The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) will have a new president as of July 1 .  As I reported here on May 21, Tyler Zerbe will become president of the local teachers union, replacing Abby Taylor, who completes 2 terms as president at the end of June.

In an e-mail exchange, Taylor tells LarryInFishers that with a daughter entering her senior year in high school, it is time to focus on her family responsibilities.

“Leading one of the state’s largest teachers’ unions is a responsibility I have never taken lightly,” Taylor writes. “It requires dedication, time, and energy—just as my family does. I’ve come to realize that I cannot give my full attention to both, and in order to honor my commitment to each, I must make space for one.”

Tyler Zerbe was elected by the HSEA membership to lead HSEA as its president, as of July 1.

Motorists traveling through the 146th Street and Allisonville Road area should prepare for temporary closures and lane reductions beginning the evening of Monday, June 9, as crews implement a new phase of construction.  The change had originally been set earlier, but weather forecasts resulted in new plans.

According to a government announcement, the phase switch is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. Monday, and will involve movement restrictions lasting into early Tuesday morning.

Here is the expected schedule and impact:

• 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., June 9: One lane of traffic in each direction on 146th Street will be closed within the construction zone. Crews will place temporary pavement markings and adjust barrier walls during this period.

• 10:00 p.m., June 9 to 5:00 a.m., June 10: All ramps between 146th Street and Allisonville Road will be fully closed. One lane will remain open on 146th Street using the bridge over Allisonville. Northbound and southbound Allisonville Road will also be reduced to one lane under the bridge. A short closure of Allisonville Road around 10:00 p.m. is expected as crews remove a traffic signal.

• 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., June 10: Ramps will reopen, but the north and south entries of the roundabout will be closed briefly for final pavement markings. Vehicles using the northeast and southwest ramps will only be able to turn right onto Allisonville Road during this time.

• 6:00 a.m., June 10: All lanes and movements are scheduled to fully reopen.

Officials urge drivers to avoid the area if possible during the overnight work and to use caution if traveling through the construction zone. Delays are expected, particularly during the lane and ramp closures.

The traffic changes are part of the ongoing infrastructure improvement project in the are

You may have noticed construction activity next to the Forum Credit Union headquarters, just a short distance from the Fishers Event Center. That site is the future home of The Union, a major new development by Thompson Thrift. On Wednesday morning, city officials, Thompson Thrift representatives, and other stakeholders gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness addressed the crowd, expressing his enthusiasm for what this development represents. He pointed to the growing synergy among The Union, the neighboring Fishers District, and the new Event Center as a sign of the city’s unique momentum.

“This is going to be a place like no other in the state of Indiana,” Fadness said. He praised Thompson Thrift Managing Partner Ashlee Boyd for his vision and collaboration in bringing both Fishers District and The Union to life.

Boyd spoke about the decade-long process to get the project underway, which included early negotiations with residents of the longtime Springdale Estates neighborhood. He also thanked city officials for their continued support in making The Union a reality.

Representatives from two restaurants slated to open in The Union—Everbowl and Oakmont—also offered brief remarks.

The Union will feature:

• 57,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment space

• 70,000 square feet of Class A office space

• A 135-room AC Hotel

• A central event plaza designed as a gathering space for both residents and visitors

Confirmed tenants so far include:

• Everbowl (superfood bowls and smoothies)

• Oakmont (modern American cuisine)

• Piedra, an upscale Mexican restaurant

• Niku Sushi.Kitchen.Bar, offering contemporary Japanese cuisine

• Kitchen Social, an internationally inspired polished-casual concept

• Racha Thai, a Thai dining experience

• Renova Aesthetics, a medical spa

• Sweathouz, a wellness facility focused on health and recovery treatments

The Union is scheduled to open in 2026.

Financing for the Fishers Community Center took a step forward Monday as the Fishers Redevelopment Commission held a legally required public hearing on bonds for the under-construction facility, which is expected to open later this year. No members of the public offered comments during the hearing.

State law mandates one additional public hearing, which is scheduled for the Commission’s next meeting on June 9.

City Controller Lisa Bradford informed Commission members that the $65 million bond issue is being pursued now to get ahead of changes to Indiana’s property tax laws, set to take effect July 1. The project is being developed through a “build-operate-transfer” (BOT) agreement, a public-private partnership model.

When asked about the potential impact on local property tax rates, Bradford said the city’s portion of the rate would remain unchanged. As older debt is retired, the new bonds will take its place, keeping the overall rate steady.

Trey Williams, now charged as an adult in connection with the traffic accident that took the life of former HSE High School football player Mason Alexander, has entered a not guilty plea and the judge has set his bond at $50,000.

For more on the story, read this from Current Publishing at this link.

As the Indiana Pacers clinched the Eastern Conference title Saturday night, much was said and written about how this marked the team’s biggest moment since reaching the NBA Finals in 2000, when Coach Larry Bird and Reggie Miller led the charge. That recognition was well-deserved.

But as I watched the Pacers triumph on Saturday, my mind drifted further back than 2000. I thought of 1983.

At the time, I was working as a reporter for Network Indiana radio. The Pacers were at a crossroads, and the buzz around town wasn’t good. There was real concern that Indiana might lose its NBA team.

In 2018, I recorded a podcast with longtime sports journalist Mark Montieth about his book Reborn: The Pacers and the Return of Pro Basketball to Indianapolis. In both the book and our conversation, Mark recounted the behind-the-scenes turmoil of 1983. The team had a nominal owner who was actually fronting for someone already tied to another NBA franchise—something the league prohibits. That group had plans to relocate the Pacers, possibly to California.

Indianapolis officials scrambled to find a local buyer. Several wealthy families, including the Hulmans—owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—declined. But one family said yes: the Simons. Brothers Herb and Mel Simon stepped forward and bought the Pacers, keeping the team in Indianapolis.

I remember being assigned to join a group of reporters meeting then-Mayor Bill Hudnut as he returned from New York after a critical meeting with NBA Commissioner David Stern. We had no idea what he would announce.

Hudnut approached the assembled press and confirmed there was a buyer lined up, with the NBA’s blessing. He wouldn’t yet reveal who it was. Within days, it leaked: the Simons had stepped in. Their motivation wasn’t personal glory—it was civic duty.

That’s why seeing Herb Simon receive the Bob Cousy Trophy on Saturday night meant so much. He earned that moment. It’s bittersweet, of course, that his late brother Mel couldn’t be there to share it.

Without Herb and Mel Simon, the Pacers likely would have left Indiana in 1983. And one can’t help but wonder: would Bob Irsay have moved the Colts to Indianapolis if the city had just lost its NBA team?

I wish the Pacers the best as they head into the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City. They may be underdogs—but that’s a role this franchise and this city understand well. And this team has what it takes to rise to the challenge.

I have always enjoyed visiting the Fishers Farmers Market on Saturday mornings when the weather begins to warm.  The downtown event draws bigger crowds each year, at least in my estimation.

I decided to shoot some video, concentrating on the people at the market.  You can view the video below.  Note that the musical duo on the Amphitheater stage had some issues with the wind