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Court denies protective order involving council member; ex-wife issues statement
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
A Hendricks County judge has denied a protective order filed against Brownsburg Town Council member Travis Tschaenn following an evidentiary hearing that examined events occurring in July 2025 between Travis Tschaenn and Krista Tschaenn.
Judge Kathryn M. Kuehn of Hendricks County Superior Court 1 issued the ruling Jan. 30, dissolving an ex parte protective order that had been granted Aug. 5, 2025. The order had been in effect while the court considered whether Travis Tschaenn posed an ongoing, credible threat to Krista Tschaenn under Indiana law. Krista Tschaenn filed the petition for a protective order on Aug. 5, 2025, alleging an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of July 8, 2025, at the couple’s residence. According to findings issued by the court, Travis Tschaenn woke Krista Tschaenn yelling and accusing her of being in a relationship with another person, then removed a firearm from a safe under the bed.
Court records indicate Travis Tschaenn later threatened to take his own life. Kuehn found Krista Tschaenn was able to persuade him to stop, after which he handed her the firearm and returned inside the home. The court characterized the incident as a mental health crisis.
The court found Travis Tschaenn did not physically harm Krista Tschaenn or point the firearm at her. However, Kuehn concluded the conduct was sufficient to place Krista Tschaenn in fear of physical harm. Krista Tschaenn left the residence following the incident.
The couple’s daughter, as well as Krista Tschaenn’s adult son and his girlfriend, were present in the home but did not witness the incident. Krista Tschaenn returned to the residence the following day to retrieve belongings.
Travis Tschaenn filed for divorce on July 28, 2025. Nearly one month after the July 8 incident, and on the advice of counsel, Krista Tschaenn filed her petition for a protective order. Kuehn granted an ex parte protective order the same day, although it did not include the couple’s daughter or suspend Travis Tschaenn’s parenting time.
The evidentiary hearing on the protective order was held Nov. 14, 2025, and continued Jan. 16, following several continuances. Both Krista Tschaenn and Travis Tschaenn appeared in person and were represented by legal counsel.
In her findings, Kuehn determined Krista Tschaenn met the burden of proving an act of domestic or family violence occurred, which justified the issuance of the ex parte protective order. However, the court ruled Krista Tschaenn did not demonstrate that Travis Tschaenn posed a reasonable, ongoing threat at the time the petition was filed.
The ruling cited Krista Tschaenn’s actions in the weeks following the incident, including returning to the residence multiple times, communicating civilly with Travis Tschaenn and requesting to move back into the home, as inconsistent with a continued belief that a threat persisted.
Under Indiana law, a protective order requires not only proof that domestic or family violence occurred, but also reasonable grounds to believe the threat continues at the time relief is sought.
Travis Tschaenn previously served as president of the Brownsburg Town Council and currently represents Ward
5 as a council member. He has not been criminally charged in connection with the incident.
Following the court’s ruling, Krista Tschaenn issued the following statement regarding the dismissal of the protective order:
“I think the judge’s decision is very disheartening. Not only is the dismissal of my protective order discouraging, but the expungement is particularly disappointing. When the court determined the events of the night I left my marital home happened just as I said they did, and that those events alone were reason for me to fear for my life, I would think that should be left on the record. Unfortunately, I have learned from the very public display of my private life, that there is so much to domestic abuse people still don’t understand, including why someone stays after repeated instances, why a survivor would continue to stay in limited contact for the sake of their shared child, or just how difficult it is to come forward with allegations, whether to law enforcement or even to friends and family..”
Travis Tschaenn also provided a statement following the ruling:
“On Jan. 30, the court dismissed a Protective Order that had been filed against me. Until the judge issued that ruling, I was unable to address the matter publicly. During that time, I was the subject of speculation and false accusations, which has been deeply difficult for me and my family. The incident at the center of this case occurred in July 2025 during an emotionally intense moment in my marriage. No act of violence was committed against anyone, and the situation deescalated immediately. No one was harmed.”
For full statements, visit youarecurrent.com/?p=267459.
Founded Oct. 14, 2025, at Brownsburg, IN Vol. I, No. 18
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Tschaenn
HENDRICKS POWER commitment to community
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Scan the QR code or visit hendrickspower.com/scholarships to download an application and learn more. Submit your application by March 6, 2026.
Library unveils Vintage Vault of rare books
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
Visitors to the Brownsburg Public Library can now find more than bestsellers and study space. A new feature known as the Vintage Vault is giving patrons a chance to browse rare and collectible books and ephemera, officially opening to the public Jan. 16.
The Vintage Vault is housed within The Shop at the library’s used bookstore and highlights items deemed more valuable or historically significant than typical resale donations.
