The Indiana Department of Transportation says that a project to install new traffic signals at seven intersections in Greensburg will slow traffic in the coming days. Officials say that contracted crews will pull cables across State Road 46 and State Road 3, adding that police will be onsite to direct traffic during the work.

INDOT says that Midwestern Electric plans to set its cables between strain poles along State Road 46 through downtown on Monday. Traffic is expected top be affected at the following intersections: Broadway, Montfort and Franklin Streets, and at both west and east junctions of U.S. Highway 421.

On Wednesday, signal installers are scheduled to pull cable across the State Road 3 intersection at Broadway Street.

On Friday, May 19, the schedule calls for work at the intersection of State Road 3 and Freeland Road.

INDOT says that drivers should anticipate delays at these sites. Officials add that the work is dependent on the weather and could be rescheduled.

Delayed several weeks by utility relocations and heavy rains, the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to close State Road 135 near Freetown for culvert removal and replacement on Tuesday. INDOT officials anticipate this closure at a branch of Salt Creek’s south fork about 5.2 miles north of U.S. Highway 50, will remain in place for approximately three weeks.

Once in place, crews move north on State Road 135 to a branch of Hamilton Creek, located 7.6 miles north of State Road 58 in Brown County, just east of Christianburg Road. A 142-inch arch culvert will be constructed there requiring a 30-day closure of the north-south highway.

INDOT officials add that work continues at the double-arch bridge on State Road 135 at Little Bean Blossom Creek, about 1.7 miles north of State Road 45 in Brown County. They say the arch ring has been removed and is being replaced. A 75-day closure is in effect.

A Batesville man was arrested Thursday on child pornography charges. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police, says that the ISP Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began an investigation last year when detectives received an anonymous tip that an IP Address in the 200 block of Country Club Road was used to view and share images of child pornography. That investigation ultimately led to detectives receiving a search warrant for the home. Wheeles says that the warrant, which was served at approximately 10:30 a.m., led to detectives discovering images of child pornography on devices and private accounts belonging to a resident.

ISP arrested 24-year-old David W. Smith on charges of Possession of Child Pornography and Child Exploitation.
The Indiana State Police are using this incident to encourage anyone with information related to internet crimes against children to submit a cyber-tip on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website at missingkids.com.

Columbus Firefighters extinguished a vehicle fire near the intersection of 10th Street and Cottage Avenue Friday afternoon. Capt. Mike Wilson, CFD spokesman, says that firefighters were called to the area shortly before 2 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find an unoccupied four-door passenger car with smoke coming from the engine compartment. Wilson says the driver was nowhere to be seen.

Once at the scene, Wilson says that firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Officers with the Columbus Police Department discovered what is believed to be engine components as they traveled south on Central Avenue, towards the scene. Those suspected engine components were collected by police officers and brought to the scene of the vehicle fire. Columbus Police Department is investigating the identity of the driver.

No injuries were reported. Wilson says that the car sustained significant damage in the engine compartment. The cause of the accidental fire is believed to be mechanical in nature.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is warning about a new, even more lethal form of heroin that is being seen on Indiana streets. Authorities are calling it “gray death.”

A Greenwood woman reportedly overdosed on the new mix earlier this week — the first in Indiana.

The heroin mix contains a very powerful animal tranquilizer called carfentanil and a new synthetic opioid called Pink or U-4 that is so powerful that even a grain of it can kill you. Police are warned to be on the look out for the drug as it can be absorbed through the skin, putting rescue workers at risk.

Myers says the drug looks like concrete mix and it could range from chunky material to a fine powder.

Local preschoolers will be selling lemonade Saturday to benefit cancer research.

Joe Smith, a preschool teacher at Busy Bees Academy in Columbus said that his four and five year old students were inspired by a book, Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand which chronicles a little girl with cancer selling lemonade to support her own parents, who were struggling financially due to medical bills..

Smith said that the children in his class were so affected by the story that they wanted to help.

Smith said he worked with the C4 program at Columbus North who built two Lemonade stands for the kids. Businesses in the community have also gotten on board.

You can find the Busy Bees Academy students at their two stands from 11 to 1 Saturday at the Whitfield Drive Walmart in Columbus.

Money raised will go to benefit the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. You can find more information here www.alexslemonade.org

Indiana State Police are warning you to be on the look out when you purchase gas. That’s after a credit card skimmer was found on a gas pump along Interstate 65 in southern Indiana.

Sgt. Jerry Goodin, spokesman for the Sellersburg State Police post, says that troopers were called to the fuel Mart Truck Stop in Austin on I-65 earlier this week after workers found the device. Nobody knows how long it was actually there, but state police say it could have been more than a week.

If you think your credit or debit card may have been compromised, you should contact the State Police post at 812-246-5424 or 1-800-872-6743.

Bartholomew County flags will be flying at half-mast today to honor former state legislator Bob Hayes. Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered state facilities to fly their flags at half-staff and is asking businesses and residents to do the same from sunrise to sunset. Hayes passed away on May 2nd.

A memorial service for Hayes is set for 2 p.m. this afternoon at North Christian Church.

For more information, go to barkesweaverglick.com

Larry Perkinson, the student services director for Bartholomew Consolidated Schools was honored at Thursday night’s Columbus Human Rights Commission’s annual dinner with the William R. Laws Human Rights Award. Mayor Jim Lienhoop, a childhood friend of Perkinson, says that his friend has accomplished much in his decades of service with BCSC.

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The Mayor says that his friend has done much to help the youths of the community.

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Lienhoop added that Perkinson’s commitment to the community extended beyond the school district.

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An emotional Perkinson credited his mother and wife for showing him what compassion for others is. He talked about how his mother’s home was always a welcoming place for kids in need…

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Members of the Human Rights Commission they selected Perkinson for “his commitment to the community and his advocacy of all students.” This marks another recent accolade for Perkinson, who was inducted into the BCSC Education Hall of Fame last year.

Indiana Department of Transportation officials met with contractor representatives and consulting engineers Thursday afternoon to review plans for a nearly $1.4 million project in Jennings County that will replace the County Road 560 East bridge over Otter Creek at County Road 610 East. INDOT say that both roads will be closed to traffic at the construction site, located 1.9 miles south of U.S. Highway 50, just south of Butlerville.

Dave O’Mara is the state’s contractor for building a new two-span, 200-foot-long structure with 28 feet of clear roadway side-to-side. INDOT says that county roads will be realigned at the Campbell Township site.

Closures of up to 150 days will begin in mid-June.