The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office saw significant increases in homicides and overdoses last year, but the largest increase was in the number of natural deaths investigated in the county.

The coroner’s office released its annual report for 2020 this week, which showed 31 deaths from overdoses, an increase over the previous record of 30 set in 2017. According to County Coroner Clayton Nolting, there were five homicides last year in the county, up from the one in 2017, none in 2018 and two in 2019.

But the number of natural deaths investigated by the coroner’s office increased to 125 last year compared to 94 in both 2017 and 2018, and 89 in 2019.

According to Nolting’s report, there were some bright spots as the number of suicides decreased in 2020 from 16 the previous year to 12 last year. And there were no deaths of children to be investigated last year, compared to six in 2019 and 5 in each of the two prior years.

You can read the entire 2020 Bartholomew County Coroner’s Report here.

From our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks Inc.

Longtime talk radio host Rush Limbaugh is dead. His wife Kathryn made the announcement.

The 70-year-old passed away after a year-long battle with advanced lung cancer, a diagnosis he revealed was terminal just months ago.

Since achieving radio syndication stardom in the late 80’s, he has grown into the most listened-to radio show in the U.S. Limbaugh opened up about his cancer battle late last year, admitting he wasn’t expecting to make it to December.

In February of 2020, President Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his final State of the Union address.

Trump is remembering Rush Limbaugh after learning the conservative radio host passed away today.

Trump said he spoke with Limbaugh a couple of days ago by phone and noted he was fighting until the very end.  Trump praised Limbaugh as a fantastic man and a fantastic talent.  He said Limbaugh was very courageous during his battle with cancer and he wished he could have visited with Limbaugh in his final days, but that wasn’t possible.

Talk show host Sean Hannity says the conservative media landscape today would look a lot different if there was no Rush Limbaugh.

Hannity said there would be no talk radio, Fox News or other right-wing broadcasts if Limbaugh had not set the stage.  He credited Limbaugh with putting the nation on a conservative course, saying he had changed the minds of generations of Americans.

Ivy Tech Community College will be hosting Virtual Express Enrollment Days from Wednesday, March 3rd to Friday, March 5th. Prospective students will be able to complete their enrollment steps virtually and sign up for classes that start on March 22nd.

This March, Ivy Tech will be offering a wide range of programs including healthcare, IT and manufacturing. There are also short-term certificate options that are entirely online and available for free through the Workforce Ready Grant, under Next Level Jobs program.

Appointments will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. During the appointment, participants will receive assistance with assessment, meeting with an advisor, and registering for classes. To take part you must RSVP.

To make an appointment you can visit ivytech.edu/eeday.

Columbus Animal Care Services says it is time to bring your outside pets into a sheltered space.

Nicohl Birdwell-Goodin, director of the city animal shelter says that the city requires outdoor dogs be brought into a temperature controlled building when it drops to below 20 degrees outside.

The agency is urging residents to protect their pets in the bitter cold. In addition to adequate shelter, you should make sure there is plenty of drinkable water and extra food. Check water bowls to make sure they haven’t frozen over. An outdoor pet is more likely to drink from puddles that may contain anti-freeze or other toxic chemicals if they can’t get to clean drinking water.

Dog houses should only be large enough for a pooch to turn around and not much more. It should be half filled with straw for bedding and insulation. Birdwell-Goodin said that straw is much better than blankets as dogs can burrow into the material for extra warmth, while blankets can get wet and freeze. You should face the opening to the south and cover the door with heavy plastic or cloth strips to keep the wind outside and the body heat inside.

She also warns that you should be checking under the hood of your vehicle before starting it, just in case outdoor cats are napping against the warm engine. She suggests knocking on the hood before starting it, to give them a chance to escape.

The Gleaners Food Bank distribution set for today at the Columbus Municipal Airport has been canceled due to dangerously low temperatures.

It has been rescheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, February 26th at the airport at 5175 N. Warren Drive.

