Bubbaz Bar and Grill owner Mark Gore reviews his schedule for the day. He recommends the Tater Tot Nacho for an appetizer.

A new restaurant has just opened in Geist. The new Bubbaz Bar and Grill is located at 104th and Olio Road (formerly Bertee’s). This family friendly eatery is smoke-free and offers a mathematical equation we all can relate to — good food + great prices = Bubbaz Bar and Grill.

“I thought this location would be a good spot for families, sitting so close to neighborhoods,” says Mark Gore, owner of Bubbaz Bar and Grill. “There’s way too many families around here not to allow children,” he adds. Families are welcome to dine in every day from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00p.m.

“I like to buy, build, and sell restaurants and bars,” says Gore who claims that this particular Bubbaz Bar and Grill marks the 39th location that he has opened throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. “The main drawing card here is that we offer good food with reasonable prices. You can get a cheeseburger for just $4 bucks and it includes the fries.” Furthermore, he is excited about making this precise establishment, a smoke-free environment, especially after learning that 95% of the clientele in the area prefers a non-smoking atmosphere.

Good Food + Great Prices = Bubbaz Bar and Grill

Whether you’re looking to grab a sandwich and a beer at the bar, or you want to dine in with your family, Bubbaz is sure to have something for everyone. Here are some of the features that Bubbaz Bar and Grill has to offer:

• Over 60 items that are less than $6.00 each
• 10 different flavors of beer on tap in addition to bottled imports
• Thin crust pizza made in the back kitchen
• Delicious wraps such as Buffalo Chicken
• A wide assortment of sandwiches including the patty melt
• Many tasty appetizers like the Tator Tot nachos
• 2 homemade soups every day: chicken noodle and chili
• Smoke-free environment
• Live D.J. every Friday and Saturday night starting at 9:00 p.m.
• Showing of UFC events with no cover charge
• Many TV’s to watch sports including 7 projector TV’s and 23, 50inch flat screens
• Daily drink specials
• Pool tables and video games

Gore invites you to come visit the all new Bubbaz Bar and Grill. After taking care of repairs and maintenance, he’s ready to start serving the Geist area when he says, “We’re ready to start pumping up the volume and get business started.”

Bubbaz Bar and Grill is open every day (Monday through Sunday) from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Steve Griesemer, a Geist resident, is the lead attorney representing the Fishers residents in their case against the Town of Fishers.

In 1990, the Town of Fishers was an exit off of I-69 with a McDonalds, gas station, and only 7,200 residents. Today, according to 2010 census data, the town has grown to 76,794 residents, growing nearly 10 times the size in just 20 years. In the Indianapolis metro area, Fishers is second in size behind the City of Carmel with 79,191 residents.

A group of Fishers residents think that it’s time for Fishers to change from a town form of government to a city. A group of residents, led by Joe Weingarten, led the charge to get over 1,700 Fishers residents to sign a petition to put the notion on the ballot in the form of a referendum last fall. Petitions were filed in May of 2010, and three days later the Fishers Town Council announced they were going to reorganize, buying them six months to propose an alternative plan.

In December 2010, the Town Council proposed and adopted their reorganization plan (click here), which on the surface seemed like a step in the right direction. However, buried in the details of the plan were some changes that take away the rights of voters to elect their own city mayor and self-appoints the current town council members as the city’s first council members. Residents are crying foul.

Weingarten, along with Mike Kole and Glenn Brown, took their grievances to the Indiana Supreme Court (download plaintiff’s brief). Local Geist resident Steve Greisemer, an attorney with Lewis & Kappes, PC, is representing the residents of Fishers.

“We would be perfectly fine with the reorganization plan,” said Greisemer, “if we only had the voting rights that came along with being a city. If this holds up, we’d be the only city in the State of Indiana that has a city council voted at large with an appointed mayor.”

