November 15, 2022 — Carmel

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136th & Meridian

I know, I know.

I always overeat when I’m nervous.

Finkam announces 2023 mayoral run

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

for mayor, and with Brainard not seeking reelection, the timing seemed right.

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Founded October 24, 2006, at Carmel, IN Vol. XVIII, No. 4

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30 South Range Line Road Carmel, IN 46032

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ELECTION

Sue Finkam is proud of the role she’s played in Carmel’s growth and success in the last decade as a city councilor representing the Northeast District.

With her political experience and business success as an entrepre neur, Finkam believes she’s finetuned the skills needed to pursue a new position: mayor of Carmel.

“I’ve been working for several years as a business executive, building brands, build ing prosperous businesses, and alongside that, serving as a leader in city govern ment,” Finkam said. “I just feel like I can bring those two things together and be the mayor that builds on what (Mayor) Jim Brainard has built the last 27 years.”

Brainard, a Republican, announced in Sep tember that he would not seek an eighth term in office. Finkam, also a Republican, said she’s considered “off and on” running

At-large Carmel City Councilor Kevin “Woody” Rider previously announced a run for mayor and will face Finkam in the Re publican primary in May 2023.

Finkam said among her campaign issues are ensuring that Carmel remains a safe community and that its policies promote financial security for the city and taxpayers.

She believes city officials are doing many things right but that there is room for improvement.

“It’s been said by others, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ but I disagree with that mental ity,” Finkam said. “There are a lot of oppor tunities that we’ve left on the table, and I want to be the one to take it and exploit it and make it work for Carmel taxpayers.”

For example, Finkam would like to see additional investment in IT initiatives, which she said are “woefully underfunded.” She supports expanding smart city capabili ties that use high-tech sensors and other methods to collect data that can be used

Finkam joined the city council in 2012 and has been reelected twice. She has not held or run for other elected positions.

She said she has been honored to serve as a district councilor for more than a decade and looks forward to engaging all Carmel residents.

“One thing I’ve heard the last couple months listening to (Carmel residents) is they want to have more of a voice in their community,” Finkam said. “I want them to know I’m here and ready for them.”

Finkam earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from Central Michigan Uni versity and a master’s degree in manage ment from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Finkam is the founder and CEO of Fire Starter LLC, which offers marketing support for organizations during times of leadership turnover.

Finkam and her husband, Joe, have one son and have lived in Carmel for 15 years.

Learn more at suefinkam.com

New Carmel city council districts proposed

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

The Carmel City Council held a special meeting Nov. 9 to present a map with pro posed new council district boundaries.

CITY NEWS

The council last re districted in 2018 after becoming a sec ond-class city, which added two district seats to the legislative body. City councilor Jeff Worrell, who is serving as redistricting coordinator, said he tried to make as few changes as possible while still meeting re districting goals.

No members of the public submitted pro posed redistricting maps.

According to state law, the new districts should be comprised of contiguous territo ry, be reasonably compact, avoid splitting precincts and balance populations as equal

This map shows proposed council district boundaries set to take effect in 2023. See current boundar ies at carmel.in.gov/government/city-council/council-district-maps. (Map courtesy of the City of Carmel) ly as possible.

The council’s finance meeting will discuss the proposed plan and gather public feed

back at 6 p.m. Nov. 15, and another public hearing will be held at the Nov. 21 city coun cil meeting.

Finkam

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Republicans point to split votes in school board losses

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Dancing and cheers erupted Nov. 8 at The Balmoral House in Fishers as election results rolled in, as it became apparent early in the night to those attending the Hamilton County Repub lican Party watch party that a GOP-endorsed slate of four Hamilton South eastern school board candidates swept their races to gain an instant majority.

It took much longer to learn the fate of the Republican-backed slate of Greg Brown, Jenny Brake and Adam Sharp in the race for the Car mel school board, as each contest remained too close to determine a winner until all votes were counted late into the night.

Finally, it became clear that Brown had narrowly won District 1, with Sharp and Brake losing by 2.52 and .34 percentage points, respectively.

Brown ran in the only race featuring two candidates, defeating Jake Nichols, who was part of a slate backed by the Support CCS political action committee, by receiving 50.15 percent of the vote. Support CCS did not affiliate with a political party and en dorsed candidates generally supportive of the direction of the district.

In the other two races, in addition to the lone Support CCS candidate in each contest, one or two other candidates with similar views as Brake and Sharp ran, according to Hamilton County Republican Party chair Mario Massillamany, splitting the conserva tive-leaning vote. Without those candidates running, he believes Brake and Sharp would have won, too, as they lost by far less votes than cast for candidates not on a slate.

But he’s not discouraged and called the election overall “a great day for Republicans in Hamilton County.”

“Sometimes we need to lose races, espe cially close ones like this, to galvanize and energize behind one person,” he said.

Brown said he knew it was a “very pos sible outcome” that he might win the twoway race and that Brake and Sharp would narrowly lose. He said many months ago

he and others working to create a slate tried to dissuade conservative candidates from running to avoid splitting the vote, but some still chose to enter the race.

“We warned them that we will likely not have the majority of like-minded people if you do this, and sure enough, it happened,” Brown said. “We’re not happy with that.”

Although his slate won’t become the majority on the five-member school board, Brown said he believes the number of votes for conservative-leaning candidates indicates that most voters wanted a directional shift on the school board.

“I see a very clear majority of Carmel has spoken loudly for some change,” he said. “I’m going to take that as a message (to CCS), ‘You guys need to listen to this huge amount of our population.’”

Nicki McNally, Support CCS PAC chair, thanked Carmel parents, grandparents and community members who volunteered or voted to help two of the PAC’s three candi dates win.

“When our district faced attacks motivat ed by political ideology, the people of Car mel united across party lines to stand up against the lies and negativity and voted to keep our public schools strong,” she said.

Kristin Kouka, who was backed by Sup port CCS, won the four-way race in District 1 and is eager to begin serving on the board.

“I’m really excited to be able to represent our school system and do the best I can do,” she said. “With my background in working with families and kids and students, I think I can be a great asset to the school system in whatever is needed from me as a board member.”

District 2 incumbent Jennifer Nelson-Wil liams, who was also backed by the Support CCS PAC, won her three-way race.

“I am deeply inspired by the way the CCS community came together in support of our dedicated teachers and administration,” she said. “I urge everyone who followed this race with interest to redirect that attention to the schools and invest their time and energy into volunteerism. Our schools, and school children can greatly benefit from your time and talents.”

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ELECTION

Brown Kouka

Nelson-Williams

FHS senior running back grows as leader, on and off field

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Fishers High School senior running back Carson Dunn finds it easy to pinpoint his largest area of improvement.

“The biggest im provement I made was becoming the very best version of myself as a leader,” Dunn said. “I grew so much as a vocal and passionate leader. My goal every day was to have everyone on the same page, fighting for the same goals.”

Dunn helped the Tigers advance to the Sectional 3 final Nov. 4 before losing to Hamilton Southeastern, 35-13.

“Carson leads by example with his hard work and dedication to the program,” FHS football coach Curt Funk said. “Carson is explosive both running and catching the ball. Another high quality is Carson’s ability to block second-level defenders. Carson made his most improvements in his ability to catch the ball as a slot. Carson also made improvements in running the jet sweep

MEET CARSON DUNN

Favorite athlete: Bo Jackson

Favorite school subject: History Favorite movie or TV show: “Creed 2”

Hobbies: Working out, watching sports, hanging out with friends, playing cards and golfing.

in our fly series, getting the edge on a defense.”

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Dunn rushed for 709 yards on 132 carries with nine touch downs on the season. He also had 23 catch es for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

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Dunn ran for 734 yards on 187 carries as a junior, earning first-team All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference honors. He had 787 yards on 124 carries as a sophomore. FHS was 3-8 in 2020, 6-4 in 2021 and 7-4 this season.,

“The team had improved so much from my sophomore year,” Dunn said. “We didn’t only improve on the field but also off the field. Our team chemistry was off the charts. We were a family that did ev erything together.”

Dunn is an outfielder for the FHS base ball team as well, hitting .395 last season and earning second team All-HCC honors. However, Dunn said football is his favorite sport. He is committed to play on scholar ship at Indiana State University in 2023.

Dunn said the ISU coaches are amazing and that’s why he chose the Sycamores

“They reached out to me before any other school and stayed in touch through out the entire recruiting process,” Dunn said. “They have showed nothing but love. There is no other place I’d rather be than Indiana State.”

