October 7, 2025 — Current in North Indy

PAGES 15-20

THE PAST

“WE

True benefits of new state tax law questioned

By Ann Marie Shambaugh AnnMarie@youarecurrent.com

Tax hikes, layoffs and delays to major projects are on the table as counties and municipalities across Indiana work through the financial impacts of the state’s new proper ty tax law.

STATE

Senate Enrolled Act 1 is expected to save Hoosiers up to $300 on their 2026 property tax bills and more in the future, but some are wondering if the savings are worth the pending upheaval elsewhere.

For Marion County, reduced property taxes from SEA1 were compounded by other state budget cuts affecting employment, programs and grants, according to the 2026 City of Indianapolis budget summary presented to the City-County Council. That left the city with an anticipated deficit, which prompted some cost-cutting measures. Income tax revenue for the county increased, however, which offset the property tax reductions.

In Hamilton County, financial constraints tied to SEA1 have led to an indefinite delay in constructing a domestic violence center and are throwing into question plans for a child care facility for children of county employees, according to Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt. The law also could lead to layoffs and impact future road construction projects.

As a result of SEA1, the county is set to receive $6.4 million less than previously projected in 2026, $8.6 million less in 2027 and $11.5 million less in 2028, Heirbrandt said.

He described the impact of SEA1 as a “shell game,” as savings for property owners might be lessened by other new taxes, including a wheel tax state legislators are requiring local governments to implement to receive Community Crossings road improvement matching grants. Other new or increased taxes are under consideration in many Indiana communities.

“So, where are the savings?” Heirbrandt said. “It’s things like that, I sit there and look at it and scratch my head. Is that really worth it?”

In Elkhart County, several county commissioners, councilors and mayors signed a joint statement urging state legislators to “fix” the unintended consequences of SEA1.

“This legislation was meant to create fairness,” the statement reads. “Instead, it has created uncertainty, shifting burdens

I M PA CT O N HO U S E HO LD S

5 Homeowners are expected to see lower property tax bills in the coming years, but the savings may be essentially offset by other new taxes. In addition to a 10 percent deduction (up to $300), SEA1 also includes an increase in the supplemental homestead deduction. (Image courtesy of the City of Carmel)

in ways that threaten critical services in our communities. Unless corrected, the result will not be lower costs for families, but fewer services, higher fees, and a heavier tax load on individual homeowners and renters.”

The Elkhart County leaders state that SEA1 “does not address the rising burden from increasing assessments,” meaning that even with the new property tax deductions the total due is likely to continue rising for many homeowners. They also state that residents are likely to “see new or higher fees that erase any temporary gains.”

State Rep. Danny Lopez, a Republican whose district includes parts of Carmel and Westfield, acknowledged that the new law is requiring local governments to make difficult funding decisions, but he said savings for property owners go beyond a deduction in 2026, saving Hoosiers $1.3 billion over three years.

Beyond that, the law phases out the standard homestead deduction by 2030 but boosts the supplemental homestead deduction to 40 percent in 2026. The supplemental deduction increases each year until it levels out at 66.7 percent by 2030.

“Delaying that (full) implementation gives us a longer timeline to really understand the impacts that this will have at the local level and then be able to adjust where we need to adjust,” Lopez said.

According to data presented by the City of Carmel during a workshop to review the proposed 2026 budget, a family living in a $568,000 home with an annual household income of $176,000 will see their property

tax bills drop by $558 in 2026 and nearly $799 in 2027.

However, in 2028, the $1,444 in property tax savings would be offset by $2,537 in new local income taxes, meaning the family would pay $1,093 more than they would have if SEA1 did not become law. By 2030, the full implementation of the supplemental homestead deduction essentially offsets the new income tax, leading to modest savings for homeowners.

Lopez said possible topics to revisit in future legislative reviews of the property tax law could include residential properties in tax increment financing districts and caps on levy growth.

Heirbrandt said he believes the legislature needs to prioritize making adjustments to the law to address unintended consequences.

“I kept telling several legislators (before the bill became law) that one size doesn’t fit all. It’s going to affect every county, every city, every town completely different,” he said. “I think you are going to see a lot of changes that have to happen down at the statehouse, because there are gaps that were unexpected.”

Lopez said he hasn’t been surprised by the impact of SEA1 so far, other than finding that most Hoosiers don’t understand the full scope of the legislation.

“People see it as $300 or 10 percent annually and say, ‘Well, that’s not a huge number,’ but the truth is that when twothirds of your net assessed value starting in 2031 is deducted on your property tax bill, that’s a significant reform and a significant change for taxpayers,” Lopez said.

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FOOD

Gleaners responds to USDA canceling Hunger Report

news@youarecurrent.com

Indianapolis-based Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana has pushed back on a recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it has canceled the Hunger Report, formerly known as the Household Food Security Report, which has been produced annually for the past 30 years.

Gleaners President and CEO Fred Glass stated in a Sept. 24 news release that canceling the report “will deny the American public information it needs and deserves to help meet the call to feed the hungry for the benefit of not only our neighbors who are hungry, but society as a whole.”

The annual report measures food insecurity in the United States and is used to help identify ways to improve access to food. According to the news release, the decision to cancel this year’s report follows federal cuts to nutrition programs.

“Taken together with the law’s dramatic cuts to health care, particularly to rural hospitals and the people they serve, along with the impact of the recent rise in inflation and unemployment, these actions by the federal government will dramatically increase the depth and breadth of hunger in the United States,” the news release stated.

Glass stated that canceling the report won’t change the fact that current policies are creating more hunger.

The new release noted that the 2024 report showed one in seven Americans — 47 million people, including 15 million children — faced hunger. That included 1 million Hoosiers, 300,000 of whom were children.

“Canceling the Hunger Report will not make the devastating and increasing impact of hunger on all Americans go away,” Glass stated. “Unfortunately, the loss of this trusted source of information will make it all the harder to answer the call to feed the hungry.”

DISPATCHES

Hayrides and wagon rides offered — Indy Parks is hosting group hayrides at Southeastway Park Friday through Sunday through Nov. 1. Included in the hayride package is a five-hour use of a shelter, a campfire and one tractor-pulled hayride lasting almost 30 minutes. To book a hayride, call the park office at 317-327-4834. There are no public hayrides, these are booked group hayrides only. Wagon rides at Eagle Creek Park are set for Friday and Saturday through Oct. 25. Visitors can register as an individual in a public wagon ride or reserve a wagon for a group. For more, visit parks.indy.gov.

500 Festival appoints new board members, officers — The 500 Festival announced its elected officers for its 202526 500 Festival Board of Directors, which includes six new members. New officers also were named to the board, which advances the Festival’s mission through philanthropic support. New officers are board chair Christina Moungey, vice chair Roger Harvey, secretary Bali Heir, treasurer Jeff Harrison and immediate past chair Jim Callaghan. New board members are Laurie Henry-Bradley of McDonald’s; Greg Goelzer of Goelzer Investment Management; Angela

of

Miller of Milhaus; Doug Talley of the National Bank of Indianapolis; and Karen Woods of First Financial Bank. For more, visit 500festival.com.

Indigenous Peoples Day Community Celebration — Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art visitors can celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day Oct. 13 with an event full of history, art and cultures. Native Pride Productions dance collective will perform different types of dances. Curator-led guided tours and art-making activities also will be available at the museum, 500 West Washington St. Admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. is free that day. For more, visit Eiteljorg.org/ indigenous-peoples-day.

Día de Muertos Community Art and Altar Exhibit — Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, 500 West Washington St., will offer an exhibit featuring ornate ofrendas, or altars, created by local community organizations Oct. 10 through Nov. 2. Visitors can add a note for a departed loved one to the community ofrenda. Entrance to the altar exhibit in the museum’s Ruth Lilly Community Gallery is free.

Smith Jones

Indiana University; Tadd

Indy airport wins top honors for customer service

northindy@youarecurrent.com

For the eighth time since 2010, Indianapolis International Airport has been named the best midsized airport for customer satisfaction in the annual J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

AWARD

“This award serves as a shining reflection of the exceptional staff at the airport,” Mario Rodriguez, Indianapolis Airport Authority executive director, stated in a news release. “It stands as a testament to their unwavering dedication to not only our community but also to every traveler who passes through.”

As part of the study, the Indy airport also was recognized as No. 1 in food, beverage and retail and No. 1 in terminal facilities, according to the news release.

J.D. Power ranks recognitions based on customer ratings. This year’s study included 30,439 completed surveys from U.S. or Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport.

Travelers evaluated either a departing or arriving airport from their round-trip experience between July 2024 and July 2025.

The Indy airport received an overall customer satisfaction score of 713 out of 1,000, which is the highest in the medium-sized airport category.

Indy’s airport also has been awarded Best Airport in North America from Airports Council International — North America for 13 years running and 14 years overall.

Travelers have cited the airport’s cleanliness, access to gates, efficient security check, variety of food, beverage and retail options, overall facility amenities and customer service.

