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Warrick County confirms multiple cases of COVID-19
The Warrick County Commissioners and the Warrick County Health Department have confirmed multiple cases of the Coronavirus in Warrick County.
As of now, all the patients are self-isolating. No personal information will be released due to privacy laws.
The Warrick County Health Department reminds all citizens to:
• Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water is not available, but soap and water is best.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces.
For the most up-to-date information on Boonville and Warrick County, be sure to follow us on Facebook.
For more information on how to protect yourself from COVID-19, visit in.gov/coronavirus.
As of now, all the patients are self-isolating. No personal information will be released due to privacy laws.
The Warrick County Health Department reminds all citizens to:
• Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water is not available, but soap and water is best.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces.
For the most up-to-date information on Boonville and Warrick County, be sure to follow us on Facebook.
For more information on how to protect yourself from COVID-19, visit in.gov/coronavirus.
What's what during this time of uncertainty
UPDATE: The governor has issued a "STAY AT HOME" order.
Please, if your job is not considered "essential," stay home. A q & a and list of all essential jobs and reasons to be out can be found here. Stay safe, Boonville!
There's a lot going on.
The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing life as we know it to nearly a standstill. So, what's what in Boonville?
The big news
Obviously, schools are closed. They are, however, offering "grab and go" breakfast and lunch for anyone 18 and younger. In Boonville, locations are the swimming pool doors at Boonville High School and the north parking lot (near the gym) at Oakdale. Pickup is curbside and you just need to tell the worker how many meals you need. Pick up times are 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Breakfast for the next day will be given at the same time.
Along with schools being closed, spring sports are currently on hold. No practices or games are to be held. They are still considered "in-season," though, so players cannot rejoin their cub or travel teams during this downtime. This will be reevaluated April 6.
Boonville-Warrick County Public Library, along with Chandler and Newburgh libraries, have closed, as well.
•The City of Boonville has restricted access to city buildings - city hall, the police and fire stations and Veolia - to employees only until further notice. "We appreciate your consideration during this time. Employees will be available via telephone and emails. Please be cautious and perform social distancing. Also stay calm and DON'T panic. For those that have business to conduct at City Hall with utilities please be aware that the DRIVE-Thru, drop box, and on line bill pay is available at www.cityofboonvilleindiana.com. Even though our doors are locked to person to person traffic we are still open to conduct business in the safest way possible."
•The Warrick County Commissioners issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency and closing all county buildings to the public, with a few exceptions. Emergency hearings ordered by the court will still be heard.
The low down on restaurants and bars
The state has mandated that restaurants and bars close to dine-in customers. Here's what we know about our local restaurants:
• Commander's Grill announced via their Facebook page that they will continue to offer carry-out. "Ok. So we do take this mess seriously and we are all in this together. Here is what we are doing: We are putting together a limited menu that will be posted in a bit. We will take to go orders and curbside orders until this is over. We will have nightly 'specials' for advance orders to go. We will also have a nice Sunday Special menu in bulk for families and other single carryout items. Please stay tuned and we will have more info. Appreciate all of the positivity from our incredible SW Indiana community!"
•Yesterdaze will continue to offer carry-out and will add a delivery option. "We will be open 10:30-1 Monday-Friday for carry out and delivery!!! Please remember small businesses during this time! We need your guys help!"
•El Maguey will also add a delivery option. "El Maguey Grill will remain open for Pick Up/Delivery. The minimum for delivery orders will be $12, a delivery charge will apply. Delivery will be cash only, and delivery distances will be Boonville, Chandler, Paradise & Newburgh. We thank our community who keeps on supporting us and buying locally, from our El Maguey family to yours stay safe."
•Los Bravos is offering carry-out only.
•Stoner's Grill is adding curb-side and delivery services. "In response to the government mandated closures of bars and restaurants in Indiana, we are adapting our food service hours and also implementing curb-side service as well as delivery options. Carry out remains available as always. These hours and options are effective as of Tuesday, March 17th at Noon and will continue through the mandated 2 weeks (March 30th) or until further notice should an extension be enforced." They are open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 9 p.m. and noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. There is a $3 delivery fee and a $15 minimum order for deliveries within five miles and a $6 delivery fee on a $20 minimum order up to 10 miles. Orders more than 10 miles away are subject to approval by management.
•Pizza Chef of Boonville is operating normally, as there is no dine-in available there. They did offer sentiments on Facebook, though. "Hi everyone. We wanted to update you that Boonville Pizza Chef will remain open for as long as is allowed. We are taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and our customers. We know that this is a strange time, and we are thinking about and praying for the people who are effected. If there is anything we can do to help, please let us know. Finally, if you are still able continue supporting local businesses, this is the time to do so. Of course, please stay within the guidelines provided by our government. We appreciate the support and hope to continue feeding you along the way."
