A woman was seriously injured in an off-road vehicle accident in Jennings County over the weekend.

20-year-old Emily Reverman of Elkhart was operating the vehicle when a mechanical failure caused a crash, throwing her from the vehicle, seriously injuring her lower extremities.

Conservation officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are reporting that they were called to the accident scene in Butlerville near the intersection of County Roads 625N and 750E, Sunday afternoon.

Reverman was taken to St.  Vincent Jennings Hospital for treatment.

22-year-old Evan Griffin of Martinsville was a passenger on the vehicle and was slightly injured.

Neither were wearing helmets, according to conservation officer reports.

It’s “Downtown Development Week” in Seymour. Becky Shepman is with the Seymour Main Street organization. She says that 26 businesses in the city will be decorating scarecrows and you’re invited to check them out and vote for your favorite. The “Ghouls and Goblets” event is this Friday. Shepman says there will be 10 wineries and breweries, along with live music and spooky stories. Attendees will also get a personalized goblet.

The “Ghouls and Goblets” event is this Friday at Reno’s Cigar and Martini Lounge, located at 121 North Chestnut Street.For more on Downtown Development Week, visit SeymourMainStreet.org.

A local man died in a Saturday morning house fire on Della Road.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office is identifying the victim as 65-year-old Ronald K. Rhoades. He was the owner and only resident of the home in the 700 block of Della Road in Jewell Village that burned Saturday.

The cause of his death is not yet known, according to the coroner but no foul play is expected.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the home at 3:17 a.m. Saturday and found the home fully engulfed in flames. They began alerting nearby residents to evacuate as the fire continued to spread.

Firefighters from Clay Township, Columbus Township, Wayne Township and Elizabethtown fought the blaze.

Rhoades body was found inside the home after the fire was extinquished.

A North Vernon man is facing charges after an incident Thursday afternoon. North Vernon Police say that officers were called to the 400 block of Hoosier Street on reports that a man brandished an opened folding knife and threatened someone with it. Fifty-one year-old Marcolm Stiening was arrested on a preliminary charge of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon. No one was reported to be hurt.

The Columbus Fire Department has announced the winner of the department’s “Fire Prevention Week” 2018 Poster Contest. Six-year-old Hazel Kelley, a first grader at CSA Lincoln Elementary will receive six tickets to Holiday World & Splashing Safari courtesy of White River Broadcasting.

The poster contest asked children to create a poster that highlights the fire prevention theme for 2018: “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware-fire can happen anywhere.” The judges consisted of seven firefighters. They judged 74 entries.

Columbus Fire Chief Mike Compton calls the poster contest “a great opportunity for the children to focus on what fire prevention means. Fire prevention week is also a time for adults and children to think about fire related emergencies, and consider putting a plan together for a safe escape.”

Fire Prevention Week is October 7-13.

A woman who was struck by a vehicle on State Road 46 in Columbus has died. Columbus Police say that 30-year-old Jessica Hays passed away in an Indianapolis hospital.

Just before 7:30 a.m., on Wednesday, first-responders were called to the east bound lanes of State Road 46 at the intersection of Carrie Lane on Columbus’ west side. Officers spoke with the driver, 72-year-old Jayne H. Rogan. Witnesses say that Hays and another woman were attempting to cross State Road 46 while pushing shopping carts when Hays was struck.

The crash remains under investigation.

The town of Hope is holding its last farmer’s market of the season tonight on the Hope Town Square.

The market will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and will include vendors, music, a cruise-in and speeches from political candidates in the November election.

The Yellow Trail Museum on the northwest corner of the Town Square will also be hosting an educational event on Victorian era spiritualism tonight. “When a Spirit Calls” will be led by Karen Shank-Chapman from the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond. It will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m at the museum and visitor center.

The city of Columbus is being recognized for collaborating with the state, county, railroads and Cummins to deal with increasing train traffic. The city received the Accelerate Indiana Municipalities Local Government Collaboration Award during a ceremony in French Lick.

The AIM awards recognize communities and individuals in municipal government for excellence and outstanding achievement.

The city collaborated with Bartholomew County, the Louisville & Indianapolis Railroad, CSX and Cummins to deal with the increasing train traffic, which is expected to increase from 8 trains a day currently, to 22. The city estimates that would have a $34 million impact on the intersection at Jonathan Moore Pike and State Road 11, along with affecting the quality of life of Columbus residents.

The city plans to build an overpass to lift traffic over the railroad line, with the state picking up half of the cost. The city, county, railroads and Cummins are funding the rest of the project costs.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is ordering that flags at state facilities across the state be flown at half staff Sunday to recognize the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.

He is also asking businesses and residents to lower their flags. That will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on Sunday.

The Yellow Trail Museum and Main Street of Hope are hosting a Sunday Social at the museum this weekend to gather tales of area history.

Interviewers will be looking for stories about life in Flatrock and Hawcreek Townships from the 1930s to the present. The stories will be recorded and used in historical presentations and included in projects for museum visitors.

That will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the museum on the northwest corner of the Hope Town Square.