TCC, a group of 850 Verizon retailers, plans to buy holiday presents for 24 military veteran families this season.  TCC is a subsidiary of Fishers-based Round Room.

TCC is partnering with Soldier’s Angels, a non-profit organization, to pair every region with one family.  Gifts provided include clothes, toys and general household items for adults of the families.

“For many families, the holidays are a financial burden, and this year may be tougher than most amid the uncertain economy,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of Round Room and TCC, in a company news release. “While deployed, providing gifts on a military or veteran family budget adds another layer to the challenge. We are thrilled to continually honor deserving service members and their families, and our hope is this year’s Veterans Rock program provides some relief to any holiday shopping burdens.”

The TCC Verizon locations span 39 states.  The company can transfer employed military members or their spouses to a new TCC location if they need to move. Aside from transfer opportunities, TCC gives all employees paid volunteer days, paid time off, profit sharing bonuses, same-day pay and more.

Fishers is renewing a contract with Axon, an outside firm providing video services for body-cams, in-car video cameras ad interview room video recordings.  The pact is renewed for 5 years.

Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart told the Board of Public Works and Safety that renewing the contract now will prevent the city from experiencing any price increases implemented next year.  Gebhart told board members by bundling these services together for 5 years, the city saves an estimated $846,000 over the life of the agreement.

The Police Chief says his department has explored other options, but his officers “are comfortable with it” as it stands now.  Gebhart says the system will now have the capability to read license plates through the in-car video cameras.

The new 5-year contract also provides a taser and taser training for each officer.  At key times, video cameras are automatically triggered to record through the system.

The board unanimously voted to renew the contract.

You may recall that the City of Fishers declined to accept any bids for constructing a roundabout at 141st Street and State Road 37 earlier this year due to the high cost in those bids.  The project has been in limbo ever since.

Fishers City Councilwoman Jocelyn Vare has a new post on her Web site saying there will be an interim period when 141st Street will be a right-in and right-out only configuration at SR 37.  Vare cites a communication sent to business owners located in the area of 141st Street and State Road 37.  This interim measure may be implemented as early as December of this year.

The missive sent to those businesses says the roundabout will be constructed with the city asking for new bids in the fall of 2023.

“This (interim right-in right-out) will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR37 until the next phases of construction can be activated,” says the message to business owners.  “This will eliminate all backups along SR37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146^th street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st St.”

Here is the full message sent to business owners, based on Councilor Vare’s Web site post:

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Today’s New 141st Street Update

1. 141st St. will be constructed as an interchange featuring the round-a-bout design with exit ramps onto east and westbound 141st from SR37 as originally planned
2. Utility work has already begun and will continue through Spring 2023
3. The interchange will be “let” (a new request for bids) in the Fall 2023
4. The construction timeline with anticipated completion of the interchange will be announced after the bid is accepted
5. An interim phase to improve traffic flow at 141st St and SR37 and prepare for further construction will be put in place as early as this December (HSE Schools’ winter break) and will be in place until the new construction begins. See below for details on this Interim Phase.
6. The Hamilton Southeastern Schools and Emergency Services have been coordinated with on this interim phase and accommodations are being coordinated to minimize impacts.

The Interim Phase at 141st St and SR37 to Begin this December 2022

During this interim phase, 141st St will be transitioned to a Right-In-Right-Out (RIRO) traffic configuration. This is not the permanent configuration.  This will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR37 until the next phases of construction can be activated.  This will eliminate all backups along SR37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146^th street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st St.

The weather may not be the best during the holiday season in and around Fishers, but there is plenty to do.  Two ladies with the city want you to know all about it.

Stephanie Perry is the Assistant PR Director for the city and Sarah Sandquist is the city’s Director of Parks & Recreation…they both joined me for a podcast to talk about the holiday events Fishers has to offer and much more.

You have likely read recently about investors buying-up homes in communities such as Fishers, then turning single-family residences into rental property.  Mayor Scott Fadness hosted a Facebook live video discussion about this issue months ago.

