The Founder’s Day Pageant Director Linda Dornbush has announced some changes for the 2007 pageant. The event, usually held at Charlestown High School, will be moved to the Arts & Enrichment Center. Dornbush and CBC Co-Chair Donna Coomer toured the facility and determined that because of the amenities available, it would be the best location for the contests.
    Also new this year, the winner of the pageant will have the option of taking the full $1,000 scholarship or taking $500 and using the other $500 to apply to enter the Miss Indiana USA Pageant for a chance to win further prizes. Also, the date has been moved to the first Saturday in June to allow more time for those who want to participate in the Miss Clark County 4-H Contest.
    Added this year will be a Junior Miss Pageant along with the annual Prince and Princess contest.
    CBC Members Deanna Moore and Dorothy Witten will be assisting Dornbush. The Kentucky National Guard Captain Bob Geary will be the Master of Ceremonies assisted by former Miss Teen Jillian Dornbush and U.S. Air Force General Michael Dornbush.
    CBC members Ted and Pat Little have arranged for the Prince and Princess contestants to ride in the parade in a new choo-choo train provided by the Snyder’s of Seymour.
    CBC member and Charlestown Assistant Police Chief Chuck Ledbetter is in charge of the parade.
    Henderson’s Flower Shop will be providing the roses for the winner once again and The New Washington State Bank will be presenting awards and scholarships.
    Please contact Dornbush at 599-3865 or Donna at 256-7126. There are a limited number of openings in each contest.

    The Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Danny Rodden are looking to add to the Sheriff’s Office family.
    The Sheriff’s Office is now taking applications for the Reserve program.
    Presently the Clark County Sheriff’s Office has 35 sworn officers including Sheriff Rodden and 16 Reserve officers.
    "The Reserves work as volunteer police officers," Rodden explained. "They will complete Reserve training and volunteer to help with community events. If they qualify they will also patrol to assist when man power is short," Rodden added.
    The Reserve Program is headed by Lt. Tom Lantrip. Some of the community events the citizens of Clark County may see Reserve officers are the Autumn on the River Festival in Bethlehem, the Strawberry Festival and high school ballgames.
    According to a brochure about the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Program, "Reserve Officers are sworn officers with full police powers and are charged with various assignments that include special events, details and road patrol. Examples of responsibilities include directing traffic, providing security at local school events, providing law enforcement services at local community events, court security and civil process, road patrol that includes responding to calls for police services, making arrests, completing case reports, conducting investigations, issuing traffic citations, completing vehicle crash reports and many, many others."
    Qualifications for the Reserve officers for the Sheriff’s Office are:
    Applicants must have good moral character and not have been convicted of a felony. Misdemeanor convictions will be considered on a one-on-one basis. Domestic violence convictions are disqualifying.
    Applicants must be willing to submit to an interview, or battery of interviews if required by current departmental personnel.
    Applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform law enforcement tasks that may, at times, require physical and mental exertion beyond that which is normally encountered.
    Applicants must be willing to submit to a drug screen before being sworn and must be willing to submit to a drug screen throughout their tenure with CCSO.
    Applicants must be willing to submit to a polygraph prior to being sworn and must be willing to submit to a polygraph throughout their tenure with CCSO.
    Applicants must have completed (or be willing to complete) the State mandated 40-hour pre-basic course prior to being sworn in.
    Applicants must have a genuine interest in serving Clark County in a law enforcement role.
    Applicants, once sworn, must be willing to commit the required amount of time each month to the department and must be prepared to complete the required training each year as required by the State of Indiana.
    Applicants must be 21 years of age.
    Applicants must be willing to participate in the CCSO reserve academy which is normally scheduled for four hours, two nights a week, and some Saturdays for approximately 12 weeks. Graduates of the academy will be eligible for full road certification.
    Applicants must be a U.S. citizen.
    "I want to encourage women to apply for the Reserve Program," Rodden said. "We have one woman who has already applied and she will probably be approved."
