The city of Columbus will start regulating pedal cabs under an ordinance that received initial approval from Columbus City Council Tuesday night. Pedal cabs are used to shuttle paying passengers on a fixed route. They are powered by a single pilot and an electric motor.

The pedal cab proposal would require a $200 per pedal cab licensing fee, proof of insurance and a check of the criminal backgrounds of operators and company officials. Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, explained that the ordinance requires any pedal cab operator to register each vehicle with the Office of Community Development.

The ordinance is also banning commercial rental scooter operations in the city until such time as officials come up with rules covering their use.

Many larger cities have struggled with a surge of interest by businesses in providing the rental scooters to tourists and others. Issues in other cities have focused on the safety of the scooters, their use on sidewalks and the clutter they bring. Most scooter companies allow the devices to be abandoned once they reach their destination and until they are rented by another customer. City leaders in Nashville, TN are considering banning them outright after a man on a scooter was struck and killed by a motorist.

Councilman Frank Miller stresses that the ordinance doesn’t ban personal use of these scooters. Council members expressed concerns about safety and clutter.

Miller stresses that the ordinance doesn’t ban personal use of these scooters.

Council will consider finalizing the ordinance at its July 16th meeting.

Stakeholders in Columbus continue to work on the future of the Fair Oaks Mall property. As part of the Fair Oaks Mall Master Plan process, you’re invited to attend one of four upcoming public engagement meetings. These meetings are designed to help you learn more about the project and offer your input.

The first public meeting is set for Thursday, July 11th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fair Oaks Mall. Dates for future public engagement meetings will be announced at a later date.

The Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation, made up of Columbus Regional Health, The Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County and the City of Columbus, have contracted with MKSK to develop a Master Plan. City officials say the company will also design ideas for the best use of the mall and Donner Center properties for recreation and community wellness purposes.

More information on the project is available online at columbusparksandrec.com/about/reports/.

Three North Vernon residents were arrested on alcohol-related charges after a weekend incident.

North Vernon Police say that just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the area of North State Street and FDR Drive for a report of two UTVs driving recklessly in a parking lot. Officers arrived in the area and found the vehicles parked and unoccupied.

While officers were observing traffic in the area, they say both UTVs began to travel from FDR Drive to Henry Street. Police initiated a traffic stop on one of the UTVs driven by 19-year-old Todd Madden. A second officer then stopped the other UTV, driven by 24-year-old Dustin Coleman, in the area of West O&M Avenue.

Madden and Coleman were both arrested for Operating While Intoxicated. Madden is also facing a charge of Minor Consumption. A passenger, 19-year-old Maggie Mote, was also arrested for Minor Consumption.

Columbus Fire Chief Mike Compton has announced that he’ll be retiring from the department in mid-July. Chief Compton was sworn as a firefighter on January 22, 1988 by Mayor Robert Stewart.

Over his three decade career, Chief Compton was promoted through the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Battalion Chief. On January 1, 2016 Compton was appointed Chief of Fire by Mayor Jim Lienhoop. Chief Compton’s official retirement date will be July 23rd.

Chief Compton, led to a major capital funding request to replace CFD’s aging vehicle extrication rescue equipment and the refurbishment of a 20 year old rescue vehicle. He also oversaw the development of the department’s first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program that allows drones to aid emergency personnel.

“As my career with the Columbus Fire Department comes to an end, it cannot be overstated that the support of the department personnel, Mayor Lienhoop and his staff, the Columbus Common Council, the Board of Public Works and Safety, and all of the City’s departments, made the job fulfilling and satisfying,” said Compton.

Mayor Lienhoop expressed gratitude for Compton’s service. “Chief Compton has a deep understanding of what a well-run fire department should look like and he worked hard to make that happen. He is well-respected and dedicated to the men and women who work for the Columbus Fire Department; his leadership will be missed.”

Mayor Leinhoop has selected Paul A. Lay, currently serving as Deputy Chief of Fire Department Operations, as the next Chief of Fire. Lay will take over as Fire Chief on July 23rd.

City officials say that Lay has served as the Deputy Chief of Operations since 2016, and has served the Columbus Fire Department since 1997. Lay has held the rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain before being named Deputy Chief under Chief Mike Compton. Lay also served with the Shelbyville Fire Department prior to joining CFD. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve our community as Chief of Fire,” said Lay. “I look forward to working with Mayor Lienhoop and our city administration, our community partners, and the men of women of the Columbus Fire Department.”

