The City of Fishers says results from its 2026 Community Survey show residents remain highly satisfied with life in the city, citing strong ratings for public safety, schools, and city services.

According to the survey, nearly 3,000 residents participated, with 94 percent rating Fishers positively as a place to live. In addition, 99 percent reported a positive overall quality-of-life experience.

“These results reflect a community that is moving forward together,” Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said in a statement. “As a mayor, there’s nothing more fulfilling than to see survey results with overwhelmingly high numbers in support of everything from city services to quality-of-life amenities.”

Residents identified public safety, city services, and schools among the city’s strongest attributes.

More than 9 out of 10 residents surveyed said they feel safe in Fishers, including 93 percent who reported feeling safe in their neighborhoods at night. City services also received high marks, with 89 percent giving positive ratings for customer service.

The survey also showed continued strong support for Hamilton Southeastern Schools, with 96 percent of residents rating the quality of K-12 education positively.

Fishers City Council President John DeLucia said the results demonstrate alignment between residents and city leadership.

“As Fishers continues to be a national model for innovation and quality of life, these results show strong alignment between residents and City leadership which will allow us to continue to be on the leading edge of communities,” DeLucia said.

City officials said the survey also reflected a strong sense of community engagement and civic pride. More than 9 in 10 residents reported a strong sense of belonging and pride in the city, with many indicating participation in local events, volunteer activities, and civic organizations.

Residents also pointed to neighborhood quality and community design as important factors contributing to overall satisfaction with the city.

“Our employees are passionate about serving residents, and these results reflect their hard work and commitment every day,” Fadness said. “It’s especially meaningful to hear directly from residents that their dedication is building trust and delivering results.”

The OneZone Chamber of Commerce has announced a new partnership with Advantage 1 Health aimed at helping small businesses gain access to more affordable healthcare coverage options.

The program, backed by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is designed specifically for small employers seeking ways to control rising healthcare costs while continuing to offer competitive employee benefits.

According to the chamber, the Advantage 1 Health plan combines large-group purchasing power with customizable medical, dental and vision coverage options through Anthem. The program also includes stop-loss protection intended to shield employers from unexpectedly high medical claims.

“OneZone Chamber is proud to offer solutions that help local businesses remain competitive,” said Jack Russell in a news release. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and access to affordable healthcare remains one of the biggest challenges many employers face.”

The plan provides access to Anthem’s BlueCard provider network, along with virtual healthcare services, wellness programs, mental health resources and administrative support tools.

Chamber officials said the partnership is intended to benefit both employers and employees by making healthcare coverage more predictable and affordable, while also supporting economic growth through local chamber organizations across Indiana.

Businesses interested in additional information or obtaining a quote can visit OneZone Chamber and select the “Initiatives” section for details about the Advantage 1 Health program.

Country-rock rising stars Ole 60 will bring their “Off The Grid Tour” to the Fishers Event Center on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.

The Kentucky-based six-piece band announced the international 38-date tour this week. Support acts for the Fishers stop will include Kolton Moore & The Clever Few and Garret Elias.

Venue presale tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, May 20 at 10 a.m. using the password “GRID60.” General public ticket sales begin Thursday, May 21 at 10 a.m. through Fishers Event Center.

Ole 60 has rapidly emerged as one of country music’s fastest-growing new acts. The band, formed in Hancock County, Kentucky, gained national attention in 2024 with the song “smoke & a light,” which topped Spotify’s U.S. Viral Top 50 chart. Their debut EP, three twenty four, also climbed to the top of Apple Music’s Country Albums chart.

The group blends country, indie rock and folk influences, drawing inspiration from artists ranging from Smashing Pumpkins and Metallica to Radiohead and John Prine.

Ole 60 recently completed an extended tour supporting its debut album, Smokestack Town. Industry publications have praised the band’s storytelling style and genre-crossing sound, helping fuel more than 700 million global career streams.

The group also recently released a surprise follow-up single titled “Can’t Take It With You.”

In this podcast edition, I take a deep dive into the new interlocal agreement between the City of Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern Schools involving the management and operation of athletic facilities.

My guest is longtime educator and athletic administrator Jim Self, who has been selected to lead this new joint operation. Under the agreement, Self remains an HSE Schools employee while also working directly with the City of Fishers in a unique shared leadership role.

We discuss how the partnership came together, what it means for student-athletes and the community, how facilities will be managed, and whether this model could become a blueprint for other Indiana communities. We also talk about the growing role sports and sports tourism play in Fishers and what success for this partnership could look like in the years ahead.

You can listen to the podcast at this link or the link below.

With the Indiana primary election now complete, voters know the major party candidates who will appear on the November 3 general election ballot, with only a few close races elsewhere in the state still awaiting possible recounts.

But another important election season is just beginning — local school board races.

In the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District, which includes all of Fishers along with Delaware, Fall Creek and Wayne townships, four of the seven school board seats will be on the ballot this fall. Candidates run within specific geographic districts, and voters may only cast ballots for candidates in the district where they reside.  You can find a map of the four districts at this link.

This year’s school board elections will look different because of a major change in Indiana law approved by the General Assembly.

In the past, Indiana school board elections were officially nonpartisan, meaning candidates appeared on the ballot without a political party designation. Beginning with the 2026 election cycle, that changes.

Gov. Mike Braun signed Senate Bill 287 into law in 2025, allowing school board candidates to identify with a political party on the ballot if they choose.

Under the new law, candidates may:

• Declare a Republican or Democratic affiliation,
• Run as an independent,
• Or choose not to list any party affiliation.

However, several elements of the old system remain in place:

• There are still no primary elections for school board races.
• Candidates file directly for the November general election ballot.
• Straight-ticket voting does not apply to school board contests.

The filing period for school board candidates opens Tuesday, May 19, and closes at noon on Thursday, June 18.

The new law also includes a provision allowing county political parties to challenge a candidate’s claimed party affiliation if that candidate did not vote in the party’s last two primary elections or lacks certification from the county party chair.

Locally, one current HSE board member is unlikely to seek another term. Juanita Albright recently won the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 31, and under Indiana law, an individual generally cannot simultaneously hold two elected offices that both provide compensation.

It remains unclear whether the other three incumbents whose seats are up this year will file for re-election.

As the filing process begins, LarryInFishers.com will track candidate filings and announcements as they are confirmed through the Hamilton County Election Office.

School board members make decisions that directly affect students, teachers, taxpayers and the future direction of the community’s public schools. Voters would be well served to learn about the candidates and their positions on the many issues facing public education before heading to the polls this fall.

Look for another busy week coming up on the road construction front in the Fishers.  Here is the full listing, for the week starting Sunday, May 17, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Road construction update for the week starting Sunday, May 17 →