Schneck Medical Center Hospice is hosting GriefShare, a 13-week free program open to anyone who is coping with a loss.

Schneck’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Stephanie Furlow, says GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will help you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. Topics will include Living with Grief, the Journey of Grief, the Effects of Grief, Your Family & Grief, and the Uniqueness of Grief.

“In our fast-paced society, I believe it is imperative for us to tend to our losses” said Suzie McDonald, Schneck Hospice Nurse Manager. “Being with others that have had similar experiences can be extremely healing. This program is designed to be a place of hope and healing for those whose lives have been broken.”

The GriefShare Group will meet every Thursday, for 13 weeks starting January 7, 2016 and running through March 31, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. GriefShare seminars feature video sessions and discussion.

There will be two locations offering the program. The Point in Seymour will offer the program led by Stephen Barrett. Pam and Ron Evans will host the program at Brownstown Christian Church.

GriefShare is a free program for adults and children 14 years and older. Registration is not required. Childcare is available upon request.

For more information, contact Suzie McDonald, Schneck Hospice Nurse Manager, at (812) 522-0508, or email smcdonald@schneckmed.org.

A Jennings County man was arrested late Friday night after he was allegedly connected to a stolen vehicle.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson Judy Jackson says that at approximately 11 p.m., Deputy Teancum Clark was dispatched to Della Road in reference to a suspicious truck. The Deputy arrived to find a pickup truck stuck in a ditch. A man, leaning against the truck, identified himself and told Deputy Clark that 43-year-old James Daniel May, of North Vernon, had been driving the truck but left to get help.

Jackson says that while the Deputy was at the scene, an SUV drove by and someone told Deputy Clark that May was inside the vehicle. Deputy Clark initiated a traffic stop and arrested May on a preliminary charge of Operating a Motor Vehicle without ever Obtaining a Driver’s License.

May was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on $5,000 bond. Jackson says that as of late Monday morning, he was still behind bars. The truck had reportedly been stolen out of Montgomery County, Illinois. The investigation is ongoing.

Two people were injured in a motorcycle crash last night near Waynesville.

Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that deputies responded to the crash in the 9600 block of South Jonesville road at 8:27 p.m. A man and woman had been riding a motorcycle and it appears they ran off the east side of the road before losing control and crashing.

The driver, 57-year-old Clarence M. Graham of Columbus was flown by Lifeline helicopter to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. The passenger, 57-year-old Teresa Lowery, was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital. Both were alert before being taken to the hospital.

Jackson said a container was found amidst the wreckage that appeared to contain marjiuana. She said the crash is still under investigation.

A Columbus man spun his truck’s tires to the point where they burst into flames. That’s after getting stuck on a concrete culvert while allegedly driving drunk Saturday night.

Sgt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says officers were dispatched to the 4700 block of Ray Boll Boulevard because a truck was on fire at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday. They found a Chevy pickup stuck on a culvert and a witness said the driver had spun the tires so hard trying to get free of the obstacle that the tires melted down to the rims before bursting into flames.

The driver, 64-year-old James Handley of Columbus, allegedly told police that he had been drinking at a nearby bar, but didn’t remember how he ended up on the boulevard.  Harris said that Handley failed field sobriety tests and was found to have a blood alcohol level of more than three times the legal limit.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of driving under the influence with a previous conviction within the past four years.

A Columbus man was arrested Friday after allegedly fleeing from police.

Sgt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, said that officers were called to a downtown restaurant at just before 7 p.m. Friday on a report of a customer acting suspiciously.

When officers arrived the man, identified as 32-year-old Vern E. Purtlebaugh allegedly ran from police and into a vehicle in the parking lot. As officers caught up to him, they allegedly noticed a syringe on the floor of his vehicle.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and possession of a legend drug injection device.

Bartholomew County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz has announced that he will seek reelection to the seat he now holds.

Kleinhenz, 57, is seeking his seventh four-year term to the county’s executive body.

He has several business including small residential development , home construction and agriculture production.

