May 16, 2023 — Noblesville

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Goodrich launches bid for Congress

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

A state lawmaker from Noblesville has launched a bid for Congress.

know that I can help,” he said. “People say I can’t, but I’ve been through it, and I know I can help.”

POLITICS

Chuck Goodrich unveiled his plans May 5 at the Mill Top Banquet and Conference Center in Noblesville, where he was joined by his family and supporters in announcing his candidacy to represent Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. The district covers much of Hamilton County, in addition to Delaware, Grant, Howard, Madison and Tipton counties.

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, who occupies the seat, isn’t seeking reelection. Goodrich, who also serves as president and CEO of Indianapolis-based electrical contractor Gaylor Electric, has been a state representative since 2018.

Goodrich said he has been able to grow his career and life with conservative Midwestern values, saying he has focused on grit, hard work and humility in raising his family. He said he plans to carry those values with him to Washington, D.C., if elected.

Goodrich told the estimated crowd of more than 75 people that rising health care costs are “killing our nation” before adding that workforce development, inflation and illegal immigration “is just crushing our companies.”

“I want to bring my conservative perspective to that conversation in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “That’s the reason I want to go to D.C.”

Goodrich, who has worked at Gaylor Electric for 28 years and rose through the ranks to become the company’s top leader, said he is “absolutely rooted in Indiana,” having met his wife here before raising four children.

“I can tell you that anything’s possible and that’s exactly why I want to go to Washington, D.C., because I know this: I

Goodrich said if elected, he plans to be “the conservative voice for all of you” and other individuals living in the 5th Congressional District.

“The reality is that your voices aren’t being heard and it will be heard when I get to Congress,” Goodrich said.

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, who spoke at the event, criticized President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, saying their policies are not working.

“If you are a businessperson like Chuck Goodrich is, when it comes to workforce development, they are miserably failing,” Jensen said. “Who better to send to Washington, D.C., who knows a thing or two about that?”

Jensen also said he’s ready to advocate for Goodrich in his campaign.

“I can think of no better credential than Chuck Goodrich out in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

State Rep. Todd Huston, R-Fishers, who is Speaker of the House, also backed Goodrich’s campaign.

“I know Chuck will be a phenomenal 5th District representative,” Huston said.

Besides Goodrich, Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings, a Republican, also plans to run for the seat.

Indiana Peony Festival set for May 20

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The Indiana Peony Festival returns to downtown Noblesville May 20 during an event that will celebrate the state’s official flower and allow visitors to mingle with local vendors and businesses.

ville and its downtown, to inspire Indiana residents to celebrate the peony as the state flower and to promote Hamilton County as a visitor destination during the month of May, according to Lindsey McVey.

EVENT

The third annual event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Seminary Park, said Lindsey McVey, who co-founded the festival with her mother Kelly McVey. Lindsey McVey said the festival has grown each year with more than 70 vendors expected this year.

Lindsey McVey said visitors can expect to find peony-inspired floral installations, along with food vendors, in addition to a Brunch & Blooms event that will feature downtown restaurants and businesses promoting peony-related items, including cocktails. Downtown alleys will be activated

The Indiana Peony Festival will return to downtown Noblesville May 20. The annual event now in its third year celebrates the state’s official flower. (Photo courtesy of Lindsey McVey)

as well with live music, she added.

But flowers are the focal point of the event, which is meant to beautify Nobles-

“We have tons of flower vendors this year, a lot of art and artists are working all year on beautiful peony pieces of art,” she said.

The festival will also include a ticketed event, Peonies in the Park, from 6 to 9 p.m. May 19 for visitors 21 and older that serves as a fundraiser for the festival. Tickets are $100 per person and must be reserved in advance for Peonies in the Park, which will feature cocktails, food, a silent auction and more.

A tennis-diamond bracelet will be raffled off during the ticketed event as well. Tickets can be reserved on the Indiana Peony Festival website.

For more, visit indianapeonyfestival.com.

State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville, announces May 5 at Mill Top Banquet and Conference Center that he is running for Congress. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Jump start your savings.

NPA displays artists’ work

Nickel Plate Arts in Noblesville will feature artist Leigh Petersen in the Stephenson House during the month of May.

Petersen, who graduated a Center Grove High School graduate, said she loves to use art as a way to escape and unwind to get in touch with her thoughts, dreams and inner self. She enrolled in summer school in high school to complete as many required courses as she could so that she had more room in her schedule for art classes during the school year, according to a news release.

By the time she was a senior at Center Grove, she had taken every art class that had been offered that resulted in the creation of independent art classes for her. Upon graduation, she didn’t commit to any single medium and enjoyed drawing, painting, fashion design and photography, she said.

“I moved to New York City and got a job at a small graphic design firm as one of my first ‘real’ jobs,” Petersen stated. “From there, I was hooked on graphic design because it was a place where I could draw from all of my favorite mediums and experiences, and I just never looked back.”

Petersen worked as a design apprentice in New York City before moving back to Indiana and shifting to production and advertising design. Because she did not attend college, Petersen learned as she worked and was able to work her way up as a result of her admirable performance and achievements, according to Nickel Plate Arts.

Petersen said being her own boss gave her more time to dedicate to traditional creative pursuits. The pandemic was also a

turning point for Petersen’s career as the uncertainty served as creative inspiration for her pieces during that time, according to Nickel Plate Arts.

“Art has always been a means of escape for me, a way for me to disconnect from my day-to-day stress and worries and delve more deeply into my thoughts and feelings,” Petersen stated.

Although her work is often classified as fantasy or surreal, she said each piece of art is a visual representation of some piece of her inner self.

“They come from the chaos within,” she stated.

Petersen’s exhibit, “The Within,” can be seen in the Stephenson House on the Nickel Plate Arts campus, 107 S. 8th St., through May 27. Hours are from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

Nickel Plate Arts is also featuring the work of Joy Tilson Cobb at Four Day Ray Brewing, 11671 Lantern Road, Fishers. Her exhibit, “Free Flowing,” can be seen from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A public reception will be held for Tilson Cobb from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 22 at Four Day Ray Brewing that will feature live music by Party of Two with Steve Bogard on guitar and Tilson Cobb on vocals.

In addition, Nickel Plate Arts is also highlighting the work of artist Mark Timmis at Meyer Najem, 11787 Lantern Rd., Fishers. His exhibit, “Mark Timmis: One Man Show,” can be seen from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A public reception will be held for Timmis from 5 to 8 p.m. June 2 in the Meyer Najem second floor gallery. For more, visit nickelplatearts.org or call 317-452-3690.

DISPATCHES

Volunteers needed for water availability study – The Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office is seeking volunteers for the county’s three year Water Availability Study. The study is being done by INTERA, the engineering firm employed by the county, and will monitor aquifer levels throughout the county in order to better understand the groundwater availability within the county. The data will contribute valuable information to the study. If interested, reach out to the Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office at 317-776-8495 or email at surveyor@hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

Bicentennial commission releases book – The Hamilton County Bicentennial Commission has released the official commemorative book of Hamilton County’s bicentennial, “Celebrating Hamilton County, Indiana: 200 Years of Change.” The glossy, 9-by-12-inch, full-color book features events and figures many people know and love, as well as never-before-published photographs, stories and oral histories. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and through MT Publishing Co. by visiting www.mtpublishing. com.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT Q&A

Getting to know Kurt Frederick

Kurt Frederick is an assistant principal at Westfield High School and has also worked in the classroom as a special education teacher. Before coming to Westfield Washington Schools, Frederick was the transition coordinator for MSD of Wayne Township in Indianapolis. He serves on the board of directors for Limitless Ability, a planned adult day care program that will provide speech, occupational and physical therapy services, behavioral supports, with a targeted opening date of September 2025.

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

I work out every weekday morning at the Fishers YMCA between 6:15-7:15 a.m. I’ve maintained a consistent morning workout routine for seven years now.

My worst habit is that I can’t sit still for long. I rarely take time to pause, reflect, or rest.

Do you have a hidden talent?

I am a decent cook. I make a couple restaurant quality dishes -- mainly breakfast foods (chocolate chip pancakes, cinnamon sugar french toast sticks, banana break). My wife and I enjoy taking cooking classes together.

