January 3, 2023 — Zionsville

January 3, 2023

Current in Zionsville currentzionsville.com

Contact us:

Have a news tip? Want to submit a calendar event? Have a photograph to share?

Contact the editor

Elle Kreamer at elle@ youarecurrent.com or call 317.489.4444 ext. 805. You may also submit information on our website, currentzionsville. com. Remember our news deadline is typically eight days prior to publication.

News tips/story ideas: stories@youarecurrent.com

Letters to the editor/ guest columns: letters@youarecurrent.com

Advertise your business:

If you’re interested in reaching virtually 100 percent of the Zionsville market (11,553 households), you may obtain more information by emailing ads@youarecurrent.com (subject: Zionsville advertising) or by calling 317.847.5022.

Obituaries: obits@youarecurrent.com

Legal advertising: legals@youarecurrent.com

Delivery questions: circulation@youarecurrent.com

Join our community: www.facebook.com/currentzionsville www.twitter.com/CI_Zionsville instagram.com/currentpublishing

Founded March 20 2012, at Zionsville, IN Vol. XI, No. 43 Copyright 2021. Current Publishing, LLC All Rights Reserved.

30 South Range Line Road Carmel, IN 46032 317.489.4444

Crouch visits Carmel, discusses gubernatorial run

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

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

ELECTION

Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch kicked off her campaign for governor Dec. 12 with a tour across the state, conducting several interviews over a few days. She took questions from Current Publishing during a Dec. 14 visit to Carmel.

Where did you get your motivation for running?

After being elected with Gov. Eric Holcomb in November 2016, I got a check (the next month) from a supporter made out to ‘Crouch for Governor. I called and told him, “It’s lieutenant governor.” He said, “No, I want to be the first person to write a check for your campaign for governor.”

At the time, I thought, “That’s eight years away. I can’t even think about that.” But I started to think more and more that my experience and leadership in serving in local and state government at the legislative and executive branch has brought me to this position, and the next step is to run for governor.

I have a vision for Indiana that will propel us into the future. I’ve been to all 92 counties many times over. I’ve talked to people, and I’ve listened to them. We’ve accomplished great things over the last 17 years. We’ve turned the state around to where we have low taxes, healthy surpluses and balanced budgets.

The next chapter in Indiana’s history is going to be about quality of life. Why is that important? Because that’s how we grow our population and attract talent. Quality of life is as important to businesses as low taxes and tax incentives. It used to be that people followed businesses. Today, businesses are following people, and people want to live in communities where they enjoy quality of life. We have a plan for the future to grow our economy, invest in education, strengthen our families and communities.

Why is education a major theme of your campaign?

We need to create a cradle-to-career education system. It starts with early childhood education. We need to be investing more in early childhood education. We need to align K-12 higher education development and workforce development better. whether it’s employment or enrollment.

One of the things that we have to do is encourage our high school seniors that want to go to college to go to Indiana colleges and universities. Why is that important? Because 70 percent of them will stay in Indiana (after graduating). It’s about getting our young people prepared for that next step in life. If college is where they want to go, let’s get them in Indiana colleges and universities and then move toward addressing that quality of life.

Quality of life can look like all different things to all different people. I think when most people think about quality of life, they think about destinations. They think about the trails. They think about those amenities that make life meaningful. But quality of life is also about helping those Hoosiers who struggle with mental illness or addiction, helping those Hoosiers who are disabled or those who have intellectual development disabilities, whether it’s autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. Quality of life is about providing more meaningful opportunities for all Hoosiers, including those who are more vulnerable.

How do you plan to address workforce development?

It’s important that we have a workforce that is trained and skilled for the jobs of the future. It’s estimated that by 2025, 60 percent of all jobs will require post-secondary education. So, it’s important our students are prepared for that next step, and we encourage them to have the education for the industries of the future. Industries of the future are advanced manufacturing, aerospace, ag-bioscience, cybersecurity, defense, health care, orthopedics and life sciences. If those are the jobs of the future, we want to have our children and our future workforce prepared. So, aligning education with that becomes extremely important.

Did Sen. Mike Braun’s announcement that he is running for governor have any effect on your timing?

This is a plan we’ve had in place for months. I learned a long time ago that I can’t be responsible for other people. I have to be responsible for myself. We’ve put together a plan and we’re executing it. I’m taking my vision to the people of Indiana, not waiting for people to come to me. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past eight years is traveling the state and connecting with Hoosiers.

ZFD hiring for firefighter/paramedic roles - The Town of Zionsville is hiring for multiple roles on the Zionsville Fire Dept. The minimum required education qualification is a high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and have a valid Indiana driver’s license. Available positions include a recruit firefighter, probationary firefighter and firefighter/EMTs I, II and III. For more about job requirements or to apply, visit zionsville-in.gov/Jobs.

Student Leaders internship program

- The 2023 application for Bank of America’s Student Leaders paid internship program is now open through Jan. 13. Selected students will participate in an eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit organization to learn firsthand about the needs of the community and the critical role nonprofits play. They will also attend a leadership summit to learn how government, business and the nonprofit sector work together to address critical community needs. Learn more and apply at cybergrants. com/pls/cybergrants/quiz.display_question?x_gm_id=1499&x_quiz_id=5082.

Governor’s Fellowship - Applications will be accepted through Jan. 31 for the 2023-24 Governor’s Fellowship, which provides a unique experience in Indiana state government by placing fellows in various state agencies on a rotating basis throughout the year. The program is open to college graduates who receive a bachelor’s degree in the summer or fall of 2022 or spring of 2023. Fellows are paid, full-time employees who participate in the dayto-day activities of state government. Apply at in.gov/gov/governors-office/ governors-fellowship-program.

Boone REMC sponsors youth programs - Applications are being accepted for several youth programs sponsored by Boone REMC and other electric cooperatives throughout Indiana. According to Mandy Saucerman, communications director for Boone REMC, the electric cooperative supports local students through a variety of programs, including a summer camp, trip to the nation’s capital, Page Day at the Statehouse and an art contest. To learn more and apply for programs, eligible students are encouraged to visit bremc.com.

Crouch

IT’S gr e at TO

DINE OUT!

The Great Dine Out in Hamilton County January 2–31, 2023

It’s great to dine out—enjoy the company of others, participate in local culture, and support local restaurants all while earning special deals on food. Simply check in at participating Hamilton County restaurants with the Great Dine Out digital passport. If you check in five times, you’ll get a $25 local restaurant gift card—while supplies last.

