The historic flooding that struck Fishers and surrounding communities in August tested every part of the city’s emergency response system. In this special edition of the Larry In Fishers podcast, Mayor Scott Fadness joins Fire Chief Ky Ragsdale and Police Chief Ed Gebhart for an in-depth conversation about how city leaders prepared for and responded to the crisis.
The three discuss when they realized the flooding would become a record-setting event, how emergency decisions were made in real time, the difficult process of evacuating residents from flooded neighborhoods, and the teamwork that brought together police, fire, public works and other city departments. They also talk about the recovery effort, lessons learned and the long road ahead for residents whose homes suffered extensive damage.
The second half of the podcast takes listeners to the front lines of the emergency response. Fishers Police Major Mike Janes and Fishers Fire Battalion Chief Chad Abel describe what it was like conducting dangerous water rescues, the hazards hidden beneath floodwaters, and how specialized training helped first responders safely evacuate residents and their pets from rising water. They also share personal reflections on an operation unlike anything many of them had experienced in their careers.
Also deserving recognition are the volunteers of the Fishers Fire Corps, who provided food, drinks and logistical support for first responders working long hours throughout the emergency, allowing police officers, firefighters and rescue crews to remain focused on protecting lives.
It’s a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most significant emergency responses in Fishers history, told by the people who led it and those who carried out the rescues.
The LarryInFishers Podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank
Hamilton County will begin curbside collection of flood debris Monday, and officials are asking residents in flood-damaged neighborhoods to spend the weekend dragging ruined material out to the curb and sorting it as they go.
“Weekend warriors, this is your chance to help us move this recovery forward,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman. “Get the debris out of your homes and yards, get it to the curb, and most importantly, keep it separated. The better job we do on the front end, the faster these crews can move through our neighborhoods and get this material out of here.”
Residents should stack debris in separate piles by category:
Electronics — televisions, computers and other electronic equipment
Vegetative debris — trees, limbs, bushes, leaves and other vegetation
Construction debris — drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture and other building materials
Sandbags — kept apart from everything else
Large appliances — refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves and similar units
Crews cannot come onto private property to retrieve debris, so everything must be placed along the public right-of-way. Piles should not block the roadway, utility boxes, poles, fire hydrants, meters or other structures.
CrowderGulf, an Alabama-based disaster recovery and debris management company, has been contracted to handle the collection. Trucks and crews are traveling to Hamilton County and are expected to arrive throughout the weekend.
The county has also hired Tidal Basin Group to monitor and document the removal, tracking debris from the curb through delivery to the appropriate disposal facility. That paperwork matters: it is the basis for Hamilton County’s reimbursement claim under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.
“We are being very deliberate about how we do this,” said Chad Knecht, executive director of Hamilton County Emergency Operations. “We want the cleanup done quickly, but we also have a responsibility to taxpayers to document these costs properly and recover every federal dollar for which Hamilton County may be eligible.”
Debris that residents haul off and dispose of on their own will not be reimbursed through the county program.
CrowderGulf will work in specific zones beginning on or after Monday, Aug. 24. Residents who believe they were missed by Thursday, Aug. 27, or who need help getting flood debris to the curb, can call 317-645-3261.
Meanwhile, private relief efforts are adding to the recovery. Delta Faucet Company, the Indianapolis-based kitchen and bath products manufacturer, is donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross Indiana Region, which serves more than 6.9 million people across 104 counties with shelter, hot meals, emergency supplies and emotional support after disasters. “Our efforts won’t end with this donation,” said Stacy Mowrer, the company’s senior vice president of human resources, noting that Delta Faucet is starting its annual September Month of Service early so employees can volunteer on flood recovery. Terry Stigdon, CEO of the American Red Cross Indiana Region, said the gift “empowers Red Cross volunteers to deliver critical help to people who need it.”
The county said additional information on collection schedules and recovery efforts will be released as the operation progresses.
The Indy Fuel have turned to a coach with experience developing players and building winning teams to lead the franchise into the 2026-27 ECHL season.
