The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) has apprehended two Columbus residents suspected of fentanyl distribution. The arrests were the result of a long-term ongoing drug dealing investigation.

During the investigation, Jera Lynn McCoy, and Casey N. McCoy, were identified as supposed retail distributors of suspected fentanyl, according to law enforcement. JNET obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 1600 block of Cottage Avenue in Columbus where authorities allege the McCoys were dealing the drugs. The narcotics team also obtained a search warrant for a hotel room in the 100 block of Carrie Lane that was booked under Casey McCoy’s name.

After the searches of the house on Cottage Avenue and the hotel room, JNET allegedly found approximately 17 grams of suspected fentanyl, packaging material, and a digital scale, along with a list of suspected customers and customer phone numbers.

Jera Lynn McCoy and Casey McCoy were both preliminarily charged with dealing in a narcotic drug. They are incarcerated at Bartholomew County Jail. The investigation continues and more charges are possible.

The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department, and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office is proactively targeting the manufacturing and abuse of dangerous drugs in Columbus and Bartholomew County.

Angie Ginder, A 6th Grade Teacher at Rockcreek Elementary School, received the 2023 Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teacher Award during a special presentation at the school on March 9th, 2023.
Ms. Ginder will also be recognized during the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting on March 30th.

Ginder serves in leadership roles in the school corporation and at Rockcreek – serving as a district science mentor and on Rockcreek’s continuous improvement council.

As part of the recognition, Mrs. Ginder received a monetary gift from SIHO; an inscribed clock from the IUPUC Center for Teaching and Learning; and her name will be added to a permanent plaque in the Columbus Learning Center which lists all previous Folger Award winners.

For more information about the Edna Folger Outstanding Teacher Award, contact Marsha VanNahmen at the IUPUC Center for Teaching and Learning at [email protected]

Mill Race Center and The Pitman Institute in partnership with IUPUC will once again host Great Decisions at Mill Race Center. The Mill Race Center program has been the largest in the state for many years.
Great Decisions is a once-week program running on Thursday evenings from March 23rd-May 11th from 6:30-8:00pm. Registration is required and can be done by calling Mill Race Center at (812)376-9241 or stopping in at Mill Race Center at 900 Lindsey Street in Columbus.
The participation fee is $35 for Mill Race Center members and $45 for non-members.
Class will be held in person and also with a Zoom option. Each participant will receive a Briefing Book by the Foreign Policy Association.
Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs and developed by the Foreign Policy Association.
Published annually, the Great Decisions Briefing Book highlights nine of the most thought-provoking foreign policy challenges facing Americans.
The Topics for 2023 Are:
ECONOMIC WARFARE
CLIMATE MIGRATION
ENERGY GEOPOLITICS
GLOBAL FAMINE
WAR CRIMES
POLITICS IN LATIN AMERICA
CHINA AND THE U.S.
And
IRAN AT A CROSSROADS

For More information Contact Shannon Truman at (812) 376-9241 or at [email protected]

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is happy to announce the addition of two DARE instructors.

Deputy Max Medina and Deputy Nicholi Burkholder have been chosen as new DARE instructors which will double the number of instructors in the Sheriff’s Office DARE program. Before the above additions Sgt. Andrew Whipker and School Resource Officer Jessica Pendleton were the only DARE instructors at the Sheriff’s Office.

Both Deputy Medina and Deputy Burkholder were selected by an interview panel consisting of Sgt. Whipker, SRO Pendleton, Angie Ginder a 6th grade teacher at Rockcreek Elementary School and Andy Kilps pastor at Hope Moravian Church. Both deputies will attend DARE instructor training this summer and will begin instructing DARE lessons during the fall semester.

Sheriff Chris Lane, “The DARE program is a corner stone of the relationship between law enforcement and the community’s youth. The addition of these two deputies will continue to strengthen the Sheriff’s Office DARE program which serves students throughout Bartholomew County. These two deputies are excellent choices for this program, they are both fathers and hardworking members of the Sheriff’s Office.”

The DARE program was founded in 1983 as a law enforcement led series of classroom lessons that teaches students good decision making skills in order for them to lead safe and healthy lives.

DARE Interview Panel

Deputy Medina

Deputy Burkholder

A Chicago Man died in an accident early Saturday morning on I-65 in Jackson County.

The initial investigation by Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists indicated that at approximately 4:00 am Saturday morning, a 2016 Freightliner semi pulling a box trailer, being driven by Frederick D. Felder, age 37, Chicago, Illinois was traveling southbound on I-65 near the 43 mile marker.

For an unknown reason, Felder’s vehicle left the west side of the roadway. The vehicle struck trees and a fence before coming to a stop.

Initial first responders on the scene found Felder deceased inside of the vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing to determine whether he died as a result of the collision or whether a medical issue played a role in the crash. The Jackson County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene to pronounce Felder deceased.

