Bitter cold temperatures are expected to arrive tonight. Shannan Hinton, Bartholomew County’s director of emergency management, says your best bet is stay indoors.
If you must be out and about, Hinton urges you to take precautions.
If you have to be in a vehicle, make sure you bring an emergency kit with food, water, extra clothes and a phone.
The city of Columbus is announcing a warming center will be set up starting this evening at Donner Center on 22nd Street.
The warming center will operate until 10 p.m. tonight, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. Donner Center is at the corner of 22nd and Sycamore streets.
The goal is to provide temporary shelter in an effort to prevent injury from those who might be exposed to the forecast extreme cold temperatures. The National Weather Service is forecasting lows below zero tonight and Wednesday night and wind chill levels from minus 20 to minus 40 degrees. Frostbite to exposed skin can occur in 10 minutes under those conditions.
City officials say that those using Donner Center to get out of the elements must comply with all normal rules and policies. Additional guidelines include:
They also want you to be aware that there are no medical services provided at Donner Center.
For more information, contact Donner Center at (812) 376-2680.
A North Vernon man is facing charges after dancing on the hood of a vehicle in the middle of the road, while under the influence according to Jennings County deputies.
A deputy noticed the stopped SUV in the middle of the road, with 25-year-old Craig Coons dancing on the hood and waving a pine tree branch at the intersection of County Road 150S and 250E at about 5:15 last Thursday.
Coons appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and deputies noticed a syringe and other drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. He was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital to be checked out before being taken to the jail. He is facing preliminary charges of possession of a syringe, a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia as well as public intoxication.
North Vernon is continuing the suspension of the town’s golf course manager, but this time without pay.
City Council voted last night to suspend golf director Robin Brown, for two more weeks. The council first suspended Brown, with pay, on Jan. 14th for an “undisclosed violation of the employee handbook.”
That alleged violation stems from Brown’s arrest for drunk driving early on the morning of Jan. 6th. by North Vernon Police. While being booked in the Jennings County Jail, he allegedly threatened the arresting officer. Brown is facing charges of Intimidation, operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of more than .08 percent and operating while intoxicated.
The council will address the issue as more information becomes available.
Correction: The location of the Community Engagement Center in Columbus was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.
A homeless man froze to death last week in Jennings County. The North Vernon Plain Dealer is reporting that 59-year-old Douglas E. Wade was found dead in a tent Thursday evening near U.S. 50 and County Road 400W. The county coroner told the newspaper that hypothermia was the cause of death.
The sheriff’s department told the newspaper that a friend of Wade’s checked in on him every few weeks and found his body about 6 that night. He had been living in the makeshift tent for about a year according to the sheriffs’ department.
Authorities are asking that if you know anyone who is living outside in the elements or anyone who is without heat or electricity to check in on them.
In Columbus, those needing shelter during the day can visit the Community Engagement Center, at 1951 McKinley Avenue, during the day. Overnight accomodations can be found at the Brighter Days Shelter at 421 S. Mapleton. Their number is (812) 344-4512.
In Seymour, the homeless are encouraged to visit “The Alley” at 416 E Second Street. Duane Davis, with Jackson County Emergency Management, says the homeless can get processed for help, on site. Their number is (812) 946-0258.
In Jennings County, the Country Squire Lakes Clubhouse will be open today through Thursday as a shelter for those that have no heat or electric. No pets allowed unless they are a service animal. If you need a ride please contact the clubhouse at (812) 346-7841.
If you need help but don’t know where to turn, you can call 2-1-1.
With expected temperatures below zero, Columbus City Utilities is urging customers to take precautions to prevent their water lines from becoming frozen.
Staff say that leaving a small amount of water (no more than a pencil lead thickness) run in the faucet farthest from the water source, or next to an outside wall can prevent pipes from freezing. Use wrap insulation on pipes in unheated areas. You can also open vanity and cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer, inside temperatures. Make sure all crawl space openings are closed and if possible insulate the opening.
If your pipes do freeze, you should call the Columbus Utilities to determine if the problem is in the meter pit.
For more information, visit columbusutilities.org.
A Jackson County man is under arrest in Lawrence County after allegedly fleeing from Indiana State Police.
Troopers say that they noticed a van driving with incorrect and out of date plates at about 6 p.m. Sunday night in Bedford. Officers tried to pull the van over but the driver allegedly raced away down State Road 58. Troopers say that the van made several dangerous passes of other vehicles and they called off the pursuit after losing sight of the van.
Shortly after that, a caller reported the van was parked near some woods. The driver and a passenger seen inside during the chase had run away from the abandoned vehicle and a manhunt was started in the area, including the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana DNR conservation officers and a State Police helicopter.
Although he wasn’t found at the scene, based on evidence found in the van, police identified the driver as 41-year-old Rickie J. Cockerham Jr., of Norman. He was found at his home and arrested on charges including being a habitual traffic violator with a lifetime ban, resisting law enforcement in a vehicle and on foot, criminal recklessness with a vehicle, reckless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The passenger has not been identified, police say.
The Columbus Area Arts Council is presenting First Fridays for Families, starting at 6 p.m. Friday evening at The Commons.
The free family-friendly event will feature Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. The band has produced five albums and won an Emmy for their children’s show “Lishy Lou and Lucky Too,” a Grammy and a Latin Grammy — the first American band to do so. The group features Diaz and his wife, Alisha Gaddis, daughter of East football coach Bob Gaddis.
First Fridays for Families is a family entertainment series meant to introduce young audiences to a wide variety of performing arts in a fun, informal setting. The events are held on the first Friday nights of the month, through April.
The series is sponsored by Old National Bank and the City of Columbus. Doors open at The Commons at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
You can get more information about upcoming Arts Council events at artsincolumbus.org.
You can find out more about the band at luckydiazmusic.com
A man wanted on two warrants was arrested after a chase Friday night by Columbus police.
Officers noticed 43-year-old Keith J. Gilbert driving near 12th and Sycamore streets at about 5:40 p.m. Friday afternoon and tried to get him to pull over. Instead, he drove through several stop signs before leaving the vehicle and running away near 14th and California streets.
Police caught him in a backyard on Chestnut Street. A search of his vehicle revealed marijuana, police report.
In addition to the two Bartholomew County warrants, he is facing new preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and possession of marijuana.
Columbus firefighters report that they rescued a deer from a frozen lake Saturday morning.
That happened at about 10:38 a.m. Saturday morning in the 6000 block of Waterside Drive in Tipton Lakes. Rescuers found the deer about 100 yards out on the ice and apparently exhausted after trying to get off of the slippery surface. Capt. Mike Wilson with the fire department reports that firefighters sent a drone out to check on the deer and to try to prompt the animal to head to shore.
After that didn’t work, the ice rescue team went out on an inflatable boat, lassoed the deer and then the boat, the team and the deer were pulled to shore.
Conservation officers said the deer appeared exhausted but otherwise OK.
Wilson said that if you see an animal on an icy pond or lake, you should never go out on the ice yourself to try to rescue the animal. Instead call 911.