Claim your digital passport at DineOutHamiltonCounty.com or scan the QR code.

CURRENT Q&A

Get to know Jodi Gietl

Jodi Gietl, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Boone County, works full-time to ensure nonprofits in the Boone County area are connected with donors and volunteers that help their organizations thrive. Gietl, who now lives in Thorntown, resided in Zionsville for 25 years.

What is your best habit?

“My best habit is that I never stopped running. I’ve been a runner my whole life, and I still run pretty much every day.”

What is your worst habit?

“I have three kids, and I will forget who I told what to and then I will sometimes tell one of them the same thing twice.”

Do you have a hidden talent?

“I get asked to sing at a lot of weddings and funerals.”

What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

“I just go for a run. That cures so many things in life. I just get outside and get in nature.”

Is there a book that you recommend to everyone?

“‘Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones’ by James Clear.”

What’s the advice that you’re glad you took?

“When I was in college, I ran collegiate track, (NCAA) Division I, and I was trying to make the decision of whether I would continue on or retire. My dad, of course, wouldn’t tell me what to do, right? As no good parent should tell you what to do. Instead, he said, ‘Make a decision. Be happy with it. Never look back.’ So, that’s what I’ve done my whole life.”

Is there a person you admire? Why?

“Bob Wessler, the former chairman of the board of the Community Foundation of Boone County. He currently serves as my mentor for business, and he has been a great source of wisdom, guidance and discernment in my professional career.”

Do you have a favorite podcast?

“The one that I’ve been listening to the most lately is called ‘Shift the Gravity.’ The theme is how to shift the gravity into any room that you walk into.”

What is your biggest indulgence?

“Oh, totally chocolate. Anything chocolate.”

How do you exercise?

“Running and CrossFit.”

Favorite ice cream?

“Mint chocolate chip”

Do you have a favorite meal in town?

“Sushi from Noah Grant’s Grill House & Oyster Bar in Zionsville.”

What is your go-to song to get pumped up?

“‘September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. You just can’t not groove when you listen to that song.”

DISPATCH

WATER FOLLOWS THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE PATH OF LEAST COMPLAINTS.

When you have as many years repairing leaks and installing new roofs as we do at Bone Dry, it translates into having the fewest complaints. What we’ve learned in three decades can teach you a lot about who to call whenever your roof turns into some kind of medieval water torture.

Rail Trail Closure - A

begin early 2023 and will

and widen the existing Rail Trail from Heritage Trail Park south to

Avenue and create a uniform 12-foot-wide trail with a 2-foot soft shoulder on each side for runners. For Phase I in early 2023, the Rail Trail will be closed from Heritage Trail Park to the Mulberry Street tunnel. Updates will be posted at zionsville-in.gov/666/Big-4-Rail-Trail-Extension. Questions can be directed to Supt. Jarod Logsdon at jlogsdon@zionsville-in.gov.

Rail Trail development project will

repair

Starkey

ZIONSVILLE PUZZLE SWAP

In celebration of National Puzzle Day, residents are invited to bring gently used puzzles to Zionsville Town Hall from Jan. 3 to 25 then return to Town Hall on Jan. 28 between 10 a.m. to noon to choose a new one. Puzzles can be dropped off at the Town Hall Mayor’s Action Center (MAC) Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more on the event or to see other parks dept. events, view the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Winter 2022 Activity Guide at issuu.com/townofzionsville.

FIRST COME, FIRST HUNG EXHIBITION

The SullivanMunce Cultural Center will host a First Come, First Hung Exhibition Jan. 14 through Feb. 25. The first 40 artists through their doors at 225 W. Hawthorne St. in Zionsville on Jan. 7 between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon will automatically be accepted into the popular exhibit that allows both amateur and professional artists the opportunity to showcase their talent in SullivanMunce’s galleries. The event is free for members of SullivanMunce as well as artists ages 17 and under, and $15 for adult non-members. The opening reception will be Jan. 14 from noon- 2 p.m. Once the show concludes in February, artists can pick up their work Feb. 28 or March 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more, visit sullivanmunce.org/calendar.

HOOSIER CHOCOLATE FEST

Enjoy chocolate cocktails, treats, baking demonstrations and live music at Hoosier Chocolate Fest, an event organized by The Tipton County, Westfield, and Zionsville Chambers. The Sixpence, located at 4400 N. 1000 E. in Whitestown, will host this year’s Chocolate Fest on Jan. 26 and 27. Early Bird ticket prices are available until Jan. 6. Learn more at hoosierchocolatefest.com.

ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE

The annual rummage sale at St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church is set to take place Jan. 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to noon. Proceeds from the annual sale will benefit the community of St. Anthony of Padua in Croix Fer, Haiti. Anyone who would like to donate items prior to the event can drop them off at St. Alphonsus Parish Hall, located at 1870 W Oak St., on Jan. 25 from 2 to 8 p.m. or Jan. 26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more, visit zionsvillecatholic.com.

Living with neck and back pain?

Connect to leaders in brain and spine care

You don’t have to wait any longer to find the right brain and spine specialist. Schedule with our multidisciplinary network of experienced neurosurgeons who specialize in brain tumors, spine surgery, pain management and rehabilitation. We answer your questions and connect the dots to help you find the treatment options and a recovery plan that are right for you. Minimally invasive options are available.

Talk to a specialist who can connect you to a personalized care plan from non-surgical treatment options to advanced surgical options.

Schedule now at ascension.org/StVincentSpine

Retired surveyor recognized

news@currentzionsville.com

Following his retirement, longtime Boone County Surveyor Kenneth Hedge is being honored by the Boone County Board of Commissioners for his years of service to the county.

HONOR

“His work affected everything from farm yields to roads and bridges. Everything he touched has made an impact on the county,” county commissioner Tom Santelli stated. “He is the right kind of elected official, always putting our citizens ahead of himself. He will be deeply missed.”

Hedge graduated from Purdue University and soon after began working for the Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District. He worked three years for the BCSWCD before becoming Boone County Surveyor in 1990.

A lifelong resident of Boone County, Hedge was reared on his family farm and was an active partner in the farming operation with his father from early childhood, a heritage he carries on with his own children.

The Boone County Commissioners commend Hedge for his decades of service to the county and will honor him with an original Boone County surveyor’s cornerstone marker from the 1800s. The first cornerstones were laid in the late 1790s for use in property division. The cornerstone is engraved with Hedge’s name and honors his 32 years of service.

