Greenwood Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes

Greenwood, IN (September 24, 2020) - Green beans and potatoes and ham is one of my favorite all time dishes. I remember when Nana cooked fresh green beans and potatoes straight from the garden seasoned with a ham hock and all us kids could not get enough, they were just that good.

Slow cooked Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes  

This simple recipe is perfect for a great weeknight or anytime family dinner. Slow cookers are the answer to busy evenings, and this easy dish assembles in just minutes. Onions, green beans and ham combine together in the slow cooker with just enough water to cover—three to four hours later, dinner is ready, and because it was all cooked in one pot, cleanup is a snap as well.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 ham hocks
• 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Halve beans if they are large, place in a slow cooker with water to barely cover, and add onion and ham hocks. Cover, and cook on High until simmering. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until beans are crisp but not done.
2. Add potatoes, and cook for another 45 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, remove ham hocks from slow cooker, and remove meat from bones. Chop or shred meat, and return to slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, bouillon, and pepper. Cook until potatoes are done, then adjust seasoning to taste.
3. To serve, use a slotted spoon to put beans, potatoes, and ham into a serving dish with a little broth.

SOURCE: Nana

Milwaukee Tool Bringing Jobs To Greenwood

Greenwood, IN (September 9, 2020) - Milwaukee Tool, a maker of hand and power tools, storage, and accessories will establish a new tool service hub in Greenwood. Milwaukee Tool will lease a 150,000-square-foot facility on Southtech Drive in Greenwood that will house tool repair and warehousing space. It is expected to be open by March 2021.

“Milwaukee Tool continues to grow, and a new, centrally-located service hub here in Indiana will support the company’s increased demand and strengthen the customer experience,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “Indiana’s advanced manufacturing workforce will be a key asset for this growing company, helping Milwaukee Tool provide high-quality service to its customers and contributing to its mission of continuous innovation and commitment to the trades.”

Pending approval by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) board of directors, the IEDC will offer Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation up to $4.5 million in conditional tax credits and up to $500,000 in training grants based on the company’s plans to create up to 481 new Hoosier jobs.

These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired. The city of Greenwood approved additional incentives.

Milwaukee Tool is currently hiring key management and operations roles for the Greenwood service hub. Interested applicants can apply online. The company plans to create more than 450 new jobs by the end of 2025.

To apply online, go to MilwaukeeTool.Jobs

Mask Mandates Expand Across Retailers

Beech Grove, IN (July 22, 2020) - Due to the coronavirus pandemic, several businesses have begun to require every customer to wear a mask or some type of face covering before entering their establishment, regardless of whether or not it is required by that county, city or state.

Nearly 40 states now require masks in public places, with Alabama, Arkansas and Colorado adding mandates and Ohio requiring masks in a dozen counties. Individual businesses can choose to institute further restrictions, and the National Retail Federation is encouraging retailers to set nationwide mask policies to protect shoppers and employees.

Here is a list of businesses that have announced that customers at all of their locations nationwide will be required to wear masks or some type of face coverings before entering.

• ALDI (Beginning July 27) 
• Apple 
• Banana Republic (Beginning August 1) 
• Best Buy 
• Costco 
• CVS 
• Gap (Beginning August 1) 
• Goodwill (Beginning July 22) 
• Home Depot (Beginning July 22) 
• Kohl's 
• Kroger (Beginning July 22) 
• Lowe's 
• Marc's 
• Meijer 
• Menards 
• Old Navy (Beginning August 1) 
• Panera Bread 
• Petco 
• PetSmart 
• Publix 
• Sam's Club 
• Starbucks 
• Target (Beginning August 1) 
• Walmart 
• Walgreens

SOURCE: USA Today

Discount Grocery Chain Aldi Expands

Indianapolis, IN (July 22, 2020) - After passing the 2,000-store marker, Aldi announced Tuesday that it will open over 70 new stores this year. The privately held grocer is on track to become the third largest supermarket chain behind Kroger and Walmart in terms of store count, with 2,500 stores by the end of 2022.

Aldi did not announce where the 70 new stores would be, but it will enter Arizona, its 37th state, later this year, with four new stores in the Phoenix area. Aldi will also open a new regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama, to distribute to stores in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana.

