Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey has released the following dates for the public concerning the upcoming fall General Election.

➢September 19th @ 10am- Public Test
➢September 20th – First ABS Ballot Drop
➢October 7th- Voter Registration Ends at Mid-night!
➢October 8th- In-person Early Voting begins
8-Noon and 1-4pm(subject to change)
➢October 18th at Noon- Pre-election CFA-4’s are due!
➢ October 24th at Midnightto receive a completed ABS
application.
➢October 26th & November 2nd- Early Voting Saturdays
8am to 3pm- Not closed for lunch.

➢October 26th @ 9am- Poll worker training
➢November 4th @ Noon- In-person Early Voting ENDS!
➢November 5th- Election Day- Polls Open 6am to 6pm

WSLM will be broadcasting the results of the local and state election LIVE on Tuesday November 5 beginning at 6p. 

A candidate forum will also be scheduled for late October involving the local and regional candidates and will be broadcast live. 

Through a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Jeremy David Cox, French Lick, was arrested and charged with Possession and/or Distribution of Child Pornography (35-42-4-4), a Level 5 Felony

On August 28, 2024, Cox was arrested without incident following an investigation that began in May 2024 when Indiana State Police received three cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Based on the three tips, Indiana State Police developed a suspect, and a residential search warrant that was executed on August 28^th at Coxs’ home of record in French Lick.

Having a search warrant for the person of Jeremy Cox, he was located elsewhere and interviewed.

Cox was remanded to the Orange County Jail under the preliminary charge of Possession and/or Distribution of Child Pornography, a level 5 felony.

Additional charges under the same statute are likely forthcoming. 

Task Force members of the Indiana State Police were assisted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the French Lick Police Department.

The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a multiagency task force that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children, and the Indiana State Police oversees the task force.

The Indiana ICAC Task Force encourages Hoosiers to report online exploitation, solicitation, and enticement-type crimes against children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC website can be accessed through the ICAC Task Force website. To report a crime with your child as a victim involving the Internet or other electronic means, please contact your local Indiana law enforcement agency.

ICAC Taskforce website: https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A Cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led to the arrest of Travis Mark Boothby, 45,  for possession of child pornography.  

Detectives with the Indiana State Police – Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in Sellersburg began an investigation in June 2024 after receiving a cyber tip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The cyber tip report indicated that a specific account was possibly used to transmit child pornography images or video files.  

As a result of information gathered in the investigation, detectives requested a search warrant. 

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, investigators met with Boothby at the Washington County Probation Department and executed the warrant.

Following the search, detectives arrested Travis Boothby for three counts of Possession/Distribution of Child Pornography.  Each count is a level 4 Felony. 

Boothby was incarcerated at the Washington County Jail without incident.   

The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a multiagency task force that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children, and the Indiana State Police oversees the task force.

The Indiana ICAC Task Force encourages Hoosiers to report online exploitation, solicitation, and enticement-type crimes against children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC website can be accessed through the ICAC Task Force website. To report a crime with your child as a victim involving the Internet or other electronic means, please contact your local Indiana law enforcement agency.

Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, in conjunction with the 500 Sprint Car Tour, has released the event logo for the upcoming 65^th running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial Presented by Hard Truth Distillery and NOS Energy Drink, which will take place on Saturday, September 7^th.

Also racing that day will be the USSA Kenyon Midget Series and the Diesel Boys Race Parts Legends on the ¼ mile inner Salem track. The Midwest Vintage Racecar Club will also be on hand with vintage race cars on display and making laps on the ½ mile.

The Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial is the second longest running pavement sprint car race in the world behind the Little 500.

After traditionally being held at Salem Speedway, with the exception of a few years when the race was held on dirt, the race was held the last two years at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park after not being held in 2021. The race was last held at Salem Speedway in 2020.

The Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial will be sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour, who sanctioned the event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2022 and 2023. This year’s event marks the return of non-wing Sprint Cars to the historic ½ mile oval. The last non-winged Sprint Car event at Salem was the 2010 Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial that was won by Shane Hmiel and sanctioned by USAC. The event was run with Wing Sprint Cars from 2011 through 2015. The event was then sanctioned by USAC Silver Crown, where Kody Swanson won the event a record five times in a row from 2016 through 2020.

The past winners of this historic event is a who’s who of open wheel racing including Pat O’Connor (When it was just the Joe James Memorial), Eddie Sachs, Bob Sweikert, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Rollie Beale, Gary Bettenhausen, Tom Bigelow, Pancho Carter, Greg Leffler, Rich Vogler, Steve Butler, Jim Keeker, Kenny Irwin Jr., Tony Stewart, Chet Fillip, Dave Steele, Dave Darland, Eric Gordon, Tracy Hines, Brian Tyler, Bryan Clauson and Brian Gerster.

Hines currently holds the non-wing Sprint Car track record at Salem Speedway at a 15.181 set on August 12, 2000.

Pit gates open on Saturday, September 7^th at 12noon, with spectator gates opening at 3pm. Practice will begin at 3pm, with qualifying set to begin at 6pm. The racing action begins at 7pm. There will be an open practice on Friday, September 6^th from 5 to 8pm, grandstands seating will be free of charge to watch the open practice on Friday.  

Advanced tickets are now on sale for the 65th running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial Presented by Hard Truth Distillery and NOS Energy Drink through the Salem Speedway website at www.salemspeedway.com or by calling the track office at 866 2GO-RACE. General Admission tickets are $25, chair back seat tickets are $30, kids’ tickets for ages 12 to 6 are $5, kids 5 and under are free.

More information on Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery and the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial is available on the track’s website and via social media on Facebook and Twitter (X).

More information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour 2024 season can be found online at 500SprintCarTour.com and via social media on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram.

As part of the Indianapolis Colts High School Football Tour, Salem High School will be the final stop on Friday, October 18 with activities 90 minutes before the kickoff of the Lions vs. West Washington Senators game at 7p. 

Hellas Construction recently installed new turf at the Colts Stadium in Indianapolis and the first high school turf in Indiana – on the Jim Ralston Field at Salem, which was dedicated with a Friday night ceremony on August 9. 

The 2024 Friday Night Football Tour, presented by Hellas Construction and sponsored in part by Certor Sports and Indiana University.

Hellas is a premier sports services company committed to delivering superior solutions to communities and institutions across the United States.

By providing innovative products and services, Hellas has earned a reputation as a preferred partner for K-12, collegiate, and professional sports teams.

Hellas has proudly served renowned organizations such as the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and the Green Bay Packers.

The festivities and the game will be broadcast on WSLM 97.9 FM, which is the official  Kentuckiana Indianapolis Colts radio affiliate. 

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Force Construction Company plans to begin a bridge rehabilitation project on U.S. 50 over Sandy Creek on on or after Tuesday, August 20, in Jackson County.

Work will take place on U.S. 50 just west of Seymour between North County Road 400 East and North County Road 475 East and is expected to be complete by late October, weather permitting.

Temporary traffic signals will be utilized while work is in progress. Signage will be placed in the area prior to the start of construction.

The work currently taking place on U.S. 50 over Heddy Run is expected to be complete in late August.

This work is part of a $2.2 million contract awarded to Force Construction in January 2024. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.