Bloomington-based Bender Lumber Company is offering a matching gift program for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive this weekend at all of the communities it serves in southern Indiana.

According to the company, on Friday and Saturday Bender Lumber will match donations dollar for dollar at more than 50 red kettle locations in the eight counties it serves, including Columbus and Bartholomew County. The company plans to match up to $23,100 in donations made those days.

The kettles will display special signs, letting shoppers know that their donations will be doubled. Stores with the special kettles will include Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger, JCPenney, IGA stores, Hobby Lobby, Big Lots, Circle K, Save-A-Lot, malls and other locations.

This is the fourth year for the matching program. Ben Watters, President of Bender Lumber, says that the Salvation Army helps many local families going through tough times and the lumber company values serving and helping others, “which also is the heart of The Salvation Army.”

If you are interested in helping the Salvation Army as a bell ringer you can sign up for a shift at RegisterToRing.com

Police are warning about the dangers of porch pirates waiting to snatch your Black Friday or Cyber Monday packaged purchases.

Columbus Police Department is urging you to be on the alert saying that pirates cruise streets looking for shipments left for residents. Police say that if you are expecting a package you should make sure it is not left unattended after delivery.

If you see people acting suspiciously you should call the police department at 812-376-2600 or email [email protected]. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

A tiny sliver of property in downtown Columbus would be turned into an apartment building with first floor commercial space after $5.8 million in funding for the project was approved by the Columbus Redevelopment Commission this week.

The narrow, empty lot is beside the Cummins Parking Garage on Washington Street and is owned by Cummins. It has gone through several rounds of attempted development over the years. Flaherty & Collins of Indianapolis are planning to construct an apartment complex on the site, with about 50 apartments and about 10,000 square feet of commercial space available on the first floor. The apartments are expected to rent for local market rates, in the neighborhood of $1,300 a month according to the developer.

Flaherty & Collins plan to spend about $11 million for the project, but are turning to the city for another $5.8 million in financing to make the project work. Under the proposal approved by the Redevelopment Commission on Monday, the city would provide the funding from the cash reserves in its central tax increment financing district, which includes the downtown area. It would be in the form of a forgivable loan to the developer.

Several residents spoke out against the project, with concerns about why the city is subsidizing a higher-end apartment building, when there is such a need for affordable, low-income housing in the city. Cindy Frey with the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. Ike DeClue with the Office of Downtown Development and Columbus City Councilman and downtown business owner Tom Dell all spoke in favor of the development. Jim Schacht with Cummins also spoke in favor of the project, saying that Cummins would be helping with the design of the building.

Because the spending is more than the $500,000 limit set for the commission, the plan must be approved by Columbus City Council and is expected to be heard by the council on Dec. 5th.

Photo courtesy of Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation.

First Financial Bank and the First Financial Foundation are providing $47,500 in grants to local organizations.

Bank officials say that First Financial is teaming up with Columbus area community groups to create positive change in the areas of workforce development and education, and neighborhood development, with an emphasis on low-income communities.

First Financial is providing grants to Bartholomew County Library Associates, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, Foundation for Youth, Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center and Southern Indiana Housing and Community Development Corporation.

Throughout its service area including Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois, First Financial Foundation’s Annual Grant Campaign is providing $510,000 in funding to 66 organizations. This is the foundation’s largest grant campaign to date.

Two locally made products are in the semi final round of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Coolest Thing Made in Indiana tournament.

The voting for this round ends on Friday at 9 p.m.

The winners for each round are chosen by fan voting, with the products receiving the highest votes in each bracket moving to the next round.

While a company does not need to be headquartered in Indiana to enter, the product must be manufactured in the state.

Guardian Bikes made in Seymour and Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Cream made in Nashville are competing in this round. Hard Truth Distillery made the quarterfinals a year ago and Guardian Bikes is in its first year in the tournament.

The winner of the competition will be announced December 13 at the Indiana Chamber’s Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon.

You can find a link to more information or  vote here: https://www.indianachamber.com/coolest-thing-made-in-indiana-tournament/

No one was injured after a crash into the SIHO building in downtown Columbus this morning.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, rescue workers received a report that a car had gone into the building in the 400 block of Washington Street at 11:04 a.m. this morning. Firefighters say that the damage to the building did cause concerns about whether the building was structurally sound.

The incident remains under investigation.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

Thrive Alliance is receiving $1.2 million in state tax credits to build an affordable apartment complex in Terre Haute, its first major development outside of the local area.

According to the agency, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority will be providing the funds to build Heritage Landing, a 64-unit affordable, senior housing complex in Terre Haute.

Mark Lindelaub, executive director of Thrive Alliance said that the agency is excited to be able to help address affordable housing needs across the state.

Thrive Alliance was formed 33 years ago as Housing Partnerships in Columbus. Thrive Alliance Housing Services manages more than 100 affordable rental homes as well as five multi-unit complexes in Columbus, Greensburg and Seymour.

Government offices will be closed on Thursday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

In Columbus, there will be no city trash, recycling or yard waste collections on Thursday. Instead, routes will run a day late, with normal Thursday routes running on Friday and normal Friday routes being picked up on Saturday. You should have your Toters to the curb by 7 a.m. on your delayed collection day.

Columbus City Utilities offices will also be closed. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service, you can call 812-372-8861 and follow the prompts.

In Seymour, normal Thursday routes will be picked up on Wednesday and normal Friday routes will be picked up on Monday.

A Columbus panel has signed off on a plan to improve the downtown riverfront at a cost of just over $14 million dollars.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission which controls funds in the city’s tax increment financing districts approved a proposal for $11.6 million in funding for the riverfront project last night. More than $2.4 million has already been raised through grants and donations.

The proposal will next go to Columbus City Council for its consideration.

The project would involve removing the low-head dam between the Second and Third street bridges, shoring up the riverbanks, replanting the banks and other recreational improvements. The city would also make the final connection of the People Trail making a complete loop around the city.

The dam itself is failing and water is scouring away at an old city dump site in the area. The plans call for $3.2 million for the general project and contingencies, $4.2 million for the east bank, $435 thousand for the west bank and $3.9 million for in-river improvements. Another $1.9 million would go to mitigation efforts and monitoring and a possible $245 thousand for other improvements.

A costs and benefits analysis by James Lima Planning concluded that the improvements could provide up to $2 million in economic output for local businesses. That would generate between 9 and 32 jobs and bring in between $47 and $164 thousand in local and state tax revenue.

Columbus resident Hutch Schumaker spoke out against the proposal, saying that it was not a good return on investment. While he said he supports the dam removal and shoring up the riverbanks, the other work is an unneeded expense especially with other city needs.

Photo courtesy of City of Columbus Redevelopment Department

Columbus Mayor-Elect Mary Ferdon has named her successor as the city’s executive director of administration, choosing Eric Frey, currently executive director of Administrative Resources association.

Frey has been with the association since 1994 and head of the group since 2001. ARa is a municipal owned group that assists in finding funding and managing more than $200 million in projects in 16 southeastern Indiana communities.

In the new role, Frey will oversee multiple city departments, and initiatives such as the city’s involvement in Mental Health Matters, ASAP, housing initiatives, and more.

He has served as a volunteer on multiple boards and commissions and is the current chair of the Columbus Housing Authority board of directors. Frey graduated from Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs and worked in county and state government before his position with the association.

Frey will take over the city position on Jan. 1 when Ferdon’s administration takes office.