I was not in attendance at the Indy Ignite home opener last weekend, but, by all accounts, the crowd was loud, boisterous and sold out.  At the second game Thursday night, the crowd was not sold out, maybe a little over half full, but the fans there were once again plenty loud and boisterous.

They witnessed an Ignite squad that is playing very good volleyball.  Saturday night, again by the consistent account of others, Ignite had a very tough initial set, then settled down and won all remaining sets to take the match.

Thursday, Ignite took all 3 sets to take a second win in the young history of this franchise.

The last time I attended a women’s volleyball game in person was when my daughter Allison played, which would have been more than 15 years ago.  What impresses me the most about the women of Ignite is the clear devotion to the game and the amazing athletic ability illustrated in the quality of their play.

Look, I am no expert on women’s volleyball but I can see talent and the result of hard work, and that is what I witnessed Thursday night.

On a side note, I understand Caitlan Clark was at the game Thursday.  She was a good distance from me, I only know this because Ignite posted a social media photo of her.

I recorded a podcast interview with Mary Kay Huse, President and General Manager of the Indy Ignite.  You will learn a great deal by listening at this link.

The City of Fishers is  inviting residents to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with a day of giving and community service during its annual MLK Day celebration on Monday, January 20. The event includes a city-wide food drive, volunteer opportunities, and activities to inspire hope and kindness.

To combat the increased demand on local food pantries after the holiday season, the City of Fishers has partnered with the Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County and Memory Ventures for a food drive. Donations will be collected at all three Fishers Kroger stores from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on January 20.

For those unable to attend in person, online donations can be made through the city’s Amazon and Walmart wish lists. A complete list of needed items is available at FishersIN.gov/MLKDay.

Donation bins will also be available at various locations through Friday, January 17, including:

• Hamilton East Public Library Fishers Branch (5 Municipal Drive)
• Fishers YMCA (9012 126th Street)
• Fishers City Hall (1 Municipal Drive)
• Fishers Art Center (1 Municipal Drive)
• Fishers Parks HQ (8100 E. 106th Street, Suite 150)

Residents can further honor Dr. King’s vision by volunteering to support the food drive and other service projects. Opportunities are open for individuals and groups, and registration is available at VolunteerFishers.com.

To celebrate Dr. King’s message of hope, Fishers Parks invites residents to create “I have a dream” yard signs at Fishers Parks HQ (8100 E. 106th Street, Suite 150) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through January 17. Supplies are provided free of charge, though participants are encouraged to bring a donation for the food drive.

For more information on the event and volunteer opportunities, visit FishersIN.gov/MLKDay.

Wednesday night, both the Indy Fuel and Maine Mariners were clearly in need of a win.  It was a hard fought contest that went to overtime tied 3-3 when Jacob Hudson of the Mariners notched the winning goal on the OT period.

The game started with 2 Fuel goals from Nathan Burke and another by Kevin Lombardi in Period 1, and it appeared the Fuel had control of the ice.  Then, 2 Maine goals within seconds of each other, from Carter Johnson and Xander Lamppa, brought the score to a 3-2 Fuel advantage at the end of Period 1.

In the second period, Maine tied the score 3-3 with a Brooklyn Kalmikov goal.

There was no scoring in Period 3, leading to the 3-on-3 overtime period where the Mariners notched the winning goal from Jacob Hudson, with a final score of 4-3.

Wednesday night’s game was only the second time these 2 clubs have faced each other.

The Fuel are back at the Fishers Event Center Friday, facing the Kalamazoo Wings.

The Fishers City Council voted unanimously on a number of important items at Monday night’s monthly meeting.

First, the noise ordinance that has created such a stir in several public meetings was given final approval.  It lowers the decibel level from 90 to 80 in order to create an ordinance violation.  The issue of loud music from some local venues is being studied by the Planning & Zoning staff.

Second, final approval was provided for Balmoral Village, a new residential community where the Balmoral golf course was once located just off Allisonville Road.

