Columbus Regional Health is reminding patients that you can sign up for a new text messaging service that can send you updates about your appointments and health information.

According to the hospital, they are now using Hello World to send messages. The system can provide information such as appointment confirmation and reminders, medication follow-ups and billing schedules. You can customize the messages you receive including your language preferences, subject matter of the texts and how frequently they come.

The hospital says that the new services works seamlessly with the MyChart record service, but you don’t have to be on MyChart to sign up.

The new service went into effect last month. You can ask your care provider about signing up at your next visit, or you can text START to 6 4 6 9 3

The hospital does say that any text messaging costs or data rates will apply to the HelloWorld messages.

If your Christmas presents were filled with new household appliances of electronic gadgets, you may be wondering how to get rid of the old ones.

The Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District is accepting many devices at the Columbus and Bartholomew County Recycling Center on South Mapleton Street. Heather Siesel, head of the district, explains.

The center does charge $20 each to take your old televisions and computer monitors. But Siesel said there is no charge to accept smaller devices such as phones and tablets.

Starting today through January 17th you can also get rid of other Christmas debris. You can recycle wrapping paper that does not contain ribbons or bows, and is not foil or shiny paper. Strand Christmas lights are also being accepted.

The recycling center is also taking live Christmas trees at the neighboring yard waste site. All trees must be removed from bags and they must be free of ornaments, hooks, stands, or nails.

The recycling center is open from 7:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

You can get more information online at bcswmd.com

Four men from Greenwood are being accused of a murder in New Jersey.

The four suspects 23-year-old Sourav Kumar, 30-year-old Normal Singh, 27-year-old Gaurav Singh and 22-year-old Gurdeep Singh are being held in Indiana, pending extradition back to New Jersey.

Ocean County authorities say the four have been charged in the death of a man from India whose body was found in the woods in Manchester, N.J. more than a week ago. The dead man is identified as 35-year-old Kuldeep Kumar from India. State Police found his body in a wildlife management area on December 14th.

He had been shot to death.

Court documents say all five of the men are family although authorities don’t say how those four men are related.

Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, Col. Patrick J. Callahan, says.

“The charges brought against the individuals in connection with this tragic murder in Manchester Township reflect the tireless commitment of our detectives and the outstanding collaborative efforts of law enforcement at every level. Justice for victims and their families is always our highest priority, and this case is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and determination of those who worked relentlessly to bring those responsible to justice. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to ensure that those who commit such heinous acts are held accountable,”

The hearing for all four men will happen Friday.

Story courtesy of Network Indiana and TTWN Media Networks

Columbus Regional Health will be putting new restrictions on visitors as the hospital sees an increase in respiratory illnesses.

According to the hospital, both hospital inpatients and the community at large are seeing in increase in the viral infections including RSV, COVID and influenza.

Starting on Monday, visitors must be 18 or older and only two visitors at a time will be allowed to visit patients.

Visitors with signs of respiratory illness such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea, tiredness, headache, or vomiting should not visit and will be respectfully asked to leave for the safety of patients and staff.

Visitors also may be asked to wear a mask in patient rooms.

In the birthing center and pediatrics, patients will be allowed one person to be present during labor and no more than four other people will be allowed to visit. In the Level 2 nursery, only the two individuals with an ID band matching the infant’s band will be permitted to visit.

Visitation hours will remain unchanged.

Indiana’s U.S. Sen. Todd Young is announcing the four committees he will serve on in the next Congress.

Young, a former intelligence officer in the Marines will serve on the on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. This will be his first time serving on the committee.

Young will continue to serve on the Senate Committee on Finance; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Indiana’s U.S. Senator-elect Jim Banks also recently announced his committee assignments. Banks was named to the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. He served on several similar committees in the U.S. House. Banks will move over to the U.S. Senate next month.

The committee assignments will begin when the 119th Congress convenes in January.

Several area groups received funds from the Indiana Humanities organization this year to help encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk through cultural programming.

