The Bartholomew County Soil and Water Conservation District is planning to build a watershed demonstration exhibit at the Bartholomew County 4-H fairgrounds and is looking for your help.
Heather Shireman, said the district is looking to raise funds and for volunteers to build benches, create artwork, to plant native vegetation and other tasks.
The Pathway to Water Quality exhibit will be a watershed demonstration that explains proper water management practices at home, on the farm and in business.
For more information you can contact Shireman at 812-378-1280, extension 3.
A Federal Judge has ruled against the Bartholomew County Court Services Department in a case that challenged the court’s policy on prohibiting certain employees from engaging in some political activities. Judge Richard Young of the Southern District granted a motion for preliminary injunction in the case of Allen v. Bartholomew County Court Services Dept., et al. The lawsuit was actually against the state, as court systems are considered a part of state government, not individual counties.
Brandon Allen, as a Court Services employee in Bartholomew County, was prohibited from engaging in “political activity” even though, while technically an employee of the state judiciary, he performed no judicial functions. Allen’s attorney, Bill Groth of the Indianapolis law firm, Fillenarth, Dennerline, Groth & Towe, LLP, argued that the policy was unconstitutionally vague and in violation of his client’s First Amendment rights to engage in political activities.
Groth explained that Judge Young’s opinion holds that the policy is unconstitutionally vague and over-broad. The Indiana Attorney’s General Office defended the policy, arguing that it was intended to carry out the prohibitions of certain judicial conduct.
Groth says that what happens next is not yet clear. He says that the state, which defended Bartholomew County Courts in the lawsuit, may decide to appeal the federal judge’s ruling. If not, Groth says that he would expect a proposed settlement. He adds that Allen remains employed as a Court Services employee.
The Columbus Police Department welcomed back two of its officers and their canine partners who recently completed a four week K-9 certification course in Michigan.
Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, says that Officer Jeremy Jones attended the training with his police dog, Max, who was previously
CPD Officer Jeremy Jones and Max; Photo: Christopher Lowe
assigned to another handler at the department. The previous handler moved from the area to take a job with another law-enforcement agency, said Jones. He talked about the bond that an officer and his dog share, noting that Max was howling for the first couple of days that he had him, missing his previous handler. Jones went on to say that the training was just part of the process in the pair getting used to one another. As he tossed a tennis ball for Max, Jones said that the pair are now close. Jones added that their partnership began in full this past Sunday with their first patrol together.
Officer Chad Lehman also completed the course with a new police dog after his previous canine partner, Rex, retired after eight years of service.
Officer Chad Lehman and Niko; Photo: Christopher Lowe
Lehman announced the name of his new partner, “Niko” during Wednesday’s event.
A Hartsville man was arrested on drunk driving charges after crashing his motorcycle early yesterday morning.
Deputies and Hope Police were called to East County Road 300N at shortly before 2 a.m. on a report of a suspicious person in the area. Authorities found a motorcycle that had been in a single vehicle crash.
The cyclist, 22-year-old Jeffrey Ducharme, was arrested on a preliminary charge of driving under the influence, says Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
St. Bartholomew Catholic School on 27th Street in Columbus would like to build a greenhouse to help its students learn about agriculture and gardening topics.
The school is asking the Columbus Plan Commission this afternoon to approve a variance of setback requirements to allow the 288-square foot structure on the property. The plan would put the building five feet closer to the property line than normally allowed.
And the Plan Commission will be asked to waive requirements that auxiliary structure not be built on front lawns. The planning department staff is recommending approval of the project, saying that the greenhouse would be screened from view by existing playground equipment.
The Plan Commission meets at 4 p.m. today at Columbus City Hall.
The Columbus Police Department has set the next date for their Coffee with a Cop program.
It will be on Saturday, June 3rd from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the McDonald’s restaurant on Jonathan Moore Pike. Coffee with a cop offers a chance for you to meet local police for a relaxed conversation, officials say.
Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, is celebrating its 40th anniversary tomorrow.
The agency will be holding its annual meeting at Mill Race Center, with refreshments at 4 p.m. and the program starts at 4:30.
Jim Henderson, one of the first members of the foundation’s board of directors will be talking about the early days of the organization and its fundraising efforts for community organizations and projects. This year’s grant recipients will also be recognized including Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center and the Read by 3 school reading program.
Richard McCoy of Landmark Columbus will also be on hand to talk more about the Exhibit Columbus project.
The annual awards ceremony for the Columbus Area Career Connection, also known as “C4” will be held tonight at Southside Elementary School auditorium. Cindy Merris-Smith, with the C4 program, says the event kicks off at 7 p.m. It will honor those students who have won competitions, excelled in their C4 classes and who have participated in various clubs.
Columbus Area Career Connection provides career and technical education to high school students in Bartholomew, Jackson, Decatur and Brown Counties as well as students at Edinburgh High School. Classes include Engineering, Nursing, Welding, Auto Technology, Cosmetology and Criminal Justice, among others.
Bartholomew County officials are scrambling to come up with a cost-effective method for manning and maintaining the county’s Information Technology Department.
Currently, there is no IT Director. County Commissioner Rick Flohr says that the county has gone through three directors in a very short period of time. Two of them, he says, left for better-paying jobs elsewhere. Flohr says that even though these professionals find the job fulfilling in other ways, the county will continue to have a revolving door at the leadership level. He added that the turnover not only results in the loss of manpower, but most-importantly, knowledge.
Flohr, representing the commissioners, says that the only way to fix the problem is to increase the pay-scale for the IT Director. Doing so, he explained, would help the county lure, as well as keep, qualified professionals. Flohr says that without the change, the county will never be able to compete with the private sector for the most qualified applicants. Under the proposal put forth during Tuesday night’s meeting of the County Council, he recommended that the pay scale be increased to a minimum of $78,000 to a maximum of $92,000 per year. Currently, that position pays just over $65,000, said Flohr. Members of the council seemed to recognize the problem, as they, and the commissioners, discussed the possibility of the pay-scale needing to be increased to $100,000, or more.
The council approved the request. Commissioners will advertise the position in the hopes of it being filled as soon as possible.
While officials work to bring in a new IT Director, the county’s remaining IT staff is picking up the slack. Flohr told the council that these three people are working harder, and longer. He notes that two of them are receiving nothing for the extra effort, beyond comp-time.
Flohr asked the council to approve a temporary change that allows the remaining staff members to be paid overtime. The council voted to approve the request. That additional expense is expected to go away, or diminish significantly, once a new IT Director is hired and acclimated.
John Gregg, Democratic Candidate for Governor, will make a campaign stop Thursday evening in Columbus to address a Democratic Party fundraising dinner.
Gregg, a former President of Vincennes University and Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives, is scheduled to speak at about 7 p.m. at the Bartholomew County Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner. The event begins at 6 p.m.
