Applause!: March 20-27

• Irvington resident Steve Laswell lost his battle against cancer March 13. Wife Debbie, a cancer survivor herself, and their two young children have been active in the community. Friends of the Laswells may visit March 19 at 2 p.m.-6 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Irving Hill Chapel, 5377 E. Washington St. A celebration of Steve’s life with sharing of stories will begin at 6 p.m. A GoFundMe site was set up to help pay medical expenses: visit www.gofundme.com/gv5klw for more information.
• Congratulations to Scecina’s Academic Super Bowl team, which won the Indiana Crossroads Conference Academic Super Bowl championship March 11 at Cardinal Ritter High School, recapturing the trophy they last won in 2012. Scecina’s Academic Super Bowl team members are: seniors Connor Griffin, Bo Lesczynski, Caroline Sausser and Nick Sitzman; juniors Zach Burck; Corrine Maue, Maggie Mayer, Jenna Nosek, Ria Rebein, Denni Riley and Josh Sitzman; and sophomores Jonathan Card, Will Ferree, Michael Rosswurm and Nate Smith.
• Author Robert Snowwill share the process he went through to move up from a wannabe writer to the author of over 100 articles and short stories that have appeared in many national publications. Snow is also the author of 17 books, his most recent two published by Penguin Random House. Snow will take you step by step through the writing process, from initial queries, to outlining, to first drafts, to re-writes, and finally to the finished product.  His seminar is on March 24 at 6:30 at the Irvington Public Library, 5626 East Washington.
• There will be a Near Eastside Food Summit on March 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Westminster Neighborhood Ministries Center, 2325 E. New York St. The discussion will be about food resources — access, growing, or selling — and its importance on the near eastside. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
• The Irvington Green Hour this month will be held March 24 at 6 p.m. at Jockamo Upper Crust at 5646 E, Washington St. The guest speaker will be Kate Franzman of Bee Public, who will be talking about saving bee populations and the role bees play in the food system. Admission to the event is free.
• Report potholes to the city by calling 327-4622, the Mayor’s Action Center. This is also the phone number for illegal dumping and other “spring” problems.
• Have you ever wondered if your house is even suited for solar? And with prices dropping like they are, it it time to take the plunge? See the Indiana Renewable Energy display tables on the main floor of the Indiana State Museum on March 20 from 10:00 to 3:00 and March 21 from 11:00 to 4:00 to learn all about solar energy. For more information, visit indianamuseum.org