July 18, 2023 — Lawrence/Geist

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Founded Jan. 27, 2015, at Fishers, IN Vol. IX, No. 24

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City committee reviews ARPA funds proposal

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

infrastructure, street paving and other projects.

GOVERNMENT

The Lawrence Common Council’s finance committee on July 10 reviewed a proposal submitted in early May calling for about $3 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to be spent on a variety of city projects.

The proposal was sponsored by Council Members Sherron Freeman, District 3; and Tom Shevlot, District 5, and is supported by Mayor Steve Collier’s administration. It would amend the city’s ARPA spending plan for specific projects. They are:

• $1 million to match a state grant for street improvements

• $280,000 to match a grant for trail development and improvements

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• $1.6 million to replace public safety vehicles

• About $50,000 for public safety education and training, and facility repairs for the fire department’s training tower

• About $95,000 for police cameras and for the police department’s new-hire and promotions process

The City of Lawrence received about $11.2 million through the federal ARPA pandemic relief plan. In 2022, the city allocated about $5.5 million for sewer and stormwater

During a presentation to the finance committee, City Controller Tyler Douthit said a portion of the allocated 2022 funds had not yet been spent. He did not have an exact figure at that time. Council members asked whether those funds could be used for items on the list of projects submitted for consideration in May, and he said that it would be allowed if the council voted to reappropriate those funds.

Chief of Staff Cori Korn said the projects on the list would benefit the city as a whole. The city does have the funds in its budget now to match the street improvements grant, she said, but if ARPA funds could be used for that match instead, it would free up $1 million for much-needed strip patching on other streets in Lawrence.

“It’s a way that we can expand the work that we’re doing to make sure that we’re keeping on top of our roads,” she said. “Those roads will erode more and more (if we don’t patch them now).”

Korn added that buying public safety vehicles rather than leasing them would free up funds in each department’s budget for the coming year.

There were some questions from coun-

cilors about purchasing public safety vehicles. The city has leased those vehicles for the past few years, citing cost savings.

Council members wondered why purchasing vehicles now is considered a better option. Korn said she would provide the financial information showing why purchasing vehicles is recommended.

The finance committee met just prior to the Lawrence Common Council meeting — delayed one week because of the Fourth of July holiday. The ARPA spending proposal was on the agenda under “unfinished business,” but was postponed.

Council President Tyrrell Giles referred the proposal to a committee of the whole — which means the entire council — so that all members could hear directly from city officials and ask questions.

Also during the meeting, Councilmember Rick Wells asked about the upcoming 2024 budget planning process. Giles said the council has, in the past, not held many budget hearings leading up to approval of the annual spending plan. However, he said, he believes this year the council will be more active in budget planning.

Finance Committee Chair Shawn Denney said August would be a reasonable time to start the budget process.

The council’s next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 19.

Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty was a Lawrence North graduate

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

A Marion County Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty July 10 was a graduate of Lawrence North High School.

CRIME

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy John Durm, 61, was transporting a prisoner from Eskenazi Hospital to the Community Justice Campus, where the adult detention center is located, when the prisoner attacked Durm.

During a news conference July 10, Indianapolis Deputy Police Chief Chris Bailey said that following the attack, the prisoner took control of a transport vehicle and drove it through the gates of the complex, then crashed the vehicle into a utility pole.

Deputy John Durm, a 1980 Lawrence North High School graduate, was killed in the line of duty July 10. (Image courtesy of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office)

He said the prisoner was apprehended and taken to Eskanazi for treatment of wounds received during the incident. Durm also was taken to Eskanazi, where he was pronounced dead.

Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal said during the news conference that Durm had served with the sheriff’s office for 38 years,

and Durm’s wife also worked there. The couple’s son had just started as a detention deputy and was going through training. Their other two children are deployed in the military.

The prisoner was identified as 34-year-old Orlando Mitchell. According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Mitchell will officially face murder charges stemming from the incident after he’s released from the hospital. According to court records, Mitchell is in custody awaiting trial for murder charges related to a 2022 homicide.

According to the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township, John Durm graduated from Lawrence North High School with the Class of 1980. The Lawrence Common Council had a moment of silence for Durm during its regular meeting July 10.

Korn Douthit

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Still Waters Adult Day Center receives $2500 AARP Grant

By Edward Redd edward@youarecurrent.com

A grant from the American Association for Retired Persons will help a senior community center in Lawrence enhance its garden, allowing seniors better accessibility to garden beds.

