U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) has reaffirmed his commitment to stand with the Burmese people and their aspirations to restore democracy in their country on the two-year anniversary of the military coup in Burma. Young, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) in introducing a Senate resolution condemning the coup and calling for an immediate return to democratic governance grounded in respect for civil liberties. ss-times.com/young-calls-for-
Contact the Editor
Have any news tips? Want to submit a calendar event? Have a photograph to share? Email Nicole Davis at nicole@icontimes.com. And remember, our news deadlines are several days prior to print.
Want to Advertise?
The Southside Times reaches a vast segment of our community with readership of 88%.* smari For information about reaching our readers, call Mark Gasper at (317) 300-8782 or email him at mark@icontimes.com.
Or call Grady Michael Gaynor at (317) 674-5373 or email him at grady@icontimes.com.
Local Fleet Reserve Association plans activities; invites members to join
The Fleet Reserve Association USS Indianapolis Memorial Branch 130 recently met to discuss activities planned this year, including a family picnic in late spring; Greenwood and Southport summer events centered on the Fourth of July; and a field trip to Vincennes, Ind. to visit the Indiana State Museums Historic Site: the original Territory Capitol Building. The Fleet Reserve Association is open to members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Any veterans from the sea services are invited to attend.
For more information on these articles and other timely news, visit ss-times.com. To join the conversation, visit our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @southsidetimes
Rights Reserved. For more information, contact us at: news@southsidetimes.com Tel. 317.300.8782 • Fax. 317.300.8786 7670 U.S. 31 S., Indianapolis, IN 46227 www.icontimes.com The Southside Times is
U.S. Sen. Todd Young supports democracy in Burma. (Photo by Rebecca Hammel)
Rosa Parks Elementary School second grade teacher, Brittany Tinkler, speaks to the student body after being named a winner of the Milken Foundation Educator Award. (Photo by Sherri Coner)
Rosa Parks Elementary schoolteacher receives Milken Educator Award
By Sherri Coner
Moments after being named a 2022-2023 recipient of the nationally recognized Milken Educator Award, Brittany Tinkler, second grade teacher at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Perry Township smiled at the large crowd of first through fifth graders and made her exciting moment a teachable one for the student body.
Along with reminding students about the importance of perseverance, Tinkler encouraged them to always ask questions about everything that draws their curiosity.
“Never stop asking why and if you do that, you will know your purpose,” she said.
Along with school board members, state and local dignitaries, colleagues and several past recipients of the prestigious award for excellence and leadership, Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, congratulated a rather stunned Tinkler.
“Mrs. Brittany Tinkler’s love for education and innovative project-based learning has an impact that extends throughout Perry Township Schools,” Dr. Jenner said. “Whether by bringing in community partners to introduce her students to new career possibilities, helping her classes outperform expected growth in math and English/language arts, or launching a robotics club, Brittany continues to give back to the very same school community where she attended as a child.”
Also in attendance, Dr. Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President, traveled from Santa Monica, Calif. to speak to students and offer Tinkler a well-deserved hug.
“It is no surprise that she calls Rosa Parks Elementary her second home,” said Dr. Foley, who was a 1994 recipient of the Indiana Milken Educator Award. “For Brittany –a proud product of a family of educators
Topics in History: History through Film
FEATURE
Topics is a course at Southport High School taught by Kevin Sanders that analyzes major events from United States and world history through Hollywood films that attempt to portray those events. Students investigate historical documents and other sources to determine if a film is historically accurate.
to join because of everything they put you up against. Mainly when he was 25 years old and had family back at home that would cause more mental stress on top of the war.
– teaching is not only a vocation, but also a volition to help her students and colleagues reach their fullest potential. We are fortunate to have Brittany as a member of our national Milken Educator Award family.”
Created in 1987 by philanthropist Lowell Milken, the Milken Educator Awards publicly highlight K-12 educato across the United States who make a profound difference not only for students but also for their colleagues and communities.
Each year, specific states and schools chosen for the winners’ list remain a closely guarded secret until each award is announced. Judging from the genuine shock on Tinkler’s face when her name was announced, Rosa Parks Elementary School principal, Matt Bush, and office staff appeared to do a great job with keeping the news top secret.
Since the first award was presented in 1987, more than $140 million in funding, including more than $73 million in individual awards, has been devoted to the Milken Awards initiative, which also includes professional development opportunities throughout each recipient’s career.
The goal is for students to develop deeper understandings of the historical discipline while generating questions about the way the world is around them, along with watching classical films that have graced American and international screens.
Student: Daniel Sanchez
Film Reviewed: American Sniper
Grief Recovery Support Group
When the September 11 attacks happened, Chris was ready and more motivated for combat now, and this just shows how he feels about his country when someone attacks or tries to hurt the place he fights for. He was sent to help search for guns. Next, he is going to Iraq. He would get inside the building and shoot insurgents as his fellow troop would move up and cover more ground easily with his protection. Then there was an altercation where one of Chris’ close comrades was injured. He was really hurt and blind while Marc Lee lost his life. There were also problems back at home because Taya is further strained by Chris’ extended absences from his family. Now they have a daughter.
Tinkler joins more than 2,900 teachers in the national Milken Educator Network of educators across the country. Along with receiving an unrestricted cash award of $25,000, she received an all-expenses-paid trip in April to attend the Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles.
In December, Angela Fowler, fourth grade math teacher at Grassy Creek Elementary School in Greenwood, was also announced as a Milken Educator Award winner.
As Indiana’s Milken Educators this 2022-23 season, Fowler and Tinkler are among nearly 40 elementary educators across the country to receive this year’s award.
“An advocate for all students, Brittany is proof that great teachers change lives and strive to do the same for each student.” Dr. Jenner said.
American Sniper is phenomenal/abysmal because… this shows the deadliest American sniper in the U.S. Army. It is 2003 in Iraq, and at this point Christopher is 25. Chris was providing coverage for a group of Marines; there was a woman attacking the Marines with a grenade, but Chris shot her. “I had to do it to protect the Marines.” That was his first registered kill ever and for sure won’t be the last. It really just showed a reflection of the person he is. It shows that whatever they throw at him he wouldn’t hesitate to protect his comrades. In reality this first time killing the kid would affect his mental health a lot through his life. The Pentagon said Kyle had over 160 kills. The actual number could be almost double. He was also a farmer for most his life and had his Christian values. The hard-working effort came from him being young and working hard at the farm, but he was drawn to the seal team which was mentally and physical challenging. It’s one of the hardest
This just shows him being the best sniper in American history; he would have to be away from his family for so long which would affect him even more. His next deployment would be to Sadr City in Iraq where he was literally shot in the back. That gave him that push to go back to his family to see them more. Chris Kyle would never forget the war because of PTSD. He was actually diagnosed with PTSD when he was with his family back at home. In the movie Chris doesn’t die but does in real life. Actually he was taking a simple trip to the gun range with his friend, Chad. They were trying to mentor a veteran who suddenly opened fire on them. Chris texted Chad that “This dude is straight up nuts.” But he was there to mentor him because he knows that feeling of PTSD which would cost him his life. It just shows how bad PTSD is, and that it’s a real thing. What would you have done in that situation of Chris’ last moments trying to help a fellow veteran?
This special 13 week program is a place for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one tobe around others who understand the pain of your loss.At GriefShare learn valuable information to help you through this difficulttime in your life.
Fridays at 6:30 pm Starts February 17th
Fridays at 6:30 pm
Starts September 9th
This special 13 week program is a place for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one to be around others who understand the pain of your loss. At GriefShare learn valuable information to help you through this difficult time in your life.
One Christian Church 2901 East Banta Road toRegister call 317-787-8236
One Christian Church 2901 East Banta Road to Register call 317-787-8236 Fridays at 6:30 pm Starts September 9th
This special 13 week programis a place for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one to be around others who understand the pain of your loss. At GriefShare learn valuable information to help you through this difficult time in your life.
One Christian Church 2901 East Banta Road To Register call 317-787-8236
RVing as a lifestyle Center Grove couple sell their home to travel the country
By Sherri Coner
Intending to casually hit the road every now and then, Larry and Daina Chamness of Center Grove bought a 26-foot trailer five years ago, hitched it to their vehicle and drove Southwest for the winter.
“This is where our story began,” Daina said of their temporary address in Quartzsite, Ariz.
Spending eight weeks together in a much more cramped living space than the home they shared for more than 30 years was an experiment to answer a couple of burning questions.
How homesick would they be, so far away from their seven adult children and three grandkids?
“And also, could we stand each other for eight weeks in a trailer,” Daina said with a laugh.
A nomadic adventure
What this happy-go-lucky couple didn’t expect was the simple fun of pedaling their bikes in the desert, enroute for shopping in the small nearby town. They didn’t expect the peacefulness and so many new friendships.
