If you live in Hamilton County and have questions about candidates in the upcoming primary election, the local League of Women Voters is again offering its Voter411 service.

Vote411.org is a nonpartisan resource that provides ways to access candidate information and bios and to find polling place locations, among other services.

“Vote411 is the best online election resource,” said Lisa Dick, president of the local league.
“One of our group’s focuses for primary and general elections is to prepare this guide for all of Hamilton County’s voters.”

League members have sought information from all candidates running in the primary this year.

They are contributing this information to the national Vote411 website so that Hamilton County users can see who is running in their areas and learn more about their platforms.
When logging onto Vote411.org, simply enter your address, and all the information on the next page will be tailored to your area. You’ll see descriptions of the office, then photos and bios of the candidates who responded to the league’s request for info. Dick said each candidate was sent a survey by email or postal mail, and their responses were entered by their own representatives. The league does not edit candidate responses.

Dick added a few reminders for primary voters. Indiana’s is a “closed” primary, which means voters select candidates in one party or another. You choose one party to cast all your votes, but you do not have to be a member of that party to choose its ballot.

“In the general election in the fall, you do not have to declare a party and you can vote for
anyone on the ballot, regardless of party,” she explained. A list of more primary voting
reminders is on the league’s website home page.

Vote411.org is free and nonpartisan in keeping with the League of Women Voters’ mission as an organization that encourages informed and active participation in government.

Leagues around the nation work to increase understanding of major public policy issues and to influence public policy through education and advocacy.

For more information, visit Vote411.org,

After working with various stakeholders in the Fishers Community, non-for-profit organizat6ion Outside the Box (OTB) is opening a day program to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities locally.  OTB already supports nearly 300 people in the area.

OTB describes the plan as an innovative program known for teaching life skills in a peer matched, curriculum based, community integrated structure.  This will be the first full time offering of it’s kind in the city of Fishers.

This operation will eventually be located in the planned Fishers Community &
Recreation Center in partnership with the City of Fishers Parks Department, but the organization will start their Fishers program at 9795 Crosspoint Blvd. with a planned opening date of July 10, 2023.

“We are thrilled to finally be bringing Outside the Box programming to the Fishers community. We are grateful for the support of the city of Fishers leadership and look forward to continued collaboration to serve the needs of the community,” said Val Brennan, President of the Board of Directors for the organization.

“OTB has been active in the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability, and are helping people get jobs through our employment supports program in Fishers. In partnership with the South Pointe Village Apartment development, also the first of it’s kind in Fishers, we are supporting people with disabilities seeking more inclusive and independent living. Expanding into Fishers with a day program, is the logical next step in to supporting this remarkable community,” according to Michelle Miller, OTB’s Executive Director.

Fishers City Councilwoman, Cecilia Coble who also serves as the Co-Chair for the Fishers Advisory committee on Disability said, “I am excited to hear of OTB’s Fishers expansion, this is so desperately needed in our community. I am proud of our committee’s advocacy in helping to bring more community supports for adults with disabilities!”

For individuals and their families who want to learn more about Outside the Box, information can be found at www.otbonline.org. Further, to ask questions or schedule an intake for program consideration, email Fishers@otbonline.org.

To see Outside the Box in action, anyone is welcome to schedule a tour of our program in
Indianapolis, near 56th & Binford, by calling (317) 253-6658.

With temperatures moving up, Fishers is gearing up for a busy road construction season.  The city issued a news release Thursday listing major projects in the pipeline.

You can read the entire city release below:

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The City of Fishers’ Engineering and Department of Public Works teams are gearing up for a busy season of roadway and trail improvements to enhance safety and connectivity for motorists and pedestrians. 

“Over the past few years, we’ve made dramatic improvements to how residents and visitors experience and navigate our community, from State Road 37 to the Nickel Plate Trail and new pedestrian tunnel across 116th Street,” said Jason Taylor, City of Fishers’ Director of Engineering. “With these new amenities in their final stages of construction, we’re shifting our focus to ensuring that our roadways and trails are updated to best suit the needs of our growing community—making intersection improvements and widening roads to improve traffic flow, expanding our trail system, making ADA improvements, and investing in new infrastructure.” 

