Schneck Medical Center in Seymour has announced it is now a VA Community Care Network provider for Veterans. The new network serves as the direct link between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Schneck healthcare providers. Optum, part of UnitedHealthcare, will manage the network and process claims on behalf of VA.

“Schneck is honored to serve our Veterans,” said Warren Forgey, President/CEO, Schneck Medical Center. “We feel a deep sense of privilege and honor as we partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help meet the healthcare needs of our local Veterans.”

To be eligible, a Veteran must be enrolled in VA’s patient enrollment system AND have an approved referral from VA for community care. The VA will provide a referral for a Veteran to receive community care when services are not available at a VA medical facility, an appointment is not available at a VA medical facility within a certain timeframe or the Veteran lives too far away from a VA medical facility. This service is for veterans only. Caregivers and family members are not eligible.

For more information on the VA Community Care Network, call Schneck Patient Financial Services at 812-522-0411.

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will continue right-of-way mechanical brush cutting across the Southeast District this winter. The work is being done to remove trees, shrubs and other vegetation along a number of state highways.

INDOT says that operations are typically performed on shoulders with minimal traffic impacts. However, motorists should still use caution and watch for active crews throughout the district.

Specific routes where brush cutting is planned include U.S. 50, S.R. 46, U.S. 31, U.S. 421, S.R. 7, S.R. 3, S.R. 135, S.R. 446 and S.R. 250.

Brush cutting is completed to remove vegetation that is blocking line-of-sight or traffic signs, reduce asphalt deterioration due to trapped moisture and provide shoulder space for motorists.

For more information on INDOT’s roadside management program, visit greenercrossroads.com.

U.S. Congressman Greg Pence has released the following statement on the death of Qasem Soleimani:

“Qasem Soleimani had the blood of hundreds of American patriots on his hands. Our Embassy is sovereign soil and our response was forceful and appropriate. Evil has been taken off this earth,” said Congressman Pence. “By the grace of God I shipped out of Beirut just before the 1983 Marine Barracks bombing orchestrated by Iran-backed terrorists. I know what the Iranian terrorist network is capable of. I stand firmly in support of President Trump, Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Esper.”

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that it spent the last day of 2019, cracking down on drug-dealing in the community.

Following a lengthy investigation, deputies served an arrest warrant on 58 year old Ralph D. Murray at his North Vernon home on Tuesday. Deputies report that the Sheriff’s Office narcotics team oversaw the purchase of illegal drugs from Murray.

He is facing two preliminary charges of dealing methamphetamine.

This story has been updated.

2020 is a Presidential election year but a number of state and local races will also be on your ballot.

Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps explains that along with federal offices like seats in the U.S. House, other races will be settled as well. That includes the offices of Indiana Governor and Attorney General and statehouse races in the Indiana House and Senate.

Bartholomew County voters will also be choosing county commissioners for districts 1 and 3, members of county council at large, and Superior Court 2 Judge.

Other local races will include Hope Town Council seats in Wards 1, 2 and 3 and Hartsville Town Council members.

Many local voters could also be asked to approve a property tax increase through a referendum being considered by the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board. If the tax increase is approved by the school board later this month, it would appear on the May primary ballot of those living in the school district.

Candidates can begin filing their candidacies on Wednesday, Jan. 8th at the Voter Registration Office in the Bartholomew County Courthouse.

Leadership of the Columbus Police Department is a little different as we enter a new decade.

Michael Richardson, a 25 year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, became CPD’s new Chief of Police when he was sworn in by Mayor Jim Lienhoop during a ceremony at Columbus City Hall on Wednesday.

Richardson is a life-long resident of Columbus and Bartholomew County. He has nearly two decades of supervisory experience. During his time at CPD, Richardson has served as patrol officer, field training officer, bike patrol officer, bomb technician, uniform sergeant, uniform lieutenant, uniform captain and deputy chief of police.

Richardson is a graduate of Vincennes University with an Associates of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement and a graduate of Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership Academy.

Chief Richardson commented, “I consider it a privilege to be selected as the CPD Chief of Police and look forward to continuing to move forward on ideas and initiatives that have made the Columbus Police Department one of the premiere law enforcement agencies in the State of Indiana.”

Richardson also announced his new law enforcement command staff. They will be responsible for assisting with the daily operations and management of the Columbus Police Department.

Deputy Chief of Police: Steve Norman is a 25 year veteran of the Columbus Police Department. During his service at CPD, Major Norman has worked his way up the ranks of the department as a patrol officer, a member of the CPD SWAT team, narcotics detective, public relations officer, uniform sergeant, uniform lieutenant and uniform captain. Dep. Chief Norman is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.

Administrative Captain: Jon Rohde is a nearly 19 year veteran of the Columbus Police Department and most recently served as CPD’s Chief of Police for the last five years. Rohde joined the Columbus Police Department in 2001 and has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, SWAT team member, narcotics detective, narcotics detective sergeant, and previously served as administrative captain before becoming chief of police. Captain Rohde attended Indiana University in Bloomington and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He later attended the Indiana School of Law in Indianapolis where he obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence.

