The Hope Volunteer Fire Department took possession of its newest fire truck on Monday. The department announced that the new pumper truck, which will be called Engine 11, was delivered. The truck was made by E-One fire engines and was paid for by a grant of just over $490,000. Fire officials said at the time of the grant announcement that Engine 11 is replacing an engine that is more than 20 years old.

The Preview Party for the opening of the inaugural Exhibit Columbus, originally scheduled for the grounds of the Cummins Corporate Office Building, has changed it’s location to the Mill Race Park Amphitheater. The party is set for the evening of Friday, Aug 25th. The Indiana University School of Art, Architecture, and Design is the presenting sponsor.

Organizers say the Preview Party of Exhibit Columbus’ inaugural exhibition opening is an evening of cocktails, food, and entertainment in celebration of architecture, design, and community. They note that the party will be an occasion to meet and honor the five J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize winners, other designers whose work is being presented in the 2017 exhibition, as well as those who have helped make this exhibition possible.

The schedule is as follows:

5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: VIP/Patron Reception;
6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Preview Party Reception and Dinner catered by Kahn’s Fine Catering of Indianapolis;

Organizers have also announced entertainment for the evening. The band “Salaam” will be playing during the cocktail/social hour. Organizers say that Salaam performs an “expansive mix of traditional and original Middle Eastern music.” The group has performed throughout the US, recorded seven albums, and have been interviewed and featured on NPR’s All Things Considered.

“Busman’s Holiday” has been announced as the Dinner/Dancing Entertainment. Organizers say that this group is fronted by brothers Lewis and Addison Rogers are brothers. The pop-music duo will be joined by their full band for this event.

Organizers say that you still have time to take part in this event.

Preview Party Tickets are $150 each and includes the cocktail reception, dinner and evening entertainment;
VIP Tickets are $250 and entitle you to arrive at 5 p.m. for a more intimate conversation with Exhibit Columbus participants and supporters;
Table Sponsorship are $1,500 and guarantees seating with your party of 10;
VIP and Table Sponsorship are $2,500 and entitle you to arrive at 5 p.m. for more intimate surroundings.

You can get reservations online at exhibitcolumbus.org.

Columbus Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Ziegler brought home gold and silver medals after competing in the 2017 World Police and Fire Games. Capt. Mike Wilson, CFD spokesman, says that Ziegler, a 20-year department veteran, traveled to Los Angeles to complete in the track and field competition. Ziegler won gold in the 100 meter hurdle event, setting a world record in the men’s 50-54 age bracket. Ziegler also competed in the 400 meter hurdles where he won silver. Wilson says that this marks the fourth time Ziegler competed in the games. Each time, he came away with at least one medal.

Wilson says that the biennial games, which began August 6th and wraps up on Wednesday, attract an average of 10,000 participants from over 60 countries. The first games were held in 1985 in San Jose, California. Subsequent games have been held in Spain, Canada, Sweden, Australia, British Columbia, Ireland and the United States. The 2019 games will be held in China. Ziegler does not yet know if he will be able to attend those games.

A Columbus woman is facing drug charges after she was arrested over the weekend. Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that at about 1 a.m. on Saturday, Deputy Leah Burton was southbound on US 31, in the area of County Road 500 North, when she observed a vehicle in the northbound lane with a headlight out. Burton stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, 40-year-old Lisa Simmons.

Authorities say that Simmons appeared to have been under the influence. When she got out of the vehicle, Deputy Burton reported seeing a zip lock bag containing small round, green pills lying in the driver’s seat. She also noted that Simmons had something hidden under her skirt. Simmons allegedly told the deputy that she had a glass pipe hidden there. Simmons retrieved the pipe, which authorities say contained white reside. Jackson says that a search of the vehicle led to deputies finding a small brown glass jar with a whitish brown substance inside, another glass pipe with white residue, as well as a backpack that contained various items inside including a pill bottle with four more green pills and a white crystal rock-like substance.

Simmons was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Paraphernalia and
Possession of Methamphetamine. She has since been released.

The Columbus Police Department continued its re-accreditation process this week when assessors from CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) arrived in Columbus for an on-site visit. Over the course of three days, the assessors toured the police department and met with officers from the patrol and investigations divisions. A call in session and public hearing was also held so that members of the community could have the opportunity to speak to the assessors.

