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OneZone recently was awarded two Indiana Chamber Executives Association awards.
(Photo courtesy of OneZone)
news@currentinfishers.com
The OneZone Chamber of Commerce announced in late June that it received two state awards for excellence from the Indiana Chamber Executives Association annual awards program.
Recognized for its commitment to fostering economic growth and supporting local businesses, the OneZone Chamber was honored for its work on the On the Menu and OneZone Voice.
According to OneZone, On the Menu was created late 2022. This series offers a more affordable gathering option for members while providing presentations about topics chosen by the membership through a vote.
OneZone Voice was created in January of 2023. According to OneZone, the site provides information about area elected officials at a local, county and state level, the chamber’s policy efforts at the statehouse, a questionnaire for the upcoming general election, a new blog called The Advocate, and ways members can contact OneZone or submit questions or concerns. Visit onezonevoice.com to learn more.
Jack Russell, president of the OneZone Chamber of Commerce, expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
“These awards are a testament to the hard work, dedication and collaboration of our entire chamber team, our Board of Directors and our committed members,” he said. “We are immensely proud of the positive impact we have made in our community, and these awards further motivate us to continue our mission of helping businesses and communities thrive.”
ICEA’s 2023 awards program recognized 10 chambers of commerce throughout the state. For more, visit iceaonline.com.
By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com
The first newsletter for Hamilton County’s chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national conservative organization, received a lot of attention because of a quote from Adolf Hitler at the top of the first page.
The first draft of the newsletter, released June 21, had only the quote, “He alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future,” attributed to the Nazi leader, with no explanation of why it was included.
State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, responded that night on Twitter.
“It was brought to my attention that a special interest group of Hamilton County has been using quotes authored by Hitler. Let me be very clear. Hate has no place in Hamilton County or anywhere in Indiana,” she wrote. “By definition liberty means the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions, Hitler believed in the opposite of liberty. And if you were looking for a quote regarding youth, here is a better one, ‘The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.’”
Jocelyn Vare, a Fishers City Councilmember, also posted about the newsletter June 21 on Twitter.
“To the local members of Moms For Liberty, our neighbors, I say this: Your Hitler rally cry is repulsive,” she wrote. “Our community will not be undone by your poison.”
A later draft of the newsletter posted on the group’s Facebook page included this explanation: “The quote from a horrific leader should put parents on alert. If the government has control over our children today, they control our country’s future. We The People must be vigilant and protect children from an overreaching government.”
Hamilton County Chapter Chair Paige Miller responded via text to a request for comment.
“We condemn Adolf Hitler’s actions and his dark place in human history,” she said. “We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and we express our deepest apology.”
Moms for Liberty recently was listed as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to the SPLC. “Moms for Liberty is a far-right organization that engages in anti-student inclusion activities
and self-identifies as part of the modern parental rights movement. The group grew out of opposition to public health regulations for COVID-19, opposes LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive school curriculum, and has advocated books bans.”
In its newsletter, the Hamilton County chapter includes a response to the SPLC from the national organization’s founders, Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich.
“Name-calling parents who want to be a part of their child’s education as ‘hate groups’ or ‘bigoted’ just further exposes what this battle is all about: Who fundamentally gets to decide what is taught to our kids in school — parents or government employees?” they state.
Also in the Hamilton County chapter’s newsletter is a list of “parent wins.” They include:
• A new policy at Hamilton East Public Library that requires all books in the youth sections to be reviewed, and books containing certain topics be moved to the adult section.
• The passage of HB1447, which establishes a set of rules regarding school library materials that will allow any community member to ask for specific items to be removed from the shelves and requires schools to publish a catalog of library books.
• The passage of HB 1608, which prohibits instruction on human sexuality in kindergarten through third grade and requires schools to notify a parent if a student wants to change their name or pronoun.
• More stringent rules related to student surveys conducted by the national organization Panorama.
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The Fishers Fire Department had a busy evening June 22, responding to a boat fire on Geist Reservoir that injured four people, and an apartment-building fire on Old Oak Drive that left nine people temporarily without a home.
According to the FFD Facebook page, the first incident was the boat fire on Geist Reservoir, which was reported at about 5:30 p.m.
“A family took their boat onto Geist Reservoir and shortly after had to jump from the boat due to flames coming from the engine,” the fire department states. “A nearby boat saw what was happening and was able to rescue the four victims who had minor injuries.”
The Fishers public safety boat arrived soon afterwards with firefighters on board to extinguish the flames, and the damaged boat was towed to shore. The boat temporarily reignited because of fuel sparked by a heat source. Fire department personnel are working with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to investigate the fire and to monitor the area for any environmental or safety concerns.
The structure fire was reported at about 8 p.m. June 22. According to a separate FFD Facebook post, the fire at Britton Woods Apartments was extinguished quickly, but the damaged structure left nine people displaced.
“The apartment complex and staff were quickly on hand to assist displaced residents into other locations,” the department stated.
An investigation into the cause of the structure fire is underway.
A new “Greetings from Fishers” mural was revealed during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Nickel Plate District June 21.
The mural, hand-painted by siblings Corey and Casey Wilkinson, is at 8684 E 116th St. It pays tribute to the City of Fishers, with small details representing the city’s past and present.
“If you look back at (Fishers) history, we have a lot of history with agriculture and farming,” said Casey Wilkinson, referring to the barn detail in the mural’s bottom right. “That also kind of represents Fishers’ commitment to teaching and learning with their 33-acre AgriPark that is fairly new and one of the biggest urban farms in the country.”
