Four NCAA Division I volleyball programs will compete in Hamilton County this fall when Butler University hosts the 2025 Butler Invitational at the Fishers Event Center, home of Major League Volleyball’s Indy Ignite. The tournament is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20.

Joining the Bulldogs in the field are IU Indianapolis, Oakland and Eastern Michigan. The two-day event opens Friday at 4 p.m. with Oakland facing Eastern Michigan, followed by Butler taking on IU Indianapolis at 7 p.m. Saturday’s schedule features Butler against Oakland at 2 p.m. and Butler versus Eastern Michigan at 5 p.m. IU Indianapolis will also host Eastern Michigan on Thursday, Sept. 18, at its downtown campus.

Tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 18, at noon at FishersEventCenter.com.

“We’re thrilled to host the Butler Invitational here at the Fishers Event Center,” said Mitch List, the venue’s general manager. “As the home of Indy Ignite, the Fishers Event Center has become the place to experience premier volleyball in the Midwest, and the enthusiasm is only growing.”

Butler head coach Kyle Shondell said the move from campus to Fishers creates a new opportunity to connect with the local volleyball community. “The excitement around volleyball within this community has never been greater,” Shondell said. “Our hope is that an event like this can become an annual tradition.”

The change in venue comes as Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse undergoes a major renovation in September, including the installation of more than 2,700 square feet of new LED video display technology. The Bulldogs will host Purdue on Tuesday, Sept. 9, before work begins, with the project expected to be completed in time for Butler’s next home match Oct. 10 against Providence.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools is accepting applications to fill an upcoming appointment to the Hamilton East Public Library (HEPL) Board of Trustees.

The position is open to residents who live within the HSE Schools boundaries and are interested in community service. The role is unpaid and requires a minimum four-year commitment, with the term running through August 2029.

The HEPL Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring the library remains a welcoming and valuable resource for the community. The board typically meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:15 p.m., alternating between the Fishers Library’s Center Meeting Room and the Large Meeting Room at the Noblesville Library.

Applications are due by noon on August 27. The president of the HSE Board of School Trustees will appoint the new member, as outlined in Indiana Code 36-12-2-19.

Andre Miksha is the current HSE School appointee to the library board, and it is his term that is expiring.

More information about the position and the application process is available on the Hamilton East Public Library website.

HSE Board, meeting Wednesday evening

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has approved a resolution designating the district as a Purple Star School district. The move allows individual school buildings to apply for the Purple Star designation, a recognition aimed at supporting military families whose children often change schools due to parental reassignment.

In other business from Wednesday’s meeting:

• Roofing Project Approved: The board awarded a $1.8 million contract to replace 87,000 square feet of roofing at Fishers High School.

• Social Media Lawsuit Participation: HSE will join 80 Indiana districts and 1,800 nationwide in litigation against social media companies, seeking to recover costs tied to the negative effects of social media on students. The district will not incur legal fees unless a settlement or judgment is reached.

• Positive Start to School Year: Superintendent Patrick Mapes described the opening week of school as a “great start,” noting progress in navigating road construction and ensuring students arrived safely at their schools.

• HSEngaged Program Enrollment: Thirty-nine local residents will participate in HSEngaged this year, a program designed to give community members an inside look at district operations.

• District’s First Therapy Dog: Hamilton Southeastern introduced Reggie, a seven-year-old poo-ton and the district’s first certified therapy dog. Accompanied by his handler, Lantern Road Elementary resource teacher Jill Early, Reggie visits each Friday to greet students, sit with them as they read aloud, and provide emotional support. Trained and certified through First Friend K-9, Reggie has prior experience working in hospitals and nursing homes. Superintendent Mapes supported bringing the program to the district, which aims to enhance students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being.

Residents of the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District have long known redistricting was on the horizon. That process is now officially underway.

By December, the HSE School Board is expected to receive a recommended redistricting plan for consideration. The district has hired the consulting firm Woolpert to lead the effort, with representative Andrew Bishop outlining the process at Wednesday’s board meeting. The plan will redraw boundaries for the district’s elementary, intermediate, and junior high schools.