Dunn plans to study business adminis tration and finance at ISU.

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Fishers High School running back Carson Dunn will continue his football career at Indiana State University next season. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Dunn)

Dunn

CCHS holiday home tour set

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The Carmel Clay Historical Society’s 25th annual Holiday Home Tour will have a mid-century modern flavor.

FUNDRAISER

The organization’s largest fundraiser is set for Dec. 2-3 with a tour of four mid-century modern homes in Eden Glen and Woodland Springs, including three designed by self-taught Carmel archi tect Avriel Shull. Buses will be available to drop off and pick up at each home. Three homes are on Eden Glen and one is in Wood land Springs, all off of 116th Street.

“They are all within a mile of each other,” CCHS Executive Director Debbie Gangstad said. “So, if it’s a nice day, It’s a walkable tour with the exception of one (Woodland Springs) across 116th Street. We don’t want people trying to get across that on foot.”

Gangstad said there will be four shuttle buses running on a continual basis. Parking is available at Mohawk Trails Elementary School, 4242 E. 126th St. There will be addi tional parking Dec. 3 at Chinese Community Church, 3405 E. 116th St.

Gangstad said the homes were all built in the early 1970s. The tour usually takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours, she said.

The Dec. 2 tour from 6 to 8 p.m. is $75 with a 7 to 10 p.m. reception with food and drinks in the Woodland Springs clubhouse, also designed by Shull. Dec. 3 tickets are $30 for the tour only from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit CCHS and the Carm el Clay History Museum.

Gangstad said people who have interest in volunteering get a free a ticket for the tour. If interested, call CCHS at 317-846-7117 or email info@carmelclayhistory.org

To register, visit holidayhometour. eventbrite.com.

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One of the three homes on tour from Eden Glen. (Photo courtesy of Carmel Clay Historical Society)

Administrator: Electioneering reports ‘isolated incidents’

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

school board candidates are “racist.”

Giv e History for t h e Holidays!

Hamilton County Elections Administrator Beth Sheller said she believes two reports of electioneering at a Carmel early voting site on Nov. 3 are “iso lated incidents” and that she hasn’t had to address these types of alle gations in previous elections.

COUNTY

“This is very new to us here,” Sheller said.

Sheller removed Democratic poll worker James Zheng from his position Nov. 3 after speaking with the inspector assigned to the early voting site at Mercy Road Church after the polls closed. Zheng, whom Sheller said has been a poll worker “for years,” was asked not to return for the final days of early voting or Election Day. According to Sheller, the inspector re ported that Zheng told two voters that campaign workers stationed outside the building who support GOP-backed Carmel

The inspector also reported that Zheng selected the straight Democratic Party tick et for a voter who was seeking assistance, Sheller said, and that the voter flagged an other poll worker to help clear the selection.

In both cases, voters were able to cast ballots as they intended, Sheller said. She did not speak to the voters directly or know their identities.

Zheng issued a statement Nov. 7 through the Hamilton County Demo cratic Party denying the allegations. Sheller said he also denied the reports when she called him Nov. 3. He did not respond to a request for comment for this story as of press time.

In his statement, Zheng reported that while working at the voting site Nov. 3, he observed through windows visible from the indoor voting machines people who were

Continued on Page 9

Sheller

Continued from Page 8

wearing red T-shirts containing the names of Republican-endorsed candidates for Car mel school board. The issue was reported to the inspector, who did not take action, Zheng stated.

State law requires campaign workers sta tioned outside of polls to remain at least 50 feet away from the polling place entrance. Sheller said that the campaign workers did not violate state law, even though they were visible through the windows. She said Zheng has withdrawn his complaint to the Hamilton County Election Board regarding the campaign workers.

integrity of our elections. We believe voters deserve honesty and the truth,” it states.

“It appears as though school board activ ists, supporting GOP-endorsed candidates, were too close to voting machines at a vote center in the county. After a poll worker brought it to the attention of election ad ministrators, he was removed from working the site.”

Hamilton County Republican Party Chair Mario Massillamany stated on Nov. 4 that he has been in communication with local election officials to ensure they remind poll workers of state law concerning their roles and responsibilities.

“This should serve as a cautionary re minder that those desperate to hold onto power or gain power will do anything, including breaking the law, to thwart the efforts of parents and taxpayers to replace our school boards with officials who more accurately reflect the values of our commu nity,” Massillamany said.

Regarding the statements issued Nov. 7 from the Hamilton County Democratic Party and Zheng, Massillamany said, “They are not denying the illegal electioneering from their poll worker. Rather, they are trying to deflect his wrongdoing.”

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Board OKs voting machine examination after complaints

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

The Hamilton County Election Board voted 3-0 to conduct an examination of voting machines used during ear ly voting at the Hamilton County Judicial Center in Noblesville after two voters reported the same problem while attempting to cast a straight-ticket ballot.

ELECTIONS

At the board’s Nov. 8 meeting, Noblesville residents Cynthia Gast and her daughter, Kristina Gast, told the board that they pushed the button to vote straight-ticket for the Democratic Party, but as they reviewed their selections before finalizing them they noticed no candidate was selected in the race for the 5th District Congressional seat between Democrat Jeannine Lee Lake and incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz. Both women, who voted Nov. 2 on dif ferent machines, individually selected Lake before casting their ballots, but they are con cerned other straight-ticket voters may have

From left, Hamilton County Election Administra tor Beth Sheller and Hamilton County Election Board members Kathy Kreag Williams (county clerk), Ray Adler and Greg Purvis meet Nov. 8 at the Hamilton County Judicial Center. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

experienced the same issue without noticing it, thus inadvertently not voting in the race.

“If (the race) happens to be really close, it’s scary,” Cynthia Gast said.

Greg Purvis, the lone Democrat on the three-member board, moved to initiate the examination to be held in conjunction with the county’s voting machine technicians,

Continued on Page 11

voting machine supplier MicroVote and Ball State’s Voting System Technical Oversight Program, which tests election equipment used in Indiana.

“With two people on different machines, to me that makes it more likely — although still somewhat remote — that it was a ma chine error,” Purvis said. “A machine error shouldn’t happen.”

Purvis said another possibility could be that both voters inadvertently deselected Lake’s name while attempting to scroll through their ballot, as it was located on the screen near the scroll button. He said a poll worker he contacted about the matter wasn’t able to recreate the issue.

Election board chair Ray Adler, a Repub lican, said the county previously has not received many complaints about voting machine issues and that reported problems can be difficult to recreate or verify.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of information but not a lot of evidence,” Adler said.

No matter the cause of the problem, Pur vis said it’s worth investigating.

“At the very least this is disturbing, because it affects voter confidence in the outcome of the election,” he said.

Lake brought the matter to the attention of the board. She said she did not previous ly know Cynthia or Kristina Gast and that she did not pursue filing the complaint until speaking with both voters and a mutual acquaintance who connected them to verify their accounts.

After the meeting, Lake said she is pleased that the board voted to investigate the mat ter but that the issue would be in her mind as she watched election results come in.

“It makes me feel sad, because I have always believed in the (voting) system and have always believed in democracy,” Lake said. “If that’s been tainted, either purpose fully or unintentionally, it sounds to me there’s a problem here.”

A date for the examination of the ma chines has not been set.

DISPATCH

500 Festival launches Living Well Program

– The 500 Festival has launched the Living Well Program, a no-cost, resident-based health initiative for apartment complexes to promote resident wellness and build com munity. It includes discounted registration for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Mara thon and Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K, train ing resources and built-in support to reach health goals. Learn more at indymini.com/p/ mini-marathon/register/living-well-program.

ONCE UPON A TIME

By Edward Redd news@curretincarmel.com

In the spring of 1998, Susan and Johan (Hans) Van den Heuvel had only been dating for two weeks when they decided to check out the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas, with Susan’s daugh ter, Gabriella.

“We just went to see what it was about and thought, ‘Wow, this is really fun,” Susan said.

It was the start of two great adventures, as the couple — now married and living in Carmel, where they both work as Realtors — has attended at least one Renaissance fair together every year since then, except in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemics can celled most in-person events.

Initially, they were drawn to a gathering of free-spirited and imaginative people, many in elaborate costumes from the Renaissance period or other eras. They enjoyed roaming nearly 200 acres filled with Tudor-style architecture reflecting the Medieval period, sampling a variety of foods and watching performances by jugglers, actors and other performers.