    Reserve Officers are required to complete a minimum of 16 hours per month for the Sheriff’s Office. They are also required to complete a minimum of 16 hours of formal training each year. The hours of formal training must be completed throughout the Reserve Officers’ career.
    Rodden also encourages citizens interested in becoming a Reserve Officer for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to stop by the office and pick up an application. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is located at 501 E. Court Avenue, Suite 159 in Jeffersonville.
    For more information regarding the Reserve Program please contact Lt. Col. John Shelton at 283-4471.

    Several local police officers sadly converged on Scott Funeral Home Monday evening, April 9, to pay tribute to a fallen hero.
    Jeffersonville Police Department K-9 Bak was honored with a special memorial service to pay tribute to the special K-9 who was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty on Friday morning, March 30.
    The accident occurred shortly after midnight. According to Glenn Jackson, Bak’s handler, Bak was accidentally shot by a fellow officer.
    "We responded to Garden Side apartments on a several shots fired call. When officers responded we found two vehicles leaving the apartments at a high rate of speed. We attempted to stop the two vehicles at the same time. One vehicle was in compliance. The other fled that lead to a short vehicle pursuit," Jackson explained. "Three subjects were seen fleeing the vehicle. I observed one running and deployed K-9 Bak. Due to the amount of radio activity with the two stops, I was unable to dispatch that the dog was released off his lead. Officer Parker was coming from the opposite direction and observed the suspect running across 10^th Street behind Crain Heating and Electric. The subject jumped the fence. Officer Parker was unaware Bak had been released and did not recognize him in the dark."
    Jackson continued to describe how the accidental shooting occurred, "Officer Parker was commanding the subject to surrender. Bak focused on him since he was shouting at the suspect."
    Parker then shot Bak thinking he was a stray. An investigation by the Jeffersonville Police Department cleared Parker of any wrong-doing in the accidental shooting.
    Jackson has been Bak’s partner for the past year and a half. Prior to Jackson Bak had been partnered with Cpl. Todd Hollis.
    Bak was a beautiful five-year old black and tan Czech Shepherd the Jeffersonville Police Department bought from Faus K-9 in Elkhart, Indiana in early 2004.
    After Hollis was promoted to Detective, the K-9 Division was downsized.
    "I did not take Bak until after the K-9 Division was downsized. I actually had Vudy," Jackson explained.
    During the downsizing phase the department sold two K-9's. One, Vudy, was purchased by the Clarksville Police Department. He has been with handler Tim Beyerle for the past year and a half. The other K-9, Vader, was purchased by the Sellersburg Police Department. At the time of the downsizing, Vader’s handler, according to Jackson, had personal obligations that took away from training and time he knew should be devoted to K-9. Vader is now partnered with Sellersburg Officer Matt Crump.
    Jackson had some decisions he had to make when the department was downsizing the K-9 division. He had to figure out which K-9 would be the best fit to the department and their needs for a K-9.
    "We wanted a dog for SWAT. A dog for SWAT has had to of had known street bites. I thought Bak would be the best dog for SWAT and the Jeffersonville Police Department," Jackson stated. "My wife had seen the bite marks Bak had left through a bite suite and asked me if I was sure Bak was the right dog," Jackson recalled.
    The loss of Bak has been difficult on the entire department including the local K-9 training group which includes K-9 teams from Charlestown Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Department, Clarksville Police Department and the Sellersburg Police Department. Jackson’s police family is grieving for the loss, but so is his personal family as Bak had become a part of the Jackson family.
    "Bak was actually my third dog. This is the first dog that my wife has bonded with. The first time we went out to the back yard I was playing with him. I would throw his ball and he would go and get it and bring it back. Of course, I was always training him. He would have to perform a command before I would throw it again. He did that a few times and then decided it was time for my wife to play with him. He walked around her and put his head in her lap and spit the ball out in her lap. She made sure it was okay and that was the end of me playing with him. They played. She did not make him work on training and commands. He just wanted to play," Jackson stated with a smile recalling the loving memory.
