State Road 135 in Brown County will be reduced to one lane starting next week.

According to INDOT, contractors will be replacing a drainage structure in the area of Pleasant Valley Creek near Stonehead. That is about five miles south of S.R. 46 at Bellsville Pike. The road will reduced to one lane during the work which is scheduled to start on Monday. An 11-foot width restriction will be put in place during the closure. Semis as well as truck and trailer traffic should avoid traveling along State Road 135 and should detour aroudn the area using State Road 58 to Interstate 65 to State Road 46. You will also see temporary traffic signals at the intersection of State Road 135 and Bellsville Pike.

The work is expected to last until October, weather permitting.

A current closure on State Road 135 near Stonehead will reopen prior to the planned lane restrictions for the new work.

E&B Paving is the contractor for this $3.7 million contract, which includes five projects.

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.

Duke Energy Foundation is providing a $10,000 grant to assist at-risk students in southern Indiana move into the workforce.

According to the foundation, the grant is going to the Southeast Indiana Workforce Investment Board, which represents 10 counties including Bartholomew, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings in our area. The grant will go to support the expansion of the Jobs for America’s Graduates, or JAG program, a dropout prevention program started locally by the board in 2011, with two programs.

There are now programs in area schools including:

• Brownstown Central High School
• Crothersville Jr-Sr High School
• Franklin County High School
• Jennings County High School,
• Lawrenceburg High School
• Madison Consolidated High School
• Milan High School
• Seymour High School
• South Dearborn High School
• South Ripley High School shared with JacCenDel High School
• Switzerland County High School.

In 2022 Gov. Eric Holcomb made expansion of the program a priority and future sites include:

• Greensburg High School
• North Decatur High School
• South Decatur High School
• Southwestern High School
• Medora High School
• JacCenDel High School

Organizers say that the Duke funding will help students learn foundational employment skills, prepare for their career, and engage with local industry leaders.

Bartholomew Consolidated Schools have a new leader.

The school board voted unanimously earlier this week to approve Dr. Chad Phillips for the role. Phillips has been serving as the school district’s assistant superintendent of financial services for the past 7 years and has been with the school district for 20 years.

The contract with Phillips will give him a base salary of $204 thousand 671 dollars with an initital contract lasting until the end of June of 2027.

Current Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts is stepping down at the end of June to take on a new role with the Community Education Coalition.

No one from the public commented on Phillips’ appointment.

An upcoming celebration will recognize the black and bi-racial students of Bartholomew County for their efforts, activities and achievements.

Felicia Garr, the manager of black and bi-racial youth initiatives for the Community Education Coalition explains what she calls a non-traditional celebration :

You have until Tuesday to submit a youth who you feel is deserving of recognition for their efforts. Garr hopes that 100 households will be represented at the event. Parents and caregivers can submit names to Garr by calling 812-371-5255, by email or by mail.

• 4555 Central Ave, Suite 1310. Columbus, IN 47203
• 812-371-5255
• [email protected]

The celebration will be Thursday, May 23rd at the Columbus Learning Center. The pre-celebration will start at 6 p.m. with the program starting at 7 p.m. in the evening.

It is being hosted by the Bartholomew County NAACP, Paths to Success, Columbus Enrichment Program and the Community Education Coalition.

The event is free and open to the public.

A new tool for online mental health help in Bartholomew County is online today.

The Mental Health Matters coalition announced the launch of the CredibleMind website and app for county residents at its annual meeting yesterday. The remote service is free and available to anyone in the county who needs it. CredibleMind is billed as a one-stop shop for personalized mental wellbeing.

Julie Orben with Columbus Regional Health explains:

Orben explains some of the features:

CredibleMind is an evidence based online mental health platform that allows users to take surveys to assess mental health concerns and then based on that information provide personalized services. The service is available via apps or on a computer.

The program operates through the University of California Berkeley.

The program is completely anonymous but a user can login and maintain their information, such as to provide information to healthcare providers.

You can use the program here: https://mhmbc.crediblemind.com

Cummins is promoting a new vice president for the company’s Emissions Solutions business.

The Columbus based engine manufacturer announced that Alison Trueblood would be filling the role, effective today.

Cummins Chair and CEO Jennifer Rumsey said that emissions regulations continue to become more strict and “…it is imperative we have a leader for Cummins Emissions Solutions who can build on our strong foundation and navigate the path forward. ”

Previously, Trueblood led Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies for Accelera by Cummins. The company says she has also served in leadership roles in the Engine, Distribution, Power Generation and Accelera businesses. She has managed new product development programs and has experience establishing manufacturing readiness.

Trueblood holds two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio as well as a master’s of business administration from Indiana University.

The city of Columbus is welcoming a new police officer.

According to Columbus Police Department, Officer Jesse Neikirk was swiorn in this morning by Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon.

Neikirk graduated Mount Carmel High School in Illinois. He served in the U.S. Marines Corps for eight years including two tours of Afghanistan, rising to the rank of sergeant. Neikirk worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections as a lieutenant correctional officer. He most recently worked as a patrol officer with the Evansville Police Department.

After a short orientation period Neikirk will begin the Columbus Police Department field training program.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

Deaver Road will be closing for much of May while a water main is installed.

According to Columbus City Utilities, the road will be closed between South International Drive and County Road S. 300W. The intersection at South International Drive will remain open but the intersection at County Road S. 300W will be closed to through traffic while the work is going on.

The road will close on Friday and is expected to remain closed through May 25th.

Image courtesy of Columbus City Utilities.

This year’s Bill and Sally Hanley Excellence in Teaching Award is going to CSA Lincoln Elementary School Book Buddies coordinator Emma Jensen.

Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County announced the winner yesterday. According to the foundation, recipients are nominated by their principals and must demonstrate dedication to their job, exemplary initiative, and contributions to improve the school and its environment.

Jensen was credited for her role in the success of the school’s IREAD-3 state assessment pass rate. CSA Lincoln ranks at the top of the school district and state levels. Jensen also was praised for her dedication to the Book Buddies program.

Photo courtesy of Heritage Fund. Heritage Fund Scholarship Manager Jeanette Marsh, left, was joined by Book Buddies Director Gretchen Tregoning and Heritage Fund Finance Director Stephanie Seaborne to surprise Emma Jensen, CSA Lincoln Book Buddies coordinator, on her 2024 Bill and Sally Hanley Excellence in Teaching Award Tuesday at the elementary school.

No one was injured in a plane crash Tuesday in Bartholomew County.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, rescue workers were called to the scene of a single engine plane crash in the 7000 block of West Seymour Road at about 6:28 p.m. yesterday. Southwest Volunteer Fire Department was first to arrive on scene to find the small plane upside down, but both occupants had already escaped the wreckage on their own and were uninjured.

The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.