Indiana University is launching its Sustainable Hoosier Communities pilot program in Lawrence County.

The University will also be working with Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington counties to implement the Sustainable Communities Program.

The pilot is funded by a planning grant from the Lily Endowment Inc. as one of six focus areas for proposed IU Center for rural excellence. The Sustainable Community Initiative will begin in the fall of 2017.

“The sustainability challenges explored will be driven by the unique needs of the community as identified in meetings with community leaders,” says Marla Jones, business and community development director for the City of Bedford. “We will need to provide the topics which they will then match up with their expertise. It can be anything from bridges, intersections, trails, to cattle.”

IU professors and students will work with the communities to match classes with community projects that produce results for participating groups and municipalities.

Jones says, it is not limited to just city or county government projects but things that civic and clubs are interested in getting help with.

Indiana University will work across disciplines inside and out of the academia to re-define the delivery of higher education, conduct applied and policy-relevant research and serve the public in the design and development of sustainable, resilient and livable cities.

For more information about the Sustainable Hoosier Communities in Lawrence County, contact Marla Jones at (812) 279-6555 or email her at mjones@beford.in.us or Bill Brown at (812) 855-1822 or email him at brownwm@indiana.edu.

Two Paoli men were arrested after police say they were dealing meth.

Paoli police arrested 36-year-old Garland Miller and 29-year-old Joshua Rominger on charges of dealing meth, possession of meth and marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance. Both are being held at the Orange County Jail.

According to a news release, Paoli police served a search warrant at a home at 409 South East First Street after information from local residents gave police a tip about possible drug activity after receiving information about possible drug activity at the home.

When police searched the home they found the meth and drug paraphernalia and items consistent in the dealing of the drug.

A Paoli woman was arrested on drug charges after police received a tip of possible drug activity at a home at 206 Roosevelt Street.

Paoli Police arrested 34-year-old Jessica Wininger on charges of possession of cocaine or a narcotic drug, possession of meth and marijuana, trafficking with an inmate, maintaining a common nuisance and resisting law enforcement.

She is being held at the Orange County Jail.

Wininger was arrested after Paoli police served a search warrant at the home on Roosevelt Street and found drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Wininger was also arrested on a outstanding warrant.

A 20-year old Salem man who has been accused of killing his roomate north of Campbellsburg last week is expected in Washington County Circuit Court for his initial hearing this week. 

According to Washington County Prosecutor Dustin Houchin Josh Rainbolt, 20, Salem, is scheduled to appear before Judge Larry Medlock at 2:30p Tuesday. 

Rainbolt has been in the Washington County Detention Center since late Thursday night when he was arrested and charged with the murder of his roommate and West Washington High School Alum. 

Rainbolt was charged with murder, obstruction of justice and improper disposal of a corpse.

During an interview last Thursday evening, Rainbolt told police he killed his roommate and disposed of the shotgun in White River.

According to a probable cause affidavit, 20-year-old Rainbolt told police he shot Blake Box-Skinner in the back of the head with a shotgun, dragged his body to a shed, put him inside and shut the door.

He told Indiana State Police Detectives that he then drove to the Ft. Ritner Bridge off White River Road and threw the shotgun into White River.

Police have not released a motive for the murder.

Indiana State Police discovered Box-Skinner’s body after they were called to do a welfare check at the home at 10906 Lost River Road after family members report that 20-year-old son had not been seen or heard from for a couple of days.

State Trooper Jonathan Cain, who is Box-Skinner’s nephew had went to the home with Blake’s parents Carol Box and Derek Skinner.

When they arrived at the home. The parents entered the home and found their son’s phone inside and knew something was wrong. Trooper Cain checked outbuildings on the property.

According to the affidavit, Trooper Cain opened a door on one of the outbuildings and saw human legs sticking out from under a washing machine.

After Cain moved the washing machine, he located the body of Blake Box-Skinner underneath.

Cain immediately contacted the ISP for back up.

Family members told investigators that Blake’s roommate, Rainbolt was not at the home, but had been calling Blake’s mother.

