Police say that a serious violent predator is back in jail less than a month after being released from custody.

According to the Columbus Police Department, 36-year-old Michael O. Kent was released from jail June 2nd after being held on charges from October of 2022 of violating the sex offender registry requirements and unlawful entry by a serious sex offender.

Police say that before his arrest they had received multiple reports of him acting suspiciously and approaching women. After he was released, police receive another similar complaint.

The Columbus Police intelligence unit began surveillance of Kent and found that he was living in the 800 block of Fourth Street, which is within 1,000 feet of a school. He had also failed to report for the registry with the sex offender coordinator.

On Tuesday, Kent was arrested on new felony charges of failing to register as a serious violent predator and violations of the sex offender residency registry.

Another resident at the address, 54-year-old Vicky Burton, was arrested on a preliminary misdemeanor charge of assisting a criminal.

Note: This story has been updated

A woman and child were killed in an accident with a tractor Monday in rural Jackson County.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, rescue workers were called to an accident in Redding Township at about 7:40 p.m. Monday evening. They found a 68-year-old woman and 4-year-old boy who had been struck by a farm tractor and gravely injured.

The boy was taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour where he was pronounced dead. The woman was flown by medical helicopter to a Louisville hospital were she succumbed to her injuries early this morning.

No names have been released of those involved.

Sheriff Rick Meyer said that deputies “heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the family and all involved.”

The accident remains under investigation. Jackson County medics, Redding Volunteer Fire Department and Seymour Fire Department also responded to the call.

The local Daughters of the American Revolution is announcing that the society has awarded its prestigious Creedon award to Columbus East graduate Alex Wenzler.

The award is through the organization’s Good Citizen Scholarship program which recognizes activities outside of school and sports. Wenzler, who graduated this year, was chosen from more than 80 candidates statewide for the award. Wenzler participated in three varsity sports, National Honor Society and Key Club and is also active in Big Brothers/Big Sisters. But the award especially recognized Wenzler for his work as a volunteer firefighter.

Wenzler was nominated by his teachers as being “dedicated, responsible, trustworthy, courageous, and honorable.” His essay was selected by the local Joseph Hart chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to represent the area at the state level.

Wenzler plans to major in criminal justice and become a police officer.

Photo courtesy of the Joseph Hart Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Several local organizations are receiving a share of just over $925 thousand dollars in grants awarded by the Indiana Commerce Office.

Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce received a $40,000 award for its Catalyst Academy: Incubator & Fund. Catalyst Academy is a an online education platform where participants can take a self-directed learning course and receive coaching to make a pitch for funding.

Jackson County Chamber also received a $40,000 award for its SPARK Shop Connections program. SPARK Jackson County will host recurring events centered around small businesses in the community. Once the SPARK Shop co-working studio opens, the funds will be used to engage and attract entrepreneurs and innovators to the space.

The grants came through the state’s Community Collaboration Fund and went to 28 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection and acceleration across Indiana. The office announced $925,107 in grant awards this morning. The grants require matching funds.

The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair continues today with Bartholomew County Young Farmers and Ag Professionals Day at the fair.

Entertainment tonight will include the Three Beards Strumming classic rock and country show at the David Boll Theater starting at 6 p.m., the Cupcake Eating Contest at the Farm Bureau Building with registration starting at 6 and the contest starting at 6:30 and the NTPA Tractor Pull and Farm Stock Open at the Grandstands starting at 7 p.m.

The midway will open at 3 p.m. with kids day at the fair. Wristbands will be $25 and will be good all day and all night.

The Brown County Touch A Truck event is coming up Saturday and will include a bicycle giveaway sponsored by Rose Acre Farms and a visit by Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders.

According to organizers, the free, family-friendly event allows everyone to see, touch, and explore big trucks and learn what they do, how they work and how they help the Brown County community. It is being hosted by the Brown County Weekend Backpacks and sponsored by Duke Energy and South Central Indiana REMC.

