April 9, 2024 — North Indy

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Brebeuf Jesuit senior guard kept getting better

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School senior guard Evan Haywood’s college recruiting stock has risen throughout his high school basketball career.

BASKETBALL

“I feel like I made a big jump this summer in my mindset and my work ethic,” said Haywood, a Carmel resident. “Ever since then, I just kept it consistent with my routine and my work ethic through the season (and) that kept me in a mode of consistency. I think I also got smarter and able to read the game better. I started to really start to understand film study and understanding my opponents’ strengths and weaknesses before each game.”

Braves coach Allen Glunt said the Butler University-bound Haywood’s confidence and leadership improved as a senior. He averaged 19.8 points per game this past season after averaging 14.3 ppg as a junior.  Glunt said the Braves, who finished 18-6, increased their pace this season.

“As we created more possessions in games, he was able to capitalize on that with his ability to score,” Glunt said. “A very underrated aspect of his game that played into this as well is his ability to rebound.”

Haywood raised his rebounding average to 6.4 per game after averaging 4.3 rpg as a junior.

“As he worked his way through our program over the years, he has just consistently improved year to year,” Glunt said. “He has always been a very talented player. As more and more opportunities have presented themselves, he has been ready every step of the way. As his role became more prominent, he started bringing more guys along with him and he played a large role in our group’s cohesion. He’s as good of a teammate as he is a player.”

Glunt, who took the post after Haywood’s sophomore season, said Haywood played behind a talented group of seniors as a sophomore.

“During that time, though, he never wa-

vered in his work ethic and development, so that when he got his opportunity his junior year, he was ready to hit the ground running,” Glunt said. “He went from not being able to get on the floor as a sophomore to leading us in scoring his junior year. Pretty incredible, but the more I’ve gotten to know him these past two years, (it’s) not surprising at all.”

Haywood said his biggest improvement going into his junior year was learning to move without the ball.

“Not standing still while the play is being run and always moving around to find the open spot on the court, so I could make any sort of play,” he said.

Haywood said he chose Butler because of the coaching staff and the culture.

“They are winners, and they know what

it takes to win,” he said. “They also really value my entire game and see me as a person that can help them win games.”

Although it wasn’t really a factor in his decision, his uncle Rodney Haywood played for the Bulldogs under Butler coach Thad Matta.

“It is pretty cool to have two generations of Haywoods at Butler,” said Haywood, who plans to major in communications/ journalism with a minor in business.

Favorite athlete: LeBron James

Favorite subject: English

Favorite TV show: “The Office.”

Favorite musician: Drake MEET EVAN HAYWOOD

Brebeuf Jesuit senior guard Evan Haywood averaged 19.8 points this past season. (Photo courtesy of Allen Glunt)

Rendering of new His Place Eatery.

(Rendering courtesy of Matthew McCord, MTM Architecture)

His Place Eatery to open restaurant on 86th Street

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

James “Mackie” Jones and his wife, Shawn Jones, had been searching for a second location for their restaurant, His Place Eatery.

FOOD

Jones

“We decided years ago we want to do multiple locations,” James said. “We’ve been preparing for that for years. Officially, we started looking four years ago. My wife and I just could never come to an agreement on a location. When we came across this location, it was the first time we decided simultaneously we liked the location, so that’s the reason we chose it.”

The second His Place Eatery will be at 86th Street and Ditch Road in Northbrook Center in Indianapolis. James said it is expected the restaurant, 1411 W. 86th St., will open in late May or early June. The first His Place Eatery opened in March 2009 at 37th Street and Shadeland Avenue in Indianapolis. Then it moved nearby to 6916 E. 30th St. in 2012.

“Our goal was to be the opposite of where we are now,” said James, who is a chef. “We’re on the northeast side, so ideally northwest is where we wanted to be. It was my wife’s idea to be inwards of Michigan Road. We know a lot of our cus-

tomers come from the surrounding areas — Zionsville, Carmel and the west side. The goal was to extend the brand.”

His Place Eatery is known for chicken and waffles, barbecue ribs, pork chops and soul food.

“We opened this after I graduated from Ivy Tech,” James said. “All the recipes are ones I’ve developed through the years, either on my own or some family dishes that I grew up with and had to come up with recipes for.”

