September 27, 2022 — Noblesville

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Founded Sept. 15, 2009, at Noblesville, IN Vol. XIV, No. 3

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Current in Noblesville currentnoblesville.com

Work underway on roundabout project

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Work has begun on the second half of a roundabout project at Ind. 32/38 in Nobles ville that officials say is intended to improve traffic flow and safety.

CONSTRUCTION

The joint project between the city and the Indiana Dept. of Transportation initially started in August with a focus on constructing the southern half of the roundabout, which was recently completed. Motorists will now see traffic shifts as work gets underway on the north ern half of the roundabout project that has resulted in the closure of Ind. 38 as drivers get onto Ind. 32, said Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen.

Jensen said the city had approached IN DOT about making improvements at the Ind. 32/38 intersection and eventually reached a deal to have five roundabouts placed in the city. Because of the closure of Ind. 38, the city has worked with local businesses, such as Michaelangelo’s, Starbucks and others, to ensure motorists can still access West ern Plaza, Jensen said.

The ongoing work on the second half of the roundabout is expected to last 60 days, with a targeted completion date around Nov. 1, according to Jensen.

“I think that’ll be encouraging for the pub lic to see a completed project,” he said.

Jensen said he understands that con struction can be inconvenient for motorists traveling through the area.

“This is certainly a major project for us, but the long-term gain will be substantially greater than the short-term pain, so I just ask motorists to take their time and think through alternate routes if you’re a local resident,” he said. “It’ll be over quickly, and the anticipation is always worse than the

reality of the situation.”

The roundabout project is the first of two planned in the area. A second roundabout will be constructed at Ind. 32 and River Road that is expected to begin in the spring of next year, with a targeted completion date in the summer.

The $6.5 million roundabout projects are being funded through INDOT and the city, which is picking up $2.15 million of the total cost, with INDOT covering the remaining amount.

Sheriff’s office seeking suspect involved in vehicle thefts

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man involved in a rash of vehicle thefts that occurred across four counties.

CRIME

The sheriff’s office said the thefts oc curred the week of Aug. 24 in Boone, Hamil ton, Madison and Putnam counties with the suspect being described as a white male in his late teens to early 20s. The suspect’s ve hicle is a Honda Element between the years of 2003 and 2006 with a distinctive flag ban ner sticker across the rear window and was last known to have yellow duct tape around the driver’s side mirror, authorities said.

The vehicle was last seen in Loma, Colo., traveling west on I-70 and has a stolen license plate from Anderson. The license

plate number is ZIG433.

Anyone with information about the iden tity of the individual is asked to contact detective Greg Lockhart by emailing greg.

lockhart@hamiltoncounty.in.gov or call 317-776-2235. The public can also call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-626-8477 to remain anonymous.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking to identify this man suspected to be involved in vehicle thefts across four counties (Photo provided by Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office)

Construction work has started on the second half of a roundabout project at Ind. 32/38 in Nobles ville. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

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Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville awarded $100K grant

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

release.

The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville has been awarded a $100,000 grant that will be used to provide children with homework assis tance, group tutoring sessions and learning programs.

NONPROFIT

The funding through the Good Neighbor Grant provided by Ascen dium Education Group, the nation’s largest federal loan guarantor and leading postsecondary education philan thropy, according to a news release. The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville was the only nonprofit based in Indiana to receive the award, which is given to nonprofit organi zations committed to increasing education and workforce training outcomes for learn ers from low-income backgrounds.

“We are honored to be a recipient of As cendium’s Good Neighbor Grant,” said Becky Terry, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville. “This continued support is significant as providing extended learning opportunities for youth to accelerate their learning is more critical than ever before. The funds will be used to foster academic success and combat learning loss using a multifaceted approach that includes home work assistance, group tutoring sessions and evidence-based learning programs to ensure our members are on track to graduate.”

Other than the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville, two nonprofit organizations in South Dakota and seven nonprofits in Madison, Wisconsin, were recognized with Good Neighbor Grants, according to a news

“From the top down, we believe that we rise by lifting others,” said Brett Lindquist, vice president for strategic communications at Ascendium. “Ascendium employees strive to better their communities through volunteer time off, matching do nations to nonprofits and other personal and professional commit ments. The Good Neighbor Grants initiative is just one more way we strive to make an impact in the communities where our employees live and work.”

The grant from Ascendium follows a separate grant that the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville received Aug. 19 from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation for $50,000. The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville said the grant funding will be used to support arts programming and hire an individual to serve as an art club director.

The local nonprofit organization also plans to use funding to allow children to take field trips in an effort to introduce and expose them to art so they can have a bet ter appreciation of what they can do with the arts, said Wendy Casteel, unit director at the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville. The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville, which serves children in kindergarten through 12th grade, offers after school programming ranging from academic success and healthy lifestyles.

It also offers a variety of other program ming activities such as cooking, music and more, said Abby Stutesman, director of club operations at the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville. The art studio gives children an opportunity to focus on art, she added.

Terry

Traders Point Christian quarterback improves his accuracy

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

As a Traders Point Christian School fresh man, Cooper Simmons-Little chose not to play football. He regretted it quickly.

“I chose not to play football my freshman year because I strug gled with it through middle school,” said Simmons-Little, who lives in Pittsboro. “After watching my friends playing as brothers on the football field, I missed it and joined my sophomore year.”

The 6-foot-2 Simmons-Little played receiv er his sophomore year but was injured and missed much of the season. The senior now plays quarterback.

Last season, Simmons-Little completed 141 of 315 passes (44.8 percent) for 2,154 yards with 18 touchdowns and 18 intercep tions for the Class A school in Whitestown.

In the first five games this season, he greatly improved his completion percent age by completing 108 of 174 passes (62.1

MEET COOPER SIMMONS-LITTLE

Favorite Subject: Math

Favorite Movie: “Cars 2”

College plans: Play football and major in business

percent) for 1,592 yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions.

“My deep ball has improved the most,” Simmons-Little said. “My goal since last year was to be able to throw the ball deeper with more accuracy.”

His receivers deserve credit as well. Senior Phillip Moran had 34 catches for 519 yards and eight TDs in the first five games.

Sophomore Colton Pollard had 26 catches for 446 yards and senior Eli Meals had nine receptions for 325 yards.

“I have solid receivers and our relation

ships have come easy,” said Simmons-Little, who also plays basketball for Traders Point. “We do little things to connect, such as (having) dinner together.”

Traders Point coach Sam Carnes said he is impressed with Simmons-Little’s leader ship during adverse moments.

Carnes, who is in his third year as Knights head coach, said he also is im pressed with Simmons-Little’s footwork in the pocket.

