Presidential Scholar candidates named – Eleven Carmel High School seniors have been selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholarship, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. They are Rishi Das, Anderson David, Brent Devries, Sydney Holtzapple, Austin Lynch, Peter Megenhardt, Nikhil Raghuraman, Justin Ren, Bo Sendi, Pranav Sriram and William Tippins.
Utilities bill passes Senate – Senate Bill 125, authored by State Sen. Jim Merritt (R-Indianapolis), has passed the Indiana Senate by a vote of 47-1. SB 125 addresses safety concerns brought up in the summer of 2017 after MetroNet contractors damaged more than 30 gas pipelines, many of them in Carmel, while installing high-speed internet lines. The bill now moves to the Indiana House of Representatives for further consideration.
Sex trafficking worshop – Uplift Intimate Apparel, 711 Veterans Way, will host a workshop about sex trafficking and online safety from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 20. Sex trafficking is a local and international issue, as every day, victims are abused, manipulated and sold in Indiana. In lieu of admission, gift cards to Target or WalMart are being accepted to be donated to Restored Inc. for victims of sex trafficking.
Family bowling event – Strikes for Stansfield, a family-friendly afternoon of bowling, prizes and entertainment, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. March 4 at Woodland Bowl, 3421 E. 96th St. Proceeds will provide funding for Standfield Circle’s food pantry, clothing pantry, preschool, hot meal program, adult education and senior outreach initiatives at Fletcher Place Community Center in historic Fountain Square. Register online at StandfieldCircle.org by Feb. 20.
Addiction support group – Parents of Addicted Loved Ones is a support group for parents who have children dealing with drug addiction. Meetings are on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Carmel Christian Church, 463 E. Main St. The meetings are for those older than 18, no exceptions will be made. There is no charge to attend.
Winter reading program – The Carmel Clay Public Library is holding a winter reading program for adults through March 12. Participants can earn restaurant coupons for reading, with a chance to win a $50 gift card to a local business or restaurant. For more information, call 317-814-3987.
Elder care information session – The Central Indiana Senior Alliance presents No Lectures, Just Answers from 5 to 7 p.m. March 1 at 11550 N. Meridian St. Experts will be on hand to answer questions related to elder law, hospice care, reverse mortgages, senior living and more. Call 317-762-9846 for more information.
Friday Fish Fry – Knights of Columbus will hold Friday Fish Fry from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, March 2, 9, 16 and 23 at St. Elizabeth Seton, 106th Street and Haverstick Road. Cost is $11 and includes all you can eat fish, fries, applesauce, cole slaw, cookies and iced tea. Kids’ meals are also available, as are carryout and curbside pickup.
Post, Share, Tweet, Oh My! – The Purdue Extension Hamilton County will host a four-week social media program for high school students that teaches them how to create professional communication pieces using popular social media platforms. The series will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays starting Feb. 22 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. For more information or to register, call 317-776-0854, or visit extension.purdue.edu/hamilton.
Sustainability update – Carmel Green Initiative presents Indiana’s Path to Sustainability from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Carmel Clay Public Library. Janet McCabe, Assistant Director for Policy and Implementation at IU’s new Environmental Resilience Institute, will discuss the many positive environmental efforts underway in Indiana and how residents can get involved. For more information visit carmelgreen.org or call 317-815-9941.
Envirothon contest now open – Registration is open for high school students for this spring’s Central Region Envirothon contest hosted by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Each team will study resource problems in five environmental areas. Teams may consist of members from a variety of organizations: clubs at school, Scouts, home schooled students, and 4-H Clubs. The deadline for Envirothon coaches to register their teams is Feb. 23. For more information, visit hamiltonswcd.org/envirothon.html or contact Ginger Davis at 317-773-2181.
Spring art contest – The Carmel Arts Council is taking entries from students in grades pre-K to 12, Peer Program & PALS for its spring art contest. Entries must be spring-themed, original works of art on 8.5” x 11” inch paper and submitted to The Great Frame Up, 21 1st Street SW, in Carmel. Only one entry per artist will be judged. The deadline is February 26 at 6 p.m.
