Efforts to combat the local drug epidemic continue and a residential treatment center for women is a step closer to becoming reality. The ASAP Board is presenting to local officials to fund the Fresh Start Recovery Center. The center is a residential treatment program for pregnant women and women with young children. The board is recommending the city and county split a one-time $200,000 payment to get the program established. City Council approved $100,000 in funding out of Substance Abuse Non-Reverting Fund during it’s meeting Tuesday night.

The ASAP Board is also recommending that the city and county split the cost of an Adult Drug Recovery Court. The court is designed to integrate substance abuse and mental health treatment, drug testing, sanctions and incentives. The hope is to reduce recidivism, as well as offer hope and opportunity for those in the system. The board is recommending the city and county split funding $92,603 to get the court established. City Council approved $46,302 in funding out of the Substance Abuse Non-Reverting Fund.

Court officials say both aspects of the anti-drug effort will begin later this year, assuming funding is approved.

The Bartholomew County Council heard a similar presentation during its work session Monday night. While the body could not vote, members indicated they would approve funding their share of these programs. The measures are expected to be discussed during the county council’s regular session next week.

A proposed assisted-living / retirement facility is a step closer to becoming reality. The Leo Brown Group is proposing the site on 17.2 acres on undeveloped property on the north side of Goeller Boulevard, west of its intersection with Terrace Lake Road. According to paperwork filed with the city of Columbus, the developer has plans for two properties. The proposed facility is expected to include approximately 46 independent living garden homes and 97 assisted living units in one main building.

The process includes the annexation of 8.5 acres. It also includes the annexation of portions of County Road 25 South that are adjacent to the site. That will allow the developer to connect to the road to allow access for emergency vehicles. City Council also gave initial approval to rezone the property from “Agriculture: Preferred” to “Residential: Multi-Family.

Council is expected to consider the proposal on second reading at its next meeting on Feb. 19th.

It was a busy Super Bowl Sunday for Jennings County Sheriff’s Deputies. Chief Deputy David Turner says that between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday, deputies arrested 10 people on felony drug charges.

On Sunday morning at around 10 a.m., K/9 Deputy Cody Low observed a vehicle and noticed suspicious behavior while patrolling in Country Squire Lakes. Deputy Low stopped the vehicle and made contact with the three people inside. He then became suspicious of Drug Activity. Deputy Low deployed his police dog Axel, who indicated there were drugs in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered methamphetamine and marijuana.

Arrested were:

– Amanda Webb, 44, of North Vernon, Possession of Methamphetamine and two outstanding warrants. Bond was set at $8,365.
– Christina Manthei, 43, of North Vernon, Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond was set at $3,155.
– Trevor Dilk, 48, of North Vernon, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana. Bond was set at $3,155.

Later that day, at approximately 3:11 p.m., deputies were called to a domestic disturbance in the area of State Road 7 North, just north of Scipio. Deputy Low responded to the area and was able to locate the male subject, Dwayne Ferguson. As deputies attempted to take Ferguson into custody for an active arrest warrant, he allegedly began to fight, but was quickly subdued. Further investigation led Deputy Low to deploy Axel for a free air sniff of Ferguson’s vehicle with a positive alert. Deputies reported finding syringes in the vehicle. It was also learned that Ferguson had left his 14-year-old child home alone. That led to the Department of Child Services being called in. They placed the teen with a family member.

Ferguson was arrested for: Arrest Warrant, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of a Syringe, Disorderly Conduct, Public Intoxication and Neglect of a Dependent.

On Sunday at approximately 6 p.m., deputies were called to the Muscatatuck County Park in reference to suspicious activity involving a black Jeep. Deputies located the suspicious vehicle and made contact with four people inside. Deputies became suspicious of illegal activity and Deputy Low deployed Axel for a free air sniff of the vehicle. Deputies reported finding a gun, approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine, Marijuana and packaging material.

Arrested were:
– Glenn Bordelon, 47, Of Madison, Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond was set at $10,055.
– Logan Ashpaugh, 22, of Westport, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm without a Permit. Bond was set at $10,055.
-Michael Bowen, 30, of Madison, Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond was set at $10,055.
– Jarod Schwacke, 26, of North Vernon, Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond was set at $20,110.

On Monday, at approximately 5:45 a.m., Deputy Thomas Mellencamp and Reserve Deputy Ashley Arbuckle made contact with two suspicious individuals walking in the 9200 Block of North State Road 7. Deputy Mellencamp became suspicious of illegal activity and a search of the individuals bags uncovered syringes, and several illegal pills.

Arrested were:
– Tumara Burton-Baker, 30, of North Vernon, Trafficking with an Inmate, Possession of a Syringe and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,055.
– Michael Goodin, 27, of Columbus, Possession of a Syringe and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,055.

A ”Celebration of Cranes” event is scheduled for Saturday at the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Donna Stanley, Park Ranger, says mid-February is a big migration time for Sandhill cranes through Jackson County and right now there are many thousands of birds in the area. Those who enjoy birds are invited to come out and join staff and volunteers in looking for and learning about cranes before the birds leave the area and head north to the nesting grounds.

On Saturday there will be activities for children at the Muscatatuck Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. Self-guided tour information will be available for those who would like to drive and view cranes on their own. Two guided, car-caravan crane tours will be held during the day. The first one departs at 10 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m. Both tours will leave from the Visitor Center and no advance registration is needed.

For more information, call the Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge at (812) 522-4352, ext. 12.

