Traffic will continue to be tied up on State Road 135 in Greenwood, as crews continue to work on a bridge deck overlay project.

According to INDOT, the next phase of the project is scheduled to start Wednesday between County Line Road and Fairview Road. The highway will be reduced to a single lane in each direction between Michelle Lane and Stonegate Drive, with both northbound and southbound traffic moved to the southbound lanes of the highway. Both the east and west entrances to the highway from Fry Drive will be closed.

The project is expected to be finished by the end of June. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

Milestone is doing the work as part of a $3.7 million contract.

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

Authorities are searching for a Jackson County man accused of 13 felony charges in a bank robbery, who skipped a court date.

According to Indiana State Police, authorities are looking for 36-year-old Jeremiah Bragg who was arrested in February of last year and did not show up for court this week. Troopers say that Bragg is accused of using a gun to rob a bank in Brownstown, leaving with an undisclosed amount of cash. He and two others fled the scene but were arrested on Vallonia Road by Brownstown officers and Jackson County deputies.

State police led the investigation and Bragg is facing 13 felonies including armed robbery and criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon.

Troopers say that anyone who is found to have been assisting Bragg could also face criminal charges.

If you have any information, you are urged to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department or Indiana State Police. You can call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 812-358-2141 or the Indiana State Police Versailles Post at 812-689-5000.

Two men were arrested in Jennings County over the weekend after one fled from the scene of a crash.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, the incident starts Saturday on U.S. 50 near Butlerville when a deputy tried to pull over a pickup. But instead of stopping, the driver took off. The vehicle then crashed and the driver ran from the scene. Authorities believe the vehicle was being driven by Toby Atha, who has an outstanding felony warrant out of Jackson County.

On Sunday, authorities received a tip that Atha could be found at a camper about 700 feet from the crash site. Deputies and a police dog began searching and found Atha hiding under a bed in the camper. He refused to surrender and the police dog was used to take him into custody after a brief struggle. Deputies say that they found two handguns nearby.

Atha was treated at the scene for minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment, before being taken to jail.

After getting a search warrant, deputies discovered methamphetamine, handguns, drug paraphernalia and other contraband in the camper. The owner of the camper, James Atha, was also arrested.

In addition to the warrant, Toby Atha is facing new preliminary charges for possessing and dealing in meth, as well as for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.

James Atha is also being accused of possessing and dealing in meth and of a firearm by a serious violent felon. He is also being accused of assisting a criminal.

North Vernon Police Department and Indiana Conservation Officers assisted in the investigation.

Columbus city officials say that there will be some traffic delays downtown starting this morning.

According to the city engineer’s office, crews are working at Fifth and Lindsey Streets this morning as they refresh the crosswalks and stop bar markings in the roadway.

You are urged to avoid the area if you can.

A neighborhood dispute led to the arrest of a North Vernon man on drug related charges.

According to the North Vernon Police Department, the incident started Friday when police were called to the argument in the area of Edgewood Avenue. Officers were told by Jennings County Circuit Court probation officers that they were going to check on the probation compliance of one of those involved in the dispute, Gregg Gregory.

Officers from the police and probation departments contacted Gregory at a home and searched the area where he had been staying. That’s where they found items associated with drug use in the bedroom where he was staying. That included a clear plastic baggie and white paper plate with leafy materials and a digital scale containing a white powder residue.

Gregory was taken into custody and is facing preliminary charges for possessing marijuana and methamphetamine as well as drug paraphernalia.

The head of the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County will be stepping down but not leaving the organization.

Executive director Sherri Jewett updated county officials on the community’s anti-drug efforts this week. She also explained that she plans to leave the leadership role and move to a fundraising position with the organization applying for grants.

Jewett said that Megan Cherry will be taking on the leadership role of ASAP. Cherry has been serving as executive director of Anchor House in Seymour.

