June 27, 2023 — Noblesville

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Deputies recognized for lifesaving efforts

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Six deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in providing lifesaving care to their supervisor who experienced a medical emergency last month.

RECOGNITION

Hamilton County Sheriff Chief Deputy Maj. John Lowes said the patrol division Nights B Squad was having a roll call meeting when Lt. Brian Niec, who collapsed and went into cardiac arrest just before 1 a.m. May 4, was provided lifesaving care by deputies Tyler Abbitt, Eddie Hansen, Daniel Wallace, Ryan McClain, Skyler Moe and Jared Wilcox. They used CPR and an AED device to save Niec’s life while colleagues radioed dispatch and continued to monitor Niec’s condition until the Noblesville Fire Department arrived, Lowes said.

“These deputies relied on their training and provided effective lifesaving care during an extremely stressful incident,” Lowes said.

Abbitt, Hansen, Wallace, McClain, Moe and Wilcox all received lifesaving awards from the department during a brief surprise ceremony, where Niec thanked his colleagues for their efforts.

“None of you guys knew why you were coming here,” Niec said.

Niec, 42, said “it means the world” to him that his fellow colleagues stepped up to save his life. Niec, however, said the action of the deputies was no different than what a police officer does on a normal basis.

“The fact that they’re getting some recognition is great, but let’s not go unnoticed that there’s police officers doing great things every single day, day in and day out,” Niec said.

McClain, a sergeant at the sheriff’s office, said Niec was discussing shift information with his employees when he suddenly collapsed on the floor in front of them and went into cardiac arrest.

“Our training and experience told us that he needed some sort of airway as well as CPR and an AED,” McClain said. “We jumped into action.”

McClain said Niec was originally supposed to be somewhere else at the time of the incident, but said their original planned meeting kept getting pushed back because of the number of calls that were coming in.

“It allowed us all to be together and save him,” McClain said.

McClain, who has been with the department since 2016, said in many cases, deputies provide lifesaving care in the field as part of their job and often never see the person they saved afterward.

“We hope that our actions did some good and the efforts we put in that night is something I’ll never be able to put into words,” McClain said.

McClain said employees who work the same shift share a sense of camaraderie, noting that he and Niec both have young children at home.

“We’re very blessed to be here,” McClain said.

Lowes said the incident involving Niec was

DISPATCHES

Veteran resource fair set for July 8 — Veterans, active military, their families and the general public are invited to a veteran resource fair July 8. The event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Noblesville Schools Community Center, 1775 Field Dr., will allow visitors to learn about all the federal, state and local resources available to military veterans. Those who attend will also learn about what is being done to eliminate suicides in Hamilton County through the Stronger Veterans Stronger Communities Coalition, which will be launching the Governor’s Challenge and Ask The Question in Hamilton County next month. For more, visit hamiltoncountyveterans.com.

a difficult moment for him. Lowes was out of town when it happened, and said he was relieved that the deputies stepped up to help by relying on their experience and training.

“They do it every day, but when it’s one of your own, it does get personal and it does bring some emotions, but I’m really proud that they were able to do what they needed to do to save his life,” Lowes said.

Niec, who has been with the sheriff’s office for 20 years, said “everyone was in the right place at the right time” at the time of the incident. He expressed his gratitude for the six deputies and their efforts to save his life.

“I love them and appreciate them, and I try to convey it every single time I talk to them,” Niec said. “I’m not surprised, and I work with the best guys on my squad, they’re all-stars. They would do the same thing for anybody as they did for me. And the fact that it happened at the time when it happened is you can look at it one of two ways: Either a thousand things had to go right in order for me to be there or there’s one God who put us there in the right place at the right time.”

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

Six deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were recently recognized for providing life-saving care to their supervisor, Lt. Brian Niec, who experienced a medical emergency last month. From left, Tyler Abbitt, Eddie Hansen, Daniel Wallace, Niec, Ryan McClain, Skyler Moe and Jared Wilcox. (Photo courtesy of Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office)

DISPATCHES

Students named to dean’s list — The following students from Noblesville have been named to the dean’s list at Indiana University-Kokomo for the spring semester: Samantha Marie Barentine, MaryClare Burch, Seth Valentine Calvert, Emma

Cowan, Macy M. Davidson, Megan Dorsch, Nathan Lee Driesen, Benjamin David Earl, Kyle David Earl, Ricardo Augusto Esquivel, Joshua Edward Farmer, Kaitlin Noel Garner, Abigail Jae Harris, Abigail Helms, Xavier David Hines, Sophia F. Huffman, Alexis Diane Ketring, Lucas Micheal Letsinger, Riley Renee Marcum, Elsoud Mohamad

Oyoun, Mackenzie Elizabeth Pedigo, Grace Elizabeth Peters, Emily Milligan Pyle, Lia Grace Roudebush, Connor Martin Schweck, Gurinder Sembhi, Patrick A. Simpson, Audrey Michelle Soel, Adrian Antoniu Suster, Archie Joesph Tarzwell, Olivia Caryn Terry, Delaney Grace Wente, Lydia Hope Wente and Kinzie Leigh Whipple.

Students graduates from University of Alabama — Noblesville resident Carlee Brandon was among 5,885 students who recently graduated from the University of Alabama.

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

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

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

Trine University students graduate — Noblesville residents Austin Hensley and Brandice Pruitt recently graduated from Trine University. Hensley earned a degree in design engineering technology, while Pruitt earned a degree in applied management.

Pleasant Street project remains on schedule

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

THREE GENERATIONS OF ITEMS

WILKINS ESTATE AUCTION

1818 E. 202 St., WESTFIELD, INDIANA

SATURDAY, JULY 8TH 10:00 AM

West of Noblesville on SR 38 to Anthony Road stoplight, turn south to 202 Rd /St. Turn right to sale.

(Located east of US 31 and SR 38)

Barn Items, Household, Vintage Furniture, 0ld Dolls, Player Piano, Lots Of Rolls, Glass Globe Wash Unit Fr. Standard Station Rare, Corn Shellers, Cast Kettle, Vintage Toys, Impl Seats, Old Race Horse Pictures, Lots And Lots Of Old Household And Rare Items, Old Toys And Some Windup, Wagonload Of Barn, Misc. Shop And Hand Tools.

Pictures on Auctionzip 22896

City officials say the Pleasant Street construction project in Noblesville remains on schedule, although more work lies ahead.

to store the bridge while a final location is determined as plans are developed for the bridge to be refurbished and reassembled, according to the city.

CONSTRUCTION

The $115 million road construction project in Noblesville is expected to improve traffic flow and ease congestion when completed, according to the city. The entire project is expected to be finished by the fall of 2025.

The first phase of the project, which began in November 2022, spans 1.1 miles from River Road to 10th Street and includes work by Hamilton County for a bridge to be built over the White River.

Mayor Chris Jensen lauded the work of city staff and other partners who are continuing to work on the project.

“From the beginning, I promised that we were all in this together and that the needs of the community would be central to the project,” he said. “We’re delivering on those promises thanks to the city staff and project team’s approach to managing this complex project.”

Jensen also said bridging the White River is an important component in making an east-west connection in Noblesville. Construction of the new bridge required the removal of the 200-foot, two-span steel truss bridge that once carried the Midland Railway over the White River, according to the city.

The bridge, which was built in 1893, has already been disassembled. City officials announced a partnership with Conner Prairie

“The care and attention we devoted to preserving the historic bridge and our partnership with Conner Prairie is just one example of the project’s focus on preserving history,” Jensen said.

The city also kicked off the construction of two new roundabouts on Eighth Street June 8 that has led to detours for motorists traveling through the area. The construction has resulted in a 150-day closure of Eighth Street between Washington Street and Mulberry Street, officials said.

