Carmel Monthly-June 2023

MEET ME ON MAIN

Second Saturday of each month; 4 – 8 p.m. CarmelArtsAndDesign.com

BIKE CARMEL

Family Fun Rides:

July 8 & Aug. 12

Slow Roll Dinner Cruise:

July 11 & Aug. 8

Roundabout Ride: Sept. 16 BikeCarmel.com

CARMEL FARMERS MARKET

Saturdays, through Sept.; 8 – 11:30 a.m. CarmelFarmersMarket.com

MIDTOWN MUSIC MONDAYS

Mondays, May through Oct. 5 – 7 p.m.

No music on Memorial Day or Labor Day MidtownPlazaCarmel.com

MOVIES AT MIDTOWN Through Oct.

Tuesdays – Noon and 6 p.m.

Thursdays – 6 p.m.

No movies on July 4 MidtownPlazaCarmel.com

SUMMER FAMILY CONCERT SERIES AT THE GAZEBO

Wednesdays, May 31 – Sept. 27, 7 – 9 p.m.

CarmelGazeboConcerts.org

CARMEL PORCHFEST PRESENTS

LATE NIGHT ON MAIN

July 15 & Aug. 19

CarmelPorchFest.org

CARMELFEST

July 3 – 4 CarmelFest.net

BREWS ON THE BOULEVARD

July 29; 5 – 9 p.m.

CarmelBrewsAndBarrels.com

CARMEL JAZZFEST

Aug. 11 – 12

CarmelJazzfest.org

MIDTOWN’S GOT TALENT

Aug. 25 – 27

MidtownPlazaCarmel.com

ARTOMOBILIA

Sept. 9; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Artomobilia.org

CARMEL ON CANVAS

Sept. 15 – 17

CarmelsArtsAndDesign.com

CARMEL PORCHFEST

Sept. 17; noon – 6 p.m. CarmelPorchFest.org

CARMEL INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

Sept. 23 – 24

CarmelArtsFestival.org

CHINESE MOONCAKE FESTIVAL

Sept. 30; 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. EventsInCarmel.com

OKTOBERFEST

Oct. 6; 6 – 10 p.m. CarmelOktoberfest.org

This logo indicates events sponsored by Allied Solutions

This logo indicates events sponsored by IU Health North Hospital

Event details are subject to change. Visit the City of Carmel, Indiana Government on Facebook for the latest event updates or cancellations due to inclement weather

17 COVER STORY

Brad Thomas Ackley: From Paris to Carmel

This month, Carmel Monthly is pleased to feature GRAMMYwinning composer, producer, mixer and instrumentalist Brad Thomas Ackley on the cover. Ackley and his family moved to Carmel from Paris, France, in 2021, and though he’s a new resident, he has family ties to Carmel that go back to the ’80s and ’90s. Ackley won a Grammy in 2021 for Best Global Music Album with Angelique Kidjo (“Mother Nature”) and performed live and toured with French artist -M- (Matthieu Chedid) for the 10 years prior to his move to Carmel.

CARMEL MONTHLY

PUBLISHER / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / Neil Lucas neil@collectivepub.com / 317-460-0803

PUBLISHER / Lena Lucas lena@collectivepub.com / 317-501-0418

DIRECTOR OF SALES / Lena Lucas lena@collectivepub.com / 317-501-0418

HEAD WRITER / Janelle Morrison janelle@collectivepub.com / 317-250-7298

Business Spotlight is sponsored content.

For advertisement sales call Lena Lucas 317-501-0418 or email lena@collectivepub.com

COLLECTIVE PUBLISHING, LLC PO BOX 6326 - FISHERS, IN 46037

Stay informed on news and events in Carmel by following us on Twitter and Facebook

CARMELMONTHLYMAGAZINE LAWN CARE & LANDSCAPING SERVICES GreenLawnDesign.com 317-804-8088

Landscape Maintenance & Install Lawn Care Services Outdoor Living Space $34.95 20% OFF AERATION SPECIAL ENJOY GREEN GRASS & NO WEEDS WITH OUR 7-STEP LAWN CARE PROGRAM You must be signed up before September 1 New customers only. Valid up to 1/2 acre. Based on square footage.

STARTING AT DOUBLE AERATION OR 10% OFF SINGLE AERATION

Creating the finest lawns and landscapes in Hamilton County Creating the finest lawns and landscapes in Hamilton County Owners Royce & Catherine Simpkins Locally & veteran owned Servicing Hamilton County since 2004

Cover Story Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photo // Laura Arick

Carmel Farmers Market’s Pollinator Preservation Advocacy Efforts

We spoke with CFM President Ron Carter about an initiative to spread awareness of the importance of preserving pollinator habitats as they are a vital part of our local and nation’s food supply.

about beekeeping. Hunter’s Honey Farm is running 1,000 hives throughout Indiana, Florida and California. We used those hives to produce honey, bee pollen, beeswax and propolis.”

Additionally, Hunter’s Honey Farm makes an array of products, such as skin care products, candles, sauces and delectable honey treats. They have more than 30 different flavors of Honey Stix and five varieties of honey candy.

“We use our hives to pollinate cucumbers down in Columbus, Indiana, and those cucumbers are contracted with Vlasic pickles,” Hunter stated. “Pollination is a big part of our income here at the honey farm. The hives have such an important role. There are seven products that the beekeeper can get out of the hive, and honey is just one of them. Out of all seven of the products, none are as important as the pollination that we get from the bees. Honeybees do 80 percent of the insect pollination, and they are responsible for every third bite of food that you take today … they are very, very important.”

A SALUTE TO JULY 4TH TRADITIONS AND HONEYBEES

Due to an unfavorable early growing season this year, Carter informed us that the market did not have sweet corn for the parade to hand out nor for the market on July 1. He anticipates the market will have sweet corn from My Dad’s Sweet Corn the second or third week of July, and CFM will post when it will be arriving on their social media.

“The weather in the early part of the growing season was not conducive to the growth of the early plants,” Carter explained. “With that said, we handed out Honey Stix from Hunter’s Honey Farm along the parade route. It’s important to all of us that bee habitats be saved because without bees to pollinate plants, et

cetera, we don’t have a great future for the development of and growing of crops.”

A MISSION TO TEACH AND PRESERVE

For more than a century, Hunter’s Honey Farm has been producing pure and natural honey and is one of CFM’s treasured vendors. Owner Tracy Hunter shared more about his family’s roots in beekeeping and the importance of saving pollinators as they relate to our food sources.

