Teachers in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District have ratified a new contract with the district.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) announced Friday evening on social media that its members approved the tentative agreement following a ratification vote.

“While it may not be everything we hoped for, we are proud that we were able to secure additional money for our teachers to help with the recent increase in insurance premiums—our primary focus throughout bargaining,” HSEA wrote in its statement. “We are incredibly grateful to our teachers, students, parents, and community members who stood with us every step of the way. Your support, your presence, and your words truly mean more than we can express.”

The agreement includes no pay increase for teachers during the current school year. When combined with higher insurance premiums, the contract will still result in reduced take-home pay for many teachers compared to last year. However, the ratified agreement narrows that gap more than a previous contract proposal that teachers rejected earlier this fall.

The next step in the process is a review by the Hamilton Southeastern school board. Board members are scheduled to review the contract and hold a public hearing at a meeting on Tuesday, December 23, at 7:30 a.m. A final ratification vote by the board is set for December 30, also at 7:30 a.m.

Training camp is underway and preparations are ramping up for the Indy Ignite as the professional women’s volleyball team gets set to open its second season in January.

In a year-end update to fans, Ignite President Mary Kay Huse said most of December has been focused on getting the organization ready for the 2026 season, both on and off the court.

Nearly all members of the 2026 roster are already training at the team’s practice facility, working to learn the system of head coach Lauren Bertolacci. Three additional players — Cara Cresse, Emma and Taylor — are expected to join the team once their collegiate seasons conclude.

“If you thought the team looked strong and aggressive last season, buckle up for what’s to come,” Huse said in her message.

One of those incoming players, Cresse, brings local ties and national recognition. The Fort Wayne native and University of Louisville middle blocker was named a Third Team All-American this week. Cresse was selected by the Ignite in November and is expected to join training camp in the coming days.

Bertolacci, entering her second season as head coach, emphasized continued growth and innovation in her approach.

“Comfort is the death of teams,” Bertolacci said in the team’s 2026 manual. “What got us here will not take us there. Find new solutions to old problems. Keep changing the game for the better.”

Away from the gym, Ignite players have been active in the community, attending Winterlights at Newfields and making plans to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ final home game of the season on Dec. 28. Fans can expect to see players on the sidelines during pregame warmups at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Ignite front office is also preparing for the season, finalizing plans for ticketing and match-day experiences. All 14 home matches will feature individual themes, beginning with the home opener on Jan. 24 at Fishers Event Center. The opener, themed “Ignite the Night,” will include the return of a pregame bonfire and s’mores event, which debuted during last season’s sold-out inaugural match.

The Ignite will open the season at home at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 against the Omaha Supernovas, one of the league’s top teams. Tickets are available through the team.

The organization has also expanded its media reach for the upcoming season. All 28 Ignite matches will be available on national broadcast television or via streaming platforms. As part of a new partnership with WTHR, Channel 13, 16 home and away matches will stream on the WTHR+ app during the 2026 season.

Huse said fan support continues to play a key role in the team’s growth, noting recent outreach efforts in which players personally called season ticket holders to thank them for their support.

The Spyglass area is poised to receive its long-sought traffic signal to ease the challenge of making left-hand turns onto 116th Street, though the exact timeline for installation remains uncertain.

The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety voted Friday morning to approve a new traffic signal at the intersection of 116th Street and Klotz Farm Boulevard. Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told Spyglass residents attending the meeting that the project is expected to cost approximately $500,000 and is not included in the city’s already-approved 2026 budget.

As a result, the city will need to either reallocate funds within the 2026 spending plan, if possible, or delay the project until 2027. Mayor Fadness said Fishers has successfully managed similar funding challenges in the past.

Fishers Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky said new technology being implemented as part of the city’s traffic signal system should help ensure east-west traffic along 116th Street is not significantly disrupted by the additional signal. Mayor Fadness acknowledged, however, that during peak travel times, drivers waiting to make a left turn from the Spyglass neighborhood onto 116th Street may experience longer wait times for a green light.

