The Jennings County Clerk’s Office has found a new polling location for this year’s city elections. Shawn Gerkin, North Vernon’s clerk-treasurer, explained to city council in March that the usual polling location at the Bethel Baptist Church on Norris Avenue is unavailable for the 2019 primary and general elections.

Specifically, county officials inquired about using the Carnegie Government Center in the 100 block of East Walnut Street. Council voted to allow the use of Carnegie for the May primary election, only if other options were exhausted. Gerkin says Councilwoman Connie Rayburn played a big part in finding and arranging to have a polling location at the former office of the mayor, located at 275 East Main Street.

This year’s primary election is May 7th. The general election is Nov. 5th.

The Bartholomew County Council has given its approval to help fund a body scanner for the jail. Sheriff Matt Myers says he expects it will cost approximately $180,000 to have a body scanner installed at the jail. Council voted unanimously to fund $130,000 out of the correctional facilities LIT funds. Myers explained during last week’s council work session that the balance could be paid for out of the jail’s commissary budget.

Chief Deputy Chris Lane explains why the body scanner is needed.

Jail staff have seen several attempts at bringing narcotics and other contraband into the jail, including three recent cases where inmates allegedly attempted to hide contraband in a body cavity. As it stands now, an inmate must be taken to a hospital to be checked when jail staff or a deputy believe they are hiding materials. Local inmates have also been driven to Johnson County to be put through the scanner at the jail there.

Chief Deputy Lane says a body scanner will serve as an important tool in the community’s fight against addiction.

Sheriff Myers says he hopes to have a scanner installed, with staff trained on how to use it, by this July. That is when an old section of the jail is set to be reopened in connection with the upcoming drug court.

Sheriff Myers and his staff must now take their proposal to county commissioners to put out for bids.

The Office of Student Research at IUPUC is holding its ninth annual Student Research Exhibition on April 16 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Columbus Learning Center. The exhibition brings together the work of 24 students and 13 faculty mentors to showcase 12 research projects selected for the academic year.

Each student-faculty team received a $1,000 grant from the Office of Student Research to fund their project. To earn a grant, students submitted detailed project proposals, passed a vetting process by a review committee, and then completed their projects with direction and guidance from a faculty mentor.

“These innovative research projects have important impacts on various target populations and communities. Completing the work has been an excellent opportunity for students to integrate their academic knowledge with professional research,” explained Dr. Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick, who is a professor of English at IUPUC. “Intensive research adds to the overall academic experience for our students and elevates the quality of learning throughout the region.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Descriptions of the funded projects, along with the names of the student researchers, their majors, and their hometowns follow.

1. Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Influence in the Modern World. After attending the Jane Austen Society of North America’s 10th annual festival, the student researchers identified the value this beloved author holds with her devoted fanbase and explored why she is still widely celebrated.
— Abigail Alderdice | English (Nashville, IN)
— Eden Alderdice | Communications (Nashville, IN)

2. The Role of Movement in Social Perception. This study focuses on how effectively people can rate extraversion, valance, dominance, and arousal by viewing biological movement data presented in the form of point light display videos.
— Isaac Mauricio Garcia Rojas Aguilar | Mechanical Engineering and Psychology (Columbus, IN)

3. Makeup Use and Self-Esteem in Women. This study examined the correlation between makeup use and self-esteem.
— Hannah Ballard | Psychology (Greenwood, IN)

4. Unforgetting Poland’s Forgotten Victims: Critical Reflection on Survivor Narratives. This project is a collection of first-person narratives in a web-folio format that captures previously unrecorded stories of Polish Holocaust survivors.
— Elzbieta Antonina Bidwell | General Studies/Arts & Humanities (Columbus, IN)

5. Synthesizing Crystals to Model Crystalline Structures in Introductory Chemistry Classes. This research project synthesizes crystals in the chemistry lab to demonstrate the real-world examples of crystalline and lattice structures.
— Nicole Bodi | Biology (Elizabethtown, IN)
— Adrienne Shea | Mechanical Engineering (Columbus, IN)

