Tish Biggs, a resident of Fishers, has been named by AARP Indiana as the recipient of the 2019 Andrus Award for Community Service. This award is named after AARP’s founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, and is AARP’s most prestigious volunteer tribute.

“I feel humbled and honored to be in the company of those who previously won the Andrus Award,” Biggs said. “Facilitating the success of others is my personal mission, and AARP always works to assist seniors to live more productive lives – therefore, a perfect match for my volunteer efforts.”

Biggs has been a volunteer for the nonprofit organization for about 5 years, including work on local Fishers city planning and time working with Indiana legislators at the Statehouse.

“Tish has contributed amazing energy, positivity, and communication skills to AARP Indiana since her first day with the team,” said AARP Indiana State Director Sarah Waddle. “She is a champion for her community and for all Hoosiers through her volunteerism on our Legislative Team.”

Ms. Biggs holds a PhD in Educational/Instructional Technology from Kent State University.  She has worked for Time-Warner Cable, was a local councilwoman in Ohio and has spent time as an educator.

She joined Mandla Moyo of AARP Indiana on a podcast I recorded earlier this year, which can be heard at this link.

When Jocelyn Vare was a candidate for an at-large Fishers City Council seat, she emphasized communicating with the public as one of her issues.  Monday afternoon, Councilwoman-elect Vare released her plans on how constituents will be able to communicate with her.

“My campaign was rooted in the belief that all residents should be informed and their voices should be heard,” said Councilwoman-elect Vare in a news release. “Until now, the City Council and its activities have been, to a great degree, an unknown for Fishers residents. My intention is to open new and more efficient lines of communication so that residents will feel more connected to their city government and feel welcome to participate.”

• Listen to Fishers Hotline – First established during the campaign, her Listen to Fishers hotline allows residents to leave a confidential voicemail. Residents who would like to share an idea or concern with her are encouraged to call (888) 518-7117.
• Monthly Email Newsletter – The councilwoman will share information with residents through a monthly email newsletter, which will feature a schedule of upcoming City Council meetings, public hearings and other events, as well information about important issues affecting the community and ways to participate as a resident. You can register online,  jocelynvareforfishers.com or send an email to hello@jocelynvareforfishers.com.
• Office Hours  – Effective January 29, 2020, Ms. Vare will keep office hours at Launch Fishers every Wednesday morning from 7:45am – 10:45am. Residents are encouraged to stop by for coffee and discuss any questions, concerns and/or ideas for the community. Launch Fishers is located at 12175 Visionary Way, behind Super-Target.
• Monthly Media Update – Each month, Vare will issue an update to the media that reaches Fishers residents, which will summarize Fishers City Council activity for the previous month, highlight upcoming votes and overview issues on which she is working with residents.
• Quarterly Ask Me Anything (AMA) Events – Beginning this winter, Jocelyn will host quarterly Ask Me Anything events via Facebook Live to offer residents the opportunity to ask questions, express concerns and share ideas. Dates and times for AMA events will be posted on Jocelyn’s Facebook page and website

Jocelyn Vare will begin serving as a Councilwoman at-large on January 1, 2020.

When I see the development along 106th Street and I-69, I flash back to a couple of specific conversations I had with Town Manager, later Fishers Mayor, Scott Fadness.

I remember a conversation about the 106th street interchange with I-69 when it was still being planned by state highway officials.  Fadness emphasized to me just how important that interchange would be for traffic relief along I-69 at busy times of the day, abut also stressed that the area was poised for a development surge.

The second occasion was the announcement of Ikeas’s plans to build a Fishers store.  I asked the mayor at that event how he foresaw that area around Ikea developing.  Fadness used the word “thoughtful,” which was his way of saying he didn’t want retail and fast-food development all around Ikea, as has happened in other Ikea locations.

That led to a Fishers City Council action declaring the area around Ikea an “employment node.”

Kurt Christian, the new North of 96th reporter for the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ), has a lengthy piece about 106th Street in Fishers and how it is blossoming with development, but commercial and residential.

He reviews the developments already there, along with many in the pipeline.

You can read Kurt Christian’s story in the December 13th print edition of the IBJ, or access it at this link.

(NOTE:  You may be limited on the number of online access to IBJ stories.  As I have written many times before, good journalism will disappear unless you subscribe.  An IBJ subscription is well worth the price of admission, in my view)

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers continued its perfect start to the season on Saturday with a 62-58 win over Columbus North Saturday night at the Tiger Den.

The Tigers led 15-14 after the first quarter, with Justin Long scoring six points and Isaac Farah adding five points. Fishers then had a solid defensive second period, holding the Bull Dogs to nine points and taking a 31-23 lead into halftime. Jeffrey Simmons scored eight points in that quarter.

Columbus North cut slightly into the Tigers’ lead during the second half, but the Tigers’ steady and balanced scoring kept them ahead. Charlie Smith helped out with 10 second-half points, including a 6-of-6 effort from the free-throw line. Simmons added another eight points.

