On October 31, a single vehicle crash on I-74, just west of Batesville, Indiana, resulted in the death of the driver of the commercial motor vehicle.

At approximately 4:00 am yesterday, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Batesville Police Department responded to the crash near the 147-mile marker in rural Franklin County, Indiana.  Initial first responders located a tractor trailer that had collided with a bridge support.  The driver of the semi was entrapped in the vehicle and was deceased.  Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists were called to the scene to investigate the crash.

The initial investigation indicated a 2017 Peterbilt tractor pulling a trailer, being driven by Osei K. Boateng, age 55, Grove City, Ohio was traveling westbound on I-74.  For an unknown reason, Boateng’s vehicle left the left side of the road, entering the median.  The vehicle then collided with the yellow barricades protecting the Huntersville Road overpass.  Boateng’s vehicle then smashed through the yellow barrels and collided with the concrete bridge support. 

Boateng was entrapped inside of the vehicle and soon pronounced deceased by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office. 

The trailer’s load spilled into the median and onto the westbound lanes of I-74.  The westbound lanes were closed for nearly seven hours for crash investigation and cleanup. 

The investigation is ongoing.

Osei Boateng’s family has been notified.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Batesville Police Department, Batesville Fire Department, and Franklin County Coroner’s Office. 

A southern Indiana man was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Scott County Tuesday afternoon, according to the Indiana State Police.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Troopers with the Indiana State Police were alerted to a possible crash on South Boatman Road in Scottsburg, Indiana, a short distance south of West Lake Road.

Authorities were informed of the possible crash by an automated alert from an Apple Watch.

Investigators believe a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze was heading southbound on Boatman Road. For an unknown reason, the car traveled across the northbound lane, off the east side of the roadway, and collided with a tree. The driver of the Chevrolet Cruze, James C. Lasher, 48, of Underwood, Indiana, was unresponsive and rushed to Scott County Memorial Hospital.

Lasher was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to the hospital.

According to investigators, there were no other passengers, and no other vehicles were involved in the collision. Investigators believe a medical emergency may have initiated the crash. Lasher’s family has been notified of his death.

Yesterday, November 1, 2023, Indiana State Police Detectives began conducting a death investigation after an inmate being held in the Ripley County Jail died while incarcerated in the facility.

The investigation by detectives indicated that at approximately 3:00 pm yesterday, a 57 year old female inmate arrived at the facility after having been arrested in a different Indiana county on a Ripley County warrant.  Shortly after arriving at the Ripley County Jail, the inmate became unresponsive inside of a jail cell.

Jail staff and responding medical personnel provided medical care to the individual.  She was transported to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville, Indiana where she was soon pronounced deceased.  Per normal protocol, the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department requested the Indiana State Police to investigate the death. 

The investigation is ongoing.   

Toxicology results and an autopsy are pending although no foul play is suspected at this time.

Change is a constant in our lives and it has certainly been prominent in City of Salem Mayor Justin Green’s first term.

Working in partnership with the Salem City Council and other officials as well as many local and state organizations and agencies has resulted in many positive changes for the city.

“I am so grateful for the relationships we have sustained and built over these past three years,” said Mayor Green. “My goal when I was elected was to position Salem for the future and I am proud to say we have taken major steps in building a brighter tomorrow for our great city.”

Regarding the construction of several innovative infrastructure projects, downtown Salem will be easier to navigate and utilities will be upgraded to meet needs for many years and future generations.

“The city has successfully pursued federal highway grants and Community Crossing grants to fund these projects, with local matching funds,” said Mayor Green. “These extensive projects would not be possible without these grant programs. As we collaborate with state and federal agencies, it’s worth noting that the city aligns with their schedule.”

A city project that included designing a new entrance to Bristol Street and Highway 56 will make this area safer for motorists.

Salem and Washington County’s participation in the Our Southern Indiana READI initiative will bring major improvements to the city, including the Lake Salinda Bath House, improvements at the Salem Municipal Airport, and infrastructure and property acquisition for a workforce housing project on North Shelby Street.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a major challenge for the city, but Mayor Green was able to secure $250,000 in American Recovery Plan Act funds to assist small businesses. “Thanks to this financial support, our community’s small businesses managed to endure,” said Mayor Green.

Maintaining a well-trained and well-equipped emergency response team is vital to ensure a safe city. Under Mayor Green, new equipment has been added for both the Salem City Police Department and Salem Fire Department.

The addition of a portable speed/radar sign is making city streets safer by raising awareness of motor vehicle speeds.

Mayor Green is constantly networking and exploring opportunities that might benefit the city. He is currently attending new READI 2.0 meetings for the next phase of the multi-county regional development.

Other projects currently that will further improve Salem include:

• A new Splash Pad Water Park – Approval for permitting has been granted, and the final engineering phase is currently underway, along with additional land acquisition.
• Working with Duke Energy to start an LED street light program – The contract has been executed, and the project is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2024.
• Installing EV charging stations in partnership with Washington County Tourism to help attract visitors.
• Partnering with the Humane Society on a new Animal Shelter – Finishing touches are being made along with new fencing for the dog park.

The city of Salem is on an upward trajectory, experiencing continuous growth and driving economic prosperity. A welcoming atmosphere for small businesses has attracted numerous newcomers, injecting fresh attraction into the local community.

“There are a multitude of projects that are either underway or in the planning stages that will make our city an even better place to live and work,” said Mayor Green. “I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in each of these projects and I promise to continue working to move Salem toward a great future.”

This year, El Nino is in place heading into winter for the first time in four years, driving the outlook for warmer-than-average temperatures for the northern tier of the continental United States, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center — a division of the National Weather Service. 

“These outlooks provide critical guidance on the upcoming season for many industries and sectors of our economy, from energy producers to commodities markets to agricultural interests to tourism,” said Sarah Kapnick, Ph.D., NOAA chief scientist. “With a strengthening El Nino and more potential climate extremes in an already record-breaking year, we’re lucky to have scientists like those at the Climate Prediction Center helping to build a Weather and Climate-Ready Nation by providing critical operational seasonal climate predictions.”

From December through February, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for northern Alaska, portions of the West, the southern Plains, Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic and drier-than-average conditions across the northern tier of the U.S., especially in the northern Rockies and High Plains and near the Great Lakes.

“An enhanced southern jet stream and associated moisture often present during strong El Nino events supports high odds for above-average precipitation for the Gulf Coast, lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast states this winter,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of the Climate Prediction Center.

NOAA forecasters, in collaboration with the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), continue to monitor extreme, ongoing drought conditions that have persisted through the southern and central U.S. and worsening drought in Hawaii. 

“According to the Oct. 17 U.S. Drought Monitor, a third of the country, including Puerto Rico, is in drought,” said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “During late October, heavy precipitation is likely to result in drought improvement for the central U.S. El Nino with its enhanced precipitation is expected to provide drought relief to the southern U.S. during the next few months.”