Last month, I recorded a podcast with Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness and his Chief of Staff Jordin Alexander about the proposed 10% cap in the number of single-family home rentals for each subdivision in the city (listen at this link).

With a City Council public hearing scheduled April 21 about this issue, I invited two opponents of the ordinance under consideration.  Fishers resident and real estate professional Steve Ladig and former City Councilor Jocelyn Vare, to discuss why they are against the proposed rental cap.  Listen at the link below.

(NOTE:  An earlier version of this story listed the roundabout at Hoosier Road and 131st…that was incorrect and the story below has been corrected)

The City of Fishers is entering into a professional services contract with American Structurepoint to begin planning a new roundabout at the intersection of Brooks School Road and 131st Street. City Engineering Director Hatem Mekky informed the Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday morning that construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2026. The project is part of the city’s Fishers 2040 comprehensive plan.

Other Items from the Board of Public Works and Safety:

• Road Resurfacing Contract Approved:
  The board approved the second road resurfacing contract for 2025—a $2.7 million project that will primarily focus on the western parts of Fishers and the downtown area.  For more details on where the resurfacing will take place, use this link.

• Technology Contract Renewals:
  The city renewed several technology service contracts, including an expansion of VPN services to additional devices. This move is aimed at enhancing the security of city communications.

• Traffic Signal on 116th Street:
  Director Mekky says his department plans to present a contract proposal at the next Board of Works meeting to recommend where to install a traffic signal along 116th Street, between Cumberland Road and Hoosier Road. A previous board action called for a study to identify a safe location for a signal to improve left-turn access from the Spyglass and Spyglass Falls neighborhoods. A recommendation for the signal’s placement is expected to be made public in July.

We the People is a rigorous academic competition where students from across the country showcase their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, American government, and history. Sponsored by the Bar Association, the program challenges students to think critically about civic issues and present their ideas in front of panels of judges.

Both local high schools have a strong tradition of excellence in the We the People program, frequently advancing to national competitions after impressive performances at the state level.

This year, Fishers High School earned a coveted spot in the national finals held in Washington, D.C., and finished second in the nation — a remarkable achievement that reflects the students’ hard work, intelligence, and dedication.

As someone who has served as a practice judge for We the People teams in the past, I can say firsthand just how difficult and competitive this program is. This accomplishment is truly a milestone for our local community.

Fishers High School’s We the People coach, Liz Paternoster, shared her pride in a heartfelt Facebook post on Sunday:

“This year’s We the People team just earned Second Place in the Nation at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., but that title doesn’t even begin to capture what they’ve done.

They’ve given me hope for the future. In a world that often feels divided and uncertain, these students have shown what’s possible when young people lead with passion, intelligence, and heart. They didn’t just study the Constitution — they lived it, defended it, and inspired others to believe in it.

To say I’m proud would be an understatement. I am completely in awe. They’ve renewed my spirit not just as a coach, but as an educator and a citizen. Their drive, their teamwork, their belief in the power of civic dialogue… it reminded me why I started teaching in the first place.”

Yes, there are high school students who care deeply about civic issues — and they are making a difference. Congratulations to Coach Paternoster, the advisors who supported the team, and the entire Fishers High School community on this incredible accomplishment.

The Indy Fuel began the 2024 season on the road, playing their first 15 games away from home while the new Fishers Event Center was being completed. Despite a season marked by ups and downs, the Fuel surged late in the ECHL schedule to clinch a coveted playoff spot.

Indy closed out the regular season with two road games, falling 6-4 to Kalamazoo on Saturday and dropping a hard-fought 4-3 overtime decision in Toledo on Sunday.

Now, the focus shifts to the postseason, as the Fuel square off against Toledo in a best-of-seven first-round playoff series. Here’s the full schedule for the opening round:

Kelly Cup Playoff Schedule – Round One: Indy Fuel vs. Toledo Walleye

• Game 1: Thursday, April 17 – at Toledo, 7:15 p.m.

• Game 2: Friday, April 18 – at Toledo, 7:15 p.m.

• Game 3: Monday, April 21 – at Indy, 7:00 p.m.

• Game 4: Tuesday, April 22 – at Indy, 7:00 p.m.