“This designation is especially impactful as it comes from the voice of travelers and reflects the customer service, hospitality and amenities of Indy’s airport,” stated Chris Gahl, Visit Indy executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Daily, our team sells Indy as a destination, leading with our award-winning airport.”

Learn more at facebook.com/ groups/ncbclub.

Indianapolis International Airport has been recognized for customer satisfaction by J.D. Power. (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis International Airport)

Bar owners file motions to dismiss tax fraud charges

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

An attorney representing two Broad Ripple bar owners charged in June with failure to remit sales taxes has filed motions to dismiss all charges, claiming that her clients’ constitutional rights had been violated and that the Marion County prosecutor exceeded its authority by investigating and auditing tax returns.

COURT NEWS

The motions were filed Sept. 15 by defense attorney Gillian DePrez Keiffner of Densborn Blachly LLP, who represents defendants Robert Sabatini, owner of Rock Lobster, Mineshaft Saloon and Average Joes; and John Yaggi, who owns Conner’s Pub.

In a memo supporting the motion to dismiss, Keiffner states, “The warrantless, suspicionless and arbitrary perusing of confidential tax returns by the Marion County Prosecutor was blatantly unconstitutional and illegal; the Marion County Prosecutor has no authority to independently audit or assess the accuracy of any citizen’s tax return; probable cause affidavits have been submitted in this cause containing demonstrably false and fabricated information; the public disclosure of confidential state tax information is a crime under Indiana law and the public disclosure of confidential federal tax return information is a federal offense.”

Expanding on her statements, Keiffner wrote that tax information for numerous bars in the Broad Ripple area was obtained in July and August 2023 without a warrant, noting that a court order wasn’t requested

Current employee chosen for Kokomo Art Association — Jennifer Nichols, advertising traffic manager for Current Publishing, has been selected as a Kokomo Art Association gallery artist. Her artwork will be displayed and sold at Artworks Gallery, 210 N. Main St., Kokomo. For more on Nichols’ affiliation, visit kaaonline.org, and to view a collection of her works, visit illustr82dv8. etsy.com.

until September 2023, when the prosecutor’s office focused its investigation on the businesses owned by the two defendants. She argued that those actions violated federal and state laws protecting citizens from unreasonable search and seizure.

Keiffner stated that the prosecutor does not have the authority to analyze tax records.

“It is the Department of Revenue’s job to audit, investigate and assess taxes — and it is the prosecutor’s job to prosecute criminal violations,” she wrote. “Only after a prosecuting attorney ‘receives information of the commission of a felony or misdemeanor’ does he/she have the authority to request a warrant or a subpoena.”

Keiffner also argued that the publicly filed probable cause statements for both defendants included confidential tax information that should have been redacted, and that the prosecutor made inaccurate statements to the media. She wrote that “concocting a criminal investigation out of thin air targeting ‘Broad Ripple businesses’ is an arbitrary and selective prosecution” that violates federal and state constitutions.

“This was an unconstitutional fishing expedition inexplicably launched against a community of business owners who had publicly criticized the city’s handling of actual crimes being committed in Broad Ripple,” she wrote. “The web of false information and allegations now submitted to this court — and grown from that illegal endeavor — are equally egregious, unfounded and constitutionally repugnant.”

At the time of this report’s publication, the prosecution had not filed a response to the dismissal motion.

DISPATCHES

Assistance for veterans — The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs has free resources for service members, veterans and their support networks as part of their commitment to the Indiana Community Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families. The statewide initiative identifies families and caregivers in need, and helps foster connection through education, services and resources, Learn more at in.gov/dva/home/ Indiana-Community-Challenge.

Volunteers paint the bike lane on 52nd Street leading toward the Monon Trail crossing.

(Photo courtesy of Central Indiana Cycling)

Indy neighborhood group kicks off trail crossing study

SAFETY northindy@youarecurrent.com

A volunteer-led Community Powered Infrastructure project at the Monon Trail crossing at East 52nd St. in Indianapolis is focused on gathering data to help improve pedestrian and bicycle safety at the crossing.

According to a news release from Indy-based Central Indiana Cycling, residents from nearby neighborhoods including South Broad Ripple, Broad Ripple and Meridian-Kessler, have placed water-filled plastic barriers in the center turn lane leading to the crossing, installed vertical delineators and applied green paint to sections of the bike lanes along 52nd Street. For two weeks prior to installing the project in mid-September, volunteers used a radar gun to measure speed and a checklist to rank conflicts for pedestrians, bike riders and vehicles passing through the crosswalk. After installation, volunteers will continue to gather crosswalk observation and radar speed data through early October to compare with the original condition.

The project will be removed before Nov. 1 and any data gathered will be shared with the city to determine future improvements.

According to the news release, the 52nd Street and Monon Trail safety project was kicked off by a neighbor, Elizabeth Vos, who frequently walks, bikes and drives through the crossing. With support from Central Indiana Cycling, she and other neighbors filled out a Community Powered

Infrastructure project application with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works to conduct the study.

When the project was approved, the community group gained access to safety items and a 50-50 cost split.

“We are excited to support community members making a difference for safety in their community,” stated Anthony Cherolis, executive director Central Indiana Cycling.

“Personally, I bike across 52nd Street almost daily on my commutes. It is unsettling how many times I’ve seen a near miss or a driver running over the curb while I wait for a safe time to cross. We expect to see reduced speeds and safer crossing from everybody while the traffic calming is temporarily in place.”

According to the news release, in the past three months, there have been three car-bike collisions at the crossing of 52nd Street and the Monon Trail.

“We have people driving through the crosswalk looking at their phone the whole time or hitting the curb because they’re going too fast,” Vos stated.

“Neighborhood kids deserve a safe route to school. The intersection should be designed to set us all up for success by encouraging people to drive more cautiously and prepare to stop for trail users.”

Community Powered Infrastructure, managed by the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, allows volunteers to install safety demonstration projects in neighborhoods. DPW then considers the results when planning and designing future infrastructure projects. For more, visit indy.gov/activity/cpi.

DAZZLING DEALS

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The Indy Art Center will host its free annual fall fest, Locally Made, with artmaking for kids and adults, as well as more than 60 artist booths, set for noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 18. At the same time, Ash & Elm Cider Co. will host Autumntidings, a celebration of fall ciders, food from local chefs and more. Autumntidings admission is $20 and includes entry into the festival, a tasting passport and a commemorative cup. Both events are family- and dog-friendly and take place at the Indy Art Center’s outdoor ArtsPark, 820 E. 67th St. For more, including registration for Make It Take It art experiences, visit indyartcenter.org. (Photo courtesy of JTPR)

Indiana Humanities plans literary festival

northindy@youarecurrent.com

Indiana Humanities will host its second literary festival, “Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest,” Oct. 10 and 11.

BOOKS

Hosted in partnership with local poets Mitchell L.H. Douglas and Chantel Massey, the free festival will take place at the Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware St., in Indianapolis and will feature a book fair with local booksellers and literary organizations; panel conversations; local and regional author readings; a writers mixer; workshops led by experienced authors; book activities for all ages; an open mic; and food trucks, music, games and prizes.

“We know the literary scene in Indiana and the Midwest is overflowing with talent and we want to make sure Hoosiers have the opportunity to celebrate that,” stated Megan Telligman, director of programs at Indiana Humanities. “This year, there will be even more opportunities to engage with renowned writers and local literary organizations and meet readers of all genres, and we hope everyone feels inspired to get involved in the blossoming literary commu-

nity that can be found at Proof.”

Most activities will take place throughout the day Oct. 11. The keynote kickoff is set for 5 p.m. Oct. 10, featuring award-winning poets Ross Gay and Bernardo Wade, followed by a book-signing.

Scheduled workshops include topics such as haikus, magical realism and playwriting. Panel conversation topics will include crime writing, censorship and building a literary community.

Activities such as the Midwest Book Fair,

Indiana Humanities’ second literary festival “Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest” is set for Oct. 10 and 11. (Photo courtesy of Indiana Humanities)

visits with Paws to Read therapy dogs, a Silent Book Club Indy meetup, literary gaming, tea sampling with Tea’s Me and a “Letters to Dead Authors” writing activity will take place Oct. 11 in the neighborhood surrounding the Harrison Center. The festival ends with an evening open mic hosted by local poets, open to all writers, readers and lovers of the spoken word. While the event is free, registration is encouraged. For more, visit events.humanitix.com/proof2025.

31/Meridian.

INDOT)

Level Up 31 construction to begin

news@youarecurrent.com

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Sept. 25 that construction for Level Up 31 — a plan to address regional growth and traffic congestion that affects efficiency at the Meridian Street-U.S. 31 interchange — will begin Oct. 6.

ROADWORK

Phase 1 includes multiple ramp closures, local access restrictions and detours in the two-mile improvement area. Closures include the southbound U.S. 31 ramp to 106th Street through late-December; eastbound 106th Street at U.S. 31 through late-December; and the eastbound I-465 ramp to southbound Meridian Street through mid-December.

