The Columbus Police Department is investigating a battery that was reported outside the Bartholomew County Library earlier in the week.

Lt. Matt Harris says that even though some people on social media have said the incident was a rape, the police department is investigating the incident as battery. He adds that detectives are still working out the details of the case.

Harris says that the department’s designation is not meant to discredit the alleged victim. He stresses that more investigative work needs done.

The police department is not releasing any details about the incident until their investigation is complete.

The City of Columbus-Bartholomew County Planning Department is inviting you to give your thoughts about bicycle and pedestrian travel in Columbus during a public workshop scheduled for Thursday, June 20th. The public workshop will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Columbus City Hall.

The City of Columbus Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update will identify opportunities to expand the community’s bicycle and pedestrian network and will include strategies to improve the city’s system of trails, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and other bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The plan will serve as an update to the City’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, which was adopted in 2010.

A second public workshop is slated for later this year.

Schneck Medical Center announced the opening of the Schneck Professional Building. It is a five-floor, 80,000-square-foot facility offering Infectious Disease specialists, Neurosurgery, Pain Center, Primary Care, Surgical Associates, Surgical Weight Loss, and a Vein Center.

“As our communities continue to grow, it is critical that Schneck also grows to serve the needs of our patients. The Schneck Professional Building is evidence of that commitment,” said Warren Forgey, President/CEO, Schneck Medical Center. “Our goal is to make healthcare streamlined and comprehensive – while at the same time easy to access.”

Neurosurgery, Bariatrics, Surgical Associates, Pain Center, and the Vein Center will open on Level 5 on Monday, June 3. Later in the summer, Infectious Disease and a third Schneck Primary Care location will open on Level 4. Levels 1, 2, and 3 will be built out as needed for growth in providers. Once all levels are occupied, the building can accommodate 40 to 50 providers and contain 120 to 150 exam rooms.

“Mary Schneck, who 108 years ago had the vision of building a community hospital, would be pleased to see how much we have grown from a 17-bed hospital to a healthcare delivery system with nine affiliated locations in four counties and, one of the most respected health institutions in the nation,” added Forgey. “We are excited to share the opening of the new Schneck Professional Building with the community and to begin a new chapter in Schneck’s history.”

Columbus Regional Health’s Cancer Center is donating automatic sunscreen dispenser stands to three area public parks and recreation spots in Bartholomew County.

CRH officials say the motion-sensor dispensers release individual portions of SPF 50 broad-spectrum sunscreen and include an application mirror and information about the importance of sun safety. The free-standing dispenser units will be available at Donner Aquatic Center, Lincoln Park ball diamonds and Ceraland Park and free for public use.

Indiana State Police are investigating an incident at the Jennings County Jail. ISP took on the investigation at the request of the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office after a female inmate tried to ingest methamphetamine, which caused her to suffer a medical emergency.

ISP detectives say the incident began at about 9 p.m. on the evening of May 29th, when Angela Kay Bennett, 43, Butlerville, was arrested on a warrant out of Bartholomew County. Bennett was transported to the jail where she was being processed by the jail staff. During the book-in process, Bennett allegedly took a concealed baggie containing suspected methamphetamine tried to swallow it.

Authorities say that as a result of her attempting to swallow the bag, Bennett began suffering a medical emergency. She was transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital before being transported to an Indianapolis hospital for further treatment.

Bennett’s condition has not been released.

The investigation is ongoing.

Cummins Inc. and Isuzu Motors Limited announced that both companies have entered into the Isuzu Cummins Powertrain Partnership agreement. The agreement announced Friday formalizes a business structure for the two companies to evaluate and carry out opportunities to jointly develop and bring new diesel and diesel-based powertrains to global markets.

“As Cummins celebrates 100 years of innovation, we continue to look for opportunities to build global relationships with companies that share our values and our focus on innovation,” said Tom Linebarger, Chairman and CEO of Cummins. “This partnership is a terrific opportunity for both companies to leverage our respective strengths and create new opportunities to grow and broaden the product portfolio we bring to customers,” added Linebarger.

The Relay for Life in Hope will be from 8 a.m. n the morning to 11 p.m. Saturday evening on the Hope Town Square.

Activities will include music by Night Owl Country Band from 7 to 8:30 p.m., a fish fry from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., a silent auction and an luminaria ceremony that starts at 9 p.m. in the evening.

All proceeds go to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Interstate 65 drivers should see a change in the traffic pattern near Jonesville Sunday night.

INDOT says that southbound traffic will be be move to the northbound side of the interstate for about five miles in that area. A crossover north of the Able Ditch will revert the traffic to the southbound lanes. The switch will let paving work continue in the existing southbound lanes.

Northbound crossover traffic to southbound lanes will remain unchanged.

This is all part of the project to widen Interstate 65 to six lanes between Columbus and Seymour. INDOT warns that drivers should continue to use caution in the construction zone between the cities.

The change is dependent on the weather.

A group of local volunteer dentists will be performing free procedures tomorrow for those in need. The charity event is in celebration of Free Dentistry Day and the doctors will provide up to one filling, extraction or cleaning for those in need.

Participating dentists will include Dr. Steven Bollinger and the team at Dental Care at Columbus Crossing, Dr. Erica Hunt of Southern Indiana Smiles, Dr. Keegan Bakus of Landmark Dental Care, and Dr. Jane Harrison of Dentistry Plus.

Free Dentistry Day recognizes a crisis in the lack of dental insurance for many in the country. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 108 million Americans go without dental insurance.

The event will be held at Dental Care at Columbus Crossing, 2145 West Jonathan Moore Pike, from 8 a.m. until noon. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The city of Columbus is moving ahead with plans to purchase the former co-op gas station on Second Street at a price of up to $340,000.

The less than one-acre property is at the corner of Central Avenue, Second and State streets and has been abandoned for years. City officials say the building is deteriorating and has been the subject of vandalism over the years. When the store closed, products on the shelves were left to rot inside, says Heather Pope, redevelopment director for the city.

Pope said the property does have several fiberglass underground storage tanks and the city will be applying for grant funds to have those removed. Testing has shown no leaking from those tanks that would have to be cleaned up.

Mayor Jim Lienhoop said that two appraisals were done, showing a value of between $290,000 and $340,000, for an average of $317,000.

Redevelopment Commission member and City Councilwoman Laurie Booher asked why the city was willing to pay a price higher than the lower the appraisal. Lienhoop explained that the state has given redevelopment commissions that ability.

Lienhoop said that sometimes to complete a larger project, redevelopment commissions need the ability to pay the asking price for a property. But this project is within a few percentage points from the average., he said.

In this case, putting all of the property in the area under the ownership of the city, could make for an enticing package for a would-be developer, the mayor said. The area is a key location for future development.

The redevelopment commission voted to approve negotiations to buy the property, which is now owned by Rickers.