The Bartholomew County government is extending its partial shutdown of county offices. The changes, set to expire later this month have now been extended to at least January 4th.
Public access to the county government buildings will be by appointment only and only one person is allowed at each appointment, with some exceptions.
County government meetings will continue online through the Zoom app. That includes the Bartholomew County Commissioners and County Council.
The Bartholomew County Public Library is putting restrictions back in place as the community prepares for an expected spike in COVID-19 infection levels.
Both the main library branch in downtown Columbus and the Hope library branch will remain open their current hours. But starting after today, the library is moving all the chairs so that patrons will not be able to sit at tables for studying or other purposes. The use of all library meeting rooms is also suspended. A one-hour time limit will be in effect for computer use and availability will be at 50% capacity.
Library staff are encouraging customers to use the library’s curbside service. You can place holds online through my BCPL dot org or by calling the Reference Department at 812-379-1266. The Reference Staff is also available to answer questions either in person or via phone/email.
The library is also making home deliveries of materials to those quarantining at home, or those at high risk for the virus. You can get more information about the outreach efforts by emailing bookmobile@mybcpl.org or calling. 812-379-1278.
The changes are in effect until at least Nov. 27th and will be re-evaluated every Wednesday after that. If you have questions you can call the Main Library at 812-379-1255.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Area Visitors Center
Bartholomew County is reporting its 61st death from COVID-19. The most recent death came on Monday, according to details reported to the Indiana State Department of Health.
The county has had 73 new positive test results, bringing the total to 1,974. Under the state color-coded map, Bartholomew County remains yellow or showing moderate spread, while Johnson, Shelby, Decatur, Jennings and Jackson counties are all orange, showing high community spread. Brown County is coded as blue, showing minimal spread.
Statewide, Indiana reported 4,879 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, a new state record. That brings the state’s total to 219,338 since the pandemic began. There have been 4,481 COVID-19 deaths in the Hoosier state since the pandemic started after 64 more were announced yesterday. Those deaths were reported between October 14th and Monday.
Gleaners Food Bank will be holding a drive-thru food pantry distribution from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Columbus Municipal Airport at 5175 N. Warren Drive.
You will be able to stay in your vehicle and the food will be delivered to you. There will be no early arrivals and there is no parking allowed on River Road or Cunningham Drive.
Columbus City Utilities is issuing a boil water advisory for customers near the intersection of State and Coovert Streets. That is after emergency repairs made to fix a water main break yesterday.
The utility says that you should boil any water for five minutes before you consume it or use it in food preparation.
The boil water advisory is in effect until the water has passed laboratory testing and residents will be notified when the order is lifted.
If you have any questions you can call the Columbus City Utilities Water Service Hotline at 812-418-6435.
Bartholomew County is reporting its 60th death from COVID-19.
The most recent death came on Friday, according to details reported to the Indiana State Department of Health. The county has had 40 new positive test results, bringing the total to 1,898.
Under the state color-coded map, Bartholomew County remains yellow or showing moderate spread, while Johnson, Shelby, Decatur, Jennings and Jackson counties are all orange, showing high community spread. Brown County is coded as blue, showing minimal spread.
The Bartholomew County COVID-19 Community Task Force is reporting the per-capita positive testing rate is 45.5, or red. Anything above a 10 is considered substantial spread under the county metrics. The positive rate has not been below the red level since mid-October. The task force is also reporting 21 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Bartholomew County.
Statewide, Indiana reported 4,213 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. That brings the state’s total to 214,509 since the pandemic began. There have been 4,418 COVID-19 deaths in the Hoosier state since the pandemic started after 34 more were announced yesterday.
Bartholomew County will be taking over contact tracing duties for COVID-19 again.
The tracing work had previously been taken over by the state. Amanda Organist with the county health department, said that the state is unable to keep up with the COVID-19 contact tracing and has requested the work fall to the counties again. She said that each positive case requires contacting the patient and going through about an 11-page questionnaire that attempts to identify details of their case including onset times and who the patient may have been in close contact with.
The contact tracer then has to follow up with those who had been in close contact. The goal is to identify and limit the possible spread of the disease. She said each case takes about 45 minutes per patient.
Bartholomew County Commissioners yesterday approved a six-month contract with a worker who would do the contract tracing for the county. The county expects to have the expenses for the work be reimbursed from CARES Act funding.
A Bartholomew County poll worker tested positive for COVID-19 following last week’s election, but does not appear to have met the definition of close contact with members of the public according to County Clerk Jay Phelps.
Phelps said that the infected poll worker was serving at Westside Community Church last Tuesday. After finding out, Phelps said he contacted the other workers at that voting center and the inspector in charge of the location. The other poll workers are quarantining for two weeks as a precaution. Phelps said he also discussed the situation with the Bartholomew County Health Department nursing division.
The infected worker wore a mask all day, sanitized their hands frequently and had, at most, 90 seconds of contact with each voter. Social distancing was also observed, Phelps said.
Because the poll worker did not have 15 minutes of close contact with the public, the exposure to the public would be considered minor, Phelps said.
The poll worker, who has been hospitalized, began showing symptoms on Friday and did not have any symptoms on Election Day. The worker is expected to make a full recovery and to be released later this week, Phelps said.
The name of the worker is not being released for confidentiality reasons, Phelps said.
A traffic stop Sunday afternoon on Jonathan Moore Pike led to the arrest of a Columbus man on drug-related charges including dealing in methamphetamine.
A deputy pulled over a vehicle being driven by 59-year-old Jon E. Gressel of Columbus at about 3:36 Sunday afternoon. Gressel had several outstanding warrants.
A search revealed he was carrying drugs and drug-related items.
In addition to warrants from Bartholomew, Jackson and Marion counties, Gressel is facing new charges of dealing methamphetamine and possessing meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Bartholomew County authorities caught a man accused of stealing a truck in Hamilton County.
A deputy noticed a truck speed into a neighborhood near 11th and California streets at about 4:14 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The truck was found empty soon afterwards near 8th and Sycamore streets. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Hamilton County.
A tip later that evening led deputies to a local business where they found a suspect, 34-year-old Travis R. White of Elwood. The arrested him as he left the store on preliminary charges of possession of stolen property with a prior conviction and of methamphetamine, as well as outstanding warrants from another county on charges of burglary and vehicle theft.