October 25, 2022 — Westfield

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Founded Jan. 29, 2008, at Westfield, IN Vol. XV, No. 40 Copyright 2022. Current Publishing, LLC All Rights Reserved. 30 South Range Line Road Carmel, IN 46032 317.489.4444

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

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City OKs $1.86M contract to upgrade turf fields

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Westfield has approved a $1.86 million contract with an Ohio-based company to replace four outdoor artificial turf soccer fields at the Grand Park

GOVERNMENT

Sports Complex.

The Westfield Redevelopment Commission approved the contract with The Motz Group, which will replace Fields 2 to 5 at Grand Park with work scheduled to be completed by mid-Feburary, according to the city. The company, which is based in Cincinnati, will remove the existing turf and install the new turf with a 50 percent payment due Jan. 2, 2023, a 40 percent payment due Feb. 1 and the remaining balance due upon substan tial completion, according to the approved contract.

The current turf is the original artifical turf that was installed in 2013 and is ap proaching the end of a traditional life cycle of turf fields, city spokesman Chris Proffitt said. The fields traditionally have an eightto 10-year life cycle, he added.

“We are starting to see significant wear and tear on the fields,” he said.

Grand Park, which has seven outdoor turf fields, will replace four of them under the contract with The Motz Group. Grand Park, By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

which is owned by the Westfield Redevel opment Commission, also has three indoor fields in the Grand Parks Events Center.

“We have completed annual inspections and are taking a phased approach to re

place our outdoor fields,” Proffitt said. “The most significant benefit will be the new surface for our athletes to enjoy. This new playing surface will keep us competitive with new facilities.”

Pursuit Institute receives CTE designation

pipelines that will continue to drive our economy.”

up to $500,000 annually in federal Perkins funding.

The Pursuit Institute, which was formerly known as the Hamilton County Center for Career Achieve ment, has been designated as an independent Career and Technical Education district by the state of Indiana.

EDUCATION

“Career and technical education should be afforded to all students, regardless of their post-high school plans. CTE is for students who want the skills and credentials to enter the world of work, but it is also designed for students who plan to pursue an associate’s or bach elor’s degree after high school,” said Paul Kaiser, superintendent of Westfield Wash ington Schools. “By collaborating across our county, we are providing new opportunities for all students, and providing Hamilton County with the education and training

Five school districts — Carmel, Hamilton Heights, Noblesville, Sheridan and Westfield — have already approved joint operating agreements to administer career and vocational training, while Hamilton Southeastern Schools is the lone district that hasn’t voted to approve the agreement as of Oct. 17. Students in all Hamilton County school corporations who have sought career and vocational education have attended classes at the J. Everitt Light Career Center in the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township.

However, under the joint operating agreement, schools would offer classes at their respective schools, allowing students from across Hamilton County to access those courses. The new designation as a CTE district will allow The Pursuit Institute and the school districts it serves to receive

“This community is a place where great things happen and that is because we in vest in people,” Hamilton County Councilor Steven Nation said. “This new CTE district is an example of how a spirit of collaboration can further improve opportunities available to students for generations to come.”

Carrie Lively, executive director of The Pursuit Institute, said the collaboration be tween education and industry that is taking place in Hamilton County is unique.

“This innovative approach is the catalyst for developing state of the art programming and educational opportunities,” Lively said.

“What makes this even better is that we are affording these opportunities to thousands of students within the county, ensuring equitable access to education, regardless of where students reside.”

Officials hope to get everything up and running in time for the 2023-24 school year, according to Lively.

The city of Westfield will upgrade four outdoor turf fields at the Grand Park Sports Complex. (FIle photo)

Lively

DISPATCHES

Correction — Due to a production error, the identities for Westfield school board candi dates Jill Woerner and Patrick Phillips were incorrect in preview stories for Districts 2 and 4 and have been corrected online.

Send us your stories and photos — Please email story suggestions on new busi nesses, interesting residents, upcoming events, news tips and photos to Current in Westfield Managing Editor Matthew Kent at matthew@youarecurrent.com. For photo submissions, please provide the full names of individuals, along with a short descrip tion of the event, location and the date of when it took place.

Westfield Welcome hosting ‘Trick or Treating in the Plaza’ — Westfield Welcome will host ghosts and goblins of all ages during its Trick or Treating in the Plaza event Oct. 28 at Grand Junction Plaza. The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. that will be followed by a showing of the movie “Hocus Pocus.”

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

Crew Carwash holding fundraiser for YMCA in Westfield — Crew Carwash is part nering with YMCA of Greater Indianapolis to help raise funds for the future Ascension St. Vincent YMCA in Westfield. During the month of October, individuals who visit Crew Car wash in Westfield, 777 E. State Road 32, are asked to consider making a donation to the Y. All proceeds will go directly toward the fundraising campaign to build the new Y Center. For more, visit crewcarwash.com/ westfield-ymca/.

Westfield Police Dept. supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month — The Westfield Police Dept. is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink enam eled badges throughout October. The cam paign promotes increased awareness of the disease and offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

In

Carmel senior takes leadership role on boys soccer team

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Not only was Will Latham the leading scorer for the Carmel High School boys soccer team, he was an all-around leader.

“He had a fantastic season for us,” Grey hounds coach Shane Schmidt said. “He really stepped up to a leader ship role. He was chosen by his teammates as one of the captains of the team.”

Latham said he was always taught by his father, Doug Latham, the importance of being a leader.

“He’s helped me grow my leadership skills and I feel like I did step it up this year,” Latham said. “I was encouraging guys not only when they mess up but when they do well, just keep our heads high and keep us ready and on track for the future.”

Latham, a forward, had a team-high nine goals and shared the team lead with Davis Dilling with five assists.

“I would say that this was definitely my

MEET WILL LATHAM

Favorite TV show: “Designated Survivor”

Favorite subject: Social studies

Favorite athlete: Mason Mount

far.”

Latham, a two-year starter, was a key contributor off the bench as a sophomore. He had eight goals and four assists as a junior as the Greyhounds reached the 3A state title game before losing to Noblesville 3-1.

“I have made the most improvement in my movement when I am not carrying the ball,” he said. “That way I can get open to receive passes and crosses from my teammates.”

Latham, who has played club soccer for Hoosier FC, said his plan is to attend Ball State University or Indiana University.

