Hamilton County Reporter

A public dedication ceremony for an Indiana state historical marker commemorating Ryan White and his efforts to raise national AIDS awareness while battling the disease as a teenager, is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 30. The marker dedication will begin at 9 a.m. on the grounds of Hamilton Heights Middle School at 420 W. North St., Arcadia. White attended Hamilton Heights High School at this location from Aug. 31, 1987 until his death on April 8, 1990. Parking is available in the school parking lot and along the side streets.

The text follows for the state marker entitled “Ryan White (1971-1990)”:

“Kokomo native Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 after contracting the virus from a contaminated hemophilia treatment. He faced intense discrimination from his community in a time of fear and misunderstanding about AIDS and was prevented from attending school in his hometown. Hamilton Heights High School welcomed White in 1987 after the family moved to Cicero. Anticipating White’s arrival, Hamilton Heights developed an acclaimed AIDS education campaign. White raised national AIDS awareness while battling the disease and spoke before the Presidential Commission on the HIV Epidemic. He was named Sagamore of the Wabash for his advocacy. The Ryan White CARE Act, providing funds for HIV/AIDS treatment, passed soon after his death.”

The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony for this state historical marker that examines Ryan White’s battle with AIDS and his commitment to educating others about the disease in the late 1980s. Hamilton Heights High School openly welcomed White in 1987 at a time when discrimination against those with the disease was common. School leadership and the student body fostered a climate of acceptance and trust within the community thanks to their widely praised educational campaign.

The program is free to attend, but does require a ticket. Click here to get your ticket. Following the program at the middle school and the unveiling of the new historical marker, there will be a short ceremony at Cicero Cemetery where White is buried for those interested in attending.

This is the seventh state historical marker in Hamilton County. For more information on other markers in the county, click here.

State historical markers commemorate significant individuals, organizations, places and events in Indiana history. These markers help communities throughout the state promote, preserve and present their history for the education and enjoyment of residents and tourists of all ages. For over 100 years, the Indiana Historical Bureau has been marking Indiana history. Since 1946, the marker format has been the large roadside marker, which has the familiar dark blue background with gold lettering and the outline of the state of Indiana at the top. Over 650 of these markers have been installed over the years.

For more information about the Indiana Historical Marker Program and other resources about Indiana, visit the Indiana Historical Bureau’s website at in.gov/history or call (317) 232-2535.

For more information about the marker dedication ceremony commemorating Ryan White, please contact Dan Smith at dsmith@hhschuskies.org or Peggy Georgi at pgeorgi@hhschuskies.org.

The Fishers Police Department has announced two community programs that local residents should note.

The first is the National Night Out, set for Tuesday, August 6th, Billericay Park, 5:30-7:30pm.  This is a national event, but done by local police departments throughout America.  It’s a chance for the local community to connect with Fishers Police officers.

There will be face painters, balloon artists, caricature artists, hot dogs, chips, cookies, drinks, with special appearances by Chase from Paw Patrol. There will be public safety educational associations there too. Fishers Police Officers will be available for questions and general conversation.

Second, The Police Department is planning another Citizens Academy.  This is the 37th year the local department has sponsored this program.

It is scheduled for 13 weeks and offers “police style” training to Fishers citizens.  Some of the training will include: Crime Prevention/Neighborhood Watch, Bicycle Patrol, Criminal Law, Police Canine, Traffic Stops, Weapons Familiarization, Criminal Investigations, Evidence Collection, and history of the department.

The instructors will be police officers from the Fishers Police Department.   Participants in the Citizen’s Academy are eligible to complete a ride along with an on- duty Fishers Police Officer.

 Our Fall 2019 Citizen’s Police Academy will be held at the Fishers Police Department every Wednesdaynight from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. starting August 21, 2019. The academy will be open to individuals who reside in Fishers or are employed in the Hamilton Southeastern School District.  You must be sixteen years old or older to participate in the Citizen’s Academy.

It is the Police Department’s goal to build on the relationships officers have established in the community. The Citizen’s Academy consists of classroom and hands on training that will allow citizens to interact and become more familiar with the tasks that are assigned to a police officer. The Citizen’s Academy will give community members the opportunity to ask questions about law enforcement and other related activities.

Apply online at www.fishers.in.us/police  or apply in person at the Fishers Police Department.  Applications will be accepted until August 14th.  If you have any questions, contact Officer Chris Owens at owensc@fishers.in.us  or (317) 595-3300.

The weekly update on road construction contains a reminder from Fishers City officials….please slow down and protect the safety of construction workers.

The north-end connector between Lantern Road and Municipal Drive should be completed in the coming days, if all goes as scheduled.  It will be open this weekend for concerts at the Amphitheater and the Saturday morning Farmers Market.

Also, watch for construction zones around the Fishers section of I-69.

Here is the complete listing, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week beginning Monday, August 5th:

=======================