“Back at the turn of the last century, my great-grandfather had an orchard in southern Indiana,” Hunter said. “My grandfather ran about 800 hives, and his daughter, my mother, kept bees. I got my first hive when I was 14, and my grandfather helped me hive it. He taught me 90 percent of what I know

When asked how people can help the pollinators by planting in their yards, Hunter said, “Many of the plants that we call ‘weeds’ are really a food source for bees, such as dandelions, clover, thistle, goldenrod and autumn olive. I know these are the things that most people try to remove from their lawns, but they’re very beneficial to honeybees. There are many plants out there that can benefit bees. If people want, they can contact a seed company to get a pollinator mix or we sell a pollinator mix at the farm and on our website for all of the pollinator species — not just honeybees — and our packets have about 25 different varieties of wildflowers, many of which are native to Indiana.”

Hunter’s Honey Farm offers tours of the farm, which include honey tasting, a beekeeping discussion and a candle-making demonstration. Additionally, honey bottling can be scheduled upon request. Visit huntershoneyfarm.com for more information and a complete list of products for sale.

For a complete list of CFM events and vendors, visit carmelfarmersmarket.com.

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // CFM, Jennifer Hershberger and Hunter’s Honey Farm

MARKET MEMORIES

“We had almost twenty of our volunteers ‘marching’ in the [CarmelFest] parade,” Carter recalled. “They were playing a repertoire of patriotic songs and doing marching moves with kazoos — kazoos to the left, kazoos to the right. It was the day after Andy Griffith had passed

away [July 3, 2012], so we did the theme song to ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ It was very impromptu because we had not had the chance to ‘rehearse’ it, but it was fun, we think, for our guests along the parade route, and it was certainly fun for the [CFM] volunteers.”

ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP

July 22

Blackberry Jam the Folk Band

The Folk Band is a long-lived local band playing ‘variety folk’: bluegrass, Irish, fiddle tunes, and more, and featuring girl duet vocals.

August 5 and September 2

Island Breeze

Two steel drums, keyboard, guitar, Island hand percussion and great vocals make this band unique.

August 12 and September 9

Acoustic Geezers

Acoustic covers of all the classic rock, pop, countrymusic of the 70’s 80’s 90’s and today!

August 19

Austin Johnson

Austin Johnson is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and entertainer who can be seen performing frequently in the Indianapolis area.

August 26

Tim Wright

Tim Wright has a voice as nimble as his fingers, picking a seemingly endless succession of stringed instruments.

September 16

Joe Filipow

Mixing beats, fashion and travel, Indiana native Joseph Filipow is an international ambassador of feel-good funk.

September 23

DiscomBOBulated

Indianapolis-based rock group

September 30

Katherine Nagy Trio

Singer, songwriter

&

Scan for a chance to win 2 tickets to an August show at Feinstein's!

Indulge in upscale dining and cocktails at Feinstein's, an intimate entertainment venue delivering a unique experience unlike any other in the Midwest!

Frank Sinatra: The Tribute | Don Farrell & Terry Woods Jazz Quartet Celebrate Sinatra's Life

An Evening With Samantha Pauly | Originated role of Katherine Howard in SIX the Musical Jazz Brunch: Blair Clark Birthday Brunch Featuring Cathy Morris

Enchante | Burlesque

&

Liberace & Liza: A Tribute | An Exhilarating Night Of Musical & Comical Fireworks

Drag Me To Brunch | 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. Show

Brittany Brumfield Presents Baby Grand Dueling Pianos | Live Human Jukebox Experience

The Piano Man: A Billy Joel Tribute | Highlighting The Hits Of The Piano Man

ATI LIVE at Feinstein's Presents: Un5Gettable featuring Ryan Ahlwardt | Rat Pack Of Comedy

Wayne Powers | Jazz Standards, Swing Tunes & Saloon Songs

DECEPTIO N: An Evening of Magic & Lies | Magic Show

Freeform Concert Series Presents: Foxy Royale w/Anna Rose | Free Entry

Enchante | Burlesque

CARMEL JAZZ FEST Featured Stage: Harry Allen w/ Rossano Sportiello

CARMEL JAZZ FEST Featured Stage - Denise Thimes

FEINSTEIN’S AT HOTEL CARMICHAEL PRESENTS

Wayne Powers

Jazz vocalist/actor/comedian/broadcaster Wayne Powers started as a nightclub singer in New York at age 16. He performed across the country, finally landing in Hollywood, where he worked for Henry Mancini. Powers launched his decades-long network television career after being discovered in a live improv comedy show with the then-unknown Robin Williams. Williams went on to “Mork & Mindy” and movies, while Powers went on to “Laverne & Shirley,” “Elvis and Me,” “One Day at a Time,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Simon & Simon,” “Full House,” “Alf,” “Doogie Howser,” and many others, including starring for two seasons in his own popular NBC sitcom, “13 East.”

Equally at home on television or the radio, in a theatre or club, or on a concert stage, music is his first love. Powers has played top jazz rooms and jazz festivals, consistently drawing large, enthusiastic, star-studded crowds.

Powers’ current concert performances, whether backed by a jazz quartet or a swingin’ big band, are centered in the Great American Songbook of jazz standards, swing tunes and saloon songs — and audiences are quite simply loving it. Several songs from Powers’ most recent album, “If Love Were All,” are currently featured on Sirius XM’s “Siriusly Sinatra” Channel.

Powers has known Michael Feinstein since 1977, when they performed together on stage in Hollywood. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary evening with Wayne Powers! Purchase your tickets at feinsteinshc.com.

Janelle Morrison: It’s an honor for us to have you perform at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael!

Wayne Powers: I’m really looking forward to it! It’s a great venue and perfect for what I do and for sharing what I do with an audience.

JM: I feel like a second “jazz” renaissance is happening now. What is happening in our world and nation now is reminiscent of the 1920s through the 1940s. And I feel like there’s been a resurgence in the jazz genre and it’s making an impact similar to what it did for people in the Jazz Age. It was a time of social revolution and transformative change, during which this type of improvisational music and style of music was born.

WP: That’s exactly what’s happening, and that’s why I do what I do — to share this incredible genre of music that is very broad. Jazz is a large category of music that encompasses a lot of different cultures and is an amalgamation of all the influences of uniquely American music.

Jazz is very warm, even when it’s cool, and it’s very human. I think our culture has become less human and more digital, and what is happening [now] is a response to that. People are craving something that has heart and soul to it.

JM: Which came first: your passion for music or for acting? Or was it a passion for entertainment in general?

