Columbus City Utilities is being recognized with the Plant of the Year award from the Southern Indiana Operators Association.

According to the utility, the award recognizes excellence in operating the city wastewater plant on South Jonesville Road.

This is the second year in a row for Columbus to win the award, the only facility to do so. Officials with the organization cited Columbus as the standard that other wastewater treatment plants are striving to achieve, crediting leadership, management and staff as key components to the success.

The Columbus plant was opened in 2011 and averages a daily flow of 13.9 million gallons of water.

Travis Calhoun, Superintendant of the Columbus plant accepted the award on behalf of Columbus City Utilities at the recent annual meeting of the association.

The association is a not-for-profit providing education and networking to professionals in the wastewater/water recovery field.

You are being warned to be careful about using blue postal mailboxes after hours and on weekends, as those and other mailboxes are being targeted by thieves and scammers.

Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer said that there has been a recent spike in thefts and identity thefts caused by criminals targeting the contents of mailboxes.

Meyer posted advice on social media from the postal service on how to avoid being taken advantage of. That includes:

• Don’t deposit mail in the blue boxes after the last collection time posted on the box.
• Instead of using the blue boxes, you can bring your mail inside the post office.
• Don’t leave bills with checks in your own mailbox overnight. You should wait until it closer to the time for your mail carrier to arrive.
• Never send cash through the mail.
• If you are expecting a package but can’t be home at the time of the delivery, consider having it shipped to work or to a neighbor’s house.

In 2018, postal inspectors arrested almost 2,500 people for theft of mail and packages.

If you believe you’ve been a victim of mail theft or fraud, you can call postal inspectors at 877-876-2455.

A Seymour man was arrested after being found carrying drugs in Country Squire Lakes in Jennings County.

According to reports from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy stopped a vehicle on Saturday for traffic offenses. The driver was found to have a suspended license. A search at the jail revealed about an ounce of methamphetamine on the driver, 59-year-old Robert E. Norris of Seymour.

Norris was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine over 28 grams, possession of methamphetamine within a penal facility, driving while suspended with a prior conviction, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A reminder that the Indiana Department of Health will be holding an immunization clinic today at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Columbus.

The clinic will be offering flu and COVID vaccines as well as the COVID bivalent booster vaccine. High dose flu vaccine will not be available at this clinic.

No appointment is needed and there will be no charge if you don’t have insurance.

The church is at 2651 California Street in Columbus and the clinic will be from 9 to 5:30 p.m.

INDOT says that work on State Road 3 in Decatur County is scheduled to switch lanes starting today.

According to the highway department, Central Railroad of Indiana is working at the previous railroad crossing south of S.R. 46 near Greensburg. Crews are reinstalling the crossing for Lowe’s Pellets and Grain.

Southbound State Road 3 is expected to reopen today, with the northbound lanes closign for an estimated five more days. During the closures, traffic will be detoured to State Road 46 to State Road 9 to Interstate 74 to U.S. 421 and then back to State Road 3.

The schedule is dependent on the weather.

The closures were originally scheduled for last month but were delayed.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to use caution and to be alert to worker’s 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. at The Sanctuary Church.

The pet food will be distributed in the parking lot behind the church 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. Mixed brands of cat food will be distributed in 4.5 pound bags and dog food in 14.5 pound bags. Pet food will be available from the van while supplies last.

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.

The Bartholomew Consolidated School Board said goodbye to three outgoing members this week, including long-time board president Jill Shedd, Kathy Dayhoff-Dwyer and Julie Bilz.

Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts thanked the members for their service and presented plaques to the outgoing board members. Cumulatively, the school board is losing 35 years of experience and commitment, he said.

Shedd, who has served on the school board for 16 1/2 years, grew emotional in her comments on leaving thanking the community for the opportunity to serve.

Dayhoff-Dwyer, who has served for 14 1/2 years, said that she initially got involved with the school district due to concerns over special education. She said she plans to stay active in that cause.

Shedd and Bilz, who is finishing a single term on the board, had opted not to seek re-election and Dayhoff-Dwyer was upset in a four-way race for the District 6 seat on the board.

Jason Major, Logan Schulz and Dale Nowlin will be the new school board members.

The distribution of Christmas presents by the Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund is coming up on Saturday and volunteers are needed to make area children’s holidays brighter.

The Cheer Fund is looking for those interested in making deliveries Saturday morning. No registration is needed and organizers say you can just show up and they will give you directions from there. Capt. Mike Wilson spokesman for the Columbus Fire Department explains:

The doors to begin distributing deliveries open at 8 a.m. but drivers will begin lining up much earlier. The delivery pickup location is at the fire department facility at 2674 Verhulst Street. You will be able to follow the signs off of Middle Road to Verhulst.

The Cheer Fund is the oldest charity in Bartholomew County, operating for 92 years.  Wilson  explains the importance of the community’s efforts to support the Cheer Fund.

The city of Columbus is announcing that its offices will be closing from 10:45 to 1:15 p.m. Friday for the annual city employee luncheon.

Columbus City Utilities will also be closed. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service during that time you can call 812-372-8861 and follow the prompts.

Members of Columbus City Council have been invited to attend the luncheon and may receive information but the council will not be in session and will not conduct business.

Legal Aid is holding a Free Legal Aid Phone Clinic from 3 to 5:30 p.m. today.

Legal Aid offers the clinics for low-income residents of its eight-county district.

If you take part you will have a brief consultation with a volunteer attorney to answer general questions, to offer legal information or to receive other advice over the phone.

To take part, you must first register between noon and 2 p.m. today by calling 812-378-0358.