August 1, 2023 — Westfield

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Cure SMA Walk for Graham grows

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The Cure SMA Walk for Graham started as just a celebration but has become so much more.

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FUNDRAISER

Westfield couple Adrienne and Nick Vollmer began the event because their son Graham has spinal muscular atrophy, an inherited disease that affects nerves and muscles, causing muscles to become increasingly weak.

“Our first event was truly just a way to celebrate Graham’s second birthday, a milestone we were told he would never meet,” Adrienne said. “We had such incredible success, not to mention so much fun, the first year, we figured why not make it a tradition.”

The seventh annual Walk for Graham is set for Aug. 5 at Coxhall Gardens in Carmel. The event, which includes music, food and drink and games and prizes for children, begins at 4 p.m. with the welcome and opening ceremony at 6 p.m., followed by Walk and Roll at 6:30 p.m. A silent auction and raffle closes at 9 p.m.

Adrienne said the event has become a way to celebrate the lives of SMA families across the state of Indiana and to raise awareness in a much bigger way.

Adrienne said the first event in 2017 drew 465 people and raised $81,629.

“Last year in 2022 for our sixth event, we had 876 people and raised $168,918,” Adrienne said. “We have seen year over year growth with each event and hope to con-

tinue that trend as our community learns about it and takes part each year.”

This year’s goal is $150,000. As of July 26, more than $118,000 had been raised.

“Over the last eight years since Graham was born, three different treatment drugs have been FDA approved for SMA,” Adrienne said. “The research and advances in medicine are rapidly changing, and if we can be a part of that, it could alter how SMA impacts an individual. Our ultimate goal is a cure, but it is just as important to find life-altering treatments that have extended the lives of so many individuals, including

Graham.”

Graham, who turns 9 in May 2024, will be entering second grade at Maple Glen Elementary School this month.

Adrienne said there are about 25 SMA families from across the state that attend.

“They are the guests of honor,” Adrienne said. “Some of these families have lost their loved ones to SMA, which is so heartbreaking, but provides even more inspiration to keep fighting. We honor all of these SMA individuals on our Wall of Warriors at the event.”

Westfield Middle School hires new principal

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Students returning to Westfield Middle School this month will have a new principal.

EDUCATION

Stacey Swan was recently named as the new leader at WMS by Westfield Washington Schools and comes to the district from Fall Creek Junior High School within Hamilton Southeastern Schools. She had served as principal at the junior high school since June 2019.

Swan, who has 17 years of administrative experience, will lead about 1,400 students and nearly 160 staff members.

“Westfield Middle School’s reputation and expansion were appealing to me as a leader,” Swan said. “I am excited about creating a school structure where all learners find success and feel supported. I am deeply passionate about middle level education and feel privileged to be trusted to lead Westfield Middle School into the future.”

Swan

Swan succeeds Mike Hall, who was named director of operations for Westfield Washington Schools. In his new role, he will be responsible for leading the district’s food service team, the custodial operation and the transportation department, according to the district.

Before becoming principal at Fall Creek Ju-

nior High School, Swan worked at Noblesville West Middle School in the same capacity. She has high school administrative experience at Noblesville High School and also taught at Kokomo High School and Blue River Junior/ Senior High School in New Castle.

Paul Kaiser, superintendent of Westfield Washington Schools, said he is looking forward to working with Swan.

“This was a highly competitive job to fil and we’re happy it led us to a leader as strong as Stacey Swan,” Kaiser said. “Her passion and leadership shined throughout the process, and she brings exactly the type of experience that our district needs as we continue to be the top destination district in the state. I can’t wait to see the great work that she will do in our community.”

The Vollmer family, from left, Ben, Adrienne, Graham, Nick and Lucy are preparing for the seventh annual Cure SMA Walk for Graham. (Photo courtesy of Adrienne Vollmer)

Westfield girls key to AAU title

By Mark

Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Stella Dell and Ava Jones had a summer to remember.

BASKETBALL

The Westfield girls were part of an Indiana Girls Basketball club team that won the Fourth Grade Girls Basketball Division 1 Platinum AAU World Championship in Knoxville, Tenn., in late June. The team, called Newkirk after head coach Will Newkirk, followed that up with a tournament championship in the Roses Rising Stars Nationals tournament July 5-6 in Louisville. The team, which finished 33-1, suffered its only loss — by one point — July 16 in the Tennessee Miracle championship in Knoxville. Newark said the team that beat them created a super team by taking six girls from other teams that competed in the AAU World Championship.

“There should be an asterisk next to our 33-1 record because it’s absolute garbage to do that to somebody,” said Newkirk, a Plainfield resident. “The (Alabama) team had players from four different organizations.”

That aside, it was a memorable run.

Stella said the best experience was playing with her teammates and doing a bunch of fun things together.

“We knew what each of our strengths and weaknesses are,” Stella said. “So, we knew when, where and how we should pass the ball to each other.”

Ava said the teammates are close and have learned to play well together. It also helps that they practiced every week against the top fifth-grade team from IGB.

Details on planned Market District in Westfield unclear

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Details surrounding a planned Market District supermarket in Westfield remain murky after company officials said they have no further details to share.

RETAIL

In September 2022, Giant Eagle announced plans to build a Market District near Grand Park after the company filed plans with the city for a proposed 49,600-square-foot store. At the time, company officials indicated they wanted to build a 6.02-acre store at the northeast corner of Grand Park Boulevard and Tournament Trail.

Giant Eagle opened a Market District supermarket in Carmel at 11505 N. Illinois St. in 2015. The Westfield Advisory Plan Commission approved a detailed development plan for the proposed project in Westfield during its September meeting, but it remains unclear whether the supermarket will come to fruition.

Site plans filed with the city at the time indicated the proposed project would in-

clude 268 parking spaces, in addition to 10 bike parking spaces.

The company, however, said July 24 it has nothing new to share regarding the project, said Brock Schmaltz, senior vice president of business development with Pendulum PR, a Westerville, Ohio-based public relations agency working on behalf of Giant Eagle, which serves as the parent company of Market District. Schmaltz also directed a Current reporter to check back in a month or two.

A separate statement from a Giant Eagle spokeswoman in September also shed few details regarding the proposed store and timeline.