The current town government structure allows for town council members to be voted in at large, and then those town council members nominate and choose the town council president. Currently Scott Faultless, a 16-year town council member, is the town council president. In a city form of government, according to Indiana Code 36-4-5-2 and 36-4-6-3(i), officials are elected by their own districts, not at large, and the mayor is then voted on by all the voters in the city. What the Town of Fishers is proposing is a “hybrid” style city where officials are still voted in the same way as they are now with the mayor being appointed by the city council. Fishers residents would not be able to elect their mayor, making the mayor accountable only to the town council. Further, the initial Fishers city council would appoint themselves as the first city council, giving residents absolutely no say in electing their first mayor.

A referendum is currently planned for the November elections. If the Town of Fishers has their way, two options for a city will be on the ballot: A traditional city versus the proposed hybrid city proposed by the Fishers Town Council. Petitioners feel this is confusing and will only dilute the vote. Either the traditional city or hybrid city must collect 50% plus one votes in order for either to carry.

“It’s ‘Sham City’,” said Joe Weingarten, one of the plaintiffs in the case and active organizer that collected many of the 1,700 signatures. “The Town of Fishers is doing everything they can to keep Scott Faultless in power.”

A verdict in the Indiana Supreme Court case (No. 94S00-1112-CQ-692) is likely to be handed down soon. (click here to watch the oral arguments online)

Dr. Philip Dulberger stands in front of the newly opened IU Health Saxony Hospital just off of Exit 10 at I-69.

Just across the interstate from Hamilton Town Center, IU Health Saxony Hospital is now open for business with a local anesthesiologist at the helm. Dr. Philip Dulberger, or “Dr. Phil” as his friends and colleagues refer to him, shared an idea six years ago that took him from the operating room to the second floor administrative offices at Fishers’ first specialty hospital with services focused on cardiovascular, orthopedic, spine care and emergency services.

In October 2005, Dulberger was in between surgeries when he decided to call IU Health (then called Clarian Health) CEO Dan Evans.

“I have an idea about a different approach to deliver health care,” Dulberger told Evans. “Hospitals traditionally wait for people to get sick and come in. I propose that we should establish a campus that focuses on helping people live a healthier lifestyle and keeping them well, so that when patients do become sick, we have developed that relationship with the patient, and they choose IU Health as their partner.”

Dulberger often times sports his lab coat and makes his rounds to check in on the IU Health Saxony “partners”.

Evans listened, agreed, and discussions continued for about six months with others within IU Health. After Dulberger returned from a spring break vacation in 2006, the decision was made to move forward with the plan. Dulberger traded his lab coat for a hardhat and wound down his anesthesiology practice.

Being a doctor, Dulberger brought a unique perspective to the planning process. He believes that the future of health care will be based on two things: Patient quality outcomes and service experience. Dulberger, with a team of architects and designers, created a hospital centered around the healing forces of nature. Everything from the natural stone and walking paths outside to the 11-by-24 foot mural in the lobby entitled “Hope Around the Bend” creates an atmosphere that feels more like a resort than a hospital.

Upon entering the hospital, what’s most impressive is what you don’t see. Borrowing Disney theme park concepts, patient support and custodial services are all conducted “off stage”, out of view from patients or visitors in the hallways. Patient rooms feel like a deluxe suite at the Conrad, complete with oak cabinetry designed to hide all the hoses, gauges, and monitors that can intimidate anyone.

Dr. Philip Dulberger stands in front of a 24 foot wide mural entitled “Hope Around the Bend” which welcomes visitors and “guests” to IU Health Saxony. Indiana native Forrest Formsma was commissioned to paint this oil on canvas to signify hope for patients and families.

“My goal is to have people walk out of here and say ‘that didn’t feel like a hospital’.”

Dulberger will be the first to admit that form follows function throughout the design, but he adds that the most important element is the staff.

“Doctors are generally trained as individual care givers, not as teams. The only way to a successful facility is not through any one person, but through the team.”

