A vehicle pursuit initiated by New Albany Police ended with the arrest of the driver on resisting and other charges.  

Arrested and charged was George S. White, 32, New Albany, Indiana:

1. Resisting Law Enforcement using Vehicle – Level 6 Felony,
2. Possession of a Syringe – Level 6 Felony,
3. Driving While Suspended Prior – A Misdemeanor,
4. Reckless Driving – C Misdemeanor.  

Around 11 p.m. Friday, the New Albany Police Department responded to a call on Spring Street after a female caller reported a man in a car had pointed a gun at her.

When officers arrived, they observed a black, 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass matching the description given by the caller.

They attempted to stop the driver; however, the driver failed to stop, and a pursuit ensued on local city roads. 

As the pursuit continued, officers from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department and troopers from the Indiana State Police (ISP) in Sellersburg joined in the investigation.

The driver continued west on Spring Street and attempted to enter I-64 eastbound at the Spring Street ramp.

The driver lost control on the ramp due to the wet roadway, and the Cutlass spun out of control and collided with the guardrail.

The suspect then put his car into reverse and backed into a Floyd County Sheriff’s Department car before officers could take the suspect into custody.  

During the arrest, officers located a syringe in the vehicle. Officers did not find a weapon in the car; however, the investigation is ongoing.

No officers were injured in the incident or the crash. The driver was arrested by Trooper Tate Rohlfing and was transported to the Floyd County Jail without further incident.  

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) delivered remarks to the Sagamore Institute this week commending the Hoosier communities, businesses, and individuals who have stepped up to help their neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic, and outlining his vision on how to overcome this challenging time.

“The list of those who are asking how they can help, and finding innovative ways to do so, is too long to recite here. The fight against coronavirus has catalyzed our American can-do spirit. Our pride swells as we see problem-solvers take the initiative and overcome another historic challenge, from the bottom up. Let us move forward intent that we, and future generations, might draw energy from this moment — forever.  And let us resolve to find new ways to be better citizens by using our God-given talents to serve others,” said Senator Young.

Here is a link to Senator Young’s video message – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51owPbuF6vw&feature=youtu.be

In response to recommendations from Governor Eric Holcomb, Secretary of State Connie Lawson, and the leadership of Indiana’s major political parties, the Indiana Election Commission has issued an order implementing policy changes for the June 2^nd Primary Election.

According to Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey, the state is still promoting voting by mail. 

Rockey said public service announcements will be launching in the coming days and weeks. 

“Absentee applications can be requested by calling our office at 812-883-5748 x 1128 or by emailing voter@washingtoncounty.in.gov You may also go to Indianavoters.com to print out an Absentee application to mail to our office at Elections & Voter Services Office. 801 S. Jackson Street, Suite 102, Salem, Indiana  47167″

Rockey said these deadlines were still in force:

• May 4^th is the deadline to register to vote.
• May 21^st is the deadline to request an Absentee application.
• Early Voting in-person at our Elections and Voter Services office will be from May 26^th-June 1^st, hours yet to be announced.

Rockey said Lawson announced that they are working on getting PPE gear for election staff, which would be a must to conduct a safe in-person voting environment.

“Since this has just been announced our County Election Board has yet to meet to discuss these latest changes,” Rockey noted in an email. “As your County Election Administrator, I along with the CEB, will be looking at possibly consolidating some polling locations, to reduce the number of poll workers needed.”

Rockey said there are still many decisions to be made at the county level.

“I will keep the Washington County Voters informed in the days & weeks ahead, as those decisions are made,” Rockey noted. 

The State Election Commission’s order included the following changes, which will apply to the June 2^nd Primary only:

• Limited early in-person voting will be available for one week, from May 26^th to June 1^st.
• Poll workers are currently required to live in the county they work for. This requirement is waived so long as the voter is registered to vote in Indiana.
• The Secretary of State and the Indiana Election Division will provide counties with training and guidelines on mail handling procedures and personal protective equipment.
• The Commission advises that all public buildings, such as fire stations and school buildings, be available for use for the June 2^nd Primary.
• All absentee ballot applications submitted after December 2^nd will be accepted regardless of excuse given, as long as they are otherwise compliant with Indiana law.
• County election boards may adopt more than one central count location.
• Counties may move a polling location after giving best possible notice to the public.

