Columbus Police Department has a third police dog on the force now.

Bane, a two-year-old German Shepherd born in Poland is working with his handler, Officer Marcus Clark. The two recently finished a six week training program in North Carolina. Bane is trained both to search for drugs and to arrest suspects.

In only their first two days on the street Bane and Clark have already participated in nine drug arrests. Bane replaces retired police dog Max. The Columbus police also have dogs Argo and Oxs.

Two Bartholomew County residents are accused of trying to bring the dangerous opioid fentanyl into the community.

The county’s Joint Narcotic Enforcement Team says they arrested 27-year-old Ryan S. Redmon of Hope, and 28-year-old Sasha N. Armitage, of Columbus after they returned from picking up the drugs in Cincinnati. After a traffic stop early Wednesday morning, officers allegedly located several grams of fentanyl in their possession.

Both of them are facing preliminary charges of dealing in narcotics and possessing narcotics, a legend drug injection device and drug paraphernalia. Redmon is also facing charges of trafficking with an inmate, as well as an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

Police say that the investigation into the sale of illegal drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County continues and additional charges are possible in this ongoing investigation. The investigation included the Columbus Police Department Intelligence Led Policing Unit, Columbus Police Department K-9 Unit, and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team is a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office targeting the manufacturing and abuse of dangerous drugs in the community.

A Monday night traffic stop on U.S. 31 led to the arrest of two Columbus residents on drug charges.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that a police dog alerted to the odor of drugs inside the pickup after it was stopped at about 7:37 p.m. Monday night.

57-year- old Lisa P. Thomas and 39-year-old Jeremy M. Goins were arrested. Thomas is facing charges of possessing heroin, legend drug injection devices and paraphernalia.

Goins is being accused of possession of a controlled substance, paraphernalia and legend drug injection devices.

The State Street Area Association is holding a Meet the Candidates event tonight, the first of two community forums where you can talk to the candidates for Columbus City Council and the mayor’s race.

Tonight’s event is at the Roby and America Anderson Community Center on McClure Road and it will feature the candidates for mayor and the City Council at-large races.

There will be a separate forum on March 21st at the center to meet all of the candidates for the five district seats on the City Council.

Both of the events start at 6 p.m. in the evening. Light refreshments will be served.

Cummins and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have signed a five year deal that will see company signs at the track’s world-famous races. That’s according to our news-gathering partners at The Republic.

The Columbus-based diesel engine manufacturer made the announcement yesterday in its distribution business headquarters in Indianapolis, with company officials saying the agreement was a natural fit for two Hoosier-born organizations that have both led their industries for 100 or more years.

The paper reports that Cummins signs will be part of the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and IndyCar Grand Prix. That includes signs on the pylon at the track’s yard of bricks.

Cummins is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

For more information, visit therepublic.com

Columbus community, business and religious leaders will hold a rally this afternoon urging state legislators to reinstate protected classes in the state’s proposed hate crimes legislation.

Under the Columbus Speaks banner, the advocates will include:

• Mark Osowick, Vice President, Human Resource Operations, Cummins Inc.
• Mayor Jim Lienhoop
• John Budd, Vice President, Physician Enterprise, Columbus Regional Health
• Chris Raaf, Vice President, Hospital Operations, Columbus Regional Health
• Rev. Nic Cable, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus
• Mike Leppert, Indiana Forward

The state legislature had been pushing forward with a hate crimes bill that protected groups from crimes committed because of the victim’s . race; ethnicity; religion; national origin; sex; disability; gender identity; and sexual orientation. But the Indiana Senate stripped the protected classes from the proposed hate crimes law before sending it to the Indiana House. That gutted the bill according to advocates.

The Indiana Forward coalition is urging legislators to pass a bias crimes law that allows judges to enhance criminal sentences when the crime was motivated by bias toward a victim’s characteristics. The group says that Hoosiers deserve to feel safe where they live and work, and the state has a responsibility to prevent crimes of hate from happening in their community.

That rally will be at 3:30 p.m. today at The Commons.

The bomb-cyclone that’s bringing heavy snow and hurricane-force winds to parts of the upper Midwest could mean severe thunderstorms for our area today.

The National Weather Service says winds could hit 55 miles-per-hour this afternoon, and forecasters say the storms that will follow could bring rain, hail, and even tornados. A wind advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. this morning and lasts until 11 p.m. tonight.

The National Weather Service says a bomb cyclone occurs when air pressure drops rapidly over the span of 24-hours which can create sudden intense winds.

There will be a community drug forum at 6 p.m. tonight at the Bartholomew County Public Library.

The event will include the Alliance For Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County and the Bartholomew County Health Department. it is being organized by the 9th Street Park Neighborhood Watch and the library. It will be held in the library’s Red Room.

Legal Aid will be having a free clinic in North Vernon from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

You can get up to a 10 minute consultation with a pro bono attorney to answer legal questions, to offer information or to receive other, limited, advice.

The sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis and there is no need to register in advance.

The clinic will be at the Jennings County Public Library.

There will be a session in Bartholomew County at the Legal Aid Offices in the Doug Otto United Way Center on 13th Street from 3 to 5 on Monday, March 25th.

The Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council is recommending approval of $36,000 in direct grants to local organizations fighting the drug epidemic.

Council President Rick Scalf explains:

The largest grant this cycle is to the Columbus Police Department for $4,500 to pay for overtime of narcotics officers. The grant list has been approved by the state and county commissioners, but still needs approval from the County Council. That request should be in front of the council next month, he said.

Proposed grants:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters: Youth mentoring — $4,300
• Community Church of Columbus/Tuesday Connections: ATOD and choices education. Participation generally involves 200 or more individuals each Tuesday night. This involves marijuana education, 12-week education series for youth, adults, and children, and Insight – a weekly support group for adults who have loved ones who are battling an addiction. — $3,000
• Reach Healthy Communities – Tobacco Cessation Initiatives: The Healthy Lifestyles Action Team will use the grant monies to purchase Smoker’s Aids Kits. The kits essentials that the smokers can use when they have an urge to smoke. — $715
• Advocates for Children/Youth Support: Funding to engage children in welfare system in asset-building activities that incur cost (i.e. art, music, athletics) — $2,670
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services: Victims of Domestic Violence/Assessment Materials. Upon entering victim are screened for both mental health and substance abuse issues. The screening determines the education needed to minimize chances for substance abuse becoming a coping mechanism. — $3,000
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services: Victims of Domestic Violence/Assessment Materials. These funds are also used to break down barriers that clients may have financially to be able to get started with an IOP program, group and or individual counseling to address substance abuse and mental health issues. — $1,000
• Community Church of Columbus/Tuesday Connections: Celebrate Recovery Inside: The jail version of Celebrate Recovery designed for those incarcerated. It is based on 24 weekly sessions working through the 8 Principles/12 Steps of recovery. Once released they can easily join a regular on-going CR group.– $2,583
• Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation/Youth Care Fund: Counseling for youth and families in at-risk situations — $4,000
• St. Peters LifeWorks IOP Program : Program/Counseling Materials: This is a 16 week program that is based on the Matrix Model. It involves group treatment three evening each week. — $4,380
• Bartholomew County Court Services: Pay for translation services for Spanish-only speaking clients who often present with an alcohol or drug related offense — $3,000
• Columbus Police Department: Overtime for narcotics officers to work on drug investigations — $4,500
• Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department: The purchase of two Lidar units, an Alco-Sensor FST Portable breath tester, and 500 portable breath testers. — $4,014