The muralists’ favorite part of the painting is the great blue heron at the bottom right. Casey Wilkinson said the brothers named the bird Fraunk after the noise herons make.
Casey Wilkinson said he and his brother drew inspiration from old travel postcards to create the mural. To actually get the painting on the wall, the siblings said they created a graphic design and then traced the projected image on the wall.
CRG Residential founder/CEO Christopher Reid and his family privately funded the creation of the mural on the historic building his company renovated.
“As longtime residents of Fishers, our family was excited to support this mural project, which will become a gathering point or Instagram-moment for all to enjoy,”
Reid stated in a news release. “It was important to us to work with muralists who shared our vision showcasing the history of Fishers while also looking forward to the city remaining a top-rated community in the U.S.”
Casey Wilkinson said he would like people to know that public art makes a difference.
“Supporting local artists, it has (a return on interest) that’s hard to measure,” Casey Wilkinson said. “But what we wanted to do was create something that would cause people to gather, smile (and) share experiences. But local artists can’t do that unless we have people supporting it like the Reid family.”
For more about the “Greetings from Fishers” mural, visit fishersmural.com.
Hamilton Southeastern Schools looking for HSEngaged members — Applications are open through July 5 for HSEngaged, a program designed to give participants a deeper understanding of the inner workings of HSE Schools. For the upcoming school year, applications are due by noon on July 5. Participants commit to attending monthly meetings from August through April held at various schools. They will learn about all facets of the district including business management, academic programs, student services and operations. To learn more about HSEngaged, to apply and to view the meeting schedule, visit hseschools.org/
happenings/hsengaged. All applicants will be notified by mid-July of their status.
July Eggs & Issues features Rachel Kartz —
The monthly Eggs & Issues series welcomes Rachel Kartz as the July presenter. Eggs & Issues is a monthly morning program with presenters and topics that make an impact in Hamilton County. Kartz serves Ivy Tech Hamilton County as interim Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This event will be at Chatham Hills on July 14 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Registration is required by noon July 7. Reservations can be made at onezonechamber.com or 317.436.4653.
Hey there, folks! Take a good look at this zoomed-in image we’ve snagged from a spot in Fishers. We want you to channel your inner Sherlock and head over to youarecurrent.com/mysterysnapshot to submit your best guess about where this photo was taken. Ready for the challenge? Check back next week for the answer.
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Northwest Bank celebrated the grand opening of its new regional hub in Fishers June 26.
EXPERIENCE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Live music throughout the district PLAY BINGO for a chance to win $250 gift basket!
COMMUNITY ART ACTIVITY
NEW EXHIBITS AND FEATURES IN DISTRICT GALLERIES
The Children’s Art Gallery 40 W. Main St.
Art on Main Gallery and Gifts 111 W. Main St., Suite 140
CCA Gallery 111 W. Main St., Suite 135
EXPANSION
Located in the Ellipse Building at 11 Municipal Dr., Northwest’s new facility will offer a variety of banking services to meet client needs in commercial, business, mortgage and community and lending, according to an announcement from Northwest. The office will also be the home to the bank’s regional treasury management, trust and private banking teams.
“The expansion marks an important milestone for Northwest as it strengthens its presence and commitment to supporting the growing demand for commercial and business banking services within the Central Indiana region,” the announcement states.
Northwest Bank first entered the Indiana market in April 2020, when it merged with MutualBank. It now has more than 270 regional employees. The new Fishers hub will be the home office for 30 employees.
Northwest Bank Indiana Region President Jennifer Gibson will lead the team in the new office, along with banking executives within their growing commercial and business banking services sectors.
“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new regional hub and business office in Fishers,” Gibson stated.
During the grand opening ceremony, a check for $1,000 was presented on behalf of Northwest to Outside the Box, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For more, visit northwest.bank.
Nancy Keating of Mosaic Gardens and Carmel Art on Main Gallery and Gifts will host a chip in Community Mosaic at Anthony’s Plaza (201 W. Main St.). You can start “chipping in” at 4 p.m.
Circle Contemporary Art Gallery 30 W. Main St.
Indiana Artisan Gifts & Gallery 22 N Range Line Rd.
Kuaba Gallery 404 W. Main St.
Soori Gallery 33 E. Main St.
The Art Studio of Carmel 30 N. Range Line Rd.
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126 East Main St. 317-846-8923
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FISHERS
Project: 146th and Allisonville Interchange
Location: Phase 2A traffic restrictions are in place, which eliminate left turn movements from 146th Street onto Allisonville Road and reopen to two through lanes on eastbound and westbound 146th Street. Sowers Drive, Wellington Court and Kensington Drive will be closed at 146th Street during this phase. Increased utility relocation activity is expected along Allisonville Road south of 146th Street. Flaggers will be present when lane or shoulder restrictions are necessary. Construction crews will be working to complete the connection of Sowers Drive to Allisonville Road. Saville Road will be closed at 146th Street for construction crews to construct the new frontage road and Saville Road access at 146th Street.The worksite speed limit will be 35 mph.
Expected completion: The entire project is set for completion in summer 2025
Project: 106th Street and Allisonville
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Location: A sanitary sewer project is taking place at Metro Airport at 106th Street and Allisonville Road. There are times where lane restrictions may be in place on Allisonville Road.
