The Hamilton County Clerk’s office has absentee ballots in the mail for those qualifying.

According to county officials, Indiana state law allows an absentee ballot to be cast in the following situations:

• If they are confined to their residence, hospital, or nursing home due to illness
• If they are caring for someone who is confined
• If they are 65 years of age or older
• If they are absent from the county on election day during the entire 12 hours the polls are open
• If they are a voter with disabilities
• If they have official election duties outside of their voting precinct
• If they are scheduled to work the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
• If they are observing a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours the polls are open
• If they do not have transportation to the polls
• If they are a member of the IN National Guard deployed or on assignment in Indiana or a public safety officer

“If you’re planning to request an absentee ballot, please do so as early as possible,” says Beth Sheller, Hamilton County Election Administrator, in a county news release. “It’s as easy as submitting an application online or downloading a form and returning it to our office.”

If you plan to vote absentee, submit an application by midnight, Thursday, April 21st. The application can be downloaded at www.indianavoters.com. You can also call 317-776-8476 and make a request for an application over the phone.

Once you have voted, submit your ballot by mail or return it in person. All mailed-in ballots must be received by the Election Office on or before 6:00 p.m. on Election Day. You can also drop off your ballot in person at the Clerk’s Office in Noblesville.

Being a journalist in a war zone is always dangerous, but most dangerous the photographers, be they still photographers or videographers.  They need to be close to the action in order to capture the photos and videos.

Brent Renoud was an award-winning journalist and worked for a number of American national news outlets, including the New York Times, HBO, NBC News and Vice News.  Renoud was working on a project for Time magazine documenting the plight of refugees when he was shot and killed in the fighting between Russian troops and Ukrainian forces.

His assistant was injured and told journalists they were in a vehicle when it came under fire.  Renaud was shooting video with refugees, telling the story of the hardships they encountered in this horrible and devastating war.

We also have learned that Benjamin Hall, a British-born veteran war correspondent, was injured while reporting outside of Kyiv for Fox News.  

Renaud was not the first journalist killed in the Ukraine fighting.  According to Poynter.com.   The Committee to Protect Journalists previously wrote that Russian military forces bombed a TV tower in Kyiv on March 1, five were killed, including camera operator Yevhenii Sakun.

When war breaks out, it is so important to have independent reporters out in the field just looking for facts and truth, both generally hard to come by in a war zone.

There are a number of journalists working in Ukraine now.  I hope they all take the proper precautions but still find a way to do their jobs.  It is so difficult to do both well.

My thanks to the many brave reporters working in Ukraine.  Without them, we would not know what is going on.  This war is particularly brutal for civilians.  Documenting all that is so important for America, and the world.

The City of Fishers has announced the second ticketed Amphitheater concert for the 2022 summer season with Waxahatchee coming Friday, August 5th.  Tickets go on sale March 18th at this link.   Advance tickets are $20, with admission costing $25 on the day of the show.

A city news release describes Waxahatchee as an American indie music project, formed in 2010 by singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield, previously a member of P.S. Eliot.  For more on the band, use this link.

Saturday morning was my first visit to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s headquarters complex in Noblesville.  Hamilton County Emergency Management Executive Director Shane Booker was there to greet me at the front door.

I got the grand tour of the 911 call center along with the Emergency Operations Center just down the hall.  It is a very impressive and well-equipped operation.  The County Commissioners and County Council members have made quite an investment in local emergency operations.

When the tour was over, I sat down with Mr. Booker for a podcast interview.  That podcast is available at the link below.

The weekly road construction update shows lane restrictions coming to the intersection of Southeastern Parkway and Cyntheanne Road, in preparation for the construction of a new roundabout at that location.  Look for those restrictions 9am-3pm.  The walking path on Southeastern Parkway will be closed for this construction.

Also, one-way traffic is now in place for the construction of new pavement along the inside lane of Technology Drive.

Here are the details of this week’s report, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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Here is the video version of my podcast discussion with State Senator Fady Qaddoura.

