November 1, 2022 — Noblesville

County seeking public input on parks

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the future of two county parks during an open house this month hosted by the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept.

The open house will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 at Bray Family Homestead Park, 4528 Ind. 38, Noblesville, which was acquired by the county in 2007. It is the site officials with the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept. are looking to further develop Bray Family Homestead Park, while it also recently acquired the HC Farms prop erty at 216th Street and Hinkle Road, said Don Nicholls, resource development spe cialist with the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept.

The meeting is intended to help guide master planning of both properties, accord

ing to Nicholls. Discussion will take place regarding potential recreational activities, amenities and programs for the parks that attendees think should be considered in planning to best serve the community, he added.

In addition, trails and shelters will also

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation will host an open house Nov. 9 at Bray Family Homestead in Noblesville to solicit public input regarding two parks. The feedback will help guide mas ter planning at Bray Family Homestead and at the HC Farms prop erty, according to the county. (Photo provid ed by Hamilton County Parks and Recreation)

be discussed, along with other recreational and nature education options proposed by planners and the public. For more or to learn more about the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept., call 317-770-4400 or visit myhamiltoncountyparks.com.

Noblesville to host Home for the Holidays Tour

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Santa Claus will make an appearance during the annual Home for the Holidays Tour in Noblesville during the first weekend of December.

OPEN HOUSE EVENT

The tour will feature six routes with the downtown portion being the traditional parade route, Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said.

“The Home for the Holidays Tour will be back and bigger than ever this year,” Jensen said. “This tour encompasses a large part of Noblesville as last year it covered over 110 lane miles.”

Although the city has had a route that covered the downtown Noblesville area in past years, Jensen said the city will include the traditional downtown parade route this year. The downtown tour will also include nonprofit organizations and community groups, he added.

“As our community grows, we want to honor our past traditions as well as create new ones for the nearly 70,000 residents who call Noblesville home. We hope this will allow those who wish to see Santa in their neighborhood as well as those who wish to gather with friends and family downtown a great opportunity to do so,” Jensen said. “We are excited for Santa Claus to spread holiday cheer across Noblesville on Dec. 3 and 4.”

The Home for the Holidays Tour will be split by the White River with three routes, including the traditional parade route, being held east of the river Dec. 3. The first tour will begin at 9 a.m. with the traditional downtown parade kicking off at 2 p.m., ac cording to the city.

Another three parade routes will be held Dec. 4 west of the White River, according to the city, which said that routes are still being designed and will be announced in the coming weeks. The Home for the Hol

idays Tour was created to take Santa to the public while thanking first responders and essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic made us be creative to keep the holiday spirit alive. In the four years prior to the change, organizers saw a large decline in parade participants and attendance,” Jensen said. “By changing the format, we immediately saw larger crowds of enthusiastic residents that really enjoyed the new plan, and we heard positive feed back from many residents who otherwise would not have been able to participate at an offsite location. Each year since then, we’ve tried to take Santa and the Home for the Holidays Tour to more people and neighborhoods.”

The Home for the Holidays Tour is part of the city’s seasonal celebration, with Holidays at the Hill returning to Federal Hill Commons starting Nov. 19.

Spotlight on Art to benefit 3 children’s nonprofits

By Mark Ambrogi mark@yourecurrent.com

Several years ago, Esther Lakes attended an art event with an artist friend in Atlanta.

community organizations that make a dif ference in so many lives of children,” she said. “I strongly believe in the work and service they provide.”

FUNDRAISER

Lakes found it to be different from any event she has attended in Hamilton County.

Since then, she has wanted to create something similar to raise funds for organizations that assist children.

After Lakes and her husband, O’Dell, sold Smith’s Jewelers in Noblesville after 50 years of ownership in 2020, Lakes created Spotlight on Art Benefitting Children with the help of community leaders. The event is set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Carmel’s Hotel Carmichael and will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville, Children’s Ther Aplay and Prevail.

“The event will be similar to the one I attended in Atlanta, but on a much smaller scale,” said Lakes, founder and chairman of Spotlight on Art. “The event in Atlanta takes place for a couple of days, much like an art festival. We wanted Spotlight on Art to have a little more upscale feel to it, so we decided to make it an evening event to be held at the luxurious Hotel Carmichael with only juried and award-winning artists participating.”

A Carmel resident, Lakes serves as a board member for Prevail Inc. and the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville and has been a financial supporter of both nonprofits.

“All three organizations are important

Because this is the first year for the event, Lakes said her original goal was to raise enough funds to pay for the event and have a few extra dollars for the children’s organizations.

Lakes

“However, the community has been very supportive, and we have exceeded my expectations,” Lakes said.

The artists participating include painters, textile artists, a woodturner and a ceramic artist. There will be a booth of children’s art representing three local elementary schools as well as children’s art from the three organizations.

The artists participating are Beth Forst, Randall Scott Harden, April Willy, Pam New ell, Gabriel Lehman, Rena Brouwer, Rodney Reveal, Deonna Craig, Steve Haigh, Slyvia Gray, Jill Duzan, Mark Lisota, Kathy Saucier, Gino Johnson and Darlene Patterson.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Facebook page, Spotlight on Art Benefiting Children or Prevail (prevailinc.com) or bit. ly/3N8BA4w.

Tickets are $50. Admission includes wine, champagne, hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to view and purchase art from award-winning artists.

“The artists have very generously agreed to donate 50 percent of all sales to the three children’s charitable organizations,” Lakes said.

DISPATCHES

Bicentennial ambassadors needed — High school sophomores and juniors interested in history and community can apply to serve as Hamilton County Bicentennial Am bassadors through a program sponsored by the 2023 Hamilton County Bicentennial Committee. Student ambassadors will serve as a bridge from the past to the future through conversation and public engage ment from January through December 2023. Apply online through Nov. 30 at bit. ly/3D9BypF.

Prevent catalytic converter theft — Jiffy

Lube of Indiana and Indianapolis Metropol itan Police Dept. have partnered to launch the Catalytic Converter Identification Initia tive to combat a trend of catalytic converter thefts and support vehicle safety. Through this initiative, Hoosiers that visit a Jiffy Lube store in central Indiana can opt to have their technician engrave the last 8 dig its of the vehicle’s VIN on the catalytic con verter and add a stripe of high-temp paint, which adds an extra layer of protection to any vehicle at no additional cost (and no purchase necessary). Services will remain in effect indefinitely.

By Mark Ambrogi mark@yourecurrent.com

Irving Heath’s life was one of service to the military, community and family.

VETERAN

Marilyn Heath, his daugh ter, said as a pastor’s youngest son, her late father learned not only the Golden Rule, but also the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Marilyn said that served him well in work ing with people in the military and commu nity. Hearth, who was known as Irv, will be inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame Nov. 4 at The Garrison, 6002 N. Post Rd., Indianapolis.

Heath, who lived in Noblesville for nearly 70 years, died in December 2016 at age 98.

A first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Heath, a tank driver, was in the 4th Armored Di vision under Gen. Omar Bradley and Gen. George S. Patton during World War II. He ar rived in Normandy, France, a few days after D-Day. He fought in the Siege of Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge.

“He went across Europe into Czechoslova kia and met up with the Russians,” Marilyn said. “He has nine medals from World War II, including a Purple Heart with a cluster for his two injuries and a Bronze Star.”

After recovering from his injuries in Wales, Heath was getting ready to be de ployed to the war front in the Pacific, Mari lyn said.

“The atomic bomb hit Japan and that took care of that,” she said.

Heath grew up in Massachusetts and met his future wife, Rachel Waltz, at DePauw University. Rachel, who was from Arcadia, died in 2010. The couple was married for 68 years and had three children.

“After Pearl Harbor was bombed, he vol unteered and went to leadership training,” said Marilyn, a Noblesville High School graduate.

