The Columbus Human Rights Commission will be recognizing Bud Herron and the Rev. Felipe Martínez as the winners of this year’s William R. Laws Human Rights Award at the commission’s annual dinner and awards ceremony on June 27th.

Herron is a former journalist, serving as publisher of the Republic until 2007. After retirement, he became a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate with the Advocates for Children.

Martínez, originally from Mexico, became pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbus in 2016. He has led community conversations on racial injustice, welcoming and inclusive worship and housing disparities.

The dinner will also include the presentation of the winners of the Benjamin M. King Essay and the J. Irwin Miller Art contests. The theme for this year’s art and essay contests is “Living your authentic life.”

The featured speaker will be Amy Nelson, the executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana. The center serves 24 counties in central Indiana including Bartholomew County. The center’s mission is to eliminate housing discrimination through advocacy, enforcement, education, and outreach.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m. on June 27th at The Commons in downtown Columbus.

Tickets for the dinner are $30 per person and must be purchased in advance. They can be purchased at the Human Rights Commission office located in City Hall online at www.columbus.in.gov/human-rights/. and clicking on Human Rights

For further information, call (812) 376-2532 or e-mail
[email protected].

You will see lane closures on Interstate 65 through Greenwood starting this weekend and lasting for up to three weeks.

INDOT says that crews will be deck sealing and crack filling the interstate over Main Street starting on Sunday. The work will be going on Sunday through Thursday.

The work Sunday will reduce northbound or southbound I-65 to one lane from 6 to 10 a.m. in the morning. Monday through Thursday next week, the highway will be reduced to two lanes from 8 to 2 each day. The rest of the schedule:

• Monday, June 10 through Thursday, June 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: NB or SB I-65 will be reduced to two lanes.
• Sunday, June 16 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.: NB or SB I-65 will be reduced to one lane.
• Monday, June 17 through Thursday, June 20 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: NB or SB I-65 will be reduced to two lanes.
• Sunday, June 23 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.: NB or SB I-65 will be reduced to one lane.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

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

Indiana University Columbus will be hosting visits to the campus tomorrow and next week for those who might want to become students there.

The visit days will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. tomorrow and from 1 to 3 p.m. on June 12th. The sessions are open to anyone who would like to learn more about attending IU in Columbus including including high school juniors and seniors, new students, and returning students.

If you attend, you will be able to meet with an admissions counselor, get information about programs, be assisted with the application process and take a campus tour. There will also be information about filling out the Free Application For Federal Student Aid, as well as scholarships and work-study opportunities.

You can get more information at columbus.iu.edu/admissions.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says it is stepping up traffic enforcement as truck drivers take the wrong route to detour around road construction and as other drivers violate traffic rules in the community.

According to the department, community members have been concerned about increasing traffic violations. In response, deputies have been stepping up enforcement leading to more than 135 traffic stops. There have been numerous citations for violations including speeding, distracted driving and failing to obey traffic control devices.

There have also been complaints about semis using North Base Road and County Road 50E to circumvent road construction. But the roads are clearly marked “No Trucks” and were not designed to handle heavy truck traffic. Deputies are monitoring the situations and will write citations for commercial vehicles traveling on the roads.

The sheriff’s department is urging drivers to adhere to traffic laws, to remain vigilant, and to drive responsibly.

The Columbus Police Department is welcoming two new officers.

According to the department, Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon swore in Brandon Straub and Isaiah McCory yesterday at City Hall.

Straub is a graduate of Jennings County High School and holds a bachelors degree from Hanover College. He earned a law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.

McCory, originally from Jackson County, graduated from Indiana Digital Learning School. He previously worked as a jail officer for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Straub and McCory will next complete new officer training with Columbus Police Department instructors before attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.

A joint venture between Cummins and three other companies has now spun off into a  battery production business, to be called Amplify Cell Technologies.

According to the Columbus based engine manufacturer, the joint venture between Cummins’ Accelera zero-emissions business segment, Daimler Trucks, PACCAR and EVE Energy has completed the formation of Amplify Cell Technologies and Kel Kearns will be the new company’s chief executive officer.

