The Columbus Police Department is welcoming two new officers.
According to the department, Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon swore in Brandon Straub and Isaiah McCory yesterday at City Hall.
Straub is a graduate of Jennings County High School and holds a bachelors degree from Hanover College. He earned a law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.
McCory, originally from Jackson County, graduated from Indiana Digital Learning School. He previously worked as a jail officer for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Straub and McCory will next complete new officer training with Columbus Police Department instructors before attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
A joint venture between Cummins and three other companies has now spun off into a battery production business, to be called Amplify Cell Technologies.
According to the Columbus based engine manufacturer, the joint venture between Cummins’ Accelera zero-emissions business segment, Daimler Trucks, PACCAR and EVE Energy has completed the formation of Amplify Cell Technologies and Kel Kearns will be the new company’s chief executive officer.
Amplify will manufacture battery cells for electric commercial vehicles and industrial uses. The joint venture will initially focus on lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for commercial trucks. The companies plan to invest $2 to 3 billion in a 21-gigawatt hour factory in Mississippi with construction starting soon. The plant will create more than 2,000 manufacturing jobs and is expected to start production in 2027.
Accelera, Daimler Trucks and PACCAR each own 30 percent of the joint venture with EVE Energy owning 10 percent.
Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins Chair and CEO, said “This is a significant step forward as we continue leading our industry into the next era of smarter, cleaner power.”
The Kamic Corporation is planning a $600 thousand dollar investment in new equipment at its plant on Inwood Drive in Columbus.
The company asked Columbus City Council to approve a tax abatement for the investment last night.
The project will bring state of the art induction hardening equipment to the facility, allowing the company to improve efficiency. The company says that the investment will allow it to retain 46 jobs with an average wage of just over $27 an hour. According to city officials, Kamic opened its plant in 1995, moving production of its machine parts from Japan. The parts are used by several local companies.
Columbus City Council approved the abatement request, which will allow the company to phase in new property taxes over the next 10 years. While the abatement will save the company about $32 thousand in property taxes over the next 10 years, it will still be paying $22 thousand more than it does now.
A Seymour man is being accused of attempting to kidnap a girl last week.
According to the Seymour Police Department, a mother reported to police that a man came around the corner on East Sycamore Road at about 6:05 p.m. in the evening on Friday and attempted to convince her daughter to come with him. The mother said no but the man grabbed the girl. The mom then pulled her daughter free, the man grabbed the girl’s sunglasses and ran from the area.
Police say that they developed a suspect and on Tuesday police took 28-year-old Raul F. Ortega of Seymour in for an interview. He was then arrested on preliminary charges of attempted kidnapping, robbery, theft and battery. The battery charge was elevated to a felony because the victim was younger than 14.
Toyota Material Handling is being recognized by Indiana University with the Spirit of Philanthropy Award for the Columbus company’s efforts to support children with disabilities.
According to the company, Toyota has been partnering with the IU School of Health & Human Sciences’ ‘Go Baby Go’ program which offers custom mobility solutions to support the independence and cognitive development of children. Those solutions include ride-on cars, customized to meet the needs of children with mobility challenges. Modifications can include things like adaptive seating, specialized controls and safety enhancements.
Toyota’s design engineers collaborate with engineering students each semester to strategize, design and customize cars for children. Last year, the company also contributed $10,000 to the initiative.
Photo: Toyota Material Handling receives Spirit of Philanthropy Award from Indiana University in recognition of the company’s dedication to contributing to the wellbeing of the community. Left to Right: Pamela Whitten (IU President), Rafael Bahamonde (IU Indianapolis, School of Health and Human Sciences Dean), Brian Egloff (TMH, Director of Engineering), Dennis Huffer (TMH, Design Engineer Supervisor), Christopher Huber (TMH, Design Engineer), Danielle Nickerson (TMH, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager), LathaRamchand (IU Indianapolis Chancellor)
Jackson County deputies recovered a quarter pound of methamphetamine and arrested two people after a traffic stop Sunday.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Departments, a deputy noticed an SUV headed northbound on State Road 135 at about 4:35 p.m. Sunday and recognized that the owner was wanted on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation. The deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver continued to drive slowly away and then items were thrown from the passenger window.