After the war, Heath worked at Cresson Insurance Agency for several years and then became the sole owner for more than 30 years.

“He said after his war experience, espe cially dealing with the devastated villages in Europe and the effect on his inhabitants, made him want to help anyone in any way he could to improve their situation in life,” Marilyn said.

Health helped found the Boys & Girls

Irving Heath, who lived in Nobles ville for nearly 70 years, will be inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame Nov. 4.

Club of Noblesville in 1952 and served on its board of directors for 40 years. He was also inducted into the Indiana Boys & Girls Hall Club of Fame.

In addition, he served as precinct coun cilman for 18 years and was an active Lions Club member. Heath was presented with the Sagamore of the Wabash, an honorary distinction presented by the governor, and was named grand marshal for the Nobles ville Fourth of July Parade in 2000.

After his daughter Ann died in 2013, Heath moved to Virginia., in 2014 to be close to Marilyn and her husband.

Irving Heath holds a picture of himself in military uniform. (Photos provided by Marilyn Heath)

HSE wide receiver produces big plays for top-ranked team

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Hamilton Southeastern High School ju nior wide receiver Donovan Hamilton’s speed and improved mental game has made the difference for him this season.

“(Hamilton) creates significant big-play potential for our team,”

Royals coach Michael Kelly said. “Most teams struggle defending him 1-on-1.”

The 6-foot-4 Hamilton had 41 catches for 680 yards and eight touchdowns for the Class 6A No. 1 Royals, who were unbeaten heading into the Oct. 28 sectional game against Homestead.

“I think I’ve made the most improvement this season in the weight room and in the mental part of the game,” he said. “Coach Kelly and (strength and conditioning coach Stephen Krzyminski) are always pushing me to go hard in the weight room. Also, back to last season, coach (David) Weitz, our offen sive coordinator, was always on me about

MEET DONOVAN HAMILTON

Favorite athlete: Calvin Johnson

Favorite subject: Spanish

Favorite movie: “Toy Story 2”

Ideal vacation spot: Anywhere with a beach

my mental state during the game. He told me during the offseason he wanted to see me improve that more than anything else, so that’s what I did.

“My coaches in both football and basket ball told me I need to keep my head up after bad plays and just keep working. It has helped a huge amount in my game.”

Kelly

his ability to play the next play,” Kelly said. “He has matured significantly as a player.”

It also helped that Hamilton has been healthy

“I broke my thumb (last year) and missed over half the season,” said Hamilton, who had five catches in 2021. “I didn’t get a lot of playing time when I came back.”

Hamilton said a big key to the team’s suc cess is its work ethic.

Hamilton recently received his first col lege football offer from Ball State University.

“I have definitely had more coaches reach out to me after our team’s success this season,” he said. “I hadn’t had any prior to the season due to my injury holding me back from playing last year. So, it’s great to finally get some exposure and show what I can do.”

Hamilton averaged 7.7 points per game for HSE’s boys basketball team last season.

Hamilton’s older sister, Amaya, was a 2019 Indiana Girls All-Star, playing on the Royals’ state championship team. She is a junior guard/forward at Duquesne Uni versity. Their father, Brian Hamilton, was a defensive tackle for Notre Dame.

Donovan Hamilton recently received a college football offer from Ball State University. (Photo courtesy of Olivia White)

Hamilton

Christmas charity helps families NPX partners with Toys for Tots

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Jay Kern wants to make sure Christmas cheer comes to Hamilton County families in need.

“I think there is a mis conception that there is no need for support in this area because everybody’s rich,” Kern said. “That’s truly not the case. There are 14,000 people that fall below the poverty line.”

Kern and his family have been involved with the Secret Families Christmas Charity of Hamilton County, an organization that deliv ers gifts for families in need, for four years.

With founder Tom Flanagan of the Ham ilton County chapter retiring, Kern and his wife, Leachia, recently stepped in to lead the organization.

“We heard it was not going to happen this year, and we couldn’t let that happen,” Kern said. “We’ve lived in Carmel for almost 25 years, where we are raising our three daugh ters, but are originally from the Muncie area and are no strangers to the Secret Families story started there years ago. I’m friends with the founders, Chris and Al Holdren, and they do such great work.”

It began in 2004 when the Holdrens agreed to purchase gifts for a struggling family in stead of for each other. Now 18 years later, Kern said the charity delivers Christmas to almost 400 families in Delaware County and has affiliates in six additional counties in cen tral Indiana.

Kern said the mission is primarily funded by family sponsorships. The group fundraised to make commitments to the schools it serves by mid-November.

Kern’s daughters, Natalie, Sydney and Ken nedy, are involved each year.

“Our kids love it, and they look forward to participating with us every year,” Leachia said.

For more, visit secretfamilieshc.org.

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Nickel Plate Express and Toys for Tots are partnering to collect toys for families in need this holiday season.

Nickel Plate Ex press is offering free caboose rides Nov. 5 to each passenger who brings a donation. The caboose rides will board from the newly renovated Hobbs Station inside Forest Park from noon to 2 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, with no tickets being sold for the event.

Passengers will enjoy a scenic ride on the historic Monon Caboose over the White River in downtown Noblesville, according to officials.

The Nickel Plate Express travels a 12.5-mile track between Noblesville and Atlanta. The focal point is the historic Hobbs Station, which was built along side the Nickel Plate railroad in Tipton County in 1948 and moved to Forest Park in 1967.

“Toys for Tots is excited to partner with Nickel Plate Express for the 2022

Holiday season,” Toys for Tots Civilian Coordinator Sabrina Young said. “This year is Toys for Tots’ 75th year. We are so thrilled to be able to partner with an organization that has a beautiful train and draws a huge crowd each holiday season. It was the perfect fit to our iconic Toys for Tots train logo.”

Nickel Plate will accept new, un wrapped toys for Toys for Tots through Dec. 23. In addition to caboose rides being offered, the partnership will also offer a visit with Santa from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15. The public is encouraged to bring a toy to donate and then visit with Santa.

“I have always been passionate about giving back to the community,” said Emily Reynolds, director of Nickel Plate Express. “This opportunity to work with Toys for Tots is a perfect chance for Nickel Plate Express to help others during the holiday season.”

For more about different trips on the Nickel Plate Express, ranging from Rein deer Rides to special dining experiences, visit nickelplateexpress.com.

RESEARCH

Holiday event to feature local vendors

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Shoppers can get in the holiday spirit during an upcoming event that will feature more than 100 local ven dors while enjoying beer, wine, cocktails and other beverages.

SHOPPING

The Holiday Sip n Shop will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Roundtripper Sports Academy, 16708 Southpark Dr., Westfield, and is open to all ages. Admission is free.

Jenn Kampmeier-Aaron, who formerly owned Vino Mobile Bar before the business changed hands earlier this year, said she is partnering with Vino Mobile Bar to continue the event, which will be in its ninth year. She said it is important to reach out and support local business owners in the com munity, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the more they are supported, the better off they are.

“I just love seeing local businesses thrive and being able to market their local wares and goods to consumers in the area,” Kamp meier-Aaron said.

Kampmeier-Aaron said the event is a good way for people to get a start on their holiday shopping, adding that boutique items, food, children’s clothes and other gifts will be available for purchase from local businesses.

The Holiday Sip n Shop has typically brought approximately 80 to 120 vendors each year and attracts about 300 to 500 people annually, she said. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit the Mustangs Foundation in Westfield.

More than 100 vendors are expected to attend the Nov. 11 Holiday Sip n Shop at the Roundtrip per Sports Academy in Westfield.

Live music featuring a DJ playing holi day music will be part of the event, while shoppers can also purchase beer, wine or a nonalcoholic drink if they wish while they browse different vendors. Kampmeier-Aaron said the Holiday Sip n Shop is unique in the fact that it will have gifts consume can’t find at big box retailers.