NONPROFIT

AARP has a goal to make communities more livable as a part of its 2023 Community Challenge. Approximately $3.6 million in grants was given out to 310 organizations across the United States. On June 28, the organization announced Still Waters Adult Day Center at 7160 Shadeland Station Way would receive a $2,500 grant.

Executive Director of Still Waters Day Center Diana Keely said the organization focuses on seniors 55 and older who live with physical and cognitive challenges. Most of its clients are between the ages of 80 and 94.

Keely said the community center is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The day center’s mission is to give seniors a safe and healthy place to go during the day to help them avoid having to move into a long-term-care facility.

According to Keely, many of the center’s clients have some form of dementia. The day center provides activities that help guests maintain their emotional, social and cognitive health.

“The goal is that they stay engaged during the day instead of being home by themselves,” Keely said.

Still Waters works with individuals and groups from the community such as Love on a Leash, which brings support pets to provide guests with emotional therapy. Other forms of therapy include music, art and movement.

The day center’s garden area has also been a way for community members to interact and work on cognitive skills. Educational programs are offered for those who have never gardened before.

Keely said the grant money received from AARP will go toward expanding the facility’s garden into one that is more accessible for seniors.

Still Waters nurse Deb Harlamert said prior to the grant, the garden had two 4-by-4 square-foot beds that were installed through a Boy Scout Eagle project. Those beds are used to grow produce that staff

members use to supplement lunches.

Harlamert said with the grant, six new beds have been added. The beds are raised so seniors don’t have to bend over. Each of the new beds are assigned to an individual for the gardening season.

“Each individual plot belongs to a person,” said Harlamert.

Keely said the grant will help engage seniors who come there as they learn a new skill.

“I’ve had individuals who’ve never gardened in their life,” she said. “It’s been unique to see the community working together on learning about gardening.”

Keely said the donation from AARP was helpful because the adult day center is a non-profit. Costs for the center are kept low to give more people the opportunity to participate. One full day costs $85 and a half day costs $65. Scholarships are available.

“We’re very grateful for any donations and support we receive through grants and fundraisers,” Keely said.

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Still Waters Adult Day Center staff, from left, Keyetta Norwood, an unidentified client, Tammi Dodge, Demika Jones and Francine Branson show off the Lawrence nonprofit’s garden, which will be upgraded thanks to a grant from AARP. (Photo courtesy of Still Waters Adult Day Center)

A shot in the arm can take a load off your mind.

Anyone

Road closure planned for sanitary sewer-line work

news@geistcurrent.com

The City of Lawrence announced July 10 that a portion of Harrison Park Drive will be closed to all traffic starting around July 31.

CONSTRUCTION

The closure will allow crews to work on the city’s ongoing sanitary sewer main capacity improvement project. The road is expected to be closed through April 2024.

The area affected is from the south end of the GetGo gas station at the corner of Harrison Park Drive and 56th Street to the east side of Harrison Park Lane.

“During the project, the portion of Harrison Park Drive will be completely closed to traffic,” the city announcement stated. “All businesses within the Harrison Commerce Park Development will continue to have access via 56th (Street) and the service drives connecting Harrison Park Drive between Post Road and Harrison Park Lane.”

The project work will include installation of new sewer mains under Harrison Park

Drive and associated easements, according to the city. It also includes improvements to the lift station at 5355 Post Road.

A lift station, similar to a pump station, lifts wastewater to a higher point so that gravity can help it continue to flow.

Residents with concerns or questions about the project are asked to contact City of Lawrence Utilities at 317-524-6305.

August

A portion of Harrison Park Drive in Lawrence will be closed to all traffic from late July through next spring. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)

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.

Arts for Lawrence’s Theater at the Fort hosts performances throughout the year. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)

Geist Half Marathon & 5K set

news@currentinfishers.com

Runners and walkers interested in participating in the Geist Half Marathon and 5K can register now for the Sept. 16 event.

RUNNING

According to the event webpage, the annual race was founded by a group of Geist Reservoir-area residents with a goal of improving health and building a sense of community. The City of Fishers has taken on planning and organizing the event, with a focus on participants, volunteers and community experiences, according to the webpage.

Registration fees through Aug. 17 are $69.99 for the half marathon and $34.99 for the 5K. Virtual race options are available. The price will increase after Aug. 17.

