The longest-serving member of the local Fishers municipal council (town & city) remaining on the Fishers City Council is David George.  He has a Democratic opponent in this year’s general election.  Here is my conversation with Adam Kaps, candidate for Fishers City Council, Southwest District.

John Weingardt has served municipal government in Fishers as an election official since 2012.  John is seeking another four-year term on the council in the upcoming general election.  Here is my conversation with John Weingardt.

Fishers City Council Vice President Eric Moeller invited Director of Engineering Jason Taylor and Troy Woodruff of RQAW to speak before a Council Connect session, held Friday morning before a small crowd at the Sunlake Apartments, near State Road 37 & 126th Street.

The State Road 37 construction project was the main topic of discussion.  Taylor said the remainder of 2019 will see preparation work for keeping 4 lanes of traffic open along 37 (2 northbound and 2 southbound) during the construction process.  That means some lane restrictions will begin on SR37 in October.

Relocation of utilities in the construction areas will be ongoing, according to Taylor.

When asked about when there will be closures and/or restrictions east-west along 126th Street, Taylor said there is no schedule from the contractor, but these closures will not likely start until the spring of 2020.  The 126th Street east-west project, installing an overpass bridge with a roundabout, is scheduled to be complete by at least November of 2020, according to Taylor, with the usual caveat that unforeseen conditions, such as weather delays, could always change that projection.

The reconstruction of the interchange at 146th Street and State 37 is expected to begin sometime in 2020, but east-west traffic is expected to be maintained on 146th Street during the construction, at least one lane each way.

There will be an ongoing monitoring of traffic signals in and around the construction area.  Taylor says his department will be watching that and make any changes to deal with detouring traffic.

My wife & I enjoy the live theater, and particularly love the many volunteers supporting community theater.  One of those community theaters in our area is the Belfry Theater in Noblesville.   Here is my review of the opening production for this season, Wait Until Dark.

(for more information, use this link)

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers put a scare into Indiana’s top-ranked high school football team Friday
night.

The Tigers, playing in front of their Homecoming crowd, went up 14-0 on Avon after one quarter of play. But the Class 6A No. 1 Orioles asserted themselves in the next three quarters, holding Fishers scoreless and scoring five touchdowns to hand the 6A No. 9 Tigers a 35-14 Hoosier Crossroads Conference defeat.

Fishers scored both of its touchdowns in the middle portion of the first period.
Dylan Scally took an 18-yard run into the end zone, then Marcus Roux connected
on a 15-yard TD pass to Reece Boland. Jack Phillips converted both extra-point
kicks.

The Orioles got on the board in the second quarter, cutting Fishers’ lead to
14-7 at halftime. Avon then added two touchdowns in each of the next two periods. Orioles quarterback Henry Hesson took over the game, throwing four passing touchdowns and running 35 yards for Avon’s final score of the game.

Roux finished the game 10-of-17, totaling 61 yards, with Boland catching three of those passes. Scally rushed 21 times for 80 yards.

The Tigers are 2-2 in conference play and 4-2 overall. Fishers will remain at
home next week, taking on Franklin Central.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern kept its winning momentum going on the road Friday, as the Royals cruised past Zionsville 35-14 in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at the Eagles’ field.

Southeastern got on the board in the first quarter, when Ben Boysen caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Hobson. The senior quarterback was just getting warmed up, as he threw for two more touchdowns in the second quarter. DeAndre Rhodes caught a nine-yard throw early in the period, then Tony Myers took a 10-yard pass into the end zone
midway through the quarter.

The Royals ended the first half with a flourish, as junior running back Jace Alexander took a seven-yard carry into the end zone. Southeastern led 28-0 at halftime.

Alexander got one more touchdown, as he scrambled 17 yards to score late in the fourth period. Alex Geroulis made all five extra-point kicks.

Blaine Wertz was the Royals’ leading rusher, with 117 yards in 21 carries. Alexander totaled 91 yards in 14 trips. Hobson had a highly efficient night, completing 11 of 17 passes for 146 yards and the three touchdowns.

The win was the second in a row for Southeastern, which improved to 2-2 in
HCC play and 3-3 overall. The Royals are back home next Friday, hosting Noblesville at TCU Field.

Fishers High School celebrated Homecoming Friday night, and crowned the King and Queen.  According to my news-gathering partner, the Hamilton County Reporter, the king of is Colton Keel and the queen Victoria Butler (Photo above)

Fishers City Council President Rich Block issued a statement Friday afternoon, saying an investigation of City Clerk Jennifer Kehl “concluded that no violations of law occured.”  However, Block says the report did contain “management issues” brought to the attention of council members.

“…changes have been implemented which have transferred duties previously assumed by the Clerk (but not legally required to be performed by the Clerk) to current City staff which will streamline the administration of government and maximize efficiencies,” according to Block’s statement .

On May 23rd, the Fishers City Council issued a statement saying Ms. Kehl was being investigated for possible violations of Title VII, part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin and religion.  The council news release May 23rd did not specify which part of Title VII was involved in this case.

The council utilized the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg to conduct the investigation into the allegations lodged against the city clerk, which found no law violations.

Jennifer Kehl was contacted by LarryInFishers for her reaction, and said that she still does not know the specific allegations against her.  The report has not been shared or explained to her, she said.

“I have completed tasks assigned to the best of my ability,.” Kehl told LarryInFishers.

She has asked for information on the report, but has been told it is confidential and cannot be shared with her.

“I have done the job I was elected to do, which the city chose to distribute to others,” said Kehl.

Here is the full text of the statement issued Friday afternoon by Council President Rich Block:

The Common Council for the City of Fishers engaged Barnes & Thornburg, LLP to investigate allegations made against the separately elected City Clerk.  The investigators concluded that no violations of law occurred; however, several management issues related to the Clerk’s office were brought to the Council’s attention.  Accordingly, changes have been implemented which have transferred duties previously assumed by the Clerk (but not legally required to be performed by the Clerk) to current City staff which will streamline the administration of government and maximize efficiencies. 

Running as a Democrat is always a challenge in nearly all of Hamilton County.  Lane Skeeters has an even bigger challenge…unseating long-time incumbent John Weingardt.

Lane Skeeters sat down for a podcast discussion with me.  Here is that podcast.

Judy Garland may have died many years ago, but she still has fans all around the world.  The new film Judy has Renee Zellweger playing a 46-year-old Garland, tackling motherhood and her own demons.  Here is my review of the film Judy