“This is definitely a place where you can get unique gifts for your family members,” Kampmeier-Aaron said. “This is the perfect time right before the holidays for these ven dors to get their name out there … and you can walk in, grab your stuff and off you go.”

For more on the Holiday Sip n Shop, visit bit.ly/3SI8Q3M.

A vendor participates in the 2020 Holiday Sip n Shop event. (Photos provided by Jen Clark Photography)

Board Break-a-Thon fundraiser to benefit children’s hospital

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

Mark your calendars for the return of Board Break-a-Thon, an annual fundraiser for Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascenion St. Vincent conducted by Master Yoo’s World Class Tae Kwon Do.

The Nov. 5 event, which will be in the Hamilton Southeastern High School gym from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., is an exhibition that showcases the ability of Master Yoo’s stu dents for a charitable cause.

The event is open to the public. Master Yoo’s students’ board-breaking skills will be on display, along with many different types of board-breaking techniques. Students will break more than 3,000 boards toward reaching their goal of raising $30,000.

Corporate sponsorships from local busi nesses are also available for the event.

According to Jin Park, director of Master Yoo’s World Class Tae Kwon Do, Master Yoo’s

— which has locations in Carmel, Fishers and Noblesville — has partnered with Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent “in support of the programs and activities that they provide to help those who are physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially challenged and vulnerable.”

Master Yoo’s Board Break-a-Thon has raised more than $162,000 for the cause since 2013.

Opening ceremonies begin at 11 a.m. and will feature advanced student demonstra tions, special presentations and special guests from Peyton Manning Children’s Hos pital at Ascension St. Vincent. Master Yoo’s will accept donations during the event.

“We are confident that our staff and stu dents will put on a crowd-pleasing show and the positive energy for that day will be motivating and inspiring,” Park said.

For more, visit the event website at mas teryootkd.com/boardbreakathon or contact the school at 317-733-8800 or send an email to MasterYooEvent@gmail.com.

Participants at the 2019 “Board Break-a-Thon” in Carmel. (Photo provided by Master Yoo’s World Class Tae Kwon Do)

WE INVITE YOU TO OUR FALL OPEN HOUSE

Learn more about our program for 3 & 4 year-olds

well as potential openings in Kindergarten through 8th Grade

Register for 2023-2024 school year.

tours will be given to you and your children.

Contact Information: Erika Rowe 842-1125 or erowe@sldmfishers.org

www.sldmfishers.org

11421 Hague Road, Fishers

NOBLESVILLE

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.

Project: Raised median Location: Ind. 32 between Oak Ridge Road and Wheeler Road

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Expected completion: Lane restrictions will be in place through the end of October. To reduce congestion, traffic from the west should utilize Spring Mill Road to Kinsey Avenue to 181st Street.

businesses in this area will remain open. Expected completion: TBD

Project: Roundabout, multi-use path construction

Expected completion: November.

WESTFIELD

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: The 191st Street closure from Tomlinson Road to U.S. 31 is converting the road into a boulevard with a roundabout at Chad Hittle Drive.

Expected completion: The road is expected to reopen by Nov. 15.

Project: Grand Park Boulevard extension Location: A section of Grand Park Boulevard between Wheeler Road and 186th Street is closed for construction of the future Grand Park Blvd. extension.

Expected completion: The road will be closed through October.

Project: New roundabout Location: A section of Eagletown Road between 166th Street and SR 32 is closed until Jan. 2, 2023. The closure is for the construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of 171st Street and Eagletown Road.

Expected completion: Closed until Jan. 2, 2023

Project: Drainage project Location: A section of Westfield Park Road where it intersects with the Monon Trail is closed for a drainage project. Access to

Location: The intersection of 106th Street and College Avenue is closed for construction of a roundabout. The multiuse path is under construction along 106th Street from Pennsylvania Parkway to College Avenue.

Expected completion: November

Project: First on Main mixed-use development

Location: Northbound Range Line Road is closed between Main Street to 1st Street NE, and eastbound 1st Street NE is closed between Range Line Road and 1st Avenue NE.

Expected completion: Dec. 9

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: New roundabout

Location: E. Main Street and Lexington Boulevard.

Expected completion: Fall

CARMEL

Send

DISPATCHES

your stories and photos

on new business

interesting residents, upcoming events

photos to Current in Noblesville Man aging Editor Matthew Kent at matthew@ youarecurrent.com. For photo submissions,

provide the full names of individuals,

with a short description of the event,

the date of when it took place.

Malin named to leadership role at Com munity First Bank of Indiana — Mark Malin has been named as Chief Leadership and People Development Officer with Community First Bank of Indiana. He was previously the multisite director at Northview Church in Carmel and also spent 34 years as the founding leader pastor of Oakbrook Minis tries in Kokomo.

OnSite International Inc. to host prayer breakfast Nov. 10 — OnSite International Inc. will host a free prayer breakfast from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. Nov. 10 in the cafeteria at Westfield Middle School, 345 Hoover St. Reg istration is required by Nov. 3 and can be done by visiting www.westfieldprays.com.

$50,000 winning Powerball ticket sold in Noblesville — A $50,000 winning Double Play Powerball ticket was sold in Noblesville at Kroger, 14800 Hazel Dell Crossing. The winning Double Play Powerball numbers for Oct. 24 were 12-48-51-63-67 with the Power ball of 26.

Northside Disability Resource Fair planned Nov. 12 — White River Christian Church, Achieve Community Services, Con nections Case Management and The Colum bus Organization will host the Northside Disability Resource Fair Nov. 12. The free event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at White River Christian Church, 1685 N. 10th St., Noblesville, and will feature more than 50 agencies, food, vendors and raffles. For more information, e-mail info@connec tions-in.com.

Best & Brightest nominations — Junior Achievement of Central Indiana is seeking nominations for its 19th annual Indy’s Best and Brightest event, presented by KPMG LLP. The event will honor 100 of central Indiana’s most outstanding young professionals, age 40 and younger, in 10 industry categories. Visit indysbestandbrightest.org through Nov. 4 to make a nomination.

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Noblesville resident Jon Mobley has made a career out of entertaining audiences with magic but was recently tasked with attempting to trick two of the industry’s biggest names.

Mobley recently flew to Las Vegas, where he appeared Oct. 14 on the Season 9 premiere episode of the television show, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” that focuses on magicians performing tricks in front of the magic/comedy duo Penn & Teller. Mobley was previously on Season 6 of the show and was invited back by producers after showing them a video clip of a new trick he created for the show.

Mobley, who grew up near Batesville, received his first magic trick when he was 8 and said he was excited to learn magic secrets, adding that it was fun to see the reactions of friends and family members.

“My performance career started as a kid in our basement where I charged a quarter for neighbors to see a 10-minute show,” he said. “Soon, I was performing magic for birth day parties, talent shows and family events at various churches.”

Mobley also performed magic on the weekends in college

when he was a student at Anderson University, where he studied filmmaking and marketing. He eventually decided to leave his full-time job in 2016 to pursue magic as a career.

“My specialty is interactive comedy magic. In fact, the au dience and volunteers influence what happens in my show, creating fun twists and surprises,” Mobley said.

Keeping audiences engaged in a live performance while performing magic is also something Mobley described as being tricky since he said people have shorter attention spans than ever before. He said having a volunteer on stage “keeps things more spontaneous and surprising, resulting in a stronger connection with the audience.”

“But I enjoy taking risks with my magic, and my favorite thing about performing is interacting with the others,” Mobley said. “I often use volunteers to assist with tricks because I love using improvisation to add more humor and fun to the experience.”

Mobley said his latest appearance on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” went well, noting that the premise of the show is that Penn & Teller give magicians a trophy that says “F U,” a ref erence to Fooled Us. In Mobley’s case, he didn’t receive such a trophy, but said the experience was fun.