What do you do when you’re stuck?

I either change scenery (go to a different room, location, etc.) for a switch in perspective or ask a colleague, my wife, my kids, or a friend for help.

What is your dream vacation?

Italy, for sure. I would love to take in the rich history, beautiful landscapes, delicious food and potentially connect with family.

How do you relieve stress?

Exercise, music, and family time are my go-to stress relieving strategies. I am so grateful to have a supportive and encouraging wife who brings out the best in me. My kids are so much fun and always make me laugh. My parents and sister have always been there for me to talk or give advice as well.

Hamilton Southeastern softball player possesses a powerful bat

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Hamilton Southeastern High School senior third baseman Payton Fox credits her power surge to weight-lifting classes.

“In the beginning of my junior year, I would hit a lot of doubles that would one-hop the fence,” she said. “Now, I feel all those doubles from last year are just going out. So, getting stronger helped me a lot.”

Through May 8, Fox was hitting .492 with nine homers and 36 runs batted in for the Royals (14-5).

“She’s definitely a contact hitter, but she has some power,” Royals coach David Cook said.

This is Fox’s second year as a starter. She hit .427 with eight homers and 32 RBIs as a junior. She saw some action as a sophomore.

“She works at the game,” Cook said. “She works hard in the weight room. She is a

MEET PAYTON FOX

Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan

Favorite subject: Math

Favorite movie: “Pitch Perfect”

Favorite musician: Giveon

smart kid. She just does all the right things. We’ve moved her over to shortstop a couple of times when we’ve had to pinch-hit.”

Cook said Fox, who will play softball for Ball State University next season, is well suited to play third base.

“She has a strong arm, (is) hard-nosed and tough,” Cook said. “She’s not afraid of it because that’s part of the battle there. It’s

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a tough place to play.”

Fox said she tends to lead more by example than being vocal but has worked on

being more vocal.

“I was put in the Student Athletic Council at my school and that’s really helped me a lot,” Fox said. “We talk a lot about leadership in there, and you have to lead by more than example and you have to hold people accountable. I feel like I’ve been trying to work more on that. Being seen as a leader has made me more of one.”

This is her second year on the Student Athletic Council.

After losing in the sectional the past two seasons, Fox said the team goal is to win a sectional title.

“We have a lot of returning starters and we’ve grown a lot closer as a team, and that helps,” she said. “Last year, it took us (some time) to get that team chemistry, and this year we’re coming in with that team chemistry that we left off with.”

Fox started playing softball at age 7.

“I did dance and gymnastics when I was really little and I did soccer, too,” said Fox, who plans to major in architecture at Ball State. “I played basketball from fifth to eighth grade. I realized in high school I was playing basketball for my friends, but I was playing softball because I love the sport.”

Hamilton Southeastern High School senior third baseman Payton Fox will play for Ball State University next season. (Photo courtesy of Sorna Chockalingam)

Fox

500 Festival Foundation fundraising campaign goes public

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The 500 Festival Foundation is taking its Fueling the Community fundraising campaign to the public.

INITIATIVE

The campaign, which started in 2021 with an internal drive, was announced May 3 at the 500 Festival Kickoff to May event, presented by STAR Bank.

“Once we launched our efforts internally, we began our fundraising process by working with those who have been most engaged and invested in the 500 Festival throughout our 65-year history,” 500 Festival Foundation Executive Director Christine Swarm said. “Our Festival community responded with such enthusiasm and generosity, we felt it was time to put out our outreach efforts more broadly. The 500 Festival is driven by our community already, so we’re extremely optimistic about their response of moving us forward.”

The campaign raised $3.4 million from donations from previous supporters. The goal now is to bring that total to $5 million.

Carmel resident Nadine Givens, who has served on the 500 Festival board and 500 Festival Foundation in various capacities since 2004, said for more than 25 years the 500 Festival’s free education, fitness, and leadership development programs and initiatives have impacted the lives of 100,000 Indiana youth and families each year.

“ In response to the growing community need for these programs, the 500 Festival is determined to raise the dollars needed to continue the traditions and enhance the programming.,” said Givens, a PNC Private Bank senior vice president and Indiana Market Director. “As our vibrant city grows, so do the numbers of children and adults of all ages who want to participate in the events and programs the 500 Festival offers. It is our goal to meet that ever growing demand. It is important, for we have demonstrated we have an impact towards ensuring Indiana a great place to live and thrive.

Swarm said the fourth-grade program brings history, science, math, language arts and a history of the Indianapolis 500 to classrooms throughout the state. It’s a free curriculum.

Third- and fourth-grade classes from around the state visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for field trips. Swarm said the goal is to reach even more students.

The 500 Festival staff, volunteers, Princesses and paid interns are engaged in visiting the classrooms from March through May.

The 500 Festival KidsFit program is a free school-based curriculum offered to schools.

“It’s encouraging and inspiring physical activity for youth based over several weeks to reach their own equivalent of the Mini-Marathon, which is 13.1 miles,” Swarm said. “It’s really sparking that love for fitness and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles.”

Mark Miles and Cindy Simon Skjodt serve as the honorary campaign co-chairs.

DISPATCHES

Parade tickets on sale – Tickets are on sale to the public for the 2023 AES 500 Festival Parade. Parade tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at 500festival.com/ tickets. Proceeds from all 500 Festival ticketed events help support the organization’s free programming and events for Indiana youth and college students. The parade will take place at 11:45 a.m. May 27 in downtown Indianapolis. The grand marshal is Frank Shorter, Olympic gold medalist and the winner of the first OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

IMS unveils Bronze Badge – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway unveiled the 2023 Bronze Badge design during an event last month at Stout Field, the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Indiana National Guard, in Indianapolis. Ed Carpenter, owner-driver in the NTT IndyCar Series and three-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner, unveiled the 2023 Bronze Badge, a traditional keepsake among fans that grants them pit and garage access during certain times in May. The 2023 Bronze Badge can be purchased by fans, giving them access to Gasoline Alley on selected days during the month of May. Learn more at indianapolismotorspeedway.com/ events/indy500/buy-tickets/bronze-badge.

Swarm

DISPATCHES

Send us your stories and photos – Please email story suggestions on new businesses, interesting residents, upcoming events, news tips and photos to Current in Noblesville Managing Editor Matthew Kent at matthew@youarecurrent.com. For photo submissions, please provide the full names of individuals, along with a short description of the event, location and the date of when it took place.

Riverview Health to hold seminar – Riverview Health will host a seminar highlighting stroke care, including the benefits of physical, occupational and speech therapies as well as education on stroke prevention. The May 16 seminar, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Krieg DeVault conference room in the lower level of Riverview Health in Noblesville, will feature Ron Miller, who specializes in physiatry. Miller will detail the therapy offered at Riverview Health that can help stroke victims return to optimal function. The program is free, but registration is required. To register, visit riverview.org or call 317-776-7999.

Jury duty scam calls – The Hamilton County Courts are warning residents about a jury duty scam that has bilked dozens of people out of thousands of dollars. Scammers are calling residents and telling them they missed jury duty and have to pay a fine. Victims have reportedly lost upwards of $2,000 to $3,000 through gift cards and mobile payments like Zelle and Venmo. When in doubt, Court Administrator Jill Acklin recommends residents hang up and call 317-776-8589.

Breakfast at the Brickyard – Tickets are on sale to the general public for the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, set for 9 a.m. May 20, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Gallagher Pavilion. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett will host and honor more than 70 mayors from across Indiana for their work in advancing Hoosier communities. Guests will enjoy a traditional breakfast and hear from Indianapolis Motor Speedway executives and 500 Festival leaders. Purchase tickets at 500Festival.com/Breakfast.

Hamilton County Democratic Women meetings — The Hamilton County Democratic Women will meet May 20. The meeting will be from 9:10 to 11 a.m. at the Delaware Township Trustee Building, 9090 E. 131st., Fishers. All Hamilton County women are welcome.

New state law establishes rules for library books Employees to entrepreneurs

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

A new law approved by the Indiana House and Senate and signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb establishes a set of rules regarding school library materials that will allow any community member to ask for specific items to be removed from the shelves.

