We interviewed all of the candidates for the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board races for our weekend news show, News & Views.
Here are the complete interviews for BCSC School Board District 3: Todd Grimes, Mike Jamerson and the incumbent James Persinger.
Todd Grimes interview:
Mike Jamerson interview:
James Persinger interview:
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife are testing negative for the coronavirus.
They took tests this morning after President Trump and the First Lady tested positive last night. Pence is last known to have been with the President on Tuesday when they met in the Oval Office before the debate. The two also attended a coronavirus task force briefing together on Monday. If the President becomes incapacitated, Pence would step in until he could return.
Mike and Karen Pence are wishing President Trump and the First Lady well in a Tweet this morning.
President Trump’s adviser Hope Hicks tested negative Wednesday morning, but started experiencing symptoms later that day. She was isolated on a return flight on Air Force One and tested again Thursday. This time it came back positive.
Columbus police say that they arrested 16 people in a shoplifting sting operation at the Whitfield Drive Walmart store. Those arrests, which included 10 for felonies and several outstanding warrants, were part of “Operation Roll-Back” which was organized by members of the police department’s Intelligence Led Policing Unit.
The unit includes members of the Columbus police as well as Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. Those assisting with Operation Roll-back included the sheriff’s department police dog units as well as loss prevention security from the Walmart store.
Among the more serious charges, 27-year-old Anthony M. Brown of Columbus is facing charges for dealing in a narcotic, possession of a legend drug, of a controlled substance and of drug paraphernalia and resisting law enforcement in a vehicle.
28-year-old James R. Bennett was arrested on charges of possession of a syringe and methamphetamine, resisting law enforcement and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.
Others arrested include:
A local man is facing arson charges after allegedly starting a fire at ground level hatches for fuel storage tanks.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested 34-year-old Justin A. Jump of Columbus on the arson charge after being called to the 11000 block of North U.S. 31 on a reported fire at the fuel storage tanks at just before 4 a.m. this morning. Fire units put out the blaze and deputies arrested Jump.
Chief Deputy Major Chris Lane says it could easily have turned into a very dangerous situation if it weren’t for the quick response of those firefighters from German Township Fire Department, Clifford Volunteer Fire Department and Edinburgh Fire Department.
The Yellow Trail Museum in Hope will be resuming its Sunday Social history discussions this weekend.
Although normally a themed discussion, this month’s session will be a time to share general memories of the history of northeastern Bartholomew County. You are encouraged to bring photos and other historic artifacts to the discussion.
Light refreshments will be served.
The Sunday Social will be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the museum on the northwestern corner of the Hope Town Square. For more information, call 812-343-3798.
Legal Aid will be holding a free Legal Aid Clinic by phone for residents of the agency’s eight-county district on Tuesday. That district includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby Counties.
The Legal Aid Clinic uses local volunteer attorneys, to offer free legal consultations to low-income individuals. You can expect to receive a brief consultation over the phone to answer general questions, to offer legal information, or to receive other assistance or advice.
Although the clinic will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m., you must first register between noon and 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
You can register by calling Legal Aid at 812-378-0358.
INDOT says that you will see slowdowns and intermittent closures on Interstate 65 next week, just south of the Columbus exit as contractors set the beams for the new County Road 200S bridge.
The stoppages will begin Tuesday evening and will last up to 20 minutes at a time. Southbound traffic will be stopped Tuesday and Wednesday nights, while northbound traffic will have stoppages Thursday and Friday nights. Work will be done between 9 at night and 6 in the morning.
The following week there will be overnight lane closures as deck pans are installed prior to pouring the concrete deck. Bartholomew County Road 200S will remain closed while the bridge is replaced, a project that should last until late November.
You are encouraged to take alternate routes or allow yourself extra travel time during this work. All work is dependent on the weather.
Dave O’Mara Contractor, Inc. plans to continue the milling and overlaying on on Central Avenue today. You will see restrictions from 25th Street to National Road in Columbus.
Restrictions today will include the northbound and southbound passing lanes on Central Avenue, the westbound driving lane on 25th Street, and the eastbound right turn lane and westbound inside left turn lane on National Road.
Officials warn that the area will be very congested due to the construction deliveries into and out of the site. You should avoid the area if you can.
Sgt. Julie Quesenbery, a school resource officer with the Columbus Police Department, will be instructing officers from across the country on how to perform those duties.
The Columbus Police Department announced Thursday that Quesenbery will begin training next month as an instructor for the National Association of School Resource Officers in Avon. There are 60 instructors across the country for the association, including three from Indiana.
Quesenbery began working for the Columbus police department 15 years ago and became a school resource officer in Bartholomew Consolidated Schools in 2014.
With fall break starting for local schools next week, the Bartholomew County COVID-19 task force is offering some tips on staying safe during the time away from school.
If you are leaving town, the task force warns that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. You should find out if COVID-19 spread is severe in any of the places you are going. Traveling to visit family could be dangerous if you or your loved ones are especially vulnerable to COVID-19.
Even going camping could pose risks, especially if you will be coming in close contact with others in public facilities like campground restrooms or picnic areas. If you are planning to be in remote areas, without easy access to medical care you could find yourself in danger if you are infected with COVID-19. And you should check with local, state or even federal agencies to make sure that a park you are planning to visit, will even be open.
Safety measures you are already taking will be helpful on vacation, such as wearing a mask, sanitizing your hands frequently and maintaining social distancing.
You can get more information online at covid19communitytaskforce.org.