The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an alleged home invasion that took place early Wednesday morning.

Just after 12:30 a.m., deputies responded to the 4700 block of Welton Street in Greenwood after dispatch received a call about a burglary in progress. Sheriff Doug Cox says that just before deputies arrived, the dispatcher heard a commotion, along with the caller noting that a man inside of the house had a gun. When deputies arrived, they found the male resident walking through a neighbors yard, pointing towards Mcalpin Street, yelling to them that the suspects fled in that direction. Deputies searched the area, but found nothing.

The resident returned to his home with the deputies and explained what happened. The residents, a husband and wife, told investigators that a large male had entered the home through a bedroom window and grabbed the husband. The wife says that she then grabbed her two young daughters and locked the three of them in a closet. As this was going on, the wife says that the intruder tried to get them out of the closet.

The wife also reportedly told police that she noticed two black males peering inside of the living room window. She also said that she saw a female in, or near, the kitchen. Moments later, she says that all off the suspects fled out the front door. The wife says that she and her children then fled out the back door.

The husband reportedly told investigators that he followed the suspects out the front door and saw them get into a dark colored van. Authorities say that he later stated that they had escaped in a white work van.

Once the authorities finished their investigation, deputies say that they were called back to the home about ten minutes later. The residents reported that the suspects had returned and were in their front yard. Deputies say they responded in seconds, but were unable to locate anyone.

Officials in the town of Hope want to more closely supervise what activities are allowed on the Hope Town Square — at least without the prior approval of the Town Council.

The town council gave its first approval to a measure this week that would require the council’s authorization before users of the square could engage in some activities at events. Among the limitations, the town would require people to seek approval for the use of alcoholic beverages, fires, climbing walls or bounce houses., trampolines, petting zoos and pony rides, fireworks and archery.

Council members asked the town attorney to add firearms to the list before the ordinance returns for consideration of second and final approval next month.

The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation will get $750,000 out of Columbus’ Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) funds under a plan approved Tuesday evening by the Columbus City Council.

The school corporation originally asked the city for nearly $1.1 million to cover programs aimed at increasing student success. The areas focused on by BCSC include: growing the graduation rate, increasing education in math and science, as well as helping students with special needs transition to productive members of society.

The school corporation asked for $253,825 in TIF funding for the iGrad program, which has a goal of attaining a 100-percent graduation rate in BCSC. Officials say that iGrad helps students with academic issues in grades 8 through 12, by increasing educational attainment through additional academic support and mentoring to students who have been identified as “at risk” for not completing high school. The program is about helping students receive the help they need to successfully complete high school, then go on to college, additional training or the work force. Corporation officials note that iGrad is also served by area businesses through internship, and co-op relationships. BCSC says that iGrad currently serves 535 of its students.

BCSC requested $575,000 in funding for the STEM program. STEM is the acronym of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. School officials say that although the four parts of STEM have been taught independently of each other, the STEM philosophy allows the four parts to all “play an integral part in the teaching of the whole.” They say that STEM education engages students and equips them with critical thinking, problem solving, and creative and collaborative skills that help them establish connections. BCSC notes that the STEM Seamless Pathways Project has been developed to help students develop the knowledge-base, skills, and qualifications necessary to meet the local demand for jobs in the fields of mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering technology. School officials say that STEM should affect around 60-percent of BCSC students.

BCSC officials also asked for $246,796 for what they call “Transition Planning.” They explain Transition Planning as identifying a student with special needs’ strengths, preferences, interests, as well as the supports needed to succeed. It is about equipping students with better opportunities and education to make good life-choices that will allow them to take care of themselves, find employment and be less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. carry over into adult life, increased self-determination skills, social skills and work skills needed for job retention, and less involvement with the criminal justice system.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission voted in June to approve total funding of both the iGrad and Transition Planning programs, noting their importance in the betterment of the local community and economy. The body also voted to fund the STEM program at just under $250,000. The agreement is for one year, though BCSC and the Redevelopment Commission indicated that future funding would be asked for, and likely granted, should the first year prove successful.

The city council voted to approve the redevelopment commission’s request during Tuesday night’s meeting on a vote of 4-0.

The city of Columbus now has more property available for industrial use.

The Columbus City Council gave final approval Tuesday evening for a plan that annexed and rezoned nearly 72 acres of property on Deaver Road next to the Woodside Northwest Industrial Park. The project, put forward by Steve Booher, saw the land annexation change from agricultural use to industrial. Annexation also allows the property to tap into city services such as water and sewer

Prior to the vote, Mayor Jim Lienhoop said that Columbus was in desperate need of shovel-ready industrial property. The mayor said there are several industrial parcels available around town, but they are all in the 10-acre range. Lienhoop noted that, while these smaller parcels are fine for some businesses, other, larger developments need 50 acres or more. While there is no known customer for the property currently, city officials believe that it is only a matter of time before the newly-annexed property is utilized.

The annexation and rezoning was approved on a unanimous vote of 4-0.

