Anytime I spent time covering sports around the state of Indiana, I often heard stories about the late Angelo Angelopolous, a sportswriter for the Indianapolis News. Let’s just say all the stories were respectful and he is a legend in local sports writing.
Angelopolous had written a book about the legendary Indy 500 driver Bill Vukovich. Angelopolous died in 1962, the book was nearly finished, but never published.
Mark Montieth was able to find the original manuscript, edited it and has published the book all about the 2-time winner of the 500 that was on his way to a 3rd consecutive win at the Speedway when he lost his life in a tragic 1955 crash.
I spoke with Mark Montieth, a Fishers resident, all about the book, Agelopolous and Bill Vukovich. I think you will find our conversation interesting.
Changes are coming to the traffic pattern at the 96th Street & Allisonville Road construction site, but if all goes as scheduled, the roundabout at that location should be “fully functional” by October of this year.
During a Wednesday afternoon Webinar updating the 96th & Allisonville project, Assistant Fishers City Engineer Tami Houston said the closure of the west end of 96th Street at Allisonville will be completed around July 4th. The west end will then reopen to traffic and the east side of 96th Street at Allisonville will close July 8.
There will also be construction work at commercial sites near the project, with access to the businesses to continue. One lane of traffic north and southbound on Allisonville Road will continue to be open during the construction. Traffic signals near the area of 96th Street and Allisonville will continue to function.
Houston said the roundabout at 96th Street and Allisonville Road will be “fully functional” by October of this year. However, all the landscaping and grading at that location will not be complete until the spring of 2025.
The state of Indiana is proposing some major changes in high school graduation diplomas and those proposals are sparking quite a bit of controversy all around Indiana. I sat down and talked with Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Deputy Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley about those proposed actions at the state level.
The state is floating the idea that some students, in their high school first 2 years, will take the required core courses. In the junior and senior years, students will have the flexibility to leave the walls of the classroom and work on job experience and certifications.
One part of the state plan, not yet implemented, would eliminate the Academic Honors diploma. Kegley says this move is not necessary.
“I don’t know that there was a need to move away from what has been the academic honors diploma,” said Kegley. “I’m concerned about the mixed message it might send to our families that the courses laid out in what is currently the academic honors diploma aren’t necessary, even if they plan to go to a 4-year university.”
Kegley sees this state proposal as sending a “mixed message” to local families. It is all about having students headed to a 4-year university that are prepared for that challenge.
Could HSE offer its own Academic Honors diploma if the state enacts these changes as proposed? Kegley says a future diploma would not be academic honors the way the state currently recognizes it…but HSE could say we are going to have an HSE academic honors diploma. HSE would designate & tell students to pursue that if your goal is this, here are the courses you need.
The question being raised from educators around the state about these new diploma proposals centers on what damage might be done to students aiming to attend a 4-year college. “I’m concerned…a level of concern about that,” says Kegley “Are we, as a state, sending a message that going to 4-year college isn’t important?”
Kegley’s bottom line message is this – let’s allow the flexibility, but don’t damage college paths we have now.
Melissa :Loiselle sat down with me for a podcast discussion, but wants everyone to know she corrects one statement made. Ms. Loiselle talks about 8-track tapes, but meant to say 8MM home movies.
We talk about a number of issues, including the possibility of a third library building, the many services provided by the local libraries and how libraries are adapting to the digital age.
First session in new City Hall (L-R Mayor Scott Fadness, member Jason Meyer & City Attorney Lindsey Bennett
Fishers city staff has now moved into the new City Hall after a long period of time scattered around the city as the new building was under construction. Tuesday morning marked the first meeting of the Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety in the new center of city government.
