Two Columbus residents were arrested early Sunday morning after a traffic stop. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that shortly after midnight, a deputy saw a car turn east onto County Road 400 North and disregard the stop sign at the railroad tracks while also driving toward a “Road Closed” barricade due to flooding.

Deputies stopped the car near US 31 and County Road 400 North. The driver, 28-year-old Jacob Burch, reportedly admitted to never receiving a driver’s license. One of his three passengers, 31-year-old Shahalanie M. Falconbury, had an outstanding warrant.

A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered a syringe near the front passenger seat.

In addition to the outstanding warrant, Falconbury was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of Legend Drug Injection Device.

She remains in behind bars in lieu of $60,000 bond.

Burch was arrested on a preliminary charge of Operating a Motor Vehicle without ever Receiving a Driver’s License.

Burch remains in jail on $2,500 bond.

A Clark County man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of drunk driving. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, witnesses reported a van driving erratically. Police say the van, driven by 43-year-old Greg Williams, of Jeffersonville, narrowly missed several vehicles before finally crashing into an SUV and running off the road.

Williams was treated and released at Columbus Regional Health before being booked on preliminary charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated and Driving while Suspended.

The driver and passenger in the SUV were not seriously hurt.

Early voting is over in Bartholomew County. If you want to make your voice heard in the 2018 General Election you will have to wait until 6 tomorrow morning when the 18 countywide vote centers open.

In addition to the statewide races, Bartholomew County voters will be helping decide who will replace Republican Luke Messer in the 6th Congressional district race – Republican Greg Pence, Democrat Jeanine Lake or Libertarian Tom Ferkinhoff.

In the statehouse, Bartholomew County voters, along with those in Johnson County, will be helping decide between incumbent Republican State Sen. Greg Walker or Democrat Ross Thomas in State Senate District 41. There is a three-way race for the Indiana House District 59 seat that represents most of Bartholomew County and Columbus with Republican Ryan Lauer, Democrat Dale Nowlin and Libertarian Clyde Myers.

The very southern part of Bartholomew County, along with parts of Jefferson, Jackson and Jennings counties will be voting for State House District 69 between Republican incumbent Rep. Jim Lucas and Democrat Steve Schoettmer.

Other contested Bartholomew County races tomorrow include two seats on the County Council. Republican Scott Bonnell and Democrat Hanna Omar are running to represent eastern Bartholomew County while incumbent Republican Councilman Jorge Morales is defending his seat against Democrat Lynne Fleming in the southwestern portion of the county.

There is also a four way race between candidates for the two seats on Hope Town Council and five people running for spots on the Clifford Town Board.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow.

A Columbus man who was late for work, didn’t make up any time by trying to pass a police car…  and then refusing to stop.

Officers were patrolling near 16th Street and Home Avenue at about 9:55 a.m. Friday morning when a driver behind them began honking his horn and waving his arms. Officers pulled over to see if the man needed help, but instead he passed the officers. That’s when police noticed a non-working brake light and decided to pull the vehicle over.

The driver, later identified as 28-year-old Jacob T. Waltermire, then allegedly refused to pull over until about a mile later when he finally pulled into a parking lot in the 2200 block of North National Road. Waltermire told officers that their driving was making him late for work.

He was arrested on a preliminary charge of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.

A woman was arrested after allegedly threatening others with a knife and making threats to Columbus police.

The incident happened at about 3:50 p.m. Friday afternoon on North Beatty Street after police received reports of a disturbance. Officers attempted to detain 30-year-old Kristi N. Cross but she allegedly tried to pull away and during the struggle threatened the officers, according to police reports

Police allegedly found drug paraphernalia and a knife in a bag that belongs to Cross. She was arrested on preliminary charges of intimidation with a deadly weapon, intimidation of a law enforcement officer, resisting law enforcement and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A former Rock Creek Elementary student is facing charges of murder.

Our news-gathering partners at the The Republic are reporting that the 14-year-old Osgood boy is accused of killing his 23-month-old sister and the 11-month-old son of his mother’s fiance.

