I had an American history professor in college who argued that, of all the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin may have contributed more than anyone else to everyday American life and culture. He made a compelling case, and over the years I have come to think he may well have been right.

Franklin’s contributions are almost too numerous to count. But one of the most lasting was his role in establishing what became America’s first successful lending library. In 1731, Franklin helped found the Library Company of Philadelphia, a subscription library that opened the door to broader public access to books and ideas.

I was thinking about Franklin when I realized this is National Library Week, observed this year from April 19 through April 25. It is a fitting time to celebrate one of the most important civic institutions we have.

Anyone who reads this website regularly probably already knows I am a strong supporter of public libraries.

I support public funding for libraries. I support librarians and library staff. And I appreciate the work they do every day, often quietly and without much fanfare, to strengthen the communities they serve.

Here in our area, that means Hamilton East Public Library, with its main library in Noblesville and its large Fishers branch serving a growing part of our community. There has also been discussion of a future branch on the Olio Road side of the library district, something many residents in that area would surely welcome.

My wife Jane and I are regular visitors to the Fishers library. There is always something uplifting about walking through those doors and seeing families, children, and readers of all ages making use of what the library has to offer. It takes me back to the days when our twin daughters, now 32, were frequent visitors there with their mom.

Libraries today are about much more than books, important as books remain. They are places for learning, gathering, discovery, and civic life. Hamilton East has done a particularly nice job of bringing authors to this community, giving local readers a chance to hear directly from the people who create the stories and ideas they enjoy.

I have had the good fortune to work with library staff in recording podcasts with some of those authors ahead of their appearances. Two recent examples are Kwame Mbalia and Tiffany Crum. Crum’s novel, This Story Might Save Your Life, made the New York Times bestseller list ahead of her April 18 appearance in Fishers.

So yes, this is a week to appreciate libraries and the people who make them work.

In an age of distractions, division, and declining trust in so many institutions, the public library remains one of the best things Americans have ever built: open to all, rooted in learning, and dedicated to the common good.

That is worth celebrating.

The Indy Ignite strengthened their grip on first place in Major League Volleyball Sunday night, defeating the second-place Dallas Pulse 3-1 before a sold-out crowd at Fishers Event Center. Indy won by set scores of 25-17, 25-18, 22-25 and 25-21.

The victory pushed the Ignite to 19-5 on the season, while Dallas fell to 18-7. Just as important, Indy completed a regular-season sweep of the Pulse, who have now lost four times this year to the Ignite. The win also lowered Indy’s magic number to two for clinching the No. 1 seed in the four-team MLV Championship set for May 7-9 in Dallas.

Sunday’s matchup had the feel of a postseason preview, with the league’s top two teams meeting in front of more than 6,500 fans in Fishers. But for the first two sets, the Ignite left little doubt. Indy controlled the match early with efficient hitting and strong defense, taking the opening set by eight points and following with another comfortable win in set two.

Dallas did not go quietly. The Pulse hit .316 in the third set and used a late 4-0 run to steal that frame 25-22. In the fourth set, Dallas jumped out to a 5-0 lead, only to watch Indy answer with a decisive surge that turned the match back in the home team’s favor. The Ignite eventually closed it out, winning the final set 25-21.

Azhani Tealer again led the way for Indy, finishing with 19 kills and a block for 20 points while adding 11 digs. Leketor Member-Meneh contributed 13 kills, two blocks and 16 digs, and Lydia Martyn made a strong return to the starting lineup with 10 kills, five blocks and an ace. Setter Mia Tuaniga directed the offense with 55 assists, along with four kills, two aces and nine digs. Anna DeBeer added eight kills and 11 digs.

Indy coach Lauren Bertolacci said afterward she was pleased with the way her team adjusted when Dallas made its push in the final two sets. With only a short time left in the regular season, the Ignite look very much like a team built for a deep postseason run.

The Ignite return to action Thursday, April 23, on the road against Orlando, with two more regular-season home matches still ahead in Fishers.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation is inviting families across the district to recognize the educators and staff members who make a difference in students’ lives through its annual “Thank an Educator” campaign.

