Back to school
If everything goes as planned, hundreds of college students will flock back to Columbus in August.
On Monday, Ivy Tech Community College announced that it will offer in-person classes across its statewide campuses this fall. The news came two weeks after Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie said that the fall 2021 semester on all IU campuses — including IUPUC — will be in person.
While both local colleges hope to resume "normal" operations next school year, officials said they are planning on staying flexible by offering a variety of in-person, hybrid, and online classes.
The developments are exciting on multiple fronts, as many local and out-of-county students will opt to return to learning now that a vaccine is available and effective health protocols are in place for COVID-19.
Enrollment numbers understandably dipped at both colleges in 2020, so hopefully the 2021-22 school year will be a major boost for both schools and the local economy.
Bringing home the hardware
Believe it or not, Columbus has become somewhat known as a hockey town in Indiana.
Columbus Youth Hockey celebrated a pair of state championships this past weekend, as the Columbus Icemen claimed the Indiana State High School Hockey Association championship and the Columbus Flames 14U won the Indiana Youth Hockey State Championship in the 14U Hoosier Division.
The Icemen beat Central Indiana Knights 4-2 on Saturday to take the title while Flames 14U won a shootout over Fort Wayne PSM.
The state championship was the sixth for the Icemen, as the program won the Class A state title in 1994, a 3A championship in 2008 and 2A titles in 1997, 2002 and 2018.
Columbus is one of the smallest communities to field hockey teams in the state, and what the local youth programs have accomplished in recent years is nothing short of remarkable.
Party making youth a priority
The Bartholomew County Republican Party is hoping to see lots of new, young faces within its ranks in the near future.
With the election of Luann Welmer, 60, as the next Republican Central Committee chairwoman last weekend, and subsequent selections of Josh Burnett as vice-chair, Leah Beyer as secretary and Liana Lienhoop as treasurer, the party signaled it plans put a strong focus of getting the next generation interested and involved in the local GOP.
As part of the initiative, the local Republicans also plan on reviving the Young Republicans’ Club to create enthusiasm in the community.
It will be interesting to see how the local political landscape will change under the new leadership, and if it will mirror any shifts that take place in Washington D.C.
