Indianapolis, IN

Bluebeard restaurant announces new executive chef

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2024

Bluebeard restaurant announces new executive chef

One of Indianapolis’ most beloved eateries will see a shake-up next month.

Fletcher Place fine dining restaurant Bluebeard announced the hire of new executive chef Alan Sternberg on Friday, marking the end of a nearly 12-year run with chef Abbi Merriss.

Sternberg, a two-time James Beard Rising Star semifinalist, previously served as an executive chef at Indianapolis eatery Iozzo’s Garden of Italy and Field Brewing in Westfield. Per Bluebeard’s website, Sternberg specializes in modern twists on Midwestern food with an emphasis on local ingredients and creative aesthetics.

Merris co-founded Bluebeard in 2012 along with father-son duo Tom and Ed Battista of Amelia’s Bread.

Merriss, who has received multiple James Beard Award nominations, was also head chef at Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie from its opening in 2021 until she stepped away to refocus on Bluebeard in spring 2023.

Sternberg is expected to officially start as head chef March 1.

Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@gannett.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.

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Indianapolis, IN

Butler PD seeks help identifying suspects in Hinkle Fieldhouse break-in

Published

4 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Butler PD seeks help identifying suspects in Hinkle Fieldhouse break-in

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Butler University Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a group of people who broke into and vandalized Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The incident happened sometime Saturday, according to a post from Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.

Security camera video of the group – four males and one female – shows them entering the fieldhouse through a side door, entering one at a time before turning and disappearing out of view.

Crime Stoppers says the group vandalized a concession stand, stole alcoholic drinks, and then stole a $12,000 headset. Butler PD estimates the stolen communication equipment is valued at around $15,000.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Crime Stoppers. Officials say a reward of up to $1,000 will be offered for details leading to any arrests.

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Indianapolis, IN

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, opens season in Indy with Indians

Published

16 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, opens season in Indy with Indians

INDIANAPOLIS — For the second time in three years, the biggest draw in minor league baseball has landed at Victory Field.

Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, nearly made Pittsburgh’s Opening-Day roster at the tender age of 19 years old, sparking the imagination of Pirates fans when he launched two home runs in the same Grapefruit League game in late February.

By all accounts, Pittsburgh considered bypassing the Triple-A level with Griffin altogether, keeping the young shortstop in major league camp until the final weekend of spring training.

But the Pirates ultimately decided Griffin needed to open the season with the Indians when they take on St. Paul at 6:35 p.m. Friday at Victory Field, turning Pittsburgh’s loss into a big gain for Indianapolis for the second time in three seasons.

Two years ago, the Pirates decided to ramp up superstar pitching prospect Paul Skenes slowly, a decision that gave fans in Indianapolis seven starts to see a pitcher who would almost immediately turn into one of the best pitchers in the game.

For longtime Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman, the chance to see Skenes and Griffin in Indianapolis uniforms in a span of three short years brought to mind the 1989 season, when future Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Larry Walker played on the same Indians roster.

Griffin and Skenes obviously won’t play in Indianapolis together.

Their presence leaves an impact.

“That means a great deal,” legendary Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman said. “You’re looking at the stars of tomorrow.”

Griffin’s path to Indianapolis wasn’t like the one Skenes took to Victory Field.

Skenes was already battle-tested, a star who’d made his name pitching LSU to a College World Series title and a pitcher everybody knew was ready for the big leagues. The Pirates sent Skenes to Triple-A as part of an effort to ramp him up slowly, limiting the young pitcher’s innings in his rookie year.

Griffin still has something to prove.

Drafted out of high school with the No. 9 pick in 2024, Griffin shot up the prospect rankings by batting .333 and slugging .527 while going from Low-A Bradenton to High-A Greensboro to 21 games with Double-A Altoona to end the 2025 season.

The raw tools are undeniable. The power that got the baseball world talking in February is accompanied with speed, good defense at shortstop and every other tool a team could want.

“Tremendous young man, very mature for his age, goes about his work the right way, goes about the game the right way, great with his teammates,” Indians manager Eric Patterson said.

But Griffin still has to improve his pitch recognition. Frustrated by the insane amounts of spin that big-league pitchers put on the baseball, Griffin hit .148 with 11 strikeouts in his final 10 games, 27 at-bats in total.

He wanted to make the big-league team, and he probably pressed a little.

“I’m at my best when I’m playing freely, playing fun, having a good time,” Griffin said. “I’m trying to get back to that, not worrying too much about the pressure outside.”

Griffin is also adjusting to life as baseball’s top prospect, a level of attention that essentially changed overnight. While he was obviously a top-10 pick in 2024, there were eight players taken ahead of him, including Oakland’s Nick Kurtz, who won the American League Rookie of the Year award.

A high school pick like Griffin is supposed to take a couple of years to develop into a top prospect, attention building along the way.

Griffin essentially went from a relative unknown to carrying the weight of Pittsburgh’s expectations in a span of about six months, although he’s adamant that the increased attention doesn’t affect him.

“It’s definitely internal,” Griffin said. “I don’t worry too much about the outside noise. I have high expectations for myself.”

Whatever the reason for Griffin’s slide in the final two weeks of spring training, he knows what he needs to change.

“Being thrown into the fire, facing those big-league arms, that was a good experience for me,” Griffin said.

Big-league pitchers are going to take advantage of a hitter who chases too many offerings outside the strike zone, and Griffin was swinging too much, uncharacteristic of a player whose on-base percentage was .415 across three levels last season.

“Take your walks, get on base, affect the game,” Griffin said. “Being patient, getting the right pitches to hit, not trying to do too much every time I go up to the plate.”

The paths Skenes and Griffin took to get to Indianapolis are different.

The goal, now that they’re here, is the same. Skenes was called up to the big leagues on May 8; Griffin wants to force the Pirates to bring him up to Pittsburgh as soon as possible.

“For all of these guys, you’re an injury away from the big leagues, you’re a sneeze off the field away from the big leagues,” Patterson said. “It’s about preparing these guys for when they get the call.”

The entire baseball world thought Griffin would get the call before his 20th birthday.

And there’s still time. Griffin doesn’t turn 20 until April 24th.

Better get out to Victory Field to catch a glimpse of baseball’s No. 1 prospect while he’s still here.

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Indianapolis, IN

Recorder Rewind; Indy Eleven defeats Detroit FC 2-1 (Photos) – Indianapolis Recorder

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Recorder Rewind; Indy Eleven defeats Detroit FC 2-1 (Photos) – Indianapolis Recorder

Indy Eleven got the win over Detroit FC 2-1 on March 21 in Indianapolis. Check out photos froms Walt Thomas below.

(Photo/Walt Thomas)

Indy Eleven versus Detroit FC soccer match in March of 2026 in Indianapolis. — (Photo/Walt Thomas)

For Indy Eleven tickets, visit indyeleven.com/tickets.

Multimedia Reporter Noral Parham compiled this gallery. Contact him at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral.

For more Indy Eleven coverage, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.

Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.

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