The Hamilton County Council approved the county’s 2027 budget Monday, Oct. 19, completing its local adoption process after earlier hearings focused on staffing two new courts and preparing for new public safety facilities.

Council members approved the county’s budget appropriations and tax-rate ordinances during the special meeting. No opposition was recorded in the transcript during those votes. A later debate over commissioners’ compensation involved the county’s separate salary ordinance.

Indiana’s public budget notice lists Hamilton County’s proposed 2027 budget at approximately $350.3 million, with a proposed property-tax levy of $110.3 million. Those are advertised proposal figures; a final adopted spending total was not established in the records reviewed for this story.

Much of the earlier budget discussion centered on services and buildings expected to begin operating next year.

Hamilton Superior Courts 8 and 9 are scheduled to open in January 2027. During budget hearings, departments requested 17 additional positions across the courts, Clerk’s Office, Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office to support the expanded court system, according to the county’s September budget summary.

The county also is preparing to open its $85 million Public Safety Communications Center in 2027. The three-story, 108,000-square-foot facility will house emergency dispatch and operations. A separate Public Safety Training Center also is expected to become available next year, and at least seven additional Buildings and Grounds employees were requested to help maintain new facilities.

Monday’s most extended discussion concerned commissioners’ pay. Council members debated a proposed amendment to the salary ordinance and whether compensation should be linked to a separate health-insurance issue. After that discussion, the council adopted the salary ordinance, with opposition recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not clearly establish the final disposition of the pay amendment.

The council also approved separate 2027 budget measures for the Hamilton County Airport Authority and Solid Waste Management District.

The county budget next goes to the state for review and approval. The 2027 budget year begins Jan. 1.

Fishers voters can cast early ballots close to home starting Wednesday, when two city park buildings open as early voting sites for the Nov. 3 general election.

The Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building and the Billericay Park Building will each host early voting over the next two weeks. The two Hamilton County sites in Noblesville, which opened Oct. 6, will remain open through Monday, Nov. 2.

Both Fishers locations keep the same schedule:

Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building, 1 Park Drive
Billericay Park Building, 12690 Promise Road

• Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 21-22, 2 to 7 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 28-29, 2 to 7 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Fishers sites are not open Monday or Tuesday. Voters who want to vote early on those days, or during weekday morning hours, can go to either Noblesville location.

Hamilton County Judicial Center, One Hamilton County Square, Noblesville

• Monday through Friday, Oct. 19-23, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday through Friday, Oct. 26-30, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m. to noon

Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville

• Monday through Saturday, Oct. 19-24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday through Saturday, Oct. 26-31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m. to noon

The final chance to vote early is Monday, Nov. 2, at the Noblesville sites only, from 8 a.m. to noon. The Fishers sites close for good after Saturday, Oct. 31.

Registered Hamilton County voters may vote early at any of the four locations. Indiana law requires voters to show a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID card.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, when polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Construction is underway on The Crossing Lofts at Fishers District, a 273-unit luxury apartment community that will sit next to the Fishers Event Center, developer Thompson Thrift announced Monday.

The four-story building will include about 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and attached structured parking. The first residents are expected to move in in January 2028.

The project is part of The Crossing at Fishers District, the southern section of Thompson Thrift’s larger Fishers District development near Interstate 69 and 116th Street. That section is anchored by the 7,500-seat Fishers Event Center.

“The Crossing Lofts represents another important step in bringing our long-term vision for Fishers District to life,” said Josh Purvis, managing partner of Thompson Thrift Residential. “Over the past decade, Fishers District has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use destination, and this community will build on that momentum by bringing residents closer to everything the district has to offer.”

The development will offer studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments of up to 1,440 square feet. Units will include quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, full-size washers and dryers and smart-home technology. Some units will have a den, private yards and other upgrades.

Amenities will include a heated pool, a 24-hour fitness center, courtyards with grilling areas, a pet spa, a coffee bar, work spaces and a temperature-controlled delivery station that keeps restaurant and grocery orders fresh until residents pick them up.

Residents will be within walking distance of other Fishers District destinations, including The Union, The Yard and Slate at Fishers District.

Ryan Menard, Thompson Thrift’s vice president of commercial development, said the ground-floor space will add to the mix of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues in the area.

“What makes Fishers District special is the way each new development builds on what is already here,” Menard said. “The Crossing Lofts will bring more residents into the heart of the district while creating new opportunities for commercial users.”

When finished, The Crossing at Fishers District is planned to include more than 75,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, a 125-room hotel and nearly 500 apartment units.

Thompson Thrift began work on Fishers District in 2015. The full 123-acre development, valued at about $750 million, will include five separate areas with apartments, townhomes, hotels, offices, dining, shopping and entertainment, all linked by pedestrian paths.

Fishers and Hamilton County voters face a consequential question on the Nov. 3 ballot: When should the government be allowed to keep someone in jail before proving that person guilty?

Public Question 1 would expand Indiana judges’ authority to deny bail. Supporters say it would close a dangerous gap in the law, allowing courts to detain defendants whose release conditions cannot adequately protect others. Opponents say the amendment reaches too broadly and could leave people accused of relatively minor offenses behind bars while their cases proceed.

