WTHR news reports that Fishers Police are investigating an incident on I-69 near Cyntheanne Road in the northbound lanes Thursday evening that injured a Kentucky woman.

For more details, read the WTHR story at this link.

I have written often about how local news is disappearing around the country, but there are glimmers of hope.  One of those glimmers can be found at Axios Indianapolis.

Axios is well known as a national news operation online and has been very successful.  Axios is now branching out into major cities, starting local news in places like Indianapolis.

Axios Indianapolis launches its Monday-Friday newsletter Monday, April 17, and you can sign up for the newsletter, and find their local news site, at this link.

I spoke with Axios Indianapolis editor Lindsey Erdody and reporter James Briggs on April 13.  The link to that podcast is below.

The coming school year will see a few changes on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools calendar.  For the 2023-2024 school year, HSE will move the normal Friday day off before spring break to the Monday following spring break in 2024, allowing students to experience the full solar eclipse.

The new calendar also reduces the number of E-Learning days from 3 down to 1.

The school board voted unanimously to approve the calendar changes.  The board is scheduled to consider calendars for the next two school years in May.

To view the 2023-2024 school year calendar, use this link.

In other items before the school board Wednesday night:

–The board approved authority for administrators to make job offers to applicants so those potential employees will not be lost to another school district offer that may come earlier.  Board member Juanita Albright was the only no vote.

–Director of School Safety Mike Johnson provided the board  a school safety update.  HSE has 8 uniformed, sworn police officers in local schools working as school resource officers.  To view Mr. Johnson’s presentation, use this link.

For the first time this year, Fishers has been seeing summer-like weather.  The city is already preparing for the 2023 Spark Fishers Festival, June 20-24.

The city has sent a detailed news release on current plans and how you and your organization can be a part of it.

Below is the news release, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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The annual Spark!Fishers festival returns to Fishers’ Nickel Plate Cultural District this summer. Kicking off on Tuesday, June 20, and running through Saturday, June 24, the weeklong festival will offer different ways for the community to celebrate each day.  

“We are looking forward to welcoming Fishers residents to our spectacular annual tradition of local art, food, music and community. With a variety of activities over five days, Spark!Fishers provides an opportunity for all residents to engage in the experience,” said Fishers Parks Director, Marissa Deckert. “We are especially excited this year to be the first in Central Indiana to feature a customized drone show before our fireworks finale on Saturday night.” 
   
The celebration will be packed full of family favorites and Independence Day traditions while showcasing what it means to be uniquely Fishers. All events, with the exception of the 5K Run/Walk, are free to attend, and no registration is required.   

New this year, participants will enjoy an exciting, redesigned parade route, as well as an aerial drone show to cap off the festivities on Saturday night.  The new, state-of-the-art drone show will feature over 300 drones in the sky and will replace the primary firework show this year, but residents can view Independence Day fireworks throughout the community on July 4 at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater (6 Municipal Drive), Cyntheanne Park (12383 Cyntheanne Road) and over Geist Reservoir. Learn more about the 4th of July fireworks shows. 

The 2023 lineup includes:  
  
Tuesday, June 20 / 7-9 p.m.  
Free Tuesday Night Concert featuring Jukebox Luke at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater.  
  
Wednesday, June 21 / 7 p.m.  
5K Run/Walk presented by IU Health Fishers around downtown Fishers and 5K After Party at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater with music, food, and games. Registration now open. 
  
Thursday, June 22 / 6-9 p.m. 
Car & Art Show powered by Jiffy Lube of Indiana around the Municipal Complex. Applications now open for car show participants and artist vendors.   
 
Friday, June 23 / 8 p.m.   
Friday Night Concert featuring a yet-to-be-announced act at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater.   
        
Saturday, June 24 / 3-10 p.m.   
Street Fair around the Municipal Complex, with a community parade at 6 p.m. and an aerial show at 10 p.m.   

Ahead of the event, Fishers Parks is partnering with Fishers Arts Council to create Fishers Sesquicentennial banners honoring the city’s 150th birthday to be displayed on the fence around the development site of the new Arts & Municipal Complex beginning in June. The banners will showcase artwork by local artists in the Hamilton County region. The artwork will celebrate life in Fishers, from yesterday and today. The deadline to enter is Monday, May 1 at noon p.m. Learn more at sparkfishers.com. 