“The surveyor is one of the most important positions in the county, and Kenny Hedge has brought so much to our community through his dedicated work,” Santelli stated.

Area nonprofits receive grants

news@currentzionsville.com

Boone REMC’s Operation Round Up Board of Trustees recently awarded more than $15,000 to area nonprofits and programs with the following grants:

project supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Boone County. Haydar is building new art tables to replace those that are dilapidated at the Zionsville location.

DONATION

• The Arc of Greater Boone County received $3,000 to replace the main entrance door for its work services program, which provides job training for persons with disabilities and special needs.

• The Boys & Girls Club of Boone County was awarded $5,000 to increase the capacity and efficiency of its vehicle fleet.

• Hoosier Heritage Quilt Guild received $1,874.50 to make 100 fleece blankets for Packing Hope, an organization dedicated to supporting youth in and around Boone County who are in kinship placement or foster care.

• Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse was awarded a grant in the amount of $5,000 to fund educational workbooks for parents and students.

• Eagle Scout Nicolas Haydar received $842.68 to assist with his Eagle Scout

Operation Round Up is a voluntary program for which Boone REMC members allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the next whole dollar. Those extra cents are put into an independent, 501(c)3 trust and disbursed through a grant process. An independent board of trustees reviews the grant requests.

“We appreciate all of our members who allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the next-highest dollar each month, donating those extra cents for projects that improve our local communities,” Boone REMC communications director Mandy Saucerman stated. “We are proud to support this program, as it is an opportunity for us to demonstrate one of our founding principles, ‘concern for community.’”

Since Operation Round Up’s inception locally in 2006, more than $894,000 has been donated in grants to support community projects.

For more on how to apply for grant funding, visit bremc.com.

An engraved cornerstone commemorates Kenneth Hedge’s 32 years of service. (Photo courtesy of the Boone County Board of Commissioners) Hedge

Lawrence Central defensive end boasts strong athletic skills

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Despite drawing a lot of attention on and off the field, Lawrence Central High School defensive end Joshua Mickens was able to have a special senior season.

“Josh would probably say he didn’t have as good a year, at least statistically, as he did as a junior, but Josh was amazing for us,” Lawrence Central football coach Will Patterson said. “We told him it wouldn’t be the same because people know about you, he wouldn’t surprise anyone. He accepted the challenge and played well. He saw a lot of double- and triple-teams at times. He learned how to adapt to that and still bring impact to the game.

“He did a phenomenal job of adjusting. He battled some injuries in the middle of the season and fought his way through it.”

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mickens was recently named the Indiana Mr. Football position winner for defensive line. He had

MEET JOSHUA MICKENS

Favorite type of music: Rap or hip-hop

Favorite subject: Social studies

Favorite TV show: “American Dad” College plans: Major in engineering at Ohio State University.

74 total tackles, including 20 1/2 tackles for loss, and 6 1/2 sacks. In 2021, he had 78 total tackles, 12 sacks and 23 tackles for loss.

“He’s an extremely tough kid,” Patterson said. “He’s freakishly athletic for his size. It’s going to help him a lot down the road.”

On Dec. 21, Mickens signed a National Let-

ter of Intent to play football for Ohio State University.

Mickens had originally committed to Louisiana State University in July 2022, but decommitted in November.

“It’s been a long process,” Mickens said. “It was a family thing, wanting to be closer to home overall.”

Patterson said Mickens had a love for LSU

but wanted to play close to home.

“To be able to share this experience with his mother and sister was important to him,” Patterson said. “There are only a couple places around the Midwest that play the same quality of football they do down South. In the interest of having the best of both worlds, he felt Ohio State was the best fit.”

Mickens’ father, Arnold Mickens, died at age 49 after a battle with COVID-19 In January 2022. Arnold was an all-state running back and linebacker at Broad Ripple High School. After transferring from Indiana University to Butler University, he set 18 NCAA Division 1-AA records, including rushing for 2,255 yards in 1994. He appeared in three games for the Indianapolis Colts in 1996.

Mickens was averaging 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in the first seven games for Lawrence Central’s basketball team. He averaged 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds last season.

Although Mickens, who has a 3.8 grade point average, could have graduated in December and got a jump start on college football practice, he chose to play one last season of basketball.

BRAIN AND SPINE CARE FOR WHAT MAKES YOU, YOU.

Athlete and professional. Student and parent. Caretaker and loved one. We provide exceptional brain and spine care so you can get back to being everything that makes you, you.

Learn more at GoodmanCampbell.com

Lawrence Central defensive end Joshua Mickens was the Indiana Mr. Football position winner for the defensive line. (Photo courtesy of Joshua Mickens)

Mickens

Employees volunteer for ‘We Care’ holiday initiative

By Elle Kreamer elle@youarecurrent.com

Employees of the bioinformatics company hc1 took part in the We Care holiday charity event at the Lilly Boys & Girls Club Dec. 1.

GIVING BACK

We Care was created by Herman Miller and the Boys & Girls Club of America to provide a space where children can create holiday gifts for their loved ones while also enjoying snacks and participating in fun activities.

Dani Hughes, director of facilities and administration for hc1, said every year, hc1 employees like to have the kids do a craft using items they can repurpose after the holidays.

“A lot of these kids don’t have a means to go holiday shopping for their parents, so this is a way for them to give special presents to their family members,” Hughes said.

In the past, kids have made fruit baskets, wreaths made of scarves and snowman-shaped bags of popcorn with hats made of gloves. This year’s project was a

reindeer made of a pair of socks.

“This way we know they’re always leaving with something useful, whether it’s gloves, scarves or socks,” Hughes said. “It’s not only just a little craft, but it’s something that they can actually use or that a family member can use.”

Hughes said hc1, which is just south of Zionsville at 96th Street and Zionsville

Road, has employees attend the event each year, but this is the first year they’ve been able to attend since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That made it kind of extra special this year getting to see those kids’ faces and just knowing the difference that you’re making. Just to see the excitement, it just really warms your heart,” Hughes said.

From left, hc1 employees Victoria Hungria, Hazem Elewa, Lora Myers, Emily Figgins and Dani Hughes pause during the We Care holiday charity event.

Britt Putka of hc1 helps a little girl make a reindeer out of socks. (Photos courtesy of hc1)

NEW YEAR NEW DEALS AT STARSIAK AESTHETICS

Family owned and operated, Starsiak Aesthetics provides state-of-the-art aesthetic treatments in a clean and comfortable environment. Our well-trained team is friendly and attentive. We take care to ensure that your experience with us is excellent from start to finish. Request a consultation and book with Starsiak Aesthetics today.

