Seven candidates, five Republicans and two Democrats, are actively campaigning to win the District 59 seat at the Statehouse being vacated by retiring Rep. Milo Smith of Columbus. The district covers most of Bartholomew County. Mary Kohen and Dale Nowlin are running in the Democratic primary. We asked them about state legislators recent actions to legalize CBD oil and the possibility of legalizing medical marijuana in Indiana.

Kohen says CBD oil and marijuana can benefit those who are suffering…

Nowlin says that making CBD oil legal in Indiana was the right move…

The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of the Republican primary being contested between Lew Wilson, JoAnne Flohr, Ryan Lauer, John Counceller, and Allen Smith. Benjamin Chastain is also on the Republican ballot, but he is not actively campaigning.

John Counceller says the action taken on CBD oil was “adequate.”

JoAnne Flohr says she supports CBD oil being legal.

05-01 Election JoAnne Flohr Q2 RAW

As for marijuana, Lew Wilson agrees…

05-01 Election LEW WILSON Q2 RAW

Lauer says he supports the legislature’s action on CBD oil. As for medical marijuana…

Smith says he supports CBD oil being legal, so long as it is tightly regulated…

05-01 Allan Smith Q2 RAW

Smith adds that he is unopposed to medical marijuana, as long as it is tightly regulated.

The primary election is May 8th.

Two people are under arrest in North Vernon after an officer smelled their marijuana wafting through the neighborhood.

Sgt. Andrew Richmond with the North Vernon police says that he was patrolling on South Madison Avenue Saturday afternoon when he noticed the odor. He and other officers tracked it to a shed. Two people walked out of the shed and were arrested.

27-year-old Jason S. Proffitt of North Vernon is facing charges of possession of methamphetamine, a controlled substance, a syringe and paraphernalia. 21-year-old Austin L. Woodson is being accused of possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Authorities are warning about a recent scam that swindled $1,200 from an unsuspecting victim.

Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox says that deputies took a report of an online scam, where a resident tried to buy a John Deere tractor that was being sold through CraigsList, supposedly by a woman called Amanda Barton. After contacting the supposed Indianapolis-area seller, the victim was told to buy several ebay gift cards and to forward the numbers for the cards to the seller by e-mail.

However, after buying the cards and sending the codes, the victim could no longer get ahold of the seller.

Authorities say that no legitimate business will ask you to settle debt or to make a purchase by going to a store and buying gift cards for online services,  such as ebay or iTunes, or prepaid credit cards.

A disturbance on Rosedale Drive in Columbus led to the arrest of a local man on drug charges.

Columbus police said that they were called to the 2700 block at shortly after 5 p.m.  Saturday afternoon on a report of a man causing a disturbance, but the man had already left the scene. 35-year-old Fidel T. Canales was found a few blocks away and was also found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

After he was arrested, police found methamphetamine in his clothing says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police.

Canales is facing a charge of possession of meth, along with the Bartholomew County warrant.

Five people were arrested on drug related charges early Saturday morning after narcotics were found in a Columbus home.

At about 12:10 a.m. Saturday morning police came to the home in the 1800 block of Hiker Trace looking for a suspect who ran from police earlier in the evening. The suspect, 25-year-old Travis J. Sneed was outside the home and allegedly ran again. Officers also smelled marijuana at the home, says Lt. Matt Harris spokesman for the Columbus police.

Police served a search warrant at the home and discovered methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Sneed was located inside the home and taken into custody along with four other people.

Sneed is facing charges of possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, along with resisting law enforcement, visiting a common nuisance and an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

Also arrested were:

• Michael C. Brown, 44, Elizabethtown: Visiting a Common Nuisance, Bartholomew County Body Attachment Warrant, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device, Possession of Methamphetamine
• Justin S. Sholty, 41, Columbus: Two Bartholomew County Warrants, Resisting Law Enforcement, Visiting a Common Nuisance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Susan M. Coomer, 46, Columbus: Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device
• Jeffrey W. Huddleston, 25, Elizabethtown: Visiting a Common Nuisance

Eight candidates, six Republicans and two Democrats, are campaigning to win the District 59 seat at the Statehouse being vacated by retiring Rep. Milo Smith of Columbus. We asked Republicans John Counceller, JoAnne Flohr, Lew Wilson, Ryan Lauer and Allan Smith about Gov. Holcomb’s decision to call a special session of the legislature to finish up business that lawmakers were unable to complete.