“A lot of kids when there is pressure will just go down or throw a bad pass or just try to go ahead and run,” Carnes said. “Coo per’s footwork has improved to the point where he is always trying to complete the pass. He is going to use his feet to maneu ver in the pocket and complete a pass. He’s thrown three or four touchdowns that way. I’m very impressed with his feet, very im pressed with his attitude.”

Carnes’ brother Ben is the Knights’ offen sive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Ben formerly was a Westfield High School assistant coach before joining his brother.

Carnes said some NAIA and smaller college teams are showing an interest in Simmons-Little.

Traders Point Christian senior quarterback Cooper Simmons-Little threw for 1,592 yards in the first five games. (Photo courtesy of Traders Point Christian)

Simmons-Little

Squirrel stampede approaches

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

overrun by their furry counterparts.”

Nickel Plate Arts is partnering with Hamil ton County for the 200th Squirrel Stampede. The Noblesville or ganization is hosting a series of events with different art opportunities, including free ceramic squirrels that can be picked up at its center, 107 S. 8th St. Kiln Creations, a pottery studio at 60 N. 9th St. in Noblesville, has also placed 300 clay-mold squirrels with paint across Hamilton County.

CELEBRATION

Nickel Plate Arts also is giving away free ceramic squirrels at its campus with a limit of one per family. Those who are interested are asked to either attend a squirrel-related event, take a picture with a real squirrel or window cling, bring a receipt from a local restaurant or dance the Squirrel Stomp for a Nickel Plate Arts staff member.

“Kiln Creations is overjoyed to be the pur veyor of fine ceramic squirrels here in Ham ilton County,” said Louise Blazucki, owner of Kiln Creations. “Here’s to hoping these sweet ceramic stand-ins act as a talisman and protect your crop and home from being

If individuals want to learn how to do the Squirrel Stomp, local choreographer Ga brielle Morrison will be available from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at Primeval Brewing, 960 Logan St., Noblesville. Patrons can also listen, dance and celebrate squirrels with local rock band The Dead Squirrels from 7 to 10 p.m. that evening.

For more on the Great Squirrel Stampede, visit visithamiltoncounty.com/squirrel.

Grant funds sculpture, garden

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Noblesville, according to the nonprofit.

A Noblesville nonprofit organization has received a $10,000 grant that will be used to bring a kinetic butterfly sculpture and pollinator garden to the center of a roundabout at 191st Street and Little Chica go Road.

NONPROFIT

Keep Noblesville Beautiful was one of 20 organizations in Indiana that received a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation during its nature grant cycle. The kinetic sculpture, which will be created by artist Scott Stottlemyer, will serve as a visual reminder to pedestrians and drivers of the importance of nature and green spaces in

“Through this sculpture and pollinator garden, KNB seeks to not only beautify No blesville, but to promote pollination of our native plants and the important role it plays in climate resiliency,” said Darren Peterson, president of KNB.

Peterson, who also serves as a Nobles ville city councilman, said Duke Energy is a key corporate partner to the Noblesville community and expressed appreciation for its support of the revitalization proj ect.

Keep Noblesville Beautiful which plans to install the sculpture and native vegetation this fall, will work with the Noblesville Parks Dept. and the city to select vegetation and upkeep the pollinator garden.

CARMEL SHOWROOM

99 E. Carmel Drive Suite 100 Carmel, IN

MERIDIAN-KESSLER STUDIO 5912 N. College Avenue Indianapolis, IN

ZIONSVILLE STUDIO 117 S. First Street Zionsville, IN

NOBLESVILLE & NORTH

Project: New trail

Location: The project will construct an 8-foot-wide asphalt trail north from Wellington Parkway of the Wellington Northeast subdivision to the 5-point roundabout at Greenfield Avenue. Southbound 10th Street (also known as Allisonville Road) will be detoured to Eighth Street. Two more closures will happen later.

Expected completion: November.

WESTFIELD

Project: New roundabout

Boulevard. The road will remain closed for eastbound traffic.

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Expected completion: TBD

Project: Reconstruction of 151st Street from Towne Road to Buchanan Lane

Location: A section of 151st Street from Towne Road to Buchanan Lane (the entrance to Kimblewick on 151st Street) is closed for reconstruction.

Expected completion: Officials anticipate the project will be completed this month. The intersection of 151st Street and Towne Road will remain open during construction.

Project: Grand Park Boulevard extension

Location: The intersection of 191st Street and Grassy Branch Road is closed.

Expected completion: Due to delays with utility relocation, the estimated completion date is Oct. 8.

Project: Reconstruction of 151st Street

Location: A section of 151st Street from Towne Road to Buchanan Lane is closed for reconstruction. The intersection of 151st Street and Towne Road will remain open during construction.

Expected completion: Summer

Project: Boulevard with a roundabout

Location: A section of 191st Street west of U.S. 31 is being converted into a boulevard with a roundabout at Chad Hittle Drive. 191st Street is open to traffic going westbound using Westmore Lane and Chatham Commons

Location: A section of 181st Street between Dartown Road and Wheeler Road is closed through September for construction of the future Grand Park Blvd. extension.

Expected completion: The road will be closed through September, but motorists can use the detour route, which is 186th Street to Wheeler Road.

CARMEL

Project: Roundabout, multi-use path construction

Location: The intersection of 106th Street and College Avenue is closed for construction of a roundabout. The multi-use path is under construction along 106th Street from Pennsylvania Parkway to College Avenue. 106th Street is not expected to be closed during construction of the path.

Expected completion: November

Project: Culvert reconstruction

Location: The Monon Greenway is closed from north of

west Smoky Row Road to the Hagan Burke Trail.

Expected completion: End of the year

Project: Range Line Road reconstruction

Location: 116th Street to Carmel Drive. A roundabout is under construction at 116th Street

Expected completion: Fall Project: New roundabout

Location: E. Main Street and Richland Avenue.  Expected completion: Fall

Project: New roundabout

Location: E. Main Street and Lexington Boulevard

Expected completion: Fall

Project: Widening and improvements along Smoky Row Road

Location: Between the Monon Greenway and U.S. 31. The road will be fully closed during the project. The Monon Greenway is closed until later this month.

Expected completion: End of year

Project: Widening of the Monon Greenway

Location: Between City Center Drive and Carmel Drive  Expected completion: November.

ZIONSVILLE

Project: I-65 reconstruction and widening

Location: INDOT is reconstructing and widening I-65 from north of Ind. 32 to north of Ind. 47 in Boone County. The project will add one lane in each direction and reconfigure the I-65 and Lafayette Avenue interchange near Lebanon. Construction began in March 2021 and will continue until late this year.

Send us your stories and photos — Please email story suggestions on new business es, interesting residents, upcoming events and photos to Current in Noblesville Man aging 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.

