A new pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Fishers and Carmel will officially open later this month, marking a major milestone in regional trail connectivity and cross-community collaboration.

Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR), in partnership with Clay Township, Hamilton County, Delaware Township, and the City of Fishers, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bur Oak Bridge on Monday, October 20 at 3 p.m. at Hazel Landing Park, 10601 Hazel Dell Parkway in Carmel. The event is open to the public and will also celebrate the reopening of Hazel Landing Park, which had been closed during construction.

Spanning 500 feet across the White River, the new 14-foot-wide bridge connects Hazel Landing Park in Carmel with Heritage Park in Fishers. The bridge provides a scenic, safe route for walkers, runners, and cyclists while linking major trail systems — the Monon Trail, Big-4 Rail Trail, Nickel Plate Trail, and White River Greenway — creating one of the most extensive and interconnected trail networks in the Midwest.

“This bridge will stand as a symbol of collaboration, linking trails, communities, and people,” said Paul Hensel, Clay Township Trustee. “We are excited to see the countless ways it will enhance recreation, mobility, and connection along the White River corridor.”

The $11 million project was funded through a regional partnership that included:

• Clay Township – $5 million through its Impact Program

• Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation – $3 million

• Hamilton County – $1.6 million

• Delaware Township – $1.3 million

• City of Fishers – $400,000

Delaware Township Trustee Debbie Driskell said her township’s investment reflects a long-term commitment to community well-being. “This project not only provides our residents with new opportunities to connect with nature and each other, but it also strengthens the bond between our communities,” Driskell said. “By investing in this bridge, we are investing in regional connectivity, health, and quality of life for generations to come.”

The bridge’s name, Bur Oak Bridge, honors the ecological and cultural importance of the native Bur Oak tree. The name was selected with input from representatives of the Miami, Delaware/Lenape, Shawnee, and Peoria tribes. Interpretive signage at both ends of the bridge will share stories about the White River’s natural and Indigenous heritage.

“This bridge represents our commitment to caring for this land and honoring its stories,” said Michael Klitzing, Director and CEO of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation. “It’s more than a structure – it’s a reminder of our role as thoughtful stewards of the White River Corridor.”

The Bur Oak Bridge is expected to become both a functional link and a regional landmark — a new connection between two communities and a new way to experience Central Indiana’s growing trail system.

The City of Fishers is looking for seasonal, on-call snowplow drivers and backhoe operators to join its Snow Fight Team and help keep the community’s roads clear during the upcoming winter months.

The Fishers Department of Public Works says the temporary, paid positions are ideal for individuals with flexible schedules who want to make a meaningful contribution to the community. Team members play a vital role in ensuring that residents, schools, and emergency services can travel safely when winter weather hits.

City officials say the work is a great opportunity for those who enjoy serving their community and don’t mind braving a little snow.

Interested applicants can apply now through the City of Fishers at this link.

Watch for yet another ramp closure on 146th at Allisonville Road in the construction area.  Below is the statement issued October 8 by Hamilton County:

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Please be advised, beginning on or after Thursday, October 09, 2025, between the hours of 9:00AM and 3:00PM, drivers should expect the southwest ramp at 146th and Allisonville to be closed.

Drivers will not be able to access Allisonville Road from eastbound 146th Street.

Additionally, there will be intermittent closures of the south end of the roundabout for concrete deliveries.

Please use extreme caution and follow the posted work zone speed limit while driving through this construction zone.

School district budgets across Indiana are being squeezed following the General Assembly’s passage of Senate Bill 1 earlier this year. The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District is now grappling with those financial realities as the school board moves closer to approving a total 2026 budget of just under $305 million.

The funding shortfall is also fueling tension between the HSE Education Association (HSEA) and district administrators as the two sides negotiate a new one-year contract.

HSE Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown outlined the district’s fiscal challenges during Wednesday night’s public budget hearing. State support for public schools is based on student enrollment, and this year’s official count shows 409 fewer students enrolled in HSE Schools. Brown said the enrollment drop translates to a loss of about $1 million in the district’s Education Fund, which primarily supports teacher salaries and benefits.

Incoming transfer students—79 in total—offset some of the loss, but rising expenses are adding new pressures. Health insurance premiums are increasing by 10.5% or 16.8% depending on the employee’s chosen plan, significantly impacting both the district and staff.

