The Fishers Plan Commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to send an unfavorable recommendation to the City Council on One Sixteen, a proposed 26-home development along East 116th Street.

Integra Builders is seeking to rezone 10.45 acres at 10401 E. 116th St. from the Legends at Geist planned unit development to a new planned unit development for the neighborhood.

Commission member and City Councilor Pete Peterson said he opposed the proposal for several reasons, particularly the brownstone design of the homes closest to 116th Street. Peterson said that style would fit well in downtown Fishers but would not fit well in the proposed location.

Several speakers opposed the proposal during the public hearing, most from neighboring communities.

The development’s concept plan calls for four narrow homes facing 116th Street with garage access from a private alley, along with 22 other single-family homes. Plans also include open space along 116th Street, a central stormwater detention area and perimeter landscaping buffers.

The commission’s recommendation differed from that of city planning staff, which supported the rezoning. According to the staff report, the proposal meets the suburban residential designation in the Fishers 2040 comprehensive plan, which calls for two to four homes per acre.

The report includes illustrative architectural images but says the proposed ordinance does not establish approved architectural designs.

At an August neighborhood meeting attended by dozens of nearby residents, concerns included traffic, preservation of mature trees, housing density and drainage, according to the report.

Written comments submitted before Wednesday’s hearing also raised questions about privacy, compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods and potential effects on property values. One resident supported the rezoning contingent on preserving the existing tree line between the development and homes along Spyglass Ridge Drive.

The unfavorable recommendation sends the rezoning request to the City Council for consideration. The staff report anticipates a final reading Nov. 16.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board voted 7-0 Wednesday night to approve a one-year contract with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA). The vote ends bargaining for the 2026-27 school year.

The vote came one day after voters approved HSE’s replacement operating referendum. Part of the teachers’ raise depended on that referendum passing.

Under the contract, eligible teachers get a $1,225 base salary increase. They also get the extra $603 that was tied to the referendum, for a total of $1,828. Starting pay for teachers hired after ratification goes up $750, plus $250 more now that the referendum has passed.

To qualify for the raise, teachers must have worked at least 120 days during the 2025-26 school year and still be employed by HSE when the contract is ratified. The agreement also includes:

• A $200 payment for teachers with an early literacy endorsement
• Extra pay for qualifying teachers with a master’s degree
• Starting in 2027, a $20,000 pool of extra health savings account contributions, shared by married couples who both teach at HSE

New insurance rates, which the board approved Oct. 14, include options that could lower premiums by about 10%.

HSEA members ratified the agreement last month, with 97% voting in favor.

“Tonight, with a vote of 7-0, our bargaining season has officially come to a close for the 2026–2027 school year,” the association said in a statement posted on Facebook after the meeting. “While this chapter of the process is ending, we recognize that our work is far from finished.”

The union said its bargaining team represented all 1,249 bargaining unit members. It said the agreement offers “meaningful financial and professional benefits that remain competitive with those offered by surrounding districts” at a time of rising living costs and insurance premiums.

The union also thanked Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley, Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown and Ryan Taylor for “fostering a collaborative and respectful environment throughout negotiations.”

HSEA said it will spend the rest of the school year gathering feedback from members and setting priorities for the next round of talks. “Now that the referendum has passed, it is our hope that our next bargaining cycle will result in a two-year contract,” the statement said. “This will provide stability for teachers and their families.”

During the meeting, the bargaining team read a statement thanking the community for approving the referendum. The team said it understands the responsibility to keep providing “a first-class education that is the envy of the state.” It said it looks forward to “more constructive dialogue” to make HSE “the most attractive destination for Hoosier students and educators.”

This year’s talks were much calmer than last year’s. In 2025, HSEA members rejected the first tentative agreement and the talks went to mediation. The final 2025-26 contract had no base or step pay increases, and higher insurance premiums cut take-home pay for many teachers.

The replacement referendum passed with 58.33% of the vote in unofficial results. It allows a maximum rate of 36 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years. The district’s 2027 budget uses a 22-cent rate, compared with the current 19.95 cents. HSE went back to voters because state property tax changes under Senate Enrolled Act 1 sharply cut the revenue from the 2023 referendum.

A 63-year-old Fishers man faces 20 felony charges following an investigation that police say uncovered child sexual abuse material, including images altered with artificial intelligence.

Charles Coriaty was charged Nov. 2, according to a Nov. 4 news release from the Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The task force said he was being held at the Hamilton County Jail on a $2.5 million cash-only bond.

Investigators said the case began with a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after the center received information from SmugMug, a photo-sharing service.

The tip included approximately 175 images. Police said many depicted juveniles in swimsuit or sports advertisements whose photos had been altered with an AI application to make them appear nude.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for Coriaty’s SmugMug account and reported finding additional child sexual abuse material created by using AI to alter clothed photos from websites and advertisements. A search of his residence also uncovered additional child sexual abuse material in computer folders, according to the release.

The charges listed by the task force are:

• Ten counts of child exploitation, each a Level 5 felony.
• Seven counts of possession of child pornography, each a Level 6 felony.
• Three counts of possession of child sex abuse material, each a Level 6 felony.

The task force is headquartered at the Fishers Police Department and includes investigators from local police departments, sheriff’s offices and Homeland Security Investigations. It investigates internet crimes against children in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison and Tipton counties.

State Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, conceded his House District 88 seat Wednesday morning to Democrat Stephanie Jo Yocum. The loss ends a six-year Statehouse career that included chairing the House Judiciary Committee.

“Last night, the voters of House District 88 made a clear decision to take their representation in a different direction,” Jeter said in a written statement. “While this is certainly not the outcome we hoped for, I accept that decision with humility and respect.”

Unofficial Hamilton County results with all 234 precincts reporting show Yocum with 4,359 votes (53.07%) to Jeter’s 3,854 (46.93%), according to the Hamilton County Election Office. The district also includes parts of Hancock, Madison and Marion counties, and district-wide totals remain unofficial.

The result reverses 2024, when Jeter beat Yocum 57.8% to 42.2%. The district has usually been safe for Republicans. It includes parts of Fishers, the Geist area, Lawrence, McCordsville and Fortville. This year it became a battleground, with the Democratic and Republican House campaign committees each spending more than $40,000 on the race, The Daily Reporter in Greenfield reported.

Jeter’s loss was part of a wider Democratic surge in Hamilton County Tuesday. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, appears to have lost House District 37 to Democrat Lauren Cole. Democrats also broke the Republican supermajority in the Indiana House, which the GOP had held since 2012.

In his statement, Jeter congratulated Yocum on “a hard-fought and successful campaign” but said the two still disagree on policy.

“I believe elements of the broader Democratic agenda represent a radical departure from the limited government, parental choice, and fiscal restraint that have guided my service,” he said. “But respecting the voters’ decision is a fundamental obligation of anyone privileged to hold public office.”

Jeter is a Hamilton Southeastern High School graduate, a Navy veteran and a Fishers attorney. He joined the House in August 2020 after winning a Republican caucus to finish the term of former House Speaker Brian Bosma. He won full terms in 2020, 2022 and 2024 and has chaired the Judiciary Committee since the 2024 session.

He pointed to his work on criminal justice laws, constitutional bail reform and tax relief. “Not every effort was successful, but every day I tried to approach this responsibility with conviction and purpose,” he said.

Jeter thanked his wife, Karen, and their three children. He said he will return his focus to his law firm and is not making any political announcements.

“What I do know is that my commitment to serving others did not begin with elected office, and it will not end with it,” he said.

Yocum chairs Serve Indiana, the governor-appointed commission on volunteerism and service, and is vice president of external affairs with a national youth nonprofit. She campaigned on protecting public schools and affordability.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2026 election was the defeat of Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers.

Democrat Lauren Cole unseated Huston in House District 37. Hamilton County’s final election-night report showed Cole with 13,318 votes, or 51.5%, to Huston’s 12,532, or 48.5%. That is a margin of 786 votes. The results are unofficial.

The district runs from Fishers north to Cicero and Arcadia and has long been considered Republican territory. This will be Cole’s first time holding public office.

Huston’s loss came on a night when Indiana Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the House, which had held since 2012.

Huston was first elected to the House in 2012. He became speaker in March 2020, succeeding Brian Bosma. Before going to the Statehouse, he served on the Hamilton Southeastern School Board and the Fishers Planning Commission.

Huston issued this statement Wednesday morning:

“This was an incredibly challenging midterm election and ultimately the national headwinds were too difficult to overcome in a number of our races. We’re so proud of our team and all our candidates who stepped up to serve and spent countless hours in their communities, listening to voters and talking about the issues that matter to Hoosiers.

“While I’m disappointed by the results, I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in Indiana to grow our economy, bring good-paying jobs to our state, lower taxes and create thriving communities where people want to live, work, start a business and raise their family.

