May 9, 2023 — Lawrence/Geist

“They’ve given me a new chance at life.”

With advanced technology and expert care, we’ll get you back to what you love.

Contact the editor: Have a news tip? Want to submit a calendar event? Have a photograph to share?

Contact Managing Editor Leila Kheiry at leila@ youarecurrent.com or call 317.489.4444 ext. 804. You may also submit information on our website: currentgeist. com. Remember our news deadline is typically eight days prior to publication.

News tips/story ideas: stories@youarecurrent.com

Letters to the editor/ guest columns: letters@youarecurrent.com

Advertise your business:

If you’re interested in reaching virtually 100 percent of the Geist market (11,360 households), you may obtain more information by emailing ads@youarecurrent.com (subject: Geist advertising) or by calling 317.748.2662.

Obituaries: obits@youarecurrent.com

Legal advertising: legals@youarecurrent.com

Delivery questions: circulation@youarecurrent.com

Join

www.facebook.com/currentingeist www.twitter.com/CI_Geist instagram.com/youarecurrent

Geist election results

Number of Precincts reporting 186/ 186 PARTY VOTES

CITY OF LAWRENCE MAYOR (REPUBLICAN)

David C. Hofmann 1,484

TOTAL VOTES 1,484

CITY OF LAWRENCE MAYOR (DEMOCRAT)

Shawn Denney 651

Deborah Whitfield 2,205

TOTAL VOTES 2,856

CITY OF LAWRENCE CLERK (REPUBLICAN)

Kathleen Walton 1,409

TOTAL VOTES 1,409

CITY OF LAWRENCE CLERK (DEMOCRAT)

Leatrice Adkisson 2,680

TOTAL VOTES 2,680

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL ATLARGE (REPUBLICAN) Vote for 3

Tom Ashcraft 1,061

Heather Hewitt 1,015

Bob Jones 1,041

Desmond Woods 517

TOTAL VOTES 3,634

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL ATLARGE (DEMOCRAT) Vote for 3

Ray Anthony Anderson 726

Lisa Chavis 1,311

Lonnell "King Ro" Conley 1,037

Jesse Dotson 444

Liz Masur 1,382

James D. Melton, Jr. 745

Betty Robinson 1,746

TOTAL VOTES 7,391

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 (DEMOCRAT)

Tyrrell Giles 230

TOTAL VOTES 230

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 (DEMOCRAT)

Maythe Castillo 60

Rick Wells 75

TOTAL VOTES 135

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 (REPUBLICAN)

Brent F. Addington 271

TOTAL VOTES 271

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 (DEMOCRAT)

Sherron R. Freeman 673

TOTAL VOTES 673

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (DEMOCRAT)

Mateo Wellington Daniel 208

Carlos Jennings 350

TOTAL VOTES 558

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 (REPUBLICAN)

Pamela Anderson 392

TOTAL VOTES 392

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 (DEMOCRAT)

Zach Cramer 337

Becky Parker 230

TOTAL VOTES 567

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 (REPUBLICAN)

Aaron Short 381

TOTAL VOTES 381

CITY OF LAWRENCE COMMON COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 (DEMOCRAT)

Kristina Krone 392

Jennifer M. Tursi 180

TOTAL VOTES 572

INDIANAPOLIS CITY COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (REPUBLICAN)

Natalie Goodwin 1,749

TOTAL VOTES 1,749

INDIANAPOLIS CITY COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (DEMOCRAT)

Nick Roberts 1,725

TOTAL VOTES 1,725

INDIANAPOLIS CITY COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 (DEMOCRAT)

Alison "Ali" Brown 2,068

TOTAL VOTES 2,068

Council to review ARPA funding proposal

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Rescue Plan Act funds, and a resolution specifying how those funds would be spent.

$95,000 for police cameras, and for the police department.

GOVERNMENT

The Lawrence Common Council held another short meeting May 1.

Two related items were on the agenda under new business, and both were referred to the council’s finance committee without any discussion. The items are an ordinance to appropriate about $3 million from the city’s American

The proposal now under consideration would amend the ARPA spending plan for specific projects.

They are: $1 million to match a recently awarded state grant for street improvements; $280,000 to match a grant for trail development and improvements; $1.6 million to replace public safety vehicles ; About $50,000 for education and training, and facility repairs for the fire department; About

There was no other business on the agenda, except for the usual approval of claims and vouchers. There was no time for public comment on the agenda, either. In the past, public comment was allowed at the first meeting of the month.

When asked why public comment has been removed from the agenda, Council President Tyrrell Giles said it is “to keep the peace.”

FISHERS RESIDENTS NON-RESIDENTS

Lawrence Schools recognized for music ed

news@geistcurrent.com

AWARD

The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township has been designated a Best Communities for Music Education by The NAMM Foundation for the district’s outstanding commitment to music education.

The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

According to an announcement from the MSD of Lawrence Township, to qualify for the Best Communities designation, the district answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for its music program and community music-making programs.

Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015 and an emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have recommitted to music and arts education, according to the MSD of Lawrence Township. During the pandemic, music and arts programs were a vital component to keeping students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research shows that the grants are widely used by school districts to address gaps in access to music and arts education.

Research shows that music education improves speech processing and reading scores, and that students involved in music are more likely to graduate high school and attend college, according to the announcement. In addition, everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound. Additionally, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

Longtime Lawrence bakery relocates

By Edward Redd edward@youarecurrent.com

A well-known Lawrence bakery has relocated after 24 years.

FOOD

Panaderia Las Americas Bakery is a longtime family-owned business that has been in the Lawrence area since 1999. Its first location was in a building at 4407 N. Franklin Rd. that was sold to a corporation for redevelopment. The bakery moved March 2 to its new site at 5122 N. Franklin Rd.

The Central American bakery was established by Jose Perez, who died in 2017. His son Luis Perez has since kept it running.

Perez, a Lawrence resident, said the family is keeping the business going for his father and the store’s original baker, Enrique Santillan, who died in 2019.

“We’re just trying to carry on the legacy and the tradition of the business,” Perez said.

Panaderia Las Americas Bakery is a Hispanic bakery that sells traditional breads, pastries and cakes. Products include pan dulce and Neapolitan flan.

Perez said the bakery separates itself from other bakeries by using recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. One of the bakery’s specialties Tres Leches Cake, which is made of a vanilla mix and three different milks to make it softer.

Perez said he plans to keep growing the business and attract more customers.

“We’re excited to be here, and we look forward to new customers and helping out the community,” Peres said.

Panaderia Las Americas Bakery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The bakery also makes specialty orders for a variety of occasions, including parties and businesses.

Panaderia Las Americas Bakery’s churros are among the bakery’s specialties. (Photo by Edward Redd)

United Way study shows poverty rates

– In 2021, 24 percent of Hamilton County households were in poverty or considered ALICE, meaning they earned above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford a basic household budget. That’s 31,574 households, which was a 23 percent increase over 2018. The figures were released by United Way of Central Indiana and Indiana United Ways, in partnership with United For ALICE, as part of a 2023 report, “ALICE in the Crosscurrents: COVID and Financial

Hardship in Indiana.” This is the first data report from United Way that shows how the COVID-19 pandemic affected households financially. The report looks at households that are in poverty or considered ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE represents a growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics. Statewide, 39 percent – more than 1 million households – were in poverty or considered ALICE in 2021, up 10 percent from 2018.

