My journey in education has been marked attending both public and parochial schools.  My kindergarten was in public school only because the Catholic schools at that time did not offer kindergarten, which in those days consisted mostly of painting and taking naps.

Grades 1-9 were spent in the Catholic school system of Indianapolis, St. Andrew grade school to start.  The first 8 years of primary schooling was taught mostly by the Sisters of Providence.  I recall a lay teacher for first and third grade, but if my memory serves my correctly that far back, I only had 2 lay teachers in grades 1-8.

So, my first 9 years of school were in the Catholic school system, including my Freshman year at Chatard High School.  I never quite fit in there.  It was mostly for financial reasons my parents decided Arlington High School was to be my destination for the sophomore year and ended up graduating there.

Why do I go through all that?  Because I have experienced education in the public and religious school systems.  I see value in both.

That is why moves by our Indiana state lawmakers have me concerned.  Public education is taking a back seat in our state and I find that a troubling development.

I was never totally happy with the fact that all the kids in my neighborhood went to the same public school and I went to a different (Catholic) school.  It just didn’t feel right.

I understand some people want a private education for their children for religious or other reasons.  But the public school system is one that is supported by all of us through our tax dollars.  It is an institution where the entire community has an interest in the system of public education succeeding.

That is why recent moves by the general assembly are, in my view, a step backward for our state.

Robert Stwalley is President of the Lafayette School Board and also serves as the President of the Indiana School Boards Association.  In a recent op-ed piece published in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, here is his opening sentence.

“The Republican supermajority in the Indiana General Assembly is attempting to quietly gut public education and hope no one notices.”

Those are strong words from a man in Mr. Stwalley’s position.  He strongly argues that a particular interest group from outside the state has poured money into members of our General Assembly supporting private education vouchers over public school funding.

A February 11 story posted on Chalkbeat Indiana, by reporter Stephanie Wang, says the early draft of the state budget “would increase state funding for K-12 education by $378 million over the next two years — a 3.8% boost from this school year. The state would spread that increase across all Indiana public schools and a host of contentious education priorities while limiting funding to districts where poverty surges because of the pandemic.”

Those making the laws and fashioning our state budget should consider the importance of strong public school systems in every community throughout Indiana.  The latest increase in education funding will shift a large portion of the extra funds to vouchers supporting non-public schools.

I have seen the value of public and private education and both play a role.  However, it is the first responsibility of the state to ensure our public institutions are properly funded and I can think of only a few such institutions as important to our communities in this state than public schools.

Our legislators are in the early stages of putting together the 2-year state spending plan.  I would suggest you keep an eye on how our lawmakers treat public education during the most important exercise in decision making about priorities – the state budget.

Adam Aasen, Alec Toombs & Larry Lannan again get together on Zoom for the latest film reviews in the latest edition of the Grade A Movies Podcast

When I think of nomads, I do not normally think of most Americans.  But there are more nomads in America than you may think.  It is a hard life, but also a sort of freedom as well.

The film Nomadland is based on a nonfiction book about how the American economy has created this new group of nomads.  This fiction film incorporates stories told in the nonfiction book.

So, did Director Choe Zhao succeed in capturing the life of the new American nomad?  Here is my review.

Hamilton County, along with the cities of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, and Westfield, will pay its respects to those who have lost their lives this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic at a vigil on Saturday, March 13th.

Dubbed a “Night of Reflection,” city and county officials will meet on the steps of the Old Courthouse in downtown Noblesville to pay their respects for and light a luminaria in honor of every Hamilton County resident who has passed away from the virus since its arrival last year. That total now stands at 375.

Fire, police, and EMS vehicles from around the county will also line the square downtown for a ceremonial lighting of the lights to honor all the healthcare professionals and first responders who have fought a valiant fight on the frontlines of the virus.

The ceremony can be viewed live on Hamilton County Television. The public is strongly discouraged from attending. Instead, organizers are asking residents to place candles in their windows at 7:00 p.m. that evening to show their support. Free battery-operated candles will be available for residents to pick up the week of the event.

Be on the lookout for lane restrictions at 106th Street and Hague Road beginning Monday.  that is one of the road construction project listings in the latest update from the city.

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

Fishers is continuing a tradition of honoring volunteers and those contributing to the local community.  There will be a virtual City of Service Awards this year during the month of April.  There will be an expansion of the program in 2021.  New award categories and a month-long celebration during National Volunteer Month will replace the one-night event.

This year, the City of Service Awards will feature three community-nominated awards:

Community Servant of the Year: The purpose of this award is to honor a Fishers resident who may not be affiliated with a group or organizations, but regularly conducted acts of kindness to serve their community and neighbors during the year of 2020.

