INDOT says contractors will be closing a State Road 135 bridge near Vallonia in Jackson County starting Monday through mid August.
The bridge over Half Mike Creek will be resurfaced by Dave O’Mara Contractors. The work is expected to take up to 75 days. The official detour is to take State Road 235 and U.S. 50 around the roadwork.
INDOT asks that you slow down, use extra caution and drive without distractions in all work zones. The schedule is dependent on the weather.
Columbus firefighters fought a fire in a bedroom at a home on the north side of the city Tuesday afternoon.
The owner of the property in the 2000 block of Iroquois Trail called for help after she found smoke in the home at about 1:38 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters found heavy smoke inside but no fire, until they opened a bedroom door and found the room ablaze. The fire was quickly knocked down and firefighters say the damage was mostly confined to the closed bedroom.
Damages were estimated at about $5,000.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.
A flaming trash truck dumped its load in the AMC Theatres parking lot yesterday afternoon, according to Columbus firefighters.
The incident was reported at about 2:40 p.m. on Creekview Drive, where firefighters found a Rumpke truck that was still on fire after dropping the burning load of trash into the vacant parking lot. Firefighters climbed onto the truck and extinguished the fire in the truck’s compactor before putting out the flaming trash outside.
The driver said that they noticed smoke coming from inside the truck about a mile down the road and looked for an empty spot to drop the load, settling on the theater parking lot.
The Columbus Department of Public Works assisted on the scene with a front-end loader.
Damage to the truck is believed to be minor.
Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department
The Bartholomew County Council took another step to lure business development to the northwest corner of the county, in an area being called the county’s northern gateway.
The Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation asked the council to start the process to declare the area an economic revitalization area, which if approved would allow the council to offer tax abatements on new development in the area. The boundaries of the new area would be from roughly County Road 900N at the north end to
Larae Drive on the south and would encompass areas on either side of U.S. 31 around the intersection with Interstate 65.
Jason Hester, president of the development agency, said that having the ability to give tax abatements would be another tool to encourage businesses to relocate to Bartholomew County or to expand existing operations. Under a tax abatement, property taxes are phased in, normally over 10 years, on new equipment and building improvements, instead of being due all at once.
He estimated that if the area is ever fully developed, it could add almost 2,500 new jobs and $320 million in project development over the next 20 years.
The Council gave its initial approval for the new revitalization area. Before giving final approval, the council would have to hold a public hearing, which is tentatively set for June 29th, with final approval coming in July.
Six people were arrested on drug-related charges on Saturday after Jennings County deputies were called to a dispute in Geneva Township.
Deputies were called to the fight at about 5:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon and with the assistance of the Jackson- Jennings Community Corrections Department, authorities seized more than 65 grams of methamphetamine, scales, paraphernalia and packaging materials use for the sale and distribution of narcotics.
Deputies arrested 50-year-old Frederick A. Bailey, 41-year-old Willowdale A. Anderson, 38-year-old Michelle Helmling, 50-year-old Stephen A. Mowery, 32-year-old Kyle D. Allison and 37-year-old Alesia M. Barnes, all of North Vernon
Additionally, three children were removed from the home by the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Charges included:
Fredrick A Bailey (Bond doubled due to being on house arrest)
Willowdale A. Anderson
Michelle Helmling (Bond doubled due to being on probation)
Stephen Allen Mowery
Kyle D. Allison
Alesia M. Barnes
Photos courtesy of Jennings County Sheriff’s Department
Updated:
A 19-year-old Columbus man is being accused of murder after a stabbing early this morning in Quail Run Apartments.
The Columbus Police Department reports that officers were called to a unit in the 1000 block of Robert Drive at just before 6 a.m. this morning and found a adult man who had suffered multiple stab wounds. He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, where he soon died from his injuries.
Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting told the Republic newspaper that the victim was 19-year-old Eric Cavanaugh who died of multiple sharp force injuries to his back and chest, believed to have been inflicted by a chef’s knife.
An investigation led police to arrest 19-year-old Daniel J. Denny on a preliminary charge of murder. He remains in the Bartholomew County Jail on a 48-hour hold, and the investigation is ongoing, police say.
Earlier:
The Columbus Police Department is investigating a fatal stabbing that happened at the Quail Run Apartments earlier this morning.
CPD detectives have a suspect in custody at this time. There is no additional threat to public safety.
More information will be released soon and this story will be updated.
Columbus police arrested a driver early Monday morning who was allegedly driving drunk with drugs in his car, and without ever receiving a driver’s license.
According to police reports, officers stopped a vehicle near Indiana and Gladstone avenues at about 12:03 a.m. Monday morning. The driver, 51-year-old Dana E. Jackson of Columbus was slurring his speech and his eyes appeared bloodshot, police say. He failed several field sobriety tests and a police dog alerted to the smell of narcotics in the vehicle.
He was arrested on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, driving while suspended with a prior conviction and driving without receiving a license, along with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, a controlled substance, a legend drug and drug paraphernalia.
As of today, masks are recommended but not required in most Columbus city facilities.
City officials say that most buildings are now fully open to the public. However city fire stations are still closed to the public, as is The Commons playground and Animal Care Services are open by appointment only.
Today is the start of summer office hours. Offices in Columbus City Hall are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting today through August 6th. The city transit offices will close at 4 p.m. but the phone will still be answered until 5. Columbus City Utilities is closing at 4 p.m. but the phones and drive through payment window will be open until 5 p.m.
All park and Park facilities are be open normal hours.
A Jackson County corrections officer received several injuries including being choked unconscious during an inmate’s escape attempt at Schneck Medical Center.
Seymour police say that the incident happened yesterday afternoon starting at about 12:24 when 27-year-old inmate Jackson Hatchett of Brownstown was being discharged from the hospital. That’s when he overpowered the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department corrections officer, before barricading himself in a bathroom and breaking out a third floor window, police say. After jumping to a second floor roof and entered a mechanical room, where he was cornered by a Seymour officer who was working security at the hospital.
More police arrived to take Hatchett back into custody. He suffered cuts on his arms during the leap from the window and was taken to the emergency room for treatment. The corrections officer was also taken to the ER for treatment.
Hatchett is facing new felony charges of escape, battery with serious bodily injury, strangulation and theft along with a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.
State Rep. Ryan Lauer of Columbus says that a new state law will break down barriers for young, low-income workers who want to obtain job skills that are in high-demand.
Younger workers will be able to earn up to 15 thousand dollars a year, without affecting the family’s ability to still receive help under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The new law goes into effect in July and will affect those workers younger than 24.
Lauer said the idea is to give incentives to young people from low-income families to pursue their college degree, a workforce certificate, or take part in an apprenticeship program, without hurting their family’s finances.
Lauer said the law also increases the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit to 10% starting next year.