Monthly Archives: July 2026

Another heat advisory issued for Fishers area as heat index could reach 102

Fishers and much of central Indiana will face another day of dangerous heat and humidity Thursday.

The National Weather Service has continued a Heat Advisory from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday, July 16. Heat index values—the combination of air temperature and humidity—could reach 102 degrees.

The advisory covers portions of central, east-central, north-central and west-central Indiana. The National Weather Service warns that the high temperatures and humidity could lead to heat-related illnesses.

Residents are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, remain in air-conditioned locations when possible and avoid extended exposure to the sun. People should also check on relatives, neighbors and others who may be particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.

Anyone who must spend time outside should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. Strenuous outdoor activities should be limited to the early morning or evening whenever possible.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea or fainting. Anyone experiencing those symptoms should move to a cooler location, loosen clothing and drink water.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Warning signs may include confusion, loss of consciousness or a very high body temperature. Call 911 immediately if heat stroke is suspected.

Children and pets should never be left unattended inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time. Vehicle interiors can quickly reach deadly temperatures during hot weather.

Fishers Resists Marks Nearly a Year of Weekly Protests, Plans Counter-Rally August 1

If you’ve driven along 116th Street at Municipal Drive in downtown Fishers on a Wednesday afternoon, you’ve likely seen them — a group of demonstrators holding placards near the Municipal Complex. They are members of Fishers Resists, and they’ve been at that corner every Wednesday from 4-6pm since September of 2025.

I had seen the group before and decided to stop and talk with them.

Amy Klodzen, one of the Fishers Resists demonstrators, told me the group has kept its weekly vigil at the same spot for nearly a year now. When I asked why she is part of the protest, her answer was direct: “this regime.”

“We see the problem with where our country’s at, and we just feel like a lot of people maybe are too busy to see it,” Klodzen said. “If they see us out here, then we’ll get them thinking.”

About 10 people were participating when I stopped by around 4:30pm. As I wrapped up my interview with Klodzen, more demonstrators were arriving.

The issue currently front-of-mind for Fishers Resists is a “mass deportation” rally scheduled for August 1 in Fishers, organized by a group calling itself Save Heritage Indiana. Organizers say the event will begin at 7pm, but the exact location will not be disclosed to attendees until shortly beforehand, citing security concerns. Former U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino is scheduled to speak, and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is expected to deliver pre-recorded video remarks.

“We want to be out there in opposition to that,” said Klodzen. “In my heart, that’s not what Fishers is.”

Fishers Resists, the local chapter of the national Indivisible movement, has announced its own response: a “Hoosier Hospitality” rally in support of local immigrants, set for 3-6pm on August 1 at Roy G. Holland Memorial Park.

In the meantime, Fishers Resists is hoping to build a bigger presence at its Wednesday protests. The group also holds a second weekly demonstration on Mondays at 116th Street and Brooks School Road.

 

Fishers begins work on 2027 budget; Fieldhouse costs discussed

Fishers officials have started preparing the city’s 2027 budget, with the process expected to follow much the same schedule as last year’s budget cycle.

Department heads are meeting with the mayor’s office to outline their funding needs for 2027, the City Council Finance Committee was told Wednesday night.

The Finance Committee will begin its detailed review of the proposed spending plan in late August or early September. That work will include projections of expected city revenue and presentations from department heads explaining their budget requests for the coming year.

The proposed budget is scheduled to go before the full City Council in September. A required public hearing will be held before council members consider final approval in October.

Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren also provided the committee with an update on the financial arrangement for the planned Fishers Fieldhouse.

Hultgren said the “high-water mark” for the city’s annual Fieldhouse-related expense is expected to be $4.5 million. Once the facility is operating, revenue generated by the Fieldhouse is expected to offset a portion of that expense.

Under the planned arrangement, Buckingham Companies will finance, construct and own the Fieldhouse, with the city leasing the facility. Hultgren described the agreement as a landlord-tenant relationship between Buckingham and the city.

