Saturday morning began with threat of rain and a bit of cloudy mist in the air.  Then the sun began to shine on Conner Prairie.  It was a busy Saturday with lots of families exploring the local historical museum

Saturday was also the annual Arts on the Prairie event, sponsored by the Fishers Arts Council.  There were plenty of booths with artists displaying their work for sale.

There was music and an atmosphere conducive to a day of celebrating art.

Below are photos of some of those artists, with the artwork they created.

When the decision came down that the current Fishers City Hall would face demolition, the Fishers Arts Council had an important decision to make – the monthly art displays and artist reception needed a new location.

The council found the perfect venue at the Hamilton County Community Foundation building on Technology Drive, across from the Fieldhouse.

The first artist reception at the new location features the work of two artists – Critt Hunter and Koral Mutlu.  There were many compliments about the foundation’s facility, and the only complaint was the construction on Technology Drive that requires it to be a one-way street for now.

After a long time featuring the Art Gallery at Fishers City Hall, it appears the display and monthly reception has found a new home with the Hamilton County Community Foundation.

Road construction in the Fishers area is in full swing and the listing of projects is long.  It includes ongoing work such as State Road 37 plus a number of other construction sites.

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

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STATE ROAD 37 AND 146TH STREET
All left-turn lanes are currently restricted on SR 37 and on 146th Street with traffic moved to the interior lanes. Thru traffic and right turns on SR 37 and 146th Street will remain open. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes for all left turn access. View an alternate route map here.  

On Monday, June 13 and Tuesday, June 14, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. there will be single lane restrictions each direction on SR 37 between 141st Street & 146th Street to place HMA widening along the median shoulder. 

STATE ROAD 37 AND 131ST/135TH STREET
On/after Tuesday, June 14, the contractor will begin the traffic switch to move SR 37 northbound over to the newly constructed lanes and close 135th Street access east of SR 37. This will take place at night and could take two evenings to complete and will require single lane closures for northbound and southbound SR 37. Once the traffic switch is complete, this will allow right in/right out access for northbound at 131st Street. The 135th Street access east of SR 37 closure will be in place through July. View the detour map here.

Please drive with caution through this area. To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com.

The inside lane of the Technology Drive is currently closed to traffic to allow for construction of new pavement in the inside lane.  One-way traffic will be in place in the outside lane as shown here.  Access to all businesses will be maintained during the construction.

The intersection at Southeastern Pky. & Cyntheanne Road is currently closed for roundabout construction and is anticipated to reopen by the end of July. View the detour map here. Schoolhouse 7 Café will remain open for business during construction. View how to access their business here.
 
ATLANTIC ROAD
On Monday, June 13, Atlantic Road, between Del Webb Parkway and the south property line of Oakmont, will be resurfaced as part of the Estes Park road improvements. Traffic control will be in place.  

The westbound lanes of 116th Street between Olio Road and Brooks School Road will be closed, weather permitting, beginning on Monday, June 13 at 5 a.m. and is expected to reopen by Tuesday, June 14 at 6 a.m. for concrete joint repair work by DPW. View detour map here. 

On Saturday, June 11, crews will be working on the concrete stairs by the Depot. The work area will be barricaded to keep surrounding areas safe. The barricades should be removed by the morning of Tuesday, June 14. 
 

ADA ramp and curb reconstruction has started taking place in Charleston Crossing, Delaware Pointe, Eller Trails, Eller Commons, Eller Run, Fishers Pointe, Hickory Woods, Lantern Overlook, Overlook at Beaver Ridge, Sunblest and Waterford Gardens as part of the 2022 Resurfacing Project. Homeowners will be notified via door hangers prior to any curb reconstruction near their home. After ADA ramp and curb reconstruction is completed, those areas will be restored with topsoil and seed. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to water the seed for the seed to germinate. Prior to road resurfacing, residents will be notified via street signage for street parking restrictions.

The HSE High School DECA Club was honored at Wednesday night’s Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting.  Eric Bedrosian, Alex Jurkovich and Ajay Singh were named International Champions at this year’s International Career Development Conference.

DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and is described as a non-profit student organization, preparing emerging student leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

In other items from the board session:

–The district has a new contract to provide most custodial services for school buildings.  It is a $4.2 million pact with a SSC.  The bid accepted is what was described as a “base bid’ providing custodial services.  The new contract takes effect July 1.

–Administrator Matt Kegley provided a presentation on Work Based learning, helping students not headed for college go to a certification program.  For more on Dr. Kegley’s presentation, use this link.

–The board approved matching funds for Fall Creek Intermediate and Sand Creek Intermediate playgrounds.

–The board voted to adopt new Spanish language program resources, botht print and digital.

–Bus leases were approved for 9 new buses at a total purchase price of $1,252,525.00.