• Game 5: Saturday, April 26 – at Toledo*, 7:15 p.m.

• Game 6: Monday, April 28 – at Indy*, 7:00 p.m.

• Game 7: Wednesday, April 30 – at Toledo*, 7:15 p.m.
  (*if necessary)

The Fuel are guaranteed at least two home playoff games: Monday, April 21, and Tuesday, April 22, both with 7:00 p.m. puck drops at the Fishers Event Center. If the series extends to Game 6, a third home game is scheduled for Monday, April 28.

Buy playoff tickets using this link.

When you spend more than 14 years in the radio broadcasting business, you get the chance to work with a lot of great people. For me, one of those people was Larry Henry. Larry passed away last Friday.

I was the morning news anchor at WCSI in Columbus, Indiana for about four years. For roughly three of those years, the morning show host was Larry Henry. Sometimes, there’s a special kind of chemistry that happens when two people talk on the radio—and Larry and I had that. Every morning, we’d spend about ten minutes just having a conversation, and it clicked. Larry was especially proud when an ARB rating sweep showed that our program was not only number one in Bartholomew County, but number one across three counties in the area.

Larry was a top-notch professional. I truly enjoyed working with him as a team, and I valued our friendship—even though we hadn’t been in touch in recent years. He left WCSI to join the WIBC sports broadcasting team and eventually moved to Detroit, where he made his mark doing play-by-play for University of Michigan basketball and covering a wide range of other sporting events.

Later in life, Larry moved to Madison, Indiana, entering semi-retirement.

But Larry was perhaps best known for his passion for auto racing. He covered the month of May for WCSI, which caught the attention of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. On race day, he reported from the backstretch and Turn 3—where he made one of his most memorable calls: the moment Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr. touched wheels in Turn 3, sending Unser into the wall and paving the way for Fittipaldi’s first Indy 500 win.

I have such great memories of working with Larry and calling him a friend. We lost a truly special person when Larry passed away on April 11. He was 73.

According to his online obituary, Larry requested cremation, and a celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date.

Thanks for the memories, Larry. I’ll never forget you.

The Fishers Freight dropped the first game in their young history at the Tsongas Center in Lowell Massachusetts, 50-47, to the Pirates in a close, hard fought battle.  Massachusetts was in the IFL championship game last season but went into this game 0-2.  The Pirates needed a win and the Freight were wanting to go 3-0, but it was not to be for the team from Fishers Saturday night.

Coach Dixie Wooten was not hesitant to change things up during this game.  Mike Baloga once again struggled as the Freight kicker and the Freight went to 2-point conversion attempts after touchdowns.  Starting quarterback Jiya Wright was pulled in the 4th quarter for backup Keegan Shoemaker, who threw his first IFL touchdown pass early in the 4th quarter.

The Pirates had struggled with their kicking game this season and brought back a kicker they had on the roster previously, Josh Gable, who kicked the winning field goal with 1 second remaining in the game.

There were some outstanding plays by the Freight, a team that refused to give up when they were down.  Shawn Steele came up with an interception with less than 3 minutes left in Quarter 4, setting up a long pass play from Shoemaker to JT Stokes who made an acrobatic catch the took him over the boards, but he held on to the ball for a completion.  The Freight then scored to tie the contest at 47 each.  Devin Hafford came up with a kickoff touchdown.

It was a 22-yard field goal by Gable that won the game for the Pirates, 50-47.

The Pirates are now 1-2 and the Freight are 2-1. The Freight will face Dixie Wooten’s former team, the Bay Area Panthers, where he coached for 2 years before joining the Freight, Saturday, April 19, at the Fishers Event Center, 7pm kickoff.

Temperatures may not have seemed spring-like in recent days, but spring is here according to the calendar.  As a result, look for the summer road projects to get underway.  Two big ones here in Fishers this year include roundabout construction at 131st & Howe Road, and 121st and Hoosier Road.  Some preliminary work will begin soon on those two projects.

For a full view of Fishers-area road construction, here is the listing for the work seek starting Monday, April 14, as provided by the City of Fishers:

=================== Continue reading Road construction update for the week of April 14 →

The Indy Fuel will face the Toledo Walleye in the first round of the ECHL playoffs, but the path was anything but easy.  The Fuel needed just one point to clinch a post season berth, and it looked like they might beat the Kalamazoo Wings at the Fishers Event Center Friday night.

