Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services are holding two fundraisers this month to help pay for low-cost spay and neuter services.

To help the effort, you can buy $10 gift cards for Duck Creek Gardens that can be used to purchase annuals, perennials and other items.

There will also be a painting party at Tri-State Artisans from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on May 18th, for $40.

The funds will be used to offer specials for the Friend’s Community Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic. The clinic recently had to raise its prices. The clinic holds two to three clinics per month and transports animals to the Bloomington Pets Alive Clinic.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services is the non-profit partner of the city animal shelter. The group’s goal is to help reduce the number of pets in area shelters.

Gift cards for Duck Creek Gardens are available at Columbus Animal Care Services, on Arnold Street. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays. You can also buy the gift certificates along with painting party tickets by contacting Aimee Morris at 812-344-9690.

A Westport man has been arrested after a weekend crash in Jennings County killed a motorcyclist.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, the crash between a pickup and a motorcycle happened at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday in the 9000 block of State Road 3 near the Decatur County line. A 23-year-old motorcyclist from Westport suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The name of the victim has not yet been released.

The driver of the pickup. 45-year-old Mark Shreve was taken to the hospital to be checked out for minor injuries. he was then arrested on a felony charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death.

The sheriff’s department and Indiana State Police are investigating the crash.

The Indiana Department of Health will be holding a mobile immunization clinic on Wednesday in Columbus.

According to the Bartholomew County Health Department, bivalent COVID and flu vaccines will be available as well as COVID testing.

All Indiana Department of Health mobile clinics allow walk-in appointments. You may want to schedule an appointment by calling 211 or going online to ourshot.in. gov.

The clinic will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Columbus Township Fire and Rescue Department station at 935 Repp Drive.

After meeting their initial goal, a stuffed animal drive by Local Young Marines is pushing on to reach 1,500 of the toys for local medical facilities.

The first annual Stuffed with Love campaign had hoped to raise money and donations to provide 1,000 stuffed animals to local hospitals and medical facilities to help children in need. That goal was met in part with the assistance of Duke Energy, according to organizers. Recognizing that the local need is greater than anticipated, the group now hopes to raise 1,500.

The drive is being organized by 12-year-old Roger Douglass of Seymour and his Young Marines troop. The goal is to provide stuffed animals to help comfort and calm children in times of crisis.

If you want to help, you can donate new stuffed animals at ATI in Columbus, Seymour and Franklin or at Family Pharmacy in Brownstown.

For more information call 812-603-5412

A new drive to improve downtown Columbus launched last week.

Organizers say the Office of Downtown Development is focusing on bringing resources, planning and communications to efforts to improve the area. That will include bringing programs and entertainment, as well as dining and retail to the community. The goal is to maintain a thriving downtown that attracts “top talent to live, learn, work, play, and stay in Columbus.”

The efforts are being led by executive director Ike DeClue.

Organizers say that efforts have been underway for more than a year to launch the initiative. Funding for operations is coming from private, corporate and civic investments. An office opened last week at the former site of Casey’s Jewelers on Fourth Street, across from The Commons.

A Columbus man is accused of pointing a shotgun at a person during an argument.

According to Columbus Police Department, officers were called to the 1300 block of Lafayette Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon about a disturbance involving a weapon. Police say that 29-year-old Andrew J. Mohr pointed a loaded shotgun in the dispute which invovled a motorcycle being ridden in an alley.

Police recovered the shotgun and found that it was loaded and that its safety was off.

Mohr was arrested on charges including intimidation with a deadly weapon, pointing a loaded  firearm, criminal recklessness with a  firearm, battery on law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Thrive Alliance is looking for volunteers to help perform home maintenance, repairs and construction projects.

According to the agency, they are looking for adidtions to the Wednesday Crew. Every Wednesday, the group made up of primarly of retired people, goes out to help residents of Thrive Alliance’s homes and apartments. The crew members stay busy and provide an essential service.

Thrive Alliance serves as Indiana’s Agency on Aging for Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings counties. The agency’s mission is to mprove the quality of life and health for people at risk of losing their independence.

If you are interested in helping, you can call 812-372-6918 and hit extension 2764 to reach Sue Lamborn.

The city of Columbus will begin flushing fire hydrants today.

According to Columbus City Utilities, contractors M.E. Simpson will be flushing the hydrants as part of the city’s annual hydrant flow testing program. The purpose is to confirm system pressure and flow for public health purposes and firefighting. Each year the city tests about 20 percent of the hydrants to make sure they comply with industry standards.

The utility warns that you may see some discoloration in your water during nearby flushing. You should not wash laundry the evening of or the morning after the flushing. The sedimentation is completely harmless to your health, but can discolor clothing and other articles.

While streets are generally open to traffic while the testing is going on, if you come upon a flushing crew while driving use caution. The water spout can obscure your vision of the roadway. You should obey the directions of the crews and wait for the flush to end. You should also keep children from playing in the water flows or around the crews as drivers may not see children in the roadway.

You can find more information on where the testing is happening by going online to www.columbusutilities.org.

Columbus police say that parts of downtown will be restricted Saturday night for the Bartholomew Consolidated School prom and the associated parade.

According to the Columbus Police Department, prom activities will be going on from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday night around the Commons. That includes the prom parade which will follow a route from Third Street to Jackson to Seventh and then down Washington Street from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday night.. Parade participants must enter the route on the far right lane of Third Street at Lafayette Avenue and must have a parade pass. Lanes will be closed on Third Street during the parade.

Participants for the prom can be dropped off at Fourth and Franklin streets.

You will also see restricted parking downtown from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the afternoon and evening on Fourth Street between Franklin and Jackson and from Washington Street to from Fifth to Third Street.

Columbus police will be on hand assisting with traffic control and security both inside and outside of the Commons.

For more information you can go to https://www.bcscprom.com

United Way of Bartholomew County is holding its Day of Caring volunteer event today.

The full-day event sends about 500 volunteers into the community to assist 22 organizations in Bartholomew County that need help. Volunteers will be assisting with tasks such as yard work, painting, organizing and sorting donations.

Magen Pillar, spokeswoman for the United Way explains:

You can find a link with more information on the United Way website at uwbarthco.org.