A Jennings County woman is facing charges after an incident Sunday afternoon. North Vernon Police say they were called to the intersection of Fifth and Hoosier Streets just after 3 p.m. in reference to a Domestic Dispute. When officers arrived, the female allegedly took off on foot.

Officers caught up with 34-year-old Kimberly B. Earl, of North Vernon. She was arrested on preliminary charges of Resisting Arrest and Possession of a Hypodermic Needle. Authorities say that Earl was also wanted on a warrant out of Jefferson County for probation violation.

The Columbus Fire Department and White River Broadcasting is inviting local children, ages 12 and under, to create a fire prevention poster to mark this year’s “Fire Prevention Week,” running Oct. 7-13. The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week is – “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware – fire can happen anywhere.”

Posters should be on 8 ½ X 11 paper and highlight the fire prevention theme. Posters may be created using pen, pencil, colored pencil, crayon or paint. Children must include their name, age and telephone number on the back of their poster.

Posters may be dropped off through 4 p.m. on October 3th, at the Columbus Fire Department Administration office at 1101 Jackson Street. Posters can be delivered during regular business hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The winning poster will be announced on October 5th. The winner will receive 6 tickets to Holiday World & Splashing Safari courtesy of White River Broadcasting Company. Posters will judged by a panel of Firefighters and White River Broadcasting Company representatives. The winning poster will be shared on the Columbus Fire Department and White River Broadcasting Company Station’s social media pages.

North Vernon police negotiated with a man threatening suicide for about four hours yesterday, before finally subduing him with a Taser.

The incident started at about 8 last night in the 100 block of South Jennings Street after an argument between a mother and her adult son, according to reports from the North Vernon Police Department..

The man allegedly threatened to end it all and had a straight razor, which he had already used to cut himself. While police negotiated with the man, the emergency response team was brought in.

After being hit with the Taser, he was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital for a mental health evaluation according to police reports.

Columbus police have arrested a man suspected of wielding a machete to rob someone last week.

34-year-old Jayson Ackenback of Columbus is facing preliminary charges of robbery with a deadly weapon, intimidation with a deadly weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle. He was already wanted on a Jennings County warrant for robbery with serious injury, felony criminal confinement and battery with serious injury.

According to police reports, officers found Ackenback at 8th and Union streets at about 7:30 a.m. on Friday morning. They say he allegedly used the machete to rob a victim in the 800 block of Pearl Street last week.

Columbus police say they have discovered the identity of a woman whose body was found beside Interstate 65 near Walesboro a week ago.

The woman has been identified as 21 year old Araceli J. Macedo of Lexington, Kentucky.

Her body was found on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 at the 64.5 mile marker at about 8:45 p.m. Monday. The Bartholomew County Coroner determined she died of blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.

The police released several photos of the woman’s tattoos last week in the hopes of identifying her body. If you have any information on her death, or if you saw anything in that area of the interstate between 8 and 8:45 p.m. Monday, you are asked to call Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

Street and parking restrictions during the Mill Race Marathon include:

•  No Parking on 6th St between Jackson St and Washington St from noon Friday until 4 p.m. Saturday.
• No Parking on Washington St between 5th St and 7th St from 6 a.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Saturday.
•  6th Street will be closed between Washington St and the alley west of Franklin St from 6 a.m. Friday  until 4 p.m.  Saturday.
•  4th St will be closed between Jackson St and Franklin St from noon Friday until 9 p.m. Saturday.
• No Parking on Washington St between 3rd St and 5th St from noon Friday until 9 p.m. Saturday .
•  Washington Street will be closed between 3rd St to 5th St from 6 p.m. Friday until 9 p.m. Saturday. The intersection at 4th Street will be closed .
• Washington Street will be closed from 5th Street to 7th St between 6 p.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Saturday. The intersection at 6th Street will be closed.
• The intersection at Washington St and 5th St will be closed from 5 am until 4 pm Saturday.
• The intersection at Washington St and 7th St will be closed from 7 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on Washington St between 7th St and 11th St from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• Washington St will be closed between 7th St and 11th St from 7 am until 3 pm on Saturday.
• No Parking on Jackson St (east curb) between 2nd St and 3rd St from 6 am Saturday until 4 pm Saturday for shuttle bus drop off/pick-up.
• 11th St will be closed between Washington St and Indianapolis Rd from 7:30 am until 8 am Saturday for start of the races.
• Indianapolis Rd will be closed from Brown St to Carl Miske Dr from 7:30 am until 8 Saturday for start of the races.
• Carl Miske Dr will be closed from 7 am until 8:15 am Saturday.
• Lindsey St will be restricted to one lane between 5th St and 3rd St from 7 am to 8:30 am Saturday.
• 3rd St will be closed from Lindsay St to Jonathon Moore Pike from 7:40 am until 8:10 am Saturday for transition of runners onto bridge. One lane of bridge will be available when safe to allow traffic to cross through the runners/walkers.
• Jonathan Moore Pike/Brown St restricted to two lanes from State Road 11 to 2nd St. from 7 am to 8:30 am Saturday.
• Traffic control at Brown St and 2nd St from 7:45 am until 8:30 am Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• Traffic control at Brown St and 3rd St from 7:45 am until 8:30 am Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• 3rd St. restricted to one lane from Central Ave to Brown St from 7 am to 9 am Saturday.
• Central Ave will be closed from 10th St to 3rd St from 7:30 am until 10 am Saturday. Northbound lanes open from 7th to 10th St.
• 6th St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road between Cottage Ave and Chestnut St from 7:45 am to 9:30 am Saturday. No Parking on south curb 6th St between Cottage Ave and Chestnut St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday.
• 5th St. will not be restricted but runners will use entire road between Chestnut St and Franklin St from 7:45 am to 9:45 am Saturday. No Parking on 5th St between Chestnut St and Franklin St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday.
• Franklin St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road from 5th St to 11th St from 7:50 am to 10 am Saturday. No Parking on Franklin St between 5th St and 11th St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday.
• 11th St will be closed from Washington St to Michigan St and 10th St from Michigan St to Central Ave from 7:45 am until 10:15 am Saturday.
• State Street will have two eastbound lanes open and one west bound lane open from Central to Marr Rd. from 7:30 am to 11 am Saturday. No center turn lane.
• Coovert St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road between State St and Indiana Ave. No Parking on Coovert St between State St and Indiana Ave from 6 am until 10 am Saturday
• Indiana Ave will be closed from Coovert St to Gladstone Ave from 8:10 am until 10:30 am Saturday.
• Gladstone Ave will be closed from Indiana Ave to 10th St from 8:10 am until 10:30 am Saturday.
• Traffic control at Gladstone Ave and 10th St to allow runners/walkers to cross from 8:15 am until 10:45 am Saturday.
•  Gladstone Ave southbound lane from 10th St to 17th St will be closed from 8:15 am until 11 am Saturday.
• 17th St will be closed to traffic east bound from Gladstone Ave to Orinoco St from 8:20 am to 11:15 am Saturday.
• Orinoco St will be closed between 16th and 17th St from 8:20 am until 11:15 am Saturday.
• 16th St will be closed between Gilmore St and Orinoco St from 8:25 am to 11:30 am Saturday.
• No Parking on south curb of 16th St between Orinoco St and Gilmore St from 6 am until 12 pm Saturday.
• Michigan Ave between 16th St and 13th St will be restricted to traffic between 8:25 am to 11:30 am Saturday
• No parking on north curb of 13th St between Michigan Ave and Chestnut St from 6 am to 12 pm (noon) Saturday.
• Chestnut St west curb lane closed from 13th St to 23rd St from 8 am to 11 am Saturday.
• No Parking on east curb between 13th St and 16th St from 6 am to 12 pm Saturday.
• Lafayette St closed from 17th St to 27th St from 7:50 am to 3 pm Saturday. No Parking on Lafayette St from 17th St to 27th St between 6 am to 3 pm Saturday.
• 17th St closed from Lafayette St to Washington St from 8 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on 17th St from Lafayette St to Washington St from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• Washington St one lane open for north bound traffic and one lane for south bound traffic between 11th St and 18th St from 7 am to 3:30 pm Saturday. Runners will be in two east side lanes.
  Traffic control at Washington St and 11th to allow runners to cross.
• 5K – Franklin St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road from 11th St to 15th St from 7:50 am to 8:30 am Saturday. No Parking on Franklin St between 11th St and 15th St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday
• 5K – 15th St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road from Franklin St to Lafayette St from 7:50 am to 8:30 am Saturday. No Parking on 15th St between Franklin St and Lafayette St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday.
• 5K – Lafayette St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road from 15th St to 13th St from 7:50 am to 8:30 am Saturday. No Parking on Lafayette St between 15th St and 13th St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday.
• 5K – 13th St will not be restricted but runners will use entire road from Lafayette St to Chestnut St from 7:50 am to 8:30 am Saturday. No Parking on north curb 13th St between Franklin St and Chestnut St from 6 am until 10 am Saturday. 5K joins marathon/half-marathon route at this point.
• Traffic control at Lafayette Ave and 25th St from 8 am to 3 pm Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• No Parking on east curb of Franklin St between 27th St and 26th St from 6 am to 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on south curb of 26th St between Franklin St and Lafayette St from 6 am to 3 pm Saturday.
• Traffic control at Lafayette St/Franklin Drive/Franklin St from 8:30 am to 2 pm to allow runners to cross.
• No Parking on south curb of Tipton Ln between Franklin Dr and Sycamore St from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on north curb of Tipton Ln between Sycamore St and Home Ave from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• Home Ave/Westenedge Dr west curb lane (southbound) will be closed to traffic from Tipton Ln to Rocky Ford Rd from 8:30 am to 3 pm Saturday. Northbound will be open.
• Traffic control at U.S. 31 and Westenedge Dr/Home Ave from 8 am to 3 pm Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• Rocky Ford Rd south curb lane (eastbound) will be closed to traffic between Washington St and Westenedge Dr from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm Saturday. Rocky Ford Rd north curb lane  westbound) will be closed to traffic between Washington St and Westenedge Dr from 8:30 am until 11:30 am.
• Washington St east curb lane (northbound) will be closed from Rocky Ford Rd to 37th St from 8:35 am until 11:10 am Saturday.
• Washington St west curb lane (southbound) will be closed from 37th St to Rocky Ford Rd from 9:25 am until 1:30 pm Saturday.
• 37th will not be restricted but runners will use entire road. No Parking on south curb between Washington St and Woodfield Dr and No Parking on north curb between Woodfield Dr and Sycamore St from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on Sycamore St between 37th St and Roselawn Dr from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on east curb of Roselawn Dr between Sycamore St and Royal St from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• Traffic restricted in west curb lane (southbound) on River Rd between Ridgeway Dr to Washington St from 8:45 am until 2:30 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on south curb of Washington St between River Rd to Ridgeway Dr from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on west curb of Washington St between Ridgeway Dr to N Riverside Dr from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on east curb of N Riverside Dr between Washington St and River Rd from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on west curb of N Riverside Dr between house 4232 and house 4250 (inclusive) from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• No Parking on west curb of N Riverside Dr between N Riverside Ct and house 4390 from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• River Rd will be closed to southbound traffic between N Riverside Dr and Cunningham Dr from 9 am to 2:30 pm Saturday. Northbound traffic will be sent north on River Rd at Cunningham Dr.
• No Parking on north curb of Peregrine Dr between Northern Goshawk Dr and People Trail from 6 am until 3 pm Saturday.
• Cunningham Dr will be closed to traffic from Central Ave to River Rd from 9 am to 2:30 pm Saturday.
• Arnold Dr will be closed to traffic from Cunningham Dr to Kelly St from 9 am to 2:30 pm Saturday.
• Traffic control on Poshard Dr at Wade St from 9 am until 2:30 pm Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• Traffic control on Poshard Dr at Chapa Dr/Ray Boll Blvd from 9 am until 2:30 pm Saturday to allow runners to cross.
• Traffic control on Arnold St at Andrews St from 9 am until 2:30 pm Saturday to allow runners to turn toward airport gate.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is inviting all county students in grades K through 12 to take part in poster contest to mark Crime Prevention Month in October. Students should include

