A project is underway to beautify the corner of the Columbus AirPark campus where Ivy Tech’s Polling Hall once stood.

According to the Community Education Coalition, demolition started last week on the former parking lot at the southwest corner of the campus off of Central Avenue and Poshard Drive. The former Ivy Tech home was demolished in the summer of 2022, after the construction of the new Moravec Hall. That left about a 12-acre space for redevelopment.

Kathy Oren, head of the coalition, said that the construction design phase was completed earlier this year. The coalition has worked with GGN architects from Seattle, Washington with a design funded by the Cummins Foundation Architecture Program.

Oren explains

The coalition envisioned a project to create a welcoming and inclusive entry way into the campus for students and the public. It will include a combination of green space, landscaping and walkways and a grand entrance for Ivy Tech.

Oren says that the coalition has put together the framework of a plan that could eventually unify the look of the entire campus.

The work on the space is expected to be finished next year and all of the plantings are expected to have taken root by 2025.

A motorcyclist is dead after a Christmas Eve crash on the west side of Seymour.

Seymour police say that Thomas Jones of Seymour was unconscious after the Sunday afternoon crash and was pronounced dead at Schneck Medical Center.

Emergency workers were called to Tipton Street and Community Drive at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon after a collission between the motorycle and another vehicle. According to investigators, a minivan driven by Debra Spurgeon of Seymour was turning south toward a grocery store parking lot, entering the intersection where Jones was driving west.

Police say that neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected to be a factor in the accident.

The intersection was closed for about two hours. Jackson County medics and the Seymour Fire Department assisted police at the scene.

Two people have been arrested after a home invasion last week in Seymour.

According to the Seymour Police Department, officers were called to a home on Rebecca Court early on Thursday morning after reports that several people entered a home, attacked the homeowner and stole belongings.

The police investigation revealed surveillance footage and two suspects were identified. Officers went to a home in the 900 block of Park Street and detained the two. Evidence was also collected at that home.

After obtaining a confession, police arrested 31-year-old Dakota D. Hatchett and 21-year-old Logan L. Lane, both of Seymour.

They are facing preliminary felony charges of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, burglary resulting in serious bodily injury, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and residential entry.

Because of the Christmas holiday, all curbside trash and recycling collections in Columbus will be delayed by a day this week, with normal Monday routes happening today and normal Friday pickups happening on Saturday.

Because of the New Year’s Day holiday, all local government offices will be closed Friday and Monday. Columbus City Utilities offices will also be closed on these days. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service, please call 812-372-8861.

Columbus city crews will begin picking up Christmas trees during their normal trash and recycling collection routes starting today. You should have your trees curbside on the same day as your normal pickups.

All trees must be removed from bags and they must be free of ornaments, hooks, stands, or nails.

Call-ins will not be accepted for Christmas trees and collections will not be made on private streets or on alleys.

Christmas tree collection will continue through January 26th.

You can get more information on the CurbCycle or Columbus Collect apps, or on the city website at https://www.columbus.in.gov/public-works/

Image courtesy of https://www.cambridgema.gov

Hope firefighters say that there were no injuries in a Friday night fire in the town.

Firefighters were called to the 300 block fo Cross Street at about 10 p.m. that night and found a fire in a rear bedroom of a home. Crews from two Hope units were able to contain the fire to that area.

Jackson County firefighters say a family lost everything in an early morning fire on Saturday.

According to the Reddington Township Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters were called to a home fire at about 3:20 Saturday morning and when they arrived they found the home was already three quarters destroyed. They say that the parents in the family were out celebrating an annivesary and their children were staying with a relative at the time of the fire.

The Red Cross is helping the family with housing.

Firefighters were on scene for about three hours.

Photo courtesy of Hope Volunteer Fire Department

The U.S. Justice Department says a nearly $1.7 billion penalty against Cummins is the biggest ever for violations of clean air standards.

Officials revealed more details of the allegations against the Columbus-based engine manufacturer after the company announced last week that it would have a $2 billion charge in the next few days to settle its regulatory problems. That includes a $1.675 billion dollar penalty.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and the California Attorney General’s Office made claims that Cummins installed emissions defeat devices on hundreds of thousands of engines. The devices override emissions control equipment such as sensors and computers in the vehicles.

The Justice Department says that the devices affected 990,000 RAM pickup truck engines between 2013 and 2023.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland released a statement on the penalties, saying “…preliminary estimates suggest that defeat devices on some Cummins engines have caused them to produce thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides.” Garland said those violations can inflict real harm on people because those pollutants can lead to asthma and respiratory infections.

The company says it has cooperated fully with regulators and has already addressed many of the issues involved. After an extensive internal review and working with regulators, the company has seen no evidence that anyone acted in bad faith and does not admit wrongdoing.

The Justice Department says that the agreement announced on Friday will be incorporated into a consent decree that will be filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

U.S. Department of Justice press release

$1.675 Billion Penalty Would Be Largest Ever for a Clean Air Act Violation and the Second Largest Ever Environmental Penalty

Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. today disclosed that it has reached an agreement in principle with the United States and State of California to pay a $1.675 billion penalty to settle claims that it violated the Clean Air Act by installing emissions defeat devices on hundreds of thousands of engines. The Clean Air Act requires vehicle and engine manufacturers to ensure that their products comply with applicable emission limits. Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emissions controls such as emission sensors and onboard computers. The company allegedly installed defeat devices on 630,000 model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines. The company also allegedly installed undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines.