The United Way report includes an ALICE Household Survival Budget, which provides a more complete picture of what families need to cover the basics in a modern economy. According to the ALICE report, the average cost of living for a family of four in Indiana in 2021 was $58,428 – more than double the Federal Poverty Level figure of $26,500. Key findings from the report regarding statewide data include:

• Households headed by single women had the highest rate of financial hard-

ship in Indiana at 76 percent in 2021.

• Of the 20 most common jobs in Indiana in 2021, 70 percent paid less than $20 per hour. While the report shows that wages have increased since the pandemic, they haven’t been enough to move families above the ALICE threshold.

To read the report, go to uwci.org/who-weserve. Learn more about the report at UnitedForALICE.org/Indiana.

Start a conversation with an OB-GYN

You and your baby (or babies!) deserve maternity care that’s personalized to both of you. The OB-GYNs at Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent — Fishers Women’s Health listen to understand your preferences. Choosing to have your baby at Fishers Birthing Center means having a spacious room for labor, delivery and postpartum, 24/7 lactation support and a Level II nursery where we can provide special care for moms and babies — all close to home. You may even choose to work with a birth designer from the very beginning of your pregnancy to create a personalized care plan that connects the dots from planning to pediatrics.

Ascension Medical Group

St. Vincent Fishers Women’s Health 13914 Southeastern Parkway, Suite 110 Fishers, IN 46037

To schedule your appointment today or to chat with a care navigator online for help with scheduling, call 463-240-3022 or visit ascension.org/FishersWomensHealth

Amy Dodson, DO OB-GYN

Jessica Ebinger, MD OB-GYN

Whitfield wins mayoral primary

Leila Kheiry

leila@youarecurrent.com

nomic development. She credited her team’s hard work connecting with individuals throughout Lawrence.

ELECTIONS

Unofficial results for the Lawrence mayoral primary put Deb Whitfield in the lead to become the Democratic nominee over her opponent in the race, Shawn Denney.

The Democratic nominee will face Republican David Hofmann in November. Hofmann, the deputy mayor, ran unopposed in the Republican mayoral primary. Incumbent Mayor Steve Collier is not seeking reelection.

Whitfield and Denney are elected representatives on the Lawrence Common Council. Whitfield, 69, was elected to the council in 2018.

At her election-night party at Fort Harrison Inn, Whitfield laughed, joked and danced with supporters as results came in showing her in the lead. She said she appreciates all of her supporters who see it’s time for a change. She’s looking forward to the November election.

Whitfield said she’s worked hard to build trust in the neighborhoods, focusing her message on public safety, jobs and eco-

“One of the things I talk about is ‘unite the city.’ I think that’s very important because when I announced in March of 2022, that’s what I concentrated on,” she said.

“I went to a lot of the neighborhoods and introduced myself. I went to neighborhoods (where) no one had ever seen the Lawrence Common Council before. And I sat down and listened to them. I think we’re going to continue on that pathway.”

She thanked Denney for a well-run race, and said she looks forward to continuing to work with him on the council.

Denney said in a phone interview that he wishes Whitfield well in November and looks forward to everything she plans to bring to the city,

“Even though the result wasn’t what we had hoped for, our friends, family and fellow candidates are still very much committed to the future success of Lawrence,” he said. “I know we all will stay involved and work for the betterment of our community.”

For results from other Lawrence races, see page 3.

Lawrence mayoral candidate Deb Whitfield held an election-night party at the Fort Harrison Inn with candidates for Lawrence elected office. From left in the back row are Maythe Castillo, Betty Robinson, Carlos Jenning, Zach Cramer, Ali Brown, Kristie Krone, and Leatrice Adkisson. Front from left, Sherron Freeman, Whitfield and Liz Masur. (Photos by Leila Kheiry)

Sports psychologist pens new self-help book

news@currentinfishers.com

Fishers-based sports psychologist and author Rob Bell has announced the release of his eighth book, “I Can’t Wait to be Patient (And the Fastest Way to Get There),” which became available May 5.

announcement states that the process requires perspective, and the end result requires patience.

AUTHOR

According to the announcement, Bell explains in the book why our relationship with time is crucial to patience and becoming mentally stronger.

“We are designed to get from Point A to Point B as fast as possible,” the announcement states. “However, as a result, we can’t slow down and there is a sense of urgency towards everything. We are bombarded by the urgent, tugged by the future, distracted by the unimportant, and discouraged by the past. Time is our most precious resource. If you can wait, then you can win.”

The book is a guide to overcoming challenges, stress and expectations. The

The book details the “four laws of patience and the four killers to urgency;” how we mistake the urgent for the important, and why that’s a problem; and discovering whether you have a patient personality.

Bell

On his website, drrobbell.com, Bell writes that while in college he fell off an 80-foot cliff. That became a pivotal moment in his life.

“It caused a lot of pain physically and emotionally, but it connected who I was with who I could become from that event,” he said.

He got into the field of sports psychology and went on to become a mental coach for successful athletes in multiple fields, including professional golfers and athletes competing in the Olympics.

Bell owns DRB & Associates, with offices in Fishers. His books are available through his website and on Amazon.

LAWRENCE

Project: Drainage Improvement project

Location: Drainage systems on Rainbow Lane north of Indian Lake are currently under construction.

Expected Completion: August

southbound lanes and two lanes will remain in each direction.

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Project: Water main replacement

Location: 46th Street (between Franklin Road and Shadeland Avenue); Richardt Ave (between 46th and 56th streets); Woodcroft Ave. (between 46th and 47th); Elmhurst Dr. (between 46th and 47th); Kingman Dr (from 47th south to dead end); McGuire Court (46th north to dead end)

Expected completion: End of summer

Project: Sewer main replacement

Location: 50th Street between Franklin Road and Normal Avenue

Expected completion: End of June

FISHERS

Project: Ind. 37 Improvement Project

Location: 126th Street closure switched to the east side and is anticipated to reopen in November. During this time, cross access will be restricted, with only right in and right out. Northbound Ind. 37 traffic will not have access to 126th Street. Traffic on northbound Ind. 37 will shift to

Local access to businesses will remain open.

Expected completion: 2022

Detour: Drivers will be directed to use 141st Street to Allisonville Road or 131st Street to Cumberland Road.

Project: Sargent Road roundabout, Mud Creek bridge replacement and additional travel lanes

Location: 96th Street between Sargent Road and Cumberland Road.

Expected completion: The Sargent Road roundabout is anticipated to reopen in mid-June. 96th Street east of Sargent Road to Cumberland Road will remain closed and is anticipated to reopen in early November. The official detour route will direct drivers to use Lantern Road or Cumberland Road to 106th Street.

Project: Downtown infrastructure improvement

Location: The intersection of Morgan Drive and Lantern Road closed Feb. 10. Access to Fishers Elementary will be available from 106th Street. Lantern Road is currently closed to through traffic, beginning south of 116th Street to Fishers Pointe Boulevard. Expected completion: The project will be complete in the fall.

