LAWRENCE CO. – In August 2023 White River Humane Society announced plans to build a new shelter, 1930s Group and Allied Argenta purchased the Elks Lodge along with Krenke-Goff buildings, and an inmate died in the Lawrence County Jail
Over-population: White River Humane Society needs a new shelter
In August 2023, the White River Humane Society, currently located on Pumphouse Road, gave a report to the City of Bedford officials regarding the state of the shelter, and notably, the degree to which the shelter is overpopulated by animals.
In August 2023, the shelter, which has a capacity for 50 dogs and 60 cats, was housing 80 dogs and 140 cats. These numbers are severely overloading the shelter. The need for space is evidenced by the various cages lining halls and across from the built-in kennels.
While over-population at the shelter is a factor contributing to the need for a newer, improved shelter, it’s not the most important.
“Laundry and dishes are never-ending. We try to keep our animals healthy.” Debbie Stailey, President of the White River Humane Society Board of Directors, said as she led WBIW through the back of the shelter.
The shelter works hard to keep bowls, blankets, and any toys or beds clean and sanitized so that any sickness doesn’t spread between animals.
For puppies brought into the shelter, they have a separate room to keep them safe. This room is off-limits to visitors, and those who go in to care for the animals inside must wear boots that are disinfected before and after entering the room.
Puppies’ immune systems are vulnerable until they’ve had all their vaccinations, which is why they are kept separate. Diseases like Parvo contaminate the ground and could be unintentionally tracked in by people visiting.
Other issues present themselves, such as inefficient use of space, poorly designed kennels, inoperable drainage systems, and more.
When one dog gets excited and begins barking, others see it, hear it, and also begin to get worked up. merely walking through the rooms with dogs results in a deafening cacophony of barks.
Additionally, dogs bark at each other in general, so with other canines in plain view, noise is a constant.
This noise has been a point of concern for some area residents for the new location since the current shelter has outdoor kennels. Plans for the new shelter will have all-indoor kennels, which should lessen or eliminate the noise of barking in the surrounding area, as well as allow temperature control for the animals’ well-being.
Some animals are doubled up in kennel spaces, and this close proximity makes the spread of colds harder to prevent.
Extra cages with multiple feline inhabitants line the walls at the Humane Center because there isn’t enough space inside the normal kennels.
Naturally, anything new brings uncertainty, and in light of that there have been some concerned parties, but many of the issues won’t prove problematic.
The new facility will be built on a little more than four acres at 1702 Wesley Chapel Road, in Mitchell, on the corner of State Road 37 South and Wesley Chapel Road.
The land was donated to the White River Humane Society by Dana and Brenda Dunbar.
Lawrence County resident, Dwight Dunbar sent out a letter in 2023 with concerns about the new shelter’s planned location. One concern is the perception of a few hours of operation and that on occasion unwanted pets are dumped outside of operational hours.
Even though the shelter is only open 19 hours a week, those are just the hours of operation that are open to the general public. The shelter is staffed 7 days a week because the animals need care multiple times a day. Staffing and volunteer shortages mean that the many duties workers and volunteers deal with around the clock are more time-consuming than normal. While they are not open to the public every day, certain services, such as reclaiming lost pets, are provided even during hours that are not classified as ‘open to the public.’
Dunbar also voiced concerns regarding the stench of the animal shelter being in proximity to a residential area and the effect an incinerator used for the disposal of animals that have been put down and incinerated will have on the residential value of the area.
The smell at the current location can be attributed to the adjacent wastewater treatment plant, which is a result of human waste, not animal refuse. This factor will not be present at the new facility. Animals do eliminate in their kennels and there is odor inside the White River Humane Society that is attributed to that. The current shelter’s poor ventilation and inadequate drainage only amplify this issue. While shelter workers clean kennels daily, this current situation would be equivalent to a bathroom in a home that has been used but lacks the ability to flush the toilet and or run an exhaust fan.
Because the new location will not have an incinerator, the stench will also not be a problem. The White River Humane Society has not used the incinerator in roughly ten years. Unlike prior management, the current board does not believe in putting down animals unnecessarily, and aside from extreme cases, all animals are given a chance to stay until they find a home. This policy is one of the reasons the shelter has so many animals.
“If people would just spay and neuter their pets – it would solve a lot of problems,” Debbie explained, referencing the sheer productivity (especially cats) of animals if they are able to breed at will.
Consider taking a look at the available animals and taking some of the burden from the hard workers at the humane society by visiting their website at www.WhiteRiverHumaneSociety.org and completing an online adoption application.
Fostering and volunteering are also options if you don’t find yourself in the place for a pet but want to help. Financial donations are always needed and any help is appreciated.
