June 27, 2023 — Lawrence/Geist

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Council attorney alleges mayor, administration purposefully reverted 2022 budget

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

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GOVERNMENT

The Lawrence Common Council heard a lengthy presentation June 14 from its attorney, who provided an update about the council’s investigation into why the 2022 budget was not submitted to the state, leading to the city’s budget reverting to its 2021 spending plan.

Attorney John Hughes spoke for approximately two hours, providing details from email correspondence and other documents collected through the investigation process, along with excerpts from depositions of Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier and members of his administration.

Hughes stressed that the investigation is ongoing and the information provided is preliminary. However, he said, “evidence shows the Collier administration worked together to revert the budget.”

If a city in Indiana does not submit its budget to the state by deadline each fall, regulations require that the city’s spending plan revert to its most recent state-approved budget. In this case, that was the 2021 City of Lawrence budget.

The council’s approved budget for 2022 was several million dollars less than what Collier had requested in his proposed budget. Reversion of the budget led to more funds becoming available than the council intended.

Hughes told the council the investigation shows the city’s controller did not submit the forms to the state — which Collier’s administration has confirmed. After the budget reverted and the city had more funds than the council-approved budget would have allowed, Hughes said, city officials moved money between accounts without going to the council for approval.

Hughes added that the mayor’s office never formally told the council that the budget had reverted. Collier’s administration

has noted several meetings in 2022 where the budget reversion was mentioned, but none were a formal notice to the entire council. Council members say their first official notification was in late 2022, about a year after the reversion occurred.

In his lengthy presentation, Hughes indicated a pattern of miscommunication on the part of the city’s administration. He showed emails from city officials that referred to providing “somewhat vague” answers to council questions. Other internal correspondence Hughes cited showed the city could work within the reduced council-approved budget, but city officials told the council that a smaller spending plan would lead to salary cuts and layoffs in multiple departments.

“What was communicated to this council (and) to the public was that you were trying to hurt public safety,” Hughes said. “You were trying to take away jobs in the public safety realm and that you’re going to cause everybody in the city to lose their money. But that’s not what the controller was saying in emails to his boss.”

Hughes also said that while Collier’s administration has said it didn’t submit the budget because the council failed to provide line-item details for the cuts it wanted to make, the council’s approved budget was in the correct form required by the state. He cited an email from the city’s controller, Tyler Douthit, that says he reached out to the state and they confirmed the only form the state needed was the ordinance that assigns fund totals, not line-item details.

Hughes showed budget ordinances adopted previously by the council, and submitted to the state by the city. Hughes said they are exactly the same format as the 2022 budget ordinance approved by the council in 2021.

DISPATCH

– JOHN HUGHES

Hughes did say that Collier and members of his team cooperated with the investigation to an extent. They provided emails and correspondence, and sat for depositions. However, Collier refused to approve additional appropriations for the council’s investigation to continue.

Collier also filed a petition with Marion County Superior Court asking the court to determine whether the mayor has the power to veto additional appropriations for council legal fees, and to determine who was at fault in the 2022 budget reversion. That case, filed in late March, has been assigned to a five-judge panel. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Following Hughes’ presentation, some council members asked questions. Democrat Lisa Chavis, an at-large member, asked whether the ongoing investigation also will look into how American Rescue Plan Act funds have been spent. Hughes said a federal audit will look into those expenses, and he has requested any publicly available results of that audit.

Council President Tyrrell Giles said the ARPA funds are a different issue, and this investigation is meant to focus on the 2022 budget reversion. He asked Hughes whether other communities in the past faced similar issues leading to a reversion.

Hughes said he wasn’t aware of one that matches Lawrence’s, but there have been other instances of city budgets reverting because they failed to submit required forms.

At deadline, there was no response to a request for comment from the mayor’s legal counsel, Brian Bosma, in response to the presentation.

Collier

Youth mentoring fundraiser earns $40,000 — Fishers-based Youth Mentoring Initiative hosted its annual Wines Around the World fundraiser, presented by RQAW, Taub Family Selections and First Internet Bank, on May 19 at the open-air rooftop patio of First Internet Bank.

The crowd raised approximately $40,000 to support YMI’s mission to connect Hamilton Southeastern School District students with a volunteer mentor once a week. For more, visit ymionline.org.

“What was communicated to this council (and) to the public was that you were trying to hurt public safety.You were trying to take away jobs in the public safety realm and that you’re going to cause everybody in the city to lose their money. But that’s not what the controller was saying in emails to his boss.”

Giles

COMMUNITY

CURRENT LAWRENCE/GEIST JULY COMMUNITY CALENDAR

GEIST FIREWORKS PLANNED

The City of Fishers plans to launch a Geist Reservoir fireworks display on the Fourth of July. Parks Director Marisa Deckert said the fireworks will be launched from a barge out on the water near Geist Marina. “It’s great viewing if you’re on a boat, or if you live around there,” she said. “But there’s not necessarily a destination viewing location if you don’t live in that area, or you don’t have a boat.”

LAWRENCE COUNCIL JULY MEETINGS

The regular first meeting of the month for the Lawrence Common Council is set for July 10, rather than the first Monday of the month because of the Fourth of July holiday. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. in the public assembly room at Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E 59th St. The council’s midmonth meeting is July 19.

FRIDAYS AT THE FORT CONCERT SERIES KICKS OFF

July 14 kicks off the Fridays at the Fort concert series at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus. Grupo Bembe is set to perform for the free concert starting at 6 p.m. The event includes food trucks, a beer tent and family activities.

COMEDY/MAGIC SHOW SET FOR JULY 15

Arts for Lawrence’s Theater at the Fort presents Jamahl Keyes performing at 2 p.m. July 15. According to Arts for Lawrence, Keyes combines improvisational comedic skills and audience participation with out-of-thebox magic tricks to turn a magic show into a magical family-friendly, fun event. Tickets are $20. For more, go to artsforlawrence. org/events-1/magic-music-laughs.

CLASSICAL SUNDAY AT THE FORT

Arts for Lawrence presents the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Brass, which will perform a free outdoor concert at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus starting at 2 p.m. July 16.

SHAKESPEARE AT THE FORT

Arts for Lawrence presents its second year of Shakespeare at The Fort by welcoming back Bard Fest for its presentation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” an outdoor performance at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus Amphitheater. Performances are 7:30-9:30 pm. July 27-30. For more information, go to artsforlawrence.org/tickets and scroll down to click on the image of Shakespeare.

HOW FAR WOULD YOU DRIVE TO SAVE $1,000 ON AN MRI?

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

LAWRENCE Project: IndyGo Purpleline Construction

Location: Northbound on Post Road between Pendleton Pike and the CSX Railroad will be closed during IndyGo Purpleline Construction. Southbound will remain open.

Expected completion: August

Project: Drainage Improvement project

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

Expected Completion: August

Project: Water main replacement

Location: 46th Street (between Franklin Road and Shadeland Avenue); Richardt Avenue (between 46th and 56th streets); Woodcroft Avenue. (between 46th and 47th); Elmhurst Dive (between 46th and 47th); Kingman Drive (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: 146th and Allisonville Interchange

Location: Phase 1 of construction for the grade separation intersection improvement has begun at 146th Street and Allisonville Road. One thru lane and one left turn lane in all directions will be closed through the intersection. Closures of Sowers Drive and Saville Road at 146th Street will be necessary in June. Please exercise caution while driving through this construction zone. In addition to these closures, the worksite speed limit will be 35 mph.

Expected completion: The entire project is set for completion in summer 2025

Project: 106th Street & Kincaid Drive

Just off I-70 at Mt. Comfort Road, Gateway Hancock Health lets you save an average of 70% on MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, ultrasounds, and lab tests. Compare prices now at HancockGateway.org.

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: The full project is expected to be completed by August 2023

Walmart opens 2.2 million square foot fulfillment center

By Kiersten Riedford kiersten@youarecurrent.com

points Pkwy. in Plainfield. The center burned down in March of 2022.

