The annual Turning Point Dance Marathon begins Saturday night at Central Middle School in Columbus. Cameryn Morris is encouraging area high-school students to take part in dancing the night away for a good cause…
Morris talks about the purpose of this yearly event…
Morris says the money raised will stay local…
The dance marathon runs from 6 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday. For more on this event and Turning Point, visit turningpointdv.org.
The city of North Vernon is looking into a move to make its facilities solar-powered. Kurt Schneider, vice-president and partner of Johnson-Melloh Solutions, says he has driven well over six-thousand miles back-and-forth from Indianapolis to North Vernon to come up with a proposal and meet with stake-holders in the city…
Schneider says his company led the switch to solar at the Jennings County Public Library. He then worked with city officials to determine how all of the city-properties might benefit from a similar change…
Schneider says that the total cost of the project, including interest, is just over nine-million dollars. The good news, is that he says the city won’t have to pay a lot of money up front…
Schneider says the saving would be substantial…
Schneider says that the city is poised to reap a net savings of over $5.8 million in utility costs over the next 20 years if his company’s proposal is carried out. The North Vernon City Council is expected to discuss the issue further during its meeting Monday night.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office says that it assisted the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service and the Louisville Metro Police Department in the service of a search warrant.
Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, says that Detective Sgt. Chad Swank has been conducting an investigation into an identity theft/deception case involving a local victim. Sgt. Swank’s investigation grew to include several other victims in other states.
Jackson says that Sgt. Swank and US Postal Inspection Service Agents have been working together tracking the suspects. They have been identified as 36-year-pld Patrick M. Smith, of Lexington, KY and 26-year-old Shelby K. Morgan, of Louisville. Authorities say the pair were found at a Louisville-area hotel. A search the suspects’ hotel room allegedly uncovered several forged driver’s licenses and identification cards from multiple states, equipment to make the cards, as well as narcotics. Authorities also seized several electronic devices for further forensic examination.
Smith and Morgan were arrested and are being held in a Louisville-area facility pending possible federal charges.
Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corporation says that a cut water main on County Road 550 West line has led to some customers being without service. Affected customers are on County Road 550 West, south of Youth Camp Road to County Road 300 South. Officials say that other customers impacted are on County Road 225 South, County Road 250 South and County Road 275 South.
A boil water advisory is in effect until noon on Saturday. Customers should bring water to a full boil for five minutes before consumption or use in cooking and food preparation.
Hope volunteer firefighters are finally operating out of their new fire station.
Chief Randy Wood explains the move from the aging fire station just off the Town Square to the new facility on the east side of the town on Aiken Street.:
Wood said that the new building offers more space and more bathrooms. He said firefighters are much more likely to stick around after a fire run with the new facilities.
Wood said that there are still a few odds and ends to take care of including some trim and carpeting that needs to be nailed down.
The department has been constructing the new facility for more than four years with the project being hampered by cost overruns, a now-settled lawsuit from the former contractors and a dispute with the Town Council that disrupted the department’s funding last year.
Columbus police are hosting a self-defense class for young women.
The Situational Awareness for Everyday, or SAFE classes, will be held Friday at Columbus North High School and March 9th at Columbus East. The all-day classes feature classroom time and physical drills with Columbus police officers.
The March class is also open to students from Hauser, CSA New Tech and Columbus Christian Academy high schools. It is aimed at senior high school girls and students must sign up prior to the start of class.
You can sign up at the schools and lunch is provided.
Deputies are warning about a fraud attempt, where a scammer tried to lure a Whiteland resident in with a promise of a Mercedes Benz and a multi-million dollar sweepstakes consolation prize.
The only catch was that the victim was supposed to send in $299 to cover the Indiana taxes so he could claim the award.
Johnson County deputies report that the would-be victim recognized that it was a scam attempt and played along, gathering more information. The caller claimed to be named Michael Anderson and calling from the 775 area code, which is in Nevada. The would-be vctim was told to mail the check to a Florida address by express mail.
And the scammers suggested he should keep his good fortune confidential, because they would soon be mailing a lot of cash to his home. The resident called deputies who were present for the return call.
A former Columbus mayor is suing the city’s police department and its chief.
