As Fishers emerged from the COVID era, city leaders sought ways to rebuild community connections and provide new spaces for residents to gather. City Councilor Todd Zimmerman was tapped to lead a committee exploring how to make that vision a reality.

A community survey drew more than 3,000 responses — an unusually strong turnout — offering a clear picture of what residents wanted. While leaders expected calls for recreation and gathering spaces, they were surprised by the strong interest in an arts facility. As a result, the new Fishers City Hall complex now includes an arts center. Residents also expressed strong support for an indoor playground, walking track, aquatic facilities, and indoor courts for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and more.

Mayor Scott Fadness and the City Council Finance Committee, chaired by Councilor John Weingardt, ultimately identified a funding plan that allowed the city to move forward without increasing local property tax rates. On Saturday morning, Fadness, Zimmerman and Weingardt were all smiles as they cut the ribbon on the new Fishers Community Center.

Located at 11400 Johnson Farm Way, near 121st Street and Hoosier Road, the 105,000-square-foot facility includes a 9,800-square-foot aquatics center featuring Central Indiana’s first NinjaCross system, an 11,000-square-foot fitness center, an indoor walking track, and the Fishers Community Center Indoor Playground. A dog park is also expected to open in spring 2026.

Several speakers took part in Saturday’s ceremony, but it was a group of Hoosier Road Elementary third-graders who stole the show. The students attended the groundbreaking as first graders and shared their excitement about the center in charming, third-grade fashion.

The playground and walking track are free for anyone who signs up for a Community Pass. Access to the aquatics center, fitness areas, and other amenities requires a membership. For more information, use this link.

The Indy Fuel dropped their second straight matchup against the Toledo Walleye on Saturday night, falling 6–2 in Toledo’s home opener. Special teams proved decisive, with the Walleye scoring three shorthanded goals and converting twice on the power play.

Toledo struck early, scoring just 37 seconds into the game on a goal from Chad Hillebrand. Indy answered midway through the first period when Owen Robinson tallied his first goal of the season, assisted by Matt Petgrave and Kevin Lombardi. The Fuel trailed 13–8 in shots after one period but remained tied 1–1.

The game turned in the second period. After a slashing penalty put Indy shorthanded, Toledo reclaimed the lead at 7:04 on Will Hillman’s first professional goal. Just 21 seconds later, the Walleye struck again while still shorthanded, with Hillebrand notching his second goal of the night.

Toledo extended its lead to 4–1 at 12:53 before the Fuel responded quickly, as Brett Moravec scored 22 seconds later off a feed from Jeremie Bucheler. However, a holding penalty late in the period put Indy back on the penalty kill, and Toledo capitalized to make it 5–2 heading into the third.

The Fuel penalty kill was tested repeatedly in the final frame, facing three straight minors—including a 5-on-3 disadvantage—but successfully held Toledo off during that stretch. Still, the Walleye sealed the win with another shorthanded goal at 19:38, Hillman’s second of the game and his young career.

Toledo outshot Indy heavily, finishing with a 51–25 advantage.

The loss drops the Fuel to 0–2 against Toledo this season following last weekend’s 4–1 defeat. Indy will look to rebound as they next travel to Kalamazoo for a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Wings.

Although the fall chill is in the air, there is no letup in the list of road construction projects in and around Fishers.  Watch for a closure on 96th Street starting on November 7,  But there are plenty of details about all ongoing road projects in the area.

Here is the full listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading 96th St. lane closure between Hague and Masters starts November 7 →

The standoff between Hamilton Southeastern Schools and its teachers escalated Friday as the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) urged educators to begin a “work-to-rule” action in response to stalled contract negotiations.

The move comes after teachers overwhelmingly rejected what the district described as its final contract offer, with 86% voting against the proposal. The district has argued it faces budget constraints, while union leaders maintain the school system has sufficient cash reserves to provide fair compensation.

In a message posted to teachers and shared publicly, HSEA President Tyler Zerbe said the union’s members have reached a breaking point.

“We navigated not ratifying our contract for the first time in HSE history,” Zerbe wrote. “We refused to stand down, even in the face of adversity and divisiveness.”

Work-to-rule means teachers will perform only duties specifically required in their contracts — a shift that could result in staff no longer answering emails outside school hours, grading or planning lessons after the school day, or volunteering for extra responsibilities.

“If it requires us to show up outside [contract hours], we don’t,” Zerbe said. “It is high-time for everyone to know this one, incontrovertible fact: our classrooms, these buildings, this district, do not run without us.”