• It describes or represents, in any form, nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sado-masochistic abuse;

• Considered as a whole, it appeals to the prurient interest in sex of minors;

GOVERNMENT

House Bill 1447 states that by Jan. 1, 2024, school governing bodies shall establish:

• Procedures for each school to prepare a catalog of materials available in the school library.

• Procedures for each school to allow a parent or guardian, or any member of the community to submit a request to remove material from the school library that is obscene or harmful to minors.

• A response and appeal procedure for each school to respond to such requests.

The procedures must require that the governing body review a request at its next public meeting.

The governing bodies also must publish the catalogs and policies on the website of each school, and make hard copies available, according to the bill. Schools may not make material available that contains obscene matter or matter harmful to minors within a school library.

“Obscene” is defined in state statute. Matter or performances are considered obscene if:

• The average person, applying contemporary community standards, finds that the dominant theme of the matter or performance, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex;

• The matter or performance depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct; and

• The matter or performance, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

“Harmful to minors” also is defined in state statute. Matter or performances are considered harmful to minors if:

• It is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable matter for or performance before minors; and

• Considered as a whole, it lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

In response to the bill, the Indiana Library Federation issued a statement. The ILF said it supports policies that require publicly available policies that create more transparency.

“At the same time, we maintain that eroding the defenses from prosecution in state law will have an extremely chilling effect on librarians’ efforts to make diverse, age-appropriate materials available to students without government interference,” the ILF said in the statement.

Chad Heck with the ILF explained that the bill removes the educational defense to prosecution. The law has allowed a defense to prosecution for providing content harmful to minors if materials have an educational purpose.

“For example, if a library provided sexed materials, those would clearly have an educational purpose and so a librarian could not be charged with the crime of providing content harmful to minors,” Heck wrote in an email responding to a request for comment.

Noblesville Schools already maintains a collection development process that explains to the public how we choose materials for our school libraries and outlines how any questions or concerns will be handled, said Marnie Cooke, spokeswoman for Noblesville Schools. The policy can be found on the district’s website.

“Having said that, we are aware of this legislation and are awaiting further guidance from the Indiana Department of Education before we can evaluate whether any changes to our procedures may be required,” she said.

Publisher’s note: As a result of several errors by a freelance writer of a previous story about FlexWerk Fitness, a completely new story by a different author follows.

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

In his 20-plus years working in the fitness industry, Steve Pirt rapidly ascended from a personal trainer to upper level management.

FITNESS

He and his teams’ success hinged on an ability to build relationships, listen to fitness professionals about the problems they faced and work to provide efficient and effective solutions, he said. Along the way, he realized that one of his longtime desires – to be his own boss – was something most fitness professionals also wanted, and he believed his years of experience could be used to refine a concept that would make it possible for more of them.

After seven years of planning, FlexWerk opened in early April at 885 Monon Green Blvd., Suite 120, in Carmel City Center. It contains several private spaces with premium fitness equipment and integrated technology that fitness professionals can reserve hourly to train clients or create fitness content that can be streamed to viewers online.

“In one day, you could go from employee to your own branded entrepreneurial business, and you’re going to pay for it as you go, like an Uber ride, instead of a long-term lease or contract or rent,” Pirt said. “We’ve created this massive migration opportunity for millions of professionals around the world to take that step.”

While the FlexWerk headquarters in Carmel doesn’t have room for that many clients, Pirt isn’t exaggerating his goals. He built the concept to grow and had already signed a franchise agreement before the first location debuted, and he is in the early stages of opening the brand’s second location in downtown Indianapolis. In addition, his primary investor in the company lives in Japan and has secured the rights to build the brand there. Others have expressed interest in bringing FlexWerk to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, Pirt said.

As FlexWerk expands, all locations will include several concepts – identified and refined by Pirt over decades working in the fitness industry – that make the brand unique. It all begins when clients walk in

the door, entering a sleek but simple lobby where they are greeted by an undistracted employee.

“(We) use technology operations designed to minimize the menial tasks to improve the ability for humans to do what humans do best, which is engage,” Pirt said.

Guests use their smartphones to reserve a space at FlexWerk, unlock doors at the facility and connect to a TV that can stream music or videos during the workout. The lighting in each space can be customized to create the perfect atmosphere for individual clients. The technology ecosystem was brought to life by The Premier Group, a firm located less than a mile north of FlexWerk that Pirt discovered during a nationwide search.

The spaces at FlexWerk contain lifting racks and modular systems custom built by an Italian company Pirt discovered while consulting on the design and construction of gyms in Israel. Even the floor is a “first of its kind innovation,” Pirt said, describing it as a seamless lifting platform that will safely absorb the impact of heavy weights dropped on its surface.

Pat Charette, owner of Elite Fitness Systems, had been primarily working with clients in their homes, often spending a good part of his day in his vehicle traveling between appointments. He now schedules approximately 20 sessions a week at FlexWerk, a space that he said still provides privacy for his clients but offers an upgrade with premium equipment.

“I’ve been locked into my car, and it’s been harder to network traveling from house to house, town to town,” said Charette, a Westfield resident. “FlexWerk gives me more networking opportunities, and if you’re looking for a wow factor, I saw an easier sale at FlexWerk.”

Hourly rates at FlexWerk start at $16 to reserve space.

Learn more at FlexWerkFitness.com.

Phillip Jung uses equipment at FlexWerk custom built by an Italian company. (Photo by Ethan Wang/Reverie Pictures)

COVER STORY

ON THE MOVE

Pacers’ NBA G League team to call $36.5M Noblesville arena home

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The Mad Ants, an affiliate in the NBA G League, plans to relocate to Noblesville from Fort Wayne as part of a plan that will result in an 85,000-square-foot arena being constructed at Finch Creek Park that city officials say could provide a major economic boost and transform the city’s east side.

The city and Pacers Sports & Entertainment announced a partnership May 8 that will result in a 3,400-seat arena being developed. The city is committing $36.5 million and will be responsible for issuing bonds to finance the design and construction of the facility, according to a 10-year partnership agreement.

The agreement, which was approved by the Noblesville Common Council May 9, includes $5 million in cash investment from Pacers Sports & Entertainment, which will also lead an effort to secure another $5 million in naming rights and signage over those 10 years, in addition to $36.5 million from the city to build the arena.

Under the agreement, the Pacers will rent the event center for 10 years with a 10-year option with average rent averaging $500,000 annually over the 10-year term. The city would be responsible for issuing bonds to finance the design and construction of the facility, according to the agreement.

“We are excited to welcome Pacers Sports & Entertainment to Noblesville along with the players, coaches and staff of the G League team,” Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said. “The Pacers are an iconic brand with deep roots in central Indiana. Partnering with such an impactful organization opens numerous opportunities for our community and drives forward our efforts for a larger sports and entertainment district with enhanced partnerships.”

The new arena is anticipated to open during the 2024-25 season, and the Mad Ants would play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the interim, officials said. City and team officials said they are working through due diligence steps with local partners and plan to build the arena at Finch Creek Park near the Mojo Up Sports Complex, which generates nearly 1 million visits per year.

Jensen said he expects the arena, which would be owned by the city, will draw 65,000

fans annually to Noblesville and Finch Creek just for games, which is already the second-most visited area in Hamilton County for sports visitors. He called the upcoming project “a game-changer” for the City of Noblesville.

“We had to make sure the deal worked for everybody and we’re there,” Jensen said.

Jensen said the city is working with the Pacers and other partners on programming options for the arena on days it is not used by the Pacers. The facility would be available for events like IHSAA tournaments and competitions, concerts, conferences, corporate events and graduations, he added.

Jensen also said the city wants to use the arena as a catalyst for further development at Finch Creek Park, noting that the public will see additional amenities added into the city’s master plan for the area.

“Further steps are being taken to finalize development and programming partners, which may also incorporate additional project features and recreational amenities,” Jensen said.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson said the franchise will remain the Mad Ants through the 2023-24 season. A new team name and mascot will be unveiled prior to the 2024-25 season, he said.