Local authorities are keeping an eye on area rivers, creeks and streams after a Flood Watch was issued. The Bartholomew County Emergency Management Agency says that moderate to heavy rainfall is expected through Thursday night. Isolated thunderstorms will be possible. Rain may briefly mix with, or change to, snow before ending Thursday night. They say the heaviest rainfall is expected Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and then again Wednesday night through Thursday evening.

Bartholomew County EMA says the Driftwood River is expected to crest Saturday at 1 p.m. at 14.2 feet. Flood stage is 11 feet.

The Flatrock River is expected to crest Friday at 7 a.m. at 13.1 feet. Flood stage is 11 feet.

The East Fork White River is expected to crest Friday at 7 p.m. at 10.8 feet. Flood stage is nine feet.

With these projections, Bartholomew County officials say we will see flooding in the usual areas. These include:

– 400 N
– 450 N between Talley Rd and Marr Rd
– 800 S
– Southern Crossing
– SR 11 at Garden City and north of 800 S
– 930 S
– 225 N
– Enin Rd
– Sunland Rd
– Tellman Rd
– S. Gladstone
– 150 E north of Southern Crossing

Authorities say that the ground is already saturated from previous rain, snow and flooding. The Sheriff’s Department will be monitoring roads that are closed due to flooding. If you caught disregarding signs, you may be ticketed. Most importantly, you are urged to never drive through flooded roads. A foot of water will float many vehicles. Two feet of rushing water will carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups.

An unidentified suspect got away with cash after a Monday afternoon bank robbery. At approximately 2:28 p.m., Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Centra Credit Union branch at 1170 N US 31.

The suspect is approximately 5’ 6” tall and weighs 180 pounds. Authorities say he was wearing dark pants, a gray hoodie, a black jacket and a black ball cap. He also had a scarf covering his face and he was wearing glasses.

The suspect left in a gold colored passenger car which was later found fully engulfed on Tannehill Road.

An undisclosed amount of money was taken from the Credit Union. No weapon was displayed and no one was hurt.

If you have any information on this case, no matter how seemingly insignificant, you are asked to contact:

Captain Christopher Roberts
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office
(812)-379-1650 or call 911

An investigation by special agents with the Technical Services Unit of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation resulted in the arrest of a Johnson County man. The website Chattanoogan.com is reporting that 39-year-old Gary Lynch, of Greenwood, traveled to Tennessee to have sex a minor.

According to the report, agents received multiple cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in December that an individual was enticing a minor to produce and send images that were sexual in nature via a social media platform.

During the course of the investigation, agents identified that man as Lynch. The investigation revealed information that the man and the minor had met up in Sumner County, Tennessee and engaged in sexual activity on multiple occasions in the Middle Tennessee area.

The website reports that on Friday, agents traveled to Greenwood. The Greenwood Police Department then executed a search warrant for Lynch’s home and took him into custody.

Lynch was arrested on a Fugitive from Justice warrant out of Tennessee. He is being held in the Johnson County Jail awaiting extradited to Tennessee, where he is facing charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Solicitation of a Minor and Aggravated Statutory Rape.

Schneck Medical Center has implemented visitor restrictions to help protect against the spread of influenza.

The hospital announced Monday that no more than three visitors may be admitted to a patient’s room at one time. Visitors must be at least 18-years-old, be an immediate family member or a significant others as identified by the patient.

Anyone with the following symptoms is asked to refrain from visiting patients:
• Fever and/or chills
• Sore throat
• Muscle aches
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

All visitors must thoroughly wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after visiting a patient. Hand sanitizer can be found throughout the hospital as well as outside each patient’s room.

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of people with flu-like symptoms in the last few weeks,” said Stacy East, Infection Preventionist at Schneck. She is urging you to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible in order to protect themselves for the rest of the season.

For more information on how to protect you and your family against the flu, visit cdc.gov/flu.

There will be at least one contested primary in Columbus this May. Russ Poling filed paperwork Monday morning to seek the Republican Party nomination for the City Council, District 3.

Poling, a quality manager at Cummins, is currently serving in his second term on the Columbus City Plan Commission. He previously served on the Columbus Redevelopment Commission. He also volunteers as a Veteran Mentor for the Bartholomew County Veterans Treatment Court.

Poling served on active duty in the United States Air Force for 20 years. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant.

Poling is running against fellow Republican David Bush, who was selected by party officials to complete the term of Frank Jerome. Jerome resigned at the end of 2018 after announcing plans to move out of the district. Poling, Bush and former State Rep. Jon Padfield were the three candidates party officials considered for Jerome’s seat.

Poling and Bush aren’t alone in their bid for the seat. Nancy Hoover, a Democrat, filed Monday afternoon to run for the seat. She is currently unopposed in the Democratic primary. So far, only three Democrats have filed to run for city office. Along with Hoover, there is Grace Kestler running for City Council At-Large and incumbent Democrat Elaine Wagner is running for reelection to the District 2 council seat.

Candidates can file at the Voter Registration Office inside the Bartholomew County Courthouse. The deadline to file is noon on Friday.

A local man suffered an ankle injury after reportedly trying to evade Columbus Police. At approximately 7:10 p.m. on Friday, officers saw 38-year-old Lawson R. Allen, of Columbus, in the 2300 block of Charleston Place. Police say Allen, who had two warrants for his arrest, spotted officers and ran into a nearby apartment. They say he later jumped out of a second story apartment window in an effort to avoid arrest.

The officers pursued Allen on foot and caught a short time later. He was transported to Columbus Regional Health for treatment of an ankle injury before being booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on outstanding warrants out of Bartholomew and Johnson counties, as well as new preliminary charge of Resisting Law Enforcement.