A multimedia presentation and exhibit chronicling the history of African American philanthropy in Columbus and Bartholomew County will be spending time in local schools.

Bartholomew Consolidated schools say that the Soul of Philanthropy exhibit will be displayed at various schools through the end of February.

A reception for the exhibit will be held tonight from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Columbus North High School.

The exhibit, created by the local African American Fund, was first presented in August at The Commons. Tom Harmon, a founding member of the fund, explained last summer.

More than 40 local people are recognized in the exhibit and presentation.

After the exhibit finishes its local displays, it will find a permanent home at the Madam C.J. Walker Theatre Center in Indianapolis.

Wednesday was the first day of filing for the 2020 Primary Election.

Bartholomew County voters will be choosing county commissioners for districts 1 and 3, members of county council at large, coroner, surveyor and Superior Court 2 Judge.

Other local races will include Hope Town Council seats in Wards 1, 2 and 3. Hope Clerk-Treasurer and Hartsville Town Council members.

Filing on the first day were:

– Clayton Nolting (R) for Bartholomew County Coroner
– E.R. Gray (R) for County Surveyor
– Larry Kleinhenz (R) for County Commissioner District 1
– Joanne Flohr (R) for County Commissioner District 3
– Tony London (R) for County Commissioner District 3
– Derick Olson (R) for County Council At-Large
– Evelyn Strietelmeier Pence (R) for County Council At-Large
– Matt Miller (R) for County Council At-Large
– John Walstad (R) for Hope Town Council Ward 2
– Jim Lucas (R) for State Senator District 69

You can file to run in the voter registration office in the Bartholomew County Courthouse through noon on Friday, Feb. 7th.

A man shot to death early Saturday morning was under an emergency detention order and any officer who encountered the troubled Derek Henderson should have taken him into custody for emergency treatment, according to Columbus and Bartholomew County authorities.

Columbus police report that they were called to Henderson’s home in the 1800 block of Home Avenue three times on Friday. The first trip at 11:08 a.m. Friday morning, was requested by the VA to take Henderson to the hospital for treatment. But officers could not find Henderson. He refused assistance during a police visit later that afternoon.

The emergency detention order was issued at just before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon. But a third call came at 6:21 p.m. Friday evening with both Columbus police and Bartholomew County deputies called to the home.  Police did not take Henderson into custody and left after determining they were no longer needed.

Sheriff Matt Myers says he is investigating the circumstances surrounding his deputies’ unsuccessful efforts to detain Henderson. And the sheriff says that it was after those unsuccessful efforts that Henderson left his home and was later shot to death.

At about 1 a.m. Saturday morning, police were called to the 2000 block of Home Avenue on reports of shots being fired. A homeowner, 55-year-old John Noonan, told police that he was confronted in his residence by a man he didn’t know who was carrying a baseball bat. Noonan opened fire, striking the 38-year-old Henderson three times.

Henderson was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital from the shots to his head, chest and abdomen.

An internal investigation is ongoing in the sheriff’s department.

A defendant upset with his sentence did some damage in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that 33-year-old Jermaine Ford, of Columbus, was being sentenced Wednesday morning for an incident in May of 2018 when he was arrested on two counts of Dealing in Methamphetamine. According to the report, Ford was sentenced to 26 years in prison, with four years suspended.

The paper says that Ford became irate at the sentence and began making yelling and making threats, including slamming an entryway door to the courtroom, breaking glass. Judge Jim Worton added an additional six months of prison time to Ford’s sentence for Contempt of Court.

For more on this story, visit therepublic.com.

Local emergency officials are worried about the danger of heavy rains in the next few days.

The Bartholomew County Emergency Management office is sharing an assessment from the National Weather Service that predicts more than three inches or rain in our area from Thursday through Sunday.

With the already saturated ground, that brings the potential for significant flooding starting on Friday. Falling temperatures on Saturday along with high winds could cause more problems this weekend including icy roads and frozen sidewalks.

As of right now, all local rivers are at their normal levels.

A report of a Columbus North High School student possibly in possession of a handgun resulted in three students facing charges. On Monday, Jan. 6, a student reported to a dean that the student may be in possession of a weapon. School Resource Officers from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department were immediately contacted and began an investigation. The student who was allegedly in possession of the handgun was spotted, along with three other students, by SRO Deputy Teancum Clark at the Taco Bell off 25th St.

