TPS Industrial Services will be building a new $3.5 million headquarters in Bartholomew County and adding more than 50 employees.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. is making the announcement this morning. The company started in 2014 with a single truck and driver and now has six full-time employees. The company will be growing to 61 employees including CDL drivers, dispatchers and sales executives. The new positions are expected to pay about 25 percent more than the state’s average wage.

In addition, to the 50,000 square foot headquarters expansion, the company will be buying trucks and trailers. The company ships dry goods, plastic parts, automotive supplies and canned goods across the country.

“We are proud to be an Indiana-based company here in the crossroads of America and the headquarters of the best diesel engine manufacturer in the world,” Telma Santana, founder and president of TPS said in the state press release.

“Our team of professionals is dedicated to serving customers large and small, ensuring quality and implementing processes and procedures to improve deficiencies in the supply chain while adding value to our customers. TPS looks forward to generating more jobs, growth and opportunities for workers here in Columbus, Indiana.”

The state agency said the company qualified as both a minority- and woman-owned business.

The state provided up to $500,000 in tax credits and $40,000 in training grant to the company as an incentive for its Bartholomew County expansion.

The recent rainfall has caused some flooding concerns locally. The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department has closed the following areas:

People trail near Northbrook;
People trail along State Road 46 and the I-65 tunnels;

Parks officials say the areas will be reopened once the water has receded and the mud and debris have been swept away. If you are planning to use the trail system over the weekend, you are urged to exercise caution.

Casey Ritz, director of park operations, says that crews will evaluate these areas on Monday.

A group put together to maintain and care for a Columbus landmark is holding a special event on Tuesday.

Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County says that Friends of First Christian Church Architecture (FFCCA) was launched as a new effort, established in partnership with First Christian Church, Landmark Columbus and Heritage Fund, to help maintain the architecture and design elements of First Christian Church. The church, designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen and opened in 1942, is listed as a National Historic Landmark. To launch FFCCA, as well as kick off the first major project, organizers say that a program will be held Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the church, located at 531 Fifth Street.

Organizers say the program will feature a historical overview of the building, a discussion about the effectiveness of “friends organizations” by David Frederick of Indiana Landmarks and a statement about the “Sanctuary Skylight Rehabilitation Project” by Steve Wiggins, an elder at

First Christian. Officials say the Sanctuary Skylight Rehabilitation Project was created to address and fix the leaking skylight while maintaining the building’s design.

Organizers say that a brief tour will be offered at the conclusion of Tuesday night’s program. If you would like to help with the efforts to rehabilitate the building, you are encouraged to make a donation to the Heritage Fund online at www.heritagefundbc.org.

Portraits of Columbus community leaders, photographed by Ivy Tech Community College students, will be on display at WellConnect, at 237 Washington Street in Columbus, through March. Chris Schilling, Ivy Tech spokesman, says that a public reception for the exhibit will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on February 3rd at WellConnect.

School officials say the exhibit, “Portraits: Columbus Leaders, The Power to Transform Communities,” has been on display since January 17. They say the exhibit portrays leaders who have worked together to “transform Columbus and have shared in building on the community’s legacy for decades.” Organizers say that students photographed the community leaders as their final assignment for an Ivy Tech professional portraiture class instructed by Kevin O. Mooney.

Due to limited space, not all of the portraits taken by Ivy Tech students will be on display at WellConnect. Ivy Tech officials say that additional portraits will be on display as part of the annual ReTh!nk Design That Matters student show scheduled for this July at City Hall.

A Hope man was arrested after allegedly crashing a stolen truck.

Caitlyn Gross, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that at approximately 10:14 a.m. on Thursday, Deputies Jarod Aspenson and Nick Martoccia were dispatched to 25th Street at County Road 500 East for a traffic accident. Off-duty Deputy Andrew Dougan arrived first on the scene and reported that a pickup truck had ran off the road and struck a tree. The driver had allegedly ran away on foot.

Gross says that dispatch received a call from a resident in the area advising that a man was in their yard. As deputies responded, the man reportedly ran but was quickly taken into custody.