Expected completion: TBD
Project: 106th Street & Kincaid Drive
Location: Phase 1 started June 5 for construction of a new concrete median on 106th Street and to modify Kincaid Drive to a right-in-right-out entrance. During this phase, access to Kincaid Drive from 106th Street will be restricted. The detour shall use Lantern Road to Sunlight Drive. Phase 1 is anticipated to be completed by July 7. Phase 2 is expected to start July 10. During that phase, lane restrictions will be in place on 106th Street, and both roundabouts at 106th and I-69, and 106th and Lantern Road will be converted into a single lane. This phase is anticipated to be completed by July 28.
Expected completion: August
Project: Ind. 37 Improvement Project Location: Ind. 37 and 141st Street. A pre-construction phase is in place. During this phase, 141st Street will have a temporary right-in-right-out traffic configuration.
Expected completion: The full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted in the summer of 2023.
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Six deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in providing lifesaving care to their supervisor who experienced a medical emergency last month.
Hamilton County Sheriff Chief Deputy Maj. John Lowes said the patrol division Nights B Squad was having a roll call meeting when Lt. Brian Niec, who collapsed and went into cardiac arrest just before 1 a.m. May 4, was provided lifesaving care by deputies Tyler Abbitt, Eddie Hansen, Daniel Wallace, Ryan McClain, Skyler Moe and Jared Wilcox. They used CPR and an AED device to save Niec’s life while colleagues radioed dispatch and continued to monitor Niec’s condition until the Noblesville Fire Department arrived, Lowes said.
“These deputies relied on their training and provided effective lifesaving care during an extremely stressful incident,” Lowes said.
Abbitt, Hansen, Wallace, McClain, Moe and Wilcox all received lifesaving awards from the department during a brief surprise ceremony, where Niec thanked his colleagues for their efforts.
“None of you guys knew why you were coming here,” Niec said.
Niec, 42, said “it means the world” to him that his colleagues stepped up to save his life. Niec, however, said the action of the deputies was no different than what a police officer does on a normal basis.
“The fact that they’re getting some recognition is great, but let’s not go unnoticed that there’s police officers doing great things every single day, day in and day out,” Niec said.
McClain, a sergeant at the sheriff’s office, said Niec was discussing shift information with his employees when he suddenly collapsed on the floor in front of them and went into cardiac arrest.
“Our training and experience told us that he needed some sort of airway as well as CPR and an AED,” McClain said. “We jumped into action.”
McClain said Niec was originally supposed to be somewhere else at the time of the incident, but said their original planned meeting kept getting pushed back because of the number of calls that were coming in.
“It allowed us all to be together and save
Six deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were recently recognized for providing life-saving care to their supervisor, Lt. Brian Niec, who experienced a medical emergency last month. From left, Tyler Abbitt, Eddie Hansen, Daniel Wallace, Niec, Ryan McClain, Skyler Moe and Jared Wilcox. (Photo courtesy of Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office)
him,” McClain said.
McClain, who has been with the department since 2016, said in many cases, deputies provide lifesaving care in the field as part of their job and often never see the person they saved afterward.
“We hope that our actions did some good and the efforts we put in that night is something I’ll never be able to put into words,” McClain said.
McClain said employees who work the same shift share a sense of camaraderie, noting that he and Niec both have young children at home.
Lowes said the incident involving Niec was a difficult moment for him. Lowes was out of town when it happened, and said he was relieved that the deputies stepped up to help by relying on their experience and training.
“They do it every day, but when it’s one of your own, it does get personal and it does bring some emotions, but I’m really proud that they were able to do what they needed to do to save his life,” Lowes said.
Niec, who has been with the sheriff’s office for 20 years, said “everyone was in the right place at the right time” at the time of the incident. He expressed his gratitude for the six deputies and their efforts to save his life.
“I love them and appreciate them, and I try to convey it every single time I talk to them,” Niec said. “I’m not surprised, and I work with the best guys on my squad, they’re all-stars. They would do the same thing for anybody as they did for me. And the fact that it happened at the time when it happened is you can look at it one of two ways: Either a thousand things had to go right in order for me to be there or there’s one God who put us there in the right place at the right time.”
In a large room next to the dog kennels at the Humane Society for Hamilton County’s facility in Fishers, about a half-dozen very happy shelter dogs get to spend some time outside of their kennels and interact with young people.
Kids and dogs working together — it’s a great combination of energy and enthusiasm, leading to positive results for members of both species. That’s the goal of the youth-canine program, led by Indianapolis-based nonprofit Paws & Think.
Ashleigh Coster is executive director of Paws & Think. She said the program brings young people into the shelter to connect with dogs that need a little training.
“The idea is that at the end of the one-week program, the dogs are more adoptable because they know their commands a little bit more,” she said. “But it’s also a chance to connect with young people and give them an opportunity to have a unique connection.”
Coster said many of the youths in the program face challenges, such as anxiety or depression. They partner not only with the shelter, but with the Fishers Youth Assistance Program to find kids and dogs who will benefit most from the interaction.
“Essentially, it’s a weeklong program,” she said. “Youth are here every day for about an hour. They are learning positive-reinforcement training techniques to help the dogs learn a lot of basic commands. The whole goal of the program is, one, for young people to connect and have a unique human-animal connection, but also to help make sure that the dogs are more adoptable towards the end of the week.”
A new week leads to a new set of kids and dogs.
The kids work with adult coaches who understand positive-reinforcement training, and help the young trainers learn how to teach the dogs.
