Adam & Larry this week review the film Ingrid Goes West. Darren Cupp is this week’s guest, with experience in film, acting and dancing.
Fred Swift: GOP Should Never Ignore Hamilton County
by
Fred Swift
Hamilton County Reporter
(NOTE: Commentaries by Fred Swift are posted on my blog as part of a partnership between LarryInFishers.com and the Hamilton County Reporter. Views expressed are those of Fred Swift and do not necessarily reflect the views of LarryInFishers.com)
You’ve got to wonder about the reasoning used by some Republican candidates for major political office when they decline to appear at a function in Hamilton County. The county produces their party’s greatest election pluralities of any county in Indiana.
But, two leading candidates for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate have passed up an opportunity to speak at the annual Sept. 21 Carmel GOP Pork Roast.
Many of the party’s activists attend the function, folks who will have something to say about how Hamilton County goes in next year’s primary and general elections. It’s not the first time major candidates have missed events in the county. Top Republicans were scarce at local July 4 parades this year. But, Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly was there. There are now six candidates in the race for the Republican senatorial nomination. The winner in the May primary will challenge the incumbent Sen. Donnelly. If it’s a close race, Hamilton County can play a big role in that contest.
Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, both current congressmen, are seen as leading a large field of GOP candidates, but have both declined the Sept. 21 event.
Other candidates are Terry Henderson, a Hamilton County businessman; Mark Hurt, a Kokomo attorney; Mike Braun, a state representative from Jasper; and Andrew Takami, director of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute at New Albany.
Meanwhile, Donnelly has mounted an effective statewide public relations campaign, appearing at numerous functions including a few in Hamilton County. He will undoubtedly return to the county multiple times as election year nears.
In the 2016 senate race between Todd Young (R) and Evan Bayh (D), Young won the county by 37,002 votes. He was easily elected statewide, but in a close race (as next year could be), the Hamilton County GOP margin could prove crucial.
All this makes one wonder why Republican candidates seem to take the county for granted while the Democrat is poised to chip away at his opposition’s anticipated margin.
Donnelly is on the right track. So, one would think the GOP candidates would want to be in the county establishing name identity now and ultimately increase their plurality next year in friendly territory. Passing up opportunities in Hamilton County such as the county fair, fish fries, the pork roast and other upcoming fall events could prove to be a big mistake. Next year, Donnelly and the Democrats will surely spend a lot of time here. Will the Republicans be here?
Fred Glynn, County Commissioners on Solar Proposal
(NOTE: County Council President Fred Glynn wrote a commentary on how the council is handling a request by the Hamilton County Commissioners to install solar panels on a county government building. The commissioners responded with their view of the issue. Both articles appeared in the Hamilton County Reporter newspaper. Through a partnership with the Reporter, here are those commentaries, as they appeared in the Reporter.)
Continue reading Fred Glynn, County Commissioners on Solar Proposal
Fishers Holds Off HSE, Wins Mudscock Contest
Mudsock game. Lewis finished the game with 73 yards rushing. (Reporter photo by Kirk Green)
by
RICHIE HALL
Hamilton County Reporter Sports Editor
The 2017 Mudsock football game was an exciting one, but it was almost a repeat
of a game that Fishers would rather forget.
The Tigers were cruising along Friday night at their own Reynolds Tigers Stadium,
taking a 20-0 lead over Hamilton Southeastern going into the fourth quarter.
The Royals mounted a furious comeback, but Fishers was able to hang on and win
20-14. It was the first time the Tigers claimed the Mudsock Trophy since 2014.
“Credit our defense,” said Tigers coach Rick Wimmer. “Those kinds of things can
happen to an offense. You can go into the tank a little bit and you got to lean on your
defense, and that’s what we had to do tonight. Our defense came through for us.”
Fishers’ offense was sharp in the first half. The Tigers got on the board late in the
first quarter, when Matt Wolff scored on a quarterback draw, jogging in three yards for
a touchdown.
