The Fishers Police Department is preparing to install body cameras to be worn by officers in the field.  The 2019 city budget includes funding for the video equipment.

The department leadership sees the new technology in a positive light.

“We feel like it is a tool that will allow us to maintain trust in the community and build better cases on the criminal side,” Assistant Police Chief Luke Gannon told the Fishers Police Merit Commission.  “I don’t know of any real downsides out there at this point on the body-worn camera.”

“Our officers are asking for it,” said Chief of Police Ed Gebhart. “They know it’s time.”

Gebhart told commission members at their semi-annual meeting Thursday that his department and Carmel are both using the same contractor to provide this technology.  Westfield is changing vendors.  The chief said Noblesville and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department are both watching Fishers & Carmel before moving forward with their body-cam programs.

The contractor Fishers plans to utilize offers video recording technology inside the police vehicle and interview rooms, along with the body-cams.

The commission received an update on the 2018 department goals, which were largely accomplished.  The department heard updates on planning for 2019 and 2020 in a number of areas, including training and cooperation with the HSE Schools.

Two of the five commission members are elected by Fishers police officers, and that process begins soon.  Nominations for those two seats begin December 24th and end January 15th.  Officers will have a chance to meet with the nominees January 24th, and the election naming those two commission members will be held January 25th.  Warren Henderson and Jim White are the two members voted by police officers currently serving on the commission.

Tiffany Sharpley, an appointed member of the commission, informed commission members Thursday she has her house up for sale and plans to move from the Fishers area, meaning a person will need to be appointed as her replacement.

by

Richie Hall

Sports Editor

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers was locked in a tough battle with Delta in the Tiger Den Wednesday night, and coach Lauren Vail challenged her team in the beginning of the second quarter.

The Tigers responded to that challenge very well – to the tune of a 21-0 run. Fishers didn’t stop there, but continued its momentum through the second half on its way to a 67-36 victory over the Eagles.

While the Tigers led early, Delta proved to be a formidable challenge in the first quarter. Fishers led 8-4 thanks to six points from Tamia Perryman, then 10-6 after Katie Burton scored on a layin.

But the Eagles came back to lead 11-10; Madison Delaney’s 3-pointer gave Delta the lead. Both teams traded 3s during the final couple minutes of the period: Kaitlynn Feagan hit a long-range shot, then Burton’s 3 in the quarter’s last few seconds put the Tigers on top 16-14.

The Eagles opened the second quarter with five straight points from its two freshman players: Addie Chester scored off a steal and Gracie Gilland drained a 3. That put Delta up 19-16 and Fishers called a timeout with 6:54 left in the period.

Following the timeout, the Eagles didn’t score again for the remainder of the half. As for the Tigers? Katie Howard scored on a floater, then Skylar Fulton’s 3 gave Fishers the lead for good, at 21-19. Feagan and Emmerson both hit 3s during the run, then Fulton nailed her second 3 late in the period.

“We know we have kids that can shoot the ball, but we’ve really had to talk to them about when the best times to shoot those are,” said Vail. “And tonight we showed that when we get those off of kickouts and good ball movement, our percentage increases even more.”
Emmerson also had a nice under-the-basket layin, while Feagan scored off a steal, then converted the and-1 opportunity. That was the last score of the first half, and Fishers led 37-19 after that.

“We got contributions from a lot of different players tonight and that’s also something that I really like about this group,” said Vail.

Delta ended the run by scoring the first basket of the third quarter, but Fishers kept itself solidly in control in the second half. The Tigers’ defense played very strong, stealing practically at will; at times not allowing the Eagles to get past the half-court line.

“That’s something we’ve been talking about doing more,” said Vail. “That was one of our keys to success in the comeback win that we had over Pendleton Heights last week, was that we really picked the pressure up and were able to turn them over a little bit. And so we talked about that tonight and I was pleased with how our girls came out and did that.”

Delta got to within 43-26 midway through the third, but a quick six-point run took care of that. Perryman made back-to-back baskets, then Feagan scored off a steal. The Tigers then held the Eagles to six points in the fourth quarter. Feagan and Cierra Tolbert each added four points in that period.

Three players hit double figures: Feagan scored 15 points, Perryman added 14 and Fulton contributed 11. Perryman reached double-double status with 10 rebounds, while Lydia Stullken grabbed seven and Emmerson collected five.

Feagan dished out four assists. The Tigers totaled 16 steals as a team, with Emmerson making five steals.

Fishers is 9-4 for the season and will go on the road for the next month, starting with a Friday game at Hamilton Heights.

David Decker and Travis Tucker had an idea to create a place that would train people for the building trades, contain a maker space with equipment and expertise, along with many other parts for the community.  They approached Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, who worked with the two entrepreneurs to put together the Hub & Spoke project.  The building is still being designed and tenants continue to sign-up for the available space.

I invited North of 96th reporter Samm Quinn from the Indianapolis Business Journal to join in the podcast with David & Travis.

Terry Hutchens, a long-time local sportswriter in the central Indiana area, was critically injured in a Monday night crash on 116th Street in Fishers, near I-69.

