Local government offices will be closed on Monday, due to the Labor Day holiday.

In Columbus, there will be no city trash, recycling, brush or compost collections on Monday and collections will be running a day behind for the rest of the week. Which means Friday collections will be done on Saturday next week.

Columbus City Utilities offices will be closed on Monday. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service on Monday, you can call the offices at 812-372-8861 to report an emergency.

The Bartholomew County Solid Waste District and Columbus/Bartholomew Recycling Center will both be closed Monday, as well as the Bartholomew County Landfill.

In Seymour, all city offices will be closed including the Department of Public Works and Seymour Transit. Trash, recycling and yard waste normally picked on Monday, will instead be picked up on Tuesday, Sept. 4th.

9:30 a.m. Update: An Amber Alert has been called off for three children missing in Sturgis, Michigan that were believed to be in Indiana. authorities there report that 37-year-old Fernando Cruz, is in custody and the three children were found safe.

Earlier:

Indiana State Police have declared an Amber Alert and believe children missing from Sturgis, Mich. may now be in Indiana and in extreme danger.

The suspect, Fernando Cruz, is a 37-year-old Hispanic man, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The suspect’s vehicle is a black 2009 Chevy Traverse with Michigan plate DWH9204

The victims include 4-year-old Matteo Nieves, 5-year- old Chelsey Lopez and 2-year-old Aldo Cruz. All were last seen Wednesday in Sturgis, Michigan. All are believed to be in extreme danger.

Matteo Nieves was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt and red shorts. Chelsey Lopez was last seen wearing pink t-shirt and blue pajama pants. Aldo Cruz was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt and a diaper.

If you have any information on this incident, contact the Sturgis Police Department at 269-651-3231 or 911.

Four Hauser High School students were hurt, one of them seriously, in a Wednesday crash near the school. Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies and Hope Police responded at noon to the scene at State Road 9 and County Road 600 North where two vehicles collided.

Authorities say driver of a truck and trailer, 26-year-old Jonathan Tappe, of Taylorsville, was headed south on State Road 9 when a car driven by 17-year-old Sarah Vanderlind, of Hope, pulled out in front of him from County Road 600 North. Tappe’s truck crashed into the passenger side of Vanderlind’s car.

The Sheriff’s Department says that three passengers in Vanderlind’s vehicle had to be extricated by Columbus Fire Department Squad 2. One student, 17-year-old Erin Newcomb, of Columbus, was Lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Three of the students, Vanderlind, 16-year-old Veronica McKinney, of Hope, and 17-year-old John Bragg, of Hope, were transported to Columbus Regional Hospital. Tappe was not hurt.

State Road 9 remained closed for about three hours.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with these students, Hauser High School and all of Hope,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

Update: Columbus police say that Lisa Rendina was found safe Wednesday night.

Previously:

Columbus Police are asking for your help to locate a missing woman. The family of 54-year-old Lisa Rendina has reported her as a missing person. Rendina was last seen on Gladstone Avenue in Columbus on August 13th. She is described as being five-feet five-inches tall and 135 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Police say that Rendina has been homeless for several months and also uses the last name of Caffee.

If you have any information on Rendina’s whereabouts, call the Columbus Police Department at (812) 376-2600.

A Columbus man was arrested over night, allegedly carrying someone else’s passport and Social Security card in his vehicle.

Columbus police stopped a vehicle with a burned out headllight near 25th Street and Home Avenue at about 11 Tuesday night. They determined that the truck had a false registration.

A search of the truck revealed two syringes, prescription medication and the identification, which had been reported stolen from vehicles earlier in the week.

The driver, 54-year-old Troy L. Iverson, was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of a legend drug injection device and of a legend drug, maintaining a common nuisance and receiving stolen property.

Funeral arrangements have been set for Sgt. Grover Crouch, a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department corrections officer who died unexpectedly Monday night.

The 64-year-old Crouch had been with the sheriff’s department for 9 years. He is survived by his wife Carole. His funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Edinburgh Apostolic Tabernacle Church. A calling will be held from 10:30 a.m. until the services at the church.

For more information, go to barkesweaverglick.com

A Jennings County teen died in a traffic accident yesterday afternoon near Scipio.

19-year-old Dalton Rinker of North Vernon died in the crash at State Road 7 and County Road 500N at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Indiana State Police report that Rinker pulled onto the state highway into the path of a semi and trailer being driven by 39-year-old Leonel Guillen of Indianapolis. Guillen’s truck hit Rinker’s vehicle in the driver’s side, causing the fatal injuries. Guillen was uninjured.

State police say it is unclear why Rinker pulled into the path of the truck. The highway was shut down for two hours to clean up the wreckage and the crash remains under investigation.

A Jennings County woman was killed in a Tuesday morning crash. Indiana State Police say that shortly after 8 a.m., a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of County Road 800 North and County Road 1300 East at the Jackson/Jennings County Line resulted in the death of 42-year-old Betty Lou Hicks, of North Vernon.

The initial investigation revealed that an SUV driven by 59-year-old Sharlene R. Whitsell, of Seymour, was traveling eastbound on County Road 800 North when her vehicle entered the intersection into the path of a northbound minivan being driven by Hicks. Authorities believe that Whitsell may have disregarded a stop sign, leading to the crash.

State Police say both vehicles collided in the middle of the intersection before leaving the roadway. Hicks’ vehicle then struck a tree before coming to a stop. She was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office. Whitsell sustained minor injuries in the crash. She was transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour for treatment.

Investigators say that evidence at the scene indicated that Hicks was not wearing a seat-belt.

Toxicology results are pending at this time, however police say that drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be factors in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

The 32nd annual concert benefiting Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is this weekend in Columbus. Saturday night’s concert at Mill Race Park begins at 6:30 p.m. with opening act “The Why Store.” Randy Bachman, the creator and founder of “Bachman-Turner Overdrive” and “The Guess Who” is the headline act for this free concert. Julie Davis explains how a free concert can be the biggest fundraiser for Our Hospice…

In addition, Davis says they will be selling raffle tickets for Faurecia-designed grills, as well as t-shirts from Hoosier Sporting Goods commemorating the concert. She adds that you have an opportunity to watch the concert from a unique position.

Davis says that cost for admission to the amphitheater stage is $100. Openings are limited.

Bridgette Halvorsen talks about how the money raised benefits Our Hospice.

For more on the concert and the mission of Our Hospice, visit Our Hospice of South Central Indiana’s Facebook page.

North Vernon officials are working to salvage a plan for a new Jennings County Jail facility, while at the same time, improving relationships with county officials. During Monday night’s meeting of the city council, Councilman Brian Hatfield announced that the city will lower its asking price for 15 acres it owns in the North Vernon industrial park. County officials were eying the property as a potential site for the new jail. However, the county balked at paying the one-million dollar asking price. Hatfield noted that exactly how much lower the price will be isn’t yet known, as the city’s tax-increment financing board still needs to be consulted.

City Councilman Jack Kelley says that this measure is being taken in good faith to benefit both units of government. He added that the city council is concerned with a proposal by the county that would lower its TIF district revenue by $290,000 per year. Council members expressed hope that the county will work with them to not only get the jail built, but to keep city TIF revenues untouched.

City Councilman Trent Wisner echoed the sentiments of Hatfield and Kelley. He says that these projected TIF revenues are critical to a number of city projects. Specifically, Wisner mentioned renovations at the city park and public safety issues.

There’s been no word from Jennings County officials if they are open to working with the city to address these issues.