As someone who has covered news in and around Fishers for the past 13 years, one issue I’ve followed closely is the distribution of local income tax revenue — specifically, how it is allocated under the formula set by the State of Indiana.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness has long contended that Carmel receives a disproportionately larger share of county income tax dollars than Fishers, despite the two cities being comparable in size and services. Over the years, Fadness has pushed for legislative changes to correct what he views as an imbalance, only to see his efforts repeatedly blocked in the courts.

That changed during the 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Lawmakers passed a measure that Fadness says finally addresses the longstanding inequity. In an op-ed published in the July 4th edition of the Indianapolis Business Journal, the mayor outlines why this change was necessary and credits State Senator Kyle Walker for playing a pivotal role.

Fadness writes that Walker worked quietly behind the scenes — as lawmakers often do in Indiana — helping to navigate the legislative process outside of public view. While emphasizing that his criticism is not aimed at Carmel or Noblesville, Fadness instead blames what he calls “an antiquated formula that penalizes Fishers taxpayers while disproportionately benefiting residents of other communities.”

For years, the mayor has made the case that Fishers was being shortchanged. Now, it appears a majority of state legislators agree. If Senator Walker was instrumental in getting this measure through the Senate, the recognition from Mayor Fadness is well deserved.

However, it’s worth noting that any new legislation must also pass through the Indiana House of Representatives. That chamber is led by Speaker Todd Huston — a Fishers resident who represents the eastern portion of the city. It’s hard to imagine this provision becoming law without his support.

Curiously, Speaker Huston is not mentioned anywhere in the mayor’s IBJ commentary. That omission stands out.

You can read the Scott Fadness Op-Ed piece at this link.  (NOTE:  You will likely need to have an IBJ subscription to access this story)

When earlier posting my video of the Spark Fishers Parade, I admitted to being an amateur video editor at best.  I was unable to find all the video snippets recorded at the festival parade.  With the passing of time, I have been able to put the elements together.

The video linked below is titled Part 2, but includes all the video from my first post and adds a few minutes to the total by including more than I could put together on short notice.

So, here it is, the Spark Fishers Festival Parade, Part 2, linked below.

Art lovers in Hamilton County have a reason to celebrate this summer as the Fishers Arts Council hosts its annual partner exhibit in collaboration with the Hamilton County Artists’ Association (HCAA) at the Art Gallery at City Hall. The exhibit, titled “All Our Best,” opened June 30 and will run through August 2, featuring more than 60 works by local juried artists, most of which are available for purchase.

The highlight of the exhibit arrives on Friday, July 11, with a free, all-ages Second Friday reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fishers Art & Municipal Center, One Municipal Drive. The public is invited to explore both gallery spaces, mingle with artists, and enjoy an evening of live music by Andy Schomburg. The event also offers complimentary snacks and drinks, with a cash bar featuring Four Day Ray craft beers and Peace Water Winery wines.

A special “Focus on the Artist” program, led by Fishers Arts Council board member Pat Grabill, will take place at 6:45 p.m. inside the Theater. The program will introduce guests to several of HCAA’s juried artist members, including Heather Ray Boelke, Stephen Edwards, Linda Jordan, and Dawn Michaelis, offering insight into their creative processes and inspirations.

Throughout July, artist members will be present in the gallery on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon to answer questions about HCAA membership, classes, and summer camps. Some artists will also offer live demonstrations, providing visitors with a behind-the-scenes look at their techniques.

The Art Gallery at City Hall is open to the public free of charge, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays. The HCAA, a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the original and only juried fine arts organization in Hamilton County, representing over 50 local artists and supporting members from across Indiana.

For more information about the exhibit, upcoming events, or HCAA membership, visit the Fishers Arts Council website or stop by the gallery during open hours.

Now that we are into the early days of July, most major road construction projects are well underway in and around the Fishers area.  At this point, the weekly update is mostly ongoing construction, with some localized Fishers projects on the list.

With City Hall closed for the July 4th holiday, the report was provided a day early.

Here is the weekly road construction report, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers area weekly road construction report →

As the July 4th weekend approaches, Fishers city officials are sharing five important reminders to help residents celebrate safely and stay informed.

1. Fireworks Displays

There will be three fireworks displays in Fishers on July 4th. For details on locations and times, use this link.

2. Fireworks Ordinance

Fishers enforces a fireworks ordinance to ensure everyone’s safety. Fireworks are permitted within city limits only during the following times:

• July 2–3: 5 p.m. to two hours after sunset

• July 4: 10 a.m. to midnight

• July 5–9: 5 p.m. to two hours after sunset

Please be considerate of your neighbors and follow these guidelines.

3. Trash & Recycling Pickup

With the new city-wide trash service contract, trash and recycling pickup scheduled for Friday, July 4, will be moved to Saturday, July 5. Make sure to place your bins out accordingly.

4. City Office Closures

Fishers city offices will be closed on Friday, July 4. Regular hours will resume on Monday, July 7, at 8:30 a.m.

5. Fireworks Safety from Fishers Fire Department

The Fishers Fire Department urges everyone to follow these fireworks disposal steps for a safe holiday:

• Soak used fireworks in a bucket of water overnight to ensure they are fully cooled.