Zerbe emphasized that teachers will continue to teach and support students in their classrooms, but said they will no longer put in the unpaid time that often fills evenings, early mornings, and weekends.

“Staff will continue to deliver high-quality instruction to students, as they always have,” Zerbe said. “But, as the old saying goes: enough is enough.”

The dispute marks a sour turn in what has historically been a cooperative labor-management relationship in one of the state’s largest and highest-performing school districts. This is the first time HSE teachers have rejected a contract agreement.

Tensions have risen in recent months as bargaining intensified, with union leaders publicly challenging district financial claims and warning that the proposed contract would amount to a pay cut once inflation and insurance costs are factored in.

In earlier statements, administrators said the district is “operating under significant financial limitations” due to state funding levels and rising expenses.

Zerbe framed the action as a reluctant but necessary step to demonstrate the value teachers bring to classrooms and to the Fishers community.

“We are asking you to reclaim your time and value,” he told teachers. “We are reaffirming the one truth that we have said over and over again: teachers are the backbone of HSE.”

The district and union remain at odds as bargaining continues. It is unclear how long the work-to-rule effort will last.

Hamilton County officials will break ground next week on a new Public Safety Training Center designed to bring police, fire, and emergency personnel together for joint training exercises.

The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3 at 9 a.m. The 96-acre site is located near East 160th Street and River Road in Noblesville, just south of Beaver Materials along the White River.

County leaders say the shared campus will improve coordination among responders across Hamilton County communities, including Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, and county agencies.

“This is one of the most important public safety investments our county has ever made,” County Commissioners President Steve Dillinger said in the announcement. “As Hamilton County continues to grow, so does the need for well-trained, well-equipped first responders. This facility will allow them to train together, strengthen coordination, and ensure they’re ready for whatever emergency situations may arise.”

Plans call for roughly 20,000 square feet of classroom and indoor training space, a five-story fire training burn tower, multiple shooting ranges, SWAT and tactical training areas, and designated space for the county’s Emergency Management Agency. The project also includes environmental cleanup and redevelopment of the property.

Jim Barlow, the county’s new training center coordinator and former Carmel police chief, said the campus will raise the bar for first-responder readiness.

“This will be one of the best facilities in the Midwest—if not in the country,” Barlow said. “We react the way we train. This center will give our first responders the tools and space they need to serve our residents even better.”

The project is set to take about 18 months to complete once construction begins. Media attending Monday’s groundbreaking are asked to park near the pole barn on site.

The Indy Fuel earned their first victory of the 2025–26 season Thursday night, grinding out a 2–1 road win over the Cincinnati Cyclones in a physical, penalty-filled matchup at Heritage Bank Center.

Both teams spent much of the opening period feeling each other out, and scoring chances were limited. The Fuel were forced to kill off an early penalty when Kevin Lombardi was called for interference at the 6:30 mark, but the Indy penalty killers stood tall. Cincinnati found momentum late in the frame, firing seven unanswered shots to close the period with a 9–3 advantage, yet Indy goaltender Owen Flores kept the game scoreless after one.

The second period brought a noticeable shift in intensity — and the scoreboard. Tempers sparked less than two minutes in after Flores made a save in traffic, but no penalties were called. Soon after, Cincinnati’s Marko Sikic went off for slashing, giving Indy a power play they couldn’t convert.

Momentum finally swung in the Fuel’s favor midway through the period. Brett Moravec broke the deadlock at 9:23, finishing a partial breakaway for a 1–0 lead with assists from Jacob LeGuerrier — playing in his first pro game in two years — and Dylan McLaughlin. LeGuerrier made his return even more memorable moments later, burying a backhand shot at 12:43 to stretch Indy’s lead to 2–0.

Physical play continued to escalate as tensions boiled over multiple times. Jesse Tucker and Rhett Parsons dropped the gloves at 14:35 for the game’s first fight, each earning five-minute majors. As the second period ended, another scrap broke out between Indy’s Christian Berger and Cincinnati’s Nick Rhéaume, who also received an extra two minutes for instigating. Berger and Rhéaume served their penalties to open the third.

Cincinnati pushed hard in the final frame, but Indy’s defense and penalty kill remained sharp. Chris Cameron picked up his first penalty of the season at 4:56, but the Fuel again killed it off. Indy had a chance to ice the game midway through the period on a Cyclones slashing minor, but failed to extend the lead.

