September 17, 2024 — Carmel by Current Publishing

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Founded October 24, 2006, at Carmel, IN Vol. XVIV, No. 48

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Opinions

The views of the columnists in Current in Carmel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of this newspaper.

School board candidate Shapiro advocates for respectful dialogue, increased feedback

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

School board candidate Jon Shapiro knows that in a district as large as Carmel Clay Schools, there will be differing views on how to best educate students. He believes healthy disagreement can often lead to positive results, but that’s not primarily what he’d been witnessing in recent years when local schools came up in public discussion.

ELECTION

school board candidates who fulfill the district’s mission and guiding principles,” according to its website.

Shapiro said he opposes the idea that school board candidates should declare a political party, a measure recently discussed — but not approved — by the state legislature.

The animosity he saw leveled at local educators by some in the community was part of what inspired him to become more involved in his local school district and eventually run for office.

“Sometimes it’s hard when we’re emotional or passionate about things, but I think it’s important that there’s room for everybody to be able to have their voice heard, and we can do that in a respectful way,” Shapiro said. “We’re not going to get anywhere if we’re bickering. If we’re having an issue or disagreement, the focus should be on how do we tackle the issue and not how do we tackle each other?”

Shapiro is running for one of two atlarge seats on the Carmel Clay Schools board of trustees in the Nov. 5 election. Other candidates are Dina Ferchmin, Robin Clark and Kristina Wheeler. Incumbents Katie Browning and Louise Jackson are not seeking reelection.

Shapiro and Wheeler have been endorsed by Support CCS, a “nonpartisan PAC supporting Carmel schools by electing

“I understand how for some people, (declaring a party) may make it easier to try and discern somebody’s values or how they feel about certain issues,” he said. “But I think education, more broadly, is not a Republican or Democrat or independent or moderate issue.”

The father of a student at Carmel High School, Shapiro and his family moved to the city more than a decade ago in part for the quality education at CCS. He works as the fundraising director at Hope Academy High School in Indianapolis, which serves teens struggling with addiction and substance use disorders. Previously he was the program director for the Simon Youth Foundation.

In 2023, Shapiro served as the volunteer coordinator for Yes for CCS, a nonpartisan political action committee that existed to support the renewal of the CCS operating referendum (it passed with 68 percent of the vote).

“(Serving in that role) provided me with an opportunity to engage more broadly with the community to hear more feedback about schools and what people think about how our schools are performing,” he said. “That’s only been reinforced in the conversations I’ve been able to have over the last several months as a candidate. I think it’s really important that we ensure the com-

munity — in particular parents of students — know they have opportunities to share their feedback in a way that is heard and is taken into account.”

Shapiro said CCS already offers many ways for parents and community members to provide feedback but that he would like to expand those options. Opportunities could include town hall style meetings, events scheduled around student drop off or pickup when parents may already be on campus or streamlining or promoting online communication methods, he said.

“As a parent myself, when I’ve had a question or concern and I’ve reached out to a teacher or an administrator in a building or somebody at the school district, I’ve gotten a response,” he said. “But I wonder if we could make it more part of a system of operating that we solicit feedback on a regular basis from our constituents.”

From an academic standpoint, Shapiro said CCS has done a good job of evolving as educational and workforce needs change. He believes the district should continue to be ready to adapt as needed.

“Our commitment needs to be, how do we make sure that all of those students are best prepared for the world they’re going to enter? That requires some diversity of thoughts, diversity of ideas and broad perspectives,” he said. “We have a very high percentage of our students that do traditional post-secondary (education), but not everybody does. Our commitment needs to be to exceed what the state is requiring us to do to make sure that we’re preparing the most well-rounded young people (to go) into the world.”

Learn more at ShapiroForCCS.com.

CCS proposes $237M budget for 2025

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Carmel Clay Schools is proposing a $237 million budget for 2025, which includes a 2 percent salary increase for teachers and a $2 million transfer to build up the district’s rainy-day fund.

EDUCATION

Roger McMichael, CCS associate superintendent, presented the budget at the Sept. 9 school board meeting. He said he expects the district’s tax rate to drop, although CCS

is advertising it to the state higher than its current rate to “pad the budget.” The district is permitted to drop the rate if needed but not raise it once advertised.

“We intend to advertise high, realizing it’s possible we could have made a mistake or something, so it doesn’t hurt anything. It just protects us so that we would receive the money that we’re otherwise entitled to,” he said, noting that this is a common practice for CCS and other districts.

The 2024 tax rate is 83.41 cents per $100 of assessed property value. McMichael said

he expects the rate to drop closer to 81 cents, but the state isn’t expected to set and certify the rate until the end of the year.

The school board will hold a public hearing on the budget at its Oct. 15 meeting. The board is set to vote on the budget at its Oct. 28 meeting. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. and are held at the Educational Services Center, 5201 E. Main St. in Carmel. Learn more about the proposed 2025 CCS budget on the state’s Gateway website at budgetnotices.in.gov/Default.aspx.

Shapiro

Know something? Tell us

Commentary by Rick Morwick

When you pick up Current each week, or read the digital edition, do you ever wonder where all those stories come from that inform you about all things — big, small and everything in between — happening in your community?

NEWSGATHERING

It’s an important question with many answers.

Newspapers cultivate stories in a variety of ways, but each has a common denominator: Somehow, some way, a topic was brought to a reporter’s attention.

Often, stories are generated from traditional sources, such as press releases, news conferences, personal contacts, event coverage (think school board and city council meetings, live sports, court trials, crime scenes, etc.) and social media.

But there are other, less formal ways, including a reporter’s curiosity, good old-fashioned investigative reporting — and you.

Yes, you.

As much as Current might give the impression of being omnipresent, it is not. No media outlet is. We rely on tips from a range of sources. That’s where you come in.

Sometimes (maybe oftentimes), we need you to be our extended set of eyes and ears. If you see, hear or know about anything in your community that you think is news, let us know. Although we take great pride in covering our seven Current communities like no other media can (or perhaps cares to), we cannot report on what we do not know.

If something is happening, or has happened, in your community that you think might be newsworthy, contact us at news@youarecurrent.com, and know that what you deliver to us will be accorded every consideration.

Together, we can make hyper-local news even better.

Thank you for reading, and hopefully participating in, Current’s weekly report.

at rick@youarecurrent.com.

Rick Morwick is a veteran journalist and longtime senior copy editor for Current Publishing. You may reach him

Clay student youngest runner to complete 100-mile trail race

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Words could not express the emotions 12-year-old Gabriel Abbott felt when he crossed the finish line Sept. 7 at the Run Woodstock Hallucination 100 Mile race in Gregory, Mich.

ACHIEVEMENT

In that moment, he became the youngest person to complete a trail run at that distance, a feat the family is hoping will soon be certified as a Guinness World Record.

“I was speechless,” Abbott said. “I was just like, ‘I did it.’ It was just a whole bunch of things going through my head. It’s just unbelievable. A little bit later I was like, ‘What’s next?’”

The Clay Middle School eighth-grader finished the race in 29 hours, 7 minutes and 11 seconds. Out of 105 finishers, he placed 85th. In doing so he qualified for the prestigious Western States Endurance Run, otherwise known as the Super Bowl of ultrarunning, a 100.2-mile trek through California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Unfortunately, he’ll be too young to compete in it for five more years.

Abbott said the race started easily enough, but it became difficult to keep going after dark.

