This weekend’s American Cancer Society “I Relay, What’s Your Superpower” Relay For Life of Columbus has been moved. Organizers explain that expected poor weather has moved the event to the air-conditioned main and auxiliary gyms at Central Middle School. The relay runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 22nd.

This public event, begins with opening ceremony, followed by the survivor lap. Survivors should arrive on site by 10:30 a.m. for registration. Survivors are also encouraged to stay for a taco lunch in the school cafeteria at noon.

Organizers say that teams should decorate their area with a superhero theme, bring silent and live auction items to the event, and make name tags for team members. Tables are available for teams to use at the school, and participants are encouraged to bring chairs. If weather permits, teams may also walk outside on the track.

Organizers say that Saturday’s agenda is as follows:
7 a.m.: Doors Open for Team Site Set-Up. Drop-Off at gym entrance in Bus Lot on Seventh Street until 10 a.m.;
11 a.m.: Opening Ceremony with Survivor, Survivor & Caregiver, and Sponsor Laps
11 a.m. -1:30 p.m.: Silent Auction
Noon: Survivor Lunch
12-1:30 p.m.: Entertainment–Dre’s Story & Dance
12:30 p.m.: Captain America’s Shield Throw
1:30 p.m.: Real Life Hero Lap
2 p.m.: Black Widow’s Puzzle Code
2:30 p.m.: Survivor Ice Cream Social & Thor’s Chugging Contest
3 p.m.: Fight Back Ceremony with Fight Back Challenge participants and Speaker Brad Davis
3:30 p.m.: Columbus Regional Hospital Sponsor Lap
4-6 p.m.: Live Auction
4:30 p.m.: Iron Man’s Challenge
5:30 p.m.: Hawkeye’s Memory Challenge
6-7:30 p.m.: Entertainment
6:30 p.m.: Hulk Smash
7:30 p.m.: Defeat Thanos!
8 p.m.: Luminaria Ceremony immediately followed by Closing Ceremony

An arrest has been made after a Tuesday night incident in Jennings County.

Authorities say that at approximately 9 p.m. that night, dispatchers received a 911 call from a resident on Derbyshire Court advising a male was causing a disturbance and had a firearm in his pocket. The caller stated the man fled from the home on foot when the 911 call was made.

After speaking with the complainant, a deputy searched the area and found the subject, 19-year-old Jeremiah Littrell, of North Vernon, in the area of Big Pine Drive. As the deputy tried to make contact with Littrell, he allegedly fled on foot into a wooded area near County Road 500 West and escaped.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sgt. Cody Low observed a vehicle leaving a home where deputies had previously received information that Littrell may have been headed to. Sgt. Low conducted a traffic stop on on County Road 300 North. Littrell was found in the back seat and was arrested without incident. No gun was found.

Littrell was arrested on a preliminary charge of Resisting Law Enforcement. Bond is set at $1,155.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Bartholomew County Jail’s Residents Encounter Christ program received a $3,500 Regional and Local Impact grant from the Indiana Sheriff’s Association. Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers accepted the check from ISA Director Stephen P. Luce while they were attending the National Sheriff’s Association’s annual conference in Louisville earlier this week.

REC is a three-day experience where teams of trained Christian volunteers come into the jail to minister to residents. All supplies and equipment are provided by and set up by the REC community. Men and women’s weekends are held separately. The teams usually consist of around 40 members. If space and numbers allow, a REC weekend typically ministers to about 50 inmates.

Sheriff Myers was attending the national conference following his appointment to the National Sheriff’s Association’s Homeland Security Committee earlier this year. The non-profit organization is dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among those in the law enforcement field.

An Edinburgh woman was arrested at the Bartholomew County Library following a dispute over a backpack.

At approximately 9 p.m. Monday, off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Dougan, who was working security at the library, arrested 22-year-old Chasity Galbraith after a male patron alleged she had stolen his backpack. During the investigation, Galbraith, who police say falsely identified herself twice, told Deputy Dougan that the backpack belonged to her. However, the deputy witnessed the male enter the library wearing the backpack. Property missing from the backpack was located in a trash can and returned to the owner.