AESTHETIC SERVICES

Body sculpting/fat reduction and MORE

• Emsculpt Neo: reduce fat while building muscle

• Coolsculpt: reduces fat by freezing it

• Emtone: cellulite reduction

• Semaglutide: medicine that helps with weight loss

• Emsella for pelvic floor rehabilitation

Fotona Laser

• 4D: non-invasive laser face lift

• Acne revision & Scar revision: laser treatment for scars/acne scars

• Photobiomodulation: accelerates healing with lower level laser light therapy

• Skin resurfacing: improve overall skin texture

• Smooth eye wrinkle reduction: reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes and much more

Patient review: Positive: Cleanliness, Professionalism, Quality “I have had one EMSculpt NEO treatment and had a great experience. Staff was friendly and made me feel extremely comfortable! Would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for any aesthetic treatment.”

Patient review: Positive: Cleanliness, Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Value “Above and beyond kind, intelligent healing. I wouldn’t change a thing about my experiences with Starsiak Aesthetics.”

Keeping warm in winter

Commentary by Ward Degler

We had a couple inches of snow, but it didn’t melt because the temperature dropped below zero, which means we had what every kid (of all ages) wants – a White Christmas.

PLAIN TALK

Every parent who bought their child a sled for Christmas this year can take a bow. Most years Christmas is a balmy 50 degrees, and the shiny new sled sits untouched as a reminder that Christmas-shopping parents don’t always think things through.

I started my school years in the Northwoods of Wisconsin where, if memory serves, the first snowfall of the season happens right after Labor Day, and the last blizzard roars through around the middle of May.

Winter clothing back then started with long underwear crafted of the finest wool which covered your entire body with a rash that itched with the fury of hell’s demons every hour of every day.

To go outside meant squeezing into a snowsuit, but only after getting fitted with at least one bulky sweater and a heavy woolen scarf that made your face itch. Mom’s biggest task was zipping up the whole shebang. We looked like over-inflated balloons, and our arms stuck straight out from our bodies.

Actually, the biggest challenge was galoshes. For those of you too young to have suffered this humiliation, galoshes were rubber boots that slipped on over your shoes to keep your feet dry in the snow.

The problem was, while they worked with adults, galoshes on a 6-year-old was a recipe for disaster. One of the first things we kids learned is that galoshes filled with melting snow made a slosh-slosh sound when we walked. Two other problems were getting them off at school and getting them back on at the end of the day. Clue: Wet rubber does not slide over leather shoes in either direction — ever.

Ward Degler lives in Zionsville with his wife. He is the author of “The Dark Ages of My Youth ... and Times More Recent.” Contact him at ward.degler@ gmail.com.

Storen to join hall of fame

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Although Drew Storen seemed destined for the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame, it was still nice to get the news.

BASEBALL

The Carmel resident was recently selected by the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association as a member of the class of 2023.

“It’s quite the honor,” said Storen, a 2007 Brownsburg High School graduate. “I’ve always said Indiana is such a sneaky baseball state. To be lumped in with the Scott Rolens of the world is never bad company.”

Rolen, a seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star, played baseball at Jasper High School.

Storen has helped with Zionsville Community High School pitching staff the past two seasons. He has a home being built in Zionsville, which he said is expected to be completed in early 2024.

Storen, who pitched eight seasons in the majors, will be honored at a Jan. 13 reception in Indianapolis.

Storen, 35, will likely be joined in the hall of fame eventually by former Brownsburg teammates Lance Lynn and Tucker Barnhart, both still playing in the majors.

“In the last decade-plus, there have been a lot of guys doing great things in this state,” Storen said. “I can hold it over Lance and Tuck’s head. I made it to the Hall of Fame. It might be because I’m done playing and they’re still playing. But those are details.”

Another member of the five-member 2023 class is Jeff Smardzija (Valparaiso High School), who pitched 13 years in the majors. Smardzija was also a standout wide receiver for the University of Notre Dame.

“He had a great big-league career as well,” Storen said. “Another guy that is nice to be lumped in (with). I’m grateful for guys like Scott Rolen and Todd Dunwoody, who showed people we were more than a basketball state, The indoor facilities really helped with guys having the opportunity to get better.”

Storen was taken in the first round in the 2009 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. He had a 29-18 record and 99 saves with a 3.45 earned run average in the majors.

JANUARY 14, 5 – 9 P.M.

S ECOND SATURDAY GALLERY WALK

New exhibits and features in district galleries

EXPERIENCE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Live music throughout the district featuring:

Bella Pike : Sub Zero (111 W. Main St. #130)

Adam Shuntich : Chocolate Café (43 W. Main St.)

Chris Rutkowski : Indiana Artisan (22 N. Range Line Rd.)

COMMUNITY ART ACTIVITIES

Holiday mini snow globe by Art Lab Indy and caricatures by Custom Eyes Design located in Kuaba Gallery (404 W Main St.)

BINGO!

Head over to Indiana Artisan Gifts & Gallery (22 N. Range Line Rd.) to pick up an Arts & Design District BINGO card. Visit participating galleries and businesses to cover three squares in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row then return your BINGO card to the gallery by 7 p.m. for your chance to win a gift basket. Winners will be drawn at Indiana Artisan at 7:30 p.m. Must be present to win.

Warm up this winter at select Caffeine Trail locations from 5-9 p.m.

Learn more @CarmelCaffeineTrail on Facebook and Instagram.

Main & Range Line. For more info, call 317.571.ARTS CarmelArtsAndDesign.com

@CarmelArtsAndDesignDistrict

@CarmelArtsDesign

Presented by

CARMEL ARTS & DESIGN DISTRICT

Storen

Pre-Civil War cemetery rediscovered, restored

By Elle Kreamer elle@youarecurrent.com

Work was recently completed to restore McCord Cemetery in Whitestown. The restoration is expected to preserve a piece of Boone County history for generations to come, thanks to the efforts of local historian Mike Hancock and the Worth Township Trustees Office, among others.

In December 2016, Whitestown officials planned to incorporate that area of the town, which included the cemetery, into a planned unit development. Hancock contacted the town’s planning department to ensure officials knew it was part of a pre-Civil War site that had been lost to the woods and underbrush, but he said he wasn’t confident it would be protected.

