The Columbus Redevelopment Commission plans to purchase the former Eynon Law Offices on First Street for more than half a million dollars as part of a land swap with the Bartholomew County government.

The commission approved the purchase of property behind the Bartholomew County Jail on First Street as part of a land swap deal with the county government. The county and city are making deals to allow the city to own the property including county parking lot between Second and Third streets across from the jail. The property behind the jail will be used for a new county court services building built by the city.

The commission approved the purchase of the property at 555 First Street for $555,000 dollars from Moravec Realty LLC. The purchase will have to get further approvals from Columbus City Council because it is more than the commission’s half million dollar spending limit.

Design drawings courtesy of Bartholomew County Commissioners.

As the year wraps up, downtown development in Columbus is moving forward on several fronts.

The city has been approved for its Indiana Department of Natural Resources permit to make improvements in the downtown riverfront. Heather Pope, redevelopment director for the city, updated the Columbus Redevelopment Commission at its meeting yesterday, saying that the city has also had several meetings with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about what improvements they will will allow in the river. She said the Columbus team has begun the modeling necessary to meet those requirements. The city is also planning to submit its application for the project soon to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

She called it a huge step forward for the riverfront project.

Columbus police are looking for a suspect in a burglary at a Middle Road salon.

The police have released still shots and video from a burglary at Vivian Lou Salon at 3075 Middle Road early Monday morning. Police say the suspect, who appears to be dressed in a black hooded jacket, light-blue shirt, jeans and a black knit cap, broke into the cash register and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

You can view a video of the suspect and the break-in on our Facebook page.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

Photos courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

A Columbus woman died after being trapped inside a vehicle after a crash Saturday evening.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that 24-year-old Ashley Cox died from her injuries at IU Methodist Hospital after being rescued from the wreckage.

Deputies were called to the crash at North County Road 280W and Fawn Court at about 10:17 Saturday night. They found one victim, 29-year-old Matthew Hunstable outside the vehicle and Cox trapped inside. She was freed by German Township firefighters and first taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, then to Indianapolis.

Hunstable was also taken to CRH for treatment of his injuries.

More than 7,000 people have now died from the coronavirus in Indiana. According to the Indiana State Department of Health’s daily updates on COVID-19 spread throughout the state, Indiana passed that milestone on Saturday.

Yesterday there were 6,558 new cases reported, with a 7-day positivity rate of 12.2 percent and 53 new deaths. Those deaths happened between November 6th and Saturday.

No new deaths were reported in area counties yesterday. Bartholomew County had 66 new cases, Decatur 17, Jennings 33, Jackson 35, Brown 11, Johnson 161 and Shelby County 51.

Shelby, Johnson, and Jackson counties are still under the red, or severe spread advisory level, on the state’s color coded map, after previous poor metrics, and will remain so until they return to the orange, or serious spread metrics for two consecutive weeks. Brown County is the only area county that is red based on its current score.

The votes are in and the Town of Hope has chosen the winner of its annual Deck the Town Holiday lights competition. And it was the same as last year, the Griffin Family at 1607 Manor Drive in the Liberty Place subdivision. The winner will receive the travelling trophy, a replica of the leg lamp from the movie “A Christmas Story.”

Organizers at Main Street of Hope photographed 58 locations around the town and chose 18 finalists. Voting was done through the Main Street of Hope Facebook page and wrapped up last night.

Organizers suggest that you can come to northeastern Bartholomew County to tour the town’s lights, as a socially distanced and free holiday event.

Photo courtesy of Main Street of Hope.

Two local history groups will be receiving grants from the Indiana Historical Society’s Heritage Support Grants program.

The Heritage Support Grants are made possible by the Lilly Endowment and have been given since 2016 to Indiana’s local, county and regional historical societies, museums and sites, recognizing the critical role these organizations play in upholding the state’s heritage. This cycle they ranged from just under $5 to $50 thousand dollars and went to 10 organizations around the state.

The Bartholomew County Historical Society will receive just under $5 thousand dollars to sand, feather, paint and glaze windows and paint doors at their headquarters on Third Street. The McEwen-Samuels-Marr House is on the National Register of Historic Places and the restorations will help ensure the building and the museum collections housed within are protected.

The Jackson County History Center was awarded just under $5 thousand dollars to update the electrical wiring in the C.T. Robertson Livery Barn. The new electrical system will provide a safer, enhanced viewing experience in the museum and will allow for the installation of archival-safe lighting in the barn.

The grants will be awarded in the first half of 2021, according the the state society.

For more information, you can go to www.indianahistory.org/grants.

A driver was flown by Lifeline helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital after a crash Saturday morning on East State Street in Columbus.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that they were called to the single-vehicle rollover crash in the 4000 block of State Street at about 8:25. The driver, 37-year-old Latisha Carter suffered injuries after being thrown from the vehicle.

Columbus Township Fire and Rescue Department, CRH paramedics and Indiana State Police helped at the scene.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

A Jennings County man is under arrest after he was found hiding in a barn after a police chase.

Jennings County deputies are reporting the incident happened on Thursday, when they went to a home on County Road 900W to serve civil papers. But 30-year-old Thirld W.A. Ross of North Vernon was wanted on an outstanding warrant and fled the scene in a vehicle.

Deputies called off the chase but later found the vehicle left partially in the road on County Road 500S. Police dog Vampir was brought to the scene and tracked Ross to a barn about a half mile away. He was arrested without incident but was found to be carrying a handgun.

He is facing new charges of resisting law enforcement on a vehicle and on foot and carrying a handgun without a license.