Saturday, April 20, was the day the Forum Conference Center in Fishers featured the Author Fair, sponsored by the Hamilton East Library.  Local authors are special in my view and I wandered the Forum Center, taking advantage of the opportunity to record brief interviews with many of them

Allow me to apologize to a few authors.  I tried to record my conversations with them but discovered later I had a technical glitch.  To those authors, I send my sincere apologies.

Below is the link to my discussions with 13 authors.  Below that, I have photos of each author I interviewed.

Continue reading Podcast: Talking with authors at the Hamilton East Library Author Fair →

With spring in full swing, the road construction report in and around Fishers remains a long one, mostly updates on ongoing projects.  There is a heads-up on a 5K event coming April 27.

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

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Continue reading Fishers-area road construction update for the work week staring Monday, April 22 →

It was 29 years ago, the morning of April 19, 1995.  It was a normal day at the federal government agency where I worked at the time.  My duties kept me at my desk, but around 9:30am I noticed a lot of activity around me, with managers wheeling television sets into their offices.

It was later that my manager let me know that the federal building in Oklahoma City had just been bombed and half the building was gone.  It was a wake-up call for us.  We understood that federal buildings in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago were targets, but Oklahoma City?

It was then that we knew everyone had become a target.  Then the rumors began to fly that an informant had provided federal investigators with a list of federal buildings to be attacked and the Minton-Capehart building in downtown Indianapolis, my work place, was on that list.

The management instituted what we call in federal employee parlance a “liberal leave policy.”  That meant you did not need approval, if you felt uncomfortable or just plain scared to be at your job, you can take you time off and leave.

I chose not to leave.  I had worked in radio broadcasting as a talk show host and my life had been threatened by radical elements of society at that time.  I realized then you cannot live your life in fear.  I took reasonable precautions, but lived without fear over those threats.  There was no way I would live in fear over the federal threats of 1995.

If you subscribe to HBO, and/or its streaming platform Max, there is a documentary film I would recommend you watch.  The Executive Producer is former Today Show host Katie Couric.  It is called “An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th.”

Directors Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson start with those that died in the bombing and their families and we should never forget them.  They are woven into several parts of the story as told by the film makers.

But the important focus of this documentary is how Americans became so radicalized and grew bitter hatred of their federal government.  The film goes back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.  Then President Jimmy Carter imposed sanctions  on the Soviets that badly hurt American farmers.  When Ronald Reagan succeeded Carter, Congress sent him legislation essentially bailing-out those farmers.  Reagan vetoed the bill quite publicly.  The farmers were beyond angry and turned to radical parts of society.

Then there was the issue of American jobs being shipped overseas.  Timothy McVeigh, executed for the bombing, saw a local plant that provided a good job to his father and grandfather, close in Buffalo, New York.  McVeigh was clearly not well after serving in the first Gulf War in the military.

McVeigh became part of an angry group of Americans arming themselves to do battle with the federal government.  The documentary tells the story of how McVeigh’s radicalization over time led to his bombing the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building.

On the day of the bombing, a local TV news crew came to our office and asked to speak with federal employees and get their reaction to the bombing.  My manager asked me to speak with the reporter and I did.  I knew there was a day care in that Oklahoma building and could only think of my 1-year-old twin daughters in a day care at that moment (not at a federal building).  The brutality of this happening to small children the age of my daughters was a difficult part of this, but I toughed out the interview and I was on the local evening news that day.

Once retired, I decided to drive out west.  I spent the night in Oklahoma City and visited the memorial.  The outside memorial is free with a reflecting pool.  You pay for the museum and decided to shell out the admission price.  It was well worth it.

The Oklahoma City bombing remains the worst terrorist attack on America by an American.  168 people died, 19 of them children, with 680 injured.

Some memories have faded in the 29 years since April 19, 1995.  I have not forgotten.  I hope you do not as well.

Allisonville Road remains closed at 146th Street as construction continues on that site.  Look for upcoming lane restrictions on 146th Street in the coming days.

Here is the update, from the Hamilton County Highway Department:

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Beginning on or after the dates listed below, between the hours of 9AM and 3PM, our contractor will utilize a lane restriction for the delivery of materials in the work area. The lane restriction will take place in the left-hand westbound lane of 146th Street.

Upcoming Lane Restriction Dates:
Saturday, April 20th
Tuesday, April 23rd
Saturday, April 27th
Thursday, May 2nd

When Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness fashioned his 2024 city budget proposal, he included $500,000 to issue teacher grants for innovation.  The City Council went along and it is part of the current city spending plan.

Fishers announced Thursday that Mayor Scott Fadness surprised  3 local educators Wednesday with grant money.  They are:

• Lisa Harvey (third grade teacher at Fishers Elementary): $4500 to bring hands-on and experimental learning to the classroom through the LEGO Education SPIKE Program. LEGO Education engages students in hands-on investigations of STEM concepts. The lessons also include connections to real-world careers in STEM to inspire students to begin thinking about their future careers.

