9:30 a.m. Wednesday update:
The following are closings or cancellations that have been reported related to the coronavirus threat.
City services
Fixed transit routes for the city’s bus system are no longer running. The city will continue to offer Call-A-Bus services for people with medical needs.
Animal Care Services offices are closed but individuals may make appointments. Animal Care officers will respond to emergency situations and the city’s sheltered animals will be cared for.
The City Utilities office will continue to accept payments through the drive-in window, but the lobby is closed
All park department buildings will be closed to the public, but staff is available by email and by phone. All outdoor playgrounds will continue to be open and will be cleaned daily by park staff.
Columbus City Hall will remain open but with limited staff. The public should email or phone prior to coming into the building if possible.
County services
The Bartholomew County Commissioners urging local residents to conduct as much county government business as possible via email or phone, instead of coming into county facilities. Certain county offices will have drop boxes that can used for payments or documents that need to be dropped off.
Ginny Whipple, Bartholomew County assessor, announced rules for submitting personal property forms. Whipple said the forms will only be accepted by mail, email, telephone or by appointment, she said. If there are no changes from last year, the easiest way to file is over the phone, she said. Business and Farm Personal Property Forms are due in the office or postmarked by May 15. Forms may be obtained at in.gov/dlgf/4971.htm or by emailing motte@bartholomew.in.gov. Call 812-379-1505 to have forms mailed.
The Bartholomew County Health Department’s Nursing Division also is urging people to reschedule routine appointments, according to the statement from the county commissioners. Make-up or new appointments won’t be scheduled until after June.
The commissioners currently still plan to meet on Monday morning but will practice social distancing at the meeting.
All Bartholomew County parks are closed until April 6.
Governmental meetings
The City of Columbus/Bartholomew County Planning Office in Columbus City Hall has postponed the March 23 County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting and the March 24 City Board of Zoning Appeals indefinitely. Property owners who were notified about these meetings will be re-notified when a new date has been set. Visit columbus.in.gov/planning/ or call 812-376-2550 for more information.
Township services
Columbus Township Trustee’s office is closed as all staff will be working remotely. Anyone needing assistance should call the office at 812-372-8249 and leave a message. They will receive a return phone call from a case worker to begin the application process.
Facilities
Fair Oaks Mall announces the temporary closure of the mall. This includes mall walking. The mall will reopen March 30 at 10 a.m.
The Bartholomew County Historical Society museum, 524 Third St., is temporarily closing until April 7. We will still be available for research and other questions by calling 812-372-3541 and we will return your call as soon as possible. Visit bartholomewhistory.org.
Sans Souci will be closed until further notice. This includes the donation center.
YES Cinema is closed and hopes to reopen no later than April 10.
Just Friends Adult Day Services in Columbus has closed until at least March 30.
Bartholomew County Public Library and Hope Branch Library and the bookmobile are now closed until at least April 6 (library staff are encouraging the public to use its digital resources).
The Indiana Department of Corrections has suspended all visitation at all prison facilities in Indiana.
The Bartholomew County Jail has suspended all visitation.
The Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum at 4742 Ray Boll Blvd. is closed.
kidscommons has announced that it will be closed through April 7 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The children’s museum is located in downtown Columbus.
Thrive Alliance announces it will limit in-person options counseling appointments and is encouraging use of telephone and electronic communications technology for any inquiries rather than in-office visits. These policies will begin immediately and remain in effect until further notice. For more information, go to thrive-alliance.org or call (866) 644-6407.
Foundation For Youth will close the 405 Hope Ave. and 12454 Youth Camp Facilities through April 5.
The ASAP Hub will have limited staffing. Call 812-418-8705 or walk in to receive assistance with recovery-related serves. Transportation services are being halted until further notice.
The Columbus Area Visitors Center will be closed to Monday, April 6. All architecture tours and public gatherings at the Visitors Center during this period are postponed or canceled. Visitors Center staff will continue to support the tourism industry by working remotely.
Mill Race Center (all senior programs and services).
The Commons
Donner Center
Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena
Columbus Gymnastics Center
Cal Brand Meeting Room in City Hall
Park Operations Service Center
Lincoln Park softball diamonds
Clifty Park softball and baseball diamonds
Blackwell Park soccer fields
Business
The state and Columbus has asked all restaurants and bars to close their in-house dining and only offer drive-thru or carryout.
Medical
Columbus Regional Hospital has canceled all elective, non-urgent surgeries and procedures. Patients with scheduled surgeries or procedures should contact their physician’s offices.
Churches
East Columbus Christian Church is canceling services and activities until April 12. Weekly sermons may be viewed at eastccc.net at 10 a.m. each Sunday
Catholic Masses throughout Indiana are canceled until further notice.
North Christian Church has closed the church and canceled services.
First Presbyterian Church has canceled all in-person gatherings, including worship and committee meetings, until further notice. Streaming of worship services is available here facebook.com/groups/56933406910/.
St. Paul Episcopal Church will suspend worship services until at least the end of the March, according to the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
Unitarian Universalist Church is closed.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church has canceled services for March 21 and 22.
Garden City Church of Christ is canceling services until April 5. The church will provide weekly sermons at gardencitychurch.com or on the church Facebook page.
Events
Indiana’s statewide Test Tornado Drill for Wednesday is canceled.
Columbus Fellowship Club on Jonesville Road has canceled all meetings.
The Get Your Pink On Open Car Show set for March 21 has been postponed.
The United Way’s annual meeting originally scheduled April 7 has been postponed to 4 p.m. June 15 at The Commons, 300 Washington St.
The Hoosier Spring Classic pig sale, sponsored by Bartholomew County Purebred Breeders, on March 22 at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds has been canceled.
The Columbus Area Railroad Club is now limiting its monthly open house gathering on Saturday at Johnson County Park to members only.