“There are lots of artists, writers and musicians here,” Daina said. “There are
all kinds of people here, from big motorhomes to tents. It’s very interesting.”
Because electricity is unavailable in this RV park for boondock fans, sundown brings out flashlights or generators if your rig isn’t equipped with solar panels.
These retirees began to ponder the possibility of creating a lifestyle on the road.
A couple of new questions required answers, “What will we do with all of our stuff?” and “Can we really do this?”
Before they chickened out of exchanging everything predictable for nomadic adventures, the Chamnesses returned to Indiana and invited their family to stop by and take whatever they wanted from the family home.
Soon after, they hosted more garage sales than anyone would ever want to have.
The Simple Life
“It felt very freeing,” Daina said of choosing a much more minimalist lifestyle. “We didn’t own all of that stuff, it owned us.”
They traded the trailer for a 40-foot fifth wheel, adopted a feisty Yorkie named Finnegan, and took a deep breath in a much lighter existence.
No more overcrowded cabinets and overstuffed drawers.
Exploring new cultures
Curiosity has taken them to the Alamo and the riverwalk in San Antonio.
After a swamp boat ride in Louisiana, they dined on local food, immersed in Cajun culture.
They have explored Calsbad Caverns in New Mexico and patted gray whales in the lagoon of Guerrero Negro in Baja.
“We’ve also been to the Grand Canyon a couple of times,” Daina said.
“RVing is a subculture, really. I never thought this was something I would ever do.”
— Daina Chamness
Never-worn clothing was also gone, right along with utility bills and property taxes.
After renting their home for two years, the Chamnesses let go of their last anchor.
They sold their home.
Nearly every material possession was successfully traded for experiences.
This life is also sprinkled with an occasional stroll through flea markets and farmers markets.
Having nothing but time, they can follow signs to enjoy an impromptu music festival, a county fair or a state park.
“RVing is a subculture, really,” Daina said. “I never thought this was something I would ever do.”
Since several of their children now reside and work in different states and the grandchildren are teenagers finding their way toward adulthood, living this mobile life is more important than having a permanent address.
Larry made several trips to area donation centers.
They rented their home to a friend.
And suddenly, 33 years of belongings disappeared.
These days, not necessarily making a plan at all is often the plan for Larry, who retired from a 40-year career with Workforce Development and Daina, who still authors books, available on Amazon.
After an early spring romp through Alabama and back to Louisiana to see friends, they will spend the summer in the Center Grove area.
“We just got a notion,” Daina said of their gypsy-flavored decision.
“Yes, whimsy,” Larry added.
(Cover) Larry and Daina Chamness of Center Grove explore a copper mine in Carlsbad Caverns. | (Left) Exploring a cavern in Carlsbad Caverns. | (Right) The view from their window in Quartzsite, Ariz. (Submitted photos)
Roncalli band soloists earn gold rating at State
ISSMA - On Feb. 4, Roncalli High School stated that it had an amazing showing at the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) State Solo and Ensemble competition for wind, percussion and string. Six Roncalli students, who qualified for the competition, earned a Gold rating, and one received a Silver rating! A Gold rating is the highest honor a soloist can earn in this statewide competition. Junior Ronnie Malan earned a Silver rating for his beautiful clarinet solo. Senior Ansley Bishop, junior Meg Comer, senior Henry Howe, junior Garrett Phillips, sophomore Scarlett Shell and junior Luis Sandoval each earned a Gold rating! This Gold rating qualifies them to compete in the state ISSMA competition on Feb. 25.
ON CAMPUS
Weight-loss surgery can change lives
Hear success stories at a free seminar
Many people have their lives changed through bariatric surgery. And the first step for many is attending a seminar. Learn more about surgery, and hear success stories from other patients. Get answers to questions, too. Know that we are maintaining strict precautions to keep you safe in our care.
Register for a seminar at ascension.org/StVincentWeightLoss
Dates
Thursday, March 2 — Indianapolis
Friday, March 3 — Brazil Saturday, March 25 — Indianapolis and Kokomo
From left front, Ronnie Malan, Luis Sandoval, Meg Comer, Scarlett Shell; back, Garrett Phillips, Henry Howe, Ansley Bishop. (Photo courtesy of Roncalli High School)
Have an interesting, entertaining or inspirational photo representing people, places or happenings on the Southside? Share it with us and your photo could be featured as our Photo of the Week! Email any images with a brief description and who the photo was taken by to news@ss-times.com.
of the WEEK
HUMOR
Top 10 signs you screwed up last Valentine’s Day
By Torry Stiles
10. Store-bought cards can be very touching gifts for those you love, but you should not have gone with the Scooby-Doo set from the dollar store.
9. It’s fine to include her mom, but adding the sister is often a risky move.
8. When recycling flowers, always remove the name of the funeral home where you got them.
7. If there are more than one Valentine-worthy companions, always double-check the names before passing out the cards.
6. I’m sure pedicures are fun. I’m sure you meant well. I’m sure he would appreciate you not posting pictures on Facebook.
5. That was your mom’s favorite perfume, wasn’t it?
4. It’s okay, guys. We all tried the heartshaped meatloaf idea at least once.
3. He just got off the phone tearfully telling his mom about how much he was looking forward to the WWE’s next visit.
2. She’s sitting up in bed next to you telling you to just close your eyes.
"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us."
1. The phrase, “I’m fine,” has been used about every other sentence.
Our nation has all sorts of arcane, nonsensical laws on the books. Each week, we’ll share one with you ... In Salt Lake City, Utah, no one may walk down the street carrying a paper bag containing a violin. Source: stupidlaws.com
Greenwood Fire Department recently celebrated and congratulated Chief Darin Hoggatt and Battalion Chief Larry Rockwell on their retirement. Hoggat served 27 years with GFD, while Rockwell served 34. (Photo by Greenwood Fire Department)
PHOTO
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
BEECH GROVE
For the Love of Main Street • Visit as many of the businesses listed and earn a stamp for every $5 you spend! Once you spend $50, your name will be entered to win one of several gifts from your favorite Main Street businesses! Enter as many times as you can! Brought to you by Next Stop, Beech Grove and supported by the Greater Beech Grove Chamber of Commerce. | When: Through Feb. 28. | Where: Participating businesses. | Info: facebook.com/Beech.Grove. Chamber
Community Wellness Fair • The Hornet Park Community Center and Greater Beech Grove Chamber of Commerce invites you to take part in our annual Health and Wellness Community Fair. The Community Fair will include booth opportunities to feature local businesses, notfor-profits, services, as well as a health fair for residents living in and around the Beech Grove area. | When: March 4, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Where: Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave., Beech Grove. | Info: HornetParkCommunityCenter.com/wellnessfair
CENTER GROVE
Texture Painting Class • Learn how to texture paint and create angel wings on canvas. | When: Feb. 25, 2 - 4 p.m. | Where: Bella Rose Design, 1001 N. State Road 135, Greenwood. | Info: bellarosedesign.com/events-1
Tall Cop Says Stop • Parents and community members are invited to a free seminar with Officer Jermaine Galloway (aka Tall Cop Says Stop). His seminar "High in Plain Sight: Current Alcohol, Drug, and Concealment Trends and Identifiers" will cover these topics including drug trends, alcohol/drug clothing, signs and symptoms, popular party drugs, social networking sites, youth party tendencies and more. | When: on March 2. 6:30 p.m. | Where: Center Grove High School Auditorium | Info: centergrove.k12.in.us/tallcop
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
Indianapolis Wedding Show • The Indianapolis Wedding Show by A Bridal Affair features the area’s best wedding professionals to help with wedding plans. Free admission, reservations required. When: Feb. 19, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Where: Hilton Garden Inn South/Greenwood, 5255 Noggle Way, Indianapolis. | Info: facebook.com/BridalAffairWeddingShows, abridalaffair.net
GARFIELD PARK
Coffee & Conversation • Discover the history of coffee and gain a greater appreciation for one of our favorite beverages. Learn more about how coffee can be grown in harmony with the rainforest and protect Indiana native migratory birds. Program attendees will have a chance to see our Conservatory coffee trees and decorate a plain white coffee mug to keep. Registration required. $8 per person. | When: Feb. 25, 2 - 3 p.m. | Where: Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, Indianapolis. | Info: garfieldgardensconservatory.org
GREENWOOD
Bags or Bucks Bingo Fundraiser • Greenwood Community High School Athletic Department presents bag or bucks bingo. | When: Feb. 22, doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the games start at 6:30 p.m. | Where: Greenwood Moose Lodge, 813 W. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood. | Info: facebook.com/gml2079
Clarity Fundraising Event • Enjoy a banquet to raise money for Clarity, an organization that provides pregnancy and sexual health services. | When: Feb. 23, 7 - 9 p.m. | Where: Greenwood Christian Church, 2045 Averitt Road, Greenwood. | Info: facebook.com/GreenwoodChristian
Purse Bingo Fundraiser • Play bingo for the chance to win designer purses. This event benefits Kitley Intermediate School. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by clicking the link. Must be 18 or older to attend. | When: March 1, 5:30 - 9 p.m. | Where: Greenwood Moose Lodge, 813 W. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood. | Info: eventbrite.com
PERRY TOWNSHIP
Under the Ice - Fishin with Clint • Where do fish go when it’s freezing, literally? Join Clint to learn more about what happens under the ice for fish and other critters. | When: Feb. 17, 1 - 2 p.m. | Where: Where: West Perry Branch library, 6650 S. Harding St., Indianapolis. | Info: indypl.org
Annual Campaign Kickoff Trivia Night • Join for a fun night out with friends and family at Trivia Night, featuring the voice of the Colts, Matt Taylor. All proceeds benefit the Baxter YMCA’s Annual Campaign, which supports community members through program and membership assistance. $25 individual/$200 table of 10. | When: Feb. 18, 6 p.m. | Where: Baxter YMCA, 7900 Shelby St., Indianapolis. | Info: indymca.org/events/trivia-nightbaxter-ymca/ Calendar continued on page 9.