“About 1 o’clock in the morning, I started falling asleep on the run. It was just rough,” he said. “I had to talk a lot to keep myself awake.”

Thankfully, he had his father by his side throughout the race to document it for the world record attempt. Partway through, however, both runners hit a point where they weren’t sure they were going to complete it before the 30-hour cutoff.

That’s when Abbott’s sister, Carmel High School junior Giulia Abbott, stepped in. Tapped to lead the family’s support crew, when her brother began to doubt, she did the math and encouraged him that he had plenty of time to reach the finish line if he could maintain a comfortable pace a couple more times around the nearly 17-mile looping course.

Her conclusion: “There’s no way you’re not going to make it,” she said.

With his confidence restored, Abbott powered through the final laps to achieve his goal. His mother, Stephanie Abbott, said he was asleep before the family’s car made it out of the parking lot. His post-race request was a pepperoni pizza all to himself, but he slept through the opportunity to enjoy that, too.

The Abbotts made it back to Carmel in time for school on Sept. 9, which also happened to be the younger runner’s 13th birthday. Feeling a bit more rested, Abbott had two reasons to celebrate as his family went out for a seafood feast that evening.

The next day, he ran for the first time since completing the race as he eased back into Clay’s cross country practice.

Abbott said he’d love to set another ultrarunning world record someday, but for now, he’s planning to give himself a bit of a break.

“I’m going to probably drop down a little bit until next year,” he said. “I’ll probably do some 50 (milers).”

Class of ‘14 reunion — The Carmel High School Class of 2014 will hold a reunion for graduates, staff, teachers and coaches who would like to attend. The event is from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 at Carmel Civic Square, 3 Civic Square, in Carmel. RSVP at tinyurl.com/yc5md6vs.

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Gabriel Abbott crosses the finish line Sept. 7 at the Run Woodstock Hallucination 100 Mile race in Gregory, Mich. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Abbott)

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Carmel could become hub for improving scientific integrity

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

As a researcher, Mircea Ivan isn’t surprised by the increasing number of scientific papers being questioned or retracted for containing falsified or fabricated information. In a system where getting published often leads to grant funds, job security or acclaim, he believes it makes sense there is growing pressure to be productive, no matter the cost.

PUBLISHING

be discussed in the public space,” he said. “Basically, you put your data in the public space and engage people for feedback. So, if we keep (the current system in place), science quality is going to drop to levels that are absolutely unacceptable. Science has to be discussed in a public space. It cannot be driven by profit.”

But while universities and fee-based research journals line their pockets, often with taxpayer funds, it’s the general public that ultimately suffers, according to Ivan. Case in point: Earlier this year, a 2006 landmark paper on Alzheimer’s disease was retracted after a researcher admitted to image manipulation. The paper had influenced additional research and treatments, and its retraction immediately called into question the work built upon it.

Or, consider the 1998 paper published in a scientific journal by gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield that claimed a link between vaccines and autism. The paper, which was found to contain falsehoods, was retracted in 2010, but it continues to influence perceptions about childhood vaccines more than 20 years later.

Most retracted papers don’t have nearly as much impact on the public, but Ivan, a Carmel resident, said their growing numbers indicate a problem with significant scope and potentially dangerous consequences.

A faculty member at Indiana University, Ivan said he’s pursuing the Agora initiative as a concerned citizen and not on behalf of his employer. He aims to launch it by forming a group in Carmel dedicated to tackling the problem of scientific integrity and discussing solutions in a roundtable setting. A native of Romania, he has lived in Carmel since 2008 and believes the area has the right demographics to launch the initiative.

“It’s big enough where enough people can get together and discuss these things,” he said. “It’s a very educated place. It’s a place with enough financial resources. But it’s not too big for these kinds of discussions to be diluted.”

Ivan knows change won’t be easy. He’s taking on a well-funded establishment with little incentive to reform. And he is not alone in realizing that speaking out may have consequences of its own.

“I don’t believe the system, as it is right now, is functional anymore,” Ivan said.

But he wants to change that. And he believes his hometown is the perfect place to start.

Ivan, who was recognized for his work that contributed to a former colleague earning a Nobel Prize in 2019, is aiming to launch an initiative called Agora, named after public spaces used for assemblies in ancient Greece, to bring more transparency — and restore trust — to the scientific publishing process.

“What I’m trying to promote is the transition to a model of publication that can

Former researcher Elisabeth Bik has been at the forefront of efforts to restore scientific integrity, and her work has identified more than 4,000 instances of potential improprieties in scientific papers. Since 2018, she has worked full time as a science integrity consultant and investigator, becoming a target of personal online attacks and legal threats in the process.

The native of the Netherlands stumbled into the field unexpectedly years ago after she Google searched a random sentence from one of her research papers and discovered another scientist had plagiarized it. Less than a year later, she accidentally came across an image of a Western blot protein duplicated in another paper, and she began to realize the extent of the problem was bigger than she thought.

Now, her efforts focus on identifying and reporting falsified or fabricated information or images in scientific publications.

Continued on Page 7

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Bik

COMMUNITY

Continued from Page 6

She estimates that at least 2 percent of published papers have enough concerns that they should be retracted. It’s a number small enough that she said there’s no need for the general public to panic (especially since approved medications and treatments go through much more scrutiny than a typical research paper), but significant enough that it should be concerning to all.

“I would love the general public to be more angry about proven cases of misconduct,” Bik said. “One of the frustrations I feel as a researcher raising concerns about it is the lack of response, or the lack of people who care about it.”

Without public outcry, researchers with ties to questionable or retracted papers often receive little more than a slap on the wrist, if anything, and research dollars — often funded through taxes — continue to flow their way. Many flagged scientific papers are only self-investigated by the researching team’s own institution, as the federal bureau tasked with oversight — The Office of Research Integrity (part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) — only has enough staff and funding to handle a handful of cases per year, Bik and

“If

– MIRCEA IVAN

Ivan said.

Ivan agrees that the general public will be key to bringing about change.

“Instead of giving money to universities that are going to support careers, they should be people who should be interested to help build the new type of science,” Ivan said. “Otherwise, we’re just going to be generating noise, and our grandchildren are going to look back and say, ‘We’re still dying of Alzhimer’s like before. There’s been no progress whatsoever.’’’

Anyone interested in learning more about Agora and how to get involved in the roundtable discussions may email Ivan at mirceaivan2012@gmail.com.

Miss Bharat Indiana returns

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Sejal Patel was determined to bring the Miss Bharat competition to Indiana. “I had always enjoyed pageant events. A crown is empowering, inspiring and much more than glam and glitz,” Patel said. “Witnessing each contestant’s performance is truly inspiring as they showcase their confidence through their hard work and personal walk of life while fostering healthy competition.”

COMPETITION

Miss Bharat USA in 2017. Rashmi Bedi is the co-CEO and founder of MyDream Global.

“Rashmi and I connected over positivity and empowerment,” Patel said.

Because there was no pageant in Indiana, Patel decided to compete in Mrs. Bharat pageant in Florida in 2202, finishing first runner-up.

Patel, vice president of Miss Bharat Indiana, helped bring the pageant to Indiana in 2023 with the help of the platform Aatmanshakti. It will return at 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the 502 East Event Centre in Carmel. There are Mrs. and Teen titles as well.

“This is the first ethnic pageantry in our state that ties interregional knots among the Asian Indian community,” Patel said. “We also have opportunities for aspiring fashionistas with non-Indian backgrounds.”

