Motorists should begin preparing for a road closure and lane restrictions in the area of 116th Street and Lantern Road in coming weeks.  Fishers Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky told the Board of Works and Public Safety the water utility, Citizens Energy, will be working on underground equipment, making way for the under-construction City View development.  This closure is scheduled to begin Saturday, January 11 and end at 5am the following Monday.  The city will be recommending detours for the area of 116th Street between Lantern Road and Municipal Drive during this period.

A second phase of work by Citizens Energy will require the closure of the Lantern Road southbound lane later in January.  This phase of work will be 9am-3pm.  Phase 3 will come later and work will happen 9am-3pm.

Mekky says this will reduce the need to close traffic to the area, which originally was scheduled to last 7-10 days.

In a related item, AT&T will have a road cut resulting in lane restrictions at 116th Street and Allisonville Road beginning January 7th, and continuing that week.  Police will be directing traffic and there will be signage guiding drivers in the area.  This is in preparation for the coming roundabout construction at that intersection.

In other items before the board at the December 20th session:

–A public hearing was held to approve the public-private partnership between the city and Meyer Najem to construct a park on the White River near 96th Street and Allisonville Road.  The board originally approved the item in October, but did not provide the public hearing as required by law.  The only public comment was critical of the city for not holding the public hearing in a timely manner.  The board again approved the agreement.

–A pedestrian path connecting the Forum Credit Union headquarters with Fishers District and the Event Center will have lighting to help those walking in the dark.  It is hoped the illumination will discourage people from walking along the nearby streets.  The board approved a lighting easement to allow for this installation.

–The city has completed improvements to two areas of private roads under the Barrett Law, which assesses property owners located on the roads for the cost of improving the streets, and the city then takes the roads into the municipal inventory for future maintenance.  The board approved accepting two areas of private roads into the city inventory now that improvements are done.  One is described as Barrett East, including private roads of Parkside Drive, Publishers Drive, and Enterprise Drive.  The second area, labeled Barrett West, takes in private roads of Britton Park Road, Trade Center Drive, and East Park Court.

When Indianapolis media pay attention to Fishers, I try to point it out to my readers.  Two stories have been published in the past few days worth noting, one in the IndyStar, the other in the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Reporter John Tuohy writes about a variance approved by the Fishers Board of Zoning Appeals in the IndyStar.  The Alhuda Foundation will be consolidating its schools into a new large facility near Launch Fishers, which is not far from the Islamic mosque on Lantern Road.  You can read the story at this link, but may need a subscription to access it.

The Indianapolis Business Journal features a question and answer session with First Internet Bank CEO David Becker.  Reporter Cate Charron conducted the interview, which explains Becker’s transformation from a critic of apprenticeships to a supporter, following a trip to Switzerland, where he discovered first-hand how well the program works there.

You can read the Q&A with Mr. Becker at this link, but, again, may need a subscription to access the story.

Once again, I encourage my readers to subscribe to your local media.  If you do not, it will go away.

Cam Hausinger had one impressive night of hockey Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center, leading the Indy Fuel to a 5-2 victory over the in-state rival Fort Wayne Komets.  Hausinger earned the first-ever hat trick in the Fishers Event Center, and topped off the night with an assist to boot.

It took exactly 9 seconds into the first period when tempers flared and fisticuffs ensued.  The bad blood between these two teams was clear throughout the game, with lots of pushing and shoving.

The first period, other than the opening fight, was mostly uneventful with no scoring.

Hausinger picked up his first goal 4 minutes into Period 2 and added his second goal 8 minutes later.  Brannon McManus netted the first Komets goal later in the period.

Hausinger got his third goal 4 minutes into Period 3.  A Komet goal initially waived off by officials was overturned after video review…the Fuel then led 3-2.  Ryan Ganier put the Fuel up 4-2 with a score.  Fort Wayne pulled their goaltender with 4:30 left in the game, which resulted in an open net goal for the Fuel by Andrew Ballent, for a final score of 5-2 .

It was a satisfying victory for the 6,312 on hand for the contest.  The Fuel will face these same Fort Wayne Komets at the Fishers Event Center Friday, December 27.

There are plenty of projects that will impact traffic flow, so read this weekly update carefully.

Here is the full area road construction listing, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the week starting Monday, December 23:

Continue reading Road construction update for the work week starting Monday, December 23 →

The Indy Fuel faced off against the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday night in their first clash of the season, but a tough, hard-fought game saw the Fuel shut out, 3-0.

The Komets claimed an early advantage in the weekend series, with the two teams set to meet again Saturday night in Fishers.

The game opened with a physical and defensive tone, as both teams exchanged early penalties. Indy’s first power-play opportunity came at 3:54 after Nolan Volcan of the Komets was sent to the box for slashing, but the Komets successfully killed it off.

Fort Wayne capitalized on their first real opportunity at 11:00 when Justin Taylor found the back of the net, assisted by Jack Dugan and Volcan.

Despite their best efforts, the Fuel couldn’t convert on a goaltender interference penalty against Brandon McManus later in the frame. The period ended with a controversial moment as a Komets goal was waved off after a review showed Ben Gaudreau had been interfered with in the crease.

At the buzzer, the Komets held a slight edge in shots, 9-8.

The second period flew by with few stoppages and no scoring, but the penalties continued to mount for both sides. The Fuel took their second too many men penalty of the game at 11:17, but the penalty-kill unit remained solid.

Nick Grima was sent to the box for the second time with another slashing call at 18:27, but Indy’s defense held strong to keep the game within reach heading into the third.

Fort Wayne extended their lead in shots, finishing the period with an 18-15 advantage.

