In cooperation with Fishers High School students Izzy and Casey Alexander, I am offering podcast interviews with all candidates for HSE School Board.  Casey talked with Clint Wilson, running in Fall Creek Township.

Let me explain what goes into podcast production.  You must a arrange a time and place (place is more Zoom these days), prepare for the interview, record the interview, do the post-production and prepare the written notes for posting the podcast.  Multiply that by eleven, and you understand why I decided to pass on doing HSE School Board candidate podcasts this time around.

I have been trying to cut back on all this volunteer work of writing, reporting and podcasting – mostly about local things.  But, the coronavirus and racial issues we are confronting pulled me back, for the simple reason that the media landscape is changing so much, virtually no one else is doing that work locally now.

When I announced a while back that I would not be producing HSE School Board candidate podcasts in this election cycle, I received lots of heart-warming messages but with a lot of understanding that I am not getting any younger and I have a cuter-than-a-button grandson to dote over now.

Not long after announcing “no candidate podcasts” this year, I received a message from a prominent and long-time teacher in HSE Schools.  He had a couple of former students that had expressed a willingness to record the podcast interviews with HSE School Board candidates.

I made it clear I was very interested.  Next thing I know I have an message from a senior at Fishers High School, Izzy Alexander.  She and her brother Casey (a freshman at FHS)  volunteered to record the podcasts.  All I needed to do was handle the post-production and post the podcasts on my blog and other social media.

So, Izzy and Casey went to work, recording the candidate interviews.  I am still handling the post-production of all those podcasts as of this writing, with the goal of beginning the posting process on Sunday afternoon with (hopefully) all the candidate podcast postings done before my head hits the pillow Sunday.

What I like about the Alexanders’ style is this – these podcasts are more like a conversation than a “Meet The Press” style interview.  If you take the time to listen, I think you will learn a lot about the candidates and this sister-brother combination’s love for following civic events in their own community.

My sincere thanks to Izzy and Casey Alexander for stepping forward and teaming-up to bring candidate podcasts to potential voters throughout the HSE School District.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers brought a three-game losing streak to an end on Friday night by beating Franklin Central 33-14 in an away Hoosier Crossroads Conference game.

The Tigers absorbed an early Flashes lead, which happened when FC scored on an interception. But after that, it was all Fishers as it ran up 33 unanswered points.

“We had a mishap in the first quarter where their defense got a pick six,” said
Tigers coach Curt Funk.

The Tigers tied the game midway through the first quarter on a five-yard touchdown run by Carson Dunn, and Christian Wayne made the extra-point kick. Fishers got its passing game going in the second period, with Lucas Prewitt making touchdown throws to Caleb Gates and Landon Morris, the latter with 10 seconds left in the half.

The Tigers led 20-7 at the break. Funk said his team was able to get a little bit of separation, “and I thought our offense did a nice job of moving the football, executing the passing game.”

“Lucas Prewitt did a nice job in the passing game and our offensive line was doing a great job of giving him time to get the ball off,” said Funk.

Prewitt threw for two more touchdowns in the third quarter. Silas Martin caught an 18-yard throw less than two minutes into the period, then Jeffrey Simmons grabbed a one-yard TD pass with 1:13 left in the third, with Wayne making the extra-point kick.

Simmons finished the game with 15 receptions, a school record. “Jeffrey had a big night and we were really happy for him and his production,” said Funk.

Prewitt had a tremendous night, going 29-for-39 with 345 yards and four touchdowns. Prewitt also led the rushing with 39 yards.

Curtis Kearshner led the Fishers defense with seven tackles, followed by six each for Joel Coston and Grady Stanley.

The Tigers improved to 2-3 in HCC play and are 2-5 overall. Fishers returns home next Friday to host Westfield.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern won an all-county and Hoosier Crossroads Conference showdown with Noblesville Friday at Beaver Materials Field by the score of 27-17.

The Royals never trailed in the game, but had to wait until the two-minute mark
of the first quarter to get on the board, which they did when Alex Geroulis
kicked a 25-yard field goal. Southeastern began the second quarter with a touchdown; Jace Alexander ran the ball into the end zone from eight yards.

Geroulis made the extra-point kick, and a few minutes later would make his second field goal of the game, this time from 23 yards. The Millers did go into halftime with points on the board, as Grayden Addison’s 30-yard field goal got Noblesville within 13-3 at the break.

Southeastern got another score early in the third quarter, when Mikah Phillips made a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

It was part of a Royals defense that coach Michael Kelly said played “very, very
good.”

“They did a good job in coming up with several turnovers and played hard,” said Kelly. “I thought we had several guys come up with some big stops.”

The Millers scored the next touchdown, with Trey Speek taking the ball in from two yards.

Southeastern answered minutes later when Blaine Wertz ran in from 29 yards for a touchdown with 2:53 left in the third. The Royals led 27-10 at that point and held on from there.