To stay up to date on the latest construction news, residents are encouraged to subscribe to the weekly Drive Fishers newsletter at fishers.in.us/DriveFishers and follow @DriveFishers on Twitter. The Department of Engineering’s Capital Project Dashboard provides a long-range overview of active and upcoming projects, including cost estimates, construction timelines, project maps, and more. 

Upcoming construction projects this spring and summer include: 
 
State Road 37 & 141st Street Interchange  
The final interchange of the State Road 37 Improvement Project—141st Street—is currently in the pre-construction phase. During this phase, 141st Street is in a temporary Right-In-Right-Out traffic configuration. A full timeline for the 141st Street interchange will be provided after project bids are accepted this summer. 

Nickel Plate Trail Paving  
Paving begins next week on the last remaining section of the Fishers Nickel Plate Trail from 106th Street to 96th Street. Paving is anticipated to be completed in August. A pedestrian bridge over 96th Street, connecting the Fishers trail to Indianapolis, will be constructed next year. 

Geist Greenway Trail 
Currently under construction, the Geist Greenway Trail is a five-mile pedestrian path connecting 96th Street and 131st Street in east Fishers. Currently, construction is focused on connecting the existing neighborhood trail system in Enclave at Steeplechase to South Avalon Estates. The trail is anticipated to open next year. 

Road Resurfacing 
Resurfacing is underway on roadways throughout Fishers and will continue through October. Lane restrictions will be in effect during resurfacing and residents will be notified via signage of any street parking restrictions. The first phase, which continues through July, includes Fall Creek Road between Mollenkopf Road and Olio Road; Geist Road between Fall Creek Road and 106th Street; 131st Street between Allisonville Road and Britton Park Road; Britton Park Road; Willow View Road; Winding Creek Lane; Brooks School Road between 116th Street and 126th Street; Georgia Road between 96th Street and 104th Street, and Cyntheanne Road between 96th Street and 113th Street. Casting adjustments on 96th Street between Lantern Road and the intersection of the Walmart entrance will also take place, with lane restrictions to be announced ahead of the project. Also beginning this spring are road resurfacing in neighborhoods including Rolling Knoll, Spyglass Hills, Sunblest, Wildwood Estates, and The Parks at Harvard, Oxford, and Princeton that will extend through October 2023. In addition, casting adjustments will be made on 96th Street between Lantern Road and the Walmart traffic signal, with lane restrictions to be announced ahead of the project.  

ADA Improvements  
ADA ramp and curb reconstruction has begun in neighborhoods around the community and will continue through September 2023. Homeowners will be notified via door hangers prior to any curb reconstruction near their home. 

Cumberland Road Reconstruction Project 
Reconstruction and improvements to Cumberland Road begin this month and will continue through 2024. The project includes new pedestrian paths on both sides of the roadway, widening travel lanes, and installing a grassed median with openings for north-south access. Hamilton County Bridge 162 will also be replaced.   

New Sanitary Sewers 
Investing in new infrastructure is also on the list of spring and summer construction projects. Construction begins this month on new sanitary sewers at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport and Roseanna Village. Masters Road immediately east of Willowview Road continues to be closed through early next week, and Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport can be accessed via Masters Road at 96th Street. The Rosana Village project is expected to begin in June 2023 with any lane restrictions announced ahead of the project. These projects are anticipated to be completed in December.    

Trail Gap Connections 
The Department of Public Works is working on improving trail connectivity around Fishers this spring, addressing trail gaps at Berkley Grove, Eller Road, and 126th Street. Work continues through October.  

Median and Sidewalk Improvements  
The Public Works team is also busy enhancing sidewalks and medians around Fishers. Currently, new plantings and median designs are being installed along Allisonville Road. Neighborhood sidewalk repair is also underway with Public Works’ sidewalk tractor allowing City crews to remove and or repair sidewalk issues, improving safety and reducing costs for residents.  

106th Street Improvements  
The intersections at Kincaid Drive and Hoosier Road will both be improved beginning in June. At Kincaid Drive, a center curb will be added on 106th Street and the intersection will be modified to a right-in/right-out entrance. This project will be completed in August. At Hoosier Road, a single-lane roundabout will be constructed with pedestrian crossings at all four approaches. This project will conclude in late fall.  