“They’re able to help redirect as needed. They’re there for, obviously, safety measures as well,” Coster said. “But they can really help the young people that may be struggling teaching a certain command — they can help them with different ideas on ways to maybe get connected to that dog in a different way.”
And in the process, everyone is having a lot of fun. The kids get all the unconditional love that dogs can give — plus plenty of dog kisses — and the dogs get attention, interaction and activity that helps alleviate the boredom of shelter life.
Lilly Pesavento is the community engagement manager for Humane Society for Hamilton County. She said the youth-canine program is a fantastic opportunity for the shelter dogs.
“When you think about it, these are dogs that are kept in a cage day in and day out, people walking by them all the time,” she said. “This is an opportunity for them to feel wanted, for them to feel loved, for them to feel like they have a purpose, because so many of these dogs, they just want to learn. They just want that human connection.”
Learning basic commands does make them more adopt-
able, she said, but the program also gives them a purpose while they’re in the shelter waiting for a new home. Pesavento said the shelter selects dogs for the program that are friendly with kids, men and women, and have been in the shelter the longest.
“Right now, we have two pit bulls that are in the program, and pit bulls are very hard to get adopted,” she said. “That’s very unfortunate because of the stigma of their breed. So this is also teaching young people that pit bulls are nothing to be afraid of. They’re not scary dogs, they’re not violent dogs, they can be trained, they’re very smart, they’re very attentive, they’re very gentle, and that’s a great part of the program is showing them this side of pit bulls.”
One of the pit bull mixes, Radio, was very happily learning new tricks from youth trainer Hannah Bachmann. She said she has an akita at home, and that’s another breed that people stigmatize.
“A lot of people see her, and they cross to the other side of the street,” Bachmann said. “And it makes us really sad because she’s such a sweetheart, and she loves other people. And I don’t want these shelter dogs to have the same experience that my dog has. I don’t want these shelter dogs to have people cross the street when they see them walking by.”
Bachmann, a senior at Hamilton Southeastern High School,
said she also picked up new skills through the program. She’s learned to be more patient with dogs, how to not reward bad behaviors, and more about dog body language.
Coster said Paws & Think also hosts “Pawsitive Corrections,” a similar program that brings shelter dogs to the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center for a week of training and connections with disadvantaged youth.
For more about Paws & Think, visit pawsandthink.org. To see adoptable pets at the Humane Society for Hamilton County, visit hamiltonhumane.com.
Positive reinforcement is a dog-training method that uses rewards — such as treats, a favorite toy or praise — to encourage desired behaviors.
According to the Humane Society of the United States website, correct timing is essential for effective positive reinforcement training.
“The reward must occur immediately (within seconds) of the desired behavior, or your pet may not associate it with the proper action,” the website states. “For example, if you have your dog sit but reward them after they’ve stood back up, they’ll think they’re being rewarded for standing.”
Verbal commands need to be short and uncomplicated.
“In fact, dogs learn first from our body language, so first work on encouraging your dog into a ‘sit’ or ‘down’ before asking them with a word,” according to the website. “Holding a toy or treat, slowly move your hand over and slightly behind your dog’s head so that they have to sit to look up and view it. When your dog is sitting, you can lure them into a down position by slowly lowering your hand and bringing the reward close to the ground between their front paws. Once your dog is performing the behavior consistently, start adding the word ‘sit’ or ‘down’ in a calm voice and try not to repeat the word.”
Once a dog has learned a behavior, you can slowly wean them off the treat reward until they perform the behavior without a treat.
The website notes that consistency is important, so everyone in a household should use the same commands when training a dog. Treats for training should be tempting, small — about the size of a pea — and easy for the dog to eat quickly. If a dog isn’t treat-motivated, rewards can be a favorite toy, praise or playtime.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is working fervently to reverse a disturbing trend in our state — and in most states — that the rate of high school graduates who matriculate to higher education is continuing a downward slide. In Indiana, the five-year trend delivered another one-half percentage point drop this year. Included in the work being undertaken are programs to ensure that rising high school seniors navigate the federal and university bureaucracy to obtain at least three “pre-admission” letters before graduation. Anything to reduce barriers might help with the problem.
We know that training is required for higher-paying, higher-demand jobs. We know that Hoosiers who are properly credentialed almost always financially outperform their counterparts who do not achieve the degree. If so, how is it that folks are moving against their own best interest? Countless reasons might be included if we were to list the gap. Increasing costs, feelings of exclusion, lack of K-12 preparedness, or concern about aligning one’s interests with employment all might
make the agenda. But we also know that family support — really, the support of anyone — highly correlates with success in education. Are families failing to encourage kids to learn? Studies indicate that some are. Do we hate our children? Do we hate universities? There may be some of both. First-generation or underrepresented kids might see such change through education that they are fundamentally transformed. Where they live, what they think, how they entertain themselves, and what they eat — all differentiate them from their roots. Is it possible to imagine that a parent who discourages higher education loves her offspring so much that she couldn’t bear the changes it might bring? If we dreamed of lives with children and grandchildren close to us, does encouraging education require us to give up our anticipated future for theirs?
Terry Anker is an associate editor of Current Publishing, LLC. You may email him at terry@youarecurrent.com.
Friends, I recently spent three hours in a Delta Sky Lounge, and as Billy Crystal used to say, “It was mahvelous!”
me were future heirs to a ketchup empire. Does the name Heinz ring a bell?
fallen out of bed. This awakened Mary Ellen.
“That’s so sweet of you to sleep there. Now you won’t be kicking me.”