The Harlequin Theatre: Dave Dugan comedy show April 4 and the Banister Family Bluegrass Band concert April 18 are canceled.
The Wounded Warriors benefit concert Friday at The Commons has been rescheduled to Oct. 24 with the same artists.
Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting scheduled for March 25 is postponed.
Bartholomew County Public Library programs and events (and meeting room usage) are canceled through April 5.
Comic-Con scheduled for the Columbus Learning Center April 2.
The National Weather Service Weather Spotter Classes planned for March 18 have been canceled.
The state robotics competition to be hosted by GalacTech at Columbus North High School March 20 and 21 has been postponed.
The Indiana State School Music Association is canceling all competitive music events through April 11.
The J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program has canceled lectures on April 2, 16 and 23 that were part of the Miller M.Arch series. Also canceled are the Doreen McCarthy guest lecture on April 7 and Polysemy (Doreen McCarthy Exhibition) on April 9.
The Bartholomew County Library is canceling Show-and-Tell with Antiques, Fine Art and Collectibles on March 17 and Irish Music on March 19.
Feminism Club and IUPUC Office for Women event “Feminist Ethics in Roller Derby” March 31 at the Columbus Learning Center at 4555 Central Ave. is postponed, and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Columbus Area Arts Council programs through April 12 are canceled.
The Columbus Bluegrass Jamboree originally scheduled for March 21, at Donner Center has been canceled.
HPW Wrestling at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds is canceled on April 4.
Brown County Music Center has rescheduled shows for Warrant for June 5, Kenny G for Oct. 1, Carrot Top for Dec. 9 and shows to be rescheduled are for Gordon Lightfood and Melissa Etheridge.
Hawpatch-Hawcreek Conservation Club in Hope has postponed the March 21 fish fry and raffle.
Athletics
2020 North/South Indiana All-Star Classic on April 5 has been postponed.
All Indianapolis Indians games are postponed and all other events scheduled at Victory Field are canceled. For any ticketed events, hold on to your tickets and the team will provide additional information on options.
The NCAA Men’s and Women’s 2020 basketball tournament is canceled.
The IHSAA boys basketball tournament series is postponed.
Indiana University is canceling the men’s and women’s Little 500 bike races and all qualifications. A decision on commencement ceremonies will be made in the coming weeks.
Schools
Columbus Christian School will extend spring break through April 3. Information about e-Learning days will be sent to staff and families. All school-related events and activities are canceled until school is in session.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. will suspend all school-related activities beginning March 16, including athletics. Schools will be closed and eLearning days used from March 23 to April 3.
At the completion of spring break, the Flat Rock-Hawcreek campus will remain closed to students on March 23 and March 24 as teachers prepare for extended e-learning days. Students will receive instruction from home through the e-learning platform from March 25 to April 5, the school corporation said. All spring athletic practices and events will also be canceled until students return, tentatively planned for April 6.
Edinburgh School Corp. will close schools from March 23 to April 6, using state waiver days for March 23 to March 27. E-learning will be from March 30 to April 3.Visit ecsc.k12.in.us or the school’s Facebook page for information on picking up laptops or other information.
Ivy Tech Community College announced that it will extend the delivery of courses virtually through the remainder of the current semester. Courses will restart March 23 and conclude May 16, all being offered virtually. Ivy Tech locations will remain open to allow students to access computer labs and to provide essential services such as advising, financial aid and access to faculty in a face-to-face format. Accommodations will be made for labs, clinicals and some technology courses to meet in groups of 10 or less if safety of all involved through social distancing can be assured. Information regarding such meetings will be provided to students from their faculty. Some faculty and staff will continue to be on location to provide assistance. The college will post updates on scheduling to ivytech.edu/COVID-19.
Indiana University has announced that it is extending remote learning through the end of the spring semester due to the coronavirus epidemic. To make this adjustment, spring break has been extended an additional week, with remote instruction beginning March 30. IU Fort Wayne, given its location on the Purdue campus, will remain on its current schedule, returning to remote teaching March 23. IU is also requiring students to return to their permanent residences or live off campus for the remainder of the spring semester, with residence halls closing March 20. There will be guidance for students who cannot return to their homes, including some international students.
Purdue University has announced classes will be delivered by remote instruction for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.Residence halls will remain open for those students who must remain on campus, but any student who can move home/to a different location is asked to do so. Purdue’s campus remains open, with telecommuting/remote work permitted wherever possible.
Utilities
Bartholomew County REMC is temporarily suspending late fees on member accounts and non-pay service disconnects until April 20. With the growing concerns about the pandemic, REMC would like to limit foot traffic in its office so that we can continue to provide reliable electric service. Payments may be made in the drop box at the REMC office or the drop box at Horizon Bank on Second Street in Columbus. For more information, or to pay online, visit BCREMC.com. Call 844-344-4369 to use the automated pay by phone system or call a customer service representative Monday through Friday at 812-372-2546. REMC’s annual meeting on April 7 may be rescheduled, with a decision to be made March 24.
Duke Energy has announced it will not disconnect any customer’s service for non-payment, in order to give customers experiencing financial hardship extra time to make payments. The company will continue to read meters and send bills. Customers should pay what they can to avoid building up a large balance. Duke Energy technicians will continue to respond to power outages and other emergencies and complete service orders. Customers may perform nearly all customer service functions online, through the company’s automated voice phone system or through the company’s mobile app.
Southwestern Bartholomew Water Corp.’s lobby is closed. A drop box is available for payments at the office, or payments may be made through mail or at paygov.us with a credit card. Disconnection for non-payment will be suspended for March. Customer service is available by phone. The utility will continue to read meters and send bills, and respond to emergencies. For more information, call 812-342-4421.