Fuson said the partnership between PS&E and the city resulted after some conversations with plans eventually coming together quickly.

“It was always an opportunity for us to

come together to do something for economic development, for the central part of the state, for Indiana,” Fuson said. “Anytime you can bring your name into one of the fastest growing cities in our state, it’s a great opportunity for us to build fans, but at the same time, it’s an opportunity for economic development and it’s important for us to be a part of the community.”

Fuson said he thinks the arena could be a boost for the city ranging from more industries and additional restaurants, in addition to fans being able to see NBA-level talent in Noblesville.

“You’re going to see a lot of different folks playing here that play in the NBA,” he said.

Fuson said the Mad Ants’ name will be retired, although no determination has been made on what the new name will be. According to the Fort Wayne Gazette, in 2020, the Mad Ants ranked 10th among the G League’s 28 teams in average attendance.

That figure was just below the leaguewide average of 2,245 fans, the newspaper said. A message left with Fort Wayne city spokeswoman Elizabeth Webb seeking comment on the pending move was not immediately returned.

“The G League is world-class basketball, and PS&E is proud to bring that to Noblesville as we strengthen our basketball operations and enhance player development in one of the state’s most vibrant and growing communities,” Fuson said. “We are excited about the way this partnership fits into the bold vi-

sion for economic development Mayor Jensen has laid out, and we can’t wait to continue growing our NBA and G League fan base right here in Hamilton County.”

Noblesville Common Council President Aaron Smith lauded the partnership.

“We welcome the new partnership with the Pacers,” Smith said. “The administration and council have made proactive, smart investments to assist with the financing of this partnership. We are excited to continue the strategic growth on the east side of our city and provide a new attraction for our residents and guests.”

Smith said the project is one that allows the city to extend the corridor since it is in proximity to Ruoff Music Center, making it a prime spot for future investment opportunities.

BY THE NUMBERS

85,000: Number of square feet the arena will have when completed

3,400: Number of seats

36.5: Millions of dollars the city will pay to build the arena

30: Number of G League teams

ON THE COVER: As part of the partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Noblesville plans to build a new 3,400-seat, 85,000-squarefoot arena on the east side of the city. (Photos courtesy of the city of Noblesville)

As part of the partnership with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Noblesville plans to build a new 3,400-seat, 85,000-square-foot arena on the east side of the city. (Photo courtesy of the city of Noblesville)

Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson speaks during a press conference May 8 at Finch Creek Park in Noblesville about a partnership between his organization and the city that will result in an 85,000-square-foot arena. The arena will bring the Mad Ants, an affiliate in the NBA G League, to Noblesville and is expected to open during the 2024-25 season. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of May 2, 2023. $10,000 minimum balance is required to open each certificate with money not currently on deposit at Horizon Bank. Penalty for early withdrawal. 13-month CD automatically renews to 12-month fixed-rate CD. Subject to change without notice.

Firm to relocate to 1st on Main

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Law firm McCarter & English has announced it is set to become one of the first tenants at 1st on Main, a mixed-use development under construction on the northeast corner of Main Street and Range Line Road in the heart of Carmel’s Arts & Design District.

LAW OFFICE

Katherine Althoff and Amy Fisher joined McCarter & English in May 2022 when the East Coast firm decided to expand into the Indianapolis area. Althoff and Fisher serve as co-office managing partners of the Indiana office in Carmel, where they work out of a coworking space at Industrious, which is less than a mile south of 1st on Main.

Althoff said the firm is expected to move to its new 9,100-square-foot space Sept. 1.

“We are very excited to see the finished product and have enjoyed being involved with our architects and designers in selecting finishes and other interior details,” Fisher said. “That process has been underway since the beginning of the year. The designers were able to accommodate our

aesthetic, modern-industrial style.”

Althoff said the local management at Industrious has been amazing.

“The space has suited our needs for individual offices, collaboration space and on-demand conference rooms,” Althoff said. “The Industrious space, as well as our upcoming 1st on Main offices, facilitate a healthy lifestyle, whether that is walks on the Monon at lunch or riding a bike to work, with access to showers and other amenities.”

Learn more at mccarter.com/locations/ indianapolis.

ClusterTruck returns for area food deliveries

By Edward Redd edward@youarecurrent.com

After a brief hiatus, ClusterTruck is back to making deliveries to the Carmel and Fishers areas.

FOOD

In the early spring of 2022, ClusterTruck had a mutual agreement with Kroger to end their partnership because of differences in business goals.

ClusterTruck President Janet Monroe said it paused delivery services in Carmel and Fishers until it could find new locations for its kitchens.

ClusterTruck ensures fresh food by making quick deliveries to its customers, according to Monroe. Short delivery routes are designed to minimize driving time.

Monroe said she was unable to find new kitchens suited for a restaurant but wanted to start delivering to customers.

“We decided, you know what? We have this kitchen here (Carmel and Fishers area). Let’s just serve the customers we have out there in Carmel and Fishers and see how it

goes,” Monroe said.

That was toward the end of March, Monroe said, and now the company is using the kitchen at 4737 East 82nd St. to deliver to the two communities.

Business has returned to the entire Carmel zone, and nearly half of the former Fishers zone. The location also offers a pickup option.

For more, visit clustertruck.com.

ClusterTruck’s Mushroom Matar comes with fresh roasted mushrooms and green peas served in creamy and savory house-made sauce, seasoned with Indian spices. It is served with rice and topped with cilantro. (Photo by Edward Redd)

From left, McCarter & English attorneys Amy Fisher, Jordan Kidd, Kim Metzger, Katherine Althoff, Sandy Carr and Allyson Emley at 1st on Main, which will be the site of the firm’s new office. (Photo courtesy of McCarter and English)

Historic Taylor’s Bakery changes hands

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

BUSINESS

After 110 years and four generations, the longtime Taylor’s Bakery in Indianapolis and Fishers has changed ownership.

But customers should rest assured that the new owner plans to maintain the quality they’ve come to expect from Taylor’s Bakery.

Brothers Drew and Matt Allen of Fishers co-owned the bakery until Feb. 8, when the transfer of ownership became official. But they didn’t stop working at the business right away. Drew Allen said they still went in to help with the transition, and make sure the new owner, Burrows Holdings, had all the tools, tricks and special recipes needed to maintain the business that will continue to carry their family’s name.

Taylor’s Bakery was founded in 1913 by D.O. Taylor, the Allens’ great-grandfather. Drew Allen said that makes the emotional attachment to the business even stronger.

“I’ve been explaining it to my friends — my name is on that building,” he said. “My middle name is Taylor. My great grandfather was a Taylor. My grandmother was the second generation of the business. So, when she married, the name became Allen, but my son has the middle name Taylor; my dog has a middle name Taylor.”

So, the business was a huge part of his life, and was very demanding. Allen said.

“It’s a very intense business,” he said. “It really never sleeps. Even if your doors aren’t open, you’ve got people working; you’re always preparing for the next day.”

The intensity is a big reason why the brothers made the difficult decision to sell. They had been missing out on family activities, Allen said, and so they sat down with the whole family to talk about it. They all agreed it was the right choice, and they started the lengthy, time-consuming process of selling a business.

Unfortunately, during that process both of the Allens’ parents died within a year of each other. Their father in early 2022, and their mother just this year as the deal to sell the business was coming to a close.

“It just happened so fast with mom, and then the business — not only was the business intense, but then selling it. You can’t tell anyone what you’re doing. And so it just – it was awful timing, but everything was

in motion, and we just kind of had to follow through on it. So, we were literally balanc ing the loss of Mom, and then the sale of the business, and then mom’s funeral.”

Allen said that since the sale, he and Matt Allen have been going in daily to help with the transition and make sure the business continues to succeed. He said the sale con tract stipulated that all employees would keep their jobs, and among their advice to the new owner was, “Take care of your employees.”

“You guide and you provide them a good job. And if everything goes right, over de cades, people show up and they continue to perform,” he said. “There’s just so much hard work behind the scenes. And then you go in on a Saturday morning and you see just an enormous amount of product made. And that was always the reward for me.”

That daily involvement is starting to slow down now, though, and Allen said he’s been able to do things with his family that he was never able to do before.

