The Christmas season in Columbus kicks off on Saturday with the opening of the Christmas Village at The Commons and the Festival of Lights parade.

The Christmas Village will include family activities such as games, crafts and a model train display presented by the Columbus Area Railroad Club. That will run from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Commons.

The Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Columbus starts at 6 p.m. Saturday evening. You will see a lot of street closures in the downtown area Saturday afternoon with parade setup starting at 1:30 p.m. Streets will be closing between 2nd and 8th streets, north to south, and from Washington to Lindsey, east to west.

The first performance of a new play featuring the town of Hope will be taking the stage this weekend in the northeastern Bartholomew County community.

The book, “The Well House” tells the story of a Vietnam-era Marine from Hope and his relationship with a pacifistic woman from Chicago who he meets at Indiana University before the war.

David Webster of Hope has written the stage adaptation of the book by Mark Van Voorhis and Ed Kugler.Webster first met Van Voorhis in 2015 when the author came to Hope to publicize his book.

Webster said the book has great substance to it and is about more than the war.

The book prominently features the Well House at IU. According to lore, a woman can’t officially be a co-ed at the university until she is kissed at the Well House.

The play will be performed Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Willow Leaves of Hope on the north side of the Hope Town Square. You can get more information at 812-546-0640

A Seymour driver allegedly admitted to taking meth and marijuana before hitting the road in Jennings County with two pounds of marijuana in his vehicle.

Witnesses reported a vehicle weaving over the centerline, into a ditch and all over the road on Commiskey Pike at about 10:13 Friday night. A Jennings County deputy found the car on State Road 3 near County Road 750S and the driver crossed the center and drove the deputy off the road, according to police reports.

The deputy pulled the vehicle a police dog smelled drugs inside. A search revealed methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and the large amount of marijuana inside the vehicle.

The driver, 28 year old Corey Rayl, allegedly admitted to taking the drugs and was arrested on preliminary charges including dealing marijuana, possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, driving while suspended, false informing, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

A Johnson County sheriff’s department police dog is getting body armor.

The department reports that police dog, Billy, is receiving the armor thanks to a donation from Vested Interest in K9s. The Massachusetts not-for-profit was created in 2009 to provide the armor for the the four-legged police officers.

The group has provided more than 3,100 protective vests in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement dog is $950. The vests are protection against bullets and stab wounds.

You can get more information at vik9s.org.

Kyle Robertson will be the chief of staff for newly elected Congressman Greg Pence.

Robertson served as Mike Pence’s campaign manager when he ran for governor and served as general consultant for Greg Pence’s congressional campaign. After the successful governor campaign in 2012, Robertson served as executive director of the Indiana Republican Party. He has also worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide and a staff member to the House Committee on Small Business.

Pence takes office in January. He will be replacing Congressman Luke Messer who decided not to seek re-election so he could run for the U.S. Senate this spring.

Columbus Police arrested a suspected shoplifter after they say he tried to evade arrest Friday night. At approximately 8:40 p.m., officers responded to the east side Walmart in regards to a shoplifting suspect. Police determined that the man, 26-year-old Dustin L. Denson, had a warrant for his arrest out of Shelby County. When the officers attempted to arrest Denson, a scuffle ensued and he allegedly tried to flee. The officers utilized a Taser to take Denson in to custody.

Along with the outstanding warrant, Denson is facing preliminary charges of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Law Enforcement.

A Columbus woman was arrested on Black Friday after police say she used her child and stroller to try to make off with over $2,400 worth of merchandise.

Columbus Police made the arrest Friday evening after a store security officer reported the shoplifting over $2,400 worth of merchandise. At approximately 5:40 p.m., officers responded to Kohl’s and found the suspect, 31-year-old Katie L. King, who was pushing a stroller along a nearby street along with her young child.

The officers observed a large amount of clothing with the tags attached inside the stroller. The store security officer advised that store staff recovered another $383 in clothing at the store that was damaged during the incident.

King is facing a preliminary charge of Theft.

A Columbus man is facing domestic battery charges after he was arrested Sunday morning. Columbus Police were called to the 3100 block of Fifth Street at 7:10 a.m. A woman was reportedly cut by a knife during the argument. She was treated on scene by paramedics.

The arriving officers found 53-year-old Chester D. Sidwell walking nearby. After speaking to him, officers determined that Sidwell was wanted on an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant. He is facing additional preliminary charges of Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Domestic Battery and Strangulation.

A 5-year-old boy is dead after a crash in Johnson County yesterday morning. Authorities say the car carrying the boy, Elijah Crowe, and driven by 28-year-old Aaron Crowe of Trafalgar was hit by a station wagon traveling east on State Road 252 near Trafalgar.

Johnson County deputies report that when they arrived on the scene, the boy was in a in a child seat in the right rear of the vehicle and was not breathing. Rescue workers could not find a pulse and began CPR. The boy was taken to IU Methodist Hospital and died yesterday afternoon according to police reports.

The driver was also taken to IU Methodist Hospital. The other driver, 79-year-old Ronald Brown of Bargersville was taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Neither driver could remember what happened during the crash, authorities say.

An Indianapolis man was arrested on Thanksgiving Day, accused of carrying a stolen gun at a Bartholomew County gas station.

A Bartholomew County deputy was called to the Rickers station on County Road 450S at about 3:40 a.m. that morning on a reported shoplifting involving a man and woman. Then man was still in the store when the deputy arrived and turned toward the counter, fumbling in the front of his pants. The deputy pulled the man away from the counter and found he was trying to pull out a

.40 caliber handgun according to police reports.

After a struggle, police subdued 28 year old Adam Belt. The gun had been reported stolen and Belt was allegedly carrying various pills. He is facing charges of possession of stolen property and a controlled substance, false informing and resisting law enforcement. He was also wanted on a Johnson County warrant.

The woman involved in the incident, 27-year-old Tessa Ratliff of Greenwood, was found in a car in the parking lot. She was arrested on charges of theft, and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Columbus police assisted Bartholomew County deputies at the scene.