A pet food pantry distribution is set for Thursday afternoon at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services will be holding their Furry Friends Food Bank giveaway from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, or until the food runs out. The pet food will be distributed in the airport parking lot at 4770 Ray Boll Boulevard.

The purpose of the pantry is to assist local community members in need to keep their pets in their homes and out of area shelters. 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.

Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is planning its 29th Annual Our Hospice Decatur Golf Tournament to benefit the families and patients served by its Greensburg office.

The event raises funds for bereavement care, outpatient palliative care, and hospice care. Last year, the tournament raised $33,000.

(Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, founded in 1980, is a not-for-profit, community-based hospice providing care in 16 counties with offices in Columbus, North Vernon and Greensburg.)

To help the hospice you can register a foursome for the tournament, or make a donation in memory of a loved one or to recognize a caregiver. The entry fee is $100 per person or $400 per team.

The tournament will be Friday, June 16th at the Greensburg Country Club. Check in will begin at 10 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 11 a.m.

You can find get more information and register by contacting Mark Wickens at 812-614-1985, Jim Wenning at 812-593-0940, Julie Davis at 812-371-7973, or Tabitha Saltzman at 812-662-3192.

The United Way of Bartholomew County has set the date for its annual meeting.

The event will be June 20th at The Commons.

United Way will be recognizing the businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community members who are an integral part of the agency’s work. The meeting will highlight all the ways people in Bartholomew County LIVE UNITED for the community.

United Way collaborates with partner agencies, businesses, and community members to make sure every resident of our county has the resources and support they need to reach their full potential.

The meeting will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. June 20th at The Commons.

You are invited to attend but are asked to pre-register online at https://www.uwbarthco.org/events.html/event/2023/06/20/united-way-annual-meeting-/432540

Note: This story has been updated.

The city of Columbus Redevelopment Commission has had no takers for its efforts to sell just over 3 acres of property it owns in downtown.

The city is trying to sell two unneeded properties it owns around the south and west side of the Brown and Water street intersection, including land abutting the Robert N. Stewart Bridge leading to Second Street. At its April meeting, the commission agreed to try to get rid of the property. The redevelopment commission was seeking $975,000 from the sale based on appraisals of market value.

Bids for the property were supposed to be opened at this week’s redevelopment commission meeting, but the advertisement for bidders drew no responses. According to Brad Bingham, an attorney from Barnes & Thornburg advising the commission, the lack of bids means that after a 30 day wait, the commission can dispose of the property for any offer it deems as reasonable. Which means that as of June 15th, the property can be sold regardless of appraisals.

Heather Pope, director of redevelopment for the city, said that the city will now work with the railroad to straighten the property lines to replat the two parcels, and will get at two updated appraisals of the property. The sale will require no further action from the commission, Bingham said.

Map courtesy of Bartholomew County GIS.

Rising costs for everyday items are leading Bartholomew County Commissioners to change the way they handle purchasing for some items.

Commissioners this week gave their approval to a change to the county purchasing policies, lifting the threshold amount that requires their approval. Previously, the commissioners had to approve any purchase by county departments of more than $2,500. But the change will raise that floor to $5,000

Commissioners President Tony London explained that with rising costs, even everyday, average needs for purchases are now coming in at higher than $2,500. The change would still require departments to seek three quotes for all purchases. London said the county offices should still buy from local vendors whenever possible.

A discarded cigarette led to a fire and evacuation of an apartment building Monday night in Columbus.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the Canterbury Place Apartments on Nicholas Lane at about 9:43 p.m. Monday night on reports of a fire on a balcony. They found fire on the outside of a second-story apartment. Columbus police officers were already on scene, alerting residents and aiding evacuation efforts.

Firefighters went to the apartment with a fire hose and found no fire inside. They extinguished the fire on the balcony within moments of stepping onto the balcony. After it was out, they pulled down a part of the balcony ceiling and wall to make sure the fire had not extended into the attic or interior walls.

