Columbus officials continue to ponder the best use of just over 10 acres at Second Street and Lafayette Avenue. Heather Pope is the city’s director of redevelopment.

04-17 HEATHER POPE-1

During Monday’s meeting of the redevelopment commission, members debated the demand and viability of a hotel and conference center and if that would be the best use of the property. Pope says discussion on getting a feasibility study for the area is being done in conjunction with other stakeholders, including the Columbus Area Visitors Center and those involved in the “Envision Columbus” study.

04-17 HEATHER POPE-4

Envision Columbus is described by city officials as a strategic development plan that will address the traditional commercial area of downtown Columbus, as well as nearby neighborhoods and parks. The first public meeting is set for 6 p.m. on April 23rd at City Hall. You are invited.

No official action was taken during Monday’s redevelopment commission meeting. The body is expected to discuss the issue further at its next meeting in May.

A student from the Ivy Tech Community College Columbus campus has won a statewide “Shark Tank” style competition to design a mobile software application for the college that will connect students with resources and information about their Ivy Tech experience.

Chris Schilling, spokesman for Ivy Tech, says that Esther Flint, a 19-year-old general education student, had her vision for an Ivy Tech app selected from 41 statewide submissions from 15 Ivy Tech campuses. He says that her work was one of three submitted from the Columbus campus.

Schilling explains that the competition was announced to students at the beginning of the Fall 2018 semester, asking them to provide their thoughts on what an app should include to attract students to use it and how it can help Ivy Tech better communicate with and engage students.

The app is now under development with an anticipated launch for the Fall 2019 semester.

Drivers on I-65 through Bartholomew and Jackson counties should be aware of scheduled overnight lane closures this week. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that its contractor has scheduled hydro-demolition operations to remove bridge deck overlays at County Line Road and County Road 625 South this week as part of the state’s $143 million Next Level construction project between Seymour and Columbus.

INDOT says that I-65’s northbound right lane will close at 9 p.m. Tuesday under the County Line Road bridge at mile marker 56.4. Overhead demolition will then require closure of the southbound right lane, then both northbound and southbound left lanes. Restrictions are scheduled to be lifted by 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Beginning at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, I-65’s northbound right lane, then the southbound right lane, then both left lanes, will close for overhead hydro-demolition at the County Road 625 South bridge at mile marker 61.8. Those restrictions are scheduled to be lifted by 6 a.m. Thursday. All of this work is dependent on the weather and could be rescheduled.

INDOT says that both county road bridges may remain closed to traffic for 45 days while repairs and superstructure modifications take place.

A garage in the 3400 block of Virginia Street was destroyed in a weekend fire. Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that firefighters were sent to blaze on 3445 Virginia Street Saturday at 11:41 p.m.

Wilson says that when firefighters arrived, they found a detached garage fully engulfed in flames. As crews began fighting the fire, they noted that the home, located just feet from the garage, began to show signs of heat damage as vinyl siding had begun to melt. A nearby RV also suffered damage.

Wilson says the fire was marked under control within 15 minutes of arrival. Damages to the garage were major. he noted that several items in the garage, including a pick-up truck an ATV and a lawn mower, were destroyed in the fire. Authorities say that damages to the home were isolated to the exterior.

The cause of the fire in undetermined at this time. Damages to the structure and contents are estimated at $70,000. No injuries were reported.

Two Columbus residents were arrested on drug charges over the weekend after a traffic stop. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that at approximately 12:16 p.m. Saturday, Deputy Teancum Clark was in the area of County Road 550 North and Marr Road when he saw a vehicle weaving and crossing the center line multiple times. That led to a traffic stop moments later.

Authorities say the driver identified herself as 60-year-old Cathy Olson. They say that her passenger identified himself but could not remember his date of birth. He was later identified as 40-year-old Roger Dale Leonard, Jr. Deputies say that drugs and drug-related items were found in the vehicle.

Leonard, who was wanted on an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant, was arrested on preliminary charges of False Informing and Possession of Legend Drug Injection Devices. He remains behind bars on $70,000 bond.

Olson was taken to Columbus Regional Health. When she was cleared, deputies arrested her on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia. She has since been released.

