A semi truck driver died in a fiery crash on Interstate 65 in Johnson County, despite the efforts of a good Samaritan.

The Indiana State Police are reporting that the truck struck a guardrail at about 6:13 this morning in the southbound lanes north of Franklin, then went about 50-feet before crashing into a tree and bursting into flames.

State police say that 56-year-old Brian Corns of Crown Point was driving by and stopped to help, pulling the driver out of the flaming wreckage before rescue workers arrived. The driver was taken to the hospital where he later died, police say. The name of the victim has not yet been released.

The southbound lanes were closed for about 90 minutes after the crash.

The United Way of Bartholomew County is anticipating change over the next several years. The organization held its annual meeting Tuesday

afternoon at the Factory 12 Event Loft. New Board Chairman Tom Brosey told the hundreds that gathered that the United Way is revising its strategy through 2016. He explains why…

Brosey says that the United Way strategy is a community strategy…

One thing that won’t change, said Brosey, is the important role that local United Way agencies play in getting help to those in need…

Brosey says that 2016 will be an exciting year…

A number of individuals and organizations were honored during Tuesday’s event. The organization handed out three GIVE Awards. They went to Forecia, Doctors Donnamarie and Rolf Loescher and the students at Taylorsville Elementary School. Taylorsville’s award has accepted by 11-year-old Chris Perez, who donated $40 of his own money to the United Way.

Other award recipients include:

Leadership Award: Lisa Shafran with Turning Point;
Advocate of the Year Award: Suzanne Diehn with CSA: Fodrea;
Volunteer of the Year Award: Lee Swanson;
Live United Award: Steve Knott with Master Power

A dedication of the Wakeman VA Clinic at Camp Atterbury is set for March 30th at the clinic, located at 3791 10th Street in Edinburgh.

Pete Scoville, a Public Affairs Officer with the VA, says this joint venture facility is the first of its kind in Indiana. He says that the Wakeman VA Clinic is “an example of Federal and State resources coming together to provide health care for Indiana Veterans.” The dedication is set for 11 a.m. on March 30 at the clinic. Scoville has indicated that Gov. Mike Pence, Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and a number of other state and local officials will be on hand for this event.

Following the dedication, Scoville says that the VA will begin a marketing campaign to attract Veterans currently not enrolled in VA Health care. He says that they will also be reaching out to those veterans in our area who are driving to VA facilities in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Bloomington, Martinsville and even as far as Louisville. Scoville adds that the clinic now has a dedicated phone number at (317) 988-2300. He says that number will be answered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Scoville adds that prior to the clinic’s dedication, the VA will be holding a Veterans Town Hall meeting on March 23 at Columbus City Hall. He says that this town hall will be held inside Council Chambers beginning at 6 p.m. Scoville says that there will be a number of staff members on hand to answer questions about enrollment and specific health care issues. Veterans, and their families, are encouraged to attend.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department continues the search for its most wanted suspect. Department Spokesperson Judy Jackson says that, for the second consecutive week, deputies are trying to find 20-year-old Tanner M. Fleetwood, of Columbus.

Fleetwood is described as a white male, five-feet, nine-inches tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

Jackson says that Fleetwood has three outstanding arrest warrants charging him with Obstruction of Justice, Invasion of Privacy, False Identity Statement and Domestic Battery.

The Sheriff’s Department asks that if you have any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant you think it might be, to please contact Captain Dave Steinkoenig at (812) 565-5940. You may also call the department’s Tip Line at (812) 379-1712. Information and tips can be left anonymously.

A gas leak lead to the evacuation of a Quail Run Apartment building Tuesday afternoon.

Columbus Fire Department Spokesman Capt. Mike Wilson says that at 2:26 p.m., firefighters were called to 1170 Saylor Drive after people in the area thought they smelled the odor of natural gas. As firefighters arrived to the scene, Wilson says they were met by employees of Vectren Energy, who were already on the scene.

Fire Department Lieutenant Don Richards reported that as soon as firefighters arrived, they could hear the leaking gas and smell the odor additive, mercaptan. An evacuation of the building nearest the leak was underway when firefighters arrived. Lt. Richards says that Vectren representatives Columbus Police assisted with the evacuation until all apartment units in the building were vacated. Once the evacuation was complete, firefighters found that the gas levels posed little risk at that time, said Richards.

Firefighters say that an unknown person was trying to place a television satellite dish post into the ground when the metal post pierced the natural gas line. Wilson says that Vectren crews found, and repaired, the gas leak by approximately 3 p.m. Residents were allowed back in to their apartments shortly thereafter.

Wilson says that this incident serves as a reminder that residents need request a utility location service before digging. Costs associated with repairing damages caused by a broken utility line can fall on the individual who damages it.

A water main break at 153 Artist Drive has lead the Town of Nashville / Nashville Utilities to issue a Boil Order for the following areas:

10 Artist Drive to 625 Artist Drive;
310 Redbud Drive to 333 Redbud Drive;
335 Wells Drive to 455 Wells Drive;
400 West Drive to 444 West Drive;
575 Oak Run Drive to 720 Oak Run Drive;

This Boil Order remains in effect until 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Customers with questions should contact Nashville Utilities at (812) 988-5526.

Bartholomew County is moving ahead with plans to repair the Possum Glory bridge.

Despite five companies showing interest initially in the project to rehabilitate the bridge, only one company submitted a bid to actually do the work. Trisler Construction of Cloverdale proposed a bid of just under $449,000 dollars for the project. County officials had estimated the work to cost around $400,000.

The bridge on County Road 1150E was closed late last year because of its poor condition. But the county decided to save money by repiaring the more than 100-year-old bridge instead of replacing it.

The Bartholomew County Commissioners took the bid under advisement at their meeting yesterday.

The good weather this winter means a longer vacation for students at Bartholomew Consolidated Schools.

The school district announced at its meeting last night that the schools have only had three snow days this year. That means that students will have 11 days of spring break.

The last day of school is Friday and they will return to school on March 23rd.

The Hawcreek-Flat Rock Area Endowment Advisory Board is currently accepting proposals for grant dollars for this year.

The endowment gives grants to organizations and projects that benefit residents of Hawcreek and Flat Rock townships in northeastern Bartholomew County.

Grant applications are available at the Hope Library, WILLow LeaVes of Hope, and the MainSource Bank Hope Branch. Grant applications may also be downloaded from the website at www.endowmenthfr.org.

The city of Columbus is moving ahead with a contract to dramatically increase the amount of money it gives each year to the Columbus Economic Development Board.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop has proposed increasing the annual funding from $14,000 a year, to $150,000 for each of the next three years. The idea will be for the board to step up its business recruitment efforts, specifically aiming for ways to diversify the local economy.

The city’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved the contract with the economic development body this morning.

Several residents protested the decision, questioning why there were no measurable goals listed and whether it was legal for the city to give lump sum payments, rather than requiring detailed invoices for individual spending items from the economic development board. For example, one of the attendees said that  a city could not buy pieces of wood without getting a receipt for exactly how many pieces of wood were being purchased.

The mayor and City Attorney Allen Whitted said that the money was being given as a grant to the not-for-profit board.

Brenda Sullivan, a member of the board of works and the city’s former clerk-treasurer, said she was in office when the county enacted the Economic Development Income Tax and she felt it was perfectly appropriate to use it for this purpose.