I only rarely take time off from my local Fishers news blog.  But I did this the past few days to allow some time to visit family in South Dakota and spend time with my grandkids.  So, thank you, readers of this blog, for your patience.

Lots of news has been happening during my absence and I will start posting again soon.  But allow me this opportunity to show my appreciation to those reading this blog and listening to my podcasts.

When starting this blog in January of 2012, my goal was to gain a few hundred people reading my material.  Over the 13 years of writing, I measure my audience not in hundreds but in the tens of thousands of unique visitors to this site each year.  2024 is shaping up to be the biggest audience ever.

So, thanks for reading.  This is a volunteer activity for me.  You will see an advertising portal on my site, but I allow that as a favor to Tom Britt of Towne Post Network.  I receive no money specifically from those ads.

I have a lot of catching-up to do and will be writing over the next few days.  But, above all, thanks for reading.  You make all the volunteer work worth it to me.

I am not quite back from my brief sabbatical from blogging, but this story on WRTV caught my eye.  It appears many voters in the HSE School District received a text message about the candidacy of Suzanne Thomas, saying they are representing a group no one can confirm actually exists.

You can read the story written by reporter Meredith Hackler at this link.

As many of you know, this local Fishers news blog is a one-man-band. I do all the writing. Every now & then, I take a few days off. That is what I am doing as of today. I should be back in 4-5 days. Thanks for your understanding & thanks for reading.

Fishers has detailed plans for the new pedestrian bridge over 96th Street, connecting the Nickel Plate Trail to Indianapolis. Here is a link to the city news release.

https://fishersin.gov/news/fishers-unveils-plans-for-96th-street-bridge-along-nickel-plate-trail/

18 years is a long time to be a high school principal. Jason Urban has held that job for 18 years at Fishers High School, but the Hamilton Southeastern School Board formally approved Mr. Urban’s promotion Wednesday night as the new Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education. Kyle Goodwin has been named Acting Principal at FHS and Chrissie Sturgell will serve as Acting Associate Principal at Fishers High.

In an effort to combat the heightened cancer risk firefighters face due to occupational hazards, Fishers Fire and Emergency Services, in collaboration with Community Health Network and GRAIL, has introduced an early cancer detection initiative using the Galleri® multi-cancer test.

The initiative, held in late September, offered firefighters the opportunity to participate in a blood draw event to screen for over 50 types of cancer, including some of the deadliest cancers that lack standard screening methods. Of the 148 members of the Fishers Fire Department, 122 participated in the health initiative aimed at early cancer detection.

Firefighters are at an increased risk of developing cancer due to their frequent exposure to carcinogens such as smoke, soot, and harmful chemicals while responding to emergencies. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that firefighters are twice as likely to develop certain cancers compared to the general population.

Fishers Fire Chief Steven Orusa highlighted the significance of this initiative, saying, “Firefighters risk their lives daily to protect our community, and it’s essential we safeguard their health. Providing access to cutting-edge cancer screening technology like the Galleri test is key to our efforts in protecting our firefighters so they can continue serving our community.”

The event was made possible through a partnership with Community Health Network. Dr. Patrick McGill, Chief Transformation Officer at Community Health Network, emphasized the importance of early detection for at-risk groups like firefighters. “This event is crucial because firefighters face a significantly higher risk of cancer due to occupational exposures. It also demonstrates the impact partnerships can have on promoting healthier outcomes,” he said.

While the Galleri test is a promising tool for detecting multiple cancers at early stages, it is not without limitations. The test does not detect all types of cancer, and false positives or negatives may occur. It was primarily tested in populations aged 50 and older, and its specific efficacy in firefighters remains unstudied. Clinical trials suggest that about 1% of people tested receive a “cancer signal detected” result, with around 40% of those cases later confirmed to have cancer after further evaluation.

The Galleri test is meant to complement, not replace, other recommended cancer screenings by healthcare providers. Firefighters participating in the screening event were encouraged to continue regular screenings alongside this advanced test to ensure comprehensive monitoring of their health.

More information about the Galleri test and safety details can be found at this link.

If you live in Hamilton County, early voting has begun.  If you want to early vote in Fishers, you need to wait until October 23rd.

Here is the early voting information for Fishers:

Roy G Holland Memorial Park Building, 1 Park Drive, Fishers

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Billericay Park Building, 12690 Promise Road, Fishers

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Here are the details of early voting in Hamilton County.  You may early vote at any Hamilton County early voting location if you reside in Hamilton County:

Noblesville   

Judicial Center, One Hamilton County Square, Noblesville

Tuesday thru Friday, October 8 – 11 from 8 am to 4:30 pm

Monday thru Friday, October 14 – 18 from 8 am to 4:30 pm

Monday thru Friday, October 21 – 25 from 8 am to 4:30 pm

Saturday, October 26 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday thru Friday, October 28 – November 1 from 8 am to 4:30 pm

Saturday, November 2 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday, November 4 from 8 am to noon

Hamilton County Fairgrounds, Hall C, 2003 Pleasant Street, Noblesville

Tuesday thru Friday, October 8 – 11 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday thru Friday, October 14 – 18 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday thru Saturday, October 21 – 26 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday thru Saturday, October 28 – November 2 from 9 am to 4 pm

Monday, November 4 from 8 am to noon

Westfield

Westfield City Hall, 130 Penn Street, Westfield

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Cool Creek Nature Center, 2000-1 E 151^st St, Carmel

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Carmel

Carmel Library, 425 E Main St, Carmel

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wilfong Pavilion at Founders Park, 11675 Hazel Dell Pkwy, Building A, Carmel

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

Jill Perelman Pavilion, 3000 W 116^th Street, Carmel

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23 & 24 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 from 10 am to 3 pm

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 & 31 from 2 pm to 7 pm

Friday and Saturday, November 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm

The Fishers City Council put its final stamp of approval on the 2025 city budget Monday night.  The spending plan, over $182 million total, was unchanged from the details provided at the September Council session.  It provides a 6% increase in pay for city employees and keeps health insurance premiums at the same level as 2024.

In other Council actions Monday:

–The Council provided the final approval for city trash collection monthly rates for residential customers under the contract with Republic services starting in January of 2025.

–The Council approved a $3 per month increase in sewer rates.  Mayor Scott Fadness said this is the first sewer rate increase in 15 years.  An outside firm studied the rate structure and recommended the rate be increased by $8, but the city settled on a $3 increase.

–The Council voted to adjust the 2024 budget, allowing more impact fee money to be sent to city parks and road infrastructure.

–An employee of the city’s fleet operation, Anthony Novak, was honored for his 25 years of service to Fishers.

The Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning was cancelled, because member Jeff Lantz was out of town and member Jason Meyer has resigned.  This is a 3-member board and two members are required to conduct business.

The board consists of Mayor Scott Fadness and his two appointees.  The mayor tells LarryInFishers Mr. Meyer has moved out of Fishers for personal reasons.  Meyer is also resigning his post on the Fall Creek Township Board, according to the mayor.

Mayor Fadness says no decision has been made on a replacement for Jason Meyer on the Board of Works.

The Fishers city Web site cites the Indiana code, laying out the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Works and Public Safety as follows:

Public ways and sidewalks; laying out, opening, and changing grades.

1. The works board may lay out, open, change, and fix or change the grade of any public way, sidewalk, or public place in the city.
2. The works board may keep a record of the grades of all public ways and sidewalks in the city.

The Public Works and Safety Board has exclusive control over all property relating to the following:

1. Police department
2. Fire department, fire alarms, and fire escapes
3. Animal shelters
4. Inspection of building

The Public Works and Safety Board may purchase the equipment and supplies and make the repairs needed by the Police and Fire Departments.

At last month’s Fishers City Council meeting, 5 people criticized the Fishers Pride September 7th, asserting a drag show with children in the audience was “sexualized.”  The organization Fishers Pride reacted after the meeting, saying that was not the case at all.

At Monday night’s City Council session, 4 speakers defended the Fishers Pride event and how the children present were a part of the celebration in a “safe place” for members of the LGBTQ community.  One mother was emotional about how her 11-year-old daughter had been bullied in school related to the Pride event.

At last month’s meeting, Council President Cecilia Coble had said the police department would be looking into the Pride event as to whether there had been any law violations.  Coble said Monday no laws had been broken at the Pride event and no action will be taken.

There were other issues discussed in community comment.  One student, part of the Fishers Citizen Government class, cited 4 areas of the city where safety could be improved.  Another resident, complimented the city and the mayor’s office for constructing a sidewalk in his neighborhood.