Bartholomew Consolidated Schools plan to announce more details of their return to school plans today. The school district is planning for students to return to in-classroom instruction on Aug. 6th.

Dr. Jim Roberts, superintendent for BCSC, explains that last Monday the district released what they are calling an executive summary of the plan. After a week’s worth of feedback from parents and the community, today they will have more details on their plan.

One of the major concerns of parents was the issue of masks, Roberts said.

Part of the information gathering over the past week has focused on finding out how many families are planning to return their children to in-person teaching next month.

Roberts said they are planning to offer two forms of distance learning for families who do not want to send their children back into the physical school buildings. The first is meant to be short-term, no more than four weeks, while the second is meant to last all semester. The short-term distance learning plan would also be used for any student’s who test positive for COVID-19 and who need to be quarantined away from the rest of the students.

Roberts said that the details of the plan will also be discussed at next week’s school board meeting. That will be Monday, July 20th at 6:30 in the Terrace Room of the school district headquarters on Central Avenue. The number of people who can attend the meeting in person will be limited but you can watch it streaming live on the school district’s Facebook page.

You can hear more of the interview with BCSC Superintendent Jim Roberts here.

Our Hospice of South-Central Indiana is reporting what they are calling a “transformational gift” — the largest ever received by the hospice.

Sherry Risk Stark, former deputy mayor of Columbus and former leader of Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, made the donation in the name of her parents as The James Kirby Risk Jr. and Caroline Robinson Risk Fund for Palliative Support. Although the amount was not disclosed, hospice officials said the donation is a strong addition to a $4 million goal needed for long-term sustainability of the palliative support program at the hospice.

About 85 patients are currently in the Palliative Care program at the hospice. Palliative Care is a medical specialty that offers relief from symptoms for individuals with a serious illness such as chronic or acute illnesses of the heart, lungs, liver, and kidney, as well as cancer patients. Palliative Care differs from hospice care in that it can be provided at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment. it fills a in the gap in the continuum of care when an individual is suffering with unresolved symptoms or side effects during treatment, said Laura Leonard, president of the hospice.

Leonard said that Stark’s donation will bring stability to the long-term sustainability of the program. Although it is a needed service, is is only minimally reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid or insurance at only 14 to 17 cents on the dollar.

Stark said she first learned about the Palliative Care concept while going through training provide to hospital trustees and saw it is exactly the sort of service her parents would have wanted to support.

You can get more information at ourhospice.org.

Evidence left behind at the scene has allowed Seymour police to track down a suspect, eight months after a Fountain Court home burglary.

Officers were called to the home on Nov. 28th. Homeowners said they had just returned home and saw a man come from inside into their garage. The suspect then threatened the residents with a screwdriver and ran away. Police say that the residents appear to have interrupted the burglary in process, because there were items wrapped in a throw rug ready to be taken from the home.

Evidence collected at the scene was forwarded to the Indiana State Police crime lab and in March, the lab came back with a potential lead. One of the residents was then able to identify the suspect from a photo lineup. Last week, investigators arrested 34-year-old Benjamin Taylor on charges of burglary and robber. Taylor was being held in the Jackson County Jail when he was arrested. He had been incarcerated at the Pendleton Department of Corrections Industrial Facility and was returned to Jackson County for a court hearing.

Police say the investigation continues.

Columbus City Utilities is looking to increase its rates, in large part to replace aging water mains that are older or close to 100 years old.

The city water company held a presentation yesterday, outlining the need for the rate increase and the costs to customers. Scott Dompke, head of the utility, explained:

He said that the new rates, if approved, would be phased in and for an average residential customer using 4,000 gallons of water a month, would go from $9.82 a month for water service to $17.97 a month after all the increases are phased in. He said that is still less than nearby cities like Bloomington, Carmel, Indianapolis and Greensburg. The statewide average is $28.89 a month, almost three times the current Columbus rate.