The vehicle finally stopped and the deputy along with Brownstown Police stopped the vehicle, removing the driver and passenger. The driver and vehicle owner was 23-year-old Cory M. Cowles of Seymour and the passenger was identified as 36-year-old Jose R. Sanchez-Ortiz, also of Seymour. A police dog was brought to the scene and alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle and search recovered a small amount of methamphetamine on the floor.
But a search of the area where the deputy saw items being thrown out recovered a large bag filled with meth and a glass smoking pipe.
Cowles and Sanchez-Ortiz are facing preliminary charges including dealing methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle as well as for possessing the meth and paraphernalia.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is planning to purchase a used mobile command center to help in emergencies and large events at a cost of just over $100,000.
Sheriff Chris Lane outlined the plan to the county commissioners yesterday, saying that the vehicle would allow the local emergency agencies to continue to operate remotely during a major disaster, or an event that took out the dispatch center. He said that the vehicle would also be used for community events, such as the fair or Hope Heritage Days.
He said there is an opportunity to buy a used vehicle from Columbus Township for about $43,500. He said it has very low miles, has been stored inside and is powered by a Cummins diesel. There will also be a need to refurbish it with five work stations and to redecorate the outside with Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department insignia at an additional cost about $49,000.
The Columbus Fire Department will use its mechanics to make some minor repairs and the Columbus Police Department has space to store it inside.
Lane said that the funding for the project will come from commissary funds and seized drug money.
County Commissioners approved the expenditure yesterday.
The Columbus Area Visitors Center is announcing several recent promotions and a new sports and leisure sales manager.
According to the county tourism agency, Kate Todd is coming to the visitors center after being executive director of the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana. Previously, she spent nearly 15 years with Indiana USSSA Softball and before that worked with CERA Park in Bartholomew County. In her new role as sports and leisure sales manager, she will be responsible for the agency’s group sales program which includes sports, group leisure and meeting markets. She will collaborate with partners to develop itineraries to create custom experiences for groups visiting Bartholomew County.
Erin Hawkins has been promoted to the Visitor Center’s director of strategic partnerships and communications. Hawkins will be working with groups across Bartholomew County on the agency’s Destination Master Plan. She will also oversee the organization’s external messaging. She joined the visitors center in 2012 as director of marketing.
Aurora Harvey was promoted to marketing manager. She will be creating content for the center’s social media, e-newsletter, blogs, and the visitor’s center website columbus.in.us.
Sami Harvey has been promoted to guest services manager.
Jackson County rescue workers saved an Edinburgh man from East Fork White River west of Seymour over the weekend.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, a group of people in kayaks and innertubes on the river called for help after they realized that one of the innertube riders, 32-year-old Dalton J.D. Sawyer had become separated from the group and hadn’t been seen for about 10 minutes. Deputies along with Hamilton Township and Brownstown fire departments responded to the scene near the Bell Ford Public Access Site off of State Road 258 at about 5:20 p.m. Saturday afternoon and began searching on the water and on the shore.
A deputy noticed a blue innertube caught in a log jam about a quarter of a mile north of the site. The Brownstown Fire Department used their air boat to the log jam and found Sawyer still in his inner tube but unconscious. He was pulled from the water by firefighters and brought back to the public access site, where he had already regained consciousness. Jackson County medics took him to Schneck Medical Center where he was treated and released with no injuries.
Sheriff Rick Meyer praised all of the departments, saying that without their quick response and teamwork this could have turned deadly.
A traffic stop last week led to the arrest of two people on drug-related charges.
According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy noticed a vehicle travelling on 22nd Street on Thursday and recognized that the driver 32-year-old Sarah Caffee of Columbus had a suspended license. The deputy tried to pull the vehicle over, but the driver continued for several blocks before Caffee and a passenger jumped out and ran away.
Other law enforcement came to the area and soon found Caffee on Newton Street, where she was taken into custody without further incident. A search of the vehicle found narcotics and narcotics paraphernalia.
The passenger, 27-year-old Donovan Martin was also found nearby and taken into custody. Deputies found narcotics and drug paraphernalia in the area dropped by Martin while he was fleeing.
Sarah Caffee
Caffee told authorities that she didn’t stop the vehicle immediately because Martin threatened her with a gun. No gun was found in the vehicle or the area.
Caffee is facing preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, resisting law enforcement and reckless driving, along with charges for possessing a legend drug, a narcotic drug, a syringe and drug paraphernalia.
Martin is being accused of intimidation with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement and for possessing cocaine, a legend drug, a syringe and drug paraphernalia.
