A North Vernon man was arrested in Columbus on drug charges after being stopped by police looking for an intoxicated driver.

Witnesses reported a vehicle driving erratically in the 1700 block of North National Road at about 9:40 p.m. last night.

Columbus police stopped the vehicle and while talking with the driver, 33-year-old Michael W. Holt, they noticed he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He failed several field sobriety tests and was arrested. Police say that a search revealed a small bag of methamphetamine, along with a glass pipe and a set of digital scales with drug residue.

Holt is facing preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, along with possession charges for the meth and paraphernalia.

A Columbus woman was injured after a crash involving farm equipment in southern Bartholomew County yesterday morning.

Bartholomew County deputies report that 33-year-old Stephanie Brown was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for injuries she sustained in a crash with a tractor being driven by 61-year-old Mark Kiel. Kiel was uninjured.

The crash happened at about 8:40 Thursday morning on U.S. 31 north of County Road 600S. The accident remains under investigation.

Sheriff Matthew A. Myers wants to remind drivers that with the arrival of fall, you are likely to see more farm equipment on area roads. He suggested that you use extra caution, especially on rural county roads.

You will have more chances to vote early in Bartholomew County starting this weekend. Early voting expands to Saturdays and you can cast a ballot from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow at the voter registration office in the Bartholomew County Courthouse.

Early voting continues next week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays at the courthouse. A satellite voting center is opening next week at Donner Center from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Both locations will be open on Saturday Nov. 2nd from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Columbus voters will be choosing City Council representatives across the city. All of the council districts are opposed races this year along with the city-wide at-large races. Neither Mayor Jim Lienhoop nor Clerk Treasurer Luann Welmer, both Republicans, are facing opponents this year.

Early voting wraps up at noon on Monday Nov. 4th at the courthouse. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5th.

Turning Point Domestic Violence Services held its seventh annual “Men Take a Stand” event to combat domestic and dating violence Thursday evening. That event included the presentation of the “Stand Up Award.” This year’s recipient is Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts. He says he was surprised by the award.

Roberts’ award was presented by last year’s Stand Up Award winner, Nick Grams.

About two-dozen people braved the rain and cool temperatures for Thursday evening’s event on Washington Street.

A Seymour man was stabbed during a Thursday morning incident.

“The Seymour Tribune” is reporting that two men showed up at the victim’s home in the 1400 block of Hillcrest Drive, demanding money they said he owed. Acting Police Chief Craig Hayes told the newspaper that dispatchers received a call at 3:45 a.m. reporting the incident.

Police say that 40-year-old Joseph Sizemore had been stabbed in the right leg and abdomen.

Police are attempting to locate the two men involved, whom Sizemore said he did not recognize.

For more on this story, visit tribtown.com.

Two bridge projects that began in late July on U.S. 31 between Crothersville and Uniontown in Jackson County are expected to be completed ahead of schedule. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that U.S. 31 closed over Grassy Creek for a $870,000 bridge replacement project. A temporary traffic signal has been in place at Blau Ditch for an $890,000 bridge deck overlay.

The bridge over Grassy Creek was expected to reopen by Nov. 29, but will reopen Friday, Oct. 25 by noon with temporary pavement markings. Flaggers will be on hand into November to apply permanent markings.

The temporary signal will remain in place at Blau Ditch through Nov. 5, weather permitting. Crews from E&B Paving Inc. are currently installing guardrail and paving the bridge, which was expected to reopen by Nov. 11.

This weekend’s Turning Point Fall Fun Fest at the Clover Center has been rescheduled.

Originally set for Saturday, it will now be held on Sunday due to weather concerns.

The Fall Fun Fest will be from 2 to 5 p.m.  Sunday at the center at 3007 25th street. It will feature a trunk-or-treat, corn hole and other games, face painting, free child ID kits along with grilled hot dogs and cookies.

Donations are welcome.

For more information go to turningpointdv.org.

An 18-year-old Seymour man is facing child pornography charges after an investigation by the Indiana State Police Crimes Against Children and Cyber Crimes unit.

Troopers say that police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That led to two search warrants being served yesterday at homes on South Pine Street and Jackson County Road 525 East.

A resident of both homes, 18-year-old Dylan J. Hatfield was arrested on 10 counts of possession of child pornography and taken to the Jackson County Jail.

Innovative Bartholomew Consolidated School teachers were awarded more than $21,000 in grants this week as part of the fall grant cycle for the annual Innovation Awards from the school foundation.

Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts said that 65 teachers applied for the grant money. That is a record number and more than twice as many have every applied before.

The school district has been giving innovation awards for 63 years. The foundation gave away $50 thousand dollars in innovation grants this year.

At this week’s school board meeting, 14 grants were awarded ranging from $2,500 to $275 for a variety of projects:

1. All Kids Can Code, All Teachers Can Teach Coding: Tools to Remove Learning Barriers in Computer Science – Brenny Kummer – BCSC Information Technology $2,500
2. Helping Students Use Their Voice: Tools for Podcasting and Presenting in the Classroom – Brenny Kummer – BCSC Information Technology $2,500.00
3. Geared Up for Adventures in Learning – Andrew Larson & Jack Likens – CSA New Tech High School – $2,500.00
4. Breakout Boxes – Angie Ginder – Rockcreek Elementary School – $275
5. Collaborative Construction Busy Bees – Jessica Anderson – Johnson Early Education Center – $565
6. Mt. Healthy Performing Arts Initiative – Pete Law – Mt. Healthy Elementary School – $2,500
7. Collaboration Corner – Amy Nagel – Mt. Healthy Elementary School – $1470.71
8. Parkside Pirates in the Galley- Cooking Across the Curriculum – Liz Stroh – Parkside Elementary – $1,000.
9. Let me THINK – Edie Logston – Parkside Elementary School – $500
10. Raider Nation Neighborhood Outreach – Dana Schmidt – W.D. Richards Elementary School – $2450
11. STEM for Toddlers – Iracema Orlandi – Bright Beginnings – $360
12. Pirates New Plank – Dana Bodart – Parkside Elementary School – $ 1338.70
13. Teachers are Readers, Too: Reading to Grow Our UDL Knowledge with a Universally Designed Book Study – Brenny Kummer & Corie Williams – BCSC Technology – $2,100
14. Asset Kits – Engaging Home and Community – Sarah Garnett & Krista Riordan – Northside Middle School – $925

The Mill Race Center is holding a candidate forum for Columbus City Council candidates Thursday night at the center on Lindsey Street. Dan Mustard is executive director of Mill Race Center.

There’s still no word on how many candidates will be attending, but Mustard says both Republicans and Democrats will be represented.

Thursday’s candidate forum begins at 7 p.m. and is expected to last about two hours.

You’re invited.