The Fuel announced Friday that Jesse Messier has been named the fifth head coach in franchise history. He succeeds Duncan Dalmao, who departed after the 2025-26 season.
Messier brings more than two decades of hockey experience as both a player and coach, with stops in the ECHL, Ontario Hockey League, university hockey and junior hockey. His background includes player development, special teams, recruiting and roster management.
“We are excited to welcome Jesse as the next Head Coach of the Indy Fuel,” owner Jim Hallett said. “Jesse has spent his career developing players and building winning hockey teams. He knows this league, understands what it takes to win and shares our expectations for what the Indy Fuel should be.”
Most recently, Messier served as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison, where he worked with the team’s defense, penalty kill, player development, special teams and pre-scouting while also assisting with player recruitment and roster administration.
Before joining Bloomington, he spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. During that stretch, Saginaw captured the 2019 OHL West Division championship, and 11 Spirit players advanced to professional hockey.
Messier also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at York University, helping guide the program to the 2017 Queen’s Cup championship. York posted a 63-37-12 regular-season record during his tenure and became a consistent playoff contender.
His coaching résumé also includes a successful season as head coach of the Kam River Fighting Walleye in 2023-24. Under Messier, the team compiled a 39-9-1 record, won the regular-season championship and reached the league finals while leading the league in offense and power-play efficiency.
“I am incredibly grateful to Jim and Sean Hallett for the opportunity to lead the Indy Fuel,” Messier said. “This is an organization with high expectations and a passionate fan base. I’m excited to get to Indianapolis, get to work with our players and staff, and build a team that competes every night with the goal of bringing a championship to our fans.”
As a player, Messier won a Kelly Cup championship with the Allen Americans in 2015 after playing in the ECHL with Allen and the Toledo Walleye. Prior to turning professional, he starred at York University, where he was a three-time team MVP, served as team captain and finished among the program’s top 10 all-time scorers.
According to the Fuel, 19 players coached by Messier have gone on to play professionally.
“Jesse has experienced winning from several different perspectives—as a player, assistant coach and head coach,” Hallett said. “We believe his combination of leadership, player development and attention to detail makes him an excellent fit for where we want to take this organization. Our objective is clear: we want to compete for a Kelly Cup championship.”
The Fuel play their home games at the Fishers Event Center, making the coaching hire one of the organization’s most significant moves as it prepares for the upcoming ECHL season. Messier will begin work immediately in assembling the roster and coaching staff for the 2026-27 campaign.
Fishers drivers heading into Indianapolis this weekend should plan extra time.
The Indiana Department of Transportation says a series of I-69 weekend ramp closures begins Saturday night in northeast Indianapolis as crews shift traffic and open a new ramp to 82nd Street.
The work is part of Clear Path 465, the long-running reconstruction of the I-465/I-69 interchange that Fishers motorists pass through on nearly every trip to Indianapolis. Opening the new ramp is one of the final steps needed to finish construction at the interchange, INDOT said.
What closes, and when
From 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, until 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, the ramp from northbound I-465 to northbound I-69 will be reduced to one lane.
From 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, until 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24, three ramps will be closed:
Eastbound I-465 to northbound I-69
Northbound Binford Boulevard to northbound I-69
82nd Street to northbound I-69
Drivers on eastbound I-465 will be sent on a signed detour to southbound I-465, turning around at Pendleton Pike (U.S. 36).
INDOT expects delays and is urging drivers to plan ahead and use alternate routes when possible.
What happens next week
The new ramp is scheduled to open around 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24. It will give drivers traveling east on I-465 and north on Binford Boulevard direct access to 82nd Street — a change that mainly affects motorists coming from the south and east rather than those approaching from Fishers.
There is a trade-off. Once the new ramp opens, the 82nd Street exit will temporarily close for drivers who enter northbound I-69 from northbound I-465. That is the movement many Fishers-bound and Fishers-based drivers use to reach the Castleton-area retail corridor from the west side of the interchange, and it will stay closed for several months.
INDOT expects that exit to reopen in late 2026, after additional I-69 lanes and ramps are finished and more traffic shifts occur.
