A traffic stop in North Vernon led to the arrests of two people and the seizure of meth and weapon.

Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, Officer Anthony Bagby initiated a traffic stop at Veterans Drive and Hurly Drive. While speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, Officer Bagby became suspicious and called for backup from Officer Shane Trepanier and his police dog Zobi.

Zobi alerted to the odor of a narcotic coming from within the vehicle. A search allegedly uncovered 22 grams of methamphetamine, 16 pills (prescription schedule 2 amphetamine), drug packaging materials, digital scales, two handguns, one shotgun and two rifles.

Timothy Hulse, 37, of North Vernon is facing preliminary charges of:
– Dealing in Methamphetamine (Level 4 felony)
– Dealing in a Controlled Substance (Level 5 felony)
– Serious Felon in Possession of a Firearm (Level 4 felony)
– Possession of Paraphernalia (A misdemeanor)

Carmen Hulse, 32, of North Vernon, is facing preliminary charges of:
– Dealing in Methamphetamine (Level 4 felony)
– Dealing in Controlled Substance (Level 5 felony)
– Possession of paraphernalia (A misdemeanor)

The investigation is ongoing.

Beezer Homes has been given approval to annex more than 40 acres on Columbus’ south side. The Columbus City Council unanimously approved a request to rezone and annex acreage for the extension of the Shadow Creek subdivision at its meeting this week.

Beazer Homes has plans to extend Creekside Lane. The move is expected to add 51 additional lots on just over 19 acres. The remaining acreage is not being developed at this time.

The council approved Beazer’s request at its meeting Tuesday night.

Cummins kicked off its 6th annual June Environmental Month celebration on Wednesday, in conjunction with World Environment Day. Blair Claflin, Director of Sustainability Communications for Cummins, explains that this marks the time of the year when employees across the company engage in environmental projects at work, home and in their communities.

Sites across the company will be offering activities and programs around four weekly themes: how the company and its employees can decrease waste, improve water conservation, limit energy use and work within their communities to make a difference.

Organizers of the celebration expect about two-thirds of the company’s workers will participate in one or more events.

The Columbus Engine Plant will host its 9th annual Community Wide Recycling Day from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13th in the plant parking lot. In addition to common recyclable items, employees and community members are also invited to bring in electronic waste, used batteries, used motor oil and paint. Items like tractor tires, light-bulbs, mercury thermometers, Styrofoam and pressure vessels and tanks will not be accepted.

Claflin explains that Cummins also tries to use the month to educate employees on what it is doing to reduce its environmental impact as a company. He says that some Cummins employees will be traveling to northwestern Indiana later this month to learn more about the company’s support for an expansion at the Meadow Lake Wind Farm.

One of the company’s environmental goals is to increase the availability and use of renewable power. Claflin says the company will also discuss its progress on goals around waste, water and energy later this month.

A Jonesville woman accused of shooting another woman has entered a not guilty plea and has been assigned a public defender.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that 51-year-old Vicky E. Shade appeared for an initial hearing Wednesday in Bartholomew Circuit Court by video feed.

Shade is facing a felony charge of Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon in the May 26th shooting of 49-year-old Susan F. Tolbert at Shade’s home at 309 Jackson Street. Tolbert was treated at an Indianapolis hospital and later released.

The paper says a pre-trial hearing for Shade was set for 10:15 a.m. Oct. 28th with a jury trial set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 26th.

For more on this story, go to therepublic.com.

The Bartholomew County Historical Society is offering a behind the scenes look at area landmarks this weekend with an “Open Door Tour.” Diane Robbins explains that these event will be held Friday night and Saturday.

Tickets for Friday’s VIP event are $50.

Robbins talks about Saturday’s event, a walking tour focusing on nine homes on Columbus’ north side.

Robbins says Saturday’s tour run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can follow that up with a visit to the Inn at Irwin Gardens from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A cash bar will be offered there from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For tickets, or more information, visit bartholomewhistory.org.

The Columbus City Council approved a request from the city’s redevelopment commission to amend a contract with consultant Hitchcock Design Group. That is for an additional $54,500 to take care of additional design work on the Riverfront Project.

Heather Pope is the city’s director of redevelopment. She explained the request during last month’s redevelopment commission meeting.

DNR expressed concerns about in-water installations once the low-head dam is removed between the Second and Third Street bridges. State officials insisted on changes to the plan, resulting in cost overruns and slowing down progress.

Pope adds that this request takes the overall cost of this portion of the project over the $500,000 spending limit placed on the redevelopment commission, thus requiring city council approval.

Council voted 6-0 to approve the request at its meeting Tuesday night.

The Seymour Fire Department has installed a Safe Haven Baby Box at Station #3, at 605 Meadowbrook Drive. The Safe Haven Baby Box will be made available to the public starting on Friday, June 14th.

The Safe Haven Law allows people to anonymously surrender their healthy newborn without fear of prosecution. Safe Haven Baby Box Inc . is a non-profit organization dedicated to installing these boxes in as many safe places as possible. Organizers say this in the ninth installation, statewide. They add that two babies have been surrendered inside Safe Haven Baby Boxes since the first was installed in 2016. Two other babies have been surrendered at fire stations with the boxes.

A blessing and dedication of the Seymour Safe Haven Baby Box is set for Friday, June 14th at 10:30 a.m. Congressman Greg Pence is scheduled to be among the officials in attendance.

The Hope Town Square will be filled with classic and well-loved vehicles and music Friday evening.

The town’s first summer Cruise-In will start at 5 p.m. Friday afternoon and will include a performance by the Night Owl Country Band at the bandstand at 6 p.m. There will also be corn hole, food, crafts and produce vendors.

The monthly cruise-ins will be the first Friday of every month through October.

Each month’s event will have a theme:

• June — Car Club Appreciation
• July — Military Appreciation
• August — Motorcycle Appreciation
• September — Studebaker Appreciation
• October — Jeep Appreciation

The focus on the car show aspect of the monthly event came about after a farmer’s market held in previous years did not draw many vendors.

Columbus police say that a drunk driver nearly hit another car head-on last night after crashing into a concrete median.

22-year-old William D. Hickey is facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a previous conviction, resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief.

The crash happened at about 11 Tuesday night near Taylor and National roads. When officers arrived, they noticed that the vehicle had several flat tires. Police say that Hickey had bloodshot eyes and couldn’t maintain his balance. He was taken to the hospital for a blood test, and then to the jail.

Cummins has been approved for tax breaks on building improvements and equipment it will be buying for its new electrification business headquarters in Columbus.

Cummins requested, and received, a tax abatement on $3.3 million in building improvements and $29.7 million in new equipment at the plant on Central Avenue. Company officials say the move is expected to retain 67 jobs and create 75 new ones with an average wage of over $30 per hour.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop says that Columbus is fortunate to be home to Cummins.

According to calculations by the city, Cummins would save just over $2 million dollars in future property taxes with the proposed 10-year-abatement, but the community would still net about $3.5 million in new property taxes from the expansion over the same period.

City council voted 6-0 to approve the request at its meeting Tuesday night.