MyDream TV, a digital channel, started

“Our vision is to bring like-minded people together regardless of age, gender, shape or size,” Patel said. “We are committed to nurture and empower the community for inclusivity and positivity. Through this (pageant) platform, the vision is to provide ample opportunities and empower individuals to be authentic and shine bright. Be true to themselves.”

Patel, who works in the pharmaceutical industry, came to the U.S. from India 24 years ago. She moved to Carmel 19 years ago. She and her husband, Anil, have two daughters, Shreya, 20 and Arya, 17.

Tickets are $65, including food and assorted non-alcoholic beverages. For more, visit Miss Bharat Indiana on Facebook or mydreamMissBharat.com.

DISPATCHES

Submit questions for school board debate — Current Publishing will present a debate between the Carmel Clay Schools board of trustees candidates at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Palladium, 1 Carter Green in Carmel. Current readers may submit questions or issues to be considered for the debate by emailing news@currentincarmel. com. Free tickets are available at youarecurrent.com/ccssbdebate24.

Pennsylvania Street closure — A full road closure was set to begin on or after Sept. 3 at Pennsylvania Street at the Liberty Fund building (just north of 111th Street) for construction of a roundabout. The roundabout at 111th Street will remain open. The closure is expected to last 60 days.

Eastbound 96th Street closed — Eastbound W. 96th Street between Spring Mill and Ditch roads was set to close on or after Sept. 9 as crews construct a multi-use path. Westbound traffic will be maintained during the project, which is expected to last through December.

Heirbrandt reappointed — Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt was recently reappointed as a member of the National Association of Counties Transportation Steering Committee. He previously served a four-year term and was selected to serve another. The Transportation Steering Committee is responsible for all matters pertaining to federal transportation legislation, funding and regulation and its impacts on county government. Heirbrandt is one of only two members of the committee hailing from Indiana.

KidsFit Program registration open — Registration is open for the 500 Festival KidsFit Program for the 2024-2025 school year. Now in its 11th year, the free and customizable program is available to Indiana schools and groups in kindergarten through sixth grade. It helps students develop active and healthy lifestyles through a combination of in-class lessons and activities that incorporate running and walking. The program meets the Indiana Department of Education’s Indiana State Academic Standards for Health and Physical Education. Interested teachers and group organizers should register their school or group at IndyMini.com/KidsFit.

Heirbrandt

CROSSTREK

Program celebrates milestone

By Jennifer A. Haire news@youarecurrent.com

To celebrate 40 years of helping students, the Assistance League of Indianapolis is inviting the public to a special behind-thescenes event featuring its Operation School Bell program Oct. 1. Operation School Bell provides new clothes to students in need in kindergarten through fifth grade. It was the first program launched by ALI, which draws a large percentage of its membership from Carmel, and it is estimated to have saved families more than $3 million since 1984.

NONPROFIT

“At the beginning of the school year, the parents are having to buy (school) supplies and everything else, and this just takes a burden off of the parents,” said Julie Yates, a 12-year volunteer and retired Wayne Township middle school special education teacher.

OSB provides clothing to students in Indianapolis Public Schools and Lawrence, Pike, Warren, Washington and Wayne township schools.

From 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Oct. 1, program supporters and community members can

enjoy light snacks and a tour of the Northbrook facility, which houses the program, at 1433 W. 86th St. in Indianapolis. Tours will be at 3:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. OSB chair Candi Harcourt and other volunteers will be on hand to walk attendees through how a bag of clothing is packed and answer questions. The event is free and registration is not required.

ALI President Carol Valentine will welcome attendees. Additional speakers include Principal Kevin McMahan from IPS 109, Jonathan Jennings elementary school, and State Sen. Fady Qaddoura. Learn more at alindy.org.

From left, ALI volunteers Laura Ellis, Kathy Drewes and Harriet Majors work in the Operation School Bell program. (Photo courtesy of ALI)

Carmel boys soccer team makes impact beyond the field

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Carmel High School boys soccer coach

Shane Schmidt has always felt strongly that his players should make a positive contribution to the community.

GIVING BACK

It started with the soccer team holding the Make Good Decisions Pack the House Night to raise awareness about the Indiana Lifeline Law, which provides limited immunity from prosecution for underage drinking and drinking offenses for persons who seek medical assistance related to an alcohol-related health emergency. In August 2012, former CHS soccer player Brett Finbloom died from alcohol poisoning shortly before leaving for his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma. His friends were afraid of getting in trouble for underage drinking and waited too long to call for medical help.

The soccer team continues to hold that event, which is set for at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 during a match against Guerin Catholic, but Schmidt wanted to do more soon after.

“I thought it would be great for us to start giving back to the community in a different way,” he said.

Schmidt, who is in his 18th year as head coach, has been taking players to help at the St. Vincent House for about 10 years. St. Vincent House provides overnight guest rooms for families who live more than 60 miles from Ascension St. Vincent who might have financial barriers covering the cost of hotels and food to be near a loved

Jerry W Denney, 85, went to his Heavenly home on August 15, 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Mary Denney, brother David, and nephews Eric and Craig. He is survived by his wife Shirley and her daughter Lynne and grandson Aidan (Bella); Jerry’s children: Craig (Diane), Erin (Jeff)- their Mother Joan Denney; Natasha and Jerrytheir Mother Marcia Arentz; sister Diane Holden; twin brother Larry (Peggy); granddaughter Emily; and many loved nieces and nephews. While attending college on a MD/PhD program, Jerry founded American Monitor Corporation (AMC) and began developing state of the art clinical chemistry reagents and instruments. AMC invented the first computerized blood

one who is hospitalized.

“We donate a bunch of food and water, and we stock their pantries,” said Schmidt, who said the team members spent two hours Sept. 7 at St. Vincent House. “All the leftover food we put in storage for them. We cleaned the inside of the building. We wiped down every single toy in the toy room and every book in the library.”

The team made a breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes for the residents.

Schmidt said players do exterior work around the house, rake leaves and pressure wash dumpsters. They donate cleaning supplies and laundry detergents.

Players working at the St. Vincent House were from the varsity and junior varsity teams. The freshmen team helped coordinate the majority of the food pickups. The freshman players collected money to purchase a pallet of water.

“They were excited because they were

chemistry analyzer and competed with giants like Technicon and Roche. He is well known for his brilliant mind and held multiple patents to his name. His lifetime goal was to improve diagnostic testing for physicians and patients. Jerry continued to launch innovative products throughout his career and was still working at the time of his death as Chief Scientific Officer of Vision Diagnostics in Branford Florida. A celebration of life will be held at the Carmel Lion’s Club located at 141 E. Main St. in Carmel, September 21, 1-4 with a tribute at 2:00. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Peace Baptist Church, 7794 S. Hwy 27, PO Box 385 Branford, FL 32008

out of water,” Schmidt said. “When we went in, the cupboards were truly bare. There was hardly any food left. They are so dependent on donations. They were over the moon that we brought in 30 cases of water along with the pallet.”

Another community initiative launched last year when the team started a Cancer Screening Awareness game, where Ascension St. Vincent professionals attend and hand out literature about screenings. It will be held at noon Sept. 21 when CHS plays hosts to Homestead.

