The Seymour Police Department recently participated in Indiana’s rural demonstration project, federal highway safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Officers working this detail are paid with grant money working overtime. The target area was 30 rural counties with the highest rate of unrestrained motorists in crashes. This project ended July 31st.

Seymour Police Captain Carl Lamb says that his department had five five officers working this campaign for a total of 36.5 hours. That resulted in the issuance of 133 warnings and citations, as well as one arrest for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Seymour Police say that city’s seat belt compliance rate is 96.4 percent, which is higher than the state average.

A Columbus man was arrested on a number of charges Thursday evening after Indiana State Police served a search warrant at a home in the 7600 block of West State Road 46. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says that ISP’s Versailles District All Crimes Policing Unit executed the warrant at about 6 p.m., leading to the discovery of a methamphetamine lab, marijuana growing operation, other illegal drugs, numerous weapons, and improvised explosive devices.

Wheeles says that the investigation began when troopers received information of illegal drug activity taking place at the home. Troopers arrived at the scene at approximately 2 p.m. and reportedly obtained further information that ongoing drug activity was taking place. This information was used to obtain a search warrant for the residence.

While serving the warrant, Wheeles says that troopers located an operational methamphetamine lab, a marijuana growing operation, approximately an ounce of methamphetamine, five grams of heroin, 25 pounds of marijuana, 10 pounds of pseudo-ephedrine, over 75 firearms, ammunition, and eight improvised explosive devices.

The owner of the home, 59-year-old Gregory A. Traylor, was arrested on preliminary charges of Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Dealing a Narcotic Drug, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Dealing Marijuana, Cultivating Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine Precursors with Intent to Manufacture, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Destructive Device.

ISP says that the investigation is ongoing and may lead to additional charges against Traylor, and others.

Germany has been named the host country of this year’s Ethnic Expo. The expo, presented by First Financial Bank, is celebrating its 34th year. It will be held October 13th and 14th outside of Columbus City Hall.

Friends of Germany, will represent Germany at this year’s event. As host country, the cultures and foods of Germany will be featured in the main booth of the festival village and will be celebrated in the Ethnic Expo parade.

Ethnic Expo is organized by the City of Columbus and is made possible by generous donations from the presenting sponsor First Financial for the eighth consecutive year. Other sponsors include Coca-Cola, Vectren Foundation, ERMCO Electric and Milestone. City officials note that the expo is also made possible with support from the Indiana Arts Commission, the Columbus Area Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“First Financial is proud to be a part of the Columbus community. We are honored to participate again in the annual Ethnic Expo, which focuses on gathering together to showcase our hometown’s diverse culture and heritage.” said Al Roszczyk, Regional President for First Financial Bank. “First Financial is proud to be the title sponsor for the eighth year and our team looks forward to celebrating with the community this October.”

The application deadline for International Food and Bazaar vendors is August 31st. Applications, rules regulations and other information can be found at www.ethnicexpo.org.

The relocation of a water line has resulted in a Boil Order for some Nashville Utilities customers. Residents and businesses in the following areas should boil all cooking and drinking water prior to consumption:

4106 Yellowwood Road to 4127 Yellowwood Road;
3505 Mockingbird Lane to 3601 Mockingbird Lane;
3479 Somerset Lake Road;
4294 Somerset Lake Road

This order is in effect through 4 p.m. Friday.

Customers with questions should call Nashville Utilities at (812) 988-5526.

The State Street Area Association in Columbus will be celebrating its one year anniversary on Saturday with a block party at the Roby and America Anderson Community Center on McClure Road. Julie Bilz, president of the association, explains how the State Street Area Association took over the reigns of the former Eastside Community Center on McClure Road.

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Bilz says that they are working to build programming at the center.

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Bilz also touched on the project to revitalize State Street. She says that the State Street Implementation Team has done some great work in helping to improve the bridge area that connects the east side to downtown.

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Bilz says that these improvements have already helped to land a few new businesses on State Street. She, as well as city officials, are hopeful that these are just the first of several new businesses who will call State Street “home.

Saturday’s festivities at the Roby and America Anderson Community Center are scheduled for 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will include food, games and door prizes, along with music from “Mama’s Headache.” Other organizations taking part Saturday include Thrive Alliance, Turning Point and the Ivy Tech School of Education.

Rep. Luke Messer’s proposal to help veterans impacted by the closure of ITT Tech passed the U.S. Senate Wednesday and is headed for the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Spearheaded by Messer, a Republican representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District, and California Democrat Rep. Mark Takano, the bipartisan proposal retroactively restores GI Bill benefits to veterans who were attending Indiana-based ITT Technical Institute and California-based Corinthian Colleges, both of which closed abruptly impacting tens of thousands of students nationwide. The congressmen say those numbers included thousands of veterans.

The Takano-Messer proposal is part of the Harry Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, which improves and modernizes several aspects of the GI Bill. This GI Bill reform package passed the House last week, and the Senate Wednesday.

