The City of Fishers will conduct a prescribed burn at Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve on Wednesday, April 8, as part of an ongoing effort to restore native habitats and control invasive plant species.

The burn is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., weather permitting, at the 127-acre preserve located at 10410 Hague Road. The park will be closed to the public during the operation and is expected to reopen around 6 p.m. once the burn is complete.

City officials say prescribed burns are a key land management tool, helping to reduce excess vegetation while promoting the growth of native plant species that are essential to the preserve’s ecosystem.

Residents living near the preserve may notice smoke or the smell of burning vegetation during the process. Officials advise limiting prolonged outdoor exposure if smoke is present.

The burn will only take place under favorable weather and air quality conditions. If conditions are not suitable, the operation may be postponed. Updates will be provided through Fishers Parks social media channels.

Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve is one of only two state-designated nature preserves in Hamilton County. The site features more than two miles of trails and serves as a popular destination for walking, wildlife observation, and environmental education.

Early voting is now underway in Hamilton County for the May 5 primary election, following the close of voter registration. County election officials have released a full schedule of early voting hours and locations across the county.

Below is a breakdown of when and where voters can cast ballots before Election Day:

Noblesville

Judicial Center
One Hamilton County Square

• April 7–10: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April 13–17: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April 20–24: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April 25: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• April 27–May 1: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• May 2: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• May 4: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Hamilton County Fairgrounds
2003 Pleasant Street

• April 7–10: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• April 13–17: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• April 20–25: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• April 27–May 2: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• May 4: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Carmel

Wilfong Pavilion (Building A) – 11675 Hazel Dell Parkway
Jill Perelman Pavilion – 3000 W. 116th Street
Carmel Public Library – 425 E. Main Street

• April 22–23: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• April 24–25: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• April 29–30: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• May 1–2: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Fishers

Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building – 1 Park Drive
Billericay Park Building – 12690 Promise Road

• April 22–23: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• April 24–25: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• April 29–30: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• May 1–2: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Westfield

Westfield City Hall – 130 Penn Street
Cool Creek Nature Center – 2000-1 E. 151st Street
Westfield Washington Township Offices – 17400 Westfield Blvd.

• April 22–23: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• April 24–25: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• April 29–30: 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• May 1–2: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

In addition to early in-person voting, the deadline to request an absentee ballot is approaching. Voters must submit an application by midnight on Thursday, April 23. Applications can be completed online at indianavoters.com, or requested by calling the Hamilton County Election Office at 317-776-8476.

Election officials encourage voters to take advantage of early voting opportunities to avoid potential lines on Election Day.

Andrew Dezelan is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Indiana Senate District 31, which includes Fishers and a portion of Lawrence Township in Marion County.  My podcast conversation is available at this link and the link below.

The Fishers Freight sent a clear message Sunday night that they intend to be a contender in the 2026 Indoor Football League season.

Coming off a win over Quad City and a tough road loss at Green Bay, the Freight returned home and delivered an emphatic 63-42 victory over the Arizona Rattlers at the Fishers Event Center. Arizona was led by reigning league MVP quarterback Max Meylor.

Fishers’ high-powered offense once again operated at full throttle, while the defense and special teams contributed key plays that helped turn the game decisively in the Freight’s favor.

Running back Dominic Roberto led a strong ground attack with a standout performance, and quarterback Felix Harper continued his impressive start to the season, making plays both through the air and on the ground in critical moments.

The Freight defense rose to the challenge against one of the league’s most potent offenses. Jaiden Roe highlighted the effort with an interception of Meylor, and Fishers forced two turnovers on downs, stopping Arizona on fourth-down conversion attempts.

It marked a notable step forward for a defense that showed signs of vulnerability earlier this season, particularly in the first half against Quad City. Against Arizona, the unit delivered timely stops to complement an already explosive offense.

The victory serves as an early-season measuring stick for Fishers, which improved to 2-1 with the win over one of the IFL’s top teams.

The Freight return to action Saturday, April 11, when the Iowa Barnstormers visit the Fishers Event Center.

Attendance was lower than the home opener, likely due to the Easter holiday, but those in attendance provided a loud and energetic atmosphere throughout the game.

Fishers residents may notice a slightly different pace around town this week, as spring break for Hamilton Southeastern Schools gets underway.

Traffic volumes are expected to be lighter at times, and local restaurants may be less crowded than usual, as many families take advantage of the break to travel. While not everyone leaves town, a noticeable portion of the community typically heads out for vacation during this period.

The school calendar also has a ripple effect on local government schedules. Public meetings are less frequent this week, with some boards adjusting their timelines.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board, which normally meets on the second Wednesday of the month, has postponed its April meeting by one week. The board is now scheduled to meet April 15 to accommodate spring break.

Meanwhile, the City of Fishers has no public government meetings scheduled during the week, reflecting the seasonal slowdown.