Flanner Buchanan hosting open house Oct. 3 — The Flanner Buchanan funeral home in Westfield will host an open house and grand opening Oct. 3 at its new Prairie Wa ters Event Center. The event, which takes place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 4180 West field Road, will include food, refreshments, door prizes, a ribbon cutting, guided tours and free planning information. Individuals interested in attending are asked to RSVP at flannerbuchanan.com/locations/pwec/ pwec-rsvp/.

Fishers United Methodist Church to hold fish fry — Fishers United Methodist Church will host a fish fry Oct 4. The event will be held at the church, 9691 E. 116th St., from 4:15 to 7:15 p.m. with the menu featuring

DISPATCHES

fish, chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, ap plesauce, bread and pie. The cost is $12 for adults, $7 for children ages 5 and up, while there is no charge for individuals under the age of 5. Dine-in, carryout and drive-thru will be available. For questions, call the church office at 317-849-1805.

Hamilton Co. 5K for Food Security planned for Oct. 8 – The Hamilton County 5K for Food Security will be held at 9 a.m. Oct. 8 at Dr. James A. Dillon Park, 6001 Eden shall Lane, Noblesville. The cost to regis ter is $35. For registration information, visit runsignup.com/Race/IN/Noblesville/ HamiltonCounty5kforFoodSecurity

Salvation Army seeking volunteers — The Salvation Army of Indianapolis is looking for volunteers for the Coats for Kids event that will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Volunteers are also needed to help with setup for the event from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 10-14. The Salvation Army is also seeking volunteers who can help between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 15. Any one interested in volunteering can contact

Kathy Dalla Costa with the Salvation Army by emailing kathy.dallacosta@usc.salva tionarmy.org. Families who wish to receive coats for their kids can visit centralusa. salvationarmy.org/indiana/coats-for-kids/ with pre-registration required that will open up at 8 a.m. Oct. 3.

Princess Program applications – The 500 Festival is accepting applications for the 2023 500 Festival Princess Program. Appli cations are available at 500Festival.com/ Princess. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. Jan. 8, 2023. The program provides 33 wom en from Indiana colleges and universities with the opportunity to make an impact during their college years as ambassadors of the 500 Festival and its mission to enrich lives and positively impact the community. Each 500 Festival Princess will also receive a $1,000 scholarship.

United Way seeking volunteers for Re adUP program — United Way of Central Indiana is seeking volunteers for its ReadUP program. For more information, visit www. uwci.org/readup.

Tennis facility opens

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Cathedral High School

Cathedral High School open house

Cathedral High School open house

Thursday, October 13

Mass - 5:00 p.m. • Open House - 5:30 - 8 p.m.

ATHLETICS

Noblesville Schools opened its new high school tennis facility earlier this month that will serve as the home for Noblesville High School tennis.

The 7-acre facility off Field Drive across from Noblesville East Middle School features 12 courts and will increase the district’s tennis capacity by 50 percent. The current tennis courts adjacent to NEMS will now be used by its student-athletes and will remain open for public access.

The new $3.9 million facility, which was dedicated Sept. 16, includes concessions, restrooms, locker space, offices, bleachers, on-site parking and a training room. It also features post-tension concrete courts that are safer and require less maintenance, according to the district.

The property was formerly the home of First Church of God, which disbanded before Noblesville Schools purchased the land.

“There has been increased demand in this sport and, unfortunately, our court capacity was limiting students’ playing time and the

Noblesville Schools Supt. Daniel Hile, left, talks with Audrey and Michael Shepard at the new tennis facility that will serve as the home for Noblesville High School tennis. The facility is off Field Drive across from Noblesville East Middle School. (Photo provided by Noblesville Schools)

growth of the program,” said Craig McCaf frey, principal of Noblesville High School. “These new courts mean we can accommo date more players. At the end of the day, providing opportunities for our students is what we’re all about.”

Humane Society for Hamilton County receives $10,000 grant

By Sammy Bredar news@currentnoblesville.com

The Humane Society for Hamilton County recently received a $10,000 grant from the Grey Muzzle Organization.

senior dogs by paying for the cost of their care,” Yoder said. “Senior animals in general have a higher cost due to needing more initial bloodwork and, typically, they are on medication. This is why we need additional funding for them.”

NONPROFIT

The grant will provide support for the lives of at-risk senior dogs.

The Grey Muzzle Organization is a na tional nonprofit that works to support atrisk senior dogs by financially supporting shelters, rescues, sanctuaries and other nonprofits.

“HSHC’s mission is saving lives, educating communities, and completing families,” said Suzanne Yoder, director of marketing for the HSHC. “The grant will help save the lives of dogs that are not just young. Every animal deserves the second chance at life, no mat ter their age or extra care they may need.”

As the population of senior and super-se nior dogs increases at HSHC, the need for financial support also rises, Yoder said.

“The money will help save the lives of

HSHC has sheltered 196 senior dogs this year alone.

“We accept animals 365 days a year,” Yoder said. “It is because of grants like this that we can give all animals the chance to live, love and be loved.”

One dog that benefits from the Grey Muz zle grant is Amelia, a 10-year-old female.

“Thanks to Grey Muzzle, Amelia was able to receive the medication she needed for her arthritis so that she could run and play without pain,” Yoder said. “Certainly, a staff and volunteer favorite, we are so happy to share that Amelia recently found her forever family.”

For more on the Grey Muzzle Organiza tion, visit greymuzzle.org. For more about the HSHC, visit hamiltonhumane.com/.

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Deputies at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with body cameras that the county’s top law en forcement officer says will bring another level of transpar ency and accountability to the public.

Hamilton County Sheriff Dennis Quakenbush said the cameras, which can record audio and video, will be used in a variety of situations, including traffic stops, that will also aid law enforcement with training. In addition, Quakenbush said the devices will also be used for evidence collection, criminal investigations and court proceedings in an effort to show what happened in a particular situation.

Quakenbush said the sheriff’s office took about a year to research different vendors before entering into a fiveyear contract with Motorola. Officials also reached out to local law enforcement agencies to see what types of body cameras they were using and eventually decided to go with Motorola after seeing how it was used in the field.

The cameras will cost the sheriff’s office approximately $453,000 for the first year, with the second through fifth years of the contract being $236,100 annually.

A large portion of the cost is attributed to storage and data, which is cloud-based, while equipment and docking stations are also part of the overall price tag, according to Quakenbush. The sheriff’s office received a grant from the state for $63,200 that will help offset the costs associated with the body cameras, he added.

Officials also tried to evaluate based on the needs of sheriff’s deputies who are responsible for patrolling 400plus square miles in Hamilton County. Jail transport staff are also equipped with body cameras as well, he added.

“We really looked at a patrol deputy’s standpoint and a corrections officer’s standpoint of what best fit them,” Quakenbush said. “Every officer that carries a firearm will be issued a body camera.”

