The Town of Nashville/Nashville Utilities has issued a Boil Order for the following areas:
Fair Oaks Trail;
Wychwood Drive;
Bryson Lane;
185 Old State Road 46 to 1792 Old State Road 46;
Magnolia Lane;
Jacobs Lane;
726 Clay Lick Road to 1170 Clay Lick Road;
Hilltop Lane;
Treetops Drive;
Mail Pouch Lane;
Eads Lane;
McGee Road;
Tuck A Way Ridge;
Highland Drive;
Coffey Hill Road;
75 Snyder Road;
Memorial Drive;
Heimburger Lane;
869 Greasy Creek;
Artist Drive;
Commercial Street;
Redbud Drive;
Wells Drive;
West Drive;
Oak Run Drive;
331 State Road 135 North to 1814 State Road 135 North;
245 North Jefferson Street to 496 North Jefferson Street;
Ridgeway Drive;
Pine Tree Hills;
Blueberry Drive;
Dogwood Lane;
Hickory Knob Road;
Town Hill Road;
Hilltop Lane;
Sanctuary Lane;
Southridge Trail;
Kelley Hill Lane;
131 State Road 46 West to 270 State Road 46 West;
Locust Lane;
Green Valley Church Road;
2248 State Road 46 East
Residents and businesses in these affected areas should boil all cooking and drinking water through 4 p.m. Thursday. Utility officials say the boil order came about as the result of a water main break at 270 State Road 46 West.
One man is dead after a Monday morning accident involving a tractor. Jay Frederick, Deputy Bartholomew County Coroner, says that Coroner Clayton Nolting was called to the 8800 block of South Country Road 300 East, just north of Azalia, shortly after 10:30 a.m. Investigators say that 38-year-old David E. Eckert was using a front end loader filled with gravel to fill a hole. Frederick says the load shifted and the tractor rolled, pinning Eckert, who was pronounced dead on the scene due to crushing blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.
The North Vernon Police Department is singing the praises of Officer Shane Trepanier and K9 Zobi after a busy first week of patrol after recently graduating K9 school.
Sgt. Andrew Richmond, department spokesman, says that on Saturday, June 9th, Officer Mike Holliday responded to suspicious person call in the parking lot of a business on Norris Avenue. During the investigation, Officer Holliday allegedly found that 27-year-old C. Evan Lessley, of Commiskey, was in possession of heroin. Officer Holliday called for Officer Trepanier and Zobi to sniff the car that Lessley was standing near. Richmond says that Zobi was alerted to the odor of an illegal drug inside the car. A subsequent search allegedly uncovered a small amount of heroin in a bag belonging to 25-year-old Nicole Stephens, of North Vernon, along with approximately a dozen syringes. Both Lessley and Stephens were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Syringe.
On Tuesday, June 12th, Sgt. Craig Kipper was observing traffic on Brownstown Road and initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Matthew R. Daniels, of North Vernon. Police say the driver had a learners permit and the passenger had no license. Sgt. Kipper became suspicious of drug activity. He requested Officer Trepanier and K9 Zobi to his traffic stop to sniff the car. Richmond says that Zobi alerted to the odor of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A subsequent search allegedly uncovered several empty baggies with residue and a methamphetamine smoking pipe. Daniels was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia.
The third incident occurred on Wednesday, June 13th when Officer Wes Thayer was investigating a property damage traffic crash at North State Street and Bay Street. During his investigation, Officer Thayer suspected drug activity in one of the vehicles. He contacted Officer Trepanier to meet him and use K9 Zobi to sniff the car. Zobi was alerted to the presence of drugs, leading to the vehicle being searched. Police reported finding prescription pills not in a prescribed container, leading to the arrests of 28-year-old Alex C. Simmons and 32-year-old Tara L. Simmons, both of North Vernon. Simmons was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Simmons was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Methamphetamine. Police say that when Simmons was being booked in the Jennings County Jail, officers found her to be in possession of a corner cut bag of methamphetamine hidden in her under garments.
