Columbus Regional Health is expanding visitor options for people receiving inpatient and outpatient services on the hospital campus starting today.

Each patient will be allowed up to two designated visitors or support people per day. Visitors must be 14 or older, and pass temperature and symptom screening. They must wear a mask and will be provided with a sticker by screening staff that identifies the visitor as someone who has passed the screening criteria. The sticker must be worn at all times.

For Birthing Center patients, the support person must be over the age 18. One person may be allowed while the mother is in labor and delivery only. One support person may be with the mother throughout her stay. After giving birth, the mother may have one visitor per day, between 4 and 8 p.m.

Visitation is not allowed in the Mental Health Unit, or for COVID- patients, with the exception of those in end-of-life care.

Entrances to the hospital remain restricted.

Schneck Medical Center is accepting applications for the Dr. Bud Scholarship to help registered nursing school students.

To be eligible, you must be pursuing a course of study to become a registered nurse and have successfully completed your freshman year. Primary consideration will be given to Jackson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington County residents.

The scholarship was established in honor of Dr. H.P. “Bud” Graessle. Dr. Graessle was a Seymour native and a practicing physician and surgeon for 53 years.

The deadline to apply is May 21st.

You can find an application online at www.schneckmed.org/scholarships.

Eastern Bartholomew Water Corp. has issued a boil water advisory for customers in the Northgate addition, Bol-Mar, the north-bound Interstate 65 rest area and West Gate Addition that is in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

According to the water utility, the advisory follows a water line repair.

You should boil any water for three to five minutes before drinking it or using it for cooking.

For more information, you can call 812-526-9777.

Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is planning its first Sunday Funday at the Jennings County fairgrounds from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

You can take part in scenarios based on real police incidents, where you will be selected to act as deputies to resolve the situation. The sheriff’s department is also planning demonstrations of its police dogs and SWAT team. And there will be a session for questions and answers.

Hotdogs and drinks will be served and the sheriff’s department says you are invited to attend.

Anyone planning to hire off-duty Bartholomew County deputies will now have to go through a third-party company. The county approved a contract in January with Off Duty Management to oversee the scheduling and payment of deputies to be used for security at community functions and businesses.

Sheriff Matt Myers says that the service goes into effect on Monday.

The cost to hire a deputy ranges from $62.70 per hour to $114 for holidays and they must be hired in four hour blocks. The deputies must be scheduled more than 7 days in advance, or an emergency rate of $85.50 per hour will be charged.

Deputies can not be hired to work for any other governmental agency, and the deputies can not take outside employment that conflicts with department policies, regulations, rules, or standard operating procedures or that interferes with their county duties. The deputies are also banned from working at locations where the primary source of income is alcohol sales.

You can get more information at odm.officertrak.com/Bartholomew-Co-IN-SO or by calling 877-636-8300

A Butlerville man is under arrest, accused of cutting a woman’s neck with a knife during an argument while she was driving.

Jennings County deputies were called to the area of County Roads 350N and 150E at about 4:04 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and found the woman suffering from a cut across the front of her neck. She said that she and her boyfriend, 34-year-old James Davis were arguing when he pulled a knife and sliced her neck. She stopped the car and got out, but Davis allegedly took over the car and left. A passerby stopped to help the victim until rescue workers arrived.

The victim was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital by Jennings County paramedics where she was treated and later released.

Jennings County authorities learned that Davis had fled the area and a warrant was issued for his arrest. At 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Indiana State Police and Owens County deputies found Davis at a gas station in Cloverdale. He was arrested on charges of aggravated battery and domestic battery with a weapon and will be transported back to Jennings County.

Ivy Tech Community College will be offering virtual express enrollment days for the upcoming June semester throughout the month of May.

During the online appointment, participants will receive assistance with assessment, meeting with an advisor, and registering for classes.

The Columbus campus will be hosting the Express Enrollment Days May 17th through May 20th, from 9 to 6 each day. Ivy Tech Columbus serves Bartholomew, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson and Shelby counties with community-based sites in Franklin, Greensburg, North Vernon, Seymour, and Shelbyville.

Classes for the June semester will start on June 7th . Hundreds of classes are available in multiple formats, including through IvyOnline.

To take part you need to RSVP online at IvyTech.edu/EEDay

The town of Hope is bringing back its monthly Cruise-Ins to the town square.

The first Cruise-In to Hope of the season will be held from 5 to 8 on Friday May 7th on the Hope Town Square with cars and trucks on display and prizes for the oldest vehicle, people’s choice and musician’s choice. The Night Owl Country Band will perform on the bandstand from 6 to 8 that evening. Food to go will be available from restaurants on the square.

Organizers will also be accepting donations of food or money to help the Community Center of Hope food bank. The event is being organized by the town and by Main Street of Hope.

The Cruise-ins have been held on the first Fridays of the month, May through October, but were restricted last year during the pandemic. The events re-started in August last year.

The Seymour Chamber of Commerce is announcing the winners of the Dick Moren Agribusiness Scholarships.

The chamber’s Environmental Committee recently announced that Kourtney Otte, a senior at Seymour High School was awarded the $1,000 scholarship. She is the daughter of William and Angie Mousa and will pursue a degree in Agriculture Education at Purdue University.

Macey Stuckwisch, a senior at Brownstown Central High School, was awarded the $500 scholarship. Macey is the daughter of Keith and Misty Stuckwisch and will pursue an Agribusiness Management degree at Ivy Tech Community College.

The scholarships are open to any Jackson County high school senior who will pursue an Ag related degree at a college or university.

Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus is formalizing its nickname and looking for the public’s help finding a costumed mascot style for the school.

The school announced yesterday that it plans to formally be known as the Eagles, and is asking the public to help choose a mascot style from three choices: Fierce, Friendly or Proud.

The school’s former basketball team was known as the Eagles and Chancellor Dr. Steven Combs said the Eagles name fits in well with the school’s campus at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

The mascot will represent the school at community and campus events. The eagle will be named at a later date.

You can view the mascot styles and vote for your favorite at link.ivytech.edu/mascot.

The deadline to vote is Tuesday, April 27th.