Saluting our veterans
After a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, SALUTE! is returning to downtown Columbus.
The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic will be performing an adjusted concert on the lawn of the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans at Second and Jackson streets on May 28.
Each year, the free concert attracts between 4,000 and 5,000 people. Last year’s event was canceled for the first time in the concert’s 20 years of existence because of the pandemic.
We look forward to the return of the concert that honors those that have served in the military, and are glad organizers are making plans to hold the event in a safe manner.
Also be sure to keep a lookout for The Republic’s annual SALUTE! section, which will be inserted into the newspaper on May 27.
Ready for use
Those living and traversing through Hope can finally enjoy the extensive upgrades done to the community’s town square.
Town officials announced last week that the space has been reopened after almost nine months of being closed after $437,500 worth of improvements were made.
Improvements include newly installed concrete pathways, specially-designed park benches and receptacles, streetlights with black posts and globes that utilize LED lights, and new roofs placed on both the shelterhouse and bandstand.
With the weather starting to trend on the warmer side, now is the perfect time for the citizens of Bartholomew County to break-in the new amenities.
Back open to the public
Both the city and county are signaling another step towards normalcy.
After almost 14 months of allowing by-appointment meetings only, Columbus and Bartholomew County governments plan to reopen almost all remaining closed facilities Monday.
At the county level, all offices — including the county courthouse and the county’s general office building — are set to reopen.
In Columbus, city hall, the police department, all city parks, Columbus Utilities, the Department of Public Works and the Aviation department are among the facilities reopening.
Both the county and city are asking that visitors continue to wear masks and practice responsible social distancing for the time being.
While perhaps overdue, we’re glad that more government buildings will soon be open to better serve the public that funds them.
