Fourteen students from Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern high schools were honored at an Oct. 1 breakfast for being named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, according to HSE Schools.

Nine students attend Fishers High School and five attend Hamilton Southeastern High School. The recognition gives them an opportunity to continue competing for college scholarships.

The program identifies semifinalists based on qualifying PSAT scores, with the highest-scoring entrants in each state earning the designation, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The district identified the local honorees as:

Fishers High School: Asher Burgoyne, Cooper Chapple, Sashi Ganapaneni, Owen Jerrell, Abeer Khan, Abiola Olutayo, Allison Svilenov, Seth Tennekoon and Ben Wu.

Hamilton Southeastern High School: Thomas Bezza, Liam Kenyon, Tyler Orris, William Pence and Hojin Shin.

Svilenov credited teachers with helping shape her academic experience.

“Having teachers that genuinely cared about their students and were passionate about teaching had a tremendous impact on the type of student I am today,” she said in the district’s news release.

Jason Urban, assistant superintendent of secondary education, said preparation for academic achievement begins long before high school.

“One of the things that really prepares students well is to have a challenging, rigorous, relevant curriculum throughout their journey,” Urban said.

According to the district, freshmen and sophomores take practice exams that help families, teachers and counselors identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement. That information helps guide course selections, including Advanced Placement and dual credit classes.

Bezza described the semifinalist recognition as an accomplishment shared with those who supported him.

“Being named a semifinalist feels less like validation and more like a shared achievement with my school. It reminds me how fortunate I am to be surrounded by passionate HSE educators, my thoughtful friends and my supportive family,” he said.

Perfect fall weather and a packed parking lot greeted families Wednesday evening as the Fishers Police Department opened its doors for the 2026 FPD Open House.

The free event ran from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at police headquarters, 4 Municipal Drive, and gave residents a close look at the officers who patrol one of Indiana’s fastest-growing cities. Ascension St. Vincent presented the event under the theme “Serving Together. Caring Together.”

Children and parents moved between stations featuring equipment demonstrations, police vehicles and members of the department’s specialty units. Kids lined up for face painting, Kona Ice and cotton candy, and the department served a hot dog dinner to everyone who came.

One of the most popular stops was the dunk tank. It gave young residents the rare chance to send a school resource officer into the water. Fishers police SROs work every day in Hamilton Southeastern Schools buildings, and the open house let many students see them in a different setting.

“Our Cops. Our Kids. Our City.” was the department’s slogan for the evening. The night was built around informal conversation, with no speeches or formal program, and officers spent the two hours answering questions, posing for photos and letting children climb into patrol cars.

The open house used to be part of National Night Out, which is held nationally in early August. Last year the department moved it to the end of September to draw more families, and the larger crowds that followed brought it back to the same date this year. Ascension St. Vincent Fishers sponsored the event again in 2026.

Community events like this one are part of the department’s wider outreach effort, which also includes its citizens police academy and school programs. As Fishers has grown to more than 100,000 residents, the department has put a priority on keeping that neighborhood connection.

Judging by Wednesday’s crowd, many Fishers families plan to keep coming back.

Here are some photos from Wednesday evening:

Continue reading Families Pack Fishers Police Headquarters for Annual Open House →

Nearly 100 volunteers will gather at Holland Park on Friday, Oct. 2, to build the walls of a future Habitat for Humanity home. The event marks the fourth year the City of Fishers has partnered with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity on the annual Fishers Community Panel Build.

Volunteers and local partners will build the interior and exterior wall panels for a home that will give a family in the Greater Indianapolis area a chance at affordable homeownership. Holland Park is at 1 Park Drive.

Mayor Scott Fadness and community partners will hold a board-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m.

“This event shows what can happen when our community comes together around a shared purpose,” Fadness said. “Through our partnership with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity and the support of local businesses and volunteers, we’re helping create an opportunity for a family to build a more stable future while strengthening connections across our community.”

Volunteers work in teams to put together individual wall panels. The finished panels are then brought together to show the layout of the future home.

Jim Morris, president and CEO of Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity, said the Fishers build shows what residents, businesses and local leaders can do together.

“Affordable homeownership strengthens families and helps build more vibrant, connected communities,” Morris said. “The support of the City of Fishers and its sponsors not only raises awareness of the need for affordable homeownership, but also creates a meaningful opportunity for the community to be part of a solution that changes lives.”

The panel build supports Habitat for Humanity’s mission to build strength, stability and independence through homeownership.

This year’s sponsors are CRG Residential, Fishers Freight, GBC Bank, Indy Fuel, Indy Ignite, Inherent, Meyer Najem Carrington Homes, Republic Services, Main Event Merchandise Group, BJ’s Wholesale Group and White’s Ace Hardware and Garden Center. These businesses are providing both financial support and volunteers.

