Three in a row for West Side spelling champ
A Lafayette regional spelling bee win Saturday means a third trip to the Scripps National Bee for West Lafayette seventh-grader Sharanya Kar. Her goal: ‘I want to win.’ Plus, some new trash day rules
Support for Based in Lafayette comes from Purdue Convocations, presenting CHICAGO on April 3 in Elliott Hall of Music. In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious murderesses — vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart — become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy. Broadway’s longest-running musical has been razzle dazzling audiences for 27 years, and after more than 10,000 performances, 6 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards and a Grammy, we’re just getting started. BUY TICKETS to CHICAGO – April 3 in Elliott Hall of Music.
THREE IN A ROW FOR WEST SIDE SPELLING CHAMP
Sharanya Kar, a seventh-grader at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School, won her third consecutive Lafayette regional title Saturday, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Sharanya correctly spelled “gnocchi” in the 12th round, topping 30 other spellers in fourth- through eighth grades from schools in and around Tippecanoe County.
Ameer Aboelzahab, a Battle Ground Elementary fifth-grader, finished second after going five final rounds head-to-head with Sharanya on a First Christian Church stage in downtown Lafayette. Adam Heigl, a, Otterbein Elementary sixth-grader, finish third.
The win in the regional bee, hosted by LARA Educational Opportunities, qualified Sharanya for a third trip to Washington, D.C., for the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 27-29. Last year, she finished tied for 60th place in the national bee.
Here’s a conversation after her win Saturday morning, before she was off to the state robotics competition with a team from her school.
Question: How are you feeling after win No. 3?
Sharanya Kar: Really happy. Still a little shocked.
Question: It seemed as if you had things under control.
Sharanya Kar: Somewhat, yes.
Question: What, if anything, did you change from past years heading into today?
Sharanya Kar: I think I worked a little harder. I had more motivation this time.
Question: Going back to the national bee, do you feel more confident now, knowing what you’re up against? Or maybe more worried, knowing what you’re up against?
Sharanya Kar: I'm a little more confident every time I go back. So I'm feeling more confident now.
Question: Have you set goals for when you get there?
Sharanya Kar: I want to win.
Question: What do you think of your odds, knowing what you know about the competition there?
Sharanya Kar: Depending on the spellers, if there are 245 spellers like last year, I’d say one in 245.
Question: Do you have plans for your time there, off to the side of the bee?
Sharanya Kar: I’m still probably going to go explore Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., itself, is a very amazing place. I want to eat more.
Question: Wait, did you not eat last time?
Sharanya Kar: I did. But there’s a really good Ben & Jerry’s that I have not been able to go to, yet. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go back there and have their ice cream.
Question: Were there any words today that tripped you up or had you thinking twice?
Sharanya Kar: I was pretty confident. Of course, there’s second guessing, too. There was that, but otherwise I was pretty confident.
Question: What will your preparation be like between now and May?
Sharanya Kar: I’ll definitely study really, really hard, especially because I have more motivation to go higher up the ladder this time than I did last time.
Question: How much studying do you put in, say, in a week or in a day?
Sharanya Kar: In a day, I’d say at least one or two hours.
Question: Congratulations today and good luck in May.
Sharanya Kar: Thank you. I’m excited.
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SOME NEW TRASH DAY PROCEDURES START MONDAY IN LAFAYETTE
Lafayette’s new trash trucks – ones featuring automated side loading – will hit some neighborhoods starting Monday, March 10, city officials said. That will mean some adjustments in how to place trash and recycling toters at the curb, according to notes distributed in recent weeks in those neighborhoods. The city also was encouraging others with residential service from the city to use the new procedures, too, ahead of expanded range for the new trucks.
Here are the new guidelines, according to a city release Friday:
Wheels and handles of trash and recycle bins must face the house.
Place bins at least three feet apart. The automated arm needs three feet from all other obstructions – including cardboard, large items, vehicles, mailboxes – and 16 feet of clearance for overhead obstacles.
Trash must be contained in trash bags and bin lid must close.
Recyclables must be loose in the bin and the bin lid must close. Some recyclables, like shredded paper, can be contained in a clear plastic bag.
Do not hide prohibited materials like chemicals, paint or yard waste in trash bin.
Large items will still be collected weekly, but must be three feet away from bins in all directions.
Cardboard should not be packed into bins. Cardboard must be flattened and placed on the ground adjacent to the bins.
Trash and recycling toters should be at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day.
Recycling update
During Lafayette’s discussion of a rewritten city code about trash, questions came up about what it and what isn’t being recycled. Here’s a yes-and-no list about what the city’s sanitation department says:
Newspapers
Yes: All newsprint and whatever comes with your daily newspaper.
No: Wet newspapers.
Magazines/books/paper
Yes: All magazines, phone books, soft and hard-bound books, office paper and envelopes.
Corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging
Yes: Cardboard boxes and cardboard/paperboard packaging like cereal, pizza, cracker boxes, etc.
No: Greasy pizza inserts, used paper plates, paper towels, napkins or tissues.
Aluminum
Yes: Beverage and food cans. Rinse before recycling.
No: Aluminum siding and other large items.
Glass
Yes: Clear, brown and green glass, food and beverage containers. Rinse before recycling
No: Mirrors, ceramics, dishware, windows, baking dishes and light bulbs.
Plastics
Yes: Bottles, jugs and jars; containers like soda, juice, water bottles, milk jugs, dish detergent bottle, laundry detergent bottles. Rinse before recycling. Keep plastic lid on the bottle; remove lid and throw away if not plastic.
No: PVC pipe. Hazardous waste containers, including antifreeze, pesticides and herbicides. Number 3, 4, 5, 6/Styrofoam containers and materials. Plastic bags, like shopping bags, plastic cereal bags, bread bags, Ziplock bags, etc. Disposable coffee cups.
Tin and steel products
Yes: Soup, coffee and fruit/vegetable cans. Rinse before recycling.
No: Paint cans, oil cans and solvent cans. Hazardous waste containers, including oil, antifreeze, pesticides, etc.
For more
‘Unique trash items’ in Lafayette: For more on hauling or recycling other items, including appliances, brush, old paint, oil, tires and more, check the city’s site on “Unique Trash Items.”
For trash and recycling information in the county, check here with the Tippecanoe County Solid Waste Management District.
And in West Lafayette, here are links to guidelines about trash pickup and curbside recycling.
AND FINALLY … STICKING WITH IT: A CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: Last week, in an edition led by the recent election of leaders for the Tippecanoe County Republican and Democratic parties, I had a secondary/drophead that left some readers wondering where I get off. In this story – “Freshly elected, county GOP, Democratic party chairs look ahead” – the original secondary headline read: “County Republicans stuck with Tracy Brown as chair, and Democrats selected Ken Jones. What was their pitch to their parties?” Given the number of people who stopped in their tracks when reading it as the local GOP is stuck with party chair Tracy Brown, rather than what I intended – that they stuck with Tracy Brown by re-electing him to the post – I’ve adjusted that. It’s one I’d do over next time. It now reads, for online posterity: “County Republicans stick with Tracy Brown as chair, and Democrats select Ken Jones.” Either way, in case you missed it, here’s a replay of what they had to say about how they’re dealing with recruiting candidates and their plans heading toward the 2026 midterm elections:
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"Subscribers Who Read Dave Bangert's Article Stuck with Him"
Super! How can i help KEN JONES