Indiana Free Press - Indiana By the People, For the People

Shenandoah’s Kate Hillman Wins Pizza Hut Invitational

kpaul.mallasch — Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:44:01 -0800

Shenandoah’s Kate Hillman Wins Pizza Hut Invitational

By Kevin Rockhill

Hamilton South Eastern High School hosted the 1st Annual Pizza Hut Invitation Saturday introducing a new format to the Indiana high school diving community. The field of girls and boys from across the state featured many of the state’s top 20 ranked divers.

The event format was identical to the Olympic Trials where each diver completed a list of 5 optional dives three times and their cumulative score determined the winner. Unlike a typical 6 dive meet or 11 dive championship event, this format required the divers to not only complete each of their dives well one time, they had to complete each of their five dives well three times to be in the hunt for the title.

Shenandoah’s Kate Hillman topped the field of girls with a total score of 660.20 points followed by Hamilton Southeastern’s Christina Beyerl with 618.60 points and Homesteads Mariah Kiefer with 569.65 points. Beyerl and Kiefer finished in the top 16 at the 2007-08 IHSAA State Championships. Highland was represented by Kelsey Upperman (15th) and Cassie Gaton (26th). Pendleton Heights was represented by Kristen Sylvester (20th), Haley Dick (22nd), and Hannah Cochran. Cochran was delayed by and academic commitment and only completed 1 list of 5 dives, however a three list average would have placed her in 9th position.

On the boy’s side, Dakota Johnson earned top honors with a score of 550.60 points. Highland’s Josh Doggett was 5th with 441.10 points. Pendleton Heights’ was represented by Cody Thrasher (9th), Josh Wilson (11th), and Brady Tibbets (17th).

Hillman was also awarded the Pizza Hut Dive of the meet for her Inward 1 ½ somersault pike that topped all dives in the meet by scoring 50.4 points on her best one and averaged 47.2 points for the three attempts.

Shenandoah and Pendleton Heights will be in competition again Jan 6th against Anderson High School beginning at 5:15pm at Pendleton Height High School. Highland’s next meet will be against Pendleton Heights at Highland on Jan 13th at 5:00pm.

Local Songwriter Featured in National Magazine

kpaul.mallasch — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:16:45 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - Anderson Songwriter Steve Wallace is featured in Country weekly magazine in the Jan.12,2009 issue in the Listen Up section in stores today and on the magazines website at www.countryweekly.com/freemusic where you can download Walllace's award winning song - "The Bible Is My Guide" sung by The William Ray Group of Nashville, TN - for free.

Wallace, 38, has been writing for 25 years while battling a rare nerve disorder called 'Dystonia' which affects his muscles and speech.

Open auditions for Ducktails & Bobbysox and Oz!

kpaul.mallasch — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:49:24 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - Kidz Take the Stage (KTS), a performing arts group for students ages 5-18 will hold open auditions on January 6th, 7th, and 8th from 5pm-8pm. Auditions will be held at the KTS Performing Arts Studio located at the Parathea Building, 1125 Main Street in Anderson (behind the Paramount Theatre). Prospective castmembers may schedule an audition time in advance, but walk-ins will also be accepted anytime during audition hours.

Students should come prepared to sing a short solo acappella, though not all parts in the shows require vocal ability. Prospective castmembers will also be asked to read from the script and dance a short choreographed number they will be taught at the auditions. There is no fee to audition, and students may audition for both shows. For those chosen as castmembers, there is a $35 fee per student per show, but a discount will be given to any student selected to be in both casts.

A t-shirt is included in the castmember fee. Sibling discounts are also available.

Ducktails & Bobbysox is a hilarious musical highlighting classic high school relationships from the 1950's, including some great 50's style music. Rehearsals for Ducktails & Bobbysox will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm beginning January 14th and show dates will be March 18th and 19th at the Paramount Theatre Hardacre Ballroom.

Oz! is a dazzling upbeat musical adaptation of the timeless tale The Wizard of Oz. It has all of our familiar friends: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Lion, Tin Woodsman, Glenda, the wicked witch and her winged monkeys, and a very Modern version of the Munchkins. Join them as they journey through this bright, updated musical version of Oz. Rehearsals for Oz! will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8pm beginning on February 3rd with show dates on April 29th and 30th at the Paramount Theatre Hardacre Ballroom.

For more information, go to www.kidzstage.net. To schedule an audition appointment or if you have any questions, please email kidzstage@aol.com, or call Darlene or Marcie at 765-602-4774.

