(1) An accident on State Road 156 near Plum Creek Road just east of Vevay resulted in serious injuries to Switzerland County High School senior Laci Daugherty.
Her father, Rick Daugherty, was also injured in the accident, and the community rallied around the family with fundraisers and other shows of support while the father and daughter recovered.
(2) An early morning accident on Plum Creek Road claimed the life of 29-year old Steven A. Lime.
Investigators found that the vehicle went off of the roadway for an unknown reason, struck a tree, and then slid down the hill and into a large culvert.
(3) Switzerland County authorities were looking for information regarding a hit-and-run accident early in the morning that resulted in serious injuries to Vevay’s Kenny Chatham.
Kenny Chatham, a beloved member of the community, was struck while he was riding his signature purple scooter on State Road 156.
(4) Emilee Waldron and Jacob Haskell were crowned as the Princess and Prince of this year’s Swiss Wine Festival. Carrie Truax and Ian Sisson were the first runners up; Katie Rayls and Mark Sharp were the second runners up; Brenna Green and Jordan Hewitt were the third runners up; and Kelsi South and Nathan Hickman were the fourth runners up.
Nathan Hickman and Jenna Daugherty were crowed as Mister and Miss Congeniality.
(5) The Ridge Winery again excelled at the annual Indy International Wine Competition held in Indianapolis.
The winery, owned and operated by Tom and Mary Jane Demaree, earned three silver medals in the competition, which featured more than 3,300 wines from 15 countries.
(6) Candidates for four seats on the Switzerland County School Board were finalized.
In Cotton Township, Bill Roberts will run against Mark Lohide; in Pleasant Township, Jim Phipps will run against Denise Maxwell; in the Town of Vevay, Wayne Daugherty will run against Ron Otter; and in York Township, Tonya Moore will run against Shannon Hoffman.
(7) The Edelweiss Teen Princess at this year’s Swiss Wine Festival was Ashley Poling.
Jessie Ray was the first runner up; Ashley Green was the second runner up; Shayla Smith was the third runner up; Andrea Brogan was the fourth runner up; and Halie Thomas was Miss Congeniality.
(8) The Swiss Friends of Animals, an organization that had grown from a small group of dedicated volunteers to an influential voice for the protection of animals in the county, announced that it was suspending operations here.
The group ended its eight-year effort to help the community be educated about the importance of spaying an neutering pets and handed off those efforts to the Switzerland County Animal Shelter – which Swiss Friends of Animals was instrumental in helping make a reality.
(9) Shallyn Thomas and Dylan Jenkins were crowned as the Little Miss and Little Mister of the Swiss Wine Festival.
This was the second year that a Little Miss was crowned; and the first year for a Little Mister.
(10) Another school year got underway, and the school board made some adjustments in its administrative structure when the board assigned Darin Gullion to the principal’s post at Jefferson-Craig Elementary.
He had served as the interim superintendent before the hiring of Dr. Elizabeth Jones; and prior to that was the assistant superintendent under superintendent Tracy Caddell.