As Fishers continues to grow, there have been a handful of businesses that have continued from the days when I moved to Fishers in 1991.  One of those businesses, Archer’s Meat and Catering downtown, is now set to close so the owners can retire.

Archer’s will be missed, but the owners have very much earned their retirement.

Lindsey Erdody of the Indianapolis Business Journal first reported this story.  You can read it at this link.

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Hamilton County Reporter

State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero) and local and state leaders joined the staff and students of Hamilton Heights Middle School Thursday in commemorating the 30^th anniversary of Ryan White’s first day as a student at Hamilton Heights High School.

The Hamilton Heights High School Principal at that time, Tony Cook, Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams and HIV Prevention Director John Nichols all spoke at the event.

“Celebrating Ryan’s life is a learning and growing experience for the community and students,” Cook said. “Going back to school was so important to Ryan even though he knew he didn’t have a lot of time left. His classmates were able to see how important it was for him to be in a normal classroom, to be a normal student. It’s wonderful to see our community and students continue to support and lift others up.”

At the age of 13, White received a tainted blood transfusion he received to treat his hemophilia and was infected with AIDS. At that time, information about the disease was unknown and his story and the challenges he faced attracted the national spotlight. White died on April 8, 1990, just days before his high school graduation.

The “Remembering Ryan” program brought leaders, students, faculty and alumni from White’s class to celebrate the day he entered the school on Aug. 31, 1987.

“Ryan White taught us about courage, acceptance and perseverance,” said Indiana State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. “While medical advances have made HIV a chronic disease that can be managed with medications, we must continue to honor Ryan’s legacy and promote research and education that ultimately end HIV and the stigma it still carries.”

White’s mother, Jeanne White-Ginder, has since become an HIV/AIDS activist. She successfully pushed for the enactment of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, which provides assistance to uninsured or underinsured individuals who have AIDS and was named in honor of Ryan in 1990 and was reauthorized in 2013. White-Ginder speaks regularly to audiences nationwide about her experience and the AIDS epidemic.

There is also a Ryan White Room at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Visit www.RyanWhite.com for more of Ryan’s story.

“It’s my hope that this celebration of Ryan White’s life, 30 years after he came to Hamilton Heights, has inspired our students, staff, and community to take on the challenges of our day with the same courage, trust in education, and compassion towards others that his classmates demonstrated for us,” Hamilton Heights Middle School Principal Bret Bailey said. “Ultimately, our goal has been to take time to remember Ryan and the impact he had on our school, community and world.”

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, the only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to be tested. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more. No cure currently exists for HIV, but HIV can be controlled with proper medical care. Today, someone diagnosed with HIV and treated before the disease is advanced can have a nearly normal life expectancy.

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Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

(NOTE: Commentaries by Fred Swift are posted on my blog as part of a partnership between LarryInFishers.com and the Hamilton County Reporter.  Views expressed are those of Fred Swift and do not necessarily reflect the views of LarryInFishers.com)

Some major intersections in Hamilton County are being over-engineered and way too complicated. That’s my opinion, and one shared by others I talk with.

What do I mean? Take a look at the intersecting roads converging near Hamilton Town Center and I-69, or the confusing intersections along the “new” U.S. 31, especially at 31 and Smoky Row Road, or the incredible ‘Michigan Left’ at 96th and Allisonville Road.

There is no doubt these major highways experience a lot of traffic, and should be engineered and built to handle it. But, simple can be better in planning our roadways. Complex interchanges involving multiple roundabouts and circuitous access ramps are very expensive as well as sometimes confusing for motorists.

Various engineering firms have been responsible for the increasing number and complexity of our roads. We are told these roadways are being built to handle an anticipated increase in traffic. Of course, that seems like the right answer.

But, would a more simple cloverleaf interchange do the trick at some of these intersections? Take for example that Michigan Left or the intersection of 116th and 31. A traditional interchange would seem to accomplish the desired result at these and other locations. The road building industry benefits financially from complex construction, but they are building what they are told we want. Ultimately “we” are our elected officials, most of whom are not experienced highway design experts.

Now, the rebuilding of the intersections on State Road 37 is about to begin. Let’s hope those officials in control of this project insist on effective, but more practical solutions. And, it might save us a lot of money.

When Heidi Stan talks about her students, fitness and health education, you can sense the excitement in her voice.  She has a passion for her work.  That passion likely helped lead Heidi Stan to be honored as the Hamilton Southeastern School District Teacher of the Year.  I talked with Mrs. Stan about that and more in this podcast.

There has been a lot of comment about the decision by the City of Fishers not to fund the Fishers Freedom Festival in 2018, but the city has told LarryInFishers that it is prepared to “fill the void” if necessary.

