The good news continues to flow from the Fishers Health Department (FHD).  In his latest video update, Epidemiologist Josh Robinson says, “We continue to see quite a precipitous drop in the number of COVID-19 cases.”

The numbers tell the tale. The most current 7-day reporting period shows a total of 210 Fishers reported COVID cases, compared to a peak of just under 2,000 recorded at the height of the Omicron wave in mid-January.  Overall cases are down 90% since the peak of the Omicron wave last month.  Fishers is now seeing the lowest number of weekly reported cases since the beginning of November, 2021.

Here are more numbers.

–The Hamilton County unique individual testing positivity rate continues a downward trend, from 28.6% to 24.9% as of early Tuesday.

–The Fishers Testing Site positivity rate has gone from 21.3% down to 19.9%

–The 14-day case incidence rate has dropped from from 82.1 to 42.7.

–Hospital availability has continued to increase and FHD anticipates that trend to continue.

Now that the COVID cases have seen a dramatic downward trend the past few weeks, Robinson says the video updates will go from weekly to every-other-week.  The next video update will come in early March.

Below is the February Fishers COVID-19 update from Josh Robinson.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School will have a mask optional policy for students and staff starting Tuesday, February 22.  That announcement was made last Tuesday.

The district cites “a steady decrease in positive cases and quarantines across our district” as the reason for this change.  Masks will still be required on school buses per the federal mandate.

HSE will continue to follow the quarantine requirements as directed by the Indiana State Department of Health until the school district is provided with different guidance.

As for student instruction, the option to Zoom into the classroom during quarantine will no longer be made available. Teachers will continue to provide students with missing work as they do with any other absence. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Posting assignments in Canvas.
• Emailing work to students.
• Leaving instructional materials at the front office for pick-up.

Students with previously written IEP contingency plans may have Zoom as a method of instruction.

Here is a link to the video from HSE Superintendent Yvonne Stokes:

Here is the video version of my podcast with Lindsey Erdody

Education and health are two issues front and center in the central part of Indiana.  Lindsey Erdody is a digital editor for WFYI Public Broadcasting and both subjects keep her reporters busy, particularly at the Statehouse.

Here is my podcast conversation with her, recorded in the late afternoon of Tuesday, February 15.

Fishers has long been known as a city encouraging entrepreneurs, even at an early age.  The Fishers Parks & Recreation Department is once again offering the Biz Kidz program for the younger ones in our city, to setup a booth at the Fishers Farmers Market once again in 2022.

Each week, a select group of Biz Kidz vendors will be given space at the market to sell their hand-made or homegrown items.

Space at the weekly market is limited to just five spots on a first-come, first-served basis for each date. If more than five applications are received for a date, Biz Kidz vendors for any given week will be chosen through a lottery process, and applicants will be notified if they are selected.

Applications are being taken now for this year’s Biz Kidz program.  Register at this link.

The city is always looking for volunteers.  If you have any interest in becoming a volunteer locally, use this link.

When reading the Hamilton County Reporter Sunday, a front page story headline caught my eye – “Hamilton County primary ballots just got more expensive.”   What would cause expenses to increase for this year’s May primary election?

Based on the Reporter story, Greg Purvis, the Democratic Party appointee to the Hamilton County Election Board, cited a section of the Indiana code allowing names of unopposed candidates for election as a precinct committeeman or a delegate to a political party’s state convention to be placed on the primary election ballot at the request of that political party.

Basically, Democrats were asserting the law to list those unopposed candidates on the May primary ballot.  According to the Reporter story, County Clerk Kathy Williams will need to modify the ballots. “There was also discussion on whether the extra cost will add benefit to the election process,” the Reporter story says.

There was no indication how much it would cost the county to make the change, listing those Democratic unopposed candidates.

So, I contacted Greg Purvis to ask about the added expense.

“This (Hamilton County Reporter) headline is misleading,” Purvis told LarryInFishers. “I don’t recall any discussion of cost, and any additional cost should be minor given that most voters use our electronic voting machines.”

The Reporter story does urge all voters with a recent change of address to notify the Hamilton County Elections Office in the Noblesville Courthouse.

When I began working in small radio stations in the early 1970s, there was a defined area of what was and was not media.  You could work for a newspaper, television station, magazine or radio station – any of those were clearly media.

At small radio stations, you do a little of everything.  Although most of my work centered on programming music and covering sports, I was sometimes called upon to cover some news.

Even though I would represent a small radio station, no one questioned my credentials.  Working for a radio station made you media and you covered the event.  That would include police, city or any news conference that might arise of interest to our local community.

