Bloomfield News Blog

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The Bloomfield Police Department has a full-time opening and is now accepting applications for a deputy marshal.

The Bloomfield Town Council on Tuesday night accepted the resignation of Jordan Hasler, effective late last month. Hasler left the department to accept a position with the Bloomington City Police Department.

He’s been a member of the police force since 2008. …<more>

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The annual task of trimming the county budget got underway Tuesday morning and by day’s end $509,000 had been sliced from the General Fund for 2011.

For a first day of budget reviews, the council made good progress toward the goal of cutting at least $650,000 from the total submitted by the various officeholders and department heads that are within the tax levy.

The hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday and final approval of the budget is slated for Sept. 27.

The total estimated maximum levy is $5,401,002 with the total budget projection at $16.3 million.

The requested General Fund budget within the tax levy amount to $8,137,000 from all the offices and the council has a goal of cutting that amount to between $7.3 million to $7.5 million. …<more>

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

In 2010, the Linton Music Festival’s audience potentially went global — and many locals loved what they saw.

This weekend’s crowd for the sixth annual Fest didn’t have to be among the estimated 11,000 listening in Humphreys Park.

Some caught the shows, spread across three days and featuring 38 artists, on the first-ever Internet simulcast of the shows.  …<more>

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The wedding party wore sneakers.

Their wedding cake was decorated with soccer balls and ladybugs.

The groom, best man and father of the bride struck up a joking “gangsta lean” pose, throwing hand signs, straight out of a Run-D.M.C. rap video.

And on the wedding night, the groom rapped on-stage to “The Humpty Dance” with No One Zero.

Admittedly, the wedding of Doug Wilson and Stacie Tafoya wasn’t at all typical.

It was, however, still beautiful.

Many in the audience were dressed in black concert T-shirts. The rice in Music Fest cups went unthrown as cheers — and a few happy tears — filled the air as kids blowing soap bubbles filled the sky, celebrating. …<more>

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The Switz City Town Council held a public hearing for the 2011 budget at the Tuesday evening meeting.

Clerk-Treasurer Carla Porter noted that the only changes for the coming year were a reduction in the general fund and an addition of wages for the Fire Territory Board.

“There were no pay raises,” Porter explained. …<more>

Monday, September 6, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Two rural Bloomfield residents are behind bars after members of the Greene County Drug Task Force took down a working methamphetamine manufacturing lab Friday at a residence located at 4601 E. Olive Branch Road.

Neal A. Burton, 44, and Heather A. Hayes, 47, are both being held in the Greene County Jail without bond.

An ongoing drug investigation, led by detectives Josh Goodman of the Linton Police Department and Ryan Van Horn of the Jasonville Police Department, resulted in a search warrant being issued for the residence of the two suspects on Friday.

It was executed Friday afternoon and members of the Task Force including officers from the Linton and Jasonville Police Departments and the Indiana State Police spent the afternoon and evening hours on the scene processing evidence and dismantling a clandestine lab.

When officers arrived at the home, the two suspects were present as well as two young children. The Department of Child Services (DCS) was contacted and the children were released to the custody of DCS caseworkers. …<more>

Monday, September 6, 2010
Greene County Daily World

A Scotland woman was jailed for operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a Sunday night wreck on U.S. 231 south of County Road 600S.

Shelly Lockhart, 44, lost control of her 2001 Pontiac Sunfire about 9:18 p.m. and hit several trees and then came to rest at the edge of a pond.

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Jeremy Inman said Lockhart “had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on her breath and was unable to stand very well by herself.”

She was transported to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department for field test and was later arrested for OVWI after she tested .14 BAC and failed all field tests, according to Inman. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Are you the parent of an adorable tot? If so, then the Apple Festival’s baby/children contest may be of interest to you.

It’s been a tradition of the Bloomfield Order of the Eastern Star to annually sponsor the contest.

“Last year we had approximately 60 participants … I actually had to turn some away because they were trying to enter the day before the contest,” explained Rhea Dawn Gadberry, worthy matron of the Bloomfield Order of the Eastern Star.

Any child who is a resident of the county can participate, she noted. The age categories are: newborn to 12 months, 13 months to 23 months, 2-3 years of age, 4-5 years of age and 6-8 years of age.

The winners of the 6-8 year old category will reign as Little Miss and Mister in the Apple Festival parade but must provide their own transportation, Gadberry said. Both will also receive trophies or medals. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Look for the 19th annual Joe Edwards Show to land in the Bloomfield Town Park on Labor Day with several special guests.

This year Bob Hardy of Yuma, Az., will return to the Labor Day event, said Marcus “Red” Oliphant, who is the event organizer.

Uncle Bob Hardy is remembered for his television show in the early 1950s “The Hayloft Frolic.” He was also instrumental in the careers of Joe Edwards, Bruce Osbon, Bobby Helms, Sammy Smith and several others, Oliphant said.

“Uncle Bob has been here twice before and can still get the audience to clapping and stomping with his music,” he said.

The annual music event also spotlights the talents of Joe Edwards — who was a member of the Grand Ole Opry Staff Band for 32 years.

Edwards is fond of Bloomfield and its residents. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Crane pumps $1 billion into the economy each year and Indiana businesses are getting approximately 5% of that business.

In an effort to support local businesses and Crane a workshop on Federal Contracting is being offered.

Mary Kaczka of Partners in Contracting held an informational meeting this past week with follow-up workshops scheduled for Sept. 23 from 6-9 p.m. and Oct. 2 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The workshops are designed for two audiences:

* Session I: Sept. 23 — 6-9 p.m., computer lab at White River Valley High School.

This workshop will provide hands-on instruction and take people through the process of registering on line in the CCR database. At the end of this session participants will be registered in CCR and have a CAGIT code, both required registrations before continuing on to session two.

Cost for the session is $100. …<more>