Will Latham led the Carmel boys soccer team with nine goals. (Photo courtesy of Joe Gilbert) best season,” Schmidt said. “Unfortunately, I was injured in the beginning but after that I came back strong. I missed three games with a hip flexor strain. I thought my play overall was better than it had been in the past. I think my skills peaked at this time.”

The Greyhounds (15-3-3), who were ranked No. 1 in Class 3A in the final coaches poll, lost to Cathedral in the regional champi

onship. The game was tied 1-1 and the Irish won 4-2 on penalty kicks. Carmel had beat en Cathedral 4-1 in the regular season.

“It was fun to work hard with my team mates and enjoy every little moment,” Latham said. “Our coaching was phenome nal this year as it has been in the past and their leadership allowed us to make it this

“At one point in my life, I wanted to play at a higher level, but after countless hours and years of playing, it was time to take a step back,” he said. “If I want to play in col lege, I just want it to be for fun instead of making it more than that.”

Latham has five siblings. Two of his sis ters played soccer and a younger sister still plays soccer.

“My dad coached one of my sisters and he coached me throughout a lot of my life,” said Latham, who started playing at age 4 and referees youth soccer.

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Latham

Brewery to release new beer

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

bring awareness in the community on how we can make a difference in the environ ment right here locally.”

ENVIRONMENT

The Hamilton County Invasives Partner ship has teamed with a brewery that plans to open its third loca tion in Noblesville next summer by releasing a new beer.

The organization has collabo rated with Bier Brewery to release Native Nectar, which is the Mid west’s first beer dedicated to rais ing awareness about native and invasive species. The can for the blood orange Kolsch-style beer will feature native coneflowers, but terfly milkweed and pollinators, in addition to information encouraging individ uals to get involved with invasive species management.

“We are excited to work closely with HIP on this project to bring awareness to our native species along with the invasive ones that wreak havoc on our local environment,” said Ryan Connor, director of sales and a co-owner of Bier Brewery. “We wanted to

Bier Brewery is a local, family-owned and operated brewery that opened in 2010. The brewery, which offers more than 130 beer selections.

The City of Noblesville an nounced in September that Bier Brewery was opening a 6,000-square-foot taproom at 1618 S. 10th St. that will also feature a dog park, a kids’ playground, cov ered outdoor seating and bike ac cess to the Allisonville Road Trail. It will mark the third and largest location for the brewery, which also has taprooms at 5133 E. 65th St. in Indianapolis and another location at 13720 N. Meridian St. in Carmel.

Native Nectar can be found at the Indi anapolis and Carmel taprooms and select package liquor stores in central Indiana, with a portion of proceeds to benefit the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership.

For more on Bier Brewery, visit bierbrew ery.com/home.

Noblesville artist to display work

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The artwork of a local resident will be featured in the Meyer Najem Construction building in Fishers through the end of the year.

ARTWORK

Noblesville resident Dan Howell’s work is featured in a collection of platters made of glazed stoneware on display in the sec ond-floor gallery space at Meyer Najem, 11787 Lantern Rd. The series started as a reaction to political and social unrest, and his pieces that contain “Chaos Control Failure” in their title are a re flection of that unrest, according to Howell. Howell began working with clay as a child and made sculptures on the creek banks near the source of the White River on his father’s farm. He continued honing his craft specifically with clay after encourage ment from his high school art teacher. He now has a ceramic studio at his home on the banks of the White River in Noblesville and previously taught art for 45 years at

three different high schools in Indiana.

The full exhibit, which can be seen with Howell’s hand-carved limestone sculptures, are available for viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Meyer Najem. Howell’s work will be on display through Dec. 29.

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MERIDIAN-KESSLER

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ZIONSVILLE STUDIO 117 S. First Street Zionsville,

Noblesville resident Dan Howell’s “Chaos Control Failure” artwork is on display at Meyer Najem Construction, 11787 Lantern Rd., in Fishers through Dec. 29. (Photo provided by Nickel Plate Arts)

Howell

CELEBRATE WIN AT CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

LOCAL RESIDENT SERVES COUNTRY OVERSEAS

Boatswains Mate 3rd Class Danyela Bravo, from Stockton, Calif., gives commands to a line team as Seaman Ulrich Kini, from Westfield both assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), holds the line as the ship, along with the embarked staff of Carrier Strike Group 10, arrives in Souda Bay, Crete, for a scheduled port visit, Oct. 6. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deploy ment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to de fend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (Photo provided by U.S. Navy)

PARIS - CITY OF LIGHTS

Westfield Middle School cross country runners pause after winning first place at the Indiana Middle School Cross Country Championships in the big school girls varsity division Oct. 1 in Terre Haute. Pictured, from left, are Carly Davis, Avery Taylor, Ella Lidskin, Jenna Burns, Maggie Naas, Sylvia Flynn, Sam Foster, Emma Pitney, Ella Bozarth and Alivia Lozier. (Photo provided by Linda Ogle)

HCCF receives benefactor award

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The Hamilton County Community Foun dation has received a benefactor award from the Ivy Tech Foundation.

RECOGNITION

HCCF was among 19 benefactor award winners who were recognized at the Ivy Tech Foundation’s Distinguished Alumni awards ceremony in late September. The event recognizes indi viduals, corporations and foundations from Indiana who have considerably impacted Ivy Tech communities and students.

The awards celebrate the gifts and volun teer service that have been contributed to the college, according to the foundation.

HCCF awarded the Hamilton County campus in Noblesville with more than $500,000 in scholarships, equipment and program funds through partnerships with the Community Leadership Innovation Fund and IU Health.

For more information about this year’s benefactor winners, visit ivytech.edu/bene factors/index.html.

Ivy Tech offering FAFSA assistance

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Ivy Tech Community College is offering assistance to current and prospective stu dents with filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA.

EDUCATION

The college is hosting Tuesdays@TheTech events at various campuses across the state. The FAFSA application, which became available for the 2023-24 academic year on Oct. 1, is used by most colleges, including Ivy Tech, to determine eligibility for many types of financial assistance.

Information on Tuesdays@TheTech can be found at vytech.edu/tuesdays. Individuals and families who need help filling out the FAFSA can attend College Goal Sunday at 2 p.m. Nov. 6. It is considered to be Indiana’s largest FAFSA filing event. Westfield High School will be participating in the event, while other sites will also be available that can be found by visiting collegegoalsunday. org.

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EXCEPTIONAL CARE. SIMPLY DELIVERED.

