The annual Columbus Craft Beerfest is this weekend. Elaine Wagner is an organizer. She says that this event is well-represented by craft breweries and connoisseurs…

The Columbus Craft Beerfest is this Saturday, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Mill Race Park. Early entry tickets are $50 and entitle you to enter at 2 p.m. to begin tasting. General admission is $35 and designated drivers can enter for $10. Wagner says that proceeds from this event benefit Just Friends Adult Day Services, as well as Mill Race Park.

For more information, visit columbusbeerfest.in.

A Jackson County man is accused of crimes against children. “The Seymour Tribune” is reporting that 30-year-old Cory Dwane Jones, of Freetown, was arrested this week on a Jackson Circuit Court warrant for Child Molestation in a case involving a then-10-year-old girl that allegedly happened in July of 2011.

The paper is reporting that Jones was also arrested on a separate warrant for two charges of Possession of Child Pornography in a separate case. In addition, the report says that Jones is facing two charges of Child Solicitation and Intimidation related to another investigation in Owen County.

Indiana State Police reportedly told the paper that Jones was arrested Monday at his mother’s home in Lawrence County. Authorities say the arrest came just minutes after Jones called law enforcement and said he was working in Texas for a construction company repairing damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.

The Tribune is reporting that the molestation allegation had been investigated in August of 2011, but prosecutors did not file charges. The case came to light again after investigators received information that Jones was in possession of child pornography. The paper says that ISP interviewed the girl again and that Jones later confessed to police that he committed the crime.

The report says that the Owen County charges stem from evidence that Jones had solicited a child to engage in sexual conduct on two separate occasions.

For more on this story, go to tribtown.com.

The city of North Vernon is mulling over its options on what to do about a debt owed by an alternative energy company.

Windstream Technologies received a 10-year, $1.4 million loan from the city, through its Redevelopment Commission and Tax-Increment Financing funds, when it opened its plant in 2011. Since the loan was issued, repayments to the city have been irregular. Shawn Gerkin, North Vernon Clerk-Treasurer, says that the city last received a payment in February of 2016. During discussions the city council held last year with Windstream founder and CEO Dan Bates, Gerkin said that the money the city had received has essentially been enough to cover the interest payments, leaving the $1.4 million balance largely intact. Part of the loan agreement included a scheduled balloon-payment of several hundred-thousand-dollars, due in August of last year. City officials say that also went unpaid.

The council had Gerkin reach out to Bates, asking him to appear to give an update on the company. Gerkin says he received a response the morning of this week’s council meeting, informing him that Bates would be unable to attend due to being out of state. Council members discussed possibly calling in the note for repayment and repossessing equipment at the plant. Councilman Brian Hatfield was vocal about taking action, saying that the Windstream issue has “been hanging” for too long. “It’s time for it to be put to bed,” said Hatfield. Larry Greathouse, council attorney, said that, regardless of extraordinary circumstances, the city will not recoup its money. “They are without a doubt, bankrupt,” Greathouse said about Windstream. Hatfield, as well as other council members, agreed but said that  action needs to be taken.

The council again asked for Gerkin to reach out to Bates with an invitation to appear at their October 10th meeting. The body indicated that action may be taken then.

Windstream’s stock price at the close of trading on Tuesday was $0.0001.

The Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council is holding its annual “Desperate Households” program next month. Andrea Vogel, director of Communities That Care, explains that the program is designed to help attendees learn about the trends and challenges facing the community. This year’s program is set for October 18th at Westside Community Church in Columbus.

Vogel explains the program.

Vogel talks about the presentations scheduled for this year’s event.

Hoffman is a former BMX professional who suffered with drug addiction.

There is no cost to attend, but you are asked to register in advance by visiting eventbrite.com and searching “Desperate Households 2017.” You can get more information about the Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council online at bcsac.org.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced plans to close a railroad crossing on eastbound State Road 46, about one-third of a mile east of State Road 11, on the west side of Columbus for repairs next weekend. INDOT officials say that drivers will be detoured around the crossing via I-65 North to U.S. 31 South. A State Road 11 / State Road 46 detour reroutes traffic east on County Road 450 South to U.S. 31 North.

INDOT says that Louisville & Indiana Railroad maintenance crews plan to begin work at 8 p.m. on the evening of Oct. 6th and wrap up the project by the evening on Oct. 8th.

Message boards are scheduled to be put in place Wednesday to alert drivers.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers has a community meeting scheduled for Thursday evening at Bethel Holiness Church in Columbus. The church is located at 6060 North US 31, near the south entrance to Northgate Addition.

