Legal Advertisement TO THE OWNERS OF THE WITHIN DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE AND ALL INTERESTED PARTIES NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE By virtue of a certified copy of a decree to me directed from the Clerk of Bartholomew Circuit Court of Bartholomew County, Indiana, in Cause No.: 03C01-2410-MF-005752 wherein PennyMac Loan Services, LLC , was Plaintiff, and Devon Burton, Dorothy Burton, was/were Defendant(s), requiring me to make the sum as provided for in said Decree with interest and cost, I will expose at public sale to the highest bidder, on the 3rd day of February, 2026, at the hour of 10am or as soon thereafter as is possible, at www.zeusauction. com, the fee simple of the whole body of Real Estate in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Lot Numbered 1 Spalding`s Addition as recorded in Plat Book “G”, Page 80 in the Office of the Recorder of Bartholomew County, Indiana. More Commonly Known As: 9530 West Old Nashville Road, Columbus, IN 47201 03-94-24-000-005.200- 011 Together with rents, issues, income, and profits thereof, said sale will be made without relief from valuation or appraisement laws. Jennifer L. Snook MARINOSCI LAW GROUP, P.C. 2804 Boilermaker Court, Ste. A Valparaiso, IN 46383 Telephone: (219) 386-4700 Chris Lane Sheriff of Bartholomew County City of Columbus 9530 West Old Nashville Road, Columbus, IN 47201 Street Address The Sheriff’s Department does not warrant the accuracy of the street address published herein Type of Service: Personal SERVICE DIRECTED TO: Dorothy Burton 9530 West Old Nashville Road Columbus, IN 47201 Dorothy Burton 1911 Ohio Avenue Columbus, IN 47201 Devon Burton 9530 West Old Nashville Road Columbus, IN 47201 Devon Burton 625 North National Road Columbus, IN 47201 NOTICE: MARINOSCI LAW GROUP, P.C. IS A DEBT COLLECTOR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 60156227 hspaxlp R:12/20, 12/27/2025 01/03/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156274
Legal Advertisement TO THE OWNERS OF THE WITHIN DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE AND ALL INTERESTED PARTIES NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE By virtue of a certified copy of a decree to me directed from the Clerk of Circuit Court of Bartholomew County, Indiana, in Cause No. 03C01-2502-MF-000668 wherein U.S. Bank National Association was Plaintiff, and Christopher Michael Schoen, Brittany Marie Schoen and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, were Defendants, requiring me to make the sum as provided for in said Decree with interest and cost, I will expose at public online sale to the highest bidder, on the 3rd day of February, 2026, at the hour of 10:00 a.m. or as soon thereafter as is possible, at www.zeusauction.com, the fee simple of the whole body of Real Estate in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Lot Numbered Twenty-nine (29) in Windsor Place, Phase One, as recorded in Plat Book “F”, page 237B, in the Office of the Recorder of Bartholomew County, Indiana. More commonly known as: 3506 Kensington Ct, Columbus, IN 47203 Parcel No. : 03-96-08-420-000.922-005 Together with rents, issues, income, and profits thereof, said sale will be made without relief from valuation or appraisement laws. Chris Lane Sheriff of Bartholomew County Columbus Township 3506 Kensington Ct, Columbus, IN 47203 Street Address The Sheriff’s Department does not warrant the accuracy of the street addressed published herein Nathan A. Dewan 35006-82 Doyle &Foutty, P.C. 41 E Washington Street Suite 400 Indianapolis, IN 46204 NOTICE DOYLE &FOUTTY, P.C. IS A DEBT COLLECTOR 60156274 hspaxlp R:12/13, 12/20, 1/3/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156226
Legal Advertisement TO THE OWNERS OF THE WITHIN DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE AND ALL INTERESTED PARTIES NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE By virtue of a certified copy of a decree to me directed from the Clerk of Superior Court of Bartholomew County, Indiana, in Cause No. 03D01-2508-MF-004795 wherein First Financial Bank was Plaintiff and Amanda K. Furlani was Defendant, requiring me to make the sum as provided for in said Decree with interest and cost, I will expose at public sale to the highest bidder, on the 3rd day of February, 2026, at the hour of 10:00am local time or as soon thereafter as is possible via www.zeusauction.com the fee simple of the whole body of Real Estate in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Lot Numbered Two (2) in Wint Subdivision as per plat dated June 30, 1962, and recorded September 1, 1962, in Plat Book “F”, Page 22, in the Office of the Recorder of Bartholomew County, Indiana. Parcel ID No. 03-96-29-210-006.400-005 More commonly known as 49 Beechwood Court, Columbus, Indiana 47201 Together with rents, issues, income, and profits thereof, said sale will be made without relief from valuation or appraisement laws. “Subject to all liens, encumbrances and easements of record not otherwise extinguished in the proceedings known as Cause 03D01-2508-MF-004795 in the Superior Court of the County of Bartholomew, Indiana.” Taylor M. Hamilton No. 30338-10 Morgan Pottinger McGavrey 401 South Fourth Street, Suite 1200 Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Attorneys for Plaintiff Chris Lane Sheriff of Bartholomew County, Indiana The Sheriff’s Department does not warrant the accu- racy of the street addressed published herein. SERVICE DIRECTED TO: Taylor M. Hamilton Morgan Pottinger McGarvey 401 South Fourth Street, Suite 1200 Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Amanda K. Furlani 49 Beechwood Court Columbus, Indiana 47201 60156226 hspaxlp R: 12/20, 12/27/2025 01/03/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156253
