While such tragedies oftentimes will bring out the best in most people, still there are those few who will take advantage of the misfortune of others for personal gain. Hoosiers should be aware of people taking the opportunity in light of the recent catastrophic events in Oklahoma to play on the generosity of those willing to help out monetarily. Citizens are cautioned to be skeptical of those going from door-to-door or making individual phone calls to residents claiming to be collecting for tornado relief. If you are contacted by someone asking for donations, ask questions to determine whether or not your contribution will actually go to the tornado relief efforts. Ask the person collecting for credentials, what organization they represent, if there is an address donations can be sent, etc. Ask the person if they have a business card with a website or other information that can be verified through other reliable sources such as the Better Business Bureau or the Attorney General’s Office. If you are approached and feel someone is trying to scam you try to get as much information as possible such as a name, description of the person, description of the vehicle including color, make, and license number if possible then contact local police, sheriff, or your nearest Indiana State Police Post.

The best way to contribute to the relief efforts is to donate money and other needed articles through known legitimate organizations such as the American Red Cross or through local churches collecting for tornado relief. Be aware, be vigilant, and don’t get scammed.

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USAC has raced at the famed facility 301 times with the names of winners reading like a who’s who of racing. Johnny Parsons leads all Midget series wins with seven with Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Gary Bettenhausen and Tony Stewart all winning on the tricky oval.

Looking to add his name to the record books will be Austin Prock who is making his first career USAC Midget start at Lucas Oil Raceway. Prock, currently a 17-year old senior at Avon High School, has been racing for six years and is excited to make the jump to the USAC Midget series.

“We ran the Regional USAC Midget series last year which is the same car and same motor but it’s not the same level of competition,” Prock said. “Jumping into the Midget race is going to be difficult with all the big dogs but I think we can hang with them.”

The name Prock should be a familiar one to race fans across the country as Austin’s father is legendary NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series crew chief, Jimmy Prock and his grandfather is former Funny Car racer Tom Prock. Jimmy has won events as both a Funny Car and Top Fuel crew chief, is currently the crew chief for Robert Hight at John Force Racing and provides insight to Austin as he begins his career.

“My dad gives me the confidence I need to go race,” Prock continued. “He gives me the backing I need. He can teach me here and there but they can’t teach me in the car since they never drove these cars but they give me the confidence to go out there and get me rolling.”

The racing world converges in Indianapolis during the month of May and not only will numerous fans pack the stands for the event as well as members of racing teams looking for new talent. Prock is aware of the importance of the event and is ready to shine.

“You definitely have to bring your ‘A’ game because you don’t want to screw up in front of all those people,” He said. “Just one race, one wreck can ruin your entire career. You can get a bad name and may not ever get a ride in any ones car or anything so you have to have your stuff together, look presentable, and put on a good show for anyone.”

Another third generation racer will look to forge his way into history as reigning USF2000 Series Champion Matthew Brabham returns to Lucas Oil Raceway in the Pro Mazda Series. He is the son of Geoff Brabham and grandson to three time Formula One champion Sir John Arthur “Jack” Brabham.

Brabham qualified on the pole at the event last season and finished second to Spencer Pigot. Brabham had a successful test at Lucas Oil Raceway and is looking for a win at the facility that eluded him last season.

“I am really looking forward to racing at Lucas Oil Raceway Saturday night,” Brabham said. “It’s fantastic to be racing as part of the Indy 500 weekend. Having the Visit Hendricks County Night before the 500 winners being acknowledged before the Indy 500 is very special, and is why it is such a prestigious race to win. We were very strong at the test day at Lucas Oil Raceway last weekend; the MAZDASPEED Andretti Autosport team has been working great all year so I think we are definitely in a position to go for the race win. The track is quite tough, so the race will be challenging as there is no room for error, but that makes the track a lot of fun to drive on.”

Scott Hargrove leads the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda points on the strength of three wins and one runner-up finish early in the 2013 season. This is his first full season in the series and it will be his first career oval start. Hargrove was atop the time sheets during the recent series test and is looking to continue his strong start to the year.

"The month of May is of huge importance to not only those competing in the Indy 500 but also the whole Mazda Road to Indy. We have the opportunity to be presented to some of the largest crowds and most influential people you will ever see in the racing world. For me personally expectations are high, not only for being the points leader but also having had such a successful test in preparation for my first oval race. There is no reason to not be up there racing for the win. Lucas Oil Raceway is a very unique oval, and I can't wait to get to work with my Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing entry.”

Tickets for all three events are only $25 for reserved and $20 for general admission seating. Gates open at 2 p.m. with the USF2000 race slated to start at 7:40 p.m.; Pro Mazda event at 8:25 p.m.; and the USAC Midget feature at 9:30 p.m.

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Attorney Kathy Davis and business coach and trainer Jack Klemeyer provide services to help small business owners establish, operate and grow their business. Visit their websites to learn more about them and the services they can provide at KJDLegal.com and GYBCoaching.com. Hours are by appointment.

Contact Kathy Davis at 317-721-5290 or by email at Kathy@KJDlegal.com.

Reach Jack Klemeyer at 317- 755-6963 or email him at Jack@GYBCoaching.com.

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That designation, announced by Indiana Artisan Director Eric Freeman, adds to an already long list of accolades establishing the Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail as a tourist destination in Central Indiana.

“We couldn’t be happier as this truly has become a big year for the Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail,” said Sarah McMillen, director of marketing for Visit Hendricks County. “The trail reflects the values of homegrown and handmade, as well as the culture and heritage of Hendricks and Morgan counties and the spirit of local artisans.  It already has and will continue to positively impact the local economy.”

The Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail, a self-guided, self-directed driving tour in Hendricks and Morgan counties, highlights beautiful farms, historic buildings and amazing artists and has become a popular visitor destination since its inception in Hendricks County in 2010 through a Visit Hendricks County and Hendricks County Arts Council partnership.

Visit Hendricks County announced in January an expansion to the trail as a second cultural loop in Morgan County was added for 2013. The trail now links 24 locations including wineries, orchards, artists’ studios, herb and fruit farms, farmer’s markets, beekeepers, organic gardens, galleries, and shops with fine art, woodwork, ceramics, pottery, sculpture, glasswork, jewelry and metalwork.

Those 24 regular participants in the two counties must be open a minimum of Thursdays-Saturdays year-round. In addition, a Second Saturdays component, which was added last year, opens the trail up to eight more sites on the second Saturday of every month.

“The Indiana Artisans who live in these counties offer exceptional glasswork, fiber art, oil paintings, and wine, and they will benefit from the added promotion this trail provides,” Freeman said. “The goal of all the Artisan Trails is to promote the businesses of artisans so visitors can meet them, see their work being made and hear their stories. That adds significant meaning to the art and the foods, and it supports Indiana’s small town and rural economies.”

Visit Hendricks County also recently unveiled a new and improved Rural Routes to Main Street website. For more information about the trail and all of its offerings, visit that new website at www.RuralRoutesToMainStreet.com or stop by Visit Hendricks County, 8 W. Main St., Danville, or any of the stops along the trail to pick up a 2013 Guidebook, which includes a map, description of each location, special events and more.

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Indianapolis acoustic duo South Six 5 will perform in concert and there will be plenty of kids activities. Exhibitors include the Brownsburg High School "Purple Precision" robotics club and the super mileage team. Lucas Oil Nexgeneracers will be here to talk about its youth go-kart program. Lucas Oil Raceway will have a booth, so you can get tickets for the Night Before the 500 and MainGate will have its merchandise trailer here with lots of racing collectibles and novelties. A silent auction will benefit the Andrea Pedregon Charity Foundation and food trucks will provide concessions.

No ticket necessary! Rev Rally is open to everyone, so come out from 5 to 8 pm Thursday at Brownsburg Town Hall to celebrate our local motorsports community. Parking is available in the Adams Street lots and at Arbuckle Acres Park.

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The 4-Star School Award is given to schools with ISTEP scores in the top 25^th percentile in all grade levels and is based on 2012 ISTEP results.  To earn the award, a school must have COMBINED (math and English together) and DUAL (math and English separately) passing rates in the top 25^th percentile in each grade level served.

“We are very proud of our track record of high achievement at BCSC,” said Dr. Jim Snapp, Superintendent.  “This accomplishment, along with the ‘A Rating’ earned by all of our schools, and our fifth in the state ISTEP scores, clearly demonstrates that teachers and students in our schools are setting rigorous goals, and achieving them together.”

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Governor Pence also asks businesses and residents to lower their flags to half-staff to pay tribute to the brave men and women in law enforcement across Indiana and our nation.

TomorrowWikipedia: Tomorrow normally refers to the day after the present day. →

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“All children want a home filled with love and a family with whom they can share their birthdays and celebrate holidays. They want a room with their own toys, to have friends, play sports and participate in after-school activities. Most importantly, they want a loving, supportive family to be there for them as they grow up,” said DCS Chief of Staff John Ryan. “The children featured in the Heart Gallery are no exception. They just need a little help from all of us in finding that forever family.”

Using the talents of professional photographers who volunteer their time, the individual spirit and true personality of each child is captured. Heart Gallery photographs sometimes show shy children wrapped in their security blankets, girls dressed up as princesses, boys hugging dogs and siblings laughing together. The children all have one thing in common: they need families that will give them unconditional love.

Over 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States. More than 100,000 are legally available for adoption and in need of adoptive families. Many of these children are older, in sibling groups that want to be adopted together or have special needs.

This year, approximately 20,000 young people will leave the foster care system without lifelong families—most at age 18. On their own, these young adults must navigate a weakened economy offering fewer jobs and less support for vital services such as housing. They deserve caring adults who love and support them. For some foster kids, getting adopted can mean the difference between homelessness or incarceration and transitioning successfully to adulthood.

The Indiana Heart Gallery will display a dozen large portraits daily May 3 - 31 at the Danville Public Library, 101 S. Indiana St. in Danville. Viewing times: Monday – Thursday, 9 am to 8 pm. Friday and Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. Sunday, 2 pm to 5 pm. There is no charge to see the exhibit.

For more information about the Indiana Heart Gallery, go to http://www.in.gov/dcs/3033.htm.   To find out more about adopting an Indiana child, go to www.adoptachild.in.gov or call 888.25ADOPT.

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The day begins at 7:00 a.m. with registration, practice, a continental breakfast and putting contest. At 8:00 a.m., the event begins with a shotgun start. Various contests and prizes will be offered throughout the day. Some of the contests will include a hole in one contest, closest to the pin contest, longest drive contest, and longest putt contest. Awards and lunch, catered by Dawson’s Too, will immediately follow play.

Last year’s golf outing raised more than $20,000 to benefit the students of the Brownsburg Community School Corporation through BEF’s educational grants and student scholarships. This year’s outing promises to be even bigger and better. Co-chair Angela Falcone says, “It was great to see so many school employees and community members at last year’s event. We are especially looking forward to our outing this year because it is the event’s 10th anniversary, and we have many fun events planned.” We hope that you will be able to join us for a great day of golf!

Corporate sponsorships are available as well as individual sponsorships. More information for this year’s event and registration can be found online at www.brownsburgeducationfoundation.org or through the BEF office by contacting Rene Behrend at 317-852-1056.

All proceeds benefit students of Brownsburg Community School Corporation.

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With funding in the amount of $730 from the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District's community grants program, the Town will design and produce recycled paper placemats with clean water and anti-litter messaging to let individuals and families know about simple steps they can take to help reduce the amount of trash they litter or send to landfills.

The place mats will provide information about source reduction, recycling, and safe disposal of household hazardous waste, yard waste, and e-waste presented in a graphically appealing design. They will be double-sided, with kid-friendly games and puzzles. Local restaurants will be invited to use the eco-messaged place mats to reach busy families as they sit together for a meal, and hopefully prompt diners to talk about or complete the activities while waiting on a server or food to arrive.

The Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District provides waste reduction, reuse and recycling education and services to residents of the county through in-school education for students and adult outreach programs. The District operates two yard waste recycling centers and three drop-off centers for paper, glass, steel, aluminum and plastics. It sponsors four Tox-Away Days each year for residents to properly dispose of household hazardous wastes and problem wastes.

Executive Director Lenn Detwiler said, "The District is excited to again be able to partner with the Town of Brownsburg to provide environmental education to the families in our community."

The Town will receive 25 recycling bins this summer to place at local government buildings, parks and special events, thanks to a grant made possible by Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation. The 60-gallon bins will be used to collect glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Of more than 1,200 applicants this funding round, Brownsburg is among 156 local governments, schools, colleges and community groups nationwide to receive the recycling bins grant.

Keep America Beautiful is the nation's leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. Keep America Beautiful offers solutions that create clean, beautiful public places, reduce waste and increase recycling, generate positive impact on local economies and inspire generations of environmental stewards.

"Through our support of the Bin Grant program and our long-standing partnership with Keep America Beautiful, we are helping to bring sustainability to life in local communities across the country," said Lori George Billingsley, vice president, community relations, Coca-Cola North America Group. "By increasing access to recycling today, we build sustainable communities for the future."

The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $500 million to support global sustainable community initiatives, including water stewardship, community recycling, active healthy living, and education. In its seven years of operation, the Bin Grant program has placed more than 29,000 recycling bins in more than 500 communities in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

"One of the main barriers to recycling is convenience. Providing a recycling bin helps communities overcome that barrier," said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO, Keep America Beautiful. "We are truly grateful for Coca-Cola's support and commitment to recycling, and for its support and commitment of the Bin Grant Program."

The Town of Brownsburg's commitment to enhancing the quality of water it provides to the community and ensuring a sustainable future includes efforts to keeping recyclable materials out of landfills. Its semi-annual community-wide recycling events allow area residents to drop off appliances, electronics, and other hard to recycle items along with the more common paper, aluminum, glass and plastic recyclables. Since the first event in 2010, the Town's recycling events have diverted nearly 60 tons of waste from Indiana landfills, reducing the potential of leaching into waterways and groundwater and keeping toxic chemicals from reaching wastewater treatment processes.

"The average American throws away more than 4 1/2 pounds of trash a day - almost a ton of trash per person, every year," said Brownsburg Town Manager Grant Kleinhenz. "Of the garbage we throw out, half of it could be recycled. Reducing litter and diverting materials from landfills lessens the impact of pollution on our water, and we all benefit with clean drinking water, a more attractive community, recreation opportunities, and a healthy fish and wildlife habitat.

"With these two new outreach programs, the Town of Brownsburg hopes to help individuals and families understand that making small eco-friendly adjustments to our lifestyles can make a big change in the way we impact the environment. We can all do our part."

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