The investigation is ongoing. Toxicology results are pending although alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors. The right lane of I-65 Southbound was closed through the area for several hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

Frederick Felder’s family has been notified.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Jackson County EMS, Seymour Fire Department, Vernon Township Fire Department, and the Jackson County Coroner’s Office assisted at the scene.

The Bartholomew County Historical Society will be holding preservation workshops this month, to help residents better protect their artifacts.

The weekly preservation workshops will cover a variety of items. They will be held every Wednesday at the historical society museum on Third Street in downtown Columbus starting at 3 p.m.

The schedule includes scrapbook preservation on March 15th, photo and film preservation on March 22nd and family document and book preservation on March 29th.

The historical society encourages you to consider their archives when you are considering donations of items that could be valuable assets to those who come after us.

The historical society museum hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Schneck Medical Center in Seymour will be pulling back their masking requirements starting next week.

According to the hospital, masks will be optional for patients and visitors in all of its facilities starting Monday. That is due to a decrease in respiratory illness rates.

Patients will still be asked to wear a mask if they have a fever, chills, cough or sore throat, or if they have had close contact with someone who has had COVID-19, influenza or RSV in the past two days.

If you meet any of those criteria, you should stay home but if you have to come to the hospital you should wear a mask.

You can also ask hospital staff to wear a mask in your presence, if it makes you more comfortable.

Schneck says its goal is to keep respiratory illness rates low and to prevent transmission.

Columbus police have concluded that a man who shot a dog that was attacking his own pet did not violate the law.

According to Columbus Police Department, the incident happened Thursday afternoon in the 700 block of Glendale Drive. Police were called to a report of a dog being shot. A property owner said that his own dog had been attacked by another dog on his property twice before, with the most recent attack injuring his pet. When the attacking dog came back on Thursday and attempted to attack the pet again, the witness used a handgun to shoot and wound the attacking animal.

The dog later had to be euthanized, police say.

Police say that based on the witness statements and evidence gathered at the scene, police determined that the property owner did not violate Indiana laws by wounding the attacking dog.

After requests from the public, police turned the evidence over to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office to be reviewed and the prosecutors also determined there was no violation of the law.

If you have any information or video footage of the event, you are asked to contact the Columbus Police at 812-376-2600.

Starting Friday night, traffic patterns on the southwest side of Indianapolis will change to allow I-69 Finish Line to enter its next phase of construction: widening and rebuilding I-465 eastbound, which will include a new bridge over the White River.

Beginning at 8 p.m. on March 10th, and lasting through 5 a.m. on Monday, March 13th, traffic on westbound I-465 between I-65 and I-70 on the city’s southwest side will be limited to a single lane. During the weekend restrictions crews will shift the westbound lanes to the north in preparation for an eastbound switch later in the month.

During the double-lane restriction the speed limit on westbound I-465 will be reduced to 45 miles per hour. The speed limit on eastbound I-465 will remain at 55 miles per hour, and all motorists are encouraged to slow down, pay attention to changing conditions and drive distraction-free.

To reduce traffic volume and the number of conflict points in the construction zone, several westbound entrance ramps onto I-465 will close during this weekend’s lane restrictions. Starting Friday at 8 p.m. the following ramps will be closed:

I-65 southbound to I-465 westbound
I-65 northbound to I-465 westbound
U.S. 31 southbound to I-465 westbound
U.S. 31 northbound to I-465 westbound
S.R. 37 (Harding Street) southbound to I-465 westbound

The U.S. 31 southbound to I-465 westbound ramp closure will remain in place through 2024. All other ramps will reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday, March 13th.

After thirteen seasons as the head basketball coach at Columbus East High School, Coach Brent Chitty has resigned as coach. Regarding stepping down from this role Coach Chitty said, “I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to coach at Columbus East and to have worked with such great student-athletes over the past thirteen years. I look forward to continuing my role as a teacher in BCSC.”

Columbus East Assistant Athletic Director David Miller remarked, “Coach Chitty has made a positive impact on many student athletes over the last thirteen years at Columbus East High School. Columbus East Athletic Department would like to thank him for all that he has done for student-athletes, his dedication and leadership to Olympian boys basketball over the many years.”

Before taking the head coach position at Columbus East, Chitty was head coach at Evansville Central and Owen Valley and an assistant coach at Bloomington North High School.

Columbus East High School Principal Mark Newell said, “Brent has always cared about his players as student-athletes first and foremost. He has prepared his players for their future and laid the foundation for their future success. He will continue to have a positive impact on his students in the classroom.”

When asked about the future of Olympian Basketball, Coach Chitty noted, “My hope and prayer is that the boys will continue to work hard and do their best for the new coach so that they can be great in the classroom and great on the court.”