Christopher the Christmas Tree Creator Bowers Dies at 76
The creative mind behind Christopher the Christmas Tree, George Thomas Bowers, age 76 of Salem, passed away Thursday, December 11 at Indiana University Health in Bloomington.
Mr. Bowers was born November 11, 1938 on Bowers Tree Farm the son of John Thomas and Inez M artin Bowers. He graduated high school in Mt. Summit, Indiana. He was a member of St. Patricks Catholic Church in Salem. He attended Purdue and Ball State University.
Bowers toured and sang with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. He was a song writer and entertainer in his adult life. He was the author and creator of “Christopher the Christmas Tree”. He performed in numerous schools for countless numbers of children all around the world.
Bowers created the concept of Christopher the Christmas tree, the story of a lonely tree growing up to the the White House Christmas Tree while working on his family’s Christmas Tree farm north of Salem.
While touring with Fred Waring, Bowers developed the idea into a song and also wrote 12 other songs that eventually ended up on an album.
In the early 90s, Bowers dream of bringing Christopher to life came when he worked with animator Tim Delaney and his friends, Tompall, Chuck and Jim Glaser to create a 30-minute animated film.
The songs Bowers wrote and developed on a full length album were incorporated into the animated film that debuted on Network TV and later on VHS and DVD.
A color book was also created as well as other marketing materials for Christopher.
Bowers worked tirelessly to promote Christopher and had always dreamed of the White House naming one of their trees after his creation. He came close during the Nixon administration.
Bowers’ was a great friend of Salem as well as WSLM, having recorded several Christmas promotional commercials over the years. He was last on the radio in Nov. 2013 to promote a special showing of Christopher and celebration at the Salem Middle School.
Bower enjoyed all his friends and family and loved to tell them all the “joke of the day”.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years: Betty Blank Bowers of Salem, three sons: Gregory Jo Bowers (Debbie) of Smithville, Kentucky, Thomas Alvin Bowers of Salem and Adam Bowers (Brittany) of Omaha, Nebraska, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son: Jeffrey Marc Bowers, and his sister: Mary Ann Johnson.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11:00AM at St. Patricks Catholic Church. Burial will follow in St. Patricks Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 4-8PM and Tuesday from 9-10:30AM at Weathers Funeral Home.
In light of the fact that he loved children and Christmas, in lieu of flowers, please donate to Shop With a Cop in Salem, Indiana in memory of George T. Bowers.
Swap Shop Podcast 12-12-2014
Swap Shop Podcast 12-12-2014
NETWORKING & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH PROFESSIONALS, VOLUNTEERS, AND MENTORS
Salem, IN – Calling on all Youth Professionals, Volunteers, and Mentors!! The Washington County Family YMCA will be hosting their Winter Youth First Café
for 2014. This great networking opportunity will allow you to mingle with other youth workers, share resources, and learn more about a local service provider.
Please bring business cards, brochures, or other informational items to share on the resource tables.
Come out and learn to identify the signs and symptoms of bullying: if a child is being bullied, if a child IS a bully, if a child is exhibiting bullying behaviors and
strategies to cope with all. This presentation is designed to provide youth workers with a better understanding of bullying: what it is, what it is not, and what it looks
like. This training is suitable for parents, grandparents and other community members as well.
The IU School of Public Health will be presenting on the topic. A free lunch is provided in partnership with the Indiana Youth Institute to those who RSVP to
rosie@wcfymca.org by Tuesday, December 16th held at the Salem Senior Citizens Center located at 1705 North Shelby Street
in Salem, IN. Doors will open at 11:30am for networking and food, with the presentation to begin at 12:00pm and last until around 1:00pm.
Please share this invitation, and bring a friend!
Coffee Club Podcast 12-12-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 12-12-2014
Orleans woman dies in crash on SR56
An Orleans woman who was found dead in a vehicle Tuesday afternoon died from blunt force trauma to her chest.
According to a police report, 51-year-old Amy Jo Stevens may have went unconscious before the accident because of a diabetic problem.
Stevens was driving her 2003 Ford Focus north on State Road 56 West and crossed the center line and struck a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup truck driven by 68-year-old Jack Wetzell of Louisville. Wetzell, told police that he tried to avoid the accident, but was already too close to the guardrail.
Stevens was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wetzell complained of head pain and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Benjamin Kendall, a witness who was traveling behind Stevens on State Road 56, told police Stevens had been following all speed limits but right before the crash Kendall says Stevens did not attempt to avoid the crash or apply her brakes.
Police say there were no signs that Stevens tried to protect herself from hitting the dash or steering wheel.
Further chemical tests are pending to determine if other medical conditions contributed to the cause of the accident.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Orange County EMS, French Lick and Orange County Rural District I volunteer fire departments assisted with the accident.
Former Miss Indiana arrested in Bloomington
A former Miss Indiana pageant winner was arrested in Bloomington Wednesday on several charges.
At 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to 300 block of East 8th Street on a report of an intoxicated female knocking on the caller’s apartment door for about half an hour.
The caller said the female was banging on the door and yelling, “let me in.” Officers arrived found Terrin Thomas still outside of the door.
Thomas won the Miss Indiana pageant in 2013.
Bloomington police said Thomas appeared to be intoxicated based upon her slurred speech and abusive attitude toward them. The officer also reported noticing a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Thomas.
