A former Columbus pastor has been sentenced to three-years in prison as part of guilty pleas on two felony counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that 38-year-old Justin White, who was the senior pastor at First Christian Church, received a three year prison sentence on one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and a four year sentence on the second count, which was suspended. The paper says that Judge Kelly Benjamin ruled that White would be on probation for that four-year sentence, to be served after he is released from prison. In addition, White is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with juveniles during that time.

The paper is reporting that White pleaded guilty in August to two counts of aiding or inducing a juvenile to commit an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult. He also reportedly admitted to aiding and inducing a juvenile to deal in narcotics.

For more on this story, visit therepublic.com.

Cummins announced Thursday that Jenny Bush has been promoted to Vice President, Cummins Sales and Service – North America, effective immediately. The Columbus-based manufacturer says that Bush’s responsibilities include leading eight wholly owned distribution regions across U.S. and Canada, which consist of over 9,000 employees, and contribute $4.6 billion in sales.

“Whether it’s through mentoring and coaching employees, or her engagement with customers and suppliers, Jenny seeks to make people’s lives better through the power of diversity and inclusion. Her authentic leadership style has had a profound impact on productivity, learning, teamwork, and the innovation and dependability we bring to our customers,” says Tony Satterthwaite, Vice President Cummins and President, Cummins Distribution Business.

Company officials say that Bush joined Cummins as a parts writer after completing a technician apprenticeship with Shell Oil, where she was the first female technician in a traditionally male environment. After joining Cummins in the United Kingdom, she developed and tested gas engines and led field service engineering for the Europe, Middle East and African markets. Throughout her 20 years with Cummins, Bush has led many different teams, including Sales, Purchasing and Operations within the Alternator business, as well as the Commercial Marine Engine business. More recently, Bush led the Mid-South and Gulf regions in the Distribution Business.

Cummins says that, over the past six months, Bush has been leading the North American business.

The City of Columbus Department of Public Works has released the Fall Leaf and Street Sweeping Schedule for the city.

Residents are invited to view the schedule and make note of times when no parking restrictions may be in place in their areas of residence and employment.

Leaf sweeping runs from Oct. 25th through Nov. 9th.

Street Sweeping is scheduled to begin Nov. 13th on 25th Street from Washington Street to Central Avenue. Sweeping will then move to other city roads every week day, except for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, lasting through Dec. 12th.

City officials say that there will be “No Parking” signs posted on streets the day of an area’s street sweeping. Any vehicles still in the area will be towed.

Inclement weather will postpone sweeping work by one day.

You can view the full schedule on the city’s website at columbus.in.gov.

Greg Pence, one of Mike Pence’s older brothers, has filed a tax document indicating he will seek the eastern Indiana congressional seat that the vice president and former governor represented for 12 years. The Associated Press is reporting that he formed the Greg Pence for Congress Committee on Monday.

Greg Pence, a Columbus resident previously said he had been courted to run for the Sixth District seat, which covers a broad swath of central and southeastern Indiana, including Muncie and Columbus.

Republican power brokers say that, as the vice president’s brother, Pence is likely the hands-down favorite to win in the overwhelmingly Republican district

The Columbus City Council gave its final approval Tuesday night for the $57.8 million proposed budget for 2018. Jamie Brinegar, the city’s director of finance, says that the overall proposed budget is down 1.9 percent from 2017. He talks about how some funds will be spent.

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Brinegar explained that these so-called “empty” positions will help the police and fire departments to fill positions created by officer retirements much quicker. He also stressed that the actual budget and certified tax rate won’t be known until the state’s department of local government finance releases its final figures early next year.

Brinegar was asked how the county’s recent vote to increase the income-tax rate will effect city coffers.

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Mayor Jim Lienhoop added that, while the amount of money the city will bring from the tax increase is unknown, he anticipates that some of it will be used to help fund efforts to fight the opioid epidemic. When the Bartholomew County Council passed the tax increase, members of that body indicated that they were in preliminary discussions with city officials to enter into a joint effort to tackle the drug problem. Lienhoop says that the city should have a better idea as to how much additional revenue will be coming in over the next few months.