Legal Advertisement TO THE OWNERS OF THE WITHIN DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE AND ALL INTERESTED PARTIES NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE By virtue of a certified copy of a decree to me directed from the Clerk of Circuit County of Bartholomew County, Indiana in Cause No. 03C01-2503-MF-001494 wherein Jackson County Bank was Plaintiff, and Michael W. Lucas and Jill L. Lucas, were Defendants, requiring me to make the sum as provided for in said Decree with interest and cost, I will expose at public sale to the highest bidder, on the 3rd day of February, 2026 at the hour of 10:00 AM or as soon thereafter as is possible, at www.zeusauction. com, the fee simple of the whole body of Real Estate in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Lot Numbered Seventy-Seven (77) in Northgate Subdivision as per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book “D”, page 167, in the Office of the Recorder of Bartholomew County, Indiana More commonly known as: State Parcel Number: 03-05-35-330-000. 600-009 Together with rents, issues, income, and profits thereof, said sale will be made without relief from valuations or appraismement laws. Plantiff Attorney: William M. Braman Lorenzo Bevers Braman &Connell Seymour Abstract &Title 218 West 2nd Street Seymour, IN 47274 (812) 524-9000 wbraman@lbbc-law.com Sheriff of Bartholomew County Township Street Address 2221 W. Northgate Dr. Columbus, IN 47201 The Sheriff’s Department does not warrant the accuracy of the street address published herein SERVICE DIRECTED TO: Michael W. Lucas, 2221 W. Northgate Drive Columbus, IN 47201 Jill L. Lucas, 2221 W. Northgate Drive Columbus, IN 47201 UNKNOWN OCCUPANT, 2221 W. Northgate Drive Columbus, IN 47201 60156253 hspaxlp R: 12/20, 12/27/2025 01/03/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156514
Legal Advertisement LEGAL NOTICE DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC Public notice is hereby given to affected property owners pursuant to 170 IAC 4-9-4(f) that within two (2) to six (6) weeks of the date of this notice, weather permitting, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC will be performing vegetation management as part of its power line maintenance program in the area described below. As part of this project, one of its qualified contractors will be applying EPA approved and registered herbicides to control vegetation that may interfere with the safe operation and maintenance of power lines. This vegetation management will be performed in/near Taylorsville on or near streets identified below: Beginning at the substation located at the intersection of W 500 N &N 110 W to include the areas around &near: N of W 450 N, E of I-65, S of W 700 N, W of N 50 W The date this notice is published initiates the two (2) week period for calculating implied consent by an affected property owner under 170 IAC 4-9. If you have any questions, you may contact the Duke Energy Vegetation Management toll free number, 866-385-3675. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC Vegetation Management Department 60156514 hspaxlp R: 1/3/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156478
Legal Advertisement Vision Housing LLC (6126 Basswood Dr, Columbus, Indiana 47201) is submitting a Notice of Intent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management of our intent to comply with the requirements of Construction Stormwater General Permit to discharge stormwater from construction activities associated with the construction of an earthen berm along the northern and western property lines of a 19.2 acre tract on 150 N south of Paula Drive in Columbus, Indiana. Proposed land disturbance for this permit includes construction of an eight foot tall earthen berm in accordance with a zoning commitment for the property. Run-off from the project site will flow to the west and south toward the Joseph Anthony regulated drain which adjoins the property. Total site disturbance is 3.2 acres. Total impervious surface post-development is zero square feet. Project site is located within the Haw Creek – Flatrock River watershed. Please direct questions to the engineer for the owner, Tim Thomas, of Milestone Design Group, Inc. (1428 Lafayette Ave, Columbus, Indiana 47201) by calling 812-372-7398 or by email at tthomas@milestonedesign.org. 60156478 hspaxlp R: 01/03/2026
2026-01-03 The Republic 60156501
Legal Advertisement NOTICE TO BIDDERS Bowen Engineering Corporation (a General Contractor) An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer is seeking Certified MBE/WBE owned business bids for the Columbus, IN “WWTP Thermal Dryer” Project. Subcontracting opportunities are available for Demolition, Excavation, Trucking, Seeding, Sheeting/Shoring, Asphalt Paving, Fencing, Concrete, Reinforcing Steel Placement, Masonry, Waterproofing, Roofing, Interior Finishes, Painting, Instrumentation/Controls, HVAC and Electrical. Interested and Certified MBE/WBE business parties should contact Elaine Dabney at elaine.dabney@bowenengineering.com to discuss subcontracting opportunities and to view plans. All bids and applicable MBE/WBE documentation must be submitted on or before January 27th, 2026 at 12:00PM EST. 60156501 hspaxlp R: 1/3/2026
Work begins on Ten20 North apartment complex construction
Mike Wolanin | The Republic Site prep for the Ten20 North development continutes near the intersection of 11th and Washington streets in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
Construction on what will be a 120-unit mixed-use development at 11th and Washington streets is underway.
