The Purdue men’s basketball team earned the No. 4 seed in the South Region and will face No. 13-seed North Texas in Friday’s first round.

Site, times, and television assignments will be released later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Due to limited availability for all NCAA Tournament games, Purdue’s entire ticket allotment is sold out.

The Boilermakers are making their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, tied for the second-longest streak in school history and it’s the seventh-longest active streak currently in the NCAA.

Purdue enters Friday’s first-round with an 18-9 overall record, having won 11 of its last 15 games. Purdue is led by first-team All-Big Ten selection Trevion Williams and All-Big Ten Freshman team members Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey. The Boilermakers are one of the country’s top defensive teams, ranking 23^rd nationally in defensive efficiency.

North Texas, meanwhile, will be making its first NCAA appearance since 2010 and its No. 13 seed is its highest in school history. The Mean Green earned an automatic bid to the NCAA after defeating Western Kentucky 61-57 in overtime on Saturday night. Senior point guard Javion Hamlet was named the Conference USA Tournament MVP while classmate Zachary Simmons was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Mean Green are 17-9 overall having won four games in four days in the Conference USA Tournament to earn the auto-bid. Four players average in double figures, led by Hamlet (6-4 guard) at 15.0 points and 4.5 assists per game. He also shoots 36.8 percent from 3-point range and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. James Reese (6-4 guard) averages 10.8 points, Thomas Bell (6-6 forward) contributes 10.3 points and Simmons (6-10 center) averaged 10.3 points and 6.2 rebounds.

The Mean Green is one of the top defensive teams in the country, holding opponents to just 61.2 points per game. North Texas plays one of the slowest paces in the country, ranking 350^th in tempo.

Mary (Bitsy) H. Curl Woolems, 75, of Corydon, Indiana died on March 13, 2021 at her residence with her family by her side.  She was born on August 26, 1945 in Louisville, Kentucky to the late William and Alberta (Flaherty) Curl.

She was a former clerk-treasurer for the Town of Corydon during the 80’s, a former tax preparer for Jackson-Hewitt, and was a homemaker.  She was a member of the Tower Full Gospel Church and former president of AGLOW International.  She enjoyed quilting, crocheting, canning, baking cookies for everyone, especially at Christman, and she loved the Lord.

She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings:  Linda Wheeler, Elizabeth “Betty” Woosley, William “Bill” Curl, Richard “Dickey” Curl, and Karen Curl.

She is survived by her husband, Joseph L. Woolems of Corydon, Indiana; her children:  Loretta M. Stauffer (John) of Landis, North Carolina, Karen S. Hughes (Alan) of Corydon, Indiana, and Russell L. Merker (Mary) of Eminence, Kentucky; step-children:  Todd Woolems (Marina) of New Salisbury, Indian; Billy Woolems (Pam) of Roanoke, Virginia; and Sally Anderson of New Albany, Indiana; brothers:  Neil Curl (Paula), Roger Curl (Venice) and Rodney Curl (Pam); sisters:  Dorothy Fitzpatrick (Fitz), Pam Stevenson, Kathy Phillips (Jay), and Annette Drury (Kenny); 12 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be on Friday, March 19, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at the Tower Full Gospel Church near Carefree, Indiana.  Interment will follow in the El Bethel Cemetery near Milltown, Indiana.

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 2-8 pm and after 10:00 am until the time of the service at 1:00 pm, all at the church.

Memorial contributions can be made to Gideons International and/or to Adaptive Hospice, 702 N. Shore Drive #201, Jeffersonville, Indiana  47130.

Brown Funeral Home in Milltown, Indiana is entrusted with the arrangements.

On Friday, March 12^th, at approximately 9:15 a.m., a trooper with the Indiana State Police ACP (All Crimes Policing) Team initiated a traffic stop on a silver Dodge Nitro for a moving violation on I-65 at the 215 mile-marker. 

During the traffic stop, observations were made that resulted in a search of the vehicle.  While searching the vehicle, troopers located 328 packages of marijuana edibles.

This included candy varieties and cookies. 

