The Top 10: Republic staff members choose the biggest stories of 2023

The Republic staff covered a number of notable stories in 2023, and here are our picks for the top news of the year.

1.

Cummins pays a billion in settlement

Cummins Inc. agreed in principle in December to pay a $1.675 billion penalty to settle claims that it “unlawfully altered hundreds of thousands of engines to bypass emissions tests” in what would be the largest penalty ever for a Clean Air Act violation, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

The government said the Columbus-based company allegedly installed emissions defeat devices on 630,000 model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines and undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines.

The engines in question were made at the Cummins Mid-Range Engine Plant in Walesboro, Cummins officials said.

Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat or render inoperative emissions controls such as emission sensors and onboard computers.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said the agreement would settle allegations that “the company unlawfully altered hundreds of thousands of engines to bypass emissions tests in violation of the Clean Air Act.”

The penalty would be the largest ever for a Clean Air Act violation, and the second-largest environmental penalty ever, the Justice Department said.

Cummins said it conducted an extensive internal review, cooperated fully and “worked collaboratively” with regulators on the matter for more than four years and has already addressed many of the issues involved. “The company has seen no evidence that anyone acted in bad faith and does not admit wrongdoing,” Cummins said.

Cummins said it expects to take a charge of around $2.04 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023 to resolve these and other related matters involving approximately 1 million pick-up truck applications in the United States. That includes about $1.93 billion related to payments that are expected to be made in the first half of 2024.

The company said it has already recalled model year 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 trucks and has initiated a recall of model years 2013 through 2018 RAM 2500 and 3500 trucks and previously accrued a total of $59 million for the estimated costs for executing these and other related recalls.

2.

Republic moves to digital first publication

Beginning in September, The Republic pivoted to a digital news operation, and to a new print publication schedule of Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The change came after AIM Media Indiana determined that more and more of the Republic’s subscribers were getting their news through the Republic’s online delivery methods at therepublic.com.

3.

Library books and censorship

The Bartholomew County Public Library and the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. wrestled with ongoing challenges to books in their collections, with many of the challenges coming from individuals who felt the content of some books was inappropriate for the readers’ age levels who had access to it.

After lengthy library board meetings with voices heard from those who wanted books taken out of the collection, and those who labeled the effort censorship, library officials conducted a survey about their collection and formed a subcommittee to study the section’s offerings.

The survey indicated the library’s teen department was in need of more diverse materials and should be moved to a new location within the library.

At BCSC, lengthy meetings on policy changes included debate about how to challenge books in school libraries and whether some books within the school library collections should be removed or have limited access by students.

In December, BCSC board members updated a policy for library book complaints, with the majority of school board members ultimately deciding to strike a provision that would have specifically allowed complaints for reasons other than obscenity and harm to minors.

The school board approved updates to two policies dealing with library materials, with the vote being split in both cases. An update to Policy 9130 — “Public Complaints and Concerns” was approved 4-3, with Jason Major, Logan Schulz and Dale Nowlin voting against the final version of the policy.

The board also voted 5-2 to approve updates to Policy 2520 — “Selection of Library Materials and Equipment,” with Major and Schulz voting in opposition.

“We’re not talking George Orwell’s ‘1984’ or ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’” Schulz said, in discussing his views on the complaint process. “… I’ve never been part of an ideological argument on books. This has strictly been about how much adult content is too much.”

Both policies were updated due to a new law that requires school libraries to, among other things, establish a formal complaint process for parents, guardians and community members to submit requests to remove library materials that are deemed obscene or harmful to minors.

4.

Columbus Regional Health looks west

In May, Columbus Regional Health and the city of Columbus debuted a concept to turn a nearly 700-acre, hospital-owned site west of Columbus into a community that includes not only a new hospital campus, but also housing options, various types of developments and a great deal of green space.

The site, commonly referred to as the Garden City Farms property, stretches east-to-west from Interstate 65 almost to State Road 11/Jonesville Road, and is south of the westside Walmart and north of the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The hospital system has received city zoning and annexation approval for the project, which is forecast to be far in the future for the CRH system.

5.

Record number of homeless camps

City officials were dispatched to what they described as a record number of homeless camps in Columbus in 2023, while other local officials say they now believe more people are opting to live in tents rather than stay at a local shelter.

Columbus Code Enforcement located around 130 different homeless camps in 2023, up from 93 last year and 63 in 2021, according to city records. Code enforcement does not patrol the city for homeless camps but rather responds to reports received from local residents and businesses, officials said.

The camps, which have ranged in size from just a single tent to a group of upwards of 20 tents in one camp that was about “as long as a football field,” have been found “all over the place” in the community, said city Code Enforcement Officer Fred Barnett.

Some of those locations include Mill Race Park, Noblitt Park, underneath bridges, near the railroad overpass, along the People Trail and near The Taylor apartment complex downtown, among other locations.

6.

