Jackson County is the seventh fastest growing county in the state of Indiana altogether, and the fastest growing rural county in the state.

That’s according to the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation’s look at last week’s Census numbers.

Jackson County had a growth rate of 9.6 percent, with all seven counties above it being part of metro areas, with six in the Indianapolis zone and one in the Louisville metro area. In 2010, Jackson County had 42,376 people and last year’s census counted 46,428.

Seymour itself had a 23.2 percent population increase, ending with 21,569 people. Brownstown grew by 2.6 percent, bringing its population up to 3,025.

The Columbus East Food Pantry will be distributing food to the community from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday evening.

There will be enough pre-bagged collections of food to support about 200 families.

The Columbus East Food Pantry is available to the entire community and is not limited to BCSC families. The pickup point is at Door 31 in the west parking lot behind the school near the tennis courts.

The Bartholomew County Highway Department is reporting that Wolfcreek Road will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday between County Road 50S and Youthcamp Road.

County Road 330 West, between Lowell Road and County Road 400N, will also be closing Thursday, for paving.

The schedule depends on the weather. You should avoid those areas if you can.

Columbus Police Department will be restarting its Homework with an Officer program next week, which was halted last year due to COVID-19.

Three officers will spend 30-40 minutes helping students with their homework during the one-hour sessions, with 20 minutes set aside to play games.

Homework with an Officer will be held Mondays from 4 to 5 p.m. at Arbors at the Water’s Edge Apartments Clubhouse (4060 N. County Road 150 West) and on Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. at Candlelight Village Mobile Home Park’s Clubhouse (3671 Candlelight Drive.)

The program started in Columbus in 2012, and allows officers the opportunity to interact with local students from kindergarten to 8th grade in a relaxed setting.

There is no charge to attend the program. Face masks will be required.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department

An ongoing pay dispute between Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers and the County Council appears to be wrapping up. The council agreed this week to allocate funds from tax warrant payments in the county to go toward the sheriff’s overall pay.

The sheriff refused to sign a contract with the county last year, instead opting to take a state minimum salary which is equal to 80 percent of the county prosecutor’s pay. But the sheriff also opted to take advantage of a state law that allows sheriffs to take the tax warrant money as a way to increase their salary.

That supplemental money could take Myers up in pay to equal the county prosecutor, or about $159,000 dollars.

Council members have expressed frustration that Myers is earning more than he would have under a contract with the county. But the council agreed at its meeting this week to allocate almost $30,000 of the tax warrant income to go toward the sheriff’s salary this year.

The sheriff’s income would be further adjusted as the state sets pay rates for judges and prosecutors.

Columbus City Council approved a plan last night on how to allocate $4.3 million dollars in federal money for COVID-19 relief. But not before efforts from some council members to set aside some of the money for bonuses to city workers who continued to work in person during the worst of the pandemic.

Mary Ferdon, director of administration for the city, outlined the plan to allocate $2.2 million for the response to the public health emergency, $1.1 million to replace lost or reduced revenue and $1 million for water and sewer infrastructure.

But Councilwoman Elaine Hilber suggested that the city should first pay hazardous pay bonuses of $1,000 each for some city workers. She ultimately offered a plan to set aside $400,000 of the funding for the bonuses, which would go to employees who came into work rather than who worked remotely.

Despite getting the support of fellow Democrats Jerone Wood and Grace Kestler, Hilber’s measure failed to get a majority of votes from the Council.

The three then voted to oppose the allocation measure, which ultimately passed 4-3.

Some customers of Eastern Bartholomew Water Corp. will be under a boil-water advisory until Thursday afternoon, after water main repairs in their area.

The utility says that water was turned off due to a leak in the main for customers in the area of County Roads East 110S and 120S, and the Beach Acres Mobile Home Park. After the water is restored, a boil water advisory will be in effect until 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

You should boil any water for three to five minutes before drinking it or using it for cooking.

If you have any questions you can call Eastern Bartholomew Water at 812-526-9777.

North Vernon authorities are investigating a death at a Crestwood Drive business on Friday.

According to reports from the North Vernon police, officers went to the business of the 2000 block of Crestwood Drive at about 8:13 p.m. Friday evening to check on the welfare of a person there.

Officers found that a person had died in the building. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined and the person’s identity has yet to be released.

Investigators believe this was an isolated event and no one else was endangered by the incident.

Local mental health advocates will be holding an informational meeting Wednesday night in Jackson County.

The session will be about community mental health care, and if you have friends or family members who have a mental illness, you are invited to attend.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness and Centerstone will be hosting the session from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Rockford United Methodist Church on Ewing Street.

You can call or text 812-376-9364 for more information.

An aging school gymnasium in Seymour has been listed as one of the most endangered historic places in Indiana by Indiana Landmarks.

The preservation group released its Top 10 list of endangered places yesterday, including the James M. Shields Memorial Gymnasium on Fifth Street in Seymour.

The gymnasium was built in 1941 by the federal Works Progress Administration next door to the 1910 high school. It could hold 3,500 fans and was used by Seymour schools until 1981. The buildings were then used by Indiana Bible College for a few years before falling into disrepair. It was purchased in 1996 by local businessmen, who repaired the leaking roof.

However, the building has been continuously damaged by vandals including a 2018 fire that destroyed part of the bleachers.

The building is part of the Walnut Street Historic District.

Indiana Landmarks releases the list in the hopes of educating communities, advocating for the buildings and stimulating efforts to renovate and revitalize historic structures.

Click here for more information.

Photo: James M. Shields Memorial Gymnasium on Fifth Street in Seymour. Photo courtesy of Indiana Landmarks.