In addition, Pleasant Street between Sixth Street and Ninth Street, which includes the alley between Eighth and Ninth Street at Pleasant Street, is also temporarily closed, according to the city.

The second phase of the project that will span from 11th to 19th streets will create a four-lane section with a median, work on the Midland Trace Trail, in addition to a 19th Street roundabout expansion.

The third phase from Ind. 32 to River Road will eventually establish a two-lane section with the potential for expansion, along with connectivity to the Midland Trace Trail at Ind. 32 and Hague Road with pedestrian tunnels being planned, said Mike Maurovich, a project manager on the Pleasant Street project from engineering firm American Structurepoint.

The entire project is expected to be finished by the fall of 2025. For more, visitreimaginepleasantst.com.

AUCTIONEERS: TOM ROARK, K. ZIEGLER

SHELTER AND LUNCH

Kevin’s story.

After his diagnosis, Kevin wanted to know about treatment options.

The city of Noblesville is constructing two new roundabouts on Eighth Street, (File photo)

WE’RE THE BEST UNDER PRESSURE.

CURRENT NOBLESVILLE JULY COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FARMERS MARKET AT FEDERAL HILL COMMONS

Bread, meat, produce and other items are available through various vendors set up at the Noblesville Main Street Farmers Market every Saturday at Federal Hill Commons, 175 Logan St. The farmers market runs from 8 a.m. to noon through Oct. 14. For more, visit noblesvillemainstreet.org.

CITY TO HOST SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Get ready to unwind with music during the month of July. The Summer Concert Series will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays in July at Dillon Park, 6001 Edenshall Lane, while the Concert at the Commons series will be from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday evenings at Federal Hill Commons, 175 Logan St. Summer Concert Series performances include Groove Smash (July 6); The Toons (July 13); and Hairbangers Ball (July 20). Concert at the Commons performances include Crush (Bon Jovi tribute) on July 8 and No Fences (Garth Brooks tribute) on July 15. Admission is free.

BUDDING ARTISTS CAMP

Art by Spartz will host an art camp for children at Artisan Acres Estate, 1503 N. 10th St., in Noblesville. The weekly camp, which costs $390 per week, will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It begins July 3 and runs through July 14. Students will learn different art mediums at the camp. For more, visit artbyspartz. com/summer.

FIRST FRIDAY AT NICKEL PLATE ARTS

Nickel Plate Arts in Noblesville, 107 S. 8th St., will open its doors for its First Friday event from 6 to 9 p.m. July 7 with “Noblesville Nostalgia” exhibit in the Judge Stone House gallery that will be featured throughout the month of July. The Stephenson House on Nickel Plate Arts’ campus will feature a showcase from Claudia Labin with the event also featuring music by the band Bach 2 Rock Fishers. Admission is free.

NONPROFIT TO HOST RESOURCE FAIR FOR VETERANS

The Hamilton County Veterans Corp. will host a resource fair for veterans, active military, their families and the general public July 8 in Noblesville. The event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Noblesville Schools Community Center, 1775 Field Dr., will allow visitors to learn about all the local, state and federal resources available to military veterans. For more on the veteran resource fair, visit hamiltoncountyveterans.com.

Concrete Cleaning Concrete Sealing Roof Cleaning Pressure Washing Epoxy Floors

City OKs purchase of video surveillance trailer

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The City of Noblesville has purchased a video surveillance trailer to store camera equipment that will also be used for public safety agencies for large events in Noblesville.

2022, spans 1.1 miles from River Road to 10th Street and includes work by Hamilton County for a bridge to be built over the White River.

GOVERNMENT

An agreement to purchase the trailer, which cost $36,244.88, from Noblesville-based Taylored Systems has already been approved by the city. City spokesman Robert Herrington said as part of the Pleasant Street project, Noblesville purchased a solar-powered camera to record time-lapse video of the job site.

“These are mounted on telephone line poles in the ground. Instead of buying a second camera, Taylored Systems donated a 360-degree camera, and we purchased a trailer unit to house that camera along with its batteries/electronics,” Herrington said. “This is a trailer that can be moved from one construction site to another or used by our public safety (officials) for large city events like the Street Dance or Fourth of July (event).”

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

The city also kicked off the construction of two new roundabouts on Eighth Street on June 8 that has led to detours for motorists traveling through the area. The construction has resulted in a 150-day closure of Eighth Street between Washington Street and Mulberry Street, officials said.

In addition, Pleasant Street between Sixth Street and Ninth Street, which includes the alley between Eighth and Ninth Street at Pleasant Street, is also temporarily closed, according to the city. Under the second phase of the project from 11th to 19th streets, a four-lane section with a median and work on the Midland Trace Trail, in addition to a 19th Street roundabout expansion, will be created.

The third phase from Ind. 32 to River Road will eventually establish a two-lane section with the potential for expansion, along with connectivity to the Midland Trace Trail at Ind. 32 and Hague Road with pedestrian tunnels being planned, said Mike Maurovich, a project manager on the Pleasant Street project from engineering firm American Structurepoint.

The entire project is expected to be finished by the fall of 2025. For more, visit reimaginepleasantst.com/.

DISPATCHES

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

Volunteers needed for water availability study – The Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office is seeking volunteers for the county’s three year Water Availability Study. The study is being done by INTERA, the engineering firm employed by the county, and will monitor aquifer levels throughout the county in order to better understand the

groundwater availability within the county. If interested, reach out to the Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office at 317-776-8495 or email at surveyor@hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

Prevent catalytic converter theft – Jiffy Lube of Indiana and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept. have partnered to launch the Catalytic Converter Identification Initiative 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 digits of the vehicle’s VIN on the catalytic converter 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.

Jump start your savings.

Project: Pleasant Street

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

Project: Stony Creek pedestrian trail

Location: Under Ind. 37

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

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

Expected completion: End of 2024

Project: Pleasant Street

Location: Various locations; Eighth Street and Pleasant Street will be closed after Memorial Day (motorists are advised to use detour routes or visit www.reimaginepleasantst.com for more information)

Expected completion: Work will be ongoing

Project: Roundabout construction

Location: Ind. 32 and River Road

Expected completion: End of summer

Project: Nickel Plate Trail

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

Guerin Catholic boys golf teams sweeps state team honors

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

It was a clean sweep for the Guerin Catholic High School boys golf team.

of Leo, too. He had a phenomenal round.”

Wessel, who has committed to the University of Cincinnati, said he has played well all season physically, but his mental game was the difference in the state finals.”

SPORTS

The Golden Eagles won the IHSAA team state title June 14 at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. Junior Leo Wessel won the individual title with a 6-under par 138 total with rounds of 71 and 67. Senior Jacob Modleski, who finished in a three-way tie for second among individuals, won the Mental Attitude Award for boys golf.

It was the second consecutive state championship for second-ranked Guerin Catholic, which edged No. 1 Westfield by two strokes. The Golden Eagles finished with a score of 589, 13 strokes over par.

“We didn’t play our best toward the end, but we managed to pull it out,” Golden Eagles coach Mark Mathews said. “It’s a strong group of boys. They’ve got a lot of faith. They’ve got a lot of humbleness.”

Guerin Catholic topped Westfield by one stroke in the 2022 state finals. The Golden Eagles were runners-up in 2021, losing by one stroke to Center Grove.

Modleski, a Noblesville resident who has signed with the University of Notre Dame, had a 3-under par 141 (67-74).

“Jacob is a real solid rock,” Mathews said. “It was unusual to see him struggle a bit because that’s not what he does. He closed it out at the end. He knew exactly what he needed to do, and he did it. I’m really proud

“My mindset, and this sounds like it’s taken from a book, but I just wanted to win as badly as I wanted to breathe,” said Wessel, who lives on Indianapolis’ north side. “I was trying to make no little mistakes and keep it as clean as possible.”

Wessel said the team lived up to its potential.

