Posted that this was happening last update: this column "Layout" occurs no matter what style (paragraph or character) is selected, and the column layout affects all text placed over the area where the automatic "columns" occurs, in other words, anything adjusted or placed over the area (positioned always two columns at approx 4" down the page).
What seems to trigger the insertion of this four-line column layout is any text alteration - it gets inserted on random pages!
I have checked all "unseen" screens, object styles, text box controls, preferences. I am completely flummoxed (user of Adobe InDesign over 25 years and PageMaker before that - NOT a novice...)