School football players and fans hav Board Meeting.
    Last February, after many months of work by the West Clark Football Boosters, the school board designated Silver Creek Middle to be the pilot football program for the school district. At that time, the school board members stated that future growth of football programs for all schools would be dependent upon the success of the pilot program.
    On Thursday, November 8, school board members voted unanimously to begin a junior varsity program at Silver Creek High School in the Fall of 2008. This first JV program is slated to be open to freshmen and sophomores at Silver Creek.
    Dennie Amos and Lisa Poulton, both representing Silver Creek Middle School students, spoke in favor of continuing the football program by telling board members about favorable changes and accomplishments they had seen in their own players and also in other players on the Silver Creek team. Poulton also presented school board members with letters from some of this season’s players which expressed their gratitude for allowing them to have a school football program.
    Also on the football agenda, Linda Uhl, a booster board member from Henryville, addressed the school board requesting a football program be approved for Henryville this fall. School superintendent, Monty Schneider, will meet with school principal, Mr. Albert and Uhl before the December school board meeting to discuss a potential fall program at Henryville. e more to cheer about after last Thursday’s West Clark Community School

    The recent Autumn on the River Festival held October 20 and 21 in historic Bethlehem was a huge success according to David Abbott, second year co-chair of the event. Abbott and Andi Oles again were co-chairs of the annual festival.
    "I think Andi does a fantastic job. She really puts everything she has into ensuring that everything runs smoothly," stated Abbott. "I want to publically thank her for her hard work and dedication."
    Abbott had several people he wanted to express his gratitude toward for this year’s successful festival.
    "I don’t know where to start. There are so many people involved in making sure Autumn on the River is a success," Abbott stated. "I want to thank the vendors for their support and of course the volunteers. If it wasn’t for the volunteers this festival would not be here now. I thank them for their hard work and support throughout the festival and throughout the planning phase."
    He continued, "We also want to thank those who made a donation to the event. I cannot name each individual because I would be too afraid of forgetting somebody. We want to thank those who donated food, items for the raffles or auction items. We greatly appreciate that support."
    Abbott said he had many festival goers comment to him about the beautiful display of American flags near the area where everyone parked for the event.
    "We had a lot of good comments about the flags. That display would not have been possible without Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden, Major Chuck Adams and Bill Hostetler. I thank Chuck and Bill for their help in organizing the work release program," Abbott stated.
    The Clark County Sheriff Department’s work release program is what enabled the flag display. The workers placed the over 3,000 flags as a tribute to the fallen soldiers in Iraq. The group also works a week prior to the festival to get the grounds ready and the week after cleaning up the grounds.
    "Those guys come up a week before and clean and spruce the grounds up by trimming and mowing and putting up the tents. Then the week after the festival they clean up the trash and the stuff left behind and take down the tents. I don’t think the festival would be as successful without the help from the work release program. I truly am grateful to Sheriff Rodden, Chuck Adams and Bill Hostetler."
    This year’s festival drew record crowds to the quaint little village of Bethlehem.
    "I believe the beautiful autumn weather allowed for us to have the record crowds," Abbott stated as he recalled the nice cool temperatures in the morning that came with lots of sunshine in the afternoons. "The weather was absolutely beautiful on both days. Usually we have nice weather on Saturday and not so good weather on Sunday, or vice versa."
    The Autumn on the River Committee will host their wrap up meeting on Sunday, November 18 at Bethlehem Schoolhouse. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m.
    Although the group is wrapping up this year’s festival, they are already making plans for next year’s event. Both Oles and Abbott have again agreed to co-chair the event. Next year will be the duos third year as co-chairs.
    The 2008 Autumn on the River Festival will be held the third weekend of October, October 18 and 19, 2008.
    "This is just one more way that we are working to make Clark County a better place to raise your family. I want to continue to offer a fun-filled weekend where a family may come and spend some quality time together and not have to spend a lot of money. If you can offer family’s things to do with little or no cost to them, then you are making Clark County a better place," Abbott concluded with a grin.