WP: I’ve always approached my acting as music and music as acting. As an actor, there is a rhythm, cadence and melody to

speech. As a vocalist, I can’t just sing any song. I have to sing a song that I can get behind the lyrics on because I’m a storyteller. In my latest album, “If Love Were All,” there’s life and blood pulsing through every tune, and there’s passion in every lyric. It’s purposeful, and that’s what I do — I share the emotion, which comes through the music and in the lyrics.

I was an only child growing up. Like Robin Williams, who also grew up as an only child, I think we crave communication and connection with people as an only child. One way that I was always able to connect with people was to entertain them. My father was my idol growing up. He died in my arms in 1976. He was only 52 when he passed. He taught me a sense of humor, and he was always telling these terrible corny jokes, but he always made people laugh and he loved to sing. He had a beautiful voice … a great voice. On Sundays, he would play two singers, and he would sing along with them while he was doing whatever around the house. The two singers that he played all the time were Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Being reflective, that was a huge influence on me.

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

JM: Is it true that you first met Michael Feinstein back in LA while working with the same improv comedy troupe that Robin Williams was also discovered in? WP: That is true. I moved to Los Angeles in 1976 and was working for Henry Mancini. But that’s not why I went to LA. I went to LA to perform and wound up falling into a job with Henry [Mancini], administering all of his music publishing. He gave me his old office on the corner of Sunset and Vine overlooking Wallichs Music City and the Hollywood sing. It was becoming a career, and I said, “Wait a minute, this is not why I came here. I came here to get into sitcoms and to perform my music.”

So, I got into this eight-member improv comedy group called “Off the Wall,” and we performed in a ballet studio on the second floor of this little building on Fairfax Avenue in Hollywood. We would hang curtains over the mirrors and dance bars and put up a little platform stage and folding chairs in this little studio and then sell tickets for five bucks. Robin Williams was a member of the group, and John Ritter and Betty Thomas [Hill Street Blues] would guest

[perform] with us. In the audience would be Norman Lear and Garry Marshall, and that’s how we all got discovered. Robin got “Mork & Mindy,” and I got “Laverne & Shirley.” It was a dynamic time and place.

There would be a musical interlude between the acts, and we had a piano player. And when we couldn’t get our regular [piano] player, we got Michael [Feinstein]. Michael was doing in California what Bobby Short was an icon for doing at Café Carlyle in New York City.

JM: Michael Feinstein is an extraordinary steward of the Great American Songbook, and his preservation efforts extend beyond these musical standards. Venues like Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael and the cabaret supper club concept would likely be extinct if it weren’t for his vision of a modern-day supper club venue and the efforts of the talent, such as yourself, performing at these venues that are drawing a wide demographic of ages and backgrounds.

WP: Michael had all of that passion and knowledge of the Great American

Songbook all those years ago. He was a visionary then, and he’s a visionary now in recreating the cabaret supper club environment, which was almost completely gone. And that’s the environment that I grew up in. He’s created a home where I feel at home, and that is Feinstein’s.

JM: What can your audience expect to see and hear when you come to perform in Carmel, Indiana?

WP: When I come to Carmel, I’m going to bring some of the greatest music ever written, in my opinion. I’ve got three great musicians from the Indianapolis area — a great trio. I will make you laugh a few times; I’ll bring some left turns … it’s not just going to be a string of songs. I call it my swing tunes and saloon song show. It celebrates both ends. If you’re sitting still [in your seat], you better take the cotton out of your ears! We’re going to give you an experience, and we’re going to share some of the joys and passions in my heart with you — musically. We’re going to have an evening together, and I really look forward to it.

Lotus EV Track

Artomobilia announced that Gator Motorsport will be the title sponsor for VELOCE — the all-new hangar party that will be in conjunction with this year’s Artomobilia Weekend and will host more than 500 guests and showcase 50 collector hypercars and supercars, private aircraft, exceptional motorcycles and more at the exclusive First Wing Jet Center.

Kim has significantly expanded his facilities, located near Carmel and Zionsville along West 96th Street and Michigan Road, in preparation for Lotus’ current and future EV lineup that will include a sports car, a coupe-sedan and two SUVs, following the Evija EV hypercar.

Lotus has confirmed that its future is electric and that the 2022 Emira is the company’s last new model to have a combustion engine. Lotus has been releasing more details about the rapid development of the four fully electric models, which is why Kim and his team went into overdrive to meet Lotus’ newest dealership requirements. Additionally, in true entrepreneurship form, Kim decided to get ahead of the curve and rebuild his facility to meet Lotus’ new digital retail platform in advance of the five-year strategic plan.

“By building out that 10,000-square-foot showroom, it enables us to hold more people, hold more cars, have more office space, and with that, we’ll still have our pre-owned inventory of specialty cars,” Kim said.

Lotus unveiled details of a new corporate identity [CI] for its franchised car retailers alongside details of its new product roadmap as part of a “Driving Tomorrow” virtual conference.

that will be in conjunction with this year’s Artomobilia Weekend and will host more than 500 guests and showcase 50 collector hypercars and supercars, private aircraft, exceptional motorcycles and more at the exclusive First Wing Jet Center.

Additionally, the Gator Motorsport team will present the annual LOTUS-PALOOZA at Artomobilia at its brand-new location in Carmel’s Midtown.

BUILDING FOR TOMORROW

We first sat down with Young Kim, dealer principal at Gator Motorsport/ Indy Lotus two years ago when Gator Motorsport pulled an automotive miracle

by adding Carmel to the handful of U.S. locations where the Lotus Evija made a showstopping debut at Artomobilia. The Lotus Evija is the world’s first all-electric hypercar, and Gator Motorsport was the first Lotus dealership to have the Evija at an event in the U.S.

Gator Motorsport is Indiana’s only authorized Lotus Sales and Service Center and the only Sales and Service Center for Zenos Cars in the U.S. Additionally, an exciting array of preowned vehicles are offered, from daily drivers to Super Cars. Gator Motorsport upholds the standard that every detail matters in all aspects of sales, service and detail from your race car to your daily driver. It’s looking to be another stellar year for Kim and his team as they anticipate the grand re-opening of their dealership.

“In the U.S. and globally, Lotus is streamlining all of the processes, where in the past there really wasn’t a standard per se on how every dealership should look and feel,” Kim stated. “Now [Lotus] has higher CI and SI package requirements for the interior look and feel and signage requirements. So, we went ahead and did the five-year plan renovations now.”

Upon completion of the renovations, Kim’s dealership will be among the most state-of-the-art Lotus dealerships in the U.S. As Lotus evolves and presents its “Lifestyle” lineup, Kim spoke about this particular marque’s transformation and how it is embracing the EV world and evolving to better meet the needs of its customers.