According to the Frequently Asked Questions portion of the webpage, the half marathon will have a four-hour cutoff for participants, and the 5K will have an 80-minute cutoff. The 5K is considered walker-friendly, and strollers are permitted.

“The 2023 Geist Half Marathon and 5K is a community race filled with nice views of Geist waterfront, laid-back neighborhoods

and minor hills,” the webpage states. “This year’s updated 5K course will take participants through the new Geist Waterfront Park off Olio Road.”

On race day, there will be no parking at the start or finish areas. Free parking will be available at Fall Creek Intermediate School, Fall Creek Elementary School, and the Hamilton Southeastern High School student and athletic lots. Parking is not allowed at the Kroger or Walgreens parking lots. For more, visit geisthalf.com.

The course map for the Sept. 16 Geist Half Marathon takes runners past the Geist Reservoir waterfront, including a portion that runs through the new Fishers Geist Waterfront Park. (Photo courtesy of the City of Fishers)

LAWRENCE

Project: Sanitary sewer main capacity improvements

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Location: Harrison Park Drive from the south end of the GetGo gas station to the east side of Harrison Park Lane will be closed starting July 31.

Expected completion: Spring of 2024

Project: IndyGo Purple Line construction

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

Expected completion: August

Project: Drainage improvement project

Location: Drainage systems on Rainbow Lane north of Indian Lake are 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

FISHERS

Project: 106th Street and Cumberland Road

Location: Eastbound 106th Street will be closed, just east of Cumberland Road for utility work. The detour route will use Cumberland Road to 116th Street to Hoosier Road or Cumberland Road to 96th Street to Mollenkopf Road.

Expected completion: Aug. 15

Project: 106th Street and Allisonville Road

Location: A sanitary sewer project is taking place at Metro Airport at 106th Street and Allisonville Road. There are times where lane restrictions may be in place on Allisonville Road.

Expected completion: TBD

Project: 2023 resurfacing

Location: ADA ramp and curb reconstruction will begin taking place in the Bristols as part of the 2023 Resurfacing Project. After ADA ramp and curb reconstruction is completed, those areas will be restored with topsoil and seed. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to water the seed for the seed to germinate. Prior to road resurfacing, residents will be notified via street signage for street parking restrictions.

Expected completion: The entire project should be done by the end of summer.

BLUE STAR SERVICE

Lawrence honors active-duty military members with banners

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

The City of Lawrence recently added two more Blue Star Banners to light poles lining 56th Street, honoring residents with active-duty, deployed family members.

During a ceremony June 29, Mayor Steve Collier presented Blue Star packets to the families of U.S. Army Specialist Jalen Lloyd, and U.S. Marine Corps Pvt. Billy Wilkinson. The packets include a photo of the service member’s banner, Blue Star pins and decals, and a one-star garden flag for the families to display at home.

Mary Jo Rothenbush coordinates the Blue Star Banner program for the City of Lawrence, which she said was developed in 2009 by Candy Davis, who ran the program until she retired in 2016. Rothenbush said the program is funded through community donations, and there’s never been a shortage of support.

She said the families are grateful for public recognition of their military member’s service.

“I’ve found that the families just absolutely love this program,” Rothenbush said. “They embrace it. It’s just so important for them to drive through the city and see their son or daughter’s banner up there. It means a lot.”

Lawrence has 28 banners on display along 56th Street. They’re up from April through November. As military members leave the U.S. Armed Forces, the banners are given to the family to keep.

Rothenbush said there is specific criteria to qualify for the program. The military member must be active duty and deployed outside of Indiana, and a family member must live in the City of Lawrence — not just the township.

Although they are the most visible part of the program, Rothenbush said the city offers more than just banners. Blue Star families are invited to be in the annual Fourth of July parade, for example, and they participate in ceremonies that recognize military anniversaries. Rothenbush said the mayor likes to host an appreciation dinner for the families in the fall, and she decorates a Christmas tree in the government building with photos of deployed military members.

Lawrence resident Barcia Alejos is the

mother of two active-duty military members, and her sons’ banners hang side-byside from the same light pole on 56th Street between Fortune School and La Hacienda Restaurant.

“We are a double Blue Star family,” she said. “We raised all three of our children with values of God, family and country. Two of our sons went directly out of high school to serve their country when they were accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy and West Point, respectively. When so few acknowledge what it means to serve our country, I am very proud to be from Lawrence, where it is lifted up.”