More information is available at FishersIN.gov/Habitat.

Meijer opened its new Meijer Grocery store at 15700 Southeastern Parkway on Wednesday. It is the first Meijer store inside the Fishers city limits.

The 75,000-square-foot store is the retailer’s sixth Meijer Grocery location in the Midwest. It is the second in Indiana, after the Noblesville store that opened in 2024.

Store Director Janice Thongvanh and her team greeted the first customers with a round of applause when the doors opened Wednesday morning. A ribbon cutting followed.

“This new Meijer Grocery location will bring convenience to customers in Fishers and added value closer to home,” Executive Chairman Hank Meijer said. “We know that value is more important now than ever before, so our team will continue working diligently to ensure customers find quality items at the best possible prices.”

At the opening, Meijer gave $15,000 donations to two local nonprofits. The Fishers Youth Initiative serves young people and families in the Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern community through mentoring, meal assistance and connections to community resources. Good Samaritan Network helps Hamilton County residents who are underserved, at risk or in crisis get critical resources and support.

The store’s first food pantry partner is Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank. It will receive donations from the retailer’s holiday campaign, which runs through Dec. 26.

“Supporting the communities we serve is one of our highest priorities, and that commitment starts well before a new store opens its doors,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said.

The store has produce, fresh meat cut daily, a bakery with in-store cake decorators, a full-service deli, a pharmacy, and health and beauty, baby, pet, party and floral departments. A “Local Favorites” display features Indiana-made products, including Copper Moon Coffee, Triple XXX Root Beer and Just Pop In Popcorn. Shoppers will also find the store brands Frederik’s by Meijer and True Goodness.

Customers can earn rewards through the mPerks program and use them for in-store coupons or fuel discounts at Meijer Express stations. The store also offers home delivery, pickup and Shop & Scan, which lets shoppers scan and bag items as they shop.

For accessibility, the family restrooms have larger, height-adjustable changing tables. The store also offers free access to Aira, an app that gives blind and low-vision customers live navigation help through their smartphone cameras.

Meijer is privately owned and family-operated. It runs more than 500 stores across the Midwest and gives at least 6% of its net profit to community organizations each year.

Thongvanh talked about the new store on the Sept. 11 edition of “Fridays with Larry.”

Equality PAC has endorsed Indiana State Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, in his campaign for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District seat, which includes Fishers and most of Hamilton County.

Democrat Ford is challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz. If elected, Ford would become the first openly LGBTQ person to represent Indiana in Congress.

“J.D. Ford knows what it takes to win in tough places,” the PAC said in a statement. “He flipped a long-held Republican state Senate seat by putting people first, listening to his community, and building a campaign that reaches voters where they are.”

The organization said it is working to “expand the map” and compete in districts where LGBTQ candidates have not traditionally run well.

“I’m honored and grateful to receive this endorsement,” Ford said. “Representation and visibility matter, and I’m running to make sure that we continue to have a seat at the table in Congress so our voices are part of every decision.”

Ford said he wants to “make life easier for every Hoosier” and pledged to listen to 5th District residents if elected.

According to the PAC, Ford grew up in a working-class family. His father was a union truck driver and his mother was an assisted living administrator. In the Indiana Senate, Ford has focused on lowering prescription drug costs and supporting public education.

Equality PAC was founded in 2014 by U.S. Rep. Mark Takano of California and Jared Polis, then a congressman and now governor of Colorado. Its goal is to elect LGBTQ candidates and allies to Congress. The group says it raised and spent $23.4 million during the 2023-24 election cycle and has already passed that total for the 2025-26 cycle.

The PAC has also endorsed Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss, who won the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 11th District, and congressional candidates in Arizona, California and New York.

Spartz, a Noblesville Republican, was first elected to the 5th District seat in 2020.

Families planning to attend this weekend’s Fall Festival at the Fishers AgriPark have until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, to register. Fishers Parks says the annual event usually sells out.

The festival runs Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4. Every person who attends must register in advance, including adults and children. Children 2 and younger get in free but still need to be registered.

Registration costs $5 per person for Fishers residents and $7.50 for non-residents. Groups pick one of four time slots:

• Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 3, 3 to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 4, 3 to 7 p.m.

According to Fishers Parks, every time slot offers the same activities and programming.

This year’s festival includes a corn maze, animal encounters, a scarecrow trail and contest, a chainsaw art demonstration and a touch-a-tractor area. Visitors can also try archery, javelin and axe throwing.

For younger visitors, there are puppet shows, a scavenger hunt walk, a bounce corral, a bubble zone, a craft station, life-size building blocks, a floor scooter track, and a straw bale pyramid and maze. Other games include mini golf, a giant slingshot, a needle-in-the-haystack search, a rocket launch, basketball and ring toss.