CHS senior’s decision to concentrate on lacrosse pays off

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Carmel High School senior midfielder

Tori Tomalia took the advice of her club lacrosse coach to give up basketball and focus on one sport.

“She said, ‘Tori, if (you) want to play lacrosse at the level you want to play at, you have to stick to one sport,’” she said “Honestly, it was the best decision of my life.”

Tomalia gave up basketball after her sophomore season.

“I realized I did not enjoy going to basketball practice as much as I did lacrosse practice,” she said.

Tomalia also realized how much more she wanted to play lacrosse in college.

“The second I switched over to playing lacrosse only, it opened a whole new world for me, and I just love the sport so much more,” she said.

Tomalia, who has signed to play for the University of Connecticut next season,

MEET TORI TOMALIA

Favorite subject: English

Favorite athlete: Tamika Catchings

Favorite TV show: “Friends”

plays club lacrosse for Major Force Lacrosse, which plays a national schedule.

“UConn has been my No. 1 school for a long time,” she said.

Greyhounds coach Josh Miller said Tomalia’s athleticism keeps improving.

“She’s a heck of an athlete up and down the field,” said Miller, who is in his eighth year with the program and has been head coach for four seasons. “Her work ethic is

AMERICA’S MOST ACCOMPLISHED BRAIN AND SPINE TEAM— JUST MINUTES AWAY

Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine is a world-class neurosurgery team pioneering best practices and providing collaborative, patient-centered care—and right here in Central Indiana.

Learn more at GoodmanCampbell.com.

100 percent all the time. She has a positive attitude that wears off on a lot of the other girls. She is the best player I’ve ever had as far as pure talent and athleticism. This is a team loaded with talent, and she’s leading us in every category.”

Tomalia was named the USA Lacrosse Player of the Week earlier this season.

Tomalia said her biggest improvement is her work on the draw, which is a 1-on-1 battle for possession at the start of each half and after goals.

“I’ve been working on doing a lot of different draws in high-pressure situations,” she said. “I think that’s been the most effective for us because we have a lot more possessions against some harder teams where we might have lost the draw last year.”

Tomalia, who has played lacrosse since third grade, said the team is hungry after losing to Guerin Catholic last year in the Indiana High School Lacrosse Association state championship.

“I’d say this is the most hard-working team and our most ambitious to win,” said Tomalia, who was on the Greyhounds’ state championship team in 2021.

Carmel High School senior midfielder Tori Tomalia leads the team with 66 goals and 21 assists.

(Photo courtesy of Josh Miller)

Tomalia

TCC assists schools through Teachers Rock

By Megan Morton editorial@youarecurrent.com

Teachers at New Britton Elementary in Fishers and Carl Wilde School IPS No. 79 on West 34th Street in Indianapolis have been showered with appreciation through the efforts of one of the nation’s largest Verizon-authorized retailers, TCC.

GIVING BACK

Throughout February, the TCC’s “Teachers Rock” initiative allocated funds to more than 500 stores and challenged employees to choose how to share a $100 donation with a local school. The Fishers store created boxes of school supplies for New Britton Elementary, while the Noblesville and Carmel stores combined their funds to surprise teachers at Carl Wilde School with $200 worth of Starbucks gift cards.

TCC is a subsidiary of Round Room, LLC., a Fishers-based company that invests in the wireless industry. Round Room was recently named Inc. Magazine’s Best in Business 2022 for leading the industry nationally in its efforts to serve.

Tyler Crouch, district manager of five TCC stores, including Fishers and McCordsville, said the Teachers Rock initiative was especially meaningful this year.

“We have two employees with students at New Britton Elementary School, so we were able to gear this toward what the teachers need,” Crouch said. “TCC lets its employees actually see the impact, and this gives us a purpose outside of just work.”

New Britton third-grade teachers Christi Drew and Judy Street were surprised with classroom supplies and fraction tiles.

“It’s incredible to be able to provide the kids with a hands-on experience for learning fractions,” Drew said.

Street said she was headed out to purchase supplies with her own money when the donation arrived.

“We are very appreciative of TCC and the Fishers store for this gift,” Street said.

Through its various initiatives, TCC Gives has donated more than $4.2 million. Learn more at TCCRocks.com.

The Geist Half Marathon & 5K is back and more exciting than ever! This year's races feature scenic courses across Geist Reservoir, and a new 5K course through the Geist Waterfront Park. Plus, VIP registration, a post-race party, finisher medals, and new race t-shirts Secure your spot at the starting line today!

(Advertorial)

Meet Current in Lawrence/Geist

Managing Editor Leila Kheiry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Friday at Launch Fishers, 12175 Visionary Way, Fishers,. Suggest story ideas, ask questions and learn more about Current in Lawrence/Geist. For more, email leila@youarecurrent.com

Tom Wood Subaru supports Miracle Place

Lawrence financial planner wants clients to ‘play more’

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Play more. That’s the philosophy behind Certified Financial Planner Nancy Beck’s business, and it’s one she’s embraced in her own life, too.

MONEY

Beck is an artist, author and ukulele player, in addition to her work helping people achieve their financial goals. Her business, Beck Financial Strategies, is based in Lawrence, and she has clients all across the nation. Her book, “The Art of the Plan,” uses her own illustrations to help people think about their money differently.

how to play the ukulele.

“It opened up a whole new world for me,” she said, “It reminded me that I needed to play more.”

Miracle Place is such a blessing to so many, they provide education, meals, love & encouragement to so many children and adults throughout Indianapolis.

Five years ago when Miracle Place was in need, Tom Wood Subaru stepped up and lent a hand. Every year since, Tom Wood Subaru has designated Miracle Place as our home town charity. During our “Share the Love” initiative, our customers can choose from 4 national charities; Meals on Wheels, Make-A-Wish, the National Parks Foundation, the ASPCA or our Hometown Charity; Miracle Place.

So Miracle Place is so grateful to announce, thanks to you & Subaru, Tom Wood Subaru was able to present Miracle Place with a check for $45,000! So in total, Tom Wood has been able to donate over $170,000 to Miracle Place!!! AMAZING!

Through your love & support, Miracle Place has been able to purchase a lot across the street, where they have planted a sustainable garden for those in the neighborhood. They have purchased a playground for the children, tablets

for the kids they help with homework, food for the children who otherwise may not have a meal, they have helped pay utilities for families in need and so much more! Again, we want to say THANK YOU, to you our customers!

Miracle Place is always in need of volunteers. Volunteers help with things such as:

• Yard Work, Trash Removal and Beautification of the Neighborhood

• Tutoring

• Special Outings

• Summer Camps

• Thanksgiving Dinner

• Christmas Fruit Baskets and Gifts

• Easter Lilly for each Neighbor

• Annual Fiesta Friday Dinner and Auction

Be sure to check out Miracle Place and everything they do. They are such a huge blessing to SO many people: www.amiracleplace.org.

Thank you to the sisters for everything you do! We are so blessed to know you and so incredibly blessed to have you in our lives!