The Fishers City Council Non-Profit Committee, consisting of council members Cecilia Coble, Brad DeReamer and Pete Peterson, reviewed funding applications from 25 organizations requesting city funds.  The committee recommends funding 13 of those groups.

It should be noted that the Indiana Department of Local Finance (DLGF) is distributing more then $600,000 less in County Option Income Tax (COIT) to the City of Fishers than earlier forecasts indicated.  Members of the Fishers City Council Finance Committee said there would be some reduction in the amount of money available for the non-profits with less many coming in than originally projected.  The original plan was to provide a total of $331,500 to be split up among the chosen organizations.  That figure is likely to be reduced.

Fishers Freedom Festival Executive Director Jennifer Kehl told LarryInFishers the festival board and volunteer committees will decide by the end of October whether to have the Freedom Festival in 2018 without city funding.

In the meantime, the City of Fishers issued a statement saying, “If the Fishers Freedom Festival Committee chooses not to host the Festival next year, the City will fill that void. The City remains committed to bringing residents together by carrying on traditions such as the parade and others our residents love.”

When asked why the Freedom Festival was not selected to receive city funds next year, the statement from the City of Fishers says the non-profit committee “took a holistic view of the nonprofits that currently served our community, weighed the impact of each of those nonprofits and prioritized the funds accordingly.”

The bottom line here is this….if the Freedom Festival committee decides not to host the summer event in 2018, the City of Fishers has made a commitment to “fill the void.”

We will wait for further developments.

The pilot died in a small plane crash at Metropolitan Airport in Fishers.

For the latest, check this link for WTHR’s latest update.

Republican precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be voting on September 6th, electing the person to complete the term of State Senator Luke Kenley.  In advance of that vote, a newly formed Political Action Committee (PAC), Fiscal Conservatives of Hamilton County, sponsored a public forum, inviting all seven candidates to make their case before precinct officials set to vote in the GOP caucus.

A crowd of about 80 people, most precinct officials eligible to vote in the caucus, were on hand for the Wednesday night event at the Delaware Township Building in Fishers.

There were a number of issues hashed out.  In most cases, the senate hopefuls agreed on the issue under discussion, although the candidates were split on the recent action by the General Assembly to hike the gas tax and some fees to finance infrastructure construction and maintenance.

Here are the candidates and a brief summation of their backgrounds:

Brad Beaver –  He has served on the Hamilton County Council for 20 years and is proud of the fact he has never missed a regularly scheduled council meeting.  He owns a heating and air conditioning.  He assumes the gas tax and fee increase were needed to fund infrastructure but is concerned some of the gas tax revenue will not all be used for that purpose.

Sue Finkham –   A member of the Carmel City Council, she touts the fact she is a mom and a wife of 20 years.  She makes a living working for an organ donor network.  She believes the gas tax increase was needed to shore up critical infrastructure needs and believes the state surplus should not have been tapped for infrastructure.

Mark Hall –  He emphasizes his lack of political experience as a plus and says his background owning and running businesses qualifies him to serve in the state senate.  He was not in favor of the gas tax increase, saying state lawmakers should have looked more on the expense side, cutting other spending to allow for infrastructure funding.

Joe Morris – Talked about his upbringing in Southwest Indiana, the city of Washington to be exact,  and his years residing in the northwest part of the state.  He has 25 years of experience in insurance and finance.  He pointed out the latest gas tax increase places Indiana as the 5th highest gas tax in the nation.  He argues the state should have cut other costs and found other improvements to fund infrastructure.

Dan Schmidt –   He lives in Westfield, is the father of six.  He worked on the Statehouse staff of Governor Mike Pence as Policy Director.  He supported the gas tax increase as necessary to fund roads and bridges.  He also argued that with more efficient vehicles on the road and a trend of people living closer to where they work, the tax hike was needed.

Victoria Spartz – She talked about her extensive experience in politics, finance and her educational background as qualifications to serve in the state senate.  She does not favor any tax increases, including the recent gas tax hike, arguing the state should find ways to spend its money more efficiently.

Megan Wiles – As the President of the Noblesville City Council, she calls herself a locally connected leader who believes on local government control.  She called the gas tax increase a worthwhile tax in order to invest in the state’s future.

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Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Here are some news bits of the week brought to you by your vigilant County Line writer.

Noblesville’s 31st annual Historic Homes Tour is set for Sept. 16. It is sponsored by the Noblesville Preservation Alliance, an organization that attempts to save the city’s historical homes and cultural sites. Most recently NPA has embarked on an effort to save the Nickel Plate Railroad. The home tour will allow participants to visit several of the city’s historic homes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Advance sale tickets are $15 and may be purchased through the NPA website.

