Withdrawal ends a monthslong petition that survived a redesign but stalled at the City Council over left turns on 116th Street.

A proposed Citizens State Bank branch on East 116th Street just west of Olio Road is dead — at least for now.

Senior Planner Christy Cashin told members of the Fishers Advisory Plan Commission near the end of their meeting Wednesday evening that the bank has formally withdrawn its rezoning petition for the property, quietly closing a case that had bounced between the commission and the City Council since July.

The withdrawal spares the council from having to revive a measure it had set aside in August, when it became clear the votes were not there to pass it.

What was proposed

Citizens State Bank sought an amendment to the Drive Planning planned unit development covering roughly 0.83 acres at 13562 E. 116th St. The property was rezoned from R2 residential into that PUD in January 2024, and the city’s comprehensive plan still designates the area as suburban residential.

The amendment would have permitted a single-tenant, owner-occupied banking center of up to 4,500 square feet, capped at 24 feet in height, with fewer than 30 parking spaces. The bank pitched a deliberately low-key design meant to read as residential from the street — pitched roofs, light-colored masonry, wood accents and heavy landscaping.

Why it stalled

The petition ran into trouble almost immediately. When it came before the City Council on July 20, councilors and nearby residents zeroed in on the proposed drive-through and on what more traffic would mean at an already congested stretch of 116th Street.

The bank went back and revised the plan, dropping the drive-through entirely after conversations with neighbors. That was enough for the Advisory Plan Commission, which sent the petition to the council with a unanimous favorable recommendation on Aug. 5.

It was not enough for the council. At the Aug. 17 meeting, members returned to traffic — specifically, the prospect of eastbound drivers on 116th Street stopping to make a left turn across traffic into the bank’s lot, and the crash risk that would create. Engineering Director Hatem Mekky had told officials there was “no concern on the approach intersection with 116th Street,” but the reassurance did not settle the question.

A motion surfaced to approve the rezoning with two conditions: no signage on the building, and right-in, right-out access only. Bank representatives called those conditions unacceptable.

With the measure headed for defeat, Mayor Scott Fadness suggested tabling it instead, giving city staff time to look for what he described as a creative solution. The council tabled the petition unanimously, 9-0.

Roughly two weeks later, the bank chose to walk away instead.

What happens now

Because the petition was withdrawn rather than denied, the council takes no further action and the site keeps the zoning it has carried since January 2024 — meaning any future proposal for the parcel would have to start over.

Citizens State Bank, headquartered in New Castle, already operates a Fishers branch at 9 Municipal Dr. downtown and has locations across east-central Indiana and Hamilton County, including Carmel, Pendleton and Knightstown.

Neither the bank nor city officials indicated Wednesday whether Citizens State Bank intends to look for another Fishers site.

NOTE:  Citizens State Bank sponsors the LarryInFishers podcast series.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools administrators are expressing “cautious optimism” as the district begins negotiating a new contract with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association for the 2026-27 school year.

The tone is markedly different from last year, when the divide between administrators and the teachers union was wide. HSEA members rejected an initial tentative agreement, sending negotiations into mediation. The final one-year contract provided no base salary or experience-based step increases, while higher health insurance premiums reduced take-home pay for many teachers.

In recent podcasts, HSE Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown and Superintendent Matt Kegley both used the phrase “cautious optimism” to describe the prospects for reaching a better agreement this year.

The change in district leadership also provides a different backdrop for the talks. Kegley, a longtime HSE administrator, became superintendent in April. During the public hearing on his appointment, HSEA President Tyler Zerbe said the union appreciated a recent shift in tone and was optimistic the two sides could move forward together.

A required pre-bargaining public hearing Wednesday, Sept. 2, drew no public testimony. The HSEA bargaining team also made no public statement during the hearing.

Kegley described the parties’ initial informal discussions as “productive” and said he was looking forward to the next bargaining session.

Formal negotiating sessions are scheduled for Oct. 5 and Oct. 7, followed by a two-hour follow-up session Oct. 8.

If the parties reach a tentative agreement in time, it would be presented at the Oct. 14 HSE School Board meeting. The board could then vote on ratification Oct. 28.

Indiana’s teacher-bargaining calendar allows informal talks before Sept. 15 and requires a public hearing before formal negotiations begin. A ratified agreement generally must be submitted to the state by Nov. 15; otherwise, the process moves into mandatory impasse procedures.

