Fishers Police are asking for the public’s help in investigating a fatal motorcycle accident last October 13th, on northbound Interstate 69 just north of E. 96th Street.  The crash claimed the life of the motorcyclist, Ronald Baxter, 61, from Fort Wayne.

This dark-colored Jeep Patriot (photo above) is a vehicle of interest in the investigation. If you recognize it or have further information on the crash, please call Lt. Kevin Kobli at 317-595-3300.

Fishers City  Councilor Cecilia Coble is serving her second stint as President of the Council.  One project dear to her is serving those in the Fishers community with disabilities.  She was key in fashioning a city ordinance creating a permanent city advisory committee on disabilities.

Councilor Coble, along with committee member Stacey Oldham, will be leading the activities during March, celebrating Disability Awareness Month.  The month-long list of activities include a number of community partners, including Old National Bank, Indy Fuel, HSE Schools, Fishers Arts Council, OneZone Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton East Public Library, and Fishers Parks.  Special Needs Living Magazine and Guardian Care are this year’s Platinum Sponsors..

“We are excited to add the Indy Fuel to the list of community partners for 2024 March Disability Awareness Month,” said Cecilia Coble, president of Fishers City Council and co-chair of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability. “They are committed to working alongside the City of Fishers and the disability community to provide inclusive and accessible opportunities for all guests at the new Fishers Event Center.”

“Our theme is Fueled for the Future due to the many accommodations and programs that Fishers is putting in place for those with disabilities,” said Stacey Oldham, board member of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability and keynote speaker at this year’s kickoff event. “The vision is not only for now, but far into the future. Our partnership with Indy Fuel is key. As an example, the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability, City of Fishers, and the Indy Fuel have worked together to ensure the new Fishers Event Center will be welcoming for all.”

The month gets underway with the March 1st kickoff at Launch Fishers.

Here is a full list of Disability Awareness Month activities, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers prepares for Disability Awareness Month in March →

The roundabout planned at 96th Street and Allisonville Road is on target to start construction in March of this year, providing weather does not get in the way.  The city engineering department provided that update as the Board of Works & Public Safety approved American Structurepoint to provide construction inspection services as the roundabout is built.

In 2013, the Town of Fishers rebuilt the intersection at 96th Street & Allisonville Road as a “Michigan Left,” requiring those wanting to do a traditional left turn to, instead, turn right and do a u-turn.  The Michigan Left has come under fire and will be replaced by a roundabout once construction is complete.

In one other item before the Board of Works Thursday morning:

The Fishers Farmers Market has a new handbook, providing guidance for vendors.  You can review the handbook at this link.  A total of 79 vendors have been approved for the 2024 Farmers Markets, held Saturday morning at the area between City Hall and the Nickel Plate Amphitheater.

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The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has been conducting a superintendent search to replace Yvonne Stokes, since her resignation last September.  Board President Juanita Albright announced at the Wednesday meeting that the board has concluded its search “and a final superintendent candidate has been chosen.”

President Albright provided no indication when the name of the new superintendent will be announced or the projected report date.  She did reiterate information already announced that there will be a public hearing on the superintendent’s contract February 21 and a vote on that contract by the board February 28.

Matt Kegley has been acting superintendent since Stokes’ resignation.

In other items before the board Wednesday:

–There will be an increase in the fee charged to attend summer physical education classes.  The current fee is $135 and will increase to $160 per student this summer.  This fee is only charged for summer school PE.  Dr. Kegley told the board the $135 fee does not cover the cost of providing the class during the summer.

–The HSE Schools Foundation was featured under Snapshots of success.  The foundation provided a total $115,000 in grants to all 22 HSE School buildings.

–The board accepted a bid to provide wireless access in school facilities.  The $227,000 bid was below the projected cost.  The district will be eligible for a $90,000 E-Rate reimbursement later this year.

–The board heard a presentation on how some district schools will utilize a state grant of over $52,000 for a robotics program.

I was waiting to speak with Wesley Barnes, who along with his wife Marissa, owns the latest donut shop in Fishers.  To say the place was buzzing at 11am on a Wednesday would be an understatement.

There were plenty of families taking-in the donuts and other features.  I saw one lady with a stack of boxes filled with donuts, presumably to feed a large crowd of people.

