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Lucas Oil opens new HQ in north Indy / P2

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Founded March 12, 2024, at Indianapolis, IN Vol. I, No. 20

525 North End Dr. Ste. 175 Carmel, IN 46032 317.489.4444

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Opinions

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

Lucas Oil opens new HQ in north Indy

By Les Morris NorthIndy@youarecurrent.com

Lucas Oil’s brand name is very familiar to central Indiana residents, thanks to its naming rights on the local NFL team’s stadium and its active involvement in motor sports.

RELOCATION

That acquaintance was officially cemented Nov. 12 when the company, Lucas Oil Products, cut the ribbon on its new 70,000-square-foot headquarters on the far northside of Indianapolis, at 3610 River Crossing Pkwy., in the area just north of Fashion Mall at Keystone. The lubricant products company relocated from its former headquarters in Southern California’s Riverside County.

CEO Morgan Lucas said the move was motivated by what he described as the high cost of doing business in the Golden State. He is thrilled to be back home again in Indiana, where he was born. Lucas is the son of Lucas Oil founders Forrest and Charlotte Lucas. He was promoted to CEO in February after serving as the company’s president since 2020.

The new headquarters is the second big investment Lucas Oil has made in the state in 2024. Earlier this year, the company opened a grease manufacturing plant in Corydon, which employs 250 Hoosiers. Approximately 80 people will initially work at the new headquarters in Indianapolis.

“Indiana should be very proud of the workforce it has developed and the quality of people here,” Morgan Lucas said.

Notably, the new headquarters includes a museum with memorabilia and photos, and, in a nod to the realities of social media in reaching today’s audience, a production studio large enough for employees to move vehicles in and out of the building to accommodate for photo and television shoots.

“People consume content differently than five to 10 years ago and we have to adapt to that,” Morgan Lucas said. “We’re a

company that likes to be nimble and likes to pivot. Having this space gives us a lot of flexibility and allows us to meet our customers at their place of passion.”

Another reason the production studio will be useful is the company also owns MAVTV, the only cable network in the U.S. dedicated solely to motorsports. Day-today operations of the network will run from the first floor of the new building.

“We want to showcase how our products work for the everyday driver and how easy it is to use our products,” Lucas said.

From left, Senior Vice President of Ascension and CEO of Ascension St. Vincent Kevin Speer, Lucas Oil CEO Morgan Lucas, Lucas Oil President Katie Lucas and Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg cut the ribbon to the company’s new headquarters. (Photos courtesy of Lucas Oil Products)

From left, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, sprint car driver Rico Abreu, Lucas Oil CEO Morgan Lucas, Lucas Oil President Katie Lucas and NHRA driver Antron Brown

Washington Twp. Schools approve $4,000 base salary increase

NorthIndy@youarecurrent.com

The Washington Township Schools Board approved a resolution to significantly increase staff compensation at its Nov. 13 meeting.

EDUCATION

The pay increase is part of the district’s ongoing effort to ensure that educators are compensated competitively, according to the school district.

“Our teachers are the heart of our schools, and we recognize the vital role they play in fostering student growth and achievement,” Superintendent Nikki Woodson stated. “This pay increase is a reflec-

tion of our gratitude for their dedication and our commitment to providing the resources and support they need to continue their important work in the classroom.”

The salary increases are the result of collaborative efforts between the district and the Washington Township Education Association, according to WTS. Additionally, district officials said they are dedicated to supporting its educators not only through competitive compensation, but also by offering ongoing professional development, enhancing classroom resources and support and fostering a positive work environment. By passing the resolution, the board approved a $4,000 base salary increase

DISPATCH

and a $1,300 one-time stipend for all eligible teachers this school year. This is an 8.5 percent average increase in total compensation for teachers this school year.

According to WTS, many teachers who have been with the district over the last sevent school years have seen their base salary increase more than $20,000; have received over $5,000 in stipends; and have seen no increase in the cost of health, dental or vision insurance.

