January 31, 2023 — Zionsville

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Zionsville awarded grants for nature preserve

By Natalie Gargiulo Natalie@youarecurrent.com

The Zionsville Parks and Recreation Dept. was recently awarded two grants, one for $3 million from the Next Level Conservation Trust and another for $500,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The grants will be used to assist in developing the Carpenter Nature Preserve, which will include the Zionsville nature center, a nature playground, a woodland gallery, amphitheater, and a canopy walk with treehouses.

The $3 million grant will be used to acquire the Carpenter Nature Preserve, and the $500,000 grant will be used for Phase 1 of the Carpenter Nature Reserve project.

“With the plan in hand and support from our community, the parks department began the process of identifying funding opportunities to secure the land so this vision would one day be executed,” Zionsville Parks and Recreations Dept. Supt. Jarod Logsdon said. “The Carpenters have agreed

to sell the property to the town at a bargain sale price of $1.5 million below appraised value. In November 2022, the parks department obtained an updated appraisal listing the preserve at $6,020,000.00.”

Logsdon said Phase 1 of construction is to improve infrastructure and accessibility on the site to allow public access. Site improvements include habitat restoration,

rehabilitation of an existing bridge and parking areas, a dedicated restroom facility, an accessible paved loop, rustic trails and a nature play area.

“Now the work begins,” Logsdon said. “We are grateful to the Carpenters for stepping in to secure the land over the past two years, to our residents for supporting this journey, and to the Indiana DNR and Gov. Holcomb’s office for continuing to champion recreation and the conservation of our natural spaces.”

The Feb. 8 Zionsville Parks and Recreation board meeting will determine additional funding and a bond request to assist in Phase 1 of the development of the Carpenter Nature Preserve. In approved, the bond will go before the Zionsville Town Council in March.

The preliminary plan is for the Carpenter Nature Preserve to open in late 2025.

Falcone elected president of Zionsville COC

By Natalie Gargiulo Natalie@youarecurrent.com

Zionsville resident Angela Falcone was elected president of the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce earlier this month.

said.

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

Prior to that, Falcone was involved with all four chambers of commerce in Hendricks County, along with the OneZone chamber in Hamilton County, the Boone County Chamber of Commerce and the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce. She previously had served as vice president of the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce.

“The small businesses and people in Zionsville were so welcoming to me,” Flacone

Falcone is a native of Bedford. She is an Indiana University graduate with a degree in early childhood education. After teaching for a few years, she married and stayed at home with her daughter while volunteering in schools and the Brownsburg Education Foundation.

As she began a new phase in her career, Falcone branched out as a business development representative at State Bank, calling the transition a “blessing”.

“I was able to be out in the community networking and meeting new people,” Falcone said.

Falcone said her chief objective as president of the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce is to focus on workforce development.

“Our workforce needs have changed due to the cost of goods, utilities and the overall cost of living on the rise,” she said. “We want to look at how we can actively help our members. The chamber has recently started the Rise Foundation to help bring educational opportunities to the area businesses and also our future workforce through our STEM Projects.”

Falcone said she wants to bring an open mind to many of the issues facing chamber members and the community.

“I want to spread the news of what the chamber can do for our businesses,” she said. “I also want to gain more volunteers for all of our amazing events that raise money to help with our other projects in the community.”

Either way, I’m lovin’ my Puccini’s!

Falcone

The

A rending of Phase 1 of the Carpenter Nature Preserve project.(Map courtesy of Zionsville Parks and Recreation)

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.

Melton announces reelection bid

By Natalie Gargiulo Natalie@youarecurrent.com

Zionsville Town Councilor Craig Melton announced Jan. 20 that he will seek reelection for the District 3 seat.

First elected in 2019, Melton, a Republican who has focused on safer connectivity between Zionsville and Whitestown and public safety, said he wants to continue focusing on those issues while continuing to improve District 3 services through cooperation with Boone County and neighboring municipalities to preserve and promote Zionsville.

“The Carpenter Nature Preserve is an example of an asset we must preserve,” Melton said. “I will continue to work to lower taxes yet still support projects like this through the use of federal grants and charitable donations to the Zionsville Parks Foundation.”

Melton, a member of the Pathways Committee, has championed for the 3-mile expansion of the pathways.

“The Pathways Committee will continue to

make recommendations and make updates to the Zionsville Pathways Master Plan and focus on the connectivity of the Zionsville Parks and with the help of ZCS connectivity between the schools,” he said.

Melton said he used his business experience to help create a stronger commercial and industrial tax base by negotiating with businesses that have settled in Zionsville.

“Having more businesses located in Zionsville will generate more taxes that can be used to improve the failing roads and expand infrastructure like our pathways,” he said.

The primary election is May 2. Melton’s opponents for the District 3 seat are Republicans Kyle Campbell and Kendrick Davis.

Melton, a Zionsville resident since 2006, completed the Zionsville Fire Dept. Citizens Academy program and was appointed to the Zionsville Non-Discriminatory Practices Review Committee and the Zionsville-Eagle Township Municipal Building Corp.

Melton and his wife, Jennifer, have four children.

Lusk announces candidacy for Zionsville Town Council seat

By Natalie Gargiulo Natalie@youarecurrent.com

Zionsville resident Heather Lusk recently announced her candidacy for the District 4 seat on the Zionsville Town Council.

Author of “Hidden History of Boone County,” Lusk is a Republican who is making her first bid for a council seat. She said she has frequently attended Zionsville’s town council, plan commission and parks and recreation meetings.

“I have a real appreciation and understanding of how the town is run, and the incredible people who work behind the scenes day-to-day,” Lusk said.

Lusk said ensuring Zionsville’s financial situation is under control is among her priorities, noting that it is the “most critical” need of the town.

“I feel we need to ensure the new mayor and town council work in tandem to know our financial status and be very open and

transparent with the public about it,” Lusk said.

One way to ensure Zionsville can remain fiscally responsible, according to Lusk, is the 5-year master plan that the Zionsville Parks and Recreation Department presented to the Zionsville Town Council on Jan.17. The plan is for the development of the Carpenter Preserve. Two grants, the Next Level Conservation Trust and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, totaling $3.5M, were awarded for development of the land and amenities for the Zionsville community.

“I think the two grants are wonderful opportunities to move forward and to remain fiscally responsible to constituents while providing amenities that make Zionsville special,” Lusk said.

For the last 10 years, she has been a freelance writer and a marketing and public relations consultant.

Lusk and her husband, Scott, have lived in Zionsville for 14 years.

Melton

Lusk

Zionsville Community Schools Supt. Scott Robison accepts a retirement gift from Zionsville Education Foundation Board President Mark Pascarella. (Photo courtesy of Zionsville Community Schools)

Robison bids farewell

news@currentzionsville.com

Supt. of Zionsville Community Schools

Scott Robison, whose retirement begins Jan. 31, attended his last ZCS Board of Trustees meeting Jan.9.

SCHOOLS

Robison gave his final superintendent report and thanked board members, teachers, core leaders and staff during his time at ZCS. He also shared photos of students, teachers and events throughout his 17-year career with ZCS.

“I must include my wife and family, who

endured so much of my stress processing at the dinner table when I made it to dinner, or when I just had to be quiet sometimes,” Robison said. “My family has witnessed and run interference for my years of compromised sleep, my always on-call status, and other stresses that are common to this role. I would not have survived without them.”

Robison was presented a retirement gift bag by Zionsville Education Foundation Board President Mark Pascarella.

“I will proudly be an Eagle, always.” Robison said.

Nieshalla elected president of ICCA

news@currentzionsville.com

The Association of Indiana Counties announced Jan. 18 that Boone County Council President Elise Nieshalla has been elected president of the Indiana County Councils Association.

CITY NEWS

Nieshalla, a Republican and Zionsville resident, has served on the Boone County Council since 2016. She became president in 2021. She is also chairwoman of the Association of Indiana Counties’ Legislative Committee and was named 2018 Indiana County Councilor of the Year.

NIeshalla

Before being elected to the council, Nieshalla served on former Gov. Mitch Daniels’ economic development policy team. Her contributions included policies that established stronger executive branch oversight, reformed board responsibilities and revised hiring practices. ICCA officers partner with the Indiana State Board of Accounts and the Association of Indiana Counties to plan and execute the annual conference, among other responsibilities.

“Out of the gate, we are expanding our efforts to meet with county council members in each region to deliver top-priority legislative updates and share advocacy needs.” Nieshalla said.

Nieshalla works with Indiana state lawmakers to adjust tax matters along with the fiscal side of county and local governance to manage a budget with her private experience as an entrepreneur in real estate investment.

Nieshalla has been married to her husband, Chris, for 26 years. They have four children.

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ZIONSVILLE LIONS CLUB MISS FALL FESTIVAL CROWNED

Emilee Hunt pauses after winning the title of Zionsville Lions Club Miss Fall Festival 2023. She was crowned Jan. 21 at the Hoosier Retirement Village in Zionsville. Hunt is a graduate of Indiana State University and works in the communication department for Andretti Motorsports. Her platform is Lupus awareness. She will participate in most of the Zionsville Lions Club events, among other activities, and compete in the Miss Indiana Competition in June to be held in Zionsville. (Photo courtesy of Roger Manning Photography)

This quick move-in home has everything you need!

From left, recently elected board members Jennifer Valentine, Dr. Christy Wessel-Powell and Michael Berg were sworn in at the Jan. 9 Zionsville Community Schools Board of Trustees meeting. (Photo courtesy of Zionsville Community Schools)

Missing our dogs

Commentary by Ward Degler

We keep talking about dogs. Not intentionally. It’s just every time we surf Facebook, there will be some proud dog owner showing us Fido’s latest trick.

barrage of yelping. Other dogs, squirrels, raccoons, people, and the occasional cat were all good for at least five minutes of barking.

PLAIN TALK

-For years, we had a dog. A couple of them, actually. First, there was Moosey, arguably the most headstrong mutt that ever lived. Her favorite trick was running away. Every day. Fences be damned, Moosey found a way over, under or around them. She was part husky, and that part refused to come in the house, even on the coldest, snowiest nights. She would find a snowdrift and burrow in.

Next came Briutie. The actual name was Brutus, but we knew from the start the name didn’t fit. He was far too lighthearted and charming to be a Brutus.

Brutie was an inside dog. He hated going outside in the rain and he would stand patiently by the door until I put his rubber booties on his feet.

He was also a barker. Any sound, real or imagined, would prompt him to launch a

CURRENT Q&A

Then there was the neighborhood siren. Every Friday at 11 a.m. the city would test the emergency siren and Brutie would go nuts. We couldn’t get him to stop, so I joined in. We called it choir practice.

