A woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug dealing after an arrest last year in Columbus.

According to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, Nicole Hernandez was convicted of the felony charge of dealing methamphetamine last month. She has been sentenced by Judge Kelly Benjamin to 10 years in prison to be served in the Indiana Department of Corrections.

The charges stemmed from an incident in March of last year, when Columbus Police and Bartholomew County deputies were conducting an operation and witnessed Hernandez deal 10 grams of meth and one gram of heroin.

The prosecutor’s office announced the sentencing yesterday.

Applied Laboratories Inc. is planning to invest $6.5 million in its Columbus facilities, expanding the plant by more than 100,000 square feet.

The company will be asking Columbus City Council for a tax abatement on the investment at the council meeting tonight.

Jeff Logston, the company’s president, explained in documents filed with the city that the expansion will be to add more warehouse space to the facility on Brian Drive. Although no new jobs are going to be added due to the expansion, the company has 193 employees and has grown from 167 employees over the past two years. The company also has 72 contract employees and pays an average of more than $22 an hour before fringe benefits.

Logston said that if the tax abatement is approved, Dunlap Construction will be the contractor for the expansion.

The city estimates that a tax abatement will save the company about $577 thousand dollars over the life of the tax break.

Columbus City Council meets at 6 p.m. tonight in the council chambers at Columbus City Hall.

Cummins released its first quarter numbers Monday with revenues, sales, income and earnings all down from the same period last year.

The Columbus based engine manufacturer also said it will not be providing projections of its future financial performance for the rest of the year, citing economic uncertainty.

According to the report, first quarter revenues of $8.2 billion were down three percent from the same quarter last year. Sales in North America were down 1%, and international revenues decreased 5%. The company says lower demand in Latin America and Asia Pacific was partially offset by higher sales in China.

The company saw income fall from $2 billion in the first quarter last year compared to $824 million this year.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization were $1.5 billion in the first quarter this year. That compares to $2.6 billion a year ago.

One bright spot mentioned by Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey was the Power Systems business which saw record performance.

The company will not provide an outlook for revenue or profitability for the rest of 2025, citing growing economic uncertainty. Rumsey said in a statement that “While the outlook for the remainder of the year remains unclear, we remain confident in our position and that our Destination Zero strategy is the right one.”

Cummins press release

Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) today reported results for the first quarter of 2025.

“The company delivered strong financial results in the first quarter of 2025 led by record performance in our Power Systems Segment,” said Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO. “I want to thank our global employees for their commitment to delivering for our customers in an increasingly challenging environment. Due to growing economic uncertainty driven by tariffs we have withdrawn our full year forecast.”

First quarter revenues of $8.2 billion decreased 3% from the same quarter in 2024. Sales in North America decreased 1%, and international revenues decreased 5% due to lower demand in Latin America and Asia Pacific, partially offset by higher sales in China.

Net income attributable to Cummins in the first quarter was $824 million, or $5.96 per diluted share, compared to $2.0 billion, or $14.03 per diluted share, in 2024. The first quarter of 2024 included the gain related to the separation of Atmus, net of transaction costs and other expenses, of $1.3 billion, or $9.08 per diluted share, and restructuring expenses of $29 million, or $0.15 per diluted share.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in the first quarter were $1.5 billion, or 17.9% of sales, compared to $2.6 billion, or 30.6% of sales, a year ago. EBITDA for the first quarter of 2024 included the gain and costs noted above.

2025 Outlook:

Due to growing economic uncertainty, the company is not providing an outlook for revenue or profitability for the remainder of 2025.

“While the outlook for the remainder of the year remains unclear, we remain confident in our position and that our Destination Zero strategy is the right one,” said Rumsey. “Cummins is in a strong position to navigate through economic uncertainty, and we look forward to reinstating our forecast when conditions allow.”

First Quarter 2025 Highlights:

Cummins introduced the much-anticipated X10 as part of our Cummins HELM™ platforms. This engine replaces both the L9 and X12 engine platforms to deliver a new level of performance, durability and efficiency for heavy and medium-duty customers. Alongside the X15 and B Series, the X10 provides customers with a power solution to meet their unique operational requirements while maintaining the performance and reliability for which Cummins is known.
Cummins also unveiled the new Cummins B7.2 diesel engine that brings the latest technology and advancements to one of our most proven platforms. The new engine will feature a slightly higher displacement and is designed to be a global platform which creates flexibility for different applications and duty cycles. Both the B7.2 and X10 engines will be manufactured at Rocky Mount Engine Plant in North Carolina and will go into production in North America in 2027.
In February, Cummins announced the acquisition of assets of First Mode, a leader in retrofit hybrid solutions for mining and rail operations. The acquisition included hybrid mining and rail product lines, and the full technology portfolio which includes hydrogen and battery powertrain solutions. This technology represents the first commercially available retrofit hybrid system for mining equipment, significantly reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) while advancing decarbonization in operations.
Accelera™ by Cummins announced the supply of a 100-megawatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system for bp’s Lingen green hydrogen project in Germany. The hydrogen-generation system will be the largest electrolyzer system assembled by Accelera to date and will be manufactured in Accelera’s new electrolyzer plant in Spain. Once fully commissioned in 2027, the 100 MW electrolyzer system will produce up to 11,000 tons of green hydrogen per year.
1 Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the U.S.

First quarter 2025 detail (all comparisons to same period in 2024):

Engine Segment

Sales – $2.8 billion, down 5%
Segment EBITDA – $458 million, or 16.5% of sales, compared to $414 million, or 14.1% of sales
Revenues decreased 4% in North America and 11% in international markets due to lower on-highway demand in the United States and Latin America.

