A new book on Xenia Miller and her influence on Indiana design, arts and culture will be unveiled at the Columbus Area Visitors Center on Thursday.
Miller was the wife of J. Irwin Miller and a patron of the arts in her own right. She died in 2008.
The book, “Commercial Article 11,” is by Indianapolis-based graphic designer Jim Sholly and architectural historian Connie Zeigler and is the 11th of their series looking at Indiana designers and architects. Erin Hawkins, marketing director for the Columbus Area Visitors Center explains the project is the authors’ first book about a patron of the arts.
Hawkins says the book itself is gorgeous.
At Thursday’s reception, Sholly and Zeigler will talk about the research and design of the publication. Sarla Kalsi and Todd Williams will explain Xenia Miller’s role in the establishment of the Columbus Area Visitors Center.
The reception will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center on Fifth Street.
Voters will be choosing from a handful of contested races on the Nov. 6th Bartholomew County ballot.
In the southwestern portion of the county, voters will be deciding between Republican incumbent Jorge Morales and Democrat Lynne Fleming in the District 4 County Council Race.
Morales, 74, retired from Cummins after 30 years. He is married. He has a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. He is a member of the Rotary International and serves on the Mill Race Center board. He has held the County Council seat for two terms and ran for Bartholomew County Commissioners two years but lost in the Republican primary.
Fleming, 65, is a retired school teacher who worked for 38 years in Bartholomew Consolidated Schools. She is married to Dan Fleming and they have three sons. She holds a masters degree from Indiana University. She ran for County Council at-large two years ago. She is the vice president of the Bartholomew County Board of Health.
We asked the candidates:
What is the county government’s role in stemming the local opioid epidemic?
Fleming answered:
Morales answered:
How would you change the funding and staffing of the county sheriff’s department?
Morales answered:
Fleming answered:
The County Council enacted an increase in the local option income tax last year. Much of that revenue remains unallocated, although it has been earmarked for anti-opioid epidemic efforts. How should that money be spent?
A Columbus woman is being accused of driving with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit when she crashed into a house early this morning.
Columbus police say that the SUV hit the garage of a home in the 1200 block of Pine Hill Drive at about 3:30 this morning, causing significant damage.
The driver of the SUV, 26-year-old Melissa J. Calderon of Columbus allegedly had trouble keeping her balance and she was slurring her words while talking to officers. CPD says that a portable breath test revealed her alcohol level as .230. Calderon refused medical treatment at the scene of the crash, but was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to have her blood tested.
She is facing a charge of driving while intoxicated.
Time is running out for Bartholomew County students to submit a poster for Crime Prevention Month. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is inviting students in grades K-12 to create a poster on a sheet of paper, 8.5 x 11 inches. Students can use pen, pencil, colored pencil, crayon, paint or felt pen. No computer generated submissions will be accepted.
Entries should be dropped off at the Bartholomew County Jail front desk, at 543 Second Street in Columbus, by 5 p.m. on October 31st. Students should include their name, school, grade and telephone number on the back of the poster.
Three winners will be selected on or before November 5th. The winning posters will be displayed in jail’s administrative offices. Winners and “honorable mentions” will have their photo, name, other information and their posters posted on the Sheriff’s Facebook page.
Timothy S Gilley; photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.
A local man was arrested on drug charges over the weekend after an alleged overdose. At approximately 10:20 p.m. Friday, Columbus Police were called to a home in the 1000 block of Eighth Street ion a report of an unresponsive man. Officers administered Narcan and revived the man, 43-year-old Timothy S. Gilley, of Columbus. While attending to Gilley, the officers noticed drugs inside Gilley’s bedroom. They applied for, and received, a warrant to search the home for additional drugs. That search reportedly led to the discovery of 19 syringes, marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia inside the home.
Gilley was arrested and transported to Columbus Regional Health for treatment. He is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Syringe and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.
A Columbus woman was found unconscious in the Taco Bell parking lot on 25th Street and arrested on drug charges after allegedly stuffing drugs into a cup of sour cream.
That was at about 4:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the restaurant.
When rescue workers arrived, 42 year old Christina D. Sullivan was slumped over in a vehicle’s driver’s seat according to reports from Columbus police. While speaking with Sullivan, officers saw drug paraphernalia inside her vehicle.
Police say they ordered Sullivan out of her car but as she got out, she allegedly tried to hide methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside a small cup of sour cream in an effort to evade arrest. She was arrested and taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
In just over two weeks, Bartholomew County voters will be choosing from a handful of contested races on the ballot.
In eastern Bartholomew County, voters will be deciding between Republican Scott Bonnell and Democrat Hanna Omar in the District 1 County Council Race.
The seat is currently held by Republican Chris Ogle, but Ogle did not seek re-election.
Bonnell, 56, is a Columbus Fire Department firefighter and fire inspector, as well as a farmer. He is married to Lois and they have two children. He attended St. Peters Lutheran School, Columbus East High School and Purdue University, as well as the National Fire Academy. He has been Farm Bureau president in Bartholomew County for eight years.
Omar, 36, is married to Nebil A Baqhum and they have a son. She works for a financial institution and has bachelors and masters degree in political science from Fordham University. She also holds an MBA from IUPUC. Although she has never run for office before, she serves on the Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals. She is a member of Bartholomew County Indivisible, is organizing the FFY’s Great Girls and Wonderful Women event.
We asked the candidates what the county’s role should be in stemming the opioid epidemic.
Bonnell said he would like to see those with addictions cured and brought back into society.
Omar said she has been in conversations with Jeff Jones, executive lead of ASAP, the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County.
We asked the candidates how they would change the funding and staffing of the county sheriff’s department
Omar said she has been talking with Sheriff Matt Myers about his department’s needs.
Bonnell agrees that Myers is doing a good job as sheriff.
We asked the candidates: The County Council enacted an increase in the local option income tax last year. Much of that revenue remains unallocated, although it has been earmarked for anti-opioid epidemic efforts. How should that money be spent?
Bonnell said that there are many unmet needs in the county.
Omar said the money should be spent exactly as promised to the community, when the decision was made.
Early voting is going on now at the Bartholomew County Courthouse voter registration office from 8 to 5 on weekdays. The general election is Nov. 6th.
A bicyclist was hurt after a collision Sunday afternoon in Columbus. Authorities say the accident happened near Ninth and Franklin streets. The bicyclist was flown to an Indianapolis hospital.
Additional details, including the names of those involved and what led to the crash, have not been released.
The Bartholomew County Democratic Party will be holding a pre-election rally November 4th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Rumple Building at 316 12th Street in Columbus.
Organizers say this event will celebrate candidates, honor volunteers, and gear up for the future. Special entertainment will be provided by Tim Grimm and Friends. Light food and soft drinks are included with a cash bar available.
A $10 donation is suggested with admission free to students and children. Guests are asked to wear blue.
For further information, for to barthdems.org or call (812) 418-8594.
Duke Energy continues to deal with several power outages. As of 2 p.m. Sunday:
According to the utility, there is one outage in the Garden City area.
Bartholomew County REMC is only reporting a few customers without power in Columbus Township (1 customer), German Township (1 customer) and Wayne Township (1 customer).
Outside of Bartholomew County, Duke Energy is reporting:
200 customers without power near Nineveh
59 customers near Hangmans Crossing
About 50 customers along State Road 7 between Vernon and Scipio.
35 near Riverview Cemetery in Seymour.
69 customers in and around Westport
There is no word as to when power may be restored.
