The Fishers Municipal Center was filled with creativity and celebration Friday evening, Sept. 12, as the Fishers Arts Council hosted the sixth annual Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists awards ceremony.

The exhibit, which runs through Sept. 27, features works by 57 local artists selected by juror Carl Schafer of Muncie. For the sixth year, Jiffy Lube of Indiana served as the event’s title sponsor, with District Manager John Rucker on hand to welcome artists and guests. Noblesville Creates returned as sponsor of the People’s Choice award, presented by Artist Liaison J.C. Seig.

The evening’s top honor, Best in Show, went to Fishers resident Aparna Bhave for her mixed media portrait A Dreamer. She received a $1,000 prize and a solo exhibit in 2026. Schafer praised the work as “thoughtful and insightful,” describing the subject as “a person in transition” whose choice of dreams could reshape how she views the world.

Other top awards, each carrying a $600 prize, included:

• Best Landscape: Chasing the Sun by Amy Ruddy of Westfield (sponsored by Wasson Nursery).

• Best Portrait/Figurative: Into the Light by Casey Williams of McCordsville.

• Best Floral/Other: Ode to Sweden by Eileen Allen of McCordsville (sponsored by Renewal by Andersen).

• Best Abstract: Daylight by Liz Hamstra of Fishers.

• Best 3D: Metalnoma by Victoria Winemiller of Fishers, a new category introduced this year and sponsored by Noblesville Creates.

The addition of three-dimensional works was made possible through a partnership with the Fishers Art Center, located inside the Municipal Center and operated jointly by the City of Fishers and Indy Art Center in Broad Ripple. Indy Art Center Vice President of Events and Exhibitions Shannon Bennett, along with Exhibition Manager Alex Moore and his team, worked closely with the Fishers Arts Council to stage the expanded show.

The People’s Choice award, determined by votes cast in person and online, went to Fishers artist Asma Siddiqui for her textured acrylic and mixed media piece The Ocean’s Breath. She received a $250 prize.

Most of the winning works, along with many other pieces in the exhibit, are available for purchase. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays during the Fishers Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. to noon. Visitors can also explore the show virtually at Facebook.com/FishersArt.

More ramp closures are on the way at the construction site of Allisonville Road and 146th Street.  Hamilton County Highway officials say all the work should be completed by the end of 2025, but in the meantime, there will be some ramp closures, starting Monday, September 15.

Below is the information provided by Hamilton County:

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Please be advised, beginning on or after Monday, September 15, 2025, beginning at 9:00 AM, drivers should expect the northeast ramp at 146th and Allisonville to be closed. Drivers will not be able to access Allisonville Road from westbound 146th Street. 

After completion of the work on the Northeast Ramp, the contractor will close the Southwest Ramp, at which time drivers will not be able to access Allisonville Road from eastbound 146th Street.

When Fishers Director of Engineering Hatem Mekky presented his budget proposal before the Fishers City Council Finance Committee recently, he indicated the completion date for the interchange at State Road 37and 141st Street might not be done on the original schedule for the end of 2025.  In the most recent weekly update from the city, it appears official now – that interchange will not be completed until the summer of 2026.

The weekly update on road construction also reminds everyone that the Geist half marathon is scheduled for today, Saturday, September 13.

There are plenty of detailed information in this report, listed below for the work week starting Monday, September 15, as provided by the city of Fishers:

Continue reading Weekly road construction update – SR 37 & 141st St. completion now set for summer 2026 →

Thousands of Fishers residents gathered Friday night for one of the community’s most anticipated traditions — the annual Mudsock Game between crosstown rivals Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers High Schools.

The name “Mudsock” harkens back to Fishers’ early days, when the area was largely swamp land and residents often trudged through mud, shoes and socks caked with it.

This year, Fishers High School claimed bragging rights, hoisting the Mudsock Trophy with a 28–16 victory.

Both student sections brought high energy, staying locked into every play and adding to the electric atmosphere.

As part of tradition, the Hamilton Southeastern Schools’ Teachers of the Year were recognized at halftime (see video link above).

Below are some photos from the Mudsock contest, played this year at Fishers High School.

See the update below, from the Hamilton County Highway Department, on construction scheduled today, Friday, September 12, closing one area of 146th Street and Allisonville Road:

Please be advised, beginning on or after, Friday, September 12, 2025, beginning at 1:00 PM, drivers should expect the northeast ramp at 146^th and Allisonville to be closed. Drivers will not be able to access Allisonville Road from westbound 146^th Street. The ramp closure is expected to be in place until 4:30 PM.

Please use extreme caution and follow the posted work zone speed limit while driving through this construction zone.

The Fishers Event Center is inviting the community to come together and support families in need by donating winter wear during an upcoming coat drive. The event, part of the center’s local impact initiative, will take place on Tuesday, September 16, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Donations of gently used, clean coats, hats, and gloves in all sizes—from infant to adult—are welcome. Collection bins will be set up outside the Community Health Network Entrance at the Fishers Event Center (11000 Stockdale St., Fishers), with signage directing donors to the drop-off location.

