June 6, 2023 — Noblesville

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Southwest corne

Dive in t o D e l i ci o u s !

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Motorists in Noblesville should be pre pared to find alternate routes after the city

CONSTRUCTION

effect for 150 days as part of the Reimagine Pleasant Street project.

The city has implemented the temporary closures of 8th Street between Mulberry and Washington streets; between 6th and 9th streets; and the alley between 8th and 9th streets at Pleasant Street. In addition, the city has also permanently closed Walnut Street at 8th Street and 7th Street at Pleas ant Street, Noblesville City Engineer Alison Krupski said.

The temporary and permanent closures are necessary because of the construction of two roundabouts that will be on 8th Street, Krupski said. The two-lane round abouts will be constructed at the same time and was planned that way to save time, she added.

“We thought it would be best to get the work done, get in and out, this year,” Krups ki said.

The $115 million road improvement project in Noblesville is expected to improve traffic flow and ease congestion when completed, according to the city. The first phase

Student inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa – Noblesville resident Lacey Stecker was recently initiated into the Union College (Nebraska) Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society.

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,

construction, Maurovich said some individuals have been seen getting off the river and onto land where construction is nearby.

Maurovich urged boaters and kayakers to stay in their designated areas with marked

DISPATCHES

Court Administrator Jill Acklin recommends residents hang up and call 317-776-8589.

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-

buoys that are intended to guide them on the river, noting that there are active cameras to monitor activity in the area.

While the first phase remains underway with bridge construction continuing through this month, the second phase from 11th to 19th streets will create a four-lane section with a median, and work on the Midland Trace Trail, in addition to a 19th Street roundabout expansion.

Krupski also said other than the temporary and permanent closures, the city will add temporary signals on Hannibal Street at the intersections of 8th Street and 10th Street. She urged the public to plan ahead with alternate routes and noted that the city anticipates traffic will settle into regular patterns over a two-week period.

The city will also make any necessary adjustments that may be needed during the two-week period, according to Krupski. The third phase from Ind. 32 to River Road will eventually establish a two-lane section with the potential for expansion, along with connectivity to the Midland Trace Trail at Ind. 32 and Hague Road with pedestrian tunnels being planned, according to Maurovich.

Krupski said overall, the Pleasant Street project hasn’t experienced any significant delays and remains on schedule. The entire project is expected to be finished by the fall of 2025.

For more, visit reimaginepleasantst.com/.

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.

The views of the columnists in Current in Noblesville are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of this newspaper.

Jump start your

Award winners announced

news@currentinfishers.com

Hamilton County Leadership Academy has announced Dan Stevens and David Heighway as its 2023 award winners.

HCLA

According to the HCLA, the awards recognize alumni and community partners for commitment and service to the organization and for their impact on Hamilton County. Both men will be honored during the HCLA Leadership Summit, set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 20 at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Noblesville.

Stevens will receive the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. It recognizes an alumnus who has made a difference in the organization’s network and the county through leadership efforts and community service.

“They have utilized the knowledge gained from the program to leave a mark in the community where they reside and work,” according to the HCLA.

Stevens joined the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department in 1974, where he worked as a dispatcher, corrections officer, process server, patrol deputy, division commander and chief deputy, and then eight years as the elected county sheriff. He became director of administration for the Office of County Commissioners in 2009 and retired at the end of March.

“(Stevens) has received numerous community recognitions for his work, including the 2016 Community Service Award from Noblesville Sunrisers Kiwanis Club, 2020 Outstanding Administrator Award from the Indiana Association of County Commissioners, and in 2023 received the Hamilton

County Commissioners Continental Award for Service,” according to the HCLA. “He will continue to serve Hamilton County in his retirement as an appointment by the county commissioners on the Riverview Hospital Board of Trustees, president of the Hamilton County Redevelopment Commission, vice president of the Hamilton County Theater Guild, and on the board of directors for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Chaplaincy.”

Heighway will receive the 2023 HCLA Honorary Alumni Award, which recognizes a Hamilton County leader for their partnership with the organization.

“Honorees are not alumnus of the program but have a deep belief in the mission and vision of HCLA and the impact graduates can make in the community,” according to the HCLA.

Heighway is the county historian, and recently authored the book, “Hidden History of Hamilton County.” He works at Hamilton East Public Library and serves on the Noblesville Historic Preservation Commission and is on the board for the Hamilton County Historical Society.

According to its website, HCLA was established in 1991 to develop a pool of knowledgeable community leaders to apply their skills to government, business and civic activities, and positively shape the future of Hamilton County. HCLA selects a cohort of leaders each year to complete a comprehensive, 10-month curriculum exploring local issues. After completing the program, graduates are prepared to assume active roles in addressing critical issues facing Hamilton County. Learn more at hcla.net.

Stevens Heighway

Grand National Racquet Center on target for 2024

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The Grand National Racquet Center has taken its next major step toward construction.