“The Vintage Vault consists of donations we’ve received over the years that have been identified to have a higher-than-normal value compared to the normal bargain prices in our shop at the library’s used bookstore,” said Amie Scott, assistant director for the library. Selections range from collectible editions of classic literature to niche historical pamphlets. Scott said items are chosen for craftsmanship, rarity or subject matter.
“In the case of The Divine Comedy, this was an Easton Press book. These are highly collectible with gilded edges and leather-bound covers,” she said.
Another standout is a 1960 National Park Service pamphlet on the Battle of Antietam.
“For Antietam, it was because of its relationship to the Civil War,” Scott said. Beyond collectibles, the Vault supports the library’s broader mission.
“All proceeds from the bookstore and subsequently the Vintage Vault, are poured back into library programming and staff training,” Scott said.
Patron response has been positive.
“People are buying them, which is fun to see,” Scott said. “I love seeing old or collectible books find a new home. Right now, I’m working on a backlog, so there are more to come. I try to turn it over once or twice a week depending on the sales.”
The Vintage Vault is open during regular library hours and is updated as new items are identified and priced. Library staff encourage patrons and collectors alike to stop in frequently, as selections change quickly and items are available on a first-come basis. Proceeds from each purchase directly support Brownsburg Public Library programs and services, turning donated pieces of the past into investments in the community’s future.
A display of vintage and collectible books at the Brownsburg Public Library as part of its newly opened Vintage Vault, which features rare books and ephemera available for purchase. (Photo by Alicia Kelly)
COMMUNITY
WIBC parts ways with radio host Rob Kendall
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
Rob Kendall, co-host of the popular “Kendall and Casey” morning show on 93.1 WIBC-FM, has been officially let go by the station following weeks of stalled contract negotiations, according to a post he published on social media Feb. 3.
Kendall, a Brownsburg resident, had been off the air since Jan. 15 while negotiations continued between the longtime radio personality and the Indianapolis-based news/talk station. During that time, Kendall was not suspended and continued to receive pay, but had been instructed not to appear on air while a new contract was discussed.
Kendall, who worked at WIBC for approximately nine years, co-hosted what Kanzler described as the top-rated program in its 9 a.m. to noon time slot.
“He wants to stay at WIBC,” Kanzler said. “He loves the listeners. It’s hard to understand why the station would want to tinker with success. This isn’t a matter of him demanding outrageous concessions. He’s been willing to work with them and recognizes the challenges in the radio business.”
Since leaving the airwaves, Kendall has remained active with his audience, posting daily Facebook Live videos from his home to stay connected with listeners. In one video posted Jan. 28, Kendall thanked supporters for their messages and public outreach.
St. Louis-based attorney Jay Kanzler of Witzel, Kanzler & Dimmitt, LLC said he has represented Kendall for about a month after negotiations with WIBC failed to progress.
“Kendall had been trying since October, when his last contract expired, to work something out and had gotten nowhere,” Kanzler said. “That’s when I stepped in.”
Kanzler said that after he contacted WIBC with multiple proposals for a new contract, the station initially told Kendall to stay home while talks continued. Communication from the station then stopped, he said, before Kendall was ultimately let go.
“They told Rob to stay home, that he’d be paid, and that they’d get back to us,” Kanzler said. “They never did. There was no counter and no explanation.”
Kanzler described the situation as highly unusual.
“Negotiations can drag on, sure, but to do this without any conversation, without any counter to several proposals, I’ve never run across this,” he said.
“I want to say thank you to all the people who have reached out,” Kendall said during the video. “All the people who are sending letters, all the people who are demanding to know what’s going on. I love you guys.”
Following his termination, Kendall said in a social media post Feb. 3, “Today was my last day as a part of 93.1 WIBC. I want to thank the literally hundreds of thousands of you who became a part of my radio family the last 9 years. Being your voice, using my platform to speak up for you, to take on the powerful, the connected, the politicians, has been the greatest honor of my professional life. In the end, the show was always about us. In a battle together.”
Kendall’s statement also thanked listeners for their loyalty and dedication, allowing him to “live out his boyhood dream.”
Current reached out to WIBC for comment regarding Kendall’s departure but did not immediately receive a response.
BROWNSBURG HAPPENING’S THIS MONTH
Feb. 12 — Brownsburg Town Council meeting — 7 p.m., Council Room, 61 N. Green St.
Feb. 14 — Morning Bird Hike — 9 a.m., Williams Park (Shelter 3) in Brownsburg
Feb. 14 — Weed Wrangle — 1 p.m., Williams Park in Brownsburg
Feb. 18 — Weed Wrangle — 1 p.m., Arbuckle Acres Park Feb. 26 — Brownsburg Town Council meeting — 7 p.m., Council Room, 61 N. Green St.