Columbus Police Chief Jonathan Rohde stated “As an accredited law enforcement agency, our officers continue to adhere to internationally recognized best practices. This voluntary third party oversight that CALEA provides also assures the public that our department continues to operate in a professional and transparent manner.”

CPD says that the assessors will submit their completed reports to the Commission and representatives from the Columbus Police Department will speak before a panel consisting of 20-30 law enforcement agencies later this year. The department will undergo the re-accreditation process every four years, which department officials say includes continuous monitoring and a yearly assessment to ensure the department’s compliance. The Columbus Police Department has been an accredited law enforcement agency since 2014.

A Shelby County man was killed in a Friday morning crash in Bartholomew County. Jay Frederick, chief deputy coroner, says that the crash took place around 6:30 a.m. on County Road 800 North, near County Road 100 East. The sole occupant of the wrecked Jeep Wrangler was identified as 26-year-old Christopher Ryan Johnson,.

Coroner Clayton Nolting determined cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and chest. His office says that toxicology tests are pending and results will be known in approximately two weeks.

The crash is being investigated by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office.

Seymour officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning to formally mark the completion of the second phase of the West Second Street rehabilitation and reconstruction project. The $2.3 million project, funded by the Indiana Department of Transportation, included the renovation of more than 1,300 feet of road between Springhill Road and Vehslage Drive.

City officials say that the 10 a.m. ceremony was held at the intersection of West Second Street and Springhill Road. Mayor Craig Luedeman was joined by members of the city council, city employees, staff from GAI Consultants, Inc., Milestone Contractors and INDOT. Mayor Luedeman thanked everyone involved, noting that the project came in ahead of schedule and under budget.

A Jennings County man is facing charges after an alleged domestic violence incident on Wednesday. Lt. Mike Mowery, with the Jennings County Sheriff Department, says that deputies responded to a home on Posey Street in Vernon on a report of a fight. When they got there, the deputies reported hearing what sounded like a female screaming for help. Mowery says that the deputies entered the home and found a man and woman upstairs. The man allegedly had a cord wrapped around the woman’s neck, choking her. Deputies intervened and as they tried to detain the man, he allegedly began fighting with the deputies, resulting in one of them being bitten on the hand by the suspect. After the man was taken into custody, the alleged victim was treated at the scene by Rescue 20 for minor injuries.

Authorities took the suspect, 46-year-old Jeffrey Hoffman, of Vernon, to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital to be checked out before booking him in the Jennings County Jail. Hoffman is facing preliminary charges of:

Criminal Confinement – Level 3 Felony
Two charges of Domestic Battery – Level 5 Felony
Battery on Law Enforcement – Level 5 Felony
Strangulation – Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement – Level 6 Felony

Authorities say that Hoffman is being held on $25,500 bond.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is asking for your help locating this week’s most-wanted fugitive. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that deputies are looking for 45-year-old Kenneth R. Johnson on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Johnson is a white male, standing 5’10” tall and weighing 145 pounds. He has blond hair and blue eyes.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, you are asked to contact Capt. Dave Steinkoenig at (812) 565-5940. You may also call the department’s Tip Line at (812) 379-1712 or send an email to sheriff@bartholomew.in.gov.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced plans to reopen State Road 58 at its newly built bridge near Waymansville at a branch of White Creek in Bartholomew County by next weekend. Officials say that the new single-span structure, located eight miles west of Interstate 65 in Jackson Township measures 41 feet in length with 35 feet of clear roadway side-to-side.

At the same time, INDOT’s contractor will begin operations for removing and replacing State Road 58’s single-span bridge over Buck Creek at County Road 1075 North in Jackson County. Officials say this requires closing State Road 58, about 4.5 miles east of State Road 258, as soon as Thursday, Aug. 10. INDOT says the hope is to reopen the road before Thanksgiving.

Drivers will continue to us the existing detour, which is.

• Westbound traffic via I-65, U.S. 50, S.R. 11 and S.R. 258
• Eastbound traffic via S.R. 258, S.R. 11 and I-65

INDOT says that this work is part of Milestone’s $1.1 million contract to repair three bridges on State Road 58.