“The administration of Hamilton Southeastern Schools is looking forward to the bargaining process and is committed to bargaining in good faith,” Kegley said Wednesday evening.

Beyond those general comments, neither side publicly identified the compensation, benefits or other contract issues expected to be at the center of this year’s negotiations.

The National Weather Service has extended its heat advisory for Fishers and the rest of central Indiana, with dangerous heat and humidity now expected to last through Friday evening.

The advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Friday. Forecasters say peak heat index values — a measure combining temperature and humidity to reflect how hot the air actually feels — will run between 100 and 108 degrees. The advisory covers all of central Indiana, including Hamilton County.

“Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses,” the weather service said in its advisory.

The agency urges residents to drink plenty of fluids, limit time outdoors and check on relatives and neighbors. Older adults, young children and people who work or exercise outdoors face the greatest risk during stretches of high heat.

Storms are also in the picture. The weather service says an isolated thunderstorm cannot be ruled out Wednesday afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms are possible at times from Thursday night through Saturday night for all or part of the region, according to the agency’s hazardous weather outlook.

Heat index values in the 100-to-108 range are expected to peak in the afternoon and early evening hours each day the advisory remains in effect, which covers the window when many outdoor activities, practices and construction work take place across Fishers.

Spyglass traffic-signal timeline remains uncertain as seven departments present spending plans to the City Council Finance Committee

Fishers’ proposed 2027 budget began to take departmental shape Wednesday morning as the City Council Finance Committee heard requests and priorities ranging from police technology and firefighter training to sewer equipment, road work and Community Center operations.

Police Chief Ed Gebhart proposed a $2.46 million operating plan in the categories presented, up 10.07%, with higher costs tied to a police dog replacement, the Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, digital forensics and technology contracts. Fire Chief Ky Ragsdale’s comparable request was nearly flat at $2.18 million, up 0.52%, but included training four more paramedics, preparing a fourth medic unit and expanding rescue and post-incident services.

Engineering Director Hatem Mekky outlined Cumberland Road widening, two annual resurfacing packages, signal modernization and a roundabout at 131st Street and Brooks School Road. The meeting’s clearest unresolved project was a planned signal on 116th Street at the Spyglass subdivision. Responding to committee member Bill Stuart, Mekky said a new signal could cost $500,000 to $700,000 and the city is checking whether equipment removed from other intersections can be reused. He said officials hope to build it in 2027 but could not promise a date.

Public Works Director Jonathan Valenta presented the largest departmental total on the slides: $17.9 million, a 21.04% increase driven largely by a 104.02% jump in capital spending for wastewater plant and lift-station work. Health Department Director Monica Heltz proposed a $721,700 operating budget, up 4.59%, while planning additional clinical services, mental-health navigation and accreditation work.

Parks and Recreation Director Marissa Deckert proposed $1.92 million, up 3.92%, as the department prepares for AgriPark West, a country store at the existing AgriPark, White River Park programming and growing event attendance. Community Center Director Mike Lindbloom projected $6.83 million in revenue against $6.57 million in expenses, leaving $257,145 in net income while membership, programming and a rooftop exercise studio expand.

The figures are not directly comparable: several slides showed selected operating categories, Engineering focused on projects rather than one departmentwide total, and the Community Center projection includes wages and benefits.

None of the proposals is final. Mayor Scott Fadness is scheduled to present the proposed budget and hold a public hearing Sept. 21. Council adoption is scheduled for Oct. 12.

Continue reading Fishers department heads outline 2027 budget priorities →

The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Policy Committee is recommending person-first language throughout a district policy dealing with students who lack stable housing, responding to a school board vote that sent the item back to the committee.

At the board’s last meeting, Sarah Parks Reese questioned why the committee had proposed changing the policy’s title from “Homeless Students” to “Children Experiencing Homelessness” while leaving the older phrasing in place inside the policy. She moved to return the item so members could consider whether the body of the policy should change as well. The board voted 5-2 to do that, with Ben Orr and Board President Tiffany Pascoe voting no. The committee is made up of two board members, Dawn Lang and Juanita Albright.

The recommended version of Policy J07.10 now uses “children experiencing homelessness” in places where “homeless students” appeared. It says the district will work with children experiencing homelessness and their families to provide stability in school attendance, that special attention will be given to the enrollment and attendance of children experiencing homelessness not currently attending school, and that safeguards will protect children experiencing homelessness from discrimination. The definition section is reworded the same way, and the district’s required liaison position becomes the Liaison for Children Experiencing Homelessness.

