The last time I visited the Fishers Event Center construction site, it was a cold day announcing the Indy Ignite professional women’s volleyball team as a tenant in the building.  Now, the facility is nearing completion and one can get a feel for what it will be like to see the touring events, Indy Fuel Hockey, Fishers Freight Indoor Football League action and the volleyball team.

In remarks before invited guests and media, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said 38,000 tickets have already been sold for the touring events, and that does not include the hockey, indoor football or women’s volleyball.  The Mudsock rivalry high school basketball contest between HSE and Fishers High Schools will be held at the Event Center December 20 and about 3,000 tickets have already been sold.

“As we stand here today, I couldn’t be more excited,” said Mayor Fadness. “We have a beautiful building that we are going to deliver on time and – knock on wood – on budget.”

Members of the media and other invited guests were given a short tour of the building, particularly to high-priced area.  The Event Center is taking reservations for VIP boxes and other amenities available.

The Fishers Event Center is one that still requires a hard hat to visit, but that will change soon – 29 days to be exact.

When attending Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board meetings, teachers supporting the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) have worn red-colored clothing.  That changed at Wednesday’s board session.  HSEA supporters wore black clothes.

Before the meeting, the HSEA team charged with negotiating a contract with the HSE District updated teachers on the first two days of negotiations.  On Monday of this week, the HSEA team submitted the first proposal. The administration’s response was not positive.  According to the HSEA team, district officials admonished the teachers’ proposal, “scolded” them and said HSEA, you either just don’t understand or don’t believe what (HSE administration) is saying administrators “are not kidding around and that (HSEA) needed to go home and think about it.”

On Tuesday, the talks began again with a proposal from the district that, according to HSEA, did not move at all.  The teachers then decided to begin movement in the talks by “cutting down in half” what it wants in the pact.  There were productive discussions, but the HSEA team says the district continues not to move at all in these talks.

Given all that, the bargaining team’s goal is to have an agreement by Wednesday next week.  If there is no agreement by the deadline, a mediator will be brought in to help bring about an agreement.  HSEA says it does not want to go into fact-finding, where the courts determine the contract provisions.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board gave final approval to a spending plan for 2025 of $326,339,619.  In 2025, the referendum tax rate will rise to its limit, from $0.1895​ in 2024 to $0.1995​ in 2025.

The support from the state is based on the number of students.  The student count is now at 20,698 for the 2024-2025 school year, down from 20,913 in 2023-2024.

During the public comment time, support was voiced for teachers as the district and the local teachers association begin collective bargaining.

You can see the full slide presentation from HSE Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown at this link.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board Facilities Committee reviewed a number of issues Wednesday morning, and one item came through loud and clear – once the Fishers Elementary remodel is complete, a redistricting plan will need to be implemented.

The Fishers Elementary project should be completed by the start of school in August of 2026.  Deputy Superintendent Matt Kegley said the board should have before it a redistricting plan about this time next year.  The process of putting together a redistricting map should start around September of 2025.

The remodel of Fishers Elementary will create a larger student population, requiring  changes in district lines.  A demographic study is now underway in the HSE District with the results expected to be before the school board in December.

With expected population growth in Wayne Township, Kegley said a redistricting plan will buy time for school officials to determine whether a new intermediate or junior high school will be needed in that area.

HSE Facilities Director Matt Rapp said the huge crane above the Fishers Elementary construction may be the highest point in Fishers right now.  HSE and the City of Fishers may need to deal with some drainage issues that come under responsibility of state government, tied to inaccurate topographical maps near the wall on I-69.  HSE and Fishers could fix the problem now, not delaying the Fishers Elementary construction, and negotiate with the state later on being reimbursed  for those expenses.

In other items before the Facilities Committee:

–The District is working to reduce the number of portable classrooms throughout the corporation.  During the school year so far, 1 portable was removed at Fishers Elementary and 3 taken from Hoosier Road Elementary.  There are now 27 portable classrooms in use in the HSE District.  During the winter break, if weather allows, Brook School Elementary will have 3 portables removed.

–The former Durbin Elementary School will be the site for two HSE programs – FOCUS and the Academy.  It will cost an estimated $1.5 million and will be funded through proceeds from a 2021 bond.  The Academy and FOCUS are currently in leased space and the rental costs are expected to increase.  Durbin cannot be expanded due to the lack of a sewer line hookup, but that may change in years to come if commercial and/or residential development moves closer to the Durbin building.

–The Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate and Junior High (often referred to as the HIJH) will be adding classrooms, with request for proposals to be issued in December and contractor bids expected in January of 2025.  This is another effort to eliminate portable classrooms and expand student capacity.  The construction period is expected to last 18-24 months, with a possible completion date of August 2026.

Early voting began in early October if you want to travel to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds or the facility in downtown Noblesville.

