right now where they

are repairing the eaves and

they have the tiles removed

The room previously dedicated to all things concerning

the community’s rich history, was furnished by the Aurora

Lions Club. Its contents will find a new home in the Aurora

Depot.

Library ladies Irma Conaway and Jess Hoppmire.

right now to replace all of the

wood. Part of the problem

is too they did try repairing

some of it in the past but they

would put steel plates up

where the wood was rotting to

block insects, birds, and critters.

It is in the historic district

so it is really important to me

that we could get it repaired

so that it has some historical

significance. We have a

contractor down there working

on getting all the wood

replaced, putting new flashing

on, and putting all of the tiles

back on.” Fortunately, the

leaking issues never damaged

the interior of the space as

the Depot has the original tile

floor from the time period.

Mrs. Sutherlin says, “It has

beautiful acoustics in that

room and so we re-painted

the interior to go along with

the Baltimore and Ohio brand

which was orange and brown

at the time. The exterior is going

to complement that. All of

the exterior windows and the

exposed wood will be painted.

That is part of this process.

They are also asphalting the

entire space and defining the

handicapped space. We put in

a handicap-accessible ramp

and an automatic door.”

The next phase of the

renovation will be to move a

caboose that was purchased

from Pat Meyer. It has been

an icon in Aurora for many,

many years, being used as

Continued on Page 5A

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The BEACON - Great News for Great People.


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 5A

Continued from Page 4A

an office by Pat’s father. The

caboose will require some

modifications to make it more

accessible for all. An engineer

is currently looking into how

to make the space more accommodating,

including the

possibility of making it handicap

accessible. Mrs. Sutherlin

shares on the project, “The

interior will be reworked to

have bench seating for a small

group, for school kids like

for story time or we could

have someone in costume,

Books, Trains, So Much More

The arch over the entryway features a plaque noting Georgiana Sutton’s gift to Aurora.

The Aurora Depot that is currently being renovated is a

short walk from the library.

The card catalog that has

been replaced by digital

records as technology

progressed.

The Library was listed on

the National Register of

Historic Places in 1982.

for instance, an Abe Lincoln

impersonator. The caboose is

from the 1960s, so it’s not of

the period of the building. So,

we are not going to be trying

to restore it. Our vision is to

be able to use it as a display

space, for example, we have

frequent requests to display

items at the Depot or here. I

envision that space being a

small presentation space or

a school story time space as

well. We can use it with our

field trips that we have for the

school kids and other programs

that we want to have. It

is just a really fun addition to

our Depot!” Plans are being

made to possibly get another

Randolph Rose sculpture of a

conductor to put at the Depot.

This project is slated to be

completed in 2025.

The library hopes to purchase

a bookmobile to expand

outreach to local communities

in the very near future. Mrs.

Sutherlin is very grateful that

funding is available so that

she can make her vision for

the Aurora Library and its

programs a reality. She shares,

“I can do it, I can plan those

fun events. The opportunities

that make learning so much

fun is hard to do in education

these days. It is hard for

teachers to do these days as

there are so many stringent

standards and so many things

that they have to get covered.

These are things that I am

hoping that I can supplement

for the school and still work

with the school. It is important

to me to provide those

opportunities not just for one

school but for many. Those

kinds of partnerships have

been great with this job. We

have started to do more outreach

with our middle school

and high school to bring an

after-school library club for

kids. We also are trying to

visit and do a little activity at

South Dearborn High School

during lunch once a quarter.

We have a long-term plan

on getting outreach into our

school systems.”

Mrs. Sutherlin continues,

“Part of our building project

at the Dillsboro library is

buying a bookmobile. Moores

Hill and Manchester are two

fairly populous communities,

and we don’t have a branch

there. So, expanding and

reaching all of our services is

very important. So, parking a

bookmobile over there is very

important. There are different

things that we would like to

do to reduce barriers to access

for all of our townships that is

really what our focus is.”

Historic preservation is a

significant part of the library’s

future plans. Mrs. Sutherlin

received a grant from the

Cornelius O’Brien Foundation

to bring in Joe Himali from

bestaddress on Instagram.

His specialty is short videos

on historic preservation.

The O’Brien family bought

Veraestau in 1933, another

historic site located in Aurora.

Mr. Himali is from the Washington

D.C. area and will give

a presentation at Veraestau

in the near future. While in

Aurora, Mr. Himali will be

making some videos of Veraestau

and Hillforest to post

on social media. Mrs. Sutherlin

says, “This is another

important part this community

specifically emphasizes is historic

preservation and it has

become a priority for me to

learn more about this. I have

two buildings I have to take

care of that are in the historic

district.”

In our fast-paced, instant

This month’s items

gratification, whatever-information-you-want-at-your-disposal

world in which we live,

libraries are still relevant. As

Mrs. Sutherlin reminds us, “I

would equate it to an iceberg.

The stuff on Google that you

can find is what you can see

above the water, but once you

go to databases and you go to

things that are behind paywalls,

oh wait a minute, there

is a bunch more below the

surface.” If you are in Aurora,

stop by the beautiful historic

library to open your mind to

a wealth of knowledge and

resources on all things local

and beyond. Great changes

and new experiences are in

the works for all to enjoy!

A huge thank you to Mrs.

Sutherlin for her time and to

Abby Sutton for her diligent

research.

What Is It?

“Last month’s item is an eraser used

for erasing typing mistakes. It was slim

so you could easily erase one letter and

rotated so it would last longer. The brush

was used to sweep away the eraser debris

so it wouldn’t fall into the typewriter

mechanism, “ explained Beverly Hahn,

Lawrenceburg. Larry Eaton, Versailles,

submitted the same description.

“Press too hard and rub a hole in

the paper, predecessor to whiteout and

correction ribbons,” added Jack Badders,

Lawrenceburg.

Answers were received by Nancy

J. Plotner, Milan; Sandy Eppert, New

Alsace; John Kruse, Sunman; Rick

Nobbe, Greensburg; Marilynn Hornsby,

Bright; Jessica Kennedy, Aurora; Carol

Morton in Brookville; Cindy Foote, Sunman; Doris

Last month’s

item: an

eraser for a

typewriter.

Stouder, Dillsboro; Julie Wanamaker , Guilford; Barbara

Salzman, Guilford; Mark Lunsford, Osgood; Debbie

Griffin, Lawrenceburg ;Barry Hansel, Hidden Valley Lake;

Veronica Jaeger, Greendale; Alice Riehle, Harrison, OH;

Gayle Rolfes, Harrison, OH; Lisa Leap, Sunman; Barb

Ward, Dillsboro; Jerry Cleeter, Aurora; Bill Gabbard,

Sunman; Beth Williams, Batesville; Robert Hill, Dillsboro;

Doug Smith, Batesville; Trish Rothgeb, Sunman.

“It was part of the school supplies we always bought

each year. The brush was to brush away the results of

erasing. I personally wasn’t as fond of this eraser as the

white rectangular one; it was my favorite,” said Karen

Meister, Aurora.

Lisa Leap, Sunman, wrote in, “My mom used one when

she was in high school in the 1950s.”

This month’s items was submitted by Marilyn Wendel,

Cedar Grove. Share your guess and any stories about it

with us by emailing your answer and where you live to

editor@goBEACONnews.com by Wednesday, Jan. 22,

2024.

sponsored by Cornerstone Realty and Lutz Auctions

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


Page 6A THE BEACON February 2025

By Mary Alice Helms

“Mother”, I screeched in my

four-year-old voice as I raced

back into the house from my

perch on the front porch “ Mr.

Tinker is here!”

I knew that the man driving

the battered old truck really

wasn’t named “Mr. Tinker”.

Mother had explained that his

trade was as

a tinker, but

it was not

his name.

No matter.

To me, he

was Mr.

Tinker.

“Can I

Mary Alice watch him,

Helms Mother?” I

begged.

“It’s ‘may I’, not ‘can I’”

she sighed. “Yes, you may,

if you promise to stay put on

the back porch and not move

while he is working.”

Delighted, I ran off to my

spot on the back porch. Mr.

Tinker nodded to me as he

set up his workspace in the

yard. Mother brought out the

huge copper boiler which was

placed on the woodburning

stove in the basement and

was used to heat water for

doing the laundry. The boiler

had developed a leak, as had

the copper teakettle, which

she placed beside the tub on

Mr. Tinker’s work spot. I was

going to get to watch them

WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?

being repaired.

I was too young to remember

the exact procedure, but I

do remember the flash of blue

flame that emerged with a

“whoosh” from the small gunlike

instrument Mr. Tinker

held in his hand. I don’t know

what was used for fuel, but it

produced a very bright flame,

concentrated into a single

narrow shaft when lit with a

kitchen match. I was fascinated

by the way Mr. Tinker

melted a thin strip of material

over the flame, and deftly

directed the resulting liquid

over the hole he was repairing.

He carefully smoothed

the patch while it was still

hot, using some kind of metal

tool that I remember looking

like a thick, heavy scraper.

When it cooled the finished

patch was smooth and shiny,

revealing only that it wasn’t

a part of the original finish by

the blue color which sometimes

remained.

Several of the ladies in

the neighborhood came over

to our yard that morning,

bringing leaking pots, pans,

and teakettles for Mr. Tinker

to repair. The ladies chatted

with each other, and I enjoyed

watching the talented

craftsman work. Are there

still tinkers in business? I

don’t remember them in later

years.

Recently I started thinking

about other businesses and

repair people that no longer

thrive in our community.

Just down the street from our

house was a busy dry cleaning

business, Hanna’s Cleaners.

It seemed that customers

were coming and going

pretty steadily for several

years, but then Mr. Hanna

suffered a terrible accident

and passed away. The business

changed hands several

times before finally closing

down. I remember other dry

cleaning establishments in

town but they also closed

down over the years. I always

thought that must be a hot,

difficult occupation. I remember

one such business that

operated in the basement of

the old Farmers Bank building

on Main Street. When

one walked by and looked

down into a large basement

window it wasn’t unusual to

see one of the workers using

a huge ironing machine, or

sweating away in a cloud of

steam from the cleaning machines.

Being a born penny

pincher, our mother didn’t

send much to the cleaners.

She cleaned non-washables

herself. Wrapping a silk scarf

over her mouth and nose to

avoid breathing toxic fumes,

she would kneel just inside

the garage door over a pan of

cleaning fluid. I believe she

said that the stuff was naphtha,

although I might be mistaken.

We were warned not

to come near as she worked a

garment gently in the foulsmelling

liquid. Occasionally

she was less than enthusiastic

about the results of her

“dry cleaning”, but it usually

turned out very well. Now it

is sometimes difficult to find

a dry cleaning establishment

in a small town.

Have we become such a

throwaway society that no

one gets small electronics

fixed anymore? I remember

a number of little shops and

work areas in hardware stores

where repairing radios, electric

mixers, vacuum cleaners,

and other small appliances

was a job for skilled workers.

Did your best reading

lamp quit working or Mom’s

kitchen radio no longer play

the soap operas? Not to worry.

Dad would just drop off the

broken appliance at Stegner’s

Electric or one of the other

shops and get it repaired.

Among the other such

businesses that have disappeared

from Main Street

were the cream stations,

where farmers could take

or send the milk and cream

from their dairies to be

trucked into large businesses

such as French Bauer or

Wayne Dairy to be bottled

or processed into other dairy

products.

Where are the lawn mower

and bicycle repair shops?

Obviously no longer needed.

There were used furniture and

instrument repair shops as

well as tire shops which are

no longer in existence.

And what about the disappearance

of full-service

gas stations? Does anyone

remember driving across the

hose and hearing the “ding”

of the bell which alerted the

attendant to a customer’s

presence? Said attendant

would greet the driver cheerfully,

fill the car’s gas tank,

check the oil, and clean the

windshield. Now, that was

service! I guess all good

things have their drawbacks,

though. If I remember the

“restrooms” provided by

those full-service stations,

they usually did not live up to

their name. Rarely were they

more than telephone-boothsized

rooms on the outside of

the building, accessed only

by a key provided by the attendant.

While the innovations and

inventions of today’s society

have made life easier,

they have erased some of the

most interesting and creative

areas of our existence. In our

nostalgic moments, we would

like to hear the ringing of the

service station bell or feel the

excitement of waiting for the

arrival of the tinker.

South Ripley Junior High Teacher

Receives National Honor

Continued from Page 1A

engagement with families

and the community, and their

potential for even greater

contributions to the healthy

development of children.

Thus, the Milken Educator

Award provides a lifetime

incentive for recipients to

stay in the profession.

Educators cannot apply

for the award and are unaware

of their candidacy.

Candidates for the Milken

Educator Award are selected

through a confidential process

held across the country.

The teachers’ career paths

are reviewed by blue ribbon

panels appointed by state

Departments of Education.

The Milken Educator Award

is not a retirement or lifetime

achievement award.

Recipients such as Mrs.

Lanter, are selected early

to midway in their careers

because of what they have

achieved and for the promise

of what they will accomplish

to strengthen the K-12 profession

long-term. Besides

the award and prize money,

they are also introduced to

opportunities for professional

development and career

enhancement.

The Milken Educator

Award is always presented in

a surprise school assembly

setting, such as the one held

in the gym at South Ripley

Junior High School. With the

band playing and a bevy of

photographers snapping pictures,

the students, staff, and

Milken Educator Award

recipient Katie Lanter

faculty shared the excitement

and felt the motivation

inspired by their teacher and

colleague. Judging from the

look on her face as she sat

with her class in the bleachers

and heard her name announced

by Dr. Jane Foley,

VP of the Milken Foundation

and former Educator

Award recipient, and Katie

Jenner, Indiana Secretary of

Education, I think that being

surrounded by her cheering

students was the most meaningful

part of the ceremony

for this exceptional teacher.

Congratulations to Mrs.

Lanter on receiving this

well-deserved award.

Credibility • Advocacy • Education • Visibility

What Can The Chamber

Do For You? Just Ask!

812-537-0814

www.dearborncountychamber.org

403 Walnut St • Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

(812) 537-2020 • lawrenceburgeyecenter.com

The BEACON - Great News for Great People.


