Monthly Archives: May 2017

CFD fully staffed after new firefighters sworn-in

Nathan Barnett; photo courtesy of CFD

The Columbus Fire Department is fully staffed after two firefighters were sworn in on Tuesday. Alan Whitted, the city’s attorney, administered the oath to 26-year-old Nathan Barnett and 28-year-old Samantha Smith during Tuesday morning’s Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting. These new hires brings the fire department’s staffing to a full level of 95 sworn firefighters.

Barnett is a 2009 graduate of Edinburgh Community High School. CFD says that he graduated from Huntington University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. Barnett is a state certified Emergency Medical Technician and has a Firefighter I and II certification.

Smith is a 2008 graduate of Culver Community High School. She graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology. City officials say that Smith is a member of the Van Buren Volunteer Fire Department and a certified Emergency Medical Technician. In addition, she holds a Basic Mandatory Firefighter training certification.

Samantha Smith; photo courtesy of CFD

The fire department says that these firefighters will under-go a department familiarization program as part of their on the job training. City officials say that both Barnett and Smith will receive shift and station assignments after completing that training.

Commiskey man killed in Sunday crash

A Jennings County man was killed in a weekend crash in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department says that at 9:42 Sunday morning, their deputies responded to the one-vehicle crash near the intersection of State Road 7 and Main Street in Dupont. Authorities say that a pick-up driven by 22-year-old Kyle Feiles, of Commiskey, was traveling north on Highway 7 when it left the road, struck a guard rail of the Camp Creek Bridge, went airborne, and landed on the north side of the creek where it came to rest on its roof. Feiles was pronounced dead at the scene by Jefferson County Coroner Rodney Nay.

Authorities don’t know what led to the crash, but the investigation is ongoing.

Bartholomew County honors sacrifices with ceremony

Bartholomew County and Columbus honored those who gave their lives for freedom with a ceremony yesterday morning at the veteran’s memorial on the courthouse lawn.

The featured speaker was John C. Walter, a World War II B-17 bomber pilot who flew 35 missions over Germany.

He talked about learning from his father about the hidden wounds some veterans suffered. That was after seeing a local man in his hometown who would would act erratically, after being affected by poison gas during World War I.

Walter remembered going through air cadet school and making fast friends with a man named Bill Nolan.

His friend’s plane had been in a mid-air collision, killing Nolan and two instructors.

Further, Walter remembered his first mission over Germany. Where bursting artillery shells decimated his crew.

His co-pilot died and a flight engineer was incapacitated by shell-shock. On his third mission his navigator died after his oxygen supply hose came undone.

Four arrested after Lafayette Ave. assaults

Columbus police say four people kicked in the door of a home on Lafayette Avenue yesterday and beat up the residents, possibly with brass knuckles. That was all part of an argument over money.

Police were called to the home in the 1400 block of Lafayette Avenue at about 3:15 p.m. The victims said they didn’t need medical treatment. Police found the four suspects in a home in the 1500 block of Chestnut Street and arrested them on preliminary charges of residential entry and battery with bodily injuries, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police.

They arrested 29-year-old Donald F. Thompson, 48-year-old Susan G. Young, 21-year-old Ashley Shuffitt and 20-year-old Cody L. Johnson, Harris says.

Ashley Shuffitt. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department
Cody Johnson. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department
Donald Thompson. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department
Susan Young. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

Brownstown man arrested with explosive devices

Marcus Graham. Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Brownstown police arrested a man found with two explosive devices, who was threatening violence at his former employer’s restaurant.

The police department reported over the weekend that 39-year-old Marcus Graham of Brownstown was allegedly threatening to burn down the Dairy Queen, where he had recently been fired. A search of his car allegedly found two Molotov cocktails.

Graham was arrested on preliminary charges of intimidation, arson and possession of explosive substances. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail at just after midnight Saturday morning.

Deadline extended for Eastern Bartholomew rate hike comments

Now, you have a little more time to make comments about the proposed water rate hike that will affect some customers in eastern Bartholomew, Jennings and Decatur counties.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has moved back several deadlines for a proposed rate hike by the Eastern Bartholomew Water Corp.

The not-for-profit water company serves about 5,200 customers in Bartholomew, Decatur and Jennings counties, including providing water for the town of Hope.
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The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, which represents the consumer in rate hikes, has announced that the deadline to submit testimony has been extended until June 6th.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission evidentiary hearing, originally scheduled for June 28th, has now been rescheduled for Aug. 3rd.