Brutie had long, soft fur. And he shed and shed and shed. Sweeping up clouds of dog hair was a daily chore, sometimes an hourly chore.

Looking back, it’s pretty clear that Brutie and Moosey were major pains in our household. They were picky about their food, spilled their water, left their fur behind and took up far too much of our time and energy just keeping up with them. And we miss them every day.

Getting to know James Norman

James Norman, a Zionsville resident, is the principal librarian for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He is a composer by training and a former professor of music theory at Texas A&M University. The principal librarian is a musician who works closely with the music director, guest conductors, and artists to ensure music is correctly prepared and accurate.

What brought you to the ISO?

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is one of the nation’s largest orchestras, with a reputation for innovation and creativity in their programs. Given my background as a composer, I was excited by the idea of working with an orchestra that values creating music as opposed to simply presenting it. Do you have a hidden talent?

I suppose not, but at one point I could solve a Rubik’s cube in about 30 seconds.

What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

I’m very much a fan of getting outside into nature as a method of giving my thoughts the time and space to organize themselves. For me, when starting a new project from scratch, you are forced to confront your own limitations as an artist, which is perhaps the fundamental source of any writer’s block. Therefore, deadlines are a good method for forcing me to move forward even when I’m convinced nothing I’m writing is particularly “good”.

What’s your favorite kind of music and favorite musician, and why?

I fell in love with classical music when I was very young, but I also grew up in the thrall of groups like Chicago, Pink Floyd and Queen, and jazz artists like Robert Johnson, Bill Evans, and Bill Chase. Today, I am amazed by contemporary composers like Thomas Adès and Christopher Rouse.

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.

CHS senior wrestler aims for state finals podium finish

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Carmel High School senior wrestler Isaac Ward’s goal for the postseason is clear. He wants to end up on the podium in the IHSAA state finals Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Ward lost in the first round of the state finals in the 126-pound division last year and the 113-pound class as a sophomore. The topeight placers make the podium.

“I think making it to state last year will definitely help with my experience because I know what it takes to get there, and this year our team should have multiple state qualifiers once again,” Ward said.

CHS coach Ed Pendoski said the experience of being under the lights in the first round should be a benefit.

“Going through it once, you know what is coming,” Pendoski said. “There is a familiarity that makes things calmer.”

As of Jan. 24, Ward had an 18-0 record in the 132-pound weight class. He is ranked fifth in his class by Indianamat.com.

“This year, I have made the most improvements in my mentality and constantly being

MEET ISAAC WARD

Favorite athlete: Allen Iverson

Favorite movie: “Fight Club”

Favorite musician: Zach Bryan

on offense,” he said. “My highlight result probably (was) going 5-0 and winning the Mooresville Holiday Classic as an individual and as a team.”

Ward started out the season at 138 pounds but moved down to 132. which he said has been a good weight for him this season.

“One thing Isaac has always brought to the wrestling room is there are no excuses

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in his world,” Pendoski said. “He works hard. He owns his mistakes. He owns his choices. I think he’s matured a lot through this season. He’s competing at a really high level. A lot of kids will make excuses why they lost, but it’s almost a Ward family tradition not to do that”

Pendoski said Ward has put on muscle.

“What he really has an advantage is with his length and his body,” Pendoski said. ‘There are lot of good kids in his weight class, but no one is unbeatable.”

Ward’s older brother, Ethan, wrestled for CHS. Ward also has two younger brothers competing in the Carmel club program.

Ward will attend Wabash College but is unsure if he wants to wrestle in college.

Growing up, Ward played football, baseball and lacrosse. He started wrestling at age 10.

“I gave up all other sports my eighthgrade year,” Ward said. “I am passionate about wrestling because I love the solo aspect of you controlling your own match as well as enjoying the team and coaches.”

Carmel High School senior Isaac Ward is unbeaten this season. (Photo courtesy of Isaac Ward)

COVER STORY

Zionsville founder of Moms Demand Action retiring form leadership role

By Natalie Gargiulo Natalie@youarecurrent.com

Shannon Watts, a former Zionsville resident and founder of Moms Demand Action — a national nonprofit that advocates for stronger laws and policies to reduce gun violence — said she will retire as the organization’s volunteer leader at the end of this year.

“I’ve always felt that founders have a finite role, and after serving as a full-time volunteer leader for more than a decade, it felt like the right time,” Watts said. “It’s really been an honor to work on this issue, but I think by stepping back, I can celebrate and enable others to step forward.”

Watts, 52, started the organization in 2012 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut that claimed the lives of 20 students and six school staff members. Watts, then a Zionsville resident, was sitting at her kitchen table when the news broke that day. Shocked and angry, she posted a plea on Facebook for women and moms to join effort to lobby for change to end gun violence. Within hours, her post went viral.

“Within a week of starting Moms Demand Action, I was featured on USA Today,” said Watts, who now resides in the Bay Area of California. “I had perfect strangers all over the country sending me emails and texts messages asking me, ‘How do I do this where I live?’ I don’t think any of us knew what that looked like in those early days, but what I did know was that I wanted to be part of a (determined) army of angry women who could make an impact by changing the legislation on this issue.”

When Watts went online and searched for movements created by women seeking gun reform, she said the groups were mostly run by men and a few city and state organizations.