Quakenbush said in most instances when a person in teracts with law enforcement from the sheriff’s office, the body camera system will be activated, which can be done by pushing a button inside a vehicle or on the camera itself. The camera can also be automatically activated when emergency lights are turned on inside a vehicle as well, he added.

Employees at the sheriff’s office have undergone orienta tion training on how to use the devices and access differ ent settings. So far, the reception among law enforcement using the devices has been positive, and Quakenbush said the biggest benefit is bringing another level of transparen cy and accountability to the public.

In general, body camera audio and video footage will be considered public record, meaning members of the public will be able to access it if a public records request is filed.

However, Quakenbush said there are exceptions to that in cases where there might be sensitive information or mat ters involving juveniles. In those situations, information will be redacted as necessary, he said.

Lydia Fairchok, who has been a deputy with the sheriff’s office since December 2021, sees the body cameras as being an asset to law enforcement. She previously used body cameras when she worked at the Sheridan Police Dept., she said.

“I think body cameras in general really make our jobs eas ier,” Fairchok said. “I feel it’s very good for documentation and it’s a lot easier to pay attention to a conversation with someone and get their direct quotes when you know you can reference the video after the fact, and they capture a lot of body language and emotion from people that you’re talking to.”

Fairchok said the body cameras will also provide opportu nities for law enforcement officers such as herself to go back and access information as needed in a particular situation.

“I think we’re definitely excited to have them and excited

BY THE NUMBERS

130: Number of body cameras in use

61: Number of merit deputies who are firearms certified

4: Number of full-time transport officers who are firearms certified

Source: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office

to see how it can give us lots of opportunities to have good interactions caught on camera and to show that we’re out here doing our job the same whether we have cameras on or not,” she said. “It definitely allows us to capture all those positive moments.”

ON THE COVER: Hamilton County Sheriff Dennis Quakenbush pauses outside the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in Noblesville. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office rolls out body cameras to deputies, jail transport staff

Lydia Fairchok, a deputy with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, demonstrates how to use a body camera. The sheriff’s office recently rolled out body cameras to all its deputies and jail transport staff. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Cost of not knowing

Commentary by Terry Anker

Cocktail menus are often conspicuous ly absent prices. Some food menus are, too. Boutiques routinely keep the MSRP on a need-to-know basis. Consumers, it seems, don’t need to know. One is urged to try it on, fall in love and throw down the credit card. How much we would pay and how much the object is worth to us is not a consideration.

Health care is likewise priceless. Asking cost is almost always met with a look of abject confusion. “Why do you care? How much is your health worth to you?” How can we know the answer to that question unless we know how much we are about to be charged? Shaming and social pressure do the dirty work. It is like middle school all over again, and good decision-making is out the window.

Nonprofits have their own version. An acquaintance reaches out to see if we’re interested in catching up over a meal. In fact, he has an open spot at an event next week. No need to buy tickets, it’s on him. In addition to our talk, we’ll learn something about the cause. It all conceals a modern fundraising tool, the “get-to-know-us” breakfast.

The host is already sold on the project and is “network marketing” to us. For the cost of a continental breakfast, he becomes entitled to arm-twist cash for the cause before we are freed. It is a timeshare presentation for charity. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the device, if we know what we are getting ourselves into. But the Trojan horse of it all is the demand for giving. “Give a lot,” the pledge card directly placed into our hands by the host pressures. “Give every month,” it not-so-politely urges. We find ourselves cajoled into giving to a cause that, while important, is not central to our priorities.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Loving my empty nest

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

My, how times have changed! I re cently attended a birthday party for the soon-to-be 3-year-old of a co-worker. Be sides the grandmother and great-grand mother, I was the oldest person there and the only one without little kids claimable as blood kin. Although this is not a new phenomenon — our young est is 18, after all — the idea that I no longer am beholden to nap schedules and cupcake sugar rushes and bouncy house injuries really hit home. And it was magical.

I thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and watching the chaos unfold, able to enter the fray if — and only if — I chose. I was not required to chase down a toddler as she made a break for a neighbor’s jun gle gym, nor did I need to carefully pre pare a dinner plate with nonchokeable, cut-up grapes. I didn’t have to worry about food allergies or skinned knees or the bees wreaking havoc near the baked beans. And when a tense moment erupt ed during the present-opening grand finale — “That’s my Baby Moana!” — I could legitimately just shake my head and giggle.

Lest you think I’m a complete jerk, I did help clear plates and locate juicebox straws, and I occasionally assisted with step navigation. But the point is, I was under no obligation to do so. I was there as a true guest, unencumbered by the responsibilities and expectations of parenthood.

— DALE CARNEGIE

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.

The moral of my story is this: Even tually, everyone makes it to the empty nest Promised Land, where backyard barbeques are actually delightful experi ences and other peoples’ children, much like puppies, are unlimited sources of entertainment. My, how times will change.

Peace out.

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

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

WHERE IS TIM? — Tim Campbell, a Carmel resident and internationally decorated cartoonist, is taking a break from Current in an effort to focus on his work for a newer cartoon syndi cate, Counterpoint, as well as other projects. Campbell had drawn nearly weekly for Current since October 2006.

VIEWS

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

My wife and I didn’t go to the Indiana State Fair this year, the first one we missed (other than the two years affected by COVID-19 closures) since we moved to Indiana in 1982. Mary Ellen’s favorite thing is going to the poultry barn to see the baby chicks. I love to get a grilled you-know-what on a stick. We don’t talk much about our favorite things on the way home.

Menards sells mag azines called Chick ens and Poul try World — both dedicated to the proper care and breeding of our feath ered friends. On the cover, the editor is seen holding his buddy, a handsome Springer Spaniel. I guess he has learned he’ll attract more chicks holding an adorable puppy than cuddling a rooster.

Inside these magazines, let the puns begin. There are puns I am sure have made their way into every edition through the years. Let’s face it, there are only so many chicken plays-on-words you can come up with to name various sections of the periodicals.

Eggciting recipes: During Easter, we see this wordplay in every newspaper a hun dred times. Enough, already. It’s, well, you know … eggasperating.

Online eggstras and eggsclusives: The plays-on-words here cover the spectrum from horrible to somewhat clever. Mary Ellen and I only eat cage-free eggs, and we want the jokes to have free range, as well.

Cracking up: Their joke page, of course.

A chicken in every shot: Don’t have an adorable cat to feature in YouTube videos? Here’s some advice on how to capture your

cuddly capon on camera.

Chicken scratch: Gifts and gadgets for chicken lovers with the subtitle, “Everything Our Readers Are Crowing About.” You buy an app that figures how many eggs annually to expect from your flock. Yes, it’s called a cluck-u-lator.

