Two new restaurants have been announced by developer Thompson Thrift for The Union, an area near the now under-construction Fishers Events Center.  The two eateries will be new to the Indy-area market – Kitchen Social and Niku Sushi.Kitchen.Bar. Both restaurants will join Piedra, Flavors of Mexico, from the Arechiga Restaurant Group, when the first tenants open at The Union at Fishers District during the latter half of 2026.

“We are thrilled to welcome both Kitchen Social and Niku to The Union at Fishers District,” said Ryan Menard, vice president of development at Thompson Thrift. “The respective restauranteurs behind these concepts are committed to providing special, unique experiences that align perfectly with our vision for this vibrant mixed-use destination.”

Kitchen Social is described in a Thompson-Thrift news release as a polished casual restaurant serving international cuisine with refined flavors. They are known for offering a variety of from-scratch products including their signature cheddar and scallion handmade biscuits, eggplant meatballs, shrimp tempura, teriyaki ribeye, and a large selection of craft cocktails and wines from family wineries worldwide. The restaurant was named best new eatery when it opened in Columbus and was named the best overall in the city in the following three years. The 4,500-square-foot Union location will be the first in Indiana and the eighth overall for the concept.

Niku Sushi.Kitchen.Bar will offer upscale Japanese cuisine in an approximately 6,000-square-foot space with an outdoor patio area. Niku is the brainchild of Prime Restaurant Group, an experienced Indianapolis operator with 14 open concepts.

Located near Interstate 69 and 116th Street, The Union is one of five developments in the expansive master-planned Fishers District development.  The Union is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2025. Thompson Thrift is actively negotiating leases on several of the 15 remaining retail spaces. Additionally, 70,000 square feet of Class-A office space is available.

There are a total of 6 candidates running in the 2024 Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board election.  All 6 agreed to record a podcast with me, something that has not always happened since I began podcasting in February of 2016.

First, my sincere thanks to the Hamilton East Library in Fishers.  The staff at the Ignite area has been wonderful in helping me schedule these podcast recording sessions in their AV Studio.

I should also mention that public radio station WFYI and Current Publishing will be sponsoring a debate with the HSE School board candidates October 10, 7pm, at City Hall.  Tickets are already sold out for this event but WFYI will livestream the debate.

I have now recorded podcasts with all 6 candidates.  As a reminder, all voters residing within the Hamilton Southeastern School District vote on all 3 township board contests.

Here are the candidates, with links to their respective podcasts:

Fall Creek Township

Terry Tolle

Suzanne Thomas

Delaware Township

Greg Lannan

Latrica Schooley

Wayne Township

Sarah Parks-Reese

John Stewart

Watch for a change in the traffic pattern at the 96th Street & Allisonville Road construction site.  Fishers says the roundabout should be fully open to traffic by late October/early November.

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

Continue reading Fishers area road construction update – work week beginning September 30 →

Prior to the start of formal negotiations between a school district and teachers’ union in Indiana, the law requires the school board to hold a public hearing prior to the first formal bargaining session.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board posted on the district Web site plans to hold the public hearing required before the first bargaining session at 6pm, Tuesday, October 1, at the school administration building on Cumberland Road.

If you wish to comment before the formal negotiations begin, this is your chance to be heard.

The Fishers Events Center is moving closer to opening, with the first event slated for Friday, November 22, featuring the country music group Turnpike Troubadours.  The facility will also be home to the Indy Fuel hockey team, which will start its home season in early December.

The center is in the market for more part-time staff for the many events already on the calendar and those yet to be announced.  Below is a listing of jobs, provided by the Events Center, for anyone interested in some part-time money:

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AVAILABLE PART-TIME ROLES AND APPLICATION INFORMATION: 

• Bartender, Ticket Seller, Guest Services Coordinators, Premium Crew, Concert Runners, Ice Crew, Zamboni Drivers, Operations Crew, Cooks, Suite Attendants, Dish Washer, Warehouse Runner, Suite Runner, Culinary Supervisor, Food & Beverage Supervisor, Premium Services Supervisor, Ticket Office Supervisor.
  Click here for more information and to apply, or reach out to hr@ASMFishers.com for all inquiries.
• LAZ Parking is hiring an Event Ambassador and Event Supervisor for Fishers Event Center.
  More information and application details here.
• Andy Frain Services is hiring 24-hour security and event staff for Fishers Event Center.
  More information and application details here.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
The Fishers Event Center will host a wide variety of community events and concerts spanning genres including theater, sports, comedy, family, country, rock and more. The venue’s size allows it to accommodate legendary shows in an intimate setting, as well as newer artists on the brink of big success. Upcoming events include:

• Country band Turnpike Troubadours (Friday, Nov. 22)
• Viral violinist Lindsey Stirling (Friday, Nov. 29)
• Comedian Leanne Morgan (Saturday, Nov. 30)
• Nitro Circus (Sunday, December 1)
• AEW professional wrestling (Wednesday, Dec. 4)
• Indy Fuel hockey opening weekend (December 6-7)
• Legendary country rock band Alabama (Monday, Dec. 9)
• The annual Mudsock Rivalry Basketball Game between the Fishers High School Tigers and the Hamilton Southeastern Royals (Friday, Dec. 20)
• Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic ice experience CRYSTAL (January 23-26, 2025)
• Country star Megan Moroney (April 24, 2025)
• …and much more to be announced soon.

For a full list of upcoming events and ticket information, visit FishersEventCenter.com. Fans can sign up for the venue newsletter to stay informed of event announcements and presale options.

Continue reading Noblesville Library to Host Inaugural Family History Day Genealogy Conference →

Hamilton County has introduced a cutting-edge locution system for its 911 services, a move designed to dramatically enhance communication and response times for first responders. The countywide rollout aims to streamline dispatching, allowing emergency teams to receive critical information with greater speed and accuracy.

The new system automates emergency alerts, delivering key details like the location and nature of an incident the moment a call is received. This automation reduces response times and ensures that first responders can act without unnecessary delays. One of the key features of the system is its ability to facilitate “zoned” dispatching, meaning only the necessary personnel for a specific emergency will be alerted, reducing interruptions to others.

“We are excited to introduce this system to our county’s emergency response teams,” said Mike Hubbs, Director of the 911 Communications Department. “This system not only enhances our operational efficiency but also improves the service we provide to our community. By reducing the time it takes to dispatch responders, we are ultimately saving lives.”

The locution system’s innovative technology also allows dispatchers to maintain direct communication with callers while simultaneously sending out emergency alerts. This ensures that vital information can be relayed in real time, without compromising response speed.

“Our goal with this rollout is to ensure that our responders have the tools they need to perform their duties effectively,” Hubbs added. “With this system in place, we are taking a significant step forward in modernizing our dispatch operations and improving overall safety for our residents.”

The implementation of the locution system marks a significant leap in Hamilton County’s commitment to emergency services, reflecting the county’s focus on utilizing technology to protect and serve its community more efficiently.

The proposed Innovation Charter School has been a point of discussion throughout the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School community.  Steve Loser is the Director of K-12 Initiatives for HSE.  He sat down with me for a podcast to discuss what is under consideration by the HSE School Board and administration with the nonprofit organization Opportunity Education.

Latrica Schooley is becoming a candidate for office for the first time, running for the at-large school board seat from Delaware Township.  Below is the link to my podcast discussion with Latrica Schooley.

Tim Brown reported to his new job as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools July 1 of this year, and at Wednesday night’s school board work session, he unveiled his 2025 budget proposal totaling $326,339,619.  He proposes to keep the property tax rate the same as 2024, $1.1433.

New salary and benefit costs were over $11 million in 2023-24, according to Brown’s board presentation.  Without significant changes made, Brown says the Education and Operation Funds will continue to have “structural deficits.” ​ In the short term, the temporary solution is to spend cash balances.

Brown made clear dipping into cash reserves cannot be a long-term solution.

Brown recommends a “budget study committee” be formed to look into spending cuts.  He expects it will take “multiple years” to correct the budget issues.

CFO Brown went into much more detail.  His PowerPoint presentation is available at this link.

Before the board work session, the President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), Abby Taylor, told a group of teachers the union asked for the budget materials in advance, but received the CFO’s presentation at the same time as the public, a few hours before the board session Wednesday.  She says her bargaining team will study the numbers and look at the pool of money available for teacher compensation as contract talks begin.

“We did not spend $11 million when we bargained last year,” Taylor told the assembled teachers.  “It’s coming out of the Education Fund, which is principals, new admin that was added, and the positions that we added for Special Ed & ENL (English as a new language).  We’re not overspending based on what we bargained.”

Craig Frawley, a leader in the HSEA bargaining team, said the attorneys representing the school district told his team, “It’s going to be a lean year.”

But Frawley added, “We are very hopeful it will be a smooth process.”

HSEA said 180 teachers and HSEA supporters filled the board room attending the work session Wednesday.  I did not count them all, but the red-shirts filled the board room.