Through traffic on U.S. 31 northbound and southbound, and traffic from I-465 eastbound and westbound to U.S. 31 north will be unrestricted.

The speed limit on I-465 and U.S. 31 will be reduced to 45 mph in the construction zone while activity is occurring, and delays are expected.

During two community meetings in fall 2024 and spring 2025, INDOT noted adjustments to the interchange are a direct result of growth in Hamilton County. That growth has rendered previous future traffic estimations moot. In 2015, INDOT estimated that by 2035, traffic counts though the interchange would total 92,930 vehicles per day. However, as of 2023, that daily count had already exceeded 83,000.

The project will be completed in four phases, anticipated for completion in late 2027.

Detour routes will be posted. Learn more at LevelUp31.com.

INDOT is planning an overhaul of the interchange at I-465 and U.S.

(Photo courtesy of

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DISPATCHES

Indiana earns 16th AAA rating — The State of Indiana recently announced it has maintained its AAA credit rating for the 16th consecutive year. AAA is the highest rating available and spotlights the state’s strong economic management and fiscal responsibility. According to Indiana District 39 State Rep. Danny Lopez (R-Carmel), the rating means lower borrowing costs for projects like roads and schools, and it makes our state an attractive environment for new business investments. All three major credit agencies — S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings — affirmed Indiana’s AAA status. Indiana is one of 14 states to hold the top rating from all three agencies.

Assistance for veterans — The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs has free resources for service members, veterans and their support networks as part of their commitment to the Indiana Community Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families. The statewide initiative identifies families and caregivers in need, and helps foster connection through education, services and resources, including the Veterans Crisis Line; Veterans Affairs’ S.A.V.E. training (Spot, Ask, Validate, Encourage); HereNOW Help, a free mental wellness app for veterans; QPR training (Question, Persuade, Refer); and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn more at in.gov/dva/home/ Indiana-Community-Challenge.

Indiana Authors Awards nominees sought — Indiana Humanities is accepting nominations for the 2026 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards. Books published between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2025, are eligible. Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 9, 2026. To learn more about the Indiana Authors Awards, visit www.IndianaAuthorsAwards.org.

PACE hosting mobile health clinic — Public Advocates in Community re-Entry, a nonprofit that supports people who have been incarcerated, has partnered with Aspire Indiana Health to expand on-site health services for PACE clients, their families and the Indianapolis near northside neighborhood. Aspire’s Mobile Access Care for You mobile health clinic will be at PACE, 1314 N. Meridian St., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 8, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10, offering health exams for families and referrals for additional services. For more, visit paceindy. org.

New home permits increase in central Indiana

GROWTH news@youarecurrent.com

The latest monthly review of new home permits issued in central Indiana by the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis shows a 3 percent year-over-year increase in August — a number BAGI officials said signals buyer demand and market adaptability.

According to the report issued late last month, total new-home permits issued in the nine-county Indianapolis region for August were 7,048, versus 6,822 in 2024. Although Noblesville outpaced Westfield in new-home permits issued in August — 87 in Noblesville versus 78 in Westfield — the City of Westfield has issued the most permits in suburban Indianapolis overall in 2025, totalling 860 since Jan. 1.

New-home permits issued since January include 413 in Noblesville; 270 in Fishers; 176 in Carmel; 445 in Whitestown; 150 in Zionsville; 66 in Lawrence; and 227 in Brownsburg.

The City of Indianapolis is the only municipality on the list to issue more newhome permits than Westfield, with 1,117 from January through August.

According to BAGI, month-to-month performance varied across central Indiana, but overall growth reflects builder resilience amid ongoing economic pressures, including interest rate fluctuations and inflation concerns.

“Even as individual counties experience ups and downs, the broader central Indiana market is proving its staying power,” stated BAGI CEO Chris Hancock.

See the report at BAGI.com/Permits.

New-home

tral Indiana. (File photo)

PRESERVING THE PAST

Indiana Medical History Museum shares evolution of mental health care

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

In the mid-1890s, a forward-thinking physician named George Edenharter — who at that time was the state mental health hospital’s superintendent — wanted to know more about the causes of mental illnesses and, hopefully, find cures. To that end, he spent $18,000 to build and furnish a pathology building on the hospital grounds — the same building that now houses the Indiana Medical History Museum.

“This building opened in 1896 (and) it was cutting edge at the time,” said Sarah Halter, executive director of the Indiana Medical History Museum. “His plans began as four rooms on one level and he quickly got carried away. It became what it is today, but it got national attention for how modern it was — all the different laboratory spaces, the research that was being done here, the education function, because medical students were coming out here to learn about these things so they would graduate with practical knowledge about mental illnesses.”

While cutting-edge for 1896, lack of funding meant the facility couldn’t keep up with changing times. Halter said the equipment became largely obsolete by the 1930s, but it limped along until it closed in 1968.

“The hospital remained open for decades more, but this building closed and it still had all the original furnishings, equipment, specimens, records — all that stuff was still here,” she said. “There were some doctors here who recognized the historic significance of what’s here. The building had actually been slated for demolition, and so they moved some EEG equipment and there was a muscular dystrophy lab in the back, and they were like, ‘You can’t tear it down. We’re still using it.’”

That bought some time and the building eventually was turned into a museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The hospital is gone now, along with most of its associated buildings, but the museum still safeguards the history of the property and the patients served there.

Halter noted that about 10 years ago, the museum kicked off a special research proj-

ect to honor some of those patients. The facility has a room filled with specimens — sections of brains showing tumors and other signs of what likely caused the mental illness. The labels were all very clinical and told nothing about the people those specimens came from.

“We kind of wanted to give them back their humanity and so I started a project to find out more about each of the specimens, the folks that they came from,” Halter said. “We did a revamp of the labels in there. We kept the old labels because it’s part of their history, but it’s also import-

THE VONNEGUT CONNECTION

Among the artwork adorning the walls of the Indiana Medical History Museum is a series of watercolors by John Zwara, who immigrated to the United States from Austria in 1900 and ended up in Indianapolis in the 1930s.

Museum Director Sarah Halter said Zwara became friends with Alex Vonnegut, the uncle of famous Hoosier author Kurt Vonnegut. Alex Vonnegut “recognized that George Zwara has some issues,” she said, and brought his friend to the state mental health hospital for evaluation. In 1938, Zwara was admitted.

The hospital gave him paint and watercolor paper, she said, and, like all the patients, he had free access to the grounds.

“He did paintings of many of the buildings and landscapes as they were that spring and summer of 1938, and then in the sort of late summer, early fall, he just kind of wandered away from the

hospital,” she said. “Security was pretty lax, so he just kind of left, and he stayed in Indianapolis.”

When it was clear Zwara wasn’t coming back, he was officially declared improved and “discharged” in 1939. When he died in the early 1950s, his paintings went to the hospital supervisor, who eventually donated them to the museum. There are 22 of his paintings in the museum’s collection.

Kurt Vonnegut has another close connection to the state hospital. His mother-in-law, Riah Cox, was a patient in the 1940s and then a second time in the 1950s. Halter said Cox wrote a memoir about her time there, focused on a nurse named Jones, “who she credited with her recovery, because she said the woman was so awful that she just had to get better and get the heck out of here.”

The memoir is called “I Remember Jones.”

ant information. But we added new labels that tell those human stories about what the patient’s lives were like before they came here, what their symptoms were, how their symptoms affected their ability to form friendships and have families and hold a job and all of those things. And also, what their experience was like as a patient here.”

That project took about five years to complete, but now each specimen includes a full description that honors the person it came from.

The room housing specimens is one of many open to visitors at the Indiana Medical History Museum, 3270 Kirkbride Way. The museum also has a large amphitheater where lectures and demonstrations were provided for medical students; an old autopsy room with grim reminders of the hands-on tools from back in the day; a library full of historic medical texts; a laboratory that was updated with then-modern electric equipment in the 1920s and ’30s; and a photography studio with a massive camera used to enlarge slide samples. Tours are available by appointment only. The museum also hosts events and free tours of its medicinal-plants garden. For more, visit imhm.org.

ON THE COVER: The Indiana Medical History Museum’s laboratory was updated in the 1920s and ‘30s. (Photo by Leila Kheiry)

An autopsy table is on display in the former autopsy room.

Sarah Halter, executive director of the Indiana Medical History Museum, in the museum’s library. (Photos by Leila Kheiry)

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

PROFILE IN COURAGE

Fishers resident stays positive through cancer fight

By Jessica Todd jessica@youarecurrent.com

Fishers resident Leah Hempfling, a phone triage nurse for Riley Children’s Health Neurology in Carmel, is no stranger to the heavy physical and mental strains of life-threatening medical battles — including her own.

A three-time cancer survivor, Hempfling, 55, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2009. She was in remission for 12 years before being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.

Since then, she has had two recurrences. Yet, she has remained strong throughout her healing journey and is resolute in her fight against the disease.

“I think some of the positives is that my breast cancers have been found early, and it’s treatable,” Hempfling said. “I hold on to the hope that as long as I stay strong and keep a positive mind, I’m going to get through this. I’m not going down without a fight.”