Additionally, the Washington Township

Schools Board also approved substantial compensation increases for nonteaching staff, including instructional assistants; cafeteria staff; school resource officers; custodians; and transportation staff, among others. Many staff members also saw an increase in paid time off and retirement benefits this year as well.

Staff compensation increases were made possible in part by the significant increases in student enrollment of more than 800 students in the last two years.

Avoid plumbing mishaps during the holidays — Citizens Energy Group is reminding residents to avoid plumbing and sewer backups by properly disposing of fats, oils and grease — FOG — during the holidays. FOGs are readily found in holiday food staples such as turkey, stuffing and gravy, as well as in the preparation of desserts, casseroles, pastries and other dishes commonly associated with the end-of-year holidays. When residents improperly dispose of FOG, these materials can collect with pipes and cause sewer backups by draining into pipes but solidifying in internal plumbing or public infrastructure, resulting in a blockage. FOGs should be poured into a small container, then tossed in the garbage once solidified. Learn more at citizensenergygroup.com.

and donors, these barriers are being overcome. Learn more or join the movement at EskenaziHealthFoundation.org.

Fishers celebrates opening of event center

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

After many years of planning and more than a year of construction, the City of Fishers celebrated the official opening of the new 7,500-seat Fishers Event Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 22, hours before the $170 million center hosted its first event, a concert by country band Turnpike Troubadours.

ENTERTAINMENT

“This is a very, very special day for the City of Fishers and it’s a long time in the making,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told the group gathered for the ceremony. “For some of us, this has been a dream or an idea that’s been kicked around literally for over a decade.”

Fadness said he and Jim Hallett, owner of the Indy Fuel hockey team, started talking about an event center in Fishers in 2011 or 2012. There were some obstacles they had to overcome, including the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, but they eventually found a suitable location in the Fishers District — 11000 Stockdale St. —

close to the FORUM Event Center and Ikea, and found business partners to help make it happen.

Fadness credited Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren for his work and the Fishers City Council for supporting the project; and ASM Global, which is managing the center and booking all the events. Fadness said he hopes the community enjoys what the center has to offer moving forward.

“I’m not one for a pomp and circumstance. I’m not one for ribbon cuttings most of the time,” he said. “What I will enjoy … more than anything tonight, is … sitting back and watching countless Fishers residents today, tomorrow and well into

the future, experience this facility, share a memory with their family — whether that’s an unbelievable concert, whether it’s an Indy Fuel game, whether it’s our incredible women’s volleyball team that we’re going to have here, whether it’s the Fishers Freight or, frankly, whether it’s graduation or the (Hamilton Southeastern Schools) Mudsock basketball game — whatever those things are, the opportunity to know that I had a small part in creating this opportunity to have them experience that — that’s what this is all about for me.”

The center is the new home base for the Indy Fuel as well as the new Indy Ignite professional volleyball team and Fishers Freight indoor football team. The first Indy Fuel home game is scheduled for Dec. 6 at the center.

Center manager Mitch List from ASM thanked everyone who was part of planning and building the new facility.

“In the final weeks, the building has transformed into an extraordinary venue with finishing touches, bringing every space to life in the venue,” he said. For more about the event center, visit fisherseventcenter.com.

City of Fishers and Fishers Event Center officials cut the ribbon to officially open the new Fishers Event Center Nov. 22. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)

Local police assist in meth bust

news@geistcurrent.com

Eleven Indiana residents have been indicted in federal court on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine following a multiagency operation that included Hamilton/Boone County Drug Task Force, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Lawrence Police Department.

CRIME

In all, 16 agencies coordinated to execute 22 arrest and search warrants at 11 locations in central Indiana Nov. 20. Ten individuals were arrested and are in federal custody.

According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Indiana, federal agents and local police seized firearms and quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana.