–Board members voted to replace the chiller at HSE High School and hired a construction manager, Pepper Construction, for the renovation of Lantern Road Elementary at a cost of roughly $911,000.

–New lighting for Fishers Elementary School was approved.

–There will be a “Back to School” party at the Nickel Plate Amphitheater July 30th, 4pm-7pm.

The video of the board meeting is online at available at this link.

Any festival needs volunteers to be successful and the City of Fishers is still seeking local volunteers for the Spark Fishers Festival.  The city says there are a variety of volunteer opportunities available.

There are plenty of possibilities for all ages, including ice delivery drivers to parade marshals and vendor support leaders.  There are some perks for volunteers, including complimentary tickets to a Fishers Parks ticketed concert, drinks, snacks, a meal, as well as a swag bag filled with lots of fun branded gifts.

The festival begin Tuesday, June 21 with a free concert and wraps-up Saturday, June 25, with a street fair and parade.  For more, use this link.

It is very easy to raise your hand and become a Spark volunteer.  Just use this link.

Chad Hiner, a 19-year veteran of the Fishers Fire Department, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant.  The promotion was effective June 7th, when Hiner was presented his Lt. shield and helmet by Fire Chief Steve Orusa.

Hiner has been an “acting officer” for fill-ins since 2012, and is a paramedic, special rescue team member, hazmat tech, and is part of the community paramedicine team on his days off shift.

Lt. Hiner is also the director of the “Firefighters Fathead Challenge,” a trivia night sponsored by the Hamilton County Firefighters Local #4416 union that raises money for firefighter families with special medical needs.  That program is anticipated to be back by March of 2023.

The new lieutenant’s initial assignment is Engine 391, located at Station 91 in the Nickel Plate Amphitheater.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board will be facing decisions on how to handle the expiring operating referendum vote to be held in 2023.  School officials tell LarryInFishers board discussions on where to go on that issue should begin later this summer.

Local voters approved the last operating referendum in 2016, with more than 70% of the electorate voting in favor.  That vote set a property tax referendum rate of 22.75 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The extra funds were utilized to increase staff salaries, reduce class sizes in the lower grades and support a mental health program.

Under Indiana law in 2016, operating referenda lasted seven years.  State lawmakers have changed the rules since, with a referendum vote now continuing for eight years.

The board must make a number of decisions on how to approach the 2023 referendum vote.  One issue is whether the board will authorize the hiring of a private consultant to handle the referendum.

School board President Julie Chambers says three potential consultants have been interviewed by school officials, but the process was delayed due to an illness on the part of one of the consultants.  If the board decides to hire a consultant, no decision has been made on how to pay the consulting fees.

It is expected that a Political Action Committee (PAC) will be formed to advocate for the referendum.  In 2016, the school district formed a PAC but did not hire a consultant.

Whether or not a consultant is hired, the board has some important decisions to make on the referendum.  The most important is how much to ask of the voters.  The board could ask the public to keep the referendum rate where it is, at 22.75 cents.  But board members could also choose to lower or raise the rate it is requesting.

The board must also agree on the exact wording to be used on the referendum ballot, although state law dictates much of that language.

Another important decision is whether to place the measure on the ballot in the May primary or the November general election.  2023 will see a local city election in Fishers, with the offices of mayor, city clerk, city judge and 9 council seats on the ballot.  The referendum would also be on that ballot, either in the May primary or November general election.

Bottom line, local residents should know more about the 2023 HSE Schools referendum in the coming months.

If you wanted to watch a full discussion of microaggression and policies on when students can be taken away from athletics and other extra-curricular activities, then the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board meeting Wednesday night was for you.  The board had a lengthy discussion and seven members of the public chose to speak on the student handbook language.

In the end, the board voted 4-3, approving the handbook with the microaggression language and the process for handling students accused of wrongdoing outside the school realm in being prevented from participating in athletic programs and other extra-curriculars.

The board “no” votes came from Brad Boyer, Sarah Donsbach and Suzanne Thomas.  It was clear during the board discussion that Boyer had an issue with the microaggression language and how that would be defined.  Thomas had the same issue with microaggression but also voiced concerns about students charged with felonies and misdemeanors, but not convicted, and how the process would work on deciding eligibility for athletics and other extra-curricular activities.

LarryInFishers asked Sarah Donsbach why she voted “no” on the student handbook and she replied there is a long list of concerns about the language in the documents, but did mention one of those concerns on the list being how the athletic eligibility process was worded.

Below is the handbook language on microaggression:

Microaggressions can be defined as everyday, subtle, intentional
or unintentional interactions or behaviors that communicate some
sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. While
Hamilton Southeastern High School understands those
individuals communicating a microaggression might not intend
to express bias, the school recognizes the responsibility to educate
students on the reality of bias perceptions. Issues regarding
microaggressions may be addressed through restorative
conversations led by school administration, teachers, and/or
guidance counselors rather than punitive measures. Habitual
occurrences could lead to consequences applicable to
inappropriate conduct as defined in Section 28.