“I feel like women are the secret sauce to change, all the way from Prohibition up to the water crisis in Flint, Mich.,” she said. “It seems to always be when women get off the sidelines that change happens, and so that was why I posted, wanting to join a

group, not realizing I was actually starting this organization.”

The result was Moms Demand Action. With more than 10 million supporters, it is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the nation. Watts, author of the new book, “Fight Like A Mother,” was a stay-at-home mother of five when the group was created. She applied her skills from her previous communications career and became the face of the organization virtually overnight.

“It quickly became clear that marches and rallying weren’t going to be enough,” she said. “We would need to organize, just as the gun lobby had for so long, so that we

A previous Indiana Moms Demand Action Advocacy Day at Statehouse. (Photos courtesy of Moms Demand Action)

words, wisdom and research. I began advocating with my local and state government, and then I ran for office.”

Watts said Moms Demand Action pushed strongly for the recently passed gun safety legislation, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The bill established enhanced background checks processes for gun buyers under age 21, among other provisions.

Watts said she’s had many people reach out to her suggesting she run for office after retiring but she has not made a decision.

“I’m going to take time for myself,” she said. “As you can imagine, given the subject matter being very overwhelming, I’m going to take time to transition out of this role and then figure out what’s next. This has been an honor of a lifetime. I feel in many ways I’ve touched the divine by seeing the love of a community come together to support survivors.”

could go toe-to-toe with this very powerful and wealthy special interest. We are twice as large as the National Rifle Association now.”

Watts said Moms Demand Action has made it a priority to stop “bad bills” in statehouses across the U.S. She said the group works to pass “good policies” at all levels of government, including city councils, school boards, statehouses and Congress.

“Our motto is, ‘Do the right thing and we’ll have your back, do the wrong thing and we’ll have your job,’” Watts said.

Watts said she’s proud that the organization has “empowered women” to lead on every level. Moms Demand Action has helped elect its own volunteers and gun-violence survivors to office.

Including the last election cycle in November, more than 140 of the organization’s volunteers and survivors were elected to political office across the U.S. The list includes Indiana State Sen. Andrea Hunley of District 46.

“I was inspired to join Moms Demand Action after the Parkland school shooting,” Hunley said. “I asked myself, ‘Am I doing enough?’ That’s when I joined MDA, and I began following Shannon’s

ON THE COVER: Shannon Watts speaking at a Don’t Look Away rally in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Moms Demand Action)

A CLOSER LOOK AT MOMS DEMAND ACTION

Founded in 2012 by former Zionsville resident Shannon Watts, Moms Demands Action is a “grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence,” according the organization.

A nonprofit that Watts launched from her Zionsville home in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, the organization sprang from a Facebook post and now has approximately 10 million supporters nationwide.

Moms Demand Action has a volunteer chapter in almost every U.S. state and Washington, D.C. It is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the U.S.

For more, visit momsdemandaction.org.

Source: Moms Demand Action

Watts

Hunley

Mom’s Demand Action attend rally in N.Y. on the Brooklyn Bridge.)

The

O'Connor House Presents

Make a Joyful Noise

2023 CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Modern Aesthetics open

By Natalie Gargiulo natalie@youarecurrent.com

Jordan Lee was searching for a perfect combination of health care and beauty for her new business in downtown Zionsville.

NEW SPA

“I began to feel a pull in 2022 towards a new venture where I could continue my experience in health care and my passion for beauty,” Lee said. “I always loved helping individuals become the best version of themselves. That brings me happiness and joy, and with 20 years of experience in the health care industry, the concept of Modern Aesthetics in Zionsville came to be, and I realized I could do both.”

Modern Aesthetics, a full-service aesthetics spa, had its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 12 at 625 S. Main St., Suite 200, in Zionsville.

Lee, who moved to Zionsville in 2014 to raise her family, previously owned Pure Home Health Care in 2011, a home health care business geared toward seniors.

Modern Aesthetics is open Tuesday through Saturday, with varying hours and offers services such as laser skin resurfacing, nonsurgical facelifts, injectables and fillers.

Lee said Modern Aesthetics provides a unique spa experience with its revolutionary collaboration with Precision IV therapy.

“We offer IV Ozone and IV therapy at Modern Aesthetics,” Lee said. “Ozone therapy is

a form of oxygen O2 that may help someone overcome various health conditions.”

With a medical director, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and licensed estheticians, Lee said the facility is equipped to offer services that require the skills and knowledge of someone with a medical education.

Lee added touches to Modern Aesthetics to provide a place to relax in Zionsville with her unique design tailored explicitly to comfort and relaxation as a place for escape.

For more, visit modernaesthetics.biz.

PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

Owner Jordan Lee’s daughters, Anya Gorgievski, left, and Jocelyn Gorgievski, pause with a Modern Aesthetics gift bag at ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The PNC Financial Services Group held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 20 at 10570 N. Michigan Rd.,Carmel. From left, Carmel City Council member Sue Finkam; Chip Wood of PNC Bank; Jennifer Van Handel of PNC Bank; Brian Heichelbech of PNC Bank; Rachael Kottlowski of PNC Bank; Cody Cassel of PNC Bank; John Vaughn of PNC Bank; James Stone of PNC Bank; Carmel City Council Council member Miles Nelson; and Dorothy Price of PNC Bank. ( Photo courtesy of tbe Zionsville Chamber of Commerce)

Performers eager to share ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Gemma Rollison has always felt it necessary to know the story of Anne Frank because of her Jewish heritage.

