For more than eight years, I have been visiting the building first named Fishers Town Hall, now our City Hall.  It is normally a busy, bustling place – lots of people on the move, having meetings, doing the city’s business.

When I visited City Hall Wednesday afternoon, I walked into a City Hall I never experienced during a work day.  It was almost totally quiet.  There was a lady at the front desk.  She told me where to meet Mayor Scott Fadness for our scheduled podcast interview.

I brought a scaled-back equipment setup to allow for the proper social distancing.  During our discussion, the mayor said when the crisis over the coronavirus began to build, he ordered what he described as decentralizing his staff.  In other words, meetings and other activities would be handled in a virtual world.  The city is open for business, the mayor says, just not as an in-person experience at this point.

If you need a building permit or have business pending before the Planning and Zoning Department, you can handle that, just use technology rather than face-to-face.  The mayor made it clear that through his policy with his own staff, and his executive orders, he is serious about social distancing in this time of COVID-19.

When I asked the mayor to consider all the expert information he has seen over the past few days, and to give me his best assessment of where this is all headed, he paused for a moment.  He says there is an opportunity for this to get worse before it gets better.  The areas with the worst outbreaks nationally will get the available testing kits first, so expect Indiana to wait its turn to get more people tested.

The mayor expects the infection numbers to increase once testing is more widely available.  But he will be particularly watching the death rate in our state because that is an indicator of where we are headed locally.

“I don’t think anyone right now can give you a clear estimate as to what will happen in our community today and all the more reason…I would err on the side of preparation over being flippant about it,” the mayor said during the podcast interview.

Fadness says he is proud of the restaurant business community in Fishers, he has spoken to them and they are being good corporate citizens even with the challenges they are facing.

As to the travel advisory, police officers are trying to educate residents on the dangers in large gatherings.  He gave an example of police talking to a large group forming at Brooks School Park, educating those residents why such a gathering at this time might not be a good idea.

When he receives criticism from local people the mayor says he does respond.  He cited an e-mail from a local citizen telling him his actions are “ridiculous”and this is “no big deal.”  According to the mayor, he responded that he sincerely hopes his critic is correct and nothing serious happens, but Fadness says he is not willing to take the risk on behalf of 90,000 residents of the city.

The mayor is clearly proud of the city employees and their response to the issues presented by the pandemic.  He encourages anyone with questions to call the city coronavirus hotline 317-595-3211.  The phones are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week  You can also visit the city’s Web page devoted to coronavirus at this link 

The mayor had a lot more to say in our podcast discussion.  You can listen at the link below.

The City of Fishers continues to act on social interaction in the city, this time by issuing what the city describes as a “temporary stay” for business-related door-to-door solicitations.  With more people remaining in their homes, the city is acting to lower the social contact between people with this order.

Below is the release from the City of Fishers:

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Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness issued a temporary stay on all permitted solicitations within city limits. This action includes business-related solicitors only and is intended to reduce the number of people interacting with each other to slow the spread of COVID-19, or Coronavirus.

“These simple, common-sense actions are critical during this time of uncertainty in our efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “We will continue to look at all aspects of life in FIshers to identify ways we can keep our residents healthy.”

With Indiana’s primary election set for May 5th and Ohio postponing its primary balloting, there have been some developments on absentee ballots and the possibility of postponing Indiana’s election day due to the coronavirus.

Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Richardson urged all eligible for absentee voting to use that system.  Indiana law allows absentee voting only in specified situations.

Clerk Williams listed the most common reasons as:

• If they are confined to their residence, hospital or nursing home due to illness
• If they are caring for someone who is confined
• If they are 65 years of age or older

You must also be registered to vote in order to submit an absentee ballot

Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Weingarten submitted a Letter to the Editor to the Hamilton County Reporter proposing all Hoosiers be allowed to vote absentee.

“I requested that the Hamilton County Election Board request permission from the State Election Board to conduct the May Primary as a 100 percent vote by mail effort to protect the lives of all poll workers and voters in view of the coronavirus,” Weingarten wrote.

According to the Reporter, 5th District Republican Congressional candidate Carl Brizzi is proposing postponement of the May primary election.

“Not an easy decision, but the safety of poll workers and voters takes precedence,” said Brizzi. “Free and fair elections are the foundation of American democracy, we need to ensure that all Hoosiers are heard and are safe.”

IKEA announced today all stores will be closing “temporarily,” including the facility in Fishers.  Home delivery will continue.  Pickup service will continue, and the Fishers store will be handling pickup services.

The company gave no indication how long the shutdown of stores will last.