The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland:

“The Justice Department is committed to vigorously enforcing the environmental laws that protect the American people from harmful pollutants.

“Today, the Justice Department reached an initial agreement with Cummins Inc. to settle claims that, over the past decade, the company unlawfully altered hundreds of thousands of engines to bypass emissions tests in violation of the Clean Air Act. As part of the agreement, the Justice Department will require Cummins to pay $1.675 billion, the largest civil penalty we have ever secured under the Clean Air Act, and the second largest environmental penalty ever secured.

“The types of devices we allege that Cummins installed in its engines to cheat federal environmental laws have a significant and harmful impact on people’s health and safety. For example, in this case, our preliminary estimates suggest that defeat devices on some Cummins engines have caused them to produce thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides. The cascading effect of those pollutants can, over long-term exposure, lead to breathing issues like asthma and respiratory infections.

“The Justice Department will work diligently to incorporate today’s agreement into a consent decree that will be filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

“I am grateful to the dedicated women and men of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, as well as to our partners from the EPA, and the State of California, for their assistance in investigating and prosecuting this case and in reaching this important agreement.

“Violations of our environmental laws have a tangible impact – they inflict real harm on people in communities across the country. This historic agreement should make clear that the Justice Department will be aggressive in its efforts to hold accountable those who seek to profit at the expense of people’s health and safety.”

Centra Credit Union has donated $60,000 to help local children in need during this holiday season.

The Columbus-based financial institute is announcing that donations from members of the credit union, team members and local community members allowed gifts to be purchased for children in need through the Holiday Giving Program. Over the 10 years of the program, more than 4,300 families have been helped.

The donations in each community Centra serves are supporting 16 different organizations.

The largest of the donations this season went to:

• Shop with a Sheriff – Scott County: $9,979
• Fraternal Order of Police Cops and Kids Jackson County: $9,017
• Salvation Army – New Albany: $7,952

Other donations included:

• Brown County Shop with a Cop: $1,828
• Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund: $4,961
• Columbus Shop with a Cop: $4,961
• Good Samaritan Food Pantry: $4,977
• Holidays with Heroes – Carmel: $310
• Johnson County Fraternal Order of Police Shop with a Cop: $2,949
• North Clark Outreach Center – Elf Tree: $425
• Salem County Fraternal Order of Police Shop with a Cop: $918
• Salvation Army – Madison: $2,044
• Santa Protectors – Shelbyville: $2,291
• Santa’s Heroes – Greensburg: $1,248
• The Julian Center: $1,462
• Turning Point Holiday Store: $4,961

Centra President and CEO Rick Silvers said the donations “provide meaningful support to families in need this holiday season.”

A 6-year-old boy has died and two other children were seriously injured in a crash last week in Jackson County.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, an SUV being driven by 45-year-old Kimberly Sullivan of Brownstown was headed east on County Road 600N and a semi driven by 52 year old James Mattingly of Hardinsburg was headed north on County Road 100E at about 5:11 p.m. Thursday afternoon. The two vehicles collided at the intersection, sending the SUV off the road and into a field, while the semi left the road, crashing into a Jackson County REMC power pole.

Three children were passengers in the SUV and suffered injuries: 6-year-old Elijah Sullivan, 9-year-old Archer Sullivan and 12-year-old Addi Sullivan. Elijah was critically injured in the crash and after being treated at the scene he was transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour by Jackson County medics and Statflight helicopter personnel. He was pronounced dead at the hospital by the Jackson County Coroner’s office.

Archer was seriously injured and after being treated at the scene was flown to IU Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis by IU Health Lifeline helicopter. He remains in serious condition.

Addi was treated at the scene and then taken by ambulance to Schneck Medical Center by Jackson County medics.

Kimberly Sullivan and Mattingly both declined treatment at the scene.

Deputies say that toxicology tests were taken from both drivers and the results are pending. The crash remains under investigation.

Cummins is expecting to have a $2 billion charge in the next few days to settle regulatory problems with more than 1 million pickup trucks.

The Columbus based engine manufacturer made the announcement this morning that it has reached an agreement in principle with regulators and plans to record the charge in the fourth quarter of this year to resolve these and other related matters.

Although the company does not explain the problems in today’s announcement, the company says agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and the California Attorney General’s Office made claims regarding its emissions certification and compliance process for certain engines primarily used in pick-up trucks.

The company says it has cooperated fully with regulators and has already addressed many of the issues involved. After an extensive internal review and working with regulators, the company has seen no evidence that anyone acted in bad faith and does not admit wrongdoing.

The company has already recalled model year 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 trucks and has initiated a the same trucks made from 2013 to 2018.

The company says about $1.9 billion of the charge will be payments expected to be made in the first half of 2024.

The settlements are subject to final regulatory and judicial approvals.