Severe tornado damage is being reported in Indiana after last night’s storms.

Police in Whiteland said in a tweet that the southern part of the town took a direct hit on Friday and sustained significant damage. They say power lines were down and debris was blocking roadways.

Emergency officials say that a center has been set up at Whiteland High School for anyone needing shelter or assistance.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Johnson and Shelby counties, saying that a confirmed tornado was on the ground near Franklin at 11:32 p.m. Friday night. Photos were posted on social media showing a tornado on the ground in Whiteland and severe damage including to warehouses near Interstate 65.

The National Weather Service says it has received reports of heavy damage on both sides of U.S. 31 including multiple homes being destroyed.

Residents are also reported damage in Franklin including one side of the city clock tower being destroyed.

Duke Energy is reporting about 17, 000 customers without power between Bloomington and Greenwood. Another 2,000 customers are without power this morning in the Columbus/Seymour/North Vernon area.  Johnson County REMC reports more than 4,800 without power this morning, while Bartholomew County REMC has 40 customers without power as of about 6 a.m.

Indiana State Police Post in Bloomington is reporting that a severe storm  struck McCormick’s Creek State Park. Troopers assisted Owens County rescue workers and Indiana Conservation Officers  checking the park for potentially injured campers who were in various camp sites during the severe storm.  Found campers were evacuated from the campgrounds with assistance from the Spencer-Owen County School Corporation, who supplied a bus to help with the transport.

Lawrence and Monroe counties reported downed trees while Morgan County reported downed trees and power lines which included loss of power in Martinsville. High winds also caused severe damage to buildings in Martinsville.

The National Weather Service reports that several teams will be going out today to survey storm damage and will have updated details later today.

Earlier in the day, a deadly tornado killed three people in Arkansas.

TTWN Media Networks contributed to this report.

Motorists should be aware and prepared for changing traffic patterns on the southwest side of Indianapolis this weekend. INDOT says traffic flow on southbound to eastbound I-465 between I-70 and I-65 on the city’s southwest side will be limited to a single lane until Monday, April 3rd, at 5 a.m.

During the double-lane restriction, the speed limit on both eastbound and westbound I-465 will be 45 mph. Motorists are encouraged to slow down, pay attention to changing conditions and drive distraction-free.

To reduce traffic volume and the number of conflict points in the construction zone, several eastbound entrance ramps onto I-465 will close during this weekend’s lane restrictions. Starting Friday at 8 p.m. the following ramps will be closed:

I-70 eastbound to I-465 southbound
S.R. 67/Kentucky Ave. to I-465 eastbound
Mann Rd. to I-465 eastbound
S.R. 37/Harding St. to I-465 eastbound

While eastbound I-465 is restricted, I-70 eastbound traffic will be detoured east to I-65 southbound at the South Split.

The U.S. 31 southbound to I-465 westbound ramp will remain closed through 2024.
All other ramps will reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday.

Motorists should expect increased congestion during the weekend due to these restrictions and are encouraged to plan ahead and find alternate routes.

Pamela Morris, Ph.D., IUPUC Communication Studies professor, is a winner of the 2023 IUPUI Women’s History Month Recognition Award in the faculty category.

These awards recognize and celebrate students, faculty and staff who have demonstrated significant leadership, achievement, advocacy, or service at the campus, community, national, and/or international level in support of gender equity, women’s empowerment, women’s history, or cultures of inclusion.

“Dr. Morris is guided by her commitment to doing the right thing the right way,” said George Towers, Ph.D., head of IUPUC’s Liberal Arts Division, who nominated Morris for the award. “She approaches every area of her faculty work – teaching, research, and service – with the goal of improving the lives of others. Advocating for gender equity is a unifying theme in her selfless service.”

Morris also received letters of support from IUPUC Assistant Vice Chancellor Lori Montalbano and Anna Carmon, IUPUC Communications Studies program director.

“I am privileged to work for an institution that values the work I do for gender equity and fairness, for democratic communication,” Morris said. “My work in the areas of anti-trafficking and legal gender equality are important to me, and I am honored to be recognized for it.”

IUPUI Women’s History Month Recognition Awards were presented on March 29. This year’s national women’s history month theme was “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” Keynote speaker at the awards event was Associate Professor Andrea Walton, IU School of Education, Bloomington, who discussed her recently edited and released book, Women at Indiana University, 150 Years of Experience and Contributions.

Story  and Photo Courtesy of  IUPUC.

A reminder that local leaders will be holding a kickoff event next week for a new three-year initiative to address mental health in Bartholomew County and Columbus.

The keynote speaker at the event will be Dr. Marc Brackett, PhD, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University.

Also taking part in the kickoff event will local government, non-profit, healthcare and school officials.

The free event will be at 6 p.m., on Wednesday at The Commons in downtown Columbus and you are invited to attend.

The University Library of Columbus and Bartholomew County Public Library are hosting their 7th annual local Comic-Con from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Ivy Tech Community College Columbus’s Moravec Hall.