For those remaining in town, the quieter streets and shorter wait times may offer a welcome change of pace. For students, teachers, and school staff, the break provides an opportunity to rest and recharge before the final stretch of the academic year.

The Indy Ignite tightened their grip on first place in Major League Volleyball on Saturday, sweeping the Omaha Supernovas 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 in Omaha. The official league scoreboard listed the match as a 3-0 Indy victory, and the league standings show the Ignite at 15-4 entering the weekend, ahead of Dallas at 15-5.

Saturday’s result was an important one for Indy, which had lost two of its first three meetings this season with Omaha. The Supernovas came in holding a 2-1 edge in the season series, including a five-set win over the Ignite on March 14 at CHI Health Center.

This time, Indy finished the job quickly.

According to Hurrdat Sports, the Ignite closed out the match in 86 minutes and never dropped a set, taking control with efficient play in all three frames. Omaha was playing short-handed, missing three usual starters, but Indy still did what first-place teams are expected to do on the road by handling business in straight sets.

The victory also gave the Ignite a strong response after their last outing before the All-Star break, a four-set loss at Grand Rapids on March 25. In that match, Indy fell to 15-4 but remained atop the league standings. Saturday’s win over Omaha kept the Ignite in that lead position as the regular season heads into the stretch run.

Indy entered the weekend with one of the best records in the league, while Omaha was fighting to solidify its playoff position in a crowded middle tier of the standings. That made Saturday’s contest one of the more important late-season matches on the MLV schedule.

There are many ways to lose a hockey game, but this was a very tough way to lose. The Indy Fuel dropped their final home game of the season Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center, falling 2-0 to the Kalamazoo Wings and tightening the race for the final playoff spots in the ECHL’s Central Division.

Despite a dominant performance in shots on goal, the Fuel could not break through. Indy outshot Kalamazoo 42-16, but Wings goaltender Aku Koskenvuo turned aside every attempt to keep the game scoreless through two periods.

The contest featured fast-paced, physical play early, with the Fuel generating several quality scoring chances. Indy had multiple power-play opportunities—especially in the second period—but was unable to capitalize.

Kalamazoo broke the deadlock late in the third period, scoring twice to secure the win.

Play was briefly halted midway through the third period after a Fuel scoring attempt knocked the goal off its moorings. Event Center staff made the necessary repairs before play resumed.

With the loss, the Fuel face a challenging road ahead. Indy will play its final five regular-season games away from home while battling to hold onto a playoff position. Toledo and Fort Wayne appear secure in the standings, while Kalamazoo, Bloomington and Cincinnati remain within striking distance in a tightly contested race.

The loss also came on Fan Appreciation Night, sending the home crowd away disappointed but still hopeful the Fuel can secure a postseason berth.

The Fishers Arts Council has installed a new exhibit in the City Hall art gallery featuring “tiny art” paired with poetry, offering visitors a unique blend of visual and literary storytelling.

The exhibit, which opened March 30 and runs through April 17, was designed with accessibility in mind—both in size and price. Pieces range from as small as one inch up to 8 inches, with prices starting at $10 and most works available for $30 to $50.

“We received the challenge from the City of Fishers early last year, asking for an exhibit with affordable prices to help folks who may have never bought original art before feel empowered to do so,” said Les Reinhardt, executive director of the Fishers Arts Council. “The idea of a ‘tiny art’ show was brought up, and so I ran with it.”

Reinhardt said the addition of poetry helped expand participation and deepen the experience for visitors, pairing written works with visual pieces to tell a shared story.

The exhibit features a wide range of mediums, from traditional forms such as watercolor, oil, acrylic, woodworking and ceramics to more unexpected materials including pyrography, fused glass, polymer clay, fiber, wool and copper.

Artists and poets from across central Indiana and beyond are represented, including communities such as Fishers, Noblesville, Carmel, Indianapolis, Westfield and Muncie.

Early response to the exhibit has been strong.

“The exhibit has only been up for a few days and we’ve already received several positive comments as well as sales,” Reinhardt said. “The florals are delicate, the animals adorable, abstracts are luscious, the poetry is thought-provoking—this exhibit truly warms my heart.”

The exhibit is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fishers City Hall, 1 Municipal Drive.

A free public reception is scheduled for Friday, April 10 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring live music by Brandon Meeks, refreshments and a “Focus on the Artist” program at 6:45 p.m. in the theater. An American Sign Language interpreter will be available.

Questions about the exhibit can be directed to info@FisherArtsCouncil.org or call/text us at 317-537-1670. An online gallery of art for sale can be found at at this link.

Drivers in Fishers should expect ongoing lane restrictions, construction activity and periodic delays across several major corridors, according to the city’s latest weekly road update.  It is also spring break week for Hamilton Southeastern Schools, so you may find traffic somewhat lighter at times.

Here is the full report, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Weekly road construction report – week starting Monday, April 6 →