The Columbus City Council is scheduled to take the first step Tuesday night to pay $10 million to the Indiana Department of Transportation for the railroad overpass project. Jamie Brinegar, the city’s director of finance, says that construction is slated to begin in 2019, much sooner than a typical project of this size.

Brinegar adds that preliminary work has already begun.

The overpass project is estimated to cost $30 million with the city picking up half of the tab, with help from Bartholomew County, Cummins and the railroad. If approved, the second reading of this ordinance is scheduled for early December.

Tuesday night’s meeting is at 6 p.m. inside council chambers at city hall. You are invited.

Decatur Plastic Products, a manufacturer of custom injection-molded plastic parts and components, plans to expand its operations in North Vernon. The website, areadevelopment.com is reporting that the company plans to create up to 40 new jobs by 2019.

According to the report, the company will invest more than $3 million to update its equipment and provide training opportunities for employees at its facility located near Highway 7 in Jennings County. Decatur Plastic will also offer its employees training, as well as leadership and career development courses.

The website is reporting that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered the company up to $75,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning that until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives.

For more on this story, visit areadevelopment.com.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that it has joined an enforcement drive aimed at helping to keep drivers and passengers safe. Sheriff Gary Driver says that his department is joining over 230 law-enforcement agencies across Indiana that will have assets aimed specifically at targeting seat belt violators and impaired drivers through the weekend after Thanksgiving. During this time, Sheriff Driver says that you can expect to see increased patrols and checkpoints.

The overtime for officers to participate in this drive is being paid for by funds provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Sheriff Driver says that the department is publicizing this blitz to give drivers a fair warning that violators will face penalties. In all states, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent of higher. In addition, drivers under the age of 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and license suspensions.

The Columbus Fire Department responded to the River Stone Apartments Wednesday afternoon after a fire was discovered on a second floor patio deck. Capt. Mike Wilson, department spokesman, says that firefighters were called to 3460 Limestone Lane shortly after 3 p.m.

Wilson says that firefighters arrived on the scene to find a smoldering wooden patio deck and melted vinyl siding on a second floor apartment. Firefighters also found that a third floor sprinkler head had activated and was still flowing water on the smoldering materials below. Firefighters marked the fire under control within minutes of arrival.

Columbus Fire Department investigators determined that the tenant had been smoking a cigarette outside. The tenant told investigators that he had placed a lit cigarette on a cardboard box, with the intention to briefly enter the apartment and then return to the patio deck. The tenant told investigators that he became distracted while inside the apartment and forgot that he had left the cigarette on the cardboard box.

As firefighters surveyed the damages, they found that the origin of the fire was near an external storage closet located on the patio. At the time of the fire the storage closet door was closed. Inside the closet were additional cardboard boxes stacked from floor to ceiling. The closet door was a fire rated door which protected the contents for at least one hour. Additional damages were noted to the vinyl siding on the second floor apartment’s exterior as well as fire damages to the bottom of the third floor wooden patio decking.

The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental and damages are estimated at $3,000. Investigators say that damages were greatly reduced as a result of the sprinkler system.

Developmental Services, Inc. held their awards banquet Wednesday night. The 42nd edition was held at the Commons and White River Broadcasting’s own Sam Simmermaker served as Master of Ceremonies.

Six organizations and individuals were honored at the banquet. They were:

Volunteer and Service Award – Sandy and Doug Royer; The Seymour couple delivered Thanksgiving meals to residents of the Elm Street group home, purchased and delivered Christmas and birthday gifts for DSI clients, attended client events and donated to the Special Olympics.

Volunteer and Service Award – EMERGE Wrestling; – This Columbus-based professional wrestling group have raised nearly $3,000 for DSI and provided free tickets for DSI clients. In 2017, EMERGE wrestlers Ricky Ruckus and Donny Idol trained and worked with DSI client Justin Wells to help him fulfill a dream of competing in the squared circle. That culminated in a tag-team match at the organization’s annual “Downtown Throwdown” held on Fourth Street this past summer in front on nearly 1,000 fans, which saw Justin gain the win for his team.