Birch Dalton, managing director of EdgeRock Development Corp., said the master development plan for infrastructure, roads and utilities was received in April from the City of Westfield. Dalton is with Grand National Racquet Center, LLC, which will own and operate the facility.

“You figure it will take the summer to get the roads and utilities in, then we can start in the fall,” Dalton said.

The roads and utilities are for the commercial project and for David Weekley Homes’ 350 lots, a separate development planned north of the Grand National Racquet Center. Dalton said the Grand National Racquet Center, at 191st Street between Spring Mill Road and Tomlinson Road, is a privately funded development. The master developer of the overall master development is 191st Land Acquisition LLC, while the main work on roads tied to the project will be later this month.

With the master development plan, the indoor courts will be open before the end of 2024, based on the current supply market for building materials, Dalton said.

In addition to the Grand National Racquet Center, there will be 200 Airbnb apartments and a large family entertainment center. There will be a wedding chapel and reception hall.

“We are going to start taking membership applications this fall for both the founders and platinum memberships,” Dalton said.

“This is going to be a private club with a public access, with the founders (20 available) and platinum members (maximum of 400) having higher-end amenities.”

There will be gold base members and silver memberships for people 55 and older.

“Pickleball really took off in that 55 and older group originally but now all ages are playing,” Dalton said.

Dalton is leasing the Grand Park Events Center for a national pickleball tournament from Dec. 15 to Jan. 7, 2024, for a national tournament of open play for area players to promote the new facility and small corporate sales events for work and play events.

“It’s going to be one of the largest national pickleball tournaments in the country,” Dalton said. “We’re going to have 40 indoor courts. We’re going to have a college tournament and maybe a high school tournament.”

In the new Grand National Racquet Center, there also will be playing opportunities for tennis, squash, badminton and pickleball.

There also are plans for a pro shop, restaurant, spa, fitness center and locker room inside the facility.

The Airbnbs are designed to serve Grand Park visitors and the new facility.

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A rendering of what the Grand National Racquet Center in Westfield will look like. (Rendering courtesy of Birch Dalton)

Current

In alphabetical order, the grantees are:

• Alternatives Inc – $125,000

• Fathers and Families Center – $120,000

• Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center

United Way of Central Indiana announced that it will award $12.45 million through its Basic Needs Fund to 60 nonprofits to help the region’s most vulnerable neighbors.

• American Cancer Society – $45,000

• At Your School, Inc. – $75,000

• The Arc of Greater Boone County, Inc.

– $100,000

• Boone County Senior Services, Inc.

– $150,000

• Firefly Children & Family Alliance

– $300,000

• Flanner House of Indianapolis, Inc.

– $345,000

Shop Homemade Goods, Artisans, Crafters, Jewelry, Bath and Beauty, Fashion, Baked Goods, Custom Wood Products, Candles are just a few of over 60 Vendors!!

– $90,000

• Bosma Enterprises – $75,000

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• Foster Success – $90,000

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• Boys & Girls Club of Boone County

– $120,000

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

• Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana – $325,000

• Hawthorne Community Center

– $300,000

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Free Admission Hamilton County Fairgrounds

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United Way’s Basic Needs Fund is intended to address access to food, housing, health care and transportation, according to the announcement. Funding is also granted to organizations proposing improvements to practices and policies to help eliminate barriers for people seeking services.

– $275,000

• Burmese American Community Institute – $210,000

• Hendricks County Senior Services

– $300,000

• Horizon House, Inc. – $345,000

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• Catholic Charities Indianapolis, Inc.

• HVAF of Indiana, Inc. – $180,000

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2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

Hosted By Spooner Markets

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2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

Free Admission Hamilton County Fairgrounds

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Grant awards range from $45,000 to $360,000 and will be distributed over 18 months. All 60 nonprofits that applied received funding.

– $325,000

• CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions

– $360,000

• Indiana Legal Services, Inc. – $75,000

• Indiana Youth Group – $225,000

• Indianapolis Legal Aid Society

Hosted By Spooner Markets

2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

Admission Hamilton County Fairgrounds

2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

Free Admission Hamilton County Fairgrounds

Hosted By Spooner Markets

The funds will help more than 90,000 people in the region have access to essentials, said Sara VanSlambrook, United Way’s chief impact officer.

Hosted By Spooner Markets

2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

2003 Pleasant St. Noblesville, IN 46060

Hosted By Spooner Markets

Hosted By Spooner Markets

“These grants are important because they support community organizations that are meeting the most essential needs of our community, like food and housing and transportation and health,” she said.

• Community Alliance of the Far Eastside

– $300,000

• Concord Neighborhood Center

– $275,000

• Damien Center – $345,000

• Edna Martin Christian Center

– $345,000

• Family Promise of Hendricks County

– $125,000

– $180,000

• Indianapolis Urban League – $275,000

• John Boner Neighborhood Centers

– $325,000

• The Julian Center – $175,000

• La Plaza, Inc. – $165,000

For a full list of grant recipients, visit youarecurrent.com

Carmel Marathon has new owner

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The name Full Circle Events seemed appropriate for Jay Druba’s new race management company.

