Page 6 Chamber, DWA to work independently Page 13 Black Orchid Barbers opens
JANUARY 1 7 –MARCH 28
SATURDAYS | 9 A.M.–12 P.M.
West Fork Whiskey Co. 10 E. 191st Street
Step out of the cold and into a warm, indoor market with vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, honey, jam, handmade artisan goods, and more! For details, visit westfieldin.gov/wintermarket.
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
Enrollment challenges for West Washington Schools was the primary topic of a Jan. 7 joint work session of the WWS Advisory Board and the Westfield City Council at the Westfield High School Auditorium.
Mayor Scott Willis and WWS Superintendent John Atha co-chaired the meeting, which focused on demographic data presented by Jerry McKibben of McKibben Demographic Research. Data suggested that, for a variety of demographic factors, WWS could lose students in the coming years.
McKibben anticipates that WWS will have negative 600 transfer students annually in the next decade, meaning the number of students that transfer into and out of the district, whether to other public districts or to private schools.
McKibben cited several demographic trends, including an aging population and residents 55 and older holding on to their homes longer, resulting in fewer families with school-aged children moving into the district. Westfield’s overall population could grow, but not necessarily in a way that benefits the school district.
“Population growth doesn’t necessarily drive enrollment,” Atha said.
five subdivisions since he took office, partly, “to be purposeful so as not to impact the schools” with too much growth.
“It’s the subgroups of your population that you have to study. We really need to dig down into that data to say, ‘OK, what is really going on here?’”
Part of McKibben’s presentation focused on home sales and how they affect school enrollment. For WWS to maintain a “stable environment,” McKibben said 2,180 homes need to be sold annually in Westfield, with 1,530 existing homes being the to ensure that existing homes continue to have families with school-aged children. Westfield has fallen short of that target since 2021, with an annual average of 794 existing home sales, according to McKibben.
Willis said Westfield has approved
“At no time did I expect somebody to say, ‘You’re not building enough homes,’ Willis said. “I mean, think about that for a second. In Westfield, you’re not building enough homes. I’m not going to take this data and go in with the mentality of, ‘Let’s just slap some homes up in Westfield to make up the difference.’ (The narrative) changes to, ‘Is this the right kind of home in Westfield? Does it bring the right kinds of assessed values into our community? Is it affordable so we can bring kids in?’ It’s a lot of different questions we can be asking, but it’s not going to be geared around a hesitation to build, which is where we’re at right now.”
Atha also said WWS 77 percent of WWS students will graduate in the next 10 years, but 60 percent of taxpayers in the district don’t have kids in WWS.
“A thriving school district has young families moving into it on a regular basis. That’s how they stay thriving,” Atha said. “What I want in this collaboration is this thoughtful plan that continues to allow our community to thrive from the education standpoint.”
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
During a joint work session between the Westfield Washington Advisory School Board and the Westfield City Council Jan. 7 at the Westfield High School Auditorium, Mayor Scott Willis referenced the city’s comprehensive plan, which won’t be released until Jan. 26.
“(The plan) has a vision for every blade of grass in Westfield and Washington Township,” Willis said. “I’m excited that we’re finally going to have a roadmap that we can all work from.”
Although he didn’t provide the plan’s details, Willis spoke about how Westfield must respond to demographic data that impacts WWS and the city.
Willis cited data from Rundell Ernstberger Associates, the consulting firm working with the city on the plan.
“REA said we’re the fastest-aging city
in Indiana, and that was a shock to me,” Willis said. “(When) we think of Westfield, I think of our schools, our families. The good thing is that people want to live in the city. But (the aging population) has created some problems.”
Willis said the city would benefit from diversifying revenue sources.
“Ninety percent of city revenue comes from residential homes,” Willis said. “That is not sustainable to us as a city. If we see a major decline in home values like 2007 and 2008, the City of Westfield is in a really rough spot and will have to make some really tough decisions. So, we have to balance it.”
WWS superintendent John Atha hopes the comprehensive plan gives WWS the data it needs to provide its demographer, McKibben Demographic Research, the data it needs to help the district make informed decisions.
“People say to us, ‘If (the city) gets built out, our high school may be 6,000
(students),’” Atha said. (Demographic data) is going to be able to tell me whether that’s true or not, and in what conditions that would be true. If it’s not true, then we can make some long-term decisions about that. If it is true, we need to be prepared if it ever happened. That’s what I hope to get from the comp plan.”
