July 23, 2024 — Carmel by Current Publishing

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Founded October 24, 2006, at Carmel, IN Vol. XVIV, No. 39

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Opinions

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Dive into Delicious

136th & Meridian

Carmel seeking input on future of Home Place from those who live, work there

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

The City of Carmel is gathering input from residents who live or work in the Home Place area as it develops and refines a sub-area plan for the community.

DEVELOPMENT

In December 2022, Carmel adopted an updated comprehensive plan, which provides nonbinding guidelines for development throughout the city. Now, the city is taking a closer look at several geographic areas to create standards more specific to them, including Home Place, which Carmel annexed in 2018 after a lengthy court battle.

The city is working with YARD & Co., which helped update the comprehensive plan, to develop the sub-area plans. Joe Nickol, co-founder and principal at YARD & Co., presented an overview of the process and goals during a presentation at the June 17 Carmel City Council meeting.

“We’re going to use its unique identity and sense of place to guide localized decision-making in Home Place,” Nickol said at the meeting. “We’re going to test ideas for improvements with small, collaborative projects along the way as part of the planning process. Because identity and pride of place is so intertwined with creating the plan, the decision was made to actually create a new neighborhood-focused brand along with the plan at the same time.”

The Home Place branding is separate from the city’s rebranding project underway with Fla.,-based firm North Star.

Officials from the city and YARD & Co. collected feedback in Home Place during a series of events June 19 and 20. They are continuing to seek comments online at yard.mysocialpinpoint.com/home-place. They will use the information to develop the sub-area plan and brand, which they expect to unveil in late summer or early fall, Nickol said, followed by final recom-

mendations. They are also creating a short documentary video about Home Place as part of the project.

Mary Youngpeter, a 20-year resident of Home Place, attended a June 19 community cookout at the John W. Hensel Government Center presented by the city and YARD & Co. to share her thoughts.

“I like this event, because it seems like Carmel is wanting our opinion for the first time on what should happen for the future of Home Place,” Youngpeter said.

Longtime Home Place resident Beth Klivansky echoed comments of several others who attended the cookout with her that they don’t want towering redevelopment in the neighborhood.

“We made our opinion very clear about the high-rise buildings,” Klivansky said. “We want to keep it one of the places in Carmel that has affordable housing.”

Mike Hollibaugh, director of Carmel’s Department of Community Services, said he does not anticipate the commercial zoning standards in Home Place significantly

changing to allow dense, several-story mixed-use development. But he does expect more business investment in the area.

“Home Place isn’t someplace that the development community doesn’t see as special, (with) the opportunity to create a little commercial node that serves the residents,” Hollibaugh said. “I don’t think we would like to see a lot of changes to that. It’s really just making sure that we’re all on the same page as to what that vision is.”

The sub-area plan will go before the Carmel Plan Commission and Carmel City Council for public hearings and a vote. Hollibaugh said he hopes community feedback will have crafted the plan into something Home Place residents heartily support.

“Ideally, the public hearing is residents from Home Place saying, ‘We love this,’” Hollibaugh said. “That is my goal on this, is that it’s not your typical plan commission public hearing where (feedback) is not only no, but hell, no. (I hope) it’s, ‘We like what is being proposed here, and we want you to approve it.’”

Joe Nickol, left, co-founder and principal at YARD & Co., visits with attendees at the June 19 community cookout to gather feedback about the future of Home Place. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

COMMUNITY

City sues property owner for illegal

Proposed Proscenium expansion includes hotel

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

An upscale hotel, office space, apartments, retail and underground parking garage are proposed at the corner of Range Line Road and Executive Drive just north of Carmel’s Proscenium development.

CITY NEWS

Known as Proscenium III, the $123 million project would be a public-private partnership between Birkla Investment Group and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission. CRC Director Henry Mestetsky publicly unveiled the proposal at the July 15 Carmel City Council meeting.

At the meeting, the council introduced an ordinance to authorize the issuance of up to $19 million in tax increment financing bonds to support the project. The bonds would be backed by the developer, which would be responsible for covering any funding shortfalls, according to Mestetsky, and would not alter the city’s tax rate.

Mestetsky said the project is “primarily an office and luxury hotel project” and that the 151 apartments are the “bare minimum”

Proscenium III is proposed to include an upscale hotel, office space, apartments, retail, an underground parking garage and more on the northwest corner of Range Line Road and Executive Drive. (Rendering courtesy of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission)

that can be included to make the project work financially.

“This is not an apartment-first kind of project,” Mestetsky said. “This is what’s desperately needed in the (city’s) core, more walkable office space and more upscale hotel.”

The 125-room hotel is proposed on the southeast corner of the site. Tony Birkla, owner of Birkla Investment Group, told the council his team is in discussions with two hotel brands regarding the site but did not specify which ones.

TIF funds are proposed to be split with

95 percent going to the developer and 5 percent going to the city. TIF uses tax revenue generated by improvements to a site to pay down the debt acquired to make the improvements.

Some city councilors said they felt the proposed TIF split returned too much tax revenue to developers, especially since the proposal also includes the city donating part of the land for the project.

“It seems like a lot of incentivization,” City Councilor Anita Joshi said.

Mestetsky said the TIF split is a better deal for the city than it received through the Proscenium and Proscenium II projects, which sent all TIF funds to the developer.

Proscenium III is proposed to include 60,000 square feet of office space for corporate headquarters and 15,000 square feet of retail space, with 4,000 square feet designated for businesses owned by minorities, women or veterans, Mestetsky said.