The consensus at that time was this – Homeowners Associations (HOAs) are the key to limiting the number of rentals in their neighborhoods through their covenants and by-laws.  That approach appears to be changing.  At his recent State of the City address, Mayor Fadness previewed a proposal he plans to present to the Fishers City Council in the next 2-3 months.

According to the mayor, he will propose two things.  First, a rental registration program.  Second, and most importantly, he will present a permitting process that would cap the percentage of homes in any given neighborhood that can be a rental property.

“I look forward to a robust discussion with our city council about the merits for this, but I think it’s vital for the long-term sustainability of our city,” said Mayor Fadness in this State of the City address.

Fadness says 37 Fishers subdivisions have more than 20% of homes that are renter-occupied.  There are a total of 81 subdivisions with more than 10% renter occupied homes.

What police describe as a road rage shooting in Fishers has resulted in the arrest of a Noblesville man.  Trevor Dahl, 24, faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, criminal recklessness and pointing a firearm, all felony offenses.  One person was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

This all happened around 9pm Thursday on 96th street, near Hague Road.  Upon arrival at the scene, officers day they observed a black Honda passenger car and a black Chevrolet passenger car blocking the intersection. The driver of the Honda was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and the driver of the Chevrolet was treated at the scene.

Police investigators say the driver of the Honda was traveling westbound on 96th Street when he was shot. The shooting caused the victim to lose control of his vehicle and crash into the Chevrolet. The suspect fled the area prior to officers’ arrival.

Fishers Police say they used technology in the investigation, including the Flock Safety Camera System, then located and arrested Dahl within 48 hours of this shooting. On Saturday, November 19^th the suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident. 

“For the first time ever, in the history of Fishers, (Geist Reservoir) will be accessible to people who can’t afford to buy a home that costs a million dollars.  That means a lot to us as a community.”

This quote is from Mayor Scott Fadness during his 2022 State of the City address last Thursday.  The city held an open house Saturday to show the community Geist Waterfront park, which he was explaining in that quote.

The temperature was in the low 30s, but with the wind chill factor felt a lot colder than that.  That didn’t stop a throng of people, including many families with small children, from looking around, and many were on the playground, on the swings and other facilities.

Plans are to have the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Geist Waterfront Park in March of 2023.

Here are a few photos from my journey around the new park.

Continue reading City unveils Geist Waterfront Park on a cold & windy Saturday →

There are two 5K running events in Fishers Thanksgiving day, the Fishers YMCA Wishbone 5K and the Gobblers Job 5K.  Both will require some road closures on Thanksgiving.

Also, be on the lookout for lane closures on Municipal Drive, 116th Street, 96th Street, Cumberland Road and Brooks School Road.

Below is the weekly road construction report, as released by the City of Fishers, for the work week beginning on November 21st:

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STATE ROAD 37 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit
 37Thrives.com.

96TH STREET
Beginning on Monday, November 21, overnight lane restrictions will be in place on the outside lane of westbound 96th Street between Cumberland Road and Sargent Road thru Noon on Wednesday, November 23 for sanitary work. No work will be performed overnight.

FISHERS YMCA WISHBONE 5K
Road closures will be in place on Thursday, November 24 between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the Fishers YMCA Wishbone 5K. Closures will begin at the Fishers YMCA on 126th Street, west to Saksons Blvd., around Ellipse Pkwy. to Farley Drive, to Turkel Drive, east on Sunblest Blvd., south on Lantern Road to the Nickel Plate Trail. Participants will continue north on the NPT until 126th Street. View route and other race details here. 

GOBBLERS JOG 5K
Road closures will be in place on Thursday, November 24 between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the Gobblers Jog 5K. Closures will begin at Witten Park on 134th Street in Saxony Village, east to Olio Road, south to 126th Street, west to Pennington Road, north to 131st Street, east to Saxony Blvd., then west on 131st Street to Pennington Road/Erden Drive. Participants will continue to Witten Park. View route here.

The Fishers Arts Council is reaching out to the local community a couple of different ways.

First, the council is searching for new members of their nonprofit board.

Secondly, the council is looking for works of art created by those with disabilities to display in March of 2023.