Investigators talked to Rainbolt on the phone and asked him to come in for an interview, but Rainbolt told police he did not have a ride to the sheriff’s department. An Indiana State Trooper arranged to pick Rainbolt up and transport him to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department where he admitted to killing his roommate.

J A I L  M A N A G E M E N T
                                                      Arrest Report for Courts
                                                    01/12/2017  thru  01/13/2017
 
Book Date  Time      DOB      SSN            Charge         Charge          Sex  Arr Ag                  Bail       Bail Agency
                          Cause No.          Code(s)     Description(s)
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
01/12/2017 1010  07/02/1961 ***********                                       M LCPD                      263.00 SUP1 SIG80 ALD
BRAY,THOMAS S           47D01-1608-F6-988  00000000079 FAILURE TO APPEAR CR Court:                     Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: LINTON           State: IN
          Class:
                                                                                               Release Date/Time: 01/12/2017-1300
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
01/12/2017 1157  06/03/1987 ***********                                       M BEDFORD PD                  0.00
HACKNEY,JOSHUA L        47D01-1406-FD-835  00000000203 PETITION TO MODIFY   Court:                     Date/Time:           -0000
                        47D01-1406-FD-835  00000000201 PETITION TO REVOKE   Court:                     Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: LAWRENCE CO.     State: IN
          Class:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
01/12/2017 1421  03/05/1989 ***********                                       F LCPD                        0.00
MCNEW,CORI E            47D02-1506-F6-651  00000000201 PETITION TO REVOKE   Court: SUPERIOR COURT II   Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: MONROE CO        State: IN
          Class: FELONY
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
01/12/2017 1700  02/11/1983 ***********                                       F BEDFORD PD              5,000.00 SUP II
SYKES,DARBI L           ON-SITE            00000000118 POSS MARIJUANA U/30  Court: SUPERIOR COURT II   Date/Time:           -0000
                        ON-SITE            00000000001 PUBLIC INTOXICATION  Court: SUPERIOR COURT II   Date/Time:           -0000
                        ON-SITE            00000000128 POSS OF PARAPHERNALI Court: SUPERIOR COURT II   Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: MONROE CO        State: IN
          Class: MISDEMEANOR
                                                                                               Release Date/Time: 01/13/2017-0900
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
01/12/2017 1909  10/30/1978 ***********                                       M ORANGE COU              1,005.00
ENGLAND,JOSHUA                             00000000201 PETITION TO REVOKE   Court:                     Date/Time:           -0000
                        ON-SITE            00000000021 BATTERY W/BODILY INJ Court:                     Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: TAMPA BAY        State: FL
          Class:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
01/12/2017 2300  09/04/1993 ***********                                       M MITCHELL P                383.00 SUP II
LITTLEJOHN,NICHOLAS     47D02-1605-CM-602  00000000079 FAILURE TO APPEAR CR Court: SUPER 2             Date/Time:           -0000
          Citizen? Yes      Birth Place Country: US      City: BLOOMINGTON      State: IN

Orange County REMC bids farewell to Journeyman Linemen Gary Cheatham and Jeff Bennett as they announced their retirement this month. Cheatham has been employed by the co-op for 36 years and Bennett for 26 years.

Over the years, both Cheatham and Bennett have experienced their share of tough power restoration work after ice storms, floods, tornadoes and thunderstorms.

They have also played the role of ambassador to the community each year at the REMC’s annual meeting, and in safety demonstrations for schools and community organizations.

“You can never make yourself or the company ready for the retirement of guys like Jeff Bennett and Gary Cheatham,” said Orange County REMC General Manager/CEO Matt Deaton. 

“There isn’t a doubt that everyone at the co-op, and many of our members, are going to miss them.  It is great, though, to see two people that dedicated their lives to the same company have the opportunity to retire, and now choose how they want to spend their time.”

The board of directors , management and employees all appreciate the combined 62 years of service these two linemen have dedicated to the cooperative and its members, and wish them all the best in their retirement.