A Central Middle School educator is being recognized as the winner of this year’s Edna V. Folger Outstanding Teacher Award.

Mindy Summers was recognized yesterday at the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting as this year’s winner.

According to the Bartholomew Consolidated School district, Summers is a language arts teacher for the seventh and eighth grades, advises the year book and speech clubs, and coaches the spell bowl and academic super bowl. She is also cited for leading professional development sessions. The district says she has a positive impact on her students’ lives, inspiring them and others to strive for personal growth and improvement.

In addition to Tuesday’s public recognition, Summer received a financial award from SIHO Insurance Services and an engraved clock from the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning.

Correction: Earlier today, the winner of this year’s award was incorrect in newscasts. Taylorsville first grade teacher Jennifer Ryshavy won the award in 2022.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew Consolidated Schools.

Two highways in Jackson County will be closing next week as contractor crews work in the area.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, State Road 58 will be closing near Norman and U.S. 31 will be closing north of Uniontown. Both projects are set to start on Tuesday.

State Road 58 will be closing for up to five weeks between North Jackson County Roads 1250 W and 975 W while crews replace a small drainage structure. The detour will take State Road 446 to U.S. 50 and to State Road 135.

U.S. 31 will also close for about five weeks so crews can replace a culvert. That will be about two and a half miles north of Uniontown between East Jackson County Road 50 S and West Base Road. The detour follows State Road 250 to Interstate 65 to U.S. 50.

The work schedules are dependent on the weather.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to drive without distractions, and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

A wanted Columbus man was arrested over the weekend after running from police.

According to the Columbus Police Department, officers noticed 36 year old Calvin dampier in the 2200 block of Wallace Avenue at just after 5 p.m. in the afternoon Friday. Recognizing that he was wanted on two outstanding Bartholomew County warrants, they tried to take him into custody but Dampier pulled away and took off running.

He was soon caught in the 2200 block of Ohio Avenue. Police searched Dampier and found he was carrying methamphetamine and a syringe. He was taken into custody and in addition to the two warrants, he is facing new charges for possessing the drug and syringe and for resisting law enforcement.

New Columbus Police Chief Steve Norman was sworn in yesterday morning by Mayor Mary Ferdon and Norman announced his new administrative staff.

According to the Columbus Police Department, Norman is a lifelong resident of Bartholomew County and has been with the police department for 29 years. He has served in roles ranging from patrolman to his most recent role as deputy chief under outgoing Chief Mike Richardson.

Matt Martindale will serve as deputy chief. Capt. Toby Combest will oversee the Uniform Division. Brian Wilder has been appointed as the administrative captain overseeing the Criminal Investigations Division, Intelligence Led Policing Unit, and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team. Lieutenant Matt Harris will be administrative lieutenant
overseeing the property room manager, the accreditation manager, and the Records Division. Sergeant Skylar Berry has been selected as the new public relations officer.

Biographies of the administrative staff:

• Martindale is a graduate of Indiana University, where he obtained his law enforcement certification while working for the Indiana University Police Department. He started with the Columbus Police Department as a patrolman in 2014. While in the Uniform Division, he served as a DARE officer, field training officer, and an explosive ordinance disposal technician for the bomb squad. In 2018, Martindale was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division as a detective and was promoted to detective sergeant a year later, where he served until being appointed as deputy chief.
• Combest has served as the uniform captain for three years and will continue in his role overseeing the Uniform Division. Combest is a graduate of Columbus North High school and started with the Columbus Police Department in 2008. While serving in the Uniform Division, Combest was a field training and SWAT officer. He was promoted to uniform sergeant and was later assigned to the Community Oriented Policing Unit, then the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team. Combest then was promoted to detective lieutenant before his appointment to uniform captain.
• Wilder has an associate’s degree from Ivy Tech in computer programming. He started with Columbus Police Department as a patrolman in 2001. In his time with
  police department, he has held several positions, including field training officer, negotiator, bicycle officer, cultural liaison officer, patrol sergeant, and detective. Wilder has previously served as the administrative captain, as well.
• Harris  is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana and started with the Columbus Police Department in 2001. Starting as a patrolman, Harris was a DARE officer, a SWAT officer, and field training officer. Harris was then promoted to uniform sergeant. Harris served as the public relations officer for nearly 10 years and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2016.
• Berry  is a graduate of Columbus North High School and Indiana University. Berry worked as a part-time officer for the Indiana University Police Department, where he
  obtained his certification to be a law enforcement officer. Berry started with the Columbus Police Department as a patrolman in 2016. In 2019 he was selected to be a detective for the Criminal Investigations Division until being reassigned to the Intelligence Led Policing Unit. In 2023, Berry was promoted to uniform sergeant where he served until his appointment to public relations officer.