•American Diner has not posted anything regarding their plans during this time.
•Double D's is open for carry-out only.
•The VFW is closed.
•The American Legion is closed.
Support Small Businesses!
Boonville's small businesses have all echoed the same sentiment - do what you can to support local businesses. With the state "stay at home" order, all retail businesses considered "non-essential" are closed.
•1901 Emporium has opted to close for two weeks. "After much consideration we have decided it is in the best interest to close until April 1. Stay safe and healthy! If you want something, I am happy to meet you at the store."
•Miller's 5 & 10: "Hello from Miller’s 5&10! We still plan on being open this week but will reevaluate as each day comes. We have plenty of things for the kids to do during this time off like board games, puzzles, coloring books, craft kits and card games just to name a few. If anyone would like anything but doesn’t feel comfortable coming inside, just give me a call or send me a message; I’m more than happy to meet you outside and honestly, I’m happy to delivery locally after we close too! Our # is 812-897-0420 if you need it!! Shop local and support your local businesses during this difficult time!! Stay safe!"
•Shabby Sheek will remain open, but with abbreviated hours. "At this time we will remain open with shorter hours. We will be open 10 -3 Wed - Fri and 10-2 on Sat. We will be completing our already scheduled custom jobs and hopefully receiving new ones. We are also working on setting up an online option for purchases. We hope to have that available by the end of the week. We greatly appreciate your support during this difficult time. This small business is our main source of income. Mark also drives a school bus. However he has lost that income during this crises. We understand that this time is difficult for many families and we are lifting you all up in prayer. Please check back often for updates and new pretties."
•Hutchinson's Jewelers remains open, but encourages customers to explore their website, as well. "Hutchinson Jewelers – working to serve you via internet as well as in person! Our family jewelry store has been serving the community for 65 years – We appreciate your remembering you Hometown Jeweler by Shopping Local! To make it even easier – we are reminding you that you can make purchases over the phone – we can text photos of items – and take credit card payments by phone and mail your purchase to YOU! As we all work together though this health crisis, we invite you to keep us in mind – and utilize a little know option we offer – and that is online communications and mailing your purchase to you directly from us!"
•Sassafrassy's is open it's normal schedule.
•Glo Natural is operating on a normal schedule.
•Vintage Market will be open by appointment only and is encouraging the purchase of gift certificates. "In light of this pandemic I've decided to be open by appointment only for the next couple of weeks. I'll be posting pictures on Instagram and facebook. If you see something you are interested in, please message or email me here. I want to give a huge "Thank you" to all my loyal customers! Being a small business owner in this uncertain time is scary, but following the suggestions of our leaders and keeping everyone safe is the most important thing! Rest assured we are sanitizing between any visits! If you purchase a gift certificate to redeem later, I will give you a 15% discount when you use it. Again, thank you for shopping small and supporting your local community! God bless and wash your hands often!"
•The Tattoo Shop has not posted a closure, but appointments should be made by calling (812) 715-0126. They did post that they are no longer accepting credit and debit cards; they accept cash only.
•Village Mercantile is closing, but will ship items if needed. "I’ve been wrestling with the decision about closing the shop for a couple of weeks, and it’s come time to make the hard decision to do so. Unless something changes, we will be closed until Wednesday April 1. I will update you here on Facebook as well as try to keep the phone message current. Steve told me today that my phone message is from New Year‘s. Really? Could no one tell me that????? I will most likely go to the shop every day to receive mail and shipments, so if you are in need of something you can call on the shop phone (812-897-5687) and leave a message, email me (villagmerc@aol.com), or text me (812-480-4848). I can either ship your items to you or arrange a time we can meet at the shop. Now is the perfect time to enjoy this wonderful craft we all enjoy and use up some of that stash!!! I’ve ordered tons of new stuff that will be coming in, so be ready to come and shop big time when we all feel more comfortable getting out in public again."
•City Stitch Yarn Shop is open, in it's new location!
•Aigner
The Feel-Goods
•Both Comcast and Spectrum are offering free internet to keep kids connected during school closures.
•Pigeon Township Volunteer Fire Department will be providing sack lunch to those who need it beginning Tuesday, March 17 until school resumes. They'll even deliver if necessary! They are looking for donations of food and snacks and volunteers. Contact them by clicking here.
•Signarama in Evansville is offering FREE 24" x 18" plastic signs for local restaurants to designate that they are open. Contact Signarama for more information.