The people indicted are:

• Matthew Fishman, 38, of Bloomington

• Megan Gaskin, 29, of Indianapolis

• Joseph Grubb, 37, of Bloomfield

• Amanda Hornaday, 40, of Indianapolis

• Candace Rich, 44, of Indianapolis

• Ashley Russell, 38, of Indianapolis

• Colton Shorkey, 33, of Franklin

• James Sublett Jr., 39, of Westfield

• James Tyus Jr., 39, of Indianapolis

• Kelly Willis, 52, of Indianapolis

• Thomas Winkley, 45, of Indianapolis

Joseph A. Grubb remains a fugitive, according to the announcement.

The indictment alleges that since February, all 11 defendants conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Tyus allegedly acted as the leader of the operation and Sublett was named as the supplier. The remaining defendants allegedly acted as dealers and distributers.

The alleged meth deals took place at various locations across Indianapolis, including parking lots, gas stations, apartment complexes, motels and a gentleman’s club.

“Getting deadly drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl off our streets is a top priority for our office,” stated Zachary Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “That is why working with our partners at DEA, IMPD and across federal, state and local law enforcement is so important. We are committed to identifying drug traffickers and holding them accountable in federal court.”

Farrell returns in musical version of ‘A Christmas Story’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For Don Farrell, “A Christmas Story: The Musical” is the perfect transition from movie version to musical.

Farrell is returning to play the Old Man, whose name is Frank Parker, in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical,” which was scheduled to begin Nov. 29 and run through Jan. 4.

“It’s a great show. It’s just a beautiful, perfect show for the holidays,” the Westfield resident said. “Everyone knows the movie and I still watch it every single year. The way in which the creatives transferred the movie to stage, sometimes things work and sometimes things don’t work as well when that happens. I think with this production, they really hit it out of the park with how they transferred the movie and all of those iconic moments that people look forward to seeing in the movie. It’s all heightened in a magical sense with how the art form of musical theater and how the score is written and the lyrics. It’s a beautiful chestnut of a holiday show and you definitely feel great at the beginning of it, the middle of it and all the way to the end of it. You are walking out in the holiday spirit.”

Ethan Mobley, 14, an eighth-grader at Zionsville Middle School, plays Scut Farkus, the main bully.

“This is my kind of character, but I have never truly played the antagonist,” Mobley said. “It can be challenging to pretend to hurt my castmates and make it look real. The feedback I got last rehearsal was to be meaner, something I’m not used to being told. It is fun to play the person who everyone is afraid of. As the oldest of three kids, it isn’t far from a normal day. The scene where I get beat up is a new experience, but I try to embrace it.”

“All of the interactions I have with the other kids are fun and I love all of the dancing we get to do,” Cohen said. “I think everyone who sees it will think my character is funny, too, because of some of the words I have to say, and especially the scene with the triple-dog dare is hilarious.”

The iconic scene is when another friend, Flick, is dared to put his tongue on a frozen flagpole and it sticks to the pole.

This is Cohen’s fourth show at Beef & Boards.

‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” runs through Jan. 4 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

Holiday Blues at the Club with Zach Day is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, and Indiana Christmas with Ahlwardts is set for 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc. com.

‘WHITE CHRISTMAS’ Civic Theatre presents “White Christmas” through Dec. 24 at The Tarkington at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘ANY KIND OF CHRISTMAS’

Home Free’s “Any Kind of Christmas” tour stops are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

FOUR PHANTOMS

The Four Phantoms Holiday Show is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents. org.

‘A SWINGIN’ LITTLE CHRISTMAS’

Farrell enjoys the song “The Genius on Cleveland Street,” which he sings when he’s working on a crossword puzzle and dreaming of winning a prize. Another of his favorite songs is “A Major Award.”

“It a wonderful fantasy when he wins that lamp that everyone knows,” Farrell said. “It’s a hysterical number.”

Farrell said he loves the scene when his character’s kids open presents on Christmas.

“It’s very Norman Rockwell,” Farrell said. “It takes place in a fictional town in Indiana and I think there’s some Indiana pride about that, too.”

Mobley saw the musical for the first time at Civic Theatre in 2022.

