The National Weather Service is warning of a chance of severe weather today.
According to forecasters, a cold front is moving east across central Indiana late today and tonight. That is going to interact with the alread warm, moist and unstable air in the area and could trigger scattered thunderstorms. Some of those could be severe with strong to damaging wind gusts.
We are under a marginal risk of severe weather today with the biggest threat this afternoon and evening.
The city of Columbus is approving a $1 million grant to Bartholomew Consolidated Schools to help develop the community’s workforce.
Dr. Jim Roberts, superintendent for the school district, explained to the Columbus City Council last night that, as in previous years, the money would go to three programs: $402 thousand dollars for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math initiatives; $267 thousand for transition planning; and $330 thousand to i-Grad. The transition planning helps move students with disabilities into the workforce or post-secondary education. i-Grad is working toward a 100 percent graduation rates among high school students.
This is the eighth year for the grants. Funds come from tax revenues generated from the community’s Tax Increment Financing Districts, controlled by the city’s redevelopment commission. Roberts pointed out that having those redevelopment dollars spent on local schools is nearly unprecedented in the state.
Councilman Tom Dell praised the redevelopment commission for reinvesting in education in the community. Councilman Tim Shuffett commended the school district for bringing back data that shows the positive effect the funding was having.
Columbus City Council approved the request last night.
Two Columbus City Utilities workers and the utility were recognized with awards at a recent conference.
According to the city utility, Travis Calhoun, the superintendent of the city wastewater treatment plant, received the Tumble Bug Award from the Indiana Water Environment Association. The award recognizes members of the organization who labor on behalf of the association.
Calhoun and Chris Murray, the wastewater plant operator, accepted the 2023 Biosolids Award from the Association. The award recognizes utilities who make significant contributions to biosolids beneficial use practices, which recycles nutrients, improves soil conditions, or otherwise conserves valuable natural resources. Columbus was selected due to having no violations in the past year, meeting compliance requirements, and having renewable resources.
The conference was held in August in Fort Wayne.
Photo: Travis Calhoun and Chris Murray, left to right. Photo courtesy of Columbus City Utilities.
Schneck Sleep Medicine in Seymour will be hosting a seminar later this month on Better Sleep for Better Health.
Dr. Emily SurVance with the clinic will lead the seminar, providing information about the symptoms, signs, and treatments of sleep disorders.
Better Sleep for Better Health will be held on Tuesday, September 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the evening in in Classroom 300 at the Schneck Professional Building on West Tipton Street in Seymour. Parking is available on level 3 of the parking garage.
Registration is not required. For more information, you can call 812-522-0401.
The Columbus Bluegrass Jamboree is returning to Donner Center on Saturday.
The bluegrass and gospel music show begins with an open jam at 4 p.m. and you are encouraged to bring your instrument. Group performances will begin at 5 p.m. and will include bands such as Bluegrass Express at 5 p.m., Zion Road at 6 p.m., Mountain Liberty Way at 7p.m. and Deer Creek at 8 p.m.
The Jamboree is free but donations are accepted and concessions will be available for sale.
The show is sponsored by the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department and the Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center. To get more information you can call 812-376-0714 or go online to columbusbluegrassjamboree.com.
A Columbus food distribution facility is planning an $18 million dollar investment at its location in the Woodside Industrial park on the south side of the city.
Owners of Ninth Avenue Foods off of County Road 175W say that they are planning two new processing and packaging lines at their facility, which is their central U.S. headquarters. The expansion will add 10 new jobs to the facility over the next few years. That will bring the plant’s total employment up to 111 employees with an average wage of $27.58 an hour.
According to the company, its $103 million dollar dairy and plant-based beverage facility is the first outside of its home state of California. There are 85 people already working at plant.
In documents filed with the city, company officials said that the expansion would be added in open space already in the existing 220,000 square foot facility. The new equipment will include a state of the art beverage manufacturing line specializing in milk and dairy alternative beverages. The packaging line would be for those same products.
Heritage Distributing Co. was scheduled to ask Columbus City Council for a tax abatement on the new investment Tuesday night.
Former Vice President Mike Pence says nobody’s buying “Bidenomics,” while a top White House adviser is defending President Biden’s economic plan.
Pence argued the economy is struggling. Pence on Fox News Sunday:
The Republican presidential hopeful cited a number of polls showing Americans feel they’re worse off financially than they were during the Trump administration.
Both Pence and Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jared Bernstein spoke on Fox News Sunday. Bernstein noted real wages are up under the Biden administration since the pandemic and are outpacing inflation.
Yesterday Pence attended a GOP Labor Day Picnic in Salem, New Hampshire and a BBQ at the home of the former U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand, Scott Brown. Pence is scheduled to be campaigning in New Hampshire again today at two town halls.
Pence campaigns in Salem, New Hampshire on Labor Day. Photo courtesy of Pence campaign Twitter account.
Story courtesy of TTWN Media Networks
Local authorities are warning about a surge in overdoses due to counterfeit pain killers that are actually laced with fentanyl.
The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says there have been three overdoses over the weekend, with two linked to the fake Oxycodone 30s pills. They say that the powerful, synthetic opioid fentanyl is being mixed into the pills, making them extremely dangerous.
The fake pills are blue and inscribed with an M on one side and the number 30 on the other.
The sheriff’s department is urging you to be extremely cautious if you or someone you know comes into contact with these pills. You only purchase prescription medications from a pharmacy and not from illegal sources.
If you have any information on these pills or their distribution, your should call the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office at (812) 346-5111
A reminder that Columbus Regional Health will be hosting “Discover CRH: Connect Your Skills to Healthcare” this week.
The two-day open house will give you a chance to explore, and try simulations for a variety of jobs and experiences within the hospital. You will be able to talk with employees and volunteers, learn about the jobs at the hospital, and find out about available educational and training opportunities.
The opportunity fair is from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday in the Innovation Center on the lower level of the hospital on 17th Street in Columbus.
You are encouraged to reserve a time frame for your visit. To register and for more information, you can go to https://www.crh.org/events/discover-crh
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 including Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Johnson counties..
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. by calling 812-378-0358.