“We want to continue the legacy of a great event,” he said. “The most important thing for us is the runners’ experience and the relationship we build with event partners and the city.”

RUNNING

Druba was an intern in 2011 for the Carmel Marathon. Now, Druba and his wife, Kati, have purchased the rights to Carmel Marathon from the Carmel Road Racing Group.

“It’s more of a passion project for us,” Druba said. “We both have fulltime jobs.”

This will be the only event Full Circle Events plans to run at this time.

“We’re 100 percent focused on the Carmel Marathon,” said Druba, who lives in Fishers with his wife and two young daughters. “We used to produce events a few years ago, but we took a job in Tampa. We moved back to the area in the summer of 2022. We wanted to get back involved in the running community. We don’t want to do a bunch of events. We want to focus on the Carmel Marathon.”

The couple’s previous company was under a different name, so Full Circle Events was formed. Kati ran the Carmel Marathon in 2014 and 2015. Druba ran track and cross country at Franklin College.

Druba said there are no significant changes planned for the Carmel Marathon Weekend, which is set for April 6, 2024.

The Carmel Marathon is the biggest event CRRG Events owned and produced.

“We started the event from the ground up,” said Todd Oliver, president of CRRG.

Oliver said there is “no one he trusts more with the future of the Carmel Marathon Weekend than Jay and Kati.”

Druba said he approached Oliver about the possibility of selling.

Oliver, who will serve as an advisor for Carmel Marathon in 2024, said the transition will allow CRRG to grow other events and expand into new markets.

The Indiana Women’s Half Marathon & 5K has been relocated from Indianapolis to Carmel for 2023 and will be Oct. 21.

“It was the eighth-largest women’s-only half marathon in the U.S. in 2019 and we are pushing hard to move it back into the top 10 now that it has a new permanent home in Carmel,” he said. “In 2019, it attracted ladies from 37 states, including seven USA Track & Field Olympic Trials qualifiers. It is the only women’s half marathon in the U.S. that offers a top-20 cash purse.”

For more, visit carmelmarathon.com.

DISPATCH

Student wins writing contest at Trine University – Noblesville resident Ava McCall placed third during the “Hear My Voice” writing contest at Trine University. Her submission, “Speculative Biology in Popular Culture and Educating a New Generation” was among 44 entries this year. She is a biology/pre-physician assistant major.

Jay Druba

Kati Druba

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.

Chamber seeking award nominations –

The Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and Women in Noblesville (WIN Network) are seeking nominations for the Women of Impact award for 2023. The award recognizes a woman who lives or works in Noblesville and is making a positive impact in the community through stewardship, service, leadership, and compassion. Applications will be received until July 16 with the award winner being announced at the annual WIN Leadership luncheon Aug. 23 at Mustard Seeds in Noblesville. To make a nomination, visit the chamber’s website at noblesvillechamber.com.

County accepting grant applications –

The Hamilton County Commissioners and Councilors are now accepting grant applications from Hamilton County nonprofits for funding in 2024. The grant program is intended to furnish funding to organizations that provide services in furtherance of county goals, officials said. Awards are provided based on application score and funding available. Any funds awarded must be supported by other funding sources or documented in-kind services and may only be distributed to Hamilton County based organizations. Complete information, including eligibility criteria, can be found by visiting hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1682/ Non-profit-Grant-Application. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. June 9. For questions, email Hamilton County Councilor Sue Maki at Sue.Maki@HamiltonCounty. in.gov or Lee Buckingham at Lee.Buckingham@HamiltonCounty.in.gov.

Noblesville residents named to president’s list – Noblesville resident Conner Barfield, who is a business administration major, was among 650 students at Bob Jones University named to the president’s list for the spring semester. Gustavo Vaca and Kevin Hoover were also named to the president’s list at Southern New Hampshire University for winter 2023.

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Almodovar set for All-Star games

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Luke Almodovar understands how special it is to be selected as an Indiana All-Star.

is really special.”

The 6-foot-3 guard sank 65 of 129 3-point attempts for 50.4 percent for the Millers, who won the Class 4A sectional title for the first time since 2010.

(Advertorial)

Tom Wood Subaru – Celebrating 40 Years!

SPORTS

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be selected on this team,” the 2023 Noblesville High School graduate said. “I’m unbelievably excited. I have a great set of teammates. I know and love them all.”

The Indiana All-Stars will play the Kentucky All-Stars in the annual boys-girls basketball doubleheader June 9 at Owensboro, Ky., and June 10 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The senior All-Stars face the Junior All-Stars June 7 at Cathedral High School.

Almodovar, who will play in 2023-24 for the University of Saint Francis, an NAIA program in Fort Wayne, averaged 17.5 points his senior season.

“His outside shooting this year speaks for itself,” Noblesville coach Scott McClelland said. “Offensively, he just played so well. To be recognized as one of the best players in the state and be part of a tradition like that

Almodovar said the offense flowed well, aiding his 3-point percentage.

