Thompson-Thrift announced Wednesday the addition of PetPeople to the tenant lineup of the new Fishers District development.  Fishers District is to be located near The Yard, just east of IKEA, near I-69 & 116th Street.

“PetPeople will make an excellent addition to the line-up at Fishers District,” said Brandon Borah, Sr. Leasing Representative for Thompson-Thrift. “We’re very excited to add this type of specialty store to the Fishers District mix.”

PetPeople will occupy approximately 3,700 square feet of space in Fishers District and will feature pet focused products and services such as food, supplies, washing stations and other services that cater to pets.

PetPeople is scheduled to open first quarter, 2020.

“We are eager to open our Fourth PetPeople location in the Indianapolis metro area and are very excited about this new location at Fishers District, “ says Carrie McDermott, CEO of PetPeople. “We feel we will be a great fit to the area and neighborhood.”

Scammers calling you on the phone is sadly a regular thing in this day and age, but Fishers Police want to warn local residents of a new scam where the caller impersonates a DEA agent.

The fake agent begins by accusing the person of being involved in an illegal drug investigation and demanding they send gift cards in order to clear their name.

Many of these telephone scammers instruct the victim to stay on the phone, not tell anyone of the conversation, and travel to a store and purchase gift cards or green dot cards for a certain amount.

Unfortunately, there have been a few Fishers residents that have been taken advantage of and have lost thousands of dollars.

Here are a few safety tips you should follow if you are contacted by a possible telephone scammer:

· Immediately hang up the phone if you do not recognize or know the caller

· Never give out personal information. If you feel the call might be legitimate, you can ask the person to mail you information

· No legitimate company or organization requires payment via gift cards or green dot cards

· No law enforcement agency threatens to arrest people over the phone.

· If something does not sound or feel right, hang up the phone.

· You are welcome to contact your local law enforcement agency, however most of these telephone scams originate from overseas and are very difficult if not impossible to trace. For more information regarding the DEA telephone scam please use this link.

School calendars are always important to parents and families, as planning for trips and vacations are often done far in advance.  Tonight (Wednesday) the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board is scheduled to vote on the school calendars for the coming two school years.

Early Wednesday morning, administrators publicly released the proposed calendars in advance of the expected board action.  Board members held a discussion of the calendar issue at the last regular board session but reached no consensus.

There was concern voiced by several board members about the early start of school in both calendars, but also wanted to finish the first semester before Christmas break

The 2020-2021 proposed calendar has students reporting for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 5th.  Fall break would be October 19-23.  The first day of Christmas break would be December 21, with classes resuming January 6.  Spring break would be April 2-9.  The last day of classes before summer break would be May 26.  You can view the proposed 2020-2021 calendar at this link.

The administration proposal for school year 2021-2022 would call for the first day of classes on Wednesday, August 4.  Fall break would be held October 18-22.  Christmas break would start Monday, December 20, with students returning on Wednesday, January 5.  Spring break would be scheduled for April 1-8.  The final day of classes for students would be Wednesday, May 25.  You can review the proposal for the 2021-2022 school calendar at this link.

These calendars are the proposals from school administrators.  Calendars are not official until approved by a majority vote among the 7 members of the HSE School Board.

(Left) Firefighters decontaminate an emergency worker during Sunday’s mock disaster training. (Right) Hamilton County Emergency Management Director Shane Booker (right) directs emergency personnel from a mobile command center. (Photos provided)

Hamilton County Reporter

Emergency personnel and first responders conducted a mock disaster training exercise at the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center on Sunday. The event was designed to test the resources of local police, fire and emergency services in the event of a local emergency involving hazardous materials.

Labor Day weekend is always fun for my wife Jane and myself, for two reasons.  First, my birthday is close to Labor Day.  Second, it is time for the Fishers Blues Fest.

The Blues Fest is something Jane & I look forward to attending every year a this time.  There are plenty of outstanding blues acts on this year’s festival slate.  The highlight features The BB King Blues Band with Michael Lee.  The King of the Blues, BB King, may no longer be with us, but his band and his music live on.

Here is the lineup for the 2019 Fishers Blues Fest, at the downtown Fishers Nickel Plate Amphitheater:

Friday, August 30

• John Ford 7 – 7:20 p.m.
• Paul Linden & His Agents of Redemption: 7:30 – 8:05 p.m.
• Queen Delphine and The Crown Jewels: 8:15 – 8:50 p.m.
• Governor Davis: 9 – 9:40 p.m.
• John Primer: 9:50 – 11 p.m.

Saturday, August 31

• The Blues Ambassadors: 7 – 7:40 p.m.
• Jay Jesse Johnson: 7:50 – 8:30 p.m.
• 2019 Honoree Tad Robinson: 8:40 p.m. – 9:20 p.m.
• B.B. King Blues Band featuring Michael Lee: 9:45 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Please note that outside food and drinks are not allowed at the event.

As we near the annual local gridiron classic – the Mudsock Game pitting rivals Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern in the big football game – another event tied to the September 13th contest is reaching for a new record.  The Pasta Bowl has been collecting boxes of pasta for local organizations, such as the township trustees and Second Helpings, as part of the Mudsock Game, for several years now.