“I’ve had so many people say, ‘Oh, my gosh, what are you going to do? What are you going to do?’ And my answer is, I’m going to be a dad,” he said. “I literally woke up and made my son a breakfast sandwich. And I drive him to school when I can. I’ve been on field trips, which I’ve never done before, which is crazy. Now I can coach. It’s opened up a lot of family (time) for me, which is just great.”

Taylor’s Bakery’s original location is 6216 Allisonville Rd. in Indianapolis. The Fishers location opened in 2003 at 8395 East 116th St. The business started a website during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they’ve main tained that online ordering service. It can be found at taylorsbakery.bakesmart.com.

From left: Matt and Drew Allen. (Current file photo)

Ophthalmologist focuses on dry eye treatment

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Dry eye has been a growing concern in the eye care industry.

being used in his Carmel office. The tear film covers the ocular surface and helps protect and lubricate eyes.

Kylene Polhamus, an Abrams EyeCare optometrist, said she is already using the Tear Film Imager with patients.

HEALTH

Dr. John Abrams, an ophthalmologist, said patients experiencing dry eyes are like complaints of back pain to a general doctor.

“There’s lots of causes of back pain. There are no great diagnostics for it,” said Abrams, whose main Abrams EyeCare Center is in Carmel. “You kind of take a stab at what might help them, and then it doesn’t work, and they try something else. Well, dry eyes have been like that for us for a long time. We’ve not had really good diagnostics at all for it.”

Abrams said approximately 40 percent of his patients have symptoms of dry eye, and he believes much of it is caused by environmental factors, medications, an aging population and hormonal changes in women, or LASIK procedures.

Abrams, a former Carmel resident who now lives in Westfield, helped co-found a company in Israel that developed the Tear Film Imager, a diagnostic tool, which is now

“So, we’ve developed this camera that takes a picture of the tear film, and it does it down to such small amounts down to a nanometer, which is a very, very small amount,” Abrams said. “We can actually image the layers of the tear film, and nobody’s been able to do that before. So, the thought process of this camera and this technology is that it will help with the diagnosis. But that’s not really what I think the main importance of it is. It might allow us to see what layer of the tear film has the problem and direct treatment to that problem, so we would have more specific treatment. We can monitor our treatment and see if the tear film has improved or the area we were addressing has improved.”

Abrams said the FDA-registered device is not ready for use in any office, because it’s too costly and is built by hand and not fully automated. Abrams said product designers are working on automation now.

“I have the only one in private practice anywhere in the world,” he said. “Most of them are in university ophthalmology de-

partments for research purposes.”

Abrams said a lot of drug companies have purchased them because they want to show how their new dry eye drugs or therapies work.

Abrams said his office has just started using it. It can’t be submitted to insurance yet because it’s too new.

“We’re probably going to do it for next to nothing to get it out there,” he said. “It could revolutionize how dry eyes are treated and how people are cared for going forward.”

“It is very interesting to see how my patients’ symptoms correlate with what reports we get from the TFI,” she said. “Then (it helps) direct our treatment and monitor and manage how they’re responding to the treatments. It’s really quite user friendly. It’s not not difficult to use. It’s quick, non-invasive.”

Polhamus said dry eye is generally a multifactorial eye disease. Symptoms include vision fluctuations, dryness, burning, itching and watery discharge.

“Being on computers and our phones, we are not blinking as much as we used to,” she said.

Abrams said he added Polhamus to the practice about six months ago because of her experience with dry eye treatment. Polhamus, who had been working in the northern part of Indiana, was moving to the area and looking for work

“Dry eye has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember,” the Fishers resident said.

Dr. Kylene Polhamus, an Abrams EyeCare optometrist, uses Tear Film Imager. (Photo by Adam Seif)

You’ve got (a lot) of mail

Commentary by Terry Anker

“Thank you for calling,” mollifies the monotone automated attendant, “the number you have reached has a mailbox that is full and cannot take messages.” What are we supposed to do now? How can someone be so inattentive as to not take a moment to delete a few older communications? In our mind’s eye, we see the physical mailbox at the curb stuffed with paper, exploding from its open door and piled on the ground. Is the good homeowner on an extended vacation and neglected to notify the U.S. Postal Service of their prolonged absence? Are they trapped in their home, fallen and unable to get up? Should we notify the authorities? Happily, it rarely comes to this predicament. Most often, folks empty the tin can on a post at driveway’s end with some regularity. Many even enjoy the walk and retrieval. In these digital times, we have come to relish less the incoming ping of “You’ve got mail,” often discovering in it more annoyance than joy. Routinely, callers are met with an outgoing voice message

ESSAY

that proclaims — this mailbox is not monitored, and the interaction will not receive a response. Maybe they want us to text them. Maybe they are simply information overloaded. The crammed inbox rejection is a defense mechanism from the endless onslaught of interaction.

Last week, Microsoft shared that a personal account was dangerously close to running out of space. It reported 400 megabytes available out of 50 gigabytes (if you ask, the internet tells us that to be about 0.8 percent). How is it possible? The calendar goes back awhile, and the old messages list is lengthy. But still, how did it get so bad? Could it be time to let it overflow? What’s the harm of locking the door and hiding inside? Would anyone even notice?

Couldn’t be critically catty — darn it!

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

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

Don’t let your back hold you back.

Back pain, neck pain, numbness in your extremities, and movement disorders can turn everyday tasks into painful challenges.

With self-referral appointment options, Community Health Network makes it simple to start your road to recovery. Find personalized care for your pain at Community.

Learn more about your neurosurgery options at eCommunity.com/neuro

Or call 317.621.2727 to schedule an initial evaluation.

HUMOR

I love weddings. The rituals, the pageantry, the occasional drama. Mostly, I enjoy the people-watching and the opportunity to silently pass judgment on anything and everything, from the food to the timing to the bar placement. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help myself. My mom owned a catering business when I was a kid and is still the queen of party planning. I come by my critical cattiness very naturally.

Anyhoo, my husband Doo and I recently attended a fantastic event where, honestly, I couldn’t find much to complain about. For starters, the ceremony was adorable. The two ring bearers were dressed as mini-security officers complete with briefcases and tactical earpieces. One of the flower girls decided she’d had enough and left mid-vows, just sauntered up the hill and disappeared around the house. And it was the perfect length of time, not too long, not too short. No full Catholic Mass here!

Cocktail hour was also great. Doo and I stuffed our faces with mini mozzarella balls and gorgonzola cheese and met a couple who’d known Doo when he was young. “You were that tiny boy with glasses!” And it didn’t hurt that both the weather and venue were gorgeous. Partly cloudy, temps in the mid-70s, and a classical revival mansion circa 1915? Yes, please!

The only real annoyance was one of our dinner companions, an older gentleman who, when he learned that I’m a U.S. history teacher, immediately asked if I taught that “woke stuff.” Oh, lord, here we go. We have a couple more weddings lined up this spring, so stay tuned, friends. Hopefully, they’ll be spectacularly awful! Peace out.

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

AT WESTFIELD FOOT AND ANKLE, YOU’RE MORE THAN JUST A NUMBER

Sick of this sick room

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

SLIDERS?” suggested Mary Ellen.

She ended up leaving all my meals on a table in the hallway. I had to exit my office, wearing my mask, and then return to my room, quickly shutting the door.

HUMOR

We just got back from Washington, D.C. I was there for a reunion with old college friends who I worked with on The Hatchet, our award-winning newspaper back in the ‘60s at The George Washington University. I was a humor columnist, and that’s where I got my start in journalism.

My wife Mary Ellen and I had a super time, but I hope the event wasn’t a super-spreader. I came home with COVID-19.  Who did I get it from? I don’t know, but even if I did, I am a good reporter. I would never reveal my source.

When we left for D.C., I was excited about the get-together, but meeting up with COVID-19 again was not the reunion I was looking forward to. This was my second bout with the illness.

When we arrived home and I complained of a sore throat, Mary Ellen blamed it on my incessant talking for three days, but she made me take a COVID-19 test. When it was positive, she panicked because she had her own reunion coming up and didn’t want to miss it.

