A Madison man died after a head-on collision Monday on South State Street in North Vernon.

According to North Vernon Police Department reports, 38-year-old Roy W. Hawkins died after the crash at about 4:41 p.m. Monday on South State Street near College Street.

Police say that Hawkins’s car crossed the center line and struck a southbound pickup driven by 34-year-old Justin Lucas of North Vernon. Hawkins was trapped in his vehicle and had to be cut free of the wreckage.

According to officers, Hawkins condition rapidly deteriorated on the way to the hospital and he died from his injuries.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

INDOT says the work schedule is moving up for a series of small drainage structure replacements that are closing parts of State Road 58 in Jackson County.

Work on the first structure is expected to finish this Friday. The road has been closed between County Road 550W and 650W, about 13 miles east of State Road 446.

Work will then move on to a structure between Pike Road and County Road 980W, about 10 miles east of State Road 446, which will close the highway for about 30 days.

A final structure replacement will close State Road 58 in Lawrence County for about 30 days starting in mid-September.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

The official detour follows State Road 446, U.S. 50 and State Road 135. Access is being maintained for local residents but through traffic should use an alternate route.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to drive without distractions and to be alert to worker safety in all construction zones.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services will be holding a pet food pantry distribution on Thursday from 4 to 5:30 p.m in the parking lot of The Sanctuary Church.

The pet food will be distributed in the parking lot behind the church at located at 3939 Central Avenue.

The purpose of the pantry is to assist local community members in need keep their pets in their home and out of area shelters. Pet food will be available from the van while supplies last. Mixed brands of cat food will be distributed in 4.5 pound bags and dog food in 14.5 pound bags.

If you take part you should stay in your vehicle and the food will be brought to you.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services is the non-profit partner of the city-operated Columbus Animal Care Services.

Former Vice President, former Indiana Governor and Columbus native Mike Pence will serve as the keynote speaker at a major fundraiser for Republicans in Northeast Indiana this fall.

It was officially announced on Monday by Allen County Republican Chairman, Steve Shine that Pence will serve as the keynote speaker at this year’s Reagan Bean Dinner on October 12th at the Grand Wayne Center. Shine said that the timing of the event will be a few weeks before the midterms and a month before the release of Pence’s new autobiography.

In a press release, Shine emphasized that this years event will be a way to what he called “rally the troops” ahead of the midterm elections set to take place in November.

Story courtesy of our news-gathering partners at Network Indiana.

The Columbus Fire Department is now up to full staffing after the swearing in of six new firefighters Tuesday morning by Mayor Jim Lienhoop.

According to the fire department, the new firefighters fill vacancies left by recent retirements and transfers. Their hiring brings the the department back to its full staffing of 95 sworn firefighters.

The new firefighters are:

• Wyatt Barkes of Columbus who serves with Columbus Township Fire and Rescue and works as a Columbus Regional Hospital medic. Barkes is a 2016 graduate of Columbus North High School and a 2020 graduate of Western Governors University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business.  In addition to an EMT certification, Barkes is certified as a Rope Rescue Technician, Swift Water Rescue Technician and Firefighter I & II certified.
• Christopher Moon of Elizabethtown who is a member of the Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department and works part-time at Columbus Township Fire and Rescue. Moon is a 2011 graduate of Columbus East High School. Moon is an Emergency Medical Technician and Firefighter I & II certified.
• Daniel Pennington of St. Paul who served as a volunteer Firefighter for the St. Paul, Indiana Fire Department as well as working with with Decatur County EMS, Edinburgh Fire Department and Franciscan EMS Shelbyville. Pennington is a 2008 graduate of Shelbyville High School and a 2012 graduate of Lincoln College of Technology with an Associate’s Degree in Diesel Management. Pennington previously served in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010. Pennington served in the US Army Reserves from 2011-2014. Pennington is an EMT and Firefighter I & II certified and he is currently enrolled in a paramedic licensure program through Franciscan Health.
• Mitchel Tuttle of Columbus who worked as a police officer with the Greensburg Police Department. Tuttle is a 2009 graduate of Greensburg High School and studied Criminal Justice at Anderson University. Tuttle will be enrolled in a Firefighter I & II course as well as an EMT course.
• Patrick Volland of Columbus who is a member of the Southwest Volunteer Fire Department and works part-time for Columbus Township Fire and Rescue. Volland is a 2013 graduate of Columbus East High School. He is Firefighter I certified. Volland will enroll in a Firefighter II course and will be required to obtain an EMT certification.
• Nickolas Zickler of Greenwood who works for the Harrison Township Fire Department and works part-time for the Whiteland Fire Department. Zickler is a 2019 graduate of New Palestine High School and a 2022 graduate of Ivy Tech Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science. Zickler is a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician and is also Firefighter I & II certified.

