Dear Indy,
St. Patrick’s Day weekend will begin in a few days, so of course we’re publishing a story about some of our city’s Irish heritage.
Starting with the Golden Ace Inn — a bar with a history dating back to 1934, just four months after the end of prohibition.
The owners — John and Ann McGinley — had grown up just minutes away from each other in Ireland. They wouldn’t meet, though, until a dance in Indianapolis.
Their legacy continues with the bar, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.
Our article today dives into the history of the bar, as well as the Irish Hill neighborhood.
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In other news
- It can cost thousands of dollars to go back to school to finish a degree. But for Indiana retirees, Ivy Tech’s Senior Scholars is providing free tuition to older residents, who are enrolling to learn everything from Spanish to art classes. One student, 75-year-old Jacqueline Reeves, told us: “I don’t know how many more years I got, but I sure as hell intend to enjoy them.” (Amen. Also, I love this article.)
- In other bus news: Heads up, parents. Indy Parks is running a free community art program at 14 locations across the city. The programs allow kids ages 5 to 12 to create a new project every week that they can take home on the same day. Find the locations and times here. Public Schools will soon have access to 10 electric buses, thanks to a federal grant.
- Reminder: We want to hear from you! Take a quick survey for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Tinker Coffee gift card while helping us understand your news, community and Mirror Indy experiences. Click here to get started on the survey.
What’s going on around the city
- Tomorrow, March 12: The first 200 visitors to Skateland, 3902 N. Glen Arm Road, will have free entry, not including the $5 skate rental. Three partnering organizations, NAMI Greater Indianapolis, Genesys Solutions and Stop the Violence Indianapolis, will also offer giveaways. After the first 200 people have joined, entry is $6 per person and $3 for every parent or guardian.
- Friday, March 15 to Monday, March 18: St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans in downtown Indianapolis kick off March 15 with the “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” bar crawl. Through March 18, several watering holes — including Nevermore Union Station, 302 S. Meridian St., and Whistle Stop Inn, 375 S. Illinois St., — will offer deals on drinks and food. 21+
- Saturday, March 16: Local opera legend Angela Brown reprises her role as Addie Parker, mother to jazzman Charlie Parker in “Yardbird,” presented by Indianapolis Opera. The show, set against the backdrop of the 1950s, begins at 7 p.m. at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave. Tickets start at $15.
— Breanna Cooper, arts and culture reporter
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
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What else we’re reading today
- IndyStar: Facing the prospect of losing her eyesight because of a rare genetic disorder, University of Indianapolis student Abby Turner is getting to see the experiences she’s always wanted thanks to the help of her friends.
- Indianapolis Business Journal: Almost all Indianapolis parks will have free Wi-Fi by the end of summer. So now you’ll have plenty of time to scroll Instagram Reels while your kids play on the jungle gym.
- Indiana Capital Chronicle: People who want to run for office in an Indiana primary election typically are required to have pulled that party’s ballot in their two most recent trips to the polls. That’s how the parties in Indiana say they verify whether someone is actually a Democrat or a Republican. John Rust, who aimed to run for U.S. Senate as a Republican, sought to change that at the Indiana Supreme Court — but the justices, in a divided ruling, upheld the law. In a dissent, Justice Christopher Goff said primary elections were once envisioned to give power to voters — not party leaders — and cited the founding father Alexander Hamilton, who said our form of government requires that people have the choice on who governs them.
Notes from our Documenters
This week, we have six meetings on our schedule.
Today, we’re covering the Citizens’ Police Complaint Board and Perry Township school board.
Tomorrow, we’re covering the Indianapolis Housing Agency Board of Commissioners.
On Wednesday, we’re covering the City-County Council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee and the Washington Township school board.
On Friday, we’re covering the Indianapolis Airport Authority Board.
I’ll share what we learn in those meetings. What other meetings should we cover? Let me know!
— Ariana Beedie, community journalism director
Interested in being a Documenter? Here’s how.
Reflections
I spent the weekend at a journalism conference in Baltimore called NICAR. It was all about data journalism and accountability reporting — two things we’re taking seriously at Mirror Indy.
It was fun to see several fellow Indiana journalists there, but I wanted to give a special shoutout to a reader of this newsletter.
Hi, Chris Vachon! Thanks for running an awesome conference.
OK, that’s it for today. See you tomorrow.
Ryan
P.S. If you liked something about today’s newsletter, or didn’t, let me know at ryan.martin@mirrorindy.org. It helps us serve you better.
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