“That allowed me to catch and shoot a lot of open shots,” he said. “When I’m getting those open looks, it’s going to be hard for me to not knock them down.”

Almodovar injured his calf in the Hoosier Gym All-Star Classic April 29 but said he’ll be fine for the Indiana All-Star games. He set a Hoosier Gym All-Star record with 41 points in the game. He said becoming an Indiana All-Star became a real goal this season.

“My sophomore and junior year I was all right, but I wasn’t putting the work in before that I did before my senior year,” Almodovar said. His sister, Lexie, was an Indiana All-Star in Volleyball.

“I hope my (All-Star) jersey can be hung next to my sister’s jersey (at NHS),” he said.

Tom Wood Subaru just recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary! They opened their doors on April 1, 1982 and have been proudly serving the community since then.

Their biggest accomplishment is being nationally recognized for their dedication to their customers and community through the Subaru Love Promise. Tom Wood Subaru believes in making the world a better place and the Subaru Love Promise is their vision of respecting all people. They are committed to showing love and respect to their customers and their teammates in order to make a positive impact on the world.

They are grateful for their first 40 years of business, and look forward to another forty years of taking care of their customers! “It’s because of this

community that we are here, and for that, we say thank you” said Jeff Wood, President & CEO of Tom Wood Group.

Andrew Weiss and Jeff Wood, of Tom Wood Subaru, nationally recognized for 40 years of service through the Subaru Love Promise.

Almodovar

REAPING PROFIT

Boost in sales, customer traffic benefit vendors at Noblesville Farmers Market

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Vendors at the Noblesville Farmers Market are enjoying success as they head into the summer months with plenty of foot traffic and sales each Saturday morning.

The market, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon at Federal Hill Commons, typically has around 80 vendors each week and offers items such as produce, meat, flowers, dog treats and more. This year’s market began May 6 and continues through Oct. 14, according to Noblesville Main Street, which runs the market.

For vendors such as Chaplin Farms, based in Alexandria, the market has been a good way to form connections with the public and sell its goods, owner Christy Douglas-Featherston said. She said she isn’t concerned about other farming businesses who show up each week, noting that it ultimately brings more customers.

“More vendors, more farmers, the more people come,” she said. “Especially with farmers, we’re all trying to sell, but we help each other.”

Douglas-Featherston said many farmers at the market have a common goal of serving the public and helping the community by providing produce. Chaplin Farms has been at the Noblesville Farmers Market since 2015 and sells asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli and other items, she said.

“As the season goes on, we’ll have more and more summer crops,” she said. “Summer crops are peppers, watermelon, cantaloupes, and we’ll have some garlic.”

Douglas-Featherston said construction nearby hasn’t been a major issue on weekends with the ongoing development of Federal Hill Apartments, a mixed-use project that will eventually bring 220 apartments, a parking garage and 31,700 square feet of commercial retail space. However, she noted it might dissuade some people from visiting the market who might have concerns about parking, congestion, traffic and other issues.

“That probably has affected us somewhat in the last couple of years. However, when we have that parking lot, the parking (garage) building where people can park in the shade and walk the whole market conveniently, I think it’s going to be a win-win situation here,” Douglas-Featherston said.

Douglas-Featherston also noted that she particularly enjoys being able to educate people about how to grow their own food and stressed that the public can do so in a small space if they choose to. That’s particularly important, especially as the nation continues to grapple with rising food prices at the grocery store, she said.

“I think you get better quality and a better price than what you will get in a grocery store and it’s local,” Douglas-Featherston said.

Noblesville resident Jeff Johnson was among the visitors who recently stopped by the farmers market. He was joined

by his wife, Beth. Jeff Johnson said he has visited the farmers market for six years and enjoys being able to purchase local fruit and vegetables from the vendors who are in attendance.

Other vendors such as Candace Nall, who owns Shady Grove Flower Farm in Noblesville, said she appreciates the community’s support. Shady Grove Flower Farm has had a presence at the farmers market for three years, Nall said.

“I do love the interaction with the public and (educating them) on local flowers or from another country and seeing what people love and what makes them happy,” Nall said.

Scott Wilson, who owns Wilson Farm Market in Arcadia, has been a longtime vendor at the farmers market. He said having a presence at the market allows him to see many customers he knows and gives the public an opportunity to see the different types of products that Wilson Farm Market has for sale.

Asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini and squash were among the items he recently had available for purchase. He said

he’s enjoyed success since having a local presence.

“I think there’s plenty of potential in this market the way it is, and there’s a lot of potential for this to be the premiere market in the county and probably in central Indiana,” Wilson said. “It’s a good one to be at.”

ON THE COVER: Noblesville residents Beth Johnson and her husband, Jeff, look at corn during a visit to the Noblesville Farmers Market May 27 at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville.

(Photo by Matthew Kent)

IF YOU GO

What: Noblesville Farmers Market

Where: Federal Hill Commons, 175 Logan St.

