The Vietnam Moving Wall arrives in Columbus on Thursday. Organizers say that a parade will be held taking the wall throughout the city prior to it being set up at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. Susan Thayer Fye, spokeswoman for the Moving Vietnam Wall Committee, says that the parade group is meeting at Sam’s Club on the west side of Columbus at 8 a.m. with the parade to begin at 9 a.m.

The parade is scheduled to take the following route:
East on State Road 46, following Second Street north on Central Avenue to 10th Street;
Right turn on 10th Street to National Road;
The parade will head left on National Road, turning left onto 25th Street;
At Washington Street, the processional will turn left and travel through downtown Columbus;
At Third Street, turn right and follow to the fairgrounds.

The Moving Vietnam Wall goes on display at noon and will remain at the fairgrounds through 10 a.m. on July 31st.

A Columbus man was arrested after he allegedly ran from police over the weekend. Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Saturday, Officer Skylar Berry attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle near Eighth and Pearl Streets. Moments later, he says the car’s passenger door opened as the vehicle slowed down and a man exited the vehicle and began running on foot. Officer Tony Kummer began chasing the man on foot. The suspect continued running between houses in the 700 block of Pearl Street where he was finally taken into custody.

Police identified the man as 39-year-old Derek B. Woodson. A short time later, Harris says that the officers were able to confirm that Woodson had two outstanding Bartholomew County warrants. Along with those warrants, Woodson is facing new preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Possession of Marijuana.

Columbus Regional Health is warning area residents about a phishing scam. Kelsey DeClue, hospital spokeswoman, says that a scam phone call may come from a number masked as a Columbus Regional Health telephone number under the guise of discussing financial or service related inquires. The caller then attempts to get personal information.

DeClue says that when official representatives of Columbus Regional Health contact patients, they first identify themselves, then provides the pertinent patient information on file directly for verification. She stresses that CRH representatives do not ask for or discuss personal information over the phone without first verifying the reason for the call by stating the date-of-service in question.

If you have questions or suspicions regarding a recent contact for information from Columbus Regional Health, DeClue urges you to call (800) 841-4938 or local law enforcement.

North Vernon’s efforts to switch city facilities from conventional electric to solar-power will result in more cost savings than originally anticipated. Months ago, the city council authorized Mayor Mike Ochs to execute the documents allowing the change if financing was able to be established. The city has been working with Johnson-Melloh Solutions, an energy service company, to formulate a proposal. City officials say that Johnson-Melloh was a driving force in getting the Jennings County Public Library switched over to solar years ago.

Shawn Gerkin, clerk-treasurer for North Vernon, explains that the city had to walk a tight-rope to obtain funding. He says that the language of the contract for financing had to be specific in order to be in compliance with a state statute that allows municipalities to enter into an “energy savings contract” without it being considered debt for the city. Gerkin gives high praise to Kevin Gabbard, his team at MainSource Bank and their attorney’s from Barnes & Thornburg for their help in obtaining financing for the project. While Gerkin says the entire ordeal has been a lot of work for him and other city officials, he called the end result “historic,” so far as it comes with Indiana banks getting involved with projects such as these.

Gerkin explains that under the deal, no more than $5.399 million will be financed at a rate of 2.45 percent. The term of the loan is 16.5 years with the first payment from the city due 18 months after closing the loan. City officials are hopeful that the loan will be closed on Aug. 1. Gerkin stresses that these loan payments will be paid for completely out of money already set aside and appropriated for conventional electricity costs. In addition, he says that the city was anticipating an interest rate of approximately 3.65 percent. Thanks to MainSource officials and the work of the city, Gerkin says that the city will save over $600,000 over the length of the loan on interest alone.

City official say that once the loan is secured, work on switching over to solar power can begin shortly thereafter.

Columbus Regional Health officials are opening up a bit on plans for the former Clarion Hotel and Conference Center on Jonathan Moore Pike on the city’s west side. Kelsey DeClue is public relations coordinator for the hospital. She says that Columbus’ west side has been growing.

