Jim Self will no longer serve as Athletic Director at Hamilton Southeastern High School, but will instead take on a new role as city-district athletic director under a new five-year interlocal agreement between Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools and the City of Fishers.

Under the agreement, Self will remain an employee of HSE Schools, but the City of Fishers will reimburse the school district for his compensation.

The pact also calls for approximately $3.6 million in improvements to athletic facilities at both Hamilton Southeastern High School and Fishers High School. The partnership is designed to expand access to athletic facilities, enhance those facilities and strengthen coordination between school and community athletic programs.

The agreement also includes plans to improve data collection and scheduling systems used to book athletic fields, allowing for more efficient use of those facilities.

Improvements at both high school campuses are expected to begin this spring and be completed by late summer.

The announcement came during the annual joint meeting between the Fishers Mayor and City Council and the HSE School Board.

City officials also presented results from a recent community survey. According to the city, 90 percent of respondents said they would recommend HSE Schools to others, while 92 percent said they would recommend Fishers as a place to live. The survey also found that 92 percent of respondents said they feel safe in Fishers and 93 percent rated the city’s quality of life as exceptionally strong.

Fishers has a long history of partnering with HSE Schools, and Mayor Scott Fadness and members of his staff outlined a number of ongoing joint initiatives.

One of the most visible collaborations is the placement of School Resource Officers (SROs) — uniformed police officers — inside school buildings. There are currently 16 SROs jointly funded by the city and the school district.

The city also plans to add two School Safety Officers (SSOs), positions typically filled by recently retired law enforcement officers. Mayor Fadness said the city will fully fund the new SSO positions for now as the school district works through current budget challenges.

Ever since Patrick Mapes became superintendent of Hamilton Southeastern Schools in February of 2024, Dr. Matt Kegley has served as deputy superintendent. Mapes made it clear that when he was away from the district, Kegley would handle day-to-day leadership at the district’s administration building.

Now, following Mapes’ surprise resignation, the school board is moving quickly to place Kegley in charge.

Board President Tiffany Pascoe quickly announced the board’s intention to appoint Kegley as interim superintendent to lead the district during the transition.

Kegley has spent much of his career in the HSE district and has held a wide range of roles in education. His experience includes time as a teacher, assistant principal and athletic director. He later served as principal at Riverside Junior High and then at Hamilton Southeastern High School before moving into district administration.

As part of his appointment as interim superintendent, Kegley will receive an additional $375 per week.

The board voted unanimously Wednesday naming Kegley to the interim position.

School board members have not indicated how long Kegley will serve in the interim role. The board has also not announced whether it plans to conduct a formal search for a permanent superintendent.

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has once again postponed a decision on proposed policy language governing school board members’ access to district meetings held outside of regular board and committee sessions.

At Wednesday night’s board meeting, one of the central issues involved a legal question about whether allowing the board president to appoint board members to attend district meetings — including collective bargaining sessions — could create legal complications.

The board’s legal counsel, Barnes & Thornburg, is researching the issue and has contacted the Indiana Public Access Counselor for guidance. Attorneys are seeking clarification on whether the presence of appointed board members at such meetings could legally transform them into gatherings subject to Indiana’s Open Door Law, potentially requiring the sessions to be open to the public.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association, which represents teachers in the district, said it supports the language proposed by the board’s Policy Committee. However, the union opposes holding contract bargaining sessions in public. Negotiations between school districts and teacher unions are typically conducted privately, generally consistent with Indiana’s open meetings law.

The board voted to delay action on the policy until additional clarification is received from the Public Access Counselor’s office.

During the discussion, board member Suzanne Thomas proposed four amendments to the Policy Committee’s recommendation, including removing the board president’s authority to appoint members to attend district meetings. Her proposal failed on a 4–3 vote.

Under the proposed policy, board members would be allowed to silently observe district meetings and take notes but could only share those notes with fellow board members in ways permitted by state law.

For now, the board’s decision on the policy remains on hold while legal guidance is sought from the state.

After opening in November 2024, the Fishers Event Center says it is continuing to expand its role as a regional entertainment destination while adding new initiatives aimed at improving the fan experience.

The 7,500-seat venue has hosted concerts, sporting events and community gatherings during its first year of operation. Officials say the facility is also emphasizing accessibility and inclusivity as part of its ongoing development.

March is recognized nationally as Disability Awareness Month, and the event center is highlighting several features designed to make events more accessible to guests with special needs.

The facility is a KultureCity Certified sensory-inclusive venue. Staff members have undergone specialized training to assist guests who may experience sensory sensitivities or overload during events.

Guests can obtain sensory bags at the Guest Services Center near Section 109. The bags include noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidget tools and other items designed to help individuals manage sensory challenges. The venue also features a sensory room presented by DAMAR, offering a quiet space for guests who need a calming environment during events.

Additional accessibility features include a universal changing table in a second-level family restroom, a Mother’s Room presented by IKEA for parents needing a private space, accessible parking and drop-off areas, wheelchair assistance and assistive listening services.

The Fishers Event Center has also expanded its food and beverage lineup with three new vendors featuring local or specialty offerings.

Among the additions is Pure Pour, a premium vending concept offering non-alcoholic beverages. Event center officials say the venue is the first in Indiana to feature the concept, reflecting the growing demand for zero-proof drink options.

Two additional vendors include BeeFree, which produces snacks sweetened with organic honey and supports employment opportunities for adults with autism and other neurodiverse individuals, and Ben’s Pretzels, which prepares hand-rolled pretzels fresh at the venue.

The event center remains home to three professional sports teams: the Indy Fuel hockey club of the ECHL, Indy Ignite of Major League Volleyball and the Fishers Freight of the Indoor Football League. Officials say themed game nights and special fan activations are planned throughout the spring sports season.

Beyond sports and concerts, the facility also continues to host community activities such as graduations, private events and other local gatherings.

Work continues at the intersection of State Road 37 and 141st Street, where motorists are beginning to see some changes in traffic patterns.

The new right-in, right-out lanes on the east side of the intersection have now opened, allowing some traffic to move more freely through the construction zone. However, drivers should still expect delays. Lane restrictions remain in place and could cause traffic backups in the area as construction moves forward.

Fishers Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky says activity on the project will increase in the weeks and months ahead. The work is part of the ongoing State Road 37 improvement project, which includes construction of a roundabout at 141st Street to handle east-west traffic. The project is currently scheduled to be completed this summer.

Meanwhile, the Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety has approved bids for this year’s road resurfacing program. Much of the work will take place on neighborhood streets, although some main roadways are also included.

Resurfacing is planned for 131st Street between Cumberland and Promise roads. Portions of Howe Road and Promise Road will also receive new pavement.

Neighborhood resurfacing will take place in Weaver Woods, Weaver Creek, Weaver Woods North, Rosewood, Sunblest and Summerlin Trails.

For more details on the planned resurfacing projects, use this link.

Bestselling author Kwame Mbalia, known for his popular middle-grade fantasy novels, will visit Fishers later this month for a special appearance at the Hamilton East Public Library.

Mbalia is the creator of the acclaimed Tristan Strong series, which blends African American folklore and West African mythology into fast-paced adventures aimed at middle-school readers. The first book in the series, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, became a New York Times bestseller and launched a trilogy that has earned praise for its imaginative storytelling and cultural depth.

In addition to the Tristan Strong books, Mbalia co-authored the Afrofuturist adventure series Last Gate of the Emperor with Prince Joel David Makonnen and has been involved in several other literary projects that highlight diverse voices in children’s literature.

Mbalia will appear at the Fishers branch of the Hamilton East Public Library on Monday, March 24 at 6 p.m., where readers will have an opportunity to hear from the author and learn more about his work.

Ahead of that visit, Mbalia joined me for a podcast conversation discussing the inspiration behind the Tristan Strong books, the role mythology plays in his storytelling, writing for middle-school readers, and his path to becoming a bestselling author.

