You will have a chance tonight to give your thoughts on the future of the Fair Oaks Mall property. The first of a series of public sessions to discuss the mall master plan will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the mall.
The Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation, made up of the City of Columbus, Columbus Regional Health and Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, have contracted with MKSK to develop a master plan for the property. The three entities came together to buy the mall at the end of last year with the idea to turn it into a sports complex and office space for the city parks department as well as offering some health services for the hospital.
City officials say the company will also be designing ideas for the best use of Donner Center for recreation and community wellness purposes.
Five people were arrested on drug charges in Jennings County Tuesday after police found more than 90 grams of meth as well as guns at a home while serving an arrest warrant.
The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that deputies were serving an arrest warrant on 54 year old John Boyd at about 12:36 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in Columbia Township when they saw drugs in plain view at the home.
A search revealed the meth, four guns, drug paraphernalia and more than $2,200 in cash.
In addition to the outstanding warrants from Jennings and Marion counties, Boyd is facing new charges of possession of more than 28 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, along with charges for possessing a syringe and a controlled substance.
Rodney Mead and Hope Tarpley are facing charges of possession of more than 5 grams of meth and of syringes.
Heather Cheesebrew and Tamara Ross are being accused of possessing meth and drug paraphernalia.
You will see some traffic changes on Interstate 65 in Bartholomew and Jackson counties, starting this weekend.
INDOT says that contractors will be switching traffic on the northbound lanes of I-65 south of Walesboro starting Friday evening. That traffic will be moving to the new concrete pavement on the northbound side for about three miles through the end of the construction zone.
Both the median and the shoulder will stay closed while work continues. Southbound lanes will continue to be constricted until median work is done.
INDOT also says that the bridge over I-65 at Jackson County Road 800N will be closing for 55 days starting Monday while that bridge is rehabilitated. The bridge is expected to reopen in September. The work is dependent on the weather.
The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County is looking for many volunteers with a variety of skill levels to help staff the group’s Hub.
Tracey Clark, the volunteer services manager for ASAP, explains that they need people to volunteer for positions ranging from front desk reception, to life skills educators and recovery coaches.
Some of those volunteer roles will require special skills, she said.
They are also looking for anyone who can donate time, she said.
The Hub will be a centralized location where people who need to get into recovery from drug addiction can go to start the treatment process and to get directed to the services they need. It will be opening in the Doug Otto United Way Center building on 13th Street in August, organizers estimate.
ASAP is an alliance formed two years ago between Bartholomew County, Columbus and Columbus Regional Healthy. Its efforts are largely funded by income tax revenue. Saving money is a key to the need for volunteers, Clark said. The Hub will only have three paid positions — an director, volunteer organizer and health care navigator.
Clark says she will be keeping close track of volunteer hours to chronicle the impact they make.
They are having a volunteer recruiting drive and information session this morning at 11 a.m. at the Community Church of Columbus on Marr Road. Other recruiting drives are taking place later this month including:
Tuesday July 16th, 6 p.m. at Faith, Hope and Love Church of God in Christ on East State Road 7 in Elizabethtown.
Monday, July 22nd, 3 p.m. at Bartholomew County Public Library Red Room, on Fifth Street.
For more information, you can call 812-375-2734 or email Clark at tclark@asapbc.org.
A large pot of food left unattended on a stove top filled a local restaurant with smoke Tuesday morning. At approximately 7:44 a.m., Columbus firefighters were called to a possible structure fire in the 3800 block of 25th Street after a passerby called 911 to report smoke coming from the roof the building.
The restaurant was closed and all doors were locked, causing crews to force open a door. Once inside, firefighters encountered a large amount of smoke. While searching through the kitchen area, firefighters found a large pot of food product burning on gas stove-top. Firefighters turned off the gas supply to the stove and carried the cooking pot to the parking lot.
A secondary search of the business confirmed the building was empty. Investigators determined that the fire was accidental. Damages from the smoke are estimated to be minimal.
Three new officers have joined the Columbus Police Department. They were sworn in by Mayor Jim Lienhoop during Tuesday’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. They are:
Alex Hill is a 21-year-old Columbus resident who graduated from Columbus North High School. While in high school, Hill was a Columbus police cadet for two years. Hill graduated from Ball State with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. She also completed an internship with the Muncie Police Department and later became a reserve officer at their agency while working with their drug task force.
John Busack is 23-years-old and graduated from Columbus East High School. He graduated from IUPUI with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Busack has been employed with Bartholomew County Community Corrections for the past two years.
Adriane Polley is a 21 year old Columbus resident and a graduate of Columbus Christian School. Polley enlisted in the Army National Guard where he became a weapons squad team leader. Prior to coming to CPD, he worked in the Bartholomew County Jail.
CPD leadership says these new officers will spend the next several weeks undergoing training at the department before they attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in September.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is issuing an Air Quality Action Day alert for our area today.
That means ground-level ozone concentrations are expected to be high today. Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors.
While ozone in the upper atmosphere blocks ultraviolet radiation, ozone near the ground is a lung irritant that can cause coughing and breathing difficulties. Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight and hot weather bake vehicle exhaust, factory emissions and gasoline vapors according to the agency.
Kimberly K. Swindell. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department
An Indianapolis woman is accused of attacking a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputy with a swimsuit.
The incident happened at about 6 p.m. on Friday evening at a home in the 4000 block of North Huffer Road. Deputies say that 55-year-old Kimberly Swindell appeared intoxicated and had a strong odor of alcohol about her. They also allegedly discovered a controlled substance she was carrying. But at one point during the encounter, she began to disrobe, throwing part of her swimsuit at a deputy, hitting him in the face.
After being checked out at Columbus Regional Hospital, she was arrested on preliminary charges of battery on a public safety official and possession of a controlled substance.
Another deputy was injured on the Fourth Of July after being punched in the face by an intoxicated subject at a Bartholomew County mobile home park.
Edinburgh has been chosen as one of five communities around the state to receive a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to promote Downtown Development Week.
Downtown Development Week started last year and will be held the week of October 7th to honor cities and towns’ commitment to preserve and invest in their downtowns, according to the agency.
Edinburgh received a $1,000 grant for its plans to hold six days of special events in the downtown business district during the harvest season.
Other cities receiving grants are Bedford, Jeffersonville, Knightstown and Monticello. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch made the grant announcements yesterday.
