The Columbus city engineer’s office is reporting that the intersection of Hawcreek Boulevard and Lucas Way, south to National Road will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow.

That is in the West Everroad Park neighborhood.

Lawyer Excavation will be replacing the concrete street. The closing will allow for concrete trucks to have access, to place the new concrete and for the safety of workers, according to the city.

The only access allowed during the closure times will be for emergency vehicles, if needed.

The Town of Hope is bringing back its Old-Fashioned Independence Day celebration the Friday before the 4th of July.

This year, the Yellow Trail Museum and Main Street of Hope are partnering on July 2nd for a combined holiday celebration and the monthly car Cruise-in on the Hope Town Square. That’s according to HSJ Online, the Hope news website.

The Cruise-in will start at 5 p.m.. Old-fashioned Independence Day events will start at 6 p.m. and will include:

• 6 p.m. — Crafts, Games and Contests for kids, food booths open
• 6:15 p.m. — Crowning of Little Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker
• 6:2 p.m. — Parade of Decorated Bikes/Trikes/ Strollers begins
• 6:30 p.m. — Banister Family Band plays on bandstand
• 6:45 p.m. — Register apple pies for Pie Baking Contest–cash prizes
• 6:45 p.m. — Cake Walk in Shelter house
• 7:30 p.m. — Sack Races
• 7:30 p.m. — Watermelon Eating Contest
• 7:45 p.m. — Tug of War
• 8 p.m. — Water Balloon Toss

the crowning of Little Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker; a stroller, bike and tricycle parade; an apple-pie baking contest; sack races and other events on the Town Square.

There will also be a meet-and-greet for new town officials, with a little celebrity assistance. Starting at 6 p.m. that evening, there will be a booth set up on the Town Square to meet new Town Manager Frank Owens and Executive Director of Main Street of Hope, Matt Lee. They will be joined by Survivor and Amazing Race veteran Rupert Boneham, until 7 p.m. that evening.

The fireworks are scheduled to start at 10.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is warning about a new traffic light at a Southern Crossing intersection.

Last week, INDOT activated the stoplight at the intersection of State Road 11 or Jonesville Road and County Road 450S near Walesboro. Previously the intersection had been a four-way stop sign.

The sheriff’s department warns that many drivers are still treating the intersection as a four-way stop, and running the red lights. Deputies warn that even if you have the green light, you should make sure there is no oncoming traffic ignoring the signals.

As of Friday, the sheriff’s department had issued two citations and made four arrests at the new signalized intersection.

The animals and staff at the Brown County Humane Society are settling in at their new location after last weekend’s move.

According to the agency, after operating for more than 30 years out of the previous facility, the society raised over $3.2 million in funding in less than three years for the new location. It has double the square footage of its last facility, which was four-thousand square-feet.

The society says the new building will better meet the needs of the animals and the community. The rural shelter had a 99 percent save rate for animals last year.

The shelter is closed through Tuesday as the staff and nearly 40 dogs and cats adjust to the new facility, at 128 South State Road 135. A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held to celebrate the new shelter on July 17th.

Our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks Inc. contributed to this report.

State Road 250 in southern Jackson County will be closing for about four months, starting next week, as crews work to replace a bridge over the Vernon Fork of the Muscatatuck River.

INDOT says that Dave O’Mara Contractors have the $1.2 million dollar contract to replace the bridge, which is west of U.S. 31 in Uniontown. The official detour will follow U.S. 31 to U.S. 50 and then to State Road 11.

The work is scheduled to start on Monday, June 21st and to last for 120 days. The schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to use extra caution and to drive without distractions in all work zones.

Thrive Alliance will be providing an online seminar on Tuesday about warning signs of Elder Abuse. Tuesday is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, meant to improve awareness of abuse and neglect of older people.

The Zoom session will feature Loretta Mize and Shelby Eggers of Thrive Alliance discussing the signs and symptoms of abuse, identifying the newest scams, strategies for intervention in elder abuse cases and local resources you can tap into.

The free online class will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. For more information you can contact Thrive Alliance at 812-372-6918. To register go to Event Brite.

Columbus Congressman Greg Pence is calling on Congress to return to in-person meetings after several recent committee meetings where most members attended virtually.

Pence said that he was the only member to show up in person for a subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce about two weeks ago and was one of only a few present in person yesterday for an Energy and Commerce meeting.

Pence said that he believes it is Congress’s duty to be in Washington D.C. legislating and advocating on behalf of constituents.

Pence called for an end to proxy voting, saying that “While we can debate CDC guidance, vaccinations and the science for weeks on end – it’s time for Congress to get back to normal work on behalf of the people in the people’s House!”

The Columbus Regional Health Wound Center is being named the wound care center of the year by a national group.

The hospital is announcing that the center has been chosen as overall center of the year and a center of distinction and clinical excellence by Healogics. The Columbus facility also received the overall center of the year award last year and has been recognized for five years as a center of distinction and excellence.

The center treats those with chronic wounds that left untreated could lead to amputations and reduced quality of life.

Healogics is recognized as the nation’s wound healing experts and partners with more than 300 nursing facilities and 80 hospitals nationwide.

Today wraps up Wound Care Awareness Week.

INDOT says that contractors will be closing lanes and shifting traffic on the U.S. 31 bridge over Clifty Creek starting on Monday through mid-July as crews resurface the bridge deck.

The bridge is just south of 10th Street and Taylor Road in Columbus, near Clifty Creek Elementary school.

Starting Monday, the southbound lanes of U.S. 31 will be closed over the bridge, and there will be one lane open in each direction on the northbound side. In late June, the work will shift and the northbound lanes will be closed with one lane of travel in each direction on the southbound side.

County Road 50N is expected to stay open during the work.

The schedule is dependent on the weather.

INDOT reminds you to slow down, to use extra caution and to drive without distractions in all work zones.

Three people were arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Bartholomew County found drugs and guns in their vehicle.

Indiana State Police pulled over a vehicle for traffic violations at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday near the Walesboro exit on the Interstate and all three people inside allegedly gave fake names to the trooper. But the trooper discovered that the driver was 21-year-old Alexus M. Dodson of Indianapolis. He had a suspended driver’s license.

State police dog Jinx was brought to the scene and alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle. A search revealed about 65 grams of a controlled substance along with about 12 grams of cocaine, and two handguns.

The driver and passengers, 28-year-old Marquese T. Collins of Indianapolis and 20-year-old Callie J. Bivens of Marion, Kentucky were arrested on preliminary charges of dealing in a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Dodson and Collins are also facing charges of possession of a handgun without a permit and Dodson is being accused of driving while suspended.