For many years, people living in Fishers were on their own when it came to trash. Every household either contracted directly with a hauler or hoped its homeowners association had negotiated a decent deal. As prices climbed, city officials decided it was time to look at a citywide residential contract.

For years, readers asked me a simple question: What is the trash schedule for the holiday? I had to be honest. I did not know. It depended entirely on which company you hired and what that company decided to do.

That changed Jan. 13, 2025, when Republic Services began collecting for all of incorporated Fishers under a 10-year contract with the city. Three haulers bid on the work. Republic, which already served roughly 60% of the Fishers market, came in with the best bid at $16.39 a month for the first year. The rate is $17.33 a month in 2026 and shows up on your city utility bill. Before the contract, city officials said nearly half of Fishers households were paying more than $30 a month, and the single flat rate would mean savings for about 85% of residents.

The contract did something else that is less obvious but just as useful. It gave the entire city one holiday schedule.

So, a reminder: trash collection in Fishers is delayed one day this Labor Day week. If your normal collection day is Monday, your pickup is Tuesday. If your day is Friday, it moves to Saturday.

I hear only scattered complaints about trash service in Fishers, so I think it is fair to call this one a success story for city government.

For future reference, here is how the holiday schedule works.

The holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The shift: When one of those holidays falls Monday through Friday, collection for that day and every remaining day that week is pushed back one day. A Thursday pickup moves to Friday, and Friday moves to Saturday.

What you get: Weekly trash collection with two 96-gallon carts, curbside recycling every other week, yard waste pickup in April and November at 20 bags per pickup, and bundled branch collection. Bulk item pickups cost $25 and extra bag tags are $2.50 each, both arranged directly with Republic.

One caveat worth knowing: the contract covers the incorporated portions of Fishers. If you are not certain your address is included, the city keeps a mapping tool on its website.

Provider: Republic Services, under contract with the City of Fishers.

This Labor Day reflection comes from a man who has sat on both sides of the table, and who is old enough to admit that the view changes depending on which chair you’re in.

For 28 years I worked in federal civil service. Part of that time I was a front-line manager, responsible for the work and the careers of the people on my team. Another part of that time I was an elected union official, responsible for standing up for those same kinds of people when they believed the agency had gotten something wrong.

The two jobs taught me the same lesson from opposite directions. In management, you learn quickly that an organization’s output is not a machine’s output. It is the accumulated judgment, patience and effort of individuals who chose to show up and care. As a union representative, you learn that dignity is not a fringe benefit. People want to be paid fairly, yes. They also want to be treated as though their work counts for something.

That is the part I keep thinking about as the conversation turns to artificial intelligence.

Plenty of smart people predict that much of the labor now performed by humans will eventually be performed by software. Not all of them agree. MIT economist David Autor has spent years arguing that technology historically changes the composition of work more than it eliminates work outright, shifting what people do rather than whether they do anything. His MIT colleague Daron Acemoglu has estimated the near-term economy-wide productivity gains from AI will be considerably more modest than the loudest forecasts suggest. I am not qualified to settle that argument. I am qualified to say that the experts are not speaking with one voice, and anyone who tells you the outcome is already decided is selling something.

Here is what I believe holds up regardless of how the technology lands. The value of labor was never only the output. It is also the accountability that comes with it — a person who can be asked why, who can be answerable to a neighbor, who can be trusted. No model signs its name to the work in quite the same way.

And that brings me home to Fishers. On a holiday built to honor working people, look around this city. The teachers heading back into HSE classrooms. The nurses on holiday shifts. The road crews, the restaurant staff, the police officers and firefighters working today so the rest of us can grill in the backyard. The small business owners who took a risk on a storefront here. Whatever software eventually does, it is not going to plow 116th Street at 4 a.m.

I remain an optimist. Human work has been declared obsolete before, and it has responded every time by becoming something new. My money is still on the people.

One of the great traditions in Fishers is spending part of Labor Day weekend at Blues Fest. In my view, it ranks among the best free music events any city offers.

My wife, Jane, and I have made a tradition of attending one of the festival’s two evenings. This year, our daughter Allison joined us with my two grandkids, ages 3 and 6. Let’s just say the event earned enthusiastic approval from all three generations. Everyone loved the music and the experience.

Now in its 14th year, Fishers Blues Fest brings eight acts to the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater over the September 5–6 weekend. This year’s lineup includes Judith Hill and Grammy-nominated musician Jontavious Willis, with music spanning blues, soul, funk and more. Admission is free, with no tickets required.

That free admission matters. It gives families an opportunity to enjoy live music together and makes it easy for someone unfamiliar with the blues to give it a listen. A community event like this can introduce people to music they might never otherwise seek out.

The blues deserves that audience. Its roots reach deep into African American musical traditions, including field hollers and ring shouts, and its influence runs through rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll. It is one of America’s great contributions to world culture—and, to my ears, some of the best music anywhere.

My hat is off to the Fishers Parks staff and city leadership for continuing to support this annual tradition. An event may be free to attend, but it takes planning, resources and work to make it happen.

For our family, Blues Fest offered time together and music we could all enjoy. That is a pretty good way to spend a Labor Day weekend—and a tradition worth keeping.

The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s inaugural season continues to be a challenging one, with both cars finishing near the back of the field Sunday in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

While the race itself produced one of Formula 1’s most memorable moments — Italian driver Kimi Antonelli charged from 19th on the starting grid to win his home Grand Prix for Mercedes — Cadillac was unable to keep pace with the sport’s established teams.

Sergio “Checo” Perez finished 18th, while teammate Valtteri Bottas crossed the line 19th after a difficult 53-lap race. The only teams Cadillac finished ahead of were the two Aston Martin entries.

Perez said the team struggled with straight-line speed throughout the race.

“It was a very difficult race for us,” Perez said after the event. “We were losing a lot of time on the straights, which made it extremely difficult to fight the cars around us.”

Despite the disappointing result, Cadillac officials pointed to one positive: both cars reached the finish after reliability problems affected the team at the previous race in the Netherlands. The organization also says aerodynamic and power unit upgrades are expected later this season.

The on-track growing pains have local significance in Fishers, where Cadillac Formula 1 is developing its North American headquarters. The facility is expected to become a major engineering and technology hub supporting the team’s Formula 1 operation and is anticipated to bring hundreds of high-skilled jobs to the city over the coming years.

Although the race results have fallen short of expectations, Formula 1 observers have noted that expansion teams historically face a steep learning curve while competing against organizations with decades of experience.

Cadillac’s focus now turns to next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, where the team hopes planned upgrades will help close the performance gap as it continues building toward long-term competitiveness in Formula 1.

Fishers motorists face several construction-related closures and lane restrictions, although one major intersection has reopened, according to the city’s latest weekly construction update.

The intersection of 96th Street and Cyntheanne Road is now open in all directions. Crews may remain nearby to complete final work.

The 136th Street widening project has entered its second phase, closing the road to through traffic between Southeastern Parkway and Prairie Baptist Road. Drivers should use those two roads as the posted detour.

The project will convert the rural two-lane section of 136th Street into a boulevard with raised medians, new pavement, storm-sewer improvements and multi-use paths on both sides.

At 116th Street and Allisonville Road, traffic remains limited to one lane in each direction. The west leg of Fishers Crossing Boulevard at Allisonville is closed, preventing drivers from entering or leaving the shopping center through that connection. Alternate entrances remain available, and businesses are open. Sidewalks within the construction area are also closed.

Other work affecting traffic includes:

• Lane restrictions on USA Parkway north of 106th Street through October.
• Periodic restrictions during utility relocation at 131st Street and Brooks School Road, where a roundabout is planned.
• Construction at the Southeastern Parkway and Olio Road roundabout.
• Weekday lane restrictions on Cumberland Road between 106th and 116th streets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Resurfacing preparations on 96th Street from Carroll Road to Olio Road.

AT&T and Brightspeed fiber installation is also planned or underway in several Fishers neighborhoods. Residents may see utility flags, door hangers and crews working in easements behind sidewalks.

Construction schedules are weather-dependent. Drivers should follow posted signs, reduce speeds and allow additional travel time.

Here is the full listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers roadwork update: 136th Street detour continues as 96th and Cyntheanne reopens →

Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern both opened Hoosier Crossroads Conference play Friday night, and both came away disappointed.