As Deputy Clark approached the students, they reportedly fled the area. Deputy Clark located three of the four students, including the one who was alleged to be in possession of a gun. The fourth student got away but was later identified. The three students who were apprehended were taken to the Bartholomew County Juvenile Youth Services Center and are facing preliminary charges of Truancy and Resisting Law Enforcement.

Authorities say that no handgun was located. As the investigation continued throughout the evening, it was learned that the handgun had been thrown into nearby landscaping during the foot pursuit. After a thorough search by Deputy Clark and additional Deputies including a K9 unit, no gun was located. The ongoing investigation revealed that the fourth student who had evaded apprehension had later gone back to the scene and retrieved the handgun. Deputy Clark was able to track down the handgun along with an additional handgun, both of which had previously been reported as stolen through the Franklin Police Department.

Authorities believe that no staff or students were in danger on campus.

“I want to commend Deputy Clark and other SRO’s for taking this information seriously and working extensively throughout the night to bring quick and safe resolution. I also want to highlight the process of ‘See Something, Say Something’ being instilled in our students and its effectiveness in this incident,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

BCSC Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts released the following statement:

“Obviously, it’s very concerning when we are made aware of a situation like this. However, we are pleased with the system we have put in place as it allows students to share information freely with us and for us to utilize our available resources to address allegations effectively and efficiently. These resources include the excellent partnership we maintain with both the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office in their provision of School Resource Officers.”

Authorities have identified the victim in Tuesday morning’s stabbing death in Hope.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and the Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team are investigating the death of 50-year-old Charles A. Mee, of Hope. A forensic autopsy was performed Tuesday afternoon. Coroner Clayton Nolting stated the preliminary cause of death is one stab wound to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head and face.

Authorities arrested 77-year-old James T. Mee, of Hope, on preliminary charges of Murder and Domestic Battery. He has been placed on a 48-hour hold without bond.

Another family member, 78-year-old Barbara Mee, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. She was treated at Columbus Regional Hospital.

Toxicology results are pending. All autopsy information will be forwarded to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor.

The Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team is comprised of the coroner’s office, the prosecutor’s office, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department, and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office.

A Ripley County man was killed in a Tuesday morning crash in Jennings County.

Indiana State Police say that they responded to the two-vehicle crash at about 6:30 a.m. The initial investigation revealed that a car driven by 26-year-old Justin M. Rangel, of Osgood, was traveling eastbound on the US 50 Bypass, just east of State Road 3. For an unknown reason, Rangel’s vehicle crossed the centerline into the path of a westbound semi pulling a loaded trailer, driven by 49-year-old Todd E. Lennartz, of Fort Recovery, Ohio.

ISP says the vehicles collided nearly head on in the westbound lane of US 50. Both vehicles then skidded into the eastbound lane where they came to a stop. Rangel sustained fatal injuries in the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office. Lennartz was transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Toxicology results on both drivers are pending. The investigation is ongoing.

US 50 was closed just east of State Road 3 for nearly four hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

An investigation into a parked car at an intersection in Jackson County led to the arrest of a Seymour woman early Monday morning.

“The Tribune” is reporting that at about 1 a.m., Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 6000 block of East County Road 300S in reference to a suspicious vehicle. According to the report, 43-year-old Yvonne Nicole Colwell exited the vehicle from the passenger side and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

During the investigation, deputies found Colwell had an active warrant out of Bartholomew County. In addition, they found several prescription medications in the vehicle that Colwell did not have prescriptions for. Deputies also located a handgun that Colwell didn’t have a permit to be carrying.

Colwell faces preliminary charges of Prescription Fraud, Possession of a Handgun without a License and Public Intoxication.

For more on this story, visit tribtown.com.

One person is dead after a stabbing in Hope Tuesday morning during a family fight.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the incident around 7 a.m. on Scott Street in Hope.

Few details are yet available but deputies report that one person is dead and one was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with what are believed to be non life-threatening injuries.

Authorities arrested 77-year-old James T. Mee, of Hope, on preliminary charges of Murder and Domestic Battery. He has been placed on a 48-hour hold without bond.

The incident is being investigated by the county’s death investigation team, which includes Bartholomew County Deputies, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police, the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.