    Last Tuesday Clark County voters went to the polls to decide who will be leading the county beginning January 1, 2008.
    Many local offices were up for grabs in Charlestown and Sellersburg. After the final votes were cast and tallied the results starting rolling into the candidates’ headquarters.
    In the weeks heading up to the General Election, held last Tuesday, November 6, Clark County was buzzing about one highly contested race. The race drawing lots of attention was the race for the Mayor of Charlestown between incumbent Mayor Mike Hall and former Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall. The two are no relation.
    The congratulatory calls came into Bob Hall soon after the votes were tallied. He won the election with 1,306 votes or 55.93 percent while Mike Hall took 1,029 or 44.07 percent.
    Donna Coomer, Charlestown Clerk-Treasurer’s, was unopposed in the election. She received 1,753 votes.
    For the Judge’s seat in Charlestown George Waters won his sixth election as he took 1,232 votes or 53.75 percent. Republican candidate Fred Krenke received 1,060 votes or 46.25 percent.
    Democrat Jeff Aaron, Charlestown’s District 1 Councilman, ran unopposed in the election. He received 461 votes.
    Aaron is ready to begin working with the newly elected council.
    In Charlestown’s District 2, Democrat incumbent Terry Pierce won his re-election bid. He took 324 votes or 55.48 percent. George Roberts received 260 votes or 44.52 percent.
    The District 3 seat will now be held by Republican Scott McKechnie. He took 274 votes or 53.20 percent while Bill Resch earned 241 votes or 46.80 percent.
    Political newcomer Republican Dan Roberts will now hold the District 4 seat. He took 328 votes or 51.98 percent while incumbent Brian Walker received 48.02 percent or 303 votes. The race was the closest in the Charlestown Election.
    The Charlestown City Council At-Large seat will also have a new face as Republican Mark Goodlett. Goodlett received 1,267 votes or 55.47 percent to Bruce Bottorff’s 1,017 votes to 44.53 percent.
    As the voters of Charlestown were electing a new Mayor, the voters in Sellersburg were shuffling their Town Council.
    The Sellersburg Town Court Judge R. Thomas Lowe won his bid for re-election over Democrat Bruce Walker. Lowe recorded 750 votes or 53.19 percent to Walker’s 660 votes or 46.81 percent.
    Sellersburg’s Clerk Treasurer will remain David Kinder as he tallied 896 votes or 63.46 percent as Tom Schuster had 516 votes or 36.54 percent.
    In District 1, Republican Paul Rhodes was re-elected to his second term over Rick Ashabranner. Rhodes earned 739 votes or 52.94 percent as Ashabranner received 657 votes or 47.06 percent.
    Democrat James LaMaster will hold District 2's seat as he defeated Mike Hostetler. LaMaster tallied 709 votes for 50.53 percent as Hostetler received 694 votes or 49.47.
    Republican Michael Lockhart was the other Town Council member to retain his seat as he was re-elected to his second term. Lockhart defeated Roy Everitt by a count of 750-662. Lockhart earned 53.12 percent of the vote as Everitt received 46.88 percent.
    District 4 voted in Democrat Terry Langford with 731 votes or 52.25 percent. Langford took the seat occupied by incumbent Trinette Imhof who received 668 votes or 47.75 percent.
    The Sellersburg At-Large seat will be held starting January by Brian Meyer who earned 866 votes or 60.94 percent. Meyer defeated current Sellersburg Town Council President Doug Reiter. Reiter received 555 votes or 39.06 percent.

    Over the past two months Officer Mark Meyer of the Clark County Sheriff’s Department had received information about the possibility of methamphetamine being manufactured in the New Washington area.
    Early last Friday morning, Officer Meyer and K-9 Loki were on routine patrol when Meyer noticed suspicious activity at the residence.
    Meyer made contact with other officers with the Sheriff’s Department to help with the investigation. Officers knocked on the front door of the residence as a male quickly exited through the back door. The male was identified by Meyer as James Fouts. He was ordered to stop and was then taken into custody.
    Contact was then made with the owner of the residence and consent to enter was granted.
    Upon entry officers discovered five other subjects in the residence and an alleged working methamphetamine lab. The subjects were identified as Daniel Stoner, Dora Vibbert, Billy Jo Smith, Travis Smith and Timothy Webster.
    According to the case report filed by Meyer, officers also observed in plain view, several pieces of paraphernalia, bags of marijuana, cell phones, purses, duffle bags, brief cases, plastic grocery bags, several glass jars, hot plates, funnels, tubing, glass beakers, filter papers and other paraphernalia allegedly used to manufacture methamphetamine.
    The subjects were then removed from the residence to a safe environment. After safely removing the subjects they were placed under arrest.
    According to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office protocol policy the Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Lab Division was notified to respond to the residence. They arrived on scene approximately 3:31 a.m. to safely dispose of the methamphetamine lab.
    Meyer also requested a search warrant due to finding personal property at the residence not belonging to the home owner. After receiving the search warrant officers searched the home and vehicles parked at the property.
    The investigation concluded with the arrest of six subjects. Those arrested were: Daniel Stoner, Dora Vibbert, Billy Jo Smith, Travis Smith, James Fouts and Timothy Webster.
    Stoner was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Precursors to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.
    Vibbert was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Precursors to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Visiting a Common Nuisance.
    Billy Jo Smith was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Precursors to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Visiting Common Nuisance, Violation of Legend Drug Act and Possession of Knife with Automatic Blade.
    Travis Smith was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Precursors to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Visiting a Common Nuisance.
    Webster was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Precursors to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Visiting a Common Nuisance.
    "Mark Meyer and K-9 Loki should be commended for their hard work in this case. Meyer and K-9 Loki have proved themselves in this case," Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden stated. "K-9 Loki is our newly purchased drug utility dog and this just proves that we are pro-active against drug activity in Clark County. I am proud of the job Officer Meyer and K-9 Loki have done on this case."
    Rodden encourages everyone who witnesses suspicious activity to please report the activity to the Clark County Sheriff’s Department at 283-4471. Callers may remain anonymous.