The Indiana Department of Transportation is lifting all lane restrictions on Interstate 64 at its bridge over Captain Frank Road in advance of the Memorial Day weekend (MAY 25).   

Next Tuesday (MAY 29), eastbound I-64’s right lane will close for patching, widening and deck overlay installation—while the center and left lanes remain open to traffic.  Those open lanes—located 0.29 miles east of I-265 near New Albany—will be 11 feet in width. 

Ragle Inc, Indiana’s prime contractor for this $3.9 million 4-bridge project, plans to move operations to I-64’s westbound bridge over Captain Frank Road and the nearby westbound bridge over Quarry Road once eastbound repairs and deck work have been completed. 

As the unofficial start of summer, the Memorial Day holiday weekend is a busy time for Americans.

Each year, the highways fill with families in vehicles, on their way to start their summer vacations.

To help keep drivers and passengers stay safe, the Indiana State Police is reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket.

Aimed at enforcing seat belt use to help keep families safe, the national seat belt campaign will take place May 21 through June 3, concurrent with the busy travel season.

“Buckling up is something that should become second nature,” said Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter. “Besides that. Buckling up is the law. The consequences of not buckling up is real and can include the loss of life. Often, this tragedy could have been prevented with the use of a seat belt. No excuses, buckle up!”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., that number soared to 56 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Indiana, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $25.00.

“In 2016, almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2016, more than half (52%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 40 percent were not buckled up.

“If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive or ride, please ask them to consider changing their habits,” said Indiana State Police First Sergeant Rich Myers. “Help us spread this life-saving message before a friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up—every trip, every time.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.  

If you’ve ever considered keeping bees or were just intrigued with our little black and gold friends, this program is for you. An educational program on beekeeping will be presented on Tuesday, at 6 p.m. at Wilson Park Shelter House.

Local beekeepers will share their experiences and information on bees and be happy to answer questions.

The program is the tenth program in the Bedford Park Outdoor Series.

Curtis McBride and other local beekeepers will be on hand to explain what is entailed in this practice that dates back 9,000 years to North Africa. The art and science of beekeeping has come a long way since then, and you can learn from experienced beekeepers the joys and challenges of keeping bees.

This free program at the historic Wilson Park Shelter House. The indoor shelter house is pleasant in any weather. Please RSVP for the program at (812) 275-5692 so we have enough handouts and chairs ready.

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, June 26, when the Outdoor Program Series will feature a program on the geology of Lawrence County, given by Nelson Shaffer. This program, part of Limestone Month, will cover not only limestone but also geodes and other interesting rocks and minerals found in the county

Sunday morning, Indiana State Police Detectives arrested a Mt. Vernon man for shooting his wife.

Arrested and Charged was – 

• Rodney Givens, 48, 827 Walnut Street, Mt. Vernon, IN

1. Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon
2. Aggravated Battery

Givens allegedly shot his wife during an argument at their Mt. Vernon residence located at 827 Walnut Street. 

According to Indiana State Police Detectives, Rodney and Crystal Givens were involved in an argument at approximately 9:00 Sunday morning when he allegedly grabbed a handgun and shot his wife one time.

Crystal Givens was treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.

Rodney Givens was arrested without incident and taken to the Posey County Jail where he is currently being held without bond.

The investigation is continuing. 

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) crash that claimed the life of an adult operator in Dearborn County.

Daniel James Thomas, 60, Guilford, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dearborn County Coroner.

At approximately 8:22 p.m. Sunday afternoon, Officers were contacted about an ORV crash that occurred at the intersection of North Dearborn Road and Ennis Ridge Road in Guilford Indiana.
  
Daniel was operating his Polaris Razor 1000 ORV on North Dearborn Road when he approached the intersection of Ennis Ridge Road and attempted to turn left.

The turn caused the ORV to turn onto its side where it slid into a nearby tree. The collision collapsed the roll cage onto Daniel and the ORV continued until it collided with another tree.
 
Daniel was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He was wearing a seatbelt and harness.
 
Indiana Conservation Officers, Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department, St. Leon EMS, and Sunman EMS were on scene of the crash.
 
An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow in Dearborn County.
 
A toxicology report will be conducted to determine if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.