The Bartholomew County Highway Department is reporting that Road 250E between CR 200S and 275S will be closed for a culvert replacement from 7:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m. today.
You should avoid the area, if you can.
Monthly Archives: November 2020
ASAP closing Hub today due to spike in COVID-19
The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County is temporarily closing the ASAP Hub due to the spike in local COVID-19 cases.
Doug Leonard, ASAP’s executive director, said that that the most responsible step is to close the physical location to help ensure the safety of clients and staff. ASAP plans to continue to monitor the local situation and will announce a return to normal when the COVID-19 spike ends.
As of today, the ASAP Hub will be operating remotely. Clients can visit the Hub online at asapbc.org and start a videocall from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or can fill out the contact form online and an ASAP Hub staff member will get back with you.
If you heed to reach the Hub you can call and leave a message at (812) 418-8705, and an ASAP Hub staff member will contact them.
Indiana sees second highest day of new COVID-19 cases
Indiana saw its second highest number of new cases of COVID-19 in yesterday’s report from the state Department of Health.
The state had 7,420 new positive cases, with a 7-day positivity rate of 12.1 percent. The state also had 59 newly reported deaths from the coronavirus.
Bartholomew County showed 98 new cases, the second highest day since the start of the pandemic in March. There were 33 new cases in Jennings, 54 in Jackson, 3 in Brown, 139 in Johnson, 38 in Shelby and 37 in Decatur counties. Shelby County had three new deaths from the disease, and Jackson had one.
There are 46 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Bartholomew County according to the most recent numbers from the local community task force.
According to the state color coded map, Bartholomew, Johnson, Shelby, Jennings and Jackson counties are all show as orange, or serious spread of the disease, while Brown and Decatur counties are red, showing severe spread.
New Bartholomew County councilman chosen
Retired Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Greg Duke will now serve on the Bartholomew County Council. The Republic newspaper is reporting that Duke was chosen by a caucus of Bartholomew County Republicans to serve out the term of Councilwoman Laura DeDomenic, who resigned her seat to take a full-time job in the county auditor’s office.
Duke retired from the sheriff’s department in 2019 and now works in Brown County as a deputy serving as a school resource officer at Brown County High School, according to the newspaper.
District 2 on the County Council represents northwestern Bartholomew County and there are just over two years left on the seat DeDomenic won re-election to in 2018.
Diesel recognized on floor of Congress; Memorials set for Saturday
Columbus Congressman Greg Pence honored Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department’s fallen police dog Diesel on the floor of the House this week.
Memorial services for Diesel are planned for tomorrow in the Fair Oaks Mall parking lot. The public services will be from 1 to 3 and law enforcement memorial services will be from 3 to 4 p.m. Hundreds of police canine officers from around Indiana and the region are expected to attend.
If you are planning to attend, entrance to the services at the mall parking lot will be in the westbound lanes of 25th Street.
Diesel died Saturday after being hit be a vehicle while chasing a suspect near Interstate 65.
Driver injured in crash with drunk SUV driver
Columbus police say a woman suffered a broken leg and other injuries after a crash with a drunk driver Wednesday evening on Indianapolis Road.
The crash happened at about 8:45 p.m. in the 2500 block of North Indianapolis. The driver of an SUV, 47-year-old Jerome E. Collier Jr. had to be cut from the wreckage of his vehicle. Police say he had alcohol on his breath and slurred speech. He refused a DUI test and was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to have his blood drawn.
The second driver, 25-year-old Madison McCarty was taken to CRH for treatment of a possibly broken leg and then flown to an Indianapolis hospital by medical helicopter for additional treatment.
Collier was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with serious bodily injury with a prior conviction.
Wind advisory, fire dangers in effect through afternoon
The National Weather Service in Indianapolis is warning of high winds today and an elevated risk of fires this afternoon.
According to the agency, you could see wind gusts of up to 50 mph with continuing winds from the southwest of 20 to 30 mph. You can expect to see out door objects blown about, tree limbs knocked down and some power outages.
The winds, combined with low relative humidity levels of 25 to 30 percent, could cause fires to quickly get out of control. Outdoor burning is not recommended today.
A wind advisory is in effect from 10 to 5 today.
Details finalized for memorial to fallen police dog, Diesel
Memorial services for Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department police dog Diesel are planned for Saturday in the Fair Oaks Mall parking lot.
The public services will be from 1 to 3 and law enforcement memorial services will be from 3 to 4. Hundreds of police canine officers from around Indiana and the region are expected to attend.
If you are planning to attend, entrance to the services at the mall parking lot will be in the westbound lanes of 25th Street. The exit will be northbound on Central Avenue. Social distancing will be observed during the outdoor event and masks are encouraged.
Diesel died Saturday after being hit be a vehicle while chasing a suspect near Interstate 65.
The sheriff’s department is accepting donations to the Bartholomew County Sheriff K9 Fund for a memorial to the police dog. If you write a check, the sheriff asks that you put “Diesel Memorial” in the subject line.
Photo and map courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department
Diesel fuel spill leads to creek cleanup by firefighters
Columbus firefighters were called to clean up a diesel fuel spill at Columbus Regional Health’s Mental Health Services facility on Lincoln Park Drive after an accident during maintenance led to the release of the fuel into a parking lot and storm drain into Haw Creek.
According to the fire department, a fuel treatment and recovery company was performing preventative maintenance and filtration services on emergency generators for the hospital when the spill happened at about 1 yesterday afternoon.
Firefighters set up two hazmat sites, one at the original site of the spill and one downstream. When fuel was recognized in the creek, firefighters deployed an aborbent material to keep the fuel from continuing downstream.
The contractor, Hughes Fuel Recovery, told firefighters that their recovery teams would continue the cleanup. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Bartholomew County Emergency Management Agency were both notified.
No injuries were reported.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.
Library closing doors to patrons due to COVID-19; Curbside service available
The Bartholomew County Public Library is closing its branches to patrons effective Friday, due to the spike in COVID-19 locally. The change will affect both the main library branch in Columbus and the Hope branch of the library.
Library lending will continue to be available through curbside pickups and returns will be made through the book drop box. If you want to take out library materials, you are being encouraged to use the library website or app. After staff has gathered your materials, you will park in a designated area, call the posted phone number, and your materials will be delivered to your vehicle.
You are also encouraged to take advantage of the library’s digital materials including books, magazines, comics and videos. Those are available through mybcpl.org.
You can also request materials by calling the reference desk at the main library branch at 812-379-1266 or email reference@mybcpl.org. Hope branch users can call 812-546-5310 or email hope@mybcpl.org.
The bookmobile will still be running on an altered schedule and on a case-by-case basis. The service is also available to those quarantining at home, or those at high risk for the virus. You can call 812-379-1278 or email bookmobile@mybcpl.org for more information.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Area Visitors Center