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Zionsville nature preserve set to open soon on former golf course

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Zionsville nature preserve set to open soon on former golf course


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A new nature preserve in Zionsville will open later this month after years of work converting an old golf course into publicly accessible greenspace.  

The Carpenter Nature Preserve is located on the site of the former Wolf Run Club. The club, which closed in 2017, sat at the northwest corner of south Michigan Road and State Road 32 where Eagle Creek runs through the town. Once the 215-acre nature preserve opens, soft and hard-paved trails will lead visitors through woods, prairies and wetlands.

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Jarod Logsdon, superintendent of parks and recreation for the Town of Zionsville, said the town is excited to get people out to the property.

“I think it’s a great example of how people and greenspace can be side by side,” Logsdon said. “[Greenspaces] obviously enhance the quality of life for residents, but they’re people’s front door to nature.”

Handshake agreement keeps land undeveloped

The town purchased the land from residents Nancy and Jim Carpenter, who bought it from developers after it hit the market in 2017. The couple held onto the property after then-Mayor Emily Styron asked the couple to keep it free from development, Logsdon said.

Once the town had shored up the money in 2021, it purchased the property from the Carpenters. The town leveraged state and federal grants to acquire the land for $5.5 million and reserve money for the initial construction and mitigation phase.

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Nancy Carpenter, in a 2023 news release, said Styron invited them to the property for a visit. The couple immediately recognized how appealing it would be to a developer.

“We couldn’t let that happen,” Nancy said in the release. “You cannot find anything like this in central Indiana that will ever be available again.”

The Carpenters, who cofounded Wild Birds Unlimited and have been involved with Zionsville parks for years, maintained the property prior to selling it to the town. They mowed down old golf cart trails, set up bird boxes and planted gardens to attract pollinators. The couple worked with the town to create the master plan that eventually led to the creation of the preserve.

Education and amenities at Zionsville preserve

The preserve currently is in phase one of construction and planning, Logsdon said, and when it opens it will have more than just trails.

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The department built a pavilion with nearby restrooms as well as a nature playground with a nearby seating shelter. The playground isn’t the typical steel jungle gym, Logsdon said, but is built using wood from the Pacific Northwest.

The natural building material in the playground is meant to give visitors “a taste of nature play before they go out into the preserve,” Logsdon said.

A small amphitheater also sits on the grounds, which will host campfires and other events.

These amenities will be complete when the preserve opens to the public. The department plans to build a regional nature center in the future to provide more in-depth environmental education to visitors.

While visitors will be able to visit most of the preserve, about a third of the property will be closed to the public as the Indiana Department of Natural Resources works to rehabilitate wetlands. The state will spend about $4 million to restore and maintain Eagle Creek and its tributaries in the park.

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Once the preserve opens, visitors can access the entrance off 900 East, just south of SR32.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk or BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social.

IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.





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Indiana

Suspect accused of stealing from local barbecue restaurant arrested in Indiana

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Suspect accused of stealing from local barbecue restaurant arrested in Indiana


DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (WKRC) — Authorities in Indiana have arrested a man wanted for a break-in at a Tri-State business.

Pig Candy BBQ said the break-in happened at their location on Kellogg Avenue earlier this week. Employees say 44-year-old Chad Snider let himself into a rear gate that is used for deliveries and got away with tools and equipment.

Cincinnati Police sent out an alert asking people for help in finding Snider on Friday. He was arrested Saturday for a separate incident and is currently in the Dearborn County jail.

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Snider is not currently charged with anything related to the robbery.



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Speedway’s Rockin’ on Main draws crowd, despite the rain

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Speedway’s Rockin’ on Main draws crowd, despite the rain


SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Despite the rain and damp conditions, hundreds of people gathered on Friday evening for Rockin’ on Main, keeping the annual tradition alive with music, food and family fun ahead of the Indianapolis 500.

Attendees under umbrellas and in ponchos spent the day exploring vendors, enjoying live entertainment, and splashing through puddles. For many, the event is more than just a festival, it’s a yearly reunion with friends and family tied to the excitement of race weekend in Indiana.

Jameison Turk enjoyed dinner with her family. “My mom, my dad, my brother, friends, and family; it’s a big thing for Indiana, so I’m happy,”

Businesses and artists also filled the strip with pop-up shops and displays.

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The Speedway Artist Collective featured a variety of Indy 500-inspired artwork and handmade items ranging from bracelets and T-shirts to fine art pieces.

“We have everything from stickers to fine art,” said Lisa Schmitz, founder of Speedway Artist Collective. “If you come in with your little ones, they’re going to find things that are appropriate for them, and you might find something to put on the wall in your home. We are here to represent not only Speedway but Indiana, and we have fans from all over the country and the world.”

Some artists showcased creative upcycled pieces, including handbags made from old Indy 500 programs and lamps crafted from vintage Indy 500 beer cans.

Even with the rainy weather, attendees said the atmosphere remained upbeat throughout the event. Cooper Miles said, “Everybody seems to be having a good time, good food, so nothing to complain about.”

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Officer shot multiple times inside Indiana hospital ER

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Officer shot multiple times inside Indiana hospital ER


MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (WGN) — A police officer was shot Friday morning at a hospital in Michigan City, Indiana.

According to Indiana State Police, the officer was shot at around 7 a.m. at Franciscan Health Michigan City, located in the 3500 block of Franciscan Way.

The officer has been identified as Jon Samuelson, 33, a 12-year veteran of the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Indiana State Police, Samuelson, a K9 officer, was on his way to a training session when he spotted a disabled vehicle on State Road 2 near 900 West in LaPorte County.

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The suspect, a 22-year-old man from of Chicago, asked the deputy to be taken to the hospital.

Samuelson dropped him at the emergency room at Franciscan Health. Around five minutes later, Samuelson returned to the hospital after learning that the man was allegedly involved in “criminal activity at a different location,” according to Indiana State Police.

Law enforcement sources told Nexstar’s WGN News the 22-year-old suspect was involved in a domestic-related carjacking in Chicago earlier, and, at around 6:05 a.m., FLOCK cameras saw the vehicle enter Indiana.

Chicago police said a 40-year-old woman was in verbal dispute when she was carjacked at her home just after 4:30 a.m.

While attempting to speak with, or arrest the suspect inside of the emergency room, Samuelson was shot three times, according to Indiana State Police. He was airlifted to a hospital in South Bend in critical condition.

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Samuelson comes from a line of police officers. His father, a retired Michigan City officer, was employed as a security guard at the hospital and was there at the time, according to ISP.

His grandfather was the former chief of police of LaPorte.

Samuelson is married and has no children.

The suspect was booked into the Porter County Jail, according to Indiana State Police.

Formal charges have not been announced at this time.

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Franciscan Health sent the following statement.

“The health and safety of our patients and staff is always our top priority. There is no active threat to patients, staff or the community at this time. The emergency department remains on ambulance bypass, but walk-in patients are being accepted through the main entrance to the hospital. Franciscan Physician Network medical offices on site are closed at this time. All other services and departments remain open as normal.”



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