Fishers city department heads met with the City Council Finance Committee on August 27 to review their 2026 budget proposals. Mayor Scott Fadness is scheduled to present his full budget to the council on September 15, with more details expected to be released to the public in the days leading up to that meeting.

Engineering Director Hatem Mekky provided an update on several major projects his department expects to complete this year and those scheduled for 2026.

One of the most closely watched projects is the interchange at 141st Street and State Road 37, where construction crews are building an underpass for through traffic on State Road 37 and a roundabout for motorists using 141st Street. City officials had previously projected completion by the end of this year. Mekky told the committee he still hopes that timeline can be met but acknowledged the work may stretch into next year. If delayed, he expects the interchange to be finished by spring 2026, completing the long-planned State Road 37 corridor improvements in Fishers.

Another major project is planned near the I-69 Exit 210 interchange, where the existing five-prong roundabout at Olio Road and Southeastern Parkway will be reconfigured into a four-leg roundabout. The plan calls for eliminating one connection, creating a “tear-drop” design at 136th Street, and adding a traffic signal on Olio Road north of the roundabout. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, though no detailed timeline was provided.

“That would hopefully clean up that area, make it easier for people to navigate,” Mekky said. “It will be a two-lane roundabout. If you are coming north on Olio, it will have three lanes at that approach — one dedicated to the I-69 exit, with the other two continuing north and east toward 136th Street.”

Several other projects are nearing completion or set to begin soon:

• This year: The Nickel Plate Trail pedestrian bridge over 96th Street is expected to open, along with the new roundabout at 136th Street and Prairie Baptist Road.

• 2026: Work is scheduled to begin on a roundabout at 131st Street and Brooks School Road, pending utility and right-of-way clearances.

• 2026: Construction is planned along 136th Street between Southeastern Parkway and Prairie Baptist Road, as well as a new roundabout at 96th Street and Cyntheanne Road — currently a four-way stop after being transferred from county to city jurisdiction.

Mekky also highlighted upcoming resurfacing and trail projects.

Other department heads presented their own 2026 budget outlooks. While some departments may see reductions due to state changes in the funding formula, some departments will be asked to redirect funds toward the Health Department due to a large cut in state public health support. Public safety funding is not expected to decrease.

Meanwhile, the Fishers Community Center remains on track to open in November. Community Center Director Mike Lindbloom told committee members that membership sales are progressing well ahead of the facility’s debut.

Summer may be in its final weeks but road construction continues unabated in and around Fishers.  The list is once again long so I would suggest you check the entire listing for any projects that might impact you.

Below is the official listing, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting Monday, Labor Day, September 1:

Continue reading Weekly Fishers area road construction report →

Drivers should expect delays next week as the Hamilton County Highway Department begins temporary lane and ramp closures along 146th Street near Allisonville Road.

Starting on or after Tuesday, Sept. 2, the right lane of westbound 146th Street will be closed between Rosebud Drive and Allisonville Road from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In addition, Saville Road will be closed at 146th Street during that time.

Later in the week, beginning on or after Thursday, Sept. 4, the northwest ramp at 146th and Allisonville will be closed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Drivers will not be able to access westbound 146th Street from Allisonville Road during the closure.

The Highway Department advises motorists to plan ahead, expect delays, and seek alternate routes when possible. Drivers are also urged to use extra caution and follow posted speed limits in the work zone.

Hamilton County’s Highway Department oversees about 600 miles of roadway, 345 bridges, and more than 600 small structures.

The Fishers Arts Council, in partnership with Hamilton County Tourism, will host the sixth annual Harvest Fest on Sunday, Sept. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. along the Nickel Plate Trail in Fishers.

This year’s free, family-friendly festival will feature more than 60 artists, artisans, and authors, as well as ten nonprofit organizations, five live musical performances, children’s activities, and a wide range of food and drink vendors.

The festival, which outgrew its former home at Heritage Park, is expanding this year to the Nickel Plate District, a state-recognized cultural district that provides opportunities for grant support.

