Safe Kids Bartholomew County and the Donner Swim Club want to help protect your children from the dangers in and around water this summer.

The groups will be holding a Water Safety Course on Saturday at Columbus North High School.

Safe Kids Bartholomew County works to identify where children in the community are at risk and then to reduce those risks. The group has identified water safety as a target area and the class is meant to reduce the risk of drowning and increase children’s confidence in and around the water.

The class is for kids 4 and up and it is free. It will be from 11 to 11:45 Saturday morning at the school on 25th Street.

The Bartholomew County Historical Society will be giving children a hands-on experience with history when a series of Wednesday afternoon summer activities start next week.

The activities will be from 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons through the end of July. They will offer topics such as the underground railroad, packing a wagon, candle-making, being a soldier during the American Revolution and historic games. The activities will be hands on and meant for kids heading into third through sixth grades this fall.

Activities will be going on rain-or-shine at the historical society museum on Third Street.

Class sizes are limited to 20 kids.

The activities are free and sponsored by Landmark Farms Foundation.

To take part you will need to register your child by 4 p.m. on the Tuesday before the class. To register you can call 812-372-3541.

Class schedule:

• June 12 – Hands on History featuring our 1926 Ford TT Truck
• June 19 – Juneteenth – the underground railroad and Bartholomew County
• June 26 – Native Americans in Indiana
• July 10 – Pack your Wagon – Onward to Indiana
• July 17 – Candle making
• July 24 – Historic Games
• July 31 – Soldier through time – The American Revolution thru modern day)

Two women were arrested early Thursday morning on drug-dealing charges following a traffic stop in North Vernon.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy pulled over a vehicle at about 4 a.m. near U.S. 50 and O&M Avenue after seeing a traffic violation. The deputy became suspicious and a police dog was brought to the scene, where the dog alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle. A search foudn more than 400 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, other controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.

The driver, 26 year old Erron R. Fleshman and the passenger 27-year-old Keersten F. Smith, both of North Vernon were arrested on preliminary charges including dealing in a Narcotic Drug, maintaining a Common Nuisance and for possessing the drugs and paraphernalia.

Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program in downtown Columbus has received its initial accreditation from the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

That is the accrediting body for professional architect degree programs and IU Columbus is one of only three schools in Indiana to be accredited.

According to the school, the accreditation has been a five year process and graduates can now register as an architect nationwide. It will also extend retroactively to all of the degrees granted by the program since May of 2021. The program welcomed its first students in 2018.

The J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program, part of the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, is housed in the former Republic Building on Second Street downtown Columbus. The former newspaper building was adapted to its new use with $2 million in funding from the city and community members. The building is one of seven designated as National Historic Landmarks of modernist architecture in the city.

Overall, Columbus has more than 80 architecturally significant works, many designs funded by the Cummins Architecture Program founded by Miller, the long-time head of the Columbus based engine manufacturer.

The architecture program also was recognized by the accrediting board for its curriculum, physical infrastructure and community access.

Photo: Former Republic building on Second Street courtesy of  Hadley Fruits via Indiana University J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program

State Road 250 will be closing in Jackson County for more than a month while crews replace a box culvert.

According to INDOT, the closure will take place about one mile east of State Road 39 between Brownstown and Dudleytown starting on Monday, June 17th. It is expected to take up to five weeks, depending on the weather.

The official detour route will take State Road 250 to U.S. 50 to State Road 11.

Dave O’Mara Contractors will be working on the project. This is part of a $4.5 million dollars six bridge contract in the southeastern Indiana INDOT District.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to drive without distractions, to be extra cautious and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

The Indiana State Fair is announcing the first round of musicians who will be performing at the Hoosier Lottery free stage this summer.

The first wave of concerts were unveiled Thursday and include

• Three Dog Night – Friday, August 2
• Gladys Knight – Sunday, August 4
• Dogstar featuring bassist Keanu Reeves – Thursday, August 8
• Bell Biv DeVoe – Friday, August 9
• Gary Allan – Friday, August 16

All shows at the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage are free with paid fair admission and seating is first-come, first-served. All shows start at 7:30 p.m..

There will be a limited amount of reserved viewing area tickets available for these concerts. Those will be made available in July.

The 2024 Indiana State Fair opens Friday, August 2nd and runs through August 18th

For more information, you visit www.indianastatefair.com

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County is holding a symposium today to promote well-being and address the misuse of substances in the community.

The Rethinking Wellness symposium is part of ASAP’s initiative to raise awareness and increase education about the importance of people reevaluating their current health practices and adopting habits to improve their overall well-being.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Joel Bennett, president of Organizational Wellness & Learning Systems. 30 local employers and community organizations will be using a version of his curriculum to address overcoming stress and building resilience.

The symposium runs until 2 p.m. today at Ivy Tech’s Moravec Hall on Central Avenue.

Housing Partnerships is planning to turn the former Columbus Health and Rehabilitation center site on Midway Street into apartments for seniors and working families.

The agency asked Columbus City Council this week to approve a rezoning of the just over 7 and a half acre property from a public or semi-public facility use to Multi-family residential. That would allow the agency to add 64 units in a four-story building initially with another similar building possible. The city plan commission and planning staff recommended approval of the rezoning, citing the continuing need for affordable housing in the community.

Councilwoman Elaine Hilber praised the proposal for bring an affordable housing project into a location with public transportation and easy access to area parks, the hospital and employment.

Nearby residents raised concerns about the project, citing the size of the apartment buildings, traffic and the possible increase in crime in the area.

Columbus City Council gave its first approval to the rezoning at its meeting this week.

The city of Columbus and the United Way of Bartholomew County want to hear your thoughts on how to address homelessness in the community.

A public forum will be held the evening of Wednesday, June 12th.

The United Way recently received support through the Columbus City Council to fight homelessness in the community. Organizers will introduce key partners in the initiative and a group discussion will be held on the topic.  The purpose of the public forum is to engage the community in the United Way’s initiative to make homelessness in Bartholomew County “rare, brief, and non-recurring.”

The forum will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday June 12th at Donner Center, on 22nd St. It is a public forum and you are invited to attend. A dinner will be provided.

The Robert N. Stewart bridge leading into downtown Columbus will be reduced to one lane for several days next week while crews conduct bridge inspection and testing.

According to INDOT, the work is scheduled to start on Wednesday, June 12th take up to three days, depending on the weather. The bridge over East Fork White River is just east of State Road 11 heading onto Second Street downtown. Flaggers will be in place while the work is going on.

Contractors Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates will be doing the work and the crews will be actively working from about 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

INDOT asks you to slow down, to drive without distractions, to be extra cautious and to be alert to worker safety in all work zones.

Photo courtesy of the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.