FRANKFORT, Ind. – Santa made a stop at the new IU Health Frankfort Hospital to deliver meals to all employees. The meals were prepared by C & R Catering with assistance from Connecting Point Church.
Prior to delivering meals to the Hospital, a delivery was made to the Frankfort Fire Department.
In total, 157 meals were delivered to front line workers.
From all of us at ClintonCountyToday.com we wish you a Happy Festivus!
FRANKFORT, Ind. – Frankfort High School Principal Cindy Long notified parents and guardians of students that attend FHS today that FHS will move to e-learning beginning Tuesday, December 15, and continue through Friday, December 18. All other schools of CSF will remain in in-person learning.
December 18th is the last day of instruction on the CSF calendar prior to winter break. All schools are scheduled to return to in-person learning on January 4, 2021.
Below is the email from Mrs. Long:
Frankfort High School Families,
This is a very important message. Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, December 15, Frankfort High School will move to E-Learning. We will continue E-Learning through this Friday, December 18. At this time all other Community Schools of Frankfort will attend in-person.
Just today FHS has had 9 positive cases. We have contacted all families who are affected, but recognize that our cases are spiking and that we should modify our learning plan.
E-Learning will take place beginning tomorrow, Tuesday and extend through this Friday. Teachers will have all work posted each day by 9:30am and will be available through 2:45pm. Students are required to complete work in each of their classes each day through Friday. Attendance will be taken and the work that students are completing is very important. Please help us make sure that they are working diligently from home for the rest of the week.
We will return to school in person on Monday, January 4. All other Community Schools of Frankfort will continue to have in-person classes at this time.
Thank you for helping support our school community. Please contact us with any questions you may have. Please do your part to help keep our community safe by avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks, and washing your hands.
We look forward to finishing out this week well with online learning and seeing your students back in person on January 4.
FRANKFORT, Ind. – A proposed $200 million solar project, to be located in the northeast portion of Clinton County, took another step closer to breaking ground when the six members of the County’s Area Plan Commission gave unanimous approval Thursday evening, at the Edward Jones Community Building located at the Fairgrounds, of the Chicago-based Invenergy, LLC development plan of their Hardy Hills Solar project.
The Hardy Hills Solar project would be constructed on 1,778 acres within the previously approved solar overlay district on land around Kilmore, extending as far west as N. Co. Road 130 W., as far east as N. Co. Road 100 E., north just beyond E. Co. Road 500 N., and as far south as E. Co. Road 250 N.
“Even though the project has leased a little less than 1,800 acres, because of all of the various things that are happening on the land – flood plans, wetlands, transmission line, setback areas from houses, drainage ditches and just various things that we are avoiding – wooded lots, we are only putting panels at a little less than 1,200 acres,” said Katya Samoteskul, manager of renewable development with Invenergy LLC.
“The other parts, the large areas will be released to the landowners if they want to farm it again or they will be vegetated and it will be part of the project, but will not be actually used for panels.”
In addition to the solar overlay district previously put in place, the various Clinton County government bodies had given approval with respect to the drainage plan, a road use agreement, and a property tax abatement and economic development agreement.
This will be the largest single investment in Clinton County according to Samoteskul.
“The project would be about $200 million investment so a very significant investment in Clinton County,” said Samoteskul. “In terms of property taxes that we are estimating the project will pay – about $38 million over its life, 35-years. Then we are also going to be paying $3.1 million in economic development payments.
“So, property taxes would go to the taxing districts – the school, the township, the roads, the County. The economic development payments are just the money that the County gets and then decides how to spend it.
“And to put this into some perspective, unlike other investments that would require County services, a solar project doesn’t require any inputs from the County – there is no investment in roads, or sewage treatment plants, or kids to educate – it’s all just an added benefit to the County because it doesn’t have to spend any money to bring us here.”
The project will create 3 to 4 permanent, local operations and maintenance jobs according to the presentation given. During the construction phase, some 200 to 250 workers will be on site.
An estimated $60 million in payments to participating landowners will be made over the life of the project.
“We have spent almost a year now working on this and trying to get it right,” said Dan Sheets, president of the APC and Clinton County Surveyor. “And, I think we are as close as we could hope to ever to get this project right. I think this will be a great benefit for Clinton County. I am excited about it, I think it is going to be a fantastic deal.
