The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting another death from a likely drug overdose in the county.

Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department says that deputies were called to Main Street and County Road 650N in Taylorsville at about 5 p.m. Friday. They discovered a 37-year-old man who is believed to have died from a drug overdose.

Numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia were located at the scene, Jackson said.

This is the third recent death from a likely overdose in the county The sheriff’s department is asking for your help. If you know of a loved one using heroin or other drugs, you should let the sheriff’s department know where the drugs are coming from, Jackson said.

You can call the sheriff’s department tip line at 812-379-1712. Tips can be left anonymously.

A one-year-old girl was discovered with drug paraphernalia this weekend in Bartholomew County.

Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says the father discovered the drug items at about 8:08 p.m. Friday in the 700 block of Della Road. The child’s mother told authorities that the paraphernalia belonged to a friend who was visiting the home.

The little girl was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out. Department officials note that Child Protective Services were notified.

The incident remains under investigation.

Construction on Rocky Ford Road from Taylor Road to Talley Road in Columbus will begin soon and city officials want to hear your thoughts on the project.

The proposed improvements include the addition of curb and gutter, a storm sewer system, a continuous left turn lane and sidewalks. City officials say that bicycle lanes will added, in both directions, along Rocky Ford Road. Those bicycle lanes are set to run the entire length of the project.

Aimee Morris, with the Columbus Engineering Department, says that you are invited to an informational meeting Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. inside the Richards Elementary School cafeteria, located at 3311 Fairlawn Drive. She explains that the purpose of this meeting is to let residents know what to expect during tree removal, utility relocation and construction. Morris adds that information on the construction schedule and detour routes will also be available.

Morris explains that Thursday evening’s event will be “an informal open house.” She says this gathering will offer you the opportunity to look at the plans, talk with representatives of the city, as well as the design engineers and contractors.

If you have questions about Thursday night’s event, or need special accommodations, you are encouraged to call the City Engineer’s office at (812) 376-2540.

A Minnesota man was seriously injured in a semi crash Friday morning in Bartholomew County. Indiana State Police (ISP) Spokesman Sgt.

Stephen Wheeles says that at approximately 7 a.m., ISP Troopers and Columbus Police Officers responded to a single vehicle crash on southbound I-65 near the 67 mile marker.

Wheeles says that the initial investigation, conducted by Trooper Matt Holley, indicated that the semi, which was pulling a trailer, drove off the west side of the roadway for an unknown reason. He says that the vehicle traveled down an embankment before rolling onto its right side. The semi then reportedly struck a tree head on and came to a stop. Holley says that the force of the collision nearly removed the cab from the frame of the truck.

Investigators say the semi was being driven by 52-year-old Steven A. Rohde, of Grey Eagle, MN. Wheeles says that Rohde was trapped in his vehicle for nearly an hour while the Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Regional EMS worked to free him. Once Rohde was freed from the wreckage, authorities he was flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of what are being called “possibly life threatening injuries.”

ISP say that I-65 was reduced to one lane at the scene of the crash for nearly six hours while responders worked to remove approximately 43,000 pounds of french fries from the trailer before the vehicle was removed from the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

ISP and the Columbus Police Department were aided by the Columbus Fire Department, Columbus Regional EMS, 31 Wrecker Service and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

A cut water line led to service being interrupted for a number of Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corp. (SBWC) customers. SBWC Office Manager Kathy Ford says that a contractor accidentally cut the line on State Road 58, disrupting service for customers in the following areas:

State Road 58, from Myers Grocery, south to approximately 9550 S State Road 58;
CR 550 S, east from State Road 58;
CR 550 W and CR 500 W, just off of CR 550 S in the Ogilville area;

Ford says that they are working to restore service as soon as possible, today. She notes that a Boil Water Advisory will be in effect after the water is restored, through noon on Wednesday, for the same customers. During that time, Ford says that customers boil all cooking and drinking water prior to consumption.

Customers with questions should call the Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corp. at (812) 342-4421.

This is the last weekend to sign up girls for the Bartholomew County slow pitch softball association.

The girls play at Dunn Stadium May through August on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are three age groups and girls in kindergarten through high school seniors are invited to sign up. The cost to sign up is $30 due at registration. You can sign up from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Hibbets Sports in Fair Oaks Mall.

For more information call Ken McLaughlin at 812-344-4603.

Columbus police are saying that Interstate 65 will be down to one lane southbound, just south of Columbus until mid-afternoon to clean up from a semi crash earlier this morning.

At some point, the semi will have to be removed and both southbound lanes will have to be closed for up to an hour and a half for that work to be accomplished, said Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department. No time has been set yet for that operation.

A semi drove off into a ditch on Interstate 65 just south of the Columbus exit at mile marker 67 at about 7 this morning.

The driver was rescued by Columbus firefighters and flown by Lifeline helicopter to IU Methodist Hospital.

Columbus Police Department, Columbus Fire Department, CRH Ambulance, IU Lifeline and Indiana State Police assisted at the scene

Eastern Bartholomew Water Corp. says that water will be out of service for repairs on Tuesday morning, 9 a.m. until noon, for all area businesses northwest of U.S. 31 and Interstate 65, as well as in the Pleasant View and Talbertson additions.

Utility officials will be issuing a 48-hour boil water advisory for those areas once water has been restored, until noon on Thursday, March 10.

Customers should boil the water for five minutes before consuming it or using it in food preparation.

The Columbus Area Arts Council is inviting you to bring your young children to the Commons this evening for tonight’s First Fridays for Families performance.

ArtReach, a division of the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, will be putting on a production of “Henny Penny,” based on the original folktale. The show starts at 6 p.m. First Friday for Families are sponsored by Old National Bank and are free.

For more information, visit www.artsincolumbus.org.

Local police will be taking part in an operation cracking down on drunk and impaired driving starting today.

More than 250 Indiana police organizations will be participating including the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and North Vernon Police Department. The push will run through March 27h and is a statewide effort being supported by federal funds provided through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

According to the institute in March of last year there were 529 alcohol related crashes across Indiana which caused 5 deaths and 214 injuries.

You can expect to see more officers on the road working overtime specifically working to take down drunk or impaired drivers.

The departments provided tips on how to avoid drunk or impaired driving, especially during this period which includes St. Patrick’s Day and basketball tournaments:

• Before the celebration begins, plan a safe way home
• Do not drive impaired
• If you do drink, use a taxi, public transportation, ridesharing service or designate a sober friend or family member, and give them your keys
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help make arrangements to get them home safely