When COVID first hit Indiana, you may recall that testing was an important ingredient to have in order to run a business or just have people gather at all.  Well before there were vaccines or effective treatments for COVID, testing was key.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness acted to fill the testing gap by creating his own city health department, something rarely done in Indiana.  He took a great deal of heat from other elected officials in Hamilton County for that decision, but Fishers immediately setup a COVID testing program well before those tests were available to citizens in other parts of Indiana and Hamilton County.

I bring this up because Indiana state lawmakers have an important decision to make in the 2023 session of the General Assembly.  It centers on how much money the state should spend on public health.

Reporter Peter Blanchard of the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) wrote an extensive piece in the November 25th edition about public health in the Hoosier state and one man at the center of that discussion – former State Senator Luke Kenley.  He was appointed a co-chair of the Governor’s Public Health Commission by Governor Eric Holcomb.

Kenley represented Noblesville and a part of Fishers for many years in the Indiana Senate and wielded great power and influence as Chair of the Indiana Senate Finance Committee.  Just about anything dealing with state money had to go through that committee.

Reporter Blanchard provides a good background of Kenley’s influence during his time in the General Assembly.  But after 5 years of leaving his elected post, Kenley is now in a position to play a key role in Indiana’s public health future.

To be blunt, Indiana’s standing of taking care of Hoosiers’ health is not a good one.  Blanchard cites data to prove the point.

“Indiana’s poor public health outcomes have been well-documented for years,” Blanchard writes. “The overall health of Hoosiers has been steadily declining since the early ’90s, when Indiana ranked 26th in the nation for overall health outcomes. Today, the state ranks 40th overall in public health outcomes, with higher-than-average rates of obesity, smoking, infant mortality and maternal mortality.”

Blanchard then refers to a 2021 report ranking Indiana 48th among the states for spending on public health.  That amounts to public health spending of $55 per Indiana resident, with $374 million dollars total spent every year by Indiana.  The per-person spending on the average among American states is $91, with our state spending $36 per person less than the national average.

Kenley is quoted in the IBJ story as saying he was “somewhat shocked” at these numbers and wasn’t aware how far behind Indiana is on public health spending while serving in the Indiana Legislature.  Democrats serving with Kenley during his time in office are quoted by Blanchard as saying they brought public health spending up numerous times during Kenley’s tenure chairing the Finance Committee, including citing several pieces of legislation proposed by Democrats that never saw the light of day.

Kenley and his fellow members of the Governor’s Public Health Commission will be making a proposal to state lawmakers as they fashion the coming 2-year budget for the state.  Under this plan, state government would provide 80% of public health funding if individual counties opt-in to the program.

Legislative leaders are not fully behind the Commission’s ideas but have not opposed the proposal yet, and many details of the plan are not publicly known at this time.  But Kenley, according to Blanchard’s reporting, has been quietly meeting with officials from around the state in an effort to round up support for the Commission’s ideas.

Blanchard ends his piece with how poor health among Hoosiers has a price tag.  In other words, a lack of public health spending has costs everyone must pay as a result.

When Mayor Fadness created the Fishers Health Department, he did so because he maintained the health of his residents was at risk without access to COVID testing.  He was able to do that, and the city’s Health Department is still around and still doing the work of public health.

A once-powerful state senator is now trying to sell a plan to provide better public health in Indiana through a system allowing local governments to opt into a new plan, if state lawmakers choose.  The answer will come when the legislative session next year approves the state’s 2-year spending plan.

Peter Blanchard’s story in the IBJ is available at this link, but you may need to be a subscriber to access it.  Again, I encourage everyone to subscribe to your local media.

Thanksgiving is one of the special holidays celebrated during the year.  It is a time to assess how lucky you are.  I know I feel lucky, very lucky.

As I have written about before, the past two years have been difficult for me.  I had two serious health issues arise, and at my age, either one could have killed me.

That has given me a perspective.  Every day is a gift.  Although my age slows me down some, I know that there is a reason I am still on this earth.  As a husband, son, brother, father and grandfather (just to name a few) I treasure all my family and other relationships every single day.

The news blog continues and the podcasts continue into 2023.  I do expect the coming year to be quite newsworthy and as long as I keep my health, there is every intention to continue the blog and podcasts.

My volunteer work is a way of giving back to a community that provided my twin daughters with a first-class education and a wonderful community in which to grow up.  They are both college grads, married and have grown into outstanding young women.

Every Thanksgiving I write about those of you choosing to read my blog.  I remain amazed at the number of people reading this local online news source.  After all, I am a one-man band.  I have no editor other than myself (yes, there are errors, I spot them and correct them as soon as I can).

When starting this blog in 2012, my wife seemed to be saying, OK, go ahead and do this, but she acted as if it would last a few months, and I would give it up.  That never happened.

