The Indiana State Department of Health said Tuesday that 3,936 Hoosiers have contracted Covid-19 and the state has now documented 937,221 cases of the disease since March 6, 2020.
According to ISDH, 81 additional deaths occurred between August 30 and September 20, and now 14,836 Hoosiers have died from COVID-19 over the last 19 months.
Bartholomew County is reporting 10,542 positive cases (up by 35 current cases) with 168 deaths (up by one).
The 53rd Hope Heritage Days will be held this weekend, starting on Friday.
The multi-day festival is Bartholomew County’s oldest and largest.
The weekend features live music all three days, vendor booths, food, a pioneer village, a Gospel sing on Friday night, “Turtleman” Ernie Brown from Animal Planet TV on Saturday and Sunday, a classic car show all day Saturday, fireworks on Saturday night at 9:30, followed by a big parade on Sunday afternoon.
During Hope Heritage Days, the small city expands from the normal 2200 residents to around 30,000 people.
For more information and the schedule for the Hope Heritage Days you can visit them on their website.
Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies have arrested a local man after a possible overdose where a search warrant was served on the residence.
A deputy was at a business establishment in Taylorsville when he saw an unconscious person behind the wheel of a vehicle.
After the deputy arrived on scene, the individual, later identified as Bradley McRae, 25, Columbus, awoke and was cleared by ambulance personnel. Deputies detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Cooper and Sgt. Jason Williams retrieved the marijuana and logged it into evidence, deputies said.
Deputies spoke with the individual about “getting his life back on track” and advised him of area locations where he could seek assistance.
The next morning (September 18th), deputies were called to the same individual’s residence in reference to a possible overdose. The Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team responded and executed a search warrant on the residence. After McRae was cleared by Columbus Regional Hospital, he was transported to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of dealing marijuana and several possession charges.
McRae remains in the county jail.
The Seymour Police Department says it received information, at about 2:30 AM on Tuesday, that a threat of bringing a gun to Seymour High School had been made through social media.
SPD, school administration officials, and school resource officers were immediately notified. The information was investigated through the morning hours and authorities say they found no credibility to the threat.
The investigation is ongoing.
A 15-year-old juvenile was taken into custody after an alleged threat of violence at Columbus North on Monday.
The Columbus Police Department and school staff were informed of a threat directed at Columbus North High School at around 2:20 PM.
A decision was made a short time later to evacuate students and staff from the school. An investigation involving local law enforcement officers followed and a juvenile who is a student at Columbus North High School was located off of school property and arrested about 90 minutes after the threat was first discovered.
The investigation is ongoing.
The annual Mill Race Marathon, scheduled for this Saturday, is in its final stages of preparation.
Marathon Organizers announced last month that because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic that they had canceled the full marathon for 2021, in favor of an in-person half-marathon, 5K, and Kids Fun Run.
The Kids Fun Run is Friday, at 6 p.m., in Mill Race Park.
Friday is also packet pick-up day for all races.
Race day for the half-marathon and 5K is on Saturday and starts at 7:30 a.m.
The music, food, and fun of the 4th Street After Party begin at 9 a.m., followed by awards ceremonies and the Cummins Ram 2500 pickup truck giveaway.
INDOT maintenance workers plan to implement daily closures on State Road 58, between the south junction of State Road 258 and the Jackson-Bartholomew County line, starting today.
Crews will be replacing multiple culverts.
Closures are scheduled to take place Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., for the next two weeks, weather permitting.
Work will begin near S.R. 258 and move east. Access will be maintained for area residents.
INDOT reminds motorists to slow down, use extra caution, and drive distraction-free in and near work zones.
Columbus Regional Health will reopen a standalone COVID-19 vaccination site near the hospital as officials prepare for booster shots and expanded eligibility for younger children.
Hospital officials said Monday they expect the clinic, located at 1702 Keller Ave., to reopen in October, likely for a couple days a week, but did not provide a specific opening date.
The Columbus Police Department is investigating a stabbing that happened Sunday evening that left a man seriously injured.
Shortly after 9 p.m., CPD officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Parkway Drive in regards to a disturbance.
A short time later, the officers observed an adult male with multiple stab wounds laying in the grass in the 700 block of McClure Road.
The man was later flown by a helicopter to Indianapolis for medical treatment.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the CPD Investigations Division at 812-376-2600.
Three Seymour residents are in jail on child neglect charges after a 6 month investigation.
On March 16th of this year, the Seymour Police Department received information from the Indiana Department of Child Services that a 14-year-old child was brought to the emergency room at Schneck Medical Center with an extremely low core body temperature, a very high blood sugar level, and was extremely underweight.
Emergency staff said the 14-year-old was lifeless upon arriving at the emergency room.
The child was later moved to Riley Children’s Hospital and was admitted to the intensive care unit and remained there for several days. The child ultimately recovered and was later released.
After a six-month investigation, warrants for neglect of a dependent were issued for Pam Hatfield Donna Burton, and Stevy Geise, all of Seymour.
Hatfield was arrested by SPD on September 14th. Burton and Geise were taken into custody on September 15th.
Authorities say they believe that drugs may have contributed to the situation. All three now reside at the Jackson County Jail.