As part of preliminary work to upgrade the railroad bridge at the Flat Rock River crossing in Noblitt Park in Columbus, crews have begun tree removal in the area. City officials say that work is expected to continue over several weeks as numerous trees are removed to allow for room for cranes and equipment to move into the area for bridge construction.

Residents near the area may see temporary railroad stakes in the area of the bridge about 45 feet from the tracks. You are urged to be observant and obey all marked barricades and warning signs so that crews may safely do their work.

Columbus officials say that construction on the bridge is expected to begin in March with an estimated budget of $12 million. You can stay up to date by visiting the Columbus Railroad Project website at columbusrailroadproject.com.

The Columbus Police Department is one officer stronger after 25-year-old David Knight was sworn-in by Mayor Jim Lienhoop Tuesday morning. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the department, says that Knight is a native of Vigo County. He is a graduate of Terre Haute North High School and attended Marian University in Indianapolis where he studied History and Political Science.

Harris says that Knight is a certified police officer through the state of Tennessee and where he was a law enforcement officer for nearly two years. He adds that Knight will begin the Columbus Police Department Field Training Program after a short orientation period.

There may be some movement on a new jail for Jennings County. During Monday night’s meeting of the North Vernon City Council, the body approved a measure that will allow its attorney, Larry Greathouse, to enter into preliminary discussions with county officials to discuss possible ideas. Greathouse says this came about after the county contacted the city, making inquiries about possibly purchasing 16 acres on County Road 350 near the industrial park.

Monday night’s action also allows Greathouse to address other, unspecified, issues between the city and county. He would not elaborate, only saying that some issues have been long-standing and that there is a need for both sides to work together.

Monday night’s action was approved unanimously, but there is no word as to when discussions will begin.

A Nineveh man was arrested Monday evening on various charges after a Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy noticed suspicious behavior. Sheriff Doug Cox says that just before 6:30 p.m., Deputy Brett Davis was patrolling County Road 200 East when he spotted a scooter pull into the driveway of a pair of homes. When confronted, the driver of the scooter allegedly gave a false name several times. After repeatedly questioning the man about his name and birth date, deputies say he began giving contradictory information, leading to his arrest.

Police then learned that the scooter the man was riding had been reported stolen out of Edinburgh. During the investigation, deputies reported finding a scale with meth residue inside the scooter’s storage compartment.

When the suspect was taken to jail, they learned his identity as 34-year-old Jason Sanders. He is facing preliminary charges of Theft, False Identifying, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Planning can go forward for an expanded interfaith facility on the west side of Columbus after the Columbus City Council gave its final approval to a rezoning of the property off of Goeller Boulevard.

The Unitaraian Universalist Congregation of Columbus and the Hindu community asked the council to consider rezoning their properties from agricultural use to public and semi-public facilities. The goal is to build more facilities for local, small faith communities such as the local Jewish population.

Neighbors said they were opposed because of concerns over drainage, the commercial septic system, vandalism and the large number of people who could attend to worship at several churches and temples planned for the property. Those plans they would have to come back before city and county planners for review before any projects can move forward.

Although the properties are outside of the Columbus city limits, they are within the city’s two mile zoning jurisdiction.

The Columbus City Council voted Tuesday night to give preliminary approval to an amendment to the 2017 Salary Ordinance increasing the overtime budgets for the city’s police and fire departments by a combined $70,000. The proposal calls for an additional $40,000 for fire department overtime and $30,000 for police department overtime. City officials say that about half of that amount is directly to three visits to the city this year by Vice-President Mike Pence.

Jamie Brinegar, the city’s director of finance operations and risk, stresses that the change increase in overtime funds is being covered by personnel funds already allocated to each department for this year. He adds that this is merely a transfer of funds and not an additional appropriation.

Brinegar also apologized to the council for the way the ordinance was worded. He says it was “misleading in that it only identifies overtime costs related to the Vice President’s visits” as the need for the increases. During this week’s city council meeting, Brinegar says that that there are many other reasons for the proposed increase. They include the need is to cover for the unexpected retirement of four firefighters, as well as time spent by three others who were on military training leave. For the police department, Brinegar explained that the majority of the need is to cover overtime related to comp time earned by officers throughout the year. He says that a number of officers chose to “cash-in” that comp time and be paid instead of taking time off.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop says that the city made inquiries to the federal government about the possibility of being reimbursed for some portion of the expenses incurred when Pence visits, but that is not a possibility. In a statement from city hall, the administration says, “The City of Columbus is proud that our native son is serving as Vice President of the United States of America and are pleased to be able to participate in some small way to his service to our country.”

