April 25, 2023 — Noblesville

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COMMUNITY

Johnson, Shanehsaz vie for District 5 seat

Compiled by Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Two Republican candidates are vying for the District 5 seat on the Noblesville Common Council in the May 2 primary election. Dave Johnson, a licensed professional geologist whose practice focuses on environmental site investigation and remediation, will face Rocky Shanehsaz, owner of Mill Top Banquet & Conference Center. Both candidates answered a series of questions from Current.

Why are you seeking this seat?

Johnson: I am seeking this position because this district has been my home for 40 years, and I deeply care about our community’s needs. Over the years, I have committed to service in the Noblesville community. For this service, I was named Noblesville Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year and am also a past board member of the chamber. I have been a part of Noblesville Schools Miller Ambassador Program, have served as a Noblesville Boys & Girls Club Meals for Members volunteer, Noblesville Lacrosse Club president, a youth travel soccer coach, and involved in Boy Scouts of America.

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Shanehsaz: I am seeking the District 5 seat because I feel that I am most qualified, being a fiscally conservative business owner and entrepreneur. As a member of Noblesville’s Council, I will be able to speak up for my neighbors in a larger capacity. Since the 1990s, I have enjoyed providing several opportunities to the community. Some of these prospects have come in the form of employment for almost 2,000 employees over these years. Other opportunities have come in the form of advancing tourism and commerce by annually bringing over 20,000 Mill Top event attendees to downtown Noblesville. This is along with my being heavily involved with milestone historic preservation and neighborhood outreach projects. In recent years, I have felt compelled to elevate how I give back to my beloved town. I intend on lending my same hard-working ethic and business acumen to my honest representation of District 5.

What are some of your priorities if elected and how do you plan on tackling them?

Johnson: Three areas I will focus on are balanced growth, being fiscally conservative, and leading with common sense and integrity. Noblesville must look for opportunities to grow by being self-sustaining, ensuring infrastructure needs are met, and staying true to our unique history. We must ensure that there is an abundance of job opportunities within the city. And we need to plan for a self-sustaining future. Low taxes must be maintained by ensuring that decisions made by the city are always in the best interests of taxpayers. When considering growth opportunities, it must make fiscal sense for Noblesville. I am committed to maintaining low taxes while continuing to offer excellent quality of life amenities. I will conduct thorough research and analysis before making a decision on a project.

Shanehsaz: When elected, I am looking forward to being able to provide transparency, while focusing on three key areas: responsible spending, supporting infrastructure, and ultimately keeping our imminent growth managed and balanced. I will help keep our community better informed of projects’ budgets, effects and their timelines. I plan on ensuring communication with neighboring cities and towns, supporting collaboration when needed. I would like to assist Noblesville in attracting appropriate businesses, thus promoting the area to new residents. Intelligently doing so will equally build on homeownership and employment opportunities, maintaining stability. I will also concentrate on preservation of our town while embracing its development.

What do you believe makes you the best candidate for this role?

Johnson: I am a community leader and longtime Noblesville resident. My city involvement will be key in leading on the city council. Currently, I serve as president of the city’s Economic Development Board and am a past president of the Police Merit Commission, Prevailing Wage Board, Hamilton County Riverwalk Board, and the Hamilton County Solid Waste Board.

Shanehsaz: Good leaders should be involved with efforts that have a positive impact on their citizens. Council members

should communicate well, with both administration and their community, to help convey the community’s message and needs. I will be continuing involvement in local preservation efforts. As plans for upcoming projects are now being laid into place, I am eager to help our downtown maintain its unique character as our community grows. Along with preservation, I am passionate about the need for mental health care and am hopeful for the upwards progress that the city is making towards accessible options. I believe in motivating and mobilizing our neighbors to participate in community-sponsored events, as this will help promote camaraderie and volunteerism.

What are some areas of improvement needed in Noblesville, and how can the city and council members address them?

Johnson: It’s important that Noblesville remains an inclusive community when it comes to housing. We have made progress in providing a variety of options, but we can still do better by balancing the ever-changing needs of the community. Another area is walkability. Noblesville is continuing to be a more walkable community, and I think that is very important for attracting all generations. Finally, I think we need to develop a strategic plan around available land use and what the options could be. I’m excited to have more conversations around this particular topic.

Shanehsaz: Going forward, I would like to see the council concentrate on Noblesville’s infrastructure and reevaluate projects, as necessary. Independent, nonpartisan evaluations will help us stay focused on risks, gains and the project’s overall necessity. I would also like to see stronger public safety initiatives that concentrate on community outreach, building valuable connections. Additionally, I feel that we need to put an emphasis on attracting reputable businesses. By securing local employment opportunities before promoting residential growth and homeownership, we can help ensure a delicate balance is kept. Appropriate businesses include those who are focused on being environmentally and socially responsible, while offering salaries much higher than the typical living wage.

County seeks poll workers for primary election — The Hamilton County Election Office is seeking poll workers to work the May 2 primary election and is in need of inspectors, clerks and judges. To volunteer, individuals must be a registered voter in Hamilton County, said County Clerk Kathy Williams. The positions, which require some training, are paid, along with meals. For more or to apply, visit hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1351/Poll-Worker-Form.

Johnson

Shanehsaz

Program helps inmates Noblesville awarded $1M grant

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For senior chaplain Mark Fidler, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Chaplaincy Prayer Breakfast is a perfect place to explain the mission of the program.

FUNDRAISER

The breakfast is set for 7:30 to 9 a.m. April 26 at the Mill Top Banquet and Conference Center, 802 Mulberry St., Noblesville.

“There is no theme per se, but we have a keynote speaker (Keith Williams) who is a person who was incarcerated, went through our programming and has turned their life around and now is living a life they only dreamed of,” Fidler said of Williams, who now works at Gaylor Electric.

Individual tickets for the breakfast fundraiser are $35 each, while a table for 10 is $300.

Fidler said his role as senior chaplain is to oversee the day-to-day operation of the chaplaincy program for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Chaplaincy.

“I am responsible for the religious programming for the men and women’s adult jail, Hamilton County Community Corrections and the Youth Detention Center,” Fidler said. “Daily, we try to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of those incarcerated.”

Fidler said when called to a scene in the county, it is usually because of a death and a notification needs to be given to the family.

“Our chaplains are trained in giving death notifications, spiritual and emotional care during a disaster, grief and trauma counseling, suicide prevention-intervention-and postvention,” he said.

“We are trained in areas of PTSD, stress management, ministering to law enforcement families and much, much more.”

Fidler’s other full-time position is as senior pastor at Amazing Grace Bible Church.

“My life is a 24/7 ministry,” he said.

For more, visit hamiltoncountychaplains. com. For individual tickets, visit square. link/u/Biy6k9dW or for a table visit square. link/u/BLGiQJtq.

news@currentnoblesville.com

226th Street

• Hickory Ridge Circle from Dead End to 226th Street in Jackson Township

• Forrest Hollow Drive from Dead End to 226th Street in Jackson Township

INFRASTRUCTURE

Noblesville and Hamilton County have each been awarded $1 million in state matching funds for local road projects.