The Al Salam Foundation will hold a ground breaking Oct. 29 for its Islamic Life Center to be built on 15 acres at 14120 Shelborne Rd. (Render ing courtesy of Al Salam Foundation)

Islamic Life Center groundbreaking set for Oct. 29

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

The Al Salam Foundation will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 29 to cele brate the beginning of construc tion of the Islamic Life Center, which is set to be complete by the fall of 2024.

FAITH

The mosque will be built on 15 acres at 14120 Shelborne Rd. in northwest Carmel. It will provide more space for the foundation – which currently meets in northwest India napolis – to host religious, educational and cultural activities.

Ashhar Madni, president of the Al Salam Foundation board of directors, said the groundbreaking ceremony is a significant milestone.

“We’ve reached this point, so that is a fulfillment of what the community has envi sioned,” he said.

When the project went before the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals in 2018, several nearby residents remonstrated, citing concerns about the plans being too big for the site and not fitting with existing devel opment. The following year, a judge threw out a lawsuit asking for a review of the BZA decision to approve plans for the mosque, which is expected to primarily serve resi dents of Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville and surrounding areas.

The groundbreaking ceremony will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include remarks from several faith and community leaders, food, prayer and time for socializing. The ceremony is open to the public, but space is limited. Tickets are required. Learn more and RSVP at alsalamfoundation.org/ ground-breaking-ceremony.

Lowry challenges Buck for District 21 seat

Compiled by Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Incumbent Republican State Sen. Jim Buck is facing a challenge from Westfield attorney Josh Lowry a Democrat for his District 21 seat. Buck did not respond to a request to com plete Current’s questionnaire.

Education: B.S. in exercise science from IU; J.D. from IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law Occupation: Attorney City: Westfield Age: 37

Lived in district: 13 years

Immediate family: Wife – Alexis; children – Ania, Lucy, Dominic, Eryn; Pets – Olllie, Oscar, Max, Floyd, Odell, Mango

Previous political experience: None. It’s time for new leaders focused on solving to day’s problems and planning for our future. Website: lowryforindiana.com

Why do you want to run for office? I want District 21 to have a state senator that listens to them and doesn’t put his personal views over the rights of Hoosiers.

What are your qualifications for this of fice? My wife and I have fostered 11 children and adopted four. Also, I am a litigator who has practiced constitutional law.

What are your top three campaign issues?

Women’s rights. I think a woman should make her own healthcare decisions – a state senator shouldn’t be able to tell her what to do.

Fully-funding our schools. Our teachers are underpaid and our schools lack critical resources. Why are we bragging about our $6 billion surplus when our schools need help?

Growing more high-paying jobs. Under the Republican supermajority, unions have

been attacked and we bled high-paying jobs in exchange for lower-paying jobs. That was intentional, and the exact goal of organizations like ALEC (of which Sen. Buck was the chairman). We need to attract and grow higher-paying jobs in industries of the future.

What sets you apart from other candidates for this office? My dedication to improving the lives of children. I am running for state senate for the same reason my wife and I became foster parents and will continue to foster.

Additionally, I am an experienced litigator who has practiced constitutional law. I am able to understand the practical effects of a proposed law and will know whether the proposed law can stand up to a legal challenge.

What other organizations are you in volved with? Southern District of Indiana’s Pro Bono Voluntary Panel; Interact Family Services, Westfield Youth Sports (WYSI), and Westfield Democrats Club.

Something most people don’t know about you? I’ve always been an athlete. Growing up it was football, basketball and track. Prior to law school, I chased my boyhood dream and spent a year as a pro fessional wrestler. I still play recreational soccer and compete in bodybuilding shows.

Something you want people to know about you? I can’t stand bullies. Even when I was growing up and was the middle line backer, my mom instilled in me to be the person standing up to bullies, not to be the bully.

GRAND JUNCTION PLAZA HONORED

Westfield’s Grand Junction Plaza recently received first-place honors at the 45th an nual Monumental awards presented by the Indy Chamber.

The six-acre downtown park was nominated in the Landscape Architecture category. The Monumental Awards represent the nine-county Indianapolis region’s highest honor in the built environment. According to the Indy Chamber, winners are selected based on the region’s most significant and broadest impact.

“This honor represents the vision 15 years ago of the Grand Junction Task Group, ded icated volunteers who pursued the idea of a vibrant urban destination for downtown Westfield,” said Westfield Mayor Andy Cook.

Lowry

Josh Lowry

Carmel couple keeps Christmas charity going

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

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

WESTFIELD

Project: Reconstruction of 151st Street

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

Expected completion: The road will be closed through October.

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Project: 156th Street lane restrictions

Location: There will be periodic lane restrictions on 156th Street near Westfield Boulevard through Oct. 19 for equipment unloading.

Expected completion: Summer

Project: Boulevard with a roundabout

Traffic flaggers will be present when restrictions are required. Motorists are asked to use caution in the area.

GIVING BACK

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

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

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

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

It began in 2004 when the Holdrens agreed to purchase gifts for a struggling family instead of for each other. Now 18 years later, Kern said the charity delivers Christmas to almost 400 families in Dela ware County and has affiliates in six addi tional counties in central Indiana.

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

Volunteers wrap gifts to deliver to families in need. (Photo courtesy of Jay Kern)

“It costs approximately $550 to provide a family a complete Christmas, and in this year of transition we are seeking to raise aware ness about the organization in order to serve as many families as possible,” Kern said.

Kern said the group is moving the shopping and wrapping to Westfield, with shopping at Meijer and wrapping at Cross roads Community Church. All the shopping, wrapping and delivery is set for Dec. 10. The names of families in need come from principals and counselors at local schools. The group typically provide gifts to 30 to 40 families.

“We used to shop in Noblesville and wrap in Fishers,” Kern said. “We’ll continue to serve the entire county, but the biggest need has always been in the Westfield and Sheridan area. It’s a great area for us to call home base.”

In a year of transition, Kern said the goal is to simply make it happen this year.

“There is a need for volunteers as well as family sponsorships,” Kern said. “We’re try ing to find sponsorships for this Christmas, and next year we’re planning some signa ture events to help us serve the community in other ways.”

For more, visit secretfamilieshc.org.

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

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

Project: Raised median

Location: State Road 32 between Oak Ridge Road and Wheeler Road

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

Project: Grand Park Boulevard extension

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

Expected completion: Lane restrictions will be in place through Oct. 19.

Project: New roundabout

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

Expected completion: Closed until Jan. 2, 2023

Project: Drainage project

Location: A section of Westfield Park Road where it intersects with the Monon Trail is closed for a drainage project. Access to businesses in this area will remain open.