Aldi has a low-cost business model and boasts that its prices are up to 50% cheaper than traditional supermarkets. Stores, at around 12,000 square feet, are much smaller than a typical US supermarket of 40,000 square feet. More than 90% of the brands Aldi sells are its own private labels.

There are other quirks to the store, too. Shoppers need a quarter to rent a shopping cart. At checkout, cashiers hurry shoppers away, expecting them to bag their own groceries in a separate location away from the cash register. Aldi opened its first US store in 1976, but in recent years it has invested more than $5 billion to remodel existing stores and to open hundreds of new stores.

Aldi is expanding at a moment when much of the retail industry is in turmoil. The pandemic has forced retailers such as JCPenney into bankruptcy, led to job losses and caused thousands of permanent store closures. A record 25,000 US stores may close this year.

SOURCE: Aldi Newsroom

Former Ice Cream Shop Owner Sentenced

Greenwood, IN (February 10, 2020) — The former owner of a popular Greenwood ice cream shop pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and learned his sentence Monday.

John Cassin, 75, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. He received three years on probation, with the first year being on home detention. Prior to the plea, he had been facing one to six years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

Cassin was the owner of the popular Mrs. Curl Ice Cream Shop in Greenwood. Following his arrest in April, the shop said new ownership was put in place in January of 2019 due to Cassin’s age and pending retirement. The company remained open and Cassin gave up any further role at the establishment.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, the investigation began in October 2018 after police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography, specifically a sexually explicit photo of a juvenile.

Former owner of Greenwood ice cream shop gets probation in child pornography case https://t.co/sZyTiZEMdF via @fox59

— Zach Myers (@ZachMyersNews) February 10, 2020

Investigators tracked the IP address to Cassin’s home in Whiteland and obtained a search warrant for all computers and related electronics at the home, along with all electronic media, accounts and associated passwords.


Investigators executed the search warrant on March 20. When police went to Cassin’s home, he told them he had a desktop computer that he used to read news and look at pornography.

He told investigators they would “probably find child pornography activity on the computer dating back to its purchase.”

Cassin told police they’d find search terms about juveniles on the computer. He visited different internet chan boards/image boards to look at images of child pornography, court documents said.

He denied ever engaging in sexual activity with a juvenile.

SOURCE: Fox59

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February is Heart Month

Southport, IN (February 8, 2020) — Heart health is among the most important factors to an individual's physical well-being. Heart disease is the leading cause of death nationally in adults, and everyone should know its risks factors, as well as how to promote good heart health overall. There's no better time to take such steps than now: February is American Heart Month.

Observed every second month of the year, American Heart Month represents a critical time for raising awareness of preventative actions and healthy lifestyle choices that lead to better heart health.

Responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths, heart disease is a subject that needs to be addressed. Take the time to recognize symptoms and brush up on how to make better decisions for your heart. You can start by learn more about American Heart Month.

What is American Heart Month?

February has been designated American Heart Month since 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson made the observance official with Proclamation 3566, signed Dec. 30, 1963, according to the American Heart Association. Since that time (when half of U.S. adult deaths were due to cardiovascular disease), advocates have launched efforts to educate the public on how heart disease can be prevented and identified.

A key date in American Heart Month is the first Friday of February. While that date this year (Feb. 2) has already passed, what's known as Wear Red Day is a highlight for every American Heart Month. As implied, people across the country wear the color red to raise awareness of heart disease and prevention; it's a chance to engage with communities, families and friends on the basics of good heart health.

In 2018, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) announced a social media campaign to inspire Americans to "#MoveWithHeart." A general resolution to get more physical activity done each day, NHLBI recommended participants record a short video of their #MoveWithHeart pledge and share it across their social networks to reach others about the importance of heart health.

Facts about heart disease

American Heart Month is such a valuable time to conduct outreach about heart disease because of the scale of its lethality. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 630,000 Americans die each year from heart disease, making it the No. 1 killer of both men and women. Each minute, more than one person in the U.S. dies from a heart disease-related event, while every 40 seconds an American experiences a heart attack.

While there are many types of cardiovascular disease (including congenital heart disease, arrhythmia and high blood pressure), coronary heart disease is the most common, responsible for around 366,000 deaths in 2015. It's also worth noting the demographic effect of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in African-Americans, Latinos and whites.

Altogether, the CDC estimated heart disease costs the United States around $200 billion annually. The sum of health care costs, medications and lost productivity results in a huge net financial impact to the country, not to mention the social toll.

Recognizing risk factors

Considering the scope of heart disease in America, it's important to become well-aware of the risk factors that negatively affect cardiovascular health. The most prevalent and highly associated risk factors to look for include:

• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol.
• Smoking.

According to the CDC, about half of Americans have at least one of the above three factors. Those learning more about heart disease should also be aware of the effects of:

• Diabetes.
• Obesity and being overweight.
• Diets with poor nutrition and high in trans fats.
• Physical inactivity.
• Substance abuse.

It's just as vital to know what symptoms indicate a cardiac event. Being able to identify warning signs means being able to act more quickly and effectively, which is crucial when time is of the essence. While chest pains and discomfort are clear red flags, the CDC noted most people aren't aware of all the major symptoms, like shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweats, and upper body pain and discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.

"Small steps to improve lifestyle choices add up."

Leading a more heart-healthy life

As ominous as the statistics about heart disease are, even those most at risk can take small steps to improve lifestyle choices add up. Heart disease is largely preventable, and there are a number of steps an individual can take to mitigate their risk and improve his or her heart health and overall well-being. Let's begin with a few changes that are relatively easy to make:

Cut down on takeout; shop for groceries more: It can be easy to fall into a rut of eating out often. Grocery shopping takes time, and the cooking afterward can be even more time-consuming. But that's no reason to rely on unhealthy and fatty fast food to constitute the majority of your diet. Grocery shopping itself is an exercise in taking more control over your life, and finding quick and easy recipes can make the process all the more enjoyable. Focus on the food groups by getting plenty of vegetables, fruits, and healthy proteins and grains.

Walk whenever and wherever you can: If you have the option to walk somewhere, always consider it as your first choice. Getting your steps in each day goes a long way toward improving heart health. Even if you have to drive to work, think about parking further away. Even a quick walk around the block is better than nothing; avoid being sedentary at all costs if you can.

Schedule an appointment with a doctor: There's no harm in knowing what risk you're at of developing heart disease. When you have the clarity that a doctor can provide, it's easy to identify ways to live a more healthy lifestyle. Though it can be scary, there's no substitute for a medical professional's expertise and advice. Besides these steps, there are other more intensive actions that others may need to take:

Quitting smoking: Ask anyone who's tried to quit smoking before on their experiences and it's understandable how difficult the task can be. However, it's massively important to heart health that smoking is taken out of the equation. If ready to quit, get in contact with an expert, join a support group and research treatment options and alternative products (like nicotine gum). Any progress made in quitting smoking is good progress.

Losing weight: An ask as challenging as the one above, losing weight can have a marked effect on heart health. It starts with small steps like fitting in small amounts of exercise and building up, as well as eating better and reducing unhealthy habits. It may be a long road to embark on, but shedding pounds also sheds risk of heart disease.

Take the time today to learn more about American Heart Month and how you can lead a more heart-healthy life.

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Greenwood partners with Beech Grove firm

Beech Grove, IN (February 7, 2020) — The city of Greenwood hopes to create a new athletics campus with a multi-use playing field, eight ball diamonds and a splash pad on 40 acres adjacent to Interstate 65.

The unnamed project—still in its early planning stages—would cost an estimated $8 million to develop over the next few years on a strip of vacant land northwest of the Worthsville Road and the I-65 interchange, on the city’s southeast side.

Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers delivers his ninth State of the City address on Thursday at The Nest Event Center in Greenwood. Scott Roberson | Daily Journal

According to a site plan, the first phase calls for eight total softball or baseball diamonds (four 225-foot and four 300-foot fields), as well as a shelter, parking, batting cages, a playground that would accommodate children with special needs and a maintenance structure.

Phase two would feature a 240-foot-by-300-foot multi-use sports field for soccer, football and a variety of other sports, plus a splash pad, a second playground, a trail and restrooms.

Greenwood has partnered with Beech Grove-based Mader Design LLC to master-plan the site and will use a public bid process to find a developer to execute the city’s vision.

“We’re thinking late summer to fall that we’ll hopefully have the design package ready and put it out for bid,” Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers told IBJ. “We’re hoping in 2021 to start construction on the site.”