There are some recipes he had to learn with family members. In addition, there are some recipes influenced by other chefs on staff.

The second restaurant is 4,000 square feet, nearly twice as large as the current restaurant. James said seating capacity will be approximately 100, and he expects to have 45 employees. The original location has 30 employees.

“We’ll have a full team at both locations, and we’ll oversee operations as we do today,” James said

James said he doesn’t do much cooking now at the restaurant.

“I do a lot of tasting and menu creating,” James said. “I work with the chefs that we have to come up with ideas and processes and procedures. I do some cooking once in a while, but mostly because I feel like it, or trying to teach somebody or work on processes. We have an established team in charge of the day-to-day prep work.”

For more, visit hisplaceeatery.com.

DISPATCH

Centier Bank Ribbon Cutting — Centier Bank will host the grand opening of its new Indianapolis branch from 4-6 p.m. April 10. There will be a facility tour, refreshments, and a community donation to Morning Light, Inc., an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that operates a free home for hospice patients of low income. The new branch, located at 6210 Allisonville Rd., features two drive-through lanes and a drive-up ATM, a night deposit box, three teller stations and a self-service coin machine inside the lobby. For more, contact Branch Manager Ann Grace at 317-423-2558, ext.5361 or by email at agrace@centier.com.

LOU MALNATI’S BROAD RIPPLE RAISES MONEY FOR GLEANERS FOOD BANK

Lou Malnati’s recently sold its heart-shaped signature deep-dish pizzas to raise money for Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. One dollar from the sale of each heart-shaped pizza was donated to the organization. The Lou Malnati’s Broad Ripple team raised $1,221 for Gleaners to help Hoosiers facing food insecurity. Members of the Broad Ripple Lou Malnati’s team present a replica check to Gleaners Food Bank. (Photo courtesy of Lou Malnati’s)

Choosing the best mower

By Jessica Todd jessica@youarecurrent.com

Ready or not, the arrival of spring heralds the return of yard work. And as anyone charged with the task knows, mowing grass is among the regular — and most arduous — of those outdoor chores.

YARD WORK

Consequently, choosing the right mower is a critical decision for those tasked with mowing lawns. The staff at Reynolds Farm Equipment, with locations in and around central Indiana, are equipped to help customers choose the right mower, according to CEO Michael Bode.

A Westfield resident, Bode himself debated switching from a push mower to a riding mower for two summers before deciding that a rider was the best option for the .33 acres he has to mow.

“I felt guilty about making the switch because, for one, it is great exercise, and I felt lazy making the switch,” Bode said.

But as Bode notes, when deciding between a rider and a push mower, the decision isn’t always based simply on convenience. Time consideration is also a factor.

For example, Bode began counting how many times he mowed his yard and determined that he did it 34 times a year. By purchasing a riding mower, he cut a half hour from his mowing time.

“With a riding mower, I got 17 hours of my summer back,” Bode said. “That’s 17

hours of golf I get to play or 17 hours of family time. I mean, that’s two full vacation days off work. When customers switch, they get a cool product, but they’re also buying part of their personal life back.”

Bode said customers typically determine when to make the switch based on time, money and exercise.

“(A rider) is a bigger purchase, but it isbasically a lifetime purchase,” Bode said. “I don’t put as many hours on it as I did with a push mower, so it will last me literally the rest of my life. Time can also outweigh the financial decision if someone has a busy family life.”

Another consideration when choosing a mower is gas-powered versus electric options. Bode said both options are reliable, and it just comes down to personal preference.

DISPATCHES

Breakfast at the Brickyard with Mario Andretti — Mario Andretti, the 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time IndyCar Series champion, will be the featured guest at the 2024 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, presented by Midwestern Engineers, Inc. The event will take place at 9 a.m., May 18 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tickets are on sale to the public, with individual tickets priced at $100 each and Preferred Corporate Tables at $1,200. For more, visit 500Festival.com/ Breakfast.

United Way seeks Go All IN proposals — United Way is recruiting volunteers and projects for its fourth annual Go All IN Day, an organized day of community service presented by United Way of Central Indiana and the Indianapolis Colts. The event is June 21 in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock,

Hendricks, Marion, Morgan and Putnam counties. A $15,000 gift from the Colts will underwrite grants to local nonprofits hosting volunteer projects for Go All IN Day, which will cover the cost of materials for many participating organizations. Eligible nonprofits, grassroots organizations and community groups can apply before the event for grants to fund their projects. Organizations interested in hosting a project can sign up for more information at goallinday.com.