•Dollar General has announced that it will dedicate it's first hour to those who are most at risk. "Beginning Tuesday, March 17, we are strongly encouraging our first hour of operations be dedicated to our senior shoppers. Additionally, all stores will close an hour earlier in order for employees to clean, restock shelves as well as for their health and wellbeing. Dollar General remains committed to providing customers and employees with a safe, clean and pleasant shopping environment at all stores and seeks for customers to feel confident when shopping."
•Schnuck's will only allow those 60+ in between 6 and 7 a.m.
Cancellations and Rescheduled Events
•Boonville Youth Soccer's Spring Camp is postponed until further notice. Follow Boonville Youth Soccer on Facebook for updates.
•The Browne Sisters Concert sponsored by the Warrick County Museum is rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15. Tickets already purchased will be good that day. Refunds will be available for anyone who has already purchased tickets and is not able to attend.
Misc.
•Activities at the Senior Center in Boonville are closed until further notice.
•Hope Central is preparing for the needs of community in the coming weeks and is asking for donations of non-perishable food items. Learn more here.
•Walmart is now closing at night. Their new hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
•Vectren has suspended shut-offs for now.
•Indiana Department of Workforce Development has reminded the public that filing for unemployment is all done online at unemployment.IN.gov. Those out of work due to the pandemic could be eligible for unemployment benefits.
•Several local churches are closed. Please call your church to see if they are offering services.
•Showplace Cinemas has closed for the time being. No reopening date has been set.
•Several national chain stores have altered hours or closed. Please call ahead.
Of course, this is an every-changing story. Please let us know if you know of any updates or changes!
A little good in the community
Main Street United Methodist Church has partnered with Hemenway Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. John's United Church of Christ and Boonville High School to built food pantry boxes.
According to Hemenway's Facebook page, Main Street United Methodist Church had the idea, the high school industrial arts classes built them and the two other churches sponsored their own food pantry boxes.
There are currently three in the community - one at City Lake (sponsored by St. John's), one on Fifth Street next to Main Street UMC (taken care of by that congregation) and one in front of the old TF2 (sponsored by Hemenway).
The idea is similar of that to the Little Libraries. Take what you need and donate what you can.
According to Hemenway's Facebook page, Main Street United Methodist Church had the idea, the high school industrial arts classes built them and the two other churches sponsored their own food pantry boxes.
There are currently three in the community - one at City Lake (sponsored by St. John's), one on Fifth Street next to Main Street UMC (taken care of by that congregation) and one in front of the old TF2 (sponsored by Hemenway).
The idea is similar of that to the Little Libraries. Take what you need and donate what you can.
The New View
Click here to read the new View!
Boonville on the Silver Screen
The Resident on Fox made Boonville known to the rest of the world!
Shirts are now available at the 1901 Emporium!
Shirts are now available at the 1901 Emporium!
Check out the digital View
The digital View is now available! Click here to read it!
Celebrating fall, family and the future
It's (almost) fall, y'all!
We're only a couple weeks away from the first big fall event in Boonville.
The downtown merchants will host a Fall Open House Sept. 7. All of the merchants will be ready for fall with decor and clothing.
The first weekend in October - Oct. 4-6 - will be a busy one. In addition to the annual Square Flare, the city will host a celebration of the end of construction. The annual Play for Kate softball tournament will also be in town that weekend, which means hundreds of softball players will be in town. There is also a decorating contest, so all of the buildings lining the square will be picture-perfect. You'll be able to vote for your favorite decor during Square Flare.
The first weekend in November is the Christmas Open House. The stores will flip a switch from fall to winter in order to give you a chance for early Christmas shopping. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is, of course, Small Business Saturday. Be sure to support the businesses that support you!
The first weekend in December is Christmas in Boonville. The details aren't all finalized yet, but if years past are any indication, it will be picturesque, quaint and the perfect start to the holiday season.
So, get ready. Winter is near.
The downtown merchants will host a Fall Open House Sept. 7. All of the merchants will be ready for fall with decor and clothing.
The first weekend in October - Oct. 4-6 - will be a busy one. In addition to the annual Square Flare, the city will host a celebration of the end of construction. The annual Play for Kate softball tournament will also be in town that weekend, which means hundreds of softball players will be in town. There is also a decorating contest, so all of the buildings lining the square will be picture-perfect. You'll be able to vote for your favorite decor during Square Flare.
The first weekend in November is the Christmas Open House. The stores will flip a switch from fall to winter in order to give you a chance for early Christmas shopping. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is, of course, Small Business Saturday. Be sure to support the businesses that support you!
The first weekend in December is Christmas in Boonville. The details aren't all finalized yet, but if years past are any indication, it will be picturesque, quaint and the perfect start to the holiday season.
So, get ready. Winter is near.
Sewer work set to begin
UPDATE: Work will now start Wednesday, Aug. 7 instead of Tuesday.
