On Friday August 2nd, Deputies with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about two individuals who had been struck by lightening. Deputies responded quickly to the scene and discovered an 18 year old male and a pregnant teenager who had been camping in a tent outside their residence. Both individuals were inside the tent when they were struck by lightening. Deputies rendered aid until medical personnel arrived. Both individuals were treated for their injuries and are in serious but stable condition.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office received word that the baby was ok as well.

Two Women were arrested on Saturday after stealing from the Indiana Premium Outlet Mall and then leading Police on a chase, all while having two children in the vehicle.
On Saturday August 3, 2024, Edinburgh Police attempted to stop a vehicle on US 31 and I65 after the suspects in the vehicle were reported as stealing from the Indiana Premium Outlet Mall. The suspect vehicle fled northbound on I65 at speeds of 100 MPH.

Several agencies including the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit and set up stop sticks at the 90mm. The suspect’s vehicle hit the stop sticks at the 90 MM and pulled over just north of the Franklin exit with 2 flat tires. The 2 adult female occupants identified as 27 year old Alea Turentine and 33 year old Breanna Johnson, were taken into custody. While clearing the vehicle, Officers located 2 children inside the vehicle unharmed.

Turentine and Johnson have been arrested for multiple charges for the thefts, resisting with a vehicle and Child Endangerment.

The Children 2 years of age and 10 years of age were released to a family member. No one was injured in the incident.

Jim Bickel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Columbus Regional Health, has announced his intent to retire after nearly 34 years of service with Columbus Regional Health in 2025.

(Steve Baker and Jim Bickel, Courtesy of CRH)

With Bickel’s announcement , the Columbus Regional Health Board of Trustees has initiated a succession plan, effective August 1st, 2024 that will separate the roles of President and CEO of Columbus Regional Health. Jim Bickel will continue in the role of CEO, and the Board has announced that the current Chief Operating Officer, Steve Baker, will assume the role of President, in addition to his duties as Chief Operation Officer. As CEO, Jim Bickel will focus on strategic and long-term initiatives for Columbus Regional Health, and as President and Chief Operation Officer, Steve Baker will oversee daily operations of Columbus Regional Health.

Legal Aid is holding a Free Legal Aid Phone Clinic for residents of their eight-county district on Tuesday, August 13th, 2024. The district includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby Counties. The phone clinic will be held from 3 pm – 5:30 pm, though registration is required between 12 pm to 2 pm.
The Legal Aid Clinic and Pro Bono Program utilizes local volunteer attorneys, offering free legal consultations to low-income individuals for the access of legal advice and assistance who might not otherwise be able to afford the counsel of an attorney. Anyone seeking legal consultation must register by calling Legal Aid at 812-378-0358 on Tuesday, August 13th, 2024, between 12 pm and 2 pm. A volunteer attorney will return calls to registered individuals between 3 pm and 5:30 pm. Individuals must be available between 3 pm and 5:30 pm to answer a call from an attorney.
No Criminal law questions will be answered during this event.

Columbus Regional Health has been nationally recognized for it’s stroke care.

Columbus Regional health has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get with the Guidelines® – Stroke Quality Achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

The Gold Plus designation was achieved by an 85 percent or greater adherence on all safety, quality and care measures for at least two consecutive years. CRH was also named to the Stroke Honor Roll Elite.

Columbus Regional Health also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. This recognition aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

The Get with the Guidelines program puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines.

Exhibit Columbus has announced the curatorial theme for their 2024-25 cycle of events. The theme for this cycle is called Yes And.

According to Exhibit Columbus, Yes And is an invitation to explore the legacy of Columbus by adding to the multiple and overlapping lives of buildings and spaces.

This theme will be the driving force in all aspects of Exhibit Columbus for their October and February Design Presentations and for the Exhibition that takes place between August 15th and November 30th in 2025.

All three events take place in downtown Columbus and will be free and open to the public.

For more information you can visit the Exhibit Columbus Website at landmarkcolumbusfoundation.org/exhibit-columbus.

The daylong search for a local Columbus man who disappeared at Grandview Lake late Wednesday morning ended when his body was recovered early on Thursday.

The body of Richard Chaille, aged 70 of Columbus, was located and recovered around 5AM by local fire fighter crews.
Chaille was reported missing around 11:14AM on Wednesday morning when he went into the water near his boat and did not resurface.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Chaille was not wearing a life vest at the time of the accident. The daylong search was delayed several times due to lightening from passing storms.

An exact cause of death is being investigated pending autopsy results.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s assistance in regards to the death of a bicyclist that happened at the intersection of N 475 E and E 550 N on July 14th.
If anyone has information about a male bicyclist wearing a fluorescent green shirt in the Clifford/Hope area from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on July 14th, please contact Sgt. Dane Duke at (812) 565 – 5943 or at [email protected].
The investigation is on going, the Sheriff’s Office is seeking relevant information as to why the bicyclist left the roadway resulting in the accident.

INDOT contractor E&B Paving, Inc. plans to reduce southbound I-65 to one lane between Franklin (Exit 90) and Edinburgh (Exit 80) on or after Monday, July 8th, to begin nighttime milling and paving operations in both Johnson and Shelby Counties.

Work will begin in the southbound driving lane at Exit 90 in Franklin and will continue south to Exit 80 near Edinburgh. After southbound driving lane work is complete crews will reduce northbound I-65 to one lane to begin nighttime work on the northbound I-65 driving lane. Following the completion of work on both the northbound and southbound driving lanes, crews will transition to begin work on the left lanes of I-65, beginning with southbound work and finishing with northbound work.

The nighttime lane closures will take place from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. and are expected to take up to eight weeks altogether, weather permitting.

This work is part of a $7.3 million contract awarded to E&B Paving in April 2024. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Early Wednesday afternoon the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call about a single vehicle motorcycle crash involving serious injury.
The crash occurred near CR 300 East and CR 300 South, just East of State Road 39 in Brownstown Township.
Jackson County Lieutenant Adam Nicholson assisted by Sheriff Rick Meyer and Deputy Aaron Wilkins responded to and investigated the crash.
After resuscitative efforts from first responders and Jackson County EMS, the driver Kim C. Kaufman, 66, of Vallonia, IN was pronounced dead at the scene by a member of the Jackson County Coroner’s Office.
The initial investigation indicates that Kaufman was traveling West bound on CR 300 South on a silver 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle. Kaufman had passed a passenger car that was also West bound and then attempted to pass a dump truck. While attempting to pass the dump truck Kaufman lost control of the motorcycle and left the South side of CR 300 South. The motorcycle struck a mailbox and Kaufman was ejected.
An autopsy and toxicology testing is scheduled for Today, July 5th.
The Brownstown Police Department, Jackson County EMS, Brownstown Volunteer Fire Department, and Jackson County Coroners Office assisted at the scene.