Mission Possible – The Assistance League of Indianapolis will present its Mission Possible fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. April 18 at Daniel’s Vineyard & Winery, 9061 N. 700 W. in McCordsville. The event will include a silent auction, raffle and more. Learn more about ALI and the event at ALIndy.org.

Reynolds Farm Equipment offers several lawn mower options for customers. (Photo courtesy of Michael Bode)

SOUNDING OFF

Virtual Announcer becoming a hit with high schools

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

An off-handed comment by North Central High School Athletic Director Andy Elkins led public address sports announcer Aaron Pitman to a business venture.

“He made a joke that if we could clone your voice, you could be here more often,” Pitman said. “That’s how the concept of (the) Virtual Announcer program was built.”

Pitman, a Westfield resident, is the only voice for the program, which creates scenarios for a program to run during games when an announcer isn’t available.

Jake Hinson, another Westfield resident and former high school assistant boys basketball coach, joined the company in August 2023 to help with the business end.

“We put Aaron in the studio weeks in advance, and Aaron is able to record everything you need in a game,” Hinson said. “We determined we could predict with 99 percent accuracy everything that is going to be said at a game, but we are not able to predict when it’s going to be said.”

Hinson said they partner with a company in Portland called Sound Director for software to create the program. Sound Director creates the sound effects at Indiana Pacers games, Hinson said.

“We give the program to the school, and we encourage the schools to give it to a student to run the program,” Hinson said.

While schools have live announcers at football and basketball games, Hinson said the program can be used for junior varsity or freshman games or other sports when an announcer isn’t available.

Carmel and Westfield are two of the high schools using the program. Pitman said he is working with North Central to join in the fall.

Pitman is the live announcer at Carmel High School for varsity football, boys and girls basketball and baseball games.

“It benefits us because it takes the stress out of finding a qualified announcer for your events,” Carmel High School assistant athletic director Jeff Hester said. “It can be a little unnerving. Even with the best intentions, sometimes people with a live mic can go off script. For us, a lot of time for our freshman and junior varsity events didn’t have an announcer, or it was a parent volunteer. This gives the same atmosphere of big-time events at the lower levels.”

Hester said he sends the visiting team rosters for Pitman, who records in his home studio. CHS has three lap-

tops with the computer program.

“He pre-records basically anything that could happen, say, in a baseball game,” Hester said.

For football, Hinson said there are generic calls that aren’t player-specific, such as first down or interception. There is no charge for schools to use the program if they have the package.

The cost of 200 game credits is $5,000, which Hinson said most schools purchase. The Virtual Announcer part started in the spring of 2023. Hinson joined in September 2023.

“We allow the athletic administrator to pick and choose how to use the credits,” Hinson said. “We don’t put a time limit on it. If it takes them five years to go through, as long as they have the game credits, they get their sponsorship reads for free. The program is designed to get more student involvement.”

Mic’d Up is the parent company, which includes Virtual Announcer and DJ Mic’D Gameday Radio.

“The DJ goes in and creates DJ mixes and then delivers them to the client events,” Pitman said. “The DJ is Anthony Hope, who is the DJ for the Cincinnati Reds and University of Cincinnati. He goes by DJ Hope.”

Pitman started announcing about 11 years ago on the side. He was the public address announcer for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils for a short time and serves as one of the announcers for USA Volleyball. He is a backup announcer for the Indiana Pacers and does announcer work for Ohio State University and Auburn University.

The virtual announcing program is run through a laptop with prerecorded audio files.

Pitman was a financial advisor for six years but started transitioning into being a full-time announcer in 2022.

“This opportunity presented itself and you can do what you love,” he said. For more, visit micdup.io.

ON THE COVER: In between making live announcements and updating the scoreboard at the March 27 Carmel High School varsity baseball, Aaron Pitman works to add material to his virtual announcing program that can be run through a laptop. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

FUTURE PLANS

In the future, Aaron Pitman would like to cut back on his live announcing to spend more time with his wife and 2-year-old daughter.

