I have been traveling the state over the past couple of months doing some instructing for Indiana University and finished my last contract assignment Wednesday.  I’ve been trying to post stories when I can along the way but there are a few stories I need to catch-up on. Here are a few major ones.

First, the City of Fishers announced Wednesday afternoon that it is making progress in filling-in the commercial hole left with the vacant Marsh Supermarket locations, this time its the former Marsh grocery at 96th and Lantern Road.  Commercial developer Strongbox says it will invest $7 million in demolishing the old Marsh building and constructing a new retail facility at that location.  The City of Fishers is recommending impact fee waivers for the new retail building on behalf of Strongbox, in exchange for purchasing four license plate readers (LPRs) in partnership with Fishers Police Department. These LPRs will be installed along 96^th Street as part of the Department’s efforts to use technology in dealing with crime in that area of Fishers.

Second, Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt has announced he will seek another four-year term in the 2020 election cycle.  Heirbrandt’s district includes the City of Fishers and part of the surrounding area.

Thirdly, The Fishers Arts Council has announced its art exhibits for each month of 2020.

The 2020 season offers the works of local artists such as James Anderson, Greg Beall, Bryce Culverhouse, Britton Farrand, Michael Janosky, Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi, Gale Sturm, and Paula Wright. Additionally, we will offer a special exhibit in February (Black History) featuring Fishers High School and Fall Creek Junior High School Students. In March, as part of Disabilities Awareness Month, the Arts Council will offer the work of artists with disabilities. In July, we will celebrate the fine art from the Hamilton County Artists’ Association.

Exhibit titles are:

January: Dreaming in Color – Jeannette Parssi

February: Black History: Visual & Performing Art

March: Disabilities Awareness Art

April: Senior Showcase May: I am Story: B Farrand, the Experimentalist

June: The Art of Michael Janosky July: Fine Art by Hamilton County Artists’ Association

August: The Art of James Anderson

September: The Art of Illustration & Caricatures

October: First Annual Juried Exhibition

November: The Art of the Graphic Artist

December: The Emerging Artist

Of the sixteen exhibits, 4 will be held in our new exhibit area, The Alcove. Those exhibits will be on display for three months each. The Alcove exhibits will feature Gale Sturm (1st quarter), Bryce Culverhouse (2nd quarter); Greg Beall (3rd quarter), and Paula Wright (4th quarter).

Last, but certainly not least, congratulations are in order for my film podcasting partner Adam Aasen.  According to my news-gathering partner, the Hamilton County Reporter,  the One Zone Chamber of Commerce handed out the Volunteer of the Year award to Adam, owner of Donatello’s Italian Restaurant in downtown Carmel.

Adam has been an active volunteer for organizations such as the Carmel Rotary
Club, Humane Society of Hamilton County, Chaucie’s Place, the Carmel Education Foundation, and helps organize the Hamilton County Young Republicans annual Toy Drive.

This is a well-deserved honor for Adam.

When Hamilton Southeastern school district students return from their winter break, they will be reporting one day earlier than originally planned.

Monday, January 6th, was on the original school calendar as a teacher workday.  With the Red for Ed teacher gathering at the Statehouse, over 300 HSE teachers asked to take a personal day to attend the November 19th event in downtown Indianapolis.

That resulted in Superintendent Allen Bourff switching November 19th as a teacher work day, since filling classrooms would be so difficult with so many teachers taking personal days.  Bourff said at the time he would be recommending that the board switch January 6th to a full school day with students expected to report.

The school board unanimously approved Dr. Bourff’s request, officially changing January 6th to a regular school day.

Should the Hamilton Southeastern Schools make a preliminary decision to build two new elementary schools?  That was the question before the school board Wednesday night.

The board voted to move forward with plans to construct a replacement for Durbin Elementary that can also relieve other elementary buildings with overcrowding issues.  Durbin cannot be expanded at the present site because water and sewer connections are not available.