La Patrona Mexican Restaurant and Taqueria
From tacos and taquitos to elotes and esquites, La Patrona has all your favorites. (Photo courtesy of La Patrona Mexican Restaurant and Taqueria)
La Patrona Mexican Restaurant and Taqueria has only been open for a short time, yet many locals have already declared it as their favorite Mexican restaurant.” Best authentic Mexican food anywhere I have been in Indy. Period!” according to an enthusiastic Google reviewer. Located in Greenwood Shoppes, La Patrona’s specialties include tortas, machetes and asada fries, as well as tacos, taquitos, quesadillas and burritos. Weekend specials offer chicharron preparado, elotes, esquites, red or green tamales and tamales mole. Customers enjoy the chorizo tacos, asada fries, steak burritos, Texas quesadillas and horchata. “Having a local go-to taqueria on this side of town has been a wish forever,” stated a Google review. “Now it exists and so, so good! Ate lunch here yesterday – tacos and birrias on point! Came back today for homemade tamales and Agua fresca to go. Friendly service, family run, best tasting Mexican I have had in a long time. This will be my go-to place.”
Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Address: 884 US Highway 31 N. Greenwood. For more information, call (317) 893-4455 or go to Facebook: La Patrona Meixcan Restaurant and Taqueria
SPOTLIGHT
"Footloose"
(Shelbi
a graduate of Perry Meridian High School) sings “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "Footloose," now on stage through March 26. (Submitted photo)
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre cuts loose with "Footloose," the explosive movie musical, now on stage through March 26. Nominated for four Tony Awards, "Footloose" is the story of a bigcity kid who shakes things up when he comes to a small town. Ren McCormack is a rebellious teenager from Chicago. When he and his mother move to rural Bomont, Ren learns dancing is banned by law, and the town minister Rev. Shaw Moore thinks rock and roll music is evil. The minister’s daughter, Ariel, feels trapped in the repressive town and Ren decides the best outlet for all the kids is a dance. He and his friends find that seeking the unlikely approval from Rev. Moore brings unexpected results for all. "Footloose" is on stage for 52 performances through March 26 in the intimate space of Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Tickets range from $52.50 to $79.50 and include Chef Larry Stoops’ dinner buffet and select beverages. To purchase tickets online, visit beefandboards.com or call (317) 872-9664 anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays.
Rusty
Berry Kamohara,
Southside History
FOUNTAIN SQUARE
PERRY TOWNSHIP
Southside History
Beech Grove
The building where Beech Grove’s first grocery store, Wheat’s Grocery, opened its doors, still stands today on Main Street. (Submitted photo)
Railroad facility helped to launch many Beech Grove businesses
By Sherri Coner
Nearly every dirt-road rural town has a special story explaining how some lucky breaks led to growth.
For Beech Grove, it was a $5 million complex for repair work on steam locomotives.
Anticipating in 1905 how the area would change, a group of Beech Grove investors formed the Beech Grove Improvement Company.
First, the group purchased 2,640 acres of ground, sold 640 acres for the construction of the railroad facility and earmarked the remaining acres for housing and businesses.
By late 1906, Beech Grove was officially incorporated.
When the facility, known as the “railroad shops” opened in 1908, residents hit the ground running. Many went to work there. Others grabbed tool belts to help build area homes as well as new businesses along Main Street.
By the time Richard “Dick” Templin came along in 1948, Beech Grove was a much more exciting place to be. Since he lived two blocks from Main Street, Templin often walked to town, just to grab some ice cream at Bosma’s Dairy.
“The biggest day of my bike riding life was when I took my training wheels off my bike,” said Templin,
president of the Beech Grove Historical Society.
With a generous pick of grocery stores, pharmacies and meat markets on the main drag, Templin learned quickly about kid-friendly places to show up. For example, occasionally pressing his face against the screen door at Haag’s Meat Market until the owner, Joe, noticed him, would result in a snack.
“Joe would say, ‘What do you want? Does your mother know where you are?’” Templin said with a laugh. “Then he would give me a bologna sandwich and tell me not to tell my mother he fed me.”
Though Haag’s stayed on Main Street until the 1970s, a lot of yesterday is long gone with the exception of 417-419 Main Street, where the first grocery opened its doors in 1907.
According to Templin, Clifford Wheat, the son of William Wheat, who opened the store in partnership with John Mitchell, used coal lamps since there was no electricity, got water from a nearby well and drove a wagon, powered for a team of horses, to downtown Indianapolis to buy meat for customers. The town’s first school was housed above Wheat’s Grocery until 1913.
“Through the years, a lot of small businesses and little shops have been in there,” Templin said.
Fountain Square
A barber, his bowling alley, and a historic building Fountain Square Theater Building provides infrastructure for a man and his wife’s many endeavors
By Todd Travis
When the Fountain Square Theater Building was built in 1928, it must have been quite a spectacle to behold. It contained a Vaudeville Theater, a bowling alley, a speakeasy dance hall, offices and retail storefronts.
“It was basically a shopping center because at the time there was no such thing. This building had all those needs for the community and the neighborhood,” said Linton Calvert, longtime owner of Fountain Square Theater Building and the many different businesses inside.
Shortly after the opening of the vaudeville theater, it was converted into a movie theater – showing different movies instead. At the time, Fountain Square was known as being a theater district, with about four or five theaters right in the nearby area. Of the different theaters, the Fountain Square Theater was the biggest of them all.
It would remain a movie theater up until 1959, when the Woolworth company gutted the theater and put a department store there instead. The bowling alley and the offices remained in the building at that time as well. Then a new trend began to siphon people away from the Fountain Square area.
“Basically what happened is you had Glendale, Eastgate, Greenwood shopping centers that evolved in the ‘60s. People tend to move out to the suburbs and so Fountain Square became sort of a lost commodity to the suburban growth in the shopping centers,” Calvert explained.
“Plus the interstate went through downtown which cut the umbilical cord of Virginia Avenue for a while because of all the construction. So Fountain Square fell by the wayside for a while,” he added.
When Calvert originally approached the owner of the building to buy it, he found that the owner wasn’t willing to sell right. Instead they agreed to a 42-month lease with an option to buy at an agreed price.
“So we basically had 42 months to make the building financeable, and that was quite a job. At the time it had no heat, no air, nothing,” Calvert said.
Along with his wife, Fern, Calvert devel-
oped all the businesses within the building. That included the fourth-floor duckpin bowling, an atomic duckpin bowling in the basement, a hotel on the third floor, apartments on the second floor along with Linton and Fern’s personal home, a theater that would later become a banquet hall, the Imbibe bar, a diner, and a barbecue restaurant which has since turned into an Italian restaurant.
Then there was a barber shop, beauty shop and a little lounge bar on Prospect Street which were also developed by the Calverts.
After many years developing this building, someone finally made the Calverts an offer to buy the building that they would accept. However, Calvert asked that he keep his businesses running and would then begin to rent the space from the new owner, and the owner agreed. Just last summer, someone in the wedding reception and banquet business who was looking to expand bought the business.
And so the building continues to stand as a legacy to the Calverts as they have moved on in their lives to the next phase. Still, Fern’s sister and another partner of the Calvert’s, Eric, have kept a minority interest in the buildings and continue to be involved. Fern remains on the payroll, so it seems there is still a tiny bit of involvement left, but the building is mainly left for a new group to take forward.