INDUSTRY

Walmart celebrated the opening of its largest fulfillment center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 15 at the new facility in McCordsville.

The fulfillment center — a warehouse where goods are packed and dispatched to fulfill online orders — is a 2.2 million square foot warehouse at 5259 W. 500 N. It is the size of 40 football fields.

The center is filled with the latest technology to deliver orders within two days, according to the fulfillment center’s general manager, Geoffrey Appleby.

“With this building, in combination with our traditional fulfillment centers, we’ll be able to reach 95 percent of the U.S. population within the next day or two-day shipping move,” Appleby said. “So (we are) really excited, not only for the associates and their experience in here making it better for them, but also from a customer experience that wants their deliveries in a next day or a two-day time period.”

The building is stacked with technology,

with more than two miles of conveyor belts inside the facility to make order processing more efficient.

“Using technology, automation and robotics, we’ve taken this manual 12-step process for associates and really transformed it into a five-step process,” Appleby said. “That breeds a more positive, more comfortable environment for our associates. And that’s really what’s got me most excited about

Employees of the new Walmart fulfillment center in McCordsville cut the ribbon during a June 15 ceremony. (Photo by Kiersten Riedford)

these folks that you’re seeing behind you — their experience each and every day and providing for our customers.”

Van Thawnz, a recently promoted lead at the fulfillment center, has worked at the center for the past two months, but has been working for Walmart for six years.

He said prior to working at the McCordsville center, he was working at the former Walmart Distribution Center at 9590 All-

After the fire, associates were placed at a different location and over time have been pulled to work in the McCordsville fulfillment center.

Thawnz said he loves working at the new facility. He said the technology in the center has lessened the amount of physical labor he needs to put in, and the facility installed new floormats to make work comfortable for the associates.

“It’s amazing,” Thawnz said. “So I think whoever works here, they will love it.”

During the event, Riley Hospital for Children and the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation were granted $5,000 each. Appleby said Walmart gave the grants so it could give back to the community that helped them thrive.

“We want to make sure that everybody knows that we at Walmart, Sam’s Club and (other) distribution centers (are) here to make sure that people can save money and live better,” Appleby said.

Walmart plans to open two more next-generation fulfillment centers in Indiana over the next three years.

Lawrence in top-50 for families

news@geistcurrent.com

The City of Lawrence has been named one of the top-50 best places to live for families by Fortune magazine’s online wellness site, fortune.com/ well.

RECOGNITION

Out of the 50 communities nationwide, Lawrence came in at No. 41, in between Denver, Colo., at 40 and Little Rock, Ark., at 42. Cambridge, Mass., was the No. 1-ranked city on the list.

The list includes one city from each state.

“In our analysis of nearly 1,900 cities across the country, the best places to live scored high on assets like health care, education and resources for seniors — all of which can help fight isolation and build social ties,” the website states. “For the first time, this year’s list highlights the best place to live in each of the 50 states. While some states — whether owing to certain laws or their political climate — may not meet everyone’s needs, the list provides people a wide range of options across the U.S. from which they can find a place to call home.”

In the entry for Lawrence, the website cites the community’s military heritage, with its strong connection to the former Fort Benjamin Harrison military base that’s now the center of the city’s government, arts and community events.

“Lawrence’s city center, dubbed Fort Ben, was once the active Army base Fort

The City of Lawrence hosts an annual winter festival, “A Lawrence Christmas,” along with other community events throughout the year.

(Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)

Benjamin Harrison, serving many roles throughout the 20th century, the training of thousands of World War II draftees among them,” the website states. “When the base was decommissioned in the 1990s, Lawrence turned its barracks, mule barns and service buildings into spaces for local businesses and restaurants, while officers’ quarters became private homes. And the 1,744 acres of land previously used for military exercises became its Fort Harrison State Park and The Fort Golf Course.”

Fortune also cited Lawrence’s work to promote the arts, including updating the Theater at the Fort and turning an old military communications site into galleries, studios and classrooms. The cultural campus hosts many of Lawrence’s community events and festivals.

For the full list of best places to live for families, go to fortune.com/well/ranking/ best-places-families/2023/.

Pure Pharmacy heads to Fishers

news@geistcurrent.com

The Fishers City Council approved a plan on June 19 to bring Carmel-based Pure Pharmacy to Fishers.

tions to Fishers and appreciate the support that the city has given us,” said Ryan Hayes, co-owner of Pure Pharmacy.

NEW BIZ

The business’ planned expansion includes $2.5 million in capital investments and increasing the number of employees by 50 by the end of 2027. According to the city, those new jobs will focus on the compounding, compliance, dispensing and support areas of the company.

The council unanimously approved a tax-abatement incentive for the company to open a facility in Fishers. That five-year abatement includes zero property taxes in the first year, with the amount gradually increasing each year. According to city documents, the incentive is worth about $71,000.

The new facility will be at 6950 E. 96th St.

“We are very excited to expand our opera-

Pure Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that focuses on health, wellness and innovative therapies, according to the city.

It is part of the growing health and wellness sector, valued at $3.4 trillion.

Compounding pharmacies create tailored medications for patients using base ingredients, rather than distributing ready-made medication.

“It’s incredible to see the life-science innovation that is happening in central Indiana right now,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said. “With the addition of Pure Pharmacy, Fishers’ I-69 corridor is competing across the life-science industry in new technologies, and the momentum is just getting started.”

For more about the company, go to purerxcompounding.com.

Jump start your savings.

Board renews most HSE administrator contracts

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Renewing contracts for school administrators is usually routine, but it became contentious in the days leading up to the June 14 Hamilton Southeastern Schools Board of Trustees meeting.

EDUCATION

Contract renewals were listed on the June draft agenda, which was released a month prior to the actual meeting. But administrators were told the day before the meeting that those with two-year contracts would not be renewed as scheduled. The community’s response was swift online and through social media.

In the end, all but five of the HSE school district’s two-year administrator contracts were renewed in a unanimous vote. An amendment to include those five contracts in the final vote failed 3-4 with board members Ben Orr, Tiffany Pascoe, Juanita Albright and Dawn Lang voting no.

The five administrator contracts that were not yet renewed were redacted on the board document available online. A comparison of that document to individual contracts listed on the district’s website shows that the missing names are Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Dowling, annual salary of $153,165.12; Chief Operating Officer Jimmie Lake ($149,691.96); Matthew Kegley, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning ($154,945); Kimberly Lippe, assistant superintendent of staff and student services ($151,195); and Rosalie Nataki Pettigrew, chief equity and inclusion officer ($102,468).

The board heard from a handful of constituents before the vote who were critical of the board’s actions regarding administrator contracts.

Administrator contracts were on the consent agenda, which usually is a collection of uncontroversial items that a board approves unanimously in one vote without discussion. However, Board President Dawn Lang chose to have a vote on each of the six consent agenda items.

The first five passed unanimously with no discussion. The sixth was the contracts. Orr said he wanted to “give some clarity” about what had happened over the past 36 hours.

Orr said he and three other board members elected in November are still learning how things work in a school district. He said when he saw that the two-year contracts were expiring in 2024, he didn’t understand why they would be renewed a year early, which is why he wanted to postpone that vote.

“I said, ‘Let’s make sure we take care of the contracts that are expiring,’” he said. “We should renew all the contracts that are up for renewal (this year). We can wait to look at others that are further down the road.”

Orr said he didn’t know that it was traditional to renew two-year contracts at the mid-point. He said he’s “still not thrilled” about the practice, but he’s learning.

Lang said the board had no details about individual contracts until June 8.

“So five days’ preparation,” she said. “Last Friday until today was our time to go through every contract.”

Lang said the board never planned to not renew contracts. Some members simply wanted to postpone the vote, particularly because the contracts total about $20 million.

“We’re trying to be good tax stewards,” she said. “I can say, we could have done this much better. But know without a doubt that we value all employees.”

Board Member Sarah Donsbach made the amendment to include all of the two-year contracts, instead of leaving five for future consideration. She said four of those administrators are crucial to the school district’s planned tax referendum, which likely will go before voters in November. Donsbach said it’s not fair to exclude them from the list of contract renewals and then ask them to go above and beyond in their work for the district.