When: 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Oct. 14

More information: noblesvillemainstreet.org/ farmers-market

Candace Nall, owner of Shady Grove Flower Farm in Noblesville, prepares flowers at her booth at the Noblesville Farmers Market May 27 at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

VIEWS

READERS’ VIEWS HB 1177 merely sets up training mechanism

Editor,

I’m afraid your article in the May 23 edition of Current about HB 1177 may lead some readers to believe that any school employee in Indiana could theoretically apply for the state funded firearm training that the bill sets up and funds, and perhaps even believe that those employees could then possess a firearm in the school building where they are employed. That is not the case.

Indiana law allows school corporations to authorize certain employees to voluntarily possess firearms on school property and has for several years. I’m told that only about three to five school districts in Indiana currently do so. HB 1177 merely sets up a training mechanism and funding to ensure that those employees can get training similar to what new police officers receive.

The school districts that have authorized some personnel to possess a firearm on school property are rural school districts that can’t afford resource officers and where it might take as long as 20 minutes for law enforcement officers to respond. In those districts, it only makes sense that those employees have appropriate training.

State Rep. Jerry Torr, Carmel

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 contain a commercial message.

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Thoughts on prayers

Commentary by Terry Anker

(Bird) talk is cheep

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

ESSAY

It seems inevitable that the morning news will deliver alongside the weather report and yesterday’s Lottery numbers disappointing news about those humans among us who seem bent to exert their most sinister and destructive actions upon us. We blithely finish our corn flakes while seeing Putin’s army kill countless civilians and destroy all that Ukraine has built. The next segment carries images of road rage that turned from an argument over a preferred parking spot at the mall into a shooting incident with two in the hospital and one in a coffin. We switch to social media only to find more tales of woe. Sure, there are the sunny moments. Some of us work hard to keep the internet streets swept and even plant a few flowers on the path. But if we chose to see it, we are barraged with rage, cultural unrest, pornography and political intrigue.

Much like walking through Times Square in the 1970s, we notice the filth but too quickly become tolerant, if not immune, to

it. The death of a friend’s family dog might have been cause for a note, phone call or even a casserole-in-hand visit. Now, might garner a sad face or prayer emoji on Facebook. With immediate access to the news of all, it is difficult to invest ourselves deeply. If we are sufficiently moved, we might offer our “thoughts and prayers” to the mourning. It is certainly better than ignoring their plight. Human connection matters, but what exactly are we doing for them?

Isn’t condolence an action as much as a sentiment? Can’t the same be asked about gratitude? Theologians and religious leaders have long urged followers to assume a “posture of gratitude” before God. Why isn’t the expectation to assume a thought of gratitude? By equating the two, are we giving ourselves a pass?

A scary dog day afternoon

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Friends, I almost killed our dog this week. I know! After 11 years of kinda-sorta hoping she’d quietly “disappear” (because I am not an animal lover and because, of course, I’m the one who became her primary caregiver), I must have subconsciously sought to hasten that end. I’m horrible. Here’s what happened.

that our black Lab Libby had hopped into the van. I was able to pull Doo’s dumb vehicle forward and then successfully close my door, but I completely forgot about Libby.

HUMOR

My husband, Doo, was renting a goblin-green Hyundai monstrosity (he’d just sold his Accord to our oldest, whose 2002 Ford Explorer had finally succumbed to a long-ago-diagnosed case of failing transmissionitis, may she rest in peace). I mention this fact because when I pulled into our garage with my big old mini-van, I hyper-focused on the hideous color of said rental and then parked way too close to it -- so close that my sliding passenger door gently kissed its automotive sister upon opening. Oops. While I was trying to figure out how to rectify the situation, I only half registered

“When she didn’t come running for breakfast the following morning, I began an increasingly panicked search of the house.”

When she didn’t come running for breakfast the following morning, I began an increasingly panicked search of the house, during which I convinced myself that I would stumble upon her canine corpse. And then I remembered: She was still in the car!

She had spent almost 12 hours locked in a janky people-mover in a closed garage, after a day when temperatures had climbed into the 80s. No water, no way to relieve herself, no fresh air. Ugh.

DANIELLE

She was fine, but I was not. I almost killed our dog!

Peace out.

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

A few weeks back, I mentioned an app called Smart News that features daily tantalizing headlines accompanied by brief articles. Here are some of their recent postings:

board. This proved painfully slow, since most of the birds were unable to progress past the hunt-and-peck method.

HUMOR

• 6 Things to NEVER Buy at Costco

• 4 Dangerous Fast Foods

• 7 Canned Fruits to NEVER Buy

• 8 Great Things About Pickles

I only read the pickle one. Wow, they qualify as veggies. Finally, some good food news!

I also subscribe to a magazine called The Week. If you’re young and not familiar with what a magazine is, Google it. If you’re an older senior and don’t know what Google is, look through some of your old magazines. There’s probably an article about it somewhere.