“We believe this project will be a benefit to the County. We’re looking at additional tax revenue. For me personally, it is stabilization of the ground out there. There is some rough farm ground where we do have erosion problems particularly over some of our legal drains and this will solve that problem.
“I believe once it is here for a few years you won’t notice it being here and all in all it is a really green project. I know we need this. I have talked to my children and their friends about this – they are the future. This is what they see and this is what they want. I think we did the right thing tonight.”
Jordan Brewer, Clinton County District 3 Commissioner and member of the APC, spoke of the work that has gone into this multi-year project.
“I think it is a great day for Clinton County,” said Brewer. “There’s a lot of people that have been involved in this process. It started all the way back in 2017 and we’re finally here where we’re moving forward with the development of the solar project.
“I think from a Commissioner’s standpoint, these are the type of infrastructure [projects] that we have to bring to our community to continue to grow and to grow our revenue base and our economic development going forward.”
Prior to construction beginning, there are two additional items that need to be completed. First, agreement on a decommissioning plan. The decommissioning plan is required by County ordinance and outlines how the project will end once it reaches its life span and requires a bond to be posted before construction with an adjustment of the bond amount every 5 years.
The final item is the actual construction permits. The projected time for permitting is winter 2020 with construction to begin late 2021 and continue through mid-2023 with operations to go online in mid-2023.
Although construction is still months away, Invenergy has made donations within the community.
“We have donated to the YMCA at the beginning of COVID,” said Samoteskul. “We heard that they were helping with childcare to essential workers and we also contributed to the EMS building that the County is planning to build on the eastern side. We heard that was important. Typically, once these projects are operational our technicians live in the community because it is an everyday job and there is always some sort of programs or dinners or sponsorship that we do for a local community.”
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — If Stove Top stuffing makes an appearance at your Thanksgiving dinner, you can thank a Purdue University alumna.
The late Ruth Siems, a 1953 home economics graduate, is credited with the invention of Stove Top stuffing. The product hit shelves in 1971 as a dish appropriate for Thanksgiving but also for everyday meals. The secret behind the dish is the dimensions of the bread crumbs, which General Foods patented in 1975. Siems is listed first among the inventors, followed by Anthony Capossela Jr., John Halligan, and C. Robert Wyss.
Siems’ invention came at a time when there was a high demand in the U.S. for convenience foods. She worked on developing Stove Top stuffing while working at General Foods, and the invention quickly became a Thanksgiving staple.
Siems grew up in Evansville, Indiana, and died in 2005 in Newburgh, Indiana, according to her obituary in The New York Times. She worked at General Foods for almost 35 years. Kraft Foods now owns Stove Top stuffing, which sells about 60 million boxes a year. The dish comes in a variety of flavors.
Purdue Archives and Special Collections has information about Siems’ work on food inventions as part of the Gertrude Sunderlin Papers. Sunderlin was an early foods and nutrition professor at Purdue.
FRANKFORT, Ind – Two Clinton County zip codes, 46041 and 46065, are identified as COVID-19 hotspots here in Indiana according to a revised statewide map published Tuesday, November 17th.
Using data from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), Micah Pollak, Associate Professor of Economics at Indiana University Northwest, published a revised statewide map on Tuesday showing the average weekly new COVID-19 cases over a 4-week period by zip code in Indiana. Professor Pollak was assisted in this project by Susan Batt, 13 Investigates & Special Projects Producer at WTHR.
The method of determining a numerical value by zip code looked at the average new weekly cases over a 4-week period, from October 19th through November 15th. Then zip code population data available from 2018 population tables published by the U.S. Census Bureau was used to allow each zip code to be analyzed evenly. A statistical method used commonly known as occurrences in 1,000. In this instance, the weekly average of new COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people.
The result was the grouping of results across 7 bands, 0-0.75, 0.75-1.5, 1.5-2.25, 2.25-3.0, 3.0-3.75, 3.75-4.5, and 4.5+. Clinton County zip code 46041 and 46065 fell within the 4.5+ band. Other Clinton County zip codes appearing in grouping bands included zip codes 46058 (3.0-3.75 band), and 46050 (2.25-3.0 band).
Like each of the previous maps, this revised map shows the current spread of COVID-19 with the respective zip code for the time period. According to Pollak, “Since each map reflects new cases, they effectively measure where cases are growing the fastest during each period, not necessarily where total cases are the highest. If it helps, you can think of each map within the graphic as showing the “hot spots” during that time.”