Duckpin bowling is a popular option in the Fountain Square Theater Building. | (Inset) The building was built in 1928. (Photos submitted by Fountain Square Theater)
Southside History
Center Grove
Banta Community Center
A former host site for wedding receptions and church dinners needs TLC to continue to run
By Todd Travis
The Banta Community Center was originally an army barracks that was located at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. In the 1940s, it was moved down to Banta and placed on a small, donated lot next to the old Banta General Store. For years it was operated by the Ladies Auxiliary at the Banta Community Church.
“They operated it and used it for other things such as wedding receptions and graduation parties. They would hold smorgasbord dinners in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Anyone in the community could use it to hold their events or functions,” recalled Mike Kelly, one of the board members responsible for keeping the Banta Community Center running.
After some time, the building began to get run down and was in need of some updates. Some people worried that the building would get too far gone and become unusable. Luckily, an attorney who used to live in Banta named Tacket left some money upon his passing for the betterment of the community of Banta. Kelly and his wife, Shelly helped to organize a new board to renovate and reinvigorate this dearly held location.
Shelly had an especially sentimental tie to the building as she remembers her mother and grandmother serving community meals there when she was just a child. She also remembers aunts, uncles and many other family members being involved with the building and could not just see it deteriorate the way it had.
The board helped lead a complete overhaul of the community center which included new insulation, new plumbing, new electric, an updated kitchen and a new indoor restroom (the previous one was outdoor).
“It was all done by community volunteers. We had a plumbing company in the community that donated a lot of the plumbing and a local electrician who helped rewire the whole building. We just went through it and made a nice
facility out of it with new air conditioning and lighting and everything. It’ll seat from about 90 to 100 people,” Mike Kelly shared.
With the new renovations, the building was brought back to life and started to be used again for all kinds of events and gatherings. They famously held fish fries and chili suppers that the community members enjoyed together.
Unfortunately, the board that was responsible for the revitalization of the building has begun to age and some members have even passed away. At this time, Mike and Shelly are looking for a new group to take the baton and help keep the center going for the next generation of people. As of yet, they have not found anyone who is ready to take on the responsibility, but they are hoping to find someone soon.
“What I’m trying to do is get the word out that we need some help because we just can’t continue to operate this on our own. What we don’t want to see is for it to just be sold off. We want to keep it around for the community to use,” Kelly said.
“It rents out for a couple hundred bucks a day and you just can’t find anything else like that around here,” he added.
If you’re interested in getting involved with the building, reach out to Mike Kelly at 317-504-5838.
Franklin Township
From horse-drawn wagons to modern-day automotive repair
Former Waterman building becomes home to Indy Auto Repair in Franklin Township
By Nicole Davis
In 1881, the red brick building at 7006 Southeastern Ave. in Franklin Township served as a blacksmith shop where people would travel for miles to have their wagons repaired and plow points sharpened. Its purpose hasn’t strayed far from its origin of transportation reparation. Today, it is home to Indy Auto Center, a fullservice ASC certified automotive repair shop for foreign and domestic cars.
The building was first owned by Henry A. Waterman, the son of German immigrants who came to Indiana after they first went to California searching for gold (which they didn’t find).
Nancy VanArendonk of the Franklin Township Historical Society wrote, “Henry was an apprentice blacksmith in New Palestine for five years before opening his own blacksmith shop in 1881, at the intersection of Five Points Road and the Michigan Road (now Southeastern Ave). Farmers came from miles around to have their horses shod, wagons repaired, and plow points sharpened. The shop also built wagons. In time, as automobiles began to compete with horses and wagons as a means of transportation, Henry enlarged his shop and in 1914 added a garage, hardware department, and truck and machinery repair building. Henry’s five children all worked in the business starting in childhood, when they were paid 10 cents a day (the amount was worth more back then) for working before and after school.”
Until last year, the H.A. Waterman Company was run by Donald Waterman, the grandson of the founder, and by his wife, Connie. The business did lawnmower repair and sold hardware, among other things.
Parts of the building’s history still remain untouched. Upstairs, there are parts belonging to wagons and horse-drawn carriages, left behind as the world transitioned to automobiles.
“Upstairs, there is a passage written on the wall that was written in 1913 by Mr. Waterman’s grandmother when she was
a little girl,” Greg Hearl, owner of Indy Auto Center, said. “They used to live up there. It was saying ‘it’s 38 below zero now, a storm has hit Indianapolis, the likes Indianapolis has never seen, and we have no heat.’ She was fearful. She was writing a message in case they died. Where it’s at is an extremely unsafe part of the building. This building being this old, it has some areas that are a little rickety.”
Greg and Kristine Hearl started Indy Auto Center in 2021 and said they were so well received by the Franklin Township community, that they quickly outgrew their former space. They purchased the Waterman building in 2022 to have a larger space to give them the capability to service more cars.
Greg said that after they purchased the building, he was surprised to notice that on the walls of Meijer on Washington Street and the Kroger on Southport Road, there is an image of the building.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “The building has so much history.”
They have been working to repair the old structure, as the building has seen its better days. They have shored up the walls and roof, replaced all of the plumbing and mechanicals, redone the drains and are looking at how to fix up the parking lot.
“Our plan is to be a staple to Wanamaker for the next 20 years,” Greg said. “Our plan is to continue to improve the building and taking care of the township.”
The Banta Community Center not only serves the community, but was revitalized by community volunteers as well. (Submitted photo)
Greg Hearl relocated Indy Auto Center to 7006 Southeastern Ave. in 2022. (Photo by Nicole Davis) | (Inset) The Waterman building, pictured in 1912. (Photo courtesy of Franklin Township Historical Society)
Founded in 1908 to serve Beech Grove and the surrounding community, Holy Name Parish is committed to the Mission of making Christ present in the world through prayer and the sacraments by living the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Holy Name is home to many Southside Catholics, and for 114 years, has been a dynamic force in the life and faith of Beech Grove and the Southside of Indianapolis.
Ground for the new parish was purchased in 1907, and the first Pastor, Fr. Peter Killian was appointed in June of 1908. At the time, there were only approximately 50 families living in Beech Grove. The original church was built in 1908 with a small chapel on the second floor of the red brick rectory, which still serves as the home for the Holy Name pastor. Until 1918, the parish was named Blessed Sacrament, before it was changed to Holy Name when the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Cathedral was built.
Holy Name Catholic School was
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church and School
established in 1922 as a ministry of the parish and has served many generations of young Catholics from Beech Grove and the surrounding communities since that time. Starting with 53 students in 1922, Holy Name grew to over 400 students by 1954 and over 800 students by the mid 1960s. In 1922, when the school was first built, the upper floor of the school building served as the church until 1954 when the new church was constructed. For many years, the school was staffed by Franciscan Sisters; from the same community that founded St. Francis Hospital in 1914.
Holy Name School has had a long history of excellence in education, music, and faith formation. For over 35 years, Mr. Jerry Craney established a wonderful music tradition at Holy Name School and Church, which has been continued in recent years by Dr. Joseph Chrisman. The school has also had a great tradition when it comes to training altar servers, who help to offer Mass in a reverent and
manner. To this day, school students participate in Mass two to three times per week, and ordinarily spend time in Eucharistic Adoration every week. In the classroom, Holy Name teachers are also deeply com mitted to making the faith an impor tant element of classroom relation
beautiful
Cornerstone Laying - June 4, 1922.
Original rectory for Parish clergy after relocation in 1953. Nearing completion of the new Church building in 1954.
Cornerstone of the new Church building, 1953.
View of the Sanctuary from inside the new Church building.
Front view of the church. (Photos courtesy of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church)
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church is a sanctuary of faith, hope, and charity, committed to making Christ present for families in the close-knit communities of Beech Grove and Indianapolis Southside.
CELEBRATING 125 YEARS AS A PARISH COMMUNITY
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HOLY NAME OF JESUS CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Our Commitment is to Excellence in Education
Our Goal is to develop lifelong learners who are committed to knowing, loving and serving God.
Rooted in Family. Grounded in Faith
Current Photograph of Holy Name School showing the 1935 addition.
Photo shows the new wing addi tion to the school circa 1961.
Rev. Robert J. Robeson, Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church
Amy Wright Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School Principal
Southside History
Garfield Park Perry Township
Garfield Park Conservatory
With the theme of an indoor rainforest, the conservatory boasts tropical plants from around the world. (Photos courtesy of Garfield Park Conservatory)
Education and nature join hands with all ages
By Sherri Coner
An amazing year-round list of activities and programs make the Garfield Park Conservatory an icon where education and nature join hands with all ages.
After a permanent rainforest theme was added in 1997 to this sprawling 10,000-square-foot structure, it became possible for visitors to see “tropical plants from all over the world,” said Jessica Helmbold, a naturalist employed for eight years at the conservatory, where she is also in charge of educational programming.
One of the most important aspects of the addition “is the opportunity to learn about the rainforest, how the plants are grown and what we do with them,” Helmbold said.