“We have enjoyed positive feedback from area guests since introducing Market District and GetGo to the Indianapolis community in 2014,” the statement said. “While we are excited for the potential opportunity to expand our Market District presence in the market, we are in the very early stages of the process and do not have any additional detail to share about the Westfield site at this time.”

Stella Dell, left, and Ava Jones were key contributors on the team that won the Fourth Grade Girls Basketball Division 1 Platinum AAU World Championship in Knoxville.

(Photo courtesy of Randy Dell)

Schools receive funding for vape detectors

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Four public school districts and a charter school in Hamilton County have received funding to install vape detectors at middle and high schools.

EDUCATION

Carmel, Noblesville, Sheridan and Westfield school districts, in addition to the Options Charter School in Westfield, were awarded a total of $27,000 in funding from the Hamilton County Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs that will be used to install 25 vape detectors, said Monica Greer, executive director of the organization. Greer said schools have used funds for vape detectors placed at high schools but have also used their own funds to purchase additional detectors.

“E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among youth,” Greer said. Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated

devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale, commonly referred to as vaping.

“Unfortunately, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine and flavorings which are highly addictive and can harm the developing adolescent brain. We believe the installation of vape detectors may help slow the use of vapes and provide a learning opportunity for the students using them,” Greer said.

Greer said the vape detectors are placed in school restrooms and work similar to smoke detectors. The detectors can differentiate between vaping, THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects, and aerosols, like deodorant or cologne, students use to mask the smell of marijuana and scented vapes, according to Greer. When a detector picks up on a vapor it sends a text to school administrators identifying which bathroom it is in, she added.

Greer

PrimeLife Enrichment seeks solution to drop in grant funds

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

In the past few years, PrimeLife Enrichment, a Carmel-based senior center serving Hamilton County residents, has seen its membership grow at a “faster rate than ever before,” according to Executive Director Gary Wagner.

NONPROFIT

At the same time, however, several organizations that have previously provided consistent grant funds to PrimeLife have significantly scaled back contributions or eliminated them altogether, leading the nonprofit to cut staffing, hours, programs and more.

According to PrimeLife, grant funds from Hamilton County, United Way, CICOA and Clay Township combined to account for $470,000 to $524,000 — covering more than half of PrimeLife’s operating expenses –between 2015 and 2020. In 2021, PrimeLife saw a drop in grant funds from each of those organizations, and the combined grant totals have continued to slide. In 2023, PrimeLife received a total of $238,000 from the groups.

The reasons for the cuts vary, but they’ve been drastic and sustained enough for Wagner to begin looking for a long-term solution elsewhere.

“The traditional grant-funding model may work for some organizations, but I don’t think it’s working for us,” he said. “Raising money for seniors is one of the most difficult things to do. But when you consider seniors are the fastest-growing demographic in Hamilton County, sooner or later someone has to help support all the activities that seniors need to lead active, healthy lives.”

‘WE JUST DON’T HAVE THE FUNDS’

Founded in 1977, PrimeLife Enrichment, 1078 3rd Ave. SW, offers services, programs, transportation and more to Hamilton County residents aged 50 and older.

Between 2016 and 2020, Hamilton County awarded PrimeLife $240,000 annually as part of its support for local nonprofits. In 2021 that total dropped to $225,000 before falling to $200,000 in 2022 and $100,000 in 2023.

Hamilton County Councilor Sue Maki, who took office in 2021, said the county’s previous funding level for PrimeLife was not in line with what the county provided

to other nonprofits. So, the county began scaling back the grant.

“They’re a great organization, but we just don’t have the funds, and we have to answer to the other organizations (in the county) that do a lot of the same type of work,” Maki said.

County officials are in the process of reviewing grant requests and allocations for 2024, which will be included as part of the 2024 budget.

United Way of Central Indiana gave more than $125,000 to PrimeLife as recently as 2017, but the past two years it has provided $50,000 annually. UWCI announced in late May that it would provide $75,000 to PrimeLife through its Basic Needs Fund in its 2023-24 awards cycle.

Peter Hanscom, UWCI’s chief brand officer, said the nonprofit in 2019 shifted how it awards grants to a competitive model, now requiring each potential grant recipient to submit an application up to three times per year. It’s also seen an increase in grant applications.

Clay Township stopped providing grants to PrimeLife in 2021. It had previously provided $28,000 or more from 2015 until 2019 and cut its grant to $15,000 in 2020.

Clay Township Trustee Paul Hensel did not respond to a request for comment as of press time, but at a township board meeting earlier this year board member Matt Snyder said the township’s budget, which is facing a steep decline in local income tax dollars distributed through the state when the Central Park bond is paid off, has led to a reduction in its ability to support nonprofits.

Esther Thomas, 90, works out at PrimeLife Enrichment. (Photos by Adam Seif)

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District unveils new softball fields

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

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New softball fields behind Monon Trail Elementary School will serve Westfield Washington Schools athletic programs and Westfield Youth Sports Inc.’s softball program, school officials have announced.

ATHLETICS

The new facilities at the elementary school, 19400 Tomlinson Rd., include four softball fields, one baseball field, a concession stand, bathrooms and an expanded parking, said Josh Andrews, spokesman for WWS. The total cost was $3.9 million.

“I taught my two daughters to play softball on the old fields at the intermediate school in WYSI, so it’s amazing to see how far our facilities have come,” Westfield Washington Schools Supt. Paul Kaiser said. “Our high school softball team just went to their first-ever regional championship, so I’m looking forward to seeing them continue to take our program to new heights now and in the future.”

School officials said the new softball fields will not only be used by district athletics, but they will also provide an expanded capacity for WYSI’s growing softball program. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last month for the softball fields that was attended by participants in the middle and high school and WYSI softball programs.

John Moore, president of the board of directors for Westfield Youth Sports Inc., said WYSI values its partnership with the district, noting that both entities put kids first.

“Every time I come out here, I am blown away by these fields,” Moore said. “We are so appreciative of the work Dr. Kaiser, Brian Tomamichel, Dr. Montalone, and everyone in the Westfield Washington School District has put in to create this spectacular space for our athletes and their families. The fields at Monon Trail provide a state-of-the-art facility that allows us to grow our softball program for many years. These fields also provide a gathering place for our community to watch youth sports and support in the growth of our programs.”

