Saturday Local Sports:

The Columbus North boys basketball game with Terre Haute South scheduled for tonight has been postponed until Tuesday.

Indiana’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 percent in November and Indiana businesses added 13,300 new Hoosier jobs last month, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Friday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

“Here in Indiana, job creation is job one, and we continue to work tirelessly to build a pro-growth business climate and equip job creators with the tools they need to succeed,” said Victor Smith, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. “Since 2013, Indiana businesses have added 168,000 jobs for hardworking Hoosiers and our unemployment rate has plummeted below the national average. Our state’s low-cost, low-tax, limited-regulation economic environment has not only earned Indiana recognition as first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation for doing business, but it creates fiscal predictability, allowing job creators to invest in what matters most – in their business and in their employees.”

Smith cited three particular areas:

• Unemployment – The state’s unemployment rate dropped 0.2 percentage points in November to 4.2 percent, besting the national average of 4.6 percent, as well as the unemployment rates of all neighboring states. Indiana’s unemployment rate has dropped a full 4.2 percentage points since January 2013, surpassing the national decline of 3.4 percentage points.

• Job Growth – The BLS report says that Indiana businesses have added 36,500 new jobs so far this year and 168,000 new jobs since January 2013. The state’s private sector job growth has increased by 14.5 percentage points since July 2009, surpassing the nation’s growth of 13.6 percentage points. November marks the 17th consecutive month that private sector employment, which currently stands at 2.6 million, has remained above Indiana’s previous employment record from March 2000.

• Labor Force – Indiana’s labor force, which includes both Hoosiers who are employed and those seeking employment, has increased by 67,327 over the last year and 161,290 since January 2013. The state’s labor force has grown by 4.9 percentage points since July 2009, surpassing the nation’s growth rate of 3.2 percentage points. The state’s labor force participation rate, which is the percentage of Hoosiers who are actively seeking work, stands at 64.7 percent. The national rate stands at 62.7 percent.

The report also states that in 2016, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation secured 227 commitments from companies across the country and around the world to locate or grow in Indiana. These businesses plan to invest nearly $3.7 billion in their Indiana operations and create 20,320 new Hoosier jobs in the coming years, paying an hourly wage of $25.43. That is a marked increase over the state’s 2015 average hourly wage of $21.21.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is searching for this week’s most-wanted fugitive. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that deputies are looking for 25-year-old Daniel Houchens. He is

described as a white male, 5’9″ tall and weighing 150 pounds. Houchens has brown hair and green eyes and is wanted on outstanding arrest warrants.

If you have any information on Houchens’ whereabouts, you are asked to contact Capt. Dave Steinkoenig at (812) 565-5940. You can also call the Sheriff’s Department Tip Line at (812) 379-1712 or send an email to sheriff@bartholomew.in.gov.

Cummins has announced a plan to repurchase a number of company shares.

Jon Mills, Cummins’ director of external communications, says that the Board of Directors has authorized the company to repurchase up to $1 billion in shares of common stock upon completion of its 2015 $1 billion share repurchase program.

“The latest share repurchase program reinforces our commitment to delivering strong returns to shareholders and reflects our confidence in our performance over the long term,” said Tom Linebarger, Cummins Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Cummins is demonstrating that we can produce strong returns for our shareholders, while continuing to invest in the future and helping our customers succeed by providing them innovative power solutions.”

Columbus Animal Care Services will be having an event this weekend to “Bring Christmas to the Animals.”

Nicohl Birdwell-Goodin, manager of the city animal shelter, explains that the event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the shelter on Arnold Street.

“Folks can come in, walk dogs, visit with kitties, talk with staff about volunteer opportunities,” Birdwell-Goodin said. “It’s just a great time to come in and see the animals.

You can also leave a donation of food or money to help take care of the city’s stray animals. Among the items needed are:

• Pill pockets
• Cat litter (clay, non scoopable)
• Treats for cats and dogs
• Dog bones
• Cat and dog toys
• Cat and dog shampoo
• Frontline
• Dog collars, both new and gently used
• Dog leashes
• Bleach
• Dawn dishwashing liquid
• Paper towels
• Newspapers
• Old bath towels
• Bottles of hand sanitizer

Birdwell-Goodin said they also need food, especially for kittens.

For more information, call 812-376-2505.

A Hartsville man was arrested after overdosing in a vehicle in a parking lot last night.

