A Columbus man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop Tuesday night.

Columbus Police Department Spokesman Sgt. Matt Harris says that at approximately 7:35 p.m., Sgt. Oscar Olmeda stopped a vehicle in the 4000 block of 25th Street after the driver allegedly failed to use his turn signal. Olmeda spoke with the driver, 54-year-old Daniel J. Butler, who reportedly informed the officer that his license was suspended. When Olmeda asked Butler to exit his vehicle, Butler allegedly reached between his body and the driver’s seat. Butler was taken into custody and officers allegedly found a small bag of methamphetamine on the driver’s seat. As officers were preparing to take Butler to jail, they allegedly found a glass smoking pipe containing what appeared to be drug residue in his possession.

Butler was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of Driving While Suspended with a Prior Conviction, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

A local man was arrested on a drug charge after a concerned passerby reported seeing him unconscious in a vehicle.

Columbus Police Department Spokesman Sgt. Matt Harris says that at approximately 2:25 a.m. Wednesday, Officer Travis Harbaugh was dispatched to a gas station in the 4000 block of 25th Street. When Harbaugh arrived, he allegedly observed the man, 24-year-old Seth A. Artis, unconscious in the vehicle with the door open. After waking Artis, he reportedly told the officer that he fallen asleep and there was no problem. While speaking with Artis, Harbaugh reported seeing a small bag of heroin in the driver’s door.

Artis was arrested and booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on a preliminary charge of Possession of Heroin.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is asking for your help in locating its most-wanted suspect this week.

Department Spokesperson Judy Jackson says that deputies are

searching for 28-year-old Anthony Wayne Thompson. Thompson is described as a white male, five-feet, nine-inches tall and weighing 140 pounds. He has red hair and hazel eyes. The Sheriff’s Department says Thompson is wanted for Failure to Appear on an undisclosed Felony charge.

If you have any information on Thompson’s whereabouts, you are asked to call Captain Dave Steinkoenig at (812) 565-5940. You may also call the Sheriff Department’s Tip Line at (812) 379-1712. Tips can be left anonymously.

A Greenwood man died yesterday after falling through the ice on a pond possibly while trying to rescue his dogs.

Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox says that authorities have identified the man as 43 year old Brian Persinger. The victim’s wife said he did not show up to work yesterday and she found his running truck sitting at a property they own where the pond was located.

SCUBA divers from Johnson County and Indiana Department of Natural Resources  recovered his body from the freezing waters just after midnight . Markings on the icy pond suggest he may have scooted onto the ice to rescue an animal, but there were no immediate signs of the dogs in the water.

Cox praised the dedication of the SCUBA divers.

“This is one of those incidents that we hate to see happen, but it is important for the public to know that there are people who put their lives on the line in some very dangerous situations for them to have closure,” Cox said.

Bartholomew County’s Joint Narcotics Team made five arrests on narcotics charges yesterday after serving a search warrant at a home on Virginia Street in Columbus.

Judy Jackson, spokeswoman with the sheriff’s department said authorities allegedly found about 14 grams of methamphetamine, four grams of heroin, numerous other controlled substances, multiple syringes and paraphernalia and other narcotics-related items.

34-year-old Clorissa J. Clemmons of Hope was arrested on charges including dealing in methamphetamine, dealing in heroin, visiting a common nuisance and possession of an injection device.

Other arrests included:

• Melinda K. Caudill, 38, of Madison, Visiting a Common Nuisance, Parole Warrant.
• Robert F. Johnson, 44, 3385 Virginia St. in Columbus, maintaining a common nuisance
• Levi W. Underwood, 24, of Columbus, visiting a common nuisance,possession of an injection device.
• Daniel J. Butler, 55, 3385 Virginia St. in Columbus, possession of methamphetamine.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team is a collaboration that includes the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.

The town of Hope will be having some difficulties dealing with snow over the next few days.

David Clouse, manager of Hope Utilities reported to the Town Council last night that one of the town’s two snowplows is inoperable. He said the more than 20-year-old truck appears to have blown a head gasket. Clouse said that he believed the single remaining plow would be enough to get through this morning’s weather but if forecasts for later in the week hold up, the town could be in trouble.

The Town Council gave him the emergency authority to either contract with someone to help clear the town’s streets, to rent a fill-in snowplow or to make emergency repairs to the truck. Council members said the town would look for a more permanent solution once the weather clears.

Many roads and streets are slick and snow-covered this morning and authorities are urging you to be cautious while traveling.

Several local counties are under travel advisories including Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson and Shelby counties. That means you should take extra caution getting to your destination.

