• Congratulations to Cathedral grad Cole Hocker, who won the gold medal for the men’s 1,500 meter and also set a new Olympic record. Overall, the state of Indiana saw lots of medal winners. Well done!
• Indianapolis Fire Dept. Station 20, currently at 1452 N. Emerson, will be moving about a block south to a bigger space. The current location was built in 1952. Can’t wait for the groundbreaking and to see the new construction in Little Flower!
• The Friends of Irving Circle will host their final concert of the season on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 7-9 p.m. featuring the Auburns. This a wonderful summer tradition in Irvington. Refreshments will be available for sale, with proceeds going to fund maintenance of the park. The park is located at 236 S. Audubon. Vehicle traffic will be prohibited around the park just before and after the concert.
• In 2019, the Perry Township / Southport Historical Society started a hall of fame based on a two block area along Epler Avenue. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, Frank Kautsky owned a professional basketball team headquartered at his grocery store. In the 1950’s through 1970’s, Edgewood Grade school’s many outdoor courts were THE place to be for pickup games on Saturdays. Players from all around came to get in on the competition. Some went on to fame as professional players or coaches. If you are a basketball fan, you’ll want to come see this second round of inductions. The event is on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m. in the gym at the Perry Township Education Center, 6548 Orinoco Ave. Enter through the center doors at the northwest corner of the building.
• The Marion County Public Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health are teaming up to sponsor season two of the Beyond Substance podcast. The first episode of season two, along with archived episodes of season one, is available now at MarionHealth.org/beyondsubstance and wherever podcasts are available.
• Thank you to the Friends of Ellenberger Park for their efforts in helping keep Ellenberger beautiful. They recently took a team out to clean up the remnants of an abandoned encampment next to the park, and provided a general clean-up of the park itself. It’s neighbors like them that make the east side a great place.
• The 46219 Community Cat Initiative got 23 cats and kittens in Irvington to FACE Animal Clinic to be spayed or neutered in July. That is a big number that will significantly reduce the number of unhoused litters in the neighborhood. There’s still more to do, though. If you need help with your community cats, please contact them at 317-406-7102 and leave a voicemail. Someone will get in touch with you about how to start the TNR process.
• On another animal note, Just Pets Chaplains, a community service project from the Family Chaplains Association, can perform pet memorial services and aftercare for the family experiencing grief over the loss of a pet. They will be starting grief support sessions via Zoom or live sessions at the Greenfield Public Library in September. Call 317-353-1498 or check out their Facebook page, Just Pets Chaplains.
• It’s the last weekend for the Indiana State Fair, which has been enjoying big crowds all week. The last day is Aug. 18. Visit indianastatefair.com to see upcoming shows and events. Did you know you can buy art pieces in the Women’s Building? If there is a price listed on the name tag and not a red spot (already sold) you can ask at the desk in the middle of the gallery, behind the grand piano. In the professional art area you are buying from some well-known local artists with great pricing. The art pick up is Mon. & Tues. after the State Fair closes for the season.