Brown County Pollinators will be giving away native plants. Culver’s is giving away 1,000 free ice cream cone tokens and Brown County Weekend Backpacks is providing fireman or construction hats for the first 400 children.

The 50 bicycles will be given away at noon with the winners chosen by the Colts cheerleaders. Registration for the giveaway is required.

The Touch a Truck event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Brown County Music Center parking lot in Nashville. There will be a quiet hour from 10 to 11 during which loud noises such as motors, sirens and horns will not be permitted.

You can get more information here: https://www.browncountytouchatruck.com

Photo courtesy of browncountytouchatruck.com

Another day of extreme heat is in the forecast. Forecasters say that we are looking at a high near 93 this afternoon, but the humidity is going to make that feel like 102 or more.

The break in the string of hot days is not expected until Friday, with heat indexes above 100 Thursday and Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a heat advisory that is in effect through 8 p.m. Friday evening.

The city of Columbus and Bartholomew County are offering cooling stations to get out of this heat.

According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, if you need to get out of the heat you can stop at either the downtown Columbus or Hope branches of the Bartholomew County Public Library. The library on Fifth Street in Columbus will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and the branch on the Hope Town Square will be open from 10 to 5 today and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

You can also cool off at the Community Engagement Center on Second Street in Columbus from 7 to 4 today through Friday.

After 5 p.m., the Brighter Days Shelter on Mapleton Street in Columbus can be used to cool off.

Nearly half of the U.S. is battling an extremely dangerous heat wave with temperatures soaring up to 20 degrees above normal. On Tuesday, Boston, Providence, and Newark all set or tied record highs for June, including 101 degrees in Boston and 103 in Newark. Philadelphia hit 100 degrees and New York City reached 99.

TTWN Media Networks contributed to this report

Local authorities say that they are continuing to get reports of scammers trying to claim you owe tolls, fees or other fines and you could face getting your license suspended if you don’t pay them.

The North Vernon Police Department says that a resident stopped by in the hopes of alerting the community to the scam. The scammers are sending text messages claiming to be with the Indiana BMV and threatening to suspend your license, arrest you or bring other penalties if you don’t pay a fine such as a traffic ticket. It also provides a link, which you should not click on or follow.

Authorities such as the BMV will never contact you by text demanding immediate payment. You should not give out your personal or financial information to anyone who demands it online.

If you are ever concerned about whether such a message is legitimate, you should call your local police at a trusted phone number.

Indiana State Police say that a kitten has a new home after being thrown out of a moving vehicle last week.

According to the Versailles Post, Trooper Tia Hunt was patrolling on U.S. 31 near Crothersville Friday when she saw a delivery driver for UPS stopped along the road. The driver said that he saw a small kitten thrown out of a vehicle window and he felt he had to stop to check on the kitten. The trooper and driver found the kitten and Hunt took the kitten to Jackson County Animal Clinic in Seymour to be checked out.

After X-rays and an examination, the veterinarian said the kitten had some scrapes from road rash and an injured leg, but is likely to recover. The kitten was named “Crash” and was adopted by the trooper and her family.

State police say that they are looking for any information on the driver who threw the kitten from the vehicle.

Photos courtesy of Indiana State Police

State legislators say that the funds will be available to repair the tornado damages to the Horseman’s Campground at Brown County State Park.

State Sen. Eric Koch and State Rep. Dave Hall announced recently that the state budget committee had approved the expenditure to repair the damage from the May 16th tornado. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources requested transferring just over $925 thousand in unused repair and rehabilitation funds to the project.

Koch and Hall both supported the request to transfer the funds in a letter to the committee. Koch said that Horseman’s Campground is very important to the park, bringing in $320,000 annually in revenue. The campground allows people to bring their horses to the park, providing support specifically for campers with horses such as tie-ups and trails. Hall called the camp an unique part of Brown County.

Both legislators are Republicans whose districts include Brown County.

May 16th tornado damage photo courtesy of Brown County State Park.