Expected completion: TBD

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Sarah Zack is a few months into her new role as the principal of Washington Woods Elementary School and comes to work each day with plenty of enthusiasm and excite ment for more than 600 students.

Zack, who entered her 23rd year in the education field earlier this year — with 16 of those spent inside the classroom — took over the position formerly held by Tom Hakim, who accepted a middle school prin cipal position in Washington Township. Zack had served as assistant principal at Wash ington Woods since July 2021 before being named as the top administrator of the build ing that has approximately 625 students and 80 staff members.

“I really learned a lot from (Hakim) and really fell in love with Westfield from the very beginning,” Zack said.

Zack, who lives in Zionsville with her husband and their two children, said she loved serving as assistant principal at Washington Woods and interacting with those around her. The elementary school serves children in kindergarten through fourth grade.

“I’ve had the opportunity to learn about the incredible community of Westfield, gain the trust of families, lead the school team, and have an impact on the great students and staff in our building,” she said.

Before arriving at Westfield Washington Schools, she served as principal of Eleanor Skillen School 34 with Indianapolis Public Schools. She has also been an assistant principal, an instructional coach at the col lege level and a special education teacher.

Going into education was something she always wanted to do as a career and aims to help each child reach their fullest poten tial, she said.

Paul Kaiser, superintendent of Westfield Washington Schools, said he has full faith and confidence in Zack.

“From the first time that I met Sarah, I knew that she was an exceptional educator with the potential to make a huge impact on the students of our district,” Kaiser said.

“I’m excited for our Washington Woods fam ilies, and other families in our district, to build a stronger relationship with her.”

Zack said she is grateful to have been

named principal at Washington Woods, where she wants to make a lasting impact on young students. She described education as “the best profession.”

“I’m just overwhelmed and humbled,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine a better profession.”

Zack also praised the staff at Washington Woods, describing them as individuals who

• Residence: Lives in Zionsville

• Family: Married to husband, Marc; two children, John and Emily

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University, master’s degree in school leadership from Butler University

• Hobbies: Basketball, hockey, hiking and running

put students first. She also encourages oth ers to consider a career in education, ac knowledging that the job isn’t always easy.

“Just know that your heart has to be in it,” Zack said.

Zack said she tries to make each day a fun experience and greets all of her stu dents each day.

“I believe every child should grow and I

think academics are very important, and growing as a leader is something that we really try to facilitate here. I believe that all children have genius within them,” she said.

ON THE COVER: Principal Sarah Zack enjoys time inside a classroom with students at Washington Woods Elementary School in Westfield. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Washington Woods Elementary School principal enjoys interacting with students, staff in her role

Washington Woods Elementary School Principal Sarah Zack fist-bumps second-grader Peyton Russell during lunch time. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

MEET SARAH ZACK

ESSAY

Biased scale

Commentary by Terry Anker

It’s a flaw of human nature that we so little imagine our beliefs to be mis placed that when they are we react with nothing short of astonishment. In this ongoing game of listing the best of everything — best city, best restaurant, best college, best deodorant — we in dulge the opining of the progenitors of these entirely subjective and unscientific directories with the bully pulpit. Often, the commentator finds themselves domiciled in some coastal town, mega tropolis, or enclave of their fellow elites and are confronted with a result to their research that shows a Midwestern town, backwater restaurant, non-Ivy League, or even drugstore-variety deodorant to have earned a spot.

“You won’t believe it,” they declare, “but this Indiana community beat out many others!” Wow, are they truly so shocked to imagine that Hoosiers care enough to live, eat and learn well — plus exude pleasant odor? Or are they expos ing their own prejudice, systemic even, that reminds all of us that they are in charge of good taste? Never one to shy away from confirmation bias, U.S. News & World Report issued its money-mak ing list of so-called best universities. It ranked Indiana’s own Wabash College as an “A+ school for B students.” Is that a compliment? True, Wabash doesn’t cut corners on quality education, nor does it garner the piles of applications of the more famous schools.

Is the restaurant’s greatness deter mined by the quality of the food, the celebrity of the clientele, the length of the waiting list, or the blessing of the right reviewer? “How can this be a good meal if it is affordable, can be obtained, and, most importantly, didn’t come from us?” Do they overconfidently overlook the quality of their competition? Accessibility does not have to affect outcome. Wabash College proves it. So, does inaccessibility guarantee quality? It seems unlikely.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

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 letters@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.

HUMOR

A shot in the what?

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Loyal readers will know that I’ve been dealing with shoulder pain for nearly nine months and that because of a se ries of unfortunate events and my own trust issues, I’ve been ignoring medical advice for most of that time. But I finally had an MRI, learned that I have a partial ly torn tendon, and am now fully com mitted to physical therapy and a speedy recovery. Let’s go!

Except no one told me how awful the first step in my healing journey — a cortisone injection — would be. “It’s just a shot,” they said. “You’ll be fine,” they said.

Not so! They blatantly lied to my un suspecting little face. And I know this because the procedure is done in a spe cial room awash in calming neutrals and precious pet photos. As if staring at 20 dachshund puppies in bandanas could distract me from the ultrasound ma chine and tray of multiple large needles lurking in the corner. Hello! If you need adorable kittens, high-imagery guidance, and subcutaneous numbing medicine, it’s going to be bad.

And it was. Basically, I was viciously jabbed twice. In. The. Bone. Well, not exactly in the bone. Technically, I think she stuck me in a bursa sac, but wher ever, it was so intense and mentally disturbing that even my award-winning Lamaze breathing was caught off guard. Days later, I’m still experiencing PTSD, heebie-jeebies and gag reflexes when ever I think about it.

Apparently, though, I will begin to feel significant relief in the next week. My shoulder tendon won’t be healed, but I should be able to tolerate PT better and, hopefully, return to a more active life style soon. Let’s go!

Peace out.

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

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

“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”

— WILL ROGERS

Sightless sight-seeing experience

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

I’m not a fan of bus tours. I’m suspicious of the accuracy of the information present ed. They could be making it all up.

HUMOR

A guide in Savannah, Ga., once informed us that slaves were ordered to whistle while bringing food from the kitchen to prevent them from tasting it en route. It turned out to be a silly urban myth … or rural, in this case. But that summer, my wife Mary Ellen had me whistling “Rain drops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” whenever I brought a sizzling steak in from the grill.