Third, the council voted final approval for the annexation of an area southeast of the city, near Hancock County, close to the towns of Fortville and McCordsville.  There are still some legal steps before this is final, including a remonstrance period.  Once finalized, this will add a few thousand additional residents to the City of Fishers.

Fourth, members of the Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety, other than the mayor, will be paid for their service for the first time.  Surrounding communities already pay members of such boards.  The compensation will be no more than $4,000 a year.  The board consists of the mayor and his two appointees.

Finally, Council members approved the appointments to boards & commissions as recommended by the Rules Committee for 2025.  They are:

Continue reading Fishers City Council takes several key actions →

Mary Kay HuseThe Indy Ignite, a professional women’s volleyball team calling the Fishers Event Center home, sold-out for the home opening match.  After a slow start, the ignite rallied to win the home opener.

The President and General Manager of Indy Ignite, Mary Kay Huse, talked with Larry about the newest addition to the Indy are professional sports scene.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.

Skyler Braun has been publishing his Fishers Digest e-mail newsletter for more than a year and a half.  I invited Skyler to join me in a podcast discussion about his newsletter and what is happening around Fishers.  You can sign-up for his newsletter at this link.

Skyler also talks about his new Money Snacks feature in his newsletter.  Listen to the podcast at the link below.

The roundabout at 96th Street and Allisonville Road has been open to traffic for several months now, and has been the subject of much online chatter and news stories in the Indianapolis news media.  City Engineering Director Hatem Mekky told the Fishers City Council Monday night that the ongoing construction of the I-69 and I-465 Interstate Highway interchange is drawing more traffic than normal to that roundabout, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.  Preliminary numbers show a 20% increase in traffic volume tied to this intersection due to the Clear Path construction at I-465 & I-69.

Mekky told city councilors there is more work to be done following a review of video and other data on what is happening at the roundabout.  Light poles are being installed to help the visibility at night, pavement markings have been moved for better clarity on which lanes to use and new overhead signage is coming so drivers know which lane to use before entering the roundabout.

When accidents happen at the 96th & Allisonville roundabout, Mekky says most are due to one of two reasons – failure to yield and illegal lane change in the roundabout.  When the intersection was converted to a Michigan Left some years ago, drivers made a point of avoiding the intersection altogether, Mekky says, and those drivers are now back at the location traversing the roundabout.

Two roundabouts are due for construction this summer – 116th Street and Allsonville Road, as well as Howe Road and 131st Street.

The City of Fishers conducted a housing study in 2022.  As part of the recommendations from that study, a rental registration program was proposed along with a cap on the number of single family home rentals per subdivision.

Since that study was released, Fishers has been working on the technology to setup a rental registration system.  The city is now poised to begin such a system and impose a 10% cap on the number of single family rental homes in a given neighborhood.  Current rental homes would be grandfathered-in as “legacy” and subdivision Homeowners Associations (HOAs) would be free to impose a lower percentage of rental homes in that subdivision.  The 10% proposed city ordinance would apply of the HOA has a higher percentage number.

Jordin Alexander, Chief of Staff to Mayor Scott Fadness, reviewed data with the Council, saying there are 2,522 single-family rental homes in Fishers now, which encompasses 8% of all single-family homes in Fishers and 30% of all rental units in the city.

Under the proposed ordinance, there would be registration and permitting requirements for property owners to convert a single-family home to a rental.

Alexander and Mayor Fadness outlined the proposal as a first step in a Council work session, asking for suggestions from Council members.  A proposed ordinance is expected to be presented to the Council for first reading in February or March.  It will take 1-3 months for ordinance approval.  Enforcement and registration would begin after a 10-12 month “introduction period” for the new law.

The Monday work session is the first step, now the mayor’s office and Councilors will begin work on drafting language for the new ordinance.

After 35 years of public service, Ralph Watson, Executive Director of Hamilton County Community Corrections, is set to retire on January 17, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and innovation in the field of community-based corrections.