Feb. 28 — Weed Wrangle — 1 p.m., B&O Trail in Brownsburg
Kendall
Former Hendricks County councilman launches bid for District 2 seat
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
Jay Puckett, a Brownsburg resident and former Hendricks County councilman, has launched a campaign for the District 2 seat on the Hendricks County Council. He is running as a Republican. District 2 includes Brown and Lincoln townships.
Puckett previously served on the county council from 2000 to 2018 before stepping away because of increased responsibilities in his career. He is a senior lender at Hendricks County Bank and Trust.
“My role increased here at the bank as a senior lender, so I retired from the council in 2018,” Puckett said. “Since then, things have changed here at the bank and the current incumbent is not running again, so I wanted to bring my experience back to the table.”
Puckett said his priorities include fiscal responsibility while maintaining essential county services. He described himself as a fiscal conservative with extensive experience reviewing and analyzing budgets through both his banking career and his previous council service.
“I want to keep taxes as low as possible while still providing essential services,” he said, citing public safety, infrastructure and road funding as core responsibilities of county government.
Puckett said Hendricks County faces challenges related to growth and changes in property tax revenue but remains in a strong financial position with solid reserves.
He has lived in Brownsburg since 1990 and said he has witnessed significant growth in both the town and the county over the past several decades.
Puckett previously served as a Republican during his time on the council and is a Republican precinct committeeman.
Beds & Offices
Puckett
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
A Hendricks County Highway Department employee is facing drunken driving allegations after deputies say he crashed a county-owned snowplow and rolled it into a ditch.
The Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office responded around 5:45 p.m. Jan. 27 to a report of a single-vehicle crash on C.R. 550 West near Stilesville. When deputies arrived, they found a snowplow that had left the roadway, overturned and come to rest on its passenger side in a ditch. The vehicle sustained heavy damage, authorities said.
The driver, identified as 36-year-old Bradley Murphy of Danville, was outside the vehicle when deputies arrived and did not report any injuries. However, deputies said they observed indica-
tors that raised concerns about possible impairment.
Following an on-scene investigation and testing, Murphy was taken into custody and transported to the Hendricks County Jail. He was booked on preliminary charges related to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, including operating with a blood alcohol content above 0.08 percent.
County officials later confirmed Murphy was terminated from his position with the highway department as a result of the incident.
Murphy was released from jail after posting a $300 bond on Jan. 28, one day after the crash. Formal charges had not been announced as of the latest update, and the case remains under review.
Lt. Jim Yetter with the sheriff’s office said the crash involved only the snowplow and no other vehicles. The investigation is ongoing.
County snowplow driver arrested, fired after rollover Ex-IMPD officer convicted for child sex crime charges
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer has been convicted on multiple felony charges stemming from sexual crimes involving a child in Hendricks County.
A jury found Kamal Bola of Avon guilty Jan. 29 on six of seven counts following a trial in Hendricks Superior Court. The convictions include two counts of child molesting, two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and single counts of voyeurism and obstruction of justice, according to court records. He was acquitted of one additional child molesting charge.
told their mother, who then contacted authorities.
Court documents state Bola later admitted to investigators that he had inappropriately touched the child on multiple occasions and used a camera to observe the victim without consent. A forensic interview determined the abuse began nearly two years before the report was made.
Detectives with IMPD’s special investigations unit became involved once it was confirmed Bola was an off-duty officer at the time of the alleged crimes.
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Bola, who served six years with IMPD, was arrested in September 2024 after a family member of the victim reported allegations to the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the victim discovered a small hidden camera in their bedroom and
Bola was suspended from the department shortly after the allegations surfaced, and IMPD leadership recommended his termination. He resigned from the department later that month.
Following the verdict, Bola was taken into custody and held without bond at the Hendricks County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 24. A bench trial on a misdemeanor invasion of privacy charge is also set for that date.
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Play & Learn College opens at Williams Park
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
The Town of Brownsburg marked the addition of a new interactive play and learning feature at Williams Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 22, expanding opportunities for nature-based education at the park’s Outdoor Classroom.
The new installation, known as the Play & Learn College, was inspired by Brownsburg Parks staff and designed to support how young children explore and learn outdoors. Parks Director Amber Lane said the idea came from park naturalist Riley Kuhns, who leads the Little Sprouts preschool nature program.
“During the warmer months, her program uses the Outdoor Classroom, and she identified a need for more hands-on, interactive learning elements that support how young children naturally play and learn outdoors,” Lane said.
She added that the Play & Learn College aligns with the long-term vision for the Outdoor Classroom by adding another layer of flexible, nature-based learning, and strengthens the area as “a place for imagination and exploration.”
Unlike traditional playground
equipment, the new feature focuses on open-ended play.
