The Bartholomew County Commissioners have declared a burn ban in the county, until at least next week.

Citing continuing dry and dangerous conditions the commissioners enacted the burn ban Monday morning. It specifically prohibits campfires and other recreational fires, open burning of any kind with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane, the burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation and the use of burn barrels for any open burning at residential structures.

The burn ban also urges you to make sure any charcoal is fully extinguished before removing it from a grill and discourages the use of fireworks.

You could see some nighttime lane closures on Interstate 65 between Seymour and Scottsburg this week, as crews work on patching in the area.

According to INDOT, there will be overnight lane closures starting tonight. The work is expected to take up to four nights and will be going on from 6 p.m. in the evening to 7 a.m. in the morning each night. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

Crews will begin work in the right lane of southbound I-65 south of Seymour and will continue to move south to near the Scottsburg exit. Crews will then begin work in the right lane of northbound I-65 and head back toward Seymour.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to drive without distractions and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

A shooting threat against a local elementary school has led to an arrest and an increased police presence at schools today.

The Columbus Police Department announced last night that a juvenile girl had been arrested and taken to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center on charges of intimidation and false informing.

The incident began Friday evening with a threat on social media against Parkside Elementary school saying that there would be a shooting at the school today. Columbus police began investigating immediately and believe the threat came from an elementary school student. Officers determined that the threat was not credible and the student does not have access to firearms, Police said that the child would not be attending school while police work with school officials and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office to determine the next steps.

Police say that the protection of school is their our number one focus and additional school resource officers will be in place at Parkside Elementary School. Columbus police are coordinating with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police to ensure safety at all schools.

Authorities are also stressing the need to teach children about responsible internet use and for parents to actively monitor their online activity. And they warn about the dangers of sharing unverified information online.

11:30 a.m. update

The Columbus and Bartholomew County SWAT team was called out twice Sunday on shooting incidents.

According to the Columbus Police Department, the first incident started around 9 p.m. when police were called to a shooting on Coles Drive. A 53-year-old man was shot in the abdomen during at a home in the 4400 block of Coles Drive, before being driven to a nearby Columbus Fire Department station for treatment.

The SWAT team arrived at the home, along with the crisis negotiation team and other officers. Police worked to talk the suspected shooter, 78-year-old Stephen Funkhauser into surrendering and he eventually left the home and was taken into custody. He is facing a preliminary felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon.

The victim was flown to an Indianapolis hospital for treatment.

The second shooting incident led to an alert for nearby residents to stay safe in their homes on Silver Fox Drive at about 11:30 p.m. last night.
Police say that shots were fired during a fight between a man and woman at a home in the 2900 block of Silver Fox drive at about 10:28 p.m. The woman ran from the home and police say that the man fire shots from a handgun. She reached a neighbor’s home and called for authorities.

Police discovered multiple bullets that had hit the neighbor’s home.

The alleged shooter, 59-year-old Brent Clayburn, of Columbus initiatally barricaded himself inside the home and refused to come out, but eventually surrendered.

Clayburn was arrested on felony charges of domestic battery with a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and criminal confinement with a deadly weapon.

Original story

The Columbus and Bartholomew County SWAT team was called out twice Sunday on shooting incidents.

Columbus police say that few details are available yet and more information will be released soon.

The SWAT team was called to the 4400 block of Coles Drive and found one man who had been shot in the abdomen. He was taken to an Indianapolis area hospital. A suspect is in custody.

The second incident led to an alert for nearby residents to stay safe in their homes on Silver Fox Drive at about 11:15 p.m. last night. In that incident an armed man barricaded himself into a home. Shots were fired in that incident but only property was damaged. He eventually came out of the home peacefully and was taken into custody.

Columbus Police Department Press Release Sunday, 8:30 p.m.

As Columbus Police Department (CPD) investigators continue to look into the threats made to our local schools, an  arrest has been made. In the evening hours of September 15, 2024, CPD has taken a juvenile female into custody and  remanded her to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center for intimidation and false informing. Even with the  arrest, we are still coordinating with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police to ensure  safety at all Bartholomew County schools tomorrow. 

Columbus Police Press Release Sunday 3:30 p.m.

The Columbus Police Department (CPD) and our community continue to make school safety a top priority. All students  deserve to learn in a safe and nurturing environment. Many of our officers have children and family attending or working within our schools. CPD has an extensive history of working with the Bartholomew Consolidated School  Corporation (BCSC) to provide that safe environment, even before we started a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO)  Program in 2014. Our officers routinely conduct school security checks outside of the 5 full-time SRO’s assigned to BCSC  schools. 

On September 13th, 2024, we immediately began to investigate when it was reported to us that there was a shooting threat being sent through social media about Parkside Elementary School. That investigation is still ongoing. The  information provided leads us to believe the threat was communicated by an elementary school student. With the  investigation still going and the age of the involved parties, we can only release limited information. We can say that the  student will not be attending school while we work with BCSC and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office to  determine the best course of action at the conclusion of the investigation.  

With the protection of our schools being our number one focus, we will have additional SROs at Parkside Elementary School. Collaborating with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police, we have reallocated  resources to ensure the security of all Bartholomew County Schools. 

It’s important to note that we are not the only community experiencing these types of threats for Monday. We have and  will continue to address these threats with the utmost seriousness. In alignment with national best practices, we must  not let a person’s careless actions or words detract from all the work our community is doing to provide the best  learning environment for our children.

Columbus Police Press Release Saturday 7:17 p.m.

