Innovation in the Washington County Clerk’s office continues by expanding payment options to include credit and debit cards.

Previously, the only payment options available in the county clerk’s office was with cash, money orders or cashier’s checks. As of Thursday, March 9^th, the office now has the capabilities to accept credit and debit card.

“We are innovating to make our clerk’s office more accessible because it’s what our county deserves,” said Clerk Sarah Milligan. “I’ve always felt government and office holders should continually be working to provide the best, most quality service to the public, and that is what I intend to aspire towards during my time as clerk.”

Clerk Milligan said she is always looking to make utilizing the clerk’s office more convenient for Washington County residents and believes that expanding a person’s ability to pay does just that.

After researching options, Milligan found an opportunity through Gov-Pay, a business which offers premium electronic payment options for government offices.

Using Gov-Pay comes at no cost to the office or to the county. They provide free, state-of-the-art equipment to accept credit/debit card payments at the counter and online.

“In the past, we have had so many individuals come to pay traffic tickets or pay down their court fees and do not have cash on hand,” explains Clerk Deputy Brehanna Wilcoxson. “We would always have to direct them to the nearest ATM across the street, but now that is no longer a limitation for the public and for our office.”

Gov-Pay requires a minimum payment of $3.00 per transaction. Though this vender does not charge any transaction fees to the county for using the equipment, a convenience fee is applied to the “principle” payment amount.

The convenience fee is applied and paid by the cardholder or the check accountholder. Those fees vary depending on your form of payment. 

• 1.95% of transaction amount for debit cards with a pin number;
• 2.5% of transaction amount for credit card or debit card;

If you make a payment by cash, money order, or cashier’s checks you will not have a transaction fee or charge added to your end balance. 

We all have many important numbers to remember in our everyday lives, but do you know the most important numbers? Your health numbers!

Stop by on Saturday, March 11 from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for St.Vincent Salem Hospital’s FREE Community Health Screening Day and learn what these numbers mean for your health and well-being.

We will also offer blood draw screenings outside the cafeteria from 6:45 – 7:30 a.m. for those individuals attending the Lenten Breakfast at St.Vincent Salem.

Screenings include:

• Cholesterol
• Blood Pressure
• Triglycerides
• Blood Glucose

In addition to a variety of health screenings, there will be free health information, giveaways and much more! While you are there, stop by booths from several local health-minded organizations.

Screenings are available to the first 150 attendees. Registration is not required, but screenings are provided on a first-come, first served basis. Fasting is highly recommended.

For more information, call 812-883- 5881 ext. 1366.

Youth First, of the Washington County Family YMCA, and Creating Avenues for Student Transformation (CAST) will be celebrating the 7th annual Giving from the Heart event on April 8th, 2017 at Southern Hills Church.

Previously hosted by the Women’s Giving Circle of the Washington County Community Foundation, a spring tea is once again planned to support our mission to provide opportunities, services, and education to families in Washington County, Indiana.

CAST and Youth First are local youth serving organizations with the passion to make positive change in our community through various youth enrichment programs. This year’s tea will be hosted by these two organizations, and all proceeds will directly benefit their deserving causes.

CAST is an organization that serves Middle School Students in Washington County.

Currently, CAST offers summer enrichment opportunities for middle school students, and a tutoring and mentoring after school program to Salem students on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. Students are bussed from school to the program housed at Southern Hills Church, where they receive homework help from qualified volunteers.

CAST focuses on its mission of encouraging Washington County students to grow into contributing citizens with a lifelong passion for learning. CAST also partners with the Washington County Family YMCA’s Youth First Program to have Rocks Life Skills Curriculum delivered to their participants.

Youth First builds assets in our Youth. Through the many athletic and enrichment programs geared towards youth at the Y, Youth First strives to aid our children in being prepared for bright futures by building their 40 Developmental Assets.

The 40 Developmental Assets, an initiative of the prestigious Search Institute, are a set of skills, experiences, relationships; behaviors that enable our youth to develop into successful and contributing adults.