• Robyn Stout (fifth grade teacher at Sand Creek Intermediate): $3,600 to expand the STEM lab and robotics program with pneumatics kits to provide students with real-life applications as to how robots play a part in automating jobs in various industries. Prior to the launch of the project, Schroeder will partner with local industry leaders to get a “10,000-foot view” of what pneumatics looks like from an industry standpoint. Through the STEM Lab, students will learn how pneumatics work on a micro level and simulate jobs that occur in real-world manufacturing plants.

• Becky Schroeder (11th grade teacher, Hamilton Southeastern High School): $22,000 for a pilot program to bring virtual reality to high school students. The immersive virtual reality platform will allow students to experience a wide range of educational content in an engaging and interactive way. Students can explore historical sites, scientific concepts, and cultural landmarks from around the world in a safe and controlled environment. “By using VR technology, we can transport our students beyond the walls of our classrooms and provide them with meaningful, real-world experiences,” said Schroeder.

“It’s vital that we invest in our schools and empower our teachers with the tools to foster curiosity through hands-on learning,” said Mayor Fadness in a city news release. “This program celebrates the creativity and commitment of our educators and the spirit of innovation that makes Fishers unique.”

This round of grants totals $30,000, so there is money remaining in the city budget for this program.  A local educator wishing to apply may do so at this link.  There is no dollar limit for any one grant.

The applications are considered by a panel appointed by the city, consisting of what city officials describe as educators, community entrepreneurs, and HSE alumni.

The gym floor at Fishers High School is 15 years old, has been sanded once, and is reaching its period of useful life.  Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Facilities Director Matt Rapp told the Facilities Committee Thursday morning that the project replacing the gym floor is expected to cost roughly $72,000.  Rapp plans to review the proposal with the school board Finance Committee before presenting to the full board.

In other items before the committee:

–Lantern Road Elementary will be getting $500,000 in new furniture.  The furniture for classrooms should be delivered and installed by start of school in August of this year, but furniture for other parts of the building may need to wait until months later.  The overall work at Lantern Road should be completed by the start of school as well.

–Construction work at Fishers Elementary is on hold, waiting for approval of required permits, but should not delay the completion of the work on time.

–New weight room equipment at HSE High School will cost $120,000, but $50,000 of that money will come from the Athletic Department.

The City of Fishers has set the day and time for one of the most popular events of the year for the younger crowd, Touch-A-Truck.  This year, it all happens Tuesday, May 21, 4:30-7:30pm at the downtown Nickel Plate Amphitheater (6 Municipal Drive).

It’s hard to find a city department not involved in this.  Included are the Fishers Department of Public Works, Fishers Health Department, Fishers Fire Department, and the Fishers Police Department, including K-9 exercises and road paving.  There will be plenty of kids’ activities and look for food vendors on site.

For more details on Touch-A-Truck, use this link.

The history of the Fishers version of a summer festival has an interesting one.

It all began with a one-day celebration the weekend before the 4th of July in 1989.  The population of Fishers was around 7,000, maybe a little less, at that time.  The event was named the Fishers Freedom Festival.  The community celebration was run by a local nonprofit organization.

That continued for a number of years, as a 2-day Saturday-Sunday festival at Holland Park.  I have fond memories of taking the stroller to the park, with my twin daughters, from our Sunblest home in the late 1990s.

The Fishers Freedom Festival did rely on the Town of Fishers, then later the City of Fishers, to provide financial and in-kind support from the Department of Public Works, Parks, Fire and Police Departments.  The Freedom Festival also depended on an annual cash contribution from municipal government.  The 2017 festival received $85,000 in cash support from the city.

In 2017, city officials decided not to fund the Fishers Freedom Festival nonprofit group.  Since the festival relied on that city support, the Fishers Freedom Festival was no more.

When that happened, the City of Fishers announced it would launch a new festival, at the same time of year, prior to the 4th of July, naming it the Spark Fishers Festival.

That has been the Fishers summer festival ever since, with one exception in the COVID year.  Fishers has announced the 2024 Spark Fishers Festival will be back, beginning Tuesday, June 25, ending with the parade on Saturday, June 29.

Last year’s drone show was a hit and will return following the Tuesday concert.  A fireworks display will follow the Friday night concert.

Here is the lineup for the 2024 Spark Fishers Festival, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers summer celebration back in June of 2024 →

This is not a Fishers story but there may be some Fishers residents interested in applying the jobs coming up at a new Meijer store set to open later this year.  The grocer is looking for 250 employees when the new facility opens later this year at 5956 Promenade Shops Boulevard, near Little Chicago and Westfield Roads.

Meijer plans a 90,000 square foot grocery, and is in the market for clerks, cake decorators, customer service workers, cashiers and meat cutters.  Meijer says it plans to offer starting pay that is “competitive” and based on specific skills and experience.

You can apply online at this link. You will find specific job by clicking the “search new store open jobs” button, entering “Noblesville” in the location field, then click “search.”  Hourly applicants apply by clicking the positions listed. Meijer will screen applicants with the next several weeks, with interviews coming in early May.

Meijer operates groceries in a total of 6 states.