The Cyclones appeared to get on the board at 17:26, but the goal was wiped out due to a holding-the-stick call. With time running out, Cincinnati pulled goaltender Talyn Boyko while shorthanded to skate 5-on-5, and the gamble paid off. John Jaworski scored at 18:42 to cut the Fuel lead to 2–1, injecting late drama into the contest.

Indy weathered the final push, and after offsetting roughing minors with 13 seconds left, held firm to secure the win.

The Fuel now head to Toledo for a match Saturday night with the Walleye and a road date with the Kalamazoo Wings the next day.  The Fuel return home Wednesday, November 5, for a game with the Bloomington Bison.  The Fuel are 1-2 in this young season.

A Hamilton Southeastern High School student has earned national recognition at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

Ellie Julia Taylor, a member of the Hamilton Southeastern FFA chapter, was named the national winner in the Agricultural Communications – Entrepreneurship/Placement category of the 2025 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards. The honor was announced during the convention’s second general session on Thursday, Oct. 30.

The National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards recognize student members who develop specialized skills through their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), preparing them for agricultural careers. Students compete in 45 award areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management.

Taylor received the top national honor in her category for her work managing her FFA chapter’s social media accounts, website and print materials. Through this role, she has built communication and marketing skills she plans to apply in a career in agricultural communications.

She was supported in her work by her parents, Bill and Tabetha Taylor, and Hamilton Southeastern FFA advisors Caroline Mills, Tom Younts and Cindy Nunez.

Seven proficiency award winners were named during Thursday’s session, with additional winners announced throughout the convention. The National FFA Convention, one of the largest student gatherings in the nation, continues this week in Indianapolis.

The Nickel Plate Review Committee has delayed a vote on design plans for townhomes proposed in the Maple Del development, located just south of 116th Street near Holland Drive. Only three of the five committee members were present at the Wednesday evening meeting, and the trio voted unanimously to postpone the decision until next Thursday.

Committee member and former Fishers City Councilor Rich Block raised concerns about how the development would appear from 116th Street, calling the corridor a key gateway in the city. Block said Fishers has “missed the mark” on previous development along that stretch and indicated he would vote against the proposal in its current form.

The developer agreed to revisit the elevation changes and other design adjustments requested by the committee but expressed concern that the modifications could increase home prices. Currently, the townhomes are expected to be priced between $550,000 and $800,000.

In other business, the committee elected officers for 2025. Amanda Welu will serve as chair, with Jamie Nieves selected as vice chair.

The Nickel Plate Review Committee is responsible for reviewing projects and approving waivers from the Nickel Plate District Code, which sets development standards in the downtown area Fishers district.

The Mike Braun administration’s move to summon the Indiana General Assembly into a special session on Nov. 3 to redraw the state’s congressional districts drew sharp criticism  from the Hamilton County Democratic Party.

In a statement, Josh Lowry, Chair of the Hamilton County Democrats, charged the governor’s action as “a partisan and costly attempt to manipulate Indiana’s elections under pressure from the Trump administration.” He called the session “about Braun’s loyalty to Trump” rather than helping Hoosiers.

Lowry pointed out that even two local Republican state representatives – Hunter Smith and Danny Lopez – have voiced opposition to the redistricting plan, and urged them not to “cave under the pressure.” He added, “Hoosiers’ lives are more important than appeasing Washington.”

The session would come as thousands of Hoosiers relying on SNAP benefits face delays in assistance for November. Meanwhile, J.D. Ford (D–Indianapolis) underscored ethical concerns around the move: “If President Donald Trump is pressuring lawmakers directly, we cannot ignore a blatant conflict of interest when it comes to making decisions on future congressional maps.” Ford called for formation of an independent redistricting commission if there were genuine problems with the current maps.

Governor Braun issued the call for the special session following weeks of pressure from national Republican leaders, as Indiana remains a key state in the battle over congressional control ahead of 2026.

However, legislative leadership now says the Nov. 3 date may not hold. Todd Huston, Speaker of the Indiana House, confirmed that lawmakers and Senate counterparts are working on logistics and will not convene on Nov. 3 as originally called.

As the debate unfolds, the Hamilton County Democrats are calling the redistricting session “a power grab,” while Republicans say the move is about ensuring Indiana’s congressional representation is “fair.” The coming weeks will reveal how the process moves forward, when lawmakers convene, and whether they will rally behind new map proposals.