Grants to groups in Crothersville, Vincennes and South Bend will push the envelope with virtual-reality history programs and more

Organizations in Crothersville, Vincennes and South Bend are the first to receive new Innovation Grants from Indiana Humanities. Their projects will use virtual reality to present history, provide literary arts programming for prison inmates and explore the diversity of people who power food production.

The grants offer up to $10,000 to support Indiana nonprofit organizations that introduce new ideas, utilize unique approaches and reach underserved audiences. In order to receive an Innovation Grant, applicants must demonstrate they’re stretching boundaries to create fresh, inventive and even risky projects.

“We’re thrilled to award the first-ever Innovation Grants to three organizations that demonstrate the unmatched curiosity and invention of Hoosiers,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “We continue to be amazed by the innovation of our grant partners and their ability to inspire Hoosiers to think, read and talk.” 

The projects receiving Innovation Grants are:

“Rewriting Incarceration: Moreau College Initiative Literary Arts Project” will receive $10,000 for Holy Cross College in South Bend to provide literary arts programming for inmates at the Westville Correctional Facility. Activities will include a summer writing seminar, a fall-semester poetry and creative-writing course, and a spring-semester advanced-writing course. The college will offer a public reading of the students’ work and produce a catalog of their writings.

“Eye of the Wabash: Collaborative, Historic Virtual Reality,” a project from the Knox County Public Library in Vincennes, will receive $6,040. The library will develop a history-focused virtual reality program that will provide local historical organizations with virtual reality hardware and train them how to use it. The goal is to help the organizations create high-quality virtual reality content that’s engaging and pushes storytelling to a new level.

“Updating Hoosiers’ Narrative about Food and Farming,” a project from the Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition in Crothersville, will receive $10,000. The group will host a series of on-farm events that will include tours, reading and discussion of farm-related literature and the collection of farm and food stories at recording stations. It will produce a series of podcasts using the stories and oral histories it gathers. The goal is to explore our modern-day food-supply system, help the people of Indiana better understand farming in the 21st century and provide a full picture of the diverse people who are providing us with food.

About Indiana Humanities

Indiana Humanities connects people, opens minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk. Learn more at www.indianahumanities.org.

On October 19, 2019, at approximately 2:35 am, Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a crash, reported on Franklin Church Road.

At the scene, Deputies discovered a 2003 Dodge Durango, which had been traveling north on Franklin Church Road.

The vehicle was being driven by Stephany Thurman, age 33 of Pekin, Indiana.

There was one passenger in the vehicle, Matthew Lozier, age 33 of Salem, Indiana.

Evidence at the scene indicated that Thurman drove left of center for an unknown reason and off the west side of the roadway.

The vehicle then travelled back across the roadway and off the east side of the roadway, where the vehicle rolled over and came to a rest on its top.

October 17, 2019, at approximately 2:45 p.m., Indiana State Police dispatch advised information of a dark passenger car traveling westbound near the 18-mile marker, that was reportedly driving erratic and that had struck a guardrail earlier on Interstate 70.    

Trooper Andrew Mattern observed a passenger vehicle meeting that description near the nine-mile marker westbound.  The vehicle was off the interstate, but was located partially on the shoulder, and partially down an embankment, facing south. 

The vehicle was occupied by an adult male in the driver’s seat and two children in car seats.  Trooper Mattern observed flames and smoke coming from under the vehicle.

Trooper Mattern and Jared Pirtle, of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department, immediately got the children and the male driver out of the vehicle and Master Trooper Hans Nowak, who had arrived on scene was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher.  

Trooper Mattern spoke to the male driver who was identified as Christopher Mack, age 37, of Indianapolis. 

Further investigation by Trooper Mattern revealed, after administering and failing several standard field sobriety tests that Mack was under the influence of a controlled substance.  Mack refused to submit to a certified chemical test and was transported to an area hospital to receive medical clearance. 

Upon receiving medical clearance, Mack was then taken to the Vigo County jail where he is currently being held.  

The two children were turned over to the Vigo County Department of Child Services and further investigation will be conducted by their department.

Assisting Agencies:  Several Putnamville State Police Troopers, Vigo County Sheriff’s Department, Vigo County Department of Child Services, Terre Haute Fire Department and Lambert’s towing service.

Arrested and Charges:  Christopher Mack, 37, Indianapolis, IN 

• Operating a Vehicle while intoxicated with a passenger less than 18 years of age, Class 6 Felony (2 counts)
• Neglect of a dependent, Class 6 Felony (2 counts)
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Class A Misdemeanor
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, Class C Misdemeanor 
• Driving While Suspended (Prior), Class A Misdemeanor
• Criminal Mischief, Class A Misdemeanor 

Sneezing Cause of Roll Over

Yesterday morning a fit of sneezing and coughing caused a truck driver to lose control of his semi and rollover.

Preliminary investigation by Trooper Clay McBride showed at approximately 11:00 a.m., yesterday, Thursday, October 17, 2019, a 2018 Freightliner semi pulling a box trailer, owned by Semo Express out of Sikeston, Missouri, and driven by Steven Baker Junior, 47 of East Prairie, Missouri, was exiting from I-80/94 eastbound to Indianapolis Boulevard northbound when he lost control. 

Baker stated he became distracted by a spell of sneezes and coughs when he opened his eyes he thought he saw a passenger car next to him which caused him to swerve to avoid it.

The Freightliner left the roadway and Baker felt his trailer (loaded with 30,000 pounds of aluminum) to sway.  The semi overturned onto its driver’s side and it came to rest in the right lane of Indianapolis Boulevard northbound.

Baker (who was wearing his seat belt) was entrapped and had to be extricated from the semi by Good Samaritans and was transported to North Lake Hospital in Gary with non-life threatening injuries.

The semi-trailer had to be off-loaded before it could be up righted.  The crash site was re-opened at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Assisting: Hammond Fire, EMS and Civil Service and Bert’s Towing.