Simmons was one of four Fishers players in double figures with 18 points, while Smith finished with 14. Farah contributed 13 points and Long scored 10.

The Tigers are 6-0 and travel to Hamilton Southeastern on Friday for the Mudsock game.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern picked up its second win in two days on Saturday, beating Gary West Side 62-51 as part of the FORUM Tipoff Classic at Southport.

The Royals got off to a good start, leading 23-10 after the first quarter. The Cougars made a comeback in the second quarter to cut Southeastern’s lead to 33-31 by halftime. The Royals made a 10-0 run at the end of the third quarter (where they led 45-41) and beginning of the fourth quarter, and that sent them to victory.

Cole Hornbuckle led Southeastern’s scoring with 15 points, while Vinny Bucilla added 10 points. Elliot Robinson had nine points, while Mabor Majak pulled 14 rebounds to go with eight points.

he Royals had 21 team assists; Hornbuckle dished out seven, with Majak handing out five and Bucilla four. Majak also had two blocked shots.

Southeastern is 3-3 and hosts Fishers Friday night in the Mudsock game.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern broke open a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at Avon in the third quarter on Friday, and sailed to a 60-35 victory over the Orioles.

Avon was staying with the Class 4A No. 6 Royals in the first half, but Southeastern still outscored the Orioles in each quarter, leading 15-10 after the first and 27-20 at halftime.

The Royals then held Avon to just four points in the third period, and continued their momentum into the fourth quarter.

Sydney Parrish scored 27 points and picked up 13 rebounds for another double-double.

Ryan Viele had an outstanding game, making four 3-pointers on her way to 15 points. Makayla Hinshaw collected eight rebounds.

Southeastern is 4-0 in HCC play and 10-1 overall. The Royals’ next game is
Tuesday at New Castle.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers and Noblesville played a hardfought Hoosier Crossroads Conference game at The Mill on Friday night, and the Tigers were the winners 58-50.

It was the Millers’ Pink Out night, where they honored those who are fighting cancer.

Fishers took an early 6-2 lead, but Noblesville came back to tie the game at 12-12
by the end of the first quarter.

The Millers then took the lead going into halftime, as Ashlynn Shade hit two free
throws to send Noblesville into the locker room up 28-27. The Tigers went on an 8-0 run
during the third quarter to lead 40-32, but the Millers were able to cut that lead to 41-39
after three quarters.

The game was tied at 47-47 in the fourth quarter, but Fishers finished the contest with an 11-3 run, starting with six unanswered points. Katie Burton led the Tigers with 20 points, including a 10-of11 effort from the free-throw line. Lydia Stullken collected 10 rebounds and also blocked three shots.

Shade scored 18 points to lead Noblesville and reached double-double status by pulling 11 rebounds. Emily Wood added 11 points.

The Tigers are 3-0 in the conference and still perfect for the season at 12-0.

They host Pendleton Heights on Thursday. The Millers dropped to 0-3 in the
HCC and 3-8 overall and host Anderson on Tuesday.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers received a tough test from one of Class 2A’s toughest teams Friday at the
Tiger Den.

The Tigers held on to beat 2A No. 2 Shenandoah 50-48. The Raiders slowly
built a halftime lead, going up 9-8 after one quarter and then leading 25-20 at the
break.

Fishers came back to go up 38-35 after three quarters. Jeffrey Simmons
helped out with eight points in that period. The Tigers then hung on during the
fourth quarter, with Charlie Smith scoring seven.

Simmons led the Fishers scoring with 16 points, while Smith contributed 14.

The Tigers remain perfect at 5-0 and host Columbus North tonight.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern won a hard-fought game at North Central on Friday, by the score of 58-56.

It was a back-and-forth game for the first two and a half quarters, with the Royals leading 17-16 at the end of the first quarter and 35-33 at halftime. Southeastern went on a big run to take a 49-39 lead with a minute left in the third period.

But the Panthers came back, jumping ahead by one point with three minutes left in the fourth.

HSE’s Vinny Bucilla scored with 55 seconds left to get the Royals ahead by two.
North Central made a pair of foul shots with 15 seconds left to tie the game. Kole
Hornbuckle then scored the game-winning basket with 1.4 seconds left, with
DeAndre Rhodes providing the assist.

Bucilla led Southeastern’s scoring with 14 points, with Hornbuckle adding
11 and Mabor Majak contributing 10.

Majak earned a double-double by collecting 14 rebounds, with Bucilla pulling
five. Bucilla also handed out six assists.

The Royals are 2-3 and play Gary West at 3:30 p.m. today at Southport as
part of the FORUM Tipoff Classic.

Mike Reuter has been at the helm of finances for the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Disctrict for about 25 years.  Wednesday’s  school board meeting was the last time Reuter would meet with the board.  He is retiring at the end of 2019.

HSE Board President Michelle Fullhart read a proclamation honoring Mr. Reuter for his many years of service to the local schools.

I recorded a podcast with Mike Reuter, where he talked about his time with the HSE Schools, on December 6th.  You can listen to the podcast at this link.