That’s because of you, all of you choosing to read this blog.  I understand there is a hunger for local news in Fishers and I have tried for 11 years to produce just that, the best way one persona alone can.

Every now and then, I will end a blog post with “thanks for reading.”  I do mean that now.  It is because of you reading, in the numbers you are reading, that keeps me going.

So, happy Thanksgiving.  Spend time with friends and family.  Reflect on what you are thankful for…as someone that has experienced many low points in my life, even at those lowest points, I had much to be thankful for.

Let me close this blog post with the sign-off I’ve used on my podcasts since COVID hit us hard – be safe, and be kind!

The Fishers road construction report is being issued early this week, since city departments will be closed both Thanksgiving Day and the Friday afterward.

But there are a couple of items of interests, and once again reminding everyone about road closures Thanksgiving Day for the two 5K events.

Here is the listing, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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96TH STREET
Beginning on Monday, November 28, lane restrictions will be in place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the outside lane of westbound 96th Street between Cumberland Road and Sargent Road thru Wednesday, November 30 for sanitary work.

FISHERS YMCA WISHBONE 5K
Road closures will be in place on Thursday, November 24 between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the Fishers YMCA Wishbone 5K. Closures will begin at the Fishers YMCA on 126th Street, west to Saksons Blvd., around Ellipse Pkwy. to Farley Drive, to Turkel Drive, east on Sunblest Blvd., south on Lantern Road to the Nickel Plate Trail. Participants will continue north on the NPT until 126th Street. View route and other race details here. 

GOBBLERS JOG 5K
Road closures will be in place on Thursday, November 24 between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the Gobblers Jog 5K. Closures will begin at Witten Park on 134th Street in Saxony Village, east to Olio Road, south to 126th Street, west to Pennington Road, north to 131st Street, east to Saxony Blvd., then west on 131st Street to Pennington Road/Erden Drive. Participants will continue to Witten Park. View route here.

The Fishers Arts Council continues its monthly displays in December, featuring artists the organization describes a new to the city and “up and coming.”

Below is a news release from the Arts Council with all the details:

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During the month of December Fishers Arts Council shines a spotlight on 10 Hamilton County artists who are “Up and Coming” and “New to Fishers”. Their artwork will be on display in the Gallery at the Collaboration Hub at Hamilton County Community Foundation (11810 Technology Drive, Fishers) from December 5-30 and can be viewed Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm, with a few exceptions for holiday closures. A special “Meet the Artists” panel will be offered during the Second Friday reception on Friday, December 9, at 6:45pm – and guests are welcome to drop in anytime from 6-8pm for the family friendly event.

Josh Brinson defines himself as a muralist and graphic designer. Josh says, ” In middle school (circa 2005) I discovered graffiti and street art. The idea that these huge pieces were on display in public and for all to see intrigued me. Plus the vibrant colors, dimensional structures and wild characters involved in the pieces gave life to what were once only stark barriers within a cityscape.” At that point, Brinson says he was committed to turning his passion into a full-time career. In the future, he hopes to focus on putting his art on apparel and merchandise, and he also hopes to create original figurines/designer toys.

Artist Larry Evans says he first became interested in art, “When I was a kid and saw my first Van Gogh painting and learned his background. I have always loved art and drawing, but that day art kind of became cool in a super weird way, I guess. Van Gogh is still my favorite artist today.” Larry says his next goal as an artist is to do a large painting and mess around with gold foil somehow within that painting. Larry maintains that one of his greatest disappointments is losing first prize in an art contest in second grade because the school principal said that the drawing was too good to have been done by a second grader. He says that principal’s bad decision cost Larry to lose the $250 prize money.

Jacob Hernandez’ approach to the concept of art and artist is unique. “I am a firm believer that everyone is an artist in his or her own way, and I am a lover of all forms of art, whether that be traditional drawing/painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, design, literature, film, music, theater, and so on. Being an artist is a wonderful thing, and I encourage everyone to make use of their own inner artist!” Visitors to the Emerging Artists exhibit will be able to experience how Jacob has made use of his own “inner artist.”

Julia Holland is a current Art + Design student at Butler University. “I have been passionate about art my entire life,” she says, and has goals to pursue a life and career within the arts. While abstract art isn’t her favorite, her portrait work truly sings.

Painter Barbara Howrey’s story is one that is probably familiar to a lot of people: “I started my art journey by painting watercolors in 1992. I put my son, who was two years old at the time, into a Mom’s Day Out program at a local church, and I signed up for watercolor classes at a framing shop in Brownsburg, IN. I was only able to attend classes for a year because life kind of got in the way. I began painting again in 2019, and in 2021, I discovered fluid art and decided I really liked it and began practicing that medium.” What is “fluid art”? Visitors to the exhibit will have to meet Barbara and see her work to find out.