In 2019, the Pasta Bowl organizers are setting an ambitious goal – 25,000 pounds of Pasta donations.  Last year, the 21 schools in the Hamilton Southeastern School District collected a total of 20,152 pounds of pasta donations.

There are now 22 HSE District schools with the addition of Southeastern Elementary.  The Pasta Bowl volunteers will soon have collection boxes available throughout the school district, and, of course, there will be plenty of collection boxes at the Mudsock Game itself.

School buildings engage in a friendly competition to collect the most pasta.  Here are the building results from 2018, with winners listed by category:

Riverside Intermediate – intermediate/junior high and overall district winner (2,789 lbs. of pasta)

Fishers High School – high school winner (2,096 lbs. of pasta)

Hoosier Road Elementary – elementary winner (2,369 lbs. of pasta)

Cumberland Road Elementary – most improved (2,166; 1,891 more lbs. vs. 2017)

I am certain there are people waking up this Sunday morning in Fishers wondering why there is so much commotion about the retirement of one football player.  There are football fans still in shock about Andrew Luck’s decision to retire just before the start of the 2019 NFL season.

There are football reasons for concern, and there are non-football reasons for concern.  Allow me to start with the non-football part.

Whether we like it or not, taxpayers have a major investment in the Colts and Lucas Oil Stadium.  Those of us living in the Indianapolis area must be cognizant of one important fact…we are one of the smallest markets in the NFL.  Of the 30 metropolitan areas with an NFL team, Indianapolis is 25th.

When the lease on the old RCA (formerly Hoosier) Dome no longer made sense for the city economically, the city and the Colts were at a crossroads.  Would the Colts leave for another market (remember, Los Angeles had no NFL team at that time) or would state and city officials find a way to finance a new NFL stadium in Indy?

Because our market is small by NFL standards, our local elected officials decided to pony up public money to keep the Colts here.  That was the only way to keep the team.  You can make arguments either way as to whether that was the correct decision, but that is the way things stand so that is the reality we face.

That is why Andrew Luck’s retirement is something non-football fans should understand.  We all have an investment in the Colts.  When the Colts do well, we all do well.  When the Colts do not win, we all suffer some as a result.

It is a fact that very few teams make the playoffs and progress into the post-season without a top-shelf quarterback.  There are only a small number of quarterbacks in the NFL capable of leading a team to a Super Bowl.  Andrew Luck was in that small number.

One NFL General Manager reportedly offered the Colts their entire draft if they could obtain the rights to the number one pick that year, which everyone knew would be Luck.  The Colts refused, understanding the need for a high-caliber quarterback.

It will take the Colts some years to recover from this.  The chances of the Colts being a contender for a Super Bowl title are down this year, and likely for some years to come.

This damages the value of that public investment area taxpayers have made, and are still making, to keep the Colts around.  We should all understand this reality.

But there is a football consequence that must be considered. As recently as 1977, the NFL regular season consisted of 14 games.  That number then went to 16, where it is today.  But that does not include playoff and preseason games, or full contact practice sessions.

With players bigger and faster than ever, the physical toll this game takes on the bodies of the players is something most of us will never understand.  Read accounts from former players.  Talk to a medical professional that treats current or retired NFL players.  They all tell the same story.  The NFL beats your body up in a savage manner.

Personally, I do not blame Andrew Luck for retiring.  He has played through difficult and painful injuries in the past.  It appears he would be forced to play through a lot of pain in order to play for the Colts this season.

I expect more players to end their NFL careers earlier than ever as we move forward.  The physical toll is just too much for any human to endure.

Much has been written about the Colts crowd booing Luck as he left the field of the preseason game Saturday night.  I suspect that came because of the shock felt by devoted football fans.  From everything I know, Luck was involved in the Indianapolis community in a very positive way, above and beyond what is expected of a first-tier athletic star in our society.

I wish Andrew Luck all the best in whatever the future has in store for him.

But remember this when the NFL and the players’ union enter the next contract negotiations.  One big goal of the owners is to expand the number of games in the regular season and possibly the playoffs.  The players will balk at putting their bodies at risk even more in the coming years.

Just a few things to think about as Andrew Luck moves into NFL retirement

Hamilton County Reporter

A portion of the construction on the Levinson project has stopped after complaints were received from downtown businesses and residents regarding vibrations from the pounding of construction materials into the ground.

A few downtown businesses reported damage to their building’s masonry and items falling off shelves due to the vibrations.

A statement issued by the City of Noblesville to the Hamilton County Reporter said:

“The decision to halt sheeting installation was made last week. The city discussed its concerns about the process and feedback shared by nearby tenants about the vibrations. It was decided to stop operations and look into other options. The construction team is preparing to mobilize a different method, which will efficiently speed up this work and cause less vibrations. In the meantime, the existing sheet piles that are sticking up out of the ground will be pulled up and removed.”

