A North Vernon woman is facing charges after she was found passed-out in a school parking lot. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that on Thursday, April 19th, Officer Mike Holliday responded to a report of a driver passed out behind the wheel of a mini van in the back parking lot of North Vernon Elementary School.

Richmond says the call began when 32-year-old Frantisca Delpapa was noticed by school employees slumped down behind the wheel of her running van. Officers arrived and were told she had been in the parking lot for about five minutes. Officer Holliday made contact with Delpapa and reported seeing signs of drug intoxication. Police searched Delpapa’s van and reported finding a concealed glass methamphetamine smoking pipe and a marijuana cigarette. A search warrant was obtained for a blood sample in the course of the investigation.

Delpapa was then arrested and taken to the Jennings County Jail. As she was being booked, jail staff reported finding that Delpapa had a hidden metal tin in her clothing that contained eight prescription pills identified as Clonazapam, a schedule 4 controlled substance. Delpapa is facing the following preliminary charges:

1. Trafficking with an Inmate (a controlled substance) – level 5 felony
2. Possession of a Controlled Substance – level 6 felony
3. Possession of a Legend Drug – level 6 felony
4. Possession of Methamphetamine – level 6 felony
5. Possession of Marijuana – A misdemeanor
6. Possession of Paraphernalia – A misdemeanor
7. Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated – A misdemeanor
8. Public Intoxication – B misdemeanor

The investigation is ongoing.

A North Vernon man was arrested after a motorcycle chase Monday evening. The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that at approximately 6:38 p.m., Deputy Thomas Mellencamp tried to stop a motorcycle for expired registration and disregarding a stop sign at Country Manor and Stoningham Way. The motorcycle allegedly accelerated and a pursuit began. Authorities pursued the motorcycle to Earlham Way where the driver, 37-year-old Robert Vogel, allegedly drove through a field. They say the motorcycle then entered a wooded area and crashed. Vogel then allegedly fled on foot. Deputy Mellencamp gave chase and caught Vogel after about 100 yards.

Authorities say that Vogel was wanted on warrants out of Jackson and Jennings counties. After being cleared by Rescue 20, Vogel was booked into the Jennings County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

Resisting Law Enforcement with a Motor Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement – A Misdemeanor
Driving while Suspended with a Prior Conviction – A Misdemeanor
Reckless Driving – B Misdemeanor
Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident – B Misdemeanor

Vogel was being held on $2,055 bond.

Four people were arrested Sunday night in North Vernon after police responded to a call of suspicious activity. North Vernon Police say that officers responded to the area of North State Street and Main Street at 7:11 p.m. When they arrived, police say they found evidence of drug activity.

Officers arrested 20-year-old Patricia Perkins, of Seymour, along with 26-year-old Christopher Asbury, 37-year-old Joshua Acree and 29-year-old Shandie Johnson, all of North Vernon. The police report indicated that the four are facing preliminary charges of Possession of Syringe, Possession of Methamphetamine, Visiting a Common Nuisance and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

Jennings County High School was placed on lockdown Monday afternoon after staff received a phone threat. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that a staff member at the school received the threat at 2:45 p.m. Sgt. Richmond says the call included “threat of violence involving the school building.”

Police say that School Resource Officer Matt Staples was immediately notified of the phone call. Staples activated a response plan that included mobilizing on duty officers to make a security sweep of the school and surrounding area. Richmond says that no active threats were found and the lockdown was lifted.

The investigation is ongoing.

France will make its debut as the Host Country of the 35th annual Ethnic Expo in downtown Columbus. Ethnic Expo will take place October 12-13 and is presented by First Financial Bank. Organizers say festival, which fosters understanding and an appreciation of Columbus’s diverse population, will take place outside City Hall from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on both days. The festival is family-friendly and features live performances of international music and dancing, ethnic art, craft demonstrations, and authentic cuisine and goods.

Organizers say that Columbus Indiana Accueil will be the leading group to represent France, along with Faurecia. As Host Country, the cultures and foods of France will be featured in the main booth of the festival village and will be celebrated in the Ethnic Expo Parade.

“We are proud to be a French based company and look forward to being a special part of Ethnic Expo this year,” said Tobi Herron, Community and Employee Involvement Director for Faurecia Clean Mobility in North America. “In particular, our French employees are thrilled to work alongside other local French residents to share their culture with the community.”

Ethnic Expo was founded in 1984 by a committee spearheaded by then-Mayor Bob Stewart’s wife, Barbara, to feature the city’s diverse ethnic heritage and to make the celebration a tool for understanding different cultures and customs. City officials say the festival draws approximately 35,000 people every year.