At that time, there was no Internet.  The media universe was well-defined and if you were part of that media universe, you were credentialed media.

That definition has become much more complicated.  I have never requested any press credentials since starting this local Fishers news blog in 2012.  I have come to know most of the elected officials and other people making news in Fishers.  No one asks for my credentials or questions my need to cover any event.

Once when former 5th District Congresswoman Susan Brooks had a Fishers event to meet and talk with constituents, I made the mistake of not arranging with her office in advance to cover the event.  When denied entrance at first, a police officer handling security intervened, vouched for me, and I was able to cover the event.

Members of the media covering the Indiana Statehouse are credentialed through the Indiana Department of Administration.  That agency’s job is just to ascertain you are genuinely working media covering state government and not just someone wanting to attend events, like news conferences.

A recent court filing by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana has placed front and center who is, and is not, a journalist meriting attendance at news conferences held by state officials.

Todd Rokita is the Indiana Attorney General.  Abdul-Hakim Shabazz is a political commentator that writes a local Indiana Web site on politics, has a weekend radio program and has served on many TV & radio political panels.  He has been doing this for about 20 years.

The lawsuit stems from an action by Rokita’s office to deny Shabazz attendance at news conferences held by the Attorney General.  According to the ACLU of Indiana lawsuit filed in federal court, Rokita does not recognize Shabazz as a genuine journalist, asserting he is “gossip columnist” in a statement quoted within the legal filing.

So, the question here is, how does one define a journalist?  Even if Mr. Shabazz is a “gossip columnist” (and that is open to question) would he not still be a journalist with the right to attend news conferences held at the Indiana Statehouse?  Remember, Mr. Shabazz holds a press credential to cover the Statehouse and has held that credential for many years.

ACLU of Indiana is asking a federal judge to consider whether the Indiana Attorney General has the legal authority to exclude a credentialed member of the media from his news conferences.  Does any elected official have the authority, under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, to determine who is, and is not, a working reporter covering a news conference?

It will be interesting to see how a federal judge will answer that question.

Construction will continue as is along State Road 37, but watch for construction in the coming days on North Street in downtown Fishers and lane restrictions on 96th Street.  Also, work continues on Technology Drive in the Northeast Commerce Office Park.

Here is this week’s report, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Diversity was on display at Fishers City Hall Friday evening as the Fishers Arts Council sponsored Embracing Black Culture.  There was art work throughout the walls of the building, much of it created by Fall Creek Junior High School students, under the guidance of teacher Michelle Feeney.

A large crowd gathered to view the art, then moved to the Council Chambers.  First, poet Eric Saunders put on a one-man show featuring his poetic art.  Later, a program featured Travis Brown, CEO of the Fishers-based Mojo Up, and a series of speakers.  The 31Svn dance group provided a Hip Hop routine (video link above).

The size and energy of the crowd illustrated the interest locally in black culture.

The event received funding from the Hamilton County Community Foundation.

Here are photos from Friday’s Embracing Black Culture:

Continue reading Embracing Black Culture in Fishers →

Although our community risk level remains red, the highest level, Level 4, Fishers has experienced three weeks of decreasing COVID numbers.

Reported COVID-19 cases in Fishers are down 56% from last week and 85% from the Omicron peak in mid-January 2022. Weekly COVID-19 cases are the lowest since mid-November 2021. Overall, cases have significantly dropped statewide and Fishers 14-Day Case Incidence Rate has decreased 56% since last week. 

Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity has slightly increased and COVID-19 cases found in emergency rooms, hospitalizations, and ICU bed admissions continue to trend downward. 

The Fishers Health Department says you can walk-in or schedule ahead and get your free COVID-19 vaccine at the Vaccine Site, your local pharmacy, or various pop-up clinics throughout the city. See the full metrics report.

Here is the latest on COVID testing from the Fishers Health Department:

The Fishers Health Department offers free drive-thru PCR COVID-19 testing by appointment only for ages 5+ at the Fishers Testing Site in partnership with the Indiana Department of Health. PCR tests results are typically available within 3 days. 

Rapid Tests
Rapid tests are available to all individuals scheduled for an appointment who qualify based on symptoms. To receive a rapid test, you must be scheduled for an appointment, and testing staff will offer a rapid test when you arrive if you meet the criteria. Results are typically available within 30-60 minutes. 

School-Based Priority Testing
All students and staff of Fishers-based schools and childcare centers (public or private) are eligible for priority access to testing during dedicated drive-thru testing hours at the FHD testing site. Eligible students and staff may visit fishers.in.us/SchoolTesting to make an appointment.