The City of Fishers’ Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant program continues to draw strong interest from local homeowners associations, with demand far exceeding available funding in 2026.

A total of $360,000 was allocated this year for the grant program, which provides funding to HOAs for neighborhood improvements and beautification projects. City officials, led by Mayor Scott Fadness and the City Council, have steadily increased funding for the program over the years.

This year, 66 applications were submitted, requesting more than $1 million in total funding.

Members of the Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant Committee reviewed and scored each application based on criteria established by city staff. Projects receiving the highest scores were considered first as the committee worked its way down the list.

During a meeting Monday, committee members conducted a detailed review of each proposal. In cases where applications contained incomplete information or cost estimates that raised questions, funding amounts were reduced rather than denied outright. The approach allowed the committee to distribute available funds across a greater number of neighborhoods.

Individual grant requests were capped at $25,000, although many applicants sought smaller amounts.

After approximately 90 minutes of deliberation, the committee had effectively allocated its full budget, with recommended awards slightly exceeding the $360,000 available. Final approval of the grants now rests with the Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety, which includes the mayor and two appointed members.  That vote is expected May 12.

The five-member committee—appointed by Mayor Scott Fadness—includes Art Hennig, Eric Steiner, Jason Arnold, Mark LaBarr and Josh Morris. Hennig has served on the panel since 2010, dating back to when Fishers was still a town.

At the conclusion of Monday’s meeting, Planning and Zoning Director Ross Hilleary said neighborhoods selected for funding will be notified by city staff.

Hamilton County officials have rolled out a new online procurement system designed to streamline how businesses connect with the county and compete for government contracts.

The platform, powered by OpenGov, provides a centralized, web-based portal where vendors can view bid opportunities, receive notifications and submit proposals electronically.

County officials say the system replaces older processes with a more modern approach, making it easier for businesses to track and respond to purchasing opportunities.

Through the new portal, vendors can register to receive alerts when new opportunities are posted, review current and upcoming solicitations, and submit proposals directly online. The system also automatically sends updates, amendments and addenda related to specific bids.

Vendor registration is free, and county leaders are encouraging businesses of all sizes to sign up and subscribe to notifications to stay informed about future contracting opportunities.

Officials say the new platform is intended to improve efficiency in the county’s procurement process while also increasing transparency and expanding access for companies interested in working with Hamilton County.

The procurement portal is available through the Hamilton County website under the Bid Opportunities and Solicitation section.

The Indy Ignite added another strong performance Sunday at Fishers Event Center, sweeping the Atlanta Vibe 25-19, 28-26, 27-25 to improve to 18-4 and remain in first place in Major League Volleyball. The victory came three days after Indy clinched a postseason berth, and it left the Ignite 1.5 games ahead of Dallas with six regular-season matches remaining.

Any thought of a letdown after the playoff-clinching win at San Diego did not show up for long. Indy handled the opening set comfortably, then found a way to finish off the final two sets when Atlanta pushed the match into extra points.

Ignite coach Lauren Bertolacci said afterward that Atlanta is the kind of opponent that keeps applying pressure. “It’s good we could manage it and win those,” she told Our Sports Central, noting the value of closing out tight sets late in the season.

Indy again leaned on its veteran firepower. Azhani Tealer led the Ignite with 19 kills while hitting 55.8 percent, and Leketor Member-Meneh added 13 kills. According to the team’s post-match release, the two were especially important late in the second set, combining for eight of Indy’s final nine points to secure the 28-26 win and put the Ignite firmly in control.

Atlanta did not go quietly. Taylor Smith led the Vibe with 12 kills and 14 digs for her second straight double-double, while Anna Dixon provided 11 kills off the bench and Maggie Mendelson added seven kills, two aces and a block. Atlanta coach Kayla Banwarth said her team competed better as the match went on, particularly after a slow start.

The sweep continued what has become a dominant stretch for the Ignite. WTHR described Sunday’s result as another straight-set win for the playoff-bound, league-leading club, which had already improved to 17-4 by rallying past San Diego on April 9 to lock up a championship spot for the second straight season.

Indy’s next match is April 17 at Grand Rapids. The Ignite then return home April 19 to face Dallas in what could be one of the most important regular-season matches left on the schedule.

The Indy Fuel picked up two critical points Sunday, but their playoff fate remains very much in doubt.

With the 4-3 shootout win over the Iowa Heartlanders, Indy now has 76 points and sits in third place in the ECHL’s Western Conference Central Division. Close behind, both Bloomington Bison and Cincinnati Cyclones have 75 points, Kalamazoo has 74, leaving little margin for error.

The top four teams in the division qualify for the playoffs, and the Fuel have just two regular-season games remaining—both on the road—against strong opponents in Fort Wayne on Wednesday and Wheeling on Saturday. Those games could ultimately determine whether Indy reaches the postseason.

Sunday’s win in Iowa did not come easily.

The Heartlanders struck first when Isaac Johnson scored an unassisted goal just 3:31 into the opening period. Iowa controlled much of the early play, outshooting Indy 14-9 and carrying a 1-0 lead into the second.

Iowa extended the advantage early in the second period on a goal by Elliot Desnoyers, but the Fuel responded. Defenseman Matt Petgrave cut the deficit in half and, in the process, set a new franchise single-season record for points by a defenseman with 45.

Later in the period, Cody Laskosky tied the game with a power-play goal, evening the score at 2-2 heading into the third.

Indy briefly took its first lead of the game when Alex DiPaolo scored early in the third period, but Iowa answered quickly to tie it at 3-3. Despite several late chances and five total power-play opportunities, the Fuel could not regain the lead in regulation.

After a scoreless overtime, the game moved to a shootout that stretched six rounds.

Goaltender Owen Flores proved to be the difference, stopping five of six Iowa shooters. Marcus Joughin and Jadon Joseph each converted in the shootout to secure the victory.