Beck said she’s been in finances for 40 years, and she started out selling life insurance. She said clients would ask her about financial planning, too, which she didn’t know anything about at the time. So, she looked into it, got her license and became a certified financial planner.

Her “play more” philosophy basically means she plans with her clients for what they want to do, now and in the future, rather than focusing solely on accumulating and holding onto wealth. Because, she said, people need to enjoy the money that they’ve worked hard to earn.

“It’s just ‘lighten up a little,” she said, summarizing her message. “What do you want to do with that money other than watch it and worry over it?”

Beck said she went through a self-discovery process with her artwork a few years ago, ending up with hundreds of cartoons. That’s also around the time that she learned

Beck said she enjoys teaching people about financial planning through speaking engagements and workshops for the past three decades. She educates her clients, too, because she wants to make sure they understand and are happy with the personalized plan they’ve worked on together.

“Financial planning is scary, especially when turning on the news today,” she said. “But they need to focus on the dream. That makes our work worthwhile.”

Beck’s clients are strongly encouraged to play. Literally.

“Every client who retires or has a life event, we give them a blue ukulele,” she said.

For more information, go to beckfs.com.

Securities offered through J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. (JWC) Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. (JWCA). Beck Financial Strategies and JWC/JWCA are unaffiliated entities.

Sister Barbara McLellan (right) from Miracle Place receives a $45,000 donation from Scott Reckley (left), General Manager of Tom Wood Subaru.

A cartoon by CFP Nancy Beck shows a retired couple having fun. (Image courtesy of Nancy Beck)

Beck

Stamp Out Hunger set for May 13

news@youarecurrent.com

GIVING

May 13 marks the 31st anniversary of the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

On the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect nonperishable food donations from customers. In Indiana, the donations go directly to more than 50 different local food pantries to provide food to people who need help, according to Carmel letter carrier Greg Gormong.

Central Indiana food pantries that the National Associate of Letter Carriers Branch No. 888 provides for include: Open Doors Food Pantry in Carmel, Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank based in Noblesville, Delaware Township Trustees in Fishers, Light and Life Free Methodist Church in Danville, Open Doors Food Pantry in Westfield, Zionsville Presbyterian Church in Zionsville, Lebanon Nazarene Church in Lebanon, Main Street Food Pantry in Fortville, Mama’s Cupboard in Sheridan, New Beginnings Fellowship Food Pantry in Thorntown, and Light and Life Free Methodist Church in Avon.

From this one day of collection, Branch No. 888 has averaged over 90,000 pounds of food annually delivered to those pantries. During its 30-year history, the drive has collected more than 1.82 billion pounds of food through its network from Alaska to Florida and Maine to Hawaii, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Our food drive’s timing is crucial,” Gormong wrote. “Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need.”

Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on May 13th, and your letter carrier will do the rest.

If you cannot participate the day of, you can support your local food pantry online. Visit nalc.org/food, select your state, select a food bank in your area and make a contribution that way.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT Q&A

Getting to know Dana Altemeyer

6-month

1-year

5.05 5.10

2-year 4.85

Dana Altemeyer has been the director of communications in the MSD of Lawrence Township for the past nine years. An Indianapolis native, she attended Butler University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and later her Master of Science in School Counseling. She holds an administrative certification through the University of Indianapolis and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Indiana University Bloomington. She and her husband, Bill Conrad, live in Lawrence Township with their two children, William, 7, and Charlotte, 4.

Q: What is your best habit, and what is your worst?

A: Multitasking.

Q: Do you have a hidden talent?

A: Remembering song lyrics

Q: What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

A: Spend time outdoors

Q: Is there a book that you recommend to everyone?

A: “The Mitford Series,” by Jan Karon

Q: Is there a businessperson you admire? Why?

A: MSD of Lawrence Township Supt. Dr. Shawn A. Smith. He leads by example and inspires others to rise to meet him. He puts students at the forefront of everything he does, always reminding those around him to do the same. He holds leaders around him to high expectations, supporting them, and fostering their individual strengths.

Q: Do you have a favorite podcast?

A: Not a huge podcast listener, but I enjoyed NPR’s “Schooled” and WFYI’s “Sick.”

Q: What is your biggest indulgence?

A: Cheesecake Factory Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake.

Q: How do you exercise?

A: Peloton

Q: Do you have a favorite meal in town?

A: Too many to name, but I love the Genova pizza at Bazbeaux

WATER WORKS

Geist Reservoir has served the Indianapolis area since 1943

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Geist Reservoir is a place for summer outdoor fun, with boating, fishing and swimming opportunities. But that wasn’t always the case. It was built with a very practical purpose in mind, and recreation was restricted for many decades.

Suzanne Hahn is vice president of Archives and Library with the Indiana Historical Society. She said the reservoir was developed by the Indianapolis Water Co., and planning for the large project started in the late 1920s.

“At that time, they did a report looking at the future water needs of Indianapolis,” she said. “The natural supply they were getting from the White River and Fall Creek wasn’t going to be sufficient. They started looking at land that is now Geist Reservoir.”

The company, led by owner and president Clarence Geist, started buying up what was then mostly farmland in the area surrounding Fall Creek, along with one small community called Germantown. That community had been established in 1834, according to its history page on the “This is Fishers” website.

Work on Geist Reservoir started in 1941, which included clearing land, building a dam and redirecting water from Fall Creek. It officially opened for business in 1943, and was named for Clarence Geist, who died before construction even began. Upon completion, it became the second-largest man-made lake in Indiana.

Hahn said the reservoir did what it was intended to do — supplement the water needs for the growing city of Indianapolis. And that was pretty much its only function for many years.

“When they first opened it, it was restricted as far as what people could use it for — almost a wildwood area,” Hahn said. “Boating and swimming weren’t allowed. There was no residential development during that time. They did have a couple areas for picnics, but it wasn’t the kind of recreation area or development that we see today.”

Hahn said boating by permit began in 1953, but even then, people couldn’t use their own boats. They had to go through a local vendor.

“They did have a sailing club that opened in 1955, so gradually some of these restrictions began to lift,” Hahn said.

Around 1971, speedboats were allowed on the water.

Hahn said fish from Fall Creek populated the reservoir, and it was stocked by the Indiana Conservation Department. According to various Indiana fishing websites, it’s known for bass and catfish.

Housing along Geist Reservoir also took time to develop. Hahn said a company called Shorewood started looking into the real estate market there in the 1960s, but the first housing developments weren’t constructed until the

1980s. Development quickly bloomed and spread after that, and quite a bit of the shoreline is now developed.

The Indianapolis Water Co. later built another reservoir northwest of Noblesville called Morse Reservoir, named for the water company’s CEO Howard Morse. That reservoir is deeper but has less surface area than Geist. Both reservoirs are now owned by Citizens Energy Group.

Citizens Energy Group recently developed a new reservoir – Citizens Reservoir -- in an old limestone quarry right next to Geist to store even more water for dry periods. The company opened Citizens Reservoir in late 2020. Unlike Geist, it does not have public access or recreational opportunities.

