A community and business leader, preserver of historic buildings and major proponent of the community college system in Columbus has died.

Tony Moravec died at the age of 72 on Tuesday, according to a report from The Republic newspaper. He had attended the election night celebrations of local Republicans at the Loft in downtown Columbus Tuesday night and was found dead in his vehicle.

The Bartholomew County Coroners office told The Republic newspaper that an autopsy is scheduled to determine his cause of death.

Moravec owned BlairEx labs, Applied Laboratories, and is responsible for the restorations of both Zaharakos, which he also owned, and the Pump House restaurants in downtown Columbus. Moravec had served on the Ivy Tech State Board of Trustees.

In September of last year, Ivy Tech Community College announced that the new building on the Columbus Air Park Campus would be named in honor of Moravec in recognition of his contributions to the school and community. Although the building has been in use since this summer, it had an official ribbon cutting last month.

At a ceremony in September 2021 announcing that the new Ivy Tech building on the Columbus Air Park Campus would be named in his honor, Moravec talked about his love of Ivy Tech and education.

Photo: Tony Moravec spoke at a ceremony in September 2021 announcing that the new Ivy Tech building on the Columbus Air Park Campus would be named in his honor.

Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop is announcing his plans not to run for re-election.

The mayor said today that he will not be seeking a third term in office. He said he and his wife, Pam, have concluded that it is time for him to retire.

The mayor has about 14 months left in his term, and said he has enjoyed serving as the city’s mayor for almost seven years. He said it has been a pleasure “to work with our city’s public servants as we have responded to challenges and opportunities along the way.” Lienhoop said that city has been “well-served by a diligent council, committed volunteers and dedicated staff.”

Lienhoop praised his team in City Hall saying that he can step aside knowing our city will be well led.

Lienhoop touted some of the accomplishment during his time in office include the construction of the railroad overpass, the creation of the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress, the ongoing construction of a downtown apartment complex and urban grocery and the ongoing transformation of the former Fair Oaks Mall into Nexus Park. Columbus also was recently chosen as the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s city of the year.

He said much of that progress was done despite the pandemic and its restrictions.

Lienhoop said he will continue to be involved and invested in Columbus. And thanked the public for the opportunity to be mayor.

Photo: Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop gives his State of the City speech address earlier this year.

Republicans have swept all of the state-wide races in Indiana.

Diego Morales has won the secretary of state race with 54 percent of the vote over Democrat Destiny Wells. Tera Klutz defeated Democrat Zenai Brooks for the state auditor seat with 61 percent of the vote. And Daniel Elliott has won the race for state treasurer with 61 percent of the vote.

In the local congressional races, Columbus Republican Congressman Greg Pence defeated Columbus Democrat Cinde Wirth for the Sixth Congressional District seat, with 67 percent of the vote. In the Ninth Congressional District, Republican Erin Houchin has defeated Democrat Matthew Fyfe with 64 percent of the vote.

Bartholomew County’s state legislators have won re-election to their seats after yesterday’s results.

Republican State Senator Greg Walker won his race against Democrat Bryan Munoz with 65 percent of the vote in the District 41 seat. State Representative Ryan Lauer, a Columbus Republican, won re-election with 61 percent of the vote over Democrat Ross Thomas for Statehouse District 59 and Seymour Republican incumbent Representative Jim Lucas won over Democrat Chad Harmon with 74 percent of the vote in District 69 which includes part of southern Bartholomew County.

In the Statehouse District 73 race, Shelbyville Republican Jennifer Meltzer won with 77 percent of the vote over Democrat Mimi Pruett, to represent the district which contains northeastern Bartholomew County.

There will be three new faces on the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board after last night’s election results. Jason Major, Logan Schulz and Dale Nowlin will be new school board members, with Rich Stenner winning re-election to the fourth open seat.

Major defeated Annakarina Hurtado and David Vincent with 44 percent of the vote in the three-way race for the BCSC District 1 seat.

Nowlin won with 54 percent of the vote over Eric Grow in the District 4 BCSC race.

And Logan Schulz was the winner of the four way race for the District 6 seat on the board with 34 percent of the vote. He defeated Cheryl Miles-Vieth, incumbent Kathy Dayhoff-Dwyer and Mark Douglas.

Incumbent Rich Stenner won re-election to the District 2 seat on the board with 52 percent of the vote over his opponent Roy West.

Unofficial vote totals:

It was a good election night for Republican incumbents in Bartholomew County. All of the contested countywide races were won by the Republicans along with all four open seats on the County Council.

Incumbent Republicans Clerk Shari Lentz, Auditor Pia O’Connor, Recorder Tami Hines, Treasurer Barb Hackman, County Commissioner Carl Lienhoop and County Councilman Jorge Morales all won their races with more than 60 percent of the votes, along with Republican Councilman Mark Gorbett who won with 58 percent.

New Republican prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay, Sheriff Chris Lane and incumbent Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin won their seats with no opposition.

Hackman won the only three-way contested race, defeating Democrat Jessica Hendry and independent Tom Heller to win reelection as county treasurer.

Unofficial vote totals:

A North Vernon man is facing charges including rape and drug dealing after an incident on Friday in Jennings County.

According to reports from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, the investigation into a reported sexual assault began Friday morning. During the investigation deputies learned that drug dealing was going on at a home and obtained a search warrant. That search led to the seizure ore more than 100 grams of methamphetamine as well as marijuana, drug paraphernalia, cash and several rifles with a large amount of ammunition.

Deputies arrested 54-year-old Duane Kendall of North Vernon on charges including rape, criminal confinement, theft and dealing methamphetamine as well as for possessing the marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

44-year-old Jason Stratton of Arizona was arrested for visiting a common nuisance.

Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.

Firefighters say that a sprinkler system at a west Columbus apartment complex helped save a unit from serious damages during a fire yesterday morning.

According to Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the 4800 block of Pine Ridge Drive at about 10:52 a.m. Tuesday for a garage fire in the Westwood Pines Apartments. Firefighters discovered the sprinkler system going off in the ground-level garage.

Firefighters found evidence of a small fire in the garage but no flames were found during their investigation. However there were several cardboard boxes containing new home appliances and decorating materials that had been damaged. According to the fire department the garage was used for storage and maintenance for the entire apartment complex.

Investigators said that the sprinkler system worked as designed and played a significant role in reducing the fire’s spread to the structure as well as limiting property damage. There was no structural damage and damages to the contents of the garage were estimated at $3,000.

No injuries were reported at the scene. Columbus firefighters were assisted at the scene by  the Columbus Police Department and the Columbus Regional Health Emergency Medical Services.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department

Officials are warning of an elevated risk of wildfires this afternoon as gusting wind combines with warm temperatures and low humidity to make dry fuels ready to burn.

The National Weather Service says wind gusts of 15 to 20 mph are possible this afternoon and humidity values of 25 to 35 percent. Uncontained fires may spread quickly and you are asked to avoid open burning this afternoon.

Thursday afternoon could see a limited to enhanced risk of fire.

(10 p.m. final update)

With all of the absentee and Election Day voting machines tallied, Bartholomew County Election Results include:

Bartholomew Consolidated School Board District 1
Jason A. Major 44%
Annakarina Hurtado, 34%
David Vincent 22%

Bartholomew Consolidated School Board District 2
Rich Stenner, 52%
Roy West, 48%

Bartholomew Consolidated School Board District 4
Dale Nowlin, 54%
Eric Grow, 46%

Bartholomew Consolidated School Board District 6
Logan K. Schulz, 34%
Cheryl K. Miles-Vieth, 30%
Kathy Dayhoff-Dwyer, 23%
Mark Douglas, 13%

Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Board – Flat Rock Seat
Chad Miller, 73%
David J. O’Neill 27%

10 p.m. update

With all of the absentee and Election Day voting machines tallied, Bartholomew County Election Results include:

State Senate District 41
Greg Walker, R, 65%
Bryan Munoz, D, 35%

State Rep District 59
Ryan Lauer, R, 61%
Ross Thomas, D, 39%

State Rep District 69
Jim Lucas, R, 82%
Chad Harmon, D, 18%

State Rep District 73
Jennifer Meltzer, R, 76%
Mary “Mimi” Pruett, D, 24%

Circuit Court Clerk
Shari Lentz, R, 68%
Quisha Jackson, 32%

County Auditor
Pia O’Connor, R, 67%
Sharon K. Persley, 33%

County Recorder
Tami Himes, R, 68%
Jacob Lashley, D, 32%

County Treasurer
Barb Hackman, R, 64%
Jessica Hendry, D, 29%
Tom Heller, I, 6%

County Commissioner, District 2
Carl Lienhoop, R, 66%
Chris Sims, D, 34%

County Council District 1
Greg Patterson, R, 70%
Shua Cobb, D, 30%

County Council District 2
Leah Beyer, R, 64%
Paul Hoffman, D, 36%

County Council District 3
Mark Gorbett, R, 58%
Blake Fields, D, 42%

County Council District 4
George Morales, R, 69%
Josh Burbrink, D, 31%