Get the shell out: Ensuring the maximum daily egg production from each breed. This pun is also used in Turtle Monthly Digest in articles encouraging pet owners to exercise their aquatic friends with a daily walk.

Fowl language: A glossary of import ant terminology for bird lovers. Actually, I like that pun. But once or twice is enough.OK, three times.

There were also questions in a feature called “Chicken Chat.” A better title would be, “Can We Squawk?” I know nothing about chickens, but I would like to take a stab at some of the answers.

Q: My chicken seems bored. Her head is down, and she is all fluffed up. What does that mean?

A: It is definitely a chicken.

Q: I raise quail. Recently, I found one run ning around my yard with half of its head missing. What should I do?

A: It’s too late.

Q: I am considering hatching chickens myself for the first time. Any suggestions?

A: No, but if you are successful, we’d like to interview you for this magazine.

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

Mary Ellen’s favorite thing is going to the poultry barn to see the baby chicks. I love to get a grilled you-know-what on a stick.

– DICK WOLFSIE

Welcome, Samer Kawak, MD

Hamilton Surgical Associates is pleased to welcome Dr. Samer Kawak to the team. Dr. Kawak attended Indiana University School of Medicine and is board-certified in general surgery and fellowship-trained in colon and rectal surgery. Dr. Kawak prides himself on creating a safe space for patients where they feel comfortable discussing their problems and needs. Dr. Kawak has extensive training in robotic surgery, and is committed to providing the most up-to-date treatment to patients when appropriate.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy cooking, hiking and playing basketball.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kawak, call 317.776.8748 or visit riverview.org.

Local students inducted into nursing program

EDUCATION By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Nine nursing students from Hamilton County attending Indiana University-Kokomo were among 68 students recently inducted into the school’s nursing program.

The school inducted 51 incoming students in the four-year Bachelor of Science in nurs ing program, as well as 17 individuals in the accelerated second degree nursing track for those who previously earned a bachelor’s degree in another field.

Westfield resident David Konstantin Kapriyan was inducted, while Nobles ville residents Ashley Nicole Houghtalen, Viktoriya Konstantynova, Julia Ann Mas ters-Melander and Ali Phenicie were also

inducted during the ceremony at Havens Auditorium at the IU-Kokomo campus.

Second degree accelerated track induct ees included Carmel residents Alyssa Ane Coyne and Annalyse Christine Harrington; Fishers resident Robert N. Mphepo; and Westfield resident Jocelyn Grider.

Carolyn Townsend, associate dean of the pre-licensure track, congratulated the inductees on their accomplishments and reflected on what it means to be a nurse.

“Nursing school is a journey,” she said. “It will require hard work, perseverance and dedication. It will be worth it. The whole trajectory of your life will be transformed. As you work towards earning your degree, your growth into the professional role, de velopment of your expertise and flourishing as a student are our priorities.”

DISPATCHES

Walking for arthritis – Walking is so benefi cial in fighting arthritis pain that it’s consid ered a natural medicine. Painful, stiff joints make it hard to get moving but moving is exactly what is needed for pain relief. For maximum benefits, you should try to walk at a moderate pace for at least 30 minutes every day. If 30 minutes is too much, start with less time and work up gradually.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

Fiber to fight diabetes – New research shows that people who are willing to more than double the fiber in their diets from 16 to 37 grams per day can better control diabetes. It needs to be a high amount of diverse types of fibers. Getting nearly 40 grams may sound like a tall order, but it’s actually not that hard and it could make a radical difference in your blood sugar level by increasing insulin production.

Source: BottomLineHealth.com

Helping loved ones recover – When a loved one is ill, you can help their recovery even if you have no medical training. When you talk to them, get an update and be sympathetic, but quickly shift to a positive, upbeat tone. Don’t talk about your own illnesses. Let the person know that you are looking forward to meeting for lunch, or some other outing, in the near future. Have a funny story or wonderful reminiscence to share. Laughter is a great healer, and it can make the recov ering person’s day.

Source: BottomLineHealth.com

Improve your focus – Do you have more trouble concentrating than you used to? Studies show that our attention spans are declining, largely due to the use of technol ogy. We feel we have to respond to every text, alert and call immediately. Instead, try putting the phone on “do not disturb” mode for a few minutes when you need to focus on something else. You may find it easier to concentrate and you probably won’t miss anything truly important.

Source: Cynthia Green, Ph.D.

Sunscreen tip – Most skin cancers are a result of exposure to UV radiation. UV radi ation comes in two forms – UVA and UVB. Sunscreen products list an SPF on the label, but the SPF only refers to protection from UVB rays. Make sure to buy products that are labeled as “broad spectrum” in order to obtain protection from both types of radiation.

Source: fda.gov.

Developer plans $57M apartment project in Westfield

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

An Indianapolis real estate development company plans to build a $57 million apart ment community in Westfield near Grand Park.

DEVELOPMENT

TWG, which specializes in commercial, market rate, affordable and senior housing developments, plans to build a 240-unit apartment complex known as Grand Park Village. The multi-family project will encom pass multiple buildings and will be built directly south of Grand Park.

“This project provides suburban living at its best with top-notch amenities and com munity access,” said Chase Smith, vice pres ident of market rate development at TWG. “We are excited to bring Grand Park Village to the growing City of Westfield.”

Construction on the project began in July

with first units becoming available for rent in the summer of 2024, according to the company. Grand Park Village will include a dog park, fitness center, clubhouse, pool, grilling stations, a bike hub along the Monon Trail and a boardwalk along the lake to the north, officials said.

“Centier Bank knows the importance of high-quality housing, and Westfield is no exception,” said Brian Ternet, vice president and senior lending officer at Centier Bank. “Through this partnership with TWG, Centier Bank is thrilled to support the economic growth of communities across Indiana. With the thoughtful design and engineering of the project, Grand Park Village will enhance the already attractive and thriving area.”

TWG is also developing Chatham Hills, a $41 million apartment complex on the north east side of Grand Park. It is expected to open next year, according to the company.

DISPATCHES

Video game stock growth — The video game industry is booming. The global video game market is likely to double to $300 billion in revenue by 2025, according to tech research firm GlobalData, driven by the expansion of mobile-phone and online gaming. Also, there has been tremendous growth in games played by multiple players over the Internet, such as Fortnite, in which 100 players fight against one another for survival. And rather than buying individual games in stores such as GameStop, players are paying fees for monthly subscriptions to online services that allow them to stream or download games. Two subscription services, Apple Arcade and Google Stadia, were launched last year, but they’ve had lukewarm results, partly because of compe tition from free online video game providers such as Epic Games, the privately. Epic made more than a billion dollars in 2019 by selling optional virtual accessories such as character outfits. Investors should focus on third-party video game publishers with a history of churning out blockbuster games for consoles, PCs and mobile devices. Their stocks can benefit no matter what platform gamers choose to play on or what business model prevails. Two attractive video game publishers now are: Activision Blizzard (ATVI) hits include World of Warcraft, which has had $9 billion in rev

enue since 2004. It partners with YouTube to stream live broadcasts of tournaments for games such as Overwatch and Call of Duty.