Ben Norton made the extra point, and he would be called upon again early in the
second period to nail an easy 25-yard field goal with 9:01 left. Wolff then struck again
late in the quarter, when he found Collin Statz for 28-yard touchdown pass.
Just like before, Norton made the extra point. He also scored the last points of the
first half, when he kicked in a 32-yard field goal with three seconds left.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the fourth was a different story.
Southeastern began a comeback that brought to mind the 2015 edition of the Mudsock
game, when it trailed 28-0 at halftime but stormed back in the second half to win.
The Royals started their run on the ground, when Kody Sparks punched the ball
into the end zone from the one-yard line with 7:28 left. Southeastern then held
Fishers to a three-and-out, and the Tigers then fumbled the snap.
Southeastern recovered it, and managed to get down to the Tigers’ 37 before turning
it over on downs. But Fishers fumbled again, and the Royals got the ball back. This time,
Southeastern took care of business, as three Sparks passes led to a touchdown. Nick
Mutchner took a 22-yard throw in to the end zone. Tyler Melser booted the extra point,
as he had with HSE’s first touchdown.
The Royals then recovered an onside kick with just over two minutes remaining,
and it looked like the comeback would be completed. But Fishers’ defense put a stop
to that immediately when Michael Prewitt intercepted an HSE pass on its first play of
the drive.
“We really put our defense in a tough situation,” said Wimmer.
The Tigers had the ball back with 2:15 left, but were starting perilously on their
own seven-yard line. Fishers ground the ball down to fourth-and-one inch at the 16, but
along the way got Southeastern to take its last timeout. On the fourth-down play,
Wolff powered the ball two yards to get the first down. The Mudsock Trophy was once
again in the hands of the Tigers.
“We had some miscues that we got to get corrected,” said Wimmer. “But in the
meantime, we feel very good about the way our kids competed tonight and they played
hard.”
Wolff and Jon Vore traded quarterback duties and both played well. Wolff was a
perfect 5-for-5 and threw for 105 yards, while Vore went 7-of-13 and totaled 98
yards. HL Lewis led the rushing with 73 yards on 13 carries. Will Syrus made four
catches for 105 yards.
Sparks compiled 122 yards passing for Southeastern, with Mutchner, Brett Cowan
and Ben Boysen all making three catches. Jackson Sweeney, who had been out with
an injury, returned to the game and gave the Royals a spark, with 24 yards in four carries.
“We got the onside kick, we got the ball, we got time, and the first play we throw a
pick,” said HSE coach Scott May. “Obviously, the first half, we didn’t show
up.
“But our kids didn’t quit. I thought Sparks gave us a good fire there the second
half. We came in, we moved the ball. That’s what we got to do. We got to be able to move
the ball.”
The Tigers are now 2-2 and hold a 2-0 record in the Hoosier Crossroads
Conference. They travel to Brownsburg next week. The Royals are 1-3 and 0-2 in the
HCC, and will host Westfield next week.
Fishers Holds On To Win Mudsock Trophy, Teachers of the Year Honored
Fishers controlled the first half of the 2017 Mudsock rivalry game, but HSE came roaring back, capitalizing on Tiger miscues late in the game. However, in the end, Fishers held on to defeat the Royals, 20-14, Friday night at Fishers High School.
But the Mudsock game was much more than a football contest. The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District teachers of the year were honored at halftime. Also at the half, Dub and Jeannie Clark were presented with the 2017 President’s Champion Award by the HSE School Board.
Below is a video of the halftime ceremonies honoring each school building’s teacher of the year, and the awarding of the President’s Champion Award to Dub & Jeannie Clark.
Victoria Spartz to Succeed Luke Kenley in State Senate
Hamilton County Reporter
After six rounds of voting by precinct committeemen Wednesday evening, Victoria Spartz, 38, Noblesville, was selected to replace outgoing District 20 State Senator Luke Kenley.