To that end, Dulberger dons his lab coat and makes his rounds like any other doctor, checking in on his staff. Greeting each employee by name with a smile, Dulberger exemplifies the team spirit he feels is so important to patient care. As for the patients he checks in on, he refers to them internally as “guests,” citing “it gives us a different mindset and keeps us in touch with the experience.”

While the doors are now open on the hospital, construction continues. Dulberger still hopes that some day a future expansion will include a fitness facility-medical office building complex to fulfill the original vision of connecting health care and prevention. “Imagine treating a patient with borderline diabetes and high-blood pressure with a weight-loss program jointly developed by physicians and health trainers. Rather than the traditional prescription as a treatment, we would engage patients in a healthier lifestyle.” Dulberger plans to return to his anesthesia practice at least one day per week now that the hospital has opened to “keep you in touch” with his fellow team members.

Now that the stress of opening the facility has passed, Dulberger looks forward to spending more time with his Carmel High School sweetheart and wife, Carolyn, and his two children Lauren and Josh. Active members of the New Hope Presbyterian Church, Dulberger and his wife enjoy a glass of wine and their patio in the summer months at their Hamilton Proper home. You also might spot them at their favorite restaurant across I-69, Stone Creek Dining Company. This summer, they plan to take their family on a train trip out west to San Francisco to see the country as he did when he was a child.

“We did this trip when I was a kid and I’ve always wanted to do this with mine.”

The train trip out west and the experience Dulberger strives to deliver throughout the IU Health Saxony Hospital have a lot in common. While the destination can often times seem far away, the journey and outcomes can have a lasting impression.

Larry Crane - former lead guitarist for John Mellencamps band--poses with new shirts to kick off his guitar clinics across the state.

John Mellencamp’s long time lead guitartist, Larry Crane, is back home again and sharing his talents with fans in a series of guitar clinics. Crane, who has resided in Florida for the past few years, is back in Indiana and made his first guitar clinic appearance in Castleton at Sam Ash Music Center located at 8284 Center Run Drive. Close to 300 fans turned out to listen as Crane shared the ins and outs of Authority Song and Play guitar, two hits from Mellencamp’s 1983 album Uh-Huh.

His appearance at the music store was filmed for future commercial releases. Crane plans additional clinics focusing on popular hit songs such as Pink Houses, Paper and Fire, and Lonely Ol’ Night.

Crane played lead guitar for Mellencamp’s band from 1975 to 1991. The two natives of Seymour, Indiana also collaborated on the 1992 film Falling From Grace, which was their final project together.

Crane has also worked with Steve Earle, John Prine and John Fogerty.

The Hoosier artist released two of his own albums, Tropical Depression and Wire and Wood.

Crane’s Manager says fans will hear and see a lot more of Larry Crane in this New Year. We all look forward to this.

For more information, visit www.larrycrane.com.

Hoosier artist Pam Newell stands by her artwork now hanging in Fishers Town Hall art gallery.

The walls of Fishers Town Hall are now adorned with beautiful oil paintings and pastels as the public building, at One one Municipal drive will now include an art gallery setting to showcase the work of local artists.

Fans braved the first snow of the year to attend the public reception honoring the first artist to be showcased, Pam Newell.

The award-winning artist whose pastels and oil paintings capture many Indiana and regional scenes, was excited about the new opportunity

“This is just great,” says Pam. “This is like a giant refrigerator for me,” she adds with a laugh. “It’s just like when I was a kid and hung my art work all over the place,” she quickly adds with excitement showing.

Pam’s work will be showcased through February 10th. New exhibits will be unveiled on a regular basis, showcasing up to 60 works of visual art by each local artist or group.

The permanent art gallery is free and open to the public.

Art in Town Hall is a collaboration of the Fishers Arts Council and the town of Fishers. The artists must live, work or teach in Fishers.

The art gallery will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and on periodic Saturdays.

You can learn more about Pam Newell at www.pnewellart.com and for more information on the art gallery, visit www.fishersartscouncil.org.

Dr. Ana Vazquez, a pediatric dentist and founder of Fishers Pediatric Dentistry.