When nature lovers acquired a 128acre stretch of Marion County land in 1874, it was known simply as City Park. But when President James Garfield was assassinated in 1881, the park was renamed in his memory.
In an effort to make the lush green time away from city life even more beautiful, three acres of space was dedicated in 1909 to growing thousands of tulips and hundreds of annuals. Three lighted fountains, brick walkways, classical urns and a lot of pride added the perfect finishing touch to what is still known as the Sunken Garden.
As if visionaries weren’t already on a
roll, more brilliance struck in 1916, when German landscape architect, George Kessler, designed and constructed the conservatory.
Along with providing at least 10 public programs each month for preschool and school-age children along with programs for adults, an average of 200 students visit monthly on school field trips, Helmbold said.
All of those interactions are opportunities to teach.
To keep the aging structure beautiful, renovations have been necessary through the years.
When the original wooden structure was in dire need of repair, it was replaced in 1955 with a welded aluminum frame, making it the nation’s first aluminum building.
After nearly 150 years, the magic of this community park remains unchanged.
Families continue to picnic under maple, oak and sycamore trees.
Area residents walk their dogs and ride bikes.
On snowy days, kids still drag sleds up the large hill near the South entrance and squeal their way to the bottom.
Proposals and marriage ceremonies happen near the gardens and fountains.
And of course, it’s a perfect place to curl up with a good book on a warm spring day.
“It’s just a pretty place to be,” Helmbold said.
Historic Hannah House
From 1850s family mansion to rumored haunted site
By Todd Travis
Hannah House dates back to 1858 when Alexander M. Hannah purchased the bricks to build the house for $585. He had just returned to Indiana after spending several years in California prospecting for gold and co-owning a ranch. His father, Samuel Hannah, was a prominent land owner and the president of the Indiana Central Railroad. Upon Alexander’s return to Indiana, he began to work for the railroad and purchased about 240 acres of land from his father. On that land is where he built what is known as the Hannah House today.
In 1872, Hannah married his wife, Elizabeth and added a service building to the house. In this addition there was a milk house and a wash house or summer kitchen with a large fireplace on the first floor. On the second floor were the servants’ quarters.
Also running through those 240 acres of land was Marion County’s first toll road, the Indianapolis-Southport Toll Road, which ran from Indianapolis to Madison along the Ohio River. Hannah collected tolls from travelers from 1860 until he passed away in 1895. Following his passing, the land was split up and sold since he had no heirs to inherit the land.
While it has not been confirmed, lore has it that the house was one of the stations for the Underground Railroad. The slaves would have been hidden on the grounds and secretly escorted to the railroad that was on the property.
In 1899, the house was purchased by Roman Oehler, along with 21 acres of property surrounding the house. During the time he lived there, the front porch was widened, and several outbuildings were added to the property. Oehler’s daughter Romena Oehler Elder would be the next owners of the property, which consisted of the five acres that are still owned by the Elder family today.
In 1978, the house was placed on the national register of historic places. Over the years the house has been used as an antique shop and a flea market and it continues to be used for parties, banquets and receptions.
Scott Longere, the manager of the house, visited the house for the first time
when it was a flea market and took an immediate interest in it.
“I love the historical architecture of the house and the history of the families who lived there. I’ve made up a family tree of the Hannahs and the Oehlers and the Elders and I give tours of the house every week on Sunday,” Longere mentioned.
Longere has become like a son to Judy (Judith) Elder and has helped her to maintain the house and run the various events that are held there. Judy married David Elder, the son of Marion and Romena Oehler Elder, in 1960 and was with him until he passed in 2013.
“The first time I saw the Hannah House was at David’s brother’s wedding. For David and his family, it was just the house they grew up in,” Elder said.
In addition to the historical significance of the house, a following has grown over the years from people interested in the paranormal. Many people have come to believe that the house is haunted. Longere has welcomed paranormal followers to come and investigate the house for themselves and has even hosted National Paranormal Day at the house.
“We had people come from five different states to set up as vendors for Paranormal Day. It’s one of the largest ones around,” Longere said.
Whether you are interested in the paranormal or just the rich history of the Hannah House, you can check out the website: historichannahhouse.com. Hannah House is located at 3801 Madison Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227.
The 24-room house was built in 1858. (Photos courtesy of Hannah House)
Southside History
Greenwood
Greenwood events center location once home to 1840s millionaire and his exotic animals
By Sherri Coner
A couple of beloved bear cubs romped freely 100 years ago on Main Street while a lion or two sunned on the grounds of the Johnson homestead, now known as Folktale Greenwood, an events venue on South Madison Avenue.
The Dr. Doolittle type of guy who loved exotic animals and resided in the home at that time was the second Grafton Johnson, oldest surviving son of Grafton Johnson, a Greenwood millionaire.
“He was almost mauled to death by one of the lions,” said Brad Nemeth, board president of Restore Old Town Greenwood Inc. Just to clarify, the oldest Johnson son simply refused to answer to a less snobby name, such as maybe Junior.
The story of Grafton Johnson and his family began in 1847 when Johnson’s brother-in-law decided to move to Mooresville a year after clearing enough timber to construct a general store in the densely wooded area. Business savvy Johnson not only bought the business; he also expanded it. He then married Julia Noble, the daughter of an Indiana governor, and purchased the sprawling white house in the woods, built in 1840 and loved by an area pastor.
“The Johnson family owned that house for more than 80 years,” Nemeth said.
While the Johnsons raised their six children in the home, less than a mile from the new and improved general store where business was booming, Johnson’s nephew, Grafton Peek eventually moved to the area and went to work for his uncle as a store clerk.
By the time Greenwood earned an official place on the map in 1864 as an incorporated town, the intersecting streets of Main Street and Madison Avenue saw a scattering of new businesses move in along Main Street. At the same time, a lot more customers followed progress.
Eventually, McGraft Peek bought the store from his uncle.
In tune with his uncle’s vision for the future, Peek deconstructed the store and replaced it in 1889 with a stately, two-story brick icon.
“It’s such a solidly built building, it’s been there ever since,” Nemeth said.
Like the Grafton Peek building, the Johnson homestead had its fair share of change-of-address cards, too. The home was last occupied as a residence until 1978 by Dr. John and Mrs. Berniece Machledt. Occasionally, longtime Greenwood residents still refer to it as the Machledt Mansion.
Southport
Houseful of history
Southport Mayor Jim Cooney’s home featuring a federal style is believed to be the oldest in Southport
By Nicole Davis
Southport Mayor Jim Cooney resides in what is believed to be the oldest house in Southport.
The house was built around 1834, which would be about two years after Southport was founded in 1832. Cooney noted that despite efforts to learn more about its history, he has yet to discover paperwork which could prove the exact date. The records stop in 1970 due to a fire where the papers were previously held. He did find a list of previous owners dating back to the 1920s. He has been told the house might have originally belonged to a sheep herder, before the railroad came through the town in 1849.
The red brick home features a federal style of architecture, common in the United States from 1780 and 1840. A Federal-style house is typically a simple square or rectangle box, two or three stories high and two rooms deep. The design emphasizes balance and symmetry, such as its windows being laid out in a vertical or horizontal line.
Cooney’s 3,000-square-foot home has been completely remodeled and added onto, although pieces of its history remain sprinkled throughout. The door frames are much smaller than homes built in the modern day. The old handrail going up the stairs is lower, too. The basement, which would have originally been a crawl space and later dug out, exposes older brick. In doing minor renovations, he said he’s found wooden boards under floors and behind walls which are wider than what would be used in recent years.
Cooney has taken pride in maintaining the home and its outdoor landscaping. He has also paid tribute to its history, through antique decor in the entryway or the living room which displays a bottle of federalist wine to represent the federal style of house and a photo of Andrew Jackson who was president in 1834.
The house sat empty for three years from 1984 to 1987 until it was purchased by Tom Eckstein. By that point, the house was falling down.
“A number of things were wrong,” Cooney said. “This wall in the front room, the window, it vibrated from bees. If you walked through the upstairs, you could see the sky through the roof. It was a wreck. (A Southport resident) walked through here before it was rehabbed and said the floor had rotted away around the bathtub.”
Southport Mayor Jim Cooney’s home features a federal style that was popular in the United States from the 1780s to 1840s. (Photo by Nicole Davis) | (Inset) The historic home was completely rehabbed in the late 1980s. The side balcony was torn apart and rebuilt to maintain a similar appearance. (Submitted photo)
The previous owner fixed up all of the major problems, almost completely gutting parts of the house. They lived in it until 2007, when Cooney purchased it.
“It’s historic and I like that,” he said. “It’s certainly not an open floor plan. The rooms aren’t very big, *but they seem reasonably sized because the ceilings are so high.”
Cooney said while he hasn’t had to do many updates to the structure since it was completely remodeled in the 80s, he did get blow-in insulation this year to help with heating and cooling costs. Because the layout was not designed for the ducts needed for heating and cooling.
