Carmel in brief — March 19, 2019

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Mathis pleads guilty – Former Colts defensive end Robert Mathis pleaded guilty March 12 to operating a vehicle while intoxicated and was sentenced a year of probation. The sentence also prohibits Mathis from consuming or possessing alcoholic beverages or visiting establishments that sell or serve alcohol that aren’t open to minors during his probation. Mathis was arrested in October 2017 after a Carmel Police Dept. officer spotted him traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. His blood alcohol concentration was below the legal limit, but police determined he was impaired and not able to safely operate the vehicle. Reports state Mathis told the officer he had used a sleeping aid with alcohol.

Judge rules in city’s favor – A federal district court in Indianapolis ruled March 8 in favor of the City of Carmel, a federal DEA investigator and a local law enforcement officer who were sued for their role in a 2014 investigation and arrest of Carmel doctor Larry Ley and his staff. Judges examined probable cause affidavits prepared against Ley and his staff and found probable cause existed to charge them with a crime, although Ley was later acquitted of his charges and charges against his staff members were dismissed. The lawsuits claimed false arrest, malicious prosecution, civil conspiracy and other allegations. The plaintiffs have the right to appeal the court’s decisions.

Suspect sought – Police are seeking assistance in locating Holly Blankenship, 30, a white female wanted for multiple charges in Hamilton and Marion counties. Her charges include fraud, synthetic identity deception and multiple counts of theft. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Carmel Police Dept. at 317-571-2500 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.

Students serve as pages – Carmel residents Chris Moe, a senior at Carmel High School, and Jack Moe, a seventh-grade student at Carmel Middle School, recently served as pages for State Sen. John Ruckelshaus. Chris has served as a page at the Statehouse for seven years in a row, beginning when he was in sixth grade.

INDOT seeks input – INDOT will host a public open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 27 at Red Bridge Park, 1050 S. Pearl St. in Cicero, to educate residents and gather feedback for the U.S. 31 at 236th St. interchange study. The study will help determine the type of interchange INDOT will install.

Gardening help – The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District has resources available to help with gardening questions and issues. As part of its Urban Agriculture program, SWCD staff members are available for free site visits to any backyard and community vegetable garden in Hamilton County. Staff can provide guidance with planning, advice on weed and pest management, soil health information, yield increase through conservation, tip sheets and more. To schedule a site visit, contact Andrew Fritz at [email protected] or 317-773-2181. Learn more at HamiltonSWCD.org/UrbanAgriculture.

Ladies tea – Fellowship in Christ Church, 310 N. Range Line Rd., will host Coffee, Tea, and Thee for ladies from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. This is open to all women in the community and there is no cost to attend.

Dodgeball fundraiser – The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Shop for Kids Dodge, Duck and Dip Dodgeball Challenge is set for April 27 at Hamilton Heights High School, 25802 State Rte 19 in Arcadia. The double-elimination tournament will serve as a fundraiser for the Shop for Kids program, which provides $200 shopping trips during the holidays for less-fortunate children in Hamilton County. The entry fee is $100 for a team of six. For more, email [email protected].

Angels & Doves event – Angels & Doves will present a night of fun to help stop bullying in schools beginning at 7 p.m. April 27 at Danny Boy Beer Brewery & Whiskey Distillery, 12702 Meeting House Rd. in Carmel. The event will include beer and whiskey tastings, food samplings, a professional comedian, live music, silent auction and more. Tickets cost $75 for an individual or $100 for a couple. Learn more at angelsanddoves.com.

Race to benefit cancer research – This year, the Challenge 5K Walk Run will benefit the Tyler Trent Cancer Researach Endowment. Trent, a Carmel resident, was the first student to serve on the Director’s Advisory Board for the Purdue Center for Cancer Research. The race begins at 8:30 a.m. April 13 at Ross-Ade Stadium, 850 Steven Beering Dr., in West Lafayette. Sign up and learn more at ThePurdueChallenge.com.   

Creative writers meetings – Carmel Creative Writers wants to give writers of all levels and genres the opportunity to network, learn and share. Join us for our meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Hoosier Salon, 22 N. Range Line Rd. Guest speakers, a yearly anthology, and input on your writing samples are all part of our meetings. For more, email [email protected].

Newcomers Club – Newcomers Club of Carmel, a nonprofit social club, connects its members with friends, engages in fun activities and explores the community. Monthly activities include a welcome coffee, a luncheon event and 32 interest group meetings. Membership represents Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, Noblesville, Zionsville and Indianapolis. For more, visit carmelnewcomers.com or call 317-564-8349

Scholarships offered – Tru Direction, Inc. will award scholarships of $500 to $2,500 per qualified applicant (maximum $10,000 per calendar year) as determined by the scholarship committee. Scholarships may be used for any related expenses for college, university, trade school or technical school.  Applicants must be attending school a minimum of 9 hours, or the equivalent, per semester, however, preference is given to those attending at least 12 hours. Applications are due by March 31. Learn more at trudirection.org.

Career fair – Carmel High School, 520 E. Main St., will host a Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair for high school students from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 19. The event is free, and parents are encouraged to attend. During the event, career opportunities in high-wage, in-demand careers, including the skilled trades, will be highlighted. A variety of professionals, companies and organizations will share information about career options that may not necessarily require a four-year degree.

