The Seymour mayor’s office is looking for high school students to be members of the Mayor’s Youth Council.
The youth council operates as an advisory board to the mayor on issues affecting youth in the community. Council members take part in city meetings, tour city facilities, hear from guest speakers and participate in other leadership activities. Participants will need to agree to take part in youth council meetings up to twice a month through the school year.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Bartholomew County community’s Mental Health Matters coalition is planning a full slate of activities to help reduce the stigma against mental health and to get people the help they need.
Organizers say that there are a wide range of free and low cost events schedule, ranging from support groups and wellness workshops to yoga sessions and a neighborhood block party.
There will be two pop-up events today, with one starting at The Commons at 3:30 p.m. and one at The Forge on 4th at 5:30 p.m. Vachel Hudson with the Mental Health Matters coalition will be on hand to answer questions and to share resources.
We could see some more severe weather this afternoon.
The National Weather Service puts much of southeastern Indiana under a slight risk for bad weather, following a diagonal line roughly from Seymour to Greensburg.
A cold front is expected to move through the area this afternoon bringing bad weather with it. We could see numerous thunderstorms this evening which could turn strong to severe. That could include hail of up to an inch, 60 mph winds and heavy rains bring flooding to low-lying areas. The greatest danger today will be from 1 p.m. this afternoon through 9 p.m. this evening.
Tornadoes are not expected with this storm.
Looking to the weekend, more thunderstorms are forecast for Friday and Saturday.
Indiana State Police recently recognized the Versailles District’s 2024 Trooper of the Year at an awards ceremony.
According to state police, Trooper Brian Weigel was chosen for the award. He is a two and a half year veteran of the state police. Last year he responded to more than 1,200 calls for service, had more than 800 traffic contacts, 97 criminal arrests, 20 DUI arrests and investigated 37 crashes.
His supervisor made the nomination, praising his attitude and work ethic. State police also recognized the good working relationships he has established with law enforcement, prosecutors, school personnel, and community leaders.
Weigel was the unanimous choice of the Versailles Post command staff to receive the award. The Versailles District includes Bartholomew, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and six other south-central Indiana counties.
Weigel graduated from East Central high School, Vincennes University and Indiana University East. Before joining the state police in 2022, he previously served with the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department, where he lives with his family. He was assigned to patrol Dearborn and Ripley counties.
2024 Trooper of the Year for the Versailles District Brian Weigel. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.
Talking Tombstones, a fundraiser for the Bartholomew County Historical Society and Columbus Parks Foundation, will be returning next week the Columbus city cemetery.
The Friday, May 9th event will feature actors taking on the roles of famous residents of the past who are buried in the cemetery. There will more than 20 stations you can visit at your own pace. The city cemetery is just south of Donner Park.
There will also be a food truck you can visit, located in the parking lot off of 19th Street.
It will start at 5:30 p.m. next Friday with entrance to the cemetery at 16th and 19th streets.
Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 the night of the event. You can get them through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talking-tombstones-tickets-883833609117 at the Bartholomew County Historical Society museum on Third Street or at the event.
For more information you can call the historical society at 812-372-3541.
Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Historical Society
Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.
An 18-year-old is in custody, accused of firing a shot inside the Jackson County Public Library in Seymour, wounding one person
According to authorities, Seymour dispatchers received reports at just before noon yesterday that shots had been fired inside the library on Second Street. Seymour officers, along with Jackson County deputies, Indiana State Police and Indiana State Excise police arrived to find that a library patron had subdued 18-year-old Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo and was holding him down. He was taken into custody and is facing two counts of attempted murder, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and intimidation.
Indiana State Police say Cuevas-Bravo entered the building’s front entrance and opened fire with a long gun. One person was injured and those injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Cuevas-Bravo then went to the second floor of the library where he placed the gun on the floor. That’s when he was tackled by the library patron.
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles with the Indiana State Police said that they do not yet have a motive in the incident
Investigators contacted the Department of Homeland Security who confirmed Cuevas-Bravo is a U.S. citizen. And officers found that he is a student at Seymour High School.
Authorities say that before the incident at the library, Cuevas-Bravo, first went to the high school looking for a school resource officer, planning to target that officer. However he wasn’t able to find the officer and next went to the library.
Seymour police say that an item of concern was found at the library and members of Indiana State Police – Special Operations Section, Columbus Police Department, and FBI explosive disposal units responded, where they conducted operations on the concerning item.
Numerous items of evidence were collected from Cuevas-Bravo’s vehicle, along with items found inside the library.