Smart News deals with the big political stories of the day, but it also sprinkles in an assortment of newsy tidbits, like this one: “Birds taught to make video calls.”

That got my immediate attention. I’ve ignored FaceTime calls on my iPhone, assuming they were robo — not robin — calls. I block callers after these attempts to reach me, assuming it’s someone phishing. Maybe some calls were from pelicans, the best phishermen around.

Dr. Ilyena Hirskyj at Glasgow University says she has taught parrots to call each other using an iPad. Domestic parrots (of which there are 28 million globally) usually spend their very long life alone in cages and need some social interaction. Playing solitaire and munching on crackers for 75 years just doesn’t cut it.

Dr. Hirskyj’s subjects were also trained to type out simple messages using a key-

Many of the parrots, when reaching out to other parrots, would preen and display their colors in a mating posture in front of the camera. Florida’s legislature wants to ban such videos. Disney World’s Donald Duck and his nephews are planning a protest.

Adult parrots were thrilled to finally get calls from their kids: “I hadn’t heard a peep out of my son in 50 years,” one excited mama said.

In a related story — and one I am totally making up — researchers in New York City equipped pigeons with miniature iPhones around their necks and taught them to communicate with each other while walking around Central Park. Testing was halted when in one week, 26,000 were killed crossing the street while talking on their cells.

Most birds just want to settle down and have a family. They are using a new app called hatch.com. Chickens are downloading scratch.com.

Having read this silly column, my wife, Mary Ellen, now summons me to the phone whenever she gets a call identified as spam.

“Dick, there’s some chick on the phone for you,” she says.

“How do you know it’s for me?”

“Well, she keeps saying, ‘Cheap, cheap!’”

POLICIES

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

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 specialinterest groups, and may not in any way contain a commercial message.

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

–

WILSON

“Adult parrots were thrilled to finally get calls from their kids: “I hadn’t heard a peep out of my son in 50 years,” one excited mama said.”

– DICK WOLFSIE

Indy actor, ATI co-founder to reprise roles in ‘Million Dollar Quartet’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Brandon Alstott is ready to walk the line again.

MUSICAL

The Indianapolis resident will perform as Johnny Cash for the third time in Actors Theatre of Indiana’s “Million Dollar Quartet.” The performances will be at 7:30 p.m. June 16-17 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts.

“I’m happy to be back in the saddle again,” Alstott said. “It’s a really fun role to play. I’m a huge Johnny Cash fan. I’ve read multiple books and I play his music all the time, so to portray him on stage is just such a thrill.”

Alstott previously performed as Cash in ATI’s 2016 and 2018 productions in the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts. “Million Dollar Quartet” is based on the true story of Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins jamming together one December night in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis.

Alstott said he is eager to perform on the Palladium stage.

“So many legends have performed on that stage and it’s such a beautiful venue,” Alstott said. “The acoustics are perfect. It will be a different setup and not as intimate as the smaller stage. The audience isn’t as close, so I might be a little bigger in my performance and a little more demonstrative. I might be a little more animated.”

ATI co-founder Don Farrell said Alstott does a great job as Cash.

“He’s an amazing actor and musician,” Farrell said.

Farrell will play Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, for the third time.

“When I started delving into him and watching different interviews with him, he’s a very interesting person,” Farrell said. “There’s a fatherly quality about him. He found all these people before they became icons, like Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Howlin’ Wolf. He helped make them who they were, and he had an ear, kind of like Clive Davis. Sam Phillips nurtured these young voices into these icons. For me, ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ is really about Sam Phillips and Sun Records.”

Farrell said he had no idea how integral Phillips was to music until he did more research.

“I knew he was big, but I didn’t realize how big he was in shaping the music that we listen to today,” Farrell said.

DJ Salisbury, who is based in Orlando, returns as the director for the third time. He also has directed the show for The Appalachian Center for the Arts in Pikesville, Ky.

“It’s a nice little slice of Americana,” Salisbury said. “There’s not any huge drama. It’s really all about the personalities and the music. Besides Brandon and Don, I’ve not worked with the other performers before, but they all know the show and have done it before.”

Jefferson McDonald is the music director and plays Jerry Lee Lewis.

Nathan Shew returns in the role of Fluke.

Indianapolis resident Amanda McCarthy said she is excited for her ATI debut, playing Elvis’ girlfriend.

“I have seen ‘MDQ’ performed a few times,” she said. “I love the live music, and playing Dyanne puts me right in the middle of all the action.”

McCarthy has performed locally, including at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre and with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. For more, visit atistage.org.

‘BEAUTY & THE BEAST’

“Beauty & the Beast” runs through July 9 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘AUGUST:

OSAGE COUNTY’

Main Street Productions will present “August: Osage County” from June 8 to 18 at Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

An Evening with Judy Kuhn is set for 7:30 p.m. June 8-9 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. Jazz Brunch: Blair Clark Birthday Brunch is set for 11 a.m. June 11. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

TAIWAN UNIVERSITY OF ARTS

National Taiwan University of Arts: Enchanting Dance and Music Show is set for a free performance at 7 p.m. June 7 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘DIRECTOR’S CHOICE’

Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will feature “Director’s Choice” at 7 p.m. June 9-10 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.