“This feature is much more about open-ended play than physical equipment alone,” Lane said. “Children can draw, count, problem-solve, and play together in ways that vary by age and interests.”
The Play & Learn College includes a double-sided chalkboard, benches of varying heights for inclusive use, and interactive elements, such as an abacus, clock, bell and number board. The Outdoor Classroom has served as a space for sensory experiences and environmental education, and the new addition builds on that mission by supporting early learning, fine motor development and social interaction.
The project was funded through a grant from the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County.
“Their investment allowed us to add a high-quality feature that directly benefits families and aligns with our outdoor learning goals,” Lane said. “Partnerships like this are important because they enable us to do more for the community than we could on our own.”
The Play & Learn College is open to the public during regular hours at Williams Park, 707 S. Alpha Ave.
Town of Brownsburg officials and Brownsburg Parks staff participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 22 to celebrate the opening of the new Play & Learn College interactive feature at the Outdoor Classroom at Williams Park. (Photo courtesy of Brownsburg Parks)
Brownsburg keeps comments disabled
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
The Town of Brownsburg has not allowed public comments on all of its social media platforms for two years, a policy that sets it apart from most neighboring communities in Hendricks County and the surrounding region.
According to town officials, comments have been turned off since Oct. 15, 2024, and the decision was not prompted by a specific incident. Shelby Abner, community relations senior manager for the town, said the policy applies across all platforms, not just Facebook, and is intended to reduce compliance and liability concerns.
“As a public entity, the Town is subject to public records retention requirements,” Abner said. “When comments are enabled, the Town is required to retain a record of every comment posted, even if it is later deleted by the user or removed by the platform.”
Abner also said disabling comments avoids moderation decisions that could be viewed as selective or subjective and allows the town to focus its social media presence on sharing information, alerts and updates. Residents can still provide
feedback through email, private messages, phone calls, the town’s website or by attending public meetings.
Community response has been mixed. Brownsburg resident Dustin Baldwin said he does not see the policy as a problem, noting that social media comments are often ineffective.
“There are proper ways and channels to speak to those in charge of the town,” Badlwin said.
Others disagree. Resident Jacob Ellis said disabling comments sends the wrong message.
“The town is telling its residents they don’t want to hear your feedback,” he said.
Kristin Hernandez, another resident, said inappropriate behavior by some users may have contributed to the decision.
“They have to make the inappropriate comment and ruin it for the rest,” she said, “so voices will go unheard.”
Although Brownsburg’s approach is not common locally, it is not unique statewide. Several Indiana municipalities, including Crawfordsville, Elkhart and New Albany, have also disabled comments on official social media pages.
DISPATCHES
Sponsored youth program applications open — Hendricks Power Cooperative announced the return of its annual youth programs for middle and high school students, including Camp Kilowatt, the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., and Commitment to Community Scholarships. The Youth Tour, June 14–21, 2026, is open to high school juniors, with applications due Feb. 13. Six $2,000 scholarships are available to graduating seniors; applications are due March 6. Camp Kilowatt runs July 26–29 for sixth-graders, with applications due May 1. Details are available at hendrickspower.com.
Register for free booth space — Brownsburg Parks announced registration is open for businesses and organizations interested in hosting a free booth at Hopping Down the Bunny Trail on March 21. Registration opens Feb. 10.
Booth spaces are 10-by-10 and may be used to distribute candy, promotional items or information related to the organization; selling items is not permitted. There is no participation fee. Registered vendors will receive their trail location and a site map by email three to five days before the event. Details available at brownsburgparks.com
Morning bird hike — Brownsburg Parks will host a Great Backyard Bird Count event at 9 a.m. Feb. 14 at Williams Park. Participants will join the park naturalist for an early morning walk to observe and count local bird species as part of the global citizen-science effort. The program will meet at Shelter 3 and follow crushed gravel trails with some steps and slopes. All experience levels are welcome. Binoculars are encouraged, with a limited number available. The event is free to attend.
Historic grants available
northindy@youarecurrent.com
Indiana Landmarks is accepting applications from historic churches and other houses of worship that need financial help to preserve their buildings. Applications are due by mid-June, with a webinar set for Feb. 19 to provide guidance about the application process.
“Churches and other historic houses of worship stand among the most architecturally distinguished structures in a community, and when congregations shrink, maintenance suffers and landmarks become threatened,” the nonprofit stated in a news release.
The Sacred Places Indiana Program started in 2015 with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., in response to the need for maintenance funds. In December 2025, Lilly Endowment renewed its support with a $10 million grant for ongoing programs to support historic houses of worship, including expert guidance, training and financial assistance.
“Lilly Endowment’s continued sup-
port for Indiana Landmarks’ Sacred Places Indiana program is valuable beyond words,” stated David Frederick, director of Sacred Places Indiana. “We’ve already seen the impact that the program is having, not only in terms of support to participating congregations and the historic buildings they steward, but to the communities they serve as well.”