Board Member Sarah Parks-Reese seconded the amendment. She added that the board had a month to ask questions, and members should have done their due diligence earlier. She noted that the more recently elected members also could have asked board members with more experience about how contract renewals worked.

The board has an executive session set for 6 p.m. June 28 to discuss performance evaluations. The employees to be discussed are not named.

Lang

Parks-Reese

Fishers announces $120M plan for South Street developments

news@currentinfishers.com

The City of Fishers has partnered with two developers to create a new look for downtown Fishers’ South Street, and on June 19, the Fishers City Council unanimously approved incentive packages to move both proposals forward.

HOUSING

In a June 15 announcement, the city stated it is working with HighGround, a subsidiary of Carmel-based Hageman; and Rebar Development, a Fishers-based development firm.

“I’m excited to see the dynamic facets of these developments breathe new life into this area of the Nickel Plate District,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said. “The transformation of this area will be incredible with high-end architecture and new spots for small businesses to call home, all bringing a variety of people together from the corporate headquarters location to the 55-plus community to visitors enjoying the amenities.”

HighGround’s City View will be a $90 million mixed-use building on 116th Street at Lantern Road. The six-story building will include 184 luxury apartments targeting the 55-plus community; 16,000 square feet of commercial space; potential for outdoor restaurant seating; and a 280-space parking structure with electric-vehicle charging stations.

According to the city, City View will break ground in February 2024 and is slated for completion in spring of 2026.

Tom Dickey, president of HighGround, spoke to the council June 19. He said the design follows the Nickel Plate development plan guidelines, and addresses an identified need: housing for the 55-plus demographic.

He stressed that the development will not be assisted living. It’s for active, independent residents who want to live near people their own age.

The incentive package for City View includes $25 million in developer-backed and city-backed bonds, and the contribution of city-owned land.

Rebar’s $32.5 million District South will redevelop the south side of South Street between Lantern Road and the Nickel Plate Trail. Six vacant properties will become a mixed-use four-story building. The development will feature the new headquarters for Annex Group; seven small-business retail

District South is one of the planned new developments on South Street. (Photo courtesy of the CIty of Fishers)

units; 38 loft residences; 44 multi-family units; a fitness center; café lounge; shared conference room; and a civic plaza and courtyard.

Rebar plans to break ground on District South in fall of 2023 and will welcome tenants in early 2025. The approved incentive package for that development includes $9.4 million in city-backed bonds, and the contribution of some city-owned land.

Shelby Bowen, president of Rebar Development, spoke to the council before the vote. He said public-private partnerships is the business model for Rebar, and he’s excited to partner with the City of Fishers.

“You’ve created a dynamic demand for people who want to be here,” he said. “People really want to be a part of what’s happening in Fishers.”

One of the commercial tenants will be Indianapolis-based developer and contractor Annex Group. As part of its relocation to Fishers to support its business growth, the company anticipates adding 40 full-time employees by 2028.

Although both developments received unanimous support from the council, there was concern about additional traffic on 116th Street. Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner told the council that both developments have taken that into consideration when designing the entry and exit points for the projects.

The redevelopment of the Nickel Plate District was identified as a priority in the Fishers 2040 plan, developed by a resident-led committee in 2015. Since 2015, more than $500 million in new development has occurred with more than 30 retail units, 11 new businesses, and several new public gathering spaces.

Kevin’s champion. Dr. Siddiqui led the way, bringing together a team of experts.

Polo

Pure Pharmacy expanding to Fishers

news@currentinfishers.com

The Fishers City Council approved a plan June 19 to bring Carmel-based Pure Pharmacy to Fishers.

ECONOMY

The business’ planned expansion includes $2.5 million in capital investments and increasing the number of employees by 50 by the end of 2027. According to the city, those new jobs will focus on the compounding, compliance, dispensing and support areas of the company.

The council unanimously approved a tax-abatement incentive for the company to open a facility in Fishers. That five-year abatement includes zero property taxes in the first year, with the amount gradually increasing each year. According to city documents, the incentive is worth about $71,000.

The new facility will be at 6950 E. 96th St.

“We are very excited to expand our operations to Fishers and appreciate the support that the city has given us,” said Ryan Hayes, co-owner of Pure Pharmacy.

Pure Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that focuses on health, wellness and innovative therapies, according to the city. It is part of the growing health and wellness sector, valued at $3.4 trillion.

Compounding pharmacies create tailored medications for patients using base ingredients, rather than distributing ready-made medication.

“It’s incredible to see the life-science innovation that is happening in central Indiana right now,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said. “With the addition of Pure Pharmacy, Fishers’ I-69 corridor is competing across the life-science industry in new technologies, and the momentum is just getting started.”

The life-sciences and biotech industries in Fishers have grown exponentially since 2020, with $750 million in investment and nearly 2,000 jobs established or committed to in the next three years.

Pure Pharmacy opened in late 2019. The new facility will be located at the Patch Development building under construction at 96th Street and Masters Road.

For more about the company, go to purerxcompounding.com.

Concrete Cleaning Concrete Sealing Roof Cleaning Pressure Washing Epoxy Floors

Hey there, folks! Take a good look at this zoomed-in image we’ve snagged from a spot in Lawrence. 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.

A historic plane in front of VFW Post 7119 on Lee Road. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)

Guerin Catholic boys golf team sweeps state team honors

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

It was a clean sweep for the Guerin Catholic High School boys golf team.

was the difference in the state finals.”

SPORTS

The Golden Eagles won the IHSAA team state title June 14 at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. Junior Leo Wessel won the individual title with a 6-under par 138 total with rounds of 71 and 67. Senior Jacob Modleski, who finished in a three-way tie for second among individuals, won the Mental Attitude Award for boys golf.

It was the second consecutive state championship for second-ranked Guerin Catholic, which edged No. 1 Westfield by two strokes. The Golden Eagles finished with a score of 589, 13 strokes over par.

“We didn’t play our best toward the end, but we managed to pull it out,” Golden Eagles coach Mark Mathews said. “It’s a strong group of boys. They’ve got a lot of faith. They’ve got a lot of humbleness.”

Guerin Catholic topped Westfield by one stroke in the 2022 state finals. The Golden Eagles were runners-up in 2021, losing by one stroke to Center Grove.

Modleski, a Noblesville resident who has signed with the University of Notre Dame, had a 3-under par 141 (67-74).

“Jacob is a real solid rock,” Mathews said. “It was unusual to see him struggle a bit because that’s not what he does. He closed it out at the end. He knew exactly what he needed to do, and he did it. I’m really proud of Leo, too. He had a phenomenal round.”

Wessel, who has committed to the University of Cincinnati, said he has played well all season physically, but his mental game

“My mindset, and this sounds like it’s taken from a book, but I just wanted to win as badly as I wanted to breathe,” said Wessel, who lives on Indianapolis’ north side. “I was trying to make no little mistakes and keep it as clean as possible.”

Wessel said the team lived up to its potential.

“We had such a good team I hate to say it was an expectation, but we all knew we could win,” Wessel said. “It’s not like it’s a super big shock. We just needed to play well, and we did.”

Wessel had birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to help boost the Golden Eagles. They had a threeshot lead through 14 holes. However, Westfield took a one-shot lead with three holes left.

Modleski also finished second individually in the state finals in 2021 and tied for fifth last year.

“Coming so close shows where I’m at as a player,” Modleski said. “It shows I’ve improved. My scores have gotten lower, even if the places have been similar. This golf course is tough. It was great playing by everyone in the top five.”

Senior Zach Thieme had rounds of 74 and 80 for a 154 total for the Golden Eagles. Freshman teammate Eli Wessel shot 79-77 for 156, and sophomore Owen Nielson shot 79-80 for 159.

“This (title) is huge for our program,” Modleski said. “It was just a great way to end the year. We knew we had to play well in the state tournament, and we did. It says a lot about our team chemistry and our individual players.”

