Two Jackson County residents were arrested on drug related charges following a traffic stop and search warrant in Seymour on Tuesday.

The investigation began shortly after 2:30 pm when an Indiana State Police trooper stopped a car for a traffic violation on Sprenger Road. During the stop, the trooper began to suspect criminal activity was taking place.

Trooper Randel Miller and police dog Jinx responded to assist. Jinx alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered approximately 50 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

The driver of the vehicle, Derrick N. Broshears, 34, Brownstown, was arrested on preliminary charges of Dealing Methamphetamine and Possession of Methamphetamine.

Troopers then responded to a room at the Motel 6 in Seymour that was rented by Broshears. Inside the room, troopers found April R. Williams, 38, Crothersville. Troopers obtained a search warrant for the room and allegedly uncovered syringes, drug paraphernalia, a legend drug and additional evidence of Dealing Methamphetamine.

Williams was arrested on preliminary charges of Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Syringe, Possession of a Legend Drug and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

North Vernon City Council approved changes affecting parking on High Street and the speed limit on West Walnut Street.

Under the ordinances approved Wednesday night, parking will be prohibited on the south side of High Street from the intersection with State Road 3 to the intersection with Stockwell Street. Council members say they’ve personally driven on this section of road and realize that the street simply isn’t wide enough to allow the safe flow of traffic without the new restriction.

Under the ordinance, vehicles that are parked on the south side of this section of High Street are subject to fines and towing.

Council also voted 4-0 to lower the speed limit on West Walnut Street. From the intersection of State Road 3 to the intersection with Norris Avenue, the speed limit is now 30 MPH. From Norris Avenue to Hayden Pike, the speed limit is 35 MPH. West Walnut Street from the intersection of Hayden Pike to the western city limits now has a speed limit of 45 MPH.

North Vernon officials noted that this portion of road used to be under state control and had a speed limit of 55 MPH. Since control has reverted to the city, North Vernon Police and the city engineer analyzed traffic activity and determined that the lower speed limits would benefit area residents

New speed limit signs are expected to be posted in the coming weeks.

The city of Seymour has won a lawsuit over billboards in a downtown park.

“The Seymour Tribune” is reporting that the Lousiana-based company which owns the four billboards in Crossroads Community Park has until June 30th to take them down.

The billboards were on a lease with previous property owner that renewed every five years.

When the three-acre site was sold to GM Development in 2017 for $3.5 million to develop the park for the city, Mayor Craig Luedeman signed a letter asking the company to cancel the lease and remove the billboards.

The company refused and had the case moved to federal court.

Luedeman told the paper that the company is scheduled to start work on June 23rd.

For more on this story, visit tribtown.com.

A local man was arrested on a drug possession charge after he allegedly refused to stop for police officers on Wednesday. Shortly before noon, an off duty Columbus police officer saw Robert D. Zambrano, 46, driving a vehicle on Second Street. The officer knew that Zambrano had a suspended driver’s license and reportedly fled from officers on a motorcycle the previous day.

A short time later, officers attempted to stop Zambrano’s vehicle near 25th Street and California Street, however, they say he refused to pull over. They followed Zambrano’s vehicle for several blocks until he finally pulled over in a parking lot in the 1500 block of 25th Street.

Once Zambrano was safely in custody, officers searched his vehicle. They reported finding a small bag of methamphetamine in the vehicle’s console.

Zambrano is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Resisting Law Enforcement in a Vehicle and Driving While Suspended.

North Vernon City Council gave final approval for an ordinance regulating UTVs on city streets during its meeting Wednesday night. Council members say the understand the popularity of these types of vehicle and wanted to encourage their safe operation within city limits.

Under the ordinance, operators must have a valid drivers license and proof of financial responsibility in order to legally operate.

Council is also restricting the use of these vehicles on highways including U.S. 50, State Road 3 and State Road 7, except to cross at a 90-degree angle.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers and former Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson have been elected by fellow lawmen to help develop and lead the non-profit Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch.

Recently purchased with private donations and no tax dollars, the Youth Ranch will be a permanent venue for sheriffs and deputies from across the state to mentor future law enforcement officers, bond with at-risk kids and help young witnesses and victims of crime. These include siblings, sons and daughters of fallen first responders.

Through private donations, Indiana sheriffs and deputies bought the property in Brazil, in western Indiana, to create the Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch.