He said he will be seeking re-election because his years of experience will help the county navigate upcoming changes. He also stressed that he has never supported hikes to property taxes and his support for individual property rights.

Kleinhenz said he has served with six other county commissioners in his years in county government and has always been the youngest member of the board of commissioners.

Incoming Columbus mayor Jim Lienhoop has announced most of the new leadership team he will bring with him when he takes office at the start of the year. Most of Mayor Kristen Brown’s department heads will stay in the same positions, with only a few changes.

Mary Ferdon will be the new director of administration and head of the office of community development. Ferdon was most recently the director of Volunteers in Medicine. She served briefly as Mayor Brown’s director of community development. She will replace Jeff Logston and Carl Malysz.

Former city engineer Dave Hayward will return as executive director of public works and city engineer. He served as city engineer under three prior adminstrations. He will replace Beth Fizel, who replaced him when he resigned from Mayor Brown’s administration.

Lienhoop announced that he would no longer have a full-time city attorney. Instead, Alan Whitted will be a part-time attorney for the city, maintaining his private practice and sharing some of the city work with other attorneys in the practice. Logston has been handling the city attorney duties under Mayor Brown.

Lienhoop also announced that he is still looking for a fire chief and interviews are still in progress.

Department heads staying in their positions in the new administration include:

• Aviation Director — Brian Payne
• ColumBuS Transit Director — Cindy Setzer
• Columbus Housing Authority Dir. — Deborah Holt
• Columbus Utilities Director — Keith Reeves
• Human Rights Commission Director — Aida Ramirez
• Parks and Recreation Director — Mark Jones
• Planning Director — Jeff Bergman
• Police Chief — Jon Rohde
• Public Works Director — Bryan Burton
• Redevelopment Director — Heather Pope

Stan Gamso will also continue as the attorney for the Columbus Redevelopment Commission.

The Hope Volunteer Fire Department has reached an agreement with the contractor for its new fire station, ending a lawsuit that endangered the oldest volunteer fire department in Bartholomew County.

Fire Chief Bruce Neal announced last week that the firefighters had settled the lawsuit with JHS Construction and Fueling of Madison, the contractor for the new station on the east side of the town. The contractor had been seeking $189,000 in payments they said they were owed by the fire department.

Details of the settlement were not made available, but Neal said the department would be able to finish the new station and move in soon.

“We believe this settlement brings a new day to the Hope Volunteer Fire Department and allows us to continue to serve the citizens of Hope and Hawcreek Township for years to come,” Neal said in a press release. “We are excited about the opening of the new fire station and look forward to the day we can open the doors to the new station.”

Neal also thanked the community for its support.

A Seymour man is under arrest after a crash Saturday evening in Bartholomew County.

42-year-old Hiram Davis is facing charges of operating a vehicle under the influence after the crash on State Road 58.

Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department said deputies were called to the crash at 7:01 p.m. and found the vehicle Davis was driving in a ditch after striking a tree. He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out and then the Bartholomew County Jail.

The Columbus City Council will discuss a proposed apartment complex on property that was formerly part of the Golden Castings foundry site during its meeting Tuesday night. Mayor Kristen Brown says there will be a resolution to authorize the issuance of tax-exempt private activity bonds to fund the construction of 209 rental apartment units at the facility, called Ashford Park. She says the complex would be on the western-most tract of property.

The city’s Community Development Director, Carl Malysz, says the resolution is the first required step in the bond issue process. He told members of the City Council that the borrower is trying to utilize tax-exempt bond financing and low-income housing tax credits in order to fund the project.

Malysz added that 40 percent of the apartments would be set aside for residents with an income of 60 percent, or less, of the Area Median Income. That figure is currently $40,920 for a family of four. He says that the rents for those units would be limited to one-third of the renters’ gross income. Other units will be rented for market rates.

Mayor Brown says that her administration is working hard in the hopes of getting the foundation for this project established before the end of the year. She has consistently said that one of the most important issues facing Columbus is the lack of quality, affordable housing. Brown has said that getting this project underway will help alleviate some of the pressure felt by low-income city residents.

The City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. inside City Hall.