Town hall meeting – State Sen. John Ruckelshaus (R-Indianapolis) will host a bipartisan town hall meeting during the 2018 legislative session with State Reps. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) and Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis). The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 1 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis.
Snowplow painting – INDOT East Central District invites high schools to paint an INDOT snowplow blade with original artwork to represent their school. In addition to being seen in service during winter months, the blades may be used at events within the school’s community to enhance public awareness, promote safety and foster greater appreciation of both INDOT and the school’s art program. Applications are due March 15. For more information, visit in.gov/indot/3427.htm.
Citizens Academy – Applications are being accepted for the spring session of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy. The 12-week course is held on Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:30 with classes running from March 8 through May 24. There is no charge for participants to attend the academy which is open to area residents 18 years of age and older. More information and applications are available at hamiltoncounty.in.gov/546/Citizens-Academy.
Casino night – Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, 3085 W. 116th St., will hold its 18th Annual Casino Night & Silent Auction at 7:30 p.m. March 10. Tickets are $25 per person and include Las Vegas style gambling, a $10 voucher towards silent auction, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Visit ShaareyTefilla.org to order tickets.
Authors award nominations – The public is invited to nominate a writer with Indiana ties for the 2018 Indiana Authors Award. Winning authors receive cash prizes, and they each select an Indiana library to receive a grant as well. Nominations may be submitted online at IndianaAuthorsAward.org and will be accepted through March 16.
Scholarships available – Tru Direction, Inc., is accepting applications for its 2018 scholarship program. Scholarship recipients can receive $500 to $2,500 each as determined by the Scholarship Committee. For eligibility rules, visit Trudirection.org. Applications are due by March 31.
Shuttle drivers needed – IU Health North Hospital needs volunteer drivers for its parking lot shuttle. Volunteers are needed weekdays for three-hour shifts. Individuals must be at least 21 years old and have a valid Indiana driver’s license. To learn more or begin the volunteer application process, contact Sonya Peitz, volunteer services coordinator, at 317-688-2927 or [email protected].
Free meditation class – Sahaja Meditation Indiana presents a free mediation class at 7 p.m. on Fridays. Learn to reduce stress and experience inner peace through meditation. The class will be held at Old National Bank, 1430 S. Range Line Rd. For more information, visit IndianaMeditation.org.
Northwest Radiology among best in class – Northwest Radiology Network has been recognized as best in class for human resource management among midsize employers by Gallagher Insurance and Risk Management. Northwest Radiology is one of just two companies from Gallagher’s Indiana customer base that received this designation. The best in class are experimenting with ways to manage total healthcare spending and were less likely to increase employees’ contributions to health plan premiums.
Former Enron CFO to speak – The CFA Society of Indianapolis will host the 2018 Annual Investment Forum from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 18 at Ritz Charles, 12156 N. Meridian St. Among the guest speakers will be Andy Fastow, former CFO of Enron Corp. Fastow pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in relation to the Enron case, and in 2006 he was sentenced to six years in prison. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at CFASociety.org.
Centier Bank honored – Centier Bank and its associates were recently honored by the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership for participating in the Living the Dream service project, a chance to give a mini home makeover to a deserving family that completed the homeowner preparation program and now owns a home. Twenty associates received the Outstanding Volunteer Group Award at the organization’s 2017 Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast.
Finding Good Employees – SCORE will offer a workshop to help local small businesses hire good employees from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 21 at the Pyramids. SCORE is a volunteer, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the success of small business in Central Indiana. The workshop includes a highly interactive panel discussion with representatives from Employ Indy, Indiana Department of Work Force Development and The Morales Group. Register at Indianapolis.score.org.
Entrepreneurship series – Carmel Clay Public Library will host Selecting Your Business & Kitchen Table Entrepreneurship from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26. Join speaker Saidah Pearsall, founder of Shea Bodyworks, as she shares her journey from a transforming a kitchen table business to a retail and online store.