The statewide nonprofit organization issued an annual report showing that it provided more than $317,000 in grants and fellowships this year in almost 60 communities across the state, including Columbus, Nashville and Franklin.

According to organizers, a $2,600 Historic Preservation Education Grant went to the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives for a four-part series on “The Secret Lives of Buildings (and Their Lovers)” Researcher Jim Nickoll highlighted downtown Columbus buildings built in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, focusing on Washington Street,

The Brown County Public Library and the Johnson County Public Library both received a One State / One Story Community Read grant. This year’s book was Tiya Miles’s “All That She Carried.”

Next year, the organization plans to issue about $300,000 in grants for public programs including funds to help Hoosiers celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, coming in 2026.

Area state legislators are looking for your opinion on issues that could be before the state legislature when it reconvenes in January.

Republican state representatives, Ryan Lauer of Columbus, Jennifer Meltzer of Shelbyville and Jim Lucas of Seymour, have opened online surveys you can fill out to make your voice heard.

To complete your legislative survey, you must be a resident of the district and submit it by the Dec. 31 deadline. You can also expect to receive a copy of your state representative’s survey mailer through the post office

The legislature official goes back into session on January 8th.

Link to the local legislative districts:

• State Rep. Ryan Lauer (R-Columbus), House District 59, in.gov/h59
• State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (R-Shelbyville), House District 73, in.gov/h73
• State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour), House District 69, in.gov/h69

Jennings County deputies and North Vernon police are getting recognized for helping an infant that was choking.

According to the sheriff’s department, deputies and officers were called to a home in Country Squire Lakes early last Monday morning about a 15 day old baby who was struggling to breathe. The deputies were able to clear the infant’s restricted airway and monitored the baby’s condition until medics arrived.

The officers returned to the home Thursday evening to visit with the family and the infant, which they are calling Baby T, was doing well. The baby’s mother also expressed her thanks to Jennings County emergency dispatchers who helped her stay calm and for the quick response by rescue workers.

Photo: North Vernon Officer Jessiah Watts, Deputy Blake Maynard holding Baby T and Deputy Dylan Smock. Photo courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department

Columbus firefighters are urging you to be safe this Christmas, saying that the holidays bring increased risks of home fires due combustible Christmas trees, extra cooking and temporary holiday lighting.

Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Columbus Fire department, said not to overload your outlets when stringing together strands of Christmas lights and to check the condition of your seasonal lights.

Wilson says to make sure that you keep fresh Christmas trees well-watered. Estimates are that a live Christmas tree needs to drink a gallon of water a day.

Wilson says that the winter months see a big increase in home fires. And while part of that increase is due to improper heating of homes, the larger part is due to kitchen fires.

He urges you to be cautious and attentive if you are cooking. He says to not let yourself be distracted from the potential dangers by the television, phone calls or other family members, even children.

Wilson also said is a good time to check to make sure your smoke detectors are all in working order.

Graphic courtesy of U.S. Fire Administration

Because of the holiday, there will be no Columbus trash or recycling pickups on Wednesday, Christmas Day. Curbside trash and recycling collections in Columbus will be delayed by a day this week starting on Christmas Day, with normal Wednesday routes happening Thursday and normal Friday pickups happening on Saturday.

All local government offices will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Columbus City Utilities offices will also be closed on these days. If you have a problem with your water or sewer service, please call 812-372-8861.

Columbus city crews will begin picking up Christmas trees during their normal trash and recycling collection routes starting Thursday. You should have your trees curbside on the same day as your normal pickups.

All trees must be removed from bags and they must be free of ornaments, hooks, stands, or nails.

Call-ins will not be accepted for Christmas trees and collections will not be made on private streets or on alleys. Christmas tree collections will end on January 26th

You can get more information on the CurbCycle or Columbus Collect apps, or on the city website at https://www.columbus.in.gov/public-works/