It was our 43rd anniversary and I decided to take Mary Ellen to a local art show and stay downtown in this quaint bed and breakfast. My wife loves B&Bs, so I was sure she would enjoy the evening.
The owner offered to take us on a short tour of the historic building. It was quaint and rustic, and we were within walking distance of where we planned to have our dinner. All was perfect … until we saw the bed. It was not a king-size bed. It was not a queen-size bed. It was a double bed. The kind of bed many people sleep in … alone.
“Do you like the room?” the proprietor said.
“I love it,” my wife, said, “but where is my husband going to sleep?”
The woman looked at me and smiled.
“This is your romantic anniversary. I’m sure you will make it work.”
“Even on our honeymoon, this wouldn’t have worked,” my wife said.
“I am not sleeping here. I fell out of bed.”
“That’s terrible. Maybe you should sleep in the middle.”
“It’s a double bed. There is no middle when there are two people. Let’s go back to sleep.”
At 4 a.m., I fell out again, pulling the pillow off with me. Seeing me on the floor, Mary Ellen got out of bed and lovingly placed a blanket over me. And there I slept — tossing, turning, snoring.
“I have a few sleep issues. I snore. I move around constantly, tossing and turning, flipping and flopping. People tell my wife she looks incredible for a woman in her early 70s. I say she’s only 40, but this is what happens when you’ve been sleep-deprived your entire marriage.”
– DICK WOLFSIEIn the morning, the lady at the desk was curious.
“Some of the folks staying at the inn heard loud noises at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Are you OK? I hope you guys didn’t have a falling out.”
“I’m fine,” Mary Ellen said. “It was only my husband who was falling out.”
We shared our adventure at the B&B with one of our friends. We told Cathy we enjoyed our stay and that next year we would return, but we were going to make different arrangements.
I filled a plate from a breakfast buffet that included — but was not limited to — Southern grits, link sausages and adorable little pain au chocolat, and then later restocked with lunch nibblies that may have involved a spicy capicola that would have made Tony Soprano weep with gratitude. I sipped two decaf lattes while alternating between online solitaire and Season 17 of “Grey’s Anatomy,” and I delighted in silently creating backstories for my fellow fancy passengers. One guy was definitely CIA, probably on his way to Prague or Moscow or some other former Cold War chic city to chase bad guys and jump rooftops. Another was the CEO of a successful tech startup who’d been visiting her dying grandfather in Savannah to thank him for always believing in her, and I feel confident that the young family next to
Technically, I could have enjoyed the aforementioned activities with the “regular folks” in the main terminal, but of course, it feels better in the lounge. Plus, I didn’t have to drag my luggage into the bathroom stall; I just left it at my semi-private “booth.” Most importantly, all the food and booze was complimentary. No debating whether the $18 mimosa or $20 burger is worth it. It is. Because it’s free!
So, now that I know the secret layover perks of the travel elite, how will I ever fly comfortably again? I won’t. Because it was mahvelous.
Peace out.
Here’s why: I have a few sleep issues. I snore. I move around constantly, tossing and turning, flipping and flopping. People tell my wife she looks incredible for a woman in her early 70s. I say she’s only 40, but this is what happens when you’ve been sleep-deprived your entire marriage.
After dinner, we headed back to the B&B and prepared to turn in.
“Which side of the bed should I take?” I asked my wife.
“Underneath would probably be the best option.”
At about 2 a.m., I was having a very scary dream, and next thing I knew I had
“Are you going to ask for two separate beds?” Cathy said.
“No,” Mary Ellen said. “Two separate rooms.”
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Mike and Kimann Schultz are true arts lovers.
‘BEAUTY & THE BEAST’
“Beauty & the Beast” runs through July 9 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.
FEINSTEIN’S CABARET
“The way we met was writing songs together, so music has always been a part of our lives,” said Mike, who was working for a radio station in Madison, Wis., at that time. “It’s our love of music and the opera art form that is the main reason we are passionate about the Indianapolis Opera. I love all forms of music and all forms of creative expression.”
Kimann, an author, lyricist and illustrator, is the chair for Lobster Palooza. The Indianapolis Opera fundraiser is set for 6 to 10 p.m. July 15 at the Basile Opera Center, 4011 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.
Kimann and Mike are Indianapolis Opera board members. Mike, an attorney with Parr Richey, is in his third one-year term as president. Kimann and Mike, who live in Lawrence Township in the Geist area, were co-chairs of the Opera Ball a few years ago.
Mike is a member of Invisible Ray, which will perform at Lobster Palooza, a New England-style lobster boil dinner.
“We are creative people,” Kimann said. “We write and we compose things. In the social world, if it’s arts-related, that’s what we love to do best. It’s not just about inspiring people to create themselves, whether artists or musicians, it’s about supporting those who do it.”
Kimann is a staunch proponent of the Indianapolis Opera’s residence artist program.
“It fosters new talent and fosters people who have this great courage and capability to take to the deep dive from doing any number of jobs that anybody can support themselves, and they are launching careers where they want to sing and do what we call music-storytelling opera to make their living,” Kimann said. “That’s a really cool thing. I’ve always said the arts are a bridge between man and mankind. I
think the arts have a way to bring diverse people together who are truly different. It elevates us and it inspires us.”
Kimann said the Basile Center is a mid-century building, which was once the home of the Greek Orthodox Church.
“It’s had a wonderful renovation done to it,” Kimann said. “It’s a cool mid-century structure. It’s situated in a beautiful neighborhood that I love. In years past, I drew homes for the Meridian-Kessler Home Tour.”
