The Indiana State Department of Health is announcing grants that will provide more than $5 million dollars to Goodwill industries in central and southern Indiana to expand nurse-family partnerships.
The state agency made the announcement recently that the funding would provide nearly $10 million statewide with $5.1 million going to Goodwill to support efforts in the southern and western parts of the state.
The funds are meant to help provide care and support for pregnant first-time mothers so that they can have healthy pregnancies and give children a successful start in life. Specially educated nurses visit the mothers-to-be early in their pregnancies and through the child’s second birthday.
The funding through the state legislature will increase the number of families served in existing counties and allow for expansion to new areas of the state.
IU Health Bloomington will also be receiving just over $210,000 to increase its current capacity, with two agencies in northern Indiana receiving nearly $4 million.
State health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box, said that nurse-family partnerships are an important tool to improve infant and maternal health.
For more information you can go to www.StateHealth.in.gov
The Brown County Community YMCA and IU Health are partnering to provide health care options in Nashville.
According to the health network, the Brown County group has purchased a medical building on Willow Street in Nashville and the network will be renting space in the YMCA’s building, continuing to see primary care patients at that location.
Brian Shockney, the president of IU Health’s South Central Region, said the YMCA’s purchase will allow for the expansion of services including moving primary care offices and adding an immediate care office which will be open 7 days a week.
Brown County YMCA CEO Kim Robinson said the agency is proud to be part of the healthcare expansion in the community.
INDOT is planning a public hearing next month about improvements to State Road 7 in Jennings and Bartholomew counties.
According to the state agency, The $27.8 million project includes safety and mobility improvements between U.S. 50 in North Vernon and just north of U.S. 31 in Columbus. Shoulders will be widened to six feet on each side of the road, passing lanes will be added at various locations and intersection and drainage improvements are also included.
The project is currently scheduled to go out to bids in the spring of 2026. Construction will follow once the contract has been awarded.
The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Scipio Elementary School on Tuesday, January 10th. The goal is to provide you with a chance to learn more about the project, to view displays, to ask questions, and to provide comments to the project team.
A formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m.
You can ask your questions or make comments in-person at the hearing, on the project website, or via mail or email.
American Structurepoint Inc.
Attn: Hannah Walker
9025 River Rd., Unit 200
Indianapolis, IN 46240
All comments are requested by end of business on Monday, January 23rd.
An early morning fire on Hutchins Avenue in Columbus caused more than $45,000 in damages to a home and efficiency apartment.
According to reports from Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the fire at about 4 yesterday morning in the 700 block of Hutchins Avenue after the homeowner was woken by a strange noise and saw flames through a window. Firefighters discovered the fire was in the efficiency apartment at the rear of the home.
It took about 20 minutes for firefighters to get the fire under control, spraying water into the 400 square foot apartment. The fire caused heavy damage to the apartment area, melted vinyl siding and destroyed the electric meter at the rear of the home. However the firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading into the home itself. The main home did receive some minor smoke and water damage.
The apartment was recently vacated and both power and water had been turned off in the unit. Because of the damage to the electric meter, the homeowner will be temporarily displaced until repairs can be made and the Salvation Army is providing emergency shelter.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Photos courtesy of Columbus Fire Department
Paperwork saying that Mike Pence is running for president, is a fake according to a former spokesman.
The former Vice President and Columbus native hasn’t filed paperwork to run for President, according to Devin O’Malley who was Pence’s press secretary while he was VP.
O’Malley confirmed on Twitter the paperwork belonging to a Mr. Mike Richard Pence filed with the Federal Elections Commission didn’t belong to the former VP himself. Former President Trump, Pence’s one-time boss, is running for the White House in 2024. Pence is one of many Republicans who may launch a run of their own.
Story courtesy of our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks Inc.
Mill Race Center is announcing the winner of this year’s Joan Pearcy Senior Citizen of the Year Award – Carl Gasner.
The award, named after Pearcy in 2011, has been given annually since 1957 to recognize an outstanding senior citizen for their service to the community and reinforce the contributions that senior citizens make to community life here.
According to an announcement from the center, Gasner embodies the qualities of the award through his work with the Columbus Bicycle Co-op, where he has volunteerd since 2014. Gasner works as a volunteer mechanic, working closely with customers teaching, training, and helping them fix and maintain their bicycles. Gasner also works on bikes, takes scrap to recycling and maintains the shop.
Gasner also serves on the board of directors for the Bicycle Co-op. He was presented the award at a ceremony last week at Mill Race Center.
Photo: Carl Gasner, at right, received the Joan Pearcy Senior Citizen of the Year award last week at Mill Race Center. From left, Dan Mustard with Mill Race Cetner, Jayme Zobrist from Just Friends/Col Bicycle Co-op board and Gasner. Photo courtesy of Mill Race Center.
A Columbus woman who was killed last week in an apparent murder-suicide had been denied a protective order against her estranged husband. That’s according to a report from WLKY news in Louisville.
36-year-old Julie Schmidtke and her estranged husband, Charles, were found dead in a home in the 2200 block of Sumpter Court on December 19. She had been shot multiple times and he had a single gunshot wound, according to the Bartholomew County Coroner’s office.
The news channel says that Schmidtke had applied for the protective order 10 days before the shooting and was turned down. Family members told the station that the hope was his guns could be taken away if a protective order had been issued. She had applied for a divorce five days before the shooting.
The channel says that the shooting happened in front of Julie Schmidtke’s two sons.
A Columbus family of four has been left homeless after a fire early Christmas morning.
According to reports from Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the home in the 4600 block of Bayview Drive at about 4:04 Christmas morning to find smoke and flames coming from the residence. The family had already evacuated when firefighters arrived and were safe at a neighbor’s home.
Firefighters fought the fire for about 45 minutes in sub-freezing temperatures. Damage to the home was extensive but no damage estimate was available.
Firefighters were able to remove some items from the home for the family. The family members were checked for smoke inhalation but declined to be taken to the hospital. They had plans to stay with family members.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department