Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an incident that occurred this evening where a swimmer went missing in the water at White Rock Park.

At approximately 6:03 p.m., authorities were contacted in reference to a male swimmer reported missing in the water for at least 5 minutes.

Conservation Officers, Indiana State Police, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and Shelbyville Fire Department arrived on scene and quickly began a search and rescue operation.

At approximately 7:12 p.m., an Indiana State Police diver located the swimmer near the docks in 17 feet of water.

The male was transported to Major Health Partners Hospital in Shelbyville in critical condition. His identification is being withheld at this time.

An update will be released when further information is available.

A Kentucky man died Saturday afternoon in a single-engine plane crash in southern Indiana. 

Around 3:25 pm Saturday, a passing motorist called 911 after spotting what appeared to be plane wreckage in a field off Flint Ridge Road near New Washington in Clark County. 

When Clark County Deputies arrived, they confirmed the plane crash and requested assistance from the Indiana State Police (ISP) in Sellersburg. 

ISP detectives and a crime scene investigator were dispatched to investigate.  

The preliminary investigation reveals that a Cessna Skyhawk C172 single-engine plane departed Bowman Field in Louisville, KY, on Saturday a few minutes after 3 pm. 

It is believed the plane went down near New Washington around 3:23 pm; however, investigators do not yet have a cause for the crash. 

The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft was Joshua E. Warren, 30, of Louisville, Kentucky. 

Warren was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Clark County Coroner’s Office. 

The next of kin has been notified. 

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been contacted and are expected to arrive on Sunday to further the investigation.

One person is dead after a small plane crashed in southern Indiana Saturday afternoon, according to Indiana State Police.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash. 

The crash occurred just before 3:30 p.m. in a soybean field on Flint Ridge Road, in New Washington, Indiana.

There was only one person on board the single-engine aircraft, according to a FAA spokeswoman. 

The plane departed from Bowman Field in Louisville to an unknown destination. 

Debris could be seen scattered in a field in that area.

Both the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police responded to the scene.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fatal off-road vehicle (ORV) accident that claimed the life of the operator.

The accident occurred today at approximately 12:47 p.m. near the 2200 block of State Road 1.

Responding officers have determined that a side-by-side off-road vehicle (ORV) being operated by Michael Slentz, 68, of Butler was travelling southbound, adjacent to the roadway on the west side of State Road 1. Slentz then attempted to cross the roadway to the east and crossed into the path of a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am operated by a juvenile female.  The female was unable to avoid the collision and struck the ORV on the right side, ejecting Slentz from the ORV.

Slentz suffered severe head injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The juvenile female was not injured.

No seatbelts were utilized in the ORV and no helmet or protective riding gear were being worn by Slentz.

Indiana Conservation Officers are assisting the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police with the investigation.

The Butler Police Department, Butler Fire Department, Parkview DeKalb EMS, and DeKalb County Coroner’s office also assisted at the scene.

Hoosiers will soon be able to visit loved ones living in long-term care facilities including those in Washington County.

Holly Ann Lee Thompson, administrator of Salem Crossing which is owned by American Senior Communities, said this morning on WSLMs Coffee Club that their company hadn’t released guidance yet for this.  

“I don’t like the bell curve going up. I would rather be safe than sorry,” she said. “We’re still taking care of the most vulnerable population. Nursing facilities will probably be one of the last ones to open up.  We are taking some baby steps.  Still waiting on policies and guidance. We have to have masks, social distancing…a lot of steps in allowing that to happen.”

Both facilities in Washington County – Salem Crossing and Meadow View Healthcare – have been Covid-19 free. 

The state plans to issue guidance for outdoor visitation, according to Family and Social Services Administration Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Rusyniak.

“While the congregate nature of a nursing home can amplify the spread of COVID-19, recent evidence in the scientific literature has shown that transmission risks are much lower outdoors,” Rusyniak said during state officials’ briefing Wednesday. “We believe that the risk of COVID transmission in long-term care facilities and the need for family, partners, close friends, and those interactions can be balanced.”

Rusyniak said that the guidelines will take into account the COVID-19 rates in the particular facility, as well as the surrounding community, and visitors will have to be screened for symptoms.

The announcement came just days after new federal statistics revealed that more Indiana nursing home patients have died from COVID-19 than previously thought. Rusyniak said the discrepancy could be due to the fact that facilities had more time to gather information to send to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “We’re going to continue to look into the differences in our two systems, and we’re going to work to transition away from our online reporting form and to using the same data the same way as CMS, to better align our numbers with theirs,” he said.

At the same time, Rusyniak said there’s been a steady decline in the number of new cases and deaths in long-term care facilities. Now, the state plans to test all nursing home staff during the month of June. “This point prevalence survey will tell us how many staff in these facilities test positive for COVID-19 but have no symptoms, and the data we collect from this and the Fairbanks study together will better inform us on who in a nursing home needs to be tested and then in the future, how frequently that needs to occur,” Rusyniak explained.

No plans are in place yet to test every long-term care facility resident, but Rusyniak said they’ll continue to be tested when outbreaks occur.

“Weather is a factor in it. Lots of components. There are a lot of ateps involved in letting that happen. I like that it’s another step to allow family and their loved ones to be together again,” said Thompson. “We haven’t worked out the policy. Will have to have designated times and staff available. And weather will play a factor. If it’s too hot or too cold or warnings….we would t be able to have a visit. This population is near and dear.”

