Two people were arrested after a scuffle with Jennings County deputies Monday.

According to Jennings County Sheriff’s Department reports, deputies pulled over a vehicle because they recognized the driver had a suspended driver’s license. That was at about 2:20 a.m. in the afternoon on Park Avenue near South State Street.

But a passenger jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to eat a plastic baggie, suspected to be filled with narcotics. After refusing orders to stop, deputies used a Taser to subdue them man, identified as 38-year-old Andrew R. Golden of Versailles. Deputies were able to remove the baggie from his mouth and after a struggle he was put into handcuffs.

In the meantime, the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Josie E. Robbins of North Vernon, got out  of the vehicle and began to attempt to conceal more narcotics, police say. Robbins was also detained and the drugs were recovered.

Golden was taken to a medical provider to be checked out before being taken to jail on preliminary charges of Possession of Meth, marijuana and syringes, obstruction of justice and resisting law enforcement. Golden was also wanted on a Jennings County probation revocation warrant.

Robbins is facing charges of possession of meth, marijuana and syringes.

Columbus Regional Health is being recognized for its efforts to protect infants and maternal health. The hospital was recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association, Gov. Eric Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kristina Box with the second annual INspire Hospital of Distinction award.

CRH earned the award based on six key areas, including infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation, perinatal substance use, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal hypertension.

INspire was developed to implement the delivery of best practice care for Hoosier moms and babies and to recognize hospitals for excellence in addressing the key drivers of infant and maternal health. It is funded by the Indiana Department of Health’s Safety PIN grant.

Columbus firefighters will be holding their annual chili cookoff on Friday, Nov. 5th at Fire Station #1.

The fundraiser for the Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund will be accepting free will donations. It will be a drive-in event and you can take your favorite chili home to support the Cheer Fund.

Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund is the oldest charitable organization in Bartholomew County. Money raised goes to provide Christmas gifts for the needy children of the community.

The chili cook-off will start at 6 and last until the chili runs out.

Fire Station #1 is at the corner of Jackson and Washington streets in downtown Columbus.

Two wanted Columbus residents were arrested and a handgun recovered during an incident Tuesday evening.

According to reports from the Columbus Police Department, officers were patrolling in the 700 block of Werner Avenue at about 10:20 Tuesday night, when they noticed two people next to a vehicle with its interior light on. Officers identified the two as 41-year-old Asa G. Wisler and 35-year-old Amber D. Morgan, both of Columbus, and both with outstanding warrants for their arrest.

Police took the two into custody and noticed Wisler had an empty holster at his waist. A search recovered a handgun laying on the ground, where Wisler had been standing. An inspection revealed that the serial numbers on the gun had been filed off.

Wisler was arrested on new charges of possession of a legend drug, obliterating the identifying marks on a handgun and an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

Morgan has three outstanding Bartholomew County warrants and one from Johnson County. She is also facing a charge of making a false identity statement.

A tenant was injured and an apartment damaged when a small explosion went off in Columbus Tuesday evening.

According to reports from the Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the 600 block of Lafayette Avenue at about 7:20 Tuesday evening on a reported explosion in a kitchen. When firefighters reached the scene several tenants were outside of a 10-unit apartment building but there was no sign of smoke or fire.

The tenant in the apartment had burns to her arm. She told firefighters that she had been spraying bug spray underneath the kitchen sink when the spray ignited. An investigation revealed a damaged wall, blown out window and broken sink in the apartment. Investigators concluded that the cloud of spray was ignited by the pilot light on a gas stove causing a flash fire. Firefighters turned off the gas to the apartment and the water.

The woman was in stable condition and was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment.

Firefighters warn that you should use caution with any aerosol spray, as the hydrocarbon propellant is very flammable and can ignite when in the presence of a flame.

Columbus firefighters offer other safety tips for aerosol cans:

• Read safety warning prior to use.
• Puncturing cans causes a sudden release of pressure that may cause the can to become a projectile.
• Incinerating a can, even if it is empty, risks explosion.
• Aerosol cans that contain hazardous ingredients are required to have a warning label. Ingredients are considered hazardous if they have one or more of these characteristics: Flammable, Toxic, Caustic, Irritant, Sensitizer, Carcinogen, Nerve toxin, Reproductive toxin.
• Indoor use may cause eye and breathing irritation.