“Every single acre of old farm ground seems to be getting covered with new residential development,” Hancock said. “There’s not a whole lot of history and heritage left, so what is left I want to protect and preserve and make sure future generations can see what was there at one time.”

Hancock said the site dates back to the early 1840s, about 10 years prior to Whitestown’s founding, and has between 44 and 54 graves. The earliest grave is that of Thomas J. McCord, who died Sept. 23, 1843, at age 3. The most recent grave is that of Elizabeth Nease, who died Feb. 27, 1888, at age 79.

Hancock said he and his wife, Cheryl, spent hours attempting to find records of the cemetery in legal documentation but came up empty. Although there was likely record of the burial site at the time of its establishment, a fire that roared through Lebanon in 1856 likely destroyed any relevant documents.

In 2019, Hancock was able to contact the current owner of the property and coordinated a transfer of the deed to the Township Trustee’s Office while ensuring the cemetery was properly surveyed and reestablishing a legal record of the burial ground on official county documents.

When the Worth Township Trustees Office acquired the deed on Feb. 22, 2019, the process to restore the cemetery began. However, the availability of experts at Stonehugger Cemetery Restoration became another challenge as the project moved forward. The

trustees didn’t receive a quote for the project until August 2021.

“Because of COVID, they weren’t doing a lot, so there was a long delay before they finally were able to come and meet with us and look over the project,” Hancock said. “It was the following year before we could actually get on their schedule and get it done. Just getting the restoration scheduled and started took quite a while.”

Restoration finally began in summer 2022, with support of the Worth Township trustee and Advisory Board. The restoration company located buried grave markers, cleaned and reattached them. Badly broken or unreadable headstones had to be pieced back together like a puzzle.

Restoration workers did more than just restore the stones, Hancock said. They also completed paperwork to document the names of the dead and worked up genealogies to the best of their ability. Hancock

noted ongoing genealogical research might make historical connections between the deceased and their descendants who may still live in the area.

“These are the earliest settlers that came up from Tennessee and Kentucky and tried to settle this area when it was nothing but swamp and wilderness,” Hancock said. “These people had a really tough go of it trying to settle this land, and if it hadn’t been for them getting that started and working everything up, the entire history of this area may have been different.”

Hancock is a fifth-generation resident of Whitestown, so restoring the cemetery was important to him.

“My dad still lives in the farmhouse that was built by my great-great granddad in 1866,” Hancock said. “It’s important to me that I help protect and preserve the Whitestown I knew growing up so my grandkids can see it one day.”

For more on the McCord Cemetery, visit whitestownhistory.com/cemeteries.html or the Worth Township site, worthtownship. org/mccord-cemetery.html.:

ON THE COVER:

TOURING HISTORY

McCord Cemetery, a piece of pre-Civil War Boone County history, is in Worth Township. Anyone who would like to visit the historic site can reach out to the Worth Township Trustee’s Office for more information. The office address is 2965 575 E. in Whitestown. The phone number is 317-769-3560.

Cleaned and restored headstones stand in McCord Cemetery in summer 2022. (Photo courtesy of the Worth Township Trustees Office)

Mike Hancock stands next to an intact grave marker prior to the restoration of McCord Cemetery. (Photo courtesy of Mike Hancock)

An employee of Stonehugger Cemetery Restoration works to restore a gravestone. (Photo courtesy of the Worth Township Trustees Office)

ESSAY

Opt-in options

Commentary by Terry Anker

“Opt in to our extensive and relentless email and text marketing campaign,” offers the pop-up box blocking our advance with the install of the new application demanded of us to order a tasty pizza, or it offers simply, “not now.” Two things come to mind. One, why is it nearly required to log into a virtual world to satisfy a late-night mozzarella and pepperoni craving? And, two, do the software developers really believe that we might change our minds later? Is it too hard to simply give us a yes/no option?

Kidding aside, it is kind of nice to order a pie without the old-school phone call — or even more cumbersome, walking up to a counter and talking to another human face-to-face. In these recent years where websites have replaced order-takers, we’ve come to know that our requests are almost always correct when we make them in electronic form. There is one less opportunity for human error. Extra pineapple and double anchovies don’t raise an eyebrow. For all we’ve gained, some of us still pine for the lost personal interaction. If we were asked to join a mailing list and declined, the kid behind the counter might offer a free 2-liter of soda if we complied but rarely shamed us by pretending that we didn’t know how to say “no.” Today, the sale of our data — who we are and what we like on our stay-uplate snacks – has become of considerable value to the companies collecting it. So-called “data mining” implies the rich minerals being sought. Modern interactions seem to exclaim, “You might not give in now, but it is only a matter of time before we get you.” Although they are probably right, it all feels a little ominous. When did no disappear?

CURRENTOON

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 info@youarecurrent.com. Writers must include a hometown and a daytime phone number for verification. Guest columns: The policy for guest columns is the same as the aforementioned, but the allowable length is 240 words. Guest columns should address the whole of Current’s readership, not simply special-interest groups, and may not in any way contain a commercial message.

HUMOR

Navigating a travel challenge

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

Friends, the Wilson Family Vacation Challenge has commenced! After months of secret planning, seven individuals came together with seven different travel itineraries to create one night of extreme PowerPoint fun.

My husband Doo kicked off the evening with rum punches and the pros and cons of an Airbnb in Belize. I countered with a Kahoot! on an all-inclusive in Costa Rica and a plate of homemade fried plantains. Next up, our older daughter and resident voice actor, who proposed a journey through both England and Ireland while cradling her cat Mr. Crawley (unfortunately named before she’d started Season 3 of “Downton Abbey”) and flawlessly alternating between British and Irish accents. Naturally, she served Guinness.

Our oldest child followed with salmon sushi (emphasis on salmon) and an inordinately detailed accounting of how we could swing an RV experience in Alaska, and then his girlfriend gave a very convincing argument for Switzerland, shamelessly employing Lindt chocolate truffles to sweeten the deal. Younger son scored major points for coming in underbudget with Iceland and the Northern Lights (he provided Icelandic bottled water, of course), and for the finale, our youngest shared 49 (49!) slides of Balkan wonderment and hefty portions of to-die-for baklava.

So, where are we going this summer? It’s still TBD, although we’ve narrowed it to Iceland and Switzerland. We’re awaiting a championship pitch-off between Team Reykjavik and Team Geneva before we cast our final votes (apparently, no one but me appreciates a jungle/beach combo with free-flowing liquor and the option to zipline with monkeys. Go figure). Regardless of the outcome, the first-ver Wilson Family Vacation Challenge has been a hoot! 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.