“This is a huge win for our veterans. Not only does this bill expand GI Bill benefits for our military families, it helps the thousands of veterans who unfairly lost their benefits when ITT Tech closed,” Messer said. “Our military men and women earn their GI Bill benefits serving and defending our country. It is our duty to honor that commitment, and ensure our veterans get every chance to succeed.”

The Takano-Messer proposal provides full restoration of GI Bill benefits within 90 days to students who attended ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges, if they were not able to transfer their credits to a new institution. It also helps veterans who may be impacted by a school closure in the future.

Cummins Inc. enjoyed a 12-percent increase in revenues for the second quarter of 2017, compared to the same quarter last year. Company officials say that second quarter revenues totaled $5.1 billion. They credit higher demand for trucks and construction equipment in North America and China, along with stronger sales to customers in the fields of mining and oil & gas exploration. Cummins says that revenues in North America increased 13 percent and international sales grew 11 percent due to strong demand in China and India.

Net income attributable to Cummins in the second quarter was $424 million ($2.53 per diluted share), compared to $406 million ($2.40 per diluted share) in the same quarter last year ago. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) was $620 million, or 12.2 percent of sales, compared to $591 million or 13.1 percent of sales a year ago.

“We delivered strong revenue growth in all four operating segments in the second quarter due to improving conditions in a number of important markets where we also have leading share. Earnings increased due to solid operational performance, partially offset by higher warranty costs that resulted in second quarter EBIT that was below our expectations” said Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. “As a result of stronger than expected orders in truck and construction markets in North America and China, and improving demand from global mining customers we have raised our 2017 full year outlook.”

Through the end of the second quarter, the Company has returned $463 million to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchase and recently raised its quarterly cash dividend by 5.4 percent. Cummins says it plans to return 50 percent of its Operating Cash Flow to shareholders in 2017.

Based on the current forecast, Cummins expects full year 2017 revenues to be up 9 to 11 percent, higher than the prior forecast of up 4 to 7 percent.

Rumpke Recycling, along with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Jackson County Recycling District, will unveil Rumpke’s new Medora Recycling Center during a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday.

Rumpke officials say the new Medora Recycling Center features a 5,540 square foot concrete pad with an enclosure to protect a recycling baler and collected recycling material. Recyclables will come from residential and commercial customers in the surrounding area. The new center allows for single stream recycling, where residents mix all recyclables into a single container, and a single truck collects the items. Company officials call the center “one of most innovative single stream recycling systems in rural Indiana.”

Rumpke says that the project was partially supported by an $87,425 grant from IDEM’s Recycling Market Development Program. Rumpke funded the remaining balance of the $625,000 project.

“The Medora Recycling Center will allow Rumpke to expand its curbside and business recycling programs and improve accessibility to recycling throughout southern Indiana,” said Steve Sargent, Rumpke director of recycling. “We’ve already had hundreds of residents and businesses start recycling, and that number continues to grow. This represents an excellent public-private partnership to improve recycling.”

Rumpke says that the ribbon cutting begins at 11:30 a.m. at the facility, located at 546 South County Road 870 West. A ceremony, with speakers from Rumpke, Jackson County Recycling District and IDEM, is slated to begin at 12:15 p.m.

Wednesday marks the start of as new school year for the Bartholomew Consolidated and Flat Rock-Haw Creek school corporations. Public safety officials are urging you to be prepared and aware of kids and state laws. Major Chris Lane, with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says you need to pay attention to school buses.

Lt. Matt Harris, with the Columbus Police Department, says that it’s important for drivers to pay attention and understand that their morning drive will be different than it’s been over the summer…

Authorities say that the only time that traffic in the opposite direction doesn’t have to stop is when the lanes are separated by a curbed or grassy median.

Both the sheriff’s department and Columbus Police say they will have officers out paying extra attention around school buses and campuses to help insure a safe start to the school year.

Bartholomew County officials say they are willing to contribute to the construction of an overpass to take vehicle traffic over the railroad at State Road 11 and Jonathan Moore Pike. The city of Columbus is responsible for coming up with half of the $30 million price-tag. Carl Lienhoop, county commissioner president, told the county council Monday night that he met with Mayor Jim Lienhoop to talk about the plan.

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Between the city’s TIF District and Cummins’ TIF District, $9.5 million is expected to be accounted for. County officials indicate that they’re willing to contribute two-million dollars, but Councilman Jorge Morales is concerned that Columbus won’t be shouldering enough of the burden.

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Noting Cummins’ willingness to contribute to the project, along with the company’s recent announcement of spending $50 million to improve it’s headquarters in downtown Columbus, Lienhoop says that he thinks it is important that the county do what it can to show that it appreciates all that the diesel engine manufacturer contributes to the community.

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County officials have invited Mayor Jim Lienhoop to next week’s county council meeting to further discuss the finances of the project. That will be held Tuesday, Aug. 8th at the County Government Office Building on Third Street. There’s been no word on if the mayor will be attending.