Schneck Medical Center in Seymour has been ranked tops in the nation by a nursing career and education website.

According to the hospital, Schneck was chosen as the most-nurse friendly hospital in the country by TopRNtoBSN.com.

The compile its listing, the site combined ranking data from groups including:

• U.S. News & World Reports
• The National National Database of Nurse Quality Indicators
• The American Nurses Credential Center Magnet Recognition Program
• The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Patient Survey.

The list reflects hospitals in the United States that have demonstrated the high value of their nursing staff, provide employees with a host of benefits, support teams, and offer outstanding work environments.

Schneck was ranked in the company of leading hospitals such as Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Cedars-Sinai, and Cleveland Clinic.

According to the site’s summary, Schneck nurses satisfaction levels have exceeded national standards for three consecutive years. The site also noted  the hospital receiving the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award because of its “its empowered and involved workforce.” The hospital has also been listed as among the top places to work in the state of Indiana.

Amy Pettit, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Schneck Medical Center said she is proud of the work of the nurses and proud to support them “as they provide the highest quality of care to our families, friends and neighbors every day.”

A Seymour man has been arrested in an exactly 41-year-old murder cold case investigation.

According to Indiana State Police, 24-year-old Clifford Smith was murdered in rural Jackson County on Oct. 31st of 1982. He was first reported missing on November 4th of that year, but his body wasn’t found until December of 1982 when it was discovered by animal trappers working in an area along East Fork White River near Rockford.

He had been killed by a gunshot wound to the head. Although the murder was investigated at the time, and for years afterwards by successive detectives, no arrest was made.

However, State Police Sgt. Kip Main has been investigating the case since 2015. His investigation alleges that the now 61-year-old Ronald J. Anderson of Seymour was at a home with Smith late on Oct. 30th of 1982, loaded a shotgun, then left the home with Smith and the victim was never seen alive again.

Police say that Anderson returned the murder weapon to the home in Seymour and later returned to the scene of the crime to hide evidence.

Main’s investigation led to an arrest warrant from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office and Anderson was arrested without incident.

Indiana State Police are committed to solving previously unsolved cases to provide closure to the family and to prosecute those responsible.

You will have a chance to learn more about the natural environment this weekend including stargazing and insect observation with an event hosted by Ivy Tech Community College Columbus science department faculty members.

According to the school, the event will start at 8 p.m. Saturday night at the Greensburg Fishing Area. Activities will include a science department telescope set up for stargazing and a blacklight to explore night-time insect activities.

The fishing area is on the west side of Greensburg off of State Road 3.

Al community members are welcome and you are invited to attend. If you have any questions, you can reach Dr. Tom Sobat at [email protected].

Some customers of Eastern Bartholomew Water Corporation are under a boil water advisory until Thursday.

The water company says there has been a water outage in the Royal View Addition and when water is restored customers will be under a boil water advisory until noon on Thursday.

Under a boil water advisory, you should bring water to a full boil for three to five minutes before drinking it or using it in food preparation.

If you have any questions you can call the utility at 812-526-9777.

A Seymour boy died after a crash Saturday in Jennings County.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, 3-year-old Thomas Ely died in the crash at about 8:16 p.m. Saturday night on Jennings County Road 1000W south of Road 200N. Deputies say that an SUV driven by Lisa Ely of Seymour was headed northbound when it left the road, struck a culvert sending it airborne before crashing on the west side of the road.

The driver, along with a boy and girl in the vehicle were seriously injured and taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour before being taken to Indianapolis hospitals for treatment.

Deputies say that none of the children in the vehicle were properly restrained.

The investigation is ongoing.

Nursing program students will be holding a Community Health and Wellness Fair on Thursday at Ivy Tech Community College Columbus campus.

You can get blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, receive information on preventing strokes, diabetes, colon cancer along with general health and wellness. Vaccines will be available for influenza and pneumonia through the Bartholomew County Health Department.

There will also be representatives available from various health and wellness organizations.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moravec Hall on Central Avenue.

For more information, contact Danielle Robinson, Ivy Tech Columbus Dean of the School of Nursing, at [email protected] or 812-374-5365.

Bartholomew County Road 400S will be intermittently closed or down to one lane today while crews work in the area.

According to the county highway department the work is happening between roads 900E and 1000E and is expected to be going on from 8 to 4 today.

Also, Bartholomew County Road 650 North, between 900 East and the Hope town limits, will be intermittently closed or down to one lane on Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for road work.

You should avoid those areas if you can.

Forecasters say it will be a cold Halloween tonight.

While, a freeze warning expires at 10 a.m. this morning, the National Weather Service says there is a 10 percent chance of isolated snow showers tonight with a low of 26.

Trick or Treating hours in Columbus are from 5:30 to 8 p.m. In Seymour, trick or treating will be from 6 to 9 p.m.

North Vernon will be holding its Sweet Street from 5 to 7:30 p.m. downtown with the city and local vendors handing out candy . There will be more than 40 vendor booths taking part, according to organizers. Madison Avenue will close at 2 this afternoon.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management warns that you should dress tonight as you would for December temperatures including  covering exposed skin, wearing hats, gloves and multiple layers of clothes.

Local government offices will be closing two days next week.

Offices will be closed on Tuesday for Election Day and on Friday in observance of Veterans Day.

Among the offices closing is Columbus City Utilities. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service Tuesday or Friday, you can call the utility at 812-372-8861 and follow the prompts.

Seymour rocker John Mellencamp will continue touring next year, including a stop in Indiana at Ball State University.

According to an annoucement from the school, the “Live and In Person 2024” tour will include a stop at Emens Auditorium in Muncie on March 22nd. The tour will hit 27 cities starting in Rochester, New York next March and wrapping up in Savannah, Georgia, in April.

The tour is in support of Mellencamp’s new album “Orpheus Descending,” his 25th studio album.

General admission ticket sales will start on Friday at 10 a.m. in the morning. There will be early ticket sales for Citi card members starting at 10 a.m. this morning and VIP ticket sales also starting this morning.

You can get more information and sign up for presale tickets at mellencamp.com