Another full closure of 96th Street is underway.  There are also important updates on all the major road construction projects in and around Fishers.

Here is the weekly road construction report, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting Monday, November 10:

Continue reading Weekly Fishers-area road construction report for the week of Monday, November 10 →

Mitch List has overseen the Fishers Event Center since the opening roughly one year ago.  He technically works  for Legends Global (formerly known as AMS Global) because the City of Fishers contracts with Legends to run the venue and book events.

I sat down with Mitch and talked about the first year of the Fishers Event Center in this podcast, linked below.

The Fishers Police Department announced Thursday the arrest of an Indianapolis man in connection with a 2024 fatal shooting in a Fishers neighborhood.

Police said officers served an arrest warrant on Caleb Weis, 26, of Indianapolis, for five felony charges related to the shooting death of Cameron Doaks, 24. Weis faces charges of murder, attempted murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery, and criminal recklessness.

According to police, the charges stem from a March 16, 2024, shooting in the 10000 block of Apple Blossom Circle, where officers found Doaks suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Doaks was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators said they spent months gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, reviewing security camera footage, and conducting forensic analysis before obtaining the warrant for Weis’ arrest.

When police executed the warrant Thursday, the operation ended in an officer-involved shooting. The Indiana State Police have been asked to lead the investigation into that incident and will provide updates as information becomes available.

Fishers Police said all evidence collected in the original homicide case supports the charges filed against Weis.

The City of Fishers and the Fishers Armed Services Commission will host the community’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Theater at Fishers Municipal Center, 1 Municipal Drive.

The event is free and open to the public, with a live stream available on the City of Fishers’ YouTube channel. The ceremony honors local veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

This year’s guest speaker is Colonel Aaron P. Gillison, Sr., U.S. Army (Ret.), who also retired from the U.S. Department of Defense as a Senior Executive Service (SES) civilian at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Indianapolis. Gillison has more than 43 years of combined civilian and military service, including leadership and financial management positions at the Pentagon and abroad in Egypt, Korea, and Bosnia.

During his career, Gillison oversaw more than 3,000 employees providing financial services to the Army, Air Force, and 26 Defense Agencies worldwide. His military honors include the Legion of Merit, Airborne and Air Assault Badges, and the Joint Specialty Officer designation. He is also a Fishers resident.

The ceremony will feature a performance by the White River Brass Troupe, and veterans in attendance will have the opportunity to participate in a pinning ceremony recognizing their service.

Four Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools teachers were surprised this week when Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness awarded them more than $31,000 in funding through the City’s Educator Innovation Grant program.

The initiative, launched in 2024, provides financial support for teachers to develop creative, hands-on learning opportunities in their classrooms. With this latest round of awards, the city has distributed nearly $385,000 in funding to educators since the program began.

“The Educator Innovation Grant program is about empowering our teachers to try new ideas that inspire students and reimagine what learning can look like,” Fadness said.

Since its launch, 24 grants have been awarded across 13 HSE schools, supporting projects ranging from makerspaces and virtual reality programs to English as a New Language initiatives and teacher professional development.

This week’s recipients include:

• Melanie Mullins, 2nd Grade, Harrison Parkway Elementary — $8,590 to establish a K–4 STEM Lab Starter, including lab hardware and professional development for teachers.

• Shannon Foster, 4th Grade, Lantern Road Elementary — $5,445.69 for a LEGO Learning System to introduce students to STEAM concepts and creative problem solving.

• Nicolle Symons, 5th–6th Grade, Fall Creek Intermediate — $10,548 to create a makerspace for hands-on STEM exploration and career readiness activities.

• Erin Gastineau, 10th Grade, Hamilton Southeastern High School — $11,700 to purchase Manikens® models for the Human Body Systems course, part of the school’s Project Lead the Way Biomedical Pathway.

Grant applications are reviewed by a selection committee made up of former HSE educators, community entrepreneurs, and HSE alumni.

The City of Fishers has budgeted $50,000 for the program in 2026. Applications are accepted year-round, and the next round of grants will be announced in spring 2026.

More information about the Educator Innovation Grant program is available at this link.

Contract negotiations between the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) and Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE) remain tense, with the two sides offering differing accounts of progress at the bargaining table.

