A reminder, that the State Road 11 and Interstate 65 interchange in Jackson County is due to close today for three months, while a new interchange is built at that location.
The official detour will take State Road 46 in Columbus to U.S. 31 and then to U.S. 50 in Seymour.
INDOT asks that you slow down, use extra caution and drive without distractions through all work zones.
The new interchange is expected to reopen in November.
INDOT says that you will be seeing lanes closing overnight on the new State Road 11/State Road 46 overpass starting this evening.
Crews will be applying the final level of asphalt, according to INDOT. The work is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. in the evening through 6 a.m. in the morning for the next two weeks.
A Louisville, Kentucky man is accused of threatening a store worker with a knife, while trying to steal a piece of computer equipment from a Columbus store.
Columbus police say that they were called to the Walmart store on Whitfield Drive at about 2:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. A store security officer told police that he suspected a man of trying to steal a computer hard drive and when the employee checked the bathroom, the suspect threatened the worker with a knife.
Police found an open knife in the pocket of the suspect, 45-year-old Paul Horn and he was arrested on a preliminary charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon and an outstanding warrant from out of the county.
A COVID-19 testing site in Columbus is moving to Fair Oaks Mall.
Mary Ferdon, director of administration and community development for the city, said that OPTUM/Logistics Health will begin operating the testing site at the former JC Penney’s store in the mall, starting on Monday and lasting through at least late September.
The previous site has been at the Armory at the Columbus Municipal Airport. But OPTUM and the state of Indiana approached the city about finding a new location, because the Armory does not have air conditioning and is now centrally located in Columbus.
The Fair Oaks Mall site is now jointly owned by the city and Columbus Regional Health. The city and CRH say that they see the testing as a valuable service for the community and see a need to provide safe and accessible access to a testing site.
The Fair Oaks Mall Community Development Corp. entered into an agreement with OPTUM this week.
Columbus City Utilities is issuing an emergency boil water advisory for customers on Cayman Court from Cottonwood Drive to the end of the street. Utility officials say that a water leak required them to shut off water this morning while emergency repairs were made.
You should boil any water you plan for cooking or drinking for five minutes before using it.
Columbus City Utilities will notify customers that the water is safe again after it passes laboratory testing.
If you have any questions you can call the Water Service Hotline at 812-418-6435.
Crothersville Community Schools Superintendent Terry Goodin, who also serves as a state representative, is sick with COVID-19.
In a statement, Goodin said he was alerted last week that he had possible contact with someone who had the disease. He was tested a week ago and received the positive result on Monday.
Goodin said that he is currently suffering from COVID-19 symptoms, including what he called “a skull-cracking headache, fever, body aches and cough,”
Goodin said he did not have any contact with teachers or students. The Crothersville superintendent’s office is in a separate building attached to the school.
Goodin said he is isolating from his family until cleared by his physician.
He stressed that the virus is real and he urged Hoosiers to take it seriously, to listen to medical experts and to protect yourself, your family and your neighbors.
Goodin, a Democrat, represents portions of Clark, Jefferson, and Scott counties.
Legal Aid will be holding a free phone-in clinic for residents of area counties on Tuesday, Aug. 18th
The phone clinic will be 3 to 5:30 p.m. although you have to register beforehand. An attorney will call you back during the clinic hours.
The Legal Aid Clinic and Pro Bono Program uses local volunteer attorneys, to provide free legal consultations to low-income individuals whom might not otherwise be able to afford the counsel of an attorney.
The phone-in clinic is for residents of Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby Counties.
You can register by calling Legal Aid at 812-378-0358 on Tuesday, between 12 and 1:30 p.m.
Area bands are planning a free concert at Donner Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Rockin’ Picnic in the Park will feature an open stage from 12 to 2:30 p.m. for those who want to perform. Pushville Panic will take the stage at 3 p.m., Sudden Impact will perform at 5 p.m. and GTR Good Time Review will headline the all ages show at 7 p.m.
You should plan to use the space in the park to socially distance and bring chairs and coolers to enjoy show.
9 a.m. update: INDOT now says that contractor E&B Paving Inc. plans to close the S.R. 11 interchange at I-65 in Jackson County (Exit 55) on or after Monday, August 17. The closure was originally scheduled to begin August 10 and was delayed to August 24, but has now been set for this coming Monday.
INDOT has rescheduled work at the State Road 11 and Interstate 65 interchange in Jackson County.
Originally set to begin Monday , the three-month long closure will now start Monday, Aug. 17th.
The $7.8 million dollar project will construct a dog-bone shaped intersection, replacing the existing ramp layout. The new interchange will feature two single-lane roundabouts with interior truck aprons on either side of the State Road 11 overpass, resembling a dog bone from above.
INDOT says that the “Dog bone” interchanges increase safety as intersection conflict points are significantly reduced, vehicle speeds are slower, stop signs and signals are eliminated, and traffic is able to move more efficiently through the area.
This safety improvement is part of the $143 million dollar project adding travel lanes to Interstate 65 between Columbus and Seymour. The new interchange is expected to reopen in November.
The official detour will take State Road 46 in Columbus to U.S. 31 and then to U.S. 50 in Seymour.
INDOT asks that you slow down, use extra caution and drive without distractions through all work zones.
Bartholomew County Council will be looking at reductions to make when they consider the 2021 budget starting next week. But things are not as bleak as they could be.
County Auditor Pia O’Connor told the Council members this week that based on her analysis, they would be facing budget expenses of $30.2 million in the General Fund, up about $2.8 million from this year. But they would also see only $28.7 million in revenue for the General Fund, compared to $29.3 million. The biggest revenue loss next year is expected to be in the local income tax revenues, which are expected to be off by about $1.2 million dollars due to the pandemic, layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts endured by members of the community.
If those numbers hold true, the council would have to cut about $1.6 million in requested spending to balance the spending against the revenue. The biggest budget increase identified by O’Connor is the costs to deal with the COVID pandemic, estimated at $3.5 million dollars. And the General Fund will have to pick up about $450 thousand in jail costs, that have been paid out of income taxes in recent years. But the county will also drop planned spending on courthouse repairs by about a million dollars and with the city of Columbus picking up half the tab for the Alliance For Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County, that would mean another $394 thousand dollars in reduced spending from this year.
O’Connor also pointed out that the county is in good financial shape already, with more than $12 million in expected reserves in the General Fund at the end of the year and another $4.5 million in the county’s Rainy Day Fund.