The funding was awarded through the Community Crossing matching grant program, a component of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Roads program. Funding through the grant program can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items.

Hamilton County Highway Director Brad Davis said the county intends to use its funding for road resurfacing projects totaling 10.2 miles at the following locations:

• 256th Street from Ind. 213 to Ind. 13 in White River Township

• Cammack Road from 216th Street to 236th Street in Jackson Township

• 226th Street from Cammack Road to Tollgate Road in Jackson Township

• Tollgate Road from 226th Street to 231st Street in Jackson Township

• Pleasant Hill Drive from Dead End to

Davis said the county will work to get the projects under contract by mid-August and anticipates the work would be done this fall. A Noblesville city official did not respond to a request seeking information by deadline on how it intends to use its funding.

Noblesville and Hamilton County were among 224 Indiana cities, towns and counties that received a combined $133.4 million in state matching funds through the Community Crossings program. The town of Cicero received $720,135, while Fishers also received $1 million, according to INDOT.

“Whether traveling in town or across the state, we all depend on safe roads,” State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville stated. “For local governments, these grants can be a gamechanger for infrastructure improvements, which also helps promote economic growth and adds to our quality of life.”

Fidler

NOBLESVILLE &

Project: Pleasant Street

NORTH

Location: 1.1 miles west of River Road to 10th Street and includes work by Hamilton County for a bridge to be built over the White River.

Expected completion: End of 2024

Project: Stony Creek pedestrian trail

Location: Under Ind. 37

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Expected completion: Construction will continue this year with the trail expected to open by early summer.

Project: Roundabout construction

Location: Ind. 32 and River Road

Expected completion: End of summer

Project: Nickel Plate Trail

Location: The city of Noblesville will construct its portion of the Nickel Plate Trail from 146th Street to Pleasant Street. Trail will be 12 feet wide and include the rehabilitation of two existing railroad bridges and conversion to pedestrian facilities

Expected completion: By Thanksgiving

FISHERS & INDY

Project: Ind. 37 Improvement Project

Location: Ind. 37 & 141st Street. A pre-construction phase is in place. During this phase, 141st Street will have a temporary right-in-right-out configuration.

Expected completion: The full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted in the summer.

Project: Clear Path Improvement Project (I-465 and I-69 interchange)

Location: New ramps will provide direct movements from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465 to northbound I-69.

CURRENT MAY NOBLESVILLE COMMUNITY CALENDAR

CINCO DE MAYO EXPRESS

Enjoy a trip on the Nickel Plate Express May 5 featuring tacos from Texy Mexy and a special tequila tasting featuring three samples. Margaritas, beer and wine will also be available for purchase. Tickets start at $62 per person. For more, visit nickelplateexpress.com.

MAGIC OF THE SQUARE

Enjoy the first Friday in May with the second Magic of the Square event, which will feature five magicians, a Harry Potter costume contest, exotic animals, a scavenger hunt, face painters and more. The event, presented by Noblesville Main Street, takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Noblesville and is free to attend. For more, visit noblesvillemainstreet.org.

KOTEEWI AERIAL PARK OPENING DAY

Enjoy five treetop trails with 60 challenges and zip lines during opening day May 6 at Koteewi Adventure Park, 11800 Koteewi Dr., Noblesville. Prices vary to participate. For more, visit koteewiadventures. com.

FARMERS MARKET AT FEDERAL HILL COMMONS

The farmers market will make a return to Federal Hill Commons with a variety of vendors starting May 6 and will continue every Saturday from 8 a.m.

to noon through Oct. 14. For more, visit noblesvillemainstreet.org/farmers-market.

MUSIC & ALL THAT JAZZ SERIES

Music & All That Jazz series will make a return to the square in downtown Noblesville starting May 13 at 5 p.m. Attendees can bring their lawn chairs and sit on the courthouse square. The band will be set up on the northeast side of the square.

MASTER GARDENERS PLANT AND IRIS SALE FUNDRAISER

The Hamilton County Master Gardeners Association will host its annual plant and iris sale fundraiser May 20 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 E. Pleasant St., Noblesville. The event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature more than 15,000 plants, including native plants, hostas, daylilies, perennials, vegetables, water plants and some shrubs and trees. Admission is free to attend. For more, visit hcmga.org/annual-plant-sale-iris-sale.

INDIANA PEONY FESTIVAL

The Indiana Peony Festival will be held May 20 at Seminary Park, 350 S. 10th St. The event, which is free to attend, runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature peony judging, floral arranging, art vendors, plants and more. For more, visit indianapeonyfestival.com.

Endorsed by:

PAID FOR BY THE ELECT PETERSON NOBLESVILLE COMMITTEE

Local law enforcement agencies mourn death of police officer

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

A patrol officer with the Noblesville Police Dept. has died, according to the city.

CITY NEWS

Officer Levi Adkins, who was 24 years old and had been with the department since November 2020, died at his residence the evening of April 15. Adkins’ death was announced on the city’s Facebook page at 12:52 a.m. April 16 that included a statement from Mayor Chris Jensen.

“It is with great sorrow that I announce the Noblesville

Police (NPD) had the untimely passing of one of its officers. Patrol Officer Levi Adkins passed away in his residence Saturday evening. Office Adkins had been with the NPD since November of 2020,” the statement said. “The officer’s family is forever changed, and I ask you to please hold his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers as they begin to process this loss.”

Adkins’ death is still being investigated, said Lt. Bruce Barnes, a spokesman for the NPD Barnes said Adkins resided in Indianapolis and declined to release infor-

mation regarding Adkins’ family.

A Facebook post from December 2020 announcing Adkins’ arrival to the police department indicated Adkins came to the city from the Indiana University Police Dept. Other police agencies in central Indiana also reflected on Adkins’ death on Facebook, including the Sheridan Police Dept.

“I grew up in Noblesville as a kid and a cop. I mourn with that department and I feel as they feel this morning, please join me in supporting Noblesville PD, and all of its officers as the coming days and weeks will be difficult,” said Tony Craig, police chief with the Sheridan Police Dept.

TUESDAY, MAY 2

Fidler

FBI investigating bomb threats

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The FBI office in Indianapolis said it is investigating after bomb threats were made at about 40 school districts across central Indiana April 14, with one of those being Noblesville Schools.

SCHOOLS

Noblesville Schools decided to go on e-learning after the district said it received an anonymous email in the middle of the night that made a bomb threat against its schools. The FBI Indianapolis office released a statement regarding the bomb threats made at school districts in the area.

“The FBI is aware of these threats, and we are working in coordination with our state and local law enforcement partners to investigate,” the statement said.

Noblesville Schools resumed classes in person April 17.

“Our law enforcement teams have been hard at work since early this morning sweeping our buildings and ensuring the safety of our students and staff. No suspicious or explosive devices have been

found in any of our schools and all buildings have been cleared for staff and students to safely return,” Noblesville Schools Supt. Daniel Hile said. “Federal and state law enforcement agencies are pursuing this investigation aggressively and we are hopeful that the person responsible will be quickly apprehended.”

