Saturday’s Love Where You Live downtown festival will be capped off by the return of the Rock the Block dance party under the InterOculus canopy at Fourth and Washington Streets downtown.

The day long festival will feature events all around downtown, as part of Heritage Fund’s campaign kickoff event for its Love Where You Live fundraising efforts.

The evening will end with the Kaleidoscope dance party organized by Exhibit Columbus. In addition to music from DJ Smooth G there will also be diverse cultural dance performances including:

• Quinceanera Dance Group
• JASI Yosakoi Japan Festival Dance
• Ballet Folklorico Columbus
• Columbus Chinese Language School Dance Group
• Bollywood Beats
• Columbus North Game Day Competitive Cheer Squad
• Black Excellence

There will be a bar hosted by YES Cinema and all the area restaurants will be open.

Other Love Where You Live activities will include a concert on the Library Plaza featuring the Miss Americanas — a Taylor Swift tribute band, activities for kids, the creation of a new mural, food trucks and  interactive arts demonstrations through the Columbus Area Arts Council. There will also be signature Love Where You Live brew from Hog Molly Brewing Company, and themed merchandise for sale.

The sixth annual Love Where Your Live fund-raising campaign is in support of Heritage Fund’s Community Fund. Heritage Fund annually awards more than $800,000 in grants from the Community Fund to local nonprofits.

The day starts at 2 p.m. with the library concert starting at 4 p.m. and the dance party at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and you are invited to attend.

A Seymour police detective is being recognized for his efforts to get drunk drivers off of the road.

According to the Seymour Police Department, Detective Chris Franklin was honored as a Traffic Safety All Star by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute at a ceremony at Lucas Oil stadium. Franklin was presented with an Indianapolis Colts autographed football by retired placekicker Adam Vinatieri.

The Traffic Safety All-Star awards were started in 2020 by the institute as a way to recognize officers going above and beyond to keep their communities and roads safe by making significant accomplishments during the state’s enforcement campaigns.

Photo courtesy of Seymour Police Department.

First Financial Bank is  kicking off a food drive next week to help people in need in the communities it serves.

From Monday through October 25th, the bank branches will be accepting non-perishable food donations during normal business hours. The branches taking part include those in Columbus, Edinburgh and Hope. Associates will then distribute the food to community organizations to help those in need.

Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial Bank, said addressing food insecurity in the neighborhoods the banks serve is an inspiring goa and builds on the bank’s commitment to help clients and communities thrive.

This is the third year for the food drive in First Financial centers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. Last year’s drive collected more than 6,600 food items.

Through its charitable efforts in 2023, First Financial and its associates gave more than 14,800 volunteer hours and over $4.2 million in donations.

Thrive Alliance will be offering sessions later this month to help you get insurance through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

The program provides insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers.

Counselors from Thrive Alliance are offering one-on-one SHIP counseling sessions on October 23. They will give guidance and help participants understand their choices, how to enroll, comparing plans, coverage and costs, prescription coverage options, paying for Medicare. Open enrollment is from October 15th through December 7th.

The sessions will be from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Mill Race Center, 900 Lindsey Street, Columbus. You do need to register for the one-on-one sessions. You can call 812-372-6918

Tonight’s scheduled Columbus North High School football game is being rescheduled for Saturday due to expected bad weather.

The game will still be aired live on News Talk 1010 WCSI and 98.1 FM with pre-game coverage starting at 11 a.m. and the game kickoff at noon.

The regularly scheduled IU football game will be joined in progress at the conclusion of the Columbus North Game.

The Columbus North Alumni Association has also canceled tonight’s induction into the school’s Hall of Fame. That will be rescheduled at a later date.

IU Columbus is inviting you to take part in its first Crimson Pride Open run coming up in October.

The 5k and 8k cross country run will be a fundraiser for the school’s athletic programs. Head Cross Country Coach Tim Hoeflinger said he would love it if local teams and running clubs came out to run along with the school’s varsity athletes. The run will be at CERA Land which is also the cross-country team’s home course.

The race will be $20 for either course with all proceeds going to support the men’s and women’s cross country teams at the school. Awards will be given to the top 10 runners in each division.

The race will start at 6 in the evening on October 11th. You can get more information on signing up our website.

State Road 11 in downtown Seymour will be closing for about a day next week.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, CSX Railroad is planning to close State Road 11, or Broadway Street, between Second Street and U.S. 50 starting on Monday. That will be while crews work to repair the railroad crossing. The street is expected to reopen by Tuesday, weather permitting.

During the closure traffic will be detoured along U.S. 50 to Interstate 65 and then back to State Road 11.

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

Bartholomew County’s largest outdoor event is taking place this weekend in the northeastern corner of the county.

The 56th annual Hope Heritage Days festival is happening in and around the community’s Town Square today through Sunday.

The entertainment lineup will include Cado Parish, Dusty Leigh Huston and the Wyatt Massingille Band tonight, and the Night wl Country Band and Tom Wopat from the Dukes of Hazard Saturday night. The Banister Family Band will perform on Sunday at the bandstand.

There are vendor booths around the Town Square throughout the weekend and the community’s not-for-profit groups will be selling food on the square in what is many group’s largest annual fundraiser. There is also a baking contest, the Dr. Hope Medicine Show, a horseshoe tournament and appearances by “Turtleman” Ernie Brown. Fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. Saturday night, weather permitting.

Sunday’s activities will include the annual parade starting at 2:30 p.m.

You can get more information at the Hope Heritage Days Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/hopeheritagedays

Note: This story has been updated

The remnants of Hurricane Helene are expected to blow through our area today and this evening..

According to forecasters with the National Weater Service, a high wind warning is in effect until 11 this evening. You can expect 30 to 35 mph winds with gusts of more than 60 mph. Forecasters say that the worse of the winds should come before 9 p.m. tonight

Forecasters warn that the winds will blow around unsecured outdoors objects. The winds will likely knock down trees and we could see widespread power outages. The weather service says you should remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorms and to stay away from windows.

They also warn that strong winds could make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.

There will also be heavy rain ahead of the storm and accompanying it. The weather service says we could get two to four inches of rain through Saturday that could cause localized flooding in low-lying areas. There is a danger of flash flooding.

You will see parking restrictions and street closings all around downtown Columbus starting today as the city gets ready for the Mill Race Marathon coming up on Saturday.

According to marathon organizers, starting this morning and lasting through 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, you will see 6th Street closed between Washington Street and the alley west of Franklin Street, and from Washington to the 6th Street Parking Garage. Starting this afternoon, 4th Street will be closed between Jackson and Franklin Streets until 9 p.m. Saturday night.

Starting at 6 p.m. this evening, Washington Street will be closed between 3rd Street and 5th Street and from 5th to 7th Streets through Saturday afternoon and evening. The intersection at 6th Street will also be closed.

You won’t be able to park on Washington Street between 3rd and 7th Streets all day today through Saturday afternoon. And on Washington from 3rd to 5th Streets starting this afternoon through Saturday night.

Events kick off at 6 p.m. tonight with the Kids Fun Run at Mill Race Park. The opening ceremonies for all the races is at 7:10 Saturday morning, with the races starting at 7:30 Saturday morning. The 5k awards ceremonies will be at 9:15 Saturday at the Finish on Fourth Street Party, the half-marathon awards at 11:30 and the overall awards at 11:35. There will be the grand prize truck giveaway drawing at 3 p.m. a the Finish on Fourth Street Party.

You can get more information parking and street closings and complete schedules and maps at http://millracemarathon.com.