Driving without working taillights led to the arrest of a Scipio man early this morning on drug-dealing charges.

Columbus police stopped the vehicle at about 1:10 a.m. this morning near U.S. 31 and County Road 50N. The officer allegedly noticed a glass smoking pipe between the seats of the vehicle, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police. A search revealed marijuana, three bags of methamphetamine and digital scales, Harris says.

53-year-old Charlie R. Noblitt is facing preliminary charges of dealing methamphetamine, and possession of meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The Hope Relay for Life will be holding a Valentines Dinner from 6 to 8 Saturday at the First Baptist Church.

Jonna Shepherd, the organizer of the Hope Relay for Life efforts, talks about her involvement.

Larry passed away in 2011.

“It’s a life-changing event for people,” Shepherd said. “We celebrate our survivors, we remember the loved ones that we have lost. And then we fight back. We fight back by participating in the relay and making some healthy choices like maybe eating better or putting that sunscreen on if you are in the sun.”

Last year, the town’s teams raised $25,000 for the American Cancer Society, well above the goal of $15,000, Shepherd said. She called that phenomenal for a little town without the big corporate donors that other Relay for Life events can tap into.

Tickets for the Saturday dinner are $25 for a couple or $15 for a single. It will include a lasagna or chicken main course. They will also have a chocolate table for $5 per person.

You can get tickets at Duck Creek Gardens, Elsbury’s Family Greenhouse and Bush’s Market or call 812-371-0587.

The relay itself is in June.

Cummins is reporting this morning that its earnings fell by 8 percent in 2016, but  income was nearly flat year-over-year.

The company released its year end and 4th quarter numbers this morning. According to the report, revenues were $17.5 billion, down 8 percent from 2015. North American revenue was down 12 percent, but international sales were down 2 percent. The company reports that growth in China and India was offset by weaker demand in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Net income for last year was $1.39 billion, down from 2015’s   $1.4 billion. And earnings before interest and taxes was $2 billion compared to $2.1 billion in 2015.

The company expects revenue this year to also remain flat, or to dip by as much 5 percent.

Fourth quarter revenues of $4.5 billion were down 6 percent compared to the same quarter last year.  But net income was $378 million in the 4th quarter, compared to $161 billion in 2015’s 4th quarter.

“Despite weak conditions in a number of our largest markets, Cummins delivered fourth quarter results that were a little better than expected due to our strong market share in on-highway markets in North America and the benefits of our cost reduction work,” Tom Linebarger chairman and CEO said.

“We made significant progress in a number of our key initiatives in 2016, including executing our restructuring actions, completing the acquisition of our distributors in North America and continuing to invest in new products, all of which help position the Company for profitable growth when markets improve. We also returned 75 percent of the Company’s Operating Cash Flow to shareholders, consistent with our plan for the year.”

The company listed 2016 highlights including:

• Cummins partnered with Peterbilt to develop and demonstrate technologies under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SuperTruck II program
• Cummins was recognized with the 2016 United States Overall Best Heavy-Duty Truck Engine Supplier Leadership Award by Frost and Sullivan
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified Cummins’ full range of heavy- and medium-duty diesel engines for the 2017 Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards
• The Company returned 75 percent of Operating Cash Flow to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases
• For the twelfth straight year, Cummins Inc. was awarded a perfect score in the 2017 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign

For the complete earnings statement, click here.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop took part in a private meeting Tuesday with Gov. Eric Holcomb and State Representative Milo Smith to discuss issues affecting Columbus.

The Mayor’s office says the first topic discussed was the impact of the expected increase in railroad traffic through the city. Expected to greatly increase in late 2018, the train traffic will affect the downtown area and, most seriously, the State Road 46 intersection. Mayor Lienhoop shared the results of work done by city staff and volunteers to collect data, identify possible solutions and present them to INDOT. A study showed that of all railroad crossings between Louisville and Indianapolis, the crossing at State Road 46 is the most impacted on the line, with twice as many delays as the next highest impacted crossing. Mayor Lienhoop explains that because that road is a state highway, INDOT has authority and will be instrumental in helping to fund whatever solution is put in place.

Mayor Lienhoop says that he also shared the frustrations experienced by the city with the state’s process of providing budget revenue estimates for local governments. He specifically cited the resulting restrictions placed on local units during budget preparation time.

