Bartholomew County has new limits in place that went into effect over the weekend due to COVID-19.

According to an order issued by County Health Officer Dr. Brian Niedbalski, effective at midnight on Saturday, bars, nightclubs, and bar seating at restaurants are limited to 50 percent capacity and to social distancing guidelines. Movie theaters, bowling alleys and similar facilities are also limited to 50 percent capacity and social distancing. Food service dining areas can operate at 75 percent capacity.

Social gatherings, meetings and events are now limited to no more than 50 people. Winter indoor school events are limited to 25 percent capacity.

Gyms, fitness centers, personal services, and similar facilities must screen employees daily and wear face coverings. Class sizes and equipment must be spaced to accommodate social distancing. Equipment must be cleaned after each use and between uses.

Residents should continue to use face coverings, social distancing, frequent hand washing and to sanitize frequently touched surfaces to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

It was more record-breaking days for COVID-19 in Indiana over the weekend.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 6,844 new positive cases on Sunday, for a positivity rate of 11.3 percent of those tested over the past week. There are also 22 newly reported deaths bringing the state total to 4,660 since the pandemic started. The highest day so far for positive results was Saturday’s report, which showed 8,315 new cases.

Bartholomew County added 115 new positive cases in Sunday’s numbers with a positivity rate of 10.4 percent, another record-setting day locally. That brings the total cases since the pandemic started to 2,378 in Bartholomew County. Bartholomew County has had 61 deaths, the most recent last Monday.

Bartholomew and surrounding counties Shelby, Johnson, Brown, Jackson and Jennings are all ranked as orange on the state color coded map, which shows a high community spread for the disease. Decatur County is in the red, or severe spread category.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated as of Nov. 16th.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department police dog Diesel was killed Saturday afternoon while working near Interstate 65.

According to the sheriff’s department, deputies were working on a domestic battery call at about 4:20 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The suspect was found near County Roads 600S and 650W and after a short vehicle pursuit, the suspect ran away.

Diesel was released by his handler to pursue the suspect, while deputies stayed behind to deal with two other occupants of the vehicle. The dog chased the suspect into the woods near the interstate. Shortly afterwards, Diesel was found dead in the travel lanes of the highway. The suspect, 36-year-old Michael Stephens of Columbus, was found hiding in a ditch.

Authorities do not yet know what led to the dog’s death. He was taken to the sheriff’s department where his handler and family were given time with him.

The domestic battery victim was taken to the hospital for her injuries.

Stephens is facing new preliminary charges of cruelty to a law-enforcement animal, resisting law enforcement, domestic battery, strangulation and intimidation as well as two outstanding warrants for domestic battery.

Diesel joined the sheriff’s department in December 2016, after $18,000 for his purchase was raised by then-dispatcher and current deputy Dylan Prather. Real World Testing provided the majority of the money for Diesel’s purchase and gave him his name.

Sheriff Matt Myers said the incident remains under investigation and the department is looking for anyone who witnessed the events near the 62-mile marker of Interstate 65 between 4 and 4:30 Saturday afternoon. If you have any information you can call 812-379-1650 to speak with Lt. Chad Swank.

Photo above: Diesel receiving his badge at a ceremony in December 2016 at the Bartholomew County Commissioners meeting.

Columbus police made 10 arrests in a crackdown on crime in the downtown area Thursday.

Called “Operation Early Bird,” the crackdown involved officers from the Columbus Police Department’s Uniform Division as well as the Intelligence Led Policing Unit and Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team.

The effort came after complaints of crime in the area including cases involving fights, narcotics dealing, a shooting, chases on foot and in vehicles, stolen vehicles and thefts.

Those arrested:

• Christina S. Greathouse, 43, of Columbus: Dealing in Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 3 Felony), Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Level 6 Felony), Possession of Marijuana (Class B Misdemeanor)
• Timothy Wilder Jr., 31, of Columbus: Felony Warrant for Auto Theft, Resisting Law Enforcement, Attempted Battery by Bodily Fluids on a Law Enforcement Officer
• Skyler D. Wilson, 22, of Columbus: Two Arrest Warrants (Original Charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Conversion/Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle), Resisting Law Enforcement
• Olivia E. McNeill, 23, of Columbus: Out of County Warrant for Theft, Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device (Level 6 Felony)
• Terry W. Smith, 62, of Columbus: Parole Warrant, Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony)
• Jacob D. Voelker, 25, of Columbus: Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Cody J. Staley, 27, of Columbus: Possession of a Controlled Substance
• Woody D. Bryant, 41, of Indianapolis: Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device (Level 6 Felony), Driving While Suspended with a Prior Conviction, Possession of Marijuana
• Marlon Cowan Jr. 44, of Columbus: Felony Warrant (Original Charge Resisting Law Enforcement)
• Brittany D. Ackerman, 34, of Columbus: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

More local school districts are switching to remote learning in the wake of the surge in COVID-19 locally.