Her active-duty sons are U.S. Navy Lt.

Marco Alejos, a 2016 U.S. Naval Academy graduate who is now leading midshipmen and teaching at the Naval Academy after four years of flying Sierra helicopters in San Diego; and U.S. Army Lt. Andrés Alejos, a 2018 West Point graduate, who is an officer in the Cyber Security Branch at the Army Cyber Institute at Ft. Gordon in Augusta, Georgia.

Jerrod Klein has one son serving, but the family had three banners up until this year. Their youngest, Carson Klein, is a sergeant in the U.S. Army and works in cyber security for the National Security Agency. Carson Klein’s banner is west of 56th Street from Pendleton Pike, just before the bridge.

Jerrod Klein also served in the Army, where he met his wife, Col. Krista Klein. Their oldest son, Justin, served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and recently decided to become a civilian.

Jerrod Klein said Lawrence has done an exceptional job connecting the community’s military history to the present.

“The Blue Star Banner Program has been a significant factor in recognizing those who are currently serving,” he said, “As I drive through the Fort Harrison corridor and see the names of those serving, I feel a special level of pride and appreciation for those service members and their families. You won’t get financially rich by choosing a military life, yet you do become emotionally rich in appreciation of the sacrifices it takes to protect our freedoms.”

Klein said he’d like people to understand the level of commitment members of the armed services give and the benefits service members receive in return.

“The important life lessons and disciplines obtained through military service are with you forever,” he said. “Veterans, regardless of the branch served in, have a very special connection. You share many similar, and many very different experiences that you are able to connect with. It’s a very special sort of club.”

For up-to-date information about Lawrence’s Blue Star Banner program, visit its Facebook page, facebook.com/ LawrenceIndianaBlueStarBanner.

ON

HOW DID THE BLUE STAR TRADITION BEGIN?

In 1917, during World War I, the first Blue Star Service Banner was designed by U.S. Army Capt. Robert Queisser of the 5th Ohio Infantry, according to the national American Legion website. He had two sons serving on the front line, and he wanted a banner to recognize their service.

The banner design quickly became popular among families with a child in active military service, but it wasn’t until World War II that the banners became official, with U. S. Department of War specifications and guidelines.

U.S.

“Today, families display these banners when they have a loved one serving in the U.S. Armed Forces,” the website states. “The blue star represents one family member serving, and a banner can have up to five stars. If the individual is killed or dies, a smaller golden star is placed over it.”

The banners were displayed less often during the Korean and Vietnam wars, the website states, but interest rekindled following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

For more, visit legion.org/troops/bluestar.

THE COVER: Blue Star Banners for

Navy Lt. Marco Alejos and U.S. Army Lt. Andrés Alejos hang on a light pole on 56th Street between Fortune School and La Hacienda Restaurant. (Photo courtesy of Barcia Alejos)

Tina Wilkinson-Keesling, left, accepts a Blue Star Banner packet from City of Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier for her active-duty son, Private First Class Billy S. Wilkinson, U.S. Marine Corps. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lawrence)

Challenges of sticking together

Commentary by Terry Anker

There are more than a handful of handy, intuitive inventions that, once discovered, seem to have been with us from the beginning. We wonder how humans might have survived before the simple, elegant and eminently useful ideas, gadgets and solutions came along, but each one had an origin point in some dreamer imagining a resolution to a vexing problem, with prototypes, refinements and collaborations until a stable and replicable process took hold. Someone rubbed sticks or sparked a particular kind of stone to carry fire in their pockets. Someone imagined and built a box to hold and store — then someone else fabricated a pair of wheels to make the whole thing mobile.

ESSAY

blockbuster. Now, the product is everywhere, connecting everything. For Mestral, inspiration came from burdock seeds. Others have been initiated by Mestral’s Velcro to push the limits of its uses. Still more have applied the ubiquitous awareness of the straightforward function and utility of Velcro as a metaphor for countless other interactions.

Why is it that some people are like Velcro? We seem to stick to them quickly and effortlessly. Even if life pulls us apart over time and geography, when together again we reconnect as if we’d never been separated. And in parting once more, we don’t harm one another. Yet for others, no matter how great the effort, we cannot attach. Is it because there needs to be a hook-and-loop to have the effect? Is it our differences that make this work? Or consistency? Or providence?

