The Hamilton County Leadership Academy has named Angela Frazier as Academy Dean for the class of 2026. Ms. Frazier has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector.

Dr. Jerry McKibben has been conducting demographic studies for Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools for a very long time. For most of that long time, he would forecast the rate of student growth.

His latest forecast was presented to the school board Wednesday night. It expects a slight downturn in the district’s student enrollment.

The student count for the current 2024-2025 school year is 20,698. The 2029-2030 student number is forecast to be 20,425.

McKibbben’s last forecast was slightly off, with 428 fewer students than he had expected. That was off by less than one-half of one-percent.

The Hamilton County Humane Society is thanking the local community’s response to the heating system emergency in one of their kennels. Progress is continuing in repairing the heating system, but dogs continue to come into the shelter. The Society is asking for local residents to continue stepping forward & offer foster care to these dogs. Check out my previous story for more details.

Families in Fishers & Noblesville are invited to celebrate the joy of reading and community connection on Saturday, February 1, as Hamilton East Public Library (HEPL) participates in national Take Your Child to the Library Day. This annual event, observed by libraries nationwide, encourages parents and caregivers to explore the vast resources available at their local library and enjoy a day of discovery with their children.

Both HEPL locations will host family-friendly activities throughout the day, offering something special for everyone. Visitors can participate in scavenger hunts, snap photos at themed photo ops, pick up curated book bundles, and enjoy exciting giveaways—all during regular library hours.

“When caregivers come to the library, we hope they leave with something they need—whether it’s something that touches their heart, fills their hands, or enriches their minds,” said Allison Kartman, HEPL’s Children’s Program Coordinator. “We want families to bond over a meaningful program, discover a new book or resource, or gain knowledge from exploring all that the library has to offer. Our mission is to serve our community, and we hope every visit is filled with discovery.”

The event also underscores the library’s vital role in fostering early literacy and lifelong learning. By encouraging families to read together, HEPL aims to give children a strong foundation for academic and personal success.

HEPL shared helpful tips from Reading Rockets to make reading aloud with children an engaging and impactful experience:

• Select age-appropriate books that match your child’s interests.
• Let your child choose the books they’re excited about.
• Keep storytime interactive by discussing the pictures, asking questions, and introducing new vocabulary.
• Connect stories to your child’s everyday experiences to make reading relatable.
• Commit to reading aloud for just 15 minutes each day to nurture a love for reading.

HEPL invites all families to visit on February 1 and explore the diverse programs, materials, and services designed to support learning, creativity, and connection. For more information about the library, visit hamiltoneastpl.org.

The Humane Society for Hamilton County (HSHC) is urgently seeking the community’s help after a heating system failure left 11 kennels without warmth during dangerously cold weather.

“This is a dire situation,” said Lily Darling, Community Engagement Manager. “Our priority is the safety and well-being of the dogs in our care. By fostering a dog, even for just a couple of nights, you’re not only helping that animal but also making room for us to move dogs into warm, safe spaces.”

The shelter is home to over 130 dogs, and with only a limited number of heated kennels available, the need for foster homes has never been more critical. Fostering provides a temporary safe haven for dogs, helping HSHC manage its resources and ensure every animal is protected during the cold snap.

HSHC is calling on individuals and families to step up and offer a warm home for a dog in need. Fostering requires a completed application, available at hamiltonhumane.com/foster-application, and potential fosters are asked to bring all family members, any current dogs for a meet-and-greet, and proof of their landlord’s pet policy if applicable.

As temperatures in Central Indiana remain dangerously low, HSHC staff are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of the dogs. However, without additional community support, the situation remains critical.

Not all dogs are eligible for fostering, as some require specialized care or are unaltered or too young. Still, the organization hopes that those who can help will act quickly to ease the strain on their facilities.

Love and creativity are in the air this Valentine’s Day as the Fishers Arts Council (FAC) and the City of Fishers team up with local partners for the Second Friday Gallery Hop. Scheduled for Friday, February 14, from 4 to 9 p.m., this free event promises an evening of art, music, poetry, and more.

With multiple gallery locations participating—including Ignite Studio, Meyer Najem Gallery, High Frequency Arts, Fishers Art Center, and the Art Gallery at City Hall—attendees can explore a diverse range of art exhibits and live performances. While some galleries are walkable, the FAC recommends driving to ensure attendees can experience everything the evening has to offer.

A Night of Art and Performance

Start your journey at Ignite Studio inside the Hamilton East Public Library in Fishers, where the evening kicks off at 4 p.m. with live music by Steve Newby and the “Comic Book in a Day” exhibit, presented by Noblesville Creates. The library closes at 6 p.m., so make sure to get your Gallery Hop card stamped before heading to your next stop.

From 5 to 7 p.m., visit the Meyer Najem Gallery at 11787 Lantern Road to experience “Color in Silence,” a collection of abstract floral paintings by McCordsville artist Bobbi K Samples. The exhibit, managed by Noblesville Creates, features a delicate interplay of neutral tones and bursts of color. Live music by Mario Joven and Steve Goodman will accompany the display.

Take a short drive south to the Hub & Spoke building at 8100 E. 106th Street for High Frequency Arts’ “Fragments of Identity” exhibit. Open from 5 to 7:30 p.m., the show features evocative portraiture exploring the complexities of identity, with live music by Andy Schomburg, refreshments, and a cash bar.

The Art Gallery at City Hall will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., showcasing “The Golden Age: Artists 50 & Better,” a collection of 2D and 3D works by 28 talented artists in their golden years. Visitors can enjoy live music by Chad Mills from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., along with refreshments and a cash bar.

