Columbus Police says rumors about a local kidnapping are false. Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, explains that there was a social media post being shared online in regards to the abduction of a little girl on Wednesday. CPD says there have been no reported child abductions in Columbus.

Columbus Police are investigating a report of a domestic disturbance/battery between two adults involving a red van or SUV in the parking lot of Captain D’s on National Road, as well as an unidentified second location. They stress that this case does not involve a child.

If you have any information about the vehicle mentioned, or the people involved, you are asked to call the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

The Bartholomew County Highway Dept. says that Carr Hill Road, between I-65 and The Orchard Subdivision, will be closed to all thru traffic. You are asked to avoid this area until further notice.

If you are looking for more traffic information, download the WAZE app for your smartphone and join the WCSI Traffic team. You can find updated traffic information on our website, on-air and on the app.

Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corporation is reporting a boil water advisory is in effect for some of its customers in Brown County after repairs to a water main.

The advisory will affect customers on Nelson Ridge Rd, Georgetown Rd, County Road 850 W, the west end of Baker Hollow Road and County Road 750 W.

You should bring your water to a full boil for five minutes before drinking it or using it for cooking or food preparation.

The advisory lasts until 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

It is the first day of school for many area students and local authorities will be at work making sure their trip is safe. Columbus and Seymour police, Bartholomew County deputies and Indiana State Police troopers all are saying they will out in force this week, looking for those illegally passing stopped school buses.

That includes law enforcement officers riding on Bartholomew Consolidated Schools buses in the area, looking for violators.

When a school bus has its stop-arm extended, drivers behind the bus and traffic flowing the opposite direction must stop and wait until the stop-arm is retracted before proceeding.

Today is the first day back for BCSC students, while Seymour starts school tomorrow.

Electronic smoking devices and vaping will be treated as cigarettes and smoking under a proposal that received initial approval during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Columbus City Council.

Kylee Jones, tobacco awareness coordinator with Healthy Communities at Columbus Regional Health made a presentation to Columbus City Council in June, asking for the amendment. She says that use of e-cigarettes is skyrocketing among the youth in our community and the devices are possibly as harmful to public health as actual cigarettes.

Jones was joined by other supporters of the measure, including Dr. Thomas Sonderman, CRH vice president and chief medical officer. He says that such an ordinance would be beneficial to all workers in the city.

The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation also supports the change. Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts says that youths of today have a lot oh hazards to look out for.

Council approved the measure on a unanimous vote. It will need to pass a second reading, set for Aug. 20, before it becomes codified.

The Seymour Police Department has received two new traffic safety grants from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. These new grants are meant to help cover the expenses of traffic safety efforts as Seymour children head back to school.

One grant was prepared to help stop distracted drivers, especially near school buses and student drop-off locations. The grant will cover SPD overtime enforcement expenses. The department says it will be putting officers on school buses to help spot distracted and dangerous driving.

The second grant targets school bus stop-arm violators. When a school bus has its stop-arm extended, drivers behind the bus and traffic flowing the opposite direction must stop and wait until the stop-arm is retracted. The Seymour Police Department is one of 39 law enforcement agencies across the state sharing in the $380,000 worth of grants. This money will be spent to cover officer overtime to look for violators for the next two months.

Seymour Community Schools resume classes on Thursday, Aug. 8.

The search for a man wanted in Jackson County ended with his arrest and the arrest of another man in Jennings County.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug.6, deputies with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team-Counter Drug Unit continued their investigation into locating the whereabouts of Michael A. Thomas, who was wanted on a warrant for Battery. Police say that Thomas has a lengthy violent criminal history, including pistol whipping a female acquaintance then holding her against her will.

Deputies had received recent information that Thomas knew he was wanted and would attempt to evade law enforcement, while making comments that he would not go back to prison. With the assistance of the Indiana National Guard/Counter Drug Unit Helicopter, Thomas’ location was determined to be at 9340 N CR 200 E, a location which itself has an illegal drug history along with the homeowner, Russell Cathey.

Deputies arrived at the address and made contact with Cathey, as well as several other people. While on scene, surveillance units advised that a vehicle that was at the residence earlier was now back in the area, but quickly tried to leave the area upon seeing the police presence. Authorities were able to stop this vehicle and Michael Thomas was taken into custody without incident.

The investigation revealed that as deputies arrived at the residence, Thomas fled into the woods and had been picked up by the vehicle. That was the which was stopped by police. Thomas was arrested on the outstanding warrant.

As the investigation continued on scene, Cathey was found to be in possession of a baggie of methamphetamine. He was charged with a Possession of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance, both Level 6 felonies.

The other subjects on scene were released. The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says the investigation is ongoing and more arrest are expected.

Some Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corp. customers are under a Boil Water Advisory.

A water main repair Tuesday afternoon cut off water for about two hours for customers on South Wood Lake Drive, Wood Lake Lane, Crossing Lane and some customers on County Road 200 S and Woodland Farms Drive.

A Boil Water Advisory is in effect for these customers until 4 p.m. on Friday August 9. They should bring water to a full boil for five minutes before consumption or use in cooking and food preparation.

Schneck Family Care is offering free breast exams during an event next month. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 14, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Schneck Family Care Scott, 1366 North Gardner Street in Scottsburg.

The event is designed to provide exams for women who may not have access to these services and includes a clinical breast exam (not a mammogram). All exams will be performed by qualified nurse practitioners.

To be eligible for the free Breast Screening, a woman must be at least 21 years old and have not had a breast exam during the last 12 months. Individuals with Medicare, Medicaid, or similar replacement plans are not eligible for these screenings.

A limited number of appointments are available. To schedule your screening, call Schneck Family Care at 812-752-7444.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is being used in a telephone scam.

Department staff say that a caller identified himself as being a Lieutenant with the BCSO. The scammer reportedly asked for money to be sent in order to post a bond or to make payments on other items.

Authorities say that no one from the Sheriff’s Office will ask for money over the phone. If you receive such a call, you should hang up and contact the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office at 812-379-1650 to verify that someone from the department actually called you. Do not give personal information over the phone and do not send money.

If you receive one of these calls or if you have any information on who is making them, send an email to sheriff@bartholomew.in.gov.