Road to be open for Memorial Day Weekend

Highway 283 has reopened at the Knoblick Creek Bridge in Webster County. It will be open to normal traffic flow through the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The contractor will return sometime next week to pave along this section as weather allows.

District-wide free meals to continue

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, proved to be a success in Webster County Schools in the 2015-16 school year. The program, which made free breakfast and lunches available to all Webster County students, has produced an increase in the number of meals eaten by students.

CEP eliminates the burden of collecting household applications to determine eligibility for  free school meals by offering free meals to all students.

“Where it really helped is with those students whose parents were right on the free and reduced line,” said Food Service Director Valarie Knight.

Former editor was a renaissance man

Fred Bradley, who passed away on Friday at the age of 85, will be remembered for many things. Being a former editor of The Journal-Enterprise would be among the least of those. Bradley fit the definition of a ‘renaissance man’ so closely that one might even believe the word was created just for him. His various accomplishments would make for an interesting and almost unbelievable novel.

Bradley was among the first people to cross the twin bridges between Evansville and Henderson. His father, James Lamar (J.L.) Bradley, had taken his pregnant wife across the Ohio River via a ferry in 1931, but by the time their new baby was released from the hospital, the first of the two bridges was open.

The proud parents could have had no idea when they passed fledgling Dade Park (renamed Ellis Park in 1954) in the shadows of the new bridge, just how big an impact that horse track would have on the life of their new son.

Webster Schools un-stage graduations

In response to a mother’s request for a ramp, school officials remove stages

When Abby Baskett began to prepare for her middle school graduation this year, she told her mother she wanted to go across the stage with her classmates.

So her mother, Sarah Humphrey, approached the school about the possibility.

Abby is one of two students in the middle school class of 2016 who is confined to a wheelchair. She has been a part of the class from day one, and Humphrey said her daughter wanted to graduate the same way as her friends.

But according to Humphrey, what started as a simple request turned into a mess.

“I never asked for special treatment,” Humphrey said. “I wanted inclusion, not an exception.”

Owens named Clay principal

When students return to Clay Elementary in the fall, they will have a new principal in the front office.

Susan Owens, who has been an instructional coach at Providence Elementary since 2014, will take over the school’s top position. Owens is both a former student and teacher at the school.

“I am excited to be going back to the school I attended and where I taught for twelve years,” said Owens. “Clay Elementary has a tremendous staff, and I am confident we can work together to create a culture of high expectations on behalf of student learning.”

CSX ‘forgot’ about closing rail crossing says city official

At Monday’s council meeting, councilman Keith Farrell shared residents’ concerns about the railroad crossing at South Finley Street, and the on-going construction closure of the tracks.  In a surprising revelation, Director of Public Works Jack Snyder stated he had looked into the issue that very day.   After speaking with CSX  officials, Snyder said that apparently the railroad company had simply “forgot” about it.

CSX promised to have the work completed and the crossing re-opened by the end of the week.  

Concern over emergency services needing to travel though that area was discussed and although it might be an inconvenience, those services would not be hampered.

Path of destruction

Wild ride ends in jail cell for Providence man

A Providence man’s wild ride through Dixon Monday night landed him in jail on numerous charges.

Roger J. Belt, 34, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, fleeing police, leaving the scene of an accident, and five counts of criminal mischief.

According to several eyewitness reports, Belt took a serpentine path along U.S. 41-A, running through yards and driveways before finally crashing into an embankment on State Route 1340.