April 4 will start a new football tradition in the City of Fishers. The Fishers Freight, the newest franchise in the Indoor Football League, will have its home opener at the Fishers Event Center. The Freight will open the season the week before on the road in Northern Arizona.
Tickets are now available for opening night. Be a part of Fishers sports history and be there for the first Fishers Freight home contest as they take on the Tulsa Oilers.
You can buy tickets online at this link.
With apologies to the great English author Charles Dickens, Monday was a day with a tale of two cities – one city with a single-family home rental cap and one without it.
The day started with a noon Webinar hosted by Chief of Staff for Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, Jordin Alexander. Mayor Fadness provided introductory remarks and turned the event over to his Chief of Staff. She ran down the points that had been covered in previous presentations before the City Council and on one of my podcasts.
Basically, the city has concerns that some neighborhoods have 30% to 40% of the single-family residences rentals, some as high as 50%. The proposed ordinance would cap rentals at 10% in each neighborhood, with certain exceptions, including what the measure describes as “legacy’ rentals, in place as of December 31, 2025. There are other exceptions listed in the ordinance.
You can view the entire city Webinar presentation at this link.
At 6pm Monday, former Fishers City Councilor Jocelyn Vare hosted what she described as a Town Hall discussion at the Hamilton East Library in downtown Fishers. She quickly reviewed the provisions in the proposed ordinance, then turned it over to a panel discussion. The panel consisted of 3 people with experience in private sector real estate and one tied to a nonprofit. Meigan Wise, Janet Pritchett and Steve Ladig all have connections with the private sector…Andrea Davis is Executive Director of the housing nonprofit HAND.
The panel took questions as the event moved along, and a very different set of messages began to emerge. Reducing the stock of single-family rental would likely raise the monthly costs for renters and reduce the opportunities for renters to live in Fishers. Data was presented that indicates there has been little interest in institutional owners, such as Wall Street investors and hedge funds, to buy and rent property in Fishers in recent years.
Numbers were also shown that home property values in neighborhoods without rental caps has risen higher, compared to subdivisions with rental caps. The assertion is that owners have less control over their property in a capped area, leading to values rising at a reduced rate.
Davis pointed out that people need different housing at different stages of life. Fishers doesn’t just need more housing, Davis argues, but needs a variety of housing types.
Questions were raised about how the caps would impact the availability of senior citizen housing and diversity in Fishers.
The City of Fishers has established a Web page devoted to the rental cap proposed ordinance at this link.
Jocelyn Vare has created a Web site with links to the many resources available online about the proposed rental caps at this link.
The City Council is scheduled to conduct a public hearing and have a second reading vote on this ordinance April 21st. Assuming the ordinance passes second reading, the final third reading vote would be held in May.
So, Fishers is faced with the tale of two cities. One city enacts a 10% rental cap per subdivision. with a number of exceptions. The other city would stay out of the rental cap situation, leaving it to individual Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to sort it out.
It will be up to Mayor Scott Fadness and the 9 members of the Fishers City Council to decide what ordinance, if any, to enact for Fishers. If you have any thoughts on which of the 2 cities you would like to see, contact the mayor and members of the City Council
The Indy Fuel have been playing a lot of close games of late, winning Saturday against the Wichita Thunder, but Sunday it was the Thunder coming out on top 5-4. A power play goal by Wichita’s Kobe Walker with 4:19 remaining in the third period cemented the victory for the Thunder.
Kyle Maksimovich, Jesse Tucker, Kevin Lynch and Nathan Burke all lit the lamp for the home team, but it wasn’t enough to counter the Thunder’s 5 goals, included a short-handed one by Dominic Dockery in Period 2.
A glove dropping fist-fight between the Fuel’s Chris Cameron and Wichita’s Dillon Boucher resulted in each earning a 5 minute fighting penalty.
This is a setback in the Fuel’s quest for a playoff spot. Indy’s next game is at the Fishers Event Center, 7pm, against Kalamazoo.
Another night, another close game for the Indy Fuel. This time, the Fuel get the win 4-3 over the Wichita Thunder Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center.
Things got a bit crazy in the third period, when a fight broke out between the Thunder’s Nolan Kneen and the Fuel’s Brett Bulmer. Penalties were handed out and led to more penalties. The crowd chanted its displeasure with the officiating at that point.
The Thunder’s Dillon Boucher tallied the first goal in Period 1 less than three minutes into the game. Brett Bulmer found the back of the net about 2 minutes later, tying the contest. Later in the first period, the Fuel’s Jesse Tucker picked up his first professional goal, bringing the score to 2-1 Fuel.
