According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 38,337 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 339 cases since Tuesday’s update.
There have been 2,173 deaths in Indiana as of Wednesday afternoon’s update, an increase of 15 since Tuesday.
There have been no more deaths in Bartholomew or surrounding area counties.
Bartholomew County has 540 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had 40 deaths.
In other area counties, Decatur County has had 235 cases and 32 deaths, Jennings 135 cases and 4 deaths, Jackson 407 cases and 2 deaths, Brown 35 cases and 1 death, Johnson 1,155 cases and 114 deaths and Shelby 403 cases and 22 deaths.
The annual Reverse Raffle to support the VIMCare Clinic in Columbus will be going virtual this fall.
The Columbus Regional Health Foundation made the announcement this week, saying that the decision was being made for the safety of the the community.
The raffle is the single largest fundraiser for the clinic, which serves more than 1,200 a year and provided more than $2 million dollars in medicine and medical expenses last year. It was scheduled for Nov. 13th.
“This was certainly a difficult decision and not one the Foundation, our board, or the Reverse Raffle event committee has taken lightly,” said Columbus Regional Health Foundation president Julie Abedian. “Although we know it is the right decision for the safety of our community and all involved, the mission and impact of VIMCare Clinic should be celebrated and of course, the need is still there.”
According to the announcement, organizers are planning multiple opportunities to recognize VIMCare Clinic. Details of the virtual raffle will be released later this summer.
You will see traffic tieups today on Lafayette Avenue near Third Street in Columbus as the city works to fix a water leak.
According to the city engineer’s office, the leak is at the intersection of 3rd Street and Lafayette Avenue. From California Street to Sycamore Street, the northernmost, right lane of Third Street will be closed. From Sycamore Street to Lafayette Avenue, only one lane of Third Street will be open, with the two northern most, right lanes closed.
City officials urge you to take an alternate route if possible.
Members of the Bartholomew County Council have begun to get questions from the public about the lack of body cameras for county sheriff’s deputies. But at their meeting this week, council members stressed that they are not the ones blocking the purchase.
At last week’s Solidarity Rally on the steps of Columbus City Hall Sheriff Matt Myers stressed the importance of the purchase of body cameras for deputies. Both for the safety of the officers and the public. And several speakers encouraged the public to address the issue with the County Commissioners and County Council, as a necessary tool to help fight racial injustice.
Councilman Jorge Morales said as he recalls the last presentation from the sheriff more than three years ago, the sheriff withdrew his request.
Council President Matt Miller agreed with Morales recollection.
Council members Evelyn Pence and Laura DeDomenic said that as they recall the sheriff withdrew his request in 2016.
Morales asked Miller to prepare a letter that could be sent to the concerned members of the public explaining that the council has not had a formal request from the sheriff. Councilman and former Sheriff Mark Gorbett said that the letter should state that the council would consider requests from any department heads for new equipment at budget time in August.
So far, the council has only received two inquiries, Morales said. Councilman Bill Lentz said that the council should keep in mind, and the public should know, that the council will make its decisions based on the county’s best financial interests.
In 2016, Sheriff Matt Myers had a proposal before the council for body cameras and new radios. According to our reporting from December 2016, the sheriff said that he was separating the cameras from the larger request with radios because of concerns over the quality of the video.
In April 2017, according to our reporting at the time, the sheriff brought the issue before the council again with a presentation at a council work session. Capt. Brandon Slate made the presentation then with the most attractive option, being the purchase of 35 Taser cameras and accessories. The total cost was estimated at $248,000.
Council members at the time indicated that the money for the cameras simply wasn’t there.
Myers said yesterday on social media that he is preparing a new presentation on the issue, and hopes to present it to the council soon.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect in our area until 6 p.m. this evening. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says that severe thunderstorms will be developing this afternoon with strong wind gusts as high as 40 to 45 mph through the early evening. Damaging winds are possible, with tornadoes, torrential downpours and lightning.
The agency says a strong upper level wave with an associated surface low and cold front is moving through central Indiana, triggering the showers and thunderstorms.
If you are taking your dogs to play in an Indiana waterway, state agencies say to be wary of blue-green algae blooms.
The algae blooms typically happen from late spring to early fall in Indiana. They produce toxins that can be harmful to people, livestock and pets, particularly dogs according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Board of Animal Health.
Dogs are particularly susceptible to algae poisoning because the scum can attach to their coats and be swallowed during self-cleaning.
Water containing high levels of blue-green algae may appear greenish and, occasionally, with shades of blue, brown or white. Some appear to have a thick, paint-like scum on the surface.
Public health officials suggest avoiding contact with waters showing algae. You should wash off with warm, soapy water after time in reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams. For more information on blue-green algae, visit algae.in.gov.
Contractors will be closing State Road 250 in southern Jackson County Thursday as work continues on a $2 million road reconstruction project.
The project is working on an almost mile long section of the highway between U.S. 31 and I-65. Crews will be starting on the fourth phase of the project Thursday, which will close all the lanes of State Road 250 east of Interstate 65. The work is near Uniontown.
The road is expected to reopen in early July. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.
According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 38,033 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 430 cases since Monday’s update.
There have been 2,158 deaths in Indiana as of Tuesday afternoon’s update, an increase of 23 since Monday. There have been no more deaths reported in Bartholomew and surrounding area counties.
Bartholomew County has 539 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had 40 deaths.
In other area counties, Decatur County has had 235 cases and 32 deaths, Jennings 133 cases and 4 deaths, Jackson 406 cases and 2 deaths, Brown 35 cases and 1 death, Johnson 1,143 cases and 114 deaths and Shelby 402 cases and 22 deaths.
Jeremy A. Weed. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department
Bartholomew County deputies have identified a suspect in a Centra Credit Union bank robbery last year.
The sheriff’s department reports that 33-year-old Jeremy A. Weed of Indianapolis was already serving time in the Indiana Department of Corrections system on another crime.
The robbery happened at the Central Credit Union on North U.S. 31 on Feb. 4th, 2019. Video footage showed the suspect getting into a Pontiac and about 10 minutes later, a passerby reported the vehicle on fire on Tannehill Road.
The investigation led to Weed who was found in a hotel in Franklin. He was taken into custody on the unrelated charge that led to the prison time.
An arrest warrant was issued for Weed this month on preliminary charges of robbery, auto theft and theft.
Bartholomew County’s Community Corrections program is facing a steep drop in revenue and budget shortfalls due to the effect of the coronavirus.
The department, funded by the state and by user fees, came to the County Council last night asking for help to continue to pay for employees health care — a cost of about $5,000 a month, said Brad Barnes, head of the county’s court services division.
Barnes explained the dip in funds is largely related to a drop in fees paid in by users.
Other department programs also took a hit with many of those participating losing their jobs and their ability to pay.
Gov. Eric Holcomb is calling for funding cuts to all state agencies. Traditionally the Community Corrections budget has not faced the knife because it is cheaper to keep someone in the community under supervision than it is to hold them in jail or prison, Barnes said.
Council members did suggest that if finances did not turn around, or if there was no state help coming, that the department might have to look at cutting staff.
The council agreed to cover the next two months of health care costs, which would take the county to budget time in August. The hope is that there would be a better picture of where the department is at that time.
In an unrelated discussion, the council re-emphasized its direction last month on staffing cuts or freezes. Although the council can not easily take away money that is already appropriated for a position this budget year, there is no guarantee that the money will be made available next year. Department heads making hiring decisions now would have to understand that the funding could be withdrawn next budget yet.