Authorities say that Cuevas-Bravo appeared to act alone. Seymour police will have extra officers at schools today as a precaution.
According to a statement from the Jackson County Public Library, all library locations are closed at least through Saturday, May 3.
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles audio courtesy of Network Indiana.
Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.
Seymour Man Arrested for Attempted Murder Following Shooting Inside Jackson County Library
This afternoon, April 30, 2025, a Seymour, Indiana man was arrested on two counts of attempted murder following a shooting inside the Jackson County Public Library in Seymour, Indiana.
The initial investigation by Seymour Police Detectives, Investigators with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, and Agents with the FBI-Indianapolis Field Office indicates that just prior to noon today, Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo, age 18, Seymour, Indiana entered the front entrance of the library. Immediately upon entering the library, he fired one shot from a long gun towards two employees working nearby, causing one employee to sustain non-life threatening injuries.
Cuevas-Bravo then went to the second floor of the library where he placed the gun on the floor. A patron of the library then tackled him and held him there for law enforcement officers. Seymour Police
Officers were on scene very quickly and took him into custody. Officers from the Indiana State Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, and Indiana Excise Police were also on scene within minutes. The Columbus Police Department additionally provided valuable resources during the investigation.
Additional information gathered during the investigation indicated that Cuevas-Bravo went to Seymour High School earlier in the morning to initially target a Seymour Police Department School Resource Officer. Cuevas-Bravo never entered the school or made contact with the officer before he eventually left and went to the library.
Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo was arrested and incarcerated at the Jackson County Jail on preliminary charges of Attempted Murder-2 counts, Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon-1 count, and Intimidation-1 count. Cuevas-Bravo will soon face an initial hearing in the Jackson County Circuit Court.
The multi-agency investigation remains ongoing at this time. Investigators remained on scene throughout the afternoon.
Jackson County EMS and the Seymour Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
Earlier story:
Seymour Police Department responded to a shooting incident at the Jackson County Library today.
Few details are yet available, but dispatchers received a report at noon of an active shooting at the library in Seymour. Police responded and the shooter was taken into custody. City police were assisted at the scene by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Excise Police.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
Shane Elifritz. Photo courtesy of North Vernon Police Department.
Two people were arrested after a traffic stop of a motorcycle Sunday in North Vernon.
According to the North Vernon Police Department, an officer was enforcing traffic laws near the State Road 7 and State Road 3 split at about 7:26 p.m. Sunday when he noticed a motorcycle with an expired registration. The officer pulled over the cycle which had a passenger along with the driver.
The driver was 46-year-old Shane Elifritz of North Vernon who admitted that he did not have a valid driver’s license and did not have a motorcycle endorsement. The officer also discovered that Elifritz was a habitual traffic offender who was banned for life. He was taken into custody and is facing a felony charge for operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator.
The passenger 44-year-old Jennifer Elifritz of North Vernon was found to be wanted on a Jennings County warrant. She was taken into custody and a search revealed she was carrying methamphetamine. In addition to the outstanding warrant, she is facing a new charge for possessing the drugs.
Jennifer Elifritz. Photo courtesy of North Vernon Police Department.
Signups are now underway for the United Way of Bartholomew County’s annual Day of Caring.
The Day of Caring is being held on May 16th and registration began yesterday for the volunteer slots.
More than 500 volunteers are needed to help organizations that make a positive difference in Bartholomew County.
The annual Day of Caring is a full-day volunteer event that connects local businesses and community members with non-profit agencies and organizations. Volunteer projects will include tasks such as planting flowers, mulching, painting, organizing, and sorting donations.
Volunteers of all ages and skill levels can take part
Attorneys for the family of a child who was sexually assaulted on a special needs school bus in Jennings County, are planning to sue the school district.
Wagner Reese law firm has filed an Indiana Tort Claim Notice against the Jennings County School Corporation, saying that the 7-year-old non-verbal special education student was repeatedly sexually assaulted on a bus by a 15-year-old.
The attorneys claim that the school failed to protect the child and the assaults happened while a bus driver and monitor were both onboard. They say that video footage confirms multiple assaults.
Attorney Laura Swafford said in a statement that this was a “nightmare tragedy” that should have never happened. She said “The school system breached the trust of the family and failed in its responsibility to protect their child.”
Police say they were told about a 15-year-old student raping the younger child on April 16th. The 15-year-old was arrested the day after it happened and is being held at a juvenile detention center on a charge of rape.