As with all construction work, the agency cautioned that dates and planned work could change because of weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Esports has grown far beyond kids playing video games in the basement. Today, high school students compete on organized teams, travel to tournaments, earn college scholarships, and develop skills in communication, teamwork and strategic thinking.
On this week’s edition of Fridays with Larry, I talk with Keaton Squires, mathematics teacher and esports coach at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Keaton explains how competitive esports works at the high school level, the games students play, why participation continues to grow, and how esports is opening new opportunities for students who may not have found their place in traditional athletics.
We also discuss the club’s fundraising efforts to expand its gaming lab, the increasing number of college scholarship opportunities, and how artificial intelligence is beginning to influence classroom instruction.
Following the interview, I offer commentary on the surge in new business startups across America and what that trend could mean for communities like Fishers. The podcast concludes with an unusual news story involving two BASE jumpers who parachuted from Seattle’s iconic Space Needle.
Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.
If you would like to learn more about or support the Hamilton Southeastern High School esports program, you may contact:
Hamilton Southeastern Schools had a decision to make just a few years ago: sell the aging Fishers Elementary School property and build elsewhere, or preserve one of the community’s most historic school sites through a major renovation and expansion.
District leaders chose to stay, and Thursday evening they celebrated that decision by cutting the ribbon on a transformed Fishers Elementary School at 11442 Lantern Road.
The three-year, $45 million project nearly doubles the size of one of the district’s oldest schools while preserving a piece of Fishers history. The project expanded the building to more than 107,000 square feet, increased the number of classrooms from 28 to 36, and retained about 23 percent of the original structure, primarily the gymnasium area, which was extensively renovated.
“This project honors the history of Fishers Elementary while giving our students and staff a school designed for how they learn and work today,” Principal Dr. Emily Supergan told those attending the ceremony. “Our school community showed tremendous flexibility throughout construction, and it is rewarding to see everyone enjoying these new spaces.”
Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley said the site has served students for well over a century. Public education has existed on the property since the late 1800s, with the original Fishers High School opening there in 1908. The current elementary school first opened in 1958, followed by additions in the 1960s and major renovations in 1990.
“The decision was made to remain on this site and significantly renovate and expand the footprint of the school,” Kegley said. “For all intents and purposes, this is a brand-new learning space of which the entire community and HSE Schools can be proud.”
Rather than relocate students, construction was completed in phases, allowing classes to continue throughout the project. Kegley praised district facilities staff, teachers and administrators for maintaining normal school operations while construction crews worked around them.
The redesigned school incorporates concepts first used at Deer Creek Elementary while adding features tailored specifically for Fishers Elementary. Improvements include flexible learning spaces, a more secure main entrance, expanded parking, separated bus and parent drop-off areas, and enhanced traffic flow designed to improve student safety.
Emily Newton, project manager with CSO Architects, said the project presented unique challenges because of the limited size of the site.
“It was the tightest site we’ve ever had to work on,” Newton said. “This renovation was designed to support everyday movement for students, provide flexibility for teachers, create a welcoming space for families and reflect the community’s investment in its children.”
Max Wurster, chief operating officer of Wurster Construction, said the project overcame early scheduling delays while still delivering the new classroom wing on time in January and completing portions of the gymnasium ahead of schedule.
“This project wasn’t without its challenges,” Wurster said. “But through strong collaboration between the district, the design team and our subcontractors, we were able to deliver a facility that will serve this community for generations.”
For Supergan, who is beginning her first year as Fishers Elementary principal, the evening also carried personal significance. A graduate of Hamilton Southeastern Schools, she told the audience that her sister attended kindergarten at Fishers Elementary.
“Our theme this year is ‘A New Chapter, One Tiger Family,'” she said. “A new chapter doesn’t mean forgetting what came before. It means taking everything that has shaped us and using it to write what comes next.”
Students returned to the renovated school on Aug. 5 for the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Supt. Matt Kegley opened the ceremonyFES Principal Emily Supergan was all smiles
County crews assessing flood damage (Photo provided)
The Hamilton County Council has approved $2.85 million in emergency funding to support flood recovery efforts across the county, providing immediate assistance for residents and businesses while helping coordinate what officials expect will be a lengthy cleanup process.
