• All Indianapolis Public Libraries will be closed on Saturday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth, with the exception of InfoZone (inside The Children’s Museum) which will open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• The many community garage sales on the east side looked like a total success! Hope everyone had a good time and found some bargains.
• The recently buffed alley wall in Fountain Square, known as “Graffiti Alley,” will be repainted with the building owner’s permission on Saturday, June 19, and Sunday, June 20, the first stage of a three-stage art plan for the area. The first stage will bring back the artists whose work had been mistakenly painted over with beige paint on Thursday, June 3, by an employee of the building owner, K&S Holdings. Square Cat Vinyl created a GoFundMe campaign, which will distributed among the participating artists and also pay for supplies and maintenance over time. Swing by the alley behind Square Cat to watch the artists at work beginning at about 11 a.m.
• The 2021 Will Vawter Art Exhibition and Sale in Greenfield pulled a great crowd on June 11 to see local art, including several pieces by Irvingtonian Paul Diebold. The work hangs in the TwentyNorth Gallery, 20 N. State St. in Greenfield during select hours on Fridays and Saturdays through June. For more information, visit www.hancockcountyarts.com
• Get rid of those unwanted electronics at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling event hosted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Technology Recyclers on Saturday, June 19 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Indiana Government Center on Robert Orr Plaza (West St. entrance). $20 fee for each TV or cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor of any size. Payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. There is no fee for all other accepted e-waste items. For more information about Indiana E-Cycle, visit www.in.gov/idem/recycle/indiana-e-cycle/ or call 800-988-7901. For on-site assistance on Saturday please call 317-233-5434.
• The American Red Cross is experiencing a severe blood shortage as the number of trauma cases, organ transplants and elective surgeries rise. Donors of all blood types – especially type O and those giving platelets – are urged to make an appointment to give as soon as possible to prevent delays to critical patient care.As a thank-you, those who come to give now through June 30 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, courtesy of Amazon. Visit www.redcrossblood.org/Together for more information and to make an appointment to give blood.
• The New Pal Summer Fest and Sesquicentennial Celebration will be held Saturday, June 26 from 1-11 p.m. at 11 E. Main St. in New Palestine. Check out the parade, followed by care show, vendor booths, food trucks, and live music. The day will be capped off with fireworks at 10:30 p.m.