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The Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (DHPA) has announced the recipients of its annual Indiana Archaeology and Indiana Historic Preservation awards, which recognize outstanding efforts in each field.
The awards will be presented by DHPA director Beth McCord and the rest of the division’s staff at local award ceremonies this fall.

The recipients include professional consultants Jerry Sweeten, James Heimlich, and Ryan Duddleson; Turner Chapel AME Church in Fort Wayne; and the city of Huntington.
Jerry Sweeten, James Heimlich, and Ryan Duddleson will receive the Indiana Archaeology Award for their diligently conducted research and coordinated efforts to archaeologically document certain dams across the state. Documentation of the dams has led to interesting finds regarding the engineering and architectural history of Hoosier dam building.

The Turner Chapel AME Church congregation will receive the Indiana Historic Preservation Award for choosing to place the historic church on the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP), sharing its rich heritage. The congregation purchased the 1927 brick and limestone Gothic Revival church from a United Brethren congregation. In 1969, the congregation chose to protest the lack of integration in Fort Wayne’s public school district by hosting a Freedom School. Many families enrolled their children in this school, withdrawing from the public school system, and within a week district officials agreed to additional integration measures.

The city of Huntington will also receive the Indiana Historic Preservation Award for its outstanding grant-assisted rehabilitation project to repair the stone water race in Memorial Park, which is listed on the NHRP. The community applied for a $60,000 grant from the DHPA’s Historic Preservation Fund matching grant program. Constructed by the Works Progress Administration in 1937, this stonework channel averages 8 to 12 feet wide, 3 to 5 feet deep, and is nearly 500 feet long. Repair work included cleaning debris and silt from the channel, building curbs to support undermined walls, reconstructing collapsed sections of walls and floor using both new and salvaged stones, and repointing deteriorated mortar joints. The project was originally estimated at $350,000 but the final cost was $565,000. The award recognizes Huntington’s significant financial commitment to this historic resource, its outstanding grant administration, and the excellent workmanship of its masonry contractor.

As the State Historic Preservation Office, the DHPA oversees the federally funded Historic Preservation Fund grant program, the federal Reinvestment Historic Tax Credit program, and the state’s Historic Homeowner Tax Credit program. The DHPA also functions as Indiana’s central repository for historic structures and archaeological site records.

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

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The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana is happy to announce the addition of three new members to their Board of Directors: Nicole Atkins, Andy Burdsall, and Jim Plitz.

“Their diverse backgrounds and wealth of experience will be invaluable as we continue to strive towards our mission of building enduring charitable resources to positively impact our Southern Indiana community,” said Wes Scott, Director of Marketing and Communications.

Nicole Atkins

CEO, Unique Management Services

Nicole Atkins serves as the President and CEO of Unique Management Services. With a bachelor’s degree in business management from Indiana University Southeast, Nicole has dedicated 25 years to her role at Unique. She shares her life with her husband, Darryl, of 20 years, and their son, Darius, who will be attending Purdue University, Fort Wayne, to pursue his track and field career.

Andy Burdsall

President, Riverbend Financial Group

Andy Burdsall is the President of Riverbend Financial Group, LLC. He focuses on values-based financial planning, effective asset and cash flow management, and efficient charitable giving. He holds the Behavioral Financial Advisor designation. He is also a Registered Principal with Securities America, Inc., and is an Investment Advisor Representative of Securities America Advisors, Inc.

Jim Plitz

Attorney, Waters, Tyler, Hofmann & Scott

Jim Plitz serves as an attorney with Waters, Tyler, Hofmann & Scott in New Albany. Jim earned a B.S. in Accounting from the College of New Jersey, and then his MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from Lehigh University. He is on the Board of Floyd County Animal Rescue League, Develop New Albany, and the Rotary Club of New Albany, as well as the president of the Southern Indiana Estate Planning Council.

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Falls of the Ohio State Park will host its annual Digging the Past event on Saturday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can explore fossils, minerals, and archaeology with a variety of free programs and games behind the park’s Interpretive Center. Admission to the museum gallery is $7 for all during this event.

These programs are offered at specific times during the day:

Explore the outer fossil bed on a guided hike from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This hike is for guests ages 12 and older.
Trek the park’s other fossil beds with a guide. Hikes will leave on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Make a free fossil collection from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
See what you can knock down at geode bowling from noon to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. Prizes will be offered.
Discover interesting facts about geodes and crystals during a program and giveaway from 1 to 2 p.m.
Learn about dinosaurs during the Dinosaurs with Dale program from 2 to 3 p.m.

Programs offered all day include:

Visit refreshed Silurian fossil piles, courtesy of Irving Materials, Inc. (IMI) and Sellersburg Stone Quarry.
Create an egg carton collection with fossils and minerals for a $1 donation.
Create crafts like weather rocks, pet rocks, and bead stringing.
See displays and information from the Falls of the Ohio Archaeological Society.
Take part in hands-on archaeology activities from the Indiana State Museum.
Create a make-and-take concrete fossil, courtesy of IMI.
Browse fossil displays and get your fossil identified, courtesy of the Kentucky Paleontological Society.
Learn about Orodovician fossil collecting from the Spencer County (Kentucky) Tourism bureau.
Watch demonstrations of lapidary work (including rock polishing).
Get your unknown artifacts, rocks and fossils identified.
Dig “artifacts” in an archaeological mini-mock dig station.

Falls of the Ohio State Park (on.IN.gov/fallsoftheohio) is at 201 W. Riverside Dr. in Clarksville, 47129.

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By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

On August 09, 2024, at approximately 7:54 a.m., deputies along with emergency services personnel responded to a three vehicle crash, on Eastern School Road, in front of the East Washington School Corporation.

Investigators at the scene determined that Garrett Drury, age 17 of Borden, Indiana was traveling north on Eastern School Road, in a 1996 Ford F-150, when he drove into the back of a stopped vehicle on Eastern School Road.

Drury’s vehicle collided with a 2016 Ford Escape, which was being operated by Rosemary Russell, age 80, of Pekin, Indiana. Russell’s vehicle was pushed into the back of a 2004 Ford Explore, which was also stopped on Eastern School Road and being operated by Sheri Coy, age 37, of Clarksville, Indiana.

Drury stated he was traveling northbound on Eastern School Road, when a passenger in his vehicle told him to look at something on the edge of the roadway. Drury said he quickly looked away and when he looked back at the roadway, the vehicle in front of him had abruptly stopped and he was not able to slow down fast enough to avoid a collision with Russell's vehicle.

Russell was the only person injured in the accident and she was transported to Baptist Floyd Hospital by the Washington County Ambulance Service for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The crash is being investigated by Deputy Paul Reyling, who was assisted by New Pekin Town Marshal Jeff Thomas and the East Washington School Resource Officers Gary Pennington and Dan Knable.

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Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O'Mara Contractors is scheduled to close State Road 250 approximately one mile east of State Road 11 on or after Monday, August 12, to complete a small structure replacement project in Jackson County.

The closure will take place just east of Dudleytown between S.R. 11 and South County Road 825 East and is expected to be complete by mid-September, weather permitting. Crews will begin to place signage in the area prior to the start of construction. During the closure, motorists should use the official detour route which follows S.R 11 to U.S. 50 to I-65.

This project is part of a contract awarded to Dave O'Mara in January 2023. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.