Willis said the process of getting through the comprehensive plan will take at least 90 days with the public having a chance to provide input at future city council and Advisory Plan Commission meetings.
“I will say up front, if you live on a blade of grass and you don’t like what this new comprehensive plan says, don’t worry. Do what you want to do,” he said. “Don’t sell your home. Don’t redevelop. If you’re a farmer, don’t sell. We really don’t care. What we do care about is having a vision for how this grows so that one the schools can react accordingly.”
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By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com
Democratic State Sen. J.D. Ford has launched a campaign for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, a seat held by three-term Republican Victoria Spartz.
Ford, who announced his candidacy Jan. 14, said his decision to run for federal office was inspired in part by the recent push for midcycle redistricting in Indiana by President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers. Legislators, including Ford, rejected those efforts.
“Hoosiers were put to the test when our leaders put politics over people and tried to steal your vote and your voice, but you spoke up,” Ford, 43, said in a video announcing his campaign. “You were impossible to ignore, and you rejected partisan redistricting. Your strength and resilience made something clear to me, Washington politics don’t stay in Washington.”
Ford’s campaign will focus on affordability of groceries, housing and routine services; protecting healthcare access and lowering costs; and ensuring Hoosier voices and concerns are heard at the federal level.
Spartz won reelection to the 5th District — which includes Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Grant, Tipton and a portion of Howard counties — in 2024 with nearly 57 percent of the vote. Ford is aiming to flip a Republican stronghold for a second time, as he defeated longtime Republican State Sen. Mike Delph in 2018 to represent District 29.
Ford is the first and only openly LGBTQ+ state legislator in Indiana. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in education from Purdue University Northwest.
Besides Spartz, Republican Scott A. King and Democrat Todd Shelton have filed to run for Congress in the 5th District.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3.
Learn more about Ford at ElectJDFord.com.
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
The Westfield Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Westfield Association will now operate as separate entities. Westfield Chamber of Commerce President Courtney Albright and Downtown Westfield Association President Dan Moyer released a joint announcement Jan. 8.
“To continue building on this momentum, we believe that focusing on our unique missions will allow us to deliver even greater value to our members and the community,” the statement said. “This is not a separation of spirit, but a strategic move to amplify our strengths.”
Albright said the chamber and DWA previously had separate boards of directors but operated with the same staff members.
“Years ago, they were separate entities. They had different roles in the community,” Albright said. “(Later) we established an MOU (memorandum of understanding) between both organizations which worked really effectively. They shared the same president and staff, but still operated separately. The
job of the president was to make sure they retained that each of them maintained their identities, but using the same staff. They were smaller at the time and it made sense to join forces until it didn’t make sense anymore.”
At press time, the Downtown Westfield Association had not responded to Current regarding the announcement.
Albright said there was always the possibility that the two entities would revisit the MOU if it made sense for both organizations.
“It became a thing where both of them are coming to a peak and into their prime and how do each (organization) have that autonomy and be able to flourish on their own?” Albright said. “We’re still going to work very closely with them. We’ve been involved with them for a couple of years. That’s not changing, just what it looks like is changing.”
Albright said it is not yet known what the staff makeup will be for the organizations.
The Westfield Chamber of Commerce advocates for more than 450 businesses in Westfield. The Downtown Westfield Association, which was founded in 2008, promotes downtown Westfield.
City Hall parking lot closed — The parking lot west of City Hall (130 Penn St.) will be fenced off as construction work begins on the site where the Green Building will be relocated. The area is needed to complete utility connections for the relocated building in addition to construction staging early in the project. Fencing is expected to remain in place until late August.
WFD promotions — The Westfield Fire Department announced the following merit promotions:
• Justin Austad has been promoted to Lieutenant on Engine 328, A-Shift.
• Kevin Brock has been promoted to Lieutenant on Engine 383, B-Shift.
• Danny Summers has been promoted to Captain, Shift Training Officer, B-Shift
• Jason Cree has been promoted to Captain, Battalion Chief Aid, A-Shift
• Mason Schroeder has been pro-
moted to Engineer on Ladder 384, A-Shift
FIT4MOM open house at Grand Park — The FIT4MOM North Indy Open House will take place at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Droplight Grand Park Sports Complex. The event is free for first time members and ideal for expecting moms, new moms, or seasoned moms looking to rebuild routine and community in the new year. Those interested can RSVP at carmel.fit4mom.com.