The initiative, which runs from April 20 through noon on May 1, allows parents and students to nominate any school employee—from teachers and counselors to bus drivers, custodians and food service workers—for their contributions during the school year.

District officials emphasize that Hamilton Southeastern Schools relies on a wide range of professionals working behind the scenes and in classrooms to support student success. The campaign is designed to highlight those efforts and provide a meaningful way for families to express appreciation.

Each nominated educator or staff member will receive public recognition on foundation social media channels, along with a certificate acknowledging the honor and including a personalized message from the person submitting the nomination. Honorees will also receive a card redeemable for a complimentary entrée from Chick-fil-A.

In addition, nominees will be entered into prize drawings at each school building for a $50 gift card from Tide Cleaners. One grand prize winner district-wide will receive a year-long laundry service subscription, covering wash, dry and fold services.

Recognized educators will also be featured in a summer edition of Fishers Magazine.

The foundation notes that donations made as part of the program are potentially tax-deductible and will support classroom grants, school initiatives and other educational needs across the district. Those funds are intended to enhance learning opportunities and provide additional resources for both current and future educators.

You can thank an educator using this link.

It was another nail-biter, but the Indy Fuel are headed to the ECHL playoffs.

Indy’s come-from-behind win Saturday night in Wheeling, combined with a 4-3 victory by the Fort Wayne Komets over the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday, locked the Fuel into the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference Central Division.

Fort Wayne captured the division’s regular-season title and will host the Fuel in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The first-round series is a best-of-seven format, with the higher-seeded Komets holding home-ice advantage. Games 1 and 2 will be played in Fort Wayne before the series shifts to Fishers for Games 3 and 4 at the Fishers Event Center.

As of Sunday evening, April 19, the schedule is as follows:

Game 1 — Indy at Fort Wayne
Friday, April 24
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne
7:35 p.m. EDT

Game 2 — Indy at Fort Wayne
Saturday, April 25
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne
7:35 p.m. EDT

Game 3 — Fort Wayne at Indy
Tuesday, April 28
Fishers Event Center, Fishers
7:05 p.m. EDT

Game 4 — Fort Wayne at Indy
Wednesday, April 29
Fishers Event Center, Fishers
7:05 p.m. EDT

Game 5 — if necessary
Sunday, May 3
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne
5:05 p.m. EDT

Game 6 — if necessary
Tuesday, May 5
Fishers Event Center, Fishers
7:05 p.m. EDT

Game 7 — if necessary
Wednesday, May 6
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne
7:35 p.m. EDT

Matchup preview

This series renews one of the Central Division’s most familiar rivalries. The Fort Wayne Komets enter the postseason as one of the league’s most consistent teams, using a balanced attack and strong special teams play to secure the division title.

The Indy Fuel, meanwhile, arrive as one of the league’s hotter teams down the stretch, needing a late-season push just to qualify. That momentum — along with timely scoring and improved defensive play — helped Indy edge into the final playoff spot.

Fort Wayne’s home-ice advantage could be significant, particularly in the opening two games, but the shift to Fishers for Games 3 and 4 gives the Fuel an opportunity to swing the series in front of their home crowd.

Regular-season meetings between the two clubs were typically tight, physical contests — a trend that is expected to carry into what should be a competitive opening-round series.

One thing is for certain in the Indoor Football League this season — road wins rarely come easily. The Fishers Freight experienced that Saturday night in Tulsa against the Oilers.

Both teams had their share of miscues, but Tulsa’s string of second-half penalties stalled promising drives. Fishers capitalized with timely big plays, grinding out a hard-fought 40-38 victory.

The Freight set the tone early. Quarterback Felix Harper opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown, and kicker Calum Sutherland added a field goal to give Fishers a 10-0 first-quarter lead after a defensive stop and turnover deep in Tulsa territory.

Tulsa responded in the second quarter, getting on the board with a touchdown from Jerminic Smith Sr. before taking a 14-10 lead late in the half on a scoring run by Tripp Harrington. Fishers had a chance to tie before halftime, but a missed field goal left the Freight trailing.