The vote to approve the proposed budget for 2018 passed on a vote of 6-1. Frank Miller voted “no.”

Two football coaches at Columbus North have been suspended for one game after an incident that took place at a recent contest. The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation announced the suspensions are the result of a “verbal and physical altercation” that took place between Head Coach Tim Bless and Assistant Coach Aaron Karrer on the sideline of the Bulldogs game against Southport. As a result, BCSC says that both coaches will miss the next football game.

BCSC released the following statement:

“BCSC has high expectations for staff and students, and Columbus North encourages a positive atmosphere set by coaches, officials, fans, and other athletes. While winning is a natural goal in the pursuit of excellence, the principles of good sportsmanship and enjoyment of competition take precedence at all times and enhance the educational value of all contests.”

The Indiana Historical Society is honoring a Columbus Regional Health with its 2017 Centennial Business Award.

Founded as Bartholomew County Hospital on Feb. 6, 1917, Columbus Regional Health has been providing for the welfare of residents in and around Columbus for more than 100 years. CRH has been celebrating its centennial anniversary throughout the year.

The hospital will be recognized with its Centennial Business Award during IHS’s annual Founders Day dinner on Monday, Nov. 6, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in downtown Indianapolis. Columbus Regional Health will also be added to IHS’s Historic Business Register.

For more information on the Historic Business Register, Founders Day or other IHS programs, visit www.indianahistory.org.

Movement continues on the project to construct an overpass taking vehicles over the railroad tracks at State Road 11 and Jonathan Moore Pike. During Monday’s meeting of the Columbus Redevelopment Commission, city engineer Dave Hayward says that the city had negotiated a contract with Strand and Associates to serve as project manager for the city.

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The redevelopment commission voted unanimously to approve the resolution to hire Strand and Associates.

The body also considered a resolution to contribute a considerable sum to the overpass project out of the downtown Cummins Tax-Increment Financing District. Stan Gamso, attorney for the redevelopment commission, explains that Columbus officials began looking for possible avenues to help cover the city’s estimated $15 million contribution.

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That resolution, recommending that the city council approve the contribution, was approved. Gamso says that, in addition to the Cummins TIF District contribution, the fund contains $4 million from the redevelopment commission, with a $1.5 million contribution from the county still pending.

Columbus officials are making an effort to improve the safety and functionality of the pedestrian tunnel through the parking garage on Jackson Street. Heather Pope is the city’s director of redevelopment.

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Pope talks about the goal of the project.

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Louis Joyner, the architect on the project, says the design will also add drainage, as well as bicycle stands, among other improvements. He told the redevelopment commission that he still has a few minor issues to complete before the project can be put out for bid.

The city’s redevelopment commission took no official action during its meeting on Monday afternoon, but the body did indicate that the call for bids is expected to go out soon.

Toyota Forklifts announced a $50,000 donation to Hurricane Harvey relief in Gulf Coast communities on Monday. Company officials say the donation will be a team effort from Toyota with Toyota Industries Corporation, Toyota Material Handling U.S.A., Toyota Industrial Equipment and Toyota Commercial Finance joining together to support the effort. The funds will support affected dealership employees and the community as a whole, including the American Red Cross.

“The recent hurricanes caused major damage to many areas, including Houston, where some of our dealer employees lost homes and vehicles,” said TMHU director of human resources and training & development, Tracy Stachniak. “We rallied together to support our family members and the community of Houston. We’re proud the Toyota family is always eager to support one another in a time of need.”

In addition to the donations from Toyota, the company will make a dollar-for-dollar match for all donations in support of Toyota associates in the Houston area. The funds will be issued to employees as relief grants to cover utility expenses, home repairs, transportation, lodging, medical expenses, food, clothing and other needs.

The company says that the support will benefit employees at Toyota Lift of Houston, Toyota Lift of South Texas and the Houston community.