Two Columbus men were arrested Thursday afternoon for trespassing on abandoned property. At approximately 3 p.m., Columbus Police responded to the 1500 block of Union Street in regards to two suspicious males who were in the backyard of an abandoned house. When officers arrived they located Jamie L. Freyn, 48, and Craig T. Smith, 49, on the property, and confirmed that they did not have permission to be there.

Officers say they found a glass smoking pipe and a metal tin containing methamphetamine in Freyn’s clothing. Smith allegedly admitted to officers that he had paraphernalia in his pockets, leading to his arrest as well. While searching Smith, police say they found a small plastic bag containing methamphetamine in his bag.

Freyn and Smith were arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Nearly 600 citizen-soldiers with the 38th Infantry Division, headquartered in Indianapolis, moved into Camp Atterbury this week to train for nine days in October for a warfighter exercise.

Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry says the exercise will evaluate the soldiers’ proficiencies as they respond and communicate to various battlefield scenarios.

“Warfighter 19.1 is a unique opportunity for the 38th Infantry Division to develop proficiency in collective training tasks in a decisive-action environment,” said Maj. Gen. Gordon L. Ellis, the division’s commanding general. “It provides the division with the opportunity to conduct operations in conjunction with other divisions and a higher, corps headquarters.”

The military says these exercises train the command and staff teams in six areas: command and control, movement and maneuver, intelligence, targeting processes, sustainment, and protection.

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County has announced plans to better serve the community. The Substance Abuse and Advisory Accountability Committee met Thursday and approved plans to establish ASAP as a nonprofit corporation. Jeff Jones, ASAP executive director, explains that the local drug problem is not going away anytime soon. With that, he explains that there needs to be a more permanent presence, as well as a hub to help those suffering from addiction.

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ASAP is seeking nearly $503,000 in funding from the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County to set up a hub location at the former United Way office complex in the Doug Otto Center. That money would be used to rent the approximately 2,700 square foot space, as well pay for permanent staffing. Jones explained that between the new ASAP and the hub, four full-time employees and one part-time employee would be needed, along with volunteers.

The Substance Abuse Public Funding Board will consider the request when it meets on Oct. 15th. If approved there, both the city and county councils would need to give their approval before any money is spent.

Construction signs will be placed early next week along State Road 7 south of Vernon in advance of a $1,382,700 culvert replacement and repair project.

INDOT officials say site clearing will occur this fall followed by utility relocations. Actual construction will begin next spring.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has contracted Dave O’Mara to remove and replace two existing box structures. One is located on State Road 7, two miles south of State Road 3, the other is located three miles south of State Road 3. Crews will repair or modify two other structures, one just north of Count Road 300 South and the other located and about 700 yards north of County Road 100 South.

Installation of new precast concrete box culverts at Turkey Run Creek and at a tributary of Vernon Fork will require 30-day closures of State Road 7.

Repair of other structures at Turkey Run Creek and at a tributary of the Muscatatuck River will require lane restrictions for up to 45 days. All four State Road 7 worksites are located between County Meadows and County Road 300 South.

Fairlawn Preschool is recognizing a significant milestone this weekend. Diane Doup is with the Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center. She says that the preschool is celebrating 50 years and thousands of students served.

Saturday’s festivities include an open house, light refreshments and outdoor activities for children from noon to 3 p.m. at the preschool. A Celebration Service will be held on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary at the church.

Organizers say that preschool alumni and their families, previous staff members and anyone affiliated with the preschool are invited to attend both events. You are also encouraged to bring photos, stories and mementos.

For more information, visit fairlawnpc.com.

Columbus City Cemetery, located south of Donner Park, is scheduled for clean-up on October 8th. Those who have family plots in the City Cemetery are asked to pick up any items that they wish to save by Sunday, October 7th. Parks Department personnel will remove and discard worn and out-of-season decorations that remain on the ground after October 8th.

The next clean-up is scheduled for April 1, 2019.

An Elizabethtown man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after he was spotted on property owned by the Louisville and Indiana Railroad. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that 56-year-old Tony Evan Gibson was found at the railroad tracks in the 1600 block of Jonesville Road with a wheelbarrow loaded with railroad spikes and scrap metal.

Authorities say that Gibson’s pickup truck was parked on railroad property and the bed was loaded with scrap metal. Gibson reportedly told deputies that he did not have permission to take the items. A search of Gibson’s truck allegedly revealed drug paraphernalia.

Gibson was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, Criminal Trespass and Possession of Paraphernalia. He remains behind bars on $12,500 bond.

North Vernon is one step closer to having a new pool for the city park. The city council voted 4-1 to award the contract to Dave O’Mara Contractors. Seven companies submitted bids to the city, but the apparent low-bidder, Maxwell Construction, quickly withdrew its bid due to an accounting error. That opened the door for Dave O’Mara to win the bid.

The winning base bid was $3,343,000. If all amenities are factored in and approved, the total could go as high as $3,492,000. City council members say the bid is a little higher than what they were anticipating. However, parks department staff say that contractor representatives have indicated to look into opportunities where costs can be reduced without impacting function and user comfort. Council members could not address the scope of any potential savings, as the contractor would not discuss those possibilities without first receiving the contract.

A timeline for establishing the entire scope and cost of the work has not yet been established.

Centerstone and The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation is partnering to stop suicide. Kevin Hines, mental health advocate, speaker, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker will share his story during an event on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at Columbus North’s Judson Erne Auditorium.

Hines says he was born into poverty in San Francisco and taken away from his birth parents. He was then adopted by the Hines family.

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That ultimately led to Hines attempting suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge when he was 19-years-old. That makes Hines one of only a handful of people who have survived the leap. Hines says next week’s event includes the film “Suicide: The Ripple Effect.” This program is aimed at helping those suffering from depression, and their families, to detect the warning signs of a potential suicide and identify the resources available to those in need.

Next Tuesday’s event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 :30 p.m. and you are invited. You can get more information at centerstone.org/RippleEffect.

Three weeks of paving work is set to begin next week from Walesboro to Columbus. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that the work is part of the $143 million Next Level Roads project on Interstate 65 in Bartholomew and Jackson Counties.

INDOT says that drivers can expect crews and equipment in single lanes on I-65 between mile marker 64.5 near the Walesboro exit and State Road 46 ramps at Columbus during overnight hours, beginning at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30. Officials say asphalt paving will occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every night Sunday through Friday. Work is scheduled to happen as follows:

• Northbound I-65 left lane
• Southbound I-65 left lane
• Northbound I-65 right lane
• Southbound I-65 right lane
• Northbound & southbound shoulders

This work is part of an ongoing project to completely reconstruct and reconfigure I-65 as a six-lane road.