Upcoming Events
Quote of the Day
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Content Cloud
Submit Your News
The city obtained a short-term loan in 2020 to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant, and now officials are preparing to seek long-term financing. The matter was discussed during the Monday, July 8, meetings of the Board of Public Works and Safety and Common Council.
In 2020, the Council approved sewer works bond anticipation note, which allowed the work to begin. The loan must either be paid in full – including interest – or refinanced before June 1. Beau Zoeller, the city’s attorney, noted that the 2020 vote approved both the short-term and long-term financing of the project.
Andre Riley, of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors in Indianapolis, said that Salem is in a good position to obtain a low interest loan through the state. The state’s low interest loans see a lot of applicants, making it competitive. It was noted that the Indiana Finance Authority has favorably ranked Salem 13th of 108 communities seeking the loans.
The state’s loans have interest rates of about 2.5 percent or less. If the city were to obtain other financing, interest rates could be about double that amount.
The city currently owes about $2.4 million on the note, including interest; however, it’s possible the city could refinance that debt and obtain more funds to pay for mandated upgrades to remain compliant with state and federal guidelines as well as capital improvement needs.
The work approved in 2020 was based on an assessment conducted by Wessler Engineering. Part of that assessment included smoke testing of the city’s underground wastewater pipes. Wessler had told the city to expect a total project cost between $1.4 million and $1.5 million.
In May 2020, officials approved the bond anticipation note of up to $3 million. In addition to construction costs and interest, other costs such as administrative fees are included in the loan.
In December 2020, Thieneman Construction Inc. was approved as the winning bidder for the $1.4 million project.
The 2020 vote came about a year after the Indiana Department of Environmental Management fined the City of Salem $6,000 for violations by the city’s wastewater plant. Those violations included six instances when an estimated 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage was released into the West Fork of the Blue River.
Every May, wild turkey chicks (poults) begin to hatch in Indiana, and DNR needs your help counting turkey broods (hens with poults) and hens without poults.
Brood reports have been collected every year since 1993 to calculate the annual Wild Turkey Production index, which informs biologists about population status and guides management decisions for the species.
Please share your 2024 observations with us online from July 1 until Aug. 31. Recording observations takes less than five minutes, and no login is required.
We rely on your observations to calculate our Production Index, so every report counts! We appreciate your participation.
The wild turkey brood reporting period is July 1 - Aug. 31
Wild turkey hen with ten poults. Photo by Dan Kaiser.
Help the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife monitor summer production of wild turkeys by recording wild turkey sightings during July and August using our online survey tool.
Why count turkeys?
Brood surveys provide useful estimates about annual production by wild turkey hens and the survival of poults (young turkeys) through the summer brood-rearing period. Summer brood survival is generally the primary factor influencing wild turkey population trends. Information on summer brood survival is essential for sound turkey management. Information gathered through the brood survey includes:
- Average brood sizes (hens + poults). For example, in the photo above there is one hen with seven poults, for a brood size of eight.
- Percentage of adult hens with poults.
- Production Index (PI) = total number of poults/total number of adult hens
What is a wild turkey brood?
A wild turkey brood is composed of at least one adult hen with young (poults). As the summer progresses, multiple broods may gather into what is termed a “gang” brood with several adult hens and multiple broods of poults of varied ages. During summer, adult gobblers (male turkeys) play no role in raising a brood and either form small male only “bachelor” flocks or are observed as a single gobbler.
No gobblers should be reported.
- 2022 Turkey Brood Report
- 2021 Turkey Brood Report
- 2020 Turkey Brood Report
- 2019 Turkey Brood Report
- 2018 Turkey Brood Report
- 2017 Turkey Brood Report
What should I report if I see a turkey brood or some turkey hens without poults?
We are interested in the following observations of turkeys from across the state:
- Number of adult hens with the number of poults or
- Number of adult hens without poults and
- County and date of each observation.
Please provide as accurate a count of both hens and poults as possible. It is also just as important to record observations of hens without poults. Don’t compile multiple observations as one report, instead report each different observation separately, even if observations of different broods are made on the same day in the same county. Understand that by mid to late August, turkey poults are normally about two-thirds the size of an adult, and a juvenile gobbler (jake) can be about the same size as an adult hen. Suspected repeat observations of the same turkeys during the same month should not be recorded.
Wild turkey hen with eight poults.
Need help identifying male and female turkeys?
Females are generally smaller in body size, about the size of a Canada Goose (8-12 lbs), and their coloration is duller brown to buff with no obvious iridescence. In general, female wild turkeys do not have a visible beard. In contrast, males have larger bodies, much larger than a Canada Goose (18-28 lbs), and their general coloration is very dark, appearing black with an iridescent sheen. Most adult male wild turkeys have a visible beard.
Turkey Teaser Results
The full brood report will be posted above once it is available. In the meantime, enjoy these maps that show participation by county and brood reports by landcover from the 2023 Turkey Brood Reporting period. If there are no reports from your area, but you saw a turkey brood this past summer, make sure to check back in July and August to submit your own reports and contribute to turkey management.
