Local author with a national reputation, John Green, has inserted himself into the controversy over the Hamilton East Library’s policy of reviewing every young adult book in the collection.  The library board recently voted to “pause” the implementation of that policy, at least for now.

Nonetheless, author Green has granted an interview to Indianapolis Star reporter Rachel Fradette and has a lot to say.  Green argues this entire situation could have easily been avoided.

“We never would have been in this situation if the majority of the board had listened to librarians and their constituents,” Green tells reporter Fradette.  “There were people sounding the alarm about this long before I did. For whatever reason my sounding the alarm got a lot of attention.”

Green had criticism for library board member Ray Maddalone for reading a brief passage from his book “The Fault In Our Stars.”  He expressed a dislike for what he describes as reading his work “out of context.”

in other comments he made during the interview:

–He is happy librarians have kept their jobs at the Hamilton East Libraries (in Noblesville and Fishers)

–His books are “not pornography” and he is confident other books taken from the Young Adult collection in the library are not pornography.

–He does view the Hamilton East Library policy as censorship.

Because he mentions Fishers specifically, here is the final paragraph Green provides to reporter Rachel Fradette:

“I love Indianapolis. I love Central Indiana. And I love Fishers … I really want people outside of Indiana to see the Indiana I see … One of the points I tried to make in my initial letter because I understand the priorities of the government in a town like Fishers is that this is really bad for business. It’s really bad for students. It’s really bad for everything that you’re trying to celebrate about what makes Central Indiana cool.”

You can read the story at this link  (NOTE:  You must be an IndyStar subscriber to access this story.  Online subscriptions are very inexpensive.  Let me say this again – SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR LOCAL MEDIA!)

The Associated Press is out with its Class 6A high school football poll and both Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High Schools are in the top ten.  Hamilton Southeastern is ranked number 4 and Fishers is number 7.

Two other area schools made the top ten….Westfield is number 5 and Noblesville is number 10

I have heard and read this comment time and time again – journalists tell people living in the path of a dangerous hurricane to evacuate, yet you see reporters on the air live in the middle of the storm, sometimes hip-deep in water, struggling to stand in high winds.  Why do these news organizations do this?

Tom Jones is Senior Media Writer for the highly respected Poynter Institute, which just happens to be headquartered in Tampa, Florida.  Jones posted a story Wednesday morning as Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the Florida coast.

He addressed the commonly-asked question, why do news organizations, particularly local and cable TV news, have their reporters and live production crews in the middle of a dangerous storm?

Here is part of what Jones wrote, referring to a local reporter/meteorologist:

Perhaps anticipating what viewers might have been thinking, ABC Action News meteorologist Shay Ryan made a smart and timely point on the air. She said, “One of the things to keep in mind is that we have our reporters stationed strategically, and we put a lot of thought and care into where they are positioned and how they are positioned and (we) time out accordingly to how the conditions are going to change. So that is part of what we’re doing and why we ask you to (evacuate and seek shelter); so we can show you the pictures as safely as possible. It’s not always safe, even with all the precautions we take. So, again, we are going show you lots of live pictures and as we continue through this storm, it is best to stay indoors, to hunker down, hang out with the family and we’ll all get through this.” 

Journalists covering a storm like Idalia will tell you their coverage helps save lives by emphasizing the true danger of a storm like Idalia.  The old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, is true here, particularly with a live TV picture.

Remember, those reporters and their production crews understand the danger they face, even when utilizing every precaution experts tell them to take, while every now and then have people yell “fake news” at them while they work.

I appreciate the news crews out in the field covering Hurricane Idalia.

U.S. News and World Report is best known for its annual ranking of colleges and universities in America, but the news organization also ranks high schools.  Our two high schools in the Hamilton Southeastern District did well in the state-wide list.  There is a national listing and ranking for each state.

Fishers High School ranks 11th in Indiana, 740th nationally and 6th in the Indy metro area.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) High School is listed as number 13 in Indiana, 893rd in the nation and 8th in the Indy metro area.

When evaluating listings like these, the devil is always in the details.  I give U.S. News credit, they detailed their system for ranking these schools, and you can find it at this link. You can decide whether the methodology is fair.

Round Room, headquartered in Fishers, held a sales rally in downtown Indianapolis and used the occasion to pass out donations Tuesday totaling $1.7 million.  Round Room is one of the nation’s largest Verizon Authorized Retailers.

On the receiving end of the donations are  DREAM Alive, 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, 91 Place, Ben’s Ranch Foundation, Coburn Place, Cocktails & Caregivers and Trinity Haven.

Dream Alive was given the largest check, $580,000.  All seven nonprofits received a $100,000 check and a $60,000 transportation allowance.

My daughters are adults now but when they attended junior high during the late 2000s, we would often drop them off at a local high school football game and pick them up once the game was over.  It was a regular social event for young people that age in Fishers.

I know there were police officers and other adults keeping a watch on the one corner of the football complex where the junior high students would congregate, and remember well the traffic jams when parents came to pick up their junior high students at the same time the entire crowd was leaving the game.

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools shared a message sent to parents Tuesday that changes school policy.  Now, if you have a student in grades K-8, there is a requirement that the student must be “accompanied and supervised by an adult.”

“We have seen a large number of unsupervised junior high students gathering at high school sporting events which has resulted in uptick of incidents,” says HSE Schools Spokesperson Emily Abbotts  “While the school district has increased the number of SROs at the game and administration, we do not have enough personnel to oversee large numbers of unsupervised students. Our top priority remains student and staff safety.”  ”

Abbotts also says the policy of requiring K-8 students to be accompanied by an adult “is not new and is standard for many of our surrounding school neighbors.”