Sewer work at Third and Main will start Tuesday, Aug. 6. There will be NO PARKING on Main between Third and Fourth to allow traffic shifts until work is complete.
When visiting businesses affected by the work, please call or check social media regarding parking. Main Street Pet Parlor posted:
"Starting on [Tuesday] Main Street will be closed between 3rd and 4th. We are unsure of how long this will be in effect but they are hoping just a few days! Please park in the ally between the old jail and our building. If you need any assistance getting your pet safely in the building please let us know and we will be glad to help!"
Sewer work at Third and Main will start Tuesday, Aug. 6. There will be NO PARKING on Main between Third and Fourth to allow traffic shifts until work is complete.
When visiting businesses affected by the work, please call or check social media regarding parking. Main Street Pet Parlor posted:
"Starting on [Tuesday] Main Street will be closed between 3rd and 4th. We are unsure of how long this will be in effect but they are hoping just a few days! Please park in the ally between the old jail and our building. If you need any assistance getting your pet safely in the building please let us know and we will be glad to help!"
[Opinion]
Next year, we'll be ready
The Southern Indiana Stealers before the USSA Nationals. This is a shameless Mom Plug. Back row (l to r): Nora Patton, Destiny Powers, Bella Mauser, Megan Chapman and Chloe May. Middle row: Rylie Westerfield, Mallory Smith and LeeAnn Melton. Front row: Destiny Morgan and Mary Oxford.
The USSSA Nationals was in town this week.
More than 200 teams participated in the national softball tourney. It utilized fields in Evansville, Newburgh, Henderson and Boonville. There were softball players and their families everywhere.
Boonville didn't get as much from the tourney as it could have. The construction is a turnoff for families killing time in between games. But, it will.
With one daughter in travel softball, we've been on this circuit for six years. We've traveled to tournaments all over the region. We've been to Florida twice. We've played in a horse arena in Tennessee. We always try to explore the communities that we invade.
But, since we're not from the area, construction is a deterrent. We'd rather rely on our GPS to get us from point A to point B with no detours or obstructions. So, I get it. I get why these families didn't venture onto our city square. It kind of looks like a war zone.
Evansville has one of the nicest facilities we've ever played in, if not the nicest. This tournament will be back. Boonville will be utilized. Next time, we'll be ready for the influx of hot and sweaty softball players and their families seeking air conditioning and something unique to remember their trip by.
We played teams from Michigan, Ohio, northern Indiana and Illinois. They're all here for a week. Sitting in a hotel room isn't fun. So, they'll find something to do. Next year, our square will be beautiful and ready.
More than 200 teams participated in the national softball tourney. It utilized fields in Evansville, Newburgh, Henderson and Boonville. There were softball players and their families everywhere.
Boonville didn't get as much from the tourney as it could have. The construction is a turnoff for families killing time in between games. But, it will.
With one daughter in travel softball, we've been on this circuit for six years. We've traveled to tournaments all over the region. We've been to Florida twice. We've played in a horse arena in Tennessee. We always try to explore the communities that we invade.
But, since we're not from the area, construction is a deterrent. We'd rather rely on our GPS to get us from point A to point B with no detours or obstructions. So, I get it. I get why these families didn't venture onto our city square. It kind of looks like a war zone.
Evansville has one of the nicest facilities we've ever played in, if not the nicest. This tournament will be back. Boonville will be utilized. Next time, we'll be ready for the influx of hot and sweaty softball players and their families seeking air conditioning and something unique to remember their trip by.
We played teams from Michigan, Ohio, northern Indiana and Illinois. They're all here for a week. Sitting in a hotel room isn't fun. So, they'll find something to do. Next year, our square will be beautiful and ready.
Special election set for Sept. 10
“I just want it to be right,” Pryor said. “You just can’t hide from the truth at the end of the day.”
Chad Pryor was one of the first to the polls on the day of the 2019 Primary Election.
Not only was he working, he was on the ballot for District 4 City Council. But, when he went to vote, he couldn’t vote for himself. Poll workers were eventually able to allow Pryor to vote for himself, but that’s when he knew something was off.
“About an hour and a half later, one of my neighbors ran into the same problem,” he said. “He ended up having to write it in on a provisional ballot. They assured him that he’d get to vote… His votes ended up not being counted at all, in the long run.”
Those neighbors normally voted Republican, but switched to Democrat to vote for him. They were mailed notification that they would vote in a different location due to the small election. District 4 was the only contested race. There was no one at the polling place.
“Him and his wife took the time to come out and vote for me and they were in there for 35 minutes. She came out livid. He come out with a paper and said, ‘This is what they gave me. I hope my vote counts.’ They didn’t.”