“It’s been the honor of my life serving Hoosiers in Hamilton County and across our great state. I’m grateful for the opportunity and all that we’ve accomplished together.”

In her own emailed statement, Cole said she was honored that voters chose her. She noted that Huston had represented the district for 14 years and served as speaker for six. She also thanked her campaign manager, Lexxa LaPointe, and her supporters.

What it means for Fishers

One part of this story isn’t about party politics. It’s about influence at the Statehouse.

The speaker is one of the most powerful people in Indiana government and largely decides which bills the House takes up. For six years, Fishers had a hometown representative in that chair. With Huston gone, Fishers loses a major champion in the General Assembly. The House will now have to choose a new speaker, and that person will not be from Fishers.

That doesn’t take anything away from Lauren Cole’s win. You have to run a very good campaign to unseat the Speaker of the House, and she did.

Still, this change will affect Fishers, and residents should be aware of it.

When I moved to Hamilton County in 1991, I could not have imagined an election like the one we have experienced in 2026.

If the unofficial vote tally becomes official, Democrats will hold several countywide offices. Democrat Charles Hollowell defeated Republican Dustin Dixon for sheriff by 2,743 votes. Democrat Alexandra Wilson defeated Republican Beth Sheller for Circuit Court clerk. Democrat Emily Angel Shaw defeated Republican Danica Eyler for Superior Court 8 judge.

With a Democratic clerk, Democrats will control the county election board. Under Indiana law, the clerk sits on the three-member board with one appointee from each major party.

Republican County Commissioner Christine Altman won re-election by 323 votes out of nearly 145,000 cast, edging Democrat Ti’Gre McNear. Democrats won three of four County Council seats: Christopher Daniel in District 1, Nathan Bullock in District 2 and Jason Frank in District 4. Republican Mark Hall held District 3.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston of Fishers appears to have lost re-election in House District 37. Democrat Lauren Cole beat him 51.5% to 48.5%. In Senate District 31, the Fishers-area seat held by retiring Republican Kyle Walker, Democrat Kerry Forestal took 57% of the Hamilton County vote against Republican Juanita Albright.  That district extends into northern Marion County.

State Rep. Chris Jeter appears to have lost his House District 88 seat to Democrat Stephanie Jo Yocum, who won 53% of the Hamilton County vote, but that district extends to other counties and is still considered too close to call this morning.

Closer to home, the Fall Creek Township trustee’s office will go from a Republican to a Democrat. Stephanie Hunt defeated Doug Allman with 55% of the vote. Fall Creek and Delaware townships will each have three new board members, all Democrats. In Fall Creek, Mulalo Rikhotso edged Republican Susan Davis by 109 votes for the third seat.

Republicans have had solid control of most county and township governments in the Fishers area for a very long time. This election appears to change all that.

In Congress, Democrat J.D. Ford defeated incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz in the 5th District. He carried Hamilton County with 55% of the vote. Spartz was defiant in her election night statement:

“This election is a wake-up call for Indiana. An influx of liberal voters has turned Hamilton County, once one of the top 20 most conservative counties in the country, blue – with not enough rural Indiana voters to offset those numbers. Democrats significantly outspent us and ran a very dishonest campaign, but I urge my supporters not to get discouraged. We may not win every battle, but WE WILL WIN THE WAR!”

On the school front, every Hamilton County district with a funding referendum on the ballot passed it except Sheridan, where it failed by 91 votes. The Hamilton Southeastern referendum passed with more than 58% of the vote. Carmel’s also drew 58%, Noblesville’s 57% and Westfield Washington’s 56%.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board will have four new members in 2027.  None of the incumbents ran again. The winners were Greg Wright in District 1, Josh Perry in District 2 and Michelle Fullhart in District 3. Stephanie Braden was unopposed in District 4.

Turnout reached 51.86%, with 150,804 ballots cast by 290,805 registered voters.

There will be a lot more to be written and said about this election cycle. For now, here are the unofficial results with all 234 Hamilton County precincts reporting:

Continue reading Democrats take key Hamilton County offices in historic 2026 election →

Hamilton Southeastern Schools’ referendum passed with 58.33% support, and Greg Wright, Josh Perry and Michelle Fullhart finished ahead in contested HSE school board races, according to Hamilton County’s final election-night report.

Republican Christine Altman finished 323 votes ahead of Democrat Ti’Gre McNear for county commissioner, while Democrat Charles Hollowell topped Republican Dustin K. Dixon for sheriff.