For more details on both, check out the two news releases recently issued by the council:

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Fishers Arts Council (FAC) is looking for a few good people. We are seeking applications from individuals who want to help FAC promote visual and performing arts in the city of Fishers. Our mission is:

To support, advocate, and cultivate visual and performing arts opportunities that educate, enhance, and/or enrich the lives of those who live, work, and visit Fishers.

We are looking for individuals who are:

a. Willing to give 2-3 hours each month to promote and grow public and private art in the city through participation at meetings, on juries, or by volunteering at art events and activities.

b. Creative and willing to get their hands dirty.

If you are one of these individuals, we need you to help us continue to promote the visual and performing arts in Fishers. Don’t leave the decision to others. Board members play active roles in all that we do – this is a working board who helps support our part-time Executive Director. Your time, talent, and treasure truly make a difference in all that we do. Obtain an application at fishersartscouncil.org/how-to-help and scroll down to the Board Application button. All are welcome to come meet current board members and tour the gallery during our Second Friday reception on Friday, December 9 from 6-8pm in the Collaboration Hub Art Gallery at the Hamilton County Community Foundation, 11810 Technology Drive in Fishers. Ask questions and decide if you will be a part of shaping the future of art in Fishers! Applications are due no later than December 12, 2022.

Pat Grabill, FAC board member and watercolorist, shares her thoughts on her participation on the board. “The arts – all of them – bring joy and pleasure to our lives. Serving on the Fishers Arts Council has allowed me to meet and greet wonderful people, appreciate beautiful art, listen to wonderful musicians, and become involved in bringing even more art to the Fishers community. We hope those of you who love the arts will join us on the Board.

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During the month of March 2023 the Fishers Arts Council – along with The City of Fishers Advisory Committee on Disabilities and Conner Prairie – is looking to exhibit artwork created by artists with physical or intellectual disabilities. The artwork will be featured at Conner Prairie and the Collaboration Hub Gallery. This is a way to demonstrate the importance of art as we celebrate “Building our Future Together” during the month of March in the City of Fishers.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: Artists interested in participating must submit a request by 3 pm January 13, 2023, to info@fishersartscouncil.org indicating their desire to participate. The information is to state in the Subject Line: March Awareness and include the following · Artist name

· Full physical mailing address

· Phone number

· Email address

· One or two sample(s) jpeg or pdf of artwork. Please limit the file size of each image to 2MB or less. (Do not embed images in your email.)

ELIGIBILITY: Artists must:

· Have a physical or intellectual disability,

· Be a 2D or 3D visual artist,

· Be able to provide at least two (2) to six (6) pieces of family friendly art for exhibit, and

· Agree that Fishers Arts Council or Conner Prairie may alter artwork for proper hanging and installation in the galleries if said artwork is not properly equipped for display.

Selection Process: Representatives from Fishers Arts Council will review submissions and select artists for the exhibit.

Notification: Artists will be notified of their acceptance into the exhibit by January 20, 2023. Delivery: Artists will be required to deliver artwork to the Fishers City Services Building on Friday February 10, 2023, from 3-5 pm or Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 10 am to noon. Questions: For more information, contact info@fishersartscouncil.org

The Fishers State of the City address has an interesting history.  It has always been a local Chamber of Commerce event.  As Fishers grew larger, the demand grew to attend the address, which for years was a luncheon.

This gathering outgrew any venue in Fishers, so Mayor Scott Fadness has used the Embassy Suites in Noblesville recently.  This year there was no luncheon, just a speech where anyone could attend free of charge.  There was a reception following the speech, and there was a charge attached to that.

Mayor Fadness began taking an historical approach, celebrating the 150th birthday of Fishers as a community.  He then recounted the many phases of Fishers’ development, from the early 1970s to present day.  The giant leaps of residential growth happened in the 1990s, just after Jane & I moved to Fishers.

The mayor went chapter and verse through the accomplishments, and challenges, of Fishers, including the local Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

The mayor reviewed the more than $1 billion in developments announced in recent months.  He also displayed the first rendering of what a new community center might look like, and hinted the details of that facility will be revealed to the public soon.

The mayor received a standing ovation from the large crowd at the conclusion of the speech.

You can watch the speech at this link.