“I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from council members and other folks that really do not want to see a stop light on 116th Street,” Fadness said. “But I think with the new technology that we have, you can put a stop light on 116th Street and it really won’t impact the commuter going by — with the exception of when a car is exiting the neighborhood. And we can even control that experience to some degree as well.”

City officials cited traffic data from recent years showing a number of crashes in the area, many linked to the difficulty of making left turns from Spyglass onto 116th Street. Residents from the Spyglass neighborhoods have been advocating for a solution for several years.

One alternative proposal would have connected the two Spyglass neighborhoods, but that option was generally opposed by residents.

In other action Friday, the board approved awarding a $3.5 million contract to Reith-Riley Construction to build a new traffic signal and reconfigured intersection at 116th Street and Allisonville Road. That project is expected to begin in March or April and be completed by the fall.

The board also approved a $1.6 million contract with Midwest Paving for construction of a roundabout at 96th Street and Cyntheanne Road. That project is scheduled to take place during the summer school break in 2026.

The Indy Fuel erased a pair of deficits and dominated the final period to earn a 4-2 victory over the Iowa Heartlanders on the road, their first meeting of the season.

Iowa controlled much of the opening period, outshooting Indy 10-7 and taking a 1-0 lead when Ryan McGuire scored at 12:24. Fuel goaltender Owen Flores faced steady pressure early but kept the deficit to one after Indy successfully killed off an early penalty.

The Fuel tied the game early in the second period when Brett Moravec capitalized on a power play just over two minutes in. Moravec’s goal, assisted by Owen Robinson and Matt Petgrave, made it 1-1. Iowa answered later in the period on a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage, as Nolan Orzeck scored with one second remaining on the power play to give the Heartlanders a 2-1 lead.

Indy had chances to respond in the middle frame, including a penalty shot for Robinson that was stopped by Iowa goaltender Riley Mercer. The Fuel carried momentum late in the period but could not break through before intermission.

That changed quickly in the third. Defenseman Matt Petgrave scored his first goal of the season to tie the game 2-2, setting the tone for a dominant final 20 minutes. Indy continued to apply pressure and finally took its first lead of the night at 12:51 when Jesse Tucker scored to make it 3-2. Nick Grima recorded his second assist of the game on the goal, while Petgrave added his third point of the night.

Iowa pulled its goaltender for an extra skater in the final minutes, but the move backfired. Sahil Panwar intercepted a pass and scored an empty-net goal to seal the 4-2 win.

Indy overwhelmed Iowa in the third period, outshooting the Heartlanders 17-2, and finished with a 41-23 advantage in shots for the game.

Scott Fadness is a mayor always looking to the next thing on his agenda.  Even with that in mind, he appeared to enjoy talking about the many accomplishments he can tout for Fishers in 2025.  At the same time, he did touch on how personnel changes provided his biggest challenge of the year.

The mayor then turned to 2026 and what may be in store for Fishers looking ahead.

Here is Larry’s conversation with Mayor Fadness, recorded in the early afternoon of Wednesday, December 17, at the link below.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools and the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) have reached a tentative one-year contract agreement following mediation, hopefully bringing an end to weeks of negotiations between the district and its teachers.

Under the proposed agreement, teachers in Hamilton Southeastern Schools will receive no pay increase for the current school year. District officials and union leaders said the agreement reflects a shared effort to move the process forward while maintaining stability for students and staff.

“We appreciate the work that went into reaching this tentative agreement and the opportunity to come back together,” said HSE Superintendent Pat Mapes in a statement. “Our focus remains on our students, our staff, and the work ahead.”

Details of the agreement are available at this link. Both the school district and HSEA will now begin their respective ratification processes in the coming days. The agreement must be approved by the HSEA membership and the Hamilton Southeastern School Board before it can take effect.

“HSEA is proud to have accomplished its goal in gaining more funds for our teachers to put towards issues caused by rising insurance increases,” HSEA said in a written statement. “At this time, HSEA remains focused on ratification.”

The school board will hold a 7:30am meeting December 23 to present the terms of the pact to the board and allow a public hearing.  If teachers ratify, the board will vote to ratify at a meeting  December 30, also at 7:30am.