“For high school events, the goal is to put the product in the hands of a student. I do the recordings during the day and (be) home with the family at night,” said Pitman, who moved to Westfield three years ago and previously lived in Carmel for seven years.

Jake Hinson said the program can do everything a live announcer can.

“Aaron will tell you it’s better than him announcing live,” Hinson said. “It doesn’t ever get stuck in traffic or ever take a family vacation.”

Hinson

Pitman

(Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

Sammy Miller and The Congregation to bring joyful jazz to the Palladium

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Sammy Miller’s chief objective is to present jazz in a way that will appeal to more people.

“We’re on a mission to spread joy. It doesn’t stop for anything,” Miller said. “It’s bigger than us. Whether it’s an educational thing I’m doing or performing in a concert hall, I feel more motivated than ever and the rest of the guys do, too.”

Sammy Miller and the Congregation will perform at 8 p.m. April 19 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

“I’m the drummer, I’m the bandleader, I’m the storyteller,” said Miller, a Los Angeles native who lives in New York. “We do a high-energy interactive show. It’s joyful jazz. It’s going to lift your spirit. We’re the gateway for jazz. We have a lot of access points. There is a theatrical component.”

The band started in 2014 when Miller was in his last year at The Juilliard School.  “We’re in it for life,’ Miller said of the band. “There is enough hardship in life. We want to surround it with beauty.”

The other members of the five-piece band performing at the Palladium will consist of Alphonso Horne, trumpet; Brandon Rose, bass; David Linard, piano; and Artie Black, tenor saxophone. Miller has performed with Horne and Linard, who is from Indianapolis, since he was at Juilliard.

“You might hear a Scott Joplin song like ‘The Entertainer,’” he said. “You might hear a Duke Ellington piece. You might hear an original piece. You really hear a whole canon of American music. It’s high-level entertainment.”

Although this is the band’s first time at the Palladium, it has performed in Indianapolis several times at The Jazz Kitchen.

“We mostly play concert halls, but we’ve always had a good time there,” Miller said. “We’ve heard the Palladium

is really special and a great place for musicians.”

Miller said the setlist is ever changing, also with some staples.

“We are always working on new stuff and playing new arrangements,” he said. “We’re trying to track the lineage of jazz. It’s like putting new wine in an old bottle.”

The band’s most recent digital release is “Live at Lincoln Center. It released “Little Egypt” in 2020.

Performing live is what is most important to the band.

“Live performance is what I’m interested in,” Miller said. “We have enough happening in the digital world. I’m really interested in human experiences. That’s what our core is. There have been years when we have done 250 shows.”

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

‘THE KING AND I’

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre production of “The King and I” runs through May 19 at the Indianapolis venue. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘VERDI’S REQUIEM’

The Carmel Symphony Orchestra presents “Verdi’s Requiem” at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

FEINSTEIN’S CABARET

“Johnny Folsom 4” is set for April 11, followed by Ari Axelrod April 12 and “Sweet Caroline: The Life and Music of Neil Diamond” April 13 at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. All performances start at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.

’SYLVIA’

“Sylvia,” a play by A.R. Gurney, runs April 12 to 23 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. For more, visit thecat.biz.

RAY CHEN

Violinist Ray Chen’s concert is set for 8 p.m. April 12 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

DISPATCH

CSO pre-concert talk set at 6:15 p.m. — The Carmel Symphony Orchestra and Anderson University choirs will perform “Verdi’s Requiem” at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Guests should plan to arrive by 6:15 in the Palladium main hall for a pre-concert talk hosted by CSO’s Music Director David Commanday and Cantor Melissa Cohen of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, Indianapolis. Cantor Melissa Cohen and her daughter Sadie Cohen will open the pre-concert program by singing duets of vocal music composed during the Holocaust. Riverside Junior High School string students will play from 6:30 to 7:15 in the Southwest lobby of the Palladium. For more, visit carmelsymphony.org or thecenterpresents.org.

Sammy Miller and The Congregation band members, Corbin Jones, Alphonso Horne, Sammy Miller, Ben Flocks and David Linard. For the Palladium show, Brandon Rose and Artie Black will appear instead of Flocks and Jones. (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller)

ICC to host Sing-A-Thon

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Indianapolis Children’s Choir Artistic Director Joshua Pedde figures there is no place like home. For the first time, the ICC Sing-A-Thon will be presented at the ICC Performing Arts Center at 9111 Allisonville Rd., Indianapolis.