“Even though I’ve done magic (for) 30 years, in front of the great Penn & Teller, it’s still easy to get nervous, but

they make the set so comfortable,” Mobley said. “They’re just so kind and they made it a really great experience.”

And for anyone interested in learning magic, Mobley encouraged people to watch videos and follow a particular entertainer, noting there are different types of magic and entertainment available. He added that he particularly en joys doing magic and connecting with his audiences.

“I like audiences to think we’re going one way and then we go a completely different direction,” he said.

ON THE COVER: Noblesville resident and magician Jon Mobley recently appeared on the television show “Penn & Teller: Fool Us.” (Photos provided by Jon Mobley)

• To watch Jon Mobley’s recent appearance on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, visit youtu.be/mG_AhoBb04U

• For more on Mobley, visit his website at jonmobley.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/ mobleymagic/. He also has an Instagram page @mobleymagic

ELECTION

NOBLESVILLE SCHOOL BOARD AT-LARGE (SELECT TWO):

» JOE FORGEY

Age: 74

Education: Doctor of Dental Surgery, Indiana Univer sity; B.S. Biology, Butler University

Occupation: Retired pediat ric dentistry of Noblesville

City of residence: Noblesville

Length of time in district: 45 years

Immediate family: Widowed, Cynthia Forgey; five adult children (Jennifer Jar rett, Kentfield, CA; Jill Moor, Noblesville; Jay Jarrett, Westfield; Jordan Huffman, Noblesville; Casey Jarrett, Carmel) ;13 grandchildren (five attend Noblesville Schools, 1 NHS graduate)

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Our teachers are the backbone of Nobles ville Schools. Recruiting and retaining the very best for our student learning is my top priority.

To maintain strong learning schools must be funded. This comes from the state legislature and local funds. From my position on the board, I will continue to watch over funds judiciously to minimize the impact to taxpayers. Strong schools make for a strong community.

My third issue is helping to implement the Hamilton County Center for Career Achievement (an agreement between all six Hamilton County school corporations to provide career and vocational training to students in the county).

» CHUCK HABERMAN

Age: 38

Education: B.S., Organi zational Leadership and Supervision from IUPUI, Purdue School of Engineer ing and Technology; MPS, Organization Development and Change from Penn State University; Executive Certificate, Economic Development from Univ. of Oklahoma, Economic Development Institute

Occupation: Assistant economic develop ment director, City of Noblesville

City of residence: Noblesville

Length of time in district: 6-plus years

Immediate family: Wife. Kari, daughter, Paige, and son, Connor

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Life skills, employability, and career development.

Life skills — such as personal financial management, critical thinking, and de

veloping healthy lifestyle habits are all skills that need to be introduced at an early age. Since moving to Noblesville, I’ve spent my entire professional career sup porting workforce development in central Indiana and beyond. As a school board member, I will continue to work to pro vide students the opportunity to explore, understand, and engage careers. I want kids and young adults to understand they have the ability to define their own success, whether that’s through military service, college, apprenticeship, or some other training, it requires becoming a lifelong learner.

Communication and accountability –

When elected to the school board I will practice open and honest communication, listening, understanding, and being a voice for the thoughts, ideas, and con cerns of the community. I will also hold myself, my peers, and the administration accountable for their performance in car rying out their duties.

Financial stewardship – I believe a strong school system requires strategic finan cial planning. From the brief inside look during my Miller Ambassadors course, the school district’s community leadership program, I think Noblesville Schools has done a good job managing borrowing costs, utilizing referendum funding, and maintaining an AA+ credit rating.

» MELBA KISER

Age: Not necessary Education: Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in management Occupation: Retired City of residence: Noblesville

Length of time in district: Since 2019 Immediate family: Married to my hus band for almost 40 years, one daughter, two grandchildren.

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Increase students’ proficiency in math and reading, especially in the elementary grades, continue pushing for legislation in our state that will improve our edu cation system for K-12, and put kids first with age-appropriate policies that better protect their rights.

» BRIAN LASKEY

Age: 36

Education: B.A. Political Science from Purdue Uni versity, Master of Nonprofit Management and Master Certificate in Program Management from Regis University, SPHR

certified, plus other HR credentials. Occupation: Senior director of human resources for The Villages of Indiana, a nonprofit focused on foster care and adoption across the state.

City of residence: Noblesville Length of time in district: 2-plus years Immediate family: My wife Stephanie, our 5-year-old son Aiden who we adopted at birth, through domestic infant adop tion, and our two dachshunds Oscar and Abby.

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Teachers pay: Noblesville is drastically lagging behind Hamilton County when it comes to peer districts in terms of teach er pay.

College and career readiness: We score below the state in terms of Career Readi ness. We are moving forward with a new Hamilton County Career Center, but we need to engage the community STEAM education: Our STEM has been ranked in the 1 percent nationally for the high school, we need to see however, our Arts programs especially our music have been just as recognized but have gotten very little. We need to ensure the arts are taken care of.

» MISTI RAY

Age: Candidate declined to provide Education: Noblesville edu cation, state licensed Cos metologist, state licensed Realtor/Broker.

Occupation: Realtor of 14 years

City of residence: Noblesville

Length of time in district: Lifelong dis trict resident

Immediate family: Husband (Brian), three children, my parents and my in-laws all live in Noblesville

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Student academic achievement, transpar ency, and parents’ rights.

NOBLESVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD (PICK 3)

» JOE ARROWOOD

Age: (Declined to provide) Education: Graduate of East Tennessee State University

Occupation: Retired, pre viously a Realtor, and ex ecutive director of Boys & Girls Club and Noblesville Main Street City: Noblesville

Immediate family: Three sons and eight grandkids

What are the top three issues that your

campaign will focus on?

To continue the programs that we’ve started and continue to try to make sure there’s nobody left behind, especially the people who come in there and ask for (assistance).

» PAULA JO GILLIAM

Age: 71

Education: High School No blesville High School gradu ate, ITT Technical Institute

HVAC, Occupation: Retired

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Transportation, food pantry, affordable housing.

» PEGGY R. PFISTER

Education: Bachelor of Science, Purdue University Master of Science, Butler University

Occupation: Noblesville Township Board

City of residence: Noblesville

Immediate family: Scott (son) and Kim Pfister, grandsons John and Riley. Lau rie Pfister DeVries (daughter) and Fred DeVries Brian (son) and Amber Pfister, grandsons Sam, Mason and Cam.

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Improved mental health programs and counseling to care for those most at risk Affordable Housing, including homeless housing achieved through county-wide support and enhanced low-income housing

More effective programs dealing with multi-substance addiction and alcohol in our community.

» MARY SUE ROWLAND

Age: 81

Education: Graduated No blesville High School, stud ied at Ball State University

Occupation: Retired.

Business owner of travel agency and co-owner of Rowland Printing Company.

City of residence: Noblesville

Immediate family: Late husband Ted Rowland, sons Dane and Dean, grandson Vincent and granddaughter Vivian.

What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?

Every year the State Legislature consid ers closing all statewide Township offic es. My question is why?

Emergency Shelter space has always

been an unmet need in Hamilton County. With nine townships in Hamilton County, could this be an area of cooperation?

Drug addiction, housing, training and jobs, can we do more to serve?

HAMILTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR

» JESSICA PAXSON

Party: Democrat

Education: B.A. in criminal justice and criminology, Ball State University, 2006; J.D., Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 2008.

Occupation: Deputy prosecutor, Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office City: Noblesville Age: 38

Immediate family: Single Top campaign issues: Aggressively prosecuting violent and habitual offend ers; establishing a Special Victims Unit focused on domestic violence and sex crime cases; continuing the relentless pursuit of red flag law cases to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals whom law enforcement has identified as experiencing mental health crises; [Part

nering with law enforcement agencies to develop training programs for new offi cers and prosecutors

Website: PaxsonForProsecutor.com

» J. GREGORY GARRISON

Party: Republican Education: IU Bloomington, Social Studies B.S. ed, 1970.

