Monthly Archives: March 2018

School officials finish security audit of BCSC facilities

Prompted by parent concerns, Bartholomew Consolidated Schools recently finished a review of security at the 18 buildings in the school  system. School officials say that there are some changes that need to be made, but they are not proposing major changes such as metal detectors or arming teachers.

Dr. Jim Roberts, BCSC superintendent, told the school board this week that he and Larry Perkinson, the district’s student assistance coordinator, made an unannounced tour of the school buildings and checked every exterior door — about 1,000 in all — to make sure they were secured.

Roberts said that they did find some improvements that could be made. But they do not want to take drastic steps.

Roberts said the school district has put together a wish list of items they would like to address, if funding was made available by the state. But rather than equipment, or arming teachers, Roberts said the district would like to invest more in personnel such as school resource officers and those helping students with mental health issues.

But there are some physical needs that should be addressed, he said:

BCSC Parent Jenni Muncie-Sujan was one of those who brought concerns to the school board last month.She formed a Facebook group called BCSC Safety Now Parent Forum which has more than 650 members.

She said the school district needs to ensure that parents’ concerns are addressed and they are kept informed.

Sujan said her personal preference would be to install metal detectors, alarm all but two doors into each building and require key cards for entrance for students and staff.

She said the school board does not have the option to do nothing to improve security

Muncie-Sujan said that a recent survey of members of the Facebook group indicated there was some public support for increased spending to address safety issues at the schools.

School board president Jeff Caldwell said that if the school district finds an effective measure that needs to be taken, he is confident that the funding will be found to implement it.

Caldwell  said the district needs to make sure to balance any changes so as not to disrupt the climate and culture of the schools. Including their after-hours use as community meeting places.

He said that the people in the school district, both students and staff, are the primary item to be addressed and to rely on for school security.

State Road 252 repairs to begin soon

Photo courtesy of Indiana Department of Transportation

You will soon see delays on State Road 252 in southern Johnson and Shelby counties, as INDOT contractors work to repair the highway between Interstate 65 and U.S. 31.

The $317,500 project will patch pavement, including some full lane-width patches that will be hundreds of feet long. They will also be sealing joints and cracks along the 2.5 mile-long stretch of road.

Construction signs will be going up next Monday but the actual work will start later in April.

Dave O’Mara Contractors of North Vernon is the main contractor for the project. The work is expected to be done by Memorial Day weekend.

Our Hospice warns of misleading fundraising letter

Photo courtesy of Our Hospice of South-Central Indaina

Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is warning of a questionable letter that could be arriving in your mailbox, especially if you live in the Hope and Edinburgh areas.

The official looking letter says it is a “2018 Annual Fund Drive” for hospice care, but has nothing to do with the local hospice and any donations you make will not be going to local efforts to provide end of life care.

Our Hospice officials say that they do send fundraising mailings throughout the year, but they will be clearly identified with the Our Hospice logo and all funds will remain with the local local non-profit hospice.

If you have any questions you can call 812-314-8000.

Parking lot incident leads to drug arrest

A man found loitering in a parking lot Monday afternoon is under arrest on drug related charges.

25-year-old John D.Wilson of Columbus was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of both methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Lt Matt Harris with the Columbus police says officers were called to a report of suspicious people in a vehicle in the 3500 block of Central Avenue at about 3:40 p.m. Monday afternoon. Police spoke to the occupants of a vehicle and a police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics inside.

A search revealed the meth and drug paraphernalia under the seat.

Chamber holding annual meeting on Wedesday

The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual meeting Wednesday morning at The Commons.

Cindy Frey, the Chamber president, explains this is a good time to look at the community’s achievements and how it can improve itself.

She related the annual meeting’s goal to a proverb from former Cummins CEO J. Irwin Miller, saying that we should always be in competition with our ancestors.

This year’s keynote speaker is Drew Klacik, senior policy analyst with Indiana University Public Policy Institute.

Frey said several awards will be given including Community Project of the Year, the Maverick Awards for high school students, the Edna Folger Award for an outstanding teacher and a Community Servant of the Year award.

The event starts at 11:30 a.m. at The Commons and it is sold out.

Columbus officials to celebrate projects today

Columbus officials will be celebrating the start of one construction project today and the finish of another.

