The Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress and Columbus Regional Health are hosting a workshop on opioid abuse relapses from 5:30 to 7  p.m. Sept. 27th at Mill Race Center.

Dr. Teddy Saddoris will lead the presentation. The goal is to help limit the frequency of relapses. It will help identify triggers and cravings that could hamper recovery and also talk about how to cope with stressful situations.

The session is intended for those already in recovery from a substance abuse disorder, their parents, friends and others who care about them.

The workshop is free.

The Columbus SWAT team was called out Tuesday afternoon after a man with a gun allegedly got into a fight with a family member on Aspen Lane. But the man ultimately got away before police secured the area.

The incident started at about 2:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Aspen Lane, when the family member escaped the home and called police, saying that the suspect was still inside. Both the SWAT team and negotiators were called to the scene.

After a tense few hours, police reached the suspect by phone and confirmed that he was no longer in the house and had left before officers arrived.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department, says that there are no criminal charges pending against the man and the incident remains under investigation.

North Vernon is one step closer to having a new pool for the city park. The city council voted 4-1 to award the contract to Dave O’Mara Contractors. Seven companies submitted bids to the city, but the apparent low-bidder, Maxwell Construction, quickly withdrew its bid due to an accounting error. That opened the door for Dave O’Mara to win the bid.

The winning base bid was $3,343,000. If all amenities are factored in and approved, the total could go as high as $3,492,000. City council members say the bid is a little higher than what they were anticipating. However, parks department staff say that contractor representatives have indicated to look into opportunities where costs can be reduced without impacting function and user comfort. Council members could not address the scope of any potential savings, as the contractor would not discuss those possibilities without first receiving the contract.

A timeline for establishing the entire scope and cost of the work has not yet been established.

A woman acting suspiciously in a store parking lot ended up under arrest on drug charges last night in Columbus.

Columbus police are reporting that they were called to Whitfield Drive last night at about 9:10 p.m. and found 44-year-old Kimberly R. Kirk of Paris Crossing, who had an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.

After being arrested, a search of her purse allegedly revealed syringes, methamphetamine and cocaine. She was arrested on drug possession charges along with the outstanding warrant.

A Columbus man was arrested Monday after a family fight turned violent, according to police.

Bartholomew County deputies were called to a dispute at a home on County Road 50W at about 1:43 p.m. yesterday afternoon. A woman said she had been battered and stopped from leaving the home by 37-year-old Bradley Burgan, according to police reports.

Deputies say that an argument the night before spilled over into a physical fight. Burgan then allegedly left with her two-year-old son.

Deputies were still on scene when Burgan returned with the child. He was arrested on preliminary charges of domestic battery in the presence of a minor and criminal confinement.

The 51st annual Hope Heritage Days kicks off on Friday in the northeastern Bartholomew County town.

The three day event features food booths to support local not-for-profit groups, arts, crafts and antiques vendors, a pioneer village, plus music and entertainment.

Chuck Caldwell, an organizer for the festival, says that they will be bringing back an old favorite event.

The baking contest with pie, cake and miscellaneous categories. Cash prizes will be awarded in each of the categories, along with an overall winner.

Caldwell talks about the entertainment this year.

Events start at 5 p.m. on Friday with the opening of booths on the Hope Town Square. You can get more information at hopeheritagedays.org.

Learning Tree Preschool will be celebrating diversity with its Worldfest event tomorrow.

Jennifer Corsi, a parent and organizer of the event, says that Worldfest allows children and families at the school to talk about their culture.

Corsi says that much like Ethnic Expo, the event will feature food, crafts, clothing and languages representing the diverse cultures of children and families at the school. She said the school is also looking for other cultures who may want to be represented.

The event is free and open to the public. While some booths will have free food samples there will also be food for sale, Corsi said.

Worldfest will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the school at First United Methodist Church on Eighth Street.

Centerstone and The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation is partnering to stop suicide. Kevin Hines, mental health advocate, speaker, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker will share his story during an event on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at Columbus North’s Judson Erne Auditorium.

Hines says he was born into poverty in San Francisco and taken away from his birth parents. He was then adopted by the Hines family.

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That ultimately led to Hines attempting suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge when he was 19-years-old. That makes Hines one of only a handful of people who have survived the leap. Hines says next week’s event includes the film “Suicide: The Ripple Effect.” This program is aimed at helping those suffering from depression, and their families, to detect the warning signs of a potential suicide and identify the resources available to those in need.

Next Tuesday’s event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 :30 p.m. and you are invited. You can get more information at centerstone.org/RippleEffect.

Three weeks of paving work is set to begin next week from Walesboro to Columbus. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that the work is part of the $143 million Next Level Roads project on Interstate 65 in Bartholomew and Jackson Counties.

INDOT says that drivers can expect crews and equipment in single lanes on I-65 between mile marker 64.5 near the Walesboro exit and State Road 46 ramps at Columbus during overnight hours, beginning at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30. Officials say asphalt paving will occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every night Sunday through Friday. Work is scheduled to happen as follows:

• Northbound I-65 left lane
• Southbound I-65 left lane
• Northbound I-65 right lane
• Southbound I-65 right lane
• Northbound & southbound shoulders

This work is part of an ongoing project to completely reconstruct and reconfigure I-65 as a six-lane road.

A North Vernon man is facing charges after an incident early Sunday morning. North Vernon Police say they interviewed a suspect in a battery that happened in the 100 block of North State Street. After an investigation, police arrested 51-year-old Marcolm Stiening on preliminary charges of Battery with Serious Bodily Injury and Possession of Methamphetamine.