Hile asked individuals to remain vigilant of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to their principal or school resource officer. Principals provided support resources for families, according to Hile, who encouraged families to reference those as needed.

“I understand that this situation has created quite a disruption for everyone today, and I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding. Thank you, as always, for your support of our schools, staff, and most importantly, our children,” Hile said.

Other area districts in Hamilton County such as Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Carmel Clay Schools and Westfield Washington Schools held classes as normal and said they did not receive any threats.

Two Noblesville High School biomedical innovations students recently presented at the Indiana Academy of Science conference in Indianapolis and were the only high school chosen to present at the event for science professionals. From left are Noblesville High School Biomedical Innovations teacher Caitlyn Foye and students Keira Harper and Ashlyn Barber, whose research focused on using microbial materials on high-touch surfaces to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. (Photo provided by Noblesville Schools).

SURFACES. THAT’S OUR FORTE.

Getting to know Amogha Paleru

Amogha Paleru is a Carmel High School senior who recently received a perfect score on the ACT. Paleru plans to attend Stanford University to major in human biology and public policy on pre-med track.

What is your favorite subject in school?

My favorite courses have been in the PLTW Biomedical Sciences Pathway with Mr. Harper, but I love history and economics as well as these science courses.

Any tips for studying for tests and exams?

The first thing that has helped me is to stop worrying about the result and focus on making a study plan to master the material to your best ability. The results will follow. One thing that helps is making a to-do list and writing the hours it will take to do each task.

What is your dream job?

Cardiothoracic surgeon or interventional cardiologist

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

If it’s meant to be, it will be. Everyone is on their own path.

What is your best habit?

Making sure to get to bed as early as possible and mapping my time out well to do so.

What is your dream vacation?

Iceland or Hawaii

What food do you most dislike?

Cilantro

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Telepathy

Do you have a hidden talent?

Baking

What is your favorite podcast?

“Science Vs” or “Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain”

What is your favorite meal in town?

Social Cantina tacos

What is your go-to song to get pumped up?

“You Right” or “Need to Know,” Doja Cat

Concrete Cleaning Concrete Sealing Roof Cleaning Pressure Washing Epoxy Floors

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WINS WRITING AWARD, SCHOLARSHIP

Noblesville High School senior Maggie Hoppel was recently named a national Scholastic gold medalist for her work, “That Should Have Been the End of It,” and was among eight gold medalists selected from across the U.S. She will be honored with a reception at Carnegie Hall in New York City and a $12,500 scholarship. (Photo courtesy of Noblesville Schools).

Noblesville resident Truman Angell, left, works with State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Angell, who attends IUPUI and is majoring in sustainable management and policy, is serving as an intern with Goodrich and his fellow members of the Indiana House of Representatives during the 2023 legislative session. (Photo courtesy of Indiana House Republicans)

Mt. Vernon senior proves to be a man for all seasons

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Mt. Vernon High school senior pitcher/ shortstop Eli Bridenthal’s competitiveness began to show during grade-school recess.

“Even in fifth-grade recess, the teachers would get mad at me for not passing the ball because I didn’t want to lose,” Bridenthal said. “I mean, I’ll race you down the hallway just to say I beat you. Some people just don’t like me simply for the fact that I’m too competitive sometimes.”

That competitiveness drove Bridenthal to play football, basketball and baseball throughout high school.

“He is one of the most competitive players I’ve coached in my 20 years as a head coach,” Mt. Vernon baseball coach Brad King said.

As of April 18, Bridenthal, who will play baseball for Xavier University next season, was hitting .432. The 6-foot-2 right-hander

MEET ELI BRIDENTHAL

Favorite subject: Business

Favorite athlete: Patrick Mahomes

Favorite TV show: “Rick and Morty”

Favorite musician: Lil Uzi Vert

had a 2-0 record with a 1.27 earned run average for the Marauders (8-2).

“Eli puts in a great deal of time to improve all of his skills,” King said. “Eli is one of the best pitchers in the state, a very solid defensive shortstop, and his athleticism makes him a threat on offense. But his greatest improvement has been as a leader. Eli has been on several successful teams at

PATIENT-CENTERED BRAIN AND SPINE CARE—CLOSE TO YOU.

The

“It’s even more rare to see one who is as skilled as Eli is in those sports,” King said. “He was, and is, not only a starter on each of the teams, but he plays a large role in the success these programs have. Again, this is due to being blessed with great athletic ability and traits, a tremendous work ethic, and a competitive drive to maximize his potential.”

Bridenthal said he enjoyed playing all three sports his entire life.

“I’ve never had an offseason,” he said. “I don’t like sitting around doing nothing. I love individual things about each sport. With basketball, I love the culture. Being in Indiana, there’s nothing like it. Football, you can’t beat Friday night lights. I love everything about baseball.”

Bridenthal invents games to liven up practice.

“We’ll be taking batting practice and I’ll be in the outfield, saying whoever catches the most balls wins,” he said. “It makes my teammates go harder.”

King said it’s rare these days to see three-sport athletes at larger schools such as Mt. Vernon.

Bridenthal, who played some quarterback and receiver, threw for 422 yards, rushed for 394 yards and caught 41 passes for 622 yards last season.

nation’s most accomplished brain and spine team is right here in Central Indiana. Goodman Campbell physicians, physician specialists, and collaborative care teams deliver exceptional care that keeps you at the center.

In his first two games, Eli Bridenthal has a 2-0 record with 20 strikeouts in 11 innings. (Photo courtesy of Stacy Muffler)

Bridenthal

MVHS, including baseball. Younger players see this and realize he understands what it takes to get to the next level of success.”

Registration opens for Spark!Fishers 5K

news@currentnoblesville.com

Registration is open for the annual Spark!Fishers 5K run/walk, which is set for June 21.

from Mashcraft Brewing.

All ages and abilities are welcome at the after-party.

The prices to register for the main race are:

WHEN IT’S TIME TO CALL BONE DRY

FUN RUN

According to a City of Fishers Parks and Recreation announcement, the main event starts at 7 p.m. at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater in downtown Fishers, with the Kids Dash starting at 6:30 p.m.

Each main event finisher will receive a 2023 Spark!Fishers 5K T-shirt, a medal, and free admission to the post-race party, according to the announcement. The party will feature a DJ, food truck, and drinks, and participants can redeem their race bib for one free drink (alcoholic or nonalcoholic)

• $19.99 - Anytime registration for those age 12 and under.

• $34.99 - Price level is open to anyone 13 and older through April 26.

• $39.99 - Price level is open to anyone 13 and older April 27 through June 20.

• $44.99 - Day of registration and walkup price for those 13 and older.

The price to register for the Kids Dash is $14.99, no matter when they sign up. All participants in the Kids Dash will receive a 2023 Spark!Fishers 5K T-shirt and medal.

To register, go to playfishers. com/629/5K-RunWalk.