OBITUARY

Barbara T. Griffith-Smith passed away on August 30, 2024. Born on February 27, 1932, in South Bend, Indiana, she was a teacher, friend, wife, and mother. She is survived by three daughters – Cynthia Renshaw (Mark), Kelley Rogers (Tom), and Ann Gaspelin (Bill). Barbara was grandmother to Zach, Alex, and Erin Renshaw, Brandon and Melissa Rogers, and Nick and Brad Gaspelin. She was fortunate enough to meet greatgrandchildren, Ella, Grace, Aubrey, Paige, Elaine, and Avinash.

Barbara graduated John Adams H.S. in South Bend in 1950. She was an Alpha Phi at Indiana University and after earning a B.S in Speech Therapy she married a young Air Force pilot, Richard (Dick) Griffith in August 1954. Together they moved to Otis Air Force base in Falmouth, MA. She started a Speech and Hearing program for Falmouth schools while her husband flew F-94’s until 1956. The couple moved back to Purdue married housing and had their first daughter while Dick finished his college degree.

Barbara and Dick had their two remaining daughters in Michigan and Indiana. They moved to Indianapolis where she worked as a Speech and Hearing Therapist in Greenfield Schools and as a private tutor. She also was a Girl Scout leader, school room mother, and was a member of the St. Alban’s Altar Guild. Once they finally relocated to Carmel, IN, Barbara went to Butler University to earn her Masters in Special Education when the girls were in high school. She then served as a Special Education Resource teacher in the Hamilton Southeastern school system for 24 years. Barbara and Dick traveled the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska.

Perhaps one of the bravest things she did was to spend a month traveling the West with their three teenage daughters camping in a motor home! After Dick died in 1985, Barbara eventually met and married her second husband, Edwin Smith. The two moved to Bradenton, Florida once Barbara retired. She worked on the Mt. Vernon neighborhood association board and volunteered for a variety of organizations such as voter’s registration, Indiana University alumni association, and her Episcopal Church of the Annunciation on Anna Maria Island. She loved walking, water aerobics, reading, crossword puzzles, and watching her beloved Indiana Hoosiers play football and basketball. Well into her 91st year, she still watched the annual Indianapolis 500 where she and her extended family talked by phone to predict the winning race car driver.

Barbara was an only child and was preceded in death by her parents Clayton and Mary (Molnar) Taylor, her two husbands, Richard Griffith and Ed Smith, and her grandson Zachary Renshaw. The family would like to thank Heartland Hospice and Kingston Memory Care in Fort Wayne, IN for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in her final days. There will be a private family memorial service graveside at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, Fishers, IN.

Please consider donating in her honor to: Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium ATTN: Development Office 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34236 941-388-4441 mote.org

The Carmel High School boys varsity and junior varsity teams Sept. 7 at St. Vincent House. (Photo courtesy of Steve Dillon)

Conductor goes behind the scenes

By Conrad Otto news@currentincarmel.com

Joel Smirnoff is an artistic advisor who has worked with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and several other groups during his career. A conductor for 30 years, his background is primarily in classical and jazz music. He recently answered the following questions from Current about his work. Read the full Q&A at youarecurrent.com

MUSIC

What was your journey to becoming a conductor?

If you’re going to be a conductor, there is only one way, and that is to assist another conductor. If you’re going to be a performing musician, you have to start young. I started (violin) lessons when I was 6, theory lessons when I was 7. Basically, if you’re not well set in terms of musical understanding and playing by 15 years old, you’re not going to get a job. It starts very early.

What does a typical day look like?

Different days are different parts of the job. You’d have weeks of score study where you’re memorizing and gaining insight on what you want to do. Then, you have your first rehearsal. In a way, the most important interaction is the first interaction with the symphony. There has to be mutual respect.

What goes on behind the scenes?

The choice of music. The cool thing about Carmel is that we’re doing a lot of different kinds of music all at one time. It’s a mix that reflects the taste of the community and the time.

What is the best part of your job?

Performing! The best part is to communicate with your audience. The interaction with the orchestra can be a wonderful thing.

How did you connect with the CSO?

I’m a Carmel resident. I’ve had a long career, conducting internationally in Korea, Beijing, Japan, Europe. But this is my home, so it was inevitable. It’s a great pleasure to live in Carmel and be a part of one of the most important parts in this city.

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Smirnoff

HSE volleyball player embraces role as setter

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

When Hamilton Southeastern High School senior volleyball player Ava Hunter was younger, she wanted to be an outside hitter like her older sister, Grace.

“She said I was going to be too undersized for the people I’d be playing against,” Hunter said. “She said I had huge hands and needed to become a setter, so I switched to setting. At first, I was like, ‘This is so hard, it’s not my favorite.’ Then a year or two into it (I realized) this is the best job. It’s so fun. It’s fun to be the one that makes the decisions in the game.”

The 5-foot-11 Hunter shared the setter role with Macy Hinshaw, now a freshman player for Santa Clara University, the past two seasons for the Royals, who won the IHSAA Class 4A state championship the past two seasons. As of Sept. 10, the Royals were 10-1.

“I think the last two years sharing time with Macy has definitely helped me understand everyone has their own role and each role is important,” Hunter said. “I un-

MEET AVA HUNTER

Favorite subject: Science or math

Favorite TV show: “The Office.”

Favorite vacation spot: Florida

Favorite music performers: Rhianna and Billie Eilish

derstand everyone’s perspective.”

Hunter said although everyone wants to play more, she can encourage players on the bench that every role is important.

Royals coach Jason Young said Hunter has had to take on a leadership role this season.

“We graduated a huge group of seniors who were incredibly talented and great leaders,” Young said. “She’s stepped in

and been a leader and captain for us. It’s natural for that position. A setter is like the quarterback. She runs the show offensive-

ly for us and has done a good job leading the way.”

Young said he had two of the best setters he has ever coached in Hinshaw and Hunter.

“Ideally, you’d like to have them come by every four years, but we are glad to have had both of them,” Young said. “(Hunter) is a very upbeat, positive individual. She is a big cheerleader for others.”

Hunter recorded her 1,000th career assists in the season opener.

Hunter is optimistic the Royals can make another run at the state title.

Hunter, who plans to major in business, has committed to play for Loyola University in Chicago next season. Grace, a 2020 HSE graduate, was on the Royals’ Class 4A state runner-up team as a senior and played for Marian University.

“Grace helped me become the player I am today,” Hunter said. “We have all the pieces (to win another championship). We just need to get each piece working together.”

To nominate a high school student for Athlete of the Week, email mark@youarecurrent.com.

Ava Hunter is a senior setter for Hamilton Southeastern High School’s two-time defending Class 4A state champions. (Photo courtesy of Kirk Green/Capture Sports Media)

UNBRIDLED JOY

Carmel girl draws national attention, inspires others through hobby horse skills

By Tirzah Rowland tirzah@youarecurrent.com

Galloping, skipping and jumping through her Carmel neighborhood on a hobby horse, also known as a stick horse, Ava Apodaca, 12, knows her hobby is unique, and she welcomes the attention of onlookers.

Her YouTube channel @Haribo_HH has more than 41,000 subscribers and is the top hobby horse channel in the nation. Her goal is to inspire others through videos of her workouts, jumps and helpful tips. When she launched the channel two years ago, she had no idea what to expect.

“I started just to put some little videos of me jumping,” Ava Apodaca said. “I was like, ‘Oh, wow, people are actually watching my videos.’ I was like, ‘All right, I want to start posting more.’ And then it started getting more popular.”

