After a long construction period and local speculation over whether this location would ever open,  Fishers foodies may now rejoice! Cafe Patachou, the beloved Indianapolis-based eatery known for its fresh and innovative brunch offerings, is set to open its newest location in Fishers on Tuesday, December 17, at 7 a.m.

Located at 8654 E 116th St., the Nickel Plate location will bring the signature charm and flavors of Cafe Patachou to a prime spot overlooking the scenic Nickel Plate Trail. The café will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.

The space is designed with both style and comfort in mind. Guests will enjoy the cozy ambiance of a four-sided upholstered banquette at the heart of the dining room, as well as the signature countertop seating Patachou fans know and love. A private dining room offers a space for more intimate gatherings, while two outdoor patios provide al fresco dining options, with the west patio offering picturesque views of the trail.

The interior design pays homage to Cafe Patachou’s Stutz and Zionsville locations, featuring a serene palette of green-blue hues and a whimsical floral wall covering.

Founded by Martha Hoover, this marks the eighth Cafe Patachou location, further cementing the brand’s reputation.

So mark your calendars and stop by for a sneak peek or to enjoy the full reveal on opening day.

As the festive season fills homes with joy and togetherness, the Humane Society for Hamilton County (HSHC) is making a heartfelt plea for its 12 most deserving pets, still waiting for a family to call their own.

“These sweet souls haven’t been overlooked because of who they are,” said Lily Darling, HSHC’s Community Engagement Manager. “They’ve been overlooked because the right person hasn’t come along yet. This holiday season, we ask the community to open their hearts and homes to these 12 amazing pets. They’re not just waiting—they’re hoping for a miracle, and they need you now more than ever.”

To help these animals find their forever homes, HSHC has waived adoption fees for its “Featured 12” as part of its Home for the Holidays Adoption Special. As an added bonus, each adoption includes gifts tailored to support pet owners:

• Dogs come with a free training package from Paws & Play Dog Resort & Training Center.
• Cats enjoy five complimentary nights of boarding at PetSuites Fishers.

All adopted pets are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and come with a starter bag of food and a free wellness exam at a participating veterinary clinic.

Darling emphasized the urgency of the campaign: “The shelter should never be where these animals spend the holidays. They deserve to wake up in a home, safe, loved, and surrounded by people who will cherish them for the rest of their lives. This is not just a plea for adoption—it’s a lifeline.”

To adopt, prospective pet parents should bring:

• A completed application (available at hshcadoptions.com).
• All household members.
• Dogs for meet-and-greets (if applicable).
• Proof of their landlord’s pet policy, if renting.
• A government-issued ID.

As the holiday season brings hope and warmth, HSHC urges the community to make room for one more member at the table—and in their hearts.

HSE Schools presented Sarah Donsbach with a Crystal Wednesday night in honor of her 4 years of service as a board member.  She chose not to seek another term.

“The last 4 years have been an honor to represent our community, and our staff, and, most importantly, our students,” said Donsbach.  “It has definitely been a labor of love.”

She expressed the joy of dealing with so many people that she would not likely have known had she not served as a board member.  Donsbach thanked the HSE teaching staff, “who show up every single day for our kids.”

“We appreciate your time and efforts,” said HSE Superintendent Patrick Mapes.

With the new high school diploma system unanimously approved by the Indiana State Board of Education Wednesday morning, the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted for changes in high school courses for students preparing to enter grade 10 in August of 2025.

Administrator Jason Urban detailed those academic course changes in a presentation to the board.  You can review his presentation at this link.

Urban then went into greater detail about the state’s changes in high school graduation diplomas.  He spent time explaining the “network model,” which is recommended to contain 8 different “networks” for students to pursue in their high school studies.

Urban plans to provide a more detailed look at all this in a planned board work session in January.   He did not ask for a board vote on this issue Wednesday night, but you can read more about the diploma changes at this link.

Now that the contract with the local teachers’ association is ratified, the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board took action allowing pay increases for staff members other than teachers, or noncertified employees.

The support staff will receive a 3% pay increase for 2015, not to exceed $1,400.  HSE Chief Financial Officer time Brown told the board some workers may receive a larger pay raise if additional duties have been added.

The $1,400 pay raise includes administrators, but not Superintendent Patrick Mapes or what Brown described as Mapes’ “core cabinet.”  The cost of support staff raises for 2025 totals $850,000.

There were three speakers during the public comment section of the meeting.

–The first said he represents a group promoting government transparency and criticized the HSE response to public information requests.

–A lady read a statement from a resident unable to attend the meeting asking that the board not “devalue” instructional assistants.

–The final speaker took the board to task for not extending contracts for school building administrators, saying many may be on the lookout for other positions with only 6 months left on their contracts.

If you are not a weather geek, you may wonder – what is  snow squall?  The meteorologists says it s a brief but heavy snowfall, under an hour in duration, that can wreak havoc on roadways if timed during a rush hour.

The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement early Wednesday saying such squalls are locally possible 2-8 pm Wednesday, right in the middle of evening rush hour traffic.

Hamilton County Emergency Management advises motorists to take it slow with snow squalls possible this afternoon and evening.

Here is part of the statement from NWS forecasters:

Snowfall rates will be locally heavy at times producing
drastically reduced visibilities and brief whiteout conditions as
winds gust to around 40 mph. As temperatures fall late today into
the evening...flash freezing of surfaces will also be possible.