“We had such a good team I hate to say it was an expectation, but we all knew we could win,” Wessel said. “It’s not like it’s a super big shock. We just needed to play well, and we did.”

Wessel had birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to help boost the Golden Eagles. They had a three-shot lead through 14 holes. However, Westfield took a one-shot lead with three holes left.

Modleski also finished second individually in the state finals in 2021 and tied for fifth last year.

“Coming so close shows where I’m at as a player,” Modleski said. “It shows I’ve improved. My scores have gotten lower, even if the places have been similar. This golf course is tough. It was great playing by everyone in the top five.”

Senior Zach Thieme had rounds of 74 and 80 for a 154 total for the Golden Eagles. Freshman teammate Eli Wessel shot 79-77 for 156, and sophomore Owen Nielson shot 79-80 for 159.

Wessel

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out a plan for treatment.

Kari and Jim Calder pause with their dogs, Asem and Vega.

Noblesville residents Spencer and Shaylee Redmon check out a booth.

Elwood residents Larry and Andrea Gallapoo enjoy HATCH Fest June 17 in Noblesville.

Michelle Salyers and Linda Williams pause at their booth, Color Me Happy Fiber Arts Studio.

Visitors check out HATCH Fest June 17 in downtown Noblesville that featured artisans, crafters and other vendors.

Liz Campbell was among the vendors who participated in the HATCH Fest June 17 in downtown Noblesville. Her business, Campbell Crochet, is in her first year of business. (Photos by Adam Seif)

Walmart opens 2.2 million square foot fulfillment center

By Kiersten Riedford kiersten@youarecurrent.com

Walmart celebrated the opening of its largest fulfillment center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 15 at the new facility in McCordsville.

INDUSTRY

The fulfillment center — a warehouse where goods are packed and dispatched to fulfill online orders — is a 2.2 million square foot warehouse at 5259 W. 500 N. It is the size of 40 football fields.

The center is filled with the latest technology to deliver orders within two days, according to the fulfillment center’s general manager, Geoffrey Appleby.

“With this building, in combination with our traditional fulfillment centers, we’ll be able to reach 95 percent of the U.S. population within the next day or two-day shipping move,” Appleby said. “So (we are) really excited, not only for the associates and their experience in here making it better for them, but also from a customer experience that wants their deliveries in a next day or a two-day time period.”

The building is stacked with technology, with more than two miles of conveyor belts inside the facility to make order processing more efficient.

“Using technology, automation and robotics, we’ve taken this manual 12-step process for associates and really transformed it into a five-step process,” Appleby said. “That breeds a more positive, more comfortable environment for our associates. And that’s really what’s got me most excited about these folks that you’re seeing behind you — their experience each and every day and providing for our customers.”

Van Thawnz, a recently promoted lead at the fulfillment center, has worked at the center for the past two months, but has been working for Walmart for six years.

He said prior to working at the McCordsville center, he was working at the former Walmart Distribution Center at 9590 Allpoints Pkwy. in Plainfield. The center burned down in March of 2022.

After the fire, associates were placed at a different location and over time have been pulled to work in the McCordsville fulfillment center.

During the event, Riley Hospital for Children and the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation were granted $5,000 each. Appleby said Walmart gave the grants so it could give back to the community that helped them thrive.

“We want to make sure that everybody knows that we at Walmart, Sam’s Club and (other) distribution centers (are) here to make sure that people can save money and live better,” Appleby said.

Walmart plans to open two more next-generation fulfillment centers in Indiana over the next three years.

Employees of the new Walmart fulfillment center in McCordsville cut the ribbon June 15 during a ceremony. (Photo by Kiersten Riedford)

Hey there, folks! Take a good look at this zoomed-in image we’ve snagged from a spot in Noblesville. We want you to channel your inner Sherlock and head over to youarecurrent.com/mysterysnapshot to submit your best guess about where this photo was taken. Ready for the challenge? Check back next week for the answer.

‘A BIGGER BANG’

Noblesville gearing up for multi-event Fourth of July celebration

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Noblesville is gearing up for another festive Fourth of July with the return of its annual Fireworks Festival featuring a parade, live music and fireworks show.

The longtime event will kick off at 4 p.m. with the Stars and Stripes Forever parade through downtown Noblesville with a theme centered on Hamilton County’s bicentennial celebration, city spokesman Robert Herrington said. The parade route is the same as in previous years and will begin on 16th Street, proceed to Logan Street up to 9th Street before going down Monument Street, Herrington said.

Former Noblesville mayors John Distlear, Dennis Redick and Mary Sue Rowland will serve as grand marshals for the parade this year.

The Noblesville Fourth of July parade, festival and fireworks display is the longest continuously running celebration in central Indiana and has become an annual tradition in Noblesville since 1997. The free Fireworks Festival will take place at Forest Park, 701 Cicero Rd., from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include attractions such as inflatables, a trackless train, balloon twisters and face painting in the Kids Zone.

A designated area for teenagers also will have age-appropriate inflatables, Spyder bungee jump and a rock wall, according to the city. Guests 18 and older will have the opportunity to enjoy axe throwing, while a beer garden will also be available during the event.

“We are excited to observe our bicentennial during another spectacular Fourth of July celebration,” Mayor Chris Jensen said. “This is always a fun day for my family and our residents, and this year will be even more special as we celebrate 200 wonderful years in our community. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of a dedicated team of volunteers, employees, sponsors and partners.”

Guests also can enjoy live music by The Flying Toasters, who will perform on the main stage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The festivities will culminate with the annual fireworks show that will begin at 10 p.m., according to the city.

Amber Mink, assistant parks director with

the City of Noblesville, said the festival will also have food trucks and a continuous trolley to take people from the parking lot at Noblesville High School to the park. A limited number of parking passes will be available for the public to park inside the park, Mink said.

Forest Park will also have a designated VIP section, where families and friends can purchase tables for the evening, according

to the city. The tables offer up-close seating to the live music performance and a good view of the fireworks.

VIP table groups can bring their own food and drinks, participate in a table-decorating contest and will have access to separate VIP restrooms, according to the city. The tables, which cost $160, can hold eight people and can be reserved by visiting noblesville-

IF YOU GO

What: Noblesville Fourth of July parade, festival and fireworks celebration

Where: Downtown Noblesville (parade); festival and fireworks at Forest Park, 701 Cicero Rd.

Time: 4 p.m. for parade; Fireworks Festival from 6 to 10 p.m.

For more: noblesvillefireworksfestival.com.

fireworksfestival.com.

Mink said the Fourth of July celebration, which will also feature a DJ, is a good way for the community to come together and noted that the fireworks display will be different in comparison to previous years.

“There will be more of the higher-level fireworks rather than the grass-level fireworks,” Mink said. “We have higher displays, and it will be a few minutes longer and it will be a little bit (of a) bigger bang.”

ON THE COVER: Noblesville is gearing up for another festive Fourth of July with the return of its annual Fireworks Festival featuring a parade, live music and fireworks to illuminate the sky. (Photo courtesy of the city of Noblesville)

Inflatables at a previous Fireworks Festival in Forest Park. (Photo courtesy of the city of Noblesville)

The parade route will be the same as in previous years, according to the city. (Map courtesy of the city of Noblesville)

‘BROUGHT TO LIGHT’

have been removed. He said the negative reviews began appearing soon after Southland fired an executive pastor, identified by several former Southland attendees as Ryan Fox, who CJ Johnson said, “left really poorly.” CJ Johnson did not explain how Fox “left really poorly” in the meeting and did not respond to questions from Current about it.

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

When Steve Poe, longtime Northview Church senior pastor, introduced his successor, CJ Johnson, at a meeting in August 2021 for church members to approve the hire, Poe told the congregation that rumors circulating online about financial fraud and other misconduct at CJ Johnson’s previous church in Minnesota had been fully vetted and found to be untrue.

