HAMILTON COUNTY Hamilton County’s Hometown Newspaper www.ReadTheReporter.com REPORTER Facebook.com/HamiltonCountyReporter TodAy’S Weather Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 Today: Partly cloudy. Spotty showers and storms. Arcadia | Atlanta | Cicero | Sheridan Tonight: Clearing and less humid. Carmel | Fishers | Noblesville | Westfield NEWS GATHERING Like & PARTNER Follow us! HIGH: 82 LOW: 61 Fishers Boy Scouts retire flags The courage By JEFF WHITE For the Reporter to say no The most power- COLUMNIST Chartered by the Fishers ful word to say is ... American Legion Post 470, NO. The most difficult 9091 E. 126th St., Fishers, Del- word to say is ... NO. Mi Troop 303 has routinely re- For years I strug- tired flags as a service to their gled with saying that chartered Organization and to word when I was honor the flag. These flag -re asked to do something. tirements have occurred at least A favor. A com- twice a year for many years. mittee to be on. A job JANET HART LEONARD Along the way, an Eagle to do. A position that From the Heart scout, Jeremiah Best, chose needed filled. for his eagle project to create a I sometimes felt that I was on speed dial weatherproof flag retirement box with the number that said, "Janet will do it." to hold flags dropped off by any- I found myself juggling schedules like one who wishes to retire a flag. they were spinning plates. It provides a way for anyone to If it was possible, I would have bumped properly drop off a flag in need my own nose as much as I met myself com- of retirement. ing and going. Another of Troop 303’s I was exhausted. eagle scouts, Conner Stock- I eventually realized that I was not do- ton, as his eagle project refur- ing the best job with anything I was doing. bished the flag retirement pit. I was physically, mentally and emotional- It is constructed as a penta- ly burnt out after burning the wick at both gon and adorned with plaques Photo provided by Troop 303 ends and a few more in-between. See Scouts . Page 3 Fishers Scout Troop 303 recently helped retire flags at American Legion Post 470. My being overwhelmed wasn't fair to the job. My being overworked wasn't fair to my family. Most of all, my being over- scheduled, wasn't fair to me. Portillo’s coming to Westfield next year I decided to no longer to say "yes" with- out a lot of thought and sometimes prayer. The REPORTER Portillo’s, the fast-casual See Courage . Page 2 restaurant concept known for its menu of Chicago-style fa- vorites, has announced an up- coming location in Westfield. More school This will be the seventh Porti- llo’s in Indiana. candidates need The site for the upcoming restaurant sits at the entrance to the Grand Park Sports Com- to step forward plex, the nation’s largest youth School boards are COLUMNIST sports campus. Located at the among the most im- intersection of Wheeler Road portant bodies in local and State Road 32, the traf- government, spending fic-heavy area is less than a more money than most mile from the 400-acre facility other public entities that draws in 2.5 million visits and overseeing more annually with a variety of year- employees than most round sporting events. other governmental “As a family-focused units or private busi- FRED SWIFT Rendering provided restaurant brand, we’re ex- nesses in our county. The County Line Expected to open in the second half of 2021, the planned 7,800 square-foot restaurant cited to be right by the Grand School boards can will be situated at the entrance to Grand Park at Wheeler Road and State Road 32. Park Sports Complex that wel- find themselves in tough situations, perhaps comes so many families each Westfield is a des- The 7,800 square- cycle spots for guests coming never more than now. The national pandem- year,” said Portillo’s CEO tination,” Westfield foot restaurant is ex- from the Trail. Once complete, ic, school security, increasing enrollments Michael Osanloo. “We look Mayor Andy Cook pected to open in the it will include a diner-themed and financial needs all present challenges. forward to serving delicious said. “We also know second half of 2021. interior, drawing inspiration But this is the time for good, qualified meals in a fun environment to Portillo’s, with its It will feature seating from the 1950s and 1960s. folks to step up and seek election to their the local community as well as quality food, is a des- for more than 190 Fans are invited to sign up local school board. Filing in the non-parti- to athletes and their families tination restaurant. guests, a seasonal for the chance to attend a free san election continues next week, but ends and friends.” The two will com- outdoor patio with sneak peek training meal prior at noon Friday. Guests can expect to enjoy plement each oth- seating for 100, and to opening at portillos.com/ To date, only one candidate has filed for Portillo’s signature menu items er well. As our city double drive-thru westfield. Loyal customers the Noblesville board where three seats are like Chicago-style hot dogs, grows, we welcome Cook lanes. Located near will also receive updates on up for election. No candidate has yet filed Italian beef sandwiches, char- strong organizations, like Por- the Monon Trail, a popular Portillo’s Westfield develop- at Sheridan where two seats are up. grilled burgers and Portillo’s tillo’s, that see the opportunity, hiking and biking path that ment. However, Hamilton Southeastern has famous chocolate cake. the quality of our community runs from downtown India- For more information on candidates for all three seats to be filled “With more than 2 million and choose to invest with con- napolis through Westfield, the this restaurant and others, visits to Grand Park a year, fidence in Westfield.” restaurant will also offer bi- please visit portillos.com. See County Line . Page 2 HSE Schools hoping to institute Phase 2 of Non-food attendance plan sometime after Labor Day pantry opens By LARRY LANNAN week and two days in class the LarryInFishers.com other week. Superintendent Allen Bourff in Noblesville It is not often that Hamil- said he must discuss the new The REPORTER ton Southeastern (HSE) school plan with the Hamilton South- Marilyn's Place Incorporated board meetings exceed three eastern Education Association (MPI), 1106 S. 8th St., Noblesville, is hours in length, but that is what (HSEA) for the teachers’ per- a new non-profit that identifies itself as happened Wednesday night. spective, which is a requirement a non-food pantry. If you want to review the under state law. That meeting “We have all worked very hard to entire video of the meeting (it was scheduled for Thursday, get MPI up and running and are look- is mostly audio), prepare to Aug. 13. ing forward to serving all of Hamilton spend three-and-a-half hours on The public is allowed to County and surrounding communi- the project. You can access the speak on an agenda item, and ties,” MPI Founder and Board Presi- meeting video at this link. discussion of COVID-19 plans dent Glenn Conn said. The board was briefed on a was on the Wednesday agenda. Conn calls MPI a “non-food pan- switch from a four-phase plan A total of 10 speakers voiced try” because they give clothing, hy- to move from virtual to in-per- their view that in-person classes giene products and cleaning supplies son classes to a three-phase should start as soon as possible instead of food. He says MPI will pro- plan. You can review the details in HSE Schools. vide this service 52 weeks a year. at this link. HSEA MPI is an all-volunteer, dona- The hope is that HSE Presi- tion-based 501(c)(3) organization that Schools will move from the dent Janet provides free work and weather appro- current Phase 1 to Phase 2 after Chandler priate clothing, shoes, socks, bedding, Labor Day. School officials say also spoke coats, toiletries, cleaning supplies and families will have at least two before the other donated items for persons in weeks’ notice before Phase 2 board, say- need of assistance. would be effective. ing teach- Food and water are survival ne- Phase 2 would call for a 50- ers are Graphic provided by HSE Schools cessities, and according to Conn, 50 schedule, meaning students working HSE Schools has revised the phases of moving from Hamilton County has a well-founded would spend half of their time hard under Bourff virtual to in-person learning. network of food pantries to assist resi- in the school building and half difficult conditions but are -do hope that the school district will also impact that decision. dents meet those needs. in virtual learning. The cur- ing the best they can under the could move to Phase 2 in- As of Thursday afternoon, the rent idea would have a student circumstances. struction after Labor Day, the See Marilyn’s Place . Page 3 spend three days in class one Although Dr. Bourff voiced community COVID-19 data See HSE . Page 3 2 Views Your Friends in the Insurance Business Visit our website at BraggInsurance.com 317-758-5828 Home Auto Business Life Courage from Page 1 Then I had to figure out think, “Oooh, they should too expensive at this time. I how to say "no." Not easily have done it this way” or “I explain that the cost to my done when you are a people would have done that differ- physical and mental health pleaser.