City Council and the mayor are scheduled to be at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new public safety training facility on Verhulst Drive at noon today and at the ribbon cutting for the reconstructed bridge at Lincoln Park at 4 p.m. today. That historic bridge was previously installed in Newbern and now spans Haw Creek, allowing the People Trail system to connect just south of 25th Street.

North Vernon man accused of threatening family with a gun

Tracy Chadd. Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

A North Vernon man is accused of pulling a handgun and threatening his family members.

41-year-old Tracy Chadd is facing a preliminary charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon after the Friday night incident.

Jennings County Sheriff’s deputies were called to County Road 750W in the Hayden area at about 10:30 p.m. Friday on a report of a man with a gun. Chadd was arrested without incident and several firearms were taken from the home.

Columbus police have busy 24 hours of drunk driving arrests

Columbus police made four drunk driving arrests over a 24-hour period last weekend.

Matthew T. Hunsberger. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

According to police reports, the first arrest came at about 5:05 p.m. Friday afternoon when officers were called a store on State Street after a witness said a man nearly struck her vehicle in the parking lot. Police caught up to the driver near State Street and County Road 300E. A breath test found that the driver, 57-year-old Matthew T. Hunsberger of Columbus, had a blood alcohol level of .142 percent. hew as arrested on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with endangerment and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level greater than .08 percent.

Samuel D. Allman

Ten minutes shy of 24 hours later, police made their fourth arrest of the weekend. Witnesses called police to the 1600 block of Brian Drive at about 4:55 p.m.Saturday after they saw a truck allegedly driving recklessly. Police stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver 44-year-old Samuel D. Allman of Columbus.

He appeared impaired and a breath test showed he had a blood alcohol level of .273 percent, more than three times the legal limit. He is facing a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Scott W. Glauber

Shortly before midnight Friday, police stopped a speeding vehicle near Eighth and Iowa streets in Columbus. The driver, 45-year-old Scott W. Glauber of Greensburg appeared glassy-eyed and police could smell alcohol in the vehicle. He is facing a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated after his breath test showed a blood alcohol level of .127 percent.

Alma Ordonez

Just over an hour later, at 1:06 a.m. Saturday morning, an officer saw a vehicle that was still in gear, and still running in a yard in the 1800 block of 10th Street. The driver, 28-year-old Alma A. Ordonez of Columbus, was asleep behind the wheel and appeared unsteady after being awoken. She failed several field sobriety tests and is being accused of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Woman accused of firing shots at vehicles including police

Sara Murphy. Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department

A Dupont woman is under arrest, accused of firing a handgun as vehicles passed on the road including a state conservation officer’s truck.

41-year-old Sara R. Murphy was arrested on preliminary felony charges of criminal recklessness with a firearm and intimidation with a deadly weapon over the Friday night incident.

Lt Mike Mowery, spokesman for the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that a driver noticed a woman standing outside a home on County Road 500E at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday night, with her hands held together as if she had a gun, and then heard a gunshot as he passed the home.

Authorities were called in after the driver got home safely, and the first officer on scene was a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

As he approached the home, a woman, identified as Murphy, stepped from behind a vehicle and fired several shots. The officer backed up to a safe distance and called for assistance.

Deputies from Jennings and Jefferson counties along with Indiana State Police troopers arrived on the scene. Officers called the home, and talked with Murphy’s boyfriend who said he had no idea that the incident was happening. The boyfriend then disarmed Murphy and police made the arrest, Mowery said.

Mowery said there is no indication, as of yet, that any of her shots hit a vehicle or whether she was shooting at the vehicles or into the air. However conservation officers are cleaning the officer’s truck and still looking for any bullet holes.

Mowery said the case is still under investigation.

School security plans to be discussed tonight

Bartholomew Consolidated school officials will be presenting their review of school safety procedures tonight, following questions from the public about the Florida school shootings.

BCSC has had two threatening incidents at Columbus East High School since the Florida school shootings and one incident where a teacher brought a rifle to school in his truck.

School Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts said some community members raised concerns about BCSC school safety at a school board meeting last month. Since then, the school board held an executive session to address those concerns.

The results of that meeting will be presented to the community at the school board meeting tonight which will be held at CSA New Tech High School on 25th Street at 6:30 p.m.