Bishop began his presentation by reviewing current and projected enrollment figures for each school, including building capacity and anticipated changes based on birth rates and future housing developments. He also discussed the possibility of creating a “feeder system” linking specific elementary schools to intermediate and junior high schools—a change that would depend on both enrollment data and community feedback.

Bishop’s full presentation is available at this link.

The district is seeking public input in two ways:

• Survey: Residents can complete an online survey through midnight, August 31, using this link.

• Focus Groups: The district will select participants for 10 focus groups, each with 10–20 members. Interested residents can apply through midnight,  August 31 at this link.

An HSE redistricting website, updated weekly, is available at this link.

In the coming weeks, Woolpert will review public comments, develop preliminary boundary options, and convene the focus groups. Bishop said his goal is to deliver a plan that will remain in place for at least five to seven years—and ideally up to a decade—before another redistricting process is needed.

The process will remain active through December. Updates will be provided here at LarryInFishers.com as new information becomes available, including podcasts with HSE Schools officials explaining key developments.

My compliments to Current In Fishers Editor Leila Kheiry for digging up the facts on an arrest made related to charges of sexual battery in the Gary Eagle neighborhood.

Reporter Kheiry saw a social media post describing a woman being groped and a suspect’s quick arrest once the incident was reported to police.  She found an arrest listed in county  records.

For more details, read Leila Kheiry’s story at the link below.

Fishers man allegedly assaulted woman walking near her home

Many of you may know, and have seen the construction, of a pedestrian bridge over the Nickel Plate Trail over 96th Street.  The City of Fishers has announced some overnight closures of 96th Street to allow for the construction of this bridge.

Below is the full statement from Fishers, issued on social media Wednesday:

Hamilton Southeastern Schools reports a record-setting performance on Indiana’s early literacy exam, with 96% of third-grade students passing the 2025 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment. The result marks a two-point increase from last year and the district’s highest passing rate in five years.

Ten of the district’s 13 elementary schools met or surpassed the state’s 95% literacy target, double the number that reached the benchmark the previous year. In total, 1,497 third graders demonstrated proficient reading skills.

District officials said the gains were seen across all student groups. English Language Learners achieved their highest passing rate in four years, Exceptional Learners improved by 14 percentage points over last year, and students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals posted their best scores in four years.

Superintendent Pat Mapes credited the district’s teachers for the achievement, citing targeted literacy strategies, expanded professional development through the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, and participation in the Indiana Literacy Cadre. Many teachers are also pursuing an Early Literacy Endorsement.

The results follow recently released ILEARN scores that showed growth in reading comprehension, writing, and communication skills for students in grades 3–8. District leaders say the combined results reflect a strategic focus on literacy as the foundation for student success.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, with his district including the eastern part of Fishers, issued a statement commending state educators for achievements statewide.  According to Speaker Huston’s office, in the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress rankings, Indiana jumped to sixth in the nation for both fourth and eighth grade reading.

“I’m thrilled to see our students making strong, consistent progress in reading,” Speaker Huston said in a statement released Wednesday. “This significant increase helps ensure Indiana’s kids are on track for success and is exactly what we hoped to see following targeted policies and support to prioritize literacy in the classroom.” 

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for its Fall Citizen’s Academy, set to begin Sept. 4, 2025.

The 12-week program — 11 weeks of training followed by a graduation celebration — will meet Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office campus. The academy offers residents a behind-the-scenes look at law enforcement operations in Hamilton County.

Participants will observe the training deputies receive, drive a patrol vehicle through a precision course, visit the firing range, and learn about firearms and less-lethal tools. The program also includes demonstrations from K-9 units, instruction on drone operations, and briefings on legal issues and specialized equipment.

Organizers say the academy is designed for anyone interested in public safety or curious about how the Sheriff’s Office works.

Space in the program is limited. More information and an online application are available at hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1257/Citizens-Academy-Online-Application.