Indy started the third period by successfully killing off Grima’s penalty but continued to struggle offensively. Despite a few solid opportunities, they couldn’t break through Fort Wayne’s defense.

The Komets doubled their lead at 15:00 when Dugan scored his second point of the night, and less than a minute later, Harrison Rees added another goal to put the game out of reach.

In a last-ditch effort, the Fuel pulled Gaudreau for an extra skater in the final minutes but couldn’t generate enough pressure to find the net.

The Komets narrowly missed an empty-net chance, but it didn’t matter as the clock expired with a 3-0 final score.

The Fuel will have a chance for redemption as they host the Komets in a rematch Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center. Indy will look to regroup and generate more offense in front of their home crowd.

Stay tuned as the rivalry between these two division foes continues to heat up!

In the past, getting a ticket to a Mudsock basketball game was difficult.  The high school gyms can only handle so many fans.  The one time years ago the game was hosted by the Fairgrounds Coliseum was a disaster because winter weather descended on the area and it took fans hours to get home in Fishers.

2024 marks the start of a new Mudsock basketball era.  The game was played Friday night at the Fishers Event Center.  Over 5,600 tickets were sold, not a sellout but a large crowd.

The HSE Royals took the trophy in the girls game, 47-34 over the Fishers Tigers.

But the Tiger boys won the second contest of the evening, defeating the Royals 65-49.

But the night featured more than two basketball games…here is what happened in addition:

–Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness honored retiring Fire Chief Steve Orusa.

–A new award, the Superintendent’s Impact Award, was presented to Fishers High School senior Sam Quagliaroli for his athletic and academic accomplishments.

–The Fishers Tiger state champion boys basketball players from last season were honored at halftime of the girls Mudsock game.

A new tradition began as the Mudsock games were the first to make use of the historic basketball court at the Fishers Event Center.  Most importantly, every fan that wanted to view these games in person had the opportunity to do so in 2024.

Fire Chief Orusa and Mayor Fadness embrace at the Mudsock game

When Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Fishers was recognized as one the Top 100 community hospitals nation-wide, they felt it was time to have a party, bring the Colts along and invite the local community.  That’s what happened Monday, December 16.

PINC AI announced the Top 100 list recently in Fortune Magazine.  PINC AI is the technology and services brand of Premier, Inc., and is known for its honest and unbiased method rating medical operations. 

Colts center Wesley French, Colts mascot “Blue” and cheerleaders were all part of the celebration, along with hospital staff and the nearby community. 

As the year 2024 draws to a close, the City of Fishers is gearing up to begin a city-wide trash collection service through a contract with Republic Services in January.

If you have not yet received a card in the mail from the city, you soon will. It lists a QR code and Web address to use in order to find your new trash collection day of the week beginning in mid-January, using a color-coded map.

For example, My wife Jane and I will see our weekly trash pickup day move from Tuesday to Thursday.  To access the interactive map, use this link.

This holiday season, the Humane Society for Hamilton County (HSHC) is inviting animal lovers to make the holidays brighter for shelter pets through its unique Holiday Sleepover program. Aimed at giving furry friends a break from shelter life, the campaign offers community members the chance to host an animal for a short stay, no strings—or tinsel—attached.

“We know there are a lot of folks who love animals, but they aren’t in a place to adopt a pet, or even foster one for several weeks,” said Lily Darling, Community Engagement Manager for the Humane Society for Hamilton County. “This short-term fostership is a win-win for shelter animals who need a break, and for someone who may be alone during the holidays, or frankly, anyone who could use a little holiday cheer.”

The program allows participants to foster a pet from December 19 through December 24, with the option to return the animal as early as December 26. The shelter provides all necessary supplies, eliminating any financial or logistical burden. Participants simply need to complete a foster application and meet HSHC’s approval guidelines.

Interested individuals can pick up their foster pets during HSHC’s adoption hours. They are encouraged to bring the following items to streamline the process:

• A completed foster application, available at hamiltonhumane.com/foster-application
• All household members for compatibility checks
• Resident dogs for meet-and-greets with potential canine fosters
• A landlord’s pet policy if renting
• Government-issued ID

While most animals are eligible, some may be excluded due to age, medical needs, or other special considerations.

The shelter is open Christmas Eve from 12–3 p.m. for last-minute matches. Returns after the holiday must be made by appointment.

For more details or to apply, visit hamiltonhumane.com.

The Humane Society for Hamilton County is dedicated to enriching the lives of pets and people through education, adoption, and advocacy. Located in Fishers, the shelter serves as a safe haven for animals in need while striving to find them loving homes.

It was a closely-fought contest between franchises owned by Jim Hallet…this time the Bloomington Illinois Bison came out on top 3-1 in a Wednesday night game at Fishers Event Center.

An open-net goal by Bloomington’s Dalton Duhart with 22 seconds remaining in Period 3 sealed the victory for the Bison.

No one scored in the first period.  The Fuel had one power play opportunity but could not cash-in.  Blake McLaughlin found the goal in the waning moments of Period 2, bringing the tally to 2-0 Bison.

The Fuel’s Darby Llewellyn put  his team back in the game with a goal early in Period 3, with a 2-1 score.  The Fuel pulled goaltender Joe Verbetic with a little over 2 minutes left in Period 3.  The Fuel battled with a number of shots, but none connected.

Dalton Duhart of Bloomington had an open-net goad with seconds on the clock, sealing the win for the Bison.

The Fuel travel to Fort Wayne Friday and face the Komets.  Then the Komets will travel to Fishers and face the Fuel this Saturday.