Hobby horse riding, a movement using plush horse heads made of fabric and stuffing attached to a stick placed between a person’s legs, dates back several centuries. The hobby gained popularity among 12- to 18-year-old girls in Finland within the past decade and more recently in the United States.

“They run around with horse-like movements, and they jump over hurdles, and they do dressage, which is more like ballet dance,” Ava Apodaca said.

Hobby horsers train to mimic the movements of a horse.

“The hardest part is training yourself to be able to jump high without having a bad form,” said Ava Apodaca, who learned about the hobby through YouTube.

MULTIPLE VICTORIES

As her reach grew online, her desire to participate in a hobby horse competition seemed like a distant dream.

“I started seeing videos of people going to competitions and the Finland championships, but they’re all the way to Finland,” Ava Apodaca said. “I was like, ‘There’s no way I’ll ever be able to go compete there. That’s like, the other side of the world.’”

That changed when an internet search led her to the website for the inaugural U.S. National Hobby Horse Championships, held

Aug. 10 in Amont, Mich. She signed up right away.

The event featured 200 participants, and Ava Apodaca placed fifth overall. But for her mom, Amanda Apodaca, the victory was in the support her daughter received. She said hobby horsing helped Ava through some challenges their family faced.

“To see the redemption power that occurred as we walked into that gym, and she spent hours signing autographs and hundreds of little girls knowing her name, cheering her on. It just is such a good reminder that sometimes, when you’re willing to sit in the tension of life, it’ll always work out. And it’s not just for us but we have an opportunity to touch people around us,” Amanda Apodaca said.

Competition categories included jumping hurdles, hunter jumping to judge, a high jump and dressage and a ballet-style dance routine.

At 5 feet tall, Ava Apodaca jumped her personal best 4’11” in competition.

The event caught the attention of several national media outlets and will be part of an upcoming Netflix documentary about hobby horsing.

‘A PATH THAT’S FAR BETTER’

Although Ava Apodaca receives occasional negative comments on her YouTube channel, her mom encourages her to be true to herself and not think about the opinions of others.

“Many times, as parents, we want to lean in and push our children to do their best, but when you can step back and allow that drive and passion to come from within the child, it actually forges a path that’s far better than we as parents could ever dream of,” Amanda Apodaca said.

Amanda Apodaca said she sees the value of the channel and how it benefits other girls and boosts her daughter’s self-esteem.

“I think it just encourages them to keep hobby horsing. I get a lot of comments saying, ‘Ava, you encouraged me to go hobby horse outside today, like you inspired me to even hobby horse.’ So that just makes me happy,” Ava Apodaca said.

She said she enjoys riding real horses and hopes to compete in a grand prix someday.

EACH HORSE IS UNIQUE

Ava Apodaca received her first hobby horse, a special order by her mom from Finland, two years ago and now has 20. She gives each of them unique personalities and keeps them in her room. Most recently she sewed one for the first time. Completely self-taught, she mimicked the fabric and design of her existing horses.

There are no official rules to the construction of the horses, and they can be handmade or specially ordered for up to $300. Apodaca recently received a hobby horse from Ukraine that took six months to arrive.

“They usually have a bridle and accessories to make them more presentable and pretty,” Ava Apodaca said. The bridle also gives her something other than the stick to hold on to.

Her goal is to spread the word about and help people understand the hobby.

Ava Apodaca with two of her 20 hobby horses. (Photo by Brand Photo Design)

ON THE COVER: Ava Apodaca jumps with her favorite hobby horse, Popcorn. (Photo by Brand Photo Design)

Ava Apodaca, right, and other participants at the U.S. National Hobby Horse Championships Aug. 10 in Amont, Mich. (Photo by Amanda Apodaca)

Ava Apodaca makes a jump at the U.S. National Hobby Horse Championships Aug. 10 in Amont, Mich. (Photo by Amanda Apodaca)

Center’s annual gala supports education, outreach programs

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Jeffrey McDermott has watched how the Center for the Performing Arts annual gala has evolved.

“I’m one of the rare people who have been to every single gala we’ve had here,” said McDermott, who was a board member prior to assuming his role as president/CEO for Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts. The sold-out Center Celebration 2024 Presented by Ice Miller with headliner Chris Botti is set for Sept. 21 at the Palladium. The fundraising event supports the Center’s education and outreach programs. The first gala was in a huge tent on Carter Green in January 2011, the same year the Center opened.

“We then came in there for the show and it was star-studded,” McDermott said. “What I recall is the next day there was an ice storm and the tent was destroyed. Then for the next couple of years we switched to the summers and we had it in connection with the Songbook Academy (Hall of Fame induction), which was great but created a huge stress on our staff. It’s an all-hands-on-deck (event) and when we did it in connection with the Songbook Academy, we would have the Songbook Academy one night and the gala the next. While it was great fun, it became overwhelming as the Songbook (event) and the gala continued to grow.”

McDermott said there were a few years when the dinner was held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on one night and the show at the Palladium the next night.

“That worked but it was a two-night event and that’s a lot for people to commit to,” McDermott said. “We felt a onenight affair was much better. We’ve hit a nice pace now.”

McDermott said each year the staff discusses ways to make it more unique and

accommodate 250 people, so it’s ideal for wedding receptions. It’s a fun opportunity for us in rentals to sell that space.”

Adams said every department is involved in staging the gala.

“It’s a real all-hands-on-deck kind of event,” she said.

Kendra Latta, vice president of development, said the gala lays a fundraising foundation to support and raise awareness for the Center’s education and outreach missions.

‘MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET’

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “Million Dollar Quartet” runs through Oct. 6 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘RING OF FIRE’

more memorable. What has helped the event evolve is that Carmel businessman Zak Khan donated a festival floor that sits on top of the seats. McDermott said they can seat 250 people on the floor and another 150 in the various boxes at the Palladium. The first one with the festival floor was held in 2015.

“It starts with the red-carpet entrance, cocktail reception around the building, the dinner and show on the festival floor and then goes throughout the building for the after-party,” McDermott said. “That formula has worked well for the last several years.”

“We have limited seating at the gala, but it’s a big enough event with a strong enough message that we want to get it out in the community that we do more than concerts,” Latta said. “We’re a place for education and a place for gathering, and donor support makes that possible. Our education programs are growing like crazy. We offer free matinee programs for school children and for the last two years those shows have been filled to capacity by the time school starts each year.”

Actors Theatre of Indiana’s production of “Ring of Fire” runs through Sept. 29 at the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit atistage.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

“Summer Nights: The Music of Grease” is set for Sept. 19, followed by Don Farrell’s “Frank Sinatra: The Tribute” Sept. 20; Adam B. Shapiro in “Hollywood or Bust: Songs of the Silver Screen” Sept. 21; and “An Evening with Michael Feinstein” Sept. 22 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. All the performances start at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

DISPATCHES

Ramona Adams, the Center’s vice president of events, said it takes two to three days to install the floor and about the same amount of time to take it down. The floor is installed the first week of August and then is taken down when the gala is over.

It enables the Center to rent Palladium space for weddings, conferences and corporate events.

Adams said it probably takes about a dozen professional stagehands and production experts to install the floor.

“The floor has been a game-changer for us being able to hold larger scale events,” Adams said. “We don’t have room for much more than 100 until we install the festival floor in August. Then we can

Latta said the gala’s volunteer cochairs are Adam Arceneaux and Michael and Caroline Garvey. Arceneaux is the senior co-chair in his second year of a two-year commitment. The Garveys will become senior co-chairs for the 2025 gala.

