North Vernon Police made a pair of arrests after a Tuesday night traffic stop. Officers say they stopped a vehicle in the area of North State Street and Scott Street at 7:41 p.m. They allege that the driver, Andra Baker, was intoxicated. She was arrested on a preliminary charge of Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated. A passenger, 25-year-old Nicole Stephens, of North Vernon, was ultimately on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Another step to create and fund and an advisory board to help tackle the opioid epidemic in Bartholomew County passed the Columbus City Council Tuesday night. The board would be comprised of officials from the city, county, Columbus Regional Health and other stakeholders in determining what projects and programs would benefit from public funding.

The city council voted 7-0 to give final approval for ordinances creating and funding the body. Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, explains that the measure now goes to the county commissioners for their approval. Once both the city and county give final approval, an agreement linking the two bodies would need to be approved. Ferdon says that is likely still months away.

Tuesday night’s actions also included the creation of a non-reverting fund to help finance future efforts to battle the opioid epidemic. The council set aside $250,000 during last year’s budget process for that very effort. The council also approved moving those funds to that account.

Work on further development of the downtown riverfront in Columbus continues after the city council gave its initial approval for the city’s Redevelopment Commission to spend nearly half-a-million dollars to create design development plans, largely for the area between the Second and Third Street bridges. Heather Pope, the city’s director of redevelopment, explains that the past four administrations have talked about developing the riverfront, but work began in earnest by the redevelopment commission in January of 2017.

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Pope says that it was made clear that the community view riverfront development as an important part of improving the quality of life for residents of Columbus.

Pope explains that the plan calls for the removal of the low-head dam and the addition of other amenities.

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Money for the project would come from revenue in the city’s tax increment financing district — a portion of property taxes paid by owners in the district that are scooped up by the commission for development.

City Council members approved the ordinance unanimously. It is scheduled to come before the council for final approval on March 20th.

The Columbus Fire Department reminds residents to change your smoke alarm batteries as you set your clocks for the beginning of daylight savings time this Sunday. Daylight savings time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday. At that time, clocks should be sprung forward to 3 a.m. Capt. Mike Wilson, department spokesman, says this is a great time for families to review fire safety planning and inspect or replace smoke alarms in the home. CFD recommends that smoke alarm batteries be replaced twice a year, while alarms should be tested once a month.

“Smoke alarms are an inexpensive tool for early fire detection that every home should have,” says Columbus Fire Chief Mike Compton. “Working smoke alarms, coupled with an emergency escape plan, increases the chances of surviving a fire in the home.”

Wilson says that firefighters recommend that you inspect all of your smoke alarms this weekend and ensure that they are in working order. He adds that smoke alarms that were manufactured 10 or more years ago, should be replaced. Authorities say that a smoke alarm’s manufacture date is typically found on the back of the device.

In addition to protecting your family through the use of smoke alarms, CFD officials recommend reviewing your home fire escape plan with your family. All family members should be aware of what to do if a fire breaks out in the home. If you need assistance in creating a home fire escape plan, or need assistance with smoke alarms, you are encouraged to contact the Columbus Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau at (812) 376-2584, or visit the Columbus Fire Department website: columbus.in.gov/fire/.

Two Chicago residents were arrested in Seymour on Tuesday after a stabbing. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police Post in Versailles, says that ISP Troopers and Seymour Police were called to the 2100 block of East Tipston Street at approximately 6 a.m. after the stabbing, which occurred on a MegaBus.

Wheeles says that the initial investigation determined that the stabbing occurred while the bus traveling south on I-65, just north of Seymour. After the stabbing, the bus driver exited the interstate and stopped at a gas station at the corner of US 50 and Sandy Creek Drive until officers arrived.

Police say the victim, 19-year-old Xavier Collins, was taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour for treatment of non-life threatening injuries to his leg. The suspect is Collins’ girlfriend, 19-year-old Lebria Graham. Wheeles says that police also recovered the suspected weapon from the scene. ISP detectives determined that Graham and Collins were allegedly playing some type of game with the knife while they were on the upper deck of the bus. At some point during the game, Graham allegedly stabbed Collins in the leg.

