Absentee voting by mail applications is now being accepted by the Washington County Clerk’s office, according to Clerk Stephanie Rockey. 

“Just call our office at 812-883-5748 x1128 to request yours today,” she noted. 

On March 16th at 10:30a there will be a Public Test, which consists of testing and certifying the voting systems.

The public is encouraged to attend.

The test will take place at the Election & Voter Services office located at 801 S. Jackson Street, inside the Justice Center. 

If you need to register to vote or change your address, Rockey encourages voters to do this before the April 6 deadline.

“You can come by our office to complete the required documents or you can visit Indianavoters.com, if your issued Indiana Driver’s License is up-to-date, to register to vote,” said Rockey.

Early Voting begins April 7 and can be done in the Election & Voter Services Office.

Hours will be from 8 AM- 4 PM, Monday through Friday from April 7th to May 4th at Noon. They will not close for lunch.

Also, the office will be open on Saturdays, April 25th and May 2nd from 8 AM to 4 PM.

Polls will be open Tuesday, May 5th from 6 AM to 6 PM.

“As your Clerk, I firmly believe in exercising your right to vote,” Rockey said. “Our great state gives us many options to be able to register to vote and to cast your ballot. Even in today’s world, you are given too many options to be able to vote, so there is no reason why your right to vote couldn’t be exercised.”

Indiana State Police charged a 20-year-old woman residing in Little York, Indiana, with Felony Battery and Neglect of a Dependent and Battery and Neglect of a Dependent following a six-month investigation. 

As a result of the investigation, Trooper Tyler Matthew arrested Kaitlyn Hopkins, 20, Little York, on Tuesday, March 3.

Both charges are Level 3 Felonies. 

Hopkins was taken to the Washington County Jail without incident.  

The child in this investigation was placed with paternal relatives after being released from Norton (Kosair’s) Children’s Hospital last fall. 

In August of 2019, Trooper Matthew was dispatched to Norton (Kosair’s) Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY, at the request of The Washington County Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). 

DCS investigators advised a two-year-old male toddler was transported to Kosairs, and investigators requested assistance investigating possible child abuse. 

The investigation revealed that the child’s father first took the boy to the Scott County Hospital after he was informed the child had caught his leg in a crib at his residence.  

The investigation also revealed the child’s primary caregiver during that time was the father’s fiancée, Hopkins. 

Medical professionals from Kosair’s also contacted the University of Louisville Pediatric Forensic Medicine Unit (PFM) for assistance.  

PFM issued a report on their findings to Trooper Matthew and DCS in October of 2019. 

Trooper Matthew continued the investigation by conducting interviews and gathering further evidence. Matthew then turned his finding over to the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office.    

A car traveling the wrong way on Interstate 265 yesterday evening in Clark and Floyd Counties, collided with another vehicle, killing three passengers and sending two others to the hospital. 

Around 9:14 Saturday evening, numerous callers advised of a White KIA Sportage SUV traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 65 from the Lewis and Clark Parkway.  Before police units could respond, the car turned west onto I-265, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes.   At approximately 9:17 pm, callers reported a head-on collision involving the SUV and a white passenger car near the 5.4 mile-marker just inside Floyd County.  Officers and firefighters from numerous agencies responded to the scene, including Indiana State Police (ISP) crash reconstructionists.  I-265 was closed from the time of the crash until approximately 12:15 Sunday morning, as the investigation continued. 

The preliminary investigation reveals that the white, 2017 KIA Sportage, driven by Taylor A. Barefoot, 31, of Louisville, KY, was in the left-hand lane, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes at the time of the crash.  Barefoot was air-lifted to University Hospital in Louisville with severe injuries. 

The second vehicle, a white, 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, was traveling eastbound in the eastbound lanes at the time of the crash.  The Cavalier was driven by Taylor D. Cole, 21, of Marengo, Indiana.  Cole was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.  Front seat passenger, Leah Renee Onstott, 22, Depauw, Indiana, was transported to University Hospital in Louisville, where she later succumbed to her injuries.  Two Juvenile passengers occupied the back seat and were transported to Norton’s Children’s Hospital in Louisville.  The juvenile son of Cole was pronounced dead after arriving at Norton’s.  The minor son of Onstott remains at Norton’s Hospital in unknown condition. 

Investigators believe alcohol played a factor in this crash.  The crash and possible criminal investigation are ongoing. 

Indiana State Police Troopers were assisted by units from the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department, the New Albany Police Department, The Clarksville City Police Department, the Clarksville Fire Department, and the New Albany Fire Department.  

Indiana state officials have confirmed the second positive case of the novel coronavirus according to the state’s Department of Health. 

The patient is an adult who lives in Hendricks County, Indiana, just west of Indianapolis, according to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).

That person “is in isolation with mild symptoms and is not hospitalized at this time,” ISDH said. 

Health officials said the patient “developed mild flu-like symptoms on March 2” after traveling to Boston in late February to attend the BioGen conference.

More than a dozen COVID-19 cases nationwide, including Indiana’s first patient with the virus, have been tied to the conference, officials said. 

“With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and the fact that we are a mobile society, this new case isn’t surprising, but we know it causes concern in the community,” State Health Commissioner Kris Box said in a news release. “I urge Hoosiers to continue to educate themselves about this illness and take common-sense precautions, but also to be aware that the vast majority of COVID-19 cases are mild in individuals without underlying medical conditions.”

Indiana’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on Friday and Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency.

The first patient, a man who lives in Marion County, “also remains in self-isolation with mild symptoms,” officials said Saturday. 

The best way to protect yourself from any respiratory illness, including the flu, is to:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The individuals involved in Friday’s crash on Interstate 64 at the 78-mile marker have been identified.

They are John Honore, 25, Asani Tujuane,24, and Mwalisha Kinozo, 17 and they are all from Kansas City, Missouri. 

All three were transported to the University of Louisville Hospital and are being treated for their injuries.

Their conditions are unknown at this time.

A fourth passenger, Mami Erneste, 33, also from Kansas City, Missouri was transported to the Perry County Memorial Hospital in Tell City, Indiana where she died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The initial investigation by Trooper Patrick Gallagher indicated a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling eastbound on Interstate 64 at the 78 mile marker when it left the roadway. The investigation shows the vehicle struck the center median cable barriers then crossed both eastbound lanes of the Interstate 64.

The vehicle then left the south side of the roadway causing the vehicle to roll over multiple times. 

The investigation is ongoing at this time.

All notifications to the families have been made notified.

Trooper Gallagher reported four persons were in the vehicle and all were transported to area hospitals with injuries.

Due to a language barrier Gallagher was not immediately able to identify the persons in the vehicle.