Kimann said the event is planned indoors, so rain isn’t a concern. Last year’s Lobster Palooza was planned outdoors in tents at Daniel’s Vineyard but had to move inside because of heavy rain.
“We have some outdoor access,” Kimann said. “We should have the best of both worlds.”
Kimann said Mike’s job keeps him from performing too often but said it’s one of his joys of life.
Mike, 54, has played with several bands through the years, starting in high school.
“I’m usually playing keyboards and singing,” Mike said. “It’s usually rock ‘n’ roll. I played in a country band somewhere down the line.”
The band, Invisible Ray, is headed by guitarist/vocalist Dan T. Hall, a filmmaker who has a video production company.
“To be involved in the entertainment for one of our fundraisers is going to be a fun time,” Mike said. “We’ll play danceable rock songs. We cover a lot of genres. I sing some songs from Dobie Gray and Marc Cohn and the Little River Band.”
For more, visit indyopera.org.
Actors Theatre of Indiana co-founder Don Farrell will present a tribute to Frank Sinatra at 7:30 p.m. July 6 at Feinstein’s cabaret in Hotel Carmichael in Carmel.
‘AN EVENING WITH SAMANTHA PAULY’
“An Evening with Samantha Pauly” is set for 7:30 p.m. July 7-8. For more, visit feinsteinhc. com.
‘CURTAINS’
Red Barn Summer Theatre will present “Curtains” July 6 through 16 at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort. For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.
‘RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK’ CONCERT
“Raiders of the Lost Ark: Live in Concert” will be featured at 8:30 p.m. July 7-8 in the Symphony on the Prairie series at Conner Prairie in Fishers. For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org.
ICC to hold summer music camp — The Indianapolis Children’s Choir will host an Imagine Summer Music Camp July 10-14 at Butler University for young singers. The camp is an introduction to the ICC’s choral instruction and artistic excellence. Along with part-singing and music theory, campers will explore the movement side of music and play several instruments like drums, xylophones and more. The camp session concludes with a concert, and the public performance is a display of how much campers can learn in just a week’s time. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel on the day of the performance. Ages 5 and under can attend for free. Camp registrations can be accepted until the first day of the session and financial assistance is available for children in need. Registration can be completed online in advance at icchoir.org/camp.
The musical was written by composer John Kander and the late lyricist Fred Ebb, who wrote “Chicago” and “Cabaret.”
Gene
Stupnitsky (“TheRed Barn Summer Theatre Artistic Director Michael Taylor was intrigued by the prospect of bringing “Curtains” to his Frankfort venue.
Office,” “Bad Teacher,”
“GoodBoys”) shows off his quick wit and gift for awkward timing in “No Hard Feelings,” an edgy coming-of-age story despite a 13-year age difference between the main characters.
Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) is a local in the beautiful surfside community of Montauk, N.Y. She works as a bartender and Uber driver while chipping away at the thousands of dollars she owes in escalating property taxes. When her car is totaled, she risks losing her home and becomes desperate for a solution.
Enter wealthy helicopter parents (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) in need of their own solution to a hopeless situation. To prepare their introverted 19-year-old son for college life, they seek out a female who will casually date him, forcing him from his shell.
In a last-ditch effort to save her childhood home, Maddie accepts their offer to advance Percy’s development for the promised payout: A Buick Regal. She creates a sexpot image and secretly plans to “deflower” the Princeton-bound recluse.
The movie treads a risky storyline on the surface but delivers harmless scenarios where there’s no real romance between the characters. Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) is smarter than his parents give him credit for. He doesn’t fall for Maddie’s bombshell persona, which is more bark than bite, and has no real interest in losing his virginity. Yet the experiment boosts his confidence, leading to a confrontation with his parents and a significant change in his life choices.
“No Hard Feelings” is a semi-rom-com that works better than it should, shining a little tenderness into the prickly business of putting out.
During the past 14 years,
“I saw it on Broadway and I really enjoyed it,” Taylor said. “It’s a big show and I thought this would be a fun show if I can figure out how to downsize enough to fit the Barn’s stage. After working with my choreographer, some of the other directors, we kind of put our heads together and figured out how to make it work. We are really bringing something new.”
Red Barn will present “Curtains” from July 6 to 16. Kiara Wood is the choreographer and has a lead role, and Cole Riegle is the assistant director.
“It’s one of those shows that still has that old-school feel,” Taylor said.
“It’s a musical whodunit, so there is a little bit of a mystery,” Taylor said. “It’s a big song and dance show. We haven’t done anything this large with a large ensemble in a while, so that’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s challenging because of that.”
TaylorThe plot centers on the leading actress who is murdered and a detective, played by Adam Nichols, tries to solve the case. In the meantime, they are still trying to put on a show.
The number of cast members is 22.
“We had 18 last year for the musical, which was big for us, too,” Taylor said. “Generally, a big cast for us is 10.”
Taylor said the music is catchy.
“It’s a much lighter show than what ‘Chicago’ is,” Taylor said.
For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.