A local man was arrested on several charges after he allegedly jumped from a moving vehicle in an effort to avoid being arrested early Friday morning. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at approximately 2:45 a.m., officers observed two people in a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of Carrie Lane. When officers got out with the SUV at a nearby gas station a short time later, only one person was in the vehicle. A witness told officers that a man jumped out of the passenger side of the moving vehicle and ran across the gas station parking lot just prior to police arriving.

Harris says that officers checked the area for the suspect and found him hiding behind a dumpster. He says the suspect initially gave a false name, but was later identified as 48-year-old Troy D. Morris, of Columbus. Officers confirmed that Morris was wanted on a Kentucky warrant and placed under arrest. Police also reported finding drug paraphernalia that Morris tried to hide from the officers. In addition to the outstanding warrant, Morris was arrested on preliminary charges of Obstruction of Justice, False Informing and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

A wanted North Vernon woman was found hiding in the attic of her home last week.

North Vernon police are reporting this morning that an officer was patrolling last Tuesday on Barlow Drive at about 9:30 in the evening and recognized a woman on the street who had an outstanding warrant from Ripley County. 46-year-old Jeannie White allegedly ran into her home before the officer could turn around.

Officers searched the home and initially couldn’t find any sign of White but did see indications that someone had climbed into the attic. After Jennings County sheriff’s department police dog Vampir was brought to the scene, White surrendered, police say.

She was arrested on the outstanding warrant and on new preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement.

The Bartholomew County Council has four members elected by geographic district who are up for election this year. This week, we are focusing on Districts 1 and 2.

The First Council District covers northeastern Bartholomew County. It has been represented by Republican Chris Ogle, who is not seeking re-election.

Hoping to replace Ogle are Scott Bonnell, a farmer and Columbus Fire Department fire inspector, and Marcus Speer, the Rock Creek Township Trustee, who is also a farmer, school bus driver and minister. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Hanna Omar in the November general election. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The Second Council District covers northwestern Bartholomew County. Republican Laura DeDemonic, who is resource and philanthropy director at Mill Race Center is running for re-election and is being challenged by Glenn Petri, who now works part-time at Salt Creek Trading Company

We asked the candidates about the recent income tax hike passed by the County Council and whether they would support future tax increases.

Bonnell said he believes that the recent tax increase was needed.

Speer said that the recent tax increase seems needed, but he would be hard-pressed to approve future tax increases.

DeDomenic said she reluctantly supported the tax increase.

Petri said he is opposed to tax increases.

The primary election is May 8th and early voting is under way at the Bartholomew County Courthouse from 8 to 5 this week.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Developmental Services, Inc. have partnered to offer Disability Friendly Day at the 2018 Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Youth Academy. “We want all Bartholomew County kids to be able to experience our Sheriff’s Youth Academy,” said Sheriff Matt Myers. This will be held Monday, June 4th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Authorities say that the Youth Academy is designed to expose young county residents to role models in public safety as well as to teach them valuable life and safety lessons. The academy presents a wide range of topical training subjects which acquaints attending youth with the goals and functions of a working law enforcement agency.

Bartholomew County special needs youth, ages 7-14, are invited.

Registration is open online here: http://bit.ly/2HxOvvd.

Governor Eric Holcomb joined Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe McGuinness and state and local officials Friday in Columbus to mark the start of the 2018 Next Level Roads construction season. Officials kicked off construction for the year by breaking ground on a $143 million expansion of Interstate 65 between Columbus and Seymour.

Governor Holcomb says the program leverages long-term, sustainable funding to make record-setting investments in Indiana’s transportation system.

“Indiana is one of only a handful of states with a fully funded, long-term infrastructure plan. And, we’re putting it to good use, not just for our roads and bridges—but also to attract more job creators to move and grow in our state,” Gov. Holcomb said. “Working hand-in-hand with local communities, Indiana is taking care of what we have, finishing what we started and planning for the future.”

Officials chose to kick off the 2018 construction season in Columbus as INDOT and contractor E&B Paving begin work on a $143 million contract awarded in 2017 to add a travel lane in both directions of I-65 between State Road 58 near Columbus and U.S. 50 near Seymour. The project includes replacing existing pavement along the 14 mile segment that includes the new travel lanes, repairing and resurfacing pavement on a three mile segment between State Road 58 and State Road 46, and rehabilitating 27 bridges.