face to face Southsiders answer the question, "Words words" Page 00 BEECH GROVE • CENTER GROVE • GARFIELD PARK & FOUNTAIN SQUARE • GREENWOOD • SOUTHPORT • FRANKLIN & PERRY TOWNSHIPS FREE • Week of June 1-7, 2017 Serving the Southside Since 1928 ss-times.com Healing, health and wholeness PAGES 14-17 Greg and Colleen Monzel combine their interests of yoga and herbal medicine in Wild Persimmon FEATURE School of Wellness The Basketball Company PAGE 17 GRADUATION 2017 Learn about the Southside top students. PAGES 4-5 PAGES 9-11 FEATURE CATHOLIC FESTIVALS WEEKLY MOVIE REVIEW Volunteers build Burmese Where to go for Pirates of the Caribbean: community garden. 2017 summer fun. Dead Men Tell No Tales Page 6 Page 7 Page 19 BetterHarvest Futures the Rewards ofLive a Lifetime Here. at Rosegate Garden Homes & Assisted Living ASCSeniorCare.com 2 Week of June 1-7, 2017 • ss-times.com COMMUNITY The Southside Times Contact the Editor THIS Have any news tips? Want to submit a calendar event? on the Have a photograph to WEEK share? Call Nicole Davis at WEB 300-8782 or email her at ndavis@southsidetimes. com. Remember, our news face to deadlines are several days City of Greenwood prior to print. honored as 2017 face Want to Advertise? Playful City USA Q: June is Alzheimer’s The Southside Times Community Awareness Month. reaches a vast segment of our community. National non-profit KaBOOM! is honoring the How has Alzheimer’s City of Greenwood with a Playful City USA For information about designation. Playful City USA honors cities and touched your life? reaching our readers, call Brian Ruckle at towns across the country for putting the needs 300-8782 or email him at of families first so kids can learn, grow and "My aunt and my [email protected]. develop important life skills. grandmother both had it. My aunt lived with it ss-times.com/greenwood- for a long time and my 2017-playful-city-usa grandmother in the last year or so before her death. Really truly feels like when it sets in that you’ve already lost them. It is A product of Gerald Sargent harder on us than them because they Publisher Emeritus don’t even know that it is happening. " Rick Myers Rick Hightower hired Rob Nichols of Bargersville Publisher as Beech Grove Brian Kelly Chief Executive Chamber director "I had family Officer members affected Sharon Hostetler by Alzheimer’s. My After a meticulous search, the Greater Beech Grove Director of mother-in-law was Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has Operations diagnosed by early Members of hired a new Executive Director. Rick Hightower has onset Alzheimer’s Nicole Davis, Editor accepted the offer to join the team. Hightower, a when I met my Southside resident, brings experience in working Asha Patel husband and my Production/Art Mgr. with the public and managing relationships. His grandpa also had Alzheimer’s. We Graphic Design first day in the office was May 26. have lost both of them. As I was going through that with both of my ss-times.com/beech-grove- family members I got involved in Serving the Southside chamber-hightower the Alzheimer’s Association here in Since 1928 Indianapolis and volunteered for their Memory Walk and I chaired that walk For more information, contact us at: in either 2008 or 2009. It touches my [email protected] heart greatly and I have empathy Tel. 317.300.8782 • Fax. 317.300.8786 For more information on these articles and other timely news, visit ss-times.com. for those who have Alzheimer’s, also their caregivers and family members. 7670 U.S. 31 S. To join the conversation, visit our Facebook page or It is a tough journey." Indianapolis, IN 46227 follow us on Twitter @southsidetimes. Stephanie Willison of Perry Township www.icontimes.com Times-Leader Publications, LLC ©2017. All Rights Reserved "It touches my life 1091 Hopkins Rd., Indianapolis #21484670 $153,000 nearly every single day seeing the impact The views of the columnists in The Southside Great 2-story home, open concept, 3 BR, 2.5 BA it has on not only the Times are their own and do not necessarily layout, located in the Mt. Vernon Schools residents, but the reflect the positions of this newspaper. families, and staff that in Hancock County. Big kitchen with lots of have to care for them counter space and island. The gas fireplace on a daily basis and The Southside Times is published by Times-Leader adds a great focal point to the family rm. the struggles that come from it. I think Publications, LLC. Content published alongside this Formal dining room could easily convert to be it is very important to build awareness icon is sponsored by one of our valued advertisers. used as a 4th bdrm on main floor. Large wood so that other people know what work is Sponsored content is produced or commissioned deck on