Two Louisville men were arrested on drug charges, and  a pistol was found, during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Columbus Tuesday.

Columbus police stopped a vehicle with an expired license plate just south of the Columbus exit at about 11:50 p.m. Tuesday night. The two men inside appeared nervous and a search of the vehicle allegedly found the handgun in the glove compartment, two pounds of marijuana in the trunk and numerous syringes.

The driver, 46-year-old James R. Graham, is facing preliminary charges of possession of a handgun without a license , a legend drug injection device, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

A passenger, 28-year-old Michael D. Lewis was arrested on charges of dealing marijuana, along with possession of a legend drug injection device, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Two people were arrested, including a wanted Shelbyville man, after a traffic stop Tuesday evening on U.S. 31.

According to police reports, a Bartholomew County deputy stopped a vehicle near U.S. 31 and West County Road 550N at about 7:40 p.m., Tuesday evening. A passenger, 30-year-old Joshua Hartford of Shelbyville was found to have an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

A search of Hartford allegedly revealed methamphetamine and marijuana and paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle where he had been sitting. The paraphernalia included digital scales, packaged drugs and a pipe.

Hartford was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia, along with the outstanding warrant.

The driver, 40-year-old David W. Smith of Columbus, was also arrested. He is facing preliminary charges of dealing marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A Butlerville woman was arrested after a traffic stop on U.S. 31 by Bartholomew County deputies.

34-year-old Megan Ison was arrested after her vehicle was pulled over at about 11:45 a.m. in the morning on Tuesday by a deputy responding to a reported impaired driver.

The deputy reported smelling marijuana inside the vehicle and Ison allegedly handed over a hand-rolled cigarette with a green leafy substance. She also allegedly showed the deputy other drug related items inside her vehicle.

She is facing preliminary charges of possession of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, and paraphernalia, along with driving while intoxicated and driving with a prior suspended license.

Columbus City Council will be poring over the city’s $61 million dollar budget for 2019, starting this afternoon.

The total proposed budget for 2019 is up about $440,000 over the 2018 budget, according to numbers provided by the city. However, In the general fund, which the council has the most control over, the 2019 proposed budget is down about $1.9 million from the 2018 budget. That is a $36.7 million dollar proposal for next year, compared to this year’s $38.6 million dollar budget.

Jamie Brinegar, the city’s finance director, said that the biggest change year over year will be made to accommodate the changes recommended by a recently completed salary study.

The council will hold two special meetings today and tomorrow to consider the 2019 budget. Both start at 1 p.m. and will be held in the council chambers at Columbus City Hall.

The People Trail will be closed from 25th Street to National Road, starting today.

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is reporting that there will be construction work going on that area through Friday.

Jennings County deputies are looking for four go-carts stolen from the local Shriners.

Deputies are investigating the thefts from the Rolling Hills Shrine Club in North Vernon that were first reported on Saturday. The go-carts were taken from a shed on the property. They are all painted black with the Shrine emblem on the doors.

If you have seen the go-carts or have any information, you can call the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office at 812-346-=8642 or dispatchers at 812-346-4911.

You will be seeing a major shift in traffic soon on Interstate 65 between Columbus and Seymour. INDOT is reporting that it plans to move all traffic across the median to the east side of the interstate, starting tonight or Thursday night.

That almost three-mile change will be near the Walesboro exit. INDOT says that southbound motorists will be shifted across the highway, starting north of State Road 58. Two 11-foot-wide lanes will be maintained in each direction while construction takes place on the west half of the interstate.

That is in addition to other work that is causing single-lane closures on weekends both northbound and southbound while work is happening on bridges. Those go into effect at 6 p.m. Fridays and continue through noon on Sundays. Those changes will be going on through the next four weekends not counting Labor Day.

INDOT reports that there will also be spot lane closures—both northbound and southbound — between mile markers 50 and 60 overnights, through next week.

Trucks are restricted to left-lane travel throughout the work zone. This suspends northbound exits at the Indiana State Police weigh station located north of U.S. Highway 50 at Seymour.

This is all part of the $143 million Next Level Roads project widening the interstate to six lanes between Seymour and Columbus.

Columbus police arrested two people on drug related charges after a Sunday morning traffic stop.

Police report that they stopped a speeding vehicle at about 12:15 a.m. Sunday morning near Terrace Lake Road and County Road 200S. Inside the vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana.

As a passenger got out of the vehicle, the officer allegedly noticed a handgun, which 20-year-old Mauricio Colin of Indianapolis said he owned. But Colin does not have a handgun permit. As he was being arrested, officers allegedly found marijuana in his pockets.

Police also discovered more marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. The driver, 25-year-old Rikki Garcia Herrera of Columbus is faces possession charges for marijuana and the drug paraphernalia. Colin was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of a handgun without a license and possession of marijuana.

A Holton man died in a traffic accident yesterday on U.S. 50 in Jennings County.

Deputies report that 69-year-old Richard L. Sutton was pronounced dead after the crash east of County Road 200N Monday.

Sutton was driving a pickup westbound when his vehicle crossed the centerline, left the south side of the road, striking a ditch and a fence before coming to a stop in a yard, according to police reports..

According to Jennings County deputies, a witness suggested that Sutton appeared to slump in his seat before leaving the road and deputies say they do not know if he suffered a medical emergency leading to the crash.

The Bartholomew County sheriff would put a full-time deputy in Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools under a proposed plan being considered for a school resource officer.

Representatives from the Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools, the town of Hope and the sheriff’s department say that in this day and age, it is a necessity to have the security that an armed officer provides.

School Board President Pat Walters talks about the need for a school resource officer, or SRO.

Flat Rock Hawcreek Schools include Hauser Jr. Sr. High School and Hope Elementary in northeastern Bartholomew County.

Sheriff Matt Myers said that he has built the proposal into next year’s budget. Myers said that the agreement would involve the schools covering the deputy’s salary and benefits, but the county would cover equipment, training, uniforms and the police vehicle. The school district has received a grant of about $30,000 to pay part of the cost for an officer in the schools.

Myers said his department is also working with Bartholomew Consolidated Schools to provide an additional school resource officer. That would augment the two officers the city of Columbus already provides.