A Florida woman stalked and left threatening messages for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and his family for more than a year over anger that he failed to give her an autograph at a race, according to criminal charges filed last week.

WRTV Channel 6 is reporting that 68-year-old Kathi Russell, of Cape Coral, was taken into custody on Tuesday on felony charges of stalking, terroristic mischief and intimidation for alleged harassment against Stewart from March 2016 through October of this year.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Russell made hundreds of anonymous calls to Stewart, as well as his mother and sister throughout that time.

Russell is also accused of placing an anonymous phone call reporting that a plane landing in Fort Worth, Texas, would be transporting narcotics. Investigators determined the plane was occupied by Stewart, and that the call was a false report that came from Russell.

According to the affidavit, Russell told a DEA agent that the harassment started because Stewart declined to sign an item of memorabilia for her at a racing event.

Investigators allege Russell sent an envelope filled with a large amount of an unknown white powdery substances to the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller LLP, which had sent Russell a notice that she had violated a protective order against her by Stewart’s mother.

The envelope caused an Anthrax scare and the evacuation of the Ice Miller building in downtown Indianapolis. The powder was eventually determined to be baking soda.

According to the story, Russell is in Florida awaiting extradition to Indiana.

For more on this story, visit theindychannel.com.

The Columbus City Council voted to approve the payment of $10 million to the Indiana Department of Transportation for the railroad overpass project that will take vehicle traffic over the railroad crossing on Jonathan Moore Pike near State Road 11 entering downtown. Mayor Jim Lienhoop talked about the vote after Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

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Jamie Brinegar is the city’s director of finance. He talks about funding for the project.

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With the state estimating the total project cost to be $30 million, that means the city is still a few million dollars short of its obligation. We asked Mayor Lienhoop about that gap.

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Tuesday night’s vote was unanimous, 6 to 0. Elaine Wagner was absent. The second reading of this ordinance is scheduled for Dec. 5th.

An Indiana trial court properly applied district court precedent to determine that a claim for violation of a deceased man’s constitutional rights cannot be considered an asset in his estate, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

TheIndianaLawyer.com is reporting that after Cary Owsley died from a gunshot wound in 2013, his wife, Lisa Owsley was appointed as personal representative of his estate. However, Cheryl Owsley Jackson, Cary’s sister, moved to remove Lisa as personal representative or to appoint a special administrator. The Marion Superior Court denied Jackson’s motion.

On the same day, Cary Owsley’s son, Logan Owsley filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana against multiple defendants, including Bartholomew County Sheriff Mark Gorbett, coroner Larry Fisher and others, for their handling of the investigation. The defendants moved for dismissal on the grounds that Logan lacked standing and had failed to state claims on which relief could be granted.

Meanwhile, the Bartholomew Circuit Court granted a motion Owsley had filed to distribute property, approved a final accounting and determined he would inherit or receive any benefits afforded from the federal litigation. The court then discharged Lisa Owsley as personal representative and closed the estate.

A few weeks later, the Marion Superior Court appointed Logan Owsley as personal representative “for the sole purpose of managing and resolving the federal lawsuit.” Owsley then filed an amended complaint in federal court alleging wrongdoing in the investigation into his father’s death.

In response, the district court denied as moot the defendants’ motion to dismiss. However, the Marion Superior Court then determined the decision to allow the estate to be reopened to pursue the federal claim was erroneous because “(t)he claim for a violation of decedent’s constitutional rights is not an asset of the estate subject to administration.”

After his motion to correct error was denied, Owsley appealed, claiming the trial court abused its discretion in dismissing the estate. But the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed that decision Tuesday.

You can read the entire article at bit.ly/2AkMLET.

Indiana Conservation Officers need help identifying a man that went over a low head dam in Shelby County Monday afternoon. Authorities say that at approximately 1 p.m., witnesses saw a man in a Bass tracker Bantam boat go over the low head dam on the Flatrock River in the Vandalia/Geneva area. The man was pulled from the water by Shelby County Swift Water Rescue Team. He is currently in critical condition at Methodist Hospital.

The man is being described as a white male in his thirties and dressed in an orange jacket. If you know who this man may be, you are asked to call Indiana Conservation Officer Dispatch at (812) 837-9536.