A Johnson County company is receiving a more than $815 thousand dollar grant to upgrade its facilities with solar power.
The USDA is announcing the next round of grants from the Rural Energy for America Program. The agency announced today that it has awarded more than $3.4 million to three Indiana companies for their projects in the most recent funding cycle. The program is meant to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements including expanding wind, solar, geothermal and small hydropower energy.
In Johnson County, Macbeath Hardwood Company is receiving a $816,360 grant to install a solar array. This project will provide 820 kilowatts saving the business more than $123 thousand dollars annually. That will come from offsetting enough energy to power 89 homes for a year.
The agency also announced a grant of almost $375 thousand in Jay County for a grain dryer at a farm and a $346 thousand in Allen County to provide a solar array at a company manufacturing windows and doors for homes.
USDA will continue to accept applications for the program’s competitions through Sept. 30th.
A new law that will crack down on an animal tranquilizer called xylazine or “tranq” will go into effect Monday. The cause was championed by local State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer.
Meltzer, a Shelbyville Republican and vice chair of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee, authored a bill that makes xylazine, a large animal sedative, into a controlled substance. The bill requires a prescription to possess xylazine or the holder could face criminal penalties including felony charges. There are exceptions such as for pharmacists and veterinarians.
Meltzer has said xylazine is being mixed with heroin as a street drug and is linked to a growing number of overdose deaths. Xylazine is not an opioid, so lifesaving medications such as Narcan are less effective.
Last year, Meltzer authored a bill that was signed into law, tracking deaths involving xylazine. Under that legislation, coroners will test for any trace of xylazine in drug overdose deaths.
Meltzer’s district includes eastern Bartholomew County.
Two people in Seymour are facing drug and child neglect charges after a large amount of marijuana was found in a home.
According to the Seymour Police Department, officers received tips about drug activity at a home in the 800 block of Windermere Drive. Officers stopped by and contacted the occupants of the home and said that they smelled marijuana coming from inside.
The two residents at the home were detained while a search warrant was issued. A two-year-old child was at the home and police entertained the child until a caretaker could arrive and take responsibility for the child.
The search uncovered 16 grams of cocaine, more than 600 grams of marijuana, acid, syringes, a handgun and several hundred dollars in cash.
26-year-old Reid Newkirk and 30-year-old Brandy McQueen, both of Seymour, are facing charges including neglect of a dependent, dealing in cocaine and marijuana, maintaining a common nuisance, as well as for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.
The Columbus-based Community Education Coalition is receiving a nearly half million dollar grant from the state to provide career coaching to help guide students on in-demand careers.
According to Kathy Oren, President and CEO of the coalition, the grant of more than $493 thousand dollars is coming from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education as part of its Career Coaching Initiative. The grants, created last year, are meant to provide Hoosier students with essential resources to make informed decisions about their college and career paths. The commission awarded more than $25 million to 28 organizations.
Oren said that the local grant would allow the coalition to expand career coaching, “ensuring consistent, high-quality guidance for students in Bartholomew County and the AirPark Campus region.”
Dr. Chad Phillips, superintendent of Bartholomew Consolidated Schools, said that the partnership with the Coalition would allow more personalized career guidance for students.
From the announcement by the Community Education Coalition:
Cindy Frey, President of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the broader community impact: “The Career Coaching Grant will benefit not only our students but also our local economy. By preparing our youth for high-demand careers, we ensure a robust talent pipeline that meets the needs of our regional employers.”
Julia Abedian, Executive Vice President & Chief Community Impact Officer at Columbus Regional Health, added: “We have witnessed the positive outcomes of CEC’s career coaching programs. This grant will allow for an even greater impact, helping more students gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their chosen career paths.”
Jim Schacht, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Cummins Inc., remarked: “Cummins is proud to support the Community Education Coalition in this endeavor. The grant from ICHE will amplify CEC’s efforts to provide essential career coaching, directly contributing to the development of a skilled workforce that is critical for our industry and the broader community.”
Dave Glass, CEO of LHP Engineering Solutions, expressed his enthusiasm: “This grant represents a vital investment in our future workforce. The CEC’s dedicated coaching will empower students to pursue careers in engineering and technology, fields essential for innovation and economic growth.”
You could see some fog out there this morning. The National Weather Service says areas of fog are developing across central Indiana and it could be dense in some areas. Visibility could be as low as a quarter of a mile and you should be prepared for visibility to change rapidly.
If you have to be on the road this morning, they are urging you to slow down and allow for extra time to reach your destination.