6. ASIST for Jackson County. This student project will partially fund the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) training program for police officers and other first responders in Jackson County.
— Anthony Cox | Nursing (Columbus, IN)
— Brooke Ebbing | Nursing (Brownstown, IN)
— Kylee Hollenbeck | Nursing (Columbus, IN)
— Danielle Shelley | Nursing (Seymour, IN)
— Jerrica Wischmeier | Nursing (Brownstown, IN)

7. Pressure Ulcer Prevention Among Residents at a Long-Term Care Facility in South Central Indiana. The purpose of this research project is to provide education to staff members at a long-term care facility in South Central Indiana to enhance their knowledge on the use of Mepilex dressing for pressure ulcer prevention and how to correctly use the Braden score.
— Alex Day | Nursing (Scipio, IN)
— Michelle Fitzsimmons | Nursing (Columbus, IN)
— Elizabeth Leech | Nursing (Columbus, IN)
— Kailee Lynn | Nursing (Indianapolis, IN)
— Lauryn Stephens | Nursing (Columbus, IN)

8. How Well Can Toddlers Self-Regulate? Comparing Temperamental, Attentional, and Behavioral Predictors of Self-Regulation. In this research project, the researchers are measuring the ability of toddlers to postpone gratification.
— Asher Denny | Psychology (Columbus, IN)

9. How Paper and Digital Children’s Books Support Student Understanding. The purpose of this research project is to explore the impact of paper and digital children’s books on civic science conceptual learning for early readers.
— Payten Ewing | Elementary Education (Greensburg, IN)
— Kayla Pride | Elementary Education (Brownstown, IN)
— Maycie Asher | Elementary Education (Hope, IN)

10. Ergo-Can: A Better Way to Take Out Your Trash. The objective of this project was to design a trash can to make this household chore easier, specifically for those with back problems.
— Maya Garcia | Mechanical Engineering (Shelbyville, IN)
— Elizabeth Lynch | Mechanical Engineering (North Vernon, IN)

11. Characterization of a Key Acinetobacter baumannii Iron Scavenging Protein. The purpose of this Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) approved project is to characterize the EntA protein from A. baumannii.
— Ciara Phares | Biology (Columbus, IN)

12. Small Scale Weather and Climate Change Study in Columbus, Indiana. This study involved observing the effects of varying amounts of precipitation, sunlight, and temperature on grassy soil located in the recently built Student Experiment & Research Enclosure.
— Ciara Phares | Biology (Columbus, IN)

Gov. Eric Holcomb has proclaimed this week, April 7-13, as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Indiana.

“There are several invasive species causing significant damage to Indiana’s natural resources at this time” said State Entomologist Megan Abraham, director of the DNR Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology. “Emerald ash borer, Callery pear, gypsy moth, kudzu, hydrilla, and purple loosestrife, to name a few.”

Abraham says several more invasive species are close enough to Indiana’s borders to concern Hoosiers. One is Asian long-horned beetle, which has been found as close as Cincinnati.

DNR officials say these beetles attack hardwood tree species. It has the potential to cause significant economic and environmental impacts if allowed to establish and spread throughout the United States. Signs of these pests start to show about three to four years after infestation. Tree death occurs in 10 to 15 years.

The DNR says adult beetles are 1 to 1.5 inches in length with long antennae. Their bodies are black with small white spots, and their antennae are banded in black and white. Adults can be seen from April to December.

“It’s the species that we have not spotted in Indiana that we need help from the public to keep an eye out for,” Abraham said. “Watch local forests and natural resources for signs and symptoms of trees or vegetation dying off for seemingly no reason.”

The State Entomologist said the DNR would rather answer a call, inspect an area and find nothing to worry about than find out after the fact that someone had spotted a problem and failed to report it.