Artist Deb Lavengood is a woman of many talents. She cooks and enters cooking competitions–and wins–and she paints with acrylics and watercolors. Her current passion is photography, and she plans to put that talent to use this winter. Deb says, ” My husband and I are going on a cruise to a number of different Caribbean islands this winter, and I want to capture the beauty of the aqua Caribbean water and tranquil beaches to bring joy to myself and others during the dark winter months.”

Oil painter Mike Martin early on fell in love with the inherent characteristics of oil paints. Mike says that his greatest success as an artist happened when he learned not to be his own worst critic. He realized that every painting goes through an “ugly duckling” period until it starts to flow, and it is important to focus on what “works” in the painting and improve on those elements.

Photography is Justin Sicking‘s passion. He says that he really enjoys learning new things and researching different techniques as they relate to “all different categories and niches of Photography. I love getting to see how small changes affect the outcome of an image, and I embrace the opportunity to get better and better results with every shoot.”

Riley Sims is currently a student at Ball State University, and says, “My greatest success as an artist has to be actually being an artist. I think that is the hardest part. Changing my major from art education to just studio art is my greatest success as an artist because it was the first step to fulfilling my dream.” After Riley graduates in the spring, she would love to attend an art residency program at one of the national parks and continue to pursue her artistic interests and techniques. Riley served as the first FAC intern this past summer, helping our team on a variety of projects.

Angee Walberry‘s experience in creating art began when she was home on disability leave and “sheer boredom led me to dabble in paint.” She was happy that so many people liked the results of her “dabbling” that she kept on drawing and painting. Angee is working on a new series with her “weird squiggly people.” Her personal goal is to travel everywhere to capture people at play, at rest, and at work. She hopes that an art residency at Fire Island, New York, or in Key West, Florida, is in her future.

Fishers Arts Council hopes that you will join us in attending the Second Friday reception of “Art of the Emerging Artist” on December 9, and meet these wonderful, creative people and hear their stories. Live music will be performed by Emily Ann Thompson, refreshments and a cash bar will be provided as well as a comfortable community space for connecting with artists and other art-lovers. Most artwork will be available for sale – and this is a great opportunity to support a local artist and get something one-of-a-kind for the holidays. All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you in the Gallery.

With the holiday season upon us, the Fishers Police Department has released a list of tips aimed at keeping your holiday season a festive one .

“We encourage residents and visitors to be careful, prepared, and aware of their surroundings,” say police officials.  “If you see something that does not look or feel right please call 911 immediately.”

Below is the full list of tips from Fishers Police:

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Driving

• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Never drink and drive.
• Put away cell phones or other devices that could cause a distraction
• Do not exceed the speed limit.
• Be courteous and patient with other drivers.
• Allow aggressive drivers to pass.
• Do not engage in verbal altercations. Calling out another driver’s bad behavior could lead to criminal physical violence.
• Call 911 to report impaired or dangerous driving
• If driving alone, notify a friend or family member of your route and approximate time of arrival.
• Pack a weather preparedness kit (blanket, flashlight, cell phone charger, non-perishable snacks, etc.)

Automated Teller Machine (ATM)

• If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located near a police station, mall, or well-lighted location.  Withdraw only the amount of cash you need.
• Protect your PIN by shielding the ATM keypad from anyone who is standing near you.
• Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location.

Shopping

• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend and park in a well-lighted area.
• Park as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where you parked.
• Dress casually and comfortably.
• Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
• Keep cash in your front pocket.
• Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused.
• Keep a record of all your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.
• Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas and public transportation locations.
• Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.
• Do not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates a temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.
• When approaching and leaving your vehicle be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.
• If you are concerned about parking lot safety, ask mall or store security for an escort before leaving your shopping location.

Children

• Teach children to always stay close to you and to inform you if a stranger is bothering them.
• Never allow children to make unaccompanied trips to the bathroom.
• Children should never be allowed to go to the car alone and they should never be left alone in the car.
• Teach children their full name, address, and telephone number.

At Home

• Do the 9PM Routine. Lock it, Hide it, Keep it.
• Always double check doors and windows, ensuring they are locked, when you leave the house, even for a few minutes.
• When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your mail and return garbage bins.
• Indoor and outdoor lights should be on an automatic timer.
• Leave a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied.
• Contact the Fishers Police at (317) 595-3300 and/or fill out a Vacation Watch Form to notify us of your vacant home.
• Large displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the windows and doors of your home.

• Residents should NEVER open the door to a stranger.
• Residents should announce that they are in the house and call 911 immediately.

• Be aware that criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts.
• It is not uncommon for criminals to take advantage of the generosity of people during the holiday season by soliciting donations door-to-door for charitable causes when no charity is involved.
• Donate to a recognized charitable organization.

Immediately call 911 to report suspicious activity

TCC, a group of 850 Verizon retailers, plans to buy holiday presents for 24 military veteran families this season.  TCC is a subsidiary of Fishers-based Round Room.