The Guerin Catholic High School boys golf team with its state championship trophy. (Photo by Mark Ambrogi)

Wessel

Bank celebrates one year in Indy

By Edward Redd edward@youarecurrent.com

A commercial bank in Indianapolis celebrated its one-year anniversary with partners and customers.

FINANCES

On June 13, CF Bank hosted a networking event at its 4729 E. 82nd St. location in Indianapolis. Guests were given the opportunity to meet the bank’s partners and learn about the boutique banking experience.

The bank serves clients throughout the greater Indianapolis area, including Hamilton County and Lawrence.

CF Bank offers the standard banking experience, such as setting clients up with personal checking and savings accounts. In addition to the standard services, the bank provides boutique banking services.

Head of finance at CF Bank Jeff Kosla said the boutique banking experience distinguishes itself from traditional banking by providing a personalized experience.

“We customize our product based on the customer’s needs.” Kosla said. “When you go to McDonald’s, not everybody likes their cheeseburger the same way, right? That’s

the analogy I like to use.”

Bankers might start out by introducing clients to their set product. The client then has the option to add services until an account suits their financial needs. Clients also have direct access to decision makers regarding loans, as opposed to the bank needing approval from an underwriter.

The bank has more than 100 clients and works to manage and grow their finances. Other services include treasury management, nonprofit banking, business equipment and loan leasing, and Home Equity Lines of Credit.

Kevin’s inspiration.

Head of Finance, Jeff Kosla, left, and vice-presidnet Indy regional Manager Kelly Leddy. (Photo by Edward Redd)

FOURTH FEST

City of Lawrence hosts daylong Independence Day celebration

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

The City of Lawrence is prepared to host nearly 10,000 people for its annual Fourth of July celebration, a daylong event that kicks off with the only Independence Day parade in Marion County and ends with a 40-minute fireworks display.

Cit of Lawrence Chief of Staff Cori Korn has been the lead organizer for the annual event for a couple years, but she said it’s a team effort involving most -- if not all -- of the city’s departments.

The parade has more than 60 entries, she said, and will follow the same route as previous years. It starts at Harrison Hill Elementary School at the corner of 53rd and Richardt Avenue, heads south on Richardt, then turns east on 47th Street and north on Franklin Road before ending underneath The Garrison flag at Community Park, 5301 N. Franklin Rd.

The main parade starts at 10 a.m., Korn said, but the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Drill Team will warm up the crowds lining the parade route starting around 9:30. Featured in the parade will be the Marching Pride of Lawrence Township, elected officials, including Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, and this year’s grand marshal, Jeff Vest, a retired educator and lifelong Lawrence resident.

“He is Lawrence through and through,” Korn said of Vest. “He knows the history of Lawrence and is so proud of Lawrence and really does whatever he can to help make Lawrence great, great city that it is. So, it’s exciting.”

Vest also serves as president of the Parks Board and is a member of the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority Board.

Korn added that Exchange Club members will walk the parade route around 9 a.m. to hand out about 4,500 small flags for onlookers to wave during the event.

Following the parade are two opportunities for car enthusiasts. The Classic Car Show starts at 10 a.m. at the park, and ends with an awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m., Korn said.

Registration is $15 on the day of the event, starting at 9 a.m. Awards will be given for Top 25 Open Class, Best Street Rod, Best Muscle Car, Best Slammed Mini Truck,

Best Mopar, Best Camaro, Best Mustang, Best Rat Rod, Best Tri Five, Mayor’s Pick and Best Of Show.

A free Jeep Show and Shine starts at noon, giving Jeep lovers a chance to show off their rides and admire others’ Jeeps. City employees will act as judges, and will hand out awards around 3 p.m.

The traditional Fourth Fish Fry is another popular attraction, hosted by the Lawrence Kiwanis Club. Korn said they ordered about 500 pounds of basa fish for the event, there is always a long line and the person who created the recipe many years ago still supervises to make sure things are done right.

The fish fry runs from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Proceeds benefit youth programs, including Riley Children’s Hospital.

Korn said there’s a break in organized activities starting around 3:30, but things pick back up at 7 p.m. when Indianapolis-based dance-party band Big Rosco and the Hammers returns to perform for another Lawrence Fourth of July crowd. Korn said there will be food trucks and other vendors on hand for the concert, which ends around 10 p.m., right before the fireworks display.

Numerous city department employees work together to make the Fourth of July a success for the anticipated 10,000 people attending throughout the day, Korn said. Police and fire department personnel are

on hand to ensure public safety; park department employees make sure the park is ready for all the festivities and then clean up afterwards; and streets department employees work with the police to block off the parade route.

“That’s the neatest thing about all the events that we do in Lawrence,” she said. “There are so many people who care so much about our community, and really give up their time to make sure that these events are great for the families.”

ON THE COVER: The City of Lawrence Fourth of July fireworks display starts at 10 p.m. from Lawrence Community Park, and lasts about 40 minutes. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)

LAWRENCE FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES AT A GLANCE:

Independence Day Parade: 9:30 a.m. the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Drill Team will kick things off, with the main parade starting at 10 a.m. Route: South on Richardt Avenue from Harrison Hill Elementary School, then east on 47th Street, north on Franklin Road and ending under The Garrison flag at Lawrence Community Park, 5301 N. Franklin Rd.

• Classic Car Show: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Community Park.

• Kiwanis Fish Fry: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Community Park.

• Jeep Show and Shine: Noon to 3 p.m. at Community Park.

• Big Rosco & the Hammers concert: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Community Park.

• Fireworks display: 10 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. at Community Park.

• Participants are asked to leave pets at home for Fourth of July events.

• In addition to the fish fry, food truck vendors will be on site at the park throughout the day. More details at visitlawrenceindiana.com/events/4thfest/.

The Lawrence Fourth of July celebration kicks off with a parade. The main parade starts at 10 a.m., ending at Lawrence Community Park. (File photo)

(Map courtesy of the City of Lawrence)

‘BROUGHT TO LIGHT’

have been removed. He said the negative reviews began appearing soon after Southland fired an executive pastor, identified by several former Southland attendees as Ryan Fox, who CJ Johnson said, “left really poorly.” CJ Johnson did not explain how Fox “left really poorly” in the meeting and did not respond to questions from Current about it.

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

When Steve Poe, longtime Northview Church senior pastor, introduced his successor, CJ Johnson, at a meeting in August 2021 for church members to approve the hire, Poe told the congregation that rumors circulating online about financial fraud and other misconduct at CJ Johnson’s previous church in Minnesota had been fully vetted and found to be untrue.

“We are 110 percent convinced that there’s absolutely nothing to these false allegations,” Poe said at the meeting.

“That’s all they are.”

Several people, however, who served at CJ Johnson’s former church, Southland City Church in the Minneapolis suburb of Lakeville, tell a different story, one they said they suspect is repeating itself — at least in part — at Northview.

They accuse CJ Johnson, 38, of speaking dishonestly from the pulpit, lacking transparency about church finances and threatening or manipulating those who questioned his ideas or leadership. They watched as most of Southland’s staff quit — without new jobs lined up — within a couple of weeks in late 2020.

Michelle Creasman, who served as an elder at Southland from 2018 to late 2020, said she feels it’s important for those attending Northview to know what happened at CJ Johnson’s previous church, which ceased to exist soon after he left.

“My motivation is not to aid in a hit piece on CJ but rather hold him accountable at his new church and also educate the congregation so they can make an informed decision on where they call home,” Creasman said. “His actions impacted many people who are still recouping from what happened whether it be emotional, spiritual or financially, so I wanted to make sure this was brought to light.”

Northview, whose website listed 145 people on staff as of June 16, has also experienced a staff exodus, though not as extreme as at Southland, since CJ Johnson began working there in the summer of 2021. Several former Northview employees and attendees said they are aware of more than 40 church staffers who have left their jobs because of issues or concerns — which echo some of those raised at Southland — about the new senior pastor, and they believe that total to be an undercount.

One former Northview employee, who requested anonymity because of fear of retribution and continued work in local ministry, compared Northview’s situation to the fate of the Titanic.