DISPATCH

More acts added to Carmel Jazz Festival — In addition to headliner Spyro Gyra, several other acts have been announced for the inaugural Carmel Jazz Fest taking place Aug. 11-12. Spyro Gyra will perform at the Palladium Aug. 12. The festival will feature more than 30 acts, including Evelyn Champagne King, a singer, songwriter and record producer best known for her hit disco single “Shame,” which was released in 1977. Carmel Jazz Fest is the first multi-performance event to utilize and unify the stateof-the-art venues, green spaces and stages throughout the Carmel Arts & Design District in a festival format. Other performers include Dave Bennett Quartet, Freddie Fox and Tim Cunningham. Area performers include Josh Kaufman, Tad Robinson Band and Pavel Polanco-Safadit.

From left, Betsy Norton, Adam Tran, Nathan Shew, Don Farrell and Brandon Alstott from the 2016 production of “Million Dollar Quartet.” (Photo courtesy of ATI)

McCarthy

Salisbury

NIGHT

DAY

Farce opens Red Barn season

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For Red Barn Summer Theatre Artistic Director Michael Taylor, precision is the key to “See How They Run.”

COMEDY

“Comedy is way harder than drama, especially because of the timing,” Taylor said. “In a show like this, the timing has to be on point.”

Red Barn will present “See How They Run” June 7-11 and June 14-18 at the Frankfort venue.

“We start off very light and something the family can come see,” Taylor said.

The play is set in England, where a conservative bishop’s home is turned upside down by the outlandish actions of an American actor and actress, an old maid who has touched alcohol for the first time, four suspicious men disguised as clergymen, and a cockney maid who has seen too many American movies.

There are nine cast members, including Taylor. Taylor is the theater director at Frankfort High School, and Kiara Wood, the music director at Frankfort High School, is in the show.

Most of the performers are from Lafayette and the Frankfort area. Taylor said some actors from outside the state will be in for the second show later in June.

“I love farces and Michael also loves farces — the slamming of doors, the falls, the pratfalls and mistaken identities,” said Luke McLaughlin, who is the director. “It’s fast-paced and zany. In my mind, there is nothing better than seeing a really fast, clean show just come together. When all the wheels are clicking, it’s really funny.”

For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.

Songbook Academy set for July

editorial@youarecurrent.com

entertainment professionals and leading university educators.

MUSIC

From hundreds of applications nationwide, 40 finalists from 16 states have been selected to participate in this year’s Songbook Academy summer intensive, a pre-professional music program for young singers focusing on the timeless standards of jazz, pop, Broadway and Hollywood. Among the 11 finalists from Indiana are two Carmel residents, Jordan Pecar, who attends Park Tudor School; and Seth Jacobsen, who attends Carmel High School; and Eve Hodges, a Zionsville Community High School student.

Now in its 14th year, the Songbook Academy is the flagship education initiative of the Great American Songbook Foundation, providing an opportunity for talented high school performers to experience a life-changing week of classes, workshops and performances under the guidance of arts and

Pecar Jacobsen Hodges

The Songbook Academy will take place July 15-22 at the Foundation’s headquarters, the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The week includes three public performance events at the Palladium, which will take place before a live audience and will be livestreamed for viewers worldwide:

• Public Masterclass – 2-5 p.m.

July 19

• Songbook Showcase – 2-5 p.m.

July 20

• Songbook Academy in Concert – 7 p.m. July 22

For the July 19-20 events, on-site tickets and livestream registration are pay-what-you-can with no minimum price. For the final concert, on-site tickets start at just $25, and the livestream option is paywhat-you-can with a $10 minimum.

Tickets are on sale now atTheSongbook.org, by phone at 1-317-8433800 or toll-free at 1-877-909-2787.

From left, Aaron Moon, Cole Riegle, Kiara Wood, Xander Haan and Brenna Coogan rehearse for “See How They Run.” (Photo courtesy of Luke McLaughlin)

Turn heavy baggage into litotes

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

A visit to The Hermitage

Commentary by Don Knebel

GRAMMAR GUY

It’s someone’s job to name new medications. Drug Company A approaches Marketing Company B and says, “Hey, we’ve got this new drug. It makes people happy in the short run, but they’ll still have to deal with all their baggage in the long run. And, boy, does it have a ton of side effects!”

Marketing Company B comes back with “Litotes: The medicine that makes your baggage feel lighter. May cause ironic understatements that convey affirmations by negating their opposites. Use as directed.”

You may be thinking, “Boy, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” Great — that’s a litote! Also, my reply to your retort is, “You’re not wrong about that.” Yes, folks, that was another litote. Sometimes,you have to be light on your toes to notice them.