AND YOUR GUTTERS. AUTO

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NOBLESVILLE

The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville recently recognized Hare Chevrolet for its sponsorship of the organization’s 202223 youth basketball league. More than 500 youth and teens took part in the club’s basketball and cheerleading leagues that were held December through March. Pictured with a youth-signed basketball are, from left, Todd Thurston, Hare Truck Center sales manager, Tony Eslamirad, Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville community center director, and Jason Horack, Hare Chevrolet general manager. (Photo provided by Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville)

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

YOU’LL KNOW IT IN YOUR GUT.

LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Noblesville Schools’ multilingual learning program helps diverse student population

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Noblesville Schools’ student population represents a large diversity of culture and languages.

There are 53 languages and 65 different countries represented in the Noblesville school district.

Shelley Bethel, the executive director of equity and inclusion for Noblesville Schools, said the top six languages are Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Hindi.

“A few years back, we shifted from EL programming to EL education, educating students, staff and families,” said Bethel, who oversees the English language learners program.

Bethel said the district has begun using the term “multilingual learners” more.

“Many of our students are just learning English, but they speak multiple languages,” Bethel said.

There are approximately 1,000 students from elementary, middle school and high school in those classes. That is approximately 10 percent of the district’s student population.

“The two elementary schools with the largest EL population are Promise Road and White River, and then it’s Noblesville East Middle School and the high school,” Bethel said. “Some of the students might speak multiple languages they have in common. We have EL collaborative schoolteachers at each school building. We have EL-certified teachers and instructional assistants. There is a team of about 18 staff members. Our EL students over the past 10 years have doubled, and our team has doubled to match that.”

Noblesville Schools’ bilingual family liaison Wendy Nelson connects the families to the schools.

“Our focus is not only the student academically, but we encompass the relationship and foster a sense of belonging for our families through programming and an event at Forest Park for all of our families, teachers, administrators and family members to welcome them into the Noblesville school community,” Bethel said.

The EL collaborative teachers attend a student’s other classes, such as math or social studies, to support them with any language comprehension issues.

“We work with the teachers to make sure the students can access the curriculum,” said Mieke Lambrecht-Kendrick, a collaborative EL teacher for Noblesville East. “That requires meeting with the teams and prepping with the teams. We don’t want to put the students away from the educational experience. Nobody knows their math as well as the math teacher, so if they can stay in the room and we can help make the material accessible, they will thrive.”

A newcomers’ class will start at Noblesville East and West middle schools in the fall.

“It will provide a common space for newcomers to share culture, share language and just become acclimated in a

safe space where they may have similar experiences,” Bethel said.

Marnie Cooke, executive director of marketing and communications for Noblesville Schools, said Nelson has learned there are some nations where if it rains, parents don’t send the students to school.

“In some countries, you’d be a bad parent if you sent your kid to school when it’s raining,” Cooke said.

Cooke said Nelson can explain the school system’s norms to those parents.

Lambrecht-Kendrick, originally from Belgium, speaks six languages: Flemish, English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish. Lambrecht-Kendrick met her husband, Frank Kendrick, a former Purdue University standout, when he was playing basketball overseas. Her native language, Flemish, is not a written language, only a spoken one. She learned Dutch next and then French in school.

“I get pretty excited when the student’s second language

EL PROGRAM HELPS AFGHAN STUDENT

Kabir Khairi, who is from Afghanistan, is one student benefiting from the English language learners class.

“I know a lot more English now,” the eighth-grader said. School is much different in the U.S., Khairi said.

“The teachers are kind,” said Khairi, who started at Noblesville East in the fall of 2022. “They are teaching us on our iPads and we’re not walking to school. The school day is shorter (in Afghanistan). It’s only three hours.”

Khairi, whose favorite subject is math, said English was the hardest language to learn.

“I’m speaking Persian in my home, but at school I have to speak English,” said Khairi, who also speaks Uzbek and is learning Spanish.

might be French,” Lambrecht-Kendrick said. “The biggest challenge, but a good challenge, is making sure we meet the children where they are but at the same time set high expectations.”

The biggest challenge is when students come to the U.S. after their education has been interrupted in their home country by war or the COVID-19 pandemic. Lambrecht-Kendrick said a student from another country might come into the seventh grade, but their education might have been halted in fourth grade.

Lambrecht-Kendrick said social language is learned more quickly, but academic language is far more challenging.

ON THE COVER: Noblesville East Middle School English language learners collaboration teacher Mieke Lambrecht-Kendrick works with eighth-grader Kabir Khairi, who is from Afghanistan. (Photo by Adam Seif)

Bethel

Noblesville East Middle School eighth-grader Kabir Khairi, who is from Afghanistan, pauses by a poster of flags. (Photo by Adam Seif)

Purple Stride 5K returns April 29

By Edward Redd edward@youarecurrent.com

survived or was lost to pancreatic cancer, Beeler said.

Head, neck cancer awareness

Commentary by Dr. Michael W. Sim

FUNDRAISER

Pancreatic cancer survivors, their families and supporters are set to participate in the Purple Stride of Indianapolis 5K April 29 to fundraise in the fight against the disease. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at White River State Park in Indianapolis.

Sixty Purple Stride walks are scheduled throughout the U.S. to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Funds raised will be used for research for new treatment options and provide patients free 1-on-1 support through PanCAN patient services.

Rob Beeler, co-chairman of the Purple Stride affiliate of Indianapolis, said last year’s event generated $270,000. This year’s goal is $290,000.

“Last year, we had about 1,000 people participate, and we’re hoping to have a little over 12,000 this year,” said Beeler, a Carmel resident.

Fundraising is typically done by teams formed around a family member who

Jenny Bivans, affiliate chair of PanCan in Indianapolis, began her journey with the network after forming a Purple Strides team in 2016 after her sister, Victoria, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Bivans, a Zionsville resident, said she formed team Victory for Victoria to give her sister hope.

“Every time a donation would come, or somebody would join her team, it excited her. It made her know people were supporting her. It really encouraged her to keep fighting,” Bivans said.

After a long battle with the disease, Victoria died in 2020. In her memory, Bivans accepted her role with PanCan in Indianapolis. Team Victory for Victoria has been one of the top 10 fundraisers since 2016. It has raised more than $80,000.

The Purple Stride event is open to everyone. Participants will be able to enjoy snacks, write on the tribute wall and take pictures with friends and family at the photo area.

Learn more and register bit.ly/3GGkCbA.

ONCOLOGY

April is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Month, a time to bring awareness to these conditions. Head and neck cancers occur twice as often in men as they do in women, but overall are relatively uncommon. As with all cancers, the earlier that physicians can diagnose head and neck cancers, the better the outlook.

Head and neck cancers are, as they sound, any cancers that occur within the head and neck. Many types fall under this category. This includes those on the skin of the head and neck, inside the nose and sinuses, mouth and throat, salivary glands, thyroid gland and at the base of the skull.

Several symptoms are associated with this kind of cancer, including skin bumps or sores that don’t heal, mouth or throat ulcers, trouble swallowing, ear pain, difficulty breathing, double vision, change or hoarseness in the voice, blocked sinuses and any unexplained lumps in the cheek or neck.

