Monthly Archives: September 2022

Alzheimer’s walk set for Sunday at fairgrounds

A walk to raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness and research is returning to Bartholomew County this weekend.

The Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is hosting this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer event  Sunday at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The Walk is the largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. In 2021, the Columbus walk raised more than $94,000.

According to the Association, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 11 million family caregivers. In Indiana alone, there are 110,000 people living with the disease and 216,000 caregivers.

Pre-Walk activities will begin at 12:30 p.m. The Promise Garden ceremony will be held at 1:45 p.m., and the Walk will follow.

Registration is free and you can register online at alz.org/Indiana/walk.

Drive-through flu shot clinic set for Tuesday

The Bartholomew County Health Department is offering a drive-thru flu clinic next week at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.

According to the agency, everyone six months old or older should get a flu vaccine.

The health department will be charging $20 for Quadrivalent, and $60 for high dose for those 65 and older or for FluBlok for those who are immunocompromised. Most insurances can be billed for flu vaccines. If you are uninsured or your insurance does not pay for flu vaccines, you are eligible to receive a free vaccine.

Children under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present.

The flu clinic will be from 10 to 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 4th.

You can get more information at 812-379-1555, option 1.

National Guard leaves from Shelbyville for Florida mission

A team of Hoosier National Guardsmen has deployed for Florida from the Shelbyville armory.

According to the Indiana National Guard, more than a dozen soldiers, three flight crews and mechanics, along with two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with the 38th Infantry Division’s aviation brigade, left yesterday to assist military and civilian agencies in logistics and reconnaissance missions.

Lt. Col. Scott Oden, the Indiana National Guard’s director of aviation and safety, said “This is what Hoosiers do, help our neighbors when called upon, whether it’s here in Indiana or the Sunshine State.”

The request for forces came through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a foundation for sharing resources between states.

Indiana National Guard soldiers and airmen have a history of responding to severe weather. The Guard responded to two hurricane relief efforts in 2017 following Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida, and again in 2018 following Florence in North Carolina. Most recently the Guard responded to severe snowstorms in Indiana in February.

Oktoberfest continues today with polka, German music

Seymour’s 49th annual Oktoberfest continues today. The festival is open from 11 to 11 today and Saturday.

Tonight’s entertainment includes includes Schulhaus 4+3 German Band 6:30 – 10:30 P.M. on the German American Bank stage and the Chicken & Polka Dance Contest with the Second Street Dancers at 6:30 p.m.

There will be a shuttle bus running from the intersection of Walnut and Second Streets to Seymour High School starting at 4 p.m. today and after the parade on Saturday.

The parade gets underway at 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon sponsored by Schneck Medical

New Ivy Tech building to get ribbon-cutting next week

Ivy Tech Community College Columbus Campus will be celebrating the official opening of its new building, Moravec Hall, next week.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday at the new building on Central Avenue.

Moravec Hall opened this summer replacing the aging Poling Hall, which has been torn down to make way for new landscaping and amenities. The nearly $33 million dollar Moravec Hall is a 80,943 square foot building with state-of-the art technology and modern simulation laboratories.

The building is named in honor of Tony Moravec and his family. Moravec, a local businessman, has served on the College’s state board of trustees and as a member of the Ivy Tech Foundation board. He has also supports Ivy Tech students by establishing an endowed scholarship.

The recently renovated Columbus Learning Center will also be highlighted during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The namesake of the former Poling Hall, Harvey S. Poling Jr.,is memorialized in the lobby of Moravec Hall with a plaque recognizing his legacy and role in bringing Ivy Tech to Columbus and south central Indiana.

Photo: Tony Moravec speaks at an Ivy Tech event last year announcing the new building would be named after him.

Mellencamp announces tour; new Hall of Fame exhibit opens

Seymour native John Mellencamp is launching a new tour next year.

The “Live and In Person 2023” tour kicks off at the IU Auditorium in Bloomington. He’ll hold shows there February 5th and 6th. The 76 show tour will wrap up with two nights in South Bend on June 23rd and 24th. Tickets go on sale on October 7th- Mellencamp’s 71st birthday.

A Legends of Rock exhibit featuring Mellencamp opened yesterday at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The display will include his 1976 Fender Telecaster Custom guitar and the studio tracking chart for “Jack and Diane” from 1981.

Our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks contributed to this report

North Vernon man facing rape charge

Tyler Lauderdale. Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

A North Vernon man has been arrested on charges including rape after a Wednesday morning incident in Jennings County.

Because of the nature of the incident, Jennings County Sheriff’s Department has released few details of the incident except to say that they were called to a rape in Vernon Township at about 7:36 a.m. Wednesday.

After an investigation at the scene, deputies arrested 21-year-old Tyler Lauderdale on charges including rape, strangulation, intimidation and battery.

He was taken to the Jennings County Jail.

Chamber president honored by entrepreneur group

Cindy Frey. Photo courtesy of Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

The head of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is being recognized for her work promoting entrepreneurship in southern Indiana.

Cindy Frey, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce was announced as the South Central Indiana Community Champion of the Year at the recent 5th annual Kinetic Conference held by Elevate Ventures. Velocities is a partnership between Bloomington, Columbus, and Elevate Ventures that support innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth in South Central Indiana.

Frey was recognized for expanding the entrepreneurial ecosystem by raising funds and providing leadership for Velocities. The Elevate Ventures awards ceremony recognized Frey for establishing the Propeller innovation center, securing a $600,000 READI grant from the state as well as expanding access to capital and coaching for minority entrepreneurs as part of the TIME program.

The local region was also chosen as the Region of the Year. Velocities generated the highest count and dollar value of all Elevate Ventures deals last year.

Tickets still available to help VIMCare Clinic

Tickets are still available for the Reverse Raffle coming up on Friday to benefit VIMCare Clinic.

Columbus Regional Health Foundation is holding the raffle to benefit the clinic which provides medical services for the uninsured and underinsured patients in the community.

The 27th annual Reverse Raffle is Friday on the grounds of the CRH Tech Center, near the Columbus Municipal Airport and the AirPark Campus. The theme for this year’s event is “Field of Dreams” and it will include the traditional Reverse Raffle, live music, dinner and drinks.

The annual event is the largest fundraiser for VIMCare Clinic. Proceeds from the annual raffle make up about a third of the clinic’s budget.

To buy dinner and/or raffle tickets and for more information visit www.crh.org/raffle