IU School of Law, J.D. 1973. Occupation: Lawyer City: Fishers Age: 74

Immediate family: Wife, Phyllis, seven children, 15 grandchildren

Top campaign issues: Protecting citizens from violent crimes; build a rapport with law enforcement to prepare stronger cases for prosecution; train the next gen eration of deputy prosecutors to leave a legacy for the next generation.

Website: garrisonforprosecutor.com

HAMILTON COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2

» AMY MASSILLAMANY

Age: 41

Education: B.S, public affairs

Occupation: Director, client development at RGP; RGP is a global consulting firm that specializes in finance, accounting,

governance, risk and compliance, infor mation management, human capital and corporate advisory.

City: Fishers Immediate family: Jackson, 14, a fresh man at Cathedral High School, and Sul livan, 11, a sixth grader at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School

Lived in district: 15 years What are the top issues that your campaign will focus on? Maintain Hamilton County’s low tax rate and AAA bond rating by way of conservative fiscal decision making; continue to prioritize public safe ty; advocate for Hamilton County domes tic violence shelter and support of mental health initiatives; expand county parks and quality of life projects.

» NATHAN BULLOCK

Age: 27

Education: Graduated high school from Noblesville, graduated college from Ball State with a degree in in dustry and technology, with a technology design minor. Occupation: Estimator/project manager for a casework/millwork subcontractor City: Fishers Lived in district: Four years

ELECTION

Immediate family: I am married to my beautiful wife, and we have three cats and a dog

What are the top issues that your cam paign will focus on? Affordable living, public transportation and transparency

UNOPPOSED:

» THERESA CALDWELL, Republican, Nobles ville Township Trustee

» CHUCK GOODRICH, Republican, State Rep resentative, District 29

» TODD HUSTON, Republican, State Repre sentative, District 37

Your Partner

LOST IN THE MEDICARE MAZE?

Word play

Commentary by Terry Anker

For many, the English language is fundamentally difficult to learn. There are countless words that mean different things but are spelled the same. Many others are spelled differently and have different meanings but are pronounced identically, and still more are spelled the same but have different meanings and pronunciations. Here, it would seem, context is everything, and most discern from the various possible intentions by the other words that come before and after the one in question. Word games, even among those of us who might call the English language our native tongue, can become impossibly complex, absent sufficient framework to help one dis cern the meaning.

Still, for those of us who enjoy the mental exercise of language, homonyms, homophones and homographs make rich fodder for double entendre and farce-like confusion. Games like Wordle, Scrabble, Wordscapes, crosswords, or clever vanity license plates challenge us to open our perspective and sharpen our wit.

An electric car owner might express their freedom from the pump with the plate BYBY GAS. In saying bye, bye to traditional fossil fuel, they are no longer required to “buy buy” at the filling sta tion.  OK, it all makes good sense and is terrific word play. But a significant percentage of our government road pro grams are paid for via fuel taxes. Good again. User taxes often make sense and are the fairest. But if we all “buy buy” electric vehicles, who is now supporting the infrastructure fees? Should electric utilities collect a percentage of their bills as a “plug-in” apportionment? Or are the folks left with traditional inter nal combustion engines footing more of the cost, and are those of us who are e-capable escaping the taxman? Maybe they should. Is it only in the context of our intended policy that we can decide?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

POLICIES

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HUMOR

Playing the quiet game

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

It’s been a while since I’ve had to utilize the Quiet Game, a tried-and-true parental ploy for getting children to be silent for a few godforsaken minutes. Even when our four kids were still living at home, they were mostly barricaded in their rooms or off with friends. Si lence basically became the norm. But recently, I had to unearth a version of the QG from my bag of retired mom tricks simply to make it home from West Lafayette.

My husband, Doo, and I, along with our oldest son, had spent the afternoon at Purdue University visiting our young est for Parents Weekend. We’d started at a seedy campus bar and ended at a parking lot tailgate party. Needless to say, the cheap beer and deceptively potent shots had flowed freely. Not for me, of course; real Coke and strong cof fee are my preferred means of partying these days. At any rate, by the time we were ready to head back, Doo and our firstborn were on a roll. An obnoxiously loud and decidedly fervent roll.

Somehow, I had to find a way to sur vive an hour-plus car ride in a Honda Accord with these two, who even when sober are famously known as high-deci bel talkers. As I began muttering the serenity prayer, I suddenly remembered the QG. “Let’s see who can be quiet for five minutes!” I announced with enthusi asm. “OK!” they replied.

Not surprisingly, neither made it. The grown men in my life just couldn’t keep their gosh-darn, drunken mouths shut. But they did at least try, and I was able to gain a couple precious moments of relative calm. Thanks, QG!

Peace out.

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

Terry Anker

“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’”

Dying to win an argument

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

A woman who keeps quiet during an argument with her husband is four times more likely to die from heart disease, according to an article in the journal of Psychoso matic Medicine, something I don’t generally read, but my doctor’s office lobby had a choice of that or a 1993 Reader’s Digest.

HUMOR

So, if I argue with my wife, I’m a boorish brute. But if she argues with me, she’ll live longer? More and more women will be gin taking issue with their husbands’ point of view in the hopes of staying healthy. This puts men in a tough spot. My favor ite phrase to Mary Ellen, “Would it kill you to agree with me for a change?” has a new meaning.

This journal also claimed that drinking several cups of coffee a day is good for you, only months after the same publication said coffee causes heart disease. For a long time, they also said it was tea that is good for you, so now I’m drinking both tea and coffee four times a day, just to be sure. I might not live longer, but since I can never fall asleep, it will certainly feel longer.

My wife and I have argued about some odd stuff through the years (argue is the wrong word. Mary Ellen doesn’t want read ers to think we don’t get along). We talked about this the other day as our voices got louder and we shook our fingers at each other. In the end, I would have said I lost the argument, but now I know I simply got annihilated in a friendly discussion.

We have debated just about everything in our 42 years of marriage: How to eat pop corn; when to nap; how to load a dishwash er; how to cook a scrambled egg. We once debated whether my mother knew how to raise children. I thought my mom had done a pretty good job, but I must admit, Mary Ellen provided some strong proof to the contrary. Me!

I must not be a good debater, because I lose exchanges even if I present facts. For example, I was sure this past July was my wife’s 71st birthday, but she claimed she was only 67. I knew she was just kidding, but I liked the challenge and the chance to win an argument. I asked to see her passport and her driver’s license to bolster my position.

“Not only that, Mary Ellen, but I’m 75 and when we got married, I was four years older than you,” I said. “That hasn’t changed.”

– DICK WOLFSIE

“Oh, Dick, you’re living in the past. That was 42 years ago.”

She keeps reminding me that if she digs in and holds her ground in a disagreement, she will live to a ripe old age.

“Dick, don’t you always want me to be around to take care of you?”

No argument there.

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

Brain cancer survivor completes inspirational ride

By Chris Bavender news@currentnoblesville.com

A Carmel doctor and brain cancer survi vor took to the road for the 100-mile Tour de Komen bike ride this month in an effort to inspire others with physical challenges to get active to help in their recovery and in support of two family friends who battled breast cancer.

GIVING BACK

The ride began in Fishers and ended in Terre Haute.

Dr. Doug Metz was diagnosed in 1996 at age 39 with an acoustic neuroma brain tumor.

“The diagnosis of a 5-centimeter acous tic neuroma tumor and seeing the MRI was scary and discouraging. Surgery that was needed to treat me was emotionally devastating,” Metz said. “I learned that the surgery would save my life and could cure me of the tumor but would leave me with a variety of possible permanent disabilities.”

