Columbus radio station News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM will be the radio home of Indiana University football and men’s basketball in south-central Indiana, starting this fall.

Legendary voice of the Hoosiers, Don Fischer will be announcing the games on WCSI. Fischer has been the play-by-play voice of IU men’s basketball and football for 50 years, calling more than 2,000 games for the cream and crimson teams.

Bob Morrison, general manager of WCSI and the three other stations of White River Broadcasting in Columbus, said that local sports fans will be pleased to hear every snap, down and play of the IU football season starting on Sept. 2nd with a home game against Ohio State.

“The addition of IU football and men’s basketball coverage, just goes to further cement WCSI’s position as the source for sports coverage that our radio listeners are craving,” Morrison said. “There is nothing like being able to listen to Don Fischer’s impeccable and exciting coverage of IU sports. And you will be able to hear it live on air, on our Android and Apple apps and through our streaming audio on our website at 1010wcsi.com.”

Long known for its leading footprint in local high school sports, the new IU broadcasts will complement the high-quality sports offerings that listeners have come to expect from News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM.

Kevin Kelley, brand manager for News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM said that WCSI is already the home of the dean of southern Indiana high school sportscasters, Sam Simmermaker.

“Sam brings local high school sports home for our listeners, just as he has done for generations,” Kelley said. “The families of local athletes who were first recognized by Sam in the 1960s, now have great-grandchildren who are the subjects of his same great sports broadcasting.”

Sam, a legend in high school sports coverage, started his career with WCSI in 1960, is a member of the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame and has been honored with sportscaster of the year in 1971, 1976 and 1997.

The IU sports broadcasts are a partnership between White River Broadcasting and LEARFIELD, the media, data, and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics and IU’s multimedia rightsholder.

In addition to News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM, White River Broadcasting also operates Indiana Country 101.5 WKKG, Your Hit Music WIN 104.9 and 106.1 The River.

INDOT is suggesting a new detour to take you around work on the CSX railroad tracks on U.S. 50 in downtown Seymour.

According to INDOT, CSX Railroad will be closing the highway between Jeffersonville Avenue and East or Circle Streets starting on Tuesday while crews work to replace a railroad crossing. The highway is expected to reopen Thursday afternoon.

The new detour route will take traffic down State Road 11 or Walnut Street to Burkart Boulevard.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT asks that you slow down, drive without distractions and be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Applications are now available online for next year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships in Bartholomew County, through Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County.

Two students from Bartholomew County will be chosen for the scholarships, which pay full tuition and required fees for four years of full-time undergraduate study that lead to a bachelors degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Students also receive a $900 stipend to help cover costs for books and equipment.

To apply, you must live in Bartholomew County; be on course to graduate by the end of June 2024; with at least a 3.5 GPA and demonstrate significant school involvement, community service, good character, leadership skills and financial need.

Applications and all required materials must be submitted by 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24th.

Eligibility requirements, instructions and the application are available at https://www.heritagefundbc.org.

A reminder that you will see lanes closed on Interstate 65 near the Columbus exit starting tonight and lasting through the weekend.

INDOT says that the right northbound lane will be closing at 8 p.m tonight near the exit to State Road 46 and it will remain closed until about 6 a.m. Monday morning while crews patch the concrete.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT asks that you slow down, drive without distractions and be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

A local legislator convicted of drunk driving after leaving the scene of a May crash has taken to social media to address his supporters and critics.

Republican State Representative Jim Lucas of Seymour was arrested by Indiana State Police miles from the crash site after the incident on May 31st. Early that morning, he drove his truck off the side of an entrance ramp to Interstate 65 and down the steep hill from State Road 11, hit a guardrail, then drove the wrong way back up the ramp and on into Seymour with flattened tires and heavy front end damage to his vehicle.

He failed a sobriety test and was sentenced to 180 days of supervised probation under a plea agreement in June.

In a Facebook post, Lucas said he exercised horrible judgement and said he owns the mistakes and accepts the court’s judgment. He thanked friends for their support saying that they helped get him “through a very dark (self-inflicted) period of my life” and that they showed him the beautiful side of humanity.”

