West Park closures — Portions of West Park will close on or after Aug. 24 for planned improvements. The main entrance to the park and southern half of the trail system, which includes the pond boardwalks, will be closed. The Jill Perelman Pavilion and adjacent adventure playground will remain open. Upgrades in the park include replacement of the existing splash pad and playground, renovation of the restroom building and main shelter, and improvements to the roadway and parking facilities. The park is expected to fully reopen in summer 2021.
CPD receives accreditation again — The Carmel Police Dept. received its eighth accreditation award from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. CALEA’s accreditation program aims to improve delivery of public safety initiatives, establish and administer an accreditation process and recognize professional excellence. CPD received its initial accreditation in 1996 and has been accredited continuously since that time. See the accreditation report at powerdms.com/public/CMPD/documents/2092819.
NCAA scholarship — Grace Haigh of Carmel is among 42 spring sports student-athletes and 21 women from all three NCAA divisions earning the NCAA’s Postgraduate Scholarship. The one-time nonrenewable scholarships of $10,000 each are awarded each fall, winter and spring to 21 men and 21 women each season. Haigh earned four varsity letters as a member of the Tigers’ tennis team and served as the president of DePauw’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee starting with the 2017-18 academic year. She also was an admission ambassador and senior intern.
Book makes shortlist — Carmel resident Bill Sullivan, an Indiana University School of Medicine professor who studies genetics and infectious diseases, has made the 2020 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards shortlist for his nonfiction book, “Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs and the Curious Forces that Make Us Who We Are.” Award winners will be announced Sept. 1. Learn more at indianaauthorsawards.org.
White River grant — A branding initiative to raise awareness for the White River in Central Indiana will get under way later this year thanks to a $275,000 grant from The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. The two-year grant will fund an initiative to raise awareness of how to access the river at the dozens of parks, boat ramps and cultural attractions along the 58-mile stretch of the river in Hamilton and Marion counties. The project will begin Fall 2020 and be completed by Spring 2022.
Current newsletter launches – Current Publishing launched a Morning Briefing newsletter July 27. The newsletter collects the most important story from all Current communities and delivers them to email inboxes every weekday at 7 a.m. Included will be recipes, best bets for fun activities in each community and more. Subscribers will also receive breaking news directly in their inbox. To subscribe, visit youarecurrent.com/morning-briefing/.
Volunteers needed — Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County is seeking volunteers as requests for the service continue to rise. The meal delivery service has seen a 48 percent increase for service between March and May. There is no contact between clients and volunteer drivers. Meals are left in coolers on the front porch. Volunteers pick up deliveries from either Ascension St. Vincent Carmel Hospital or Riverview Health Hospital in Noblesville. For more information on donating or volunteering, visit mealsonwheelshc.org or call 317-776-7159.
New inclusive playground –– Conner Prairie has debuted Ag Adventures at the Estridge Family Park, a newly constructed playground that will provide access to all visitors. This fully inclusive play area was designed with guests of all abilities in mind. The playscape is accessible for visitors with physical or developmental disabilities who may have been unable to fully engage with Conner Prairie’s previous playground. The playground was made possible through the support of the Estridge Family Foundation — a fund of the Hamilton County Community Foundation — and the Conner Prairie Alliance. Learn more at connerprairie.org.
4-H Photo Challenge – The 4-H Photo Challenge is open to youth in third through 12th grade. Participants should take photos fitting the monthly theme and submit entries online at bit.ly/hamco4hcameracorp by the last day of the month. Monthly themes for 2020 include: August – Fairs. Festivals, Fun; September – Community; October – Sunset to Sunrise; November – Occupations; December – Holiday Happenings.
Midwest Academy scholarships — Midwest Academy has scholarship opportunities available for students in grades three through six. The school offers students in grades 3-12 a small, engaging educational setting for those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, high-functioning autism, receptive and/or expansive language or processing challenges resulting in school anxiety. For more information contact Assistant Head of School Katie Erdmanis at [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.
Tearoom to close — Tina’s Traditional Tearoom will close on Aug. 30 after operating for six years at 30 N. Range Line Rd. Tearoom fixtures, fittings, teacups and more will be for sale on Sept. 5. Owner Tina Jesson is selling the business to manager Heather Buchanan, who will operate a tea party catering service. Learn more and make a reservation at tinastraditional.com.