96th Street & Allisonville Road Roundabout 
Early pre-construction work will begin on the roundabout later this year, including utility relocation taking place throughout 2023 with roundabout construction anticipated to begin in 2024.

WTHR news reports that Fishers Police are investigating an incident on I-69 near Cyntheanne Road in the northbound lanes Thursday evening that injured a Kentucky woman.

For more details, read the WTHR story at this link.

I have written often about how local news is disappearing around the country, but there are glimmers of hope.  One of those glimmers can be found at Axios Indianapolis.

Axios is well known as a national news operation online and has been very successful.  Axios is now branching out into major cities, starting local news in places like Indianapolis.

Axios Indianapolis launches its Monday-Friday newsletter Monday, April 17, and you can sign up for the newsletter, and find their local news site, at this link.

I spoke with Axios Indianapolis editor Lindsey Erdody and reporter James Briggs on April 13.  The link to that podcast is below.

The coming school year will see a few changes on the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools calendar.  For the 2023-2024 school year, HSE will move the normal Friday day off before spring break to the Monday following spring break in 2024, allowing students to experience the full solar eclipse.

The new calendar also reduces the number of E-Learning days from 3 down to 1.

The school board voted unanimously to approve the calendar changes.  The board is scheduled to consider calendars for the next two school years in May.

To view the 2023-2024 school year calendar, use this link.

In other items before the school board Wednesday night:

–The board approved authority for administrators to make job offers to applicants so those potential employees will not be lost to another school district offer that may come earlier.  Board member Juanita Albright was the only no vote.

–Director of School Safety Mike Johnson provided the board  a school safety update.  HSE has 8 uniformed, sworn police officers in local schools working as school resource officers.  To view Mr. Johnson’s presentation, use this link.

For the first time this year, Fishers has been seeing summer-like weather.  The city is already preparing for the 2023 Spark Fishers Festival, June 20-24.

The city has sent a detailed news release on current plans and how you and your organization can be a part of it.

Below is the news release, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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The annual Spark!Fishers festival returns to Fishers’ Nickel Plate Cultural District this summer. Kicking off on Tuesday, June 20, and running through Saturday, June 24, the weeklong festival will offer different ways for the community to celebrate each day.  

“We are looking forward to welcoming Fishers residents to our spectacular annual tradition of local art, food, music and community. With a variety of activities over five days, Spark!Fishers provides an opportunity for all residents to engage in the experience,” said Fishers Parks Director, Marissa Deckert. “We are especially excited this year to be the first in Central Indiana to feature a customized drone show before our fireworks finale on Saturday night.” 
   
The celebration will be packed full of family favorites and Independence Day traditions while showcasing what it means to be uniquely Fishers. All events, with the exception of the 5K Run/Walk, are free to attend, and no registration is required.   

New this year, participants will enjoy an exciting, redesigned parade route, as well as an aerial drone show to cap off the festivities on Saturday night.  The new, state-of-the-art drone show will feature over 300 drones in the sky and will replace the primary firework show this year, but residents can view Independence Day fireworks throughout the community on July 4 at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater (6 Municipal Drive), Cyntheanne Park (12383 Cyntheanne Road) and over Geist Reservoir. Learn more about the 4th of July fireworks shows. 

The 2023 lineup includes:  
  
Tuesday, June 20 / 7-9 p.m.  
Free Tuesday Night Concert featuring Jukebox Luke at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater.  
  
Wednesday, June 21 / 7 p.m.  
5K Run/Walk presented by IU Health Fishers around downtown Fishers and 5K After Party at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater with music, food, and games. Registration now open. 
  
Thursday, June 22 / 6-9 p.m. 
Car & Art Show powered by Jiffy Lube of Indiana around the Municipal Complex. Applications now open for car show participants and artist vendors.   
 
Friday, June 23 / 8 p.m.   
Friday Night Concert featuring a yet-to-be-announced act at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater.   
        
Saturday, June 24 / 3-10 p.m.   
Street Fair around the Municipal Complex, with a community parade at 6 p.m. and an aerial show at 10 p.m.   

Ahead of the event, Fishers Parks is partnering with Fishers Arts Council to create Fishers Sesquicentennial banners honoring the city’s 150th birthday to be displayed on the fence around the development site of the new Arts & Municipal Complex beginning in June. The banners will showcase artwork by local artists in the Hamilton County region. The artwork will celebrate life in Fishers, from yesterday and today. The deadline to enter is Monday, May 1 at noon p.m. Learn more at sparkfishers.com. 