Electronic Arts (EA) makes best-selling games such as the FIFA soccer series, Mad den NFL and Battlefield

Source: BottomLineInc.co

Free smoke alarms and tests — The Amer ican Red Cross Home Fire Campaign is a multi-year effort to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. People of all ages are vulnerable to home fires. The Red Cross encourages everyone to call 1-888-684-1441 to make an appointment to test existing smoke alarms and/or install free alarms in your home.

Price checking app — To save some mon ey during the holidays, try the free app ShopSavvy. Whether you’re shopping for groceries or preparing to make a bigger purchase, such as a TV or appliance, if you’ll be visiting a brick-and-mortar store during your search, this app will help you find the best price. While in a store, simply use your phone’s camera to scan an item’s barcode, and the app will show you how much other stores charge for it, both locally and online.

Source: BottomLineInc.

EARN UP TO . APY* 1%

Civic director has emotional ties to ‘Rent’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Civic Theatre Executive Artistic Director Michael Lasley has a special connection to “Rent.”

The musical centers on struggling artists in Lower Manhattan’s East Village. Two of the char acters are HIV positive and another has AIDS.

Lasley is directing the rock musical, “Rent,” and his wife Marni Lemons is the assistant director. Civic’s production is set for Oct. 7-22 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Per forming Arts in Carmel.

“It’s a seminal piece of theater for peo ple of a certain age,” Lasley said. “COVID brought up other epidemics in my mind, and the AIDS epidemic has been going on since the early 1980s. While we’ve made a lot of progress, it still exists. There are thousands of people who die from AIDS every year. It’s far more treatable if you are in a situation where you can seek out treatment. It’s still a serious health issue in the world. Many of the characters are HIV positive.”

Being in the artistic world, Lasley said he and his wife lost many friends because of the AIDS epidemic in the early and mid-1990s.

“It seemed like we were going to more funerals than our parents and grandpar ents because it was taking so many peo ple from the theatrical and artistic world,” Lasley said.

Lasley said the musical, which debuted in 1996, ran 13 years on Broadway. The composer, Jonathan Larson, died at age 35 of an aortic dissection on the night of the off-Broadway opening for “Rent.”

Lasley said Civic Theatre presented a concert version of it in 2010.

“It was a bigger cast, but less staging,” Lasley said. “We mostly concentrate on the music.”

Olivia Broadwater, a 2020 Zionsville Community High School graduate, plays Maureen Johnson.

“She is a powerful, bisexual woman who

is a performer and protester,” Broadwater said. “It’s a role that is pushing me outside of my comfort zone, artistically, and finding the confidence to do some of these awe some, crazy things on stage (is challenging).

Vocally, it’s a very good challenge for me. I’ve had a blast playing her. She is just so power ful and it’s awesome to get to play.”

Broadwater said she has been watching the musical for years.

“This is definitely the closest to a rock musical I’ve done,” she said. “But I’m clas sic rock girl. I like all the oldies. One of my goals is to be in ‘Rock of Ages’ because that is one of my favorites.”

Broadwater loves the fact that the production is almost all singing, like ‘Les Miserables.”

“There isn’t much plain dialogue,” Broad water said.

Broadwater was first runner-up June 18 in the Miss Indiana competition. Auditions for “Rent” were two days later. She told her mother she wasn’t going to go at first.

“I was nervous and didn’t feel prepared on the audition day, and my mom said, ‘Just go do it, it will be fun,’” she said. “It wasn’t one of the most fun auditions I’ve ever had. I was glad I ended up going.”

Broadwater, a Ball State University mu sical theater major, is traveling from Mu nich for rehearsals. So is fellow Ball State junior Julia Ammons, a 2020 Carmel High School graduate who plays Alexi Darling, among other ensemble roles, and is one of the two dance captains.

“I saw it once with the national tour and once with a smaller production,” Ammons said. “I loved both times I saw it and could envision myself being part of it someday.”

Ammons has performed in Civic’s Young Artists Program in the past. Her last pro duction at Civic was “Elf” in 2019.

“This show has more maturity and inti macy work that we do with our intimacy coordinator, which is stuff I’ve worked with before but not in this depth,” Am mons said.

Ammons said she is used to performing in more traditional musicals, not rock musicals.

“Alexi talks really fast, and she is pretty annoying,” Ammons said. “She says a lot of phone numbers really fast, so there was a lot of memorization. But it came pretty easily once I started working on it.” For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE’

“Escape to Margaritaville” runs through Oct. 2 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indi anapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

’THE CURIOUS SAVAGE’

Main Street Productions of “The Curious Sav age” will be presented from Sept. 29 through Oct. 9 at the Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

‘REHEARSAL FOR MURDER’

The Belfry Theatre will present “Rehearsal for Murder,” a murder mystery, through Oct. 2 at the Ivy Tech Auditorium in Noblesville. For more, visit thebelfrytheatre.com.

WHAM

Live at the Center presents WHAM (We Have All Music), a Carmel-based nonprofit group, as part of the Live at the Center series at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Tickets are $5 or register for the free lives tream at the centerpresents.org.

JOSHUA BELL

Violinist Joshua Bell will be accompanied by pianist Peter Dugan in concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Palladium in Carmel. For more, visit the centerpresents.org.

TOWER OF POWER

Tower of Power will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Palladium in Carmel. For more, visit the centerpresents.org.

DISPATCH

Men sought for choral group – VOCE, Voic es of Choral Excellence, is looking for male vocalists with tenor, baritone and bass ranges. Singers with music degrees or cho ral experience and excellent music-reading skills are encouraged to apply. VOCE is a small semi-professional vocal ensemble based in Carmel. It meets twice a month on the second and fourth Sundays from 2-4 p.m. at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 1402 W. Main St, Carmel. For more or to schedule an audition, contact Brenda Iacoc ca at bmiacocca@gmail.com or 317.946.2056, or visit voceindy.org.

MUSICAL

Olivia Broadwater, left, and Miata McMichel appear in Civic Theatre’s production of “Rent.” (Photo courtesy off Joshua Hasty Photography)

Ammons

Brazilian performer to join CSO

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

them,” Assad said. “It not, ‘Let’s just do Latin music.’ It’s, ‘Let’s celebrate music for what it is.’”

MUSIC

Carmel Symphony Orchestra Music Direc tor Janna Hymes watched Brazilian pianist and vocalist Clarice Assad perform a set of pieces in a concert in Maine.

Hymes liked what she saw and invited her to perform with the CSO.

