A Statewide Silver Alert has been declared.

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.

We interviewed all of the candidates for the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board races for our weekend news show, News & Views.

Here are the complete interviews for BCSC School Board District 3: Todd Grimes, Mike Jamerson and the incumbent James Persinger.

Todd Grimes interview:

Mike Jamerson interview:

James Persinger interview:

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.

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.

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

INDOT says that you will see slowdowns and intermittent closures on Interstate 65 next week, just south of the Columbus exit as contractors set the beams for the new County Road 200S bridge.

The stoppages will begin Tuesday evening and will last up to 20 minutes at a time. Southbound traffic will be stopped Tuesday and Wednesday nights, while northbound traffic will have stoppages Thursday and Friday nights. Work will be done between 9 at night and 6 in the morning.

The following week there will be overnight lane closures as deck pans are installed prior to pouring the concrete deck. Bartholomew County Road 200S will remain closed while the bridge is replaced, a project that should last until late November.

You are encouraged to take alternate routes or allow yourself extra travel time during this work. All work is dependent on the weather.

Sgt. Julie Quesenbery, a school resource officer with the Columbus Police Department, will be instructing officers from across the country on how to perform those duties.

The Columbus Police Department announced Thursday that Quesenbery will begin training next month as an instructor for the National Association of School Resource Officers in Avon. There are 60 instructors across the country for the association, including three from Indiana.

Quesenbery began working for the Columbus police department 15 years ago and became a school resource officer in Bartholomew Consolidated Schools in 2014.

With fall break starting for local schools next week, the Bartholomew County COVID-19 task force is offering some tips on staying safe during the time away from school.

If you are leaving town, the task force warns that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. You should find out if COVID-19 spread is severe in any of the places you are going. Traveling to visit family could be dangerous if you or your loved ones are especially vulnerable to COVID-19.

Even going camping could pose risks, especially if you will be coming in close contact with others in public facilities like campground restrooms or picnic areas. If you are planning to be in remote areas, without easy access to medical care you could find yourself in danger if you are infected with COVID-19. And you should check with local, state or even federal agencies to make sure that a park you are planning to visit, will even be open.

Safety measures you are already taking will be helpful on vacation, such as wearing a mask, sanitizing your hands frequently and maintaining social distancing.

You can get more information online at covid19communitytaskforce.org.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be happening in Columbus on Sunday, but participants will be walking on their own, or in small groups.

A virtual opening ceremony will feature local speakers and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s. A small group of Alzheimer’s Association staff and volunteers will create a Promise Garden in a “view only” format from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena.

There are also elements being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app, including the ability to track their steps and distance, to follow a virtual Walk path, and to manage their Facebook fundraisers. Participants can also use the app to get information and resources to help individuals and families affected by the disease.

Natalie Sutton, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter, said that the pandemic may have changed how the walk operates, but not the reasons for it. Dollars raised during Walk go to provide care and support to families and advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.

You can get more information at alz.org/Indiana/walk

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A Bartholomew County man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison yesterday for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

28-year-old Levi A. Walters of Westport will also have to serve an additional 15 years of supervised release following his federal prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay over $10,000 in restitution to the victim, a girl who was under the age of 10.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Indianapolis, the investigation started in July of 2019 when the victim’s mother found videos on Walters’ phone showing him engaging in sexual conduct with her child. When Bartholomew County deputies arrived, Walters allegedly had two firearms and was threatening to commit suicide. He was taken into custody safely.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police.

U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler said it is every parent’s worst nightmare to find out that man they trusted entered a child’s bedroom and preyed upon her innocence while she tried to sleep.

Early work is getting underway on a new Bartholomew County court services building. The City of Columbus and Bartholomew County agreed to swap properties in downtown Columbus last week, with the county giving up the parking lot and court services building on the lot across from the jail on 2nd and 3rd streets, and the county getting lots around the jail including the former Eynon law offices, the site for the new court services building.

County Commissioners at their meeting this week said design work on the new building is already underway by Steve Risting, with atelierRISTING architects in Indianapolis.

Commissioners agreed this week to a contract with Taylor Brothers to act as construction manager for the county on the project. Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said that the company would be active on the county’s behalf not just during construction but during pre-construction working with the architect to find ways to cut costs.

The contract is for $78,000 with $18,000 for preconstruction, $60,000 covering construction and reimbursable expenses that could total $20,000 Commissioners President Carl Lienhoop said.

The city redevelopment commission has agreed to put up $1.5 million for design and construction costs. Anything above that would be paid by the county through a rental agreement at 3 percent interest over 15 years.