A local legislator is drawing heat from Democrats and civil rights groups for a Facebook post he made. Rep. Jim Lucas, whose Seymour district includes part of southern Bartholomew County posted a meme picture of nearly naked black children dancing, with the text “We gon’ get free money” in white block letters. Among those protesting the meme as racist are Indiana State Democrats and the Council for American Islamic Relations.

For his part, Lucas wrote that it was not a racist meme, posting on Facebook that he “used this STOCK PHOTO of a little boy dancing and celebrating because the government is handing out free money, to everyone, regardless of their skin color. I phrased it in a celebratory way and have danced and mocked things in that exact same manner myself.”

The Indiana Senate Democrats and Indiana Black Leadership Caucus called on Republican leadership to “condemn such reprehensible acts and prove such insensitivity does not come without consequences.”

A CAIR spokesman issued a press release saying that “Lucas should recognize the bigoted nature of his post and apologize to his constituents.”

Lucas went on to say that he finds it disgusting that the media constantly stirs up race issues.

He said “THIS is the kind of garbage that divides us. I don’t see nor look at the color of a person’s skin and I find it repugnant of those that do. I apologize for nothing and the meme stays.”

A city of Columbus sponsored loan program is providing more than three quarters of a million dollars to help local businesses hurt by COVID-19 in the program’s first round of applications.

Robin Hilber with the city’s community development department says that the Columbus INvigorate loan committee met on Friday to consider 57 applications, with the committee awarding $757 thousand in funding to 46 local businesses.

16 of the businesses are located in the central part of Columbus and the group included 20 retailers, nine health and fitness businesses, eight personal services businesses, six restaurants, two child care providers, and one small manufacturer. The loans ranged from $5,000 to $25,000.

To qualify for the loans, the business needed to be operating by January 1, have fewer than 50 employees, have no more than $2 million in gross receipts, and show a decline in sales as a result of the pandemic, Hilber said.

The loans carry a 1% interest rate and have a six-month interest and principal deferral period.

Columbus police say a teen shot himself in the hand while cleaning a firearm Monday night.

The incident happened at about 7:10 p.m. Monday in the 1900 block of Elm Street. Police were called to the scene for a shooting and discovered the injured 14-year-old was reportedly helping clean guns with family members when the firearm discharged.
The teen was treated at Columbus Regional Hospital. The incident remains under investigation.

A wanted North Vernon man was arrested Sunday night Jennings County after fleeing from officers.

Jennings County deputies say that an officer tried to stop a car on Whittington Drive in Country Squire Lakes at about 11:45 p.m. Sunday night after a traffic violation. But the driver took off instead, fleeing at up to 70 mph according to police reports. After pulling the vehicle behind a home on Stoningham Way, it became disabled and the driver ran away.

The deputy caught the driver, 40-year-old David E. Turner, in a creek. He was allegedly carrying prescription pills and methamphetamine. He was also wanted on a Jennings County warrant for theft and criminal trespassing.

He is now facing new charges of resisting law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine and a controlled substance and a legend drug violation.

According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 24,627 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 511 cases since Sunday’s report.

There have been 1,411 deaths in Indiana as of this afternoon’s update, an increase of 32 deaths from Sunday’s numbers.

Bartholomew County has 360 confirmed cases, an increase of 14 since Sunday. There have been 26 deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County. There have been 2,952 county residents tested with 2,208 negative and 424 tests pending.

In other area counties, Decatur has 215 cases and has had 29 deaths, Jennings 96 cases and 3 deaths; Jackson 282 cases and 1 death; Brown 26 cases and 1 death; Johnson 827 cases and 90 deaths; and Shelby 272 cases and 16 deaths.