“I was with musicians who just got together to perform that one concert (in Maine),” Assad said. “The music was a varied combination of world music, Brazilian music, classical music and jazz. It was me on keyboards and singing arrangements that I had written for the group that I performed. (Hymes) said she loved the music and felt it could really work with her orchestra.”

Assad will make her CSO debut with the concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The concert celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

“I’m also performing some Bach with

Assad, who was born in Brazil and is based in Chicago, will be joined by India napolis-based band Pavel & Direct Contact. Assad said she watched Pavel Palanco-Safadit in online performances.

“He’s incredible,” said Assad, who said this will be her first appear ance in the Indianapolis area.

Assad came to the U.S. to attend college. She studied at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Hymes said it will be an upbeat and thrill ing program.

Hymes has not worked with either per former before, but said she feels like she has.

“The reason I say that is that we have been in communication for over a year, and I have a strong grasp of their musical lan guage and performance skills,” Hymes said. “Both of these artists are extraordinary.”

Tickets are $40 per person or $75 per cou ple. For more, visit CarmelSymphony.org.

(Above) Crowds line 2nd Ave. NW to listen to live music as 18 porches in the Carmel Arts & Design Dis trict transformed into stages for 53 bands Sept. 18 for the annual PorchFest event. (Left) Tay Bronson of Tay Bronson & the Tackle Box performs. (Photos by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

Assad

‘Curious Savage’ set to open

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Nancy Lafferty and her association with “The Curious Savage” goes back many years. As a high school junior in Uniontown, Ohio, she played the role of Mrs. Savage, a woman in her 60s, and she then played the role of Mrs. Savage in 2004 at the Belfry Theatre.

PLAY

“I’ve directed the show at two different high schools in Florida and Georgia,” said Lafferty, a McCordsville resident. “This is the first time I’ve directed with adults.”

Lafferty will direct Main Street Produc tions’ “The Curious Savage,” which runs Sept. 29 through Oct. 9 at the Basile West field Playhouse.

“It’s a solid old chestnut,” Lafferty said. “It’s a sweet, sweet story and has one of the most beautiful endings. It is a beautiful theme that is timeless.”

Lafferty said legendary actress Lillian Gish, who got her start in silent films, played Mrs. Savage in the play’s Broadway debut in 1950.

Lafferty recommended to Carmel resident Tanya Haas that she audition for the role of Mrs. Savage. Haas was not familiar with the play previously.

“It’s about a wealthy widow whose step children have her committed to his home (for the mentally ill) because she is basically giving away all their money to give people their dreams in memory of her husband,” Haas said. “They want the money for them selves, and she has hidden it somewhere and nobody knows where.”

Haas said the residents of the home are kind and embrace Mrs. Savage.

“Where her family members try to claim that she is insane,” Haas said.  Haas, who is playing a character approx imately 10 years older, said this is the first time she has played a character who is old

The cast of “The Curious Savage,” front, from left, Phoebe Aldridge (Fairy Mae), Tonya Haas (Mrs. Savage), Jennifer Poynter (Florence); Back, from left, Rachel Pope (Miss Wilhelmina), Tom Riddle (Dr. Emmett), Lisa Warner (Mrs. Paddy), Thom Johnson (Hannibal), Steven Marsh (Titus), Ian A. Montgomery (Samuel), Jan Boercherding (Lily Belle). (Photo by Mark Ambrogi)

er than herself.

“She has a very gentle personality, and I feel I also have a gentle personality, which is part of what Nancy saw in me to play the part,” Haas said.

Haas said the challenge is she has many more lines than anyone in the cast.

“Other than the first couple of scenes, I am on the stage for the rest of the play,” Haas said. “I have lines throughout all those scenes.”

Haas has dyed her hair to silvery blue.

“She is the oldest of the residents and she takes on a motherly role,” Haas said. “She loves them and appreciates them. She doesn’t want her freedoms taken away be cause she is trying to be a good person and help others.”

Lafferty said the role is demanding and would be hard for a woman in her late 60s or 70s to play.

“I saw this part in Tonya,” Lafferty said. “She had the right characteristics of Mrs. Savage — the tenderness, nurturing, a little bit of sarcasm. All the characteristics I was looking for, she had it.”

Actress offers auditioning tips

editorial@youarecurrent.com

Sierra Boggess, the Broadway star of Dis ney’s “The Little Mermaid” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” will teach two in-person auditioning classes Oct. 15 for Discovering Broad way Inc. at Grace Church, 5504 146th St., Noblesville. The nonprofit incubates Broad way-bound musicals and offers master

For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org. classes to local artists. Twenty-five percent of class participants are sponsored at-risk youth and BIPOC artists.

CLASS

“For our young artists, learning from Sier ra Boggess is a dream come true,” Discover ing Broadway founder Joel Kirk stated. “I am thrilled for the attending students to have the opportunity to experience the expertise and acquire knowledge from one of Broad way’s most beloved leading ladies.”

Heartland’s festival has state ties

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Blues” with King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band in 1923.

Join us for the 7th annual

FILM

Films from the Heartland International Film Festival and Indy Shorts International Festival captured 33 Acad emy Awards nominations and won seven Oscars in 2022.

Heartland Film Artistic Director Greg Sorvig is convinced there will be several Academy Awards contenders among the more than 115 films in the 2022 Heartland Film Festival, set for Oct. 6-16.

“We have an amazing slate of inde pendent films which makes up the lion’s share of our lineup,” said Sorvig, a Carmel resident. “We have become an Oscar stop. Distributors see something special with our festival. If it plays in Indiana, it will play anywhere.”

The opening and closing nights have Indi ana ties. “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” will open the festival at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at The Toby at Newfields in Indianapolis. Sorvig pointed out Armstrong’s recording career began in Indiana when he recorded “Chimes

“We all know Louis Armstrong but there is more behind the man,” Sorvig said. “The director really brings Louis to life. (Arm strong) kept these super-detailed journals, so you get to see those journals come to life with some great narrators.”

The festival’s closing night be gins at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at The Toby with “The Whale” with Indianapolis native Brendan Fraser. The actor visited the festival in 2019 on the 20th anniversary screening of his film “The Mummy.”

“The Brenaissance started a couple years ago when he returned here,” Sorvig said of the welcome Fraser received at the festival. “We loved Brendan before it was cool. ‘The Whale’ is the story of a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who intends to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.”

Fraser should be an Oscar contender, Sorvig said.

For more, visit heartlandfilm.org

October 1, 2022

Escorted ride through Hamilton County Event T Shirt | Lunch | After Party

Riders: $50 | Passengers: $25

Kickstands up, Police escort begins 9:00am 9:15am 11:00am

Registration and light breakfast at humane society for Hamilton county

Tour of new state of the art facility

After Party at harley davidson of 1indianapolis :00pm Includes lunch, drinks, and live music from The Tempos

Tickets available at

Benefiting the Pets Healing Vets program of Humane Society for Hamilton County: Pairing Hoosier veterans with emotional support animals

Event is rain or shine Tickets are non refundable

Presented by

Sorvig

Where’s Amy?