Bloomington-based Rubicon Development has begun construction on what will be a five-story, 120-unit, mixed-use development known as Ten20 North.
Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety members in October accepted right-of-way associated with the project, which consolidated three lots between Jackson and Washington streets, just south of 11th Street, including 921 Jackson St. and 1008 and 1020 Washington streets.
A building permit for the project was issued the first week of November, and so far, the site has been leveled and graded.
Rubicon representatives did not return requests for information about the construction timeline by press time.
According to site plans, the development would include a ground floor with 61,000 square feet for parking, 2,700 square feet of entry space and 2,600 square feet for office/commercial space. It will also have a 143-space parking garage.
Floors two through five will be 32,000 square feet each for residential space, including eight three-bedroom units, 40 two-bedroom units, 48 one-bedroom units and 24 studio units.
Studio units start at $1,320 per month, one-bedroom units at $1,435 per month, two-bedrooms up to $2,167 per month and three-bedroom units up to $2,376 per month, Rubicon representatives said previously, with 10% of the units considered “workforce” units at a 20% rent reduction.
The project received $6.4 million in tax-increment-financing (TIF) dollars in the form of a forgivable loan the redevelopment commission provided to the developer to make the financing of the $30.9 million project work, according to city officials.
Columbus City Council members earlier this year voted against creating a new TIF district as part of the project agreement, which meant redevelopment will recoup just over $2.4 million of that $6.4 million for other purposes, with the remainder of the $4 million returning to the tax base.
Rubicon gained ownership of the three parcels from Sprague Rentals LLC on July 11, according to online property records.
Rubicon had previously presented plans for a potential restaurant at 1034 Washington St., the former Joe Willy’s site, as late as June 2024 during the site development plan approval process, but were asked to remove that material by planning department staff because it wasn’t part of the mixed-use development.
Bergman also said that Rubicon has not yet submitted an application to his department regarding the former Joe Willy’s property, also known as the Overstreet Home.
The parcel at 1034 Washington St. is currently owned by the Columbus Capital Foundation. It was purchased in 2023 for $412,500, according to the county GIS system.
‘Cautious optimism’: Overdose deaths in Bartholomew County decline for third straight year
Mike Wolanin | The Republic An exterior view of the Columbus Regional Health Treatment and Support Center in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
Bartholomew County is expected to record an annual decline in drug overdose deaths for the third consecutive year, with local officials expressing “cautious optimism” that the community will continue to make progress in reducing deaths.
A total of 21 overdose deaths were reported in Bartholomew County in 2025, according to preliminary data from the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office. That would be a decline from 22 deaths in 2024, 25 deaths in 2023 and a record 39 deaths in 2022.
The coroner’s office cautioned that the data is preliminary at this point and may be adjusted later as officials validate records for the office’s annual report, which is expected to be released by the end of this month.
“Three consecutive years of decreases is good news and cause for cautious optimism,” said Bartholomew County Deputy Coroner Jay Frederick. “It’s also noteworthy that we did not have any apparent overdose deaths in the fourth quarter of 2025.”
Dr. Kevin Terrell, medical director at Columbus Regional Health’s Treatment and Support Center, or TASC, also welcomed the third consecutive annual decline in overdose deaths. TASC, 2630 22nd St., provides a range of outpatient treatments for substance use disorder.