Conditions can deteriorate rapidly within heavy snow showers with
little warning. Traveling will likely be hazardous at times,
especially during the evening commute

Bottom line – be careful out there.

Drivers navigating the busy intersection of Allisonville Road and 146th Street will soon notice a significant traffic shift as construction on the new interchange continues. Scheduled to take place on or after December 19, the shift will reroute eastbound traffic onto the eastbound White River Bridge. Until now, both eastbound and westbound traffic have been using the westbound White River Bridge.

“This traffic switch is an important milestone in the project’s progress,” said Matt Lee, Bridge Program Engineer for the Hamilton County Highway Department. “While this adjustment won’t immediately add lanes, it will give our crews more space to work, bringing us one step closer to completion.”

The project, which aims to transform the intersection into a grade-separated interchange with a roundabout running beneath 146th Street on Allisonville Road, is on track for completion by summer 2025.

A second traffic shift is planned for spring 2025. This change will move traffic onto the bridge over Allisonville Road and provide access to the roundabout below—assuming favorable weather conditions.

“We are at the mercy of Mother Nature,” Lee explained. “Laying asphalt is especially challenging during colder months because it’s temperature-sensitive. Fortunately, the weather has been cooperative the past couple of years, and we’re hopeful this winter will follow suit.”

The project is designed to alleviate congestion and improve safety for drivers in the area, a key priority as the region continues to grow. While some temporary inconveniences are expected during the construction, county officials express optimism about the long-term benefits the upgraded interchange will bring.

Drivers are encouraged to stay alert and adhere to updated traffic patterns as work progresses.

The entry of another insurance company bidding for the business of school corporations will likely save money for the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools.  The district’s insurance broker told the school board Finance Committee Tuesday morning that Church Mutual is now entering the Indiana school market.  In the past, only Liberty Mutual has offered property and casualty insurance coverage for school corporations in our area.  Assistant Superintendent of Operations Bryan Rausch told the committee this would likely save HSE schools $50,000 in next contract.

In other items before the committee:

–Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown is recommending the board purchase an enhanced financial software package.  The cost will go from $290,000 a year to $327,000, but the new software will contain additional features.  Brown said the transition should be seamless because the same vendor is delivering the product.  He also negotiated the cost down to the $327,000 number from a much higher initial quote.

–The Finance Committee may move the meeting date.  In the past, the panel met the day before a scheduled board meeting.  Tim Brown asked that the committee meet the Thursday before the Wednesday session the following week.  Board members Dawn Lang and Ben Orr seemed to agree with the proposed change.

“Overall, things went very well.”  That’s the assessment of how things have been going as the Fishers Event Center opened with its first events, according to Event Center General Manager Mitch List.  That includes Friday and Saturday night dates for the Indy Fuel hockey team.

“I think we’re still learning on parking,” List told the Town Hall Building Corporation Monday afternoon.  List said Saturday night was the smoothest in handling parking and clearing out the lots following the hockey game.

Fishers Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren said INDOT had agreed to delay the start of a major construction project on I-69 from a 9pm start Friday to 11pm, allowing Fuel hockey fan vehicles to more easily exit the lots.  He singled out work by the Fishers Police Department in handling traffic in and out of the Center area, citing the use of drone technology, and having Assistant Police Chief Mike Taylor hands-on commanding the flow of vehicles in real time.

List added that food and beverage sales were strong for all events so far.  He also said the Monday night concert featuring Alabama was nearly sold out as of 4pm Monday.

The first actual event I experienced at the Fishers Event Center was the home opener for the Indy Fuel hockey team.  I looked around the venue and found a standing-room-only crowd.

Then, the following night, I watched the second home game for the Fuel and found a crowd just under a sellout.  It made me think back to May of 1991, when I first moved to Fishers.

The 1990 census put the Town of Fishers population at just over 7,500.  The current population for the City of Fishers is estimated to be well over 103,000.  Fishers has come a long way.

I would point to 2 key moments that propelled Fishers to the city we know today.  First, the 2012 referendum that paved the way for the city, as opposed to remaining a town or transforming into a “reorganized city” that had the name of a city but looked a lot like a town.

In 2014, we had our first city election.  With 6 candidates for mayor, Scott Fadness, the Fishers Town Manager, was the winner.

The new Mayor Fadness had a very specific vision and has been aggressive in promoting development up to the present time.  There have been some controversies along the way, but the city you see today results from the vision Fadness expressed in his first campaign for mayor and has acted upon during his tenure as, so far, the only mayor Fishers has ever had.

A great example comes from three recent major projects he has spearheaded…the new City Hall/Arts Center, the Event Center and the Community Center.  The City Hall/Art Center has been open several months.  The Event Center opened its doors weeks ago.  The Community Center is under construction and should open in 2025.

Scott Fadness is accomplishing all three projects with no increase in the city’s share of the local property tax rate.  The mayor did propose a food and beverage tax to complete the funding for the Event Center and the City Council backed Fadness.

I know there were a number of attempts at constructing a facility for the Indy Fuel in Fishers over many years, and I could see at opening night Fuel owner Jim Hallett and Mayor Fadness were in good spirits, taking in the energy of the sold-out crowd, center ice, at the first Fuel home game December 6.  It was a big night for the Fuel and Fishers.

One wonders what Mayor Fadness has up his sleeve for the next project.