Most of the items on the agenda were routine, but it featured the first time the board heard a utility bill appeal hearing. Former Fishers City Planner Adam Zaklikowski says his state tax refund has been put on hold because he is named on a debt to Fishers for stormwater and sewer service. Zaklikowski told the board he does not contest the debt is owed, but said this related to a dispute between himself and his ex-wife. The board agreed the debt is due, but also agreed to take Adam Zaklikowski’s name off the debt, since he did not own the property for the period of service related to those bills. Zaklikowksi now works for the Town of Fortville.
Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said he was hoping for 3-4 bids when the request for proposals (RFP) was issued for a city-wide trash collection contract. Fishers Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren tells LarryInFishers the city has received 3 bids.
Hultgren says the 3 bidders include Republic, WM (formerly known as Waste Management) and Priority Waste. Republic and WM currently have most of the Homeowners Association (HOA) contracts for trash collection in Fishers. Priority has some contracts in Fishers.
It will take time for the city staff to sort through the RFP responses, which are quite detailed. It is possible the trash contract will be on the Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety agenda at the Tuesday, June 25th meeting. The city has also indicated a public hearing would be held in July.
Sarah Parks-Reese has filed her candidacy for another term on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board. She is completing her first term representing Wayne Township.
In a news release posted on Facebook, Ms. Parks-Reese is described as one providing “a consistent voice for all students, with a particular focus on those students in Wayne Township, who are Noblesville residents, as well as those with exceptional needs and other student groups who are underrepresented.”
She points to her involvement is securing a number of grants for HSE Schools. Parks-Reese and her family have lived in Noblesville, in the HSE district, for 18 years. She has a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from Ball State University and has spent 25 years working in Early Childhood Education.
She is the second candidate to file for the Wayne Township board seat. John F. Stewart has also filed for that board seat.
This round of HSE School Board elections is at-large, with 3 seats up for grabs. All residents of the HSE School District vote for each seat, with candidates required to reside within the townships of Wayne, Delaware and Fall Creek Townships. Suzanne Thomas has filed for re-election in Fall Creek Township, and as of early Tuesday morning is the only candidate filed for that seat. No one has yet filed for the Delaware Township seat, currently held by Sarah Donsbach.
The deadline to file as a school board candidate is noon, Thursday, June 20th
Traffic pattern for construction at 146th & Allisonville Rd
After moving to Fishers in 1991, I faced a daily commute to and from work. Most years, that meant a daily round trip to and from downtown Indianapolis.
Let’s just say I have seen my share of road construction during that time. Each improvement promised to make the commute easier once completed. Sometimes that happened, sometimes it did not.
I have seen my fair share of social media posts complaining about traffic challenges during construction in and around Fishers and Noblesville. No doubt, those complaints are valid.
But let’s remind everyone why these road projects are needed. We live in a growing suburban area. People want to move here, and they are voting with their actions in choosing a place like Fishers in which to live.
When you live in a growing community, road construction projects will happen. Improved and expanded streets and roads will happen when an area grows, through population and commercial activity.
The latest update is the opening of Allisonville Road north & south at 146th Street. Vehicles will be restricted with no left turns. There will be a traffic signal now so be aware of that. This project has another year or more to go before completion, which will feature an overpass at 146th Street for unobstructed travel and a roundabout at ground level on Allisonville Road when all is said and done.
I am no fan of sitting in traffic. I know how it feels and dealt with it many times in the past. But remember this is a sign of growth and vitality when a community needs road work.
I know this is not much consolation, but try to remember next time you are waiting in traffic.
Yvonne Stokes resigned last September as Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Superintendent, with a separation agreement from the school board. Dr. Stokes was named as the new Superintendent for Gary Schools Friday. She is the first Gary superintendent in 7 years, because Gary Schools are just emerging from a state takeover.
Use the link below from Capital B Gary News for more details.
The warmth of summer is upon us, which means the Fishers area road construction report is becoming longer each week. Note that Allisonville Road is set to reopen at 146th Street, and the construction at 141st & State Road 37 is preparing to get underway.
For more details on those projects, and much more, here is the weekly road construction update, as provided by the City of Fishers:
