The Columbus Police Department has adjusted the hours that the department’s front desk is open. Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, says the change is being made in an effort to increase the number of officers patrolling the street during peak times for calls for service. He explains that the front desk, located inside the lobby of the Columbus Police Department, is staffed by an officer to answer non-emergency phone calls, complete reports for minor incidents which have already occurred and to answer general questions from the public.

Harris says that the front desk will now be open from Monday thru Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be closed and closed Saturday and Sunday. A call box, which contacts police dispatch, has been placed at the front door of the police department to request an officer when the desk is closed. Lt. Harris says that calls for service have increased 17-percent over the past five years, necessitating this change. “By having additional officers on the street during evenings and on the weekend, we are able to respond to calls in a timely manner and avoid having the public wait for an officer for an extended period of time,” said Harris.

Another suspected overdose in Columbus led to the arrest of a local woman. Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Deputy Andrew Dougan responded to the 3300 block of West Lowell Road on a report of an unresponsive female was in a vehicle.

Jackson says that prior to Dougan’s arrival, Reserve Deputy Tim Dillingham had stopped at the scene and pulled the woman from the vehicle. Authorities say that 21-year-old Destiny Shipley, of Gilmore Street, was not breathing when Deputy Dougan administered Narcan. Dougan then reported using an AMBU bag and began breathing for Shipley when she did not respond. Shipley began breathing on her own a short time later.

Deputies reported finding an uncapped syringe loaded with a clear substance on the ground just outside the passenger door of the vehicle. They say the cap for the syringe was found on the vehicle’s floorboard. Officers with the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotic Enforcement Task Force arrived on the scene and reported finding a knife and two spoons in the vehicle. Both spoons allegedly contained residue. Authorities say they also found a corner-cut baggie containing a white crystal substance.

Shipley was evaluated at Columbus Regional Hospital before being arrested on preliminary charges of:

Possession of Heroin,
Possession of Paraphernalia,
Possession of a Syringe and
Bartholomew County Warrant

Authorities say that Shipley remains behind bars on $137,500 bond.

Sheriff’s officials say that this incident is yet another in a string of drug-related issues in the community. They ask that if you know or suspect someone of dealing drugs, to call their office at (812) 379-1740 ot the department’s anonymous Tip Line at (812) 379-1712. You may also contact authorities via email at sheriff@bartholomew.in.gov.

The Columbus Area Visitors Center held it’s annual meeting Wednesday afternoon. Karen Niverson, executive director of the visitors center, says there were many highlights in 2016. A big one, she says, is sports tourism.

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The annual report says that sporting events hosted locally in 2016 were up nearly 15-percent over the previous year. That led to a total estimated economic impact of $16 million.

Niverson also touched on another project coming this year, related to the life of the late philanthropist J. Irwin Miller.

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Niverson says that exhibit, done in cooperation with Cummins, will take attendees on a tour of Miller’s office, just as it was when he utilized it. It will also have educational panels and displays to help illustrate portions of Miller’s life and work. She estimates that a ribbon-cutting ceremony for this exhibit will be held next month.

Wednesday’s annual report highlighted the importance of tourism in and around Columbus.

The Columbus Police Department is inviting you to take part in its annual Public Safety Academy. Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, explains the purpose of the academy, which he calls the department’s “keynote event.”

Lt. Harris talks about what attendees can expect.

Lt. Harris explains why past academies have been so popular with residents.

CPD says that space for August’s academy is extremely limited. There is no charge to attend.

Drug-laced candy has Bartholomew County authorities urging parents to be vigilant in watching what their children consume. Officials with the Sheriff’s Department say that the candy, Sweet Tarts, may be becoming a popular way for area high-school students to ingest Xanax.

Sheriff Matt Myers says this candy will look like normal candy. He adds that it would be difficult to know if it is laced until it is eaten. The Sheriff went on to say that there may be some candy circulating in the community that is laced with Xanax.

Xanax is used to treat anxiety disorders. Side effects of taking the drug include:

Drowsiness and feeling tired;
Slurred speech, lack of balance or coordination;
Memory problems; or
Feeling anxious

Sheriff Myers says that an Indiana University student was charged last year with selling Xanax-laced gummy candy out of his off-campus apartment. However, local authorities say that the drug-laced candy has only recently appeared in Bartholomew County. The Sheriff says that a 17-year-old Columbus high school student was recently found possessing the candy.