The house needs three separate systems to cover the house: one upstairs, downstairs and in the family room. The walls are thick, consisting of layers of drywall, plaster, lath and brick – but no insulation. The large windows combined with lack of insulation led to heat escaping as fast as it entered.
“They hand delivered my electric and gas bill, saying you’ll need to pay this please,” Cooney joked.
Work in an old house (or any house) is never done, and he continues to plan for improvements to his historic home.
(Left) As a Greenwood icon since it was built in 1840, the sprawling home first loved by an area pastor and his family is now Folktale Greenwood, an event venue. The sign near the driveway hints to visitors about the home’s rich history and folklore. | (Right) Greenwood’s first general store was constructed in 1840 at the same location where the store’s last rebuild was completed in 1889 by Grafton Peek.
(Photos courtesy of Brad Nemeth)
A vintage photograph of the H.A. Waterman Co. building. (Photo courtesy of Franklin Township Historical Society)
Parts for wagons and carriages remain in an unused room on the second floor of the former Waterman building. (Photos by Nicole Davis)
The Italianate design of the house with Greek Revival influences was a popular style in the 1850s. (Photos courtesy of Hannah House)
Along with gardens and fountains, the historic Garfield Park Conservatory is a beautiful place to visit. (Photo courtesy of Garfield Park Conservatory)
Southport Mayor Jim Cooney’s home was completely rehabbed in the late 1980s. The side balcony was torn apart and rebuilt to maintain a similar appearance. (Submitted photo)
His House
The lasting horrors of
Colonialism
By Bradley Lane
First-time writer and director Remi Weekes’ film His House begins with a refugee family fleeing from war-torn South Sudan and making their way to the UK. However, in the process Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) lose their daughter to the perilous motorboat ride through the English Channel. After being granted probationary asylum into London they are subjugated to government housing where they must prove their ability to assimilate and contribute to English society or risk deportation. It is in this house that Bol begins to experience a residual evil presence from their home that made its way into their new house.
His House functions on two levels at nearly all times; there is what is happening literally to the characters as they experience both casual racism from those around them and a supernatural haunting and secondly, the alle-
Calendar continued from page 8.
Quilters Guild of Indianapolis South • Connie Lancaster, Lebanon, Ind. speaker will talk about “Rut vs. Routine.” Her lively program will give you new ideas to get out of a creative slump with your quilting. | When: Feb. 23, meet & greet, 10:15 and meeting, 10:30 a.m. | Where: Friedens United Church of Christ, 8300 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis. | Info: quiltguildindy.net
Perry Township Democratic Club Meeting
• The monthly Perry Township Democratic Club Meeting is held on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Heat and Frost Insulators Allied Workers Local 18. This month’s meeting will have the following special guests: Joe Hogset, Indianapolis mayor; Robin Schakleford, state representative and mayoral candidate; Myla Eldridge, vice chair of the Indiana Democratic Party and Marion County auditor; Dominique Davie, candidate for Indianapolis city council and nominee for vice president of the Perry Township Democrat Club. | Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m. | Where: 1220 E. Epler Ave., Indianapolis. | Info: perrydems.com/
Community Basketball Game with the Southport Police Department • Join for a unified basketball game with SPD and RISE Learning Center students and staff. Admission is the donation of a dry good food item of at least a $1 minimum or a $1 donation. Proceeds benefit RISE Learning Center students and programs. | When: Feb. 28, 6 p.m. | Where: 5391 Shelby St., Indianapolis. | Info: RISE, (317) 789-1622
gorical subtext of the film. To start with, the literal level is downright scary. The emotional tension between Bol and Rial begins as painful and slowly warps into something tense and at times supernatural. This tension is expertly created to simmer throughout the entire runtime leading to a third act reveal that, while predictable, is still shocking even if you know it is coming.
However, what is far more interesting is the subtext Weekes weaves into his ghost story. From the very beginning it is evident Weekes is using a horror lens to investigate modern repercussions of Western colonialization and im-
HANDYMAN MIKE!
installing almost all things around your home.
Looking to stay busy, so low prices, free estimates. Expert power washing, gutter cleaning, and a whole lot more!
perialism as well as the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. The horror elements that in other films would just scare you and move on, slowly reveal themselves to be reflections of the real-world consequences of European colonialism in Africa. However, it wasn’t until after I saw the film that I did the research necessary to fully grasp the messaging of His House. Weekes is making observations and assertions about, at least in part, the British invasion of Sudan in the late 1800s that has had lasting impacts that continue to affect the region to this day. The most obvious of these effects has been the decades of civil war and instability in the region that has caused the refugee cri-
sis Britain and the broader scope of Europe continue to struggle with today.
If that sounds too intellectual for you, I want to make it clear while this subtext has led me on a journey of discovery, the film is most focused on the human costs of these geo-political forces. This focus on the personal leads to a final shot that hasn’t left my thoughts since I first watched the film almost a month ago. What Weekes has accomplished in his first feature film is astounding and shows incredible promise for the young filmmaker and it would be wise for audiences to take note immediately. His House is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Bradley is a Beech Grove High School alumnus and has been enamored by film for as long as he can remember. He recently graduated from IUPUI, with a degree in Media and Public Affairs with a minor in Film. Bradley can be contacted at blane2214@gmail.com.
the 2023 Senior Wellness Fair and learn how you can take your health and wellbeing to the next level in the new year. And so much more! RSVP TO 463.215.0995 OR
By Curtis Honeycutt
Our family bought a minivan last year. With child number three on the way, we needed more room for car seats and Cheerio dust. While some people hesitate to get on board with the idea of buying a minivan, I was all about it.
My wife and I looked into hybrid minivans to save money on gasoline. Unfortunately, the hybrid van life was too rich for our blood, so we opted for a traditional gas-guzzler. Our kids named the new-tous gray minivan “Delfín,” Spanish for “dolphin.”
Hybrid electric vehicles operate through the combination of an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, utilizing energy stored in batteries. Hybrid words (also called hybridisms) combine prefixes and suffixes from multiple languages to create new words.
The most common type of English hybrid words combines Latin and Greek prefixes and suffixes. Since we’ve been talking about vehicles, we’ll start with the word “petroleum,” which combines the Greek word “petra” (rock) with the Latin word “oleum” (oil). In the same way, the word automobile fuses the Greek “auto” (self-) with the Latin “mobilis” (movable).
Here are a few of my favorite Greek and Latin hybrid words. The word liposuction fuses the Greek “lipos” (fat) with the Latin “suctio” (sucking). Dysfunction combines the Greek “dys-” (bad) with the Latin “funtio” (performance). Of course, this invention came much later than the Greek and Latin languages, but the word television marries the Greek “tele-” (far off) and the Latin “visio/visere” (to see). Note we have a company that makes TVs called Visio.
Nearly every example of English hybrid words combines Greek and Latin, and — interestingly — the Greek prefix or word usually comes first.
It’s worth noting that some historical linguists dislike hybrid words, calling them “Frankenwords.” Boston Globe columnist Jan Freeman writes that “usage gurus who could flaunt their Greek and Latin did, and those who couldn’t copied them.” Other linguists describe hybrid words as “barbaric.”
We coin new words (or neologisms) every day; it just makes sense that we use our combined knowledge to merge terms and ideas to create new ones. It’s unavoidable, as well as human nature, to continue to innovate our language, whether you like it or not. After all, we don’t live in a monoculture.
Curtis Honeycutt is a syndicated humor columnist and treasurer of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He is the author of Good Grammar is the Life of the Party: Tips for a Wildly Successful Life. Find more at curtishoneycutt.com.
Invest in your future: Put your tax refund toward home ownership
By Dawn Whalen Whalen Realty Group at F.C. Tucker Company
The average tax refund checks over the past few years hovered around $3,000. Although it’s predicted that 2022 tax refund checks may be less than last year due to the end of pandemic benefits, potential homebuyers can still use that extra money to invest in their future. Many people shopping for a home use their tax refund to help with a down payment or pay for closing costs.
Tax refund as a down payment
The average homebuyer will pay 5 to 20 percent of a home’s purchase price as a down payment. As a reminder, buyers who put down 20 percent are not required to carry mortgage insurance. Mortgage companies carefully review a borrower’s finances because they need proof that the homebuyer can afford the property and make payments. As a result, a majority of lenders require a paper trail showing the buyer’s finances for a minimum of 60
days, or the most recent two months of statements.
Although most lenders need evidence that the down payment money has been available in the bank for at least 60 days, there are a few exceptions. The first is the tax refund. If a homebuyer can show that a deposit was made, or a check was received from the U.S. Treasury Department then that money is acceptable as a source of funds for use toward a down payment. The second exception is when money is paid to the buyer from the sale of personal property, such as a car or house. For example, if the home buyer intends to use money received from recently selling their home, those funds are approved for use on a down payment. The third common exception is an insurance payout. As long as the home buyer can show that the bank deposit or check was from a licensed insurance company, the money is approved for a down payment.
