Fishers Police are continuing the investigation into a fatal vehicle crash Friday, just after midnight, at 96th Street and I-69.  Christopher Brown, 40, from Indianapolis, died in the accident.

The driver of the other vehicle in the 2-car collision is not being identified by police at this time.  Officers say that driver is suspected to have been impaired and driving at an excessive rate of speed. Toxicology results are pending.  Any charging decisions will be made by the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office.

Anyone in the area witnessing the collision is asked to call Lt. Kevin Kobli at 317-595-3300.

It was August, 1991.  I had only resided in Fishers for a few months.  There was bad news.

Thomas A. Weaver, a member of the Fishers City Council, was volunteering his time to work at the PGA Championship, being held that year at Crooked Stick Golf Course in Carmel.  A sudden thunderstorm hit the area and Mr. Weaver was struck by lightning and died.

I was new here and never met Mr. Weaver, but if you speak to anyone that did know him, they will sing his praises.  He was a very respected man in Fishers.

If you drive along 116th Street in downtown Fishers you may have seen the sign denoting the entire area along Municipal Drive as the Thomas A. Weaver Municipal Complex.  With a new City Hall under construction, I asked the question of city officials, will Mr. Weaver’s name remain on the Municipal Complex?

I received my answer Monday and the answer is yes, the entire Fishers Municipal Complex will remain named after Mr. Weaver.

But that raised another question in my mind.  I have seen and heard many names for the new facility under construction replacing City Hall and wondered if there is an official name.

The structure replacing the previous City Hall will be named the Fishers Municipal Center.  Within that building, there will be an arts side named the Fishers Arts Center and Theatre/Administrative side named City Hall.

The new Fishers Municipal Center is taking shape and should be open late this spring, if all goes as planned.

I knew we were in for a big event when the Hamilton Southeastern Schools scheduled a day off classes, anticipating the solar eclipse coming April 8 this year.  That event is just under 2 months away, so why should you be thinking about it now?

Because it is my understanding that officials throughout Hamilton County are anticipating large crowds for the solar event.  As you can see from the map above, Fishers and Hamilton County are directly in line with the eclipse “path of totality.”

I knew being in that location would draw people to our local area.  However, I am told there are projections that 2 million people could visit Hamilton County for the eclipse.  If you consider the last census shows a Hamilton County population at 356,650, the number 2 million can blow one’s mind.

We should all think about how difficult it may be just to buy groceries, pump gas or get a reservation at a local restaurant on or around April 8.  Local public safety agencies are already preparing for all this.

The solar eclipse my be just under 2 months away, but it may be a good idea to start thinking about it now.

We may still be in the midst of February and the winter season, but now is the time to start thinking about summer jobs.  The City of Fishers is gearing-up to hire 100 people for various positions during the summer months of 2024.

Here are the jobs, as provided by the city:

• Summer Camp Counselors: Join the team of Fishers Parks staff this summer to provide an exciting and safe environment for youth and preschool campers by leading games, songs, crafts, and other activities. First Aid/CPR Certification will be offered as a part of the training process. Experienced candidates ages 18 and older will be considered for Head Counselor positions.

• Lifeguards: Spend your summer at the beach at Fishers’ Geist Waterfront Park. Lifeguards are responsible for everyday operational tasks and provide an exciting, fun and safe environment for park guests. Responsibilities include responding to emergencies, helping to keep the park clean, and staying up to date on trainings and certifications. Lifeguard Certification Training will be provided if candidates are not already certified.

• Seasonal DPW Laborer: Join the Fishers Department of Public Works’ (DPW) seasonal team to assist with spring and summer grounds and street maintenance. These positions perform general labor supplementing the non-seasonal workforce to ensure city streets, right-of-ways, park grounds and facilities are maintained. DPW maintains 1,300 acres of parks and school grounds that include over 60 baseball/softball fields, more than 60 athletic fields, and over 500 acres of common area. From concerts to 5K races, DPW staff is on the scene to provide setup and support.

Apply today at this link.

Teachers’ union leaders from 6 area school districts, including the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association President Abby Taylor, are calling on Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita to “take down the ‘Eyes on Education’ portal immediately.”

Rokita claims Eyes on Education aims to stop “objectionable curricula, policies, or programs affecting children.”  It features a submission form where people can report school material that they believe violates Indiana law.

Union leaders from HSE, Noblesville, Westfield, Hamilton Heights, Mount Vernon and Frankfort all signed the letter.  They argue the portal is filled with posts that have no verification or context.  They also say the portal is a violation of teachers’ right to privacy.

The letter calls on Governor Eric Holcomb and the General Assembly to “denounce this attack on public education.”

Below is the full text of the letter, posted on social media Sunday.

I began covering Fishers as a town, starting this local news blog in 2012, when Scott Fadness was the Town Manager.  That means I am in my 13th year of covering Fadness as either Town Manager or Mayor of Fishers.

