The Southsider Voice
Visit us at these places!
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Sports
    • Car Nutz
    • Stilley Goes Trackside
    • Southside Deaths
    • Personal Recollections
    • Reminiscing
  • About the Voice
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Newspaper Archive
  • Classifieds

Top 10 reasons why you should vote

4/29/2015

0 Comments

 
By Al Stilley
Senior staff writer

Registered voters can go to the polls Tuesday and cast their ballots to determine party candidates for the Nov. 3 general election.

Those primary races alone would not be enough to expect a moderate or high voter turnout. However, voters in Beech Grove and Perry Township school districts will determine the status of multimillion dollar referendums to fund school operations and construction.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Here are the top 10 reasons to vote:
10) It’s your duty. Voter turnout in the 2014 general election was stunningly low. A good turnout is expected in Perry Township and Beech Grove because of the referendums. 
9) Southport GOP race: Recently appointed Councilor Bill McKinney faces opposition from Kenneth Winslow in the Republican race for District 2. McKinney was appointed to succeed Nick Schmoll, who resigned because he moved out of Southport.
8) Beech Grove Democratic race: A three-way race will decide two at-large candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot. The choices are former Councilor Bud Templin, Jimmy Blice and James Brooks.
7) Homecroft: Although all five members of the Town Hall are unopposed, voters should cast a ballot for the referendums in Perry Township. 
6) Indianapolis GOP mayoral race: There’s a long line of candidates seeking to succeed Mayor Greg Ballard, who is not running for another term. The Marion County GOP has slated Chuck Brewer, a 23-year Marine who served twice in combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The field also includes Jocelyn Tandy Adande, Terry Michael, Darrell Morris and Lawrence Shouse. The GOP winner will square off against Democrat Joe Hogsett.
5) Greenwood GOP City Council races: Six at-large candidates are competing to advance to three spots on the November ballot.
The crowded field features incumbents Mike Campbell and Brent Corey, former Councilor Ron Deer, Redevelopment Commission member Bryan Harris, Economic Development Commission member Chuck Landon and former city and county candidate Brian Moore.
The district races feature: District 1 – incumbent Linda Gibson seeks third term against challenger Drew Sager, a counselor at Center Grove Middle School; District 3 – three-term incumbent Bruce Armstrong vs. engineer Greg Hill; and District 6 – incumbent Thom Hord vs. attorney and CPA David Leske.
4) Greenwood Republican clerk race – Incumbent Jeannine Myers, who has served for 12 years, and challenger Nick Schwab, a school board member and city parks employee, seek election.
Myers helped guide the city to Second Class status, which created the office of clerk and abolished the clerk-treasurer position for an appointed city controller in 2011. She is married and has two grown daughters.
Schwab has served on the Central Nine Career Center governing board and is vice president of the Greenwood High School Alumni Association. He is married and has two children.
3) Southport Republican clerk-treasurer race – Incumbent Diana Bossingham faces a challenge from Marion County GOP-slated Shara Hostetler. 
Bossingham has served since 2012 and has worked diligently to improve the municipality’s financial and record keeping process from the previous administration. She also serves as clerk for the Board of Public Works and Safety and treasurer of the Redevelopment Commission. She owns a small business and is a 17-year resident of Southport.
Hostetler, a former combat medic with the Indiana Army National Guard, has lived in Southport for five years. She is an emergency medical technician and a certified nursing and medical assistant. She serves as administrative secretary for the warden of the Marion County Jail II. 
2) Beech Grove’s referendums – The district seeks two referendums: (1) a “tax neutral” transportation referendum to continue the current property tax rate of $0.35 per $100 assessed valuation for seven more years; and (2) raise $8.8 million for heating, venting and air-conditioning improvements at four schools, to expand performing arts classrooms at Beech Grove High School and renovate the Mike McMorrow Auditorium at a tax rate of $0.15 per $100 assessed valuation.
The average homeowner with an assessed valuation of $83,200 would pay $32.75 more yearly in increased taxes. School administrators point out that the overall rate will still be lower in 2016 than it was in 2007 before property tax caps were approved by the legislature.
1) Perry Township’s referendums – The state’s sixth largest school district is seeking: (1) $3 million annually for additional transportation and building maintenance costs; and (2) $50 million to build 60 classrooms in four kindergarten centers and 29 permanent elementary school classrooms to eliminate trailer classrooms, create individual classrooms from the open-area concept at Winchester Village Elementary, more classroom space for instrumental music at Southport middle and high schools and finance transportation and capital projects. 
The first referendum carries a property tax rate of $0.4212 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The second referendum calls for a rate of $0.1346 per $100 of valuation. For an average home valued at $122,700, the tax increase would be $9.81 per month.
The district’s enrollment is projected to be 16,930 in 2019, an increase of 1,600 students.
Three years ago voters supported a multimillion dollar referendum that added classrooms, replaced boilers and roofs and renovated two high school swimming pools. 

