2022 was a contentious session of the Indiana General Assembly in many respects, with some controversial measures enacted, others not.  I spoke with Democratic State Senator Fady Qaddoura for his perspective on the session.  We discussed gun permits, education policy, taxes and much more in this podcast.

Indianapolis architectural firm CSO has handled a number of building projects for Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, and has been chosen to handle the upcoming renovation of Lantern Road Elementary.  An internal evaluation committee recommended CSO be selected among the 7 firms submitting responses to the district’s request for proposals, and the school board gave its stamp of approval.

HSE will pay CSO $640,000.  The next step is to formulate the request for proposals and put the construction project up for bids from contractors.

In other news items from Wednesday’s School Board meeting:

–The board approved upgrades to school Internet connections, using E-Rate discounts.  The improvements will be installed over the summer.  E-Rate refers to a Federal Program overseen by the FCC that provides discounts to public schools, offsetting the costs of providing Internet access with the amount of speed and reliability needed.

–The board voted for a resolution allowing the school administration to handle general obligation bonds.

–The board was briefed on some minor changes to board policies, which will be proposed for final approval at a later meeting.

–Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said the SAT assessments for juniors was given last week and the I-Read test for third-grade students is coming up soon.  She also announced that Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Nataki Pettigrew is now Dr. Pettigrew after she was awarded her PHD degree.

–The board recognized Leslie Brown, HSE Autism Specialist, and Chrissy Pogue, HSE Transition Specialist, as March is Disability Awareness Month.

–Snapshots of Success cited Geist Elementary for receiving the 2022 Cornerstone Employer Award, recognizing Physical Education Teacher Rod Sutherlin and Cafeteria Manager June Barnes. Sutherlin and Barnes work closely with HSE Transitions student Ryan McNarney.  For more, check out a video produced by the school district at this link.

–At the next board meeting April 13th, the board is expected to review the first proposed draft of the 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 School Calendars

In Fishers, we have already experienced a Tornado Warning recently, at 3am no less.  That triggered the warning siren system.

The weekly testing of the tornado warning sirens, which takes a hiatus during the winter months, will return to its 11am Friday routine March 11th.

The sirens will also sound during the statewide tornado drill on Tuesday, March 15, between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Hamilton County Emergency Management encourages everyone to exercise your plan by going to your safe place during the drill.

“The outdoor warning sirens are intended to warn those who are outdoors,” said Shane Booker, Executive Director of Emergency Management, in a news release. “Because sirens are not intended to warn those indoors, we recommend every household and business to have a weather radio.”

Delaware and Fall Creek Townships, which encompasses the entire City of Fishers, have a total of 20 sirens.

Here are more details about the siren system from the Hamilton County Emergency Management news release:

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Hamilton Count to Resume Siren Testing

When Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart went through the routine action of retiring Major Mike Johnson’s firearm before the Board of Public Works and Safety as a result of the Major’s retirement, the Chief told board members Mike Johnson was about to start another job but could not reveal that future employer at that time.  Wednesday night, we discovered Mike Johnson’s career change – the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board officially hired Mike Johnson as the new Director of School Safety.

Ryan Taylor had security as part of his responsibilities as an HSE administrator, but upon Mr. Taylor’s retirement, the administrative staff has been restructured, according to Board President Julie Chambers, allowing Mike Johnson to take on the responsibility of school safety for the district in a newly-created position.

“During the interview process, I think everybody sitting around the table knew he was definitely the best candidate,” said superintendent Yvonne Stokes.  Dr. Stokes pointed out that in addition to his law enforcement experience, Mr. Johnson holds a teaching degree.

“School safety and school connections to the city became my life’s work,” Johnson told school board members.  “To have the opportunity to come here and continue in my next chapter as a school safety guy, I’m the luckiest guy in the room.”

During his 29-year career with the Fishers Police Department, Mike Johnson spent time as a DARE officer and school resource officer.

The Fishers Arts & Culture Commission is stepping up its impact on art in development around Fishers, with the newest proposal for the Nickel Plate Trail, east of Lantern Road.  The commission is partnering with a local firm, Rebar Development, in a request for qualifications (RFQ), seeking an artist, artist team, or creative company to design and install an art sculpture.

The new trailhead plaza is part of Rebar’s $8.8 million Techway project announced earlier this year. The project includes a public plaza, parking, and a two-story office building at the entrance of Fishers Technology Park. Along with public art, the trailhead plaza will include bicycle racks, benches, a water fountain, and parking for trail users.

