By Diane Daily

A lawsuit has been filed against the woman police say was responsible for the hit and run death of an IU student. 20-year-old Nathaniel Stratton was riding an electric scooter on a sidewalk on September 18th when he was allegedly struck by a car driven by 22-year-old Madelyn Howard. Howard then fled the scene and was arrested a short time later by Bloomington Police. According to published reports, Stratton’s parents filed the lawsuit last week. It asks for a jury trial and reasonable compensation for medical expenses and funeral and burial costs.
A weekend fire in downtown Columbus is under investigation. The fire was reported shortly before midnight Saturday and took four hours to get under control. Nearly 40 firefighters were on the scene including several from the Seymour and Hope Fire Departments. No one was in the building at time of the fire, but three firefighters received minor injuries while fighting the blaze.
Cases of the flu are on the rise in Indiana. That’s according to the State Department of Health. There have been 11 flu-related deaths across in the state this season and all of them were adults who were age 50 or older. Three long-term care facilities have reported recent flu outbreaks. Influenza is also becoming more prevalent in schools and offices.
Today is the last day to donate to the Winter Wonderland celebration at the Banneker Community Center. Donations of new, unwrapped toys are games are currently being accepted at several collection sites around Bloomington, including City Hall, the IU Neal-Marshall Center, IU School of Education and the Kelley School of Business. The toys will be given out at the Winter Wonderland celebration this Saturday afternoon from noon until 3:00. The free event will also include arts and crafts, cookie decoration, holiday carols, and free photos with Santa.