“We are 110 percent convinced that there’s absolutely nothing to these false allegations,” Poe said at the meeting.

“That’s all they are.”

Several people, however, who served at CJ Johnson’s former church, Southland City Church in the Minneapolis suburb of Lakeville, tell a different story, one they said they suspect is repeating itself — at least in part — at Northview.

They accuse CJ Johnson, 38, of speaking dishonestly from the pulpit, lacking transparency about church finances and threatening or manipulating those who questioned his ideas or leadership. They watched as most of Southland’s staff quit — without new jobs lined up — within a couple of weeks in late 2020.

Michelle Creasman, who served as an elder at Southland from 2018 to late 2020, said she feels it’s important for those attending Northview to know what happened at CJ Johnson’s previous church, which ceased to exist soon after he left.

“My motivation is not to aid in a hit piece on CJ but rather hold him accountable at his new church and also educate the congregation so they can make an informed decision on where they call home,” Creasman said. “His actions impacted many people who are still recouping from what happened whether it be emotional, spiritual or financially, so I wanted to make sure this was brought to light.”

Northview, whose website listed 145 people on staff as of June 16, has also experienced a staff exodus, though not as extreme as at Southland, since CJ Johnson began working there in the summer of 2021. Several former Northview employees and attendees said they are aware of more than 40 church staffers who have left their jobs because of issues or concerns — which echo some of those raised at Southland — about the new senior pastor, and they believe that total to be an undercount.

One former Northview employee, who requested anonymity because of fear of retribution and continued work in local ministry, compared Northview’s situation to the fate of the Titanic.

“We are on this thing that feels (comfortable), yet those who are in the belly of the ship know that we’ve hit some-

thing and there’s water gushing in, but nobody’s acknowledging it,” the former employee said. “I care about Northview, and I don’t want it to sink. But I think it’s sinking, and if something doesn’t happen, if there’s not enough humility, grace and openness or willingness to have this conversation, it’s going to go down.”

TRUST ISSUES

Northview, a nondenominational megachurch based in Carmel with — according to its website — more than 8,800 weekly attendees among its dozen campuses, declined multiple times over several months to allow CJ Johnson, Poe, church elders or anyone else from its leadership team to be interviewed for this story. Northview leaders also declined to respond to specific questions sent by Current.

In a prepared statement sent to Current on behalf of Northview’s elders, executive team and Poe, Executive Pastor Jason Pongratz said the church’s elders conducted a full “due diligence process” when hiring CJ Johnson and that church leadership “did not take this task lightly.”

“Everyone involved has worked hard to ensure that the selection of the senior pastor was a person that they could confidently stand behind as the person God has for the church for the next chapter in Northview’s history. What has been a great turn in the story is that members of Pastor CJ’s former staff have recently reached out to own their parts of the distortion of truth and have begun the reconciliation process with Pastor CJ,” the statement read. “We believe that it is in the best interest of all involved for our church to respect the former staff members’ privacy and give them the space to heal with Pastor CJ. We do not wish to reopen old wounds or compromise the privacy of those involved. At this time, and for this reason, Northview will not be commenting further or providing any additional information.”

Northview elders, who finalized the decision to hire CJ Johnson, either didn’t respond to Current’s request for comment or directed Current to Pongratz for a response. Pongratz declined to comment beyond the statement he provided.

In the August 2021 Northview member meeting, however, CJ Johnson addressed the allegations posted in several reviews of Southland City Church on Google — which since

In that same meeting, Poe read a letter purportedly from Southland’s elders stating that the severance agreement with Fox contained standard nondisclosure clauses, meaning Southland could not share with its congregation specific reasons for the termination.

“This resulted in much frustration among the executive pastor’s family, friends and fellow staff,” the letter stated. “Within days of his termination, accusations against Pastor CJ began to circulate online.”

Fox did not respond to Current’s multiple requests for comment. Northview declined to provide a copy of the letter from Southland’s elders. No one contacted by Current who was on the Southland elder board at the time CJ Johnson left for Northview agreed to comment for this story. Creasman said her husband, who remained a Southland elder until the church dissolved, did not sign the letter or know it existed before it was read at Northview. No former Southland employees contacted by Current agreed to speak on the record for this story.

While the late-2020 firing of Fox may have been the final straw that spurred some of the events mentioned in the Google reviews — such as the mass exodus of Southland’s staff — problems at the church began well before that.

Josh Johnson said his young family attended Southland for several years in the 2010s, helping to launch the youth group and volunteering in various capacities. It was after Southland moved into its own building in 2017 that Josh Johnson said he began to develop serious concerns. He said there was constant pressure to donate money to the church, leading him to question how the funds were allocated and spent.

“I went directly to CJ, questioning how the monetary donations (were) being distributed within and outside of Southland,” Josh Johnson said. “CJ directed me to Ryan Fox, who was in control of the church’s finances. He would not return my calls, texts or emails. I would get crickets. When I would corner them in person, they would deflect or refuse to answer questions regarding money.”

Greg Reis, who attended Southland from 2016 to 2018, had a similar experience. He said his concern about the leadership at the church sparked after CJ Johnson — from the pulpit — embellished a story in 2016 about Reis making a donation.

“He (effectively) said, ‘It was so big, I reached out to Greg, and I had a conversation with him to make sure he wanted to donate this much money,’” Reis said. “For a moment, I thought, ‘What? He never called me,’ and I just let it go. But he used that (claim)

Northview Pastor CJ Johnson preaches on June 18. Northview services are available to follow live online or watch later at northviewchurch.online.church. (Photo by Zach Ross) Poe

Northview Church stands behind senior pastor in wake of allegations of dishonesty, manipulative behavior

Reis

COMMUNITY

Continued from Page 16

to raise a whole bunch of money, and it worked. After we bought a building, he told us that the weekend when he made that announcement, the money just started rolling in. So that was the first lie.”

Eventually, after several incidents he said he found concerning, in 2018 Reis decided to confront pastors CJ Johnson and Fox about Southland’s finances.

“We wanted to have a conversation about money. We were in there for a good hour, and we didn’t get anywhere. We could not get an answer out of them,” Reis said. “At the end of our conversation, it was basically, ‘If you can’t trust me with your money, you can’t trust me.’ And we were done that day. We quit going (to Southland).”

‘I’VE ASKED PEOPLE TO LEAVE FOR LESS’

Creasman, the former Southland elder, said she also was shocked by a story she heard CJ Johnson tell from the pulpit during a Southland service. Creasman said that in mid-2018, CJ Johnson described how, a year earlier, a family in the church had given $1 million just in time to secure financing for Southland to move into a new building.

She knew the story was about her family, but she also knew it involved a $1 million loan — not a gift. Her brother had taken out a line of credit backed by the equity in a storage business their family owned, and they fully expected it to be paid back.

“Several times CJ got up on that platform and he told the congregation that someone gave them a million dollars. So that’s when we were first like, ‘Oh, that’s not correct. Why is he saying that?’” she said.

Creasman wasn’t the only one to question CJ Johnson’s story about the $1 million gift. Bob Clatterbuck, Southland’s former volunteer head of security, said the story about the funding kept changing, so, on behalf of others who also had questions about the situation, he decided to ask CJ Johnson and Fox for clarity.

“The next thing I know, I get called in by CJ, and he wants me to come into the church,” Clatterbuck said. “He basically threatened to kick me out of the church. His words were something to the effect of, ‘I’ve asked people to leave for less.’”

Current could not vet Clatterbuck’s comment, because Northview would not make CJ Johnson available to do so.

Clatterbuck said CJ Johnson didn’t give a reason for the threat other than stating that his questions were causing problems or divisions in the church. Clatterbuck said he was caught off guard and apologized, but the incident left him unsettled. After several other concerning events, his family left the church later that year.

