• The Vernal Equinox, the official first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere will be at 5:37 a.m. on Saturday, March 20. The day and night will be roughly equal, and from then until Summer Solstice in June, the days get longer.
• Seems like the scammers are out in force lately, largely targeting seniors. The latest has been phone calls where the caller says you must pay your electric bill immediately or you will be cut off. They will instruct you to buy gift cards and call back demanding the numbers or some other kind of weird payment scheme. DO NOT give them anything. Also watch out for IRS “calls” saying they are coming to arrest you for something or other unless you pay them (again with gift cards) — if the IRS has a problem with your tax returns, they will send you a letter, not call. Now that the stimulus checks are coming in, expect more of this kind of nonsense.
• Mrs. Brooke Tharp has been selected to be the new Mt. Vernon Middle School principal, effective June 9. Mrs. Tharp has been the Assistant Principal of Mt. Vernon High School since 2016 and has been an educator for over 20 years.
• Indiana is moving forward in the race to vaccinate all Hoosiers against COVID-19. On Tuesday, March 16, the state opened vaccinations to all Hoosiers 45 and older, plus educators and workers in schools. To register for your free vaccination, visit ourshot.in.gov or call 211 to find an appointment. Indiana cases have been falling significantly since the peak in December 2020, but we still have a ways to go before this is over. In the meantime, please continue to wear your face mask, wash your hands regularly, and maintain social distancing.
• The Indianapolis Zoo will be hosting xZOOberance from March 25-April 11 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., a spring festival for families. Enjoy music and dancing, plus special activities celebrating spring. Activities are included with admission tickets (timed tickets only available in advance at indianapoliszoo.com/events). General admission tickets are $11.75 for kids 2-12, $15.75 per adult, and seniors $14.25. Masks are required in certain areas and social distancing will be enforced.
• Indy Parks has announced its summer pool locations for 2021. Public pool openings include Bethel, Brookside, Frederick Douglass, Garfield, Gustafson, Indy Island, Northwestway, Krannert, Riverside, and Thatcher parks. Perry Park and Sahm Park pools will undergo a makeover to enhance water and spray features and pool decks. A lack of lifeguards and other staffing issues mean that over half of the public pools cannot open, including Ellenberger. Indy Parks is currently hiring individuals 16 and older for a variety of positions. Visit parks.indy.gov or call the Customer Service Center at 317-327-PARK for more information.