In the above examples, I expressed positive statements by canceling out their opposites. Litotes flip negative meanings around to create a positive statement. By saying, “He’s not the sharpest tool in the

shed,” you’re implying I am dull. And when I reply, “You’re not wrong about that,” I’m suggesting that you are correct in your rude (albeit astute) accusation.

Litotes are all around us. In my opinion, litotes are brilliant literary devices.

We get the word “litote” from the Greek word “litotes,” which means “plainness” or “simplicity.” It’s not rocket science once you think about it.

When I think of litotes, I hear the voice and tone of David Spade in my head. It’s a dry, witty way of actually conveying something positive. What did you think of the play? Well, I didn’t hate it. In fact, it wasn’t bad at all.

Okay, you get the idea at this point.

I’m a fan of litotes. Before using litotes, just make sure to consult your doctor to see if litotes are right for you. When you only want to be a little positive, try litotes.

TRAVEL

Today, we visit The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s famous estate about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville, Tenn. Andrew Jackson, a war hero and seventh president of the United States, was also a lawyer, merchant, tavern owner, land speculator, planter, racehorse breeder and judge. In 1804, after losing a farm because of a business failure, he and his wife, Rachel, purchased 425 acres for growing cotton and raising horses. The plantation, named The Hermitage, was later expanded to 1,050 acres, operated by more than 150 enslaved people who lived in cabins on the property.

Beginning in 1819, the Jacksons built an eight-room Federal-style brick house on the grounds, flanked by a formal garden. When Rachel died in 1828, she was buried in the garden. In 1831, during Jackson’s first term as president, he expanded the house, which was severely damaged in a fire three years later. Jackson then built an elegant Greek-Revival mansion on the existing foundation. The 13-room house featured a large entry hall lined with French wallpaper depicting scenes from Homer’s “Odyssey.”

A self-supporting elliptical staircase led to four upstairs bedrooms. Visitors approached the house on a guitar-shaped driveway lined with cedar trees.

In 1837, after his second term as president, Jackson returned to The Hermitage, where he lived until his death in 1845. He was buried alongside Rachel beneath a colonnaded Greek-style monument evoking

the entry hall wallpaper. In 1998, an F5 tornado hit the property, uprooting 1,000 trees, including those planted by Jackson almost 200 years earlier.

Today, The Hermitage, including 1,000 acres of land, is open to the public. The mansion, which includes original furnishings, is considered the best preserved of all early presidential homes. A visitors’ center provides information about Andrew Jackson’s life and family. Special attention is given to the enslaved persons who worked and died at The Hermitage.

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

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

Parlor room inside The Hermitage near Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Don Knebel)

1. Consumer protection org.

4. Frenzied

9. Coffee alternative

12. ___ Speedwagon

13. 34-Across flag inspiration represented by the puzzle’s colored squares

15. BTK Villeion genre

16. Back of a boat

17. Owl sound 18. Tax agcy.

19. Kind of candle 21. Salon solvent 23. Lowest deck on a ship 24. Regard highly 26. Spotted 27. Blvd. crossers 28. Spritelike

32. Blueprint detail, briefly 33. Unoccupied 34. Annual June celebration

39. Latin for “womb”

40. Shapiro’s, e.g.

41. Magic lamp occupant

42. Await action

43. I-465 exit

47. Awesomely tough

49. Toys on strings

50. Take shape

53. Average speed on I-69, it seems

54. University of Utah player

55. Asian Kitchen

33. African plain

34. Car nut

35. Old AT&T rival

36. ___ Davis HS

37. Eiteljorg Museum group

38. Cozy retreats

42. Tropical fruit

43. 18-wheeler

44. In one’s house

45. Scotland yards?

46. Freud topic

48. Idiots

49. Chicken ___

50. Hoodwink

51. IND postings

52. Rant and rave

53. Mideast ruler

56. Classic British sports car

57. Indiana’s Lincoln, familiarly

Answers on Page 16

menu item

58. Tolkien beast

59. Yats cookware

60. 13-Across mnemonic guy

61. So-so

62. Zionsville winter hrs. 63. Epee kin 64. Nationality suffix Down

1. Indianapolis Opera cheers

2. Prior

3. Oliver Winery purchase

4. Self-defense spray

5. Latest Affleck/Damon film

6. Carmel-to-Fort Wayne dir.

7. Construction girders

8. Some bacteria

9. Threesome

10. Make money

11. Church area

13. Invitation letters

14. Question from one who’s lost

20. WIPX net.

22. AT&T, e.g.

24. Declare 25. Chooses 27. iPhone downloads 29. Shamrocks rooter 30. Colts QB stat 31. Highest degree 32. Informant

Meats

Rhymes of “Indy”

Lake Michigan Cities

Sewing Kit Items 1 Sleepy Bear Campground Shelter

“A trip to the cath lab and I’m on the mend.”

RIGHT SIZE. RIGHT CARE. RIGHT HERE.

/ WESTFIELD / CARMEL / CICERO / FISHERS / SHERIDAN / ZIONSVILLE

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