There will be demonstrations and presentations by artists and authors, along with professional costume players and a costume competition for those who attend. A belly dancing troupe will perform. More than 35 vendors will be on hand and food trucks will be on site for lunch.

The event is free.

For more information, contact Abigail Hilyard at 812-374-5107 or agardenour@ivytech.edu.

Carver Toyota in Columbus has worked with a Johnson County organization to provide a wheelchair-accessible van to help a paralyzed Trafalgar police officer and his family.

Trafalgar police officer Dustin Moody was involved in a crash in June, when he and a vehicle he was chasing went off the road and crashed into an embankment. He has been recovering from the accident and returned home, but his wife had to stop working as a teacher to assist him and to care for their two children. Among the obstacles they faced was the need for a wheelchair-accessible van.

This week, the family was presented with a new modified van that came thanks to the fundraising efforts of UpLift Johnson County joined with the Central Indiana Police Foundation.

The Toyota Hybrid van chassis was donated by Carver Toyota of Columbus and converted for wheelchair accessibility by BraunAbility. Superior Van & Mobility of Indianapolis provided the final customized fittings for Officer Moody and will be the servicing dealer for the mobility equipment and mobility conversion related vehicle elements in the future.

Wendy McClellan, Executive Director for UpLift Johnson County, thanked those who who donated, shared social media posts, and told friends and family about Officer Moody. And she thanked Carver Toyota of Columbus and BraunAbility for their donation and work converting the van.

UpLift Johnson County is still seeking donations to assist the Moody family with ongoing expenses. You can get more information online at https://www.upliftjoco.org/donate.

Photo courtesy of UpLift Johnson County.

A former Columbus business and education leader, philanthropist and restorer of several downtown landmarks was honored posthumously at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting yesterday with the prestigious Community Service Award.

Tony Moravec was the founder of Blairex Labs and Applied Laboratories, restored Zaharakos and the Pumphouse, and among many honors, was recognized last year with the naming of the new building, Moravec Hall, at Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus. He died in November.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop outlined Moravec’s accomplishments at yesterday’s lunch meeting and the award was accepted on Moravec’s behalf by Jeff Logston, head of Blairex and Applied Laboratories.

Other award winners announced yesterday were Angie Ginder with the Edna Folger Teacher of the Year award, the George Utz Group with the Excellence in business award and Service My Restaurants as the small business of the year.

The National Weater Service is now including our area under a slight risk of severe weather tonight into Saturday.

According to the forecast, severe thunderstorms are possible tonight, mainly from 8 p.m. at night to 3 a.m. in the morning.

Damaging winds will be the primary threat, but tornadoes and large hail are also possible. It will also be windy with gusts of up to 40 mph tonight with Saturday wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

A wind advisory goes into effect at 8 p.m. tonight and lasts through 6 p.m. Saturday evening.

Former Vice President and Columbus native Mike Pence is calling the indictment of former President Trump an outrage.

Pence spoke to CNN Thursday, saying it appears to Americans to be nothing more than a “political prosecution.”

Trump will face criminal charges as a New York grand jury has been investigating the hush money case involving his alleged role in a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to cover up their alleged affair.

Pence’s comments come after he’s previously criticized his former boss over his role in the 2021 attack on the U.S Capitol.

Trump is facing more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a New York grand jury. That’s according to a report from CNN.

The indictment marks the first time in U.S history that a current or former president will face criminal charges.

The U.S. Secret Service is talking with New York authorities about transporting Trump to Manhattan to face the criminal charges. The law enforcement agency says it’s working with state authorities and Trump’s lawyers to provide for a safe surrender, and that its role is transportation and personal protection, and they are not taking part in Trump’s arrest.

Officials say New York Judge Juan Merchan is expected to preside over the arraignment next week. The Acting Manhattan Supreme Court Justice oversaw the Trump Organization’s tax fraud trial. He fined the company one-point-six million dollars back in January after it was found guilty of operating a long-running tax fraud scheme.

The entire New York Police Department is being told to dress in uniforms today and to be at the ready. Police are keeping a close eye on Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, which has been a symbolic location in the past. There are extra police on site.

Washington D.C. Police are preparing for possible protests, although confirming there’s no word of any planned demonstrations. Barriers will remain around the Capitol, installed last week when Trump thought he would be arrested and asked supporters to take action.

On social media Thursday, Trump called the indictment “political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history.” The former president’s attorney says Trump is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.

Story courtesy of TTWN Media Networks

Thrive Alliance is looking for volunteers to be foster grandparents in classrooms in Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings counties.

Classroom Grandparents must be at least 55, pass a criminal history check, and meet income eligibility guidelines. The grandparents serve in public and private school classrooms and Head Start Centers across the counties. Classroom grandparents provides seniors the opportunity to share their lifetime of experiences, in a one-on-one situation.

Marci DeBock, Thrive Alliance’s Foster Grandparent Director said the agency is working to ensure there is a full roster of grandparents to meet the many requests received from the schools.

For more information you can go to  https://thrive-alliance.org/foster-grandparent/ or call 812-314-2769.