Amplify will manufacture battery cells for electric commercial vehicles and industrial uses. The joint venture will initially focus on lithium-iron-phosphate  batteries for commercial  trucks.  The companies plan to invest $2 to 3 billion in a 21-gigawatt hour factory in Mississippi with construction starting soon. The plant will create more than 2,000 manufacturing jobs and is expected to start production in 2027.

Accelera, Daimler Trucks and PACCAR each own 30 percent of the joint venture with EVE Energy owning 10 percent.

Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins Chair and CEO, said “This is a significant step forward as we continue leading our industry into the next era of smarter, cleaner power.”

The Kamic Corporation is planning a $600 thousand dollar investment in new equipment at its plant on Inwood Drive in Columbus.

The company asked Columbus City Council to approve a tax abatement for the investment last night.

The project will bring state of the art induction hardening equipment to the facility, allowing the company to improve efficiency. The company says that the investment will allow it to retain 46 jobs with an average wage of just over $27 an hour. According to city officials, Kamic opened its plant in 1995, moving production of its machine parts from Japan. The parts are used by several local companies.

Columbus City Council approved the abatement request, which will allow the company to phase in new property taxes over the next 10 years. While the abatement will save the company about $32 thousand in property taxes over the next 10 years, it will still be paying $22 thousand more than it does now.

Map graphic courtesy of the city of Columbus.

A Seymour man is being accused of attempting to kidnap a girl last week.

According to the Seymour Police Department, a mother reported to police that a man came around the corner on East Sycamore Road at about 6:05 p.m. in the evening on Friday and attempted to convince her daughter to come with him. The mother said no but the man grabbed the girl. The mom then pulled her daughter free, the man grabbed the girl’s sunglasses and ran from the area.

Police say that they developed a suspect and on Tuesday police took 28-year-old Raul F. Ortega of Seymour in for an interview. He was then arrested on preliminary charges of attempted kidnapping, robbery, theft and battery. The battery charge was elevated to a felony because the victim was younger than 14.

Toyota Material Handling is being recognized by Indiana University with the Spirit of Philanthropy Award for the Columbus company’s efforts to support children with disabilities.

According to the company, Toyota has been partnering with the IU School of Health & Human Sciences’ ‘Go Baby Go’ program which offers custom mobility solutions to support the independence and cognitive development of children. Those solutions include ride-on cars, customized to meet the needs of children with mobility challenges. Modifications can include things like adaptive seating, specialized controls and safety enhancements.

Toyota’s design engineers collaborate with engineering students each semester to strategize, design and customize cars for children. Last year, the company also contributed $10,000 to the initiative.

Photo: Toyota Material Handling receives Spirit of Philanthropy Award from Indiana University in recognition of the company’s dedication to contributing to the wellbeing of the community. Left to Right: Pamela Whitten (IU President), Rafael Bahamonde (IU Indianapolis, School of Health and Human Sciences Dean), Brian Egloff (TMH, Director of Engineering), Dennis Huffer (TMH, Design Engineer Supervisor), Christopher Huber (TMH, Design Engineer), Danielle Nickerson (TMH, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager), Latha Ramchand (IU Indianapolis Chancellor)

Jackson County deputies recovered a quarter pound of methamphetamine and arrested two people after a traffic stop Sunday.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Departments, a deputy noticed an SUV headed northbound on State Road 135 at about 4:35 p.m. Sunday and recognized that the owner was wanted on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation. The deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver continued to drive slowly away and then items were thrown from the passenger window.

The vehicle finally stopped and the deputy along with Brownstown Police stopped the vehicle, removing the driver and passenger. The driver and vehicle owner was 23-year-old Cory M. Cowles of Seymour and the passenger was identified as 36-year-old Jose R. Sanchez-Ortiz, also of Seymour. A police dog was brought to the scene and alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle and search recovered a small amount of methamphetamine on the floor.

But a search of the area where the deputy saw items being thrown out recovered a large bag filled with meth and a glass smoking pipe.

Cowles and Sanchez-Ortiz are facing preliminary charges including dealing methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle as well as for possessing the meth and paraphernalia.