Applications are now open for festival vendors and entertainers through May 12.. Parade participant applications are due May 22. Applications can be found at sparkfishers.com.  
   
Several volunteer opportunities are available for all ages and abilities to get involved in this year’s celebration. Learn more and register to volunteer at volunteerfishers.com.            

Special thanks to the 2023 Spark!Fishers sponsors:

• NPD AMP Main Stage and Kids Zone Sponsor: Ed Martin Toyota & Nissan, DMC Insurance
• 5K Platinum Sponsor: IU Health Fishers
• Car & Art Show Sponsor: Jiffy Lube of Indiana
• Hero Hut Sponsor: Xfinity

Additional thanks to MashCraft Brewing, Best Way Disposal, MacAllister Machinery, Towne Post and Hightower Graphics. To get involved with this year’s event, visit sparkfishers.com.

Robotics is more than an engineering concept, it is now a high school competition, and the Fishers High School Robotics Team holds a 2023 state championship.  The team needs the help of the local community to travel to the world finals.

Jeff Fronius is the Robotics Coach, as well as an engineering teacher at Fishers High School.  He says, in an e-mail message, “Our robotics team won the state championship this past weekend.  The team will advance to the FIRST world championship in Houston.”

There is one hurdle the team will need to clear before planning their World Championship competition.  Money must be raised from local businesses and individuals.

A Go Fund Me page has been setup for the Fishers High School Robotics team to cover their travel expenses to Houston.  You can donate to that Go Fund Me page at this link.

Mr. Fronius sent two links, one for each of the last competitions that won Fishers the state championship.  If you have never watched a Robotics competition, you must watch this.  Fishers is the Blue 5010 team.  The links are below.

If you plan on voting at the polls on primary election day, May 2nd, keep an eye on your mailbox.  More than 21,000 voters will have a new polling location.  Poll site changes and poll site name changes for 17 precincts were approved by the Hamilton County Commissioners on Monday, March 13.

“Bright yellow postcards were mailed notifying those affected of their new voting locations,” said Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Williams in a county news release. “The cards will tell you the name and address of your new polling site.”

If you do not receive a yellow card in the mail and do not know where you are supposed to vote, you can find your voting location at indianavoters.com, hamiltoncounty.in.gov or by calling the Election Office at (317) 776-8476.

The Fishers Police Department will once again host a Teen Academy this year, June 5-8.  The Fishers FOP and the Fishers YMCA are partnering with the Department in offering this year’s academy.

This year’s academy will be held at Riverside Intermediate School.  The Teen Academy is a four-day camp providing law enforcement-type training that will, according to the Fishers Police, allow teens to better understand how law enforcement works.

The academy will begin with physical fitness at 9:00 each morning.  Participants will then attend informational sessions followed by practical hands-on training to reinforce the lesson(s) of the day.  Each day will end with a social activity between officers and students, and participants will be dismissed at 3:30 p.m.

The academy is open to youth in junior high who have completed the seventh grade through students entering their senior year in high school.  Applicants must be enrolled in or planning to attend a junior high or high school in Fishers in the fall of 2023.  FPD Officers will complete a background check on each applicant.  There is no fee for the Teen Academy, but advanced registration is required.  Walk-ins will not be permitted.  There are a total of 40 spots available for this year’s academy.

Registration is a two-step process.  Step one is a pre-registration application and initiation of a background check; once pre-registration and the background screening have been completed and an applicant has been approved for participation, applicants will receive an email from FISHERS, IN with final registration information and camp details.  Registration will be open until April 24, 2023 (or until the camp reaches capacity).

Begin the registration process using this link.

According to Fishers Police officials, the purpose of the academy is to provide teens with an opportunity to better understand police officers and, more specifically, to strengthen the relationship between the officers of the Fishers Police Department and the community.  Officers will provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of FPD Officers and insight into some of the specialized units and skills within FPD.  Topics will include how to make a traffic stop, how the K-9 Unit works within the agency, the role of the Fishers Dive Team, and how Crime Scene Investigators process scenes. Students will have some classroom instruction and practical role play training each day.

With temperature readings expected to hit the 80 degree mark last this week, the City of Fishers has plenty of road construction on the agenda.

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

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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. 

