A reminder that local law enforcement officers will be holding a memorial service Friday morning in downtown Columbus to recognize officers who have fallen in the line of duty in the last year.
Local honor guards and bagpipers will be taking part. There will also be a 21 gun salute and the playing of Taps.
The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Friday morning at the Public Safety Plaza at Second and Jackson Streets in Columbus.
The event is free and you are invited to attend.
Former Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson and Turning Point Domestic Violence Services are being recognized with this year’s Donald W. & Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Community Hero and Community Leadership Project awards.
The honorees were announced by Heritage Fund: The Bartholomew County Community Foundation.
Richardson received the Community Hero Award, which recognizes and celebrates the contributions of everyday local heroes. Organizers say that Richardson was nominated for embodying the best in law enforcement during his nearly 30-year career in Columbus. Colleagues said Richardson served as a role model for staff and community leaders and praised his integrity, preparedness, collaboration and engagement — reflecting the best of public service.
The renovation of Turning Point’s emergency residential shelter received the Community Leadership Project award. The renovation, completed last year, increased the number of shelter beds from 25 to 40, expanding its capacity to provide safe accommodations and access to vital resources and support services. The project also included structural and safety improvements, the remodeling of restrooms and kitchen and additional living space.
The Community Hero honor comes with a $5,000 award and the Community Leadership Project with a $10,000 award.
Students’ Fund of Hope received an honorable mention award. It was created to support Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation’s students in need. The organization was honored with a $5,000 award.
Photo: Former Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson with wife Suzy Richardson, left, and mother Donna Richardson. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.
There is still time to take a community public health survey that will help determine the needs of the area served by Columbus Regional Health.
Columbus Regional Health says the survey is ongoing by phone and on the Internet through the end of the month. CRH’s Healthy Communities initiative will use the information to improve community health and wellness, as well as address equitable access to health services and discover health disparities. The survey is anonymous and you will not be asked to provide any personally identifying information.
The survey is questioning residents in Bartholomew County and some in Jackson and Jennings counties.
You can find a link and more information here: www.prcsurvey.com/begin/CRH2024CHNA
The Bartholomew County Republican Ladies League is presenting its annual scholarships to four students.
The four $1,000 scholarships go to county students, who submitted essays on “Why it is important to vote.”
This year’s recipients were Betsy Hoene of Columbus East High School and Hauser Jr./Sr. High School students Isabella Kilps, Colin Kistler and Kathryn Stoner.
Betsy is the daughter of Ben and Julie Hoene and is planning to go to Purdue University.
Isabella is the daughter of Andrew and Karen Kilps and is planning to go to Ball State University.
Colin is the son of Ryan and Lori Kistler and is going to Hanover College.
Kathryn is the daughter of Jon and Deena Stoner and plans to attend Purdue University.
The scholarships are funded through events and member donors. Phyllis Apple, chairwoman of the scholarship committee, said one of the scholarships was donated by County Council member Jorge Morales in memory of his late wife, Melinda.
No one was injured after a suspected freon leak last week led to the evacuation of the Whitfield Drive Walmart store in Columbus.
According to the Columbus Fire Department, the store on the east side of Columbus was temporarily closed and four employees were checked out after the leak at about 11:34 a.m. Friday morning. The affected area was in a storeroom refrigerator/freezer and was not accessible by the public. The employees were checked out by medics at the scene and then taken to the hospital for further evaluation, but none showed any signs of life-threatening injuries, firefighters say.
Columbus firefighters could find no signs of a freon leak and the store staff told firefighters that the refrigerant system’s alarms were all showing normal operations. But the store was closed for a full inspection.
The store was closed until about 4:30 p.m. Friday while the system was checked and repaired.
The Jackson County auditor has resigned and a Republican caucus will be held next week to replace her. That’s according to the Seymour Tribune.
The newspaper says that Staci Eglen resigned earlier this month and did not seek election in last week’s primaries. She had been appointed after elected Auditor Roger Hurt resigned last year. The paper says no reason was given for her resignation.
A caucus will be held May 20th to choose a replacement. Jamie Pyle is serving as the interim auditor.
Jennings and Jackson county organizations took part in a workshop recently to analyze how those with mental health needs encounter the criminal justice system.
According to organizers, representatives of groups including local government, criminal justice system, mental health providers and social services providers took part in the sessions in April. The goal was to develop a map of the paths through the system, so gaps could be identified and ways that those in need could be diverted away from the criminal justice system.
The process, called Sequential Intercept Model Mapping helps those involved in the system come up with a strategic action plan. That plan would then be implemented over the next one to two years.
Organizers say the mapping project also introduces best practice and solutions based on evidence.
The workshop was led by a team from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Indiana and Indiana SIM Mapping Network. It was held in Eisner Hall at the Education Training Center in North Vernon and use of the space was donated by the city.
Legal Aid is holding a free phone clinic on Tuesday.
Legal Aid offers the clinics for low-income residents of its eight-county district.
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 over the phone. The clinic will be from from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
To take part, you must first register between noon and 2 p.m. by calling 812-378-0358.
Columbus firefighters are warning of a potential fire risk in some aging home and commercial electrical panels.
According to the Columbus Fire Department, panels that were manufacture red before 1990 by the Federal Pacific Electric company may have defective circuit-breakers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that tests of these panels with the “Stab-Lok” circuit breakers fail often and up to 1 in 3 are defective. The concern is that the faulty circuit breakers could lead to a fire, by failing to interrupt the flow of current when needed. Fire Marshal Troy Todd said that the panels are believed to be responsible for thousands of fires nationwide, 13 deaths and millions of dollars in property damage.
According to the fire department, if you have a property that was built between 1950 and 1990, with a Federal Pacific power panel, you should check to see if it contains the “Stab-Lok” circuit breakers. If you do, you should contact a licensed electrician about replacing the circuit breakers.
The Federal Pacific Electric company is no longer in business.
IU Columbus will be offering assistance next week to anyone considering transferring to the school.
The school will be offering one-on-one sessions with an admissions counselor from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday next week for anyone who ahs previously attended a university elsewhere, or those who have taken a break from college and would like to return to school.
The school staff will be offering information on undergraduate and graduate programs, assistance with the application process, providing campus tours, and answering questions. You can also get help filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid and learn more about work study options and scholarship opportunities.
Jayne Morris, Assistant Director of Enrollment Management for IU Columbus says there is still time to attend school in the fall.
To take part you should go to the campus on Central Avenue and head to the admissions office.