Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson is praising the employees at the Brighter Days homeless shelter for their efforts to keep the homeless warm, safe and fed in this weather.

Authorities had originally planned to take care of the homeless during the day Saturday at the Community Engagement Center, Jackson wrote on Facebook. But scrapped that plan after the county banned all travel until 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon under a travel warning. Authorities shifted to a plan to shelter those who needed it at the Brighter Days shelter instead.

Jackson said that required staff to stay over shift, to volunteer to prepare a full lunch, and added a lot of extra logistics. Brighter Days is a joint effort between the trustee’s office and Love Chapel.

If you know someone who needs shelter in this weather you can bring them to Brighter Days at 421 South Mapleton.

Bartholomew County deputies are continuing a search for a missing man, Joseph Ross.

Last week, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, along with Jennings County deputies, Indiana State Police, and the FBI were searching a Jennings County field, looking for information about the missing man.

Authorities have been searching for 25-year-old Joseph Ross of Brownstown, since he went missing on May 31st. He was last seen heading into woods near Amberly Addition in Columbus and has not been seen since.

Ross is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs between 135 and 145 pounds. He has blond hair and hazel eyes.

If you have any information you should contact, Detective Terry Holderness with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office at 812-565-5927. You can also call the sheriff’s department Tip Line at 812-379-1712 Tips can be left anonymously.

Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the current travel status. That information has been corrected below.

Our area is under a Wind Chill Advisory from the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the wind chill could hit 20 below. That’s cold enough to cause frostbite to exposed skin in about 30 minutes.

The Wind Chill Advisory is in effect until noon.

Bartholomew County, along with Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings counties,  remains under a Travel Watch this morning.  A Travel Watch means that conditions are threatening to public safety, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Only essential travel is recommended, such as driving to work or for an emergency.

Emergency action plans should be put in place by schools, businesses, government agencies and other organizations.

Johnson and Shelby counties are under a Travel Advisory.

Bartholomew County emergency officials have now declared a travel warning.

A warning is the highest level of local travel advisory, and travel may be restricted to emergency management workers only. During a “warning” local travel advisory, you are directed to:
(A) refrain from all travel;
(B) comply with necessary emergency measures;
(C) cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans; and
(D) obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

Brown, Decatur, Johnson, Shelby and Jennings counties are all under a travel watch, while Jackson County remains under a travel advisory.

If your event or activity has been canceled you can submit a closing or delay today, email news@1010wcsi.com. If you organization has a password for closing announcements, be sure to include that too.

You can check our our complete list of closings and delays here.

Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Jennings Johnson, Shelby and Decatur counties have declared yellow travel advisories due to deteriorating weather conditions.

Yellow is the lowest level of local travel advisory, and means that routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas.

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 4 a.m. Sunday. Heavy mixed precipitation is forecast with two to four inches of snow and ice accumulations expected. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph are also expected.

A winter storm warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet
And ice will make travel very hazardous or impossible.

Accumulating snow and some ice  are possible Saturday morning in our area before changing over to all snow Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency says that snow should end Saturday evening with 1 to 3 inches possible in our area. Bartholomew County is just south of the area of the state under a winter storm watch tomorrow.

Very cold temperatures will arrive Sunday evening with wind chills well below zero at the start of the week.

Columbus Firefighters rescued a woman from the East Fork of the White River Friday morning after she apparently jumped from the Third Street Bridge.

Columbus Police first responded to the bridge at 8:52 a.m. after receiving a call for a suspicious person leaning over the bridge. A CPD officer witnessed the woman jump from the bridge, prompting a call-out of the Columbus Fire Department and the Bartholomew County Water Rescue and Recovery Team. Police converged on the east bank of the river to maintain a visual of the woman’s location as she drifted down river. Officers reported seeing her travel over the low head dam between Second and Third streets and was continuing to move down river toward the Water Street public boat ramp.

Columbus Fire Department Engine Company 3 arrived at the boat ramp within minutes. Upon arrival, firefighters learned that the woman was able to speak, but did not appear to move her arms or legs. Wearing a water rescue suit, Firefighter Daniel Pinnow entered the water and swam out to the victim. Once secured, both were pulled from the river bank at approximately 9:01 a.m.

The condition of the woman is unknown at this time. Firefighter Pinnow was not hurt.

Columbus Police arrested a local man on drug charges during a traffic stop Thursday night. At approximately 7:20 p.m., officers stopped a vehicle for a minor violation near Eighth and Reed Streets. A short time later, the officers determined that the driver of the vehicle, 33-year-old Kristopher D. Harris, of Columbus, had a suspended driver’s license and a Johnson County warrant for his arrest. After Harris taken into custody, the officers reported finding a syringe and a digital scale in Harris’ vehicle, as well as methamphetamine in Harris’ clothing.

Harris is facing the following preliminary charges:

Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 5 Felony)
Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device (Level 6 Felony)
Driving while Suspended (Class A Misdemeanor)
Johnson County Arrest Warrant