Five people spoke during the budget hearing’s public comment period.

• The first speaker expressed concern about misinformation surrounding the ongoing teacher negotiations.

• The second praised teachers and argued district officials are not doing enough to support them.

• The third said there is a lack of trust in administrators and board members, urging district leaders to find “creative and equitable” solutions in bargaining.

The final two speakers represented HSEA. Craig Frawley, the union’s lead negotiator, said HSE is the only school district in the Indianapolis metropolitan area proposing what he described as essentially a pay cut for teachers and asked the board to explain why. HSEA President Tyler Zerbe criticized current district leadership for “playing the blame game” by pointing fingers at previous administrations.

Board member Dawn Lang said she has been hearing from residents who are asking what the district is doing to control spending as families face rising living costs.

The HSE School Board is scheduled to take final action on the 2026 budget at its October 22 meeting.

You can see CFO Tim Brown’s presentation to the school board at this link.

Before retiring in 2011, I spent 28 years as a federal civil servant — and during that time, I experienced six government shutdowns. They ranged in length from just one afternoon to the longest shutdown before the Trump administration, which stretched from December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996.

Once a shutdown begins, an odd and inefficient system kicks into gear. A large number of federal employees are sent home, while others are deemed “essential” and must continue to work without pay. Over the years, the definition of “essential” has changed, but the reality has remained the same: no one gets paid until the shutdown ends.

This situation affects about 1.6 million federal workers nationwide. Without paychecks, many will reduce or halt spending, which can ripple through the economy — especially if the shutdown drags on. In past shutdowns, Congress has always passed legislation to pay federal employees retroactively once the government reopens.

However, former President Trump has suggested he could block back pay (at least for some federal workers) once a shutdown is over. Federal law guarantees that employees eventually receive their pay, but if the president’s stance is pursued, it would almost certainly trigger a swift legal challenge. Members of both political parties in Congress appear to agree that workers should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control, so any final deal is likely to include retroactive pay provisions.

Shutdowns tend to become more painful the longer they last. The record-setting shutdown during Trump’s first term lasted over a month, and it only ended after significant disruptions — including breakdowns in the air traffic control system and widespread flight delays. Early signs of similar disruptions are already appearing, with some airports reporting staff shortages among air traffic controllers.

From my own experience, being furloughed was never something I took lightly. I had work to do, and I wanted to do it. It was deeply frustrating to wait for political leaders to set aside their differences and make a decision.

I feel for today’s federal employees who want nothing more than to return to their jobs serving the public. They work hard — sometimes in the spotlight, often behind the scenes — and their absence is felt when the government grinds to a halt.

I urge everyone to contact their members of Congress and encourage them to reach a bipartisan solution. The American people, and the federal employees who serve them, deserve no less.

The Delaware Township Trustee’s Office is launching a new community food drive called “Trick or Eat,” designed to help restock shelves at local food pantries ahead of the holiday season.

The initiative, developed by Beth Myers, Deputy Delaware Township Trustee and Director of Client Services, will take place in conjunction with the City of Fishers’ annual Boo Bash event later this month. The effort will benefit five local food pantries, including the township’s own pantry, which distributes more than 6,000 pounds of food each month to families in need within the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) school district.

Donations of nonperishable food items will be accepted at designated collection points during Boo Bash. All items collected will be distributed among the participating pantries serving residents of the HSE area.

The Trustee’s Office encourages residents attending Boo Bash to bring a canned good or pantry item to contribute.

For more information about the Trick or Eat drive or to learn how to donate, contact the Delaware Township Trustee’s Office or visit the event’s information booth during Boo Bash.

The Fishers Arts Council is inviting Veterans, Reserves, and Active Service Members to submit original artwork for its upcoming November exhibit, Duty, Honor, Creativity. The show will celebrate the creativity of those who have served in the U.S. military.

The exhibit will feature family-friendly, two-dimensional artwork in any medium. Pieces do not need to be military-themed but must be original and ready to hang with a wire. Works may not exceed 60 inches in any direction or weigh more than 30 pounds.

Submissions are due by October 17, and selected artists will be notified by October 24. Accepted pieces can be dropped off at the Art Gallery at City Hall on November 1 from 2–4 p.m. Artists needing alternate drop-off times may contact the Arts Council in advance.