Former chief Richardson is moving jobs to be the city’s first director of Security and Risk. Richardson will take on the new duties on June 3rd, following his retirement later this spring.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the name of a Schwarze family business incorrect.

The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting at The Commons Tuesday and presented several annual awards.

John Burnett with the Community Education Coalition received the Community Service award at the annual meeting.

Burnett was cited for his years of service, from becoming director of the coalition in 1997 to his recent semi-retirement. Under his leadership, the Air Park Campus at the Columbus Municipal Airport grew and expanded to its current size, as well as the expansion of programs throughout the region to increase educational attainment.

The community service award is viewed as the most prestigious award the chamber gives and it has been given annually since World War II.

Other award winners included Nexus Park as Community Project of the Year and the Fourth Street Bar and Grill and Fresh Take Kitchen, owned by the late Kurt Schwarze and his wife Kelly Schwarze, received the Business Excellence Award.

Photo: John Burnett receives the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award from Shrikanth Padmanabhan Tuesday.

Flood warnings are going into effect for rivers in our area, as heavy runoff from yesterday’s rain fills rivers and streams.

According to the National Weather Service, one and a half to three inches of rain fell across our area bringing minor flooding to East Fork White River and its tributaries. Minor flooding is forecast.

Flood warnings are in effect now through early Saturday morning for Driftwood River near Edinburgh, through Sunday morning for East Fork White River at Seymour, from this afternoon to Friday for East Fork White River at Columbus, and from this evening to late Thursday morning for Flatrock River near Columbus.

Authorities warn that you should never drive through high water, turn around and don’t drown.

You can look for up to date flooding information here: https://1010wcsi.com/weather-forecast/#flooding

Law enforcement officers reported seeing a tornado in Jennings County during last night’s storms.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis reported at just before 5:25 p.m. that a tornado was on the ground in Jennings County near Paris Crossing. That led to a tornado warning for the area. Jennings County dispatchers say that no damage has been reported on the ground but deputies have been in the area searching.

There are a few power outages being reported from this afternoon’s severe weather.

Those include

• Duke Energy  — 11 customers in our area stretching from Commiskey to Flat Rock.
• Jackson County REMC – 57 customers without power in Jackson and Jennings counties.
• Southcentral Indiana REMC – 55 in Brown County.
• Southern Indiana REMC – 1 customer in our area, 78 near Lawrenceburg.
• Bartholomew County and Johnson County REMCs report no outages.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis reported at just before 5:25 p.m. that a tornado was on the ground in Jennings County near Paris Crossing. It had been sighted by local law enforcement. The weather service said that the tornado was primarily over rural areas. Jennings County dispatchers say that no damage has been reported on the ground but deputies are in the area searching.

The Wings Over Muscatatuck Photo Contest is now accepting submissions.

The subject is the birds of Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge.

• Photos must be at least 5×7 prints and not larger than 11×14.
• Entries should not be significantly altered from the original photographed images.
• Previous winning entries are not eligible and two entries are allowed per person.
• Contest entries must be mounted on a stiff backing (like cardboard/foamboard) and no frames or hanging wires are permitted.
• Names are not permitted on the front of the entry. E
• An entry form (available at the refuge) must be attached to the back.
• Entries need to be submitted to the Office or Visitor Center by 4 pm on May 4.

There will be adult and youth categories. Winning entries will receive ribbons, be displayed at the Visitors Center during the Wings over Muscatatuck festival and be included on media sites and newsletters for the wildlife refuge.

You can get more information including a link to contest rules on our website.

For more information about the contest contact the Refuge Office at 812-522-4352 x12, or e-mail [email protected]

Photo courtesy of Muscatatuck Wildlife Refuge Facebook page

A road project will be closing State Road 3 in Decatur and Jennings counties for several months.

According to INDOT, contractors will be closing the highway between U.S. 50 and Westport while crews resurface the road. That work is scheduled to start next week. The project is expected to be completed by November, weather permitting. At first, access will be maintained for local residents between U.S. 50 and Jennings County Road 500N.

The official detour route 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.