The lease will run for 30 years. At the end of that period, ownership of the Fieldhouse will transfer to the City of Fishers.

The $65 million, 180,000-square-foot Fieldhouse is planned as part of the continuing expansion of Fishers District. It will accommodate youth basketball and volleyball leagues and tournaments while serving as the headquarters and practice facility for the Indy Ignite professional women’s volleyball team.

Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the Fieldhouse projected to open in late 2027 or early 2028.

Fishers Teens Get a Front-Row Seat to Medicine at Ascension St. Vincent’s HCAMP

Students work together responding to a mock mass casualty event

For one week each summer, a select group of local high school students trades the classroom for the hospital floor. The Healthcare Academy for Medical Professions (HCAMP), hosted by Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, is a free, highly competitive weeklong day camp that puts teens on the front lines of medicine. Students must apply and be selected to participate, and each year the program draws far more applicants than it can accept.

Throughout the week, campers move through a curriculum most nursing students would envy. In Stop the Bleed training, students learn critical, life-saving wound-packing and tourniquet techniques. Surgery Day puts orthopedic surgery tools in their hands and lets them try cutting-edge robotic surgery simulators — the same technology transforming operating rooms across the country.

Then the intensity ramps up. The Mass Casualty Simulation challenges students to work in teams to triage and treat multiple “patients” in a fast-paced, simulated disaster scenario, making split-second decisions about who needs care first. The week culminates in the Trauma Simulation, a heart-pounding finale inside the Emergency Department where students manage a critical trauma case from arrival through stabilization.

I got a peek at the Mass Casualty Simulation this week, watching students work in teams to assess and treat a range of injuries in a mock emergency setting. What struck me was how quickly these teens shifted from nervous observers to confident participants, communicating like a real care team.

Aleks Overbey, President of Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, welcomed the students on the camp’s first day and checked in on their work throughout the week. His presence underscores how seriously the hospital takes this program — not as a public relations exercise, but as an investment in the next generation of caregivers.

That investment matters. HCAMP is offered at zero cost to selected students, funded through the hospital’s community benefit dollars, removing financial barriers that might otherwise keep talented teens out. The program builds a rare bridge between local youth and the working medical community, sparking interest in nursing, surgery, emergency medicine, and respiratory therapy at a moment when the healthcare system needs new professionals more than ever.

For some students, that spark is already catching. Paige McGuckin, entering her senior year at Hamilton Southeastern High School, told me she plans to apply to nursing school.

Watch my brief video conversation with Aleks Overbey and Paige McGuckin below.

Podcast: Fishers Real Estate Market with Laura Turner

Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market in Fishers? According to veteran local realtor Laura Turner, the answer is: both — and neither.

In our latest podcast, Turner, a real estate agent with F.C. Tucker and one of the top-producing agents in the Indianapolis metro area, returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation about a housing market that has changed dramatically since her last visit.

Turner describes Hamilton County as “almost three separate real estate markets.” Carmel is still selling like crazy, higher-value homes in Fishers are flying off the market, and the middle tier — homes in the $400,000 to $600,000 range — faces stiff competition from a wave of new construction. Inventory is up about 10 percent across the region, giving buyers more choices than they’ve had in years, yet homes are still moving swiftly, with days on market up only slightly.

We dig into some of the biggest forces shaping the market right now. Turner weighs in on the national argument that America’s housing crisis is really a retirement crisis, with baby boomers aging in place rather than listing their homes — and how a few builders are finally catching on with low-maintenance products aimed at that generation. She shares her take on the new federal housing bill encouraging multi-family construction, and on the rental-housing ordinances in Fishers and Carmel that were overturned by the state legislature.

For buyers, Turner offers practical guidance: how far ahead to start a home search, when to bid above asking, and how assumable mortgages and builder rate buy-downs can ease the sting of today’s interest rates. She has candid advice for first-time buyers facing a median price above $400,000 — starting with skipping the luxury apartment and banking the difference toward a down payment. Sellers get a reality check too: the days of naming your own price and adding $40,000 over the comps are over.

Turner also looks ahead 12 months with her crystal ball, predicting more inventory and a healthier, more balanced market — roughly 60/40 in favor of buyers, by her estimate. And she closes with an unvarnished look at what it really takes to succeed as a full-time realtor, a profession where only a fraction of the 7,600 agents on her board make it their livelihood.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just watching your home’s value, this conversation is full of local insight you won’t find in national headlines.

The LarryInFishers Podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full interview at this link or the link below.

Heat advisory issued for Hamilton County as index could reach 102

Hamilton County residents are being urged to take precautions as another round of dangerous heat and humidity moves into central Indiana.

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory from noon until 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. Heat index values—the combination of temperature and humidity—could reach 102 degrees.

The advisory covers portions of central, east-central, north-central and west-central Indiana. The National Weather Service warns that the hot temperatures and high humidity could cause heat-related illnesses.

Hamilton County Emergency Management recommends staying indoors during the hottest hours of the afternoon whenever possible. Residents should drink plenty of water, take cool showers and spend time in air-conditioned locations.

Anyone who must work or spend time outdoors should pace themselves, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. Strenuous activities should be limited to the early morning or evening when possible.

Residents are also encouraged to check on relatives, neighbors and others who may be especially vulnerable to the heat.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke should take immediate action to cool down and seek appropriate medical assistance. Children and pets should never be left unattended in a parked vehicle, even for a short time.

Why the Hamilton County 4-H Fair has no midway or carnival rides

A tractor and American flags, ready for the start of the Hamilton County Fair.

People new to Hamilton County often ask me a question about the county fair: Why is there no midway or carnival rides?

I recently posed that question to Maggie Herrington, Health and Human Sciences program assistant with the Purdue Extension office in Hamilton County.

“This is a 4-H fair,” Herrington said. “Our focus here is on the 4-H’ers, all of their hard work and outstanding achievements. We have lots of activities for public participation and for families.”

In other words, the Hamilton County 4-H Fair is intentionally different from many traditional county fairs. Instead of commercial carnival attractions, the emphasis remains on 4-H members, their projects and a family-friendly atmosphere.

The 2026 fair is scheduled for July 16–20 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds on Pleasant Street in Noblesville, near State Road 37 and the Noblesville Post Office.

When I asked Herrington which attractions are the most popular with fairgoers, she answered with two words: food and animals.

“We have a fantastic food court here,” Herrington said. “One of the secrets about our food court is they are all local nonprofit service organizations that provide the food here at the 4-H fair—the Extension Homemakers, some of our 4-H clubs and other service organizations here in the county. No for-profit food trucks at this fair.”

The arrangement means money spent at the food court supports local clubs and nonprofit organizations rather than commercial vendors.

Although communities such as Fishers have experienced rapid development and population growth, agriculture remains an important part of Hamilton County’s history and identity. Large portions of the county remain farmland.

“Just a short drive north of here, Hamilton County still is quite rural,” Herrington said.

The fair provides an opportunity for residents from the county’s increasingly suburban areas to see livestock, agricultural exhibits and the work of young people involved in 4-H.

“All the old favorites are here, all of the traditional activities that everyone looks forward to—the showmanships, the fashion revue and the ice cream contest,” Herrington said. “We also have a lot of great new activities this year.”

Those additions include a gaming day, a children’s entrepreneurship afternoon and a cornhole tournament.

The fair also features contests, animal shows, exhibits, food and activities in which members of the public can participate.

The complete schedule, fairgrounds map and other information are available on the Hamilton County 4-H Fair website.

Youngsters gather at the Bicentennial Pavillion in pre-fair activities
This will be a busy place starting July 16

Overnight closures planned this week at 82nd Street and I-69

Fishers residents who use the 82nd Street and I-69 interchange to travel to and from the Indianapolis area should prepare for overnight ramp, lane and road closures this week as work continues on the Clear Path 465 project, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced.

Crews will perform overhead bridge work, install pavement markings and move barrier walls in northeast Indianapolis.

New traffic signals are also expected to be installed this weekend at 75th Street and Binford Boulevard. That work was rescheduled after rain last weekend. Delays are expected during Saturday’s installation, and drivers should plan ahead and seek alternate routes when possible.

Scheduled restrictions

Wednesday, July 15 (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.)

  • Ramp from 82nd Street to northbound I-69 closed
  • Westbound 82nd Street closed under I-69
  • One lane closed on northbound I-69 over 82nd Street (only affects traffic coming from northbound I-465)

Thursday, July 16 (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.)

  • Westbound 82nd Street closed under I-69 for overhead bridge work

Friday, July 17 at 9 p.m. to Saturday, July 18 at 6 p.m.

  • 75th Street reduced to one lane in each direction between Kitley Avenue and Knue Road
  • Binford Boulevard reduced to one lane in each direction between the I-69/I-465 interchange and 71st Street
  • Up to 10-minute stoppages on 75th Street and Binford Boulevard during signal installation

Emergency access will be maintained on 82nd Street. INDOT said dates and planned work may change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Speed enforcement remains active

The Indiana Safe Zones speed control program remains active in the Clear Path construction zone. The program uses automated systems to monitor speeds in designated work zones, with the goal of protecting workers, drivers and passengers by reducing excessive speeding. Motorists are urged to slow down and avoid distractions in construction zones.

Fishers approves early construction hours for CityView project

Rebar CEO Tom Dickey, speaking before the Board of Works

Rebar Development will be permitted to begin certain construction work before 7 a.m. as crews continue work on the CityView project at 116th Street and Lantern Road in downtown Fishers.

The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety approved the early-start waiver Tuesday morning. Rebar CEO Tom Dickey told board members that summer heat can create problems with concrete temperatures and add costs associated with cooling the concrete.

The concrete work requiring the earlier hours is expected to be completed by Aug. 10.

Dickey said the city has received one complaint from a resident of a nearby apartment building. The resident reported purchasing noise-reduction equipment to lessen the effects of the early construction activity. Rebar plans to offer her a stipend to help cover that expense.

Mayor Scott Fadness said there is a public-policy reason for allowing the work to be completed “as soon as possible.” He also asked what residents should expect during later stages of construction.

Dickey said framing work will begin soon, bringing the sound of nail guns before 6 a.m. That work will start near the 116th Street end of the site. As construction moves south, however, residents of the nearby apartments will experience more of the noise.

“There is some logic for allowing an earlier start,” Fadness said. “I think if people just know when these things are going to occur, that makes a huge difference.”

In other business Tuesday, the board:

  • Awarded the final four Neighborhood Vibrancy Grants of the current round, totaling more than $67,000. Grants went to Northfield Estates, Cumberland Place Village, Intracoastal at Geist and Tremont.
  • Approved bids for restroom facilities at athletic complexes for Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High School.
  • Approved sewer grants, agreements and a contract involving the Hyde Park and Lynwood Hills neighborhoods.

Free World Cup final watch party planned at Fishers Event Center plaza

 

Soccer fans can watch the FIFA World Cup 26 championship match during a free outdoor event Sunday, July 19, at the Fishers Event Center.

The World Cup Final Watch Party will be held at the FORUM Credit Union Plaza, 11000 Stockdale St. Gates open at 2 p.m., with the match scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

The event is open to all ages. Tickets and advance registration are not required, and free surface parking will be available.

The match will be shown in an open-air setting on the plaza lawn. Local vendors, family-friendly activities and interactive fan experiences are also planned. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, but guests may not bring outside food or drinks.

Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Because the event will be outdoors, attendees should also prepare for the weather with items such as sunglasses or rain gear.

Each guest may bring one factory-sealed bottle of water containing no more than 40 ounces. One empty refillable aluminum or plastic water bottle is also permitted, but glass containers are prohibited.

Two water fountains are available inside the Fishers Event Center near Market District and Section 105.