Fireworks season is in full swing with many people setting off the devices in anticipation of Independence Day. But emergency officials warn you to be careful in your celebrations.

Capt. Mike Wilson with the Columbus Fire Department explains that the most common fireworks cause the most injuries.

Wilson said that bottle rockets and other projectiles are frequently the cause of eye or facial injuries. But the most common injury is damage to hands and fingers caused by firecrackers.

Even the lowly sparkler reaches temperatures hot enough to melt glass.

Parents should be especially vigilant if they are allowing their children to be around fireworks. And they should avoid distractions that could keep them from noticing potential danger.

The Columbus Police Department has been recognized for its commitment to members of the National Guard and the military reserves.

The Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve association presented the department with its “Above and Beyond” award at a recent awards banquet in Indianapolis. According to the department, the awards are presented by the ESGR to recognize employers who support the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act “by providing their National Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages.”

According to Police Chief Jon Rohde 11 of the current officers are also serving in the Armed Forces on active duty, in the National Guard or the reserves. He said that a third of the department either have previously served or are serving now.

Rohde said the department is proud to work with the officers to ensure that they can attend the training and exercises they need to keep their military commitments. He said that the officers who are serving understand the importance of service.

The Columbus Museum of Art & Design is making four grants to arts efforts in Columbus and Bloomington. The group announced recently that the grants will focus on short-term visual art and design experiences in the greater community.

The largest grant went to Columbus Area Arts Council with $5,000 for a mural by Lulu Loquidis and Daniel Luis from LAA Office called Learning Patterns that will be installed on the side of the 411 Gallery building.

The Friends of Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives, is receiving $2,250 for the “Cleo Turns 50” exhibit, curated by Tricia Gilson. That work celebrates the completion of the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library.

An Exhibit Columbus installation called Thank U Next by LA-Maz received $2,500 to created a informal meeting space for the duration of the three-month exhibition.

The City of Bloomington received $2,500 for the “Paper Pavilions: 2X2X” exhibition that will activate various sites in Columbus, Bloomington and the greater southern Indiana community. That includes one-month long exhibitions in both Columbus and Bloomington.

CMAD is a volunteer-led granting organization that supports and works with organizations to bring visual art and design projects to the Columbus community.

The city of Columbus would start regulating rental scooters and pedal cabs under a proposal to be considered by Columbus City Council Tuesday night.

The pedal cab proposal would would require a $200 per pedal cab licensing fee, proof of insurance and a check of the criminal backgrounds of operators and company officials.

It would also ban motorized rental scooter operations until such time as the city comes up with rules covering their use.

Many larger cities have struggled with a surge of interest by businesses in providing the rental scooters to tourists and others. Issues in other cities have focused on the safety of the scooters and the clutter, because most scooter companies allow the devices to be abandoned once they reach their destination and until they are rented by another customer.

Columbus City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday night in the council chambers at City Hall.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies say a missing 14 year old boy was found unharmed Sunday night, in part due to a monitoring bracelet provided by Project Lifesaver.

The boy, who is prone to wander, was reported missing around 10:30 Sunday night from his Garden Street home. He had been outfitted with a Project Lifesaver bracelet that includes a transmitter for just these sort of incidents. However, when the device was tracked to a store on Merchant’s Mile, the bracelet had been removed and was found in a store restroom.

Video from store surveillance confirmed that the boy had recently been in the store and the bathroom. And after a search in the area, the boy was found unharmed by Chief Deputy Chris Lane.

TRIAD, a partnership between the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and senior groups, and Sgt Jim Stevens used a grant from the Custer Nugent Foundation to get the Project Lifesaver program up and running locally.

Authorities say that a modification to the boy’s bracelet will now be added so that a special tool will be required to remove it.

A motorcyclist from Hope was flown to the hospital after a crash involving an intoxicated driver yesterday morning in North Vernon.

The North Vernon Police Department is reporting that the crash happened on South State and West College Streets at about 9:45 a.m. Sunday  when a passenger car turned in front of Michael D. Harden’s motorcycle. Harden was thrown from the cycle.

According to police and witnesses, the driver of the car, 44-year-old Aaron Malan of North Vernon, began swallowing items that turned out to be a prescription medication that Malan did not have a prescription for. More yellow pills were found near his vehicle. He was also allegedly carrying marijuana and drug paraphernalia and admitted to police that he had been taking drugs before the crash.

Malan was first taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital to be checked out and then arrested on preliminary charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance, resisting Law Enforcement, obstruction of justice, legend drug deception and for possession of the marijuana, controlled substance and paraphernalia.