Westfield Winter Market — The Westfield Winter Market will run every Saturday through March 28 from 9 a.m.Noon at West Fork Whiskey Co. at 10 E. 191st Street. Nearly 50 vendors whose offerings include fresh produce, coffee and breakfast foods, locally sourced meat products, handcrafted artisanal goods, and more will participate in the market.
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
During its Jan. 12 meeting, the Westfield City Council unanimously approved a seven-year real property tax abatement resolution for Holladay Properties to develop a property at 0 Bastian Court on Westfield’s north side.
The abatement is for a 143,000-square-foot enclosed industrial flex building. The property is within an economic revitalization area and is zoned within the North Point Planned Unit Development.
In a presentation made by Westfield Economic Development Strategist Claire Gelinas, Holladay Properties plans to invest $19.3 million in improvements on the site.
Holladay Properties will begin the project no later than May and will complete construction by May 2027. The abatement would begin in 2028, one calendar year after completion of the project. The abatement would work on a 10 percent step-down system from a 100 percent abatement in the first year to 40 percent by the final year.
Failure to meet timeline would allow the city to negotiate terms of the agreement.
“First and foremost, (the project would bring) increased assessed value and tax revenue for the city,” Gelinas said. “We anticipate the assessed value to increase from its existing base as of today of $32,500 to a little over $12 million once the development is complete, which leads to an estimated increase in annual real property taxes, $282,000 post development. This totals to a $1.44 million tax benefit to the community … additional business attraction opportunities is another value creation for this project.”
Several councilors asked whether leeway could be given to Holladay Properties if it cannot meet the project’s completion timeline.
“The reality is we don’t have to unwind the incentives,” Mayor Scott Willis said. “If they’re 90 percent complete, if they’re delayed on lighting or something, I like to think we’re not going to pull their abatement. They’re following through on what they’ve committed to.
news@youarecurrent.com
The Westfield Police Department is investigating a missing teenager last seen Jan. 5.
Nevaeh Schmidt, 18, was reported missing from her residence after reportedly going to a friend’s house in Indianapolis but was not found there. Schmidt is a white female with blue
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and pink hair. She has blue-green eyes, is 5-foot-1, 275 pounds and has two smiley face tattoos on her left hand.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the WPD at 317-804-3292 or email at abowell@ westfield.in.gov.
to health care aren’t always apparent. Depression and mental illness can impact every aspect of an individual’s life. Fortunately for Donnisha, she found the courage to challenge the stigma around mental illness, and her journey is now inspiring others.
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Roni Chinn wasn’t thinking about the possibility of enshrinement in the IU Indianapolis Hall of Fame.
“I kind of think of older players,” said Chinn, who played under her maiden name of Patterson. “I guess I am kind of old now since it’s been a while since I played.”
Chinn, 30, will be inducted into the IU Indianapolis (formerly IUPUI) Hall of Fame Feb. 12 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. A 2013 Hamilton Southeastern graduate, Chinn played from 2014-17 for IU Indy.
“It’s a huge honor,” she said. “It was definitely unexpected, but a happy, unexpected surprise.”
Chinn was an all-Summit League selection four times, including twice first team. She played third base her first two years and was primarily a catcher her last two seasons.
Chinn, a Westfield resident, is the school’s all-time leader in home runs with 40 and set the school’s NCAA Division I-era records for runs scored (151), runs batted in (149), total bases (397) and slugging percentage (.631).
Chinn said her biggest thrill was winning the Summit League regular season championship as a senior during the school’s final year in the conference before joining the Horizon League.
“That was a huge accomplishment for our class,” she said. “There were four of us, and we played under our coach for three years, and then we got a new coach our senior year. Becoming all-conference my freshman year I feel was a pretty big accomplishment.”
Chinn is a registered emergency room nurse and has two young daughters with her husband, Jake.
news@youarecurrent.com
Community Health Network celebrated the placement of the final steel beam Jan. 8 for the new Community Hospital Westfield, which is under construction at 19800 East Street took place.
Community Health Network President and CEO Patrick McGill spoke during the topping-out ceremony for the six-story structure.
“Westfield and surrounding areas are experiencing tremendous growth, and with that comes an increased need for accessible, comprehensive health care,” McGill stated. “Community Hospital Westfield will ensure families and businesses in this region have the care they need without having to travel far.”