After the surgery, Metz struggled with balance issues and had to learn to walk again. He also became permanently deaf in his left ear, had vision impairment because of dry eye syndrome and was left with a permanent facial deformity caused by nerve damage.

“Some days I felt like I was moving for ward in a heavy fog, trying to grasp it all, but knowing I needed to keep moving,” Metz said. “Just like in cycling, you must keep moving or you will fall over.”

Active in road biking, rock climbing, swimming and skating before his diagnosis, Metz focused his efforts on getting some function back so he could be reengaged with family activities and return to work

duties as chief health services officer and executive vice president at American Spe ciality Health. His wife, Ruth, saw informa tion about the Tour de Komen ride, and Metz was impressed with the focus on research to find better treatments.

Metz said he had to overcome many neg ative and difficult times climbing the hills of brain tumor recovery. It’s become a mes sage he wants to pass along to others.

“Once I learned to be aware and accept that recovery would be hard, that ‘living life’ with limitations, such as a disfigured face and hearing loss, would be different than expected, I came to grasp and accept that living life outside of that smaller box I had previously accepted could be hard, but fulfill ing, thrilling and joyful,” Metz said. “Accepting a new reality and pushing through it with all available tools and supporters makes cross ing the recovery finish line possible.”

The ride was founded by Westfield resident Kyle Vannoni, who lost his mother to breast cancer. The event benefits the Susan G. Komen nonprofit, which raises funds to sup port breast cancer patients and find a cure.

Learn more at tourdekomen.org.

DISPATCHES

Eye pain relief — When something small and abrasive gets in your eye -- such as a piece of sand or dirt whipped up by the wind -- the last thing you want to do is rub it against your fragile cornea. Try this instead - grab a facial tissue. With one hand, pull your lashes so that the upper lid is away from your eye. With the other hand holding the tissue, gently blow your nose three times. The pressure should make that foreign object fly away.

Source: BottomLineInc.com

Avoid that cold — As soon as you feel that first hint of a cold – stuffy nose or scratchy throat – begin a regimen of Vitamin C and zinc. Take 500-1500mg of Vitamin C daily. Any more than 1500mg can cause diarrhea. Take 10-25mg of zinc per day. Be aware, though, that zinc lozenges and tablets can cause upset stomach or a metallic taste. This regimen is not a cure, but it can stop the virus from spreading and getting worse.

Source: BottomLineInc.com

Dr. Doug Metz recently completed the 100-mile Tour de Komen bike ride. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Doug Metz)

CE Solutions moves to Fishers

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Its Carmel home had served CE Solutions well for 20-plus years.

RELOCATION

“We saw a lot of suc cess with it,” said CE Solutions President J.D. Taylor, who has been with the company for approximately 20 years. “We really had ex ceeded the space at our location.”

The structural engineering company moved in early October from its Carmel building at the intersection of Range Line Road and Shoshone Dr. to 8770 North St., Suite 100, in downtown Fishers.

“We’ve doubled our space, and it’s much more efficient,” Taylor said. “We’ll be able to grow significantly more in this space.”

Matt Clark, who serves as chief executive officer, purchased the company from Steve Osborn earlier this year. Osborn, who found ed the company in his Carmel basement in 1998, remains as the founding principal.

Osborn owns the building in Carmel. Osborn said his plan is to lease the space, which is approximately 3,000 square feet. Taylor said there has been continued

growth through the history of the company. They are working on adding to the staff of 16 now.

“I think moving here into this space is go ing to help with the recruiting,” Taylor said.

The new building housing CE Solutions was constructed in 2018, while the Carmel building was older.

“Downtown Fishers is robust in terms of its development,” he said. “With all the tech nology companies moving to Fishers, we’re excited to be part of that (growth), and I think it is going to give us a lot of energy.”

Those interested in the Carmel space, should contact ALO Property Group’s Lora Moore at lora@alopg.com. For more, visit cesolutionsinc.com.

DISPATCHES

Indiana is 8th-most federally dependent state — A recent study by WalletHub, a per sonal finance website, shows that Indiana is the eighth-most federally dependent state in the U.S. WalletHub compared the 50 states across three key metrics: Return on taxes paid to the federal government; federal funding as a share of state revenue; and share of federal jobs. To see full study results, visit wallethub.com.

Source: WalletHub.com

Initiative benefits truckers — The Indiana Dept. of Transportation’s Trucks Park Here system is a multi-state, regional effort to make interstate travel safer by creating a network of safe, convenient parking areas for truckers with the ability to collect and share real-time parking availability with drivers through dynamic message signs, smartphone applications, and traveler infor mation websites. INDOT has 19 sites in the Trucks Park Here system along Interstates 65, 69 and 70. The routes are among some of the most important corridors in the U.S. with truck volumes already exceeding 25,000 trucks per day and expected to grow.

Discounts that actually cost you money

— Retailers have latched onto a way to offer giant percentages off that are mesmerizing to shoppers but are not what they seem. The pitch: You get a gigantic discount, typi cally up to 70 percent off, but the fine print notes that you get that discount only on a second or third of multiple similar items. Signs in store windows and on store shelves (and online) shout out the percentage and shoppers often don’t do the math to see just how unimpressive these offers typically are. For example, based on an offer of “buy two, get the third 50 percent off,” you take three items to checkout, where you then receive a total discount of 17 percent because you pay full price for the first two items.

Source: BottomLineInc.com

Hiring a tax professional — In most states, including Indiana, tax preparers do not have to meet any licensing standards, so you need to do your homework if you plan to hire a professional to do your taxes. Ask about any professional certifications, such as a CPA or Enrolled Agent. Find out what your recourse against the preparer is if you get audited and penalties are assessed. Finally, ask for refer ences and check them out.

Source: BottomLineInc.

CE Solutions recently moved to office space in downtown Fishers. (Photo courtesy of CE Solutions)

Soprano to play ‘Tosca’ in Indy Opera production

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

It seems fitting that Angela Brown is finally getting to play one of her favor ite roles in her hometown.

PERFORMANCES

“Honestly, I don’t know exactly how many times be cause I have sung full productions and concert versions of ‘Tosca’ in several plac es in the United States and Europe, but never in Indiana,” Brown said at “Tosca” performances. “That I get to sing my favor ite opera and title role for my hometown audience, fans, family and friends is excit ing, to say the least. After (the) COVID (pan demic) and lockdown, it is nice to finally get back to some kind of normalcy.”

Brown, an Indianapolis resident, will perform in the title role of “Tosca” Nov. 11-13 in the Indianapolis Opera’s production at The Tarkington at the Center of the Performing Arts in Carmel. The opera is set during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802).

“‘Tosca’ is one of my favorite operas because she is a complex woman,” Brown said. “She is jealous, hopeful, in love, vin dictive, courageous, brave and impulsive. It’s wonderful to be able to peel the onion of her madness all evening, not to mention the gorgeous music of (Giacomo) Puccini that I get to sing.”

Brown said it’s one of the more chal lenging operas for sopranos.

“The soprano uses the full range of her voice as well as the range of her emo tions,” Brown said. “You have to be smart to sing ‘Tosca.’ You could ‘blow your wad’ in the second act if you are not careful. At that point in the opera, Tosca has been beaten down to the point that she is pray ing and begging God. To be able to rally yourself after all the emotional turmoil she is expressing right before the signature aria, ‘Vissi d’arte,’ takes a smart singer. And I hope I fill the bill.”

Brown will work for the first time with Metropolitan Opera tenor Gregory Turay and director James Marvel. Turay plays rebellious painter Cavaradossi.

“This is exciting for me because Gregory

and I competed in the Metropolitan Opera competition together and we have known each other for many years,” Brown said. “I look forward to being his Tosca and to working with James Marvel for the first time, too.”

This is Marvel’s first time directing at Indianapolis Opera. He has directed many times at Indiana University.