The development is set to include a 508-space parking garage, with 80 percent of the spaces open to the public; an outdoor plaza; and public art.

The council sent the ordinance to its finance committee for review.

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Old Meridian project scrapped

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

A $60 million mixed-use development planned on 4.4 acres on the east side of Old Meridian Street south of BRU Burger Bar is no longer feasible and will not be constructed, according to Carmel Redevelopment Commission Director Henry Mestetsky.

REDEVELOPMENT

Old Meridian Apartments, a public-private partnership between Cross Development and the CRC, was set to include 263 luxury apartments, 10 for-sale condos, 9,000 square feet of office and commercial space and a 395-space parking garage. In 2022, the Carmel City Council approved authorizing up to $9.5 million in developer-backed bonds to support the project.

At the July 15 city council meeting, Mestetsky said the agreement to give 75 percent of tax increment financing dollars generated through the project to developers was not enough to support its construction, as interest rates have doubled since then (the city would receive

the other 25 percent). TIF uses tax revenue generated by improvements to a site to pay down the debt acquired to make the improvements.

Mestetsky made the comments as part of a discussion about a proposal to give 95 percent of TIF dollars to the developer of Proscenium III, a project proposed at Range Line Road and Executive Drive. Some councilors questioned whether the Proscenium TIF split gives too many dollars to developers, but Mestetsky said it must make financial sense for projects to be constructed.

“(Old Meridian Apartments) is never going to happen,” he said. “So, while I take seriously negotiating the best possible deal for the city, I also know that if we enter the world of fantasy, we’re just wasting a lot of people’s time because the project will never get off the ground.”

Councilor Matt Snyder described the Old Meridian project site as “a vacant lot with an entire parcel of decimated trees” and urged the CRC to find a project that will work there.

Cross Development did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

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Committee refines DORA details

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Operating hours, fines and signage were among details ironed out by a Carmel City Council committee before a 3-1 vote in favor of establishing an outdoor, walkable district where alcoholic beverages may be consumed. The full council will have a final vote on the proposal at a future meeting.

CITY NEWS

The council’s Land Use and Special Studies Committee met July 17 at the Carmel Clay Public Library to gather public feedback and discuss the establishment of a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, also known as a DORA. Carmel’s DORA is proposed to generally surround the Monon Greenway between Main Street and Carmel Drive.

Within the DORA, alcoholic drinks may be carried in cups — provided and filled by participating businesses — with a sticker identifying it as a permitted beverage. Other alcoholic beverages are not allowed within the DORA, per state law.

Sergey Grechukhin, an attorney for the City of Carmel, said 13 businesses have expressed interest in participating in the DORA so far.

The ordinance approved by the committee sets the DORA’s operating hours from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Individuals or businesses that violate the ordinance could face a $250 fine. The fines would be collected in a fund designated to cover city expenses of operating the DORA.

Another update included specifying the makeup and role of a DORA District Committee, which would provide updates on the district to the city council at least twice a year. The committee is set to include two mayoral and three council appointees and one appointee made by the Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation board, a Carmel Police Department officer, an employee of the Carmel Street Department and a OneZone chamber of commerce appointee. All members of the committee must be Carmel residents.

CCS Supt.: ‘Love Where You Lead’

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Carmel Clay Schools Superintendent

EDUCATION

Michael Beresford feels the theme for the 2024-25 school year, “Love Where You Lead,” is perfect for his final year in education.

“One of my core pieces of leadership is that you’ve really got to love your people. If you don’t have that love for your people, your parents, your kids especially, then you’re not going to go very far in the business. You’re not going to make an impact,” he said.

challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 and the explosion of a boiler at Carmel High School in 2018, but he said he’s always been surrounded by a wonderful team to manage through them.

Although it focuses on leadership, the theme for the year doesn’t just apply to staff, Beresford said.

“Sometimes, you can identify leaders pretty easily if they’re all about them(selves), or all about their people. So, Love Where You Lead, is about keeping your focus on the main thing, which is your people. It just seemed like the perfect fit for that last mile here.”

Beresford recently announced that he plans to retire in July 2025 after 43 years in education. Since becoming CCS superintendent in 2018, he’s encountered several

“Every student is a leader, and they have an impact on the people around them, their peers, the adults around them and their families,” he said. “You can either be a real positive, good influence, but also you can also lead folks down the wrong path. So, that whole idea of what I do and how I treat other people really matters.”

Beresford said initially he had trouble coming up with a theme that seemed right for his final school year, but when he heard the phrase used at an Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents ceremony to install Beech Grove City Schools Superintendent Laura Hammack as president of the organization, “it just clicked.”

The first day of the 2024-25 school year is Aug. 5. Teachers return to work Aug. 1.

Beresford

Middle school girls on wrestling team eager to see sport grow

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Ana Penquite figures she will have more company from girls in the wrestling room in the future.

SPORTS

“It’s a fun sport, and there are not a lot of girls at my school that do it,” said Penquite, who will be an eighth-grader at Clay Middle School in August. “When they hear about it, they are surprised.”

That may change, since the IHSAA announced this spring that girls wrestling will be a sanctioned sport in the 2024-25 season.

“I feel a lot more girls will join knowing that more girls will be doing it,” said Penquite, who has been wrestling for approximately four years.

Penquite wrestled on the middle school co-ed team in the 95-pound class. She likely will move up to the 106-pound class this year. She was second in her division in the Indiana State Wrestling Association girls folkstyle state meet in March in the 14-and-under, 97-pound class. She was second in that meet in her 12-and-under class in 2023 and third in 2022.

