Seymour residents are seeing some high water in places this morning. A flood warning is in effect for East Fork White River at Seymour. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says that minor flooding is underway and minor flooding is forecast.
According to river gauges, East Fork White River is at 12.9 feet this morning, that is about 10 inches above the minor flood stage. It is expected to crest this afternoon at 13.4 feet and then fall back below flood stage by Tuesday evening.
The flood warning is in effect until Wednesday morning.
Forecasters are warning of more dense fog out there this morning.
The National Weather Service says that visibility could be limited in some places during your morning drive. The fog should lift by late this morning, but will come back again tonight and Saturday.
The weather service is urging you to be careful if you are on the road, saying you only have seconds to react if you are driving in dense fog.
Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane is looking back on his first year in office and progress on five areas he set forth as priorities.
In his first annual report as sheriff, Lane said that his five priorities have been:
Relentless Drug Enforcement
Efficiency and Innovation
Partnerships with Other Agencies
Mental and Physical Resiliency
Employee Attraction and Retention.
In the area of drug enforcement, he said felony drug arrests were up 40 percent from 2022, with more than 127 arrests. Lane said that based on conversations with community members that drugs and their affect on the community is deserving of constant focus. And he said that the department will do whatever is necessary to combat illegal drugs coming into the county.
Lane said that the department has established a peer support network to help employees with their mental and physical health. Select deputies have been trained to provide confidential support for those dealing with personal or job related situations. The department has also used drug forfeiture money to install new equipment in the employee gym. And he said that a grant from Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is providing services through Breathe Halotherapy and Wellness Center, providing up to two free sessions a month to ease stress and promote wellness.
Lane said that he feels like the department is focusing on the correct areas and that he was proud of the department’s teams and its accomplishments.
Ivy Tech Community College Columbus biology professors are continuing their series of nature hikes to educate residents about their natural environment.
The next hike will be Saturday, Feb. 3rd, along the Driftwood River near Edinburgh. Ivy Tech Columbus faculty member Dr. Tom Sobat will lead the hike, focusing on winter wonders of the area.
Hikers will meet at 10 in the morning in the first paved parking area at the Driftwood State Fishing Area. That’s at 8825 S. U.S. 31, near Edinburgh.
If you are planning to take part and have binoculars, you should bring them. The college will have some sets on hand you can use.
The hike is open to the public, and you are invited to attend. You should dress appropriately for the outdoors and the weather.
The city of Columbus is planning a session next week to educate the public on tax increment financing districts and how they work.
The TIF District 101 session is meant for new city officials and the public to learn more about how TIF funds are captured, financing options for TIF funds, and a preview of legislation related to TIF districts.
After establishing a tax increment financing district and setting a baseline for property taxes, an Indiana community then siphons off rising property tax revenues in future years, which are held for redevelopment in that particular area of the community.
The information session will be from 4 to 5:30 on Monday at Columbus City Hall.
Southern Indiana Republican Congresswoman Erin Houchin has filed for re-election to the Ninth Congressional District.
Houchin announced today from Washington County that she was running again for the seat which she first won in 2022, taking office last year. Houchin said “Our first year has flown by, but we have been hard at work fighting for the American people, and our work has just begun.”
Houchin serves on the House Financial Services Committee, Rules Committee, and the Education and Workforce Committee. She lives in Salem with her husband and their three children.
The Ninth Congressional District stretches from the Ohio River to as far north as Franklin County. Locally, it includes part of Bartholomew County, as well as all of Brown, Jackson, Jennings and Decatur counties.
The city of Columbus is planning a session next week to educate the public on tax increment financing districts and how they work.
The TIF District 101 session is meant for new city officials and the public to learn more about how TIF funds are captured, financing options for TIF funds, and a preview of legislation related to TIF districts.
After establishing a tax increment financing district and setting a baseline for property taxes, an Indiana community then siphons off rising property tax revenues in future years, which are held for redevelopment in that particular area of the community.
The information session will be from 4 to 5:30 on Monday at Columbus City Hall.
Indiana Landmarks is including two area projects in its summary of nearly half a million in grants it gave last year to preserve Indiana’s meaningful places..
According to the group, it awarded $470,000 last year to nonprofit groups and cities around Indiana to help save the structures. The grants support efforts ranging from architectural assessments and repairs at historic structures, to programs promoting preservation and heritage.
North Vernon Main Street received $4,000 for a structural assessment of the 1880 Red Men Lodge No. 99, at 227 E. Walnut Street. According to Indiana Landmarks, the building is the group’s 10 Most Endangered list. The grant will be used to hire a structural engineer to provide guidance on stabilizing the vacant building, a necessary step before further rehabilitation plans can be developed.
Main Street Greensburg also received $4,000 to study the reuse possibilities for a 19th century commercial building at 112 South Franklin Street. The local group intends to use the information to determine best next steps for saving the vacant building in the city’s Downtown Greensburg Historic District.
Those grants came from the Efroymson Family Endangered Places Grants fund which gives grants to preserve places that Indiana Landmarks has identified in its endangered places program. Last year there were 17 grants totaling $62,688 from that fund.
Redmen Lodge in North-Vernon. Photo courtesy of Indiana Landmarks112 South Franklin Street in Greensburg. Photo courtesy of Indiana Landmarks
There is still time to file if you want to run for political office this year. In Bartholomew County, several candidates have filed in the last week.
That includes: Ohmer Miller as a Republican for Hope Town Council Ward 3 and Jerry Bragg as a Democrat for that same seat. Ed Johnson has filed for Hope’s Ward 1 as a Democrat, as well as Donald Frey for the Jonesville Town Council as a Democrat.
Bragg had previously filed for the Hope Town Council as a Republican but withdrew that filing.
The filing period runs through noon on February 9th. You can get more information in Bartholomew County at the County Clerk’s voter registration office at 812-379-1604.
Jennings County Sheriff Kenny Freeman is touting a recent inmate count of 100 inmates, the lowest population in 14 years.
Freeman, posting on social media, said that he never thought the inmate count would be so low. When he started as sheriff in 2019 there were more than 180 people in the jail.
Looking back at inmate populations on jail inspection days going back to 2010, the previous lows were 109 inmates in 2013 and 2014. The highest was 193 in mates in 2017.
Freeman said he knew the county would reduce the jail population with programs and proactive law enforcement. However he didn’t think it would have as big an impact as it has had.
He thanked the county’s law enforcement team members saying that they have been working hard.
