2 Regional car crashes, both involving school buses
An Owen County school bus was traveling north of Gosport on State Road 67 at approximately 4 pm, when it was forced into the shoulder as a car heading southbound, and described as driving erratically, crossed the center line. The school bus, driven by 56 year-old Taresa Tharpe, was then struck head on by the vehicle whose unnamed driver died at the scene. Tharpe and the 12 students who were on the bus at the time were checked out by medical professionals, and 9 of them were brought to the hospital after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. A Toxicology test was provided by Tharpe and results are pending, which is required by law for vehicle operators involved in serious injury or fatal crashes. The Indiana State Police in conjunction with the Owen County Coroner will release the identity of the deceased driver pending identification and notification of next of kin. An autopsy of the unidentified driver is scheduled for tomorrow.
Earlier this morning, in a separate and unrelated incident, an MCCSC bus veered off of East Northshore Drive in Unionville, hitting a tree. The accident occurred after 8 am and one of the three students that then occupied the bus was flown by a lifeline helicopter to Riley Children’s Hospital with what was described as serious injuries. The unnamed driver of the bus was taken by ambulance to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, and the 2 other children were reported to have sustained minor injuries. The current medical condition of the patients is unknown. The school bus was the only vehicle involved in this incident, and the cause is still under investigation.
Man found dead in Mooresville Park
Late Wednesday evening, Mooresville Police were called to Magla Park, near the intersection of Spencer Street and Selma Drive, and found the dead body of an unidentified man. No information about the cause of death nor any word of a potential suspect has been released at this time. The only additional information believed to be connected to the case, is that a Silver Toyota pick-up truck was towed from the park early Thursday morning. Mooresville Police are asking anyone with possible information relating to this incident to contact them immediately.
Bloomington Parks Infrastructure Update
Lower Cascades Park Update
Excavation work has begun at Lower Cascades Park for the Trail Phase 5 and Streambank Stabilization project. Contractors have installed a temporary access culvert for construction equipment and are starting the installation of new storm drain pipes this week. The road through Lower Cascades Park remains closed to motor vehicles until flood repairs, resurfacing, and the installation of traffic calming measures is complete. Pedestrians and cyclists using the road are encouraged to use caution in the area. The parking lots on both the north and south sides of the Lower Cascades Park playground are accessible by vehicle from the north. The Waterfall Shelter remains closed to reservations and nearby sections of the park will be closed for active construction work in the near future.
This project will create a quarter mile of new 8-foot wide paved trail from the southern end of the Sycamore Shelter parking lot to a new trail roundabout just south of the Waterfall Shelter. From there, an approximately 730′ long accessible boardwalk will be built to a viewing platform at the waterfall, and a new pedestrian bridge will connect the roundabout to the southern parts of the park. The project will also stabilize approximately 430+ feet of streambank in the vicinity of the Waterfall Shelter by removing parts of the damaged and eroded wall, pulling back the streambank into tiers, and lining them with large limestone blocks. Pulling back the streambank will allow the creek to slow down during high-water events, reducing the erosive forces and decreasing the amount of sediment carried by the water. Additionally, the project will install new infrastructure for improved lighting through this portion of the park.
Griffey Lake Update
Griffey Lake is currently refilling to a normal level after it was temporarily drawn down to allow for an assessment of the shoreline and lakebed conditions where an accessible pier will be built. The drawdown reduced the water level by approximately six feet in preparation for a pre-bid meeting held Monday August 9 at the Griffy Lake boathouse for prospective bidders on the Griffy Lake Accessible Fishing Pier and Loop Trail Project. One of seven Bicentennial Bond projects announced by Mayor John Hamilton in 2018 and approved by the Bloomington City Council, the Griffy Lake project is accepting construction bids through Friday, August 20. Due to low water levels, boat rental reservations and the launching of private watercraft are suspended through August 14, or until the lake returns to an appropriate level. The status of the boat launch can be checked by calling the Griffy Lake boathouse at 812-349-3732.