I asked Tom why we couldn’t actually drive up and see any of the houses. Tom explained that if we got any closer there would be a lot of gawking by all of us, mak ing the stars feel uncomfortable.

I paid $99.95 for each of our tickets. I want to gawk. Gawking is the whole idea.

I asked the guide if we could see the res idence of Buster Keaton, one of my comedy heroes, who died in 1966.

In fact, out of some 18 celebrity homes we pulled up to, the closest we got to seeing anything of interest were the back-alley garage doors of Lucille Ball’s home.

– DICK WOLFSIE

“Who is Buster Keaton?” asked a young the lady in the front of the bus.

“He was a si lent movie star,” I responded.

“How could he make a movie if he didn’t talk?”

We vacationed in LA last week and sched uled a bus tour throughout the Hollywood Hills. I had envisioned huge mansions with humongous swimming pools, and a Tesla and Mercedes in every driveway. And, of course, there was the slim hope I might see George Clooney or Julia Roberts taking out their recycling.

Our first stop was Bette Midler’s place, but all we saw was an 8-foot-tall row of hedges hiding what the guide said was a majestic home. Next, we saw the opaque hedges that supposedly guarded the home of Eddie Murphy. Another colossal line of hedges impeded the view of Jim Carrey’s mansion. Evergreens prevented us from seeing Sharon Stone’s home. The one-time homes of Henry Fonda, Gene Kelly and Au drey Hepburn were all behind giant hedges. In fact, out of some 18 celebrity homes we pulled up to, the closest we got to seeing anything of interest were the back-alley garage doors of Lucille Ball’s home.

I tried to explain this to her as we were about to pull up to the gate. The guard ap proached our bus.

“We’re looking for Buster Keaton’s house,” I said.

“I’m sorry,” he responded, “I’m not al lowed to reveal who lives here.”

“I don’t care who lives here now,” I said. “But did Buster Keaton once live here?”

The guard stared at me, expressionless. Not a word. I don’t think he knew who Bust er Keaton was, either, but he was doing a great impression of the master.

At Paramount Studios, Mary Ellen asked me if I thought we’d see any big stars walk ing around. I told her we might, or we might not.

I was hedging my bet.

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

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Behavior therapy center opens

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

For Fishers resident Camille Harris, the dream of opening her own therapy center for children on the autism spectrum is now her reality. Mindful Pieces Behavior Ther apy at 11903 East Welland St. in Indianapolis began accepting clients Sept. 6 for its be havioral therapy practices.

NEW BIZ

Harris’ lifelong dream came to fruition through her dedication and specialization in her studies at Indiana University, where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Sci ence in Speech and Hearing. She then went on to complete a Master of Science in Ap plied Behavior Analysis and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The certifications allowed her to earn the specific credentials needed to officially open her therapy center.

Harris opened Mindful Pieces with her business partner and fellow BCBA Jasmine Smith. Together, the two set out to use their expertise and talents to support autis tic children in the greater Indianapolis area.

“Jasmine and I have been in the field of

ABA for about 8 years,” Harris said. “We always worked for other facilities, and we saw the need for intimate, compassionate care for patients. We have a passion for client-centered care. We teach the kiddos the skills they need to be in school and suc cessful in their communities. It’s a passion for us.”

The practice seeks to aid clients in nav igating life through positive change and therapy, which means that the therapy services offered to Mindful Pieces clients stems from understanding the science of learning and behavior to best help those with special needs, Harris said. The inter personal therapy focuses on the child and rehabilitates them in a way that focuses on “compassionate care,” something Harris believes may be missing from other behav ior therapy centers.

Mindful Pieces Behavior Therapy is ac cepting new patients. There is currently no waitlist, and the center is credentialed with most major insurances. For more, call Harris at 317-400-9208 or visit the center’s web site, mindfulpiecesaba.wixsite.com.

Major Market celebrates National Sausage Month

By Edward Redd news@currentinwestfield.com

he liked the idea of having a neighborhood market but ultimately decided he didn’t want a traditional market.

“It’s difficult to do all the things that you do at a butchers shop online,” LaFay said.

FOOD

National Sausage Month is a celebration of all things Americans love about sausage. Old Major Market, a food produc tion company at 4201 Millersville Rd., Suite 107, in Indianapolis, specializes in producing artisanal sausage and bacon. Throughout October, Old Major Market is offering a handful of seasonal sausages like pumpkin spiced bacon, beer bratwurst and a traditional French sausage called Toulouse.

Old Major Market has more than 60 differ ent sausage flavors and more than 25 dif ferent bacon flavors. All products are from local Indiana farmers that implement sus tainable farming practices and raise their animals without antibiotics or hormones.

According to owner Mark LaFay, the com pany is possibly the only USDA-inspected producer of sausage and bacon.

LaFay has operated the business for nearly seven years. Originally, he wanted to start an artisanal butcher shop. He said

“So, I thought, what’s something I could own and do really well at? I thought we’ll do sausage and bacon because it’s a way we can put our thumbprint on it.”

Working with sausage and bacon allows LaFay to create unique recipes ranging from original homemade to traditional regional recipes that he researches and learns how to replicate in his own way.

The company ships to anywhere in the lower 48 states. Local pickup locations are Tasteful Times, 11677 Olio Rd, Fishers, and the production facility on Millersville Road. The company offers meals ready to heat as well.

“We have a weekly program called ‘Dinner for Two.’ The menu rotates weekly,” LaFay said.

The menu is posted every Friday. Custom ers can preorder the meals to be picked up between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Thurs days. For more, visit oldmajormarket.com.

Chamber hosting presentation in Fishers — The No blesville Chamber of Commerce will host a presentation Oct. 28 featuring Christina Collins, who serves as ex ecutive director of Career Link at Ivy Tech Community College. Collins will give a presentation, “Optimizing Your Workforce Engagement Strategies,” that is scheduled from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Hamilton County Communi ty Foundation Collaboration Hub, 11810 Technology Dr., Fishers. Advance registration is required. For more, visit https://www.noblesvillechamber.com/events/details/ optimizing-your-workforce-engagement-strategies-4677.

Best & Brightest nominations ± Junior Achievement of Central Indiana is seeking nominations for its 19th annu al Indy’s Best and Brightest event, presented by KPMG

LLP. The event will honor 100 of central Indiana’s most outstanding young professionals, age 40 and younger, in 10 industry categories. Visit indysbestandbrightest.org through Nov. 4 to make a nomination.