Duty, Honor, Creativity will be on display November 3–26 in the Art Gallery at Fishers City Hall, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.

Additional details and submission guidelines are available at FishersArtsCouncil.org/blog. Questions may be directed to info@fishersartscouncil.org or 317-537-1670 (call or text).

The Fishers Arts Council is a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes visual and performing arts in the community. In addition to its gallery space at City Hall, the council also manages the FAC Hub Gallery at the Collaboration Hub at the Hamilton County Community Foundation.

The Fishers City Council on Monday night formally approved the city’s 2026 budget, totaling $203.6 million across operating, capital, and debt service funds. The spending plan passed unanimously, 7–0, with Councilors Pete Peterson and Cecilia Coble absent.

Mayor Scott Fadness first outlined the details of the proposed budget during the Council’s September session. On Monday, City Controller Lisa Bradford presented the plan for final approval.

Finance Committee Chair John Weingardt described this year’s budget preparation as particularly extensive. “It was a long process. It took months,” he said, adding that “any city in Indiana would love to have our (2026) budget.”

Fishers benefited from recent state legislative changes that allow the city to receive a larger share of revenue from the local option income tax than in prior years. Going forward, cities in Indiana will also have greater authority to set their own local income tax rates within state-established limits.

Other Council Actions

• Lift-Assist Fees for Care Facilities:
  The Council approved an ordinance allowing the Fishers Fire and Emergency Services Department to charge a $1,000 fee to certain care facilities beginning in 2026, after the second non-emergency lift-assist call in a calendar year.
  The department has worked with nursing homes and assisted living facilities to clarify when non-emergency calls should be handled through other means, but the number of such calls has continued to rise. The new fee is intended to help offset the cost of repeated non-emergency responses.

• Car Condominium Definition:
  Council members also held a first reading on proposed amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance. One change would formally define a “Car Condominium” as a facility for long-term vehicle storage, maintenance, and related uses such as workshops or lounges for vehicle enthusiasts. A final vote on the proposal is expected in November.

• Meeting Schedule Adjustment:
  Monday’s meeting was held earlier in the month than usual due to next week’s fall break for Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

The Fishers Police Department is urging parents to talk with their children about safe riding practices following a rise in unsafe and disruptive use of e-bikes, dirt bikes, and motorized scooters by juveniles on city streets and trails.

In a social media m statement released Monday, police said they have received multiple reports of young riders creating safety hazards and disturbances in public spaces. Among the issues reported are kids blocking and riding in traffic, operating on private property, riding recklessly without helmets, damaging property, and showing disrespect toward pedestrians.

Officers have also encountered juveniles riding in large groups that block trails for other users and, in some cases, fleeing from officers attempting to make contact.

Police said that when officers respond to such incidents, parents or guardians will be notified, and in some cases, the bike may be held until an adult retrieves it. The department also announced it is increasing patrols on and around Fishers’ trail network to address the issue.

“We want every child in Fishers to have fun outdoors, but safety must come first,” the department said in its statement. “Unsafe and disorderly behavior will not be tolerated.”

Officials encouraged parents to ensure their children understand safe riding rules and to stay aware of where and how they are using e-bikes and scooters.

“Together, we can keep Fishers safe for everyone,” the statement concluded.

The Indianapolis Recorder is a key part of Indiana history and the story of how African Americans fit into the patchwork we know as Central Indiana. It began as a two-page church directory in 1895. By 1899, the paper had grown to a circulation of more than 20,000 and expanded to eight pages in 1912.

For many years, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, Indianapolis media didn’t pay much attention to what was happening in Black neighborhoods unless there was a crime story. If you wanted that news, the Recorder was the only place in Indianapolis to find it.

Even with today’s struggles in print newspaper media, the Indianapolis Recorder has remained a solid source of news in the local African American community. The circulation continues to be in the thousands.

I recently found an article online in the Recorder about the completion of a new project from Conner Prairie in Fishers. The exhibit is called “Promised Land as Proving Ground.” Reporter Chloe McGowen does a nice job of describing it all in a well-written piece.

I would encourage anyone with an interest in local history to read this story.  It is available at this link . (It appears there is no paywall)