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

Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that investigators are looking for 28-year-old Jacob Allan Perry. He is described as a white male, standing 6’1″ tall and weighing 170 pounds. Perry has red hair, green eyes and multiple tattoos. Jackson adds that Perry is wanted on an outstanding warrant for Forgery.

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

A North Vernon man was killed Thursday in a one-vehicle crash on US 50 near County Road 400 North in Jennings County.

Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for Indiana State Police, says that troopers responded to the scene just after 8 a.m. He says that the initial investigation, conducted by Trooper Jacob Tolle, indicated that a car driven by 25-year-old Christian B. Nolan was traveling east on US 50 when it left the south side of the road for an unknown reason. After leaving the roadway, authorities say the car became airborne, ejecting Nolan from the vehicle. The car then struck an embankment and rolled before coming to a stop.

Wheeles says that Nolan was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office. Authorities say they don’t believe that Nolan was wearing his seat belt.

The eastbound lanes of US 50 were closed for approximately three hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

Columbus police arrested a man on drug charges after a traffic stop early this morning.

Police stopped a vehicle they believed was being driven by a habitual traffic offender as the man drove on Gladstone Avenue at about 3:20 a.m. Thursday morning, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department.

While speaking to a passenger, 34-year-old Dan K. Jessie, police found that he was wanted on a warrant. While searching Jessie, officers allegedly found a syringe and drug paraphernalia on him. A bag he had near him in the vehicle allegedly contained marijuana, methamphetamine and drug-related items including a digital scale with white residue and a smoking pipe, Harris says.

Jessie was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of meth, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a legend drug injection device, as well as the outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

The driver of the vehicle, 41-year-old Shawn M. Collins was cited and released.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop says there is a surprising amount of red tape the city must wade through to recognize Vice President-elect and native son Mike Pence with a sign on the way into town.

First the city must get the approval of the department of transportation. At least initially it will be easier to place a sign on the existing sign posts, Lienhoop said. That will be a temporary step until a more attractive sign can be designed and approved.

That sign would include the vice-presidential seal, which leads to more bureaucracy Lienhoop said.

The city says that two temporary signs are scheduled to go up Friday at the entrances to the city at Indiana 46 and US 31.  The signs will be blue with white lettering which will read, “Hometown of Michael R. Pence, United States Vice President”.

Columbus City Hall will be hosting a viewing of the inaugural festivities. Lienhoop said the city will stream the inauguration Friday in City Hall’s Cal Brand meeting room and it is open to any city employees and to the public.

You can also listen to the inauguration festivities on News Talk 1010 WCSI beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Columbus North’s “Sound of North” marching band arrived in Baltimore Wednesday in anticipation of Friday’s inaugural parade. 15-year-old Alex Farrar says the band got to perform for a special group shortly after arriving…

Farrar says that members of the band will spend Thursday site-seeing. As for inauguration day on Friday, he says the band’s day will begin around 8 a.m…

Fifteen-year-old Parker Lee called the environment “crazy,” noting that many people were excited to see the group arrive. He talked about Friday’s parade, saying that the cold weather, will be a factor…

Lee also talked about the length of the parade route…

Lee said that members of the marching band are in good spirits and adds that everyone is excited, as a Columbus North alum will be ascending to the second-highest office in the land.

The teens say that after their parade duties are finished Friday, they will unwind before more site-seeing on Saturday. They are scheduled to leave that afternoon and return to Columbus on Sunday.

The Columbus City Council approved a resolution this week to accept a federal Aging in Place Grant, administered through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. Robin Hilber, with the city’s Office of Community Development, says the grant is designed to help local homeowners, age 55 and older, stay in their homes…

This grant requires a 10-percent matching grant from the city, but $30,000 of local money is being set aside to help more households. Hilber told the council that the Office of Community Development expects to be able to help 14 qualified households. By increasing the city’s contribution, local officials say they hope to help an additional two households…

Hilber says that recipients are eligible to receive up to $15,000 for approved home improvements. She told the city council that the funds will be handed out to homeowners as three-year forgivable loans. Hilber says that if the recipient moves out of the home before the three years are up, they must pay back a pro-rated portion of the loan.

Hilber explains that the grant money has been repurposed from the historic flood of 2008…

The city council approved the request and the Office of Community Development will be meeting with grant recipients shortly.

Columbus police say a $200 reward is being offered for information about $5,000 worth of vandalism at a putt-putt golf course.

Police say that four people were seen on security camera video damaging the equipment at Columbus Putt Putt Miniature Golf Course on the night of Jan. 1st. That included destroying concrete animal statues and overhead lighting.

The property’s owner is offering the $200 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible.

If you have any information on the vandalism you can contact Columbus Police Detective Sgt. Tom Foust at 812-376-2642. Tips can also be left anonymously.

The town of Hope is cracking down on yard sale signs left posted around the town long after the sale has ended.

The Town Council last night gave its final approval to an ordinance that would penalize those who leave the signs up. Fines would start at $25 a day after the first 24 hours past the sale’s conclusion.

Town Manager J.T. Doane said he thinks people will get the message quickly. Town Council member Ed Johnson suggested the town also go after people posting advertising such as for Internet providers. Doane said the town could look at those for further enforcement efforts down the road.

The ordinance change:

Upon the conclusion of garage or yard sale, any signage posted along side of, or therein surrounding roads, and/or signage affixed to utility poles or otherwise affixed signage must be removed within a twenty-four hour period (24), or be subject to a fine of $25 per signage, per day until the signage is removed.

Language on regulations about the keeping of chickens and other farm animals inside of city limits was cleaned-up in a zoning ordinance change passed during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Columbus City Council. Jeff Bergman, the city-county planning director, says the issue came to a head in 2015 after some residents raised objections with neighbors keeping chickens in residential areas…

The council approved changes to the city’s zoning ordinances to make them match both the new city codes dealing with livestock in the city limits, as well as new county codes dealing with confined animal feeding operations. The ordinance also removes all references to specific livestock types in zoning, instead leaving that to the municipal code.

The city council approved the ordinance on first reading. Bergman says that once this ordinance is approved on second reading, this should be the last action needed by the city on this issue.

Current high school and college transfer students and their families are invited to attend the rescheduled annual College Visit Day at Purdue Polytechnic Columbus. School officials say the event was originally scheduled for this Friday, but has been moved to Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school at 4444 Kelly Street.

Purdue officials say that students and families will learn about Purdue University, as well as financial aid, student housing and admissions.  In addition, organizers say that there will be opportunities to meet the faculty and explore the majors at an interactive booth fair.  Lunch will be provided.

If you wish to attend, you are asked to register online at purdue.edu/Columbus/visit.