Kristen Brown filed the lawsuit on Friday in Bartholomew Superior Court 2. The suit alleges that CPD and Chief Jonathan Rhode denied Brown access to public records. According to the filing, Brown made a public information request on Sept. 8 to Chief Rohde for an incident that took place on Aug. 23. The incident involved criminal mischief or vandalism and a domestic disturbance where two vehicles were damaged.
Brown alleges that Rhode responded with a publicly available “incident report” on Sept. 26, 11-days later than what the Indiana Access to Public Records Act requires. The former mayor also alleges that Rohde did not include all of the information that she requested. This led to Brown filing a formal complaint with the Indiana Public Access Counselor on Sept. 30.
The public access counselor issued an advisory opinion that sided with Brown. You can read the advisory opinion here (PDF) .
The court filing states that Brown again pressed CPD for additional information from the Aug. 23rd incident. She says that her request was met with a response from City Attorney Allan Whitted, informing her that the department has turned over all of the information they had on the matter. Brown’s suit alleges that the city is not being truthful and is hiding the information she has been asking for.
Brown’s suit is asking for the court to force the Columbus Police Department to provide the information that she is requesting, declare that the department and Chief Rohde violated the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, impose a $100 civil penalty against CPD and for reimbursement to cover her attorney’s fees and other expenses. She is also asking the court for a change of venue. Superior Court Judge Kathleen Coriden has not yet made a ruling on the venue change request.
Brown’s action is the latest against the city after being ousted in the 2015 Republican Primary by current mayor, Jim Lienhoop. City officials say that Brown and a small group of her supporters have filed numerous public information requests, as well as made official complaints to the Indiana Public Access Counselor, against the city. Prior to the end of 2016, city officials say that nearly two-dozen requests were made during that year alone. Late last year, Mayor Lienhoop publicly asked Brown and her supporters to stop, citing the time and expense the requests were costing the city and its employees. Lienhoop said he made the public comment to let residents know about the requests, several of which he called, “silly.”
Our request for comment from Brown went unanswered. Chief Rohde referred us to Allan Whitted, who said that he has a professional policy of not commenting on pending litigation.
A Columbus Police Officer was honored for his work with the Bartholomew County Veteran Treatment Court. Officer Brian Kushman
received a Letter of Commendation from Chief Jonathan Rohde during Tuesday’s meeting of the Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety. Chief Rohde says that Kushman, a 16-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department and an eight year veteran of the U.S. Army, volunteered to become a mentor to the Veteran’s Court when it began last year.
Participation in the Veteran’s Court is voluntary and each applicant is screened and evaluated before they are allowed to start the program. During the program, participants are paired with a mentor who is a veteran. Local officials say that the goal of the program is to restore the lives of veterans who have been arrested, while holding them accountable for their actions. Chief Rohde said of Kushman, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your military service and for your service to our community as a police officer. I commend you for the work you have done to positively impact the lives of our veterans and I am honored to work alongside you.”
Two North Vernon women were arrested on drug charges as part of an Indiana State Police criminal interdiction patrol in Jennings County.
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, Indiana State Police spokesman, says that Troopers Rick Hewitt, Randel Miller, and Brent Lykins conducted patrols near North Vernon throughout the day Sunday to look specifically for criminal offenses. During this patrol, troopers issued 10 traffic citations and 18 warnings. Wheeles says the troopers also made eight arrests on charges such as minor consumption, false informing, drug offenses and domestic battery. They also found people wanted on warrants.
Wheeles says that two arrests took place at approximately 12:50 p.m. when Trp. Lykins stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on Norris Avenue, near White Street, in North Vernon. During the course of the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious and asked Trp. Miller and K-9 “Jinx” to assist. Authorities say that Jinx was alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the vehicle. A search reportedly revealed suspected methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, controlled substances, and drug paraphernalia.
ISP says that the driver, 25-year-old Jennifer L. Acree, was arrested on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Hypodermic Syringe, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her passenger, 22-year-old Louann M. Parton, was arrested on charges Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Narcotic Drug and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In addition, police say that Parton was charged with Trafficking with an Inmate after drugs were found hidden on her while at the Jennings County Jail.