Ivy Tech Community College and Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg. Inc. will unveil the new Toyota Industrial Equipment Welding Laboratory at Ivy Tech Columbus with a special ceremony next week.

Ivy Tech officials say the lab is part of a significant $367,800 gift TIEM has donated to the college. Of the gift, Ivy Tech used $250,000 to renovate, expand and upgrade its welding lab, nearly tripling its size and giving students access to advanced equipment that aligns with industry standards. TIEM also provided 19 engines valued at $117,800 that will be distributed to the Ivy Tech campuses throughout the state.

The unveiling ceremony will be at the new welding lab at the Ivy Tech Columbus Agriculture Industrial Technology Center building, located at 2565 Grissom Street. The ceremony is set for Tuesday, September 25 at 10:30 a.m.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers has announced a number of promotions at the jail that took effect this week. They are:

Lieutenant Tyler Stillabower has been promoted to Captain (Deputy Jail Commander).
Sergeant Kaleigh Morey has been promoted to Lieutenant (Jail Operations)
Shift Sergeant Tim Burdine has been promoted to Transport Supervisor
Shift Sergeant Steven Reed has been promoted to Field Training Supervisor
Officer Donald Tooley has been promoted to Shift Sergeant
Officer Johnny York has been promoted to Shift Sergeant.

“Although our Correctional employees are civilian, not merit employees, they represent one of the most important components of our criminal justice system.” “It is their responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of our inmates,” said Sheriff Myers.

“These officers have the experience they need for their new positions and I am pleased that they have accepted the opportunity to expand their leadership skills,” said Jail Commander Major John Martoccia.

Sheriff Myers says his goal is to have civilian employees overseeing all operations within the jail within the next few years.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an Air Quality Action Day and is forecasting high ozone levels for our area on Wednesday. This includes central, southeast and southwest portions of Indiana, including our entire listening area.

IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by making simple changes to their daily habits. They include:
• Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation
• Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip
• Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
• Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds
• Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above

Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors. If you have to be outside, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks.

A North Vernon man involved in a hit-and-run over the weekend has died. Authorities say that 24-year-old Davon Lee Shine passed away on Monday. He was found shortly after 4:30 Sunday morning along US 50 near Hayden.

Sgt. Jeff Jones with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that investigators are still looking for the driver. Whoever it was is believed to have driving a Toyota that was traveling eastbound on US 50. The Toyota may have noticeable front end damage.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call Sgt. Jones at (812) 346-5111 or Indiana State Police Trooper Matt Holley at (812) 689-5000.

Formal charges have been filed against an accused rapist. On September 10th, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an Elizabethtown mobile home park after a woman alleged she was raped by 46-year-old Teddy Albert Allman.

Authorities say that formal charges were filed against Allman on Friday. He is facing charges of Rape, Criminal Confinement and Intimidation.

Allman remains behind bars in lieu of two-million dollar bond.

Security camera footage led to the arrest of a Columbus man on Sunday. At approximately 7:47 a.m., deputies responded to a reported vehicle theft in the 700 block of Jonesville Road. Authorities say the suspect, 20-year-old Ethen Robertson, was immediately identified from security camera footage.

A little more than an hour later, while still in the stolen vehicle, Robertson was found by Columbus Police after they say he tried to use a credit card fraudulently at an area service station. Authorities say the investigation continues due to alleged frauds committed while Robertson had possession of the stolen vehicle.

Robertson was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft/Receiving Stolen Property and Operating a Motor Vehicle without Receiving a License/Prior. He remains behind bars on $12,500 bond.

The Bartholomew County Democratic Party is inviting you to a special event Tuesday night. Bob Pittman explains this is the annual Democratic Day Dinner. He says that the guest speaker is Ann Delaney, the first female chair of the Indiana Democratic Party and the first female candidate for Indiana Lt. Governor.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at barthdems.org or by calling (812) 418-8594. The dinner will be held at Donner Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

Authorities are investigating a hit-and-run incident that took place Sunday on US 50 near Hayden.

The investigation began at approximately 4:38 a.m. when the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department received a call of a person along the roadway on US 50 near County Road 700 West. When the deputies arrived on scene, they found 24-year-old Davon Lee Shine, of North Vernon, lying next to the road. Evidence at the scene indicated that Shine was struck by a Toyota that was traveling eastbound on US 50.

Shine was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital in critical condition. Investigators believe the Toyota may have noticeable front end damage but no other information about the vehicle is available.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Deputy Jeff Jones at (812) 346-5111 or Trp. Matt Holley at (812) 689-5000.

The body of a missing Columbus man was recovered from the Driftwood River Sunday after he went missing the day before while canoeing with friends.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office says that 27-year-old Siddharth Sada Panicker drowned following the accident. First responders had been searching the area since the accident, which was reported at 4:25 p.m. Saturday. Coroner Clayton Nolting says that Panicker’s body was found at 10:59 a.m on Sunday.

Panicker’s cause of death has been ruled an accidental drowning.

White River Broadcasting is inviting you to help us help the victims of Hurricane Florence.

Station Manager Bob Morrison announced that the drive kicks off Saturday during the 22nd annual “Hot Rods and Rock & Roll” event put on by 106.1 The River. This event sees Washington Street in downtown Columbus filled with classic cars and trucks, followed by a concert put on by Rick K. & The Allnighters. A popular item each year is the official Hot Rods and Rock & Roll t-shirt. Morrison says that for every t-shirt sold, White River Broadcasting will donate one-dollar to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief. Those shirts can be purchased at our tent on Fourth and Washington Streets until our stock is sold out.

If you can’t make it to Hot Rods and Rock & Roll, you can still help those in need. Morrison announced that all next week, Sept. 17-20, you can stop by our offices at 3212 Washington Street in Columbus and drop off a donation of cash or check. If you choose to write a check, please make it out to The American Red Cross with “Hurricane Florence” written in the memo line. Donations will also be accepted during Saturday’s event.