A special meeting of the Columbus Redevelopment Commission is set for Thursday afternoon. Heather Pope, the city’s director of redevelopment, explains the commission will consider the purchase of just under an acre in the 800 block of Second Street.

The property, at 867 Second Street, formerly served as a gas station.

Pope says the property is connected to other property owned by the city.

The Redevelopment Commission meets at 4 p.m. Thursday at city hall.

A traffic stop on North US 31 near Lowell Addition resulted in the arrest of a wanted Columbus man. At approx. 7:46 p.m. Thursday, a deputy initiated a traffic stop and confirmed that the driver, Jeremy Morgan, 32, had an outstanding warrant.

Along with the warrants, Morgan is facing new preliminary charges of:

– Possession of Heroin
– Possession of Marijuana
– Possession of Paraphernalia
– Legend Drug Injection Devices
– Body Attachment
– Driving While Suspended

Morgan remains behind bars on $128,000 bond.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Sheriff Robert A. Cooper graduated from the 217th class of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy on Saturday, May 18th. Sheriff Matt Myers says that due to Cooper’s extraordinary display of leadership, his 141 peers at the academy nominated him to be the recipient of the prestigious Joshua Chamberlain Award.

The Chamberlain Award is named in honor of Joshua Chamberlain, an American college professor from the State of Maine, who volunteered to join the Union Army during the American Civil War. Chamberlain is best known for his gallantry at the Battle of Gettysburg for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

“I am extremely proud of Deputy Cooper for his hard work and dedication. “He is another example of a quality person who has chosen to serve the citizens of Bartholomew County,” said Sheriff Myers.

Deputy Cooper is a native of Franklin and retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service.

Schneck Medical Center in Seymour is offering a “Safe Sitter Program” for children in grades six through eight.

Hospital officials say the Safe Sitter program offers young adults an up-to-date and well-rounded youth development program with a medical basis. This class is designed to teach babysitters the life and safety skills they need, while equipping them with the tools to handle emergencies when caring for younger children.

A two-day class and a one-day class are being offered.

Dates for the two-day program include:
– June 13 and 14
– June 27 and 28
– July 11 and 12
– July 25 and 26

The two-day classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Schneck Simulation Lab in the Jackson Medical Building.

A one-day is also being offered on June 8 and July 6. The one-day class will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Family Life Center at Schneck Medical Center.

For more information or to register, call (812) 523-4770 or (812) 522-0421.

Schneck Medical Center is holding car seat recycling event next month in Seymour.

Schneck officials say that most car seats expire six years after its manufactured date. They are holding this event in an effort to ensure expired seats are not reused or re-distributed throughout the community. Hospital staff explain that the car seats will be recycled at a secure location, preventing anyone from picking up and reusing the seats.

Schneck’s Car Seat Recycling Event will be held on June 15th from 9 a.m. to noon behind the Schneck Cancer Center. You don’t have to worry about parking, as you can simply pull up and staff will take the seats you’re dropping off.

For more information on the Car Seat Recycling Event or for information on how to properly install a car seat, call Schneck’s Family Life Center at (812) 522-0435.

North Vernon Police arrested two people Wednesday night after they were called to a disturbance on Long Street. Officers arrived on the scene at approximately 9:40 p.m.

Christopher Wilson, 43 of North Vernon and Mallory Keller, 26 of Butlerville, were arrested for Intimidation and Public Intoxication. Keller was also charged with Battery.

The Columbus City Council gave final approval to an ordinance targeting the former site of the St. Bartholomew Catholic Church and surrounding area as an economic development target area. The site, in the 700 block of Sycamore, had been targeted for affordable-housing units on at least two occasions. However, developers were unable to obtain the state tax credits necessary to make the projects financially feasible.

Rubicon Development Group is planning a nearly $9.3 million investment to renovate the church building and develop apartments and townhomes. Developers say approximately 60 market-based rate apartment units are expected to be developed, along with six townhomes for purchase. During Tuesday evening’s council meeting, Rubicon officials suggested rent prices would range from $950 to $1,350 per month. Townhome sale prices are expected to be in the $250,000-$300,000 range.

Council also approved a 10-year tax abatement for the development, expected to save the company around $1.7 million over that period. Even with the abatement, the site is still expected to generate nearly $1.8 million in tax revenue for the city over the next 10 years. Rubicon says that tax savings from the abatement will be passed on to those who purchase townehomes, as the abatements are transferable. Robin Hilber with the city’s office of redevelopment noted that these abatements can be used strategically to encourage home-ownership in targeted areas.

A Jennings County elementary school was successful at the 2019 National Archery in the Schools Program Eastern Nationals held in Louisville. More than 15,000 students participated during the event, held May 9-11.

Hayden Elementary School won the Elementary School Division, shooting 3,229 out the possible 3,600. Each of the students on the Hayden team will receive a $500 scholarship.

NASP is a joint venture between school corporations throughout Indiana and the Department of Natural Resources. The program provides international target archery training in Indiana’s physical education classes, as well as other classes for grades 4-12.

Local students who posted top five finishes in Louisville include:
– Elementary Bullseye: 3rd Place Elementary School Female, Brooke Nolan, Hayden Elementary
– 4th Place Middle School Male – 2-Way Tie, Aron Spencer, Jennings County Middle School

A local man was arrested Tuesday night after officers reported finding components of a methamphetamine lab in his vehicle after he attempted to evade arrest.

Columbus Police say that at approximately 11:40 p.m., an officer attempted to stop a vehicle that was speeding down an alley near 11th Street and Washington Street. Police say the driver, Ryan S. Harden, 37, of Columbus, refused to pull over. The officer followed Harden’s vehicle until it came to a stop in the 600 block of Eighth Street. Harden was taken into custody at gunpoint and officers later reported finding several components of a meth lab inside his vehicle.

Harden was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on a 48 hour hold on preliminary charges of:
Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle
Reckless Driving
Possession of Meth Precursors with the Intent to Manufacture

A consulting company hired to help Columbus establish quiet zones for trains traveling through downtown is proposing nearly $1.8 million in upgrades at four railroad crossings.

Tim Oster of CTC, Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas, presented options for the railroad crossings at State Road 46, Fifth Street, Eighth Street and Eleventh Street during the this week’s meeting of the Columbus Redevelopment Commission. City officials have been working on a plan to establish the zones in an effort to reduce noise. Due to safety concerns, these crossings will need additional safety measures installed for that to happen. These include things like four-quadrant gate system, medians and escape gates. Oster stressed that establishing quiet zones will not completely eliminate train horns through the city, but it should help considerably.

The redevelopment commission did not taken any action during this week’s meeting.

If implemented, Oster said the quiet zones could be finished in 18 to 24 months.