The Yellow Trail Museum in Hope has found a home for artifacts from the town’s early days with the longest continually operated rural mail carrier routes in the country.

Barb Johnson, with the museum, tells HSJ Online, the Hope news website, that the museum now owns a nearby building on the west side of the square. The former mail carrier’s museum was on the town square and was torn down about five years ago.

Hope was one of two towns that were chosen for a prototype rural mail delivery system in 1896 and the routes have been run ever since.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting several county roads are closed this morning due to the high water. That includes:

• 400W between 850S and 930S
• 625S between 100W and 200W
• Ferguson Road
• 800S between State Road 11 and South U.S. 31
• 300E between U.S. 31 and 100S
• 750E between 300S and 400S
• 400N between U.S. 31 and River Rd, including Tinkey Bridge
• Tellman Camp Road between Indianapolis Road and 200W
• East 400S between 425E and 525E
• South Jonesville Road at E 550 S

There is also high water on roads including:

• East Base Road near Jewell Village
• East Legal Tender Road
• Road 200S by  Rockcreek Elementary School
• Southern Crossing between Jonesville Road and Road 150E

Authorities warn that if you come across water moving over the roadway, you should never try to drive through. You can not tell the depth of the water, nor can you tell whether the road has been washed out under the waters.

Turn around, don’t drown.

Columbus Chief of Police Jon Rohde is transitioning out of his role with the department. Rohde recently announced that he will be running for Judge of Bartholomew County Superior Court 2 next year. A press release from CPD explains that he has requested to transition out of the role of police chief in order to focus on his campaign.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop will be working with Rohde on developing a transition plan, which will be announced in the near future. Rohde stated, “I’ve been humbled to serve as chief of police for the Columbus Police Department for over five years. From working closely with Mayor Lienhoop, I can attest that he is a true public servant who cares about the citizens of Columbus as well as the future of our community. I’ve been honored to work alongside Mayor Lienhoop and will do whatever I can to assist in this transition.”

At age 35, Rohde became the youngest police chief in the history of the department. During Rohde’s leadership, the department attained international and state accreditations and reaccreditations, implemented a body-worn camera program and an overdose intervention program. Rohde also cited increased transparency by communicating with the public on social media.

Mayor Lienhoop stated, “Jon Rohde is a high caliber police chief and the City of Columbus has been fortunate to have him serve in that capacity for over five years. His forward thinking, and desire to improve the force has led to critical improvements in the department. Rohde’s legal background has helped set the tone for making policy changes which have improved how our police force conducts themselves as they do their job and, his commitment to the police workforce led him to push forward, and support the salary compensation study and implementation that was accomplished in 2018. Public safety is the number one commitment a city makes to its citizens and I have been pleased to work with Chief Rohde for the past three-and-a-half years and am proud of his accomplishments during the many years he has worked for the city.”

Rohde will continue to serve as chief of police through the end of this year.

A North Vernon man was arrested for auto theft on Friday afternoon.

The North Vernon Police Department says that 34-year-old Joseph R. Chastain, was arrested after being identified as a suspect after the victim’s vehicle was stolen from the Walmart parking lot. Approximately 20 minutes after taking the report, Sgt. Andrew Richmond located the stolen vehicle in the 2000 block of Hickory Circle.

Authorities say Chastain had been identified as the suspect from Walmart security video. He remains behind bars on $2,055 bond.

Severe weather kept Brown County first-responders busy Sunday night.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says that at approximately 6:30 p.m., Brown County 911 received a call from a home off of Upper Schooner Road. The caller advised that flash flooding had caused water to enter the home. Conservation Officers and firefighters from the Nashville Fire Department rescued the family of four, including one juvenile, from the home.

Floodwater covering sections of State Road 46 West also caused Indiana Conservation Officers and deputies from the Brown County Sheriff’s Department to close the road for a short time to prevent any further water emergencies.

Brown County residents continue to clean up in the aftermath of this past weekend’s storms.

A Medora man was sent to the hospital after the dump truck he was driving was hit by a train.

Chief Deputy David Turner with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that just before 8:30 a.m. Friday, deputies received a report of the collision at the railroad crossing on County Road 750 W, just north of US 50 W. Upon deputies’ arrival, they reported seeing a stopped CSX train and a Mack truck with a large dumpster on the back off of the roadway. Authorities say the truck appeared to be traveling northbound on 750 W when it entered into the path of the oncoming train.

As a result of the crash, investigators say the dump truck rotated clockwise and came to a rest on the south side of the tracks in a ditch. The train was able to stop about half mile down the tracks near County Road 700 W. CSX officials told the Sheriff’s Department that there were at least 50 cars on the train. The engineer of the train told investigators that there was no way that he would have been able to avoid the crash because the truck entered the crossing as the train was going through it.

The driver of the truck, 65-year-old James Fleetwood, was transported to Schneck Medical Center ambulance. His condition has not been released. No one on the train was hurt.

Columbus Parks and Rec says that several portions of the People Trail system, including State Road 46, Mill Race Park and Noblitt Park are closed due to high water. Due to heavy rains, more sections of the People Trail may become inaccessible due to rising water.

Officials say all areas will be reopened after the water has receded and crews have cleaned any mud and debris left behind.

Columbus Police arrested a local man over the weekend after a resident returned home and observed her property outside of her house. At approximately 5 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to the home in the 1600 block of Washington Street after the woman observed some of her property on top of a vehicle that was parked in front of her home.

When the officers arrived, they found 36-year-old Patrick E. Doyle, of Columbus, walking in the backyard of the residence. Doyle was taken into custody without incident. While standing near the house, the officers located some of the homeowner’s property in the backyard that appeared piled up for removal. Officers also located some of the homeowner’s property inside Doyle’s vehicle.

Doyle is facing preliminary charges of Burglary and Theft.

Members of the Bartholomew County Water Rescue Team rescued a woman trapped in her home Sunday morning.

Authorities were called to the home on South Ferguson Road shortly after 11 a.m. after the woman reported that she was stuck with a foot of water inside the house.

Members of the Bartholomew County Water Rescue Team responded to the scene where they were able to shuttle a small boat across fast flowing water to the residence and safely bring the woman onto dry land.

The Sheriff’s Department adds that “Road Closed” signs were put up the entrance to South Ferguson Road due to the dangerous high water.

No injuries were reported.

A two-vehicle crash on US 421 in Ripley County claimed the life of a Madison man Friday afternoon.

The preliminary investigation shows that an SUV, driven by 50-year-old Shannon Hubbard, of Pekin, IN, was traveling southbound and was attempting to pass another vehicle. That led to Hubbard’s vehicle striking a northbound car driven by 21-year-old Henry Finney.

Finney was transported, via ambulance, to King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison where he died from his injuries. Hubbard was also transported by ambulance to King’s Daughters’ Hospital before being flown to The University of Cincinnati Hospital. She is listed in serious, but stable condition.

State Police say that improper passing and traveling at a high rate of speed are believed to be contributing factors to the crash. It is believed that both drivers were wearing their seatbelts. Neither drugs, nor alcohol, are believed to be a factor in the crash.

The investigation is ongoing and toxicology results are pending.