STATE ROAD 37 AND 141ST STREET
A pre-construction phase at SR 37 & 141st Street is currently in place. During this phase, 141st Street will be a Right-In-Right-Out (RIRO) traffic configuration. 
This is not the permanent configuration. This will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR 37 until the next phases of construction can be activated. This will eliminate backups along SR 37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146th Street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st Street. The full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted in the Summer of 2023. View detour routes here.

To learn more about the Clear Path Improvement Project and sign up to receive text and email updates, visit clearpath465.com 

I-465 & I-69
Drivers will see an increase in construction along the I-69 corridor in the coming months. This work will focus on reconfiguring the interchange at I-465 and I-69. New ramps will provide direct movements from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465 to northbound I-69. Binford Blvd. will also be reconstructed to separate local traffic from traffic entering and exiting I-69 and I-465. Access to I-69 from Binford Blvd. will remain open. Drivers can expect to see significant activity on I-69 at the 82nd Street interchange.

To learn more about the Nickel Plate Trail, view the Capital Project Dashboard here.

NICKEL PLATE TRAIL
The City of Fishers is working on the completion of the Fishers portion of the Nickel Plate Trail. The remaining paving work from 96th Street to 106th Street is underway, and construction crews are currently working to clear and prep the area for paving. In the coming weeks, construction crews will begin the paving process.

On Tuesday, April 11, there will be an overnight lane restriction between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. on westbound 116th Street between Cumberland Road and Exit 5 for storm inlet repair work. 

There are daily lane closures currently on Cumberland Road, just south of 126th Street for sanitary and water line work. The northbound right turn lane and the southbound passing blister will be closed.

On Monday, April 10, lane restrictions will be in place at the Southeastern Pkwy. & Cyntheanne Road roundabout for storm sewer cleaning.

MASTERS ROAD
Beginning on Monday, April 10, Masters Road will be closed immediately east of Willowview Road as part of the Metro Airport Sanitary Sewer Project for approximately one week. Metro Airport can be accessed via Masters Road at 96th Street. 

You may have noticed that I have not posted a story on this blog for several days.  Let’s just say I have some personal reasons.

First, my granddaughter was born in South Dakota during the last few days of March.  Jane and I were very happy to be there for that special event.

Also, both Jane & I are dealing with some health issues as well.

The one story that has been all over the news the past few days is the tragic death of four people, two from Fishers and two from Noblesville, in a small plane crash near Venice, Florida.  Jeff and Patty Lumpkin from Fishers and Rick and Bethe Beaver from Noblesville all died in the Wednesday evening crash.

Bethe Beaver was best known as the owner of Indiana Elite Cheer and Tumbling in Noblesville.

My sincere sympathies go out to both families after this tragic event.

So, I am back, slowly recovering from a nagging health issue that should be gone in a day or two.

Hamilton County is preparing to conduct a primary election May 2nd and a November general election, but in order to do so, election workers are needed.

Here is a news release from Hamilton County asking for people to come forward and work in the upcoming elections:

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The Hamilton County Election Office is in need of poll workers for the Primary Election on May 2 – namely, inspectors, clerks, and judges.

“You must be a registered voter in Hamilton County to volunteer,” says County Clerk Kathy Williams. “The jobs do require some training, but they are paid, as are meals. Plus, it’s a great way to learn more about our democratic system and give something back to your community.”

Hamilton County is still looking for Republican Inspectors. These people are in charge of the precinct and must attend a training session on one of the following days: April 25 at 6:00 p.m., April 27 at 6:00 p.m., or April 29 at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. Other obligations include picking up supplies on April 29, setting up the polling place on May 1, and working on Election Day. The job pays $200, plus $25 for training and $20 for meals.

The county is also in need of Republican and Democrat judges. This position requires online training. These individuals will help set up the polling place on May 1 and run the polling place on May 2. These jobs pay $105, plus $15 for training, and $20 for meals. The Democratic judge will be paid an extra $15 to return election results to the Judicial Center in Noblesville with the Republican Inspector after the polls close.

And finally, the county is in need of Republican and Democratic Clerks to run the electronic polling pads. This position requires online training. The job pays $105, plus $15 for training and $20 for meals.

If you’re interested in learning more, or would like to apply for a position, please fill out and return this form. https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1351/Poll-Worker-Form