Hempling’s oncologist, Dr. Nawal Kassem, said her unwavering strength and determination helps her with treatment.

“Throughout the time I’ve known her, if anything came up or she was concerned about something, she would let me know,” Kassem said. “Staying positive has helped her tremendously throughout all of this. She’s a perfect example of resilience.”

Hempfling was initially diagnosed with right breast cancer and chose to have a right lumpectomy, a surgical procedure to remove a small tumor or lump from the breast.

Continued on Page 18

Fishers resident Leah Hempfling during cancer treatment. (Photos courtesy of Emma Packard)

Kassem

“You can’t just put it off.”

Heather, Breast Cancer Survivor

Life is known for throwing curveballs, which is why it’s important to plan ahead. This includes prioritizing your annual mammogram. The simple screening takes about 15 minutes, and with Community Health Network, you have the option to schedule ahead of time or visit one of the walk-in clinics. When it comes to a reliable, safe and certain way to prioritize your health — and your peace of mind — you can count on the experts at Community Health Network.

Annual mammograms are an essential part of your health routine. Something so simple and convenient can save your life.

Schedule your screening mammogram today or find a walk-in location near you at eCommunity.com/mammogram

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Advocacy

Hoosier Breast Cancer Advocates helped organize “Pink Out the Statehouse” in spring to bring awareness to lawmakers. (Photo courtesy of Heather Pirowski)

group works

to

improve laws, save lives

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Breast cancer survivor Heather Pirowski co-founded Hoosier Breast Cancer Advocates in part because of her son’s high school AP research project, which showed most women didn’t understand that the legally required dense breast tissue notification means cancer is more difficult to see and they might want to get a more thorough screening.

Pirowski said she was one of those women.

“I didn’t realize that when, if you have dense breasts, mammograms don’t really work because dense breasts hide and mask cancer,” she said. “If I would have been told that I needed additional diagnosis testing, who knows if I would have been Stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer when I was officially diagnosed?”

Pirowski teamed up with another breast cancer survivor, Carrie Cagnassola, to form Hoosier Breast Cancer Advocates and together they were able to convince state lawmakers in 2024 to change the notification, making it clearer, and to improve the standard of care provided to people with breast cancer.

This year, she said, they worked with lawmakers to establish a state fund to support breast cancer research. The fund doesn’t have any money in it yet because of fiscal challenges, she said, but creating it was a first, important step in the process. She hopes that in the near future, funds will be made available to help save lives.

“Over 5,500 Hoosiers are diagnosed with breast cancer every year — That’s the entire town of Cicero diagnosed with breast cancer every year,” she said. “And over 900 of us die, which is the town of Shipshewana, dead every year of breast cancer.”

Pirowski said she’ll “talk about boobs” anytime to help raise awareness among lawmakers as well as the general public. To that end, her group helped organize “Pink Out the Statehouse” in March, which brought more than 20 breast cancer organizations to the capitol for a program that included an audience of 48 state lawmakers. It was so successful, she said another “Pink Out the Statehouse” already has been scheduled for Feb. 17, 2026.

Hoosier Breast Cancer Advocates is “small but mighty,” Pirowski said, with only three organizers who coordinate the group’s volunteers and advocates throughout Indiana. She added that they plan to launch a new “Pink Out” podcast to share survivor stories, information about research and more.

For more, visit hoosierbcadvocates.com.

Early detection, doctors give woman new outlook after cancer

By Samantha Kupiainen news@youarecurrent.com

[Editor’s note: To protect her medical privacy, Current is not publishing Melissa’s last name.]

When Melissa’s doctor told her that her routine mammogram turned up “something that we just need to keep an eye on,” she knew in her gut what it was. She didn’t need to wait for further testing to know she had breast cancer.

“I didn’t want to dwell on it,” said Melissa, a breast cancer survivor. “I was ready to take those next steps before we even knew that official diagnosis.”

Doctors had a hard time staging her cancer because it was caught so early. Throughout treatment, she was never given a stage. Prior to her annual mammogram, she had virtually no signs or symptoms that anything was wrong.

According to the National Institute of Health, most breast cancers are most commonly detected through mammograms, an X-ray of the breast that can detect cancer before signs or symptoms surface.

Dr. Samuel Heiser, a surgeon at Riverview Health and a member of Melissa’s care team, said finding breast cancer early is key because that’s when it’s most treatable.

Currently, there are four ways to treat breast cancer.

“Surgery is used first, either just a lumpectomy where we remove just the tumor, or it can be a mastectomy, where the whole breast is removed,” Heiser said.

Additional treatment options include radiation or chemotherapy. For Melissa, her case required radiation. According to Mayo Clinic, “Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It can be used to treat many types of cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.”

“We’re lucky enough now to have very specific testing that can indicate whether or not chemotherapy might be successful for a particular person,” Heiser said. “Not everybody by any means gets chemotherapy for their breast cancer, but we can test to see what the probability is that chemotherapy would be helpful.”

Lastly, in some cases, endocrine therapy or hormone blocking therapy is a successful option in treating breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society reports “about 316,950 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women” in 2025. Melissa began treatment at the beginning of June 2025 and was

cancer-free by the end of July 2025.

Throughout the treatment process, Melissa stayed active and didn’t require much downtime, which she said was a blessing and helped her stay positive throughout.

Looking back on her cancer journey, Melissa said the three main components that helped were her care team, a positive mindset and not a lot of downtime. She also kept the circle of people who knew about her diagnosis small, which she did intentionally so others wouldn’t voice opinions or foment fear.

“I’m a pretty big faith-based person, so having that trust that it was going to be OK,” she said. “I didn’t feel down. I never had that ‘woe is me.’ I moved through the process and they (doctors) kept me very informed. I think getting that information makes you feel like you know what to expect and it doesn’t make it scary anymore. I think that’s why there’s such a stigmatism. It doesn’t have to be scary.”

When Melissa was diagnosed, she got a second opinion.

“I needed to know that that was where I was supposed to be,” she said.

She received her treatment through Riverview Health, where she was first diagnosed. Doctors there encouraged her to get a second opinion.

“It is a very different feeling when you go to different places, and maybe some place that was comfortable for me might not be comfortable for everybody else, but you have to find that,” she said. “I think that makes a big difference on your road, your recovery, all of the procedures.”

Melissa recalls her care team calling her on weekends to check in. She also said she felt comfortable asking questions and appreciated being able to call her nurse navigator whenever she needed her.

“I think having a support group that you trust is a huge part of the process and recovery,” Melissa said. “For me, it was my family, my doctors — all of them, down to all of the therapists. I felt very comfortable asking any question that I had and they made me feel very comfortable asking any question.”

Now that she’s cancer-free, Melissa looks forward to the future and has a positive outlook.

“It’s been, I think, a really good experience,” she said. “That sounds crazy to say, but I think sometimes things like this are wakeup calls, not only to make sure you’re taking care of yourself but making sure you’re prioritizing what needs to be prioritized in your life. I can’t say that I’m great at it because I don’t know anybody that’s great at it, but making sure what is important is really front and center of my life.”

Heiser

Continued from Page 15

“Of course, the first time I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was in shock and had a hard time with it,” Hempfling said.

Following surgery, her doctors, including Kassem, a breast oncologist specializing in genetics at the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center in Carmel, discovered her cancer had advanced.

Hempfling underwent four rounds of high-dose chemotherapy and 15 radiation treatments. She also started endocrine therapy, a type of cancer treatment that uses hormones or drugs to alter the hormone balance in the body.

Following treatment, in 2022, doctors discovered she had a tumor in her left breast.

“The second time, I was even more shocked,” Hempfling said. “I just have to have a positive attitude. I can’t let cancer define who I am, and I can’t sit at home feeling sorry for myself.”

Kassem said a biopsy showed estrogen receptor-negative ductal carcinoma.

“When we see that, it essentially tells us that this is a Stage 0 breast cancer, and usually the treatment is going in for surgery to see if there’s an invasive disease in the vicinity,” Kassem said.

Hempfling chose to have a double mastectomy, a surgical procedure to remove both breasts. Kassem said when she went in for surgery, the mass was larger than expected.

“Quite frankly, the biopsy didn’t even give us a clear indication,” Kassem said. “It was not Stage 0. It was triple-negative breast cancer.”

Kassem said the goal was to do 18 chemotherapy treatments, but Hempfling was struggling with wound healing following surgery, so she only completed 12.

“It was toxicity from chemotherapy, in addition to the fact that she had complications post-surgery, in addition to the fact that she’s had several rounds of chemotherapy in the five- or seven-years prior,” Kassem said.

Following a reconstructive surgery in 2023 and the removal of her chemotherapy port in 2024, Hempfling received more devastating news — a recurrence of right breast cancer.

“It was a little shocking,” Hemp-

fling said. “I was told if I had the double mastectomy and went through chemo and radiation, it would help put me in remission. So, finding the cancer, especially back in my right breast, was really surprising. But I finally was able to tell myself that I’m at peace with this.”