This place rocks! And that’s exactly what Dr. Ana Vazquez, a pediatric dentist and founder of Fishers Pediatric Dentistry wanted to accomplish when she set out to design a space where kids’ dentistry needs were addressed early on with a different approach to care.

Fishers Pediatric Dentistry is like walking into a tropical resort. Right from the very first visit when children step inside the reception area, they experience a playful atmosphere that eases them into a comfortable state of mind. Gaining a child’s trust is necessary when instilling the value and importance of regular checkups and establishing lifetime habits of brushing, flossing and healthy dietary choices. Establishing good dental habits early on is key in preventing costly dental bills in the future. Dr. Ana and her Management Team know the devastating financial issues that parents can face when dental decay becomes the driving issue of treatment. So what can a parent do when such a situation arises?

“Our Business Team is committed to helping every parent understand and maximize their insurance benefits. To help ensure that all questions are answered, we can even submit a pretreatment estimate before any work is performed. Our office utilizes Care Credit, which is a line of healthcare credit only used in medical and dental offices to help with any out-of-pocket costs. Our goal is to educate on the importance of prevention to reduce the need for extensive dental treatment that can create a financial burden,” Dr. Ana said.

What’s different with this pediatric dental practice?

It’s a spacious office (about to expand 2,700 square feet of additional space) that hosts unique areas of care starting with an open bay treatment area that is warm and inviting. Picture this: Kids can pick out their own colorful “stationary boat” to stretch out on while taking in the artistically painted walls that help create the feeling of paradise while receiving treatment.

For siblings or waiting guests, a special nearby area offers a game center to help occupy their energies and exploratory minds. Through the décor and staff’s attitudes, Fishers Pediatric Dentistry has created a fun and inviting place for children of all ages to enjoy. Individual suites were designed with a “surf shack” appeal catering to the young adult patient as well as private cabanas allowing for a quieter atmosphere. This pediatric dental office was designed to reflect Dr. Ana’s Puerto Rico homeland. The thoughtful planning works: Kids like it so much they ask to go back even before their next visit is scheduled.

Fishers Pediatric Dentistry takes pride in their continuous investment to exceed the standard of care in pediatric dentistry. Not only do they offer the latest technology including digital x-rays, they also utilize the most modern equipment to provide the highest level of safety for your child. Their priority is caring for your child as if they were one of their own. In the healthcare industry, Fishers Pediatric Dentistry is often compared to Nordstrom’s for quality service and customer care that goes above and beyond.

One doctor’s dream …

Bright murals, grass covered huts, and exam tables disguised as boats help children of all ages feel comfortable.

For as long as she can remember, Dr. Ana wanted to be a dentist; there was never another choice! Today, Dr. Ana is recognized as one of Indiana’s most respected authorities in pediatric dentistry with a list of personal and professional achievements that could fill a page or two, but her focus has always been on children and that’s why starting this practice is so special to her. “I come to work every day knowing that I will be surrounded by a distinguished team of professionals who share my love of working with children. Kids have an innate sense of such feelings. They know if you’re faking it. You can’t fool them. It has to be real. Our kids know how we feel and that’s where our strong bond of trust develops … this is the gift they give to all of us, and that is what makes Fishers Pediatric Dentistry incomparable,” she adds.

For more information go to www.fisherspediatric.com or call Courtney Anderson, Practice Ambassador at (317) 598-9898. Fishers Pediatric Dentistry is located at 9126 Technology Lane, Suite 100, Fishers, IN 46038 just off of 69 and 116th street behind the super Target store.

Founding partners Lanae M. Harden and Michele L. Jackson specialize in family law. adoption and surrogacy matters.

Lanae Harden and Michele Jackson have invested years in the practice of law. Their reputations as experienced lawyers are soundly respected locally, nationally and internationally. To have achieved such a status takes extensive knowledge of the court system and the huge body of laws that apply in their respective areas of representation. When you read stories on attorneys, you don’t often think of them as compassionate and empathetic, however, Lanae and Michele will change your mind.