“I’m Jewish on both sides, not religiously,” Rollison said. “It was always something from a young age that my mother made sure that I knew. It never really hit me until I decided to research about it for this role.”

Rollison plays the title role in Civic Theatre’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank,” which is set for Feb. 10-25 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

The story centers on Anne Frank, who wrote a diary and planned to write a book about her life hiding from the Nazis in a concealed annex in the Netherlands. She and her family were eventually captured, and she died of typhus in a concentration camp.

“It was really inspiring to me because if I had lived those 75plus years ago, it could well have been me, and that’s a very frightening reality,” said Rollison, a homeschooled high school senior who lives on the south side of Indianapolis.

Rollison said her character is always jumping around and saying everything she thinks.

“She speaks very fast and she is very witty, so there are lot of lines to remember,” Rollison said. “There is a lot of complexity in what she says.”

Hamilton Southeastern High School senior Sydney Pinchouck is the understudy for the roles of Anne and older sister Margot but is guaranteed at least two performance as Anne.

“My dad’s family is Jewish and I read it as a young girl,” Pinchouck said. “Anne is the reason I was inspired to learn about my Jewish heritage. I also went to a Christian school for much of my life and learning about the Holocaust in a Christian school was a rough experience. We spent a lot of time talking about the Holocaust but it was less sensitive. Some insensitive comments were directed to me, things people didn’t realize they shouldn’t be saying to someone who is Jewish.

“Having Anne’s experiences to read helps me become more connected with that part of my life. So when I found out that Civic was doing the show, I knew I needed to be part of it.”

Rebecca Piñero, an Indianapolis Shortridge High School junior, is cast as Margot.

“I’m have two little siblings, so it’s easy to connect to the text you see between Margot and Anne,” Piñero said. “I’ve always been very interested in her story. I read her autobiography and autobiography of her best friend. I saw it performed at the IRT a few years ago.”

Piñero said it’s difficult to portray the history while understanding the grief of it.

“But you also still want to explore the hope and the triumph in the moments of the annex,” she said.

David Wood, a Lawrence resident, plays Anne’s father, Otto Frank.

“I’ve seen the play a few times and seen the movie,” Wood said.  Adrienne Reiswerg is the dramaturg for the production, making sure the Jewish holidays and traditions are accurately portrayed.

“My daughter-in-law, Michelle Cohen, is Jewish and thus my granddaughter,” Wood said. “My brother-in-law is Jewish. I have a little background, but I’ve learned more.”

Wood said he always thought Otto Frank was a fascinating character.

“It’s hard to get to know the real Otto because he’s always portrayed so stoically because he was so heroic to Anne,” Wood said. “Everyone else had an outlet and he didn’t have that outlet. I want to be able to think what he is feeling inside and maybe express that a little more, even though if that’s not the interpretation people have seen a lot of.”

Garrett Rowe, a Lebanon resident who graduated from Indiana University in 2022, plays 16-year-old Peter Van Daan.

“He’s trying to find that balance because he’s still a kid, but he gets looked at as an adult,” Rowe said. “I got to see my high school (Lebanon) perform this when I was a freshman in college. I love the way it’s written.”

For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘CLUE’

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

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

The Wright Brothers will play a farewell show at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Feinstein’s Cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. The concert was rescheduled from Dec. 3. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

ACTORS THEATRE OF INDIANA

Actors Theatre of Indiana will present “ATI’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit atistage.org.

DISPATCHES

Dublin Irish Dance set — “Wings: A Celtic Dance Celebration” is set for 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. “Wings: A Celtic Dance Celebration” is a new dance production created by a critically acclaimed artistic team. “Wings” features Irish and world champion dancers together with Ireland’s finest musical and vocal virtuosos.

‘Around the World in 80 Days’ — The Belfry Theatre’s production of “Around the World in 80 Days” will be performed at Arts for Lawrence Theater at the Fort from Feb. 10-19. The adventurous play is adapted from Julies Verne’s novel of Phileas Fogg’s attempt to travel the world in a hot-air balloon. For more, visit artsforlawrence.org.

Fantastic Cat set for Concerts for a Cause — Indianapolis vocalist Ryan Brewer will open for the Fantastic Cat group Feb 4 at the Concerts for a Cause event at the Indianapolis Art Center, 820 E. 67th St. Fantastic Cat is a band of four singer/songwriters from New York City. The event begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and dinner with performances starting at 7 pm. The nonprofit benefitting from the concert will be Cycles for the City, which provides new bikes to kids from low-income homes. For more, visit www.indyconcertsforacause.org.

David Wood and Gemma Rollison appear in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” (Photo courtesy of Joshua Hasty Photography)

Harlem Quartet to join CSO for concert

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For Felix Umansky, it will be nice to perform in his hometown of Carmel.

Sunday,

February 26

A sensory-friendly event for families, especially designed for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder or any type of special need.

Free admission and skate rental for the entire family. Wheelchairs are welcome on the ice and ice walker supports are available to share. Rink will be closed to the general public.

Guardians must accompany on ice.

February 10 – 11, 2023

This event builds real team spirit through on-ice, non-skating competitive games like:

MUSIC

“I’m definitely looking forward to seeing many familiar faces, friends and family,” he said. “I’ll be seeing friends that go back to high school or even middle school.”

