A wanted man running away from Columbus police repeatedly warned that he had a gun, but no weapon was found.

After finally being tackled and arrested, 24-year-old Lakota K. Snyder of Seymour told officers that he thought they would call off the chase if police thought he was armed.

The incident started at about 8:35 p.m. Thursday evening when officers spotted Snyder near U.S. 31 and Hawcreek Avenue. He was wanted on several Jackson County warrants and allegedly ran from officers. He is now facing new charges of resisting law enforcement and possession of methamphetamine.

Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools are making a $1.6 million dollar renovation of Hauser Jr./Sr. High School’s agriculture space.

Shawn Price, the school superintendent, says that the school has drawn statewide and national attention for its ag program and now they will have a facility to match their achievements.

Part of the renovation is turning an underused woodworking shop into a space for modern farming technology.

He said incorporating technology and flexibility were some of the key design considerations.

The project planners made sure the renovated space including room to display all of the program’s awards and trophies.

Among the more recent honors, Hope FFA and the Hauser ag program became the first school in the state to be awarded a grant from Microsoft for a farming product in development. The software giant is working with schools nationwide on a product called FarmBeats that analyzes soil conditions.

Price said that construction on the ag facility should be finished in time for students to move into the renovated building after spring break.

A Hope man arrested Tuesday for murder has been placed on an additional 72-hour hold.

Seventy-seven year-old James Mee is accused of stabbing and killing his son, 50-year-old Charles Mee, and injuring his wife, 78-year-old Barbara Mee during the incident in the 200 block of Scott Street in Hope. Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that a court affidavit states that Charles Mee, who had been stabbed in the neck, had called 911 himself and told the emergency operator that his father had stabbed him. The younger Mee died shortly after arriving at Columbus Regional Hospital.

The report states that investigators were told that James T. Mee suffers from dementia and was not entirely aware of what was happening.

The additional 72-hour hold was granted on Wednesday.

For more on this story, visit therepublic.com.

A longtime member of the Columbus Fire Department will be retiring.

The Columbus Fire Department announced the retirement of Fire Inspector, Captain Matt Noblitt. Noblitt, who retires with 35 years of service. His official retirement day is Friday, Jan. 10th.

Noblitt was promoted to Administrative Captain in 2001 when he was named the department’s Public Information Officer. During his first year in that position, Noblitt drafted plans for what would late be recognized at “Tilly”, the department’s miniature tiller truck . Noblitt and his father, Robert Noblitt, and the department’s mechanical division, built Tilly in 2001 with the concept that Tilly could be used as a tool for fire safety education and community involvement.

In 2014, Noblitt was promoted Fire Inspector. As inspector, Noblitt was responsible for the annual inspections of public buildings and any new construction projects within the city, as well as the investigation of fires. Noblitt also a member of the Bartholomew County Fire Investigation Team. Noblitt’s also worked to revise and update of the City’s Fire Ordinance, which was signed info effect one year ago. Through the course of his 35 year career, Noblitt has served under 10 Fire Chiefs and four Mayors.

Columbus Fire Chief Andy Lay commends Noblitt for his contributions to the Department and Community, “Captain Noblitt has been an outstanding advocate for the safety of our community through his work in risk reduction and code enforcement. On behalf of the Columbus Fire Department, I thank Matt for his hard work and dedication, and I wish Matt the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

The Columbus Fire Department plans to announce Noblitt’s successor at a later date.

A multimedia presentation and exhibit chronicling the history of African American philanthropy in Columbus and Bartholomew County will be spending time in local schools.

Bartholomew Consolidated schools say that the Soul of Philanthropy exhibit will be displayed at various schools through the end of February.

A reception for the exhibit will be held tonight from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Columbus North High School.

The exhibit, created by the local African American Fund, was first presented in August at The Commons. Tom Harmon, a founding member of the fund, explained last summer.

More than 40 local people are recognized in the exhibit and presentation.

After the exhibit finishes its local displays, it will find a permanent home at the Madam C.J. Walker Theatre Center in Indianapolis.

Wednesday was the first day of filing for the 2020 Primary Election.

Bartholomew County voters will be choosing county commissioners for districts 1 and 3, members of county council at large, coroner, surveyor and Superior Court 2 Judge.

Other local races will include Hope Town Council seats in Wards 1, 2 and 3. Hope Clerk-Treasurer and Hartsville Town Council members.