If you see see these beetles or signs of them, you are asked to call the DNR at (866) NO EXOTIC (866-663-9684) with the date and location. If you can capture the beetle, officials say you should put in a plastic jar and place it in a freezer to kill it.

You can get more information online at dnr.IN.gov/entomolo/4527.htm.

A Greenwood woman is facing charges after allegedly firing a gun at her husband on Monday. Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess says that deputies responded to 1263 North Peterman Road on the report of shots fired.

The complainant told dispatchers that his wife, Kelly Lynn Elizabeth Bryan, had fired a gun at him. She had since drove away from the home.

The husband told the deputies that he was laying in bed when Bryan reached under some blankets and pulled out a gun and fired one shot at him. That shot missed. Police say the bullet carried through the wall into the next room’s door and then through a window.

The husband went on to tell investigators that Bryan then yelled at him to leave again before going downstairs. While he was upstairs the husband started to call 911 when he heard a second shot. After reaching dispatchers, Bryan allegedly went back upstairs and told her husband that she was going to kill herself. She left the scene moments later.

Johnson County Sheriff detectives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to an address in the 500 block of North Tacoma Avenue in Indianapolis. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police SWAT entered the home after obtaining a search warrant. There, they found Bryan hiding in the attic.

Sheriff Burgess says Bryan was returned to Johnson County and is facing preliminary charges of Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon, a Level 6 Felony. Her bond has been set at $1,000.

The Columbus Police Department says there are still openings for its Women’s Self Defense Course, which kicks off this week.

Lt. Matt Harris, department spokesman, says this course will run for three consecutive weeks at the CPD Range Training Facility Located on Grissom Street, east of Middle Road, near the Columbus Municipal Airport. The dates are: April 10th, 17th and 24th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The session will start with a basic self defense and awareness PowerPoint followed by self-defense basics. Organizers say that each week, students will progress through striking, kicking, basic escapes and human targeting. Women who take part in these courses should dress in gym style clothing and wear no jewelry.

CPD will offer another set of these courses in September.

You can sign up online at columbus.in.gov/police.

A Jennings County man was arrested over the weekend after North Vernon Police responded to a report of shots fired. Just before 6 p.m. Friday, officers responded to the area of Hurley Drive. When they arrived, they arrested 69-year-old Russel Curlin, of North Vernon, on preliminary charges of Criminal Recklessness and Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon.

No injuries were reported.

Construction projects starting this month will affect guests traveling to Brown County State Park, Clifty Falls State Park and Hardy Lake for part or all of the summer season.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says that the project affecting Brown County State Park could start as early as the week of April 8th.

The projects include:

BROWN COUNTY: The north entrance into Brown County State Park, two-miles east of Nashville, will be closed from April 8 – May 9 while repairs are made to the park’s historic Ramp Creek Covered Bridge. During the time that the bridge is under repair, park visitors must use the park’s west entrance two-miles south of Nashville on State Road 46. Horse campers can continue to use the south entrance into the equestrian campground.

Visitors should call (812) 988-6406 before visiting.

CLIFTY FALLS: Beginning in early April, State Road 256 from Austin to Hardy Lake Road will be closed for a road-widening project. This is the primary access to Clifty Falls off I-65 for guests traveling from the north. This project will continue through the summer. From I-65, guests should take the Scottsburg exit (S.R.56), and head east toward Madison, then take S.R. 56 east all the way into Madison to access the park. An alternative route is to take S.R. 56 to S.R. 203 north to reach S.R. 256, then head east to Clifty Falls State Park.

Call (812) 273-8885 before visiting.

HARDY LAKE: Beginning in early April, State Road 256 from Austin to Hardy Lake Road will be closed for a road-widening project. This is the primary access to Hardy Lake off I-65 for guests traveling from the north. This project will continue through the summer. From I-65, guests should take the Scottsburg exit, and head east toward Madison, then head north on S.R. 203, crossing over S.R.256, and continue north on Hardy Lake Road to the property.

