Local News: Wednesday July 22nd, 2026
Residents concerned about a proposed data center in Posey County packed Tuesday's County Commissioners meeting to ask questions about a potential site near Boberg and Horner Roads. Commissioners said no formal proposal has been submitted, but confirmed they have signed a non-disclosure agreement with a development company. Residents asked officials to consider a temporary moratorium on data center development, saying the community needs more time to evaluate potential long-term impacts. Concerns included water consumption, noise, and possible health effects, especially for children. Several residents also voiced opposition to the project if it ultimately moves forward. The discussion is expected to continue Monday evening when the Posey County Area Plan Commission holds a special meeting beginning at five-thirty.
Students returning to school this fall in both the Mount Vernon and North Posey school districts will see a major change as Indiana's new "bell-to-bell" wireless device law takes effect. Under Indiana Senate Enrolled Act Seventy-Eight, students may not use personal wireless devices during the entire school day—not just during class. The law includes cell phones, earbuds, smart watches, personal tablets, laptops, gaming devices, and other personal electronic devices. State lawmakers say the goal is to reduce distractions and improve student focus in the classroom. At Mount Vernon, the MSD School Board has approved Policy Three Twenty-Nine to comply with the new law. Students must keep personal electronic devices powered off and stored in their lockers from eight-oh-five in the morning until three-oh-five in the afternoon. The restriction applies throughout the school day, including lunch and passing periods. Parents who need to contact their child are encouraged to call the appropriate school office. North Posey is adopting a similar bell-to-bell policy. Students must keep personal wireless devices out of sight, silenced or powered off, and inaccessible from the first bell until dismissal. Exceptions are allowed for documented medical needs, IEP or Five-Zero-Four accommodations, and emergencies approved by school administrators. Parents needing to reach a student are also asked to contact the school office. School leaders say the new policies are designed to create a safer, more focused learning environment while bringing local schools into compliance with Indiana law.
Family Matters of Posey County is helping local families prepare for the new school year with its annual Backpack Give-Away. The event will be held Tuesday, July twenty-eighth, from noon until three at Hedges Central Gymnasium in Mount Vernon. Appointments are required, and families can register through the organization's Facebook page or by calling eight-one-two, eight-three-eight, six-eight-seven-five. Organizers say the program helps ensure local students return to school with the supplies they need while easing the financial burden on families.
Indiana cities and counties will soon be reimbursed for revenue lost after the state temporarily suspended gasoline taxes earlier this year. Governor Mike Braun first suspended the state's seven percent gasoline sales tax in April before also pausing Indiana's thirty-six-cent-per-gallon gasoline excise tax. Both tax suspensions remain in effect through the end of August, providing continued relief for Hoosier drivers. To offset the lost revenue, the state is distributing more than thirty-eight million dollars to local governments to replace transportation funding that would normally come from fuel taxes. Here in Posey County, the county government will receive just over two hundred seven thousand dollars. The City of Mount Vernon will receive more than sixteen thousand dollars, while Poseyville will receive about twenty-five hundred dollars. New Harmony is slated to receive nearly eighteen hundred dollars, Cynthiana about fourteen hundred dollars, and Griffin just under four hundred dollars. State officials say the reimbursement program will allow road and transportation projects to continue as planned while motorists continue to benefit from lower fuel taxes through the summer.