First Financial Bank is serving as the presenting sponsor for the ninth consecutive year. Other sponsors include Coca-Cola, Vectren Foundation, ERMCO Electric and Milestone Contractors. Organizers say that Ethnic Expo is also made possible, in part, with support from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Columbus Area Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about Ethnic Expo, visit ethnicexpo.org.

Governor Eric Holcomb has selected census tract 108, which includes the State Street Industrial Area, as an Opportunity Zone. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allowed governors to nominate certain census tracts as Opportunity Zones. Opportunity Zones provide federal capital gains tax advantages for investments made in these areas. This designation is intended to attract capital investment into areas that are economically distressed.

The Governor will be submitting his list of 156 Opportunity Zones throughout the state to the US Secretary of the Treasury for final approval. Only 58 of the 77 potential counties in Indiana received a nomination of at least one low income census tract.

Robin Hilber, with the Columbus Office of Redevelopment, says that the poverty rate in this census tract is 25 percent and the unemployment rate is hovering around 10 percent. She says that this area of the city could accommodate cost-effective industrial redevelopment and revitalization with added financial incentives to locate businesses in the area. To aid in these efforts, the Columbus City Council unanimously passed a resolution last year naming a large industrial area in this census tract as an Economic Revitalization Area. That action was taken to prepare future industry for local tax abatement application. Hilber says that the city submitted an application to the Gov. Holcomb in March, adding that several community partners submitted letters of support asking that this area be included for favorable federal capital gains tax consideration. She says that city officials feel this support was vital in bringing this census tract to the Governor’s attention.

The Governor’s Office says that other areas being considered are in Jennings, Jackson, Johnson and Shelby counties. No word on when federal officials will make a final decision.

Three people were arrested Tuesday night on drug charges after the vehicle they were in was stopped for having a false license plate. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at approximately 7:50 p.m., officers observed the violation and stopped the vehicle near Seventh Street and Pleasant Grove. He adds that a police canine later alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle.

Officers confirmed a warrant for 35-year-old Zachariah B. Gruber, of Greenwood, who was passenger in the vehicle. When he taken into custody officers allegedly found him to be in possession a syringe, heroin and drug paraphernalia. In addition to the warrant, Gruber was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Legend Drug Injection Device and Possession of Heroin.

Harris says that an arrest warrant was also confirmed for another passenger, 27-year-old Michael R. Hankins, of Columbus. While searching Hankins, the officers reported finding a digital scale with methamphetamine residue. In addition to the warrant, he is facing a preliminary charge of Possession of Methamphetamine.

Officers allegedly located marijuana in a purse that belonged to a third passenger, 25-year-old Breanna D. Meier, of Columbus. After she was arrested and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail, corrections staff there reported finding heroin and pills that Meier had attempted to conceal in her clothing. Meier is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Legend Drug and Trafficking with an Inmate.

Eastern Bartholomew Water Corporation has issued a boil water advisory for anyone on County Road 700 South and County Road 600 East in Elizabethtown. Customers should boil all cooking and drinking water for one minute before consuming. Officials say this boil advisory is in effect through noon on Friday.

A local man with multiple warrants was apprehended by a Columbus Police Department canine after he fled from officers on a bicycle Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, says that approximately 5:25 p.m., officers saw 21-year-old Sage Banks, of Columbus, in the 2800 block of 22nd Street. The officers confirmed that Banks was wanted on three local warrants. Banks allegedly fled on a bicycle with police in pursuit. Harris says that officers pursued Banks through a nearby apartment complex and later into the parking lot at Columbus Regional Health. During the chase, a police canine was deployed and was able to bring Banks down.

Banks was taken to Columbus Regional Health for medical clearance before being booked in the Bartholomew County Jail. In addition to the outstanding warrants, Banks is facing preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device.

Columbus City Council has given its initial approval to spending money from last year’s local option income tax increase that was approved by the Bartholomew County Council. Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, explains that the increase was passed after the budgeting process for 2018, necessitating the need for additional appropriations. She says that Columbus is expecting just over $6.35 million in additional revenue for 2018 from the county’s tax increase. As for how that extra money will be spent.

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Ferdon talked about how some of these public safety dollars will be spent.

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As for infrastructure…

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Ferdon talked about the need to address the long-term financial health of the city, noting that Columbus dodged a bullet a couple of weeks ago with the flooding that affected much of the state.

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Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance on first reading. Second reading is set for May 1st.