“It’s just an escape from reality for a cou ple of days,” Hans said.

The Van den Heuvels begin their annual tour of Renaissance fairs in April each year where it all began in Texas. They also at tend the Bristol Renaissance Faire in July in Wisconsin, and in September, they visit the Ohio Renaissance Festival near Dayton.

As their attendance at the events has increased, so has their wardrobe.

“We have people now — because we have such beautiful, elaborate costumes — come up to us,” Susan said. “Many people want to take our pictures and love to hop in and take pictures with us. It’s the ultimate compliment.”

Hans said his collection consists largely

of leather hats, bags and jackets that he can arrange to create five or six unique outfits. He enjoys adding pieces as he visits fairs. His favorite clothing vendor is Pendragon Costumes, which specializes in leather.

Susan’s collection includes a variety of feather hats and bodices that she has amassed through the years. She can create

10

“They have bodices that I can’t find any where else,” Susan said.

Learn more about Renaissance festivals throughout the nation at therenlist.com/ all-fairs.

BEGINNING A RENAISSANCE WARDROBE

As a veteran of Renaissance fairs, Susan Van den Heuvel has some tips for those just beginning to build their Medieval wardrobe.

“A lot of people who start out go to Goodwill (or use) eBay,” she said. “They just put together what they think is a cute outfit. They might order a corset from several known companies like Corset Story.”

Her husband, Hans, said attending the festivals in costume enhances the experience.

“The first time you are really dressed up you feel like you’re part of it,” he said. “You’re not just in a T-shirt and jeans trying to go and see what’s going on.”

Carmel couple makes tradition of visiting Renaissance festivals

From left, Susan and Hans Van den Heuvel pause with other costumed attendees of the Ohio Renais sance Festival in September 2019. (Photo courtesy of Susan and Hans Van den Heuvel)

to 15 different outfits. Her favorite vendor is Moresca Clothing & Costume.

ON THE COVER: Hans and Susan Van den Heuvel attend a Renaissance festival in costume. (Photo courtesy of Susan and Hans Van den Heuvel)

The Ohio Renaissance Festival in September 2019. (Photo courtesy of Susan and Hans Van den Heuvel)

ESSAY

Imperfect claims

Commentary by Terry Anker

If we believe that 100 percent of our team is 100 percent committed and not one person ever puts their own interests first, why would we ever need to im prove? What would be the point in pursu ing something beyond ideal? Lucky us. But how could we know the effort of another? We can observe their actions but not know their depth of capacity. We can see water coming from the well but not claim whether it could supply a great city or only support a small village. Few admit to delivering less than everything. Still, if we are entirely honest, do not some tasks engender greater commit ment than others? And don’t we know many who might sandbag a bit?

When we claim ourselves or our team to be selfless heroes without peer, are we in the midst of the fabled titans? Are we guilty of a bit of sales puffery, or are we indulging in full-fledged self deceit? Are we the greatest of all time, every day, at every hour? Or are we just good, imperfect, well-intentioned, occasionally self-interested folks? Can we reconcile our proper intentions with our ego’s need to claim accomplish ment? Perhaps it is a defensiveness that comes from our own insecurity. Or is it hubris that reflects a delusional overconfidence?

Perfect is a tough standard to meet. Yet we may be too thin-skinned to live with anything less than faultless ness in our firms and institutions, so we struggle to admit our flaws, clinging to the immediately evident prevarication that we are the ideal. Many good read ers will reach out to decry what they find herein. Others will laud as insightful the very same words. Does this indi cate that one is 100 percent right and the other 100 percent wrong, 50/50 or vice-versa? Is our very dignity bound by the impossible claim of perfection?

CURRENTOON

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

— MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO

POLICIES

Terry Anker is an associate editor of Current Publishing, LLC. You may email him at terry@ youarecurrent.com.

Letters to the editor: Current Publishing will consider verifiable letters of up to 150 words. Letters must be thoroughly vetted prior to submission. Current retains the right to reject or return any letter it deems to carry unsubstantiated content. Current also retains the right to edit letters, but not their intent. Send letters to info@youarecurrent.com. Writers must include a hometown and a daytime phone number for verification. Guest columns: The policy for guest columns is the same as the aforementioned, but the allowable length is 240 words. Guest columns should address the whole of Current’s readership, not simply special-interest groups, and may not in any way contain a commercial message.

HUMOR

Take your time, deer

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Guess what’s almost here, people? Deer hunting season, the most magi cal time of the year, after Halloween, Christmas, spring break and summer, of course. That’s right, I’m staring down the barrel of two, maybe three, glorious weekends as a single lady, when my husband, Doo, frolics in the Indiana wil derness attempting to ensure we have meat for the winter, or something like that. No matter, with my kids also gone, I am looking forward to lazy mornings, empty sinks and a bathroom that won’t stink to high heaven.

But it hasn’t always been this way. When our four children were little and November dawned, I’d let the resent ment of Doo’s abandonment ride rough shod over me, fantasizing about ditch ing him for a girls’ trip to Aruba or a pro longed stint in the Peace Corps. I’d pray that he killed Bambi on the first day so I wouldn’t be stuck through Thanksgiving single-parenting precocious preschool ers with penchants for Sharpie buggery and nap avoidance. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I absolutely dreaded becoming a short-term hunting widow.

Now? I cannot wait to see Doo off with a heartfelt, “Don’t shoot your eye out!” Then it’ll be just me and the dog, a quiet and clean house, and however many episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy” I can binge in 43 hours. I am literally giddy at the prospect. And if I’m lucky, Doo will need to return to the frontier for several subsequent Friday-Saturday overnights to bag that elusive (read: mythical) 18-pointer (“he’s real, dangnabbit!”). Whatever.

All I care about is that the fifth-most wonderful time of the year is here — deer hunting season!

Peace out.

Danielle Wilson is a contributing columnist. You may email her at info@youarecurrent.com.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

My wife’s in ‘Jeopardy!’

Commentary

by Dick Wolfsie

suits. In the pool area were about 40 peo ple, completely naked, staring at us.

Ken: What did they say?

Mary Ellen: They said, “You must be from the Midwest.”

HUMOR

This evening, Mary Ellen and I discussed how hosts chat with “Jeopardy!” contestants, prompting a quirky personal story between rounds. My wife, Mary Ellen, said if she ever got on the show, she’d have trouble coming up with five entertaining anecdotes, assuming she won every night for a week. Together, we crafted some fun ones. Her responses here are all true.

Night 1

Host Ken Jennings: I understand you had an embarrassing nickname in school.

Night 4

Ken: I was told your husband’s long TV ca reer was the result of your banning a stray dog from your house.

Barney ended up on TV with Dick and became a star — the dog, I mean.

– DICK WOLFSIE

Mary Ellen: In the fourth grade, I was 5-foot-7 — much taller and skinnier than anyone else in the class.

Ken: So, what did they call you?

Mary Ellen: The Galloping Hairpin.

Night 2

Ken: Tell us about meeting your husband.

Mary Ellen: A co-worker asked me to have dinner with her and several friends. One of those friends was Dick Wolfsie, who sat across from me. We never talked or even exchanged glances. Three years later, we were fixed up on a blind date. We’d been married two years before we realized the blind date wasn’t the first time we met.

Ken: You made a really big impression on each other.

Night 3

Ken: I understand that on your honey moon, you had an embarrassing experience.

Mary Ellen: My husband and I returned from dinner to our hotel in Big Sur, Califor nia. It was 2 a.m. and we figured no one would be in the pool. We decided to meet there without any clothes on. But we both chickened out and showed up in our swim

Mary Ellen: Dick found a lost beagle on our front porch, but he was very mischievous and destructive. The beagle, that is. I told Dick if he wanted to keep the dog, he had to take him to work with him every morning. He did, and Barney ended up on TV with Dick and became a star — the dog, I mean. I take all the credit for Barney’s success.

Night 5

Ken: Did you marry your husband because you thought he was going to be a college professor?

Mary Ellen: When we met, he had just taken an associate producer position at a TV station in Columbus, Ohio. He hated the job, so I figured he would go back to teach ing. You know, do something serious with his life.

Ken: So, did he end up doing something serious?

Mary Ellen: Not hardly. But he did it for 40 years. I’ll give him that.

What if I got a spot on “Jeopardy!”? Find out next week.

Dick Wolfsie is an author, columnist and speaker. Contact him at wolfsie@aol.com.

