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.

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.”

The historic Park Theatre Civic Centre in North Vernon will be hosting the 21st annual Johnson-Whitehead Music Festival on Saturday.

Scheduled performers include Jennings County area musicians: Tracy Thompson, Shirley Bryant, Chris Webster, Jim Bryant, Eric Jarboe, Joe Spicer, Caleb Smith, James White, Tony Bryant, Shari Leake and Jerry Caudill.

The Park Theatre will also be inducting two people into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, Ron Johnson and Mike Mayer. Caleb Smith will be the recipient of this year’s Granville Johnson Memorial Scholarship.

The festival honors the memories of Jennings County bluegrass musicians Granville Johnson and Mike Whitehead.

Tickets are $10. They can be purchased in advance at the Park Theatre box office or at the door on Saturday. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the evening Saturday.

For more information, call 812-346-0330.

You will see lane closures this week on Interstate 65 between Columbus and Walesboro as crews work to install a new overhead sign on the highway.

INDOT says that the northbound right lane and shoulder on I-65 will be closed just north of the Walesboro exit on Tuesday. Work is expected to begin at 9 and last until 6 in the morning Wednesday. Rolling slowdowns are scheduled to take place during the work and will each last about 15 minutes.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT asks to slow down, to use use extra caution and to drive without distractions in all work zones. .

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A North Vernon man accused of murder was sentenced to 45 years Thursday in Jennings County Circuit Court after entering a guilty plea.

William Smith,  47, was arrested on May 11th, 2021 in connection with the killing of Robert Boyd, 56, of North Vernon. Smith was charged with murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, arson, resisting law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, and obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, Smith had been staying in Boyd’s house when the incident occurred. During the investigation, local police were allegedly told that someone close to Smith had revealed that he had a “hit list” of people he wanted to kill, including Robert Boyd. Names of some of Smith’s family members and other members of law enforcement were also included on the list.

Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding revealed that, while awaiting trial, Smith was declared to not be competent to be tried after examinations by two court appointed doctors. He was transferred to Logansport State Hospital for several months until the psychiatrists at the state hospital deemed the defendant fit to stand trial.

Smith was scheduled to stand trial on February 27th but instead he pleaded guilty to the felony charge of murder on February 23rd.

The other charges were dismissed.

Smith acknowledged during the hearing that he committed the murder, according to Prosecutor Belding.

The hearing was attended by members of Mr. Boyd’s family.

A Columbus man was found guilty of murder Friday after only an hour of jury deliberations.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Prosecutor’s Office, Patrick Doyle was found guilty Friday in Bartholomew County Circuit Court for the 2021 murder of 37-year-old Heather Ann Steuver. Due to extensive media coverage of the case, the jury consisted of jurors from Shelby County.

Doyle was found to have killed Steuver at a home in the 5500 block of East County Road 800N on Aug. 22nd, 2021.

Steuver’s parents reported her missing four days later. Authorities say that Doyle admitted to killing Steuver while being interviewed by a sheriff’s department detective while he was being held on child pornography charges.

Steuver’s body was later found in a shallow grave at Doyle’s place of employment, Nugent Sand and Gravel Co. According to the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office, Steuver’s death was a homicide by blunt force trauma.

Decatur County authorities are looking for you help find a missing woman from Hope, just over three years after she disappeared.

Donna Mitchell was last seen on February 11th, 2020 at the Brown Bottle liquor store in Hartsville around 7:30 p.m. in the evening. After she went missing, Mitchell was believed to be in extreme danger, having not taken medication she was dependent on when she left her home in Hope. Mitchell was driving a maroon 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer when she went missing, which was never recovered.

In the past two and a-half years, searches have taken place all over the area where Mitchell was believed to have been traveling, with no results. Property owners in the area allowed investigators to search ponds and lakes in the area as well with sonar equipment, but again, investigators weren’t able to find anything.

Mitchell was born on January 2, 1963. She is a white woman, 5 foot 3 inches, 115 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing glasses, a tan Carhart jacket, and blue jeans with a flower decal on the pant leg.

Hoping to conclude the search, additional investigators have been assigned to the case and will be actively pursuing old and new leads, according to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department.

If you have any information, you can call 812-663-8125.

The Bartholomew County Solid Waste Managment Disctrict is announcing some changes for paper recycling.

Starting soon, there will no longer be paper-only bin collecting at the Bartholomew County Landfill as well as the Petersville and Harrison convenience stations. Instead paper will be combined with plastics, metals, and glass in co-mingled bins.

At the Landfill, paper will be collected in the Yellow Recyclying compactor. At Harrison and Petersville paper will be collected in the red bins.

Separated paper will still be accepted at the Columbus/Bartholomew County Recycling Center.

Cardboard will still be separated out at all the locations.

The agency says the changes are due to changes in the vendor service.

For more information you can go to www.bcswmd.com, or call 812-376-2614.