To register for the webinar, visit indianalandmarks.org/sacred-places-indiana-fund-webinar; or call 317639-4534 or 800-450-4534.
We want to hear from you! Please reach out to Managing Editor Alicia Kelly for story ideas and questions, or connect with Account Executive Gina Lewis to discuss advertising opportunities with Current in Brownsburg. You can contact them via email at alicia@youarecurrent.com and gina@youarecurrent.com.
Previous recipients of capital grants from Indiana Landmarks’ Sacred Places Indiana Fund are, from left, North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis; Saint Adalbert Catholic Church in South Bend and First Christian Church in Bloomington. (Photo collage courtesy of Indiana Landmarks)
Author pens faith-based guide for life after cancer
By Brittney Dial Testin news@youarecurrent.com
Indianapolis author Theresia Whitfield shares her faith journey through cancer treatment and beyond in her first book, “After Cancer: Now What?”
“It’s a biblical guide to navigating life after cancer and it comes in two parts,” she said. “Part 1 is my story of my breast cancer journey that I went through. The second part is where I talk about navigating life after cancer. After I went through my cancer journey, I experienced a myriad of emotions, including great sadness, great depression, great anger, great bitterness.”
Whitfield, 58, is an award-winning, Indianapolis-based freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience in TV news, national and international publications. She was diagnosed in 2022 with Stage 1 triple negative breast cancer following a mammogram, completed chemotherapy that year and later had a bilateral mastectomy. She has been in remission for more than three years.
When Whitfield was struggling through her cancer journey, she said she felt she lacked resources.
“I had a lot of fear of recurrence, and I wasn’t sure what to do with all the emotions,” she said. “There weren’t any books around that were very helpful or talked about it from a biblical perspective, so the Lord
prompted me to write the book myself.”
Whitfield said she wanted to give hope and encouragement to others going through cancer treatment.
“I also wrote it for people that are caregivers or friends, and loved ones of those that are going through cancer so that they can get a real, hard, raw
look at what the cancer journey is actually like,” she said. “I interviewed about 15 other people for this book, two of whom were two of my pastors at church. I talked to a ton of people who have had cancer or their kids have had cancer, and I talked to them about how they experienced anger and bitterness and grief and depression.”
Whitfield placed an emphasis on community support, whether it is through family, friends or faith.
“Probably one of the smartest things I did was as I was writing this book, I put a prayer team together,” she said. “There was a group of 13 ladies that walked alongside me every week.”
She said the book could be helpful to people with any chronic illness.
“I really do think that you can replace cancer with ‘insert illness here,’ you know, because I really do think that people that have chronic illnesses go through a lot of the same emotions that people with cancer do,” Whitfield said. “So, why not try to … replace that word ‘cancer’ with ‘hypothyroidism’ and how do I overcome the fear of that progressing or having a flareup or how do I deal with the anger?”
“After Cancer: Now What?” was published by Lucid Books. It is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million. For more, visit aftercancerbook.com.
Indianapolis author Theresia Whitfield wrote a book about her cancer journey. (Photo courtesy of Theresia Whitfield)
COMMUNITY
LITTLE SEW AND SEWS
Unique stitching club empowers young creatives
By Alicia Kelly alicia@youarecurrent.com
At first glance, Little Sewers Club looks like a cheerful sewing studio tucked into downtown Brownsburg. Step inside, however, and the space quickly reveals itself as something more — a creative haven where kids and adults learn not just how to sew, but how to dream boldly, work confidently and belong fully.
Founded by Brownsburg resident and fashion designer Danisha Brown, Little Sewers Club operates out of 421 E. Main St. and serves students ages 6 and up through sewing, crochet, fine art and design classes. Since opening, the club has grown to nearly 50 regular members, all through word of mouth.
“I don’t pay for advertising,” Brown said. “I just want real people. I love people, and I believe if you give, it comes back.”
Brown started the club three years ago at her kitchen table, using sewing machines she already owned and teaching small groups of children. As interest grew, so did the classes. What began as a single session quickly expanded, eventually leading Brown into her current downtown location, where she recently celebrated her second year in business.
The studio reflects Brown’s life in fashion. Dresses from her luxury womenswear brand Swim With Poppies line the walls alongside photos from runway shows in Paris, London and Miami. Students regularly pause mid-project to ask what she’s working on.
“They get to see what a real designer does,” Brown said. “They’ll ask, ‘What are you working on, Miss Danisha?’ and then they realize, ‘Oh — that’s possible.’”
For Brown, the exposure matters. A former fashion professor who has taught at multiple universities, she believes creativity thrives when kids see what’s achievable.
