Monthly Archives: January 2020

Workforce consultant starts Monday at Ivy Tech Columbus campus

Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus is adding a new Workforce Alignment Consultant to collaborate with area employers on their training and educational needs.

The college says that the consultant, will develop partnerships with area employers to understand their specific market. The consultant then will focus on ways to co-develop workforce programs and products.

Jacob Stansbury starts with the college on Monday in the role. Stansbury most recently served as the learning and development leader in human resources at Cummins. While there, he was responsible for the apprenticeship and school-to-work programs.

Dr. Steven Combs, Ivy Tech Columbus chancellor,  said that Stansbury’s experience will be essential to college efforts to connect area employers with a well-educated and well-trained work force.

“Ivy Tech provides significant opportunities for customized training and professional development, and Jacob’s leadership will help us continue to build important relationships with employers that can directly benefit their employees,” Combs said.

Cummins Seymour plant recognized for environmental stewardship

Cummins Seymour Engine Plant it being welcomed into the State of Indiana’s Environmental Stewardship Program.

There are 55 other companies in the program. To be part of the program, companies commit to implementing or maintaining measurable environmental improvements. Those could include reducing water or energy use, decreasing solid or hazardous waste, or reducing air emissions.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says that Cummins Seymour Engine Plant has maintained a standard of environmental compliance, developed and implemented an environmental management system and committed to a variety of environmental improvement projects.

They are in the first year project to reduce energy consumption through LED lighting initiatives, automation of the power-down processes and reclaiming some reverse-osmosis reject water.

IDEM made the announcement Thursday.

Carr Hill Road to close for bridge replacement

Photo courtesy of INDOT.

Travel on the west side of Columbus will be getting even more snarled starting next week and lasting through the summer.

INDOT says that Carr Hill Road will be shutting down next week as contractors will begin tree clearing operations over I-65 in Bartholomew County . The road will close beginning Monday and reopen by Friday, weather permitting. Nighttime shoulder closures are also planned next week on I-65 near the bridge, located just south of the Columbus exit at State Road 46.

After the tree-clearing, Carr Hill Road will only be open for a few days though, as the bridge is due to be replaced with work starting on Monday, Feb. 10th. Carr Hill Road will be closed from then until mid-July. You will see more lane restrictions on the interstate while the bridge is demolished and replaced.

INDOT says the official detour will be Terrace Lake Road to Goeller Blvd. to State Road. 46.

The total project will cost almost $5 million dollars and will also include the bridge at County Road 200S. Milestone is the contractor for the project. The finish date for the total project is estimated for the end of November.

Driver with no license accused of fleeing from Columbus crash

Allison M. Perdue. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

Columbus police say that a local woman who had no driver’s license fled from a car crash, leading to her arrest.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, Columbus police were called to a two-vehicle accident at Kentucky Avenue and South Mapleton Street. One of the drivers suffered minor injuries, but the second was nowhere to be found.

Witnesses said that the other driver, later identified as 22 year old Allison M. Perdue of Columbus ran away after the crash, into a home in the 300 block of Hege Avenue.

She was arrested on preliminary charges of leaving the scene of an accident and driving without ever receiving a license.

County coroner: Bartholomew County infant mortality among highest in state

Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting says he is concerned that five infants died in the county last year. That is as many as the last two years combined.

There were three infant deaths in 2017. two in 2018, and last year had five.

Nolting said that number puts Bartholomew County among the highest infant mortality counties in the state.

Nolting said he and his deputies are committed to ending infant mortality, in part by educating parents of infants about safe sleeping procedures.

This week, Nolting released details of the death investigations that his office undertook in 2019. According to the report, his office investigated 143 deaths last year. The vast majority, 89, were deaths from natural causes and 35 were from accidents. There were 23 deaths by overdose, 16 suicides and five infants died last year in the county.

Nolting praised his staff and deputy coroners for their work in difficult circumstances.

 

Report: Columbus taking over Otter Creek governance

Otter Creek Golf Course is now being governed by the city of Columbus.

According to our news-gathering partners at The Republic, the city-owned course has been managed by a not-for-profit group dominated by Cummins appointees, but the Cummins members of the board have resigned this week.

A new board made up of all city appointees is taking over and hopes to return the world-class course to financial solvency.

For more information, go to therepublic.com

Police: Driver threw drugs out window during chase

Michael L. Lawles. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

A Columbus man is facing drug-related charges after allegedly throwing items out the window of his vehicle during a police chase.

Columbus police say that they tried to stop a vehicle for a minor traffic violation at about 12:30 Wednesday morning near State Street and McKinley Avenue . But rather than stop, the driver, later identified as 53-year-old Michael L. Lawles, took off. And as he drove down the road, he began throwing items out of the vehicle.

After he was stopped a short time later, officers searched the vehicle and discovered methamphetamine on the seat and floorboards. They also discovered marijuana in a bag he threw out the window. He is facing preliminary drug possession charges for teh meth and marijuana, as well as resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.

Andrews joins race for Bartholomew Superior Court 2 judge

Scott Andrews. Photo courtesy of the candidate.

Local attorney Scott Andrews is joining the race for Bartholomew Superior Court 2 judge, in the May Republican primary.

Andrews grew up in Bartholomew County, attending St. Peter’s Lutheran School, and graduating from Columbus East High School, Purdue University and Seton Hall University School of Law.

He has served in the prosecutor’s office, as a public defender and among his private practice clients are the towns of Hope and Clifford, the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Board, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Merit Board and the Fair Oaks Community Development Corp.

Former police chief Jon Rohde and long-time local attorney Dominic Glover have also filed for the race to replace Judge Kitty Coriden, who is leaving office.

Candidates have until noon on Friday, February 7th to file to run in the May primary election.

Sheriff warns of telephone scammer techniques

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers wants people to stay safe from scammers.

The sheriff says that there are some basic facts about the way scammers operate that you should know. You can no longer trust a name or number that appears on your caller ID. To make their call seem legitimate, scammers use internet technology to spoof their area code and name – it may seem they are calling from Washington DC, when they actually could be calling from anywhere in the world.

You should never give out your sensitive information over the phone. Things like your bank account, credit card or Social Security numbers can all be used by scammers to defraud you. Even if you think you know who you are talking to, to make sure the call is 100 percent legitimate, hang up and call the agency or company directly from a number you find from a trusted source, such as a utility bill or an official web site.

Scam prevention experts also point out that you should never be asked to make a payment to anyone using pre-paid debit cards, or online store cards that you purchase at a physical store in town. Legitimate businesses and agencies will never ask for you to pay using those cards.

If you have any concerns, you should just hang up and call police.

Seymour police hunting for thieves hitting local cars

Seymour police are working on a rash of thefts from cars that happened overnight.

The agency reports that two people are believed to have been out early in the morning pulling on door handles to find unlocked vehicles.

Police recommend several safety tips to make sure your valuables don’t get stolen from your vehicle. That includes making sure that you lock all of your vehicle’s doors anytime it is unattended and that you should remove any valuables from your vehicle including even pocket change. You should only park in well-lit areas and if possible, in areas with surveillance cameras.

Police also suggest that you remain vigilant. If you see any suspicious activity during odd hours, you can call the police department to report it.