At Fishers, the Tigers played their most competitive game of the young season but lost to Noblesville 21-19. The two-point margin was a marked improvement for a team that had been shut out in each of its first two games, falling 47-0 at Carmel on Aug. 21 and 48-0 at home to Lawrence North on Aug. 28.

The loss dropped Curt Funk’s Tigers to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the HCC. Noblesville improved to 2-1 and will host Westfield next week.

Nineteen points is a season high for Fishers, which had not reached the end zone before Friday. Whether that offensive progress carries forward will matter quickly, because the schedule does not ease up.

Hamilton Southeastern, meanwhile, traveled to Avon and ran into an unbeaten Orioles team. Avon won 28-7, handing the Royals their second loss in three games.

Coach Michael Kelly’s team fell to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Royals opened the season with a 54-23 loss at Carroll of Fort Wayne, then rebounded with a 30-14 home win over Indianapolis North Central on Aug. 28. Avon moved to 3-0.

The Orioles have been among the stronger teams in the conference in recent seasons, and Friday’s result continued that trend.

Both Fishers schools now turn their attention to the game that draws the largest local crowd of the regular season. Hamilton Southeastern hosts Fishers on Friday, Sept. 11, in the Mudsock football rivalry, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Mudsock game has become one of the marquee nights on the Hamilton County sports calendar, and this year’s edition carries the usual weight for both programs regardless of records. For Fishers, it represents a chance to end a three-game skid against a rival. For Hamilton Southeastern, it is an opportunity to get back to .500 before a stretch of conference games against Westfield, Zionsville and Noblesville.

Both teams enter the rivalry week looking for answers on defense. Fishers has allowed 116 points in three games. Hamilton Southeastern has given up 96.

Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine and Cornerstone Companies celebrated a construction milestone Thursday, Sept. 3, with a topping-out ceremony for Goodman Campbell’s new Fishers location.

The facility, under construction at 13680 Jack Walker Lane, is expected to welcome its first patients in spring 2027, according to information provided by event organizers.

Plans call for 14 clinic rooms, a dedicated pain procedure room and on-site X-ray services. The location will provide specialized neurosurgical and spine care.

Cornerstone serves as the project’s developer and contractor, according to the company. Other project partners include CSO Architects, Kimley-Horn and Stock Yards Bank & Trust, organizers said.

The Fishers project is one of two new Goodman Campbell locations under construction in partnership with Cornerstone. Work is also underway on a facility in Whitestown.

The Fishers Arts Council’s seventh annual Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists is on display throughout September at the Fishers Art & Municipal Complex, filling the Art Gallery at City Hall along with both gallery spaces inside the Fishers Art Center.

The exhibit features 64 two-dimensional works and 11 three-dimensional pieces by artists from across Hamilton County.

Artists were selected by juror Carol Strock Wasson, named an Eminent Pastelist by the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her work draws on the rural landscapes near her home, and she works in both plein air and studio settings. In addition to pastel, she paints in oil and produces monotype prints. Strock Wasson teaches at Strockwasson Studio and through online courses, focusing on fundamentals, composition, color theory and design.

Jiffy Lube of Indiana returns as title sponsor for the seventh consecutive year. Award sponsors include Wasson Nursery, Renewal by Andersen, Noblesville Creates, Sunrise Café and Five Star Bath Solutions. Noblesville Creates also sponsors the People’s Choice award, which is decided by public vote.

Voting is open online at the arts council’s Facebook page, where visitors can “like” a favorite artwork, or in person at the gallery. All votes must be received by 7 p.m. Sept. 11.

The galleries are open at 1 Municipal Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon during the Fishers Farmers’ Market. The exhibit can also be viewed online at Facebook.com/FishersArt.

A free public reception is set for Second Friday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception includes live music by Ivan Moreland and refreshments, with a chance to meet the participating artists. Awards will be announced at 7:15 p.m. in the Fishers Municipal Center Theater, just inside the gallery.

The Fishers Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports and advocates for visual and performing arts opportunities in Fishers. Along with its Municipal Center gallery, the organization maintains the Build BW Gallery at 11 Municipal Drive and the Ball State Gallery-Fishers at 8626 E. 116th St., Suite 300.

