Authorities have identified the victim in Tuesday morning’s stabbing death in Hope.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and the Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team are investigating the death of 50-year-old Charles A. Mee, of Hope. A forensic autopsy was performed Tuesday afternoon. Coroner Clayton Nolting stated the preliminary cause of death is one stab wound to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head and face.

Authorities arrested 77-year-old James T. Mee, of Hope, on preliminary charges of Murder and Domestic Battery. He has been placed on a 48-hour hold without bond.

Another family member, 78-year-old Barbara Mee, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. She was treated at Columbus Regional Hospital.

Toxicology results are pending. All autopsy information will be forwarded to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor.

The Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team is comprised of the coroner’s office, the prosecutor’s office, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department, and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office.

A Ripley County man was killed in a Tuesday morning crash in Jennings County.

Indiana State Police say that they responded to the two-vehicle crash at about 6:30 a.m. The initial investigation revealed that a car driven by 26-year-old Justin M. Rangel, of Osgood, was traveling eastbound on the US 50 Bypass, just east of State Road 3. For an unknown reason, Rangel’s vehicle crossed the centerline into the path of a westbound semi pulling a loaded trailer, driven by 49-year-old Todd E. Lennartz, of Fort Recovery, Ohio.

ISP says the vehicles collided nearly head on in the westbound lane of US 50. Both vehicles then skidded into the eastbound lane where they came to a stop. Rangel sustained fatal injuries in the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office. Lennartz was transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Toxicology results on both drivers are pending. The investigation is ongoing.

US 50 was closed just east of State Road 3 for nearly four hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

An investigation into a parked car at an intersection in Jackson County led to the arrest of a Seymour woman early Monday morning.

“The Tribune” is reporting that at about 1 a.m., Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 6000 block of East County Road 300S in reference to a suspicious vehicle. According to the report, 43-year-old Yvonne Nicole Colwell exited the vehicle from the passenger side and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

During the investigation, deputies found Colwell had an active warrant out of Bartholomew County. In addition, they found several prescription medications in the vehicle that Colwell did not have prescriptions for. Deputies also located a handgun that Colwell didn’t have a permit to be carrying.

Colwell faces preliminary charges of Prescription Fraud, Possession of a Handgun without a License and Public Intoxication.

For more on this story, visit tribtown.com.

One person is dead after a stabbing in Hope Tuesday morning during a family fight.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the incident around 7 a.m. on Scott Street in Hope.

Few details are yet available but deputies report that one person is dead and one was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with what are believed to be non life-threatening injuries.

Authorities arrested 77-year-old James T. Mee, of Hope, on preliminary charges of Murder and Domestic Battery. He has been placed on a 48-hour hold without bond.

The incident is being investigated by the county’s death investigation team, which includes Bartholomew County Deputies, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police, the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.

Efforts to fight the drug abuse epidemic in Columbus and Bartholomew County will include finding places for those in recovery to live after their treatment program.

Doug Leonard, head of the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County recently explained that recovery homes will be a priority for the group this year.

Leonard said that right now there are no such homes in the community. By late this year, ASAP hopes to have four or five recovery homes available in the community.

The homes, also known as sober homes, are meant to provide a stable place for recovering addicts to live as they re-enter the workforce and the community while maintaining their sobriety.

That need falls under larger umbrella of other types of housing that the community is lacking, Leonard said.

ASAP and other agencies have been working with a group of about 35 interested parties, including a local landlord and outside groups who wish to create such homes. The working group is using grant money to pay a consultant called Ascension Sober Homes.

You can hear more from our interview with Doug Leonard here.

A person is dead after a stabbing in Hope this morning during a family fight.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the incident around 7 a.m. today on Scott Street in Hope. Few details are yet available but deputies report that one person is dead and one was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with what are believed to be non life-threatening injuries.

A person has been taken into custody and there is no danger to the public, according to the sheriff’s department.

The incident is being investigated by the county’s death investigation team, which includes Bartholomew County Deputies, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police, the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.

A damaged car in front of a Jonesville Road liquor store Monday morning led Columbus police to the arrest of a suspected drunk driver.

Officers were called to the store in the 600 block of Jonesville Road at about 9:25 a.m. Monday morning and found a vehicle with crash damage that was missing a wheel. 48-year-old Jefferson B. Turnbow of Greenwood was asleep in the vehicle.

After waking Turnbow, sobriety tests revealed a blood alcohol level of .230, nearly three times the legal limit of .08.

Turnbow was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior offense.

The Seymour Department of Public Works has announced the locations for Christmas tree drop-off.

“The Tribune” is reporting that the drop-off areas will be sectioned off with orange snow fencing and remain open until Jan. 17 at the following locations:

– Margaret R. Brown Elementary School
– Emerson Elementary School
– Seymour-Redding Elementary School
– Seymour-Jackson Elementary School
– Seymour Middle School
– Seymour High School
– Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center.

You can get more inform nation at tribtown.com.

Work on developing the Columbus riverfront between Second and Third Streets is on the agenda of Tuesday night’s Columbus City Council meeting.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission voted last month to approve a contract with Hitchcock Design Group to continue work on the proposal at a cost not to exceed $567,300.

The proposed project is meant to improve access to and along the river, including plans to remove the low-head to improve river water quality, safety and navigation.

The current project schedule is anticipating permit approval from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in April. Contract bidding on the more than $8 million project is expected between April and June. The project is slated to close out in January of 2022, with post-construction improvements continuing through Fall of 2023.

The Redevelopment Commission approved the contract with Hitchcock on a unanimous vote. The Columbus City Council will need to give final approval, as the price tag is over the $500,000 limit the redevelopment commission can spend without council approval.

This will be the first meeting of the new Democrat-led city council. Taking part in their first meeting on the council are Democrat Jerone Wood in the 1st District and At-Large Councilwoman Grace Kestler. Democrats have a 4-3 majority on the council.

Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. You are invited.

Toyota Forklift’s business units, Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) and Toyota Material Handling USA (TMHU), announced plans last year to formally integrate the two companies into a single business unit. On Monday, Toyota announced the integration process is officially complete. The company’s new name is Toyota Material Handling, Inc. (TMH).

The move combines Toyota’s forklift manufacturing operations with its sales, marketing, and distribution functions. The company remains headquartered in Columbus, where the industry-leading Toyota Forklift brand has been manufactured since 1990. TMH is led by President and CEO Jeff Rufener, Senior Vice President Tony Miller and Senior Vice President Bill Finerty.

Toyota has been the No. 1 selling forklift brand since 2002.

“Toyota is more committed than ever to being a complete material handling solutions provider,” President and CEO Jeff Rufener said. “The integration of TIEM and TMHU will allow us to simplify, streamline, and strengthen the entire customer experience. Integrating our teams will improve the flow of information to and from our customers so we can deliver exactly what they need when they need it.”

“We’re already seeing results, and we’re just getting started,” Rufener said. “The results have been gratifying in terms of the attitudes of our associates, and also in the tangible improvement and efficiency in our business.