IU Columbus will be hosting a session in April to let high school juniors and seniors get to know the campus.

The Get to Know IU Columbus event will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. the afternoon of April 3rd. If you would like to attend, you can find a link to sign up here: https://columbus.iu.edu/admissions/visit/index.html.

The event is part of a series of campus visits going on now through the first week of April. If you attend one of the sessions from 9 to 4 each week day through April 4th, you will be able to meet with an admissions counselor, get information about programs, be assisted with the application process and take a campus tour. There will also be information about filling out the Free Application For Federal Student Aid, as well as scholarships and work-study opportunities.

You can get more information on all the visit days at columbus.iu.edu/admissions.

Bartholomew County authorities are urging you to be careful of businesses who come to your door offering to repair any storm damage. They say that the aftermath of a disaster brings out scammers and shady contractors.

Sgt. Dane Duke, spokesman for the sheriff’s department, explains that shortly after the storm passed through, residents began reporting would-be contractors showing up and offering assistance to those who suffered damages.

Duke urged you to use a trusted and reputable contractor for any work. He said there are scam incidents that occur in the wake of this sort of disaster. He encouraged you to use good judgment and to rely on someone you know has a good reputation and comes recommended through your friends, family or other contacts.

Within hours of the tornado, supposed contractors were offering assistance to Bartholomew County residents through social media posts. However many were located across the state from here, or even from neighboring states.

The Better Business Bureau suggests that before you agree to hire a contractor, you should first contact your insurance agency. You should also obtain written estimates of any work to be done.

The BBB warns that some out-of-area contractors may lack the proper local licensing for your area, could offer quick fixes, or make big promises that they can’t keep.

In the aftermath of a disaster, residents might be eager to get their property fixed as soon as possible, leading to them ignoring red flags.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

Thrive Alliance will be offering its Powerful Tools for Caregivers virtual sessions again starting next month.

The sessions are an educational program that helps family caregivers.

This program is meant to help family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate feelings better, balance their lives, increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.

Each class consists of six sessions held once a week. They will be held via Zoom from April 22nd through May 27th on Tuesdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon.

The program is free but registration is required. The deadline to register is April 21st. To register or get more information you can call 812-372-6918 Ext 2402

State Road 258 will see lane restrictions in Jackson County starting next month and lasting into the summer as crews work to repair a bridge over the East Fork White River overflow.

According to INDOT, the bridge rehabilitation project is set to begin on April 1st and last through early July. The work schedule is dependent on the weather. The bridge is just west of East Fork White River between Seymour and Cortland. Temporary traffic signals will be put in place during the work and you will see signs soon warning of the start of the construction.

The work is part of a $1.9 million contract with Ragle Inc. that includes another bridge rehabilitation project on state Road 258, also between Cortland and Seymour. Details on that project are not yet available.

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

The Columbus City Cemetery is set for a spring cleanup on April 1st.

The cemetery is just south of Donner Park. If you have a family plot in the cemetery you are asked to pick up any items you wish to save by Monday March 31st.

The city parks department workers will remove and discard any worn or out-of-season decorations that remain on the ground during the April 1st cleanup.

The fall cleanup is set for October 1st.

For more information you can call 812-376-2599.

Jackson County authorities say an inmate has been recaptured after walking away from a work crew Wednesday.

According to the Jackson County dispatch center, Michael D. Anderson is an inmate from the Edinburgh Correctional Facility who had been on a work detail near the Vallonia Tree Nursery. He was last seen near Starve Hollow at about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Dispatchers announced yesterday afternoon that he had been recaptured.

Anderson is serving three years in custody for two charges of burglary.

Note: This story has been updated

The National Weather Service is confirming an EF-2 tornado hit Bartholomew County Wednesday night.

The tornado dropped to the ground near Rosstown and Interstate 65 and tracked northeast before dissipating near Hartsville. It was on the ground from 8:44 to 8:57 p.m. and travelled 13.6 miles with wind speeds of up to 112 mph, according to the weather service storm survey.

At its widest, the tornado was 350 yards across.

