Columbus police are looking for your help solving a series of vehicle break-ins yesterday on the south side of the city.
Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the department, says that there were reports of about 10 thefts from vehicles in the Shadow Creek Farms subdivision between 3 and 6 Thursday morning. The vehicles were unlocked and two handguns were stolen during the thefts.
Harris said that two people were seen on video leaving a white car and pulling on the door handle of another vehicle during the time of the thefts. The suspects then left the area shortly afterwards.
If you have any information, you can contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.
The Bartholomew County COVID-19 Task Force announced this morning that the community will be resetting to Stage 4.5 of the governor’s Back on Track plan after a spike in local cases of the disease.
Dr. Brian Niedbalski, the county health officer, said the official announcement could be coming as soon as this afternoon.
Niedbalski explained some of the restrictions that are being put back in place:
Some of the main changes are that dining rooms in restaurants will still be open, but will be reduced to 75 percent capacity. Bar seating and capacity will be reduced to 50 percent, as will bowling alleys and movie theaters and any other indoor entertainment activities.
Niedbalski said that the event capacity had been lifted to 500, but will now be restricted again to 250. And where specific events were previously allowed to submit plans to go above those limits, at least for the time being that will be a hard limit that can not be exceeded.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Dr. Jim Roberts, superintendent of Bartholomew Consolidated Schools both stressed the importance of community cooperation to help get this spike under control so things can again be returned to a more normal level of operations. Measures that help include wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing and sanitizing.
Dr. Thomas Sonderman, chief medical officer at Columbus Regional Health, said that contract tracing locally has revealed major outbreaks that can be attributed back to social events such as Halloween parties, weddings and birthdays, or through contact with an infected person in the household.
Roberts said that there has been no evidence that school activities, either in class or extra-curricular, have led to outbreaks of the disease.
The decision to reinstitute restrictions comes on the heels of the Bartholomew Consolidated Schools switching to virtual learning due to the increase in community spread of the disease. That will to into effect on Monday.
Seymour Police are warning you to be careful with your hard-earned money after a series of scam reports in the community.
Police posted on social media about a recent incident where a widow was scammed out of about $30,000 over the course of more than a year. The scammer pretended to befriend the woman and hit her up for gift cards of $50 to $500 over 13 months. The woman never learned the would-be friend’s full name, only had burner cell phone numbers and a temporary e-mail address for the person and what the scammer claimed were his photos.
Seymour Police are suggesting that you be very cautious communicating with random people on social media. Do not give money based on promises. Ask your friends or family for advice. Outsiders can usually tell when something sounds “sketchy” well before victims. And never pay someone via gift cards or other untraceable means.
Foundation For Youth will be deep cleaning its facilities today after a person in the foundation community tested positive for COVID-19. The work will be going on this morning and the facility is expected to be open for after school activities, as well as athletics and aquatics. Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs will also continue as scheduled.
The foundation announced yesterday that the person was last present at FFY on Friday, Oct. 30th. Everyone who had close contact with the person, within six feet for 15 minutes or more, has been contacted and instructed to quarantine for 14 days. If they show symptoms, they will have to extend their isolation for 10 days after the symptoms first appear.
FFY officials say that if you were not contacted directly, you do not have to quarantine and may continue to attend after school activities.
Chuck Kime, executive director of FFY, suggests that you stress the importance of masks to your children as well as social distancing and sanitizing and washing your hands.
Local COVID-19 indicators, released last night by the Bartholomew County COVID-19 Community Task Force show per capita rate and hospitalizations in the red category, with positive test rates nearly red.
The task force is reporting 43 new cases locally with a positivity per capita rate of 33.4. 17 people are currently hospitalized. Anything above 10 per capita is considered in the red and Bartholomew County has not been below that level since Oct. 9th. The number of new cases is higher now than at any point since the pandemic started.
59 people have died in Bartholomew County from COVID-19 since the pandemic hit locally in March. The most recent death was two weeks ago on Oct. 23rd.
Indiana hit a new coronavirus milestone. The state Department of Health yesterday reported 4,462 coronavirus positives yesterday. That’s the first time Indiana has ever had more than 4,000 positives in one day. The state also reported an additional 45 coronavirus-related deaths.
Bartholomew Consolidated Schools are announcing that schools will be going virtual starting Monday due to dangerous increases in COVID-19 rates.
According to an announcement from the school district this evening, “Although our county color designation by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) is yellow, our internal numbers lead us to believe that we will be moving into orange next week.”