Myers has been holding meetings like these throughout the county since taking office. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that these meetings help the sheriff, and his command staff, to better identify specific problems and concerns in individual communities. Myers says that you don’t have to live in the neighborhood to attend, as all county residents are welcome.

Thursday night’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will be moderated by County Assessor Lew Wilson.

The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to restrict traffic at two bridges on the west side of Columbus while bridge inspectors perform routine biannual inspections. INDOT says that those inspections are scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday, as well as Monday and Tuesday of next week. Officials say that traffic at Interstate 65 and State Road 46 will be affected during daytime hours, beginning daily at 9 a.m. The schedule is as follows:

Inspection of I-65 structure over State Road 46 – Thursday and Friday:

• All S.R. 46 ramps onto I-65 will close to traffic.
• Southbound I-65 to westbound S.R. 46 and northbound I-65 to eastbound S.R. 46 will remain open.
• Southbound I-65 detours to U.S. 31 at Taylorsville exit for eastbound S.R. 46 access.
• Northbound I-65 detours onto S.R. 11 for westbound S.R. 46 access.

Inspection of Second Street bridge (Robert Stewart Bridge) is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 2nd & 3rd)

• Eastbound S.R. 46’s right lane is scheduled to close at the Second Street bridge over White River on Monday to accommodate inspection engineers and equipment.
• Eastbound S.R. 46’s left lane is scheduled to close at the Second Street bridge over White River on Tuesday to accommodate inspectors and equipment.

INDOT says these inspections are dependent on the weather and could be rescheduled.

Two people were flown to Indianapolis hospitals after a head-on crash Monday morning near the Hartsville curves. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that deputies were called to the 19000 block of State Road 46 East at 9:53 a.m.

Jackson says that three vehicles were involved in the crash and there were entrapment in two of them. Upon arrival, deputies found 28-year-old Micheal Leszcynski, of Columbus, entrapped in a pickup truck. Another man, 48-year-old August Kinker, of Greensburg, was entrapped in a SUV. Both men were freed from the vehicles by firefighters.

Leszynski was transported by Lifeline to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and Kinker was transported by Stat-Flight to St Francis Hospital in Indianapolis. A third driver, 32-year-old Gregory Hart, of Greensburg, was not injured.

State Road 46 was closed for approximately three hours while the accident was being investigated. Jackson says the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

North Vernon Police arrested two people Sunday morning after responding to a report of suspicious people in the 200 block of FDR Drive. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the police department, says that officers arrived shortly after 6 a.m. to find the man and woman walking around apartments in the area. He says that the pair ran away and Officers Todd Fleetwood and Scotty Willis caught them shortly thereafter.

Once the pair was in custody, the officers found they were in possession of masks and a bag of items. Some of the items belonged to two robbery victims who called in the crime shortly after officers had the suspects in custody. The victims reported that the two suspects entered their apartment, displayed a firearm and struck one of the victims with it before leaving with some of the victims’ belongings. The victims were transported to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital for treatment and later released. Police determined that pellet guns were used in the crime.

Police arrested 26-year-old Malinda A. Birge, of Dupont, on preliminary charges of:

– Robbery Level 2 felony
– Burglary Level 2 felony
– Battery Level 5 felony
– Theft A misdemeanor
– Resisting Law Enforcement A misdemeanor

Police arrested 22-year-old Terry A. Birge, of North Vernon, on preliminary charges of:

– Robbery Level 2 felony
– Burglary Level 2 felony
– Battery Level 5 felony
– Intimidation Level 5 felony
– Theft A misdemeanor
– Resisting Law Enforcement A misdemeanor

A Jennings County man is facing drug and gun charges after a Friday night traffic stop. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Dept., says that Officer Kyle Hall initiated a traffic stop on a pick up truck on North State Street just after 9:30 p.m.

During the traffic stop, Officer Hall requested the assistance of Jennings County Sheriff’s Sgt. Allen Ritchie and his K9 partner Vampir. Authorities say that Vampir was alerted to the odor of an illegal drug inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle allegedly resulted in officers finding approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine, a .308 hand gun, one set of digital scales and a methamphetamine smoking device. Police say that the driver, 21-year-old Luke A. Bathory, of Paris Crossing, was found to have a 9mm hand gun on his person.

Bathory was arrested on preliminary charges of:

– Dealing in methamphetamine Level 3 felony
– Possession of methamphetamine Level 6 felony
– Possession of paraphernalia A misdemeanor
– Carrying a hand gun without a license A misdemeanor