“Families depend on us to provide a professional, yet personal level of service during a difficult and emotionally draining period in their lives. It is our role to support them with compassionate insight and sound legal advice based on our experience to deliver successful resolutions for their situation.” says Harden.

Jackson adds, “No two client circumstances are alike when it comes to the cases we handle. We know that we must deliver positive solutions for their life transitions. We employ an empathetic approach to our clients’ cases. This is the passion that drives our practice.”

Needless to say, the founding partners of Harden Jackson, LLC have more than earned their national and international reputations as two of Indiana’s top attorneys, as well as being influential advocates for families and those who can’t speak for themselves. You will find their deep footprints of accomplishments documented in a wide array of awards and publications.

To say they are active in the community would be an understatement. Together their legal interests are diverse, and yet, they mesh seamlessly in their very successful legal practice. The firm’s practice areas include: divorce, custody and other areas of family law (including collaborative law and mediation), adoption, reproductive law, and appeals.

About the Founding Partners

Lanae M. Harden chairs the firm’s Family Law Practice Group. She is known nationally as a skilled family law litigator with extensive trial experience who has successfully represented a diverse clientele from stay-at-home mothers to professional athletes. Harden’s professional career includes 9 years at one of Indianapolis’ larger law firms where she was the only attorney who practiced exclusively in the area of family law. Harden is a member of the Indianapolis Bar Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the Hamilton County Bar Association. She has also been selected a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine two years in a row (2010-2011), an honor that results from nominations by her peers.

Michele L. Jackson concentrates her law practice in Adoption and Surrogacy matters, serving as chair of the firm’s Adoption and Reproductive Law Practice Group. Ms. Jackson is regarded as one of the foremost legal authorities in Indiana on international adoptions and international family law issues. She is a member of the Indianapolis Bar Association and the American Bar Association. In 2010 and 2011, Michele was also named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine, an honor recognizing outstanding young attorneys under 40.

The obvious question would be to ask these two amazing and passionate women if they knew they would one day end in the in the practice of law? Harden laughs as she reflects on the question. “The answer is no. I was good at tennis and extremely competitive (she was a member of the University of Texas at Austin tennis team and a four-time Indiana State Tennis Champion), but I finally came to terms with the fact that tennis wasn’t in my professional future. I thought about studying medicine, but didn’t like blood. Law and my competitive nature seemed to be the right choice for me,” she added. The right choice indeed as Harden received her Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Indiana University School of Law, finishing in the top 5% of her class.

Jackson responded, “I always knew I would be involved in a career that somehow focused on children, especially those without parents. Doing the work I do today evolved from my love of kids.” Today, she represents clients interested in domestic or international adoption or those who are seeking alternative reproductive options for building their families (including gestational surrogacy). Jackson has indeed dedicated herself to the care and adoption of orphans worldwide, while assisting couples and individuals to realize their dreams of becoming parents. She is also the founder and director of MLJ Adoptions, a licensed child placing agency in Indiana, which is also Hague-approved.

This firm has recruited two other seasoned attorneys, Clarissa A. Finnell and Laura M. Taylor and is supported by a knowledgeable team of paralegals and administrative staff, who are integral to the firm’s mission to provide clients with responsive, personal attention.

If you have questions concerning family law, divorce, custody, mediation, appeals, adoption (domestic or international based), reproductive laws and surrogacy issues or collaborative law, this is the firm you need to be on your side.

The law practice of Harden Jackson,LLC is located in Carmel. For more information on this Super Team of nationally recognized attorneys, please call (317) 569-0770 or visit their interactive website www.hardenjacksonlaw.com for an in-depth explanation of areas of practice.

The America China Society of Indiana, established by Albert Chen (middle) of Carmel’s Telamon Inc., is a nonprofit that advocates cooperation between Indiana and Chinese companies. Pictured here are the ACSI board members (left to right) Denesa Woods, Carmen Hendrixson, Jenny Massey, Albert Chen, John Skelton, and Windi Hornsby.

