Update: The statewide Amber Alert has been canceled. The girl was found safe.

Earlier: A Statewide Amber Alert has been declared for a missing 5-year-old girl from Huntington.

Authorities announced the Amber Alert last night saying the girl, Neveah O’Neal, is believed to be extreme danger after being taken at about 8:15 last night in Huntington. The unknown suspects in her disappearance were last seen driving a gold Ford Ranger extended cab truck with a toolbox in the bed of the truck, and unknown plates.

The Huntington Police Department says Neveah O’Neal, is a 5-year-old white girl, 4 feet 5 inches tall, and 50 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, and Paw Patrol pink tennis shoes. Neveah was last seen in Huntington, which is 105 miles north of Indianapolis.

If you have any information on the disappearance of Neveah O’Neal, you should contact the Huntington Police Department at 260-356-7110 or call 911.

IUPUC’s master’s degree program in mental health counseling is being recognized by a regional organization for being an outstanding and innovative program.

The school has received the Innovative Counselor Education Program Award from the North Central Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, which covers 13 states. IUPUC received the award, after making changes to the curriculum in 2018 in response to the rise in cases of substance abuse disorder..

Faculty members Dr. Stephanie Scifres and Dr. Darrin Carr modified the curriculum with three new addictions-focused courses that better prepare graduates to counsel clients with substance abuse disorders, and also enabled graduates to apply for an additional license as a Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor Associate.

The program organizers also decided to combat the opioid epidemic through the hiring process, grant writing and scholarship. Faculty members participate in organizations such as Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council, and the ASAP Opioid Prevention Action Team. IUPUC also opened the Tom and Barbara Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center on the campus, which serves students and the community.

Bartholomew County Councilwoman Laura DeDomenic is stepping down from her council seat to take a full-time job with the County Auditor’s office, according to the Republic newspaper.

The paper is reporting this morning that DeDomenic turned in her resignation from the council yesterday to take a position as county government payroll administrator in the office of Auditor Pia O’Connor. An elected official can not work in a department where they set the salary, leading to her resignation.

DeDomenic represents Council District 2, which covers northwestern Bartholomew County. The county Republican party will hold a caucus to appoint someone from that district to finish the rest of her term.

You can get more information at therepublic.com

A Walesboro-area alloyed aluminum manufacturer is planning to add 10 new jobs in Columbus as part of a more than $6.1 million dollar expansion.

Nikkei MC Aluminum America asked Columbus City Council last night for a tax break on a $1.2 million dollar expansion of its facility on Inwood Drive and $4.9 million in new manufacturing equipment. The company says that the expansion will let it keep 85 existing jobs and add 10 more by July of next year. The average wage of the new jobs would be $15.30 per hour.

The company started in Columbus in 1989 as MC Aluminum America with 20 employees. The company manufactures aluminum alloys usable for automotive components from scrap aluminum according to the presentation to City Council. The expansion will allow the company to provide all of the aluminum it ships next door to Enkei Wheels as molten metal, instead of having part of the aluminum provided as cooled ingots. The company will be adding a furnace and processing equipment.

The tax abatement would phase in the taxes on the real property and personal property over 10 years, saving the company about $413,000 dollars in taxes over the life of the abatement.

Columbus City Council approved the abatement request.

Columbus Regional Health is looking for participants for a survey of residents about their opinions, precautions and reactions to COVID-19. And they are offering a chance to win various gift cards to those who take part.

The hospital is looking for information on participant’s personal well-being, the community and CRH’s response to COVID-19 and continued care, and overall perceptions.

In addition to the grand prize winner, who will receive a $350 package of gift cards, there will also be 50 other winners of $5 gift cards to Gramz Bakery and $5 gift cards to Lucabe Coffee.

You can find a link to the survey here.