You should see crews fixing Columbus city streets starting today. The city engineer’s office is announcing that the annual crack sealing and filling program is scheduled to start today, weather permitting.

According to the city, filling the cracks helps keep water from penetrating the pavement. That means fewer potholes and longer-lasting streets.

Work is set to begin on Rocky Ford Road and then move to other areas. Those include, in order:

• Sawin Drive – Taylor Road to 625’ East of Boca Grande Blvd.
• Lockerbie Drive – 25th Street to Regency Drive
• Tulip Drive – Fairlawn Drive to Beech Drive
• Beech Drive – 29th Street to 31st Street
• 26th Street – Taylor Road to Fairlawn Drive
• Greenbriar Drive – Rocky Ford Road to 3723 Greenbriar Drive
• Monterey Drive – High Vista Way to 3953 Greenbriar Drive
• High View Way – Rocky Ford Road to Sawin Drive
• Premier Drive – High Vista Drive to Monterey Drive
• High Vista Drive – High View Way to Greenbriar Drive
• Sycamore Bend – Marr Road to Sycamore Bend Way N

Upon completion of these streets, another media release will be sent out listing the remaining locations.

The day before the crews begin work in your area, the streets will be posted with no parking signs. You must have your vehicle moved by 8 in the morning of the work, or it will be towed.

Contractors from National Pavement Maintenance LLC will be doing the work in Columbus and the schedule calls for the project to be finished by June 1st.

Schneck Medical Center and Schneck Physician Practices will continue to require all patients, visitors, and staff to wear masks even after the statewide mandate ends on Tuesday.

Dr. Ryan Stone, chief medical officer at Schneck, said that masks are proven to be effective in lowering the risk of transmission. He said that it is the hospital’s duty to create the safest environment possible for those seeking care in Schneck’s facilities and for the hospital’s caregivers.

He said the hospital will continue to follow CDC guidelines. The hospital is encouraging to follow the steps of wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing and frequent hand washing as a way to stop the spread of the disease.

The 62nd Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt is returning to Donner Park in Columbus on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. in the morning.

The event will feature four areas for egg-hunting, organized by age with spaces for children up to the age of 8. Children should have their own bags or baskets to carry their eggs.

There will also be vehicles and equipment on display from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Police.

The event is sponsored and organized by Columbus Parks and Recreation and News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM.

A Columbus man is under arrest on drug related charges after being reported as a suspicious person.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that deputies were called to North U.S. 31 and Woodland Parks Drive at about 6:42 p.m. Tuesday evening. They found a man in the area the deputy recognized as 32-year-old Isaiah Perry, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

As he was taken into custody, a search revealed he was carrying drug paraphernalia and a digital scale. A jacket was found near a home in the area and it contained what police believe is methamphetamine.

In addition to the warrant, Perry is facing new charges for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.

INDOT says that you will see lanes closed and rolling roadblocks over nights next week on Interstate 65 at the Deaver Road overpass, between the Columbus and Walesboro exits.

The bridge is being rebuilt at that location. On Monday and Tuesday from 9 p.m. at night until 6 a.m. in the morning, the left lane will be closed in the northbound side of the interstate while bridge beams are delivered.

Wednesday night the left lane will be closed and you will see the northbound lanes closed for 20 minutes at a time as crews put beams in place. On Thursday night, the same work will move to the southbound lanes.

A 55 mph speed limit is in effect for the I-65 construction zone. INDOT says that you should allow yourself extra time or use an alternate route to avoid the delays.

Deaver Road is expected to remain closed until mid to late June.

An online Facebook discussion is drawing complaints of racism against local Republican State Rep. Jim Lucas.

The Republic newspaper is reporting on the heated online conversation between the Seymour state representative and an African-American doctor from Texas, James Carson.

On a post about Lucas’ Second Amendment views, Carson and Lucas began to disagree over the origins and effects of slavery in the United States and on whether the black doctor benefited from scholarships and financial assistance because of his race.

Lucas’ comments have drawn national attention and condemnation.

Lucas told the newspaper that he was asking factual questions and they did not have racial implications. Instead he told the newspaper that this was a race-baiting hit piece by the Indianapolis Star and other news media outlets

Lucas represents parts of Bartholomew, Jackson, Jennings and Jefferson counties.

You can read more in The Republic.

Ivy Tech Community College will be having a virtual ground-breaking today for its new building at the Columbus Municipal Airport’s Air Park campus.

Chancellor Steven Combs explains.

The school is building a $32 million, 80,000-square foot structure tor replace the aging Poling Hall. It is being designed by IwamotoScott Architecture of San Francisco and the architecture fees for the project are being paid for by Cummins Foundation Architecture Program.

That virtual event will start at 3 p.m. this afternoon and you can find links off of the school’s Facebook page or Youtube channel.

Authorities say that they have broken up a major drug trafficking ring in the Columbus area.

In what they are calling Operation Columbus Day, U.S. Attorney John E. Childress announced more than 60 arrests, 36 people indicted at the federal level, 114 pounds of methamphetamine has been confiscated, along with heroin, fentanyl, marijuana and 115 firearms. Childress said that 24 defendants have been convicted already for federal drug, firearms and in some cases immigration charges in the more than 2-year-long investigation.

He credited the cooperation of agencies including Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Columbus and Seymour police, the federal DEA and postal inspectors.

DEA Special Agent In Charge Michael Gannon explained the impact.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers said this is the largest operation of its kind in county history.

Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson credited the officers, deputies and agents on the street.

Photo: Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, Deputy Prosecutor Greg Long and Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress listen to Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson talk about Operation Columbus Day on March 31st. WRB Photo

The Jackson County Recorder’s Office is warning of a scam being mailed to area residents.

Some people are reporting receiving letters that offer a copy of your home or property deed for the price of $89. However, county recorder Amanda Lowery says that deeds are available through her office for the cost of $1 per page.

She urges you to disregard the letters if you receive them.

County Line Road over Interstate 65 near Edinburgh will be closing to traffic for up to four months as crews repair the bridge deck.

Indiana Department of Transportation says that the work on the bridge deck overlay project will start on or after Monday on Johnson County Road 800E. The work is expected to be completed by Aug. 28th.

The detour will take traffic on County Roads 550S to 700E to County Road 400S.

The $800,000 contract was awarded to HIS Constructors.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to use extra caution, and drive without distractions in and near all work zones. All work is dependent on the weather and schedules are subject to change.