Lucas pleads guilty in OWI case

Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, gained statewide notoriety after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from admitting he crashed his truck through an interstate guardrail May 31 while under the influence of alcohol and then fled the scene. In addition to representing Jackson County, Lucas also represents a portion of Bartholomew County, as well as parts of Jackson, Scott and Washington counties.

Lucas received a year of supervised probation and a 180-day suspended jail sentence in June for fleeing the scene, as well as a 60-day suspended sentence for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, according to a negotiated plea agreement between the lawmaker and Jackson County Prosecutor Jeffrey A. Chalfant. He was allowed to plead guilty and be sentenced in one court hearing just days after the crash.

Lucas’ driver’s license also was suspended for 60 days and he was ordered to pay $3,929.62 in restitution and other fees and submit to an alcohol and drug abuse program for evaluation. He also was ordered to not possess any firearms or deadly weapons during his probationary period.

In December, Jackson Superior Court 2 Judge Bruce A. MacTavish granted Lucas’ request to end his probation after six months, stating in court filings, among other things, that he “performed very well on probation with no violations” and that “all fees and financial obligations have been satisfied.”

The state lawmaker also included a letter from his probation officer that states Lucas underwent a substance abuse evaluation in August and had completed treatment recommendations on Dec. 8.

Lucas’ insurance carrier picked up the tab for his court-ordered restitution and fees, cutting a check for the full $3,929.62 on behalf of its insured, The Awning Guy, MadJack Properties LLC, Indiana Department of Transportation records show. Lucas owns The Awning Guy.

MacTavish granted Lucas’ request to cut his probation short the same day that the lawmaker filed the request, court records show.

The charges stemmed from an incident on May 31 when Indiana State Police were notified that a motorist drove a truck down an embankment near Exit 55 on Interstate 65 in Jackson County, hit a guardrail at the State Road 11 interchange, backed up and then drove off.

Dispatch reported that the vehicle had “heavy front-end damage and was smoking.” About 15 minutes later, the Seymour Police Department received a call that a vehicle with “heavy front-end damage and possibly blown tires” was southbound on State Road 11 near Redding Street in Seymour.

A state police officer arrived at Exit 55 and noticed “major guardrail damage” and was assisted by a Seymour police officer to “push the interstate guardrail back out of the roadway.”

The severely damaged truck belonging to Lucas was then driven three miles, and Lucas was found walking before his arrest, according to a probable cause affidavit.

By the time that the officer had the guardrail out of the roadway, Seymour police had located the suspected driver of the vehicle, later identified as Lucas, “stumbling” near Carpet Gallery on Redding Street in Seymour.

A state police officer went to question Lucas about the accident. “I then read Mr. Lucas his Miranda Rights,” the probable cause affidavit states. “… I asked Mr. Lucas if he understood his rights, he stated that he did. I asked him with his rights in mind, if he would like to answer any questions I might have regarding the crash. Mr. Lucas stated that he did not want to.”

The vehicle, a Toyota Tundra, was located behind Carpet Gallery, 2111 N. Ewing St. in Seymour, with “major front-end damage, blown/missing tires and a camper shell over the bed.”

Lucas consented to breath and field sobriety tests and failed vision and walking and balance tests. The breathalyzer came back with a .097 blood alcohol level, according to court documents.

“During the walking portion of the test, I observed Mr. Lucas to miss heel to toe, step off the line and perform an improper turn. … During (a one leg stand test) I observed Mr. Lucas to sway, use his arms to balance and put his foot down.”

Lucas was then transported to Schneck Medical Center for a blood draw and then transported to Jackson County Jail.

“While waiting at the hospital, Mr. Lucas made the statement that he was out celebrating with his wife, and then life threw him a curveball,” the probable cause affidavit states. “Mr. Lucas did not elaborate or go into any further detail.”

Lucas was later asked if he would be willing to provide a brief statement for the crash report, and he said, “I thought I saw a deer, how’s that?”

Police confiscated two pistols from Lucas during his arrest which were submitted into evidence for safekeeping.

In June, Chalfant reached a plea agreement with Lucas before he knew the toxicology results of the lawmaker’s blood draw. Lucas pleaded guilty within eight hours of charges being filed against him.

The following month, the toxicology results showed that Lucas had THC — the active ingredient in marijuana — in his system.

Chalfant told The Republic previously that he “would have charged both counts (against Lucas) if (he) had the results of the blood analysis.”

Lucas also pleaded guilty to a 1988 charge in North Vernon City Court, The Republic reported previously. But by way of a plea agreement in that case, judgment was withheld, and his guilty plea was not certified to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Lucas, who has insisted that he will not resign as a lawmaker, posted a “confession” on his Facebook page in July, saying he had “made mistakes and exercised horrible judgment” and also is “owning it 100%.”

“After this very painful and public ordeal and the ensuing hate, I’ve discovered and recognize (with much help from the hate) how incredibly important it is to be kind to people and not judge anyone, we never know what people are going through. We’re all different and we can disagree, and I will strive to give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise,” Lucas said in the Facebook post.