“You just don’t know who you’re pouring into,” she said. “I had a 6-yearold who told me she wants to be a bridal designer. She was sketching and sewing — she already knew who she wanted to be.”
Brown for about a year, said the environment is as energizing for adults as it is for kids.
“It’s invigorating to be around all these kids and their energy,” Lucas said. “They are very creative, and if they don’t get it right the first time, Danisha tells them to re-do it until they get it right.”
Lucas, who has been quilting since 1996, first visited the studio to donate leftover fabric.
“She asked me if I wanted to help out, and I said yes,” Lucas said. “This is something they don’t really teach in school anymore, and I think it’s important to learn.”
The room itself tells a story of community support. Many of the sewing machines and materials have been donated by local residents who wanted to contribute to the club’s mission.
“Some days they come in having a bad day,” she said. “We talk. We sit on the porch in the summer. Parents partner with me on emotional things. You think I’m just teaching them to sew, but it’s really life skills, confidence and knowing who you are.”
That philosophy is rooted in Brown’s own journey. She founded Swim With Poppies — formerly known as Poppy Seeds — in December 2011 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in fashion design. Her brand has since shown on international runways and sold worldwide, known for its bold color, nostalgic flair and inclusive design.
Still, Brown said teaching and giving back have always been central.
“It has to be a service,” she said. “What am I going to do with this gift?”
At Little Sewers Club, the answer is unfolding every week — in crooked seams that become straighter, in shy kids who find their voice and in a studio buzzing with possibility.
ON THE COVER: Sewing machines, many donated by community members, line the classroom where students learn hands-on skills. (Photo by Alicia Kelly)
LITTLE SEWERS CLUB AT A GLANCE
Location: 421 E. Main St., Brownsburg Ages: 6 and up Website: thelittlesewersclub.com
What’s offered:
• Youth and adult sewing classes
• Crochet and fine art classes
• Summer camps and school break camps
Classes at Little Sewers Club begin with sewing machine basics, pattern reading and safety before students move on to projects like pillows, quilts, jackets and bucket hats. Music plays throughout class, candy is shared and students earn points for completing tasks. At the end of each session, the top point earners choose a prize and everyone helps clean up.
Kim Lucas, who has been assisting
One of the club’s longest-standing members is 13-year-old Cora Walsh, who began sewing with Brown years ago and now works part-time at the studio, helping teach younger students and finish projects.
“It’s full circle,” Brown said. “Watching them grow and then step into leadership is everything.”
Beyond technical skills, Brown sees the club as a safe space — especially for kids who need encouragement.
• Monthly memberships and dropin classes
Membership options:
• Basic: One class per week
• Mid-Tier: About two classes per week
• Unlimited: Unlimited classes, workshops and private lessons
Drop-in rate: $50 per class
What to bring: Nothing for the first class — materials are provided until students advance to larger projects.
Little Sewers Club owner Danisha Brown works alongside students in her downtown Brownsburg studio at 421 E. Main St. (Photo by Alicia Kelly)
Kim Lucas, an instructor at Little Sewers Club, helps a student piece together a quilting project during a class at the downtown Brownsburg studio. Lucas, who has been quilting since 1996, has assisted owner Danisha Brown with classes for about a year.
Trumpeter to perform Palladium concert
By Alan Sculley editorial@youarecurrent.com
In the time leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and composer Chris Botti wasn’t sure if he’d add any new albums to the 10 studio releases that had made up his catalog through 2012.
Album sales had tanked as streaming and downloading took hold, and with Botti’s touring business being robust, he began to think there was no need for more of his music. He even was entertaining the thought of leaving Columbia Records, the label that signed him before his fourth album, 2001’s “Night Sessions,” and had helped elevate him to a place where his albums consistently hit the top of the jazz chart.
“(Columbia Records) did such a great job for me,” said Botti, who will perform at 8 p.m. March 6 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. “But as (of) 2015, 16, 17, 18, right in there, I could kind of tell that Columbia Records was basically kind of in the Adele business, which I don’t fault them for. I think it’s a fine business. And so, I kind of spent those years just touring and letting our touring do the talking.”
But coming out of the pandemic, two things surfaced that changed Botti’s thinking. Now, he’s on tour with an album, “Vol. 1,” that arrived in October 2023, and he’s planning more trips to the studio to make at least two more albums.
“This opportunity came up to go to Blue Note, and that was thrilling because it’s such an iconic label,” Botti said. “And (label president) Don Was has been lovely to me, letting me kind of do whatever I want. Then obviously, having David Foster produce was the kind of kick in the butt. I felt if I could get him to come out of retirement and produce me, it would be super special and we should do this. So over dinner, I asked him and he said ‘Sure.’”
