Harrison College is ceasing operations at all of its campuses, including Columbus. The college announced the decision on Friday. The closures take effect on Sunday, Sept. 16. However, The Chef’s Academy will continue through the end of the term, which ends Oct. 14.

Harrison College released a statement noting that they are working with other schools and state officials to ensure each student has a pathway to complete their education.

Harrison College has been in existence for over 100 years. It has campuses in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina.

For more information, go to harrison.edu.

A campaign to make roads safer for everyone paid dividends locally. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that over a 24-day period, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department issued 444 traffic citations/warnings and made 21 arrests during the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization.

About 230 Indiana law-enforcement agencies joined thousands nationwide to increase roving patrols, saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

“Highly visible, data-driven traffic enforcement such as this has been proven to deter impaired driving,” said Sheriff Matt Myers. “Our commitment to enforcing the law and saving lives continues throughout the year.”

Columbus police are asking for your help to combat a rise in thefts from vehicles.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that between Aug. 1st and Sept. 11th, the department received 64 reports of thefts from vehicles.

Of those 59 happened in vehicles where car doors were unlocked.

Harris says you should lock your vehicle doors, take any valuables inside and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

He said thieves are stealing anything they can. Recent thefts have included firearms, purses, laptop computers all the way down to cell phone charges and small change.

Harris said that some people believe that leaving their vehicle unlocked protects from having a window broken. But that logic doesn’t hold true with what  police are seeing on the streets.

If you see anything suspicious you can contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Or you can call 911.

White River Broadcasting is inviting you to help us help the victims of Hurricane Florence.

Station Manager Bob Morrison announced that the drive kicks off Saturday during the 22nd annual “Hot Rods and Rock & Roll” event put on by 106.1 The River. This event sees Washington Street in downtown Columbus filled with classic cars and trucks, followed by a concert put on by Rick K. & The Allnighters. A popular item each year is the official Hot Rods and Rock & Roll t-shirt. Morrison says that for every t-shirt sold, White River Broadcasting will donate one-dollar to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief. Those shirts can be purchased at our tent on Fourth and Washington Streets until our stock is sold out.

If you can’t make it to Hot Rods and Rock & Roll, you can still help those in need. Morrison announced that all next week, Sept. 17-20, you can stop by our offices at 3212 Washington Street in Columbus and drop off a donation of cash or check. If you choose to write a check, please make it out to The American Red Cross with “Hurricane Florence” written in the memo line. Donations will also be accepted during Saturday’s event.

Cummins and the Jackson County United Way are partnering for the 6th Annual Seymour Community Work Day on Friday.

Organizers say this day will see 140 volunteers out in force participating in 21 teams. The focus throughout Jackson County will be on seniors who might need some light landscaping, painting and other tasks that they themselves are not able to do. Approximately 50 projects are slated to be completed with 32 from county seniors and a couple projects were carried over from the United Way’s Day of Caring.

United Way officials are celebrating their partnership with Cummins. Tonja Couch, JCUW Executive Director, says, “We are blessed with the partnership of Cummins. They’ve been an important partner in the opportunity to grow our volunteerism so rapidly.”

If you want to volunteer with Jackson County United Way, call (812) 522-5450.

Some bad luck led to the arrest of a Columbus man. Early Wednesday morning, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department invested a burglary at QC Communications on Jonesville Road. Several power tools, valued at around $3,000, were taken.

While deputies were on the scene, a Columbus Police Officer pulled over a vehicle driven by 21-year-old James Dylan Carmer. While taking inventory of the stopped vehicle, officers found a reciprocating saw that had been reported stolen from QC Communications.

Carmer was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia and Driving While Suspended. He remains behind bars $16,000 bond.

The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association has announced the 7th Annual Indiana Sheriffs’ Association Sheriff Robert “Buck “Stogsdill Open Bass Tournament to be held September 22nd. The Open Bass Tournament is named after Sheriff “Buck“ Stogsdill former Brown County Sheriff who passed away in 2011.

This year’s event will take place at Lake Monroe – Cutright Ramp with takeoff at 7:30am. The registration fee per team is $125. There will be a raffle that includes food and drinks for all participants at the weigh in.

All proceeds benefit the ISA’s Line of Duty Death Benefit, Youth Leadership Camps and Scholarship Programs. For tournament information contact Tournament Director Keith Kelly at 812-392-2889 or 812-592-2069. Also, go to indiansheriffs.org or look at the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association Facebook site.

Thefts from vehicles throughout Columbus have police reminding you to remove valuables from your vehicles and to keep them locked. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that between August 1st and September 11th of this year, the department received 64 reports of thefts from vehicles. In 59 of those cases, the vehicle was left unlocked.

“We are asking for the public’s assistance in helping CPD reduce property crime,” says Harris. “By removing and securing valuable items, locking your vehicle’s doors, and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement, you can help us reduce the number of thefts in Columbus,” Harris added.

The Robie and America Anderson Community Center will be holding a block party this weekend to celebrate the East Columbus neighborhood.

Julie Bilz, president of the State Street Area Association, talks about the event.

There will be live music by Ragtop Deluxe, the drum circle from Mill Race Center, food, door prizes and informational booths. And there will also be a “splatter paint” project.

This the third annual block party organized by the State Street Area Association, which has taken over operations at the former Eastside Community Center.

The event will run from 3 to 6 Saturday at the center on 421 McClure Road.

The Hamilton Ice Arena had to be evacuated yesterday afternoon after what first appeared to be smoke from a fire in the basement.

Employees noticed the smoke at about 1 p.m. yesterday afternoon and evacuated the building of staff and customers, which included 10 skaters and four employees. Columbus firefighters were called in and saw white smoke coming from the roof.

Firefighters found the smoke was coming from an electrical and mechanical room in the basement and was accompanied by a loud hissing sound, as if sprinklers were spraying says Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department. But there was no fire.

Instead, firefighters were told that the six compressors running in the basement each had hydraulic fluid and 70 pounds of freon in them. A gas test discovered that a freon leak was the cause of the smoke. Firefighters ventilated the smoke and gas from the basement before turning the building back over to the city parks department after about four hours.