As Thanksgiving Day approaches, millions of people will be travelling on Indiana’s Roadways. Across the United States the National Safety Council estimates 421 people may be killed and another 48,500 may be seriously injured in car crashes during the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday Period.

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving Day Holiday, the Indiana State Police wants to make sure there are no empty seats at your dinner table. Troopers will watch for impaired drivers, motorists who speed, follow too closely, make unsafe lane changes, drive aggressively, and fail to buckle up or properly restrain their children.

All occupants of a motor vehicle, including pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles are required to be secured in a seat belt or child safety seat in every seating position.   

Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Certified Troopers will also be working throughout the holiday weekend focusing on commercial motor vehicle violations.  

Some safety tips:

• If you are planning to travel make sure you are well rested, a fatigued driver is a dangerous driver.
• Avoid tailgating; remember the two-second rule.
• Make sure everyone is buckled up.
• Put down the electronic devices and drive.
• MOVE OVER, SLOW DOWN for emergency and highway service vehicles.

Shelby Co.  Indiana Conservation Officers have identified the victim pulled from Flatrock River yesterday as Raymond Sanchez, 35 of Columbus.
 
Sanchez’s girlfriend notified Conservation Officer Dispatch around 11:30 PM that Sanchez had went out on the river earlier in the afternoon and had planned to float to Noblitt Park in Columbus. 

She said Sanchez was not familiar with the river and had no idea there were low head dams along his proposed route. 
 
Sanchez continues to be in critical condition at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
 
Indiana Conservation Officers asked for help identifying a man that went over a low head dam in Shelby County Monday afternoon.

Police say itnesses saw a male in a Bass tracker Bantam boat go over the low head dam on Flatrock River in the Vandalia/Geneva area. 

The man was pulled from the water by Shelby County Swift Water Rescue Team. 

If you’ve been dying to see the new lineup of The Eagles, you’re not only going to get your chance, but lots more besides.

The band’s just announced a North American tour next year on which they’ll share the stage with some of the biggest names in music: music legends Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, and Grammy-winning country star Chris Stapleton.

The bad news is there are only twelve dates in all, beginning March 14 in Chicago.  That show, as will four others on the trek, will be arena shows with The Eagles alone — Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, with country star Vince Gill and the late Glenn Frey‘s son, Deacon Frey.  Four will feature Jimmy Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band, two will include James Taylor and His All-Star Band, and the tour’s single Texas stop will have Chris Stapleton joining the band on stage.

Tickets for the various dates go on sale beginning Friday, December 1, with others on sale the day after that.  American Express Card Members can buy tickets as early as Tuesday, November 28.  For full ticket info, visit Eagles.com.

Here’s the tour itinerary:

The Eagles and Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band
4/14 — Orlando, FL, Camping World Stadium
4/21 — Miami, FL, Hard Rock Stadium
6/28 — Denver, CO, Coors Field
6/30 — Minneapolis, MN, Target Field

The Eagles and James Taylor & His All-Star Band
7/26 — Washington, D.C., Nationals Park
7/28 — Philadelphia, PA, Citizens Bank Park

The Eagles and Chris Stapleton
6/23 — Arlington, TX, AT&T Stadium

Evening with the Eagles arena concerts
3/14 — Chicago, IL, United Center
3/23 — Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
5/10 — Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena
7/15 — Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
7/20 — Boston, MA, TD Garden

The Indiana DNR is asking deer hunters for help with a disease surveillance program in Franklin and Fayette counties.

State biologists are sampling deer harvested from portions of those two counties for bovine tuberculosis. After a slow start to the deer firearms season, however, the program is running behind. Biologists have collected just 16 percent of the samples needed to reach their surveillance goal, largely because of weather.

Firearms season started for deer this past Saturday and runs through Dec. 3. Opening weekend was affected by thunderstorms and warm temperatures, which resulted in a lower harvest compared to previous opening weekends.

For example, the combined two-day first-weekend harvest in Franklin and Fayette counties was down about 60 percent from 2016.

The DNR is asking those who hunt in the surveillance zone to help it collect samples. The preference is for bucks that are 2 years old or older, but all deer will be accepted for testing. The DNR hopes to sample between 500 and 1,200 deer, depending on age.

The surveillance zone is the area south of State Road 44 and west of State Road 1 in Fayette County, and in the northwest portion of Franklin County, west of Brookville Lake. See a map at wildlife.IN.gov/9320.htm.

