With Washington County’s Covid-19 map status Washington County Schools are going to back to in-person school this week.
East and West Washington Schools returned for in-person instruction this morning.
Salem Community Schools will return with full in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 5th, according to Salem Schools Superintendent Jon Acton.
Salem’s teachers and staff reported today.
Washington County’s Covid-19 map status is currently Orange after spending two weeks in the Red.
Current Indiana State Health Department Covid-19 map
Students participating in the Online Lions program will also start on Tuesday, January 5th.
Action said the walking track will open to the public on Tuesday, January 5th as well.
Acton said Monday, January 4th would be a professional development day for teachers and administrators and NO school for Salem Students either in person or Online Lions.
“We will continue operating under the guidance of the Indiana State Health Department and the Washington County Health Department and will promptly send out notifications of any updates or changes,” said East Washington Superintendent Dennis Stockdale.
Stockdale said there were no changes for the school’s virtual students.
West Washington Superintendent Keith Nance said the school’s numbers will be evaluated daily and the county metric will update weekly.
“Decisions to remain open or change schedules may happen at any time,” Nance said. “Communication will be frequent and through a variety of platforms. Please make sure your email and phone number are updated in our system and follow our social media accounts and webpage.”
“We understand that everyone is uneasy about the uncertainty that the pandemic has brought, but one thing that we know for certain is that the lack of in-person instruction is having a negative effect on our children,” said Nance.
“We are proud of the quality of instruction that our staff provides, even during these difficult times, but nothing can replace the exceptional academic experience in the classrooms of West Washington. A difficult decision had to be made to get “Back on Track” and back in school,” Nance said.
“We will return to school with caution, but we can no longer afford to err on the side of caution. The risks of permanent negative effects on our children are too great. These negative impacts are not limited to academics. We have real concerns for the social, emotional, and physical health of our children. We are allowing for staff members with medical concerns that put them at risk to work from home, be paid and secure their positions through the pandemic.”
The local schools have operated with a mix of in-person and online schooling since August and have gone to an entirely virtual format since mid-December when the county turned “Red” on the state’s Covid-19 map.
Salem Community Schools will use current guidance from the Washington County Health Department which allows for full in-person instruction, said Acton.
“We will follow all updated changes and guidance provided by the ISDH and the Washington County Health Department,” said Acton.
Nance said the high school would operate in a hybrid schedule only if the county continued in the “Red” category.
For those high school students in Grades 9-12 only, they have been emailed what group they are in for the High School Hybrid Schedule.
Nance said parents and students are encouraged to check their emails for updates.
Additionally, the guidelines for students that are close contacts were released by the ISDH and they are attached as well. WWSC will follow these guidelines for return to school protocols. (see below).
Possession of methamphetamine – amount <5 grams and enhancing circumstance applies
Neglect of a dependent – placing dependent in a situation that endangers dependent’s life/health – abandons or cruelly confines dependent – or deprives dependent of necessary support AND results in bodily injury or is committed in a location where a
Maintaining a common nuisance
Possession of paraphernalia with prior unrelated judgment or conviction for possessing paraphernalia
Indiana State Police
James D. Hensley, 22, Attica
Out of County Charges Only
Lonnie D. Jewell, 55, Scottsburg
Possession of methamphetamine
Maintaining a common nuisance
Possession of paraphernalia
December 30
City of Salem Police
Charley R. Russell, 29, Scottsburg
Criminal Trespass
Washington County Sheriff’s Department
Joshua Lane Strange, 29, Greenwood
POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH INTENT TO DEAL
Possession of methamphetamine
Battery or battery by bodily waste (BBW) against public safety official while engaged in official duties
U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Senators-Elect Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) announced Saturday in a joint statement they will reject electors from disputed states, called for a commission to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns in those states, and for those states to convene special legislative sessions to certify their vote in a manner consistent with the findings of the commission’s audit.
“America is a Republic whose leaders are chosen in democratic elections. Those elections, in turn, must comply with the Constitution and with federal and state law.
“When the voters fairly decide an election, pursuant to the rule of law, the losing candidate should acknowledge and respect the legitimacy of that election. And, if the voters choose to elect a new office-holder, our Nation should have a peaceful transfer of power.
“The election of 2020, like the election of 2016, was hard-fought and, in many swing states, narrowly decided. The 2020 election, however, featured unprecedented allegations of voter fraud, violations and lax enforcement of election law, and other voting irregularities.