‘ALL THEY CARED ABOUT WAS THEIR NAME’

After loaning the church $1 million, Creasman said she and her husband were asked to join Southland’s elder board. Their position gave them an inside look on happenings at the church, including in late 2020 when Fox was fired and most of the other employees quit.

With the church in crisis after losing most of its staff, the Creasmans reached out to the Minnesota District Council of the Assemblies of God, which governed Southland’s denomination in the area. Its leaders conducted interviews with remaining and former staff members and soon presented

the findings to the church.

It was during that process Creasman stepped down from the elder board, as she could not agree with the Assemblies of God’s decision to not put CJ Johnson on a leave of absence.

“I resigned because I saw the Assemblies of God, all they cared about was their name,” Creasman said. “They’re supporting CJ. They’re not even doing any discipline.”

After she stepped down as an elder, Creasman said her husband remained on the board because he said he believed the situation had not been fully investigated. He wanted to ensure an audit was done and was prepared to pay for it himself.

Another organization took care of that, however. Emmanuel Christian Center, an Assemblies of God church in the area, agreed to fund an audit after it helped transition what remained of Southland — which had shrunk in attendance as well as staff — into a new campus of its own in the summer of 2021.

The audit was not complete before CJ Johnson was hired by Northview, according to Creasman and other sources. Current asked ECC and Northview officials for a copy of the audit but neither responded to the request. Officials from ECC and the Minnesota District Assemblies of God did not respond to Current’s multiple requests for comment.

‘LOOKING AT THE NEXT PASTOR’

CJ Johnson started working at Northview on Sept. 1, 2021, after beating out six other finalists selected by VanderBloemen, a Christian executive search firm, Poe told Current in October 2022. VanderBloemen did not respond to Current’s request for comment.

Poe said he told the elders and search firm that he wanted his replacement to be young, have leadership skills and be a “very strong communicator.” He said the choice became clear as soon as he and his wife watched a sermon from each of the finalists.

“I got to CJ’s, and I got emotional. I actually left the room, collected myself and came back,” Poe said. “My wife said, ‘What’s the matter?’ I said, ‘We’re looking at the next pastor.’”

Poe, who retired in October 2022 and is now Northview’s legacy pastor, said he asked the elders to watch the same seven sermons and that all of them ranked CJ Johnson as their top choice.

A former Northview employee, who asked not to be named because he still works in local ministry, said initially he was encouraged by the “spirit of unity” in the unanimous choice. He had seen the negative Google reviews of Southland, but he said he trusted church leaders when they said the allegations had been fully vetted and proven false.

Over time, however, he began to have concerns about his

new pastor. For example, he said he witnessed CJ Johnson largely inflate the number of people in a service who raised their hand to indicate they gave their life to Christ at a Northview service.

Clatterbuck, who had a view of the entire worship center at Southland as part of the security team, said CJ Johnson frequently embellished numbers there, too.

“I would be behind him, watching out while he did this. I saw the number of hands, then I heard the inflated numbers,” Clatterbuck said. “That is definitely something he has done time and time again.”

Current spoke with eight former Northview employees or attendees, all of whom left the church — or were asked to leave — because of concerns about CJ Johnson or church leadership. Most said they took their concerns to church elders or other leaders, many of whom were not willing to seriously discuss the matter with them or act on it, the former employees said.

“Part of why (CJ Johnson) was able to create so much confusion and gaslighting of our staff was by making us feel like we were wrong for being interested in his past,” a former employee said. “At one point during an all-staff meeting, he referenced the fact that people had been looking into his past, and he made a joke onstage about how disgruntled people from his previous church are trying to bring him down. So, he would publicly diminish these things that we were trying to shed light on almost as a way of discrediting some of the accusations being made.”

Another former employee said his efforts to discuss his concerns with church leaders went nowhere, leading him to conclude they don’t have a “willingness or (the) humility” to address the matter.

“It’s not about me being right or wrong. I just want to have the conversation and handle this biblically,” the former employee said. “If, at the end of the day, everything comes out and CJ was right, great. That is a win for everybody, the best-case scenario. But (Northview’s) handling of it this way makes it worse, because then everybody’s going, ‘Well, they’re playing the deck of cards we all thought they would play.’ And that doesn’t end well for anybody. It hurts the church and the staff and friends and family more than anything.”

HOME ADDRESS DISCREPANCIES

CJ Johnson, Northview Church senior pastor, has been accused of speaking falsehoods from the pulpit, and it appears he has been inaccurate on public documents, as well, according to discrepancies in public records.

In Northview’s business entity report filed March 28 with the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office, CJ Johnson’s address is listed as a home in Fishers assessed at $259,000 and owned by Jacqueline Lucas and Jonathan Swift. Lucas is an executive assistant at Northview whose parents were elders at Southland City Church, where Johnson previously pastored.

Documents filed with the Hamilton County Recorder’s Office state that on March 30 CJ Johnson and his wife signed paperwork for a $1.5 million mortgage on a 6,454-square-foot, six-bedroom home on 10 acres in Noblesville. The property includes a pole barn and an in-ground pool.

Neither CJ Johnson nor Lucas responded to Current’s requests for comment.

The building that previously housed Southland City Church in Lakeville, Minn. It is now a campus of Emmanuel Christian Center. (Photo courtesy of Bob Clatterbuck)

Clatterbuck

Nature of good and evil

Commentary by Terry Anker

Better not safe than sorry

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

ESSAY

For those of us involved in agriculture, or who spent our youth so engaged, these warm, sunny summer days are a bit of a paradox. Although we may enjoy them recharging after a long, cold winter, we might be rightly worried about the lack of rain. We’re a couple of inches down for the year, give or take, in most places. And for those of us who eat, we are legitimately concerned about the plight of Hoosier farmers. Their success keeps us fed. Still, we have not yet arrived at a crisis point, and with good luck, rain will fall as needed and averages will return to average.

In the meantime, we can take some solace in the benefits of the hot, dry weeks. Aside from improving our bodily vitamin D supply, we may notice a reduction in nuisance insects. Relying on standing water in ditches and nearly anything that holds a thimbleful of liquid, mosquitos and other pests have declined some with the dry weather. Still, we carry gallons of “repel-

lant” to our family picnics, outdoor concerts and sports activities for the hardy few that emerged despite the dry conditions. But why? For the hardy few that have made it this far, what would be strong enough to repel them from dinner?

If we are sufficiently hungry, what can drive us from what we need, or believe that we do? Fear of death? Fear of discomfort? Alternatively, we attract moths to the flame, glowing blue bug light. They gleefully surrender, so compelled by attraction to their own demise that they appear unaware of the clear and present danger. Sure, these tiny creatures likely exist on instinct and are devoid of intellect, but do we fare much better? What good repels and what evil attracts in our own lives?

Could use a rest after vacation

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Friends, I’m pleased to announce that I have survived the annual family vacay to South Carolina, where 27 of us piled into a beach house for one week. The youngest is 2 and the oldest is 78, but we managed to make memories and keep the shanking to a minimum (there was a major blow-up between my four sisters and me, but everything was eventually resolved, or at least suppressed enough that we departed with authentic “I love you-s,” which is saying something considering the amount of wine consumed).

HUMOR

net and turnaround without tipping over. My twin and I didn’t even make it to the semifinals thanks to a poor showing in cornhole, though we felt OK about it since we had to be North Korea (obviously, the kids chose the nations).

Anyhoo, highlights included ideal temperatures, delicious dinners and the first-ever Morris Olympics, which pitted two-person teams representing various countries against each other in multiple events.