Benjamin Easley, coordinator of corporate and public affairs for Citizens Energy Group, said Geist Reservoir’s primary purpose continues to be as a water supply reservoir for the Indianapolis water system.

“Water is released from Geist Reservoir during dry periods to ensure sufficient flows in Fall Creek downstream of the reservoir, where it is then treated at either our Fall Creek Water Treatment Plant or White River Water Treatment Plant,” he said, adding that water from Citizens Reservoir can be pumped into Geist if needed.

Easley said the Fall Creek/Geist Reservoir/Citizens Reservoir system provides on average of 15 to 25 percent of the water supply to Indianapolis-area customers, which is approximately 200,000 people.

Historic photos and videos of Geist Reservoir can be seen on the Indiana Historical Society’s website, images. indianahistory.org.

WHO WAS CLARENCE GEIST?

Clarence Henry Geist was born in LaPorte County in 1866. Suzanne Hahn, vice president of Archives and Library with the Indiana Historical Society, said he was something of a “utility tycoon,” owning and operating coal, gas, electricity and water companies across the U.S.

According to referenced sources on Wikipedia, Geist left home at 18 and went West to try cattle ranching. He came back East where he eventually got into real estate, and then utilities. He eventually owned more than 100 utility companies from Illinois to New Jersey.

Geist was an avid golfer and had Florida connections, as well. He built a mansion in Palm Beach, and had strong ties to Boca Raton, Fla., where he bought the assets of a bankrupt development company and then provided a low-interest loan to the local government to develop a new water plant.

Geist also had a home in Pennsylvania, and that’s where he died in 1938. A newspaper article from the time said his estimated financial worth at his death was $100 million.

ON THE COVER: A historic photo of Geist Reservoir, which was created in 1943. (Photos used with permission from Indiana Historical Society, M1400)

Clarence Geist, then-president of the Indianapolis Water Co., advocated for the creation of reservoirs to provide water to Indianapolis. (Photo used with permission from Indiana Historical Society, M1400)

The old Roberts Mill Bridge at Geist Reservoir.

COMMUNITY

Doden makes campaign stop in Fishers

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Gubernatorial candidate Eric Doden visited Fishers on April 25 for the regular meeting of the Fishers GOP, to talk with local Republicans about his vision for Indiana.

ELECTIONS

Doden is running for the Republican nomination to replace Eric Holcomb, whose second term ends in 2024. Sen. Mike Braun and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch are also running for the Republican nomination in the May 7, 2024, primary.

Doden said his campaign is one of ideas about how to revitalize communities across Indiana, particularly small towns of 30,000 or fewer residents. He told the Fishers GOP gathering that his Main Street Initiative would provide financial incentives of $100 million a year for private businesses to invest in those small communities.

“We cannot be the state with four, five or six counties doing well. We need to be the state where all 92 counties are doing well, but it has to be private-sector led,” he said. “Fishers is doing well because you have phenomenal leadership — both public and private came together, had a vision for your community. We need that all over the state of Indiana.”

That doesn’t mean he would leave the larger communities to fend for themselves, though. Doden also has a Regional Cities Initiative that would provide $200 million a year in similar economic incentives. That program would be a continuation of an initiative that Doden worked on with then-Gov. Mike Pence, when Doden led the Indiana Economic Development Corp. Other themes in Doden’s campaign are zero-cost adoption to help children in foster care more easily become part of a family, and tax breaks for teachers.

“We have a teacher crisis, especially in rural communities where they are losing teachers left and right,” he said.

His proposal would eliminate state income and property taxes for teachers. Doden said it would mean less revenue for the state, but he noted that Indiana currently has a revenue surplus of about $1.5 billion.

For more information about his campaign, visit dodenforindiana.com.

Concrete Cleaning Concrete Sealing Roof Cleaning Pressure Washing Epoxy Floors

HEALTH

Vision tech Part 3: MD screenings

Commentary by Dr. Kim Hall

spectrum. Similar to sunscreen, the more pigment and protection we have, the better.

OPTOMETRY

In this third (and final) column exploring pre-testing equipment at the optometrist’s office, we would like to uncover two more tests you may encounter. Both are significant in detecting early forms of macular degeneration and other ocular diseases.

Another flicker/clicker-type machine now exists, similar to the visual field I wrote about last week. It is called the macular pigment optical density tester, or MPOD. This flicker varies in intensity, is circular and is mostly in the center of your field of view. It is measuring the amount of protective pigment you have in your macula based on the sensitivity at which you can detect various wavelengths of light.

This is very important to know as we have learned that blue light coming from all our devices may also be damaging to our eyes. The sun is no longer the only offender! When this value starts decreasing, we must consider measures to boost up the good pigment that absorbs these harmful high energy short wavelengths of the light

Here’s a fancy name for another pretest: optical coherence tomography. This machine has been around for some time now but was mainly utilized by specialists during diagnosis and treatment of many eye diseases. It allows the retina, and other structures of the eye, to be viewed cross sectionally at a microscopic level. In other words, it is like slicing through lasagna to view all the layers.

It is now becoming standard of care, and OCT may even become part of the screening process in your pre-test room. Why shouldn’t it? It is the best anatomic map and pulls the puzzle pieces together when viewing all of the images of the surface of the eye. Yes, there is a lot more that goes into your annual eye exam than the question, “Is it better, 1 or 2?”

Dr. Kim Hall is an optometrist at RevolutionEYES. She graduated from Purdue University in 1999 and the Indiana University School of Optometry in 2005.

Do the eyes have it?

Commentary by Terry Anker

“Look at me when I talk to you,” proclaimed the exasperated mom to her sullen teenager. Like most of us, she came to understand that visual connection is an important, if not critical, part of interpersonal linking. Likewise, the youngster intuitively was rejecting her admonishment by passively refusing direct engagement, almost as if to say what cannot be seen correspondingly cannot be heard. There is something about the optical handshake that elevates our accountability and dramatically enhances the exchange. So instinctive is it to we humans that children from the earliest stages of development will demand the embrace of eye contact. As they grow into the toddler years, every parent recalls their grabbing our faces with messy, chubby little hands to ensure that our gaze is fixed upon them as they share whatever they might need to impart.

ESSAY

scowling or simply peeping too long rarely leads to anything other than discomfort on the part of the object of the fixation. So painful is it that siblings often cry out, “Dad, Sis is staring at me — make her stop!” There is great power imbued in our countenance. In rightly decreeing that “eyes are windows to the soul,” the great 16th-century English playwright William Shakespeare paraphrased the biblical verse, “The eye is the lamp of the body.” It’s from Matthew 6:22-24. If bright and clear, the verse continues, then the person we see is likewise true and strong. Video conference has helped with time and distance, but is there a substitute, for those of us without impairment, for visual contact? Whether a vicious stare down or Burt Bacharach’s more delicate “Look of Love,” it appears that the eyes have it.

All is not to say that the best correspondents are those who engage in the practice of the lengthy death stare! Glaring,

Flush with bathroom excitement

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Here’s an en suite bathroom update: We’re in our sixth week of remodeling and still operating out of a kid’s room. I’m losing my gosh-darn mind.