“Benji Pasek and Justin Paul have composed and written some of my favorite musicals, and this one does not disappoint,” Mobley said. “Getting to perform at Beef & Boards feels like a huge accomplishment, like my hard work has paid off from the past four years of doing theater. I auditioned but didn’t get a role in the production of ‘A Christmas Story’ where I first saw the show, so making it into this one feels special.”

Evan Cohen, 12, a seventh-grader at Creekside Middle School, plays Ralphie’s good friend, Schwartz.

“But I have never had this many lines before, so it is fun to get to have a character with more personality,” he said.

Cohen played Young Charlie in the 2022 production of “Kinky Boots” and was in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Louisa Zabel of Zionsville plays Esther Jane, and Westfield resident Allie Stacy plays Mary Beth.

Teddy Wiegand, an 11-year-old from Brownsburg, is making his Beef & Boards debut as Ralphie. Oliver Barszcz, 9, Indianapolis, plays Randy. Alex Arickx, 13, Plainfield, plays Flick. Barszcz and Arickx were Munchkins in Beef & Boards’ production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

For more, visit beefandboards.com.

Jane Lynch’s “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” concert is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

‘ENJOY THE HOLLY DAYS’ Indiana Wind Symphony’s “Enjoy the Holly Days” concert is set for 4 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit indianawindsymphony.org.

ALABAMA

Alabama’s Roll On II North America Tour stops at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at Fishers Event Center. For more, visit fisherseventcenter.com.

Don Farrell performing as the Old Man in the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” in 2019. (Courtesy of Beef & Boards)

Cohen

Mobley

ICC holiday concerts set

By Ken Severson editorial@youarecurrent.com

The strains of Andy Williams singing “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” are filling the airwaves, and soon, the melodic, holiday season sounds of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir will again be heard.

MUSIC

The Indianapolis Children’s Choir is preparing to perform its series of annual holiday concerts. The choir will perform four shows at the Second Presbyterian Church at 7700 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis from December 13-15.

theme with some classic songs. Throughout the weekend of the event, audiences can expect to see approximately 350 choir members perform classic songs like “Winter Wonderland,” “Carol of the Bells” and “We Need a Little Christmas.”

Pedde said the choir will sing with an accompanying chamber orchestra.

“It’s really looking at classical holiday music and doing a twist on the classics,” Pedde said. “People will hear a lot of their favorites. There’s a lot for everybody to enjoy.”

Indianapolis Children’s Choir’s Executive Artistic Director Joshua Pedde said the annual series is a great holiday tradition.

“I think there’s nothing like hearing children’s voices during the holiday, especially with the music,” said Pedde, a Carmel resident. “It’s very different than hearing a church choir. This can get people into the holiday spirit and it will be magical.”

The concerts will have a vintage holiday

Show dates are: “Angels Sing: A Vintage Holiday,” 7 p.m. Dec. 13; “Celebrate the Season,” 3 p.m. Dec. 14; “Angels Sing,” 7 p.m. Dec. 14; and “Sounds of the Season,” 4 p.m. Dec. 15.

Tickets for a single performance are $16 and can be purchased online at icchoir. org/tickets. Children 5 and under are admitted free but require a ticket. If the concerts do not sell out in advance, tickets will be available for purchase at the door an hour prior to the performance.

Swing band’s concert set

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Steve Perry’s group originally started out as a punk rock/ska band.

MUSIC

“Our first music was swing music, so we’ve really been playing swing music from the beginning along with the other stuff,” Perry said.

The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies will perform its “WWII Tiki Xmas Canteen” concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5.

“We’re basically known for being a swing band, which is a large amount of 20th century popular jazz,” Perry said. “We run the gamut from ragtime to hot jazz to all the way to 1961 with the Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra vibes. We touch on all of these subgenres of music that swings. It’s very danceable and very 20th century.”

