While attending the Fishers Memorial Day observance Monday, noting that it is always a somber ceremony for good reason, the perfect weather brought to mind how people living in this city are looking forward to the season.

After all, the last summer like this was 2019.  We have all been dealing with COVID every summer since.  Last year was much better, but for some reason, the anticipation for summer 2022 is very high.

It should be noted COVID is not over and the Fishers Health Department recently upped the local COVID-19 community level from low to medium.  Fortunately, the Omicron variant version spreading locally is not resulting in serious illnesses overall, based on the last Health Department update.  The high level of local COVID vaccinations may be playing a part in this as well.

With that aside, there is plenty to foresee in this Fishers summer.  There will be free Amphitheater concerts on Tuesdays and some ticketed concerts on Fridays and other times ($20-$25 is a cheap ticket in this day and age).  I expect Fishers parks to be as busy as ever.  The swimming pool in my condo community opened on Memorial Day to a packed crowd.

The Spark Fishers Festival is coming later in June.  The Fishers Parks and Recreation Department (view the calendar of events at this link) has plenty of activities all summer long.

On Sunday, June 19th, join two high school clubs in celebration of Juneteenth at the Nickel Plate Amphitheater.  The Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders Club joins forces with the Hamilton Southeastern High School’s Black Student Union for an event that will feature food trucks, bounce houses, face painters, entertainment and more.  Join the festivities 2pm-6pm.

By the way, this will be the last summer for the building we know as Fishers City Hall.  The structure is sinking into the ground and engineers have told the city the building cannot be saved and will require a lot of money just to keep it above ground.  Therefore, our City Hall will be subject to the wrecking ball this fall, with a new Arts Center & Municipal Complex to be constructed on that site.

This is just a small sampling of summer in the city for Fishers in 2022.  I will be writing about more as we get closer to the actual events.

We all have been through a lot since early 2020.  COVID-19 has been a stress on all of us.  Let’s give ourselves a break, take some time to enjoy a summer in Fishers with plenty of enjoyable things to do.

Thanks for reading.

A heavily traveled corridor in Fishers will be closed for a few days in June, allowing the replacement of what is described as “a large pipe.”

Cumberland Road, from 96th Street to 106th Street, is scheduled to close June 6 and reopen late in the day June 10.

Below is the text of the announcement from Hamilton County:

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Please be advised, beginning on or after Monday, June 6, Cumberland Road between 96th Street and 106th Street will be closed to all thru traffic for the replacement of a large pipe. The estimated project completion date is end of day Friday, June 10. 

Local traffic will continue to have access to their homes north and south of the hard closure (which is approximately 2,150’ north of 96th Street), while thru traffic is asked to utilize the posted detour route of 96th Street, Lantern Road, and 106th Street.

It was a perfect sunny early summer day – Memorial Day, 2022, in Fishers.  People were out walking the Municipal Complex and the Nickel Plate Trail.  The birds were singing among the trees near City Hall.

But the large crowd had assembled at the Municipal Complex for a very specific reason – to honor America’s war dead on this Memorial Day.  I have been attending these Fishers Memorial Day commemorations for about 10 years, and this year’s observance drew the largest number of people ever.

The event was planned by the recently-formed Fishers Armed Services Commission.

The featured speaker was a Fishers resident, retired Brigadier General Don Canaday, speaking about how the nation of Luxembourg remembers war with a group of 100 people each year at this time.  Europeans have experienced war on their land and they do not forget.  They also have not forgotten the Americans that perished in European wars.

He remembered friends in uniform that served in Vietnam with him but did not return.

Canaday reminded those assembled that whenever America is threatened, young people are willing to make the sacrifices to defend the nation.

Emcee El Ahlwardt reminded the crowd that it is not a good idea to wish anyone a happy Memorial Day.  “This is not a happy day,” he said.

Ahlwardt also recognized Wayne Caldwell, a veteran that had spoken at many Memorial Day observances in Fishers.  Mr. Caldwell died last February and his widow accepted an award on her deceased husband’s behalf.

Mayor Scott Fadness spoke about the sacrifices Americans have made in war time.

“I don’t think they sacrificed their lives and their futures for the political discourse we see in our country today,” said Fadness.  The mayor said those sacrifices were made so their sons and daughters can become part of a community like Fishers, and be willing to be part of a community that is much bigger than themselves.

Brigadier General Canady had the most telling remark of the day –  “There’s no such thing as a good war.”

Here are more photos from Monday morning’s ceremony:

Continue reading Large crowd gathers for Fishers Memorial Day ceremony 2022 →

The Fishers Health Department has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases locally, leading to a change in the Community Level.  Below is the latest COVID information from the Fishers Health Department:

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We have moved our CDC COVID-19 Community Level from Low to Medium, driven by the increased spread of COVID-19 in the local community. While we continue to observe an increase in reported cases due to more transmissible Omicron subvariants, there is no evidence yet of increased severity of the disease. New COVID-19 cases per 100,000 individuals increased from 158 to 203. New COVID-19 admission per 100,000 increased from 4.7 to 5.8 and the percent of staffed beds occupied by individuals with COVID-19 increased from 1.3% to 1.5%. 

