The cross at the top of the former North Christian Church will be removed this week and donated to a camp near Bedford.

According to the Bartholomew County Public Library which now owns the former church building, the change is being done according to the wishes of the former church congregation and was outlined in the donation agreement for the building. The library says that it and the former Disciples of Christ congregation have prioritized the preservation of the church’s artifacts so “that they can continue to inspire communities for generations to come.”

The library says that changes to the former church property are outlined and will be reviewed in accordance with its strategic plan and the library has agreed to honor the legacy of the former congregation. You can find a link with more information on the plan here: mybcpl.org/library-expansion

The church cross will be going to Camp Bedford, operated by First Christian Church in Bedford. According to organizers from the camp, the cross will be installed on a bluff overlooking the river along a trail.

You can get more information about the camp at campbedford.com

Photo courtesy of Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation.

Police say a Columbus man is facing drug dealing charges after struggling with officers during a traffic stop.

According to Columbus Police Department, the incident began at about 3:10 a.m. Thursday morning when officers stopped a bicyclist riding without a front light or rear reflector near the intersection of Indiana Avenue and North Ross Street. While talking with the man, officers noticed he reached into his pocket several times despite being told several times to stop. Police began to pat him down to check for weapons and found a pocket knife in his waistband. But that is when he pulled away and a struggle began, which ended up on the ground. Several other officers arrived and the man, identified as 34-year-old Christopher Keller was taken into custody.

A search revealed bags of drugs, scales, syringes and drug paraphernalia. One of the bags tested positive for fentanyl, while another tested positive for meth and fentanyl.

Keller was arrested on preliminary charges of dealing a narcotic drug, dealing methamphetamine, and for resisting law enforcement as well as for possessing the meth, narcotics and a syringe.

Columbus police say that they are actively targeting drug dealers to protect the community.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

YES Cinema is inviting you in to tour its conference spaces and a new space to hang out with your friends for special events.

Organizers say the Sarla Kalsi Conference Center offers two large conference areas and a reception space with various seating arrangements, facilities for full-service catering and technology for events such as meetings, parties, receptions, and dinner theater. The new Den is a smaller space for up to 10 people which includes recliners and large projection screens meant for sporting events, parties and similar events.

The open house will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday with the entrance to the center at 222 Fourth Street, near the front doors of the cinema at the corner of Fourth and Jackson Streets. Light refreshments and price lists will be available.

For more information or to reserve one of the spaces, you can find email contact information on our website or call 812-350-3051.

YES Cinema is owned and operated by the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center, and all proceeds benefit the not for profit center.

State Road 45 will be closing next week in Brown County as crews work to install a culvert.

According to INDOT, that will be happening at Bear Creek Road and the road will be closed between Helmsburg and Needmore while the work is going on. You should take a detour around by using State Road 46.

The work is expected to start on Tuesday and take a full day. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to use extra caution and to drive without distractions in all work zones.

Legal Aid will be holding two free clinics next week to offer help with your law questions.

Legal Aid offers the clinics for low-income residents of its eight-county district to receive legal advice and assistance. The district includes Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Rush, and Shelby Counties.

The group will be holding a free legal aid phone clinic Tuesday and a walk-in clinic in Decatur County on Wednesday..

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 Tuesday phone clinic will be 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.

The walk-in clinic will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Decatur County Public Library.

The Crump Theatre will be returning to the silent film era with events this weekend featuring the original 1920s movie screen and performances of the classic Phantom of the Opera.

According to organizers, the film was first shown at the theater in March of 1926, with only an upright piano for accompaniment. And tonight the silent film will be shown again using the same screen frame and the same piano, both of which are still in the theater.

Tickets for tonight’s performance will be $15 for general admission and $25 for a VIP Experience. The events starts at 7:30 p.m.

Jess Schnepp heads up the Crump Theatre restoration project.

Saturday will feature a beard competition with a Phantom of the Opera theme.

The Crump Theatre is on Third Street in downtown Columbus. It is celebrating its 135th anniversary this year. The building is owned by the Columbus Capital Foundation, a not-for-profit organization set up to hold buildings that might have future use for the community.

You can get tickets at Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/silent-film-experience-the-phantom-of-the-opera-w-jay-warren-tickets-954430696907

Seymour police and organizers of the Seymour Oktoberfest are warning about scammers pretending to offer vendor space at the upcoming event.

Authorities warned on social media this week that two people, identifying themselves as Mark Brown or Marcia OFlynn, are attempting to get businesses to pay via cashapp for vendor space at the festival. The festival organizers say that this is not a legitimate way to get registered and instead say that you should normally fill out the application on the Oktoberfest website. However, all the spots are already filled for this year’s event.

They suggest that if you have any questions you should contact the organizers directly by emailing [email protected]

Columbus firefighters are warning about dangers associated with lithium-ion batteries, especially those used to charge e-scooters and e-bikes.

According to the fire department, the batteries can overheat, catch on fire and even explode if they are damaged or improperly used, charged or stored. They say that you should protect the batteries from extreme heat or cold temperatures, either of which can damage the battery. Firefighters recommend that you charge your devices outdoors, out of direct sunlight and away from any structures.

Firefighters cited a situation in New York city where a lithium-ion battery sparked a fire that injured five people, with one later dying. That was the second such fatal event in the city this year.

The Crimson Pride athletics program at IU Columbus was recognized recently with a five star gold award for being Champions of Character.

According to the school, IU Columbus received the top recognition from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. This was only the second year for IU Columbus athletics and the first year in as a full member of the NAIA’s River States Conference .

The recognition comes after an assessment on character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. In addition to grade point average, the schools are allowed to have only a minimal number of ejections during competition. 209 schools received the recognition during the 2023-24 school year.

IU Columbus Director of Athletics Zach McClellan said the award means more to him than winning a championship. He said it reflects the positive impact his coaches, players and staff are making, and the high standards the new program is setting.

McClellan also pointed out that student-athletes have contributed more than 3,000 community service hours in the area with work cleaning up local athletic facilities, walking shelter dogs, stocking the campus food pantry and volunteering for the Mill Race marathon

The Crimson Pride program now offers men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, softball, and baseball. This school year, IU Columbus is adding men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, and competitive cheer and dance teams.

You can get more information at iuccrimsonpride.com.

Schneck Medical Center’s Chief Financial Officer has been chosen as one of the “2024 Rural Hospital CFOs to Know” by a trade magazine.

Deborah Mann, the Seymour hospital’s CFO and Vice President of Finance, was chosen for the recognition by Becker’s Hospital Review. Mann joined the hospital in 1994 as a staff accountant. Previously, she was director of Accounting and Controller prior to being named Vice President of Finance in February 2014. She is a Certified Public Accountant and has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University and Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Becker’s Hospital Review annually honors financial executives from rural hospitals across the nation for their expertise in financial management, strategic planning, and operational excellence.

Dr. Eric Fish President/CEO of Schneck Medical Center said Mann’s leadership has been “instrumental in driving our financial success and enhancing the quality of care we provide.