The Fishers Freight may have lost a tough, close game to the Green Bay Blizzard last Saturday, but coaches around the Indoor Football League still rank the Freight as the league’s No. 3 team in the Week 8 coaches poll. The Freight now stand at 5-2 on the season, while Green Bay leads the Eastern Conference at 6-1. Jacksonville Sharks are also in the conference race with a 4-1 record.

There were also a couple of notable incidents around the league last weekend.

The Sunday night game — featured nationally as the IFL’s Yahoo Sports Game of the Week – Arizona and Las Vegas — included an on-field confrontation between the two head coaches that escalated into a brief brawl. The altercation also included some comments picked up by television microphones that likely were not intended for a national audience. One coach was eventually ejected from the game.

Meanwhile, during Saturday night’s Freight-Blizzard matchup in Fishers, a sideline reporter appeared to have a tense discussion with the head official after spending time on the field during plays. On-field reporter access is permitted under league rules, but following that exchange, the reporter did not return to the field for the remainder of the game.

In this week’s “Coach’s Corner,” Freight play-by-play voice Andrew Smith talks with Head Coach Dixie Wooten about last Saturday’s hard-fought home loss to Green Bay and previews this Saturday’s road game against the Orlando Predators.

Watch “Coach’s Corner” at the link below.

Hamilton County Sheriff  234 of 234 precincts

Republican

Dustin Dixon                                    16,603       62.74%

John Lowes                                      9,861      37.26%

State Senate District 31

Republican

Juanita Albright                  3,516

Tiffanie Ditlevson               2,332

Travis Hankins                      1,781

Jan Kepley Keefer               1,699

Democrat

Andrew J. Dezelan                          1,141

Kerry J Forestal                               4,153

Lasima O. Packett                          1,805

Catherine Torzewski                    3,909

State Representative  District 37

Democrat

Lauren S. Cole                      2,167        55.22%

Joel Levi                                1,757         44.78%

I voted early Tuesday morning at my local polling place, where turnout appeared light. There was no line when I arrived, and just one voter was casting a ballot.

Credit goes to the poll workers staffing these locations. The pay is modest, and Election Day makes for a long shift. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., but workers arrive well before opening and remain after closing. Anyone in line at 6 p.m. is allowed to vote, meaning workers often stay well into the evening.

I will be monitoring results as votes are counted. After polls close, check back here for updates focused on the races with the most impact on Fishers.

The only countywide race of note is the Republican primary for Hamilton County sheriff, featuring Dustin Dixon and John Lowes. With no Democrat filed for the general election, the primary winner is likely to become the county’s next sheriff. Incumbent Dennis Quakenbush is term-limited.

Another closely watched contest is the race to replace retiring State Sen. Kyle Walker in Indiana Senate District 31, which includes Fishers and part of Lawrence Township in Marion County. Candidates from both parties are seeking the seat.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston faces no primary opposition, but two Democrats — Joel Levi and Lauren Cole — are competing for the chance to challenge him in November.

In the Fifth Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz is opposed in the Republican primary by Scott King. On the Democratic side, seven candidates are vying for the nomination to face Spartz in the general election.

If you are registered, make your voice heard and vote.

Election results will be posted here after the polls close at 6 p.m.

Teachers in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools district are receiving Reduction in Force (RIF) notices as the district adjusts staffing levels in response to declining enrollment and financial pressures tied to Indiana’s school funding formula.

In a message sent to parents, Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley confirmed that 18 teaching positions have been identified for contract cancellation through the RIF process. Those positions are concentrated at the K–6 level, where the district has seen a sustained drop in student enrollment, beginning with kindergarten.

Kegley said the district has been reviewing staffing and operational costs for much of the second semester, working to identify savings. Additional details on those reductions are expected to be presented at the May 13 school board meeting.

While 18 teachers are directly impacted by RIF notices, the broader staffing adjustments are more extensive. According to the superintendent, nearly 60 positions districtwide—about 4% of HSE’s teaching staff—are being adjusted when factoring in operational efficiencies and non-classroom roles.

“This aligns with the district’s enrollment decrease over the last three years, with further declines anticipated for the 2026–27 school year,” Kegley said in his message.

In a recent podcast interview with LarryInFishers, Kegley declined to specify the number of RIF notices at the time, but expressed optimism that many affected teachers could ultimately remain employed through retirements and resignations, a common occurrence in a district the size of HSE. The superintendent reiterated that possibility in his message to families, noting that teachers receiving RIF notices could be called back before the next school year if vacancies arise.

The process used to determine which teachers are subject to a RIF is largely governed by state law, not local policy.

Under Indiana Code 20-28-7.5-1(d), school districts must base layoff decisions primarily on teacher performance, rather than seniority.

That means the traditional “last hired, first fired” approach no longer applies in most cases.

State law requires:

• Performance to be the primary factor, using teacher evaluation ratings
• Seniority to play a secondary role, used only when teachers are rated equally
• Additional factors—such as experience, advanced degrees, instructional roles, and student needs—to be considered when teachers fall within the same performance category
• Formal evaluation systems to be in place and publicly posted
• Written RIF notices to be issued between May 1 and July 1, stating the reasons for the action

Teachers are evaluated annually and placed into one of four categories:

• Highly Effective
• Effective
• Improvement Necessary
• Ineffective

Those ratings determine the order in which positions are reduced, with lower-rated categories considered first.

There is a limited exception involving teachers who earned tenure prior to changes in state law more than a decade ago. In those cases, court rulings have found that stronger seniority protections may still apply.

Kegley acknowledged the impact of the reductions on staff and the broader community.

“I understand this news may raise questions and concerns for our families and staff,” he said. “These decisions directly affect important members of our school community and are not made lightly.”

He added that the district must align staffing levels with enrollment while maintaining financial stability and continuing to provide a high-quality education.

Bottom line: For most current Indiana teachers, RIF decisions are driven first by performance evaluations, not years of service. Seniority is considered only in limited circumstances.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Scott Fadness convened community leaders Monday morning to assess how the city can better guide residents to needed services.

The annual discussion, held at the Fishers Community Center, brought together city officials, Hamilton Southeastern Schools representatives, public safety leaders, mental health providers and members of the local faith community.

The Fishers Health Department outlined plans for a new program expected to launch by the end of 2026. The initiative would create a central access point at the Community Center where residents can explain their needs and receive guidance on where to seek appropriate mental health services.

Fadness said the recently opened Community Center is already playing a role in addressing social isolation, particularly among older residents — a factor that can contribute to mental health challenges.

The mayor also pointed to an emerging issue involving young children. Some child care providers are removing children with behavioral challenges, leaving working parents without care options. The proposed referral system is intended to help connect those families with appropriate services.

Fadness expressed optimism about the city’s broader mental health efforts, which began more than a decade ago.

“I think we’re in a really good spot right now in our community,” the mayor said. “I’m really proud of programmatic elements that have been done to date.”

The session concluded with an open discussion among participants, with the mayor encouraging continued collaboration to address the community’s mental health needs.