Penquite, who played softball for Clay in the spring, also is a student at Ballet Studio of Carmel.

“Ballet helps with flexibility and balance (for wrestling),” Penquite said.

Her goal is to place in the Hamilton County middle school meet.

wrestling becoming an IHSAA-sanctioned sport because it gives her new opportunities.

Mack placed eighth in the 125-pound class in February in the girls state middle school finals at Center Grove High School.

“What makes me passionate about wrestling is that there are no other sports like it. It keeps me active and lets me meet new people and make new friends,” Mack said. “It’s such a fun thing to do because it’s hard and I like to push myself, and the reward that comes with getting a medal or title at the end of a tournament is very worth it.”

Although she loves wrestling, her favorite sport is rugby.

Penquite and Laila Mack, who will also be an eighth-grader, were the only Clay Middle School female wrestlers last season.

Mack said she is excited about girls

“(Rugby) is just as physical as wrestling but it comes with more team parts of the game,” said Mack, who started wrestling in sixth grade.

Ana Penquite sits on the shoulders of Clay Middle School teammate Laila Mack. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Penquite)

• Gabe Amick, Hamilton County Sports Authority

• McKenzie Barbknecht, Duke Energy

• Kari Berger, CCPR

• Renee Butts, Carmel Fire Department

• Jeremy Coons, Edward Jones

• Heather Fisher, ThriveVista

• Marc Griffith, The Veridus Group Inc.

• Scott Hazel, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Dedicated Shield

• James Hellmann, City of Noblesville

• Matt Husband, State Farm Insurance

• Joshua Icenogle, Gaylor Electric

• Rachel Kartz, Ivy Tech

• Alicia Klingerman, Family Promise of Hamilton County

• Ashley Knott, Westfield Washington Schools

• Steve Latour, The Farmers Bank

• Melissa Lawson, Citizens Energy Group

• Chandler Lawson Flynn, Church Church Hittle + Antrim

• Michele Leach, Moisture Management

• Thomas McClelland, CarDon

• Dustin Mikesell, Riverview Health

• Jessica Minor, accessABILITY

• Molly Mrozowski, Hamilton East Public Library

• Amanda Mumphrey, Bondry Consulting

• Beth Myers, Delaware Township

• Ashanti Ordone, Gifted and Talented Academy, Inc.

• Catherine Pallotta, American Structurepoint

• Bob Rice, HSE Schools

• Todd Roberts, Beck’s Hybrids

• Michelle Schmidt, Noblesville Youth Assistance

• Justin Schuhmacher, Indiana Estate and Elder Law

• Hadleigh Smith, Invest Hamilton County

• Danielle Stiles-Polk, Hamilton County Community Foundation

• Pooja Thakkar, Bankable

• Sloane Thompson, Recovery Cafe Hamilton County

• Jeff Worrell, City of Carmel Learn more at www.hcla.net.

COMMUNITY

Teaching life lessons best part of job for ballet instructor

By Conrad Otto conrad@youarecurrent.com

Ashley Thibodeau is the head ballet instructor at The Ballet Studio of Carmel, a dance studio in the Arts & Design District.

Thibodeau has been teaching ballet for more than 20 years and answered the following questions about her job.

Q: What is a typical day like for you as an instructor?

A: It can be different every day. For example, this morning I came in at 7:45 and I taught a private lesson to an adult student who wanted to get her first pair of pointe shoes, and she did. She went on pointe about a year ago.

Q: What is typically the first chore each day?

A: It’s usually wiping down the mirrors. I get handprints all over. I teach 3- and 4-year-olds, and even the 8-year-olds want to get really close just to see themselves. Sometimes, I see nose prints, too, so the mirrors are always a mess when I come in.

Q: What is your dance background?

A: I danced growing up. I started in a small studio and then went to a bigger, more professional ballet school. I danced for a professional ballet company, and then I got a degree in dance. I have a BFA in dance choreography.

Q: What is the toughest challenge of your job, and why?

A: That’s hard, because I feel like I have such a good job. I’d say it’s hard to let the kids go, like when they graduate or move

on. When they leave high school and go on to the next thing, that’s hard.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: The greatest part of my job is seeing the lessons that the kids learned from dance that are just life lessons. I just had a kid come to me and say, “Did you see how good my turns are getting?” And that made my day.

Q: What goes on behind the scenes that people might not be aware of?

A: I had a dad one time after a showcase say to me, “Oh! Now I see why she was coming to the studio so many times a week!” I don’t think people realize how much time these kids put in for that finished product.

Q: What is the age range of those you teach?

A: My youngest student I had this year was 2 1/2, and my oldest this year was 70.

To learn more, visit theballetstudiocarmel.com.

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

Instructor Ashley Thibideau, right, with students, back row from left, Amelie Thibodeau, Louisa Dobson, Blair Babione, Josie Keslar, Vivienne Thibodeau and Ava Davis; and front row, Ana Penquite, Brienne Babione, Zaylee Jaliwala and Amanda Zolner. (Photo by Conrad Otto)

Nonprofit plans cricket tourney

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The Kriya Shakti Foundation’s mission is to promote social wellness through arts and sports.

FUNDRAISER

“We know arts and sports brings people together,” said Mangala Devauth, who founded the Carmel-based nonprofit with her husband, Badri Devauth.

Badri is the foundation’s president, while Mangala, who teaches classical Indian dance, is its artistic director.

