A French company, which is growing its presence in Bartholomew County, recently announced the results of its annual effort to feed the hungry.

Company officials at Faurecia say that, for the past seven years, their North American employees at have raised 5.45 million meals for local communities. The company says that more than 20,000 Faurecia employees at 43 manufacturing plants and R&D centers across Canada, Mexico and the United States, committed to donate food and money to local food bank partners for the FUELS (Faurecia Unites with Employees for Local Service) Community Food Drive. During September, Faurecia says that these employees surpassed their 800,000 meal goal by ending the month with over 1.1 million meals raised.

Additionally on October 4, there was a special presentation made to the Columbus food bank, Love Chapel. As part of the Columbus South Plant grand opening, Faurecia presented a check of more than $22,000.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Stephen Dischinger is with Turning Point, an organization tasked with domestic violence education and outreach. He talks about an event set for Thursday in downtown Columbus…

Dischinger explains that a march, from the corner of Fifth and Franklin Streets to Columbus City Hall, is scheduled…

Dischinger says that if you would like to take part, simply show up, either just before the march begins, or at City Hall at noon. For more on this event and domestic violence prevention, visit www.turningpointdv.org.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the date of the event incorrect.

Tickets are still available for the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Taste of Columbus” event, which takes place Thursday Oct. 27th at The Commons. Cindy Frey, with the chamber, explains…

Frey explains that this is the second event after last year’s offering proved to be a success…

Frey stresses that Taste of Columbus is a great opportunity to network…

The event runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at The Commons.

Tickets $30 and are available at Viewpoint Book, the Columbus Visitors Center and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as the chamber’s website at columbusareachamber.com.

The Indiana Department of Transportation will close segments of southbound Interstate 65’s right lane in Bartholomew and Jackson counties for concrete patching. The closures will take place between Seymour and the Walesboro exit, just south of Columbus. INDOT says that closures are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday at mile marker 65.

INDOT has released the following schedule for closures:

• 8 p.m. Sunday-noon Monday SB I-65 right lane closure from mile marker 65.0
• 6 p.m. Monday-noon Tuesday SB I-65 right lane closure from mile marker 61.0
• 6 p.m. Tuesday-noon Wednesday SB I-65 right lane closure from mile marker 57.0
• 6 p.m. Wednesday-noon Thursday SB I-65 right lane closure from mile marker 53.0

INDOT says that this work, and the schedule, is dependent on the weather. Drivers should expect delays during peak travel periods.

This $1.2 million project is slated to be finished by the end of November.

The culmination of the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay is tomorrow. State officials say that all Hoosiers are invited to the Indiana Statehouse Campus from noon to 5 for an event called “Hoosier Homecoming.”

Organizers say that the aim of the event is to bring Hoosiers together in honor of Indiana’s 200th birthday. The day will boast historic programming and other entertainment.

The 3,200 mile long torch journey passed through all of the state’s 92 counties. The route will begin Saturday morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The final stop will be the Indiana Statehouse during the Hoosier Homecoming celebration.

For more information about the event visit www.indiana2016.org.

INDOT will be closing two lanes of Interstate 65 in Johnson County starting tonight and running through Sunday morning.

Crews will be working between mile markers 94 and 101 in the northbound left lanes. You will still be able to get off the highway at Whiteland Road, Worthsville Road and Main Street.

That work is supposed to start at 7 tonight and run until 11 Sunday morning.

The state agency says that this weekend’s surface paving and placement of pavement markings are part of INDOT’s $84 million Major Moves 2020 project that is rebuilding I-65 between Greenwood and Franklin.

Milestone is the state’s prime contractor for the work.

A disabled Garden City man was seriously burned in a home fire Thursday morning.

The victim was taken to Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis with second and third degree burns, says Chief Dave Thompson with the Columbus Township Fire and Rescue Department.

Thompson said firefighters were called to the rental home in the 900 block of Jonesville Road at about 10:20 a.m. Thursday. A man and his daughter were at home at the time and the daughter was able to escape the home and call for help. The father, who is disabled, was on a couch in the living room where the fire started.

The fire was mostly contained to the living room area, but the rest of the home suffered heavy heat and smoke damage.

Thompson said the fire is still under investigation but careless smoking is believed to have played a part.

The home is owned by TENA Inc.

Other agencies assisting at the scene included Columbus, Wayne Township, Southwest and Harrison Township fire departments.

Indiana State Rep. Milo Smith, a Republican, debated last night with his November opponent, Democrat Bob Pitman at an education-centered event at IUPUC.

The forum, hosted by the IUPUC education department, featured questions from a student panel and from audience members.

Smith and Pitman are running to represent District 59 in the statehouse, which covers most of Bartholomew County.

The candidates were asked about the nation’s immigration debate and both said the national discussion on the subject was a disgrace.

Milo Smith said there needs to be a mechanism for immigrants to be screened and to pledge their allegiance to the United States.

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Bob Pitman said there should be a path to citizenship for immigrants here illegally:

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The candidates were asked about the top local issues they would like to address and Pitman suggested raising the minimum wage would be one of his priorities.

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Smith disagreed, saying it should be a negotiation between workers and employers.

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The first question from the audience asked about teaching evolution in public schools.

Pitman said teaching evolution should be required:

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Smith believes it is a violation of the separation between church and state to teach evolution.

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Smith and Pitman are running to represent District 59 in the statehouse, which covers most of Bartholomew County.

A Columbus man, who was initially stopped for speeding, was arrested Wednesday night on several drug charges.

Lt. Matt Harris. spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at 7:10 p.m., Officer Wesley Dodge noticed a vehicle speeding on Central Avenue. After stopping the vehicle, the officer noted that the driver, 25-year-old Ryan S. Redmon, appeared visibly nervous. Harris says that a police K-9 was called in and detected the odor of narcotics inside the vehicle. A search allegedly revealed heroin in one of Redmon’s pants pockets and a small of amount of methamphetamine in Redmon’s wallet. When officers searched the vehicle, they allegedly found marijuana and drug paraphernalia inside.

Authorities say that Redmon was arrested on preliminary charges of:

Possession of Heroin (Level 6 Felony)
Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony)
Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device (Level 6 Felony)
Possession of Marijuana (Class B Misdemeanor)
Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class A Misdemeanor)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Class C Misdemeanor)

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department has announced another drug-dealing arrest.

Authorities say that deputies, along with officers from the Brownstown Police Department, executed a search warrant on Tuesday at a home in Medora. They say that led to the arrest William Burrell on a number of charges. Police say that this arrest was the culmination of an eight-month investigation, led by Det. Ben Rudolph and Deputy Jeff Walters, into Burrell’s alleged dealing of methamphetamine.

The Sheriff’s Department says that when they arrived at the home, Burrell tried to flee, but was quickly caught and placed under arrest. They say the search turned up 3.5 ounces of crystal meth, approximately $4,300 in cash, three guns and other items police say are used in the distribution of meth.

Burrell is facing three charges of Dealing Methamphetamine as a Level 4 Felony, one count of Dealing Methamphetamine as a Level 2 Felony and Maintaining a Common Nuisance, a Level 6 Felony.

Authorities say that Burrell is being held on $100,005 bond, pending his initial court hearing.