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 7A

Finding Peace in a Crazy World

By Merrill Hutchinson

• Poor sleep quality: Difficulty

falling asleep or staying

The holidays were here and

the craziness is Our in full People swing. asleep can disrupt our rest and

MParties, end-of-the-year in deadlines,

kids are home for break, • Irritability and anger: A

recovery.

shopping, oh yeah,

ILITARY

and all the lack of peace can lead to short

other regular responsibilities tempers and strained relationships.

and Wcommitments of life.

hat's

One thing that we are • Decreased productivity:

reminded of

Happening

is the importance

In

When our minds are cluttered,

of maintaining ST. peace LEON in our it becomes challenging to

lives. We don’t realize its focus and be productive.

importance until we By don’t To cultivate a peaceful and

Donna

have it. I thought it would Davidson be content life, consider these

helpful to be reminded of the practical tips:

importance of having Community peace 1. Intentional Living: Get

so that we can stay ahead Correspondentinto the practice of living and

of the game and implement

a few donnadavidson.thebeacon@yahoo.com

things to head off crazies. We need to recognize

Wwhat chaos does to our minds

and bodies. hat's Often we minimize

the Happening impact until In we find

ourselves BRIGHT dealing with the

repercussions. It’s not unusual

to hear about people By in their

40s or 50s who Debby suffer major

heart attacks. Stutz If they are

lucky enough Community to survive, they

often find themselves Correspondent eating

handfuls of medications and

receiving strict warnings from

debbystutz.thebeacon@yahoo.com

their doctor: “Cut out the

STRESS!”. When we live a

lifestyle of high chaos we can

begin to see one or more of

S

the following: BEACON

• Stress and anxiety:

Constant worry and tension

that take a toll on SCENE our mental

health and drain the energy

necessary to live our best life.

• Physical ailments: By Stress

can manifest in physical Jack

symptoms like headaches, Zoller

fatigue, and digestive issues.

PORTS

beaconsports

@live.com

planning your days with intention.

We should think more

about what we want our days

to look like and then build our

schedules to help us live those

days. I can’t tell you the number

of times I’ve said yes to

something because it sounded

like a worthy commitment to

have, only to regret it when

the day arrives. Set boundaries

by saying no more often to

the overbooked schedule and

not committing to activities

and events that drag us down.

2. Digital Detox: It’s time

to limit our screen time.

Research shows that too

much screen time only adds

to our moodiness and lack of

productivity. Our lives already

too busy for us to fall farther

behind due to wasted time on

the screens. Create designated

tech-free zones such as the

dinner table. Set limits on

screen time.

3. Take Care of Yourself:

Before you know it, your

three primary ways of staying

healthy- diet, exercise, and

sleep- are pushed aside and

we wonder why we are feeling

the way we are. Allow time

to step away and take a walk,

go to the gym, or have a date

night with your spouse. Make

time for activities that energize

you rather than drain you.

4. Choose Your Friends and

Family Wisely: Gatherings

can often place us in positions

of being around people

who stress us out. Be sure to

surround yourself with the

kind of supportive, positive

people who uplift and inspire

you. I realize we can’t really

choose family, but we can

choose how we spend time

with them.

5. Practice Gratitude: Focus

on the positive aspects of your

life and express gratitude for

the blessings you have. Take

a little time to stop thinking

about all the things that you

are chasing and think about

the things you already have.

Rather than incorporating

these practices as resolutions,

let’s build them into our lifestyle.

I have said many times

that I need our house to be a

“house of peace” in order to

live in this crazy world. Tis

the season to be PEACEFUL!

Merrill Hutchinson is

the President of Rock Solid

Families, a faith-based marriage

and family coaching

organization in St. Leon, IN.

For more information, contact

812-576-ROCK.

Allan Weiss, Executive Director and staff of CASA receive a

check from Siemer Milling Company representative Dawn

Schuman. (Photo courtesy of Siemer Milling Co.)

Dearborn County CASA

Receives Siemer Milling Grant

Dearborn County CASA (Community Advocating

for Substance Abuse Awareness) has been awarded

$5,000 Siemer Milling Endowment for Youth

Leadership Development Grant. Funds will facilitate

the 2025 Youth Summit, their largest outreach event.

The Youth Summit brings over six hundred

eighth-grade students from all junior high schools in

Dearborn County to a local event center for a day of

substance abuse prevention activities. High school

student leaders in the DCYA program will design

and facilitate games, videos, and other activities to

educate the students on making healthy choices.

The funding will ensure a rejuvenated experience

with a keynote speaker and a band to highlight the

importance of avoiding drug, alcohol, and tobacco

addiction.

PRIME CUTS

NOW AVAILABLE

By

Marcia

Parcell

mparcell@purdue.edu

By

Editor’s Note- Maxine After twentyfive

years of sharing Klump wonderful

stories and recipes with us,

Melanie Alexander Community has turned

Correspondent

over the joy to Marcia Parcell.

We welcome Marcia and

maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com

look forward to new and

exciting stories she shares.

What’s better than homemade

soup on a cold winter’s

day? Heart-healthy soup

has benefits, especially in

February. The liquid content

in soup with the other ingredients

keeps our stomach

full longer. And soup plays

a role in fighting a cold. Hot

broth can clear congestion

and ease a sore throat. Soup

also provides the fluids that

our bodies need. Chicken

provides protein to boost

our immune system. Finally,

consumers can eat healthily,

and helps to stick to a budget

because soup ingredients can

be inexpensive.

I learned to build stock for

vegetable soup inexpensively.

My mother’s method was to

put leftover vegetables into a

bowl in the freezer. When the

bowl was full, it signaled that

it was time to make vegetable

soup. This saved money as the

leftover vegetables did not go

to waste. I am not sharing a

vegetable soup recipe, but an

easy soup recipe from the Eat,

Gather, Go website. It may become

your new favorite soup

recipe. Send me your or your

family’s review of the recipe.

Enjoy it for lunch or dinner!

Easy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground turkey or

ground chicken

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 carton (4 cups) reducedsodium

chicken broth

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes with

basil, garlic and oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 cups (or 1/2 of 20 oz.

pkg.) refrigerated cheesefilled

tortellini

2 cups baby spinach leaves or

chopped zucchini

Directions:

Cook ground turkey or

chicken, carrots, and onion in

a large saucepan over medium

heat until the meat is no

longer pink. Stir frequently

to break meat into bite-sized

pieces. Drain off any fat,

carefully keeping meat and

vegetables in a saucepan and

pouring off any liquid.

Stir tomato paste into the

meat mixture. Cook and stir

for 1 minute.

Stir broth, undrained tomatoes,

and pepper into the

mixture in a saucepan. Bring

to boiling over high heat.

Stir in tortellini. Return to

boiling. Reduce heat slightly.

Gently boil, uncovered, for

7 to 9 minutes or until tortellini

is nearly tender.

Stir in spinach leaves or

zucchini. Ladle into six serving

bowls.

Please send me your family’s

review of the recipe. Enjoy

the wintery days to come.

Steer-Rite Farm

Grain Fed Home Raised Beef

*All Steaks, Briskets, & Roasts are weighed & priced

Filet Mignon

Ribeye (Boneless)

New York Strip

T-Bone Steak

Top Sirloin Steak

Sirloin Steak

Flank steak

Sirloin Tip Roast

Chuck Roast

Brisket

Stew Meat

Beef short ribs

18 - 1/3 lb. Steak Burger

Patties

Bulk

Ground Beef

Payment: Cash or Check

Available in our freezer at the Lutz Auction Center

weekdays from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

On Saturday’s during auction hours

You can also call Dale Lutz at 513-266-1859 or Randy

Lutz at 513-266-1860 to schedule a pickup time.

Home grown, grain fed, government inspected,

& locally processed

Lutz Auction Center is located at 25980 Auction Ln.

Guilford, IN 47022

Equal

Opportunity

Lender

NMLS #454283

Equal

Opportunity

Lender

NMLS#454283

THE NEW YEAR IS LOOKING

BRIGHT

OPENING JANUARY 2025

At the intersection of Stateline and Sneakville

We're putting the final touches on our new

branch, and our team is eagerly preparing to

welcome you. Stay tuned for our opening

date—follow us on Facebook or visit our website

for the official opening announcement.

FriendshipStateBank.com | 812-667-5101

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


Page 8A THE BEACON February 2025

DEARBORN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

SERVICES

STD TESTING BY APPOINTMENT

(HEP C, HIV, SYPHILIS, GONORRHEA, CHLAMYDIA)

812-537-8843

SMOKING CESSATION, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS

TB TESTING

LEAD TESTING

VACCINES (UNDER-INSURED, UNINSURED, OR INSURED)

GLUCOSE CHECK

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS

SHARPS CONTAINERS

NEEDLE COLLECTION (HOME

GENERATED)

NARCAN/TRAINING

PERIOD PACKS

CONDOMS

SAFER WORKS KITS

WOUND CARE KITS

HOMELESS KITS

PREGNANCY TESTS (AT HOME)

SAFE SLEEP CLASSES

BIRTH/DEATH CERTIFICATES

FOOD PERMITS/INSPECTIONS

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVIES

HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY

PROGRAMS

WWW.DCHEALTHDEPARTMENT.ORG

165 MARY STREET

LAWRENCEBURG, IN 47025

812-537-8826

The BEACON - Great News for Great People.


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 9A

Mr. French’s historic brick office (AKA the Oldest House in Versailles)

By Cheryl Damon-Greiner

A small two room house, a

‘brick cottage’, is located on

the corner of the Versailles’

courthouse square. A simple,

practical structure, with a

modern vinyl-clad addition on

the back for storage, it now

houses the office of French

and Associates Land Surveyors.

The historic building is

book-ended by the renovated

historic Eli Hunter house on

one side and a vacant church

and parsonage that is being

renovated on the other. This

small building is special in

that it is considered to be

the oldest house in this area.

It was built by Dr. W.T.S.

Cornett for his new wife when

they moved to Versailles in

1823, just seven years after

Indiana became the nineteenth

state in the Union. Dr. Cornett

started a medical school on the

other side of the square. He

didn’t stay long in the small

brick home before moving to

a grander home and then moving

his practice to Madison,

Indiana. But the house he left

behind stands as a first-hand

witness to two hundred years’

worth of Versailles history.

For example, in 1846, the

infamous Gordon’s Leap incident

occurred when 2 medical

students were persuaded to

try to steal a recently buried

corpse so Dr. Jonathon Gordan

could autopsy it. They likely

passed the ‘brick cottage’ on

the way to Cliff Hill Cemetery

The Cornett House.

where they were surprised by

the deceased’s family. One of

the students named John Glass

made his escape by running

over and down the steep ravine

that borders the cemetery.

He was only slightly injured

and kept on running. The story

has always been referred to as

Gordon’s Leap since he was

the instigator. And the little

house heard all about it from

the citizens who stopped on

the front sidewalk to gawk

and gossip.

In 1856, James Henry Tyson

was born to William and Eliza

in a two-story brick home

located just a few houses away

from the small Cornett home.

This was Uncle Jim, who grew

up to be the generous benefactor

to the town of Versailles,

funding the school, the library

and much more. His first job

was as a newspaper boy and

its not unlikely that he once

threw a rolled up issue of the

Ripley Index onto the stoop of

the doctor and his wife.

In 1863, as the courthouse

was nearing completion, the

most violent incident affecting

the people of Versailles

occurred. The Civil War was

raging and it came to town

during a raid led by Confederate

General John Hunt

Morgan. The stately home

to the left of the tiny brick

house, is said to have been the

site where a group of women

gathered to cook in the summer

kitchen. They thought

that if they fed the rebel

soldiers, they might leave

A view of the interior of the Cornett House.

without doing too much damage.

It’s been said that General

Morgan himself strutted

across the yard of the former

Cornett home and had a meal

in the neighbor’s dining room.

In 1899, the annual event

that still sends the sound of

laughter and music and sizzling

food across Main Street

to seep through the windows

of the little two-room house,

was inaugurated. That year

the very first Pumpkin Show

was produced by local entrepreneur

and businessman, Alfred

Beer. And it has recurred

120 times since, with generation

after generation taking a

break from the activities by

sitting on the same curb where

Dr. Cornett once parked his

horse drawn wagon!

In the two centuries since the

Cornett’s began their married

life in the little brick house on

Main Street, some of the taller,

more elaborate buildings on the

square have been gutted and rebuilt,

or torn down completely.

But small and steady has won

the race with time, watching

new inventions appear, feeling

the effects of multiple wars,

and seeing the impact of changes

in lifestyles, the economy

and political decisions. For the

past 20 years, 226 Main Street

has been in the good hands

of Jeff and Sue French who

have reinforced the floor and

patched the walls and kept it

as a vibrant part of today’s everyday

life. It is ready to keep a

watchful eye on our small town

for another two hundred years.

By

Jeff

Hermesch

Purdue

Extension

jhermesch@purdue.edu

Winter Care of

Indoor Plants

The gray skies of Southeastern

Indiana during the winter

can be somewhat depressing,

but indoor plants can

provide some greenery to our

homes during these cold, dark

months.

Most of our indoor plants

are tropical in origin, and

during the winter they take

a break to rest much like our

outdoor plants. This dormancy

is caused by our short days

and lack of sunlight intensity.

The care of resting indoor

plants should be adjusted

during the winter months and

below are some helpful tips.

Watering should be carefully

monitored because the

plants are not using the same

amount of water for growth as

they would during our warmer

months. Be very careful not

to over-water. Keeping the

soil moist is key for this time

of year. Root rots are a major

concern with over-watering

plants so avoid heavy soaking

or letting plants sit in waterfilled

overflow containers as

these practices could be fatal.

For succulents and cacti, let

the soil dry before watering.

If possible, the best choice for

water is to use collected rainwater

or even melted snow at

room temperature to slow the

buildup of soluble salts in our

tap water.

The placement of plants

is also something to keep in

mind. Plants that are placed

high in a room or close to a

vent may dry out faster than

normal due to the dry heat.

On the other hand, plants

placed close to a door can be

damaged by receiving a blast

of cold air when the door is

opened. Typically, if a plant

isn’t receiving enough light,

the leaves will turn yellow

and fall off. If you see yellowing

leaves, move the plant to

an area with better lighting.

Fertilization is unnecessary

during the winter months as

the plants are not growing and

will not utilize the applications.

It is best to wait for the plant

to initiate new growth in the

spring before fertilizing and

even then, the rate of fertilizer

should be on the low end.

Monitoring for pests should

continue through the winter

months even though the plants

are not growing. Look carefully

at leaves, stems, and the

top half inch or so of the soil

for any pests. Mealybugs are

common houseplant pests that

look like fuzzy cotton on the

leaves. They can be removed

by using a cotton tip soaked

in rubbing alcohol. Soil gnats

are another common pest

most likely caused by overwatering.

To remove the soil

gnats, reduce the amount of

water and consider repotting

the plants in new soil.

If your plants have received

the proper care during the

winter months, when spring

arrives and days lengthen, you

will be rewarded with new

growth.