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Race in-person or virtually

Fundraise for PAWsome prizes

Leashed & in-stroller dogs welcome

Shirt, medal and swag for all participants

Proceeds benefit HSHC's Survivor Program and hundreds of animals in need

The Carmel couple figure a cricket tournament would be a great way to bring exposure to the nonprofit. The KSF Cricket tournament is set for Aug. 10 at Grand Park in Westfield. The tournament starts at 8 a.m. and is planned to conclude with an awards ceremony at approximately 8 p.m.

Badri said the tournament will feature 20 teams, including some from Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville and Westfield, among other cities.

“We also have teams from different states,” he said. “We have four groups each with five teams. Each group plays at least

four minimum games.”

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.

For each of the 55 games, $3 for each boundary (worth four runs) and $5 for every sixer (six runs) will be donated by Badri and Rama Bodugu. The donations will go toward school supplies and backpacks.

“If the amount is big, we’ll divide between school supplies and a food drive,” Badri said.

Admission to the tournament is free. Seating is limited and spectators can bring their own lawn chairs. For more, visit Kriya Shakti Foundation on Facebook.

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Badri Devauth and his wife, Mangala Devauth, are founders of the Kriya Shakti Foundation. (Photo courtesy of Mangala Devauth)

(Above) The Carmel High School TechHOUNDS were among approximately 60 teams that competed in the Indiana Robotics Invitational competition July 12 and 13 at Lawrence Central High School. The teams represented schools from 19 states, and from Canada and Mexico. (Left) Sierra Potts and Emma Langlais. (Photos by Adam Seif)

ON MISSION

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

For the Rev. Antony Jean Baptiste, joining the staff at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Carmel in 2023 felt a bit like coming home.

Baptiste has deep ties to the congregation that stretch back to his childhood, and they provided a lifeline when violence suddenly forced him to flee his parish in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

But it wasn’t the gangs, robberies or even threats to his life that left him in despair, in need of a place to call home. It was spending his first year in the U.S. unable to work in ministry.

“It was frustrating. It was sad. It was difficult. It was very hard for me,” Baptiste said. “I couldn’t celebrate Mass. I couldn’t do anything. That is the worst thing that can happen to a priest, if you are not able to celebrate Mass. If you want to kill a priest, just tell him, ‘You are not able to celebrate Mass anymore.’ I felt I will die too soon, because that is my vocation. That is what I love in my life.”

So, Baptiste, then in New York, reached out to connections in Carmel to share his plight, and that led to him landing at Seton as parochial vicar, once again able to fulfill his life’s calling.

‘DON’T STAY. THEY WILL KILL YOU.’

Seton has been a sister parish to St. Genevieve in Duval, Haiti, where Baptiste grew up, for decades and has sent teams there regularly to perform medical and humanitarian work. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent violence in Haiti have put the trips on hold, but the partnership has continued and grown in new ways, especially with Baptiste on staff at Seton.

As a teen in Haiti, Baptiste worked alongside visitors from Seton to serve his community, and funds from the congregation helped pay for the education he needed to become a priest. His call to ministry came at a young age, well before he fully knew what the job entailed. But he felt God at work as a child, especially through the healing of a disability that left him unable to walk for the first five years of his life.

“My mother went to the parish to pray for me. She was (badly) discouraged, because she didn’t know what to do with me,” Baptiste said. “And the day after, I walked.”

Baptiste loved working in ministry, but it became more challenging circa 2017 soon after he was assigned to a parish in Port-au-Prince, where thieves repeatedly broke into the building and stole various items. They were arrested but soon released and continued to target the parish, using increasingly brazen methods.

As stability in the nation crumbled following the 2021

provides renewed purpose for refugee priest

assassination of President Jovenal Moïse, the criminals returned following a Sunday Mass in February 2022 carrying large firearms. Baptiste said they followed a vehicle leaving the property that they thought was his, and he realized they had been looking for him. He was warned that they were waiting for him near the front of the presbytery, and he hid in another vehicle to escape.

“That was my last time at my parish,” Baptiste said. “The day after, I left the country because everybody told me, ‘Don’t stay. They will kill you.’”

Baptiste said he has no plans to return to Haiti as long as the unrest continues. According to The Associated Press, gangs have gained control of up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, and there has been a surge in killings, rapes and kidnappings.

‘A GIFT FOR US HERE’

Jim Backe, a Seton parishioner and longtime volunteer with the Haiti ministry, has made several trips to the Caribbean nation through the church, including the first one in 1998. He said Baptiste was a teen working as a translator when he first met him, and years later he is thankful to have Baptiste serving at Seton.

“In some ways, it’s sad. I wish (he) was able to still be at (his) own parish in Haiti, but it’s been a gift for us here,” Backe said. “He’s a really deep, theological priest. He’s been a real asset to St. Elizabeth Seton.”

Baptiste wishes he could have remained in his home nation, but he said he is grateful for his new community.

“As soon as I arrived here, I felt at home,” he said. “Carmel is a city that I can call a big family. Everywhere in Carmel, people respect you. People are nice with you. They are respectful. Then you feel familiar, even though you are a stranger. They welcome you.”

July 27 at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 10655 Haverstick Rd. All proceeds will benefit the church’s Haiti ministry.

Jim Backe, a parishioner and longtime volunteer with the Haiti ministry, said the event has raised nearly $60,000 in the last two decades.

The race did not take place in 2023, so it is the first time the Rev. Antony Jean Baptiste, parochial vicar at Seton, has been on the church staff during the event. Baptiste grew up in Haiti, and funds from the Seton Haiti ministry helped fund his education.