Turning Point Domestic Violence Services has given its 2021 Mission Partner Award to the Feminism Club at IUPUC.

According to the agency, the Feminism Club has partnered with Turning Point on events such as “Take Back the Night” and “The Clothesline Project.” Turning Point also recognized the club’s continued work during the pandemic. Stephanie Cunningham of Turning Point said the members of the club exemplified this year’s Turning Point theme of “It Starts with Me.”

The Feminism Club engages in advocacy, prevention, and related educational work to serve its communities.

Columbus will be showing off its new Sixth Street Arts Alley with a celebration event on November 3rd.

The revamped Sixth Street alley was designed by LAA Office and is meant to provide a space for programs and community activities. It features a mural on the south wall of the Odd Fellows building at Sixth and Washington streets by artist Nick Smith, and a colorful ground plane mural on the street surface.

The city will close Sixth Street downtown for the event which will include food from the TaColumbus food truck, and beverages by Hog Molly Brewing Co. and The Savory Swine.
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The celebration will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on November 3rd and it is sponsored by the city of Columbus.

Click for more info on the Sixth Street Arts Alley.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Area Arts Council

Bartholomew Consolidated School educators have a new contract.

The teachers union voted to approve the contract last week and the school board voted at is meeting this week to also approve the contract. The agreement would see an average pay increase of about 6 percent in each of the next two school years.

Starting teachers will see their pay rise from the current $39,065 to $44,600 in the contract’s second year. The top of the pay scale for teachers would be $83,600, with a $90,000 salary including referendum increases.

The plan will also reduce the number of pay steps for teachers, from the current 33 tiers to 27. Each step will increase from the current $1,200 dollars difference between steps to $1,500 dollars per tier.

Educators will also see a 5 percent decrease in dental premiums.

The two-year contract with the Columbus Educators Association will be retroactive to the start of this school year. It could be reopened if there was a crisis in the health insurance trust fund.

Bartholomew County has a new recycling compactor at the county landfill.

Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District has installed the new compactor that has more capacity than the roll-off containers previously used at the landfill. That allowed the landfill to save more than $3,000 in transportation costs since it was installed in August.

The district paid for the new equipment with a more than $29 thousand dollar Community Recycling Grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which required a 50 percent match by the district.

The new compactor can accept:

• Plastic bottles and jugs marked with a #1 or #2 recycling symbol. Lids can be left on the bottles and jugs.
• Steel and aluminum cans
• Glass bottles and jars with lids removed

Styrofoam, plastic bags, and other plastics  not marked with #1 or #2 should not be put in the compactor. Bagged recyclables and cardboard should not go in the compactor. There are separate bins for cardboard and mixed paper.

All recyclables should be empty, clean, and loose.

For more information at www.bcswmd.com

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District.

Area Ivy Tech Community College campuses are collecting food and hygiene items for students in need.

It is the second year for the Spooky Food Drive to benefit the college’s Ivy Food for Thought Food Pantry. The pantry has helped more than 60 students either using the main pantry, a grab-and-go shelf, or a snack bag.

The drive will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at Ivy Tech’s Franklin location at 2205 McClain Drive and from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday at the Ivy Tech Columbus campus on Central Avenue. Collection points will be in the parking lots and you can drive up to drop off.

If you can’t attend the food drive but still want to help, you can donate items in the donation boxes on the campuses

Ivy Tech is asking for donated food, hygiene and class room items including:

• ramen
• mac and cheese
• popcorn
• microwavable pasta,
• microwavable meals
• microwavable soup
• granola bars
• individual fruit cups
• peanut butter
• crackers
• chips
• Pop Tarts
• hand soap
• lotion
• shampoo/conditioner
• toothpaste
• hairstyling products
• feminine hygiene items
• shaving cream
• deodorant
• detergent
• pens
• paper
• pencils

For more information, contact Sarah Martin at 812-374-5191 or [email protected]