According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, most of the damage in the county was consistent with a EF0 or EF1 tornado. However there were two areas that indicated the stronger EF2 damage. In both locations, well built metal farm buildings had collapsed walls and roofs. Debris at both locations thrown anywhere from a quarter to half a mile away, to the north and northeast. There were also metal high transmission towers twisted and bent.

Most county roads where the tornado crossed had several utility poles broken.

A small number of Bartholomew County customers are still without power after Wednesday’s severe weather. According to Bartholomew County REMC, there are just under 100 customers without power this morning, with the remaining outages following the path of the tornado across the county. The largest number are 41 customers without power in Columbus Township, near the intersection with State Road 46 and U.S. 31. According to estimates from the local utility, power should be restored to most of the residents later today.

Just after the storm Wednesday night, there were more than 3,000 power outages in the county.

Damage photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department drone team. Tornado track map courtesy of National Weather Service.

Authorities say that Bartholomew County appears to have escaped last night’s severe storms without anyone getting injured or killed, however trees, powerlines, barns and roofs did not escape undamaged.

Officials with Bartholomew County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service are out assessing damage today, after reports that a tornado touched down last night in the county.

Sgt. Dane Duke with the sheriff’s department explains.

Officials say that utility crews are hard at work in Bartholomew County trying to repair the power line damage from last night’s storms.

Duke said that several giant powerline towers collapsed in the area of County Road 525E, bringing down a major power line. He estimated the road will be closed for several days while crews repair the line.

Authorities urge you not to approach downed power lines, as they may still be live. You should call 911 if you have power lines down on your property or come across power lines down across the road.

Emergency officials urge you to remain out of the damaged areas in the county until first responders and utility companies can clear the downed power lines and debris.

Photo courtesy of Clay Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Note: This story has been updated

Authorities say that a tornado touched down in Bartholomew County Wednesday night, knocking down trees and powerlines, damaging homes and barns and blocking roads.

The first tornado warning in Bartholomew County was at about 8:15 p.m. last night and included Southeastern Brown, Northwestern Jackson and northeastern Lawrence Counties. That came after radar indicated rotation in the storm cloud.

At 8:40 p.m. a tornado warning was issued for central Bartholomew county with the weather service reporting a severe thunderstorm 8 miles southwest of Columbus moving northeast at 55 mph.

A tornado warning at 8:57 p.m. reported the tornado on the ground south of Columbus and warned people in east central Bartholomew County and northwestern Decatur County to take cover.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management says that the tornado appears to have passed through Jonesville, the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, Walesboro, Ceraland and Petersville areas.

There are still many homes and businesses without power in our area.

As of this morning, Bartholomew County REMC is reporting 945 customers still without power with most in Wayne and Sand Creek townships. The largest group, of 244 customers without power is just west of Elizabethtown.

Duke Energy is reporting 74 customers without power in Bartholomew County with 72 of those near the Hartsville area.

Authorities urge you not to approach downed power lines, as they may still be live. You should call 911 if you have power lines down on your property or come across power lines down across the road.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management says that no injuries have been reported.

Emergency officials urge you to remain out of the damaged areas in the county until first responders and utility companies can clear the downed power lines and debris.

The National Weather Service was scheduled to start surveying the storm damage at 7 this morning.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

A tornado was spotted by weather watchers in Bartholomew County this evening.

According to the National Weather Service, at 8:56 p.m. a confirmed tornado was located 7 miles east of Columbus, moving northeast at 50 mph. Bartholomew County Emergency Management says that the tornado appears to have passed through Jonesville, the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, Walesboro, Ceraland and Petersville areas.

There are many reports of power lines down, roads blocked by fallen trees, and barns blown down. Affected areas include:

• East State Road 46 with several reports of power lines down.
• A barn is reportedly down on South County Road 650E with a leaking propane tank that was blown over.
• The traffic lights are out at State Road 7 and U.S. 31.
• County Road 500S has power lines down across the road.
• State Road 11 and 550S at Wayne Park has multiple trees down with power lines in the trees and on houses.
• Roof ripped off of home on County Road West 625S.
• Trees down on County Road 100S.

As of 10 p.m. , Bartholomew County REMC was reporting 3,857 customers without power, with most of those on the eastern side of the county. Duke Energy was reporting 421 customers without power just east of Columbus and another 845 in the Westport area.

Information will be updated as it becomes available.