Salem’s 4th District Council member Gail Napier and her daughter were arrested on drug charges early Tuesday, Sept. 1 after police were called to investigate a domestic dispute. 

Salem Police Department officers were dispatched to 306 East Walnut Street, the home of Michael and Gail Napier at 9:22p.

Gail, 66, and her daughter, Annie, 35, were arrested and booked into the Washington County Detention Center early Tuesday morning. 

Michael “Mick” Napier, who was also present, was not taken into custody due to concerning medical issues. 

Charges will be filed on Michael for a future arrest, according to police. 

Gail Ruth Napier, 66, Salem was charged with:

• Possession of Marijuana, Hash Oil, Hashish or Salvia
• Possession of Paraphernalia
• Possession or Use of a Legend Drug
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance

Annie Renee Napier, 35, Salem was charged with:

• Possession of Marijuana, Hash Oil, Hashish or Salvia
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance

While the officers were on scene and attempting to settle the dispute, police discovered (what was believed to be marijuana) inside the residence. 

At 1:12a, Salem officers were assisted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, and were able to obtain and execute a search warrant on the residence.  

During the course of the investigation, multiple items involving drugs, and drug-related crimes were seized for evidence. 

Napier was elected to Salem’s City Council 4th District position last November as a Republican candidate. She also served as the director of Salem’s Senior Center for many years prior to the election. 

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

A 72-year-old Hardinsburg man was pronounced dead at the scene after a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning on US 150. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department, fire and EMS responded to a call at approximately 10:23a Saturday. 

According to police, upon arrival evidence at the scene indicated that there was a head-on collision between a White Ford F350 driven by Donald Mattox, 72, Hardinsburg. 

The other vehicle, a black Chrysler 200, driven by Shaylah Spehard, 29, of Bedford. 

Shepherd was transported by Washington County Ambulance to U of L Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. 

The crash is still under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police reconstruction team. 

ISP, Indiana Conservation, Washington County EMS, Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department, Palmyra Fire Department, Ramsey Fire Department and the Washington County Coroner’s Office assisted in the accident. 

Indiana University’s COVID-19 mitigation testing has detected an alarming increase of positive tests within Greek, Evans Scholars, and Christian Student Fellowship house at IU Bloomington.

Because these are cases of community transmission (within the houses), the university has directed all houses to suspend in-person organizational activities other than dining and housing for live-in members until at least Sept. 14, 2020. No IU residence halls are included in these measures.

The Monroe County Health Department has given notice to eight Greek houses that members must quarantine, meaning all members must stay in their houses for 14 days. The IU Bloomington Division of Student Affairs has issued a directive reinforcing this notice.

Around 2,600 students live in Greek, Evans Scholars and Christian Student Fellowship houses on campus out of the more than 40,000 students at IU Bloomington.

A list of houses directed to quarantine can be found here. IU’s public health officers are monitoring other houses to discern spread within those communities.

IU leadership has been working with fraternity and sorority chapters since the onset of COVID-19 given the special risk factors associated with this specific type of communal living. As residences not owned or operated by the university, housed Greek and student organizations were instructed to develop their own specific isolation and quarantine plans following guidance and recommendations from IU and the Monroe County Health Department. IU will continue to work with the Monroe County Health Department to support chapters during this time.

IU administration anticipated positive COVID-19 cases and created plans and procedures to mitigate the virus on all IU campuses. IU continues to closely monitor the number of cases and conduct mitigation testing and contact tracing, alongside other prevention efforts. This action taken early in the fall semester, which began this week, is critical to taking control of this type of community transmission.

While IU may continue to see additional cases identified in congregate housing locations, the risk of transmission will be greatly reduced by students and others in the IU community avoiding parties and gatherings as well as complying with other health and safety practices required by the university. 

East Washington School Corporation Superintendent Dennis Stockdale reported on the school’s social media site that another student has tested positive for COVID-19.

This new positive case will not change the school’s current plans. 

East Washington Elementary will continue in-person instruction, while the middle and high schools will continue remote instruction through September 2.

“We have already contacted all students and staff who were in direct contact with this student so they may begin proper quarantine procedures,” said Stockdale. 

Salem went to virtual instruction on Monday, August 24, and will tentatively come back to in-person instruction on Sept. 8. 

West Washington reported a case of Covid early Sunday morning and has been in virtual learning all this week. 

They identified 12 students who had been in close contact and seven of those students tested negative. The school is waiting for the results of the other five. 

They intend to return to in-person instruction on Monday, August 31. 

