The Legal Aid office in Bartholomew County will have a free Legal Aid Clinic from 3 to 5 p.m. today at the United Way Center in Columbus.

Volunteer attorneys will be available offering free legal consultations to low-income residents. If you come to the clinic you can expect a 10-minute consultation to answer general questions, offer legal information or receive other limited assistance. Visits will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no need to register in advance.

Other local clinics include:

• BROWN COUNTY: Brown County Public Library, 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 3
• DECATUR COUNTY: Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library, 3 to 5 p.m.  Wednesday, May 9
• JACKSON COUNTY: Jackson County Public Library, 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 6
• JENNINGS COUNTY: Jennings County Public Library, 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 15

The Bartholomew County legal aid offices are in the United Way Center at 1531 13th St.. You can call 812-372-8933 for more information.

An Austin man was critically injured after his SUV crashed through a guardrail, off of a bridge and landed on Interstate 65 in southern Jackson County Saturday.

37-year-old Richard T. Coulter had to be cut from his vehicle after the crash on the icy bridge on Jackson County Road 600 South just after noon Saturday. He was taken to an Indianapolis area hospital with critical injuries, says Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police.

Wheeles says that the initial investigation indicates that Coulter lost control on the ice-covered overpass, sending his vehicle through the guardrail and onto the northbound lanes of the highway, where it struck an SUV driven by 56-year-old,  Charles G. Jahnke of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Jahnke was uninjured in the accidents.

A North Vernon girl died after a crash Saturday morning on U.S. 50 near County Road 450W.

17-year-old Morgan R. Gibson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened shortly before 8 a.m. Saturday, says Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police.

Gibson was driving westbound on U.S. 50, when her vehicle crossed the centerline, into the path of a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Destiny Gerringer of North Vernon, Wheeles said. Gerringer’s vehicle hit the passenger side of Gibson’s car. Both cars came to rest in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 50.

Gerringer was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana with serious injuries.

Wheeles said the weather contributed to the crash. Freezing rain was falling at the time of the crash and the road was icy.

The crash remains under investigation by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Jennings County EMS, Jennings County Coroner’s Office, and the Spencer Township Fire Department.

With growing concerns about antibiotic resistance, public perception about the use of antibiotics in food animals has called into question what’s best for the animal and our food supply.

On Tuesday, dietitians attending the Southeast Chapter meeting of the Indiana Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics will hear why responsible antibiotic use is essential to protect animal health and produce safe food. Jeffrey Harker, DVM, of Swine Health Services in Frankfort, will address the group at 2:30 p.m. at Schneck Medical Center.

Titled “Our Health Is All Connected,” the speech by Harker will explain how animal health and human health go hand-in-hand, and why responsible antibiotic use is a shared commitment by human and animal health professionals, and all farmers who raise food animals, from pigs and chickens to honey bees.

“Just as in human medicine, we realize pig farmers and veterinarians play a role in maintaining the effectiveness of antibiotics for future generations,” said Harker. “Pig farmers are committed to finding new ways to reduce the need for antibiotics and are working with veterinarians like me to ensure responsible use.”

“I’d like to thank the Southeast Chapter of the Indiana Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics for giving me an opportunity to share why antibiotics used responsibly are essential for healthy pigs and safe food,” said Harker.

A Jennings County elementary school is set to see drastic improvements to its playground after it received word that it will receive a grant of over $70,000. Karen Villa is a physical education teacher at North Vernon Elementary.

Villa talks about how that money will be spent.

Villa says that the playground equipment needed replaced, as much of it had been there since the school opened.

Villa gave all the credit to members of the community for their help in the online poll.

Villa says that Culturelle Kids and KaBOOM are dedicated to improving the health of children through play, exercise and other physical activity.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is inviting area youths to take part in the 39th annual Indiana Sheriffs’ Association Youth Leadership Camps. He says there are two camp sessions this year:

NORTHERN SESSION
June 26 – 29, 2018
Pine Creek Camp
Pine Village, IN
Warren County

SOUTHERN SESSION
July 9-11, 2018
Waycross Episcopal Camp
Morgantown, IN
Brown County

Information and application forms have been mailed to every Middle/Junior High School Counselor within the state.

Sheriff Myers says that ISA’s Youth Leadership Camp is a program provided by the ISA for boys and girls who are currently in the 7th or 8th grade and interested in learning more about a possible career in law enforcement.

“The camp provides a very meaningful experience and relationship with other campers from throughout the state as well as sheriff officers who serve as counselors and instructors,” said Sheriff Myers. He notes that this is not the same camp as the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Youth Academy which will be held June 4-8, at CERAland.

You can download an application at http://bit.ly/2INKJhA.

Authorities in Jennings County were able to net 10 arrests during a county-wide sweep. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that on Tuesday evening, North Vernon Police joined deputies from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Jennings Superior Court Probation Officers, Jennings County Circuit Probation Officers and Parole agents from the Indiana State Parole District Nine in carrying out the sweep.

Richmond says that NVPD officers assisted parole agents and probation officers with compliance searches and warrant services. He says that charges on those arrested include Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Resisting Law Enforcement and active arrest warrants.

Authorities say this is a continuation of a program started last fall that allows multiple departments to work side by side and sharing critical information to make communities safer.

Two teenagers were arrested after allegedly communicating a threat against a school in Jennings County. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that the incident began on Wednesday evening when Detective Ivory Sandefur was made aware of a phone message left on a student’s phone reporting a threat to St Mary’s Elementary School. The investigation revealed two juveniles, one of them a former St. Mary’s student, was involved with the threat to blow the school up.

Richmond says that extra officers were assigned to the school during the investigation in order to provide additional security. On Friday afternoon, Sandefur was able to obtain a detention order for both suspects, a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old male. Both were arrested and are being held at Bartholomew County Juvenile detention center, each on a preliminary charge of Intimidation, a level 6 felony.

Two North Vernon residents were arrested on drug charges after a Thursday traffic stop. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says the incident began when officers responded to a report of a possibly intoxicated driver headed towards North Vernon from the Butlerville area. Richmond says the caller was able to give central dispatch a description of the car, as well as the license plate number. Officer Wes Thayer reported seeing the car speed in a construction zone after turning onto State Road 750 from Highway 50.

Officer Thayer initiated a traffic and suspected the occupants were involved with drug activity. Sgt. Allen Ritchie of the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department respond with his K9, Vampir. The K9 was reportedly alerted to the odor of drugs inside the vehicle. Officers at the scene searched the vehicle and detained the driver, 37-year-old Storme Schachel and the passenger, 42-year-old Richard Simone. Information had been shared that the occupants might be hiding drugs on their persons, so they were both detained and a search warrant was obtained. The search warrant allowed for officer to both strip search and search body cavities. During the service of the warrant at a medical facility, police say that approximately 12 grams of suspected heroin was recovered and seized from Schachel.

Schachel was arrested on preliminary charges of Dealing in a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Maintaining a Common Nuisance. Simone is facing preliminary charges of Maintaining a Common Nuisance and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

A Columbus teen was arrested after a Thursday night incident where the pickup truck he was driving crashed into four vehicles. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that at approximately 8 p.m., Deputy Corey Lehman was dispatched to a crash at the intersection of North Marr Road and East County Road 550 North. Opon arrival, Deputy Lehman reported finding 19-year-old Hayden Zapfe sitting behind the wheel of a pickup truck. Jackson says the investigation indicated that Zapfe was driving southbound on North Marr Road when he ran off the roadway and collided with four other vehicles that were parked at a business near the intersection.

Authorities say that Zapfe was found to be in possession of marijuana and displayed signs of impairment. He was also allegedly driving without a license. Zapfe was arrested on preliminary charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated and Possession of Marijuana.

He has since been released on bond.