“If you look at the history of Lotus, it has always been a boutique dealership, not a lifestyle car,” Kim explained. “Well, now, they’re becoming a ‘lifestyle’ car.”

LOTUS-PALOOZA

LOTUS-PALOOZA, presented in the exceptional Midtown along Monon Boule-

Writer // Janelle Morrison

• Photography // Laura Arick and Gator Motorsport

vard, is all about simplicity and lightness … and Colin Chapman’s iconic philosophy that continues to redefine the standard for performance on and off the track.

Artomobilia Event Director John Leonard first brought Kim into the fold back in 2008 when he was seeking out area car collectors for the first-ever Artomobilia event. The partnership has evolved over the decade-plus, and Leonard credits Kim for contributing to the exponential growth of the event and its satellite events that make up Artomobilia Weekend.

Leonard spoke about Kim’s ongoing commitment to Artomobilia as a supporter and sponsor.

“I think it’s representative of Young [Kim], specifically, and Gator Motorsport, generally, that Young as an individual collector was at the very beginning of Artomobilia and has been a part of every new thing that we have done — whether that was Fuelicious, the road rallies, you name it. And our first foray into Midtown … Gator Motorsport and Young are part of it as well. It demonstrates their commit-

ment to the automotive community and to expanding and helping us continue to offer more variety and interest in more areas throughout Carmel. This has been a continuing theme over the last 16 years.”

VELOCE

As title sponsor of Artomobilia’s newest event, Gator Motorsport is excited to share some details about the event and what attendees can anticipate seeing from Lotus at the hangar party.

“We will be celebrating automotive history and innovative design,” Kim expressed. “We will showcase a series of Lotus cars that go back to the Esprit, and we’re going to bring in the entire EV lineup, including the Emira, Eletre, and to be confirmed … we are trying to bring the Evija back to Carmel! We handpicked some of the collectors we know to bring some of the [Lotus] classic cars going way back into the past, so it might be one of the few opportunities in the country where you can legitimately see the progression of all the cars from yesteryears to the present

and future models.”

Leonard added, “It will be a fun and festive experience. We’ll have 50 cars or so, all high performance, and obviously, Lotus will have quite a number of those in the Lotus Pavilion area adjacent to the main hangar. It will be small plates, fast drinks, great food and a lot of fun.”

Artomobilia: A Celebration of Automotive Art & Design will be hosted on the streets of the Carmel Arts & Design District and for the first time will be expanding into Midtown. Please note, Artomobilia will take place on its new date, Saturday, September 9 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.”

For more information on Gator Motorsport, visit GatorMotorsport.com. And for a complete listing of Artomobilia Weekend 2023 events, visit artomobilia.org.

VELOCE | Sep 08

from $175.00

Hosted in the FIRST WING JET CENTER Welcome to VELOCE on Friday, September 8th @ 7 p.m.

Carmel Jazz Fest Presents:

Freddie Fox

Contemporary jazz and R&B artist Freddie Fox is recognized worldwide for his own solo recordings (featuring multiple Top 20 hits, including the #1 single “Too Tuff”), as well as his work with many legendary contemporary jazz and R&B artists. That’s his rhythm guitar you hear on the GRAMMY-winning album “Givin’ It Up” by George Benson and Al Jarreau. Fox played on the tracks “Mornin’” and “Ordinary People.”

Born in Tullahoma, Tennessee, and educated at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Fox is known for his endless versatility and his smooth, soulful tone. Fox incorporates multiple styles into his music, including funk, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, R&B, and rock. He’s been a featured touring member with notable acts such as Chaka Khan, Najee, Atlantic Starr, Eric Benet, Rose Royce, Jennifer Holliday and the incomparable vocalist Evelyn “Champagne” King, to whom he has been married for 32 years.

Fox has also contributed work to TV shows including “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,”

Jerry Lewis’ “MDA Labor Day Telethon,” Sinbad’s “70’s Soul Music Festival Summer Jam” Part III (HBO), the “Vibe” show, the “Motown Live” show, “Soul Train,” “The Later Show,” “The Queen Latifa Show,” “Live at the Apollo,” “BET Jazz,” “NAACP Image Award” and “The Pat Sajak Show.” Don’t miss out on Freddie Fox’s set and grab your Carmel Jazz Fest tickets at carmeljazzfest.org!

I had the sincere pleasure of speaking with Carmel Jazz Fest Director Blair Clark, Freddie Fox, and Evelyn “Champagne” King. I’ve included some fun snippets from that virtual visit below. Stay tuned for the full video interview — to be released on Facebook and Instagram soon!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH, 2023: CARTER GREEN STAGE: 5 PM – 6:30 PM: Freddie Fox

Janelle Morrison: I remember Blair and I discussing the idea that he had about bringing a jazz festival to Carmel, Indiana, more than a decade ago. And here we are; it’s 2023, and it’s happening. Pun intended, people are getting “jazzed” about it, and it’s going to be more than an event that’s entertaining people — it’s going to be awakening some people. Let’s talk about your friendship with Blair and the reason why you’re supporting this inaugural jazz festival.

Freddie Fox: Blair had a couple of tunes that were sitting down, waiting to be changed and worked on, so we got together, and magic happened. That’s what music is about — taking two ideas and making them something that people will enjoy. And I enjoyed it.

Blair Clark: I asked him if he could help me put some things together, and when the song came back, I was like, “Wow, this is fresh and new!” It had a whole different breath to it. One of the things that I love about Freddie and working with him is that he gives me a lot of grace. As a songwriter, I’ve learned a lot from Preston [Glass], and as a producer or co-producer, I’ve learned a lot from Freddie. He is a phenomenal artist and technician, and he has always been patient with me on the technical side and with tempos. One thing he would always do was send me these little cartoons to keep me laughing and to keep me light. I couldn’t imagine doing something like the Carmel Jazz Fest without Freddie and Evelyn being a part of it.

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of CJF

JM: Freddie, you studied music at Berklee College of Music before embarking on your professional journey. What was it like coming from the South to Boston to launch a career as a musician at that time?

FF: It’s been a long road for me. I was shopping and trying to get a record deal like everybody else. Finally, I realized that you can do it yourself. So, I went and incorporated my own company and was doing sessions in homes with musicians and friends from college. If you have good relationships with your friends, sometimes it comes back, and you’re like, “Hey, I remember you.” And some of those guys have “made it” in the business, so you’ve got to keep those relationships, communicate and learn from each other. You have to communicate to make something happen, and that’s what we’ve done. That’s what I’m doing. And that’s what we’re doing, Blair — we’re learning from each other.

