The Indiana House of Representatives voted in support of State Rep. Sean Eberhart’s legislation that would allow contracts for gestational surrogacy.

Eberhart, a Shelbyville Republican, said his legislation would establish a system for surrogacy agreements to be implemented in Indiana to ensure the parties involved understand their responsibilities and financial arrangements. Currently, Indiana does not recognize contracts for surrogacy, but the practice is legal.

“This bill provides safeguards for surrogates and biological parents,” Eberhart said. “Without this legislation, no rules exist so either party can do whatever they like with no legal consequences. The guidelines put in place by this bill would prevent situations like the parents abandoning the unborn child, or the surrogate mother keeping the child even though it is not biologically hers.”

A Columbia Law School study found that Indiana is one of four states where surrogacy contracts are void and unenforceable.

Eberhart said this legislation would put a strong legal framework for surrogacy in place to lower the legal risk for surrogates and intended parents.

House Bill 1369 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Eberhart represents House District 57, which consists of all of Shelby County and a large portion of Bartholomew County along with a small section of Hancock County

Police rescued a 12-year-old girl on Interstate 65 after a carjacking in Seymour with the girl still inside the vehicle.

Seymour police are reporting that the incident started at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night when a Seymour woman reported that her car was missing from the Dollar General Store on Tipton Street, and that her daughter was still inside. The girl then called dispatchers, saying that she was inside the car and that a woman had taken the vehicle and was not letting her go.

The girl stayed on the line and continued to provide information and landmarks until Columbus police and Bartholomew County deputies caught up with the vehicle on Interstate 65 at the Columbus exit.

The driver, 28 year old Shawna Lucas of Seymour was arrested on preliminary charges of theft and criminal confinement. The girl and her mother were reunited at the scene.

Seymour police are still investigating why Lucas took the vehicle.

The town of Hope will be digging deep into its own funds to pay for a stormwater sewer project on the Town Square.

Last month, the town was turned down for a $608,000 state grant that would have funded most of the project to replace the collapsing storm sewer between State Road 9 and the Community Center of Hope.

The Town Council regrouped last night and decided to do about half of the project out of town funds instead of grant money. That meant coming up with nearly $300,000 from various funds under a plan outlined by town Clerk-Treasurer Diane Burton. Council members reluctantly agreed to the spending plan.

Town officials worried that the community project would not be competitive for state grant funding even if the town applied again.

Town officials estimate that the hand laid limestone storm sewer was built nearly 100 years ago and was never meant to carry the weight of modern vehicles. It has been collapsing in places, leaving sinkholes along the parking spaces on the Town Square.

A local drug court and residential treatment center for women is a step closer to becoming reality.

The ASAP Board requested help from local officials to fund the Fresh Start Recovery Center. The center is a residential treatment program for pregnant women and women with young children. The board is recommending the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County split a one-time $200,000 payment to get the program established. City Council gave final approval for $100,000 in funding out of Substance Abuse Non-Reverting Fund during it’s meeting Tuesday night.

The ASAP Board also recommended that the city and county split the cost of an Adult Drug Recovery Court. The court is designed to integrate substance abuse and mental health treatment, drug testing, sanctions and incentives. The hope is to reduce recidivism, as well as offer hope and opportunity for those in the system. The city and county split funding $92,603 to get the court established, with final approval from the city coming Tuesday night.

The Bartholomew County Council gave its approval last week to fund both programs.

Judge Kelly Benjamin, who will preside over the drug court, says the hope is to start the program in April. The hope is for the recovery center to be operational, with 22 beds to start, by the end of this summer.

INDOT drivers spent time today pre-treating interstates, highways and state roads in advance of tonight’s expected winter weather.

A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect through 7 a.m. Snow will arrive and transition to freezing rain and rain. Light icing is possible along with total snow amounts of around an inch in the south and up to of 3 inches in the north.

INDOT will have a full call out of more than 130 drivers in Southeast Indiana beginning around 8 p.m. Drivers will be treating routes and plowing as needed until conditions improve. Motorists should should give INDOT yellow trucks plenty of room.

INDOT says that travel may be difficult late tonight through the Wednesday morning commute, with conditions improving by late morning as temperatures warm. If you have to travel tonight or Wednesday morning, you should slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination.

If you are looking for more traffic information, download the WAZE app for your smartphone and join the WCSI Traffic team. You can find updated traffic information on our website, on-air and on the app.

Schneck Medical Center has received a 5-star rating—the highest possible rating for quality of care, customer experience, and value of care received—from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for Overall Hospital Quality.

Schneck was the only hospital in the area to receive five stars and one of only 15 in Indiana.

“This honor belongs to our providers and staff for their continued focus on quality care for our patients and community,” said Warren Forgey, President/CEO of Schneck. “This rating means Schneck stands among the best hospitals in the nation for quality of care.”

The report reflects comprehensive quality of care in our nation’s hospitals. The assessment comes from a hospital rating system based on 59 quality measures and shows how well each hospital performs, on average, compared to other hospitals in the U.S. The more stars, the better a hospital performs with the most common overall rating being three stars.

Today is the last day to drop off items for the Hope for Prom giveback project for Hauser Jr./Sr. High School.

The project, organized by the Students Fund of Hope, is trying to provide prom outfits for students in need. You can donate prom dresses, slacks, ties, shoes, jewelry or other accessories.

A try-on event will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Willow Leaves of Hope on the north side of the Town Square..

For more information call 812-371-5525.

Columbus firefighters are warning about the danger of ice on local ponds and lakes, especially with the  temperature swings and precipitation we have seen in recent weeks.

Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department, says that the current weather conditions make for the most dangerous ice.

If you are going out on the ice for recreation Wilson says you should be prepared.

That means not going out alone, wearing a flotation device, and having a cell phone to reach help quickly in event of an emergency.

City officials hope to have a better idea on how to proceed with the Columbus Riverfront development after they meet with state officials. The project is meant to provide recreational opportunities in a scenic setting, while connecting to the city’s People Trail system.

The issue, says Redevelopment Director Heather Pope, is that an element of Indiana Department of Natural Resources is hesitant to support the placement of artificial structures in the water and on the banks. Currently, the design calls for the low-head dam in the East Fork of the White River between Second and Third streets to be removed. In-river structures would be added to maintain water levels near Mill Race Park.

Pope says her office will be meeting with IDNR officials on Thursday.

Efforts to modernize Columbus’ two parking garages are ongoing. The Redevelopment Commission voted Monday to approve the project with Duke Energy to retrofit existing fixtures with LED bulbs.

City officials say the garage at Jackson Street currently has 120 of the 150-watt metal halide bulbs on the inside of the structure and a dozen 40-watt halogen bulbs on the outside.

The garage at Second Street 80 of the 100-watt metal halide bulbs on the inside and nine 250-watt halogen bulbs on the outside.

Under the proposal approved Monday, Duke will be paid $8,899.51 to retrofit both garages with LED bulbs. Estimated annual cost savings for both garages is over $25,000 per year.

Redevelopment officials can’t say when the retrofit work will get underway, but they don’t expect it will take long. Duke still has to schedule the work.