Video game stock growth — The video game industry is booming. The global video game market is likely to double to $300 billion in revenue by 2025, according to tech research firm GlobalData, driven by the expansion of mobile-phone and online gaming. Also, there has been tremendous growth in games played by multiple players over the Internet, such as Fortnite, in which 100 players fight against one another for survival. Epic Games made more than a billion dollars in 2019 by selling optional virtual accessories such as character outfits. Investors

should focus on third-party video game publishers with a history of churning out blockbuster games for consoles, PCs and mobile devices. Their stocks can benefit no matter what platform gamers choose to play on or what business model prevails. Two attractive video game pub lishers now are:

• Activision Blizzard (ATVI) hits include World of War craft, which has had $9 billion in revenue since 2004. It partners with YouTube to stream live broadcasts of tournaments for games such as Overwatch and Call of Duty.

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

Source: BottomLineInc.co

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All-fours trainer goes viral

By Marissa Johnson news@currentincarmel.com

Become a volunteer today

Riverview Health is looking for volunteers to join its great team. Some of the many volunteer service areas include patient transport, guest services and the gift shop. Shifts are available in the morning or afternoon, at least one day per week, Monday-Friday.

If you’re interested in volunteering at Riverview Health in Noblesville or Westfield, please contact the manager of Volunteer Services, Melinda Nash, at 317.776.7236 or mnash@riverview.org. You can also scan the QR code to download an application.

RIGHT SIZE. RIGHT CARE. RIGHT HERE.

Carmel fitness trainer Nathaniel Nolan is a big believer in the benefits of consistent movement, which has taken him on an expected journey –on all fours.

FITNESS

For more than 400 consecutive days, No lan has been training on both his hands and feet, modulating intensity as needed. He shares a short video from his daily workout online, where his TikTok account has gar nered more than 1 million followers.

How did this all-fours practice come to be? In his early 20s, Nolan took on physical disciplines in calisthenics, jujitsu and yoga, but found that he was often overtraining. When he noticed pain and stiffness coming from his high-intensity workouts, especially in his hands and wrists, he tried several different rehabilitation programs to combat it, but nothing worked.

Nolan took his knowledge as a trainer and movement coach to create his own training program that included more time spent on his hands.

“I realized that the ratio of time spent on my hands was not enough to condition them for what I was trying to perform,” said Nolan, a trainer at Eat the Frog Fitness. “But it was difficult because my wrists and hands were hurting so much.”

Soon, Nolan landed on the bear crawl as a way to quickly and intuitively modulate intensity.

“If you’re in a bear crawl position, you can shift your weight backward into your feet or your lower body to take weight off of your hands, and you can also shift weight forward,” Nolan said.

What eventually became Nolan’s all-fours practice allowed him to train more consis tently and without pain limitations.

He challenged himself to add one minute of all-fours movement each day for 30 days to ramp up the volume of time spent on his hands.

“Before the month was even over, I no ticed that a lot of my pain was starting to resolve,” he said, which led him to develop the training philosophies that now make up his all-fours practice.

Impressed with the results, Nolan began posting TikTok videos about how his prac tices in calisthenics, jujitsu and yoga had progressed thanks to his all-fours work outs. He has continued posting videos as an online journal of sorts to share the philoso phies of his training.

Nathaniel Nolan, left, trains a client how to work out on all-fours. (Photo courtesy of Nathan iel Nolan)

Nolan’s three main principles are: if it hurts, immediately stop and assess; modify as much and as soon as you need to; and train every day.

“If I’m doing those things and I’m bearing weight on my hands, then that is my allfours practice,” Nolan said. “There are no specific movements that define it.”

Nolan also said that he doesn’t plan on ever stopping training on all fours.

“It’s become a really important corner stone in my training, and it’s something that I think anybody would benefit from,” he said. “My goal is to show people how to in tegrate training into their daily lives so that it works with their lifestyle instead of in spite of it. You’ll be in your body for the rest of your life, so learning to pilot it better is one of the best investments you can make.”

HOW TO TRAIN ON ALL FOURS

Anyone interested in learning more about training on all fours practice may connect with Nathaniel Nolan on TikTok (@xpmovement) or Instagram (@annual nathaniel). He described his social media accounts as more of a journal than a how-to guide.

“My TikTok is not necessarily coaching content. It’s literally just a journal of my daily practice,” he said. “So although I provide insights from my daily practice, if you don’t already have a strong knowl edge base, it’s supplemental at best.”

For those ready to incorporate allfours movement into training, check out Nolan’s tips at patreon.com/ XPmovement.

“My Patreon (account) is where all of my coaching content is, and that’s where I really lay out all of the principles and apply it to more common practices like calisthenics, weightlifting or weight training or whatever it is that you’re trying to do,” he said.

Actress gets dream role in ATI production

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

When Sydney Howard saw “Violet” for the first time, she was touched.

“It was one of the most impactful theatrical expe riences I’ve had,” said Howard, who saw the show in 2019 while study ing in the U.K. “The whole message about a young woman learning how to say yes, how to be brave and reach self-actual ization was something I could connect with. I knew immediately I wanted to eventually do it ever since.”

Howard, based in New York City, will make her first appearance in the Indianap olis area as the title character in Actors Theatre of Indiana’s production of “Violet,” set for Oct. 28 to Nov. 13 at the Studio The ater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“She experienced an accident when she was 13 years old that left her with a horrible scar on her face,” Howard said. “It never healed properly. She has plans to go to see this televangelist, who she believes with all of her soul is going to heal her.”

The musical is set in 1964 in the South amid the Civil Rights Movement. For part of the show, Violet is on a bus traveling from a small town in North Carolina to Tulsa, Okla.

“The scar is treated as a metaphor that we all have things we wish we could change about ourselves,” Howard said. “These things that maybe we are insecure about keep us from becoming as brave and forthcoming in our life as we could be. That’s a journey everybody can connect with and that’s what drew me to it.”

Howard is on stage nearly the entire time, so there is a lot of line memorization.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge that I love,” she said.

Quincy Carman, a College Wood Elemen tary fourth-grader from Carmel, plays a young Violet. Carman, 10, learned about the audition from her vocal coach, Rebec ca McConnell. Carman started acting two

years ago. She has appeared in Jr. Civic shows “Frozen” and “The Little Mermaid.”

“I like that it’s the first show where I’m the only kid in it,” Carman said. “I feel like I can learn a lot.”

Carman said she loves Broadway.

“My friends like watch ing me perform and I like to perform,” she said. “It just makes me feel happy.”