The funding package, approved Thursday, includes $100,000 for Hamilton County Emergency Management to address immediate needs in the coming weeks. Those funds can be used for emergency housing, equipment, supplies and other services needed as flood victims begin recovery.
The remaining $2.75 million has been designated for debris removal and management. County officials say the money will allow Hamilton County Emergency Management to work with state and federal agencies to safely collect, sort and dispose of the large amount of debris left behind by the flooding.
“The County Council is ready to provide any necessary funding for flood relief,” County Council President Brad Beaver said in a news release.
County Commissioners President Christine Altman said a coordinated debris removal effort is essential to protecting public safety while maximizing the county’s chances of receiving federal reimbursement.
“This gives us a coordinated way to handle the enormous amount of debris left behind by the flooding while also making sure hazardous materials are properly identified, separated, and disposed of,” Altman said. “That’s important from both a safety and environmental standpoint, but it could also make these expenses eligible for federal reimbursement.”
Hamilton County has asked state and federal officials for additional disaster assistance, including funding through Category A of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program. That program helps reimburse eligible costs associated with debris removal following a declared disaster.
County officials hope federal assistance will offset a significant portion of the local funds now being committed to cleanup efforts.
Officials also cautioned residents who are considering hiring private contractors to remove flood debris. Those costs may not qualify for reimbursement unless the work complies with environmental regulations and is properly documented and certified.
Hamilton County officials said additional details about debris collection, disposal procedures and available assistance programs will be released as cleanup operations continue.
Hamilton Southeastern’s two high schools have each logged roughly 50 violations of the district’s new HSE cell phone policy since classes began Aug. 5, with about 20 of those coming on the very first day, according to district spokesperson Emily Abbotts.
“In discussions with both high schools, each reported approximately 50 infractions since the start of the school year, including 20 occurring on the first day as students adjusted to the new expectations,” Abbotts said.
She added that early reviews from staff have been favorable: “Feedback has been generally positive from teachers and administrators.”
Spread across two schools that each enroll more than 3,000 students, and across roughly a dozen school days, the numbers suggest the district’s most significant classroom rule change in years has landed with relatively little friction — and that the sharp drop-off after day one is the more telling figure.
What changed
The policy grew out of Senate Enrolled Act 78, which took effect July 1 and requires every Indiana school district to bar student use of personal wireless devices for the entire school day — “bell to bell,” in the language lawmakers used repeatedly during the session. The prohibition covers not just cell phones but smartwatches, personal laptops and handheld gaming devices.
The law replaces a narrower 2024 statute that banned phone use only during instructional time. Educators told legislators that version was difficult to enforce, since it left hallways, lunch periods and passing time as gray areas that students learned to work. Gov. Mike Braun, in signing the expanded ban, called it “one of the most significant statements of any state legislature on this particular issue” and said it would mean “teachers can teach, and classrooms can function as they should.”
Indiana is now among more than two dozen states that have adopted full-day school phone restrictions, according to reporting by the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
The statute carves out exceptions for emergencies, documented medical needs, students whose individualized education programs or 504 plans call for device access, and instructional use directed by a teacher. HSE students continue to use district-issued iPads for classwork.
How HSE is doing it
The HSE school board approved revisions to its wireless device policy unanimously on June 10, on second reading, aligning district rules with the new state requirements.
Implementation varies by grade level. Students in grades 5 through 8 store phones in their lockers for the school day. High school students must power devices down and keep them in backpacks, with many classrooms designating storage areas along the wall, away from student desks.
A device that is visible, powered on or in use counts as an infraction. Consequences begin at the first violation with confiscation and detention, and escalate through progressive discipline with parent involvement; confiscated devices must be picked up by a parent or guardian during office hours.
What to watch
The first-day spike Abbotts described — 20 infractions at each high school, then roughly 30 more over the following weeks — tracks with what administrators around the state predicted: an adjustment period measured in days rather than months, particularly for students who spent their entire academic careers with a phone within reach.
The open questions now are whether the infraction rate keeps falling as the semester goes on, how the district handles repeat offenders once progressive discipline reaches its later steps, and how parents adapt to reaching their students through the front office rather than by text.
