A project is underway to plant more than 5,000 trees around the railroad overpass into downtown Columbus.
Mayor Jim Lienhoop explains that mitigation rules by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, require replacing trees when you disturb an area, such as the trees that were moved to make way for the overpass.
The mayor said only a small portion of the trees will even be visible to the driving public, as most will be off of the roadway in the wetlands area closer to the river.
Seymour police will be hosting a Cover the Cruiser event on Sunday to raise money for Special Olympics Indiana.
A parked police cruiser will have its flashing lights on between 12:30 and 4:30 near the Taco Bell at Tipton Street and Burkhart Boulevard.
If you make a donation to Special Olympics, you will be able to write your name or a special message on a sticky donation card to decorate the cruiser. Police say they hope to get the cruiser completely covered.
This is the weekend for the Great U.S. 50 yard sale, the 22nd annual event which encourages sales across the country on the highway, stretching from Maryland to California.
The sales will be taking place today through Sunday.
Indiana State Police are asking you to be careful if you are running a sale or just visiting them.
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles with the state police says there is potential for serious crashes, resulting in injuries.
He says drivers should keep their speeds down and be alert to hazards, such as pedestrians crossing the highway or walking along the route. If you are searching for a sale, he says you should make sure not to stop suddenly and keep a safe distance from vehicles ahead of you, as they may suddenly stop. And make sure you park in a safe spot, if you do find a sale you want to visit.
For those walking along the highway, Wheeles says that you should avoid crossing the road if you can. And he reminds you that vehicles going highway speeds can’t stop suddenly.
All of the sales are individually organized. If you are planning a sale, promoters remind you not to set up in the state right of way and don’t set up on private property without permission. Sites should allow for off-road parking. You should also make sure you follow all local laws.
Centerpoint Energy will be conducting maintenance work today at the intersection of 19th Street and Home Avenue in Columbus, according to the city engineer’s office.
The westbound lane of 19th Street and the southbound lane of Home Avenue will be restricted during the work. You should find an alternate route if you can. If you have to travel on the streets, you should use extra caution and be ready to obey all traffic controls. The work is expected from 9 to 3 today.
Schneck Medical Center in Seymour is looking for golfers to help raise money for nursing scholarships.
The 40th Annual Dr. “Bud” Charity Golf Tournament will be held Wednesday, June 30, at Shadowood Golf Course in Seymour. Proceeds go to scholarships for registered nursing students in Jackson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington counties.
The cost is $475 for a corporate golf team and $80 for an individual entry.
Morning tee times at 8 a.m. and afternoon tee times at 1:15 p.m. are available. Prizes and awards will be presented following the afternoon round.
For more information about the tournament, sponsorships or registration call 812-524-4238 or 812-523-7849.
The Columbus East Food Pantry will be open from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday for drive up pickups of pre-bagged collections of food.
The pickup point will be in the west parking lot behind the school near the tennis courts at Door 31.
You can expect a major racket when the Brood X cicada horde emerges within the next week or so. The Purdue extension office points out that the bugs are harmless to humans and pets but they could damage your trees.
Cora Jessie Carter, agriculture and natural resources educator with the Bartholomew County extension office explains.
She says that the bugs are not poisonous and they do not bite or sting. But they will chew on trees.
Purdue recommends that you use netting or bags to cover tress that are less than 3-4 years old, or that have stems smaller than a pencil because they are most at risk. Make sure that you buy netting for insects, and not birds. The holes should be smaller than a quarter of an inch.
We could see up to 1.5 million insects per acre. The emergence will last about six weeks, before the bugs go back to sleep for 17 more years.
You can go here for more information: extension.entm.purdue.edu/cicadas/
Photo courtesy of Purdue Extension.
Organizers of this year’s Ethnic Expo events will be diverting waste from the Bartholomew County landfill through efforts to improve recycling at the festival.
Instead of a single weekend’s worth of activities, this year’s Ethnic Expo will be held over four weekends: June 19th, August 28th, September 11th and October 2nd.
The Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District’s Citizens Advisory Committee received a grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to increase recycling rates at the festivals. During previous Ethnic Expo events tons of waste has been added to the landfill, especially Styrofoam. The city has tried to increase recycling at the event previously but because of contamination most if not all of the waste still ended up in the landfill.
Local residents will serve as waste station volunteers for each event to help attendees sort their trash into recycling, landfill, and composting. Recyclables and trash will be weighed by category, to show how successful the efforts were at diverting materials from the landfill.
The Town of Nashville has issued a boil water advisory for some of its customers after a fire hydrant leak repair.
That will be for some customers on Orchard Hill Drive, Orchard Hill Road and Jackson Branch Road.
You should bring water to a full boil for five minutes before consuming it or using it in food preparation.
The boil water advisory is in effect until 4 on Friday.
Appointments are still available for a two-day COVID-19 vaccination clinic to be held next week at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.
According to the Bartholomew County Health Department, the clinics will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 25th and 26th at the fairgrounds Community Building on County Road 200S. The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines will be available for those 18 and older and are free to those receiving them. There could be an administration fee charged to insurance. You should bring a photo ID and insurance card if you have one.
You can first register at ourshot.in.gov but walk-ins are also welcome.
The health department says the next public clinic will be held from 9 to 2 June 1st at Taylorsville Elementary School with the Pfizer vaccine. That is being organized by Windrose Health and you can 317-680-9901 to register.
Other upcoming Bartholomew County clinics:
Pfizer vaccine
June 3rd 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hauser High School’s front parking lot, 9273 State Road 9. Call Windrose at 317-680-9901 to register
June 17th 9 a.m. to noon at the McDonald’s parking lot, 11995 N. U.S. 31, Edinburgh. Call Windrose at 317-680-9901 to register
June 17th 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Driftside Home Community Clubhouse, 13540 U.S. 31, Edinburgh. Call Windrose at 317-680-9901 to register
June 28th 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Bartholomew County Fairgrounds Sheriff’s tent. Call the Bartholomew County Healthy Department at 812-379-1555, option 1 to register
Johnson & Johnson vaccine
June 10th 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mill St Deli, 102 Mill St, Elizabethtown. Call the Bartholomew County Healthy Department at 812-379-1555, option 1 to register
June 19th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at White Diamond Lavender Farm, 9415 E. County Road 800N, Hope. Call the Bartholomew County Healthy Department at 812-379-1555, option 1 to register .