Albert Chen is no stranger to building concrete Guanxi (Gwan-chee) in business and in life, and he believes education is the mortar that bonds relationships. Thus, he established the America China Society of Indiana, an organization created as a foundation to foster networking, cooperation, and trust between Indiana and Chinese businesses.

An important idea in Chinese culture, Guanxi is based on trust and is similar to doing business on a handshake in Western terms. Chen would like to take that handshake a bit further by teaching Asians and Americans about each other, their diverse cultures and how to work together to build trust, share knowledge and create opportunities on U.S. soil and abroad.

“My vision is to bring more Chinese companies to Indiana, promote economic development and help companies understand how to do business with the Chinese,” said Albert Chen, founder of ACSI and owner of Telamon Inc., a nearly $500 million Carmel-based telecommunications provider with more than 500 employees at 9 locations.

ACSI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that acts as an advocate and catalyst, promoting cooperation between Chinese and Indiana companies for business, trade and investment opportunities. The society was founded in 2010 and launched in January 2011 by Chen and a group of individuals committed to strengthening Asian/American ties.

“ACSI is the primary source of connectivity between Indiana and China for conducting effective business relationships,” said Jenny Massey, Vice President of ACSI and director of operations at Bingham Economic. “Economic development is the basis of job creation, which benefits the community.”

Albert Chen Family Mid 1980's (left to right) Stephanie Chen Fuhrmann, Albert Chen, Margaret Chen, and Stanley Chen.

As a young man, Chen, a native of Taiwan, arrived on the west coast armed with a degree in tax finance. Speaking little English, he enrolled in Portland State College and earned a master’s degree in mathematical statistics. After graduation, he went to work with GTE, eventually transferring to Indiana as a manager of the Midwest region. In 1984, during corporate downsizing, Chen was asked to layoff 200 employees.

“I did not feel comfortable firing those people,” recalled Chen. “After I let them go, I resigned.” No job, no plan and no direction, he knew he had to support his wife and two young children. Thus, his entrepreneurial fire sparked as he turned his knowledge of telephones gained through his previous employer into a thriving business based on the concept of harmony.

While American companies follow legal guidelines when engaging in business, harmony, trust, reciprocity, face, time, hierarchy, and long-term orientation have been identified as key Chinese cultural values. Chen hopes to encourage goodwill and assist companies in growing their businesses. “The Chinese still shake hands and make promises,” said Chen. “But in today’s society, companies need well-developed contracts so they don’t forget promises.”

“Developing Guanxi is probably the most important step in Chinese business and needs to be properly cultivated,” said Denesa Woods, who is responsible for ACSI’s business development.

Chen with Andy Ording, former President of ZIPP Speed Weaponry, spoke at a recent ACSI meeting about the cultural challenges and opportunities of working with Chinese companies.

The society invites guest speakers to share their experiences in the Chinese marketplace. Andy Ording, former President of ZIPP Speed Weaponry, manufacturers of elite bicycle wheels, and current CEO at Business Builder, Inc., explained the cultural challenges of working with Chinese business owners and the opportunities for success at a November meeting.

“In Asia, a tremendous amount of respect is given and expected,” said Ording. “When doing business with the Chinese do the right thing, make promises you will keep, understand the culture and the market, and be realistic.”

Chen is realistic about his vision for ACSI. Filled with ideas, always searching for ways to fill a gap with a solution, Chen started the Asian American Alliance in 1999. He and other community leaders saw a need to mobilize the growing Asian community, inspiring them to contribute their time, treasure, and talents to improving their communities.

“As a way to educate the younger generation, I worked with others to form a group that would teach them to give back to their communities,” said Chen.

Chen provided funding for the Asian Learning Center of Indiana. Its mission is to educate, connect and engage Hoosiers about the history, cultures, and emerging business opportunities of Asia through public, private, community and business partnership in Indiana.

“Since becoming an American citizen I feel I need to contribute to this country,” said Chen. “Some Chinese do not want to stay in the U.S. and become citizens. But those who do stay should have a basic loyalty and give back.”