“Their offense just really rose to the occasion when they needed to and our defense was a half-step behind on third and longs,” said Noblesville coach Dave Sharpe.

The Millers’ Holden Montarsi got the game’s final score, catching a 50-yard touchdown pass from Connor Meinerding with 2:28 left in the game.

Wertz led HSE’s rushing with 133 yards in 26 carries. Sam Jacobs filled in at quarterback for an injured John McCall, and performed well, completing 7 of 10 pass attempts for 101 yards. Wertz had three of those catches.

Meinerding went 4-of-6 for the Millers, totaling 86 yards. Montarsi had two catches and also led the rushing with 50 yards.

The Royals improved to 4-1 in HCC play, sitting in a tie for second place with Brownsburg, and are 5-2 overall. Southeastern goes back on the road next week to play at Franklin Central. Noblesville is 1-4 in the conference and 2-5 overall, and plays at Brownsburg next week.

You may recall seeing Ann Craig-Cinnamon’s name when she was editor of Current in Fishers a few years ago.  She and her husband John Cinnamon had a long local career in radio broadcasting.  They followed the same career path as I in walking away from the radio business and moving on.

Ann & John are the subject of a documentary film all about their adventure on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  The film is set to air on WFYI-TV, Channel 20, October 22, at 7pm.  It is expected that the film will air in time slots after that date.

The couple has been travelling the world together since marrying in 1995.  They have visited more than 100 countries, all 7 continents and all 50 states.  Their adventures have included gorilla trekking in Rwanda, hiking the Himalayas to see Mt. Everest, snorkeling with sea lions in the Galapagos and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Their journey on the Trans Siberian Railway is one of their favorite adventures.

The weather may be cooling, but road construction in and around Fishers continues unabated.  The city is still saying the 126th Street & State Road 37 underpass and roundabout will be completed and open by November.

There are plenty of other updates here, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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STATE ROAD 37 AND 126TH STREET 
126th Street east of SR 37 is currently closed and is anticipated to reopen in November. During this time, cross access will be restricted, with only right in and right out. Northbound SR 37 traffic will not have access to 126th Street and will shift to the southbound lanes. Two lanes will remain in each direction. Local access to businesses will remain open. Detour route markers and advance warning signs will be in place prior to the closure. View the detour map here.

On Monday, October 5 between the hours of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. one lane of SR 37 northbound will be restricted between 131st Street and the flyover ramp south of 126th Street. This work will allow crews to remove the barrier wall and apply temporary paving markings as northbound traffic is moved over into its final configuration. NOTE: The ramps along the northbound lanes will remain closed.

STATE ROAD 37 AND 146TH STREET
All left-turn lanes are currently restricted on SR 37 and on 146th Street with traffic moved to the interior lanes.  Through traffic and right turns on SR 37 and 146th Street will remain open. This phase is anticipated to be completed by the end of November. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes for all left turn access. View an alternate route map here.

On Monday, October 5 between the hours of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. westbound 146th Street will be restricted to one lane between SR 37 and the tracks to place the barrier wall from the south project on to the outside shoulder of westbound 146th Street.

Please drive with caution through this area. To learn more about the State Road 37 Improvement Project and sign up to receive text updates, visit 37Thrives.com.

126TH STREET AND FORD DRIVE
Phase 2 construction of the 126th Street and Ford Drive roundabout is underway and is anticipated to reopen in October. During this phase, 126th Street will be closed east of Ford Drive to Kirkpatrick Way. Residents and businesses on Ford/Windsor Drive will be accessible from Lantern Road. Lockhart Cadillac will be accessible from southbound SR 37 only. Check out the project fact sheet to learn more and view the detour map here.

96TH STREET 
96th Street east of the Sargent Road roundabout to Cumberland Road is currently closed and is anticipated to reopen in early November. During this time, the bridge over Mud Creek will be replaced with a widened structure and additional travel lanes will be added. Check out the project fact sheet to learn more and view the detour map here.

There will be temporary lane closures throughout the week of October 5 on 96th Street east of I-69 as part of the resurfacing and median island project. Please use caution while driving through this area. Check out the project fact sheet to learn more.

ALLISONVILLE ROAD
The far east lane on Allisonville Road south of 106th Street is currently closed between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for sidewalk work in front of Fire Station #93 and is anticipated to be completed by Friday, October 9.

FISHERS POINTE BLVD. 
Fishers Pointe Blvd. will be closed at the Nickel Plate Trail to extend speed tables and is anticipated to reopen by Monday, October 5. View the detour map here.

FRANCES STREET 
Frances Street between Meadows Drive and Lantern Road is currently closed and is anticipated to reopen in October.

MOORE STREET
Moore Street between 116th Street and South Street is currently closed and is anticipated to reopen in October.

BURBERRY
Road resurfacing is currently taking place and is anticipated to be completed by the end of October.

There may be very short-term narrow lanes or lane closures at the Nickel Plate Trail crossings for the next 2 to 3 weeks to allow the contractor to pour concrete for curb ramps and pole foundations. Please use caution when driving through these areas.