Spartz talks range of issues at town hall

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz spoke about a wide range of issues, including appropriations, Ukraine, health care and the VA, during a July 22 town hall in Noblesville. The town hall, which was held at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, drew more than 60 people to hear from Spartz, a Republican who represents Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. The 5th District covers an area encompassing Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Marion, Muncie, Anderson and Kokomo.

POLITICS

Spartz addressed questions from attendees about ongoing issues in Washington, D.C., the United States and internationally. Spartz, who announced earlier this year that she is not seeking reelection in 2024, told those in attendance that the town hall was an opportunity to hear from her about various topics.

“You might like it, you might not like it,” Spartz said. “I’ll tell you the truth.”

Among the key issues in Washington, D.C., she said, include legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration for the next five years. That legislation, H.R. 3935, was something she voted against because no amendments were allowed to be passed in the committees of jurisdiction or rules.

Spartz said she thought there should have been time for debate on the floor, adding “that’s how it should be,” referring to discussion regarding legislation. The legislation passed the House and now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

“I was absolutely upset they didn’t allow any amendments,” Spartz said. “I mean, this is unacceptable.”

In a statement released to the media, Spartz also expressed frustration surrounding the matter.

“Unfortunately, the D.C., swamp prevailed again – back to ‘four-corner’ deals among Republican and Democrat leadership from both chambers,” Spartz said. “No amendments were allowed to pass in the committees of jurisdiction or rules. Just a few conservative amendments were allowed for messaging on the floor, which were meant to be defeated. They even figured out how to use some archaic and hard-toexplain rule to kill an amendment. I cannot support this charade and hypocrisy from

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Republicans.”

Spartz, who also addressed a question regarding health care provided at the VA, acknowledged ongoing issues at the agency.

“It’s very, very complicated,” she said. “I think people should be able to get the best health care. I’m going to see how we can help.”

Spartz pointed out there are “a lot of problems” at the VA, but said she continues to support veterans and their needs.

“I don’t support institutions that are failing us,” she said.

Spartz was also critical of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican, saying that 70 percent of spending is not authorized by Congress. In a letter addressed to McCarthy released last month, Spartz said she was expressing her “utmost dissatisfaction with the lack of leadership dealing with the fiscal state of our nation.”

“As you know, we can wipe our (expletive) with all letters and grandiose statements we are sending to the executive branch. Only money matters,” Spartz said. “It has been almost a year since we had these discussions as a conference, and no real progress has been made. Therefore, I am planning to oppose all Republican rules going forward until Congress starts exercising its Constitutional duties.”

Her three reasons for doing so, she said, include unauthorized and perpetual automatic spending not being addressed, in addition to oversight not being effective.

“Our country has very material problems and is in dire need of some governing, not messaging and book writing. If not us –there is no one else left to represent the people – not personal ambitions, government control and big money,” Spartz said.

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U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz speaks during a town hall at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds July 22 in Noblesville. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

WESTFIELD

Project: Library/ township office

construction

Location: Corner of Park and Poplar streets

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.

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Expected completion: Work is expected to continue through the end of the year with the library expected to open in early 2024.

Project: New roundabout

Location: A new roundabout at the intersection of 171st Street and Eagletown Road is now open. However, there will be periodic lane restrictions in the coming weeks due to utility relocation and pavement striping. Please use caution in the area.

Project: Academy Sports & Outdoors

Location: Drive in front of the building will close for renovations, while the left turn lane from eastbound Greyhound Pass will be closed to avoid traffic turning into the worksite. Motorists should use Thatcher Lane or Cool Creek Park Road as a detour.

Expected completion: Fall 2023

NOBLESVILLE & NORTH

Project: Pleasant Street

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: Stony Creek pedestrian trail

Location: Under Ind. 37

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

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

Expected completion: By Thanksgiving

ZIONSVILLE

Project: Templin Road Bridge

reconstruction

Location: The Templin Road bridge over Eagle Creek was inspected and an engineering firm has been hired by the Boone County Highway Dept. to work on the design of a complete bridge replacement. The project is expected to begin midMay. Templin Road will be closed during construction with a detour route posted. Expected completion: The project is expected to be completed mid-September.

Project: INDOT’s 421 Forward

Location: The proposed project will begin approximately 2.91 miles north of I-465 (just north of Greenfield/Templin Road) and extend north for approximately 2.9 miles along US 421 to a point approximately 2.86 miles south of SR 32. The proposed project is anticipated to consist of various roadway improvements including pavement rehabilitation, addition of auxiliary lanes, intersection improvements, pedestrian facilities and storm drainage enhancements.

Expected Completion: The project is expected to be completed Nov. 6.

MYSTERY SNAPSHOT CHALLENGE

Hey there, folks! Take a good look at this zoomed-in image we’ve snagged from a spot in Westfield. 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.

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This turkey can be found within the playground at Simon Moon Park, 3044 E. 171st St. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

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LABOR OF LOVE

Historic Barker log cabin now open for weddings, other events

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

Officials with the Westfield Washington Historical Society are looking to the future after the restoration of the historic Barker log cabin on Penn Street.

Work on the cabin, which was built in 1835, was completed earlier this year. The one-room cabin with a small loft was home to Nicholas and Fanny Barker and their 11 children.

Diana Peyton, president of the Westfield Washington Historical Society, unveiled the completion of the cabin at 136 Penn St. in June to coincide with Hamilton County’s bicentennial and described the moment as “a long time coming.” Peyton said she looks forward to having the community enjoy the cabin, which features rocking chairs on the porch.

“This is your cabin,” Peyton said.

The cabin, which is available for rental use for weddings and other occasions, will also be used as a welcome center and educational center for children. It’s believed Barker moved to Indiana from North Carolina because he was against slavery and was a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Nicholas Barker settled in Westfield in 1835 on a piece of property north of Ind. 32 and Shady Nook Road and built a 20-foot-by-22-foot cabinfor his family. The cabin was the Barker home for several years before he built a modern farmhouse directly in front of the cabin and repurposed the cabin as a barn.

But restoration work on the cabin, which is just east of Westfield City Hall, has been an ongoing process after the pandemic put the project on hold, according to Peyton. However, work resumed in May 2022 and was finished in October of the same year, she added.

