Fishers Public Health Director Monica Heltz sat down with Larry to talk about the latest local COVID information. She also explained a new program being rolled-out for students and staff, giving them particular hours to be COVID tested by the Fishers Health Department.
The Hamilton East Libraries handle both the Fishers and Noblesville library buildings, and the Omicron variant has impacted their operations.
In a social media message posted Thursday morning, both libraries have suspended programs that are in-person. Also, both library buildings could face closures due to COVID-related staffing shortages.
The message is shown below.
Staff reported Monday and students returned to classrooms Tuesday in the Hamilton Southeastern School District following the holiday winter break. Wednesday evening, parents received an alert about some changes in the COVID rules. Masks remain mandatory, but the local schools are incorporating changes in the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.
Below is the updated guidance, per the Skylert issued late Wednesday afternoon:
You have likely been reading and hearing about high COVID numbers in many states and localities. What are the latest Fishers numbers? The Fishers Health Department (FHD) shared some of that data Tuesday afternoon and it is not good news.
FHD Epidemiologist Josh Robinson, in his weekly video update, summarized the rapid increase in COVID cases in many places, due to the Omicron variant and what he describes as the “tail end of the second Delta variant surge.”
Here are just a few numbers that tell part of the story.
In Fishers, December 2021 registered the highest month of cases ever. Last month, there were 3,184 total known COVID cases (there is no way to track home test results). That number beats the previous high of 2,700 cases in December of 2020.
There were multiple days in the last week of December with more than 300 cases each day. The highest number during that period was December 28th with 352 cases
“We anticipate that the spread will continue as there’s a high level of circulating COVID-19 in the community here in Fishers, Hamilton County, across the state (and) in many other states,” said Robinson in his video update.
Let’s look at the other numbers measuring the spread of COVID locally.
The overall Hamilton County unique individual positivity rate up from 18.5% the previous week to 24.6% this week. The Fishers Testing Site positivity rate is up from 16% to 27.1%. The Case Incidence Rate – a 14-day rolling average per 100,000 – was at 82 last week and increased to 162.6 this week.
Anyone trying to book a COVID test lately agrees with Mr. Robinson that there is an “extraordinarily high level of demand for testing capacity.”
FHD is working to expand options and availability of testing. He suggests frequently checking the FHD Web site at this link. The department says rapid tests are prioritized for school-age children. Anyone can schedule a PCR test online. Currently, there is a few days wait. Most PCR test results are available within 3 days.
Not much change to report in hospital availability for Marion and surrounding counties, it remains low. Hospitals are seeing an increase in people going into the hospital for COVID-19, stressing emergency rooms, admissions and ICU beds.
Robinson says the best way to combat this COVID wave is to vaccinate and get the booster if eligible. He also urges residents to use mitigation strategies, such as mask wearing in public places, distancing where possible and observing good hygiene practices.
If you have any questions, Robinson suggests residents call the Fishers COVID hotline at 317-595-3211.
The full Josh Robinson video, posted Tuesday, is available at the link below.
There was a great deal of excitement about the announcement of 5G technology. It would open up new, faster ways to connect to the Internet. I could provide a new, reliable television delivery system capable of handling 4K picture quality technology. It could even be utilized for autonomous vehicles at some point in the future.
Then, news stories started appearing about bad health impacts and birds falling from the sky. Those stories blamed 5G signals. It turned out, based on reporting from the New York Times, that most of these stories were planted by Russian trolls, in an effort to get the Russian technology ahead of American companies.
I am not saying 5G is without any health risks, there is just no credible science to back up claims of serious health issues at this time.
The companies rolling out 5G service are starting the construction in many suburban areas. Verizon has chosen Fishers as an area to begin installing 5G towers.
When the Indiana General Assembly wrote the rules on 5G, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness was part of a contingent wanting local governments to have some say in how these towers are constructed. The final rules allow municipalities to have a limited involvement in where 5G towers will be located.
