Derek M. Weddle. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Health Department.
A man hiding with a catalytic converter was arrested early Monday morning on theft and drug-related charges.
Bartholomew County sheriff’s deputies were called to a possible theft in progress at about 4:40 a.m. Monday morning on Kenmill Street in Garden City. Security cameras had captured a man at the property. Police dogs from the sheriff’s department and Columbus police department followed a trail to find 31-year-old Derek M. Weddle of Columbus hiding in the woods nearby.
A catalytic converter cut from a vehicle and drug paraphernalia were also found nearby. Weddle was arrested on preliminary charges of theft and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
Bartholomew Consolidated Schools will be offering free breakfasts and lunches to students during the fall break at three locations.
Schmitt Elementary will be offering breakfast from 8 to 8:30 and lunch from noon to 1 each day. CSA Fodrea will have breakfast and lunch distributed together curbside from 11:30 to 1 daily, as will Smith Elementary.
Meals are free for children under the age of 18. Adult meals will be $1.95 for breakfast and $3.60 for lunch.
A Muncie woman died in a Saturday morning crash on Interstate 65 near Franklin that involved four vehicles.
55 year old Christine Lykins of Muncie was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, in the southbound lanes near the Franklin exit at just before noon Saturday, according to Indiana State Police troopers.
Altogether four people involved in the crash were taken to area hospitals.
Troopers say that traffic was backed up in the area due to road construction, when Lykins’ car rear-ended a pickup, pushing that truck ino an SUV. No one in her car is believed to have been wearing seatbelts, and a 19-year-old and 20-year-old in her back seat were thrown from the vehicle. The drivers of the truck and SUV were also injured.
A fourth vehicle involved in the crash was a stopped semi that may have been bumped into also during the chain-reaction crash, but that driver left the scene, troopers say. Investigators are trying to locate the semi.
The southbound lanes of I-65 were closed for more than two hours while the crash was investigated.
Students at Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus who have earned an associate’s degree in several areas, will have guaranteed admission to IUPUC to continue their education.
Starting this fall, the Guaranteed Admission Agreement will be for students who hope to enter IUPUC’s biology, criminal justice or psychology programs, the schools announced recently. With some provisions, the Guaranteed Admission Agreement spells out necessary coursework toward degree requirements at both schools. And admission will come with an application fee waiver.
School officials are painting this as an affordable pathway to a bachelor’s degree, by eliminating any loss of credits while minimizing cost to students and ensuring they are able to complete their bachelor’s degrees on time.
Dr. Steven Combs. Photo courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College of Columbus.
Dr. Steven Combs, chancellor of the Ivy Tech Columbus campus, said the collaboration will mean a seamless path way to an affordable bachelors degree.
To take part, students must enroll at Ivy Tech Community College and complete all course work for the Associate of Science degree and the Statewide Transfer General Education Core requirements. They must also earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher, and meet any other eligibility requirements for their specific program.
Once students transfer to IUPUC, they will be awarded no less than 60 semester hours of transfer credit toward their bachelor’s degree. They will be required to complete an additional 60 credit hours or more at IUPUC to complete the degree. Students must also meet IUPUC’s minimum grade requirements for specific courses and program requirement grade point averages.
Students who want to take part should work with their Ivy Tech academic advisors to confirm that their academic plan.
Today is the last day to register to vote in the November election, and in-person early voting will start tomorrow.
Bartholomew County will have a single early voting location. Voters will only be able to cast early ballots at Fair Oaks Mall in the former Carson’s store.
Voting will be going on at the mall Mondays through Fridays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Saturday voting on Oct. 24th and Oct. 31st also from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In person early voting will wrap up at noon on Nov. 2nd.
Bartholomew County voters will be deciding on contested races including six seats on the County Council, three seats on the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board and a Hope Town Council seat, among others. At the top of the ticket are races for president, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, representatives to Congress and the Indiana House and state senators.
There will also be questions to retain retain judges on the state court of appeals, and the Indiana Supreme Court.
Election Day is Nov. 3rd and on that day there will be 12 vote centers around Bartholomew County, where you can cast your ballot.
Vice President Mike Pence continues to test negative for the coronavirus and will be on the campaign trail this week including a debate in Utah.
