INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana House panel has approved a bill allowing Ricker's convenience stores to temporarily continue selling cold beer.

House Public Policy committee chairman Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, said Monday it's a short-term solution to a loophole in state liquor law. Smaltz said the legislature will address broader alcohol law issues at a later date. The bill was passed on an 8-4 vote. It would allow Ricker's to sell cold beer until its current permits expire.

Convenience stores can sell warm beer, but cold beer sales are reserved for liquor stores. Ricker's bypassed that by serving Mexican food at two locations, enabling it to obtain alcohol permits reserved for restaurants. That irritated some powerful lawmakers who said it goes against the spirit of the law.

The measure goes to the full House.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — The population of bald eagles has soared across Indiana as officials have spotted four nests in Columbus, more than 45 miles south of Indianapolis.

The Republic reported Indiana's Department of Natural Resources officials said there are four eagles nests in the Columbus area in Bartholomew County. Three of the nests have been reported as active, including one spotted is located along the Flat Rock River.

Allisyn Gillet, a nongame bird biologist with the department, said the fourth nest is listed as unknown for activity because it hasn't been checked since 2010.

Gillet said 300 pairs of bald eagles have been identified as continuing to nest in Indiana, with nearly 160 nests that are being continually monitored considered to be in good shape.

ALBANY, Ind. — Authorities said an Indiana man has died after his van fell on him while he was changing the oil for the vehicle at his home.

The Star Press reported Kyle Wayne Bradburn, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene Sunday in Albany after being pinned under the van for up to 10 minutes.

Delaware County Deputy Coroner Clarence Brooks said the van was up on ramps in the frontyard when one of the ramps slipped. Several of Bradburn's family members had gone inside the house briefly before the accident and eventually found him pinned.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University is planning to invest up to $500,000 to boost child care services.

The Herald-Times reported that renovations of storage rooms at the Campus Children's Center are expected to decrease the total of 200 names on waiting lists. The renovations will result in three new classrooms, allowing the center to accept 40 more children.

The project is estimated to cost $400,000 to $500,000. Officials say construction will start during the summer with a target completion of January.

About 170 children are enrolled at the three professionally staffed centers on campus. Families with a connection to the university, such as faculty, staff or students, have enrollment priority.

Tim Dunnuck, director of the university's early childhood education services, attributed the demand to the high-quality service provided at the centers.

SOUTH BEND — Officials in northern Indiana are working to raise money to pave a gap in a recreational trail extending to the Michigan state line.

The South Bend Tribune reported that the public can donate on May 9 as part of Give Local, where local charities are vying for dollars.

The Bike Michiana Coalition has pledged to match up to $15,000 of whatever is donated to a St. Joseph County parks fund on that date.

The newspaper reported county officials also could give up to $225,000 in tourism funding to extend the trail.

Both efforts would fill some of the final gaps in the 34-mile-long Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail that follows the St. Joseph River from Mishawaka, Ind., to Niles, Mich.

—Associated Press