Monthly Archives: June 2017

CRH pharmacy members recognized

Three members of the pharmacy team at Columbus Regional Health have received special recognition in training and expertise in their fields.

Kelsey DeClue, public relations coordinator at the hospital, says that Stacey Wessel, RPh, CPPS, achieved her Certification in Patient Safety (CPPS). DeClue says that she is among only 21 CPPS professionals in the state and less than 1,500 CPPS professionals nationwide. Wessel is CRH’s Medication Safety Coordinator, meaning she works across the health system to reinforce medication safety in patient care processes.

Annie Stock, PharmD, BCPS-AQ ID, was recently awarded Added Qualifications in Infectious Disease Pharmacotherapy by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. DeClue says the recognition is the pharmacological industry equivalent of being Board Certified in Infectious Disease. Stock has been the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Coordinator for CRH since 2015. She works to promote appropriate use of antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, in the health system and community.

Kelly Sims, PharmD, completed an additional 40 hours of training in the certificate program, “Anticoagulation Therapy Management” provided by the University of Southern Indiana. Sims has been with CRH for more than 10 years and has worked in multiple roles throughout the pharmacy. She is one of the outpatient care pharmacists in the new Medication Management Clinic.

Broken license plate light leads to drug arrest

Driving without a working light on their license plate, led to the arrest of two men in Columbus last night, one on a slew of drug charges.

Carl Bill. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

27-year-old Carl E. Bill was driving an SUV near Indiana and Gladstone avenues at about 11:30 p.m. last night, when Columbus police pulled over the vehicle. Bill’s license was suspended and a Columbus police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics inside the vehicle and a search of the SUV revealed a syringe behind the driver’s seat, says Officer Alyson Rech, spokeswoman for the city police..

When police searched Bill they allegedly found a small container with a burnt spoon, aluminum foil containing heroin, and a hand-rolled joint, Rech says. Officers also found a suboxone strip in Bill’s wallet and a small bag of methamphetamine.

Christopher Browning. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

He is facing charges for possessing the drugs and drug paraphernalia as well as driving while suspended.

The passenger, 26-year-old Christopher J. Browning was also arrested on two outstanding Bartholomew County warrants.

Police: Man arrested after trying to swallow drugs

Michael Neville. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

Columbus police report that a man was arrested on Washington Street last night after he allegedly tried to swallow the drugs he was carrying.

55-year-old Michael D. Neville was in the parking lot at a gas station in the 3100 block of Washington Street at about 8:15 p.m. last night when officer noticed him and recognized that he was wanted on a warrant.

When officers approached him, they allegedly saw him stuff something into his mouth, says Officer Alyson M. Rech, spokeswoman for the police department.

As police arrested him, they saw him spit out a folded dollar bill that allegedly contained heroin. He was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of heroin and obstruction of justice as well as the original warrant.

Deputies to put more miles on patrol vehicles

Bartholomew County deputies will be putting more miles on their vehicles.

Sheriff Matt Myers announced yesterday that the department was upping the maximum mileage on patrol cars from the current 100 thousand miles to 150 thousand miles. Myers said the change is a cost-savings measure.

He credited the care deputies take with their vehicles and the maintenance provided by the Bartholomew County Highway Garage, as the reason that deputies can use the vehicles longer.

Woman arrested after recovering from overdose

Amy Lackey. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

A Columbus woman was arrested on drug-related charges after she was revived from an overdose by police officers.

Officers were called to a home in the 2000 block of Indiana Avenue at just before 7 last night on a reported overdose and found 33-year-old Amy M. Lackey unconscious and not breathing says Officer Alyson Rech with the police department.

After giving Lackey two doses of Narcan she revived and she was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital. Officers located a burnt spoon, a small amount of heroin and several syringes, Rech said.

After leaving the hospital Lackey was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of heroin, of a legend drug injection device and of drug paraphernalia.

Work continues on elevator at Columbus City Hall

Work continues on the elevator at Columbus City Hall. Mayor Jim Lienhoop says he’s hopeful that it will be back in service by the close of business on Friday.

The elevator was knocked out of service a few weeks ago after storms disrupted power in the area.

Due to the elevator being unusable, city officials have moved all public meetings to other locations. The Mayor says that will continue next week when the Board of Public Works & Safety, as well as city council, meet Wednesday at Hamilton Center on 25th Street. The Board of Works at 10 a.m. and City Council at 6 p.m.

City offices are closed Tuesday for the Independence Day Holiday.

Volunteers needed for 4-H Fair parking

The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair is rapidly approaching, and the local Fraternal Order of Police is again responsible for helping with the parking cars at the Fair. The FOP says that this event is the largest source of funding for the organization every year and they need your help.

The FOP says it needs help every day of the fair, which is running July 7-16. Volunteers take money at the gate and direct cars in the field on where to park. The FOP provides beverages and the evening shift will get sandwiches. Shifts are usually 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., but can be adjusted to fit your schedule.

Volunteers receive a T-shirt and will be entered in a drawing to win a gas grill as well as two $50 cash prizes.

If you would like to help, email [email protected] or call (812) 343-2742 or (812) 350-7540. In addition, sign-up sheets are posted at Columbus Police Department and the sheriff’s Department.

Chicago man arrested on drug charges in Greensburg

A Chicago man is facing charges after a traffic stop in Decatur County last week. “The Greensburg Daily News” is reporting that Grensburg Police responded to a call about a possible drunk driver on I-74 last Friday. When they pulled the van over near exit 134, the driver, 34-year-old Antwain Triplett, allegedly put the van is gear and fled. That resulted in minor injuries to one officer who was clipped by the vehicle.

The paper says the pursuit proceeded on to State Road 3 North and ended at the intersection at County Road 300 North. Triplett was then taken into custody without further incident. A search of the van allegedly resulted in the discovery of 200 grams of heroin and 10 grams of marijuana.

The report states that Triplett is facing preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Dealing a Narcotic Drug, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, Obstruction of Justice, Possession of Marijuana and Maintaining a Common Nuisance. The paper says that these charges are enhanced as Triplett is an habitual offender.

For more on this story, visit greensburgdailynews.com.

Court upholds Daniel Messel’s sentence

An appeals court upheld the 80-year sentence for a man convicted of murder in the beating death of IU student Hannah Wilson. Police say that the 22-year-old Wilson was partying in Bloomington with friends in April of 2015 when she went missing. Her body was found days later in Brown County.

Fox 59 is reporting that Daniel Messel’s appeal argued that evidence speculating that a heavy flashlight may have been used to kill Wilson should not have been introduced during his trial. He also argued that his prison sentence was unfair and excessive. Messel was convicted last August by a Brown County jury and sentenced to 60 years for murder and 20 years for being an habitual offender.

Fox 59 is reporting that the court ruled Thursday there was no error in the sentence and found it was appropriate.

For more on this story, visit fox59.com.

New recycling fee goes into effect Saturday

Bartholomew County residents still have a few days left get rid of old computer monitors and TV sets for free at the  Columbus/Bartholomew County Recycling Center or the Bartholomew County Landfill.

Starting on Saturday, July 1st, the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District will begin charging a $20 recycling fee for those items. But until then, they can be disposed of for free.