Just three weeks before the election, Pryor said he was notified that more than 200 people were being moved from District 4 to another district. He said he questioned then why they would do that so close to the election.
“They said they were just following procedure, since District 4 was so much bigger than others due to the annexation,” he said.
Pryor said that throughout the day, he and his opponent, Steve Byers, both noticed that multiple people that were moved to a different district vote anyway.
“That’s one thing I want to make clear: I used the information they provided. It was never anything that I guessed or made up on my own. This was strictly information from the courthouse.”
After the numbers came in, Byers won by 28 votes. Pryor said he went about his business that evening, but was contacted by the city’s attorney, Mark Phillips, the following day. He asked to have a meeting that day. Phillips, along with the attorney for the annexation, said that he realized that the election didn’t go as planned and that what Pryor and Byers did with that information was up to them, but that the city was going to open an investigation into the election.
After a week of no information, he went to the clerk’s office and spoke with both Cathy Over, administrative staff in the election office, and Patty Perry, Warrick County Clerk. He said he got the feeling they wanted to just do a recount.
“A recount is only going to count what you’ve got,” Pryor said. “I said, ‘I’m not interested in doing that. I think, from what I’ve been told and what I know, some boundary lines maybe wasn’t in place and people got to vote who shouldn’t have.’ I don’t know if it would have changed the election or not, but it needs to be right.”
Pryor said that he doesn’t want to sound negative, but he feels like no one really knew what to do. It comes down to accountability.
“I sat up there from 2:30 to closing time trying to make heads or tails of this,” he said.
They contacted the IT company they use and they couldn’t explain it, either.
“Several things happened that day that made me think… something really did happen here,” he said.
Before he left the office, Perry said she would call a special hearing of the election board the following day at 11 a.m. Twenty minutes before the hearing, Pryor said he heard from Phillips, who said he believed they’d have more information for him that day. When Pryor informed him that he was on his way to a hearing, Phillips was surprised. He asked to join him.
“You could feel the tension when I walked in there,” he said.
Phillips announced that it would have been nice to know about the hearing when he was there 20 minutes before.
“There was definitely some shadiness on someone’s part at that point,” he said.
The proceedings left Pryor with the feeling that he had to see this through to the end in the interest of a fair election. His father was in politics for years. He said he’s not one to believe rumors and assumptions and always tries to get to the facts.
“The further I got, the more I kept finding out. I just fed on that. Throughout the meeting, several of the questions I had before when it was just me, Patty and Cathy, they were trying to help me figure out, nobody would answer.”
They told him repeatedly that he would have to hire an attorney to get the answers to the questions he had been asking. He told them that he didn’t have to have an attorney to run for office and questioned why he had to hire one to prove to them that their information was wrong. The county’s attorney then told him that it was not required that he retain legal counsel, but it was probably a good idea.
“When I left there that day, I went to Warren Mathias and presented him with my information,” he said. “By all means, he was on top of it immediately.”
Pryor only had two weeks from the election to file the paperwork. Conveniently, the election clerk was not in the office the Monday before the deadline, which made it more difficult for him to meet the Tuesday at noon deadline. He did, though.
“They tried to set a hearing for November after the general election,” he said. “Warren was able to get that moved up.”
That hearing was held three weeks ago. Pryor said it wasn’t what he expected. Everything was done in one day.
“I couldn’t have been more thrilled with how it went down,” he said. “The only thing I don’t like about this is I was out of pocket for legal counsel and now it looks like I’m going to be out of pocket for the cost of the election.”
He doesn’t know the cost yet, but he’s fueled by the desire for the election process to be righted.
“I just want it to be right,” Pryor said. “You just can’t hide from the truth at the end of the day.”
A special election will be held Sept. 10. The District 4 race between Pryor and Byers will be the only one on the ballot.
“At this point, it’s the only thing that’s right to do. You can’t just take people out (of districts) and put them where you want them without having all that information certified. You can’t have a fair election.”
The county will have information about absentee and early voting to Pryor’s attorney soon, along with the amount he will have to pay. That is still a point of contention for him, but he’s not ready to say he will sue the county to be reimbursed. He said he’d more than likely eat the cost if it comes to a couple hundred dollars or so.
“It’s not my fault,” he said. “I don’t feel like I should have to sue anybody when they’ve clearly been negligent. I think it ought to be common sense.”
Pryor said he would like to say thank you to those who have stood up for him.
“I want people to know how much I appreciate their support,” he said. “It meant the world to me that I had people come up and testify on my behalf… It means the world to me, all the text messages, emails, Facebook comments, things like that. I try not to gloat about it, but I want people to know that I’m so happy about the outcome of it and I appreciate the support and look forward to another - hopefully cleaner - election in September."
