An early morning crash killed a 60-year-old New Albany woman on US 150 east of Hardinsburg. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a single vehicle crash on US 150 that took place about 9a. 

According to investigating officer, Deputy Brad Naugle, a 2005 Nissan Max driven by Elizabeth Dodge, 60, New Albany, was traveling West on US 150. 

For unknown reasons, the vehicle traveled off the right side of the road striking a utility pole. The Nissan continued back onto the roadway and off the left side coming to rest in a field. 

Dodge was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The crash is still under investigation. 

Assisting officers were Sheriff Roger Newlon and Deputy Mark Blackman. Other departments involved were the Posey Township First Responders, Washington County EMS, Washington County Cororoner’s Office and Kentucky 7 Air Ambulance. 

Sitting slumped over with shaggy hair drooping down to cover his face, 20-year-old Josh Rainbolt sat in the Washington County Courthouse answering questions posed by Circuit Court Judge Larry Medlock while fighting back tears. 

Rainbolt was arrested last Thursday evening and accused of murdering his high school classmate, 20-year-old Blake Box-Skinner, who was found dead in a shed outside the home they shared north of Campbellsburg. 

According to police records, Box-Skinner had not been in contact with family since Monday, Jan. 9 and Box-Skinner’s uncle (and Indiana State Trooper) Jonathan Cain went to check on him, along with his mother and father on the afternoon of Jan. 12 to the residence at 10609 West Lost River Road in Campbellsburg. 

According to police, they found Box-Skinner’s body in a shed behind the house. This led to an investigation with the ISP and Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Rainbolt’s arrest.

Rainbolt in his first public hearing after his arrest, appeared before Judge Medlock to answer a few initial questions and then was posed with the question about legal representation.

“Do you or will you plan to hire an attorney to represent you,” asked Medlock.

Through sobs, Rainbolt answered,”I don’t know.”

Medlock asked him if he was able to afford an attorney and Rainbolt answered back, “No.”

“Do your parents plan to hire an attorney for you,” asked Medlock. Again, Rainbolt answered, “I don’t know.”

Moving to the Prosecution, Medlock asked if there was any additional information other than the probable cause affidavit filed last week.

Prosecuting Attorney Dustin Houchin admitted that to the court and went on to interview ISP Detective Josh Banet.

Banet said he participated in the interview with Rainbolt and also was present while he was interviewed by someone else.

During that interview, Banet said, Rainbolt admitted that he shot Box-Skinner in the back of the head with a shotgun.

Banet also said Rainbolt told police he had disposed of the gun by throwing it into White River off a bridge at Ft. Ritner.

Banet said the investigation was continuing.

Medlock said he was going to enter an initial plea of Non-Guilty and had appointed Public Defender Mark Clark to meet with Rainbolt initially.

Also, based on the initial evidence, Medlock said no bail would be granted.

“If after you meet with your attorney, you decide you want to ask for bail, you will let the court know and we’ll set a hearing for that,” said Medlock.

Rainbolt faces charges of Murder and Obstruction of Justice. 

The murder charge could bring between 45-60 years and carry a $10,000 fine. 

The obstruction charge could also carry a $10,000 fine and include a jail term. 

The pre-trial hearing is set for Feb. 23 in Circuit Court with the jury trial set for June 6. 

Often times, this life of poverty and struggle is passed down from one generation to the next, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

The Indiana Youth Institute and Indiana University Health Paoli are hosting an event to help youth workers, educators, parents and other caring adults understand the impact generational poverty has on children. The event is on Friday, January 20 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Super Burger, 600 West Main Street in Paoli.

Melissa Fry with Indiana University Southeast will speak about the changing dynamics of poverty in Southern Indiana and the impact poverty has on overall child well-being. Research shows that children born into low-income families face multiple barriers to success and tend to have worse outcomes than their more affluent peers on many cognitive, behavioral, emotional and health measures.

As part of IYI’s Youth Worker Café program, the seminar and meal are free, but reservations are required. RSVP at www.iyi.org/ywc. If you have trouble with the link, please contact IYI Statewide Outreach Manager Debbie Jones at djones@iyi.org. For more information on the Youth Worker Café, contact Southwest Indiana Outreach Manager Joe Shrode at jshrode@iyi.org.

Youth Worker Cafés are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children.

Mundell Church is offering a free dinner and viewing of the movie ‘Andy’s Rainbow’ at the church on Sunday.

Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. with the movie viewing at 6 p.m.

There will be another showing at the Westview Christian Church in Campbellsburg on Jan. 29 at 6p. 

A third local showing will be at Mt. Tabor Church on Feb. 12 at 6p. 

Jaboc Dufour who acts in the film is from Salem also wrote the film. It was director by his brother, Adam. 

The movie from the award-winning creators of “The Redemption of Benjamin Black” comes a story of grace, love, and friendship. When Rayne Davis, a rebellious teenage girl, is sentenced to 50 hours of community service at a local group home for special needs youth, she wonders if life can get any worse. Then she meets Andy, a young mentally handicapped man whose profoundly simple insights on life, death, and God soften her heart and help her look at life with newfound optimism.

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.