For more information,

please email jhermesch@

purdue.edu or call 812-926-

1189. The Dearborn County

Extension Office is located at

229 Main Street, Aurora, IN

47001.

Look for my next article

in the upcoming issue of The

Beacon!

CALL

812-932-3800

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Batesville, IN

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Page 10A THE BEACON February 2025

Winners of the prestigious

Lilly Endowment Community

Scholarship (LECS)

were recently announced for

Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio,

and Ripley Counties. Recipients

receive a four-year,

full-tuition scholarship to the

Indiana college of their choice

along with a $900 yearly

stipend for required books and

equipment.

The scholarships are the

result of a statewide Lilly

Endowment initiative to help

Hoosier students reach higher

levels of education. One hundred

forty-three scholarships

were awarded statewide.

Dearborn County

Two Dearborn County high

school seniors are the 2025

recipients of a prestigious

Lilly Endowment Community

Scholarship. The Dearborn

Community Foundation

(DCF) staff made surprise

visits to award the full-tuition

scholarships to East Central

High School’s Annabelle

Black and Lawrenceburg

High School’s Nathan

Parker.

“Annabelle and Nathan

epitomize what the Lilly

Endowment Community

Scholarship is all about: community

involvement, academic

achievement, character

and leadership,” said Fred

McCarter, Executive Director

of DCF. “They were selected

from among a competitive

group of applicants for this

high honor and our community

should be very proud of

Annabelle, Nathan, and the

other four finalists.”

Ms. Black of Miller Township

is the daughter of Kelly

and B.J.

Black. She

plans to

study

Optometry

at Hanover

College. She

certainly

Annabelle Black was shocked

and excited

Lilly Endowment Scholarship Recipients

to learn she is a Lilly Scholar.

“I’m appreciative and grateful,”

she said. “… I’m excited

for the future.”

Ms. Black has been active

in many clubs and groups:

National Honor Society

(Indiana Rising Star Award);

Trojan Exchange; Eco Club;

and AOK Club. She also participated

in soccer, basketball

and softball. She also completed

a significant number of

volunteer service hours.

Mr. Parker of Lawrenceburg

is the son of Amanda

Nathan Parker

and Brandon

Parker.

He plans to

study

Computer

Science/

Computer

Software

Engineering.

He’s undecided,

but leaning toward

attending Indiana University.

“I don’t have any words,”

Mr. Parker said upon learning

he was a 2025 Lilly

Scholar. “It’s life changing.

It’s a blessing and something

I’ve been striving toward a

lot.”

At Lawrenceburg High

School (LHS), Mr. Parker

participated in the Hope

Squad throughout high school

and completed a significant

number of community service

hours: providing Chromebook

onboarding and repair, IT help

desk support for both students

and staff; and working as a

teacher’s assistant, helping

both students and staff with

technological issues/assignments.

He also found the time

to hold down a job during the

school year.

Ripley County

The recipient of the 2025

Lilly Endowment Community

Scholarship for Ripley County

is Roman Hite, Versailles.

“This year’s applicant

pool was incredibly impressive,

showcasing exceptional

achievement, community

involvement and unique

perspectives,” stated Amy

Streator, Executive Director

of the Ripley County Community

Foundation.

“It was an honor to be

named a finalist alongside

Roman Hite

four other

remarkable

students,

furthermore

I am beyond

grateful to

be named

Ripley

County’s

2025 Lilly

Endowment Community

Scholarship recipient. Achieving

this opens the door to

many opportunities that would

not have been possible

beforehand. I would personally

like to thank the Selection

Committee for their generous

consideration, as well as my

family and teachers for being

right beside me every step of

the way.” said Mr. Hite

Franklin County

The recipient of the 2024

Lilly Endowment Community

Cole Kelley

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your is and

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Support the Specialty Retail,

Personal Services, Professional Services

and Restaurants of downtown Aurora.

Scholarship

for Franklin

County is

Thatcher

“Cole”

Kelley of

Franklin

County High

School. He

is the son of

William and Elizabeth

Kelley.

“Our pool of Franklin

County Lilly Endowment

Community Scholarship applicants

was impressive. We

are proud to have such a great

group of students representing

our community”, said Shelly

Lunsford, Executive Director

of the Franklin County Community

Foundation.

Working to make a difference!

Ohio County

Hannah Kremer is the

recipient of the Lilly Scholarship

this year. She is the

daughter of Sean and Gina

Kremer. The selection was

made by the Ohio County

Hannah Kremer

Community

Foundation.

“Receiving

this

scholarship

will help

my parents

with the cost

of college,

especially

since my sister also currently

attends college. I am planning

to study the field of Dermatology

so that I can one day

help others as I was helped

as a child.,” said Ms. Kremer

during her interview with the

OCCF Scholarship Selection

Committee.

“Hannah’s application for

the Lilly Endowment Scholarship

was definitely impressive.

Her interview, GPA,

community service, leadership

roles, extra-curricular

activities and work experience

were key factors in the

Scholarship Committee’s

decision,” said Jane Angst,

Executive Director of the

Ohio County Community

Foundation.

“This year we had a great

pool of applicants from which

to select our Lilly Scholar.

Congratulations to our four

semi-finalists Natalie Fisk,

Kaitlyn Henry, Kassidy Lewis

and Paige Werner. The committee

had five outstanding

students to choose from. Best

of luck to each of you!” added

Ms. Angst.

Each Lilly Endowment

Community Scholarship provides

for full tuition, required

fees and a special allocation

of up to $900 per year for

By Richard Stoll

When we purchased our

home with five acres in Dillsboro

in 2023, the first thing

we noticed was the Burning

Bush and Rose of Sharon

bushes that had been planted

in the yard years ago. Both of

these plant species are nonnative

and of little value to

wildlife, butterflies, moths,

and other beneficial insects

so they had to go! A quick cut

with the chain saw and dab on

glyphosate on the cut stumps,

problem solved!

A year later we decided

spending hours mowing the

lawn was simply a waste of

precious time with so many

other projects pending. While

we do find it relaxing doing

some mowing with the

tractor and the wife mowing

with her zero-turn, mowing

several acres every week or

so was just becoming a chore.

We had to make a change.

So what was our plan to cut

down on all this lawn mowing

yard maintenance? “Rewilding”

of course!

So what is Rewilding? A

number of interpretations

of Rewilding exist. To us,

Rewilding is a conservation

strategy, aimed at restoring

and protecting the land to

benefit both nature and the

well-being of us humans. This

contrasts with traditional urban

landscaping, which often

involves high maintenance

and the use of non-native

plant species. The process

involves supporting nature

to re-establish the conditions

that would exist had human

impact not occurred. It could

mean simply letting the yard

go and see what happens.

However, we prefer a more

hands-on approach by reintroducing

native plant species

and allowing them to grow

and spread naturally. The

ultimate goal is to re-establish

a self-sustaining yard with no

need for lawn fertilizers, and

The BEACON - Great News for Great People.

required books and required

equipment for four years of

undergraduate study on a fulltime

basis leading to a baccalaureate

degree at any eligible

Indiana public or private

nonprofit college or university.

Lilly Endowment Community

Scholars may also participate

in the Lilly Scholars Network

(LSN), which connects scholars

with resources and opportunities

to be active leaders

on their campuses and in their

communities. Both the scholarship

program and the LSN are

supported by grants from Lilly

Endowment to Independent

Colleges of Indiana (ICI), and

Indiana Humanities.

Lilly Endowment Inc. created

the Lilly Endowment

Community Scholarship

Program for the 1997-1998

school year and has supported

the program every

year since. More than 5,300

Indiana students have received

the Lilly Endowment

Community Scholarship

since the program’s inception.

The primary purposes of

the Lilly Endowment Community

Scholarship Program

are: 1) to help raise the level

of educational attainment in

Indiana; 2) to increase awareness

of the beneficial roles

Indiana community foundations

can play in their communities;

and 3) to encourage

and support the efforts of

current and past Lilly Endowment

Community Scholars

to engage with each other

and with Indiana business,

governmental, educational,

nonprofit and civic leaders to

improve the quality of life in

Indiana generally and in local

communities throughout the

state.

Rewilding the Lawn!

Photo by Richard Stoll

fewer mowings, where plants,

pollinators and animals can

thrive without much human

intervention.

As our Rewilding project

consisted of several acres of

front, back, and side yards, we

consulted the Department of

Natural Resources (DNR) and

the Natural Resources Conservation

Service (NRCS) for

Ripley County. Both agencies

were eager to help and supported

our vision of planting

native shrubs to provide

privacy from the road, act

as a sound/wind barrier, and

provide nesting, food, and escape

cover for birds and other

wildlife. Most of the acreage

will be planted with native

prairie grasses and wildflowers

to create a beautiful

meadow. The DNR assisted

by first killing the lawn of its

fescue and crabgrass followed

by disk and rototilling to

create a good weed-free soil

surface. The NRCS provided

sources for native shrubs and

wildflower seeds and recommended

a mixture of shrub

and prairie grass/wildflower

seed species. I’m currently

placing orders for shrubs to

be planted in the spring of

2025 and prairie grass/wildflower

seeds which will be

frost-seeded this winter. Once

established, we hope our

neighbors will be pleased with

the brilliant wildflower colors

and enjoy seeing beautiful

butterflies foraging for nectar

in our yard-turned-meadow.

Stay tuned for future articles

reporting the progress of our

Rewilding project!

Richard Stoll is a Board

member of Oak Heritage Conservancy.

Visit OakHeritage

Conservancy.org


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 11A

For the Love of Land Preservation

Proud mom, Toni Knigga is with daughter Jada Kuhn and

step-dad Casey Knigga in front of the Tower Bridge on New

Year’s Day. (Photo courtesy of Toni Knigga)

Jada Kuhn Earns Cheer Honor in

London Parade New Year’s Day

While London may seem a million miles away,

Brits celebrate the new year just like us. One

Dearborn County resident kicked off the new year and

all that it had to offer by cheering in the London New

Year’s Day Parade.

Jada Kuhn is the only cheerleader in the tristate to

participate in the London New Year’s Day Parade.

Ms. Kuhn tried out for the Varsity team while

attending a summer camp. She was awarded the title

of All-American Cheerleader, which provided her the

opportunity to cheer in the London New Year’s Day

Parade. Ms. Kuhn was one of one hundred fifty young

ladies from across the United States who comprised

the Varsity team, an auspicious national cheer team.

Congratulations, Jada!

Vietnam Veterans Chapter 71 Commander, Nick Ullrich;

secretary, Marty Sizemore; Mike’s son, Matthew; Treasurer,

Ed Shannon; Prosecutor, Lynn Deddens; Mike’s widow,

Debbie LaFollette and Southeastern Indiana Honor Guard

Commander, Pat McClanahan.

Prosecutor Deddens Honors Veteran

By PG Gentrup

Dearborn /Ohio County

Prosecutor Lynn Deddens

worked with art students from

East Central High School

on a project featuring one of

Veterans’ memorials in southeast

Indiana. The project used

photography to depict a venue

of their choice. One student,

Joclyn Vierling, created a collage

using a photograph of the

Huey Helicopter prominently

displayed along the riverbank

in Aurora’s Lesko Park. Ms.

Vierling then superimposed

an image of the American flag

in the background and applied

color to stress the focus of the

piece.

Prosecutor Deddens presented

a framed print of the

artwork to the Southeastern

Indiana Honor Guard and the

Southeastern Indiana Vietnam

Veterans of America, Lary

D. Fogle Chapter 71. The

presentation honored Mike

LaFollette, a Armored Reconnaissance

Specialist for

the Army. He was a highly

decorated warrior who also

received three Purple Heart

medals for injuries sustained

from enemy fire.

The print will be displayed

at the at the Southeastern

Indiana Veterans Museum in

Rising Sun. A second print

was given to Debbie LaFollette,

the widow of Mike

LaFollette.

By Crystal Richardson

Sporting a playful grin, the

farmer pressed his foot to the

accelerator and yelled, “Hang

on girls!”

The farm truck nearly went

airborne after the tires rebounded

off a small ditch. My two

classmates giggled nervously

as they clung to the door and

the dash of the truck as it

bounced down the grassy farm

lane. During our Environmental

Assessment course, we were

assigned to learn how to write

an environmental impact statement

regarding the potential

impact on wildlife and natural

areas as trails and shelters were

potentially added to the proposed

Three Creeks Park.

The octogenarian farmer

owned approximately 900

acres of land that was being

considered for preservation

through a partnership with the

park system. His eyes sparkled

with enthusiasm as he explained

how he wanted his land

to be secured as a “green space

forever.”

While the farmer originally

wanted to preserve the land

as a farm after his passing,

it wasn’t quite that simple.

Having no one to pass the land

down to, he knew the location

of his property made it prime

for business or residential

development since it parallels

Interstate 270 in Columbus,

Ohio. After we gleaned

information about his moderately

timbered farm so that

we could write an introduction

for our paper, we left feeling

hopeful that people with land

conservancy in mind exist in

this world. Three Creeks Park

became official in 1998 and

remains a beloved green space

today, providing a gift of nature

to the community.

Locally, Gladys Russell

Wildlife Refuge and Rullman

Farm Park are examples of

former farms preserved as

wild, open spaces for the public

to enjoy. Nearby County Farm

Park has a portion of its land

leased for farming, a common

trend that preserves the history

of some parks.

“They had better stop building

on farmland before we run

out of it,” my Grandma Eibest

would always say as she’d witness

another home or business

being constructed on fertile

soils perfectly suited for crops

or livestock. She was right.

Rural land is a finite resource.

According to data published

by the Indiana State Department

of Agriculture, 831,000

acres of farmland in the United

States were lost between 1982

and 2012.

John Piotti is the President

and CEO of American Farmland

Trust, a conservation agricultural

organization. In a video

titled, How American Farmland

Trust is Protecting U.S.

Agricultural Land, Mr. Piotti

stated, “Over ten percent of all

of the farmland is right here in

the United States. It’s undeniably

our most important natural

resource. We’re losing 2,000

acres of farmland per day.”

Many people in rural areas

have similar views about

protecting farms from development.

David Hardin is a

seventh-generation farmer in

Danville, Indiana. Mr. Hardin

discussed farm preservation for

food security in a video titled,

Land Use- Featuring David

Hardin, Hendricks County

INFB Member. He said, “It’s

very vital that we keep the

more productive ground that

we have in the practice of

producing food as opposed to

some other uses. It means that

we need to be smarter about

how we develop, where we develop,

and when we develop.”

As residents traverse the

roads in and around Manchester,

Indiana, they can view

many historic farms. Some

citizens realize how fortunate

we are to have a remarkable

amount of undeveloped land

relatively close to a metropolitan

area and a major airport.

