Columbus firefighters had to help rescue a tree trimmer, after a hydraulic lift broke down, leaving him stuck about 30 feet above the ground over the weekend.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, they were called to the McCullough Lane home at just before 8 p.m. Saturday evening. They found the worker uninjured but trapped on the elevated platform. Firefighters found that because of the distance from the road, they couldn’t simply use a ladder truck to assist.

Instead firefighters found emergency release instructions for the hydraulic system, which allowed them to safely lower the man to the ground.

Firefighters also were preparing other options including using rope rescue skills to rig a system to lower the man from the perch.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

A flood warning is in effect for East Fork White River at Seymour.

According to the National Weather Service, recent heavy rains are expected to lead to flooding on the river, starting later this morning. Minor flooding is forecast.

As of this morning, the river is about six inches below the 12 foot minor flood level and heading upward. It is expected to enter flood conditions later this morning, before cresting as about 12.4 feet this evening. According to river gauge predictions, the river should drop back below flood levels by Wednesday afternoon.

The flood warning is in effect until Thursday.

You can expect flooding to affect low lying, mostly agricultural areas along with some roads. Officials remind you not to drive onto flooded roadways. They say to turn around and don’t drown.

North Vernon police arrested a driver on drug-related charges after a traffic stop last week.

North Vernon Police Department announced yesterday that an officer noticed a driver make a traffic violation on June 3rd and pulled the driver over at a convenience store on North State Street. That’s when police noticed the driver appeared impaired. A test revealed the presence of stimulants in the driver’s system and a police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics inside the vehicle. Police say that a search uncovered cocaine and prescription pills the driver did not have a prescription for.

The driver, Julie Kenney was first taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital for a drug test and then to jail on preliminary charges for possessing the drugs as well as operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

A night-time bike ride to raise funds for spay and neutering services at the Columbus animal shelter has been postponed.

Originally set for Saturday, the Moonlight Loop Bike Ride was reschedule due to concerns about the weather. The event will now be held on Saturday, July 12th.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services holds the annual event to raise money for low-cost spay and neutering services. The ride is a leisurely 19-mile tour through the city starting and ending at the Bartholomew County Public Library with a stop halfway through at the Columbus Learning Center.

If you were signed up to take part on Saturday, you can pick up your ride T-shirt at the city animal shelter on Arnold Street at the Columbus Municipal Airport, starting today from 10 to 5 p.m.

More information will soon be available on the rescheduled ride. You can check Columbus Animal Care Services Facebook page or the city website.

Low-income area residents will have a chance for free legal advice on Tuesday.

River Valley Legal Aid offers the clinics for low-income residents of its eight-county district to receive legal advice and assistance.

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 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.

River Valley Legal Aid will also be partnering with Ivy Tech Community College this week to host the group’s first ever event focused on expunging a criminal record on Thursday.

Under Indiana law, those with low level criminal convictions have a one-time opportunity to have those records sealed. Thursday’s event will offers information about how to have to have those records expunged.

The session will be Thursday afternoon at the Bartholomew County Public Library on Fifth Street with registration from 3:30 to 4 p.m. and the session from 4 to 6 p.m.

Nashville authorities say that a man has been arrested after reports of an attempted child abduction on Friday.

According to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, deputies and Nashville police officers were called to the McDonald’s Restaurant on State Road 46 Friday. They quickly located the suspect. Justin Gadson was taken into custody without any further incident.

He is facing charges of battery against a person younger than 14, and criminal confinement.

State Road 9 is set to close north of Hope staring on Wednesday.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, crews will be replacing a small drainage structure under the roadway, just south of the Bartholomew and Shelby county line. That will be between Bartholomew County Roads East 1200 South and County Road 800N. The official detour will take State Road 252 to Interstate 65 to U.S. 31 and then State Road 46 back to State Road 9 .

The work is expected to be finished in early July. The work schedule depends on the weather.

5 Star Company is the contractor the project which is part of a $1.7 million contract.

INDOT reminds you slow down, to drive without distractions and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Another food-related factory is set to be built near Taylorsville. Grillo’s Pickles has officially confirmed its plans for a new $54 million dollar plant to open in northwestern Bartholomew County.

According to the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp., the company has broken ground on the new 155,000 square foot facility along Interstate 65. It is being built next to the King’s Hawaiian plant , which is also owned by Irresistible Foods Group.

Company officials said that they were looking for a centrally located site with a skilled workforce, and supportive business environment.

Bartholomew County is paying $3.7 million to improve the sewer and water system in the area as well as to make road improvements. The county will also use up to $1 million from the state’s READI grant program to improve U.S.31 at Bear Lane with an extension of County Road 700N. And the state is planning up to $1.4 million in tax credits for the project, depending on the performance of the company and how it meets hiring benchmarks.

The new plant is expected to hire up to 150 employees.

The King’s Hawaiian plant is a 300 thousand square foot project and is expected to be a $175 million investment.

Federal officials are considering Camp Atterbury as a temporary holding site for immigrant detainees.

Homeland Security confirmed that it’s “exploring all options” as nationwide deportation efforts increase and detention space becomes more scarce. This potential move comes as Indiana has also ramped up its own state-level immigration enforcement measures.

Camp Atterbury is a federal installation spanning parts of Bartholomew, Brown and Johnson counties. It is operated by the Indiana National Guard.

The base as a history of being involved in significant national operations. In 2021 it was repurposed during Operation Allies Welcome to temporarily shelter over 7,000 Afghan refugees evacuated after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. This large-scale humanitarian mission utilized 82 lodging structures across six distinct, fully-serviced neighborhoods—complete with dining and medical capabilities—offering varied accommodations from family dormitories to individual barracks, all climate-controlled and equipped with plumbing.

Using Camp Atterbury for detentions could offer federal cost savings for immigrant detention, a crucial consideration as recent think tank reports estimate between 11 and 12.2 million unauthorized immigrants nationwide, driving the need for such facilities.

Story courtesy of Network Indiana

Columbus Animal Care Services, the city operated animal shelter, will be holding a special adoption event on Saturday for older dogs.

During the event, adoptions for dogs older than six months will be available for $5. All animals are fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped before going home.

If you are a renter, you should bring any rental agreement or contract that shows you are allowed to have pets, or a way to contact your landlord.

The adoption event will be from 10 to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the shelter on Arnold Street, at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

Organizers also say this is a good chance to check out the Forever Home Gardens at the shelter. The garden features primarily native plants, which reduce maintenance, improve soil quality and drainage and support native insects, butterflies and birds. New to the gardens this year raised beds and a dog sensory garden. Potted native plant starts from the garden will also be available. the garden is open from 10 to 1 on Saturday.

You can find more information at columbus.in.gov