It has been a while since the Indianapolis Star had a front-page story about Fishers, but I was a bit surprised at the lead in John Tuohy’s piece in the November 27th edition.  The lead to the story wasn’t about city finances or economic development.  It was about “fun.”  Yes, “fun.”  Here are the first four sentences:

First, the Fair Train was grounded. Then, the Freedom Fest was skedaddled. Finally, a plan for a skating rink was put on ice.

Has Fishers become a fun-free zone?

What is interesting about reporter Tuohy’s story is that I asked Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness  a question similar to what the Star is addressing nearly two years ago in my first full podcast – many long-time Fishers residents complain about the rapid changes in the community, and I asked the mayor how he answers those people.

His answer was simple – cities are either moving forward or backward.  Fadness believes just keeping things the way they are is not an option.  Given those two choices, the mayor opts to keep moving the city forward.

You can listen to the entire podcast at this link.

Tuohy’s piece explores the fact that Fishers may have lost some “fun” things we have enjoyed in the past, but the city is replacing most of them with something else.  You can argue about whether the new amenities  are better than the old, but change is coming – the only question is how things will be changing.

When the Fishers Freedom Festival Board of Directors issued the news release announcing it will no longer host the annual summer event, the mayor took exception to the assertion that the “festival partnership does not fall within their city’s vision.”  The mayor was emphatic with me that festivals are within his vision and that the city will continue a summer festival, which Mr. Tuohy’s article does address.

I have never found a measurement of fun for a community that makes any sense.  When I moved to Fishers in 1991, the Town of Fishers was one kind of place, a quiet suburb of about 10,000 people.  The City of Fishers is a much different place with a population of nearly 90,000.  I suppose fun for a small town and a growing city are two different things.

When I began the LarryInFishers.com news blog nearly 6 years ago, I did so because news outlets like the Star were paying only occasional attention to our community.  The Star is paying more attention to Fishers now, but if you want more updates on the fun measurement, you will have to go to the Star for that story.  I still don’t know how to measure fun.

To read John Touhy’s full story, use this link.

There has been a lot going on in Fishers lately.  There are squabbles about the school calendar at Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, a popular pizza restaurant in the heart of downtown Fishers has closed abruptly & unexpectedly…and the Fishers Freedom Festival is in the process of winding down the nonprofit group that has run the event since 1989.  That’s a lot of news in just a few weeks time.

On top of all that, I have a contract to travel the state this time of year as an instructor for Indiana University.  That means it is a bit more difficult for me to track local developments.

I have been wanting to write about this issue, but just now have reserved the time to do so.  I respectfully ask that you read what I have to say.

I am writing this to give you all a warning that this local news blog, and my podcasts, could all be history if one federal agency conducts a vote in December and the outcome is the one all observers are expecting.

If Net Neutrality rules, first established in 2005 by the George W. Bush administration and strengthened during the administration of Barack Obama, are repealed or greatly relaxed, my news blog and podcast series could be a thing of the past.

Am I being alarmist about this?  I do not think so.  I will explain why.

If the Net Neutrality rules are changed as expected by the Federal Communications Commission, you may soon find it difficult or impossible to access LarryInFishers.com.  I am just a locally-focused, small blog.  I have no commercial sponsors.  I am just a volunteer trying to serve my community during a period of time when news coverage is lacking here due to the economic changes in the news business.

If the big providers of Internet service (AT&T, Comcast, Verizon etc.) decide LarryInFishers is not that important to them economically, they could block my content in favor of other sites willing and able to pay them.  If not blocking, these firms could “throttle” my blog and podcasts, meaning it would take so long to load onto your computer or phone that you would likely give up on it.

For the “small fish” on the Internet, such as LarryInFishers.com, it is conceivable that we would disappear from sight on what is now a neutral Internet playing field.  The large Internet Service Providers would have complete freedom and discretion to do just that.

You may have seen the statements from companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon.  They all claim they will not block or slow down any “lawful” sites on the Web.  That’s what they say now.  That could change in the future.  That’s what has many of us worried.

After writing here recently that I was contemplating ending this blog after nearly 6 years of providing this service, I was deluged with wonderful comments asking me to continue, so I have.  But this change in the Net Neutrality regulatory framework is the biggest threat to Internet offerings such as mine.

If you do care about LarryInFishers.com and want it to continue, I would urge you to contact Congresswoman Susan Brooks and our two senators, Joe Donnelly and Todd Young.  Since the Federal Communications Commission vote will likely change the Net Neutrality rules, there will almost certainly be litigation on this issue.