DeClue says the site is a great fit for CRH.

DeClue says that the entire structure will need to be torn down and a new facility built in its place.

While a structure will be rebuilt, DeClue says that CRH is not prepared at this time to divulge its plans for the site.

DeClue says that CRH is reaching out to former Clarion employees about possible employment opportunities.

For more on potential employment opportunities, visit crh.org.

The city of Columbus is celebrating a big milestone on Saturday. Carly Freeman with Columbus Parks and Rec explains…

Saturday’s event runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. inside of Donner Park. Freeman says that there will be plenty of activities, including face-painting, an obstacle course and magic show.

Later that evening…

You are encouraged to take part in these free offerings.

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will chip seal 28 lane miles of U.S. Highway 31 in Jackson and Scott counties, beginning next week. INDOT says that the work is scheduled to take place on July 27th. July 31st and August 1st, with the work dependent on the weather.

The schedule calls for the work to begin July 27th when the north-south highway will close at the U.S. 50 intersection at Seymour while crews apply surface treatment. Operations will progress southward toward State Road 256 at Austin with flaggers directing traffic around moving work-sites. The following Monday and Tuesday, chip seal activities will continue on U.S. 31 between U.S. 50 and Industrial Parkway at Austin. No application will be made through Crothersville.

INDOT says that chip seal applications are highly cost-effective, as every one-dollar spent saves $6 to $14 in subsequent expenditures.

Columbus City Utilities has found the source of an e-coli contamination that polluted one of the city’s drinking water wells last month and led to a city-wide boil water advisory. Keith Reeves, the city’s utilities director, says that corrosion in the well casing has left small holes in the tainted well near the Bartholomew County 4-Fairgrounds, allowing contaminants into the water. He said that a contractor inspected the affected well with a camera and discovered the corrosion about 20-25 feet down the well shaft. Reeves said that the well has been taken off line until the problem is fixed. He said that officials are still figuring out the scope of the repairs but estimated it could run up to $20,000.

The city declared its first citywide boil water advisory last month in almost two decades after testing revealed the contamination. The Utilities Service Board met Thursday and heard an update from Reeves on fixes to be made to the notification process, should this occur again.

A Columbus man was arrested on drug dealing charges after a traffic stop Wednesday night. Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that shortly before 10 p.m., officers saw a vehicle that was traveling left of center near 17th Street and McClure Road. Officers stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, 21-year-old Parker R. Broady. A short time later, Harris says that a CPD canine alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle. While searching the vehicle, police allegedly found a backpack containing marijuana, Xanax, and several baggies.

Broady was arrested on preliminary charges of Dealing Marijuana, Dealing a Schedule IV Substance, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of a Schedule IV Substance.

The state is looking to recoup money lost when an employee of an Edinburgh golf course pleaded guilty to stealing from the facility. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Thursday that the state has filed a complaint in Johnson County seeking recovery of stolen public funds, as well as court costs, legal fees and other expenses.

Hill says that the state wants more than $11,000 from Ethan Duke, a former employee of Timbergate Golf Course who pleaded guilty to theft. Authorities say that Duke was sentenced to more than 500 days on home arrest after he confessed to stealing nearly $4,000 from the facility.

The Indiana Attorney’s General office says that in October of 2016, the State Board of Accounts conducted an audit of Timbergate, which is a public golf course owned by the town of Edinburgh. The audit revealed that the $4,000 went missing between April 18, 2015, and May 30, 2015.

According to the audit, employees at Timbergate discovered that on the night of May 30, 2015, no cash transactions were entered on the register. Further, the amount of money in the cash register came up $229.13 short based on goods and services sold by the golf course that day. Hill says that a supervisor confronted Duke, who reportedly confessed to the theft and was later arrested.

Hill says that the golf course recovered a little more than $300 when Duke was arrested. The state is now seeking a treble damages claim under the Crime Victims Relief Act. That equals three times the $3,683 in misappropriated funds, as well as $800 in audit costs.