However, the board voted unanimously not to include a possible replacement for Fishers Elementary School in its preliminary action, but in the same unanimous vote, decided to go ahead with plans for the new elementary replacement for Durbin at 156th Street and Boden Road, in Noblesville.

The board engaged in a long and wide-ranging discussion about whether to include both Durbin’s replacement and Fishers Elementary in the same preliminary action.  When the discussion ended, all board members voted in favor of only dealing with the Durbin replacement at this time.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball team won its eighth straight game on Tuesday, beating Pendleton Heights 63-51 at the Arabians’ gym.

The Class 4A No. 6 Royals led 16-8 after the first quarter and 33-19 at halftime.

Southeastern extended its lead to 47-31 by the end of the third period, then held off a late run by the Arabians to get the win.

Sydney Parrish earned a double-double of 30 points and 14 rebounds, including four 3-pointers. Parrish also made four steals. Jackie Maulucci added 13 points and handed out four assists.

Makayla Hinshaw and Bailee Poore both pulled four rebounds.

The Royals are 9-1 and host Avon Friday for a Hoosier Crossroads Conference
game.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern dropped a home game to Pike Tuesday, 66-58.

The Royals started strong against the Red Devils, leading 18-12 after the first
quarter. But Pike took control in the second period, scoring 20 points, which led the
Red Devils to a 32-27 halftime lead. Pike finished the game with a 21-point fourth quarter
to seal the win.

Kole Hornbuckle and Vinny Bucilla both scored 17 points to lead Southeastern. Hornbuckle and DeAndre Rhodes both collected five rebounds, with Rhodes also making four steals.

Bucilla handed out five assists.

The Royals are 1-3 and play Friday at North Central.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton County Commissioners have approved an overall updating of the county’s Comprehensive Plan beginning in January. The last update was undertaken in the 1990s.

Innovative Planning of Carmel will do the work, which includes the countywide thoroughfare plan. The remainder of the update is confined to the areas of county planning jurisdiction outside the territory covered by municipalities.

The study and recommended changes will be underway for most of the year 2020 with public hearings to be scheduled in the county’s various communities. Cost of the project is $139,000 with a “not to exceed” limit of $150,000 should officials want additional information, according to planning director Chuck Kiphart.

In other matters at Monday’s commissioners’ meeting, Steve Dillinger reported work is continuing on studies aimed at resolving traffic congestion at three intersections along 146th Street. He said experts are looking at the possibility of roundabouts or other modifications to allow smoother traffic flow at U.S. 31, Gray Road and Carey Road intersections with 146th.

Commissioners also passed on second reading of an ordinance governing non-authorized signs in highway right-of-ways. The ordinance is an attempt to get consistent rules throughout the county. Cities and towns are being consulted in the effort to get that consistency.

And, commissioners approved a supplemental agreement with USI Engineers for their continuing work on plans for a Pleasant Street bridge over White River. Commissioners have been told the City of Noblesville wants to proceed as soon as possible with widening of Pleasant Street which, with the bridge, will create a bypass of the city business district. Noblesville is applying for federal highway funds. Dillinger estimates construction is about two years away.

Finally, commissioners approved renewal of a contract with the Town of Atlanta for police protection. The county sheriff’s department has provided the service in recent years after Atlanta, with a population of only about 800, found it too expensive to operate its own police department.

Anytime a fire is reported at a day care center, it creates a scare within any community.  Such a blaze was reported Tuesday, but the day care staff implemented their emergency plan and no one was injured.

The blaze was reported at the Dolce Daycare and Preschool, 7255 E 116th St, just west of Allisonville Road.  Fire officials say 75 children and 20 care givers were evacuated from the building to a nearby business.  Other businesses in the area helped care for the youngsters until parents arrived.

According to the Fishers Fire Department, the cause of the fire has not been determined at this time and fire damage is minimal.