The family of Nickalas Kedrowitz last lived in Bartholomew County about four years ago, when he was a sixth-grader according to the newspaper. The deaths happened separately in May and July of last year and Kedrowitz is next due in court in December.

He is being held in the Dearborn County juvenile facility.

You can get more information at therepublic.com

Columbus firefighters battled a fire at a home’s storage building Friday afternoon. That was after a neighboring tent went up in flames.

Capt. Mike Wilson with the Columbus Fire Department says firefighters were called to the 4600 block of Autumn Ridge Road at just before 5 on Friday afternoon and found thick black smoke and flames coming from the storage shed. It took firefighters about 15 minutes to get the fire under control, but not before the flames damaged the siding on nearby buildings.

The homeowner said a guest has been staying a tent beside the storage building and had previously been warned about using an extension cord to power a space heater in the tent. Investigators found an extension cord running into the tent from a nearby back porch outlet.

Wilson said the storage building was a total loss and about $9,500 in damage was caused to that and neighboring buildings. The fire remains under investigation.

Election Day is Tuesday. Jay Phelps, Bartholomew County clerk, says it’s never been more convenient to vote, citing 18 vote center locations sprinkled throughout the county.

Those vote centers are as follows:

– Flintwood Wesleyan Church
– St. John’s Masonic Lodge
– Grace Lutheran Church
– Healing Waters Church
– Donner Center
– East Columbus Fire Station
– The Commons
– Main Source Bank
– Terrace Lake Church
– Faith Lutheran Church
– Bartholomew County REMC
– Elizabethtown Fire Station

Phelps adds that your ballot may be a little longer than normal.

Phelps has a message for those who vote “straight party” down the ticket.

Voting hours on Tuesday are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. In order to cast a ballot, you must have a government-issued photo ID. That includes an Indiana driver’s license, Indiana identification card, a U.S. passport or a U.S. military ID.

For students attending a public Indiana college, your ID will work only if it has your photo and your full name and if it has an expiration date and is either current or if it expired after Nov. 4, 2014. If you attend a private college, your ID will not work.

When you go to the polls, you are not legally allowed to wear a button, shirt, hat or any other thing that supports or opposes a candidate or party.

IUPUC honored those who have helped the community during the annual Circle of Leadership Celebration Thursday night in Columbus.

David Elwood was recognized with the 2018 James G. Simms Leadership Award. The award, established in honor of the late James G. Simms for his vision, perseverance, and dedication in founding the IUPUC campus in the 1970s, recognizes “inspiring individuals who have generously given their time, talent, and treasure to advance IUPUC’s mission.”

David Elwood graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, and began his career in Columbus as a psychologist with Bartholomew County Mental Health and Guidance Center. Elwood went on to earn his master’s degree from Southern Illinois University and his Ph.D. in Psychology from Purdue University.

In 1980, Elwood and his son, Mark, founded Elwood Staffing, where he continues to serve as chairperson of the board.

Elwood began serving on the IUPUC Board of Advisors in 2008. He now also serves on the IUPUC Mental Health Counseling Advisory Council.

IUPUC also recognized Chris Reading with its 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award recognizes a deserving alumnus who has “demonstrated outstanding professional contributions and accomplishments, service to the community, and service to the university.”

Reading received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from IUPUC in 2005, and his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2000.

School officials say that Reading served as president of the IUPUC Alumni from 2009-2011, was instrumental in increasing the visibility and reputation of the organization, and has helped increase the scholarship fund through fundraising events. In addition, Reading was active in larger, university-wide Indiana University Alumni Association events, as well as encouraging IUAA magazine and other publications to more prominently feature IUPUC.

A Columbus man wanted on a Bartholomew County warrant was arrested Thursday evening. Columbus Police say that at around 5:45 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 2100 block of State Street in regards to a man with a warrant at that location. Police spoke with 40-year-old Jerome S. Brantley and confirmed the warrant.

While speaking with Brantley, the officers say they could smell marijuana coming from his vehicle. A search of Brantley’s vehicle reportedly uncovered marijuana, methamphetamine and Hydrocodone pills.

In addition to the warrant, Brantley is facing new preliminary charges of
Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana.