An IUPUC professor has been chosen as an IUPUI Chancellor’s Professor, the first local educator to receive the honor in the 50-year history of IUPUC.

The announcement was made last week that Dr. Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick, had been chosen for the honor, the most distinguished appointment an individual faculty member can attain at IUPUI. The honor recognizes senior faculty members for their accomplishment and leadership in teaching, research, and campus service.

Goodspeed-Chadwick has been teaching at IUPUC since 2008, specializing in 20th-century American literature, transatlantic modernism, women and literature, women’s and gender studies, and trauma studies.

She is the founding and current director of the Office of Student Research, serves as the campus liaison for the statewide Indiana University Undergraduate Research Conference, is the co-founder of the Office for Women at IUPUC, and serves on the IUPUI Office for Women Advisory Council.

Goodspeed-Chadwick was also recently awarded an Indiana University Bicentennial Medal, recognizing those who broaden the reach of Indiana University through their personal, professional, artistic, or philanthropic efforts.

Columbus firefighters successfully rescued trapped ducklings over the weekend, the third such rescue in the last few weeks.

Rescue workers were called to the Dirt Buster Car Wash on Johnson Boulevard at about 7:04 a.m. Saturday morning after workers found a mother duck and two ducklings loitering outside a floor drain. Trapped inside the drain were other ducklings

Firefighters removed a floor drain covering and removed the four trapped ducklings, turning them over to Columbus Animal Care Services. Staff with animal shelter checked the babies for injuries, cleaned them up and then released them back to their mother duck at a nearby retention pond.

Firefighters report that this is the third time in the past two weeks that they have been called to aid trapped ducklings.

Capt. Mike Wilson said that firefighters also were called to rescue trapped beavers on the west side of the city in March. He said that because of the numerous lakes and ponds on the west side of the city, residents should remain vigilant for possible wildlife encounters while driving or walking.

Photo: Columbus Fire Department Lt. Jim Miller, at left, and Firefighter Derrick Chitwood rescue four ducklings from a westside car wash drain Saturday. Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

Most Columbus city and Bartholomew County government buildings are reopening to the public again today.

City officials announced last weeks that buildings will reopen including City Hall and the Columbus Police Department, Donner Center, city utilities, the Department of Public Works, and aviation offices at Columbus Municipal Airport. Buildings that will remain closed to the public include Animal Care Services, fire stations, and The Commons.

Masks will still be required within the city buildings to protect the public and city employees.

If you want to contact city workers remotely, you are encouraged to call or to use email.

The city also plans to continue to conduct government meetings remotely through at least the end of May, streaming them on the city website and via WebEx.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says southern Indiana is under a slight risk of severe thunderstorms tonight.

We could see storms with large hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes. The severe storms are most likely between 10 tonight and 4 on Tuesday morning.