When I began the LarryInFishers.com local news blog in January of 2012, I used a very simple software program that did not have the capabilities of adding comments from readers.  In the summer of 2015, that program was not working for me, so I switched to the WordPress program I began using then and continue to utilize today.

The WordPress software does allow comments to be posted.  I have had few issues, perhaps one, since June of 2015.  I have had one major rule – anyone personally attacking another individual by name must use their own name in the post.

I did remove a post recently for violating that rule.  I normally provide two choices to the individual posting the personal attack – provide me your name and a way to verify it is correct, or I will keep the post off my blog.  Because of a technical glitch, that post was on the blog for a short time.

I have always felt that the comments are a good part of my local news blog.  However, in the current climate of commentary, particularly about our schools, the level of toxicity has been raised to a new high.

I want to continue offering comments on this blog, but if the comments get out of hand, I will remove the comment option.  I do not want to take such an action, but I will if need be.

I do not expect that removing comments on my blog would end the toxic comments we have seen locally and I have written about.  So, if the level of debate gets out of hand, I will remove the comments option and those wanting to comment that way can do so on another platform.

But I do want to compliment the vast majority of those posting comments on this blog.  It is not a problem to have a strong opinion, but you need not attack others to get your point across.

The rest is up to my readers.  Comment, but please do so respectfully.

Fishers Police report two recent arrests.  The first related to a police chase on foot in the Whispering Woods neighborhood , north of 126th Street near I-69, during the evening of Friday, September 25th.

Under arrest on felony charges of theft and burglary, along with misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief, is Andres Zapata, 22, with police saying he has no known address.

Officers responded to a residential burglary alarm at 8:00pm in the 13100 block of Albion Court.  After establishing a perimeter, police say they saw a man in dark clothing leaving the back door of the home.  According to authorities, a pursuit began as the suspect did not respond to orders from officers on the scene.  Zapata was taken into custody after jumping several fences and running through a number of yards in the neighborhood.

There were no injuries in the incident.  Fishers Police say they recovered the stolen items and returned them to the homeowner.

Anyone with information regarding Mr. Zapata is asked to contact Detective Campbell at 317-595-3331.

The second arrest happened shortly after midnight in the 14900 block of Dennison Drive, south of 136th Street near Southeastern Parkway.

A resident in the neighborhood reported a suspicious person looking into cars.  As officers arrived in the area they witnessed a vehicle leaving the neighborhood at a high rate of speed. Police initiated a traffic stop and the suspect vehicle fled.

A short pursuit ensued before the driver bailed out and fled on foot. Officers chased the suspect, but lost sight of him as he entered a wooded area. An extensive search was conducted, using K9s and drones, but the suspect was not found. Authorities had a description of the suspect as a white male in his early 20s with dark hair and wearing a black sweatshirt.

The investigation continued throughout the day as detectives followed up on several leads. As a result of that work, detectives were able to identify and locate the suspect, Tod Kirchgraber, 19, from Indianapolis. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

Kirchgraber faces a felony count of resisting law enforcement in a vehicle, in addition to misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement and unlawful entry Into a motor vehicle.

Police remind area residents to double-check that your vehicle is locked before turning in for the night.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton County will celebrate its bicentennial in 2023. Hamilton County was officially designated by the state and founded as a governmental entity in 1823.

Ward

Williams

A 2023 Bicentennial Commission has been appointed by the Hamilton County Commissioners to oversee the bicentennial’s celebration through events and projects throughout the county. The Commission will consist of a representative from each township appointed by the township trustee. County Clerk Kathy Kreag Williams and County Surveyor Kenton Ward will co-chair the commission.

“I had the honor of serving on the 175th celebration and am excited to be a part of the 200th anniversary,” Williams said. “Hamilton County has so many deep-rooted traditions as well as the many changes that have come with our growth. I look forward to celebrating it all.”

The 2023 Bicentennial Commission will be supported by an executive committee consisting of Jessica Petty, Hamilton County Historical Society; David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian; Brenda Myers and Sarah Buckner, Hamilton County Tourism; and a voluntary treasurer to be elected from the township appointments. Regular reports to the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners will be made.

Heighway

“The Bicentennial is an opportunity to not only look to our past but also our future,” said Heighway. “This community has experienced significant change over time, and this will be an opportunity to reflect on where we are and where we want to go.”

The Commission will launch in the fourth quarter of 2020, then meet quarterly in 2021, nine times in 2022, monthly in 2023, and once in 2024 to review a program assessment and define the bicentennial’s committee structure.

There will be many opportunities for folks to engage in the bicentennial through committee membership, by signing up for special projects, submitting programming ideas and using some of the materials for classrooms and clubs that will be developed for the celebration.

A web portal will be developed by early 2021 to allow anyone interested in knowing more to sign up for email information or to serve on a committee.