In 1941 a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral was walking his dog and, annoyed by the burrs sticking to his woolen socks and the animal’s thick fur coat, was inspired to eventually create hook and loop fabric strips that became Velcro. The relatively modest leap in engineering became a global

Love the hate mail

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

I’ve got mail! Hate mail, to be precise. Two avid readers have finally had enough of my nonsensical shenanigans and chosen to share their loathing with me. One was an honestto-god handwritten postcard! Talk about your old school. I love the commitment, Carol! (This is not her real name, of course. Or is it?)

HUMOR

There was a time when notes like these would have sent me into either a defensive spiral or rage haze, both entailing creative combinations of swear words and harsh adjectives. But I’ve been doing this for more than 16 years. Sixteen! And I’ve seen some stuff, readers. This is nothing. I’m honestly rather flattered that two women took the time from their clearly busy lives to have a go at me. I matter, I really do!

I was disappointed, however, in the level of critique. There were no righteous accusations of spousal, child or alcohol abuse; no cruel indictments of my un-American stupid liberal politics; no brutal declarations that my hopefully-soon-to-be afterlife be spent in, ‘Hell-o operator, give me No. 9.” Come on! If you’re going to dish it out, make sure it’s got meat on it. Mean-girl correspondence

should be juicy, people.

No, my new special friends simply think I’m boring, irrelevant and a waste of paper space. They’ve been reading me forever but can’t stand another minute of my dumb column and they’re vowing to, from now on, throw me out with the trash where I belong.

Beverly, I hear you, I do (again, this is not her real name. Probably). But I also thank you because mail is mail, hate or otherwise.

I’ll take it!

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.

“If you’re going to dish it out, make sure it’s got meat on it. Mean-girl correspondence should be juicy, people.”

– DANIELLE WILSON

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Funny you should ask…

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

Through the years, I have written about 1,200 columns. I find that people are curious about the humor-writing process. So, this week and next will not be humor columns; they will be columns about humor. Here are some of the most common questions I get.

HUMOR

Do you write about things that really happened, or do you make all this stuff up?

You know how sometimes a movie begins with this phrase, inspired by a true story? That’s pretty much like my column. The idea is always based on something real. A week or so ago, I fell out of a small bed at a downtown inn where we were staying for our anniversary. That was 100 percent true. As soon as my head hit the floor, I knew I had a column. And a headache. Did I exaggerate the story just a bit? Of course. Have people ever been angry at you for a column you wrote?

Yes. Here’s an example: Several years ago, I wrote about why my wife never mows the lawn. In the piece, I suggested that I didn’t want her to mow because it would jeopardize her femininity as evidenced by other women in the neighborhood who were outside grunting and sweating as they pushed their mowers. I got a lot of nasty notes from the ladies on our street. My wife said I had to go apologize to each of them. I had a better idea. We moved.

You make fun of your wife, Mary Ellen. Is she OK with that?

The truth is that in most of my columns, I make fun of myself, not her. Self-deprecating humor is the best form of comedy. About 75 percent of President Barack Obama’s jokes at the 2012 annual White House Broadcasters Dinner were mocking himself. Trump only managed self-deprecation 30 percent of the time when he had his turn. Even Biden has now started to parody his advancing age. I recently wrote a column about all the dumb questions Mary Ellen asked me about baseball. Truth is, I couldn’t answer any of them myself. I was poking fun at myself for pretending I was an expert.

The last line of your story is my favorite part. What’s the key to a good ending?

I once had a newspaper (no name) whose copy editor chopped off my last several sentences when he needed the space. That’s when I started believing in capital punishment. People were telling me they liked my columns but didn’t understand the endings. The last line or two of a humor column are crucial. It ties it all up and goes back to something I may have mentioned maybe 400 words ago. I work really hard on that. I hope you like the ending to this one.

Do you ever run out of funny ideas?

I did this week. That’s why you are reading this column.

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.

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

“As soon as my head hit the floor, I knew I had a column. And a headache. Did I exaggerate the story just a bit? Of course.”

– DICK WOLFSIE

Pavel & Direct Contact to bring Latin flavor to Carmel Jazz Fest

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Pavel & Direct Contact will present its unique Latin jazz sound in a prime spot in the Carmel Jazz Fest.

‘SOPHISTICATED LADIES’

“Sophisticated Ladies” runs through Aug. 20 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

CONCERT

“We’re always excited to bring exposure to the culture to different parts of the city and state,” said Pavel Polanco-Safadit, a pianist who grew up in the Dominican Republic. “As far as I know, we are the only Latin-flavored band this year in the Carmel Jazz Fest. I give it up to (the organizers) to do something different, to do some Latin jazz.”