Hair salon lands in perfect spot

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Tiffany Glassburn found herself quickly captivated by the charm and community of the Arts & Design District when she first came to work in Carmel.

ENTREPRENEUR

During her first hair salon job in the city, she commuted from Kokomo and drove through the district one day.

“I felt in my heart that I would build a career here,” said Glassburn, who moved to Indianapolis when she opened a salon suite inside Sola Salons in Carmel.

Glassburn opened her own hair salon, Elysian Collective, which focuses on hair ex tension and hair color, in April at 5 W. Main St. in the Carmel Arts & Design District.

“We specifically focus on hand-tied hair extensions,” she said. “We have a strong passion for helping our guests gain confi dence through their hair. There is a stigma with hair extensions that they are simply to take someone’s hair from short to long and that they look very unnatural and are uncomfortable or damaging to your hair and scalp. While, yes, they can aid in taking someone’s hair from short to long, hair ex tensions actually serve a variety of different

purposes and can absolutely be safe and comfortable to wear.”

Glassburn has one other stylist working with her, but she said she expects to add more in the future. The shop operates as a booth-rent salon.

Learn more at tiffanyglassburn.gloss genius.com.

DISPATCHES

CNO donates $50K — Carmel-based CNO Financial Group is making a $50,000 con tribution to the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, a coalition of more than 69 CEOs of Black-led community development financial institutions committed to social and economic justice for African American communities. To learn more about CNO’s commitment to the community, DE&I, and corporate social responsibility, visit cnoinc. com/corporate-responsibility.

Merchants Mortgage hires — Merchants Mortgage, a division of Carmel-based Mer chants

Bank of Indiana, has hired Reija Eden and Bryan Neitzelt as corre spondent account executives. Eden and Neitzelt will join the Western Region Sales Division at Merchants Mortgage, focusing their busi

ness efforts along the West Coast. Eden joins the team at Merchants with more than 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, having held various positions at JMAC Lending, Newfi Lending and Carrington Mortgage. Before joining Merchants Bank, Neitzelt most recently served as a corre spondent account manager at Northpointe Bank in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Shorty Impact Award finalist — Jiffy Lube of Indiana has been named as a seventh annual Shorty Impact Awards finalist for the #MuralProject in the Automotive Category. The Shorty Impact Awards honor the best of digital and social media by influential brands, agencies and organizations. Jiffy Lube of Indiana’s commitment to promoting the work of local artists currently includes 30 murals with more coming every year, which makes it a top contender for a Shorty Impact Award. The winners are to be an nounced at the first post-pandemic in-per son Shorty Impact Awards celebration on Nov. 16 at Burbank Studios in Los Angeles.

Neitzeit Eden

Tiffany Glassburn owns Elysian Collective, a hair salon that focuses on extensions. (Photo courte sy of Song Bird and Sons Photography)

Local Realtor to host show

By Jillian Kurtz news@currentincarmel.com

Carmel will soon be featured on a televi sion show that highlights neighborhoods across the na tion through the eyes of top local real estate agents.

REAL ESTATE

Karen Tanner, a Carmel resident and owner of Karen Tanner Real Estate Group, will host the Carmel segment of the program “The Amer ican Dream.” She and a handful of other local real estate professionals were approached by The American Dream Net work about the opportunity.

“Carmel is consistently in different pub lications ranked very high for different things, whether it’s where to raise a family or school systems, so it’s really attractive as far as a marketing standpoint to show case a city like Carmel,” Tanner said.

For the show, Tanner and her team man ager, Quincy Caldwell, work together to gen erate content for the Carmel segments.

“I just did an introduction to Carmel for the first episode,” Tanner said. “I was walk

ing up and down Main Street talking about everything from our focus on the arts with the Arts & Design District to the roundabout art. In future episodes, I already have some ideas for businesses I want to pop into. I feel like I could do an entire episode on the Village of WestClay.”

The first episode featuring Carmel is expected to air in December, al though a specific date has not been announced.

Tanner grew up in Zionsville and received a degree in public health from Indiana University in 1997.

After looking for a house of her own to pur chase, Tanner was encouraged to look into the real estate business by a selling agent.

Tanner, who got into the business 20 years ago, has owned her own real estate group since 2017.

The American Dream is a 30-minute pro gram that features five-minute segments in cities across the U.S. The show is available on CNBC, the Travel Channel and can also be streamed.

Learn more at facebook.com/ theamericandreamtv.

Stop in to browse at Carmel’s independent bookstore, MacArthur Books, offering a wide selection of new books for adults, kids and teens. Join our email newsletter list (info@macarthurbooks.net) for information on author events, book clubs, and new releases, or visit our website for ordering anytime.

Tanner

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop now open on Michigan Road

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop opened its first restaurant in Hamilton County Nov. 7 at 11100 N. Michigan Rd. in Carmel.

RESTAURANT

Known for menu items that include cheese steaks and tur key subs, Capriotti’s expects to employ 20 workers in Carmel.

Indianapolis native Casey McGaughey owns and operates the Carmel store. His grandfather, Charles McGaughey, founded MCL Restaurant & Bakery.

“Having grown up working in my family’s restaurants, I have always been passionate about providing fresh and high-quality in gredients to customers,” Casey McGaughey stated. “Capriotti’s is known to do just that for its customers, which is why I am thrilled to partner with them in order to bring a new upscale, fast-casual sandwich concept to the Carmel community.”

The Carmel Capriotti’s offers online order

Capriotti’s opened Nov. 7 at 11100 N. Michigan Rd. in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Capriotti’s)

ing, third-party delivery services and cater ing. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Capriotti’s, which was founded in Del aware, has other Indiana restaurants in Indianapolis, Greenwood, Schererville and Hammond.

Learn more at capriottis.com or call 317-344-3152.

Moore, Sport Clips benefit Riley

By Taylor Dixon taylor@youarecurrent.com

Indianapolis Colts’ defensive back Ken ny Moore II and his Love One Foundation are teaming up with Sports Clips through the end of the month to raise money for the “Mighty November” campaign. Proceeds from the campaign benefit the Riley Chil dren’s Foundation for pediatric patients receiving hospice and end-of-life care.

CHARITY

The “Mighty November” campaign is part of a foundation called the “Mighty Mason Fund.”

On Nov. 1 at Sports Clips on Commercial Drive in Fishers, Moore and Tony Sawyer — owner of Sports Clips in central Indiana — presented Mason Garvey’s family and three other Riley Children’s Foundation families with a $10,000 check to kick off the fundraising.

Twelve Sports Clips locations across cen tral Indiana are accepting and matching do nations up to $10,000 throughout the month.

Mason Garvey was a 9-year-old who died in 2020 from embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cancer. His family is continuing his legacy through the “Mighty Mason Fund,” which helps raise money to ensure that children

receive the best hospice care.

The Garvey family met Moore II when he was visiting hospital patients and wound up forging an unbreakable friendship, ac cording to Mason’s father, Kevin Garvey. Mason and Moore II grew closer and bonded over football and playing games.

The bond between the two meant a lot to Moore II as well.

“I’ve found a friend, a family member, in a kid that we thought was going to be a small interaction during a hospital visit, just meeting Mason and interacting with him and his family,” Moore II said.

From left, Kenny Moore II, Heather Garvey, Kinley Garvey, Kevin Garvey, Tony Sawyer and Bridget Sawyer pause at the Sports Clips in Fishers after the check presentation. (Photo by Taylor Dixon)

Gala raises $40K for Ronald McDonald House Charities

By Edward Redd news@currentincarmel.com

Chad Hinton, an event attendee.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Cen tral Indiana hosted its annual gala, “Taste Together,” to celebrate its 40th anniversary Nov. 4 at the 502 East Event Centre in Carmel.

FUNDRAISER

“Riley saved my child’s life, and Ronald McDonald House saved our family,” said

According to RMHCCIN CEO Karin Ogden, the charity provides a home away from home for any family that has a critically ill or injured child at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. It has three chapters in Indiana and 360 chapters internationally.

The gala included several fundraising games, including a ring toss and money grab. It also included a live auction. It raised more than $40,000 for RMHCCIN.

From left, Linda Shields, Pete Wojtowicz, Randy Shields, Mya Smith-Ed monds and Emmanuel Edmonds com bined on a bid for $10,000 for the RHMCCIN celebration bell. (Photo by Edward Redd)

Current in Carmel currentincarmel.com

currentnightandday.com

CHS grad gets key role in ‘Aladdin’ national tour

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Jake Letts was immediately interested when he heard “Aladdin” was audition ing for a new cast for an upcoming North American tour.