The 2004 Carmel High School graduate is a cello player for the Harlem Quartet, which will join the Carmel Symphony Orchestra for a Masterworks concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The performance will be Umansky’s first at the Palladium.

The Harlem Quartet will join CSO for Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.”

“It’s such a fun piece of music,” Umansky said. “This piece itself is fantastic. This arrangement by the late, great Randy Fleischer, he really made an amazing arrangement for a string quartet and orchestra. Unlike some concertos, the orchestra plays a really big role. So, it’s not just having the spotlight shine on the string quartet soloists, but it’s a collaborative masterpiece I think with the orchestra and string quartet soloists together.”

Umansky said the Harlem Quartet has performed the piece several times, but not for a few years.

CSO Artistic Director Janna Hymes is pleased to finally have the Harlem Quartet perform the concert.

“They were scheduled over the past few years with the Carmel Symphony and the pandemic got in the way, but finally they will be here,” Hymes said.

For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

From left, Felix Umansky, cello; Melissa White, violin; Ilmar Gavilan, violin; and Jaime Amador, viola, form the Harlem Quartet, which joins the Carmel Symphony Orchestra for a Feb. 11 (Photo courtesy of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra)

‘Night Must Fall’ comes to Basile Westfield Playhouse

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Adam Phillips is making his return to acting after a 13-year hiatus.

PLAY

The 33-year-old Carmel resident is coming back with a splash with the role of Danny, a charming killer, in Main Street Productions’ “Night Must Fall” Feb. 9-19 at Basile Westfield Playhouse.

“Night Must Fall,” a psychological thriller, was first performed as a play in 1935. It was made into a movie in 1937 with Robert Montgomery and again with Albert Finney in 1964.

“It’s a dream character when you look at the script,” Phillips said. “It’s an incredible role, so I was thankful to get cast. I read the script a few weeks before auditions and fell in love with the writing. I only auditioned for Danny. My wife and I are having a baby. Our due date is three days after the show ends. When I came to audition, I said, ‘I’m not going to show up for a role I’m not dying to be in.’ So. this was a perfect marriage.

“I’ve always been more attracted to (playing) villains. There’s a lot of fun in finding the dark spots of those characters.”

Phillips’ last production was “Biloxi Blues” at the now-defunct Spotlight Players in Beech Grove.

“My wife and I traveled the country for my work, and we just came back to Indy a few years ago,” said Phillips, a software developer and Perry Meridian High School graduate. “We got settled in and it seemed like the right time to get back into it.”

Phillips said the line memorization came along quicker than he expected.

“Being away from it a bit, you feel you are familiar with the territory, but it’s all changed a bit,” he said.

Noblesville resident Ian Hauer is directing for the first time with Main Street Productions. He has his own acting company, The Hyperion Players. Hauer said the script was recommended to him by one of the producers, Jen Otterman.

“I read it and was fascinated by it and applied the last time Westfield was taking applications for directors, and they went with me,” Hauer said. “It’s a strong script. It’s an Agatha Christie-type thriller. It’s a little bit faster paced than something Christie would do. It’s a wonderful building of tension from beginning to end. I’ve encouraged the cast

to really sell the tension to the audience.”

Hauer said casting Danny was the toughest decision.

“It creates a lot of talent and a lot of emotional range. You have to hit the notes right,” Hauer said. “Adam does a fantastic job with that. We’re lucky to have him.”

Indianapolis resident Rachel Kelso is making her third appearance with Main Street Productions.

“I had never read the script before the season was announced,” Kelso said. “I always look at the shows putting up and I’ll order some scripts to see if there is a role for me. I ordered the script and fell in love with the character of Olivia. I like that she sticks with her convictions because she has her suspicions, and no one agrees with her. They are all laughing it off, saying, ‘You’re crazy. You’re wrong. He’s charming.’ She is (saying), ‘No, there is a problem here.’ She stands by that, and I admire that quality.”

Kelso said she tries not to look at other portrayals, so not to influence her character choices.

“A lot of times I’ll watch movies, if I haven’t already seen them, after the show is concluded,” she said.

Like Kelso, Phillips said he has avoided watching other portrayals of his character.

“I saw a tiny snippet of Robert Montgomery’s version just to get an idea of the dialect,” he said.

For more, visit westfieldplayhosue.org.

From left, standing, Matt Hartzburg, Ashley Engstrom, Ian A. Montgomery, Adam Phillips. From left, on sofa: Lizzie Schultz and Rachel Kelso, in wheelchair, Julie Wallyn and kneeling, Cassie Knowling. (Photo by Mark Ambrogi)

Best buys are local

Commentary by Terry Anker

We have a bit of a confidence problem. Or maybe we are a tad overly modest about our successes. Whatever the genesis of the matter, we Hoosiers are too quick to dismiss our own advantages while fully embracing perceived, if not self-inflicted, shortcomings. Sure, it is tough to be the best at everything. And there is more than a fair amount of decent competition. But in most cases, Indiana is solidly in the mix. It could be the 50-mile rule — that notion that all things close to us must be discounted in preference for all things distant. Maybe it is simple human nature.