There are several known risk factors for head and neck cancer. This includes common lifestyle choices, such as tobacco use and alcohol use. Poor oral hygiene, ultraviolet exposure (skin cancer), and some occupational exposures to wood, metal, formaldehyde and other substances are also considered risk factors. Human papilloma virus, HPV, has come to play a major role in the growing incidence of throat cancers in the oropharynx, which includes the tonsils, base of tongue and soft palate. In fact, most oropharynx throat cancers we treat now are caused by HPV, not from smoking and drinking.

Many head and neck cancers develop in delicate locations that require great skill and experience for a successful outcome. One treatment option is transoral robotic surgery, which is a minimally invasive surgery that removes tumors through the mouth to treat the throat or voice box, while preserving swallowing and speech.

Learn more about IU Health’s head and neck cancer program at iuhealth.org/ find-medical-services/head-neck-cancer.

Dr. Michael W. Sim, surgeon specializing in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction at the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center in Carmel.

Couple to open Crazy King Burrito

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youareucrrent.com

Growing up, Paul Giefing and his wife, Alrea, both worked in restaurants.

NOW OPEN

“We’re in a position that we decided to follow up on that dream of running a restaurant and found a great opportunity,” Paul said.

The Westfield couple will open the first Crazy King Burrito in Indiana at 13756 N. Meridian St. in Carmel’s Meridian Village Plaza.

“We were looking for opportunities and this particular opportunity came to us because the family who brought this restaurant to the United States from Cozumel lives in St. Joseph, Mich., and he is next-door neighbor to two of our closest friends,” Paul said. “After having some conversations about the restaurant in Cozumel and trying the food, we immediately jumped on the opportunity.”

Paul said the soft opening for the fast-casual restaurant, which features burrito bowls, is tentatively set for June 1. There will be seating for 60 people in the 2,520-square foot space. There will be covered outdoor seating, as well.

“There will be a drive-up/walk-up window

outside that is not technically for a drive-thru because you won’t order there, because you’ll have an app to order,” Paul said.

Inside, customers will place their orders at the counter.

“If things are not busy, you would have it brought out to your table,” Paul said.

The couple plans to open more Crazy King Burrito restaurants in the area. Westfield and Fishers are at the top of the list of possible locations.

“We bought the rights to three to five restaurants in central Indiana,” Paul said. “We still have the rights reserved to acquire the entire state.”

Eyemart Express opens store

news@currentinfishers.com

On April 17, the first Eyemart Express in the greater Indianapolis area opened in Fishers. The national retail chain’s newest Indiana storefront is at 8240 East 96th St.

NEW BIZ

The new store offers eye exams, frames and finished glasses in one day, according to an announcement from the Texas-based company. Eyemart Express stores carry about 2,000 frames for men, women and children, and have a lens lab at the store. The announcement said that 80 percent of customers’ glasses are done in an hour.

Customers can bring a valid prescription to the store or get an exam from an independent licensed optician operating next to the retail store.

“Demand has grown in Fishers for high-quality eyewear that you can wear home on the same day and won’t break the bank,” stated Marie Shaffer, Eyemart Express manager in Fishers. “Our stores are an easy and convenient choice for timestrapped shoppers who want to maintain

their eye health.”

The announcement said that Eyemart Express plans to open two additional Indianapolis storefronts in May.

Eyemart Express in Fishers expects to add around a dozen full- and part-time jobs. Those include sales associates, lab technicians and opticians.

The new store is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more, visit eyemartexpress.com.

Alrea and Paul Giefing. (Photo courtesy of Paul Giefing)

Eyemart Express opened a store in Fishers April 17. It’s the first location in the Indianapolis area for the national chain. (Photo courtesy of Eyemart Express)

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Presenting Sponsor:

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Taking stock of our lives

Commentary by Terry Anker

Stock prices go up and down based upon a panoply of factors, but a few variables are the most predictive. One, the company is earning more than others like it and there is a pipeline of opportunity that will keep the situation positive. Two, management accurately predicts how the enterprise will do quarter to quarter. When a business begins to underperform, these indicators will drive investor action. The first has a sluggish impact, often taking time for shareholders to recognize the market threat from new technologies or competition and sell off shares of companies experiencing a slow annual decline. But when the corporation misses quarterly earnings expectations, the market can respond harshly with swift authority. It seems that disappointment is more disturbing than the long, hard road to irrelevance. We might find value in imagining the investments we make in our relationships through a similar lens. Take school reunions, for example. We’ve made the investment in these people. Maybe we’ve kept up

ESSAY

and reaped something from the time spent concurrently. So, getting together seems unnecessary. Perhaps we’ve ignored them all since graduation. We’ve fully depreciated all that we once had there. Somewhere between too soon and too far, and there might be some value in reconnecting.

Depending on how we perceive our past and present, we might believe that our stock has gone up. Life, career, family, whatever the metric, has increased. Or it could be that we have begun that inevitable decline into old age and infirmity. At the launch of our productive lives, don’t we all have about the same origin point? What we do is much up to us and to circumstance. But as others see us, what do they observe? How did we hold up? Did our lives beat market expectations, or did we underdeliver on our potential?

Love Japan, hate the eel

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Friends, I have recently returned from Japan! The trip was part of a 2021 grant to study World War II that I could take only now thanks to dumb COVID-19. I was super excited for the history and culture parts but also anxious about the long flight (I don’t sleep on planes) and potential food situation (I don’t do raw fish). Obviously, your gal rose above. Here’s what happened.

the amazing opportunity I’d been given, I stuffed the complaints and caught up on all the Oscar-nominated films I’d missed except for “The Whale” because there’s no crying on airplanes.

HUMOR

The Chicago-Tokyo leg was rough, I won’t lie. For starters, my husband Doo tagged along because he suffers from severe FOMO anytime anyone goes anywhere without him, and since he’s over 6-foot tall, he took the aisle seat. This meant I was relegated to the middle for 13 excruciating hours, both directions. I couldn’t stay comfortable or use the bathroom sans two minutes of decamping. Even worse, I had to have the gross chicken as Economy Row 56 means the pasta primavera is no longer available. But, recognizing

But, recognizing the amazing opportunity I’d been given, I stuffed the complaints and caught up on all the Oscar-nominated films I’d missed except for “The Whale” because there’s no crying on airplanes.

– DANIELLE WILSON

The culinary scene proved much better. Most places offered a variety of East Asian dishes, including noodles, dumplings and fried stuff, so I never went hungry. And when we finally stumbled upon Doo’s most magical of magical eateries — a tiny, 10seat hole-in-the-wall sushi joint that served whatever the catch of the day was — I did just fine with rice and soup. Apparently, I do like Japanese food!

Although I still abhor long flights and would hard pass on eel sashimi, I’d go back to Japan in a heartbeat. 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.

Game on — or is it?

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

I have been lecturing my adult son about playing so many video games. I don’t think he was listening, so next time I’ll wait until he takes his headset off.