This recent map reflected a need to change the color code scale and add a new color to best capture the grouping. “[The] colors are not directly comparable due to the rise in cases,” said Pollak. “Darkest red has gone from 1.4 and above on original to 3.75-4.5 now AND I added new color (black) for 4.5+.”
The following is the most recent zip code data by count only as pulled on November 17, 2020.
46035 Colfax: Suppressed
46039 Forest: Suppressed
46041 Frankfort: 995 cases
46050 Kirklin: 42 cases
46057 Michigantown: Suppressed
46058 Mulberry: 130 cases
46065 Rossville: 112 cases
46067 Sedalia: No cases
Note: Suppression occurs when there are either less than 5 COVID cases to a zip code or the zip code’s population is less than 1,500.
Today, November 17, the ISDH reported an additional 24 Clinton County residents had tested positive bringing the total count to 1,512 since the beginning of the pandemic.
FRANKFORT, Ind. – As new COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Clinton County – Thursday marked a record high with 47 and the positivity rate continues to rise as well – Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets has asked City departments to take additional steps to minimize the risk of exposure and slow the virus spread.
“As COVID-19 numbers continue to rise in our community, we must stay vigilant and work together to keep each other safe,” said Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets. “This includes wearing masks, washing hands regularly, and minimizing gatherings. Please know we are taking this public health crisis very seriously. I have heard concerns from many residents about the growing number of virus cases and personal stories about the toll COVID-19 has taken on family members and friends. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been impacted by this virus.”
City departments have been asked to reduce the number of employees working together at any given time and to limit public access to city buildings. While city services will continue without interruption, all residents are encouraged to call city departments to schedule an appointment before visiting any departments in person. Phone numbers for all city departments are listed prominently on the city website: www.Frankfort-in.gov.
“While we are limiting public access to many of our departments, I want to emphasize that city services will not be interrupted or delayed, said Mayor Sheets. “Our street, fire, police, parks, building services, and municipal utilities departments work tirelessly to serve our city, and I encourage you to contact them by phone or email when you have a question or when you need assistance.
“City of Frankfort Board of Works, City Council, and Municipal Utilities meetings are being broadcast live on YouTube so that residents can view city meetings from the safety of their homes.
“The health and safety of all residents in our community remain a top priority for this administration. We will get through this challenge by helping one another, by following the guidelines set by our health officials, and by working together to protect our families and our community.”
In addition to staying connected with the Clinton County Health Department and other local officials, Mayor Sheets and her staff continue to closely monitor local, state, and national information related to the COVID-19 crisis.
FRANKFORT, Ind. – A Frankfort native that joined the Indiana National Guard in 2005 and attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, OK, and later succumbed to the injuries from an enemy sniper while on foot patrol in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan will be honored on Saturday, November 7th, when the bridge on Walnut Avenue, west of Old Stoney, is renamed the “Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe Memorial Bridge”. The bridge dedication is open to the public and will take place at 11 a.m. in the parking lot of Old Stoney, 301 E. Clinton Street, Frankfort, according to Joe Root, Clinton County Veteran Service Officer.
Staff Sgt. Jamie Jarboe, a 2003 graduate of Frankfort High School, died March 21, 2012, at the age of 27, in Topeka, Kansas, from wounds suffered on April 10, 2011, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.
He was deployed to Afghanistan only months before he was shot in the neck by a sniper’s bullet, an injury that left him a quadriplegic, which required him to undergo more than 100 surgeries in the 12 months before he succumbed to his injuries.
The Indiana Senate passed a resolution urging the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename the bridge in March 2020.
The resolution outlined Staff Sgt. Jarboe’s dedication to service. “Staff Sergeant Jarboe’s dedication and devotion to service was recognized with the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1CS), the Iraq Campaign Medal (3CS), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device), the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Expert Marksmanship Badge (Rifle).”
The resolution concluded with, “A soldier’s soldier, Staff Sergeant Jarboe dedicated his life to his country and his family; and throughout history, brave individuals like Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom throughout the world, and without individuals like Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe, freedom could not survive.”
