Even with the winter weather we’ve experienced, there is news on the road construction front.  The city once again is including reminders on how snow removal works and what residents need to know.

Here is the report for the week starting Monday, February 2, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Weekly Road Construction Report for Week of February 2 →

In this week’s Friday’s With Larry Podcast, I am doing something a bit different.  Instead of reviewing the week’s news, I talk about myself and my background.  I am often asked about that as I talk with people throughout the local community so I will talk mostly about myself in this edition of the podcast.

Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Find my podcast, video version at this link or audio at this link….or, use the links below.

The Indy Ignite continued a strong start to the Major League Volleyball season Thursday night, defeating the Atlanta Vibe 3–1 at the Fishers Event Center in front of an energetic home crowd.

Indy opened the match in control, taking the first set 25–18 behind aggressive serving and steady play at the net. Atlanta answered in the second set, using a decisive scoring run to pull away for a 25–16 win and even the match.

The Ignite regrouped quickly in the third set, reestablishing momentum with a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive play to claim a 25–19 victory. Indy closed out the match in the fourth set, winning 25–18 to secure the 3–1 result.

Indianapolis native Raven Colvin delivered a solid all-around performance for the Ignite, finishing with six kills, three blocks and two service aces. Her play helped stabilize the match after Atlanta’s second-set surge and fueled Indy’s push in the final two sets.

Atlanta was led by Leah Edmond, who posted a team-high 13 kills and added 10 digs, while Aiko Jones contributed six kills, four blocks and 12 digs in a strong defensive effort. Despite the Vibe’s resilience, Indy’s depth and consistency proved to be the difference down the stretch.

The match marked another early-season home appearance for the Ignite at the Fishers Event Center, the 7,500-seat venue that opened in late 2024 and has quickly become a focal point for professional volleyball and major sporting events in central Indiana.

Fans filled the arena for the 7 p.m. first serve, adding to the growing atmosphere surrounding women’s professional volleyball in the region. With the win, the Ignite improved their record and continued to build momentum as the season progresses, looking ahead to upcoming home matches with confidence.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools will operate on a two-hour delay on Friday, January 30, as extremely cold weather continues to linger across the area.

District officials said the later start will allow additional time for school buses to warm up and will improve daylight visibility for students waiting at bus stops, while still keeping the instructional day on track.

Families are encouraged to ensure students are dressed appropriately for the cold morning conditions.

As part of the adjusted schedule, HSE Preschool classes, both morning and afternoon sessions, are canceled for the day. Students enrolled in HSF Academy will continue with eLearning as previously scheduled.

HSE Schools has made several schedule adjustments this week in response to ongoing winter weather and cold temperatures, saying they are prioritizing student safety while maintaining learning opportunities whenever possible.

I do not often miss meetings of the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board, but after missing Tuesday night’s session, it was clear from the discussion that some board members believe they are not receiving financial information in a timely manner—while Superintendent Patrick Mapes strongly disagrees, insisting the district is more transparent now than under the previous administration.

The disagreement surfaced during what is typically a routine agenda item: a review of district finances required annually by state law. While little new financial information was presented, board member Suzanne Thomas used the opportunity to read a prepared statement.

Thomas praised the district’s finance staff but expressed concern about the timing and presentation of information provided to the board.

“My concern is not that information is being withheld,” Thomas said. “It is that the timing and framing of the information may not be giving the board the opportunity to provide proactive oversight. As a board, our role is not to manage finances—we do not get into the weeds—but it is important to anticipate risk, ask questions early, and understand trends before they become urgent.”

Superintendent Mapes responded sharply, saying he took Thomas’ comments personally.

“We’re as transparent as the place has ever been before,” Mapes said. “And so I take offense to the comment, because the comment is directed at me.”

Thomas replied that her statement was not directed at Mapes personally, but rather at the overall financial reporting process.

Board member Dawn Lang voiced her support for the current process and said she disagreed with Thomas’ assessment.

Board member Latricia Schooley said she took issue with the tone of the superintendent’s response, while also acknowledging the work of the district’s finance staff.

“But what’s not in those reports are contracts that just disappear, like $240,000 to a broker,” Schooley said. “That was not commission. So there are things that are not presented, such as vendor relationships. That is coming from the top down. I expect, in the future, when our administration addresses the board, they do so in a respectful manner.”

Board member Sarah Parks Reese said concerns raised by some members about policy should be addressed and also said she had issues with the tone of comments made to the board.

Schooley added that she has made what she described as simple requests for information that were denied, noting that such requests could be verified through public records requests.

The disagreement over financial transparency was one of several signs of growing divisions on the seven-member board.

Earlier in the meeting, board member Juanita Albright proposed an amendment to board policy that would eliminate compensation for board members attending meetings. The proposal failed on a 4–3 vote, with Ben Orr, Suzanne Thomas, Latricia Schooley, and Sarah Parks Reese voting against the change.

Albright has recently filed as a candidate for an Indiana State Senate seat.

Young adult Hoosiers care deeply about public issues but remain largely disconnected from the political process, including voting, according to new research released Wednesday by ReCenter Indiana Inc.

The nonpartisan study found that distrust of government, disappointment with politics and practical barriers on Election Day are major reasons many young adults do not vote, even though many say they want to participate.

According to the Tufts University CIRCLE 2024 youth voting report, just 39% of young Hoosiers voted in the 2024 general election, placing Indiana among the lowest-performing states and well below the national young adult turnout rate of 47%.

ReCenter Indiana’s research focused specifically on non-voters. The organization surveyed 307 Central Indiana residents ages 18 to 34 who were registered to vote but did not cast a ballot in the 2024 general election. The survey was statistically representative and included both online and phone interviews, along with a focus group discussion.

“Young adult non-voters are not apathetic. They really care — but they are distrustful of government, disappointed by politics and impeded by Election Day barriers,” said Jocelyn Vare, executive director of ReCenter Indiana. Vare presented the findings at the All IN For Democracy press conference at the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Among the key findings, a majority of respondents said they do not believe their voices influence government decisions or election outcomes, and many feel the government is not listening to people like them. Pessimism about the future was also widespread, with half of respondents describing their outlook as pessimistic or negative.

The study found that the most common reason young adults gave for not voting was the belief that their vote “doesn’t matter.” Other barriers varied by party affiliation, gender and identity, with some respondents citing dissatisfaction with the candidates, while others pointed to personal obligations or missed deadlines.

Nearly half of those surveyed — 45% — said they have never voted. Those respondents were more likely to cite distrust of the electoral process or a lack of information than respondents who had voted in the past.

Despite those challenges, the research indicates that many young adults remain open to civic participation. When asked whether they would vote in the upcoming year, 35% said they would “definitely” vote, and many others reported an above-average likelihood of doing so.

The study also identified several practical obstacles that make it difficult for young adults to turn intent into action, including work schedules, long lines at polling places, limited Election Day hours and lack of awareness about early voting options.

The research was funded by a grant from the Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation and conducted jointly by Bellwether Research, which typically works with Republican candidates and causes, and Hart Research, whose clients are typically Democrats. Fieldwork took place in late October 2025.

A summary of the findings, along with statements from focus group participants, survey details and links to the full report and crosstab data, is available at ReCenter Indiana’s website.