“Sheriff Myers and Former Sheriff Anderson will be ideal board members for our Youth Ranch,” said ISYR President John Layton, also a former Marion County Sheriff. “Our deputies, police officers and state troopers want the right young people to go into law enforcement for the right reasons, mentored by the right people in the right way. Matt and Frank are exactly the right people.”

For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation of materials, services or money to help develop the Youth Ranch, call 833-IN-RANCH.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed more than 70 Walmart stores and 18 Rural King stores in the state have received rhododendron plants infected with sudden oak death (SOD), a fungal pathogen that kills oak trees. Shipments containing infested material were sent to nine other states as well.

Workers from the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology have been visiting stores across Indiana to destroy any stock that has been found infested and quarantine any stock that is symptomatic. DNR says the division has made this its top priority.

The DNR has destroyed approximately 1,500 infested rhododendron so far and pulled another 1,500 from stores. The DNR has also ordered these stores to stop selling rhododendron until further notice. Any quarantined material not infected will be released following testing at Purdue University.

The DNR is also following up with homeowners that have called in to say they’ve purchased material that they believe is infested or are seeing signs/ symptoms of sick trees in the environment.

DNR officials say SOD has killed large tracts of oaks on the West Coast. The disease can kill standing oak trees, which could happen if SOD-positive rhododendron were planted within approximately six-feet of a standing oak.

The City of Columbus will spend the summer collecting information about local government operations greenhouse gas emissions as one of 13 communities selected to be a part of Indiana University’s first Resilience Cohort.

The city’s office of community development explains that findings will be used to help Columbus employees identify greenhouse gas reduction strategies and begin work on the creation of an action plan to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency and improve air quality. Data will also be collected concerning community-wide greenhouse gas emissions.

“The City of Columbus is known for being innovative and forward thinking. We want to address greenhouse gas emissions, create efficiencies in local government, and encourage the same in our community. Building a sustainable community today will benefit current residents and create an environment that will attract and benefit future residents,” said Mayor Jim Lienhoop.

The Resilience Cohort was established by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge initiative. The Cohort is made up of 13 Indiana cities, towns and counties that will complete their inventories this summer.

“We are delighted that these 13 Indiana communities have chosen to take a critical early step on the path to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing air quality,” said Ellen Ketterson, Director of IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute. “The findings from these greenhouse gas inventories will provide a roadmap for local officials to address emissions produced in their own backyards, improve public health, and strengthen the resilience of Hoosier communities.”

Other Resilience Cohort participants include Bloomington, Carmel, Delaware County / Muncie, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Greencastle, Goshen, Michigan City, Oldenburg, Richmond and West Lafayette.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has been made aware of a shipment of boxwood plants at Home Depot stores that contain the boxwood blight fungus. They have originated from a nursery named Cottage Gardens in Ohio.

Boxwood blight (Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is a fungal disease that infests members of the popular Buxaceae family, and is often transported through the nursery trade. Hosts include Buxus (boxwood), Pachysandra (Japanese spurge) and Sarcococca (sweetbox). Annual inspections of nursery stock by the DNR verify that this pathogen is not indigenous to Indiana, nor can it be found in nursery stock that is sourced locally.

When the fungus, which can lay dormant in drier conditions, is present, it can be found on all above-ground portions of the plant and presents itself as dark leaf spots. It causes rapid defoliation, which typically starts on the bottom of the plant and moves toward the top. This fungal pathogen can move through sporulation in water and from dropped leaves. As a result, infection can spread to surrounding plants from a single infected plant.

The infected nursery stock is currently being pulled from shelves in 13 Home Depot stores and will be disposed of.

There are several varieties of boxwood sold in Home Depot stores. The only species that is currently testing positive for the fungus is Korean boxwood (Buxus Koreana), however the DNR is testing other species to ensure the pathogen has not spread.

If you have purchased a Korean boxwood from a Home Depot store in the last month please contact the DNR for further guidance at 866-NO EXOTIC.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is welcoming the newest members of its K-9 Division. Deputy Leah Burton and K-9 Shadow join Deputy Matt Bush and K9 Diesel.

Department officials say that Deputy Burton spent several weeks attending K-9 handler training where she and Shadow were assigned together. Shadow will live with Deputy Burton and her family.

Deputy Burton and K9 Shadow specialize in the following areas:
Drug Detection
– Suspect Tracking
– Building Searches
– Area Searches
– Criminal Apprehension
– Article Searches

Deputy Burton and K9 Shadow are set to begin patrolling Bartholomew County soon.