I first met Jamie Follis briefly at a screening of last year’s HSE High School student film Iris.  Last July, Adam Aasen & I invited him to appear on our weekly film podcast “Hamilton County Goes To The Movies.”  It was during that interview that I learned Mr. Follis was more than a film making  adviser for high school students, he also worked on the side as a sculptor.

All that led to Jamie Follis being named Arts Educator of the Year” by Nickel Plate Arts, according to my news-gathering partners at the Hamilton County Reporter.

For 20 years, Follis has been educating and creating a passion in students for film by teaching an after-school film studies course. In 2013, he decided to use his experience in filmmaking to create Olio Road Productions, a fully-functioning film group that seeks to connect the most talented students at HSE and turn the school into a film studio. Follis guides and oversees the students as they create original, feature-length films. Follis says the students create every aspect of the project, including writing, producing, directing,
acting, filming, lighting and editing. In addition to teaching at Hamilton Southeastern, Follis works as a professional sculptor, selling his work at art gallery shows and on a commission basis.

Follis has also worked as a producer and in production design for Disney/Lucasfilm,
Supernatural, Seth Meyers, Patton Oswalt and Stephen Colbert. Most recently,
Follis was the art director for The Storyteller, which won the Audience Award
at the 2018 Heartland Film Festival.

Follis says he will proudly display his award, made from copper, wood and stained glass by DeMaris Gaunt of Mud Horse Art, a former Fishers resident. Each Nickel Plate Arts’ nominee received a gift of a locally-made item. Follis was also given a hand-turned wooden pen made by Fishers resident Chris Hayes of AskCheese Woodworks.

You can view the full-length feature film produced by his students last year, Iris, at this link

Yo can listen to the podcast interview with Jamie Follis (along with Fishers resident Andy Murphy, mother of famed director Ryan Murphy)  at this link.

Hamilton County Reporter

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson recently said the Indiana Democratic Party mailed out thousands of “defective” absentee ballot applications to voters.

According to Lawson, the applications did not include a mandatory box with deadlines and instructions on how to apply. Lawson said a lawyer for the Democratic Party contacted her office Thursday to tell her about the mistake.

Locally, Hamilton County Elections Administrator Kathy Richardson said her office received about 300 of the defective ballots that are currently being processed.

“We first received a directive from the Secretary of State to not process the altered and invalid forms. We immediately started contacting the voters who had filed on the altered
forms and sent them a valid form to fill out,” said Richardson. “On Friday, we received a resolution from the co-directors of the Election Division and the Secretary of State indicating they had reached an agreement to accept the altered forms for this election only. Once we received this notice we began processing the original forms.”

Richardson said her staff has been working overtime to get all the ballots processed and should be caught up this week.

As the campaigns for the 10 candidates seeking a seat on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board intensify, the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), the local teachers’ union, has announced their candidate endorsements.

There are four seats up for grabs in this election cycle, with voters casting ballots for candidates within their district boundaries.   For example, those residing in District 1 only vote for the candidates for District 1.

Here is a listing of the candidates for each district and the ones HSEA has endorsed.

District 1  

Bradley M. Boyer
Benjamin Elsbury
Joshua D. Richardson

The Association has endorsed Joshua Richardson

District 2

Matt Molter
Janet Pritchett
Frank Whelan

The HSEA endorsement goes to Frank Whelan

District 3

Michelle Fullhart
Jennifer Reardon McSoley

The endorsement goes to Michelle Fullhart

District 4

Bradley L Banks
Julie Chambers

In this race, HSEA has decided to endorse both Bradley Banks and Julie Chambers

HSEA President Janet Chandler tells LarryInFishers the organization’s decision to endorse both District 4 hopefuls is not unprecedented, the group has done this before.

Voters go to the polls November 6th.  Early voting is also available…use this link for more information on early & absentee ballots.

Delaware Township was honored recently by the Indiana Townships Association as the “Township of the Year.”  Township Trustee Debbie Driskell says the association cited the township’s many accomplishments over a number of years, and cited the No More Secrets campaign aimed at preventing child sexual abuse, an announcing the award.

When Ms. Driskell accepted the award, she asked her staff and township board to join her onstage.

“There is no way that we could have won this award without the backing of the township board and my supportive staff who is always willing to go above and beyond to assist members of the public,” Driskell told LarryInFishers in an e-mail message.

Fishers has been holding highly successful farmers markets, in the spring/summer season outdoors at the municipal complex, then an inside market during the winter months.  For the first time ever, Fishers will host Farmers Markets in October, at Holland Park.

Each Saturday in October, the market will be open 9am-12noon.  The first October event Saturday the 6th will feature hayrides, children’s games, and other seasonal activities.

On November 3rd, the winter Farmers Markets will be back, also at Holland Park.  For more information about the Farmers Markets, use this link.

Every parent of a child with the trick or treating age would like to know the hours for venturing throughout the neighborhood in costume well before Halloween.  The Fishers Police Department has done just that Monday.

Police Chief Ed Gebhart says Trick or Treat hours within the city of Fishers will be 6:00-pm to 8:00pm Wednesday, October 31st.

Chief Gebhart also wants to pass along some safety tips”

·         Give and accept wrapped or packaged candy only.

·         Only go to houses that you know the owner.

·         Have children bring treats home for adult inspection before they are eaten.

·         A parent or adult should accompany children when they are trick-or-treating.

·         Carry a flashlight.

·         Stay within your neighborhood; only visit homes you know.

·         Use make-up or face paint instead of masks.  If masks are used, make sure the child has good visibility.

·         Choose costumes that are flame retardant.

·         Wear light-colored clothing, short enough to prevent tripping.  Add reflective tape to dark colored costumes.

·         Watch for vehicle traffic and use caution when crossing the street.

Police cars will be patrolling the neighborhoods to help ensure everyone’s safety.  If you see or find anything suspicious, please immediately call 911.

Also, the annual Boo Bash, an event for all ages, will be held on Friday, October 26^th from 6pm-8pm on the Central Green.  For more information on this year’s Boo Bash, use this link.