Indy outshot Iowa 34-32 overall, but led for only about three minutes of game time.

Now, with the standings tightly packed and no room for missteps, the Fuel head into their final two games knowing every point could make the difference between extending their season—or heading home early.

A recent claim about which Indianapolis television news operation is “number one” has sparked a public back-and-forth — and a closer look shows the answer is not as simple as it once was.

Jacob Stewart, an opinion columnist for The Indianapolis Star, recently wrote that WTHR holds the top spot in the local market. That prompted a response on social media from Angela Ganote of WXIN (Fox59), who countered that her station is actually No. 1.

So, who is right?

In today’s fragmented media environment, both sides can make a case — depending on how “number one” is defined.

Stewart’s claim is rooted in a recent Federal Communications Commission filing tied to the proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc.. Nexstar owns Fox59, while Tegna owns WTHR. The deal has been stalled by a federal court injunction, with a final ruling still pending.

That FCC filing cites Nielsen data showing WTHR ranked No. 1 overall in the Indianapolis market, with Fox59 a close second. The ranking is based on total audience share across a broad broadcast day, not a single newscast.

That distinction matters.

Television ratings are typically broken into “dayparts” — morning, midday, evening and late night — and it is common for different stations to lead in different time slots. A station may dominate mornings, for example, while another leads at 11 p.m. Without seeing those individual breakdowns, a single “No. 1” label can oversimplify the picture.

The FCC filing also suggests WTHR generates more overall revenue, another traditional indicator of market strength.

But television is no longer just television.

Digital platforms now play a major role in how audiences consume local news, and by that measure, Fox59 appears to have the edge. Publicly available web traffic estimates consistently show Fox59 drawing significantly more online visitors than its competitors, indicating a larger digital audience.

On another major platform — YouTube — the advantage shifts again. WTHR’s channel leads the Indianapolis market with roughly 385,000 subscribers, well ahead of other local stations.

The bottom line: there is no single, universally accepted measure of “number one” anymore.

On traditional broadcast ratings, the best publicly available data points to WTHR as the market leader, with Fox59 close behind. On digital platforms, particularly web traffic, Fox59 appears to hold the top spot. On YouTube, WTHR leads again.

In other words, the answer depends on which scoreboard you are using — and in today’s media landscape, there are several.

The Indy Fuel built an early two-goal advantage but could not hold on Saturday night, falling 4-3 to the Iowa Heartlanders in a Central Division matchup.

After a slow start to the opening period, the Fuel struck first at 13:01 when Chris Cameron fired a shot from the point for a 1-0 lead. Indy added to that margin late in the period as Jadon Joseph split two defenders and finished a breakaway goal, giving the Fuel a 2-0 edge heading into the first intermission.

The momentum shifted in the second period. Iowa cut the deficit in half at 6:06 on a goal by Matthew Argentina, then quickly tied the game at 8:14 when Cameron Butler scored on one of two rapid-fire shots by the Heartlanders.

The Fuel responded midway through the period. Jesse Tucker found the net at 12:49, assisted by Matt Petgrave, restoring a 3-2 Indy lead. Despite several penalties on both sides and a late power-play opportunity, the Fuel carried that one-goal advantage into the third.

Iowa drew even early in the final period, with Keltie Jeri-Leon scoring at 2:01 to make it 3-3. The Fuel had multiple chances on the power play later in the period but were unable to convert.

The decisive moment came during 4-on-4 play at 13:23, when Butler scored his second goal of the night to give Iowa its first lead at 4-3.

Indy pulled its goaltender in the final minutes, but could not find the equalizer. Despite outshooting Iowa 37-24, the Fuel were unable to capitalize on their chances and dropped the one-goal decision.

The loss comes as the Fuel continue to battle for positioning in a tight Central Division playoff race.

If Dixie Wooten had any concerns about a letdown following last week’s statement win over Arizona, his team quickly put those to rest Saturday night.

The Fishers Freight turned in a dominant performance at the Fishers Event Center, defeating the Iowa Barnstormers 63-33.

Fishers took control by capitalizing on Iowa’s special teams mistakes, most notably a blocked kick late in the first half that set up a short touchdown drive from the 10-yard line.

The contest was competitive early, but that pivotal sequence helped swing momentum decisively in the Freight’s favor. Iowa answered with a late first-half drive, aided by three Fishers penalties, to score as time expired. Still, the Freight held a comfortable 32-19 lead at the break.

The second half belonged entirely to Fishers.

The Freight extended their lead to 52-26 by the end of the third quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach. Entering the game as 16.5-point favorites, Fishers had little trouble covering the spread.

Offensively, it was a familiar formula under Wooten—establishing the running game early and using it to open up the passing attack. With the outcome well in hand in the fourth quarter, quarterback Felix Harper ceded snaps to wide receiver Jordan Davis, who handled the offense in the closing minutes.

Wooten also dipped into his bag of tricks with an onside kick attempt—one of his signature calls—but despite the Freight recovering the ball, the play was negated by an offsides penalty. A coach’s challenge did not overturn the ruling.

Iowa, now under first-year head coach Andre Coles, continues to rebuild after a one-win season in 2025. The Barnstormers have overhauled much of their roster, but Saturday’s result underscored that the process remains a work in progress.

The Freight now hit the road for back-to-back games, traveling to face the Tulsa Oilers next Saturday before visiting Iowa the following week.

Fishers returns home to the Fishers Event Center on Saturday, May 2, for a key matchup against the Green Bay Blizzard.

As we enter the heart of the spring season, we see a busy road construction listing from the City of Fishers.

Here is the complete list, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting the week of Sunday, April 12:

Continue reading Weekly road construction report for the week starting Sunday, April 12 →