Democrat Aimee Rivera Cole challenged Indiana House Republican incumbent Todd Huston in 2018 and garnered 46% of the general election vote.  She has announced her intention to once again run as a Democrat for the District 37 Indiana House seat.

Cole, a 13-year resident of Fishers, cites her strong commitment to improving working conditions for Indiana teachers, enhancing safety in schools, protecting women’s reproductive rights and preserving property values.  She also cites her extensive record as a volunteer in the Fishers community.

“I want to make every Hoosier city and town a place where residents can earn a fair living wage and afford safe housing,” said Cole in a campaign news release. “I believe that every Hoosier wants essentially the same things – A happy, healthy family and a safe community. Residents deserve this and more.”

If Cole wins the Democratic nomination, she will be facing the speaker of the House in Huston, who is expected to be sworn-in as the Indiana Speaker of the House after the 2020 session ends.

Homeowners with property touching the Nickel Plate Trail will be eligible to apply for a grant program of up to $2,000, defraying the cost of installing screening, privacy, or
buffering improvements.  If a homeowner’s property frontage along the trail exceeds 300 feet, the owner may be eligible for an additional $500 grant.  The Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety voted Monday in favor of the program that is aimed at funding improvements such as planting trees & shrubs, constructing fencing and other improvements as reviewed and approved by city staff.  Funds from the Nickel Plate Trail bond will fund the program and is budgeted to cost the city $181,000.  The city will establish an application process…for more information, use this link.

In other Board of Works actions:

–Three Legal contracts were renewed for the city’s outside counsel.  Attorney Jennifer Messer will continue to handle economic develop issues.  Barnes & Thornburg will take care of bond issues and Krieg Devault will once again handle planning and zoning for the city.

We are in the middle of winter, even if we have had above-normal temperatures lately, with flooding front-and-center rather than snow & ice.  But it is already time to begin thinking about enrolling your youngsters in summer camps provided by the Fishers Parks & Recreation Department.

There are a number of different camps available this summer.  For more details, check this link. 

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern finished its Saturday night game strong, pulling away from Warren Central to score a 58-39 victory at the Royals’ gym.

The game was close in the first half. Both teams played to a 10-10 tie after the first quarter, with Southeastern going ahead 20-18 by halftime. The Royals began to take control in the third period, which they finished with a 32-25 advantage. Southeastern then poured in 26 points in the fourth to run away with the win.

Mabor Majak led the Royals with 16 points, with Vinny Buccilla adding 15 points. Majak and DeAndre Rhodes both collected eight rebounds, while Kole Hornbuckle pulled six rebounds. Buccilla handed out six assists. Southeastern played a great defensive game, holding the Warriors to 29 percent shooting from the field.

The Royals are 5-5 and travel to Westfield on Friday for a girls-boys Hoosier Crossroads Conference doubleheader.

I began posting local podcasts in 2016, and have been continuing the series ever since.  It is the one place where local people can sit down and talk about what they are doing in the Fishers community for about 30 minutes.

After roughly four years of regularly posting these podcasts, this reporter is taking a little time off from podcasting, but never fear, new podcasts should be available by early February, at the latest.

Also, I have plans for a special podcast series early this year.  More on that in coming weeks.

If you want to review the many podcasts posted during 2019, you may do so at this link.

Hamilton County Reporter / WISH-TV

Police in Fishers say a juvenile suspect was injured after stealing a car and crashing it into a guardrail during a police pursuit Friday morning.

Photo provided

It happened around 8 a.m. in the area of 98th Street and Allisonville Road.

According to Fishers police, the juvenile was spotted in a black car driving at a high rate of speed. The suspect refused to stop and continued driving northbound on Eller Road.

The juvenile crashed the stolen vehicle about a mile down the road at the 106th Street intersection.

The car went over the guardrail and nearly ended up in a creek.

Police say the suspect was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Details about where the car was stolen from or the identity of the suspect have not been released.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern traveled to Lawrence Central on Friday night and gave the Class 4A No. 3 Bears a good battle before falling 76-64.

Lawrence Central led 18-14 after the first quarter and 42-31 at halftime. The Royals played even with the Bears in the second half, but LC was able to maintain its lead.

Sam Jacobs had a career-high 19 points to lead Southeastern, including three 3-pointers. DeAndre Rhodes added 14 points, while Vinny Buccilla had 12 points, also making three 3s. Rhodes and Buccilla each had five rebounds, and Rhodes and Mabor Majak made two blocked shots.

The Royals are 4-5 and host Warren Central tonight.

Hamilton County Reporter 

Fishers fell to Pike 63-54 in a Friday night game at the Tiger Den.

Class 4A No. 4 Fishers led 16-11 after the first quarter and 31-26 at halftime, with Jeffrey Simmons scoring 12 first-half points. Issac Farah also had eight points in the half. But the Red Devils came back to tie the game at 43-43 by the end of the third quarter, then outscored the Tigers 20-11 in the fourth.

Simmons scored 17 points, while Farah added 13.

Fishers is 12-2 and hosts Arsenal Tech on Tuesday.

Hamilton County Reporter

The Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball team picked up its second win in two days, defeating Terre Haute South 74-24 in a Friday night road game.

The Class 4A No. 6 Royals were in control from the beginning, leading 20-8 after the first quarter and 32-8 at halftime. Sydney Parrish scored 33 points, shooting 14 of 19 from the field, and also collecting eight rebounds.

Lauren Morris made three 3-pointers on her way to 11 points. Jackie Maulucci pulled eight rebounds, with Lydia Self and Bailee Poore both getting five rebounds. Southeastern had 21 team steals, led by Makayla Hinshaw’s five. Ryan Viele, Morris and Parrish each made four steals.

The Royals are 16-2 and are off until next Friday when they play at Westfield as part of a Hoosier Crossroads Conference girls-boys doubleheader.

The City of Fishers is planning a closure of east-west traffic on 126th Street and State Road 37.  the temporary closure is scheduled to begins at 7am Thursday, January 16 through Saturday, January 18 at 6pm.  According to the city engineering department, this is needed to handle work to be done by Citizens Energy.

For more details on detours, and the rest of the weekly road construction list from the City of Fishers, see the update below.

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