In Fishers, the Board of Public Works and Safety, a body consisting of the mayor and his two appointees, have been considering these 5G tower applications. Most have been approved. In some cases, the board has asked Verizon and the neighborhoods to work out any disagreements and that has worked most of the time.
However, there have been a few denials to Verizon by the board, usually because a tower was to be located directly in front of a picture window and no other location could be found to keep the signal solid throughout the area.
5G technology is a line of sight signal, meaning far more towers are needed compared to 4G cell service. That means many more towers are required to keep the signal constant.
The neighborhood of Glenn Abbey Village in the Windermere area argued in a board discussion it did not want any 5G towers located there and had an attorney make a legal case that a neighborhood could simply refuse 5G towers. The mayor ordered City Attorney Chris Greisl to meet with attorneys representing Glenn Abbey Village and Verizon to determine how to move forward.
At a subsequent Board of Works meeting, Mayor Scott Fadness said that meeting of the legal minds resulted in no change to the city’s policy in considering 5G towers. The Glenn Abbey 5G towers are scheduled to be considered at the January 11 meeting.
Now, there has been another development on the 5G front. An Associated Press story posted Tuesday says the activation of 5G service has been delayed by 2 weeks at the request of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Airline companies have raised concerns about 5G signals interfering with key airplane guidance systems.
I have no idea how this development will impact the 5G rollout in Fishers, if at all, but it is something to watch.
Fishers is part of the initial 5G rollout. It is a story I plan to follow closely.
The City of Fishers has devoted part of its Web site to 5G. You can find it at this link.
The Fishers Arts Council announced four new members joining the board of directors for the nonprofit organization. Below are the names of the new members and a brief bio for each, as provided by the Arts Council:
Greg Dierfeldt works as a Senior Project Manager at IU Health. He has served as a Board Chair for the American Red Cross and Finance Chair for two non-profits. Most recently, he was a Board Member of Fishers Music Works and Indiana CEC. He also volunteered for the Council for Exceptional Children, Hamilton County Humane Society, and the Louisville Orchestra.
Ross Hilleary has also worked in the non-profit field. Currently, he is the Assistant Director of Planning and Zoning for the City of Fishers. He says FAC was the first non-profit organization he heard about when he moved to Fishers five years ago. Ross also serves as a non-voting member of the Fishers Arts and Culture Commission, representing the city. He has served on the board of Arts in the Park in Danville, IL, a staple summer event in historic Lincoln Park.
Dr. Leah Leach is the Executive Director of Gal’s Guide to the Galaxy. It is an educational non-profit charity that houses the first lending library dedicated to women’s history in the United States. It offers events, outreach, and educational programs and podcasts to share the joy of women’s history. Leah has extensive experience in the non-profit field and looks to bring that experience to FAC.
Philip Paluso has been a resident of Fishers since 2012 and a member of One Zone since 2009. He is the founder and president of Medium Cool Pictures, a media production company based in Fishers. Philip is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and has served on the Fishers Arts Advisory Council in the past.
The new board members join those already serving, including Pat Grabill, Olivia Holt, Thomas Kneeland, Tom Rich, and Laura Villanyi. Les Reinhardt will continue to serve as Executive Director for 2022.
The Arts Council says “the addition of these new board members puts FAC in a strong position to continue its work supporting and promoting visual and performing arts in Fishers.”
Past Board President Tom Rich says he will not be a candidate for another term in that office. The board will decide his successor as board president.
With Fishers City Hall likely slated for demolition later this year, making way for a new structure, there are only a few months left of Art at City Hall. The Fishers Arts Council has plans for January. Artist Taylor Walker’s work will be featured in the Art Gallery at City Hall and Judy Mintze will be displayed in the Alcove at City Hall.