The first thing she did was isolate me in my home office and forbid me to leave it. All our communication was through the closed door. I was never to open it. For a guy who is hard of hearing, this was tough.

“WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR DINNER?” my wife asked loudly.

“Does it have to slip under the door?” I asked.

“YES, HOW ABOUT A DOZEN WHITE CASTLE

“HOW’S THAT SLOPPY JOE?” she asked.

“I dripped a lot all over the carpet.”

“DICK, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TAKE OFF YOUR MASK WHEN YOU ARE EATING.”

Mary Ellen would often ask what I was doing to keep busy. I told her I was watching the National Geographic special about elephants.

“I thought we would watch that together?” She said.

“OK, I’LL WATCH BASEBALL,” I told her. “YOU HATE BASEBALL.”

“DICK, WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?”

“I forgot who was hard of hearing.”

By the third day, I missed seeing Mary Ellen. I heard the shower running, so I figured it would be safe to talk to her outside the glass sliding door. When she saw me, she used her finger to scroll a message on the fogged-up glass. I hoped it would be a note about how much she also missed seeing me. It said: GO AWAY! OK, this was not a “Love, Actually” moment, but at least we were communicating.

I am better now, and Mary Ellen is headed for her reunion. Before she left, I wished I had asked if I could come out of my room.

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.

“I didn’t get anything else out of the other doctors I saw except fuse my ankle. Dr. Sullivan took the time to talk with me, examine my foot and ankle, offer the custom made brace as a choice, and explain all of my options. I can’t say enough about him.”

David Ferrin, ankle and wound patient

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

“I came home with COVID-19. Who did I get it from? I don’t know, but even if I did, I am a good reporter. I would never reveal my source.”

– DICK WOLFSIE

Carmel car collector to sell vehicles to raise funds for nonprofit projects

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Craig Dobbs has more than 30 cars in his collection, but that number will soon dwindle.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’

“Beauty and the Beast” is set to run from May 18 through July 9 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘AN EVENING WITH NATALIE MERCHANT’

PHILANTHROPY

“Some of the cars I’ve had for so long,” he said. “If I haven’t driven it for four or five years, I’ll probably sell it.”

The longtime Carmel resident is consigning three cars to sell at Mecum Auctions’ 36th Original Spring Classic at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The auction began May 12 and runs through May 20. Dobbs is selling a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fastback, a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport and a 1970 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport. He estimates the Chevelle will sell for about $70,000. He also is selling two other cars to private buyers.

Dobbs founded Children’s TherAplay, which uses hippotherapy to help children with disabilities. Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational and speech therapy that uses the natural gait of and movement of a horse to provide motor and sensory input. The nonprofit was created in 2001, using Dobbs’ Lucky Farms in Carmel.

“I’m hoping to raise around $300,000 between the five cars,” he said. “We’re doing it for scholarships for the kids who can’t afford TherAplay. Even though all the kids are supposed to have insurance, it doesn’t always work that way. We’ll even pay the deductible for the kids.”

The other objective is to rehab the old Jimtown High School gym to make it a community center for children.

TherAplay started with two horses, one therapist and a barn helper. Dobbs said there are 16 physical and occupational therapists, two speech therapists and two doctors. Dobbs said there is a waiting list of 80 to 100 children.

“We are trying to whittle that down with some of the expansion we did,” Dobbs said. “There are plans for a community outreach center next year.”

Dobbs had a 1970 Nova Super Sport when he was in high school similar to the one he is selling, but it was canary yellow.

Dobbs, a managing director with the investment firm Graystone Consulting, has cars stored at his other properties, in Kosciusko County, in a maintenance facility in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Florida.

Dobbs purchased six cars from one Mecum show in Indianapolis, the only time he has made purchases at that show.

“Mecum has been good to me,” he said.

Many of Dobbs’ purchases have come from estate sales.

“I’ve sold and upgraded a little bit of what I have in the collection,” Dobbs said.

“I’m trying to find more things that I will drive.”

Dobbs, 58, owns several muscle cars.

“When I was younger, I wanted to buy a GTO Judge convertible and I have one now,” he said. “I grew up with them and couldn’t afford them, but I love to have them. The Corvette I have is 1964, the year I was born. My uncle was married that year and he built that. He sold it to me for $20,000, which is what he had into it, with the promise I couldn’t sell it until he passed away. I have a 1967 Lincoln Continental with suicide door.”

For more, visit mecum.com.

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

‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND’

Central Indiana Dance Ensemble will present “Alice in Wonderland” May 20-21 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit cidedance.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

Jeremiah Cosner will perform at 7:30 p.m. May 18 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. A performance of Jim Caruso’s Cast Party with Billy Stritch at the Piano is set for 7:30 p.m. May 19-20. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

‘LOW BRASS TO THE FORE’

Indiana Wind Symphony presents “Low Brass to the Fore” at 6:30 p.m. May 21 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit indianawindsymphony.org.

Art of Wine set for May 20 -- Art of Wine returns to the Carmel Arts & Design District from 5 to 10 p.m. All ages are welcome to attend the event, which includes entertainment, unique art and shops and restaurants. Visitors must be 21 or older to purchase wine or wine tasting tickets. Wine tasting tickets and the VIP prime jour tickets are available at CarmelArtofWine.com.

More than a dozen Indiana wineries will be on site with a variety of wines to purchase or to sample with a wine tasting ticket. The wineries will offer reds, whites and several different fruit flavors. There will also be several local food vendors available including 317 Charcuterie, Rita’s Italian Ice. Bier Brewery will also be in attendance selling beer as an alternative to wine.

Craig Dobbs with a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fastback. (Photo by Adam Seif)

‘Beauty and the Beast’ set

By Mark Ambrogi  mark@youarecurrent.com

MUSICAL

Elizabeth Stark Payne treasures the family shows at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre.

“Maybe because I have young children or maybe because I’m still a kid at heart,” Payne said.

Payne will direct “Beauty and the Beast,” which runs May 18 to July 9 at Beef & Boards in Indianapolis.

“Being surrounded by talented people all day, creating Disney magic, envisioning those little kids dressed as Belle or Beast with smiles, what’s not to love and look forward to?” Payne said. “I stage managed the last production back in 2016 while I was pregnant with my first daughter. My mother (Suzanne Stark) played Mrs. Potts, so it was a special time. I also did props and was the company manager for this and the previous 2005 production.”

Payne, a Fishers resident and Carmel High School graduate, is a Beef & Boards co-owner along with her father Doug Stark

and two brothers.

“Every theater has their own special quirks that may be considered challenges, but I like to think of it as thinking outside the box,” Payne said. “Many Disney productions have a lot of spectacle to them, meaning big sets, big costumes and lots of effects. We are an intimate venue, so we don’t necessarily have the space for what you would find in a big Broadway proscenium house. So, I like to think outside the box to give the audience the spectacle they want within the intimate setting. I think it works out great, especially because it gets the kids up close and personal to the characters.”

Payne said “Beauty and the Beast” is probably her second-favorite musical behind “The Little Mermaid.”

“I have three daughters and they each like something different, but my youngest, who is 3, wears a Belle dress weekly,” Payne said. “I’m not kidding.

The last Disney show she directed after “The Little Mermaid” in 2019 was “Newsies” in 2021.

For more, visit beefandboards.com.

Bootlegged copies of early rock and roll, blues and jazz recordings that were etched into used X-ray film for underground sharing among music fans in the former Soviet Union, where Western music was illegal. (Photo courtesy of Great American Songbook)

Bone records on display

By Mark Ambrogi  mark@youarecurrent.com

The Great American Songbook Foundation’s most unusual display has fittingly found a home at Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in Carmel.

EXHIBITS

Forté Sports Medicine is a title sponsor for the exhibit, which features bootlegged copies of early rock ‘n’ roll, blues and jazz recordings that were etched into used X-ray film for underground sharing among music fans in the former Soviet Union, where Western music was illegal. Although the film is cut into the disc, with a cigarette used to burn a spindle hole in the center, the images of ribs and other bones are still clearly visible.

