The Columbus and Bartholomew County planning departments are being recognized with statewide awards for two projects.

According to Jeff Bergman, planning director for the city and county, the joint department received recognition from the Indiana Chapter of the American Planning Association recently for the community’s approach to finding new uses for underdeveloped properties and for its bicycle and pedestrian planning.

The infill development approach received the Outstanding Implementation award, while the bike and pedestrian plan was recognized for Outstanding Transportation Planning at the association’s Spring Professional Development Conference held earlier this month.

The department maintains a listing of Infill Site Profiles, providing planning, zoning, and real estate information for vacant and underused properties. Since developing the profiles, 15 of the original 34 sites have been fully or partially developed.

The Columbus Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted by the Columbus City Council in 2022 and outlines a vision for improving transportation options through bicycle facilities and sidewalk improvements.

The joint city and county planning department oversees community and transportation planning, floodplain management, and the review of new developments for zoning regulations.

You can get more information at https://www.columbus.in.gov/planning/

Staff photo courtesy of Columbus and Bartholomew County Planning Department.

Legal Aid is hosting a free walk-in legal clinic tomorrow in Bartholomew County.

If you take part you will have up to a 10-minute consultation with a volunteer attorney to answer general questions, to offer legal information or to receive other advice. The clinic is on a first-come, first-served basis and there is no need to register in advance.

The walk in legal clinic will be Tuesday, from 3 to 5 pm at the Bartholomew County Public Library.

From 3 to 4 the session will focus on general legal counsel. From 4 to 5 p.m. the clinic will focus on evictions.

The city of Seymour wants to answer your questions about a $2.8 million dollar improvement project on O’Brien Street.

The city will be holding a public information session Wednesday on the project. The goal is to replace the roadway and add sidewalks from Village Circle Avenue to U.S. 50 and from U.S. 50 to 4th Street. The city says the goals are to improve pedestrian mobility, the roadway condition and drainage and to lengthen its lifespan.

The original road was constructed in the 1930s and has been overlaid four times since then.

The project would do a full-depth reconstruction of the pavement, and add curbs, gutters and sidewalks on both sides of the roadway. ADA-compliant curb ramps will be constructed on each side of each street crossing.

Planners say the road will be constructed half at a time, so residents can reach their homes if they have no other access besides O’Brien Street. The project would start in 2025.

The information session will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers at Seymour City Hall.

Map courtesy of city of Seymour

Columbus firefighters believe a heating lamp caused a fire that completely destroyed a home early Saturday morning on Central Avenue.

According to Columbus Fire Department, a resident of the home in the 2600 block of Central Avenue woke up to the smell of smoke and the homeowner found a small fire in a breezeway between the home and garage. Firefighters were called to the scene at 4:10 a.m. in the morning and found the breezeway completely engulfed in flames and the fire had spread into the home. Firefighters fought the fire for about 30 minutes before getting it under control.

Firefighters were able to rescue a cat from the fire and recover a few items for the family from the wreckage.

The homeowner said that baby chickens were kept under a heat lamp in the breezeway. Investigators say that an extension cord was used to power the heat lamp.

Damages are estimated at more than $220,000 and the home is believed to be a total loss.

The family is being assisted by the Salvation Army.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

A Columbus woman was injured in a crash Saturday on Interstate 65 in Jackson County.

According to Indiana State Police, a car driven by 32-year-old Edward D. E. Garrett, of Columbus was headed north on the interstate, just north of Crothersville at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. That’s when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle left the road and rolled several times before coming to rest upside down.

Garrett was not injured in the crash but his wife, 32-year-old Valerie Garrett suffered serious injuries and was trapped in the wreckage. After being rescued by Seymour Fire Department, she was flown by IU Health helicopter to a hospital for treatment. Troopers say her her injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

State police say they believe speed and unsafe lane movements played a role in the crash.

Indiana State Police were also  assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Crothersville Police Department, Vernon Township Fire Department, Jackson County EMS and Howard’s Wrecker Service.

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.

Cummins, the Columbus based engine manufacturer, says its new zero-emissions business brand started electrolyzer production Friday at the company’s Fridley, Minnesota plant.

The electrolyzer business is part of Accelera, a new brand that Cummins announced earlier this year. Accelera combines Cummins zero emissions programs under the New Power business unit.

Cummins officials along with local, state and federal government officials cut the ribbon on the plant today. Accelera announced at that ceremonies has received committed orders for nearly 300 megawatts of electrolyzer projects in North America. By the end of 2026, the projects will produce about 150 tons of hydrogen per day.

Accelera is initially dedicating 89,000 sq. ft. of the existing Cummins facility in Fridley to electrolyzer production. The company plans to add 100 new jobs by 2024.

It is the first electrolyzer plant in the United States. Electrolyzers separate water into it components, hydrogen and oxygen. The company plans to use renewable electricity to power the devices, essentially making the end result — hydrogen produced through carbon free processes. The hydrogen can then be stored as a compressed gas or a liquid and used as a clean power source itself, helping to de-carbonize markets such as  heavy-duty transportation and industrial uses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says the disaster recovery center in Johnson County is changing its hours.

The center will now be open from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sunday.

If you were affected by the March 31st and April 1st storms can visit the centers to meet with specialists from FEMA, the state and the U.S. Small Business Administration to get your questions answered, to get help with FEMA applications and to get referrals to local resources.

The Johnson County center is at the Johnson County Transportation Building on Front Street in Whiteland.

The deadline to file for federal assistance is June 14th.

This is the weekend for the Great U.S. 50 yard sale, the 24th annual event which encourages sales across the country on the highway, stretching from Maryland to California.

The sales will be taking place through Sunday.

All of the sales are individually organized. If you are planning a sale, authorities remind you not to set up in the state right of way and don’t set up on private property without permission. Sites should allow for off-road parking. You should also make sure you follow all local laws.

Authorities are asking you to be careful if you are running a sale or just visiting them. Drivers should keep their speeds down and be alert to hazards, such as pedestrians crossing the highway or walking along the route. If you are searching for a sale, you should make sure not to stop suddenly and to keep a safe distance from vehicles ahead of you, as they may suddenly stop. And make sure you park in a safe spot, if you do find a sale you want to visit.

Law enforcement agencies across Indiana are looking for drivers who aren’t using their seat belts, in the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement blitz organized around Memorial Day weekend.

Starting Monday and running through June 4th, the campaign will have extra officers on overtime patrols making sure drivers and passengers are buckling up and children are properly secure.

One of the focuses of this year’s campaign will be nighttime enforcement. That’s because in 2021, 57% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night were not wearing their seat belts.

Drivers can be cited for lack of seat belt use, but also for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16.

The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Local law enforcement officers will be holding a memorial service this morning in downtown Columbus to recognize officers who have fallen in the line of duty in the last year.

Local honor guards and bagpipers will take part. There will also be a 21 gun salute and the playing of Taps.

The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at the Public Safety Plaza at Second and Jackson Streets in Columbus.

The event is free and you are invited to attend.