Bartholomew Consolidated schools are closing in on their security goals, both those announced to the public and those behind the scenes.
Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts gave an update to the school board earlier this week saying that all schools now have secure entry vestibules and a process for issuing visitor badges.
Roberts said that the district has issued badges to all of its staff, but they are only about halfway to the goal of coding those badges which will only allow access through certain doors. He said that process should be finished within the next two weeks.
Earlier this year, the district underwent a review of its security procedures and of the physical security at schools throughout the district.
Jim Roberts said the schools have been tackling items on that list plus others identified internally or as things come up.
Goodies, Goblins and Ghost Stories is coming up on Saturday on the Hope Town Square.
Dave Miller, organizer of the annual Halloween festivities for children explains that the event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday with events in and around the Town Square:
There will be a hay ride, pumpkin painting, spooky story telling, smores over a campfire, a cabinet of curiosities and a mad scientist’s lab.
The Yellow Trail Museum will also be hosting a “Haunted Night at the Museum” where actors will perform scene, making the museum come to life.
The Indiana Humanities Council has provided grant funding for an Frankenstein-themed discussion called “An Evening with Mary Shelley.” That will be offered at WILLow LeaVes of Hope on the north side of the Town Square starting at 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Mary Shelley event is free but you do need a ticket to attend. Those are available at the Hope branch of the Bartholomew County Public Library or at WiLLow LeaVes of Hope.
Goodies, Goblins and Ghost Stories activities are free.
Halloween is less than a week away and Columbus Police what you to be prepared. Lt. Matt Harris is the department spokesman. He says police will be ready.
Harris asks parents to take steps to keep their children as safe as possible. Kids should be equipped with reflective tape, flashlights or glow-sticks. Drivers should take extra precautions and allow extra time to reach their destinations.
Trick or Treat hours in Columbus are from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A special ceremony on tap Friday morning at the Atterbury Bakalar Air Museum in Columbus. Nick Firestone explains that they will be adding a name to the Gallant Men Wall.
Firestone explains that the Gallant Men Wall is meant to celebrate military members from Bartholomew County who have performed service beyond the call of duty.
Friday’s event will be emceed by White River Broadcasting’s own John Foster. You are invited.
Reynaldo E. Reyes-Perdomo; photo courtesy of Indiana State Police
A Seymour man is facing a child molesting charge after an alleged incident that occurred in rural Jackson County.
Indiana State Police say that on Sunday evening, the Seymour Police Department began investigating an alleged child molestation case. The investigation was referred to the Indiana State Police due to the alleged crime taking place outside of Seymour city limits.
Investigators believe that 30-year-old Reynaldo E. Reyes-Perdomo took a 13-year old girl to a rural location near State Road 11 and I-65 in northern Jackson County and engaged in sexual contact with her. A second incident was reported to have occurred on a different date at a Seymour residence involving the same victim.
Reyes-Perdomo was arrested on a level one felony count of Child Molesting.
A Lafayette man was arrested this morning after reports of someone looking into vehicles near downtown Columbus.
Officers were looking for the suspicious person riding a bicycle at about 12:30 a,n, this morning near Pennsylvania and 13th streets when they found 26-year-old Jeffrey M. Melvin II. He was wanted on two outstanding Bartholomew County warrants and allegedly tried to pedal away when police tried to arrest him. However he was quickly taken down.
During a search, police allegedly found heroin in his clothing. He is facing preliminary charges of possession of heroin and resisting law enforcement.
In just under two weeks, area voters will be choosing from a handful of contested races on the ballot. Indiana Senate District 41 includes portions of Bartholomew and Johnson counties. Voters will be deciding between incumbent Republican Greg Walker and Democrat Ross Thomas. Both men live in Columbus.
Republican incumbent State Sen. Greg Walker was born and raised in Columbus. He attended Indiana University and earned a degree in finance, later working toward his masters in business administration. He and his wife Allison have four children. He has worked in taxation and finance, and as a revenue agent for the state of Indiana. He now does business consulting and concentrates on the state senate.
He has held the senate seat for 12 years and that was his first run for office.
Democrat Ross Thomas, grew up in Jennings County and holds a degree in political economy from Tulane and a law degree from Indiana University. He has a law office in Indianapolis and lives in Columbus with his wife Amy and their three children. He serves on the board of the local Little League Babe Ruth League and this is his first run for office.
We asked the candidates what the need for hate-crime legislation in Indiana.
Walker says that Indiana gets a bad rap.
Thomas says having a comprehensive hate-crimes statute just makes good economic sense.
We asked the candidates about the state’s role in assuring counties have proper funding for their roads.
Walker says that in the past few years Indiana has made strides in better funding infrastructure
Thomas says that the state capped property taxes, which also capped community’s ability to self-fund road repairs..
We also asked the candidates about their thoughts on potentially legalizing marijuana.
Walker says its difficult for the state to decriminalize weed while the federal government still deems it illegal.
Thomas says its not right to keep marijuana from those who need it.
Early voting is going on now at the Bartholomew County Courthouse voter registration office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The general election is Nov. 6th.
Oman Fajardo Bautista; photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
A Seymour man was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly carrying a handgun without a license. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that just before 4 a.m., deputies stopped a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Oman Fajardo Bautista near the 5500 block of South County Road 250 East.
When deputies made contact with Bautista, they observed an un-holstered, loaded handgun on the driver’s side floorboard. He was arrested on a preliminary charge of Carrying a Handgun without a License. The two passengers in Bautista’s vehicle were released.
William Michaels III; photo courtesy of North Vernon Police Dept.
A Jennings County man was arrested early Tuesday morning on drug charges. North Vernon Police say that just before 1 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. During the traffic stop, officers began to suspect that the driver, 24-year-old William B. Michaels III, of North Vernon, was involved in drug activity.
A drug recognition evaluation was performed on Michaels and police determined that he was driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Authorities say that a subsequent investigation and search revealed that Michaels was in possession of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, digital scales and other items of drug paraphernalia.
Michaels was arrested on preliminary charges of:
1. Possession of a Controlled Substance – Level 6 Felony
2. Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Class A Misdemeanor
3. Possession of Paraphernalia – Class A Misdemeanor
4. Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated – Class A misdemeanor
5. Possession of Marijuana – Class B misdemeanor
Michaels is being held on $1,055 cash bond. His vehicle was impounded.
Bartholomew Consolidated Schools are moving forward with two new construction bonds.
One will fund repairs and security updates at 16 school locations. Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts explains
That bond will be for $2.5 million dollars, Roberts said.
The second bond will fund long-delayed repairs at the school district’s transportation and food services building at a cost of about $3 million.
While the two bonds combined are about $5.5 million dollars, Roberts said that they will have no effect on the school district’s tax rate because of other bonds being retired.