Indianapolis resident Tiffany Gilliam, who portrays a music hall singer, has been in several Civic Theatre, Beef & Boards and Indiana Repertory Theatre shows.

“I heard about the show but didn’t really know the details of the show, so I did some homework,” Gilliam said. “Singing is my first love. I thought it fit the style of the show, fits with who I am and my gos pel upbringing, so it fit perfectly.”

The 11-person cast includes Judy Fitzger ald, one of ATI’s three co-founders.

Indianapolis resident Richard Roberts, who is on the IRT artistic staff, is directing.

“I looked at the show and I fell in love with it,” Roberts said. “It’s a beautiful

show. It’s an interesting challenge be cause half of the show takes place on a bus. For me to figure out how to stage that is very exciting.”

Roberts said 275 people auditioned from across the nation.

Maurice-Aime Green, from Las Vegas, performed some songs from the musi cal when he was at the  University of Ne vada, Las Vegas.

“I love the story, and Jeanine Tesori is one of my favorite musical theater com posers,” said Green, who plays one of the Army members on the bus. “The songs attracted me more than anything. The con tent of the show is very inspiring.”

Luke Weber, who graduated from Texas Tech and is based in New York, plays Mon ty. He was supposed to play the role in a college production but it was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When I saw the job listing on Playbill, I sent in a monologue and a song,” Weber said. “Whenever I listen to the soundtrack of the show, I get goosebumps. Some shows can be predictable, but this show, you don’t know where it’s going to go.”

For more, visit atistage.org.

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’

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

‘DECEPTION’

David Ranalli will present “Deception: An Evening of Magic & Lies” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

CARMEL APPRENTICE THEATRE

Carmel Apprentice Theatre will present “The Addams Family,” a musical, from Oct. 27 to Nov. 13 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carm el. For more, visit thecat.biz.

‘THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME’

Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will present ‘There’s No Place Like Home’ at 7 p.m. Oct. 28-29 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.

AARON LEWIS

Aaron Lewis will perform a concert at 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

JON MCLAUGHLIN

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

Midtown’s Got Talent announces winners

editorial@youarecurrent.com

The winners have been announced for Carmel’s Midtown’s Got Talent, which re cently staged its third annual music talent competition at Midtown Plaza.

The event ended Oct. 7. The winners were youth (age 10-13): 1. John Paul Pack, 2. Evan Burton and 3. Alex Selear, Azalia Davidson: teen (age 14-17): 1. Meg Iyer, 2. Teilah McClung and 3. Alyssa Fuhrman; adult (age 18-over): 1. Laura Adornato, 2. Michael Gallo and 3. Jess Wright.

MUSICAL

The cast of Actors Theatre of Indiana pauses during rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of ATI)

Carman

Howard

Blues artist set to perform

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Joanne Shaw Taylor hopes her second appearance in the Indianapolis area will be a bit warmer.

there doing it. After COVID-19, everything got shut down for so long.”

CONCERT

“I played the Slip pery Noodle around 2010 in the dead of the winter,” she said.

The English blues artist will per form a concert at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“I’m a blues guitarist, soul singer who writes pop songs,’ Taylor said. “It’s kind of a jumble.”

She will perform songs from her eighth studio album, “Nobody’s Fool,” produced by Joe Bonamassa, which will be released Oct. 28. The album includes “Just No Getting Over You (Dream Cruise),” which has already been released as a single.

She also will perform songs from “The Blues Album,” which was released in 2021, and some favorites.

“It’s nice to see the venues getting nicer and bigger,” Taylor said. “It’s nice to be out

Taylor was discovered by Dave Stewart, formerly of the Eurythmics, at age 16. Taylor had performed at a charity event because her mother had breast cancer. A friend of Stewart passed along a demo CD from the performance. Stewart invited her on the road with his supergroup at the time.

“It was one of those fateful things,” she said. “I do feel fortu nate, but the harder you work and the more you are out there, the more those opportunities seem to find you.”

Taylor said there are three or four songs she feels she always needs to perform.

“There are some you should play but you’ve played them every night for five years and you want to rest them for a little bit,” Taylor said. “It’s good to keep it fresh. If we are bored on stage, it’s not going to be transmitted to the audience.”

Some of the songs she usually performs are “Dyin’ To Know,” “Mud Honey” and “Going Home.”

For more, visit joanneshawtaylor.com. For tickets, visit thecenterpresents.org.

Wiscons to perform new album

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Brett Wiscons has had some notable ap pearances with performers such as Jimmy Buffett, Bon Jovi, Hootie & the Blowfish and the Zac Brown Band.

as a solo act, so to be able to play this al bum live, front-to-back, with some of these fine ladies and gentlemen, including Thom, is a dream come true.”

MUSIC

“The fact I’ve gotten to perform on the same stage or lineup as some of my musical heroes has been truly fantastic for me,” the Zi onsville resident said. “I had posters of some of these artists on my wall. And to play on a cruise ship with Jon Bon Jovi is still a ‘pinch me’ moment. I’m grateful for all of the ups and downs. And I truly believe, at 42, we’ve only just begun.”

Wiscons will perform songs from his 2022 full-length album, “Late Bloomer,” at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at The Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave., Indianapolis. The album was created with mix engineer, producer and collaborator Thom Daugherty, a Carmel resident.

“I’m really excited to have some of the studio musicians from the record joining me on stage that night,” he said. “I mostly tour

The first show will include acoustic and special songs. The second show will include a 20-year reunion set with his former band Great Scott!

“Overall, the songs have a theme about hope,” Wiscons said. “My pro ducer (Daugherty) and I wrote all of the tunes during the pandemic and lockdown, and we were trying to shine some light into the darkness we were all going through. I think you can hear it all on the record. We touch on universal themes of love, parental love, romantic love and love for your common man/woman, too.”

The album crosses several genres.

“One of Thom’s greatest gifts is his abil ity to understand the essence of what his artists should sound like that’s unique to them, and I firmly believe we nailed it,” he said. “There are shades of a lot of my favor ite bands and artists on the record.”

For more, visit brettwiscons.com.

Wiscons

Taylor

Closing night film stirs emotions

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Heartland International Film Festival

Artistic Director Greg Sorvig is passionate about all the films his festival shows, but one in particular stood out this year.