ESSAY

Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville and other municipalities find their way into the top10 national lists each year. Could they be better? Maybe. Yet it is not entirely honest to find less value there. Our institutions of higher education — IU, Purdue, Notre Dame — and others might lack the brand appeal of an East Coast address but are routinely generating remarkable advances in science, human thought and even the occasional

U.S. Supreme Court justice. What the landscape may lack in visual interest, to some, it makes up for in arable abundance to all. Hoosier farmers produce more by land mass than any other state (eighth in production, 38th in size). Balanced budgets provide security to public sector employees. And companies like local investment management firm Woodley Farra Manion, which was just named the top such firm in the U.S., continue to be iconoclastic. How can it be? With talent harvested from Hamilton, Boone and Marion counties, shouldn’t they be behind firms from further away?

Work hard. Improve every day. Stay humble and always be willing to learn, adapt and innovate. Geography doesn’t dictate intelligence, but it may dictate bias. Buy local and expect the best. It is here for the taking.

Happy birthday to me

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

able number of failed attempts. Take that, Balkans!

HUMOR

Friends, I’ve just celebrated another birthday, and even though it occurred in the middle of a work week while I was suffering from a nasty head cold, it was one of the best in years. What gives?

Because it didn’t begin well. I awoke around 2 a.m. to a coughing fit that had my husband, Doo, scrambling to check on me, and then dosed myself with NyQuil until being rudely awaken by an incessant alarm at 6. But I came downstairs to a candle-bearing scone, a latte from Starbucks and a handmade card from our youngest filled with inappropriate but hilarious words of encouragement.

Once at school, my day only got better. Despite being bullied by my teacher neighbor into a dumb hug, I was inundated by sweet colleagues and students stopping by to wish me HB. And during my prep period, I finally named all 197 countries in less than 15 minutes on Sporcle after an immeasur-

I ended my most special of Thursdays with gal-pals and McDonald’s cheeseburgers before hitting two school events, the opening races in a swim meet and then the first half of the annual talent show. I returned home with enough time to chat with Doo, read and respond to the gazillion text messages that had poured in, and be in bed by 9. Perfect. I turned 51 mid-work week while battling a stupid non-COVID virus. By most accounts, this should have been an obvious do-over. But people bent over backwards to celebrate me, making this birthday one of the best in a long time. Peace out.

By most accounts, this should have been an obvious doover. But people bent over backwards to celebrate me, making this birthday one of the best in a long time.

– DANIELLE WILSON

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.

VIEWS

Getting ready to go on vaction — I think

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

dressing choice.

HUMOR

My wife is getting ready for our upcoming vacation. She has already packed and unpacked and packed again. She practices to make sure everything fits in her suitcase. I practice putting on my pants to be sure there will be room for the waistband to expand after I indulge in the all-you-can-eat buffets on the cruise.

I assume I’m going with Mary Ellen on this trip, but there isn’t a great deal of evidence to support this. My input hasn’t been requested, so I don’t want to jump to any conclusions that could lead to disappointment.

My wife did exhaustive research, studied travel brochures, and did endless web searches to secure the best plane fares. She even made a few meal reservations for when we are off the ship. In fact, she already checked the menu at one restaurant, and she knows what she wants for dinner in three weeks. She made a great salad

Mary Ellen said this trip may be a bit pricey, but it’s the perfect way to celebrate the 50th. This confused me because I know it’s not her 50th birthday. We celebrated that four different times about 20 years ago. And I am almost positive it’s our 43rd anniversary coming up, so it’s obviously just a ploy to get me to agree to splurge on this trip. But just to be sure, I’m going to run the numbers again.

Our house is littered with books, charts, maps and travel magazines. The last time I saw her this obsessed with a vacation was years ago when we went to Ireland. There were travel posters in every room, shamrocks pasted on the fridge and Irish music blasting from the portable CD player. Mary Ellen even started calling our beagle Blarney instead of Barney, which might have confused him, but he was getting so many corned beef leftovers, he let it slide.

I finally questioned her detailed planning. I was concerned that this much preparation might make the trip seem less spontaneous.

READER’S VIEW

Preservation needs addresssed

Editor,

Many of the candidates for Zionsville’s town government including those running for mayor and town council have made comparable statements about Zionsville. Examples include, “preserving the unique small-town charm,” “preserving our Main Street” and “preserving what is special about Zionsville.” What is not said is how this preservation can be accomplished.

Zionsville has a unique asset which many other towns of our size do not have. The Village of Zionsville, which is much more than the bricked Main Street, consists of many blocks of tree-lined streets with historic homes, easy access to wonderful parks and walking trails, as well as walkability to shops

and restaurants. In the latest Zionsville Survey of Historic Homes, there are 29 homes listed as Outstanding, 90 homes listed as Notable and 274 homes listed as Contributing historical structures. They deserve to be preserved. These are the issues facing those candidates who talk of preserving the smalltown charm, the historic “feel,” and what makes Zionsville special. I would like to better understand how each of these candidates would address the preservation they all propose. What concrete steps would they take to put action behind their words? I think the citizens of Zionsville deserve to understand what their words would mean in practice versus on the campaign trail.

Mark E. Walters, Zionsville

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.

“Dick, when you enter a new country, it’s important to have a plan for what to do — a strategy.”

“Yes, I agree — if you are invading, but not if you are vacationing.”

The other day, I asked why she looked so preoccupied.

“Dick, I’m repacking in my head, thinking about how to position my shoes, where to stuff my bathing suit and how to layer in my blouses. I don’t like to leave anything to the last minute. When do you plan to pack?”

