When I see the development along 106th Street and I-69, I flash back to a couple of specific conversations I had with Town Manager, later Fishers Mayor, Scott Fadness.

I remember a conversation about the 106th street interchange with I-69 when it was still being planned by state highway officials.  Fadness emphasized to me just how important that interchange would be for traffic relief along I-69 at busy times of the day, abut also stressed that the area was poised for a development surge.

The second occasion was the announcement of Ikeas’s plans to build a Fishers store.  I asked the mayor at that event how he foresaw that area around Ikea developing.  Fadness used the word “thoughtful,” which was his way of saying he didn’t want retail and fast-food development all around Ikea, as has happened in other Ikea locations.

That led to a Fishers City Council action declaring the area around Ikea an “employment node.”

Kurt Christian, the new North of 96th reporter for the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ), has a lengthy piece about 106th Street in Fishers and how it is blossoming with development, but commercial and residential.

He reviews the developments already there, along with many in the pipeline.

You can read Kurt Christian’s story in the December 13th print edition of the IBJ, or access it at this link.

(NOTE:  You may be limited on the number of online access to IBJ stories.  As I have written many times before, good journalism will disappear unless you subscribe.  An IBJ subscription is well worth the price of admission, in my view)

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers continued its perfect start to the season on Saturday with a 62-58 win over Columbus North Saturday night at the Tiger Den.

The Tigers led 15-14 after the first quarter, with Justin Long scoring six points and Isaac Farah adding five points. Fishers then had a solid defensive second period, holding the Bull Dogs to nine points and taking a 31-23 lead into halftime. Jeffrey Simmons scored eight points in that quarter.

Columbus North cut slightly into the Tigers’ lead during the second half, but the Tigers’ steady and balanced scoring kept them ahead. Charlie Smith helped out with 10 second-half points, including a 6-of-6 effort from the free-throw line. Simmons added another eight points.

Simmons was one of four Fishers players in double figures with 18 points, while Smith finished with 14. Farah contributed 13 points and Long scored 10.

The Tigers are 6-0 and travel to Hamilton Southeastern on Friday for the Mudsock game.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern picked up its second win in two days on Saturday, beating Gary West Side 62-51 as part of the FORUM Tipoff Classic at Southport.

The Royals got off to a good start, leading 23-10 after the first quarter. The Cougars made a comeback in the second quarter to cut Southeastern’s lead to 33-31 by halftime. The Royals made a 10-0 run at the end of the third quarter (where they led 45-41) and beginning of the fourth quarter, and that sent them to victory.

Cole Hornbuckle led Southeastern’s scoring with 15 points, while Vinny Bucilla added 10 points. Elliot Robinson had nine points, while Mabor Majak pulled 14 rebounds to go with eight points.

he Royals had 21 team assists; Hornbuckle dished out seven, with Majak handing out five and Bucilla four. Majak also had two blocked shots.

Southeastern is 3-3 and hosts Fishers Friday night in the Mudsock game.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern broke open a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at Avon in the third quarter on Friday, and sailed to a 60-35 victory over the Orioles.

Avon was staying with the Class 4A No. 6 Royals in the first half, but Southeastern still outscored the Orioles in each quarter, leading 15-10 after the first and 27-20 at halftime.

The Royals then held Avon to just four points in the third period, and continued their momentum into the fourth quarter.

Sydney Parrish scored 27 points and picked up 13 rebounds for another double-double.

Ryan Viele had an outstanding game, making four 3-pointers on her way to 15 points. Makayla Hinshaw collected eight rebounds.

Southeastern is 4-0 in HCC play and 10-1 overall. The Royals’ next game is
Tuesday at New Castle.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers and Noblesville played a hardfought Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at The Mill on Friday night, and the Tigers were the winners 58-50.

It was the Millers’ Pink Out night, where they honored those who are fighting cancer.

Fishers took an early 6-2 lead, but Noblesville came back to tie the game at 12-12
by the end of the first quarter.