“These volunteers go out and recruit a committee of volunteers,” Latta said. “They are people in the community that go to shows and work for companies that support us and maybe serve on our board of directors. We try to get 40 or 50 committee members and it’s their work and advocacy that sells the tables, gets the corporate sponsors, helps secure the auction items and they have a great input in making it a great evening people want to attend. We’re really indebted to them. They are an incredible group.”

Latta said the co-chairs are the cheerleaders of the group.

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Rising country star set for Fishers Event Center — Singer/songwriter Megan Moroney announced that her forthcoming “Am I Okay?” tour will stop April 24, 2025, at the new Fishers Event Center. Moroney, a rising country star, will headline the 25-date North American tour. Tickets are on sale at FishersEventCenter.com. Fresh off playing stadiums all summer in support of Kenny Chesney’s “Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour,” Moroney has emerged as one of country music’s most exciting live acts in recent years.

Proposals sought for New Works — Indiana-based artists and arts organizations are invited to submit proposals for New Works, a commission program in its fourth season at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. New Works promotes and sustains local artists and arts communities by supporting the creation of new works in various disciplines. The submission deadline is Sept. 20 at 11:59 p.m. For more, visit TheCenterPresents.org/NewWorks.

The Center Celebration seats about 250 people on the festival floor and another 150 in boxes. (Photo courtesy of the Center for the Performing Arts)

Adams

Latta

McDermott

CLASSIC CARS ON DISPLAY

Thousands of car enthusiasts filled the Carmel Arts & Design District streets Sept. 7 for Artomobilia. The event included an array of Indy 500 racecars, Jaguars, Corvettes, Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis, among other vehicles. (Photos by Mark Ambrogi)

SEPTEMBER 13 -29 For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Center’s Fifth Third Bank Box Ofﬁce at the Palladium, call 317.843.3800 or visit atistage.org.

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:

The Noblesville Cultural Arts Commission’s 32nd annual production of “Shakespeare in the Park,” the longest-running production in central Indiana, will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18-21 at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville, 175 Logan St. King Lear will be performed in the amphitheater and admission is free. For more, visit noblesvillearts. org/shakespeare-in-the-park.html.

ALSO CHECK OUT

MIDDLE EASTERN FESTIVAL — The 27th St. George Middle Eastern Festival will be from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 20, noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 21 and 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 22 at St George Orthodox Christian Church, 10748 E. 116th St. in Fishers. The event is a chance to enjoy Middle Eastern culture, hear live music, shop and more. For more, visit stgindy.org/st-george-festival.

The 1969 Chevelle SS 396 featured in the movie, “This Train.” A 1947 MG TC.

The 1959 Lesovsky Roadster Indy 500 pole-winning car driven by Johnny Thompson in 1959. Thompson also drove the car in 1960.

Created by RICHARD MALTBY, JR. | Conceived by WILLIAM MEADE

NIGHT & DAY

The art of gratitude

Commentary by Randy Sorrell

It really is an art, isn’t it? To recognize and practice being grateful, especially when so much junk surrounds us. Fortunately, the great stuff far outnumbers the ugly if we point our eyes in that direction.

PAINTINGS

Art has a pronounced way of doing that. Just wandering into a museum or gallery sets your mind to the good. Especially local galleries, where the artists are often there, or the curator can share intimate details of how a painting was created and the story behind it. Often, it’s a bright, compelling story of joy, hope, love and travel.

Speaking of gratitude, my wife Kim and I recently experienced an inspirational three-week art “travel-gig” of gallery hopping, art fairs and creating. I hope it’s not once-in-a-lifetime. We are intentionally lining up other opportunities for a grateful repeat!

It started when clients/friends wondered if I would be interested in providing art for their recent Colorado renovation. Of course! A quick July trip resulted in commissions that were too large to reasonably

ship. So, U-Haul “road trip” — which expanded in time to include a side jaunt to Taos, N.M., and producing creative deliverables for upcoming shows and inventory. Horrible, I know! While you may appreciate my art, you would go crazy over Kim’s gift for creating sexy, brilliant, gem-stone jewelry. Go to most social events and see her creations hanging on the most stylish women. Or she will be featured at Art On Main in Carmel starting this month.

Randy Sorrell, a Carmel artist, can be reached at 317-6792565, rsorrellart@gmail.com or rsorrellart.com.

ICC goes to the movies

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Indianapolis Children’s Choir Executive Artistic Director Joshua Pedde figures

CONCERT

Pedde

“Lights. Camera. Song.” is the perfect start to the 39th concert season.

Pedde said the movies theme is always a fun way to engage audiences since so many people have shared memories of music from movies.

There will be a free public open house from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the ICC Performing Arts Center at 9111 Allisonville Rd., Indianapolis. There will be movie screenings and free popcorn. The choir also will screen the “Trio of Minuet” children’s opera that the ICC debuted 20 years ago on WFYI.

The “Lights. Camera. Song.” concert is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 29 at the STAR Bank Performing Arts Center in Zionsville.

“We haven’t done a movie-themed concert for quite some time, and the last time

we did, it was specifically for the holidays,” said Pedde, a Carmel resident. “So, this time around, it will open up even more opportunities for performing songs from various genres and time periods.”

The concert will include songs from “The Wizard of Oz” and Disney classics.

“The singers just love the repertoire for this concert. The movies are a great way to bring everyone together,” Pedde said. “There will be hits from ‘90s Disney classics like ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘The Lion King’ and then older songs like ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’”

Pedde said the concert will include songs from other movie classics like “The King and I,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and featured music by legendary movie composer John Williams. ICC alum and professional recording vocalist Erin Benedict will be the featured guest soloist.

Tickets for the concert are $16 and can be purchased online at icchoir.org/tickets. Children age 5 and under can attend for free but require a ticket.

BOOK BY HARVEY FIERSTEIN MUSIC

Artist Randy Sorrell after hanging a painting at a client’s home. (Photo courtesy of Randy Sorrell)

MEMBER FDIC

Carmel family’s foundation works to target cancer care

By Tirzah Rowland tirzah@youarecurrent.com

Founded in 2018 by Carmel residents Tim L. and Terry Johnston, F3+R, Inc. (faith, family, fellowship and research) has raised more than $700,000 for the Timothy A. Johnston Fund for Precision Medicine Research at the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center in Indianapolis. The Johnstons want to increase the total to $1 million by the end of 2026.

GIVING BACK

“The goal of this research is to think about cancer differently,” said Amber Senseny, executive director of advancement at IUSCC. “Instead of choosing appropriate treatments based on the cancer’s location in the body, this program instead seeks to look at each patient’s cancer individually. The goal is to determine what is driving that particular cancer at that particular moment in time and match an existing drug that will be an effective treatment.”

The treatments help people with solid tumor cancers live in remission.

When their son, Tim A. Johnston of Westfield, an otherwise healthy 38-yearold husband and father, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, the Johnstons founded F3+R, so that more families could benefit from the types of treatment their son was receiving.

“Terry and I wanted to do something specific for Tim’s gene mutation,” Tim L. Johnston said. “And they asked us to do something bigger, which would not just (benefit) lung cancer research but fund precision cancer research as a holistic perspective, so it would be for any hard tumor cancer.”

