David M. Frank. Photo courtesy of Columbus police.
A Columbus man is being accused of carrying heroin and a gun, after a traffic stop by police Thursday evening.
An officer pulled over a vehicle at 17th Street and Central Avenue after it changed lanes improperly at about 9:40 Thursday night. A police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics inside the vehicle. A search of the driver, 59 year old David M. Frank, allegedly found the drugs hidden in his clothing and a handgun he did not have a permit to carry.
He was arrested on charges of possessing those items.
The Fair Oaks Mall may have a new future. The city of Columbus is partnering with Columbus Regional Health and Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County to make an offer to purchase the more than 35 acre site for $5.9 million. Mayor Jim Lienhoop says the idea is to create an indoor sports complex and parks facilities.
CRH officials say they are honored to have been asked to partner with the city. Kelsey DeClue, CRH spokeswoman, says the hospital is excited to be a part of this.
As for how CRH plans to utilize the facility…
Mayor Lienhoop says the current breakdown of costs is $4,087,500 for the city, $1,362,500 for CRH and $450,000 from Heritage Fund. A pair of appraisals on the property earlier this year established a value of $5.45 million. Lienhoop says that the mall owners were less than enthusiastic about that figure and stuck to the $5.9 million asking price. He says that since the city is pretty much bound to appraised values, the city asked Heritage Fund for a grant to cover the difference. Mayor Lienhoop adds that the hope is to close on the deal before the end of the year. Prior to that, he says there will be opportunities for input from the community.
As for businesses already in the mall, Lienhoop says the city plans to work with them on a case-by-case basis. He says how the process develops will largely depend on the terms of the leases. Regardless, Mayor Lienhoop says that businesses shouldn’t be displaced until 2020. While the hope is to close on the purchase before the end of the year, studies and public input sessions should keep the facility as is through the end of next year.
Culvert replacement work on State Road 3 in Decatur County is set to begin next week. The Indiana Department of Transportation says its contractor will begin replacing the existing culvert at Poplar Root Creek, located 8.6 miles north State Road 7 on Tuesday, September 4th. This work is dependent on the weather.
INDOT says that this work, just south of Sardinia, will close State Road 3 for up to 20 days. A signed detour will route drivers around the site via State Road 46, U.S. 31 and State Road 7.
Replacement of a State Road 3 small structure at Wyaloosing Creek, about 16 miles north of State Road 7, just north of Westport, will be scheduled after the Poplar Root Creek culvert is put in place.
Haley Holdreith; photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department
A Bartholomew County Corrections Officer has been promoted. Haley Holdreith is being promoted to the rank of Sergeant, effective Monday, September 3rd. Sheriff Matt Myers says that Holdreith replaces Sergeant Kyle Weaver who has accepted a position with the Columbus Police Department.
A section of the U.S. 50 Bypass at North Vernon will be named “Officer Anthony Burton and Reserve Officer Lonnie Howard Memorial Highway” at a presentation next week. The Indiana Department of Transportation will unveil memorial signage at a ceremony on Wednesday, September 5th at 10:30 a.m. in the south parking lot at Lord of Life Lutheran Church. The church is located at 3300 North State Road 3 along the U.S. 50 Bypass near the site where the officers were killed in 1993 following a standoff in which the suspect intentionally crashed his vehicle into a patrol car.
State Representatives Jim Lucas and Randy Frye will be joined by Mayor Mike Ochs, Police Chief James Webster, Pastor Adrian Krebs and INDOT personnel in addressing families of the fallen officers at Wednesday’s public event.
Kyle Hunter; photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
A Wednesday afternoon traffic stop led to the arrests of two Columbus residents. At about 4 p.m., a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle in the 3100 block of Washington Street in Columbus.
Police arrested the driver, 35-year-old Kyle Alexander Hunter on preliminary charges of Dealing Heroin, Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance and Operating a Motor Vehicle without Receiving a Driver’s License. Hunter remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of a $605,000 bond.