0 Comments

Associated Press honors Perry Meridian grad with two awards

4/29/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
SUBMITTED PHOTOS Perry Meridian alumna Karan Deardorff with her award from the Associated Press.
Picture
Associated Press award-winning photojournalist Karan Deardorff and reporter Jim Spiewak team for a story.
Picture
Karan Deardorff with her award from the AP. Below she is pictured with one of her idols, Jane Pauley.
By Kenny Norman
Southsider Voice correspondent

The Associated Press has presented photojournalist Karan Deardorff with its Best Sports and Light features awards for a medium market. Deardorff, a 1983 graduate of Perry Meridian High School who works for WBBH NBC 2 in Fort Myers, Fla., was recognized April 11 during a ceremony in Orlando, Fla.

“It was a surreal week,” said Deardorff. “We had just gone up and gotten the trophy for the light feature. There was nervousness and a sigh of relief. It was the best feeling I could ever imagine.”

Her reporter for the sports piece was Brian Colleran; she was joined by reporter Jim Spiewak and fellow photojournalist Scott Reilly for the feature story.  

Colleran has been with the station for seven years. He received a tip on a story about flowboarding, which incorporates the elements of surfing, bodyboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding, from a high school athletic director.

“Karan came over from another station, and this was the only time Karan and I had worked together,” said Colleran. 
“I’ve been in broadcast news since graduating from Ball State University in 1987 with a BS in telecommunications with a news emphasis,” said Deardorff. 

While attending Perry Meridian, she was active in theater, was on the girls swim team and worked on the school newspaper, The Focus. Deardorff said she considers the Southside home, and it would be her first choice if she were able to return. She stays in touch with high school friends through social media.

“A part of me will always be on the Southside, swimming at Perry Park or Baxter Y, playing Little League softball and hanging with friends after a football or basketball game. The Southside is a great place. It has grown so much over the last 15 years since I left. It has so much to offer that many people don’t realize.”

When she was a senior at Ball State, a professor suggested that she become a photojournalist. Deardorff ended up doing an internship at the CBS affiliate WKYT in Lexington, Ky.
“I’ve always been a photojournalist; a news photographer if you will,” said Deardorff. “I do not like being referred to as a camera person because photogs do a lot more than aim a camera.”

Deardorff moved to Louisville two and a half years later to work for WHAS-TV before moving back to Indianapolis two years later for a job at WXIN-Fox 59. Other endeavors include working for WTHR-TV Channel 13.

“Although my initial goal when I started college was to be in front of the camera, I am very happy being behind the lens, capturing the heart and soul of a community and being able to string a two-minute story together, editing together the sound and video I was able to capture.”

She has been with WBBH since September 2014. She previously was a general assignment photojournalist for WINK TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Myers. Deardorff said the most interesting aspects of her job vary daily, from people she meets to the stories she gets to tell as a result. 

“I’ve met presidents and presidential candidates,” said Deardorff. “I’ve flown in the Goodyear blimp. I’ve covered Indy 500s, the Pacers, Colts, Hoosiers, Bulldogs.” She witnessed the 2010 Nashville floods, Oklahoma tornadoes and the Carrolton bus crash funerals and trial. However, she felt a range of varied emotions when she was announced as the winner of two AP awards.

“I was just a little bit overwhelmed by everything that just happened. Fortunately, I didn’t have to speak. Everyone has a story, and I love being able to find out what it is.”
For her winning sports story, she and Colleran drove across Florida for the flowboarding piece, which aired last fall.

“We had two and a half hours in the car together to trade ideas and know what to expect,” said Colleran. “Karan shot setup of the story all by herself. I was anchoring sports that night, and she also shot video. It’s kind of unique how Karan and I could win the award on our first try together. I think that’s pretty neat.”

Deardorff also mentioned being involved with Florida Gulf Coast’s run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA basketball tournament two years ago, the Kentucky Derby, meeting Euncie Kennedy Shriver, covering Derek Jeter’s last game in Tampa, watching a community unite and rise like a phoenix after a disaster and meeting her idol, Jane Pauley. 

“These things stay with you, they affect you, they hurt, you cry, you grow stronger,” said Deardorff. “I’ve always said the day these things stop getting to me is the day I need to get out of news.”

She credits her late mother with being her biggest inspiration in life. Her mom frequently stated that “can’t’ never did anything,” and Deardorff noted that her mother was one of the strongest people she’d ever known. Deardorff also added that her dad and two older sisters inspire her as well and that her career success would not be possible without their love and support.

“Anyone who knows Karan knows she’s a positive person and that she’s very talented,” said Colleran. “Karan was vital to the whole process.”

Lauren Stillwell, WBBH assistant news director, said Deardorff is a positive, energetic photographer with an eye for the creative. “She understands the importance of teamwork to make stories the best they can be.”
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    Arts & Entertainment
    Lead Story
    Sports: 500
    Sports: Basketball
    Sports: Track

    RSS Feed

 DROP OFF: The Toy Drop 6025 Madison Ave., Suite D
Indianapolis, IN  46227  |  317-781-0023
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17187, Indianapolis, IN 46217

[email protected] | [email protected]
Website by IndyTeleData, Inc.