With the approaching Fourth of July holiday, local firefighters want to remind you of the ordinances surrounding fireworks and offer fireworks safety tips.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, city ordinances regulate when you can set off fireworks and are in line with state laws.

That means June 29th through July 3rd, you can set off your fireworks between 5 p.m. and two hours after sunset, or no later than 11 p.m. in the evening. On the Fourth of July you can set them off between 10 a.m. in the morning and midnight. From July 5th through the 9th, you can again only set off fireworks between 5 and 9.

Fireworks are not allowed to be set off in the city limits except for certain holidays for the rest of the year,.

You should not put hot fireworks in your trash Toter and never put those into your recycling or yard waste Toters.

Lowell Road in Columbus will be closing for two months or more starting on Monday.

According to the Columbus city engineer’s office, the final phase of reconstruction project is starting that will close the road from County Road 200W to Interstate 65 for an expected eight weeks. Access will remain open to Drummond Drive and the roundabout at Lowell Road and County Road 200W will remain open during the work.

Officials say you should avoid the area and find an alternate route during the closure. You are urged to use caution when driving near construction zones.

You can find a link to more information and updates on the city engineering Facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/columbusengineering

We could see some bad weather this afternoon and evening as a storm system moves through the area.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has upgraded all of Indiana to an enhanced risk of severe weather today.

The main threats will be this afternoon through late evening with the possibility of damaging winds with gusts of more than 60 mph. Large hail along with isolated flooding and tornadoes are also possible.

Emergency officials say that you can prepare by identifying a safe spot at home and at work, should the weather turn severe. A basement or storm shelter is best, but an interior room, stairway or hall without a window or door to the outside is also acceptable.

Heading into the weekend, our current warm and muggy conditions are expected to turn to possibly dangerous heat. High temperatures in the mid 90s are possible and the humidity could make that feel like more than 100 degrees outside.

A pet food pantry distribution is set for Thursday afternoon at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services will be holding their Furry Friends Food Bank giveaway from 4 to 5:30 p.m. or until the food runs out. The pet food will be distributed in the airport parking lot at 4770 Ray Boll Boulevard in front of the Charlie 119 cargo plane.

Cat food will be distributed in 4.5 pound bags and dog food in 14.5 pound bags. If you take part you should stay in your vehicle and the food will be brought to you.

Organizers say the purpose of the pantry is to assist community members in need to keep their pets in their homes and out of area shelters.

Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services is the non-profit partner of the city-operated animal shelter.

We could see some bad weather on Wednesday as a storm system moves through the area.

According to the Bartholomew County Emergency Operations Center, our area is right on the line between having an enhanced risk of severe weather to the north and west portions, and a slight risk to the south and east.

The main threats will be Wednesday afternoon through late evening with the possibility of damaging winds with gusts of more than 60 mph possible, large hail along with isolated flooding and tornadoes possible.

Emergency officials say that you can prepare by identifying a safe spot at home and at work, should the weather turn severe.. A basement or storm shelter is best, but an interior room, stairway or hall without a window or door to the outside is also acceptable.

Heading into the weekend, our current warm and muggy conditions are expected to turn to possibly dangerous heat. High temperatures in the mid 90s are possible and the humidity could make that feel like more than 100 degrees outside.

Bartholomew County officials are putting new procedures in place after a snafu over bids for a new county truck.

Recently the Bartholomew County Commissioners awarded a bid for a new truck for the assessor’s office to Country Chevrolet of North Vernon. However, commissioners decided Monday to scrap the contract and start over after an error was discovered in the process.

According to Commissioners President Carl Lienhoop the paperwork was read incorrectly and another bidder, Chevrolet of Columbus, actually came in with a cheaper offer. The difference was just over $179 dollars. But the final total was buried deep in the 12 pages of bid documents and was missed by the county officials.

Commissioners decided at their Monday meeting that the most fair thing to do would be to rescind the contract and seek new bids.

To prevent the problem from happening again, county officials will now require a cover page from bidders with the bottom line price listed and an estimated delivery date.

You will see traffic tie-ups on Interstate 65 heading into Indianapolis this weekend and next as crews make Safety and Efficiency improvements to the highway.

According to INDOT, the southbound lanes of Interstate 65 will be closing from 9 p.m. Friday evening through 6 a.m. Monday. That will be from the interchange with Interstate 70 in downtown Indy, to the exchange at Interstate 465. that will include all entrance ramps. Traffic will be detoured to 465 and 70 during the work. The work was originally scheduled to start last weekend, but was delayed due to the bad weather.

Work on the northbound lanes will be going on the following weekend, June 27th through June 30th.

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.

The Jackson County United Way is expecting more children than ever in need of basic school supplies.

The group is taking donations for its annual Rock’n Ready school supply program which provides backpacks full of free supplies for children in need throughout the community.

Last school year, more than 1,400 students signed up for the program and received the school supplies and organizers say that there is already an increase in applicants this year.

The United Way hopes to raise $25,000 for the program this year. Each backpack costs about $25 to fill. Organizers say that the free school supplies allow families to spend money on other essentials such as clothes and lunch money.

The United Way is looking for those who want to help out in any way, ranging from purchasing supplies, making monetary donations, hosting a collection site, holding a supply drive at your business or workplace, or sponsoring the program.

Among the most needed supplies are composition Notebooks, Paper 2-Pocket Folders and Crayola products including 10-ct. Markers, 24-ct. Crayons and 12-ct. Colored Pencils and more.

You can find a link with more information including drop off locations and more needed supplies here: https://www.jacsy.org/rocknready

The National Association of School Resource Officers is recognizing Columbus police and Bartholomew County sheriffs department school resource officers as a model agency.

The group announced yesterday that the Bartholomew Consolidated and Flat Rock-Hawcreek school resources officers have been chosen for the recognition. The team is made up of sworn Columbus Police Department officers and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department deputies.

The association said that the consolidated team is “a unique collaboration between two independent law enforcement agencies serving in partnership to serve and protect” (local schools.)

A new trail of historic markers celebrating the history of African American businesses in downtown Columbus will have a celebration on Thursday, Juneteenth.

The Black Heritage Trail includes 10 bronze marker signs on the downtown sidewalks in a walking tour. Paulette Roberts has been documenting the history of black business owners in downtown Columbus. She said all but one of the heritage trail sites is on Washington Street.

Roberts has been working on the history project for more than 20 years and giving tours of those sites.  Her work has led to the installation of the sidewalk placards documenting what businesses used to be located where.

Roberts explains:

Roberts talks about her research

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.

Opening festivities will be from 5 to 7 p.m.. Thursday at the Sixth Street Arts Alley with a ribbon cutting at 5:30.

There will also be food from Stunna’s Meal Prep and Jack Rabbits, music by DJ Smooth G and drinks form Lemonade Bros and Elev8.

You can RSVP for Thursday’s event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-heritage-trail-ribbon-cutting-celebration-tickets-1378002615919

Photo courtesy of Landmark Columbus Foundation