7.

Money issues sink Pence presidential campaign

In late October, Columbus native and former Vice President Mike Pence announced he was dropping his bid for the Republican presidential nomination after struggles to raise money.

“It’s become clear to me: This is not my time,” Pence said at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering in Las Vegas, reported by The Associated Press. “So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”

“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets,” Pence went on to tell the friendly audience, which reacted with audible surprise to the announcement and gave him multiple standing ovations.

8.

Record demand at local food pantries

Local food pantries saw record demand for help with groceries in 2023 as inflation continued to squeeze budgets and wages failed to keep pace.

Love Chapel, 292 Center St., served an all-time record 1,488 families in October, which amounted to nearly 1 in 10 Bartholomew County residents, said executive director Kelly Daugherty.

By comparison, the organization served an average of 990 families per month last year and 750 families per month in 2021.

And Daugherty said he expects the high demand for food assistance to continue.

“That is the highest that we’ve ever seen,” he said. “We had a couple of months around 1,450, but we were only 12 away from 1,500 (in October).”

In addition, the Salvation Army, 2525 Illinois St., saw increased demand for food and was serving about 700 families in the fall, which officials described as higher-than-normal demand. The organization also has seen an increase in demand for its Bags of Hope, which is a program delivering food to the elderly.

The high demand at local food pantries mirrored trends seen around the country as people struggle to make ends meet amid persistently high prices for food and other items.

9.

Cummins rebrands power business as ‘Accelera’

Cummins Inc.’s new power business adopted a new name in March as the company sought to emphasize its portfolio of zero-emissions technologies and its strategy to remain competitive during the energy transition.

The Columbus-based company announced its new power business segment will now be called Accelera by Cummins. The rebranding, which includes a logo and color scheme, is meant to “shine a bright light” on the products the business segment currently offers and “the strong position that we plan to take in the market of zero emissions solutions for the future,” company officials said.

Cummins Board Chair and CEO Jennifer Rumsey unveiled the new name during an event at the Rubell Museum in Washington, D.C. Rumsey was joined by Amy Davis, who has led the new power business since 2020 and will serve as president of Accelera.

The part of the business that has been been rechristened Accelera includes Cummins’ growing electrified power and hydrogen portfolio and represents much of its efforts to invest in technologies that seek to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The business segment, which employs about 2,000 people worldwide, will continue to be headquartered in Columbus, company officials said.

In another major move, Cummins Emission Solutions finalized its purchase of two Faurecia commercial vehicle manufacturing plants and their related activities, one in Columbus and one in Roermond, Netherlands.

“We announced our intent to acquire this portion of Faurecia’s business in May of 2023, and the Cummins, Faurecia and FORVIA teams have put forth incredible effort to push this across the finish line in recent months,” said Vice President of Cummins Emission Solutions Cary Chenanda.

Faurecia has been a partner and supplier to Cummins for more than a decade, and the FORVIA Group’s divestment initiatives offered Cummins an opportunity to ensure the long-term supply of aftertreatment components and assemblies. The acquisition adds significant technical and manufacturing resources and enhances Cummins’ existing mixer portfolio. Cummins is honoring Faurecia’s existing supplier and customer contracts in both facilities and will make the necessary investments to deliver on the contracts. Faurecia remains a supplier to Cummins in India, China, South Africa and South America.

Cummins financed the transaction using cash on the company’s balance sheet.

10.

The Crump reopens after inspection approval

The Crump Theatre received a permit in August allowing the 134-year-old icon of Columbus’ downtown to reopen to the public after being closed for nearly a decade due to safety hazards involving fire dangers and other concerns.

Columbus Crump LLC received an amusement and entertainment permit for the Crump Theatre following a series of inspections, including a site visit by the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office on Tuesday, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

The permit, which allows the Crump to hold public events, is valid until July 4, 2024, state records show.

The Columbus Fire Department, Bartholomew County Code Enforcement and a structural engineer from Columbus-based Katahdin Engineering LLC also inspected the aging theater before the permit was issued, officials said.

Also notable

Here are a few headlines that could have made the Top 10 list.

• A drive-by shooting in Lincoln Park injured four people on May 23, shocking the Columbus community. Columbus police made two arrests in the case.
• Cummins President and CEO Jennifer Rumsey, a Columbus native, became chair of the company’s board of directors in August. The move came after former Chairman and CEO and Executive Chairman Tom Linebarger retired from the company and the board at the end of July.
• Columbus City Utilities announced that forever chemical PFAs were detected in Columbus drinking water, and one city well was shut down after it tested highest for the contaminant.
• The First Christian Church tower renovation was completed.
• King’s Hawaiian signed on the dotted line to locate a new plant in the Taylorsville area near I-65 and the county agreed to fund water and sewer improvements in the area as part of the deal.