Officers were called to a suspected overdose in the 3000 block of 25th Street in Columbus at about 9 p.m. Thursday. They found 25-year-old Tory N. Gray unconscious, unresponsive and with a syringe in his hand, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police.

After reviving Gray with two doses of Narcan, he was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment and then to jail. He is facing preliminary charges of possession of heroin, of a legend drug injection device and of drug paraphernalia.

A North Vernon traffic stop led to three arrests and the recovery of drugs and a stolen handgun, Monday.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that the incident unfolded after deputies stopped a car at 11:45 p.m. Monday night on Country Manor Road in Country Squire Lakes. The sheriff’s department police dog, Vampir, alerted to the smell of narcotics from inside the vehicle.

A search allegedly revealed methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and two handguns, one of which was reported stolen out of Clark County.

Deputies arrested 22-year-old Gage C. Castro of Clarksville, 21-year-old Kevin A. Cain of Charlestown and 26-year-old Shelby R. Barnett of Greenville. Preliminary charges included:

• Castro — Possession of methamphetamine; theft: possession of stolen property; possession of marijuana; possession of paraphernalia and carrying a handgun without a license.
• Cain — Possession of methamphetamine; theft: possession of stolen property; possession of marijuana; possession of paraphernalia and carrying a handgun without a license.
• Barnett — Legend drug act violation; possession of methamphetamine; theft: possession of stolen property; possession of marijuana; possession of paraphernalia and carrying a handgun without a license.

A juvenile in the vehicle was released to the Department of Child Services.

A juvenile in the vehicle was released to the Department of Child Services.

Three people have been shot, and one person has died, in a reported robbery and shooting in Greenwood Thursday morning.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that the incident began at 10:20 a.m. at a home in the 500 block of North Meridian Street. The paper says that two men who were shot ran from the scene, but were tracked by a police dog to Greenwood United Methodist Church.

The paper also quotes police as saying that a third man, who was shot in the chest, died at an Indianapolis hospital. The two other suspects were shot in the abdomen and the leg and were treated for their injuries, say police.

The report noted that Northeast and Isom elementary schools were on lock-down for less than an hour during this incident.

For more on this story, visit www.therepublic.com.

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a slew of vehicle break-ins. Sheriff Doug Cox says it appears the crimes occurred late Tuesday night and/or early Wednesday morning.

One incident happened in the 200 block of Fairfax Lane in Greenwood. Cox says that a resident found that a landscaping block had been thrown through the passenger-side window of his SUV. The thief was able to get away with high-school girl’s purse, a drivers learner’s permit, Center Grove School ID card, keys and approximately $15 in cash.

Sheriff Cox says that about 45 minutes after responding to the first call, deputies were called to the 5400 block of Tracey Jo Court in Greenwood. The owner of a truck told police that someone had gone through his unlocked vehicle, stealing five watches valued at $1,200.

At about 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, deputies were called to the 5100 block of Heckman Drive in Greenwood. Sheriff Cox says that a man told police that he had heard a car door slam shut at around 4 a.m. that day. When he went out to investigate, the man told deputies that he saw someone in his car. The suspect then got into a older, dark-colored SUV. The man followed the suspect’s vehicle until it stopped at a dead-end and activated its flashers. The resident told investigators that he did not have his cell phone, so he wrote down the SUV’s license plate number. Cox says that the plate number came back as belonging to a passenger car out of Lafayette.When the man returned home, he reported that a tablet belonging to his place of employment was stolen.

You are urged to keep your vehicles locked and any valuables kept safely in your home. If you have any information on these cases, or the suspect’s vehicle, call the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department at (317) 736-9155.

The Columbus City Council is expected to take steps during its Tuesday night meeting to create an Economic Revitalization Area and grant tax abatements to a company in Woodside Industrial Park.

Lindal North America, Inc. is requesting that property on International Drive that was recently annexed by the city, also called the “Booher Addition,” be given the new designation. If the city council approves, the company will be able to request tax abatements on a combined $17.4 million in personal and real property. According to documentation filed with the city, Lindal says the new building and equipment will retain 65 jobs and create 30 more, with an average wage of $24 per hour, by the end of 2019. Mayor Jim Lienhoop says that me expects that the ERA request, as well as the tax abatement requests, will be approved.

The city council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. inside of City Hall.