Democrats also finished ahead in three of the four county council races, the Fall Creek Township trustee race and all three board seats in both Delaware and Fall Creek townships.

House Speaker Todd Huston lost his seat to Democrat Lauren Cole.  Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal defeated HSE School Board member Juanita Albright for an Indians State Senate seat with a district that includes the Fishers area and a part of northern Marion County.

The county’s report, released at 10:27 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, included all 234 precincts. It listed 150,804 ballots counted and turnout of 51.86%. These are complete election-night returns, but results remain unofficial pending certification.

HSE public question

Voters supported the Hamilton Southeastern Schools referendum by 7,315 votes.

HSE school board

Wright finished ahead in District 1, Perry in District 2 and Fullhart in District 3. Stephanie Braden ran unopposed in District 4.

District 1

Wright finished 365 votes ahead of Faiza Maqsood in the three-candidate contest.

District 2

Perry received a majority of the vote and finished 1,915 votes ahead of Cyrus Keck.

District 3

Fullhart finished 659 votes ahead of David Turk.

District 4

Hamilton County sheriff

Hollowell finished 2,743 votes ahead of Dixon, receiving 50.94% of the vote.

Hamilton County commissioner — District 1

Altman finished ahead of McNear by 323 votes out of 144,775 votes cast in the race.

McNear had led by 706 votes in the 9:04 p.m. report. Altman moved ahead by 14 votes at 9:34 p.m. before expanding that margin in the final election-night count.

Hamilton County Council

Democrats Christopher Daniel, Nathan Bullock and Jason E. Frank finished ahead in districts 1, 2 and 4, respectively. Republican Mark F. Hall finished ahead in District 3.

District 1

Daniel finished 2,323 votes ahead of Republican Tim Griffin.

District 2

Bullock finished 4,223 votes ahead of Republican Amy Elizabeth Massillamany.

District 3

Hall finished 3,798 votes ahead of Democrat Doug May.

District 4

Frank finished 1,059 votes ahead of Republican Ken Alexander.

Fall Creek Township trustee

Democrat Stephanie Hunt finished 2,890 votes ahead of Republican Doug Allman.

Delaware Township Board

Democrats Patrick Schooley, Jennifer Dean Chaudhry and Bethann Buddenbaum took the top three positions in the race for three seats.

Fall Creek Township Board

Democrats Alex J. Hunt, Joe Weingarten and Mulalo Rikhotso took the top three positions in the race for three seats. Rikhotso finished 109 votes ahead of Republican Susan Davis for the third position.

In both township board contests, voters could select up to three candidates. The percentages represent each candidate’s share of all candidate votes cast, rather than the percentage of voters supporting that candidate.

State representative — District 37

Democrat Lauren S. Cole finished 786 votes ahead of Republican Todd Huston in Hamilton County’s final election-night report.

These figures reflect Hamilton County returns only. The county report does not establish results for any portion of a legislative district outside Hamilton County.

Source: Hamilton County election summary report dated Nov. 3, 2026, at 10:27:45 p.m. All 234 precincts reported; results remain unofficial pending certification.

Republican state Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler claimed a second term in Indiana House District 29 on Tuesday night, according to a statement from her campaign.

Shonkwiler faced Democrat Devon Wellington of Noblesville.As of late Tuesday, LarryInFishers.com had not seen whether Wellington had conceded.

House District 29 lies entirely within Hamilton County and includes Noblesville and a small part of Fishers.

“Serving the community where I was raised and where Jason and I are raising our children is the absolute honor of a lifetime,” Shonkwiler said. “I am deeply grateful to the voters of Noblesville and District 29 for their continued trust and support.”

Shonkwiler said her first term focused on lowering costs for taxpayers, backing law enforcement and first responders, holding utility companies accountable and supporting local schools.

“Our work is just getting started,” she said. “I remain committed to bringing accessible, results-driven leadership to the Statehouse and fighting every day for the families, neighborhoods, and small businesses that make Hamilton County such an incredible place to live.”

Shonkwiler won the open seat in 2024 after Republican Chuck Goodrich did not seek reelection, defeating Democrat Christopher Hartig 22,787 votes to 13,169. She serves on the House Government and Regulatory Reform, Public Policy, and Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications committees. Her campaign said the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police named her Legislator of the Year.