Represented by Tara Rubin Casting, Letts got a call within two days of inquiring. Although peo ple could send in audition videos, Letts traveled to New York to audition in-person and returned for each callback.

“I’ve always wanted to be one who, if I can get myself in a room, I want to show up and show out,” Letts said. “I want to show with my physical presence I really care about this work and getting an op portunity. I flew out to New York three or four times in total for these callbacks. After the last time, I called my agent and said I don’t think I’m in the show. I had a bad feeling after my last audition. All of a sudden, I got a call from my agent when I was in an Uber to leave New York and they wanted me to play this role. It was a dream come true, and every day has been magical.”

The 2017 Carmel High School graduate portrays Babkak in the national tour of “Aladdin,” with shows set for Nov. 16-20 at Clowes Memorial Hall on the Butler Uni versity campus in Indianapolis. The tour is part of the Broadway Indianapolis series.

“To work with Casey Nicholaw as my first professional director, you can’t ask for anything better,” said Letts, who grad uated from Ball State University in 2021. “Throughout my life, I got comments that I’m not a dancer. I’m not someone who people hire to dance.”

Letts said he loves to dance but under stands it’s something he’s not technically proficient in.

“It’s something that brings me joy,” Letts said. “Then to have Tony Award-win ning choreographer (Nicolow) say, ‘You know what? You can dance in my show.’ It was a moment that validated the work I

was doing and made me see it wasn’t for nothing. It’s not something I did blindly.”

Babkak is one of Aladdin’s three friends.

“They are street rats, just trying to find some food,” Letts said.

Letts said “Aladdin” was performed for the first time in 2015 with most of the Broadway cast.

“I fell in love with it,” he said. “I remem ber watching the character I’m playing and thought he was so funny. You could tell the actor delivering the lines was fun ny, but the lines themselves were really funny. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, wow, I’ve never seen a show with so much glitz and glamor,’ and just loving every moment of it. I got to do a workshop with (actor) Bobby Pestka the next day and he taught me and my classmates some choreogra phy from ‘Arabian Nights.’ I was hooked on the show since then and was especially excited when my show choir performed ‘High Adventure’ in the competitive set the next year.”

While auditioning for college, Letts said he channeled his love for the show and put together a dance routine to “Friend

Like Me.”

“It was goofy but got me an in-person audition for University of Michigan,” he said. “So, it couldn’t have been the worst. Finally, at Ball State University, my good friend Ani Arzumanian and I sang ‘A Million Miles Away’ as our freshman showcase duet, so that song holds a special place in my heart. Especially being a recent gradu ate, it feels like her as well as many of my friends are now a million miles away and hopefully finding their homes.”

Letts said he had a performance in Schenectady, N.Y., with a lot of high school students in the audience.

“I had this feeling of, wow, when I saw this show as a kid I was inspired by the characters and I wanted to be one of them,’” Letts said. “Now I am and thought maybe he could be a theater-loving kid and might get that same inspiration. I thought that was the moment that clicked, that I am to be someone able to inspire future generations.”

Letts played the title role of “Phantom of the Opera” his senior year at CHS.

For more, visit broadwayindianapolis.com.

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’

“The Addams Family” runs through Nov. 20 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianap olis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

ELIANE ELIAS

Eliane Elias will perform a concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER NOLA LIVE!

Take Me to the River NOLA LIVE! featuring Dumpstaphunk, George Porter Jr. and Jon Cleary at 8 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carm el. For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

‘MOTHERS AND SONS’

Main Street Productions will present “Moth ers and Sons” through Nov. 20 at Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit west fieldplayhouse.org.

Oak Ridge Boys, Nash set for Palladium shows

Several new shows have been added to Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts schedule for 2023. Recently announced shows at the Palladium include comedian Jeff Allen (Jan. 7); The Oak Ridge Boys (March 17); Jim Messina (March 22) of Loggins & Messina fame; Graham Nash (April 23) of Crosby, Stills and Nash fame; and former “American Idol” rivals, now pals, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (May 11).

Single-show tickets are on sale for the 2023 shows in the second half of the 2022-23 Center Presents Season. The main stage concerts from January through May are available for purchase without a subscription.

Presented in partnership with Allied Solu tions, the remainder of the season includes previously announced performances by the Mavericks; Boney James; comedian Kevin Nealon; Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin; Mi chael Feinstein; and ELO tribute Evil Woman.

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

From left, Jake Letts, Ben Chavez, Adi Roy and Colt Prattes perform in the North American tour of “Aladdin.” (Photo by Deen van Meer)

Letts

‘Opening Hank’ remembers musician

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Garret Mathews has long been fascinated with the life of legendary country singer Hank Williams.

“As a writer, I marvel that this fellow with a very limited education was able to write some hauntingly beautiful lyrics that will last forever,” the Carmel resident said. “Hank was probably the first big-time singer to pen his own material. Folks like (Frank) Sinatra depended on others to craft the lyrics and melodies.”

Mathews got his idea for his play, “Open ing Hank,” which will be presented Nov. 18-20 at The Cat in Carmel, from two stories Mathews wrote in his years as a newspaper writer. Williams was found dead in the back seat of his Cadillac on the morning of Jan. 1, 1953, in Oak Hill, W. Va. Williams, who battled alcoholism for years, was 29 years old. Mathews wrote for the Bluefield (W. Va.) Daily Telegraph from 1972 until 1987.

“Hank’s last ride took him through Blue field en route to Canton, Ohio,” Mathews said. “Some folks believe he stopped at a

bar I’m familiar with (King Tut Drive-In in Bluefield.”

Mathews interviewed Garland Hess, a radio station manager, in the early 1980s.

“He told me about the hubbub that en sued when the gang at the service station found out Hank was in the hearse that was headed for the fu neral in Montgomery, Ala.,” Mathews said. “They insisted that the morti cian open his payload. Garland re membered staring at an emaciated man with deep-set eyes who looked much older than his age.”

Mathews’ play is a fictional version with the mortician selling views of the late Wil liams. When Mathews was working for the Evansville Courier & Press, he interviewed a man who performed with Williams’ band, Drifting Cowboys, for a few tours.

“He told me Hank was a great guy to be around when he was sober, but that he was a mean drunk,” said Mathews, who moved to Carmel in 2013 after he retired from the Evansville newspaper.

Dates for “Opening Hank” are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 20.

For more, visit thecat.biz.

Ashley Nicole Soprano

PLAY

Mathews

Carmel Middle School takes on ‘High School Musical’

By Jackie Grigg jackie@youarecurrent.com

“High School Musical Jr.” takes the fullscale production of “High School Musical,” weeds out the extra fluff, gets straight to the story and adapts it to middle school voices.

PERFORMANCE

“When dealing with middle schoolers, you want to get to the point of the story and give them the most important pieces,” Carmel Middle School choral teacher Trisha Scheidies said. “It shortens the show, too, because they want your young singers to not be on the stage as often, and a lot of people look for a junior show because there’s no intermission. Our cast is 50, and then we have our backstage, our costume crew, stage crew, technical crew, publicity crew, paint crew, makeup crew. We were able to involve about 150 kids.”

Carmel Middle School will present “High School Musical Jr.” Nov. 18-19. Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 and 1 and 7 p.m. Nov. 19.

Scheides said the production has an army of parents who head up volunteer committees.

Scheides serves as director, vocal direc tor and producer. Philip Crawshaw, a profes

sional dancer with Dance Kaleidoscope, is co-choreographing the show. Bernie Szuhaj, the auditorium manager at Carmel High School, has been helping on the technical side, along with two CHS students who are helping bridge the gap between the middle and high school students and teach them technical theater skills.

Micah Wangler, who plays the role of Troy Bolton, said he looks forward to participat ing in musicals when he is a freshman at CHS next year. Gracie Bender, a new CMS student, said being involved in the pro duction helps her feel like she has a place. Bender plays Gabriella Montez. She was involved in a production of “Annie” last year.

For tickets, visit carmelms.booktix.com.

Clay Middle to present ’Seussical Jr.’