(Section 28 refers to a part of the discipline handbook)

Of the seven members of the public commenting on the student handbook, four were against the microaggression student policy language, two were in favor of it and one person was critical of the Athletic Council system of deciding on eligibility for playing school sports.

Here is the new student handbook language on handling athletic eligibility for students with felony or misdemeanor charges:

When a student is charged with a felony or misdemeanor, or when a student receives
an out of school suspension, there will be a three-step process for determining
athletic penalties.

Step 1: The AD will conduct a preliminary meeting with the student
(parents/guardians may attend, as well), where the student will have a chance to
offer their input on the situation in question. In this meeting, the athletic director will
explain the process for determining discipline.

Step 2: Within 7 days of that initial meeting, the athletic director will convene a
disciplinary committee to determine an appropriate athletic penalty for the student.
The committee shall consist of the following members: (1) the Principal; (2) an
Athletic Director; (3) a School Counselor, who is not the student’s primary counselor;
(4) a building-level equity coach; (5) a head coach from a program not directly
affiliated with the athlete.

* Cases will be evaluated by the committee on an individual basis; the committee will consider what makes each case unique and how it relates to or differs from similar historical offenses.

Potential suspension from the team may range anywhere from 5-100 percent of the season.

Step 3: Within 48 hours of the disciplinary committee’s meeting, the athletic director
will send written notice (hard copy or email) of the student’s athletic penalty to the
student, their parent/guardian, and the athletic program’s head coach. 

Administrators agreed to change the percent of suspension to 0%-100% and clarified that the same essential procedure would be used for similar situations for other extra-curricular activities.

Administrators said the Step 2 process would include advocates for the student, including a counselor (not the student’s regular guidance counselor), equity coach and coach from another sport

On microaggression, Boyer and Thomas argued that they generally agree with the goal of the language aimed at treating students properly and respectfully, but object to what they describe as “subjective” interpretations of the word microaggression.

Board President Julie Chambers said students were involved in the language contained in the student handbook about microaggression and those students want the language included in the document.

You can read the new student handbooks at the following links:

Elementary    

Intermediate

Junior High

High School

A Korean firm, List, has broken ground Tuesday on a new $125 million, 110,000 square foot contract manufacturing facility in the Fishers Life Science & Innovation Park.  The Park is located south of 126th Street, west of Cumberland Road.  The 15 -acre site is expected to open by the end of 2023.

“Breaking ground on yet another headquarters at the Life Science & Innovation Park is a humbling moment,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness in a city news release. “Our vision to create a hub for biopharma and biotech is becoming a reality and we’re grateful that the teams at Genome and List Bio have entrusted Fishers to be their home, where they will impact lives all around the world.”

List plans to hire 210 employees in Fishers in the areas of biologics manufacturing and quality and regulatory compliance.  The City of Fishers says it has gained $750 million in investment from biotech and biopharma companies since 2020.

I started writing news stories for radio in 1974.  One of the most difficult decisions any journalist makes is how to determine which stories are most important and which are not.

How do I make that decision today?  I do not argue that my decisions are always correct, but I do my best.  Basic journalism, plus my experience of living in Fishers for more than 30 years all is factored-into any decision about what to include and leave out.

Sometimes I think I know what most readers of this blog want to know.  But every now and then, I get it wrong.  A story I think is important doesn’t get much traffic while another story I may not think is as important will draw plenty of eyes.

So, there is no magic formula.  But I learned an important lesson as the morning news anchor and reporter for WCSI Radio in Columbus, Indiana.  I started there in late 1977 and left in late 1982.

I covered plenty of controversial subjects, like school board elections and school closing decisions.  Again, I thought I had a feel for what our listeners wanted to know.

That was until a story came to my attention about White Castle.  Yes, White Castle.  Columbus up until that time had never had a White Castle restaurant.  I caught wind of the fact that White Castle planned to locate in Columbus.  I interviewed a company  spokesman  for confirmation and put the story on the air in the afternoon.  I thought a few people in town would be interested.

Let’s just say I was very wrong.  We had no direct phone line into our newsroom so you had to go through the secretaries in the front office to reach the newsroom during office hours.  The secretaries came back to the newsroom telling me that they had been inundated with phone calls from the public about White Castle’s plans to open a restaurant there.

I was told at least five people visited the station in person to verify the White Castle story.  We were on the second floor of a bank building and there was no elevator at that time.  People walked up several flights of stairs just to be certain White Castle was, in fact, coming to Columbus.

So, I do try to make news judgements about what the public wants and needs to know.  I do not always get it right, but do my best.

Every time I make a decision on what to cover, I think about White Castle in Columbus.