1930s Group and Allied Argenta purchase Elks Lodge and Krenke-Goff buildings
A partnership between the 1930s Group and Allied Argenta was formed and purchased two historic buildings in downtown Bedford’s Courthouse Square Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The 1917 Elks Lodge and the 1892 Krenke-Goff Building are prominent historic buildings currently vacant and in need of rehabilitation.
The goal of this new partnership is to work with local community organizations, the City of Bedford, and Indiana Landmarks to pursue a community-based endeavor that results in the preservation and reuse of these buildings in a way that serves Bedford and helps further revitalization efforts of the downtown.
Adrian Scott Fine, a partner with the 1930s Group and a nationally recognized expert in historic preservation, was raised in Bedford and has strong community ties.
“Our initial, immediate goal was to ensure the Elks Lodge would not be demolished and to transfer it into safe hands,” says Fine. “It is too important to the community and its history to be lost, and its revitalization is part of a larger effort to activate the historic square business district.”
Bloomington resident Hayden Lockhart of Allied Argenta, a fully integrated property development,
management, and the construction company, will lead the Allied Argenta team.
“The Elks Lodge is a solid building that can be rehabilitated and brought back into productive use,” says Lockhart.
The additional acquisition of the historic Krenke-Goff Building allows for greater capability to combine residential units with a mix-use strategy to best leverage federal and state funding sources. The 1930s Group and Allied Argenta hope this effort will offer a new revitalization model for Bedford and other communities to replicate for bundling a grouping of underutilized and vacant buildings for use as housing and other mixed uses.
Once the sale of the Elks Lodge and the Krenke-Goff Building are finalized, the partnership intends to stabilize the Elks Lodge to ensure no additional damage or deterioration occurs while the development strategy is formulated.
About the Elks Lodge and Krenke-Goff Buildings:
Elks Lodge #826, 1102 15th Street
The Italian Renaissance Revival style structure is faced in brick and limestone with a raised basement level, prominent portico, decorative carvings, and a terra cotta tile hip roof. Since its formal dedication in 1917, it served as the headquarters for Elks Lodge #826 until 2015 when the building was donated to the Bedford Urban Enterprise Association. Also in 2015 and most recently in August 2023, it was placed on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered, an annual list of historic places that are too important to lose.
Krenke-Goff Building, 1018 16th Street
Built in 1898 as a commercial structure and used as a livery, the Krenke-Goff Building features a pressed metal cornice, cast iron storefront pilasters, exposed brick, and a limestone date plaque on its upper story. Following a partnership between the City of Bedford and Indiana Landmarks to save the building from demolition, it was stabilized, including rebuilding the rear wall and installing a new roof and guttering. Throughout its years of use, the building has served as a livery, upstairs roller rink, automobile dealership, and most recently, as home to the Goff Refrigeration Company.
For more information about the project, visit https://1930sgroup.com/ and https://alliedargenta.com/.
Inmate dies at Lawrence County Jail
On Saturday, August 26, 2023, an inmate died from a medical event while incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail.
Sheriff Greg Day has requested Indiana State Police detectives to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of 38-year-old Damien Pinnick, of Mitchell.
According to Sheriff Day, Pinnick was housed in a cell by himself in “M” Block. Correctional Officers had made multiple contacts with Pinnick throughout Saturday morning. Around noon, an officer supplied Pinnick with his lunch tray and had a brief conversation with him. A short time later, when officers were picking up the lunch trays, Pinnick was found unresponsive in his cell. Officers attempted life-saving measures, including CPR and the use of an AED, however, those efforts were unsuccessful. IU Health EMS responded to the jail as well, but Pinnick was pronounced deceased at the scene,
An autopsy was completed that same day. At this time, it appears that Pinnick suffered from a possible seizure, which led to his death. Toxicology reports are pending.
A notification has been made to Pinnick’s family.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Officers, Lawrence County Corrections Officers, Indiana State Police Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators, IU Health Lifeline EMS, and the Lawrence County Coroner’s Office all assisted with the response and investigation.
Pinnick was arrested on August 1 after a Mitchell Police officer conducted a traffic stop at the Shell station at State Road 37 and Main Street in Mitchell.
Pinnick was a passenger in the vehicle and was arrested after he handed the officer a marijuana pipe.
During a probable cause search of the vehicle, police found a small baggie containing crystal meth and another smoking device with meth residue in the center console.
Both the driver and Pinnick denied the meth and smoking pipe were theirs.
Pinnick and the driver, 29-year-old Adam Swartz, of Mitchell, were arrested on charges of possession of meth and drug paraphernalia. Pinnick was also charged with possession of marijuana.