Superintendent Keith Nance posted comments online yesterday about how everyone can work together to help schools remain open. 

“If we sanitize, social distance and wear masks at school that is great and it protects our teachers and our kids within our walls,” Nance wrote. “If kids and families leave our school and travel outside of our community to restaurants, stores, etc, and do NOT practice social distancing, sanitizing, and mask-wearing then our school is vulnerable to closure. Sleepovers, parties and large gatherings have been the biggest culprits of bringing Covid into schools across the state.”

“If you are like us, and you want our schools to be open and stay open, then we need your help. We need our community to partner with us and practice safety measures, not just during school but outside of schools and on the weekends also,” noted Nance. 

“No matter what your opinion is about Covid-19, we are all subject to the same regulations from the state department of health,” he wrote. “If we have cases we will be quarantining students. If we have several cases we will be closing and utilizing virtual instruction. Please take the same precautions outside of the school that we do at school. Do it for our school, do it for our staff and do it for our children.”

Silver Creek High School closed its building and switched to e-learning from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8, superintendent Clemen Perez-Lloyd wrote in a memo to staff and parents of the school earlier this week.

The decision came after discussing “the current absenteeism and staffing shortage” with the Clark County Health Department.

Multiple cases of coronavirus have been confirmed at the high school in the past week.

The district announced on Aug. 20 that two students had tested positive for COVID-19, and both were linked to a non-school related event.

It announced Monday morning that two additional students had tested positive.

“An absentee rate of greater than 25% and continued transmission of COVID-19 in the community were considered,” Perez-Lloyd wrote in the memo. “The decision is based on the best interest of students, faculty, and staff of the school system.”

During the period, Silver Creek High School will serve lunches in a drive-thru pick-up setting.

They will be provided from Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The lunches can be picked up at Door R.

The Salem Lions Varsity Football team will play the Dragons tonight at Silver Creek High School at 7p. You can listen to the pre-game show at 6:40p on WSLM 97.9 FM with the kickoff at 7p. 

Melba “June” Kinney, 85, of Scottsburg, Indiana, passed away on Friday, August 21, 2020 at the Salem Crossing Nursing Home in Salem, Indiana. 

She was born on May 31, 1935 in Austin, Indiana, the daughter of the late Homer  Gardner and Lila (Baker) Gardner.

June was raised on a large farm near Austin, Indiana, graduated from Austin High School in 1953 where she was a member of the High School Girl’s Quartet. 

She was a former member of the Phi Beta Psi Sorority. 

June was married on July 2, 1955 to Clifford H. Kinney, who preceded her in death on January 4, 2010.

They were often quoted saying, “We met at a roller skating rink and have been going round and round ever since.”  

They dearly loved and adored each other and God was always at the center of their marriage of 54 years. 

June was the former manager of the Scottsburg License Branch, under the leadership of her father, Homer M. Gardner. 

She became a full-time mother in 1959, 1962, and again in 1971. 

June was completely committed and dedicated to raising her children, being a faithful, loving wife and Godly woman. 

She took great delight in spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were the apple of her eye. 

June was a member of the First Christian Church in Scottsburg, Indiana, where she taught children’s Sunday School. 

She spent many hours in the kitchen to prepare the exceptional meals she was known for by her family and friends. June was most certainly born with a green thumb. 

Her home always surrounded by an array of beautiful flowers. She inherited a special talent for sewing from her mother and played the piano by ear.  June would often play the piano at family gatherings. 

She enjoyed the beautiful birds often perched on the well-filled bird feeder she maintained throughout the year. 

June loved to laugh with others which came naturally through her incredible sense of humor!  

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Marvin Homer Gardner, and a sister, Norma Louise Vincent. 

Survivors include a son, David Gardner Kinney of Scottsburg, Indiana; two daughters, Brenda June Naugle of Sellersburg, Indiana and Karen Marie (Chris) Petty of Scottsburg, Indiana; five grandchildren, Andrea Mae England (Jason), Allison June Sellers (Joel), Emma Marie Naugle, Grant Christopher and Chase David Petty and two great-grandchildren, Adler Ryan England and Isabella “Bella” Marie Naugle.  

Private services were held on Sunday, August 23, 2020 at Collins Funeral Home with Phil LaMaster officiating. 

Interment was in Scottsburg Cemetery. 

Donations in memory of June may be given to Living Hope Ministries c/o Collins Funeral Home in Scottsburg, Indiana or to Living Hope Ministries, 5683 S Boatman Road, Underwood, Indiana 47177. 

Online condolences:www.collinsfuneralhome.net.