The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says with the warmer weather, more people are out riding off-road vehicles. And officials are urging you to take steps to be safe while having off-road fun.

According to the agency:

• All riders under the age of 18 are required by law to wear a helmet while operating an off-road vehicle.
• They also recommend goggles, long sleeves, long pants, and over-the-ankle boots for riders.
• Children younger than 14 need to be supervised by an adult at all times when riding an off-road vehicles. Children should only ride  if they meet the minimum age designated by the manufacturer of that vehicle.
• Never operate an off-road vehicle with more people on it than it is designed to hold.
• Never operate or ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Off-road vehicles should be operated at a speed where the driver can control the vehicle and stop in time to avoid a collision.
• On side-by-side style off-road vehicles seat belts should be worn by the operator and any passengers.

Primary elections are coming up next week in Indiana and early voting is underway.

In Bartholomew County, you can vote early on weekdays from 8 to 5 at Donner Center on 22nd Street. There are also early voting hours on Saturday from 8 to 3 at Donner Center and at the Bartholomew County Governmental Office Building on Third Street.

Early voting wraps up at noon on Monday, May 6th with election day from 6 to 6 on Tuesday, May 7th at voting centers around Bartholomew County.

Bartholomew County voters will be choosing candidates for County Council at large on the Republican ticket. Four Republicans are running for those three seats. You can choose from Michael R. Bell, Kim Bennett, John Prohaska and Marcus D. Speer.

You can hear from each of the candidates below:

Michael Bell

Kim Bennett

John Prohaska

Marcus Speer

Ivy Tech Community College will be hosting a nature walk on Saturday, May 4th to learn more about the local natural environment. The school’s biology professors are hosting the series of hikes with the next along the Driftwood River near Edinburgh.

The hike is open to the public, and you are invited to attend. You should dress appropriately for the outdoors and the weather. Hikers will meet at 7:30 a.m. 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.

For more information you can contact Dr. Tom Sobat at [email protected].

The United Way of Bartholomew County and Columbus Regional Health are joining a state program to help more families gain health insurance.

The two groups will be implementing locally the statewide Covering Kids and Families program. Licensed navigators will be offering free assistance navigating health coverage to anyone in Bartholomew County. The navigators will be able to connect families to state and federal health plans they might qualify for. That includes Medicaid, Hoosier Healthwise or the Healthy Indiana Plan.

United Way works to ensure everyone has what they need to reach their full potential, including access to affordable healthcare services.

Ashley LaVanway, Covering Kids and Family manager for United Way says the program is a tool that can be used to get everyone affordable coverage.

You can start signing up for assistance starting on Wednesday. To get signed up you can call 812-418-3573 Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. or online here: https://www.ckfindiana.org/need-coverage/

A neighbor who noticed a fire at a home in downtown Columbus Friday helped save a resident who was sleeping at the time of the blaze, firefighters say.

According to Columbus Fire Department, the incident happened in the 1400 block of Franklin Street, when a neighbor on Lafayette Avenue noticed flames and called 911 for help at about 3:05 p.m. in the afternoon. The neighbor then alerted the owner of the single-story home, who was asleep at the time.

Columbus police were first on the scene and after ensuring the home was evacuated, they used fire extinguishers to knock down the flames on the home’s rear deck and vinyl siding. Firefighters arrived and used fire extinguishers to dampen any hot spots and removed materials to make sure the fire had not spread into the home.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but the homeowner said that a resident is a smoker and smokes outside near where the fire started. However, the smoker was not home at the time of the fire.

Damage to the home is estimated at $2,000. No one was injured.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

The Mental Health Matters Bartholomew County initiative will be having a community wide update on Tuesday, taking a look back at the first year of the effort and a look at where things are headed.

The team will share information about the current state of the community’s mental health system and new initiatives launched in the past year.

The keynote speaker will be Amelia Zachary, author of Enough: A Memoir of Mistakes, Mania and Motherhood. Organizers say she will be sharing a message of hope and encouragement.

She explains her struggles with getting the mental health help she needed.

Zachary says that mental health illnesses are insidious, making you feel like you are going through it alone.

There will also be speakers representing the various member organizations of the coalition including the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County governments, the county courts, Centerstone, Columbus Regional Health, Bartholomew Consolidated Schools and the United Way of Bartholomew County.

The Better Together Mental Health Initiative community update will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. April 30th at The Commons. The event is free and you are invited to attend.

The Edinburgh Police Department’s police dog Xta has received a bulletproof and stab protecting vest.

The not-for-profit Vested Interest in K9s group from Massachusetts provides the vests to dogs working in police and other agencies.

According to the department, XTA’s vest is embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.”.

The group has provided more than 5,500 vests to K9s in all 50 states. The organization accepts donations and $985 will sponsor one vest.

You can get more information at www.vik9s.org

Photo courtesy of Edinburgh Police Department

The Friends of the Muscatatuck River Society are planning a river cleanup this weekend.

The 15th annual “Kevin’s Kleanup” is set for Saturday, with registration starting at 8 a.m. in the morning at the Vernon Commons off of Jackson Street. The cleanup is conducted in memory of Kevin Jayne, the former president of the society.

Volunteers will be walking along the banks of the Muscatatuck collecting trash, or you can paddle the river, but you must provide your own watercraft.

You are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and for outdoor work.

The cleanup will finish at noon and a volunteer lunch will be provided.

Photo courtesy of Jennings County Parks.

A Columbus canine police officer is heading into retirement.

The Columbus Police Department announced earlier this week that police dog Argo has retired after 12 years of service to the city. According to the department, Argo was born in Poland in 2012 and brought to the U.S. where he was trained for police patrols and narcotics detection.

Argo had more than 3,000 training hours during his career. He was responsible for 482 arests and 443 narcotics seizures over his career. He searched 105 buildings and was used for 150 trackings. He also helped find a missing child.

Argo is retiring at the age of 13 and will continue to live with his partner and handler, Officer Branch Schrader.

Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon declared K-9 Argo Day in Columbus and read a proclamation earlier this week.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

The body of a woman found last month in East Fork White River by kayakers has been identified.

She was 59-year-old Betsy J. Gehrt of Columbus according to Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting.

Her body was discovered at about 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon on March 27th. Nolting says a forensic autopsy was performed on March 29th at Columbus Regional Hospital. However her identity remained known.

Nolting says the the coroner’s office worked with Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, and the Indiana State Police laboratory to identify the woman using her fingerprints and DNA.

Nolting praised the agencies involved and extended condolences to the victim’s family.

The coroner’s office is still awaiting toxicology test results from the autopsy.