    All the local K-9's live with the handlers.
    "All the dogs live with the handlers now. I am not sure the public is aware of that. They become a part of your family. Your family becomes their pack. They are pack animals. They can’t fight that," Jackson stated.
    Jackson had Bak certified in many areas of K-9 work through the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) and through the Indiana Law Enforcement K-9 Association.
    He explained those areas, "He was certified in tracking, people whether they be lost or a suspect, area searches, searching an area for something that one of the officers may have lost during the incident or even for a lost kid. If Bak was searching for a lost kid, he would be on a lead, so he would not bite, since that is what he was trained to do," Jackson stated. "He was also trained in building searches, with possible break-ins, article search, agility, criminal apprehension and narcotics. He was certified in cocaine, marijuana, meth and heroin."
    Jackson had just completed Bak’s recertification on March 19. He had completed the course early so Jackson could certify the next week the local K-9 group. Jackson is working to become a Master Trainer and is very close to achieving his goal.
    "I am taking time to decide whether or not I want to take another dog," Jackson stated. "I told the assistant chief, Mark Lovan, I wanted to continue to train dogs and be involved in the training with dogs. He said he did not feel that would be a problem."
    Bak was a hard working dog that loved to be ‘playing’ as what he was trained to do.
    "Bak was a rank driven dog. He would always challenge you as the number one dog," Jackson explained.
    When Jackson talked with his wife about the possibility of getting another dog, she summed up her answer in just a few words. "I want another one like Bak."
    Bak was a special K-9 that has left his mark on the local police officers he showed his work ethic to during their regular training sessions at the K-9 Training Center.
    Although the local K-9 handlers know what Bak possessed was special, some training a little farther up I-65 made others notice how driven Bak and the local K-9 teams are.
    Last August, 13 local K-9 teams traveled to Muscatatuck to help train some of the most determined and brave soldiers before they headed to Kosovo. Those K-9 teams including members of the Charlestown Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Department, Clarksville Police Department, Sellersburg Police Department, Jeffersonville Police Department, Seymour Police Department, Lawrenceburg Police Department, Auroa Police Department, Rising Sun and Davies County Police Departments, all received special recognition after returning home.
    "The General Brigadier sent letters to the Chiefs and all handlers that their K-9s were Honorary Sergeants in the Army K-9 Division," Jackson explained. "So I guess Bak was actually an Army Sergeant. We all laughed and decided that our dogs actually outranked us and we should be taking orders from them."

    On April 28 at 11 a.m. Charlestown will have its first Arbor Day Celebration on the square.
   Charlestown children grades kindergarten through fifth may enter the color your favorite tree contest. Forms went out to Jonathan Jennings, Pleasant Ridge and St. Michael’s recently. You may also pick up the forms at Jay C Food Store or The New Washington State Bank.
   The Arbor Day Celebration will have tree plantings, Arbor Day Proclamation, refreshments from Jay C Food Store and the winners of the color you favorite tree will be announced.
   First prize is $50, Second prize is $30 and Third prize is $10. Fourth through Eighth place will receive a free medium Domino’s pizza. Every child that enters will receive a free Cinna-Stix coupon from Domino’s. The winners will also have their picture printed in an upcoming issue of The Leader.
   The Arbor Day Celebration, the Arbor Day Proclamation and the forestry board are all requirements to become a Tree City U.S.A. The city will apply for Tree City U.S.A. in December. This will give Charlestown the ability to apply for up to $20,000 in grant for tree care, planting and education.
   All citizens are encouraged to view the color sheets at Charlestown City Hall from April now through April 30, during normal business hours.
   The group will also have a representative from the Charlestown State Park, trees from McCoy’s Landscaping and the Master Gardeners from Charlestown.
   The Arbor Day Celebration is presented by the City of Charlestown and the Charlestown Community Forestry Board. The event is being sponsored by Charlestown Domino’s, The New Washington State Bank, Jay C Food Store, McCoy’s Landscaping and The Leader.