Local Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations today include the 5th annual celebration at the Columbus Learning Center Lecture Hall featuring Margo Foreman & Dr. Kim Kirkland. This event will start at 11 a.m. with food served at noon. The event is sponsored by IUPUC and the African American Fund of Bartholomew County.

Columbus Area Arts Council will be presenting a performance of “Let It Shine: The American Civil Rights Movement” at 2 p.m. today in The Commons. It is sponsored by the arts council; The African American Fund of Bartholomew County; Taylor Bros. Construction; and the Mickey King Endowment Fund.

According to Metro Network, several Indianapolis attractions are opening their doors for free in honor of Martin Luther King, Junior Day. The Indianapolis Zoo and the Indiana State Museum are among them. The NCAA Hall of Champions and the Eiteljorg Museum are also free if you bring a non-perishable food item for Gleaner’s Food Bank. The Jazz Foundation will host a kid-friendly concert in celebration of King at Rhythm Discovery Center at 11 a.m.

A one-vehicle crash on I-65 in Jackson County led to two people being hospitalized Friday morning.

Indiana State Police (ISP) Spokesman Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says at approximately 10:15 a.m., Troopers responded to a rollover crash near the 49 mile marker, just south of Exit 50 near Seymour. Investigators say the crash caused two of the five occupants of the vehicle to be hospitalized.

Wheeles says that an SUV driven by 23-year-old Jeffrey T. Morrison, of North Vernon, was traveling south near the crash site. Investigators say that a large tarp lying in the road likely caused Morrison to swerve to the other lane. Morrison then lost control of the vehicle, as it rolled several times into the median.

Wheeles said that Morrison was transported to Schneck Medical Center with minor injuries. A front seat passenger, 23-year-old Trevor M. Thain, of Fort Wayne, was trapped in the vehicle. When he was freed, he was reportedly transported to Schneck Medical Center before being flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. ISP say that his injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Three other passengers, 24-year-old Cassie M. Garrard, of Crown Point, 21-year-old Lyndi A. Martin, of Lafayette and 23-year-old Madeline C. Miller, of Fort Wayne, all suffered minor injuries, but refused treatment.

ISP investigators say the vehicle that possibly lost the tarp was not found. However, the investigation is ongoing.

A Jennings County man was arrested Thursday evening after Jennings County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported stabbing in the 500 block of Washington Street in Vernon.

Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Lt. Mike Mowery says that at approximately 6:52 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the scene after being advised that a female had been stabbed multiple times by a male suspect. Upon arrival, Deputies Garrett Hoppock and Drew Heilers located the victim, 31-year-old Amanda Hardesty, of Vernon, in the kitchen of her home. Mowery says Hardesty was suffering from two puncture wounds to her chest.

Mowery says that during the course of the investigation, Deputies found the knife that was used in the alleged stabbing. He says the suspect, 48-year-old Scott Stokes, of North Vernon, had hidden himself in the attic of the home and refused to come out. After a short time, Deputies say they were able to take Stokes into custody without incident.

Stokes was booked in the Jennings County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon Level (Level 6 Felony)
Domestic Battery Level (Level 6 Felony)
Disorderly Conduct (B-Misdemeanor)
Battery Causing Bodily Injury with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony)
Resisting Law Enforcement (A-Misdemeanor)
Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony)

Mowery adds that Stokes is also on Parole with the Indiana Department of Corrections. He is being held on a $2,055 bond. Mowery says that the extent of Hardesty’s injuries are unknown, but they are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident is still under investigation by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

An early morning traffic stop on Friday led to the arrest of a wanted Decatur man.

Columbus Police Department Spokesman Lt. Matt Harris says that at approximately 12:30 a.m., Officer Travis Harbaugh initiated the traffic stop near Carrie Lane and Jonathan Moore Pike when he saw a vehicle with only one headlight. The driver of the vehicle reportedly told the officer that his wallet was recently stolen and he did not have identification with him. Harris says that the man lied about his identity, but officers ultimately figured out the suspect was 30-year-old Kyle T. Chandler.

Harris says that officers determined that Chandler had warrants for his arrest from Bartholomew County and Wells County. As officers were taking him into custody, they reportedly observed that Chandler’s left hand was clinched in a fist. Chandler allegedly tried to pull away from the officers, however, they were able to get his hand open and allegedly recovered a bag containing methamphetamine. A search of Chandler’s car allegedly resulted in the discovery of a glass pipe containing methamphetamine.

Chandler was arrested and booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Class A Misdemeanor)
Driving While Suspended (Class A Misdemeanor)
False Informing (Class A Misdemeanor)

Chandler was also wanted on a Bartholomew County Warrant for Failure to Appear. Harris says the original charge was Possession of a Synthetic Drug. Chandler was also wanted on a warrant out of Wells County for Violation of Probation. Harris says the original charges were six Counts of Burglary, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While Suspended, and False Informing.