The Millers then took the lead going into halftime, as Ashlynn Shade hit two free
throws to send Noblesville into the locker room up 28-27. The Tigers went on an 8-0 run
during the third quarter to lead 40-32, but the Millers were able to cut that lead to 41-39
after three quarters.

The game was tied at 47-47 in the fourth quarter, but Fishers finished the contest with an 11-3 run, starting with six unanswered points. Katie Burton led the Tigers with 20 points, including a 10-of11 effort from the free-throw line. Lydia Stullken collected 10 rebounds and also blocked three shots.

Shade scored 18 points to lead Noblesville and reached double-double status by pulling 11 rebounds. Emily Wood added 11 points.

The Tigers are 3-0 in the conference and still perfect for the season at 12-0.

They host Pendleton Heights on Thursday. The Millers dropped to 0-3 in the
HCC and 3-8 overall and host Anderson on Tuesday.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers received a tough test from one of Class 2A’s toughest teams Friday at the
Tiger Den.

The Tigers held on to beat 2A No. 2 Shenandoah 50-48. The Raiders slowly
built a halftime lead, going up 9-8 after one quarter and then leading 25-20 at the
break.

Fishers came back to go up 38-35 after three quarters. Jeffrey Simmons
helped out with eight points in that period. The Tigers then hung on during the
fourth quarter, with Charlie Smith scoring seven.

Simmons led the Fishers scoring with 16 points, while Smith contributed 14.

The Tigers remain perfect at 5-0 and host Columbus North tonight.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern won a hard-fought game at North Central on Friday, by the score of 58-56.

It was a back-and-forth game for the first two and a half quarters, with the Royals leading 17-16 at the end of the first quarter and 35-33 at halftime. Southeastern went on a big run to take a 49-39 lead with a minute left in the third period.

But the Panthers came back, jumping ahead by one point with three minutes left in the fourth.

HSE’s Vinny Bucilla scored with 55 seconds left to get the Royals ahead by two.
North Central made a pair of foul shots with 15 seconds left to tie the game. Kole
Hornbuckle then scored the game-winning basket with 1.4 seconds left, with
DeAndre Rhodes providing the assist.

Bucilla led Southeastern’s scoring with 14 points, with Hornbuckle adding
11 and Mabor Majak contributing 10.

Majak earned a double-double by collecting 14 rebounds, with Bucilla pulling
five. Bucilla also handed out six assists.

The Royals are 2-3 and play Gary West at 3:30 p.m. today at Southport as
part of the FORUM Tipoff Classic.

Mike Reuter has been at the helm of finances for the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Disctrict for about 25 years.  Wednesday’s  school board meeting was the last time Reuter would meet with the board.  He is retiring at the end of 2019.

HSE Board President Michelle Fullhart read a proclamation honoring Mr. Reuter for his many years of service to the local schools.

I recorded a podcast with Mike Reuter, where he talked about his time with the HSE Schools, on December 6th.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.

When you look at the weekly road construction update, you will find the usual suspects – State Road 37, Lantern Road and 96th Street.

Below is the update, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton County Veteran Service Officer Lynn Epperson has been relieved of her duties, and county commissioners have posted the job seeking a replacement.

Epperson served for five years in the office, which exists to offer all county veterans of military service assistance with their benefits and other needs they may encounter.

Commissioner Steve Dillinger said yesterday the commissioners’ main concern was a failure of the office “to follow through” with requests for assistance from veterans. He said the situation was brought to his attention by state Veterans Affairs officials.

Epperson was given 30 days to correct operations, but this was not accomplished. She left office Dec. 2. Two part-time assistants are taking care of business until a new officer is hired.

The service office is located in the county Government and Judicial Center, first floor, and is open daily to accept calls or visits from veterans or their families who may have any type of questions relating to veterans’ needs.

Epperson, a Noblesville resident, was appointed by commissioners in 2014 succeeding Wayne Long, who operated the office part-time with the assistance of deputy service officer and commissioners’ receptionist Dianna Lynch.