Fishers Police cite witness statements and evidence at the scene, saying  the driver of the Toyota was traveling westbound on 116^th Street when he apparently rear-ended a Ford Escape. The force of the initial collision pushed the Ford into the rear of a Jeep.

During the follow-up investigation, at the hospital, medical staff told authorities Hutchens may have suffered a sudden medical condition prior to the crash.

Hutchens was unconscious and not breathing when officers arrived. The officers removed Hutchens from his vehicle, and immediately began CPR. Paramedics from the Fishers Department of Fire and Emergency Response transported him to an area hospital in critical condition. The other two drivers and a passenger in the Ford suffered only minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Judge Steve Nation retires December 31 after more than 40 years of service to Hamilton County. And, what a great public servant he has been, working long hours to provide fair and prompt decisions for the litigants with cases before him.

File photo

He started out as a deputy prosecutor in the 1970s. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1978, then judge of Superior Court 1 in 1994. Steve has served with distinction throughout his public career.

On Thursday he will be honored at a retirement reception in the courtroom where he has presided for 24 years. The reception will be open to the public, and a lot of well-wishers can be expected to attend.

Steve is not a native of Hamilton County, but he has become one of our best known citizens not only for how he has operated his court, but also for his service to the community beyond his official duties.

Now, Steve and his wife, Peggy, will enjoy a well-deserved retirement. He has our sincere thanks and best wishes following a long career honorably conducted.

by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

The Holt Legal Group, longtime Noblesville law firm headed by Steve Holt, has moved to a new location. After 44 years at 9^th Street and Maple Avenue, the firm is now located at 198 S. 9th St., in a building occupied for many years by the now disbanded Campbell Kyle Proffitt law firm. Members of the Holt group also include Sean Fleck, Andrew Dickerson and Heather Kinser. Their old building will be removed to make way for the Levinson, a multi-purpose project due to get under construction in the spring.

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Swearing-in ceremonies for newly elected local officials have been moved from the previously announced location at the Courthouse to the Mill Top Banquet and Conference Center at 8th and Mulberry streets. The ceremonies, open to the public, will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20. The move was necessary because space in the historic courtroom of the Courthouse is not adequate to handle the expected crowd, according the GOP Chairwoman Laura Campbell.

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Rosie Brown, receptionist at the Government and Judicial Center, and Kenton Ward, County Surveyor, received service pins Monday for their 45 years of service to Hamilton County. The presentation was made at the annual county employees Wellness and Awards Luncheon held at Exposition Hall on the County 4-H Fairgrounds.

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The Carmel Clay Historical Society is taking orders for sidewalk bricks, suitable for Christmas gifts. The bricks, inscribed with the name of individuals or organizations, will be placed along Main Street and the Monon Trail. Bricks cost $50 and may be ordered at the historical society office, 317-846-7117. Proceeds go to historical society operations.

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A locomotive being moved by the Indiana Transportation Museum from Forest Park to Logansport apparently ran into trouble this week as it neared its destination. The locomotive, too tall for an underpass, hit the structure. The amount of damage remains unknown. The transportation museum is moving many of its pieces of rolling stock to its new home in Logansport after being ordered out of Forest Park.

Fishers City Council President Todd Zimmerman talked about his year pounding the gavel at council meetings during 2018.  He also revealed at Monday night’s council session that he will make a motion during the first meeting in 2019 that Rich Block serve as council president during 2019.

Both Zimmerman and Block are council members at large.

Shari Knox leads an organization facing a big challenge in the coming two years – raise $500,000 to construct an arts facility in Fishers.  I talked with Shari Knox about that and a number of other issues in this podcast.

The Fishers Arts & Culture Commission will begin its work next month, and the city has announced the members of the commission.

Here are the appointees set to serve two-year terms:

Cecilia Coble, an at-large member of the Fishers City Council.

David Decker, owner of ACo, a remodeling company and co-founder of Hub & Spoke

Jeremiah Follis, a social studies teacher at HSE High School, a sculptor  and founder of Olio Productions.

Kathryn Haigh, Chief Operating Officer at Newfields, the home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art

Chris Lingner, founding member of the Indianapolis Ballet

Marisol Sanchez, Vice President & General Counsel at Endress + Hauser

Jocelyn Vare, Owner of Propeller Marketing and former president of the Fishers Arts Council

All members are appointed by the Mayor of Fishers, Scott Fadness.

The Commission was created by a city ordinance enacted in August of this year, with the goal of a more strategic and comprehensive approach to the arts locally.

(Note:  earlier versions of this story said Jeremiah Follis is an art teacher in the HSE Schools…Mr. Follis is a social studies teacher.  LarryInFishers apologizes for the error)

The Fishers City Council moved forward with a number of economic development plans Monday night.  Incentives for the downtown First Internet Bank headquarters, a parking garage, boutique hotel and other projects received approval from council members.

Browning Investments  agreement with the city to develop downtown was also approved by the council.

The council extended the deadline to begin work on the Flexware project, near the downtown Amphitheater, due to unexpected delays dealing with utility lines.

Council members also gave their stamp of approval on a tax abatement for DMC Insurance to renovate and occupy a currently vacant office building at 10500 Crosspoint
Boulevard.  The 5-year abatement applies to property taxes related to the improvements, not the underlying structure.