The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County is kicking off a new program to fund vendors who provide alcohol-free drink options at some community events.

According to ASAP, the sober-friendly effort will kick off with the Swine And Dine portion of Turning Point’s “Not-So Family Feud” fundraiser on Thursday at The Commons.

The term, sober-friendly, is meant to support those who choose non-alcoholic options due to their personal preferences, health considerations, or their journey toward recovery.

ASAP is encouraging all local organizers to prioritize including sober-friendly beverage options at their events. The effort is part of ASAP’s Rethinking Wellness initiative. The initiative is working to prevent substance misuse in Bartholomew County by educating vulnerable populations on adopting sustainable habits for overall well-being.

Funding for the initiative is provided in part by Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction.

You can find out more at https://asapbc.org/prevention

Ignite Columbus, a pitch competition organized by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, is returning next week.

Participants will present their most innovative or enlightening ideas in five minute pitches. Each pitch will have 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds. Winners of the most innovative and most enlightening presentations will receive cash prizes.

The innovation category features presentations with competitors pitching their business ideas for funding, while the enlightening presentations are not tied to a particular project but must be fun, entertaining and educational. Both categories must offer improvements to the Columbus community. There will also be a People’s Choice category.

The event is sponsored by German American Bank.

Ignite Columbus will be Thursday, October 26th. from 5:30pm  to7:30pm at Helen Haddad Hall, 315 Franklin St in Columbus.

You can register to attend at https://business.columbusareachamber.com/events/details/ignite-columbus-fall-2023-5384

The victim of a shooting following a home robbery last week in Columbus has died.

According to the Columbus Police Department, 36-year-old Bryan Streeval of Columbus died early Sunday morning at IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Columbus officers and Bartholomew County deputies were called to the 1900 block of Pinebrooke Court at about 10:27 p.m. Wednesday night after reports of a robbery and shots being fired. Officers arrived to find Streeval with a gunshot wound lying in the back yard of the home. Police performed CPR on Streeval until medics arrived. He was then flown to the Indianapolis hospital.

Officers detained 36-year-old Jonathan Carman of Columbus, the man that detectives believe shot Streeval. After being interviewed, Carman was was released from police custody.

The investigation is ongoing.

Former Vice President and Columbus native Mike Pence’s presidential campaign appears to be in financial trouble.

According to media reports, Pence’s campaign claims that he has raised $3.3 million and has $1.2 million in cash and $620,000 in debt. This amount is comparatively low, considering the financial requirements for campaigning. Pence himself has invested $150,000 of his funds into his campaign.

Donald Trump, the leading candidate, has consistently been able to raise a substantial amount of money through small donations from his MAGA supporters.

The third Republican primary takes place on November 8th. To qualify, candidates must prove they’ve secured over 70,000 individual donations.

Story courtesy of Network Indiana

Columbus Regional Health is moving its first practice into the new NexusPark facility, the former Fair Oaks Mall.

According to the hospital, OB/GYN Associates is relocating and will open to patients at the new location on 25th Street Monday. Patients will use Entrance 4 on the northwest side of the Nexus Park complex. Before a visit, the OB/GYN Associates office will provide specific instructions and information to patients.

NexusPark is a partnership between the hospital and the City of Columbus to create a center for health, wellness and recreation at the former mall site. CRH says that relocations will continue to the new facility through a first phase lasting into early next year. NexusPark will contain several other medical offices and support services such as laboratory services, physical and occupational therapy, and WellConnect.

NexusPark continues to be an active construction site and you should pay attention to any signs or instructions when visiting the campus.

For more information, you can go online to www.crh.org/nexuspark.

Sexual and violent offenders who travel into Bartholomew County for work or certain other activities, will now pay more to be registered in the county’s sex offender registry.

County Commissioners yesterday gave their approval to a change in the county ordinances. Previously, those who lived outside of Bartholomew County but traveled here for work, education, a secondary home, or to volunteer were only required to pay $5 to be registered here. However, in-county residents were being charged $50 for the same registration.

Under the new changes which go into effect immediately, those offenders will also pay $50.

Both groups of offenders will still be charged $5 each for any changes during the year.

A wanted Edinburgh man is facing new charges after he was caught hiding under a mobile home in Columbus.

According to the Columbus Police Department, officers noticed 56-year-old Trent A. Teltoe outside of a home on Candlelight Drive at about 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon and recognized that he was wanted on an outstanding Johnson County warrant. Officers tried to take Teltoe into custody, but instead he ran away. He was soon found by a CPD police dog hiding underneath a nearby mobile home where he was then arrested without further incident.

In addition to the outstanding warrant, he is now facing a new charge of resisting law enforcement.

Nominations are being accepted for next year’s Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teacher Award.

Organizers say this annual award is designed to raise awareness about the influence educators have on their students, as well as to recognize the image of educators as important community role models.

Full-time elementary or secondary school teachers or educators working in a public, private, or parochial school in Bartholomew County are eligible. That includes classroom, special education, or specials teachers; certified educators; counselors; and administrators. Anyone or a group may nominate an educator to receive the award.

The award is sponsored by SIHO Insurance Services, the Community Education Coalition and the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning. Traditionally, the award is presented at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting.

You can find nomination forms at the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning, the Bartholomew Consolidated Schools administrative offices and in the main offices of schools in the county. You can download a form here: https://www.iupuc.edu/ctl/folger-award/

The deadline for nominations is January 19th.

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 community members who are 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.

The Council for Youth Development in Bartholomew County will be hosting a series of classes for teens to get certified in mental health first aid, starting tomorrow.

Teens who take part will learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse in themselves, their friends and peers.

The course is meant for 15 to 18 year-olds and will be taught by local community leaders.

The sessions will be at the Bartholomew County Public Library Red Room from 4 to 5:30 p.m. over the next three Wednesdays. You must attend all the sessions to get certified. The program is free and you can earn service learning hours by taking part.

You can get more information at the Council for Youth Development in Bartholomew County Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CYDBartholomew.