Call (812) 794-3800 before visiting.

The most current information about alternative routes can be obtained at stateparks.IN.gov/7881.htm.

Exhibit Columbus on Friday released five new design concepts commissioned for Washington Street. These projects are part of the the 2019 exhibition, which will feature 18 temporary installations in total and opens to the public on August 24.

Organizers say the Washington Street Civic Projects are designed by mission-driven organizations from across North America that will activate sites throughout downtown. This year, Exhibit Columbus explores the thematic concept of “good design and the community” in a tangible way by inviting architects, artists, and designers to create outdoor installations and experiences that use Columbus’s built heritage as context and inspiration.

“The Washington Street Civic Projects provide a unique lens through which we hope to examine the notion of civic engagement through exhibition,” said Anne Surak, Exhibit Columbus Director of Exhibitions. “These innovative organizations use architecture and design as tools of collaboration to effect positive change in their own cities, and we are excited to have them develop temporary projects in our community.”

2019 Washington Street Civic Project Leaders

Borderless Studio – Chicago
Borderless Studio is an urban design and research consultancy focused on shaping communities through collaborative design. The Chicago-based studio, led by Paola Aguirre, explores comprehensive city design solutions that address complex urban systems and equitable development, with emphasis on research and communication across disciplines and fields of practice.

Love Letter to The Crump
The Crump Theater is a significant asset in downtown Columbus––after more than two decades of assessment and feasibility studies for its redevelopment, the stepping stones for its rehabilitation and reactivation are falling into place and plans for its rebirth as a performing arts center are gaining momentum. This project consists of a collective “love letter” showcased through a large-scale exterior curtain installation at The Crump. The letter will be written in the abstract – a new graphic pattern inspired by Alexander Girard’s urban and textile design practices – and designed in collaboration with members of the community through participatory workshops where they will contribute to the creation of an abstract language inspired by the architectural features and character of the art-deco theatre. The project’s purpose is to invite both residents and visitors to reflect on the transformation process of places in Columbus – foremost, Love Letter to The Crump aims to generate a dialogue about new forms and meanings for preservation, as well as shared values and processes that could guide our decisions about heritage places in our cities.

Extrapolation Factory – New York
The Extrapolation Factory is a design-based research studio for participatory futures studies, founded in New York by Chris Woebken and Elliott P. Montgomery. The studio develops experimental methods for collaboratively prototyping, experiencing and impacting future scenarios. With this work, the studio is exploring new territories for democratized futures by rapidly imagining, prototyping, distributing, and evaluating visions of possible futures on an extended time scale.

Futures Kiosk
Central to Extrapolation Factory’s methods of engagement are the creation of hypothetical future props and their deployment in familiar public contexts. Futures Kiosk will be installed on the sidewalk where Washington Street meets 2nd Street at an active corner that connects City Hall, the Bartholomew County Courthouse and Veterans Memorial, and The Republic Building. This installation, and its location at the heart of civic exchange, encourages members of the public to use the kiosk to contemplate, articulate, and share future visions for Columbus. Each vision generated by members of the public, depicted as a short sentence and image, will be digitally shared with the mayor’s office with the intention that this database of visions offers decision makers inspiration and insight into the public’s desirable futures.

LA Más – Los Angeles
LA-Más is a non-profit urban design organization, led by co-executive directors Elizabeth Timme and Helen Leung, that helps lower-income and underserved communities shape their own growth. Based in Los Angeles, LA-Más creates projects that are alternative models for development in neighborhoods that have been historically disinvested in and shut out of formal planning initiatives. Timme’s training in architecture and design and Leung’s background in public policy and planning allow LA-Más to engage thoughtfully with the communities they serve.