UPDATE:
Pryor has been informed that he will not have to pay for the special election. There are fees he will incur, but he is not yet sure the total cost.
Not only was he working, he was on the ballot for District 4 City Council. But, when he went to vote, he couldn’t vote for himself. Poll workers were eventually able to allow Pryor to vote for himself, but that’s when he knew something was off.
“About an hour and a half later, one of my neighbors ran into the same problem,” he said. “He ended up having to write it in on a provisional ballot. They assured him that he’d get to vote… His votes ended up not being counted at all, in the long run.”
Those neighbors normally voted Republican, but switched to Democrat to vote for him. They were mailed notification that they would vote in a different location due to the small election. District 4 was the only contested race. There was no one at the polling place.
“Him and his wife took the time to come out and vote for me and they were in there for 35 minutes. She came out livid. He come out with a paper and said, ‘This is what they gave me. I hope my vote counts.’ They didn’t.”
Just three weeks before the election, Pryor said he was notified that more than 200 people were being moved from District 4 to another district. He said he questioned then why they would do that so close to the election.
“They said they were just following procedure, since District 4 was so much bigger than others due to the annexation,” he said.
Pryor said that throughout the day, he and his opponent, Steve Byers, both noticed that multiple people that were moved to a different district vote anyway.
“That’s one thing I want to make clear: I used the information they provided. It was never anything that I guessed or made up on my own. This was strictly information from the courthouse.”
After the numbers came in, Byers won by 28 votes. Pryor said he went about his business that evening, but was contacted by the city’s attorney, Mark Phillips, the following day. He asked to have a meeting that day. Phillips, along with the attorney for the annexation, said that he realized that the election didn’t go as planned and that what Pryor and Byers did with that information was up to them, but that the city was going to open an investigation into the election.
After a week of no information, he went to the clerk’s office and spoke with both Cathy Over, administrative staff in the election office, and Patty Perry, Warrick County Clerk. He said he got the feeling they wanted to just do a recount.
“A recount is only going to count what you’ve got,” Pryor said. “I said, ‘I’m not interested in doing that. I think, from what I’ve been told and what I know, some boundary lines maybe wasn’t in place and people got to vote who shouldn’t have.’ I don’t know if it would have changed the election or not, but it needs to be right.”
Pryor said that he doesn’t want to sound negative, but he feels like no one really knew what to do. It comes down to accountability.
“I sat up there from 2:30 to closing time trying to make heads or tails of this,” he said.
They contacted the IT company they use and they couldn’t explain it, either.
“Several things happened that day that made me think… something really did happen here,” he said.
Before he left the office, Perry said she would call a special hearing of the election board the following day at 11 a.m. Twenty minutes before the hearing, Pryor said he heard from Phillips, who said he believed they’d have more information for him that day. When Pryor informed him that he was on his way to a hearing, Phillips was surprised. He asked to join him.
“You could feel the tension when I walked in there,” he said.
Phillips announced that it would have been nice to know about the hearing when he was there 20 minutes before.
“There was definitely some shadiness on someone’s part at that point,” he said.
The proceedings left Pryor with the feeling that he had to see this through to the end in the interest of a fair election. His father was in politics for years. He said he’s not one to believe rumors and assumptions and always tries to get to the facts.
“The further I got, the more I kept finding out. I just fed on that. Throughout the meeting, several of the questions I had before when it was just me, Patty and Cathy, they were trying to help me figure out, nobody would answer.”
They told him repeatedly that he would have to hire an attorney to get the answers to the questions he had been asking. He told them that he didn’t have to have an attorney to run for office and questioned why he had to hire one to prove to them that their information was wrong. The county’s attorney then told him that it was not required that he retain legal counsel, but it was probably a good idea.
“When I left there that day, I went to Warren Mathias and presented him with my information,” he said. “By all means, he was on top of it immediately.”
Pryor only had two weeks from the election to file the paperwork. Conveniently, the election clerk was not in the office the Monday before the deadline, which made it more difficult for him to meet the Tuesday at noon deadline. He did, though.
“They tried to set a hearing for November after the general election,” he said. “Warren was able to get that moved up.”
That hearing was held three weeks ago. Pryor said it wasn’t what he expected. Everything was done in one day.
“I couldn’t have been more thrilled with how it went down,” he said. “The only thing I don’t like about this is I was out of pocket for legal counsel and now it looks like I’m going to be out of pocket for the cost of the election.”
He doesn’t know the cost yet, but he’s fueled by the desire for the election process to be righted.
“I just want it to be right,” Pryor said. “You just can’t hide from the truth at the end of the day.”
A special election will be held Sept. 10. The District 4 race between Pryor and Byers will be the only one on the ballot.