The substance of the policy is not changing. The list of living situations covered — shared housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship, motels and campgrounds, shelters, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, transportation stations, unaccompanied youth and migratory children — stays the same, as does the requirement to name a liaison.

At the previous meeting, Orr, reading from a prepared statement, argued the person-first phrasing is tied to national advocacy organizations he said carry a political agenda, and called “Homeless Children” a “fine description.” Latrica Schooley said arguing over terminology was not a productive place for the board to be, but added that words matter, particularly when the students involved have experienced trauma.

Both phrasings appear in official use. The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act uses the statutory term “homeless children and youths,” while person-first constructions are common in state guidance and district policy. Indiana districts must designate a liaison under the federal law regardless of the term the policy uses.

The committee is also recommending a change to the district’s policy on pregnant students, striking the words “whether married or unmarried.” The sentence would then say a student’s participation in HSE educational programs will not be restricted because that student is pregnant. The rest of that policy is unchanged, including language saying modifications from regular classes will be based on the assessed needs of the student, that the school may request medical verification of her ability to continue in classes, and that the superintendent or designee will maintain a procedure covering nursing and counseling staff guidance on pregnancy-related health and social services.

Both recommendations go to the full board for a vote at its September 9 meeting.

Residents must call the county’s flood hotline to be added to the final collection list.

Hamilton County residents with flood-damaged materials have until Thursday, Sept. 3, to place the debris curbside and request a county pickup.

Residents should leave the material where crews can reach it safely, then call the Flood Hotline at 317-645-3261 to have their address added to the final pickup list, according to a Hamilton County announcement.

Although Thursday is the deadline for residents to put out debris and request service, crews will make one final sweep through flood-affected neighborhoods after the Labor Day weekend. The sweep will mark the end of the county’s special curbside collection program.

Any flood debris remaining after the program ends will have to be removed through regular trash service or another standard disposal method.

The county said crews have collected about 2,749 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris since the program began Aug. 24. They also collected and properly disposed of 18,608 pounds of household hazardous waste.

Hamilton County hired CrowderGulf to collect the debris and Tidal Basin Group to monitor and document the work. The county plans to use those records as it seeks reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.

The contrast shows how media distribution can help a smaller league find viewers while making it harder for casual fans to follow one of the world’s largest sports.

A Fishers Freight home game that ended in a loss nevertheless produced a record-setting national audience for the Indoor Football League.

The Freight’s May 16 game against the Jacksonville Sharks at Fishers Event Center recorded 454,134 viewers, according to the league, making it the most-watched broadcast in IFL history. Jacksonville won 68-50.

That audience helped the IFL finish its 2026 season with more than 6.1 million cumulative views across Yahoo Sports Network and Overnght Sports, the largest audience the league has reported.

The IFL entered the season with national distribution agreements involving both streaming outlets. By June 30, league games had generated more than 4.5 million streams and 30.6 million minutes watched on Yahoo Sports Network alone, according to an IFL postseason announcement.

The league described those numbers as an eighteenfold increase in streams and a fivefold increase in hours watched from the previous year. Twenty-six broadcasts surpassed 50,000 viewers, including seven that exceeded 200,000.

“Six million viewers is a major milestone, but more importantly, it’s the foundation for even greater growth ahead,” IFL Commissioner Todd Tryon said.

The Freight completed their second season with an 8-8 record, missing the Eastern Conference playoffs after a 67-63 loss to Orlando on the final play of the regular-season finale.

The IFL’s growth presents a notable contrast with Formula 1, one of the world’s largest sports properties.

Formula 1 entered 2026 after its most-watched U.S. television season. ESPN reported an average of 1.3 million viewers for each of the 24 races in 2025 across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Sixteen races set event audience records, according to ESPN’s season report.

This year, Formula 1 moved its U.S. coverage exclusively to Apple TV. Data analytics company Samba TV found that household reach declined for eight of the nine races it compared with the corresponding 2025 telecasts, according to a USA TODAY report.

The Miami Grand Prix was down 68%, Monaco declined 66%, Barcelona-Catalunya fell 24%, Canada dropped 23%, Great Britain declined 16% and Austria was down 13%. Australia and China had smaller decreases, while Japan was unchanged.

