Washington County Courts are opening back up for in-person cases for the first time since they were closed due to Covid-19 last spring.

Washington County government buildings have reopened as well with some restrictions, and masks will be required unless otherwise specified. 

Starting Monday, May 24^th, Washington County Circuit Court will be open as normal and will begin scheduling in-person hearings, according to Renee Cooley, Court Reporter. 

Washington County Superior Court will open back up beginning June 1, according to Shirley Batt, Court Reporter. 

Superior Court will resume in-person hearings for all types of cases except as
follows:

• Inmates will appear by video unless the Court approves a request to
  appear in person.
• Parties, Witnesses, Attorneys, and Criminals may appear by video or
  telephone unless specifically ordered to appear in person.

Batt said they must arrange participation by video or telephone at least 24 hours in advance when possible.

No Court hearings may be photographed or recorded at any time.

When possible, social distancing will still be required, and approximately
half of the seats in the courtroom will be designated as unavailable.

Masks must be properly worn in the common areas of the building.

Disposable masks are available at the security desk.

Masks must be properly worn (covering mouth and nose) in Superior Court
unless fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination may be required by court employees or security officers.

Cell phones and personal items may be brought into Superior Court, but cell
phones must be silent and absolutely no weapons are ever allowed in the
building except by approved law enforcement officers, said Batt. 

Circuit Court, the Clerk, and the Sheriff will continue to set policy for their own
employees and areas.

If you have a hearing in Circuit Court, you are expected to appear in person for your hearing, Cooley noted in a press release.  

This includes all hearings including but not limited to all CHINS, criminal(even Pre-Trial Conference), juveniles, and domestic.  

Judge Larry Medlock will not be granting video hearings unless they are absolutely necessary.

If you wish to bring someone with you to court you may now do so. 

Masks are still required in the common areas of the building.

In the Circuit Courtroom, masks may be removed if you are fully vaccinated. 

The Judge, Bailiff, and/or Court Reporters may request proof of vaccination card at an open hearing, so please bring your vaccination card with you. 

If you have a SUPERIOR Court case, you need to check with that Court on their protocols.

At the City of Salem, we have been promoting National Teen Self Esteem Month.  We want the teens in our community to know their value.  

Being a teenager isn’t easy.   New demands are put on them socially, academically, and financially that is all part of growing up.  Some teens can become overwhelmed and find themselves feeling less than their peers.  They may feel they are falling short of their idea of who they should be. We want to remind our youth of their value and that we are all uniquely made, important contributors to society, including our teens.

According to LifeWorks Well:

• 20 % of teens suffer from depression before reaching adulthood.
• 30% of depressed teens received help for their depression. 
• 75% of girls suffering from low self-esteem act out in a destructive manner by cutting, eating disorders, drinking, smoking, etc.
• 7 out of 10 girls believe they do not measure up in some way – academically, physically, performance, relationally.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of deaths in Indiana among 15–24-year-olds.  Only trailing behind motor vehicle accidents.  
• A teen commits suicide every 100 minutes. 
• Over 5% of teens admit to substance abuse.

There are several ways that we can help boost teen self-esteem.  Encourage them.  Build them up.  Send them a letter telling them how valued they are.  Share the positive things you see them doing. 

Keep open lines of communication with them.  Ask them what they like about themselves and encourage them to look at the positives.  Urge them not to fall into the comparison trap.  Talk to them about the dangers of social media.  Remind them that social media is not always reality.

Finally, model healthy habits for teens to help improve their self-esteem.  Let them see the importance of taking care of oneself.  Encourage them to get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet, and exercise.  We all feel better when we are taking care of ourselves.  

If you have serious concerns with your teen’s self-esteem or well-being, we encourage you to call your doctor or pediatrician.  The National Suicide Prevention lifeline also provides a resource to get help for teens and individuals in distress.  The lifeline is available 24/7 and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).   

As we look toward the fun events that May holds for our youth with the beginning of summer, the City of Salem encourages you to invest in our teens.   Give them your time.  Listen to them. 

Show them you care.  Remind them not only during National Teen Self Esteem month, but every month, how valuable they are. 

— Salem Mayor, Justin Green 

A 28-year-old man was killed in a head-on auto accident on Dog Trot Road near Salem on Saturday involving a family of four. 

Dakota Roby 28, was traveling west in a 2013 Honda Civic. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

He struck a 2006 Honda SUV with Aron Dubois, 23, Mayme Dubois, 20, and their two children, 1 and 2. 

The parents were transported by air ambulance to the University of Louisville Hospital. The two children were taken to St. Vincent Hospital in Salem.

Their condition is unknown. 

According to Deputy Brad Naugle, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department was informed of an accident at the intersection of Dog Trot Road and State Road 60 at approximately 10:05p. 

Naugle said evidence at the scene indicated the vehicles struck each other head-on. 

The Sheriff’s Department is trying to confirm where the victims were from. 

Assisting officers were Reserve Officer RH Bennett, Salem Police Officer Devin Hopkins, the Indiana State Police, Washington County Ambulance Service, Washington County Coroner’s Office, Salem Fire Department and Wilcox Wrecker Service. 

