Stay safe; always assume you are on ‘thin ice’
Every winter, thousands of Hoosiers safely enjoy fishing, skating, hiking, or just sliding around on frozen ponds and lakes. And every year, people drown after falling through ice. Indiana Conservation Officers remind Hoosiers to be careful as they begin to partake in activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, or snowmobiling. Remember to put safety first. Take caution when going on frozen lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and retention ponds. And watch for others who may venture out on frozen waterways and find themselves in trouble.
Similar to needing to drive differently on snowy versus clear roads, safely having fun on ice may require you to adjust from what you have done in the past. The rule of thumb is to believe all ice is thin ice unless proven otherwise. Here are a few tips to remember when considering standing on or walking on a frozen body of water:
- Assume no ice is safe ice.
- Test the thickness of the ice with an ice auger. At least 4 inches is recommended for ice fishing; 5 inches is recommended for snowmobiling.
- If you don’t know the thickness of the ice, don’t go on it.
- Wear a life jacket or flotation coat.
- Carry ice picks and rope gear.
- Before going on the ice, leave a note of your whereabouts with a friend or family member.
- Don’t test the thickness of the ice while alone.
Remember that a new coating of snow, while perhaps beautiful, can make for treacherous ice conditions. Snow can serve as insulation, causing water to freeze at a slower rate. When snow and rain freeze into ice, it is not as strong as solid, clear ice.
A few more tips:
- Some bodies of water can appear to be frozen solid but still have thin ice in several unexpected areas.
- Avoid flowing water, such as rivers and streams, when covered by a layer of ice.
- Similarly, water surrounded by sand may freeze with inconsistencies in the thickness of the ice.
- Underground springs, wind, waterfowl, and other animals can also keep areas of ice thin.
Purdue set to face #3 Iowa at sold-out Mackey Arena
After a week off, Purdue Women’s Basketball (9-5, 2-1) is set for a sold-out Mackey Arena when it hosts No. 3 Iowa (16-1, 6-0) on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. The Boilermakers will make their debut on Peacock with Zora Stephenson on the play-by-play and Kim Adams as analyst. Tim Newton and Jane Schott will have the call for the Purdue Global Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.
Fans are encouraged to bring gently worn winter clothing and Purdue gear to donate to Lafayette Urban Ministries. Those who donate clothes will receive a 10% discount to purdueteamstore.com. Fans can also bring canned or non-perishable food items that will go to ACE Food Pantry.
Inmate sentenced to life in prison for Murder and Attempted Murder of fellow inmates at Terre Haute Federal Penitentiary
Rodney Curtis Hamrick, 58, a federal inmate formerly housed at the United States Penitentiary, in the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex, has been sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty to first degree murder and assault with intent to commit murder.
According to court documents, Rodney Hamrick, Richard Warren, and Robert Neal were all inmates housed within the Communications Management Unit of the U.S. Penitentiary at the Terre Haute, Indiana, Federal Correctional Complex. On November 10, 2018, Warren notified a prison officer that he had been stabbed and assaulted in his cell by Hamrick. Officers secured Hamrick and confiscated a homemade weapon resembling an icepick used to stab Warren.
Inside Hamrick’s cell, Officers also found inmate Robert Neal covered in a sheet with a pillowcase tied over his face and neck, his hands bound behind his back, and multiple puncture wounds in his chest. Neal had no pulse and was later confirmed by medical staff to be dead. The official autopsy noted eleven stab wounds to Neal’s chest, but the ultimate cause of death was strangulation.
In an interview with FBI agents, Hamrick admitted to planning to attack Neal and Warren in advance. Hamrick lured Neal into his cell to help with legal paperwork, then binding him and strangling him with a cord. When the cord broke, Hamrick strangled Neal to death with his bare hands. Hamrick then stabbed Neal multiple times to ensure he was dead. Neal was 68-years-old when Hamrick murdered him.
Hamrick then entered Warren’s cell and immediately attacked him, grabbing Warren from behind and stabbing him in the neck. Warren was able to escape Hamrick’s grasp and protect himself from further stabs until another inmate arrived and Hamrick left Warren’s cell.
At the time he committed these crimes, Hamrick was serving a life sentence imposed in 2007 by the Eastern District of Virginia for using a destructive device in an attempted crime of violence. This sentence was imposed following seven prior federal convictions for offenses including violent threats against public officials and federal buildings, attempted escape, and multiple offenses involving manufacturing and mailing destructive devices—some of which detonated and injured others. After Hamrick murdered Neal and attempted to murder Warren, the Bureau of Prisons transferred Hamrick from Terre Haute to the ADMAX administrative security U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, Colorado.
The Guild Gallery – An Online Guild Exhibition & Sale
During the Brown County Art Guild renovation, stay connected to our artists this winter through our online exhibition & sale. Take time to study their paintings while in the comfort of your own home. A variety of mediums and styles are available. The artists never fail to bring us their best work at any time of the year.
Mon Jan 1st – Sun Mar 17th (Online Event) browncountyartguild.org/
This Week in Hoosier History
1918 – Joseph W. Barr, American banker and politician was sworn in as United States Secretary of the Treasury.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson