A Cummins executive is one of the new members of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The chamber announced yesterday that Avril Schutte director of corporate responsibility for Cummins is among the 31 new members of the chamber board.

Schutte leads the development of significant global community programs, including Cummins Powers Women, a global community initiative committed to the advancement and prosperity of women and girls around the world.

More than 200 people from member companies make up the Indiana Chamber board. All new board members will serve three-year terms through fall 2025.

Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is moving its Jennings County offices.

As of Thursday, the offices will be at 753 North State Street in North Vernon, alongside the Eye Care Group. Laura Leonard, president of the hospice said that the location will be a central sport for the staff of nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers as they provide care in the surrounding area.

Leonard said that since the pandemic, most of the staff works remotely at client’s homes and in facilities where the clients may reside. The change means a need for a smaller office footprint.

Our Hospice, founded in 1980, opened a branch office in Jennings County in 1991. Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is not-for-profit, community-based hospice providing care in 16 counties with offices in Columbus, North Vernon and Greensburg.

Cummins will provide the electrolyzer to generate hydrogen at Niagara Falls, NHew York.

The Columbus based engine manufacturer made the announcement yesterday that the company would be the provider of the 35 megawatt electrolyzer for the new Linde hydrogen production plant in Niagara Falls, powering Linde’s largest green hydrogen plant in the U.S.

The state of the art electrolyzer system will be a proton exchange membrane system that will be scalable as needed.

Powered by hydroelectricity, the electrolyzer system will split water into oxygen and “green” hydrogen. The hydrogen can then be stored as a compressed gas or liquid fuel to help decarbonize industries such as heavy duty transportation.

Linde is a global leader in the production, processing, storage and distribution of hydrogen.

In October, Cummins announced that it would be providing an electrolyzer for Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. That electrolyzer will be at the Niagara Hydrogen Center of Atura Power.

Bartholomew Consolidated Schools have a new director of secondary education. Charles Edwards was promoted to the position at last night’s school board meeting.

Edwards started at BCSC as dean at Columbus East High School in 2002. He served as assistant principal there for 15 years and most recently served as the district’s director of Title services, according to Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts. Title I is a federal education program that provides additional funding to school districts with high percentages of children from low-income families.

Edwards graduated from Bloomington South High School, Miami of Ohio and has a masters from Butler University.

He thanked the school board for the new opportunity.

Edwards has also been serving as co-chair of the district’s diversity council since its inception, Roberts said.

Columbus Regional Health is being recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association for its commitment to infant and maternal health.

The hospital received the INspire Hospital of Distinction award from the association in partnership with Gov. Eric Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box.

The award was based on CRH implementing best practices in areas including infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation, perinatal substance use, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal hypertension.

INspire was developed to implement the best care for Hoosier moms and babies and recognize hospitals for excellence in addressing key drivers of infant and maternal health.

A driver died after a head-on crash on State Road 3 near Westport Friday.

According to reports from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, the crash happened at about 5:58 p.m. Friday afternoon, about two miles north of Westport. A driver headed northbound attempted to pass a semi and struck a southbound vehicle head-on, according to police reports.

The driver of the southbound vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the driver has not yet been released, but the family has been notified.

When deputies arrived, they found one vehicle off in the grass and the other in the southbound lanes. The occupants of both vehicles were trapped inside the wreckage and had to be rescued. The driver and passenger in the northbound vehicle were taken to Decatur County Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The semi was also found to have been involved in the crash but the driver was uninjured.

Indiana State Police were called in to perform a crash reconstruction. The investigation is ongoing.

There is still time for Indiana veterans who are struggling to make ends meet get help for the holiday.

According to State Rep. Jim Lucas, veterans and their families can receive $300 per dependent child in the household and $200 per household toward a holiday meal courtesy of Operation Holiday Program.

The program is part of Indiana’s Military Family Relief Fund. Hoosiers can support those who have served by donating to this fund providing emergency grants to veterans, their widows, and military families struggling to pay for necessities like food, utilities, medical expenses and transportation needs.

Veterans in immediate need can connect to help quickly by calling 211, which is a free and confidential hotline Hoosiers can use to find local assistance with food, finances, utilities and housing. This line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Applications for the Operation Holiday Program are due by Dec. 30, and need to be submitted online at in.gov/dva or by calling 317-232-3910.

The Indiana Department of Health is urging you to stay healthy for the holidays and will be holding an immunization clinic on Wednesday 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 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The Indiana House Republicans have appointed Bartholomew County legislators to committees for the upcoming session of the General Assembly.

State Rep. Ryan Lauer of Columbus will serve as vice chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, as a member of the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee, and the House Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee.

Newly elected State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer of Shelbyville will serve as a member of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Local Government. Her district includes northeastern Bartholomew County.

State Rep. Jim Lucas of Seymour received an appointment to serve as vice chair of the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. Lucas will also serve as a member of the House Committee on Local Government and the House Public Policy Committee. Lucas district includes part of southern Bartholomew County as well as Jackson County.

State Senate Republicans have announced that Sen. Greg Walker of Columbus will be chairman of the Senate Committee on Family and Children Services. He will also serve as ranking member of the Senate Committees on Elections and Ethics, and as member of the committees on pensions and labor, public policy and tax and fiscal policy.

Indiana lawmakers are scheduled to convene on Jan. 9.

Indiana Statehouse photo courtesy of iga.in.gov

A Seymour man is being accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

According to reports from the Seymour Police Department, officers were alerted that the girl had been assaulted by the 22-year-old on Dec. 2nd. The investigation was turned over to police department detectives who interviewed the victim and the suspect last week.

Police say that the suspect, 22-year-old Walter Ivan Hernandez-Polanco admitted to touching the victim inappropriately, both on top of and under her clothing. And he said he knew the girl was 15 at the time, according to police.

Hernandez-Polanco was arrested on felony charges of sexual battery and sexual misconduct with a minor. he is also being accused of operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license, a misdemeanor.