Freetown News

A group of a dozen parents presented a petition to selectmen Monday to have $205,000 that is not going to be used by the regional school district moved to the Freetown Elementary School budget.

Two free concerts held over the weekend helped set the tone for the upcoming Fourth of July celebration for at least one local resident.

Buelah Scott has fond memories of growing up on her family's 160 acre farm in Cortland.

Amidst a neighborhood where the streets are named after former and current residents is a brand-new, two-floor, $27 million building still gated and surrounded by dirt.

Maegan Atkinson, a third-grader at Freetown Elementary School, had a moment in the spotlight at this year's Annual Town Meeting when she read her essay entitled 'Why I'm Proud of My Community' to help open the session.

Town Meeting will reconvene Wednesday, with voters having the final say on whether to accept the $19.4 million balanced budget put forth by officials or go for an override to keep both libraries open and maintain town-wide services and staffing.

Voters funded the town's libraries enough to maintain certification, but other votes at Monday night's annual Town Meeting will mean layoffs and increased class sizes at Freetown Elementary School.

DISCLOSURES The following real estate disclosures recently have been filed with the Jackson County Auditors office at the courthouse in Brownstown: James E. Bode and Joan E. Bode, to Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, 703 W. Walnut St., Brownstown, Benton 74, $75,302.58, Dec.

A routine traffic stop in Freetown on Tuesday led to the arrest of two Jackson County residents on various drug charges.

Wells Fargo Bank N.A., successor by Merger to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Inc., 709 W. Laurel St., Seymour, Lot five and five feet off the east side of Lot six in Block "N" in Butler's Addition to the City of Seymour, $54,362.40, Jan.

After two consecutive nights of meetings, the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee came up with a budget for next year that pulls $202,000 from the stabilization and special education accounts to give department heads what they say is the minimum they need to survive.

Singer/songwriter Joe Persinger of rural Brownstown and his son, Aaron Persinger of Bloomington, will provide music from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in the Sommergarten at Story Inn in Brown County on Indiana 135, about 11 miles north of Freetown.

Hundreds of residents, young and old - many of them holding American flags - lined the streets of Freetown today to pay final respects to a native son, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan.

Jackson County United Way's 2009 Day of Caring is quickly approaching, and organizers are making final plans for the big event Tuesday.

Ask some veterans what they think about replacing Jackson County's veterans service officer with a volunteer and their answer is clear.

A Freetown man was arrested after leading police on a short chase early Friday. Around midnight Thursday, Officer Rick Meyer with Jackson County Sheriff's Department attempted to stop an SUV driven by Timothy MeJean in the 4000 block of North Indiana 135, police said in a news release Tuesday.

Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County will have an open house and dedicate the Scott home from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Ten-year-old Rashelle Clay found herself in quite the predicament while getting ready to hunt for Easter eggs Saturday morning at the Indiana State Police Post in Seymour.

Focusing on the library, public safety and education, selectmen and the Finance Committee have put $411,000 into next year's draft budget after word Freetown will get additional state funding.

In the lone contested race on Monday's ballot, Marc Joal Tisdelle, a 30-year-old civil engineer, won the unexpired two-year seat on the Planning Board, 178-164, over Robert Jose, 37, a local heating oil business owner.