The Johnstons were impressed with their son’s oncologists, Dr. Larry Einhorn and Dr. Bryan Schneider at IU Health, and their involvement in the precision genomics program at IUSCC. The doctors are part of a team that meets weekly to discuss patient treatment plans and best practices based on past research and available medications.

Under the care of Einhorn and Schneider, Tim A. Johnston’s first round of treatment gave him more than five years in remission. When his cancer came back last year, the team at IUSCC immediately knew the next targeted treatment to give him. He is

now in remission once again.

“As difficult as it is to have somebody in your family with Stage 4 cancer, learning to live with cancer and focus on life versus the cancer, that’s the way Tim lives his life. You wouldn’t know he’s got Stage 4 cancer,” Tim L. Johnston said.

In partnership with IU Health, the precision genomics program at IUSCC has treated more than 10,000 patients with solid tumor cancers since it was founded in 2013, and each case is used to further IUSCC’s research and advance treatment options.

“F3+R’s goal is to fund research that broadens the impact of the Precision Genomics Program by identifying new targets for precision drugs,” Senseny said. “The more targets that researchers can identify, the more patients they can help.”

To make a general donation, visit f3plusr. com.

UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS

Registration for the F3+R seventh annual fundraiser is underway. The two-day event will begin with a reception and live and silent auctions set for 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 22 at The Bridgewater Club, 3535 E 161st St., Westfield. The event will feature a fireside chat with oncologists Dr. Larry Einhorn and Dr. Bryan Schneider and Amber Senseny, executive director of advancement at IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. RSVP required to f3plusr@gmail.com.

Limited availability for the F3+R Sept. 23 golf outing can be reserved through f3plusr.com. This includes lunch, golf and an awards and auction social hour.

Tim L. and Terry Johnston founded F3+R to raise funds for the Timothy A. Johnston Fund for Precision Medicine Research. (Photo courtesy of F3+R)

F45 Training to celebrate reopening

By Samantha Kupiainen news@currentincarmel.com

F45 Training in Carmel’s Clay Terrace will celebrate its grand reopening under new ownership Sept. 28 and 29.

NEW OWNERSHIP

Andrew and Beth Thomas and Brian and Heather Matthews purchased the group workout facility after hearing the previous owners were planning to close it. Both couples are passionate about fitness and regularly attended F45 classes before the purchase.

“I basically go every day at 6:15 a.m.,” Brian Matthews said. “There was a lot of talk that the owners had talked about possibly selling it. As a member, I said to myself, ‘Well, if he closes the door, where the heck am I going to go?’ So, we got together and talked about buying it.”

The new owners took over Aug. 1 and are splitting responsibilities in running the studio. The Thomases handle the backend work remotely because they recently relocated to Seattle, while the Matthews remain in the area and will be on-site as needed. They’ve hired a studio manager,

Sydney Berger, who was a coach at the studio before ownership changed.

F45 Training will continue to offer high-intensity workouts, but some features and equipment are changing.

The grand reopening celebration is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 and noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 at 14300 Clay Terrace Blvd., Suite 120. Attendees can tour the studio, enjoy live music and giveaways, and sign up for a Founder’s Rate membership, which is $139 per month for a 12-month commitment.

Learn more at f45training.com/studio/ carmelclayterrace.

Heather and Brian Matthews Andrew and Beth Thomas

COME BY OUR SHOWROOM

Come

Beverage company Swig to open two shops in area

By Samantha Kupiainen news@currentincarmel.com

Utah-based beverage company Swig is expanding into Indiana and has announced plans for two new locations in the Indianapolis area.

COMING SOON

The first will be in Indianapolis at 96th and Meridian streets just south of Carmel. The second will be on Noggle Way near Emerson Ave. in Greenwood.

Each shop will be about 1,400 square feet.

Swig’s Indianapolis shop is set to open in October. An exact date hasn’t been determined. The Greenwood shop is expected to have a grand opening later this month. A soft opening was expected earlier in the month.

Swig was founded in 2010. Customers can personalize beverages with unique flavorings and add-ons. It’s signature beverage is its Dirty Soda, a nonalcoholic drink made of soda, cream and flavored syrups or fruit juices.

“The demographics are what we look at,” said Randy Hallam, one of four co-owners of Swig’s Indiana shops. “We look at everything. You look at the amount of traffic, you look at the visibility from the street, you look at median incomes, you look at

housing values. A whole bunch of demographics go into a location.”

Both Indiana Swig franchises are under the ownership of Hallam, Daron Leblanc, Quinton Leblanc and Gavin Rundell.

“We were looking at places that Swig had available to purchase as a franchise, and Indianapolis ranked the highest as far as soda consumption, so we picked Indianapolis,” Hallam said.

According to World Population Review, Indiana ranks 20th in the U.S. among states with the highest soda consumption. Swig Drinks has a variety of menu items, including revivers, refreshers, hot chocolate, cookies and pretzel bites.

Not including Indiana, Swig has 64 shops in seven states.

DISPATCHES

Murphy

City hires HR director — The City of Carmel has hired Nicole Murphy as human resources director. She will oversee talent management, compensation and benefits, training and development, as well as compliance and workplace safety. Murphy previously served in human resources leadership roles in banking, higher education and technology, as well as with the cities of Lawrence and Bedford. Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Evansville and a master’s in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She began the new role Sept. 16.

Fast-growing local company — Carmel-based Flint Analytics, a digital marketing firm for multi-location companies, has been

ranked 3,011 in the Inc. 5000 — a listing of the fastest-growing and most innovative companies in the nation. Flint ranked 33rd in Indiana. The company aims to help businesses develop effective, targeted marketing campaigns by using data that is specific to the region. Learn more at FlintAnalytics.com.

InvestED launches — Invest Hamilton County has launched a new initiative, InvestEd, focused on work-based-learning experiences for K-12 students throughout Hamilton County. Invest Hamilton County’s role primarily focuses on the employer connections necessary to facilitate the more than 1,000 high school WBL experiences projected for this fall between the six local school districts. Other local partners include the OneZone, Westfield and Noblesville Chambers of Commerce. Learn more at investhamiltoncounty.com/initiatives/invested.

Swig will soon open at 96th and Meridian Streets just south of Carmel. (Photo by Samantha Kupiainen)

The future is in good hands

Commentary by Jeff Worrell

I have often said that when it comes to civility, “Our children are watching and paying attention to how we treat each other.”

CIVILITY

But maybe it should be the other way around. I recently attended a meeting of the Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council and found local high school students eagerly promoting and practicing civility, especially during their most recent election of officers.

Senior Salema Sher ran as a first-time candidate for a vice president position. Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful, but I was captivated by her perspective.

“This is my fourth year on council, and I have seen many elections where when it is over, winners and losers are shaking hands and congratulating each other,” Sher said. “Of course, I didn’t feel great, but realizing El-

len Rozmaryn is very capable and will do a great job helped me deal with the loss.”

Nora Mariano, a senior, knows what it feels like to be on the losing side, but it did not deter her from running again and this time, winning. She credits a sense of civility for making it easier to try again.

“I ran against my friend, Aidan Hartman, and even after I beat him, that same day he gave me a ride home as if nothing was different,” Mariano said. “Now we are co-managers of bike parking at the Carmel Farmers Market and still good friends. Civility is the norm at CMYC.”

The examples set by these young leaders show us all the promise of civility. We are in good hands.