The district reported that rising cases and subsequent quarantines of their close contacts, are impacting the district’s ability to properly staff buildings and provide bus routes.
The district plans to go virtual through Nov. 24th, the last student day before Thanksgiving Break. The hope would be to return to in-person teaching with remote options after the break, on Monday, Nov. 30th.
“However, we will closely monitor the level of community spread and make a final determination on a return date prior to Thanksgiving,” the district announced.
Local COVID-19 indicators, released today on the COVID-19 Community Task Force website show per capita rate and hospitalizations in the red category, with positive test rates nearly red.
The Columbus Area Arts Council is looking for asphalt art. The arts group has issued a request for qualifications from an artist or team of artists to create a ground plane mural along 16th Street between the intersections of Home Avenue and Union Street.
The project is mean to create a visually appealing piece of artwork that will inspire and uplift residents and visitors. It should improve walkability, safety and increase foot traffic in the area, which is seen as a budding neighborhood commercial node.
The budget for the project is going to be $20,000. Five thousand dollars will be used to cover design fees, insurance, and travel and lodging during the project. The remaining $15,000 will be used for expenses, materials, supplies and implementation.
This project is being made possible by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative grant program, the City of Columbus and Columbus Regional Health’s Healthy Communities initiative.
Applications are due by Dec. 4th at 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon.
The Chili Cook Off for the Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund will look different this year, as it becomes a drive-through event on Friday evening.
Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department explains that the cook off will be held at Fire Station 1 at the corner of Jackson and 11th Streets starting at 5p.m. Friday evening and lasting until the pots of chili run out.
To prevent traffic congestion, drivers will be routed to 15th Street where it becomes Jackson Street and the will exit after getting chili at the fire station west onto 11th Street.
Wilson said this year’s event will be a free-will donation to help with the fundraising for the annual holiday toy drive. Cash or checks will be accepted.
Wilson explained that like many events and organizations, the Cheer Fund has been affected negatively by the pandemic including limits on accepting used toys. The decision to go to a drive-thru cook off was made to protect firefighters and the community from the coronavirus.
The cookoff will overlap with the Kamp Out for Kids, where Indiana Country 101.5 WKKG will be having live broadcasts and a toy drive from the fire station Friday and Saturday.
Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund is the oldest charitable organization in Bartholomew County. Money raised goes to provide Christmas gifts for the needy children of the community.
Traffic flow during Friday’s Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund Chili Cookoff. Courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.
Columbus will allow fireworks to be set off for the celebration of Hindu religious holidays later this month, under a proposal approved last night by the City Council.
Council members voted last night to approve the use of fireworks for the holidays of Dussehra and Diwali, also known as the festival of lights. The fireworks would be allowed between 6 and 10 p.m. at night , Nov. 13th, 14th and 15th under the resolution.
The issue was first brought to the council last month, after it was brought up that the city ordinances, in accordance with state law, only allows fireworks around the 4th of July and New Year’s holidays.
The resolution outlined the desire of the city government to promote and protect religious freedom as well as diversity, while also to protect the health and safety of the citizens as well as safeguarding property.
Councilman Frank Miller spoke against the resolution, not because of its content, but because the change had not come through the city’s ordinance review committee. Ultimately, all six members of the council that were present voted for the resolution.
Council also gave its first approval to a change in the city ordinances for the New Year’s Eve fireworks, after an error was found in the ending time when fireworks are allowed.
More details are being released in the Indiana State Police investigation into a Sunday night police shooting in Seymour.
Officers there shot and killed 43-year-old Jason S. Cline of Beech Grove after he ran from officers and displayed a gun during a shoplifting investigation Sunday night. According to troopers, the incident began at about 8:30 p.m. Sunday night when officers were called to the Walmart store on East Tipton Street. They found Cline pushing a shopping cart containing items allegedly taken from the store.
Rather than stop, police say Cline ran across Tipton Street and into a deep ditch near the Taco Bell store at Burkhart Boulevard. The officers caught up to Cline and attempted to take him into custody. But Cline would not let the police handcuff him and pulled a handgun. Both officers opened fire, hitting Cline. They then provided medical treatment until he was taken to Schneck Medical Center by medics, where he later died.
State police say that the gun was loaded and had been reported stolen. State police were called in by Seymour authorities to investigate the incident.
An autopsy was performed Tuesday confirming Cline’s identity. He also went by the names Jason Tabor and Jason Tabor Cline.
Both officers, who have yet to be named, have been placed on administrative leave by Seymour Police Chief Bryant Lucas. Once Indiana State Police finish their investigation, the results will be passed on to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration.