A Jackson County man was killed in a one-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Jennings County.

Officer Seth Beville, Public Information Officer for the North Vernon Police Department, says that officers were called to the scene at 12:20 p.m. Investigators say that the driver, Aaron C. Brown, 39, of Seymour, was driving an SUV westbound on US 50 East, near Flintwood Drive, in North Vernon. A witness told police that, for unexplained reasons, Brown’s vehicle went left of the center yellow line, continued to drift across the left lane, eventually leaving the road and crashing into a tree, head-on. Investigators say that the impact caused the SUV to roll onto its passenger side.

Brown was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are still investigating the crash.

Deputies with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department discovered a dead body Monday while conducting a welfare check.

Sheriff Doug Cox says that deputies were sent out to the 700 block of Restin Road in the Carefree South addition in Greenwood at about 4

p.m. The Sheriff says that neighbors had called authorities after noticing that the property’s lawn had not been maintained like it normally was.

When deputies arrived, they were unable to get anyone to come to the door. Sheriff Cox says that, at that point, a deputy used a credit card to open an access door on the attached garage. Once they made entry, they reported that they could smell a dead body inside the home. Sheriff Cox says that, at that point, the deputies backed out, secured the scene and called for detectives and a search warrant.

Sheriff Cox says that once the search warrant was obtained, detectives went in to the home and found the body of 50-year-old William Brenner in a hallway. Authorities say that the body had been there for some time, as it was badly decomposed.

Sheriff Cox says that Brenner had been staying in the home since the death of his mother. He adds that Brenner was out on bond after a recent arrest in a case alleging child abuse or neglect in Johnson County. Authorities say that there was no evidence of a struggle or forced entry into the home.

Authorities say that Brenner may have had a medical episode, but the exact cause of death won’t be known for sometime. Sheriff Cox says that the Johnson County Coroner’s Office is working on a toxicology report in an attempt to learn what happened.

The Columbus Police Department made seven arrests of fugitives in a 15-hour period Monday.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department, said the arrests on active warrants were a combination of police-initiated investigations and tips from the public.

The streak of arrests started at 7:30 a.m. on Union Street and ended at 10:20 p.m. on State Street, Harris said. Those arrested included:

1. Corey A. Mead, 30, Columbus:  Bartholomew County Body Attachment Warrant
2. Brandy L. Sigman, 36, Columbus: Two Bartholomew County Warrants
3. Michael S. Davisson, 46, Seymour: Jackson County Warrant
4. Jeffrey D. Johnson, 58, Columbus: Bartholomew County Warrant
5. Thomas D. Crouch, 45, Columbus: Bartholomew County Warrant
6. Misty D. Davis, 27, Seymour: Bartholomew County Warrant
7. Martin L. Weber, 44, Edinburgh: Johnson County Warrant, Bartholomew County Warrant

You will have a chance tomorrow morning to see and to vote on the designs that Ivy Tech Community College students have come up with, to decorate the Jackson Street parking garage wall at the end of Friendship Alley in downtown Columbus.

Lloyd Brooks, chair of the visual communications program at Ivy Tech Columbus, says a group of students have taken a class this summer dedicated to designing a mural to brighten up the dark space.

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Brooks said the students have met with local experts including architect Louis Joyner, historic preservationist Richard McCoy and Tricia Gilson with the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives.

As things now stand, the bright, friendly alley in the block of Washington Street between Fourth and Fifth streets, not dead-ends at the plain side of the parking garage. A poorly lit tunnel for equipment and bicycle storage is the path through the garage.

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The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has approved the mural project on the side of the Jackson Street garage and the project has been accepted as state Bicentennial Legacy Project.

The students will make presentations of their bicentennial-themed designs at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at Columbus City Hall and the public will vote on the choices. The seminar is expected to last about two hours and could have more than 20 designs presented, Brooks said.

Brooks said that a selection committee will make a final decision on Friday, taking the public votes into account. Mayor Jim Lienhoop is scheduled to announce the design choice on Monday.

The town of Nashville has issued a boil water advisory for some of its customers due to a water main break in the 2400 block of Old State Road 46. That includes some residents on Salt Creek Road, Walls Road and Fair Oaks Trail.

You should boil an water you plan on drinking or cooking with, before you consume it. That advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Wednesday.

For more information call Nashville Utilities at 812-988-5526.

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Denise Pence, of Columbus, was an early Donald Trump supporter back when there were 17 candidates running for the Republican nomination. So much of a supporter that she bought her granddaughter a Donald Trump onesie.

In January, she even applied to be a Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention, if he won the nomination.

But she said she never imagined that her brother in law, Gov. Mike Pence, would be on the ticket as vice-president.

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Denise Pence is a delegate at-large representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District in Cleveland this week. She talks about the first night of speakers:

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The governor is scheduled to take the podium tomorrow night and Denise said she expects he will knock it out of the park. She said the attention the Indiana delegation has been getting because of Gov. Pence’s role has been exciting:

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