The city of Columbus is giving up on collecting rent from its restaurant tenants in The Commons and the Jackson Street parking garage until at least July of next year.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission adopted a proposal to fully abate the rent at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon to fully abate the rent for Orange Leaf, Subway, Bucceto’s, Luciana’s, The Garage Pub & Grill and Lucabe’s Coffee from January through June 30th.

The city has already abated rent on the properties in full or in part, starting in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Heather Pope, director of the city’s redevelopment department, said that in a normal year from June through December, the city would have collected more than $136,000 in rent, while this year the city has only collected just over $20,000, due to the previous abatements.

Councilman Tom Dell urged the commission to approve the rent abatement, saying that downtown restaurants are facing some of their toughest times ever because of the COVID-19 restrictions. Dell said that the city doesn’t view the rents in the city-owned buildings as a profit-maker, instead just as a way to recover some costs. In this case, the greatest cost would be having to replace those restaurants.

The commission approved the proposal unanimously.

Columbus firefighters are warning that Thanksgiving celebrations also carry the potential for fire dangers.

Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Columbus Fire Department, says that statistically tomorrow brings the greatest chance for a kitchen fire, the most common type of residential fire. Frequently that is due to distractions, he said.

Frying your Thanksgiving turkey is popular right now but that brings its own set of dangers.

That includes inside of a garage. When outdoors, Wilson said you should keep the fryer off of wooden decks and away from eaves or overhangs.

And you should invest in a non-water fire extinguisher, Wilson said.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says several legitimate organizations are working with the department to develop fundraisers to honor fallen police dog Diesel. But there are also fake fundraisers that have popped up which are not approved by the department.

The sheriff’s department said that the Bartholomew County Humane Society, Dog World and veterans organizations have volunteered to host fund raisers for a memorial and to sustain the department’s K9 Program. However, the department has not approved any fundraisers through online sites like Spot Fund or Go Fund Me. Those sites appear to be scammers who are acting as if they are supporters of the efforts. The sheriff’s department warns you not to fall victim to those activities.

If the department does decide to approve a fundraising effort, there will be a public endorsement of the fundraiser by Sheriff Matt Myers.

Myers said that Diesel’s handler, Deputy Matt Bush, and other deputies have been touched by the hundreds of cards, prayers and donations supporting the department after the death of the dog during a chase earlier this month.

If you would like to drop off a card or other donation item, you can bring it to the front desk at the Sheriff’s Office or mail it to 543 2nd Street.

Indiana is reporting more than 100 deaths from COVID-19 according to the newest numbers from the State Department of Health.

Tuesday’s report show 5,702 new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 306,538 since the pandemic started. The state’s 7-day all test positivity rate is 11.4 percent.

The 103 deaths reported today brings the state total to 5 thousand 169 since March. The deaths reported today happened between Oct. 30th and Monday.

Bartholomew County has 50 new cases and a 7-day positivity rate of 13 percent. In other area counties, Decatur had 11 new cases, Jennings 27, Jackson 68, Brown 7, Johnson 90 and Shelby County 37. Johnson County had one reported death, the only area county with a new fatality from the disease.

Jennings County deputies recovered a pound of methamphetamine and other drugs after a vehicle chase through the county Monday.

A deputy attempted to stop a vehicle after a traffic violation at about 8:04 p.m. Monday night on County Road 600W but instead the driver took off, according to police reports. As the vehicle fled, items were thrown out the windows, according to police.

After having its tires deflated near County Roads 550W and 300N, the vehicle drove through a field before crashing into a drainage ditch. Two men then attempted to run away before being taken into custody.

The items thrown out the window turned out to be the pound of meth and more than an ounce of heroin or fentanyl. Police also recovered $3,000 in cash from one of the men.

The driver, 43-year-old Michael Franklin of Floyds Knobs and the passenger, 51-year-old Robert Sibley of Madison, are facing charges including dealing Methamphetamine, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Methamphetamine, a syringe and marijuana. Sibley’s bond is being doubled because he was already on house arrest through Jefferson County.

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on Friday night, according to deputies.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that 34-year-old Amberly Napier was struck by a northbound semi in the 10000 block of South U.S. 31 at about 10 p.m. Friday night.

Witnesses said that Napier was in the travel lanes of northbound U.S. 31 when she was struck.

The investigation is ongoing.

A group of local board game fans will be holding a 24-hour gaming marathon to raise toys and money for the Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund starting Friday evening.

Organizer Tyson O’Haver explains the event.

The 24-hour-Board-Game-A-Thon will be from 6 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday at Hotel Indigo in downtown Columbus. To enter you can donate $20 and one new toy or game.

There will also be a raffle and silent auction of more than 15 board games donated by sponsors, O’Haver explained.

Masks and social distancing will be mandatory. Temperatures will be checked and the event will follow guidelines on the number of attendees for COVID-19.

You can get more information on the group’s Facebook page.

Indiana has now topped 300,000 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The Indiana State Department of Health announced 5,606 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, for a total of 300,913 cases since the pandemic began. The state’s 7-day all-test positivity rate is 11.6 percent.

On Sunday, the state passed 5,000 deaths from COVID-19. Monday’s numbers added 27 to the total, for 5,067.

Bartholomew County reported 70 new cases Monday and a 7-day positivity rate of 12.6 percent. In area counties, Decatur had 37 new cases, Jennings 14, Jackson 60, Brown 6, Johnson 164 and Shelby 42. Johnson County is reporting three new deaths, and Shelby one death.

You will have a chance to weigh in on a proposed water rate price increase by Columbus City Utilities next week.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will be holding a public field hearing starting at 6 on Dec. 2nd in the Belvedere Room at Hotel Indigo on Brown Street to get public testimony on the rate hike.

The city is proposing an increase in three phases. If approved, water charges for a residential customer using 5,000 gallons per month would rise in August 2021 from $11.43 to $16.60. Those charges would later increase to $19.41 in January of 2023 and then to $20.65 in January 2024.

Columbus City Utilities says the increase is due to higher operating and maintenance costs and will be used to pay for $22.2 million in bonds to make infrastructure improvements. Those improvements include the construction of new wells, a new storage tank and improvements to four others, new transmission and distribution mains, laboratory and treatment plant improvements, upgraded software, and new meters, among other projects.

You can speak in person at the field hearing, but because of COVID-19, customers are urged to participate by phone instead of in person. If you do attend the hearing in person, you will be required to wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.

If you are interested in speaking at the Dec. 2nd hearing, you should call to pre-register by noon on Dec. 2nd at 317-232-5888.

Comments are welcome via the OUCC’s website at  www.in.gov/oucc/2361.htm, by email at [email protected], or by mail at:

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

Those are due by Dec. 8th.