Authorities arrested a passenger, 34-year-old Kristen Hunter, on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Visiting a Common Nuisance. She has since been released.
“We continue to be more aggressive with traffic enforcement. When deputies are not responding to calls for service, they continually work traffic enforcement,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.
Kristen Hunter; photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
“Routine traffic stops that lead to drug-related arrests are more common and deputies are recovering more drug-related items and paraphernalia, keeping more and more drugs off our streets. Traffic stops often serve as the first step to a larger investigation and this was certainly the case with these arrests,” added Sheriff Myers.
Local government offices will be closed on Monday, due to the Labor Day holiday.
In Columbus, there will be no city trash, recycling, brush or compost collections on Monday and collections will be running a day behind for the rest of the week. Which means Friday collections will be done on Saturday next week.
Columbus City Utilities offices will be closed on Monday. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service on Monday, you can call the offices at 812-372-8861 to report an emergency.
The Bartholomew County Solid Waste District and Columbus/Bartholomew Recycling Center will both be closed Monday, as well as the Bartholomew County Landfill.
In Seymour, all city offices will be closed including the Department of Public Works and Seymour Transit. Trash, recycling and yard waste normally picked on Monday, will instead be picked up on Tuesday, Sept. 4th.
Fernando Cruz. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.
9:30 a.m. Update: An Amber Alert has been called off for three children missing in Sturgis, Michigan that were believed to be in Indiana. authorities there report that 37-year-old Fernando Cruz, is in custody and the three children were found safe.
Earlier:
Indiana State Police have declared an Amber Alert and believe children missing from Sturgis, Mich. may now be in Indiana and in extreme danger.
The suspect, Fernando Cruz, is a 37-year-old Hispanic man, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The suspect’s vehicle is a black 2009 Chevy Traverse with Michigan plate DWH9204
The victims include 4-year-old Matteo Nieves, 5-year- old Chelsey Lopez and 2-year-old Aldo Cruz. All were last seen Wednesday in Sturgis, Michigan. All are believed to be in extreme danger.
Matteo Nieves was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt and red shorts. Chelsey Lopez was last seen wearing pink t-shirt and blue pajama pants. Aldo Cruz was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt and a diaper.
If you have any information on this incident, contact the Sturgis Police Department at 269-651-3231 or 911.
Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
Four Hauser High School students were hurt, one of them seriously, in a Wednesday crash near the school. Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies and Hope Police responded at noon to the scene at State Road 9 and County Road 600 North where two vehicles collided.
Authorities say driver of a truck and trailer, 26-year-old Jonathan Tappe, of Taylorsville, was headed south on State Road 9 when a car driven by 17-year-old Sarah Vanderlind, of Hope, pulled out in front of him from County Road 600 North. Tappe’s truck crashed into the passenger side of Vanderlind’s car.
The Sheriff’s Department says that three passengers in Vanderlind’s vehicle had to be extricated by Columbus Fire Department Squad 2. One student, 17-year-old Erin Newcomb, of Columbus, was Lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Three of the students, Vanderlind, 16-year-old Veronica McKinney, of Hope, and 17-year-old John Bragg, of Hope, were transported to Columbus Regional Hospital. Tappe was not hurt.
State Road 9 remained closed for about three hours.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with these students, Hauser High School and all of Hope,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.
Lisa Rendina; photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.
Update: Columbus police say that Lisa Rendina was found safe Wednesday night.
Previously:
Columbus Police are asking for your help to locate a missing woman. The family of 54-year-old Lisa Rendina has reported her as a missing person. Rendina was last seen on Gladstone Avenue in Columbus on August 13th. She is described as being five-feet five-inches tall and 135 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Police say that Rendina has been homeless for several months and also uses the last name of Caffee.
If you have any information on Rendina’s whereabouts, call the Columbus Police Department at (812) 376-2600.