HUMOR

I told him what a waste of time video games are, and how little you benefit intellectually. Plus, it involves absolutely no exercise. I was going to tell him all that, but I played golf all that day because carts were half price.

I have an addiction, as well. Not to golf, not to nicotine, not to prescription drugs, not to Uncle Ralph’s Hard Lemonade -- not even to pickleball (but I am getting close on this one).

I am addicted to Scrabble.

Not Words with Friends. I don’t like that game. It involves friends, which is exactly what I am trying to avoid when I seclude myself in the basement every night for an hour. I also don’t mean the board game that is up in your hall closet wedged between your winter galoshes and the Monopoly game. And I also don’t mean the Scrabble game that you flung in your basement crawl space because you’re missing a J and a V.

I’m addicted to the type of Scrabble that I downloaded on my computer. Oh, it’s the same concept, but in this case, you are playing Noah Webster and someone I assume is his obsessive-compulsive sister, Merriam.

Good luck.

In this game, you can control the difficulty, but with a degree in English, I’ll be

darned if I’ll compete as a novice or beginner. Instead, I check off wxpert, at which point the computer runs a program that has beaten all but 200 Scrabble players in America. I wonder who these people are and if their wives and children would like them to come up from the basement occasionally to shower.

I realize I’m in over my head. Just before writing this column, I was trounced by the computer. Here were some of the words that beat me: promial, zootier, hewable, zlote, schalene. Every time I make a word that’s worth more than 30 points, a nerdy little figure pops up on the screen and seduces me with adulation: GREAT JOB! EXCELLENT MOVE!

I’m a sucker for this because my 43rd wedding anniversary is coming up and I’ve only heard GREAT JOB maybe six times during our marriage. I can’t remember ever hearing EXCELLENT MOVE! And I’m counting our honeymoon.

My son has become concerned about my obsession. He promised me the other day that if I gave up Scrabble, he’d cut down on his video game playing.

“Just say the word, Dad,” he told me. “Just say the word and video games are history.”

The question is: What is the word? And how many points will I get?

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.

I’m addicted to the type of Scrabble that I downloaded on my computer. Oh, it’s the same concept, but in this case, you are playing Noah Webster and someone I assume is his obsessive-compulsive sister, Merriam.

– DANIELLE WILSON

CHS grad gets dream role in ‘The Sound of Music’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Renée La Schiazza figures she started watching “The Sound of Music” on VHS tape when she was about 2 years old.

MUSICAL

The 2012 Carmel High School graduate will play Maria in Civic Theatre’s production of “The Sound of Music,” which runs April 28 to May 13 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“This is my favorite musical of all time,” she said. “It’s a dream role. It introduced me to musical theater and the arts.”

La Schiazza played a nun in the musical as a Clay Middle School sixth-grader.

This is the Carmel resident’s first production with Civic Theatre. It is her first performance since joining the Great American Songbook Foundation staff in February 2018. She is now the director of programs. She was a 2012 Songbook Academy participant and intern with the organization in 2013.

“Like anything, there are some challenges to overcome, but it’s really just a joy to be back in the process and back in the rehearsal room and to be inspired by ev-

eryone else in the cast,” she said.

Carmel resident Kirsten Gunlogson portrays Mother Abbess in her first role with Civic Theatre. She has performed in Rodgers and Hammerstein productions, such as “The King and I” and “Oklahoma.”

“Being new to Civic and being asked to do a show with them, I could not ask for a better production to be involved in,” said Gunlogson, who is an Indiana University graduate. “Most of my younger years I was performing operatic literature and concert music. I did some operettas and some musicial theater. I moved away from Indiana for a long time and moved back here in 2015.”

Gunlogson, a Butler University professor of voice, has performed some concerts and chamber music in the Indianapolis area. She also performs in a chamber trio, which does concerts throughout the U.S.

“It’s wonderful to get to know this company and to learn about the staff and administration,” Gunlogson said. “It’s a wonderful sense of community here. Of course, my favorite part is, I get to work with my daughter. That’s a huge treat for me as well.”

Her daughter Katherine LeFan, a 9-yearold West Clay Elementary third-grader,

plays Marta. This is LeFan’s favorite musical as well.

“It’s kind of what got me into theater,” LeFan said. “It’s a really awesome musical. I really like ‘Do-Re-Mi’ and ‘Climb Every Mountain.’”

Clay Middle School sixth-grader Addie Giesting, who plays Brigitta, said her favorite song is “The Lonely Goatherd” that they sing with Maria.

“My favorite part is I get to lay back on the bed and conduct that part,” the 12-year-old Giesting said.

“The Sound of Music” is one of the first musicals Giesting ever saw.

“My grandma is a big ‘Sound of Music’ fan and travels all across the country to see the show,” Giesting said. “It’s really special to have me in it. She is going to come all the way from Minnesota to see it.”

Giesting performed in Junior Civic’s production of “Frozen Jr” in 2021.

For more, civictheatre.org.

currentnightandday.com

‘AN AMERICAN IN PARIS’

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

THE WALLFLOWERS

The Wallflowers will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 26 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘TRUE WEST’

Carmel Community Players’ production of “True West” will run through April 30 at Ivy Tech Hamilton County in Noblesville. For more, visit carmelplayers.org.

‘MR. CONFIDENTIAL’

Actors Theatre of Indiana’s world premiere of “Mr. Confidential” is set for April 28 through May 14 at the Studio Theater at at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit atistage.org.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’

Civic Theatre’s production of “The Sound of Music” is set to run from April 28 through May 13 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

AMANDA MCBROOM

Amanda McBroom will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 28 and Alexandra Silber at 7:30 p.m. April 29 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

‘GET HAPPY’

“Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial” at 8 p.m. April 29 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘Crimes of the Heart’ set for Theater at the Fort — The Belfry Theatre’s production of “Crimes of the Heart,” a comedy by Beth Henley, will run from April 28 to May 7 at Arts for Lawrence’s Theater at the Fort. The cast includes Brook Hackman and Mickey Masterson from Carmel and Sarah Eberhardt and Ka’Lena Cuevas from Fishers. Others in the cast include Becca Bartle from Westfield and Tanner Brunson from Noblesville.

LeFan

Giesting

From left, Keegan Connor as Louisa, Renée La Schiazza as Maria, Greta Schaefer as Gretl in a rehearsal scene. (Photo courtesy of Joshua Hasty Photography)

is set for tribute to Judy Garland

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For the Center for Performing Arts Artistic Director Michael Feinstein, the annual spring concert at the Palladium in Carmel will be personal for him.

CONCERT

The concert, set for 8 p.m. April 29, will feature Feinstein’s “Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial.”

Feinstein answered questions from Current about how the series of Garland performances developed.

How special was it to put together this show considering your long friendship with Garland’s daughter Liza Minnelli?

“Putting together this Garland Centennial tribute was no small feat. I felt the weight of her legend through the entire experience and longed to create something that would celebrate her in a way that she would want to be remembered and also to please her family. Liza was the person who suggested that I put together this concert as I didn’t feel I had the gravitas to properly pay tribute to Judy Garland. But she encouraged me by pointing out a number of things, one of which is that being a male that would remove some of the comparisons that would inevitably happen with a woman singing Judy Garland songs.