Jennings County Schools is moving to virtual learning starting Monday and lasting through at least Nov. 30th. According to a letter being sent to parents, both Hayden and North Vernon elementaries have already been closed due to the number of people who have had to quarantine due to close contact with victims of the disease. Districtwide 48 staff members are out for COVID-19 reasons. Sports and extracurricular activities at Jennings County High School will still be allowed under strict protocols. Other district schools will be allowed to restart sports after Nov. 30th.

Elementary school students will return to Jennings County schools for five days a week of in-person learning, while the middle and high schools will have hybrid instruction. Students with last names starting with A through K will attend Mondays and Thursdays, while students with L to Z last names will attend Tuesdays and Fridays.

Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools are announcing a move to virtual learning for both Hope Elementary and Hauser High School starting Tuesday and lasting through Nov. 29th. Monday will be used as a day for families to prepare for the upcoming change.

Flat Rock-Hawcreek Superintendent Shawn Price says that the district will make a determination before Thanksgiving as to whether students will be returning to in-person education on Nov. 30th. He said that decision will be largely based on whether the community is able to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Today’s report on new coronavirus cases in Indiana wasn’t the record-setter that yesterday’s report showed, but it is a close second place.

According to figures from the Indiana State Department of Health, there were 5,708 new positive cases reported today, with a positivity rate of 10.6 percent and 50 nealy reported deaths. Thursday’s report was the worst since the start of the pandemic with 6,654 new positive cases and 51 newly reported deaths . Indiana has has 4,613 deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

Bartholomew County added 83 new positive cases in today’s update with a positivity rate of 9 percent. That is the highest single day total for Bartholomew County.

Bartholome County’s per capita positivity rate is at 61.6 according to the community COVID-19 Task Force. Anything above 10 is considered severe spread of the disease. The task force is also reporting that there are 38 current COVID-19 hospitalizations in the community.

Bartholomew and surrounding counties Shelby, Johnson, Brown, Jackson and Jennings are all ranked as orange on the state color coded map, which shows a high community spread for the disease. Decatur County is in the red, or severe spread category.

A fundraiser has been set up to aid a skating instructor stabbed in the Hamilton Center Ice Arena parking lot last month.

The Lincoln Center Skate Club is collaborating with Hoosier Sporting Goods on Washington Street to help Emma Baxter through a line of clothes branded Emma Strong. The items are up for sale at the store for the next several weeks with all proceeds going to help Baxter.

She was severely injured during the Oct. 23rd attack. Police were called to the scene at 6:30 that morning after a suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Ryan T. Halligan of Columbus attacked her with a knife at about 6:30 a.m. that morning, as she was on her way in to work at the rink. She tried to flee in her car and he is accused of crashing the stolen vehicle he was driving into her vehicle to stop her.

She was flown by IU Lifeline helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital. Halligan was arrested a short time late and is facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, criminal confinement, strangulation, auto theft, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, and interference with the reporting of a crime.

Photo courtesy of City of Columbus

Columbus Regional Health is putting more restrictions in place on its campus in the face of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Under the new guidelines, one caretaker will be allowed into the hospital for inpatients and general surgical patients so they can receive information such as post-operative instructions, medication changes or mobility restrictions. That will include a support person for those with intellectual or development disabilities or cognitive impairments.

For those receiving end-of-life or comfort care, one or two family members will be allowed.

Patients in the birthing center are allowed one support person during their delivery. That one person will not be allowed to leave the unit during the mother’s entire stay in the birthing center. Parents of minors who are going through a delivery may be granted altered visitation.

For pediatric patients and those in the Level II nursery two people may be designated but only one person at a time will be allowed in.

The hospital is encouraging you to visit with patients virtually or through the E-mail-A-Patient system.

These changes go into effect on Saturday

A Statewide Silver Alert has been declared for a missing Seymour woman.

The Seymour Police Department is investigating the disappearance of 63-year-old Cheryl Souza. She is a white woman, 5 feet 3 inches tall, 180 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue jeans, and tennis shoes, and driving a blue 2005 Hyundai Sonata with a Michigan plate of DRN3902.

Cheryl is missing from Seymour and was last seen on Thursday at noon. She is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.

If you have any information on Cheryl Souza, contact the Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234 or call 911.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is in self-quarantine after experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19 and while waiting for test results.

In his absence, Chief Deputy Major Chris Lane is monitoring the overall operations of the department, supervising staff and reporting daily to Sheriff Myers.

Two of the department’s correction officers are also in quarantine for symptoms but no other staff members or inmates are showing any signs of symptoms. The sheriff’s department Road Patrol Division remains at full capacity.