Plans are moving ahead to bring the historic Newbern Bridge to the People Trail in Columbus. The bridge will be placed over Haw Creek near Lincoln Park to let pedestrians cross the creek, rather than share the 25th Street and National Road bridge with motorists.

Yesterday the Bartholomew County Commissioners approved a $216 thousand dollar contract with Strand Associates to oversee the bridge rebuilding project. County Engineer Danny Hollander explains that 80 percent of the cost will be paid by the federal government, with the county and city of Columbus splitting the remainder.

Hollander said that because the project is federally funded, an engineer is required to be on site at all times the work is being done and there is no way for the county to do that work in-house.

Hollander said the bridge reconstruction project should be opened to bidders in February and the work should start next spring. He anticipated it would be finished by fall of 2017.

The bridge originally was built in 1910 over Clifty Creek.

Residents of the East Columbus neighborhood are going to have a chance tonight to weigh in on future activities they would like to see at the America and Roby Anderson Community Center.

The State Street Area Association, which now operates the former Eastside Community Center at 421 McClure Road will be holding a meeting at the building at 6 p.m. tonight. to discuss activities that could be held at the center organized by the Purdue Cooperative Extension Office in Bartholomew County and Thrive Alliance.

There will also be updates on this year’s holiday lighting contest and Thanksgiving dinner. Columbus City Councilman Dascal Bunch will also be on hand to talk about revitalization efforts in the area.

A disturbance on Candlelight Drive yesterday in Columbus led to the arrest of two men on outstanding warrants.

Officers were called to the area of Rockyford Road and Candlelight Drive about a disturbance at about 3 p.m. 26-year-old Christopher E. Keller of Columbus and 29-year-old Joshua Hartford of Shelbyville were both found to have outstanding warrants. Hartford was taken into custody and Keller allegedly drove off on a bicycle. Keller was captured about two hours later on Gladstone Avenue.

Hartford was arrested on the Bartholomew County warrant for failing to appear in court for driving while suspended.

Keller is facing new charges of resisting law enforcement, as well as warrants for failing to appear in court to face charges of theft, driving while suspended and a probation violation.

A Columbus man was arrested yesterday, accused of trying to break into a home and leaving a crowbar stuck in the door.

Columbus police were called to the 1000 block of Central Avenue at about 4:15 p.m. after a resident said a video camera at her home caught a man trying to break in with a crowbar. When confronted, the man ran away. When police arrived, they discovered the crowbar still lodged in the back door frame, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department.

Officers chased the suspect who ran away and then jumped into Haw Creek near 7th Street and Central Avenue. 38-year-old Barry Williams was arrested on preliminary charges of burglary and criminal mischief, Harris says.

The crowbar was taken as evidence, Harris said.

The Hope Police Department is asking for your help finding a robbery suspect.

The police are circulating a photo of a suspect who tried to rob the Huck’s Convenience Store on State Road 9 on the evening of Oct. 7. The suspect is described as a man covered head-to-toe, wearing a ski cap, camouflaged mask, black clothing and black tennis shoes. The shoes are possibly Asics brand.

He is believed to have been about six feet tall.

If you have any information you can call the Hope Police Department at 812-546-4015. Tips can be left anonymously.

Tuesday is the deadline to register to vote, or update your voter registration. Jay Phelps, Bartholomew County Clerk, explains…

Phelps explains that early voting begins Wednesday…

Phelps talks about when these other locations will be available for early voting, along with your last opportunity for casting an early ballot at the courthouse…

Phelps adds that you can ask for an absentee ballot through October 31st.

If you have questions about voting, Phelps invites you to call the Bartholomew County Voter Registration Office at (812) 379-1604.

Columbus police say that a report of a man who appeared unconscious in a vehicle led to an arrest on drug charges Sunday.

An unresponsive person was reportedly in a vehicle in a parking lot in the 2700 block of North National Road at about 6:45 p.m. says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department. By the time police arrived, the man, 21-year-old Ryan Roberts, was awake but refused to show his hands to police and kept reaching under his seat, Harris said.

Roberts was eventually arrested without further incident, Harris said. A silver-colored pellet gun was found under the driver’s seat as well as a syringe and a small amount of heroin, Harris said.

Roberts is facing preliminary charges of possession of heroin, a legend drug injection device and drug paraphernalia.

A Columbus man was arrested on drug and child neglect charges after being seen on a moped with a small child.

Columbus police report that officers saw 41-year-old Kevin J. McCarty driving on the moped near 25th and California streets at about 2:50 p.m. Friday and recognized that McCarty was wanted on Bartholomew County warrants.

Police found him hiding behind a dumpster. As he was being taken into custody on the warrants, officers searched his backpack and allegedly found narcotics, syringes and other drug paraphernalia, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department.

McCarty is facing preliminary charges of neglect of a dependent, driving while suspended and possession of items including a legend drug injection device, methamphetamine, cocaine/narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

Columbus firefighters are decked out in pink shirts this month, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department, says the shirts are labeled “Firefighters For A Cure” and were designed by Hoosier Sporting Goods. The company designed two separate shirts one for the firefighters themselves and one for their family members.

Wilson said that the shirt effort was organized by Battalion Chief Mark Ziegler, who said that members of the fire department and their families have been affected by various types of cancer and they wanted to use this effort to raise awareness.

Wilson said this is the first time City of Columbus Firefighters have donned the pink shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness month, joining fire departments from across the country.

The city of Columbus is kicking off major improvements today to County Road 450S in the area of the Walesboro industrial parks.

The work will happen between County Road 50W and Interstate 65 and the construction will be ongoing through most of October.

The changes are due, in part, to the new Faurecia plant that recently opened in the area. It is expected to soon have 450 employees, city officials say. The city will be improving three intersections on County Road 450S, adding passing blisters, widening the pavement and improving the traffic signals at Old Lane.

The city will be using grant money from the state’s Industrial Development Grant Fund which will cover 50 percent of the project cost, up to $500,000.

The Board of Public Works and Safety awarded the $383,720 contract to Dave O’Mara Contractors with the rest to be paid from tax increment financing funds.

You will also see some disruptions in traffic in downtown Columbus starting today. The city has two projects going on at Third and Washington Streets. Crews will be repairing pavers at the intersection and painting signal poles and pedestrian pedestals. Starting today the north lane of the intersection will be closed.

The work is expected to take about two weeks.