The driver, Kelon A. Jackson, 31, from Gary, IN, was taken into custody without incident.  He is preliminarily charged with Possession of a Controlled substance (Level 6 felony) and Driving While Suspended Prior Conviction (Class A-Misdemeanor).

He was transported to the Jasper County Jail for processing.

All persons named in this release are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

All charges mentioned are merely accusations, actual charges will be determined by the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office.

Yesterday afternoon around 4:30 PM, Trooper Zachary Parker was patrolling on Mann Rd. in Morgan County when he attempted to stop a 2004 Toyota Tundra at the intersection of Mann Rd. and Landersdale Rd. for a traffic violation.

The driver of the Toyota then turned west onto Landersdale Rd. and yielded to Trooper Parker. The Toyota then accelerated west on Landersdale Rd attempting to flee from Trooper Parker for approximately one mile before turning south on Robertson Rd. and pulling into a residential driveway.

Trooper Parker then was able to apprehend the driver who was identified as Roger E. Bell, 33 years old from Camby, Indiana.

Bell was found to have an active warrant out of Morgan County and resided at the location where the pursuit ended. He was arrested and preliminarily charged with Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, a Level 6 Felony. 

Trooper Parker was assisted on scene by Troopers Matt Hatchett and Wyatt Phillips. 

Lane closure also planned for S.R. 46 WB ramp to I-65 NB for guardrail repair

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Force Construction plans to close lanes of I-65 to complete milling, paving and striping ahead of a traffic shift in Bartholomew County. Closures are scheduled between S.R. 58 and S.R. 46 as follows, weather permitting:

Two women were taken to jail today after getting caught allegedly stealing catalytic converters from disabled vehicles along Indianapolis area interstates.

At 6:37 a.m. Indiana State Police Dispatchers received information from INDOT‘s Traffic Management Dispatchers, who were monitoring traffic cameras, about suspicious activity around a vehicle on the shoulder of I-70 westbound near the 78.7-mile marker.

Trooper Brandon Alberts responded to the call and when he arrived he found two vehicles on the side of the road.

When Alberts questioned the two women present with the vehicles he determined they were together in one of the vehicles and one vehicle had been abandoned by someone unknown to the women.

Subsequently Master Trooper Justin Hobbs, who arrived on scene to assist, observed two catalytic converters in the back of a Jeep Commander that the two women were occupying. Alberts also found a reciprocating saw on the ground on the passenger side of the abandoned vehicle. The investigation led to both women being taken into custody and arrested for theft. Troopers located two other vehicles in close proximity that had been abandoned along I-70, both of those vehicles had the catalytic converter cut off. Troopers were able to match the two catalytic converters that were located in the back seat of the Jeep to the two other abandoned vehicles. 

27 year old Elizabeth Smith of Indianapolis and 28 year old Farrah Carpenter of Indianapolis were both arrested and preliminarily charged with Theft, a level 5 felony (Valuable Metal – 3 counts, 1 attempted), and Criminal Mischief, a B misdemeanor (3 counts, 1 attempted)

The theft of catalytic converters from abandoned vehicles along central Indiana interstates is not uncommon. We would like to remind motorists to only leave your vehicle abandoned if absolutely necessary and return to get it as soon as possible.

Motorists are encouraged to report suspicious activity around disabled for abandoned vehicles to police.

Rarely do roadside repairs involve the use of any type of saw, if you see someone with a saw approaching a disabled or abandoned vehicle please get a description of the person or vehicle they are driving and report it to police.

All crimes mentioned in this release are alleged and all suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The charges listed are merely accusations and probable cause for arrest, actual charges will be determined by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office upon review of the case. 

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for State Road 45 in Bedford in advance of a paving project.

Beginning on or around Monday, March 15, contractors will begin restricting traffic on S.R. 450 between U.S 50 and S.R. 37 as they start prep work for a resurfacing project.

This phase of the operation includes removing road reflectors during daytime hours. The asphalt resurfaces a portion of the project is slated to begin at the end of March.

During the project, one lane will be closed, and one 11-foot lane will remain open. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers. Loads wider than 11-feet should seek an alternate route using the closest numbered state, U.S. or interstate routes. Depending upon weather conditions, the entire project, including the resurface, is expected to be complete by the end of June.

INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.