“Also, she pointed out that I have a very balanced perspective about her mother, and by that I mean that I understood this is a concert that should be celebratory of Judy Garland and focus on her art and the reason that she became famous and eventually a legend. It’s unseemly to focus on the tabloid aspects of anyone’s life because it’s really beside the point. It is the extraordinary experience that people still feel when they listen to a recording by Judy Garland or see one of her films or one of her videos from her television series that still can galvanize all these years after her passing.

“I wanted to explore her history, and it turned out better than I could have possibly imagined in my wildest dreams.”

Was celebrating her 100th birthday in 2021 the first time you devoted an entire show to Garland?

“The first time I did an entire show celebrating Judy Garland was, I think, 2016, which I did with special appearances by Liza and (Garland’s daughter) Lorna (Luft) in

San Francisco at Feinstein’s at the Nikko, my club in that city. Prior to that, I don’t believe I had ever sung a tribute concert to Judy Garland, even though I had conducted a symphony tribute to Judy in Pasadena with the Pasadena Pops.”

Do you have a favorite portion of the concert?

“I think my favorite moment in the concert is when I accompany Judy Garland singing a song that is taken from a home recording that I discovered in a house that she once lived in and I tell the story in the show. It’s quite amazing that this recording turned up so many years after her passing and was one that she recorded when she was only 19 years old. The other funny thing about it is that the recording is a cappella without any accompaniment, so she sings the melody of the song solo, so it created the opportunity for me to accompany her. The song that she sings is ‘I’ll Be Seeing You,’ and it’s a song that she never, ever sang publicly. And so, it’s a world premiere and quite a thrill.”

Was it cool to perform the Garland concert at Carnegie Hall, the site of her famous 1961 concert?

“The response of the audience was particularly resonant that night. They were really going crazy, and the way they applauded after every number, I think it’s because everybody was excited. To think that she had actually performed at Carnegie Hall all those years before and there we were in the same place where she sang many of the songs that I sang, albeit in different arrangements, (was special). It was a joy, and it will remain one of my most happy experiences for the rest of my life.”

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Michael Feinstein will perform a tribute to Judy Garland at the Palladium. (Photo courtesy of the Center for the Performing Arts)

Red Barn to present 3 comedies

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

It will be another summer of laughs with the three scheduled shows at Red Barn Summer Theatre.

PERFORMANCES

“They’re very light. It’s a nice summer selection, and even though they are all comedies, they’re all very different,” Red Barn Theatre Artistic Director Michael Taylor said. “They’re different kinds of comedy. Coming to the show you will see three very different kinds of performances.”

The first show is the English comedy “See How They Run” (June 7-18); the second show is “Boeing Boeing” (June 21-July 1); and the musical will be “Curtains, A Musical Comedy Whodunit” (July 6-16). Performances run Wednesdays through Sundays at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort.

Taylor will direct “Boeing Boeing” and “Curtains.”

Taylor, who has been with the company for 25 years, said Red Barn performed “Boeing Boeing” several years ago.

“Since then, the script has been updated,” Taylor said. “It was revised on Broadway, so we’re doing the new Broadway revival version.”

A French farce, “Boeing Boeing” takes place in a 1960s apartment in Paris rented by a swinging American architect, Bernard. He is engaged to three women who he only keeps apart because they are all flight attendants for differ ent airlines. When Bernard’s tight schedule is disrupted, his juggling act turns frantic — and then disastrous.

“See How They Run” tells the rollicking tale of a conservative English bishop whose sedate home is turned upside down by the outlandish actions of an American actor and actress, four men disguised as clergymen and an old maid who has touched alcohol for the first time.

“Curtains” is set in 1959 in the Colonial Theatre in Boston. On opening night, the lead actress falls dead and a fast-talking cop, who just happens to be a musical the ater aficionado, is sent to investigate.

Season and single tickets can be pur chased at redbarntheatre.net starting May 8.

Farrell relishes role in premiere

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Actors Theatre of Indiana co-founder Don Farrell knows there is a responsibility in portraying a real-life person.

Farrell will play the role of Bob Harrison, who created Confidential magazine, in the world premiere of “Mr. Confidential,” which starts April 28 and runs through May 14 in the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“It’s a pretty hefty role,” Farrell said. “‘I’ve got a lot of woodshedding to do to get this on to my gray matter, but the music is so much fun. The lyrics are fun, and the story is fun. To be able to roll up my sleeves and start delving into it, it’s really going to be great. I think as an actor, roles that are complex are more interesting. The human condition itself is interesting. We’re all three-dimensional beings and with a lot of history and life experience.”

Farrell said he wants to give heart to his portrayal.

“On the surface, when you read, you might think this might not be the best guy in the world,” Farrell said.

However, Farrell said Harrison built a very successful magazine and provided work for others.

“He was an amazing, interesting guy, and I’m excited to bring him to life on the Studio Theater stage,” he said. “There is a responsibility to not paint them as a two-dimension al character. You want to see all the sides of this person. It’s exciting to find stuff that might not be on the page, but in the rehearsal process you are able to explore.”

Since the reading, Farrell said the produc tion team has written some new scenes, added songs and adapted songs,

“(The audience) are going to get all the songs they originally fell in love with, and they are going to get even more in this world premiere,” he said.

Farrell said ATI has created new works before but nothing to this magniture in its 18-year history.

For more, visit atistage.org.

MUSICAL

Taylor

Farrell

Soprano embraces new role

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Soprano Anne Fuchs is quite familiar with “The Magic Flute.”

OPERA

“I used to sing the role of Papageno in Germany in this opera, so it’s very near to my heart,” Fuchs said. “In the German opera system, you sort of perform a role for a year or two. You’ll just do it again and again and again. So, it’s one of those operas that I know inside and out and deeply, deeply love.”

The Indianapolis resident will play the role of the First Lady in Indianapolis Opera’s production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” May 5-7 at The Toby Theater at Newfields in Indianapolis.

This is Fuchs’ first performance on the main stage with Indianapolis Opera. She had performed in outreach concerts in the community with the company.

Fuchs, 37, lived in Germany for 2 1/2 years, leaving in 2015.

“This was my first role in Germany, and I had to do all the dialogue within the first

Fuchs

two weeks of setting foot there,” she said. “It’s kind of a crazy story. The manager of a theater asked, ‘Do you know the role of Papageno?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Great, you go on in two days.’ The only problem was I didn’t know the role. I just knew it was my chance. So, I drove myself crazy over the next 48 hours just learning that role, which is kind of a hard thing to do. I don’t know if Anne in her 30s could now pull that off, but in my 20s I could. I got it together and had to also learn the German dialogue and speak it convincingly and with a good German accent.”

The First Lady is one of the three ladies in service of the evil Queen of the Night.

“This opera is just so incredible because it’s basically about this duality of good and evil,” Fuchs said. “The bad guys seem like good guys, and then the good guys seem like bad guys. It’s just confusing knowing which is which.”

