The Clouse Family Wagon, the biggest display in the museum. Photo courtesy of the Yellow Trail Museum.
The Yellow Trail Museum in Hope will be having the grand opening of its new Visitors Information Center this week.
A new timeline wallpaper that briefly tells the history of Hope. Photo courtesy of the Yellow Trail Museum.
The new center, which had a soft opening in April, is a satellite location for the Columbus Area Visitors Center. A previous version of the satellite center operated out of the former Irwin Union Bank Building and Hope Star-Journal building on the Town Square.
The new location and the part-time person it brings allows the Yellow Trail Museum to stay open more days of the week. Paige Waltz, the new employee, says that the museum now is open for tours with hours on every day but Tuesday.
Normal hours of operation are Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
She explains what new visitors will find when they stop by the museum.
She also has had time to tackle some longer-term projects to improve the museum’s offerings.
James F. Wood II. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Six people were arrested last week on drug charges after a citizen’s tip led police to raid a home on 13th Street. The Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team raid involved the Indiana State Police, Bartholomew County deputies and Columbus police officers.
Police say that a concerned citizen contacted the Indiana State Police Versailles post about suspicious activity at the home in the 3100 block of 13th Street. That started an investigation which led to the raid on Thursday that uncovered heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.
The target of the raid was 34-year-old James F. Woods II, of Base Road, who was found to be leaving the property just before the search warrant was served, according to police reports. His vehicle was stopped at Gladstone and McKinley Avenues. He was arrested along with a passenger, 29-year-old Christopher Tays of Franklin, after a search of the car and occupants revealed drugs, drug paraphernalia and a handgun..
The raid revealed an unidentified powdery material throughout the home. That led police to call in the Indiana State Police drug lab team, who wore hazmat suits to secure the scene.
Four people were arrested in and around the home.
Michelle S. Clark. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
42-year-old Michelle Clark of Columbus and 45-year-old Mackcena Kirby of Bloomington, and 28-year-old Whitney Bunting of Columbus were found inside the home and arrested.
Prior to the raid, 51-year-old Timothy Dunham of Columbus, was seen outside the home adjusting items inside the trunk and hood of a vehicle. A search revealed those areas of the car contained marijuana, heroin, syringes, drug paraphernalia, and a controlled substance.
Those arrested, and the charges against them include:
James F. Wood II
Indiana Department of Corrections Nationwide Extradition Warrant
Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Dealing Heroin
Dealing Methamphetamine
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Methamphetamine
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Handgun by Serious Violent Felon
Possession of Handgun without a License
Possession of Syringe
Possession of Paraphernalia
Christopher L. Tays. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Christopher L. Tays
Visiting a Common Nuisance
Trafficking with an Inmate
Possession of Heroin X2
Possession of Syringe X2
Possession of Paraphernalia X2
Michelle S. Clark
Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Methamphetamine
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Syringe
Possession of Controlled Substance
Possession of Paraphernalia
Mackcena G. Kirby. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Whitney A. Bunting
Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Methamphetamine
Possession of Syringe
Possession of Paraphernalia
Timothy Dunham
Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Visiting a Common Nuisance
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Syringe
Possession of Controlled Substance
Possession of Paraphernalia
Timothy W. Dunham. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Mackcena G. Kirby
Monroe County Warrant
Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Visiting a Common Nuisance
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Methamphetamine
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Syringe
Possession of Paraphernalia
False Informing
Whitney A. Bunting. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
A downtown Columbus home was damaged in a Saturday afternoon fire.
Firefighters were called to the 1100 block of Lafayette Avenue at just before 3 p.m. Saturday after a neighbor working outside noticed smoke billowing from the roof of a home. None of the residents were at home at the time of the fire, but many pets were inside.
As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, relatives and the home’s residents arrived to help evacuate the pets including dogs, cats and a guinea pig. One cat was still unaccounted for Saturday.
Matt Noblitt, Columbus Fire Department fire inspector, said the fire appears to have started in a scrapbooking area on the upper floor near a electrical outlet. He said the exact cause is unknown but it is believed to be accidental. He estimated damage to the home at $100,000 and $50,000 in damage to contents.
No one was injured in the incident.
White River Broadcasting photosWhite River Broadcasting photosWhite River Broadcasting photos
We are less than three-weeks away from the start of a new school year for the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts says it’s time to start shopping for school supplies.
Roberts says that there are resources available to help those families who need help purchasing school supplies.
Roberts explains the partnership.
The first day back for teachers in Tuesday, August the 1st. Students return on Wednesday, August the 2nd.
The Board of Directors of the Jackson County Visitor Center recently awarded developmental grants to three county organizations, totaling $20,000.
Those receiving grants were the City of Seymour Park and Recreation Department, Brownstown Ewing Main Street and Save the Medora Brick Plant.
Officials say the projects include:
* Prepping Kasting Park baseball diamonds to accommodate softball tournaments.
* Beautifying downtown Brownstown and Ewing with concrete flower planters and hanging baskets.