Following a school shooting threat made on Friday night, Columbus Police Department (CPD) investigators have determined that the threat is not credible. The individual involved does not have access to firearms, and CPD will continue to investigate the incident in partnership with Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC).

School safety remains a top priority in our community. While we appreciate the public’s willingness to assist with school security, we ask that you allow law enforcement to manage these efforts. It’s important to note that carrying a firearm on school property is a felony.

This incident underscores the need to teach our children about responsible internet use and for parents to actively monitor their online activity. It is also critical that we all remain cautious when posting or sharing unverified information.

Thank you to all our community members who reached out with information to help us keep Columbus safe.

Columbus Police Department Press Release Friday 9:10 p.m.

The Columbus Police Department is continuing to investigate a threat of a shooting at a local school. At 6:53 pm, officers were called about a shooting threat made against Parkside Elementary School. The message that was sent via social media indicated it would take place on Monday, September 16th.

Our officers and detectives are actively investigating the origins of the message. At this point, it is unknown if this incident is related to any other threats made in other communities.

Anyone with information on the person who sent this message is encouraged to contact us at 812-376-2600.

Fans of independent coffee shops will have the chance to win prizes by completing a tour of southeastern Indiana cafes.

And five of the stops are in Bartholomew County this year.

The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is announcing the community participation in the Southeast Indiana Coffee Trail promotion. By stopping at the 21 businesses across seven counties and getting your Coffee Trail passport punched, you can earn a Trail T-shirt, an insulated travel mug and coupons and discounts at the area coffee shops.

Participating Bartholomew County locations include Gramz Bakery & Café, the two Lucabe Coffee Co. locations, and the two Sojourn Coffee Co locations. Also in our area is The Branch Gathering Place + Coffee House in Decatur County and Hos Coffee in Jennings County. Coffee shops in Dearborn, Jefferson, Ripley and Franklin counties are also taking part.

The challenge runs through December of next year. Tourism official say that this is a great way to showcase and support all of these businesses, along with their specialty coffees, other drinks and amenities.

You can start the tour and pick up your passport at the Columbus Area Visitors Center, Visit Greensburg and Join Us in Jennings in North Vernon.

Authorities say that an investigation has led to two people being arrested at a Taylorsville mobile home park on drug-related charges.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the city-county Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and Intelligence Led Policing Unit served a search warrant at the home on Thursday after a long investigation. Inside the mobile home in the 7700 block of Mill Run they discovered a quarter pound of methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, suspected fentanyl, items used in the sale of narcotics such as scales, along with a a handgun and about $2,000 in cash.

Police arrested 38-year-old Angel Sanders and 49-year-old Robert Siple, both of Taylorsville, on preliminary charges of dealing in Methamphetamine, a controlled substance and a narcotic drug, along with maintaining a common nuisance, and for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.

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

Photos courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

The Seymour Police Department says that it has been cracking down on speeders and unsafe drivers, especially in school zones.

According to the department, over three recent days, the department deployed vehicle speed enforcement teams for just over 17 hours in total. In those 17 hours, they made 339 traffic stops resulting in 340 warnings, 49 citations, and 14 arrests made. Some motorists received more than one warning after other traffic violations were noticed by police.

The department says that the enforcement addressed concerns from the community about speeders along the South Burkart Boulevard bypass area, and around Redding Elementary School on North Ewing Street.

Police say that the goal is to increase safety awareness of motorists who travel these areas. They urge drivers to slow down and to pay attention while on the road to help increase the safety of schoolchildren, motorists, pedestrians and the public.

Heritage Fund, Bartholomew County’s community foundation, wants you to help celebrate why you love to live in Columbus with a day long festival in downtown on Saturday, Oct. 5th.

The day will celebrate the kickoff of the sixth annual Love Where You Live fund-raising campaign in support of Heritage Fund’s Community Fund. Heritage Fund annually awards more than $800,000 in grants from the Community Fund to local nonprofits.

Amy Laker, spokeswoman for Heritage Fund, explains.

The inaugural Love Where You Live downtown festival, will include two big music events with a concert on the Library Plaza featuring the Miss Americanas, a Taylor Swift tribute band, as well as the Rock The Block Dance Party under the InterOculus canopy on Fourth Street organized by Exhibit Columbus

Amy Laker, spokeswoman for Heritage Fund, explains.

The Rock the Block concert is being organized by Exhibit Columbus.

Other activities will include activities for kids, the creation of a new mural, food trucks and other interactive arts demonstrations through the Columbus Area Arts Council. There will also be signature Love Where You Live brew from Hog Molly Brewing Company, and themed merchandise for sale.

The day will celebrate the kickoff of the sixth annual LWYL fund-raising campaign in support of Heritage Fund’s Community Fund. Heritage Fund annually awards more than $800,000 in grants from the Community Fund to local nonprofits.

The day starts at 2 p.m. The event is free and you are invited to attend.

You can get more information and make a donation at heritagefundbc.org.

Photo: Miss Americanas photo courtesy of Heritage Fund

Much of Indiana is dealing with drought conditions due to the lack of rainfall.

According to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis there have only been 5 hundredths of an inch of rain in Indianapolis so far in September. A normal September would see just over three inches of rainfall throughout the month.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows southern Indiana to be in moderate drought. When moderate drought occurs, crop growth is stunted and water levels drop. There is some rain possible as leftovers from Hurricane Francine roll through southern Indiana, but it won’t be enough to offset the current drought conditions.

Several spots in northern Indiana are considered to be abnormally dry.

Story courtesy of Network Indiana