All firefighters will now undergo a department orientation training program. At the completion of all training requirements, each firefighter will receive a station and shift assignment.

Six new firefighters were sworn in Tuesday by Mayor Jim Lienhoop. Left to Right: Chief Andy Lay, Nickolas Zickler, Patrick Volland, Mitchel Tuttle, Daniel Pennington, Christopher Moon, Wyatt Barkes, Lienhoop. Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

Two local businesses are among those being recognized today by the governor for their longevity.

Governor Eric Holcomb and Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers announced today that 47 businesses statewide are being recognized with the Century or Half-Century Business Award. Holcomb said the award recognizes the businesses for decades of resilience and hard work but for the lasting impact on Indiana’s economy.

Among those recognized for the Century Award is the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce which has been active for 116 years. Ray’s Automotive Center in Bartholomew County is receiving the Half Century Award for 54 years in business.

The awards honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for a minimum of 100 or 50 consecutive years and have demonstrated a commitment to community service.

The Columbus Fire Department is announcing the promotion of Benjamin Spencer to the rank of lieutenant.

Spencer has been with the department since 2013 and has served as the Columbus Fire Department Training Officer since 2019.

Spencer will transition from the Training Division to the Fire Suppression Division where he is being assigned to serve as the Battalion-C Lieutenant at Fire Station 2.

Firefighters say a fire on an unattended stove caused $40,000 in damages to a home on Glendale Drive in Columbus Monday afternoon.

According to Columbus Fire Department reports, firefighters were called to the 700 block of Glendale Drive at about 1 p.m. Monday afternoon and found a single story home with flames coming through the roof. All of the occupants were evacuated before firefighters arrived.

A fire attack crew entered the home and discovered that flames from the stove had breached the ceiling and extended into the roof. After removing parts of the ceiling firefighters were able to extinguish the fire.

The homeowner said he had started cooking on the stove and briefly stepped away. Another resident found the fire. The homeowner attempted to extinguish the fire before escaping.

The cause of the fire was ruled accidental.

Other agencies assisting at the scene include Columbus Police Department, Eastern Bartholomew Water, Columbus Regional Health medics, CenterPoint Energy and Duke Energy.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department

A Columbus man is accused of threatening and spitting on police officers during a Sunday evening incident on the east side of Columbus.

According to Columbus Police Department reports, officers were called to the Indiana Avenue area at about 6:50 p.m. after a suspicious person damaged a storm door at a residence. Police found the suspect lying in the driveway of a home in the 2900 block of Indiana Avenue.

When officers approached him, the man got to his feet and began threatening police. Police say he spit on an officer and continued to make threats as he was taken into custody. He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out before being taken to the jail.

27-year-old Brandon M. Weddle was arrested on preliminary charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, intimidation/threats, resisting law enforcement and public intoxication.

A North Vernon motorcyclist died after a Friday evening crash on U.S. 50 and State Road 3.

According to North Vernon Police Department reports, 35-year-old Gerald A. Branam was severely injured after his motorcycle crashed into the back of an SUV that was stopped in traffic. Bystanders performed first aid until rescue workers arrived who continued life-saving efforts. He was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital to be transported to another facility, but was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police say that Branam was driving westbound and attempted to stop before crashing into the SUV being driven by 44-year-old Steven P. Neal of North Vernon. Branam was thrown from his motorcycle.

Neal was uninjured.

The intersection was tied up for more than two and a half hours while rescue workers and crash reconstructionists worked at the scene.