Components Segment

Sales – $2.7 billion, down 20%
Segment EBITDA – $382 million, or 14.3% of sales, compared to $473 million, or 14.2% of sales, which includes $21 million of costs related to the separation of Atmus
Revenues in North America decreased by 20% and international sales decreased by 20% primarily due to the separation of Atmus and lower on-highway demand in the United States and Europe.

Distribution Segment

Sales – $2.9 billion, up 15%
Segment EBITDA – $376 million, or 12.9% of sales, compared to $294 million, or 11.6% of sales
Revenues in North America increased 22% and international sales decreased by 1% primarily due to increased demand for power generation products in North America and favorable pricing.

Power Systems Segment

Sales – $1.6 billion, up 19%
Segment EBITDA – $389 million, or 23.6% of sales, compared to $237 million, or 17.1% of sales
Revenues in North America increased 15% and international sales increased 22% driven primarily by increased power generation demand, particularly for the data center market.

Accelera Segment

Sales – $103 million, up 11%
Segment EBITDA loss – $86 million
Revenues improved due to increased eMobility demand and electrolyzer installations. The company remains committed to pacing and focusing our zero emissions investments on the most promising paths in order to ensure we are set up for long-term success as part of our Destination Zero strategy. These continued investments contributed to the EBITDA losses.

Landmark Columbus Foundation will be releasing its annual report Tuesday at an event at the Upland Columbus Pump House.

The foundation was established to care or, celebrate, and advance the cultural heritage of Columbus, Indiana and like-minded communities. Among its projects is the biennial Exhibit Columbus, Progressive Preservation and the Columbus Design Institute.

If you make a donation of any amount to the Landmark Columbus Foundation Endowment, you will receive a limited-edition pin designed by Anna Mort and Rick Valicenti and a physical copy of the annual report.

The High Five Day event will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the pump house on Lindsey Street. It is free and you are invited to attend.

The federal Small Business Administration and State Disaster Relief Fund will be closing a temporary office in Columbus on Saturday, set up to help businesses and residents suffering damage from the March 19th tornado.

The Disaster Loan Outreach Center opened last week at the Doug Otto United Way Center on 13th Street in Columbus in Suite G900. The office will close permanently on Saturday May 10th.

The Small Business Administration offers business physical disaster loans, economic injury disaster loans and home disaster loans. The outreach center has staff on hand to answer questions about the loan programs, explain the application process and help you complete your application.

Businesses have until June 23rd to file for help with physical damage caused by the storm, or until January 22nd to file for Economic Injury.

Hours are from 8 to 5 on weekdays and 10 to 2 on Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome or you can schedule an appointment online at appointment.sba.gov.

Schneck Medical Center in Seymour has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from a national watchdog group focused on patient safety.

According to the Seymour hospital, Schneck has earned the grade from the Leapfrog Group, the highest grade the group gives. The group is a watchdog organization that ranks hospitals based on more than 30 performance measures. Those measures look at a hospital’s errors, accidents, injuries and infections and what the hospital does to prevent them.

Leapfrog says preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

Schneck is one of two southern Indiana hospitals to achieve the grade , along with Monroe Hospital in Bloomington.

Bartholomew County deputies arrested an Indianapolis man on drunk driving related charges after a short police chase early Friday morning.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, deputies received a report about a possibly intoxicated driver headed southbound on Interstate 65 near the Edinburgh exit at about 3:35 a.m. Friday. A deputy found the vehicle on the highway and tried to pull the driver over, but instead he took off.

The chase lasted until just north of the Walesboro exit, when the driver pulled over and stopped.

Police say 37-year-old Jeffery Lewis II of Indianapolis showed signs of intoxication and alcohol containers were found in his vehicle. He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to have his blood tested and then to jail on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus is announcing a new interim chancellor as Dr. Steven Combs moves to a new role.

According to the school, Combs has been named Interim Provost of Ivy Tech Community College. The community college has named Stephanie Amos as the Interim Chancellor for the College’s Columbus Service Area.

Amos most recently served as Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration for Ivy Tech Columbus and previously Vice Chancellor of Strategic Partnerships for Ivy Tech Columbus, Executive Director of Finance and Interim Executive Director of Workforce Alignment across multiple Ivy Tech campuses.

Amos is a Shelbyville resident. She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Ashford University and a bachelors in accounting from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

The Ivy Tech Columbus Service Area includes Bartholomew, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, and Shelby counties with campuses in Columbus, Franklin, and Shelbyville.

Photo courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College Columbus

A Columbus man is facing child molesting and other charges after an arrest last week by authorities.

According to the Indiana State Police, troopers received information that a suspect possibly possessed child pornography. The investigation led to 38-year-old Andrew Case of Columbus.

On Tuesday, Indiana State Police investigators with the assistance of other Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force members served a search warrant at Case’s residence. Authorities found evidence that Case was allegedly involved in child molesting and producing child pornography.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of Child Molesting, Production of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Sexual Misconduct with a Minor.

The Columbus and Bloomington Police Departments, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service, Columbus Police Department, assisted troopers in the investigation.

Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is announcing that Elaina Robinson has been chosen as the winner of this year’s Bill and Sally Hanley Excellence in Teaching Award.

Robinson is a special education teacher at CSA Lincoln Elementary School.

Recipients are nominated by their principals and must demonstrate dedication to their job, exemplary initiative, and contributions to improve the school and its environment

The award was established in 2000 and administered by Heritage Fund. It comes with a $1,000 stipend.