A pig-farming facility in Jackson County has been cleared of accusations made in an activist’s video.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video last month purportedly shot at East Fork Farms in Brownstown. The next day, an investigation by Indiana State Police was opened and a veterinarian along with investigators inspected the facility finding no violations. Further, parts of the video appeared to be staged and some scenes were shot at other locations.
An Indiana Board of Health veterinarian’s inspection also did not reveal any wrongdoing, although the vets did provide some suggestions for improvements.
After State Police finished their investigation, it was passed to Jackson County Prosecutor Jeff Chalfant who decided not to file any charges in the case.
The play, “The Well House” is returning to Hope tonight and tomorrow with dinner shows at Willow Leaves of Hope on the north side of the town square.
Performances last year were a big success for the locally produced screenplay, where the town itself is part of the setting.
Jessica Brown of Hope is an actress in the play.
The book by Mark Van Voorhis and Ed Kugler was adapted for the stage by retired Hope Elementary School Teacher David Webster.
Brown says Webster was her fifth grade teacher and his involvement drew her to the play.
The play is the story of two young people who meet at IU and are separated by the Vietnam War. The young Marine in the story grows up in the town of Hope in a farm family.
Brown explains the book’s and play’s ties to Hope.
Performances are today and Friday with the doors opening at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m. and the play at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the dinner and show are $26 per person. You can get more information or make reservations, call 812-546-0640.
The parent company of White River Broadcasting is selling its Ohio-based newspaper division.
Findlay Publishing Co. announced today that it is selling the Ohio-based Findlay Courier and Fostoria Review-Times newspapers to Ogden Newspapers, effective at the end of November.
White River Broadcasting and a sister broadcasting company will continue on under the ownership of the Findlay Publishing Co. The company will continue to operate News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM, Indiana Country 101.5 WKKG, 106.1 The River and WIN 104.9, in Columbus as well as three radio stations in Ohio under the Blanchard River Broadcasting banner.
The Heminger family has owned the Courier for five generations.
Findlay Publishing purchased WCSI, the first of its Columbus radio stations in 1947.
As the holidays draw near, you may want to think about helping out those who less fortunate. “Toys For Tots” is one of those options. Nate West is a volunteer for the program, put on by the Marine Corp. Reserves. He says that last year, Toys For Tots help more than 1,600 children in Bartholomew and Jennings counties.
West adds that the toy drive began in earnest just a few weeks ago.
West says there are more than 40 white boxes labeled “Toys for Tots” in Bartholomew and Jennings counties. You can drop off your donation and volunteers will gather them and make sure they are delivered to a child in need.
If you are a Bartholomew County resident with a child up to age 18, you can request assistance by calling Bartholomew County United Way at 812-375-2216. In Jennings County, visit ToysForTots.org.
Contractors will be making two traffic switches this week as part of the INDOT construction project on Interstate 65 between Columbus and Seymour.
Officials say that southbound traffic will be shifted back to the southbound side on Friday night in an area between Seymour and Jonesville Road. On Saturday night, northbound traffic will be switched back to the northbound lanes in an area between Jonesville Road and Walesboro.
This is part of the winter shutdown configuration, and will restore traffic back to its normal lanes throughout the entire project.
When completed, the Interstate 65 project will expand the highway to three lanes in each direction between Columbus and Seymour.
The first conceptual designs for a new facility at the site of Fair Oaks Mall were unveiled Tuesday night. WRB photo
Members of the public got their first look at the possible future of the Fair Oaks Mall property last night.
Consultants for the city’s oversight board, the Fair Oaks Mall Community Development Corp., made a presentation last night of their first conceptual ideas for a new joint use of the building to be shared by the city parks and recreation department, Columbus Regional Health and commercial establishments.
The proposed uses for the building were taken from the public input at two previous meetings.
Under the preliminary plans, the revamped building would include a fieldhouse for normally outdoor sports, a revamped parking layout and access road, an outdoor greenspace surrounding a grand entrance into the new facility. And per public input, there would be an abundance of pickle ball courts. However, the consultants cautioned that the building improvements would have to be done in phases and that until costs and architectural designs can be worked out, their suggestions were necessarily speculative at this point.
Under the suggested layout, the fieldhouse would be on the north side of the building closest to National Road, while the large entrance would be off of 25th Street where the former JC Penney store now sits.
There was good news for those concerned about the expense. The consultants said that a large portion of the building would be reusable in some form, because the layout of internal supports would largely allow for the spaces needed in the future revamped building. Some uses, such as a swimming pool or the fieldhouse, would need reconstruction though.
Lindsey Peckinpaugh of architectural firm Perkins & Will outlined the internal layout suggestions, while Eric Lucas of MKSK landscape architects, presented the outside and streetscape improvements.
The number of overdose deaths in Bartholomew County are an the rise again. County Coroner Clayton Nolting said we have already passed last year’s total with two more cases pending and a month and a half left in the year.
Nolting went before the Bartholomew County Council last night to ask for more money for his office to make it through the year.
Nolting says there have been 18 overdose deaths, with two more pending so far this year. In all of last year, there were 17 overdose deaths in the county.
Additionally, there have been five investigations into the sudden death of infants this year.
Council voted 6-0 to approve the $23,000 additional appropriation from the county’s general fund.
Sheriff Myers administers oath to Deputy Dustin Allman; Photo courtesy of BCSD
Bartholomew County’s newest Deputy Sheriff, Dustin Allman, took his Oath of Office Tuesday from Sheriff Matt Myers.
Deputy Allman is a 39-year-old graduate of Columbus North High School and Thomas Edison University. He retired from the United States Coast Guard in 2018.
“Dustin is well-qualified and will serve our agency well,” said Sheriff Myers.
Also sworn-in was Karen Hargett as BCSO’s newest chaplain.
BCSO Chaplains offer guidance and assistance to members of the department during crisis situations and can be called upon to provide comfort and counseling during difficult times.
Chaplain Hargett joins Chaplain Robert Vestor, Chaplain David C. Bosley, Chaplain Keith Maddox and Chaplain Dave Burnett.
An artist with a history of visiting Columbus is coming back this week. Caitlyn Smith, with the Columbus Area Arts Council, explains that Buddy Wakefield, a three-time international champion of slam poetry, and a spoken-word artist, will be performing Thursday evening at Yes Cinema.
Tickets for Wakefield’s Thursday night performance are $10.
Wakefield’s workshop will be Friday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 411 Sixth Street. Tickets for the workshop are $40.
Bartholomew Consolidated Schools will be closed on Nov. 19th.
BCSC Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts made the announcement on Tuesday. He says that a number of staff members have requested personal time off to participate in “Red For Ed Action Day” in Indianapolis. The Indiana State Teachers Association says the goal of the event is to let state legislators know about the importance of adequately funding public education.
Roberts says that school will now be in session on Tuesday, Mar. 10 to make up for this missed day. Monday, Mar. 9 will be used to make up for school having to be closed on Nov. 12.
BCSC will not have an e-learning day on Nov. 19 due to an expected lack of educators who will be in Indianapolis.
