The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department arrested two area women earlier this week after deputies responded to several complaints of suspicious activity in the area of Legal Tender Road and County Road 600 South.

Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that Deputy Andrew Densford was patrolling the area Monday night when he saw a van travel left of the center line. Upon stopping the van and speaking with the driver, 38-year-old Clarissa Powers, of Grammer, Deputy Densford recognized the passenger as 29-year-old Lovely Brown, of North Vernon. Brown was wanted on a Jennings County warrant. After arresting Brown, Columbus Police and K-9 Max arrived. Max reportedly alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from inside the van. Police allegedly found that Powers had a plastic baggie of marijuana inside of her coat. They also reported finding a controlled substance in Brown’s purse.

Powers was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of Marijuana. She has since been released. Brown was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, along with the outstanding warrant. She was then transported to Jennings County.

The recently renovated restaurant at Columbus Municipal Airport is nearly ready to be unveiled. Brian Payne is the airport director.

Payne explains that upwards of $150,000 was spent to modernize the restaurant to help it better match the rest of the airport after its renovations.

Payne says that the airport believes that the restaurant’s renovation is money well spent. He notes that the restaurant hasn’t been updated since the terminal was opened in 1982.

A “soft” opening of the restaurant, minus some furniture and light-fixtures, is set for Friday. Payne says that a complete grand re-opening, with everything in place, is scheduled to be held sometime after April 1.

The Bartholomew County Health Department will offer screening cholesterol screenings, including triglycerides, LDL and HDL, along with Hemoglobin on the morning of March 28th. Those screenings will be held inside the health department at 2675 Foxpointe Drive, Suite B.

The cost for the Cholesterol screening is $15. The cost for the Hemoglobin test is $2. Participants must fast 12 hours prior to the Cholesterol screening. Fasting is not required for the Hemoglobin screening.

For more details, or to schedule an appointment, call (812) 379-1555, Option 1, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Columbus City Cemetery is scheduled for a spring clean-up on Monday, April 3. Columbus Parks and Recreation says that those who have family plots in the cemetery, located south of Donner Park, are asked to pick up any items that they wish to save by April 2nd. Parks staff will remove and discard worn and out-of-season decorations that are left behind.

Clean-up at the cemetery happens twice each year. Parks officials say the fall clean-up is scheduled for October 2.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Captain Dave Steinkoenig applied for a grant, through the Indiana Homeland Security Grant Foundation, and has been awarded $3,600 for the purchase of Patrol Pocket Packs. Judy Jackson, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that the Patrol Pocket Packs are used to treat severe wounds, such as a gunshot or knife wound. They are contained in a weatherproof, vacuum sealed package that fits into the cargo pocket of a deputy’s uniform.

Jackson says that several deputies recently attended training, organized by Columbus Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Kutsko. Authorities say that training is focused on “self-rescue when severely wounded.”

Captain Steinkoenig says that Bartholomew County EMA Director Shannan Hinton also assisted in the procurement of this grant.

A Salem man is behind bars after an alleged arson and murder. Indiana State Police say that at approximately 7 p.m. on Tuesday, firefighters responded to a mobile home fire at 221 Teresa Street in Salem. After the fire was extinguished, a burned human body was found inside of the mobile home. The Salem City Police Department was at the scene and requested Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigators and Indiana State Police Detectives to assist. ISP says that the owner of the home, 28-year-old Joshua B. Risinger, was found and interviewed. As a result of that interview, Risinger was arrested on preliminary charges of Murder and Arson.

The victim that was located inside of the mobile home has not yet been identified. An autopsy was performed Wednesday morning by the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville. That autopsy wasn’t conclusive and authorities are awaiting the results of a further testing.

Congressional Republicans continue their push to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with something that gives Americans more choice, personal control and is less expensive. Congressman Luke Messer represents Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District…

Messer says that people shouldn’t be too concerned with figures released by the Congressional Budget Office…

Messer says that report also offers positive highlights…

The Congressman says that people are suffering under Obamacare after being forced from private insurers…

Columbus Museum of Art & Design invites you to its second installment of “Art Lunch Open House.” This edition will focus on the exhibition “OMNI,” a juried group exhibition of contemporary necklaces and brooches. Museum staff say that this open house will feature two artists from the exhibition, Zachary Mellman-Carsey and Joshua Kosker. Mellman-Carsey will demonstrate his methodology and discuss his practice as a jeweler utilizing 3D print technology. Kosker will have a pop-up display of an interactive piece from a series called [re]embody. OMNI is currently being shown on the second floor of The Commons in the display cases.

This Art Lunch Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, March 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Commons. The open house is free and open to everyone.

Organizers explain that the Art Lunch Open House is a series through which “artists and designers demonstrate and discuss their work and practice.” A free lunch is provided on a first come first serve basis.

For more on this event, click http://bit.ly/2mXjHLY.

Core sampling along Interstate 65, between U.S. Highway 50 and State Road 58 in Bartholomew and Jackson counties, has been rescheduled for Friday night. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that Milestone Constructors had originally planned to extract cores of pavement samples last week, but those plans were delayed due to bad weather.

INDOT is urging drivers to be alert and to watch for coring crews and equipment along northbound I-65. Officials explain that the work will occur along the outside shoulder of the northbound lanes of the interstate between Seymour and the Walesboro exit. The work is now scheduled to take place from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. INDOT adds that the northbound right lane of I-65 will be closed while this work is underway.

Hope police say that burglars attempted to remove the safe from the town’s Dollar General store early Sunday morning by trying to pull it out of the store with a truck and a log rope. When that didn’t work, they came back the next night armed with two tow straps and a log chain.

Town Marshal Matt Tallent said that he kept a reserve officer on duty Sunday night to watch the store. He says that the would-be thieves tried again shortly after 3 a.m. Monday. Officer Skyler Hollin reported seeing a silver pickup truck pull into the store parking lot and back up to the emergency exit door. Three men, wearing face masks, then got out of the truck and again entered the building. Marshal Tallent says that the trio attempted to tie a rope and chain to the safe but were interrupted by Officer Hollin.

Authorities say the men evaded capture by driving through the grass as Officer Hollin blocked the exit of the store. A short chase followed west on County Road 600 North and onto county Road 500/525 East. Tallent says two of the suspects jumped out of the vehicle on County Road 525 East and ran west into a farmer’s field as the vehicle continued north. Officer Hollin gave a short foot chase but lost sight of the suspects.

Tallent says that Bartholomew County and Columbus Police Department K-9’s came out to help. After tracking the suspects for over an hour, the track was lost.

The tow rope and chain were recovered for evidence from the Dollar Store, as was a two-wheel dolly. The investigation is on-going. If you have any information you can call the Hope Police Department at (812) 546-6402. Tips and information can be left anonymously.