With the intentions of building assets in Youth, The YMCA and its Youth First initiative strive to fill community voids in these areas to provide youth with the environments, mentors, skills sets, and personal commitment needed to succeed. YMCA Youth First programming has many options to help grow Assets in our youth—from break camps, ROCKs and Jr. Rocks, to the After School Program, Preschool, and Youth Sports and Leagues—there is something for everybody.

“We are so happy to continue offering our important programs thanks to the generous support of our community,” said Cassie Summers-Corp, Executive Director of C.A.S.T. “Every sponsorship and ticket purchase will go to ensure youth in Washington County will receive a safe environment, positive interactions, encouraging relationships, and crucial life skills.”

Tickets are now on sale for the event, which will be held on April 8 th at 2pm at Southern Hills Church. Individual tickets are $50, a couple is $90, table of 4 is $175, table of 8 is $330.

Children 12 and under may attend the Kid’s Tea for $5 each. Reservations may be made at the Washington County Family YMCA and are encouraged by March 17 th , 2017. We are also currently accepting sponsors for this event. Sponsors receive media recognition, program mention, and tickets to the event. Sponsorships should be confirmed by March 3 rd , 2017.

Tea and light refreshments will be served at this very special event.

There will be a youth art show featuring young talent from across Washington County. Beautiful local art from Rosanne Quatroke of Art Gives Back will be available for purchase.

Powerful guest speaker and Washington County local, Courtney Henry, will be sharing about the incredible power of giving to change lives through her story of her son, Coleson. This is a one event you won’t want to miss.

The Indiana State Police recently promoted Paulita Thomason to the position of Indianapolis Regional Laboratory Manager.

Paulita graduated from Rockcastle County High School in Mount Vernon, Kentucky in 1989.  She attended Eastern Kentucky University and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forensic Science in 1994. 
 
She began her career with the Indiana State Police in 1995 in the Trace Evidence Unit and performed casework in Fire Debris and Fiber Analysis.  In 1997, she transferred into the Biology Unit where she worked Serology, DNA and Bloodstain Pattern Interpretation cases until her recent promotion.

Thomason now serves as the Laboratory Manager for the Indianapolis Regional Laboratory.  She has oversight for maintaining the evidence system within the Laboratory Division which includes evidence submissions from countless law enforcement agencies in central Indiana.  She also has managerial responsibility for the evidence clerks and photo technician who are assigned to the Laboratory.   

“We look forward to having Paulita serve as our new Laboratory Manager at our Indianapolis facility, stated Indiana State Police Laboratory Division Commander Major Steve Holland.  “She has a background in our Biology Section that went beyond casework, to include laboratory related instruction at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and Crime Scene Investigator training around the state. She maintains interactions with the various components of our Indiana Criminal Justice System and is well respected.”    

Paulita resides in Shelby County with her three children, Kennedy, Chandler and Brayden.  . 

For further information on Forensic Disciplines go to www.in.gov/isp and click on the “ISP Laboratory Division” link.

A crash late Wednesday evening near Ferdinand on Interstate 64 claimed the life of a Virginia man.
 
At 9:30 PM Wednesday, 56 year old Sabrina Felton of Roanoke, Virginia was driving eastbound on Interstate 64 near the 60 mile marker, about three miles west of Ferdinand. 

Felton was in the passing lane and had just driven around a tractor-trailer when she encountered 89 year old Rueben Boswell of Henderson, Kentucky. 

Boswell was driving westbound on I-64 in the eastbound passing lane.  Felton attempted to drive her 2010 Toyota Prius into the median to avoid the crash but was unable to avoid colliding with Boswell’s 2005 Toyota Camry.
 
Felton and Boswell were both transported by ambulance to St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville for non-life threatening injuries sustained in the crash. 

The front seat passenger in Felton’s vehicle, 34 year old Brandon Taylor of Roanoke, VA, had to be extricated from the car and was flown by LifeFlight to St. Mary’s Hospital, where he died due to his injuries.
 
Interstate 64 was closed for nearly four hours while troopers investigated the crash.
 
Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Ferdinand and Santa Claus PD, Dubois and Spencer County EMS, and LifeFlight.