Indiana State Police say that there is still time to sign up your middle-school aged kids for a camp in Columbus.

Troopers will be holding a law camp in Columbus July 6th through the 10th. The camp is for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. It will give students a behind-the-scenes look at the criminal justice system. That will include field trips, demonstrations, motivational programs, and hands-on learning. The cost for the law camp is $150.

The state police are also holding a law camp in Anderson June 29th through July 2nd. Other upcoming camps include a cadet camp in Anderson next week and a career camp in Angola July 6th through the 11th.

Troopers say that each program includes well-balanced meals and comfortable sleeping facilities. Camp staff are hand-picked law enforcement personnel.

You can get more information at trooper.org or on Facebook at ISP Youth Camps

U.S. 31 will be closing in southern Jackson County for most of the rest of the year.

According to INDOT, contractors will be closing the highway near Uniontown starting on Monday, June 23rd as crews replace a bridge over Lewis Branch. That will be just north of Uniontown between East Jackson County Road 50 South and East County Road 150 South.

The project is expected to take until mid November. The work schedule is dependent on the weather. The official detour will take State Road 250 to Interstate -65 to U.S. 50 and then back to U.S. 31.

This work is part of a $2.4 million contract awarded to E&B Paving.

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

An Illinois driver has been arrested after a police chase on Interstate 65 that started near Seymour.

According to the Indiana State Police, at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon a trooper noticed a vehicle following another too closely about a mile north of the Seymour exit. But when the trooper tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver accelerated away southbound on the interstate. Speeds reached more than 100 mph and the driver weaved dangerously through traffic, police say.

The chase continued south into Scott County and other agencies joined in to assist. A Scott County deputy used stop sticks to deflate at least one of the vehicles tires, but the driver continued getting off the highway at the Scottsburg Exit and then tried to get back onto the interstate headed northbound. That’s when the trooper used a maneuver to spin out the driver’s vehicle. The driver spun off of the ramp and flipped over into the emergency lane on northbound Interstate 65.

After being checked out by medics, police arrested the driver, 34-year-old Kyle E. Jurkovic of Joliet, Illinois. He is facing charges including Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Reckless Driving  and Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia.

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.

The Bartholomew County 4-H Fair gets underway today. The official opening will be at 5 p.m. including the opening of the midway.

Today is Friends of the Republican Party Day at the fair.

Entertainment tonight includes the Bigfoot Monster Truck Show sponsored by Full Throttle Motorsports at the grandstand starting at 7 p.m. Also at 7 p.m. High Rise will be performing 70s to 2000s rock at the David Boll Theatre, the Columbus Cloggers will be at the Farm Bureau Building and there will be the 4-H Watermelon Relay at the Horse Arena starting at 8 p.m.

The midway will be offering $30 wristbands tonight.

You can get more information at bartholomewcountyfair.com

It is going to be hot this weekend and into early next week.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a heat advisory starting Saturday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday evening.

According to forecasters, the temperatures are going to be in the low 90s, but high humidity is going to make it feel as high as 103 in the afternoons. If you have to be outside, you should take extra precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses. They say to limit any strenuous activities to early morning or evening. You should also wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.

Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and check in on relatives or neighbors who might be especially vulnerable.

The city of Columbus would grow by about 107 acres, under a proposal this week considered by Columbus City Council.

Chase Point Capital requested and annexation and rezoning on the north side of State Road 46 between County Road 500 West and Belmont Drive, across the highway from the planned Maple Grove Elementary School. The developers have a plan to build homes and apartments on what are now five agricultural properties. The rezoning would set aside areas for single family homes and multi-family units.

The Columbus Plan Commission heard the requests last month and recommended the council approve the plan. Among the commitments recommended by the plan commission are a maximum of 300 homes in the single family area, a traffic study to consider whether a traffic signal is needed and improvements to the intersection at State Road 46 and County Road 500W. Access to the development would be primarily through Belmont Drive and County Road 500W.

Although the zoning in the single-family area would normally allow up to 500 homes, the developers said that they are only interested in building about 250 homes, according to City Council President Frank Miller.

Neighbors said that they were concerned about the effect on traffic, congestion and property values in the area. There were also concerns about the loss of farm land.

City Council gave their first approval to the rezoning and to the annexation. The proposal will be brought back for final review and approval next month.

Graphic courtesy of Columbus Planning Department

A Seymour man was arrested in North Vernon last week after he was found speeding on a moped.

According to the North Vernon Police Department, the incident happened last Thursday when an officer noticed the speeding cycle on West Walnut Street.

The driver was pulled over on Middle School Road and police found that he is listed as a habitual traffic violator. 50-year-old Michael E. Wimberly Jr. was taken into custody. A search also revealed he was carrying a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue and a baggie that tested positive for meth.

A woman was arrested last week in North Vernon after a fight in a restaurant parking lot.

According to the North Vernon Police Department, officers were called to a reported domestic disturbance in the parking lot of the restaurant on Hurley Drive. As officers arrived, they saw a woman inside of a vehicle striking a man several times.

Police talked to those involved and noticed that the woman appeared to be intoxicated and she admitted to driving after drinking. A breath test revealed a blood-alcohol content of .18 percent, more than twice the legal limit.

Rachel Goins was arrested on charges of domestic battery, operating a vehicle while intoxicated with endangerment and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 percent or more.

The North Vernon Police Department said yesterday that the incident happened on Tuesday, June 10th.

A reminder that there will be a celebration today to recognize the new Black Heritage Trail in downtown Columbus.

The bronze markers at 10 locations downtown recognize the history of African American businesses in downtown Columbus.

Opening festivities will be from 5 to 7 p.m.. at the Sixth Street Arts Alley with a ribbon cutting at 5:30. There will be comments from the mayor, and local historians, as well as family members of those long-ago business owners. There will also be food from Stunna’s Meal Prep and Jack Rabbits, music by DJ Smooth G and drinks from Lemonade Bros and Elev8.

Funding for the project came from grants from the African American Foundation of Bartholomew County, the Benjamin R. (Mickey) King Endowed Fund and Heritage Fund with the assistance of the Landmark Columbus Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Landmark Columbus Foundation

Ivy Tech Community College will be holding an “Explore your Future” event on Tuesday at the Columbus campus.

Prospective students and community members are invited to attend the open house to learn more about the school’s programs. There will be opportunities to tour the campus and to meet with faculty and to get help from financial aid experts on tuition assistance options.

Ivy Tech offers academic programs in areas including advanced manufacturing, business, education, healthcare, information technology and more.

The event will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Moravec Hall at 4475 Central Avenue in Columbus. No registration is necessary.