Jackson County authorities say that an anti-narcotics blitz last week led to several felony arrests and 48 grams of methamphetamine being taken off of the street.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Seymour Police say that the blitz unfolded Friday in the community. Officers targeted areas where drug activity was believed to be present, with both agencies working together and sharing information.

The most serious charges were made against 41-year-old Natosha Streetman of Scottsburg who is accused of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and maintaining a common nuisance.

25-year-old Hailey Martin, 19-year-old Raven Kerkhof and 22-year-old Jordan Ackert were also arrested on various possession related charges.

If you want to report illegal drug activity, you can contact the Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234, or the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at 812-358-2141. Callers may remain anonymous.

A Bartholomew County family farm was one of two in the state to receive the bicentennial Hoosier Homestead Award in a recent ceremony with Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch.

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of 20 acres or more, or produce more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year.

The Weinantz farm in Bartholomew County was recognized for being established in 1820.

Other area families recognized at the ceremony included the Pittman family farm in Brown County, established in 1867 and the Shelton family farm in Shelby County which started in 1864. Those farms both received the sesquicentennial award.

North Vernon police are investigating a surge in thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles in the community.

Police say that the thefts have been happening at businesses on State Roads 3 and 7 and that they are likely being targeted because vehicles are parked in out of sight or dark areas.

Police say that you can help reduce the thefts by parking in well-lit areas and by being on the lookout for people crawling under vehicles armed with hand-held saws.

If you have any information on the thefts. you can talk to North Vernon police at 812-346-1466  or 812-346-2345.

A garage fire sparked by discarded ashes from a fire pit caused an estimated $10,000 in damages Sunday in Columbus.

Columbus firefighters report that they were called to the 1000 block of Countryside Lane at about 3:56 p.m. Sunday afternoon on a reported structure fire. When they arrived they found heavy flames on the exterior of an attached garage. Firefighters used a hose to knock down the flames and then searched for hidden fires including in the attic space. After removing siding, insulation and drywall in the garage they found several small pockets of fire still smoldering.

The homeowners said that they had dumped what they believed were cold ashes into a plastic trash toter, which eventually ignited and the fire spread to the garage’s wooden siding. Investigators ruled that the fire was accidental.

The fire department urges you to dispose of ashes into a non combustible container that you keep stored away from any flammable materials. It can take 12 to 24 hours for ashes and hot coals to completely cool. You should always soak coals in water before you get rid of them.

Photos courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

A wanted Freetown man was arrested Friday after running from Columbus police officers.

Police were called to the 100 block of Indiana Court about a suspicious person wearing dark clothing at about 3:25 p.m. Friday. When police arrived, a man ran away, jumping several fences in yards before hiding underneath a vehicle in the 100 block of Woodlane Drive.

Police found him and identified him as 23-year-old Donovan A. Martin who was wanted on an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant. After he was arrested, authorities allegedly found he was carrying drug paraphernalia.

In addition to the original warrant, he is facing new charges for possessing the drug paraphernalia and for resisting law enforcement.

Indiana added 11 deaths from COVID-19 in Sunday’s update from the Indiana State Department of Health, one of the lowest tallies since last July. None of those deaths were in Bartholomew County or surrounding counties.

Bartholomew reported 8 new cases of COVID-19, Shelby 2, Jennings 2, Jackson 5 and Johnson had 19 newly reported cases. Decatur and Brown counties had no new cases to report.

Bartholomew, Shelby and Jackson counties remain yellow on the state’s color-coded advisory level map, showing a moderate spread of the disease. Brown, Johnson, Decatur and Jennings counties are all in the blue, showing minor spread of the disease.

Legal Aid will be holding a free Legal Aid Clinic by phone for residents of the agency’s eight-county district on Tuesday.

The Legal Aid Clinic uses local volunteer attorneys, to offer free legal consultations to low-income individuals. You can expect to receive a brief consultation over the phone to answer general questions, to offer legal information, or to receive other assistance or advice.

The district includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby counties.

Although the clinic will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m., you must first register between noon and 2 Tuesday afternoon, by calling Legal Aid at 812-378-0358.

Columbus Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer is taking on a new role as chairwoman of the Bartholomew County Republican party.

County Republicans chose Welmer and her slate of officers in a caucus meeting on Saturday. That includes Josh Burnett as vice chair, Leah Beyer as secretary, and Liana Lienhoop as treasurer.

In January, long-time party chairwoman Barb Hackman announced that she was stepping down from the position she has held since 2013.

Welmer has been elected clerk-treasurer in 2011, 2015 and again in 2019 and has also served as the Bartholomew County Republican Party treasurer for eight years.

Over two Fridays later this month, Exhibit Columbus will be unveiling the virtual first look at the 16 installations that will be created at Columbus landmarks as part of the 2021 build year for the group.

Exhibit Columbus alternates a symposium year of discussions and lectures with a year of installations, where architects and designers come to Columbus to create projects inspired and interacting with the city’s landmarks.

Anne Surak, director of Exhibit Columbus, explains:

The overall theme of this year’s installations will be New Middles.

The online presentations will be Friday March 19th and March 26th. There will be four two hour presentations, broken into themes of Ecologies, Geographies, Visibilities, and Possibilities.

The installations will open to the public on August 20th.

You can get more information and sign up to participate at exhibitcolumbus.org.