“It’s incredible to step back and see how Harvest Fest has grown since 2020,” said Fishers Arts Council Executive Director Les Reinhardt. “While I’m sad to leave the park, the opportunity to grow the event along the Nickel Plate Trail is invigorating.”

The festival route begins at Café Patachou’s patio at 8654 E. 116th St. and extends into seven “art fields” along the trail, ending at Fairway Mortgage, 8911 Technology Drive. A detailed event map, including parking, restrooms, and vendor locations, is available at this link.

Additional support comes from MashCraft – Fishers, which returns as the Beer Garden sponsor for the second year. Fishers Parks and the City of Fishers are also partners, providing logistical and financial assistance.

Nonprofit organizations will be showcased throughout the event, with offerings that include artwork from Janus Developmental Services, historical prints from the Fishers Historical Society, and logo wear from Saving Our Sisters to fund Ivy Tech scholarships for women veterans. Hoosier Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation will host a photo contest and bring Franklin the Snapping Turtle for visitors to meet.

Three new nonprofits are joining this year: Bee Free Bakes, the Hamilton East Public Library Foundation, and the Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation. The Delaware Township Trustee’s Office will once again collect nonperishable food and monetary donations for its food pantry.

Food trucks will also be on site, donating a portion of their proceeds to participating nonprofits.

“Harvest Fest has become more than an art fair — it’s about harvesting funds and raising awareness for organizations that serve Fishers and beyond,” Reinhardt said.

Two Democratic members of the Indiana House Public Health Committee are urging Gov. Micah Braun to lift secrecy requirements placed on his newly created Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy working group.

State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) and State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) criticized the governor’s directive that members of the group sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in order to participate. They argue the move keeps the policy review hidden from both lawmakers and the public.

The working group was established through Executive Order 25-31 in response to rising Medicaid costs. Its purpose is to examine spending on autism therapy services across the state.

Garcia Wilburn said she formally requested to serve on the panel but received no response. Both lawmakers expressed concern that the governor’s approach limits public input in a process that directly affects families who rely on Medicaid for autism services.

“Families across Indiana depend on Medicaid services to access life-changing therapies. They deserve transparency and accountability, not secrecy,” Bauer said in a statement. “It is deeply concerning that decisions affecting real people are being made out of the public eye.”

Garcia Wilburn added that autism services are “too important for closed-door politics,” and said Hoosiers deserve to know how policy decisions are being made, particularly when cost-cutting measures are under consideration.

In a joint statement, Bauer and Garcia Wilburn called on Braun to open the meetings, allow bipartisan participation, and center the discussion on families rather than finances.

The governor’s office has not yet responded publicly to the lawmakers’ concerns.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent Patrick Mapes described Wednesday night’s school board work session as a “celebration” of state standardized test results.

Deputy Superintendent Matt Kegley presented the data, beginning with a reminder about the role of testing in evaluating schools.

“’We know that standardized assessments from the state do not tell the whole picture of our children, of our schools, of our entire district,” Kegley told the board. “But they are a moment in time where we can take a picture and say, how are we doing?”

Kegley then reviewed the results, which show steady and significant improvement since 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning and sharply reduced in-person classroom time.

The latest 2024–2025 scores reflect that rebound and continued growth. Among the highlights:

• IREAD testing: 96% of HSE students passed.

• Elementary schools: 10 of the district’s 13 schools reached a 95% passing rate or higher, and every school scored at least 90%.

• ILEARN testing: Combined English Language Arts and Math scores increased 1.4% compared to the previous year.

Mapes noted that more state data, including graduation rates, will be released soon. He and other administrators praised educators across the district for their work in driving the test scores upward.

Still, district leaders emphasized that improvement remains an ongoing process. Each school will be tasked with developing a new school improvement plan to build on this year’s gains.