The 2023 recipients of the Fantastic Family Award are Amie and Michael Ellis (Fishers), with their children, from left, Sabastian, Izzy and Alex. (Photo by Amy Pauszek)
Where’s Amy attended Jr. Civic Theatre’s “Newsies Jr.” opening night June 23 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. These young future stars of tomorrow had the audience’s attention from start to finish with their singing and dancing. Civic Theatre’s Brent Marty and Holly Stults presented the Outstanding Alumni award to Jr. Civic Theatre alumni Mary Caltrider, a Carmel High School graduate, who is now a TV journalist in St. Louis. Civic stage manager Sydnie Blair (Indianapolis) earned the Peggy Cranfill “Yes, Let’s” Award for advocacy and excellence in theater education and the Ellis Family of Fishers took home the Jr. Civic Fantastic Family award. Be sure to check out Civic Theatre’s Young Artists Program’s “Mean Girls” July 27-July 30. For more, visit civictheatre.org.
Meet Current in Fishers Managing Editor Leila Kheiry
from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 13 at Launch Fishers, 12175 Visionary Way, Fishers,. Suggest story ideas, ask questions and learn more about Current in Fishers. For more, email leila@youarecurrent.com
The Carmel Jazz Fest will feature a first for the city.
more knowledge from people who have done it year after year.”
Clark said CarmelFest organizers have been especially helpful. CarmelFest is run by the Rotary Club of Carmel.
During the Aug. 11-12 festival, all the main musical venues will be utilized at the same time, Carmel Jazz Fest executive director/chief executive director Blair Clark said.
“One of the great things is we have multiple venues that are different experiences for everyone,” Clark said. “You have the Gazebo experience, the Palladium experience, where it’s a concert in a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. We’ve got Feinstein’s, where you can have a nice meal and it’s a cabaret-type of setting.”
In addition, there are outdoor concert spaces at Carter Green and indoor experiences at The Tarkington and Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts.
Jeffrey McDermott, Center for the Performing Arts president and chief executive officer, is glad the Center venues are taking part in the festival.
Clark
McDermott
“So, you have these six venues with various experiences all in close proximity with one another,” Clark said.
Along with music, there will be food and alcohol vendors.
Clark said partnering with the City of Carmel, the Center for the Performing and Feinstein’s at the Hotel Carmichael has been essential.
“It really does take a village to pull it off and make it successful,” Clark said. “We have to collaborate on so many different levels. That takes a lot of organization and cooperation. We were thankful for the sponsors we have.”
Clark said he has received advice and help from Indy Jazz Festival, the Elkhart Jazz Festival and CarmelFest.
“I know the music business, but I’ve never done an event of this size,” he said. “Since this is a big undertaking, there have been organizations that have been nice enough to lend their knowledge and help me and the people who are a part of this. We have a great board but there are always going to be things you need a little
“I think it’s wonderful we can be a part of it and that the City of Carmel has the infrastructure to make something like this happen between the three venues at the Center for the Performing Arts and all the other community spaces and Feinstein’s,” McDermott said.
McDermott said the Center focuses on rental opportunities for weddings and corporate functions during the summer because the average music patron likes to be outdoors.
“This is a great combination because there is an opportunity for the festival to secure some spaces through us for what they are offering and have our own performance with Spyro Gyra during the festival weekend,” McDermott said. “It’s a nice coordination of events and spaces where these spaces might not be available at different times of the year.”
Spyro Gyra will perform in a separate ticketed event at 8 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Palladium. The shows at The Tarkington and Studio Theater might expose new audience members to those venues as well.
“I always say, statistically, if someone comes to the Center for the Performing Arts once to see a show, there is an 80 percent chance they’ll come back,” McDermott said. “Any time we can bring in new people who haven’t experienced performances, educational events, celebrations, we’re likely exposing them to something they are going to enjoy in the future.”
Feinstein’s will have two separate ticketed jazz events during the Carmel Jazz Festival. They are Harry Allen with Rossano Sportiello Aug. 11 and Denise Thimes Aug. 12. For more, visit carmeljazzfest.org.
“So, you have these six venues with various experiences all in close proximity with one another.”
– BLAIR CLARK
but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.”
Today, on our continuing journey through Alaska, we visit Denali National Park & Preserve.
In 1906, American conservationist Charles Sheldon initiated efforts to create a national park around then-Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, to protect the pure-white Dall sheep that lived at high elevations in the area. On Feb. 26, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating Mount McKinley National Park. In 1937, a 93-mile road paralleling the Alaska Range, most of it still unpaved today, was completed from the park’s entrance to about its center. In 2015, President Barack Obama renamed the mountain Denali, the name, meaning “high one,” given it by the indigenous Athabaskan people.
After several additions, the Denali National Park & Preserve now encompasses about 6 million acres, one fourth the size of Indiana. About 600,000 people visit each year to view the sparkling lakes and snow-capped mountains. Glaciers cover about one-sixth of the park’s areas. Runoff from the shrinking glaciers creates “braid-
ed rivers,” with their strands constantly changing. Large animals in the park include caribou, moose, grizzly bears, black bears and Dall sheep. Smaller animals include coyotes, foxes, wolves, beavers, porcupines and more. Private vehicles are allowed only on the first 15 miles of road, ending at Savage River. Tour buses, leaving from the informative visitors’ center, go further, with knowledgeable guides stopping whenever anyone spots an animal. Guides use hand signals to tell each other of animals ahead. In the winter, travel within the park is limited to dog sleds.
For anyone going to central Alaska, at least a day in Denali National Park & Preserve is a must. However, unless you intend to spend a long time, don’t go just for the opportunity to see Denali. Because of persistent clouds, visitors have only a 30 percent chance of sighting the 20,000-foottall mountain.
Today, we’re going to raise a glass to drinking idioms to help understand the meaning behind the phrases. It’s a pub crawl of bubbly babble, lager lexicon and boozy buzzwords. Let’s knock back a few!