Most residents know that no

one can put a price on the

aesthetics of wide, open spaces,

unmarred by excessive development.

Development could have

increased in the area over

the years, but the people of

Manchester and the surrounding

communities joined forces

to help keep the area zoned

for agriculture. In Dearborn

County, land use decisions are

often made at the county level.

Concerned citizens have been

proactive in decision-making

by distributing vital information

about planning and zoning

meetings via social media

and oral communication. At

the meetings, they used their

voices to share information

about why they oppose certain

zoning changes. Once rural

land has been developed, it

rarely returns to farmland or

green spaces.

While selling land to a business

can be tempting during

financial hardships, or for other

reasons such as a life-changing

illness or injury, help is out

there. Landowners in Indiana

facing difficult financial or

health-related situations can

seek support through many

organizations such as American

Farmland Trust, Farm Aid, and

the Indiana Farm Bureau.

On a local level, landowners

can obtain educational

information about successful

farming practices from organizations

such as the Dearborn

County Soil & Water Conservation

District and Purdue

Extension Dearborn County.

Area residents can also help

promote farmland preservation

by purchasing produce, herbs,

honey, baked goods, flowers,

and more from local farms or

farmer’s markets.

Don’t forget to bring the

kids! Educating the younger

generation is a key component

to continued success in reducing

farmland loss to development.

In addition, local county

fairs teach children about farm

life whether they are involved

in 4-H programs or they are

visitors at the fair.

“There are two spiritual

dangers in not owning a farm.

One is the danger of supposing

that breakfast comes from

the grocery, and the other that

heat comes from the furnace.”

-Aldo Leopold (1887-1948),

author, educator, and conservationist

Celebrating lives

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Page 12A THE BEACON February 2025

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February 2025 THE BEACON Page 1B

S

BEACON

PORTS

SCENE

By

Chris Jack

Nobbe

Zoller

beaconsports

@live.com

sports@goBEACONnews.com

Girls’ Wrestling’s First

Official Season in Indiana

Last year, the IHSAA officially

announced the addition

of two sports to its sanctioned

list for high school athletes.

The sports would be girls’

wrestling in the winter season,

and boys’ volleyball in the

spring season.

Several

By

Maxine

girls in the area have

already been Klump involved with

wrestling through the past

several seasons Community and girls have

competed Correspondent with the boys in this

area for over twenty years.

maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com

Each female competitor

joined the team knowing they

would wrestle the boys during

the season. In 2017, the Indiana

High School Girls Wrestling

Coaches Association (IHSGW-

CA) sponsored and began their

individual tournament for girls

in the state since it had yet to

be sanctioned by the IHSAA.

In the most recent Paris

Olympic Games, two of the six

women’s freestyle wrestlers for

the United States were from

Indiana. Gold medalist Sarah

Hildebrandt and Olympian

Kayla Miracle both hail from

the Hoosier state and cut their

teeth in the sport at a time

when they almost exclusively

wrestled boys.

Currently, Indiana has

several nationally-ranked girls,

particularly Julianna Ocampo

of New Haven HS, and

Heather Crull of Northeastern

HS. Ocampo and Crull actually

petitioned the IHSAA to

remain in the boys’ tournament

as each has been state qualifiers

with Ocampo placing last year

in the boys state finals.

Jaimie (Cade) Dubuque

competed on the varsity roster

during her senior year at South

Dearborn in 2005. She would

later meet her future husband

through the sport while at Indiana

University. Joe Dubuque, a

two-time NCAA champion, is

now the head wrestling coach

for Princeton University.

More recently, Knights Katie

(Fischer) Smallwood competed

for them and earned a seventhplace

state finish in the IHSGW

state tournament in 2022. Katie

began her career in middle

school wrestling at South

Dearborn, moved to New Richmond,

OH, and competed there

for a time before returning to

South Dearborn for her senior

season.

East Central has had girls in

its program for several years.

Elena Thatcher competed for

the Lawrenceburg Tigers just a

few years ago and placed second

in the IHSGW state tournament

in 2019 in the 132-pound

weight class. She competed for

the Tigers program as a youth

and into high school.

Harrison High School

wrestling has competed well

in Ohio over the first few years

of wrestling being sanctioned

by the OHSAA. The Harrison

girls’ team won two consecutive

state titles including the

first sanctioned by the OHSAA

in 2023. They also won in 2022

when it was sponsored and run

by the Ohio Wrestling Coaches’

Association and were Division

I team runner-up in 2024.

Chloe Dearwester won four

state titles for the Wildcats and

now competes at nationallyranked

Presbyterian College in

South Carolina. She is off to an

impressive start as a freshman

in the collegiate ranks going

9-0 to begin the season. Teammate

Raegan Briggs won two

East Central senior

Leighna Prater pins her

opponent in action. (Photo

courtesy of Bill Prater)

Lawrenceburg’s Lacie

Lowe finished in fourth

place in her weight class

at the Lady Cub Classic.

(Photo courtesy of David

Sheeley)

consecutive girls’ state titles

as a sophomore and junior in

Ohio. She now competes for

Otterbein University.

Milan junior Kayla Roell had

been in the varsity boys’ lineup

at times for the Indians over the

past couple of years. With the

new sanctioning, she is now

competing alone. She misses

competing with the team but is

excited about the opportunity

to promote the sport for girls.

Last year, Kayla placed fourth

in the IHSGW tournament at

115 pounds. She was a regional

qualifier in the boys’ tournament

as a freshman at 113

pounds in 2023. Kayla won her

weight class at the inaugural

Madison Lady Cub Classic and

stands at 29-1 with her only

loss to the #1 ranked Mikayla

Perkins of Whiteland. Roell is

currently ranked #4 in the state

in her weight class.

Currently, East Central senior

Leighna Prater stands at 17-4

this season with runner-up finishes

at the inaugural Madison

Milan junior Kayla Roell has enjoyed great success in

the first official season of IHSAA-sanctioned wrestling for

girls. (Photo by Chris Nobbe)

East Central’s Prater displays some disappointment after

coming up just short of the weight class title at the inaugural

Madison Girls Cub Classic. (Photo by Chris Nobbe)

Lawrenceburg’s Grace Lazano claimed the runner-up

spot at the inaugural Lady Cub Classic in Madison.

(Photo: Courtesy of David Sheeley)

Lady Cub Classic and Western

Brown (OH) tournaments. Her

fellow senior teammate Teagan

Caddell is 11-6 this season with

a runner-up finish at Madison

and a fifth-place finish at Western

Brown. Shelby Dawson

also competed at the Cub Classic

and finished fifth.

Lawrenceburg has had four

girls competing. Recently,

Grace Lazano went 3-1 at the

Madison Lady Cub Classic to

claim the runner-up spot on the

podium and is currently 13-6

on the year. Teammate Lacie

Lowe finished fourth in the

Lady Cub Classic and is 8-8

after that tournament.

Franklin County has had the

most girls with as many as six

girls competing this season.

Next season, similar to

what the Indiana High School

Wrestling Coaches Association

has done over the past since

the IHSAA went away from a

team dual championship, the

IHSGWCA will also host a

dual team tournament beginning

next season.

Area boys’ teams of South

Dearborn, East Central, Franklin

County, and Milan have

placed in this tournament over

the years. While no area girls’

team appears strong enough in

numbers to compete, the hope

is that the sport will be represented

as well on the girls’ side

in coming years as it has the

boys in southeastern Indiana.

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SHOP LOCAL and tell our advertisers you saw them in The BEACON!


Page 2B THE BEACON February 2025

BRIGHT/

SUGAR RIDGE

By

Bob

Waples

Community

Correspondent

O

ur

Communities

HIDDEN

VALLEY LAKE

By

Bonnie Starks

Community

Correspondent

bright@goBEACONnews.com

I hope everyone had a very

awesome Christmas and a

Happy New Year. I wanted to

share this picture of Santa as

he visited our North Dearborn

Library Branch just before

sleighing home to load all of

the gifts that you received.

If you look real close, you

can see Comet (with his huge

antlers) resting on the ground

between Santa and Lorrie.

He kept looking at me, saying,

“Santa, we need to get

going.”

I want to say THANKS to

the churches and businesses

that participated in our North

Dearborn Pantry Christmas

Giving Tree Program… we

could not have done it without

you.

Even though I cover Bright,

I want to say a few words on

the involvement of my greatnephew,

for a school project

in Harrison. Cayden Wesley

Peggy, Santa, Lorrie, Sophie, and Olivia at the North

Dearborn Library.

is an eighth-grader at Harrison

Jr. School. He belongs to a

school group called the Harrison

Jr. School Student Leadership.

During the holidays,

the group had fundraisers

and raised money to provide

boxes of food and $200 food

gift cards for three families in

Harrison. Additionally, they

gave $100 food gift cards to

other families in Harrison.

The group consists of thirtyfive

to forty students. What an

awesome gesture on the part

of these students… THANK

YOU to each one of them.

With Valentine’s Day right

around the corner… Wishing

you all a happy Valentine’s

Day. Remember “Love is not

Love until you give it away.”

Stellar Pathways

(Editor’s Note)

Dearborn County’s Stellar

Pathways designation

includes plans in the community

of Bright. At Bright

Meadows Park, plans include

widening the walking trail and

extending it into the southern

portion of the park, installing

new playground facilities,

constructing pickleball courts,

and building an amphitheater

for community events.

The expansion of North

Dearborn Village Apartments

is also planned. The complex

currently has eighty units for

residents ages 55 and older.

Over eighty applicants are on

a waiting list. Stellar Pathways

funds will be used for

sixteen new senior independent

living units. The project

is also made possible by a

generous donation of an adjacent

1.34 acres of land.

Congratulations to Bright

for its part in being a Stellar

Community. (See page 2A for

details on the complete Stellar

Pathways plan.)

hvl@goBEACONnews.com

I recently visited the St.

Teresa Ladies Fair at the Bright

Lions building. The wonderful

event featured a large variety

of goods for sale, most of

which were unique and wellmade.

I had my Lions shirt on

that day as my husband and I

are both members. As I strolled

around looking at all the goodies

for sale, every vendor asked

me about our club. The Lions

are nationwide and dedicated

to helping their communities.

Our Bright Lions Club building

is located at 2160 Lamplight

Dr., just past the Bright Fire

Department. We have collected

a variety of medical equipment

like hospital beds, wheelchairs,

walkers, and more. We loan

these items to community

members when they need such

items. We extend this offer to

anyone regardless of where

they live. We also graciously

accept donations of medical

equipment that is no longer

needed but can still serve a

fellow neighbor. Arrangements

can be made to borrow

or donate equipment by calling

Jody Blasdel at 513-928-1258.

The Bright Lions Club also

has fundraisers such as our

Pancake Breakfast, Raffles,

and more during the year. The

profits from these functions are

distributed among needy organizations

such as The Scouts,

North Dearborn Pantry, Bright

Fire Department, college scholarships,

Camp Woodsmoke,

etc. We also collect eyeglasses

to be recycled and take them

on mission trips to foreign

countries. We sponsor holiday

events to bring the community

together like breakfast with

the Easter Bunny and pictures

with Santa. If you want more

information, please call our

president, Diane Bender at

mdbender@fuse.net. I guess it

is evident that I am proud to be

The Grinch and Santa at

the Christmas tree lighting.

Bonnie Starks & Bonnie

Mack at the St. Teresa

Ladies Fair.

a member of such a worthwhile

group.

Our HVL Garden Club continued

celebrating its fiftieth

anniversary by beautifying our

valley. One project is lighting

for our beautiful gazebo. After

trying different solar light options,

the club bought electric

lights, and the HVL maintenance

department installed

them. Now our beautiful gazebo

is cozy and well-lit in the

evenings and can be enjoyed

both day and night.

The Valley’s Civic Club,

chaired by Kevin Grosse, had

a successful Christmas Tree

Lighting. The event included

craft vendors, free hot chocolate,

a warming fire, and most

importantly, Santa and Mrs.

Claus. The children were

enthralled, and even the Grinch

couldn’t steal the Christmas

spirit.

At the Civic Club’s last

meeting, quite a bit of discussion

concerning new projects

transpired. The Club has an impressive

agenda for the coming

year. If you have any recommendations,

contact Kevin as

soon as possible.

To share news about Hidden

Valley Lake and all that makes

it special, contact me at hvl@

goBEACONnews.com.

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 3B

ST. LEON

By

Debbie A.

Zimmer

Community

Correspondent

O

ur

Scouts, not in order, Adi Swinney, Kinsleigh Marshall, Aubree

Swegmann, Elsie Herth, Elliana Marshall, Charleigh

Kuhn, Aspen Wilhelm and Luella Meyer.

Carter William Barrett

recently celebrated his

birthday with his family.

stleon@goBEACONnews.com

Carter William Barrett recently

celebrated his eleventh

birthday on December 4th.

His family celebrated with

birthday cake and ice cream.

Now is the time for high

school seniors to begin applying

for college scholarships.

Check with your school’s

guidance office for assistance.

If you are studying in the

medical field or law enforcement,

check out the Greg Andres/North

Dearborn Conservation

Club scholarship from

the Dearborn Community

Foundation.

Girl Scout Troops 4350 and

4808 put on their traditional

Gingerbread Days for seventy-five

children. Proceeds

were used to purchase gifts

for the children at the YES

Home. Scouts participating

were Adi Swinney, Kinsleigh

Marshall, Aubree Swegmann,

Elsie Herth, Elliana

Marshall, Charleigh Kuhn,

Aspen Wilhelm, and Luella

Meyer.

Ron Zimmer recently

received his fifty-year mem-

Ron Zimmer

bership pin

from Carpenter’s

Local 2.

Also getting

fifty-year

awards were

Steve Hoog

and Joe

Viel.

Get in

touch with me with any

news items for the column at

stleon@goBEACONnews.

com

Communities

OLDENBURG

By

Sue

Siefert

Community

Correspondent

oldenburg@goBEACONnews.com

Welcome Fr. E.J. Stein!

Oldenburgers are welcoming

Fr. E.J. Stein, OFM who

came to serve as Associate

Pastor of Holy Family Parish

joining Pastor Fr. John

Barker, OFM, and Guardian

of the Friary, Fr. Michael

Chowning, OFM.

In an interview, Father

noted that he was born to

the late Eugene F. Stein and

John Mary Burke and grew

up in Fort Wayne, participating

in St. Henry Parish and

grade school, He shared, “The

Franciscan Friars taught at

Bishop Luers High School.

