• The Lawrence Police Department is inviting the public to sign a steel beam that eventually will be the final beam lifted into place in the Department’s new Headquarters facility. The “Leave Your Mark” event will run until Friday, March 22 in the main lobby of the Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E. 59th Street in Lawrence. The beam has been available for police officers, LPD employees and family signatures. It features a Thin Blue Line, LPD patches and stickers. The beam is available for signing daily during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday) each week, and any time the Center is open for public meetings. Signing will continue until the beam is delivered to the construction site at 5150 N. Post Road on March 25.
• The Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) received a grant award from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute in partnership with local organization VOICES. The funding will support community trainings and extended case management services for VOICES program participants to provide a continuum of care and expanded access to wraparound services for at-risk young men.
• The 500 Festival recently announced that Sam Schmidt, IndyCar team owner and spinal cord injury research and treatment advocate, has been named Grand Marshal of the 2019 IPL 500 Festival Parade. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Schmidt’s last appearance in the Parade, when he was a driver for the Indy 500.
• Save the date! On Wednesday, April 3 the Green Thumb Garden Club of Irvington will host Steve Barnett, Executive Director of the Irvington Historical Society, who will present a program on the History of War Gardens in Irvington. The event is open to the public, and will be held in the Community Room in the Irvington Library, 5625 East Washington St. Doors open at 11:00 a.m.; the program begins at 11:30 a.m.
• Upcoming neighborhood meetings are: Spades Park on Monday, March 18 at 6:30 at Spades Park Library (91801 Nowland Ave.), Little Flower on Tuesday, March 19 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Little Flower Catholic Church & School (4720 E 13th St.), and Windsor Park on Wednesday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Spades Park Library (1801 Nowland Ave.)
• For the first time ever, Fest Passes for BOTH Indy Shorts International Film Festival (July 25-28) and Heartland International Film Festival (Oct. 10-20) are on sale with early bird pricing until April 30th. Passes for the Shorts are: VIP Fest Pass through April 30: $85 Regular – $70 Member through Festival: $95 Regular – $75 Member. The International Film Festival passes are: Matinee Fest Pass through April 30: $125 Regular – $105 Member through Festival: $135 Regular – $115 Member or Cinephile Fest Pass through April 30: $245 Regular – $210 Member or through the Festival: $265 Regular – $225 Member. Visit the Heartland Film Festival Web site at heartlandfilm.org to order passes.