A suspected heroin overdose led to the hospitalization of a woman Monday night.

Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that Deputies Andrew Whipker and Andrew Densford responded to the area of 3400 W 100 N at 9:41 p.m. after receiving a call about the possible overdose. As Deputies entered the residence, they reported finding a semi-conscious female. A man inside the home told authorities that he had found the woman unconscious in the bedroom and initiated CPR until she responded.

Jackson says that Narcan was administered by Columbus Township Fire personnel. The woman woke up and allegedly told Deputy Whipker that she had injected heroin. Authorities say that a clear plastic container with a small white rock and trace amounts of white powder were lying on a bed near the female.

The woman was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital. Her condition is unknown.

Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corp. will be turning off water in the Terrace Lake Road area Wednesday so crews can repair a water main.

According to the water company, the water will be off from about 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday for customers on Terrace Lake Road north of Carr Hill Road. All of the customers on Suburban Court will also be affected.

After the water main is repaired, customers will be under a boil water advisory until 4 p.m. Friday. Customers should boil water for five minutes before consuming it or using it for food preparation.

For more information, call Southwestern Bartholomew Water at 812-342-4421

The city of Columbus is considering paying up to $250,000 to figure out what to do with the riverfront area, including the dam in the East Fork White River, People Trails in the vicinityand the former city dump — a Superfund site.

The city’s consultant, Core Planning, recommended to the Columbus Redevelopment Commission yesterday that the agency begin negotiating to hire Hitchcock Design Group. Consultant Karen Valiquett, with Core Planning, said that Hitchcock’s proposal was the most expensive of the five companies who submitted proposals, but it also was the most complete and showed the broadest number of partner agencies.

Valiquett said the Hitchcock proposal was between $223,000 and $250,000 dollars. The next highest proposal was $180 thousand. The scope of the work would cover the initial design of a riverfront project, Valiquett said. She expected to negotiate down the cost of the contract as the city clarified the work it wants done.

The company was recommended by a committee including various stakeholders on the riverfront project.

Once the initial design phase is complete, the city could look at a menu of options on which portions it would like to proceed with, she said.

Redevelopment Commission Chairwoman Sarah Cannon said she was uncomfortable voting to approve a resolution authorizing a contract without more details on the cost and the scope of the work. The commission agreed to hold off on the approval and tabled discussion of the contract.

In other business, the redevelopment commission approved a $36,000 contract with Jayne Farber to help shepherd various projects through the development process. The contract was approved at the last commission meeting, but changes were made to more directly outline the work Farber would do and the projects she would work on.

Dave Jones, a former parks board member, questioned whether the commission could pay Farber out of money from the city’s tax increment financing district. He said he believed it would be a felony to do so.

The city of Columbus will pay almost $6,000 to keep people from climbing on top of the downtown Cole apartments from the city-owned parking garage inside the building on Second Street.

Heather Pope, redevelopment director for the city, said that the apartment owners have complained about people going to the highest level of the parking garage at night and climbing on top of the apartments, where they leave trash and other debris.

To prevent people from gaining access, the city is going to install a set of gates that will block off the highest level of the garage at night. Similar gates will be installed in the city-owned parking garage at Jackson and Fourth streets.

The gates would also aid in snow removal costs by allowing the city to close off the upper levels of the garage. The gates at each garage will cost $5,885 but the construction company, Ace Welding, offered a $1,000 discount if the city installed gates at both locations.

City officials also discussed putting up fencing to keep people off of the apartments, but that would have cost at least $50,000, Pope said. There were two bidders for the gate project, with Made Right Fence offering to build the gates for about $11,000 each, Pope said.

Pope said the money would come from revenues from the parking garages, rather than tax dollars. The Columbus Redevelopment Commission approved the purchase at a special meeting Monday afternoon.

Two North Vernon women were arrested Sunday night after an alleged fight.

The North Vernon Police Department says that, just before 7 p.m., officers were called to the Jennings County Sheriff Department parking lot in regards to the fight. Police say that an investigation determined that both women had battered each other, resulting in the arrests of 22-year-old Alicia Jones and 49-year-old Tammy Jones.