“We are on this thing that feels (comfortable), yet those who are in the belly of the ship know that we’ve hit some-

thing and there’s water gushing in, but nobody’s acknowledging it,” the former employee said. “I care about Northview, and I don’t want it to sink. But I think it’s sinking, and if something doesn’t happen, if there’s not enough humility, grace and openness or willingness to have this conversation, it’s going to go down.”

TRUST ISSUES

Northview, a nondenominational megachurch based in Carmel with — according to its website — more than 8,800 weekly attendees among its dozen campuses, declined multiple times over several months to allow CJ Johnson, Poe, church elders or anyone else from its leadership team to be interviewed for this story. Northview leaders also declined to respond to specific questions sent by Current.

In a prepared statement sent to Current on behalf of Northview’s elders, executive team and Poe, Executive Pastor Jason Pongratz said the church’s elders conducted a full “due diligence process” when hiring CJ Johnson and that church leadership “did not take this task lightly.”

“Everyone involved has worked hard to ensure that the selection of the senior pastor was a person that they could confidently stand behind as the person God has for the church for the next chapter in Northview’s history. What has been a great turn in the story is that members of Pastor CJ’s former staff have recently reached out to own their parts of the distortion of truth and have begun the reconciliation process with Pastor CJ,” the statement read. “We believe that it is in the best interest of all involved for our church to respect the former staff members’ privacy and give them the space to heal with Pastor CJ. We do not wish to reopen old wounds or compromise the privacy of those involved. At this time, and for this reason, Northview will not be commenting further or providing any additional information.”

Northview elders, who finalized the decision to hire CJ Johnson, either didn’t respond to Current’s request for comment or directed Current to Pongratz for a response. Pongratz declined to comment beyond the statement he provided.

In the August 2021 Northview member meeting, however, CJ Johnson addressed the allegations posted in several reviews of Southland City Church on Google — which since

In that same meeting, Poe read a letter purportedly from Southland’s elders stating that the severance agreement with Fox contained standard nondisclosure clauses, meaning Southland could not share with its congregation specific reasons for the termination.

“This resulted in much frustration among the executive pastor’s family, friends and fellow staff,” the letter stated. “Within days of his termination, accusations against Pastor CJ began to circulate online.”

Fox did not respond to Current’s multiple requests for comment. Northview declined to provide a copy of the letter from Southland’s elders. No one contacted by Current who was on the Southland elder board at the time CJ Johnson left for Northview agreed to comment for this story. Creasman said her husband, who remained a Southland elder until the church dissolved, did not sign the letter or know it existed before it was read at Northview. No former Southland employees contacted by Current agreed to speak on the record for this story.

While the late-2020 firing of Fox may have been the final straw that spurred some of the events mentioned in the Google reviews — such as the mass exodus of Southland’s staff — problems at the church began well before that.

Josh Johnson said his young family attended Southland for several years in the 2010s, helping to launch the youth group and volunteering in various capacities. It was after Southland moved into its own building in 2017 that Josh Johnson said he began to develop serious concerns. He said there was constant pressure to donate money to the church, leading him to question how the funds were allocated and spent.

“I went directly to CJ, questioning how the monetary donations (were) being distributed within and outside of Southland,” Josh Johnson said. “CJ directed me to Ryan Fox, who was in control of the church’s finances. He would not return my calls, texts or emails. I would get crickets. When I would corner them in person, they would deflect or refuse to answer questions regarding money.”

Greg Reis, who attended Southland from 2016 to 2018, had a similar experience. He said his concern about the leadership at the church sparked after CJ Johnson — from the pulpit — embellished a story in 2016 about Reis making a donation.

“He (effectively) said, ‘It was so big, I reached out to Greg, and I had a conversation with him to make sure he wanted to donate this much money,’” Reis said. “For a moment, I thought, ‘What? He never called me,’ and I just let it go. But he used that (claim)

Northview Pastor CJ Johnson preaches on June 18. Northview services are available to follow live online or watch later at northviewchurch.online.church. (Photo by Zach Ross) Poe

Northview Church stands behind senior pastor in wake of allegations of dishonesty, manipulative behavior

Reis

COMMUNITY

Continued from Page 16

to raise a whole bunch of money, and it worked. After we bought a building, he told us that the weekend when he made that announcement, the money just started rolling in. So that was the first lie.”

Eventually, after several incidents he said he found concerning, in 2018 Reis decided to confront pastors CJ Johnson and Fox about Southland’s finances.

“We wanted to have a conversation about money. We were in there for a good hour, and we didn’t get anywhere. We could not get an answer out of them,” Reis said. “At the end of our conversation, it was basically, ‘If you can’t trust me with your money, you can’t trust me.’ And we were done that day. We quit going (to Southland).”

‘I’VE ASKED PEOPLE TO LEAVE FOR LESS’

Creasman, the former Southland elder, said she also was shocked by a story she heard CJ Johnson tell from the pulpit during a Southland service. Creasman said that in mid-2018, CJ Johnson described how, a year earlier, a family in the church had given $1 million just in time to secure financing for Southland to move into a new building.

She knew the story was about her family, but she also knew it involved a $1 million loan — not a gift. Her brother had taken out a line of credit backed by the equity in a storage business their family owned, and they fully expected it to be paid back.

“Several times CJ got up on that platform and he told the congregation that someone gave them a million dollars. So that’s when we were first like, ‘Oh, that’s not correct. Why is he saying that?’” she said.

Creasman wasn’t the only one to question CJ Johnson’s story about the $1 million gift. Bob Clatterbuck, Southland’s former volunteer head of security, said the story about the funding kept changing, so, on behalf of others who also had questions about the situation, he decided to ask CJ Johnson and Fox for clarity.

“The next thing I know, I get called in by CJ, and he wants me to come into the church,” Clatterbuck said. “He basically threatened to kick me out of the church. His words were something to the effect of, ‘I’ve asked people to leave for less.’”

Current could not vet Clatterbuck’s comment, because Northview would not make CJ Johnson available to do so.

Clatterbuck said CJ Johnson didn’t give a reason for the threat other than stating that his questions were causing problems or divisions in the church. Clatterbuck said he was caught off guard and apologized, but the incident left him unsettled. After several other concerning events, his family left the church later that year.

‘ALL THEY CARED ABOUT WAS THEIR NAME’

After loaning the church $1 million, Creasman said she and her husband were asked to join Southland’s elder board. Their position gave them an inside look on happenings at the church, including in late 2020 when Fox was fired and most of the other employees quit.

With the church in crisis after losing most of its staff, the Creasmans reached out to the Minnesota District Council of the Assemblies of God, which governed Southland’s denomination in the area. Its leaders conducted interviews with remaining and former staff members and soon presented

the findings to the church.

It was during that process Creasman stepped down from the elder board, as she could not agree with the Assemblies of God’s decision to not put CJ Johnson on a leave of absence.

“I resigned because I saw the Assemblies of God, all they cared about was their name,” Creasman said. “They’re supporting CJ. They’re not even doing any discipline.”

After she stepped down as an elder, Creasman said her husband remained on the board because he said he believed the situation had not been fully investigated. He wanted to ensure an audit was done and was prepared to pay for it himself.

Another organization took care of that, however. Emmanuel Christian Center, an Assemblies of God church in the area, agreed to fund an audit after it helped transition what remained of Southland — which had shrunk in attendance as well as staff — into a new campus of its own in the summer of 2021.

The audit was not complete before CJ Johnson was hired by Northview, according to Creasman and other sources. Current asked ECC and Northview officials for a copy of the audit but neither responded to the request. Officials from ECC and the Minnesota District Assemblies of God did not respond to Current’s multiple requests for comment.

‘LOOKING AT THE NEXT PASTOR’

CJ Johnson started working at Northview on Sept. 1, 2021, after beating out six other finalists selected by VanderBloemen, a Christian executive search firm, Poe told Current in October 2022. VanderBloemen did not respond to Current’s request for comment.

