A pair of area organizations were the recipients of thousands of dollars from First Financial Bank.

Bank officials held an event Wednesday afternoon at the Commons in downtown Columbus. Al Roszczyk, Regional President of First Financial, explained that the bank is committed to improving the community and helping in that mission. With that, the bank announced $100,000 donations to Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County and the Foundation For Youth.

Officials say these donations help both organizations immensely. The Heritage Fund has been in the midst of its “100 Campaign,” where 100 people were asked to contribute $1,000 each. Combined with 10 lead donor donations of $10,000 each, First Financial’s contribution brings the total raised to $300,000.

Tony Gambaiani, First Financial’s market president, made the presentation to FFY leadership. He lauded the FFY’s mission of serving the youth of the community, regardless of financial circumstances. Gambaiani says the $100,000 donation will help fund FFY scholarships for those who need it most.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help locating a fugitive. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that authorities are looking for 39-year-old Jeremy Aaron Kittle. He is described as a white male standing six-feet tall, weighing 162 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Authorities say that Kittle is wanted on two warrants for Revocation of Probation. Jackson says the original charges facing Kittle are Possession of Methamphetamine, Resisting Law Enforcement and Burglary.

If you have any information on Kittle’s whereabouts, you are asked to call Capt. Dave Steinkoenig at (812) 565-5940. You can also call the Sheriff’s Department Tip Line at (812) 379-1712 or send an email to sheriff@bartholomew.in.gov. Authorities stress that you do not have to leave your name.

The City of Columbus will hold a dedication of the newly completed green space at Indiana Avenue and State Street to memorialize the life of Army Sgt. Jonathon Michael Hunter on Saturday, June 23rd. The dedication ceremony is set to begin at 11 a.m.

Hunter, a 23-year-old graduate of Columbus East, died on August 2, 2017, as a result of a suicide car bomb while providing security during his first deployment in Afghanistan. He was deployed to Afghanistan just one month before his death.

The Indiana Avenue green space, one of two newly completed spaces as part of the State Street Bridge and Corridor Project, features a pedestrian friendly landscaped brick way, crushed pavement, and puzzle benches. In addition, engraved bricks adopted by community members in order to celebrate the revitalization of State Street, have been installed as part of the brick way.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Councilman Dascal Bunch will be on hand to offer remarks regarding the dedication of the green space to Hunter, who was an east side Columbus resident.

A Columbus man is in critical condition after a Monday afternoon motorcycle crash. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that at approximately 4:30 p.m., deputies responded to the crash scene in the 10000 block of West Bellsville Pike in Columbus.

When deputies arrived, they reported that a motorcycle that had apparently hit a tree. After locating the driver, 21-year-old Justin Nary, he was flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Hospital officials say that Nary’s condition, as of Wednesday afternoon, was “critical.”

Witnesses reportedly told authorities that Nary was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

The Town of Nashville and Nashville Utilities has issued a boil order for a number of customers after a water main break on Freeman Ridge Road. Officials say the following addresses are affected:

616 Freeman Ridge Road
631 Freeman Ridge Road
941 Freeman Ridge Road
960 Freeman Ridge Road
996 Freeman Ridge Road
1016 Freeman Ridge Road
1032 Freeman Ridge Road
1058 Freeman Ridge Road
1076 Freeman Ridge Road

Residents and businesses in these affected areas should boil all cooking and drinking water through 4 p.m. on Friday, June 15th.

Customers with questions should call the utility at (812) 988-5526.

Two Columbus residents were arrested Tuesday night after a traffic stop. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that just before midnight, Officer Lukas Nibarger stopped a vehicle near Second Street and Jackson Street and spoke to the driver, 38-year-old Tara S. Stark, and her passenger, 21-year-old Zachary A. Moore.

Harris says that officers determined that Moore had a warrant for his arrest out of Jackson County and he was placed under arrest. During a search of Stark’s vehicle, police reported finding a syringe in the center console. That led to Stark’s arrest on a preliminary charge of Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device.

You have an opportunity this weekend to take a peak at some significant locations in Columbus. Diane Robbins, with the Bartholomew County Historical Society, explains…

The self-guided walking tour is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m….

Robbins says the day will wrap up with a pleasant event downtown.

Advance tickets are $20. Tickets are $25 on Saturday. You can get more information, including the locations that are part of the tour, online at bartholomewhistory.org.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is set to see a pay increase in a few weeks. By state law, county sheriffs must be paid at least 80 percent of what the county prosecutor earns. The prosecutors’ pay is tied to the pay of county judges.

Barb Hackman, county auditor, explained during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Bartholomew County Council that judges received a 2.1 percent pay increase that will take effect on July 1. She says that increase resulted in a pay bump for Prosecutor Bill Nash, as well as Sheriff Myers. Hackman says this state-mandated increase will bring the sheriff’s annual salary to $117,731.20.

The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to restrict traffic to a single lane on State Road 46 at Shipley Hollow Road/Bond Cemetery Road just east of State Road 446 in Brown County on Thursday. Contracted crews will begin removing the existing single-slab bridge on State Road 46, replacing it with a 14′ x 7′ concrete box culvert measuring 53 feet in width.

Temporary signals at either end of the work site will control one-direction-at-a-time traffic flow along the north side of the structure while construction occurs on the south side. INDOT says that speed limits will be lowered to 35 mph approaching the bridge. A 10-foot width restriction will also be imposed. Oversized loads will be directed around the site via S.R. 135 North and S.R. 45.

INDOT officials say work at this site may continue through August.

Columbus City Utilities has a new director. Scott Dompke was approved by the utility board on Monday to replace Keith Reeves, who is retiring. Reeves has worked for the city of Columbus since 1980. He has been the director of utilities since 1997.

Reeves says that Dompke brings over 30 years of management and design experience with municipal government and utilities to his new role with the city of Columbus. That includes 16 years with the city of Bloomington, where he was a department head of the water and wastewater utility.

Dompke is scheduled to begin his role as Director on July 2.