The Community Hospital Westfield campus will have emergency services, advanced critical care for adults and newborns and outpatient services focused on wellness and prevention,
according to a Community Health Network press release. The hospital and ambulatory surgery center remain on schedule to open in the spring of 2027. Community Health Network has an adjacent medical office building in Westfield that opened in 2025. It was part of the first phase of the Westfield campus that Community Health Network is building.
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
An Indianapolis man was arrested and charged with four felonies after a high-speed pursuit Jan. 6 that started in Westfield and concluded in Indianapolis.
Kharii Dunbar, 18, was charged with felony counts of possession of a machine gun; unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon; resisting law enforcement; and dealing in marijuana. He also was charged with one misdemeanor of possession of marijuana.
attempted at 116th Street and Keystone Parkway in Carmel. The driver, a juvenile, failed to stop and took detectives on a 15-minute pursuit.
The driver ran several red lights and by traveling off road through construction zones, according to the affidavit. The pursuit ended in the area of 25th Street and Sherman Avenue in Indianapolis when the suspect vehicle crashed into another police vehicle.
Dunbar allegedly attempted to flee by foot with a blue backpack but was apprehended about 25 yards from the vehicle. The juvenile driver was apprehended in the vehicle.
As of Jan. 14, Dunbar was being held on $100,000 bond at the Hamilton County Jail.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Westfield Police Department, the WPD Special Investigations Unit observed a vehicle park along the street of an alleged known drug and weapons residence in Westfield. After a male inside the house visited the car, WPD alleged that the activity was consistent with illicit drug and firearm sales. The vehicle was pursued by an unmarked WPD vehicle, and a stop was
WPD alleged that four bags of suspected marijuana, a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun, a stolen Glock 21 .45 caliber handgun with a machine gun conversion device and a loose machine gun conversion device were found in the backpack.
A digital scale, additional suspected marijuana, and cash were allegedly recovered from the vehicle.
Dunbar has a pretrial conference in February and a final pretrial hearing in May. His trial is scheduled for June 2.
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Westfield High School freshman guard Lillian Clark benefits from being a strong student of the game.
“She is someone who watches basketball and studies it,” Shamrocks coach Kelsey Steele said. “She has a strong IQ that will only continue to develop.”
Through the first 21 games, Clark led the Shamrocks (16-5) in scoring with a 14.6 points per game average on 46 percent shooting and has been one of their top defenders.
“I feel that I have improved incredibly on my defense, whether that be guarding my (area) and simply slowing someone down or making it harder for opponents to get easy looks,” she said. “I’m working hard to improve on attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line.”
Steele said Clark has improved dramatically on the defensive end.
Favorite athlete: University of Notre
Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo
Favorite subject: Math
Favorite movie: “Love and Basketball”
Favorite vacation spot: Anna Maria Island
“She is learning how to play defense within our system, and her commitment to being the best player she can possibly be has allowed her to develop at a fast pace,” Steele said. “Lillian is the ultimate competitor, and she has shown that in how she has competed to be her best this season.”
Steele said Clark’s top strength is her work ethic.
Westfield High School freshman guard Lillian Clark leads the Shamrocks in scoring. (Photo courtesy of David L. Dixon)
“Lillian is a young lady who pours her heart into basketball and spends a ton of time working on her craft,” Steele said. “On the court, the biggest strength is her ability to shoot the basketball, and she’s demonstrated that at a high level this season.”
Clark said her primary goal is to win the Class 4A Carmel Sectional, which starts Feb. 3.
She began playing in kindergarten with Westfield Youth Sports Inc.
“However, as COVID-19 came around and I had days full of nothing to do, I would often find myself playing basketball outside hours on end, and that is when I discovered my true love for the sport,” Clark said. “Growing up, I was involved in many sports, like volleyball, flag football, track and cross country, but since the sixth grade, I’ve shifted my focus to only basketball.”
Clark said preparation also is a reflection of her passion for the sport.
“Whether it be long hard workouts or days full of back-to-back trainings, it has always been something that I look forward to and love very much,” she said. “I simply just love to have a basketball in my hands and a court under my feet.”
Clark said she doesn’t plan to play AAU this summer
“But I will be working in the gym on developing as a player so that I can be ever better next high school season,” she said.
To nominate a high school student for Athlete of the Week, contact mark@youarecurrent.com.
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By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
The City of Westfield and Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus will soon learn if they will be a part of the world’s most popular sporting event.
In June 2024, Grand Park, in association with the Indy Eleven soccer team, was chosen as a possible FIFA base camp site for one of the participating nations in the 2026 World Cup.
Base camps are headquarters for World Cup participants throughout the event, which runs June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
FIFA is expected to assign base camps by the end of the month for 42 of 48 nations that have already qualified for the World Cup based on geography and world rankings, according to the Guardian newspaper in the U.K.
Sixty-four sites have been preapproved in North America, but only 48 will actually be selected when the World Cup field is filled.
“For lack of a better expression, it is like a menu. We have to get on the menu (of the participating nations),” said Grand Park Sports & Entertainment coCEO Greg Stremlaw said.
The full field won’t be determined until late-March playoffs in Europe and Mexico are concluded. The six nations that qualify in March will likely have the base camp sites determined by late April.
Stremlaw said the nations most likely to consider Grand Park will play in World Cup stadiums within a threehour flight from Indianapolis, of which there are nine.
National teams will be in North America well before the World Cup begins. Stremlaw said national teams sometimes spend as much as a month at base camp before play begins.
“This is not a typical situation where just a couple of national media members come with the team,” Stremlaw said. “There are usually large gatherings that come to the base camp location and set up shop while their country trains and prepares for the world’s largest event.”
Stremlaw said nations have different priorities for what they want in a base camp.
“If a country wants a two-field, secure venue that nobody else has access to, they’re not going to choose Grand Park, and we understand that,” Stremlaw said. “But if somebody wants to be at the crossroads of America, highly accessible, with one of the world’s best airports at our doorstep, a great stan-
Per Grand Park Sports & Entertainment co-CEO Greg Stremlaw, if Westfield is chosen as a FIFA World Cup base camp site, it will likely host a nation playing in a city within a short flight distance of the Indianapolis area.
The following nations are playing group stage matches in cities within three hours flight time from Indianapolis:
ATLANTA: Cape Verde, Haiti, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Uzbekistan, one of Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland or North Macedonia (they contest a March playoff), one of Jamaica,
shows Westfield, highlighted in green, as a potential base camp and its proximity to World Cup host cities, highlighted in white and red. (Graphic from fwc26teambasecamps. fifa.com)
dard of living, no air pollution and to be able to be safe and train with little to no distractions, we think we’re a fantastic host facility for that.”
Stremlaw and Westfield Mayor Scott Willis declined to predict the potential economic impact of hosting a base camp, saying it would depend on the nation and how likely their fans are to travel.
“We’re trying to build a more recog-
New Caledonia or DR Congo (they contest a March playoff).
ARLINGTON, Texas: Argentina, Austria, Croatia, England, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.: Brazil, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Morocco, Norway, Panama, Senegal.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.: France, Haiti, Morocco, Norway, Scotland, one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq (they contest a March playoff).
nizable brand at Grand Park, and having FIFA there would certainly put us on the map,” Willis said. “It’s a once every 30- or 40-year opportunity. It’s a big deal.”
Although base camp is not a spectator setup, it’s a major undertaking that requires local support, according to city officials.
“There’s a great ripple effect in what these events can do in reaching a wide audience,” Hamilton County Tourism President & CEO Karen Radcliff said. “We’re going to step up to support whatever is needed. It could be helping out with security, whether it’s infrastructure or people. Any kind of public safety that might be needed, transportation, it could be meals, hospitality is something we could step in to help with.”
Stremlaw hopes Grand Park gets the chance to show itself on the world stage.
“We’re excited and thrilled to get selected (as a possible base camp site). We’re waiting for the next piece of information, which is who,” Stremlaw said. “I think we’ve controlled everything we possibly can. There’s no doubt that the campus is world class.”
HOUSTON: Cape Verde, Curacao, Germany, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, one of Jamaica, New Caledonia or DR Congo.
KANSAS CITY: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Curacao, Ecuador, Netherlands, Tunisia.
MIAMI: Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Uruguay.
PHILADELPHIA: Brazil, Croatia, Curacao, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq.
TORONTO: Canada, Croatia, Germany, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Panama, Senegal, one of Bosnia, Italy, Northern Ireland or Wales (they contest a March playoff), one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq.
Commentary by Larry Greene
This back porch renovation transformed a basic concrete patio into a finished outdoor living space. With added structure and thoughtful design details, the area now feels intentional, inviting and ready for everyday use.
• The redesign ties the porch seamlessly to the home, creating a cohesive, intentional addition.
• A custom masonry fireplace anchors the space and extends its use beyond warmer months.
• Improved layout and flow strengthen the connection between the home and yard.
• Clean lines, neutral tones and layered stonework complement the existing exterior.
• The result is a low-maintenance outdoor retreat that turns the backyard into a destination.
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.
By Todd Golden todd@youarecurrent.com
Black Orchid Barbers recently opened its newest shop at 170 Jersey St. in Grand Junction Plaza.
Black Orchid is adjacent to the BlackSheep restaurant, which — like Black Orchid — wants to create an “urban vibe” at Grand Junction Plaza. BlackSheep is part of Upland Hospitality, which is Upland Brewing Company’s restaurant arm.
“The relationship with Black Orchid and Upland is really easy,” Black Orchid owner Travis Moore said. “It’s beards and beers.”
Moore said he has a relationship with Upland Hospitality. He sublets space from Upland for his shop at 4842 College Ave. in Indianapolis. He said the synergy between the businesses is mutually beneficial.
“Our two companies jive really well together, and we genuinely like each other. And yes, I’m really excited to see what is going to happen (in Westfield),” Moore said.
Moore said customers can enjoy a beverage from BlackSheep while getting a haircut at Black Orchid.
“We put (a) doorbell system in, so when one of our patrons wants a cocktail or a drink, they can ring the doorbell and somebody from over here can
go over there so you can have a drink while you get your hair cut,” Moore said.
For BlackSheep, the relationship is beneficial as it tries to create an urban vibe in downtown Westfield.
“Creating an urban experience like downtown from scratch will require a lot of people that are like letting it happen and letting it feel urban,” said Josh Ratliff, director of hospitality for Black Orchid.
Black Orchid and BlackSheep had soft openings in December.
The Westfield location is Black Orchid’s sixth. There are four in Indianapolis and one in Carmel.
For more, visit blackorchidbarbers. com.
Huntzinger.
The Westfield Education Foundation, the fundraising arm for Westfield Washington Schools, raised more than $50,000 to support students and staff through its sold-out annual Bourbon & Bling fundraiser Dec. 16 at Moyer Fine Jewelers.
Proceeds will support WWS through grants, programs and initiatives that enrich teaching and learning across the district.
The event included community leaders, supporters and partners, along with a wine pull and the Bourbon & Bling Raffle, which showcased 33 bourbon selections.
The top-prize bourbon — Pappy Van Winkle 12-Year — was won by Joseph
The evening, which was catered by Prime 47, also featured a 19-item silent auction with packages ranging from fine jewelry and premium spirits to sports tickets, dining experiences, travel, golf outings and opportunities to directly support teacher grants, the Shamrock Supply Hub, and new scholarships for Westfield students.
“Bourbon & Bling continues to be a powerful example of what’s possible when our community comes together,” stated Ashley Knott, executive director of the Westfield Education Foundation. “The generosity in the room will have a lasting impact on the students and staff we serve.”
Plans are underway for next year’s 40th anniversary event.
An informative resource for parents and caregivers, this comprehensive guide will be published on Feb. 24. It offers valuable insights, camp options, summer programs and engaging activities in and around Suburban North Indy. Delivered to 126,990 households in Brownsburg, Carmel, Fishers, Geist, Noblesville, North Indy, Westfield and Zionsville via U.S. Mail, you may seize this opportunity to reach a wide audience at an affordable price and explore the best tips and listings to make the most of your family’s summer experiences.
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Midnight RedEye has a deep playlist featuring a mix of country, classic rock and 1990s alternative hits.
“We want to focus on making people aware that we have a pretty wide genre of music,” Midnight RedEye drummer Ryan Morris said. “We cover a very large array of music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, all the way up to the newer stuff. We’re pretty lucky that our singer has a very wide range. He can get down to some low octaves of doing Johnny Cash and Elvis (Presley), which we do, and get up into the high octaves of doing some Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi.”
Midnight RedEye is the headliner for Spotlight on PorchFest Jan. 24 at The Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The concert supports the Carmel PorchFest Grant Program.
The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. with a VIP reception and silent auction in The Tarkington’s lobby.
Lisa Frank and the Trapper Keepers, a 1990s cover band, will perform at 7 p.m. Carmel PorchFest will award four $1,500 music grants to students from the Carmel community at 8 p.m. Midnight RedEye performs at 8:30 p.m. Morris, lead singer Trey Chelf and lead guitarist Mike Kruer live in Westfield. The other full-time members are bassist Abel Robinault, Frankton, and violinist and backup vocalist Georgina Sanchis-Miralles of Fishers.
Keyboard player Alex Poisal, Beech Grove, is a part-time member who will join the band at The Tarkington.
Morris said the band formed in 2022, playing its first concert as Midnight RedEye in April 2023. He said the band is working on some original songs.
“We have five songs in the works right now that we’re hoping to polish up and maybe get recorded before the
end of the year,” he said. “We might do one of the originals. We did one live in November, but we just want to get it a little more perfected.”
Morris said all band members have full-time jobs. They play a little more than 20 shows a year on average.
Midnight RedEye has played at Carmel PorchFest twice and headlined Carmel PorchFest’s Late Night on Main in 2024.
“Late Night on Main was a huge exposure event for us,” Morris said. “I think there were about 1,500 people there, so that was a lot of fun for us.”
Morris and Kruer have been friends for several years. They met Chelf and Robinault at an open mic night at Morse Reservoir in December 2022.
Lisa Frank and the Trapper Keepers is named for the multicolored school supplies from the 1990s, drummer Steve Fulton said.
“It’s three guys with a beard,” said Fulton, a 1996 Sheridan High School graduate who lives in Broad Ripple. “Some people totally get it, and some people think there’s a girl in the band, which makes it hilarious.”
Kris Huntley, a Fishers resident
who grew up in Noblesville, is the lead singer and guitarist. Indianapolis resident Steve Krider plays bass.
The band performs songs by groups such as Nirvana, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins
“There are a lot of one-hit wonders,” Fulton said.
Fulton said the band has played Carmel PorchFest several times.
“It’s always a favorite show of ours for the year,” said Fulton, who said the band plays across the state. “We play a lot of breweries and private events. We also played on Late Night on Main in Carmel.”
General admission tickets are $15. VIP reception and preferred seating tickets are $50. The Carmel PorchFest Grant Program was created to provide financial support to students interested in the musical arts to cover such items as new instruments, lessons, schooling, musical opportunities, etc., in exchange for volunteer hours at PorchFest events. To date, Carmel PorchFest has awarded more than $30,000 to students.
For more, visit thecenterpresents. org.
“The Mousetrap” runs through Feb. 15 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.
“Now That’s Funny: Kristen Toomey” is set for Jan. 22, followed by “Thank You for the Music! An ABBA Party” Jan 23. at Feinstein’s cabaret at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. For more, visit feinsteinshc.com.
“Neko Grey Midnight Green Tour” is set for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
The Local Mix Music Seres features Teresa Reynolds and the Slicktones at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at The Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center. To register for free livestream or buy $10 tickets, visit thecenterpresents.org.
A youth production, presented by The Drama Department, of “Bye Bye Birdie” is set for Jan. 23-25 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. For more, visit thecat.biz.
Country artist Mac McAnally will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.
Cabaret at Woodstock, an Indianapolis Opera fundraiser, is set for 5:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 24 at Woodstock Country Club in Carmel. The fundraiser will feature cocktails, dinner, musical numbers from Broadway, the Great American Songbook and opera favorites. For more, visit indyopera.org.
By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com
Laura Baltz has been eagerly anticipating this production.
The Point Theater founding artistic director said the youth theater’s presentation of “Cinderella” was set for the 2015 schedule, but the licensing was pulled.
“Cinderella” was again on the schedule for the 2020-21 season, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a cancellation.
“Our theater has the students vote on the shows we perform, and ‘Cinderella’ hasn’t won the vote again until this year,” Baltz said.
The Point Theater, featuring students ages 8 to 18, will finally present the classic musical from Feb. 6-8 at Marian University Theatre.
“It’s a lot of time onstage throughout, and I have had to learn a lot of ballroom dancing, something I’ve never really done before,” she said. “It’s also such a big undertaking to play such a timeless and iconic character but being Cinderella in this musical has always been one of my biggest dreams.”
Carmel Middle School eighth-grader Evan Hackney plays the Prince.
The Point Theater has owned Cinderella’s carriage for years, waiting to use it for its own production.
“We’ve rented the carriage to other schools since obtaining it,” Baltz said. “It’s always a little heartbreaking to watch it roll across other stages while we continue to wait. Seeing it finally cross our own stage will be incredibly meaningful.”
Westfield High School freshman Abby Mickelson plays the title role.
“Cinderella is definitely one of the largest roles I’ve had,” she said. “I’m looking forward to getting to sing some of my favorite songs in musical theater as Cinderella. I am also so excited to share the stage with my best friends.”
Mickelson said there are some challenges.
“This is one of the biggest roles I’ve had besides playing SpongeBob in ‘SpongeBob the Musical,’” he said. “I’ve had a lot of challenges playing this role because a lot of the roles I’ve played have felt like me and felt similar to who I am off stage, but this role is very much different than who I am, so it takes a lot of work to get into character and learn the personality of the Prince.”
Hackney didn’t expect to get the role when he auditioned.
“At callbacks, I still didn’t believe the part would be mine because I had never gotten a role this big through a Point show, but I was so thrilled to receive it and so excited to play it,” he said.
Hackney has been acting for eight years. Nine of his 14 shows have been with Point Theater.
The cast also features Lily Brenner, a 15-year-old University High School student from Carmel, and Julianna Smith, a 13-year-old Zionsville Middle School student, as the wicked stepsisters. Liv
Keslin, a 15-year-old University High School student from Zionsville, plays the role of the Fairy Godmother.
For more, visit thepointtheater.org.
15. Mexican money
16. A Four Corners state
17. Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt machine for a smashing keepsake?
19. Remain unsettled
20. Terminate
21. Update, as an atlas
23. Above
26. Uno + uno
29. Financial review
32. Remove
33. Fishers district
36. Collectible print, briefly
38. ___ wave
39. ISP option
40. Workplace safety org.
42. Former Hamilton County Prosecutor Garrison
44. Picture holders
47. Completed
48. They might be licked, smacked or sealed
52. Woolworth’s and Kresge’s, e.g.
54. Hawaii island
55. Indiana Supreme Court garb
56. Gen-___
57. Marge Simpson or Carol Brady
58. Quitter’s cry
61. Garden tool
62. A Stooge
64. Colts’ passer
70. Prohibit
71. Worldwide relief org.
72. Fishers N-S Road
73. Kuaba Gallery piece
74. Inclined
75. “___: Warrior Princess”
1. Victory Field souvenir shop buy
2. GPS reading
3. Bard’s nightfall
4. Iranian coin
5. Black stone
6. EMT skill
7. “The Jeans that Built America”
8. Cold War inits.
9. Big name in speakers
10. “Drag Race” host
11. Blended family member
12. Moving vehicle
13. IU prof’s degree
18. Mani mate
22. Hoosier National Forest tree
23. Magic, on a Pacers scoreboard
24. Seven, on some clocks
25. Geist summer hrs.
27. Twice tetra-
28. Biathlete’s need
30. Part of TGIF
31. ___ Aviv
33. Barely beats
34. More avant-garde
35. Cooking fats
37. Skills class rebranded as Family & Consumer Sciences, familiarly
41. 33rd POTUS
43. Car storage compartment
44. 32nd POTUS
45. ___ de Janeiro
46. Completely surrounding
47. Dr. of rap
49. Beatles: “___ the Walrus”
50. Chao Vietnamese Street Food soup
51. Add
53. Jamaican Style Jerk menu item
57. Rocky ridge
59. Greenish blue
60. Convent ladies
61. Weightiness
62. PU’s Mitch Daniels School advanced deg.
63. Rowing blade
65. Hoosier Dome title sponsor
66. Big ___ Conference
67. Grand Junction Brewing Co. brew
68. Bengals, on a Colts scoreboard
69. RV park chain
ANSWERS ON PAGE 19
Public Notice of Construction Activity
The City of Carmel is submitting a Notice of Intent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management of our intent to comply with the requirements of Construction Stormwater General Permit to discharge storm water from construction activities associated with the Hazel Dell Parkway and Canton Drive Roundabout Construction Project. This project involves the construction of a multi-lane roundabout at the existing intersection of Hazel Dell Parkway and Canton Drive in Carmel, IN. The receiving water for the storm water runoff will be Vestal Ditch. Questions or comments should be directed to Bradley Pease, the city engineer for Carmel at One Civic Square, Carmel, IN 46060 / (317) 571-2441 or by email at engineering@carmel.in.gov.
