Monthly Archives: May 2020

Jennings County Jail eases restrictions today

Local News
The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office is opening to the public again today, by appointment only. You can make an appointment for a gun permit or a background check by calling 812-346-8642.
Visits to jail inmates will be allowed again from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be a limit of two visitors at a time in the visitation area and you must schedule a visit 24 hours in advance. Visitors will be temperature screened in the lobby before being allowed inside.
You can add money to commissary accounts in the lobby, by mailing a postal money order or through several websites JailAtm.com or Inmatesales.com.
While in the building, visitors are recommended to wear masks and must maintain social distancing of six feet.

Lack of license plate leads to catalytic converter theft arrests

Local News, Top Story
Justin Poole. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department

A Bartholomew County deputy’s check of a suspicious vehicle early Saturday morning led to the arrest of two people allegedly stealing catalytic converters from vehicles.

The sheriff’s department reports that the deputy noticed an SUV pull to a stop at South U.S. 31 and East County Road 120S at about 3:30 Saturday morning and turn off its headlights. The Jeep did not have a license plate and the deputy investigated. The driver and passenger appeared nervous while talking with the officer and Deputy Dylan Prather reportedly noticed several catalytic converters in the vehicle, as well as tools used to remove the emissions control devices from vehicles.

A sheriff’s department police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics inside the vehicle. A search by authorities uncovered a syringe and a firearm. Further investigation revealed that the catalytic converters had recently been stolen from a local business.

Martin Cox. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department

The driver, 33-year-old Justin Poole of Scipio and the passenger, 38-year-old Martin Cox of Elizabethtown were arrested on preliminary charges of theft and possession of a syringe. Poole is also facing a charge of carrying a handgun without a license.

Barbers, stylists and restaurants to see fewer restrictions today

Local News

Hoosiers will see some more relaxing of the statewide stay-at-home order today with the partial reopening of restaurant dining and places to get your hair cut.

Under the governor’s timeline for reopening Indiana, today marks the reopening of personal services including hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and tattoo parlors, with certain limits. They are allowed to reopen by appointment only, employees must wear face coverings, work stations must be separated for social distancing and customers should also wear face coverings.

Restaurants and bars that serve food are allowed to open today at 50 percent capacity. Servers and kitchen staff must wear face coverings. Bar seating is not allowed and there can not be any live entertainment.

You can go to the beach in Indiana now, but you must maintain social distancing, and you can go out on a boat again, also with social distancing.

Many locations and activities remain closed or restricted including bars, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centers, community centers, museums, zoos, festivals, parades, concerts, fairs, sports arenas, movie theaters, bowling alleys, amusement parks, aquariums, theme parks, recreational sports leagues and tournaments.

For more information, go to backontrack.in.gov/

Columbus Mayor: Patience still needed as restrictions lift

Local News, Top Story

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop says that the statewide reopening efforts require two major things from residents, patience and caution.

The mayor said that the governor did not waive a green flag and declare everything open. Instead there will be a phasing in of activities with an eye to safety

Lienhoop said the next major phase will start on May 24th, if Indiana continues to make progress. Locally, that will mean checking with Columbus Regional Health to make sure there are enough beds available and other measures to ensure the health care system is not overwhelmed.

The mayor spoke to the community last week on a video from the Bartholomew County COVID-19 Task Force.

May 7, 2020 COVID-19 Update: Mayor Lienhoop

Mayor Lienhoop presented an update today – highlights include:Two Words to share: Caution and Patience• We will need both to get through the next phase of our response to COVID-19• Governor has given direction on how to reopen• Five Phase Plan that will extend until July 4 when all restrictions are lifted• We are currently in Phase 2, Phase 3 begins on May 24, but only if we are ready.• We will be watching CRH statistics to see if they have sufficient capacity to care for those who may need treatment for COVID-19• City will make a decision around May 20 to decide if opening will be moving to Phase 3 based on these factors• We still need to practice safety and personal hygiene.• In stores, most customers and employees are wearing face masks/coverings, but not all – critical that we continue to exercise behaviors moving forward• Continue to stay at home if you have risk factors, use hand sanitizer/gloves, wear a mask when out.Columbus INVigorate• City has funded• Information is on City website• First round of applications has ended – 56 applications, 6 from outside the City, so they are not eligible. Committee is making decisions on which will receive funding• HUD funding for rental assistance for those who need help making rent payments

Posted by News Talk 1010 WCSI on Friday, May 8, 2020

Coronavirus update for May 10th: Indiana passes 24k cases of COVID-19

Local News, Top Story

According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 24,126 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 402 cases since Saturday’s report.