The Mayor’s office says that Gov. Holcomb and Mayor Lienhoop also discussed the drug problem that is enveloping Columbus, Bartholomew County and much of the state. The pair discussed a statewide focus promoted by the Governor to deal with substance abuse and drug addiction. Mayor Lienhoop shared that Bartholomew County has started a new initiative through Healthy Communities Council and offered the community’s help wherever possible. That initiative is being led by the Mayor, County Commissioner Carl Lienhoop and Jim Bickel, President and CEO of Columbus Regional Health.

The last item discussed was a proposal by Indiana University to add a Masters of Architecture degree program in Columbus. The Indiana Commission on Higher Education will be voting on this proposal at their March meeting. Mayor Lienhoop, who supports the measure, says that a Master’s degree in Architecture program in Columbus would “continue to grow the design heritage that community leaders have spent decades building in our community.”

Ivy Tech Community College is hosting an event for area high school 21st Century Scholars and their parents to help students maintain eligibility for their scholarships and learn more about the college, its programs, and career pathway opportunities.

Chris Schilling, school spokesman, says the event is Feb. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Columbus Learning Center. He says that all 21st Century Scholar students in Grades 9-12 from Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Jennings and Decatur counties are invited.

Ivy Tech says that more than 2,000 students across the five counties are enrolled in the 21st Century Scholars program. The program offers income-eligible students up to four years of paid tuition at an eligible Indiana college or university after they graduate from high school.

Students and parents are asked to RSVP for this event. You can do so by contacting Monica Ozaeta, Ivy Tech Assistant Director of Admissions, at (812) 374-5129, or by email at mozaeta@ivytech.edu.

An inmate at the Bartholomew County Jail is facing additional charges after he allegedly battered a correction’s officer.

Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Spokeswoman, says that 28-year-old Dustin Leatherbury had gotten in to a dispute with another inmate. Once the inmates were separated, Leatherbury allegedly battered Correction’s Officer James Oldham, a 12-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. Jackson says that Oldham was treated and released by medical staff and has returned to work.

Leatherbury, whom Jackson says has been in the jail since November for Failure to Appear in Court on a charge of Auto Theft, is now facing additional charges of Battery on a Public Servant Resulting in Bodily Injury and Battery by Bodily Waste. Both charges are felonies.

A traffic stop in Columbus turned into arrests on drug charges early this morning.

An officer noticed a traffic violation at about 1:40 a.m. Wednesday morning near Indiana Avenue and Dahn Street. The driver appeared nervous and initially gave a fake name, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.  She was identified as 28-year-old Whitney A. Bunting, who had an outstanding arrest warrant.

Columbus police dog Argo and his handler were called and the dog detected the smell of narcotics in the vehicle, Harris said. A search revealed  heroin, multiple syringes, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

A passenger, 25-year-old Layne M. Schwartz, 25, was searched and he allegedly had a bag containing syringes and drug paraphernalia, Harris says.

Bunting is facing preliminary charges of possession of marijuana, a legend drug injection device, methamphetamine and of false Informing,

Schwartz is facing preliminary charges of possession of a legend drug injection device and heroin .

Bartholomew County deputies made an arrest this week in a theft case going back to last spring.

The Bartholomew County Humane Society reported a theft of more than $1,000 from their animal adoption fees last May. The suspect, 23 year old Brittany Hooper of Scipio, is a former employee. She was arrested on Monday at a home on Mimosa Drive in Columbus on a preliminary charge of theft, says Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department.

Two Columbus women were arrested last night on drug charges and are accused of giving false identities to police.

Columbus police stopped a vehicle at about 11:15 p.m. last night near 10th Street and Gladstone Avenue for a minor traffic violation. But both of the women inside appeared very nervous, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the department.

Officers found that one of the women, 35-year-old Esmeralda Ibarra, gave a fake name and actually had a warrant for her arrest. As she was being searched before going to jail, police found methamphetamine in her coat pocket, Harris said.

After a search of the vehicle, police discovered a makeup case containing heroin near where another woman in the car was sitting. That woman was also arrested and police found out at the jail that she was using the name of a family member. She was actually 19-year-old Amanda Rangel who was also wanted on a warrant.

In addition to the outstanding warrants, Ibarra is facing a preliminary charge of possession of meth, while Rangel is being accused of false informing and possession of heroin.

The Community Center of Hope will be holding its annual meeting on   from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the center on Washington Street.

The meeting will include a presentation on the past year’s accomplishments and upcoming goals.

The center provides child care services and operates the community food bank.

For more information, call 812-546-4499