Our Hospice of South Central Indiana says the virtual Lights, Camera, Royalty gala raised more than $39,000 to help the hospice efforts in Jennings County.

Jena Morgan was crowned the gala queen after raising the most of three Jennings High School contestants for the crown. Morgan has actually raised more than $10 thousand dollars over the past two years, as she was runner-up last year. Emily Lane was chosen as this year’s first runner-up and Macy Addis also raised funds for the charity.

The online event featured both a live segment and a pre-recorded video segment including a testimonial by Wanda Blair, daughter of a Hospice patient, a tribute to the 23 years of the Our Hospice Gala Queens, and a video in memory of long-time volunteer and founder of the Gala, Linda Lamb.

Silent and live auctions held via a mobile app were also a success, according to organizers.

Last year’s event was also a virtual event, but planning is underway for the 25th annual gala, which organizers hope can be held in person.

Photo: Jennings Gala Queen 2021 Kylee Boardman and 2022 Queen Jena Morgan. Submitted photo.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop will be giving his State of the City address Tuesday night, updating the community on the status of the city and its various projects and services.

The mayor has previously said the idea of the annual speech is to give people a better idea of where their tax dollars are going.

In previous years, the State of the City speeches have been held at various locations including Donner Center, the former Fair Oaks Mall, the Columbus Learning Center and others. However, with the continuing pandemic, this one will be a virtual event following the City Council meeting. Last year’s event was also a virtual speech.

The City Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday night and the State of the City address will follow. You can watch both by going to the city’s website at columbus.in.gov.

Columbus firefighters put out a blaze Wednesday night at Stonegate Apartments that threatened to ignite the attic and roof.

According to Columbus Fire Department reports, they were called to the apartments on Wint Lane at about 6:35 p.m. Wednesday evening about a third-floor patio fire. They were told a plastic chair on the patio was burning. From the street level, firefighters could see flames climbing up the patio walls and approaching the ceiling.

Columbus police arrived on the scene and began warning tenants on all three floors. Firefighters deployed 200 feet of hose up to the apartment to put out the fire and found that the flames had melted through the vinyl patio ceiling. They discovered minor charring to the roof decking but said the fire was confined to the balcony and had not spread to the attic.

Water caused damage to all three floors and damages to the building are estimated at $25,000 dollars.

Managers of the apartment complex said they would provide any needed temporary shelter for residents displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported at the scene.

Photos courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

A sex offender was arrested again in Jennings County for not updating the sexual or violent offender registry with a new address.

According to reports from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, 50-year-old William R. Sherman of North Vernon showed up Wednesday to make his annual registration at the department. However his state issued identification card listed an incorrect address, one that had been incorrect for about a year.

Convicted sex or violent offenders, are required to register with the county where they live, as well as where they work, go to school or own real estate, according to the sheriff’s department. They also must maintain a state ID with their current address and their physical features.

Sherman was arrested on a preliminary charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Sheriff Kenny Freeman said he takes the sexual offender registry seriously and if you violate the law you will go to jail.

Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer is announcing a change to the county’s mass notification system. He says the county has switched to a new vendor called Hyper Reach to send the automated emergency messages.

All white page and yellow page land line phone numbers have already been uploaded into the system. However if you want to receive alerts on your cell phone, you must sign up on the county website.

To sign up go to www.jacksoncounty.in.gov and at the bottom of the page look for Citizen Alert. You can click that link to sign up for the new service.

A tip from the Bartholomew County and Columbus intelligence led policing unit led to the arrest of a Indianapolis man on drug-dealing charges Tuesday.

According to reports from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, police received information that fentanyl was being brought into Columbus from another community. Based on the information, deputies stopped a vehicle on North U.S. 31 at Bear Lane Tuesday. A search revealed suspected fentanyl being carried by a passenger.

25-year-old Charles F. Russell of Indianapolis was booked into the Bartholomew County jail at 5:07 a.m. Wednesday morning on preliminary charges of dealing in and possessing a narcotic drug.

The intelligence led policing unit is a combined unit with officers from the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers says that working collectively allows law enforcement to maximize their resources to succeed in their mission pursuing those who are distributing and abusing dangerous drugs in the county.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department continues to crack down on residences with drug activity and frequent police involvement.

According to reports from the sheriff’s department, deputies raided two houses on Wednesday, confiscating drugs and arresting five people. The addresses of the homes are not yet available.

Two of those arrested are facing charges for maintaining the common nuisances. 32 year old Ashley Baker and 25-year-old Ricky Anderson III both of North Vernon are also facing preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Freeman said that if people continue causing problems for their neighbors, they can expect to see deputies at their door very soon. This comes on the heels of two raids last week on nuisance homes in Country Squires Lakes.

Others arrested Wednesday include:

• Sheldon Vanosdol, 31, North Vernon, Out of County Warrant
• Tanner Cornett, 26, North Vernon, Possession of Syringe, Possession of Methamphetamine, Jennings County Warrant
• Trinity Patton, 21, North Vernon, Out of County Warrant

Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department

Bartholomew County lifted its travel restrictions yesterday, but several surrounding counties still have restrictions in place this morning.

Brown, Jackson, Jennings and Johnson counties remain under yellow travel advisories, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Under a yellow advisory level, routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas.

Shelby and Decatur counties have also returned to a normal status.

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Board will be considering this afternoon the approval of a bond issue to refresh the former Fair Oaks Mall, transforming into the new NexusPark recreation center.

The board held the first public hearing on the $11.5 million dollar bond issue on Monday afternoon in a special meeting. The bond would be repaid through property taxes in the city. The city’s financial advisor, Andrew Lanam with Stifel Financial Corp, explained that Columbus has one other general obligation bond outstanding, taken out for The Commons, which would be retired in 2028. The Nexus Park bond if approved, would raise the tax rate for bonds from two cents now to about three cents, he said. The bonds would be paid off in 2041.

A city resident in Columbus Township now pays a combined property tax rate of $2.66 for all the taxing entities, and would pay $2.67 if the parks bond is approved, he said. He said for a $125,000 dollar home, the effect would be just over $5 per year.

The bonds would go to pay for the refurbishing for the parks department spaces in the former mall building.

The parks board meets at 4 p.m. today in the Columbus City Council chambers at City Hall and virtually.

The parks board would give its final recommendation for approval later this month, and then it would have to be approved twice by Columbus City Council in March.

An Ohio man died after falling nearly 30-feet through a skylight at the Columbus Sam’s Club store Tuesday afternoon.

According to Columbus Fire Department reports, firefighters were called to the store on Merchants Mile at about 2:19 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a person being injured. They found Columbus Police and Columbus Regional Health paramedics providing CPR to an unconscious man found on the floor of the business.

Employees said that the man had been working on the roof of the building, and had fallen through a roof top skylight to the floor below. Despite the efforts of first responders, 42-year-old Pedro Gonzalez of West Chester, Ohio died at the scene from his injuries.

Early reports say that Gonzalez was working as a roofer when he slipped leading to his 27-foot fall. The Bartholomew County Coroners Office says Gonzalez suffered fractures to the skull and cervical spine in the fall. But the case remains under investigation and the coroner’s office can not yet pronounce the cause and manner of death.