Thomas was wearing shorts, a long-sleeve shirt and socks. She told police she was looking for her boyfriend’s apartment.
Officers attempted to get a phone number to call the boyfriend, but Thomas said she did not have her phone or the number.
Thomas then attempted to leave the area. Officers said Thomas kept repeating herself and would not listen to questions.
At that time she was placed under arrest. When asked to sit in the rear of the vehicle, officers say she refused and pushed away. Thomas was eventually placed in the squad car and taken to the Monroe County jail.
She was booked in on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting law enforcement.
Final suspect arrested by Mitchell Police
An anonymous tip helped the Mitchell Police Department locate and take Jason D. Blake into custody just after 5:30p Thursday.
Blake was found walking on State Road 37 near Mitchell.
Blake was considered a Person of Interest in the Attempted Vehicular Assault against a State Trooper this morning just before 9:30. Blake was already Wanted on Warrant through Lawrence County for a Probation Violation.
Officers arrested 46-year-old Richard L. Cobb earlier in the afternoon.
Cobb was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on a warrant for failure to appear. Blake is being held on charges of escape and a warrant for failure to appear, according to the jail log.
Police say more charges are pending.
The manhunt for the two men began just before 9:30 a.m. after a trooper attempted to stop the men who were in a green Chevrolet S10 pickup truck for a seat belt violation on Mill Creek Road.
After initially refusing to stop, the driver led the trooper to the Lehigh Cement Plant near Mitchell.
Once the pickup stopped, the driver waited for the trooper to walk up, when without warning, the driver attempted to run over the trooper. The trooper was not hit and proceeded to give chase.
The pickup truck was located shortly thereafter, unoccupied near the Lehigh Plant, off of Meridian Road just north of Ind. 60.
Police searched the Mill Creek Road area and set up a perimeter that includes Mill Creek, Lawrenceport and Sams roads and part of Lehigh Cement Company property. Mitchell Community Schools and Spring Mill State Park was place on lockdown as a precautionary measure, while officers, K-9s and an ISP helicopter search the Mitchell area.
At this time, there are no further Persons of Interest in this case.
The Indiana State Police would like to continue to encourage anyone with any information regarding this case to contact the Bloomington Post at (812) 332-4411. All tips will remain anonymous.
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WSLM raises money for SHOP WITH A COP
WSLM RADIO’s HOMEGROWN CHRISTMAS CONCERT held last weekend at the Salem Middle School raised almost $1500 for Shop With A Cop.
Owner and General manager Rebecca White gave the proceeds of the show — $1,401 – to Salem Police Department officers Eric Mills and Scott Ratts during Thursday morning’s edition of Coffee Club.
This will help approximately 14 needy children in Washington County. 
Mills said the program has been going on locally since the 1970s when Marlon Robertson and Eugene Helm took some money left over from an FOP Country music concert and decided to take some needy children shopping for Christmas.
“I think they helped 25 kids that year,” said Mills. “This year we were able to take 100 children shopping.” Mills said the goal is to help 200 children and they have about three weeks in order to provide clothes and a toy for the remaining hundred.
White said she hopes to do the Christmas show again next year and hopes the community and businesses will support it more in 2015. “People have asked me for a couple of years to organize a concert in Salem. I will continue to organize shows like this, but I really hope they are well attended. The Salem Middle School holds 500 and we had 125. Hopefully word of mouth will help next year and we’ll have every seat filled. After all, it’s for the children.”
Rusty Bladen from Madison kicked things off, followed by Country Bourne and Deb Lyle Doyle from Mitchell, IN. Doyle is the sister of DL Reed, Salem Schools Superintendent. In fact, Reed and Doyle performed together as they sang and danced the “Sisters” song from White Christmas.
Moonshine and Berries, Hoot Von Woot and Short Notice Band also played, along with the Honorable Judge Bret Raper from Bloomington. Two groups from Nashville, Tn were scheduled to attend but had to cancel because of scheduling conflicts.
“I interviewed Pam Tillis the other morning from the Gault House. She said she was going to return to Louisville next December and would be glad to come up and help us raise money at our show,” said White. “But we’ll see. I have some good connections in Nashville for next year and will bring back our local and regional groups.”
“That’s the goal of WSLM’s HOMEGROWN RADIO show . . . to showcase local and regional talent,” said White. “There are enough songwriters, singers, bands, solo acts and musicians in the WSLM listening area that we can have a different person each week for the next four years.”
Reds trade Latos for DeSclafani and Wallach
Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty today announced during the Winter Meetings the acquisitions of RHP Anthony DeSclafani and C Chad Wallach from the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Mat Latos.
DeSclafani, 24, originally was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the June 2011 first-year player draft. In his Major League debut last season, he made 5 starts and 8 relief appearances for the Marlins but also went 6-7 with a 3.78 ERA in 19 starts and 1 relief appearance for Class AA Jacksonville and Class AAA New Orleans.
Wallach, 23, was the Marlins’ fifth-round pick in the 2013 first-year player draft. In 97 appearances last season for Class A Jupiter and Greensboro, where he was a mid-season South Atlantic League All-Star, he combined to hit .322 with 7 HR and 57 RBI. In his 2 professional seasons, Wallach has hit .293 with 7 HR and 70 RBI over 140 appearances.
Latos, 27, last season for the Reds went 5-5 with a 3.25 ERA in 16 starts around stints on the disabled list with right elbow and left knee injuries
