The bomb-cyclone that’s bringing heavy snow and hurricane-force winds to parts of the upper Midwest could mean severe thunderstorms for our area today.
The National Weather Service says winds could hit 55 miles-per-hour this afternoon, and forecasters say the storms that will follow could bring rain, hail, and even tornados. A wind advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. this morning and lasts until 11 p.m. tonight.
The National Weather Service says a bomb cyclone occurs when air pressure drops rapidly over the span of 24-hours which can create sudden intense winds.
There will be a community drug forum at 6 p.m. tonight at the Bartholomew County Public Library.
The event will include the Alliance For Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County and the Bartholomew County Health Department. it is being organized by the 9th Street Park Neighborhood Watch and the library. It will be held in the library’s Red Room.
Legal Aid will be having a free clinic in North Vernon from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday.
You can get up to a 10 minute consultation with a pro bono attorney to answer legal questions, to offer information or to receive other, limited, advice.
The sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis and there is no need to register in advance.
The clinic will be at the Jennings County Public Library.
There will be a session in Bartholomew County at the Legal Aid Offices in the Doug Otto United Way Center on 13th Street from 3 to 5 on Monday, March 25th.
The Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council is recommending approval of $36,000 in direct grants to local organizations fighting the drug epidemic.
Council President Rick Scalf explains:
The largest grant this cycle is to the Columbus Police Department for $4,500 to pay for overtime of narcotics officers. The grant list has been approved by the state and county commissioners, but still needs approval from the County Council. That request should be in front of the council next month, he said.
Proposed grants:
Big Brothers Big Sisters: Youth mentoring — $4,300
Community Church of Columbus/Tuesday Connections: ATOD and choices education. Participation generally involves 200 or more individuals each Tuesday night. This involves marijuana education, 12-week education series for youth, adults, and children, and Insight – a weekly support group for adults who have loved ones who are battling an addiction. — $3,000
Reach Healthy Communities – Tobacco Cessation Initiatives: The Healthy Lifestyles Action Team will use the grant monies to purchase Smoker’s Aids Kits. The kits essentials that the smokers can use when they have an urge to smoke. — $715
Advocates for Children/Youth Support: Funding to engage children in welfare system in asset-building activities that incur cost (i.e. art, music, athletics) — $2,670
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services: Victims of Domestic Violence/Assessment Materials. Upon entering victim are screened for both mental health and substance abuse issues. The screening determines the education needed to minimize chances for substance abuse becoming a coping mechanism. — $3,000
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services: Victims of Domestic Violence/Assessment Materials. These funds are also used to break down barriers that clients may have financially to be able to get started with an IOP program, group and or individual counseling to address substance abuse and mental health issues. — $1,000
Community Church of Columbus/Tuesday Connections: Celebrate Recovery Inside: The jail version of Celebrate Recovery designed for those incarcerated. It is based on 24 weekly sessions working through the 8 Principles/12 Steps of recovery. Once released they can easily join a regular on-going CR group.– $2,583
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation/Youth Care Fund: Counseling for youth and families in at-risk situations — $4,000
St. Peters LifeWorks IOP Program : Program/Counseling Materials: This is a 16 week program that is based on the Matrix Model. It involves group treatment three evening each week. — $4,380
Bartholomew County Court Services: Pay for translation services for Spanish-only speaking clients who often present with an alcohol or drug related offense — $3,000
Columbus Police Department: Overtime for narcotics officers to work on drug investigations — $4,500
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department: The purchase of two Lidar units, an Alco-Sensor FST Portable breath tester, and 500 portable breath testers. — $4,014
Architect’s rendering of new Bartholomew County Highway Department garage on rural 25th Street. Image courtesy of Bartholomew County Commissioners.
Bartholomew County is on track to start construction on a new county highway garage by this summer.
Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz updated the County Council on the estimated $7 million dollar project at last night’s meeting.
Kleinhenz said the bidding will be broken into smaller segments to encourage local bidders.
He said bid documents will be distributed by April 17th, with bid awards made on May 20th. The hope is to break ground in June, Kleinhenz said.
The County Council had previously agreed to bond up to $6 million dollars for the project, with the rest coming from other county funds controlled by the commissioners. The commissioners have already trimmed some features and plan to put off other projects to reach the budgeted amount.
The new garage is planned for rural 25th Street beside the Clay Township Volunteer Fire Station on property formerly owned by the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management district.