The Indianapolis-based Pavel & Direct Contact will perform from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 12 on the Carter Green stage. The twoday festival is set for Aug. 11-12 at six sites.

Vocalist Leah Crane said the band is known for its high-energy performances.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to follow that much energy, so I think it’s good we’re going to close out the night,” Crane said.

Evelyn “Champagne” King will perform from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 12 on the Gazebo stage. King had a hit disco single, “Shame,” during the height of disco’s popularity in 1977.

Polanco-Safadit said the band’s music features Afro-Cuban rhythms during the set.

“What people love is we take cover songs that people know and put a Latin rhythm to it,” Crane said. “I’ll sing songs in Spanish, and some of the songs have both English and Spanish in it.”

One cover they usually put a spin on is “I Will Survive.”

Polanco-Safadit said the band also will feature its Latin jazz originals.

Direct Contact’s music contains an experience of Latin jazz, salsa and Latin-infused American pop songs.

“For us, it’s very important to connect cultures,” Polanco-Safadit said. “Sometimes, they hear the rhythms. Some might say I don’t know that song, in particular, but I like it. They recognize the rhythms.

We have amazing musicians for this.”

Besides Polanco-Safadit and Crane, the band consists of Steve Dokken, bass; David Allee, trumpet; Rob Dixon, saxophone; Freddie Mendoza, trombone; and Matt McGraw, percussion. Allee is the owner of The Jazz Kitchen and has been the band’s trumpet player for more than 15 years.

“We had the opportunity to come to Carmel when we played for the Carmel Symphony Orchestra,” Crane said. “That was the first time they ever had a local Latin band.”

Polanco-Safadit said that to say the

band has been very busy of late is in an understatement.

“In this past year, we’ve traveled to different countries -- the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Canada,” Polanco-Safadit said. “We’ll be doing the Indy Jazz Fest (in September). We’re doing a lot of private gigs as well.”

Polanco-Safadit will join Blair Clark at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 at Feinstein’s at the Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

For tickets and the complete lineup, visit carmeljazzfest.org.

“The Piano Man: A Billy Joel Tribute” is set for 7:30 p.m. July 20 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. ATI Live presents Un5Gettable at 7:30 p.m. July 21, and Wayne Powers will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 22. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

‘BROADWAY UNDER THE STARS’

“Broadway Under the Stars” will be presented at 8 p.m. July 21-22 in the Symphony on the Prairie series at Conner Prairie in Fishers. For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org.

SONGBOOK ACADEMY IN CONCERT

The Great American Songbook Foundation’s annual Songbook Academy, a summer intensive program, will conclude with a concert at 7 p.m. July 22 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

DISPATCH

Indy Shorts presents ‘The Hoosier Way’ —

The Indy Shorts International Film Festival, set for July 18-23, will hold a free, all-ages screening of “The Hoosier Way” at The Toby Theatre in Newfields, 4000 N Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, at 5:30 p.m. July 23. Using a tapestry of clips from more than 40 16mm educational, promotional and home movies, the program features people, places and events that make Indiana unique. Footage includes the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911; Oscar Robertson leading Indianapolis Crispus Attucks to become the first all-Black high school sports team in the U.S. to win a state championship; Kurt Vonnegut at home; behind the scenes inside Gary’s steel mills; and more. The program will be introduced by curators/directors Jennifer and Jon Vickers and will be followed by a brief Q&A with filmmakers and Indiana University archivists. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for interactive 16mm film handling demonstrations. For more on Indy Shorts schedule of films, visit heartlandfilm.org/indyshorts.

Pavel & Direct Contact members, from left, David Allee, Freddie Mendoza, Matt McGraw, Leah Crane, Pavel Polanco-Safadit, Rob Dixon, Gerardo Becerra and Steve Dokken at the Palladium. (Photo courtesy of Mark Sheldon)

Pavel Polanco-Safadit and Leah Crane performing with Pavel & Direct Contact. (Photo courtesy of Larry Goshen)

Stage Door Theatre features 4th Wall Players

By Mike Beas editorial@youarecurrent.com

Josh Gibson and Alan Keith have more in common than their hometown.

A mutual passion for theater

YAP takes on ‘Mean Girls’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Keegan Connor is taking a break in her duties as Miss Indiana’s Teen to explore her love of theater.