Uniform Captain: Jay Frederick is serving in his 30th year as a law enforcement officer in Columbus. Capt. Frederick joined CPD in 2001 after working at the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office. Frederick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Safety with a specialization in Criminal Justice.

Chief Richardson commented; “Our police command staff consists of veteran officers with an extensive amount of education, skill, and law enforcement experience. I am pleased that they have agreed to continue to serve Columbus in their respective roles.” Richardson added: “Their proven leadership has been invaluable over their many years of service to our community and I look forward to working closely with them in the future.”

Some area organizations are among the recipients of more than $175,000 awarded to nonprofits.

Indiana Landmarks announced Thursday it has distributed $176,250 to nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2019 to help preserve meaningful places across the state. Drawing from a variety of funds, the grants support projects ranging from structural analysis for endangered places to a documentary about the West Baden Colored Church and an effort to place a rural farmhouse on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Not only do these grants help with material costs associated with saving places important to communities, but they also often spark community action and inspire other giving,” said Marsh Davis, president of Indiana Landmarks, the country’s largest statewide nonprofit preservation organization. “In that way, they deliver a return that reaches well beyond a specific project and well beyond a dollar amount.”

Area groups receiving Indiana Landmarks’ Sacred Places funding include:

– First Christian Church in Columbus is receiving a $5,000 Sacred Places Grant for repairs to the tower skylight at the 1942 church.

– North Christian Church, Columbus, $25,000 for HVAC restoration at the 1964 church.

Indiana Landmarks’ Sacred Places program helps active congregations raise money and harness their houses of worship for outreach and growth.

Area groups receiving Efroymson Family Endangered Places Grants include:

– Main Street Greensburg, $3,500 for a reuse study of the 1885 St. Mary’s Catholic Church and 1917 school.

– Montgomery Township, Jennings County, $2,000 for a reuse study of the 1953 Paris Crossing Gym.

Efroymson Family Endangered Places grants can be used for architectural and structural assessments, rehab cost analysis, and reuse studies.

The mission of Indiana Landmarks is to help people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns.

We are taking a look back at the top stories of 2019.

In October, a baby was found in a plastic bag on the side of the road in Seymour. A person walking their dog called the police to say they found the infant alive along a fence row about 20 yards from South Jackson Park Drive. The child was taken for an examination at Schneck Medical Center and determined to be healthy.

Also in October, a Columbus police car was contaminated with fentanyl after a trespassing arrest at Walmart. A suspect, 20-year-old Alexis R. Daniels was put into a patrol car. But when officers arrived at the jail, they found a white substance, later identified as as mixture of heroin and fentanyl, on Daniels’ hands and in the floorboard where she was seated. The car was quarantined and the interior was later cleaned by members of the county’s Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team.

Later in the month of October, 21-year-old Kyla M. Ortlieb of Columbus died while biking near near 11th & Chestnut Streets. She was struck by an SUV that left the scene of the crash and was abandoned nearby. A few days later, Columbus police arrested 27-year-old Eric Michael Winship at his northern Bartholomew County home on preliminary charges of failing to stop after an accident resulting in a death and possession of a legend drug injection device.

In November, Democrats took over Columbus City Council after a tight race, coming down to a one vote margin in East Columbus. In City Council District 1, Democrat Jerone Wood won by a single vote, 260-259 over incumbent Republican Dascal Bunch. Michael Kinder came in third place with 81 votes. Bunch would later file for a recount, which affirmed Wood’s single vote margin of victory. Democrats also picked up one of the at-large seats on City Council, with Grace Kestler picking up that seat for the party.

Just after Veterans Day in November, a local veteran was honored with an award from the French government. 95-year-old World War II veteran Marvin Sabatino, a Columbus resident, received the French Legion of Honor at a ceremony in Indianapolis.

Also in November, Cummins said it was preparing for an expected downturn in business this year. At a meeting with analysts and shareholders in New York City, the company’s leadership team said it would be lowering costs by $250 to $300 million dollars this year.

President and COO Tony Satterthwaite explained the cost-cutting.

A few days later, Cummins announced plans to cut its global workforce by 2,000 early this year.

Later in November, Bartholomew Consolidated Schools canceled classes because so many staff members requested personal time off to participate in “Red For Ed Action Day” in Indianapolis. The Indiana State Teachers Association said the goal of the event is to let state legislators know about the importance of adequately funding public education. BCSC also could not hold an e-learning day because so many of the educators were in Indianapolis. Students will make up the day by losing a day during spring break.

In December, BCSC announced a proposal to increase local property taxes to pay for teacher and staff raises. School Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts made the case to the school board in December, pointing out that even with the increase BCSC would still be below the state average tax rate and the rates of surrounding school districts. For the owner of the average priced home in the school district, with standard deductions, that would mean an increase of about $120 a year in their tax bills. The school board will be considering the tax increase later this month and if approved, it would go to the voters on primary election day in May.