Consumers who wish to submit written comments for the case record may do so via the OUCC’s Website at www.in.gov/oucc/2361.htm, or by mail, email or fax:

• Mail: Consumer Services Staff
Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor
115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South
Indianapolis, IN 46204

• email: [email protected]

• Fax: (317) 232-5923

The OUCC needs to receive all written consumer comments no later than June 6, 2017 so that it can: 1) Consider them in preparing its testimony and 2) File them with the Commission to be included in the case’s formal evidentiary record.

Comments should include the consumer’s name, mailing address, and a reference to “IURC Cause No. 44903.” Consumers with questions about submitting written comments can contact the OUCC’s consumer services staff toll-free at 1-888-441-2494.

Two arrested after vehicle bursts into flames

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

An early Sunday morning car chase in Bartholomew and Brown counties ended when the vehicle burst into flames.

A Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputy noticed a vehicle with a faulty brake light driving near Jonathan Moore Pike at just before 5 a.m. Sunday morning and attempted to pull the vehicle over, according to police reports. But rather than stop, the driver took off out State Road 46, eventually going into Brown County where Brown County deputies joined the chase.

The vehicle came back into Bartholomew County on Whitehorse Road and drove over tire deflation devices dropped by deputies. After running on the rims, the sparks ignited the vehicle before it came to a stop at County Road 50S, deputies report. With all four tires flat, the car on fire and stopped, the driver continued to pump on the gas and both the driver and passenger stayed in the burning vehicle.

They eventually surrendered. The passenger, 37-year-old Douglas Houchens was wanted on several warrants and was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment.

The driver, 33-year-old Desi Buckler of Columbus was arrested on multiple warrants and preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving, according to police reports.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

Photos of Air Force 2 in Columbus for Pence’s visit to Indy 500

Vice President and Columbus native Mike Pence arrived at Columbus Municipal Airport this morning aboard Air Force 2, to attend the Indianapolis 500.

The trip included two C-5 Galaxy cargo planes, which were loaded with Secret Service vehicles for the vice president’s stay in the city.  After meeting local visitors at the airport, including his mother Nancy Pence Fritsch, Bartholomew County Republican Party Chairwoman Barb Hackman and State Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, Pence boarded a helicopter to head to the race.

Booth Goltra was eating her morning oatmeal at the Hanger 5 Restaurant Sunday morning when Vice President Pence landed at the airport. Here are several photos she took of his arrival:

Air Force 2 arrives in Columbus Sunday. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, disembark from Air Force 2. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, disembark from Air Force 2. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Helicopters whisked the former governor to Indianapolis for the race. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, wave to fans after the couple disembarked from Air Force 2. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Vice President Mike Pence shakes hands with State Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus. Photo courtesy of Booth Goltra.
Cargo planes delivered vehicles for use in the vice president’s motorcade. Photo by Bob Morrison
Secret Service vehicles wait at the airport. Photo by Bob Morrison

Area schools receive ‘Four-Star’ designation

A number of area schools have been named Four-Star School Honorees for the 2015-16 school year by the Indiana Department of Education. They include:

St. Bartholomew School – Columbus
Trinity Lutheran High School – Seymour
North Decatur Elementary School – Greensburg
Center Grove Middle School Central – Greenwood
Maple Grove Elementary School – Bargersville
Clark Pleasant Middle School – Greenwood
Greenwood Community High School – Greenwood
Westwood Elementary School – Greenwood
Binford Elementary School – Bloomington
Bloomington High School South – Bloomington
Childs Elementary School – Bloomington
Lora L Batchelor Middle School – Bloomington
The Acad of Sci & Entrepreneurship – Bloomington
The Bloomington Project School – Bloomington

The Indiana Department of Education says that criteria to be included on this list are:

A school must have received an “A” grade for the 2015-16 school year
Grade 3-8: 85% of all students passing English/Language Arts ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 3-8: 85% of all students passing Math ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 3-8: 80% of all ethnic subgroups passing English/Language Arts ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 3-8: 80% of all ethnic subgroups passing Math ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 10: 55% of all students passing English/Language Arts ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 10: 35% of all students passing Math ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 10: 50% of all ethnic subgroups passing English/Language Arts ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
Grade 10: 30% of all ethnic subgroups passing Math ISTEP+ (minimum of 10 students);
2016 Graduation rate of all students at least 97.5% (minimum of 10 students);
2016 Graduation rate of all ethnic students at least 90% (minimum of 10 students)

Some Columbus city offices to observe summer hours

A number of Columbus city offices will begin operating under summer hours soon. Mayor Jim Lienhoop’s office says that, effective June 5th, the following offices will operate from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

Clerk Treasurer’s Office
Engineering
Personnel
Airport
Redevelopment
City Utilities

The city’s fire department office is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round and the Department of Public Works hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. year-round. All other offices will maintain normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Summer hours are scheduled to be in effect through August 4th.