“Voter fraud has posed a persistent challenge in our elections, although its breadth and scope are disputed. By any measure, the allegations of fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election exceed any in our lifetimes.
“And those allegations are not believed just by one individual candidate. Instead, they are widespread. Reuters/Ipsos polling, tragically, shows that 39% of Americans believe ‘the election was rigged.’ That belief is held by Republicans (67%), Democrats (17%), and Independents (31%).
“Some members of Congress disagree with that assessment, as do many members of the media.
“But, whether or not our elected officials or journalists believe it, that deep distrust of our democratic processes will not magically disappear. It should concern us all. And it poses an ongoing threat to the legitimacy of any subsequent administrations.
“Ideally, the courts would have hard evidence and resolved these claims of serious election fraud. Twice, the Supreme Court had the opportunity to do so; twice, the Court declined.
“On January 6, it is incumbent on Congress to vote on whether to certify the 2020 election results. That vote is the lone constitutional power remaining to consider and force resolution of the multiple allegations of serious voter fraud.
“At that quadrennial joint session, there is a long precedent of Democratic Members of Congress raising objections to presidential election results, as they did in 1969, 2001, 2005, and 2017. And, in both 1969 and 2005, a Democratic Senator joined with a Democratic House Member in forcing votes in both houses on whether to accept the presidential electors being challenged.
“The most direct precedent on this question arose in 1877, following serious allegations of fraud and illegal conduct in the Hayes-Tilden presidential race. Specifically, the elections in three states — Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina — were alleged to have been conducted illegally.
“In 1877, Congress did not ignore those allegations, nor did the media simply dismiss those raising them as radicals trying to undermine democracy. Instead, Congress appointed an Electoral Commission — consisting of five Senators, five House Members, and five Supreme Court Justices — to consider and resolve the disputed returns.
“We should follow that precedent. To wit, Congress should immediately appoint an Electoral Commission, with full investigatory and fact-finding authority, to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns in the disputed states. Once completed, individual states would evaluate the Commission’s findings and could convene a special legislative session to certify a change in their vote, if needed.
“Accordingly, we intend to vote on January 6 to reject the electors from disputed states as not ‘regularly given’ and ‘lawfully certified’ (the statutory requisite), unless and until that emergency 10-day audit is completed.
“We are not naïve. We fully expect most if not all Democrats, and perhaps more than a few Republicans, to vote otherwise. But the support of election integrity should not be a partisan issue. A fair and credible audit — conducted expeditiously and completed well before January 20 — would dramatically improve Americans’ faith in our electoral process and would significantly enhance the legitimacy of whoever becomes our next President. We owe that to the People.
“These are matters worthy of the Congress and entrusted to us to defend. We do not take this action lightly. We are acting not to thwart the democratic process, but rather to protect it. And every one of us should act together to ensure that the election was lawfully conducted under the Constitution and to do everything we can to restore faith in our Democracy.”
Nearly 5 miles of State Road 37 in Martinsville is scheduled to close between S.R. 39 and Morgan Street starting this Saturday, Jan. 2.
Expected to last most of 2021, the closure will allow crews to work faster and safer on I-69 Finish Line construction through Martinsville.
Removing live traffic from the construction zone creates a safer environment for motorists and workers.
Crews can also work faster. The full closure will allow work to be completed a full year faster than trying to maintain limited access through the work zone.
The official detour for north-south state highway traffic follows S.R. 39, S.R. 67 and S.R. 144. Long-distance traffic is encouraged to avoid the construction altogether and use alternate routes including I-65, S.R. 135 and I-70.
Several east-west roads will remain open throughout the closure to provide local access across S.R. 37. Local traffic in Morgan County is encouraged to make hands-free use of mapping apps that include real-time traffic.
What to Expect Weather permitting, closure activity is scheduled to start with S.R. 37 southbound the morning of Saturday, Jan. 2. Law enforcement officers will direct traffic while crews change and uncover signs and install barricades. Work will continue non-stop until both directions of S.R. 37 are closed, which is anticipated to be in effect by late Saturday afternoon.
Coming into Martinsville, northbound S.R. 37 traffic will be shifted to new pavement and continue straight onto S.R. 39/Morton Avenue. The existing S.R. 37 northbound ramps at S.R. 39 will be closed for reconstruction.
Once S.R. 37 is closed to north-south traffic, Martinsville roads remaining open across the work zone will be restriped and the traffic signals will be removed.