The Washington County Fair will be back this year after a year off due to Covid-19 with events beginning June 12 with the baby contest, truck and tractor pull, and horseshoe pitching contests and closing out with the Demo Derby on June 19. 

The fair was held last year only for 4Hers and immediate families and staff. The public was not afflowed to attend due to Coronavirus restrictions across the state. 

As over 2.4 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, more and more of the pre-2020 life is returning to near normal – including the fair. 

According to Fair Board President Cheryl Lee, there will be additional signage reminding patrons to social distance and wash hands frequently, but there will be “no restrictions.” 

A Fair Board meeting will be held Monday, May 24 at 7p to finalize many details, but the annual schedule was released Sunday afternoon. 

Grandstand events will include:7p

• Monday, June 14 – Queen Contest at the Salem Middle School at 7p
• Tuesday, June 15 – Teen Contest at the Salem Middle School at 7p
• Tuesday, June 15 – KOI ATV Drag Racing at the grandstand at 7p
• Wednesday, June 16 – Motocross Racing at the grandstand at 7p
• Thursday, June 17 – MCIW Wrestling at the grandstand at 8p
• Friday, June 18 – local racing at the grandstand at 7p
• Saturday, June 19 – Demo Derby at the grandstand at 7p

The annual parade will be held Sunday at 6p (see the entry form below).

There will be an Open Class Sheep Show on Saturday, June 5 and 6.

Saturday’s show will be at 12:30p with a Lamb BBQ being served from 11a thru 4p. Weigh-in for the show is between 8:30a and 10a. 

Sunday’s show will begin at Noon with a weigh-in and registration from 8:30a til 10a. 

Thursday, June 10 there will be communications judging at 6p and a fashion revue at 7p.

Friday there will be early project drop-ff between 4-8p and non-perishable regular 4-H project check-in and open judging between 5-8p.

The annual baby contest will be Saturday, June 12 at 1p with registration at noon. 

Senior Citizens Day will take place on Tuesday with Kids Day following on Wednesday. 

There will be free entertainment at the top of the hill each evening. 

Commercial buildings will be open to area merchants. 

Brady Amusements will be back again this year with carnival rides opening Monday, June 14 each night from 6-11p. 

Wednesday will feature special riding times of 12:30-2:30p.

Discount ride bracelets go on sale Monday, May 24 at Mid-Southern Savings Bank for $25 each which are good for unlimited rides for three nights (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of the fair only). 

PARADE ENTRY FORM 

QUEEN CONTEST RULES

QUEEN CONTEST FORM 

PRINCE AND PRINCESS RULES AND FORM 

PARADE ENTRY FORM 

Funding our schools continues to be a priority in Indiana, with half of all state spending dedicated to K-12 education. To further support Hoosier students and educators, Indiana’s recently passed two-year budget makes a historic $1.9 billion investment in K-12 education over the biennium to pay for increased teacher salaries, address learning loss and fund important programs.

This record investment includes $600 million in additional funding for public schools annually, which fulfills and exceeds the Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission’s recommendations for increasing teacher salaries. Schools are also required to dedicate at least 45% of their tuition support to set starting teacher salaries at $40,000. If these benchmarks cannot be met, schools will need to report to the Indiana Department of Education or request a waiver. While many local schools are meeting these standards, the recommendations push all schools across the state to give teachers raises, including our own.

Indiana’s next fiscal blueprint also allocates $37.5 million to Teacher Appreciation Grants to reward highly effective and effective educators. These grants not only support impactful teachers but also encourage more Hoosiers to pursue this rewarding profession. 

To help combat learning loss caused by disruptions from the pandemic, lawmakers dedicated $150 million to the Student Learning Recovery Grant Program. While many students naturally experience some form of learning loss during summer breaks, extended virtual learning during the pandemic caused some to fall behind in their studies during the school year. These grants will help young Hoosiers catch up and stay on track moving forward.

Other key areas of education support include funding for career and technical education programs, special education grants and health programs.

Our next two-year budget makes strong investments in K-12 education, while also paving the way to pay down debt and enact future tax cuts and reforms. To learn more about our budget investing in all Hoosiers, visit indianahouserepublicans.com.

Local Paoli FFA students will be able to continue selling pork and lettuce to their school cafeteria thanks to a new law authored by State Rep. Steve Davisson (R-Salem).

Davisson said local FFA students at Paoli Junior-Senior High School are raising hogs and growing hydroponic lettuce to sell their products to the school cafeteria, but hit a roadblock because of certain state requirements.

To help, Davisson authored a new law that allows schools and agricultural education programs to work together without going through a formal state procurement process for food purchases up to $7,500 each year.    

“This new law removes obstacles for students who want to gain experiences they can use for the rest of their lives, which could also possibly launch them into an agricultural career,” Davisson said.

This will hopefully encourage more schools around the state to create similar programs that provide students with real-world skills and healthier meals.”

Davisson said that without this law, the procurement process would need to be open to wholesale distributors, and the FFA group would not be able to compete against them in order to sell their food to the school cafeteria.

House Enrolled Act 1119 goes into effect July 1, 2021.

To learn more about new laws signed into law by the governor, visit in.gov/gov/newsroom/2021-bill-watch/.