Pay closing costs with a tax refund
Buying a home can be expensive, so using money from a tax refund is a popular method home buyers use to
help offset some of the costs. Closing costs usually range between 2 and 5 percent of the home’s purchase price, which, added to the down payment, can require a buyer to provide a sizeable sum of money before ever receiving the keys to the property. The charges and fees included in closing costs can vary between transactions, but for a majority of transactions, these costs include title insurance, attorney fees, realtor fees and possibly appraiser, survey and inspection fees. Depending on the price of the home, a tax refund check could cover all or a portion of the final closing costs.
Tax season is among us, and refunds will be making their way into mailboxes and bank accounts soon. Anyone looking to purchase a house this year may want to consider saving their refund check to invest toward the biggest purchase they’ll likely make in their lifetime, a home.
Southside housing market starts the year on a quieter note
Real Estate - The residential real estate markets in Greenwood and Southport started the new year on a quieter note, with homes spending more time on the market compared to January 2022. According to F.C. Tucker, homes in Greenwood sold in 59 days on average, spending 268.8% more time on the market. Homes in Southport sold in 43 days on average, spending 290.9% more time on the market. Compared to this time last year, the average sale price of a Greenwood home increased 6% to $294,562, and the average sale price of a Southport home decreased 11% to $208,467.
Indiana Members Credit Union announces senior leadership positions
Banking - Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU) recently announced 10
senior leadership promotions to further position the credit union for ongoing growth and success. John Newett was appointed president and chief executive officer effective Jan. 1. Newett succeeds Ron Collier, who retired in December 2022. Newett joined IMCU in 2011 as director of planning and administration and was named president of the credit union in April 2022. He has more than 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. In addition, Todd Habig is now chief financial officer; Justin Sinders is chief strategy officer; Scott Mann is chief retail officer; Thorpe Miller is chief marketing officer; Tom Wellman is chief risk officer and general counsel; Jeff Hawkins is senior vice president, information systems; Chantelle Sparks is senior vice president, human resources; Michael Murphy is senior vice president, commercial services; and Daralyn Schneider is senior vice president, mortgage services. For more information, please visit IMCU online at imcu.com.
UIndy offers Financial Planning Day, open to the public
Financial Planning - Central Indiana residents needing help with budget planning, taxes, investing, saving for retirement or college expenses, credit management or other financial planning problems should register for this one-day, free opportunity to be given professional advice by certified financial planners. Planning sessions are offered for half-hour periods on Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Schwitzer Center located on UIndy’s campus. The Financial Planning Day was organized by students enrolled in UIndy’s School of Business SBLA Club, and the free sessions are sponsored by the UIndy School of Business and the Financial Planning Association of Greater Indiana. Register for an appointment before Feb. 24 at: money.uindybiz.com.
According to International News Media Association, printed newspapers boast the highest amount of ad engagement by readers. While other mediums allow for the option to ignore or "skip" an advertisement, newspaper ads are built into the content. (inma.org)
Newspapers offer a lower cost per thousand readers than radio, tv and direct mail advertising. (mediaspectrum.net)
Loyal readers and niche audiences are easier to reach when you know the geographic area and circulation. (fedena.com)
AROUND TOWN
Dawn Whalen is owner of Whalen Realty Group, and has worked in residential real estate for more than 15 years. She’s a licensed realtor, broker and is a member of MIBOR. She can be reached at Dawn@ whalenrealtygroup.com.
Concordia Cemetery
Mildred Branine
Mildred (Milly) Pauline Branine (Munk), 99, Lancaster, Penn., died Feb. 10, 2023. Survivors: daughters, Beverly Meshaw, Elaine Harbin; daughter-in-law, Donna; nine grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death: husband, Clinton; sons, Rodney, Stephen; brother, Harold; grandson, Clint Robertson. Funeral services: held at a later date, Suburban Baptist Church. Forest Lawn.
Bernice Louise Brown
Bernice Louise Brown, 91, New Albany, Ohio, died Feb. 6, 2023. Survivors: son, Kevin Brown; five grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Preceded in death: husband, James W. Brown; son, Kendall Brown; grandson, Matthew; stepdaughter, Pamela Lively; siblings, Ruby Walton, Roger Wheeler. Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Greenwood.
Caleb Timothy Clingaman
Caleb Timothy Clingaman, 18, Greenwood, died Jan. 31, 2023. He was born to Bruce and Monette Clingaman; they survive. Other survivors: brothers, Jonathan, David; sister, Sophia. Visitation: Thursday, Feb. 16, 4-8 p.m., Southeast Baptist Tabernacle, 6835 Shelbyville Road, Indianapolis. Additional visitation: Friday, Feb. 17, noon-1 p.m. service. G.H. Herrmann.
Marilyn Sue (Gant) Combs
Marilyn Sue (Gant) Combs, 74, died Feb. 5, 2023. Survivors: husband, Ed D. Combs; son, Travis (Jennifer) Combs. Memorial: 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 12241 Lantern Road, Fishers, IN 46038. Arrangements: Grinsteiner Funeral Home, 1601 E. New York St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46201.
Stefano Luigi Carlo Di Marco
Stefano Luigi Carlo Di Marco, 61, died Feb. 5, 2023. Survivors: significant other, Julie Serber; her sons, Luke and Brody; his daughters, Victoria (Brian) Knapp and Gabriela (Michael) Stanley; sister, Laura Di Marco, three grandsons. Preceded in death: parents, Luciano and Gina Di Marco; wife, Lisa Di Marco. G.H. Herrmann.
Frederick A. Flake
Frederick A. Flake, 57, Indianapolis, died Feb. 11, 2023. Born to Oren (deceased), Helen Norris Flake
(survives). Other survivors: wife, Patty; children, Ashley Byers, Kara, Chad; brother, Ed; three grandchildren. Preceded in death: granddaughter, Nevaeh Robinson. Visitation: Thursday, Feb. 16, 12:30-2:30 p.m. service, G. H. Herrmann Madison Avenue Funeral Home.
Judith Ann Hendrickson
Judith Ann Hendrickson, 81, Greenwood, died Feb. 5, 2023. Survivors: son, Christopher Hendrickson (Carol Craig) and Lori Mills; two grandchildren, Mason and Grace Mills. Preceded in death: husband, Ronald Hendrickson; daughter, Lisa Hight. Arrangements handled by Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
Barbara R. Herron
Barbara R. Herron, 88, Indianapolis, died Feb. 7, 2023. Survivors: children, David (Theresa), Mark (Perri), Bob (Cindy), Tim (Jenny), James (Julie), Cathy (Tim) Collins, Deborah (Michael) Keaton; 23 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four greatgreat-grandchildren. Preceded in death: husband, James P. Herron; daughter, Mary; sister, Mary Lou; grandson, Scotty. G. H. Herrmann.
Edna Louise Hoover
Edna Louise Hoover, 93, Greenwood, died Feb. 5, 2023. Survivors: husband, John Hoover; children, Steve Hoover (Noli Bentley) and Mary Hoover (Alex Hess); three grandchildren; and one greatgrandson. Preceded in death: sister, Eleanor Lang; granddaughter, Adrian Attebury. Arrangements handled by G. H. Herrmann Greenwood.
Rhoda Johnson
Rhoda Johnson, 88, Greenwood, died Feb. 5, 2023. Survivors: husband, Richard; sister, Marie; daughter, Carla; son, Paul; stepdaughters, Kim, Susan; stepson, Andy; 12grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; daughters-in-law, Kristi, Jeannie. Preceded in death: husband, Walter Piepenbrock. Visitation: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. service, Saturday, Feb. 18, Saint John’s United Church of Christ.
Michael Jason Kelley
Michael Jason Kelley, 46, Southport, died Jan. 28, 2023. Survivors: wife, Leah Kelley; son, Cameron Kelley; daughters, Chelsea Kelley and Madison Kelley; grandson, Jackson Kelley; and mother, Roxie Kelley.
Carolyn Kay Knebel
Carolyn Kay Knebel, 84, Greenwood, died Feb. 8, 2023. Survivors: children, Randall Knebel, Pamela Knebel, Christine (William) Turner; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Preceded in death: husband, Loren; brothers, Bene and Merle; sisters, Shirley, Betty Jo. Visitation: 2 to 3 p.m. service, Saturday, Feb. 18, G. H. Herrmann Greenwood Funeral Home.
