CCPL west branch closed to in-person visits – Carmel Clay Public Library’s Joyce Winner West Branch is closed to in-person visits until further notice because of the COVID-19 alert level in Hamilton County. Curbside holds pickup remains available at the branch from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays.The outside returns slots at the branch are open to accept returns. The Merchants’ Square Main Library remains open regular hours. Learn more at carmelclaylibrary.org/news-and-announcements.
Learn about solar benefits – Indiana residents and business owners can learn how the federal tax credit of 26 percent has been extended through 2022 for installing solar panels on houses, farm structures and places of business during the next Zoom meeting of Solarize East Central Indiana, a grassroots community group affiliated with Solarize Indiana. The Zoom meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 and include a 30-minute presentation followed by an hour for questions and answers. Register for the free event at facebook.com/solarizeECI.
Duke Energy updating electric grid – Duke Energy is upgrading part of its electric grid in east Carmel to improve reliability and reduce power outages. Crews are working to replace aged, underground power lines that deliver electricity to homes along N. Deer Ridge Drive and S. Deer Ridge Drive. Work is under way and is expected to conclude by June. Customers may see large electric utility equipment in the area of the underground cable line improvements, including utility trucks and digging and boring equipment. Crews will dig or bore along the power line easement, and in some cases may access backyards and other areas of property to work on the line.
Sock drive – Sun King is partnering with the Indiana Independent Venue Alliance to be a dropoff site for the second Sock On sock drive benefiting Indiana’s homeless community and Horizon House. New socks may be dropped off at Sun King, including the Carmel location at 351 Monon Blvd., through Feb. 18. Learn more at bit.ly/3HzvRAH.
Earth Day Art Contest – Carmel Green Initiative is inviting students in kindergarten through 12th grades to enter in the 2022 Earth Day Art Contest. Entries will be displayed at several community exhibits to give youth a voice, empowering them to inspire the community to live more sustainably. Participants will receive a free postcard with their artwork. Entries are due Feb. 18. For details visit Carmelgreen.org.
Party chair resigns – Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Laura Campbell announced Jan. 12 that she is resigning from the post effective Jan. 19, citing a desire to spend more time with family. A caucus will be held to select a new party chair.
Holiday lights recycling — Carmel Clay Schools Green Teams, City of Carmel Utilities, Tech Recyclers and White’s Ace Hardware are working together to offer a Holiday Light Recycling Drive. Through Jan. 20, residents can recycle used and unwanted holiday lights at White’s Ace Hardware at 731 S. Range Line Rd. The CCS Green Teams will offer recycling at CCS campuses through Jan. 6. For more, contact Kelli Prader at the City of Carmel Utilities department at 317-571-2673.
New FFA director – The Indiana FFA Association and the Indiana State Dept. of Agriculture announced the hiring of Tamara (Tami) Ketchen as the new Indiana FFA Association director. Ketchen currently serves as the assistant FFA director for the association and previously held the role as director from 2015 to 2018. Indiana FFA is a youth organization that provides students opportunities for leadership development, personal growth and career success. Ketchen graduated from Purdue University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. Prior to her position as assistant director of the Indiana FFA Association, Ketchen held the role of field atlas program manager with AgriNovus Indiana.
Hasbrook Award nominations open – Bosma has opened nominations for the 2022 Thomas C. Hasbrook Award, which recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment to supporting people with disabilities. Bosma is seeking nominees who exemplify a strong community service orientation through advocacy, leadership and program development and who assist individuals who are disabled to realize their potential. Nominations should be sent to [email protected]. Along with the nominee’s name, indicate why this individual would be an appropriate candidate for this award. All nominations are due by Feb. 1.
Governor’s Fellowship — Gov. Eric Holcomb is accepting applications through Jan. 28, for the 2022–2023 Governor’s Fellowship, which places fellows in various state agencies on a rotating basis throughout the year. The program is open to college graduates who received their bachelor’s degree beginning in summer or fall of 2021 or will receive it in the spring of 2022. Fellows are paid, full-time employees who participate in the day-to-day activities of state government. Applicants should know if they have been selected for an interview no later than Feb. 14, 2022. The fellowship will begin July 1, 2022. Learn more and apply at in.gov/gov/governors-office/governors-fellowship-program.
