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Kokomo man’s art to be worn by Indy native Ed Carpenter in Indy 500 qualifying

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Kokomo man’s art to be worn by Indy native Ed Carpenter in Indy 500 qualifying


KOKOMO — Behind his Kokomo home, inside of a large garage, Brad Plantenga paints helmets for athletes and racecar drivers.

“People say what do you do? I paint helmets, for race car drivers. They go, oh, that’s cool. What’s your real job? Well, no that’s my real job,” Brad said.

It’s been his real job now for almost 30 years.

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“Not many people know, I’m in here doing this around here,” Brad said. “Everybody wants their helmet personalized and they gotta come from somewhere.”

Brad considers himself a gear head. He’s had a passion for racing since he was a child.

“My dad raced bicycles, motorcycles and all that stuff. So you’ll see everybody in racing is kind of like that. It usually just gets in your blood and you’re stuck. Can’t get out,” he said.

Brad started off painting signs and putting numbers and letters on race cars, but now, through his business Bullseye Visual, he focuses solely on helmets.

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“NASCAR, sprint car, and drag racing… I used to do Olympic helmets, ski racing helmets, X Games,” Brad said.

He says the best part is when the helmets leave his garage and he sees them in action.

“By the time one is done, I’m just sick of looking at it. When I can see somebody wearing it, it’s in a racecar, it’s exciting,” he said.

This weekend, Brad will see his work on display when Indy native Ed Carpenter looks to qualify for the 107th running of the Indy 500.

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“It is really cool to have the Hoosier connection,” Brad said.

As he nears 30 years of painting helmets, he’s starting to slow things down.

However, he admits there are a group of drivers, including Ed Carpenter, that will still get him out in the garage with a paintbrush.

“I’ll keep doing them, as long as I’m able to,” Brad said.

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Indianapolis, IN

A Yard Of One’s Own – Indianapolis Monthly

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A Yard Of One’s Own – Indianapolis Monthly


Credit: Angela Jackson/Indianapolis Monthly

REALTOR Summer Hudson was always waiting for the perfect midcentury modern home to hit the market and lure her away from her beloved Irvington. On Hudson’s popular TikTok channel, Find a Lot to Love, she cooed over original 1960s woodwork and intact bathrooms for the 207,000 followers who enjoyed watching her walk through houses for sale in Central Indiana. But the eXp Realty agent’s own family needed a yard for their 5-year-old daughter more than she needed a pristine Avriel Shull A-frame, so she gave her husband, Ryan Sloan, one criterion: Find a house with the exact same layout as their 3,000-square-foot Irvington ranch, plus a yard, and she’d move.

Lo and behold, he did, in Crows Nest. The three-bed, two-bath house has a circular layout with semi–open concept living, dining, and kitchen spaces and, as a bonus, a pool on the half-acre lot. “I always said I’d never turn down a pool,” Hudson says. The home had been sitting on the market for a while because, in Hudson’s opinion, the listing for 1,800 square feet was misleading; the homeowners couldn’t include the 1,200-square-foot finished attic because the ceiling was too low. Additionally, the photos didn’t do the home justice. “From the outside, it looks tiny and bungalow-ish, but you don’t realize how deep it goes,” she says, adding that the images didn’t showcase the layout’s attractive flow, either. The couple got it under list price for $410,000, and Hudson, who uses the attic as her office, has no regrets—her dream midcentury home can wait. Downsizing forced the couple to purge, and they discovered the joys of a simplified lifestyle. “I’m actually spending more time with my kid out- side. That has been the most amazing part of all of this,” Hudson says.

FAVORITE FEATURE
The nature-filled backyard

PURCHASE DATE
March 2024

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NEIGHBORHOOD
Crows Nest

SQUARE FOOTAGE
1,800





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Indianapolis man sentenced to 110 years for 2021 double homicide

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Indianapolis man sentenced to 110 years for 2021 double homicide


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 110 years in prison for his role in a north side shooting that resulted in the death of two men during a $20 marijuana deal in 2021.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced the sentencing of 21-year-old Camran Perry on Thursday, following a jury’s verdict after a two-day trial. In July, Perry was found guilty of two counts of murder and carrying a handgun without a license, a release said.

Andrew Jones, 21, and Blake Coffman, 20, died in a shooting about 6:45 p.m. Dec. 1, 2021, in the 8800 block of Westfield Way at the 9000 Westfield apartments. That’s just southeast of the intersection of East 91st Street and Westfield Boulevard.

Investigators interviewed a witness who reported hearing “three loud thumps” and seeing a man in a gray sweatsuit standing behind the victims’ vehicle before fleeing the scene. The witness, along with others, then approached the vehicle and called the police.

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Two cellphones were recovered at the scene. Investigators obtained warrants for the phones, one of which belonged to Coffman.

According to a release, on Coffman’s phone, which was logged into his personal Instagram account, investigators found video chats and private messages indicating his intention to meet someone at the location of the shooting. The other user of this account deleted their account just hours after the incident. Digital forensics teams traced this account back to Perry.

Perry was taken into custody on Jan. 10. Initially, he denied knowing either of the victims, but later confessed to meeting up with them to make a purchase. Perry later admitted to engaging in a verbal altercation with Coffman and Jones, before shooting both men, police say.

Prosecutor Ryan Mears issued the following statement after the conviction:

“Young people having easy access to firearms leads to them making poor, split-second decisions that result in senseless deaths and tragedy,” stated Prosecutor Mears. “It is incumbent upon us to continue to empower young people with the tools to be mindful of the long-term consequences of gun violence in order to avoid tragedies like this.”

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Indy promoter hopes education leads to a safer Indianapolis

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Indy promoter hopes education leads to a safer Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis event promoter Teddrick Hardy is disappointed that violence has become prevalent in the Circle City.

“It’s very frustrating because I’m going to like my eleventh year in promoting and myself, alongside other promoters, put a lot of work in having successful, safe and joyful events,” Hardy said.

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Over the past couple of months, WRTV has reported on numerous parties and gatherings that have been held illegally or without proper permits.

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In some cases, these events have ended in violence.

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“Our goal is to gather groups of people to come and see these establishments to spend money, to bring their friends out to celebrate,” Hardy explained.

Now, promoters like Hardy are learning from various Indianapolis government agencies to ensure events can continue in a safe manner.

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On Wednesday, these agencies hosted an ask the officials event aimed at answering promoters questions on how to properly organize and operate events.

“We all want safe events,” IMPD Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said. “We all want people to come and have a good time. It’s a part of what I did when I was young, and it’s important that we educate promoters on what that looks like.”

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Hardy is hopeful the event will lead to safer events being held in Indianapolis.

“I want to see Indianapolis become a better place,” he said.

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The full Ask the Officials meeting can be viewed here.





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