My early years of Franciscan

Candidacy, Postulancy, and

Novitiate were at Duns Scotus

College Seminary in Southfield,

MI. My second year of

Novitiate was at St. Anthony

Shrine in Cincinnati professing

temporary vows. Then

followed Graduate Theology

at St. Leonard Seminary in

Centerville; at Mt. St. Mary

Seminary in Cincinnati; and

at Catholic Theological Union

in Chicago, finishing with a

Master of Divinity degree.

I professed Solemn Vows in

1983 at Avila College, Kansas

City, and was ordained

Deacon in 1984 at St. Mary

Magdalene Parish in Chicago.

My Deacon year was in Fort

Wayne, teaching at Bishop

Luers High School.”

When asked how he became

interested in religious

life, Father explained, “I was

inspired by the Franciscans

who helped with masses at my

parish and who I was taught

by in high school. Family and

friends were also supportive.”

During his forty years as

a priest, Fr. E.J. ministered

at many schools, universities,

and parishes including

St. George Parish/University

of Cincinnati Campus Ministry;

St. Francis Center in

Mt. Healthy; at St. Francis

Seraph Parish in Cincinnati;

at St. Clement Parish in St.

Bernard; at St. Joseph Friary/

Catholic Theological Union

in Chicago; at St. John the

Baptist Franciscan Province;

at then San Damiano Friary/

Interprovincial Novitiate Formation

Team in Cedar Lake,

IN; at Holy Family Parish in

Galveston, TX; at St. Mary

of the Angels Parish in New

Orleans; again at St. Clement

Parish in St. Bernard as Pastor;

and now at Holy Family

in Oldenburg.

I asked Father about his

favorite memories, and he revealed,

“There are two: serving

as President of the Amos

Project in Cincinnati while

I was at St. Francis Seraph.

The project was a coming

together of interfaith congregations

working together

in faith-based organizing for

congregational growth and

advancement of social justice

in Cincinnati’s inner-city and

under served neighborhoods.

It took a tremendous amount

of organization. However,

great relationships of faith

Fr. Eugene J. “E.J.” Stein, OFM

were formed, and good movement

toward items of justice.

In my eight years in Galveston

after a destructive hurricane,

I served as one of the

priest-leaders in helping one

parish to be formed out of

six former parishes and two

outer missions. Being part of

everyone bringing together

different faith communities,

at least three cultures and two

languages was a real work of

God. I learned so much from

that experience. It really has

a profound effect on how my

personality, thinking, and faith

growth has become.”

Since arriving in Oldenburg,

Father commented,

“I’ve visited here several

times so I knew the friars

and had a good sense of the

village, parish, and surroundings.

I’ve found the people to

be friendly and welcoming.

They have a deep faith and

everyone seems to know most

people and look out for each

other. There is a good sense of

volunteerism. I’ve been a city

boy so I am happy to be learning

about farming in a very

introductory way.”

Please join me in welcoming

Fr. E.J. to southeast

Indiana!

Das ist alles von der ’Burg!

#theplace2play

Visit Southeast Indiana

January - February 2025

Home & Garden Show

Oxbow Inc. - Winter Birding

Whiskey City’s Liberty Theater

January 25 – The Dos & Don’ts Of Winter Bird

Feeding – Casey’s Outdoor Solutions, 21481 State

Line Road, Lawrenceburg. 11am. Free. Join Casey’s for

this free and informative seminar on tips and tricks to

keep birds safe during the harsh winter months. Info/

registration: 812-537-3800 or www.caseysoutdoor.com.

January 26 - St. John Lutheran School Chili Cookoff

& Luncheon – 11am-1pm – Prizes for the best chili.

Free-will donation. 222 Mechanic Street, Aurora, IN.

Info: 812-926-2656.

January 27 – Lawrenceburg Public Library – Learn

to Quilt - 6:00pm-7:00pm – Learn some basics with an

experienced quilter. Lawrenceburg Main Library: 150

Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, IN. Must register. Adults,

teens. Info: www.lawrenceburg.librarycalendar.com

January 28 & February 4, 11, 18 & 25 – Tuesdays at

Arts – Dillsboro Arts in the Creator Space – 6:00pm-

8:00pm – Sharing ideas and questions in a nurturing

and challenging space. Dillsboro Arts Friendship

Gallery: 12926 Bank Street, Dillsboro, IN. Info: www.

dillsboroarts.org or .

January 31 - February 2 – Dearborn County

Home Builders Association – Home & Garden

Show - Lawrenceburg Event Center, 91 Walnut Street,

Lawrenceburg. Fri, 5-9pm; Sat, 10am-8pm; and Sun,

Noon-5pm. Admission charged. Info: 812-221-0454 or

www.facebook.com/dearborncountyhomebuilders.

February 1 – Whiskey City’s Liberty Theater –

J.D. Shelburne - 229 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg,

IN. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.

Admission is $15 advance. $18 day of the show. Ages

18+. Info: whiskeycityslibertytheater.com/shows/ or call

859-250-2730.

February 7 – State of the City Address - 1:00pm –

YOU’RE INVITED! Mayor Kelly Mollaun will deliver his

2025 State of the City Address featuring highlights

from 2024 and the vision for 2025. Whiskey City Liberty

Theater: 229 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN. Info:

www.thinklawrenceburg.com/.

February 8 – Archaeological Research Institute -

Rock, Fossil & Artifact Identification Day – 10:00am-

2:00pm – Bring in your artifacts, rocks, and fossils and

have them identified and recorded by a professional!

Learn how to get involved with local archaeology,

upcoming research, and meet our team! Location: ARI

New Building: 126 West High Street, Lawrenceburg, IN.

Info: www.exploreari.org/.

February 11 – Archaeological Research Institute –

Happy Hour Speaker Series - 6:30pm-8:30pm – More

information to come! ARI New Building: 126 West High

Street, Lawrenceburg, IN. Info: www.exploreari.org/.

February 11 – Oxbow Inc. - Winter Birding - 7:30-

9:00pm – Sister Marty Dermody, the current Director

of the Spirituality Center for the Sisters of Charity, loves

sharing her work of photography and watching birds.

She is an avid birder (birdwatcher) and enjoys sharing

her knowledge with those willing to learn. Oxbow Inc.

Office: 301 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN. Info: 812-

290-2941.

February 14 – Dillsboro Arts Open House Artists

Reception - 6:00pm-8:00pm – Open House Reception

for the current exhibition in the Friendship Gallery.

Meet the artists. Enjoy food and drink. Dillsboro Arts

Friendship Gallery: 12926 Bank Street, Dillsboro, IN;

Info: www.dillsboroarts.org or .

February 27 – Whiskey City’s Liberty Theater –

Joe Stamm Band w/Clint Park - 229 Walnut Street,

Lawrenceburg, IN. Doors open at 7pm and the show

starts at 8pm. Admission is $20 advance. $22 day of the

show. Ages 18+. Info: www.whiskeycityslibertytheater.

com/shows/ or call 859-250-2730.

Dearborn County

Convention, Visitor and Tourism

320 Walnut St. • Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 • 800-322-8198

www.VisitSoutheastIndiana.com

SHOP LOCAL and tell our advertisers you saw them in The BEACON!


Page 4B THE BEACON February 2025

BATESVILLE

By

Sue

Siefert

Community

Correspondent

batesville@goBEACONnews.com

Capturing Memories

Rich Fowler is a familiar

face at school sporting events.

He captures youth in action and

later posts award-worthy pics

on social media so friends, family,

and students have memories

to share. He does so with

a servant’s heart knowing the

satisfaction these memories will

provide as years go by. I chose

to interview Rich to share with

readers a little about the man behind

the lens... and his gracious

wife Barb.

Rich was born on Christmas

day, sharing a birthday with his

grandfather. He and Barb are

married forty years this month,

and he added, “We met in Cincinnati

where we played on the

same YMCA co-ed volleyball

team. This is the second marriage

for both of us and between

us, we have three children and

three grandchildren.”

The couple moved here in

1996 when they opened the

frame shop that they operate

today. The native Cincinnatian

explained, “After living on

the Navajo Reservation for a

few years, and in both Cincinnati

and Columbus, Ohio, we

wanted to go back to a small

town and spent a year or so

exploring southeast Indiana and

southwestern Ohio. We visited

Batesville a few times and we

were both impressed with the

downtown area which led to our

decision to start our business

here.”

In addition to his photographic

skills, Rich is an accomplished

artist and grinned

while sharing, “I took an art

class in high school which I

managed to pass with a ‘D’.

To be honest I think being the

leading scorer on the basketball

team may have enhanced my

chances of getting that grade. In

1990 I came across Bill Alexander

on PBS and called Barb

out of the kitchen to see what

he was doing. She didn’t seem

too impressed, but she did get

me some paint and a canvas for

Christmas that year. I started

piddling with the paint and

canvas in the basement and I’ve

been piddling with it ever since.

I tend to paint a place I’d like to

O

ur

Rich and Barb Fowler

be and that is why I’m drawn to

landscapes with rivers and little

streams in mountains.”

Rich’s interest in photography

also started at an early age, “In

1959 we took a family vacation

and our parents got my little

brother and me a camera to

document our month-long trip

to the West Coast. I guess that

started my interest in landscape

photography which eventually

evolved into wildlife and sports

photography. My parents owned

a barber shop when I was in

high school, my art teacher

would take pictures of me

during basketball games, and

then trade them to my mom for

haircuts. At the time I thought

it was kind of silly but when I

got older, I was glad to have a

scrapbook full of newspaper articles

and images from my high

school athletic career. Since

very few high school athletes

get their pictures in the newspaper

and parents can’t really get

decent action shots of their kids

during sporting events. I started

shooting high school events.

When the high school students I

photograph today are forty years

old I hope they will be glad to

have those images of themselves

shooting a basketball,

scoring a touchdown, or spiking

a volleyball. Additionally, my

background in athletics includes

having served as an Athletic

Director and coaching both basketball

and volleyball teams, so

shooting sporting events helps

keep me involved in something

I enjoy. Beyond that, Barb says

the house stays cleaner during

the school year when I’m out

shooting sports!”

So, there you have it folks …

a happy wife equals a happy

life, and our community continues

to be blessed by Rich’s talents

and generosity while Barb

graciously shares her husband

with us.

Thank you, Rich and Barb

Fowler, for the difference you

make in our community!

That’s my story!

3 4 7 2 1

7 6 5 2

5 8 9 3 4

8 4

3 4 5 9 1 8 6

2 4

7 5 9 2 3 6 1

9 7

1 5

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 Print Edition / Sudoku

and view the solution for this month and last.

Good luck and have fun!

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Communities

DILLSBORO

By

Kami

Hamilton

Community

Correspondent

dillsboro@goBEACONnews.com

Happy New Year!

Exciting things are happening

in Dillsboro! Recently,

Dillsboro partnered with the

City of Greendale and Dearborn

County to create the

“One Dearborn” initiative.

Together, these communities

were selected as Stellar

Designates, a prestigious

honor recognizing outstanding

potential for growth and

development. As part of

this designation, Dillsboro,

along with its neighbors, will

receive funding through the

Stellar Pathways program, a

government-backed initiative

designed to improve local

infrastructure. Dillsboro will

utilize these funds for important

upgrades including

enhanced streetscapes, curb

appeal, and expanded sidewalks.

In other exciting news,

the Town of Dillsboro has

proudly unveiled a new upgraded

road sign to honor two

local athletes, Eva “Grace”

Quinlan and Katie Robinson,

for their outstanding

athletic achievements. This

sign serves as a lasting tribute

to their hard work, dedication,

and success. Congratulations,

Grace and Katie!

Grace Quinlan is shown

with her new road sign, a

well-deserved tribute to her

incredible athletic journey.

SUNMAN

By

Carolyn

Egbert

Community

Correspondent

sunman@goBEACONnews.com

Coating a Community

with Warmth and Cheer

The other weekend, I

attended the Sunman Holiday

Parade. It started at the

elementary school and concluded

at the Legion where

kids could get their pictures

with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The parade was a trail of first

responders, local schools,

and community businesses

handing out candy and literature.

One local business

had candy for the kids and

mini bottles for the adults –

Thanks for the Fireball.

Leading the parade were

the Sunman American

Legion Honor Guard and

Sunman Elementary Color

WARC 2024 Beacon Ad.ai 1 10/28/2024 2:26:01 PM

Grace has shattered numerous

track records both at the high

school and college levels. Her

dedication and achievements

continue to inspire and make

Dillsboro proud! Grace is the

daughter of Mike and Andria

Quinlan, of Dillsboro.

Keep an eye out for upcoming

events at the Dillsboro

Public Library and the

Dillsboro Arts & Friendship

Gallery! There’s always

something new happening at

these local gems!

2025 is shaping up to be an

amazing year in Dillsboro!

Guard, bearing the American

and Indiana State flags.

Other highlights from the parade

include Santa’s Sleigh

pulled by a “reindeer.” A

wagon full of students at St.

Nicholas – Shout Out to my

“nieces” Irah and Sylvie

Schneider who were waving

from the wagon! I absolutely

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com

Eva “Grace” Quinlan

checks out the new sign

honoring the accomplishments

made by both Katie

Robinson and herself.

Stellar Pathways

(Editor’s Note)

As a part of Dearborn

County’s Stellar Pathways

project, the Town of Dillsboro

proposed a North Street

Streetscape and Public Park/

Plaza.

The area along North Street

will be reconstructed to

include pedestrian-friendly

enhancements, crosswalks,

and streetscaping to revitalize

Dillsboro’s Historic District.

This initiative, aligning with

Dillsboro’s Downtown Revitalization

Plan and Bicycle

and Pedestrian Plan, will

result in a more walkable,

vibrant downtown. Local

businesses and outdoor retail

venues will also be more accessible

while enhancing the

aesthetics. Residents and visitors

alike will benefit from an

improved overall experience .

Key elements of Dillsboro’s

plan include expanded curbs

and sidewalks, new street

trees with decorative grates,

decorative street lights, and

district markers highlighting

the area’s historic significance.

Accompanying the North

Street Streetscape project is

the Community-Wide Sidewalk

Project and Bike-Pedestrian

Plan. This project will

enhance pedestrian safety and

connectivity in Dillsboro by

implementing key recommendations

from the town’s 2023

Bicycle and Pedestrian Master

Plan. Construction specifications

include site preparation,

new sidewalks, and intersection

improvements with

upgraded crosswalks and

ADA-compliant ramps. The

upgrades will provide safer

routes for residents and visitors,

promoting greater mobility

and fostering community

involvement.

Congratulations to Dillsboro

for its part in being a

Stellar Community. (See page

2A for details on the complete

Stellar Pathways plan.)