The increased revenue will be used to improve the service over 20 years. A recent survey of the city’s 300 miles of water pipes shows that much of the infrastructure is aging. He said that a third of the city water mains are more than 50 years old, and 10 percent are nearly 100 years old or older.

The proposed rate increase would allow the city to replace just under two miles of water main a year. Even with $50 million dollars in 43 different planned projects, the city will only be addressing a small portion of the city’s total needs.

Dompke said the last time the city had a water rate increase was in 1992.

Under a tentative time line, the first increases would go into effect in August of next year. The utility board would consider the increase at its regular meeting next Thursday and go before City Council at the council’s July 21st meeting for their first consideration. After local approvals, it would go before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for approval.

IUPUC has revamped its MBA program with the first students to see the changes this fall.

According to the university, there are curriculum changes, a reduction in the number of credit hours and new course delivery formats. Required credits are being reduced from 45 to 36, which will allow the program to be completed in 21 months.

The program is increasing its focus on data analytics, marketing, and supply chain management. there is also a new “Student Choice Pathway” providing the opportunity for in-depth study in a specific area of interest.

Ryan Brewer, director of the MBA program, says the changes came about after nearly two years of planning. He said it means an improved program overall, but also a way to deliver high-quality education during the pandemic.

The deadline to apply for the fall semester is August 1st. You can get more information at iupuc.edu/mba or contact the Program Assistant, Amy Kleinert via email at akleiner@iu.edu

An Ohio truck driver was killed in a crash yesterday morning in the construction zone on Interstate 65 near Seymour, after his truck suffered a mechanical problem.

Indiana State Police say that 41-year-old Daniel Cosma of North Royalton, Ohio was driving southbound about three miles north of Seymour at about 9:30 a.m. when he appeared to encounter a mechanical problem. In that section of the work zone there are no shoulders and he stopped his truck in the right lane, where he got out to work on his vehicle.

A second truck, driven by 31-year-old Donald Nicholl of Decatur, Georgia, struck the first trailer, pushing the truck into Cosma, who suffered fatal injuries.

The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for nearly four hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

INDOT says that both the Carr Hill Road and County Road 200S bridges over Interstate 65 will be closed at the same time, for about a two week overlapping period.

INDOT had originally planned to have Carr Hill Road finished, when work moved to the next bridge, but now Carr Hill Road is not expected to finish until late July. And work on County Road 200S will start next week.

INDOT says that you will see lane closures on the interstate next week near Columbus. Starting Monday night, alternating lanes will be closed south of the Columbus exit, while crews remove and transport existing barriers and equipment at each work site. That work will be done between 9 p.m. at night and 6 a.m. in the morning through Saturday morning, weather permitting.

Crews will also begin install guardrails on Carr Hill Road next week.

Crews will close County Road 200S on or after Monday, July 20th with work starting that night. There will be intermittent stoppages with traffic stopped for up to 20 minutes at a time, while the existing bridge is demolished. That work is also going to be between 9 p.m. at night and 6 a.m.  in the morning. The demolition work is expected to take about a week.

According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 49,063 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 455 cases since Tuesday’s update.

There have been 2,539 deaths in Indiana as of Wednesday afternoon’s update, an increase of 15 since Tuesday.

Bartholomew County has had 591 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 45 deaths.

The city of Columbus is adding almost 40 acres on the northeast side of the city under an annexation and rezoning plan approved by Columbus City Council.

The developers, BHI Retirement Communities, are planning a 103-unit retirement community at the northeast corner of Talley Road and Rocky Ford Road or County Road 250N.

Council voted unanimously to approve the second and final reading of the annexation ordinance.

The Council also gave its first approval of a rezoning request that will change the property’s use from Agriculture to Multi-Family Residential.

The heat index is expected to climb to nearly 100 again this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

High temperatures in the lower 90s will be combining with high humidity levels to produce possibly dangerous heat.

If you are planning to be active outdoors, take breaks out of the sun and drink plenty of fluids. And authorities are warning that young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.