Work continues on the elevator at Columbus City Hall. Mayor Jim Lienhoop says he’s hopeful that it will be back in service by the close of business on Friday.

The elevator was knocked out of service a few weeks ago after storms disrupted power in the area.

Due to the elevator being unusable, city officials have moved all public meetings to other locations. The Mayor says that will continue next week when the Board of Public Works & Safety, as well as city council, meet Wednesday at Hamilton Center on 25th Street. The Board of Works at 10 a.m. and City Council at 6 p.m.

City offices are closed Tuesday for the Independence Day Holiday.

The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair is rapidly approaching, and the local Fraternal Order of Police is again responsible for helping with the parking cars at the Fair. The FOP says that this event is the largest source of funding for the organization every year and they need your help.

The FOP says it needs help every day of the fair, which is running July 7-16. Volunteers take money at the gate and direct cars in the field on where to park. The FOP provides beverages and the evening shift will get sandwiches. Shifts are usually 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., but can be adjusted to fit your schedule.

Volunteers receive a T-shirt and will be entered in a drawing to win a gas grill as well as two $50 cash prizes.

If you would like to help, email atrisler@columbuspd.com or call (812) 343-2742 or (812) 350-7540. In addition, sign-up sheets are posted at Columbus Police Department and the sheriff’s Department.

A Chicago man is facing charges after a traffic stop in Decatur County last week. “The Greensburg Daily News” is reporting that Grensburg Police responded to a call about a possible drunk driver on I-74 last Friday. When they pulled the van over near exit 134, the driver, 34-year-old Antwain Triplett, allegedly put the van is gear and fled. That resulted in minor injuries to one officer who was clipped by the vehicle.

The paper says the pursuit proceeded on to State Road 3 North and ended at the intersection at County Road 300 North. Triplett was then taken into custody without further incident. A search of the van allegedly resulted in the discovery of 200 grams of heroin and 10 grams of marijuana.

The report states that Triplett is facing preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Dealing a Narcotic Drug, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, Obstruction of Justice, Possession of Marijuana and Maintaining a Common Nuisance. The paper says that these charges are enhanced as Triplett is an habitual offender.

For more on this story, visit greensburgdailynews.com.

An appeals court upheld the 80-year sentence for a man convicted of murder in the beating death of IU student Hannah Wilson. Police say that the 22-year-old Wilson was partying in Bloomington with friends in April of 2015 when she went missing. Her body was found days later in Brown County.

Fox 59 is reporting that Daniel Messel’s appeal argued that evidence speculating that a heavy flashlight may have been used to kill Wilson should not have been introduced during his trial. He also argued that his prison sentence was unfair and excessive. Messel was convicted last August by a Brown County jury and sentenced to 60 years for murder and 20 years for being an habitual offender.

Fox 59 is reporting that the court ruled Thursday there was no error in the sentence and found it was appropriate.

For more on this story, visit fox59.com.

Authorities in Jennings County arrested more than 30 people during a sweep last week. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that on Friday, June 23rd, officers of the North Vernon Police Department joined Jennings County Sheriff’s Deputies, Jennings County Circuit Probation Officers, Indiana State Parole Officers and corrections officers from Jackson and Jennings counties for a “special enforcement operation.”

Sgt. Richmond says that authorities joined to conduct compliance searches on offenders currently on probation, parole and house arrest. He says that these compliance searches uncovered a variety of both violations, as well as new criminal activity. In addition, Richmond says that deputies and officers engaged in “proactive criminal patrols.”

Sgt. Richmond says that 33 people were arrested on new charges during the operation. These charges range from outstanding warrants, driving while suspended, possession of paraphernalia and possession of controlled substances.

“This is the second time in recent months that all local departments have joined forces to seek out criminal activity in the county and the results speak for themselves,” said North Vernon Chief of Police James Webster. He added, “The focus and effort that goes into a single combined patrol shift is just remarkable and I thank everyone involved.”

The elevator at Columbus City Hall remains out of service. City officials say they expect it to be up and running again sometime next week. They were originally hoping the elevator would be back in service by the end of this week.

In an effort to ensure that all public meetings are accessible to everyone, city officials have moved the following meetings to Hamilton Center, located at 2501 Lincoln Park Drive, next week:

Wednesday, July 5 – Columbus Board of Public Works & Safety at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, July 5 – City Council at 6 p.m.

Those with accessibility needs who have business at City Hall over the next week should to call (812) 376-2500 for assistance.

City officials also remind you that city offices will be closed Tuesday, July 4th for Independence Day.

The Beech Grove Police Department is investigating the disappearance of an adult from Beech Grove, Indiana. Beech Grove is located approximately six miles southeast of Indianapolis.

Miracle Nevills is a 22 year old black female, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 115 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. Miracle Nevills was last seen Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. in Indianapolis and is believed to be in danger.

She was last seen wearing a black head scarf and an olive green shirt. Miracle Nevills may be disoriented and require medical assistance.

If you have any information on Miracle Nevills, contact the Beech Grove Police Department by calling (317) 782-4950 or 911 or by email at crimetips@beechgrove.com.

A Seymour restaurant owner and military veteran is pushing for a shelter for homeless veterans to be established in that city. Robert Liter owns D’s Diner at Freeman Field. He recently approached the Freeman Field Airport Board Authority for help in making this a reality.

While citing statistics about homeless vets and suicide rates, Liter says that he has a more personal reason for wanting to help his military brethren… a cousin named Darren Potter who was killed in the line of duty after being sent to Iraq as a member of the Kentucky National Guard.

Liter says that no one can deny the need.

As for what happens next…

While there is no timeline for the project, Liter is adamant that this is a dream that he will not give-up on.

The downtown Columbus Dairy Queen is celebrating a half-century in business. Julie Franke is the manager and daughter of owners Bob and the late Noel Franke. She says that menu items will be half-off, all day on Thursday…

She says that the location has always been owned and operated by her parents…

The downtown Dairy Queen, located in the 600 block of Third Street, is open from 6 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. You are invited to take part in Thursday’s celebration.

One person was hospitalized after a shooting Tuesday in Johnson County. Sheriff Doug Cox says that deputies were called to a home on Campbell Road (County Road 550 East), just north of County Road 700 North at about 3:45 p.m. When they arrived, they found 59-year-old Jeff Weigle on the floor of the kitchen, bleeding from a gunshot wound.

According to the responding deputy’s report, Weigle told police that he was shot by a neighbor. Weigle’s roommate reported that there has been an ongoing dispute with these neighbors for years. That reportedly led to an argument between one of the neighbors and Weigle on Monday.

When deputies cordoned off the scene, they reported finding Weigle’s revolver and a spent shell casing near a lawnmower in the yard where he had been working. They also reported finding a trail off blood from the lawnmower to the kitchen floor where Weigle collapsed.

The neighbor, 49-year-old Dean Keller, reportedly told deputies that Weigle shot at him Tuesday afternoon, which resulted in Keller returning fire. He was not injured.

Sheriff Cox says that no arrests have been made and that the case remains under investigation. Weigle’s condition has not been released.