A portion of the existing S.R. 37 pavement will be used to provide a temporary connection for S.R. 44 to S.R. 252/Hospital Drive.
During this first phase of construction, Reuben Drive will be closed west of S.R. 37 for interchange construction.
A 22-year-old Paoli man was arrested in the shooting of a Bedford man earlier this week.
Damion Young, 22, was arrested for Attempted Murder Level 1 Felony and Aggravated Battery Level 3 Felony.
The investigation is ongoing.
Tuesday night the Paoli Police Department responded to a call of possible shots being fired on Monon Drive.
Once on scene, officers spoke to the residence of 122 Monon Drive and were told that Thomas Zachary Pemberton, 26, from Bedford had come to the residence and was asked to leave.
It was reported that while at the residence, Young, and Pemberton spoke briefly.
Young then asked Pemberton to leave the residence. Pemberton then reportedly left the residence in his vehicle, striking a parked car as he left.
Pemberton then drove by the residence several times. Witnesses then reported that they heard what seemed to be gunshots.
Pemberton then went to a residence in Bedford and was taken to a local hospital where he was found to have suffered a gunshot to his neck.
Pemberton was then flown to a Louisville Hospital for further treatment.
Indiana StatePolice Detective Shane Staggs then located and spoke to Damion Young.
During the investigation, it was found that Young had shot Pemberton. Young was taken into custody and lodged in the Orange County Jail.
Assisting at the scene was the Paoli Police Department and Orange County Sheriffs Department.
William “Billy” Edward Kaelin, Jr., age 59, of Salem, passed away Monday, December 28, 2020, at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Born June 25, 1961, in Louisville, Kentucky, he was the son of William Edward Kaelin, Sr. and Wanda (Sohl) Lee who survives.
Billy was a U.S. Army veteran.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela (Wendelgast) Kaelin; his parents: William Edward Kaelin, Sr. and Wanda (Sohl) Lee; 1 son: David Scott Kaelin (Sara Elizabeth); 1 daughter: Amanda Kaelin King; 1 brother: Tony Sohl; and 5 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by 1 brother: Robert Charles Kaelin.
The funeral service will be private; Hughes-Taylor Funeral Home was entrusted with arrangements.
On December 14th, the City of Salem Board of Works announced the waiver for debit and credit card transaction fees will expire
beginning January 1, 2020.
During the height of the pandemic, the Board of Works
temporarily waived the fees with the City of Salem covering the expense to the payment processor on behalf of customers.
“The Board of Works previously voted to suspend debit and credit card payment fees when residents were quarantined and unable to make payments in person,” said Salem Mayor Justin Green. “The City of Salem covered the costs of those fees on behalf of residents during that time.”
Effective January 1st, 2021, the transaction fee will resume for customers paying their bill with a debit or credit card.
The charge is $2.95 per transaction and is remitted to the
payment processor.
As always, residents can avoid paying the transaction fee by paying via check or cash.
If anyone has a question about the fee reinstatement or their utility bill, please contact the City of Salem Utilities office at (812) 883-3937.
Police, friends, and family are still looking for a Salem Middle School student believed to be missing since Tuesday morning.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing juvenile. – Meliegh Nichole Guevara, 13.
According to her mother, April Mossey (Guevara), Meliegh was last seen around 4a on Tuesday, December 29, and is believed to have left their home on McKinley Road in Campbellsburg.
April talked to WSLM this afternoon in an effort to get information out to the listening area to try and help locate her.
She believes Meliegh left of her own will and said she had been feeling her siblings were getting more attention and possibly could have left with a Hispanic boy who might have picked her up.
She called the Washington County Sheriff’s Department at 6:24a Tuesday to report her missing.
Meliegh is described as 110 pounds and 5’1’’ tall with long black hair, brown eyes, dark skin, and Hispanic ethnicity.
According to April, Melieghaleigh has piercings on both sides of her nose.
She is likely wearing grey Vans shoes and American Eagle jeans with holes in them.
Her mother also said she had her backpack with her, described as black with the words “BLACK YOUNG BOY” (a rapper) on the backpack.
She also has an iPhone and may also be wearing a dark-colored jacket with a Mexican flag on it.
Speaking to her daughter, April said, “I love you and I want you to come home.”
Anyone with information about the possible location of Meliegh Nichole Guevara is encouraged to immediately contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Department at (812) 883-5999.