Anyhoo, highlights included ideal temperatures, delicious dinners and the first-ever Morris Olympics, which pitted two-person teams representing various countries against each other in multiple events. My nephew Nick, 19, and my niece Georgia, 10, pulled off a stunning victory for Ukraine, in part because of their outstanding performance on the pool kayak course, where they expertly navigated the volleyball

We also enjoyed another competitive Great Beach BakeOff, where first-time participant Keegan, 8, stole the show with his perfectly baked vanilla cupcake; multiple games of charades and truffles; and a movie night of “80 for Brady,” which my mom outwardly, and everyone else secretly, loved.

– DANIELLE WILSON

I never slept well. There was nonstop action and noise, and I had to literally hide on a second-floor back balcony to get my daily dose of “Grey’s Anatomy,” but I survived!

Peace out.

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

ABC’S “Prisoners of the Snow” is a true story of a rugby team stranded in the Andes in sub-zero weather after their plane crashed into the side of a mountain in 1972. Also recently in the news, the miraculous 40-day survival of four young children stranded in the Amazon jungle. Imagine finding yourself with no food or water in the hot jungle, or caught in an avalanche, freezing to death beneath a mountain of snow. Many of these brave people survived, but it might have been easier if they were all wearing something called the Paracord Survival Bracelet (also helpful: a cellphone, your GPS, warm blankets, three-month’s supply of food, a Coleman stove and Netflix).

and help finally arrives, isn’t that the first thing you’d think about — who do I need to tie up?

HUMOR

The manufacturer is concerned that people will not want to use the rope in an emergency because making it back into a bracelet is harder than solving the Rubik’s Cube with your feet. That’s why auto safety systems do not allow you to disengage the airbag apparatus. “Push the airbag off button, Agnes. We’re going to hit that truck head-on, but I have no idea how to stuff that thing back into the steering wheel.”

Many of these brave people survived, but it might have been easier if they were all wearing something called the Paracord Survival Bracelet (also helpful: a cellphone, your GPS, warm blankets, three-month’s supply of food, a Coleman stove and Netflix).

The device is called a 550 Cord. This is confusing because that’s also the name of the Levi’s I wear. The bracelet is 90 feet of intricately woven thread crafted into a nifty piece of rope jewelry. First used in World War II by paratroopers, the manufacturer describes it as having a “32-strand woven nylon outer sheath with an inner core of seven 2-ply yarns.” I know, I know, that sounds a lot like Charmin.

Here are two uses suggested by the manufacturer:

• Replace a broken zipper pull: Nothing would be more embarrassing than being rescued after 12 days on a deserted island and being caught with your fly open.

• Detain a person: When you are shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere

– DICK WOLFSIE

Paracord Survival Bracelet used to give a free one if you use its product in a legitimate emergency. Simply send it the story of how you used the rope, along with a photograph demonstrating the life-threatening predicament you were in, such as:

Dear Survival Bracelet Maker:

My wife and I were recently cleaning the gutters on our roof when the ladder tipped over. As I helped her rappel down the side of our house using your nifty piece of jewelry, I tried to get my cellphone out of my pocket to send a picture, thus qualifying for a free replacement. I was too slow, but I am attaching a photo of her on the ground with two broken legs.

Personally, I think this bracelet is a waste of money at $39.95. Better not safe than sorry.

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.

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

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

Powers to share songs, stories at Feinstein’s

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Wayne Powers has a lifetime of stories to share.

‘BEAUTY & THE BEAST’

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

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

CONCERT

The singer/actor/comedian had a few appearances on “Laverne & Shirley” and starred in his own NBC hospital sitcom, “13 East,” for two seasons. He appeared in episodes of “ALF,” “Full House,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.” “Murder She Wrote” and “Simon & Simon,” among others. He also once worked for composer Henry Mancini as an administrator of his music publishing and worked in improv comedy clubs with Robin Williams in the 1970s.

Powers will perform with his All-Star Trio of Kevin Anker (piano), Fred Withrow (acoustic bass) and Mike Kessler (drums) at 7:30 p.m. July 22 at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel.

“I’m mostly singing. I’ll tell a few stories and there’s a little comedy,” Powers said. “I’m excited because that venue could have been built for me. It’s the old supper clubs that I first started singing in at age 16 in New York. Those supper clubs are gone now, but Michael (Feinstein) had the vision and knowledge to bring them back because he understood what makes them work.”

Powers will perform standards from the Great American Songbook. He recently released an album, “If Love Were All,” which also is the name of one of the songs on the album.

Last year, Powers performed a show at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis and did some guest spots there this year. He lives in Muncie but plans to move.

“It was kind of a bucket-list thing,” he said. “I was looking for a historic mansion to live in and restore. I looked all over the country and found this incredible mansion in Muncie. I bought and restored it. It’s 10,000 to 12,000 square feet, built in 1902. I’ll never get out what I put into it, but life changes happen. I’m going to put it on the market.”

Powers did network television shows for approximately 15 years but decided to move to Charlotte, N.C., with his then-wife

and two younger sons.

“I wanted a place where my kids could have a childhood,” he said.

He had already been contemplating a move when the car his sons were being transported from a private school in was hit by stray bullets by rival gangs in Los Angeles.

Then, an earthquake happened in the early 1990s. The family got out of the home in time, but it was destroyed.

“I looked up at God and said, ‘I hear you, we’re going now, don’t send me any more signs,’” he said.

Powers started on WBT, a radio station in Charlotte, as a guest host and in special programming. After 20-plus years, he hosted his own radio talk show at WKZO in Kalamazoo, Mich., for a few years before moving to Chicago.

He performed in one of the lead roles of ‘The Sunshine Boys” in Kankakee, Ill., in 2019.

“It’s one of my favorite shows. I want to do that show again,” he said. “That response was incredible. It’s so fresh. It’s Neil Simon and it’s hilariously funny.”

Five years before that, he had a different theater role at the request of his close friend, the late Paul Sorvino.

“He was like my brother,” Powers said. “He was the godfather to both of my sons.”

Powers wanted to learn the song “Mama” in Italian so he could sing to his mother, who was turning 90. So, Sorvino agreed to teach him but wanted a favor in return.

“(He said) ‘In a couple of months I’m doing ‘King Lear’ in New York and I’m directing and playing Lear and I want you to play the Fool opposite me,’” he said. “I hadn’t done Shakespeare since I was in college. I said, ‘I don’t know if I could do it,’ and he said, ‘Of course, you can.’”

Sorvino convinced Powers to join the cast with Shrunken Shakespeare Company because they already had a strong chemistry that was necessary for the role.

Sorvino died in 2022 at age 83.

“He was my mentor,” Powers said. “It’s still hard for me to get over losing him. I miss him a lot.”

For more, visit waynepowers.com.

Adam Pascal will perform Broadway hits at 7:30 p.m. June 30 and July 1 at Feinstein’s cabaret in Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinhc.com.

‘BOEING BOEING’

Red Barn Summer Theatre’s presentation of “Boeing Boeing” runs through July 1 at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort. For more, visit redbarntheatre.net.

‘NEWSIES JR.’

Jr. Civic Theatre presents the final two performances of “Disney’s Newsies Jr.” from June 27-28 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘STAR-SPANGLED SYMPHONY’

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will present “Star-Spangled Symphony’’ at 8 p.m. June 30 to July 3 in the Symphony on the Prairie series at Conner Prairie in Fishers. For more, visit indianapolissymphony.org.

DISPATCHES

Musical theater camp returns to Noblesville — The Point Theater, formerly Christian Youth Theater, returns to Noblesville with musical theater day camps for youth between the ages of 4 and 11. The camps are offered at Emmanuel Methodist Church, 1600 Cumberland Road, during the week of July 17. With a “Beauty and the Beast” theme, the camp places students in groups by age, then rotates them through interactive stations in vocals, dance, acting and props each day. The week culminates in a Friday performance for family and friends. Seasoned actors and dancers lead the camp, with Point students rounding out the staff as counselors. To register, visit thepointtheater.org.