“(The race) has always been pretty special,” Backe said. “But this year, it will be even better, because we have somebody here who is kind of the product of a lot of the generosity of this parish.”

The cost is $25 for individuals. Discounts are available for families registering five to 10 people. A free fun run for kids will take place at 9:15 a.m.

Learn more and register at bit.ly/469IUGx.

The Carmel 5K for Haiti is set for 8 a.m.

CARMEL 5K FOR HAITI

Carmel’s Seton Catholic church

Runners compete in the Carmel 5K for Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Jim Backe)

A medical missions team from St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in 2011 in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Jim Backe)

ON THE COVER: The Rev. Antony Jean Baptiste near a statue of St. Elizabeth Seton outside St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Carmel. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

Baptiste

currentnightandday.com

Average White Band’s farewell tour lands during Carmel Jazz Fest

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Average White Band co-founder Alan Gorrie said it is time to get off the road. The band launched a final tour this spring but will continue to make music.

“It’s the touring that is the hard part,” Gorrie said. “Being on stage is wonderful and still exciting. Since COVID, touring has become really difficult. It’s extremely expensive and hard to manage. We all felt it was time to give it our best show. I use an analogy of a boxer — you don’t want to go out when you are on the slippery slope down. You want to hang up your gloves when you are still at the top of your game. You don’t wait until you get knocked down on the canvas. With our age and experience, you know that’s what coming if you don’t call it quits.”

The Scottish funk and rhythm-andblues band will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Average White Band is the Aug. 10 headliner in the Aug. 9-10 Carmel Jazz Festival.

“It’s wise to let people see you one more time at the top of your game,” the 78-year-old Gorrie said. “Expectations are high for this band. We’ve been hugely respected by musicians, the musical community and audiences alike over the years, so you don’t want to diminish that respect by dwindling out.”

Average White Band was founded in 1972. Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre are the original members still performing. Gorrie shares lead vocals with Brent Carter. Gorrie also plays guitar and bass. McIntyre plays guitar along with vocals.

“Onnie and I have been on the road for more than 58 years,” Gorrie said. “We were in a couple bands before the Average White Band. We’ve been constant travelers since the mid-60s. We’ve put in our time.”

Average White Band has had to replace members through the years but remained intact. The group disbanded in 1983 and restarted in 1989 with Gorrie and McIntyre.

“Another analogy is that a great sports team can only stay great by bringing in new blood,” Gorrie said. “As people retire, or in our case a couple of people have passed away, you have to keep regenerating and rejuvenating. We’re very fortunate because of the respect (we have) in the musical industry. It’s never been hard for us to get the best talent who are a little younger than Onnie and I but have grown up playing AWB music and have fitted right in there as if they’ve been there all the time. In fact, one of our horn players has been with us for 28 years.”

Gorrie said there are six to 10 staples the band always plays, such as “Cut the Cake” and “Pick Up the Pieces.”

“We vary the rest depending on where we are playing,” Gorrie said. “We’re not pure jazz, but we’re on the jazzy tip of rhythm and blues. We do play a lot of jazz festivals.”

Average White Band had its farewell

tour of the United Kingdom in April and May, then began playing in the U.S. this summer. Gorrie said playing in the U.K. for the last time on tour was emotional.

“There were a lot of tears in the audience the very last night just outside of Manchester, England,” Gorrie said. “It was an emotional time for us and them. After 52 years of AWB, people have come to expect we might just go on forever. When people are all in the same venue and they realize this is the last time we’ll be playing in the United Kingdom, it’s a pretty heavy burden. We got through it with aplomb. It’s bittersweet when you know it’s the final run.”

Average White Band performed in May 2023 at the Madame Walker Theatre in Indianapolis.

“We haven’t played Indianapolis enough over the years,” Gorrie said. “We used to do a festival at the Indiana Convention Center in the 1990s and early 2000s. This is our first time outside (of Marion County).”

For tickets, visit thecenterpresents. org. For more information, visit carmeljazzfest.org.

‘LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL’

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical” runs through Aug. 25 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE’

Main Street Productions presents “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” through July 28 at Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

‘CATS’

Civic Theatre’s Young Artists Program’s production of “Cats” is set for July 25-28 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

“Deception: An Evening of Magic & Lies” is set for July 25; Ryan and Lauren Ahlwardt’s Human Jukebox is July 26; and Eric Baker & Friends presents Southern Calfornia in the ‘70s is July 27 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

SYMPHONY ON THE PRAIRIE

She’s Got Soul with Capathia Jenkins will perform July 26 and singer-songwriter Cody Fry is set for July 27 at Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie in Fishers. Both performances start at 8 p.m. For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org.

RENEGADES AND JUKE BOX HEROES

Styx and Foreigner, along with opening act John Waite, will perform at 6:45 p.m. July 26 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville. For more, visit livenation.com.

DISPATCH

Bandleader Meeks set for Live at the Center show — Bassist and bandleader Brandon Meeks will kick off the 2024-25 Live at the Center series at 7:30 p.m. July 30 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

From left, Average White Band Cliff Lyons, Rob Aries, Onnie McIntyre, Brent Carter, Alan Gorrie, Rocky Bryant and Fred “Freddy V” Vigdor. (Photo courtesy of AWB)

Time ripe for summer salads

Commentary by Mark LaFay

Summer in central Indiana is the perfect time to enjoy fresh local produce, and there’s no better way to do that than by whipping up some delicious summer salads.

