Jackson County deputies arrested a convicted sex offender in Brownstown over the weekend after finding the man was in violation of required restrictions for the sex offender registry.

According to Jackson County Sheriff’s Department reports, 49-year-old Richard Blocker called for help at his High Street residence in Brownstown after his girlfriend had fallen. But Blocker is a registered sex offender against children and that address violated restrictions that he could not live within 1,000 feet of a daycare, school or public park. The sheriff’s department says that address is close to Saint Peters Lutheran Daycare, Saint Peters Lutheran School, and Brownstown Central Middle and High schools.

Registered sex offenders are also required to report changes to their address within 72 hours of their move, which he had not done. He also violated requirements that he report changes to his phone number, vehicle registration, and employment, according to reports.

Blocker was arrested Friday on a preliminary charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Sheriff Rick Meyer praised Lt. Adam Nicholson, who maintains the county’s sex offender registry. Meyer said the department “will continue to be vigilant in making sure the registered offenders living in Jackson County are accounted for.”

A Bartholomew County animal advocacy group says it does not condone unlawful or harmful actions in pursuit of its goals to help animals.

That comes after allegations that its members trespassed on a farm and harassed the farm’s family over the living conditions of a dog there.

A farmer’s family made the accusations at last week’s Bartholomew County Commissioners meeting but there was no one attending from the animal advocacy group, Change 4 Bartholomew County to present their side. Yesterday, several members of the group took part virtually. Nancy Ray, an organizer for the group, disputed the complaints, but said the group will take the high road, focusing on goals for the new year.

She said that includes establishing and maintaining a “positive, productive working relationship with the County Commissioners and County Animal Control.” She said that will allow them to improve the lives of animals in Bartholomew County.

She said that the group wants to help voiceless animals in the county.

Columbus Regional Health is urging people to take precautions against COVID-19, saying the hospital is being overwhelmed with the highest numbers of patients it has ever seen, with between a quarter and a third of those affected by the virus.

The hospital reports that COVID-19 patients are largely unvaccinated, making up about 80 percent of those patients. They are putting a serious strain on vital resources, such as space, equipment and staffing. All from what is largely a preventable and avoidable disease.

To help protect yourself and others, the hospital urges you to get vaccinated, to get a booster shot and to wear a mask in public.

Dr. Lee Kiser, a hospitalist at CRH, talks in a social media post video about the current situation:

Kiser stresses that the vaccines are safe and urges you to seek out medical advice from your doctor or trusted sources, not rumors or social media.

Health system officials are also stressing that it is never OK to put off care or needed medical attention. Kiser suspects that the current high patient numbers are due in part from care that was put off over the past two years.

Despite the strain on the system, the hospital says staff will be there to care for you. They say that if you have a true life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or head to the Emergency Department.

You can get more information at www.crh.org/virus

Jennings County deputies recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested three people last week.

According to reports from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to a home on South County Road 200W on Wednesday to try to locate a vehicle stolen earlier from Ripley County. Deputies talked to 19-year-old Quinton Isenhower of Madison who admitted that he had the vehicle.

Police also talked to 33-year-old Miranda Lauderbaugh and 39-year-old Matthew Giltner, both of Madison. All three were carrying methamphetamine and paraphernalia, according to police reports.

All three are facing charges of possessing the drugs and paraphernalia. Isenhower is also being accused of auto theft and Lauderbaugh was found to have an outstanding felony warrant from Jefferson County.

A southern Indiana man was arrested in Seymour early on New Year’s Day after shots were fired near a nightclub.

According to reports from the Seymour Police Department, were officers were called to the 200 block of Broadway Street at about 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning after a driver reported the rear window of his taxi had been shot out while it was parked at the On The Rox club.

Witnesses directed officers to the west side of the building, pointing out a suspect who first tried to hide from police. But he was taken into custody and a firearm recovered.

Investigators discovered empty shell casings and a bullet was pulled from the headliner inside the taxi. Witnesses said that the man, identified as 36-year-old Christopher D. Bierly of Floyds Knobbs, fire two shots, one into the air and one into the taxi. Bierly told police that he didn’t know anything about the incident.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness with a weapon and possession of a handgun without a permit.

Police say no one was injured and the investigation is ongoing.

An Indianapolis woman died in a multi-vehicle crash early New Year’s Day in Bartholomew County.

40-year-old Heather A. Wallace was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Interstate 65.

According to reports from the Bartholomew County Sheriffs’ Department, deputies were called to the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 about three miles north of the the Jackson County line at about 1:29 a.m. Saturday morning.

Columbus Regional Hospital medics took several other victims to the hospital for treatment.

Deputies say that because of the size of the crash, and the work of crash reconstructionist at the scene, the northbound lanes were shut down for about 5 and a half hours. The accident remains under investigation.

East Fork White River at Seymour is flooding again, although it should be cresting this morning.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a flood warning for the river that is in effect until Wednesday evening. Minor flooding is happening and minor flooding is forecast.

The river was at 15.58 feet this morning, a few hundredths of an inch below the expected crest of 15.6 feet. That is about a foot and a half below the moderate flood stage of 17 feet and 3.5 feet above the minor flood stage.

Current river gauge predictions show the river dropping out of the minor flood stage by Wednesday morning and returning to normal levels by Friday.