HUMOR

The big-ticket items are done. We have a new tile floor and swanky shiplap on the walls, a toilet that flushes, and one working sink.

ing to give us a new one, anyway (Thanks, Jeremy!) And we can’t paint until all the rest of this is taken care of, which means we can’t hang mirrors. Much like the bathing situation, getting ready in the morning is both a challenge and a hoot! I can blindly apply eye makeup, but I really shouldn’t.

Much like the bathing situation, getting ready in the morning is both a challenge and a hoot!

The plumbing is basically finished, and most of the hardware and lighting are in. But we’re waiting on a shower door as well as a second tub filler. Our first filler was apparently broken, causing only cold water to flow throughout the house, and then after a tweak, switching to scalding hot. Maintaining personal hygiene has been tricky, and at times, quite dangerous!

Additionally, one of our vanity countertops is cracked, and the repair job doesn’t look great. Of course, when I called Lowe’s to see about a replacement, I was told we had passed the 90-day return window. Fortunately, they took pity on me and are go-

– DANIELLE WILSON

The kicker was when I realized that I’d been providing nightly nudie shows to anyone in the nearby roundabout who happened to glance up at our window. My apologies, dear drivers! Or maybe, you’re welcome? I’d forgotten that the privacy curtain has not been reinstalled.

Anyhoo, I’m longing for the day when we’ll have our bathroom back, gorgeous and fully functioning.

Peace out.

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

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

Wrong things to do in the shower

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

seven bars of soap on the shower floor.

WHEN IT’S TIME TO CALL BONE DRY YOU’LL KNOW IT IN YOUR GUT. AND YOUR GUTTERS.

HUMOR

I have an app called Smart News. It’s worth every penny, mainly because it’s free. I am addicted to it because, along with dozens of articles each day that summarize the news, it also includes provocative warnings with attention-grabbing teases. These were just in the past week:

• 6 things you do wrong in the shower.

• 5 kinds of pickles to avoid.

• 4 things your boyfriend should never know.

• 9 most ineffective pick-up lines.

• 7 things you are doing wrong with artichokes.

• 5 mistakes you make when loading the dishwasher.

• 5 names for a man that usually mean he’s a jerk.

• 11 biggest mistakes you make at Costco.

• 6 mistakes you make with your toaster.

• 3 things you do wrong when making your bed.

Reading these blurbs gives me more stuff in my life to obsess about. Let’s look at just a few of these:

Five things you do wrong loading the dishwasher: If you are a man and don’t want to bother reading the list, just load the dishwasher in front of your wife. You will quickly find out there are seven things you are doing wrong.

Six things you do wrong in the shower: One of the things people do wrong is not washing their feet. With my aching back, I can’t reach my feet. That’s why there are

Three ways you make your bed incorrectly: I was surprised to find that putting the fitted sheet on top of the flat sheet was not included as a no-no. I did that once when my wife Mary Ellen was on a business trip. In the morning, I was an hour late for work because I couldn’t get out of bed.

Five names of men who are usually jerks: According to an actual survey, women claimed that certain male names often meant the guy was going to be a jerk. One of those names was Frank.

Nine pick up lines you should never use: According to bartenders surveyed, one of the worst is, “Hi gorgeous, my name is Frank.”

OK, let’s get to those asparagus: The first thing they mention is that people forget to peel the spear. Apparently, peeling makes the vegetable more edible. I am no expert, but I believe this is also true of bananas.

Don’t trim off too much: Good advice for people mowing their lawns, barbers cutting hair and doctors doing circumcisions.

Ignoring the great diversity of asparagus: There are, says Smart News, more than 300 varieties, including Jersey Giant, Colossal and Atlas. Sound familiar? Those are also the names of three championship wrestlers.

Don’t cook your asparagus with the rubber band still on the stems: Yes, if your spears are exceptionally chewy one night, I think you have discovered the culprit.

POLICIES

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

Sometimes you don’t need a new roof. Sometimes it’s what’s at the end of your roof that goes first. Bone Dry has become as well known for gutters and downspouts as we have for roofs. So if you’re staring at a waterfall and you’re not on vacation, it’s time to call Bone Dry. You’ll know it in your gutters.

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

“According to bartenders surveyed, one of the worst is, “Hi gorgeous, my name is Frank.””

– DICK WOLFSIE

‘American Idol’ stars Studdard, Aiken reunite on ’Twenty’ tour

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

To “American Idol” fans, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken were rivals during the second season.

CONCERT

But they became brothers.

Studdard and Aiken will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their “American Idol” showing and their friendship on the “Twenty” tour, which stops May 11 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. with 2003 “American Idol” winner Studdard and runner-up Aiken. The duo will perform songs from that year from the TV show.

“We do stuff we did on the show. Everything during this show we are doing the type of thing that was or could have been performed on ‘Idol’ in 2003. It’s about nostalgia,” Aiken said. “We hope to transport people back to that time.”

Studdard and Aiken toured together on the 10th anniversary of “American Idol.” They then appeared together in a threeweek holiday engagement on Broadway in 2018.

“I stopped touring so we compromised, and I did Broadway where I could sleep in the same bed every night,” Aiken said. “When the 20th anniversary came around, Ruben talked me into getting back on the bus. It’s been worth it so far. We’ve had fun. I’m a little more sore than I would have been 20 years ago, but we’ve had fun with it.”

Aiken said when his son was born 14 years ago, he began to step away from doing anything musically.

“I wanted to spend more time with him and I had some interests I wanted to work on, public service stuff,” Aiken said. “I stopped focusing on music, and Ruben kept on the road.”

Studdard said it wasn’t too hard to convince Aiken.

“I think there is always a burning desire for a performer to perform,” Studdard said.

“I definitely had to have a conversation or two with him, but at the end of the day, everyone wants to get on stage and sing, and I don’t think my brother (Aiken) is any different.”

Aiken said Studdard is being nice.

“He twisted my arm,” Aiken said. “I would not have done it on my own and wouldn’t have done it with anyone else, and that’s the truth. He didn’t have to put me in a headlock or anything. We have fun on stage. We don’t get along all the time because we’re like brothers. When we get on stage, there is a chemistry that I don’t think either of us even realized. We constantly get told this by people we work with or (who) come to the shows. It’s natural and easy to be on stage together.”

Aiken said except for a period between 2004 and 2005, when they might have gone a few months without being in touch, they talk or text at least once a month and usually more often.

“No one else has been through the same thing he and I have when it comes to that experience,” Aiken said. “We bonded from that. We’re very different people. Ruben grew up playing sports a lot. I grew up with people who didn’t have the same

passion for performing as I did. It wasn’t until I met Ruben and others on ‘Idol’ (that I found that) there were people that enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Studdard said they share their experiences with the audience.

“Not many people have had the opportunity to meet the caliber of record producers, writers and singers that we did,” Studdard said. “Just alone talking about our experience with (record producer) Clive Davis is enough to put in a bottle and send to other people in the industry. We had the opportunity to sit in the room with one of the greatest executive producers in the music business ever.”

Aiken said the four months that he and Studdard appeared on “American Idol” created a wealth of stories.