There have been 1,379 deaths in Indiana as of yesterday afternoon’s update, an increase of 17 deaths from the previous day’s numbers.

Bartholomew County has 346 confirmed cases, an increase of 13 since Friday. There have been 26 deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County, an increase of four since Friday. There have been 2,931 tests of Bartholomew County residents, with 2,157 negative results and 449 tests with results still pending.

In other area counties, Decatur has 212 cases and has had 28 deaths, Jennings 96 cases and 3 deaths; Jackson 278 cases and 1 death; Brown 26 cases and 1 death; Johnson 807 cases and 85 deaths; and Shelby 261 cases and 16 deaths.

Update: Victim identified in Columbus shooting death

Local News, Top Story

Updated May 10th

Columbus police say a local business woman was the victim in a Friday night shooting.

45-year-old Cassondra M. Wilson of Columbus was found dead in in the Spruce Ridge Apartments complex on the west side of Columbus Friday night.

Lt. Matt Harris with the Columbus Police Department says officers were called to the 3700 block of Picea Place at about 9 p.m. Friday on a report of person being shot. Officers found Wilson dead inside the apartment.

Her former husband, 44-year-old Troy A. Wilson, was a person of interest in the death investigation. But local authorities were told by Indianapolis police that Troy Wilson was found dead in Indianapolis Saturday afternoon.

Cassondra Wilson was the CEO of TrainerConnect.

No further information is available. The incident is being investigated by the Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team which consists of officers and detectives from the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, and Indiana State Police as well as representatives from the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office.

 

Pence: Congress should get back to work

Local News

Congressman Greg Pence says he is heading back to work, whether the rest of the U.S. House joins him or not.

Rep. Pence, a Columbus Republican, said he plans to return to Washington D.C. on Sunday. Although Democratic House leaders had originally planned to reconvene last week, they delayed the return and are now considering bring the House back in session next week.

Pence said many other Americans have been working already, but the House isn’t doing the same.

Pence said that he was last in Washington D.C. about two weeks ago to vote on PPE-providing legislation. He thought the safety precautions in place then were sufficient.

Pence said he plans to be on Capitol Hill for work next week, even if he is the only one.

And Pence had a message for his fellow representatives:

 

INDOT: State highways no place for political campaign signs

Local News

INDOT wants to remind you to keep campaign signs out of the right-of-way along state highways.

Campaign signs are never allowed in the right-of-way, even leading up to to a primary or general election. The state says that you should keep signs away from intersections, interchanges and the areas parallel to highways including medians, shoulders and roadside areas. If the right-of-way is not clearly marked, you can estimate that it ends at the fence line, the back of a ditch or behind utility poles.

INDOT personnel are removing campaign signs as they do their normal highway maintenance activities. Normally, signs that have been removed are taken to the nearest INDOT facility and may be claimed by the owner. However during the governor’s stay-at-home order, state facilities are not open to the public and signs can not be picked up until the facilities reopen.

If you want to report a sign in the right-of-way, you can call 855-463-6848.

Coronavirus update for May 7th: Two more dead in Bartholomew County

Local News, Top Story

Bartholomew County has had two more deaths from COVID-19.

According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health., there are 22,503 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 650 cases since Wednesday’s report.

There have been 1,295 deaths in Indiana as of yesterday afternoon’s update, an increase of 31 deaths from the previous day’s numbers.

Bartholomew County has 316 confirmed cases, an increase of 2 since Wednesday. There have been 21 deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County.

In other area counties, Decatur has 208 cases and has had 28 deaths, Jennings 89 cases and 3 deaths; Jackson 219 cases and 1 death; Brown 25 cases and 1 death; Johnson 754 cases and 77 deaths; and Shelby 243 cases and 15 deaths, an increase of one.

Jackson sheriff releases more details on fatal shooting

Local News, Top Story
Tobias E. Au. Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Jackson County authorities are providing more information on a Wednesday morning shooting that left one man dead and a Hope man in jail.

28-year-old Ryan J. Ross died after being shot in an apartment at 2710 Bent Tree Lane in Seymour.  According to deputies, Ross was the subject of a protective order from the woman who lived at the apartment, but he had recently been allowed to come to the home and to use the location to pick up a child they shared.

He arrived at the home shortly before 5:37 a.m. Wednesday morning, knocked and was let inside. That is when 30-year-old Tobias E. Au of Hope is accused of opening fire on Ross, striking him several times and killing him.

Au then called 911 to report that Ross was dead. Au is currently in a relationship with the woman who lives at the apartment, deputies say.

After deputies interviewed the woman and Au, he was arrested on a charge of murder. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail at 11:43 a.m. Wednesday morning and is being held without bond.

Two children were at the apartment at the time of the shooting, according to deputies.