Filing on the first day were:

– Clayton Nolting (R) for Bartholomew County Coroner
– E.R. Gray (R) for County Surveyor
– Larry Kleinhenz (R) for County Commissioner District 1
– Joanne Flohr (R) for County Commissioner District 3
– Tony London (R) for County Commissioner District 3
– Derick Olson (R) for County Council At-Large
– Evelyn Strietelmeier Pence (R) for County Council At-Large
– Matt Miller (R) for County Council At-Large
– John Walstad (R) for Hope Town Council Ward 2
– Jim Lucas (R) for State Senator District 69

You can file to run in the voter registration office in the Bartholomew County Courthouse through noon on Friday, Feb. 7th.

A man shot to death early Saturday morning was under an emergency detention order and any officer who encountered the troubled Derek Henderson should have taken him into custody for emergency treatment, according to Columbus and Bartholomew County authorities.

Columbus police report that they were called to Henderson’s home in the 1800 block of Home Avenue three times on Friday. The first trip at 11:08 a.m. Friday morning, was requested by the VA to take Henderson to the hospital for treatment. But officers could not find Henderson. He refused assistance during a police visit later that afternoon.

The emergency detention order was issued at just before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon. But a third call came at 6:21 p.m. Friday evening with both Columbus police and Bartholomew County deputies called to the home.  Police did not take Henderson into custody and left after determining they were no longer needed.

Sheriff Matt Myers says he is investigating the circumstances surrounding his deputies’ unsuccessful efforts to detain Henderson. And the sheriff says that it was after those unsuccessful efforts that Henderson left his home and was later shot to death.

At about 1 a.m. Saturday morning, police were called to the 2000 block of Home Avenue on reports of shots being fired. A homeowner, 55-year-old John Noonan, told police that he was confronted in his residence by a man he didn’t know who was carrying a baseball bat. Noonan opened fire, striking the 38-year-old Henderson three times.

Henderson was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital from the shots to his head, chest and abdomen.

An internal investigation is ongoing in the sheriff’s department.

A defendant upset with his sentence did some damage in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that 33-year-old Jermaine Ford, of Columbus, was being sentenced Wednesday morning for an incident in May of 2018 when he was arrested on two counts of Dealing in Methamphetamine. According to the report, Ford was sentenced to 26 years in prison, with four years suspended.

The paper says that Ford became irate at the sentence and began making yelling and making threats, including slamming an entryway door to the courtroom, breaking glass. Judge Jim Worton added an additional six months of prison time to Ford’s sentence for Contempt of Court.

For more on this story, visit therepublic.com.

Local emergency officials are worried about the danger of heavy rains in the next few days.

The Bartholomew County Emergency Management office is sharing an assessment from the National Weather Service that predicts more than three inches or rain in our area from Thursday through Sunday.

With the already saturated ground, that brings the potential for significant flooding starting on Friday. Falling temperatures on Saturday along with high winds could cause more problems this weekend including icy roads and frozen sidewalks.

As of right now, all local rivers are at their normal levels.

A report of a Columbus North High School student possibly in possession of a handgun resulted in three students facing charges. On Monday, Jan. 6, a student reported to a dean that the student may be in possession of a weapon. School Resource Officers from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department were immediately contacted and began an investigation. The student who was allegedly in possession of the handgun was spotted, along with three other students, by SRO Deputy Teancum Clark at the Taco Bell off 25th St.

As Deputy Clark approached the students, they reportedly fled the area. Deputy Clark located three of the four students, including the one who was alleged to be in possession of a gun. The fourth student got away but was later identified. The three students who were apprehended were taken to the Bartholomew County Juvenile Youth Services Center and are facing preliminary charges of Truancy and Resisting Law Enforcement.

Authorities say that no handgun was located. As the investigation continued throughout the evening, it was learned that the handgun had been thrown into nearby landscaping during the foot pursuit. After a thorough search by Deputy Clark and additional Deputies including a K9 unit, no gun was located. The ongoing investigation revealed that the fourth student who had evaded apprehension had later gone back to the scene and retrieved the handgun. Deputy Clark was able to track down the handgun along with an additional handgun, both of which had previously been reported as stolen through the Franklin Police Department.

Authorities believe that no staff or students were in danger on campus.

“I want to commend Deputy Clark and other SRO’s for taking this information seriously and working extensively throughout the night to bring quick and safe resolution. I also want to highlight the process of ‘See Something, Say Something’ being instilled in our students and its effectiveness in this incident,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

BCSC Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts released the following statement:

“Obviously, it’s very concerning when we are made aware of a situation like this. However, we are pleased with the system we have put in place as it allows students to share information freely with us and for us to utilize our available resources to address allegations effectively and efficiently. These resources include the excellent partnership we maintain with both the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office in their provision of School Resource Officers.”