The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 61 hundred and 43 new cases of COVID-19 in the state as of Wednesday’s update. That is a 7-day positivity rate of just over 12 percent with 60 more deaths across the state.

According to state figures, just under 40 percent of the ICU hospital beds in south central Indiana’s District 8 are available, with almost 35 percent of the beds being used for COVID-19 patients and 25.5 percent being used for other patients.

Bartholomew County reported 85 new cases yesterday, the third highest number since the pandemic started. Bartholomew County has had 62 deaths so far, the most recent on Sunday.

Bartholomew, Johnson, Shelby, Jennings and Jackson counties are all showing high spread of the virus according to the state. Brown County is joining Decatur County in the severe spread category.

A former Seymour teacher has been arrested, accused of seducing and having a baby with a girl who was a student.

Seymour Police and Seymour Community Schools resource officers began the investigation in September after getting word of the relationship when the former student gave birth. Police obtained search warrants for DNA from the teacher, student and baby, which was collected and forwarded to the Indiana State Police lab for paternity testing.

The test results came back on Friday and on Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Todd A. Weaver of Waldron on one count of felony child seduction. The alleged incident happened while Weaver was still a teacher and the victim was a student.

Police say that the schools acted quickly on the accusations, placing Weaver on administrative leave when the investigation started. He later resigned from his teaching position and as the Seymour High School wrestling coach.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department police dog Diesel was struck and killed by a vehicle, according to results from a necropsy performed earlier this week. The sheriff’s department says that the Purdue University Animal Disease and Diagnostic Lab performed the exam on Tuesday.

The dog’s body was escorted yesterday afternoon by dozens of police vehicles past the Bartholomew County Jail and to a facility for its cremation. A public drive-through memorial service is set for Saturday at Fair Oaks Mall and hundreds of canine police officers are expected to attend from around the state and region, said Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop. That service will be from 1 to 4 on Saturday, the mayor said.

Diesel died while chasing a suspect on Saturday afternoon on Interstate 65. The incident remains under investigation and investigators would still like to talk to the driver or drivers involved. The sheriff’s department says that they believe the dog was hit by accident and they are not expecting any charges against the driver, but they are seeking to get a better idea of how the incident occurred.

If you have any information about the incident, which happened between 4 and 5 Saturday afternoon near the 62-mile-marker on Interstate 65, you are asked to call Detective Chad Swank at 812-565-5925 or you can call the sheriff’s department tip line at 812-379-1712.

The Columbus Municipal Airport is on track to have a new airport hangar after approval of a just over $779,000 proposal last night by City Council.

The new hangar would add seven additional hanger spaces, would have upgraded electricity and light and would include restrooms, unlike older hangers at the airport.

Airport director Brian Payne said that there is a great demand for hangar space at the airport and a long waiting list already. He said the airport board is still trying to figure out how to award contracts for the space in the new hangar when it is completed. He also said that the rentals on the hangars would raise more than 3 percent return on investment, compared to about 1 percent expected return on the current airport certificate of deposit over the next five years.

Payne said that the existing T-hangars at the airport are 52 years old.

Councilwoman Elaine Hilber said that there have been concerns from constituents about the cost of the hangar and the need for a more complex hangar than the existing hangars at the airport. There were also concerns about disruptions to access on the airport property after the construction.

The airport is self-funded and the majority of the funds would come from the aviation fund reserves, said city finance director Jamie Brinegar. The airport would also dip into funds raised from the airport tax increment financing district.

The council voted unanimously to give its second and final approval to the proposal.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 5,541 new cases of COVID-19 in the state as of Tuesday afternoon’s update.

The number of new cases is down from weekend heights but still substantially higher than any day before early November. That is a 7-day positivity rate of 12 percent with 84 more deaths across the state.

According to state figures, just under 46 percent of the ICU hospital beds in south central Indiana’s District 8 are available, with almost 29 percent of the beds being used for COVID-19 patients and 25.5 percent being used for other patients. According to The Republic newspaper, Columbus Regional Hospital is at about 85 percent of its capacity and Schneck Medical Center in Seymour has run out of ICU beds.

Bartholomew County reported 45 new cases on Tuesday and 1 new death from COVID-19, which happened on Sunday.

Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson, Shelby, Jennings and Jackson counties are all showing high spread of the virus according to the state. Decatur County remains in the severe spread category. Local officials expect that Bartholomew County will also be moved into the red, or severe category, when the state next updates is color-coded map.

The Indiana Governor’s office yesterday said the governor and his wife are quarantining after a few members of their security detail tested positive for the coronavirus. Governor Eric Holcomb and First Lady Janet Holcomb are considered close contacts and will be tested for the virus this week. Typically, a coronavirus quarantine lasts two weeks. The governor is expected to join today’s COVID briefing by phone.

The Roby and America Anderson Community Center on the east side of Columbus is still planning on its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday but it will be a drive-through event this year.

There will be no dining in at the center. The Thanksgiving event will be from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at the center on McClure Road. Meals are free. Meals will be delivered to those who are shut-ins.

Two people were arrested after a multi-county police chase starting Saturday afternoon in Columbus.

Officers noticed a car, that had been reported stolen, in an alley near South Hinman Street at about 2:35 p.m. Saturday afternoon. But when police tried to stop the vehicle, the driver sped away, eventually crossing into Decatur County on State Road 7.

A passenger jumped out and the driver soon lost control and crashed into a street sign near Decatur County Roads 800W and 1200S. The driver, identified as 24-year-old Joseph D. Vincent of Columbus, got out of the vehicle and laid on the ground. Marijuana was recovered near Vincent and drug paraphernalia was found in the vehicle.

The passenger, 24-year-old Macy D. Bramble of Columbus was found walking on a nearby road, where she was discovered to be carrying an allegedly stolen laptop.

Vincent is facing charges of Auto Theft, Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana with a Prior Conviction. Bramble is being accused of Possession of Stolen Property.

Bartholomew County deputies arrested a disturbed man Sunday who claimed to be the Messiah.

The incident started at about 10:07 a.m. Sunday morning with a home alarm in the 8800 block of North County Road 600E. The homeowner arrived to find a truck in the driveway and a man in the residence. The man allegedly claimed to be Jesus, and told the homeowner that the home now belonged to him.

When deputies arrived, the man identifying himself as Jesus tried to drive away. During a struggle, the deputy used his Taser to stun the man and grab the keys. The man then tried to wrestle the deputy’s gun away from him. The deputy retained his weapon, moved away and used the Taser again to subdue the man.

The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Tony Fultz who is facing charges of residential entry, resisting law enforcement and disarming a law enforcement officer.