The Fuel had a 4-3 lead with 40 seconds remaining in Period 3 when the Wings’ Max Humitz found the back of the net, tying the score and sending the game into overtime.  At that point, Indy was guaranteed a playoff spot.

The 7-minute overtime period resulted in no scoring, when Kalamazoo scored twice in the shootout to take the win.

The Wings took charge early in the contest, with Drake Pilon scoring twice in the first stanza, one being on a power play in Period 1. In Period 2, Kevin Lombardi and Nathan Burke scored for the Fuel, but Ryan Naumovski lit the lamp for Kalamazoo, and the Wings led 3-2 after 2 periods.

About 14 minutes into the third Period, Owen Robinson picked a perfect time to score his first professional goal, tying the score at 3-3.  But Humitz scored with seconds remaining in Period 3, forcing the game into overtime but assuring the Fuel a playoff series with the Toledo Walleye.

Game 3 of the playoff round will be a home game at the Fishers Event Center Monday, April 21.  Tickets are on sale.

It appears the Indiana House, Senate and Governor Mike Braun have struck a deal to provide property tax relief for Hoosier homeowners, but the question now is, at what cost?

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston was instrumental in putting this deal together as a legislative leader.  Representative Huston represents the eastern part of Fishers.

Democrat Victoria Garcia Wilburn represents the western section of Fishers and voted against the property tax measure, Senate Bill 1 (SB1).  She cites a number contained in a recent WFYI story, from the Legislative Services Agency, saying Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools would lose $26.7 million over 3 years as part of SB1.  In a social media post, Representative Wilburn also says Hamilton County will lose $35 million under the property tax deal.  According to Ms. Wilburn, homeowners “might” save $300 a year on their property tax bills under this legislation.  She describes SB1 as “a solution creating more problems.”

In a statement issued April 9th, Speaker Huston describes this deal as “meaningful relief for Hoosiers who’ve been hit hard with rising property taxes.”  The Speaker says SB1 will provide $1.4 billion in property tax relief over 3 years.

HSE Schools issued a statement earlier this week before the most recent numbers were available.

“As written, Senate Bill 1 could result in severe reductions to our district’s operational budget over the next three years,” the HSE School District says. “These potential cuts would directly impact students through the loss of academic programs, increased class sizes, reductions in staff, and limits our ability to maintain and update school facilities to the high standards our community has come to expect.”

The HSE statement emphasizes the district’s record of fiscal responsibility, making careful use of taxpayer dollars to prioritize student success.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness describes SB1 as complex and the city will see less money than projected.  The mayor tells LarryInFishers he does not have a specific number, but it will be in the millions of dollars.  He notes that the city will receive more money each year in the coming 3 years, but less than would have been collected without this legislation.

Fadness approves of the provision allowing cities a process to enact their own income taxes.  Fishers and Carmel have had disputes the last several years about how the state formula passes out local option income taxes at the county level down to cities like Fishers.

House Speaker Huston and Senator Kyle Walker have been in contact with Fishers on the status of SB1 as it has moved through the legislative process.  Fadness adds that Fishers will remain aggressive in quality of life issues and will work with state lawmakers in this long transition of how Indiana funds local governments through the property tax system.

Fadness is confident the city will have a good handle on money available as he begins to fashion a 2026 city budget later this year.

You may recall I cited a WFYI news story April 8 saying the tax deal under consideration by state lawmakers would cost Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools $21 million over 3 years.  Now, on April 10, it appears the leaders in the Indiana House and Senate, and Governor Mike Braun, have struck a deal for property tax relief.

Part of that deal will take money away from local governments.  We are still waiting on how much local units of government would lose under this agreement at the Statehouse, but WFYI is updating how much local school corporations would lose under this plan, and it is not good news for HSE Schools.

The proposal before state lawmakers would rob the HSE School District of $26.7 million over 3 years.  There is also a provision in this legislation for public schools to share revenue with charter schools.

To read WFYI reporter Rachel Fradette’s story about all this, use this link.