Jean J. Knox
Jean J. Knox, 91, Indianapolis, died Feb. 4, 2023. Survivors: sons, Gregory (Evelyn) Knox, Mark (Hiroshi) Knox and Scott (Janice) Knox; grandchildren, Matthew, Christopher Shane, Ashley, and Lexi; and nephew, Monte Stultz. Preceded in death: husband, Frank V. Knox; sister, Sue Baker; nephew, Jon Stultz. G.H. Herrmann.
Kimberly Michelle Lambert
Kimberly Michelle Lambert, 36, Indianapolis, died Feb. 8, 2023. Survivors: parents, James (Carol) Lambert, Sr. Sherry (Mike) Hurst; sisters, Kristen and Alicia Lambert; brother, James Lambert, Jr. Visitation: Friday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. service, Little & Sons Funeral Home, Beech Grove Chapel.
Leonard Elmo Lucas
Leonard Elmo Lucas, 92, died Feb. 10, 2023. Survivors: daughter, Lisa Kirk; and many grand, great, and great-great-grandchildren. Visitation: Thursday, Feb. 16 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with service to follow at 1 p.m., Little & Sons Beech Grove Chapel. Burial at Forest Lawn Greenwood.
Raymond Raker
Raymond Raker, 95, died Feb. 6, 2023. Survivors: wife, Ginny; children, Mark, Jane, Kyle; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Preceded in death: son, Keith; son-in-law, Greg Kyle. Visitation: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Celebration of Life service, Tuesday, Feb. 21, Friedens United Church of Christ. Services: G H Herrmann Funeral Home.
Randal K. Turner
Randal K. Turner, 85, Bargersville, died Feb. 9, 2023. Survivors: wife, Nadine (Brehob) Turner; children, Kenton (Lori) Turner, Bryan Turner, Krista (Angie Lee) Turner; sister, Pat (Mitchell) Lawrence; stepdaughters, Jennifer (Kent) Fisher and Lisa (Scott) Maynard; five grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; a nephew; two nieces; and cousins. G.H. Herrmann.
Basic death notices (up to 50 words) are printed free of charge. Personalized Obituaries exceeding 50 words will be charged at a rate of $12 for the first 60 words and 10 cents for each additional word. Full-color photographs may be included for an additional $10. Families/estates or funeral directors are encouraged to send obituaries and photos to news@ss-times.com. Information received by noon Tuesday will be published Thursday, space permitting.
$2100
• For Sections 1 thru 9
• Any Gravesite You Choose
• Opening & Closing
• Concrete Container • Tent & Chairs • Purchase At Need
The Southside Times PLACES OF WORSHIP
* Copies of The Southside Times are available each week in this church's office or lobby.
School: 9:25 a.m. | Ladies Bible Study: Wed. 10am | Womens Bible Study: Wed. 6pm | Engaging People in Christ through Connecting, Learning, Caring and Serving.
*Concordia Lutheran Church and Preschool • 305 Howard Road, Greenwood. | (317) 881-4477. | Worship Sun.: 9:30 a.m. | Mon.: 6:30 p.m. | concordia-lcms.com.
✞ NON-DENOMINATIONAL
Tallwood Chapel Community Church • 5560 S. Shelby St., Indpls. | Ph: (317) 7875595. | The Gospel is a seed - come grow with us. | Worship with us Sundays 10:30 a.m. Wed. 7 p.m. Prayers are with you during this time. | BIBLE CHURCH, Ministry of HOLY WORD.
Calvary Baptist Church • 200 Sunset Blvd., Greenwood. | Ph: (317) 881-5743. | Sr. Pr. Dave Cook | Sun.: 10:30 a.m. | Sunday School: 9 a.m. | Something for All Ages.
Southwood Baptist Church • 501 S. 4th Ave., Beech Grove | Ph: 317-786-2719 |
Proclaiming Christ because we care. | Pastor
John C. Jones II | Sunday worship 10:45am. | Sunday school 9:30am
✞ SPIRITUALIST
The Spiritualist Church of Indianapolis
• 3020 S. Meridian St. Ste. E & F, Indianapolis 46217. | Sun.: 6:30 p.m. | TSCOI.org.
✞ UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
St. John’s United Church of Christ • 7031
S. East St., Indpls (U.S. 31, Southport Road). | Ph: (317) 881-2353. | Sunday Worship: 10:30a.m. | Sunday School: 10:30a.m.
✞ UNITED METHODIST
Edgewood United Methodist • 1820 E. Epler Ave. | Ph: (317) 784-6086. | Rev. Kevin Davis. | Sun. Worship: 9 a.m. | Sunday School: 10:15 a.m. | edgewoodumc-indy. org. | “The Church for The Next 100 Years.” | We are on
• 405 Main Street, Beech Grove, IN 46107 | (317) 786-8522 | In Person on Sundays at 10:30 or Zoom, same time: 121 813 648
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1 JOHN 4:9
God’s love stretches beyond our ability to fully comprehend His amazing grace. Scripture tells us that God is love. When we think of the things we love, we oftentimes think of people, places, or the things of this world that bring us the most pleasure. But God’s love is much greater than the love we hold for the objects of our worldly affections. God’s love from above offers us more than just the warm and fuzzy feelings we get from eating a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. God’s love does more than just cleanse us from sin so that we might spend eternity with Him in heaven. God’s love also transforms us into new creatures through Christ Jesus, trading our temporary feelings and emotions for an eternal salvation and a holy lifestyle reflecting selfless devotion! We have all heard the scripture, “For God so loved
the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In our worldly view of love we might think God sent His Son because He so loved us, but God’s love is so great that not only did God save us, but in addition, God also showed us the true love of a father for a son. We may struggle to understand how a father could send his only son to pay such a painful price. But God didn’t just send Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins because He so loved the world. God also so loved His Son that He created a world that would need a Savior! What an amazing love.
Pastor Dan Bailey is the chair of the Mayor’s Faith Based Round Table for the City of Beech Grove, who believes in its mission statement to “Strengthen the Community with Christ’s Love.” He is a lifelong resident of Southside with his wife, four children and five grandchildren. He has also been a criminal investigator for the last 30-plus years for the Public Defender Agency.
Public/Legal
Legal/Public Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
AUCTION OF PROPERTY BY
Nick’s Packing Service, Inc.
Public auction of personal property including household goods, furniture, non-perishables, belonging to the following persons: Glenda Bean Rencher, Pamela Herrera,Bobby Crayton, On Thursday, FEBRUARY 16, 2023 at 6:30PM & Davontae Winston, Aniyah Satchell, Carin Henderson, Walter Wells, On Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 6:30PM. The location for the auction is:
Mike Heimel Auction Services 59 N. 2nd Ave, Beech Grove, IN 46107
PURUSANT
Mississippi State Univ. announces fall president's list
Academics - Mississippi State University congratulates 4,174 students who were named to the fall 2022 president's list. Students on the president's list achieved a 3.80 or better grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C. Included are: Emily Washam, of Indianapolis and Sadie Morris, of Greenwood.
Franklin College announces fall 2022 president’s, dean’s list students
Southside Alumni – Franklin College has announced the president’s and dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester. Students named to the president’s list have achieved academic distinction by earning a perfect 4.0
grade point average while completing a minimum of 12 credit hours during a regular semester. The following students have been named to the president’s list and are from the Southside: Carter Bright, a freshman; William “Joey” Brock, a senior; Claire Sampson, a junior; and Grace Williams, a junior - all from Southside Indianapolis. Students named to the dean’s list have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours during a regular semester, earning a grade point average of at least 3.5 but less than 4.0. The following students have been named to the dean’s list and are from the Southside: Audra Barclay, a sophomore; Carley Bond, a junior; Campbell Clark, a sophomore; Carly Cravens, a freshman; Jonah Decker, a freshman; Ashley Geldmeier, a junior; Roxanna Hair, a senior; Brooke Madon, a senior; Connor McNabb, a freshman; Parker Montgomery, a sophomore; Lydia Springer, a junior - all from Southside Indianapolis; and Aaran Greenwell, a junior, from Beech Grove.
Sophia Bunten named to Univ. of Findlay dean’s list
Academic Achievement - Sophia Bunten, of Greenwood, has been named to the fall 2022 dean's list at the University of Findlay, located in Findlay, Ohio. To earn this achievement, a student must attain a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Val Buchholz of Greenwood named to Nebraska dean's list
Academic Achievement - Val Buchholz of Greenwood has been named to the dean's list at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the fall semester of the 2022-23 academic year. Buchholz, a sophomore majoring in forensic science, was named to the dean's list for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
ONE
HEART CARE
That’s Personal
There’s only one you. And your spouse, sisters, brothers, coworkers, friends, children and neighbors… they all know it. That one heart you’ve got is loved by a lot of people.
That’s why we’re here to help. Don’t let heart disease get in the way of you being you. Discover our personalized approach to diagnose, treat and manage various heart conditions with a nationally renowned team of cardiovascular experts across Indiana.