Authorities say that both women are facing preliminary charges of Battery and Disorderly Conduct.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has issued a permit to the City of Columbus allowing closure of State Road 46, between Franklin Street and Lindsey Street, for Saturday’s Festival of Lights Parade. INDOT says that the closure will be in place from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

INDOT says that the parade will require drivers being detoured from Third Street, at Franklin Street, north to 11th Street, west through the roundabout, then south on to Lindsey Street. The parade route follows Washington Street to Eighth Street, to Brown Street, to Third Street.

Columbus police will be directing traffic.

The U.S. Postal Service wants you to know about extended holiday hours.

A spokesperson with the Indianapolis office says that in an effort to help its customers get cards, letters and packages to their destination in time for the holidays, the following offices will be open on these Sundays: Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.

Columbus 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bloomington 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Greenwood 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Seymour Noon to 4 p.m.

A portion of State Road 135 will be closed in Nashville on Saturday as the town celebrates an annual festival.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has issued a permit to the Town of Nashville allowing the closure of State Road 135/Van Buren Street for the community’s Fourth Annual Parade Of Lights. INDOT says that the north-south highway will be closed from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., between School House Lane and Gould Street.

INDOT says that drivers heading north will be rerouted at Pat Reilly Drive to Jefferson Street, to West Washington and Mound Streets. Southbound drivers will detour around the parade route using Artist Drive and Old State Road 46.

Saturday’s parade is slated to begin at School House Lane. It then proceeds to East Washington Street, to Jefferson Street, to West Gould Street, to State Road 135 South, then back to School House Lane via East Washington Street.

If you are attending this event in Nashville, you are urged to bring Christmas presents for the Salvation Army’s Parade Of Lights Toy Drive.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has issued a permit to close State Road 235 this Saturday at Medora for that community’s annual Christmas Parade on State Road 235 between County Road 275 and Washington Street. INDOT says this will result in the state highway being closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

INDOT says that drivers will be routed around the parade site via County Road 275, Jackson Street and Riley Street.

Saturday’s Christmas Festival events begin at the Medora Senior Center with Breakfast With Santa. It continues at the public library with Selfies With Santa and Cookies with Mrs. Claus. Food and craft vendors open for business at 9 a.m. Live music precedes and continues after the mid-day holiday parade. At 8 p.m., a Christmas Ball will be held at the Medora Conservation Club.

A Saturday night police chase in Jennings County led to the arrest of two brothers from North Vernon.

Deputy Bryan Katterhenry, public information officer for the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, says that at approximately 10:20 p.m., he and Reserve Deputy Travis Wakefield attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of U.S. Highway 50 and County Road 75 East for speeding. Katterhenry says the vehicle failed to stop and fled south on County Road 75 East towards Vernon at a high rate of speed.

Deputies say they pursued the vehicle, which allegedly reached speeds of over 110 mph, through eastern Center Township and western Campbell Township for a total of 15 miles. Katterhenry says the chase lasted about 11 minutes, ending at the driver’s residence in the 3500 block east of U.S. Highway 50. The driver, 20-year-old Troy R. Petro, Jr., allegedly exited the vehicle and began to fight with deputies as they tried to take him into custody. Katterhenry says that Petro was ultimately subdued after deputies used a Taser on him.

Katterhenry says that, while on scene, a number of people began to arrive and cause a disturbance in an attempt to hinder the officers’ efforts. During this time, Petro’s brother, 19-year-old Brian R. Petro, allegedly made threatening statements towards officers. That resulted in his arrest as well.

Sheriff’s officials say that Troy R. Petro, Jr. is facing preliminary charges of Battery on Law Enforcement, Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing, Criminal Recklessness, Resisting Law Enforcement, Aggressive Driving , Disorderly Conduct, Reckless Driving and Driving Without Ever Receiving a License. He was held on $1,055 cash bond.

Katterhenry says that Brian R. Petro is facing a preliminary felony charge of Intimidation. He was held on $1,055 cash bond.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is thanking the dispatchers with Jennings County 911, the North Vernon Police Department, the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police for their help in these arrests.