As Thanksgiving Day approaches, millions of people will be travelling on Indiana’s Roadways. Across the United States the National Safety Council estimates 421 people may be killed and another 48,500 may be seriously injured in car crashes during the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday Period.

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving Day Holiday, the Indiana State Police wants to make sure there are no empty seats at your dinner table. Troopers will watch for impaired drivers, motorists who speed, follow too closely, make unsafe lane changes, drive aggressively, and fail to buckle up or properly restrain their children.

All occupants of a motor vehicle, including pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles are required to be secured in a seat belt or child safety seat in every seating position.   

Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Certified Troopers will also be working throughout the holiday weekend focusing on commercial motor vehicle violations.  

Some safety tips:

• If you are planning to travel make sure you are well rested, a fatigued driver is a dangerous driver.
• Avoid tailgating; remember the two-second rule.
• Make sure everyone is buckled up.
• Put down the electronic devices and drive.
• MOVE OVER, SLOW DOWN for emergency and highway service vehicles.

Don’t Drink and Drive during Thanksgiving!

SaferRide, NHTSA’s Mobile App!

NHTSA’s SaferRide app will help keep drunk drivers off our roads by allowing users to call a taxi or a friend and by identifying their location so they can be picked up.

Indiana State Parks is offering a Black Friday discount unlike any other sale you’d find at big-box retailers.

Hoosiers can #optoutside to enjoy the outdoors with discounts and opportunities to win 2018 state park passes and other prizes.

Three Black Friday discounts are available to everyone, although two require downloading a coupon. The discounts only apply to Black Friday, Nov. 24. They are:

• Free admission to any state park or reservoir that charges gate admission on that day. Download a coupon from the Indiana State Parks Facebook page beginning Nov. 15.
• Twenty percent off a meal at an Indiana State Park Inn. Download a coupon from the Indiana State Parks Facebook page beginning Nov. 15.
• A discount on toboggan rental at Pokagon State Park. Rental will be $13 for 90 minutes instead of the usual $13 per hour. Learn more at tobogganrun.com.

People who visit a state park, state reservoir or state forest recreation area on Black Friday can engage in social media and participate in a scavenger hunt to be entered in drawings for prizes. The drawings are:

• Post a photo to the Indiana State Parks Facebook page from your Black Friday visit to be entered into a drawing for annual passes, lake permits and more. Include the hashtag #optoutside or #optoutsideIN.
• Post a photo to the Indiana State Parks Facebook page of you and your friends or family camping or staying at an Indiana State Park Inn on Black Friday to be entered into a drawing for camping or inns gift cards. Include the hashtag #optoutside, #optoutsideINN or #optoutsideCAMP with your post.
• Complete an #optoutside scavenger hunt at stateparks.IN.gov/3282.htm and return it to the email or address on the page to be entered in a separate drawing for 2018 annual passes.
• Everyone who posts a photo or participates in the scavenger hunt will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a gift pack from the outdoor gear retailer REI in Castleton. The local REI store is a supporter of the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation and Indiana State Parks.

Hit the outdoors after you are finished shopping to decompress or just go straight outdoors.

Outdoor gear retailer REI started the #optoutside initiative in 2015, announcing it would close its stores on Black Friday to encourage people to experience nature instead of waiting in long lines at cash registers. For more information, visit rei.com/opt-outside.

Santa’s Mailbox is back in Orleans.

The special “Santa Mailbox” is set up in front of the Chamber of Commerce office on the north side of the town square for all area children to mail their “Postcards for Santa.”

Special postcards are now available FREE at a number of Orleans businesses.

All cards collected will be forwarded on to the big guy at the North Pole.

A recent narcotics investigation was conducted by multiple agencies, including the Bloomfield Police Department, Greene County Drug Task Force, Jasonville Police Department, Linton Police Department, Worthington Police Department and the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office.

The investigation also involved the Indiana State Police A.C.E.S (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section) the ISP DES (Drug Enforcement Section) and numerous Federal Agencies. 

That investigation has led to the arrest of a Bloomfield couple involved in Drug Trafficking.   

As the investigation continued into the evening hours of November 18th, officers conducted a traffic stop on a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta for both an equipment and moving violation in Greene County.  The Jetta was driven by Christopher Urban, 44 of Bloomfield and was occupied by his passenger, Virginia Urban, 44, also of Bloomfield.  While Trooper Richard Klun was conducting the traffic stop, Jasonville Police Officer Andrew Duguay conducted an exterior free air sniff with certified Narcotics K9 “Blitz”.  When the K9 gave a positive alert to the odor of a controlled substance, a search warrant was sought for and obtained for the vehicle. A large quantity of methamphetamine was subsequently located inside.

The passenger, Virginia Urban, was also found to be in possession of additional methamphetamine.  

Christopher and Virginia Urban were placed under arrest and transported to the Greene County Jail. 

Using information gained, officers were subsequently granted a second search warrant for the Urban’s apartment.  There, officers located more methamphetamine, narcotics, legend drugs and marijuana.   Officers also located a handgun and a rifle in the apartment in close proximity to where methamphetamine were located. 

In total, officers seized just over a quarter of a pound of crystal methamphetamine (approx. 120 grams) with a street value of $12,000. 

Christopher Urban was arrested on the following charges:

• Dealing Meth while Possessing Firearm, Level 2 Felony
• Dealing Meth over 10 grams, Level 2 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Structure, Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Vehicle, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Narcotics, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Narcotics, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Legend Drug, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana
• Possession of Paraphernalia

Virginia Urban was arrested on the following charges:

• Dealing Meth while Possessing Firearm, Level 2 Felony
• Dealing Meth over 10 grams, Level 2 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Structure, Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Vehicle, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Narcotics, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Narcotics, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Legend Drug, Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana
• Possession of Paraphernalia

Anyone with illegal drug information is encouraged to contact the Bloomington Indiana State Police Post at 812-332-4411. Your tip can remain anonymous and could save lives!

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

A Salem woman was arrested today by the Indiana State Police on drug charges. 

Approximately 10:00 am on today’s date, troopers from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg went to 1114 Springhouse Lane near Salem to attempt to locate Crystal Bryant, 31, from the same address.

Bryant had active arrest warrants for her arrest through Clark and Washington Counties for drug related charges and Resisting Law Enforcement.

When officers made contact with Crystal Bryant at her address they also discovered an alleged controlled substance and petitioned the Washington County Superior Court for a search warrant.

The search warrant was granted and while searching the residence troopers located approximately five grams of Crystal Methamphetamine, five guns and Paraphernalia in the residence.

Bryant was arrested on the active arrest warrants and also charged with the new charges of Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia.

She was incarcerated at the Washington County Jail awaiting her first court appearance.

This investigation is continuing.