That’s a philosophy Chen and his wife, Margaret, have instilled in their two adult children, Stephanie and Stanley, both of whom work at Telemon and are active in the community. And it’s a principle inherent in the ACSI as the organization strives to encourage positive business relationships with member services focused on business and economic development.

“Our goal is to attract 100 members the first year,” said Woods. “And have a total of 200 to 300 total members.”

According to Chen, who is supporting ACSI by providing office space and staff, the organization should be self-sufficient in two or three years. He is convinced strong Guanxi and effective business development will encourage Chinese investment in Indiana as well as promote small businesses to export to China.

“Indiana and the Midwest is a key center,” said Chen who hopes to bring Chinese investment to the state that spans from South Bend to Evansville.

As for Telemon, future building blocks include a ventures into health care and energy industries as he researches ways to fill needs in those areas. “If I have a customer who has a headache,” said Chen. “I’ll find a solution for him.” And ACSI is the solution to preventing headaches in American and Chinese business collaboration.

For more information or to join the America China Society of Indiana: Contact Denesa Woods (317) 818-6603 or (317) 997-8137, denesa.woods@ChinaIndiana.org or visit the website at www.ChinaIndiana.org.

2012 America China society of indiana Programs

• Feb 24 – China Strategy/Six Business Principles
• March/April – Indiana Delegation travels to China
• Jun 1 – Ignorance, Experience & Success in Business
• Aug 24 – The Art of War: Insights into Business
• Oct 19 – Giving, Saving,and Showing “Face” in Business

During the Reagan Administration, McIntosh served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General and as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs.

With the November elections just around the corner, I started thinking about who most of us would choose as their favorite president? In my journey on this subject, I found that a lot of people had trouble answering my question. That is, until I presented the question to David McIntosh, who is among the Republican candidates challenging Dan Burton, who has held the 5th District Congressional seat for the last 28 years. Who will actually be elected in the primary and placed on the November ballot is yet unknown.

So who is David McIntosh’s favorite president? George Washington. This surprised me as McIntosh worked for another president, Ronald Reagan. He explained his choice.

“America has had many wonderful presidents, but George Washington to me was most of all a very strong leader. He was a moral man who dedicated himself to doing the right thing for his country and the people he served in the most turbulent of times. I’m a history buff, but history tends to focus most on the battles Washington fought and indeed his honesty. But if you really get into the character of George Washington, you’ll find a humble man who helped shape the foundation of our country that still exists today.” He added, “Did you know Washington turned down the opportunity to hold the title of King, which was presented to him by Alexander Hamilton. Washington also initiated the actions that would limit a president to only serve two consecutive terms.” His eyes sparkled with admiration as he added, “George Washington is someone whose principles I’ve always admired.”

The McIntosh family (left to right) Ellie, David, Davey and Ruthie.

David McIntosh is no stranger to American history, as you will find his name listed as a former Indiana congressman (representing the former 2nd District), who served 6 years in Washington. He chose not to run again and returned to Indiana as a private citizen. His decision was based on a campaign promise of believing in term limits. He kept his word of serving for 3 terms even though he was a very popular and well-respected congressman who had the ability to find common ground that brought people together to form solutions for difficult government issues. He also earned a national reputation as the leader of the regulatory reform movement.

So what’s behind his decision to toss his hat into the political scene again?

“Fear. I was talking to my children one day about how I felt America was really in serious, serious trouble. Looking at them as a parent and someone who has served in Congress and understands the system and how it should work, I couldn’t tell them that things would all work out,” he said. “It was a difficult moment for me,” he stated. “It was at this point in the conversation that I realized I needed to step up to the plate and get involved if at all possible. When the boundaries for the 5th District were changed and our home zip code was included, the phone started to ring with people asking me to consider returning to politics. I knew I had the experience to present positive options that speak to what needs to be done. America has to be returned to a pro-growth country; we need to lower taxes and reduce regulations that keep small businesses from competing. We must address the issues of health care and repeal Obama care as there is no way to manage it successfully. Our national budget can be balanced, but not on the backs of the poor and the middle class, but in a sensible fiscal manner that makes economic sense for the welfare of the American people at all income levels. It’s all doable. There’s so much more that should be on the table,” he said with obvious concern in his voice.