Thank U, Next an informal meeting space for the City of Columbus
Thank U, Next is a study in contrast and will serve as a destination for people from all parts of the city and from all backgrounds to have shared civic experiences. This project thanks civic leaders and past architects for their highly formal contributions to Washington Street, but also looks to create the next precedent for an alternative. As this area is often viewed as a hub for the middle class and wealthy, the project is an explicit and implicit invitation to working class residents to redefine Washington Street. The project also presents an urban plaza that is flexible, reconfigurable, playful, multiple, and open. Taking the form of a moveable table that adapts to diverse programming, Thank U, Next creates a sense of inclusivity to all residents and provides a place for social and cultural togetherness. The project will also host a calendar of delightful programming hosted by Columbus community organizations that will bring Washington Street to life with a bold spirit of inclusivity. Residents are encouraged to reconfigure the space and define for Columbus the potential of its urban programming.

People for Urban Progress – Indianapolis
People For Urban Progress (PUP) is an Indianapolis non-profit that advances good design and civic sustainability by developing products and projects that promote connectivity, responsible reuse, and making. With founder Michael Bricker as director of public design, PUP’s work is about rethinking the future of cities as it relates to the lifecycle of its materials, matching these resources with existing community needs.

Jungle Subtraction
This installation is an architecture of subtraction. By inserting a series of reflective panels and surfaces on public infrastructure along an entire city block of Washington Street, Jungle Subtraction will visually edit the pedestrian landscape. Trees, sign posts, light posts, bike racks, and trash cans will be covered in mirrored surfaces from chair height to door height, creating a reflective (subtracted) band along the street. Looking at the history of master planning of downtown Columbus, this project contemplates the point at which adding to a streetscape tries to fix something that isn’t broken. In consideration of Washington Street as a place of civic exchange, how can the exercise of subtraction help a Main Street be more Main Street in the future?

PienZa Sostenible – Mexico City
PienZa Sostenible is a non-profit association that promotes the research, study, analysis, implementation, monitoring, and coordination on the current situation in Mexico. Led by architect Carlos Zedillo Velasco, PienZa Sostenible helped form ReConstruir México – an initiative that brings together architects and professionals to make knowledge and techniques available for the reconstruction of affected homes in vulnerable communities affected by the devastating 2017 earthquakes in the country. More than 40 distinguished architecture offices are now building 154 houses in seven of Mexico’s most damaged communities..

Las Abejas
The bee is one of the most important living beings in the world. The reduction of the bee population in the last decades is directly influencing the process of pollination, the breeding of other living beings, and the nutritional and variety of natural products. Mexico is one of the leading exporters and producers of bee and apiculture products worldwide thanks to its natural resources and environment. PienZa Sostenible promotes the protection and care of the bee as one of its priority actions as a declining bee population is a problem that affects us all. This project, Las Abejas, includes deep research into the study of bees and beehives, and the present importance of apiculture. In a model similar to the ReConstruir México initiative, the installation for Exhibit Columbus invites critically-acclaimed / internationally-renowned architects and Mexican designers to devise and build bee houses that encourage understanding of the importance of bees, while also contributing to increasing bee populations. Participants include TAX | Alberto Kalach, Tatiana Bilbao Studio, Rozana Montiel Arquitectos, and CC Arquitectos.

Columbus Police Detectives, with the assistance of the CPD uniform division and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, arrested five people on several drug related charges during a warrant service Thursday afternoon.

Detectives executed a search warrant at a home in the 2000 block of Central Avenue in regards to an ongoing investigation. While at the residence, detectives reported seeing drug paraphernalia inside the home. Narcotics detectives secured a second search warrant for the home, leading to the following arrests:

Michael S. Gilbert, 50, of Columbus: Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Maintaining a Common Nuisance

Robert L. Dixon, 56, of Columbus: Possession of Heroin, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device, Maintaining a Common Nuisance

Kristy L. Pendleton, 32, of Columbus: Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Brittany R. Watts, 24, of Columbus: Two Bartholomew County Warrants, One Bartholomew County Body Attachment Warrant

James K. Purdue, 56, of Columbus: Maintaining a Common Nuisance