Posters should be on paper 8 ½ by 11 inches. Students can use pen, pencil, colored pencil, crayon, paint, felt pen. Computer generated work will not be accepted. Students should include their name, school, grade and telephone number on the back of the poster.

Posters may be submitted through 5 p.m. on October 31st. They can be dropped off at the Bartholomew County Jail front desk at 543 Second Street in Columbus.

A suspect wanted on a warrant for dealing narcotics was arrested by Columbus police after running from officers.

Police say that they were called to the 1900 block of a Wallace Avenue about a disturbance there at about 8:50 a.m. Thursday morning. One of the men involved was 29-year-old Matthew T. Werner of Beech Grove, who police discovered was wanted on an outstanding Ripley County warrant.

Before police could arrest him, Werner allegedly took off and after a short chase, police used a Taser to subdue him.

He is facing new charges of resisting law enforcement.

The Hope Ride will be taking to the roads in several area counties, starting tomorrow morning in northeastern Bartholomew County. This is the 31st annual Hope Ride.

Events will kick off with registration starting at 7:30 a.m. at Hauser High School. Bicyclists will be taking off from the school from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and taking rides ranging from 13 to 100 miles. Root beer floats will be served afterwards.

Lunch will be served on the Hope Town Square from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Town Marshal Matt Tallent said that there are no road closings scheduled around the ride, but you will see hundred of cyclists on area roads so you should be extra alert if you are driving.

Tickets are $30 each and proceeds will go to benefit food pantries in the riders communities. Prizes will be given to food pantries ranging from $1,000 for the top prize, $500 for second place and $250 for third. The ride has provided more than $500,000 for community food pantries since it started

You can get more information on their website at hoperide.org.

Residents and business owners in the area around the Brighter Days emergency housing shelter are angry. That was the consistent message during Thursday night’s town hall meeting at the Roby and America Anderson Community Center. The shelter, located in the 400 block of South Mapleton Street, moved in to the former maintenance facility owned by Columbus Township. Residents say that the shelter has brought increased crime, loitering and drug use to the area.

Jan Gross is a business owner representing residents and other business owners in the area. She says that the city’s east side has become a dumping ground for programs and buildings that other Columbus neighborhoods would never tolerate.

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Gross presented a petition with 180 signatures asking that the shelter be moved.

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Elizabeth Kestler, director of Love Chapel, says that the facility is needed. In previous years, she says that the homeless were put up in hotels or given a room at another building.

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Ben Jackson, Columbus Township Trustee, says that part of the loitering problem is due to the fact that the Recovery Engagement Center, which is used to help the homeless get the resources they need, has cut back its hours over the summer.

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The town hall was put on by the Ninth Street Park Neighborhood Watch. City Councilmen Dascal Bunch and Tom Dell were also in attendance. Bunch says he will be talking to Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde to set up another town hall so that residents and business owners will have an opportunity to share their concerns directly.