A North Vernon woman was hurt Tuesday afternoon in a one-vehicle crash. North Vernon Police say that officers responded to Tenn Oaks Plaza in the 1500 block of North State Street at 1:10 p.m. on a report of a personal injury accident. When they arrived, officers say they found Edna Rockey had crashed a van into a building. The NVPD says that both the van and the building suffered “extensive damage.” Rockey suffered minor injuries in the crash.

A cause for the crash has not been released, but the investigation is ongoing.

Members of the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant Wednesday at a home in Morgan County. Indiana State Police say the warrant came about after a five-month investigation of 32-year-old Michael Scott Polston, of Monrovia. They say that Polston was arrested after the search of the home in the 2600 block of West McCracken Road. Polston is facing 10 felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography and is being held in the Morgan County Jail on $9,000 cash bond.

Indiana State Police say that the investigation is ongoing.

A Columbus man was arrested after a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at approximately 4:40 p.m., Officer Drake Maddix witnessed the driver of a moped fail to properly signal a turn at 15th Street and Union Street. When he stopped the driver, 33-year-old Jose Manuel Irizarry Rivera, Maddix determined that Rivera’s license was suspended. When Rivera was taken into custody, Maddix allegedly found methamphetamine in Rivera’s pants pockets. Rivera is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Driving while Suspended with a Prior Conviction.

Five people were arrested, three of them wanted on warrants, after the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant Tuesday at a home in Scipio. Lt. Mike Mowery, department spokesman, says that investigators received information that Larry M. Nantz, who was wanted on a warrant for a parole violation, was at a home in the 7000 block North State Road 7. They say the home is owned by Jacob J. Jareski.

Mowery says that just before 5 p.m., officers from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Correction executed the warrant. Four people were quickly taken into custody. The fifth person, Larry M. Nantz, allegedly ran from the home on foot and was pursued by Officers. He was apprehended with the help of K9 Vampir.

Mowery says that officers found firearms, drug paraphernalia, a small amount of drugs and marijuana plants at the home. Those arrested were:

Larry M. Nantz – Possession of Firearm by Serious Violent (Felon Level 4 Felony); Battery on Law Enforcement (Level 5 Felony); Visiting a Common Nuisance, Possession of a Syringe, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Paraphernalia (Level 6 Felonies); Resisting Law Enforcement (Class A Misdemeanor); Disorderly Conduct, Possession of Marijuana (Class B Misdemeanor). Held without bond,

Jennifer L. Acree – Wanted on a warrant for Visiting Common Nuisance, Possession of Syringe, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Controlled Substance (Level 6 Felonies); Possession of Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor). Bond set at $2,055.

Samantha L. Bott – Wanted on a warrant for Visiting a Common Nuisance, Possession of Syringe, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felonies); Possession of Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor). Bond set at $2,055.

Jacob J. Jareski – Maintaining Common Nuisance, Possession of Syringe (Level 6 Felonies); Cultivating Marijuana (Class A Misdemeanor). Bond set at $1,055.

Alexander R. Taylor – Visiting Common Nuisance (Level 6 Felony). Bond set at $2,055.

Dorel Juvenile USA announced Tuesday that it will move production of one million children’s car seats from China to Columbus. That move is expected to create 60 jobs locally.

The company says the move is part of Walmart’s 10-year commitment to buying $250 billion of products made by American workers. Once the car seats are made, they’ll be sold at Walmart stores across the country.

Dorel hasn’t said when they will begin hiring or given a timeline for the move from China.

The Yellow Trail Museum in Hope will be holding a photo sale and selling ice cream floats on Saturday, to support the Relay for Life.

The museum will be selling historic photos that were recently donated from the archives of the former Hope Star-Journal newspaper. Barb Johnson,  the museum director, said that the museum doesn’t have room for the photos. The photos will be sold for 25 cents each or six for $1. The museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday

The Hope Relay for Life, to benefit the American Cancer Society, will also be going on Saturday on the Hope Town Square from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Bartholomew County’s recently formed anti-opiate task force expects to soon begin asking for community volunteers for various projects and groups organized to fight the local drug epidemic.

Jeff Jones, the executive lead for the anti-drug efforts called ASAP or Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County, says that the group has continued its work, behind the scenes, since its launch last month.

The work is being divided up into three action teams: a legal team headed by Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin, a team for treatment and recovery headed by Columbus Regional Hospital’s Julie Abedian and a prevention team led by Beth Morris of the hospital’s Healthy Communities program..

Jones said the work will be moving from broad strategies to specific tactics in the next 30 to 60 days and will be turning to the community for volunteers and other aid.

Jones said that they have been keeping lists of potential volunteers and expect to begin making contact soon.

For more information or to volunteer with any of the groups, you can email [email protected], or call 812-375-2732.

Jones was last weekend’s guest on News Talk 1010 WCSI’s News & Views, the weekly public affairs program. You can hear more about the progress of the ASAP group here.