Firepits, yard games, food trucks and live music round out the event.

Registration is available through the City of Fishers online at app.amilia.com/store/en/cityoffishers. Parking and shuttle details, plus an event map, are posted at fishersagripark.com.

The Fishers AgriPark is at 11197 Florida Road.

Indiana has credible estimates showing that taxing services could replace property-tax revenue statewide. What remains unproven is whether the swap would protect every community’s budget or make taxes fairer for lower-income Hoosiers.

Rep. J.D. Prescott, R-Union City, plans to revive his proposal in 2027 after House Bill 1288 died in committee. His current pitch extends Indiana’s 7% sales tax to most services, preserving healthcare and education exemptions. He argues that would make taxation more predictable and fair.

The stakes are already visible locally. Hamilton Southeastern Schools projects that property-tax changes under SEA 1 will reduce expected referendum revenue by more than $45 million over 2026–2031.

There is substantive evidence behind the replacement claim. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency’s fiscal analysis of HB 1288 projects $13.1 billion–$15.2 billion in distributions during calendar 2028, compared with $11.6 billion in eliminated property-tax levies. Those distribution totals include charter schools and private-school vouchers.

LSA used federal economic and industry-sales data, excluded transactions already taxed, and allowed for reduced demand as services become more expensive. These are forecasts for the 2026 bill, not an assessment of a final 2027 proposal. Additional exemptions would require recalculation.

Fairness is less settled. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy’s analysis of 2024 law found Indiana sales and excise taxes consumed 6.9% of income for the lowest-income fifth of nonelderly households, versus 1.2% for the top 1%. Property taxes were also regressive: 4% versus 1.4%.

Those figures flag risks; they do not measure this proposed swap. Taxing services disproportionately purchased by wealthier households can make a sales tax less regressive, ITEP notes. Low-income homeowners could benefit substantially from eliminating their property bills.

Renters also bear property taxes indirectly, but immediate, dollar-for-dollar rent reductions cannot be assumed. They could face new service taxes before receiving housing savings. The household outcome depends on property-tax relief, spending patterns and rent responses.

Taxing services purchased by businesses presents another complication: taxes can accumulate through production and raise consumer prices, according to the Tax Foundation.

Local control would change substantially. Under HB 1288, the state would collect and automatically distribute replacement revenue. Counties’ and municipalities’ shares within their respective funding pools would depend 75% on population and 25% on road mileage. Schools would receive 45% of revenue remaining after reserve contributions, allocated by eligible student counts, including charter and voucher students.

Local officials would still adopt budgets, but could not set the replacement tax’s rate. The bill would prohibit new property-tax referendums and new property-backed borrowing. Existing school referendum obligations could continue as property-based fees.

A statewide surplus therefore would not guarantee that Fishers, Hamilton County or HSE receives enough. The bill includes a 10% reserve mechanism for downturns, but its fiscal note supplies no household-by-income analysis or individual-community results.

There appears to be a consensus among people I know and have experience with state lawmaking that eliminating property taxes entirely with a tax on services is unlikely in the 2027 budget session of the Indiana Legislature.  But, nothing is guaranteed.

Establishing fairness and local adequacy requires an updated fiscal estimate, household comparisons and community-specific funding projections.

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz’s re-election campaign is calling on Democratic challenger J.D. Ford to explain how his campaign came to use a Carmel property that is scheduled for Hamilton County’s Oct. 8 tax sale. The Ford campaign responded that it has no role in its landlord’s tax payments and accused Spartz of trying to distract voters.

The property at 610 N. Rangeline Road serves as Ford’s campaign headquarters in the 5th Congressional District race. According to the Spartz campaign, it is listed for the tax sale over $16,937 in delinquent taxes.

The Spartz campaign said this is not the first time the property has been on the county’s tax-sale list. It said the property was listed in 2022 for $14,516 and in 2024 for $20,252. The property has also been listed for sale since October 2025, with a current asking price of $749,999, the campaign said.

The campaign says the property is owned by D M Investment Group LLC. The company’s registered agent is Jason Delk, and it uses the same Muncie address as the law firm Delk McNally LLP. Delk founded the firm with Mike McNally. The firm lists the Rangeline Road property as its Carmel office.

The Spartz campaign is asking Ford to say what arrangement his campaign has for using the building. It also wants him to say whether Mike McNally is related to Matt McNally, the Indiana Democratic Party’s 5th Congressional District vice chair.