“The decline in overdose death rates in 2025 is great news for our community,” Terrell said. “I am thrilled that the trend continues. I was very concerned that the decrease we saw in 2023 was a fluke, but the reductions in death rates have continued for an additional two years. This makes me more optimistic that we will continue to make progress on the opioid epidemic.”
Terrell said last month that TASC had been consistently seeing over 400 active patients. The most common drug that people have been seeking help with is methamphetamine, followed closely by fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is more potent than heroin but is cheaper to produce and distribute. Officials have said fentanyl is increasingly being cut with other drugs, including counterfeit pills.
At the same time, TASC has continued to see a “large and growing number of patients” seeking help for alcohol problems, Terrell said.
Many experts attribute the growing numbers of people struggling with alcohol abuse to the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were stuck at home and isolated from others, Terrell said. Many people turned to alcohol to cope with the loneliness and despair people experienced during the pandemic.
“I am pleased that so many people who are struggling with alcohol are coming in for help,” Terrell said.
The preliminary annual figures from the coroner’s office come a few months after the federal government reported that there were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded, The Associated Press reported.
An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday, according to wire reports. That’s down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023.
The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics.
All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota experiencing small increases, according to wire reports. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation’s decades-long overdose epidemic, according to wire reports.
There were 1,695 overdose deaths in Indiana during the 12-month period that ended in December 2024, down from 2,193 during the same period in 2023 — a 23% decline — according to the provisional CDC data.
Bartholomew County has seen declines in overdose deaths in each of the previous three years after surging to records highs in 2020, 2021 and 2022, according to county records. Overdose deaths in the county declined 36% in 2023, 12% in 2024 and 5% in 2025.
Before 2020, annual overdose deaths in the county had eclipsed 20 two times within the previous five years. Since the pandemic struck, annual overdose deaths have been higher than 20 for six straight years, including three years above 30.
A total of 260 people in Bartholomew County died from an overdose from 2015 to 2025, according to county records.
“We have a long way to go to return to pre-epidemic levels,” Frederick said.
Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors, including, among other things, increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, expanded addiction treatment, shifts in how people use drugs, the impact of opioid lawsuit settlement money, according to wire reports.
Frederick said it would take in-depth research to determine what factors may have contributed to the local decline in overdose deaths, but the coroner’s office “would prefer to believe” that the reduction was driven by increased public awareness about the fatal risks of street drugs, the increased availability of naloxone and steady law enforcement targeting drug dealers.
“Our office publicly presents drug overdose deaths in terms of statistics to respect the privacy of individuals and their families,” Frederick said. “But it is important to recognize that each case involves an individual story. Too often, it’s the story of a young person who otherwise had plenty of life ahead. Many families choose to share their painful story on social media or in other news features, hoping it can prevent similar deaths. It’s possible that individual stories and photos of young faces have helped drive the overall numbers down.”
James family welcomes first baby of 2026
Mike Wolanin | The Republic Blake and Grace James pose for a photo with their newborn daughter Lola Kay Marie James in their room at the Birthing Center inside Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Lola James was the first baby born in Bartholomew County in 2026.
Bartholomew County’s first baby of 2026 arrived at Columbus Regional Hospital just a short time after the arrival of the new year.
The county’s first baby is Lola Kay-Marie, born at 1:08 a.m. Thursday, the first child for Blake and Grace James, Columbus. Her original due date was Jan. 9.
Lola weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces, 21-inches long, and joins several “grandsons” and just one other “granddaughter” in the extended family.
Blake is a wastewater plant operator for the city of Columbus and Grace is a kindergarten teacher at CSA Fodrea in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.
Extended family also played a role in Lola’s arrival, the new parents said. CRH registered nurse Sarah Hudson, older sister of Grace, helped in the delivery at the birthing center.
Aunt Sarah has been at the center for more than 12 years and is currently studying to be a midwife.
Grace said she and her husband were told that she needed to be induced Wednesday morning due to some medical issues.
“We didn’t know how long it would take,” she said in an interview from the hospital Friday. Surprisingly, the CRH birthing center wasn’t very busy over New Year’s, with the couple saying that “basically, it’s really just been us” except for perhaps one other family.
Grace said it was very emotional to have her sister assist in Lola’s birth as the couple did not know they were going to have the baby on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
“It was a very happy surprise,” she said.
Hudson described assisting in Lola’s arrival as a “huge blessing,” to get to be with her baby sister and to help her deliver her first baby on the holiday. “For her (Lola) to be the first baby of the year was just a lot of fun,” she said.
When asked what it was like to enter the exclusive “Girl Dad” club, Blake James said, “I wanted a girl, so I’m over the moon.”
