The third annual Fishers City of Service awards ceremony is set for Tuesday, February 26th, 6pm, at the Forum Conference Center. Any volunteer is welcome to the free dinner event. You can register at this link.
I spoke with Dan Domsic and John DeLucia about this year’s event.
HSE Schools will be installing solar panels at three school locations in the next few months….Bob Rice talks about the solar project
There is now at least one Democrat throwing her hat in the ring for a Fishers City Council seat. Local business owner and arts activist Jocelyn Vare has announced her intention to run for city council at-large.
Vare points to her extensive experience, as well as “a fresh perspective and much-needed transparency to the council.”
She has lived in Fishers for 20 years and opened her small business, an advertising firm named Propeller Marketing, in 2001. She began volunteering in and around the Fishers community in 2008 and continues that work. She has volunteered in many arts organizations and is a past president of the Fishers Arts Council.
In the news release announcing her candidacy, Vare says she “combines creativity with sound business strategy to encourage economic growth and enhance the community.” Running as a Democrat, she claims a track record of collaboration, viewing herself as “the community’s candidate.”
“The best ideas often come from residents themselves, not always politicians,” said Vare. “Our public officials have a responsibility to listen and learn before making decisions that shape the future or replace the heritage of our community. Fishers residents should be able to trust in the city leaders who represent them, and our city leaders should trust the citizens to participate in a meaningful way.”
The candidate will be hosting a series of “Ask Me Anything” events on Facebook as well as a series of community listening events in the coming weeks. A schedule for these events will be posted on Facebook in the coming days. For more information about Jocelyn, visit www.JocelynVareForFishers.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
So far, all three Republican incumbents serving as at-large city councilors have filed for re-election in the May primary.
The Rolling Knoll neighborhood of Fishers, near 116th Street and Hoosier Road, was the scene of a fatal accident Sunday night. One person was arrested in connection with the crash.
The collision took the life of Jonathon Reynolds, 24, of Indianapolis. According to information collected by Fishers Police, a Honda, driven by Gayl Adams, 66, from Indianapolis, was attempting to turn northbound onto Bell Plaine Boulevard from eastbound 116th Street at the time of the collision. Adams told police she did not see the motorcycle, driven by Reynolds, traveling westbound, and was unable to avoid the crash.
Fishers officers say they observed an odor of an alcoholic beverage. Adams submitted to a Breath Alcohol Test which indicated a blood alcohol content of .15%. Adams was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident. She faces charges of Operating A Vehicle While Intoxicated.
The accident was reported around 6:30pm. Reynolds, who was driving the motorcycle, was taken to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, where he died from his injuries. Adams was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
As the temperature in and around Fishers climbs to above average levels and the snow melts, this would be a good time to send out praise for some very special people.
Recording-breaking low temperatures are dangerous. We were being told by the experts to stay inside and only venture out if absolutely necessary when the severe cold hit. If you did venture out, you were advised to dress warmly, in layers and don’t expose your skin to the cold for more than a few minutes.
Many of us heeded those warnings, but there were some that could not. Who were these people?
They bore titles such as – Duke Energy employees, city police officers, sheriff’s deputies, town marshals, state troopers, firefighters, ambulance crews, snow plow drivers…..you get the drift. There were many people out in the very, very cold, restoring power, helping those of us stranded in those tough conditions.
As the weather moderates, let’s take a moment to recognize and thank all those private sector workers and public servants that ventured out into dangerous weather to help us. I believe we need to give a big thanks to all of them.
If you see any of these special people around town, tell them how much you appreciate their work during some of the coldest weather we have seen in a very, very long time. They will appreciate it!
Hamilton County Reporter
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a single vehicle crash which resulted in the deaths of two individuals late Friday night.
First responders were dispatched to the 26600 block of southbound U.S. 31 in northern Hamilton County shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday on the report of a vehicle in a field. Callers reported one of the people involved in the crash was trapped in the vehicle while another was thrown from the car.
The preliminary investigation indicates a 2005 red Chevrolet Cobalt was southbound on U.S. 31 north of 266th Street when, for unknown reasons, it left the right side of the roadway and struck a tree approximately 1,500 feet north of the intersection.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Coltin D. Heath-Brumfiel, 23, Kokomo, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown if he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The passenger, Meghann K. Clement, 25, Kokomo, was trapped in the vehicle as a result of the crash. She was also pronounced dead at the scene. Reports indicate Clement was wearing a seat belt during the incident.
Witnesses of the crash told deputies the Cobalt changed lanes and fishtailed before leaving the roadway and striking the tree.
Toxicology tests were performed to determine if alcohol or other substances contributed to the fatal crash; however, test results are pending.
The incident is under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team. Anyone with information pertaining to the crash is asked to contact the team through Hamilton County Public Safety Communications at 317-773-1282.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Sheridan Police and Fire departments.
by
Richie Hall
Sports Editor
Hamilton County Reporter
Defense wins championships, and Hamilton Southeastern’s defense brought it a long, long awaited girls basketball sectional championship on Saturday night.
The Class 4A No. 1 Royals won their first sectional since 2007 (and fourth overall) by beating Carmel 47-34 in front of a large and screaming crowd at the Southeastern gym.
With the victory, the Royals earned a trip to play in the Kokomo regional next Saturday.
It’s worth the wait of one more week for a process that began last summer.
“We started back in June,” said Southeastern coach Chris Huppenthal. “I told our kids, we weren’t going to win a sectional championship in February, we were going to win it starting right now. And from Day 1 in June, when we got together in the summer, these kids had a goal to focus. And we told our kids in the locker room before we came out that we had a passion and we had a commitment to come out here to play with some fire, to play with some enthusiasm. That’s what our kids did. Played with a lot of energy.”
That energy and passion began spilling out with under two minutes left in the game,
when the Royals players realized that they were going to win.
“It just means everything,” said senior Malea Jackson. “This is what we’ve been working towards since the end of last season. This is our one goal that we’ve been going for. It’s just a great feeling, I can’t even put it into words. We’ve become such a family and to win this together, it’s just the best feeling in the world.”
Carmel was the three-time defending sectional champion coming into the game, so the Greyhounds weren’t going down without a fight. They kept it close with the Royals in the first quarter, which ended with a layin by senior Reagan Hune and Carmel leading 10-8. Junior Sydney Parrish scored six of HSE’s points.
Southeastern started the second period with an 8-0 run, and it would never trail
again. Jackson hit a 3-pointer, then senior Amaya Hamilton added five more points, a
layin and a 3. Senior Macy Berglund ended the run with a pair of free throws, but that
was followed by another Royals run: Junior Jackie Maulucci made a 3-pointer and a free
throw, and Jackson threw in another 3 to put Southeastern up 23-12.
Baskets by sophomore Bridget Dunn and Hune cut the Royals’ lead to 23-16 by halftime. The third quarter was a defensive affair, with Southeastern scoring five points and Carmel four. Jackson hit a 3 and Parrish made a jumper, while Berglund hit two free throws and Hune made a layin.
“That’s the only thing we work on in practice: Defense, defense, defense. Defense wins championships. We get offense based on the defense,” said Jackson.
A putback by Hamilton began the fourth quarter, and that pushed the Royals’ lead to
30-20. Carmel made one last stand, with Dunn draining a 3 and Hune scoring again,
cutting the HSE lead to 30-25. But Southeastern made yet another 7-0 run to jump
ahead 37-25; Parrish added another five points.
Two more Hune baskets got Carmel within 37-29, but the Royals would finish the game out from the free throw line, going 10 of 12 from the line in the final two and a half minutes.
Parrish scored 16 points, with Jackson adding 13, including three 3-pointers. Parrish had a fine defensive game with nine rebounds and two blocked shots. Hamilton had five rebounds. Tayah Irvin had another solid defensive game.
Hune scored 14 points for Carmel, which finished its season 14-11. Hune and Mackenzie Wood both pulled four rebounds.
“They played so hard,” said Greyhounds coach Erin Trimpe. “We had a game plan and in the first half, we really fought defensively. We executed it. But Hamilton Southeastern, they’re so good. They’re so solid in their sets and what they’re running. They didn’t panic when we got a couple stops. You have to give them a lot of credit for the way they handled themselves tonight.”
The Royals will play the winner of the DeKalb sectional in the first semi-final at Kokomo next Saturday morning. The DeKalb championship will be decided on Monday between Fort Wayne Northrop and Fort Wayne Carroll. Homestead and Zionsville will play in the second semi-final, each team having won their respective sectional on Saturday.
Southeastern is 23-1 for the season, the most wins for the Royals since 2007.
by
Fred Swift
Hamilton County Reporter
Documents were signed Monday by Hamilton County Commissioners for Phase 2 of the reconstruction of 276th/281st streets, a project that will get underway this summer, connecting State Road 19 with U.S. 31. Phase 1, which involved improvements to 276th from just west of Gwinn Road and 31, is now all but completed.
The second phase involves building a gently curved new road from 276th to 281st.
The newly rebuilt 281st will meet State Road 19 where the existing 281st continues east toward State Road 37. County Highway Director Brad Davis says this connection will provide a good east-west roadway from 31 to 37 across Jackson and White River Townships.
The project will be bid in May with construction expected to start by July. The cost of about $5.5 million is being paid with $4 million in federal funds and the remainder in local funds.
The new road between 19 and 31 will have a much improved road surface with wider shoulders and improved intersections, thus providing motorists from the Atlanta and Arcadia areas easier access to 31. Beck’s Hybrids, whose operation is served by the new road, is participating in providing some of the needed right-of-way.