‘Rapid Recovery for a Better Future’ focuses on meeting education, workforce and individual needs

Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced a new initiative to help Hoosiers, communities and businesses get back to work and connected to the resources that can help people move forward during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indiana’s Governor’s Workforce Cabinet (GWC) launched “Rapid Recovery for a Better Future,” which is centered on meeting individual needs by providing comprehensive support for Hoosiers to secure a job, assess and grow their skills, and get the support they need to get back on their feet.

“Rapid Recovery for a Better Future” combines the leadership of the GWC, Indiana employers, education and training providers, policymakers, and state and local partners with the goal of ensuring Indiana’s recovery from COVID-19 and providing a pathway to a better future for every Hoosier.

“People are our state’s most valuable resource and they are what define Indiana as a great place to live, work and grow. It is critical that our state is not only providing these services but actively helping people get connected so they take that next step to a better future,” Gov. Holcomb said.

The Rapid Recovery initiative focuses on helping Hoosiers:

• Learn about options and connect to the relevant, simple and real-time job, career, skill, and educational resources and funding for personal advancement. An online hub, YourNextStepIn.org, provides connection and one-on-one supports for Hoosiers at the touch of their fingertips. A comprehensive outreach network will share the state’s resources with Hoosiers from their own trusted sources: community leaders, pastors or other faith leaders and employers. For those thinking through their education and training options, INvestEd will provide free, one-on-one financial aid guidance.
• Connect to opportunities with the assistance of career coaches and navigators to empower Hoosiers to assess and develop their skills and gain a better understanding of job needs and opportunities.
• Take the next step and advance their careers with convenient access to accelerated programs and credentials that value prior learning and experiences, such as the Workforce Ready Grant and Ivy Tech’s Rapid Recovery program—which will provide free courses and training for 10,000 Hoosiers.
• In addition, the Rapid Recovery initiative is providing enhanced, consolidated and simplified resources for employers with the partnership of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

Federal funding through the CARES Act injects $50 million into the efforts, to scale up short-term education and training opportunities through the Workforce Ready Grant and the Employer Training Grant, as well as expanded career coaching and navigation for those who need help figuring out their next steps.

CARES Act funding enables Indiana to:

• Grow short-term education and training by enhancing the Workforce Ready Grant to provide support to at least 10,000 more Hoosiers in the following ways:

o   Increasing the funding cap from $5,500 to $10,000 for eligible programs

o   Allowing Hoosiers with two- and four-year degrees who have been impacted by COVID-19 to qualify for the grant, and adding new programs, such as the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

o   Support access to the 180 Skills library of online, non-credit courses for up to 100,000 Hoosiers

• Expand the Employer Training Grant to serve 25,000 more Hoosiers, specifically supporting women-, minority- and veteran-owned businesses; and doubling the number of reimbursable funds to employers
• Provide outreach and promotion to create a single online network to direct Hoosiers to career coaches; and ensure Hoosiers who are most impacted by COVID-19 – especially underrepresented populations and rural communities – are aware of the available opportunities

“The goal of Rapid Recovery for a Better Future is to streamline access to resources, help Hoosiers identify and pursue a path forward, and reach people through trusted and local outreach networks. Utilizing federal funding through the CARES Act will allow us to expand these efforts and reach even more Hoosiers,” said Teresa Lubbers, chair of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and Indiana’s Commissioner for Higher Education.

“Taking the next step toward a better future is a manageable way for people to move toward economic and workforce recovery, whether that is reskilling for a different job, finishing a credential or finding a new career.”

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has issued an Air Quality Action Day and is forecasting high ozone levels for Sunday, June 7, 2020, in the following areas: 

• Southeast Indiana – Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Scott and Washington
• Southwest Indiana – Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick 

IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by making simple changes to their daily habits. You can:

• Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation
• Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip
• Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
• Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds
• Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above 

Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors. 

IDEM examines weather patterns and current ozone readings to make daily air quality forecasts. To learn more about ozone or sign up for air quality forecasts, visit www.SmogWatch.IN.gov.

Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight and hot weather bake vehicle exhaust, factory emissions and gasoline vapors. Ozone in the upper atmosphere blocks ultraviolet radiation, but ozone near the ground is a lung irritant that can cause coughing and breathing difficulties. 

Recovery of the body of Anthony Cohn, 37, a swimmer who went missing at Bass Lake on June 2, has been made. 

At approximately 6 a.m. today, members of the Bass Lake Fire Department located Cohn’s body while searching near the area where he was last seen. 

Indiana Conservation Officers responded to the scene and were assisted by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Starke County Coroner’s Office. 

Cohn went under the water at Bass Lake after attempting to reach his boat that had pulled free from a sandbar. His family has been notified.

Cohn was standing on a sandbar earlier this week when the wind released the anchor of the boat he was with from the sand.

The boat began to rapidly float away, and Cohn swam after it.

He entered deeper water and went under the surface. He did not return to the surface, and 911 was called.

Conservation Officers were notified at approximately 2:45 p.m. yesterday.

Conservation officers and other emergency personnel immediately responded to the area and began a search.

Conservation Officers conducted searches with sonar equipment and dive personnel from multiple agencies until sunset last night. 

Indiana Conservation Officers were assisted by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, Bass Lake Fire Department, Koontz Lake Fire Department, Starke County EMS, Starke County Dispatch Center and Indiana Conservation Officers Central Dispatch Center.