Mike Bailey, who worked extensively on the project as its cabin master, said “it was definitely an honor” to work on the project. Bailey has worked on other projects elsewhere and described his work in Westfield as “a labor of love.”

Bailey, who lives 10 miles south of Corydon in southern Indiana, said he was initially contacted after the historical society’s original builder on the project dropped out and was working on another cabin in Kokomo at the time for the Kokomo School Corp. Asked if there were any particular challenges with the historic Barker cabin compared to others he has encountered, Bailey said he has worked on more than 80 historical restorations dating back to the Civil War era across the United States.

“Every building’s different — there’s new challenges everyday and every hour actually, but we had to do a lot of rematching and reconfigure where the logs were going,” Bailey said. “”We had a road map of how it should be, but we used our experience … and we just tried to make

it beautiful and last another 100 years so people in town could enjoy it and it was a great experience.”

Bailey, however, said every project is unique in its own way.

“It’s also very meaningful that this town was involved in the Underground Railroad and the religious underpinnings,” he said. “I never seem to be amazed at the pioneer grit — they lived for survival, not free time, and each of these logs represents a pioneer, so it’s really fun to see cabins put back together and we can learn a lot about the pioneers.”

Bailey also offered some advice for the public, whether they walk by or step inside the historic Barker log cabin.

“I think if you’re really going to experience a cabin like this, you need to imagine being a pioneer, you know, and really imagine what it was like for these people who risked (so much) for our country … and the fact that a dozen children were raised here in this amount of space,” Bai-

ley said. “And kids slept in lofts and things of that nature and we have it pretty easy today, so it’s a good reminder of the people who forged this nation and how hardworking they were.”

ON THE COVER: The historic Barker log cabin can be found at 136 Penn St. in Westfield. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the historic Barker cabin and rentals, contact Westfield Washington Historical Society President Diana Peyton by calling 317-710-7919 or email dpeyton@wwhs.us. Information can also be found on the historical society’s website by visiting wwhs.us.

Mike Bailey, far right, who worked extensively on the historic Barker log cabin project as its cabin master, in front of the cabin as Diana Peyton, president of the Westfield Washington Historical Society, looks on.

Diana Peyton, president of the Westfield Washington Historical Society, speaks at a dedication ceremony in June about work completed on the historic Barker log cabin. The one-room cabin with a small loft was home to Nicholas and Fanny Barker and their 11 children. (Photos by Matthew Kent)

Hamilton County chambers partner for Eggs & Issues

news@currentinfishers.com

OneZone and Northern Hamilton County Chamber have announced a partnership with Westfield Chamber of Commerce on their monthly advocacy event, Eggs & Issues.

EVENTS

Eggs & Issues gives attendees the opportunity to hear about a variety of topics affecting local cities and towns, the county and the state, according to the announcement. Through this partnership, all three organizations will be able to look at current trends and provide high quality speakers for their membership.

“We live in the most dynamic and fastest growing county in the State of Indiana,” Westfield Chamber CEO Steve Latour stated. “We have topics large and small to discuss and tackle as a business community, as residents and as elected officials. So, when the opportunity was extended to partner with OneZone to co-

host their monthly Eggs & Issues event, we had to say yes, We look forward to having timely topics for the purpose of education but to also begin working together to make Westfield and the other communities in Hamilton County a national standard.”

Jack Russell, president of OneZone and Northern Hamilton County Chamber, said they are excited to welcome the Westfield Chamber to Eggs & Issues.

“As we continue to provide programming that impacts our communities, county and state, it is important to expand our reach,” he said. “This partnership also gives our members the opportunity to meet new business leaders in their community.”

The upcoming August Eggs & Issues event will be 8 to 9:30 a.m. Aug. 14 at The Bridgewater Club, 3535 E 161st St., in Carmel. The cost is $28 for members and $40 for nonmembers. Reservations can be made at onezonechamber. com, or by calling 317-436-4653.

Latour Russell

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*YOGA ON THE PLAZA : 11:30AM - 12:30 PM

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Self-care helpful for students

Commentary by Brenda McLean

LOC

EDUCATION

Going to college is a significant milestone and a major life transition for any young adult, but for those living with a chronic health condition, it is even more important to plan ahead to make a successful and safe transition.

Putting the right supports in place and learning self-care are needed tools to achieve independence.

Young adults with chronic conditions should take these important steps before college begins:

• Talk to the Office of Disability Services: Every college has an Office of Disability Services. If you had a 504 plan or an IEP in high school, this office can help you get the support you need to succeed in college; however, colleges do not provide all the same support as high schools. It is important to reach out to the Office of Disability Services to see how they can help you. You will be asked for medical documentation, so start early to allow time for medical professionals to help.

New

• Make a plan for care: Depending on your condition, medical clinics or providers in your college community may be unfamiliar with your diagnosis or medical needs. Before leaving for college, talk to your doctor about your needs for medication, clinic access, and providers near your college. Your doctor can help make a plan to meet your needs and may connect you with a provider near school.

• Know your stuff: Understanding your own medical information is crucial. Do you have an insurance card and know what it means? Do you know your diagnosis, your medication, and how to contact your doctor? Do you know how to take and refill your medicine? Do you wear your medical I.D. bracelet or tag?

We are thrilled to announce our expansion, and can’t wait to start seeing patients in Fishers. We are actively hiring for multiple positions!

Please call 317-844-2020 for more information.

Brenda McLean lives in Noblesville. She is a school counselor with the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center in Indianapolis, with an extensive background in special education.

Invitations to thievery

Commentary by Terry Anker

There’s an app for that?

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

while I make a U-turn.

ESSAY

Each day, it seems our technologies deluge us with an array of would-be crooks, ready to steal our hard-earned cash or even our very identities. Through subterfuge and guile, they get us to give that which they could not get, at least not without our agreement: personal information. This kind of crime, as could be supposed, is the same as many others in that the criminal employs deceit and manipulation rather than pistol and dagger. Theft by prevarication may do no less harm to the victim than one at knife point. Sure, most of us would rather suffer the humiliation of an empty bank account than suffer a stab wound, but the emotional damage caused should not be underestimated.