Graham was arrested on preliminary charges of Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon and Battery with a Deadly Weapon. Authorities say that Collins became uncooperative in the investigation and gave a false name to investigators. After being treated and released from the hospital, Collins was arrested on preliminary charges of Obstruction of Justice and False Informing.

The investigation is ongoing.

A pregnant Jennings County woman was revived by North Vernon Police over the weekend. A department spokesman says that officers were summoned to the 300 block of S. Gum Street at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. When Officers arrived, they determined that the woman, 23-year-old Alicia Jones, of North Vernon, had suffered an overdose. Narcan was administered by officers to Jones, who later regained consciousness.

Jones was ultimately arrested on two outstanding Jennings County warrants. Police say that 26-year-old Zachary D. Perry, of Columbus, was was found hiding underneath a car in the garage. He was arrested on one outstanding Jennings County Warrant and two outstanding Bartholomew County Warrants.

Ivy Tech Community College Columbus will host its 14th annual Run for the Ivy 5K/10K Run/Walk on Saturday, April 28. Chris Schilling, spokesman for the school, says the event will begin at 9 a.m. outside Poling Hall. The run is open to the public with proceeds used for Ivy Tech emergency scholarships and programs.

Schilling says the course is USA Track & Field certified. You can pre-register online at http://connect.ivytech.edu/events/runfortheivy or by calling 812-374-5342.

A free Kids Fun Run begins at 10:30 a.m. Sign-up for children will be available at the race. Childcare and activities for children ages two and older will begin at 8:30 a.m. on race day for children whose parents or caregivers are participating in the race. The cost for this service is $5 per child.

Pre-registered participants may pick up their race packet at Ivy Tech from noon until 5 p.m. on Friday, April 27. On race day, packet pick-up will start at 8 a.m.

Columbus City Cemetery, located south of Donner Park, is scheduled for spring clean-up on March 19, 2018. Those who have family plots in the Cemetery are asked to pick up any items that they wish to save by Sunday, March 18th. Parks Department personnel will remove and discard worn and out-of-season decorations that remain on the ground on Monday, March 19TH.

Fall clean-up is scheduled for October 1ST.

A complaint of cigarette smoking in a Columbus motel room led to the arrests of four people on Saturday night. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that shortly before 9 p.m., officers responded to the Motel 6, located at 161 Carrie Lane. When the officers arrived, they spoke with several people inside the room. Officers confirmed a warrant for 22-year-old Shannon E. Hadley, of Columbus, who was inside the room. While searching Hadley’s bag, officers allegedly found marijuana, a syringe containing methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia.

Harris says that officers later obtained a search warrant for the room where they recovered several syringes containing liquid methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia. Police also reported finding a loaded handgun under a bed in the room.

Arrested were:

Shannon E. Hadley – Bartholomew County Warrant, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Visiting a Common Nuisance;

Damon L. Estes, 28, of Columbus – Visiting a Common Nuisance;

Ashley D. Hadley, 27, of Columbus: – Visiting a Common Nuisance;

Perry K. Davis, 21, of Edinburgh – Visiting a Common Nuisance

A Brown County man was arrested Monday morning after he was found asleep behind the steering wheel of his vehicle at a major intersection in Columbus. Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that at approximately 6:30 a.m., Sgt Courtney Plummer responded to the US 31 and Central Avenue in regards to the unresponsive man. When Plummer arrived, she had difficulty waking the driver, who was identified as 24-year-old Jesse L. Harris, of Nashville. Authorities say that Harris’ vehicle was still in gear and began to roll into the intersection before it eventually came to a stop.

Authorities say that Harris was taken to the Columbus Police Department for a certified chemical breath test, providing a breath sample of .085% and was placed under arrest. Harris was arrested on a preliminary charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated.