The Indiana Court of Appeals has determined that a Columbus City Council member was not properly elected to his seat and is to be removed from office.

According to an opinion released yesterday, Council member Jay Foist was never really a candidate for the District 6 seat and the court instructed that his opponent, Democrat Bryan Munoz be declared the winner of the council seat. That is despite Foyst winning the November vote with 454 votes to Munoz’ 309.

The opinion rejects a lower court ruling that Foyst was properly placed on the ballot.

At issue is whether the public was properly notified of a caucus to put Foyst up as a candidate, and whether filing deadlines were followed.

According to the appeals court, a notice of the June caucus was not properly filed with the Bartholomew County clerk’s office. The court says that the notice was filed on June 22nd, one day past the June 21st filing deadline. Bartholomew County Democratic Party Chairman Ross Thomas challenged Foyst’s eligibility and the county election board initially agreed.

A second caucus was held, but in July after the filing deadline. That fell under a provision that allows a caucus to appoint a candidate after the deadline under several reasons, including if a candidacy was successfully challenged. The second caucus also voted to add Foyst to the ballot. Which Thomas also appealed to the election board, but losing that claim at the election board and at the lower court.

The Indiana Court of Appeals agreed with Thomas’ argument that Foyst was never a candidate in the first place because of the missed filing deadline.

Foyst was not present at last night’s Columbus City Council meeting for the roll call at the start of the meeting.

You can read the Indiana Court of Appeals decision here: 20240717 Foyst Opinion

Indiana Statehouse photo courtesy of iga.in.gov

Columbus police are welcoming their newest officer.

Thomas “Brandon” Brooks was sworn in this morning by city attorney Alex Whitted at City Hall.

Brooks is a Columbus native and graduate of Columbus East High School. He was most recently working as an automotive technician.

He will now begin training with instructors from the Columbus Police Department. He will then be joining four other news Columbus officers at the in the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy beginning next month.

A scuffle with a missing Columbus woman ended up in a scramble for a deputy’s gun.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department released information today about an event that unfolded last week. According to the department, a deputy was on State Street at about 2:52 p.m. on Friday when he noticed an SUV driving at more than 80 mph, swerving and recklessly passing other vehicles. The deputy turned on his emergency lights and began to catch up to the vehicle, when the driver pulled into Columbus East High School.

She then jumped out of the vehicle and ran to the school, trying to open various doors, which were all locked. She continued to ignore police commands and an officer from the Columbus Police Department and the deputy grabbed onto the woman and they all three fell to the ground. According to the deputy, the woman then began pulling on his gun. Police were able to secure her arms and she was taken into custody.

The woman, identified as Samaya Ivory, had been reported to Columbus police as a missing person. She was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital where she is accused of kicking another deputy in the chest. After being cleared by the hospital, she was then arrested on charges including Reckless Driving, Battery on a law enforcement officer, Resisting Law Enforcement with Injury and Attempting to Disarm a Law Enforcement Officer.

The deputy involved in the fight scraped up his knees and elbows during the scuffle.

As the COVID-19 relief project, the American Rescue Plan, winds down by the end of this year, Bartholomew County is accounting for the funds it has spent.

County Auditor Pia O’Connor briefed the county commissioners on the status of the federal money yesterday. She said that the county received just over $16.4 million from the relief funds, including earned interest. And county officials have already spent $10.2 million on projects including courthouse and jail improvements and allocated another $4 million to a countywide broadband internet project.

O’Connor said the county has about $2.1 million in projects still to spend, mostly on the courthouse renovation project. The entire amount of the ARP funds must be allocated by the end of the year and the county has until the end of 2026 to spend the money.

A proposed solar farm project in northern Bartholomew County will be holding an open house today to answer your questions about the project.

Arevon Solar, based out of Scottsdale, Arizona and New York City is planning a 200-megawatt commercial solar facility in Clay and Flatrock townships in eastern Bartholomew County. The project would be on just under 1,200 acres of privately owned land the company will be leasing from property owners.

The project will be going before the Bartholomew County Board of Zoning Appeals next week.

Swallowtail Solar will be hosting the event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at The Columbus Workshop, on North Long Road.

Graphic provided by Swallowtail Solar developer.

A Columbus man was arrested on drug charges after allegedly trying to hide drugs in his mouth.

According to the Columbus Police Department, officers stopped a vehicle near Central Avenue and 12th Street at about 8:44 p.m. Sunday night after the driver made a traffic violation. Police say that during the stop, a police dog alerted to the smell of drugs inside the vehicle.

A passenger, 38-year-old Dustin Cross reached into a bag, pulled something out and then put it into his mouth, police say. He refused to spit it out and after struggling with officers, police discovered a wad of green gum that contained foil and fentanyl that they believe came from his mouth.

After a search, other drugs and paraphernalia were found in in the vehicle.

Cross was taken to Columbus Regional Health to be checked out before being arrested on charges including obstruction of justice, resisting law enforcement and for possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.

The driver was released from the scene.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority is announcing a campaign to raise money for girls locker rooms at Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena in Columbus.

According to the state agency, the project will receive a matching grant from the agency’s CreatINg Place’s program if the community raises $50,000 for the project by Sept. 13th. The goal is to provide a dedicated locker room with restrooms, showers, benches and other amenities. Organizers say that if the space is not being used as a locker room, it will also be available for event and tutoring space.

Carleen Fry, manager of the Columbus Parks facility said that currently, girls must get changed in bathrooms or equipment rooms. At times, there are so many trying to get changed that they have to take turns. Fry said “This project will directly address this challenge and provide our girls the space they need.”

The campaign is being organized locally through the Columbus Park Foundation. You can get more information at https://www.columbusparkfoundation.org

The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is announcing the four women who will be recognized at next month’s Women in Leadership luncheon.

This year’s four honorees will be Cheryl Buffo, Laura Mount, Diane Robbins, and Nicole Wheeldon.

Buffo leads Community Programs for Columbus Regional Health Foundation and serves as Program Manager for Mental Health Matters. Mount co-owns Voelz, Reed, & Mount, LLC, one of South Central Indiana’s largest elder law firms. Robbins is the executive director of the Bartholomew County Historical Society. Wheeldon, is a Plant Manager for Cummins and is president of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board.

The annual event has a theme this year of “Wiser Than Me” and will feature the four community leaders, their accomplishments and those who inspired and mentored them. Cindy Frey, president of the Chamber said that in addition to honoring the women’s contributions, this year “will also recognize the women of previous generations who served as trailblazers and mentors.”

This year’s luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23nd at The Commons. Tickets are $65 each or $500 for a table of eight. You can get more information or make a reservation at www.columbusareachamber.com

Forecasters are warning that heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding in our area today.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued an areal flood watch for parts of Central Indiana, including Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings counties.

The weather service says that excessive runoff could lead to flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other flood-prone locations.

The flood watch is in effect from 8 this morning through 2 Wednesday morning.

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is announcing the winners of this year’s Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition awards.

According to the city, this year’s winners are Sarah Frasier and Steve Souder.

The awards are in memory of Cramer, a former local athlete who died in 1978 at the age of 33. They are presented annually to a man and women for their role as athletes, coaches or sports organizers in the community.

They will be recognized at a ceremony on Wednesday, July 31 at 5 p.m. in the afternoon at the meeting room in Nexus Park. You are invited to attend and you should use Entrance 2 to reach the event.