Actor/singer Wayne Powers, right, with his close friend Paul Sorvino. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Powers)

Barbershop chorus in harmony

By Jeff Decker editorial@youarecurrent.com

When she was younger, Carmel resident Barbara Birnbaum had performed in her school choirs. But as an adult, Birnbaum didn’t have time to keep singing with a group.

MUSIC

In 2006, friends convinced her to attend guest night with Harmony Magic, a central Indiana-based women’s barbershop chorus.

“I really was enamored with the idea,” she said of performing again.

When Birnbaum arrived at guest night, a group member greeted her with a hug.

“And it was, ‘OK, I’m hooked,” she said. Birnbaum and other members of the chorus, between 25 and 30 strong and under the direction of Janet Foster of Greenfield, competed in the Harmony Inc. area convention and contest beginning June 8 in Bloomington-Normal, Ill. At stake was a berth in an international competition Nov. 8-11 in Grand Rapids, Mich. Harmony Magic was one of six choruses to qualify for the competition, called Pure Harmony.

“We really couldn’t have asked for better,” Birnbaum said.

Harmony Magic prepared for the contest on Thursday evenings at Woodland Terrace in Carmel. For the competition, they performed “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” from the musical “Annie,” and “When I Fall in Love,” a standard from 1952.

Harmony Magic performs four-part harmony a cappella versions of songs from many styles and eras and sings while executing choreographed movements.

“We really like to sing,” she said. “We want to entertain people.”

The group is a nonprofit, paying its way through performances (about 20 a year), sponsors and fundraisers.

Indy Shorts lineup set

editorial@youarecurrent.com

world have this designation.

FILM

Heartland Film has announced the lineup for the sixth annual Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival, running July 18-23. Less than 4 percent of the films submitted to the festival are selected. This year, a record 3,900-plus shorts were submitted, and from those, 165 shorts from 21 countries were programmed. The lineup includes 18 world premieres, 19 U.S. premieres, 54 Midwest premieres and 47 Indiana premieres. Screenings will be at Living Room Theaters (indoor), Newfields (indoor and amphitheater), Fort Ben Cultural Campus (indoor and outdoor) and virtually.

The 2023 festival is embracing a summer camp vibe that promises more than 165 short films that are curated into 29 themed programs, with 100 filmmakers expected to attend for Q&As following the screenings. Fest Pass and tickets are on sale at IndyShorts.org.

Indy Shorts is also an Academy AwardQualifying Film Festival in all three short film categories: Live Action, Documentary and Animated. Only 34 film festivals in the

With a track record of 33 nominations and 10 Oscar-winning shorts, there’s a good chance attendees will see the next Academy Award-contending films first in Indianapolis. Last year, an Indiana Spotlight film, “Stranger at the Gate,” won the Grand Prize for Best Short Documentary receiving its Oscar qualification. The film was then nominated for an Academy Award.

“With last year’s Oscar track and this year’s record number of submissions, the enthusiasm behind the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” stated Hearland Film Artistic Director Greg Sorvig, a Carmel resident. “I can’t wait for Indianapolis to meet the filmmakers and explore the wide variety of stories showcased in the 29 themed programs.”

More than $30,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to filmmakers July 22. Selected award-winning films will be showcased at Newfields’ Amphitheater for the Summer Nights: Award Winners Program. Before the films, attendees can enjoy free HotBox Pizza and camp-themed activities.

Harmony Magic has qualified for an international barbershop competition. (Photo courtesy Susan Spencer)

DAY

Dizgo to perform at Palladium

By Mike Beas mark@youarecurrent.com

Two letters separate the band’s name from a word mostly synonymous with the late-1970s.

MUSIC

Carmel High School graduate

Patrick Milescu is too young to have experienced the short-lived — and, yet, somehow enduring — musical phenomenon that was disco, but he’s doing the next best thing.

Milescu, 29, manages the Bloomington-based band Dizgo, a quartet known for blending jamtronica with funk, soul and psychedelic rock to create a sound that is danceable and introspective.

And now, Dizgo is coming home.

Back to Milescu’s home, that is. Dizgo, comprised of guitarist Andrew Pickel, bass player Kevin Hinnefeld, drummer Jacob Powell and keyboardist Jake Evatt, will perform June 28 in the Live at the Center series at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9. Dizgo is expected to play between 10 to 12 songs.

Milescu looks forward to bringing the band, with its unique sound, showmanship and playlist, to the Palladium.

“Oh, it’s awesome. We’re very excited to play at a theater like that,” said Milescu, who was born in Montreal, moved with his family to Carmel when he was 7, and now resides in Bloomington. “My parents loved going there to see shows and then would tell me about it afterward.”

To purchase tickets, visit dizgoband. com or thecenterpresents.org. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a $5 minimum. Patrons also can register for a free livestream option.

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BAILEY TRUCKING, INC PRESENTS

July 6-9 & 12-16

2120 E. County Rd. 150 S. Frankfort, IN 46041

Buy tickets online!

redbarntheatre.net

LEGAL NOTICE OF STANDARD CONTRACT RIDER NO. 6 ANNUAL BUDGET BILLING PLAN, QUARTERLY BUDGET BILLING PLAN DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC

DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC (“Duke Energy Indiana”) hereby provides notice that on or around July 7, 2023 Duke Energy Indiana in accordance with 170 IAC 4-4.1-10 will file a request to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) for approval under the Commission’s thirty-day administrative filing procedures and guidelines to revise its Standard Contract Rider No. 6, Rate RS Residential Electric Service. This revision is to clarify the terms of the Annual and Quarterly Budget Billing Plan options offered to residential customers. This submission is expected to be approved approximately thirty days after filing, unless an objection is made. Any objections may be made by contacting the Secretary of the Commission, or Randall C. Helmen of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor at the following addresses or phone numbers:

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

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

Duke Energy Indiana, LLC

By: Stan Pinegar, President

Beyond Barriers is a campaign that through philanthropy and partnerships, addresses health equity in Central Indiana.

ESKENAZI HEALTH FOUNDATION IS GRATEFUL TO Sharon Barner & Haywood McDuffie FOR THEIR LEAD GIFT

From left, Andrew Pickel, Jake Evatt, Patrick Milescu, Kevin Hinnefeld and Jacob Powell form Dizgo, which will perform June 28 at the Palladium in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Dizgo)

Commentary by Larry Greene

Built in 1977 in Zionsville’s Colony Woods neighborhood, this home’s owners wanted to update the living room with modern finishes.

THE BLUEPRINT

• The fireplace became the room’s focal point, accented by dynamic porcelain tile that gives the appearance of metal but without the maintenance.

• Custom built-ins with sleek acrylic laminate cabinets, quartz countertops and floating poplar shelves provide the perfect place for displaying family pictures, keepsakes and décor.

• The carpet was replaced with luxury vinyl plank flooring for an elevated aesthetic with exceptional durability.

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.

JULY

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A trip on the Alaska Railroad

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, in our continuing visit to Alaska, we travel the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks toward Denali National Park and Preserve.

TRAVEL

The Alaska Railroad runs 470 miles between Fairbanks, in the middle of the state, to Seward, on the southern coast. The railroad, built by the United States government to facilitate settlement and commerce in the Alaska Territory (not a state until 1959), opened upon completion of the Mears Memorial Bridge over the Tanana River near Nenana. On July 15, 1923, Warren G. Harding, the first president to visit Alaska, drove a golden spike at the north end of the bridge. Harding briefly visited Mount McKinley National Park (now Denali National Park and Preserve) and then traveled by train 100 miles north to Fairbanks, where residents in their Sunday best turned out to greet him.

