Columbus council votes down proposed smoking ban\nCOLUMBUS, Ind. -- The City Council rejected a proposed ban on smoking in most public places, surprising the mayor, Fred Armstrong, who said he planned to continue pushing for the measure.\nThe council voted 4-3 on Tuesday against the ban, after it had been amended to remove an exception for bars and private clubs that the council members had approved two weeks earlier.\nThe vote came after nearly two hours of public comments on the proposal, with about three dozen speakers divided almost evenly between supporters and dissenters. More than 250 people attended the council meeting, which was held in the Columbus East High School auditorium after previous discussions of the smoking ban drew capacity crowds at City Hall.\nCouncilman Tom Hodek, who voted against the ban, said he was still struggling to make a decision and hoped to come up with a more balanced compromise for the city about 40 miles south of Indianapolis.\nArmstrong said he would bring the ordinance back to the council, but did not know when.\n"We're not going to let this fall by the wayside," he said. "I think this is a loss for the community."\nBan supporters spoke during the meeting about the health dangers of second-hand smoke, while those against the proposal talked about individual rights and the effect on businesses.\n"I think the board made a great decision for the community," resident Marty Sutton said. "I believe that all smokers have rights."
Ground-breaking set for destroyed Holocaust museum destroyed by arson\nTERRE HAUTE -- The founder of a Holocaust museum that was destroyed by arson last year has raised nearly $300,000 to rebuild, and groundbreaking for the new museum is scheduled for Monday.\nThe CANDLES Museum, which stands for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Experiments Survivors, was founded in 1995 by Holocaust survivor Eva Kor. It was destroyed Nov. 18, 2003, when police say someone torched the small brick building and wrote "Remember Timmy McVeigh" on the side of the museum.\nKor, an identical twin who was subjected to Nazi doctor Josef Mengele's experiments, said the new building on the same site as the old museum will contain symbolism to remember both the Holocaust and last year's fire.\n"It's a very simple design, but very symbolic," Kor, 70, said. "I can't wait until I see the bricks going up."\nKor said parts of the burned-out drywall from the old museum and some burned books will be displayed in the new museum so that people will know "this is the way hatred and prejudice look today."\nShe said the red brick museum will feature six narrow windows near the entrance that look like candles to symbolize the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. It will also feature 11 windows throughout the museum to symbolize the total number of the millions of people, both Jews and others, killed in the Holocaust, she said.\n"It's very important that we remember all the victims," Kor said.\nShe said donations to help rebuild came in from as far away as Israel, London and New York, but Indiana residents also chipped in. Kor said local school children raised about $25,000.\nKor said she asked one child what she knew about the Holocaust.\n"She said, 'I know when you were my age, people were very mean to you, and that was wrong,'" Kor said. "I was extremely touched by all the contributions."\nKor said she still needs about $150,000 for the building's interior and other expenses. The structure is scheduled to be completed by February.