“We packed in enough experiences, memories and moments that could have filled most entertainers’ entire careers,” he said. “He talks about Clive Davis and Lionel Ritchie. We met Neil Sedaka. We worked with Burt Bacharach. We worked with Diane Warren — huge industry giants we got to work with. The stories change every night.”

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘AN AMERICAN IN PARIS’

“An American in Paris” runs through May 14 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com. ‘MR. CONFIDENTIAL’

Actors Theatre of Indiana’s world premiere of “Mr. Confidential” runs through May 14 at the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit atistage.org.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’

Civic Theatre’s production of “The Sound of Music” runs through May 13 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

Lonnie McFadden will perform at 7:30 p.m. May 12-13 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. Jazz Brunch: Mother Day’s Edition with Blair Clark is set for 11 a.m. May 14. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

STUDDARD & AIKEN

Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their “American Idol” appearance at 7:30 p.m. May 11 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents. org.

AN EVENING WITH NATALIE MERCHANT

An Evening with Natalie Merchant: Keep Your Courage Tour” will stop at 7:30 p.m. May 16 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Red Barn Theatre tickets on sale — OnStage Foundation has announced that tickets for the Frankfort’s Red Barn Summer Theatre 2023 season are available by mail and are available for purchase online. Ticket brochures have been mailed, but anyone who did not receive a brochure may visit the Barn’s website at redbarntheatre.net for a digital version or email boxofficeredbarn@ gmail.com to request a mailed copy. Season or individual show tickets can be purchased at redbarntheatre.net. “The Red Barn season runs from June 7 through July 16.

Ruben Studdard, left, and Clay Aiken will perform May 11 at the Palladium. (Photo courtesy of Amplified Entertainment)

CHS junior gets dream role

By Jeff Decker editorial@youarecurrent.com

While backstage before the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble’s first performance of “Alice in Wonderland,” Lily Guntz expects to be excited and nervous.

DANCE

But the Carmel High School junior knows any jitters will disappear when the lights come up and the music starts.

“It will all fade away,” said Guntz, who will dance as the lead character Alice. “I can do what I love, and that is to dance with all my heart.”

Guntz, 16, is one of about 70 dancers, ages 6 to 18, who will perform in “Alice in Wonderland” at 2 and 7:30 p.m. May 20 and 1 and 4:30 p.m. May 21 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

The Central Indiana Dance Ensemble most recently performed “Alice in Wonderland,” based on the 1865 English novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll, in 2016, according to Ashley Jacobs, co-artistic director for the ensemble.

“‘Alice in Wonderland’ is my favorite

spring ballet that we do,” Jacobs said. “The costumes, lighting, sets and backdrops really draw the audience onto the stage so they can really immerse themselves in the story.”

Guntz, who has been dancing since age 2, looks forward to performing in it.

“Dancing as Alice is a dream come true,” she said. “I never thought that I would be given this opportunity this early in my career and am so immensely grateful.”

For more, visit cidedance.org,

Reagalique offers wine variety

Commentary by Mark LaFay editorial@youarecurrent.com

happens to spread nicely on Bath Squares butter crackers.

dy Mlady, our 2022 Whiskers d Pet" ckage

DRINK

I was once told that you don’t have to wait until a special occasion to open a bottle of wine. Instead, make the opening of a bottle of wine the special occasion. Wiser words may have been said, but those are fairly wise. Regalique, a wine and gourmet food boutique at 110 West Main St., Suite 120, Carmel, has a great assortment of wines for you to celebrate. It also has a great assortment of gourmet food to pair with your wine. Below are three featured pairings for the month of May:

• The Duval Le Roy family has been making champagne since 1859, and its nonvintage Brut Reserve is a fantastic bottle. Serve chilled in champagne flutes or in white wine glasses. The nose is bright and vibrant with notes of toast, almond and citrus. On the palate, the wine is crisp and dry, with bright acidity — refreshing and memorable. The wine pairs nicely with soft cheeses like Tulip Tree’s Queen Anne’s Lace, which

• Domaine Alain Chavy, Puligny-Montrachet Les Charmes is a chardonnay from the Burgundy region of France (also called white Burgundy). The nose is subtle, notes of tart apples, lemon and minerals. On the palate, the wine is crisp, with prominent acidity. Tight, tart fruit gives way to minerality and subtle oak spice. The wine, as well as many white Burgundies, pair nicely with seafood.

• The 2019 Macauley Napa Cabernet is a quintessential Napa cabernet. The wine is dark, inky and opaque in the glass. The nose is packed full of ripe cherries, ripe raspberries, chocolate and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is round and full-bodied, the tannins aren’t very gripping, and the acidity is moderate, giving it a silky texture. The wine showcases plenty of fruit and spice with somewhat integrated alcohol, giving it a latent heat. The wine pairs nicely with Neuhaus Carre Dark Chocolates!

, g ack for a night of fun, including:

Wine, beer, bourbon & vodka tastings. A Silent Auction featuring experiences of a lifetime. Adoptable animals just waiting to steal your heart.

Friday, June 16, 2023

6 - 9:00 p.m.

Embassy Suites Noblesville Tickets available at dWhiskers.com

Benefiting the Humane Society for Hamilton County

Carmel High School junior Lily Guntz has the title role in Central Indiana Dance Ensemble’s production of “Alice In Wonderland.” (Photo courtesy of CIDE)

Skillman has been longtime customer of Mecum Auctions

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Automobile dealership owner Ray Skillman is frequently asked which classic car he likes the most.

AUTOMOBILES

“It depends on which day it is,” Skillman said. “I had a guy ask me if the building was burning down which one would I roll out first.” “I said, ‘I’d probably think about it so long, I’d burn up.’”

Skillman holds the No. 9 bid for all Mecum Auctions. Dana Mecum’s 36th Original Spring Classic is set for May 12-20 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

“I’ve been collecting for most of my life,” said Skillman, an 81-year-old Greenwood resident.

Skillman has a classic car collection in Greenwood.

“Even before I had the museum, I had them at home and other people’s garages and some in dealerships,” he said. “Then we built our building in 2006, and it’s about 45,000 square feet, so we have room to store some cars and work on cars.”

The museum is open by appointment at 1280 U.S. Highway 31, Greenwood.

“We don’t have enough people to man the place because they are busy working on cars,” Skillman said. “Some of the stuff is a little fragile.”

Skillman said it houses about 200 automobiles. There are also bicycles, motorcycles and neon signs at the museum.

There are probably 80 Indianapolis 500 cars, sprint cars, midgets, stock cars and dragsters.

“We have Corvettes, Camaros and Chevettes and stuff like that,” Skillman said. “We have a few hotrods and street rods.”

Skillman, who has 18 dealership locations, all in the Indianapolis area, attends some Mecum auctions in other states as well.

At one time, Skillman said he spent almost every day at the Mecum auction in Indianapolis.

“Now, I go on the days where the cars I’m interested in are running,” he said. “I usually go for three days.”

Skillman said the adrenaline rush of bidding is fun.