First, let’s gin up a definition for the term “gin up.” It has a few meanings depending on context. Gin up can mean to exaggerate or embellish something. It can mean to produce or create something. Gin up can also mean stimulating something to be more productive.
Let’s visit an antiquated idiom that I particularly like. “All claret would be port if it could” is a term that mirrors the modern phrase “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” As port was viewed as superior in taste and quality compared to its cheaper cousin, claret, people at any stage in life can always find someone whose life seems better than theirs. After all, it was English lexicographer and writer Samuel Johnson who said, “Claret is the liquor for boys, port for men;
It’s five o’clock somewhere, so it’s time to hit happy hour for a quick round of raucous potable proverbs. “Like old wine in a new bottle” describes something that seems novel or new but is really just something repurposed from a previous method. If someone describes something as “clear as vodka,” they could either mean it is easy to understand, or they could be incorporating sarcasm to indicate the subject is actually unclear. Again — you need to be sober-minded to grasp many of these terms.
While I only scratched the surface of alcohol-related idioms today, perhaps now you have some interesting tidbits to share at your next rooftop party while you and your friends are sipping bubbly. After all, if you’re partying on the roof, all the drinks are technically on the house.
1. IndyCar RPM indicator
5. B-52 org.
9. Bitter conflict
15. VJ Day ended it
16. Performed with the Westfield HS choir
17. Rang
18. National Register of Historic Place also known as Lilly House and Gardens
41. National Register of Historic Place also known as Indiana’s Basketball Cathedral
44. Hoosier Pulitzer Prize winner Pyle
45. Poorer, as excuses go
46. Lo-cal
47. Birds in a gaggle
48. Santa ___ winds
49. Loose overcoat
51. Roulette bet
52. Radiate
54. Colts stats
55. Razz
57. Cool, in ‘90s slang
59. Prefix meaning “false”
62. National Register of Historic Place also known as Das Deutsche Haus
67. Move quickly
68. Hibernation spot
69. Lion’s pride
70. “You bet!”
71. Helps
72. Ship’s front Down
1.
27. The Hoosier State
28. Robbins’ “Shawshank” co-star
29. Retirement investment
30. Had a lot to eat
31. Lifelong jobs
33. Polynesian carvings
35. Fireplace residue
36. Cement ponds?
39. Burning
42. Rocker David ___ Roth
43. Preference, so to speak
50. Be inclined
52. Piano key material
53. Garden pest
55. Spunk
56. Notion
58. Pat down
59. Butler frat letter
60. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” regular Cousin ___
61. Immigrant’s subj.
62. Miss. neighbor
63. Mai ___
Brian
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
HOOSIER VILLAGE
July 14 & 15
9 am to 1 pm Fri & Sat
Thousands of HOLIDAY items
Halloween thru Snowmen
Christmas Village Houses Also Furniture & Household Items Fabric & Sewing Supplies Entrance at HV Gates 5300 W. 96th St & off Zionsville Rd.
Flexware Innovation, Inc. is seeking a full-time Senior Systems Engineer in Fishers, Indiana to Design and develop Manufacturing Execution (MES) systems, which include SCADA and HMI development built around the Ignition platform using SQL, Python, JavaScript, and other languages and technologies. May work remotely from anywhere in the United States. Contact Matt Heiden, 12 Municipal Drive, Fishers, IN 46038, matt.heiden@flexwareinnovation.com
to guide design team members through the preparation of programmatic, schematic, design development and construction documentation, as well as maintaining, updating and validating strict estimate adherence. Position based in Fishers, Indiana. Requirements: Bachelors Degree in Construction Management, Building Construction, Engineering, or similar field, as well as at least 3 years experience in construction, commercial development, and/or estimating. Also requires knowledge of MS Project, Gmail, Google Drive, Project Management software applications Procore, Prolog, Constructware and PDF annotation. Send resume to Amanda Good, 8890 E. 116th St., Suite 250, Fishers, IN, 46038
(position remote, req. up to 50% travel)
Design & dev. Strategic network solutions for SC & operations problems; build SC models for optimization using stats analysis, regression modeling & optimiz.; network analysis.
Requires minimum of MS in Indust. Eng, Stats, Math, Logistics/Supply Chain or closely related or foreign equiv.; 3 yrs. Industry exp in supply chain, Fin. & Adv Analytics; SCCP Certification; Lean Six Sigma Gr. Belt Cert.
For full description and requirements of positions, https://recruiting.ultipro.com/ ENV1003ENVIS/JobBoard/adc7da17182d-0b77-a5c5-46cf3cb50218/ Opportunity/OpportunityDetail?oppor tunityId=a9042b1e-3336-4d42-9f84578db1289c13
Submit CV and cover letter to David Jensen, Sr. Mgr, 11555 N. Meridian Street, Ste 300, Carmel IN
Integrity Automotive is looking for a full time automotive technician. In business for 28 years in downtown Carmel with a solid, happy customer base and a positive, good-natured work environment. The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive. net. We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays. To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net
40 S Rangeline Rd Carmel Indiana 46032 www.IntegrityAutomotive.net
RIGHT SIZE. RIGHT CARE. RIGHT HERE. NOBLESVILLE / WESTFIELD / CARMEL / CICERO / FISHERS / SHERIDAN / ZIONSVILLE
“They know me, they support me and they care for me.”
With advanced technology and expert care, we’ll get you back to what you love.