“The week before our 50th anniversary.” After reading this, you might be curious to know where we’re going on this trip. I promise you that once Mary Ellen tells me, you’ll be the first to know.

WE PROVIDE: Carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, wood floor cleaning

Commercial and Residential

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

Baby got back slang

Commentary by

Curtis Honeycutt

As I approach the magical age of 40, I’m supposedly getting to the peak of my life (and then it’s all downhill from there). What I didn’t realize is what a rude awakening this would be for my newly aching body. My kids all still want to be held from time to time, which is killing my back. Now, before you recommend your favorite chiropractor, allow me to make a segue as weak as my back.

guessing the sellers wanted to communicate freely to each other about things like problem customers, prices for cabbage and private theories about the identity of Jack the Ripper.

GRAMMAR GUY

Today, I want to introduce you to the idea of “back slang.” Feel free to groan all you want, but I had to whet your appetite for a healthy dose of word nerdery. For those of you who love wordplay, back slang is a way to play with language in which you speak or spell a word backward. Easy as “eip,” right?

Originally conceived in Victorian-era London, back slang began as a clandestine way for costermongerers (street merchants who sold produce) to talk to each other about things they wanted to keep secret. I know this sounds weird, but I’m

Imagine a loud, crowded street market where you needed to share trade secrets with your fellow carrot-seller across the way. If you shouted something about “storrac,” you’d be talking about “carrots.” As this secret way of communicating evolved, the sellers developed a fast way of talking that made no sense to their clientele. For instance, if you could get away with swindling an old man, you could tell your friend to “less eht delo nam mus deliops jabbac,” which translates to, “Sell the old man some spoiled cabbage.”

You’ll notice the spelling in the back slang example above isn’t truly backward.

Visiting Beth She’an National Park

Commentary by Don Knebel

In our continuing trip through Israel and the Palestinian Territories, we come to Beth She’an National Park, featuring ruins from thousands of years of successive occupiers of the site.

TRAVEL

The park site, about 20 miles southeast of Nazareth, was first settled in about 7,000 B.C. As the site was repeatedly occupied and abandoned, accumulating debris created a large mound, or “tell,” archaeologists cutting through the tell determined that Canaanites established a city around 200 B.C. After Egyptians captured the area in about 1,500 B.C., they made the city an administrative center. The Egyptians lost control of the area to the Philistines, who used the city as their base. According to the Bible, Philistines defeated King Saul at nearby Mt. Gilboa and hung his headless body and those of his three sons on the wall of the city, then called “Beth She’an.” King David drove the Philistines from the area, adding Beth She’an to his United Monarchy. When the Assyrians conquered the divided Northern Kingdom in 732 B.C., they burned Beth She’an. The Greeks later took over the area and created a city named Scythopolis atop the ruins. The Romans conquered the area in 63 B.C. and expanded Scythopolis beyond the tell, adding a colonnaded main street, or cardo, a hippodrome and a 7,000-seat theater. Scythopolis became the leading city of the Decapolis, a loose confederation of 10 Greco-Roman cities Jesus visited. By the fourth century, Scythopolis was a Christian city, captured by the Muslims in 634. A massive earthquake destroyed the city in 749.

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

Visitors to Beth She’an National Park can explore one of the largest Roman theaters in the Middle East. They can also climb to the top of the tell, where a replica of an Egyptian stele (monument) chronicles the successful efforts of Egyptian Pharaoh Seti I to recapture the area from rebellious Canaanites.

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

Replica of the Seti I stele at Beth She’an National Park in Israel. (Photo by Don Knebel)

Beth She’an National Park, about 20 miles southeat of Nazareth.

Ruins of Scythopolis in Israel.

37. Some Indy Zoo primates

38. Dupe (and not a feline’s foot, as you might expect)

42. Minn. neighbor

43. Village Spa heated massage item

44. Public square

47. “I’m happy” in Siamese? 48. Table scraps 49. St. Elmo menu item 52. DIY buy 53. Descartes’ conclusion 54. White River slender swimmer 55. Sauvignon ___ 57. Utah national park 59. Cut into cubes 61. Superbly pitched game at Victory Field 64. Latin 101 verb 65. Overly fussy 66. Pleasing scent

67. Part of AARP (Abbr.)

68. Letters before Q 69. Taste quality

1. Playground game

2. Mine find

3. St. Elmo menu item

4. Slightly, to an ISO player

5. Eagle’s

21

dive

6. Food providers

7. Spanish gold

8. The Father of Genetics

9. Native Bread worker

10. School grp.

11. Like a literary Dodger

12. Tragic end

13. Two trios

. Rat, for one

23. Wood Wind Golf Club garb, often

. ___ salad

. Hawaiian dance

. IU prof’s aides

. Needs to repay

Cartoon Characters

Tom Wood Fords

Indy Mayors

Reasons to call

Desserts

Indy Hockey Team

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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.

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Characters: BETTY BOOP, GOOFY, POPEYE, PORKY PIG, TWEETY, YOGI BEAR; Desserts: CAKE, CUSTARD, ICE CREAM, PIE, PUDDING; Fords: BRONCO, EDGE, EXPLORER, MUSTANG; Mayors: BALLARD, HOGSETT, LUGAR; Reasons: FIRE, INJURY; Team: FUEL