A witness said that a family member had been smoking a cigarette on the balcony, and discarded it into a cardboard box containing old cigarette butts. Investigators say that the cardboard box had been completely burned away, leaving only the cigarette butts behind. Investigators ruled the fire was accidental as a result of improper cigarette disposal.

Capt. Troy Todd, Columbus Fire Department Fire Investigator, said “this type of fire is easily preventable if proper disposal takes place.” The fire department says that should include a noncombustible container which is periodically emptied to remove flammable material. You should also douse your discarded cigarettes with water.

Damages are estimated at about $5,000.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department

Two Indianapolis residents were arrested last week in an investigation into a Greensburg armed robbery.

The Greensburg Police Department repots that they were called to a gas station on North Michigan Avenue at 1:30 a.m. in the morning on May 4th about an armed robbery. Police say that a woman convinced a store clerk to step outside, while a man went behind the counter taking lottery tickets. The clerk and store customers confronted the two and a struggle began. During that fight a suspect brandished a gun, police say.

Police identified the two as 19-year-old Rhylee Haxby and 26-year-old Tyler Davis and arrest warrants were issued. Davis was arrested on May 8th in Hamilton County and Haxby was arrested on Tuesday in Greensburg.

Davis is facing charges or robbery, theft, battery and a firearms violation while Haxby is being charged with robbery and theft.

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

The ceremony comes during National Police Week, which started Monday. Flags were flown at half staff yesterday in recognition of fallen officers.

During the 30-minute long ceremony, the 246 police officers and 25 police canines who died in the line of duty in 2022 will be recognized. That includes four from Indiana. 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 Friday morning at the Public Safety Plaza at Second and Jackson Streets in Columbus.

The event is free and you are invited to attend.

Photo: Columbus Police Department honor guard presents the colors at the 2019 police memorial service. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

Bartholomew County judges are proposing new rules allowing the news media to have cameras in some court hearings.

The Supreme Court of Indiana bans broadcasting of court proceedings in the state but will allow local courts to make exceptions.

The rules being proposed by Judges Jonathan Rohde, James Worton and Kelly Benjamin would allow access to the media including newspapers, periodicals, press associations, radio or tv stations or wire services. The media would have to make a request in writing seven days before a court hearing to be recorded or photographed.

The proposal also sets out requirements that the news media must be unobtrusive and quiet, may not move around the courtroom or conduct interviews in the courtroom. Cameras would have to be on a fixed mount and cannot be moved, tilted or panned when court is in session. Handheld cameras would not be allowed.

Violations of the rules could result in contempt of court charges or other sanctions.

Broadcasting will always be prohibited if the proceedings are closed to the public. The proposed rules would also prohibit recording hearings of minors, child in need of services, protective orders, and hearings involving victims of violent offenses, sex offenses and domestic abuse.

The judges will be seeking your opinion on the proposed rule changes. After the Supreme Court reviews the proposal, it will be made available for public comment.

20230516 Proposed Local Rule for Process for Exception to Prohibition of Broadcasting and Proposed Form C

Bartholomew County is looking at an estimated repair bill of $3 million to fix the failing heating and cooling system in the county courthouse.

The county commissioners agreed yesterday to a contract with Strand Associates to act as the project engineers, providing the designs for the new system, preparing the project for bidding and overseeing the work, among other duties.

Strand will also prepare alternative plans to make the building code-compliant including sprinklers, ductwork, fire barriers and other features.

The current HVAC system was installed mostly in the 1990s according to Strand and much of it is in bad shape. The envisioned project would tear out and replace the chilling and hot water lines and replace individual air handling units. County Commissioners President Tony London said that will involve tearing into the walls, floors and ceilings of the building at an “astronomical” cost.

London also pointed out that the courthouse, built in the 1870s, was never designed for modern HVAC.

The goal is to have the project design finished in the next few months and the project itself finished by the fall of next year.

Commissioners approved the contract for about $339,500 with Strand Monday. The money will come from COVID relief funds, said County Auditor Pia O’Connor. The project costs will go through the regular budget process with the County Council.