Amy Pauszek is a photographer, award winning film producer and scouting and casting associate for Talent Fusion Agency in Indianapolis. She can be reached at Amy@ youarecurrent.com. To see more of her photos, visit currentnightandday.com.

Where’s attends Center Celebration

From left, Angie and Randy Ernst (Carmel), Jeanne Merry (Carmel), Pete Emigh (Westfield), Shari and Jeff Worrell (Carmel) and Kim and Randy Sorrell (Indianapolis) attend the Center Celebration Sept. 16 at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel for the annual arts gala. Manhattan Transfer, Straight No Chaser and the Lennon sisters were inducted into the Songbook Hall of Fame. Guests enjoyed a lovely dinner, fabulous auction and a great concert featuring Michael Feinstein with the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre performers and Straight No Chaser. The gala raised money for pro gramming for kids and young adults to be a part of great music programs. Guests were dressed to the nines celebrating and supporting the arts. Through table reservations, auction sales, partnerships and donations, the gala, presented by Krieg DeVault, raised more than $689,000 in support of the Center’s arts and educational programming. (Photo by Amy Pauszek)

From left, Bill and Nancy Palmer (Carmel), filmmakers Laura and Jeffrey Graham (Car mel/Los Angeles), Linda Maurer (Carmel) and Carol and Brian Urbanski (Carmel) at tended the Sept. 14 Heartland VIPs and Sips announcement party at Daniel’s Vineyard in McCordsville. The 31st Annual Heartland International Film Festival revealed more than 100 independent films for viewing from Oct. 6-16. For more, visit Heartlandfilm.org. (Right) Brianna and Ronnie Saunders (West field). (Photos by Amy Pauszek)

Dawn of zombie noun

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

in tonight at 10 p.m. after the seven-day forecast.

Legend of Plymouth Rock

Commentary by Don Knebel

Last week, we visited Provincetown, Mass., where the Pilgrims first came ashore in the New World. Today, as we return from Cape Cod, we visit Plymouth, Mass., and its famous rock.

TRAVEL

On Nov. 11, 1620, the Mayflower landed near Provincetown. After 41 male passen gers signed the “Mayflower Compact” while still onboard, the passengers disembarked. Because of the harsh winter conditions, most of them went back onto the ship. After three expeditions identified a suitable site for a farming settlement, the Mayflower sailed across Cape Cod Bay, arriving near what is now Plymouth on Dec. 18, 1620. During the following winter, the passen gers lived on the ship, finally going ashore in March 1621. None of the writings of the Mayflower passengers made any reference to going ashore on or near a rock, let alone a specific rock. However, 120 years later, a local resident proclaimed that a 10-ton boulder identified during construction of a wharf in Plymouth Harbor was a literal step ping-stone as the Pilgrims walked ashore. Despite its implausibility, Plymouth resi dents promoted the story and the legend that “the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock” was born.

In the years since 1741, Plymouth Rock has been broken, moved around town and cemented back together. So much of the original boulder has been chipped away for souvenirs that only about a third remains.

Today, the rock, with “1620” carved into it, lies higher than where it originally lay under a stone portico erected in 1920. Nearby is the Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship that sailed from Plymouth, England, to

Plymouth, Mass., in 1957 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Plym outh, with a population of about 60,000, is a pleasant coastal town about 40 miles southeast of Boston, offering some of the best whale watching, shopping and restau rants in the area.

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

NOTICE

STATE OF INDIANA, COUNTY OF HAMILTON: SS

I, Kathy Kreag Williams, Clerk of the Hamilton County Circuit Court, pursuant to IC 3-11-13-22 and 3-11-14.5-1 do hereby publish notice of a test of the voting systems to be used in the General Election held November 8, 2022 to ascertain that the system will correctly count the votes cast for all selections. The test will be conducted in the Hamilton County Election Office at the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center, One Hamilton County Square, Noblesville, Indiana on the 7th day of October, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.

Witness my hand and seal this 13th day of September, 2022.

Kathy Kreag Williams

Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk

Is it too early to talk about zombies? Halloween is still about a month away, but Home Depot is selling creepy inflat able lawn creatures. In addition, Star bucks has its pump kin spice latte (the McRib of hot drinks) back on the menu. Surely, it’s zombie season.

GRAMMAR GUY

I love a good rebranding effort, and that’s pretty much what writer Helen Sword did with nominalizations. A nom inalization is a noun made from other parts of speech. Picture the leg of a verb or the neck of an adjective sewn onto a suffix like “-ism,” “-ity” or “-tion.” What you end up with is a new noun. Sword calls nominalizations “zombie words” because, as she writes, “they consume the living, they cannibalize active verbs, they suck the lifeblood from adjectives, and they substitute abstract entities for human beings.”

So, what are some examples of zom bie nouns, and are they lurking in your basement, waiting to eat your kids? Tune

“Writers who tend to overload their sentences with nominalizations tend to sound pompous and abstract,” writes Sword, who has the coolest last name since Danny Machete. OK, I made up Danny Machete, but you could bet both authors write some sharp prose.

Zombie nouns have taken over the souls of well-meaning words, leaving us with bloated terms including causation, annoyance, collusion, formulate and implementation. When these words are used sparingly and intentionally, they can stand out; however, the amalgamation and confluence of these integrated syn chronizations result in the obfuscation and overutilization of unnecessary, an noying utterances. Plus, you sound like a snooty jerk.

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

The Mayflower II in Plymouth, Mass., is a replica of the original Mayflower. (Photo by Don Knebel)

Portico over Plymouth Rock.

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR SKILLED CARPENTERS!

Looking for job security? Simpson

Construction Services has so much work that it must hire five people for residential remodeling NOW. The skilled carpenters we select will have strong abilities in bathroom remodeling, but also with respect to kitchens, decks, basements, wood and tile flooring, doors and windows, interior and exterior painting, drywall, plumbing and electrical, siding and room additions.

Again: Only skilled carpenters need apply.

For immediate consideration, call Gary Simpson at 317.703.9575.

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

Come join the NRP Group as a Maintenance Technician at our 84 unit property, Meredith Meadows, in Noblesville, IN!

We are seeking a skilled maintenance individual with HVAC experience who is ready to work for an amazing company with great benefits.

AMAZING BONUS POTENTIAL

Limited nights/weekends, Limited on-call!

Please apply on our career site https://www.nrpgroup.com/careers

Or contact Olivia Palcisko at opalcisko@nrpgroup.com