Poe said he told the elders and search firm that he wanted his replacement to be young, have leadership skills and be a “very strong communicator.” He said the choice became clear as soon as he and his wife watched a sermon from each of the finalists.

“I got to CJ’s, and I got emotional. I actually left the room, collected myself and came back,” Poe said. “My wife said, ‘What’s the matter?’ I said, ‘We’re looking at the next pastor.’”

Poe, who retired in October 2022 and is now Northview’s legacy pastor, said he asked the elders to watch the same seven sermons and that all of them ranked CJ Johnson as their top choice.

A former Northview employee, who asked not to be named because he still works in local ministry, said initially he was encouraged by the “spirit of unity” in the unanimous choice. He had seen the negative Google reviews of Southland, but he said he trusted church leaders when they said the allegations had been fully vetted and proven false.

Over time, however, he began to have concerns about his

new pastor. For example, he said he witnessed CJ Johnson largely inflate the number of people in a service who raised their hand to indicate they gave their life to Christ at a Northview service.

Clatterbuck, who had a view of the entire worship center at Southland as part of the security team, said CJ Johnson frequently embellished numbers there, too.

“I would be behind him, watching out while he did this. I saw the number of hands, then I heard the inflated numbers,” Clatterbuck said. “That is definitely something he has done time and time again.”

Current spoke with eight former Northview employees or attendees, all of whom left the church — or were asked to leave — because of concerns about CJ Johnson or church leadership. Most said they took their concerns to church elders or other leaders, many of whom were not willing to seriously discuss the matter with them or act on it, the former employees said.

“Part of why (CJ Johnson) was able to create so much confusion and gaslighting of our staff was by making us feel like we were wrong for being interested in his past,” a former employee said. “At one point during an all-staff meeting, he referenced the fact that people had been looking into his past, and he made a joke onstage about how disgruntled people from his previous church are trying to bring him down. So, he would publicly diminish these things that we were trying to shed light on almost as a way of discrediting some of the accusations being made.”

Another former employee said his efforts to discuss his concerns with church leaders went nowhere, leading him to conclude they don’t have a “willingness or (the) humility” to address the matter.

“It’s not about me being right or wrong. I just want to have the conversation and handle this biblically,” the former employee said. “If, at the end of the day, everything comes out and CJ was right, great. That is a win for everybody, the best-case scenario. But (Northview’s) handling of it this way makes it worse, because then everybody’s going, ‘Well, they’re playing the deck of cards we all thought they would play.’ And that doesn’t end well for anybody. It hurts the church and the staff and friends and family more than anything.”

HOME ADDRESS DISCREPANCIES

CJ Johnson, Northview Church senior pastor, has been accused of speaking falsehoods from the pulpit, and it appears he has been inaccurate on public documents, as well, according to discrepancies in public records.

In Northview’s business entity report filed March 28 with the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office, CJ Johnson’s address is listed as a home in Fishers assessed at $259,000 and owned by Jacqueline Lucas and Jonathan Swift. Lucas is an executive assistant at Northview whose parents were elders at Southland City Church, where Johnson previously pastored.

Documents filed with the Hamilton County Recorder’s Office state that on March 30 CJ Johnson and his wife signed paperwork for a $1.5 million mortgage on a 6,454-square-foot, six-bedroom home on 10 acres in Noblesville. The property includes a pole barn and an in-ground pool.

Neither CJ Johnson nor Lucas responded to Current’s requests for comment.

The building that previously housed Southland City Church in Lakeville, Minn. It is now a campus of Emmanuel Christian Center. (Photo courtesy of Bob Clatterbuck)

Clatterbuck

Nature of good and evil

Commentary by Terry Anker

Better not safe than sorry

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

ESSAY

For those of us involved in agriculture, or who spent our youth so engaged, these warm, sunny summer days are a bit of a paradox. Although we may enjoy them recharging after a long, cold winter, we might be rightly worried about the lack of rain. We’re a couple of inches down for the year, give or take, in most places. And for those of us who eat, we are legitimately concerned about the plight of Hoosier farmers. Their success keeps us fed. Still, we have not yet arrived at a crisis point, and with good luck, rain will fall as needed and averages will return to average.

In the meantime, we can take some solace in the benefits of the hot, dry weeks. Aside from improving our bodily vitamin D supply, we may notice a reduction in nuisance insects. Relying on standing water in ditches and nearly anything that holds a thimbleful of liquid, mosquitos and other pests have declined some with the dry weather. Still, we carry gallons of “repel-

lant” to our family picnics, outdoor concerts and sports activities for the hardy few that emerged despite the dry conditions. But why? For the hardy few that have made it this far, what would be strong enough to repel them from dinner?

If we are sufficiently hungry, what can drive us from what we need, or believe that we do? Fear of death? Fear of discomfort? Alternatively, we attract moths to the flame, glowing blue bug light. They gleefully surrender, so compelled by attraction to their own demise that they appear unaware of the clear and present danger. Sure, these tiny creatures likely exist on instinct and are devoid of intellect, but do we fare much better? What good repels and what evil attracts in our own lives?

Could use a rest after vacation

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Friends, I’m pleased to announce that I have survived the annual family vacay to South Carolina, where 27 of us piled into a beach house for one week. The youngest is 2 and the oldest is 78, but we managed to make memories and keep the shanking to a minimum (there was a major blow-up between my four sisters and me, but everything was eventually resolved, or at least suppressed enough that we departed with authentic “I love you-s,” which is saying something considering the amount of wine consumed).

HUMOR

net and turnaround without tipping over. My twin and I didn’t even make it to the semifinals thanks to a poor showing in cornhole, though we felt OK about it since we had to be North Korea (obviously, the kids chose the nations).

Anyhoo, highlights included ideal temperatures, delicious dinners and the first-ever Morris Olympics, which pitted two-person teams representing various countries against each other in multiple events.

Anyhoo, highlights included ideal temperatures, delicious dinners and the first-ever Morris Olympics, which pitted two-person teams representing various countries against each other in multiple events. My nephew Nick, 19, and my niece Georgia, 10, pulled off a stunning victory for Ukraine, in part because of their outstanding performance on the pool kayak course, where they expertly navigated the volleyball

We also enjoyed another competitive Great Beach BakeOff, where first-time participant Keegan, 8, stole the show with his perfectly baked vanilla cupcake; multiple games of charades and truffles; and a movie night of “80 for Brady,” which my mom outwardly, and everyone else secretly, loved.

– DANIELLE WILSON

I never slept well. There was nonstop action and noise, and I had to literally hide on a second-floor back balcony to get my daily dose of “Grey’s Anatomy,” but I survived!

Peace out.

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

ABC’S “Prisoners of the Snow” is a true story of a rugby team stranded in the Andes in sub-zero weather after their plane crashed into the side of a mountain in 1972. Also recently in the news, the miraculous 40-day survival of four young children stranded in the Amazon jungle. Imagine finding yourself with no food or water in the hot jungle, or caught in an avalanche, freezing to death beneath a mountain of snow. Many of these brave people survived, but it might have been easier if they were all wearing something called the Paracord Survival Bracelet (also helpful: a cellphone, your GPS, warm blankets, three-month’s supply of food, a Coleman stove and Netflix).

and help finally arrives, isn’t that the first thing you’d think about — who do I need to tie up?

HUMOR

The manufacturer is concerned that people will not want to use the rope in an emergency because making it back into a bracelet is harder than solving the Rubik’s Cube with your feet. That’s why auto safety systems do not allow you to disengage the airbag apparatus. “Push the airbag off button, Agnes. We’re going to hit that truck head-on, but I have no idea how to stuff that thing back into the steering wheel.”

Many of these brave people survived, but it might have been easier if they were all wearing something called the Paracord Survival Bracelet (also helpful: a cellphone, your GPS, warm blankets, three-month’s supply of food, a Coleman stove and Netflix).

The device is called a 550 Cord. This is confusing because that’s also the name of the Levi’s I wear. The bracelet is 90 feet of intricately woven thread crafted into a nifty piece of rope jewelry. First used in World War II by paratroopers, the manufacturer describes it as having a “32-strand woven nylon outer sheath with an inner core of seven 2-ply yarns.” I know, I know, that sounds a lot like Charmin.