In December, a bus aide died in a Jennings County School bus crash at the split of State Roads 7 and 3, just south of Vernon. 74-year-old Mary Boyd, of North Vernon, was taken to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital where she was pronounced dead. She was a bus aide who rode on the bus route to monitor the students. She had been employed with the school district for about ten years. No children were on board the bus at the time of the crash.

Later in the month, Columbus police recovered drugs, guns and money and arrested 12 people in a raid on California Street. An investigation led police to believe that guns and drugs were inside the home and a city-county SWAT team raided the home in 2100 block of California Street. Police found methamphetamine in a small child’s bedroom. They also found about a pound of methamphetamine, a quarter ounce of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, marijuana, several controlled substances, as well as drug paraphernalia, syringes, scales, and drug packaging material. Several rifles were recovered including AR-15s and an AK-47, plus four handguns, ammunition and cash.

Also in December, a recount gave control of Columbus City Council to Democrats. Jerone Wood’s single vote margin in the District 1 race was affirmed after a recount requested by Republican Councilman Dascal Bunch following his loss as he sought his third term. Bunch, was defeated 260-259.

We are taking a look back at our top stories of the year 2019.

In July, Columbus agreed to purchase a property owned by the mayor’s aunt to be used for parks department storage. The former Machinery Moving site was found to have environmental contamination during the appraisal process. However, local officials expressed confidence that the issue can be remedied at little expense locally. Pam Harrell, director of business services for Columbus Parks and Rec, explained.

In late July, residents were concerned after funnel cloud was spotted in northern Bartholomew County, and tornado sirens sounded, but no Everbridge alerts went out to the community. The National Weather Service said that the funnel was not a tornado, but rather a rare cold air funnel. And no tornado warning was issued by teh agency. Without that warning, the Everbridge system did not activate.

Also in July, a Jennings County woman was arrested after she showed up to a probation hearing wearing someone else’s dentures that she had allegedly stolen. Deputies received a report from a victim in Country Squire Lakes who said that Joann Childers had taken her dentures. The false teeth were out in plain view in Childer’s home, and even had the victims’ name on them. The stolen teeth were recovered and Childers is facing preliminary charges of theft, according to police reports.

In August, Columbus Regional Health was looking at how it would use the space in Fair Oaks Mall, which it purchased with the city at the end of 2018. Jim Bickel, the health system’s president and CEO, said the hospital will be using the facility for a community focus on health and wellness and the physicians who will be supporting those efforts.

Also in August, a Jackson County inmate walked away from the jail. 39-year-old Daniel A. Coomer was recaptured by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. He escaped when he was taken by jail staff into the outdoor recreation area with other inmates and discovered a door to the outside was unlocked.

The Columbus resident who headed the Indiana National Guard stepped down in August in the face of a lawsuit alleging harassment, defamation and a vendetta against a former Guard military contractor. Maj. Gen. Courtney Carr had served as Adjutant General since 2015.

In September, Bartholomew Consolidated Schools were making plans to borrow $900 thousand dollars to provide for the technology needs of students and staff next year.

Chad Phillips, the assistant superintendent for financial services, said that the loan is needed because of decreasing revenue from the state due to tax caps.

The district plans to spend just over $586 thousand dollars to purchase laptops for next year’s estimated 997 incoming freshmen.

Also in September, the city of Columbus made plans to pay its share of an additional $5 million dollars for the downtown railroad overpass project. New estimates from INDOT indicated that the project would cost $35.66 million dollars instead of the previous $30 million estimate. Officials said that the extra expense came from the state spending more than expected to buy up property for the right-of-way, along with increased construction costs.

Nine Jennings County High School students were detained and charged after they walked out of the school in September. A small group of students staged a demonstration inside the school over safety concerns and then moved their group to the sidewalk just outside of the building. City police were asked to intervene when students began leaving the school grounds without permission The students were charged with truancy and released to a parent or guardian.

Three Jennings County school students were arrested earlier in the month after threats were made against schools and students.

Columbus had a historic swearing in ceremony on New Year’s morning. Not only are Democrats taking control of the city council for the first time since the early 80s, but Columbus has its first African American council member.

A standing-room only crowd filled the large Cal Brand meeting room at Columbus City Hall yesterday morning for the ceremony.

African-American and Democrat Jerone Wood was sworn in after his 1-vote margin of victory in Council District 1, which covers the East Columbus neighborhoods and part of downtown.

Wood and at-large councilwoman Grace Kestler took over seats formerly held by Republicans to give control of the council to the Democrats.

Republican Dave Bush was sworn in for his first full term representing District 3.

Democrat Elaine Hilber was sworn in for her second term representing Council District 2

Democrat Tom Dell was also sworn in for a second term to an at-large seat on the council.

Republican Tim Shuffett is returning to the council for his third term.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer were also sworn in and Lienhoop swore in the city’s department heads.

Lienhoop said that despite the party switch, he expected the new council would continue to work for the betterment of Columbus.

Lienhoop looked back at the accomplishments of the last four years.

Also sworn in yesterday were Democratic council member Tom Dell and Republican Tim Shuffett. Republican Frank Miller was sworn in last month because he was unavailable yesterday.