A little more than 2 minutes into the second period, Kyle Maksimovich picked up a goal and extended the Indy lead to 3-1. With 3 and a half minutes remaining in Period 2, Peter Bates picked up a Thunder goal, bringing the score to 3-2 as the second period ended.
A penalty awarded the Thunder a penalty shot 4 minutes into period 3 that was not successful. A number of penalties were going against the Fuel at this point and the crowd chanted their displeasure with the officiating.
A Fuel goal 12 minutes into Period 3 brought the score to 4-2 Fuel, but the Thunder closed the gap with just over 3 minutes to go with a T.J. Lloyd goal. The Thunder pulled their goaltender with just over a minute remaining in the game, but the Fuel defense hung on for a thrilling 4-3 final score.
This win keeps the Fuel in the running for the final playoff spot in the Central Division.
A sellout crowd of 6,590 walked away happy with the win on Indy 500 night, that featured a pregame autograph session with IndyCar driver Ed Carpenter.
These same two teams will meet again at the Fishers Event Center for a 4pm Faceoff.
It appears Fishers is about to have a spirited debate over a proposed city ordinance limiting the amount of rental housing available in each Fishers neighborhood at 10% per subdivision. The city has a Webinar set for noon Monday. A group of citizens, led by former Fishers City Councilor Jocelyn Vare, plan an in-person event Monday, 6pm, at the Hamilton East Library in downtown Fishers, at the Center Meeting room.
The city’s Webinar requires registration, which can be done at this link.
The ordinance being proposed has cleared first reading, where only one council vote is required. It appears the City Council will bring this matter up for a second and possibly third reading at the April 21st Council session.
Mayor Scott Fadness and his Chief of Staff, Jordin Alexander, laid out their case for the ordinance in a podcast discussion with me that can be heard at this link. The mayor argues this ordinance will open up more housing for family ownership in Fishers, and, based on his feedback, is generally supported by the public and Fishers Homeowners Associations (HOAs). City officials plan to meet with the local HOA Alliance Wednesday.
Since this ordinance began to generate publicity in Indy-area media, plenty of other opinions have surfaced. James Briggs, Opinion Editor and columnist for the Indianapolis Star, recently posted a commentary critical of the ordinance, saying it will prevent families access to housing in Fishers, because of their inability to obtain mortgages due to tight lending policies. Briggs also argues this is an example of suburban NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) thinking.
MIBOR (Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors) issued a statement Friday opposing the ordinance.
“The City of Fishers proposed mandatory rental unit registry and 10% rental cap per neighborhood imposes undue restrictions on property owners, limiting their ability to manage and utilize their investments freely,” says MIBOR. “Such measures interfere with the free market, restrict housing options, and infringe upon fundamental private property rights.”
The position taken by MIBOR is important because this organization is very active in public policy decisions made in Indianapolis and surrounding counties. MIBOR is also a major campaign contributor in local election campaigns.
The city’s Webinar at noon Monday will feature Chief of Staff Jordin Alexander and Director of the city’s Planning and Zoning Department Ross Hilleary. Upon registration, questions can be submitted by the public.
Jocelyn Vare’s in-person event at 6pm Monday will present another perspective on the proposed ordinance. Based on a fact sheet she released, data does not support the objectives the city is seeking with the ordinance.
The rental cap component of this ordinance is new to Indiana. Attorneys advising the city say the ordinance does pass legal muster. And, of course, we have seen local communities enact measures aimed at housing, only to have the Indiana General Assembly pass legislation reversing the local law.
There is much at play here. Mayor Fadness and his staff are convinced this ordinance is good for Fishers and has wide public support. Opponents feel differently.
This is one of those public policy questions that should create a healthy local debate. Let’s see what happens between now and April 21st.
Motorists should be aware of a major change to the traffic pattern on 141st Street at the construction site on State Road 37. As work continues on that interchange roundabout, the right-n right-out on the west side of 141st St. at SR 37 will remain closed as of Monday, March 10 , with closures nearby. The city does not say how long this closure will last.
For more details on that, and other road construction projects in and around the Fishers area, read the weekly update, as provided by the City of Fishers:
Continue reading Big change coming to 141st, SR 37 construction
In a contest that included plenty of defense, goaltending skill and physicality, the Indy Fuel battled the Fort Wayne Komets to a 1-1 home tie in regulation Friday night. The Komets’ Justin Taylor notched a 6th-round shootout goal for the win.
