[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6268487,"mediaKeyId","3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52","parentId",3055357,"title","County emergency management reports state disaster declaration, damage assessments and road impacts after heavy rains","audioSeconds",301,"startMs",2118000,"endMs",2419000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52&start=2118&end=2419","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52/thumbnail_2118000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6268487/Jefferson-County/Indiana/County-emergency-management-reports-state-disaster-declaration-damage-assessments-and-road-impacts-after-heavy-rains","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268487-8fa59ff903e0613c746c9bc8465e6bd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770787508&Signature=VJcVV51aRdH-kwvy8YJtcBjFvTaECZEDx51qiM9lCfW~3isQwT7lLc4wVkKxqAY7zoSm40OolplcQ1jualWCvQhcMt-4Iz1SxTIocWgrvzWbZxjhcoVzp-i7D~HbsjJHhQvo0GtgjLCFhQH5QA63-QWiy4htciNFi7tApTtG9xmK7H2vs6aRGX4kuNKpoR0ghnQrUI7xqrQ8Gi6cxeA8cZRllCq2vMbrItYgB3mTO~kpvtDUbe23dLv9Rq9GM2ntxZ0LJhlNKfsCjc8mPsbiotUvbEh1rc~266PNJxBdMd5V4ic8gJbu4gb~US-kEnFKpjOHfjpX5xTrwfqP2pgygw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Jefferson County IN","date","2025-04-19T00:24:06.007Z","article","Jefferson County emergency management and highway staff told commissioners the county has been added to a state disaster declaration after recent severe storms and flooding, and that local teams have completed initial damage assessments and supported sandbag and rescue operations.

An emergency-management official said the county was included on the state’s disaster declaration and that pre‑planning and staged supplies eased response efforts. “We have been added to the, the disaster declaration of the state,” the official said, describing coordinated sandbag operations, distribution of cleaning buckets and cooperation with the sheriff’s office and city street crews.

Staff described aerial reconnaissance flights to track rising and receding water, a joint sandbag operation at the sheriff’s department, and distribution of muck buckets (cleaning supplies) and other relief items. The county said it had begun damage-assessment rounds, and that Red Cross and state teams are conducting parallel assessments. If a presidential declaration follows, FEMA would perform additional reviews that could allow public‑assistance reimbursements for eligible government‑operated work.

Highway staff reported multiple slides, culvert failures and washed approaches on county roads. Several specific problem locations mentioned were Little Doe Run (major slide down to one lane), Big Doe Run (continued movement), Brushy Fork (encroaching slide near the road edge), Arbuckle Road (bridge-approach washout), and a culvert failure on Greenbriar. Staff also said higher traffic volumes on small county roads from state‑highway detours have accelerated pavement and edge deterioration. One pothole patch on Copeland Ridge measured roughly 12–15 feet long, 5 feet wide and about 10 inches deep; staff said repair and paving schedules are planned with Community Crossings funds where applicable.

County staff said they are preparing the paperwork to capture public‑assistance reimbursements for governmental employees and materials and have pulled in additional county staff to support documentation. The official described a multi‑agency review process: county assessments, Red Cross, state teams and potentially FEMA. “When we get here, then then, then start getting to work again,” the official said about FEMA engagement.

Why it matters: Widespread flooding and slides affect rural access, emergency response and infrastructure budgets. Damage documented during this response will determine what costs the county can recover through state or federal public‑assistance programs.

What happens next: County officials will complete damage assessments, submit public‑assistance paperwork to the state and continue to coordinate with Red Cross and other partners. Highway staff said they will prioritize repairs, seek mitigation funding and coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources on stream‑channel and bank‑stabilization issues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioner Meeting- 4-17-2025","oneSentenceSummary","County officials said Jefferson County is included in a state disaster declaration, described sandbag operations, damage assessments and numerous road closures and slides; staff said they are preparing documentation for potential FEMA reimbursement.","taxTitle","Jefferson County, Indiana","taxId",52164,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6268492,"Infants-in-Bloom and local recovery groups seek opioid-settlement dollars to expand infant care and transitional housing",634,481000,1115000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52&start=481&end=1115","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52/thumbnail_481000.jpg","/articles/6268492/Jefferson-County/Indiana/Infants-in-Bloom-and-local-recovery-groups-seek-opioid-settlement-dollars-to-expand-infant-care-and-transitional-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268492-b19b52a09b0932ad5d22b9cc13c48250/orig.mp4?Expires=1770787508&Signature=PWMNYK3BU44oE8jLEI6KyQetmNgCpDdh120bb6b7Z8cOF5T1WyxhdVHRi7ciK9zgkYZg3PhdNjBxO7jsq1-zU~~bqYtTcyXYFF8LOwb-IHxIkyDyjpv6YnqQXuUQ7V0QhqzL0cFV0k8EPpX55n2h2r1NemNrAJUax3NjCXb5387osJNAF5CkITrrvLIJufKkPg7~1PGWQYZ2CjnsFfQMqEmPLKN5c7bwIak~ZMiUe6sscO-rP5Kwz00YKNJWZQGO-jH5pM~iwTMKHB9JKZCiPZYADsjVBS2f2bdntmFwaMNC3kfXCZ-0DvO6uQTpHlMUw5NTXyBqTsYW~aJv7CZqQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several local recovery-focused organizations asked Jefferson County commissioners to consider using opioid‑settlement money for programs aimed at infants exposed to substances and adults in recovery.

Infants in Bloom, a program led by pediatric clinicians, asked commissioners to fund a high‑touch, mobile primary-care model that serves babies affected by parental substance use. The presenter described the program as serving babies wherever they are—home, foster care or residential settings—and said the model provides weekly interventions, developmental testing and 24/7 telehealth communication with parents or caregivers. “There are very, very few interventions in the whole country where infants are the primary recipients of the opioid dollars,” the program presenter said, explaining why the group considers its model uniquely suited for settlement funding.

