Bartholomew County emergency officials say that there are several cooling stations around the community where you can get out of the heat.

The city of Columbus has a cooling station at Donner Center on 22nd Street. It is open from 8 to 5 Wednesday and Thursday

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

The Bartholomew County Public Library branches can also be used to cool off. The main branch on Fifth Street is open from 9 until 8 Wednesday and Thursday. The Hope branch is open  from 10 to 5 on Wednesday and from 10 to 6 on Thursday.

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 Bartholomew County Historical Society will be unveiling a new exhibit on Thursday, called ‘Out of the Wardrobe: The Clothing of Bartholomew County’s past.”

Nearly 70 garments spanning 160 years of the history of fashion in the community will be on display. The exhibit features items ranging from the Antebellum period and Victorian era, all the way to the roaring 20s and semi-modern pieces. The museum also houses military garb on display.

Thursday’s event will also celebrate the opening of a new art installation by Chris Newlund.

Thursday’s opening will be from 4:30 – 6:30pm at the historical society museum on Third Street.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s assistance in regards to the death of a bicyclist that happened at the intersection of N 475 E and E 550 N on July 14th.
If anyone has information about a male bicyclist wearing a fluorescent green shirt in the Clifford/Hope area from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on July 14th, please contact Sgt. Dane Duke at (812) 565 – 5943 or at [email protected].
The investigation is on going, the Sheriff’s Office is seeking relevant information as to why the bicyclist left the roadway resulting in the accident.

A reminder that Columbus emergency workers will be holding a Public Safety Family Fun Day today.

According to the Columbus Fire and Police Departments, the event will be taking place at the Columbus Lowe’s store on 10th Street from 5 to 8 p.m. this evening.

It will be a family friendly event with opportunities for fun, education and connecting with the community.

If you attend, you will have a chance to check out a variety of emergency response equipment, including fire trucks, police cruisers, and specialized vehicles. City officers and firefighters will be on hand to answer questions and to talk about their roles in the community.

The event is free and you are invited to attend.

Photo: Engine No. 5, Columbus Fire Department’s newest truck manufactured by E-One. Photo courtesy of E-One via Columbus Fire Department

Two pedestrians were struck and injured on the west side of Columbus in a Saturday accident.

According to Columbus Police Department, officers were called to the accident on West Jonathan Moore Pike and Two Mile House Road at about 9:27 p.m. Saturday night. An 18-year-old had been driving eastbound on Jonathan Moore Pike when he struck two women who were in the roadway, just east of the intersection.

A 41-year-old pedestrian suffered injuries to her leg and hip. She was first taken to Columbus Regional Health, then flown by Lifeline Helicopter to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis. A 68-year-old pedestrian was also taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with minor injuries to her leg/hip.

Police say that the driver was no injured and has ben cooperating with the investigation. The Columbus Police Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating and the road was partially closed for about two hours.

The United Way of Bartholomew County has plans underway for the kickoff of this year’s annual giving campaign.

According to organizers, the annual campaign will kick off on Sept. 12th with a luncheon and Day of Service in the community. Tickets for the kickoff luncheon go on sale Thursday.

Amazing Joe’s will host the Kickoff Lunch, featuring a menu of pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and a cookie.

All proceeds from the lunch will support United Way of Bartholomew County’s campaign goal to lift 1,000 local families out of poverty in 2,000 days, a campaign which began in 2022.

Tickets are $20. You can choose from an 11 a.m. or noon seating.

Day of Service is a volunteer event that connects local businesses and community members with non-profit agencies and organizations to complete essential work for the agencies.

You can register to volunteer for particular organizations or activities starting on August 28th.

Registration for the lunch is available here: https://www.classy.org/event/united-ways-kick-off-lunch/e602102

To register as a volunteer, starting on Aug. 28th, go to uwbarthco.org and click  on “Volunteer.”

Forecasters say that storms later in the week might save us from some oppressive heat.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis is warning that it could feel like it is almost 100 degrees outside by this afternoon. The weather service says we could see heat indexes of 106 or higher by Thursday afternoon in our area, the hottest region in the state.

But they also say storms could help take the edge off of the very hot weather. Forecasters say that there is a 50 percent chances of showers Wednesday and Thursday that could reduce those heat indexes.

You should take extra precautions if you have to be outside in this heat. You should try to limit strenuous activities to the early morning or evening. Drink plenty of fluids and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.

You should also check in on relatives and neighbors who might be struggling with the heat.

Columbus Regional Health will have a new president as of Thursday.

Steve Baker, who has been serving as chief operating officer for the system, will take on the new role, as current CEO and President Jim Bickel makes plans to retire. The hospital will be splitting the duties of president and CEO, effective Thursday.

Baker talks about his new role:

Baker has worked with the hospital for 20 years starting in 1998 after serving in the U.S. Air Force for more than 9 years. After a break, he has been with the hospital most recently since 2016. Previously he has served as Chief Information and Technology Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, and most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

An Indiana native, Baker first moved to Columbus in 1998. He and his wife, Deanna, have two adult children.

A teenager died after a crash in Bartholomew County early Sunday morning.

According to the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office, 17-year-old Thomas Miguel Delacruz of Columbus was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Tinkey Bridge.

Columbus police were called to a reported vehicle fire on County Road 400N just east of U.S. 31 at about 1:19 a.m. Sunday. That’s when they discovered the crashed vehicle and the boy’s body.

The coroner says that the teen died from massive traumatic injuries suffered in the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.

Columbus Regional Health is offering back to school health and safety tips.

The hospital is sharing tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how healthy choices can help lead to success at school.

Experts say that you should make sure to enforce healthy habits. They say you should choose a bed time that allows for plenty of time to sleep and provide a healthy breakfast every morning. Encouraging exercise and limiting the time spent sitting around watching TV, playing video games or on the their phones or tablets, will also help with school success.

They say to stick to a routine schedule, and make sure you have a place where children can have their school items already gathered each morning, including backpacks, lunchboxes, and school projects. That way they will know where to find everything to get out the door each morning.

You should also set aside a clear space in your home where kids can do their school work. It should have lots of light, school supplies on hand and room to spread out do their work.

You can find a link with more information on our website.

The Bartholomew County Health Department’s Nursing Division will be partnering with other groups for a back to school health fair on Saturday.

According to organizers, back to school vaccines will be offered and there will be free haircut vouchers for the first 80 students. Columbus Regional Health’s Healthy Communities initiative will be on hand providing health information along with other community groups.

The health fair will be from 9 to noon Saturday at the health department at 2625 Foxpointe Drive. If you need to get vaccinated, call to make a reservation at 812-379-1555 and hitting option 1.

Bartholomew Consolidated and Flat Rock Hawcreek School Districts both return to class on Wednesday, August 7th.