Indiana consistently ranks at or near the bottom nationally in voter turnout. Despite high registration numbers, many Hoosiers simply don’t cast ballots when Election Day arrives. Why does this gap exist—and what can be done about it?

Those are among the questions ReCenter Indiana is working to address. The nonprofit group focuses on strengthening civic engagement and exploring ways to improve the state’s political landscape.

In this podcast, ReCenter Indiana Board President Don Knebel joins Larry to discuss the organization’s mission and priorities. Also featured is Jocelyn Vare, a longtime Fishers resident and former local Democratic leader, who was recently appointed as ReCenter’s first executive director. Vare also responds to criticism from some Republicans who argue she is too partisan to lead a centrist organization.

A traffic consultant hired by the City of Fishers has completed a study on possible locations for a traffic signal in the Spyglass neighborhood area along 116th Street. The Board of Public Works and Safety reviewed the findings Tuesday morning and plans to seek feedback from residents before making a final decision.

The study, conducted by A & F Engineering, recommends placing a signal on 116th Street at either Klotz Farm Boulevard or Spyglass Ridge Drive. In addition, the consultant suggested building a connecting street between Laurel Falls Lane and Knightsbridge Boulevard to improve neighborhood traffic flow.

That connector had been the original recommendation from city engineers, but the Board of Works previously voted in favor of adding a traffic signal after hearing concerns from residents in the Spyglass and Spyglass Falls neighborhoods. The new study was commissioned to determine the most suitable intersection for the light.

Mayor Scott Fadness acknowledged the neighborhood connector remains a divisive issue. Some residents support the idea, while others strongly oppose it. He noted that even without the connector, neighborhoods would see benefits from a nearby traffic light, since stopped traffic on 116th Street would make it easier to turn out.

The consultant also concluded that adding another signal between Cumberland Road and Hoosier Road would cause “minimal disruption” for motorists. The study included projections of future traffic growth.

Other board action:

• The city clarified days and hours for parking restrictions in two areas.  The streets involved remain the same. Near King Jugg, restrictions will apply Thursday through Monday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Near the Al Huda mosque, restrictions will remain in place each Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• The board renewed the city’s contract with Fall Creek and Delaware townships to provide fire and emergency services in unincorporated areas outside Fishers city limits.

OfficeWorks has been named No. 13 on the Indianapolis Business Journal’s 2024 list of Central Indiana’s Largest Minority-Owned Businesses, highlighting the company’s growth and its commitment to building workplaces that help people and organizations thrive.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Fishers, OfficeWorks employs 64 full-time staff, with 20 percent of its team identifying as minorities. The company says that diversity, combined with an emphasis on values-driven practices, has been central to its long-term success.

“At OfficeWorks, we believe the outcomes of a business depend on people, places, and actions being perfectly aligned to do their best work,” said Tom O’Neil, chair and CEO of OfficeWorks. “Being recognized among Indiana’s leading minority-owned businesses is an honor that reflects both our team’s dedication and the strong partnerships we have built with clients and our community.”

OfficeWorks provides more than office furniture. The company’s services include workplace experience consulting, interior construction, modular walls, and furniture solutions. As a platinum MillerKnoll dealer and a DIRTT partner, OfficeWorks gives clients access to a range of design resources, products, and research insights.

The company says its guiding principles include delighting customers, fostering a caring workplace, encouraging growth among employees, and supporting the broader community.

Fishers firefighters responded late Saturday night to a residential fire in a townhouse on Gatsby Drive.

No one was home when the fire broke out, and officials say the family was not injured. The blaze did, however, temporarily displace the residents. Fire crews also assisted the family’s pets during the incident.

According to the Fishers Fire Department, quick response and teamwork kept the fire from spreading to neighboring townhomes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The department also reminded residents of the importance of working smoke alarms. Officials recommend testing alarms monthly, changing the batteries at least once a year, and replacing units every 10 years. For assistance with smoke alarm installation, residents may email fire@fishers.in.us or call 317-595-3219.