Columbus police report that a man was arrested after allegedly throwing drugs out a vehicle window during a traffic stop near 12th and Franklin streets.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the department, said officers tried to stop a vehicle at 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon over a minor traffic violation. But before the vehicle stopped, the officer saw the driver allegedly throw a small bag out the passenger side window.

The driver, 45-year-old Brian L. Bay of Columbus was found to be a habitual traffic violator and as he was arrested, officers searched the vehicle and found drug paraphernalia, Harris said. The bag Bay allegedy threw contained what appeared to be methamphetamine.

Bay is facing additional charges of possession of methampetamine, and drug paraphernalia. He was also wanted on a Bartholomew County warrant for operating a motor vehicle under the influence, Harris said.

A Seymour police officer is suffering from a bruised leg after a scuffle with a disorderly person earlier this week.

The police department reports that officers were called to a fight on Mutton Creek Drive Tuesday. 21-year old Tanner Payton was allegedly intoxicated and angry, shouting obscenities and insults at officers. Police say he threatened to kill an officer, the officer’s wife and children.

Payton, who was much larger than officers on the scene, allegedly refused officers’ orders and had to be wrestled to the ground and then carried to a police car, where he kicked one officer and spat on another.

Payton is facing preliminary charges of Intimidation on a law officer, disorderly conduct, battery on a law officer, and battery by bodily waste.

Authorities are reporting that there have been a string of local scams and attempted scams over the past few days, including a person impersonating a Columbus City Utilities worker.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, said that police are investigating scams including two where local businesses were told by a person who called and claimed they were with Duke Energy. The fraudulent caller demanded that if a supposed past-due bill wasn’t paid immediately, the power to the business would shut off. That caller demanded the money be sent electronically.

Harris said that Duke Energy will not send workers out to collect a payment in person.

In another scam, a caller claimed to be with a computer software company and claimed that a customer was due a $150 credit. But the company accidentally deposited $1,500 into the victim’s checking account. The victim was told to withdraw the money and then wire it to China.

There have been two reports of customers being contacted over the past few days by an individual identifying himself as a Columbus City Utilities employee. This person, who even appears to be driving a city vehicle, is telling his targets that the customer’s water will be turned off if they do not pay him immediately.

Harris warned that if you are asked to pay money through a prepaid debit card, or to wire money to pay a bill, those should be warning signs. Or if a supposed utility company demands immediate payment in person or utilities will be shut off, it is likely a scam.

He also cautioned that scammers have been able to spoof local telephone numbers and fool Caller ID systems. He suggests that if you are contacted by phone with an unusual request that you call the the utility company directly yourself.

A local teacher is running for the Indiana House of Representatives. Dale Nowlin, a math teacher at Columbus North, has filed to run for the District 59 seat as a Democrat.

Nowlin said with education playing such a key role in Indiana’s future, it is important that educators be included in the discussions and decision making in the Indiana Legislature. He says that there is currently only one practicing classroom teacher serving in the Indiana Legislature, while over 52-percent of Indiana’s general fund budget is spent on education.

Nowlin is in his 39th year of teaching and has taught in Columbus since 1985. He has a number of accolades, including winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching from President George H. W. Bush and being named a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Princeton University. In addition to serving as a high school math teacher, Nowlin says that he is also an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University – Bloomington in the School of Education.

In other issues facing Indiana, Nowlin says that state lawmakers need to look for long-term solutions to problems. “The Indiana Legislature seems to operate with a crisis mentality,” he said. “Instead of providing a long term plan for funding county governments, often legislators take an emergency funding approach,” Nowlin continued. Nowlin, who has not held any previous political office, said he wants to “become part of the solution that will leave Indiana in better shape for the next generation.”

A Columbus woman is facing a number of charges after being arrested Tuesday afternoon.

Columbus Police Department Spokesperson Lt. Matt Harris says that at

approximately 12:45 p.m., Lt. Steve Norman and Lt. Joe Richardson were dispatched to a store in the 2300 block of Merchants Mile in regards to a theft of knives. He says the suspect was found trying to drive away a short time later.

Harris says that when officers spoke with the woman, she identified herself using the Indiana Identification Card of another woman. He said that officers determined that she was lying. The suspect was taken into custody and later identified herself by a second name. When officers checked that name, they determined that the woman was again being untruthful. Harris says the officers also determined that second name given to them by the woman was a victim of identity deception.

Officers ultimately determined that the suspect’s true identity was 27-year-old Lindsey P. Smith. While searching Smith’s purse before taking her to jail, officers reportedly found four knives that were allegedly stolen from the store. They also allegedly found an eyeglass case containing syringes and a small amount of methamphetamine.

Smith was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary Felony charges of Identity Deception and Possession of Methamphetamine, along with Misdemeanor charges of Theft and False Informing.Harris adds that Smith was also wanted on a Bartholomew County Warrant for Failure to Appear. He says the original charges were Theft and Possession of Methamphetamine.

Harris adds that Smith’s bond was set at $250,000.