FOOD

With July here, the farmers markets are bursting with seasonal produce waiting to land on your plate. Also here is the summer heat and humidity and if you don’t like sweating when you eat, lighter options should be on the menu.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 AT 5PM

Now, I will say, I’m usually not one to default to salad for dinner, but the time of year makes a compelling argument. Let’s get building!

First Merchants Bank Red Carpet Arrival and Cocktail Reception

Start with a base of crisp greens from the local farmers market. Look for tender lettuce, peppery arugula or a mix of hearty kale and spinach. These greens provide the perfect foundation for layering flavors and textures.

Elegant dinner in partnership with Aaron Wealth Advisors

Show-stopping dessert sponsored by Payne & Mencias Group

Live auction supporting arts programming for the community

Celebrate, dance and revel at the Gala After-Parties

HEADLINE PERFORMANCE BY Grammy-winning master trumpeter and composer

CHRIS

Nothing says Indiana summer like sweet corn, and My Dad’s Sweet Corn is as good as it gets. Grill it until slightly charred, then cut the kernels off the cob to add a burst of sweetness and crunch to your salad.

Tomatoes are at their peak right now and you’ll find a rainbow of heirloom varieties at the market. Slice them thick and juicy. They have a rich, tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with fresh greens. Add some crisp cucumbers for a refreshing bite.

For a touch of creaminess, crumble in feta cheese from Sirocco Ridge Creamery. Its feta is tangy and rich, adding a delightful contrast to the sweet and savory elements of your salad.

No salad is complete without a bit of protein and bacon from Old Major is a game-changer. Cook it until crispy, then crumble it over your salad for a smoky, savory kick that ties everything together. For the dressing, keep it simple. Consider using some local ingredients like Artisano’s Oils and Spices for balsamic and olive oil, and Eagle Creek Apiary for honey.

Mark LaFay is a butcher, certified sommelier and founder of Old

CIDE celebrates 25th season

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Central Indiana Dance Ensemble co-Artistic Director Ashley Jacobs has had a close-up view of the program’s growth.

DANCE

After all, her mother, Suzann DeLay, founded the organization, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

“It has been at the top of my priority list to continue my mom’s legacy,” said Jacobs, who was 12 when her mother started CIDE. “She built this company from eight company dancers, 30 in ‘The Nutcracker’ in 1999, to a company of 70-plus and over 120 in ‘The Nutcracker’ in 2023. The company has become a pillar in the community and is known in the central Indiana area as having the best training in the state, so carrying on what she has started is of the utmost importance for me, the artistic staff and board of directors.”

A gala celebrating the anniversary is set for Jan. 25, 2025.

“As we go into the next 25 years, I am extremely proud and excited of artistic staff and the continuance of my work.”

said DeLay, who serves as executive director.

Delay has been awarded the Outstanding Citizen Award from Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam and Distinguished Hoosier honor from Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Jacobs, who serves as co-artistic director with Michael Casey Clark, stopped dancing upon graduating from Indiana University in 2009 with a degree in dance performance.

The season opens with “The Nutcracker” Dec. 13-15 at Star Bank Performing Arts Center in Zionsville.

For more, visit cidedaance.org.

Film recounts boxer’s story

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Sugar Ray Seales was the toast of the U.S. boxing world after winning the Olympic gold medal in the light-welterweight division in the 1972 Summer Games.

DOCUMENTARY

Seales was seriously injured when he got a thumb to his eye during a 1980 fight with Jamie Thomas and suffered a detached retina. He eventually had to retire because of his loss of vision.

Zionsville resident Michael Husain directs “The Sugarman,” a 14-minute black-andwhite film about Seales regaining his eyesight, thanks to Dr. John Abrams, a Westfield resident whose main Abrams EyeCare Center is in Carmel.

The film will be featured in the Indiana Spotlight 2 at 7 p.m. July 23 at Theatre 3 at Living Room Theatres in Indianapolis.

An ophthalmologist, Abrams performed surgery on Seals.

“The greatest save I’ve ever had on a surgery is Sugar Ray Seals, hands down,” Abrams said in the film. “It was a very com-

Ray Seales with his gold medal in “The Sugarman.” (Photo courtesy of Michael Husain)

plex surgery. He was basically legally blind.”

Husain said Seals coached Golden Gloves teams in Indianapolis for several years.

“He was a pretty respected coach, but he was losing the ability to do that as well,” Husain said. “He had eight failed surgeries to get the eyesight back.”

Husain said Seales had developed a massive cataract.

“Abrams said a normal cataract surgery is seven to eight minutes and Sugar Ray, to get his cataract off, took 3 1/2 hours,” Husain said.

Husain learned about it when talking with Abrams.

For more, visit indyshorts.org.

Sugar

From left, Michael Casey Clark, Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam, Suzann DeLay and Ashley Jacobs. (Photo courtesy of CIDE)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 TH , 2024

11AM to 3PM at Lucas Estate, Carmel, IN

Film focuses on endometriosis

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Hannah Lindgren is convinced it’s important to share her medical story. Lindgren, 33, was diagnosed with endometriosis — a disease that can cause extreme pain in the pelvis — in 2017. She suffered several years before her diagnosis.

DOCUMENTARY

“Once I got diagnosed, I had a big learning curve on understanding how to deal with the disease. There is not a ton of research,” Lindgren said. “There are not a lot of specialists. There are people that claim to understand but don’t. It’s really taken those seven years since then to learn about the disease and find the right care. It’s always been important for me to be open about my journey and connect with other people about the disease.”