At an Oct. 7 candidate forum at Noblesville City Hall, she pointed to her support for House Bill 1242, signed into law March 3, which directs the state to study differences in per-student operating funding.

Before joining the Legislature, Shonkwiler worked as district director for U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz from 2021 to 2022. Earlier, she held economic development jobs with the city of Noblesville and a workforce development post with Noblesville Schools.

Wellington won the Democratic nomination in May with 1,921 votes to 1,655 for Coumba Kebe. A Noblesville resident since 2023, Wellington works as an education policy consultant and owns a small business.

Shonkwiler lives in Noblesville with her husband, Jason, and their two children, Hannah and Kyle.

Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford declared victory Tuesday night in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, saying he had unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz. Spartz had not publicly conceded as of late Tuesday. The Associated Press had not called the race, and votes were still being counted.

With 93.4% of votes counted at 9:56 p.m., Ford led with 131,773 votes over Spartz’ 123,321, according to WRTV. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Ford at 8:28 p.m., LGBTQ+ news outlet Out reported.

If the lead holds, it would be a major political shift in a district that includes Fishers and most of Hamilton County. The last Democrat to represent the 5th District, which then covered Hamilton County and surrounding northern Indianapolis suburbs, was Jim Jontz, who served in the U.S. House from 1987 to 1993. Donald Trump carried the district by 17 points in 2024.

Ford would become the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from Indiana. He has represented Indiana Senate District 29 since 2018, when he became the first openly gay member of the Indiana General Assembly.

“Tonight, Hoosiers made history, and they sent a message that will be heard far beyond Indiana’s 5th District,” Ford said in a statement. “This victory belongs to every person who has felt ignored by Washington, every family struggling to make ends meet and every voter who refused to believe that change was impossible.”

Ford ran on lowering everyday costs, protecting access to affordable health care and restoring accountability in Washington.

“Hoosiers are working harder, paying more and getting less in return,” Ford said. “I’m going to Congress to fight corruption, stand up to corporate interests and make sure the decisions being made in Washington put people and their families first.”

Spartz was first elected in 2020 and was seeking her fourth consecutive term. She campaigned on reducing federal spending and debt and on changing immigration policies. Born in Ukraine, she is the first Ukrainian-born person to serve in Congress.

The race tightened during the fall. Last week, the Cook Political Report moved the district from “Likely R” to “Lean R,” after rating it “Solid R” earlier this year.

“Tonight, voters proved that no seat belongs to a political party. It belongs to the people,” Ford said. “Whether you voted for me or not, I will fight for you.”

Besides Fishers, the district’s cities include Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Anderson, Muncie, Kokomo and Marion.

LarryInFishers.com will update this story as results become final and if Spartz comments.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools voters approved the district’s replacement operating referendum Tuesday, with more than 58% voting yes, according to unofficial election results.

The HSE measure was one of several school funding questions on Hamilton County ballots. All passed except one: Sheridan Community Schools voters rejected their district’s referendum.

HSE says the money will support teacher salaries and benefits, school safety and student behavioral health services.

“I want to thank the community for their continued support for this referendum and the people who make our schools what they are,” said Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley. “This funding helps us keep experienced teachers in our classrooms and provide the services our students need. We appreciate the trust our community has placed in us.”

The new referendum replaces the one voters approved in 2023. The district asked for the replacement to offset revenue losses expected from changes to Indiana property tax law. HSE estimates those losses at more than $45 million over the six years left on the current referendum. The district says it has also found more than $7 million in ongoing cost cuts through staffing adjustments, operational efficiencies and contract reviews.

The replacement referendum allows a maximum tax rate of 36 cents per $100 of assessed property value for eight years. The 2023 referendum carried a rate of 19.95 cents per $100. The Board of School Trustees will set the actual rate and approve a spending plan each year through the public budget process.

“Our voters are owed a democratic vote in how their tax dollars support HSE Schools, and we are grateful for their trust,” said Board President Tiffany Pascoe. “That trust comes with great responsibility for this board, future boards, and our administration to use these dollars carefully and as promised. It also means keeping our staff and stakeholders proactively informed along the way. This is an opportunity to strengthen trust and show it through our actions.”

The district thanked the volunteers who worked on the campaign, including Advance HSE, the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association, staff, families and community members.

“People spent evenings and weekends talking with neighbors, answering questions and explaining why this mattered to our schools,” Kegley said. “We are thankful for the work they put into helping voters understand the proposal.”

Election results are unofficial until certified by the Hamilton County Election Board.