Sunman Elementary Color Guard at the Sunman Holiday

Parade.

loved getting to see the

Clydesdale-drawn carriage

and the opportunity to pet

them after the parade. The

Grinch was walking around

greeting attendees. A gingerbread

house on wheels rolled

by, and a couple of Gingerbread

people interacted with

the crowd.

Many thanks to Sunman

American Legion Ladies

Auxiliary for coordinating

the event and providing gifts

for all of the kids who got

their pictures with Santa.

This event truly could not

have happened without their

commitment to our community.

A heartfelt thank

you to Elisha Hunley, for

coordinating the coat drive.

The fruits of her efforts were

shared with community

members. Honorable mention

for St. Nicholas who

hosted the baked goods sale

during this event.

Seeing so many families

come out to attend the

parade and take photos with

Santa was great. It was also

a wonderful opportunity to

catch up with old friends

who I only bump into once

or twice a year. Between the

kids and the dogs who were

in attendance, I’m not sure

which enjoyed themselves

more!


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 5B

GREENDALE

By

Linda

Cromer

Community

Correspondent

greendale@goBEACONnews.com

Things have gotten kind

of hinky. Agreed? Feeling a

little bit on edge. Right? You

gotta call it the way you see it.

And I elect not to opine about

the delights of the just-past

holidays (although they were

myriad). Nor do I opt to moan

about what has already gone

awry with our New Year’s

resolutions. Instead, I ask you

to join me in analyzing the

single and singular photo I’m

submitting with this article.

My sincere desire is that our

editor places it prominently

and of noticeable dimensions.

Look at the face of one

Ariya Dawn Holley, age

four months. You should be

able to pick her out from the

imposter on the left. Looking

at Ariya, one can see patience

in her demeanor, an unspoken

questioning of just who the

other guy is and why he’s

in the frame, and an openeyed

and patient willingness

to wait it out and go on to

other things. Would it be that

we all faced the world with

the attitude displayed by the

granddaughter of Greendale

Assistant Chief of Police Pam

Taylor and Councilman Brett

“Mooch” Hamilton?

Greendale Parks has

adopted that attitude, and

we’re asking you to do the

same. We’re proud of the

holiday lighting display in

our parks, disappointed that

there was some vandalism

emanating from the shallow

end of the gene pool, and

proactive in amping up

camera surveillance in critical

areas.

A large mud hole on Rand

Avenue will be morphing

into six pickleball courts and

DOVER

By

Rhonda

Trabel

Community

Correspondent

dover@goBEACONnews.com

The eleventh annual Gobble

Wobble 5K celebrated another

successful year. The total

donation to North Dearborn,

Sunman, and ECHS Food

Pantries was $58,136.54.

Race participants totalled

1,211, women being 57% and

men 43%. Twenty-nine people

donated to the race while

forty-five were competitive

walkers. Over one thousand

runners/walkers participated,

many as members of groups

or teams. Overall race winners

were: Men’s Run- Joseph

Scheele (15:27), Benjamin

Moster, (15:42), and

Ben Riehle (15:59); Women’s

Run- Callie Bentley (18:41),

Lanie Nicholson (18:48),

and Catherine Niese (20:14);

Men’s Competitive Walkers-

Victor Neff (35:46), Gerard

Dubois (37:32), and Tom

Widener (39:15); Women’s

Competitive Walkers- Sealey

Hyatt (38:54), Christy

Elbright (40:06), and Kaileigh

Snyder-Emery (41:37);

Group/Team- Feast Mode (23

members; 1hr 22min total

team time); Potato Smashers

(6 members 1hr 41min total

team time); Trossman Family

(9 members 2hr 3min total

team time).

Fifteen states were represented

in this 2024 race. They

were Arkansas (1), Colorado

O

ur

a tennis court this coming

spring. Progress is messy.

Thanks for your patience.

The next couple of months

will see the removal of

playground structures in

Homestead Park. It’ll be an

inconvenience but will be

worth it when new equipment

is installed in March.

I want to thank Mayor

Karsteter, Clerk-Treasurer

Becky Lyons, and the City

Council for supporting the

efforts of the Park Board-

Donna Commons, Emmy

Gray, Randy Goodwin, and

Guilty as Charged. We work

hard to do the best for the

most with what we have……

and it can get complicated. I

think we all have that “Ariya”

expression occasionally.

We’ve been chewed out

for not removing the same

equipment in Greendale

Park that we’ve been praised

for rehabilitating. Both

within days. And isn’t that

wonderful?! People notice.

Our parks are for all of us,

and we all should weigh in

about the use of our valuable

public greenspace.

The fact is that Greendale

and its residents care about

our parks. You might go so far

as to say that the park system

is at the heart of the city.

It’s where we, walk, where

we play, where kids learn

sportsmanship. Our parks

provide a stage for acting silly

and safely acting out. Quiet

corners to commune with the

greater universe and ponder

our place in the world. Sacred

places to welcome us and

embrace us as we move from

the stroller to the climber to

the cane.

We’re asking you to tell us

about things you love about

the parks. Things you would

like to see changed. Ways you

feel they can be improved.

You can do so by contacting

us through Greendale’s

website and social media

page. We want to hear what

you want to say. We’re like

(1), Georgia (7), Illinois (5),

Indiana (1025), Kentucky

(22), Louisiana (1), Michigan

(3), North Carolina (1),

Ohio (122), Pennsylvania (5),

Rhode Island (2), Virginia (2),

Wyoming (1), Unknown/Unstated

(13).

The Gobble Wobble proceeds

help the Sunman Food

Pantry buy hams for Easter as

well as milk, eggs and cheese.

At Thanksgiving, turkeys and

side dishes are provided. For

Christmas, approximately

one thousand people receive

Christmas baskets filled with

turkey, milk, eggs, cheese,

and fruit.

The North Dearborn Pantry

uses the proceeds for Thanksgiving

and Christmas meals

for two hundred to two hundred

fifty families each year.

Communities

Santa and Ariya Dawn

Holley

Ariya- looking forward to

what comes next.

Stellar Pathways

(Editor’s Note)

The City of Greendale incorporated

the Ridge Avenue

Streetscape Project into the

Stellar Pathways Project for

Dearborn County. This project

will significantly enhance the

streetscape along Ridge Avenue,

a project that has been

part of Greendale’s Comprehensive

Plan since 2019. The

Streetscape Improvement

Project was also in the 2023

Main Street Preservation and

Development Plan.

The Streetscape project

includes upgrading downtown

streetscapes, widening

sidewalks, installing decorative

street lights, planning and

maintaining street trees, creating

bump-outs, and delineating

on-street parking. These

key elements will not only

improve functionality but

will also enhance aesthetics.

The result will be a walkable,

attractive area along Ridge

Avenue that can foster local

businesses and community

growth while contributing to

the quality of life in Greendale.

Congratulations to Greendale

for its part in being a

Stellar Community. (See page

2A for details on the complete

Stellar Pathways plan.)

Youth from All Saints Parish

help distribute the meals. The

pantry provides monthly food

boxes to families throughout

the year. In July and August,

school supplies are provided

to children in need.

The East Central High

School food pantry will use

proceeds to buy school supplies,

food, and clothing, as

needed, for students in the

local community.

We are thankful for the people

who organize the Gobble

Wobble each year. This year

the team of organizers were

Sarah Leiker, Amy Eisele,

Charlotte White, Eric Barrow,

Christa Shipman, and

Fr. Meyer.

Now that 2025 is here, I

wish everyone the happiest

and healthiest new year.

Dale Ashcraft with his parents and godparents during his

baptism.

YORKVILLE

& GUILFORD

By

Laura

Keller

Community

Correspondent

yorkville@goBEACONnews.com

Vivian Follick

Yorkville gained two new

residents! Justin and Krystle

Follick welcomed Vivian

Justine on Nov. 11 weighing

7 lbs. 12 oz. and 21 inches

in length. Justine was welcomed

home by her big sister

Scarlett. Proud grandparents

are Albert Kraus, Jr., Kim

Taylor, and Steve Follick.

Dale Roy Ashcraft was

born on Dec. 1 and baptized

on Dec. 15. Proud first-time

parents are Blake and Sarah

Ashcraft. Grandparents are

Mark and Nikki Ashcraft,

and Doug and Dawn Hornbach.

Mrs. Ashcraft’s siblings

Matthew and Maggie Hornbach

are excited to be godparents

to their nephew.

Congratulations to Kevin

Beiersdorfer, who placed

third in the Expo Bowl in

Indianapolis.

If you have any news in

the Guilford or Yorkville

area you’d like me to share,

please email me at yorkville@

goBEACONnews.com.

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Page 6B THE BEACON February 2025

AURORA

By

Randy

Turner

Community

Correspondent

aurora@goBEACONnews.com

Hello Beacon readers, more

stories that need to be told!

The holidays were too short

and quick, but I enjoy the time

off more each year. I especially

enjoy seeing family and

friends and the decorations

in town. Now I missed going

out to see lights last year, so

I filled my cup with eggnog

and went for a ride. I am a fan

of lights over blowups, but

Shane Saeorf on Manchester

St. had a reindeer that was 24’

tall- very impressive.

Bryon Gibbs who lives

next to me on Gaff Street is a

treat that I get to see nightly.

He also does Halloween as a

big display. He has an Abominable

and two pink pigs that

I really like. His front yard is

small, but he has it jammed

full of decorations.

David Lewis on Sunnyside

has decorated his house, front

and back, for many years. It

is viewable from the front on

Sunnyside and from Park Ave.

behind, which really shows up

O

ur

in the darker area. Thank you,

David!

Bob Palmer lives in the old

Schuck building on Second

Street. From Santa on the

roof to the sidewalk, all those

fantastic lights on the outside

of the building and in the

windows were fantastic this

year. Really liked the drummer

boy in the one doorway.

The Art Guild gets credit, but

those are all Bob’s doing! For

older ones, Bob shared King

George Feustel’s front yard

on Jandel Drive. Duke gave

stock dividends over that electric

usage for those displays.

Not related, but Anne

Turner at 511 Fourth St.

continued her outstanding

work to show off her house.

It is the yellow one that really

turned out great. She keeps it

perfect in the summer, and her

Christmas lights were very

well done.

Carl and Janet Petty had

their house lit up on Sunnyside,

but they gave credit to

their son John and his wife

Nicki for the work.

The best whole neighborhood

was my old friend Frank

Linkmeyer’s subdivision on

Cosby Drive. Not a lot of

houses, but they all joined in.

The Pollack family’s display

at the end of the street was

worth the trip. Set off by the

Communities

lake in front of their house.

I was out of eggnog at this

point, but I really express my

THANKS to all who worked

hard to light up Christmas.

So many more that I could

mention.

Mayor Patrick kicked off

the town festivities by lighting

the Christmas Tree at Second

and Main. Not a real tree as

he wanted, which I cannot

believe someone did not offer

to donate one. The artificial

one they had seemed to work,

as it welcomed Santa and

Mrs. Claus to the “Miracle On

Main.” They did their magic

each weekend with “Breakfast

With Santa” hosted by

the Aurora Lions and Main

Street Aurora. All of the kids

got goodie bags, cookies, and

pictures with the Claus’s. I

had fun doing the picturetaking

of kids sitting on their

laps. The best shots that go

unnoticed are when the kids

turn and talk to Santa. That

is the time when the cameras

should be clicking. The

expressions on those faces

are priceless. Wants of toys

is a serious business! Let’s

not forget those who scream

like banshees, they get photos

taken as well to be used for

future torment.

Dave and Judy Hizer’s

Dickens Village, train rides,

carriage rides, and live reindeer

boosted holiday spirits.

So did entertainment from

different musical groups and

singers. All in all, Christmas

was done very well on Main

Street!

One last comment on the

tree in the street. We are in

big trouble if INDOT installs

a “roundabout” in Aurora.

Highly visible arrows directed

Lucy Shell, Leilani Kervin, and the STAR Addy Shell visiting

Mrs. Claus and Santa.

everyone to go counterclockwise

around the tree, but

so many ignored that. I hope

Santa did not grade on driving

skills!

Not all of the action was

in town. South Dearborn

High School had their Variety

Show. A lot of talent up

on that hill with singing and

dancing. Maddi Finn and

Klooey Paige did great solo

acts. We heard the band play,

“Where’d My Pants Go?”

loud for the crowd. They had

me with that name. I must

say my favorite was this big

old kid coming out on stage,

or so I thought. Tulsa Henderson,

a hidden talent in

South Dearborn’s school staff,

proceeded to knock my socks

off! Thankfully someone

knew how good he was and

convinced him to sing. Dude,

you made my night!

Concerts were performed

all through the month from

SD High School through the

middle school, kindergarten

through third grade, our school

was showcasing the kids!

Even with minimal cold

weather and minor rain and

snow, Christmas was a great

time to do things and visit

with family and friends.

I am sure everyone knows

that our communities saw the

loss of an institution as the

“Frisch’s Big Boy” closed up

on Dec. 22. Today’s generation

never had the fun of

cruising the original Big Boy

on Friday and Saturday nights

under the watchful eyes of

Mr. Jesse Todd. That man

was respected by all the kids

who came there from Aurora,

Dillsboro, Rising Sun,

and Lawrenceburg, showing

off their cars with uncapped

headers, and bragging about

their schools. Solo or with

your favorite date, or buddies,

it was the place to be! Very

glad to have had that lifestyle,

and we did it without cell

phones. Well, time marches

on! Welcome 2025!

parks

dearborn

county

the Dearborn County Parks Foundation.

A Gift For all Seasons!

www.dearborncountyPARKS.com

DEARBORN COUNTY RECYCLING CENTER

DRIVE-THRU

Drive in and stay warm

when you recycle this winter!

NEW ALSACE

By

Laura

Keller

Community

Correspondent

newalsace@goBEACONnews.com

For eighteen years, the

New Alsace Conservation

Club (NACC) has sponsored

fifth- and sixth-grade

girls and boys to attend the

Indiana Conservation Officer

Organization’s (ICOO) Karl

Kelly Youth Conservation

Camp. The 2025 camp will

be held for seven days in

June, usually the third week.

The NACC is looking for

twenty-five or more children

who would be interested in

attending the camp at no

cost! All fees are paid for by

the NACC.

If your child, niece, nephew,

or neighbor is in the fifth or

sixth grade and likes outdoor

adventure, this camp would be

something they would enjoy.

Visit www.icoo.com for more

information. All registrations

must go through the NACC

as they will pay for the cost

of the camp. Contact NACC

secretary Dale Back at backdale@gmail.com

or text him

at 812-212-2601 to register.