While taking Galbraith into custody, she allegedly made a run for the exit. Following a brief struggle, she was arrested on preliminary charges of False Informing and Resisting Law Enforcement. She remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $8,500 bond.

North Vernon is postponing its planned grand opening of  Tripton Park. That’s after construction delays that are being caused by the heavy rain in recent weeks.

According to the city, the event, which was originally scheduled for August 3rd, will now be put off to a later date, that will be announced. The city says that the park project is about 65 percent complete now. Crews are trying to catch up when there are dry days and they are able to get to work.

Park features such as the welcome center, playground and shelter houses are expected to be finished by this fall, while outside features such as the parking lot or landscaping have not yet been started.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is warning of a new version of a utility scam that is making its rounds in the community.

Scam callers are claiming to be from Duke Energy and told one victim that they would be shutting off power in a half hour unless immediately paid a past due amount.

Because scammers are able to spoof phone numbers on Caller ID, the call may even appear to be coming from the utility company. Officials say that the utility companies will not make such demands over the phone and urge you to hang up and call the utility directly from a number such as the one on your monthly bill.

Experts also say that legitimate companies will never require you to buy gift cards or prepaid debit cards at a store in order to pay off a bill.

The Bartholomew County Emergency Operations Center is reporting the following roads are closed due to high water:

• 625 S between 100W and 200W
• Ferguson Road
• 800S between SR 11 and U.S. 31
• 400N between U.S. 31 and River Road including TInkey Bridge
• Telman Camp Road between Indianapolis Road and 200W
• Jonesville Road at State Road 46 and at County Road 550S.
• South Gladstone between Marr Road and just east of 300S
• Southern Crossing just east of Jonesville
• 900N at 300E

Roads with high water that are still passable include:

• Road 200S by Rock Creek School
• East Legal Tender Road
• East Base Road near Jewell Village

A flash flood watch remains in effect in our area through tomorrow night with the potential for heavy rain today and tomorrow, according to the National Weather Service. That rain will be falling on already saturated ground, leading to the danger. An additional 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected in some locations tonight and tomorrow morning.

Flood warnings remain in effect for rivers in our area including the Flat Rock, Driftwood, and East Fork White Rivers.

In Columbus this morning the East Fork White River was running about two feet above the minor flood stage. In Seymour, the river is still in the moderate flood stage, about nine inches before it gets back to minor level.

Columbus and Bartholomew County officials have agreed on a plan to fund a residential program coordinator to help treat drug-addicted inmates at the Bartholomew County Jail.

Both the city and county councils have agreed to fund the $57,500 requested to cover salary and benefits for the remainder of 2019. Chief Deputy Chris Lane with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department explained during Tuesday night’s city council meeting that the job description for the position has been established, but a hire has not yet been made. He added that the person selected for the position would have to have the proper education and resume.

City council voted unanimously to approve the appropriation. County council approved the measure last week. Both bodies will need to approve it a second time. That’s expected to be completed by early July.

Brown County State Park and Abe Martin Lodge will be closed through Thursday, June 20th. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says the closure is due to a lack of usable water supply caused by the heavy rainfall over the last several days.

Officials say there is still too much sediment from last weekend’s heavy rainfall coming into the system to allow the production of potable water. State Parks staff members are contacting guests with reservations through Thursday evening in the campground and at the Abe Martin Lodge with cancellation notices. With additional heavy rainfall predicted, DNR officials say closure beyond Thursday will be a day-by-day decision.

Staff members are working in partnership with DNR’s Division of Engineering, consultants and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to ensure that when the park reopens there is safe drinking water and water for all needed uses across the park.

A Decatur County man has been promoted to director of Nature Preserves. Ronald Hellmich, who has worked in the DNR Division of Nature Preserves for more than 32 years, was promoted to the position of division director this week.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says that the Greensburg resident has served as coordinator of the Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center of DNR Nature Preserves for the past four years. Before that, he served as data manager for the center for 20 years.

Hellmich holds a J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, a master’s degree from the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from Ball State University.

Hellmich replaces John Bacone, who retired in January.