TERRE HAUTE —
Thomas Pastor traveled 1,000 miles to remember the son he lost more than 10 years ago.
Pastor, wearing a motorcycle rider’s vest, had traveled from Connecticut to hold a candle and release a balloon in memory of John Pastor, who died in 2001 at age 31.
“I’ll keep coming back,” he said, shortly after releasing a balloon into the damp, gray evening sky.
In all, 29 balloons were released at Monday night’s candle light vigil to remember victims of domestic violence. That’s one more than last year.
The new balloon was in memory of Shawn Singhurst Spitler whose husband has been charged with stabbing her to death.
The purpose of the vigil, an annual tradition for the Council on Domestic Abuse, is to let domestic violence victims know they are not alone, said Caroline Carvill, president of the CODA board.
Victims often feel helpless and isolated, she said. CODA wants them to know they are not and they can reach out for help 24 hours a day.
Calls to CODA at 800-566-2632 or 812-232-1736 are completely anonymous and can be placed for the sole purpose of gathering information, Carvill noted. A caller is not required to leave a name or number.
At this year’s vigil, about 40 people turned out to remember those who lost their lives to husbands, wives, boyfriends or other intimate partners through domestic violence.
Many people held candles in one hand and a string tied to a helium balloon in the other. Each balloon was marked in memory of a victim of domestic violence. When that person’s name was read aloud, the balloon was released into the sky above the Terre Haute City Hall.
“It’s always a very moving moment when the balloons are released,” Carvill said. The faces of some family members showed signs of grief and strong emotion as they watched their balloons float away.
“You can see the pain that it causes everyone,” said Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt who spoke at the vigil.
Modesitt noted that the Indiana legislature this year created “Hope cards” for victims of domestic violence who have received protective orders. Victims can show the cards to police quickly and easily. In the past, victims had to carry entire protective orders with them, sometimes 20 pages in length.
“I’m glad [the legislature] did this,” Modesitt said. Indiana became the third state in the U.S. to implement such cards.
On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 85 percent of victims are women and about one-in-four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at 812-231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Lift off
Balloon launch, candle lighting honor domestic violence victims
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Westbound I-70 closed in Putnam County
Westbound Interstate 70 has been closed this evening due to a three-vehicle accident in Putnam County.
-
22-hospital St. Vincent Health cutting jobs
INDIANAPOLIS — One of Indiana’s largest health systems says it’s cutting an undisclosed number of jobs by June 30 because of increasing economic and competitive pressure on the health care industry.
-
Update: Cleanup from overturned truck in Greene County continues
Fuel spillage from the dump truck hauling gravel that overturned this morning in Greene County at Indiana 54 and County Road 725 East near Ridgeport continues to restrict traffic to one lane.
-
17-pound bone found during Vigo flood cleanup
TERRE HAUTE — Crews cleaning up from Wabash River flooding in Vigo County came across a 17-pound bone that they believe might have come from an ancient mastodon.
-
Duke Energy gives $10K to Wabash Valley Red Cross for Vigo flood relief
Duke Energy is giving $10,000 to the Wabash Valley Red Cross chapter for flood relief from this spring’s heavy rains.
-
I-70 Frye Road overpass contract awarded; construction to begin May 28
The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced the Interstate-70 Frye Road overpass contract was awarded to Halverson Construction Co. Inc. from Springfield, Ill., for $317,166.
-
Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment
Pioneers think counterintuitively. Where others see widespread apathy, they focus on the possibility for progress. In a way, the 2013 Year of the River celebration began in the 1970s.
-
Planning session aims to better Terre Haute
It’s not yet clear what will come of it, but dozens of community leaders spent the whole day Wednesday trying to develop a plan – or collection of plans – to make Terre Haute “a better community.”
-
Education funding boost won’t benefit all schools
In the budget bill passed by the General Assembly last month, there is more money allocated for K-12 education over the next two years, but that doesn’t mean every school will get more dollars.
- Day of Action job options open
-
Park Board renames land around Memorial Stadium
Land surrounding Indiana State University’s Memorial Stadium on Terre Haute’s east side has been designated as Veterans Memorial Park, following a unanimous vote Wednesday from the Terre Haute Park Board.
-
Deputy suffers minor injury during incident
A Vigo County Sheriff’s deputy received a minor injury to his hand Tuesday night while subduing a drunken driving suspect who fled behind a North Terre Haute business.
-
Man accused of child neglect gets new trial date
An Oct. 15 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested in November for child neglect after he and his wife allegedly tied up and confined their adopted children in the family home.
-
Police find meth labs, arrest Pierson Township man
Police uncovered two active methamphetamine labs in southeastern Vigo County on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Pierson Township man.
-
New date set for attempted murder trial
A new trial date has been set for a Terre Haute woman charged with attempted murder.
-
Illinois Senate approves sex education bill
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A proposal that revamps sex education in Illinois public schools to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases has cleared the state Senate.
-
Gregg pondering 2nd run for Indiana governor
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg is pondering another run at the state's top job, but has yet to make a decision.
-
Illinois senator apologizes for Nazi remark
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Sen. Donne Trotter has apologized for remarks that compared a member of Gov. Pat Quinn’s cabinet to a Nazi.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 21, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Westbound I-70 closed in Putnam County