Almost all the Hallmark Channel movies remind us of the danger of a “stolen” heart. Some handsome Lothario or lovely Maleficent wiles their way into the good graces of the naïve, unassuming hayseed. Ultimately, the ruse is exposed and hard lessons

learned. The cardiac muscle is not actually taken but the trusting nature of the mark is forever changed, hardened. We wrongly give away our hearts. They are not robbed. It is said that once educated, no one can take the knowledge from us. But does the nature of what it means to hold knowledge shift as time passes? Can we go from being a computer expert and a decade later become obsolete? Can Father Time steal our skills just as easily as our youth? Or do we have the opportunity to replace our waning talents by updating or new learning? Is vigilance always required? Clicking on a link in a random email, falling in love too hard or too quickly, and believing that we have completed our education once the degree is in-hand — each opens us welcomingly to invited thievery.

Warming up to icy travel plan

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Avid readers may recall my family’s December 2022 vacation competition, when we each pitched a potential destination (within a given budget and time frame, of course) and then voted on our favorite. Our younger son won with his beautiful PowerPoint presentation of Iceland and a promise of Northern Lights and breathtaking landscape (in case you’re wondering, I finished dead last with my Costa Rica all-inclusive. Whatever. My kids are idiots).

“Managing one person, it turns out, is way simpler than wrangling four young adults (and on occasion, a man-child husband) as they prep for international travel.”

HUMOR

So, we purchased airline tickets out of Chicago, booked an Airbnb and wasted many a weekend searching for affordable snowmobiling and volcano tours (of which there are none). But in May, I learned I’d be attending a teaching conference in Seattle that ended less than 25 hours before our pseudo-Arctic adventure began. It seemed silly for me to fly home when I could just reschedule my flight to meet everyone in Reykjavik. So, that’s what I did. Obviously. This meant that for the first time in nearly 25 years, I prepared for a big trip with only me in mind. I know! No pre-buying plane snacks for picky eaters, no making sure everyone has clean clothes and appro-

priate footwear and no triaging electronics chargers and sunscreen on the kitchen table. Tough stuff, offspring! You’re on your own!

And that made a huge difference in my stress level. Managing one person, it turns out, is way simpler than wrangling four young adults (and on occasion, a man-child husband) as they prep for international travel. Packing, passports, protein bars –not my problem.

I still wish our destination was a tropical paradise with unlimited Rum Runners, but fjords and glaciers are cool, too. Iceland, here I come. Alone. Peace out.

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

I subscribe to several health publications, and most of them offer some advice on avoiding medical scams. A few years ago, a dermatologist in Southern California avoided jail time by the skin of his teeth. He had been marketing an app for smartphones that emitted a bluish light, which he claimed would cure acne. Dr. Smith sold about 20,000 of these. Now, ironically, he has a blotch on his once-unblemished medical record.

HUMOR

Most of the experts agreed that these lights can’t hurt you, but if a kid is holding his Android or iPhone against his pimply nose while driving, he’s likely to back the Volvo into a mailbox. No instructions were provided with the app, so one of the difficulties was knowing exactly how far from the problem area to hold the device. Some of Dr. Smith’s accomplices — I mean, associates — are now thinking of adding a GPS, a global pimple searcher, that will automatically zero in on any facial imperfections.

Nine out of 10 teenagers with zits will believe anything you tell them if they think it will clear up their faces. That is why I spent most of the ninth grade with lemon wedges and a heating pad on my forehead at night. Another researcher was equally concerned, noting, “I am worried about this because bacteria on the phone could lead to other skin infections.” Wait! There are germs on cellphones? That’s the last time I’ll hold my iPhone between my teeth

The app emitted 660 nanometers of light, which anyone with a post-doctoral degree in laser technology knows can’t hold a candle to a good glob of Clearasil. If you are one of those people who paid five bucks for this cyber rip-off, it still might not be a bad idea to rub the smartphone across your forehead. Maybe the smart part will rub off on you.

Even the people at Apple were concerned about the legitimacy of this application, warning customers that it’s “for entertainment purposes only.” Yes, this warning comes from the same people who now offer an app to notify you if you’re going to have a bad hair day, or one that tells you the best time to hit the john during a movie so you don’t miss any plot development, which I have used with great success.

Dr. Smith claimed if he had gone to jail, he would have taken the punishment like a man. He’s been directed by his PR people to say, “Breaking out is not an option.”

His wife was worried that even a short prison sentence would jeopardize their marriage. Dr. Smith confirmed their love. “She’s my main squeeze,” the dermatologist told everyone. Which is not something his PR agency wanted him to say.

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 specialinterest 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.

– DANIELLE WILSON

“Wait! There are germs on cellphones?

That’s the last time I’ll hold my iPhone between my teeth while I make a U-turn.”

– DICK WOLFSIE

Versatile duo set for Carmel Jazz Fest performance

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Bethany Robinson is confident the inaugural Carmel Jazz Fest will spark more interest in jazz year-round.

‘SOPHISTICATED

LADIES’

“Sophisticated Ladies” runs through Aug. 20 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

CONCERT

“This will provide different options to hear live jazz,” she said. “Hopefully, it will spark interest in people coming to The Jazz Kitchen.”

The Noblesville High School music teacher said it will benefit her students to have opportunities to see several different jazz bands perform during the festival because so much jazz is played in 21-and-older bars or clubs.

“I’m really excited to get my students to as many events as possible,” she said.

Robinson and Sarah Scharbrough will perform from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11 in the Carmel Jazz Fest at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts. The twoday festival, held at indoor and outdoor venues, ends Aug. 12.

“It will be my first time playing The Tarkington and I’m most excited to be playing among Indiana jazz legends,” said Scharbrough, who lives in Noblesville. “Bethany and I pull from our backgrounds incorporating jazz standards, pop classics with twists and I write lots of original tunes for our performances.”

Scharbrough said the two started performing together in 2009 and have played hundreds of times together.

“I think a fun thing that happens when we’re together is that we both bring our training — reading, lessons, disciplined musical study and then allow our ears and intuition to bend that construct,” Scharbrough said. “It’s a fun mashup of planned and off the cuff. We enjoy playing all kinds of events and styles. This coming event will have more of a jazz vibe but, per normal, with our own take on it. It’s going to be fun.”