The disagreement involves public safety, individual liberty and how reliably courts can predict future conduct. It also raises a practical question: Would the change produce carefully targeted detention, or a wider system of incarceration before conviction?

The amendment would apply statewide, including in Hamilton County. It requires approval from a majority of voters voting on the question.

Continue reading Indiana’s bail amendment: More protection from dangerous defendants, or too much power to jail before trial? →

The Fishers Redevelopment Commission has approved a workforce training grant for INCOG BioPharma Services, a Fishers-based company that manufactures drugs for pharmaceutical firms.

The agreement allows the commission to reimburse INCOG up to $1,500 per employee for approved training, with a maximum of $50,000 in total. The grant runs through Dec. 31, 2030.

Commission members discussed at the October meeting whether the same item had already been approved in June. Commission attorney Jennifer Messer recommended approving it again because the proper signatures may not have been recorded at the June meeting.

Messer said the training is aimed at military veterans.

The training will be offered through BioTrain, a program run by Heartland BioWorks. Heartland BioWorks is a regional biomanufacturing tech hub powered by the Applied Research Institute.

According to the resolution, the goal is to upskill INCOG’s workforce, creating additional talent pools and higher wages in Fishers.

The money can cover classes, seminars, certifications and conferences. It cannot be used for OSHA or other federally mandated safety training, human resources training or new-employee onboarding.

INCOG will be reimbursed after submitting invoices that describe each training program, list participating employees and show the amount sought for each. The commission is to pay within 30 days of receiving a request.

The resolution describes INCOG as a city ambassador within the life sciences community, crediting the company with helping Fishers land substantial investment and jobs in the city’s Life Sciences Park.

INCOG is a contract development and manufacturing organization, or CDMO, meaning pharmaceutical companies outsource drug production to the firm.

Brad Johnson serves as commission president, and Tony Bonacuse is secretary.

Hamilton County residents will have a chance to safely get rid of expired or unused medications Saturday, Oct. 24, during a drug take-back event in Noblesville.

The Hamilton County Council on Alcohol & Other Drugs (HCCOAOD) is hosting the event in observance of National Drug Take Back Day. Drop-off runs from 9 a.m. to noon in the far east parking lot of Riverview Health, directly across State Road 32 from Federal Hill Commons.

Residents may bring expired or unused medications as well as vape devices. Liquids, sharps and needles will not be accepted.

HCCOAOD Executive Director Monica Greer said the effort targets a common source of prescription drug misuse: the family medicine cabinet.

“Most people who misuse prescription drugs get them from family, friends, and acquaintances,” Greer said. “We know prevention starts at home. The simple step of clearing out medications that are no longer needed makes our homes safer, prevents prescription drug misuse, and can help save lives.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 69,973 people died of drug overdoses in the United States last year, a decrease of almost 14% from 2024.

National Drug Take Back Day began in 2010. Since then, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and its law enforcement partners have removed more than 10,500 tons of medication from circulation, according to the HCCOAOD. The national effort now includes close to 5,000 collection sites.

Greer said unused medicine left in the home can lead to addiction.

“The only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist,” she said. “Old and unwanted medicine too often becomes a gateway to addiction. Events like these are a critical effort to curb the historic surge in U.S. overdoses.”

Residents who cannot attend Saturday’s event can dispose of unneeded medications year-round at local pharmacies, hospitals and police departments.

Hamilton Southeastern voters will reshape their school board Nov. 3, and every candidate in a contested race sat down with me for a podcast conversation. Links to all of them, plus my podcast on the HSE operating referendum, are below.

Four of the seven board seats are on the ballot. None of the four incumbents holding those seats, Tiffany Pascoe, Juanita Albright, Dawn Lang and Ben Orr, is running again. That means at least four new members, a board majority, will take office in January 2027.

Seats are elected by district, not at-large. You will see only the race for the district where you live.

This is also the first HSE board election under a new Indiana law that lets school board candidates list a political party on the ballot. Candidates may also run with no party designation, and there is no primary.

The District 4 race is settled. Stephanie Braden is running unopposed

The referendum

Every HSE voter, regardless of district, will also decide on a new operating referendum. It would replace the one voters approved in 2023 with about 70% support.

The 2025 state property tax overhaul, Senate Enrolled Act 1, changed how taxes are calculated. As a result, the current rate of 19.95 cents per $100 of assessed value brings in far less than planned. The district estimates it will collect about $45 million less over the final six years of the current referendum.

The new referendum would run eight years. Its maximum rate would be 36 cents per $100 of assessed value, capped at $47.5 million a year. The ballot language says the money would pay salaries and benefits for about 275 staff members. It would also cover behavioral health therapists in school buildings, school resource officers and other school safety costs.

State law sets a formula for the ballot question. Under that formula, the question says a median $400,000 home would pay $700 more a year at the maximum rate. Superintendent Matt Kegley has said the district does not plan to levy the maximum. He estimates the median homeowner would pay about $3 more per month in 2027.

HSE is one of five Hamilton County districts with an operating referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot. The district offers a tax calculator at hseschools.org.