Two people are dead after Fishers Police responded to the report of a family disturbance overnight in the area of 126th Street and Cumberland Road.  Officers responded to a home in the 12600 block of Ladson Street and located an adult female and an adult male, both having suffered injuries believed to be from a firearm.

The female was 73, the male 20.  Police say they were related.

Authorities say there is no threat to the community and officers are not searching for any suspects.

This investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Cesar Rodriguez at 317-595-3346.

I was thinking this morning about the worst blizzard to hit Indiana in anyone’s memory.  It was the late 1970s and I was working the afternoon news shift at a radio station.  We got the word a blizzard warning was in place for the following morning.  The staff members at the station just looked at each other with bewildered faces.  It was the first time anyone had seen a blizzard warning in central Indiana.

My good friend at the station worked the morning shift, usually alone.  He called me immediately and asked my help handling duties the following morning and I quickly said yes.

The wind and snow were so bad he used a CB radio to relay a phone message to me to meet up with him across a field….he could not get into my apartment complex parking lot.

We spent the morning describing everything we could learn from all our news sources.  Indiana’s governor at the time was Otis Bowen and he needed the National Guard to get him from the governor’s residence to the Statehouse.

The local radio station owner was listening at the breakfast table, and told his family he was very concerned about what my partner & I were saying on the air, that we were making too much of the snow and were needlessly scaring people all over the county.

Then, the owner tried to get to work.  He finally called on a neighbor with a snow plow and arrived at the station late in the morning.  He changed his tune, realized my partner & I were not overstating the situation, we were describing it accurately.

Why did I think about that this morning?  Because there are so many people today like my former employer, the radio station owner.  The experts in communicable diseases and epidemiology have been telling anyone who will listen for weeks that our political leaders needed to take action in order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

At this point, we are faced with a shortfall of test kits, no vaccine and a dangerous run on our health care system more than a little likely.  If I were someone in charge, I would want this virus to just slowly go away, but reality is much different.  Now, we are faced with a virtual shutdown for much of the American economy.

When people ask me what to think about all this, I always respond with one phrase – listen to the experts.  They know what they are talking about.  When the experts recommend action, it is likely time to act.

We were likely late in acting in this case and that will, based on the experts, require us to hunker down even longer before life can even begin to transition to anything close to normalcy.

I have been heartened by the response of people in Fishers and the surrounding area.  Government officials, nonprofit groups and just groups of regular citizens are doing everything possible to help with those in need during this unusual time.

Mayor Scott Fadness took action Monday night (March 16) and declared a local disaster emergency, limiting travel in the city.  He also made clear local public safety officials will be enforcing the governor’s order to close restaurants and bars. limiting them to carry-out & delivery service.

The city has established a hotline dedicated to coronavirus questions…that number is 317-595-3211.  Anyone in need of food or supplies should call that number for assistance.

The city also reminds everyone that you should call your physician’s office before going in person, or call the hotline for advice on where to go from here.

Many people in and around Fishers are offering help and are providing that help to many of our residents.  That famous saying from Fred Rogers….whenever some bad happens look for the helpers.

We have many helpers and I salute you all, all the way from the mayor down to residents doing what they can to help.

I have no idea how long we will need to keep ourselves at home, but we are all in this together.  Let’s do it together.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness issued an executive order Monday declaring a local disaster emergency in the city.  The order is effective March 17.

“As more information comes available, it’s important that we continue to further reinforce the recommendations I’ve shared before,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said in a city news release. “By declaring a local disaster emergency, I’m able to implement a travel advisory watch for the city of Fishers for the next seven days, the maximum limit allowed by law. I’m asking that all residents eliminate any unnecessary travel.”

Fadness does not have the legal authority as mayor to order closures, but he urges entertainment venues, fitness facilities and places of worship in the city to close.

His executive order begins at 8am, Tuesday, March 17.  As of that time, travel in the city of Fishers is only permitted for the following reasons:

• Travel related to medical
• Travel required to provide care to another for whom you’re the primary caregiver
• Travel for mandatory work activities
• Travel for food, groceries, medication, essential household goods, and hygiene products

Food delivery or the resupply of retail stores, pharmacies, and food pantries are allowed under the mayor’s edict.

The mayor is emphasizing that the Fishers Police Department and Fishers Fire and Emergency Services will be enforcing Governor Holcomb’s executive order for restaurants and bars to operate on a carry-out or delivery only basis. As an extension of this, all Fishers Parks and Recreation facilities and playgrounds will be closed.