AFD Firefighter Phil Edmondson Arrested for DWI

kpaul.mallasch — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:30:21 -0800

I'm waiting for a call back from Madison County Sheriff Ron Richardson with more details, but I've confirmed that Phil Edmondson (Spelling?) was arrested on 12/21/08 for DWI.

Anyone have more details?

As soon as I hear back from the MadCo Sheriff, I'll write-up a proper story.

School Bus Crashes on Icy Roads Near Frankton

kpaul.mallasch — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:33:25 -0800

FRANKTON, IN - According to reports, a Frankton-Lapel Community Schools bus was struck by a car earlier this morning at 500 North and 500 West, causing the bus to flip over on its side.

The bus was back up by 11:30 a.m. The injured students are being transported to St. Vincent Mercy in Elwood, Community in Anderson and St. John's in Anderson.

More Information:

Offer Accepted on Plant 18, Key GM Parcel in Anderson

kpaul.mallasch — Tue, 2 Dec 2008 16:03:53 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - At a meeting of the Anderson Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday, December 2, 2008, a purchase agreement was executed on a key parcel of land once occupied by General Motors. The parcel is located at 2900 E. Scatterfield Road, and was known as Plant 18. The $425,000 agreement was presented by Stan and Teresa Lay of Hy-Tech Machining and approved unanimously by the Anderson Redevelopment Commission.

Hy-Tech Machining designs, builds, repairs, and retrofits industrial machinery and currently employs ten people at its present Anderson location. Hy-Tech Machining prides itself on its ‘emphasis on excellence’ within its industry. The parcel, with over 22 acres and 240,000 square feet of floor space, will provide the environment Hy-Tech Machining needs to continue to expand its operations.

During the meeting, Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon thanked the Lay’s for their ongoing commitment to doing business in Anderson and added, “Any time a company outgrows its existing space, it’s a high risk time for a community to lose the jobs that company provides. In this case, the Lay’s commitment to Anderson and the availability of a suitable building combined to keep Hy-Tech Machining growing in place”.

Currently, Hy-Tech Machining employs ten, but is planning to expand to between 50 and 100 employees within five years. Stan Lay said the company prides itself on paying good wages, many near thirty dollars per hour.

In 2006, the Plant 18 parcel was appraised at $705,000. Linda Dawson, Director of Economic Development for the City of Anderson, said that considerable damage had occurred to portions of the building since that appraisal, making the agreed upon purchase price very near the current value of the real estate. The Lay’s intend to demolish the front portion of the property as their development plans progress, ultimately using approximately 130,000 square feet of the building.

The City of Anderson is working with Coldwell Banker Real Estate to market former General Motors parcels throughout Anderson. Other available properties can be viewed on the City’s webpage at www.CityofAnderson.com/ed. More information about Hy-Tech Machining can be found on the web: at www.htmachines.com .

Source: City of Anderson

AU student is honored by ICI and the Lilly Endowment

kpaul.mallasch — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:01:44 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - John C. Olson, a sophomore at Anderson University, was recently honored as an outstanding first-generation student during a banquet entitled "Realizing the Dream," sponsored by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Olson is a native of Fortville, Ind. He was honored with students from 33 independent college campuses and universities throughout Indiana. Olson is majoring in Chemistry. Made possible by a grant to the Independent Colleges of Indiana from the Lilly Endowment, “Realizing the Dream” recognizes the triumphs of first-generation students in their first year of college.

The student honorees are Indiana high school graduates who subsequently demonstrated superior academic performance during their freshman year and exhibited leadership in campus or community activities. A $2,000 grant will be mailed to each of the 32 institutions to be deposited into the student’s account and applied toward the cost of his/her education.

The program also celebrates the roles played by teachers and parents in shaping student aspirations for a college education. After being chosen by their college, the students then name the elementary or secondary teacher who most influenced them to attend college. These teachers will receive a $1,000 professional development award. Olson selected his mother, Debbie Olson, a home school teacher.

The speaker during this year’s ‘Realizing the Dream” banquet was the Hon. Gregory W. Porter, Indiana House of Representatives, District #96.

Dr. Hans Giesecke, president of Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), praised the accomplishments of those honored in past years, According to Dr. Giesecke, “recently completed studies of the previous classes reveal and 84 percent graduation rate, which is almost double the national collegiate graduation rate. There is no better incentive than this success story to encourage college attendance by others who do not have the benefit of a family college tradition.”

