Five people were arrested in North Vernon last week on drug-related charges after a report of a stolen cell phone.

According to the North Vernon Police Department, officers were called to High Street at about 10:07 p.m. in the evening on January 12th. about suspicious people in the area. Police found three people at the location, and one of them, 18-year-old Erica Brown of North Vernon, told authorities, that she had her phone stolen from another location on Sixth Street while she was sleeping and that a phone finding app, traced it to the High Street area.

An officer went to the Sixth Street location to investigate the theft and while no one answered the door, police could smell marijuana inside and see signs of drug use through a window. That led to police serving a search warrant. During the search, officers found bags of bags of methamphetamine, marijuana, prescription pills in bottles not belonging to any of the occupants, heroin, syringes, and drug paraphernalia including over 200 small baggies, scales, and personal electronics. They also found the reportedly stolen cell phone.

Police arrested 29-year-old Dakota M. Taylor, 31-year-old Trent E. Burton and 18-year-old Kaylee E. Oliphant, all of North Vernon, of charges including maintaining a common nuisance, and for possessing the drugs, syringes and drug paraphernalia.

Brown and 20-year-old Kassandra R. Batts also North Vernon, were arrested on charges of visiting a common nuisance.

River Valley Legal Aid is holding a free phone in legal clinic for residents of its eight county district in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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 over the phone.

The phone clinic will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. To take part, you must first register between noon and 2 p.m. by calling 812-378-0358.

Local government offices are closed today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

That includes Columbus City Utilities. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service, you can call 812-372-8861 and follow the prompts.

The Columbus and Bartholomew County Recycling Center will be closed today, as well as the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District offices and the Commercial Cardboard routes. The Bartholomew County Landfill will be open normal hours today.

Toyota Material Handling, based in Columbus, is unveiling two new forklift lines. The company announced last week that the new offerings will include mid & Large Electric Pneumatic Forklifts and a refreshed Core Electric Forklift series.

The Integrated Mid & Large Electric Pneumatic Forklifts are engineered for heavy-duty applications, particularly in outdoor environments. The company says that the electric drive system provides the performance of internal combustion with the efficiency of electric models.

The relaunched Core Electric Forklift is a compact, four-wheel electric lift truck designed for a broad range of indoor applications.

Bill Finerty, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling, said that the new products “reinforce Toyota’s commitment to environmental stewardship without compromising the efficiency and power of our reliable products.”

Photo courtesy of Toyota Material Handling

Decatur County authorities are warning about a debit card skimmer found on an ATM machine at a truck stop.

According to the sheriff’s department, the skimmer was found on a machine at the Love’s Travel Stop on Old U.S. Highway 421 in St. Paul. The department posted on social media that fraudulent activity has been discovered on the bank accounts of customers who used the machine recently. Deputies say that if you used the machine recently, you should check your bank accounts.

If you believe you have been a victim, you should contact the sheriff’s department  at 812-663-8125 or the dispatch center at 812-222-4911.

Emergency officials are warning of dangerously cold temperatures over the next few days, as an arctic air mass settles across the region.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a cold weather advisory through 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.

According to the Bartholomew County Emergency Operations Department, we will see the coldest temperatures so far this season. Forecasters say temperatures should fall to near zero tonight and Tuesday night. The wind will make that feel like -10 to -20 degrees below zero.

Afternoon highs today and Tuesday are only expected to get into the low teens. With wind chills today of -12.

The National Weather Service urges you to be safe if you have to be outside in this weather. With this cold, you could get frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. You should make sure to wear appropriate layered clothes including hat and gloves. If you must go outdoors, cover all your exposed skin. If you have to work outside, take frequent breaks in a warm, heated area.

Columbus and Bartholomew County will be offering warming locations through Tuesday. You can stop into Donner Center off of 22nd Street from 8 to 5 each day to warm up. You can also drop into either Bartholomew County Public Library branch in Columbus or Hope today or Tuesday.

Several area schools have already declared delays for Monday morning. You can find a complete list here: https://delays.1010wcsi.com

State police say an arrest this week of a Jefferson County man closes a 13-year investigation into a Switzerland County rape case.

A woman was battered and sexually assaulted in a home in July of 2011 in Switzerland County. Although leads were pursued at the time, the break in the case came last year when DNA investigative techniques revealed a family member of a suspect — 37-year-old Craig S. Long. Long was arrested on Wednesday after a search warrant was served for his DNA.

He is facing felony charges of Rape, Burglary and Aggravated Battery.

Last year, troopers started a cold case unit which includes laboratory personnel trained in the use of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy and familial DNA investigative techniques.

Centra Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2025 Loretta M. Burd Scholarship Program. The program awards 34 $2,500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and adult students.

One high school scholarship will be awarded from each of the 28 Centra branches. Centra Foundation will also be awarding six scholarships for adult or nontraditional students who are returning to school to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree or certification.

The scholarship program is named in honor of Burd, who retired from Centra Credit Union after 47 years of service.

To qualify for a scholarship, the applicant or the applicant’s parent or legal guardian must be a member of Centra Credit Union with an account in good standing.

Applications will be accepted through March 9th. You can find a link to apply here: https://www.centra.org/centrafoundation/scholarships/.

Crews will be closing lanes and a ramp on Interstate 65 at Taylorsville today while they work to complete patching in the area.

According to INDOT, the crews will be closing the right southbound lane of the interstate as well as the southbound off ramp to U.S. 31 starting this morning and lasting through early afternoon. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to drive without distractions and to use extra caution to worker safety in all work zones.

Forecasters are warning of patchy freezing fog this morning.

Visibility could be reduced to less than a mile in some spots and you could see rapid changes to conditions. If you have to be on the road, you could also see some slick spots on surfaces. You should make sure to use extra caution and allow for extra time to reach your destination.

Dangerously cold temperatures are going to be back in the forecast early next week.

According to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, after highs in the upper 30s today and Saturday, temperatures will start to fall again and by Sunday night we will see lows below zero. Forecasters are warning that the warmer days Friday and Saturday could lead to some snow melt mixed with a rain and snow mix to make streets, roads and highways especially treacherous heading into the work week.

The dangerously cold temperatures are expected to last through the middle of the week.

Columbus and Bartholomew County will be making warming shelters available when the cold weather comes back. Starting Sunday, the city will be offering a warming station at Donner Center off of 22nd Street.

You will be able to stop by the shelter from 8 to 5 to get warm. Animals are welcome at Donner Center, but they must be kept in crates and will be kept in a designated part of the facility. After 5, Brighter Days will continue to offer shelter services to those in need.

The Bartholomew County Public Library branches will also be available as warming centers.