Authorities identified the driver as Brian Sosbe. Gross says that Sosbe had an outstanding parole warrant and was an Habitual Traffic Violator with a lifetime designation. The truck he was allegedly driving had been reported stolen.

Sosbe was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, then booked on preliminary charges of:

Leaving the Scene of an Accident;
Possession of Methamphetamine;
Possession of Paraphernalia;
Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated;
Auto theft

Gross says that Sosbe remains in the Bartholomew County Jail without bond.

Columbus Firefighters helped the city’s Public Works Department in installing a new sign along U.S. 31 entering into Columbus. The

“Hometown of Michael R. Pence – United States Vice President” sign was hoisted with the help of the fire departments ladder truck. City officials say the work was finished at 11:45 a.m., just before the inauguration.

Columbus police say a pedestrian was flown to IU Methodist Hospital after being struck by a vehicle Thursday evening.

Witnesses told officers that 40-year-old Robert S. Compton was walking across Marr Road near Pavilion Drive at about 6 p.m. when he was nearly struck. Moments later, he was hit by a vehicle driven by 32-year-old Keri L. Hobbs of Columbus, who said she did not see Compton until he was directly in front of her.

He was taken first to Columbus Regional Hospital then flown to Indianapolis with a serious head injury. He remains in critical condition.

The crash remains under investigation.

Five people were arrested in Jennings County this week after a drug overdose in Country Squire Lakes.

Deputies were called to Shrimpton Drive Tuesday after 36-year-old Sean Cobb was found unconscious. He was brought back with a dose of Narcan, deputies say and taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital.

While at the home, deputies allegedly saw methamphetamine, heroin, drug-related paraphernalia and drug precursors. An 8-month old baby at the home was removed by Child Protective Services and placed with a relative, according to police reports.

Cobb was arrested after being released from the hospital. Also arrested were 22-year-old Brittany R. Watts of Columbus and North Vernon residents 34-year-old Curt J. Thornburg, 29-year-old Brandy R. McGuire and 40-year-old Phillip R. McGuire.

Charges include:

Cobb:

• Dealing Methamphetamine – Level 5 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Syringe – Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining Common Nuisance – Level 6 Felony
• Neglect of a Dependant – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana – Class A Misdemeanor

Watts:

• Dealing Methamphetamine – Level 5 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Syringe – Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining Common Nuisance – Level 6 Felony
• Neglect of a Dependant – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana – Class A Misdemeanor

Thornburg:

• Possession of 2 or more Drug Precursors – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Controlled Substance – Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining Common Nuisance – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Paraphernalia – Class A Misdemeanor
• Possession of Marijuana – Class A Misdemeanor

Brandy R. McGuire and Phillip R. McGuire:

• Maintaining Common Nuisance – Level 6 Felony

A number of local residents and officials are in Washington D.C. to witness the inauguration of Columbus-native Mike Pence as the next Vice-President of the United States.

Bill Lentz, a Republican who serves on the Bartholomew County Council, says that security is very tight…

Lentz says that he attended yesterday’s wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery which included Pence and President-elect Donald Trump. He noted that security measure were extremely high there as well.

We asked Lentz if he’s encountered any protesters…

Lentz also attended Thursday night’s Indiana Society Ball, which was co-chaired by former Indiana First Lady Karen Pence. He was among several local officials in attendance, including State Rep. Milo Smith, Bartholomew County Republican Party Chairwoman Barb Hackman and Columbus Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer. Rep. Smith talks about the atmosphere of the ball…

Smith was among a large group of local residents and officials who chartered a bus to attend the inauguration. That group is scheduled to return to Columbus on Sunday.

In just a few hours, former Indiana Governor and Columbus-native Mike Pence takes the oath of office to become Vice-President of the United States. Ben Jackson is in Washington D.C. with his family to witness the event. Jackson explains that he has known the Pence family for years…

Jackson says that the relationship between he and the Pence family remained…

Jackson says that, even then, he knew that Pence had the capability and drive to go far in politics.

In addition to being there for the new Vice-President, Jackson says that his family is there to support “The Sound of North” marching band. Jackson explains that he has two children who attend Columbus North, as well as a wife who works there.

You can hear the inauguration live on NewsTalk 1010 WCSI beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday.