Issuu

Meet the candidates for WW Township Page 2

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 youarecurrent.com

Council questions Costco traffic plan Page 4

Sheriff candidates address issues Page 6

BEYOND COMFORT Westfield teacher uses Lilly fellowship to grow through challenges Page 12

Shamrocks take 3rd in state golf finals

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CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Current in Westfield

(ISSN: 3143-0686) Founded: Jan. 9, 2008 • Vol. XIX, No.38 Copyright © 2026 by Current Publishing, LLC. Published weekly by Current Publishing, LLC, 525 North End Dr. Ste. 175, Carmel, IN 46032. Business, Editorial, Accounting and Circulation Offices: 525 North End Dr. Ste. 175, Carmel, IN 46032. Call (317) 489-4444 to subscribe. Periodicals postage paid at Carmel, IN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Current in Westfield, 525 North End Dr. Ste. 175, Carmel, IN 46032.

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Meet the candidates for WW Township Compiled by Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Six candidates are running for three seats on the Westfield Washington Township board of trustees: Republicans Jim Ake, Danyele Easterhaus and Erica Strahm; and Democrats Bennie Britt, Michael Cardwell and Tradara McLaurine. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE? Ake: I want to continue delivering results that improve your quality of life. My extensive experience in business leadership, fiscal oversight, civic service and community collaboration has helped advance major public Ake projects, strengthen essential services, reduce costs, preserve land and build partnerships that benefit our community. Britt: I am running to bring structured leadership, transparency, accountability and strong public service to our township. As a proud parent and longtime Westfield resident, I want to ensure our township resources efBritt ficiently support public safety, township assistance and sustainable community growth for every neighbor. Cardwell: I’m running because Washington Township is growing, and growth brings both opportunities and bills. I want to make sure we plan ahead, spend taxpayer dollars responsibly, support our fire department and preserve what makes this community a great place to live. Easterhaus: I have called Westfield home for 31 years and served on the township board since 2018. I am running to continue responsible fiscal oversight, preserve what matters in our community and plan Easterhaus thoughtfully for future growth while keeping today’s needs and the township’s responsibilities in clear focus. McLaurine: Our community is at a crossroads of growth and fiscal change.

With my educational background, and experience, I have the professional tools to ensure our township is efficient and transparent. I want to protect tax dollars while ensuring that essential services remain the gold standard as we McLaurine continue to grow. Strahm: I’m running for reelection to the Westfield Washington Township Board to continue giving taxpayers a voice in local government. As a current board member, my decisions are, have been and will continue to be based Strahm solely on what’s best for the citizens of Westfield Washington Township. WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CHOICE FOR VOTERS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION?

Ake: I am a former Westfield City Council member and president. During my tenure, I helped to advance the new high school stadium, Grand Park, the Indoor Event Center, Pro X, the Pacers Center, the Plaza and the Westfield Playhouse. I now serve as president of the township board. Britt: With over three decades in process improvement and operational leadership, I offer proven management expertise. My experience in optimizing budgets and building cross-functional teams equips me to deliver transparent, effective township governance. Cardwell: I bring a lifetime of leadership, problem solving and managing limited resources. I’m not interested in political theater. I’ll ask questions, listen to the people who know the issues, study the numbers and make Cardwell decisions based on what works for Washington Township. Easterhaus: I bring eight years of township board experience, 20 years managing complex projects and multimillion-dollar budgets, nearly 20 years of nonprofit leadership and deep community involvement. I understand both the numbers and the people behind them. McLaurine: I am the best choice for voters in the general election because I

bring analytical and executive administrative expertise in addition to a deep passion for servant leadership. Strahm: I’m a longtime resident of WWT with extensive community involvement and a vast knowledge of our township’s history. As a current WWT board member, I already have experience with building projects, fire service contracts, township assistance, park operation and land purchase. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE CAMPAIGN ISSUES? Ake: 1. Maintain high-quality fire and EMS services by renovating Station 82 and coordinating with the City of Westfield and Hamilton County. 2. Safeguard the township’s financial strength while delivering quality services and reducing costs where possible. 3. Continue collaborating with nonprofits. Britt: 1. Fiscal governance: Ensuring transparent, efficient allocation of public funds. 2. Public safety: Fully equipping our township fire department and emergency responders. 3. Community support: Strengthening township assistance programs and local services. Cardwell: Responsible growth, responsible spending and public safety. Growth needs to help pay for the services it requires. Tax dollars need to be treated like they belong to somebody. And our fire department needs the people, equipment and resources necessary to protect a growing township. Easterhaus: Responsible fiscal oversight and transparency; strong township services for residents who need them; and thoughtful long-term planning that preserves what matters while preparing responsibly for growth. That includes fire protection, parks, facilities and township resources. McLaurine: 1. Fiscal transparency: Ensuring taxes are used effectively as we navigate state-level revenue shifts 2. Proactive public safety: Partnering with the trustee to ensure fire and EMS keep pace with growth. 3. Modernize assistance: Move emergency aid programs toward long-term self-sufficiency. Strahm: Funding fire service and township assistance. Continued transparency — our agendas and recorded meetings can be found on the WWT website. Making McCullough Park a peaceful place that pleases homeowners. For additional questions and answers, visit www.youarecurrent.com.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Westfield Middle School students on the first day of school. (Photo courtesy of WWS)

WWS reports ‘well above average’ ILEARN results

GRADES K–5

news@currentinwestfield.com The Indiana Department of Education recently released statewide ILEARN results, and Westfield Washington Schools Corp. announced that its students demonstrated strong academic achievement, with proficiency rates well above Indiana averages across each reported subject area. WWS stated that proficiency rates compared with statewide results are: • Social Studies: 71.9 percent proficient, compared with 47.2 percent statewide • Math: 65.2 percent, compared with 42.7 percent • Science: 64.9 percent, compared with 42.4 percent • English Language Arts: 61.2 percent, compared with 42 percent • English Language Arts and Math: 52.1 percent, compared with 31.5 percent WWS stated that in every area, Shamrocks were in the top 6 percent out of 393 school districts reporting statewide. When adjusted to include only the 294 traditional public schools, WWS ranked: • No. 19 for English Language Arts • No. 13 in Math • No. 14 in English Language Arts and Math • No. 5 in Science • No. 11 in Social Studies “Results like these reflect the work happening in classrooms across the district every day,” the district stated. “Thank you to our students for their hard work, our educators for their dedication and our families and community for their continued support.”

P OST E R C O N T E ST

GRADES 6–8

P O E M C O N T E ST Winners will have the option to read their poems during the Veterans Day Ceremony.

VETERANS DAY CEREMONY

GRADES 9–12

E S S AY C O N T E ST POSTER, POEM, & ESSAY CONTEST

The winner will be invited to read their essay during the Veterans Day Ceremony.

2026 THEME

What Does Freedom Mean to Me, and How Have Veterans Helped Protect It? OPEN FOR ENTRIES: SEPTEMBER 8 SUBMISSION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 30 Visit westfieldin.gov/veteransdayceremony or scan the QR code to learn more!

Participating students may attend any school but must live in the City of Westfield or Washington Township.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Council questions traffic plan for proposed Costco By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com Costco representatives gave a detailed presentation Sept. 28 to the Westfield City Council about a proposed new store, prompting lengthy discussion about a planned left-turn entrance from 191st Street. A couple of councilors called the left turn a “nonstarter” for safety reasons while Costco representatives said that access point was a key part of the plan, which went in front of the city’s plan commission Oct. 5 for a public hearing. (See page 7) Costco Real Estate Development Director Steve Cross led the presentation. He said the Westfield site is a good location for the store, with access off of U.S. 31 and 191st Street. Cross said the total building area would be 166,739 square feet, with about 900 parking spaces. The adjacent fuel station would start with 16 pumps and 32 dispensers, and could expand to 20 pumps and 40 dispensers — with the capacity of serving up to 400 vehicles per hour.

Cross noted that the store likely would start with 175 to 200 employees, which could grow as sales increase. Planned entrances are at 191st and East Street. Cross said a median would not allow left-turn exits onto 191st Street, but a dedicated turn lane would allow left turn entrances from that road into the parking lot. Costco’s traffic consultant Andrew Garrison told the council that the store could see up to 9,000 customers daily during the week, with more on Saturdays. That includes those stopping only for fuel. In response to councilors’ concerns about the left turn, Cross said that access is important to the plan. He said using a nearby roundabout to create a right-in-only access would be cumbersome for customers. “That’s going to be really difficult for our members to take, because we’re going to have about 75 percent of our traffic coming from the west,” he said. “So, you’re asking for a significant number of (drivers) to make those turns around the roundabout and congest the roundabout as opposed to just making a

A site map shows the proposed Westfield Costco with a left-turn entrance off 191st Street. (Image courtesy of the City of Westfield)

quick, easy left in there.” Councilors questioned whether any traffic studies included when Grand Park was at capacity or when nearby Westfield High School was letting out for the day. Council President Patrick Tamm said a left-in off 191st Street would be dangerous and no traffic study will convince him otherwise. “There is no way,” he said. “The rear-ends, the utilization of cellphones

— these are 16-year-old kids. There is no way. Right-in, right-out, fine. But if you’re trying to make a left coming off of US 31, going in on 191st Street, there is no way this works. I mean, it’s a nonstarter. I cannot be more crystal clear.” Councilor Victor McCarty agreed, noting a similar “disaster waiting to happen” at a Meijer on Ind. 32. “I told myself then that I would never support a left-in, left-out because I would rather be proactive instead of reactive, and especially when people’s lives are on the line,” he said. “So, with as much traffic as we’re going to see here, as Councilor Tamm said, (it’s a) nonstarter for me as well.” Cross said Costco developers will consider that, adding that they will have to determine whether that provides adequate access to move forward with the plans. In addition to the Oct. 5 public hearing on the proposed PUD amendment for the Costco store, an advisory plan commission workshop is set for Nov. 16, with an APC vote Dec. 7. The matter is tentatively set to return to the city council Dec. 14.

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CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Woman pleads guilty in Westfield trafficking case probable cause affidavit filed in court. The PCA stated that the victim told investigators that Lindzy — a friend of the victim’s mother — and Lindzy’s boyA 45-year-old Ingalls woman charged in June with sex trafficking and exfriend, Carlos Ponce, 45, had given the juvenile drugs and “did stuff.” ploitation of a 16-year-old WestThe girl told investigators that field girl pleaded guilty Sept. 22 Lindzy and Ponce would order in Madison County Circuit Court her an Uber from her grandto multiple felonies related to the case. mother’s house to a local grocery The court accepted Jessistore, where they would pick her up and take her to hotels or to ca Lindzy’s guilty plea to six Lindzy’s house. She told police charges: Two counts of promoLindzy there were video recordings on tion of child sexual trafficking, a Ponce’s phone. Level 3 felony; Two counts of child exThe PCA states that officers served ploitation, a Level 5 felony; neglect of a a search warrant at Lindzy’s home in dependent, a Level 6 felony; and dissemIngalls — a Madison County town beination of matter harmful to minors, a Level 6 felony. tween Fortville and Anderson. Officers The court ordered a presentence interviewed Lindzy, who admitted to investigation report, due Oct. 19, with “convincing” the victim to have a sexual a sentencing hearing set for Oct. 26 in relationship with Lindzy and Ponce, Madison County Circuit Court. according to the PCA. Lindzy was arrested in June following Ponce also faces multiple felony a Westfield Police Department investiga- charges related to the investigation. His trial date has not yet been scheduled. tion that began May 8, according to the By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

DISPATCHES  Menards hosting food drive — Menards home improvement stores are serving as drop sites for local food pantries through the end of October. Donations can be placed in large collection boxes near the exit doors.  Fall event at MacGregor Park — Westfield Washington Township will host Into the Hollow Woods from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at MacGregor Park. The free event will include pumpkin painting, crafts, games and a lantern-lit walk on forest trails. For more and to register, visit secure.rec1.com/IN/ washington-township-in/catalog.  Westfield Youth Assistance seeks board members — Westfield Youth Assistance Program is searching for new board members with various experiences and skill sets. WYAP serves youth in the community by connecting them with services such as mentoring, tutoring, mental health counseling, camps, enrichment activities and more. The deadline for applications is Oct. 23. For more, visit westfieldyap.org.

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CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Hamilton County sheriff candidates address issues By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com Candidates for Hamilton County sheriff Lt. Dustin Dixon and Lt. Charles Hollowell were the featured guests during a joint Westfield and Noblesville chamber of commerce forum Oct. 6, taking turns for about an hour answering questions from chamber officials and others attending the morning event at The Bridgewater Club. The candidates both noted that they had been law enforcement academy classmates and had known each other many years. Dixon, a Republican, said his 25 years at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office have given him the right background to do the job well. “The most important thing is the culture of the agency,” he said. “The folks in the agency need to know the culture, what the sheriff is going to demand of them, what the public expects of me and how we’re going to continue to serve all of you and these families to keep this Hamilton County area as safe as we can.” Hollowell, a Democrat, has worked with the Westfield Police Department 24 years. He said he would bring a different perspective to the office, noting that he grew up in Detroit, where there are people of many different socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Hollowell added that he earned an MBA from the Kelley School of Business. Hollowell said one of the first things he would do as sheriff would be to terminate the office’s 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which authorizes state and local law enforcement officers to perform some immigration officer functions. That didn’t mean he would not

From left, Lt. Charles Hollowell, Noblesville Chamber of Commerce President Bob DuBois, Westfield Chamber of Commerce President Courtney Albright and Lt. Dustin Dixon. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)

collaborate with other agencies, he said, because collaboration is a key element to successful law enforcement. Dixon did not address the ICE agreement, but agreed collaboration is important. He pointed to central Indiana multiagency task forces that have investigated drugs and internet crimes against children, and said he wants to help create other task forces to specifically tackle fugitives and violent crime. Both candidates pointed to their experience as supervisors and leaders. Hollowell said he was third in charge at WPD until the new administration reassigned command staff. He said he is now in charge of recruitment and has worked hard to bring good people into the department. He said keeping good people also is important. “One of the biggest ways that you can keep people working in the county (is) when they respect you, when they respect the leader, when they know that you’re there for them, when they know

that you’re trying to put things and plans together in order to keep them and let them and their families be successful,” he said. Dixon said recruitment is challenging, even with the good wages and benefits offered by the sheriff’s office. He said he would do his best to provide service within the department’s budget. “It is not cheap to run a law enforcement agency, but it’s not our job to make money,” he said. “It is our job to responsibly spend that money that we’re entrusted with. So, what I can promise you as your sheriff is, we’re going to work very, very diligently within that budget and the money that you trust us in to provide quality public safety.” Dixon pointed to the endorsements he has received from public officials and agencies. Hollowell countered that it’s hard to endorse someone you’ve never talked to, and that he reached out to those officials and groups with no

response. Hollowell added that numerous residents told him that they thought he would make a great sheriff, but wouldn’t vote for him because he is a Democrat. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s about who can do the job. It’s not about if you have a D or R or I in front of your name.” Dixon said the phrase that sums up his campaign is “service over self.” “That’s how I modeled my life,” he said. “I spent three years in the military. I spent 25 years (in the ) sheriff’s office. Been blessed to serve as the president of Shop for Kids for 10 years, serve on the Noblesville Youth Assistance Program as the vice president for the last three years. That’s the image and phrase that I want to emulate to the department.” For more, visit the candidates’ websites, dixonforsheriff.com and charleshollowell.com.

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COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

APC hears Costco debate By Kaitlin Fallowfield news@currentinwestfield.com A proposed Costco Wholesale warehouse was the topic of debate for more than 90 minutes during a public hearing at the Westfield Advisory Plan Commission’s Oct. 5 meeting. Plans for the store require an amendment to the Midtown Planned Unit Development at Ind. 31 and 191st Street. The wholesale retailer introduced its application for the warehouse and gas station during a recent Westfield City Council meeting. At the time, some councilors argued against a left turn into the site and expressed concern about the architectural and landscaping design. Costco Real Estate Development Director Steve Cross told the APC that the proposal was changed slightly to address some of the concerns. However, the 191st Street entrance was not removed in the updated plans. Changes included alterations to the facade to include Indiana limestone, recycled materials and varying colors. In response to landscaping concerns, Cross said the new design includes additions at the south end of the site and the perimeter of the parking lot instead of

in the interior. Councilor Victor McCarty, who also serves on the APC, said he observed traffic along 191st and East Street, and noticed that vehicles frequently back up from 191st to 186th Street after school dismissal and start to jam on the 191st Street off-ramp from Ind. 31 around 6 p.m. He said the infrastructure needs to be redone to accommodate current conditions, and the area isn’t ready to take an additional 9,000 to 18,000 cars daily if a Costco is approved. Cross said he also observed traffic and noted backups, but added that cars were still moving and resolved “within a minute to 30 seconds.” He added that Costco planners will continue to gather traffic data and work with public staff. Michelle Sigg, who spoke during the public hearing, said her biggest issue is with the local infrastructure, not Costco. She and McCarty both said the left-in turn was a “nonstarter,” and Sigg added that vehicles traveling to Grand Park Sports Complex use the 191st Street exit, so adding additional traffic will only make matters worse. The issue will be discussed further at a future APC workshop.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAMPS

The Westfield Middle School boys cross country team placed first in the large-school division during the Oct. 3 Indiana Middle School Cross Country Championships at the Lavern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. The team is coached by head coach Linda Ogle and assistant coaches Whitney Ackerman, Rick Cox and Tom West. (Photo courtesy of Erin Burns)

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Transfer makes impact in first season with Greyhounds By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com Mychael Lewis has developed into a major addition at running back on the Carmel High School football team. “Mychael has been outstanding all year,” CHS coach Kevin Wright said. “From my standpoint, he is one of the most explosive kids in Indiana with the ball in his hands. He’s a tremendous worker, team guy who has become one of our leaders on and off the field.” Lewis, a junior, was the starting quarterback at Pike High School as a sophomore last season but has been moved to running back since transferring to CHS. “I have enjoyed the switch. It’s been very fun, especially because I feel like I’m contributing to the team more,” he said. Lewis started out competing for the CHS quarterback spot. “He adjusted fairly quickly, especially since he was competing at the quarterback position, which requires him not just to know the signals but to translate the calls to the offensive line, which takes even more processing,” Wright said. In the first seven games, Lewis rushed for 1,028 yards on 172 carries with 13 touchdowns. He also has 18 catches for 191 yards and a touchdown. “The biggest adjustment to the offense I would say is being in a hurry-up throughout the game,” he said.

ATHLETE

OF THE WEEK MEET MYCHAEL LEWIS Favorite athlete: Lamar Jackson Favorite TV show: “Friends” Favorite movie: “Friday” Favorite vacation spot: The Bahamas Favorite subject: Math

Wright said an uptempo, hurry-up offense does require players to process things a lot quicker than traditional offenses. “His biggest strength is probably how hard he practices and competes,” Wright said. “He’s very intentional about the details, which as a result, translates when a player makes a position change. The other two factors are his competitiveness and how tough a kid he is, whether the ball is in his hands or he is blocking.” Lewis said he feels like he has made the most improvement at being a better leader. He said the goal is for the Greyhounds to capture the IHSSA Class 6A state title. “I do see my team starting to jell but we still need to keep working as a collective and find a way to win,” he said. Lewis, who started playing football at age 6, played basketball when he was younger. “I gave up basketball around fifth grade,” he said. “I didn’t have the same type of passion for it around that time, so I decided to give it up.” Lewis, who has scholarship offers from the University of Saint Francis and Marian University, said Football Bowl Subdivision programs Duke University, University of Toledo and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, have shown interest. To nominate a high school student for Athlete of the Week, contact mark@youarecurrent.com.

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10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Local student combines chess, giving back By Piper Bailey Piper@youarecurrent.com What started as a hobby for Nikhil Murugan in first grade has evolved into a passion that has led to coaching, tournament directing, nonprofit leadership and fundraising for cancer research. Those efforts helped raise more than $5,100 this summer for the American Cancer Society. But that wasn’t always Murugan’s plan. A competitive chess player, MuruMurugan gan, a senior at Carmel High School, won the 2024 U.S. Junior Open in the Under-15 division and was named a 2026 USCF Scholastic Chess Ambassador. His leadership journey began when an opponent at a tournament asked Murugan to coach him. He gradually began helping other players and, at 14, founded the Summit Chess Club. “I was teaching low-rated players and seeing them improve so much it made me want to scale it up,” Murugan said. Since its founding in 2023, Summit Chess Club has directed more than 75 tournaments and recorded more than 2,600 player entries, according to the organization’s website. The nonprofit has a mission to promote chess throughout Carmel and central Indiana.

Community Member Spotlight presented by

Nikhil Murugan speaks to participants before the Checkmate Cancer 2026 event July 16 at Carmel High School. (Photos courtesy of Nikhil Murugan)

The club hosts free weekly sessions open to players of all ages and skill levels on Thursdays and Sundays, along with tournaments and community events throughout the year. Through partnerships with organizations including the Carmel Clay Public Library, Indianapolis Public Library and Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, Murugan has introduced hundreds of players to chess. “Watching kids go from amateurs to really good players, it’s been a really great thing to see,” Murugan said.

Murugan also co-founded the American Cancer Society Club at CHS in January, inspired by his interest in cancer research and plans to pursue medicine. This summer, he combined his interests when Summit Chess Club hosted its first major fundraiser, Checkmate Cancer 2026, raising $5,132.78 for the American Cancer Society. “I feel like it’s really important to start at a place where you already know that you can do a lot of good in,” Murugan said. “As you keep growing, you’ll also learn more about how you can help people.” Murugan is considering how to sustain Summit Chess Club as he prepares to attend college next fall. For now, he hopes to plan events around when he returns home during breaks and host free online lessons. His goal is to make chess more accessible while supporting the community. “I would like to keep running these community events, (and) try to make them as large scale as (possible),” Murugan said. Learn more at summitchessclub.com.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

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Shamrocks finish 3rd in girls golf state finals By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com Westfield High School girls golf coach Josh Bryant had much to like about the 2026 season., “We had a great season,” he said. “We broke 300 (strokes) more times this year than any time in the past four years, although in 2023 we ended up finishing second instead of third with a great state finals performance.” The Shamrocks finished third in the IHSAA state finals Oct. 3 at Battle Ground Golf Club in Battle Ground with a two-day total score of 622, shaving off 10 strokes in the second round. It was the second consecutive year Westfield placed third. Zionsville won for the third consecutive year with a state finals record 589. Westfield sophomore Farrah Camp placed 10th with rounds of 76 and 74 for a 150 total. Senior teammate Kate Brown tied for 12th with a 78-75 for a 153 total. “Kate tied her (personal record) on the second day of state, which was super cool,” Bryant said. “Farrah had a great tournament. Our second day we had five girls in the 70s, so that’s really all you can ask for. We bounced back after the first day. We had a few girls that were disappointed and that can happen when the emotions get high at the state finals.” Senior Sophia Raines placed 20th with a 77-79 for a 156 total. The other Westfield golfers were junior Olivia Manning with 85-79 for 164 and sopho-

more Laila Abriani with 90-78 for 168. Brown returned to the lineup after not being able to play in the regional because of lower back injury. Bryant’s daughter, Harper, a senior, filled in for Brown. “Kate spent five days of rehab for her back,” Bryant said. “For her to come back and tough through shooting what she did at state, I’m really proud of her.” Raines will likely play golf at DePauw University. Bryant said his team had competitive matches with Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Zionsville during the season. Bryant said Zionsville had a dominant regular season and capped it off with a dominant postseason “We had a couple opportunities where we played great golf and came within a few shots of them, but they proved over and over again they were certainly the best team,” he said. “Hats off to Carmel for its performance. They were very deserving of second place.” The Shamrocks won the sectional based on the fifth golfer’s score after tying with Carmel with a 291 at Pebble Brook Golf Course in Noblesville. “We had great competition with Carmel all year, back and forth all season,” he said, Westfield was second to Zionsville in the regional at Harrison Hills Golf Club in Attica. Westfield shot 315 and Carmel was third with 328. Zionsville shot 287. “That course was really hard and for us to finish 13 shots ahead of Carmel, we played great,” Bryant said.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

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Dr. Lindsay Moore

Special Olympics Indiana’s Polar Plunge is an annual fundraiser with events throughout the state, including now at Skylake Adventures north of Westfield. (File photo)

Skylake Adventures to host Polar Plunge finale news@currentinwestfield.com Special Olympics Indiana’s 2027 Polar Plunge season will conclude in a new location, with a switch from Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis to Skylake Adventures in Sheridan, north of Westfield. The wintertime fundraiser challenges Hoosiers to brave the cold and raise funds to support athletes with intellectual disabilities. “Polar Plunge is about so much more than getting into cold water. It is about people coming together, challenging themselves and showing their commitment to our athletes,” stated Jeff Mohler, president and CEO of Special Olympics Indiana. “Eagle Creek Park has been a wonderful partner for so many years. We are excited to take that experience to Skylake Adventures and introduce our plungers to a new venue that gives us even more opportunities to celebrate what makes Polar Plunge so special.” The new venue provides a different backdrop for the Polar Plunge season-ending celebration, which includes costumes, teams, fundraising challenges and the opportunity to

take the plunge for Special Olympics Indiana, according to a news release. Ramp access will create opportunities for individuals who use wheelchairs to participate. “Special Olympics Indiana is an incredible organization and the Polar Plunge has become such an iconic tradition in communities across our state,” stated Sean Howard, co-founder of Skylake Adventures. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the athletes, families, volunteers, supporters and plungers to our beautiful new park.” The 2027 Polar Plunge season will include more than 20 events across Indiana between January and March. In 2026, more than 3,000 Hoosiers participated and raised more than $1 million for Special Olympics Indiana. Dates for the two-day event at Skylake Adventures will be announced at a later time. Funds raised through Polar Plunge help Special Olympics Indiana provide year-round sports training and competition, as well as health, leadership and other programs for more than 20,000 Hoosiers with intellectual disabilities. For more, visit PolarPlungeIN.org or soindiana.org.

utting off the annual exam? It may seem unnecessary to see your doctor when you’re feeling well, but an annual exam is valuable. As a primary care physician, I use the annual exam as a chance to partner with each patient and develop an individualized plan to maintain their best health possible. During your exam, we cover a lot of health issues, including: • Review your weight and discuss lifestyle, including diet and exercise habits • Check your blood pressure • Catch up on any updates to your family and personal medical history • Ensure you are up to date on health screenings such as cholesterol and blood sugar checks • Order any necessary cancer screenings

• Make sure you have all recommended vaccines • Review your medicine list for any changes • Complete a full physical exam to find any hidden health issues • Review the care plan for any chronic medical issues • Coordinate the care for anything you’re seeing a specialist for • Discuss any concerns you have related to your physical and mental health It may seem unusual to go to the doctor if you’re feeling well. But many health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer don’t have any symptoms until significant harm has already occurred. Catching these conditions early can make a big difference in your overall health by preventing them from worsening. I always make sure to schedule an extended visit time for annual exams – there is a lot to cover! I want my patients to have time to get the care they deserve. This is the chance to ask me any health-related questions you have – no question is too big or too small. As your primary care physician, I should be

your first stop for all your medical concerns. I never want my patients to feel alone when it comes to their medical care. I am here to reassure you when possible, evaluate your symptoms, and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs. I am also here to coordinate care with any needed specialists and help to make sure your care is as streamlined and efficient as possible. It is my privilege to establish a relationship with my patients to manage their medical needs as they evolve over the years. We cannot predict the future, but I want my patients to feel confident that if health concerns arise down the road, they have a partner who will walk that road with them and set them up for the best chance of wellness. Contact Information: FreedomDoc Westfield 15229 Westfield Blvd Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 763-2131

Accepting New Patients

The views expressed in this column are that of Dr. Lindsay Moore and FreedomDoc.

COMMUNITY

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

BEYOND COMFORT Westfield teacher uses Lilly fellowship to grow through challenges

By Sara Palmer news@currentinwestfield.com Carly Miller likes lists. She likes checking boxes. She likes knowing what comes next. Three weeks traveling through the Southwest reminded the Monon Trail Elementary School teacher that sometimes the best experiences happen when the plan falls apart. “I’m very much Type A. I like to be in control of things,” Miller said. “I make all the lists, check all the boxes. I always want to do things the right way.” A postponed helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon and a grueling kayak trip against 30 mph winds on Lake Powell put that need for control to the test. “You can’t prepare for everything,” Miller said. “Unexpected things are going to happen. You’re going to have to be flexible, make new plans.” That was precisely the point. Miller, a Westfield resident in her 21st year as an educator, was one of 154 Indiana educators selected for a 2026 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship. Her project, “Journey Beyond Comfort: Discovering Growth Through Challenge,” took her through New Mexico, Arizona and Utah for three weeks of experiences designed to push her outside her comfort zone — something she regularly asks of her students. Miller grew up in Auburn and attended Ball State University before beginning her teaching career in Zionsville. She has taught in Westfield for seven years and is an MTSS teacher coordinator at Monon Trail, providing small-group instruction and intervention to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Conversations with a colleague who had received the fellowship encouraged Miller to apply. She spent a summer researching and writing her proposal and received a fellowship on her second attempt. After two decades in education, the timing felt right. “Teaching is hard,” Miller said. “You definitely get to the end of May and you need your summers. And sometimes you don’t really realize … how much you

need that time to rejuvenate until you get it.” Lilly Endowment Inc. launched the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program in 1987 to provide Indiana K-12 educators with opportunities for personal renewal. “We believe that through new experiences, exploration and reflection, educators can generate renewed energy in their careers, innovative approaches to teaching and educational leadership, and thoughtful ways to encourage students’ creative thinking,” Lilly Endowment Communications Director Judith Cebula said in an email. “TCFP renewal projects are not intended to be typical vacations, rather they are meant to be intentional experiences that restore educators’ enthusiasm for their profession and stimulate their creativity, which should in turn enhance the educational experiences of their students.” Cebula said the endowment has continued the program every year since it began and has received many reports from educators about how their renewal experiences revitalized their commitment to their students, classrooms and the education profession. For Miller, renewal meant heading West. Miller and her family traveled by camper and truck, but the trip wasn’t simply about seeing new places. She had intentionally chosen experiences that would challenge her. One of the first came in Albuquerque, N.M., where Miller took a predawn hotair balloon ride. Apprehensive about heights, she nevertheless climbed into the balloon and watched the sun rise

Carly Miller gets ready to take a hot-air balloon ride in Albuquerque, N.M. (Photo courtesy of Westfield Washington Schools)

over the Sandia Mountains. “It was one of the excursions I was looking forward to most because it’s one of those experiences that you don’t just go and do,” Miller said. “To do it in the early morning and to see the sun over the mountains, it was just breathtaking.” In Arizona, a different kind of challenge awaited. High winds postponed the family’s planned helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, forcing Miller to rearrange the itinerary and find another place to stay. The family returned the next morning for the first flight of the day. Then came Lake Powell. Miller and her husband set out by kayak toward Antelope Canyon, paddling against winds of approximately 30 mph. What began as another adventure became one of the most physically demanding experiences of the trip. “Kayaking was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Mill-

ABOUT THE TEACHER CREATIVITY FELLOWSHIP Lilly Endowment Inc. launched the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program in 1987 to provide Indiana K-12 educators with opportunities for personal renewal. For 2026, Lilly Endowment awarded grants of up to $15,000 each to 154 educators, totaling $2.25 million. Educators design their own renewal projects, which can include travel, phys-

ical challenges, creative pursuits and other personally renewing experiences. More than 3,900 Teacher Creativity Fellowship grants have been awarded since the program began. The 2026 program was the 39th round of the fellowship program. For more, visit lillyendowment.org/ for-grantseekers/renewal-programs/ teacher-creativity.

er said. “There were moments where you wanted to give up, but you couldn’t because otherwise you just float back the way you don’t want to go.” They kept paddling and reached the canyon. The family continued into Utah, where Miller took on more unfamiliar experiences, including backpacking in Bryce Canyon and exploring Zion National Park on horseback. Near Moab, they visited Canyonlands and Arches national parks, rode a UTV and rafted the Colorado River. By the end of the trip, Miller said the challenges had changed more than her willingness to try something new. They challenged her instinct to plan for every possibility and reinforced that unexpected circumstances don’t have to derail the experience. The trip also left her with a greater appreciation for her own life and opportunities, and the experience reinforced how she thinks about her students. “I know that they’re bringing their own experiences to school, whether that be good or bad,” Miller said. “I always want to make sure that wherever they are, I want to meet them where they are.” It also reinforced the importance of giving educators an opportunity to focus on themselves. “Teachers generally are very selfless,” Miller said. “They’re giving so much of themselves emotionally and physically that being able to then have an opportunity to invest in themselves is priceless.” Miller hopes sharing her experience will encourage other educators to pursue similar opportunities. For her, the three weeks away accomplished what she had been looking for after two decades in the classroom. “When I finished the experience, I definitely felt a sense of renewal, a sense of adventure and, I guess, a change in myself about how I looked at my job and my life,” Miller said. “It was an amazing experience.” ON THE COVER: Carly Miller at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. (Photo courtesy of Westfield Washington Schools)

VIEWS

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

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Editor, Westfield Washington Schools is one of the fastest-growing school districts in Indiana, with enrollment projected to reach 11,700 students by the mid-2030s. It is recognized as a top-tier school district locally and nationally. In the state, WWS is ranked No. 7 best school districts. Our high school is ranked No. 9 best in the state. Nationally, WWS is ranked in the top 2 percent at 140/10,394. Our high school ranks 434/18,000 and our teacher quality is ranked in the top 8 percent. It holds an overall A+ for academic proficiency and college readiness. The graduation rate is 98 percent. These accolades of our school system benefit all of our residents. However, financial rankings show a stark contrast between the funding WWS receives versus the academic outcomes it delivers. WWS ranks near the bottom, despite its population size, with a funding ranking of 260/290 school districts. Referendum support is currently 17-cents — low compared to neighboring school districts (the new referendum has a projected rate of 33.81 cents and replaces the current referendum). Conclusion: WWS functions as a highly efficient but severely underfunded district. We have passed multiple referendums to support WWS with great results. Their performance warrants our faith and trust to manage the budget the referendum funds. I am confident they will properly steward the funds to maintain our school system as a top-tier K-12 system. We have one of the best school systems in the nation. If this referendum fails, we risk losing the top-tier rankings we have achieved. Austerity will prevail. These monies will 100 percent make up the difference between state and local funding and provide what is necessary to ensure our children have every opportunity to be “Life Ready” upon high school graduation. Join me in supporting WWS and the opportunities this referendum will fund. Ron Moore, Westfield

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BUSINESS LOCAL

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Brothers Jesse Mann and Soni Mann, CEO and president, respectively, of Mann Brothers Holdings, LLC, were among the people gathering for an Oct 2 ribbon cutting at the new Friendly Maket store on Wheeler Road. (Photo by Kaitlin Fallowfield)

Hoosier brothers open Friendly Market store By Kaitlin Fallowfield news@currentinwestfield.com Business partners and brothers Jesse Mann and Soni Mann cut the ribbon on their new Friendly Market convenience store Oct. 2, alongside Westfield Chamber of Commerce officials and Westfield City Council members. Headquartered in Lafayette, the Friendly Market is a family-owned chain of convenience stores that started in 2006. After finishing high school in California on a foreign exchange program, the Mann brothers moved to Indiana and started working at a convenience store in the City of Marion. They eventually bought the business and in 2013 formed Mann Brothers Holdings LLC. Now, the siblings operate 25 Friendly Market stores. As they opened their first Westfield store at the corner of Wheeler Road and 181st Street, Jesse Mann said he and his brother have been expanding across Hamilton County. Friendly Market recently opened a store in Noblesville at Ind. 38 and Little Chicago Road, Jesse said, adding that he and his brother are working to open a store in Zionsville, near Holliday Farms. Shelby Smit, office manager for

Mann Brothers Holdings, said the new store is in the heart of Westfield and intentionally placed near Grand Park Sports Campus. “They didn’t have a big plan to build a chain,” Smit said. “They just figured if you hire friendly people and keep friendly prices, folks will keep coming back. Turns out, they were right.” Smit said that “small towns have always been our roots,” with a third of the stores operating in communities with fewer than 900 residents. “What we love most about this business is getting to know the communities we serve and calling them home,” she said. During the grand opening, the Mann brothers also gifted $2,500 to Student Impact, a local nonprofit after-school program for Westfield students. Millions of young athletes and their families travel to the community every year for sporting events at Grand Park, and Jesse Mann said he looks forward to connecting with them and the community that lives here year-round. “Even though it’s big enough to have that many people coming from out of town, Westfield is still pretty connected,” Mann said. “We feel very special to be here.” For more, visit friendlymarket.us.

HEALTH

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

What’s new in contacts? tance vision while also helping you to see your computer, screens and devices. One of the most difficult aspects of If you have been discouraged with mulearning “more candles on our birthday tifocal contacts in the past, you should cake” is the way our near vision is imreconsider trying a newer technology pacted. We were once that is constantly able to see so easily up improving. “Needing glasses close. Technology has imHowever, as we apfor near vision, proved contact lenses proach our early 40s, for children, as well. when you have our natural lens starts For children who are never needed them to become more rigid nearsighted, we have before, can be really and seeing up close is amazing treatment often not as easy as it choices in the form frustrating.” once was. This poses of contact lenses. We – DR. FRANNIE FIECHTER a problem if you are utilize the specialty on the computer for contacts to help slow long hours, or if you don’t want to wear how quickly the prescription changes glasses for the entire duration of your from year to year. This is really amazing day. Needing glasses for near vision, because we can then lower the final prewhen you have never needed them bescription the patient ends up with when fore, can be really frustrating. they are fully grown adults. Thankfully, many new treatment opIt truly is amazing how much techtions have come to the market in even nology has evolved in such a short the last five years. Many contact lens amount of time that covers the speccompanies have released newer contact trum of bifocals for adults to nearsightlens designs that allow us to offer great ed prevention in children. distance and near vision to patients, simultaneously. It does take some brain adjustment time, but the brain is really adaptable and results have been outDr. Frannie Fiechter is the pedistanding for thousands of our patients. atric specialist at Little Eyes. These include monthly and daily disposable lenses that offer excellent disCommentary by Dr. Frannie Feichter

DISPATCHES  Community launches newborn concierge service — Community Health Network’s new Newborn Concierge Program is designed to help families navigate the transition from hospital to home by offering direct, in-home pediatric care. The membership-based program provides guidance and ongoing support during the first months of a child’s life. Families enrolled in the program receive personalized care from pediatric providers without the need to travel to a doctor’s office. The Newborn Concierge Program is available to eligible families in portions of Carmel, Fishers, Westfield and Zionsville, and is now enrolling participants.  Health Department warns of animal bites — The Hamilton County Health Department reminds residents to report all animal bites and take precautions to avoid contact with bats and other wild or unvaccinated animals that might carry rabies or other diseases. Rabies affects

the nervous system of humans, pets and wildlife. It can be transmitted through a bite, scratch or exposure to the saliva of an infected animal. Because bat bites or scratches can be extremely small and difficult to detect, any potential exposure should be treated as a significant health concern. For more, visit in.gov/rabies.  Free KidsFit registration opens — Registration is open for the free 2026-27 500 Festival KidsFit Program. The statewide plan helps Indiana K-6 students get active by having them run or walk 1 mile a week to reach 13.1 miles. Students can finish their final 3.1 miles May 8 at the 500 Festival 5K in downtown Indianapolis. Schools unable to travel can host a free on-site run. The lessons meet Indiana state standards for health and gym classes. Teachers and organizers can sign up at 500festival.com/kidsfit.

INSIDE & OUT

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

BLUEPRINT FOR IMPROVEMENT: Commentary by Larry Greene This Zionsville kitchen was reworked into a brighter, more timeless space with improved flow, layered finishes and a refined neutral palette.

Zionsville kitchen gets timeless transformation AFTER

THE BLUEPRINT • Reconfigured cabinetry and a larger island create better storage, prep space and circulation throughout the kitchen. • Soft perimeter cabinetry paired with a rich wood island adds warmth, contrast and timeless character. • Light countertops and a subtle tiled backsplash keep the space bright and cohesive. • Updated appliances, lighting and hardware add a polished finishing touch. • The redesigned layout creates a more open connection between the kitchen and adjoining dining space.

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.

BEFORE

Your source for local arts & entertainment and upcoming events • youarecurrent.com

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

The art of creating a corn maze By Alex McCarthy alex@youarecurrent.com Stacy Bonner has been an artist nearly all her life. “I’ve yet to meet a craft that I didn’t like,” said Bonner, the manager of Hogan Farms in Brownsburg. For the most part, those crafts have been small enough to hang on the wall in her home. But for the past four years, Bonner has taken her artistic talents to a much larger scale — the Hogan Farms corn maze. In the Midwest and elsewhere, corn mazes are popular attractions. Venues such as Hogan Farms and Russell Farms in Noblesville pair corn mazes with pumpkin patches, hayrides, markets and more. But the corn maze is the biggest production, as the owners of the farms have to be artistic and organized in order to create them. There are some commonalities between how farmers create corn mazes, but the artistic process differs. Bonner loves Halloween. When she spoke to Current in August, she already switched to her seasonal phone case with little ghosts on it. When she first approached Hogan Farms owner Zach Frazee a few years ago about working with him, she proposed changing his designs — mostly farm-related or sports-related — to more Halloween themed. For the past four years, Bonner has brought her spooky approach to the maze designs. She starts by drawing out the shape of the cornfield and seeing what she can fit into it. One year, she took clip art and arranged it on a sheet until all the figures fit just right. The 2025 maze featured a huge skeleton with a bat at his feet. She sketched out the figures and then sent it off to the company that came and mowed the pattern. This year, they worked with one of the premier corn maze designers in the Midwest, Precision Mazes. The company, helmed by Rob Stouffer, is near Kansas City, Mo., and has designed thousands of mazes over the past 26

‘CATS’ “Cats” runs through Nov. 22 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis. For more, visit beefandboards.com. ‘JAGGED LITTLE PILL’ Civic Theatre’s production of Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” runs through Oct. 17 at The Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

Hogan Farms manager Stacy Bonner’s original art (left) compared to the final product for the farm’s 2025 corn maze. (Photo courtesy of Stacy Bonner)

years. He said his team can design something for clients, but they prefer local designs that mean more to the members of that community. “We want the concept to come from the client,” Stouffer said, “because it really is their product and it needs to be something they’re excited about as they market and merchandise it to their guests throughout the fall.” The Precision Mazes designers take the visions and designs that farm managers send them and they turn them into mazes. They ensure that there’s one way in and one way out, with plenty of dead ends along the way. They also make sure that the corridors through the corn are far enough away from each other that you can’t see or hear people passing nearby, Stouffer said. Then Stouffer programs a GPS device with the exact coordinates of where to mow in the field. When Stouffer arrives, his mower knows exactly where to go and he rides along with it to ensure everything goes smoothly. His mowing season runs from July to September, he said. Other Indianapolis-area corn mazes are a little more low-tech. Russell Farms in Noblesville has kept largely the same approach over the course of its 25 years of operation, employee Amy Morris and owner Laura Russell

‘THE CRUCIBLE’

Precision Mazes’ mower cuts a path through a cornfield with the assistance of GPS technology. (Photo courtesy of Precision Mazes)

said Russell comes up with an idea and maps it out on a piece of paper. When the corn is about hip high, Russell and her family go out into the fields and chop down the corn with the paper map as their guide. While they’ve incorporated drones into their process recently, the general analog approach of following a design on paper has been the main strategy for 25 years running. “And it works,” Morris said. Hogan Farms is open from Tuesday-Sunday every week this month. Russell Farms is open Wednesday-Sunday the next two weekends and Saturday, Oct. 31, as well. More information is available on brownsburgcornmaze. com and russell-farms.com. Both Hogan Farms (15 years) and Russell Farms (25 years) are celebrating landmark anniversaries, so they both themed their mazes this year around those anniversaries. But Bonner is already looking forward to bringing a spooky design back to the field in 2027. “Next year, I’m envisioning a witch out here on a broom,” she said.

Main Street Productions presents “The Crucible” through Oct. 18 at Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org. THE WAR AND TREATY The War and Treaty will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org. ‘THE SIXTIES SHOW’ “The Sixties Show” is set for a 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 concert at Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org. ‘INVINCIBLE’ “Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson” is set for 8 p.m. Oct. 16 at Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org. ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN THE NOTES’ Niladri Kumaar’s “The Space Between the Notes” is set for a 7 p.m. Oct. 16 concert at Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenterpresents.org.

ENTERTAINMENT

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD 10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Magician Carbonaro to perform at Palladium

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

A love of special effects put Michael Carbonaro on a magical path. Carbonaro will bring his “Wonderboy” tour to Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel for an 8 p.m. Oct. 23 performance. This is Carbonaro’s third national tour, but it is the first time he has been to the Allied Solutions Center. “I’d say ‘Wonderboy’ is basically 90 minutes of fun, surprises, audience participation and people looking at each other going, ‘How the heck did he do that?’” he said. “I think somewhere underneath all that is this idea of getting back to the childhood feeling of when your imagination felt like a superpower.” Carbonaro starred in five seasons of “The Carbonaro Effect,” which started in 2014 on TruTV and ended in 2020. “We’re always talking about a reboot,” he said. “We’ve got some stuff in the works.” Carbonaro said clips from the

shows are on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. “It’s really found an audience just in the social clips that people share,” he said. “I love so much of the stuff we did on the show, but, boy, I really come alive when I’m on stage. I like to say on ‘The Carbonaro Effect” I was putting one person down the rabbit hole, and live, I get to put the entire theater down the rabbit hole at once … My entry into magic was really a love of monsters and special effects. I thought I was going to be a makeup and special effects artist for the movies. “There is actually a bit in the show right now where I transform into all these different creatures. It was the kind of act I used to do when I was a kid, just for myself in the mirror.” Carbonaro views special effects as a form of magic. “I found a love of what I do when I would go to a magic shop where I grew up in Long Island (N.Y.) to buy makeup supplies,” he said. “I would find myself on the other side of the store where the magic tricks were. I loved performing them and making people laugh. Magic

Magician Michael Carbonaro’s “Wonderboy” tour will stop at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Stuart Pettican)

became a way to perform special effects live.” Carbonaro said he attended New York University to become the next David Copperfield. He took acting, drama, voice and dance classes. “I really got into the acting and comedy (aspect),” he said. “I started booking some TV shows as guest stars. I did a couple of films. I moved to Los Angeles with the idea of pursuing acting over magic, but oddly enough, as life is, magic came right back to me.”

Carbonaro, 50, performed segments of hidden camera magic on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” He grew up a fan of “Candid Camera.” “When I did (the segments), I got to be the actor, the magician all at once,” he said. “‘The Carbonaro Effect’ created the exposure to do a tour like this one. I would say it’s the sole engine.” Carbonaro said his makeup skills come in handy. “I still slay Halloween,” he said. “On the television show, even though it’s a comedy show for all ages, there were some bits that were really scary. We went into voodoo and there were monsters in some of the bits and ghosts. There was one bit where somebody believed that a human head was blooming out of a plant and all these crazy things you would see in horror and sci-fi films.” Besides film work, Carbonaro has appeared in TV shows such as “CSI: Miami,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “30 Rock” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” For tickets, visit thecenterpresents. org. For more, visit michaelcarbonaro. com.

Concert raises over $20K By Alex McCarthy alex@youarecurrent.com

Concerts for a Cause raised more than $20,000 for victims of the recent flooding in central Indiana with its first virtual concert, co-founder and president Bruce Kidd said. Although the approach was novel, the concept of a concert fundraiser is not new for Concerts for a Cause. The Carmel-based organization has presented more than 40 concerts through the years. Following the historic flooding in August, video marketing company Spokenote reached out to Concerts for a Cause to propose a virtual concert that anybody could watch at any time. Kidd was already thinking about a benefit for flood victims when Spokenote’s founder and CEO John Wechsler made contact, so Kidd jumped at the opportunity. “It was just serendipity or divine intervention, I don’t know what it was,” Kidd said. “(Wechsler) called me and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea.’ And when he explained the idea, I just laughed and said, ‘Well, that’s a better idea than

Musical artists involved in Concerts for a Cause include, clockwise from upper left, Tay Bronson, Marc Imboden, Liz Longley, Michael McDermott, Pat McGee, Jon McLaughlin and Chris Trapper. (Photo courtesy of Concerts for a Cause)

mine.’ It’s much broader and bigger.” The 50-minute concert featured performances by artists across the country, including Tay Bronson, Marc Imboden, Liz Longley, Jon McLaughlin, Michael McDermott, Pat McGee and Chris Trapper. The concert went live Sept. 22 and was available until Oct. 5. People still can donate to the cause at indyconcertsforacause.org/ buy-tickets/2026-flood-donation.

ENTERTAINMENT

CURRENT IN WESTFIELD

10.13.26 • youarecurrent.com

Carmel native returns to IBC Pecar has gone from dancer to manager for Indiana Ballet Conservatory

4 years old. Pecar’s mother asked him and his brother if they would like to take painting or ballet classes. Pecar’s brother immediately said he wanted to paint, leaving Pecar with ballet. While By Alex McCarthy his brother moved on from painting alex@youarecurrent.com relatively quickly, Pecar immediately fell in love with ballet. He was involved Sometimes as he walks through the with the Russian Ballet Academy of Inhallways of the Indiana Ballet Conservatory, Business Operations Manager diana before the faculty at the academy Mark Pecar sees himself in the founded IBC. He remained with dance studios. IBC before he went off to college. It’s not just that he sees young From there, he developed an dancers who remind him of array of interests, from ceramics himself when he used to train to photography to sustainable and perform with IBC. He sees agriculture. He decided not to videotape of himself on the pursue dancing professionally. TV screens in the studios. The For a year, he worked on a hyPecar young dancers are studying his droponic lettuce farm before choreography as they prepare for their moving to Los Angeles to be near his performances. brother, who was living there. While “I’ll just chuckle,” Pecar, 30, said. “It’s in LA, Pecar parlayed his photography so full circle and super rewarding to interest into a job and branched into art see dancers who are so committed and departments in the film industry. impassioned. I know what that feels He recently felt a pull to return like, so it’s rewarding to play a part in closer to home and connected with enabling that.” the business operations manager role Pecar grew up in Carmel performing at IBC, where he started working in with IBC. He refers to the faculty there May. Among other duties, he’s focused as his “extended family.” Now, as an on fundraising and marketing. The adult, he has found his way back to the efforts help the IBC continue to stage conservatory, where he is giving back to productions, such as “The Nutcracker,” the organization that gave him so much presented Nov. 28-29 at the Palladium at when he was younger. the Allied Solutions Center for the PerHis journey began when he was just forming Arts.

Gregory Glade Hancock, Executive Artistic Director SEASON PRESENTING PARTNER DR. ANITA JOSHI DR. ARUN JAIN

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THE TARKINGTON AT ALLIED SOLUTIONS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

IBC’S ‘NUTCRACKER’ TAKES STAGE The Indiana Ballet Conservatory is bringing “The Nutcracker” to the stage at the Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts on Thanksgiving weekend. Performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 28 and at 1 and 6 p.m. Nov. 29. Tickets are available at indianaballetconservatory.org. The show is complete with live musical accompaniment from the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and Indianapolis Children’s Choir. For the first time in IBC’s history, IBC dancers Gus Leinauer and Thomas Wilcutts will share the role of the Nutcracker Prince with the guest artist, Cincinnati Ballet First Soloist Philip Fedulov. IBC dancers Emily Geon and Clara Crane also will take the stage as Sugar Plum Fairies. The IBC has staged sold-out per-

“The Nutcracker” will be presented Nov. 28 and 29. (Photo by Amanda Renzulli)

formances of the ballet across Indiana theaters for years. IBC founder and Artistic Director Alyona Yakovleva has built the show to balance the original 1892 Russian staging with new twists for modern audiences. The performance aligns with the annual Christkindlmarkt near the Palladium, allowing families to get into the holiday spirit before attending the performance.

TICKETS AT THE CENTER’S FIFTH THIRD BANK BOX OFFICE | 317-843-3800 Made possible by support from a Christel DeHaan Legacy Gift.

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By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com Julia Ammons embraces her role in “The Rocky Horror Show.” The 2020 Carmel High School graduate plays Columbia Oct. 16-31 at the Athenaeum in Indianapolis. The show is a Zach and Zack production from Zach Rosing and Zack Neiditch. “I was always fond of Ammons Columbia because she is cheeky, alluring and entirely herself,” Ammons said. “She’s destined to be observed. She’s goofy and performative, a party in a box. On the other hand, she’s tragic and damaged. She’s lured from the outside world, mistreated and loses people she loves. Luckily, Columbia’s story is a pocket tragedy, and our show is a hilarious and sexy experience despite my wailing and sobbing.” Ammons understands how much fun audiences have with “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the 1975 film. Ammons was in the shadow cast of the movie when she attended Ball State University in 2021.

“We performed Halloween night in Emens Auditorium to a great crowd of BSU students as well as the general public,” Ammons said. “A shadow cast is different from the production we’re doing because a shadow cast ‘shadows’ the movie as it plays. The movie plays on a screen behind the cast, while the actors perform the movie with as much physical accuracy as possible. We lip sync the lines and try to repKrauter licate the movements of the actors in campy ways.” Indianapolis resident Michael Krauter, who grew up in Carmel, plays Riff Raff. The experience is new for Krauter. “I hadn’t gone to a staged production of the show or even seen the Richard O’Brien movie before auditioning,” he said. “I remember watching it for the first time after I landed the role and was enamored by the story and campiness of it all. This year’s production puts its own spin on the story, with a 1990s punk grunge theme.” For more, visit rockyhorrorindy.com.

Carmel comedians featured business owners. The participants include Hughes, who performs as Lady Wisecrack, and Aisha Brown and John Molehill, who particiCarmel Comedy Club owner Debbie Hughes wants Carmel to be known as pated in the World Series of Comedy. the No. 1 laughing city in the Hughes was a judge at the state. World Series of Comedy in Las The club will spotlight four coVegas late last month. Hughes said the top three finishers from medians from Carmel, including last month’s WSOC will perheadliner Allie Missler, who are appearing beginning at 7 p.m. form at The Cat before the 2027 Oct. 16 at The Cat, 254 Veterans WSOC. Hughes plans to return Way. to WSOC in 2027 as a judge. Hughes “(The show) was purposely “The Cat will be one of 12 comproduced to highlight Carmel talent,” edy clubs in North America for aspiring Hughes said. “Allie was the No. 1 stucomedians to perform for a position at The World Series of Comedy in 2027,” dent at Second City in Chicago, and Hughes said. “That puts us on the nathey sent her to Paris to perform about five years ago.” tional map (for comedy).” The other comedians are Alok Igour, Hughes said she invited small busiAdam Carter and Lindsay Boccardo. ness owners because she said the comeFollowing the 7 p.m. show, there will dy show should boost foot traffic on the be a 9 p.m. open mic show. Monon. Earlier in the day Oct. 16, Hughes said “We’ll provide a destination for enCarmel Mayor Sue Finkam will appear tertainment and date nights,” she said. at an invitation-only show for small For more, visit thecat.biz. By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

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35. Asimov’s domain 37. “Hold on a ___!” 39. A long way off 40. Humdinger 41. Pot money 43. Entwine 44. Pickle flavoring 49. Where Elevance Health is ELV 51. Fishers HS advanced math class, briefly 53. Jewish commemorative meal 54. Amazon’s speaker voice 55. Cool, once 56. “Free Fallin’” rocker 57. Gardener, at times 60. Leaky tire sound 62. “Do ___ others...” 63. Genuine 64. A Guthrie 66. Spanish gold 67. Did the Mini-Marathon 68. Hot dog holder 69. Chapel Hill sch. ANSWERS ON PAGE 23

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