BC: When your stuff reaches out from California to my living room and I’m

walking around the house, vacuuming the floor, and all of a sudden, I hear “Too Tuff” and I look up and see Freddie with his guitar, I think, “Man, I’ve worked with that guy!”

JM: To that end, we’ve got to let people, especially young people, know that they can be the next Freddie Fox or Evelyn “Champagne” King. Anything is possible, but it starts with your passion, and that is what will drive you to where you want to go.

FF: We’re taking the first step by letting them see and hear it. That’s what helped me. I had a neighbor that was a musician, and I wanted to be a great musician like him, and he told me, “Freddie, go to college first and get your education. Learn music as well, and it will last even longer, and you’ll be even better when you’re in line with the rest of them.” So that’s what helped me — staying in school, studying and having the heart to talk to other musicians and learn from each other.

FRI. AUG 11TH & SAT. AUG 12TH, 2023

SPYRO GYRA

EVELYN CHAMPAGNE KING

JOSH KAUFMAN | JENNIE DEVOE

THE BOTTOM 40 BAND | FREDDIE FOX

30 JAZZ, BLUES + R&B ACTS | 8 STAGES

ART MARKET | FOOD VENDORS | BEER & WINE

THE DAVE BENNETT QUARTET | BRENDA WILLIAMS

PREMIUM BLEND | TAD ROBINSON BAND

BLAIR CLARK | PAVEL & DIRECT CONTACT

DYSFUNKTION BRASS | TOMMY BALDWIN

STEVE ALLEE BIG BAND | TIM CUNNINGHAM

BOTH SIDES OF JONI PROJECT FT. ALEXIS COLE

&

HURRICANE &

JOE FILIPOW | SUE WICKLIFF | THE DANNY LERMAN BAND SARAH SCHARBROUGH

BETHANY ROBINSON

THE GANG | UNIVERSITY JAZZ BANDS

CARMELJAZZFEST.ORG

THE PALLADIUM | CARTER GREEN | CARMEL GAZEBO

THE STUDIO THEATER |THE TARKINGTON | POP-UP SHOWS

FEINSTEIN'S AT HOTEL CARMICHAEL | JAZZ ON THE MONON

Smooth. Savory. Easy to drink. Taste award-winning avor with every sip. is is the way a Bloody Mary is supposed to taste. NOW

From Paris to Carmel

This month, Carmel Monthly is pleased to feature GRAMMY-winning composer, producer, mixer and instrumentalist Brad Thomas Ackley on the cover. Ackley and his family moved to Carmel from Paris, France, in 2021, and though he’s a new resident, he has family ties to Carmel that go back to the ’80s and ’90s. Ackley won a Grammy in 2021 for Best Global Music Album with Angelique Kidjo (“Mother Nature”) and performed live and toured with French artist -M(Matthieu Chedid) for the 10 years prior to his move to Carmel.

Ackley’s extensive artistic resume and array of talent are just a couple of reasons we wanted to feature him — he’s a cool guy who’s looking to integrate within the community, along with his family, while continuing to evolve and create from the Midwest.

THE MAKING OF A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL FILM/MUSIC ARTIST

Before moving across the pond to Paris, Ackley spent several years in California developing his career. His journey begins in the Midwest, where he was born [Cin cinnati, Ohio]. His family moved to Texas

and then to California [Orange County], where Ackley was immersed in the surf and skate culture of the 1980s while playing a variety of sports and rocking out to Gun N’ Roses and the rap-rock fusion of Run-DMC and Aerosmith as a teenager in

Feeding his growing passion for collecting and playing music, Ackley picked up the electric guitar [a black Stratocaster copy] at age 15 and put his first band together, jamming to rock classics from bands like Black Sabbath and Soundgarden. At age 18, Ackley earned a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Brad Thomas Ackley:

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick and submitted

“I basically grew up in southern California — all through high school — and it was cool, but when I turned 18, I was like alright … let’s go see the rest of the world,” Ackley said. “I went to Berklee in Boston, and then coming out of [Berklee], I went to L.A. and jumped right into the mix of everything.”

During his years at Berklee College, Ackley explored his interest in every aspect of music, including producing and recording. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2002 after spending four years in recording studios and synthesis labs, producing, mixing and studying a variety of genres before heading to the West Coast to pursue his dreams.

“When I went to Berklee, I decided I didn’t want to just be a good musician by taking lessons from some of the best professors or whatever, so I took a lot of music engineering courses, and I had a band. I also took a couple of music business courses, but the real education was just listening to as much [music] as possible that you could never find anywhere else. I mixed with a lot of different people and played in a country band, hip-hop, and some ‘Radiohead’ type bands. I was trying to find my path, so after Berklee, I moved to L.A. and started working at recording studios to see what was going on there. It was a way to be involved and have a job, even if it was fetching coffee or whatever weird request they have out in L.A.”

Ackley got his first job as an audio engineer on the film “The Matrix Reloaded” at Cherokee Studios. Although he appreciat-

ed and enjoyed the experience he gained while working on the film, he knew he wanted to explore more of his creative passions, and he joined the electo rock group UltraViolet Sound in 2007.

Fellow band members included Sarah Hudson and Sami Diament [LSDream/ Brillz]. Together, they released an independent album entitled O.C.D. [Obsessive Compulsive Dancing], which garnered a total of 135,000 downloads and sponsorship from Adidas Originals. UVS played a 35-city U.S. tour with Family Force 5 and shows with DJs Kill The Noise, Treasure Fingers, Ludachrist, SebastiAN, Kavinsky and more. They also played several one-off shows with Lady Gaga; an SXSW performance on a bill with Robyn, N.E.R.D, and Katy Perry; and shows with many other top artists.

Additionally, Ackley produced a rap record with Limp Bizkit drummer John Otto for Jacksonville duo Red Rock. He co-wrote and produced the platinum single “Galaxy” with Richard Vission for Australian artists Jessica Mauboy and Stan Walker. He also played in bands such as Uh Huh Her, JC, The Memorials with Thomas Pridgen [Mars Volta], and OWL with bassist Chris Wyse [Ace Frehley, The Cult] and drummer Ryan Brown [Zappa].

Ackley added, “I got to work on the music for the main fight scene on the stairs in ‘The Matrix Reloaded.’ It was an interesting period of time. So many cool things were happening, and there was a lot of money in the [music] industry back then too. There were different ways

to digest new music, and I love crossing all of the genres. Anytime [artists] could blend over and make something new, I thought it was cool and super fresh. I felt like it was our music and not just our parents’ music.”

