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One of the favorite annual Christmas traditions is viewing the movie "The Polar Express" at The Depot Railroad Museum. The movie will be presented at The Depot, located at 206 S. College Ave, Salem, on Friday, Dec. 13.

Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the film will start at 7 p.m. There will be popcorn, sweet treats, Christmas activities, and more for everyone to enjoy before the film starts. Everyone attending is urged to wear their favorite Christmas pajamas!

Admission is FREE although donations are greatly appreciated!

For further information or answers to any questions, please contact Kaylee Seabold at (812) 883-6495.

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Two Salem senior care professionals are among the 99 employees from across the state of Indiana who were honored with the American Senior Communities (ASC) Quest for Excellence award for outstanding achievement. This year’s awards banquet and ceremony, now in its 24th year, took place on November 14th, 2024, at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

With nearly 11,000 ASC employees statewide, a Quest for Excellence award is a coveted achievement. Through nominations by peers, residents, and families, only one winner from each location is chosen for recognition, spotlighting the best and brightest in their roles.

This year’s Salem locations award winners are: 

Damian Jones, Clinical Education Nurse, Clinical Education Nurse at Meadow View Health & Rehabilitation.

Justine Flynn, Receptionist at Salem Crossing.

The award distinguishes employees who embrace the CARE principles; an aptly named acronym that stands for Compassion, Accountability, Relationships, and Excellence. Honorees are those who consistently make contributions through genuine compassion, strong teamwork, notable accountability, an understanding of the importance of building relationships, and an overarching drive to achieve excellence in their work.

American Senior Communities CEO, Steve Van Camp addressed the honorees, saying, “A Quest for Excellence winner is more than a good employee...more than a great employee. It is a special person who is a role model and an inspiration. It is someone who strives every day to do all they can to improve the health and well-being of residents, to be a trustworthy and dependable teammate, to nurture meaningful relationships, and to be a beacon of kindness and compassion, all in addition to displaying exceptional skills in their role. This describes all of you being honored tonight. Congratulations and a heartfelt thank you for all you do.”

MeadowViewHR DamianJones Quest2024 small Damian Jones

SalemCrossing JustineFlynn Quest2024 small Justine Flynn

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By Philip T. Hensley, Public Information Office, Indiana State Police Sellersburg District

A two-year investigation concluded Monday with the arrest of a male and female for their involvement in corrupt business practices and failing to pay taxes while operating businesses in Clarksville.

In February, 2023, Master Trooper Detective Tim Denby began an investigation based on a complaint filed against an individual residing in Clarksville who was allegedly creating Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) in order for individuals not legally allowed to register their vehicles to buy, register, and title vehicles through the state of Indiana. The complainant alleged that 50-year-old Jony Zavala was charging individuals money to set up and provide the vehicle registrations. It was learned through the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office that Zavala had registered 29 LLCs over the last several years for what had appeared to be fake businesses.

As the investigation progressed, Detective Denby began working with investigators with the Indiana Department of Revenue in October, 2023. Investigators learned that Zavala and his wife, 40-year-old Maria Bonilla, were the organizers of at least nine LLCs within Indiana that they were principal members of. It was alleged that through the course of their proprietorship of those businesses, neither Zavala nor Bonilla had filed personal or business tax returns.

Search warrants were served at the residence of Zavala and Bonilla by State Police detectives and investigators with the Department of Revenue in May, 2024. Investigators were learning that business records were not being maintained for any of the nine LLCs that Zavala and Bonilla owned. At the same time, Department of Revenue investigators served Zavala and Bonilla with notices to produce business records for their businesses. Zavala and Bonilla failed to provide those records to the Department of Revenue.

In June, 2024, the Department of Revenue was provided with tax returns filed on behalf of Zavala and Bonilla for the years 2019 through 2023 that were filed after the search warrant was executed in May, 2024. The tax returns were filed for only two of the nine LLCs that Zavala and Bonilla own; the business records for the other seven LLCs remained undocumented. Additionally, it was learned that Zavala and Bonilla did not provide all bank statements when preparing business records and tax returns for the two LLCs they filed for, thus failing to declare all of their income.

On Monday, Zavala and Bonilla were arrested on warrants issued through the Clark County Circuit Court for charges including Racketeering, Theft, and Tax Evasion. They were lodged in the Clark County Jail.

The Indiana State Police continues will continue to investigate complaints involving individuals making money outside the tax and regulatory system by not reporting their tax obligations. The State Police and the Department of Revenue encourage all Indiana residents to register and operate their businesses lawfully.

Arrested and Charges:

Jony O. Zavala, 50, Clarksville, Indiana

Corrupt Business Enterprise (Racketeering), Level 5 Felony
Theft (3 Counts), Level 6 Felony
Tax Evasion (8 Counts), Level 6 Felony

Maria Nataren Bonilla, 40, Clarksville, Indiana

Corrupt Business Enterprise (Racketeering), Level 5 Felony
Theft (3 Counts), Level 6 Felony
Tax Evasion (4 Counts), Level 6 Felony

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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The annual Jim Smoak Concert and Open House at The Depot Railroad Museum will be Saturday, Dec. 7, from 1to 3 p.m. The museum is located at 206 S College Ave, Salem.

Jim Smoak and the Louisiana Honeydrippers will be presenting their annual concert. There will be a variety of Country, Gospel, and Bluegrass music that includes banjo picking, guitar strumming, harmonica blowing, and of course, some singing!

There will be refreshments of cookies and cider forv isitors to enjoy, as well as a chance to roam The Depot Railroad Museum and see the HO model trains in the basement!

Admission is only a monetary donation to The Depot.

The public is invited.

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Grants totaling over $55,000.00 were awarded to non-profit organizations serving Washington County by the generous donors of the Washington County Community Foundation for the Fall 2024 grant cycle. Grants are awarded from the Foundation’s Touch Tomorrow Funds, which were established by several outstanding donors.

Washington County Helping Hands was awarded a $3455 to assist in purchasing a new HVAC system to replace the extremely outdated system at the Helping Hands House.

Dare to Care will once again be filling school pantries thanks to a $10,000 grant to provide needy students necessary nourishment.

Small Group Tutoring will be available through CAST thanks to a $7580 grant to hire six individuals to provide the tutoring to students that are struggling with reading and math.

A $10,345 grant has been awarded to Washington County Historical Society which will enable them to update technology and digitize historical documents including old newspapers, genealogical research records, and books.

Jackson Township VFD has been awarded a $13,594.71 grant to purchase rope and water rescue equipment to be used throughout Washington County and surrounding areas.

A $6,225.00 grant has been awarded to The Warming Station in order for them to receive their 501c3 nonprofit status as well as providing needed supplies to the center as well as patrons of the center.

Washington County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1993 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Washington County forever