Direct Support Professional Award – Brenda Wade; Wade has worked in a group home for several years, helping clients live more independently and aiding them in locating opportunities to help them help themselves. DSI specifically thanked Wade for her help in organizing transportation and working through clients’ mobility issues to ensure that they are able to attend community events.

Consumer Achievement Award – Joe Broomall; The Nashville resident serves as a volunteer at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis. There, he works in the Paleo Prep Lab, thanks to the cooperative efforts of DSI’s community habilitation program, IMPG case management and the museum.

Professional of the Year – Brandon Shumaker; Shumaker is the fleet and facilities manager for DSI. His crew is responsible for fixing, building, cleaning, replacing and modifying items and facilities in 55 Indiana counties. Shumaker’s crew has important in the construction of Education and Enrichment classrooms, as well as a new fitness center for DSI clients in Columbus, a Personal Enhancement classroom in Seymour and maintaining security systems and vehicles.

Industry of the Year – GECOM; The company in Greensburg is celebrating 30 years and has the company has worked with DSI for 28 of those years to help provide opportunities for those with disabilities.

Employer of the Year – Amy Rodgers McDonald’s of Muncie); DSI says that Rodgers demonstrated extraordinary patience and compassion to make sure that DSI clients had the best opportunity to succeed, hiring four DSI clients. The organization adds that Rodgers has restructured tasks and work schedules to accommodate client needs, maximizing their productivity.

DSI William K. Hadar Scholarship Fund – Olivia Ortman; Last year, DSI announced that it was creating a scholarship through the Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County to honor DSI’s longest serving chief executive officer. Ortman, a Columbus East graduate, received the first $1,000 scholarship. She is studying occupational therapy at Indiana University.

Columbus Police arrested a local man Tuesday afternoon on weapons charges after he was allegedly spotted with a handgun at his job. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the department, says that shortly after 1 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business located in the 1300 block of Indiana Avenue. Once they arrived, police reported recovering the weapon. Harris says that later arrested 52-year-old Kenneth D. Wood, at his home in the 600 block of Hutchins Avenue after confirming that Wood did not have a permit for the weapon. During the investigation, officers noted that the serial numbers were scraped off the gun.

Wood is facing preliminary charges of Carrying a Handgun without a License, Possession of a Handgun with an Obliterated Serial Number and Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon.

A wanted Columbus man is behind bars after police spotted him walking near 11th Street and Franklin Street on Friday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at approximately 2:45 p.m., Sgt. Oscar Olmeda spotted 42-year-old William C. Cox. Harris says that Cox had a felony warrant for his arrest. After Cox was taken into custody, officers reported finding a syringe and a stolen debit card in his possession.

Cox is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of a Syringe. The warrant was for Failure to Appear on original charges: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Theft of a Firearm, Theft and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm with a Prior Domestic Violence Conviction.

Congressman Luke Messer, a Republican representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District, announced Monday that his staff will host mobile office hours in Columbus on Thursday. Mobile office hours will be held Thursday, from 10:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Center’s CMT room, located at 2501 Lincoln Park Drive in Columbus.

Constituents who need help navigating the federal government or have questions are invited to stop by and speak with staff members.

For more information, visit messer.house.gov.

Franklin Police are investigating a shooting that left one man injured. Authorities say that at approximately 1:52 a.m. on Sunday, officers responded to 1531 Younce Street on a report of a person shot. Upon arrival, police found 21-year-old Tristan Lear shot in his left forearm multiple times. Lear was transported to Eskenazi Hospital where he was later released in good condition.

Investigators say that the shooter and another subject had left the scene just prior to officers’ arrival. Soon after the incident, police say they located the shooter, 24-year-old Michael Lentz, and another person who allegedly fled the scene. Authorities say that Lentz is cooperating with investigators.

Franklin Police say that once the investigation is completed, findings will be forwarded to the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office for review to determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

Portions of the People Trail system are closed due to high water. Columbus Parks and Rec says that currently, high water is across the trail in the following areas:
Hawcreek by the hospital and by State Street bridge;
the Northbrook area;
sections of the Clifty Park trail.

They will reopen after the water has receded and crews have cleaned any mud and debris left behind.