In Bartholomew County, a coalition of city, county, business and health officials are monitoring the spread of the coronavirus in an effort to keep the community informed and protected from the disease.

Kelsey DeClue, spokeswoman for Columbus Regional Health explains that the Community COVID-19 Coalition formed a few weeks ago. It is an integrated approach to share information, communication methods and that everyone is on the same page to share those preparations with the community.

Organizations taking part include Columbus Regional Health, the  Columbus Mayor’s Office, Bartholomew County Health Department, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.,  Cummins Inc., Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, Columbus Area Economic Development and Bartholomew County Commissioners.

DeClue explains that the goal is to scale up from preparedness and awareness to an actual response when the virus appears here. DeClue said at this point there have been no instances in Bartholomew County, although three tests were positive yesterday in Johnson County.

“It is important that the community to remember that as of right now, now this situation is constantly evolving, but we are in that preparation and planning mode,” she said. “The importance of not panicking unnecessarily but remaining calm and focusing on what the community can do to prepare and what you can do to prepare personally to stay safe, is kind of our main focus right now.”

To continue to be safe, DeClue said we should all be taking common sense precautions such as rigorous hand-washing, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, cutting down on crowded social situations and sanitizing possibly contaminated surfaces.

“I think it is just that cautious preparedness,” she said. “I think understanding that spring break is coming up, we are going to have a lot of travel. Understanding that while there is still a travel component to COVID-19, it has also been identified as what is called a community spread virus, so travel isn’t necessarily a deciding factor on whether or not you can be exposed to this.”

People should also keep in mind that so far the illness has been very mild in about 80 percent of the cases. But there are groups at greater risk, DeClue said.

“Those with kind of depressed immune systems, are a little bit more of high risk as they would be for the flu or any kind of season illness like this, that need to be on higher alert,” she said.

You can get more information on the coalition and local preparedness through the Bartholomew County Emergency Management website at bartholomew.in.gov/emergency-management.html#covid-19.

INDOT says that work will be starting on Monday on a State Road 46 bridge project in Brown County. The $1.5 million project will improve two bridges over North Fork Salt Creek, east of Nashville.

You will see the area east of the State Road 135 junction in Nashville and east of Parkview Road reduced to one lane starting Monday with a temporary traffic signal in place until August. Crews will be replacing the bridge deck and widening that bridge.

After that portion of the project is completed, the work will move to the bridge west of Parkview Road. Crews will be resurfacing that bridge.

The project is expected to be finished by August.

The Bartholomew County Health Department will be offering A1C and cholesterol screenings at their offices at 2675 Fox Pointe Drive on the morning of March 24th.

Participants must fast for 12 hours prior to the cholesterol screening although no fasting is needed for the A1C test.

The tests will be offered by appointment only although you may schedule both for the same time. The tests are $10 for the A1C and $15 for the cholesterol. Cash, credit or debit is accepted although there will be a transaction fee for a card payment.

You can schedule an appointment or get more information by calling 812-379-1555 and hitting option 1. That number is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Photos that appeared to show two black Columbus North High School students running from a white student and a person in a KKK robe were digitally faked images and the school district reports that the person who created them was suspended and will face expulsion.

The unaltered photo appears to have been taken during an athletic practice with the addition of the KKK figure made at a later time, with none of the students knowledge, according to school officials.

In a statement on social media BCSC Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts says that the offending photos were brought to school officials attention on Monday and an investigation completed Tuesday that led to the suspension.

Roberts said that BCSC is “committed to the provision of a safe and secure environment, celebration of the diversity of our student body, and the development of each student as accepting individuals of all cultures and customs.”

The Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team confiscated six guns about two pounds of methamphetamine, and arrested four people in an investigation centered around a Maize Drive home Tuesday.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department a deputy stopped a vehicle and her police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics inside. A search revealed 145 grams of meth and a handgun. 36-year-old Rodney Varela of Columbus was arrested on charges including dealing in methamphetamine, possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, possessing a handgun without a license, maintaining a common nuisance and operating a vehicle without ever receiving a driver’s license.

The SWAT team executed the search warrant in the 2700 block of Maize Drive. There officers found 764 grams of meth, two rifles, two handguns, a shotgun and several glass smoking devices. 18-year-old Jessica Bernardino and 19 year old Miguel Claiborne, both of Columbus were arrested on charges of maintaining a common nuisance and possession of paraphernalia.

A woman was also stopped as she left the residence and information  against her has been forwarded to the county prosecutor’s office for possible charges.

Other agencies involved included: U.S. Postal Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Columbus Police Department Intelligence Lead Policing.

Bartholomew County Council approved one request by the sheriff’s department merit board on pension benefits for merit deputies but is putting off decisions on two other requests until at least next month.

The council agreed last night to approve an option that allows deputies to take a lump sum payout when they retire. An option that supporters say is a useful recruiting tool and a benefit offered by many competing departments.

Decisions were delayed while getting more information on a proposal that would allow the sheriff or merit deputies to be vested in the department pension plan after eight years at work, or to continue with the current eight years and one month arrangement.

Council member and former sheriff Mark Gorbett said that after eight years, a deputy would be eligible to receive retirement pay of roughly 20 percent of their average of their five highest years of pay as a retirement benefit.

They also are looking for more details on a proposal that would increase the pay to family members of a deputy killed in the line of duty. Council members expressed interest in continuing support for children of a slain deputy through college.