The announcement that Indiana State Senator Kyle Walker will not seek reelection has set the stage for a competitive race to succeed him, creating early political momentum in Senate District 31. Two Fishers Republicans and two Democrats have already signaled their intent to run.

District 31 includes all of the City of Fishers and a large portion of Lawrence Township in Marion County. In the most recent election, Republican Sen. Walker secured a comfortable victory over Democrat Jocelyn Vare, winning by an 11-point margin, 55 percent to 44 percent.

The latest candidate to enter the race is Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal, a Democrat who is term-limited and ineligible to seek another term as sheriff.  He joins Lasima Packett in the Democratic primary race.

On the Republican side, one local officeholders has announced plans to pursue the seat, another has formed an exploratory committee. Hamilton Southeastern School Board President Juanita Albright has announced her plans to run and  and Fishers City Councilor Tiffanie Ditlevson formed the exploratory committee.

While the early field is taking shape, the political maneuvering is just beginning. Candidate filing for the May primary does not officially open until Wednesday, January 7, with a deadline of noon on Friday, February 6.

With the incumbent stepping aside, additional candidates could still emerge — a common occurrence in open-seat races. At this early stage, it is far too soon to predict who will ultimately succeed Walker, but the ability to raise funds and build an effective campaign organization will likely play a decisive role in determining the next state senator for District 31.

A local athlete is receiving national recognition from U.S. Soccer.

U.S. Soccer has announced the nominees for its 2025 Extended National Teams (ENT) Player of the Year awards, and local power soccer standout Jordan Dickey has been named one of three finalists for Power Soccer Player of the Year. The award honors top performers across U.S. Soccer’s extended national team programs and highlights excellence in alternative and adaptive forms of the game.

Dickey, who serves as a co-captain for the U.S. Power National Team, was instrumental in the team’s success during the 2025 season. The Power NT captured the 2025 APFC America’s Cup championship and secured qualification for the 2026 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup, milestones in which Dickey played a central role.

Primarily deployed as the starting goalkeeper, Dickey teamed with Nathan Mayer to help the U.S. post seven consecutive clean sheets at the America’s Cup. In addition to his defensive impact, Dickey contributed offensively with five goals and two assists through his out-court play, underscoring his versatility and leadership on the floor.

Joining Dickey as finalists are fellow co-captain Riley Johnson, a center who led the team with eight goals in 2025, and striker Pete Winslow, who paced the squad with nine assists. Johnson’s seven goals at the America’s Cup were the most in the tournament, including decisive game-winners in the semifinal win over Uruguay and the championship victory against Argentina. Winslow played a key role in the final as well, delivering the assist on the indirect free kick that resulted in the title-clinching goal.

Award winners are determined by a weighted voting process that includes current ENT players, U.S. Soccer leadership, coaches and staff, as well as fans. The voting breakdown includes:

• 45 percent from players who earned an ENT cap in 2025

• 20 percent from ENT players voting in other categories

• 20 percent from the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, Athletes’ Council, and ENT coaches and staff

• 15 percent from a fan vote conducted at ussoccer.com

Fan voting is now open and runs through Friday, December 19, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winners of the 2025 Extended National Teams Player of the Year awards will be announced in January 2026.

For Dickey, the nomination represents both personal recognition and a spotlight on the continued growth of power soccer and adaptive athletics at the national level.

Drivers traveling through the busy intersection of 146th Street and Allisonville Road should be prepared for temporary traffic impacts later this week.

Beginning Tuesday, December 16, the project contractor plans to implement periodic lane restrictions and ramp closures as crews install incidental construction items within the pavement areas. The work is part of the ongoing improvement project at the intersection.

According to project officials, the lane restrictions and ramp closures are expected to occur during normal daytime working hours and will continue through Friday, December 19. Motorists may experience delays, particularly during peak travel times.

Drivers are encouraged to plan extra travel time, remain alert, and follow posted signage and directions from construction crews while traveling through the work zone. Officials are also reminding motorists to use extreme caution to help ensure the safety of both workers and the traveling public.

Traffic patterns are expected to return to normal once the work is completed.