Gov. Eric Holcomb and other dignitaries will be in Bartholomew County today as Toyota Material Handling break ground on a major expansion.

The company will be holding the ceremony this morning at the 65-acre site across the road from its existing Walesboro location along Deaver Road. The company is planning a nearly $100 million expansion. The company plans to add a 295,000 square foot plant across the road from its existing location that would start production in June of 2026 adding 85 jobs here initially.

The expansion will allow the company to meet growing demand for its products, especially electrical forklifts.

Company executives told city officials earlier this year that the company has four manufacturing sites in North America, and evaluated all of them for the project, but would prefer to grow here.

Toyota has nearly 2,100 workers in Columbus and produced its first forklift here in 1989.

Earlier this year, Columbus officials approved the rezoning of the property from agricultural to industrial use and annexed it into the city limits.

Seymour police say a theft of a security camera led to the arrest of two people last week.

According to the Seymour Police Department, officers were called Thursday night to the 100 block of East 12th Street about the missing camera. However, the suspects were caught on video. Officers said that the night before they had talked with two suspicious people in the area, who were the same two on video, Travis Grigsby and Andrea Hurley, both 39 and both from Seymour.

Officers stopped the suspects’ vehicle on the east side of the city and found drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view inside. A search of teh vehicle recovered the missing security camera, as well as methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, scales, syringes and a large amount of cash.

Grigsby and Hurley were arrested on charges including theft, dealing in methamphetamine, cocaine, a schedule 1 drug, as well as for possessing the drugs, and a syringe. Grigsby is also accused of possessing marijuana.

A Columbus man has been arrested in Jennings County, accused of pulling a stolen trailer.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to a vehicle fire in the area of County Road 950N and State Road 7 on May 20th. They found that Clifford Roberts of Columbus had already put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. Roberts said that he was borrowing the vehicle and a family member was   to assist him. But police found that the trailer had been reported stolen out of Bartholomew County.

Deputies say that Roberts took off and they called for a police dog to track Roberts. The dog tracked Roberts for about two miles, through woods, a creek and a field but due to the heat, the search by the dog was called off.

Deputies continued to look for Roberts and found him walking into the area, where he was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle found 16 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Roberts is facing preliminary charges of auto theft and for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.

A Seymour man is dead following a home fire Monday.

According to Seymour Police Department, officers on patrol noticed a residence fully in flames at about 9:20 a.m. Monday in the area of Hancock Street and Euclid Streets. A woman was outside on the front porch, shouting for help and suffering from smoke inhalation. The woman said someone else was still trapped inside.

After getting her to safety, police entered the home to try to rescue the man, but the fire was too intense and police had to retreat. Medics and firefighters arrived on the scene and the woman was taken to Schneck Medical Center for treatment.

Seymour firefighters put the fire out and found 53-year-old Jonathan W. White of Seymour had been fatally injured. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Seymour Fire Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office. Seymour police and the Jackson County Coroner’s Office are also involved in the investigation.

Jennings County authorities are praising a new owner who plans to bring a fresh look to a downtown North Vernon building.

The Jennings County Economic Development Commission announced last week that Harmon Construction has acquired the former Old National/PNC Bank Building in downtown North Vernon and plans to use it for its corporate headquarters.

The former bank building was built in 1888 and has been an important symbol of downtown history, architecture and heritage. Harmon Construction plans a comprehensive renovation to keep the building’s charm and meet modern corporate needs.

Kathy Ertel, executive director of the Jennings County Economic Development Commission, said that the Harmons worked closely with building owner Steve Gasper and North Vernon Mayor Sean Gerkin to quickly develop the project. She thanked them for their vision in the redevelopment of this anchor property in downtown.

Gerkin said that Harmon’s renovation and headquarters would be “another great cornerstone for downtown North Vernon.”

Harmon Construction, Inc. provides general contracting, construction management, and pre-construction services across the Midwest.

Photo courtesy of Jennings County Economic Development Commission

Two people were arrested Saturday on drug-related charges after a traffic stop in Seymour.

According to Seymour Police Department, witnesses reported that a driver of a vehicle near Ninth and North Ewing Streets appeared to be under the influence and was also a habitual traffic violator. Police stopped the vehicle and officers say that the driver, 33-year-old Luke Newkirk of Seymour, IN, attempted to switch seats with the passenger.

Police attempted to take Newkirk into custody but he struggled and tried to get rid of a plastic bag containing fentanyl. A search of the vehicle recovered more than 70 grams of methamphetamine, scales and drug paraphernalia. Police say that the passenger, 36-year-old Ryanne Snodgrass, also of Seymour, attempted to hide a syringe  and drug paraphernalia while being taken to the jail.

Newkirk is facing preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while a habitual traffic violator, dealing methamphetamine, possession of a syringe and a narcotic, obstruction of justice, and resisting law enforcement.

Snodgrass is being accused of dealing methamphetamine, possession of a syringe and a narcotic, and obstruction of justice.

Photo courtesy of Seymour Police Department

A major reconstruction project will start today on Lowell Road in Columbus.

According to the city engineer’s office, the $3 million dollar project will widen the road from the west side of U.S.31 to just past County Road 200W, which is the city limits. The project includes a lighted and landscaped roundabout at the intersection of Lowell Road and County Road 200W. Work is scheduled to start today with crews from Milestone closing Lowell Road from U.S. 31 to Drummond Drive.

The intersection of County Road 200W and Lowell Road is expected to be closed for 90 days.

Legal Aid is hosting a free walk-in legal clinic for Bartholomew County residents today

Legal Aid offers the clinics for low-income residents of its eight-county district including Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Johnson counties.

If you take part you will have a brief consultation with a volunteer attorney to answer general questions, to offer legal information or to receive other advice. The walk-in clinic will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Bartholomew County Public Library

From 3 to 4 p.m. the session will focus on general legal counsel. From 4 to 5 p.m. the clinic will focus on evictions.

The former Jackson County auditor is facing charges including official misconduct after state investigations.

According to the Indiana State Police, 44-year-old Staci Eglen of Seymour was arrested Friday after the Indiana State Board of Accounts found possible misconduct in April. State detectives began investigating and determined that Eglin had acquired more than $18,000 from the county through fraud and theft.

Authorities say that Eglen altered two invoices, submitted the altered invoices to the Jackson County Treasurer’s Office and then deposited the checks issued by the treasurer into her personal bank accounts. She is also accused of depositing two checks from the treasurer’s office into her personal account, after they were issued to her as an employee of the Hamilton Township Trustee’s Office. She is also accused of receiving cash that was used for personal purchases.

Eglen resigned her position as auditor last month and chose not to run for re-election.

She was arrested Friday on felony charges of official misconduct, theft and fraud.

A Georgia man died and two others seriously injured after a crash on Interstate 65 in Jackson County last week.

According to the Indiana State Police, the incident happened at about 10:25 a.m. Friday morning in southern Jackson County between Seymour and Crothersville when a pickup left the east side of the road before coming back across the road, rolled over and ended up in the northbound lanes.

The driuver 53-year-old Jose Uribe of Winder, Georgia suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office. A passenger, 53-year-old Carmen Uribe suffered serious injuries and was flown to an Indianapolis area hospital. A 17-year-old girl who was a passenger also suffered serious injuries. She was first taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour and then flown to an Indianapolis area hospital.

The northbound lanes of I-65 were closed for about two hours while the crash was investigated and cleaned up.

The investigation is ongoing. Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Crothersville Police Department, Seymour Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, and Coomers Towing.