Robinson said they will play some of Scharbrough’s original songs and some of their favorite jazz standards.

Robinson, who plays upright and electric bass, said keyboardist Scharbrough performs lead vocals. Robinson provides backup vocals.

Scharbrough’s husband, Jeff McLaughlin, a Westfield High School music teacher, will play drums for the group during the festival. Scharbrough’s brother, Stephen, plays guitar.

Robinson plays with different groups and artists around the Indianapolis area, including Katherine Nagy, who performs folk, Americana music and Irish music.

“Bass is so versatile that the thing that I love about it is I can play every genre any night of the week,” Robinson said. “It’s really fun to play so many different types of music.”

Robinson, a Fishers resident, is the Noblesville High School jazz band program director and assistant band director. She has been with the school district for 18 years.

Scharbrough’s daughter was a freshman in Robinson’s jazz band this past school year.

As a Yamaha Performing Artist, Yamaha

sponsors Robinson when she speaks at music conferences or as a guest artist at schools.

“I spend a lot of evenings and weekends not being bored,” she said. “Most of the time I’m able to do it around my school schedule and don’t have to take time off.”

Robinson was the 2022 Grammy Music Educator Award finalist. She was the 2015 Noblesville Schools Teacher of the Year and 2014 Indiana Jazz Educator of the Year.

Jazz groups from the University of Indianapolis, Butler University, Ball State University and Indiana University will perform Aug. 12 at the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts.

A small group of Robinson’s jazz students from Noblesville will open as a combo for Spyro Gyra, which is the Carmel Jazz Fest headliner at 8 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts. Spyro Gyra is a separate ticket event through thecenterpresents.org.

For a schedule and tickets, visit carmeljazzfest.org.

Brittany Brumfield presents Baby Grand Dueling Pianos at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

‘THE SOMEWHAT TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD’

Main Street Productions presents the youth production of “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” through Aug. 6 at Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

‘LA CASA AZUL’

Gregory Hancock’s production of a concert of “La Casa Azul” will feature the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre at 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.

‘MURDER

ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’

The Carmel Community Players’ production of Ken Ludwig’s “Murder on the Orient Express’’ is set from Aug. 6 to 13 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. For more, visit carmelplayers.org.

DAVE DUGAN

Carmel comedian Dave Dugan will perform at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Echo Room, 124 S. Lebanon St., Lebanon. For more, visit madhattershows.com.

DISPATCH

Indy Shorts issues awards — The 2023 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, presented by Heartland Film, concluded July 23 with a record number of film submissions (more than 3,900). The festival’s three grand prize-winning films, “We Were Meant To” (Tari Wariebi, United States), “Oasis” (Justine Martin, France) and “Rosemary A.D. (After Dad)” (Ethan Barrett, United States), will receive Academy Award qualification in their respective categories and $5,000 in cash prizes.

Bethany Robinson, left, and Sarah Scharbrough will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 11 in the Carmel Jazz Fest. (Photo courtesy of Bethany Robinson)

‘Jerry’s Girls’ raises funds for CCP

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Vickie Phipps knows how important this two-night fundraiser is to the future of the Carmel Community Players.

MUSICAL REVUE

“We’re the oldest community theater (in the area) without a home,” Phipps said.

Phipps will perform in “Jerry’s Girls’’ at the fundraising events, set for Aug. 18-19 in the grand ballroom of Woodland Country Club of Carmel. The reception starts at 6:30 p.m., with the performance at 7:30 p.m. each night. There also will be a silent auction and prizes. Proceeds benefit the CCP Capital Fund.

“Jerry’s Girls” is a musical revue from the works of composer Jerry Herman.

“There will be a lot of familiar music,” Phipps said of Herman, who composed music for Broadway hits such as “Hello, Dolly!” and “Mame.”

Phipps will be joined by five other women for the revue. Phipps and Susan Smith are from Carmel. Diane Tsao and Jill O’Malia are Fishers residents. Heather Hansen lives in Zionsville and Georgeanna Teipen is a Greenfield resident.

Phipps’ first CCP show was “Hello, Dolly!” in 1994, when Smith played Dolly and Phipps was joined on stage by her daughter, Carley.

O’Malia co-starred with Teipen in the CCP production of “Suite Surrender” in 2017. O’Malia, who serves on the CCP board of directors, has performed in five different productions of Herman shows, including “Mame” twice, “Hello, Dolly!” “La Cage aux Folles” and “Milk and Honey.”

“It’s so much fun singing favorite Jerry Herman songs and learning some new ones we’ve never heard,” O’Malia said. “Three of the women in the cast are very close friends of mine. The other two ladies (Tsao and Hansen) I’ve met through the rehearsal process are lovely and I’m happy to call them new friends. The chemistry in the group is extremely good. The Carmel Community Players fundraiser ‘Jerry’s Girls’ is being produced to celebrate CCP bringing high-quality theater to Carmel for 30 years.”

O’Malia said CCP’s intention is to “continue producing quality and affordable entertainment in Carmel for years to come.”

Tsao, a vocalist for Swing Shift Indy Big Band, has performed in almost 70 theater productions.

Smith has been in more than 20 CCP productions. She has received 13 Encore Award nominations and has five Encore Award

wins. She was in the crew/production staff of every CCP show produced from 1995 until 2003, more than 40 consecutive productions.

Smith also has played the title role of “Mame” at CCP. She has played the role of Dolly five times at different theaters and was a Dolly understudy at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre.

Smith has served as a music minister since her teens as a cantor for Sunday services and a soloist for funerals and weddings.

Teipen will be performing the title role in “Hello, Dolly!” at Footlite Musicals in September. She has performed in two prior CCP shows, “Next to Normal” (2016) and “Suite Surrender (2017). She was last season’s Encore Award winner for best female singer in the production of “White Christmas” for Main Street Productions at the Basile Westfield Playhouse.

Hansen is performing in her first show featuring Herman’s music.

“It has really opened my eyes to the wonderful work he created,” Hansen said. “I watched ‘Hello, Dolly’ regularly as a child and it is one of my favorite movie musicals. I will be performing in ‘Hello Dolly’ this fall at Footlite as Irene Malloy, and I’m really thrilled with the opportunity to help tell that fun story.”

Hansen’s only previous CCP experience was performing as Mother in “Ragtime” in 2018.

