Jessica Irwin is a descendant of Charles Irwin, an 1897 graduate of what was then known as Fishers Switch High School.  She was shuffling through some old clothes and family historical documents when she discovered Charles Irwin’s 1897 diploma from Fishers Switch High School.

For historical context, Fishers was known as Fishers Switch, based on the railroad switch.  The local post office eventually dropped the ” Switch” in the early 20th century and the town was known as just Fishers from that point in time.

Once Ms. Irwin discovered her find, she cleaned it up and contacted the Fishers Historical Society.  Robert Bowling arranged a new frame for the document.

Friday afternoon, there was a gathering of school officials, representatives of the Fishers Historical Society and members of the Charles Irwin family.  The diploma, along with questions seniors needed to answer as senior final exams, and a brick from the 1907 Fishers High School Building, were all placed in a trophy case at Fishers High School, in a hallway near the gym.

The 1907 Fishers High School stood where Fishers Elementary is now located along Lantern Road.  Robert Bowling says there is no record of where the Fishers Switch High School was located in 1897.

We do know there were 12 students at the high school in 1897 and 3 teachers.  At that time, townships ran the school systems and constructed school buildings on land donated by local residents.

A closer look at the 1897 diploma for Charles Irwin from Fishers Switch HS

The Fishers Community Chorus will bring holiday cheer to a new venue this year, presenting its annual Holiday Concert at the recently opened Fishers City Hall & Art Center Theater. This free event, showcasing festive music from around the globe, will take place on Sunday, December 17, at 7:15 p.m., with lobby doors opening at 6:45 p.m.

This year’s program invites audiences on a musical journey through time and across continents, blending traditional melodies from Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America with American seasonal favorites. The performance will highlight the universal themes of joy, unity, and peace that define the holiday season. To enrich the audience experience, foreign-language passages in German, Spanish, Hebrew, Latin, and Swahili will feature translated supertitles.

The Fishers Community Chorus, an all-volunteer ensemble under the nonprofit Fishers Music Works umbrella, has been a fixture in the community since 2015. Known for its dedication to fostering community connections through music, the group performs at various civic and private events throughout central Indiana.

The December 17 concert marks a festive kickoff to the season, offering an evening of heartwarming and inspiring music suitable for all ages. While admission is free, donations are encouraged to help the chorus continue its mission of spreading music across Hamilton County.

For more information about the event or the Fishers Community Chorus, visit www.fisherschorus.org.

After several months of changes to the architectural plans for a proposed Atwell Hotel, just west of Minden Drive and south of Erlen Drive in the Saxony area of Fishers, the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Committee denied those plans in a 5-0 vote Wednesday evening.

Neighbors in the area have opposed this hotel plan from the start.  The Saxony Community Association submitted a letter in opposition to the hotel.

An attorney representing the developer of the proposed Atwell Hotel indicated an appeal to the Plan Commission would be filed if the proposal failed, which it did later in the meeting.

This meeting was originally scheduled to be held in the City Hall Theater, but a problem with the heating system forced the session to be held in a much smaller conference room in City Hall.  Due to the size of the crowd, mostly those residing the the Saxony neighborhood attending the  meeting, an overflow room was provided with a video and audio feed of the meeting.

The committee approved two other architectural plans presented.  One was for a proposed fuel station and small convenience store for the neighborhood Walmart near 131st Street.  The other was a building for Everwise Credit Union at 12330 Olio Road.

After a long 15-game road trip to start the season, the Indy Fuel hockey team is set to start their home season in the brand new Fishers Event Center.  I talked with Joe Zollo, Director of Digital Marketing for the Fuel, about the home opener and much more in the podcast linked below.

When Fishers Fire Chief Steve Orusa announced his intention to retire at the end of calendar year 2024, Mayor Scott Fadness took his time in appointing his replacement.  The mayor announced his choice Tuesday afternoon.