Hempfling had a right axillary lymph node dissection, a procedure that involves removing lymph nodes from the armpit. She chose not to undergo more chemotherapy.

“She had a significant number of positive lymph nodes when they did the surgery,” Kassem said. “I wasn’t enthused about her doing chemotherapy, and I told her I did not know how much benefit, if any, that she would derive from it.”

Hempfling now takes two cancer drugs, tamoxifen and verzenio, to stop cancer cell growth. She said although she carries herself well, her cancer journey has been difficult.

Hemplfing encourages cancer patients to take things day by day.

“I would tell other patients to make sure they feel comfortable with their medical team and ask a lot of questions,” Hempfling said. “I know sometimes it can be hard. I do have my days when I’m not feeling very well, but I’m able to get up every morning and go to work. I just want to continue living.”

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

How cosmetic tattoos help restore wholeness after surgery

Commentary By Kait James

The journey of healing after breast surgery extends far beyond physical recovery. It encompasses emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects, as well.

For individuals undergoing nipple reconstruction through cosmetic tattooing, the process of healing is not only about restoring physical aesthetics but also about reclaiming a sense of wholeness and self-confidence. It is a profound journey of healing during the post-cosmetic tattooed nipple phase, highlighting the importance of self-care, emotional support and embracing the beauty of resilience.

Nurturing the healing process following the cosmetic tattooing of nipples, the initial phase of healing begins. This period is characterized by sensitivity, as the skin adjusts to the pigmentation and the body initiates its natural healing mechanisms. It’s crucial during this time to prioritize gentle care, ensuring that the treated area remains clean, hydrated and protected from external irritants.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HEALING

Keep the area clean: Follow the aftercare instructions provided by your cosmetic tattoo artist diligently. Gently cleanse the treated area with mild soap and water to prevent infection and promote healing.

Moisturize regularly: Apply a recommended moisturizer or healing ointment to keep the skin hydrated and prevent dryness or cracking.

Avoid sun exposure: Protect the treated area from direct sunlight and UV radiation, as exposure can cause fading and affect the longevity of the tattoo.

Avoid abrasive activities: Refrain from engaging in activities that may irritate or traumatize the healing skin, such as rigorous exercise or wearing tight clothing.

Patience is key: Understand that the healing process takes time; be patient with your body as it adjusts to the cosmetic tattooing.

EMBRACING EMOTIONAL HEALING

Beyond the physical aspects, the journey of healing also involves emotional resilience and self-compassion. For many individuals, undergoing cosmetic tattooing for nipple reconstruction is a deeply personal and empowering experience. It’s essential to acknowledge and honor the emotional journey, allowing

oneself to feel a range of emotions from gratitude and joy to vulnerability and sensitivity.

COPING STRATEGIES:

Seek support: Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family or fellow survivors who can offer empathy, understanding and encouragement.

Express yourself: Journaling, art therapy, or engaging in creative activities can provide an outlet for processing emotions and expressing oneself authentically.

Practice self-compassion: Be gentle with yourself during this vulnerable time. Practice self-care rituals that nourish your mind, body and spirit, whether it’s meditation, gentle yoga or spending time in nature.

Celebrate milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate milestones in your healing journey, whether it’s the completion of the tattooing process or small victories along the way. Stay connected: Stay connected with your cosmetic tattoo artist for follow-up appointments and ongoing support throughout the healing process. They can offer guidance, reassurance and touch-ups as needed.

THE BEAUTY OF RESILIENCE

As the body heals and the cosmetic tattooed nipples settle into final appearance, there’s a profound beauty in the resilience of the human spirit. Each scar, each imperfection, tells a story of survival and strength — a testament to the journey of transformation and renewal. By embracing the process of healing with compassion, patience and self-love, individuals can emerge from their cosmetic tattooed-nipple journey with a newfound sense of confidence, wholeness and beauty.

Healing during the post-cosmetic tattooed nipple phase is a multifaceted journey that encompasses physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions. By nurturing the body with gentle care, embracing emotional healing with compassion and self-expression, and celebrating the beauty of resilience, individuals can navigate this transformative process with grace and empowerment. Ultimately, the journey of healing is not just about restoring what was lost but also about discovering newfound strength, self-acceptance and beauty in the journey itself.

Kait James is the owner of Lux in the Village of WestClay in Carmel. She is a licensed esthetician, as well as an Indiana University graduate with a degree in psychology and a Kelley School graduate with an MBA in business health care management. For more information, email her at luxurydebeaute@gmail.com.

James

Leah Hempfling, a three-time cancer survivor and a phone triage nurse for Riley Children’s Health Neurology in Carmel, said she won’t go down without a fight.

(Photo courtesy of Emma Packard)

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Supporting your senses during chemo: an Ayurvedic path

Commentary by Rachel Greenberg

SOUND: RESTORING HARMONY

While chemotherapy is one of modern medicine’s greatest gifts, it also places deep demands on the body. It calls for strength, resilience and patience while testing the spirit in equal measure. Yet, the human body is not fragile; it holds a profound intelligence with the capacity to heal and regenerate. As recipients of chemotherapy, our central priority is stress reduction through lifestyle choices that support the body’s natural healing intelligence.

Ayurveda, the ancient science of balance from India, offers gentle practices that complement medical treatment. By being intentional about what we eat, see, hear, touch and smell, we can invite steadiness, comfort and joy into daily life. These shifts become a way to reclaim agency, nurture body and spirit, and move with greater ease through the challenges of cancer treatment.

TASTE: FOOD AS MEDICINE

What we eat directly affects energy, digestion and comfort. During chemo, appetite may shift, but gentle nourishment can make a difference.

• Favor: Warm, cooked meals such as soups, stews and porridge; root vegetables; mild spices like ginger, turmeric and cinnamon; and soothing teas such as chamomile or licorice.

• Reduce: Cold or raw foods, heavily processed meals, fried or spicy dishes, alcohol and excess caffeine.

SIGHT: CREATING CALM

The eyes influence mood and stress levels more than we realize. Surroundings that feel chaotic can heighten anxiety.

• Favor: Natural light, soft colors (such as green and blue), simple and uncluttered spaces, flowers, or time spent looking at trees, sky or water.

Sound directly impacts the nervous system. Gentle choices help regulate mood and energy.

• Favor: Calming music, such as acoustic or soft instrumental; nature sounds; short periods of quiet and gentle, guided meditations.

• Reduce: Constant exposure to screens, harsh lighting, clutter and distressing media.

• Reduce: Loud television, aggressive or fast-tempo music, constant background noise and overstimulation from multitasking.

TOUCH: COMFORT AND GROUNDING

The skin is a gateway for soothing the body. Gentle touch can ease tension and promote rest.

• Favor: Soft clothing, warm baths, weighted blankets, or light self-massage and extra hugs from loved ones.

• Reduce: Synthetic fabrics that irritate the skin, harshly cold environments, or overstimulation from rough textures.

SMELL: HEALING AROMAS

Scent connects directly to memory and emotion, offering quick relief from stress or discomfort.

• Favor: Lavender, rose, sandalwood, or peppermint essential oils; the aroma of warm herbal teas; fresh flowers; or clean, natural air.

• Reduce: Strong chemical cleaners, synthetic fragrances, cigarette smoke and overpowering scents that may worsen nausea.

A GENTLE REMINDER

Ayurveda does not replace medical treatment, but it does offer supportive tools. By favoring sensory experiences that nourish and reducing those that overwhelm, you can create more ease during chemotherapy and give your body and spirit steady ground to heal.

Rachel Greenberg is an Ayurvedic health counselor. For more information, you may email her at bookofrach@gmail.com.

Breast

.

One of the most preferred cancer care teams in the state, our breast cancer surgeons receive 4.9 out of 5 stars from our patients.

Greenberg

Blueprint for Improvement: From closed off to contemporary

Commentary by Larry Greene

This Carmel kitchen, only steps away from the Monon Trail, underwent a remarkable transformation, opening the floor plan and introducing modern finishes for function and style.

THE BLUEPRINT

• Transformed a dark, closed-off kitchen into a bright, open space by removing walls and reimagining the layout.

• Installed a massive island with seating, storage and prep space, now the centerpiece for both cooking and entertaining.

• Upgraded to professional-grade appliances, including a striking ZLINE range that combines style and performance.

• Kept the original hardwood floors and gave them new life with a fresh stain.

• Added quartz countertops and a vertical lay tile backsplash for modern elegance.

• Finished with statement pendant lighting to define the 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

After

2025 Dates

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

A deep dive into the season’s artistic offerings

HEARTLAND PREMIERES ‘IGNITE FILM’

Heartland serves up documentary on Ignite’s first season

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Brian Hansen got his first exposure to professional volleyball while running the video replay system for the Indy Ignite.