Military Veterans Hall of Fame — The Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame is accepting nominations for the Class of 2022 through Aug. 1, 2022. To be eligible, the nominee must have been born in Indiana, entered military service from Indiana, lived in Indiana for a minimum of five years and have no felony convictions. A nomination form can be found at imvhof.com/nominate. To learn more about the organization or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit imvhof.com.
Homes continue to sell quickly – December holidays didn’t slow down Carmel’s residential real estate market. Homes continue to sell at a brisk pace, and prices increased. According to F.C. Tucker Company, homes in Carmel left the market 10 days, or 45.5 percent, faster than this time last year. Average sale prices for Carmel homes increased 12.4 percent to $490,143, and the average price per square foot also increased to $188.75, a 15.3 percent increase compared to December 2020.
Bridal boutique now open – Sophia’s Bridal & Tux has opened a new location in The Shops at River Crossing. The shop is open for prom appointments and will begin taking bridal appointments Jan. 22. A grand opening celebration is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 28 with champagne, local treats, a grand prize giveaway and swag bags. The new boutique offers nearly 5,000 square feet of shopping and event space.
Virtual BMV job fair – The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, in partnership with the Indiana Dept. of Workforce Development, is hosting a virtual job fair from 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 19 to promote multiple positions the agency has available throughout the state. Those interested in the job fair but unable to attend are encouraged to still register, as a recording will be sent via email the following day.To register, visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/291863582017890316.
Merchants Capital hire – Merchants Capital has hired Lauren Campbell as senior vice president and general counsel. Campbell brings expertise in structuring low-income housing tax credit equity investment funds and multifamily real estate transactions with tax-exempt bonds, monetizable tax credits, federal and state subsidies and agency financing. Campbell joins Merchants from Ice Miller LLP in Indianapolis, where she primarily represented developers on affordable housing real estate transactions. Campbell will be based out of the company’s headquarters in Carmel.
The Great Dine Out returns – The Great Dine Out restaurant promotion returns through Jan. 31 in partnership with Hamilton County Tourism and locally owned restaurants. More than 40 participating Hamilton County restaurants are offering deals and discounts for dine-in and carryout meals. The Great Dine-Out is a mobile-exclusive program. Customers must have a smartphone in order to redeem the offers at participating restaurants. Visit DineOutHamiltonCounty.com and enter a name and email address, and a link to the mobile passport will be texted to the participant. Learn more at DineOutHamiltonCounty.com.
Winter Blast returns – Clay Terrace will host the seventh annual Winter Blast from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Village Green near Hoosier Sister. The free event includes carriage and train rides, face painters, a hot chocolate trail, ice sculptures, guaranteed snow and more.
30e Scientific honored – Carmel-based 3Oe Scientific, a sci-tech company advancing the science and benefits of ozonated water, has been announced as a winning company in the 2022 Powderkeg Unvalley Awards. This recognizes 3Oe Scientific as one of the best tech companies to work for in emerging tech communities beyond Silicon Valley. The award winning companies were selected based on data collected from the companies for their company profile on Powderkeg, supplemented with publicly available third-party data. Companies are able to add data to their Powderkeg profile including company size, perks and benefits, funding, industry, and employee testimonials.
COTA fundraiser – A fundraiser at Papa Murphy’s at 1950 Greyhound Pass in Westfield will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Jan. 30 for Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of Jax Sutton, a Noblesville-area child who needs a kidney transplant. The restaurant will donate a portion of sales to COTA. Visit COTAforJax.com to RSVP.
BenchMark opens Carmel clinic – BenchMark Physical Therapy recently opened an outpatient clinic at 14580 River Rd., Suite 170, in Carmel. BenchMark offers in-clinic and telehealth options for outpatient orthopedic physical therapy and occupational therapy, including manual therapy, injury prevention, return to performance, total joint replacement, concussion management and vestibular rehabilitation programs. To make an appointment, call 463-223-7770 or visit benchmarkpt.com.