He also addressed those he called haters, saying they showed him the ugly side of humanity and he said he would be stronger and more driven because of their ridicule.

Lucas plans to continue his role as state representative despite the conviction.

Lucas represents parts of Bartholomew, Jackson, Scott and Washington counties.

TTWN Media Networks contributed to this report.

The ballot for the Columbus city elections will have a few more names after some recent additions.

The Bartholomew County Clerk’s office has recently announced that several new candidates have qualified for the November general elections.

The most recent candidates to file include:

Independent Sean Burton will be on the ballot for mayor of Columbus. According to social media, he is a bartender and DJ, along with being a podcast producer and president of Second String Media. Burton turned in 269 certified signatures last week to make it on the ballot.

He will face Republican Mary Ferdon, the current executive director of administration and community development for the city. Ferdon won the May primary against former state rep. Milo Smith. No Democrat filed for the mayor’s race.

Democrat Keegan Hill has filed for Columbus City Council, District 4, where he will face incumbent Republican Frank Miller.

Republican Jay Foyst has filed for the Columbus City Council District 6 race. He will face Democratic candidate Bryan Munoz for the newly formed seat.

Former Vice President and Columbus native Mike Pence is defending his decision to certify the 2020 presidential election results following the Capitol riot.

While on the campaign trail in Sioux City, Iowa this week, a woman questioned Pence, claiming he had the constitutional power to block the certification of Electoral College results and prevent Joe Biden from becoming president. Pence disputed her claim, saying the Constitution is clear that he did not have the power to do so.

Former President Trump repeatedly called on Pence to reject the election results of key states won by Biden and send them back to the states for further review. Pence said that the former president was wrong on January 6th and he is still wrong.

Story courtesy of TTWN Media Networks

Photo: Mike Pence campaigns with Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa on Independence Day. Photo courtesy of  Feenstra Twitter feed.

Drivers in Jennings and Jefferson counties will see some delays starting next week as crews replace pipes on State Road 250.

According to INDOT, starting around Wednesday, State Road 250 between State Road 3 and State Road 7 will close from about 8 to to 5 Mondays through Thursdays through mid August for the work. Access will still be available for local residents, but other drivers should find an alternate route.

Also, State Road 135 in Jackson County will be closing for more than two months for a bridge project.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, contractors will be replacing the superstructure of the bridge over a branch of Kiper Creek, starting on Monday. The bridge is just over two and a half miles north of State Road 58, near County Road 890N.

The official detour will follow State Roads 58, 258 and 11 to Interstate 65 and to State Road 46.

The project is expected to take about 65 days. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

Force Construction is the contractor for the $4.5 million dollar project which includes a bridge deck overlay, a superstructure replacement and four box culvert replacements on State Roads 135, 258 and 58.

The work schedules are dependent on the weather.

INDOT asks that you slow down, drive without distractions and be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Bartholomew County Works is now taking applications for its next week-long Job Readiness Training Workshop.

The workshop will be from Monday July 24th through Friday, July 28th. The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Yes Cinema in downtown Columbus.

There will be an orientation session on July 20th from 10 to 11 a.m..

Seminar topics include resumes, applications, interviews, goal setting, money management, and many others.

BCW is a program committed to helping members improve their lives, gain full-time employment, and achieve economic self-sufficiency. The extended support team provides resources to those accepted into the program in a wide range of areas including finances, transportation, attire, and more. The services continue for at least the first year on the job.

If you want more information on the Job Readiness Training Workshop or to sign up, you can call 812-378-2638 or email [email protected].

Hope Heritage Days is taking shape for Bartholomew County’s largest outdoor event.

The 55th annual festival held in and around the northeastern Bartholomew County community’s Town Square is set for September 22nd, 23rd and 24th.

Organizers announced during Friday’s Old Fashioned Independence Day celebrations that the grand marshal of this year’s Sunday parade will be June Gilliland.

The entertainment lineup announced Wednesday will include Hotwired and Wild Bill and the Bruisers on Friday night, and Jennifer Mlott along with a Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley tribute show Saturday night.

You can get more information at the Hope Heritage Days Facebook page