The City of Fishers government remains open for residents with a priority on:

• Public Safety: Fire and Police Departments are operating business as usual and continue to staff and provide enforcement
• Food: Residents who are in need or food insecure, please visit fishers.in.us/Coronavirus for a list of those providers serving at this time
• Medical attention: call your physician to plan for medications or other services you may need in the coming weeks. If you think you have COVID-19, please call your physician’s office BEFORE heading in. If you have a medical emergency, dial 9-1-1.

If you are in need, please call the Fishers Coronavirus Hotline at 317-595-3211. For more information, visit fishers.in.us/Coronavirus.

This is a story changing by the minute, but here is what we know now…

The Fishers Police Department is closing its headquarters lobby.  Call 317-595-3300 to speak to Records Staff and 317-773-1282 to speak with a Fishers Police Officer.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board regularly scheduled meeting on March 25th has been canceled.

I will provide any more updates as information is available.

Governor Holcomb has ordered Restaurants & bars closed through the end of March, but carry-out and delivery service will continue.  For more details, use this link.

It was only a matter of time and we knew it would happen soon with Hamilton County’s population size – the county health department reports its first confirmed case of what the department describes as a case of “novel coronavirus.”

Sometimes local authorities will disclose some information about those with positive coronavirus test results, but in this case, local health officials say they “will not be providing any further information on this case out of respect for the person’s privacy.”

My news gathering partner, The Hamilton County Reporter, and Tom Britt’s Fishers Magazine reported the first HAMCO coronavirus case Sunday morning.

In a statement released Sunday, Dr. Charles Harris, Hamilton County Health Officer, wrote the following –  “We have known COVID-19 would arrive in Hamilton County eventually, we were fortunate to have additional time to prepare for our first case. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to mitigate, and respond to COVID-19.”

I have seen a great deal of social media chatter lately about the coverage of the pandemic and I want to point out just a few important facts.  First, local news organizations are doing the very best they can.  The state’s largest newspaper, the Indianapolis Star, is a hollowed-out version of what it once was in terms of employing journalists, but the Star is doing some good reporting and doing a pretty good job considering the massive staff cuts in recent years.  The journalists there are working as hard as they can and doing good work, as are reporters in other local news outlets.

Second, I have been sounding the alarm about what happens to local communities when independent news organizations are massively reduced or go out of business altogether.  There are fewer reporters and editors out in the field talking to the people in the know.  That’s how the public is informed at a time like this.  Allow me to repeat my mantra on this – subscribe to your local media outlets!  If you don’t, you will be crying out for the best information and it just won’t be there.

America’s number one expert in infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made the rounds on the Sunday morning talk shows and had a stark message for all Americans.  His message was – we need what can only be described as a national lock-down to prevent the spread of this virus.  Even with all the steps that have already been taken, such as closing down virtually all sports, Fauci said he wants all restaurants and bars closed down.  He told CNN he would “like to see a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction that we see” in those places.

Fauci is basically saying whatever we have to do as a nation, we need to do it and we need to do it now.  If Dr. Fauci is correct, and he is the leading national expert on this, we will be at home for a while.

Another important aspect of this has been covered by local and national media, in that we have not had much of any testing available.  Until tests are there for the medical personnel to use, no one knows the extent of the infections.  It could be worse than we think, or not as bad as we now envision – we just do not know.

There is much more to say about this, but as a local volunteer journalist working on my own, let’s find a way to support local business owners.  If you feel going to a restaurant or bar is not a good idea now, buy a gift certificate and enjoy the place when it is safe to do so.  That is just one example, you may think of others, but find a way to support these local establishments as best you can.

I have tried to keep up with the closures locally, but one I just found out about lately is what’s happening at the Hamilton East Library system, which runs the Noblesville and Fishers Libraries.  They are closing their meeting rooms and the Ignite space in the lower level of the Fishers building.  When I first posted this story, the Hamilton East Libraries had planned to keep the main libraries open, but Sunday afternoon, the Noblesville and Fishers Libraries announced they will close through April 13.

Let’s support our school administrators, teachers, local elected officials and others in a position of authority locally as they all cope with a situation not seen in modern times.  And, I will be watching and reporting as best I can from here.

By

Richie Hall

Sports Editor

Hamilton County Reporter

Remember the good old days?

I remember being up at The Mill at Noblesville High School, standing up
on the second level at one of the two overlooks on the east side of the gym, directly above the entrance. The radio and television people set up shop there whenever they come to cover a game. I wound up sitting next to a group of Carmel High School students who were there from the school’s radio station, WHJE.

It was the second boys basketball sectional semi-final game of the night between Noblesville and Carmel. During the game, my old friend Joe Burgess came up to say hello. He wound up taking a selfie with me and posted it on Twitter – it’s the same photo you see on the page today.