“I hadn’t had a lot of exposure to volleyball before and as I’m sitting there on the sideline, I’m just floored with how physical and athletic the game is,” he said. “As a documentarian, I’m always looking at angles. I’m looking at the coaches and how excited they are (and how) engaged everybody is on the sidelines. I’m thinking, ‘We need to get some cameras and audio in there and we need to capture this because this is too good to pass up.’”

That’s when Hansen approached Indy Ignite officials about producing a documentary on the expansion team’s first year at Fishers Event Center. Hansen has directed nearly 30 documentaries — a mix of full features and shorts.

around,” Mohler said. “I think it’s so cool to capture the inside of what we’re doing, and you wouldn’t guess it, but I love being the center of attention sometimes. After about five seconds, you forget they’re even there. Obviously, our main focus is volleyball. I’m just focusing on what we’re doing and knowing that they are capturing every moment of it.”

Mohler said she is glad the season was captured in a film.

“This documentary is going to show every up and down that we faced throughout the season because a lot of the times we would forget they were even in there and just carry on with our normalcy,” she said.  “From an outside eye, people wouldn’t have expected such a successful season, but I can tell you from being in the gym for the first week in December, we knew what we had was special. We had a special group that was very passionate, very mature, very driven.

“Ignite the Fire,” a 79-minute documentary, was selected as part of the 34th Heartland International Film Festival, which runs Oct. 9-19 in Indianapolis. The world premiere of “Ignite the Fire” will be at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Living Room Theaters in Indianapolis. Tickets for those screenings are sold out. An additional screening of the film will be at 5:30 p.m. Oct.16 at the Indianapolis Art Center. Tickets for that screening and at-home streaming are available at HeartlandFilmFestival.org.

In their first season, the fourth-seeded Ignite lost to Orlando 3 games to 1 in the Pro Volleyball Federation championship in May. The league’s name was changed to Major League Volleyball following the season. Hansen said the team was thrilling to watch on and off the court.

Hansen, a longtime Fishers resident, and Juan Guillen, were the film’s co-directors

“In terms of a documentary standpoint,

they were creating storylines just by playing every game, players getting injured, players having awesome games,” Hansen said. “Stories were everywhere.”

The coaches wore microphones during the matches. Players wore microphones during practice.

“Then we went into the locker room after some of the matches and captured all the fun that was in there,” he said. “We also interviewed players and captured the press conference feeds.”

Hansen said his two daughters, now in their 20s, were involved in music and marching band,

“So, I had never had a front row seat to this kind of female athleticism, this type of action and grit that these women are putting out there every night,” he said.

Hansen said he ended up with around 40 hours of footage which took about 300 hours to edit.

Ignite middle blocker Blake Mohler, who wore a microphone during practice, said she is eager to see the film in its entirety.

“I’m so used to cameras being around, and if I’m being honest, I love cameras being

“I think showing our authentic self is what fans really love.”

Carly Klanac, vice president of marketing and game day experience for Indy Ignite, was the film’s producer

“The story of the inaugural season of the Indy Ignite is one that needs to be told,” Klanac stated. “It shows the grit of a team, full of rookies and undersized ballers, that came together and came up with an unexpected second-place finish in their first-ever season in Major League Volleyball.’

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

Heartland Festival will present the world premiere of “Sweet Lorraine in Auschwitz” at 1 p.m. Oct. 12 at Tobias Theater at Newfields. The feature-length documentary tells the story of Holocaust survivor Frank Grunwald, who lived in Fishers for more than 25 years and was deeply active in the Indianapolis arts and civic community until he died in 2023 at the age of 90. The film’s writer and director is Fishers resident Philip Paluso. Westfield resident Amber Maze is the writer-producer. For more showings, visit heartlandflim.org.

EVENTS CALENDAR

‘SOMETHING ROTTEN’

Thru Oct. 18

At The Tarkington in Carmel, visit civictheatre.org for more.

PHIL WICKHAM- AIR1 WORSHIP

NOW TOUR

Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.

At the Fishers Event Center, visit fisherseventcenter.com for more.

IL DIVO BY CANDLELIGHT

Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

‘TOOTSIE’

Oct. 16 - Nov. 23

At the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, visit beefandboards.com for more.

AIDA CUEVAS: 50 YEARS SINGING TO MEXICO

Oct. 10 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

CROWDER, PASSION MUSIC, LOUIE

GIGLIO, KARI JOBE CARNES & CODY

CARNES

Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.

At the Fishers Event Center, visit fisherseventcenter.com for more.

Juan Guillen, left, and Brian Hansen co-directed the documentary “Ignite the Fire.” (Photo courtesy of Indy Ignite)

Daniel Wilke, left, and Jacob Schilling perform as brothers in Civic Theatre’s production of “Something Rotten.” (Photo courtesy of Joshua Hasty)

Mohler

SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS BRINGS ORIGINAL SOUND

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Squirrel Nut Zippers features a combination of jazz and swing music with roots from a bygone era.

“It’s the showmanship of an early show biz or vaudeville show as well,” said James “Jimbo” Mathus, a founding member. “We’re known for writing, composing our own numbers. It’s not a historical recreation. It’s all original material, varying influences but between the 1930s, ’40s era of swing jazz, hot jazz, Harlem jazz, gypsy jazz and all the early weird American music. I channel all that together. If you heard it, you might think the songs are old songs. Well, they are now.”

Mathus co-founded the band in 1993 while living in North Carolina. He is the only founding member remaining.

Squirrel Nut Zippers will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. It’s the band’s first appearance at the venue.

“We do a lot of historical theaters,” Mathus

said. “Our main venues are auditoriums or theaters or performing arts centers. We’re just basically a jazz band at heart, so we’re easy to mix (acoustically). We try to pick the venues that best suit the people that want to come and see us. They are not necessarily diehard jazz fans. Some of these people have been listening to us for 25 years and have children that have grown up listening to us. We like it a little lively and a little rowdy. A proper jazz band should have an element of danger, in my opinion.”

The name “nut zipper” is derived from a Prohibition-era drink of bootleg moonshine. The band came up with the name from a newspaper headline of an intoxicated man climbing a tree. The music style has roots in the Back O’ Town neighborhood in New Orleans. Most of the band lives in New Orleans, but Mathus lives in Mississippi. Mathus said they have done a few cover albums.

“But most of the songs we’re known for are our own compositions,” he said. “I think that’s

International Violin Competition of Indianapolis

Rosamunde QuaRtet

Tuesday, October 21 | 7:30 PM

Indiana Landmarks Center

In this collaboration with Ensemble Music, the all-star members of the Rosamunde Quartet feature a recital of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Walker.

dances & Romances!

Tuesday, January 27 | 7:30 PM

Indiana History Center

As the first Gold Medalist in IVCI history, Mihaela Martin holds a special place in the organization’s legacy. She joins pianist Chih-Yi Chen in a recital inspired by rhythmic folk traditions and passions.

2022 Gold medalist siRena HuanG

Thursday, February 19 | 7:30 PM

Indiana Landmarks Center

2022 Gold Medalist Sirena Huang and 2017 APA Winner Drew Petersen unite for a thrilling recital in this collaboration with the American Piano Awards.

what sets us apart. We have the musicianship and the skill of a proper nine-piece jazz band.”

Most of the songs contain vocals, Mathus said.

“We’re known for our lyrics and our kind of subversive humor and stuff like that,” he said. “We’ve always done a few instrumentals, but they are mostly vocal numbers.”

Mathus, who is often the emcee, said he shares the microphone with four other singers.

“We like to keep it moving,” he said. “There is so much talent on stage, I love to share the spotlight.”

Mathus said the band packs a lot into its 90-minute show, including all the fan favorites.

The band’s most recent album, “Lost Songs of Doc Souchon,” was released in 2020. The band has sold more than 3 million albums.

The band plays 40 to 50 shows a year.

“We don’t want to wear out the excitement,” he said. “When we do get together, it’s a little run once a month or every couple of months.”

For more, visit thecenterpresents.org and snzippers.com.

2018 lauReate sHannon lee

Tuesday, March 24 | 7:30 PM

Indiana History Center

In her highly anticipated Indianapolis recital debut, 2018 Laureate Shannon Lee pairs with acclaimed pianist/composer Arseniy Gusev in a captivating 20th-century program.

an eveninG witH tessa laRk, cHaRles YanG & PeteR duGan

Tuesday, April 14 | 7:30 PM | The Cabaret

Join 2014 Silver Medalist Tessa Lark, violinist Charles Yang (Time for Three) and pianist Peter Dugan (From The Top) at The Cabaret in an evening of classical, jazz and pop fusion. (Note: Reserve early - this concert will sell out!)

Squirrel Nut Zippers will perform at the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel. (Photo courtesy of Allied Solutions Center)

EVENTS CALENDAR

MATTHEW MORRISON: RHYTHMS & REVELATIONS

Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

AN EVENING WITH TOMMY EMMANUEL, CGP

Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

VIENNA BOYS CHOIR

Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

ROSAMUNDE QUARTET

Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

At The Indiana Landmarks Center, visit violin. org for more.

SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS: JAZZ FROM THE BACK O’ TOWN

Oct. 24 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

‘YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN’

Oct. 24- Nov. 9

Presented by Actors Theatre of Indian

At the Studio Theatre in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.com for more.

A MODERN GOTHIC VAMPIRE BALLET

Oct. 24-25

At The Tarkington, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org for more.

JESSE COOK: LIVE IN CONCERT

Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.

At The Tarkington in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY

Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

HEATHER LAND LIVE

Nov. 1 at 8 p.m.

At The Tarkington in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

SEAN CHEN & ESCHER STRING QUARTET

Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

At the Indiana Landmarks Center, visit pianoawards.org for more.

LISA LOEB & JOAN OSBORNE

Nov. 7 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

TITO PUENTE JR. AND HIS LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

At The Tarkington in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

THE VOICE OF WHITNEY: A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION

Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

WITH HEARTS OF GRATITUDE

Nov. 9 at 4 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium, visit indianawindsymphony.org for more

BRANDON WOODY’S UPENDO

Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.

At The Tarkington in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

SAMARA JOY

Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

JOHN LEGEND: GET LIFTED - 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

At the Fishers Event Center, visit fisherseventcenter.com for more.

PEABO BRYSON

Nov. 21 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

WISH YOU WERE HERE: THE SIGHT AND SOUND OF PINK FLOYD

Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS AT 300

Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

‘A BEEF & BOARDS CHRISTMAS 2025’

Nov. 28 - Dec. 31

At the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, visit beefandboards.com for more.

PLAY CENTERS ON LIFE OF RILEY

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Keith Miller got the idea for his play while visiting Paris.

A friend recited a line from a James Whitcomb Riley poem, and he finished the line. The friend, from Boston, wondered how Miller knew that, and he explained that Riley was from Greenfield

“We all used to learn Riley, but I don’t think he’s taught as much in schools,” said Miller, a Carmel resident who grew up in Indianapolis “So, I’m reintroducing him to this generation.”

started out on a traveling medical circuit, so he was quite the character.”

Miller’s play features a fictional backstage conversation with Riley and assistant stage manager Caleb Johnson. The play, directed by Richard J. Roberts, features Paul Hansen as Riley and Nolan Daugherty as Johnson.

Miller’s two-person play will be part of Actors Theatre of Indiana’s Lab Series reading of “An Evening with James Whitcomb Riley.” The 75-minute free reading is set for 2 p.m. Oct. 11 at Carmel Clay Public Library.

The play is based on Riley and Mark Twain’s joint appearance in 1894 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“Mark Twain hated performing with Riley because he upstaged Twain,” Miller said. “(Riley) was a bon vivant. He was a raconteur. He

Miller said Roberts has been a huge help

“I’ve done eight revisions of the play and it’s a much better work now because of his involvement,” Miller said. Miller, 68, has always wanted to be a writer. He has had more time to write since retiring three years ago from his job in cardiac surveillance sales.

Following the Lab Series reading, the play will be presented by ATI in a fully staged production as a benefit for the Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation and the James Whitcomb Riley House. The benefit performance will be presented at 7 p.m. Feb. 19, 2026, at The Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Anyone interested in attending the reading should register at bit. ly/42QiJnU.

CSO FEATURES CLASSICS

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Kelly Corcoran is excited about the repertoire of her Carmel Symphony Orchestra guest conducting stint.

Corcoran will conduct “Drama!  Beethoven & Brahms” at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The 2025-26 season-opening concert features Ludwig von Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” Edvard Grieg’s “Holbert Suite, op. 40” and Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 1, op 68.”

are really, truly rooted in what makes classical music great.”

This is the first of Corcoran’s three guest-conducting appearances for CSO this season. She also will conduct concerts in February and April in 2026.

“These are like the greatest hits in terms of classic composers, right?” Corcoran said. “So, I think just leaning into the beauty of great orchestral music and presenting that with commitment and passion and artistry and great music-making like that is what people will hopefully experience if they come in October just to hear great orchestral music that you don’t get to hear live every day. I just think it’s kind of fun to be presenting programs that

“Each of them on their own are wonderful pieces,” she said, “All are representative of these composers and their musical language. In Brahms’ ‘Symphony No. 1,’ you hear the lyricism, you hear drama, you hear maturity. I just love Brahms, in general. It’s one of my favorite pieces.”

Corcoran was a CSO guest conductor in 2017.

“I’m looking forward to working with everybody again and being in that beautiful venue,” she said.

Corcoran, director of a contemporary music ensemble in Nashville, Tenn., typically guest conducts on the road once a month. She occasionally conducts with the Nashville Symphony, including a Nov. 15 concert with country artist Randy Travis.

For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

Miller

Corcoran

BLUES TRAVELER, GIN BLOSSOMS EVENT SUPPORTS SCHOOLS

editorial@youarecurrent.com

Two hitmakers from the 1990s are teaming up for a night of hits when Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms perform live Feb. 20, 2026, at the Fishers Event Center in Fishers for the second of a Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation Legacy Celebration. A portion of proceeds will benefit the staff and students at Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

More than 35 years ago, the four original members of Blues Traveler — John Popper, Chandler Kinchla, Brendan Hill,and the late Bobby Sheehan — gathered in their drummer’s parent’s basement in Princeton, N.J., to jam. From those high school sessions emerged a band that would go on to release 14 studio albums, four of which have gone gold, three platinum and one six-times platinum. The band has sold more than 10 million units worldwide.

eler’s Blues,” was nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Traditional Blues Album.”

Blues Traveler has played more than 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people and, in “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history, which earned it a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Gin Blossoms are an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Ariz. The band rose to prominence following the 1992 release of its first major-label album, “New Miserable Experience,” and the first single released from that album, “Hey Jealousy,” became a Top 25 hit and went gold.

The band’s movie credits include “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Kingpin” and “Wildflowers,” among others. The has been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” “Austin City Limits” and VH1’s “Behind the Music,” and have the record for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

Blues Traveler’s latest effort, 2021’s “Trav-

“New Miserable Experience” eventually went quadruple platinum, and three other charting singles were released from the album, including “Allison Road” and “Until I Fall Away.” The band’s follow-up album, “Congratulations I’m Sorry” (1996), went platinum and included the Grammy-nominated “As Long as It Matters” and the top 10 single “Follow You Down.”

Tickets are on sale at fisherseventcenter.com.

Indianapolis Children’s Choir Gala Set

The Indianapolis Children’s Choir will be decked out in red for its annual fundraising gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Ritz Charles in Carmel. This year’s ICC Gala will be aptly themed for its 40th anniversary, “A Touch of Red,” with a nod to the traditional ruby anniversary gift. “This is always one of our largest fundraisers of the year,” stated Joshua Pedde, the ICC’s executive artistic director. “This gala will be extra special as we look back at the past 40 years and raise funds to continue our music education legacy for many more years to come.” Guests can expect a silent auction of crafted baskets from choir members and local business merchandise, photo ops, a whiskey pull, live entertainment, themed food items and a signature cocktail and mocktails, the Scarlet Serenade and Rhapsody in Rouge. ICC singers will tell their personal stories to guests and also present a live performance. The fundraising goal is $70,000, and funds raised will go directly toward the ICC’s programs and outreach. The ICC serves about 2,000 children from ages 18 months to 18 years through multiple choirs and programs throughout central Indiana. Tickets are on sale now. Individual tickets are $125. Tables of eight are also available for $1,000. The deadline to purchase a ticket or a table is Oct.10. For more, visit icchoir.org/gala.

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! WE WILL CHOIR

YOU! AN EPIC QUEEN SING-ALONG

THU, OCT 2 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

RICK BRAUN & MINDI ABAIR

SAT, OCT 4 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

IL DIVO BY CANDLELIGHT

THU, OCT 9 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

AIDA CUEVAS:

50 YEARS SINGING TO MEXICO

FRI, OCT 10 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

MATTHEW MORRISON: RHYTHMS & REVELATIONS

FRI, OCT 17 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

AN EVENING WITH TOMMY EMMANUEL, CGP

SAT, OCT 18 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

VIENNA BOYS CHOIR

SUN, OCT 19 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS: JAZZ FROM THE BACK O’ TOWN

FRI, OCT 24 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

JESSE COOK: LIVE IN CONCERT

SUN, OCT 26 AT 7PM | THE TARKINGTON

BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY

SAT, NOV 1 AT 8PM & SUN, NOV 2 AT 2PM

PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

HEATHER LAND LIVE

SAT, NOV 1 AT 8PM | THE TARKINGTON

LISA LOEB & JOAN OSBORNE FRI, NOV 7 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

TITO PUENTE JR. AND HIS LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE SAT, NOV 8 AT 8PM | THE TARKINGTON

THE VOICE OF WHITNEY: A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION

SAT, NOV 8 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

BRANDON WOODY’S UPENDO

SUN, NOV 9 AT 7PM | THE TARKINGTON

SAMARA JOY

FRI, NOV 14 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

PEABO BRYSON FRI, NOV 21 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

WISH YOU WERE HERE: THE SIGHT AND SOUND OF PINK FLOYD SAT, NOV 22 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS

VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS AT 300 SUN, NOV 23 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH DAVID FOSTER & KATHARINE MCPHEE

