A grilling event last weekend raised $32,000 for the Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund.

Held on Saturday at Thomson Furniture and Mattress, the 10th annual Hoosier Egg Fest featured 22 teams competing to provide the best food and to raise the most money. The First Financial Bank team was the winning team in fundraising, while Remax Team Columbus won the best food honors.

Thompson Furniture and Mattress has held 10 of the events, raising more than $167 thousand dollars, with proceeds alternating between the Cheer Fund ant Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.

Thompson Furniture and Mattress has been on the corner of 25th and Central in Columbus since 1927.

On Monday you will have a chance to talk about your vision for a new plaza heading into downtown Columbus in front of the Bartholomew County courthouse.

Organizers and designers will be holding a Community Engagement Picnic on Jackson Street at 6 p.m. on Monday evening. The city will be hosting the design firm chosen to revamp the plaza, Merritt Chase based in Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, first at the city’s redevelopment commission meeting and then at the picnic.

The picnic will be on Jackson Street between First and Second Streets and will include refreshments from Theo’s Pop-Up.

Richard McCoy head of the Landmark Columbus Foundation explains:

The 1.5-acre plaza on either side of Second Street is known for its memorials to POW/MIAs, public safety officers and the Robert D. Garton veterans memorial plaza.

Richard McCoy head of the Landmark Columbus Foundation said the team wants to make that memorial more accessible and better highlighted as part of this project.

Landmark Columbus through the Columbus Design Institute is working with the city on the project. Organizers would also like to refresh the area overall, and tie the plaza into the nearby 1821 Bicentennial Trail as well as a riverfront development project.

Aerial photo courtesy of Columbus Design Institute

Columbus Regional Health is announcing that Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is making its move to Nexus Park on 25th Street.

The practice is expected to open at the new location on July 1st.

Patients are receiving information on visiting the the new office location and will also receive reminders for any upcoming appointments that take place at the new location.

Nexus Park on 25th Street is a joint project between the city of Columbus and CRH as a center for health, wellness and recreation. Columbus Regional Health is putting more than $54 million dollars into its side of the project and moving more than 15 offices from around the city to the facility.

If you are coming to the CRH portion of Nexus Park as a patient or a visitor, you should enter the facility through Entrance 3, which is on the southwest side of the facility.

For more information you can go to www.crh.org/nexuspark.

A $25,000 donation from Honda will allow the Community Education Coalition to expand its efforts creating and promoting pathways to manufacturing careers.

The Columbus based group is announcing that the grant will support a project aimed at providing under-represented students in kindergarten through 12th grade with education and career pathways into manufacturing roles. The project will include tailored information campaigns, workshops, hands-on learning opportunities, and community events designed to engage and inspire students. The focus will be on low-income, Latino, Black, and Black-Biracial students.

The informational campaign will provide details on educational programs at the AirPark Columbus College Campus leading to manufacturing careers by providing information on career paths, salary information and other resources.

Kathy Oren, President & CEO of the Community Education Coalition said that “by providing these students with information on clear pathways, hands-on STEM experiences and exposure to careers in the manufacturing industry, we are helping to build a stronger, more diverse workforce for our region.”

The program is set to begin this fall and next spring.

A pet food pantry distribution is set for Thursday afternoon at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services will be holding their Furry Friends Food Bank giveaway from 4 to 5:30 p.m. or until the food runs out. The pet food will be distributed in the airport parking lot at 4770 Ray Boll Boulevard in front of the Charlie 119 cargo plane.

The purpose of the pantry is to assist community members in need to keep their pets in their homes and out of area shelters. If you take part you should stay in your vehicle and the food will be brought to you.

Cat food will be distributed in 4.5 pound bags and dog food in 14.5 pound bags.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services is the non-profit partner of the city-operated animal shelter.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says we will see the hottest temperatures so far this year Thursday through Saturday. You can expect afternoon highs in the mid 90s with humidity in the mid 70s, which will make it feel like is around 100 degree.

Emergency officials are warning that the extreme heat can be especially dangerous for older people. You are encouraged to check in with your friends, family and neighbors daily.

The city of Columbus will be operating a cooling station at Donner Center on 22nd Street, from 8 to 5 Thursday and Friday.

A cooling station is a place where those who don’t have air conditioning can go to cool off. Food, showers, and sleeping areas are not available.

The city says animals will also be allowed to cool off at the center with their owners and crates will be available.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has declared an Air Quality Action Day again Thursday for our area.

An Air Quality Action Day means that the weather is expected to produce conditions where high levels of ground-level ozone emissions may exceed federally mandated standards.

High ozone near the ground acts a lung irritant. It can cause coughing and breathing difficulties for sensitive populations. Children, the elderly, anyone with heart conditions or with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exposure Thursday.

The alert is in effect until midnight.

The United Way of Bartholomew County held is annual meeting yesterday at The Commons, presenting awards honoring local organizations, volunteers and community members who exemplified efforts to lift people out of poverty.

The United Way has adopted a goal of lifting 1,000 families to self-sufficiency in 2,000 days and announced that more than 90 families have been uplifted since the initiative was announced last year.

United Way President Mark Stewart also outlined a recently launched initiative to address homelessness in the community including a forum held last week to hear from residents and those who are homeless.

The most prestigious annual honor, called the Live United award, went to Rich Gold, a long time donor, volunteer and former chair of the United Way board. Stewart explains:

Other awards include Landmark Farms Foundation receiving the Give Award and Britt Brewer the Advocate Award. Cindy Rutan and Bob Layman received the Volunteer Award for their efforts in the United Way’s tax assistance program.

The United Way is also announcing that its annual campaign this year has raided $4.3 million dollars.

Photo: United Way President Mark Stewart presents the Live United award to Rich Gold. WRB photo

Government offices are closed today in observance of Juneteenth.

In Columbus, city trash, recycling and yard waste routes will be running on their normal schedule.

The Columbus and Bartholomew County Recycling Center will be closed today along with the cardboard route and the Solid Waste Management district offices. The Bartholomew County Landfill will be open normal hours.

Columbus City Utilities offices will be closed. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service, you can call 812-372-8861 and follow the prompts.

In Seymour, todays trash, recycling and yard waste will be collected on Thursday.

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S., marking the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas, more than two and a half years after it was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.

Two people have been arrested on drug charges near the Jennings County Courthouse.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy stopped a vehicle after a traffic violation at about 6:04 a.m. Sunday morning. The vehicle also had an expired registration. The deputy talked to the driver, 51-year-old William J. Kolb of Scipio and noticed that he appeared to be under the influence of drugs. A police dog was brought to the scene and alerted to the odor of drugs inside the vehicle.

A search found 15 grams of methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia.

Kolb was arrested on charges including Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Invasion of Privacy, Possession of Synthetic Urine and for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.

A passenger, 31-year-old Kiesha S. Weiler of Columbus was also arrested on preliminary charges for possessing drugs and paraphernalia and for visiting a common nuisance.

There will be a new medical group providing services to inmates at the Bartholomew County Jail.

Sheriff Chris Lane presented the proposed contract to the County Commissioners this week, explaining that the change would be provide better services to inmates and save the department from having to hire county employees as medical professionals to work in the jail.

Lane proposed a contract with Quality Correctional Care from Carmel at a cost of more than $474 thousand dollars for the rest of this year, with next year’s cost of $996 thousand dollars. Commissioner Carl Lienhoop said that averages out to more than $79 thousand a month.

Lane said the company already has contracts with more than 70 other county jails in the state. Under the Bartholomew County contract, the company would provide around-the-clock medical staffing at the facility using Licensed Practical Nurses for 168 hours a week, supervision from a Registered Nurse at 40 hours a week, a part-time medical records person at 24 hours with a computerized record-keeping system. There will also be a mental health component.

Lane stressed that with the around-the-clock operations in law enforcement, there is frequently a need to have someone treated or checked out at all hours. Lane said one of his biggest responsibilities as sheriff is maintaining the health and safety of the inmates under the county’s custody.

The County Council approved funding for the changes last week.

County Commissioners approved the new contract at their meeting this week.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.