The company bankrolling the Formula One team building a headquarters campus here is at the center of a federal fraud investigation, IndyStar motorsports reporter Zion Brown reported Thursday.
TWG Global — the parent of TWG Motorsports, which brought the Cadillac F1 team and one of its three worldwide headquarters to Fishers — is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission over assets held by insurance companies it owns, according to IndyStar.
The probe was uncovered in July and has intensified in the weeks since, IndyStar reported, leaving the future of TWG Motorsports’ racing properties unclear.
What investigators are looking at
Two insurers, Delaware Life Insurance Company and Clear Spring Life and Annuity, received grand jury subpoenas in February from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, with a parallel SEC investigation now underway, according to IndyStar’s reporting.
Investigators are examining whether more than $16 billion in investments the companies made with affiliated businesses were improperly reported as unaffiliated. Affiliated assets — shared between businesses with ties that could create a conflict of interest — are legal but require disclosure and extra scrutiny.
Both insurers are subsidiaries of Zionsville-based Group 1001, founded in 2013 by Dan Towriss, who is also CEO of TWG Motorsports. Group 1001 has been a TWG Global subsidiary since 2024.
On June 29, Delaware Life filed first-quarter financials that restated its private credit investments from 3% affiliated to 42%. S&P Global Ratings then shifted its outlook on the company from stable to negative. On Tuesday, Delaware Life said it planned to move up to $6.5 billion in affiliated assets to TWG Global, IndyStar reported.
Why it matters to Fishers
TWG Motorsports was created as a TWG Global subsidiary in February 2025 with Towriss, a Muncie native and Ball State graduate, as CEO. It holds majority ownership of Andretti Global (IndyCar), Spire Motorsports (NASCAR), Wayne Taylor Racing (IMSA) and Walkinshaw TWG Racing (Supercars). This year the group entered Formula One through Cadillac F1, whose U.S. operations include the Fishers site.
The uncertainty comes as TWG Global CEO Mark Walter reshuffles his sports holdings. Walter agreed on Aug. 12 to sell the Los Angeles Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for $12.5 billion, IndyStar reported. On Monday, multiple outlets reported that Walter and Todd Boehly are looking to sell their stakes in Chelsea FC, in which each holds 12.8% — worth roughly $537.6 million based on Forbes’ $4.2 billion valuation of the club.
The company says its racing teams are not on the block. A TWG Motorsports spokesperson told IndyStar: “TWG Global is not considering a sale of the Cadillac F1 team or any other part of TWG Motorsports. This includes Andretti Global.”
For now, the Fishers campus appears secure — though that could change as the investigation unfolds.
This story is based on reporting by Zion Brown, IndyStar’s motorsports reporter. Read the full story at this link, but you will likely need to be an online IndyStar subscriber to access the story. Once again, I encourage you to subscribe to your news organizations.
Three Hamilton County agencies will throw open the doors of their new shared home next week, and residents are invited to look around.
The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District, Hamilton County Household Hazardous Waste and Hamilton County Weights & Measures will host a free, family-friendly open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 1721 Pleasant St. on the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville.
The three-hour event is meant to introduce residents to the new facility and to the services each office provides, from conservation programs to safe disposal of household chemicals to the inspection work that keeps gas pumps and grocery scales honest.
Visitors can pick up a passport at the door and work their way through activity stations set up throughout the building and grounds, each highlighting a different piece of the agencies’ work — conservation, recycling and environmental stewardship among them. Completed passports will be entered in a drawing for a Hamilton County Tourism gift basket. A separate door prize drawing for a tourism gift basket is also planned.
Attractions include:
Conservation activities for all ages
The district’s new community mural
The Soil Trailer, a hands-on look at what’s under Hamilton County’s fields and lawns
A touch-a-truck display featuring a tractor, a forklift and Weights & Measures vehicles and equipment
Information on Household Hazardous Waste programs and safe disposal of paint, chemicals, batteries and similar items
Free snow cones and snacks
Admission is free and all ages are welcome. No registration is required.