TUE, DEC 2 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

SONGBOOK FOUNDATION HOLIDAY SCREENING THU, DEC 4 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

JON MCLAUGHLIN & FRIENDS

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS FRI, DEC 5 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND CREOLE CHRISTMAS MON, DEC 8 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

SAMANTHA FISH, CEDRIC BURNSIDE, AND JON SPENCER: SHAKE ‘EM ON DOWN TOUR WED, DEC 10 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS FRI, DEC 12 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

SEASON SPONSOR

CHRIS ISAAK SAT, DEC 13 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

LET’S SING TAYLOR:

AN UNOFFICIAL LIVE TRIBUTE SHOW SAT JAN 17 AT 2PM & 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

NEKO CASE: NEON GREY MIDNIGHT GREEN TOUR THU, JAN 22 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

MAC MCANALLY

FRI JAN 23 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA WITH RAY CHEN

FRI, JAN 30 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

CECE TENEAL’S DIVAS OF SOUL SAT, JAN 31 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

WAYNE NEWTON: UP CLOSE & PERSONAL SAT, FEB 14 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

MARIACHI HERENCIA DE MÉXICO LA NUEVA GENERACIÓN TOUR FRI, FEB 20 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

GREAT AMERICAN CROONERS: A JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER PRESENTS PRODUCTION WED, FEB 25 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

PEKING ACROBATS

THU, FEB 26 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE SUN, MAR 1 AT 3PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

CHRIS BOTTI FRI, MAR 6 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

JEROME COLLINS: REWIND A JOURNEY TO MOTOWN AND BEYOND SAT, MAR 7 AT 8PM | THE TARKINGTON

ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA & MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN SAT, MAR 7 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

GOITSE SUN, MAR 8 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

JOSHUA HENRY: GET UP STAND UP FRI, MAR 13 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

GREGORIAN: PURE CHANTS WORLD TOUR FEATURING SONGS OF ENIGMA SAT, MAR 14 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

STEP AFRIKA! THE EVOLUTION TOUR SUN, MAR 15 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

ONE NIGHT IN MEMPHIS: THE NUMBER ONE TRIBUTE TO PRESLEY, PERKINS, LEWIS AND CASH THU, MAR 19 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

BRANFORD MARSALIS QUARTET FRI, MAR 20 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

DIRECT FROM ROME: THE THREE ITALIAN TENORS SUN, MAR 29 AT 7PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

ILLUSIONIST RICK THOMAS SAT, APR 4 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

MANDY PATINKIN IN CONCERT: BEING ALIVE THU, APR 9 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

CHRIS THILE FRI, APR 10 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL FEINSTEIN FRI, APR 17 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

JOSHUA BELL THU, APR 23 AT 7:30PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

SNARKY PUPPY SAT, APR 25 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA EXPERIENCE SAT, MAY 2 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

AN EVENING WITH JAKE SHIMABUKURO FRI, MAY 8 AT 8PM | PAYNE & MENCIAS PALLADIUM

PEABO BRYSON

SAMARA JOY JAKE SHIMABUKURO AIDA CUEVAS

BRANFORD MARSALIS

DAVID FOSTER & KATHARINE MCPHEE

HAMILTON COUNTY RISE FEST RETURNS

By Jessica Todd jessica@youarecurrent.com

Hamilton County RISE Fest, a free music festival where 100 percent of proceeds and donations benefit selected Hamilton County nonprofits, returns to Spencer Farm Winery in Noblesville from noon to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 18.

This year’s event will feature nine bands on two stages:

• Noon: Kam ‘n Jett’s Jammin’ Duet

• 1 p.m.: The Founders

• 2 p.m.: Traci and Jimmy Friends Band

• 3 p.m.: Curt Cannabis & The Highflyers

• 4 p.m.: Broken Reins

• 5 p.m.: Days of My Youth

• 6 p.m.: Rhino Down

• 7:15 p.m.: Naptown Hepcats

• 8:30 p.m.: The Amanda McClaran Experience

Proceeds will benefit Chairs of Honor (Westfield); Children’s Theraplay (Carmel); The Cooper House (Noblesville); and Hamilton County Veterans Corp. (Fishers).

Hamilton County RISE Fest Executive Director Andy Binford said this is the fifth year of the event.

“Back in late 2020, during COVID, a lot

of local musicians and bands weren’t able to perform,” Binford said. “We wanted to do an event with lots of bands and stream it and take donations for Hamilton County nonprofits. It took a little bit to get the event organized, and by the time we got it put together it was May of 2021. Things were opening up. So, we picked September of 2021 to do the first event in person.”

Binford said the event continues to grow, with 1,000 people attending last year compared to 500 in the first year.

“Our goal is to be family friendly and dog friendly,” Binford said. “Even though it’s a winery, we promote that it’s for all ages. We have a food truck in addition to wine that the winery sells, and Bier Brewery will have beer. We don’t expect anybody to have to spend a dollar. They can just come out, bring a blanket and enjoy as much or as little music as they want.”

There also will be a silent auction, with items such as signed sports memorabilia.

“Our big item this year is a custom-made electric guitar that’s called a Stratocaster,” Binford said. “It’s going to be signed by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp.”

For more, visit risefest.net.

Coral Reefer Band’s McAnally to return to Carmel

Following a sold-out show in January, singer-songwriter Mac McAnally will return Jan. 23, 2026, to the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. A longtime member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, McAnally has written dozens of hits for artists including Alabama, Kenny Chesney and Sawyer Brown and has recorded with such names as Toby Keith, Linda Ronstadt, George Strait and Dolly Parton. He has won the Country Music Association’s Musician of the Year title a record-setting 10 times and has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. His solo recording career began with the Top 40 single “It’s a Crazy World” and has grown to 14 album releases. The 8 p.m. performance is part of the Center Presents Season sponsored by Allied Solutions and the Printing Partners Encore Series. Tickets are now on sale at thecenterpresents.org.

Attendees enjoy a previous RISE Fest. (Photo courtesy of RISE Fest )

‘A BEAUTIFUL MIND’ CONCERT SET

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Discovering Broadway founder Joel Kirk has been eager for Discovering Broadway’s next incubation project for some time.

The musical is being created by composer-lyricist Zoe Sarnak and book writer Sarah Treem.

“When she (Sarnak) told me she was adapting ‘A Beautiful Mind’ into a musical several years ago, I immediately was excited and told her Discovering Broadway would love to be the first stop on the show’s journey,” said Kirk, a 2012 Carmel High School graduate. “So, for us to pick as an incubating institution when the property inside is so high profile, coming from the film that won the Academy Award for best picture, it speaks volumes to what we’re all doing in Indiana with this program to earn the kind of renown.”

The film is based on the story of John Forbes Nash, a gifted mathematician who battled mental illness. Sarnak met Nash as a child and her father, Peter Sarnak, a math professor at Princeton University, was in the book about Nash by Sylvia Nasar. Sarnak is writing the musical to honor Nash and her father.

Discovering Broadway will present a concert featuring songs from “A Beautiful Mind’ at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Tobias Theater at Newfields in Indianapolis.

EVENTS CALENDAR

AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH DAVID FOSTER & KATHARINE MCPHEE

Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.org for more.

GREGORY HANCOCK DANCE THEATRE WINTERFEST

Dec. 4 - Dec. 14

At The Florence in Carmel, visit gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org for more.

SONGBOOK FOUNDATION HOLIDAY SCREENING

Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.com for more.

AMY GRANT, CECE WINANS, & MICHAEL W SMITH: CHRISTMAS TOGETHER

Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.

At the Fishers Event Center, visit fisherseventcenter.com for more.

Kirk said this is the seventh Broadway-bound musical incubation process for Discovering Broadway. The musical’s creative team will meet at a retreat to workshop the music and script before the concert. Bryan Perri, who will join the Indianapolis-area retreat, is the musical supervisor.

“We want Zoe and Sarah to use this retreat to motivate and give them a good circumstance in which they can really give birth to the first draft of the show,” Kirk said.

Kirk said the creative team wants to cast four Indiana actors for roles in the concert.

“The role of Nash and his wife will be cast from actors based in New York,” Kirk said. “We’ll have four local musicians from Indiana playing music.”

For tickets and information on VIP packages, visit discoveringbroadway.com.

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’

Dec. 5 - 22 (select dates)

At the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, visit beefandboards.com for more.

JON MCLAUGHLIN & FRIENDS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.com for more.

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND

CREOLE CHRISTMAS

Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m

At the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, visit thecenterpresents.com for more.

FOR AN EXTENDED VERSION OF THIS CALENDAR, VISIT

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The Envision collection is available as a sectional, sofa, chair, or ottoman.

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Choose fabric, arm style, seat depth, back height, silhouette, back pillow and seam detail, base and wood finishes.

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RG DECOR.COM (317) 873-6139

RG DECOR.COM (317) 873-6139

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