(UNDATED) – In September 2019 United Autoworkers went on strike at GM Powertrain, a U.S. District Court ruled the legal counsel for John Myers III was ineffective, and he ordered Myers’ release from prison. Myers was convicted of killing IU student Jill Behrman. Also in 2019, the Williams Volunteer Fire Department merged with Indian Creek VFD and homecoming royalty was crowned.
United Auto Workers Strike at GM Powertrain
United Auto Workers Local 440 President Kevin Hutchinson and fellow union members went on strike at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, 2019.
The longest General Motors strike in history ended on October 25, 2019, when the United Auto Workers union voted in favor of a four-year labor deal to end the walkout.
The rank-and-file members voted 57 percent in favor of the deal, according to the union. Locally, the 703 members of UAW Local 440 voted 60 percent to 40 percent not to approve the terms of the agreement, according to union president Kevin Hutchinson.
The vote ended a painful work stoppage that lasted six weeks, costing GM nearly $2 billion in lost production and employees nearly $1 billion in lost wages.
US District Judge Overturns Conviction of Man Convicted of Murder of IU Student Jill Behrman
On September 30, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney of the Southern District of Indiana said the legal counsel for John Myers III was ineffective, and he ordered Myers’ release from prison.
Attorney General Curtis Hill filed an appeal and requested a new trial within 30 days of the ruling.
Myers was convicted of killing 19-year-old Indiana University student Jill Behrman in 2006 and sentenced to serve the maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Behrman disappeared in May 2000 while on a bicycle ride near Bloomington. Hunters found her remains in 2003 in Morgan County, north of Bloomington. She died of a shotgun wound to the back of her head.
Williams Volunteer Fire Department Merges with Indian Creek VFD
Williams Volunteer Fire Department, established in 1961 and one of the first fire departments established in Lawrence County, merged with Indian Creek Township.
The department was facing a crisis – the lack of volunteers to staff the department. The department only had two active firefighters to respond to emergencies.
On September 5, 2019, the Spice Valley Township Trustee notified the Lawrence County 911 Board that the Williams Volunteer Fire Department had merged with Indian Creek Township Fire Department.
Indian Creek now provides fire coverage for Spice Valley Township North.
Homecoming Royalty Crowned
Both Bedford North Lawrence and Mitchell high schools celebrated homecoming in September.
In Bedford, the Stars hosted the Madison Cubs and lost 21-20 in an emotional game.
Cooper Holmes was crowned 2019 BNL Homecoming King and Courtney Hsu was crowned Homecoming Queen during halftime.
In Mitchell, Amber Bakker was crowned queen and Zander England, king. Sarah Fletcher was named princess.
The Bluejackets came away with a victory against Eastern Green at Terry Cole Field 36-20 for the Homecoming win.