Perry calls the “Xmas Canteen” concert a swing spectacular

“We ended up playing in Hawaii as part of Pearl Harbor celebrations on Dec. 7 and started doing this 1940s music,” Perry said. Perry said the night before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, there was a battle of the bands between U.S. Navy ships.

The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies will perform its “WWII Tiki Xmas Canteen” concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Palladium. (Photo courtesy of Cherry Poppin’ Daddies)

“Different ships sent their bands to compete in it and I’m sure it was a wild night,” he said. “They were probably hung over and then Dec. 7 hit.”

The concert will include 1940s classics.

The band’s latest album, “At the Pink Rat,” focuses on the golden era of swing music of the 1940s highlighted by Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.

“The biggest job is to be a popularizer of this kind of music because it kind of fell out of favor in the early 1960s,” Perry said. “After The Beatles came, it was pretty much gone forever. I hadn’t really written in that style, which means big band (music) with major chords” For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Pedde

Experience the magic of the season at Hotel Carmichael with a variety of festive offerings. Unwind in the warmth of Prancer's Parlor, our charming pop-up holiday bar, where festive cocktails and cozy ambiance set the mood for the season. Delight in the Winter Chalets, a unique outdoor dining experience featuring twinkling lights, rustic decor, and a seasonal menu that captures the essence of winter. At Feinstein's, enjoy a diverse lineup of live entertainment, from classical to jazz, ensuring an unforgettable night for guests of all ages. And, just steps away, immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of Carmel's Christkindlmarkt—a holiday destination in itself. Whether you’re looking to dine, unwind, or be entertained, we have something special for everyone this holiday season.

IWS concert to include family holiday favorites

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Indiana Wind Symphony’s holiday concert should evoke many memories.

CONCERT

“We’re doing a combination of works that will appeal to children in the audience as well as the adults,” IWS Music Director Jay Gephart said. “We’re doing a medley of music from ‘Charlie Brown’s Christmas.’”

That is just part of the 70-minute show set for Indiana Wind Symphony’s “Enjoy the Holly Days” concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

Twana Harris is the special guest and will perform “O Holy Night.” The North Central High School graduate is a pastor and music director at a church in Detroit.

“She sings more a gospel style than a classical opera style, but I think she will be received by the Indiana Wind Symphony community,” said Gephart, who is a chair of the Purdue University bands and orchestras. “She is top-notch. She has performed with my ensembles on three different occasions. My Purdue world absolutely adores Twana. She really made a connection with my Purdue audiences.”

Harris will be accompanied on piano for “Some Children See Him.”

“Santa has committed to being there in his busy schedule,” Gephart said. “So will Mrs. Claus, who narrates ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas.’”

There also will be Christmas music from various Broadway shows and a performance of late jazz composer and arranger Sammy Nestico’s “Good Swing Wenceslas.”

Gephart said more serious work is a transcription by H. Robert Reynolds of Morten Lauridsen’s “O magnum mysterium.”

“It was originally written for chorus by Morten Lauridsen and then transcribed by H. Robert Reynolds, who was the former director of bands from University of Michigan,” Gephart said.

For more, visit indianawindsymphony. org.

Harris

Blueprint for Improvement: Elegant Indy kitchen

Commentary by Larry Greene

Our Indianapolis clients were ready to refresh their Clearwater neighborhood kitchen and our team rose to the challenge. We reimagined the space with a smarter layout, improved flow, expanded storage and a timeless, elegant design that’s both timeless and functional. The result is a kitchen that seamlessly combines style and efficiency, creating a warm, inviting space perfect for both daily living and entertaining.

THE BLUEPRINT

• Relocating the range improves flow, enhances functionality and creates a focal point for the room.

• White cabinetry, a matching backsplash and quartz counters keep the space bright and airy, complemented by the warmth of hardwood floors and a soft, pale blue on the island.

• Smart storage solutions, including a charging drawer, spice drawer and pull-outs for utensils and trash, keep everyday essentials close yet neatly tucked away.

• Brass accents on the hardware, range, faucet and lighting lend a touch of timeless elegance.

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.

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