Are you a musician, have

a special talent, or enjoy live

music? Mark your calendar

for open mic night, held the

last Friday of each month at

7 P.M. at the North Dearborn

American Legion! The event

is open to the public and admission

is free.

The North Dearborn American

Legion is hosting its

monthly euchre tournament

on Feb. 16 and Mar. 16. Doors

open at noon and games begin

at 1 P.M. The entry fee is $5

per person with cash payouts

to the four highest scores. Refreshments

are available for

purchase. Call 812-623.-3695

for more information.

If you have news in the

New Alsace area you’d like

me to share, please contact me

at newalsace@goBEACON

news.com.

Recycle more in the New Year!

Automotive chemicals

Batteries (non-alkaline)

Light bulbs

Mercury products

Cooking oil

Fire extinguishers

Tires*

General recyclables

Paint products

Garden chemicals

Pool & spa chemicals

Household chemicals

Scrap metal

Electronics*

Appliances*

Monday-Friday 9am-4pm

Wednesdays 9am-6pm

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Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 7B

LAWRENCEBURG

By

Debbie

Acasio

Community

Correspondent

O

ur

Communities

lawrenceburg@goBEACONnews.com

Happy New Year! Here’s

to (hopefully) some relaxation

time in 2025. December

was a whirlwind of activities

again this year. I had the good

fortune to attend a showing

of Home Alone at Music Hall

with the Cincinnati Orchestra

playing the background music.

Wonderful! Then it was

on to Playhouse in the Park in

Cincinnati later in December

to see A Christmas Carol.

Needless to say, there was

little time for me to attend all

the wonderful activities going

on in Lawrenceburg and I

relied on friends and family to

fill me in on all the fun times

I missed. So a big thank you

to all those who shared their

photos with me of a fabulous

December, 2024. Did I

mention I ran up to Carmel to

attend the Christkindlmarket?

Yes, very cool and highly

recommend it but not on a

Saturday. Crowded!

The ice rink in Lawrenceburg

has been a fun activity

this winter for area kids.

Marina Rico turned ten this

year and began the celebration

at an igloo in the City

Lilly Scott, Raelynn Bamburger, Gabby Schneider, Elise

Bostick and Marina Rico at the rink.

Jenny Awad as Krampus

with Sam Fulton at the

Lawrenceburg Christmas

parade.

Park. Then it was on to the

rink with friends to skate. Her

parents, Victor and Elena

Rico, are teachers in the Lawrenceburg

school system in

the Spanish program. Central

Elementary school kids also

had a reprieve from school

work to enjoy the rink.

The Dearborn County

Debbie Acasio dropping off

toys for Toys for Tots donated

by St. John Lutheran

Church.

Historical Society entry in

the Lawrenceburg Christmas

parade was the prize winner

this year. Accompanying Jim

Fulton’s 1950 F1 truck was

none other than Krampus (aka

Jenny Awad) in attire guaranteed

to scare anyone that

came in her way.

A big thank you to the

The Knue family and the thirteenth annual toy giveaway.

Victor, Elena, Marina and Mateo Rico celebrated Marina’s

tenth birthday in an igloo.

Knue family for their thirteenth

annual toy giveaway to

kids in Lawrenceburg. Toys

and candy that are purchased

solely through donations and

with the help of city employees,

firefighters, and police

officers this event honors the

memory of 13 year old Eddie

Knue who passed away in

1992.

Thank you to Lora James

of Aurora and Mary Ann

Pettit of Lawrenceburg (and

others at St. John Lutheran

Church) who helped make the

bake sale at Christmas on the

Avenue in Greendale a huge

success. The bake sale profits

of $750 went to the Clearinghouse

to help others with food

insecurities.

Stay warm but enjoy all that

Lawrenceburg has to offer.

a pumpkin tire. They have

brightened the Manchester

area this season with an even

bigger Christmas exhibit

with two tire sculptures!

Michael, Brooklyn, and baby

Hudson are showing off their

holiday spirit.

Next month, I am looking

for article ideas about TRA-

DITIONS. Please email The

Beacon if you have something

to share. manchester@

goBEACONnews.com

Michael, Brooklyn, and

baby Hudson Orlando.

Pat and Colleen Zuber,

walking Gus on a beautiful

day at Manchester Park.

MANCHESTER

By

Lisa

West

Community

Correspondent

manchester@goBEACONnews.com

Manchester’s Hidden

Gem: The Manchester Park!

Located behind the fire

department on the corner

of SR 48 and County Farm

Rd., you can find a delightful

community park with a

ball field, basketball court, a

full playground, a beautiful

walking trail, and plenty of

parking. Pictured here are

Next

Beacon

Ad Deadline

Jan. 27

The Orlando’s creative Christmas display.

Pat and Colleen Zuber with

their adorable dog Gus. Not

too long ago (when we still

had some warm days), they

could often be found walking

the trail. Colleen shared,

“We were walking daily

when it was warm. It helped

my mother-in-law after her

knee surgery, to track how

much she was walking.

The conversation is always

great! We enjoy the sounds

of baseballs being hit in the

spring. Sometimes I walk my

grandkids when they visit-

Ellaminna Springer, Camden

Springer, Zella Zuber,

and April Allen.”

No matter the season, the

park is a great way to get

some fresh air and a bit of

exercise. The walking path

is an easy paved trail that

weaves around the park. The

playground is full of swings,

slides, jungle gyms, and other

fun activities. You don’t

need to live in the Manchester

community to check it out

– all are welcome!

Back in October, we

shared news of the Orlando

family who is new to the

area. They put up a fun Halloween

display that included

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Page 8B THE BEACON February 2025

O

ur

Communities

Kristy Eaton Boyer and her

father, Larry Eaton.

VERSAILLES/

RIPLEY CTY

By

Cheryl

Damon-

Greiner

Community

Correspondent

versailles@goBEACONnews.com

Just a few weeks ago,

Versailles was bustling with a

family holiday event. Home

for the Holidays on the square

brought crowds to see the

parade, listen to the Southeast

Indiana Brass Band playing

Versailles Courthouse

Pearl Harbor memorial.

carols, shop at the vendor

booths and local businesses,

watch ice sculptures being

carved with electric saws and,

of course, visit with Santa and

Mrs. Claus. What community

volunteers and sponsors accomplish

throughout the year

to keep our area such a great

place to raise a family is truly

amazing. If you want to participate

in upcoming events,

you can volunteer for one

event, one committee, or even

just a few hours- your ideas

and time are welcome! Opportunities

are also available for

teens to get involved, too.

This year, the holiday event

Jeff Petercsak, ice sculptor

at the holiday event.

fell on Dec. 7, the same day

as the Pearl Harbor memorial.

So time was scheduled for a

moving veterans’ ceremony

at the courthouse before the

festivities started. It also

kicked off the activities in the

week leading up to Wreaths

Across Ripley County when

4,332 veterans’ wreaths were

placed on the grave sites of

local veterans by volunteers.

Next year’s National Wreaths

Across America Day will be

held on Saturday, Dec. 13,

2025. You can get information

from the Ripley County

Community Foundation at

812-933-1098.

Southeast Indiana Brass Band members Jeff Suess,

Cincinnati; Nate Sell, Milan; Josh Evans, Versailles; Doug

Nelson, Dillsboro; Brett Hoog, Milan.

2025 is the Year of the

Snake, according to the Chinese

Zodiac. Just as a snake

sheds its skin and emerges

with a fresh appearance, this

year we are encouraged to let

go of our old, stale habits and

start positive new ones. Since

the weather has been too cold

to feel like shedding anything,

I’m going to focus on decluttering

(shedding stuff). Then I

will take my gently used items

to the recycling/re-use center.

Did you know that clean, gently

used merchandise in good

condition can be dropped off

and obtained for free during

each center’s normal business

hours? Clothing, shoes, books,

office supplies, hand tools,

CDs, dishes, and non-upholstered

furniture are just a few

of the items that are accepted

and available. Think of your

sweaters that no longer fit,

toner and labels that you no

longer need, CDs you don’t

play, the bread maker machine

you bought in 2021 – all of

this can be kept out of your

closet and the landfill and happily

re-used, for free, by someone

else. This is the year to be

a snake and shed this stuff.

SSSSSSeeee you there!

By Cheryl Damon-Greiner

Seeing big outdoor holiday

displays around Christmas

is not unusual, but a family

in Versailles brings holiday

decorating indoors in a very

BIG way! Dean and Kathy

Cutter have been creating a

wonderland throughout their

home for the past ten years,

with the help of their children

and grandchildren and to the

delight of friends and family

visitors. Kathy begins setting

up the holiday display in

October and is still putting the

finishing touches on as Santa

comes down the chimney.

This year the number of

Christmas trees on display

in all sizes and themes totals

about fifty trees. This is down

from a whopping seventy a

few years ago! The number

varies as the creative urge

strikes Kathy, who enlists

A program

for everyone

A Versailles Family Holiday Tradition

Dean to help

with some of

her ideas for

decorations

made from

craft items,

promotional

toys, and

yard sale

finds. He

also has the

job of making

more

trees to hang

the rotating

collection of

baubles and

lights.

“The thing

that makes

me happiest

is to see the

joy that Kathy brings to our

friends, and as you can see,

she loves it just as much,”

explained Dean.

Kathy Cutter creates fifty

lavish trees, each with its

own theme, for the Christmas

season.

What makes their wonderland

very special are the

displays among the trees of

vintage holiday keepsakes

gathered from around the

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Dean Cutter’s favorite item

is Rudolph the Red-Nosed

Reindeer dating back to

1939.

No money out

of pocket

world that

add a sense of timelessness to

holiday traditions. The Cutters

can tell you a story about each

piece and each tree. They

are certainly creating their

own family stories that their

grandchildren will share when

they have grandchildren of

their own.

One thing that remains on

display all year is a sign in the

entryway that reads, “Enter

with a Christmas heart.”

Kathy truly wants this for all

who come to visit her and

Dean. Her efforts show her

love for her friends, her family,

and her community.

Each year the cutters open

their home for a Christmas

party. While the decorations

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com

Kathy’s favorite decorations are the pinecone

figures from Germany.

Kathy and Dean Cutter

BINGO

are breathtaking, the gathering

gets everyone in the Christmas

spirit.

Whether you decorate like

the Cutters or like Charlie

Brown, that’s what celebrating

holidays are all about,

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February 2025 THE BEACON Page 9B

LOGAN

By

Susan

Carson

Community

Correspondent

O

ur

Communities

SEH_CVMHU_Print19x1.8667V4.pdf 1 1

logan@goBEACONnews.com

Dale Lutz, son, brother,

husband, dad, grandpa, auctioneer,

and real estate guru,

is one of the most well-known

men in Logan and northern

Dearborn County. It’s been

that way since the beginning.

In 1957, Helen Lutz,

Dale’s mother, felt like she

needed to go to the doctor for

a checkup. So, she went to

“Doc” Siefferman in Harrison.

She told him she thought she

had a tumor in her stomach.

After a short assessment, he

came back in and told her she

did not have a tumor, but that

she was pregnant! Helen and

Roy were 42 and 46. This was

somewhat out of the ordinary

at the time. The news created

quite a buzz at the Logan

United Methodist Church.

Dale’s oldest brother, Harold,

was 21 years older, already

married, and in the Air Force.

He and his wife, Lillian,

had their first child only nine

months after Dale was born.

Dale also had two other brothers,

Loren and Keith, and a

sister Elaine. She was nine

Zoe Tucker modeling her

mother’s apron, a family

heirloom.

years old when Dale came on

the scene.

What’s better than baking

Christmas cookies at

Grandma’s house? Doing

it with your older brothers?

No. Picking out your own

sprinkles and colored icing?

Better. But getting to wear an

apron that Great-Grandmother

bought for your own mom

while in Austria and your

Grandma pulling it out of a

drawer just for you to wear

for this occasion? Priceless!

At least according to Zoe

Tucker, Cathy and Mark

The Lutz family’s Christmas in 1966 when Dale was nine.

Top row: Loren, Harold, Helen and Roy. Front: Elaine,

Dale, and Keith.

Zoe, Will, and Luke Tucker made Christmas cookies.

Dunevant’s granddaughter.

The apron was purchased

by Great-Grandma Helen

Dunevant, for Zoe’s mother,

Laura Tucker.

Zoe was joined in her

cookie-making plight by her

brothers, Will and Luke.

If you have news to share

about Logan, email me at

logan@goBEACONnews.

com.

Dawn Schuman, Siemer Milling Company, presented the

grant to SkillsUSA Club Members from William Henry

Harrison High School.

HARRISON

By

Amanda

Kirchner

Community

Correspondent

MOORES HILL

By

Barbara

Wetzler

Community

Correspondent

mooreshill@goBEACONnews.com

The Town of Moores Hill

honored Street Superintendent

Lanny Dell for thirty years

of service. Lynn Allen and

Terry Ingersoll presented

Lanny with a plaque and gift

certificate at the December

Town Council meeting. Town

Council President Lynn Allen

praised Lanny’s depth of

knowledge and dependability,

saying, “Lanny is a huge asset

to the Town. Thank you for

serving this Town for thirty

years. I told him (somewhat

jokingly) that he can never

retire.”

harrison@goBEACONnews.com

The Siemer Milling

Endowment for Youth

Leadership Development has

awarded $6,000 to William

Henry Harrison High School

SkillsUSA Club. The grant

will support the SkillsUSA

chapter, a student organization

focused on career and

technical education as well as

leadership development.

William Henry Harrison

High School SkillsUSA Club

chapter offers students handson

experiences, competitions,

and community service

opportunities, empowering

them to explore their

passions, develop essential

skills, and pursue successful

careers in various STEM

fields. The program includes

competitive events, leadership

development, career

exploration, mentorship, and

community service, all aimed

at providing a well-rounded

education that prepares

students for future success

and leadership roles. The

grant will fund necessary

equipment, supplies, and

travel expenses, ensuring

the chapter’s sustainability

through fund raising,

partnerships, and school

support.

Lanny Dell

Thanks to everyone who

participated in the annual Winter

Walk. Winners of the Mark

Cubert decorating contest are:

first place Bradley Rowlett,

second place Nicole Macke,

third place David Veerkamp,

fourth place Brian Krueger,

fifth place the Kinser family,

sixth place Garrett and Randi

Oak. The houses looked

beautiful.

Get well wishes for Ron

Jones Sr. and Bobbi Elza.

MILAN

By

Sialia

Swainson

Community

Correspondent

milan@goBEACONnews.com

Lots of folks braved the

frigid temperatures to kick off

the holiday season at Milan’s

Christmas walk. Large tents

and heaters were brought in

to keep the cold at bay. The

lighted vehicle parade is

always a fan favorite, along

with Santa pictures. Kudos

to all those who donated time

and resources to make this

such a fun family event!