FESTIVAL

“‘The Whale’ means a lot to me on many levels, from the first time I saw the film a couple months ago to sharing it with a sold-out crowd on closing night (Oct. 16),” said Sor vig, a Carmel resident. “Indianapolis-born Brendan Fraser was here prior to COVID for an anniversary screening of ‘The Mummy’ and the parallels of seeing him transform both onscreen in his career-best perfor mance and offscreen as his career resurges to new heights has been touching. ‘The Whale’ is a powerful film with an especially impactful ending, and it was amazing being able to share that with our fans to close out the festival.”

All three major cash prizes were awarded to women directors at the Oct. 15 awards presentation. The top prize winners were

“Hidden Letters” from director Violet Du Feng and co-director Qing Zhao ($20,000 Documentary Feature Grand Prize); “Our Father, the Devil” from director Ellie Foumbi ($20,000 Narrative Feature Grand Prize); and “Wildcat” from directors Melissa Lesh and Trevor Frost ($5,000 Jim my Stewart Legacy Award).

Sorvig

“The B1G Story: George Taliaferro,” directed by Tucker Gragg and Kevin Weaver, won the Indiana Spotlight Award ($2,000 cash prize) and “The Best We’ve Got: The Carl Erskine Story,” directed by Ted Green, received the Indiana Spotlight Audience Choice Award.

The Overall Audience Choice Award went to “Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game,” directed by Austin Bragg and Meredith Bragg (USA).

“I received more compliments on the lineup and our variety of films this year than ever before from our in-person attendees,” Sorvig said. “Movie-going has changed dramatically with streaming and COVID, but response and interest remains high, which was encourag ing, both for in-person and streaming.”

For more, visit heartlandfilm.org.

Where’s Amy?

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

Where’s Amy attends Heartland Film Festival events

Heartland supporters Brianna Saunders (Westfield), left, with daughters Layla Saunders (Westfield) and Eleanora Saunders (Westfield), actor Carson Minniear (Los Angeles) and husband Ronnie Saun ders (Westfield) at the 31st annual Heartland International Film Festival’s Opening Night Film, the Cinemania cocktail party and Closing Night Awards Show and After Party. The festival ran October 6-16. Film buffs and fans had the opportunity to see films and meet filmmakers from all around the world. Be sure to check out Heartland’s mini-movie series showcasing holiday classics at the Athenaeum in Indianapolis (Dec. 1-2) and Theatre at the Fort (Dec.15-18) in Lawrence. For more, visit heartlandfilm.org. (Photo by Amy Pauszek)

The Dark Soul created by Nick D. features Tito’s handmade vodka infused with activated charcoal, lime, coconut cream. For every Dark Soul sold, Tito’s will donate $1 (up to $10,000) to the National Humane Society and CHIP.

To see a video of this drink being mixed, scan this QR code.

(Photo courtesy of Huse Culinary)

BEHIND BARS: DARK SOUL

Clearing up confusing words

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

job, that means the person is receiving an incredibly desirable job.

Visiting Lexington and Concord

Commentary by Don Knebel

As we return from Cape Cod, we stop at Lexington and Concord, Mass., sites of the first battles of the American Revolution.

TRAVEL

During the French and Indian War, the Massachusetts colonial militia, fighting alongside the British, obtained a supply of arms. At war’s end, it stashed the remaining weapons in Concord. On the eve ning of April 18, 1775, 700 British soldiers left Boston for Concord, seeking to eliminate the threat the weapons, which Britain also claimed to own, posed to them. Paul Revere and William Dawes then set out separate ly on horseback to warn the militia “the British are coming.” At 5 a.m. on April 19, a contingent of British troops arrived in Lex ington, where 77 militiamen, assembled at Buckman Tavern, came out and stood along Lexington Green. After someone, perhaps inadvertently, pulled a trigger, the British opened fire, killing eight militiamen and wounding nine, including Prince Eastabrook, a slave. The British forces continued the 7 miles to Concord, where they found most of the arms already moved. Encountering a large militia force at Concord’s North Bridge, the “Redcoats” retreated toward Boston. About 2,000 armed militiamen pursued them for 18 miles, shooting from behind trees and walls. Before the British troops reached safety, 73 had been killed and 174 wounded. The Massachusetts militia suffered 90 casu alties. The American Revolution had begun.

Today, a famous statue on Lexington Green honors the Lexington militia, includ ing the so-called “Minutemen,” prepared to fight on a minute’s notice. Across the street is Buckman Tavern, now a museum, and a marker remembering Eastabrook. An obe

lisk erected in 1836 at the site of Concord’s North Bridge was dedicated with a reading of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem celebrating the “embattled farmers” “who fired the shot heard ‘round the world.” The nearby Minute Man National Historic Park features an ani mated retelling of that event.

GRAMMAR GUY

I’ve been keeping a list of words I hear that perplex and puzzle even the smartest word nerds out there. Today, I’d like to clear up some of the confusion with some quick-hitting didactic disambiguations.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of mus tard. A few years ago, I almost started a mustard review podcast. A few weeks ago, I heard someone say, “That won’t cut the mustard.” Certainly, the person meant “pass muster,” right? After all, “pass muster” means “to gain approval or accep tance.” As it turns out, “cut mustard” is a term that means “to reach or surpass the desired standard or performance.” So, the two terms not only sound alike but have similar meanings. Hopefully that delinea tion cuts the mustard for you.

Is someone “plum” or “plumb” out of luck? The standard phrase is “plumb out of luck,” which means “completely out of luck.” One of the definitions of “plumb” is “completely/squarely/utterly.” When someone gets a “plum” appointment or

Have you ever heard the phrase “wish ful thinking”? Or is it “wistful thinking”? This made me think about the term. The correct phrase is “wishful” thinking, which is when a person is thinking of the way he wishes or wants them to be, even when that is unrealistic or overly idealistic. “Wistful” means “full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy.” So, I suppose you could think “wistfully,” but the common vernacular phrase is “wishful thinking.”

In case you’re wondering, you “broach” — not “breach” — the subject. This is a confusing one. Breach means “to break open,” so it kind of makes sense to “break open the subject.” However, broach means “to bring up or suggest for the first time.”

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

Buckman Tavern in Lexington, Mass. (Photo by Don Knebel)

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

Minuteman statue on Lexington Green.

Prince Eastabrook marker in Lexington, Mass.

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Celebration October 30, 2022

Please join us at Epiphany Lutheran Church, located at 15605 Ditch Rd, Westfield, IN 46074, for

Treat from 3 pm to 5 pm

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THE ST. MARK’S CARMEL UWF

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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, goodnatured work environment.

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

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