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CAST (Creating Avenues for Student Transformation) is offering three sites for summer learning labs for June and July. The goal of CAST is to increase potential in youth through tutoring and mentoring.
Classes will be offered at East Washington Elementary June 3-July 3 (, Bradie Shrum Elementary June 3-July and Campbellsburg Community Building June 10-July 12. There will be no programming at any location on June 19.
The labs will run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and are offered through the “Summer of Success in Washington County” program. Adults are asked to register children at a site where they are currently enrolled in school.
To participate in the learning labs, a student must:
Be entering 1st-5th grade
Be able to commit to all sessions
Provide own transportation
Be able to work in a small group
Want to learn, grow and have fun
Each day will include literacy, mathematics and additional Orton-Gillingham phonics lessons taught by reading specialists and certified teachers. Students are required to attend all 22 sessions of the Summer Learning Lab for best results. Excused absences in case of illness or injury are permitted.
The Southeast Summer Learning Labs are provided through the "Expanding What Works" grant from the Indiana Department of Education. The grant is an opportunity to increase access to high-quality academic and enrichment programming during Summer 2024 for Hoosier Students.
To register, please visit: https://www.castwashco.org/summerlearninglabs
CAST provides structured, multi-sensory, explicit tutoring based upon the science of reading. They have been able to provide this service free of charge for students for the last year due to a grant partnership. As that money goes away, CAST wants to make sure they are able to still serve the 140+ local students who need help. It costs CAST approximately $75 per hour for tutoring services.
The public may support the organization through donations. Monthly donations may be set up at Vemo@CASTWashCo>.
Cash or checks may be sent to:
CAST
1707 N. Shelby St., Suite 107
Salem, IN 47167
The Washington County Goat Association and Washington County Fair Board are hosting an Open Goat Show on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at the Washington County Fairgrounds Livestock Pavilion.
There will be classes for both dairy and meat breeds of goats including breeding does, market does, market wethers, and showmanship.
Goats may start arriving at 12 p.m. Weigh-in is from 12-2 p.m.
The show will start at 3 p.m. with dairy goat showmanship classes.
Anyone needing rules or more information about the show should contact the Angela Kelley with the Washington County Goat Association at 812-620-2401, the Purdue Extension - Washington County Office at 812-883-4601, or visit the website https://extension.purdue.edu/washington.
Concessions will be available.
The public is invited to come watch the show.
The Washington County Farmers’ Market will open with local goods raised and produced within Washington and adjacent counties on Saturday, May 11. The market will continue on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m – 12 p.m. at the Washington County Justice Center parking lot at 801 Jackson St. in Salem through October. When produce is more plentiful later in the growing season, the market will also open on Tuesday evenings 4-6 p.m.
The Washington County Farmers' Market provides growers and producers of Washington and surrounding counties an alternative market for their "locally grown" agricultural products for the benefit of the community.
Items offered at the market include fruits, vegetables, dried/fresh herbs, plants, cut flowers, honey, eggs, unpopped popcorn, meats, etc. Some minimally processed food items can also be sold and include: maple syrup, jellies/jams/preserves/butters, sorghum, frozen persimmon pulp, dried fruits/vegetables, cider, etc. Baked goods such as breads, cakes, and cookies as well as wood, natural and homemade crafts are also offered. All products must meet state and local regulations.
Vendors are required to sign a Washington County Farmers’ Market contract. The contract is available on the Purdue Extension – Washington County website at https://extension.purdue.edu/Washington or by contacting the Extension office at 812-883-4601.
2024 Washington County Farmers' Market Officers & Board of Directors
Julie Lawson - President & Market Master
Sid Baker - Vice President
Linda Baird - Secretary/Treasurer
Jon Lindburgh
Laura Purlee-Kiesler
By Becky Killian, Staff Writer
Washington County currently doesn’t have a permanent jail commander because the salary is too low for the level of responsibility the position carries. Sheriff Brent Miller explained the year-long challenge he’s faced filling a vacancy caused by a retirement during the Monday, May 6, meeting of the Washington County Council.
Council President Mark Abbott said he asked Miller to appear before the Council to explain the staffing problems.
“This is something we need to take a good, hard look at,” Abbott said, urging Council members to take quick action.
The jail commander is the third in command at the jail and oversees 17 correction officers as well as the inmates, who currently total more than 150. The jail commander is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the jail, including training new hires, making sure the correction officers meet continuing education requirements, scheduling, record keeping, coordinating inmate transports, and hearing inmate grievances.
Miller said the jail’s correction officers are “a very young, inexperienced staff” that requires supervision to ensure they follow important procedures.
The jail has several inmates who suffer from medical conditions, addiction, and mental health issues, which Miller said makes running the jail more difficult.
Miller said at the current salary of $38,787, the jail commander makes only about $1,400 more than the correction officers he supervises.
A jail commander salary study Miller provided to the Council showed Floyd County with the highest salary of $92,616. The lowest salary was $34,008 in Crawford County. The average salary among the nine counties included in the study was $58,406.
The jail commander’s salary in Washington County, which is included among the counties in the study, ranked second to last just above Crawford County.
While Floyd County has a jail capacity of 330, Crawford County’s capacity is 78. Washington County’s jail capacity is 254 inmates. Although the county could accept inmates from other jails – which would generate some income – Miller said his staffing isn’t adequate to handle more inmates.
Currently, some correction officers have been asked to work 16-hour shifts and to work on scheduled days off.
A road deputy has been temporarily named interim jail commander, but Miller said that won’t last long.
“The public expects me to get a third shift back on the road,” Miller said. “I’m just trying to stop the bleeding now.” Those third-shift patrols ended earlier this year when Miller said he didn’t have enough deputies to cover the shift. The Indiana State Police agreed to help with overnight patrols. Since then, the Council approved a pay increase for deputies.
Miller worries about the liability exposure the county has because of the vacancy in the jail commander’s post.
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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.
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