Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District will offer free loading of mulch and compost to Bartholomew County residents on Friday, June 19 and Friday, June 26 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
The regular Friday Loading Program is postponed while the BCSWMD office remains closed to the public due to COVID-19. Residents will not need to stop by the office for a loading ticket during the free loading events.
For more information call 812-376-2614.
Seymour police called in the Columbus Bomb Squad for a situation at a home last week.
Police were called to a home in the 800 block of South Lynn Street at about 11:22 a.m. Thursday morning to help the Jackson County Probation Department with a probation search. that’s when they discovered a homemade explosive device, a simulator trap whistling device and a simulated projectile ground burst device.
The police department says that although two of the items were training devices, they were still listed as explosives. One of the devices could have been compared to a half stick of dynamite in explosive force.
Officers cleared from the residence and made the immediate area safe.
Columbus Police Department’s Bomb Squad came to the location and safely removed the devices from the residence so they could be properly disposed of.
Seymour police say the person at the home was cooperative and at no time was the public in any immediate danger.
The investigation is continuing.
According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 39,909 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 407 cases since Saturday’s update.
There have been 2,240 deaths in Indiana as of Sunday afternoon’s update, an increase of 9 since Saturday.
There have been no new deaths in Bartholomew or surrounding counties since last week.
Bartholomew County has had 551 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had 41 deaths.
In other area counties, Decatur County has had 237 cases and 32 deaths, Jennings 141 cases and 4 deaths, Jackson 416 cases and 2 deaths, Brown 36 cases and 1 death, Johnson 1,168 cases and 114 deaths and Shelby 405 cases with 22 deaths.
Columbus firefighters made an unusual rescue Friday afternoon, after a little boy got his hand trapped inside a toy vending machine.
The incident happened at El Nopal Mexican Restaurant on West Jonathan Moore Pike at about 12:10 p.m. Friday afternoon, when the 6-year-old boy trapped his hand and wrist inside of a vending machine in the restaurant’s lobby.
Unable to free the boy’s hand, firefighters instead dismantled the machine. Firefighter say a screwdriver made quick work of the hungry machine and the boy was soon free.
Columbus Police and Columbus Regional Hospital assisted at the scene.
During a normal summer, Columbus Parks and Recreation Department would be hosting day camps at Donner Center. But with the COVID-10 restrictions ending those plans, organizers decided to go in a different direction. Jacob Hendricks with the parks department explains.
The first Camp in Box, for ages 3-12, starting today will be “It’s Alive,” a science based day camp.
Next week’s Camp in a Box will be Adventures in Reading and a third week, starting June 29th will be Wilderness Survival.
You can get more information at columbusparksandrec.com or on their Facebook page.
Columbus police spotted a stolen SUV last week, leading to the arrest of three people.
Officers noticed the stolen vehicle driving near 10th Street and Marr Road Thursday afternoon. Police stopped the vehicle in a shopping center lot in the 1100 block of North National Road. a search of the vehicle uncovered methamphetamine, prescription medications, syringes and digital scales.
34-year-old David R. Bozell is facing preliminary charges of auto theft and driving while suspended. Passengers, 45-year-old Samantha Banks and 25-year-old Alison KN Overfelt are facing charges for possessing the methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and syringes and for unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.
Banks is also accused of possession of a legend drug.
You can expect to see lane closures on U.S. 31 between Amity and Taylorsville starting today. INDOT says that contractors are planning to begin work this week on a $8.4 million dollar asphalt resurfacing project that will go from just south of Interstate 65 at Taylorsville to State Road 252 at Amity.
Crews will begin saw-cutting today, followed by patching, milling and paving. The work is expected to be complete this fall. The schedule is dependent on the weather.
INDOT says you should slow down, use extra caution and drive without distractions through all work zones.
The Columbus Area Arts Council has launched The Mask Project to help promote public health in Bartholomew County.
Local artists and designers are creating custom fabric patterns for face masks that are useful, fun and fashionable. The project creates an opportunity for expression within the local creative community, many of who have been affected by the pandemics.
About 20 artists and designers are taking part. With the help of volunteers, the Arts Council plans to produce 7,500 free masks that will be available from safe pick-up locations throughout Bartholomew County.
Dates, times and locations for those distributions will be announced soon. If you are interested in volunteering to make masks, you can email info at Arts In Columbus dot org.
This project is supported by Heritage Fund – the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, Columbus Regional Health and Healthy Communities Proyecto Salud Action Team.
Indiana is advancing to the next stage of its reopening plan today.
Governor Holcomb announced that Indiana is beginning Stage 4 of the Back on Track Indiana plan two days earlier than originally planned, according to our news-gathering partners at TTWN.
Playgrounds, race tracks, museums, and the state Capitol in Indiana can finally reopen for the first time since March. Restaurants can open to 75-percent of their capacity, and bars can open to 50-percent.
This stage allows for social gatherings of up to 250 people.Public health managers say even with more things reopening, you should maintain some social distance and wearing face coverings is encouraged.
A month-old baby was seriously injured and a teen was hurt after being battered by a woman in Seymour, according to Indiana State Police.
Troopers were called to a residence in the 9000 block of East County Road 700N near Seymour at about 7 p.m. Wednesday night to check on the welfare of a four-week-old infant at the home.
Troopers found that the baby boy was injured and a 15-year-old teen girl at the home was also injured. The baby was taken first to Schneck Medical Center and then to to IU Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of serious but what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.
36-year-old Amanda J. Miller is being accused of battering the two shortly before officers were called to the home. She also appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance, troopers report.
Miller was arrested on preliminary felony charges of domestic battery in the presence of a minor, domestic battery on a victim under the age of 14 and neglect of a dependent.