“At this point, it’s the only thing that’s right to do. You can’t just take people out (of districts) and put them where you want them without having all that information certified. You can’t have a fair election.”
The county will have information about absentee and early voting to Pryor’s attorney soon, along with the amount he will have to pay. That is still a point of contention for him, but he’s not ready to say he will sue the county to be reimbursed. He said he’d more than likely eat the cost if it comes to a couple hundred dollars or so.
“It’s not my fault,” he said. “I don’t feel like I should have to sue anybody when they’ve clearly been negligent. I think it ought to be common sense.”
Pryor said he would like to say thank you to those who have stood up for him.
“I want people to know how much I appreciate their support,” he said. “It meant the world to me that I had people come up and testify on my behalf… It means the world to me, all the text messages, emails, Facebook comments, things like that. I try not to gloat about it, but I want people to know that I’m so happy about the outcome of it and I appreciate the support and look forward to another - hopefully cleaner - election in September."
UPDATE:
Pryor has been informed that he will not have to pay for the special election. There are fees he will incur, but he is not yet sure the total cost.
Thank you
With the new Boonville View now on newsstands, we'd like to take a moment to thank our Partners.
There simply would not be a magazine without our partners. We always encourage you to shop local, and these advertisers are why. Shopping at a locally-owned business keeps your dollars in the community.
We know the square is a mess. We know it's a hassle to find parking - or even just drive around. Please make the effort. Your neighbors and friends rely on it.
There simply would not be a magazine without our partners. We always encourage you to shop local, and these advertisers are why. Shopping at a locally-owned business keeps your dollars in the community.
We know the square is a mess. We know it's a hassle to find parking - or even just drive around. Please make the effort. Your neighbors and friends rely on it.
A guide to road paving
Reach Alert sent out a message saying that road paving is currently underway in the city.
On the map, the areas indicated in pink are on this schedule for this year. The other two colors have been done in the last two years.
Scroll down for instructions on how to sign up for Reach Alert!
On the map, the areas indicated in pink are on this schedule for this year. The other two colors have been done in the last two years.
Scroll down for instructions on how to sign up for Reach Alert!
A city under construction
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The square isn't the only gig in town.
The housing project, a partnership between MVAH Partners and Boonville Now, is well under way. The development is being funded by the sale of housing tax credits awarded by the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA), IHCDA’s Development Fund and an AHP grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis. The apartments between Locust and Main streets is seeing concrete and frame work. The townhomes on Ninth Street are obviously recognizable. There are homes being built all over the city, as well. Boonville Homes will serve families who desire high-quality, affordable rental housing. The 44-unit community will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom garden apartment homes, two- and three-bedroom townhomes and four-bedroom single-family homes complete with energy-efficient features and a multitude of amenities normally found in luxury communities. However, rents will be set at affordable rates. For more information on the development of Boonville Homes, or other MVAH Partner communities, please email us at Boonville.homes@mvahpartners.com, or visit MVAHPartners.com. |
Stay in the know
With all the construction going on, it's hard to know from day-to-day what hassles the square will provide.
The city uses Reach Alerts. It can text or email (or both) when something is going on - when streets are closed, hydrant testing or just general happenings with the construction.
To sign up:
1. Go to www.ReachAlert.com and Click on MY ACCOUNT.
2. Select CREATE ACCOUNT.
3. Follow the prompts and enter your preferred contact information
4. Network Name: type Boonville (click on our name when it appears.)
5. Select Resident or Business (could be both).
6. Enter your address and click on it when it appears in drop-down list.
If you opted to receive text alerts, Reach Alert will send a text message to your cell phone immediately upon completion of your registration. Please enter the 4-digit number on the registration screen and then click the word VALIDATE. If you do not receive this message, please call Reach Alert.
The city uses Reach Alerts. It can text or email (or both) when something is going on - when streets are closed, hydrant testing or just general happenings with the construction.
To sign up:
1. Go to www.ReachAlert.com and Click on MY ACCOUNT.
2. Select CREATE ACCOUNT.
3. Follow the prompts and enter your preferred contact information
4. Network Name: type Boonville (click on our name when it appears.)
5. Select Resident or Business (could be both).
6. Enter your address and click on it when it appears in drop-down list.
If you opted to receive text alerts, Reach Alert will send a text message to your cell phone immediately upon completion of your registration. Please enter the 4-digit number on the registration screen and then click the word VALIDATE. If you do not receive this message, please call Reach Alert.
Shaking up sports
Boonville High School athletics are getting ready for a shake up.
Following the departure of Mt. Carmel withdrew from the Big Eight Conference in order to get in enough district games to compete in the Illinois state football tournament. Then Jasper and Vincennes Lincoln announced plans to join the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference for the 2020-2021 school year.