• After soaking, place them in a plastic bag to keep them from drying out.

• Dispose of the sealed bag in your trash bin.

• In case of emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Most importantly, enjoy the holiday weekend and stay safe!

Here is a link to the audio version of my podcast with Loogootee Times Editor Braydyn Bear-Lents.  We talk about news deserts and his effort to fill a news gap in a small southern Indiana city.

News deserts are defined as areas with no local news coverage.  It is mostly common in rural areas.

One rural area that has been a news desert is a small town in southwest Indiana, Martin County and Loogootee.  The city of Loogootee has a population of about 2,600.  The local weekly newspaper, the Loogootee Tribune, began publishing in 1866, but could not survive the downturn in the print media.

Braydyn Bear-Lents recently graduated from Indiana University with a journalism degree.  He has family connections to Loogootee and saw a need for local news.  In September of 2024, he launched the online news Web site, The Loogootee Times.

I talked with Braydyn about his decision to start the Times and how operations such as his are working to fill the gap created by news deserts.

You can find the Loogootee Times at this link.

You can watch the video version of my discussion with Braydyn at the link below.

If you’ve visited the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools website (hseschools.org) recently, you may have noticed the “Board” section—a popular destination for community members seeking information about school board meetings and committee sessions. Traditionally, this information has been accessed through the Board Docs platform.

At Wednesday morning’s HSE Schools Policy Committee meeting, officials explained a significant upgrade to this system. The company behind Board Docs, Diligent, is rebranding the platform simply as “Diligent” and rolling out a completely redesigned interface for accessing board documents. The new Diligent system is expected to be more user-friendly and intuitive, with its official debut set for the regular school board meeting on July 9. To ensure a smooth transition, both the old and new systems will be available for that meeting.

One of the most notable new features is the ability for community members to sign up for automatic email alerts. This will allow anyone to receive notifications about upcoming school board meetings, agendas, and committee sessions—making it easier than ever to stay informed and engaged with district governance.

Additional Policy Updates on the July 9 Agenda

In addition to the technology upgrade, the Policy Committee discussed two other items slated for consideration at the July 9 board meeting:

• Tax Anticipation Loans: The board will review updated policy language to provide greater clarity regarding Tax Anticipation Loans. Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown emphasized that while this mechanism exists for situations when the district cannot meet its financial obligations and must borrow funds in anticipation of future revenue, he hopes it will never be needed.

• Behavioral Threat Assessment Management: In compliance with new state law, the board will update policy language to reflect the requirement for Behavioral Threat Assessment Management in every school district. Superintendent Patrick Mapes noted that this change will have no substantive impact on HSE, as the district has maintained such a safety system for many years.

Formstack was one of those firms Fishers wanted to attract  and watch grow in the city.  It started in Indianapolis and moved its headquarters to the second floor of the downtown Fishers building housing Four Day Ray.

John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star posted a story on the newspaper’s Web site Tuesday afternoon, reporting that Formstack, now calling itself Intellistack, is moving its headquarters from Fishers to Colorado. According to the IndyStar story, Intellistack, a company specializing in digital documents, will continue to have an office in Fishers.

You can read John Tuohy’s story at this link.  (NOTE: At the time I post this story early Wednesday morning, the IndyStar does not have a paywall on this story.  You should be able to access the piece without a Star subscription)

Fishers residents are invited to celebrate Independence Day with a spectacular display of fireworks at three locations across the city on Friday, July 4, 2025. Organized by Fishers Parks, the events promise safe, family-friendly festivities and multiple viewing options for the community, with all fireworks shows scheduled to begin at approximately 10 p.m.

Where to Watch the Fireworks

• Nickel Plate District Amphitheater (6 Municipal Drive):
  The heart of downtown Fishers will light up with fireworks launched from the north parking lot of the Hamilton East Public Library, which will be closed for safety. The primary viewing area is the NPD AMP lawn. Festivities kick off with a free concert by local favorite My Yellow Rickshaw at 8 p.m., followed by the fireworks show. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome, and food trucks will be available. Please note that outside alcohol is not permitted.

• Cyntheanne Park (12383 Cyntheanne Road):
  Fireworks will be launched from Cyntheanne Park, with viewing available both at the park and in the HSE Intermediate/Jr. High parking lots.

• Geist Reservoir:
  This show can be enjoyed by boat or from nearby residences. Fireworks will be launched from a barge at Geist Marina, near the south end of the Fall Creek Bridge. For safety, there will be no fireworks viewing or pedestrian access allowed on the Fall Creek Bridge or its walkway. The bridge will remain open to vehicle traffic. Please note: Fireworks will not be viewable from Geist Waterfront Park, and viewing from park property is not permitted.

Fireworks Ordinance Reminder

According to Fishers City Ordinance, residents may set off fireworks within municipal boundaries between 5 p.m. and two hours after sunset from June 29 to July 3 and July 5 to July 9. On July 4, fireworks are permitted from 10 a.m. until midnight. Residents are encouraged to review the full fireworks ordinance for details.

For more information about the Independence Day celebrations, visit FishersParks.com/Fireworks.