The largest declines came at races shown on ABC in 2025. Miami averaged 2.17 million viewers that year, Monaco drew 2.3 million and Canada attracted 1.9 million. Moving those races from a widely available broadcast network to a subscription service reduced their potential reach.

The audience figures are not directly comparable. The IFL’s 6.1 million represents cumulative views across a season, ESPN’s 1.3 million was an average per Formula 1 race and Samba measures households rather than individual viewers. The IFL also has not disclosed how many of its views came from people watching multiple games.

Formula 1’s parent company says Apple viewership is up year over year and total hours watched have increased 13%, although it has not released race-by-race totals.

Still, the contrasting trends demonstrate the importance of accessibility. The IFL expanded its distribution, while Formula 1 moved from familiar cable and broadcast networks to a subscription platform.

For Fishers, the result was a national milestone: A game inside the city’s arena became the most-watched broadcast in IFL history.

The “Show Your Card and Save” campaign runs through Sept. 30 at participating Fishers, Noblesville and area businesses.

A Hamilton East Public Library card can secure more than books and digital resources this September.

The library’s “Show Your Card and Save” campaign offers discounts and complimentary items at more than 40 area businesses from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. Cardholders can receive the participating business’s offer by presenting their library card.

Featured deals include:

• 25% off admission at Adrenaline Action Park
• A buy-one, get-one-free entrée at Another Broken Egg Cafe in Fishers
• 25% off admission and play passes at Dig Dig for Kids
• 10% off purchases at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
• 20% off beverages at Indie Coffee Roasters in Noblesville
• 20% off one piece per person per visit at Kiln Creations
• Two free classes at Orangetheory Fitness
• One free doughnut per cardholder at Parlor Doughnuts
• $1 off an order of $10 or more at Twisters Soda Bar
• 10% off purchases at Yafa Golden Coffee

Other participating businesses are offering discounts on restaurant meals, fitness classes, merchandise, entertainment and services. Some offers have location restrictions, purchase requirements or promotional codes. The complete list and terms are available on the Hamilton East Public Library website.

The campaign is part of Library Card Sign-Up Month. Residents can obtain or renew a card at the Fishers branch, 5 Municipal Drive, or the Noblesville branch, 1 Library Plaza. The library also offers online applications for digital cards to eligible adults living in Delaware, Fall Creek, Noblesville and Wayne townships.

Information about eligibility and required identification is available on the library’s Get a Library Card page.

When I invited Indianapolis-area sales trainer and podcaster Matt Nettleton to join the July 24 episode of Fridays With Larry, we had a lively conversation about his interviews with area business leaders and the paths they took to profitability.

Matt later returned the favor and invited me onto his Default Profitable podcast. Our conversation became the show’s 190th episode.

Matt asked how LarryInFishers.com grew from a volunteer project launched in January 2012 into a small business that now earns a modest profit. We also discussed how dramatically the local news business has changed—and discovered that we share an early connection to the industry: Both of us delivered newspapers when we were young.

The 22-minute episode is titled “Larry Lannan, Founder of LarryInFishers.com: Fourteen Years Free, Then a Business.”

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify or use the player below.

Hamilton County and the City of Noblesville will hold a joint ceremony Friday, Sept. 11, marking 25 years since the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Silos at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St. in Noblesville. The public is invited.

“Twenty-five years have passed, but the responsibility to remember has not,” said Christine Altman, president of the Hamilton County Commissioners. “We owe it to those who lost their lives, to the families who still carry that loss, and to the first responders who ran toward unimaginable danger to make sure their courage and sacrifice are never forgotten.”

Altman and Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen will both speak, along with representatives of the Hamilton County Council and the Noblesville Common Council.

Jensen tied the anniversary to the flooding that has hit Hamilton County in recent weeks.

“September 11 reminds us how Americans came together in the face of tragedy,” Jensen said. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen that same spirit here at home as our community has responded to historic flooding. Neighbors have helped neighbors, first responders have worked side by side, and communities across Hamilton County have supported one another. Twenty-five years later, that sense of unity and service remains one of the most important lessons we can carry forward.”

A joint honor guard from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Noblesville Police Department and Noblesville Fire Department will present the colors.

Local, state and federal elected officials, members of the judiciary, township trustees and public safety leaders from around Hamilton County are also expected to attend.