In 1958, an American doctorate student, Richard Judy, joined one of the first exchange programs with Moscow State University. When he arrived in the USSR, he quickly discovered that Russian students were listening to American music available on flimsy X-rays from back-alley merchants. Judy was fascinated by the bone records and bought several during his time in the

USSR. The Indianapolis doctor donated six or seven bone records to the Great American Songbook Foundation in 2013. After Judy died in September 2020, his wife, Jane Lommel, donated the rest of the 18-record collection.

“Prior to the donation of the Judys, I was not aware of bone records,” said Michael Feinstein, founder of the Greater Songbook Foundation. “It was extraordinary to learn not only about the history but the technology and how they figured a way to bring music to the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It’s amazing how music, culture and history all conflate.”

Forté Sports Medicine and Orthopedics CEO Marty Rosenberg said his company was looking for something that resonates with the community besides sports.

“We have X-rays and we’re an orthopedic group,” Rosenberg said. “We have an opportunity to partner with a local organization with a national footprint. We’re an independent group and this is the spirit of independence. It’s been the perfect partnership.”

There also is a display in the south lobby of the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

Payne

Concert all about that brass

By Mike Beas editorial@youarecurrent.com

Charles Conrad recalls being wide-eyed the first time he watched and heard trumpeter Doc Severinsen perform musical magic.

A 12-year-old in the mid-1960s, Conrad, like so many others during television’s three-channel era, had turned the dial to watch “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” on NBC.

Something about Severinsen’s performance clicked with Conrad, who all these years later is confident the Indiana Wind Symphony’s upcoming concert, “Low Brass to the Fore,” has the potential to inspire current and even potential tuba players in the same manner.

The Indiana Wind Symphony concert is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. May 21 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“The biggest thing is that we’re doing a premiere of a new work,” said Conrad, musical director of the Indiana Wind Symphony. “It is a tuba concerto, and the soloist is Tony Kniffen of the Indianapolis Symphony

MUSIC BALLET

Orchestra. The conductor is James Beckel, and he’s a former member of the Indianapolis Symphony.”

The new piece is “Look Through a Window.” Beckel, now retired, had been with the ISO since 1969.

Kniffen has been the principal tuba player with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra since 1997.

“It is a spectacular new work that every young tuba player should hear. They will be inspired by it,” Conrad said.

For more, visit indianawindsymphony.org.

Dancer does double duty

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Aurora Ausserer is not only playing the lead role in Indiana Ballet Conservatory’s “Fairy Doll,” but she is teaching the younger dancers.

“That, honestly, is more rewarding to me than the dancing for the shows like this,” Ausserer said. “I just see myself when I was 3 and 4 (years old) and being able to help them get on stage and do that (is rewarding). In the piece we’re doing this year, I’m dancing with them, so it’s really fun to be able to share that with them.”

Ausserer has the title role in “Fairy Doll,” set for 1 and 4 p.m. June 3 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The classical piece is about a mechanical doll that comes to life.

Dancers ages 3 to 7 play bunnies and porcelain dolls in the Carmel-based IBC production.

“I’m leaving this year, so it’s like a last

hurrah with all my friends and also all my students,” Ausserer said.

Ausserer, who graduated high school from online classes in December 2022, became a full-time teacher this year.

“It’s making sure they’re working hard and learning but also falling in love with ballet,” she said. “At that age, it’s what it’s all about. You can’t scream and yell at them too much. You just want to nurture their love for it. It’s been fun to see all the little kids get excited for their roles.”

There is more acting in this show than “The Nutcracker” and other smaller IBC shows, Ausserer said.

“The technical stuff is fun to work on, but being able to tell the storylines through acting and working with lots of different people and characters to make it all come to life is really fun,” she said.

Luke Derksen, a Carmel resident, plays the roles of the Postman and Harlequin Doll.

“It’s fun to do a lot of different things,” he said.

For more, visit indianaballetconservatory. org.

Tony Kniffen will perform as a tuba soloist with the Indiana Wind Symphony. (Photo courtesy of Indiana Wind Symphony)

Ausserer

Derksen

Carmel Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director Jenna Hymes said 2023-24 offers variety. (Photo courtesy of CSO.)

CSO’s 2023-24 schedule features variety

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

dy Mlady, our 2022 Whiskers d Pet" ckage

CONCERTS

Carmel Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director Janna Hymes sees the 2023-24 schedule as having something for everyone.

The orchestra will present a total of 13 performances during its 48th season, beginning with its traditional patriotic concert July 4 at CarmelFest at Carmel Gazebo. All other CSO concerts are scheduled at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts.

“What I like about the Masterworks is there is a wonderful array of music throughout the season,” Hymes said. “Similar to this year, I programmed familiar classics like ‘Beethoven’s 7th,’ with new works like our opening piece, a commissioned work by Caroline Ahn. Our Carmel audience will hear an epic choir piece with ‘Verdi’s Requiem’ and a Charlie Chaplin silent film performed to live music. These are just some of the dynamic offerings for the 2023-24 season.”

The Holiday Pops’ two concerts will feature Broadway veteran Ben Davis and teenage vocalist Amelia Wray, who grew up in Carmel.

“Any time I can present a young, polished performer to our audience I am thrilled because I know what it means for them as they are launching their career,” Hymes said.

Other highlights include visits by Cirque de la Symphonie and Jeans ‘n Classics in 2024,

“I know the Cirque de la Symphonie has

stunning music and that the artists are equally magical and mesmerizing,” Hymes said. “This concert will be different from anything we have ever done and a spectacle for our audience. From our recent pops concerts, I know the Jeans ‘n Classics concert will be fun, upbeat and pure joy. People love this music because it is familiar, danceable, brings back memories and they know the lyrics.”

The schedule includes: Oct. 7: Masterworks 1: Modern Classics with guest artist Gabriela Martinez, piano; Oct. 22: Sounds Exciting! – Classical Kids Live: Gershwin’s Magic Key; Nov. 11: Masterworks 2: Unity, Veterans and America (selections by Coleman, Ravel, Ives and Still); Dec. 10: Holiday Pops! Featuring Indiana Ballet Conservatory and Second Presbyterian Church Choir; Jan. 27, 2024: Artistry of Cirque de la Symphonie; Jan. 28: Family Fun Concert with guest conductor Thomas Chen of Carmel High School; Feb. 10: Masterworks 3: Symphony Goes to the Movies with guest artist Francisco Fullana, violin; March 16: Masterworks 4: The Firebird & Bohemian Delight (featuring selections by Smetana, Stravinsky and Dvorak); April 13: Masterworks 5: Verdi Requiem featuring the Anderson University choirs; April 21: Side-by-Side with CHS Orchestras and May 4: Jeans ‘n Classics “Soulful” showcasing 50 years of R&B, Motown, funk, disco and pop selections.

Season tickets will be available soon at the Palladium Fifth Third Bank Box Office, 317-843-3800 or at thecenterpresents.org. Tickets for individual performances will go on sale this summer. For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

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Friday, June 16, 2023

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Embassy Suites Noblesville Tickets available at dWhiskers.com

Benefiting the Humane Society for Hamilton County

Blueprint for Improvement: Chic Carmel kitchen

Commentary by Larry Greene

Built in 2000 in Carmel’s Fairgreen Trace subdivision, this home’s owner was ready to update and upgrade the kitchen. A new appliance layout, optimizations and fresh design aesthetic helped transform this room from cramped to chic.

THE BLUEPRINT

• The dark backsplash in a herringbone pattern provides the perfect contrast to the chic white cabinets. Brass hardware and fixtures give the space a touch of warmth and luxury.

• Decorative columns were replaced with a cabinet wall, increasing storage space and overall square footage of the kitchen.

• A reworked layout for the appliances improved both form and function. Placing the range in a central location and moving the sink to an adjacent wall helped improve the room’s sight lines and create a more efficient workflow.

• A new, larger island allows for additional prep, serving and gathering space, for both daily use and entertaining.

• Extending the cabinets to the ceiling adds visual height, making the ceiling feel higher and the room feel more spacious.

