Congressman Greg Pence (IN-06) released a statement Thursday following the Senate passage of President Trump’s new North American trade deal, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The Columbus Republican says:

“Signing USMCA into law will bring billions to our nation and tens of thousands of new jobs for Americans. This is a huge win for American workers, farmers and manufacturers, and it’s about time Congress got to the People’s work instead of a partisan impeachment circus,” said Congressman Pence. “I applaud the Trump Administration’s dedication to our nation’s farmers and manufacturers.”

The Ivy Tech Community College Criminal Justice Program will host a State of Indiana Court of Appeals hearing from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 28 at the Columbus Learning Center Auditorium.

The hearing, which is part of the court’s traveling “Appeals on Wheels” program, is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend to learn more about the judiciary and appeals process. The court will hear oral arguments from attorneys in a real appeals case.

Following the hearing, the court will take questions about the law and the judiciary in general, but not about the case they’ve just heard.

The Schneck Foundation Scholarship Committee is accepting applications for the Allied Health Scholarship and the Amanda M. Dick Honorary Scholarship for female medical students.

Applications for both scholarships are available online at schneckfoundation.org, schneckmed.org, or by contacting the Schneck Foundation at 812-524-4244. Applications for the Allied Health Scholarship will also be available from counselors at local high schools.

Applications must be completed and returned to the Foundation no later than March 15th to be eligible for consideration. For more information, contact the Foundation at 812-524-4244 or foundation@schneckmed.org.

C4 Columbus Area Career Connection will conduct an open house later this month. Organizers say the idea is to introduce its programs and courses to potential students and their families. The open house will be held Jan. 29th from 5 to 8 p.m. at the C4 facilities at Columbus North High School. C4 provides career and technical education to students in Jackson, Bartholomew, Brown and Decatur counties and Edinburgh.

C4 classes encompass a wide variety of fields, including nursing, cosmetology, welding, precision machining, criminal justice, engineering, graphic arts, electronics and education. Emphasis is placed on hands-on learning that prepares students for higher education and the workforce. College credits can be earned in many of the classes.

C4 students will lead tours of the facilities, taking visitors to classrooms and labs such as culinary arts, auto technology, early childhood education, engineering and automation and robotics. Displays from
classes such as criminal justice, dentistry and cosmetology will showcase classes at Columbus East High School and McDowell Education Center.

“There will also be representatives from colleges and businesses who will explain how C4 prepares students for careers after high school,” C4 director Gene Hack said. Students who will be in high school next school year, freshmen through seniors, are invited.

Visitors should enter at Door 15 closest to 25th Street.

For more information, visit bcsc.k12.in.us/c4.

U.S. Congressman Greg Pence (R-IN-06) released the following statement on the signing of the United States and China Phase One trade agreement:

“In an historic victory for Hoosier farmers and workers, President Trump has delivered a fair trade deal with China,” said Congressman Pence. “I have long maintained that Congress has the utmost responsibility on behalf of our farmers to pass USMCA. With that landmark trade deal moving forward, the Trump Administration has hit it out of the park with the Phase One China trade deal. The steadfast loyalty and support from American farmers has been rewarded, and today’s signing will only bolster the booming Trump economy.”

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matthew A. Myers has announced three staff promotions.

Sergeant T. A. Smith has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in BCSO’s Road Division. Lt. Smith began his career in law enforcement in 1981. He is a graduate of the National FBI Academy.

Deputy Brent Worman has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant in BCSO’s Road Division. Sgt. Worman began his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2010 as a Correction’s Officer. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Deputy Andrew Whipker has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant in BCSO’s Road Division. Whipker began his career with the Sheriff’s Office as a Merit Deputy in 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

“These deputies have the qualifications they need for their new positions and I am pleased that they have accepted the opportunity to expand their leadership skills,” said Sheriff Matt Myers.

These promotions come after three other deputies were suspended and demoted for their inaction in serving an emergency detention order for 38-year-old Derek Henderson, of Columbus. He died after being shot in the head, chest and abdomen in the early morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 4th. Authorities say that he was carrying a baseball bat when he entered the home of a neighbor he didn’t know in the 2000 block of Home Avenue. The homeowner shot and killed Henderson.

Sheriff Myers says the investigation revealed that deputies saw and talked with Henderson in his home on Home Avenue hours before his death, but he refused to leave the home or to allow the deputies inside. Myers says the deputies eventually left the scene and made no further attempt to serve the emergency detention order.

A local man was arrested for driving while intoxicated after he was reportedly spotted passed out behind the steering wheel of a vehicle at a Columbus intersection on Tuesday night.

Columbus Police responded to the area of Second Street and Brown Street at about 9 p.m. in regards to the man, who was apparently unconscious for several minutes. CPD identified the man as 26-year-old Matthew Scott Barker, of Columbus. While later speaking with Barker, the officers noted that he had a strong odor of alcohol beverage on his breath and had difficulty maintaining his balance.

Barker refused to submit to a chemical test and officers applied for and received a search warrant for a blood draw at Columbus Regional Hospital. Barker was arrested on a preliminary charge of DUI (endangerment).

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department has released more information about a fatal crash Tuesday morning.

Investigators say that at about 1:37 a.m., deputies responded to the 17000 block of East State Road 46 for a single-vehicle traffic accident. Upon arrival, deputies found a car inverted onto its top in the yard of a residence. Two people were located away from the vehicle. It is believed that both had been ejected from the vehicle during the crash. On arrival, an area resident was performing CPR on one of the subjects. Further life saving attempts were made by first responders, but one person, 18-year-old Ethan Matthew Nielsen was pronounced dead at the scene. Coroner Clayton Nolting says that Nielsen’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

The other person was flown by Stat Flight medical helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with serious injuries. Their identity has not yet been released.

The incident remains under investigation.

The Arby’s restaurant on 25th Street is serving a limited menu after a fire Tuesday morning.

Columbus Firefighters responded to the scene at approximately 9:30 a.m. on a report of fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene they were advised by restaurant management that a small fire had been extinguished by employees.

Arby’s management told firefighters that restaurant employees reported hearing a popping sound from the area of the grease fryer station. As the employees tried to determine the source, they saw an orange glow on the wall behind the fryer. Employees disconnected power to the fryer and pulled the fryer away from the wall. At that time, small flames were visible behind the grease fryer. Using a damp towel, employees were able to smother the flames and extinguish the fire.

Arby’s staff says that the restaurant is open. They can only serve sandwiches and drinks. Fried items are unavailable for now.

No injuries were reported.

An 18-year-old local man was killed in a Tuesday morning crash. The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office says the crash happened on State Road 46 between Newbern and Hartsville at 1:37 a.m.

Coroner Clayton Nolting says that Ethan Matthew Nielsen died at the scene. The cause of death has been revealed as blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Toxicology results are pending.

The crash is being investigated by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. We’ll have more details of the crash as they become available.