The LarryInFishers.com podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can listen to the full podcast interview below, listen to the audio only at this link and the video version using this link…or use the links below.

Indoor football returns to the Fishers Event Center this weekend, and the City of Fishers is encouraging local residents to pack the arena for the home opener of the Fishers Freight.

The Freight will host the Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday, March 15, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. Doors at the Fishers Event Center, located at 11000 Stockdale Street, will open at 4 p.m.

To boost attendance for the team’s first home game of the season, the city is offering a special ticket discount for Fishers residents. City officials say the promotion is designed to give local fans a chance to experience the high-energy indoor football atmosphere as the Freight begin their home schedule.

Indoor football games feature a fast-paced version of the sport played on a shorter field inside an arena, producing frequent scoring and big hits that keep the action moving. The Freight are members of the Indoor Football League and are entering their second season in Fishers.

The Quad City Steamwheelers, based in Moline, Illinois, will provide the opposition in Saturday’s contest. Quad City has been one of the IFL’s established franchises and should provide a strong early-season test for the Freight.

The Fishers Freight began play last season when the Fishers Event Center opened, joining the Indy Fuel hockey team as one of the arena’s primary tenants. The venue has quickly become a hub for professional sports and entertainment in the city.

Parking for Saturday’s game will cost $10, with payment available by scanning QR codes located in the parking lot.

City officials say the goal is to create a lively atmosphere for the Freight’s first home game of the year and give residents a chance to support the hometown team.

Fans interested in attending the game can purchase tickets online and take advantage of the resident discount ahead of kickoff Saturday evening, using this link.     (NOTE:  I have updated this link several times and it keeps having problems.  Sorry if if does not work.  Check with the Freight on how to buy your discounted tickets as a Fishers resident)

The Indoor Football League has settled its television and streaming plan for the 2026 season, although fans hoping to follow the Fishers Freight will need to navigate a somewhat complicated viewing lineup.

The league announced that its games will be split between two digital platforms: a free streaming service operated by Yahoo Sports and a subscription platform called Overnght.

Roughly half of the league’s games will stream live on the new Yahoo Sports streaming service, available on devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV and similar streaming platforms. Fans who already have access to Yahoo Sports through those devices will be able to watch those games at no additional cost.

The remaining IFL games will be available on the Overnght platform — spelled without the “i,” though it is pronounced like “overnight.” Access to those broadcasts requires a subscription that costs about $10 per month.

The league says it will release the full broadcast schedule later this week, detailing which games will appear on each platform. Early indications are that the first two games of the Fishers Freight season will be available on Yahoo Sports.

Overnght specializes in streaming niche sports, particularly Olympic-style competitions such as rowing, fencing and water polo. The service has been compared to FloSports, the streaming platform that carries Indy Fuel hockey games.

The current arrangement came together after the IFL’s original broadcast agreement fell apart. The league had planned to air games this season on FanDuel Sports Network, but that deal collapsed when the network’s ownership group ran into financial trouble — part of a broader wave of instability affecting regional sports networks across the country.

Under the new partnership, Overnght will carry several marquee IFL events. Its premium package will include the Hall of Fame Game on opening weekend, two American Dream IFL Cup games, two first-round playoff games, one conference championship and a slate of special broadcasts including IFL Friday Night Football, IFL Monday Night Football and seven “IFL After Dark” matchups.

Overnght will also become the exclusive streaming home of the IFL National Championship games in 2027 and 2028.

In addition to live games, the platform will stream original IFL programming, including the behind-the-scenes reality series Fight for the Fifty and the league’s official podcast, Inside the IFL, hosted by Brent Stover and Eric Van Beek.

All broadcasts will be produced by the IFL and distributed directly through the Overnght digital platform.

To promote the new partnership, Overnght is offering a limited-time discount of 40 percent off the first month of a subscription using the promo code IFLFAN40. The offer runs through March 31.

As the Fishers Freight prepare for their second season in the Indoor Football League, fans now know where to find the games — even if watching some of them will come with a monthly subscription fee.