Columbus Regional Health says its part of Nexus Park, the former Fair Oaks Mall, is nearly complete.

Kelsey De Clue, spokeswoman for the hospital, explains.

Nexus Park on 25th Street is a joint project between the city of Columbus and CRH as a center for health, wellness and recreation. Columbus Regional Health is putting more than $40 million dollars into its side of the project.

DeClue said there will be ongoing updates to patients as to when their doctor’s or provider’s office will be moving, and any changing locations for appointments.

She said the hospital will soon be announcing events celebrating the completion of the project.

A Jennings County man is facing charges after an infant suffered injuries including a broken leg.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, deputies received word from Schneck Medical Center in Seymour last Monday that a 1-year-old appeared to be the victim of abuse including bruises to the face, a burn to the arm, and a spiral fracture of the left leg. The child was taken to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for specialized treatment.

The injuries were believed to have happened at a home in Marion Township in Jennings County and deputies began investigating. On Wednesday, detectives interviews 26-year-old Kiah D. Wingate, who is not related to the child. Police say Wingate confessed to causing the injuries.

Deputies along with the Indiana Department of Child Services arrested Wingate on felony charges of Battery on a Minor causing serious bodily injury and Neglect of a Dependent causing serious bodily injury.

Indiana State Police are taking part in a campaign this week to raise awareness of human trafficking.

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the state police is partnering with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance for the initiative from today through Friday next week. While conducting commercial motor vehicle inspections state police will be distributing outreach materials to drivers. Police say commercial drivers are in a unique position to identify potential incidents of human trafficking. The goal of the campaign is to give drivers the tools to recognize and report signs of human trafficking.

The alliance and the Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division collaborate with the Truckers Against Trafficking group in the fight against human trafficking.

You can get more information at https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org

The Columbus Area Visitors Center is offering grants to tax-exempt organizations helping to draw tourists to the community.

According to the center, the grants are available to groups that create programs and events that will bring visitors into Bartholomew County, positively impact the quality of life in Bartholomew County, and support the mission of the visitors center.

The board of directors of the Visitors Center has a subcommittee which evaluates the grant requests.

Previous projects that have used the funds include the 6th Street Arts Alley, Jolie Crider Memorial Skate Park, and the restoration of the Charlie 119 cargo plane at the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum.

The funding comes from the county’s Innkeeper’s Tax, a tax paid by visitors to the community through room rentals.

Applications are due on or before January 31st. The awards will be announced by February 28th. If there are any funds left from that round, a second cycle of applications will be due by June 15th to be announced by July 15th.

You can find information on applying for the grants at https://columbus.in.us/grants-info/

A Franklin man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for using a 3-D printer to illegally create parts for guns.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Indiana, 28 year old Alexander Clark has been sentenced after pleading guilty to making firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of a machinegun.

According to court documents, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found that Clark sold five pistols whose frames were made on a 3-D printer, as well as a printed lower receiver for a rifle and two conversion devices for machine guns. According to authorities, the conversion devices turn ordinary firearms into fully automatic machine guns. The devices are illegal to possess or sell in almost all cases.

A raid on Clark’s home in August of 2022 recovered seven machineguns, 27 machinegun conversion devices and seven silencers, none of which were legally registered.

Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ordered that Clark be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.

Former Vice President, Indiana Governor and Columbus native Mike Pence is currently in Israel, showing his support for the country’s efforts against Hamas.

He Tweeted Thursday that he wanted to see “first hand [sic] the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7th.”

Later in that post, he added, “I told every Israeli I met, the American people are with you [sic] and we will stay with you until Hamas is destroyed.”

During this trip, he and others – including CEO Matt Brooks with the Republican Jewish Coalition – have already stopped “at the site of the Re’im Music Festival massacre,” Kfar Aza, the Barzilai Medical Center, and more.

Both Pence and Brooks have made it clear that they believe Israel is right in its efforts to “destroy” Hamas. In one Tweet, Pence wrote that Hamas has left Israel “no choice but to hunt down and destroy” them.

The most recent fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas began on Oct. 7th, 2023, when militants took the country by surprise. Since then, thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed, injured, and/or captured.

Clashes between the regions are not unusual. But, this round of fighting has become increasingly political, with some nations criticizing Israel’s response and calling for a ceasefire.

Many U.S. Republican leaders advocate supporting Israel in its efforts, but others think innocent Palestinians are being needlessly killed.

And, following the recent bombings during a commemoration ceremony in Iran, concerns have only mounted.

Some have voiced concerns that seemingly unrelated incidents in the Middle East could be blamed on Israel or its allies, forcing the United States to become more involved in military movements.

That being said, the Islamic State has since taken credit for the Wednesday bombings in Iran, which officials now say killed 84 people. Previous reports had listed the death counts at 103 and 95.

Story courtesy of Network Indiana. Photo courtesy of The Republican Jewish Coalition

Legal Aid is hosting a free walk-in legal clinic for Bartholomew County residents on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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. The walk-in clinic will be from 3 to 5 pm Jan. 15th at the Bartholomew County Public Library

From 3 to 4 p.m. the session will focus on general legal counsel. From 4 to 5 p.m. the clinic will focus on evictions.

A Greenwood soldier is taking on the job of top enlisted service member in the Indiana National Guard.

Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Brown, will take on the new responsibilities in March according to the Guard.

A command sergeant major advises a commander on all enlisted matters including training, discipline, morale and well-being. Brown will report to Maj. Gen. Dale Lyles, adjutant general of the Indiana unit.

Brown began his military career in 1997 and most recently helped lead the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Kosovo during a nine-month deployment in the Balkans. Among his previous roles, he served as command sergeant major at the battalion level. He is also an Afghanistan combat veteran. Brown will be the eighth state command sergeant major.

A reminder that Ivy Tech Community College Columbus Campus is offering help today if you need assistance filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The FAFSA is the starting point for financial aid including federal and state assistance as well as many scholarships.

The workshop today is at Ivy Tech’s campus on Central Avenue in Columbus.

You can drop in any time between 1 and and 7 p.m. during the workshops. No appointment is necessary.

Eastern Bartholomew Water customers in the Elizabethtown area area will be under a boil water advisory for 48 hours.

According to the utility, a contractor hit a water main in the area Thursday morning. The water outage affected customers on County Roads South 500 East, East 600 South, and East 700 South. Crews worked to restore service in the area and the 48 hours will start from the time the service was restored.

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.