Additional guidance with the CDC COVID-19 Community Level at Medium: Talk with your healthcare provider about appropriate precautions if you are at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe outcomes, consider self-testing for COVID-19 before making contact and consider wearing a mask when indoors with the individual. 

Practicing mitigation measures for yourself, your family, and our community is important, including staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. See the full metrics report.

The intersection at Cyntheanne Road and Southeastern Parkway will be closed beginning May 31 through the end of July, allowing the construction of a roundabout.  That is one of many construction projects starting and ongoing as the summer road construction season gets into high gear.

Below is the full road construction listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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Fishers Police announced the arrest of a suspect charged in a December robbery outside K-1 Speed, 9900 East 121st Street.  Under arrest is Thomas Wilson, 20, from Indianapolis.

Wilson faces felony charges of robbery, pointing a firearm and intimidation.  In addition, police filed misdemeanor counts of theft and carrying a handgun without a license.

According to Fishers Police, officers received a report of an armed robbery at the K-1 Speed at around 11:00pm on December 19, 2021.  Witnesses told officers they were exiting the business when they were approached by a male wearing a ski mask. The suspect allegedly  pointed a handgun at the victims and demanded money. The victims say they complied and the suspect fled in a dark colored SUV. No one was injured.

On May 25, officers with the Fishers Police Department, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the United States Marshall’s Task Force located Wilson at a residence in Whitestown, Indiana. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident.

The Fishers Police Department is thanking the Whitestown Police Department and the United States Marshall’s Task Force for their assistance in this case.

Mayor Scott Fadness opened the breakfast at Fishers City Hall with a reference to the tragic mass shooting at a Texas Elementary School the day before, saying he was not prepared to make a political statement but that a host of solutions need to be explored and mental health is one.

Fadness had gathered a group of people involved in mental health locally for a meeting Wednesday morning, talking about the city’s mental health initiative and where it goes from here.

Fadness talked about making mental health a top priority when he was Mayor-elect in 2014 and has continued that program up to the present.  His emphasis at Wednesday’s meeting was centered on bringing the many organizations that work with mental health together with the city to take the next steps forward.

Brooke Lawson talked about the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools program she handles.  County Councilman Steve Nation, a former Hamilton County prosecutor and judge, talked about steps county government is taking in tackling mental health issues.

Monica Heltz discussed the Fishers Health Department’s role in mental health issues.  Fire Chief Steve Orusa and Police Chief Ed Gebhart each explained how first responders do their best to identify and handle mental health issues when they arise.

There were state officials and mental health professionals there.  It was a large panel addressing where mental health moves forward.

The mayor posed the most important questions in moving to the next phase of the Mental Health Initiative.

“Do we really understand where the mental health challenges are originating in our community?,” Fadness asked those assembled.  “Are there public policy levers that can be pulled to prevent them?”

That is part of the next phase of challenges for Fishers and mental health.

At the Monday end-of-the-year gathering of HSE Schools staff, each building named a teacher of the year and an Honor & Excellence award winner for non-certified staff.  Above is a listing of each building’s Teacher of the Year.  Below is the Honor & Excellence award winner for each school building.

The overall Honor & Excellence winner was Paula Bledsoe, head custodian at Durbin Elementary.

The Fishers Police Department is working to maintain a long-held accreditation and in order to do so is required to ask the public about contacts with the local law enforcement agency.

Below is a Fishers Police Department news release with more information and a link to access the survey.

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As part of our ongoing accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, the Fishers Police Department is again conducting a citizens feedback survey. The survey addresses specific questions regarding previous citizen contacts with our police department as well as perceptions of safety in our neighborhoods and business areas.

It is the goal of the Fishers Police Department to achieve and maintain the highest level of quality service for our residents and visitors. Input from the citizens of Fishers is essential in the Fishers Police Department’s continued effort to promote effective police services and protection to all members of the community.

This survey will be open until June 13, 2022.

Complete the online survey by using this link

There are two occasions when the entire staff of Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools is invited to come together in one place – the beginning of the school year and the end of the school year.

May 23rd marked the end of the 2021-2022 school year for HSE teachers & staff.

One major announcement that comes from the end-of-the-year gathering is the district-wide Teacher of the Year for the coming school year.  Audrey Lash, 1st Grade Teacher at New Britton Elementary, won the award for the 2022-2023 school year.  The other two finalists were Leslie Johnson,  English-as-a-new-language (ENL) teacher at Riverside Junior High…and Greg Gastineau, a government teacher at HSE High School.

There was music provided by students and many speakers.  Included in those offering remarks, and handing out awards, were Assistant Superintendents Kim Lippe and Matt Kegley, as well as Superintendent of Schools, Yvonne Stokes.  Abby Taylor, President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association, offered remarks and was there to greet the Teacher of the Year, along with Stokes & Lippe.

It was a relief for staff members to end this school year, prepare to enjoy the summer, with most returning for the new school cycle starting up again in August.