MUSICAL

inspired Gibson and Keith, 2006 and 2004 graduates of Kokomo High School, respectively, to found the 4th Wall Players, a core group of entertainers bringing the arts to a broader audience.

PLAY

Case in point being later this month.

The 4th Wall Players will perform Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” the weekends of July 21-23 and July 28-30 at the recently revamped Stage Door Theatre, 5235 Bonna Ave., Indianapolis.

The play, first performed in 1895 in London, is, by its name, a trivial comedy for serious people.

Gibson is directing the show, while his wife, Katherine Gibson, is assistant director. The couple lives in the Lawrence area, as does Keith.

The cast of characters for the upcoming

show are Brent Williamson as Jack Worthing; Garrett Rowe (Algernon Moncrieff); Silvia Seidle (Gwendolen Fairfax); Lizzie Schultz (Cecily Cardew); Kelly Melcho (Lady Bracknell); Leah Hodson (Miss Prism); Daniel Clymer (Reverend Chasuble); and Kelly McKinney as two characters (Lane/Merriman). Schultz is a Noblesville resident.

To purchase tickets for “The Importance of Being Earnest,” visit Eventbrite.com.

Connor, who will be a Westfield High School junior, captured the title June 17 and since then has done some TV shows and personal appearances.

“It’s been crazy since I was crowned,” said Connor, who recently was in a parade and sang at a South Bend Cubs baseball game. “But I found time to prioritize the show because I wouldn’t have signed up for it if I didn’t think I could handle both.”

Connor is now preparing for her lead role of Cady Heron in Civic Theatre’s Young Artists Program’s production of “Mean Girls,” set for July 27-30 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“I think Cady is relatable from the getgo, even if you didn’t move from school to school to school,” Connor said. “She resembles a lot of people who are going through high school life, because no mat-

ter, what you are going to get picked on going to get judged. She does have a big character arc. By the start of Act 2, she steps into (queen mean girl) Regina’s role, and I think that shows how you can be influenced by people around you. Peer pressure is really real.”

Connor said this is the largest role of her career. The musical is based on the 2004 movie.

Connor started with Jr. Civic when she was in seventh grade. She performed in “The Sound of Music” on the main stage this spring.

Claire Kauffman, who will be a Zionsville Community High School junior, plays Regina George.

Maddux Morrison, a 2023 Noblesville High School graduate who will attend Ball State University to major in musical theater, plays Cady’s gay friend, Damian. Morrison has been performing at Jr. Civic and YAP for eight years.

Amelia Schoeff, who will be a senior at Lebanon High School, plays Cady’s friend, Janis. This is her first performance with Civic Theatre.

Presenting Sponsor: SOLD! Bar Sponsor: $3,000

Partner Sponsor: SOLD! Table Sponsor: $2,500

Companion Sponsor: $5,000 Auction Sponsor: $1,500

Band Sponsor: $3,000 Dessert Sponsor: $1,500

VIP Ticket: $250

Individual Ticket: $175

The 4th Wall Players will present “The Importance of Being Earnest.” (Photo courtesy of Josh Gibson)

NIGHT & DAY Beat the heat with lighter fare

Commentary by Mark LaFay

It appears the summer heat and humidity have finally found us. I normally like to avoid the heat and humidity, unless there is a frosty beverage in my hand and some water nearby. But even in the absence of such vacation-esque accommodations, I still love to be outside as much as possible.

The higher heat and humidity do cause some behavior modification in me, if only in what, and how much, I eat. Maybe you’re like me and you gravitate toward the lighter fare in the hot weather. We tend to consume more fresh fruit and vegetables in this weather, and meals can often look more like party grazing than a proper meal. You don’t have to eat like a rabbit to eat lighter and fresher in the warm weather. There are several different fruit, vegetable, meat and cheese combos that we like to assemble for a filling but lighter approach to dinner inside and outside, such as:

Prosciutto and cantaloupe: Pork and melons are two things you can find plenty of in Indiana. This combo is, however, very Italian in origin. Once in Italy, we enjoyed fresh, ripe cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto, with a little high-quality olive oil drizzled over the top. Sweet and savory, but overall, somewhat mild in flavor and not heavy in the belly. Try LaQuercia Acorn Prosciutto.