The Sing-A-Thon will be from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 20. The public is invited to join in person or watch online at icchoir.org or on ICC’s YouTube channel.

Indianapolis. This will be the first time it’ll be in our own space.”

The goal is to raise $40,000.

“It’s so nice to be able to have our own space, not only for our typical weekly rehearsals and events, but for special things like Sing-A-Thon, too,” said Pedde, a Carmel resident. “It’s like inviting the public into our own home to get a real glimpse into what it is that we do here at the ICC. Previously, Sing-A-Thon was held at various locations throughout the city that had performance space — locations like Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel and Broadway United Methodist Church in

“In recent years, we have raised close to $30,000, and this year we are hopeful that emerging from the pandemic and hosting the event in-person will help us reach the ambitious stretch goal of $40,000,” Pedde said, “All of the funds go directly toward all of the important work that we do here at the ICC to provide choir experiences and music education for children in central Indiana.”

The singers have an incentive. If they reach $5,000, Pedde will do a duet with associate artistic director Amy Hughley. The song will be chosen by the students.

“It’s a new incentive this year, and any time singers can see ICC directors doing something funny, they are all for it,” Pedde said. “I’m pretty nervous about what song they might pick for us to sing, but it’ll be worth it no matter the seemingly embarrassing cost.”

For the performance schedule and to donate, visit p2p.onecause.com/singathon24.

Time to ‘ramp’ up

Commentary by Mark LaFay

One of the early sprouting plants are ramps. Ramps are commonly known as wild leeks. But they really are more of a cross between leeks and garlic.

FOOD

RAMP PESTO RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of ramps, cleaned and trimmed (use both the white bulbs and green leaves)

• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/3 cup of pine nuts

• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed for consistency

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Prepare the ramps: Wash ramps thoroughly. Trim the roots and remove any tough outer layers from the bulbs. Roughly chop the ramps.

• Toast the nuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

• Blend the ingredients: In a food processor, combine the chopped ramps, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice.

• Add olive oil: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl a few times.

• Season: Taste the pesto and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust the seasoning according to your preference.

• Serve: Use the ramp pesto with pasta, as a spread on sandwiches, or as a condiment for grilled meats and vegetables. Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with a thin layer of olive oil on top to preserve freshness.

Blueprint for Improvement: Opulent primary bath in Zionsville After

Commentary by Larry Greene

Built in 2006 in the Hunt Country Preserve section of Zionsville, this primary bathroom featured lots of great space but lacked modern style. Our team reimagined the layout to create a luxurious retreat that makes every day feel like an opulent spa day.

THE BLUEPRINT

• Natural elements like oak, cedar, natural stone and crystal are expertly combined with man-made components like porcelain, glass and metals for a dynamic material mix that makes a statement.

• The new vanity creates a dramatic focal point thanks to custom oak cabinetry, quartzite counters and arched brass mirrors.

• The hardware and fixtures convey the perfect balance of classic style with modern appeal, thanks to luxe gold tones and contemporary lines.

• The sauna, clad in tongue-and-groove eucalyptus, provides the ultimate at-home spa experience.

Larry Greene is the owner of Worthington Design & Remodeling (formerly Case). You may email him at lgreene@worthingtonindy.com or visit worthingtonindy.com for more remodeling inspiration and advice.

SCALLOPS, TORTELLONI; Coaches: MIKE WOODSON, TERI MOREN; High School: PIKE

SIT BACK, RELAX, AND Let Us Handle the Rest!

At The Heartland Builders, we understand the faith that you are placing in us, and we work tirelessly to exceed your lofty expectations. From your first call for a free estimate to our final walk through and cleanup, The Heartland Builders remain focused on delivering an exceptional experience.

“I can’t say enough about the team of The Heartland Builders. Their communication, project management, workmanship, craftsmanship, and work ethic are top notch. For our kitchen remodel, each day the team showed up early, left around dinner, and worked the entire time. The team delivers on their word and obligations discussed through the sales process (a rare feat in any industry). I’m already looking forward to our next project with The Heartland Builders.”

— Matt & Sarah Lang, Carmel CALL