Here are two uses suggested by the manufacturer:

• Replace a broken zipper pull: Nothing would be more embarrassing than being rescued after 12 days on a deserted island and being caught with your fly open.

• Detain a person: When you are shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere

– DICK WOLFSIE

Paracord Survival Bracelet used to give a free one if you use its product in a legitimate emergency. Simply send it the story of how you used the rope, along with a photograph demonstrating the life-threatening predicament you were in, such as:

Dear Survival Bracelet Maker:

My wife and I were recently cleaning the gutters on our roof when the ladder tipped over. As I helped her rappel down the side of our house using your nifty piece of jewelry, I tried to get my cellphone out of my pocket to send a picture, thus qualifying for a free replacement. I was too slow, but I am attaching a photo of her on the ground with two broken legs.

Personally, I think this bracelet is a waste of money at $39.95. Better not safe than sorry.

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.

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

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

Powers to share songs, stories at Feinstein’s

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Wayne Powers has a lifetime of stories to share.

‘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

CONCERT

The singer/actor/comedian had a few appearances on “Laverne & Shirley” and starred in his own NBC hospital sitcom, “13 East,” for two seasons. He appeared in episodes of “ALF,” “Full House,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.” “Murder She Wrote” and “Simon & Simon,” among others. He also once worked for composer Henry Mancini as an administrator of his music publishing and worked in improv comedy clubs with Robin Williams in the 1970s.

Powers will perform with his All-Star Trio of Kevin Anker (piano), Fred Withrow (acoustic bass) and Mike Kessler (drums) at 7:30 p.m. July 22 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel.

“I’m mostly singing. I’ll tell a few stories and there’s a little comedy,” Powers said. “I’m excited because that venue could have been built for me. It’s the old supper clubs that I first started singing in at age 16 in New York. Those supper clubs are gone now, but Michael (Feinstein) had the vision and knowledge to bring them back because he understood what makes them work.”

Powers will perform standards from the Great American Songbook. He recently released an album, “If Love Were All,” which also is the name of one of the songs on the album.

Last year, Powers performed a show at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis and did some guest spots there this year. He lives in Muncie but plans to move.

“It was kind of a bucket-list thing,” he said. “I was looking for a historic mansion to live in and restore. I looked all over the country and found this incredible mansion in Muncie. I bought and restored it. It’s 10,000 to 12,000 square feet, built in 1902. I’ll never get out what I put into it, but life changes happen. I’m going to put it on the market.”

Powers did network television shows for approximately 15 years but decided to move to Charlotte, N.C., with his then-wife

and two younger sons.

“I wanted a place where my kids could have a childhood,” he said.

He had already been contemplating a move when the car his sons were being transported from a private school in was hit by stray bullets by rival gangs in Los Angeles.

Then, an earthquake happened in the early 1990s. The family got out of the home in time, but it was destroyed.

“I looked up at God and said, ‘I hear you, we’re going now, don’t send me any more signs,’” he said.

Powers started on WBT, a radio station in Charlotte, as a guest host and in special programming. After 20-plus years, he hosted his own radio talk show at WKZO in Kalamazoo, Mich., for a few years before moving to Chicago.

He performed in one of the lead roles of ‘The Sunshine Boys” in Kankakee, Ill., in 2019.

“It’s one of my favorite shows. I want to do that show again,” he said. “That response was incredible. It’s so fresh. It’s Neil Simon and it’s hilariously funny.”

Five years before that, he had a different theater role at the request of his close friend, the late Paul Sorvino.

“He was like my brother,” Powers said. “He was the godfather to both of my sons.”

Powers wanted to learn the song “Mama” in Italian so he could sing to his mother, who was turning 90. So, Sorvino agreed to teach him but wanted a favor in return.

“(He said) ‘In a couple of months I’m doing ‘King Lear’ in New York and I’m directing and playing Lear and I want you to play the Fool opposite me,’” he said. “I hadn’t done Shakespeare since I was in college. I said, ‘I don’t know if I could do it,’ and he said, ‘Of course, you can.’”

Sorvino convinced Powers to join the cast with Shrunken Shakespeare Company because they already had a strong chemistry that was necessary for the role.

Sorvino died in 2022 at age 83.

“He was my mentor,” Powers said. “It’s still hard for me to get over losing him. I miss him a lot.”

For more, visit waynepowers.com.

Adam Pascal will perform Broadway hits at 7:30 p.m. June 30 and July 1 at Feinstein’s cabaret in Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinhc.com.

‘BOEING BOEING’

Red Barn Summer Theatre’s presentation of “Boeing Boeing” runs through July 1 at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort. For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.

‘NEWSIES JR.’

Jr. Civic Theatre presents the final two performances of “Disney’s Newsies Jr.” from June 27-28 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘STAR-SPANGLED SYMPHONY’

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will present “Star-Spangled Symphony’’ at 8 p.m. June 30 to July 3 in the Symphony on the Prairie series at Conner Prairie in Fishers. For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org.

DISPATCH

Musical theater camp returns to Noblesville — The Point Theater, formerly Christian Youth Theater, returns to Noblesville with musical theater day camps for youth between the ages of 4 and 11. The camps are offered at Emmanuel Methodist Church, 1600 Cumberland Road, during the week of July 17. With a “Beauty and the Beast” theme, the camp places students in groups by age, then rotates them through interactive stations in vocals, dance, acting and props each day. The week culminates in a Friday performance for family and friends. Seasoned actors and dancers lead the camp, with Point students rounding out the staff as counselors. To register, visit thepointtheater.org.

Actor/singer Wayne Powers, right, with his close friend Paul Sorvino. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Powers)

NIGHT

DAY

Dizgo to perform at Palladium

By Mike Beas mark@youarecurrent.com

Two letters separate the band’s name from a word mostly synonymous with the late-1970s.

MUSIC

Carmel High School graduate Patrick Milescu is too young to have experienced the short-lived — and, yet, somehow enduring — musical phenomenon that was disco, but he’s doing the next best thing.

Milescu, 29, manages the Bloomington-based band Dizgo, a quartet known for blending jamtronica with funk, soul and psychedelic rock to create a sound that is danceable and introspective.

And now, Dizgo is coming home. Back to Milescu’s home, that is. Dizgo, comprised of guitarist Andrew Pickel, bass player Kevin Hinnefeld, drummer Jacob Powell and keyboardist Jake Evatt, will perform June 28 in the Live at the Center series at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9. Dizgo is expected to play between 10 to 12 songs.

Milescu looks forward to bringing the band, with its unique sound, showmanship and playlist, to the Palladium.

“Oh, it’s awesome. We’re very excited to play at a theater like that,” said Milescu, who was born in Montreal, moved with his family to Carmel when he was 7, and now resides in Bloomington. “My parents loved going there to see shows and then would tell me about it afterward.”

To purchase tickets, visit dizgoband. com or thecenterpresents.org. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a $5 minimum. Patrons also can register for a free livestream option.

Indy Shorts lineup set

editorial@youarecurrent.com

world have this designation.

FILM

Heartland Film has announced the lineup for the sixth annual Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival, running July 18-23. Less than 4 percent of the films submitted to the festival are selected. This year, a record 3,900-plus shorts were submitted, and from those, 165 shorts from 21 countries were programmed. The lineup includes 18 world premieres, 19 U.S. premieres, 54 Midwest premieres and 47 Indiana premieres. Screenings will be at Living Room Theaters (indoor), Newfields (indoor and amphitheater), Fort Ben Cultural Campus (indoor and outdoor) and virtually.

The 2023 festival is embracing a summer camp vibe that promises more than 165 short films that are curated into 29 themed programs, with 100 filmmakers expected to attend for Q&As following the screenings. Fest Pass and tickets are on sale at IndyShorts.org.