Applications are now open for festival vendors and entertainers through May 12.. Parade participant applications are due May 22. Applications can be found at sparkfishers.com.  
   
Several volunteer opportunities are available for all ages and abilities to get involved in this year’s celebration. Learn more and register to volunteer at volunteerfishers.com.            

Special thanks to the 2023 Spark!Fishers sponsors:

• NPD AMP Main Stage and Kids Zone Sponsor: Ed Martin Toyota & Nissan, DMC Insurance
• 5K Platinum Sponsor: IU Health Fishers
• Car & Art Show Sponsor: Jiffy Lube of Indiana
• Hero Hut Sponsor: Xfinity

Additional thanks to MashCraft Brewing, Best Way Disposal, MacAllister Machinery, Towne Post and Hightower Graphics. To get involved with this year’s event, visit sparkfishers.com.

Robotics is more than an engineering concept, it is now a high school competition, and the Fishers High School Robotics Team holds a 2023 state championship.  The team needs the help of the local community to travel to the world finals.

Jeff Fronius is the Robotics Coach, as well as an engineering teacher at Fishers High School.  He says, in an e-mail message, “Our robotics team won the state championship this past weekend.  The team will advance to the FIRST world championship in Houston.”

There is one hurdle the team will need to clear before planning their World Championship competition.  Money must be raised from local businesses and individuals.

A Go Fund Me page has been setup for the Fishers High School Robotics team to cover their travel expenses to Houston.  You can donate to that Go Fund Me page at this link.

Mr. Fronius sent two links, one for each of the last competitions that won Fishers the state championship.  If you have never watched a Robotics competition, you must watch this.  Fishers is the Blue 5010 team.  The links are below.

If you plan on voting at the polls on primary election day, May 2nd, keep an eye on your mailbox.  More than 21,000 voters will have a new polling location.  Poll site changes and poll site name changes for 17 precincts were approved by the Hamilton County Commissioners on Monday, March 13.

“Bright yellow postcards were mailed notifying those affected of their new voting locations,” said Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Williams in a county news release. “The cards will tell you the name and address of your new polling site.”

If you do not receive a yellow card in the mail and do not know where you are supposed to vote, you can find your voting location at indianavoters.com, hamiltoncounty.in.gov or by calling the Election Office at (317) 776-8476.

The Fishers Police Department will once again host a Teen Academy this year, June 5-8.  The Fishers FOP and the Fishers YMCA are partnering with the Department in offering this year’s academy.

This year’s academy will be held at Riverside Intermediate School.  The Teen Academy is a four-day camp providing law enforcement-type training that will, according to the Fishers Police, allow teens to better understand how law enforcement works.

The academy will begin with physical fitness at 9:00 each morning.  Participants will then attend informational sessions followed by practical hands-on training to reinforce the lesson(s) of the day.  Each day will end with a social activity between officers and students, and participants will be dismissed at 3:30 p.m.

The academy is open to youth in junior high who have completed the seventh grade through students entering their senior year in high school.  Applicants must be enrolled in or planning to attend a junior high or high school in Fishers in the fall of 2023.  FPD Officers will complete a background check on each applicant.  There is no fee for the Teen Academy, but advanced registration is required.  Walk-ins will not be permitted.  There are a total of 40 spots available for this year’s academy.

Registration is a two-step process.  Step one is a pre-registration application and initiation of a background check; once pre-registration and the background screening have been completed and an applicant has been approved for participation, applicants will receive an email from FISHERS, IN with final registration information and camp details.  Registration will be open until April 24, 2023 (or until the camp reaches capacity).

Begin the registration process using this link.

According to Fishers Police officials, the purpose of the academy is to provide teens with an opportunity to better understand police officers and, more specifically, to strengthen the relationship between the officers of the Fishers Police Department and the community.  Officers will provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of FPD Officers and insight into some of the specialized units and skills within FPD.  Topics will include how to make a traffic stop, how the K-9 Unit works within the agency, the role of the Fishers Dive Team, and how Crime Scene Investigators process scenes. Students will have some classroom instruction and practical role play training each day.