Columbus officials are aiming for new businesses to come to the Aeroplex Commerce Center. To do that, Airport Director Brian Payne says they need to redevelop more than 60 acres of land.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission this week approved a resolution to authorize the preparation of a subdivision plat for the area. The body approved spending $18,650 to hire Indianapolis-based Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc., which will help prepare a subdivision plat for the property. Once that is done, Payne says it will be easier to market and lease individual parcels.
Anticipate delays if you have to travel northbound I-65. Beginning at 9 p.m. Tuesday, INDOT crews will close the right three lanes of northbound I-65 in Johnson County from just north of the County Line Rd. interchange (mile marker 101) to just north of the Southport Rd. interchange (mile marker 103) to complete repairs to the deck of the bridge over Little Buck Creek. The entrance ramps to northbound I-65 from eastbound and westbound Southport Rd. will also be closed. These closures are also expected to be in effect during the Wednesday morning commute.
INDOT says you should expect long delays. Officials urge you to use alternate routes.
Columbus Police Department officials say an independent review of the department’s policies and procedures by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) determined that CPD was in compliance with all 40 standards it was evaluated on during 2018. These standards included a review of use of force incidents, vehicle pursuits, department recruitment and selection of officers, as well as the collection and preservation of evidence.
The Columbus Police Department joined a small percentage of police agencies across the country when it initially earned CALEA accreditation in November of 2014. CALEA is meant to provide impartial third party oversight to ensure that the department establishes and practices the internationally recognized best standards for law enforcement. CPD was re-accredited last year after a three-year review of department policies and procedures.
Officer Clayton Nolting with Chief Jon Rohde; photo courtesy of CPD
A Columbus police officer was recognized for helping save the life of a local woman. Officer Clayton Nolting, a six-year veteran of the department, received a Letter of Commendation from Chief Jon Rohde during Tuesday’s Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting at City Hall.
The commendation stems from an incident on Nov. 20th, when Officer Nolting responded to a medical emergency at a home on Pennsylvania Street. When Nolting arrived, he found an unresponsive 74-year-old resident inside the home. Nolting provided CPR and utilized his department issued automated external defibrillator, giving life-saving care to the woman until additional medical help could arrive. A pulse was later reestablished and the woman was transported to Columbus Regional Health where she received additional treatment.
A CPD officer who was on scene during the incident wrote in a letter to Chief Rohde that “the efforts made by Officer Nolting were undoubtedly crucial in sustaining this woman’s life and he deserves recognition for such actions.”
Work continues on the city of Columbus’ efforts to institute a “quiet zone” through the city. Such a zone will allow trains to pass through the city without sounding their horns at every railroad crossing. Tim Oster, a project manager from CTC Inc., a railroad signaling company working on behalf of the city, says his team is meeting Tuesday with Federal Railroad Administration officials. He talks about needs to happen before a quiet zone can become a reality…
The city is looking at improvements at four rail crossings: State Road 46/State Road 11, Fifth Street, Eighth Street and 11th Street. Initial estimates to upgrade all four sites is $1 million. Oster says any work at the crossings is at least a year away.
Authorities have identified the woman struck and killed Sunday night in Seymour. “The Seymour Tribune” is reporting that 63-year-old Mary Ann Wagner, of Seymour, was pronounced dead after she was hit by a vehicle in the 600 block of West Tipton Street.
Police initially had difficulty determining Wagner’s identity. She was identified around 3 p.m. Monday after relatives in Jennings County were able to confirm who the woman was.
The paper says that Wagner was walking on the sidewalk north of Tipton Street when she stepped into the right westbound lane and was struck by a car driven by 24-year-old Spencer Nichols, of Seymour. Authorities say Nichols has been fully cooperative in the investigation.
A Decatur County native is one of three new troopers reporting for duty this week at the Indiana State Police Post in Versailles. The new troopers were among 54 new troopers reporting to their districts after graduating last week from the 78th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy.
New probationary troopers include 29-year-old Blake A. Litmer, a 2008 graduate of North Decatur High School. After high school, Litmer attended Wabash College where he graduated in 2012 with a degree in Rhetoric. After graduation, Litmer joined the Navy where he served from 2013 to 2017 in Mayport, Florida. He worked as a corrections officer with the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department from 2017 until he was hired with the Indiana State Police. Litmer, and his family, live in Ripley County.
The other new troopers assigned to the Versailles Post were 30-year-old Navy veteran Robert N. Jonas and 26-year-old Stephen M. Stoneking, a 2011 graduate of South Dearborn High School. Stoneking resides in Dearborn County Jonas and his family live in Bartholomew County.
Probationary Troopers Jonas, Litmer, and Stoneking will now undergo a three month training with a field training officer. During this time, they will be paired up with veteran troopers who will provide additional training in a real-world environment. Upon successfully completing the field training program, they will receive their own issued police vehicle and begin solo patrols. All three new troopers will be assigned to Zone 1, comprising Bartholomew and Jackson Counties, upon receiving their police vehicles.
A grease fire temporarily closed a Columbus restaurant Monday afternoon. The Columbus Fire Department responded to a report of fire at Qdoba Mexican Grill, in the 1600 block of N. National Rd., at approximately 3:15 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they reported that fire, coming from a chip-fryer had been extinguished by restaurant management.
After firefighters confirmed the fire was fully extinguished, the Bartholomew county department of health was requested due to a fire extinguisher being discharged in a restaurant facility. After assessing the damages, Health Department officials determined the restaurant could reopen after cleaning the damaged food preparation area.
A police-action shooting in Johnson County sent one teenager to the hospital. Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox says that deputies were summoned by the New Whiteland Police Department to investigate the scene, located at 719 Harvest Meadow Way in Whiteland.
Authorities say that at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, a resident at the home called for police in reference a runaway juvenile in possession of a gun. A New Whiteland Police Officer responded, then requested back-up. As the second officer arrives, gunshots are fired. Shortly thereafter, the 17-year-old boy exited the home and pointed a gun at the police who both fired upon the teen, striking him several times.
The juvenile was transported to an Indianapolis Hospital. His condition is unknown.
Jordan Fulkerson; photo courtesy of Johnson Co. Sheriff’s Dept.
While awaiting a warrant for the home, authorities say a second person either fled the home, or was returning when he saw police. Jordan Fulkerson was captured and arrested on outstanding warrants for Bond Revocation and Invasion of Privacy.
He is being held without bond.
Sheriff Cox says that this incident may be tied to one Thursday night. In that incident, the New Whiteland Police Department and Whiteland Police Department pursued a vehicle which eventually stopped in the area of Tracy Road and U.S. 31. From there, the occupants fled and allegedly fired at pursuing officers.
The city of Columbus and Columbus Regional Health’s purchase of the Fair Oaks Mall property is complete.
The city of Columbus partnered with Columbus Regional Health and Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County to offer to purchase the more than 35 acre site for $5.9 million. Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County offered $450,000 in assistance after a pair of appraisals put the value of the site at approximately $5.45 million. By law, cities and municipalities are not allowed to purchase property for more than it appraises for.
Mayor Jim Lienhoop says the goal is to create an indoor sports facility for the parks department, enhanced by an on-site a CRH facility. The specifics of how and what the site will be developed into has yet to be established. That work is expected to begin in earnest early next year.
The city council created the non-profit group, Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation to handle the transaction and to manage of the site.