Hamilton County Reporter
Westfield Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy in connection with a shooting that occurred Thursday evening in Westfield.
Police reports indicate the incident occurred just before 5:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Scarlet Street located on the city’s west side.
Photo provided by WISH-TV
The victim, a 14-year-old boy, was transported to an Indianapolis hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was taken to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of aggravated battery and possession of a handgun without a license.
Police have not released a motive, but indicate the suspect and victim did know each other.
Brandi Ruiz, a nearby resident, told news gathering partner WISH-TV that her family moved to the apartments in August. She said there have been issues surrounding crime. Her son, who is also 14, said people have tried to jump him after he gets off the school bus.
Ruiz described the area. “A lot of kids running around here. They’re out of control. The parents aren’t watching their kids. I try to keep my kids inside so they’re not a part of it,” she said.
by
Richie Hall
Sports Editor
Hamilton County Reporter
Hamilton Southeastern had to grind its way to the title game at its own sectional Friday night.
The Class 4A No. 1 Royals got past their biggest rival, a fired-up Fishers team, 36-27 in the second semi-final game of Sectional 8. Southeastern improved to 22-1 with the win and will take on Carmel at 7 p.m. tonight for the championship.
It wasn’t easy. Although the Royals never trailed in the game, the Tigers tied it up five different times, including three times in the third quarter, which ended at 24-24. But Southeastern outscored Fishers 12-3 in the fourth period, thanks to solid defense and perfect free throw shooting.
Despite the close game and tense situation, Royals coach Chris Huppenthal trusted his team would pull it out.
“When they were coming down there towards the end, and you just saw Tayah Irvin get in her stance, and she was ready,” said Huppenthal. “I’ve said this all year about our kids and to Tayah Irvin. Everything starts and ends with her defense. We had talked at some point in the year, and we said ‘At some point, our defense is going to have to win us a game.’ It won us a game tonight. Our kids just played outstanding defense.”
Southeastern senior Malea Jackson scored the first two points of the game on a layin, which Fishers junior Tamia Perryman answered with a rebound basket. Junior Sydney Parrish made two free throws to put HSE up 4-2, then sophomore Katie Burton tied it up again with a layin. That set the tone for the game.
Parrish scored four more points in the first quarter, which ended with the Royals ahead 8-4. The Tigers cut it to 10-9 midway through the second when senior Skylar Fulton made a 3-pointer, but a quick 6-0 run put Southeastern ahead 16-9. Senior Amaya Hamilton made a hook shot, then Parrish added two more baskets.
Cierra Tolbert hit two free throws with two seconds left, and that kept the Tigers within 16-11 at halftime.
“You got to give them a lot of credit,” said Huppenthal. “This is a rivalry game. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. They left their hearts out on the floor. (Fishers coach) Lauren Vail, she had those kids well-prepared. They came out with a belief to them. It was a great basketball game.”
The Royals led 20-14 midway through the third, but the Tigers quickly tied it up by nailing back-to-back 3s, from sophomore Audra Emmerson and Burton. Parrish put HSE back on top with a layin, but a Fishers steal led to a Burton basket, tying the game again.
Hamilton made two free throws with 36 seconds left to get HSE ahead 24-22. The Tigers answered again, as Burton’s floater knotted the game going into the fourth quarter.
The Royals ramped up their defense, and got timely baskets early, with Hamilton making two layins to get her team up 28-24. Those would be the last baskets, but Southeastern got it done from the free throw line, going 8 of 8 in the quarter. Parrish hit the first two foul shots to get the Royals up 30-24.
Sophomore Katie Howard hit a long 3-pointer with under two minutes left to keep the Tigers within 30-27, but Southeastern wouldn’t allow its rival another point. Junior Jackie Maulucci went 4 of 4 from the line in the game’s final 1:10, with Jackson making both her attempts.
Parrish led all scorers with 18 points, also pulling eight rebounds and getting three blocked shots. Maulucci had five rebounds.
Burton had nine points for Fishers, Fulton drained two 3-pointers for six points, and Perryman collected eight rebounds.
“Our kids played exceptionally hard,” said Vail. “And they did all year. We knew that we were playing our best basketball coming down the stretch. Obviously Hamilton Southeastern is a very talented basketball team. I thought that our kids went out and played really, really hard.”
The Tigers finished their season 15-10.
“I thought, really, we did a lot of great things,” said Vail. “We won some that I didn’t have on paper that we’d win, we lost some that I didn’t have on paper that we’d lose. But man, the growth that these kids showed, especially in the way that they came together as far as learning how to be teammates, learning how to play hard for one another and growing in how they understand the game, is all stuff that we’re most definitely going to build on for next year.”
