A program in the Bartholomew Consolidated Schools cafeterias is keeping food out of the trash and helping to feed the hungry in the community.

The program, called the “No Thank You” table, lets students who don’t want a particular item at lunch to put the unopened and unused item on a special table with ice trays where others who are hungry can take them with no questions asked, says Nancy Millspaugh, director of the school district’s food services program.

“The children can go up during their lunch period and get additional servings that they would like, free of charge,” Millspaugh said. “We allow that for students who are pack students, as well. They don’t necessarily have to go through our lunch line to get the extra food.”

Millspaugh said the extra food, mostly milk, is stored and marked for donation to the community. At the end of the week it is picked up by Love Chapel.

“They tend to use it in their hot meals site service,” Millspaugh said. “It has been very helpful for them. They say that it has saved them about 53 gallons of milk a week.”

So far, the program has generated nearly two tons of food for food pantries, or about 3,600 pounds of food.

Some schools are seeing all of the extras taken by hungry students during the day. And the high schools are not participating in the Love Chapel donations, she said. .

“At our high schools, it doesn’t necessarily get picked up by Lovel Chapel because we have our own BCSC food pantries, at those schools that are open to the students and the community,” Millspaugh said. “So it will go there, if there is excess.”

Millspaugh gave her annual food services report to the BCSC school board Monday night.

The recent nice weather is just another reason why the Columbus Visitors Center thinks you should take advantage of a special offer designed to show off the beauty of the city. Erin Hawkins, the Visitors Center Director of Marketing, invites you to take advantage of a free walking tour this month.

Hawkins says that recent scheduling of these tours have been sporadic. By offering them for free during the month of March, she says that the Visitors Center hopes to gather some valuable information about what people would like to see on these tours, as well as provide training to those who are leading the tours. Hawkins says that, while the bus tours are great, these walking tours allow visitors a “more customized experience.”

Hawkins says these free tours are being offered Tuesday through Friday, for the rest of the month, beginning at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.columbus.in.us.

An early-morning traffic stop on Sunday resulted in the arrest of a Marion County man on a number of charges.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson Judy Jackson says that just a few minutes after 2 a.m. on Sunday, Deputy Andrew

Densford was dispatched to southbound I-65 in reference to a possible intoxicated driver. Authorities say they received reports that a pickup truck in that area was weaving in and out of traffic at inconsistent speeds, nearly crashing on multiple occasions.

Deputy Densford found the pickup truck and initiated a traffic stop. He reportedly spoke with the driver, 29-year-old Inocencio Calvo, of Indianapolis. Calvo allegedly told the deputy that he had been on the north side of Indianapolis and was heading home to Speedway, unaware that he was approximately one-hour south of his destination.

Deputy Densford reported finding Calvo to be in possession of cocaine. Calvo was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence, Possession of Cocaine and Operating without Ever Obtaining a License. Authorities say that he has since been released on $12,000 bond.

Three corrections officers were injured in a scuffle with an inmate at the Bartholomew County Jail over the weekend.

Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson Judy Jackson says that that at approximately 4:47 a.m. on Saturday, 26-year-old inmate Joseph

Schwering, of Columbus, requested to use the telephone while Corrections Officer Jonathan Allen was attempting to book in another inmate. Jackson says that Officer Allen told Schwering that he would have to wait and instructed him to return to his cell in the meantime. Authorities say that Schwering ignored the command and pushed against Officer Allen, who then called for assistance.

Authorities say that Schwering then charged at Officer Allen, hitting him in the abdomen. During the scuffle, Officer Zachary Morey entered the fray and tried to place Schwering in hand restraints. Schwering allegedly continued to resist. Jackson says that this lead to a third officer, Richard Fippen, entering the area. She says that the three officers attempted to take control of Schwering, who allegedly continued to resist. Officer Allen then reportedly used his Taser on Schwering, which stunned him and allowed the officers to secure Schwering. Jackson says the entire ordeal lasted about five-minutes.

The Sheriff’s Department says that Schwering was initially booked in the jail on a Superior Court II Body Attachment with a $1,000 bond. After Saturday morning’s incident, he is facing additional preliminary charges of Battery, Resisting, and Probation Violation. Schwering is being held without bond.

The three Correctional Officers were sent to Prompt Med for checkups. The Sheriff’s Department says that Officer Jonathon Allen complained of back pain. He was treated and released. Officer Zachary Morey complained of arm pain and had minor abrasions. Authorities say that his arm will be in a sling for at least three days. Officer Richard Fippen received minor abrasions.

Two vehicles suffered heavy front-end damage after a head-on crash early Sunday morning on Poshard Drive that police say was caused by a drunk driver.

The crash happened at about 12:15 a.m. when a car driving east on Poshard Drive left the road, overcorrected and crossed the centerline on Poshard Drive striking another vehicle head-on, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.

The driver of the first car, 25-year-old Cody T. Maddox told police that he could not remember what happened, Harris said. Police say he was slurring his words and his eyes appeared bloodshot and glassy. Maddox and the second driver, 21-year-old Marissa Abner, were taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for minor injuries.

Maddox was arrested on preliminary charges of preliminary charges of operating a motor vehicle while Intoxicated and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with endangerment.

A Columbus man who allegedly yelled obscenities at a cashier at a downtown convenience store was arrested on charges including public intoxication Sunday night.

The disturbance started at a convenience store on Third Street at shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday,  says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.  Police received a report that a man screamed obscenities at the clerk and smacked the partition surrounding the cashier’s counter. He then left the store.

The suspect, 40-year-old Joseph E. Richardson, was located near Fifth and Chestnut streets by police. Richardson allegedly threatened officers and then resisted arrest, police report.

He was suspected to be very intoxicated and was taken to Columbus Regional HOspital to be checked out before being taken to the jail on preliminary charges including public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting law enforcement.

Columbus Regional Hospital will be holding a free session on joint pain on Thursday from noon to 1 p.m.

Dr. Darryl Tannenbaum, an orthopedic surgeon, will discuss common causes of joint pain and treatment options. A light lunch will be served at the session, which will be held at Mill Race Center.

The session is free but registration is required. You can register by calling 1-800-699-1019.

A Columbus woman was arrested on drunk driving charges after her car crashed into a garage early Saturday morning.

Officers were called to the 100 block of South Gladstone Avenue at about 4 a.m. They talked to the driver 34-year-old April Aills of Columbus who didn’t recall crashing into the garage, said Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department. Aills appeared to have slurred speech and glassy eyes, police reported.

She was allegedly found to have a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit and was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .15 percent or greater.

Jennings County deputies say there was an arrest over the weekend on preliminary charges of child molestation and incest.

53-year-old Randy L. Piper of North Vernon was arrested yesterday, says Lt. Mike Mowery, spokesman for the sheriff’s department. Piper is being held without bond at the Jennings County Jail.

An investigation is ongoing and it includes the prosecutor’s office, Department of Child Services and the Indiana State Police.

Seymour police are crediting officers with saving the life of an overdose victim by administering Narcan.

According to police reports, officers were called to the 700 block of Peak Avenue on a report of an unconcscious man at about 8:45 p.m. Saturday.

Corporal Devin Cornwell and Officer Jim Handley found that the man was not breathing and he appeared to be suffering from an overdose. Cornwell administered a dose of Narcan and the man began breathing on his own again.

Jackson County paramedics stabilized the man and he was taken to Schneck Medical Center. The incident is still under investigation.