The United Way of Bartholomew County is still looking for volunteers to take part in the annual Day of Caring coming up on May 21st.

Day of Caring is a day-long event where community members and businesses help with projects to benefit local not for profit groups and to complete projects to help residents in need.

Magen Pillar with the United Way explains:

Last year’s event had to be canceled due to COVID-19. This year’s Day of Caring will include precautions to maintain volunteers’ health and safety during the pandemic. Indoor projects will be limited to a maximum of six to eight volunteers per shift, determined by facility size. Outdoor projects will be limited to a maximum of 20 volunteers per shift, based on the size of the outdoor space. Masks will be required and social distancing maintained.

Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to participate. Projects will include planting flowers, mulching and painting, along with organizing and sorting donations.

Volunteers can sign up for the Day of Caring through the link at uwbarthco.galaxydigital.com.

The functions at Seymour City Hall will be shifting across the street while the building undergoes an emergency $1.55 million dollar renovation project.

City officials say that offices are moving this week and should be open to the public starting Monday in the former Reedy Financial building at 211 N. Chestnut Street, which is across the street of Seymour City Hall.

In March, the city hall’s HVAC system stopped working when a chiller failed, causing a leak that damaged the interior of city hall. Since then, there has been no heating or cooling in the building. Repairs will be made during the renovation, including multiple smaller heating and cooling units that service various areas of the building. There will also be new LED lighting, floor and wall coverings and improvements for accessibility and security.

The city’s clerk-treasurer’s office and the Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. will not be moving. However Seymour Housing Authority, Seymour Main Street and Leadership Jackson County will be moving with the city government offices.

The move could last up to six months.

A chain reaction crash Friday night tied up traffic on U.S. 31 for about three and a half hours, according to Bartholomew County deputies.

Deputies were called to the scene of a crash involving four vehicles at U.S. 31 and County Road 100S at about 6:04 p.m. in the evening. But five minutes later, an SUV skidded trying to stop for the already snarled traffic and was struck from behind by a semi, which pushed the SUV into a car already stopped for the previous crash.

Columbus Regional Health paramedics treated one vehicle occupant at the scene, with two people suffering minor injuries.

The highway was closed until about 9:35 p.m.  in the evening.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

Two men were arrested in Columbus over the weekend on drunk driving charges, only about 90 minutes apart.

Police are reporting that the first incident happened at about 11 p.m. Friday night when police received reports of an erratic driver who struck a curb near 25th Street and Eastbrook Plaza. 51-year-old Shawn E. Holwadel of Columbus was slurring his speech and unsteady on his feet when police stopped the vehicle. He was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a previous conviction.

At about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, police were called to an accident with minor injuries at 25th Street and Taylor Road. One of the drivers, 45-year-old Jason M. Berry of Columbus was slurring his speech and had poor balance. He was found to have a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit, police report, and he was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle under the influence.

A Greenwood woman was arrested in Columbus after a police chase through the downtown area.

Police say that they tried to stop a vehicle near 8th and Pearl Streets at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday night, but the driver refused to pull over. Instead, she began making quick turns on several downtown streets and alleys until she stopped her vehicle in an alley near 16th and California streets.

26-year-old Autumn R. Felumero was arrested on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement in a vehicle as well as possession of marijuana.

Columbus police arrested a wanted Freetown man after chasing him twice over two days last week.

According to police reports, officers tried to stop a vehicle being driven by 24-year-old Donovan A. Martin on Thursday, but he refused to pull over. Instead Martin ignored traffic signs and signals, eventually jumping out of the moving vehicle, near 8th Street and Cottage Avenue. The vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant, and Martin ran from the area.

At about 7:25 p.m. Friday evening, an officer saw Martin near the corner of 7th and Union streets. Martin ran away again into a nearby alley, where police saw him drop a syringe before he was taken into custody.

He is facing charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Criminal Recklessness, Criminal Mischief, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Reckless Driving, possession of a legend drug injection device and narcotics, as well as four outstanding Bartholomew County warrants.

Work on the Deaver Road bridge over Interstate 65 south of Columbus will be restricting traffic this week, according to INDOT.

Contractors will be closing lanes on the highway while installing deck pans over the interstate between 9 p.m. at night and 6 a.m. in the morning, starting tonight. The work should be wrapping up on Thursday, weather permitting.

Also, contractors will be closing lanes on the Interstate6 5 bridges over U.S. 50 at Seymour, starting today and lasting to near the end of June.

INDOT says contractors will be completing joint repairs and replacements on the bridges. The work is expected to take about 20 work days to complete. The schedule is dependent on the weather.

Lanes will be closing on weeknights from 9 to 6 in the morning.

INDOT urges you to slow down, to use extra caution and drive without distractions in and near all work zones.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to appear next month at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

A Columbus native, Pence will be the second speaker in the “Time for Choosing” series on Thursday, June 24th, according to our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks Inc.

Organizers say the series is a new forum for leading voices in the conservative movement to address critical questions facing the future of the Republican Party. The event will be held in-person indoors on the library’s campus.

Pence spoke at a South Carolina gathering of evangelical voters last month, his first public speech since leaving office.

The Bartholomew County Health Department says it has 1,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine available at an upcoming two-day mass vaccination clinic to be held at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The clinics will be held from 9 to 4 on May 25th and 26th at the fairgrounds Community Building on County Road 200S. The 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 must first register at ourshot.in.gov. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call 211, Thrive Alliance at 812-372-6918, Mill Race Center at 812-376-9241, or WellConnect at 812-376-5136 for help getting signed up.

Bartholomew County Road 400W will be closed down to one-lane, starting today and lasting through Friday.

According to the county highway department, crews will be doing soil borings. The work will be between County Roads 550S and 600S and will be from 8 a.m. in the morning until 6 p.m. in the evening.

Also, the county highway department reports that County Road 700 South will be closed today from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. for a culvert replacement.

You should avoid those areas, and find alternate routes.