TCC is partnering with Soldier’s Angels, a non-profit organization, to pair every region with one family.  Gifts provided include clothes, toys and general household items for adults of the families.

“For many families, the holidays are a financial burden, and this year may be tougher than most amid the uncertain economy,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of Round Room and TCC, in a company news release. “While deployed, providing gifts on a military or veteran family budget adds another layer to the challenge. We are thrilled to continually honor deserving service members and their families, and our hope is this year’s Veterans Rock program provides some relief to any holiday shopping burdens.”

The TCC Verizon locations span 39 states.  The company can transfer employed military members or their spouses to a new TCC location if they need to move. Aside from transfer opportunities, TCC gives all employees paid volunteer days, paid time off, profit sharing bonuses, same-day pay and more.

Fishers is renewing a contract with Axon, an outside firm providing video services for body-cams, in-car video cameras ad interview room video recordings.  The pact is renewed for 5 years.

Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart told the Board of Public Works and Safety that renewing the contract now will prevent the city from experiencing any price increases implemented next year.  Gebhart told board members by bundling these services together for 5 years, the city saves an estimated $846,000 over the life of the agreement.

The Police Chief says his department has explored other options, but his officers “are comfortable with it” as it stands now.  Gebhart says the system will now have the capability to read license plates through the in-car video cameras.

The new 5-year contract also provides a taser and taser training for each officer.  At key times, video cameras are automatically triggered to record through the system.

The board unanimously voted to renew the contract.

You may recall that the City of Fishers declined to accept any bids for constructing a roundabout at 141st Street and State Road 37 earlier this year due to the high cost in those bids.  The project has been in limbo ever since.

Fishers City Councilwoman Jocelyn Vare has a new post on her Web site saying there will be an interim period when 141st Street will be a right-in and right-out only configuration at SR 37.  Vare cites a communication sent to business owners located in the area of 141st Street and State Road 37.  This interim measure may be implemented as early as December of this year.

The missive sent to those businesses says the roundabout will be constructed with the city asking for new bids in the fall of 2023.

“This (interim right-in right-out) will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR37 until the next phases of construction can be activated,” says the message to business owners.  “This will eliminate all backups along SR37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146^th street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st St.”

Here is the full message sent to business owners, based on Councilor Vare’s Web site post:

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Today’s New 141st Street Update

1. 141st St. will be constructed as an interchange featuring the round-a-bout design with exit ramps onto east and westbound 141st from SR37 as originally planned
2. Utility work has already begun and will continue through Spring 2023
3. The interchange will be “let” (a new request for bids) in the Fall 2023
4. The construction timeline with anticipated completion of the interchange will be announced after the bid is accepted
5. An interim phase to improve traffic flow at 141st St and SR37 and prepare for further construction will be put in place as early as this December (HSE Schools’ winter break) and will be in place until the new construction begins. See below for details on this Interim Phase.
6. The Hamilton Southeastern Schools and Emergency Services have been coordinated with on this interim phase and accommodations are being coordinated to minimize impacts.

The Interim Phase at 141st St and SR37 to Begin this December 2022

During this interim phase, 141st St will be transitioned to a Right-In-Right-Out (RIRO) traffic configuration. This is not the permanent configuration.  This will allow for traffic to flow more freely along SR37 until the next phases of construction can be activated.  This will eliminate all backups along SR37 that have caused dangerous stops to the free flow traffic and backups on the 146^th street interchange. Again, this is not the permanent configuration for 141st St.

The weather may not be the best during the holiday season in and around Fishers, but there is plenty to do.  Two ladies with the city want you to know all about it.

Stephanie Perry is the Assistant PR Director for the city and Sarah Sandquist is the city’s Director of Parks & Recreation…they both joined me for a podcast to talk about the holiday events Fishers has to offer and much more.

You have likely read recently about investors buying-up homes in communities such as Fishers, then turning single-family residences into rental property.  Mayor Scott Fadness hosted a Facebook live video discussion about this issue months ago.

The consensus at that time was this – Homeowners Associations (HOAs) are the key to limiting the number of rentals in their neighborhoods through their covenants and by-laws.  That approach appears to be changing.  At his recent State of the City address, Mayor Fadness previewed a proposal he plans to present to the Fishers City Council in the next 2-3 months.

According to the mayor, he will propose two things.  First, a rental registration program.  Second, and most importantly, he will present a permitting process that would cap the percentage of homes in any given neighborhood that can be a rental property.

“I look forward to a robust discussion with our city council about the merits for this, but I think it’s vital for the long-term sustainability of our city,” said Mayor Fadness in this State of the City address.

Fadness says 37 Fishers subdivisions have more than 20% of homes that are renter-occupied.  There are a total of 81 subdivisions with more than 10% renter occupied homes.