Below is the entire message to parents sent by the HSE School District:

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Football season is upon us, and we love having the support of our school community cheering from the sidelines underneath the #FridayNightLights.  

To increase safety at our high school sporting events this year, students in grades K-8 must now be accompanied and supervised by an adult (aged 18+) to enter the event. This change in practice is due in part to an uptick in incidences involving unsupervised K-8 students. 

Although we want student participation at our home games, students without an adult will not be admitted.  

These changes are effective immediately and will be enforced at the upcoming Royals vs. Avon football game on Friday, September 1, 2023.  

We appreciate in advance the support of our students, parents, and community. We understand this change in practice may interrupt normal plans for event attendance, but we want to ensure that all attendees have an enjoyable and safe experience.  

We wish our FHS Tigers and HSE Royals the best of luck in this year’s sporting events.  

On June 19th, I recorded a podcast with Fishers Parks & Recreation Director Marissa Deckert, and asked her about the water quality at the Geist Waterfront Park beach.  She explained that there is regular water quality testing to ensure the water is safe.

A recent posting on the Parks Department Web site says a test conducted recently shows “unsatisfactory results for E. coli levels.”

You can read the entire statement below:

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The Fishers Health Department conducts regular testing of open waters in Fishers to monitor water-quality levels, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and bacteria such as E. coli. For Geist Waterfront Park, Fishers Parks conducts regular testing specific to the beach area. A recent test conducted for the cove at Geist Waterfront Park resulted in unsatisfactory results for E. coli levels.

Bacteria, such as E. coli grow faster at higher temperatures. Higher temperatures combined with rain events and environmental factors can increase the pathogenic bacteria levels such as E. coli. Fishers has both urban and agricultural runoff inputs into the watershed which affects our water quality.

Learn more about water quality efforts at Geist Waterfront Park here.

In a significant step towards enhancing public health and safety, the Fishers Health Department has unveiled a Retail Food Inspection Grading System for local restaurants. Positioned as the second municipality in the state to implement this groundbreaking protocol, the new system underscores the department’s commitment to safeguarding the health of its residents.

Having secured the approval of the Fishers City Council in November 2022, the system has been brought to life during the course of the 2023 food inspections. As part of this transformative approach, restaurants are now assigned a letter grade based on a meticulous 100-point scale, providing patrons with clear insights into the establishments’ adherence to food safety regulations. The grades are readily accessible to the public via an interactive dashboard located at this link.

In an effort to bolster transparency and foster awareness, beginning this September, these grades will also be prominently displayed on the exterior doors of all dining establishments across Fishers. The mandate stipulates that these information labels be exhibited no later than September 30, 2023.

“Although a popular program in cities around the United States, this is not something that Indiana residents are used to seeing as they enter their favorite restaurant,” said Monica Heltz, Fishers Public Health Director. “We hope to lead the charge in improving food safety standards in Central Indiana. Food grades are an evidenced-based strategy to achieve this aim. The health and safety of our residents is our top priority, and we are dedicated to partnering with our local restaurants to ensure they are successful under this new model.”

Emphasizing continuity and accountability, fresh grades will be assigned annually during the course of routine inspections. This system signals a significant stride in maintaining the high standards that Fishers residents have come to expect from their local dining establishments. For a more comprehensive understanding of the grading framework and to explore the user-friendly online dashboard, interested individuals are encouraged to visit this link.

The Fishers-based Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI) is set to host its highly anticipated annual Mayor’s Breakfast to Benefit YMI, an event dedicated to supporting its mission of fostering mentorship connections between Hamilton Southeastern School District students and volunteer mentors. The fundraising event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 7th.

The breakfast event, now in its 8th year, aims to raise funds furthering YMI’s goal of matching students with mentors who can provide guidance and support on a weekly basis. The event has become a staple in the Fishers community, drawing attention to the positive impact mentorship can have on young individuals.

A highlight of the event is a panel discussion, moderated by none other than Mayor Scott Fadness, where the topic of mentorship will take center stage. The panelists, individuals who have reaped the benefits of mentorship, will share their experiences and insights into how mentoring has contributed to their achievements.

The distinguished panelists include:

• Chris Huppenthal: A seasoned educator, Chris is a retired Hamilton Southeastern High School basketball coach with a state championship to his name.
• Bailee Poore: Former HSE student and athlete under Coach Huppenthal’s guidance, Bailee has first-hand experience of the impact mentorship can have on a student’s growth.
• Justin Masterson: A former professional baseball starting pitcher for renowned teams like the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals. Masterson’s journey to success was marked by the guidance of mentors.

“We are excited to bring together this panel to discuss mentorship at all levels,” said YMI’s Executive Director Brittany Rayburn. “Each of these individuals has been guided and impacted by mentors along their journeys of accomplishment, and it’s our hope the morning will inspire others to see themselves in the role of mentor to one of our students.”

The 8th annual Mayor’s Breakfast to Benefit YMI is slated to take place from 7:00 am to 9:00 am at the picturesque Heritage Gardens at the Historic Ambassador House. As the largest annual fundraiser for YMI, the event plays a pivotal role in gathering resources to connect more Hamilton Southeastern students with caring adult mentors.

Tickets and sponsorships for the event are still available at this link.  Those interested in becoming a mentor for YMI can find more information on their website, at this link.

There has been much discussion at the state and local levels about income taxes and property taxes in the Hoosier state.  Now, the Hamilton County Council is proposing to raise the county income tax rate in order to lower property taxes.

The situation is fairly complicated, but Current Publishing reporter Leila Kheiry does a nice job of explaining how the state law works and how such a proposal would be enacted by a group of local governments within Hamilton County.

You can read Leila’s story at the link below.

Hamilton County Council proposes property tax relief/income tax hike