Early voting begins in Fishers Wednesday.  Below is a listing of the days and times you can early vote in Fishers, followed by other locations.  If you live in Hamilton County, you are able to early vote at any Hamilton County early voting locations.

Now below is the full listing.

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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 Event Center construction is moving into the final stages, with the opening 30 days away.  Mitch List, General Manager of the Fishers Center, along with members of his staff,  provided an update Monday to the Town Hall Building Corporation on the state of construction.

The Fishers Freight Indoor Football League (IFL) team should have its schedule announced by the end of October.  List describes the schedule as “favorable” to the Fishers franchise.  The Indy Ignite women’s volleyball team has a draft schedule, not yet announced, but changes are expected.

The Event Center is staffed 100% with full time employees and 85% staffed for part time openings.  The budget is expected to be $300,000 ahead of schedule, or under budget, at the end of the year.

Several media events are scheduled between now and the opening of the Event Center, and others involving the public are expected before the opening of the new facility.

List told the Corporation board members that sales for all the events scheduled with tickets on sale are going well, with many sold out already.  About 3,000 tickets have been sold for the December 20th Mudsock rivalry basketball game between HSE and Fishers High Schools, with ticket sales expected to pick up as we are closer to the date of the contest.

Lincoln Square Pancake House, with a number of locations in Central Indiana, will be locating a restaurant in Fishers on 96th Street.

Fishers Economic Development Director Megan Baumgartner told the Town Hall Building Corporation Monday that the Lincoln Square operation in Fishers will be in a building east of Lantern Road on 96th Street.

It is not clear when the location plans to open, but Baumgartner tells LarryInFishers the firm has cleared a number of hurdles, including obtaining the proper permits.

Critical Role, a leading force in innovative storytelling, has announced a slate of live shows for 2025 in partnership with AEG Presents and Frontier Touring. The shows, running from April through October, will take place in five cities worldwide, with a stop at the newly opened Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, on August 2, 2025.

Tickets for the Fishers event will go on sale starting Monday, October 28 at 10 a.m. local time for Beacon members. A local presale will follow on Tuesday, October 29, with general sales beginning Wednesday, October 30 at this link.

The 2025 tour coincides with Critical Role’s 10th anniversary. What began as a group of voice actors playing a tabletop game has evolved into a fast-growing media company centered on storytelling and community. This global tour provides an opportunity for fans, known as “Critters,” to experience unique live events.

The Fishers show will be Critical Role’s first one-shot adventure set in Exandria, powered by the new Daggerheart roleplaying game from Darrington Press. The show will feature Critical Role’s original cast, led by Game Master Matthew Mercer, and will include a mix of characters from across Exandria.

“Embarking on a global journey to bring Critical Role to the stage in brand new cities with our ragtag group of adventurers is nothing short of a dream,” said Marisha Ray, Co-founder and Creative Director at Critical Role. “Let alone during our tenth year of telling stories together; I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate!”

Following the success of the Mighty Nein Reunion show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley in 2023, Eliza-Jane Oliver, Promoter at AEG Presents, shared her excitement: “We couldn’t be happier to be working with Critical Role to bring these shows to life and to give Critters the chance to experience Critical Role Live.”

I have had a fascination with the Electoral College.  When foreign countries that are also democracies try to figure out our system for electing a president, people in those nations scratch their heads trying to figure our how we elect our president.

if you study history, the reason the Electoral College exists is due to 2 major issues – states’ rights in the Constitutional Convention and slavery.

When the convention was held in Philadelphia to write the constitution, people related more to their state of residence and less to being a citizen of the United States.  The Electoral College preserves the rights of states and empowers smaller states, since every state has 2 senators.  The number of senators and members of the House determine the number of electoral votes given to that state.

Slavery was an issue at the convention because there was a major dispute about slaves – are they counted in determining the number of electoral votes for a state?  The convention compromised with the “three-fifths compromise” which treated each slave as three-fifths of a person, even though slaves could not vote and had few, if any, rights at that time.

Once the Civil War was over, the three-fifths compromise no longer existed and former slaves were given rights of citizenship under the Constitution.  The Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws of the south limited those rights until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law..

The Electoral College has come under attack in recent decades as an indirect way to elect a president and has created situations where the candidate with the most votes did not win a majority of the electoral votes.  Al Gore and Hillary Clinton are two examples in recent history of presidential candidates winning the popular vote and losing in the Electoral College,

The argument often heard for preserving the Electoral College is that the largest population centers would receive all the candidates’ attention and the rest of the country would be left out.  I always felt this was a persuasive argument.

However, I have changed my mind.  Just look at the current situation.  Both presidential campaigns are concentrating their efforts on 7 swing states.  That means 43 of our 50 states are virtually ignored by the candidates.

This is not a strategy to zero-in on the most populous states or areas. Instead, the campaigns are spending time and resources on the 7 states where the polls show the election outcome is close.

Is the Electoral College still the best way to elect a president?  That’s a questions each of us must answer to ourselves.