2019 municipal elections have low turnout, many unopposed candidates
Municipal elections in four communities — Greenfield, Fortville, Cumberland and New Palestine — draw a low turnout, with total votes only numbering approximately 3,500. The Greenfield turnout is the lowest in decades. Mayor Chuck Fewell is re-elected easily, while other towns choose new council members and New Palestine expands its council from three members to five. Many other local elections are uncontested.
More than 200 county teachers attended the Red for Ed rally at the state capitol
Many Hancock County teachers attend the “Red for Ed Action Day” rally at the state capitol in Indianapolis, joining more than 13,000 participants protesting what they see as the underfunding of school corporations around the state and low teacher pay. Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and Southern Hancock schools cancelled classes because so many teachers were absent. In December, as legislative agendas are rolled out, there are few signs that lawmakers’ stances on the issue have changed in response to the rally.
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Sheriff’s department to spend $798k on body cameras
Hancock County Sheriff Brad Burkhardt receives permission from the Hancock County Council to spend an estimated $798,000 on sophisticated body cameras and associated equipment. The cameras, to be purchased from Atlanta-based company Utility Inc., will automatically begin recording when an officer pulls a weapon and will send out an instant alert when they detect a gunshot.