ASAP is a not-for-profit corporation that leads local efforts to identify and enact solutions to substance misuse and substance use disorders. It was formed in 2017 through joint efforts of Columbus Regional Health, the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County to fight opioid overdoses. It is funded largely through public safety income tax revenues. It was initially led by Jeff Jones, a retired Cummins executive, and then Doug Leonard, former head of CRH and the Indiana Hospital Association. Jewett took over the leadership role in 2021.

County officials approved a request this week by Jewett to file an intent to apply for grant funding from the state to support youth prevention, transportation, and housing efforts.

A flood warning remains in effect for East Fork White River at Seymour.

According to the National Weather Service, two to four inches of rain fell recently in the area, producing minor flooding on several rivers. Minor flooding is underway.

As of this morning, the river is about six inches above the 12 foot minor flood level and heading down. According to river gauges, it appears to have crested last night at 12.7 feet. The river should drop back below flood levels this morning. The flood warning is in effect until Thursday evening.

Bartholomew County election officials are planning to upgrade aging voting machines at a cost of about $350,000.

County Clerk Shari Lentz updated the county council on upcoming plans to request money for the new voting machines. She said the current voting machine panels, while functional are already 10 years old. When purchased in 2015 as an upgrade, they had an expected lifespan of 10 years. She said they are showing signs of wear and age. The upgraded machines would have brighter screens and buttons that line up better with the ballot.

Lentz said that she has been in contact with the supplier Microvote and been assured that the machines will still work with existing peripherals such as the vote verifying printers. She said ideally, the county would purchase 125 of the voting machines that would go into each of the county voting centers.

Lentz also said that the price tag was before any tariffs were added to the price because stock was already on hand. If the county acted soon they could lock in the price now by making a down payment and extend payments over several years. There would be no interest on the purchase, she said.

Lentz said that there is some money available already in the election equipment funds that could be used for a down payment. County Auditor Pia O’Connor pointed out that the county election board has its own tax rate on tax bills and the money would not come from the county’s general fund.

Lentz said she would prefer to have all of the new machines in place before next year’s elections. O’Connor said she would work with Lentz to put together a proposal, possibly as early as next month’s County Council meeting.

Traffic will be restricted on Interstate 65 in southern Jackson County starting on Friday evening.

According to Indiana Department of Transportation, crews will be working on a small drainage structure just north of Uniontown. That is about 2.3 miles north of State Road 250. Crews will be closing single lanes on northbound and southbound Interstate 65 to install barrier walls Friday night. After that the shoulders will be closed while the work is being done.

The work should be finished by late July. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

Hall Contracting is doing the work on the project, which is part of a $2.3 million contract.

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

Seymour firefighters are warning about the dangers of cooking oil fires after a fire at a home.

According to the Seymour Fire Department, firefighters were called Friday to a structure fire at a home that burned one person. Smoke was coming from the residence when the firefighters arrived and they quickly went inside. They discovered a fire in the dining room and had it extinguished within five minutes.

Firefighters say that a resident was cooking chicken in an oil filled pot on the stove, when the oil ignited. Another resident attempted to put the fire out by throwing water on it, which instead caused the fire to spread rapidly. The person cooking attempted to remove the flaming pot from the home, but the extreme heat caused them to drop the pot in the dining room, where they suffered burns and the fire quickly expanded.

One person was treated at the scene by Jackson County medics and taken to Schneck Medical Center for further evaluation.

Firefighters are offering several safety tips surrounding cooking with grease or oil including keeping an eye on the stove the whole time you are cooking. If you see wisps of smoke or smell the oil starting to burn, you should immediately turn off the heat. You should keep a lid to your pot on hand, and if a fire starts, quickly slide the lid over the blaze. Never throw water on a grease or oil fire and always be careful when adding food to heated oil, so you don’t spatter the hot liquid, starting a blaze.

If a fire does start, get everyone to safety outside first, then call 911 from outside the home.

Photo courtesy of Seymour Fire Department