Work continues as the city of Columbus considers the possibility of a downtown hotel and conference center. The city’s redevelopment commission considered a resolution during its meeting Monday afternoon. Heather Pope is the city’s redevelopment director…
Originally, the city was considering limiting the scope of the study to a city-owned lot neighboring the Bartholomew County Jail. Pope says that scope has been expanded to include the entire downtown area also being looked at by the Envision Columbus study. Cost of the study is not to exceed $36,000 with the Columbus Area Visitor’s Center covering half of the cost.
Pope says the study should take six to eight weeks to complete.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an Air Quality Action Day and is forecasting high ozone levels for Saturday and Sunday for a number of counties in our area. This includes: Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson, Monroe, Jackson, Scott and other surrounding counties.
An Ozone Action Day means that a combination of the high temperatures, light winds, and other factors, are expected to produce conditions where high levels of ozone emissions may exceed
federally mandated standards.
Here are some recommended actions that the public can take to reduce
ozone forming emissions:
* Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation.
* Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip.
* Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn
equipment until after 7pm.
* Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds.
* Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air
conditioner to 75 degrees or above.
A Jennings County man was hospitalized after a Thursday night shooting. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that just before 6 p.m.,officers were called to the emergency room of St. Vincent Jennings Hospital after the arrival of a shooting victim.
Investigators determined that the shooting was accidental. Authorities say the incident occurred in the 400 block of North Elm Street when 26-year-old Joshua L. Wray, of North Vernon, was manipulating a newly purchased .40 caliber handgun. The shooting victim, 19-year-old Michael J. Davenport, of Paris Crossing, was sitting next to Wray when the gun went off. Police say the bullet struck Davenport in the left cheek and exited the right cheek.
Sgt. Richmond says that Davenport was stabilized at St. Vincent Jennings ER before being flown to St. Vincent Indianapolis.
Police and first responders will resume a water search for a six-year-old boy who disappeared while swimming in the river Thursday afternoon at Mill Race Park. Authorities say that Brendan Sperry was playing on a sandbar with relatives when he waded to far in to the water and was swept away. Family members say that a 14-year-old cousin tried to save the boy, but she was unable to do so.
The initial call for help came in just after 3 p.m. Jet Quillen, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, says that several people and agencies are involved in the search.
Crews were on the scene until just after 10:30 p.m. before calling it a night. They are set to resume the search at 8 a.m. Friday. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that Mill Race Park will remain closed until further notice.
Family members say that Brendan and his family had just moved to Columbus about a month ago. The boy’s father, a member of the Indiana National Guard, was recently deployed to Australia. Family say he’s set to return home on Tuesday.
ISP helicopter searches for missing child; WRB staff photo
Police and first responders are performing a water search for a six-year-old boy who was swept away while swimming in the river Thursday afternoon at Mill Race Park. Jet Quillen is spokesman for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. He says that the child was playing with four family members when he went out too far in the water and was swept away. Quillen says several people are involved in the search.
Quillen adds that the boy was not wearing a life-jacket.
Mill Race Park has been closed. Authorities and park staff ask that you avoid the area, including the people trails, so they can continue the search uninterrupted. Quillen adds that while the search is currently focused in the downtown area, if people downstream see anything, they should call 911. The boy was last seen wearing Spiderman swimming trunks.
Authorities also ask that you don’t share unsubstantiated rumors about this incident on social media. There were rumors on some social media outlets that the boy had already been found.
Rescuers gather near the boat ramp at Mill Race Park; WRB staff photo
Police and first responders are performing a water search for a six-year-old boy who was apparently swept away while swimming Thursday afternoon at Mill Race Park. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says the boy was playing with his family in the river when he got too far away and was swept up by the current. The search continues on the East Fork White River near downtown.
Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that the search includes a boat equipped with sonar, a helicopter and other personnel.
Mill Race Park has been closed. Authorities and park staff ask that you avoid the area so they can continue the search.
The Indiana Department of Transportation is holding a series of community discussions to talk about current and future projects and initiatives. INDOT representatives will be in Columbus on Wednesday, June 20th. Harry Maginity, spokesman for the state agency, says the meeting will be held at Columbus East High School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
INDOT officials are calling the event a “Transportation Talk.” Described as an informal open house, INDOT team members will be available to talk about their respective programs while answering questions and soliciting input. Wednesday’s session is one of six being held this month across the state and you are invited.