By Jackie Grigg jackie@youarecurrent.com

Clay Middle School is offering four dif ferent performances of “Seussical Jr.” this year, giving students an opportunity to perform for the understudy and primary casts. Miranda Susie, Clay Middle School choir director, is directing the show along with assistant director Ryan Snider and choreographer Nicki Presutti.

gives a sense of what the show is going to be like,” Mora said. “Musicals in general are just really magical because you’re acting for someone in the story and not acting like yourself.”

MUSICAL

“Seussical Jr.” features the world of many beloved Dr. Seuss characters. The show teaches the power of being unique and the importance of fighting for your beliefs.

Maaike Mora, an eighth-grader, is playing the role of The ‘Cat in the Hat in the Clay Middle School’s production of “Seussical Jr.” Nov. 17-19. Mora said it’s a fun role because The Cat likes to stir up trouble.

“I especially love when we first run through the show onstage because that

Charlotte Hunter, an eighth-grader, is playing the role of Mayzie La Bird.

“I like my role because I get to play a really confident, vain and funny character,” Hunter said. “I also like the songs that I sing. They are all really funny and I get to interact with a lot of different people on stage. Another thing I like is hanging out with my friends.”

For Hunter, the best part of the musical so far has been watching the show come together.

“I get to see what other people have been working on and how the story evolves,” she said.

Claira Keller, an eighth-grader, plays Ger trude McFuzz.

From left, Gracie Bender, Monroe Melton, Micah Wangler, Joaquin Valdiosera. (Photo by

IBC dancers get new challenge

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Carmel High School freshman Haylie Fletcher gets a change of pace in the In diana Ballet Conservatory’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

“It’s exciting because I’ve always played these roles that are super friend ly and bring energy,” said Fletcher, who plays the mouse queen and Arabian soloist. “This is a different vibe because I have to bring sass or evil (to the mouse queen role). You get to be this powerful mouse. For the other roles, I have to be a little more reserved and mature.”

The performances, which have two casts, are set for 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 26 and 1 and 6 p.m. Nov. 27 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel Bishop Chatard sophomore Ashlie Rohan, an Indianapolis resident, plays the mouse queen and snow soloist, among other roles.

“I have a lot of roles this year, which is

really fun,” Rohan said. “It’s fun to play good characters and bad characters.”

West Lafayette Harrison junior Shannon McNiven plays the Sugar Plum Fairy and Princess Masha.

“I’m looking forward to playing one of my dream roles,” she said. “I have wanted to be the Sugar Plum Fairy since I was little. This is a dream come true. I’m excited to dance with our guest artist who is coming.”

McNiven said she has worked on the art istry of the role and building stamina.

Indianapolis resident Aurora Ausserer, a senior who takes classes online, is return ing as the Sugar Plum Fairy for the second year.

“I’m excited to make it better than it was last year,” Ausserer said. “I’m able to work on the things that I saw and be more com fortable with it because it’s not as new and scary.”

For more, visit indianaballetconservatory. org.

Concert has New Orleans flavor

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Ivan Neville is carrying on a family musi cal tradition.

MUSIC

“We are the torch bearers of the New Orle ans funk,” Ivan said.

Ivan is the son of Aaron Neville. He is joined in Dumpstaphunk by his cousin, Ian, who is the son of the late Art Neville. Aaron and Art were members of The Neville Broth ers, along with siblings Charles and Cyril. Ivan also was a past member of his father’s rhythm and blues-soul-funk group.

Ivan, a keyboardist, formed Dumpsta phunk in 2003.

Dumpstaphunk will perform its “Take Me to the River NOLA Live!” concert at 8 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The special guests will be George Porter Jr. with his group and Jon Cleary.

“George Porter is a founding member of the group, The Meters, which is one of the most influential funk groups ever, especially out of New Orleans,” Ivan said. “Jon Cleary’s

style is reminiscent of some of the great New Orleans piano players. He’ll be doing a portion as well. There might be a collabora tive portion as well, I’m not sure.”

Ivan said the tour includes groups that will appear in the “Take Me to the River: New Orleans” docu mentary. It is the second film in the documentary series. The documen tary will be available on streaming platforms Jan. 20, 2023.

“The film has a bunch of collab orations with New Orleans artists and other artists from different genres,” Ivan said. “We did many representations of New Orleans classic songs. This perfor mance will represent that documentary.”

Ivan said Dumpstaphunk will perform songs from its album “Where Do We Go From Here,” which was released in 2021.

“There are a couple guys from Dumpsta phunk who played with the Neville Brothers over the years,” Ivan said. “We enjoy getting to play this music anytime and anywhere.It’s absolutely a treat to bring it to people who may or may not have ever seen this stuff per formed live. It’s an honor to get to do that,”

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Neville

Fletcher Rohan

Blueprint for Improvement: Complete basement transformation

Built in 1928 in Indianapolis’ Meridian-Kessler neighborhood, this historic home’s main living areas had undergone a full remodel, leav ing a dark, unfinished basement in need of renovations. The home owners wanted to create a multi-functional space for movie nights, entertaining and exercise.

THE BLUEPRINT

• New windows, recessed lighting and a neutral palette brighten the room, while navy blue custom cabinetry serves as a bold accent with stylish storage.

• Tonal wallpaper in the bar area provides visual interest with an art deco inspired pattern that calls to the home’s 1920s architecture.

• The bar and adjoining pantry make entertaining a breeze with ample seating, wine storage, integrated appliances and beautiful custom cabinetry.

• Corian countertops and luxury vinyl plank floors provide the look of natural surfaces with added durability and minimal maintenance.

• A full bathroom featuring sleek, classic details and a private exercise room help complete the transformation of this basement into a truly multi-functional space.

Larry Greene is the owner of Worthington Design & Remodeling (formerly Case). You may email him at lgreene@worthingtonindy.com or visit worthingtonindy.com for more remodeling inspiration and advice.

Commentary by Larry Greene

LIFESTYLE

A ‘Swift’ album review

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER

Docket No. PZ-2002-00232 V

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER

Docket Nos. PZ-2022-00226 V, PZ-2022-00228 V

cover music, but I’m suggesting poetry and language from a bygone era contribute to Swift’s pensive pop music.

GRAMMAR GUY

If there is one thing I love more than grammar, it’s The Beatles. In April 1964, the Fab Four held all five songs in the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This record held until

Drake occupied nine out of the top 10 songs in 2021 when his album “Certified Lover Boy” dominated streaming services.

Now with Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” and “Midnights (3am Edition)” albums, she’s ac complished a first in music history— her hits occupy all of the top 10 songs on Billboard’s list. The only caveat I’ll bring to this accom plishment is that The Beatles didn’t have the same streaming opportunities available to them back in the days of Beatlemania.

When I encounter a challenge to The Beatles’ chart dominance, I have to check it out. And when I began listening to Swift’s “Midnights,” I was struck by her lyrics.

Sure, she uses terms such as “ghosting” and her fair share of profanity, but I want to suggest that Swift’s “Midnights” achieves poetry whose lyrical evolution has brought back lesser-used words and intricately weaves them into her modern experience.

Take the album’s opening track, “Laven der Haze.” Not only does the title evoke par allels to Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” but Swift’s use of the word “melancholia” evokes a deeper emotion than a word as common as “depression.”

I know Grammar Guy doesn’t usually

Notice of Public Hearing Before the Carmel Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals

Docket No. PZ-2022-00204 V, Docket No. PZ –2022-00206 V and Docket No. PZ2022-00207 V

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on the 28th Day of November 2022 at 5:15 PM at Carmel City Hall, Caucus Rooms 1 Civic Square, 2nd Floor, Carmel, IN 46032 will hold a hearing upon a Development Standards Variance application to: Approve a 25 foot front yard setback, which is a violation of UDO Section 2.04 which requires a 30’ front yard setback, approve a window well encroachment of 3’ 8” into yard, which is a violation of UDO Section 5.79.J which requires up to 24” encroachment and also approve 52% lot coverage of impervious areas which is a violation of UDO Section 2.04 which allows a maximum of 35% lot coverage of impervious areas. Property is commonly known as 10381 Woodhall Ln, Carmel, IN 46032. This application for variances is identified as Docket No. PZ-2022-00204 V, Docket No. PZ-202200206 V and Docket No. PZ-2022-00207. The legal description for this property is as follows: Lot 6 in Woodhall Lane Subdivision, an Addition in Hamilton County, Indiana as per plat thereof recorded as instrument number 2009001339 found in the office of the recorder of Hamilton County, Indiana. The petitioner is Greg Monsey of Monsey Homes.

