Five employees were arrested yesterday at Johnson County auto scrap businesses in a crack down on the illegal purchase of catalytic converters.

According to reports from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, the department, along with Edinburgh police, the Johnson County prosecutor’s office the Secretary of State’s office and other area law enforcement, began planning the efforts to stem catalytic converter thefts last year. Catalytic converters are part of the emissions control technology on vehicle exhausts and contain valuable precious metals. Thieves steal the converters off of vehicles and then sell them to scrap yards.

Last fall, authorities conducted educational briefings and audits with local buyers to alert them to new state requirements for the purchase of catalytic converters, including the requirement that sellers have documentation such as a valid vehicle title for each purchased converter.

In February deputies took part in sting operations, where they sold catalytic converters to employees at Cats Plus and Group Metals Recycling without giving the proper paperwork. They also found in a January audit that purchases were made without the proper paperwork at Johnson Recycling.

62-year-old William A. Burton of Edinburgh at Group Metals Recycling, 36-year-old Glen D. Johnson Jr. of Edinburgh at Johnson Recycling and 32-year-old Ashley N. Browning of Edinburgh and 31-year-old Latona D. Bryant of Columbus at Cats Plus, were arrested on preliminary felony charges of unlawful purchase of a catalytic converter. 57-year-old Tammy S. Hill of Trafalgar is being accused of aiding in the unlawful purchase of a catalytic converter.

A Seymour man wanted for sexual misconduct with a minor fled from police at high speed Tuesday night before crashing into another vehicle in Bartholomew County.

According to Seymour Police Department reports, 19-year-old Jeremiah Pendygraft was wanted on an outstanding warrant after an investigation into inappropriate and non-consensual sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl. That investigation began late last month.

At about 11:12 p.m. Tuesday night, Seymour police received information that Pendygraft was driving in a vehicle but when they tried to pull him over, he took off, heading north on Interstate 65 at more than 100 mph. He exited the interstate at Walesboro, where he crashed into another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle injured his arm and was assisted by the Columbus Fire Department and medics.

Pendygraft was taken into custody and then to Schneck Medical Center for a blood test. In addition to the outstanding warrant, he was arrested on new charges of operating a vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury, resisting law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance and , dealing in a controlled substance.

Firefighters from multiple Bartholomew County fire departments battled a blaze in the old gym in Hope last night.

Bartholomew County dispatchers say the first calls about the fire came in at about 9:37 p.m. last night after a passerby noticed flickering lights in the old gym in the 500 block of Washington Street. The Hope Volunteer Fire Department was the first called to the scene.

Hope Deputy Chief Adam Mathis:

Mathis said that firefighters withdrew from the building as fire spread into the roof and began attacking the fire with aerial trucks. Eventually the burning roof collapsed on the north side of the structure. He estimated the building as a total loss.

The neighboring Community Center of Hope was undamaged and no one was injured.

Hope firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Hartsville, Clifford, Flat Rock and the city of Columbus. Also assisting at the scene were the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Hope Police Department and Hope Utilities.

The last firefighters left the scene at about 3:22 a.m. this morning according to dispatchers.

The cause of the fire has not been identified. Mathis said the Bartholomew County Fire inspector and State Fire Marshall have been contacted to investigate the blaze.

The gym was built during the Great Depression by the Conservation Corps as part of the old Hope Town School and is owned today by the Community Center. Efforts have been underway to restore the aging building.

Photos courtesy of Hope Volunteer Fire Department

The federal Drug Enforcement Agency is sponsoring a Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, partnering with local agencies including the Indiana State Police.

Troopers say that between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday you can drop off any unused, unwanted or expired medications at Indiana State Police posts statewide, except for the Toll Road and Lowell posts. In southeastern Indiana you can drop off medications at the Versailles, Bloomington and Sellersburg posts.

The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.

This program is for liquid and pill medications. Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be taken. Needles, new or used, WILL NOT be accepted for disposal.

State police say that old medications left in medicine cabinets are susceptible to being stolen, misused and abused. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends.

Other area organizations taking part in the Drug Take Back event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday include the Jennings County Health Department, North Vernon Fire Department and North Vernon Police Department. Those sites are being organized by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy.

The city of Columbus has a builder for a new fieldhouse at the site of the former Fair Oaks Mall.