Real estate stats — July 2020 saw a rebound in the Carmel residential real estate market. According to F.C. Tucker Company, the Carmel average home sale price in July 2020 was $472,905, up 12.3 percent compared to July 2019 and the highest average sale price in central Indiana. Homes in Carmel also left the market more quickly, 15.6 percent faster than this time last year. The average price per square foot for a Carmel home also increased, up 11.3 percent to $164.65 per square foot, compared to July 2019.
Veracity IIR adds office — Veracity IIR, a Carmel-based private investigations firm founded by former FBI agents, continues to grow. The company will open a branch in West Lafayette at 3000 Kent Ave., Suite 2562, this month. Heading up the new location will be a former Tippecanoe County Sheriff and a former FBI special agent Tracy Brown. The office has also hired Rich Davies, who spent 22 years with the FBI. Learn more at veracityiir.com.
Hoosier Hospitality Promise — In Hamilton County, 56 businesses have made the Hoosier Hospitality Promise, meaning federal, state and local health and safety guidelines were put in place and are being fully executed by key organizations and attractions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. More than 500 businesses statewide have made the Hoosier Hospitality Promise. Learn more at HoosierHospitalityPromise.com.
Carmel facility to close — Horton Inc., which produces engine cooling systems, plans to close its facility at 201 W. Carmel Dr. The closure will be phased and be complete by the end of the year, leading to the elimination of more than 60 positions.
SePRO leadership changes — Carmel-based SePRO Corporation has announced that founder, President and CEO Bill Culpepper is transitioning to chairman of the board of directors, which will allow him to focus on the strategic growth of the company. SePRO creates specialty aquatics, turf, landscape and ornamental products and services for the agrichemical industry. Effective Aug. 1, Tyler Koschnick will become the company’s president. Michael Puckett has been promoted to senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Bank offers educational series online — Centier Bank has launched the bank’s online financial educational series, “Centier To You,” online. Centier has hosted in-person community events about financial wellness and education in the past—at branches, local libraries and other locations in communities across the state. But now, Centier is offering the series online, so visitors can access them on their own time, from anywhere. The site contains financial tips, exercises and information on identity theft, homebuying, credit and more. Learn more at centier.com/financial-education.
Uplift nominated for honor — Uplift Intimate Apparel in Carmel City Center is one of more than 300 nominees for the 2020 Best Retail Award by Intima Magazine, the global premiere industry magazine. The award ceremony will be a virtual event on Aug. 2. The recognition is given to the best performing lingerie specialty stores in North America under a variety of categories. Judging of the finalists is done by a professional jury composed of both domestic and international famous lingerie brands.
New hires — Carmel-based Merchants Capital has hired Dewayne Hayward as vice president of Federal Housing Association asset management, and Mark Ciarrocchi as senior vice president of investor accounting. Hayward will work out of his home in Carrollton, Texas. Ciarrocchi will work out of his home in Waxhaw, N.C.
Financial planning partnership — Argent Financial Group, an independent fiduciary wealth management firm, is partnering with Todd DeKruyter and DK Financial. DeKruyter, a Carmel resident, has worked in the family financial planning industry for more than 10 years and will serve as a family wealth strategist on behalf of Argent’s Family Wealth Services division, assisting families across the nation with charitable and legacy planning needs. DeKruyter is a managing partner at DK Financial and previously served as president of Family Meridian, an educational organization that provides resources to help high net worth families thrive. He has also worked as an executive at Larson Financial Group and as a pastor.
Kidney care program launches — CarDon & Associates and DaVita Post-Acute Services are partnering to bring an on-site, kidney care program to CarDon’s Carmel Health & Living facility. The on-site dialysis center is exclusively available to residents of Carmel Health & Living, including long-term care and rehabilitation residents. DaVita dialysis patients who require short-term care at Carmel Health & Living will be able to access traditional or home treatment options. Learn more at cardon.us.
Plasma can help COVID-19 patients – As coronavirus or COVID-19 continues its spread across the globe, Versiti Blood Center of Indiana has begun collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients throughout Indiana to help treat those diagnosed with the virus. This blood-related treatment, approved by the FDA as an emergency investigational new drug, could offer hope to the hundreds of patients who continue to be diagnosed. This treatment would be used by hospitals for the most severely affected patients. For more, visit versiti.org/Indiana.
Hospice volunteers needed – Anew Hospice is recruiting volunteers to visit patients in facilities in Carmel, Noblesville and elsewhere in the Indianapolis area. Volunteers provide assistance by listening and reminiscing, comforting, reading and playing music. For more information, call 317-300-2292 or visit AnewCare.com.