If you’re unwilling to hear four-letter words, then this isn’t the album for you; however, if you want to hear an exploration of “would’ve,” “could’ve” and “should’ve”, then check out the lyrical exploration in “Midnights.”

Curtis Honeycutt is a national award-winning, syndicated humor writer. Connect with him on Twitter (@curtishoneycutt) or at curtishoneycutt.com.

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on the 28th day of November, 2022 at 5:15 p.m. in the City Hall Caucus Rooms (1 Civic Square, 2nd Flr, Carmel, IN 46032) will hold a Public Hearing upon a Development Standards Variance application to: Seek the following Development Standards Variance approval for Lot Coverage beyond the maximum allowance of 35%, requesting up to 52% in order to build an outdoor entertaining space to include a swimming pool and hardscape in the Silvara PUD Ordinance Z-652-20 Section 6.1.

With the property being known as (address): 521 Mendenhall Dr.

The application is identified as Docket No. PZ2002-00232 V.

The real estate affected by said application is described as follows:

Acreage .51 Section 34, Township 18, Range 3 JACKSONS GRANT ON WILLIAMS CREEK Section 6 Lot 308. Parcel Number: 17-09-34-0015-003.00

The petition may be examined on the City’s website, through Public Documents - Laserfiche.

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on the 28th day of November 2022 at 5:15 p.m. in the City Hall Caucus Rooms (1 Civic Square, 2nd Flr, Carmel, IN 46032) will hold a Public Hearing upon a Development Standards Variance application to:

UDO Section 5.02(B)(3): Maximum 24’ x 30’ detached accessory building allowed, 30’ x 40’ requested. (And, the combined square footage of the ground floor area of a private garage and/ or accessory building shall not exceed 75% of the ground floor area of the principal building, 114% requested.), and

UDO Section 2.04: Maximum 18’ tall accessory building allowed, 20’ requested.

With the property being known as (address): 12060 Durbin Drive.

The application is identified as Docket Nos. PZ-2022-00226 V. & PZ-2022-00228 V.

The real estate affected by said application is described as follows: 17-09-32-00-01-003.000

Acreage 1.14 Section 32, Township 18, Range 3 CROSSFIELDS Lot 21

The petition may be examined on the City’s website, through Public Documents - Laserfiche.

Docket No. PZ-2022-00213 SE

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing Officer meeting on the 28th of November, 2022 at 5:15 p.m. in the Carmel City Hall Caucus Rooms, 2nd Floor, One Civic Square, Carmel, Indiana 46032 will hold a Public Hearing upon a Special Exception application to: to gain STRR approval to occasionally rent our home for brief time periods to highly rated and experienced short-term rental guests with respect to our neighbors, wider community, and the preservation of our home.

On the property being known as: (address) 10828 Timber Lane Carmel IN 46032.

The application is identified as Docket No. PZ2022-00213 SE.

The real estate affected by said application is described as follows:

Parcel # 17-14-06-04-01-013.000

All interested persons desiring to present their views on the above application, either in writing or verbally, will be given an opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place.

Thomas and Karyn Elliott

PETITIONERS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

HEARING OFFICER

Docket No. PZ-2022-00208 SE

Notice is herby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing Officer meeting on the 28th day of November, 2022, at 5:15p.m. in the Carmel City Hall Caucus Rooms, 2nd Floor, 1 Civic Sq., Carmel, Indiana 46032 will hold a Public Hear ing upon a Special Exception application to:

Obtain approval for a Group Home for elderly residents with 9 beds. No medical services or memory care will be provided at Group Home. Interior renovations only. No signage will be requested or used for the Group Home. The home will be maintained to conform with the quality and character of the neighborhood.

On the property being known as: 44 Horseshoe Ln, Carmel, Indiana 46033.

The Application is identified as Docket No.: PZ-2022-00208 SE.

The real estate affected by said application is described as Parcel ID 16-10-31-04-01-012.000

The petition may be examined on the City’s website, through Public Documents-Laserfiche.

All interested persons desiring to present their views on the above application, either in writing or verbally, will be given an opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place.

Jennifer Piccione Petitioner

All interested persons desiring to present their views on the above application, either in writing or verbally, will be given an opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place.

Philip Ennis PETITIONERS

All interested persons desiring to present their views on the above application, either in writing or verbally, will be given an opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place.

James Frye PETITIONER

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

City of Carmel, Indiana Department Board of Public Works and Safety One Civic Square City of Carmel, Indiana 46032

Project: 21-05 CITY CENTER DR & VETERANS WAY ROUNDABOUT

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Public Works and Safety for the City of Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana will receive sealed bids for the above described “Project” at the office of the Clerk, One Civic Square, Carmel, Indiana (City Hall) until 9:45 EST and in the Council Chambers at the same address between the hours of 9:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. EST on or before December 7, 2022 , and commencing as soon as practicable thereafter on the same date such bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the Council Chambers of City Hall. No late bids will be accepted.

All bids and proposals shall be properly and completely executed on the proposal forms provided with the plans and specifications, which will include the non-collusion affidavit as required by the State of Indiana. The bid envelope must be sealed and have the words “BID – 21-05 CITY CENTER DR & VETERANS WAY ROUNDABOUT”

A bid bond or certified check in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount bid must be submitted with each bid. A one hundred percent (100%) performance and payment bond will also be required of the successful bidder. It is intended that actual construction of all work divisions shall be started as soon as practicable, and each bidder shall be prepared to enter promptly into a construction contract, furnish a performance bond, and begin work without delay in the event the award is made to him.

The Project consists of, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project is for the construction of one new roundabout at the intersection of City Center Dr and Veterans Way in Carmel, IN. The project consists of installing storm sewers, water main, sanitary sewer, communications conduit, new full depth asphalt pavement, curbs, decorative and concrete sidewalks, asphalt path, lighting, and raised crosswalks.

Contract Documents must be obtained from Reprographix (Reprographix.com). Payments and costs of Contract Documents are non-refundable.

Bidders shall assure that they have obtained complete sets of drawings and Contract Documents and shall assume the risk of any errors or omissions in bids prepared in reliance on incomplete sets of drawings and Contract Documents.

This Project will be funded by the City of Carmel.

A pre-bid conference for discussions of the Project, the bidding requirements and other important matters will be held on November 30 at 2:00 P.M. in the Caucus Room on the 2nd Floor of City Hall (One Civic Square). All prospective bidders are invited to attend the pre-bid conference. The pre-bid conference is not mandatory.

For special accommodations needed by handicapped individuals planning to attend the pre-bid conference or public bid opening meeting, please call or notify the city of Carmel, Engineer ’s Office, at (317) 571-2441 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior thereto.

No bidder may withdraw any bid or proposal within a period of thirty (30) days following the date set for receiving bids or proposals. The Carmel Board of Public Works and Safety reserves the right to hold any or all bids or proposals for a period of not more than thirty (30) days and said bids or proposal shall remain in full force and effect during said period. The City of Carmel reserves the right to reject and/or cancel any and all bids, solicitations and/or offers in whole or in part as specified in the solicitations when it is not in the best interests of the governmental body as determined by the purchasing agency in accordance with IC 5-22-18-2

Sue Wolfgang Clerk

LIFESTYLE

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

City of Carmel, Indiana Department Board of Public Works and Safety

One Civic Square

City of Carmel, Indiana 46032

Project: Clay Township Center - Addition

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Public Works and Safety for the City of Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana will receive sealed bids for the above described “Project” at the office of the Clerk, One Civic Square, Carmel, Indiana (City Hall) until 10:00 a.m. EST on December 7th, 2022 and, commencing as soon as practicable thereafter on the same date, such bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the Council Chambers of City Hall. No late bids will be accepted.

All bids and proposals shall be properly and completely executed on the proposal forms provided with the plans and specifications, which will include the non-collusion affidavit as required by the State of Indiana. The bid envelope must be sealed and have the words “BID –Clay Township Center - Addition”.

A bid bond or certified check in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount bid must be submitted with each bid. A one hundred percent (100%) performance and payment bond will also be required of the successful bidder. It is intended that actual construction of all work divisions shall be started as soon as practicable, and each bidder shall be prepared to enter promptly into a construction contract, furnish a performance bond, and begin work without delay in the event the award is made to him.

