A Columbus man was arrested after he was reportedly seen acting suspicious inside of a department store on Saturday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that officers were sent to the Walmart on Merchants Mile at 1:30 p.m. in regards to a possible shoplifter.

Harris says that Officer Ben Quesenbery approached 39-year-old Bradley A. Burton after he allegedly concealed merchandise, including a bottle of liquor, in his jacket. After Burton was taken into custody, officers reported finding two syringes as well as a small amount of heroin and methamphetamine in his clothing. The stolen property was returned to store employees and Burton was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device, Possession of Heroin and Possession of Methamphetamine.

A suspected overdose claimed the life of another Bartholomew County resident on Sunday night. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that deputies responded to the 10000 South block of County Road 500 East Elizabethtown in reference to a possible death by overdose.

When deputies arrived at the scene at 11:10 p.m., deputies found the body of a 53-year-old woman with a syringe still in her arm. Other drug-related equipment was reportedly found nearby. These included multiple syringes and drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff Matt Myers says, “I can’t repeat this enough: the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is committed to slowing the flow of Heroin into our county. If you are dealing heroin, we will do everything within our power to catch you and hold you accountable for spreading this poison to our citizens. Residents of our community are committed to reporting you and it is only a matter of time before we find you.”

In a Friday interview, Sheriff Myers stressed that residents can report any suspicious activity or tips anonymously. He adds that his department will continue to cultivate positive, trusting relationships with community residents to push “thugs” and “drug-pushers” into jail or out of the county.

The investigation into Sunday night’s death is ongoing.

A Seymour man was arrested early Sunday morning after Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies found him sleeping in a stolen vehicle. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that at 12:42 a.m. on Sunday, deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Gore Street in Columbus.

When Sgt. Gary Knoef arrived, he reported finding a man sleeping in the vehicle with the hood open, making it look like that there was a mechanical problem. When he ran the license plate, it came back as having been reported stolen the previous day from the Columbus East High School parking lot. Jackson says yhe vehicle itself had been reported stolen out of Seymour.

Deputies arrested the man, 30-year-old Justin Kleinpeter, on preliminary charges of Auto Theft and Receiving Stolen Property. Jackson says that he has since been released.

The Columbus Ricker’s store on 25th Street and one in Sheridan will be allowed to continue selling cold beer at least until the end of the year. But no others in the state.

Our news-gathering partners at Network Indiana report that in the closing hours of this year’s legislative session, legislators voted to freeze carryout cold beer permits until next April, to buy time for an in-depth study of Indiana’s alcohol laws.

Both the House and Senate gave overwhelming approval to what one legislator calls a “time out,” sparked by the granting of alcohol permits to two burrito restaurants located inside Ricker’s convenience stores in Sheridan and Columbus. Legislators have slammed that decision as upending three decades of laws and court precedent declaring convenience stores off limits for carryout cold beer sales.

Until the Ricker’s cases, legislators had relied on a provision instructing the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to assess “the character of a business” to decide whether it was a convenience store. The bill requires any future applicants for carryout permits to prove at least 60-percent of their alcohol sales are to customers drinking at their tables.

The bill leaves Ricker’s carryout permits intact until they expire at year’s end, but would allow an extension until April 1. By that time, House Public Policy Chairman Ben Smaltz says a study committee will have had time to review not only the definitions of which businesses can sell what kind of alcohol, but the rest of the often-ridiculed alcohol rulebook, including Indiana’s ban on Sunday sales.

Smaltz says carryout cold beer sales, which are reserved to restaurants and liquor stores, are the only sales restricted by the bill — in-restaurant sales and sales of unchilled beer are unaffected

But businesses which received their permits before Ricker’s did can keep them without restriction. Legislators added that rule after struggling to find a sales threshold that didn’t create unintended consequences. But Ricker’s owner Jay Ricker has blasted the November dividing line as one chosen specifically to target his permits. He issued a statement after the House vote slamming the bill as “punitive” and “a blow against Hoosier fairness.” He’s already said he’ll lobby Governor Holcomb to veto the measure.

Ricker says there’s been overwhelming public support for his stores and restaurants, but just 19 legislators voted against the bill in the House and Senate combined. It passed the Senate 43-6 and the House 84-13.

Ricker has told Network Indiana that the bill makes no mention of the promised study of alcohol laws, but House Speaker Brian Bosma says legislative leaders plan to add it to the portfolio of an existing alcohol study committee created last year. If the study isn’t complete in time for next year’s session, he says legislators can always extend the freeze, and Ricker’s permits, for another year.

A Columbus mother was arrested Friday evening, accused of driving intoxicated with her child in the vehicle.

Columbus police say that witnesses noticed a car driving recklessly on Marr Road near County Road 450N at about 6:30 p.m., including weaving off the road and slamming on its brakes, trying to provoke an accident. And there was allegedly an unrestrained child inside the vehicle.

The driver then stopped on Arnold Street and got out of the SUV while holding the child, police say. When police attempted to arrest the driver, 43-year-old Andrea Rhoades, she allegedly got upset and refused the officer’s commands, instead, getting back in the SUV and trying to leave.

She is facing preliminary charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.

Bartholomew County has a new home for its bicentennial torch.

Every county in Indiana has been given one of the torches that made their way across the state last fall in celebration of Indiana’s 200th birthday. Bartholomew County officials unveiled a display case on the first floor of the county courthouse Friday morning that will provide a permanent home for the torch.

The case was built out of Indiana red oak by Rick Trimpe, the county’s maintenance supervisor.

A mother wanted on an outstanding warrant ended up getting arrested this weekend in Columbus. That’s after her toddler dialed 911.

The Columbus Police Department reports that dispatchers received the call at just before noon Sunday and it sounded like a child playing on the telephone. But dispatchers also alerted police that a woman at the address, 29-year-old Paris M. Mann, was wanted on a Bartholomew Superior Court II warrant.

After making sure there was nothing wrong at the home, Mann was arrested. her child was left in the care of a family member.

Ivy Tech President and former Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann cheered on high school seniors who have participated in the iGrad program.

High school seniors from as far away as Brownstown, attended the banquet Friday afternoon at The Commons in Columbus.

Ellspermann stressed that even for those graduates going directly to the workforce, to get a good job they will likely need some post-secondary schooling to gain certifications or to learn technology.

The iGrad program identifies students at risk of dropping out of school and pairs them up with a mentor to keep them on track. This year’s seniors from Columbus were some of the first students in the program — identified when they were in middle school as potential participants.

A stolen vehicle was returned to its owner after a Saturday night arrest in Taylorsville.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department reports that deputies and state police encountered two people in the vehicle at a hotel parking lot. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Columbus on April 14th. After arresting 34-year-old Robert Scott of Morgantown and 33-year-old Brandy Moore of Bargersville, a search of the vehicle allegedly revealed narcotics paraphernalia and a syringe.

Scott, the driver of the vehicle, is facing preliminary charges of receiving stolen property, possession of a syringe and possession of paraphernalia. Scott was also issued a traffic summons for driving while suspended.

Moore, a passenger, was issued a summons on a charge of possession of paraphernalia.

Columbus City Councilwoman Elaine Wagner will be holding a neighborhood meeting at Yes Cinema this afternoon.

That will run from 5 to 6 p.m. and will also feature at-large council members Tom Dell and Laurie Booher. Wagner’s district covers the downtown area but residents from across the city are encouraged to attend.

Council members plan to give updates and answer questions about various city projects and decisions.