The Commission is next scheduled to meet on April 22^nd, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

On or after Monday, April 20, traffic on S.R. 37 south of Martinsville is changing.

Northbound S.R. 37 from Indian Creek will open to two lanes. The left lane will carry northbound through traffic, and the right lane will exit onto S.R. 39.

Traffic on southbound S.R. 37 will be moved to the right lane just south of S.R. 39 so crews can work in the median.

This traffic configuration will be in place for the remainder of this construction season. Dynamic signage will indicate merge points and help prepare drivers for slowing or stopped traffic.

Beginning on or after Monday, April 20, S.R. 39 traffic lanes are scheduled to shift between Morton Avenue and the railroad crossing. S.R. 39 traffic will shift to one side of the road to allow crews to widen the other side of the road.

S.R. 39 is being improved this year to safely move more traffic during the 2021 closure of S.R. 37 in Martinsville. Daytime traffic flagging is ongoing on S.R. 39 between S.R. 37 and the White River for pavement patching and utility work.

I-69 Finish Line is the sixth and final section of the Interstate 69 connection between Evansville and Indianapolis. The project will upgrade the existing S.R. 37 to interstate standards between Martinsville and Indianapolis.

Governor Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Connections program fully funded the project and accelerated construction by three years. I-69 Finish Line is expected to open to traffic in late 2024, improving safety and reducing travel time.

Follow I-69 Finish Line on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Officials in nearby counties are working to make sure those with birthdays during the Covid-19 era of social distancing still get to feel special. 

In these times, it is now more than ever, a time to celebrate life.

Emergency responders from the Martin County Sheriffs Office, Loogootee Police Department, the Shoals Town Marshal, volunteer fire departments, EMS, Indiana State Police’s Jasper Post, and local Indiana Conservation Officers have committed to ensuring those special days are getting the attention they deserve.

Emergency services are offering “Birthday Patrols” past your front door, for anyone ages 1 to 101, complete with lights and maybe even some sirens depending on the time of day.

Officials will bring as many units as possible depending on the availability of their local heroes.

Please call the Sheriff’s Office at (812) 247-3726 at least a week ahead of the big day so officials can organize the birthday patrol.

Officer will not get out of vehicles, due to social distancing restrictions.

The owner of Indiana Beach has filed for bankruptcy. Apex Parks Group tells The Times of Northwest Indiana the Chapter 11 filing will allow it to restructure debt and enter into a purchase agreement.

“After an exhaustive examination of all options, we’ve determined that a sale of the company through the Chapter 11 process is the best path forward to enable Apex to focus on future operational transformation and growth,” said CEO John Fitzgerald.

Apex operates 10 different amusement parks across the country, but all of them have been temporarily closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In February, the company announced it was closing the popular amusement park on Lake Shafer, and looking for a buyer.

According to The Herald Bulletin, the White County Commissioners say a potential sale of Indiana Beach is still proceeding, hoping the purchase will be finalized “early next week.”

Indiana Senators Todd Young and Mike Braun have been chosen to serve on a committee that will help determine how and when the US economy re-opens. 

Senator Braun said on Wednesday that President Trump notified him that he would be selected for the White House Re-Opening the Economy Committee.

According to Braun, the committee will meet via conference call and offer recommendations on a safe way to move the economy forward.

Braun said he believes the country must listen to medical advice, but also be flexible in areas where Covid-19 numbers are not high. 

Braun said industries like manufacturing and trucking are some of the first he believes could re-open. 

He also went on to say that restaurants in less dense areas should be allowed to experiment with social distancing rather than carryout and delivery options. 

“American families, workers, and job creators have suffered immensely as a result of the coronavirus. In Congress, we acted in an unprecedented fashion with broad bipartisan support to send aid to those who are hurting through no fault of their own. Now we must carefully examine how to safely and effectively re-open our economy and get our people back to work while heeding the guidance of public health experts. I’m grateful that President Trump has asked me to join this task force, and I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in Congress to safely get our country back to work,” said Senator Young. 

The Perry County Coroner’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in the identification of the body of a woman recently recovered in the community of Rome in Perry County on April 6th.

She is described as a white female, approximately 150 pounds, 5′ 6″ talk, with dark brown or black Hair and age estimated in the mid 40’s.

If you have any information regarding her identity, contact The Perry County Coroner’s office at 812-547-5164 or Tell City Police Dispatch at 812-547-7068.