The mayor’s office announced Battalion Chief Ky Ragsdale as the next Chief of the Fishers Fire and Emergency Services (FFES), effective January 24, 2025. Ragsdale is a fire service professional with more than 20 years of experience with FFES.  

“Ky is a dedicated public safety professional who cares deeply about the Fishers community,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness in a city news release. “The leadership Battalion Chief Ragsdale will bring to the department comes at an exciting time for the city, as the community continues to grow and evolve. His experience and commitment to service ensures that Fishers Fire and Emergency Services will continue to be a pillar of safety and reliability for all residents.”

Ragsdale is a third-generation firefighter, going back to his late grandfather, who served as fire chief in West Lafayette, and his late father, who served as assistant chief. 

“Serving the Fishers community is an honor, and I look forward to working with the men and women of Fishers Fire and Emergency Services to continue pushing the envelope to remain a national leader as a department,” said Ragsdale. “I am dedicated to giving my best to the department and the Fishers community. Chief Orusa is leaving behind a legacy that developed our department to meet any challenge and protect those we serve and I’m dedicated to serving each day to deliver the results of that effort.”

Ragsdale holds a Bachelor of Management degree and is a U.S. Navy veteran. Currently serving as Battalion Chief, Ragsdale is incident commander during emergency situations, oversees departmental operations, spearheaded FFES’ Recruit Academy with more than 70 firefighters, and has served on specialized response teams including HAZMAT and Dive Rescue.

“Battalion Chief Ky Ragsdale has the knowledge, skill, ability, wisdom, and experience to lead Fishers Fire and Emergency Services into the future,” said FFES Chief Steven Orusa. “He is the perfect choice to be our new fire chief.”

The transition should be seamless, with Ragsdale taking over command as Chief on January 24, 2025, the date of current Chief Steven Orusa’s retirement.

If you talk with someone that has been through the Fishers Citizens Academy, they will all say the same thing – it was a special experience and each would recommend it to anyone.

Fishers is now taking registrations for the spring, 2025 class through December 13.

Watch a video at this link.

Register using this link.

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is now a tradition….it is a day to support the charities of your choice.

There are so many worthy nonprofit groups in and around the Fishers area, I will not dare to recommend one or more organizations for you to support today.  I would only ask that you take the time to choose one or  more of the many groups doing great work in Fishers and make a contribution.

It is a great way to support your local community.

As someone that has produced local Fishers podcasts since 2016, all you need do is check the most popular podcasts nationally and you will find crime podcasts in the top listings.  Now, a well-know crime podcast is hitting the road and coming to Fishers.

Fans of the wildly popular Crime Junkie podcast have a reason to rejoice: co-hosts Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat are bringing their compelling storytelling to the stage with an 18-city live tour. The Crime Junkie: Life Rule #10 tour, named for the podcast’s cheeky motto “It’s never a mannequin,” promises an unforgettable evening of true crime intrigue and entertainment.

The tour will include a stop at the Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, on Thursday, March 6, 2025. This live event will feature a chilling unsolved homicide case, freshly unearthed by Crime Junkie‘s production company, audiochuck. With original investigative reporting and Flowers’ and Prawat’s signature delivery, attendees will be drawn into a gripping, edge-of-your-seat experience.

Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday, December 6, at 10 a.m. local time. Fans eager for an early edge can access pre-sales through the Crime Junkie Fan Club or Patreon starting Monday, December 2, at 10 a.m. local time. Additional pre-sale opportunities for verified fans begin Tuesday, December 3.

Ashley Flowers, Crime Junkie’s creator and host, shared her excitement about the tour. “We’ve always wanted to connect with our fans in a deeper way, and taking a case live is the ultimate opportunity. This isn’t just a podcast episode—it’s a fully immersive experience.”

Recommended for mature audiences, the tour will also offer attendees exclusive Crime Junkie merchandise available for purchase at each venue.

Fans are encouraged to act fast to secure their tickets as the podcast’s massive following is expected to make this one of the year’s hottest tickets. And as always, remember the Crime Junkie mantra: Be Weird. Be Rude. Stay Alive.