Central Indiana is under a threat of severe weather today, with strong storms blowing through the area.

According to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, strong storms are expected and some will be severe. You can expect large hail, heavy rain, lightning, strong straight line winds and isolated tornadoes, mainly this afternoon and evening.

The storms are expected to blow through east to northeast at 40 to 50 mph. Strong winds today could knock down trees and powerlines.

Forecasters urge you to be prepared for storm watches and warnings later today. You should make sure you have several ways to received severe weather information and have a safety plan in place at your home and work.

And remember not to drive though high water or around barricades. Most flooding deaths occur in vehicles.

Traffic will be tied up on U.S. 50 east of Seymour starting on Monday as crews begin an intersection improvement project.

According to INDOT, the work will be going on U.S. 50 between North County Road 1225 East and North County Road 1250 East. That about one and a half miles east of Seymour.

The work is expected to be finished by late July. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

During the work, you will see the speed limit reduced to 45 mph, eastbound and westbound lanes will be reduced to 11 feet in width and North County Road 1250 East will be closed at U.S. 50.

Milestone will be the contractors for the project as part of a $1.9 million contract.

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

Some customers of Eastern Bartholomew Water Corp. are under a boil water advisory.

The water company says customers in the Oak Crest Addition are affected after another company damaged a water main while working in the area. The affected area is From County Road 700N west to East Street in Taylorsville. Customers will be under a boil water advisory until noon on Saturday.

Under a boil water advisory, you should bring water to a full boil for three to five minutes before drinking it or using it in food preparation.

For more information, call the water utility at 812-526-9777.

Signups are underway to register for the next sessions of the Bartholomew County Works job readiness training workshop, organized by Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center.

The program helps members improve their lives, gain full-time employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Diane Doup with Lincoln Central explains:

Doup says the weeklong workshop series is the first step:

The next day-long workshop series will start on Monday June 2nd and run through Friday June 6th at Yes Cinema.

An orientation session will be held on May 29th from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the morning.

To get more information on signing up, you can call Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center at 812-378-2638.

This week’s graduates from a Columbus college campus had a historic first on their diplomas. IU Columbus held its first commencement ceremony under its new name on Tuesday.

The program, held at the Circle K Fieldhouse in Nexus Park, honored 170 students, representing 10 undergraduate degree pathways and two graduate programs.

Although Indiana University has been in Columbus for more than 50 years, this was the first commencement since the school changed its name to IU Columbus last July. The school started as the Columbus Center of IUPUI, then transitioning to IUPUC before becoming IU Columbus.

According to the school, speakers at the commencement included Jay Gladden, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, IU Indianapolis, Reinhold Hill, Vice Chancellor and Dean, IU Columbus, Jazmyn Ketchum, a graduating student and Student Government Activities Board President and
Caroline Schaeffer, a graduating student and Chancellor’s Scholar.

To learn more about IU Columbus, visit columbus.iu.edu.

Jackson County Road 400E will be closing today while crews repave the intersection with U.S. 50.

According to INDOT, the closure is expected from this morning through 5 p.m. this afternoon. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

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

As part of National Police Week this week, the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service in Bartholomew County will be Friday.

According to the Columbus Police Department, city officers along with Bartholomew County deputies and Indiana State Police will be taking part in the ceremony.

This memorial service recognize 165 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty last year, including two from Indiana.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Corporal Brandon Schreiber with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department was shot to death on September 1st by a driver after a police chase. Deputy Fred Fislar with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a crash on April 15th near Plainfield and was electrocuted by live wires at the scene.

The service will be at 9 a.m. Friday on the Public Safety Plaza near the intersection of Second and Brown Streets.

You are invited to attend.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies across Indiana will be looking for drivers who aren’t using their seat belts, in the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement blitz which starts this weekend and runs through the rest of the month.

Organized around Memorial Day weekend, the campaign will have extra officers on overtime patrols making sure drivers and passengers are buckling up and children are properly secure. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement.

Jim Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute said putting on a seat belt takes just a few seconds but can make all the difference in the event of a crash. “If you’re not buckled up, you are taking a dangerous risk.”

In Indiana, drivers can be stopped and both drivers and passengers can be cited for lack of seat belt use, but also for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16. Additionally, children under eight must be properly restrained in a federally approved child or booster seat.

The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

A Columbus man is facing more charges after his arrest last week for allegedly trying to film in the women’s locker room at a local fitness center.

According to Columbus Police Department, formal felony charges were filed today in Bartholomew County Superior Court 1 against 24-year-old Tanner Vandeman of child exploitation and voyeurism.

According to the Columbus Police Department, an 8-year-old girl saw someone holding a cell phone under the stall as she was showering at Total Fitness on Middle Road last Thursday evening. Employees then found Vandeman inside a women’s shower stall. Employees and bystanders held onto Vandeman until officers arrived. Police discovered Vandeman had recording equipment on him and found that he had been convicted of voyeurism in the past.

He was arrested and several electronic devices were confiscated by investigators.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a flood warning for Haw Creek through this evening.

Minor flooding is expected this afternoon into late tonight. According to forecasters, heavy rains of 2 to 3 inches are causing a sharp rise in creek and stream levels. Earlier this afternoon Haw Creek at Clifford was a few inches above the minor flood level and rising.

It is expected to crest later today at 12.7 feet, or about 8 inches above the minor flood stage.

Authorities warn that you should not try to drive across flooded roadways or drive around barricades. They say that most flood deaths occur in vehicles. They say, turn around and don’t drown.