2022 was a contentious session of the Indiana General Assembly in many respects, with some controversial measures enacted, others not.  I spoke with Democratic State Senator Fady Qaddoura for his perspective on the session.  We discussed gun permits, education policy, taxes and much more in this podcast.

Indianapolis architectural firm CSO has handled a number of building projects for Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, and has been chosen to handle the upcoming renovation of Lantern Road Elementary.  An internal evaluation committee recommended CSO be selected among the 7 firms submitting responses to the district’s request for proposals, and the school board gave its stamp of approval.

HSE will pay CSO $640,000.  The next step is to formulate the request for proposals and put the construction project up for bids from contractors.

In other news items from Wednesday’s School Board meeting:

–The board approved upgrades to school Internet connections, using E-Rate discounts.  The improvements will be installed over the summer.  E-Rate refers to a Federal Program overseen by the FCC that provides discounts to public schools, offsetting the costs of providing Internet access with the amount of speed and reliability needed.

–The board voted for a resolution allowing the school administration to handle general obligation bonds.

–The board was briefed on some minor changes to board policies, which will be proposed for final approval at a later meeting.

–Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said the SAT assessments for juniors was given last week and the I-Read test for third-grade students is coming up soon.  She also announced that Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Nataki Pettigrew is now Dr. Pettigrew after she was awarded her PHD degree.

–The board recognized Leslie Brown, HSE Autism Specialist, and Chrissy Pogue, HSE Transition Specialist, as March is Disability Awareness Month.

–Snapshots of Success cited Geist Elementary for receiving the 2022 Cornerstone Employer Award, recognizing Physical Education Teacher Rod Sutherlin and Cafeteria Manager June Barnes. Sutherlin and Barnes work closely with HSE Transitions student Ryan McNarney.  For more, check out a video produced by the school district at this link.

–At the next board meeting April 13th, the board is expected to review the first proposed draft of the 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 School Calendars

In Fishers, we have already experienced a Tornado Warning recently, at 3am no less.  That triggered the warning siren system.

The weekly testing of the tornado warning sirens, which takes a hiatus during the winter months, will return to its 11am Friday routine March 11th.

The sirens will also sound during the statewide tornado drill on Tuesday, March 15, between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Hamilton County Emergency Management encourages everyone to exercise your plan by going to your safe place during the drill.

“The outdoor warning sirens are intended to warn those who are outdoors,” said Shane Booker, Executive Director of Emergency Management, in a news release. “Because sirens are not intended to warn those indoors, we recommend every household and business to have a weather radio.”

Delaware and Fall Creek Townships, which encompasses the entire City of Fishers, have a total of 20 sirens.

Here are more details about the siren system from the Hamilton County Emergency Management news release:

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Hamilton Count to Resume Siren Testing

When Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart went through the routine action of retiring Major Mike Johnson’s firearm before the Board of Public Works and Safety as a result of the Major’s retirement, the Chief told board members Mike Johnson was about to start another job but could not reveal that future employer at that time.  Wednesday night, we discovered Mike Johnson’s career change – the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board officially hired Mike Johnson as the new Director of School Safety.

Ryan Taylor had security as part of his responsibilities as an HSE administrator, but upon Mr. Taylor’s retirement, the administrative staff has been restructured, according to Board President Julie Chambers, allowing Mike Johnson to take on the responsibility of school safety for the district in a newly-created position.

“During the interview process, I think everybody sitting around the table knew he was definitely the best candidate,” said superintendent Yvonne Stokes.  Dr. Stokes pointed out that in addition to his law enforcement experience, Mr. Johnson holds a teaching degree.

“School safety and school connections to the city became my life’s work,” Johnson told school board members.  “To have the opportunity to come here and continue in my next chapter as a school safety guy, I’m the luckiest guy in the room.”

During his 29-year career with the Fishers Police Department, Mike Johnson spent time as a DARE officer and school resource officer.