Robert Herrington, Communications manager for the City of Noblesville, said the shutdown is only for sheeting material installation. Utility work and limited excavation will continue.

Hamilton County Reporter

On Sept. 18, Nickel Plate Arts will hold its seventh anniversary gala with the fourth edition of the Nickel Plate Arts Awards to celebrate the area’s burgeoning arts scene and recognize some of the most valuable artists and arts advocates. The gala will happen at the Mill Top Banquet and Conference Center and feature dinner by Jacquie’s Catering, wine from Mr. G’s liquors, live music, hands-on arts experiences and a live auction during Nickel Plate Arts’ premiere fundraiser of the year.

Aili McGill, executive director for Nickel Plate Arts, emphasizes the importance of the upcoming anniversary gala to Nickel Plate Arts’ ongoing success.

“This year’s gala is critical to Nickel Plate’s overall financial health, and also allows us to share the stories of how the members of our creative community are improving the quality of life within and promoting economic development throughout the Nickel Plate region,” McGill said.

More specifically, McGill says, “This year’s gala will allow us to raise funds for our next big project, which is our proposed ‘Artist Academy,’ a highly-cultivated series of classes, workshops, and other resources developed in conjunction with partners throughout our network to offer artists of all experience levels important professional development and growth opportunities.”

Nickel Plate Arts’ goal is to raise funds to develop these classes and offer them to artists affordably.

McGill is eager to honor each of the nominees. “This year, we recognize 22 individuals who are actively engaged in strengthening the arts community.”

Here are the nominees for the 2019 Nickel Plate Arts Awards:

Emerging Artist of the Year

• Krista Darrow
• Robert Adams IV
• Gloria Merrell

Artist of the Year

• Leslie Ober
• Geoff Davis
• Michael Janosky
• Kerry Ruschhaupt

Arts Educator of the Year

• Sue Payne, Conner Prairie and Hamilton County Artists’ Association
• Deanna Leonard, Caravan Classes
• Conner Prairie
• Ed Gedeon, Comics & Cartooning Class Instructor

Arts Champion of the Year

• Fishers Arts Council
• Bonnie Ramirez, Our Town Cicero Third Thursdays
• Jill Lehman, High Frequency Arts
• Brian Short, Prizm the Artist’s Supply Store
• Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy
• Meredith Ziegenhagel, Ziegenhagel Wagner Group

Public Art Project of the Year

• Thompson Thrift, Fishers District development mural project
• Intuitive Health & Riverview Health, sculpture project at new Fishers location
• Riverview Health, sculpture project at new Infusion Center in Noblesville
• Noble Coffee & Tea Company – Indoor bird mini-murals in Noblesville
• Boaz Construction – Meadows Design Complex renovation in Indianapolis

With continued support from patrons and engagement from local artists, Nickel Plate Arts believes its future is bright.

“Moving forward, we hope that everyone who experiences our community will participate in the creative economy in some fashion,” said McGill. “That can include buying handmade gifts, investing in an amazing piece of art, supporting local musicians or actors, taking a class, enjoying well-designed public art, or even creating their own art or handmade product! We are working every day to remove barriers and roadblocks so that every can experience art here every day!”

For ticketing information on Nickel Plate Arts’ seventh annual Anniversary Gala, visit nickelplatearts.org/gala.

(Editor’s Note: On August 21st, Fred Swift wrote a commentary published in the Hamilton County Reporter and posted here on my news blog as part of a news-gathering partnership between the Reporter and LarryInFishers.com – the Reporter published a response to Fred Swift’s commentary in the August 24th edition of the Reporter from Hamilton County Councilman Rick McKinney.  Below is the response, in the form of a Letter to the Editor)

Dear Editor:

The title is misleading and implies, to the casual observer, that the Hamilton County government is seeking a tax increase, which is certainly NOT true!

A better title would have been: “Cities seeking to increase local income tax”.

Mr. Swift’s premise that Hamilton County government could easily absorb the costs of the 911 Communications system by itself is simply nonsensical.

The Commissioners wrested control of the 911 department from the Sheriff approximately eight years ago, which was a first in the 30-year history of 911. They proceeded to create a new entity to fund the 911 Communications Center that would be controlled by the cities, funded by contracts with the cities and the county plus the excise taxes from cellphones and landlines, and managed by the commissioners. As a result, the northern communities have been subsidized by both the cities and the county.

The State of Indiana also changed the funding flow so it would receive all the excise taxes from cell phones and landlines, then distributes them back to individual counties under a formula devised by them: It is not a “contribution” from the State as Mr. Swift implies. Nor does Hamilton County receive 100 percent of the taxes generated by its cell phone users.

The surplus Mr. Swift mentioned is already allocated for specific needs and purposes: Proper cash flow to fund routine operations and avoid short term borrowing ($15 million), allocation for Judicial Center expansion ($12 million), reserves for possible cost overruns on State Road 37 ($10 to 12 million) and future road projects at 146th Street and Allisonville Road.

The Hamilton County Council is NOT in favor of an increase in the Local Income Tax. Period.

Rick McKinney

At-Large Member, Hamilton County Council