Program leaders said the pilot began in February and currently serves five infants. They recounted cases in which quick remote assessment by the team avoided emergency-room visits, identified a speech delay that allowed referral to therapy, and supported foster- and biological-parent visitation with medical guidance. The presenters said they are seeking multiple funding streams—Medicaid, Department of Child Services support and philanthropic grants—to sustain continuity of care across county lines and through changes in placement or insurance.

Recovery Café representatives summarized monthly service levels, reporting that their site serves meals daily to anyone in the recovery community and unhoused residents, and that in January they provided 385 meals and distributed more than 300 cups of coffee. The café said staff are all peer-recovery workers, offer one‑on‑one support, act as a liaison with courts and corrections, and run a member financial assistance program that can provide up to $500 per month under conditions and case management.

Recovery Foundations of Southern Indiana described plans for new transitional recovery housing intended to serve up to 60 people (30 men, 30 women). Board members Sherilyn Miller and Shanita Blameon said they have acquired 501(c)(3) status, are seeking land and intend to build a facility with mandatory programming, life-skills training, community service requirements and partnerships with local employers and Ivy Tech for internships. They said the project is in early stages and has not yet secured other funding sources, though Bethany Legacy has indicated support.

None of the presentations produced a formal vote during the meeting. Presenters asked commissioners to consider opioid‑settlement grants for direct services to infants, expanded recovery-café programming and capital or operating support for recovery housing.

Why it matters: County control over how opioid-settlement funds are allocated can shape local services for populations directly affected by the opioid epidemic, including infants exposed prenatally and adults re-entering the community. Presenters framed their requests as investments in early‑childhood intervention and reentry support, with potential long‑term gains in health and social outcomes.

What happens next: Presenters said they will follow up with county staff about formal application processes for settlement funds and potential matching or sustainment strategies.","Three local recovery organizations presented to commissioners seeking opioid-settlement funds for a mobile pediatric care program for infants exposed to substances, a recovery café with wraparound services, and plans for a 60‑bed transitional recovery housing facility.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6268496,"Jefferson County commissioners authorize bids to clean dilapidated house at 3971 North Second Street",0,3091000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52&start=3091&end=3091","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055357-f6b4bd2c7b9982538fa47230c3e59b52/thumbnail_3091000.jpg","/articles/6268496/Jefferson-County/Indiana/Jefferson-County-commissioners-authorize-bids-to-clean-dilapidated-house-at-3971-North-Second-Street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268496-97a09b961c1f1772e2d5bff4229ef9b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770787508&Signature=f7NM-d0RgPTl~VibONF-B6xlWuKLkg8MUHlP2jV~ULR5mhEPb3ltDWC6G2n0e7IsBjg3s-cjJ3Ev6zLgLTHk-PZV16NivhSAcaEFK3MTifjx551~MgtIdQb0b2YrB9PhZ69Z89EoeP1GzIpAXaBKaSZgdWdbPNzC3V1tWrNbwzvotOi6yP1psE6vyhtw8di7jqSgx127nr34PhDXXY21abuE7Xw4c~MIPIYECA8LZKobK7ivCPFKrlK58rH2F9gxr7kZXIP84rMAUg5RzZGOGBsVV4RxwISnohewdr2RvThubSH3wvQgyrG5nygWXbDoxlLyqHAnlnSeC0-XeuRilQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jefferson County commissioners voted to allow staff to solicit bids to clean up a derelict property at 3971 North Second Street after repeated attempts to reach the owner and others connected to the parcel.

The county's code enforcement staff described the property as fire-damaged and “filled with trash,” and said the condition has worsened over several years. The presenter said title documents show ownership listed in county records as Amy Jo Hazelwood Cole, with a home address in Bedford, Kentucky, and that county staff learned at different times that others had claimed to have bought or redeemed the property at tax sale but never completed a transfer of title.

“There’s some other trash. The house has had a fire in it at some point in time. They’ve been dilapidated,” the staff member said in presenting photographs and a property card. The presenter said staff mailed a certified notice requiring clean-up, received no response and recommended pursuing contractor bids to remove debris and remediate the site.

The presenter described earlier outreach: a certified notice mailed to Amy Jo Hazelwood Cole on April 17; a prior clean-up notice issued April 19; contact in December with a Vinod Gupta representative who said cleanup would follow better weather; and a later statement from Gupta that the property had been redeemed and he no longer owned it. Because the chain of ownership remained unclear and no one had undertaken cleanup, staff recommended moving forward with procurement for abatement.

Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to allow staff to solicit bids to clean the property. No individual vote tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript; the chair called for those in favor and the motion was advanced. The presenter said staff will return to the board with bid results.

Why it matters: The property sits in a residential area and nearby residents reported concern that the site’s condition was spreading nuisance conditions to adjacent yards. County staff framed the action as a code-enforcement and public‑health measure to remove blight and reduce collateral impacts on neighboring properties.

What happens next: Staff will solicit and review bids for debris removal and property remediation and bring those bids back to the commissioners for further direction or contract approval.

","Commissioners voted to allow staff to solicit bids to clean up a fire-damaged, trash-filled property at 3971 North Second Street after repeated failed contact with owners and tax-sale complications.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County emergency management reports state disaster declaration, damage assessments and road impacts after heavy rains

Infants-in-Bloom and local recovery groups seek opioid-settlement dollars to expand infant care and transitional housing

Jefferson County commissioners authorize bids to clean dilapidated house at 3971 North Second Street