The City of Columbus is looking at plans to fund a $2.6 million project in the East Columbus area.

That would be the next phase of the State Street Revitalization project. Mayor Jim Lienhoop explains that the project would stretch from about California Street , over the Haw Creek bridge going to about Mapleton Street. It will include green spaces and trails for pedestrians and bicycles.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission has approved the plan, and the Board of Public Works and Safety agreed to put the project out to bid last week. Tomorrow the City Council will be asked to fund the project. The mayor explains that the project will be paid out of the city’s Tax Increment Financing funds.

Each year the city sets aside about $6 million that comes from the TIF district stretching from downtown to Walesboro., Lienhoop said. The money all comes from property tax growth in that district and must be spent to benefit the district.

The money will not mean in an increase in property taxes, the mayor said.

Lienhoop says the Central TIF district collects $6 to $7 million dollars a year.

The City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Council Chambers in Columbus City Hall.

The town of Hope will be celebrating the opening of its first pharmacy in more than 30 years.

That will be at a grand opening ceremony at the Hope Wellness Pharmacy on the northeast side of the Town Square at 10 a.m. today.

The pharmacy is opening in the historic bank building that was designed by architect Harry Weese. It was originally built by Irwin Union Bank and then held a First Financial branch before that closed. It reopened for several years as newspaper offices for the Hope Star-Journal and held the Hope satelite offices of the Columbus Area Visitors Center until December.

The visitors center reopened a satellite office in the Yellow Trail museum on Saturday.

Jennings County Sheriff’s deputies and Indiana State Police troopers shot a man at a home near Butlerville after he allegedly fired at police.

25-year-old Charles L. Mays was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital Saturday evening and is facing preliminary charges of attempted murder, intimidation with a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness, and battery.

Police were called to a domestic disturbance with at least one shot fired at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning on County Road 750E, says Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the state police. A woman fled the home and called for help.

Mays allegedly fired at police when they arrived and police returned fire. He then went back into the home and refused to come out. Officers surrounded the home and at about 7:45 p.m. that evening he surrendered to police, Wheeles says.

Columbus police say they have found nothing dangerous after a bomb scare shut down traffic to downtown Columbus for more than two and a half hours Friday afternoon.

Lt Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police say that officers were called to The Commons after a locked backpack was found in what police are calling a suspicious location in a bathroom at the building.

Harris explains:

The bomb squad was called in and the public was notified to stay away, at shortly after 1 p.m. Washington Street between Third and Fourth Streets was shut down while they investigated. The issued the all-clear at about 3:30 p.m.

Harris said they have located the person who placed the backpack, but they do not believe there was any bad intent.