Columbus Animal Care Services is celebrating national Dog Day and the new Forever Home Garden at the city-operated shelter with an open house this afternoon.

The Forever Home Garden features primarily native plants. It was created in honor of the late Constance Seward, for her many years of volunteer service with local animal welfare groups.

The open house will feature remarks from Mayor Mary Ferdon, along with dog treats, rock painting and potted native plant starts from the garden will be given away. You will also be able to get information about volunteering at the shelter and meet with the animals available for adoption.

The open house will be from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the shelter on Arnold Street.

The American Red Cross says it is seeing a national shortage of blood donations and is encouraging you to donate if you can.

The group says that Hurricane Debby has led to the cancellation of more than 60 blood drives, and they estimate that meant 1,500 fewer donations. In Indiana, 22 blood drives have been canceled due to weather so far this year, leading to more than 600 fewer donations than expected.

To make an appointment, you can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Brown County Music Center in Nashville is celebrating its fifth year anniversary.

According to the center, the 2,000-seat live performance venue has carved out a niche as a central Indiana live music destination. The first show on Aug. 24th, 2019 was country artist Vince Gill, and since then the center has featured musicians from a wide range of genres.

Earlier this year, the center announced a donation of $267,000 back to the community through the the Brown County Government and the Brown County Community Foundation. The funds came from excess revenue generated from ticket sales, food and beverage sales and parking lot revenue from the Music Center. The sharing agreement with the community is outlined in the management agreements made when the venue opened between the operators and local governments. The funds slated for the community foundation are split between funds that support arts and culture and those that address the greatest community needs at the time.

A portion of the excess revenue funds are invested into a long-term endowment, with a goal to continue to generate and provide grant money each year.

This was the first year for the center to distribute the funds to the community.

Christian Webb, executive director of the Brown County Music Center, said that things looked bleak during the darkest days of the COVID-19 shutdown, but ultimately allowed the center to be “fearless in chasing success for not only our venue’s name and reputation, but for our own growth and development.”

Webb said that they can’t wait to see what the next five years have in store.

You can get more information online at www.browncountymusiccenter.com.

Photo courtesy of Brown County Music Center. The first show at the Brown County Music Center in Nashville  on Aug. 24th, 2019 was country artist Vince Gill

You could see temporary lane closures on Interstate 65 next week in Jackson County.

INDOT says that nighttime work will be going on in Jackson, along with Scott and Clark counties to install guardrails. The Jackson County work is scheduled for Wednes night and will close the soutbound right lane of the itnerstate about two and a half miles north of Crothersville. The work is scheduled from 9 at night to 1 in the morning, with the work schedule dependent on the weather.

INDOT says the Clark County work near Henryville is scheduled for Tuesday night and the Scott County work near Austin is scheduled for early Wednesday morning.

Midwestern Electric is the contractor for the project.

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

Night-time drivers on Interstate 74 in Decatur County could see some traffic tie-ups starting next week.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, contractors will be working in the evening Monday and early Tuesday morning to install guardrails east and west of State Road 3. The work will require closing the right lane of eastbound I-74 about four miles east of State Road 3 on Monday night and the right westbound lane four miles west of State Road 3 early Tuesday morning. The work in the eastbound lanes is expected to be going on from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and in the westbound lanes from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. in the morning Tuesday.

The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

The contractor for the project is Midwestern Electric.

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

North Vernon is looking for hometown heroes to honor with banners in the downtown area in celebration of Veterans Day.

According to the city, the banners will be hung from city street poles to honor veterans and active service members. Community members can purchase a banner that will be hung from October 1st through November 15th. Each banner will include a photo of the veteran, and details about their branch of service and their name.

The city says that there are 91 light poles available to sponsor.

If you want to take part you will need to purchase a banner by Sept. 6th. The cost is $100 and you can find a link here: https://www.northvernon-in.gov/events/index.php

The mayor’s office will also be hosting a free breakfast for veterans in the community. That will be from 8 to 10 in the morning on Nov. 8th at the Entourage Event Center. The meal will be catered by Elite Meals.

A new adult high school in Columbus has named its director.

According to Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, Dana Calfee, has been named director of The Excel Center. The center is Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, which is currently enrolling students at its newest location in Columbus.

Calfee earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in general studies. She also holds a master’s degree in science education with a focus in chemistry, physical science and computer technology from Indiana University Bloomington.

Calfee began her career as a secondary science and computer science educator first at Greensburg Community Schools and then Bartholomew Consolidated Schools. She worked to secure grant funding to integrate STEM learning opportunities across the curriculum. She also was a champion of the implementation of the Universal Design for Learning.

Calfee joined the Indiana Department of Education as the STEM & computer science specialist. She developed and executed training for schools receiving funds from the STEM Program Alignment Fund.

Calfee has served as president of the Indiana Chapter of the Computer Science Teacher Association.

Goodwill operates 18 Excel Centers across its region from Clarksville to Kokomo, including locations in Shelbyville and Bloomington. The Columbus center is being located in the Roviar Building off of Jackson Street downtown but while the space is being renovated, the school is operating at 940 N. Marr Road. The program allows adults to complete their high school diploma with in-person classes.

You can get more information or enroll at excelcenter.org

Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is hosting a fund-raising fish fry today at the Elks Club on Ray Boll Boulevard.

That will be from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The meal is estimated at a $10 value with free will donations accepted.

The fundraiser is in support of the upcoming Labor Day weekend concert. The concert is Saturday, August 31st and for the first time will be held inside the Circle K Fieldhouse at Nexus Park, the former Fair Oaks Mall on 25th Street..

The show will feature Jennie DeVoe, The Rock Show: The Ultimate Tribute to Journey and The Woomblies Rock Orchestra as headliners.

The concert is in its 38th year and is the largest fundraiser for Our Hospice. The organization, based in Columbus, provides care for more than 300 patients in 22 counties throughout south-central Indiana.

Dunlap General and Mechanical Contractors will be the title sponsor this year and Columbus Regional Health will be partner sponsor.

Tickets are available for $10. You can get more information or buy tickets at www.ourhospice.org/concert.

A fire on a Louisville & Indiana train engine tied up traffic south of Columbus yesterday afternoon.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to Speer Street and Jonesville Road about a fire onboard the stopped train. Although no fire was initially visible, the train crew said that smoke and flames were seen inside an engine car while the train was moving. A further investigation found a small fire inside, which was put out with a fire extinguisher.

Railroad representatives said that the train was about 7,000 feet long, or about a mile and a third, which blocked traffic at several intersections including County Road 200S.

The train began moving again and left the area shortly after 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.

A North Vernon man is under arrest, accused of fleeing from deputies at speeds of more than 100 mph and then hiding in the woods.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, the incident starts at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning when a deputy pulled over a vehicle County Road 150 North and Kipper Lane. But when the deputy got out of his vehicle, the driver took off, fleeing on county roads and into Country Squire Lakes, where the driver stopped on Locust Wood Drive. He then ran off into nearby woods, leaving behind a female passenger.

A police dog was brought to the scene and tracked down the man. After a struggle with the dog and officers, 25-year-old Jason Duncan was taken into custody.

He was first taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital for treatment, then to jail on new preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, reckless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also wanted for a probation violation and for escaping from home detention.

The passenger was detained at the scene but later released

Other agencies assisting at the scene included North Vernon Police Department and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office.