Kohl Files for Mayor of Martinsville
Former Martinsville Mayor Shannon Kohl has filed as a candidate for Mayor in the 2023 Republican Primary. Kohl previously served as Mayor from 2015-2019, but chose not to run for re-election, instead focusing on her health and family as she successfully battled a cancer diagnosis.
“I have lived in Martinsville since I was a small child, my husband and I raised our family here, and this is the city we chose to make our forever home,” said Kohl. “With your help, we were able to achieve great things for the city we all love, but our work is far from done and we have so many opportunities ahead of us. Martinsville deserves a full-time Mayor with a proven track record to improve our city, and I pledge to be that Mayor.”
When Kohl first took office as Mayor, she inherited an unbalanced, overspent budget, and cash deficit. Kohl successfully passed and managed the first honestly balanced budget in a decade, and each year of her term, consistently returning more cash to the general fund. Her administration fully funded and supported our local police and fire departments, successfully advocated for saving our ambulance service, and improved our local infrastructure. Kohl’s leadership has been credited with revitalizing downtown Martinsville, allowing small businesses to grow and thrive, improving our parks and amenities, and capitalizing on the I-69 corridor, making our city a vibrant destination, not a drive-thru town.
Prior to serving as Mayor, Kohl was a successful local realtor, and member of the City Council. For the past three-years, she served in the private sector, working with local communities around the state to improve infrastructure for Hoosiers. Kohl and her husband, Brian, have three children, including one Army veteran, and four grandchildren. They live in Martinsville with their puppy, Louie.
Arrest warrant subject flees in vehicle, Sheriff Deputies deploy Stinger Spike System
On January 9th, shortly after 1am, Deputies Shaffer and Williamson of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department were preparing to serve an arrest warrant when the subject’s Mercury drove past the deputies’ meeting location. Deputy Shaffer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle at South Fairfax Road and South Walnut Street Pike, however the vehicle failed to stop. During the brief pursuit, the driver’s door of vehicle was opened as the driver attempted to discard marijuana as the vehicle continued northbound on South Walnut Street Pike. Deputy Moxley deployed a Stinger Spike System at the intersection of Walnut Street Pike and East Rhorer Road and deflated both front tires. The vehicle came to an immediate stop and the driver was taken into custody. The driver ended up not being the registered owner or the original target of the warrant service. The driver was identified as Stephen R Bell (age 54) and was taken to the hospital due to attempting to swallow and conceal a marijuana cigarette during the pursuit. After being released from the hospital, Stephen Bell was incarcerated at the Monroe County Jail on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Obstruction of Justice, Dealing Schedule II Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Reckless Driving.
***Criminal Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted by a court of law
Traffic stop leads to arrest in Greene County
January 7, 2023, Indiana State Police stopped a vehicle which resulted in an arrest and discovery of Methamphetamine. Cody Kay Etherton, a 39-year-old female from Nineveh was found to have two active warrants. One warrant was out of Johnson County and one was out of Owen County. During the stop, Trooper Garvin found Etherton to be in possession marijuana and approximately 6.7 grams of methamphetamine. Etherton was arrested and transported to the Greene County Jail for Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Marijuana.
*** Criminal Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted by a court of law
This Week in Hoosier History
1882 The Indianapolis News reported that hundreds of people had gone to Union Depot to see the first installation of electric lights. The brilliance of the scene amazed those who passed through the building.
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