Foster, of course, has had a storied career as a producer, songwriter, recording artist, keyboardist and record executive, working with Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Josh Groban, Celine Dion and Michael Bublé, among many others. Along the way, Foster has won more than a dozen Grammy Awards.
In approaching “Vol. 1,” project, Botti and Foster decided it would be a small group project featuring acoustic instrumentation and a selection romantic standards such as “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” “My Funny Valentine” and “Someday My Prince Will Come,” along with a couple of more contemporary tunes, including a cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You” – all centered around Botti’s trumpet.
Although Botti has frequently used full orchestras on his previous albums, he knew the album called for a leaner treatment for the material.
“Part of the problem when you do one of those big orchestra records, you Google for an arranger and you turn over like everything to arranger. Then you fly all the way to London,
and you stand before the orchestra and if it doesn’t work, it’s toast,” Botti said. “But when you’re doing something that is more stripped back like this, you can change songs, change (arrangements). This was so much more immediate, and we wanted to do a lifestyle record that was definitely stripped back, that was central to the sound of my horn and do kind of a more jazz record, but still make it lifestyle and approachable for people to listen to.”
Botti and Foster got the album they wanted, as “Vol. 1” is an elegant, highly melodic ballad-focused work.
Elegance and sophistication have been constants for Botti throughout a career that began in the mid-1980s. He first began gaining notice when he joined Paul Simon’s touring band in 1990, a touring relationship that would continue through the 1990s.
Botti began his solo career in 1995 with the CD, “First Wish,” but it was in 2000 that his career got a pivotal boost when Sting hired the trumpeter to join his band for his “Brand New Day” tour. In the midst of that tour with Sting, Botti was signed by Columbia Records and released the “Night Sessions” CD. His profile and reputation as a player have only continued to grow since then as albums like 2004’s “When I Fall In Love,” 2007’s “Italia” and his biggest release, the 2009 concert album “Chris Botti In Boston,” have topped the jazz charts, and especially in the case of that latter album, crossed over to pop.
“In order to get an audience to feel music in their seats, so to speak, in their core, you can’t just play necessarily all of the beautiful stuff,” he said. “You’ve got to hit them with some visceral, kind of flashy and musical chop-oriented stuff that makes them go ‘Oh, my god!’ You know, like, ‘Boom!’”
Botti considers the “Vol. 1” title very much signaling a new phase in his career, and looking ahead, he sees himself picking up the pace on making albums while he maintains his heavy touring regimen.
HENDRICKS SYMPHONY
Hendricks Symphony Orchestra will perform “Music of the Silver Screen” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at Hendricks Live! in Plainfield. For more, hendrickslive.org.
‘THE MOUSETRAP’
“The Mousetrap” runs through Feb. 15 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards. com.
FEINSTEIN’S CABARET
Feinstein’s cabaret presents “Summer Nights, The Music of Grease” Feb. 12, followed by “Esque, Burlesque at Feinstein’s” Feb. 13, and “Paul Hughes, Songs for the Lovers” Feb. 14 at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.
‘THE
PAGEANT’
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will present “The Pageant” through Feb. 22 at The Florence at Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre in Carmel. For more, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.
‘LUCKY STIFF’
Actors Theatre of Indiana presents “Lucky Stiff” through Feb. 15 at the Studio Theater at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit atistage.org.
‘THE
GREAT GATSBY’
Civic Theatre presents “The Great Gatsby” through Feb. 21 at The Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
‘MEMORIES
& MELODIES’
Wayne Newton will perform on his “Memories & Melodies” tour at 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Payne & Mencias at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
Chris Botti will perform at 8 p.m. March 6 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Randall Slavin)
ENTERTAINMENT
Hendricks Symphony features movie music
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Hendricks Symphony’s “Music of the Silver Screen” concerts will cover an array of music from various film genres.
The concerts are set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at Hendricks Live! in Plainfield. The performances are part of the “Silver and Gold” theme for the 2025-26 season.
“The upcoming program includes movie music masterpieces from ‘Tara’s Theme’ from ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘Over the Rainbow’ from the ‘Wizard of Oz,’ all the way through the ‘Raiders March’ from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and the ‘Star Wars Suite for Orchestra,’” said Carmel resident Amy Eggleston, Hendricks Symphony’s music director and conductor. “The hauntingly beautiful ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ from ‘The Mission,’ a charming choral version of ‘Moon River’ from ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and an exciting chorus and orchestra version of ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ‘are sure to be audience favorites.” Eggleston said the symphony takes approximately six weeks to prepare for the concerts.
This is the fourth show of the six-concert season series at Hendricks Live!.
The April 23 and 25 concerts, “The Gold Record,” will feature music from the Voyager Golden Record. The concerts will include “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2” by Johann Sebastian Bach and “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky.