How to vote

Early in-person voting is underway at the Hamilton County Judicial Center in Noblesville and at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. Additional sites, including Fishers, open Oct. 21. Election Day polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check the Hamilton County Election Office website for locations and hours.

There are a number of ways to check your sample ballot and know which district in which you reside and which candidates for school board will be on your ballot.  I suggest using vote.org.

Listen to the candidates, then make your voice heard.  Links to the podcasts are below:

Continue reading Hear from the HSE School Board candidates before you vote →

I normally do not write about the Indianapolis Colts. But after watching their game Sunday, October 18, against the Tennessee Titans, I feel I must.

I have been a Colts fan ever since they moved here in 1984. But my concern goes beyond football. It is about what this team means to Central Indiana, and what the people of this area have invested in it.

The Colts lost 26-20 to a previously winless Tennessee team, dropping Indianapolis to 2-4. A blocked punt returned for a touchdown and a late kickoff return that helped set up Tennessee’s go-ahead field goal were costly failures in a game the Colts had opportunities to win.

I have broadcast sports and written about sports for years, although I have never covered the NFL. I do not pretend to know whether the Colts’ problems begin with the players, the coaching, the front office or some combination of those things.

But you do not have to be an NFL expert to find that performance troubling.

And you do not have to buy a ticket to have a financial stake in this franchise.

Continue reading Opinion: Taxpayers have a stake in the Colts, too →

Fishers residents with tender plants still outdoors may want to cover them tonight.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a frost advisory for much of central Indiana, including Hamilton County, from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday. Forecasters say temperatures could dip as low as 35 degrees, cold enough for frost to form on grass, rooftops, car windshields and exposed vegetation.

The advisory also covers portions of east central, north central, south central, southeast, southwest and west central Indiana.

According to the weather service, frost could damage sensitive outdoor vegetation, and plants left uncovered may be killed.

Tonight is expected to be clear with a low around 36 and a light southeast wind. Clear skies and light winds are the classic recipe for frost because heat escapes quickly from the ground overnight, allowing frost to form even when the official air temperature stays a few degrees above freezing.

Protecting your plants

Gardeners can take a few simple steps before heading to bed Sunday night:

• Bring potted plants, hanging baskets and herbs indoors or into a garage.
• Cover in-ground plants with old sheets, blankets or burlap, letting the fabric reach the ground to trap warmth. Avoid letting plastic touch the leaves directly.
• Harvest any remaining tomatoes, peppers, basil and other cold-sensitive produce.
• Remove coverings Monday morning once temperatures rise.

Hardy fall favorites such as mums, pansies, kale and ornamental cabbage typically handle a light frost without trouble.

Monday morning commute

Drivers should allow a few extra minutes Monday to scrape frosty windshields. P

Warm, dry week ahead

The chill will not last long. Monday is forecast to be sunny with a high near 68 and calm winds, and temperatures will climb into the low 70s by midweek.

The forecast calls for sunshine every day through Saturday:

• Monday: Patchy frost early, then sunny, high near 68. Low around 38.
• Tuesday: Sunny, high near 70. Low around 42.
• Wednesday: Sunny, high near 71. Low around 43.
• Thursday: Sunny, high near 71. Low around 46.
• Friday: Sunny, high near 69. Low around 44.
• Saturday: Sunny, high near 69.

The stretch of dry, mild weather should be good news for fall yard work and weekend outdoor events across Fishers.

Frost advisories are a regular part of the season in central Indiana as fall settles in. Once a hard, widespread freeze ends the growing season, the weather service typically stops issuing frost advisories for the area until spring.

There are two weeks each year when Fishers seems to ease off the accelerator: fall break and spring break.

Traffic feels a little lighter. Getting a table at a local restaurant can be a little easier. In a community where school schedules shape so much of daily life, the change is noticeable.

Now it is fall break’s turn.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools students are off Oct. 19–23, with classes resuming Monday, Oct. 26, according to the district’s calendar.

HSE serves families across Delaware, Fall Creek and Wayne townships, so a week away from the classroom has a reach well beyond the school buildings.

At the Oct. 14 school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley reminded the community that the break began after classes ended Friday, Oct. 16. Even when suitcases are packed and vacation plans are calling, there is still that final school day to finish.

For some families, the break means heading to Florida or another vacation destination. Others will visit friends and relatives, while plenty will enjoy the time off close to home.

Of course, a school break does not necessarily mean a break from work for parents. A week without classes can require some juggling, with grandparents, relatives and other caregivers helping fill the gap.

I know a little about that. Our grandson, a kindergartener at an HSE school, will be spending some time at our home during the week. Our household may be a bit busier even if the roads are a bit quieter.

For those staying here, fall break offers a chance to enjoy an autumn walk, visit a local park or simply spend some time together without the usual school-day rush. A vacation does not have to involve an airport or a long drive.

As for LarryInFishers.com, I will still be here on the Internet, keeping an eye on the news. The local meeting calendar sometimes seems to catch its breath along with everyone else at fall break, but news does not always follow the school schedule.

Whether you are traveling, welcoming family or staying close to home, enjoy fall break.