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice.”

— T.S. ELIOT

This is Part 2 of my look back at 2022 with appreciation for those people, places and things that made my column possible. So, thanks …

• The Walmart cashier watching me jog around the entire store to avoid the freezing weather and still get in my 15,000 steps. I bought a $10.00 pair of warm gloves, but she said my total was $14.89.

“What’s the extra charge?” I asked.  “Mileage,” she said.

• To the dollar store cashier working the day the prices went up to $1.25. I bought a balloon for a party, not aware of the price increase.

“Why are the balloons so high?” I asked. “Because we put helium in them,” she responded.

• To my sister, who encouraged me to meditate. “I feel like I am one with everything,” she claimed. That was good enough for me, because that’s the way I order a hot dog at Costco.

• To whoever makes remote controls. You guys need to find a way to prevent

them from disappearing just before people need them. I connected my remote to a long piece of dental floss and tied it to the leg of the couch. Now I not only find the device quickly, but I also have 27 percent less plaque between my teeth.

• To the tech guys at the cellphone store who laughed when I told them I once left my phone in the freezer after I tried to extricate a pint of ice cream that was stuck in there.

“Did the phone work when you found it?” the salesmen asked.

“Yes,” I said, “but the screen was frozen for two days.”

• To the Prevagen people who make a supplement that supposedly improves your memory. Mary Ellen and I both took the pills for a few weeks. One night Mary Ellen was annoyed with me.

“I am hurt because you once told me I

was starting to look a little chubby in a bathing suit,” she said.

“Wow, that was 40 years ago.”

“I know, I just remembered.”

• To me, for not realizing until the middle of some movies that I may have already viewed them. Recently, my wife and I were watching “Toy Story 3” and I was sure we hadn’t seen it, since one of the characters didn’t look familiar.

“You don’t recognize Mr. Potato Head? He was also in ‘Toy Story 2.’”

“Well, maybe he had a different nose.”

And a final shout-out to the Hammacher Schlemmer gift catalog. My favorite item in this year’s holiday edition is the Side Sleeper’s Ergonomic Pillow: Ideal for someone who is sleeping with someone on the side. The pillow adjusts to your head and neck and provides support. Providing support is what you will have to do if you get caught.

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

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

The

DF-2000 Fluid provides you with the peace of mind that comes from a well-developed, broadly supported technology with a track record of proven performance.

• Proven Cleaning Performance

When used with properly designed processes, additives and equipment, DF-2000 Fluid provides cleaning performance comparable to perchloroethylene.

• Consistent, Premium Quality

DF-2000 Fluid is manufactured and packaged to high standards of consistency and purity to deliver the same high-quality performance time after time. DF-2000 Fluid remains stable through multiple distillation and reclamation cycles.

• Virtually Odorless

Solvents with a higher level of aromatics contain more solvent odor. DF-2000 Fluid has the lowest aromatic content of any HFHC drycleaning solvent.

• Gentle on Dyes, Safer on Trims

The gentle cleaning action of DF-2000 Fluid is safer for most dyes and trims, so you can rely on it to safely clean a wider range of fancy and fragile articles with less risk of dye bleeding.

• Cost Effective

There are no usage, franchise or royalty fees required. In states where a solvent usage tax has been imposed, DF-2000 Fluid is either exempt or the usage tax per gallon is minimal. When coupled with effective processes and additives, labor and production costs are reasonable.

• Proven Equipment Technology

Equipment makers have more experience with DF-2000 Fluid than any other alternative solvent. Modern filtration, distillation, solvent recovery, water separation and safety technologies are refined and well developed to give you reliable, trouble-free operation.

DISPATCHES

Stocks benefit from cancer test breakthroughs — Amid the race to develop coronavirus tests, vaccines and treatments, many investors might overlook another realm of impressive medical breakthroughs. Molecular diagnostic firms are developing innovative blood tests that can detect many forms of cancer, some even at the earliest stages before cancerous cells mass together. In the past five years, genomic blood testing has become a $6 billion-a-year market, mostly driven by tests such as “liquid biopsies” that allow patients with potentially cancerous tumors to avoid expensive and invasive surgery to remove sample tissue. Over the next decade, the diagnostics market is expected to soar to more than $50 billion annually as companies develop early-detection tests to screen asymptomatic patients for cancers. Three promising companies are:

• Exact Sciences (EXAS) had nearly $900 million in total revenues last year, mostly from two products -- Cologuard, an alternative to colonoscopies that screens stool samples for colon cancer, and Oncotype Dx, a genomic test that can predict which women with early-stage breast cancer will not benefit from chemotherapy.

• Guardant Health (GH) makes liquid biopsy kits that test for mutations in the tumors of advanced cancer patients to enable proper therapy selection.

• Natera (NTRA) tests monitor for relapses in breast and lung cancer and can identify recurrent tumors months before traditional methods such as CT scans.

Source: BottomLineInc

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

Source: BottomLineInc.com

Doctor offers health tips for extreme winter weather

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

ventable. It is not normal to not be able to catch your breath. You need to come to the emergency room if that occurs.

PUBLIC SAFETY

With much of Indiana in the firm grip of winter, Dr. Jeremy Gagan of Community Hospital East urges people to exercise caution and be aware of the risks associated with bitter cold temperatures, ice, wind and snow.

An emergency room physician for nearly 20 years, Gagan has “seen it all” with regard to winter-related injuries, including falls and heart issues.

Gagan said during bouts of cold weather, the emergency room predominantly sees an increase of fall-related injuries.

“If there is ice, we’ll see a lot of falls and a lot of wrist and ankle injuries,” said Gagan. “We’ll see some head injuries, too, but predominantly wrist and ankle.”

But falling isn’t the only risk associated with winter precipitation. For people with cardiac issues, shoveling snow can also pose a risk if not done correctly.

“There’s always that risk of a lot of snow producing excessive effort and somebody having a cardiac event,” Gagan said. “We don’t see that as frequently as people may think, but for the person it happens to, just a few times is too many. It’s entirely pre-

“Take nice, long breaks if you plan to shovel your driveway by hand. Do not shovel your driveway if you have a heart condition.”

Gagan said when a person displays or feels signs of skin discoloration from the cold, it’s vital to go inside.

