The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County has announced plans to better serve the community. The Substance Abuse and Advisory Accountability Committee met Thursday and approved plans to establish ASAP as a nonprofit corporation. Jeff Jones, ASAP executive director, explains that the local drug problem is not going away anytime soon. With that, he explains that there needs to be a more permanent presence, as well as a hub to help those suffering from addiction.

09-28 JEFF JONES-2

ASAP is seeking nearly $503,000 in funding from the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County to set up a hub location at the former United Way office complex in the Doug Otto Center. That money would be used to rent the approximately 2,700 square foot space, as well pay for permanent staffing. Jones explained that between the new ASAP and the hub, four full-time employees and one part-time employee would be needed, along with volunteers.

The Substance Abuse Public Funding Board will consider the request when it meets on Oct. 15th. If approved there, both the city and county councils would need to give their approval before any money is spent.

Construction signs will be placed early next week along State Road 7 south of Vernon in advance of a $1,382,700 culvert replacement and repair project.

INDOT officials say site clearing will occur this fall followed by utility relocations. Actual construction will begin next spring.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has contracted Dave O’Mara to remove and replace two existing box structures. One is located on State Road 7, two miles south of State Road 3, the other is located three miles south of State Road 3. Crews will repair or modify two other structures, one just north of Count Road 300 South and the other located and about 700 yards north of County Road 100 South.

Installation of new precast concrete box culverts at Turkey Run Creek and at a tributary of Vernon Fork will require 30-day closures of State Road 7.

Repair of other structures at Turkey Run Creek and at a tributary of the Muscatatuck River will require lane restrictions for up to 45 days. All four State Road 7 worksites are located between County Meadows and County Road 300 South.

Kevin Hines survived jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge in a suicide attempt. On Tuesday, he will be be bringing a program to Columbus aimed at helping those suffering from depression and their families, recognize the signs of a potential suicide.

Hines is a mental health advocate, speaker, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker.

Tuesday’s event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 :30 p.m. at Columbus North’s Judson Erne Auditorium. Events around his visit are being organized by Centerstone and Bartholomew Consolidated Schools.

His film, “Suicide: The Ripple Effect” will be shown in a separate event at Yes Cinema on Tuesday, Oct. 9th. The screening is free to the public but registration is required.

You can get more information at centerstone.org/RippleEffect.

The second Exhibit Columbus symposium is underway, with events in downtown Columbus today.

Participants will start the morning at St. Peters Lutheran Church with a presentation by the Never Built team, who are looking at projects planned for Columbus but never constructed. The team, of Greg Goldin and Sam Lubell, were in Columbus in July doing research for the project.  You can read more about their visit here.

Interview with Goldin and Lubell:

This afternoon, participants will be taking walking tours downtown and participating in more events at City Hall, Yes Cinema and the former Republic building on Third Street. This evening will include events at North Christian Church and a celebration at the Columbus Pump House.

You can get the complete schedule here.

Columbus firefighters, police and Vectren were dealing with a gas leak at a regulator station this morning off of Indianapolis Road.

Capt. Mike Wilson with the fire department says the call came in at 3:28 a.m. this morning for the 5100 block of Indianapolis Road between Lowell Road and U.S. 31. Vectren had the gas under control by about 6:08 a.m. this morning. The road reopened at about 6:15 a.m.

There was a temporary disruption to Milestone Contractors due to the leak at the regulator station, but that has now been repaired, Wilson said.

Wilson says there were no evacuations.

Update: The Amber Alert has been canceled.

Previous story:

The Allen County Sheriff’s Department has declared an Amber Alert. The victim, Mary Kryder, was last seen at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening in Fort Wayne and is believed to be in extreme danger.

She is a 1-year-old biracial girl, 3 feet  tall, 30 pounds, blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a teal shirt and black sparkly pants.

The suspect, Ikeca Betzner, is a 27-year-old biracial female, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 133 pounds with brown curly hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue jean jacket with gray sleeves and faded blue yoga pants.
The suspect’s vehicle is a silver 2013 Hyundai Elantra with Indiana Autism Awareness plate DD 69 37.

If you have any information on this incident, contact the Allen County Sheriff’s Department at 260-449-3000 or call 911.

Fairlawn Preschool is recognizing a significant milestone this weekend. Diane Doup is with the Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center. She says that the preschool is celebrating 50 years and thousands of students served.

Saturday’s festivities include an open house, light refreshments and outdoor activities for children from noon to 3 p.m. at the preschool. A Celebration Service will be held on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary at the church.

Organizers say that preschool alumni and their families, previous staff members and anyone affiliated with the preschool are invited to attend both events. You are also encouraged to bring photos, stories and mementos.

For more information, visit fairlawnpc.com.

Columbus City Cemetery, located south of Donner Park, is scheduled for clean-up on October 8th. Those who have family plots in the City Cemetery are asked to pick up any items that they wish to save by Sunday, October 7th. Parks Department personnel will remove and discard worn and out-of-season decorations that remain on the ground after October 8th.

The next clean-up is scheduled for April 1, 2019.

An Elizabethtown man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after he was spotted on property owned by the Louisville and Indiana Railroad. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that 56-year-old Tony Evan Gibson was found at the railroad tracks in the 1600 block of Jonesville Road with a wheelbarrow loaded with railroad spikes and scrap metal.

Authorities say that Gibson’s pickup truck was parked on railroad property and the bed was loaded with scrap metal. Gibson reportedly told deputies that he did not have permission to take the items. A search of Gibson’s truck allegedly revealed drug paraphernalia.

Gibson was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, Criminal Trespass and Possession of Paraphernalia. He remains behind bars on $12,500 bond.

The second Exhibit Columbus symposium gets underway today with events at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Today’s events include a tour of the archives from the Miller House and Garden, which are held by the museum. Those items to be displayed include original design drawings and floor plans of the Columbus home, designed by Eero Saarinen. A reception will be at the museum starting at 5 p.m. today.

The symposium alternates years with the design and architectural installations that dominated downtown Columbus last year. Richard McCoy, with Landmark Columbus, says that the symposium will allow the participants in next year’s installations to get to know the city.

McCoy said that this will be a good time for any interested residents to make suggestions for the designers to consider.

Last year’s Miller Prize winners were chosen in a competition, but that is changing this year, McCoy says.

The Exhibit Columbus activities will move to downtown Columbus tomorrow.