Taylor Walker’s exhibit, “Prismatic Brilliance,” is described as all about color and energy. She is called a Fine Artist and Illustrator creating custom art that connects. She specializes in pet and family portraits, watercolor paintings, children’s art, greeting cards and encaustic paintings. The Arts Council says Taylor is best known for her keen attention to detail and photorealistic renderings.
Taylor describes herself as “a sensitive soul that thrives on creating emotional connections through my art, and I pride myself on my innate ability to fully understand and capture my clients’ unique needs.”
Judy Mintze’s work primarily focuses on abstract and figurative art. This exhibit is, “Hats Off,” – a portrayal of women’s fashion and modern life. “My goal is to create representational figurative paintings with likeness as the priority,” says Mintze.
Judy says she wants “to express internal feelings and thoughts in my works. Something more elusive, poetical and imaginative in my work is my goal.”
A reception will be held on January 14th at the gallery from 6 – 8 pm featuring live music by Jon Martin, snacks and adult beverages. The exhibit is open daily, except for holidays, from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Taylor’s exhibit will run through the end of January and will also be part of the Fishers Arts Council virtual gallery at this link, while Judy’s exhibit will run through the end of March. Judy’s exhibit will only be available in-person in the gallery.
Happy New Year everyone!
One task I give myself after Christmas most years is reviewing all my blog posts to determine the top Fishers news stories. It takes several hours.
Once that was completed for the 2021 top stories list, I did some reflecting on something I hear often from people reading any news product. Why is so much news bad news?
So, I went through my top 15 Fishers news stories once again. How many stories were good news, bad news or neither?
It should be noted there is no universal definition of what makes a news story good or bad news. Some people would have different perceptions, with some not in line with what others may think is a good news or bad news story.
So, with that in mind, I reviewed my top 15 Fishers news posts to determine if there are any stories, that, in my view, would be seen as good news for most or all of my readers.
There is the background. Now allow me to select a few Fishers news stories from my list and provide them to your as “good news.”
Census Population Number
When I moved to Fishers in 1991, the 1990 census tallied the population of the Town of Fishers at 7,508. The 2020 census shows the City of Fishers with a population number of 98,977. Some were disappointed that Fishers ended up just below the 100,000 mark, but this city is continuing to grow and I think that is good news.
Thorpe Creek Elementary named a Blue Ribbon School
Only a chosen few schools are awarded the honor of Blue Ribbon School. In 2021, Thorpe Creek Elementary received that honor. Thorpe Creek is not the only Hamilton Southeastern School to be honored with the Blue Ribbon, but it is the most recent. In my book, this is very good news.
Fishers acquires 98 acres along the White River
There is an old saying that, sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good. Fishers had some luck but was also vigilant in following a tangled legal dispute among several parties over 98 acres along the White River, north of 96th Street, within the boundaries of the city. When the personal representative for the estate involved in that land offered the 98 acres to the city in exchange for paying $3,100 in back property taxes, city officials wasted no time in making the purchase. The mayor has said this land is primed for future park development and perhaps other uses. I judge this as good news.
Fishers bioscience boom
There have been some businesses in the city centered on the biosciences, but that revved-up into high gear in 2021 with Italian and South Korean firms choosing to locate facilities in Fishers. There were local and state incentives, but those operations are projected to provide some high-paying jobs. This is good news in my book.
Nickel Plate Trail and downtown development
The Nickel Plate Trail is nearly finished in the downtown Fishers area, with the completion of the tunnel underneath 116th Street set to be done in early 2022. Also, many buildings have been under construction for some time and much of that work will be done by summer. Included in that would be the new headquarters building for First Internet Bank. Downtown development has been controversial at times in Fishers but the near completion of the work underway on the commercial buildings, and the trail, count as good news for me.
One last New Year comment from me. Thanks for reading. This continues to be a volunteer endeavor for me, both the blog and my podcasts. Those of you choosing to read the blog and listen to my podcasts make it all worthwhile. Allow me to wish you, and all close to you, a happy and blessed New Year!