It must still receive approval from the Columbus Plan Commission, which is scheduled to discuss that approval this afternoon.
Breanna D. Meier. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Another female Bartholomew County Jail inmate has been found allegedly hiding drugs in a body cavity.
This marks the third incident in the past few weeks.
The county Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team has been investigating trafficking of illegal narcotics and other contraband being brought into the jail. They are reporting that the investigation into an incident last month led to the third female inmate accused of smuggling drugs into the jail, 26 year old Breanna Meier of Columbus.
She is facing new preliminary charges of dealing in cocaine, conspiracy to deal narcotics and to traffic with an inmate, false informing, false identity and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Her bond has been set at $633,500
Ivan Hendrickson. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
The previous investigation involved 34-year-old Kristen Hunter of Columbus who was first identified as smuggling drugs in late February. She had been sentenced to 30 days in jail for possession of a controlled substance. But a tip led to a search that recovered two and a half grams of heroin, suboxone pills and cigarettes hidden inside her. Two men have been implicated in that case, according to deputies.
40-year-old Ivan Hendrickson of Columbus is facing new charges of dealing in narcotics and conspiracy to deal narcotics. 26-year-old Tyler Green of Columbus is being charged with conspiracy to deal narcotics and conspiracy to traffic with an inmate.
Hendrickson is being held in lieu of $600,000 bond and Green on $500,000 bond.
Tyler J. Green. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
Seymour police are asking for the public’s help in the investigation of a fatal shooting Sunday evening in a grocery store parking lot.
The department is asking that anyone come forward with video footage of the incident leading up to the shooting death of 33-year-old Dustin Payne in the parking lot on Tipton Street at just before 6 p.m. Sunday night
Payne’s brother-in-law, 61-year- old William Baker, is being accused of murder after allegedly shooting Payne in the chest with a revolver. Payne died later at a Louisville hospital.
Seymour police say that they are looking for any video of the altercation between the two men, or the actual shooting. They do not need video taken after officers arrived on the scene.
If you can help, you can contact the Seymour Police at 812-522-1234.
The town of Hope will be featuring pancakes and pooches Saturday.
Hope volunteer firefighters are inviting you to a pancake breakfast Saturday morning at their fire station on Aiken Street. The pancake breakfast will be a fundraiser for the department and will run from 8 to 11 at the fire station. There is no set cost but free will donations are being accepted.
The breakfast is cosponsored by Main Street of Hope and organizers suggest that you can come to town, have pancakes, and then take part in the St. Patrick’s Pooch Parade on the Town Square. Registration for the costumed dogs will start at 11 a.m. and the parade and costume contests will start at noon. The cost to participate in the parade is $5 and the event benefits the Paula A. Pollitt Animal Shelter.
You can also make donations of cash, dog or cat food, dog or cat treats and pet accessories.
Leslie A. Robinson. Photo courtesy of Brownstown Police Department.
Brownstown police say they found a driver asleep behind the wheel near the entrance to the Jackson Washington State Forest.
Officers were called to the scene on State Road 250 on Sunday evening and found the vehicle being driven by 63 year old Leslie A. Robinson stopped in the middle of the road.
Robinson allegedly had a blood alcohol level of .284 percent, more than three times the legal limit. Robinson was taken to Schneck Medical Center and then to the Jackson County Jail at about 9:13 p.m. that night on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
The town of Hope is bringing its zoning and building administrator back on duty. That after he was caught up in the removal of the town manager at the end of last year.
In a heated meeting in December, the Town Council opted not to renew the contract for then-town manager J.T. Doane. Some council members said that they thought the town manager contract should go out to bid instead of simply rehiring Doane.
But when it came time later that night to renew the contract for building and zoning administrator Greg Potts, angry council members also insisted his contract be put out to bid.
After months of wrangling over how to seek bids for an employment contract, the council decided last night to rescind the previous decision on seeking bidders and to simply rehire Potts to the position with a three percent raise. Council member Nellie Meek and Clyde Compton also asked that the council consider back pay for Potts, as he had continued working for the town during the gap between the contracts. The position pays just over $6,100.
According to the town website, the building and zoning administrator is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the town’s zoning ordinance, the subdivision control ordinance, the unsafe structure ordinance, and the rental property registration ordinance.
There has still been no decision on how or if the town will fill the open town manager position.