FOLLOWING A UNIQUE AND CREATIVE PATH

The early 2000s were transformative years in the music and film industries with the onset of technological advances and specialized computer software that completely revolutionized how movies and albums would be produced.

“I always wanted to be on the creative side if I could,” Ackley shared. “I’ve been super lucky to be around really talented people, and I always try to be around people who are better than me so that I can get better and learn more.”

A SKIP ACROSS THE POND FROM L.A. TO PARIS

After nearly a decade in L.A., a longtime friend and collaborator, Dorion Fiszel, introduced Ackley to the French artist -M(Matthieu Chedid). The meeting proved fortuitous. By the spring of 2012, immersed in Parisian life, Ackley was writing, producing, recording and mixing on -M-’s 5th studio album ÎL. The album peaked at number four on France’s album chart and went double platinum, selling more than 200,000 records. The sale of the album was bolstered by the popularity of the single “Mojo,” of which Ackley co-wrote and composed the classic opening guitar riff. The song was the second-highest charted single for the French artist.

Ackley joined -M-’s world tour in the fall of 2012. After two years of sold-out shows and performing for more than 500,000 fans, the tour earned the Victoire de La Musique, the French equivalent of a Grammy, for the best show and tour of 2014.

“We started doing these small shows [in the beginning], and then we went from club shows to all of a sudden, we’re performing in arenas, and I was like ‘OK, this works,’” Ackley shared. “I ended up playing with -M- for 10 years. We had just finished a tour and had new shows and festivals coming up and they kept getting postponed because of COVID-19. And then the next

part of the tour got canceled. So, it was like alright … we’re kind of like at a break, and I was working on movie scores at that point, which I can do from anywhere.”

A PANDEMIC-INSPIRED PIVOT

Although the entire planet was deeply impacted by the 2020 pandemic, Ackley’s description of life in Paris with his wife and three small children, holed up in an apartment, paints the picture of a challenging time for his family. Ackley set his course for the U.S. and decided to begin his next chapter as an artist, husband and father in Carmel, Indiana.

“It was really strict over there [Paris]” Ackley recalled. “You had to have permission slips to go places and couldn’t really go outside. Paris is beautiful, but in a pandemic, it’s not. We were going to have to move at some point, and I wanted my kids to have the school experience in the States. My parents moved to Carmel about 8 years ago to live close to our family that has lived in Carmel and whom I visited all the time when I was growing

up. My cousins went to Carmel High School. And I saw how the city has been growing, so we decided to make the jump and moved to Carmel. And it’s been great! It’s a lot more mixed than it’s ever been — all kinds of people from everywhere. There’s momentum, and that’s exciting!”

Ackley added, “Yeah, there’s a bunch of roundabouts, which I’m happy for … I’m used to those. But it’s a special place, and it’s amazing. Not many cities can take out the middle part of their city and start over, you know.”

While Ackley is working to make connections in his new community, he continues to work from his studio and is working on mostly foreign projects currently. Ackley recently arranged all of the music for the biggest French film of 2023, which was just released last week on Netflix in the U.S. It’s called “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom.” Ackley composed the soundtrack for Hawaii (Warner Bros France), in theaters now in France, and also composed and produced music for advertising.

“My work right now is pretty much still foreign, but I’m looking to connect with people around here and talk,” Ackley expressed. “Maybe we can help each other out and do some really cool stuff. I hope to inspire and connect people while getting creative and growing their creative sides. I have knowledge of quite a few areas of music, and if I can help share that with people in the community, then we can get better as a whole [community], and that’s good for everybody.”

For more information on Bradley Thomas Ackley, visit his website at bradthomasackley.com.

The City of Carmel: An Overview of a Decade of Growth and Prosperity 2007-2017

For nearly three decades, the city of Carmel, under the leadership of Mayor Jim Brainard, has grown from a rather typical suburban, car-centric city to a world-renowned city known for its infrastructure, development and redevelopment, arts and entertainment, diverse culture and, of course, roundabouts. Brainard is Carmel’s first seven-term mayor and is one of the longest-serving mayors in the United States. Most cities would take a few centuries to achieve the milestones that Carmel has in 20-plus years.

During Brainard’s tenure, Carmel has experienced tremendous growth and prosperity. It is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and is recognized as a model of modern urban planning around the world.

Each quarter, Carmel Monthly will be highlighting some of the city’s more notable accomplishments and substantial developments over the last couple of decades to reminisce along with longtime residents of Carmel and to share with folks who are new to the community what came before the development of the city’s world-class amenities.

According to the Carmel Central City Core Redevelopment Study, completed by Indiana University Public Policy Institute, the city has more than tripled its population from 1990 to 2010 and was estimated at 97,496 in 2017.

Culture & Diversity

• Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations established in 2009

• Sister Cities – Xiangyang, Hubei, China established in 2012

• November 2017 – Christkindlmarkt and Ice attract more than 48,000 people in first five days after opening

Indiana Design Center currently

Indiana Design Center Breaks Ground in the Arts & Design District 2007

Mayor Brainard spoke about the development and concept of the Indiana Design Center that began construction in 2007.

“We knew that 2–4 block area that is the Art & Design District [A&DD] wasn’t big enough to be a ‘downtown’ for Carmel when we started the City Center project in 1997,” Brainard shared. “We basically rebuilt all of the infrastructure in the A&DD, and once that infrastructure was there and the archways were put up, we started to attract art and design-related businesses.”

Inspired by design and applications that Brainard had seen in California, Carmel put its own touches on the Indiana Design Center specifications and purposes.

“We worked with Pedcor to construct a 120-space underground parking garage and a beautiful traditional building built with Indiana bricks that mirrored the one I saw in California,” Brainard recalled. “The idea was that interior decorators would have a membership and would

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of City of Carmel

Mayor Jim Brainard

decorators, etc. This came online right in the middle of the Great Recession, and we were very worried that it would sit empty. But every space was leased within six months, showing Carmel’s resiliency. And though the design center is the anchor of the A&DD, we have well over 100 art and design-related businesses within the archways, today.”

Also in 2007, Carmel added 11 additional J. Seward Johnson statues to its public art program.

“The city was buying a lot of the J. Seward Johnson sculptures throughout the A&DD,” Brainard said. “Sophia Square was under construction, and we wanted to make sure that the average small business owner had the opportunity to participate in the redevelopment — not just the developers. We had several individuals and boutique owners become building owners, not just tenants.”