The drive will benefit Kids Coats Hamilton County, a nonprofit organization that provides winter coats free of charge to families throughout the county. Unlike many distribution efforts, Kids Coats brings its collections directly to neighborhoods by partnering with local churches. Central Indiana organizations also join in, helping connect families with additional low- or no-cost services.

Families in need of coats can sign up online for Kids Coats’ November giveaways each year. Registration for this year’s events closes on October 15. For those who miss the deadline or cannot attend the scheduled events, coats remain available throughout the winter at the Merciful HELP Center, with appointments required. Adults age 20 and older may also receive coats during designated walk-in times or at the Merciful HELP Center after children have shopped.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, joined by Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren, sat down with me for a wide-ranging podcast conversation on the proposed 2026 city budget and other key issues facing the community. The mayor said he will recommend a 3% pay increase for all city employees, with no increase in health insurance premiums. His budget request also includes funding for three additional firefighter positions, two school resource officers, two part-time school support officers, and a manager for the AgriPark store. Both Fadness and Hultgren shared more details about the budget in our discussion.

The mayor also touched on several other topics:

• He does not support moving city elections to align with presidential election years.

• He has not yet decided whether he will seek another term as mayor in 2027.

• The city scrapped plans for a roundabout at 116th Street and Allisonville Road a few months ago on the recommendation of Engineering Director Hatem Mekky.

• Fadness also highlighted the work of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA), which he chairs.

Listen to the podcast at the link below.

State Reps. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) and Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), co-chairs of the Indiana Future Caucus, issued a joint statement Thursday condemning the murder of conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, and political violence is never okay,” the lawmakers said in a statement. “Taking someone’s life is never an acceptable way to settle differences of opinion.”

The Indiana Future Caucus is a bipartisan group that brings together state lawmakers age 45 and under. Both Baird and Garcia Wilburn stressed that the organization remains committed to rejecting violence and promoting civility in public life.

Earlier this year, the caucus also denounced the killing of a Democratic Minnesota state legislator and her husband. In Thursday’s statement, the co-chairs said the same principle applies regardless of ideology.

“As a nation, we must move beyond this horrifying trend of harming or killing those you disagree with and return to a culture of spirited debate and respect for different viewpoints,” they said. “The Indiana Future Caucus represents the bright tomorrow we can create for Hoosiers — and political violence should not exist in that future.”

The lawmakers also extended condolences to Kirk’s family.
“Our prayers are with Charlie’s wife Erika, his children, and all who loved him during this heartbreaking time,” the statement said.

The Indiana Future Caucus includes 32 millennial members of the General Assembly. The group focuses on bipartisan solutions to issues facing younger generations of Hoosiers.

Bargaining is underway between the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District and the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), with union leaders cautioning that this year’s talks may prove especially difficult.

HSEA President Tyler Zerbe briefed teachers ahead of Wednesday night’s school board meeting, saying he is “cautiously optimistic” about how discussions have started.

“This will be a very difficult bargaining year for all of us,” Zerbe said, citing actions taken by the Indiana General Assembly during its most recent budget session. He described the union as being “up against a huge mountain” due to state-level changes in school funding.

Despite the challenges, Zerbe said the early tone of talks with district administrators has been more positive than in 2024. “It seems we are starting off on a better foot this year with central office than we did last year. We are hoping that continues,” he noted.

Union leaders have emphasized their desire for a more collaborative process in this round of bargaining.

The district and HSEA are expected to negotiate a one-year contract once again. Full-day bargaining sessions are scheduled to begin September 23.

Fall Creek Junior High eighth-grader Gabby Jefferson is earning national recognition both inside and outside the classroom. Jefferson is the reigning America’s Ideal Miss Jr. Teen, a title that will take her to New York Fashion Week this year and to Paris, France, in 2026.

Her pageant achievements also include the 2025 Ideal Miss Service Award, the Gold IDEAL Service Award, and multiple Best Interview honors.

Beyond the stage, Jefferson has built an impressive record of community service. Over the past three years, she has logged more than 500 volunteer hours, collected more than 5,000 books for local schools, donated 500 holiday gifts to families at Coburn Place, raised and contributed more than $10,000 to Gleaners Food Bank, and organized 12,000 back-to-school items for students in need.

Within Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Jefferson is active in academics and extracurriculars. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, has served as a student representative for Envision Day and “We the People,” and performs with both the Fall Creek Junior High Symphonic Band and the HSE High School Marching Band.

School officials described Jefferson as an outstanding student whose leadership, service, and achievements exemplify the values of Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  She was honored at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

In other items before the board:

–Lindsey Rondeau was named HSE HS Girls Freshman Basketball Coach.

–The board approved the purchase and installation of 2 new chillers, the cooling tower and pump at Fall Creek Junior High School.