The land for the project was acquired by the city from the Indiana Department of Transportation in mid-2019 at no cost, because the city contributed about $12 million toward the Worthsville interchange project, Myers said.

The land is bordered on the west by Clark Pleasant Middle School and the Harvest Indy South church, with fields and a planned neighborhood to the north.

The mayor announced the development during his State of the City address Thursday, touting it as an opportunity for Greenwood to draw in families and central Indiana athletic teams for games, as well as competitions for travel teams.

“We’ve always had a large softball demand in our area for local teams, so this will help augment that,” Myers said. “At the same time, we know that we’re designing it so it’s big enough for travel teams that are passing through. It will be a good destination” for those types of competitions.

The mayor said the city is exploring the use of artificial turf for the fields, along with advanced water drainage systems—such systems are used at many recently-constructed facilities, including Grand Park in Westfield.

Myers said a firm date has not been determined for when the project might open to the public.

SOURCE: IBJ
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Development planned for 137 acres on Southside

Indianapolis, IN (February 1, 2020) — Sheehan Development Co. Inc. plans to construct an apartment complex with nearly 400 units on the far-south side of Indianapolis as part of a larger mixed-use development.

Locally-based Sheehan is seeking approval from the city’s Metropolitan Development Commission to rezone about 137 acres of land on the northwest corner of South Arlington Avenue and East County Line Road—directly east of Interstate 65—for a project with multifamily, commercial and light industrial uses.

The 19.5-acre apartment complex, accessible from South Arlington Avenue, would have 384 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units in 12 three-story buildings, according to filings with the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development. A rendering for the project shows some units would have covered parking or garages.

The development also would feature a clubhouse with a fitness facility, community pool and leasing office near its main entrance. The firm has not said how much it is spending on the project.

According to a preliminary development statement from Sheehan, the project is expected to contain about 48 studio units, 150 one-bedroom units, 156 two-bedroom units and 30 three-bedroom units.

The development won’t be limited to apartments. According to a traffic impact study conducted at the city’s request, additional plans include 65,000 square feet of light industrial, a 100,000-square-foot office building, a 135-room business hotel and a 97,500-square-foot shopping center.

Most of the land on the southern and western portions of the property is expected to feature a mix of light industrial and commercial uses, accounting for about 78.5 acres.

A conceptual land use plan shows the developer hopes to build about five outbuildings for commercial or light-industrial use along East County Line Road, along with two additional commercial structures immediately south of the apartment complex.

Another 39 acres to the north of the apartment complex are expected to have C-1 commercial uses, which would allow for most retail businesses, as well as restaurants, grocery stores, and professional office space. The developer would be required to provide an updated land use plan to the city before beginning work on those elements.

The traffic study—which itself was not included in public filings—recommended new lights and additional turn lanes along South Arlington Avenue and East County Line Road.

Sheehan first sought approval for the project from the MDC Hearing Examiner in August, but a decision was delayed five times as the city gave the developer more time to work with neighbors and to conduct its traffic study.

The request, which would rezone the land from D-A and C-4 uses into a C-S, special commercial, district is expected to be heard by the MDC during the commission’s Wednesday meeting. It is recommended for approval by city staff, provided Sheehan makes the following commitments:

— a right turn lane for the southbound lane of Arlington Avenue into the apartment complex;

— an updated site plan for the entire property prior to starting construction on the multifamily or commercial elements;

— a wetlands delineation for part of the property;

— a tree assessment and preservation plan;

— an updated development statement that excludes certain commercial uses requested by staff;

— and updated building elevations for the multifamily development.

Avon-based Sebree Architects Inc. is the designer on the project.

Representatives for Sheehan did not return a call requesting comment.

SOURCE: IBJ
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Pedestrian plan under review for Marion County

Beech Grove, IN (January 17, 2020) — Time is running out for more than a million people in central Indiana to weigh in as an effort is now underway to write a new master plan for new sidewalks and priorities to keep pedestrians safe when they’re walking near their homes and offices.