That left only Boonville, Princeton, Mt. Vernon and Washington. All four of those teams will now join the Pocket Athletic Conference for the 2020-2021 school year.
The move makes the PAC one of the larger in the area. It will be comprised of 13 teams in all sports except football. Tecumseh High School remains independent in football, but participates in the PAC for all other sports.
The Big Eight Conference will fold at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
Following the departure of Mt. Carmel withdrew from the Big Eight Conference in order to get in enough district games to compete in the Illinois state football tournament. Then Jasper and Vincennes Lincoln announced plans to join the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference for the 2020-2021 school year.
That left only Boonville, Princeton, Mt. Vernon and Washington. All four of those teams will now join the Pocket Athletic Conference for the 2020-2021 school year.
The move makes the PAC one of the larger in the area. It will be comprised of 13 teams in all sports except football. Tecumseh High School remains independent in football, but participates in the PAC for all other sports.
The Big Eight Conference will fold at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
City council race comes under fire
The Boonville City Council election is coming under fire after a candidate filed an election complaint Tuesday.
Chad Pryor, a democratic candidate for district 4, filed the complaint. He alleges that voting machines contained incorrect district maps in the May primary election. He goes on to give specific examples of voters living in district 4 not being able to vote for their representative and voters living outside district 4 being able to vote.
Pryor alleges that a candidate in district 3 received absentee votes from district 4 and that the vote totals reported were 171, despite the clerk's office counting less than 160.
Pryor also states that voters living in different districts were allowed to vote for district 4, while some voters living in district 4 were not given the option of voting for Pryor. In fact, the complaint says that when Pryor went to vote, he was not listed on his own ballot when he went to vote. Election officials had to make concessions for him to vote, which was the first cause of concern for Pryor.
The complaint says that Pryor believes it is impossible to determine the winner of the election due to the discrepancies. He lists Boon 5 and 7, those immediately neighboring those two precincts and the newly-annexed area as potentially compromised.
Pryor believes that the issue can be electronically resolved and a recount can determine the winner.
According to the election summary on warrickcounty.gov, incumbent Steve Byers won the election, 112-84. This is a developing story. Check back for updates!
Chad Pryor, a democratic candidate for district 4, filed the complaint. He alleges that voting machines contained incorrect district maps in the May primary election. He goes on to give specific examples of voters living in district 4 not being able to vote for their representative and voters living outside district 4 being able to vote.
Pryor alleges that a candidate in district 3 received absentee votes from district 4 and that the vote totals reported were 171, despite the clerk's office counting less than 160.
Pryor also states that voters living in different districts were allowed to vote for district 4, while some voters living in district 4 were not given the option of voting for Pryor. In fact, the complaint says that when Pryor went to vote, he was not listed on his own ballot when he went to vote. Election officials had to make concessions for him to vote, which was the first cause of concern for Pryor.
The complaint says that Pryor believes it is impossible to determine the winner of the election due to the discrepancies. He lists Boon 5 and 7, those immediately neighboring those two precincts and the newly-annexed area as potentially compromised.
Pryor believes that the issue can be electronically resolved and a recount can determine the winner.
According to the election summary on warrickcounty.gov, incumbent Steve Byers won the election, 112-84. This is a developing story. Check back for updates!
Welcome to Boonville View!
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The latest issue of Boonville View is out and available - free of charge - at many locations throughout the area and on our website boonvilleview.com
Thousands of readers are already enjoying the magazine and over 30 of our business partners are reaping the benefits that come with advertising in a quality publication while at the same time investing in the progress of Boonville. As an advocate for our great community, Boonville View Magazine provides comprehensive coverage of coming events, |
features on local people and businesses, stories about our incredible history, great photos - both new and historical - and much more.
We would be happy to hear your suggestions for story and photo ideas, as well as your input on all thing Boonville. To advertise, call us at 812-897-6607 or email gneal@boonvilleview.com We hope to be hearing from you soon! Gary Neal Publisher |
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Boonville View
Locally owned and produced by long time residents featuring articles exclusively for local business and people with information on upcoming events for our community. Look for it at all advertiser locations, grocery stores, Warrick County Museum, Warrick County senior citizens and Boonville City Hall. If you have events or suggestions for articles, please let us know. Please call or email you suggestions! 812-897-6607 Contact: Gary Neal gneal@boonvilleview.com Emily May Emily@boonvilleview.com Debi Neal dneal@boonvilleview.com |
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The latest issue of Boonville View may be picked up at any of our "Partner" Locations, as well as many others!
Let's Start Working Together!Got a story idea? Let us know!
204 W. Locust Boonville, Indiana 47601 Telephone: 812-897-6607
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