“The Invisible Crown” is a 20-minute documentary that focuses on Lindgren’s journey. It premieres at 12:30 p.m. July 28 at Newfields in Indianapolis as part of the Indy Shorts International Film Festival.

“We do hear from my mom (Brenda Myers) because she has been a huge support system to me,” said Lindgren, a Lawrence North High School graduate.

enced in my life (is rewarding).”

During the surgery, she got a second diagnosis of adenomyosis, a condition that causes endometrial tissue in the lining of the uterus to grow into the muscular wall of the uterus. The only treatment is a full hysterectomy.

For more, visit tickets.indyshorts.org.

’THE ICE CREAM MAN’

Following the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands during World War II, popular Jewish ice cream parlor owner Ernst Cahn was targeted by Klaus Barbie, the infamous “Butcher of Lyon.” The story is based on Cahn’s choice between resistance and death.

Myers is a Fishers resident. Lindgren lives in Indianapolis. Amelia Kramer, a Westfield High School graduate who lives in Indianapolis, is the director and editor. They are co-workers at Chop Shop Post, a post-production house in Indianapolis.

“I was honored she trusted me to tell her story,” Kramer said. “From there, we worked together with our team and created our story.”

This is Kramer’s first time directing a documentary.

“I’ve edited a lot of them and I’ve been working in the film industry for six years,” she said. “This film is about empowering yourself and giving validation to your feelings.”

Lindgren said although she has been open about her condition, it was a different feeling to have co-workers attend her major surgery in August 2023.

“It was therapeutic in the way Amelia approached it,” Lindgren said. “The film is about mental health, too. To be able to share that aspect of it as well and the work I’ve been able to do to overcome some of the medical trauma I’ve experi-

“The Ice Cream Man,” a 35-minute film, will debut July 25 at Indy Shorts. The historical story was filmed in Columbus, Michigan City and Amsterdam.

“(The film’s goal is) to highlight the incredibly outsized effect that one person can have on their community if they are brave enough to stand up and do the right thing,” said Geist-area resident Amy Pauszek, who serves as co-producer.

“Ernst Cahn’s actions ultimately led to over 300,000 Dutch citizens going on strike and shutting down Amsterdam, and the German war machine, for three days. It was the single-largest anti-Nazi protest in history, all because of one man.”

The cast includes actresses Jill Burnett, Patricia Kuhn and Mary Kate Temple from Carmel. Jennifer Haire, Carmel, is the line producer. Westfield residents Arlene and Tom Grande are the executive producers.

A July 25 screening in the 530-seat Tobias Theater at Newfields sold out. An encore screening set for July 27 sold out in one day.

“As a producer, I was determined to sell out every show and we probably could sell out more,” Pauszek said. “This is a powerful and important film.

For more, visit theicecreamman.movie.

Brenda Myers comforts her daughter, Hannah Lindgren, before her August 2023 surgery. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Lindgren)

Lindgren

CURRENT CRAVINGS SAVOR

Savor, 211 W. Main St. in Carmel, features Mediterranean- and Italian-inspired fare prepared over a wood fire in an open kitch en. Menu items range from handmade pasta, fresh seafood and lus cious desserts (Savor owner and chef Henri Najem tried nearly 50 different combinations of ingredients to perfect the Gooey Butter Cake). Hours are 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Learn more and make a reservation at SavorCarmel.com.

Marie Shambaugh)

MOST UNIQUE MENU ITEM: CIOPPINO

MOST PHOTOGRAPHED: 22 OZ BONE-IN RIBEYE

courtesy of Henri Najem)

FREE EVENT CONCERTS AT THE CARMEL GAZEBO

Feeling strapped for cash but still want to have some fun? Each week, Current helps you find things to do without breaking the bank. Here’s what’s on tap this week:

Concerts at the Carmel Gazebo at 1 Civic Square is a series to provide a venue for families to enjoy arts and culture in the community. Concerts are free and accessible to everyone. Stella Luna & the Satellites will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. July 24.

Notice of Self Storage Sale

SUMMER

OTHER FREE AREA EVENTS

CELEBRATION — Options Westfield will host its fourth annual Summer Celebration 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 25 at 17721 Gunther Blvd. The Summer Celebration is open to the public and free of charge and will include a mechanical bull, inflatables, a video game trailer, corn hole and more.

Notice of Self Storage Sale

Please take notice Prime Storage - Fishers Britton Park Rd. located at 13323 Britton Park Rd., Fishers, IN 46038 intends to hold a sale to sell the property stored at the Facility by the below list of Occupant who is in default at an Auction. The sale will occur or otherwise disposed as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 8/8/2024 at 12:00PM. Geralda Jossirin unit #G38. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply. See manager for details.

Please take notice Prime Storage - Fishers Ford Dr. located at 12650 Ford Dr., Fishers, IN 46038 intends to hold a sale to sell the property stored at the Facility by the below list of Occupants whom are in default at a Auction. The sale will occur or otherwise disposed as an online auction via www. selfstorageauction.com on 8/8/2024 at 12:00PM. K Lejean Buehler unit #416; Mary Pettus unit #945. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply. See manager for details.

Fringe & Form now open

By Samantha Kupiainen news@currentincarmel.com

After 25 years as a nurse, Michele Dieckmeyer was ready for a career change. Her time as a nurse instilled in her the importance of serving people in a variety of capacities, and she knew she wanted to continue that in her next career, whatever it may be.

NEW BIZ

Dieckmeyer said she took some time to reflect on what to do next.

“I felt like I was being called to help women feel and look their best, inside and out,” she said. “I’ve always had a passion for fashion and a passion for styling.”