As the litigation delays implementation, Congress has the right to intervene at any time.  I would urge all citizens of Fishers to contact your two senators and member of the House.  That is the only way Net Neutrality has a chance of being preserved.

In a new world without Net Neutrality, LarryInFishers.com and my podcasts have a very uncertain future.

Contact information for Congresswoman Susan Brooks is available at this link.

Contact information for Senator Todd Young is available at this ink.

Contact Senator Joe Donnelly at this link.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers scored a tough win at New Castle Saturday, beating the Trojans
50-47.

It was a back-and-forth game throughout; the Tigers jumped out to
a 10-5 lead after the first quarter, but New Castle came back to go up 20-17 at halftime. Fishers reclaimed the lead by the end of the third period and held on for the win.

Toni Grace scored 25 points for the Tigers and also had five rebounds. Kenedi
London added 12 points, and Tamia Perryman grabbed eight rebounds. Lydia
Stullken made two blocks.

Fishers is now 7-2 and hosts Mooresville on Wednesday.

Adam & I review the film Lady Bird.  My nephew Connor Glass talks about being a production assistant in the film industry..

In a posting on his personal Facebook page late Friday night, Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board Vice President John DeLucia wrote that he “made a mistake” Monday night in voting on the school calendar issue. “I apologize for that mistake and am looking forward to the opportunity to fix it next Wednesday night,” wrote DeLucia.

He was one of the yes votes in a 4-3 HSE Board vote to add 2 days to the start of the next two school years and add 2 days off at Thanksgiving, providing a week-long Thanksgiving break.  If DeLucia switches his vote, and all other 6 board members vote the same, the outcome would be different, with the school calendar in the coming two years remaining roughly the same as the current school year.

In that Facebook posting, DeLucia goes into some detail to explain why he cast his vote on Monday night.  He points out that, with arguments about the scientific value of the survey conducted by school administrators aside, 33% voted to support the recommendation from Superintendent Allen Bourff to keep the calendar about the way it stands now, but 30% voted for the week-long Thanksgiving break and earlier school start date in August.

Delucia argues none of the 5 options had a majority, and the community was closely split on the options receiving the top two votes.  He wrote that the vote also clearly shows there is not much support for a balanced school calendar in the HSE school community.

The decision to support the calendar option that passed Monday night was a move to enact a calendar at that time, DeLucia wrote, and that a compromise was required to pass any calendar Monday night.  His vote was an attempt to reach that compromise, which DeLucia now describes as a mistake on his part.

“I have learned a great deal about how significant these 2 days are for many of our teachers, students and families” DeLucia wrote. “A full week the first week of school for the early grades is really long and burdensome. Finding childcare 2 more days during Thanksgiving week is a burden for working families. Starting on Wednesday allows for teachers to start on Monday. Starting on Monday makes teachers start the week prior. Some of these points were brought up Monday night. Again, I leaned on it only being 2 days AND the desire to make a decision. I thought if we delayed, we’d wait another month, irritate even more people, and end up the same place we were. Let’s bite the bullet and make a decision. 2 days. Again, I was wrong.”

The board vice president, as part of his Facebook post, reflected on the state of discourse when members of the community disagree with a board decision.

“Maybe before you hop on social media with a venomous post, learn a little more about what has gone on,” according to DeLucia . “How about coming to a meeting and speaking on an agenda item? How about a phone call? I can’t say I’ve replied to every email I’ve received, but I try to. I have returned every phone call I’ve received related to school matters.”

HSE School Board President Matt Burke has called a special meeting for Wednesday, November 29th, 7pm, at the school administration building on Cumberland Road.  The only item on the agenda is reconsideration of the school calendar vote.  With John DeLucia’s Facebook post, it is very possible this vote will end in a different result.

You can read John DeLucia’s entire Facebook post at this link.

In a podcast interview with me recorded November 23rd, 2016, John DeLucia said he definitely would not seek a third term on the school board.  You can listen to that entire podcast at this link.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

George Kristo, a familiar face to countless Hamilton County young people and a veritable “fixture” at the Government and Judicial Center, is retiring as director of the Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs. For 22 years Kristo has headed the group with the simple, but difficult mission of “reducing and preventing consumption of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs” by county youth.

Kristo says he will retire in early January. Although approaching his 80th birthday,

Kristo seems younger in appearance and attitude, probably because of his association with much younger people. His is a one-man operation which supports the North Suburban Alcoholics Anonymous Club, the DARE program, Hamilton County Drug Court, the local schools’ Red Ribbon program, Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) and arranges for the County Youth Service Award, which grants an annual scholarship to a local high school graduate.

