A traffic stop early yesterday morning led to the arrest of an Indianapolis man on drug-related charges in Columbus.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that deputies stopped a vehicle near 10 Street and National Road at about 1:01 a.m. Thursday morning.

Police dog Argo alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle. A search revealed the meth, as well as pills and spice. The driver originally gave a fictitious name, but was identified as 59-year-old Mark A. Elkins of Indianapolis.

Elkins was arrested on preliminary charges of possessing the drugs as well as an outstanding Marion County warrant.

What was forecast to be a very wet week is looking much drier for our area. The National Weather Service is reporting that forecasts for rainfall in Bartholomew and surrounding counties have been dramatically downgraded.

As of last night, Bartholomew County was expected to get 2 to 3 inches of rain through Wednesday. But that has been downgraded this morning to an inch or less of rain through mid-week. The heavier rainfall that was predicted earlier has moved to the north and west.

Our area is under a marginal risk for severe weather today with the primary threats being damaging winds and large hail, according to the National Weather Service. Isolated tornadoes are also possible.

Emergency officials do have some concerns over potential flooding, because last weekend’s rains and floods have left the soils saturated with water.

We could be in for some wet weather over the next few days.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says we could see another 4-6 inches of rain as a series of storms pass through out area, starting tonight and going into next middle of week.

The agency says that with the expected amounts of rain, the recent flooding and the saturated soils, there is a growing concern of repeat flooding in central and southern Indiana. On Friday, severe storms are possible with damaging winds the main threat, although isolated tornadoes or large hail can’t be ruled out.

Ivy Tech Community College is announcing free textbooks for the next school year as part of a larger change to the school’s tuition model.

The school’s board of trustees recently approved a new tuition model, called Ivy+. Under Ivy+ the school will charge the same tuition rate for all full-time students, no matter whether they are taking, 12, 15 or even 24 credits.

Part-time students will see their tuition frozen for the next two years and will continue to pay per credit hour.

Under Ivy+, the cost of textbooks will also be a regularly assessed fee, rather than per class. But as part of the Ivy+ rollout, Ivy Tech will cover the cost of textbooks for students in the 2021-22 academic year through the federal government’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

First Financial Bank and the First Financial Foundation are announcing a $50,000 grant to Greensburg Community Bread of Life.

Bread of Life is the only soup kitchen in Decatur County. The grant will add additional space for the efforts, allowing the organization to increase its programming and to serve more people in the community.

First Financial Bank says the grant is the latest initiative under the company’s strategic intent to be woven into the communities it serves. In 2020, First Financial gave over $3.5 million in financial contributions and its associates performed more than 8,900 hours of community service.

Columbus East High School is rescheduling its food pantry distribution after the recent flooding at the school.

The distribution, originally scheduled for this week, will now be on Friday, July 2nd from 3:30-6:30 p.m. You can drive up for pre-bagged collections of food, with enough for about 200 families.

The Columbus East Food Pantry is available to the entire community and is not limited to Bartholomew Consolidated Schools families.

The pickup point is at door 31 in the west parking lot behind the school near the tennis courts.

There will also be a Columbus East food pantry distribution on Friday, July 23rd from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Columbus East Food Pantry is a Gleaners school-based food pantry.

A North Vernon man was arrested on DUI charges after a three-vehicle crash in Columbus Tuesday night.

Columbus police were called to the crash scene in the area of 7th Street and Central at about 9:30 Tuesday night and found that all the vehicles had suffered minor damage. However one driver was slumped over inside his vehicle.

Police say the driver, 41-year-old Michael J. Clark, appeared unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol. He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to have his blood tested and then to the Bartholomew County Jail on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair kicks off on Friday with a new midway company, remodeled buildings and entertainment including a Tony Stewart midget racing night at the grandstands.

Where COVID-19 limited last year’s fair to virtual 4-H exhibits, this year will be a full, traditional fair says Rick Trimpe, the fair board president.

Trimpe says the down time allowed the fair board to spruce up the facilities.

Kissel Entertainment from Alabama is the new midway operator, and people should be impressed with the quality and cleanliness of the rides as well as the professionalism of the carnival workers.

The Tony Stewart events on Tuesday will include the Columbus native racing his midget car in the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets to benefit the Tony Stewart Foundation and the renaming of the grandstand in his honor.

The official fair kickoff is at 5 p.m. Events on Friday will include the Lil Hands on the Farm at the 4-H Community Building, blacksmithing demonstrations at the Heritage Building, Ferguson Road performing at the Farm Bureau Building and a Demolition Derby sponsored by Toast Promotion starting at 7 p.m. at the grandstand.

Midway wristbands are $25 Friday and the rides start at 5.

First Christian Church in Columbus will be kicking off its fundraising efforts to save the church’s clock tower with an event this afternoon.

Repair costs are estimated at $2.4 million. The project has recently announced two grants that require matching funds:

• The Jeffris Family Foundation based in Janesville, Wisconsin announced this week the award of an up to $500,000 grant which would provide a $1 match for every $2 pledged for the project.
• Earlier this month, organizers announced a Save America’s Treasures grant from the U.S. Department of Interior. The $500,000 grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match.

Fundraising efforts will launch with a Save Our Tower Campaign event at 4 this afternoon at the church at 531 Fifth Street. It will include a presentation on the church history and a guided architecture tour of the church by J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program Director T. Kelly Wilson.

Photo: First Christian Church photo courtesy of Landmark Columbus Foundation.