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

Editor,

READERS’ VIEWS

Time to choose person over party

The citizens of our community have a unique opportunity in the coming election to elect a truly bipartisan public servant for the Indiana Statehouse. As we near election day we must ask ourselves, do we continue to vote along party lines, or do we support candidates who truly put our community ahead of themselves?

As a Republican, I have volunteered, supported and raised money for several of our current Republican elected officials. Over the past years that I have served with (Democrat) Matt McNally in the Veterans of Foreign Wars here in Carmel, I have seen nothing but selfless dedication to our community.

Matt is not a politician; he is a public servant and a patriotic American.

This is the reason why I started “Republicans for McNally,” a group of community leaders, veterans, business owners and citizens who believe it is time to look past party lines and choose the best person for the job.

Matt McNally has proven his dedication to the people of our community, working to reduce veteran suicide, volunteering with the Carmel Police Citizens Alliance and testifying at the statehouse

As we near election day we must ask ourselves, do we continue to vote along party lines, or do we support candidates who truly put our community ahead of themselves?

– DARIN BIBEAU

on bills that support our veterans and improve breast cancer screenings for Hoosier women. He listens to everyone, regardless of party, and always puts the best interests of our city ahead of himself.

Matt is also a veteran who served our country for 22 years, including service in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he is still serving veterans as the senior vice commander of our VFW post here in Carmel. Matt McNally knows the importance of freedom and I know he will fight for us here, in Indiana. I am proud to support Matt McNally for state representative for House District 39. It is time to choose person over party.

Darin Bibeau, Carmel

Scale of star ratings

Commentary by Terry Anker

In a time when most of our interactions are impersonal, electronic exchanges, how do we communicate satisfaction, or not? “Thank you for your recent purchase,” so begins the message, “please take a few minutes to give us feedback on your items.” Where in a restaurant the server is gauging us along the way, web portals and phone applications are little more interactive than a blank sheet of paper. As such, those who do business through the internet are left to take our temperature via survey. In many cases, the companies, governments, nonprofits and others engage professional pollsters to determine the quality of these remote interactions. “Was the interface easy to use (please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest)?” It is good to seek evaluation from those we encounter. How might our lives be different if each element of our day was divided into discrete and

Needs Improvement?” Or we might query, “On a scale of 1 to 5, did the conversation about staying out past curfew meet expectations?” Hopefully, we are already pursuing insight into how those around us perceive our time spent with them. Are we honest? Respectful? Consistent? Like in the digital world, our invitation to critique must be sincere. Are the inquiries specific enough for real insight or so general as to prevent honest exchange? Is the assessment manipulative or tracking legitimate improvement? Can we like the customer service representative but dislike the customer service? Can we be satisfied by a process but dissatisfied with an outcome? How many one-star ratings would we get if our children, spouses or co-workers were encouraged to evaluate us while in conflict? Do we then give-in to keep our average up?

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

Running around on my wife

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

I feel compelled to take a certain number of steps daily. I did a lot of research on the optimum number for a guy my age. But the chart I was referring to asked, “Born in 1950 or before? Please consult a doctor before making a move.” I could have made it easy on myself. You know, maybe 1,000 a day — 1,500 at most. But on my smartphone, I clicked 15,000 by mistake. Now, I was stuck. I never go back on my own words. And I wouldn’t have been able to reset the app if I wanted to.

HUMOR

I don’t have time to reach my daily goal. I’m not a runner, I’m a lumberer. I wave to the people in wheelchairs, folks with canes and women pushing babes in carriages as they zoom past me.

Recently, I started running in my basement at night to get in more steps. I dash around the ping-pong table, negotiate the couch, creep along the wall where the TV sits, and then circle around the treadmill. Why aren’t I using that to exercise? The answer is simple: I’m not an exercise nut. Who goes on a treadmill at 11 at night?

The late-night dash was not helping me accomplish my goal. First, I started to get very bored with my basement routine. True, I did see a few photos and paintings I had never noticed before. I also discovered a half bath in what I thought was an extra closet.

Then, I had a great idea. I decided to begin trotting around the neighborhood at precisely midnight. You see, my walking app automatically resets to zero at midnight, so that is my first opportunity to get a jump on the next day’s steps.

My wife Mary Ellen forbade me from doing it. I got away with this a few times by constantly checking to see that she was fast asleep before I snuck out.

Then, after I rounded our neighborhood, I saw a woman in our driveway. It was

Mary Ellen in her nightgown, but she also wore a very angry face. She had apparently awakened to find me missing and realized what I was doing. Yes, she had caught me running around on her.

She rightly told me in no uncertain terms how dangerous my behavior was. I wanted to deny I had done this, but not only had I been caught red-footed, but several neighbors had video of me on their ring doorbell.

I have promised never to do this stupid thing again. First, it’s really dangerous. Second, standing in our driveway every night at 1 a.m. in her nightgown could blemish my wife’s untarnished reputation.

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

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

Docket No. PZ-2024-00138 SE

Notice is hereby given that the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing Officer meeting on the 28th if October, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. in the Carmel City Hall Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 1 Civic Square, Carmel, Indiana 46032, will hold a Public Hearing upon a Special Exception application to: Seeking for Short Term Rental Special Exception Approval on the property being known as: 2525 E Smoky Row, Carmel, IN 46032. The application is identified as Docket No. PZ-2024-00138 SE

The real estate affected by said application is described as follows: Acreage 2.07 Section 30, Township 18, Range 4 17-10-30-00-00-010.001 29-10-30-000-010.001-01

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.

Mark Nathaniel Custer

PETITIONERS

STATE OF INDIANA IN THE HAMILTON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT COUNTY OF Hamilton CASE NO. 29C01-2408-MI-8926

IN RE THE NAME CHANGE OF MINOR:

Ngalia Tatefua Jason

Name of Minor

Terence Tatefua Petitioner

NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Notice is hereby given that Petitioner, Terence Tatefua, as a self-represented litigant, filed a Verified Petition for Change of Name on August 16, 2024 to change the name of Ngalia Tatefua Jason to Jason Ngalia Tatefua The Petition is schedule for hearing in the Hamilton County Circuit Court on December 16, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. which is more than thirty (30) days after the third notice ofpublication. Any person has the right to appear at the hearing and to file written objections on or before the hearing date. August 16, 2024 Kathy Kreag Williams Date Clerk, Hamitlon County Circuit Court

Blueprint for Improvement: Cosmopolitan Carmel kitchen

Commentary by Larry Greene

Talk about a transformation! Our clients were determined to make a statement with their downtown Carmel kitchen and our team embraced the challenge. We took their builder-basic space and meticulously reimagined it into a sleek, sophisticated culinary haven that masterfully captures their bold vision.

THE BLUEPRINT

• A stunning gold brushstroke tile, arranged in an artistic pattern, sets the tone, making a bold and sophisticated statement.

• Dark acrylic cabinets are the perfect contrast to the light backsplash and appliances, adding just the right amount of depth and drama.

• A new peninsula, featuring a custom-designed curved corbel, artistically bridges the space between the kitchen and living room.

• A circular light fixture, ombré faucet and appliances with metallic accents add a touch of modern glamour.

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.

Sunday, October 6

12:30-4pm Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center (the Colts practice facility)

Join us for an upgraded watch party experience of the Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars away game! Enjoy tailgate food, an open bar, bounce houses for kids and more, all while supporting survivors of domestic abuse.

Learn more at morethanaphone.org.