“CCP holds a dear spot in my heart for offering me my first major role (in ‘Ragtime’) after my long maternity leave,” Hansen said. “I will forever be grateful for those who had faith in me, took a chance on me, supported me and have become dear friends.”

Tickets are $75 each or $500 for a table of eight. For more, visit carmelplayers.org.

PUZZLE ANSWERS SPONSORED BY SHEPHERD INSURANCE

Answers to HOOSIER HODGEPODGE:

Toms: BRADY, CLANCY, CRUISE, HANKS, PETTY, SELLECK;

Stores: LULULEMON, NORDSTROM, POTTERY BARN, SEPHORA, TIFFANY; Body Parts: EYE, FUR, PAW, TAIL; Towns: TELL CITY, TERRE HAUTE, TIPTON; Beers:

The cast of “Jerry’s Girls” includes, from left, front, Heather Hansen, Georgeanna Teipen; middle, Vickie Phipps, Diane Tsao, back, Jill O’Malia and Susan Smith. (Photo courtesy of CCP)

SCAN FOR TICKETS

ZZ Top keeps rocking on

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons has a unique perspective on transitioning from a solo tour in Europe right into a huge multi-city tour.

CONCERT

“When (giving) the topic of good times due consideration, the main catalyst is definitely live, loud music,” said the 73-year-old Gibbons, the band’s guitarist and primary vocalist. “ZZ maintains the position to generate that exact kind of good time for audiences across the board. The offshoot of the ZZ outfit does best by staying out there keeping it turned way up. Rock ’n’ roll stays hard on its own as a special reward worthy of multiple gold stars.”

Wine Tasting • Designer Shopping

Delectable Bites • Incredible Auction Items

FRI DAY, AUGUST 2 5 11AM - 3PM at Lucas Estate, Carmel IN

POLO at SUNSET

The blues rock band joins Lynyrd Skynyrd on “The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour,” which includes an Aug. 20 appearance at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville. Uncle Kracker opens the concert at 6:30 p.m.

ZZ Top has a long history with Lynyrd Skynyrd, so it’s fitting the groups are again touring together.

“We’ve known ‘The Skyn’ since forever and it’s great always reconnecting any place, any time,” Gibbons said. “Working with the Skynyrd outfit maintains a strident reward, renewing again and again.”

ZZ Top took a three-year break from touring in the late 1970s as drummer Frank Beard dealt with a substance abuse issue. All three band members were also exhausted from the grind of touring.

“Each of us knew that peculiar break was necessarily temporary,” Gibbons said. “We came back realizing the same wavelength resonated with a crazy fashion of chin whiskers and valuable views of a common world. The mission, which we chose to accept, was and is to get out and make big noise. It’s a time-tested formula for fine times on deck.”

Gibbons and late-bassist Dusty Hill came back from the hiatus with their famous beards, and their status grew even larger with MTV videos.

Friday, August 11, 2023 6 p.m. at Hickory Hall Polo Club

Join us for a night of polo to support the Riverview Health Foundation. Sponsorship levels include a variety of different options. New this year is a VIP hospitality suite. Scan the QR code to learn more.

“Quite unexpectedly, millions felt in touch with the ongoing offerings of ZZ Top videos,” Gibbons said. “Quite a league of followers liked what we were doing. It expanded the band’s horizons with a searing, serious reach. That, and the real Texas get-down approach became obvious — truly, a cross-cultural, cross-generational big bang.”

Hill died in 2021 and was replaced by Elwood Francis, who Hill had recommended as his successor. Francis had previously

been the band’s guitar technician.

“Elwood’s got a great ‘can-do’ attitude that comes through each and every night for the band and beyond,” Gibbons said. “There’s a special positioning maintained so very respectful of the ZZ Top legacy. And now, known to having been inside with us more than three decades, Elwood’s part of it. And, after all, it was The Dust’s desire that wanted ‘Sir Francis’ to be the designated hitter.”

Gibbons has joked the key to the band’s longevity has been separate tour buses, but the main factor is the band members have always been on the same page musically.

“Though we came up in different places around Texas, we experienced the same inspiration thanks to the powerful border blaster X radio stations broadcasting from down in Mexico, which we respectively tuned in and listened to,” Gibbons said. “The skew was a cauldron of blues, Gospel, R&B and rockabilly and reinforcing that common impact driving a desire to play all that stuff in the recording studio and on stage.”

“La Grange” is always a special moment in the concert, Gibbons said.

“The two numbers delivering an unexpected personal charge is actually a collision of ‘Waitin’ For The Bus’ and ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago,’” Gibbons said. “That pairing wasn’t written as a combo. Tracks 1 and 2 on ‘Tres Hombres’ wound up without separation, which unexpectedly melded as a seamless single to the luck of the mastering slip of the blade. We took that coupling forward making certain they co-join with each performance.”

Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top perform Aug. 20 at Ruoff Music Center. (Photo courtesy of ZZ Top)

Fair’s backyard BBQ contest returns

Commentary by Mark LaFay

The Indiana State Fair is coming back around. I love our annual celebration of Hoosier agriculture. The animals, the competition, the fried food, it is all great! This year is going to be extra special because it will be the first post-pandemic year for the backyard barbecue competition. Team Old Major took home the grand champion prize in 2015 and 2017. We are champing at the bit for a rematch and have been putting in the work to prep for this year’s competition! Here are three ideas to get the juices flowing as you are dreaming up what to get on the grill this weekend!

SAUSAGES

I often get asked my preferred method of cooking a sausage. It isn’t an easy answer. It depends on what sausage I’m cooking. I love smoking Old Major Jalapeño Cheddar Brats. In 2015, we won the loin category by making a fresh jalapeño cheddar brat with pork loin. I also love grilling brats, Argentine chorizo and boerewors over hardwood charcoal!

BURGERS

Our default burger is a blend of Hoosier beef and Old Major Bacon. But there is more to burgers than beef! Shoup’s makes a pork burger that is as easy as it gets. Joe’s Butcher Shop in Carmel also has ground pork and beef. Bulk sausage is great for making patties and grilling on charcoal. Breakfast burgers with runny egg? Yes, please.