“Ford’s arrangement raises many questions. J.D. Ford wants voters to trust him with their tax dollars, so why did he choose for his campaign headquarters a property that has repeatedly been listed for tax sale and currently has almost $17,000 in delinquent taxes?” Spartz said. “I hope the IndyStar is as eager to ask these questions.”

In a statement to LarryInFishers.com, the Ford campaign said the property taxes are the landlord’s responsibility.

“As a businesswoman and CPA, Congresswoman Spartz should know that JD Ford’s campaign has absolutely nothing to do with the payment of property taxes by its landlord,” the campaign said. “But rather than focus on the real issues — such as why she has used donor dollars to pay for property taxes on her family’s investment property — she’s picking fights, trying to distract from the issues.”

Spartz, a Republican from Noblesville, is seeking re-election in the 5th District, which includes Fishers and most of Hamilton County. The general election is Nov. 3.

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz’s re-election campaign is calling on Democratic challenger J.D. Ford to explain how his campaign came to use a Carmel property that is scheduled for Hamilton County’s Oct. 8 tax sale.

The property at 610 N. Rangeline Road serves as Ford’s campaign headquarters in the 5th Congressional District race. According to the Spartz campaign, it is listed for the tax sale over $16,937 in delinquent taxes.

The Spartz campaign said this is not the first time the property has been on the county’s tax-sale list. It said the property was listed in 2022 for $14,516 and in 2024 for $20,252. The property has also been listed for sale since October 2025, with a current asking price of $749,999, the campaign said.

The campaign says the property is owned by D M Investment Group LLC. The company’s registered agent is Jason Delk, and it uses the same Muncie address as the law firm Delk McNally LLP. Delk founded the firm with Mike McNally. The firm lists the Rangeline Road property as its Carmel office.

The Spartz campaign is asking Ford to say what arrangement his campaign has for using the building. It also wants him to say whether Mike McNally is related to Matt McNally, the Indiana Democratic Party’s 5th Congressional District vice chair. If they are related, the campaign asks whether that connection has anything to do with the campaign’s use of the property.

“Ford’s arrangement raises many questions. J.D. Ford wants voters to trust him with their tax dollars, so why did he choose for his campaign headquarters a property that has repeatedly been listed for tax sale and currently has almost $17,000 in delinquent taxes?” Spartz said. “I hope the IndyStar is as eager to ask these questions.”

The Spartz campaign has not said that Ford’s campaign has done anything illegal or improper in using the property.

LarryInFishers.com asked the Ford campaign for a response. None had been received by the time this story was published. This story will be updated if the campaign responds.

Spartz, a Republican from Noblesville, is seeking re-election in the 5th District, which includes Fishers and most of Hamilton County. The general election is Nov. 3.

The Indy Fuel added a junior hockey champion to their forward group Tuesday, signing Noah Aboflan to a standard player contract for the 2026-27 season. The team also re-signed forwards Owen Robinson and Alex DiPaolo.

The Fuel play their home games at the Fishers Event Center.

Aboflan brings a winning résumé

Aboflan, 21, will make his professional debut with the Fuel this season. The 6-foot, left-handed forward from Elliot Lake, Ontario, joins Indy from the Greater Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. He had seven points in 10 playoff games to help the Cubs win the league championship.

Before that, Aboflan played for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, who won the OHL title in 2025. The Knights went on to win the Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League’s national championship.

In 2023-24, Aboflan averaged more than a point per game for the Elliot Lake Vikings of the NOJHL before joining the Pelham Panthers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. With Pelham, he had 13 points in 16 regular-season games and four points in five playoff games.

He also won a GNML championship in 2021-22 with the Soo Greyhounds U18 AAA team.

Robinson returns for third season

Robinson returns for his third season with the Fuel. He played 59 games for Indy last season, recording 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points, and appeared in five playoff games.

He first joined the Fuel late in the 2024-25 season, scoring seven points in 10 regular-season games and three points in four playoff games. That came after a strong final season at the University of Toronto, where he had 15 goals and 23 assists in 28 games.

Robinson played four seasons at Toronto. Before college, he spent parts of three seasons with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, where he had 87 points in 124 regular-season games. He also played three games with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears in 2021-22.

DiPaolo back after late-season trade

DiPaolo, 26, came to the Fuel in a trade with the Maine Mariners late last season after playing 37 games for Maine. He had six points in 13 regular-season games with Indy.

He made his pro debut with Maine the season before, playing 10 games after graduating from Colgate University. The 6-foot-1 winger played 129 games over four seasons at Colgate, scoring 88 points, and helped the Raiders win the ECAC championship in 2022-23.

The Oakville, Ontario, native played three seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League before college, with the Victoria Grizzlies, Penticton Vees and Coquitlam Express. He was a captain and an alternate captain in Victoria, and he was named Rookie of the Year with Coquitlam.