A White House official says the Columbus-native Pence and his wife, Second Lady Karen Pence, also tested negative. The Vice President is scheduled to debate California Senator and Democratic VP nominee Kamala [[ COMMA-la ]] Harris in Utah on Wednesday. That’ll be followed by a trip on Thursday to Arizona for a rally.
On Fox News Sunday, Steve Cortes says precautions will be taken as the Vice President travels across the country this week.
The President and First Lady tested positive for the coronavirus last week and he has been receiving treatment at Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. On Sunday, the president appeared in a video on Twitter just before driving by his supporters outside the hospital. The President was seen waving and wearing a mask as his motorcade slowly drove past.
He said he’s getting “great reports” from his doctors.
The Greenwood Police Department is investigating the disappearance of Eliza Roton, a 20 year old, white female, 5 feet 4 inches tall, 164 pounds, brown hair with blue eyes, last seen wearing a black short sleeve top with white dots and dark blue jeans.
Eliza is missing from Greenwood, Indiana which is 14 miles south of Indianapolis and was last seen on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at 3:00 am. She is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.
If you have any information on Eliza Roton, contact Greenwood Police Department at 317-346-6336 or 911.
Columbus police say that they arrested 16 people in a shoplifting sting operation at the Whitfield Drive Walmart store. Those arrests, which included 10 for felonies and several outstanding warrants, were part of “Operation Roll-Back” which was organized by members of the police department’s Intelligence Led Policing Unit.
Anthony M. Brown
The unit includes members of the Columbus police as well as Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. Those assisting with Operation Roll-back included the sheriff’s department police dog units as well as loss prevention security from the Walmart store.
Among the more serious charges, 27-year-old Anthony M. Brown of Columbus is facing charges for dealing in a narcotic, possession of a legend drug, of a controlled substance and of drug paraphernalia and resisting law enforcement in a vehicle.
James Bennett
28-year-old James R. Bennett was arrested on charges of possession of a syringe and methamphetamine, resisting law enforcement and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.
Others arrested include:
Jeffrey D. Johnson, 63, Columbus; Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 5 Felony)
Christopher M. Allman, 36, Seymour; Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of Heroin (Level 6 Felony)
Rose Mary Boling, 40, Columbus; Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class A Misdemeanor)
Jennifer N. Lenderman, 41, Columbus; Driving While Suspended with a Prior Conviction (Class A Misdemeanor)
Gregory A. Ferrell, 41, Columbus; Driving While Suspended with a Prior Conviction (Class A Misdemeanor)
Robert M. Faulkner, 23, Columbus; Driving While Suspended with a Prior Conviction (Class A Misdemeanor)
Shannon Crouch, 48, Columbus; Theft (Class A Misdemeanor)
Richa J. Gordon, 52, Columbus; Theft (Class A Misdemeanor)
Carrie M. McGeorge, 45, Columbus; Theft (Class A Misdemeanor)
Derek M. Weddle, 31, Columbus; Theft (Class A Misdemeanor), Criminal Trespass (Class A Misdemeanor)
Jerry A. Williamson Jr., 35, Columbus; Criminal Mischief (Class B Misdemeanor)
Hoyt L. Chambers Jr. 48, Scipio; Operating Without Ever Obtaining a License (Class C Misdemeanor)
Tyler A. Small, 30, Columbus; Bartholomew County Warrant
Brandon J. Ramos, 33, Indianapolis; Bartholomew County Warrant
Tyler SmallRose Mary BolingRobert M. FaulknerRicha J. GordonJerry A. Williamson Jr.Jennifer N LendermanJeffrey D. JohnsonHoyt ChambersGregory A. FerrellChristopher M. AllmanBrandon J. Ramos
Justin A. Jump. Photo courtesy Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
A local man is facing arson charges after allegedly starting a fire at ground level hatches for fuel storage tanks.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested 34-year-old Justin A. Jump of Columbus on the arson charge after being called to the 11000 block of North U.S. 31 on a reported fire at the fuel storage tanks at just before 4 a.m. this morning. Fire units put out the blaze and deputies arrested Jump.
Chief Deputy Major Chris Lane says it could easily have turned into a very dangerous situation if it weren’t for the quick response of those firefighters from German Township Fire Department, Clifford Volunteer Fire Department and Edinburgh Fire Department.