Myers says the candy’s appearance is troubling. “Apparently, the candy’s appearance is not changed by this process,” said the Sheriff. “We are very concerned that someone might overdose if they eat the candy unaware that it has been laced with drugs,” he added. In addition to the Sweet Tarts candy, authorities say that there are reports of drug-laced gummy bears in other nearby communities.

Authorities urge you to monitor your child’s candy intake, especially for younger children. If you think you have drug-laced candy, you should call the authorities.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is slated to present findings about the jail’s staffing and overcrowding issues. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that Jail Commander Major John Martoccia will be joining Myers in the presentation during Monday evening’s work session of the Bartholomew County Council.

The Sheriff’s Department says that occupancy at the jail continues to increase. Sheriff Myers has said recently that a factor in recent overcrowding is a change to state law that requires low-level felons to be housed in county jails instead of the state’s prison system. The Sheriff says that overcrowding issues are being faced by many jails throughout the state and Monday’s presentation will be an attempt to “get in front” of the problem.

The North Vernon Education & Training Center is facing another possible vacancy after WorkOne officials informed the city that they will be unable to afford the current lease. Kurt Kegerreis, WorkOne spokesman, talked to the city council Monday night about how his organization is funded.

Kegerreis says that funding for the 10-county region, which includes Jennings, Jackson, Bartholomew and Decatur, has been cut.

Kegerreis says that WorkOne’s financial situation isn’t expected to improve anytime soon.

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Kegerreis explains that WorkOne’s financial situation is due to the fact that funding is directly tied to the unemployment rate…

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Kegerreis says that WorkOne would like to stay at the ETC, but they would need the city’s help to make that happen. Regardless, he stressed that WorkOne would strive to keep some kind of presence in Jennings County. Clerk-Treasurer Shawn Gerkin says that WorkOne currently pays the city $1,788 per month for the use of five offices and a conference room at the ETC. The agreement with the city allows WorkOne to terminate the lease with 60 days written notice. That notice was given to city officials earlier this month.

Council members agreed to take the matter under advisement. No action was taken.

Columbus firefighters were called to the Walmart on Whitfield Drive Tuesday afternoon after a customer noticed light smoke coming the refrigerated meat counter display rack. Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman, says the customer notified employees who then called the fire department.

Wilson says that firefighter found an electrical short within a meat counter light. The wall mounted light, which had a plastic housing, was heavily charred and was producing a light amount of smoke. Firefighters used a dry chemical fire extinguisher to extinguish any combustible materials surrounding the light while store staff cut power to the display rack.

Investigators say the incident was electrical in nature and caused less than $500 in damage. No one was hurt.

One bridge on State Road 58 in Bartholomew County will reopen to traffic, while another will close.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is installing a bridge deck overlay on the State Road 58 structure spanning the south fork of White Creek. That work is expected to be finished by May 1st. That will be in time to reopen the bridge about 9.5 miles west of Interstate 65.

INDOT officials say at that time, the State Road 58 bridge over a branch of White Creek about eight miles west of I-65 near Waymansville will close for removal. Plans call for the structure in Jackson Township to be replaced by a 41-foot-long box beam bridge with 35-feet of clear roadway, side-to-side.

INDOT says the state’s contract allows a closure of up 120 days. Detour signs will route westbound traffic via I-65, U.S. 50, State Road 11 and State Road 258. Eastbound traffic will detour via State Road 258, State Road 11 and I-65.

The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic has announced the date for this year’s Salute! Concert. The organization said Tuesday that this free show will be held Friday, May 26th on the lawn of the Bartholomew County Courthouse at 7 p.m. Organizers say that the concert, now in its 17th year, honors those who have served, or are serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces.

This year’s program is welcoming two-time Grammy Award winning vocalist Sylvia McNair as the Philharmonic’s guest soloist. Columbus North High School senior Sarah Pankratz will join the orchestra at the Salute! concert this year with her rendition of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia on My Mind.”

For more on this event, visit thecip.org.