More information is available at FishersArtsCouncil.org or by phone or text at 317-537-1670.

Supportive housing in Hamilton County is the focus of this week’s Fridays With Larry podcast, now posted in both video and audio versions below.

Hamilton County can look like a place where housing insecurity and serious mental illness happen somewhere else. They don’t. We almost certainly cross paths every day with people living with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress or other conditions. Some are receiving care. Others are struggling quietly.

Housing instability here can be hard to see. It may mean sleeping in a car, moving between motel rooms, staying temporarily with relatives, or living one missed paycheck from eviction. Housing is expensive throughout Hamilton County — and the search gets much harder for someone leaving a psychiatric hospital or another treatment program, who may have limited income, interrupted employment, damaged credit or no recent rental history.

A hospital can stabilize symptoms and write a discharge plan. A discharge paper cannot provide a safe place to sleep. Stable housing should not be treated as a reward someone receives after recovery. For many people, it is one of the tools that makes recovery possible.

My guest this week is Kelli Hoffman, co-executive director of Healthy & Dwell, a Noblesville-based nonprofit founded by psychiatric nurse practitioner Ronda Owens-Dehmer. The organization operates a three-bedroom supportive housing home in Noblesville, where residents pay 30% of their income toward rent and utilities and receive life-skills coaching and help navigating benefits and appointments. Hoffman says the home has gone three years without a single 911 call, two of the three residents are employed, and the group is now working with an architect and Paradigm Construction and Development on an expansion of two-bedroom, two-bath duplexes in Noblesville. Healthy & Dwell receives no federal or state funding and operates entirely on private donations.

Also this week: some genuinely good news out of the cancer research world, as Merck and Moderna report the first successful late-stage trial of a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine — and a South Carolina man chasing a Guinness World Record with more than 2,000 pairs of socks.

Thanks as always to Citizens State Bank for sponsoring the podcast.

You can watch this week’s podcast at this link, just listen using this link, or use the links below..

I’ve been trying to decide what to call a 75th birthday.

Some call it a diamond jubilee. There’s also semisesquicentennial. Yes, that is a thing.

I prefer “75 years young,” but what do I know?

Whatever we call it, you’ve made mine special.

Thank you for the many birthday wishes. Facebook is many things, but it certainly knows how to put up a big billboard announcing your birthday. Hearing from so many people has been heartening, and I appreciate every kind word.

There were times during my years as a federal government manager when I wondered how many birthdays I had ahead of me. The stress was sky-high. I was proud of what we accomplished, and I had some wonderful people working for me, along with a very special boss in Sally Wright. Still, that job took a toll.

Yet here I am, 75 and in relatively good health for a guy my age.

My wife, Jane, says it’s all because of her.

She’s not wrong.

Time with my grandkids gives me plenty to look forward to. Just keeping up with them and my beautiful daughters, Allison and Mary, helps keep me feeling young. I have a great deal to be thankful for, starting with my family.

And then there’s all of you.

This website and my podcasts have become my major project in retirement, and one of the biggest surprises of my life.

When I started LarryInFishers.com in mid-January 2012, the idea was simple: Show up at local government meetings and write about what happened, drawing on my earlier experience as a journalist. I hoped a few hundred people might find it useful.

Last year, this website recorded more than 100,000 unique visitors. This year, I passed that total in July. Podcast listens number in the tens of thousands.

That is far beyond anything I imagined in 2012. To everyone who takes a few minutes to read a story or listen to a conversation: Thank you. You have given this retirement project a place in your lives, and that means a great deal to me.

I’m also grateful to the local leaders and others who make time to talk with a reporter running a small website and podcast operation. Their willingness to answer questions helps me keep you informed about the Fishers area.

It has been an honor to be your local reporter for nearly 15 years. This work gives me a reason to stay curious, keep asking questions and look forward to what comes next.

God has been good to me. If He continues to bless me with good health, I plan to keep doing this journalism thing. Your support makes that work possible—and makes it rewarding.

So, what do I call my 75th birthday?

Special. I’m still here, with family to love, friends to treasure and a community to cover.

Thank you for the birthday wishes. And thank you for giving me so much to look forward to.