BRISKET

Entire books have been written about this, so I’ll be brief. Find a nice brisket, don’t over-trim it. Season it based on the weight of the brisket: 1.5 percent salt, 0.75 percent brown sugar and 0.25 percent ground black pepper. Rub it down. Wrap it in plastic. Rest it for 24 hours. Smoke it at 215 degrees with hickory or pecan wood until the temperature of the point is 195 degrees. Don’t wrap it at all while cooking.

Where’s Amy?

Where’s Amy attends Heartland’s Indy Shorts

Where’s Amy attended the Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival kickoff party July 20 at High Alpha in Indianapolis and attended the awards ceremony July 22 at Tinker House Events in Indianapolis. The festival included short films and filmmakers from around the world. Next up is the Heartland International Film Festival, set for Oct. 5-15. For more, visit heartlandfilm.org.

Filmmaker Margaret Murray (South Bend), left, and Heartland Film board member Arlene Grande (Westfield). (Photo by Amy Pauszek)

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.

Mark LaFay is a butcher, certified sommelier and founder of Old Major Market, 4021 Millersville Rd., Suite 107A, Indianapolis

Not my cup of tea

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

Blame it all on my British roots, but I’ve never preferred coffee. I like hanging out in coffee shops. I don’t mind smelling like I’ve hung out in a coffee shop all day. But, for me, I like tea. Every morning, I need my Barry’s Irish Breakfast Tea with a dash of milk and sugar. Without this, I will be a Grumpy Gus. Don’t give me Lipton or Twining’s — these are not the same.

for “incomplete sentences.” A complete sentence includes a verb, makes sense on its own, and communicates a complete idea. After all, writing is all about communication.

GRAMMAR GUY

In case you were wondering, yes, I do bring my preferred tea with me when I go out of town. And, while I like a good morning cuppa, I’ve never understood kombucha tea.

What is kombucha, anyway? I know you were already thinking about it. Kombucha sounds like either someone sneezing or the thing someone says after someone sneezes. Kombucha is like the kale of liquids. Does anyone really enjoy it?

The grammar gods strongly advise against writing sentences in fragments. “Sentence fragments” is industry-speak

Here’s an example of a sentence fragment: Because he lives near the ocean.

If the sentence read, “He lives near the ocean,” we’d be in good shape. However, adding “Because” to the beginning makes this fragment a dependent clause. We need the “why” to follow the “because.”

Let’s finish that sentence:

Because he lives near the ocean, he collects shells that look like Cher.

That’s completely strange; it’s also a complete sentence.

We speak in fragments. Constantly. We use them either to express a casual style, to create rhythm in our writing or to emphasize a point.

Visiting Icy Strait Point

Commentary by Don Knebel

In our continuing tour of Alaska, we stop at Icy Strait Point, about 30 miles west of Juneau, which provides a great experience and is a wonderful economic and cultural success story.

at Icy Strait Point each summer, providing an enormous economic boost to nearby Noonah, a town of about 900, most of them indigenous Tlingit people.

TRAVEL

Icy Strait Point is a privately owned tourist destination on Chichagof Island, the fifth-largest island in the United States, which reportedly contains more bears per square mile that any other place in the world. In 1996, the Huna Totem Corp., owned by 1,300 indigenous Alaskans, purchased the 23,000-acre site using proceeds received under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. They named the area, which includes a beach front and a temperate rain forest, after Icy Strait, which separates Chichagof Island from the Alaskan mainland, and began trying to convince cruise lines going to Juneau to stop there. In 2004, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship did stop, opening the way for other lines to make Icy Strait Point a regular destination on their Alaska cruises.

Today, more than 100 cruise ships dock

Visitors to Icy Strait Point have a variety of things to do. A building on the site that once housed the Hoonah Canning Co., now includes a museum, a restaurant, shops and some original fish-canning equipment. Whale watching trips leaving from Icy Strait Point guarantee that passengers will see whales. A $30 million gondola transporter, completed in 2022, takes visitors to the top of Hoonah Mountain, where they can explore the rain forest or ride a mile-long zip line dropping more than 1,300 feet, considered one of the longest and highest in the world. Visitors can also take a 30-minute walk to Hoonah, where they can see authentic totem poles and experience the Tlingit culture.

An Orca statue at Icy Strait Point in Alaska. (Photos by Don Knebel)

A transporter at Icy Strait Point. Don Knebel is

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

1. Pitch a tent at McCormick’s Creek State Park

5. “___, Brute!”

9. Big Hoffa’s BBQ rib order 13. Sheltered, at Geist

14. Mattress size

15. Scarlett of Tara

16. Start of an apt description of the Indiana State Fair 18. Bonkers

36. Words of understanding

38. State Fair description, continued

42. Waterpark feature

45. Fishers Farmers Market veggie

46. Emailed a dupe to

50. Colt foe

51. Photo ___ (media events)

54. Crater’s edge

56. Yes vote

57. Unrefined metal

58. Slangy refusal

60. DVR button

61. Made-to-order item?

63. Collectible print, briefly

65. Moral principle

66. End of State Fair description

73. Carmel Racquet Club match units

74. Small bills Down

1. Traveling tot’s spot

2. Some

3.

35. Broom closet item

37. Col. Sanders’ chain

39. Newborn

40. Shore bird

41. “Who ___ that?!”

42. Sellout inits.

43. Petty or grand crime

44. “For real!”

47. Tim Campbell drawing

48. Mask feature

49. Solves a cryptogram

52. Indiana Statehouse figure, briefly

53. Shows derision

55. Jell-O shaper

59. Concur

62. Ivy ___ Community College

64. In that case

31. Potter’s Bridge Fall Festival mo.

32. Abound 34. Stately tree

69. Chilling

70. Repel (off)

71. Shoe part

72. Folk story

65. Car czar Wood

67. Colts QB mistake

68. Some Current staffers, for short

Answers on Page 17

Oversee negotiations

4. Banana skin

5. Biblical verb ending

6. Deuce

7. Form-fitting

8. Iffy

9. Yiddish synagogue

10. After a while

11. Circle Tower design style

12. Hoosier Park horse color

15. A Great Lake

17. High five, essentially

21. Knight’s title

24. Not new

25. Window ledge

27. “Incidentally,” in a text

33. Insane

Kevin Gregory’s