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.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for U.S. 150 near French Lick for tree clearing in advance of a bridge replacement project.

Beginning on or around Monday, March 15, contractors will begin restricting traffic to one lane during the daytime hours as they clear trees near the U.S. 150 bridge spanning Kanie Creek, about 1.6 miles west of the intersection of S.R. 56.

The structure replacement on the bridge is scheduled for later this spring and an announcement will be forthcoming with precise dates.

During the tree clearing operation, crews will be using the closed lane for heavy equipment due to weather conditions.

This will create short intermittent periods where the road will be completely closed while crews work to cut the removed debris into manageable pieces.

Work will only take place during the daytime hours and evening travel will be unrestricted.

Work is expected to last until the end of March, depending upon weather conditions. INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.

A 32-Year-Old Charlestown woman was arrested for dealing in methamphetamine and other drug-related charges after troopers and officers from the Charlestown Police Department searched her residence.  

As a result of the investigation and subsequent search, Kayla S. Gabbard was arrested for the following: 

1. Dealing Methamphetamine – Level 5 Felony   
2. Possession of Methamphetamine- Level 6 Felony                                 
3. Maintaining a Common Nuisance- Level 6 Felony 
4. Possession of Controlled Substance- Class A Misdemeanor
5. Possession of Marijuana- Class B Misdemeanor
6. Possession of Paraphernalia- Class A Misdemeanor                                 

Kayla Gabbard was incarcerated at the Clark County Jail without incident. 

Trooper Zach Smith, with the Sellersburg Post All Crimes Policing Squad (ACP), began an investigation in February of this year when he and Charlestown Police units learned of possible drug activity at 202 Reynolds Street in Charlestown.

As a result of the investigation, Trooper Smith requested a search warrant for the property.

On Friday, the Sellersburg Post ACP team and officers with the Charlestown Police Department served the warrant and located approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine, pills, marijuana, and other drug-related items on the premises.

A lengthy investigation conducted by Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section (DES) detectives and Troopers of the ISP Bloomington District A.C.E.S. concluded with an arrest for dealing methamphetamine and almost ½ pound of methamphetamine seized.

The Indiana State Police had obtained information that Darrell Cox, 56, Taswell was dealing large amounts of methamphetamine in multiple counties, including Lawrence County. Using a wide range of investigative techniques, ISP was able to confirm the allegations.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 13th, Cox was located driving his 2006 Chevrolet truck southbound on SR 37, south of Ingram Road, in excess of the posted speed limit. Trp. Chance Humphrey, Trp. Cody Brown, ISP Sgt. Greg Day, LCPD Officer Michael Williams, and DES detectives were all in the area observing for Cox. Trp. Humphrey conducted a traffic stop and, after observing indicators of criminal activity, was assisted by the other officers.

Officer Williams deployed his canine, Flek, who gave a positive alert on Cox’s truck. A subsequent search of the truck resulted in discovering that Cox was in possession of over 200 grams of methamphetamine (7 ounces), approximately 2 grams of cocaine, and multiple controlled substance pills.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Cox was incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail for the following offenses:

1. Dealing Methamphetamine Over 10 Grams, Level 2 Felony
2. Possession of Methamphetamine Over 28 Grams, Level 3 Felony
3. Possession of Cocaine, Level 6 Felony
4. Possession of Controlled Substance (Two Counts), Class A Misdemeanor
5. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor

Trp. Caleb Garvin with the Bloomington District A.C.E.S. had also assisted with the investigation. 

Sgt. Day commended everyone for a job well done and was thankful for the seamless working between agencies. 

“Dozens of behind-the-scenes investigation hours culminated in a successful and safe conclusion to this case. 

Multiple counties are safer today thanks to this arrest of this large-scale methamphetamine dealer.”

Anyone with illegal drug activity information is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post at 812-332-4411.