Great Recession

The years throughout the Great Recession were some of the nation’s most financially turbulent years since the Great Depression. With several projects underway, Brainard and the city’s partners navigated through the economic downturn while keeping city employees employed and without cessation of city projects.

“Everything slowed down, no question,” Brainard admitted. “But the city kept moving. Out of 28 years, there was only one year [2010] that we didn’t do any road repaving. Our roads were still in good

shape, and in today’s dollars it was about $6 million that wasn’t spent because we had fewer resources to spend at that time, but we didn’t lay off one [city] employee, unlike a lot of cities during that time.”

Brainard added, “We had a lot of momentum coming out of the [Great] Recession, and we were able to put down dozens of miles of pathways and bike trails to lead people to the downtown area from almost every neighborhood. We had gotten through the majority of the annexations and were making a lot of improvements in those areas. There was a growing sense of pride throughout the community.”

the thought processes about the city’s re configuration of the preexisting Keystone Avenue within city limits.

“You have to look through the construction,” Brainard explained. “We were building a brand-new city, and we knew that the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the roads were to last for the next several centuries. You can see streets in parts of London that were laid out 1,000 years ago, and you can still hear the stories about how they were laid out and why in these little towns. And though it is difficult to relocate utilities, we do our roundabout projects pretty fast — within 75 days in most cases. I know of a case in California where it took that city 3 ½ years to complete one roundabout.”

Brainard shared that the project bid came in at $120 million, and the city completed Keystone Parkway with a final price tag of $118 million.

than its neighboring cities during the recession, Brainard said, “It took a lot of careful management to make sure we stayed in the black during that period of time. We were able to still invest in key infrastructure initiatives to keep what private capital there was flowing in the city. We were very focused on keeping everything going. If I could have seen the future and had known [then] that we would come out of [the recession] as strong as we did, I might have been more aggressive on a couple of things.”

Keystone Parkway (Former State Road 431)

The Keystone Parkway construction began in 2008. Brainard recalled some of

As a direct result of the city’s success with the Keystone project, the city was able to work amicably with INDOT leadership during the US 31 reconstruction project.

“It was a state project, but because we showed [the State] that Keystone worked, INDOT came around,” Brainard shared. “It was a huge project to lobby because there were still people with INDOT that thought US 31 shouldn’t be done that way. We could not lower the road, though, because of the water table in the 106th and 116th and US 31 area, which is why it’s a little higher than Keystone.”

The U.S. Conference of Mayors Tours Carmel

In 2016, the city of Carmel hosted mayors from across the nation for one unforgettable evening, the opening night welcoming celebration of the

CITY OF CARMEL

J. Seward Johnson statues

Keystone Ave construction

CITY OF CARMEL

extraordinary U.S. Conference of Mayors weekend that was held at the JW Marriott hotel in Indianapolis.

Brainard was elected Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2010 and has served on the Conference Executive Committee since. He has also served on a number of the Conference’s boards and committees.

The Conference attendees were caravanned by bus from the JW Marriott up to Carmel, where they were received by numerous notables and city representatives for a reception on Carter Green, followed by first-class entertainment and refreshments, including original musical numbers by Michael Feinstein.

“That was a special night out at the Palladium, and we closed the night on Main Street,” Brainard recalled. “The mayors and attendees were able to see the infrastructure and development and what a livable, walkable city looks like in an economically driven and environmentally conscious community. Anything we can do to promote the city on a national or international stage is a good thing.”

A Seven-Term Mayor

Brainard will leave the mayor’s office as Carmel’s first seven-term mayor and one of the longest-serving mayors in U.S. history. When asked what kept motivating him to run for re-election, term after term, he replied, “Every term was ‘the last.’ ” But there was always pressure from the people in the community to run again and get done what we were working on. And we attracted tremendously talented staff throughout the city and in key positions. We had assembled such a great team and had a lot of momentum. So, that played a big part in my decision every four years.”

City of Carmel 2007-2017

2007 Carmel City Center Theater breaks ground

New updates unveiled for Carmel City Center

Japanese Garden breaks ground south of Carmel City Hall

Carmel receives Tree City USA Growth Award

Monon tunnel at 116th Street opened

Governor Daniels and Mayor Brainard announce agreement to transfer ownership of Keystone Avenue to the City of Carmel

New portion of Illinois Street opened from 131st to 136th Street

Meteorological tower installed at wastewater treatment plant in Carmel

Evan Lurie Gallery celebrates its grand opening

Carmel Clay Veterans Memorial Corporation dissolves Street

Commissioner

Dave Klingensmith retired after 36.5 years

Mayor appoints David Huffman to Street Commissioner

Urban Forrester

Daren Mindham graduates from Municipal Forester Institute

2008

Carmel adds recycling facilities at Household Hazardous Waste Treatment Center

Carmel’s wastewater treatment process recognized by National League of Cities (NLC)

Carmel recognized as a finalist in the Home Depot Foundation and U.S. Conference of Mayors Third Annual Awards of Excellence for Community Trees

Carmel unveils final plans for 106th and 126th Street interchanges of the Keystone reconstruction plan

City of Carmel and Carmel Rotary Club host Group Study Exchange Team from Africa

Mayor Brainard

unveils Carmel Access Bikeway plans

Feinstein Foundation announces that it will locate its museum collection in The Center for the Performing Arts

Carmel and Mayor Brainard awarded first place in the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Awards for the city’s roundabout program

“ Forbes” magazine names Hamilton County, IN “best place to raise a family” in the U.S.

Roundabout at 136th Street and Range Line Road opened to traffic

Mayor Brainard announces “no idling” policy for city vehicles

C armel receives Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence for wastewater treatment process

Carmel is named IACT

Green Community City assumes control of Brookshire Golf Course

Carmel receives Indiana Water Environment Association Award

Grand Boulevard opened to traffic

2009 Construction begins on 136th and Keystone interchange

Mayor Brainard interviewed on CNN’s “State of the Union” with John King

Japanese Garden dedication and celebration for 15th anniversary of Sister City relationship with Kawachinagano, Japan held 106th and 126th Street interchanges on Keystone Parkway open to traffic

Flowing Well Park dedicated to Gil Kett Monon Bridge over Carmel Drive dedicated Final Keystone bid brought project in under original estimate

Interchange at 136th Street and Keystone Parkway opened

Mayor Brainard interviewed on Belgian Public Television City launches Carmel Access Bikeways program

Carmel featured on travel shows “Heartland Highways” and CNN’s “My City, My Secret”

Mayor Brainard recognized as “Elected Official of the Year” by the Hoosier Environmental Council Mayor Brainard announces Advisory Commission on Human Rights

