Weekend ramp closures from westbound Interstate 265 to eastbound I-64 will begin on or after Friday, March 9, as part of a $3.9 million bridge rehabilitation project. 

Pavement repairs and installation of a 3/8-inch polymeric overlay at Exit 121 will occur over three weekends—but not necessarily on successive weekends—beginning Fridays at 8 p.m. through 5 a.m. Mondays.  

Traffic will be detoured via I-265 East to I-65 South to I-64.   

At the same time, the Indiana Department of Transportation will patch, widen and place a 2-inch modified latex overlay on I-64’s eastbound bridge over Captain Frank Road while making substructure repairs. 

The bridge—a 3-span 217-foot-long structure located 0.29 miles east of I-265 at the north edge of New Albany—will be restricted to two 11-foot-wide travel lanes.  Construction is expected to continue through May. 

INDOT officials advise motorists to expect lane shifts, changing traffic patterns and occasional delays. 

In mid-May, similar operations will take place at two other I-64 bridges—westbound I-64 over Captain Frank Road and westbound I-64 over Quarry Road. 

Ragle Inc. of Newburgh is Indiana’s contractor for this 4-bridge project in Floyd County.

The CSX Railroad notified the federal government that it plans to abandon nearly 62 miles of its railroad easement. 

In fact, it had already started negotiations to transfer the line for public recreational use.  New Albany, Washington County, and Salem officials as well as The Indiana Trails Fund believe that the trail will be an asset for the community and have expressed interest in saving the line for a public trail.  

According to lawyers representing a growing list of more than 125 property owners, this could be a taking of private property by the United States which would be responsible for paying money damages to any property owner abutting the railroad easement. 

“The land belongs to the abutting property owners and would be theirs when the railroad leaves.  If the public is going to use private land for a public purpose, the public ought to share in the cost and not rely on these property owners to allow the public on their land without any compensation,” said Bob Sears, of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC.

Mr. Sears and Lewis Maudlin, a prominent Salem real estate attorney, are working together to bring these claims in the Court of Federal Claims in Washington DC. 

“If property owners want to make a claim, they can do so at no risk, but they must sign up to make a claim or they will not be paid.” said Maudlin, “Any property owner in any of the five counties where this railroad is located can stop by my office on the square at 54 Public Sq., Salem, Indiana. 

They just need to be the owner of land abutting the CSX railroad.” 

The lawsuit is for compensation, it will have no effect on the communities’ plans for the trail and no local entity will be responsible for paying the claims”

Last night at 10:13 p.m., Indiana State Troopers from the Jasper Post responded to an injury accident on Interstate 64 eastbound near the 75MM.

Senior Trooper Carcuff was among the first to arrive on scene. Senior Trooper Carcuff and Perry County Sheriff’s Deputies discovered a Mitsubishi SUV sitting in the upright position at the bottom of a deep embankment on the north side of the roadway in the median.

Senior Trooper Carcuff provided CPR on the driver until EMS units arrived.

The driver was identified as Amanda McKnight, 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska. McKnight’s 11 year old son was seat belted in the vehicle and did not sustain any injuries. Information pertaining to the juvenile will not be released. McKnight was transported to Perry County Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced deceased by the Perry County Coroner. Family members of the deceased have been notified.  

Indiana State Police Detective and Accident Reconstructionist Joshua Greer from the Jasper Post was dispatched to the scene to investigate the cause of the accident.

Detective Greer determined that McKnight lost control of her vehicle while driving in a severe rainstorm. McKnight’s vehicle traveled off the north side of the roadway, overturned multiple times and came to rest at the bottom of a deep ravine. As a result of not wearing her seat belt, McKnight was ejected from the vehicle as is rolled down the ravine.

The Indiana State Police want to remind motorist of the importance of wearing seatbelts.

Assisting Agencies: Perry County Sheriffs Department & Perry County EMS

WSLM 97.9 FM will broadcast the IHSAA girls basketball state finals Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, with Class A and 2A games at 10 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. respectively, followed by 3A and 4A at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. 

Here is the schedule:

1A State Final | Vincennes Rivet (26-2) vs. Marquette Catholic (26-2) | 10:30 am ET
2A State Final | Winchester Community (26-2) vs. Central Noble (22-5) | Approx. 12:45 pm ET

3A State Final | Greensburg (23-3) vs. Northwestern (28-1) | 6 pm ET
4A State Final | Warren Central (19-7) vs. Zionsville (22-5) | Approx. 8:15 pm ET

On February 20, 2018 at 2:46pm, Indiana State Police Senior Trooper Ted Robertson stopped a white Lincoln Navigator on SR 163 just west of SR 63, for operating erratically on northbound SR 63 prior to the stop. 

The driver was identified as 23-year-old Chaise Xavier Kohl of Terre Haute, IN. A routine driver’s license check revealed Kohl was wanted on felony warrants out of Vigo County for criminal mischief and criminal residential entry. 

Senior Trooper Robertson requested assistance from Vermillion County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Hennis and his K-9 partner “Scout”.

A positive K-9 indication was displayed on the vehicle and during further investigation, approximately (8) grams of Marijuana, (1) gram of Crystal Methamphetamine, (4) Hypodermic needles, a bag of Belbuca Hydrochloride wipes, scales, and various items of drug paraphernalia. 

Kohl was incarcerated in the Vermillion County Jail on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Hypodermic Needles, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

The case was investigated by ISP S/Trooper Ted Robertson with assistance of VCSO Deputy Chad Hennis and “Scout”. 

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A 19-year-old North Vernon male was arrested today and charged with four counts of sexual misconduct – include rape – of a 15-year-old Scott County girl. 

On February 7th of this year, detective Brian Busick from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg was contacted by the Scott County Department of Child Services and informed of an alleged encounter and sexual misconduct between a 15 year old female from Scott County and a 19 year old male, identified as Jon Wesley Anthony, from North Vernon, (Jennings County).

The alleged misconduct occurred at the residence of the victim in Scott County when Jon Wesley Anthony agreed to meet the 15 year old at her home to do beautician work on her hair.

When Jon arrived, he stated he had forgot the materials needed to work on her hair, but he stayed at the residence and while there, he allegedly forced himself onto the 15 year old girl.

The two had originally met and became friends on a social media website. 

After detective Busick completed his investigation he turned it into the Scott County Prosecutor’s Office who filed charges.

An arrest warrant was issued out of the Scott County Circuit Court on today’s date and detective Busick arrested Jon Wesley Anthony on the charges of

• Rape when Compelled by Force or Imminent Threat of Force
• Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, Defendant has Intercourse or Engages in other Sexual Conduct
• Sexual Misconduct with a Minor Preform or Submit to Fondling or Touching by an 18 Year Old
• Sexual Battery Victim Compelled to Submit by Force or Imminent Threat of Force.

Jon Wesley Anthony was incarcerated at the Scott County Jail and is being held without bond awaiting his first court appearance.