COVID-19 testing sites in Jackson and Jennings counties are adding more hours starting today.

The sites have previously been closed on Mondays, but now will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The sites are closed on Sundays.

Both testing sites will be open 8 a.m. to noon on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas and New Year’s days.

The Jackson County site is in the former State Police Post at 721 East Tipton St. in Seymour. The Jennings County site is at the Education Training Center, 1200 West O&M Avenue in North Vernon.

Schneck Medical Center and the county health departments have partnered to provide the free testing.

Two Columbus Signature Academy New Tech High School seniors have been chosen for the 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships for Bartholomew County.

Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, is announcing that Hayley Barr and Jadi Miller are this year’s recipients.

Barr is the daughter of Kirsti Barr. She plans to pursue a major in chemistry and to go on for a doctorate in veterinary medicine. She has been active in National Honor Society, school Interact Club and “Student Voice” student publication and as a volunteer for Bartholomew County Humane Society, Columbus Animal Care Services and Mill Race Center.

Miller is the daughter of Robert and Jami Miller and plans to pursue a degree in education. She has been active in National Honor Society, “Student Voice” track and field and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and St. Bartholomew Church.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships allow Indiana students to pursue four years full-time undergraduate study leading to a bachelor’s degree at an accredited public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana. Barr and Miller will receive full tuition for four years to the Indiana college of their choice and a $900 annual stipend for required books and equipment.

Heritage Fund received 54 applications for this year’s scholarships, from which 10 finalists were selected.

Finalists included: Marin Wieneke, Taylor Hollen, Josie Burbrink and Gabriela Heredia from Columbus East High School; Brock Burbrink and Emmaleigh Martin from CSA-New Tech; Helena Ho from Columbus North High School; and Tamara Essex from Hauser Jr-Sr High School.

Columbus firefighters  will be listing the cause of last week’s fire at the Two World condominiums as undetermined.

Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department, explained that after an investigation, including collecting evidence at the scene and interviewing building occupants, the cause of the fire cannot be determined with an acceptable level of certainty. He said the “undetermined” category is one of four used by investigators including accidental, incendiary and natural causes.

The fire on Wednesday damaged four condos and displaced 11 people. No one was injured.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is releasing more details on a shooting earlier this month after a home invasion in Geneva Township.

Deputies say that 37-year-old Ryan Perry of Hope went to the home of 51-year-old Ashton Ayers at about 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4th to locate a woman. A fight broke out when Perry tried to enter the home and was rebuffed. Ayers grabbed his weapon, and when Perry tried to enter the home a second time, he was shot in the abdomen.

Perry drove himself to the Elizabethtown Fire Department where he received treatment before being flown to an Indianapolis hospital. He remains hospitalized according to authorities.

After the investigation is finished, it will go to the Jennings County prosecutor’s office to determine if a crime was committed.

Bartholomew County police, firefighters and paramedics are going to try to brighten the holiday spirit this weekend. Starting at 6:30 pm. Saturday evening, police and rescue vehicles will be holding a parade through the rural parts of the county.

The goal is to hold the parade through a few streets of towns throughout the community while maintaining social distancing. If the parade does not pass directly by your home, you are still encouraged to take part by parking somewhere along the route and walking to a corner. Your use of masks are highly suggested.

The route will start in Clay Township at 6:35 p.m. Saturday evening, eventually passing through Elizabethtown, Hartsville, Hope, and ending in Clifford at 7:56 p.m. Agencies taking part include Clay Township Fire, Clifford Fire, Elizabethtown Fire, Hartsville Fire, Hope Fire, Columbus Police, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Columbus Regional Hospital paramedics, and more.

The parade will also include Santa, who will be traveling in a Hartsville department fire engine.

Planned parade route:

Clay Township

(Start at 6:30 p.m. Estimated arrival time to Jewell Village 6:37 p.m.)

Right out of station to Rogers Street, then left onto County Road 500E, Right on County Road 50 N Left on Dellasburg (approximately 6:35 p.m.). Right on Base, Left on Jewell (approx. 6:37 p.m). Right on Asenath, Right on Della, Left on Base, Left on U.S. 31 and then head toward Elizabethtown.

Elizabethtown

(Estimated arrival time to Mineral Springs 6:47 p.m. Estimated time to enter E-town 6:58 p.m)

U.S. 31 S from Jewell Village, Right at County Road 400S Roundabout, Left on County Road 250 E. Left on Forster Ave (stay left), Left on Karlsway Dr, curves right on to Sandereck Dr, curves left on to Brush Creek Dr.  Left on County Road 250E, Left on County Road 500S to U.S. 31. Left on U.S. 31. Right on County Road 475S and head in to Elizabethtown.