For many years George and his late wife, Dr. Linda Kristo, hosted an alcohol-free New Years Eve party for county teenagers. But, the party will not be held this year due to Kristo’s retirement and various timing problems.

George and his wife came to the area in 1990 from Toledo, Ohio, following his 32-year career with insurance giant Blue Cross. Since arriving in Noblesville, he has been involved with various community activities including the County Historical Society, Noblesville Main Street and as a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.

In retirement George plans to remain in Noblesville and continue his volunteer work at a local nursing home. His successor as council director will be selected by the council board of directors chaired by Superior Court Judge Steve Nation.

by

Richie Hall

Sports Editor

Hamilton County Reporter

Friday may have been all about the best deals in the shopping malls, but there was also an important basketball game to be played between two Class 4A powerhouses.

The top-ranked Carmel girls traveled to No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern for a rare Friday afternoon contest. After a tight first half, the Greyhounds turned up their pressure defense (again) in the third quarter, and that turned out to be the difference in a 58-44 victory. Carmel is still unbeaten for the season at 8-0.

“This is a tough game to play,” said Greyhounds coach Tod Windlan. “You’re talking about Thanksgiving, and the next day you’re playing on Black Friday at 2:30 in the afternoon. It’s more of a mental state of mind getting ready to play the game than anything.”

Both teams struggled with their shooting in the first quarter before getting it together by the period’s end. After trading baskets (and the lead) for the first part, Carmel made the first run of the game midway through the quarter: Amy Dilk hit a 3-pointer, and Tomi Taiwo followed that with a traditional three-point play.

That put the ‘Hounds up 11-6, but the Royals answered with a 7-0 run that carried into the second quarter. Sydney Parrish and Amaya Hamilton made first-period jumpers, then Molly Walton sank a 3-pointer that got HSE up 13-11.

Carmel led 17-16 midway through the period, then scored six unanswered points to lead 23-16. Four of those points came from back-to-back layins by Jasmine McWilliams – who was just getting started. The Royals cut the Greyhounds lead slightly by halftime, which saw Carmel ahead 26-23.

The ‘Hounds opened the second half by running off 11 straight points, zooming ahead 37-23 before HSE called timeout with 4:39 left in the quarter. Taiwo began the run with (what else?) a 3-pointer, and closed it with a layin. Reagan Hune added a couple of layins as well.
“Our JV kids are really aggressive kids, so our practices have been really good,” said Windlan. “It wears people down.”

Later on in the quarter, Carmel used another 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 47-28. McWilliams again chipped in consecutive baskets, the second one off a Taiwo steal.
“I thought she was outstanding and I thought our guards were really good,” said Windlan of McWilliams. The sophomore wound up with a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling 11 rebounds.

“She’s more confident in what she’s doing,” said Windlan. “She just keeps getting better each day for us. I thought Reagan Hune and Molly Gillig were outstanding guarding Parrish tonight.”

Carmel led 51-36 midway through the fourth quarter. Southeastern made one last run at that point, scoring eight straight points to get within 51-44 at the 2:46 mark. Tayah Irvin helped out with a 3-pointer.

But the ‘Hounds ended the comeback hopes by scoring the game’s last seven points. McWilliams made all four of her foul shots during the final 1:34 of the game.
Taiwo led Carmel’s scoring with 20 points, including three 3-pointers. She also had six rebounds and six steals. Dilk finished with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds. McWilliams had four steals, while Gillig dished out four assists.

Walton led Southeastern’s scoring with 11 points, with Parrish scoring nine and Irvin adding eight. Walton also reached double-double status by grabbing 10 rebounds, while Amaya Hamilton had five rebounds.

“Molly Walton gave us about everything she could,” said Huppenthal. “Her fight the whole game was what you want to see in a kid and you wish it would be contagious to other kids. Tayah Irvin the same thing. I thought Tayah’s fight throughout the whole game was good. You wish some other kids would go ahead and see that, and you wish it would be contagious to them. But it just wasn’t today.”

Carmel is back in action on Tuesday when it plays a Metropolitan Conference game at Lawrence North. The Royals, now 6-2 for the season, host Noblesville on Wednesday in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game.

The Fishers City Council had a busy agenda at the November 20th session, including  much recognition and a swearing-in ceremony for new police officers.