One theme I have heard consistently from him during this time is that Central Indiana, as a region, needs to be a place people and businesses want to locate in order for Fishers to thrive.  Let’s just say Fishers has thrived, but efforts to gather a regional effort have been subjected to stops and starts in the past.

When COVID reared its ugly head, that had people thinking in ways unlike what had been seen before.  Scott Fadness has been pushing the idea of bringing cities, towns and major players outside government to come together and work toward developing our region, and COVID helped jump-start this idea.

A major step in that direction was taken by the General Assembly in the creation of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA).  In the February 9 edition of the Indianapolis Business Journal, Fadness, now chair of the the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority board, has written an Op-Ed piece extolling the accomplishments of CIRDA.

Fadness has always said that putting Central Indiana’s best foot forward is important, but hasn’t shied away from what needs to be done better.

“Our time to put our foot on the gas pedal is now, as our region has fallen behind others,” Fadness writes in his Op-Ed piece. “Through our collective work, we must move more quickly and boldly than ever before, and most important, we must convince the residents we serve that this region deserves and is capable of aspirations.”

Experts in economic development say that a business looking to locate will first look at the region, then select a specific city or area.  Central Indiana must be an attractive region for Fishers to continue its growth, both in population and in economic development.

You can read the Op-Ed at this link. (NOTE:  You may need an IBJ subscription to access this story)

Traders Point Christian Church in Fishers received a favorable recommendation from the Fishers Plan Commission to rezone property on their location at 12648 E 116th Street, near Brooks School Road.  The church owns adjacent land for expansion of the building and parking lot, but must rezone that parcel of land to move forward.

Neighbors raised concerns about loud music during the services that they say can be heard in their homes.  Church officials say the addition to the building will address that issue.

City Councilor Selina Stoller asked that the matter be tabled,  allowing more time to deal with the sound issue, but the Commission voted 6-1 approving the favorable rezone recommendation to the City Council.  Stoller was the lone Commission no vote.

The rezone now goes to the City Council for final approval.

In other items before the Plan Commission:

–Howard Stevenson was voted by Commission members as the President for 2024.  Pete Peterson will serve as vice president.

–The Commission approved recommendations to the city’s commercial overlay and updates to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, for approval by the City Council.

Writing a local news blog as a one-man-band is not easy, so I often need to pick-and-choose the stories I cover.  One part of the local political scene I have not written much about is the 5th Congressional District.  It encompasses a wide geographic footprint.

The 5th District includes not only Fishers, Carmel and Noblesville.  It also takes-in cities such as Anderson, Kokomo, Marion and Muncie.

But the political scene of this district took a big turn this week when the incumbent Congresswoman, Victoria Spartz, changed her mind.  After saying for months that she will not seek another term, she has done an about-face and says she will seek re-election after all.

There is already a long list of candidates announced for this seat.  Some have raised enough money to compete in the May primary election.

Not long after Spartz announced her intention to run again, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness entered the fray.  He is endorsing Chuck Goodrich, a business owner from Noblesville that has been serving in the Indiana House.

In his statement endorsing Goodrich, Fadness cites Goodrich’s support of “innovative companies that call Fishers home.”

It will be interesting to see how many candidates remain in the GOP primary now that the incumbent Spartz is back in the race.  Goodrich shows no sign of leaving the contest.

On a side note, Mayor Fadness has not been shy about supporting candidates he favors outside Fishers.  He has been publicly supporting Brad Chambers as he runs in a crowded Republican Primary for governor.

The 5th Congressional District was drawn as a majority Republican district.  That’s why so many are vying to be the GOP candidate in the fall.  This is a race worth watching.

A robing ceremony for new Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Bloch has been set for February 7, 4:00pm, at the Historic Courthouse in Noblesville. Bloch was appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb to replace Judge Paul Felix, who was appointed to the Indiana Court of Appeals last summer.

“I am grateful for the trust placed in me by Governor Holcomb,” Judge Bloch said in a county news release. “As I take on this new role, I am eager to contribute to the continued excellence of our legal system and to serve the good people of Hamilton County. I look forward to the journey ahead.”

Prior to his tenure as a magistrate, Judge Bloch worked as an attorney at Cross Pennamped Woolsey & Glazier, specializing in family law and appellate law. He is also an active member of the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum.

It appears the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board has made a decision on a new superintendent, has set a public hearing on the contract but will not announce the name until February 28.

HSE Schools announced Monday morning a public hearing will be held Wednesday, February 21, 6pm, on the provisions contained in the new superintendent’s contract.  The base annual salary of $215,270  is an indication this superintendent candidate has prior experience.  There is also a benefits package in the pact.  You can read the entire contract at this link.

After the February 21 public hearing, the board will convene on February 28 to announce the new HSE Schools Superintendent.

Dr. Yvonne Stokes submitted her resignation as HSE School Superintendent September 13 last year with a severance package.  Dr. Stokes’ base salary at the time was roughly $180,000  a year.

Dr. Matt Kegley has been Acting Superintendent since Yvonne Stokes’ resignation.

The board hired an outside consulting firm to assist in the search for a new superintendent.