“There are cars you’ve watched for years, and they’ll show up at a Mecum sale and it’s fun to acquire cars at sales,” he said. “We buy a lot of cars from estates, from people

who have passed away or are getting older and they don’t have a reason to be involved with cars anymore. We’ll buy one car or 50 from a person at one time.”

Skillman said sometimes they sell cars at Mecum but are not planning to sell anything this year.

“There’s never been a year where we haven’t bought something,” Skillman said. “We bought six or seven cars from them last year. One of the cars was the one that Mario Andretti ran at Indy and took his rookie test in it and ran third in it. Then he won a couple championships in that car.”

Skillman said he likes the Indy 500 cars from the 1950s and 1960s the best, the roadsters and Dan Gurney’s Eagles and the Lotuses.

“There were four Turbine cars that ran in 1968 and we have one of them that Graham Hill ran,” he said. “We do have the 1997 winning car that Arie Luyendyk ran.”

Skillman said he has purchased several cars that cost more than $1 million each, including the Andretti car and Turbine.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has three of Skillman’s cars on display.

Skillman grew up in Owensboro, Ky., but his father started bringing him to the race in the 1950s.

Skillman also likes muscle cars from the 1950s and 1960s.

“It’s kind of the cars that you grew up with, and mostly the cars you couldn’t ever own,” he said. “I’m living out my childhood again.

For more, rayskillmanclassiccars.com.

Ray Skillman pauses with his 1965 Brawner Hawk Ford Indy Car at his car museum. Skillman purchased the car at last year’s Mecum’s Spring Classic in Indianapolis. (Photo courtesy of Ray Skillman)

NIGHT & DAY

Where’s Amy?

Where’s Amy stopped by opening night of Civic Theatre’s “The Sound of Music” April 28 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The sold-out opening weekend musical earned a standing ovation for each performance and is the hottest ticket in town. Don’t miss it. For more info, visit civictheatre.org

PUZZLE ANSWERS SPONSORED BY SHEPHERD INSURANCE

Answers to HOOSIER HODGEPODGE: Titles: BISHOP, GURU, IMAM, LAMA, PRIEST, RABBI; Minerals: COPPER, GOLD, IRON, TALC, ZINC; Cocktails: DAIQUIRI, MAI TAI, MANHATTAN, MARTINI; Knots: BOWLINE, SLIP, SQUARE; Banks: CHASE, PNC; Sheriff: KERRY

Amy

Pauszek

is a photographer, award winning film producer and scouting and casting associate for Talent Fusion Agency in Indianapolis. She can be reached at Amy@ youarecurrent.com. To see more of her photos, visit currentnightandday.com.

Where’s Amy attends Civic Theatre’s ‘The Sound of Music’

Parrish Williams (New Palestine), left, and Civic Theatre Executive Artistic Director Michael Lasley (Indianapolis). (Photos by Amy Pauszek)

Emily Tzucker (Carmel), left, with director Anne Beck (Fishers) and her daughter Nya Beck (Fishers).

Katie Emrich (Westfield) with daughter Audrey.

Fifty shades of beige or is that grammatolatry?

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

author of “The Hunger Games.”

GRAMMAR GUY

If you recall, I explored “purple prose” in the past. Purple prose is overly flowery language that uses tons of adjectives and words to describe something relatively simple.

Beige prose, on the other hand, is direct and is sometimes accused of being too plain. As a literary style, we have several notable examples.

I must begin with my main man Ernest Hemingway, the father of anti-fluff writing. Instead of “beige” prose, he’d describe his writing style as “efficient and direct.” In Hemingway’s 1935 Esquire essay entitled “Notes on the Next War,” he writes, “They wrote in the old days that it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country. But in modern war, there is nothing sweet nor fitting in your dying. You will die like a dog for no good reason.”

If you want a modern example of beige prose, look no further than Suzanne Collins,

“The Hunger Games” protagonist Katniss Everdeen describes her home life in a matter-of-fact way: “Sitting at Prim’s knees, guarding her, is the world’s ugliest cat. Mashed-in nose, half of one ear missing, eyes the color of rotting squash. Prim named him Buttercup, insisting that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower. He hates me. Or at least distrusts me.”

Other notable pro-beige prose authors include Jack London, Cormac McCarthy, Kurt Vonnegut and Charles Bukowski. I lean toward beige prose to keep the plot moving forward; otherwise, reading a novel feels like watching khaki paint dry.

Across

1. Swiss peaks

5. Old Russian ruler

9. “The King and I” setting

13. iPhone voice

14. Perry County community that shares its name with a European capital

15. Against

16. Shoe part

17. Flying saucers

18. New Big Ten school in ‘24

19. Socrates quote (and the start to a Kurt Vonnegut witticism)

22. Carmel-to-Cincinnati dir.

24. 401(k) kin

25. Hardly macho

28. Sudden fear

30. ___ v. Wade

32. MCL dessert

33. Does the math, perhaps

34. Openly disregard

36. NYC airport

37. Sartre quote (and Part 2 to Vonnegut’s witticism)

40. Box office letters

42. TV awards

43. Gov. Bowen

46. Bar bill

47. Watch chain or pocket

48. The bad guys

49. Wombs

51. Route

53 Finished first in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference

54. Frank Sinatra quote (and the punchline to Vonnegut’s witticism)

58. “___ went thataway!”

60. I-65 rig

61. Craving

64. Apple variety

65. Said “Not guilty” in Hamilton County Court

66. Barely managed

67. Lump

68. US Supreme Court count

69. Indiana tax IDs

Down

1. Louisville Slugger wood

2. Tall tale

3. Play possum

34. “I wanna be there!”

acronym

35. Tree branch

38. Shocking ER treatment

39. “___ voyage!”

40. Queue after R

41. Lab rodent

44. Texter’s qualifier

45. Roget wd.

48. Hurricane center

50. Rolls partner

51. Restroom door sign

52. Tolerate

55. Where to watch Pacers highlights, maybe

56. Shapiro’s, e.g.

57. Sagamore Club payments

58. Toy soldier material

59. Med. plan

62. Ind. National Guard rank

63. Current staffers Answers on Page 23

4. Farm tower

5. More faithful

6. European capital

7. Biblical prophet

8. Take a break

9. ___ Arabia

10. Unfinished paintings

11. Falcons on a Colts scoreboard

12. “Mamma ___!”

20. Pen name

21. Be indebted

22. Clean air org.

23. Melancholy

26. Boone County Fair critter

27. Indiana Senate vote

29. Monument Circle musical grp.

30. Optimistic

Religious Titles LIFESTYLE

Bar Louie Cocktails 3 Knots 2 Largest Indy Banks

From minor check-ups to major illnesses, visiting the doctor is hardly anyone’s idea of a good time. But it should be a simple one.

At Community Health Network, we make it easier for you to access the care you need. From making an appointment to paying for it, we’ll be by your side with simple scheduling, convenient locations, personal estimates and financial support.

Our commitment to simple care means you always know that when you need answers, we’re here to listen. When you need support, we’re here to help. And when you need care, we’re here to deliver.

Learn more about how we’re uncomplicating healthcare at eCommunity.com/simplydelivered

Being sick isn’t fun. The least we can do is make it simpler.

David T., Patient at Community Health Network