* Assist Save the Medora Brick Plant organizers in funding Phase II of a planning study, including concept plans.
The developmental grants were established to offer 1:1 funding match assistance to not-for-profit groups; a city, county or public organization; tourism related business; or an organizational combination thereof for new projects or enhancements designed to have a direct impact on Jackson County and tourism.
A Columbus man was arrested on five counts of child molesting. Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that these incidents are alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2009.
The paper is reporting that 61-year-old Bruce W. Giggy, who resides on River Road, was arrested by Columbus Police Wednesday evening. The newspaper is citing documents filed in Bartholomew Superior Court 1, which accuse Giggy of molesting three different children younger than age 14 within that time period.
According to the report, Giggy is being held on $175,000 bond.
An event to honor veterans will be held at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. American Legion Post #24 is inviting you to visit “The Moving Wall,” a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
This free event, which is open to the public, begins at noon on July 27th and runs through 10 a.m. on July 31st. It will be open, and guarded, 24 hours a day. Organizers say that this exhibit honors all veterans from all wars.
Prior to setting up at the fairgrounds, organizers say that a parade route will take the wall through Columbus. That will begin at 9 a.m. inside the Sam’s Club parking lot on the west side of the city. The law enforcement-escorted parade route follows State Road 46 East towards Columbus, east on Second Street, looping north following Central Avenue to 10th Street. The parade then turns east on 10th Street to U.S 31 and turns north. The procession then proceeds north/northwest on U.S. 31 to 25th Street and turns west until it turns south on Washington Street and travels through downtown Columbus. The route then heads west on Third Street and follows State Road 11 to County Road 200 South near the fairgrounds. The parade will then land the display in place for viewing in the fairgrounds midway area.
A Shelbyville man was arrested after Indiana State Police say that he falsely identifying himself to a trooper during a traffic stop. It was discovered the man was wanted on several warrants from two counties.
ISP says that Trooper Will Gannon pulled over a vehicle Tuesday night for a headlight violation. While speaking with the female driver and the male passenger, Trooper Gannon reported smelling marijuana inside the car. The driver presented a driver’s license but the passenger said he did not have ID and verbally gave the trooper his name and date of birth. Further investigation identified the man as 29-year-old Dominique Reid.
ISP says that Reid was wanted on warrants in Shelby County for the following charges:
• Theft of a Firearm
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance
• Possession of Marijuana
Reid also had active arrest warrants in Marion County for the following charges:
• Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury
• Domestic Battery
Police say that a search of Reid’s belongings uncovered a jar containing marijuana and an unused syringe. In addition to the warrants, Reid was arrested on new charges of:
• Possession of Marijuana
• Possession of a Hypodermic Syringe
• Refusal to Identify Self While Stopped for an Infraction
Indiana State Police say this incident is a great example of how traffic stops for minor violations make communities safer.
Adam Leatherbury; photo courtesy of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
An inmate at the Bartholomew County Jail is facing charges in an alleged battery against a corrections officer. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, says that the alleged incident took place on June 28th.
An investigation by the department found probable cause that 29-year-old Adam Leatherbury, of Columbus, had battered an officer. According to the report, the corrections officer was not hurt and didn’t require medical treatment. The report was turned over to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, which subsequently filed a felony charge of battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety official against Leatherbury.
Authorities say that this is the second case against Leatherbury accusing him of violence towards jail staff. On Jan. 31, Leatherbury allegedly punched another corrections officer and spat in his face. That led to other charges against the inmate.
Authorities say that Leatherbury has been in the Bartholomew County Jail since November of 2016 after being arrested on a Failure to Appear warrant for auto theft. He is being held in lieu of a $122,500 bond.
Sheriff Matt Myers says that incidents such as these magnify the dangers faced by jail staff and other members of law enforcement. “Overcrowding in our jail poses not only greater risk to inmates but also increases risk to our correctional officers who must work in overcrowded conditions,” said Myers. “As our inmate population grows, our Correction’s staff is required to provide more and more services. This overcrowding causes tempers to flare. We continue to see significant increases in our jail population and I am sure we are not going to see a reduction anytime soon.” Sheriff Myers went on to say that regardless of the number of inmates housed at the jail, “we will not allow members of our jail staff to be abused.”
Sheriff Myers has been advocating a need to drastically increase manpower at the Sheriff’s Department, both on the road and at the jail. The Bartholomew County Council is considering tax increases to help fund requests for additional staffing from him, and several county department heads. The council is expected to make a decision on possible increases when it meets Tuesday evening.
Douglas H. Mitchell. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
A local man was arrested for driving under the influence, after plowing through mailboxes last night.
The crash happened at about 7:10 p.m. last night in the 4500 block of Jonathan Moore Pike. Witnesses say the driver left the road, ran over the mailboxes and kept going. Police found a pickup with extensive front-end damage being drive by 54-year-old Douglas H. Mitchell of Columbus.
He was found to have a blood alcohol level of .20 percent, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police department. Mitchell is facing charges of driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.