In an update to members this week, placed publicly on social media, the HSEA bargaining team said talks with district administrators failed to produce a tentative agreement that they believe would fairly recognize the value of HSE teachers and staff. The union said it presented what it called a “serious proposal” designed to protect employees from higher health insurance premiums, but that the district rejected the offer.

“We brought a serious proposal, one that reflects your value and the reality of our schools,” the union said in its statement. “Our hopes were high that, this time, we’d find a partner in administration. We were wrong.”

Union leaders said the district has repeatedly cited financial challenges—such as deficit spending, prior fiscal obligations, and insurance costs—as reasons for limiting salary and benefit increases. HSEA leaders contend those arguments do not reflect the district’s true financial position, pointing to other Indiana districts that have reached agreements without cutting take-home pay.

The union said its key goal is for employees to be “held harmless” from insurance premium increases, which it estimates would cost $2.7 million in recurring expenses. According to HSEA, the district has so far offered to cover about $1.1 million of that total.

Administrators, meanwhile, emphasize that Hamilton Southeastern remains one of the top districts in the state for its investment in teacher compensation. A recent report from the Indiana Department of Education found that HSE directed 84.44% of its net tuition support to teacher salaries and benefits—ranking 13th out of 290 districts statewide and second among districts of comparable size.

“This report reflects a thoughtful and steady approach to supporting the teachers who guide student learning every day,” Superintendent Patrick Mapes said in a district news release. “We remain focused on retaining excellent educators, attracting new talent, and providing the resources necessary for strong instruction across all schools.”

Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown said the district’s financial strategy prioritizes classroom investments while maintaining long-term budget stability.

“It is our goal as district leadership to ensure that resources are aligned to where they make the greatest impact,” Brown said. “This continues to be a community that values strong teaching, and these numbers reflect that priority.”

While the administration points to state data as evidence of its financial commitment to teachers, union leaders argue that the figures don’t tell the full story of what educators are experiencing in their paychecks and benefits.

“We know our worth,” the HSEA bargaining team wrote. “Our staff is worth every single penny and more.”

Negotiations are ongoing, and both sides say they remain committed to reaching an agreement before the current bargaining period closes November 15.  If no agreement is reached by then, a mediator will be appointed to work on a settlement.  After 30 days, if no contract is in place, a state fact finder will review final offers by both sides and choose one.

The Indy Fuel fell to the Bloomington Bison 4-2 Wednesday night at the Fishers Event Center.

The game remained close until the final moments. With less than two minutes left, the Fuel pulled goaltender Owen Flores for an extra attacker, but Bloomington’s Shane Ott sealed the win with an empty-net goal—his second of the night—giving the Bison a 4-2 advantage with just seconds remaining.

It was a hard-fought and physical contest, highlighted by a fight between the Fuel’s Tyson Feist and a Bloomington skater, resulting in five-minute fighting penalties for both players.

Earlier in the game, Bloomington’s Lou-Félix Denis capitalized on a penalty shot to give the Bison a 3-2 lead, a margin the Fuel couldn’t overcome.

The loss drops Indy to 2-4-1 on the season, still searching for their first home victory.

The Fuel and Bison will meet again Friday night at the Fishers Event Center.

The City of Fishers is now accepting applications for its 2026 Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant Program, marking the 26th year of the community improvement initiative.

The program offers 80/20 matching grants of up to $25,000 for homeowners associations and neighborhood groups to fund projects that enhance neighborhood aesthetics, sustainability, and overall livability. The City has set aside $400,000 in its 2026 budget for the program.

Past grant-supported projects have included pollinator gardens, athletic court upgrades, landscaping enhancements, and ADA-accessible playgrounds and recreation spaces.

New for 2026, neighborhoods with a completed reserve study will receive priority consideration. Grant funds may also be used to help complete a reserve study as part of an overall project proposal.

“Over the past several years, we’ve stepped up our commitment to foster vibrancy within our neighborhoods, allocating almost $2 million to this initiative since 2023,” Mayor Scott Fadness said in a statement. “Our residents and HOAs have responded with a record number of project proposals, and it’s exciting to see how neighbors are working together to improve the quality of life in their community.”

Applications are open through January 23, 2026. Additional program details and application materials are available at this link..