With the Fourth of July around the corner, the question lighting up neighborhood group chats across Fishers is a familiar one: When can I legally set off fireworks, and what am I allowed to use?

City ordinance has the answers, and the rules are more specific than many residents realize. Here is what Fishers law says about consumer fireworks, when you can use them, and what happens if you don’t follow the rules.

The dates and times that matter

Fishers does not allow consumer fireworks year-round or at all hours. The city’s ordinance (Chapter 99) spells out exactly when it is legal to set them off, and the window is narrower than the holiday season might suggest.

Around Independence Day, fireworks are permitted between 5:00 p.m. and two hours after sunset on June 29, June 30, July 1, July 2, July 3, July 5, July 6, July 7, July 8, and July 9. Because sunset in central Indiana in early July falls around 9:15 p.m., that generally means the legal window closes near 11:15 p.m. on those days.

July 4 itself gets the longest leash. On the holiday, fireworks are allowed from 10:00 a.m. all the way to midnight.

The only other legal window in the calendar comes at New Year’s: from 10:00 a.m. on December 31 until 1:00 a.m. on January 1.

Set off fireworks outside those specific dates and hours — including the days immediately before June 29 or after July 9 — and you’re breaking city law.

What counts as a “consumer firework”

The ordinance’s timing rules apply to “consumer fireworks,” a category defined by federal safety standards. In plain terms, it covers the aerial and noise-making devices most people picture: sky rockets, missile-type rockets, helicopter and aerial spinners, Roman candles, mines, shells, firecrackers, salutes and chasers, plus combination items.

Some items are excluded from that definition entirely and remain legal to use, though state permitting rules and statutes can still apply. That list includes wire sparklers and dipped sticks, cylindrical and cone fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, snakes and glow worms, smoke devices, and novelty “trick noisemakers” such as party poppers, snappers and booby traps.

A few things are flatly banned. The ordinance specifically excludes — and federal law prohibits — M-80s, cherry bombs and silver salutes, along with any other device the federal government has outlawed.

Big shows are a different story

The neighbor-with-a-mortar rules don’t apply to professional displays. Supervised public fireworks shows put on by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks and similar organizations are exempt from Chapter 99’s date-and-time limits, though they remain subject to state permitting requirements and statutes. That’s why a city-sanctioned show can light up the sky on a schedule that wouldn’t be legal in your backyard.

Who enforces it, and what it costs

Two agencies share enforcement: the Fishers Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Fishers Police Department. Either can issue a citation for violating the ordinance.

Violators must pay a fine to the city’s Ordinance Violations Bureau, set under a separate section of city code (§ 36.08). If a fine goes unpaid, the City Attorney’s office can file an enforcement action in Fishers City Court.

The bottom line

If you’re planning to celebrate at home, the safest bet is simple: save the big stuff for July 4, when you have from 10 a.m. to midnight, and otherwise stick to the 5 p.m.-to-two-hours-after-sunset window on the surrounding permitted days. Keep sparklers and fountains handy for the in-between, know your neighbors may be just as tired as you are by late evening, and have a hose or bucket of water close by.

Have a safe and happy Fourth, Fishers.

The full text of the ordinance is available through the city’s online code library under Chapter 99. This article summarizes the law and is not legal advice.

We are into the summer road construction season and there are plenty of projects to keep in mind as you travel in and around the Fishers area.

Here is a quick summary of the major projects, followed by the full report, as provided by the City of Fishers.

• 96th Street and Cyntheanne Road – Full Closure
• 136th Street Widening – Southeastern Parkway to Prairie Baptist Road – follow detour route
• 116th and Allisonville Intersection Improvements Project – Down to one lane in all directions
• Lantern Road – Closure at Morgan Drive from June 8 – 19
• Southeastern Parkway & Olio Road Roundabout Improvements – Periodic lane restrictions
• 126th Street – single-lane restrictions (Beginning July 13)

Continue reading Road Construction Update – week starting Sunday June 14 →

The Fishers Health Department (FHD) is warning residents to use caution near several local waterways after recent water quality testing returned unsatisfactory E. coli levels at four locations.

The affected sites are:

• White River at the 116th Street Bridge (6100 Wahpihani Dr.)
• Geist Reservoir at the Olio Road Boat Ramp (10999 Olio Rd.)
• Fall Creek at Geist Park (10800 Florida Rd.)
• Fall Creek at Canal Place (14400 Geist Ridge Dr.)

Health officials say the elevated bacteria levels are consistent with what the department typically sees following periods of heavy rainfall — a pattern well-documented in the Upper White River Watershed, where Fishers sits.

Why Rain Drives Up E. Coli Levels

E. coli is a naturally occurring bacteria found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it doesn’t always cause illness on its own, health officials use it as an indicator for other potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses in the water. Waterborne illnesses linked to contaminated water include dysentery, Hepatitis A, and bacterial gastroenteritis.

When it rains heavily, water rushing over roads, rooftops, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots carries pollutants directly into storm drains — which eventually empty into local streams and reservoirs. In agricultural areas upstream, runoff can wash animal manure from fields into the same waterways. Older or failing septic systems, stormwater outfalls, and wastewater treatment overflows can also contribute to elevated E. coli counts.

“Frequent unsatisfactory levels at Geist Park and White River are a result of our waterways being in the Upper White River Watershed,” the department noted in its public notice. “Our urban and suburban expansion areas are rapidly increasing, making it particularly susceptible to both agricultural and urbanization influences.”

Warmer water temperatures compound the problem. E. coli thrives in heat, meaning summer conditions can accelerate bacterial growth even between rain events.

What the FHD Tests and Where

The FHD monitors 40 creek and open water locations throughout the area, publishing results monthly during spring, summer, and fall for nine key sites. In addition to E. coli, the department tracks water temperature and dissolved oxygen — both critical indicators of aquatic ecosystem health.

The department recently added a new sampling point at Fall Creek at Canal Place, near where the creek empties into Geist Reservoir east of the Olio Road bridge. The addition allows officials to track how water quality changes as Fall Creek flows into the reservoir and moves south, complementing existing test sites at Family Cove and Cambridge Cove.

What Residents Should Know

Residents who swim, fish, or boat in affected areas should use caution until follow-up testing shows bacteria levels have returned to acceptable ranges. The FHD publishes updated results on its website and offers a free email alert service for water quality and environmental notifications.

The department’s environmental testing program also covers mosquito and rodent control, rabies monitoring, well water sampling, pool inspections, and indoor air quality — a broad public health mandate that keeps local waterways among the most closely watched in the region.

For the latest water quality results or to sign up for email alerts, visit the Fishers Health Department website.

Spark!Fishers, presented by Meijer, returns to downtown Fishers’ Nickel Plate District June 24-27, and this year’s celebration carries extra significance: the festival will commemorate America’s semiquincentennial, the nation’s 250th birthday.

“Spark!Fishers showcases the energy, pride and sense of community that make Fishers such a special place to live,” said Mayor Scott Fadness. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to downtown Fishers for several days of fun, tradition and celebration.”

Festivities begin even before the main event. The Rotary Club of Fishers kicks off the week Monday, June 22, with its Mental Health Initiative Golf Outing at The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club, benefiting Project Hope, which provides school-based mental health support for Hamilton Southeastern students and families. On Wednesday, June 24, the family-friendly Spark!Fishers 5K and Firecracker 1-Miler step off at 7 p.m. on the Nickel Plate Trail, followed by a post-race party with inflatables, food trucks and a foam party.

Friday night brings a free concert at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater featuring P!NK’D, a tribute to pop superstar P!NK, complete with aerial and lighting effects. The popular Spark!Fishers drone show returns to close out the evening. The 8 p.m. show requires no tickets, and guests may bring chairs, blankets and food, though outside alcohol is not permitted.

Saturday is the festival’s biggest day. The Street Fair runs 4-10 p.m. around the Municipal Complex, featuring a new dedicated Kids Zone with a petting zoo and life-size building blocks, a Spark!Fishers edition of Thrift-a-Thon, more than 100 food and craft vendors, and live entertainment across seven stages. The beloved Car & Art Show, newly combined with the Street Fair, fills Municipal Circle from 4-6:30 p.m. with vintage and modern vehicles alongside local artists curated by the Fishers Arts Council.

“Spark!Fishers offers something for everyone,” said Marissa Deckert, director of Fishers Parks. “It’s exciting to see this festival evolve each year and bring our community together to celebrate summer in Fishers.”

The annual parade rolls through downtown at 7 p.m. Saturday, emceed by the hosts of The Scuttlebutt Club podcast, before the grand fireworks finale caps the celebration that evening.

Fishers Parks will offer KultureCity sensory-inclusive bags, weighted lap pads and assisted listening devices, with a respite room available at City Hall. Accessible parking is available at all events.

Organizers are also seeking volunteers of all ages to help with the festival and parade; registration is open at volunteerfishers.com. Full event details, including the parade route and parking information, are available at SparkFishers.com.

The City of Fishers has launched its 2026 construction season with $12.4 million in new roadway and infrastructure investments aimed at enhancing safety, improving traffic flow, and supporting the city’s continued growth.

The season opened on a milestone note: the completion of the State Road 37 Improvement Project, capping the $180 million conversion of the formerly signaled thoroughfare to above-grade interchanges through Fishers’ intersections.

“As Fishers continues to grow, we’re making intentional investments in infrastructure that not only address today’s needs but support our community well into the future,” said Hatem Mekky, the city’s Director of Engineering. “From corridor improvements to intersection upgrades and resurfacing, this work is critical to enhancing mobility, improving safety, and maintaining the high quality of our roadways.”

City officials say the projects are part of Fishers’ long-term vision to create a more connected, accessible, and efficient transportation network for residents, businesses, and visitors — supporting daily commutes, economic development, and overall quality of place.

During the busy season, motorists are encouraged to plan ahead using Waze or Google Maps, allow extra travel time, and use caution in work zones to protect construction workers. Residents can stay informed by following @DriveFishers on X and the City of Fishers on Nextdoor, subscribing to the weekly Drive Fishers newsletter, and viewing the Capital Project Dashboard at FishersIN.gov/DriveFishers for timelines, maps, and project updates.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead.

Continue reading Fishers Kicks Off 2026 Construction Season with $12.4 Million in Road and Infrastructure Projects →

Caring for a child with a serious medical condition can be one of the most isolating jobs in the world. This week, Larry talks with Vicky Lynn Andritsch, founder of the nonprofit Rooted Within Wellness, about how her organization offers support and healing retreats for adult caregivers of children facing major medical challenges — and how local families can connect with their programs.

Also in this episode, Larry shares his commentary on Indiana’s new property tax law and what it could mean for homeowners across the state, weighs in on the controversy stirring up the World Cup soccer tournament, and wraps up with the jaw-dropping story of a Rubik’s Cube enthusiast who solved two puzzles in freefall during a skydive.

The Fridays With Larry Podcast is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Watch and/or listen to the full episode at the links below, or find the video here and the audio here:

I had the chance to preview FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine, the new exhibit opening Friday at Conner Prairie, and came away impressed.

The multi-sensory exhibition — the first national traveling exhibition ever hosted at Conner Prairie — opens June 12 and runs through September 13 in the upper and lower exhibition galleries inside the Museum Experience Center. The museum calls it a major milestone in its evolution as a year-round destination for immersive learning.

The exhibit explores the universal language of food through science, history and culture, engaging all five senses — sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. Visitors can discover the science behind cooking, the cultural traditions that shape what we eat, and the innovations transforming how food is produced and consumed today, from ancient cooking techniques to modern culinary advancements.

“This exhibition represents an exciting new chapter for Conner Prairie,” said Norman Burns, the museum’s president and CEO. “As our first national traveling exhibition, FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine allows us to bring a global perspective to our guests while deepening our commitment to innovative, immersive storytelling. Food is something that connects every single one of us, and this experience invites visitors to explore those connections in ways that are both meaningful and unforgettable.”

The exhibition was designed by La Cité des sciences et de l’industrie, the Paris science museum, in partnership with the French research institute INRAE, and is produced by Imagine, a global exhibition design firm with more than 40 experiences running around the world. Corteva Agriscience is the presenting sponsor.

“Food is an essential part of our lives, and this exhibition offers a unique, educational, and engaging experience for visitors of all ages to better understand how food has shaped our world,” said Tom Zaller, CEO of Imagine.

Beyond the kitchen, the exhibit highlights the intersections of food with health, technology and the arts, with interactive multimedia experiences that let guests test their knowledge and experiment with new ideas.

The limited-time exhibition is included in general admission. More information is available at connerprairie.org/food.

Conner Prairie, Indiana’s first Smithsonian affiliate, spans more than 1,000 wooded acres and welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually.

The City of Fishers has posted the proposed economic development agreement that would bring JD Finish Line’s North American headquarters to The Link building at 11100 USA Parkway, giving the public its first detailed look at the incentive package before the City Council takes it up Monday night.

The headline number: a 100 percent abatement of both real and personal property taxes at the site for ten years, beginning with the January 1, 2028 assessment date. To make that possible, the council would designate the property an economic revitalization area under state law.

In return, The Finish Line, Inc. — the Indianapolis-based retailer owned by UK-based JD Sports Fashion PLC — commits to relocating its corporate headquarters to the USA Parkway site by December 31, 2028, investing at least $1 million in improvements to the building, and employing at least 400 full-time workers there at an average wage of approximately $47 per hour, or roughly $98,000 a year, throughout the ten-year abatement period. The agreement pegs the fair market value of the land and building at $13 million as of the purchase date.

As Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner indicated when the move was announced June 10, the agreement contains clawback provisions. If the company falls short of its commitments in any year, the city can recover a proportional share of that year’s tax benefit. The agreement spells out the math with an example: if the company employed 380 workers instead of the required 400 and had received $50,000 in abatement benefits that year, the city could recoup $2,500 — five percent, matching the five percent shortfall in hiring. Unpaid reimbursements would accrue interest at the prime rate plus five percent, and the company must file annual compliance forms with the city and the Hamilton County Auditor each May.

The city can also terminate the abatements outright if the company cannot meet its commitments, though the agreement requires “substantial, compelling evidence” before the city may do so. The abatements would survive a sale-leaseback of the building, an arrangement companies sometimes use to free up capital, so long as the employment commitments are met.

The relocation deadline can be extended for construction delays, tenant relocation delays or other reasons the parties mutually agree upon. The Link’s current tenants would need to be accommodated as the company renovates the building, with work expected to begin in 2027.

The agreement is one piece of the $169 million sixth phase of the Fishers District announced last week, which also includes the city’s $65 million Fishers Fieldhouse, the Indy Ignite training facility, and Buckingham Companies’ Contrast | Fishers residential development.

The move would bring more than 400 existing corporate employees from the company’s longtime far-east-side Indianapolis headquarters, with plans to add 200 more jobs in the coming years. The JD Finish Line distribution center will remain in Indianapolis.

The City Council meets Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m. at the Fishers Municipal Center.

The Fishers Freight will try to snap a five-game losing streak Sunday when they visit the Arizona Rattlers at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

What looked like a breakout season has turned into a fight for survival. The Freight opened 2026 by winning five of their first six games, but haven’t won since a 53-31 victory at Iowa on April 25. At 5-6, Fishers sits below .500 with five games left and little margin for error in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

The frustrating part for head coach and fans alike: this streak could easily look different. Four of the five losses came by a combined 11 points, including a 36-34 heartbreaker at Jacksonville on May 30, when a blocked kick in the final seconds sealed the loss, and last Saturday’s 45-44 overtime defeat to Tulsa at the Fishers Event Center.

There is reason for optimism heading west. The Freight handled these same Rattlers 63-42 in Fishers on April 5, the high point of the season’s hot start. That game remains Arizona’s most lopsided loss of the year.

Repeating that result in the desert is another matter. The Rattlers are 7-3 and a perfect 5-0 at home this season. Arizona reached the championship game of the league’s midseason IFL Cup tournament in May, falling 48-44 to the Vegas Knight Hawks, and bounced back with a 56-32 win over the Northern Arizona Wranglers in their last outing.

Sunday opens a closing stretch that will decide the Freight’s postseason fate. After Arizona, Fishers hosts Iowa on June 20 for Medieval Night, travels to Green Bay on June 27, visits Quad City on July 11, and closes at home against Orlando on July 26. Three of those four are conference games against teams the Freight will likely be chasing — or holding off — in the standings.

The math is simple: keep losing, and the first playoff berth in the franchise’s young history slips away. Win in a building where Arizona hasn’t lost all year, and the Freight head home with momentum and a statement.

The game will be streamed live on the Yahoo Sports streaming service.

Wednesday’s announcement at the Fishers District was really four announcements in one: a corporate headquarters, a city-built fieldhouse, a professional sports team’s new home base, and more than 300 new places to live. Taken together, they tell us a great deal about where Fishers is headed — and they raise questions taxpayers should want answered before the City Council votes on the economic development package Monday night.

The big picture: nearly a billion dollars in one district

Mayor Scott Fadness put a number on it Wednesday: with this $169 million sixth phase, total investment in the Fishers District now stands at just shy of $1 billion. By the mayor’s count, the district now represents 40 restaurants open or committed, 1,400 multi-family homes, 70,000 square feet of office space and nearly 500 hotel rooms.

That is a remarkable trajectory for ground that was largely undeveloped when The Yard broke ground less than a decade ago. The Fishers Event Center accelerated everything around it, and this phase is the clearest evidence yet of the city’s strategy: cluster sports, entertainment, dining and housing tightly enough that each piece feeds the others. JD North America’s CEO said as much Wednesday — the company chose the site in part because of the district’s blend of sports, retail and recreation.

The city says it has attracted nearly $3.5 billion in capital investment and more than 11,000 jobs at an average annual wage of $76,000 since 2015. Wednesday’s announcement fits squarely into that pattern.

The headquarters: a regional win, with an asterisk

JD North America’s move is unambiguously good news for Fishers. The company — home to the JD and Finish Line brands — will purchase and remodel the 350,000-square-foot Link building at 11100 USA Parkway, bringing more than 400 corporate employees and pledging roughly 200 more jobs in the coming years. The building, formerly home to USA Funds and then Navient, gets a committed owner-occupant. That alone matters: in a post-pandemic office market, large corporate campuses are hard to fill, and an empty one is a drag on any city’s tax base.

But it is worth being precise about what kind of win this is. JD North America is moving from the far east side of Indianapolis, about 20 minutes away. For Central Indiana as a whole, these are retained jobs, not new ones — the genuinely new jobs are the 200 promised hires. CEO John Hall noted Wednesday that many of his 425 current employees already live in Fishers, which suggests the daily lives of much of the workforce won’t change dramatically. The JD Finish Line distribution center stays in Indianapolis.

This is the familiar arithmetic of intra-regional headquarters moves: one city’s gain is, at least partly, a neighboring city’s loss. That doesn’t make it a bad deal for Fishers — property taxes, daytime workers spending money in the district, and the prestige of an international brand’s North American headquarters are real benefits. It does mean the public benefit case rests heavily on the 200 new jobs and the renovation of The Link, and that’s where the incentive terms (and their clawback provisions) deserve close reading.

The fieldhouse: the city doubles down on youth sports

The $65 million, 180,000-square-foot Fishers Fieldhouse is the piece of this with the most direct public money attached — the City of Fishers will build it. It will house Indy Ignite’s headquarters and a 29,000-square-foot practice facility, plus flex space for 10 basketball or 20 volleyball courts aimed at youth leagues and tournaments. Pro Net Sports will base a new Indy Hoops Academy girls program and a new AAU boys program there. Groundbreaking is set for fall 2026, with opening in late 2027 or early 2028.

The strategy is straightforward: youth sports tourism is a roughly $40 billion industry, and tournament families fill hotel rooms and restaurants — assets the Fishers District now has in quantity, with more committed. The fieldhouse follows the city’s $3.6 million investment in athletic fields announced in March and the creation of a city-district athletic director position. Fishers is making a sustained bet that it can be a youth sports destination.

It is a bet with competition. Westfield’s Grand Park has anchored this market in Hamilton County for a decade, and indoor tournament facilities are proliferating nationally.

For Indy Ignite, the value is clear. After two seasons, the franchise gets the first purpose-built training facility in Major League Volleyball, steps from its home court — the kind of infrastructure that signals a team is here to stay.

The housing: 265 units where the city needs them

Buckingham Companies’ Contrast | Fishers — 167 apartments and 98 townhomes on a 50-acre site adjacent to the Event Center — may be the least flashy piece, but it addresses a real constraint. Hamilton County’s housing supply has not kept pace with its job growth, and a district built on walkability needs people who can walk to it. Class A rentals and townhomes won’t solve affordability concerns — these will be high-end units — but adding supply near jobs and entertainment is consistent with how the city has approached the Nickel Plate District downtown. Groundbreaking is expected this year, with completion in late 2028.

The incentives: what we know, and what we don’t

Here is what has been made public so far.

The Fishers City Council will consider the economic development agreements at its June 15 meeting. Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner said the agreements include clawback provisions allowing the city to recover incentives if terms — presumably job creation and investment commitments — are not met. The city says detailed incentive terms will be posted online before the vote. As of this writing, the dollar figures for the city’s incentives to JD North America and Buckingham have not been released.

At the state level, Gov. Mike Braun’s office announced its own support for the JD North America expansion the same day. The state’s standard tool for deals like this is the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credit, administered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. EDGE credits are performance-based: they are calculated as a percentage of the expected increase in payroll tax withholdings from new jobs, and the company only collects as it actually creates the jobs. The IEDC has not yet published the specific amount committed to JD North America.

The performance-based structure matters. Both the city’s clawback language and the state’s pay-as-you-hire credits are designed to address the classic failure mode of incentive deals — paying for promises rather than results. Fishers has used this template before, and the announcement language Wednesday emphasized it.

The City Council takes up the economic development agreements Monday, June 15. The incentive details should be posted online before then. The fieldhouse breaks ground this fall, Buckingham breaks ground on Contrast | Fishers this year, and JD North America’s renovation of The Link begins in 2027. If all of it holds to schedule, the area around the Event Center will be one continuous construction zone into 2028 — and the Fishers District will cross the billion-dollar mark the mayor has been pointing toward since The Yard was just a plan.