Today, the Alaska Railroad, now owned by the state of Alaska, makes daily trips between Anchorage and Fairbanks, stopping at Denali National Park and Preserve, where

DON’T lock in on all caps

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

17 percent of the visitors come by train. The trip from Anchorage to the park takes about 7 1/2 hours, and from Fairbanks, about four hours. Each year between mid-May and mid-September, Wilderness Express engages the Alaska Railroad to pull its extra-large glass-domed cars, featuring dining rooms and bars, through the picturesque countryside, often with snow-capped mountains in the distance. Guides explain to passengers what they are seeing. Among many interesting sites along the route is a marker near the tiny village of Nenana, identifying the site of the famous Nenana Ice Classic. Thousands of people each year try to guess the minute the ice in the river will begin to break up, with the winner (or winners) pocketing about $300,000. A tripod set on the ice stops a clock at the instant the ice begins to move.

GRAMMAR GUY

Why are you yelling? Have you seen someone post a social media update in all caps? It’s not a good look. In fact, posting in all caps makes it seem like we’re getting yelled at by a bike of hornets (yes, one term to describe a group of hornets is a “bike”). Calm down!

In honor of International Caps Lock Day, a semiannual holiday observed on June 28 and Oct. 22, here’s a deep dive into big and little letters.

The origin of the term “caps lock” has its roots in typewriters. When typing a capital letter on a mechanical keyboard, a typist would press and hold the “shift” key to physically shift the typebar up in order to type a capital letter. To remain shifted up to capital letters, typewriter technology developed the “shift lock” key, which would essentially lock the keyboard in the capital position. As computers were introduced, shift lock became “caps lock,” allowing users to type in big letters with gusto.

What about “uppercase” and “lowercase”? Many of you know this one, but I’ll

recap (no pun intended) the origin story of these words we still use to refer to capital and smaller letters.

In the days of the printing press, typesetters would manually set the letters to print on a page. Smaller letters were kept in a low, easy-to-access case, while larger letters were stored in a case above the typesetter’s desk. The large letters, therefore, became known as “uppercase” letters, while the smaller letters became “lowercase.”

If you type an entire page in bold letters, nothing stands out. If everything is important, nothing is important. Typing in all caps is similar. In 2010, Google’s Cr-48 laptop launched without a caps lock key on its keyboard. Is caps lock overused and tired? Is it time to lose it? Either way, please don’t send me a heavily opinionated email in all caps.

Mears Memorial Bridge over the Tanana River near Nenana, Alaska. (Photos by Don Knebel)

Wilderness Express cars on the Alaska Railroad.

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

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

5. Indy Women in Tech Championship links org.

9. Palladium seater

14. Strong wind

15. Paperless test at Purdue

16. Entrap

17. Money drawer 18. “My treat!”

47. Beneath

49. Footnote abbr.

50. Blood line

51. Omaha-to-Zionsville dir.

52. Modern warfare threats, briefly

54. In a timid way

56. Sagamore Club instructor

57. Nile reptile

58. Competent

61. Door sign

64. Indiana Senate helpers

69. Lavish meal

71. Door sign

73. Henhouse

74. Takes a break

75. Pacers foe

76. “___ Karenina”

77. In first place in the Hoosiers Crossroads Conference

78. Org. whose local museum can be

34. Gillette brand

35. Spark!Fishers charity race distance, briefly

36. Online commerce

37. Butler’s ___ Golson Jazz Festival

40. Sent a dupe email

42. Like WTHR’s evening newscasts

45. Hoosier National Forest trees

48. Prez before GHWB

53. Boone County Fair barn sound

55. Clean air org.

56. Matteo’s basil-garlic sauce

57. “West Side Story” role

58. Bushy ‘do

59. “___ there, done that”

60. In the cellar in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference

62. Ivy League school

63. Lilly corporate VIP

65. Optimist’s credo

found on the Downtown Canal and in the puzzle’s circles

79. Loch ___ monster

1. Town name abbr.

2. Disfigure

3. Earthen pot

4. Exchange for cash

5. London lav

6. Gearshift letters

7. Victory Field event

8. Sheltered, at sea

9. New Big Ten sch.

10. Pig’s nose

11. ISO stringed instrument

12. Word before a conclusion

13. Hoosier Park bridle strap

21. Cyber chuckle

23. Wedding reception entertainers, initially

26. Words before a conclusion

28. Guitar’s little cousin

29. Current edition 30. Middays 31. Unruly crowd 32. Poker stake 33. Thai currency

County’s (Colorful) County Seat

Many

“Me Day” destinations, often

amt.

IND ID checker

NOW

HIRING-CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST

Royal Dental Labs, Inc

Position involves two main responsibilities: data entry and providing exceptional customer service through phone and email interaction. Other responsibilities may include general office tasks and possible help in other departments. Full time position, Monday through Friday. Great work environment w/ excellent pay including quarterly bonus potential. Three years data entry and/or customer service experience required.

Starting pay $17 to $20/hr. Send resume to alan@royaldentallabs.com

SUPPLY CHAIN CONSULTANT W/ ENVISTA LLC IN CARMEL, IN

(position remote, req. up to 50% travel)

Design & dev. Strategic network solutions for SC & operations problems; build SC models for optimization using stats analysis, regression modeling & optimiz.; network analysis.

Requires minimum of MS in Indust. Eng, Stats, Math, Logistics/Supply Chain or closely related or foreign equiv.; 3 yrs. Industry exp in supply chain, Fin. & Adv Analytics; SCCP Certification; Lean Six Sigma Gr. Belt Cert.

For full description and requirements of positions, https://recruiting.ultipro.com/ ENV1003ENVIS/JobBoard/adc7da17182d-0b77-a5c5-46cf3cb50218/ Opportunity/OpportunityDetail?oppor tunityId=a9042b1e-3336-4d42-9f84578db1289c13

Submit CV and cover letter to David Jensen, Sr. Mgr, 11555 N. Meridian Street, Ste 300, Carmel IN

ENVOY, INC. SEEKS PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER

to guide design team members through the preparation of programmatic, schematic, design development and construction documentation, as well as maintaining, updating and validating strict estimate adherence. Position based in Fishers, Indiana. Requirements: Bachelors Degree in Construction Management, Building Construction, Engineering, or similar field, as well as at least 3 years experience in construction, commercial development, and/or estimating. Also requires knowledge of MS Project, Gmail, Google Drive, Project Management software applications

Procore, Prolog, Constructware and PDF annotation.

Send resume to Amanda Good, 8890 E. 116th St., Suite 250, Fishers, IN, 46038

HIRING-DELIVERY DRIVER/ PACKING & PROCESSING ASSOCIATE

Royal Dental Labs Inc

Looking for a team-oriented individual to fill a part-time and a full-time position as Delivery Driver/Packing and Processing Associate. Candidate will be responsible for ensuring timely delivery and pick up of cases to dental offices throughout the Indianapolis, IN metro area, reviewing orders prior to delivery, packing and processing cases for UPS/FedEx shipping, printing shipping labels, and various office support roles. Must have excellent driving record. If you’re interested in taking on a new challenge at a growing company, we encourage you to apply today. Starting rate of pay $14 to $15 an hour with quarterly bonus potential. Retirees welcome to apply. Send resume to alan@royaldentallabs.com

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

Integrity Automotive is looking for a full time automotive technician. In business for 28 years in downtown Carmel with a solid, happy customer base and a positive, good-natured work environment. The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive. net. We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays. To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net

40 S Rangeline Rd Carmel Indiana 46032 www.IntegrityAutomotive.net

Answers to HOOSIER HODGEPODGE: Clothing: BLOUSE, COAT, JACKET, PANTS, SHIRT, SLACKS; Capitals: ATHENS, BERLIN, OSLO, PARIS, ROME; Peppers: BELL, CAYENNE, JALAPENO, SERRANO; Reservoirs: EAGLE CREEK, GEIST, MORSE; Area Codes: FOUR SIX THREE, THREE ONE SEVEN; County Seat: AUBURN

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