One person was flown to a Louisville hospital after a five-vehicle crash yesterday afternoon, south of Seymour on Interstate 65. That crash tied up traffic for hours.

Indiana State Police say that the crash happened about two miles south of the Seymour exit at about 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

There had been an earlier vehicle fire on the interstate and traffic was still backed up when a semi driven by 28-year-old Charles W. Burton of Tell City didn’t slow down and then ran into the back of a van and then another semi. The second semi crashed into another which then hit a fourth semi.

Burton had to be cut from the wreckage of his semi by the Seymour Fire Department, and he was then flown to University of Louisville Hospital with serious injuries. All of the other drivers were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Other drivers included:

• Michael E. Kleitz, 38, New Albany
• Darrel R. Ashby, 66, Lebanon, Va.
• Victor Jones, 54, Clarksville, Tenn.
• Larry S. Grover, 50, Harrison, Mich.

Southbound lanes of I-65 were shut down for nearly three hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

The Indiana Department of Transportation’s $84 million added travel lanes project on Interstate 65 in Johnson County will require restrictions on State Road 44 at the Franklin exit beginning next week. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, June 5: Mill and patch State Road 44 northwest and southwest ramps. This will result in closures during daytime hours. Pave and set Raised Pavement Markings (RPMs) on I-65 northbound and southbound between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during overnight hours. Double right lane will be closed, with one reopening for daytime traffic.

Tuesday, June 6: Mill and patch State Road 44 northwest and southwest ramps. This will result in closures during daytime hours. Pave and set Raised Pavement Markings (RPMs) on I-65 northbound and southbound between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during overnight hours. Double right lane will be closed, with one reopening for daytime traffic.

Wednesday, June 7: Patch and close State Road 44 ramps during overnight hours. Place aggregate along I-65 northbound and southbound outside shoulders between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during daytime hours; single right lanes remain closed. During overnight hours, pave I-65 northbound and southbound outside shoulders/slopewalls between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5. Double right lane will be closed, with one reopening for daytime traffic.

Thursday, June 8: Pave State Road 44 northwest and southwest lanes/ramps during overnight hours; individual ramps close for paving, then reopen. Place aggregate along I-65 northbound and southbound outside shoulders between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during daytime hours; single right lane remains closed.

Friday, June 9: Pave State Road 44 northwest and southwest lanes/ramps during overnight hours; individual ramps close for paving, then reopen. Place aggregate along I-65 northbound and southbound outside shoulders between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during daytime hours; single right lane remains closed.

Saturday, June 10: Pave all State Road 44 ramp shoulders during overnight hours; individual ramps close for paving, then reopen. Place aggregate along I-65 northbound and southbound outside shoulders between mile markers 95.0 and 88.5 during daytime hours; single right lane remains closed.

INDOT stresses that all scheduled work is dependent on the weather.

A Columbus high-school senior was one of four “elite” students honored Tuesday by Gov. Eric Holcomb and other state officials. Holcomb, Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jennifer McCormick and Treasurer Kelly Mitchell today announced the winners of the 2017 Governor’s STEM Team awards. The students were honored during a gathering in the Governor’s Office.

Ujwala Pamidimukkala, of Columbus North, was named the winner in the science division. The Governor’s office says that Pamidimukkala ranked first in her class of 435 students. She has earned a number of awards and achievements throughout high school, including National Merit Finalist, U.S. Presidential Scholars Candidate, and Indiana Academic All-Star Finalist. Pamidimukkala plans to study molecular biology in the hope of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon.

Pamidimukkala is joined by Technology Winner: Samantha Fassnacht, of Westfield High School, Engineering Winner: Miranda Shook, of Greenfield-Central High School and Math Winner: Truman Bennet, of Marion High School. All four winners are high school seniors.

“These four students have demonstrated excellence in subjects that are fueling the innovation and entrepreneurship to build our economic future,” Gov. Holcomb said. “It’s a pleasure to recognize their hard work on a statewide level and elevate Indiana’s academic superstars. I can’t wait to see where the future takes these bright young Hoosiers.”

The awards highlight Indiana’s elite high school students for their work in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Each winner received a $1,000 college scholarship through Indiana’s CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan, letterman jackets identifying them as members of the Governor’s STEM Team and tickets to gaming convention, Gen Con.

“Success in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math drives our students and our state forward,” said Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction. “I am excited to see the passion for STEM exhibited by Ujwala, Samantha, Miranda and Truman, and I am honored to be a part of the 2017 Governor’s STEM Team award ceremony.”

“STEM education is vital to developing Indiana’s workforce, and CollegeChoice 529 is helping young Hoosiers reach educational goals in these critical fields,” said Kelly Mitchell, Indiana Treasurer of State. “As chair of the CollegeChoice Plans, I am delighted to help reward the outstanding students of the Governor’s STEM Team for their achievements and see where their studies take them in the years to come.”