Bartholomew County deputies recovered a stolen rental van on Sunday but not before a man jumped from the vehicle.

According to reports from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy noticed the stolen U-Haul truck at about 5:44 p.m. Sunday afternoon driving southbound on U.S. 31. The deputy tried to pull the vehicle over however the driver refused to stop. As they drove in the Harvest Meadows area, a passenger jumped from the vehicle. He was quickly taken into custody.

The deputy continued searching for the stolen vehicle and found it again on West County Road 450N heading toward U.S. 31. After the vehicle finally stopped on County Road 400N, the driver 37-year-old Joseph Mark Harshbarger, of Indianapolis, was arrested on preliminary charges of:

• Resisting law enforcement with a vehicle
• Possession of stolen property
• Possession of a controlled substance
• Driving while suspended – prior

The passenger, 37-year-old Brian Petro, of Indianapolis is being accused of criminal trespass.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department

Two men were arrested for driving drunk over the weekend in Columbus, despite prior convictions for driving under the influence.

According to Columbus Police, officers were called to reports of a reckless driver at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night near Middle Road and Poshard Drive. Police saw the vehicle driving slowly and stopped the driver, 26-year-old Jacob M. Crays of Cicero, Indiana. Crays had glassy eyes and slurred speech and there was also an empty wine box in the car. After failing several field sobriety tests and being taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood test, he was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction.

A few hours later, an officer saw a driver blow through the stop light at 25th Street and U.S. 31. According to the officer, the driver was going so fast the patrol car shook as the pickup went past. Police stopped the driver near Eastbrook Plaza at about 1:15 a.m. in the morning. The driver, 40 year old Trent F. Barthel of Buffalo, Minnesota failed several field sobriety tests and was taken to CRH for a blood test. A search of his vehicle recovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He is facing preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction, and for possessing the marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The state of Indiana is honoring Cummins and six other companies around the state for efforts to reduce waste, chemical usage and energy,

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management recognized the Columbus based engine manufacturer and others with the Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence, the highest award the agency gives. The seven recipients were honored for extraordinary initiatives in protecting the environment.

Cummins was chosen for the company’s Pollution Prevention Clear-Coat Elimination Project.

According to the state, for 30 years Cummins washed and painted every engine made at the Cummins Mid-Range Engine Plant in Columbus. That included a dry-off and curing oven step, along with chemical washes. After a two year validation, the company determined the painting was no longer needed.

The elimination of the production steps means saving 23,500 gallons of chemicals a year, 14,000 gallons of clear-coat, 12,000 gallons a day of water, as well as natural gas and electricity. Cummins was able to reduce natural gas usage by almost 80 percent and energy use by more than 10 percent. Plus the company is no longer producing waste such as plastic caps, rags and paint filters.

The governor’s office presented the awards at the recent 25th Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Tradeshow.

A reminder that the Friends of the Muscatatuck River Society are planning a river cleanup on Saturday.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. in the morning at the Vernon Commons off of Jackson Street near the water access point.

Volunteers will be walking or paddling along the banks of the Muscatatuck collecting trash.

The cleanup will finish at noon at the Jennings County Highway Garage on State Road 3 near the fairgrounds, where you can dispose of your collected trash.

If you have any questions you can get more information at 812-592-0481.

Photo courtesy of Jennings County Parks.

Exhibit Columbus is announcing the theme for next month’s symposium and next year’s exhibitions at architectural landmarks around the city. It will be Public by Design.

Exhibit Columbus, launched in 2016, has two year cycles with a symposium hosted one year, and the installation of exhibits around the city next year. According to organizers, the upcoming cycle will celebrate “creative methods of collaboration that communities and designers can use to grow a sense of belonging and connection in public spaces.”

The theme is meant to explore revitalizing and reimagining historic downtowns as equitable, beautiful, healthy, and joyful places.

The symposium will be October 21st and 22nd in downtown Columbus. This year’s event will move away from the traditional symposium format, instead holding public events to create opportunities for engagement between the designers and the citizens of Columbus.

You can get more information at exhibitcolumbus.org

Former Vice President and Columbus resident Mike Pence will be speaking in Iowa this week.

Pence will be the featured guest of the 15th Annual Kaufmann Family Harvest Dinner on Wednesday in Wilton. It will be Pence’s first public visit to Iowa since the Iowa State Fair in August.

Pence has been visiting states that figure prominently into the presidential primaries including New Hampshire and Iowa.

Last week, Pence told a group of students at an Utah event that he isn’t ready to comment on a run for president in 2024, saying only that he would keep people posted.

The Columbus movie returns to Columbus today with a celebration of the film tonight at the former North Christian Church.

The low-key film, was shot in and around Columbus and local residents were used as extras. Stars Haley Lu Richardson and John Cho will return to Columbus for tonight’s event, along with director Kogonada.

There will be a reception at 5 p.m. and a conversation with the stars and director from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the church building at 850 Tipton Lane. It will be moderated by Holly Warren, the City of Bloomington’s Assistant Director of the Arts.

This event is made possible through support from the Columbus Area Visitor Center, and a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with the City of Bloomington.

You can sign up to attend the free event at EventBrite.

Despite a rainout, organizers of the Labor Day weekend Our Hospice Concert say that the event generated more than anticipated this year.

Our Hospice of South-Central Indiana is announcing that the fundraiser netted more than $147,000. That exceeded the goal of $122,000.

The hospice thanked title sponsors FORVIA Faurecia and Columbus Regional Health, and other sponsors for supporting the hospice with funds needed for the care of the patients and families served by the hospice.

There were 4,704 raffle tickets sold and a fish fry at the American Legion post raised $8,100. A drive-thru cookie, raffle & t-shirt sale held at NexusPark raised $4,754.

While the 10th annual Mill Race Marathon is coming up tomorrow morning you will already see some street closings in downtown Columbus this morning.

Sixth Street closed this morning between Washington Street and the alley west of Franklin Street and will remain closed until 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Sixth Street will also be closing between Washington Street and the parking garage starting at 8 today.

There is no parking on Washington Street between 5th Street and 7th Street until Saturday afternoon.

Fourth Street will close at noon today between Jackson and Franklin and will remain closed until tomorrow at 9 in the evening.

You will not be able to park on Washington Street between Third and Fourth Streets starting at 4 p.m. today. The street will close between Third and Seventh starting at 6 p.m. tonight and lasting until tomorrow evening.

You can expect streets to be closed all around the city during the races Saturday morning.
You can get more information on the routes on our website.

You can find a complete list of street closings here.

The 54th annual Hope Heritage Days kick off today in the northeastern Bartholomew County town.

Booths open on and around the Town Square starting at 5 tonight and going through 10 p.m.

Entertainment starts with the Keith Swinney Band playing at the bandstand from 6 to 7:30 p.m. tonight, with the Gospel Sing at the Hauser High School Gym from 7 to 9 p.m. Tonight’s headliner will be Scott Haggard, son of country music legend Merle Haggard, at the bandstand from 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Booths are open from 8 to 10 on Saturday and from 9 until 5 on Sunday. The annual parade will start at 2:30 on Sunday.

Town officials say that the entire town square will be closed starting at 5 today and lasting until Sunday afternoon. The road behind the schools will be closing Saturday morning for a cross-country run. You can also expect to see West Jackson Street closed from Vine Drive to 670N starting Saturday afternoon and lasting until about midnight.

You can find a complete schedule of events at hopeheritagedays.org