“(They were) the records that were sent out into space many decades ago with the sounds of Earth that we wanted to communicate to anyone that might be out there in the universe, somewhere on a different planet,” Eggleston said.
Eggleston said symphony sizes vary with each piece.
“The basic size is 64 (musicians), and our chorus is the number that fluctuates slightly, but it’s about 70 people,” she said. “There’s not necessarily a chorus on every piece and not always an orchestra on every piece, but we function together.”
The concerts typically consist of two 40-minute halves with a 20-minute intermission.
For more, vist hendrickssymphony. org and hendrickslive.org.
Opens February 19
Hendricks Symphony Music Director Amy Eggleston will conduct “Music of the Silver Screen” Feb. 13 and Feb. 15. (Photo courtesy of Hendricks Symphony)
Guest jazz clarinetist joins IWS for concert
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Indiana Wind Symphony Orchestra Music Director Jay Gephart knows there is a buzz around a
Jazz clarinetist Doreen Ketchens will perform in the “Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball” concert at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.
“This is going to be huge for us,” Gephart said. “I told the band she was coming, and the immediate response was overwhelming. They couldn’t believe it.”
Ketchens will perform a piece that was written for her for the National American Bandmasters Association Convention. The piece is called “Troubles of the World” by William May.
“It has a little bit of a jazz bent to it, but he also writes in a really wonderful classical style,” Gephart said. “So, there is a combination of the two styles that showcase Doreen as more of a jazz player. She is going to play two lighter pieces in the second half of the concert.”
Ketchens will perform Paul Hemmer’s arrangements of “Caravan” and “Amazing Grace.”
The concert will open with “Fanfare from La Péri” by Paull Dukas, followed
by “Occident et Orient” by Camille Saint-Saens.
The first half concludes with Frank Ticheli’s “Acadiana.”
“That goes back to Ticheli’s roots in New Orleans,” Gephart said.
A piece in the second half is “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans,” a Louis Armstrong composition arranged by Steve Rhodes, who died in 2014.
“Steve was a highly respected musician in Indianapolis,” he said. “He was the former conductor of the Kokomo Park Band.”
The concert closes with Brant Karrick’s “Bayou Breakdown” and “Satchmo,” a tribute to Armstrong by Ted Ricketts. It features IWS principal trumpeter Brian Hoover.
For more, visit indianawindsymphony.org.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
Doreen Ketchens, a jazz clarinetist, will be a guest performer Feb. 15 at the Indiana Wind Symphony concert in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of IWS)
PUZZLES
15. Brown County recluse
16. Col. Lilly
17. Beatles song
19. Books & Brews order
20. “The Matrix” hero
21. James Whitcomb Ri-
ley’s “before”
22. Bay window
24. Bob & Tom, e.g.
25. Small buzzer
27. Animal hides
30. Bit of parsley
32. Rich soil
35. Weirdo
36. Ball State’s conference: ___-American
38. Tell it to a Hendricks County judge
40. Roman 7
41. Light lager
45. Indianapolis Indians’
1B, 2B, 3B and SS
47. “Much ___ About Nothing”
48. Bite like a beaver
50. ET’s craft
51. WFYI science show
53. Colts or Bulldogs, e.g.
55. Saintly glows
59. Mournful poem
61. Clothing
63. End-of-list abbr.
64. BHS track events
67. Lakers, on a Pacers scoreboard
68. Summer astrological sign
69. Indianapolis City Ballet shoe part
71. Beatles song
74. Evil
75. Fine fur
76. Decant a wine
77. Sellout letters
78. Was right for
79. Picnic pests DOWN
1. Rises for the national anthem
2. Batting order
3. Like the BHS swimming pool
4. Tire pressure inits.
5. Rose sticker
6. Divulge
7. Map blurb: “You ___ here”
8. “As I see it,” online
9. Wedding cake feature
10. Undress
11. Beatles song
12. 100 percent
13. Hoosier Park dead heat
18. Ankle-to-waist wear
23. Comics cry
26. Spinning toy
28. Work hard
29. Lose traction on Crawfordsville Road
31. Indy 500 raceway, briefly
33. Boxing legend
34. Flap Jack’s handout
37. Fender blemish
39. Easy to get along with
41. Piece of glass
42. Object of worship
43. Beatles song
44. “Norma ___”
46. Letters on a chit
49. Shake a tail
52. Obituary datum
54. Danson’s role on “Cheers”
56. Have confidence in
57. Dined at Boulder Creek
58. Scrubs pots
60. Approvals
62. Partner of ranted
65. Traffic sign word
66. I-74 tractor-trailer
69. Recipe amt.
70. Crew need
72. Illuminated
73. Total Body Wellness, e.g.
ANSWERS ON PAGE 14