You will be able to stay in your vehicle and the food will be delivered to you. There will be no early arrivals and there is no parking allowed on River Road or Cunningham Drive.

No ID is required.

Legislation from Seymour Republican State Rep. Jim Lucas was supposed to deal with decriminalization of marijuana, but it’s been changed.

The latest proposal to deal with marijuana in Indiana law would set standards for how much pot you could have in your system. It would establish a THC-blood intoxication limit of five nanograms while operating a vehicle. Lucas says he’s happy to be moving in the direction of legal marijuana in the state. His plan cleared a statehouse committee yesterday.

The city of Columbus is formalizing an agreement with a developer for the construction of apartments and an urban grocer next to the Bartholomew County Jail downtown.

Last night Columbus City Council approved the agreement for a $40 million dollar project on Second Street with developer Flaherty & Collins of Indianapolis. The company is proposing to build 200 apartments with 6,000 square feet of community space including swimming pools, bbq areas and leasing space, 400 parking spaces and a 12 thousand to 15 thousand square foot grocery at the property just east of the jail. The project would open in about three years.

In addition to providing the property for the project, the city through the Columbus Redevelopment Commission would guarantee more than $11 million dollars in bonds as the city contribution to the project. However, Mayor Jim Lienhoop pointed out that the bonds would be repaid by the city through property taxes paid by the developer, essentially paying for the financing itself.

The city had originally envisioned a joint project with a hotel conference center across the street in the jail parking lot between Second and Third Streets, but that project with Sprague Developers is on hold until the market for hotel rooms improves.

Council members Elaine Hilber and Grace Kestler questioned the pricing of the apartments in the new development and how that would fit into the housing crunch in the community. Flaherty & Collins representatives said they expected the cost to be similar to the apartments at the Cole. Councilman Frank Miller questioned the uncertainty of the cost to the city for the bonds and Councilman Jerone Wood questioned the damage the new apartments could do to the existing rental market.

Council voted 5-1 to approve the agreement, with Wood voting against the project.

There is no letup in the brutal cold punishing our area and much of the U.S.

Bitterly cold air continues across the area this morning and patchy, dense fog is also possible. You can expect to see some slick spots on the roads out there this morning and most of our area counties remain under a travel watch, which means only essential travel, such as to and from work or in emergency situations, is recommended.

That includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Shelby counties. Johnson County is under a travel advisory, the lowest level of travel restriction.

The National Weather Service says another up to two inches of snow could hit Indiana south of Interstate 70 this evening and overnight.

Bartholomew County is reducing its travel status to an orange level, or a travel watch.

That is an improvement from the red travel warning status that the county was under last night and this morning.

Shannan Cooke, director of Bartholomew County Emergency Management, says many roads within the city and county have been cleared at least once by crews. There are some outlying county roads that have not been cleared and may be impassable at this time.

She said crews will be continuing to work throughout the day but asked that you use extreme caution when out traveling. Also, do not travel if you do not have to. If you must be out, allow extra time and reduce your speed.

A travel watch means means that conditions are threatening to the safety of the public. During a “watch” local travel status, only essential travel, such as to and from work or in emergency situations, is recommended, and emergency action plans should be implemented by businesses, schools, government agencies, and other organizations.

Photo: INDOT snow plow in Columbus. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Emergency Management

Almost all of our area counties have raised the travel status to a warning or red level, which restricts travel to emergencies only. Affected counties locally include Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings counties.

Johnson and Shelby counties have upgraded to a watch, or orange level.

The Bartholomew County Commissioners have signed a Disaster Emergency Declaration that is in effect until noon today.

During a travel warning you are directed to refrain from all travel; to comply with necessary emergency measures; to cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans; and to obey and to comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

As of 6 a.m. this morning, every county in Indiana was under some sort of travel restriction, with most being red or orange, which is a travel watch. Marion County was the only one in the state at the lowest, yellow, advisory level.