Indy Shorts is also an Academy AwardQualifying Film Festival in all three short film categories: Live Action, Documentary and Animated. Only 34 film festivals in the

With a track record of 33 nominations and 10 Oscar-winning shorts, there’s a good chance attendees will see the next Academy Award-contending films first in Indianapolis. Last year, an Indiana Spotlight film, “Stranger at the Gate,” won the Grand Prize for Best Short Documentary receiving its Oscar qualification. The film was then nominated for an Academy Award.

“With last year’s Oscar track and this year’s record number of submissions, the enthusiasm behind the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” stated Hearland Film Artistic Director Greg Sorvig, a Carmel resident.

“I can’t wait for Indianapolis to meet the filmmakers and explore the wide variety of stories showcased in the 29 themed programs.”

More than $30,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to filmmakers July 22. Selected award-winning films will be showcased at Newfields’ Amphitheater for the Summer Nights: Award Winners Program. Before the films, attendees can enjoy free HotBox Pizza and camp-themed activities.

From left, Andrew Pickel, Jake Evatt, Patrick Milescu, Kevin Hinnefeld and Jacob Powell form Dizgo, which will perform June 28 at the Palladium in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Dizgo)

Blueprint for Improvement: A modern makeover in Zionsville

Commentary by Larry Greene

Built in 1977 in Zionsville’s Colony Woods neighborhood, this home’s owners wanted to update the living room with modern finishes.

THE BLUEPRINT

• The fireplace became the room’s focal point, accented by dynamic porcelain tile that gives the appearance of metal but without the maintenance.

• Custom built-ins with sleek acrylic laminate cabinets, quartz countertops and floating poplar shelves provide the perfect place for displaying family pictures, keepsakes and décor.

• The carpet was replaced with luxury vinyl plank flooring for an elevated aesthetic with exceptional durability.

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

After

ESKENAZI HEALTH FOUNDATION IS GRATEFUL TO Sharon Barner & Haywood McDuffie FOR THEIR LEAD GIFT

Beyond Barriers is a campaign that through philanthropy and partnerships, addresses health equity in Central Indiana.

eskenazihealthfoundation.org

A trip on the Alaska Railroad

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, in our continuing visit to Alaska, we travel the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks toward Denali National Park and Preserve.

TRAVEL

The Alaska Railroad runs 470 miles between Fairbanks, in the middle of the state, to Seward, on the southern coast. The railroad, built by the United States government to facilitate settlement and commerce in the Alaska Territory (not a state until 1959), opened upon completion of the Mears Memorial Bridge over the Tanana River near Nenana. On July 15, 1923, Warren G. Harding, the first president to visit Alaska, drove a golden spike at the north end of the bridge. Harding briefly visited Mount McKinley National Park (now Denali National Park and Preserve) and then traveled by train 100 miles north to Fairbanks, where residents in their Sunday best turned out to greet him.

Today, the Alaska Railroad, now owned by the state of Alaska, makes daily trips between Anchorage and Fairbanks, stopping at Denali National Park and Preserve, where

DON’T lock in on all caps

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

17 percent of the visitors come by train. The trip from Anchorage to the park takes about 7 1/2 hours, and from Fairbanks, about four hours. Each year between mid-May and mid-September, Wilderness Express engages the Alaska Railroad to pull its extra-large glass-domed cars, featuring dining rooms and bars, through the picturesque countryside, often with snow-capped mountains in the distance. Guides explain to passengers what they are seeing. Among many interesting sites along the route is a marker near the tiny village of Nenana, identifying the site of the famous Nenana Ice Classic. Thousands of people each year try to guess the minute the ice in the river will begin to break up, with the winner (or winners) pocketing about $300,000. A tripod set on the ice stops a clock at the instant the ice begins to move.

GRAMMAR

Why are you yelling? Have you seen someone post a social media update in all caps? It’s not a good look. In fact, posting in all caps makes it seem like we’re getting yelled at by a bike of hornets (yes, one term to describe a group of hornets is a “bike”). Calm down!

In honor of International Caps Lock Day, a semiannual holiday observed on June 28 and Oct. 22, here’s a deep dive into big and little letters.

The origin of the term “caps lock” has its roots in typewriters. When typing a capital letter on a mechanical keyboard, a typist would press and hold the “shift” key to physically shift the typebar up in order to type a capital letter. To remain shifted up to capital letters, typewriter technology developed the “shift lock” key, which would essentially lock the keyboard in the capital position. As computers were introduced, shift lock became “caps lock,” allowing users to type in big letters with gusto. What about “uppercase” and “lowercase”? Many of you know this one, but I’ll

recap (no pun intended) the origin story of these words we still use to refer to capital and smaller letters.

In the days of the printing press, typesetters would manually set the letters to print on a page. Smaller letters were kept in a low, easy-to-access case, while larger letters were stored in a case above the typesetter’s desk. The large letters, therefore, became known as “uppercase” letters, while the smaller letters became “lowercase.”

If you type an entire page in bold letters, nothing stands out. If everything is important, nothing is important. Typing in all caps is similar. In 2010, Google’s Cr-48 laptop launched without a caps lock key on its keyboard. Is caps lock overused and tired? Is it time to lose it? Either way, please don’t send me a heavily opinionated email in all caps.

GUY

Mears Memorial Bridge over the Tanana River near Nenana, Alaska. (Photos by Don Knebel)

Wilderness Express cars on the Alaska Railroad.

Don Knebel is a local resident. For the full column visit donknebel.com. You may contact him at editorial@ youarecurrent.com.

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9. Palladium seater

14. Strong wind

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16. Entrap

47. Beneath

49. Footnote abbr.

50. Blood line

51. Omaha-to-Zionsville dir.

52. Modern warfare threats, briefly

54. In a timid way

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61. Door sign

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71. Door sign

73. Henhouse

74. Takes a break

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77. In first place in the Hoosiers Crossroads Conference

78. Org. whose local museum can be

34. Gillette brand

35. Spark!Fishers charity race distance, briefly

36. Online commerce

37. Butler’s ___ Golson Jazz Festival

40. Sent a dupe email

42. Like WTHR’s evening newscasts

45. Hoosier National Forest trees

48. Prez before GHWB

53. Boone County Fair barn sound

55. Clean air org.

56. Matteo’s basil-garlic sauce

57. “West Side Story” role

58. Bushy ‘do

59. “___ there, done that”

60. In the cellar in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference

62. Ivy League school

63. Lilly corporate VIP

65. Optimist’s credo

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79. Loch ___ monster

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2. Disfigure

3. Earthen pot

4. Exchange for cash

5. London lav

6. Gearshift letters

7. Victory Field event

8. Sheltered, at sea

9. New Big Ten sch.

10. Pig’s nose

11. ISO stringed instrument

12. Word before a conclusion

13. Hoosier Park bridle strap

21. Cyber chuckle

23. Wedding reception entertainers, initially

26. Words before a conclusion

28. Guitar’s little cousin

29. Current edition 30. Middays 31. Unruly crowd 32. Poker stake 33. Thai currency

County’s (Colorful) County Seat

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Starting pay $17 to $20/hr. Send resume to alan@royaldentallabs.com

SUPPLY CHAIN CONSULTANT W/ ENVISTA LLC IN CARMEL, IN

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ENVOY, INC. SEEKS PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER

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

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Send resume to Amanda Good, 8890 E. 116th St., Suite 250, Fishers, IN, 46038

HIRING-DELIVERY DRIVER/ PACKING & PROCESSING ASSOCIATE

Royal Dental Labs Inc

Looking for a team-oriented individual to fill a part-time and a full-time position as Delivery Driver/Packing and Processing Associate. Candidate will be responsible for ensuring timely delivery and pick up of cases to dental offices throughout the Indianapolis, IN metro area, reviewing orders prior to delivery, packing and processing cases for UPS/FedEx shipping, printing shipping labels, and various office support roles. Must have excellent driving record. If you’re interested in taking on a new challenge at a growing company, we encourage you to apply today. Starting rate of pay $14 to $15 an hour with quarterly bonus potential. Retirees welcome to apply. Send resume to alan@royaldentallabs.com

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

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

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