Columbus police are reporting up to three inches of snow on the ground, although city crews are out in force treating the slippery roads.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a winter weather advisory for our area. The warning is in effect until noon. Many local schools are closed or on delays today. You can find our most up to date list of delays and closings here.

East Columbus United Methodist Church will be able to take over a neighboring piece of property after no one purchased the abandoned lot in a tax sale.

The Bartholomew County Commissioners yesterday morning approved assigning the property on Indiana Avenue to the church, which will be responsbile for all associated fees and title transfer costs. The property used to have an abandoned and derelict home on the lot which was torn down by the city of Columbus. The county tried to collect $5,000 for the less than half acre lot under the tax sale, according to county officials, but there were no takers.

The church plans to preserve the property as green space, according to county commissioners.

County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said that he would normally prefer for properties to remain on the tax rolls, but in this case the property appears to have no value.

A Hope resident will be able to keep his flock of chickens under an agreement reached last night with the Hope Town Council.

Tim Saylor was facing having to get rid of the 11 chickens he keeps on his in-town property under the town’s livestock ordinance. However, no signed copy of the 2011 ordinance could be found on file. Town attorney Cindy Boll said that she believes the law was still valid but asked the council to affirm their intention that the law remain in effect.

Council President Clyde Compton balked at that solution and instead suggested the council pass its own version of the ordinance. Councilman Jonathan Titus stressed that the council did not want to have the Town Square turn into a commons for livestock grazing due to the questions over the ordinance.

The council ultimately decided to take their attorney’s suggestion, but also to grandfather in Saylor’s flock. He promised not to increase the number of chickens on his property. Councilman Ohmer Miller also stressed that it was important for Saylor to keep his property and chickens in line, or the council could revisit the issue.

The council will take another look at the ordinance to address some concerns, including how to categorize rabbits.

Town Marshal Matt Tallent said he had not issued a citation for Saylor, instead issuing a warning pending the council’s decision on the issue.

The second reading of a salary ordinance that would give a pair of political appointees pay raises for two newly consolidated positions at City Hall brought about a lot of discussion Tuesday night before the Columbus City Council.

New Mayor Jim Lienhoop has combined the functions of city engineer with oversight of the city garage in a director of engineering and public works position. Dave Hayward was appointed to that position. The Mayor also combined the functions of the director of administration with the community development director. Mary Ferdon was appointed to that position. Lienhoop also outsourced city attorney duties from an in-house position that was created by former Mayor Kristen Brown and approved by the City Council back in 2011. The changes also reduced headcount at City Hall.

There were complaints from audience members, including Brown, about a perceived lack of transparency in the posting of the council’s Jan. 4 meeting, where the proposal was first discussed, then passed on first reading. Brown read from a letter that she asked to be read at the council’s first meeting of the year, but wasn’t. In it, she questioned the wisdom of granting pay increases to Ferdon and Hayward. Brown said that they smacked of “political patronage.” She also questioned whether the pair were the most qualified for their positions. Ferdon worked under Brown in the first year of her administration before leaving. Hayward also served as City Engineer under Brown before he retired.

Several residents, who supported Brown in her reelection bid last year, also expressed their dissatisfaction with the process. Some noted that the local newspaper gave the incorrect date for the meeting, which was held on a Monday night rather than the regular Tuesday. They also expressed concern that the agenda for the meeting was not in its usual place on the city website. Those who were able to locate the agenda say that it was changed right before the meeting. City Attorney Alan Whitted explained that the city did not violate any laws in not having the agenda in its usual place on the website. He explained that the law only states that an agenda must be posted near the door of the meeting place before a meeting. With that, council members, as well as Clerk Treasurer Luann Welmer indicated that the agenda was in place on the website. They also indicated that the information will continue to be available as it has in the past. Some council members also opined that the change in administration, as well as a new calendar year, led to the confusion. Tuesday’s agenda was readily available on the homepage of the city website that afternoon.

The salary ordinance was ultimately approved on a vote of five-to-two. New At-Large City Councilperson Laurie Booher changed her vote from “yes” at the first reading to “no” at the second. Booher says that even though she is supportive of Mayor Lienhoop’s reorganization efforts and the salary ordinance as presented, she said that she had to listen to the members of the public who expressed concern that the issue needed more discussion. District 4 Councilman Frank Miller was the other “no” vote. While he approves of the idea of city employees being adequately compensated, Miller says he would rather have a complete review of all positions instead of taking care of them in a piece-meal fashion.

Ferdon mentioned during both council meetings this year that a comprehensive review of all city positions, duties, job descriptions and salaries would take place in the future.