A job well done
Thanks to the hard work of local and federal law enforcement officers, one of the largest drug operations in Bartholomew County history is now in the record books.
On Wednesday, acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress announced that an extensive drug trafficking organization responsible for selling large quantities of illegal drugs in the Columbus area had been dismantled after a multi-year effort.
In total, 36 individuals have been indicted by a grand jury on various federal charges. Twenty-five of those individuals are already in federal prison.
The drug bust started in 2018 after law enforcement identifying several Mexican-based drug traffickers who lived and operated in the Columbus area.
"Operation Columbus Day" collected about 114 pounds of methamphetamine, 4 pounds of heroin/fentanyl and 28 pounds of marijuana total along with 115 firearms.
All those that helped bring the drug operation down, especially those from the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Columbus Police Department, should be commended for their hard work to make the community a safer and healthier place.
Standing up against hate
Like our country, one of Bartholomew County’s greatest strengths is its diversity.
On March 26, the community came out in support of local Asian Americans.
The rally, which drew around 230 people at Columbus City Hall, was held in the wake of the murders of six people of Asian ancestry in Atlanta earlier this month.
Similar events have been held across the country recently, as an increasing number of hate crimes towards Asian Americans have been recorded since 2019.
Asian Americans are among the fastest-growing demographic in the Columbus area, representing about 8.5% of the total population.
It’s important that events such as last week’s rally continue to be held as we strive to create a more unified society.
Speeding up the process
While the start of the vaccine rollout was slow due to limited supply, the effort is now moving full steam ahead.
On top of the state opening the vaccine to those 16 and up on Wednesday, those wishing to get vaccinated locally have the option of signing up for a mass vaccination clinic next weekend.
The clinic, which will be held at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds, will offer the Moderna vaccine (currently available to those 18 and older).
The health department anticipates it will have around 1,300 doses of the vaccine that day, so April 10 will go down as one of the largest vaccination days in the county’s 200-year history.
It’s encouraging to see hope spread as more individuals get vaccinated, and we hope that more Hoosiers will continue to fill time slots in the near future.
