The Columbus Plan Commission will be looking at a downtown development project this afternoon that would bring apartments, stores and a grocery to property beside the Bartholomew County Jail.

Developer Flaherty & Collins of Indianapolis is proposing a site development plan to construct a 15,000-square foot grocery store and a more than 55,150-square foot apartment building with about 200 units at the intersection of Lafayette Avenue and Second Street.

The project would require several waivers by the city, including allowing two structures on the lot, reducing the side setbacks for a parking lot from 5 to 3 and a half feet, and having more than 15 feet setbacks along Lafayette Avenue and Second Street, where there is now a zero-foot build-to line.

The planning department staff is recommending approval of the waivers.

The city is partnering with the developers to build the $40 million project, which would open in about three years. In addition to providing the property for the project, the city through the Columbus Redevelopment Commission would guarantee more than $11 million dollars in bonds.

The Plan Commission meets remotely starting at 4 p.m. today. You can find a link to the WebEx session at columbus.in.gov

Architect’s depictions courtesy of Flaherty & Collins via Columbus and Bartholomew County Planning Department.

Ivy Tech Community College will be offering help in area communities if you need assistance filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The college will have workshops in Columbus, Seymour, Shelbyville and Franklin in October, November and December where financial aid professionals will be on hand to help you fill out the forms for the current and upcoming school year.

You will need to bring your 2019 and 2020 tax returns, which are required to complete the FAFSA.

The FAFSA is the starting point for financial aid including federal and state assistance as well as many scholarships.

Workshops will be held in Columbus at the Central Avenue campus on Oct. 18th, Nov. 15th and Dec. 20th and in Seymour at 323 Dupont Drive on Oct. 27th.

Workshops will be held in Shelbyville at 2177 Intelliplex Drive on Nov. 2 and Dec. 7 and in Franklin at 2205 McClain Drive on Thursday, Nov. 11, and Dec. 16.

You can drop in any time between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. for assistance.

The Lincoln Central Neighborhood Homebuyer’s Program is organizing a workshop for first-time homebuyers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30th at Yes Cinema.

The workshop will be presented by Apprisen, in partnership with First Financial Bank and the Southern Indiana Housing and Community Development Corporation.

Workshop topics will include preparing for homeownership, working with a real estate agent and understanding budgets and credit history. After finishing the workshop, participants will receive a HUD homebuyer certificate of completion.

The workshop is free. Registration is required. For more information or to register, you can call the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center at 812-379-1630 or email [email protected].

YES Cinema is at 328 Jackson Street in downtown Columbus.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers swore in the county’s newest deputy Monday morning.

Deputy Daniel Dawson has been serving as a deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

Columbus police arrested two teens after a vandalism spree of vehicles at an apartment complex.

According to Columbus police reports, officers were called to the Parkview Townhomes at shortly after midnight Saturday after witnesses saw juveniles acting suspiciously in the parking lot. Police found the two shortly afterwards on Marr Road.

And police found several vehicles had been spray-painted and keyed.

The two teens, ages 14 and 15, were taken to the Bartholomew County Juvenile Detention Center on preliminary charges of criminal mischief.

The Columbus Area Visitors Center will be offering two grant cycles to support 2022 events, with the first application deadline coming up next month.

According to the center, grants are intended to develop events such as festivals which generate out-of-county visitor spending in Bartholomew County. Awards will be made for events taking place next year and must be submitted prior to the event.

Applications for the first cycle are due November 15th with applications for the second cycle due April 15th. First time applicants must schedule a brief orientation with the center.

If you have an event and are interested in applying for a grant, you can request an application by calling  the Visitors Center at 812-378-2622 or by email at [email protected].

The American Red Cross says it is in its third week of an emergency blood shortage and is looking for your help to replenish supplies.

The group says it has had less than a day’s supply of certain blood types in recent weeks and this is the lowest post-summer levels of blood supply in at least six years.

They are asking anyone to make an appointment to donate blood, if you are able. They are especially in need of Type O.

Locally, there will be a blood drive in Jennings County from noon to 5 on Oct. 19th at the Senior Citizens Center on Buckeye Street in North Vernon, and in Bartholomew County from 10 to 4 on Oct. 25th at The Commons in Columbus.

You can make an appointments using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

A Lafayette man was arrested Saturday in Bartholomew County, accused of creating a disturbance at Ceraland.

According to reports from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to the park at about 8:20 p.m. Saturday night after witnesses said a man was yelling, throwing items and attempting to attack park security.

Deputies found 45-year-old Travis Null of Lafayette acting disorderly. He is accused of threatening and resisting deputies as they took him into custody.

Null is facing preliminary charges of battery against public safety official, intimidation, escape, disorderly conduct, resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief.

Cummins says it is developing software that will integrate its powertrains with automated driving systems.

The Columbus-based engine manufacturer announced yesterday that it is actively testing more than 100 vehicles in coordination with automated driving technology companies with a goal of seamlessly integrating Cummins powertrains into automated commercial vehicle markets around the globe.

J. Michael Taylor, general manager of Powertrain Integration for Cummins says the company is prepared to support customers deploying autonomous vehicle technologies across the full range of its powertrains. That includes advanced diesel, natural gas, hybrid, fully electric and hydrogen fuel cells.

Two Columbus residents died early Monday morning in a crash with a wrong-way driver on Interstate 65 in southern Jackson County.

According to Indiana State Police reports, an SUV driven by 25-year-old Kaitlyn N. Schindler of Maryville was driving south in the northbound lanes of the Interstate 65 near Crothersville for unknown reasons at about 12:30 a.m. Monday morning.

Her vehicle struck a northbound SUV being driven by 26-year-old Chelsea J. Boston of Columbus head-on. Schindler, Boston and Boston’s back-seat passenger, 21-year-old Tapanga M. Eudy, also of Columbus all died of injuries suffered in the crash.  They were pronounced dead at the scene by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office.

25-year-old Dai Von T. Coram of  Columbus was a front-seat passenger in Boston’s vehicle suffered serious injuries in the crash and was flown by Stat-Flight helicopter to University of Louisville Hospital. Coram has since been released from the hospital.

The crash remains under investigation. Troopers say it is not yet known of drugs or alcohol played a part in the crash. Toxicology results are still pending.

The northbound lanes of the interstate were closed for about six hours between Crothersville and Uniontown while the crash was investigated and the wreckage was cleaned up.

Other agencies assisting at the scene included Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Crothersville Police Department, Jackson County EMS and Fire Departments, Howard’s Wrecker Service and Hampton’s Wrecker Service.

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.