The bridge dedication will include the following speakers: US Congressman James Baird, Indiana State Senator Jim Buck for District 21, Indiana State Senator Brian Buchanan for District 7, Indiana State Representative Heath VanNatter for District 38, Andy Jarboe – Staff Sgt. Jarboe’s father, Joe H Root – Clinton County Veterans Officer, Josh Uitts – President Clinton County Commissioners, Mayor Judy Sheets of Frankfort, and Mark Griffith President Clinton County Historical Society.
A meet and greet at the Clinton County Historical Society inside Old Stony will be held after the dedication with refreshments provided by DAR Chapter, Captain Harmon Aughe.
The Indiana Senate resolution can be found at the link below:
http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2020/bills/SR0057/versions/SR0057.02.COMS
The text of the resolution is available below as a convenience.
March 10, 2020
Second Regular Session 121st General Assembly (2020)
SENATE RESOLUTION No. 57
A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename the bridge at State Road 28 (Walnut Avenue) in Frankfort the “Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe Memorial Bridge”.
Whereas, Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe died March 21, 2012, at the age of 27, in Topeka, Kansas, from wounds suffered on April 10, 2011, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire;
Whereas, A 2003 graduate of Frankfort High School, Staff Sergeant Jarboe was a member of the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley known as the Pale Riders;
Whereas, Staff Sergeant Jarboe joined the Indiana National Guard in 2005 and attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma;
Whereas, Staff Sergeant Jarboe’s military assignments included B Battery, 1st Battalion, 320 Field Artillery at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Troop A, 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team;
Whereas, Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe was deployed to Afghanistan only months before he was shot in the neck, an injury that left him a quadriplegic, which required him to undergo more than 100 surgeries in the 12 months before he succumbed to his injuries;
Whereas, Staff Sergeant Jarboe’s dedication and devotion to service was recognized with the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1CS), the Iraq Campaign Medal (3CS), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device), the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Expert Marksmanship Badge (Rifle);
Whereas, A soldier’s soldier, Staff Sergeant Jarboe dedicated his life to his country and his family;
Whereas, Throughout history, brave individuals like Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom throughout the world, and without individuals like Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe, freedom could not survive: Therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
SECTION 1. That the Indiana Senate urges the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename the bridge at State Road 28 (Walnut Avenue) in Frankfort the “Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe Memorial Bridge”.
SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit copies of this Resolution to the family of Staff Sergeant Jamie Jarboe and the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation.
FRANKFORT, Ind. – For the second consecutive day, Community Schools of Frankfort Superintendent Joel McKinney has made the decision to direct one of the CSF facilities to go with e-learning instruction.
Today, parents/guardians received notification that due to an increase in COVID-19 related absences, Frankfort Middle School will move to e-learning on Friday of this week, November 6, and continuing the week of November 9 through 13. Middle School students will return to in-person school on Monday, November 16.
Frankfort High School students started e-learning today with a scheduled return to in-person school learning on Monday, November 16.
Elementary students will continue to report to school according to the notification sent out.
FRANKFORT, Ind. – As the leaves begin to fall, the call for leaf collection has begun. Crews from the Frankfort Street Department have started to collect fallen leaves this week with a focus on the southeast quadrant of the city.
Street Superintendent Jason Forsythe states the process of leaf collection goes smoothly each year due to the great partnership with the residents of the City.
“Please place your leaves as close to the curb as possible without putting them in the street,” said Street Superintendent Jason Forsythe. “No other yard waste, including sticks and grass clippings, should be in the leaf piles because they can clog up and do damage to our vacuums and can cause downtime to repair these problems.
“We also request that vehicles not be parked near the leaf piles so our vacuums can collect them easily and quickly. Please keep leaf piles away from utility poles, as well. Anything you can do to keep leaves clear of street drains is appreciated as well. This keeps sewer maintenance crews from having clean storm drains and allows them to concentrate on other duties.”
Leaves, brush, and grass clippings can also be brought to the Street Department’s compost site at 905 Burlington Avenue, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 8:00 a.m. – noon, year-round. Leaves and clippings need to be removed from bags before being added to the compost pile.
Leaf collection will be divided by city quadrant. The street department will start in the southeast quadrant of the city before moving to the northwest quadrant, followed by the southwest quadrant and wrapping up with the northeast quadrant. Crews will return to all quadrants periodically throughout the fall season. Updates on which section of the city crews will be collecting leaves can be found on the City and Street Department Facebook pages.
Plans call for the leaf collection service to run through the end of November, depending on the level of activity in the coming weeks.
