FREE But donations Martin County accepted. Click above WEDNESDAY, “Celebrating the rich history of Martin County and the maRch 19, 2014 people who make it great.” JOYear 5U, Issue 12 • MarRtin County, IndNiana • Fourteen apages L www. martincountyjournal.com • [email protected] • Cell: 812-259-4309 • Fax: 888-380-2761 • PO Box 148 Loogootee IN 47553 Quarry to start repairing road BY COURTNEY HUgHETT Martin County Journal Publisher Matt Hart with Indian Creek Quarries explained to the Martin County Redevel - opment Commission at their meeting Tues - day night, March 18 to give an update on the status of repairing Mt. Olive Road, the road leading to the quarry. He said they are waiting to accumulate enough sand, which has been hard to acquire, and are looking for a start date of April 1 to start working on the road. Hart said they just purchased a truck to mix their own concrete to put down on the road. He added that as you come off Hwy. 450 there is a hill and a curve; they are going to be flattening the hill by cutting off seven feet and also -Photo by Bill Whorrall, www.billwhorrall.com widen the road. Commission member Dan Soaring Gregory asked if Lawrence County is put - Birds are amazingly adapted for life in the air. The Red-tailed Hawk is one of the largest birds you’ll see in North America. ting forth money to fix the section of the The Red-tailed Hawk has a thrilling, raspy scream that sounds exactly like a raptor should sound. Whenever a hawk or eagle road in their county. Hart said they did appears on the movie screen, no matter what species, the shrill cry on the soundtrack is almost always a Red-tailed Hawk. agree to pay some money but he wasn’t sure how much. Gregory said that Martin County committed to paying up to $50,000 but that was contingent on what Lawrence Employees want raises before pool County put forth. He said Martin County will match what Lawrence County puts in. BY COURTNEY HUgHETT pool but not increase employee wages. Several members of the council replied The rest will be paid for by the quarry. Martin County Journal Publisher Auditor January Roush told the council saying they were not giving $300,000 to the Hart added that he will be giving area that since a salary ordinance is already in city for the pool. Council member Randy residents notice when they plan to start The Martin County Commissioners and place for this year, any elected official could Wininger said this is what was requested but working on the road. Martin County Council spent almost two not receive a wage increase or a bonus. Reg - not what has been decided. Gregory asked Hart how many employ - hours with department heads Tuesday night, ular employees could but elected officials, Council member Hawkins noted that it is such as the auditor, $297,000 not ees the company has now. Hart said they March 18 discussing county employees’ “If you have $300,000 to blow, just purchased more trucks so between salaries and the recent discussion about the clerk, treasurer, as - $300,000 and it was drivers, the drivers they will be hiring and county giving money to the Loogootee pool sessor, surveyor, think of us because it’s getting over a five-year pe - workers at the quarry, they will be ap - project. coroner, and pretty disheartening, it really is.” riod - $100,000 now proaching 30 employees. Hart said they At the last county council meeting, council recorder, would have -Martin County Clerk and then an addi - are getting ready to hire 10 drivers and he member Lonnie Hawkins spoke about EDIT to receive money by Julie Fithian tional $39,400 for was told to get at least 50 percent of them (Economic Development Income Tax) funds way of health sav - four years. (See ‘QUARRY’ continued on page 2) and giving $297,000 for the Loogootee pool ings accounts. Council member Albright questioned the project over the next five years. This sparked “I think we were all living with the fact amount and whether that much needed to be a debate between the council and county em - that we have no money because that’s what given to one place this early in the year. County’s jobless rate ployees present at the meeting. This year em - we keep hearing, ‘we have no money, we “Well, it’s got to go somewhere if it’s in ployees lost their health savings account have no money sorry about your luck’,” said EDIT. I mean we are going to spend it some - at 5.5 for January contributions due to the lack of funding. The Clerk Julie Fithian. “Now all of the sudden where,” said council member Lynn Gee. BY COURTNEY HUgHETT employees present wanted to know why the you have $300,000 to throw to the pool in “It don’t have to go somewhere,” replied Martin County Journal Publisher county could give so much money to the Loogootee.” (See ‘EMPLOYEES’ cont. on page 3) Martin County’s jobless rose slightly Middle Way needs community’s help forming response team from December to January, moving from 5.1 percent to 5.5 percent. The county had BY COURTNEY HUgHETT lence and needs help, call the Martin and not their own vehicle. Dillon said she the 11th lowest unemployment rate in the Martin County Journal Publisher County office at 295-2993. The office is lo - will now be notifying the VA when veterans state for January, tied with Boone and cated in the chamber of commerce building, ride in the van at no cost to get to appoint - Posey counties. Jennifer Young, Women’s Advocate with downtown Loogootee. ments. She said she will also be asking vet - In January, the county had 5,130 resi - Middle Way House of Martin County, Veteran Service Officer Linda Dillon erans if they receive travel benefits and if dents in the workforce with 283 of them spoke to the Martin County Commissioners gave her February report. She said there they do she will let them know they don’t without jobs. In December there were at their meeting Tuesday night, March 18 were two trips to Bloomington and one trip qualify for county reimbursement. She said 5,111 citizens able to work and 263 of them about the need to form a Sexual Assault Re - to New Albany and Louisville and she had her issue is that veterans who receive travel were unemployed. In January of 2013, sponse Team (SART) for the county. Mid - five trips cancelled, four by veterans and benefits are taking away from the fund that Martin County’s jobless rate was 6.8 per - dle Way offers programs and services to one by her for inclement weather. She had veterans without travel benefits need. cent with 5,248 residents in the workforce women and children who are victims of do - contact with seven veterans in February, Rhonda Rumble with SIDC requested and 356 of them without jobs. mestic violence and sexual assault, includ - one out of the office visit, 19 incoming permission from the commissioners to ex - Daviess County’s unemployment rate ing crisis intervention, emergency and phone calls and 39 outgoing calls. tend the Lost River Fire Station grant for 90 went from 4.6 percent in December to 4.8 transitional housing, support services, legal The commissioners also passed a resolu - days. She said the station is complete and percent in January. The county had the advocacy, child care, economic develop - tion pertaining to veteran reimbursements. the fire department has moved in but there third lowest jobless rate in the state. In Jan - ment activities, and community outreach. Dillon explained that she has veterans that are a few issues that need to be dealt with uary, Daviess County had 14,871 residents She said they are in need of volunteers from are utilizing free rides in the veterans van before closing out the grant. One issue is the in the workforce with 718 of them without the community to assist with this response provided by the county but those veterans air conditioning unit. They can’t turn it on jobs. In December there were 14,859 citi - team. A meeting will be held on April 3 are also getting reimbursed for travel from and cycle it until the weather is warm. The zens able to work and 677 of them were from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the commission - VA for the same ride or getting reimbursed other issue is grading and seeding which unemployed. In January of 2013, the ers’ room of the courthouse for anyone in - by the county. She said she didn’t think it can’t be done until the ground is dry and county had a jobless rate of 6.6 percent terested in being a part of the team. was right for them to be paid for mileage warm. The end date would be June 30 in - (See ‘RATE’ continued on page 2) Anyone who is a victim of domestic vio - when they rode for free in the veterans van (See ‘TEAM’ cont. on page 2) page 2 Martin County Journal Wednesday, March 19, 2014 QUARRY Shoals School Board discusses (Continued from page one) said he wished they had some concrete ev - personnel, school happenings from Martin County if he could. He said idence showing that the plan helped the Meeting minutes provided by Andrea -Girl Scout Troop #395 to hold weekly the one they just hired is from Loogootee.