Surveillance involves collecting and testing lymph nodes from the head and neck of deer harvested by hunters and voluntarily submitted for evaluation.

Hunters can bring their deer to a biological check station at the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site maintenance facility in Metamora, 19083 Clayborn St., and to Mustin’s Processing in Connersville, or Hunters Choice in Brookville.

Hunters who submit a deer for testing will be entered into a drawing for 1 of 10 authorizations to take an additional buck from anywhere in Indiana (with landowner permission) during the 2018-2019 deer hunting season. Hunters who bring the DNR a buck at least 2 years old will receive 10 entries into the drawing. Hunters who bring in does that are at least 2 years old will receive three entries into the drawing. Hunters who bring in yearlings will receive one entry into the drawing. Entries are cumulative — hunters who bring in multiple deer will have an even better chance of winning.

DNR will continue to collect samples from deer harvested within this “bTB” surveillance zone through Jan. 7 (excluding Thanksgiving and several days around Christmas).

For more information, visit wildlife.IN.gov/9320.htm.

Do the members of your family farm business have questions about the use of a will as a component of a succession plan?

Do you wonder how often a will should be reviewed, what should be included in a will,
or when a will is necessary?

If so, plan to attend the Succession Planning Chat N Chew “Wills” on Friday, December 15, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Rails Craft Brew Eatery (114 St. Louis Ave.,
Seymour).

Cost of the program is $10/person includes a meal and can be paid at the door.

Jeff Washburn from Sharpnack Bigley Stroh Washburn LLP from Columbus, IN will be the evening’s speaker.

RSVP to Purdue Extension – Washington County at 812-883- 4601 or howellw@purdue.edu by Friday, December 1.

Yesterday, November 19th, at approximately 12:30 pm, the Indiana State Police and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle head on crash on State Road 56 near State Road 62 (west junction) that ultimately claimed the life of a Borden woman.

Dead is Patricia Farmer, age 68, Borden, Indiana. 

The Farmer family has been notified.

The initial investigation by Trp. Andrew Garrett, Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team, indicated that a white 2014 Toyota Camry being driven by Jason Tucker, age 35, Lexington, Indiana was traveling westbound on State Road 56. 

For an unknown reason, Tucker’s vehicle crossed the centerline into the path of an eastbound gray 2010 Nissan Sentra being driven by Farmer.  The vehicles collided in the eastbound lane of State Road 56.

Both vehicles came to rest in the roadway.  As a result of the collision, Farmer sustained fatal injuries in the crash. 

She was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. 

Tucker sustained non-life threatening injuries in the crash although he was flown from the scene to the University of Louisville Hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a factor in this collision although toxicology results are pending.

The investigation is ongoing.

Trp. Garrett was assisted by troopers from the Indiana State Police Posts in Versailles and Sellersburg.  He was also assisted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Hanover Police Department, Hanover Fire Department, King’s Daughter Hospital EMS, Air Methods Medical Helicopter, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, and All Around Towing.

SANTA CLAUS, IND.—–Christmas comes early in the town of Santa Claus as Holiday World announces a package full of goodies for their 2018 season.

“We’re adding a fun elephant-themed water-play area for younger children,” says park president Matt Eckert. “When we discovered the Swahili word for elephant is Tembo, we named our new slide complex Tembo Falls and the junior wave pool Tembo Tides.”

Holiday World will invest a total of $3.5 million in new attractions and other improvements for 2018, including:

• Tembo Falls – a water slide complex with eight junior slides, including twisters, a helix, a mini-bowl, and two racing slides
• Tembo Tides – a junior wave pool plus spray features for younger children
• Huge Themed Maze for Happy Halloween Weekends
• All new entertainment, including a stunt show, musical magic show, and strolling brass band
• Track improvements for The Voyage, the world’s second-longest wooden roller coaster
• Riverside Retreats – mini cabanas in Splashin’ Safari 
• Electric Car Charging Station 

“Tembo Falls and Tembo Tides are designed for children who are under 54 inches tall,” says Eckert, “but their older siblings and parents are welcome to enjoy the slides and wave pool with them.”

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari will open for the season in May. Season Passes for 2018 are currently discounted for holiday gift-giving. On-line applications for seasonal employment will be available in January. For more information, visit HolidayWorld.com or call 1-877-463-2645.