back of home makes the backyard the being done to try to help people in that by advertisers working in tandem with Times-Leader’s sales place for family entertaining. Well developed situation, especially caregivers, whether it representatives. Sponsored content may not reflect the views of subdivision with mature trees and sidewalks. be staff or family members themselves." The Southside Times publisher, editorial staff or graphic design Mark Emerson of Greenwood and team. The Southside Times is devoted to clearly differentiating Senior Executive Director of Aspen Trace between sponsored content and editorial content. Potential Karen Neligh advertisers interested in sponsored content should call: 317-509-2876 • [email protected] (317) 300-8782 or email: [email protected]. The Southside Times COMMUNITY ss-times.com • Week of June 1-7, 2017 3 Clockwise from top left, President Dianne Saari leads the discussion on the Southern Plaza history. Cindy Bertram spoke of her convertible days and the circuit that ultimately led to Southern Plaza on a weekend night. Former South Circle Drive-in junior high school carhop, Janet Issac, shares her memories. Janet Issac shares the days of her youth at the Perry Township/Southport Historical meeting and her time at the South Circle Drive-in. Photos by Rick Hinton Ghosts of Southern Plaza HAUNTS & JAUNTS concept that Southern Plaza, as all other malls, adopted was—One trip, One place, One experience. And, as with neighbor East- By Rick Hinton gate, what started as an 'open-aired' mall was eventually enclosed under a canopy. 1961 be- Ghosts aren't always something scary, came Southern Plaza's dedication year, with but many times just memories. As we grow J.C. Penney becoming an anchor, accompa- older, these 'ghosts' are reflections of plac- nied by Woolworth, groceries Kroger and es and the youth still buried within us. For Standard, AFNB bank, Hook Drug Store, Southsiders, one of these is the Southern Lyric News & Record Store, Roselyn Bakery, Plaza Shopping Center. and W.M. Block (having initial struggles, but The May 23rd gathering of the Perry eventually overcoming. It sat where the pres- Township/Southport Historical Society ad- ent Kroger is today). The boom to the shop- dressed this to a packed room. President Di- ping center came when I-465 provided an ane Saari started the meeting promptly at exit near the mall in the early 1960s. 7 p.m. Those waiting in the wings were ea- Cindy Bertram recalled her teenage days, ger to speak; they had stories to tell. It was borrowing the family convertible and cruis- therapy—reliving their youth in a time when ing—from the South Circle Drive-In (Han- things were simpler. Original land develop- nah Avenue and East Street-the current lo- ers George and Frank Bixler had a vision cation of Steak & Shake) to the Triangle for a parcel of farmland. Plain and simple. Restaurant (Tibbs Avenue and Kentucky— FOREXCLUSIVE SOUTHSIDE TIMES READERS Bixler's granddaughter was in attendance, the pies!) to the Teepee Restaurant (East hanging onto every recollection (especial- Street) and finally Southern Plaza. ly of her grandmother Peggy's influence), Many others recalled their neighborhoods and having a few of her own. There were in close proximity to the shopping center, their several longtime Southside residents pres- homes, their lives, and how George and Peg- $750 Gift Card ent, remembering days when the first stop gy Bixler had been the most gracious hosts: with purchase of any vehicle sign appeared on now busy US 31, then the change was in the air, as was development! first stoplight. Back in the day, it was a two- For more history on Southern Plaza, lane road that lead to the far reaches of the check out The Southside Times article ss- sparsely-inhabited Southside of Indianapo- times.com/celebrating-southern-plaza. lis—Southport and Greenwood. However, CALL 317-451-4007 the Bixlers turned their vision into a reality, and changed the landscape, still having ram- Rick Hinton, a Southport resident, ifications today. loves researching things that go bump Southern Plaza was the first shopping in the night. His articles can be read on Facebook: Rick Hinton, Southport mall on the Southside of Indianapolis (Glen- Paranormal Examiner. Hinton conducts dale on the north side being the first, closely paranormal investigations with his followed by Eastgate on the east side). The team, South Central Paranormal. Must present this ad at time of purchase. No cash value. Expires 06/01/2017. 4 Week of June 1-7, 2017 • ss-times.com COVER STORY The Southside Times Greg and Colleen Monzel combine their Healing, health interests of yoga and herbal medicine in and wholeness Wild Persimmon School of Wellness By Nicole Davis walls, it breaks down protein.