“If you are starting to show signs of red, blue or even worse — white discoloration on your skin — it’s time to go inside and re-warm up,” Gagan said. “Give it a couple of hours before you go back outside.”

Gagan said the time to visit a health professional is when a person begins to feel numbness and their skin turns white. Professionals can help slowly and carefully re-warm extremities.

Besides winter-related injuries, Gagan said emergency rooms typically treat a lot of flu cases during the winter.

“With influenza, you can expect it to be highly contagious,” he said. “If multiple people in your household have symptoms of fever, runny nose, cough or sore throat, then it is likely influenza.”

For more, visit ecommunity.com.

DISPATCHES

Arugula for ulcers — Arugula contains sulforaphane, a compound already known to reduce the risk of cancer. Now it appears that the same compound can also help prevent ulcers. It helps the body eliminate H. pylori, a bacterium that causes peptic ulcers and increases the risk for gastric cancer.

Source: BottomLineHealth.com

LEGAL NOTICE OF DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC PILOT RATES UPDATE

EXPERIENCE

THE SERVICE AND DEDICATION YOU DESERVE

Our Private Banking clients receive exceptional personal service and advice from our experts. Private Bankers work with you, and our extended team of Wealth Management specialists, to provide comprehensive lending, investment management and trust services that meet your goals.

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

DUKE ENERGY INDIANA, LLC (“Company”) hereby provides notice that on or around January 10, 2023, Duke Energy Indiana, in accordance with 170 IAC 4-4.1-10, will submit a request to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (Commission) to update its Pilot Rates tariffs under the Commission’s thirty-day administrative filing procedures and guidelines. Rider 92 CS - Variable Peak Day Pricing, Rider 93 CS – Variable Peak Day Pricing with Demand, Rider 95 RS – Variable Peak Day Pricing and Rider 96 RS – Variable Peak Day Pricing with Demand will no longer be available. Customers wishing to continue participating in the Company’s Pilot program are able to use Rider 91 CS – Critical Peak Day Pricing or Rider 94 RS -Critical Peak Day Pricing. This submission is expected to be approved approximately thirty days after filing, unless an objection is made. Any objections may be made by contacting the Secretary of the Commission, or Randall C. Helmen with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor at the following addresses or phone numbers: Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission PNC Center 101 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 East Indianapolis, IN 46204-3407 Telephone: 317-232-2703

Telephone: 317-232-2494

Duke Energy Indiana, LLC By: Stan Pinegar, President

Jeff C. Mantock, CFA Vice President and Portfolio Manager Investment Management

Daniel E. Sease Vice President Private Banking 317-261-9735

Jean W. Landy Vice President Personal Trusts

Gagan

currentnightandday.com

Jeff Allen brings his comedic act for all ages to The Tarkington

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

‘CLUE’

“Clue” performances runs through Feb. 5 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘SETH’S BIG FAT 70S VARIETY SHOW’

COMEDY

Jeff Allen’s comedic appeal is finding the humor in everyday life, the ups and downs of marriage, raising kids, being an empty nester and being a grandparent.

“I also talk a lot about my ailments and my body falling apart,” he said.

“The Jeff Allen 2.0 Tour” lands at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Carmel comedian Dave Dugan will perform the opening act.

“I tell the audience that people think it’s a reboot of old material, but it’s really just my GPA,” Allen said. “I was a C student and a middle dweller and this is a celebration of the middle dwellers. We figure all the smart people ruined the world. We just show up and do our jobs and want to be left alone. Higher learning is not for everyone, that’s my point.”

Allen, 66, has been working professionally as a comedian since 1978. He got out of regularly doing comedy clubs for approximately 20 years.

“I just got back into them three years ago because of Dry Bar Comedy,” he said.

Dry Bar Comedy is a site where comedy is suitable for all ages. Dugan also has been featured on Dry Bar Comedy.

“Dry Bar went viral with 150 million views,” Allen said. “I liken it to back in the ‘70s if you did the ’The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson. It was like overnight the phone started ringing. It’s interesting after being around for 40 years, people are just finding you. It’s exhausting. We had to make up 50 to 60 COVID dates in the last year-and-a-half.”

In the 20 years when he wasn’t regularly working clubs, Allen primarily performed at corporate events and churches.

“I got older and people going to clubs didn’t. I didn’t want to go back until I could draw my audience,” he said.

Allen said he was friends with comedian Brian Regan.

“I wasn’t working very clean,” Allen said. “I said, ‘Why are you working clean?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, it works for me.’ I started cleaning everything up as a storyteller. I realized that I was using a third of the vocabulary that I should use. I found it was just better for stories when you get a thesaurus out and look for different ways to say the same thing and it started working for me. A couple years later, I came to my faith, and it just seemed to kind of fit.”

Allen said his goal is to bring three generations out to shows.

“When I grew up, we just went to the Ice Capades as a family,” Allen said. “No

one likes the Ice Capades, but it was just, ‘Shut up and get in the car. We have to do something. We’re a family.’”

Allen can be heard regularly on SiriusXM’s comedy channels, Pandora and Spotify. His previous tour centered on “My America I Grew Up In.”

Allen is known for the special, “Happy Wife, Happy Life Revisited.” He also has appeared in the full-length comedy films “Apostles of Comedy” and “Thou Shalt Laugh.”

For tickets, visit thecenterpresents.org. For more, visit jeffallencomedy.com or drybarcomedy.com.

Seth Rudetsky’s “Seth’s Big Fat 70s Variety Show” shows are set for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6-7 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

‘A CONVERSATION WITH BONEY JAMES’

“JazzTalk: A Conversation with Boney James,” a free livestream, is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 10. James will perform Feb. 18 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. To register for the livestream, visit thecenterpresents.org.

ICC to move to new home

news@youarecurrent.com

After 36 years of being housed in various locations on the campus of Butler University, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir has finalized the purchase of a building of its own to call home. The ICC will continue to have a partnership with Butler University as the organization moves forward. ICC artistic director Joshua Pedde, a Carmel resident, said the ICC will look forward to new opportunities to collaborate with the university in the future.

Over the last five years, the ICC leadership and board of directors have been strategizing what the ICC’s future will look like when it is no longer housed on the campus of Butler due to the completion of the current lease. After searching for properties for more than two years, the ICC found a building that will help it reach these goals. The ICC will be moving its organizational operations and rehearsals to 9111 Allisonville Rd. in Indianapolis at the beginning of the 2022-23 season in August, pending all of the legal and other required approvals, including renovations.

