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Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management would like to remind the public that Bartholomew County Residents are welcome to self load mulch and/or compost from the yard waste site located at 720 Mapleton, free of charge.
They offer Friday Loading every year from April through October, except for Friday holidays. For 2024, the program began on Friday, April 5th and runs from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. It Costs $10 per pick-up truck size load of mulch or compost. Stop by the BCSWMD Offices to pay per load.
Visit the BCSWMD website at www.bcswmd.com or call 812-376-2614 for more information about Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District programs.

As of  2:30 pm the following roads and areas are closed due to high water:

·         900 N between 300 E AND 200 E

·         Noblitt Park

·         Mill Race Park

·         Owen’s Bend

·         Azalia Public Access Site

·         800 S, between SR 11 and US 31

Ignite Columbus will be returning in just a few short weeks.

Ignite is an idea-sharing competition held in over 100 cities worldwide. These events are a venue for innovative thinkers to share their personal and professional passions, using 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds for a total of just five minutes.

Participants will be competing in two judged categories, “Most Enlightening” and “Most Innovative.” One presenter will receive People’s Choice Award, which is given to the audience’s favorite.

There will be cash prizes for each category as well as audience favorite.

There will also be food, a cash bar, and brews and wine available.

Ignite will be held on Thursday April 25th from 5:30pm until 8pm at Helen Haddad Hall located at 315 Franklin Street.

To learn more about IGNTIE or to register visit www.columbusareachamber.com or by clicking here by April 12th.

Columbus Parks and Recreation Department staff have closed Mill Race and Noblitt parks due to the ongoing flooding there. They say that due to heavy rains this week, more sections of the People Trail system may become inaccessible.

Crews will re-evaluate the areas on Monday. The city urges you to use caution this weekend. Crews will re-open the facilities after the water has subsided and they have had a chance to clean up mud and debris.

In our area, the National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for Flatrock and Driftwood rivers as well as East Fork White River at Columbus and Seymour. Minor flooding is forecast and in some places already underway.

Flatrock River at Columbus was just above the 11 foot minor flood stage this morning. It is expected to crest at 12.3 feet Friday morning. It should return below the minor flood level by Saturday morning.

Driftwood River is expected to rise above the minor flood level this afternoon, before cresting just below the moderate flood stage by Friday evening.

East Fork White River at Columbus is expected to start minor flooding by Friday morning, cresting about a foot above the minor flood level by Friday evening.

In Seymour, East Fork White River is expected to rise above the minor flood stage shortly. It should crest just inches below the moderate flood level by Saturday evening.

The weather service warns that you should not drive onto flooded roadways. You should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive through flooded areas. They say turn around and don’t drown.

Lanes will be restricted on U.S. 50 on the west side of Seymour starting next week as crews work on a bridge there.

According to INDOT, contractors will be working on the bridge over Heddy Run, starting on Monday. The work will be on U.S. 50 between County Road 600E and Schleter Road, just west of the city limits. You can expect lanes to be restricted through late June.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

The work is part of a $2.2 million contract awarded to Force Construction.

INDOT urges you to slow down, to drive without distractions, to use extra caution and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Applications are now open for grants to organizations helping those with special needs through the Voelz, Reed, & Mount Foundation

Heritage Fund: The Bartholomew County Community Foundation says that the grant applications are open to nonprofit organizations in Bartholomew, Jackson, Jennings and Decatur counties that serve aging adults and those with special needs. The grants will go to support projects and programs that have a positive impact on the lives of senior citizens, those with special needs and their families and will range from $500 to $1,000 each.

Voelz, Reed, & Mount are attorneys specializing in estate and elder law in Columbus and Central Indiana. The local law firm partnered with Heritage Fund in 2022 to establish a business foundation to give back to the communities where they do business.

The deadline for organizations to apply is May 17th. You can get more information at https://www.heritagefundbc.org/grants.

A reminder that the Bartholomew County Republican Ladies League is planning a candidate forum tonight for those running in the primary election.

Candidates in the Bartholomew County Commissioner District 1 and County Council At-Large races have been asked to participate. Candidates in non-contested races will have one minute to introduce themselves at the beginning of the forum.

The forum will be held at 6 p.m. tonight in the Red Room at the Bartholomew County Public Library. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and you are invited to attend.

Bartholomew County will receive $1 and a half million and Columbus more than $1.4 million in the next round of state road funding.

The grants under the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program were announced Wednesday. The funds support projects such as road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items.

Area legislators touted the announcement:

State Rep. Ryan Lauer, a Columbus Republican said, the “state grants are a great opportunity for communities of all sizes to tackle much-needed road repairs and build for the future.” Lauer is vice chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee.

State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer of Shelbyville said the fund help “communities stretch local dollars further and move ahead on improvements faster than they could otherwise.”

State Rep. Jim Lucas of Seymour said that with prices of road maintenance increasing, the “state dollars are really coming at a critical time.”

Under the Community Crossings program, smaller communities must provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while larger communities provide a 50 percent match.

Across the state 252 communities will receive a share of $207 million through the program this round.

The National Weather Service says we are seeing some minor flooding on area rivers.

In our area, flood warnings have been issued for Flatrock and Driftwood rivers as well as East Fork White River at Columbus and Seymour. Minor flooding is forecast and in some places already underway.

Flatrock River at Columbus is just above the 11 foot minor flood stage this morning. It is expected to crest at 13.2 feet Friday morning. It should return below the minor flood level by Saturday afternoon.

Driftwood River is expected to rise above the minor flood level by early tomorrow morning, before cresting just below the moderate flood stage early Saturday morning.

East Fork White River at Columbus is expected to start minor flooding by Friday morning, cresting about a foot above the minor flood level by Friday evening.

In Seymour, East Fork White River is expected to rise above the minor flood stage by this afternoon. It should crest just inches below the moderate flood level by Saturday evening.

The weather service warns that you should not drive onto flooded roadways. Instead, turn around and don’t drown.