Falcon program – Learn about an at-risk bird species at the Indiana Falcon Program set for 7:30 p.m. March 19 in the program room at the Carmel Clay Public Library, 55 4th Ave SE. Allisyn Gillet, Indiana’s state ornithologist, will share information on the state’s peregrine falcon monitoring program and how to help with conservation.

Mustard Seed fundraiser set – The Mustard Seed of Central Indiana, a furniture bank based in Fishers, will conduct its first Swing into Spring fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. March 20 at TopGolf, 9200 E. 116th St. The event is $100 in advance and $110 at the door. There will be food, games and prizes. Those who attend will be able to play TopGolf as well as participate in a silent auction and other games. If someone is unable to attend but would still like to support the mission, they are able to donate. Monetary or furniture donations are always welcome. To donate, visit mustardseedindy.org.

Best Buddies Friendship Walk – The Best Buddies Friendship Walk will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28 at Celebration Plaza at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. The walk and celebration raise awareness and funds to support inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more or to sign up, visit bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/indianapolis/event-details/.

Top hospitals – Indiana University Health North and West hospitals have been named among the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by IBM Watson HealthTM. The study spotlights top-performing hospitals in the U.S. based on a balanced scorecard of publicly available clinical, operational and patient satisfaction metrics and data. The Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals study uses research to analyze hospital performance in 10 clinical and operational areas.  This is the second year in a row that IU Health North Hospital in Carmel has been recognized with this honor and the first time for IU Health West Hospital. Learn more at 100tophospitals.com.

Healthy Living Supper Club – The Healthy Living Supper Club will feature a talk on the Blue Zones: Live Longer, Live Stronger, Live Wiser. The free event will include a plant-based meal and will begin at 6:30 p.m. March 19 at Carmel Seventh-day Adventist Church, 14535 Carey Road. Register at healthylivingclub.org

Employee honored – Charles Ibrahim, of Carmel, has been recognized by OneAmerica as an ASPIRE honoree as a result of his outstanding service on behalf of the life insurance, retirement and employee benefits organization. Ibrahim was one of 10 employees to be honored at the company’s fifth annual ASPIRE awards banquet on Feb. 20. The ASPIRE principles — Achievement, Stewardship, Partnership, Integrity, Responsiveness and Excellence—guide more than 2,000 OneAmerica associates in work endeavors. Ibrahim, 58, director of process excellence, was honored for Outstanding Team Impact.

New hire – Jordan Dillon has been named account executive at THE PLAID AGENCY, a Carmel-based, full-service ad agency. Her primary responsibilities will include overseeing projects, managing teams and working directly with clients to ensure measurable results and superior service. Dillon comes to PLAID with more than 10 years of marketing and event experience. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication arts and science from DePauw University.

Merchants announces promotion – Carmel-based Merchants Capital has formally announced the promotion of Brian Sullivan to executive vice president and chief operating officer of Merchants Capital. Since stepping into this role in August 2018, Sullivan continues to lead capital markets activities, while overseeing the execution of strategic initiatives, notably the implementation of a custom loan origination and servicing software. For more information about Merchants Capital, visit merchantscapital.com.

New hires – Applegate Elder Law has announced the addition of three employees at its Carmel office. Diane Peabody and Anita “Hupy” Siccardi have joined the firm as elder care coordinators, and Maria Mack has come on board as a paralegal.

Allstate gives back – Four local Allstate representatives recently earned $1,000 Allstate Foundation Helping Hands grants for area nonprofits. They include Carmel Allstate agency owner Ranj Puthran, who will support the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation; Carmel Allstate financial specialist Roy Lederman, who will support the Jefferson Awards for Public Service; and Patrick Terry, Sr., who will support Eagle Creek Little League.

Carmel attorney appointed – Carmel resident and Riley Bennett Egloff partner Kathleen Hart has been appointed to the board of directors of the Indiana Federal Community Defenders for a three-year term. IFCD’s mission is to provide high-quality, client-centered representation to indigent defendants charged with a federal crime and provide resources and training to Federal Criminal Justice Act panel attorneys.

Round Room announces promotions –Carmel-based Round Room LLC, the largest Verizon authorized retailer in the U.S., recently announced that Chad Jensen has been named president of the company’s wireless division and Katie Wiley has been promoted to chief strategy officer. Round Room leads and invests in companies serving the wireless industry and operates 1,160 TCC and Wireless Zone stores across 41 states. For more information on Round Room and its portfolio of companies, visit RoundRoom.com.

Counties ranked by generosity – SmartAsset, a financial technology company, recently conducted a study on which Indiana counties donate the most money. The study measured how much people donate as a percentage of their net income and the number of people giving charitable donations in the county. Hamilton County ranked first. Boone County was second.

IMCU benefits CHS athletics – Indiana Members Credit Union recently presented a check for $1,865 to Carmel High School as part of an ongoing school spirit debit card program. The partnership allows Carmel fans the opportunity to show their school spirit and support the athletic program by signing up for a Carmel Greyhounds-themed debit card. Learn more at imcu.com.

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