The new law enforcement officers sworn-into service were: Kevin Matt, Matthew Noyes, Cody Street, Steven Gabrielsen, Cody Lathan, Cameron Vannatta and Zach Sieg.

20 year Service Awards were handed out, including Department of Puiblic Works employee Mark Cowan and Rocco Rossano of the Fishers Stormwarter Department.

It was graduation night for the latest class of the Fishers Citizens Academy.

If you have been looking for a parking space along the Central Green area of the Municipal Complex, on Municipal Drive between City Hall and 116th Street, you may have noticed that there are rarely any vacant parking spaces along the street.  City officials have found that most of those parking spots are being used by residents of the Depot and Switch apartment buildings.

Brandon Dickinson, Director of Economic Development for the City of Fishers, briefed city council members on a plan to deal with this situation at a work session Monday evening.  When the city entered into economic development deals with the Depot & Switch, a certain number of parking spaces in each parking garage, paid for by the city, are set aside as resident parking.

Dickinson told council members that each apartment building is over 90% occupied, and the city is finding that “a lot of tenant spaces are empty” because a number of apartment dwellers are finding it more convenient to park on the outside spaces around the municipal complex.

The city is not prepared to install parking meters at this time in the area, Dickinson said, so city staff is proposing a parking ban from 3am to 6am, 7 days a week, in the downtown area.  The expectation is that residents will not park overnight in the outside spaces, will begin to use their designated parking areas in their respective parking garages, and open up more visitor parking .

The fine for parking illegally 3am-6am is proposed to be $20.  If enacted, city staffers envision easing into the new rules, with a grace period where officers would issue warning tickets before fining motorists parking illegally.

The parking proposal would include a wide area of the Nickel Plate District, including the Central Green area, the Ellipse, and extend east to the area near Four Day Ray.

If enacted, it is projected that the parking restrictions would be implemented in 2018.

The Board of Public Works and Safety would be the body to consider enacting this proposal, unless the city council raises major objections.

In another downtown parking matter, City Attorney Chris Greisl told council members the city has a tentative agreement with the United State Postal Service to construct a surface public parking lot on the land between 116th Street and the local Fishers Post Office.  “We’re still trying to work out some details,” said Griesl.

Every year since I started this bog, I post a Thanksgiving Day message.  I always give thanks for many things.  Once again this year, there is much for me to be personally thankful for….but this time please allow me a point of personal privilege in writing about Thanksgiving.

I am very fortunate to have a brother just two years younger than myself.  We went through all the stages of growing up together.  We shared the same room during all those formative years.  We both learned about life and talked about all that every day while growing up.

That brother’s name is Tom.  He and I could not be more different personality-wise.  I was always a little quiet, reserved and thoughtful in those early years.  Tom was vocal and outgoing, a born salesman.

We both took an interest in radio broadcasting.  We even put together our own low-power radio station (we didn’t have a license, but the statute of limitations has expired, I think).  We gave the station the call letters of WART….strangely enough, a man bought a radio station in Plainfield, Indiana a few years later and actually, legally got the call letters WART.  Tom & I were ahead of our time.

He went into sales and marketing, I chose radio programming and later the news end of the business.  But we both shared that love of media.

With our very different personalities, it is a miracle we didn’t fight more than we did.  Even though we often looked at life very differently, we always had a good time when together, and that is still true to this day.

There is a special bond that exists with the brother that shared the process of growing up with you.  No matter how much time goes by, once we are together again, it’s like no time has gone by.  The bond remains strong.

My brother Tom is enduring a tough situation now.  He was diagnosed with cancer, and he chose an aggressive treatment plan.  That didn’t surprise me, it’s the decision I would expect Tom would choose.

The treatments are causing him a lot of pain and suffering.  Even though his medical team is very positive about his prognosis, and he has the solid support of his family and friends, it is very painful for me to see this.

When something like this happens to my brother Tom, it’s just like it is happening to me.  It is difficult to watch all this happen to him.

But the good news is that Tom is well enough to travel and he will see his family this Thanksgiving Day.  His son Patrick, a newly-minted member of the United States Marine Corps, will see Tom for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.  His daughter Lauren, a college student in Florida, will also have the chance to visit with her Dad.

I will get the chance to visit with Tom as well.  It will be good to see him and his lovely wife Kathy.

So, what am I most thankful for this 2017 Thanksgiving Day?  I am thankful that my brother Tom, despite the awful side effects of his treatments, has an excellent chance for a full recovery from the cancer in his body.  I am thankful that I will have the opportunity to see him on this Thanksgiving Day.