As the conversation continued, I noticed other people nearby listening as he spoke. All ages, sitting in Starbucks reading the paper, working on their computers, enjoying an early morning cup of coffee. McIntosh had clearly captured their attention even though he had no idea that others were listening. His ideas were fresh and his words carried the energy and clarity that is so absent in today’s political world. This is not a man who grandstands for attention. It is a man who understands the common fears that most Americans carry with them today. McIntosh is clearly running toward his fears – not away from them. That’s what real leaders do.

In America, we have been given the right to cast our vote for individuals who we hope will act on our behalf. George Washington was one such elected official and, if given the chance to serve in Washington’s political shadow, David McIntosh would very much like to be the person chosen to represent the 5th Congressional District in Indiana.

If he is elected, another positive would be his ability to hit the ground with an accumulated 6 years of seniority already attached to his ranking. Seniority is important in Washington because it enables a representative to quickly get involved with important issues and, the committees that will shape these critical decisions.

This I will especially remember about meeting David McIntosh: For a short period of time, this man gave a group of strangers in Starbucks a gift … that of hope.

For detailed information on David McIntosh, his Indiana roots, education and political qualifications, please visit him at www.davidmcintosh.org.

This advertorial is paid for an authorized by David McIntosh for Indiana.

Dick Wolfsie

I recently spent an hour in another man’s underwear. Telling the story of how I took a complete stranger’s briefs may help me locate the original owner and wash away the guilt I am feeling. Let me put my readers and editors at ease. This is not an X rated column, although I did go through a period in my life when my own shorts were XX.

The story began as I arrived at the fitness center hoping to improve my standing on the racquetball ladder. My win-loss record is 12-56, just about as low as anybody can go, although as you are about to see, I found a way to sink even lower. In preparation for that day’s trip to the courts, I not only had packed all my athletic equipment, but I threw in an extra pair of socks and undershorts, so that once I finished losing, I could shower, sit in the hot tub and then leave refreshed.

After the match, I placed my change of clothes on a bench and stepped to a nearby mirror to comb my hair. I then returned to my locker and dressed. That’s when I noticed the man next to me frantically looking through his gym bag, then opening and slamming locker doors.

“You didn’t take my underwear, did you?” he asked.

The very idea I would put on his shorts! Who would stoop that low? True, I have not led a totally crime-free life. At the supermarket, I’ve pilfered an occasional pistachio from the display pile, double-sampled the quiche at Sam’s Club, and just once at a local fast food place, I refilled my water cup with a shot of Sierra Mist.

When I returned home I was caught unaware—I caught myself in someone else’s underwear. In my duffle bag, I found both the pair I played racquetball in and the extra pair I had packed. It wasn’t possible, was it? I was scared to look, but I undid my belt and took a peek. Sure enough, I was wearing Hanes, a cut above my usual Fruit of the Looms.

I didn’t know where to put myself. However, I did put the unfamiliar underwear immediately in the laundry. After all, at some point I would have to return them. But to whom? I didn’t know the guy’s name, just his waistband size. And I remembered the expression on his face when he realized what a frosty ride home he was about to embark on.

So, if you are the man whose underwear I accidentally took, you have a right to be upset. You probably think I was telling you a little white lie. I know I’d feel the same way if I were in your shoes. Wait, I better check those, too. The bottom line is that I didn’t know what I was getting into. You can see I am breaking my New Year’s resolution to cut back on horrible puns.

I assume at this point you do not want your shorts back. And so, I would like to buy you a 12-pack of Hanes just to say I’m sorry. This will put you 11 pairs ahead. Let’s you and I make a clean start in 2012.