Many local organizations

held food drives leading up

to the holidays, but one little

girl at MES took it to the

next level. Kindergartner

Olivia Murphy collected

five hundred fifteen items as

part of the school’s annual

food drive. Olivia’s family

gives her all the credit for this

amazing feat. She is a student

in Angie Potter’s class,

which earned an ice cream

VALENTINES

DAY

Friday, February 14

party for the highest collection

total.

Third-grade teacher Kris

Clark was recently surprised

to learn that she was chosen

as Teacher of the Month, an

honor bestowed upon her by

Joe Moorman of the local

bank. Kris has taught at MES

for twenty-five years and is

beloved by her students, both

past and present. Members of

the Clark family were on hand

to celebrate the award.

Work continues on the new

water tower being erected on

the north edge of town. Welders

are fabricating the tower

and ball on-site and plan to invite

the public when the final

assembly takes place by lifting

the structure with a crane.

Painting the globe to look like

a basketball will be the final

touch. Residents are looking

forward to the completion of

the new water system that was

started last spring.

Let me take this opportunity

to wish all Beacon readers a

very happy, healthy New Year

2025. If you have news to

share, please reach out to me

at milan@goBEACONnews.

com.

Celebrating milestones together.

556 Main Street

Brookville, IN

765-647-5171

ritzijewelers.net

SHOP LOCAL and tell our advertisers you saw them in The BEACON!


Page 10B THE BEACON February 2025

RISING SUN/

OHIO COUNTY

By

PG

Gentrup

O

ur

Communities

Community

Correspondent

risingsun@goBEACONnews.com

Here we go again with

another year that just flew

by. I can’t believe we are in

the year of 2025 as you read

this. Winter has really been

nice to us so far with some

acceptable weather.

I took my grandson, Grady

Walter, to his first Bengals’

game when they played

Cleveland. We had great seats

right down next to the field

behind the Bengals’ bench.

George Klopp Sr. and Jr.

got the tickets for us. George

Sr. has been a season ticket

holder since the Bengals were

founded, fifty-five years ago.

Grandson, Grady Walter,

was named Academic All-

State for soccer in Indiana

with a 4.0 grade average.

Twin sister, Carli, was named

to the All Conference Team

for volleyball for the Eastern

Indiana Athletic Conference

(EIAC) along with teammate,

Kelsey Clyde.

We had a very successful

end-of-year banquet for

approximately one hundred

fifty Vietnam Veterans and

their spouses. Several Quilts

of Valor were presented to

members by the Rivertown

Quilters, and a delicious

meal was served by Linda

Hurelbrink and others.

I was honored to be able to

help place four hundred fifty

wreaths from Wreaths Across

State Representative Garrett Bascom, Amanda Lowery,

Tammy Elbright, and PG Gentrup.

Kelli Gentrup-Pettit, Carly

Walter, and Paula Gentrup

at the award ceremony.

America on the graves of

Veterans in the Soldiers’ area

of Greendale Cemetery, and

another fifty elsewhere. Ron

Spurlock, Ernie Johnson,

Mooch Callaway, and I also

placed several at River View

Cemetery in Aurora, Rising

Sun, Patriot, Vevay, and

Brooksburg, thanks to Cari

Baylor.

Congratulations to Liam

Spurlock who recently

graduated form Air Force

Basic Training. Grandma

and Grandpa, Connie and

Ron Spurlock, attended the

graduation, along with Maria,

Chris, Ella, and Gram

Spurlock, and Grandpa and

Grandma, Steve and Sheila

McAlister.

Several people attended a

ceremony at the Southeast

Indiana Veterans Museum

to pay tribute to Tammy

Elbright on her retirement

from public service. Judge

Aaron Negengard and

Mayor Steve Slack presented

Connie and Ron Spurlock

with Grandson Liam.

Ms. Elbright with a key to

the city. Other attendees

were State Representative

Garrett Bascom, Sheriff

POST

FRAME

BUILDINGS

Built On Your Lot!

60 50 Years Experience

Large Selection of ofColors &&Sizes

Material packages available.

Tom Baxter, City Clerk-

Treasurer Rae Lynn Gipson,

Deputy Clerk, Heather

Whitham, and former mayor

Mark Guard, former County

Council member Dill Dorrell

and his wife Mary, former

County Council member

Ron Spurlock, County

Commissioner , former County

Council member and current

City Council member, Todd

Walton, Wilbur and Pam

McClure, lifelong friends

family members, Josie and

Peyton Bell, Jamie and Jason

Bell, PG and Paula Gentrup.

Amanda Lowery, representing

9th District Congresswoman

Erin Houchin, presented a

proclamation to honor Ms.

Elbright. As usual, Mason J.

Uhlmansiek did a great job

with photos.

I pray for good health for all

of you.

Award-Winning Reuse Programs Right In Your Backyard

By Stefanie Hoffmeier

Reducing waste and reusing

items is one of the simplest

and most effective ways we

can all make a difference

in protecting the planet and

slowing down the rapid filling

of landfills. Instead of tossing

things out, think about how

you can give them a second

life. Reusing bags, containers,

and even clothing can significantly

reduce the amount of

trash that ends up in landfills.

There are five great reuse

programs right here in Southeast

Indiana at the Dearborn

County Recycling Center

(DCRC): Creation Station,

ReProm Dress Exchange,

Lending Station, Costume

Swap, and the Holiday Giveaway.

These programs were

created to divert reusable

materials from landfills while

providing residents with valuable

items. Almost all of the

materials in the DCRC’s reuse

programs are donated by local

residents and businesses.

In fact, the Dearborn

County Solid Waste Management

District, also known as

the DCRC, was awarded the

2024 Governor’s Award for

Environmental Excellence

in the category of Recycling

and Reuse. The Governor’s

Awards for Environmental

Excellence is Indiana’s most

prestigious environmental

recognition, given to the most

innovative, sustainable, and

exemplary programs that

positively impact Indiana’s

environment and residents.

The DCRC received the

award for its robust collection

of reuse programs.

Creation Station is a reuse

program for school supplies,

office supplies, and craft materials.

It is free for educators

and non-profits to use, though

they must be from Dearborn

County. This includes, but

is not limited to: classroom

teachers, 4-H leaders, Scout

leaders, homeschool parents,

non-traditional educators,

and VBS teachers. Anyone

wanting to use materials from

Creation Station must provide

proof of not-for-profit status

and demonstrate intent.

Lending Station is a reuse

program that allows individuals

to borrow items for

special events, weddings, and

parties at no cost. Anyone

who wants to borrow items

from the Lending Station

must fill out a rental agreement

to ensure that items are

CNA’s, HHA’s, LPN’s and RN’s

Need some extra money?

Have some extra time on your hands?

WHY NOT JOIN

THE ADVANTAGE TEAM?

We offer 401k, weekly pay, health insurance, travel

pay, employee rewards program and much more.

Please stop in the office or give us a call

800-807-6839 • 812-537-0325

460 Ridge Ave. Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 • EOE

George Klopp, Jr., Grady Walter, PG, and Ryan Johnson

at the Bengals vs. Browns game.

returned to the DCRC in a

timely manner. It is open to

the public, not just non-profit

organizations or Dearborn

County residents.

ReProm Dress Exchange

is a formal and semi-formal

dress exchange program.

Participants are asked to bring

a dress to swap. Dresses must

be in ready-to-wear condition,

clean, and fit within

current formal fashion trends

to qualify for exchange. A set,

minimum donation is required

if you do not have an acceptable

dress to exchange. There

are over 1,000 semi-formal

and formal dresses available.

This program is open to

everyone, not just Dearborn

County residents.

Costume Swap is an annual

event held in October that

gives customers the chance

to share and rewear costumes

that would otherwise only

be used once. Over 1,200

costumes for adults and

children are available. Masks,

wigs, makeup, accessories,

treat bags, and decor are also

provided. All costumes are in

clean, good condition, with

many being brand new. The

sizes range from infant and

toddler to adult. Costume

Swap even offers a small selection

of pet costumes. Anyone,

not just Dearborn County

residents, can participate by

bringing a costume and selecting

another.

Holiday Giveaway is an

annual event held on one Saturday

each December where

anyone can come and receive

free holiday decorations, ornaments,

gift wrap, Christmas

trees, and craft supplies. All

items in the Holiday Giveaway

are free, and no exchange

donation is required.

Shoppers are limited to the

number of items they can take

to ensure everyone who participates

has an opportunity to

enjoy the Giveaway.

Donations for Costume

Swap, Creation Station, and

the Holiday Giveaway are

accepted year-round in the

DCRC Drive-Thru. ReProm

and Lending Station donations

are accepted at the DCRC

office year-round. For questions

or to learn which types

of items are accepted, visit

each program’s page under

the “Reuse” section at www.

dearborncountyrecycles.com.

24x24x8 w/ 2 doors $7,995

24x40x8 w/ 2 doors $11,900

30x50x10 w/ 2 doors $17,500

Gosman, Inc.

Madison,Indiana

812-265-5290

www.gosmaninc.com

.gosmanbuildings

Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com


February 2025 THE BEACON Page 11B

B

eacon

Vacation

The Beacon was in Pamplona, Spain attending the

Running of the Bulls. Pictured are Karlie Becker and

her cousin Anna Zahner from Bright directly on the

bull route.

The Beacon went to Yellowstone with Jeanette Losekamp. Other travelers saw

it, and they took a group photo together. Shown are Carol Ehrnschwender from

Brookville, Chuck and Rita Wissel from Yorkville, Jeanette Losekamp from Harrison,

OH, and Jane Richie and Rita Negangard from Milan. The wonderful trip let me meet

new friends that all read the Beacon!

The Pelsor family (Gus and Robin, Nathaniel and

Christin, Christopher and Ray, Alex and Kelly and

Emilie from Sunman) took the Beacon to Mont Saint

Michel in northern France.

Paul and Norma Newton,Garry and Mary Sapp of

Milan; Dale and Pauline Rodmaker of Georgetown,

IN; and Mike and Carol Jansen of Crestview Hills,

KY; visited Ketchikan. Norma, Mary, and Pauline are

sisters.

TAKE

YOUR

BEACON

ON

VACATION

If business or

pleasure takes you

out of town,

bring your

hometown

newspaper along

for the trip.

Send your photo,

displaying the

Beacon,

to

editor@

goBEACON news.

com

Please include

where you live.

It’s interesting

to see how

well-traveled

our readers are!

PROFESSIONAL

DIRECTORY

Cornerstone Realty, Inc. &

Lutz Auction Service, LLC

“One Call Does It All”

Dale Lutz

.

25980 Auction Lane, Guilford, IN 47022

Office 812-637-2220

Cell 513-266-1859

cstonerealty.com lutzauctions.com

13260 EVGENY CT.

DILLSBORO, IN 47018

BROCKSSTORAGELLC@GMAIL.COM

812.290.1290

MOTORCOACH & MINI STORAGE

AVAILABLE

By Alan Thorup, CRMP

Recently, a good friend of

mine was talking with me

about the current situation

with his father who is close

to ninety years old and not in

good health. My friend has

three siblings and has been

designated by his father and

sisters as the ‘Executor’ of

his father’s estate, the person

legally appointed to manage

and disburse assets of a deceased

person’s estate as well

as identifying and paying off

liabilities. In my life, I have

been designated as Executor

of two estates, first for my

father and then for my older

brother. In each case, we had

documents drawn up that allowed

me to take care of their

financial needs and wishes

both before and after their

passing away.

While it is not a pleasant

task to work on, we all must

take a look at our situations in

life and prepare for the ‘What

if?’ and ‘When?’. For me, this

started back in 1993, not long

after our daughter was born.

My wife and I met with an attorney

and had the following

documents drawn up to address

our financial concerns:

a last Will and Testament,

‘Power of Attorney’, and a

‘Living Will Declaration’.

The ‘Last Will and Testament’

specifies, in writing, a

person’s final wishes and instructions

in regard to the disposition

of their assets. This

helps avoid disputes, provides

guidance for family members

and others mentioned in the

Will, and allows for an easier

administration of the estate.

Financial Planning for the Future

The ‘Power of Attorney’

(POA) designates someone

who can make decisions and

act on a person’s behalf while

they are still alive, including

if that person is unable to

do so due to incapacitation.

This person would normally

be able to manage finances,

including; paying bills, accessing

bank accounts as

needed, investing, and selling

property. A POA can also be

designated as a ‘limited’ POA

that has specific limitations of

authority or a ‘general’ POA.

Additionally, it can be ‘Durable’

or ‘Non-Durable’ regarding

a person’s capacity.

Finally, a ‘Living Will

Declaration’ may have a significant

impact on finances as

it specifies a person’s wishes

regarding medical treatment

they want to receive or

deny if that person becomes

incapacitated or terminally

ill. In addition to the financial

implications, this document

can reduce conflict within a

family about a loved one’s

care as well as provide guidance

based on their wishes.

In addition to these legal

documents, you may want to

consider documenting your

financial assets and liabilities

periodically. I have done this

annually for years, and with

our children now being adults,

I have shared this information

with them regarding the dollar

amounts, as well as where

these assets and liabilities are.

You may also want to

consider additional ways

in which you can prepare

yourself and your family for

these situations, which could

include adding a relative (son,

daughter, other) to accounts in

case you need help. However,

if you do so, be aware of the

opportunity for some things to

happen, unintended or not, by

adding that relative.

Two final notes, first, in the

situation where a loved one

has passed away, and you

believe all of his/her assets are

accounted for, take the extra

step and go to the Indiana

Office of the Attorney General’s

website at: https://www.

indianaunclaimed.gov/ and do

a search to see whether or not

there are funds that have been

forwarded (escheated) to the

state due to lack of consumerinitiated

activity. A few years

after my father died in 2007

in Michigan, my sister went

online to the Michigan Department

of Treasury and submitted

a request for their unclaimed

property. Sure enough,

as meticulous as our father was

with his finances, he forgot to

list an account he had in the

documentation he prepared for

us before passing away. With

that knowledge, and me being

the Executor of his estate, I

was able to have those funds

sent to me to distribute as our

father had designated.

Lastly, in our complex

world today, I believe your

interests are best served by

seeking out professionals with

knowledge of what I have

written above. As such, you

may want to seek the services

of an Attorney who is familiar

with estate law to ensure

that your wishes, and those of

loved ones, are taken care of

properly and legally binding.

SPECIALIZING IN

HEALTH and MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE

SHOP LOCAL and tell our advertisers you saw them in The BEACON!


Page 12B THE BEACON February 2025

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