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Hamilton County Extension Agent Diane Turner says Purdue agriculture experts report farm crops in Hamilton County and surrounding areas look good, about the same as last year. Despite a wet spring and very dry weather since July, “farmers’ expectations are favorable for the upcoming harvest,” Turner says. Corn is expected to average about 172 bushels per acre, about the same as last year. Soybeans should average about 55 bushels, down about 2.5 bushels per acre.

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Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has apparently had his plans for a carousel (the sophisticated name for a merry-go-round) shot down by his city council. The mayor wanted $5 million included in a new city bond issue to buy and house the antique Canadian attraction. Most city council members said the public didn’t like the idea. The mayor may still got $95 million to lure a luxury hotel, build more roundabouts and other projects.

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Readers may still remember Noblesville has a downtown parking study pending. It’s been nearly two years since it was begun and is presumably complete, but city officials won’t release its findings. Deputy Mayor Steve Cooke is in charge of the study, the fourth in the past 20 years. The city public relations office says it’s uncertain when we will see the suggestions on providing more public parking.

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The county budget for next year is about ready for review by the Hamilton County Council. On Sept. 13 the budget of each department of county government will be examined in detail. County Auditor Robin Mills says the multi-million dollar budget, to be adopted in October, is not expected to require any increase in the property tax rate.

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Cobe’s Run is being sponsored by Carmel American Legion Post 155 on Sept. 9 beginning at 10 a.m. The motorcycle run is planned to financially benefit Cobe Scott, a local area child who recently lost an eye to cancer. Entry fee for riders is $25 and passengers $10. Proceeds go to Cobe’s medical treatment and the cost of a prosthetic eye. Food and prizes follow the run at the Legion post. Those interested in riding may contact the post at 846-0001.

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A jazz concert on the Courthouse Square is set for Friday. It’s September’s ‘First Friday’ event with music starting at 7 p.m. and going until about 9. The concert on the east lawn of the square is free. Those attending may want to bring a lawn chair. First Friday events are sponsored by Noblesville Main Street.

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Hamilton County Reporter

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has announced that the city is suspending Metronet’s Right-of-Way Permit pending investigation. This effectively stops new work by the private utility that was installing high speed internet fiber throughout the community. All new utility work by Metronet will be on hold until the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) investigation requested by the City of Fishers is complete. Carmel will also request the IURC investigate all utility cuts made by Metronet in the city. The City of Carmel will then re-evaluate Metronet’s Right-of-Way Permit to determine what work may continue at that time.

After Vectren reported 14 gas line hits in Carmel by Metronet in 2017, Mayor Brainard took this action due to the safety risk this posed to the general public. He also will be seeking damages for the costs incurred in responding to public safety calls caused by Metronet’s negligence.

The City of Fishers recently reported contractors for Metronet were responsible for six gas line ruptures.

In recent years, the Indiana State legislature has taken away cities’ rights to deny permission for privately-owned utilities to operate in cities’ rights of way.

“Our hands are tied when it comes to regulating these private utilities as they work in the right of way, but when that work poses a threat to public safety, we must take whatever action is available to ensure our citizens and businesses are kept from harm,” said Mayor Brainard.

The city will permit restoration work to continue where yards, rights of way and landscaping has been disturbed. However, if that restoration requires any form of excavation, Metronet will only be permitted to proceed with that excavation if a City of Carmel inspector is on site.

The city is asking those with complaints about Metronet to call the Carmel Department of Community Services at (317) 571-2417.

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Hamilton County Reporter

The Reporter has learned Hamilton County Sheriff candidate Mitch Russell announced Thursday he is suspending fundraising for his campaign for 20 days to focus on assisting those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

“I am asking the citizens of Hamilton County, who are currently or planning to support my candidacy for Hamilton County Sheriff, to turn your efforts to the victims of Hurricane Harvey,” Russell stated in a press release Thursday afternoon. “I am a firm believer in becoming a united front to help those in need. We need to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves.”

Russell said “helping our fellow Americans” is more important than his campaign for the office of Hamilton County Sheriff.

“I cannot collect money for my run for sheriff knowing there are people who need the money for medical care, shelter, food, and daily necessities,” Russell said. “Texas needs our help! Please assist me in raising money for the people affected by Hurricane Harvey.”

Russell said his family will donate the first $500 during the campaign fundraising suspension. He asked that his supporters stand with him to make donations to Hurricane Harvey victims.

According to Russell, donations can be made to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund through GHCF.org, The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, or Heart to Heart International.

“My family and I are heartbroken for the people of Texas and will continue to pray for their safety and recovery in their time of need,” Russell said.