Counceller says this special session was unavoidable.

Flohr says it’s important to get the state’s business done correctly.

04-30 JoAnne Flohr Q1-1

Lew Wilson says that these short sessions allow for the opportunity for legislators to come back to the statehouse…

04-30 LEW WILSON Q1-1

Lauer says it’s important to prioritize and be willing to work together.

Smith says agrees, but adds that sometimes events conspire to make special sessions unavoidable.

04-30 Allan Smith Q1-1

Benjamin Chastain is also on the Republican ballot, but he is not actively campaigning. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Mary Kohen or Dale Nowlin in November’s general election.

We also asked Kohen and Nowlin about special legislative sessions.

Kohen says it’s all about priorities and planning.

Nowlin agrees.

The primary election is May 8th.

We’ll be back with the candidates on Tuesday to talk about CBD oil and marijuana.

The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to chip seal State Road 58 beginning Thursday, May 3rd, weather permitting, from 0.83 miles east of State Road 135 to just west of Interstate 65. INDOT says that first-day surface treatment operations will begin in northern Jackson County and proceed to a terminus in Bartholomew County. The work is expected to take three days.

Officials say that work on these 27 lane miles of State Road 58 requires closing the roadway between Spraytown and Ogilville to thru-traffic. INDOT pilot vehicles will escort school buses and local traffic through the work zone.

Four people are facing charges after police in North Vernon responded to a report of suspicious activity at a fast-food restaurant. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, department spokesman, says that on the evening of April 22nd, officers were called to the Burger King on Main Street for questionable activity in a van. He says that an investigation led to the discovery of a syringe and a small amount methamphetamine.

The investigation led to the arrest of Christopher Asbury, 26, of Butlerville, Joshua Acree, 37, of North Vernon, Patricia Perkins, 20, of Seymour, and Shandie Johnson, 29, of North Vernon.

The event began when officers responded to a report of suspicious activity involving 4 persons in a van at Burger King. Sergeant Kyle Hall led the investigation which revealed a syringe and a small amount methamphetamine. All four occupants were arrested, charging information as follows:

Arrested were:

1. Christopher M. Asbury, 26, Butlerville, – Visiting a Common Nuisance (B misdemeanor);
2. Joshua P. Acree, 37, North Vernon, – Visiting a Common Nuisance (B misdemeanor);
3. Patricia S. Perkins, 20, Seymour, – Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 felony), Visiting a Common Nuisance (B misdemeanor);
4. Shandie Johnson, 29, North Vernon, – Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 felony), Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 felony), Visiting a Common Nuisance (B misdemeanor)

A North Vernon man was arrested after being accused of sexual misconduct with a 12-year-old girl. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that the incident began Tuesday as they were investigating a reported runaway situation. He says that the parents of the child reported the girl as a runaway and noted that they had witnessed their daughter get into a car belonging to 20-year-old Mark Liles at the North Vernon City Park. The parents reported they followed and tried to confront Liles, however he sped away before they could recover their daughter from him.

On Thursday, Detectives Nick Megel and Ivory Sandefur received information that the child and Liles were at an address in the 1700 block of County Road 675 North in Jennings County. The detectives arrived and were able to find both Liles and the girl. Both were taken into custody and brought to the police department. While in custody, Liles allegedly confessed to having sexual contact with the 12-year-old.

Liles is facing preliminary charges of Child Molesting and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The girl was released to the custody of her parents.

Work begins next month on a documentary about North Vernon. Satolli Glassmeyer is documentary filmmaker known for his series called “History in Your Own Backyard.” Glassmeyer says that he has produced more than 310 documentaries in Indiana and surrounding states. He approached the North Vernon City Council this week to gauge interest in producing a documentary for the city.

During Glassmeyer’s presentation, he said the idea behind the project is education. He says that projects like these help educate residents about their city’s past, as well as bring awareness of the area to those who may not know about it. Glassmeyer says this documentary will also serve future generations as they learn more about the city and its historic sites and buildings.

Glassmeyer says these documentaries normally cost $1,799 to produce. However, he says that a co-sponsor has agreed to cover $1,000 of the cost. Once completed, the master copy of the documentary will be delivered to city officials to use as they wish.

City Council voted to fund the project. Glassmeyer says shooting is expected to take place on Saturday, May 5th and Sunday, May 19th.