Non-Profit Staffer of the Year: The purpose of this award is to honor a local non-profit staff member who went above and beyond his/her non-profit staff duties and has had a significant impact on community at large in the year 2020.

Essential Worker of the Year: Awarded to individuals, deemed as Essential Workers, that have performed exceptional service to the Fishers community during the COVID-19 crisis in the year 2020.

Nominations are now open through March 8 at www.ThisIsFishers.com/CityofService. Winners will be selected by the Fishers City Council through a blind process and will be recognized during the April celebration.

As I talk with people associated with Fishers city government, one name pops up regularly – Molly Connolly.  She is the Director of Employee and Customer Success at the City of Fishers.  Before joining the city staff, Molly worked with Olympic Diving and had the opportunity to travel internationally.

She wanted to add the following after the podcast recording session:

3 Municipal is currently closed for city service payments due to COVID, so payments can be made online.

Our 1 call number is 317-595-2111 for any non-COVID related questions. We’ll direct your call to the appropriate department.

Fishers Connect App is where residents can go to report an issue, ask a questions, share a concern or make a suggestion.

I talk about that and more with Molly in this podcast discussion.

For the past several years, the City of Fishers and a number of organizations have partnered with the local Disabilities Advisory Committee for Disability Awareness Month.  In 2021, the activities are still there, but many are being done virtually.

Here is my discussion with Cecilia Coble and Kelly Hartman about what is planned this year.

It was about one year ago today that I wrote about Rush Limbaugh when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.  I wished him the best at that time.  I watched my father battle lung cancer for years and it took him away from us nearly 27 years ago.

I learned today that Rush Limbaugh has died.  I have so many thoughts about that, allow me to spare you and will just share a few here.

I hosted many radio talk shows during a broadcasting career that spanned about 14 years.  I know the work that goes into preparing for, and performing before, a radio audience.  It is not easy.

Limbaugh provided a different perspective, a very conservative one.  In the radio business, you don’t need a majority of the available audience, just enough of a slice to keep advertisers interested in your product, the radio program.

Sometimes I agreed with Limbaugh, often I did not.  What concerned me the most about him was playing fast and loose with the facts.  You do not need to do that in order to express a conservative viewpoint.

But commercial radio is not about persuading or educating your audience, it is mostly about entertaining them.  And Rush Limbaugh knew how to do that.

My sympathies go to his family and friends.  Rush Limbaugh carved-out his own part of the radio landscape and made the best of it.  May he rest in peace.

Fishers remains in Level 4, or Red, the highest on the COVID transmission rating scale, but the numbers have been headed in the right direction. In her weekly video update, Fishers Public Health Director Monica Heltz says even though Fishers is still in Red, the city is “so close to orange (the next category down).”

The case incidence rate  keeps Fishers in the Red rating, which now stands at 29.38.  That is down 7 points from the previous week, but must be under 25 to escape Red.

The percent positivity rate (individuals tested) is at 8.7% (orange), down 3% compared to last week’s number of 11.2%.

Testing availability remains strong in Fishers.  You can get an appointment for a test and receive the results in 1-2 days.  The city health department is also doing well in contact tracing.

Since the pandemic began about a year ago, 95 Fishers residents have died of COVID.  City staff has conducted 55,000 COVID tests. There have been 9,500 positive tests among the Fishers population, which is roughly 10% of the city’s population.

The demand on the health care system remains high, but hospital bed availability in our geographic area is at 40%, the highest number in some time.

Fishers continues to provide COVID vaccinations at the mass site on 116th Street, just east of Brooks School Road, with an allocation of 1,000 doses per week from the state.  “We sure hope that those allocations increase as more vaccine becomes available,” said Heltz.

Most Fishers vaccination appointments are for the second dose.  Going into March, the department expects more first-time shots.  The Fishers Health Department has provided  4,583 COVID vaccinations through February 16.

Long term care facilities in Fishers should be getting their second COVID vaccination doses by the end of next week. The department will continue with home bound vaccinations.

The additional strains of COVID are being monitored, with the most concerning being the UK strain.  This strain appears to be much more infectious.

“Florida is the place in the country with the highest amount of circulating identified new strain from the UK,” Heltz said.  “If you are planning any vacation or trips, please use caution, please continue to use distancing, sanitizing and hand washing.  If you haven’t been fully vaccinated, or even if you have, you could still be taking that and spreading it to someone, including your loved ones.”

Heltz cautioned families planning spring break trips to Florida to review plans and be extra cautious.

15,000 calls have been placed to the Fishers COVID hotline at 317-595-3211.

You may watch the entire video from Monica Heltz at this link.