There’s about 30 people a year killed and another 100 people seriously injured along roads in Marion County and surrounding areas. Many of these incidents happening in an area with no sidewalk.​

Add caption

The last master plan helped Churchman Avenue in Beech Grove get a new sidewalk several years ago. The last plan was created back in 2006 but a lot that has changed in more than 13 years. That’s why planners want to hear from residents.​

Churchman Avenue has homes, the high school and even a police station. Yet it didn’t get a sidewalk between Emerson and Arlington until 2017.

After 18 months of work, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO is in the final stretch of its latest Regional Pedestrian Plan.​

MPO principal planner Jen Higginbotham tells News 8 the idea is to prioritize which roads most desperately need help so that in future years they can be addressed.​​

“So many people are actually dying on the roadways possibly because they’re not visible, possibly because they’re not on a sidewalk. We don’t know exactly but there are people that need safe places to walk.”​

The MPO takes the federal dollars raised from the gas tax and allocates them to big projects including roads, roundabouts, trails, transit as well as sidewalks.​

MPO VIDEOS (Metropolitan Planning Organization)

Planners say of more than 5,400 miles of main roads in the 8-county area, just 31% have a sidewalk. More than 3,700 miles do not — mileage which does not include interstates and neighborhood streets.​ 

Higginbotham said it’s a bit of a surprise to see how many even urban pockets don’t allow people to walk a short 0.5 mile to the grocery store.​​ 

“Walking is important,” she said. “If you think about it, for one, it’s the cheapest way to get around, it’s free to use your legs and for reasons of health.” 

​​And of course, not everyone has access to a car.​ 

So if you live in the 975-square mile area covered by the MPO, and there’s 1.5 million people who do, take a look and tell the MPO what you think because it may be another 13 years before it happens again.​​ 

“We would like to see for the communities in the region to take the plans we’ve created and use it as a resource in their own planning,” said Higginbotham.​​ 

These plans affect 33 cities and towns in 8 counties from A to Z, Arcadia to Zionsville. 

There are a number of ways you can leave feedback including email, Facebook and Twitter. ​The deadline for public input is Jan. 22, that’s Wednesday.​ 

The Pedestrian Plan will be presented to the Regional Transportation Council on Feb. 19.​ 

Click here to view the current plan and submit your input online.

SOURCE: WISH

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Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers diagnosed with Parkinson’s

Greenwood, IN (December 13, 2019) — The mayor of the Johnson county’s largest city announced Friday he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers, 58, said in a statement he was diagnosed with the central nervous system disorder last month, and that it wouldn’t affect his role as the city’s top leader.

Mark Myers, Mayor of Greenwood, Indiana 

“As with every challenge life has presented, I intend to take a head-on approach and have never known any other way,” Myers said. “Thankfully, we discovered the disease early, which provides a much greater opportunity to treat and manage symptoms.”

Myers said he has an excellent team of doctors and has started kickboxing sessions at 9Round Fitness on the southside. Studies done by Butler University and the University of Indianapolis have found that intense exercise, particularly the kind that forces people out of their comfort zones such as boxing or kickboxing, can slow the progression of the disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative and relentless neurological disease in which the brain produces increasingly less of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for allowing the brain to communicate to the muscles throughout the body, so as less becomes present, it becomes more difficult to move normally.

Myers has reached out to both the Indiana Parkinson Foundation and Parkinson’s Awareness Association of Central Indiana seeking to learn more about the disease and offering his assistance in raising awareness, according to his statement.

“I feel strong, fit and more passionate than ever about leading Greenwood’s resurgence. As always, thank you for your support,” he said.

During the last seven years, the life-long Greenwood resident and son of a former mayor helped revive downtown Greenwood by working to fill vacant storefronts, beautifying facades and improving city streets. He added jobs, attracted Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon to the outskirts of the growing city and built a staff he raves about.

In Greenwood, conversations have centered around future development, particularly downtown and on the southeast side of the city.

Redevelopment of the 16-acre middle school property is part of the mayor’s years-long $24.5 million plan to turn downtown Greenwood into a place to live, work and play. His hope is the area will eventually be home to more than 580 apartments and townhouses, 75,000 square feet of retail shops, restaurants and office space, 9.9 acres of open green space and include 1.9 miles of new or renovated streets, something he hopes to see come to fruition in the next five years.

Myers was just re-elected and will start his third term next month. He plans to continue serving Greenwood as mayor.

SOURCE: Daily Journal
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