Indy picked up the first goal when Kyle Maksimovich found the back of the net nearly 8 minutes into the First Period. The Komets countered 9 minutes into Period 2 with a goal by Jack Dugan.
To say this game got physical is an understatement. There were plenty of penalties and shoving matches throughout the game.
The Fuel had 48 shots on goal to Fort Wayne’s 30, but could only manage one goal.
The Fuel has a lot riding on every game with the tight competition for the final Central Division playoff spot. Indy does tally one point in this shootout loss.
The Wichita Thunder come to the Fishers Event Center for a Saturday 7pm match, then those two teams play each other again at the Event Center Sunday for a 4pm faceoff.
5,935 fans watched a good and exciting game, even though the home team came out on the short end Friday night.
Ascension St. Vincent has been honored by the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) for its dedication to infant and maternal health, earning the prestigious INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition. The accolade, awarded in partnership with State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP, highlights the hospital system’s commitment to best practices in maternal care.
The INspire program, funded by the Indiana Department of Health’s Safety PIN grant, is designed to promote and implement best practice care for mothers and newborns throughout Indiana. It recognizes hospitals that excel in addressing key factors influencing infant and maternal health.
Several Ascension St. Vincent facilities received this distinction, including a location in Fishers and others throughout the state. These hospitals were acknowledged for their successful implementation of best practices in critical areas such as infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, perinatal substance use, social drivers of health, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal hypertension.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this award from the Indiana Hospital Association,” said Kevin Speer, JD, Senior Vice President of Ascension and Chief Executive Officer of Ascension St. Vincent Indiana. “As a vital community resource, this hospital further expresses our commitment to the health and well-being of our communities and responding to the needs of individuals. This recognition highlights the dedication and hard work of our entire team in implementing best practices and providing exceptional care to all we serve.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Weaver emphasized the importance of collaboration in improving health outcomes. “The Indiana Department of Health remains focused on working with healthcare providers to improve outcomes for Hoosier moms and babies,” she stated. “We are grateful to have hospitals across the state support initiatives, such as the Indiana Perinatal Levels of Care and obstetrical emergencies training, that have contributed to improvements in both maternal and infant health.”
The Indiana Hospital Association, which represents more than 170 acute care, critical access, behavioral health, and specialized hospitals in Indiana, continues to recognize healthcare providers making a significant impact in maternal and infant health care through the INspire program.
The Humane Society for Hamilton County (HSHC) is once again shining a light on Pit Bulls and bully breeds by hosting its annual Pit Bull Education Month this March. As part of the campaign, adoption fees for all Pit Bulls and Pittie mixes will be reduced to just $25 for the entire month.
The initiative aligns with HSHC’s core mission: saving lives, educating communities, and completing families. Pit Bulls and bully breeds often face discrimination, and they represent the largest number of cruelty and neglect cases that arrive at HSHC.
“We are proud to be a shelter that does not discriminate against Pit Bulls, or any other breed,” said Lily Darling, Community Engagement Manager at HSHC. “We can’t change hearts and minds without help from our community. This is your chance to give back to a breed that has already been through so much.”
All eligible dogs will be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up-to-date on vaccinations. Adoptions also come with a starter bag of food and a complimentary wellness exam with a participating veterinarian.
How to Adopt:
Those interested in adopting a Pit Bull or Pittie mix during Pit Bull Education Month can complete an application online at hamiltonhumane.com/application to expedite the process.
By opening their hearts and homes, community members can help rewrite the narrative for these often-misunderstood dogs.
The City of Fishers has issued a reminder that officials will be hosting a Webinar Town Hall Monday, March 10, at noon. You can register at this link. Questions can be submitted as part of the registration process.
Jordin Alexander, Chief of Staff for Mayor Scott Fadness, and Ross Hilleary, Director of Planning & Zoning, will be on hand for the event to make a presentation and answer questions. A video recording of the Webinar will be made available on the city’s YouTube account.
HOA leaders, residents, and interested parties are encouraged to attend the webinar to learn more about the proposed proposal directly from city officials as part of the city’s public outreach plan for the ordinance. The Fishers HOA Alliance will be meeting with city officials Wednesday night.
In the news release, Fishers confirms the second reading and public comment period on this ordinance will be held at the April City Council meeting on Monday, April 21, 7 p.m. at Fishers Municipal Center.
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