The city’s Board of Public Works and Safety yesterday morning agreed to accept a proposal from Force Construction to build the sports facility on the north side of the former mall, now known as Nexus Park.

The city envisions a roughly 150,000 square foot facility that would include space for about one and a half soccer fields and that could be reconfigured to support 16 basketball courts or three ball diamonds.

City officials have estimated a construction cost of about $25 million, but base bids from both Force Construction and Runnebohm Construction from Shelbyville came in higher than that. The final design and price will be negotiated through various alternates with the city and the contractor.

Dave Hayward, the city engineer, said that the two proposals were reviewed by the city’s technical review committee. Force Construction’s proposal had the lowest adjusted price and was deemed to be the best value for the taxpayers of Columbus.

Mary Ferdon, director of administration and community development for the city, said the process to choose a proposal for the fieldhouse was different than anything else the city has done before. Some of the design work on the project has already been done by the NexusPark design firm of Perkins & Will.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission will be holding a special meeting on Thursday morning to consider a new Orange Leaf restaurant operation in The Commons.

The previous operators of an Orange Leaf franchise in The Commons, Devour (Dee-Vore) LLC, asked the redevelopment commission at the end of last year to cancel their lease with the city of Columbus. Their original contract was signed in 2019 and would have expired in 2023. However, the restaurant was first closed by the pandemic, and then by the delays in the remodeling of the nearby playground in The Commons.

The redevelopment commission will consider entering into contract negotiations with BW Smith LLC to operate an Orange Leaf restaurant in the Food Court area of The Commons. BW Smith is owned by Brandy and Will Smith who own and operate an Orange Leaf in Seymour.

The commission will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday morning in the Council Chambers at Columbus City Hall.

You will see restrictions on Interstate 65 ramps in Bartholomew County starting tomorrow. INDOT says that this is part of the work expanding the Interstate to three lanes in each direction .

INDOT’s contractors, Force Construction will be closing the entrance and exit ramps at the northbound I-65 rest stop between Columbus and Edinburgh starting tomorrow until Saturday morning as crews patch the asphalt. The entrance ramp will first close Thursday morning and then the exit ramp later in the day, after all vehicles vacate the rest stop.

Next week, the contractors will be working on the ramps to and from Interstate 65 and U.S. 31 at Taylorsville. Nightly closures will be from 8 p.m. at night to 7 a.m. in the morning, Monday through Thursday next week.

The schedule for those ramp closings:

• Monday, May 2: I-65 northbound to U.S. 31 northbound and I-65 northbound to U.S. 31 southbound.
• Tuesday, May 3: I-65 southbound to U.S. 31 northbound and I-65 southbound to U.S. 31 southbound.
• Wednesday, May 4: U.S. 31 to I-65 northbound/U.S. 31 to I-65 southbound.
• Thursday, May 5: U.S. 31 to I-65 northbound/U.S. 31 to I-65 southbound.

Additional ramp closures will take place later this spring/summer for asphalt paving. The schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to drive without distractions and to be alert to worker safety in construction zones.

A Columbus man was flown by Stat Flight medical helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital for injuries he suffered in a late night crash Tuesday in southern Bartholomew County.

According to Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department reports, the accident happened at about 9:53 p.m. Tuesday night near County Road 800S and Base Road. Deputies found a man who had been thrown from the vehicle after the car left the road, drove into a field and then rolled over.

The victim’s name has not been released and his current condition is not known.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is announcing that all park restrooms are now open and are ready for the season. Water fountains have also been turned on, in city parks facilities.

For more information, you can call the parks and recreation department at 812-376-2599.

The deadline is coming up soon to donate books to a First Financial Bank literacy drive.

The Cincinnati-based bank announced recently that as part of April’s Financial Literacy Month, each of the bank’s financial centers will be accepting donations of books through April 30th. Those donated books will be given to local organizations such as schools, libraries and churches.

At each of the centers, the bank will also be providing a list of books and articles to help educate the public about financial literacy. The list will include 11 titles helpful to people regardless of whether they’re saving in a piggy bank or managing credit card debt.

Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial Bank said that financial literacy is the foundation for a thriving community and economic stability.

You can get more information at bankatfirst.com.

Photo: First Financial Bank is holding a book drive and financial literacy campaign in April. Books can be dropped at any of First Financial Bank’s 10+ locations in South Central Indiana. Courtesy of First Financial Bank.