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

LEGAL NOTICE OF STANDARD CONTRACT RIDER NO. 52 LINE EXTENSION – ADVANCE DEPOSIT DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC

DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC (“Duke Energy Indiana”) hereby provides notice that on or around May 12, 2023

Duke Energy Indiana in accordance with 170 IAC 4-4.1-10 will submit its Standard Contract Rider No. 52, Line Extension – Advance Deposit (“Standard Contract Rider 52”), to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) for approval under the Commission’s thirty-day administrative filing procedures and guidelines. This filing of Standard Contract Rider 52 provides updated terms for customer deposit requirements for line extensions for High Load Factor and Low Load Factor customers.

This submission is expected to be approved approximately thirty days after filing, unless an objection is made. Any objections may be made by contacting the Secretary of the Commission, or Randall C. Helmen of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor at the following addresses or phone numbers:

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission 101 W. Washington St. Suite 1500 East Indianapolis, IN 46204-3407 317-232-2703

Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor PNC Center 115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-232-2494.

Duke Energy Indiana, LLC By: Stan Pinegar, President

LEGAL NOTICE OF STANDARD CONTRACT RIDER NO. 58 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC

DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC (“Duke Energy Indiana”) hereby provides notice that on or around May 18, 2023 Duke Energy Indiana in accordance with 170 IAC 4-4.1-10 will submit its Standard Contract Rider No. 58, Economic Development (“Standard Contract Rider 58”), to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) for approval under the Commission’s thirty-day administrative filing procedures and guidelines.

This filing of Standard Contract Rider 58 allows the Economic Development reduction period to be extended from five years to ten years for customers with > 20MW demand. This filing also updates the repayment terms for customers who cease operations or fail to meet performance terms.

This submission is expected to be approved approximately thirty days after filing, unless an objection is made. Any objections may be made by contacting the Secretary of the Commission, or Randall C. Helmen of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor at the following addresses or phone numbers:

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission 101 W. Washington St. Suite 1500 East Indianapolis, IN 46204-3407 317-232-2703

Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor PNC Center 115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-232-2494

Duke Energy Indiana, LLC By: Stan

Pinegar, President

Purr more and snarl less

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

can change the trajectory of the conversation, for good or for better.

GRAMMAR GUY

Are you a dog person or a cat person? This is the age-old debate. Dogs tend to be extroverted and needy, while cats are generally independent-yet-murderous. Pick your poison.

My wife and I made the ill-informed decision to get a dog last year. After our third child was born, we thought it would be a great idea to add a puppy to the mix. Enter Socks the cockapoo. Socks is cute — bless his heart — but he’s not that smart. At this point, I’m not going to stay neutral on the dog-cat divide, nor am I going to pick one or the other. Rather, I choose the third option: neither. I don’t think I’m a pet person, although I am the primary person to feed the dog, clean up after the dog and take the dog to vet and grooming appointments. Go figure.

Right now, you’re wondering, ‘Hey, Grammar Guy, what’s the word?’ Today we’re tackling the dog-eat-dog world of snarl words and purr words. You see, when it comes to arguments (like cats versus dogs), snarl words and purr words

A snarl word is like a growling dog — baring its teeth to try to intimidate and demean its opponent. You’ll see snarl words in online debates and political… ahem…discourse. When people throw around terms such as “bigot,” “fascist,” “terrorist” and “pineapple-on-pizza lover,” they’re lobbing snarl words like they’re verbal grenades. Whether snarl words hit their targets or not, they never win the war. In fact, these growling dogs only further the divide between the opposing parties. Remember that when you’re debating politics with your Uncle Rik at Thanksgiving dinner. Purr words, on the other hand, are used to establish a positive and calming tone in a conversation. Think of Mr. Rogers or Bob Ross entering into an argument.

A visit to the Morgan Library & Museum

Commentary by Don Knebel

uscripts, Egyptian art, Renaissance paintings, Chinese porcelains and much more.

TRAVEL

Today, in our continuing series about New York City’s often-overlooked gems, we visit the Morgan Library & Museum, formerly the Pierpont Morgan Library, located in the Murray Hill neighborhood on Madison Avenue between 36th and 37th streets.

John Pierpont Morgan was a financier during the so-called “Gilded Age.” Between 1890 and 1913, his company organized or financed 42 major American corporations. In about 1890, Pierpont, as he preferred to be called, began collecting important manuscripts and works of art from around the world. In 1902, he engaged McKim, Mead & White, renowned architects, to design a building in the same block as his home to hold his collection. When completed in 1906, the classic marble building cost $1.2 million (about $30 million today) and featured marble blocks cut so precisely that they did not require mortar between them. The library opened in 1910, with Belle da Costa Greene, the African American heroine of 2022’s “The Personal Librarian,” its librarian and curator. By the time of Pierpont’s death in 1913, his massive collection included ancient man-

After Pierpont’s widow, Frances, died in 1924, his son, John Pierpont Morgan Jr., known as “Jack,” created a public institution to own the library and its collections. Today, the Morgan Library & Museum houses the nation’s second-largest collection of musical manuscripts, including the score for “Symphony No. 35,” autographed by Mozart, and Bob Dylan’s notes for the lyrics to “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Other highlights include a 15th-century picture Bible from France, a 15th-century Gutenberg Bible, the journal Henry David Thoreau used in writing “Walden Pond,” and a manuscript of “A Christmas Carol,” with Charles’ Dickens’ handwritten changes. My personal favorites include 1-inch cylindrical seals from ancient Sumer that can be rolled to create detailed, three-dimensional images.

Inside the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City. (Photos by Don Knebel)

Exterior of the Morgan Library & Museum.

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

Curtis Honeycutt is a national award-winning, syndicated humor writer. Connect with him on Twitter (@curtishoneycutt) or at curtishoneycutt.com.

1. Fox’s feet

5. Panda Express request

10. Joe’s Butcher Shop cut

14. Tropical fish

15. Be indebted

16. Mackey Arena crowd sound

17. Insignificant

18. Clabber Girl Museum site

20. Ambulance letters

21. Hung around

22. Covered in foliage

24. Butler frat letters

28. Moving ahead

31. Utah state flowers

32. Achilles heel, metaphorically

36. GPS reading 37. Sky light

39. Cut into cubes

40. Observe

41. Greek letters that sound like “news”

42. Residence

44. Rundown

46. Patella

50. How Hoosier Lottery numbers are chosen

54. Appliance maker

55. Stages a historical event at Conner Prairie

58. I-69 semi

59. Antique Fan Museum site

62. Indiana Fever’s Cannon

63. Against

27. Chicago-to-Indy dir.

29. Carpenter’s groove

30. Milk choice

33. NHS subj.

34. Quick kiss

35. Norse god

37. Bird feeder fill

38. Drug addict

40. Mellencamp song: “Women ___”

41. CIA relative

42. Force measures

43. Pastures

45. “Shucks!”

47. Museum of Miniature Houses site

48. Indy Zoo inhabitant

49. Missionaries’ targets

51. Trump’s Secretary of Education

52. Chilling

53. Neighbor of Sicily

64. Eightsome 65. Tilt

66. “Hey, over here!”

67. Clothing lines 68. Misfortunes Down

1. Grapefruit kin

2. Tarzan’s “kin”

3. Hallmark Ornament Museum site

4. That girl

5. Polite denial

6. County adjacent to Putnam, Morgan, Monroe, Greene and Clay

7. I-465 ramp sign

8. ___ throat

9. Attendees

10. Baby’s bed

11. Texans on a Colts scoreboard

12. Hoosier Park feedbag morsel

13. Not post-

19. Dillinger bank job

21. Old harp

23. Babe in the woods

25. Storybook monster

26. “___ to self...”

Jobs on a Film Set

Hoosier Crops

Indiana Peony Festival Site

56. Chowder bit

57. ___ Montana Grill

Electrical jolt

Elected ones

61. NBA tiebreakers

62. Col. Lilly

Answers on Page

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VACATION RENTAL

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12555 Gray Road Carmel 46033

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

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

Immediate opening for full time experienced dental laboratory technician. Position offers full benefit package Please forward inquiries and resume: khunterlab@gmail.com

The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net.

We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays.

To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net

40 S Rangeline Rd Carmel Indiana 46032

www.IntegrityAutomotive.net

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