Wesley took a few moments out of his busy day to speak with me in a mini-podcast about his Parlor Donuts franchise, which opened in Fishers just days ago.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board will be receiving recommendations from Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling to refinance 2 bonds saving more than $2.7 million in interest payments over 10 years.  The bonds, used for buildings and renovations, are eligible to be called and refinanced.

The lower interest rate environment at the present time allows the interest savings over the coming 10 years of bond payments, according to CFO Dowling  The two bonds were originally issued in 2014.

The bond refinancing will be before the school board in the coming weeks.  The issue was discussed as part of the Tuesday morning HSE School Board Finance Committee meeting.

Dowling also told the committee the HSE District currently has a AA debt rating from Standard & Poor.  In order to raise that rating to AA+, Dowling was told the District would need to increase its cash reserves.  Dowling indicated it is not always a good idea for a school district to have a large balance in cash reserves.

A Monday night fire in an unoccupied Geist residence just off Brooks School Road resulted in no injuries but challenges for Fishers firefighters.  Once crews arrived, the residence was full engulfed in flames.

The Fishers Fire Department was able to keep the blaze from spreading to the adjacent wooded area and nearby homes.  35 firefighters responded to the alarm.

 Due to the set-back from the road for the main fire structure, and the lack of hydrants in the adjoining neighborhood, multiple engines were utilized to establish water supplies and to extend lines into the wooded area.  

Investigators returned to the scene Tuesday but cause and origin may take weeks to determine.  Investigators will be working with the insurance companies to determine the dollar loss of the structure, which was a complete loss.  

Firefighters remained on the scene early into the morning extinguishing hot spots.

Fishers Police Department, Carmel Fire Department, Noblesville Fire Department, Hamilton County Public Safety Communications, Fishers Fire Corps and Duke Energy all assisted Fishers firefighters in battling this blaze.

Fishers Police are continuing the investigation into a fatal vehicle crash Friday, just after midnight, at 96th Street and I-69.  Christopher Brown, 40, from Indianapolis, died in the accident.

The driver of the other vehicle in the 2-car collision is not being identified by police at this time.  Officers say that driver is suspected to have been impaired and driving at an excessive rate of speed. Toxicology results are pending.  Any charging decisions will be made by the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office.

Anyone in the area witnessing the collision is asked to call Lt. Kevin Kobli at 317-595-3300.

It was August, 1991.  I had only resided in Fishers for a few months.  There was bad news.

Thomas A. Weaver, a member of the Fishers City Council, was volunteering his time to work at the PGA Championship, being held that year at Crooked Stick Golf Course in Carmel.  A sudden thunderstorm hit the area and Mr. Weaver was struck by lightning and died.

I was new here and never met Mr. Weaver, but if you speak to anyone that did know him, they will sing his praises.  He was a very respected man in Fishers.

If you drive along 116th Street in downtown Fishers you may have seen the sign denoting the entire area along Municipal Drive as the Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex.  With a new City Hall under construction, I asked the question of city officials, will Mr. Weaver’s name remain on the Municipal Complex?

I received my answer Monday and the answer is yes, the entire Fishers Municipal Complex will remain named after Mr. Weaver.

But that raised another question in my mind.  I have seen and heard many names for the new facility under construction replacing City Hall and wondered if there is an official name.

The structure replacing the previous City Hall will be named the Fishers Municipal Center.  Within that building, there will be an arts side named the Fishers Arts Center and Theatre/Administrative side named City Hall.

The new Fishers Municipal Center is taking shape and should be open late this spring, if all goes as planned.

I knew we were in for a big event when the Hamilton Southeastern Schools scheduled a day off classes, anticipating the solar eclipse coming April 8 this year.  That event is just under 2 months away, so why should you be thinking about it now?

Because it is my understanding that officials throughout Hamilton County are anticipating large crowds for the solar event.  As you can see from the map above, Fishers and Hamilton County are directly in line with the eclipse “path of totality.”

I knew being in that location would draw people to our local area.  However, I am told there are projections that 2 million people could visit Hamilton County for the eclipse.  If you consider the last census shows a Hamilton County population at 356,650, the number 2 million can blow one’s mind.

We should all think about how difficult it may be just to buy groceries, pump gas or get a reservation at a local restaurant on or around April 8.  Local public safety agencies are already preparing for all this.

The solar eclipse my be just under 2 months away, but it may be a good idea to start thinking about it now.