The Indiana National Guard is reporting that the first women have completed the infantry school at the 138th Regional Training Institute at Camp Atterbury.

Sgt. Amber Strawn of South Bend and Sgt. Jillian Sandefur of Highland received their infantry cards at a ceremony last weekend on the base.

They will be among the first Indiana National Guard female soldiers to enter into combat roles. For women who want to follow in their footsteps, both soldiers suggested preparing by running a lot, lifting weights and rucking up hills to condition your feet.

Staff Sgt. Anthony Smerk, an instructor for the infantry course, said “If you are meeting or exceeding the standard, then I don’t care your race, gender, religion matters none to me.”

A false vehicle registration led to the arrest of a Columbus man on multiple outstanding warrants.

Columbus police report that they noticed the fake registration on a car at about 4:10 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and attempted to stop the vehicle in the 700 block of Jonesville Road. The driver 31-year-old Brian D. Robertson of Columbus pulled into a parking lot and attempted to drive away again, according to police. However a second police car arrived to block his exit.

Police found that he was wanted on three outstanding Bartholomew County warrants. He was arrested on the warrants and cited for driving a vehicle that was falsely registered.

Nashville Utilities has issued a boil water advisory for some of its customers after a water leak and valve replacement in the 1700 block of East State Road 46 yesterday.

Residents are asked to boil their water for five minutes before drinking it or using it for cooking. The advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Friday afternoon.

Affected customers include:

• 1450 to 2420 E. State Road 46
• 27 and 67 Salt Creek Road
• 76-331 Walls Road
• 2115-2136 Fair Oaks Trail
• 102-500 Wynchwood Drive
• 1700-1774 Bryson Lane
• 1650 and 1683 Magnolia Lane
• 1610 – 1630 Jacob’s Lane
• 1641-1750 Old State Road 46.

If you have any questions you can call 812-988-5526.

Jennings County authorities are looking for a man and woman they say are armed and dangerous and breaking into homes while the residents are present.

The sheriff’s department reports that they began investigating an incident early yesterday morning in the northwestern corner of the county where the residents were home and asleep when the break-in happened.

Police have recovered all of the stolen items except for cash and said they have two suspects they are searching for, 28-year-old Devin Lark and 28-year-old Kara Lutz, both of North Vernon. Authorities say that the should be considered armed and dangerous and if you see them, you should not approach them. Instead call 911.

Sheriff Kenny Freeman is encouraging everyone to lock their doors and windows. Should you see something suspicious, you can call the Jennings County Dispatch Center at 812-346-4911.

A Columbus man is under arrest after a SWAT team standoff early Wednesday morning.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that a victim was hit with a shotgun several times, before being able to barricade herself in the home in the 4000 block of County Road 550W and call for help at about 2:42 a.m.

59-year-old David Bevis allegedly threatened to kill his wife and when deputies arrived they found Bevis outside with a gun. Deputies ordered him to surrender and drop his weapon, but instead he ran back into the home.

The Columbus and Bartholomew County SWAT team and police negotiators were called to the scene. Bevis allegedly threatened to kill police and everyone in the home, as well as wanting to commit “suicide by cop.” After more than an hour of negotiation, he left the home and surrendered.

A search of the home revealed more weapons.

Bevis was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out before being arrested on preliminary charges of intimidation, domestic battery with a deadly weapon, criminal confinement with a deadly weapon, possession of methamphetamine and precursors, and resisting law enforcement.

North Vernon police arrested a suspect and recovered a stolen car Tuesday night.

According to the police department, officers were called to the Moir Apartments at about 9:35 p.m. Tuesday night on a report of a stolen car. Police found the car at about 11:45 p.m. parked at a residence in the Hickory Manor Trailer Court.

Police determined that 22-year-old Kenneth D. Sanders of Nineveh was a suspect and arrested him on a charge of auto theft.

Local officials are warning about an spike in overdose deaths and overdoses in Bartholomew County.

During the first four months of 2021, Bartholomew County deputies and  Columbus Police have responded to more drug overdoses and “suspected” overdoses than during this same time period in previous years.

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress, Columbus Police Department, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and the Columbus Mayor’s office are warning residents to use extreme caution when it comes to drugs and to carry NARCAN as a live-saving precaution.

Sheriff Matt Myers says pure fentanyl is being purchased in lieu of other drugs like heroin, as well as being added to other substances. He says that each and every time fentanyl is used, whether intentional or unintentional, a life is at risk.

Chief Deputy, Maj. Chris Lane :

Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson said that fentanyl is 50 – 100 times more potent than morphine and 25-50 times more potent than heroin.

NARCAN, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is available with no questions asked at the ASAP Hub, located at the Doug Otto United Way Center, 1531 13th Street.

INDOT says that traffic is going to be restricted on U.S. 31 south of Seymour for nearly three months, as contractors clean and repaint a bridge over Mutton Creek Ditch.

The work on the Jackson County bridge, south of Seymour and about a mile north of the Interstate 65 overpass, is set to begin Thursday and to wrap up in July. Traffic will be shifted during the work with one travel lave in each direction.

INDOT says that prior to painting, crews will be sandblasting to remove rust. This is part of a $300,000 dollar contract with Three Star Painting Inc., originally awarded in 2019.

INDOT asks that you slow down, use caution and drive without distractions in all work zones.

The schedule is dependent on the weather.

Bartholomew County Road 450N, between Marr Road and State Road 9, will be closed intermittently from 9 to 5 today, according to the county highway department.

That will be between Marr to 250E, then 250E to Talley Road.

Also, Bartholomew County Road 900E, between 400S and 500S, will be closed until 6 p.m. this evening for a road overlay project.

The highway department suggests that you take alternate routes to avoid long delays. The work is dependent on the weather.

Columbus City Council gave its first approval last night to the long-term plan of how roads and streets will develop in the community in the years ahead.

The city is updating its thoroughfare plan, which anticipates road and street additions in the future and how those streets will be classified. The classification determines the qualities of the street, such as whether a suburban street needs curbs and gutters, or if it can be considered a rural road, requiring only a drainage ditch.

City planning department director Jeff Bergman said the biggest change in the plan would be the route of a proposed north-south road that would parallel State Road 11 from Jonathan Moore Pike to County Road 450S but further to the west. Bergman said the benefits of a new road would be that it could be built to remain flooding free, while State Road 11 floods easily near Garden City, and the new road could be built wide enough to allow for bike and pedestrian improvements that would be nearly impossible along the existing State Road 11.

Bergman said that parcels along the proposed route can be protected from development, once the thoroughfare plan is approved.