However, Marvel, who is the director of the opera program at the University of Tennessee, said when Indianapolis Opera General Director David Starkey was at Asheville (N.C.) Lyric Opera, he did three or four shows.

“We’ve known each other for a couple of decades now,” said Marvel, who also runs an agency for other directors, conductors and designers.

Marvel has directed “Tosca” at least five times.

“It’s one of my very favorites,” said Marvel, who directed “Tosca” for Opera Carolina Oct. 13-16 in Charlotte, N.C. “I think it’s the most perfectly constructed opera both dramatically and musically that has ever been written. If you were to say to me, you can only direct one act of any

opera for the rest of your life, it would be Act 2 of ‘Tosca.’ If you were to say you can only direct two acts, it would be Acts 1 and 2 of ‘Tosca.’ I literally think it’s genius, it’s brilliant.”

Marvel said he has been aware of Brown’s work for several years.

“It’s been a dream of mine to work with her for a good while,” Marvel said.

Marvel said the key to directing “Tosca” is being flexible and to work with the peo ple in the room.

“If someone has a different interpreta tion of the character than you have, you can have conversations about it,” Marvel said. “Ultimately, your dedication has to be having the best show possible, not to having my show. It’s the performers’ ‘Tosca.’ The most challenging thing is the timing about what you do with the sol diers at the top of Act 3. Finding the right choreography with the soldiers and the changing of the guard and training them to walk as soldiers takes time. Every set is different.”

The performances are at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11-12 and 3 p.m. Nov. 13.

For more, visit indyopera.org.

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’

“The Addams Family” runs through Nov. 20 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianap olis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

CARMEL APPRENTICE THEATRE

Carmel Apprentice Theatre will present “The Addams Family,” a musical, through Nov. 13 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. For more, visit thecat.biz.

‘VIOLET’

Actors Theatre of Indiana will present “Vio let” through Nov. 13 at the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carm el. For more, visit atistage.org.

JON MCLAUGHLIN

Jon McLaughlin: Indiana 15th Anniversary Tour will stop at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1-2 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenter presents.org.

CHRIS BOTTI

Chris Botti will perform a concert at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION”

The Indiana Wind Symphony will perform “Pictures at an Exhibition” with soprano soloist Jessamyn Anderson at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit Indianawindsymphony.org.

DISPATCH

ICC to host Sing-A-Thon — The Indianapolis Children’s Choir will host its annual Sing-AThon fundraising event from noon to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5. Singers from first grade through high school and beyond will perform a free concert at Shelton Auditorium on the Butler University campus as the ICC raises funds toward its $40,000 goal. The fundraising event helps support ICC programming, scholarships and outreach efforts through out the year. For more visit, icchoir.org/ Sing-A-Thon to donate and see the full schedule of Sing-A-Thon performances.

Indianapolis resident Angela Brown, who will perform in the title role in Indianapolis Opera’s production of “Tosca,” pauses outside of the Palladium. (Photo courtesy of Paulina Osherov)

Violinist will appear as CSO soloist

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Carmel Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director Janna Hymes was immediately impressed when she saw violinist Alexis Kenney per form for the first time a few years ago.

“The minute I heard him play, he was on my list to work with as a guest art ist,” Hymes said. “At the CSO, we were able to contract him soon after.”

Kenney will perform as a guest soloist in the CSO’s Masterworks 2 concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts in Carmel.

“Alexi is a fantastic musician and that is always the main criteria I consider when choosing guest artists,” Hymes said. “I was impressed by his playing as well as his energy.”

Kenney will perform as the soloist on “Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1.”

Kenney solos with major orchestras across the U.S. and aboard and plays recit als at places like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Cen ter and London’s Wigmore Hall. Last year, he

released his first recording, “Paul Wiancko: X Suite for Solo Violin,” a piece he commis sioned and premiered in 2019.

The concert opens with “Overture from Colas Breugnon,” which Hymes describes as a fast and exciting piece by the spirited Russian composer Dmitry Kabalevsky. That is followed by “Bruch Violin Concerto.”

The concert ends with a piece by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

IWS to feature guest conductors

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

School graduate, will be the guest soloist.

MUSIC

Indiana Wind Symphony music director and founder Charles Conrad is using the rest of the 2022-23 season and the follow ing season to find his replacement.

Conrad, 68, said he is retiring at the end of the 2023-24 season, his 25th with IWS. He will turn 70 short ly before that season ends.

“We are in conductor search at this point,” Conrad said. “I’m going to have a guest conductor do at least a couple of numbers as kind of an audition at each show.”

The IWS will perform a concert featuring “Pictures at an Exhibition” at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Palladium at the Center for the Per forming Arts in Carmel.

Conrad will conduct the opening piece and then introduce guest conductor Trae Blanco, who is the director of bands at But ler University. Blanco will conduct the rest of the concert.

Jessamyn Anderson, a 2011 Carmel High

“Pictures at an Exhibition” is the arrange ment that was done for the Marine Band, which is most of the second half of the concert, Conrad said. Anderson will perform “Songs from a Silent Land” by com poser Michael Daugherty, a compo sition professor at the University of Michigan. The piece was inspired by poems of Emily Dickinson and Chris tina Rossetti.

“It’s a new piece that premiered in 2018,” Conrad said. “We were supposed to do it in 2020 but it got canceled because of COVID.”

Anderson will sing “The Girl in 14G” to demonstrate her Broadway skills. The song is about a girl who moves to New York and has a jazz singer below her and opera sing er above her.

Conrad is recovering well after having surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye. The IWS had to cancel its Sept. 25 concert featuring the music of John Wil liams. It has been rescheduled for Feb. 26, 2023.

For more, visit Indianawindsymphony.org.

the

Violinist Alexi Kenney will perform during the Carmel Symphony Orchestra’s Masterworks 2 concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Palladium. (Photo courtesy Carmel Symphony Orchestra)

Blanco

‘Five Points’ takes another step

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For Douglas Lyons, this writers’ retreat was another major step for “Five Points.”

THEATER

Lyons and Ethan Pakchar and Harrison David Rivers were hosted by Discovering Broadway Oct. 9-14 at the Hotel Carmichael in Carmel.

Set in New York City in 1863, “Five Points” follows Willie Green, a young Black man, and Irish immigrant and jig champion Josh Diamond. The show follows the birth of American tap dance. The musical’s book was written by Rivers, the lyrics by Lyons and the music by Lyons and Pakchar.

“The Discovering Broadway residency was a huge game changer for our process,” Lyons said. “Since we started this show eight years ago, all our lives have evolved. Scheduling has become one of our largest hurdles, so our time in Indy afforded us some divine time to solely focus on our much-needed changes. We got a lot of great work done.”

Lyons said some changes were made during the retreat.

“Two characters were cut,” he said. “Two

new songs were written, and a lot of new lyrics were reworked. Personally, not being in NYC and having the space to meet with out much distraction created a vibration around the work. I like to call it ‘the hum.’”

Lyons said the team goal is to finish a new draft by February 2023.

“Our time with Discovering Broadway really got us closer to that dream,” he said.

A concert with songs from the musical at the Madam Walker Legacy Center at In dianapolis will be performed Feb. 10 during Black History Month.

For more, visit discoveringbroadway.org.

Getting ready for the holidays

Commentary by Mark LaFay

We are getting close to the holiday sea son and with the holidays, and you know what that means: Party time!

CHARCUTERIE

Our family loves to have friends and family over for food. There is something special about having loved ones in the home. The warm feeling is magnified during the holidays when we become more introspective, thoughtful of the past year and hopeful of the year to come. If you like to entertain in your home, or maybe hosting events for work, you can’t always cook a big awesome meal. Sometimes making hot and cold appetizers can become a drag. You can probably guess what I’m getting ready to say. Entertain with charcuterie!