(Approximately 7:00 p.m.) Right on Railroad. Left on 11th Street, Left on Pennsylvania, Right on Legal Tender and head toward State Road 7. Cross State Road 7 and then turn left on County Road 600E and then go toward State Road 46. Turn right on State Road 46 and head toward State Road 9 and 46 then right to Hartsville,

Hartsville

(Estimated time of arrival through Newbern is 7:18 p.m. and Hartsville is 7:21 p.m.)

Enter Hartsville, Right on Washington Street, Left on College, Left on Taylor, Left on State Road 46. Right on Jackson, Left on Clinton, Right on Washington and head toward Hope on County Road 500N.

Hope

(Estimated time of Arrival to Hope 7:35 p.m.)

Turn Right on State Road 9. Right on Schafer Drive, Right on Brookside Drive, Right on Schafer Drive, Right on Schafer, continue straight on County Road 775E, Right on South Street, Left on Aiken, Left on Jackson, Left on State Road  9. go in front of school. turn right on County Road 600N and head toward Clifford.

Clifford

(Estimated time of arrival 7:56 p.m.)

West on 600 N to 250 E, Left on 250 E. Right on Sugar and curves left on Washington, Right on Poplar Street, Right on Depot Street, Left on Main Street toward Marr Road.

Four people are under arrest after a victim was pistol whipped during an armed robbery Thursday afternoon on the north side of Columbus.

Columbus police say that they were called to 3100 block of North National Road at about 1:30 Thursday afternoon and found the victim who was suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. The victim was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment.

Police put out an alert to area law enforcement with a description of the suspects and their vehicle.

A short time later, an Indiana State Police trooper and Bartholomew County sheriff’s deputy stopped the suspects. One of them was armed with the handgun.

Three of the suspects are facing charges of armed robbery and battery with a deadly weapon: 37-year-old Luis J. Rivera Salaman, 25-year-old Jorge N. Ramos Barbosa and 21-year-old Giovanny A. Hernandez Acevedo, all of Seymour. 19-year-old Emmanuel G. Peralta of Seymour is facing a charge of armed robbery.

Photos courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

Columbus East High School is announcing that Ed Vogel will be the new head football coach.

Vogel will take the place of retiring coach Bob Gaddis.

Vogel has served as the East Math Department Chair since 2007 and served as an assistant coach at East since 2002. Prior to his time at Columbus East, he was Head Coach at Evansville Bosse from 1999-2001, and coached under Gaddis for one season at Evansville Reitz in the mid-1990s.

East Athletic Director Pete Huse said that Vogel’s experience within the program will be a tremendous asset as Columbus East Football transitions between Coach Gaddis and Coach Vogel.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.

Jennings County authorities are reporting that a wanted man has been arrested after he was spotted by a deputy in Dupont.

39-year-old Jeremiah A. Littrell of Jennings County was wanted on warrants for auto theft and theft. A deputy spotted Littrell at about 7 Tuesday evening, and alerted Indiana State Police, Madison police and the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department. Littrell was followed to a location in Madison and stopped by multiple police agencies where he was arrested.

Littrell was also found to be carrying drugs and paraphernalia and is facing charges for those items in Jefferson County. he is being held in the Jefferson County Jail.

Duke Energy is reporting that customers in need can receive up to $300 towards their winter heating bill this season. Duke says it has more than $460,000 dedicated to struggling Indiana customers who can’t pay their electric bills this winter.

To determine eligibility and to distribute the assistance funds, Duke works with the Indiana Community Action Agency Network and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s Energy Assistance Program. The Bartholomew, Jackson, Shelby and Johnson counties agency to approach for help is Human Services Inc. Brown County residents will work through the South Central Community Action Program and Jennings County residents apply through Valley Court Apartments.

Duke Energy’s Indiana President Stan Pinegar says that the winter bills are arriving on top of families already struggling from the pandemic. The company has dedicated more than $600 thousand dollars so far this year to relief. The funds come from corporate contributions and customer donations.

You can find more information here.

Columbus Regional Health officials say that they are continuing to see improvements in COVID-19 patients through an experimental convalescent plasma treatment program.

CRH began working with the Mayo Clinic and national blood research institute Versiti this spring and has since aided 255 patients through the program.

Dr. Raymond L, Kiser, medical director at CRH, says that due to the spike in COVID-19, almost 80 units of plasma have been administered in just the past three weeks.

CRH is still looking for plasma donors to help out. If you are eligible you can donate at the Verisiti Blood Bank in Indianapolis, or at the mobile unit that comes to Columbus each week. Your donated plasma will be used to treat patients in Bartholomew County and surrounding communities.

To donate, you must be at least 18 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and have either one positive molecular test or two antibody screenings and be symptom free for 14 days. All blood donors are screened for COVID-19 antibodies.

You can go to Versiti.org/covid19plasma for more information.