The second half turned into a back-and-forth battle. Fishers regained the lead in the third quarter on a touchdown by Dominic Roberto, only to see Tulsa answer quickly. Harper then delivered again with his legs, scoring his second rushing touchdown to put Fishers back in front. A deuce from Sutherland (good for 2 points) on the ensuing kickoff extended the lead.

In the fourth quarter, JT Stokes took over. He scored twice, including a touchdown that gave the Freight a 40-30 advantage late in the game.

Tulsa refused to go away. Quarterback TJ Edwards led a late scoring drive and converted a two-point attempt to pull the Oilers within two points with just 18 seconds remaining.

The Oilers attempted a potential game-tying deuce on the ensuing kickoff, but the kick fell short. Fishers recovered and ran out the clock to secure the win.

The victory keeps the Freight building momentum early in the season, showing they can execute in tight situations — especially on the road, where wins are often the hardest to come by.

The Indy Fuel did everything they could Saturday night in Wheeling. Now, their playoff fate rests entirely in someone else’s hands.

Early Saturday, it appeared the ECHL playoff picture might be settled by night’s end. It wasn’t. Instead, the final Western Conference Central Division berth will be decided Sunday — when the Kalamazoo Wings visit the Fort Wayne Komets (5:05 p.m.). The Fuel will either be back into the playoffs — or eliminated — without taking the ice.

Comeback keeps hope alive

Indy made sure that game would matter, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Wheeling Nailers 4-3 in their regular-season finale.

The night began inauspiciously. Wheeling scored just 14 seconds in and added another midway through the first period to take a 2-0 lead. The Fuel responded when Tyler Paquette cut the deficit in half, and despite a chaotic stretch that included multiple fighting majors and misconducts, Indy stayed within striking distance.

Wheeling extended the lead to 3-1 early in the second, but the Fuel took control from there. Owen Robinson scored on a rebound, then Christian Berger tied the game late in the period as Indy dominated possession, outshooting the Nailers 35-15 through two.

The breakthrough came in the third. After back-to-back power play chances, rookie Chase Dafoe delivered the biggest goal of his young career, scoring his first in the ECHL to give Indy a 4-3 lead. Goaltender Mitchell Weeks handled the rest, turning aside late pressure — including an extra-attacker push — to preserve the win.

Now, all eyes on Sunday

With the victory, Indy finishes the regular season level on points with Kalamazoo. Because of tiebreaker scenarios, however, the Fuel cannot clinch on their own.

The playoff equation is simple:

• If Kalamazoo wins (in regulation, overtime, or shootout): the Wings clinch the final playoff spot.
• If Kalamazoo loses in regulation: the Fuel advance to the playoffs.
• If Kalamazoo loses in overtime or a shootout: the additional point would be enough for the Wings to edge Indy, eliminating the Fuel.

Fort Wayne, already locked into a postseason berth, still has positioning at stake and will not be resting players, adding another layer of intrigue.

A long wait

For the Fuel, it’s an unusual and uneasy position — finishing the job on the ice, then waiting nearly 24 hours to learn their fate.

Indy’s late-season push, capped by Saturday’s comeback in Wheeling, ensured the season did not end quietly. Whether it continues into the postseason now depends entirely on what happens Sunday evening in Fort Wayne.

For Fuel players and fans alike, it will be a scoreboard watch — and a nerve-wracking one at that.

Will they or won’t they?

That is the question Indy Fuel fans are asking as the ECHL regular season heads into its final weekend.

The playoff picture in the Western Conference’s Central Division remains anything but settled. Fort Wayne and Toledo have already locked up the top two spots. But the race for the final two playoff berths is still very much alive, and the margin for error could hardly be smaller.

In the ECHL, teams earn two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. As Saturday begins, the Fuel and the Bloomington Bison are tied with 77 points. Kalamazoo sits just behind with 76, while Cincinnati remains in the hunt with 75. In other words, all four teams still have something significant at stake heading into Saturday’s action.

Bloomington will host Iowa on Saturday night. The Heartlanders are out of the playoff race and are finishing a season that will be followed by a voluntary suspension of operations for 2026-27. Kalamazoo and Cincinnati, meanwhile, face each other in what amounts to a direct showdown between two teams chasing the postseason.

The Fuel’s challenge may be the toughest on paper. Indy travels to Wheeling, facing a Nailers team that has already clinched the top spot in the North Division. Whether Wheeling, with its postseason position secure, rests players or treats the game as a playoff tune-up remains to be seen. Either way, the Fuel know the stakes. A win would go a long way toward securing a Kelly Cup playoff berth.

For Fuel fans at Fishers Event Center, the waiting game could stretch deep into the evening as scoreboard-watching becomes just as important as what happens on the ice in West Virginia.

By the time Saturday night is over, the playoff field may finally come into focus. But as of Saturday morning, the only certainty is this: the Fuel’s postseason fate is still very much up for grabs.

It is another long list of road construction activity in the Fishers area as we head into late April.  Look for more lane restrictions at 116th & Allisonville as that construction begins…anticipate more lane restrictions in the ongoing project at State Road 37 & 141st Street…and be aware of tree trimming throughout the city.

Those are just a few examples of the project list in the weekly update provided by the City of Fishers for the week of Sunday, April 19:

Continue reading Weekly Fishers-Area Road Construction Update – Week of April 19 →

A Fishers woman is in custody after police say she failed to comply with a court order requiring her to surrender her young daughter to the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS).

According to the Fishers Police Department, 21-year-old Nizhoni L. Carter was located in Kokomo with her 2-year-old daughter and both were safely brought back to Fishers.

Police said they were notified by DCS that a Hamilton County judge had ordered Carter to surrender the child following allegations of neglect and/or abuse while the child was living in a Fishers residence.

Those allegations included claims the child had access to illegal drugs and unsecured firearms in the home, that caregivers used illegal drugs in the child’s presence, and that the child was at times left alone while Carter left to obtain drugs. Investigators also cited reports the child had been found outside the home unattended and was frequently left in a soiled diaper for extended periods.

Authorities said Carter appeared virtually in court on April 15, 2026, when the order to surrender the child was issued. Police say she did not comply and instead left the area with the child.

With assistance from the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and the Kokomo Police Department, officers located Carter and the child in Kokomo.

The child was recovered safely.

Carter was transported to the Hamilton County Jail and faces preliminary charges of Level 5 felony kidnapping, alleging the offense was committed using a vehicle, and Class B misdemeanor interference with custody.

Fishers Police credited multiple units within the department, along with local and federal partners, for assisting in the investigation and recovery. Officials also thanked DCS for its role in pursuing the child’s safety.

Formal charges will be determined by the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.

Fishers physician and former Hamilton Southeastern school board president Dr. Juanita Albright has received an endorsement from Indiana Family Action PAC in the Republican primary for Indiana Senate District 31.

Albright announced the endorsement as part of her campaign outreach ahead of the May primary in what has become a crowded race for the open seat. The district covers much of Fishers and portions of northeastern Indianapolis.

Indiana Family Action is the political advocacy arm of the Indiana Family Institute, a Noblesville-based group that promotes socially conservative public policy positions. While the institute itself operates as a nonprofit focused on education and research, Indiana Family Action engages more directly in elections through endorsements and advocacy.

The organization’s policy priorities center on issues such as parental rights, religious liberty, opposition to abortion, and what it describes as protecting traditional family values. It has also supported legislation related to school curriculum transparency, limits on social media access for minors, and restrictions on certain cannabis-derived products.

The endorsement signals support from a conservative Christian advocacy network that has been active in Indiana politics for years, particularly in Republican primaries where ideological distinctions among candidates can play a larger role.

She is one of several Republicans seeking the nomination. Other candidates in the GOP primary include Fishers City Council member Tiffanie Ditlevson, Travis Hankins and Jan Keefer.

Democrats also have multiple candidates competing for their party’s nomination, setting up what could be a closely watched race in central Indiana this fall.