Japanese Garden dedication at City Hall and 15th year of Kawachinagano Sister City with Carmel

Bob Higgins named General Manager of Brookshire Golf Course

Us Conference of Mayors

Mayor Jim Brainard 2015

2010

Interchange at 116th Street and Keystone Parkway opened to traffic Concert Hall given the official name of “The Palladium”

131st Street renamed Main Street throughout Carmel

Carmel Receives Excellence in GIS Award from the Indiana Geographic Information Council (IGIC)

Keystone Parkway project was the top award winner at the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Indiana

S&P Global Ratings raise Carmel’s bond rating to AA+

City of Carmel and Carmel Rotary Club host Group Study Exchange Team from the Netherlands

C armel named 2010 Owner of the Year by “Midwest Construction” magazine

Hagan-Burke Trail dedicated Interchange at Main Street and Keystone Parkway opened to traffic

Carmel Recognized as 3CMA Savvy Award Winner for the Keystone Construction website

Carmel Receives Outstanding

Achievement Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its Class A Biosolids program

Carmel Drive and Keystone Parkway interchange opened to traffic

Ca rmel Utilities receives three awards from the Indiana Water Environment Association: Laboratory Excellence Award, Outstanding Device Award and Residuals Committee Biosolids Award

Carmel Tree Stars Day named Urban Forestry Project of the Year by the Indiana Urban Forest Council, Inc. (IUFC) and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) program

City awarded top prize at 3CMA Savvy Awards for its effort in creating the CarmelLink website to communicate with residents, visitors and businesses about the Keystone Parkway project

Hagan-Burke Trail Dedication

- New trail just north of 136th Street off of the Monon Greenway dedicated to two individuals who have been advocates for bicycling in our community. It was named the Hagan-Burke Trail in honor of Judy Hagan and in memory of Ed Burke, whose commitment to the Carmel community extends beyond the trail.

2011

Mayor Brainard honored with the 2011 Public Leadership in the Arts Award by Americans for the Arts and the U.S. Conference of Mayors

The Palladium, the Studio Theater and the Tarkington Theater open at the Center for the Performing Arts

Mayor Brainard announces launch of Mayor’s Youth Council

The City hosts Transportation Research Board’s National Roundabout Conference

2012

Sister-city relationship with Xiangyang, Hubei, China initiated

2013

Mayor Brainard presented with the 2013 International Making Cities Livable

Joseph P. Riley Jr. Award for his inspirational leadership Mayor Brainard appointed to the Energy Independence and Climate Protection Task Force for the U.S. Conference of Mayors

2014

The Department of Parks and Recreation receives the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation

Administration

CRC appoints Corrie Meyer to Executive Director

2015

The U.S. 31 project is completed

Mayor Brainard is elected to a sixth term

Mayor appoints David Haboush to CFD Chief Zagster bike share system comes to Carmel

Anderson Birkla announces Proscenium luxury living project

2016

Carmel’s 100th roundabout installed Carmel City Council votes for Carmel to become a second-class city

Allied Solutions announces new corporate HQ in Carmel. Allied Solutions, a Carmel-based provider and distributor of insurance, lending and marketing products to financial institutions across the country, announced a major expansion and relocation of its corporate headquarters — a $32.9 million project that will include the construction of a new five-story building in the rapidly developing Midtown area and a plan to more than double its size in Carmel, adding more than 600 jobs by 2025. After months of outreach to individual business owners and community members, the City of Carmel is preparing to unveil more detailed drawings and plans for this year’s launch of the twoyear 96th Street Corridor Improvement Project, scheduled to get underway this spring. The City will be transforming traffic flow and improving access to businesses along this busy corridor from White River to Keystone Parkway, focusing on five intersections in 2017, with a substantial amount of the project completion by the end of 2018. Telamon announces a solar array project. The first solar array will be located at 106th & Gray Road (Water Plant 1), and the second will be on Hazel Dell Parkway just north of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The 1.08 MW DC solar power system will annually produce up to 1.54 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy while powering various aspects of the wastewater treatment plant and Water Plant 1. The system will offset 1,065 metric tons of CO2, which is the equivalent produced by 167 averagesized American homes in one year. Carmel roundabout named most beautiful in the world – One of Carmel’s picturesque roundabouts has been honored as the world’s most beautiful, earning the title “International Roundabout of the Year” by the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society. The announcement was made in London. The roundabout is located on Horseferry Road, just south of Main Street, within the Village of West Clay, and features a beautifully landscaped roundabout with a fountain in the center and manicured hedges amid a sea of green.

100th Roundabout – Carmel Drive and Range Line Road – The City of Carmel celebrated the grand opening of its 100th roundabout. This marks a milestone in a 20-year initiative to transform a transportation network that had previously been littered with failing traditional suburban traffic lights, four-way stops and other poorly functioning dangerous intersections.

2017

City administration announces plans for a $23 million expansion of Monon Boulevard

Mayor Brainard proposes a $101 million bond issue to fund new city projects, including a boutique hotel at City Center Home Place is annexed by Carmel — the city’s last unincorporated acres in Clay Township

B ike Carmel launches

3 new rides

Range Line “Road Diet” announced – Fewer lanes, more paths, better crosswalks, roundabouts

Allegion Americas will expand its regional headquarters in Carmel as part of a plan to add 125 new jobs with salaries averaging $83,000 by the end of 2020. Schlage Lock Company LLC, a subsidiary of Allegion plc, has purchased a building on the southeast corner of Pennsylvania Street and College Drive, just south of its current offices, where Allegion already employs more than 500 people. City breaks ground on Monon expansion. The City of Carmel broke ground today on a major widening and expansion of the popular Monon Greenway through the heart of Midtown and the Arts & Design District. The new Monon Boulevard project will transform the current 12-foot-wide path into a multi-faceted 140-foot-wide right-of-way section that will include new dedicated lanes for cycling, buffer zones, sidewalks, green spaces, oneway streets with additional parking on either side of the trail and a new Midtown Plaza at 4th Street SW near the Allied Solutions corporate headquarters and the new Sun King Distillery, both of which are already under construction.

Christkindlmarkt and Ice attract more than 48,000 people in first 5 days after opening

James Crider named Director of Administration

James Barlow named Chief of Carmel Police

MJ Insurance moves HQ to Carmel

Carmel ranked No. 1 City to live in 24/7 Wall Street ranks Carmel the No. 1 City in America in survey of ‘most livable’ for USA Today

Phi Kappa Sigma moves HQ to Carmel

CITY OF