Fuchs also played the role of Pamina in a production in the U.S.

“She is a delightful character as well,” Fuchs said. “She’s pure of heart.”

For more, visit indyopera.org.

Farm beefs up operations

Commentary by Mark LaFay

Indiana may be known to be a pork-producing state, but there is quite a bit of great beef to be found in the Crossroads of America. Look no farther than Howell Farms in Middletown in rural Delaware County.

FOOD

The Howell family has been farming the amber waves of grain for nearly 50 years. Their primary focus is corn, soy, wheat, barley and tomatoes, and now with a touch of beef!

Siblings Adam and Aaron Howell took up the family mantle to become the second generation in the Howell family to farm the Indiana countryside. The brothers are also the driving force behind the farm’s relatively new grass-fed beef program.

“We want to be good stewards of the family business and the land that it is based on,” Adam said. “By combining vegetable and grain production, cover cropping and then rotational livestock grazing, we can improve soil health.”

Ultimately, soil health drives the quality of the products they produce.

At present, the Howell’s have 22 head

of cattle that rotate across different pastures each day. The cattle is 100 percent grass-fed and the beef is processed under USDA inspection. Customers can shop their assortment of beef products online at Farmersprovisions.com. The website provides all the current offerings as well as plenty of information about the Howell family, the farm and the beef operation.

Customers are encouraged to shop the beef assortments by the box. Free shipping to 26 states is offered with the purchase of any assortment box. Customers can also shop by the cut and build their own box to have shipped. All current and future shipping destinations can be found on the website.

Customers can expect their product to arrive cold and safe to be put back into the freezer or thawed out to cook immediately. For more, visit farmersprovisions.com.

Mark LaFay is a butcher, certified sommelier and founder of Old Major Market, 4011 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.

Did I hear that correctly?

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

A visit to Masada National Park

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, in our continuing visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, we come to Masada National Park in Israel, about 45 miles south of Jericho.

TRAVEL

During his reign as king of Judea from about 36 B.C. to 4 B.C., Herod the Great was a prodigious builder. The artificial harbor at Caesarea Maritima and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem were architectural wonders. But none of Herod’s many building projects have had the lasting influence of Masada, rising 1,300 feet above the Judean Desert. At the top of this rocky plateau, Herod built an elaborate city, complete with Roman baths, an underground reservoir holding 1 million gallons of water and a three-tier summer palace overlooking the Dead Sea. The only way up to the heavily fortified complex was along a narrow “snake path.”

In A.D. 66, Jewish revolutionaries captured Masada from the Romans. They and the families that joined them held out against a Roman siege until engineers built a ramp to the top and soldiers broke down the walls with a battering ram. Both the site of the Roman encampment and the remains of the ramp can still be seen from the snake path. According to Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, the entering Roman soldiers found all but seven of the 960 holdouts dead, killed by their own hands to avoid being taken alive.

Today, a metal plaque at Masada reads: “What of us? What is our Masada? How much of all this will we take with us, and how much of our own will we add?” For a time, members of the Israeli military walked up the snake path to be sworn in among the ruins, pledging that “Masada shall not

fall again.” Masada, now also reachable by cable car, is a powerful reminder of the indomitable Jewish spirit and the universal yearning of people to be free.

GRAMMAR GUY

I’ve written before about mondegreens — music lyrics people mishear. Many of you mistake Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” line as “Hold me closer, Tony Danza.” Today’s column is along those lines.

Now that you’re refreshed on mondegreens, I’m sure you’re also aware of homophones, two or more words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Examples include peace/piece and whole/hole.

With these in mind, you’re all set for today’s topic, oronyms. This sounds like a term for different names of gold. In fact, oronym is a recently coined term by author Gyles Brandreth. Brandreth, who is famous for being a past European Monopoly champion and president of the Association of British Scrabble Player, is also a witty linguist. He came up with the term “oronym” in his 1980 book, “The Joy of Lex.”

Oronyms, which are also known as continunyms or sliceonyms, are phrases

or sentences that sound the same but are spelled differently. The difference between oronyms and homophones is that oronyms almost always cause confusion and lead to misunderstandings. Let’s get into some examples, shall we?

When it comes to my 9-year-old son, he has seasonal spring allergies, and he fancies himself an expert on many subjects. I could rightly say, “You’ll be amazed by the stuffy nose.” However, if I want to declare him a harbinger of facts, I could also say, “You’ll be amazed by the stuff he knows.” The two sentences are true, and they sound identical. But their meanings are different.

Here are two similar-sounding sentences that have incredibly different meanings. Consider “The drunk man fell into oblivion.” Now think about “The drunk man fell into a Bolivian.”

Ruins of Masada in Israel. (Photos by Don Knebel)

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

Masada Reservoir in Masada National Park.

Model of Herrod’s Summer Palace in Masada National Park.

47. Board member

49. Tunes

51. Kinda

52. South American nation

55. Steinway products

59. Bypass

60. Madison Avenue park with a Lars Jonker sculpture

63. Tom Wood car type

64. Scent

65. Amber Indian Restaurant bread

66. Pacers’ three-pointers

67. Crafty website

68. Utters Down

1. Neutral shade

2. “Now hear ___!”

3. Church area

4. Mackey and Market Square, e.g.

5. Telephone pole sign words

6. Half of bi-

7. Eye part

8. Gestation sites

9.

28. Comic Carvey

30. Show the way, in a way

31. Low-budget prefix 32. Stair part 35. Bento Cafe cuisine 38. Indy park with “Ruins” 40. “Yes, captain!” 42. Timbuktu’s land 43. Hang on a clothesline

Acquiesce

10. Indy park known for its Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

11. Curved molding 12. Aft

13. Upper limbs 18. Withdraw from a Hamilton County Court case

. Some Colts linemen

. Old-time messengers

. Glendale Body Shop jobs

. Numbskull 27. Constitutional capital of 52-Across

6 Common Adjectives

4 States That Begin With “I”

3 Indiana Mikes

2 Women Astronauts

5 TV Networks

1 John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” Town

Stewart's

ugly tree roots, stumps in and around chain link or wood fences. We also remove tree stumps that are protruding up onto sidewalks and around sidewalks. We grind them and/or remove. Please Call & Text at 816-778-4690.

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MATH TEACHER

A math teacher at Midwest Academy will be responsible for teaching all aspects of mathematics, including fundamental and introductory algebra skills, to Middle School and High School students in a progressive environment designed for children with learning differences.

This position is full time and compensation is commensurate with experience. Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a child-centered mentality are essential to this position.

To apply please send your resume to careers@mymwa.org

HELP WANTED

Looking for an entry level employee to join our help desk.

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PUZZLE ANSWERS SPONSORED BY SHEPHERD INSURANCE

Answers to HOOSIER HODGEPODGE: Adjectives: BAD, FIRST, GOOD, LAST, LONG, SHORT; Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; States: IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA; Mikes: EPPS, PENCE, WOODSON; Astronauts: JEMISON, RIDE; Town: SEYMOUR