If you have questions about the turkey brood survey, please email Wildlife Index, at
The Washington County Community Foundation is hosting it's annual Open House Thursday, July 18, at Cornerstone Hall, 1500 RC Morris Drive Salem. The public is invited, and there is no cost to attend.
A full meal will be provided, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP to attend the meal by calling 812-883-7334 or email
The event replaces the original Annual Meeting for the organization. Guests may come and go as they please or attend the entire evening until 7:30 p.m.
There will be a program at 7 p.m. featuring three organizations that received grants from WCCF donors--Washington County Family YMCA, CAST (Creating Avenues for Student Transformation) and the Bradie Shrum Elementary STEAM/Robotics Team. Representatives from these grant recipients will tell stories of how lives in the community have been impacted thanks to the generous donors of WCCF.
The Indiana Special Olympics were held June 7-9 at Terre Haute, presented by Duke Energy. Approximately 2,100 athletes participated in the games. The Summer Games were held at the Hulman Center, as the athletes, families, coaches, partners, volunteers came together to celebrate the start of the 55th year for the Indiana Summer Olympics.
Approximately 30 to 40 athletes and volunteers from Washington County were in attendance, including leader Ray Owens, Deanna Cecil and photographer Doyle Adams.
This year's theme, “A Journey to Your Heart,” was inspired by the Athlete Leadership Conference.
Washington Co. is in Area 2, which also includes Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Orange, Scott, and Switzerland counties. The theme, “A Journey to Your Heart,” inspired by the Athlete Leadership Conference.
The summer games included Bocco, Bowling, Cycling, Powerlifting, Track and Field, and Volleyball just to name a few of the events. The events are described as a celebration of courage, joy, and the athletes’ remarkable journey with Special Olympics Indiana.
An event leader stated, “As the games concluded, the athletes of Washington Co. and their peers from across Indiana return home, not with the spoils of war, but with the riches of experience, friendship, and memories that will last a lifetime. The Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games continue to be a beacon of hope and powerful reminder that the true victory lies in the heart of every competitor.”
News
Emergency Responders & City Employees To Get Pay Raise
Featured News
19 Sep 2024
Officials Review Loan, Rate Increase In Numbers
Featured News
19 Sep 2024
ICJI: Proper Car Seat Use And Installation Can Make A Life-Saving Difference
Featured News
18 Sep 2024
Washington County Relay For Life Seeking Volunteers
Featured News
17 Sep 2024
INDOT To Host Winter Hiring Events
Featured News
17 Sep 2024
Education News
Salem High School Homecoming Ceremony Photos
17 Sep 2024
Eastern High School 2024-25 Football Homecoming Court
13 Sep 2024
INDOT Seeks Applicants for Engineering Scholarship Program
13 Sep 2024
Business News
Temple & Temple Celebrates 76 Years Of Business By Giving Back To Southern Indiana
18 Sep 2024
Midwest Hair Sheep Sale At Salem October 5
17 Sep 2024
Indiana’s Tax System: A Framework for Future Competitiveness
14 Sep 2024
Sports News
Salem Lions Football Loses 54-12 Against Brownstown
16 Sep 2024
Salem Lions Football Loses 54-7 Against Scottsburg
10 Sep 2024
Government News
17
Sep
Indy Used-Car Dealer's Alleged Rollback Of 14 Million Miles Springs AG Todd Rokita Into Action
17 Sep 2024
Punishing K-12 Students For ‘Misgendering’ Peers Is Unconstitutional & Undermines Parents
14 Sep 2024
County Holds Budget Hearing
05 Sep 2024
Lifestyle News
This Week In Indiana History September 15-21
14 Sep 2024
Indiana Leads The Nation In Lottery Wins! A Jackpot State Of Mind
13 Sep 2024
This Week In Indiana History September 8-14
12 Sep 2024
Latest Washington County Mugshots
The following individuals were arrested recently by local law enforcement agencies. Those listed, in most cases, are just facing charges at this point, and are to be considered innocent of those charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges are often dropped or lessened. Mugshots are collected from local law enforcement agencies on Mondays and are public records.
SalemLeader.com
Leader Publishing Company of Salem, Inc.
P.O. Box 506
117-119 East Walnut Street
Salem, Indiana. 47167
Phone: 812-883-3281 | Fax: 812-883-4446
Business Hours:
Mondays through Fridays, 9:00am - 5:00pm
News:
news@salemleader.com
Office:
office@salemleader.com
Publisher:
publisher@salemleader.com
Business
- More Business News
- Go To Guide
- Business Directory
- Real Estate
- Auctions
Education
- More Education News
Opinion
- Editorials
- Letters to the Editor
- Columns
- Unsung Heroes
- Days Gone By
- In the Garden
- Guest Columns
- Reader's Poll
- Salem Leader Forum
- Questions and Answers
Church
- Bible Aerobics
- Church News
- Church Directory