Columbus residents will see a new look to their water bills and online experience with the utility starting next month.

According to Columbus City Utilities, the department will begin using a new billing system in June. There will be customer service feature improvements including online payments showing instantly on customer’s accounts. Customers will also be able to view payments and historic water usage online.

All of the utility’s customers will receive a new statement by mail in June and a new five-digit account number. This will include customers signed up for paperless billing.

Once you get the new statement and account number, you will be able to go online to setup your new account in the online billing system. You can either choose to pay your bills manually each month, or set up auto-pay. However if you have previously set up auto-pay you will need to go through that process again.

You can also continue to pay your bill by mail or in person at the office on McClure Road.

You can get more information at columbusutilities.org/billing.

State Road 258 in Jackson County will be reduced to one lane starting next week.

According to INDOT, the highway will be reduced to one lane over White Creek while the bridge is being rehabilitated. The work is about three miles west of Cortland. Starting Monday, you will see alternating lanes closing from 7 to 5 during the work and flaggers will be in place while the work is going on. The project is expected to last through July, weather permitting. AThe highway will remain fully open while crews are not actively working.

Ragle Inc. is the contractor for the project.

INDOT urges you to slow down, to drive without distractions, to use extra caution and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Work is set to start on Marr Road north of 25th Street in Columbus today.

According to the city engineer’s office, crews will be working on Marr Road to Brent Cross with milling going on. You will see lanes restricted to one lane and flaggers will be directing traffic.

This is part of the city’s Community Crossings Matching Grant Project.

On Monday, crews will be million Tipton Lakes Boulevard from Goeller Boulevard to Acorn Drive.

All the work is dependent on the weather.

The contractor for the project is Milestone.

Officials urge you to avoid these areas if you can, to slow down, to use extra caution, to drive without distractions and obey directions from flaggers.

State Road 3 in Jennings and Decatur counties will be closing Monday for road work.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, the highway will be closing between U.S. 50 and Westport for an asphalt resurfacing project. Crews will begin work between Main Street in Westport and Jennings County Road 500 N. in Jennings County. Access will be maintained for local residents and farmers.

The work is expected to last until November but the work schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT says the official detour follows U.S. 50 to U.S. 421 to State Road 46.

This project is part of a $9.3 million contract awarded to Dave O’Mara Contractors

Edinburgh police dog Xta is receiving a grant to help pay for medical insurance.

According to the Edinburgh Police Department, the Healthcare for K9 Heroes grant comes from the not-for-profit Vested Interest in K-9’s group, which also recently provided the dog with a bullet and stab protective vest. The Healthcare for K9 Heroes medical insurance program covers annual policy premiums.

Law enforcement dogs two to seven years old, who have previously received one of the group’s vests are eligible for the insurance grants. The insurance is through Trupanion and covers illnesses and injuries, including those sustained in the line of duty, as well as diagnostic testing and therapies.

The not-for-profit group accepts donations to provide vests and insurance. You can find more information at www.vik9s.org.

Early voting is wrapping up soon for Tuesday’s primary election.

In Bartholomew County, you can vote today at Donner Center from 8 to 5 and tomorrow at both Donner Center and the Governmental Office Building on Third Street from 8 to 3. Early voting wraps up at Donner Center at noon on Monday.

On primary election day Tuesday, you can vote at any of the county’s 14 vote centers.

If you have any questions, you can call the county voter registration office at 812-379-1604.

Cummins is seeing flat sales and revenues fell in the first quarter of this year, but income nearly tripled from the same period last year.

The Columbus based engine manufacturer, released its first quarter report today, saying that revenues of $8.4 billion were down 1 percent from the same quarter last year. The report says that sales in North America were flat but international revenue decreased 1 percent due to lower demand in China and Europe.

However, the company also saw net income of $2 billion, up from $790 million in the same quarter of last year. That increase is due to the gain from spinning off the former filtration business and restructuring expenses in last year’s first quarter.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the first quarter were $2.6 billion compared to $1.4 billion a year ago.

Cummins Chair and CEO Jennifer Rumsey said that spinning the filtration business off into its own company, Atmus, allows that business to pursue its own plans for profitability, while “allowing Cummins to continue its focus on advancing innovative power solutions…”

Cummins complete report is available here: https://investor.cummins.com/news/detail/646/cummins-reports-first-quarter-2024-results

Bartholomew County Road 250W will be closing today for ditching work.

According to the Bartholomew County Highway Department , the road between Lowell Road and County Road 100 North will be closed from about 8 a.m. this morning to 3 p.m this afternoon. You should avoid the area if you can.

You can expect to see soldiers, military ambulances and even Blackhawk helicopters around Columbus Regional Hospital this morning as part of a military exercise out of Muscatatuck Urban Training Center.

According to the military, the CRH portion of the Guardian Response exercise will be going on at the hospitals from 9 to 11 in the morning tomorrow. The exercise will be evaluating the soldiers ability to treat, triage, and transport patients from a simulated disaster area to a civilian medical center. Civilians will also be learning how to move patients from a military aircraft and ambulances into the hospitals.

The military warns that you can expect to hear loud noises during the training, as well as the scenes of military gear at the local hospitals.

The exercise is being coordinated by U.S. Army Reserve 78th Training Division.

A Columbus woman is under arrest after a road-rage incident turned into a stabbing yesterday morning in Columbus.

According to the Columbus Police Department, the incident was reported at about 8:56 Wednesday morning, when officers were called to the Target store on National Road. A man and woman had been in an argument after an incident on the road. Police say that the dispute turned physical when the woman cut the man’s hand. She then went into the store, police say.

Officers found and arrested 31-year-old Lisa Kinjo-Rothrock on a preliminary felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon.