Troopers from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg responded to a fatal crash involving three vehicles on State Road 403 at the Silver Creek Bridge, north of Sellersburg, on Monday morning, November 20, at approximately 8:05 a.m.
    The preliminary investigation shows that a white Ford Ranger pick up truck driven by Edward Hall, 19, of Sellersburg, was traveling northbound on State Road 403 crossing the Silver Creek Bridge. As he was crossing the bridge the driver lost control of the vehicle on the ice covered roadway and started to spin. The Ford Ranger pick up went into the southbound lane striking a green Dodge Neon, driven by Inge Ross, 61, of Lexington. After colliding with the Dodge Neon, the Ford Ranger then struck a red Ford Focus, driven by Evan Blevins that was traveling southbound behind the Dodge Neon.
    The driver of the Dodge Neon, Inge Ross, was pronounced dead at the scene by Clark County Coroner Edwin Coots. She was wearing her seat belt.
    The driver of the Ford Ranger, Edward Hall, was transported by ambulance to Clark Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Ford Focus, Evan Blevins and a passenger were not injured.
    State Road 403 was closed at the scene for over two hours while the crash was investigated and the bridge was de-iced.
    Agencies assisting the Indiana State Police were: Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department, Clark County EMS, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Clark County Coroner’s Office and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

    The Charlestown Beautification Committee is in full swing getting ready for Charlestown’s Christmas Light Up on the Square. This will be held on Friday, November 24 beginning at 6 p.m. Don’t miss this yearly tradition of seeing all the lights come on and Santa arriving on the fire engine. This year they will be having horse and carriage rides that take you through the town area and the Greenway Park. There will also be hot beverages available.
    Santa will be in his house on the square talking to boys and girls.
    On December 9, the Beautification Committee will once again be presenting the Charlestown Christmas Tour of Homes. This will start at 5 and last until 9 p.m. There are eight new homes this year. They will be selling tickets at the Charlestown Enrichment Center located on Water Street (behind Dr. Jones, Voskuhl and McGhee’s office).
    For more information call 256-7126 and ask for Donna or call Pat at 256-5782. It is suggested that you start your tour at 5 p.m. The first homes are in the country. This way you can find them while there is still some daylight and you will be sure to have enough time to see all the homes. After you finish the Tour of Homes come back to the Enrichment Center for cookies and cider and coffee. You can also tell the members of the Beautification Committee about your tour, what was your favorite home, etc.
    You are encouraged to come to Charlestown and walk around while the beautiful carols are playing and take in all the beautiful lights on the square.
    This is all done by volunteers who want you to enjoy the City of Charlestown and all the things the city has to offer. If you are interested in joining the Charlestown Beautification Committee call City Hall at 256-7126 and ask for Donna.
    The Charlestown Beautification Committee are already making plans for the 200^th Birthday Celebration to be held the summer of 2008. The committee is planning on a week long celebration for this spectacular celebration of the city’s 200^th birthday!

     Now in its 27^th consecutive year, the Charlestown Police Department’s Shop With A Cop program is now underway. Thanks to years and years of community support, the Charlestown Police Department Shop With A Cop program is the most successful and traditional program of its kind in the area.
   The program uses the two Charlestown elementary schools to nominate a total of 18 first graders shopping for clothes and toys before eating dinner with Santa Claus. The impact on the participating children, their families and volunteering police officers is overwhelming every year.
   The Department will again this year send out a letter of support to Charlestown businesses and organizations seeking donations, in addition to roadblocks. The Department, as always, will not be using telephone solicitation as part of it’s fund raising efforts for Shop With A Cop. If you receive a phone call regarding Shop With A Cop solicitation, it may be from the Clark County Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P.) Shop With A Cop program. The Charlestown Police Department is a member of the Clark County F.O.P. but continues to conduct its own Shop With A Cop program in addition to that of the Clark County F.O.P.’s.
   One hundred percent of all donations to the Charlestown Shop With A Cop program will be used to affect community needy children and their families during this holiday season. No amount is too small to assist the Department in making the program successful yet again.
   Charlestown businesses, organizations and citizens who do not receive a support letter or miss the roadblocks, please feel free to contact Officer Terry Braswell, program coordinator, or forward your donation to the Charlestown Police Shop With A Cop program, 701 Main Street, Charlestown, IN 47111.
   For more information, please feel free to contact Officer Terry Braswell at 256-6345, extension 204 or Major Chuck Ledbetter at extension 103.
   Information and photos regarding previous Charlestown Police Shop With A Cop programs can be found by logging onto www.ctownpd.com.