Sharp Vermont cheddar and apple slices: I’m sure you’ve heard of apple pie with cheddar cheese slices, right? If not, try crisp Granny Smith apples and thin slices of Vermont cheddar cheese. The sharp and savory nature of the cheddar pairs nicely with the tart and sweet apple. The difference in texture is nice as well — crunchy and creamy. Try Cabot Sharp Cheddar.

Grapes and brie cheese: Another classic light snack is grapes and brie. The sweet nature of the grapes goes wonderfully with the brie, which can be, at times, a little sharp with a bitter edge. Try this with Point Reyes Quinta, Tulip Tree Creamery Trillium or an imported triple-cream cheese from France.

Foreigner set for farewells

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

With Foreigner’s heavy touring schedule for the past 18 years, keyboardist Michael Bluestein knows it’s appropriate that this tour “feels like the last time” for the band.

CONCERT

“There certainly is a collective exhaustion that has crept up in the band,” Bluestein said. “I mean, we’re proud of the fact that we still put on a killer show, but there’s a sense that the ability to do that won’t go on forever, and we’d like to ‘go out on top,’ as they say.”

Foreigner will perform at 7 p.m. July 21 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville. Loverboy is joining Foreigner as a special guest on the tour, which began July 6 and extends into 2024.

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Bluestein said. “We’re all proud of what we’ve done and very excited to give it all on this farewell tour, but we’ll certainly miss performing for our awesome fans and miss playing these fantastic songs with each other.”

Keyboardist Michael Bluestein has been with Foreigner since 2008.

(Photo courtesy of Live Nation)

Bluestein said he always looks forward to performing “Juke Box Hero” and “Long, Long Way from Home” because they are hard-driving rockers that always pump up the band and the fans.

Guitarist Mick Jones is the last original member still with the band, which started in New York in 1976. Kelly Hansen replaced Lou Gramm as the lead singer in 2005. Bluestein has toured with the band since 2008.

“It has been touching to see how special this band has been to so many people,” Bluestein said. “We have people practically begging us not to stop touring, and that definitely is moving.”

Mark LaFay is a butcher, certified sommelier and founder of Old Major Market, 4021 Millersville Rd., Suite 107A, Indianapolis.

Across

1. Prime Palladium seating spot

5. IU grad

9. A/C measure

13. Black, to 15-Across

14. Anthony’s Chophouse steak order

15. Masters of rhyme

16. Indiana’s “Summit City”

18. Fairy tale meanies

19. 12th grader at Fishers HS

20. Rhino relative 22. Hawaiian island 25. Shirt part 28. Butler anatomy class display 32. Miss Indiana pageant accessories 33. Kind of band or story 34. Windshield device 36. Colts punt path 37. “I smell ___!”

38. Fancy tie

39. I-69 sight

40. Big ___ Conference

41. What dogs and babies do

42. Speak

43. Mattel rival

45. Document file format

47. Covets

48. Genesis patri-ark?

49. “Ghosts” playwright

51. Bird in some clocks

56. Crooked Stick pro shop purchase

58. Indiana’s “Wagon City”

61. ___ Hospital for Children

62. German wife

63. Author Bagnold

64. Mine finds

65. Amazes

66. Goes bad Down

1.

4. Opposed

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

partner

28. Criticize harshly

29. Seoul man

30. Indiana’s “Pocket City”

31. Permit

35. Salk’s vaccine target

38. Stood up

39. Colts QB stat

41. Formally attired

42. Slangy affirmative

44. Holy books

46. Desert plant

50. Website warning letters

52. Radio-active trucker

53. Numbers game

54. “Step ___!”

55. Hoosier Park race figures

56. Sis’ sib

57. Number one cause of inflation?

59. Spanish gold

60. GM labor group

Answers on Page 19

Hinkle Fieldhouse whistle blowers

2. ISO woodwind

3. Weather-beaten

Landfall for 48-Across

“Now I ___ me down...”

IMA vase

Noblesville HS swimming competition

Isn’t up to par? (Var.)

10. Indiana’s “Queen City of the Wabash”

11. Eiteljorg Museum Western tribe

12. Leak sound

15. Indiana state tree, by another name

17. Suitor 21. Liability’s opposite 23. “In what way?”

24. Mythical horse with a horn

26. Polygon’s corner

27. Zionsville HS prom

WRTV Storm Team Words

German Cities 3 Indiana State Fair Barns 2 Adhesives

5 Royal Titles

1 “Libations by the Levee” Festival Site

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