Across the breezeway, the Fishers Art Center will present “White Noise Collection” by mixed-media artist C. Pyle from 6 to 9 p.m. This series explores the complexity of color and texture using a white-toned palette and reflects Pyle’s journey of healing through art. Live music by Jason Reinhardt will add to the ambiance.

Lastly, head to the FAC Hub Gallery inside the Hamilton County Community Foundation at 11810 Technology Drive, open from 6 to 8 p.m. Indianapolis artist Johnson Simon’s exhibit, “My Art is My Movement,” showcases vibrant, expressionistic works inspired by the grace of dancers and athletes. Molly DeRose will perform live music, with refreshments and a cash bar available.

Gallery Hop Perks

Pick up a Gallery Hop card at any participating location and get it stamped along the way. Complete the hop to earn a free dessert from Four Day Ray with a dinner purchase of $25 or more. The offer is valid from February 14-16, with one dessert per table.

For updates and additional details, visit this link.

The Indianapolis Business Journal offers a section every few weeks of political commentary, named Forefront.  It features a number of opinions from several points of view.

In the January 17 edition of Forefront, two commentaries, on the same page, caught my eye.  Both are about the news media.

The first is from Jim Shella, retired Statehouse reporter for WISH-TV and once host of Public Broadcasting’s local weekly talk fest, Indiana Week In Review.  Shella recounts a story he worked on as a young Iowa TV reporter.  He used a hidden camera to show local body shops willing to allegedly perform insurance fraud.

He nearly did not get the series of stories on the air because the station manager was very worried about lawsuits.  Shella also writes about ABC News settling a lawsuit recently it almost would surely have won in court.

His point is that sometimes news organizations can be cowed by just the possibility of legal action, and in the case of ABC News likely settled because the attorney’s fees would have cost so much.

The other piece is written by Jennifer Wagner Chartier, owner of a local PR firm.  She tells a story of being in New Orleans when the terror attack happened on Bourbon Street.  She compared and contrasted the coverage by national and local New Orleans news outlets.

She described national news coverage as showing video of Bourbon Street right after the attack as a constant loop, and featured interviews with experts on terrorism, radicalization, law enforcement and public safety.

The coverage from the local television news was quite different, based on her experience.  They featured interviews with local officials, passersby and residents in the area to celebrate New Year’s and the Sugar Bowl.

Her point is this – there is no substitute for local, in-person news reporting.  It is the lifeblood of a news organization and any local community.  Without that local news, the community suffers.

There are two important points here.  First, news organizations must be willing to report the tough stories.  If you are correct and accurate, there will be no legal repercussions.  Be responsible, but do not shy away from important news people need to know.

Second, there is no substitute for good reporting by good reporters familiar with the local community.  Wagner Chartier saw that first-hand in New Orleans, but you could see that contrast in just about any local operation doing its job in journalism.

Support local news operations.  They need your support.  If you do not, we lose the independent journalism every local area of this nation needs and deserves.

Bryan Lemos racked-up 2 goals and Cam Hausinger notched the winning overtime score as the Indy Fuel defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones 4-3 Saturday night.  It was a close and physical contest throughout.

Cincinnati had been on a hot streak of late, going into the game winning 8 of the last 10 games.

Cincy’s Mathieu Gosselin scored first early in the first period, then Bryam Lemos countered, scoring for the Fuel.  Chas Sharpe found the net for the Cyclones in the final minute of the first period, with the team from Cincinnati leading 2-1 after the first stanza.

In Period 2, Jordan Martin lit the lamp for the Fuel  about 5 minutes into the period.  About halfway through the period, Mathieu Gosselin picked up his second goal of the night.  With less than a minute left, Lemos picked up his second goal of the night, creating a tie of 3-3 at the end of the second period.

There was no scoring in Period 3, but a key moment had the Fuel killing a 4-minute major penalty against Nathan Burke for high sticking.  That resulted in the overtime period,

Just over 2 minutes into OT, Cam Hausinger scored to put the win in the Fuel column.

The Fuel hit the road for games in Bloomington and Kalamazoo, returning to the Fishers Event Center January 31, facing the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at 7pm.  With the season halfway done, the Fuel continue to stay above .500 , in a season that put the team on the road early, 15 consecutive contests to begin the season, as the Fishers Event Center construction was completed.

As the report below will show, road construction work continues even with the winter weather we have,  and will be, experiencing.  Note the sidewalk improvement project in the Bristols neighborhood has been delayed due to the weather.

In addition, watch for lane closures Thursday and Friday at the 96th Street and Allisonville Road roundabout.  The ground breaking for the City View development on the south end of downtown Fishers will require some road closures January 23rd, detailed below.  And, finally, lane shifts along the 146th Street construction site at Allisonville Road continues to be delayed by weather.

Below is the full road construction listing for the work week starting Monday, January 20th, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Road Construction Update – work week starting Monday, January 20 →

The Indy Fuel suffered a tough loss Wednesday at home against the Maine Mariners, but went onto the Fishers Event Center ice and dominated the Kalamazoo Wings 4-0 Friday night.

It was a big night for the Fuel in more ways than one.  Ben Gaudreau did not allow a puck past him working with the Fuel defense.  Kevin Lombardi found the back of the net twice in the second period and Cam Hausinger added a score, meaning the Fuel scored 3 goals within 7 minutes.

Colin Bilek notched a goal in the last minute of the third period, making the final score 4-0 Fuel.

It was also a big night for Alex Wideman, credited with an assist Friday night, tallying his 177th point as a Fuel, a new franchise record.

The Fuel will face the Cincinnati Cyclones Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center.  The Cyclones are in last place in the division, but have been hot in recent weeks.  The opening faceoff is set for 7pm Saturday.