The game was your typical Millers-Greyhounds battle to the end. Carmel won on a last-second shot after being down with about a minute to go. It was thrilling, although I have to admit that covering games between two county schools is never easy. I’m happy for the winning team, and simultaneously feel bad for the other team.

Overall, it was a sectional game to remember. The good old days. Now you might be thinking “Wait a minute, what do you mean the ‘good old days?’” After all, that sectional game took place nine days ago – last Friday, March 6.

Because after the events of this past week, nine days ago seems like forever.

DOMINO EFFECT
Nine days ago, we all had been hearing about the coronavirus, or COVID-19, for the past
few weeks. While it was something to be aware of, it didn’t seem like something that would
disrupt everyday life.

Then it started getting serious. Avon Community School Corporation had a student test
positive, and quickly announced all schools would close. On Monday, Kent Graham and I
were talking about what that would mean for an indoor track and field meet scheduled for
Friday that was to be hosted by Avon High School. And would Avon’s closure cause a domino effect across other schools?

Indeed, the dominoes started dropping from there. College basketball conference tournaments would no longer allow fans at the games. Soon they would be canceled altogether. Then came Wednesday, when an NBA player tested positive for the coronavirus. Within hours, the NBA season was suspended.

Other major sport leagues quickly followed suit. Kent and I were preparing to head to Logansport on Saturday to cover Carmel in the boys basketball regional. The IHSAA
said on Thursday that it would conduct games with limited fans, but that soon became unfeasible as school districts across the state, including all of Hamilton County’s districts, announced they were shutting down and moving to e-learning. On Friday, the basketball tournament was postponed.

The only high school sporting event to take place Saturday was the IHSAA gymnastics state
finals at Ball State University. Those girls participated at state in front of an empty Worthen
Arena, as no spectators were allowed. Chesterton won the meet, its third straight state championship in gymnastics and sixth overall.

Spring sports are delayed here in Hamilton County with the closure of the schools, most
of which are scheduled to be closed until the week of April 13. (Guerin Catholic is set to
re-open the week of April 6, according to the calendar on the school’s website.) It will be, at
the very least, early to mid April before practices can begin, and several days after that before actual games and meets can be scheduled.

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW
I do agree with the need to close schools. School systems are not just expected to educate our children, they also are expected to protect them and look out for their best interests,
even if that means shutting the schools down.

To some people all the shutdowns – not just of schools, but of sports, museums, other public places – may seem like an overreaction. Possibly. But Allison Carter of the Indianapolis Star said it best in a tweet: “We will never know if we overreacted to
the coronavirus. We will only know if we underreacted.”

You can still think everyone is overreacting if you want. But here’s the bottom line: Things
are different now, much different from nine days ago, whether you like it or not. Terms like
“social distancing” and “flattening the curve” were word salad on March 6, but they are in our lexicon as of March 15. Now we must decide how we’re going to react to this situation and weather it with as little damage as possible, because we don’t have much of a choice.

As a sports journalist, it’s my job to report on sports, and that means to sometimes view situations like this through the lens of athletics. It does seem a little frivolous to be talking about sports at a time like this. It’s awful to watch what’s happening across the country and around the world as well, especially in Italy, as the coronavirus takes its toll.

Those of us in the sports world, especially high school sports, have been confronted
with quite a bit of disruption over the past week, as is the case with much of everyday life
around the world. During the school year, everything is pretty much planned out. Conference meets on this day, sectionals on that day, and if our teams advance, regionals are here on this day. Now, that’s all out the window for the foreseeable future.

STORIES TO TELL
People have asked me, “What are you going to write about?” Well, there are always feature
stories. Fortunately, there are many stories to tell in an athletics-crazy county such as Hamilton. Don’t be surprised if you’re an athlete who graduated from a local school, is competing in college sports, and you get an email from me during the next several days. You might have a good story to tell, and I’d be happy to tell it.

Also, if anyone out there has a good idea for a feature story, my email is always open. You
can always reach me by email: rhall1977@gmail.com. Let me know your ideas. It can be anything sports-related. I’ve written stories on everything from baton twirling to synchronized swimming.

Of course, I’ll make sure to keep you updated with spring schedule adjustments. And when
we finally do get going with the spring sports season – and we will – I will be there to cover
all the events again. I’m just as ready as everyone else to get outside and enjoy the spring.

But for now, we’ll have to be patient. The best we can do is stay safe, use common sense
when it comes to going out, wash our hands, have faith and work together. A year from now, we can all look back and wonder if we overreacted to the coronavirus, but something tells me that if we do our part to keep it as much under control as possible,
we will be glad we overreacted like we did.