Southern Indiana Stories of the Year

Dec. 27—SOUTHERN INDIANA — For good, sad and troubling reasons, Southern Indiana made state and national headlines in 2023. Here's a look at some of the top stories for our area over the past year.

FORMER SHERIFF, POLITICAL FIGURE ARRESTED

On Aug. 16, Indiana State Police investigators entered the home owned by former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel to execute search warrants related to a public corruption case.

Noel served as the county's sheriff from 2015-2022, but his influence in the area and state extends far beyond law enforcement. As of Friday, Noel remained the chair of the Clark County Republican Party and the 9th District GOP.

Noel is also the founder of New Chapel Fire/EMS, which provides services to many areas of Clark and Floyd counties.

Noel's former top assistant and current Clark County Sheriff Scottie Maples quickly announced on social media after the August search that he had alerted ISP about "potentially criminal behavior" after taking over the office in 2023.

The search of Noel's home was followed by searches of New Chapel and Utica Fire properties, setting off a wave of reaction and chatter about what, if any, criminal charges the former sheriff would face.

Investigators were mostly mum about the investigation for months.

On Nov. 8, the day after the municipal elections, Noel was arrested and processed in the Clark County jail. He's facing 15 felonies and is accused of selling fire department vehicles and keeping the money along with having sheriff's department employees work on his private property while on the county clock.

But the case continues to develop.

Court documents released in December show that ISP believes Noel paid former Scott County Sheriff Kenneth Hughbanks, who is also the Scott County GOP chair, $265,000 in jail commissary funds for consulting work.

Additional warrants were served in December related to a personal airplane that investigators said Noel purchased with fire department money.

As of Friday, Noel's next court date is scheduled for Jan. 8, with a jury trial tentatively set for May.

OLD NATIONAL BANK SHOOTING

On April 10, Floyd Central High School graduate Connor Sturgeon murdered five of his former co-workers in a mass shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville.

The victims included Deana Eckert, 57, who resided in New Albany.

Sturgeon, who was a star athlete at Floyd Central, was shot and killed by police responding to the scene.

In November, police released reports showing that Sturgeon claimed in writings that he was depressed and carried out the mass shooting to show that gun restrictions are too lax.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES

Two murder trials involving men shooting and killing their spouses resulted in guilty verdicts in both cases.

In August, Cherok Douglass was found guilty in a double murder trial in Floyd County. Douglass was convicted of shooting and killing his wife, Brandee Douglass, and a bystander, Lorin Yelle, at a New Albany gas station in 2022.

In October, Douglass was sentenced to 240 years in prison.

That same month, Mac Lewis was convicted in Clark County of shooting and killing his wife, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bennett Lewis. The shooting occurred inside the couple's home in 2022 in Sellersburg.

Mac Lewis was sentenced to 100 years in prison in November.

ORIGIN PARK GARNERS RECORD GRANT

River Heritage Conservancy received $37.5 million from the state for the development of an outdoor adventure center for the 430-acre Origin Park. The money, appropriated in the biennial budget in May, represents one of the largest ever single grants from the state for a Southern Indiana project.

The adventure center is expected to cost about $75 million to build, and will include event space, zip lines, climbing walls and walking paths.

Also in 2023, River Heritage opened a paddling launch point, Croghan Landing, on Silver Creek. The launch point marks one of the first projects to be completed for Origin Park.

New Albany opened Silver Creek Landing in 2023, which also offers a kayak and paddle launch spot.

The City of New Albany and River Heritage are still divided over removing a dam from Silver Creek. A state judge with the Indiana Natural Resources Commission upheld a previous decision allowing River Heritage to remove the dam for recreational reasons, but the City of New Albany countered with a lawsuit in November.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Southern Indiana voters elected officials for cities and towns in 2023.

In Jeffersonville, Mayor Mike Moore ran unopposed to secure his fourth term. New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan beat challenger Ed Clere to also secure his fourth term.

In Charlestown, Mayor Treva Hodges defeated Ruthie Jackson to win her second term.

There were several changes to area councils, including in Jeffersonville and Clarksville.

Those elected begin their four-year terms on Jan. 1.

JEFFBOAT PLANS UNVEILED

Plans to redevelop the former Jeffboat shipyard were released in October, and if the vision comes to fruition, it would have a sizable impact on Jeffersonville's riverfront.

Plans include an entertainment district to feature an amphitheater, plaza, hotel and overlook area. A private marina is also included in the design, which entails high-quality restaurants and small retail shops.

Moving forward, officials are looking to select a developer for the $930 million project, which will be developed in phases.

RIVER RIDGE ATTRACTS NEW INDUSTRIES

Touted as the largest single investment in the history of the River Ridge Commerce Center, Canadian Solar Inc. announced plans in October to develop a solar cell production facility at the Clark County park.

The project is estimated to be worth $800 million, and would create about 1,200 high-tech jobs.

Also in October, The Cheesecake Factory Inc. announced it will open a bakery at River Ridge for manufacturing and distributing its desserts. The investment will include $74 million in land, construction and machinery, with the bakery expected to open in 2025.