A North Vernon man was arrested last week on drug and other charges after a traffic stop.

According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy pulled over a vehicle Thursday after noticing a traffic violation near State Road 3 and County Road 750S. A police dog alerted to the smell of drugs in the vehicle.

Police say a search uncovered about 25 grams of methamphetamine, that a passenger tried to hide inside a fountain drink. The passenger, Virgil Gillmer Jr. allegedly admitted that the drugs were his and that the driver did not know the drugs were in the vehicle.

Gillmer was arrested on preliminary charges of obstructing justice and for possessing the meth.

A fire left two homes damaged in downtown Columbus Friday evening.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, a passerby noticed flames coming from the carport at a home in the 900 block of Chestnut Street and alerted the homeowner. The resident tried to fight the fire with a garden hose, and firefighters were called to the scene at about 5:52 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find the carport was fully engulfed in flames and was melting the vinyl siding on a neighboring home.

Firefighters began knocking down the flames outside and found that the fire had spread inside the first home. Inside they encountered high heat and low visibility, with the fire seemingly concentrated in a bedroom. But as they removed part of the ceiling they discovered it was burning inside a hidden void that had been created over the life of the home. After cutting through the roof they were able to put the fire out.

The original home was found to be unlivable after the fire and a neighboring apartment was also damaged. Eight people were displaced from their homes by the fire and received assistance from the American Red Cross to find shelter.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department

State Road 11 will be closing in downtown Seymour starting next week and is expected to remain closed for about two months.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, contractors will be replacing a culvert on the highway, or Walnut Street, just south of U.S. 50, starting on June 30th. The street will be closing between North Park Drive and South Park Drive near Gaiser Park. The official detour follows U.S. 50 to Interstate 65 and State Road 250.

The work is expected to last through mid August. The work schedule is dependent on the weather.

Force Construction will be doing the work on the project, which is part of a $1.3 million contract.

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

Columbus Regional Health Foundation will have a new leader starting next week.

According to the hospital, Tanya Hand will become the president of the foundation, starting on June 30th. Hand most recently served as Chief Development Officer for the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. Previously, she was with the United Way of Central Indiana serving as Vice President of Major and Transformational Giving.

The Hands now live in Indianapolis and plan to move to Columbus.

Hand will be taking over for Julie Abedian, who plans to retire as Executive Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer and as CRH Foundation President, effective August 21st. The hospital says the positions of Executive Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer will not be replaced.

Abedian has been with the hospital system for 21 years. She has been deeply involved in community efforts including the transition from Volunteers in Medicine to the VIM Care Clinic, the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County and Mental Health Matters initiatives and the development of CRH’s Treatment and Support Center

The foundation has grown from $6 million to $20 million under her leadership and makes about $2 million in grants each year.

This stretch of extremely hot weather is now expected to last through the end of the week.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis  is extending the heat advisory, saying it is going to feel like up to 105 in the afternoons all week. The heat advisory is now in effect until 8 p.m. Friday evening.

Forecasters says that today real temperatures will be in the low to mid 90s, with high humidity making it feel like 100 degrees or more in our area.

The weather service suggest that if you have to work outside that you schedule frequent rest breaks in the shade, or in an air conditioned space if you can.

Columbus emergency workers and Cummins will be partnering this week in a training exercise that will bring a large number of first responders and equipment to Plant 1 on Central Avenue.

According to Columbus Fire Department, the exercise will be going on from 8 to 11 in the morning on Thursday. They will be taking part in realistic disaster scenarios, giving the company and city a chance to practice coordinated responses.

Organizers say that you should not be alarmed by the large number of rescue workers taking part. They say the exercise enhances operational readiness and fosters a spirit of cooperation and mutual support.

The city of Columbus and Bartholomew County will be offering cooling stations as temperatures heat up over the next few days.

According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, if you need to get out of the heat you can stop at either the downtown Columbus or Hope branches of the Bartholomew County Public Library. The library on Fifth Street in Columbus will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Thursday and from 9 to 6 p.m. on Friday and the branch on the Hope Town Square will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Tuesday, 10 to 5 on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

You can also cool off at the Community Engagement Center on Second Street in Columbus from 7 to 4 today through Friday.

After 5 p.m., the Brighter Days Shelter on Mapleton Street in Columbus can be used to cool off.

The Bartholomew County 4-H fair continues today with Bartholomew County Farm Bureau Day.

The midway will open at 5 p.m. with a $2 per ride Dollar Day.

Entertainment tonight includes Fishers of Men Christian Contemporary music at the David Boll Theater starting at 6 p.m. The Three Bar J Rodeo will be the grandstand entertainment starting at 7 p.m. And there will be 4-H blacksmithing demonstrations at Building 6 this evening, also starting at 7 p.m.

You can get more information at https://bartholomewcountyfair.com

With the expected hot weather this weekend and into early next week, emergency officials are warning you to be aware of the signs of heat-related illnesses.

The most common illnesses caused by the high temperatures are heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

If someone feels faint or dizzy, has excessive sweating, cool, pale or clammy skin, a rapid weak pulse and muscle cramps, they could be suffering from Heat Exhaustion. You should get them to a cool, air-conditioned place, loosen clothing, sip cool water and take a cool shower or use cool compresses.

Heat Stroke is more serious and you should call 911 if someone is experiencing the symptoms. Those include a throbbing headache and confusion, but no sweating. Their skin could be red, hot and dry. There will be a rapid, strong pulse and a victim could lose consciousness.

You should get a heat stroke victim to a cool place and use cool cloths, ice or water externally to cool them down. You should not give liquids to drink to a victim of heat stroke.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a heat advisory starting Saturday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday evening. It could feel like it is more than 100 degrees outside.

Graphic courtesy of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Freeman Army Airfield Museum at the Seymour Municipal Airport will be offering airplane rides Saturday as part of its annual fundraiser.

You can make a $25 donation from 9 to 4 to see the city from the sky. The rides are dependent on the weather and you have to be older than 5 and less than 250 pounds.

There will also be airplanes and military vehicles on display, as well as a glider. You can tour the museum buildings for free and there will be food and drinks for sale.

All proceeds will benefit the museum which is at 1035 A Avenue in Seymour. The ride day will be at the white tent across the street.

Photo courtesy of Freeman Army Airfield Museum