Jeff Allen will perform his comedy routine Jan. 7 from his “Jeff Allen 2.0 Tour” at The Tarkington in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Allen)

Art exhibition honors the life, talent of Dr. Robert Bratton

By Mike Beas editorial@youarecurrent.com

The watercolor paintings Dr. Robert Bratton poured his heart, soul and creativity into were the result of things that interested or inspired him.

PAINTING

Landscapes were a Bratton favorite, as were people, machinery, old circus wagons, animals and trains.

Sadly, Bratton, a longtime Carmel dentist who retired approximately 20 years ago, died Aug. 31 – five days before the death of his wife, Sally, and three days prior to what would have been the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary. Both were 83.

Bob Bratton’s works, however, live on through the Remembered Art Exhibit bearing his name inside McFarland Hall, on the third floor of Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis.

The exhibit, which runs through Jan. 27, is presented by Between Paper and Palette and the Second Presbyterian Fine Arts Advisory Team.

In all, 63 Bratton paintings are on display.

“My dad was always interested in art, ever since he was a kid,” said Eric Bratton, 52, who lives in Seattle, and is the younger of Bob and Sally’s two sons. “He used to build miniature model circus wagons, so when we were growing up, that’s what he primarily did when he got home from work.

“It wasn’t until after he retired that he really started doing the watercolors. My dad started taking classes and kept improving his art. He loved to experiment, so he was always trying to paint different things.”

Oldest son John, 54, resides in Fishers.

The story of Bob and Sally Bratton is almost fairytale in nature.

As very young children growing up in Kokomo, their mothers met and befriended one another while pushing baby strollers in opposite directions.

Thus, Bob and Sally knew each other roughly 82 of their 83 years.

As a young married couple, they moved to Carmel in 1968, with Bob’s dental practice becoming a staple of downtown Carmel. The family lived in the same house for 54 years until a year ago, although starting this month, John Bratton and his family will

reside there.

John graduated from Carmel High School in 1986, while Eric is part of the Class of 1988. John Bratton’s wife, Patricia (Robertson), is also a Carmel alum.

Mary Jane Keys, who had been a neighbor of the Brattons since 1972, is also part of Between Paper and Palette, which meets every Wednesday evening.

To call Bob Bratton merely an artist wouldn’t be doing his legacy justice, according to those who knew him best.

“Bob was just the kindest, gentlest, most humble man you could’ve met,” Keys said. “He won numerous awards for his art and never bragged about his own abilities. As a couple, Bob and Sally were just best friends who were devoted to each other.

“They were very active at Second Presbyterian Church, and she was his biggest supporter when she was in good health.”

On Dec.11, a reception was held at Second Presbyterian Church, with both John and Eric Bratton in attendance.

Having lived so far away the past decade or so, it gave Eric a greater appreciation for his father’s talents.

“An act of appreciation and love is what it is,” Eric said. “I had seen a lot of his work, but not all of it. To see it all in one space, it was just incredibly moving, just the breadth of it.”

Bratton

Dr. Robert Bratton’s watercolor paintings will be on display through Jan. 27. (Photos courtesy of Bratton family)

What’s your word of the year?

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

Many people focus on one word to guide them through the next year. Is this something you do? If so, you might want to make sure it’s the correct word. While I don’t recommend choosing any of the following words to usher you through 2023, you certainly don’t want to get these confused!

GRAMMAR GUY

When something “topples,” it means that an item falls over. Similarly, if a government gets “toppled,” that means the people in power get overthrown by another group. On the other hand, if a government gets “topless,” that means they had too much to drink at the New Year’s party and took their shirts off.

If you take your shirt off, are you likely to see “muscles” or “mussels”? If you’ve been doing crunches and bicep curls at the gym, you’re likely to see some burly muscles. If you happen to be smuggling clams in your shirt, you’ll accidentally reveal a bevy of mussels.

Speaking of “smuggling,” you don’t

want to confuse the word with “snuggling.” Snuggling involves curling up with a special person and affectionately cuddling with them. Smuggling, on the other hand, involves sneaking an item illegally from one place to another, usually across international borders.

Don’t get “border” mixed up with “boarder.” A border, as you know, is the edge that separates a country or state from the one adjacent to it. A border can more broadly be known as the edge of any surface or area. A boarder is someone who pays to stay at a hotel, hostel or bed and breakfast.

Do you have a word for 2023? For me, I need to give myself grace and accept it from others. So, my word is “grace.” Grace allows you to start over and turn the page from dark or difficult times in the past.

Visiting Caesarea Philippi

Commentary by Don Knebel

Today, during our trip through Israel and the Palestinian Territories, we visit Banias, previously known as Caesarea Philippi, the site of one of Jesus’ best-known claims.

TRAVEL

Banias lies at the base of Mount Hermon in the far northeastern corner of Israel, 3 miles east of Tel Dan, which we visited last week. Water from underground springs flows out of a cave opening in a rock wall about 500 feet long and 100 feet high. Ancient people believed the cave opening led directly to the damp and shadowy home of the dead the Greeks called “Hades.” To appease the potentially angry gods who lived in these nether regions, worshippers made sacrifices before idols residing in niches carved into the rock face near these literal “gates of Hades.”

In the third century B.C., the Greeks built a temple in front of the cave to honor Pan, the half-man, half-goat god of fright from which “Banias” is derived. After the Romans conquered the area in the first century B.C., they gave it to Herod the Great, who built a temple to Augustus Caesar near the Greek temple. Herod’s son Phillip named the area Caesarea Philippi after himself and Caesar. According to the Gospel of Matthew, before heading to Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus led his followers to Caesarea Philippi, about 25 miles north of their base around the Sea of Galilee. While there, Jesus said, as reported in Greek, “And I tell you that you are Peter (Petros) and on this rock (petra) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

The rock cliff at Banias has become a popular destination for people trying to un-

derstand what Jesus meant while standing before it with his followers. An artist’s rendering at the site suggests what it looked like at the time.

“The Gates of Hades” at Caesarea Philippi. (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.

An artist’s rendering of ancient Caesarea Philippi.

Mount Hermon in Banias in northeastern Israel.

Caesarea Philippi in what is modern-day Banias in Israel.

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

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

Integrity Automotive is looking for a full time automotive technician. In business for 28 years in downtown Carmel with a solid, happy customer base and a positive, goodnatured work environment.

The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net.

We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays.

To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net 40 S Rangeline Rd Carmel Indiana 46032

www.IntegrityAutomotive.net