The Project consists of Two Separate Bids (Bid-1 & Bid-2) that will be funded from two separate sources, but is not necessarily limited to, the following: All items within the Construction Documents dated October 26th, 2022 (10-26-22) are by the General Contractor and his Subcontractors. Generally described below:

Bid-1 (Demolition, Civil Site Wo(rk & Building Shell)

• Demo existing curbs, sidewalks, curved exterior entry feature, and interior demo work.

• Remove landscaping, relocate site furniture, and salvage light poles.

• Create new entrance to property with access drive to new building addition.

• Install new concrete curbs, and sidewalks.

• Install new asphalt paving and stripe parking.

• Install salvaged light poles with new foundations in new locations.

• Install a new rain garden and connect new stormwater utilities to existing system.

• All site grading and excavation required to complete project with new landscaping.

• Install new concrete foundations, slab, structural steel, stud walls with face brick veneer, interior rough carpentry and insulated roof at building addition.

• Install overhead coiling doors.

• Install new sewer line, connected to existing sewer.

• Install new electrical feeder line with new sub-meter connected to existing power main.

• Install conduits for future EV stations.

• Install metal railing/handrail at interior ramp.

• Install interior storefront in conference room.

Bid-2 (Interior Built-out, Finishes & MEP)

• Insulate walls and finish with drywall and paint.

• Install interior doors, hardware and interior windows.

• Install finish carpentry and interior trim.

• Install carpet, tile, LVT and seal concrete floor.

• Install acoustical ceiling tiles.

• Install cabinets, shelving and countertops.

• Install fire extinguishers and cabinets.

• Install new plumbing and connect to new sewer line.

• Install new electrical and lighting.

• Install new HVAC system.

• Install access control, security and camera system.

• Install technology/communication.

Contract Documents for the Project have been assembled into one bound project manual, which together with drawings, may be examined at the following locations:

City of Carmel Department of Engineering - 1st Floor One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 571-2441

Copies of such drawings and project manuals must be obtained from: Eastern Engineering https://easternengineering.com/fishers-in/ 9901 Allisonville Road Fishers, IN 46038 (866) 884-4115

Payments and costs of Contract Documents are non-refundable. Bidders shall assure that they have obtained complete sets of drawings and Contract Documents and shall assume the risk of any errors or omissions in bids prepared in reliance on incomplete sets of drawings and Contract Documents.

This Project will be funded by the City of Carmel.

A pre-bid conference for discussions of the Project, the bidding requirements and other important matters will be held on November 30, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. in the Caucus Room on the 2nd Floor of City Hall (One Civic Square). All prospective bidders are invited to attend the pre-bid conference. The pre-bid conference is not mandatory.

For special accommodations needed by handicapped individuals planning to attend the pre-bid conference or public bid opening meeting, please call or notify the city of Carmel, Engineer ’s Office, at (317) 571-2441 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior thereto.

No bidder may withdraw any bid or proposal within a period of thirty (30) days following the date set for receiving bids or proposals. The Carmel Board of Public Works and Safety reserves the right to hold any or all bids or proposals for a period of not more than thirty (30) days and said bids or proposal shall remain in full force and effect during said period. The City of Carmel reserves the right to reject and/or cancel any and all bids, solicitations and/or offers in whole or in part as specified in the solicitations when it is not in the best interests of the governmental body as determined by the purchasing agency in accordance with IC 5-22-18-2

A visit to Niagara Falls

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, the final stop on our trip to Cape Cod, we visit Niagara Falls, among the na tion’s most spectacular natural wonders.

TRAVEL

Niagara Falls, lying along the United States/Canadian border about 17 miles northwest of Buffalo, N.Y., includes three separate waterfalls. The largest, Horseshoe Falls (“Canadian Falls”), strad dles the border, with 90 percent in Canada. American Falls and much smaller Bridal Veil Falls, located within the United States, are separated by Luna Island, where people can

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER

Docket No. PZ-2022-00231V

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on the 28 day of November, 2022 at 5:15 p.m. in the City Hall Caucus Rooms (1 Civic Square, 2nd Flr, Carmel, IN 46032) will hold a Public Hearing upon a Development Standards Variance application to:

Allow for a variance to UDO Section 5.02 (B) (3) the combined square footage of the ground floor area of a garage/accessory building shall not exceed 75% of the ground floor area of the principle building. Requesting a variance to allow 85% for a new 2 car detached garage.

With the property being known as (address): 4814 Briarwood Trail, Carmel,, IN 46033

The application is identified as Docket No. PZ-2022-00231V.

The real estate affected by said application is described as follows: (Insert Legal Description OR Tax ID parcel number(s)

Parcel ID 17-10-28-00-00-016.000

The petition may be examined on the City’s website, through Public Documents - Laserfiche.

All interested persons desiring to present their views on the above application, either in writing or verbally, will be given an opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place.

Jeff Rothbard, SilverCreek Construction LLC

PETITIONERS

get close to both falls. Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the U.S., was created by New York State in 1885 and con tains American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. It features an observation deck providing a view of all three falls and offers boat rides to their base. Honeymooners can obtain a free “We Honeymooned in Niagara Falls USA” certificate from the park visitor center. The pedestrian-friendly Rainbow Bridge, opened in 1941 to replace the collapsed Honeymoon Bridge, connects Niagara Falls, N.Y., to Ni agara Falls, Ontario, where the 764-foot-tall Skylon Tower provides the best view of all three falls.

The tradition of coming to Niagara Falls for a honeymoon began early in the 19th century, when famous persons, including the daughter of Aaron Burr and the brother of Napoleon, celebrated their honeymoons there. Honeymooners increased follow ing the opening of the Erie Canal, which connected with the Niagara River. By the middle of the 20th century, Niagara Falls had gained a reputation for seedy hotels and tacky wedding chapels. That reputa tion is no longer deserved, at least on the U.S. side. Niagara Falls, N.Y., has plenty of fine hotels and restaurants along with its wedding chapels, some featuring stained glass in place of neon. Niagara Falls now attracts sophisticated visitors from around the world and has become a must-see for visitors from India.

You may contact him at editorial@ youarecurrent.com.

American Falls and Bridal Veils Falls on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls. (Photo by Don Knebel)

Don Knebel is a local resident. For the full column visit donknebel.com.

FINE BATHROOMS

Complete Bathroom Remodeling

-Custom Showers -Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Installations

-Leak and Mold Solutions -Low Maintenance Choices

Anderson Construction Services

Learn more at:

www.iwantanewbathroom.com

NEED HELP WITH YOUR BUSINESS?

Running a business can be difficult. Do you need help from a small business expert?

• Business Planning

• Growth Strategies

• Management Advising

• Coaching & Mentoring

• Project Services

• Executive-On-Call ClearPoint Business Advisors, LLC (317)-796-4040 info@clearpointadvisors.com

LIKE TO SEW & CREATE?

Custom drapery and soft furnishings workroom in Carmel is looking for friendly, personable people who like to sew. Sewing experience is necessary and the desire to learn and enjoy and increase your skill is a must. We’ll teach you our methods. Part-time weekday daytime, flexible 20 hour week position in a handy location in Carmel. Ability and willingness to climb a ladder is needed. Good communication skills. Call Mark at Silk Mountain Creations 317 815-1660 to set a time to come by. Please do not drop-in. www.silkmountaincreations.com

MATH TEACHER

A math teacher at Midwest Academy will be responsible for teaching all aspects of mathematics, including fundamental and introductory algebra skills, to middle school students in a progressive environment designed for children with learning differences. . Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a child-centered mentality are essential to this position..This position is full time and compensation is commensurate with experience.

To apply please send your resume to careers@mymwa.org

LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER

A language arts teacher at Midwest Academy will be responsible for teaching all aspects of language arts, including fundamental reading and writing skills, to middle school students in a progressive environment designed for children with learning differences.

Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a child-centered mentality are essential to this position. This position is full time and compensation is commensurate with experience.

To apply please send your resume to careers@mymwa.org

PRESCHOOL TEACHING ASSISTANT

Seeking a reliable, motivated, positive Christian applicant with good communication and interpersonal skills to assist the Lead Teacher.

Experience with children preferred. Full time - $16/hour + Email ltob.preschool@gmail.com to apply or for more information.

Little Town of Bethlehem is a ministry of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Carmel, IN.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

Integrity Automotive is looking for a full time automotive technician. In business for 28 years in downtown Carmel with a solid, happy customer base and a positive, goodnatured work environment.

The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net.

We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays.

To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net 40 S Rangeline Rd

Carmel Indiana 46032 www.IntegrityAutomotive.net

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