“The Fishers Arts and Culture Commission is excited to partner with Rebar Development on our third project along the Nickel Plate Trail,” said David Decker, chair of the Fishers Arts & Culture Commission, in a city news release. “In conjunction with the Blazing the Trail mural and the sculpture at Hamilton East Public Library’s new entrance plaza, we are continuing to invest in the vibrancy of our community. Art and cultural experiences are vital components of our vibrant and inclusive community.”

Artists are encouraged to maximize the use of color, texture, and lighting in their proposed work, which should not exceed a $50,000 budget. The trailhead sculpture is also required to use the daVinci Pursuit’s innovative Art Port. The installation must be durable and projected to withstand weather conditions for up to ten years with the ability to be part of a state-wide art sculpture exchange program through the daVinci Pursuit’s Art Port program.

For more on the RFQ, use this link.

“We are excited to work with the Commission on this unique public-private partnership along the Nickel Plate Trail,” said Shelby Bowen, president and partner of Rebar Development. “We were attracted to invest in this project because of the City’s investment along the trail and are thrilled to collaborate with the Commission to install an original piece of art for our tenants and the public to enjoy.”

Qualifications will be evaluated by the Fishers Arts & Culture Commission’s Grant and RFQ Review Subcommittee, comprised of local non-profit art organizations, Commissioners, and City staff.

When the Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety had their regular meeting Tuesday morning, the biggest news was not what was on the agenda, but what was missing.  For the first time in a long time, there were no 5G tower requests from Verizon.

The board decides on requests for 5G tower locations in Fishers.  For the past several meetings, the board considered a number of tower requests in several neighborhoods. The board has approved towers, and denied them when not consistent with the board’s general policy, which the city says is in line with state and federal law.

Fishers City Attorney Chris Greisl says there were no 5G tower items on the March 8 board agenda because of timing, there has been no indication that Verizon is slowing down its 5G program in Fishers.  There are still a few tower requests tabled from previous meetings due to return for board consideration.

The Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety consists of Mayor Scott Fadness and his two appointees, Jason Meyer and Jeff Lantz.

In items approved by the board Tuesday morning:

–A standard contract agreement for vendors of the Fishers Farmers Market and the Saxony Famers Market in 2022 is now in place.

–The city traffic code was amended to allow one-way traffic signs on Technology Drive during that roadway’s construction.

–The city will spend $78,641 replacing ballistic vests and helmets used by the Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Service (EMS) staff when responding to dangerous situations.  The current equipment will end its useful life this year.

Fishers has announced the first summer concert for the outdoor Amphitheater in 2022, and the group is Houndmouth.  The event is set for Saturday, June 18, with tickets on sale March 11.  You can buy tickets  at www.npdamp.com and www.mokbpresents.com for $20 advance, or $25 the day of show. For ticketed shows the venue is an all ages facility and children ages two and under are permitted for free. Fans can also bring their own lawn chair and blankets.

The Fishers Parks and Recreation Department also reminds everyone that regional live music will return to the Amphitheater, with announcements later on that lineup. Updates on the 2022 summer schedule can be found at npdamp.com.

“Concert season is here! We can’t wait to bring a summer schedule with some old favorites, like Tuesday Night Concerts, as well as larger national acts to the NPD AMP,” said Sarah Sandquist, director of Fishers Parks, in a city news release. “With the Nickel Plate Trail opening this spring and this announcement kicking off our summer lineup, downtown Fishers should be on everybody’s summer bucket list.”

Houndmouth, from New Albany, Indiana, call themselves an American alternative blues band formed in 2011, consisting of Matt Myers (guitar, vocals), Zak Appleby (bass, vocals), and Shane Cody (drums, vocals). The band formed in the summer of 2011.

Parts of Fishers that had been served by HSE Utilities for sewer service are now being handled by the City of Fishers, following the city’s purchase of HSE’s Fishers operations that took affect in 2022.  However, there have been some issues with the transition. HSE Utilities is answering questions from their former Fishers customers dealing with the  cancellation of Auto-Debit “ACH” payments taken from a customer’s bank account.

Kathy May, Administrative Coordinator for HSE Utilities, issued a statement to LarryInFishers.com Tuesday saying February 15th,  2022 was the last and final date a draw (or Debit) was pulled from Customers’ Financial Institutions which are now being served by Fishers.  No future Debits will occur by HSE from these customers’ bank accounts.

According to Ms. May, HSE customers receive their bills in arrears (meaning later), so the February 15th debit would be the final one for customers now being serviced by Fishers.

