Happy New Year everyone!

One task I give myself after Christmas most years is reviewing all my blog posts to determine the top Fishers news stories.  It takes several hours.

Once that was completed for the 2021 top stories list, I did some reflecting on something I hear often from people reading any news product.  Why is so much news bad news?

So, I went through my top 15 Fishers news stories once again.  How many stories were good news, bad news or neither?

It should be noted there is no universal definition of what makes a news story good or bad news.  Some people would have different perceptions, with some not in line with what others may think is a good news or bad news story.

So, with that in mind, I reviewed my top 15 Fishers news posts to determine if there are any stories, that, in my view, would be seen as good news for most or all of my readers.

There is the background.  Now allow me to select a few Fishers news stories from my list and provide them to your as “good news.”

Census Population Number 

When I moved to Fishers in 1991, the 1990 census tallied the population of the Town of Fishers at 7,508.  The 2020 census shows the City of Fishers with a population number of 98,977.  Some were disappointed that Fishers ended up just below the 100,000 mark, but this city is continuing to grow and I think that is good news.

Thorpe Creek Elementary named a Blue Ribbon School 

Only a chosen few schools are awarded the honor of Blue Ribbon School.  In 2021, Thorpe Creek Elementary received that honor.  Thorpe Creek is not the only Hamilton Southeastern School to be honored with the Blue Ribbon, but it is the most recent.  In my book, this is very good news.

Fishers acquires 98 acres along the White River  

There is an old saying that, sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good.  Fishers had some luck but was also vigilant in following a tangled legal dispute among several parties over 98 acres along the White River, north of 96th Street, within the boundaries of the city.  When the personal representative for the estate involved in that land offered the 98 acres to the city in exchange for paying $3,100 in back property taxes, city officials wasted no time in making the purchase.  The mayor has said this land is primed for future park development and perhaps other uses.  I judge this as good news.

Fishers bioscience boom

There have been some businesses in the city centered on the biosciences, but that revved-up into high gear in 2021 with Italian and South Korean firms choosing to locate facilities in Fishers.  There were local and state incentives, but those operations are projected to provide some high-paying jobs.  This is good news in my book.

Nickel Plate Trail and downtown development  

The Nickel Plate Trail is nearly finished in the downtown Fishers area, with the completion of the tunnel underneath 116th Street set to be done in early 2022.  Also, many buildings have been under construction for some time and much of that work will be done by summer.  Included in that would be the new headquarters building for First Internet Bank.  Downtown development has been controversial at times in Fishers but the near completion of the work underway on the commercial buildings, and the trail, count as good news for me.

One last New Year comment from me.  Thanks for reading.  This continues to be a volunteer endeavor for me, both the blog and my podcasts.  Those of you choosing to read the blog and listen to my podcasts make it all worthwhile.   Allow me to wish you, and all close to you, a happy and blessed New Year!