When Browning Investments first announced the construction of a large complex along 116th Street in the heart of downtown Fishers’ Nickel Plate District, there was an expectation that a hotel would be included in that development, along with the headquarters of First Internet Bank.  Browning, Dora Hotels and Fishers city officials announced Wednesday a 5-story, 116-room high-end, boutique hotel to be located in the city’s downtown Nickel Plate District. The Hotel Nickel Plate, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel, will feature a full-service restaurant on the first floor and Nickel Plate Trail access.

The city news release describes a design centered on the history of the Nickel Plate Railroad in Fishers.

“Downtown Fishers is quickly becoming the heart of our community, showcasing the vibrancy of the community alongside growing and entrepreneurial companies,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Hotel Nickel Plate will create another iconic destination downtown where residents, visitors, businesses, and more come together to enjoy all that downtown and the Nickel Plate Trail has to offer. We’re grateful to Browning and Dora Hotel Company for bringing our vision to light.”

The development of the hotel is the result of a project agreement that included the transfer of land for development and construction of the luxury hotel. The agreement was approved in December 2018.

The Fishers City Council will consider incentives to the developer for the construction of the hotel during its December 2019 meeting. The City of Fishers is proposing a waiver of impact and permitting fees and $2.1 million from the existing downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund as its incentives to the project. Browning and Dora Hotel Company will commit to an 85% minimum taxpayer agreement for 25 years.

The Nickel Plate District is part of the Fishers 2040 comprehensive plan,

When a group of local students came up with the idea for an art wall, the city and local business owners got on board and the wall is now under construction.

The students are part of the Fishers Mayor’s Youth Academy.  Mayor Scott Fadness provided a challenge to the high schoolers in the group – “What are creative places doing to create creative spaces?”

The group looked at the Venice Public Art Walls in Venice, California, which has become a tourist destination and local landmark that generates public art through creative place-making.

A group of local businesses started to get on board.  Those business owners include:

• Sagamore Concrete (Concrete)
• Hagerman Construction Corporation (Form and Finish)
• Kimley-Horn (Design, DNR and Hamilton Co. Permitting)
• Gilliatte General Contractors, Inc. (Excavating and Site Prep)
• Geotill Engineering, Inc. (Soil Borings)
• Stoeppelwerth & Associates, Inc. (Land Survey)
• Faegre Baker Daniels LLP (Coordination)

“The students’ presentation to the City Council in May passionately showed how public art matters, and they inspired us to find a way to build a piece of our public art ecosystem,” said Steve Hardin, partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, in a city news release. “Our Fishers youth have great ideas, and I’m so thankful for these local businesses who stepped up immediately to celebrate the students by turning their idea into a reality. That’s the Fishers way.”

The City of Fishers created an Arts & Culture Commission to promote art projects throughout the community, including the new wall.

“The work of The Mayor’s Youth Academy and local business leaders collaborating to bring an engaging and authentic art experience to the city represents the very core of what make Fishers a smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial city,” said David Decker, chairman of the Fishers Arts & Culture Commission. “Community-led art and culture initiatives are vital to ensure an exceptional quality of life for the residents of the community.”

Construction of the art wall is underway at Fishers’ Brooks School Park (11780 Brooks School Road) and should be completed by spring of 2020.  Local artists will be showcasing their work on the wall, with a rotation calling for a new piece of art each new season.

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers rolled to another victory on Saturday, winning at Bishop Chatard 59-47 to stay unbeaten for the season.

The Class 4A No. 5 Tigers led 15-9 after the first quarter and 31-23 at halftime. Fishers extended its lead further in the third period, going up 46-33.

“The game was a great team effort on both ends of the floor and the Tigers were extremely balanced in scoring,” said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw.

Katie Burton scored 12 points for the Tigers, with Olivia Smith adding 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. Lydia Stullken added nine points, led the rebounds with seven, blocked six shots and made four steals.

Fishers is 11-0 and plays Friday at Noblesville.