The fog should burn off by 9 a.m., forecasters say
The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair continues Thursday with German American Bank Day at the fair.
The Midway will open at 5 p.m. today. Wristbands will be $30 with buy one get one.
Entertainment tonight includes the Rooster Crowing Contest at the Gathering Pavilion, the Columbus City Band at the David Boll Theatre, Green Timbe Music at the Farm Bureau Building and the Southern Indiana Dirt Drags at the Grandstand. Those all start at 7 p.m.
The fair runs through Saturday June 29th. You can get more information at https://bartholomewcountyfair.com
A man has been convicted for the attempted murder of a police officer in Edinburgh in December.
This week, a jury convicted Joshua Burton of attempted murder with a sentencing enhancement for the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. In December, Burton was pulled over by an Edinburgh police officer for a traffic violation. Authorities say that he jumped out of his car with a rifle and attempted to shoot at the officer. The officer sought cover, anticipating a shootout, but saw Burton lower his firearm because it had jammed.
Burton was then taken into custody. At the time, Edinburgh Police Chief Doyne Little Jr. reviewed the body cam footage and praised the officer for avoiding a life-threatening situation.
Emergency officials say that there is a chance we could see some bad weather this afternoon and evening.
According to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, much of Indiana remains under a marginal risk of severe weather today, but the risk is greatest in far eastern Indiana, in a line roughly from Richmond through Greensburg. That area falls under the slight risk category.
They say that there is a danger of near 60 mph winds, hail larger than an inch across, frequent lighting and an isolated threat of flooding.
The greatest chance for the bad weather is before 8 p.m. tonight.
A company specializing in its pasture-raised, ethically produced egg production through family farms is planning a new facility in Seymour.
The city announced Wednesday that Vital Farms is planning an egg washing and packing facility in the city. The 72-acre facility will be built in the Eastside Industrial Park near Aisen. In its first phase it would bring more than 150 jobs to Jackson County. The company plans to support about 165 family farmers within a day’s drive of the new facility, expanding its network to more than 300 family farmers.
The company said that Vital Farms produces the leading brand of pasture-raised eggs in the country by retail dollar sales. The goal is for the new facility help generate more than $350 million in revenue for the company.
Company officials say that this will be the second of their facilities with the first in Springfield, Missouri.
Much like its Missouri plant, tis facility will have environmental stewardship goals incorporated into the site plans, in addition to a flow-through design to improve safety and efficiency of the overall operation.
Vital Farms President and CEO Russell Diez-Canseco cited the support of the City of Seymour, Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation and Indiana Economic Development Corporation in its decision. He said the company is looking “building an even stronger connection to Southern Indiana and its surrounding communities in the years ahead.”
The company plans to break ground next year and be operational by 2027.
White River Broadcasting Co. is pleased to announce the hiring of Columbus native Jeremy Giggy as the new sports director for its four stations.
Giggy will be stepping into the position that has been open since the retirement last month of Sam Simmermaker, after his nearly 65 years with the radio group. In his new role, Giggy will be responsible for daily sports reporting on all four stations and play-by-play of games on News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM.
Giggy has previously worked in local radio for 10 years with eight years of color commentary and two years of play-by-play experience, covering high school football and basketball. He also has been working weekends on Indiana Country 101.5 WKKG.
Giggy is a Columbus native who attended Fodrea and Southside elementaries as well as Northside Middle School and who graduated from Columbus East High School. He joined the U.S. Navy in 2000 and returned to Columbus in 2005 as a disabled veteran.
Giggy says that he has a love for the community and has a passion for local sports.
And despite being a Columbus East graduate, he says he supports the Olympians, Bulldogs and Jets equally.
Bob Morrison, general manager for the White River Broadcasting stations, said Giggy’s deep roots and extensive experience will undoubtedly enhance local sports programming.
“We are excited to have Jeremy with his love of local sports and this community taking on the leadership of WCSI’s local sports coverage and being the Voice of WCSI Sports,” Morrison said.
Giggy is a single father of two daughters. His mother, Julie, has been a teacher at Columbus Christian School, Schmitt and Rockcreek elementaries as well as a substitute teacher. His sisters, Mindy Kingsbury and Sandy English, are also both residents of Columbus.
Giggy serves as the Sales Manager at RnR Tire Express in Columbus.
White River Broadcasting Co. operates News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM, Indiana Country 101.5 WKKG, WINN 104.9 Your Hit Music and WWWY 106.1 The River, in Columbus. Its parent company is The Findlay Publishing Co., a small, family-owned, privately-held communications company in Findlay, Ohio.