Watson has served as the only executive director of the agency since its founding in 1990. During his tenure, he has guided the organization to become a model for excellence, focusing on rehabilitative programs for offenders while maintaining public safety.

Reflecting on his decision to retire, Watson said, “It’s a good time for me to step back. The county has a lot of new possibilities ahead of it, and I’m confident that the agency will continue to thrive.”

Watson’s career in public service began in 1984 as a juvenile probation officer with the Hamilton County probation department. Over the years, he has witnessed and contributed to the county’s forward-thinking approach to community corrections. “Hamilton County has always been proactive in looking toward the future and wanting to try new things. It’s been a great place to grow and make a difference,” he remarked.

Taking over the reins will be Kevin Mulroony, the agency’s current Director of Administration. Mulroony has been with Hamilton County Community Corrections since 2014 and has worked closely alongside Watson, gaining invaluable experience and insight. A Ball State University graduate with a degree in criminal justice, Mulroony previously served in leadership roles within the Indiana Department of Corrections, including as Deputy Warden at the Miami County Correctional Facility.

“The Hamilton County Community Corrections Department is at the forefront of changing lives and improving public safety, and I look forward to building on Ralph’s legacy,” Mulroony said. “This agency wouldn’t be where it is today without Ralph’s leadership, and my goal is to continue expanding our services to meet the growing needs of the county.”

The Indy Fuel concluded a grueling week with a Sunday afternoon road matchup against the Iowa Heartlanders, falling 2-1 after a tightly contested game marked by a dramatic third period and a valiant late effort.

First Period:
The opening frame started sluggishly, with both teams managing just three shots apiece through the early minutes. The deadlock broke at 10:51 when Iowa’s Ryan Miotto capitalized off a faceoff, giving the Heartlanders a 1-0 lead.

The Fuel had a chance to respond shortly after when Iowa’s Dakota Raabe was called for cross-checking, but Iowa’s penalty kill stifled the opportunity. Late-period penalties were a recurring theme, as Indy’s Colin Bilek served consecutive minors, but the Fuel’s penalty kill unit held firm. A too-many-men penalty against Indy at 19:33 carried over into the second period, with shots tied at 9-9.

Second Period:
The intensity ramped up in the middle frame, highlighted by a spirited fight between Chris Cameron of the Fuel and Nico Blachman of the Heartlanders.

Midway through the period, Iowa struck again—this time shorthanded. Yuki Miura capitalized on a Fuel turnover during a penalty kill, doubling the Heartlanders’ lead to 2-0. Indy found life at 14:42 when Kevin Lombardi broke the shutout with a snapshot set up by Cam Hausinger and Kyle Maksimovich.

Despite outshooting Iowa 18-15 through two periods, the Fuel faced a tough challenge heading into the final frame.

Third Period:
The final 20 minutes showcased the Heartlanders’ resilience and the Fuel’s determination. Early in the period, Indy found themselves on the penalty kill again after a Ty Farmer slashing call. Goaltender Ben Gaudreau delivered a strong performance to keep his team within reach, turning aside numerous quality chances from Iowa.

The tension peaked at 15:51 when Blachman received a game misconduct for inciting, leaving the Fuel shorthanded once more. Iowa’s Will Calverley then took a late roughing penalty, granting Indy a power play and a final chance to tie the game.

With Gaudreau pulled for an extra attacker, the Fuel applied heavy pressure in the closing minutes. Despite their efforts, the Heartlanders held on for a narrow 2-1 victory, fueled by strong defense and timely goaltending.

Key Takeaways:

• Star of the Game: Yuki Miura’s shorthanded goal proved to be the game-winner in a tightly contested affair.
• Standout Performance: Ben Gaudreau’s steady presence in net gave Indy a chance to mount a comeback, stopping 23 of 25 shots.
• What’s Next: The Fuel will regroup and look to bounce back as they return to the Fishers Event Center for a midweek clash against the Toledo Walleye.