She realized she could combine those passions, serve others and remain involved in fashion and styling by opening her own women’s clothing store, Fringe & Form. The shop’s mission is to uplift women, build confidence and empower them to live a purposeful life as their best self.

Dieckmeyer said she’s had a lifelong battle with her weight, which is why she has “great empathy for women and the struggles that women have to really look

and feel their best each day.” By founding Fringe & Form, Dieckmeyer wants to help women simplify their lives and feel confident.

Fringe & Form is open and will have a grand-opening event the week of July 29. The high-end shop is in Carmel City Center at 736 Hanover Place, Suite 100B. In addition to clothes, the shop will offer group classes and private events to help women dress for their coloring and body shape. Dieckmeyer also will offer style coaching and color analysis by appointment.

Learn more at fringe-form.com. Read the full story at youarecurrent.com.

Sandra Eskenazi

Fringe & Form owner

Michele Dieckmeyer at the shop. (Photo courtesy of Casey Marie Photography)

• Fabulous, modern layout with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms AND a fully finished basement!

• Patio area is perfect for entertaining-equipped with fireplace, Phantom Screen, and TV!

• Upgraded audio and video throughout the home!

• Corner lot with a 3-car garage fitted with premium cabinets and storage.

• Amenities such as basketball, pickleball, tennis, multiple pools, a gym, walking trails and more!

• Location, location, location! Just minutes from unique shopping, dining, and entertainment options!

Remarkable day at the diamond

Commentary by Jeff Worrell

It was a typical Carmel Dads’ Club baseball Saturday in April when the next player up to bat and his father, the coach, realized the athlete’s grandfather in the stands just collapsed because of a heart attack. As the story was relayed to me, an athletic field in Carmel turned out to be a true family event.

CIVILITY

Remarkable was the care the grandfather received on the athletic field. Remarkable because it was provided by multiple volunteers, willing to step in and provide lifesaving measures. Remarkable because two medical professionals, including a cardiologist new to our area, took charge and later remarked how many people vol-

unteered to assist. Remarkable because a Carmel police officer was on the scene with an AED in his squad car. Remarkable because the son and grandson’s prayers were answered, and grandfather will see many more home runs.

This story is a testament to the strong sense of community and civility in Carmel, where people are willing to step up and help others in need. We are a place where bystanders don’t just watch but come together to make a difference.

READER’S VIEW

Legislature bigger threat than books

Editor,

A recent letter to the editor suggested that Carmel High School should abandon its policy of allowing parents to restrict what their kids can check out and instead require parents to opt in to access to certain books. The fatal flaw with such an approach is that different people find different subject matter objectionable.

NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS CARMEL, INDIANA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION from the GENERAL FUND (#101) Ordinance D-2722-24

Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of the City of Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana, that the proper legal officers of the City of Carmel, at their regular meeting place at Carmel City Hall, One Civic Square, Council Chambers at 6 p.m. on the 5th day of August, 2024, will consider the following appropriation in excess of the budget for 2024: $6,846.73 from the GENERAL FUND OPERATING Balances To

Department of Community Services (#1192):

Line item 4340600 – Recording Fees $510.00

Department of Community Services (#1192)

Line item 4350900 – Other Cont. Services

$6,336.73

The source of revenue for the above is the General Fund (#101).

Taxpayers appearing at the meeting shall have a right to be heard. The additional appropriation as finally made will be referred to the Department of Local Government Finance. The Department will make a written determination as to the sufficiency of funds within fifteen (15) days of receipt of a certified copy of the action taken.

Jacob Quinn, Clerk

The author of the letter focuses on books with sexual content. Some in our community have objected to books dealing with issues of racism and LGBTQ rights. It’s easy to see how others, with equal conviction and sincerity, might object to books that support or oppose all manner of social, religious, political and historical opinions and positions. Were CHS to force parents to opt in to any book that may contain content with which a family might disagree, it may as well require parental permission to enter the library at all. Or simply close it, as some have advocated.

For those who care more about protecting young people than political theater, I suggest focusing on raising the age of consent in our state from 16 to 18 and shrinking the age gap in Indiana’s Romeo and Juliet law to 3 years instead of 4. It is truly obscene and harmful to minors that adults of any age can take advantage of someone as young as 16, and that an 18-year-old college freshman can legally engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old eighth grader.

The Republican supermajority in our General Assembly has refused to modernize our laws regarding age of consent. Backing candidates who will criminalize the actual sexual victimization of teenagers will do immeasurably more good than handwringing over those same teenagers potentially reading books that describe such victimization.

Jim May, Carmel

Jeff Worrell is a Carmel City Council member and a civility proponent. To contact him, you may email jeff4civility@gmail.com.

Blueprint for Improvement: Sleek and stylish Indianapolis kitchen

Commentary by Larry Greene

Built in 1977, this Mystic Bay condo was prime for a modern upgrade, starting with the kitchen. Our team transformed the space into a sleek, contemporary haven that radiates a fresh vibe and perfectly reflects the homeowner’s style.

THE BLUEPRINT

• New flat-panel cabinets, gleaming chrome hardware and a tonal palette establish a modern and sophisticated aesthetic.

• Removing the bulkhead allowed us to extend the cabinetry to the ceiling, creating a bold, streamlined look with enhanced functionality and storage.

• Reworking the layout enhanced the flow between the kitchen and dining room, allowing for the addition of a larger island and wine fridge.

• Double doors leading to the new deck flood the space with natural light and showcase stunning lake views.

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.