COLUMBUS, Ind. - Bartholomew County Emergency Management (BCEM) says the National Weather Service forecasts excessive heat and humidity for the rest of the week. The extreme temperatures are predicted to reach the mid-90s, with heat index values exceeding 100 degrees, posing a serious threat to health and safety, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Three local facilities are opening their doors as Cooling Stations to provide temporary relief.
Cool off at the Bartholomew County Public Library (BCPL) in downtown Columbus on Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Hope branch of BCPL is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 to 5, and Thursdays and Fridays from 10 to 6.
The Community Engagement Center, 1075 Second Street in Columbus, is available weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All three of these facilities will be closed on Saturday, July 4. BCEM reminds that the locations do not provide food or showers. You are expected to respect the rules of each Cooling Station and other individuals staying there.
Brighter Days Housing, at 421 S. Mapleton St., in Columbus, is open after 6 p.m. for shelter.
COLUMBUS, Ind. - The Columbus Police Department (CPD) released a statement on Monday, just before 7 a.m., saying that due to the ongoing power outage, the traffic lights downtown along Lindsey, Brown, and Jackson Streets are out on Monday, August 24.
SEYMOUR, Ind. - A two-vehicle collision involving a wrong-way driver claimed three lives on I-65 near Seymour early Sunday morning, August 23. Shortly after 2:30 a.m., a caller reported a head-on crash on southbound I-65 in Jackson County, about one mile south of Seymour.
COLUMBUS, Ind. - Columbus City Hall welcomed 18 students from Miyoshi-Minami Junior High School in Miyoshi, Japan, for a tour and a firsthand look at city government as part of the long-standing sister‑city exchange on Thursday, August 20.
FRANKLIN, Ind. - Phase 1 of the Graham Road project in Franklin begins on or after Monday, August 24. The contractor says Graham Road will be fully reconstructed from Earlywood Drive to Paul Hand Boulevard, and the bridge over Canary Creek will be replaced.
INDIANAPOLIS - At the Indiana State Fair on Wednesday, August 19, the Indiana Department of Agriculture presented several Bartholomew and Johnson County farm families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.