If you are a former HSE customer  carrying unpaid balances for previous charges at the time of the transfer to Fishers Utility (for service prior to January 1, 2022)  you have received statements from HSE dated February 20^th with a due date of March 15, 2022.  These customers switching to Fishers will incur no new HSE charges after these statements.  HSE will continue to send statements to those customers with a remaining balance until the account have been paid.

If you have a credit balance with HSE and are due a refund, those refunds are being processed and checks will be  mailed over the “next few weeks.”  Ms. May says the HSE staff has been reduced and that has resulted in any delay in refunds being issued and phone messages being returned.

Weather forecasting is a dicey business.  Weather can form quickly without a lot of advance warning.

I went to bed just before midnight Saturday without any clue that storms of any consequence were possible.  Normally, weather forecasters give you some heads up that bad weather is at least possible.

After I was sound asleep early Sunday morning, forecasters at the National Weather Service began issuing watches and warnings about severe storms popping up and headed our way.

I turn off my cell phone overnight, but my wife Jane leaves her phone on.  Just before 3am, her phone began shrieking.  She told me a tornado warning had been issued and it included Fishers.  Two minutes later, the sirens began sounding in Fishers.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis makes the decision to issue watches and warnings.  The Hamilton County Emergency Management operation saw to it that sirens sounded and the alerts went out.

Jane & I spent about 30 minutes huddled in our safest home location until the warning expired for Fishers at 3:30am.  We could hear the storm, with lots of thunder, rain and wind.

Fortunately, according to Hamilton County Emergency Management, power outages were scattered and generally repaired quickly.  A tree  did down a power line in the Sheridan area resulting in a longer outage there.

The emergency management people and the National Weather Service say the Tornado Warning was issued due to rotation in the storm clouds in the area of State Road 32 and the Boone County Line, detected by weather radar.  No tornado was ever observed or reported.

My thanks to the weather forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Indianapolis and the Hamilton County Emergency Management staff.  They did their jobs in the middle of the night.  Fortunately, no tornadoes formed, but if one had hit Hamilton County, at least we had fair warning.

Russia invaded Ukraine just 2 weeks ago, but so much has happened in that short amount of time.  The United States has led an international move to isolate Russia from the rest of the world, most importantly economically, but also in the areas of the arts and sports.  Russia risks the same treatment North Korea receives from most of the world.

The grit and courage of the Ukrainian people have impressed the entire world.  Ukraine’s president refuses to leave the capital city, even after offers of safe passage from the United States.

As I read more information written by people with long and extensive knowledge of Ukraine, some important facts should be considered.  For instance, there are strong social connections between Russia and Ukraine.  Many Russians and Ukrainians marry each other, resulting in stronger family ties between the two nations.  Of those residing in the Ukraine capital of Kyiv, 20% are Russian.

One story reported by an American journalist deals with a group of Russian solders surrendering to a group of Ukrainian civilians.  The soldiers were not jailed, they were invited to homes in the area and provided a nice meal.  Each soldier was allowed to make a phone call to their respective mothers in Russia. The Russian mothers had no idea their sons were sent to occupy Ukraine.

I am hopeful that these close personal connections between the two nations, which goes back many, many years, will, at some point, lead to an end to all the fighting.  But there is one aspect of this conflicts that scares me.

Military actions almost never go as planned.  Many Western military experts are saying Russia expected to occupy Ukraine in a few days, not weeks.  The attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant indicates a reckless approach, whether it was orders from Moscow or a local commander’s risky decision.

There are NATO nations bordering Ukraine and the United States, along with the NATO allies, are beefing-up the military presence along the boarder with Ukraine.  Once Russia begins to occupy Ukraine, NATO and Russian military personnel and equipment will be eyeball-to-eyeball with each other.

That’s where an unexpected development could result in a conflict between Russia and NATO.  That results in World War III, pitting nuclear armed nations at war with each other.  Military people who game out what could happen in such a war have generally come to the conclusion that the end of such a conflict results in nothing but scary scenarios.

There is another wild card in this situation – China.  It appears Russia and China are cooperating, at least to some extent, but if this economic strangling of Russia continues, China will need to decide whether supporting Russia in this military adventure is worth what is happening to the world economy as a result.  China has a lot to lose if world trade is reduced.

One always holds out hope that cooler heads will eventually prevail.  But Russia’s aggressive actions against neighboring Ukraine are not decisions made by cool heads in Moscow.  The Russian government’s crackdown on independent media, including the foreign press in Russia, is an indication that the war is not going well and there are at least factions within Russia strenuously opposing the government.

The unintended consequences scare me the most.  But I also wonder how this conflict ends.