Charcuterie can be as expensive as a nice dinner, depending on the items and quantities you purchase. You don’t need to go overboard with meat and cheese, which also happen to be the most expensive in gredients. A healthy mix of toast, crackers, savory and sweet spreads, fresh and dried

fruit, mixed nuts and preserved, pickled or fermented veggies can definitely help you have a lovely spread on a smaller budget. When picking out items for your char cuterie board, find combinations you know to be good. High fat generally goes well with high acid. Salty can pair nicely with sweet as well. Soft gets a little more di mension when paired with crunchy. Guide the eater by grouping your inspired combi nations close together. This will make the munching more intuitive.

Finally, consider your portion sizes. I always suggest portioning your meat and cheese first. The reason for this is that meat and cheese almost always are the focal point of the board. When you are out of either of them, the grazing will start to dissipate.

Happy entertaining!

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

Douglas Lyons, left, and Discovering Broadway founder Joel Kirk during Lyons’ visit for the writers’ retreat. (Photo courtesy of Douglas Lyons)

Blueprint for Improvement: Authentic Indianapolis addition

After

Built in 1926, the owners of this home in the But ler-Tarkington neighborhood wanted to expand their indoor space and upgrade their outdoor experience while maintaining their home’s architectural integrity.

THE BLUEPRINT

• Custom trim, moldings and authentic period finishes help ensure the additions blend seamlessly with the home’s original architecture, inside and out.

• An additional bedroom was constructed on the home’s second story, which was reconfigured to create space for a master closet and laundry room.

• A covered patio helps incorporate the secondfloor addition into the home’s exterior, while an integrated heater allows for outdoor enjoyment across seasons.

• Composite decking, custom aluminum railings and a concrete patio come together to create a perfect gathering spot that blends seamlessly with the home’s historic appeal.

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

Become a volunteer today

Riverview Health is looking for volunteers to join its great team. Some of the many volunteer service areas include patient transport, guest services and the gift shop. Shifts are available in the morning or afternoon, at least one day per week, Monday-Friday. If you’re interested in volunteering at Riverview Health in Noblesville or Westfield, please contact the manager of Volunteer Services, Melinda Nash, at 317.776.7236 or mnash@riverview.org. You can also scan the QR code to download an application.

RIGHT

Before

Commentary by Larry Greene

Touring the historic mansions of Newport, R.I.

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, on our way home from Cape Cod, we stop by Newport, R.I. Founded in 1639, Newport was originally best known for its religious free dom. A Quaker meetinghouse, built in 1699, is the oldest religious struc ture in Rhode Island, and Touro Synagogue, founded in 1763, is the nation’s oldest synagogue. Newport is now famous for its palatial oceanfront mansions.

TRAVEL

In the 1880s, America’s wealthiest fam ilies began competing to build the most expensive and elaborate “cottage” in Newport. The competition became most intense between two grandsons of Cor nelius Vanderbilt. Between 1888 and 1892,

NOTICE OF DECISION

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) issued a decision regarding a renewal for the Hamilton County Transfer Station (SW Program ID 29-02) at 11735 State Route 238, Noblesville, Indiana, 46060, four miles southeast of Noblesville on SR 238. This solid waste transfer station permit, allows the permittee, Waste Management of Indiana, L.L.C. to renew a permit for their existing facility in Hamilton County for another five years. The final decision is available online via IDEM’s Virtual File Cabinet (VFC). Please go to: http://vfc.idem.in.gov/. You can search there for approval documents using a variety of criteria. A copy of the permit decision has also been mailed to the following library: Hamilton East Public Library, 1 Library Plaza, Noblesville, 46060

If you need assistance accessing the permit, please contact the Solid Waste Permits Section at (317) 234-9536 or toll free within Indiana at (800) 451-6027, or send an e-mail to OLQ@idem.IN.gov with the permit information in the subject line.

APPEAL PROCEDURES

If you wish to challenge this decision, IC 13-15-6-1 and IC 4-21.5-3-7 require that you file a Petition for Administrative Review. If you seek to have the effectiveness of the permit stayed during the Administrative Review, you must also file a Petition for Stay. The Petition(s) must be submitted to the Office of Environmental Adjudication (OEA) at the following address within 15 days of the date of newspaper publication of this Notice:

Office of Environmental Adjudication Indiana Government Center North, Room N103 100 North Senate Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46204

The Petition(s) must include facts demonstrating that you are either the applicant, a person aggrieved or adversely affected by the decision, or otherwise entitled to review by law. Identifying the permit, decision, or other order for which you seek review by permit number, name of the applicant, location, or date of this notice will expedite review of the petition. Additionally, IC 13-15-6-2 and 315 IAC 1-3-2 require that your Petition include:

1. the name, address, and telephone number of the person making the request;

2. the interest of the person making the request;

3. identification of any persons represented by the person making the request;

4. the reasons, with particularity, for the request;

5. the issues, with particularity, for the request;

6. identification of the terms and conditions which, in the judgment of the person making the request, would be appropriate in the case in question to satisfy the requirements of the law governing documents of the type granted or denied by the Commissioner’s action; and

7. a copy of the pertinent portions of the permit, decision, or other order for which you seek review, at a minimum, the portion of the Commissioner’s action that identifies the person to whom the action is directed and the identification number of the action.

Pursuant to IC 4-21.5-3-1(f), any document serving as a petition for review or review and stay must be filed with the OEA. Filing of such a document is complete on the earliest of the following dates:

1. the date on which the petition is delivered to the OEA;

2. the date of the postmark on the envelope containing the petition, if the petition is mailed to the OEA by United States mail; or

3. the date on which the petition is deposited with a private carrier, as shown by a receipt issued by the carrier, if the petition is sent to the OEA by private carrier.

In order to assist permit staff in tracking any appeals of the decision, please provide a copy of your petition to Lindsey Hummel, IDEM, Solid Waste Permits, IGCN 1154, 100 North Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251.

The OEA will provide you with notice of any pre-hearing conferences, preliminary hearings, hearings, stays, or orders regarding this decision if you submit a written request to the OEA. If you do not provide a written request to the OEA, you will no longer be notified of any proceedings pertaining to this decision.

More information on the review process is available at the website for the Office of Environmental Adjudication at http://www.in.gov/oea

William Kissam Vanderbilt built Marble House, which he presented to his wife, Alva, on her 39th birthday. The 50-room summer residence, designed in the Beaux Art style by Richard Morris Hunt, a graduate of the French School of Fine Arts, cost $11 million to build ($359 million today). When Marble House opened, it was the most lavish house in America. Its dining room, with bronze chairs covered in gold, helped define the

so-called “Gilded Age.” Not to be outdone, a year later, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, William’s older brother, began constructing his own cottage, designed by architect Hunt to emulate Italian Renaissance palaces. When The Breakers opened in 1895 at a cost of $12 million ($425 million today), its 70 rooms on five floors encompassed 138,000 square feet. The imposing Great Hall ceiling was 50 feet high. Soon after The Breakers was com pleted, Cornelius II suffered a stroke and died in 1899 at age 55.

Today, Marble House, The Breakers, The Elms, Rosecliff and other spectacular Gilded Age mansions are maintained by the Preser vation Society of Newport County and open to the public. Most provide parking, but parking near the harbor and walking to the mansions provides an opportunity to see much of Newport, a very pleasant city with a population of about 25,000.

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

The Breakers mansion in Newport, R.I.. (Photo by Don Knebel)

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Lines: ARMANI, CHANEL, DIOR, GUCCI, PRADA, VERSACE; Activities: CANOE, FISH, HIKE, PICNIC, SLED; Games: BRIDGE, HEARTS, POKER, RUMMY; Colors: BLUE, RED, WHITE; Candidates: MCDERMOTT, YOUNG; Cemetery: CROWN HILL

is bigger than a hospital.