Anderson University is a private, four-year, Christian liberal arts institution of approximately 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, the university offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, theology and nursing.

Breakfast With Santa Tradition Continues for Highland High School Music Fundraising

kpaul.mallasch — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:39:31 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - Highland High School Choral Boosters and Choir members are seeking community support for the 3rd annual "Breakfast with Santa" event to be held on Saturday December 6th, 2008 from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. As last year, the event will be held at Madison Park Church of God, 67th and Columbus Ave.

The event is a fundraiser for the choirs, with a community service emphasis that provides an affordable Christmas celebration for both children and adults. Those in charge of Breakfast With Santa 2008 at HHS are seeking individual, business, and corporate sponsorships and donations to offset costs and to allow several under-privileged children and parents to attend this year.

A family discount package is being offered for $25.00 which includes;

one picture with Santa, craft projects,
breakfast for up to five people,
sing-a-long and story-time, face-painting,
and caroling by HHS Choir members.

Inclusive single parent/child packages are $15.00. Additional child packages (for the same picture), pictures, or breakfast may be purchased for $5.00. They are accepting eligible sponsor recipient referrals from local churches and organizations.

Please contact Rhonda Cantrell, (765) 425-7638 or Laudron5@aol.com to participate in this event or plan on attending what's sure to be another festive way to celebrate the Holidays in Anderson.

First of 2 New Dunkin' Donuts in Anderson to Open this Week

kpaul.mallasch — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:46:38 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - The first of two new Dunkin' Donuts coming to Anderson before the end of the year is scheduled to open at 5 a.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2008.

The newly opening Dunkin' Donuts is located at 14th and Jackson in downtown Anderson. The second restaurant at 4431 S. Scatterfield Rd. is scheduled to open mid-December.

Both donut shops are owned by the HSG Restaurant Group, LLC of Indianapolis, which is rapidly expanding throughout Central Indiana. They currently own seven Dunkin' Donuts after opening their first restaurant in downtown Indianapolis in June of this year.

The group plans to open 40 new Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in Central Indiana, creating about 2,000 new jobs over the next five years. HSG is led by Dennis Gramm, who served in leadership positions within Dunkin' Brands for more than 10 years.

Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon will help celebrate the opening of the downtown Anderson Dunkin' Donuts at an 8 a.m. ceremony. A $1,000 cash ribbon will be cut and presented to the Anderson Indiana Main Street (AIMS) program. AIMS is known locally for stimulating and enhancing downtown Anderson. The donation from Dunkin' Donuts will help support downtown programs, including upcoming concerts and festivals.

The LJ Mechem Band will perform at the restaurant from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and the Dunkin' Donuts sampling crew will be on hand to pass out free food and beverage samples from Dunkin' Donuts' breakfast and all-day menus. In addition, WQME-FM 98.7 will be at the store on November 24, 2008 to raffle off two flat screen televisions.

Both Anderson Dunkin' Donuts will be open seven days a week and will feature a drive-thru window. The Anderson locations will also feature the brand's recently updated store design and its new DDSmart healthy options menu along with its traditional world famous coffee and baked goods.

Dunkin' Donuts has been serving freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee and bakery items for more than 58 years. The company sells more donuts and bagels than any other quick service restaurant in America. They're also the number one retailer of hot and iced coffee, selling more than one billion cups of coffee every year throughout the country.

Veterans' Commons Bricks Again Available

kpaul.mallasch — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:07:51 -0800

ANDERSON, IN - In honor of Veterans Day, the City of Anderson Department of Parks and Recreation is again opening the Shadyside Park Veterans’ Commons area for brick sales. Around 850 inscribed bricks, sold in 1998 and 1999, now fill the Veterans’ Commons. Approximately 100 more spaces for bricks have been made available; bricks will be offered for sale by between Veterans Day and December 31. The bricks will cost $125 each and may be purchased through the Parks Department.

Bricks may be inscribed with the name, branch of service, and dates of service, all facts which must be verified with discharge papers (Form DD214).

As President Eisenhower proclaimed, Veterans Day is our chance to “solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”

For more information about honoring a veteran with the purchase and installation of a brick in Shadyside Memorial Park’s Veterans’ Commons, call the Parks Department office at 648-6850 or stop by in person at the Park Department office (101 E. Oak Street) Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm.

Source: City of Anderson