Spartz
The caucus eliminated Joe Morris in the first round, Dan Schnidt in the second round, Brad Beaver in the third round, Sue Finkam in the fourth round and Mark Hall in round five, leaving Spartz and Megan Wiles.
In the final round Spartz received a majority 54 votes and Megan Wiles received 39.
Spartz grew up in the Soviet-controlled Ukraine and spent her career in various financial leadership positions working with Fortune 200 companies and Big 4 public accounting firms throughout the U.S., including in Indiana. She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of the Indiana Office of Attorney General.
Quick Facts
- Married mother of two
- Lives in Noblesville
- Certified Public Accountant
- CFO of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office
- Adjunct Faculty, IU Kelley School of Business – Indianapolis
- Master of Professional Accountancy, IU Kelley School of Business – Indianapolis
- MBA, National University of Economics (Ukraine)
- BS, International Economics, National University of Economics (Ukraine)
ADA Ramps To Be Removed, Re-Installed & Repaired Around Britton Falls
The City of Fishers awarded a bid of $115,848 Friday to begin the work replacing and repairing ramps in the Britton Falls neighborhood to bring them up to compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The Fishers Board of Works and Public Safety approved the bid at the recommendation of the City Engineering Department.
The construction work will be done through September and October, with some work possibly finishing up in November, according to City Engineering Department Director Jeff Hill.
The money to pay for this project will come from the city’s surety fund. “It’s not tax dollars that are being used, it’s what developers pay-in when things like this occur,” Mayor Scott Fadness said at the board meeting.
Also at Friday’s board session, City Assistant Engineer Tami Houston was recognized by the board for achieving the status of Certified Road Builder, a certification held by only 154 people in the State of Indiana.
It was announced at the board meeting that the city’s Assistant Director of Engineering, Jason Taylor, will be leaving the city to accept a position with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). His last day working for the City of Fishers will be September 22nd.
Fishers City Council Meetings Will Be Video Live-Streamed Soon
For many years, Fishers residents could view the old town council meetings by watching a live video stream provided on an Internet link through the municipal Web site. The audio and video equipment at City Hall, however, are aging and failing on a regular basis. Video live-streaming has not been available for some time.
At a recent Fishers City Plan Commission meeting, the projector providing video to the screen view for the audience failed, while the screen facing the commission members, facing the opposite direction, was working. The entire audience moved from their seats to the other side of the room in order to view the pictures of a proposal before the commission.
Mayor Scott Fadness said this is not what a city with a “tech-savvy” reputation should accept.
As a result, the Fishers Board of Public Works and Safety has approved a proposal to upgrade audio and video equipment at City Hall.
The new installation will replace the current projection screens with digital screens in the City Council Chambers as well as other locations in the building. The cameras used for recording and live-streaming events in the chambers will go from the current analog technology to digital.
These upgrades mean Fishers City Council meetings and other events in the chamber will have the capability to once again provide live-streaming over the Internet, as well as archiving for future viewing at a later time.
The new equipment should be in place and operating by sometime in November, at the latest, according to Fishers City Director of Information Technology Tracy Gaynor.
Brooks School Road Bridge Over I-69 Still Under Construction
The Brooks School Road Bridge over I-69, just south of 136th Street, was to have been completed by the end of August. It appears the construction is taking longer than projected. The bridge remains closed for deck maintenance. The latest word from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is that the bridge will reopen in mid-September.
See that and other construction updates for this week, work week beginning September 4th, below in the update provided by the City of Fishers.
==========================
126TH STREET
Periodic lane restrictions will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on 126th Street between Allisonville Road and Lantern Road as crews complete a passing blister. Flaggers will be present during the restrictions.
116TH STREET
Periodic lane restrictions will occur on 116th Street east of Allisonville Road as the contractor repairs concrete curbs and ramps and begins resurfacing work on the roadway. Restrictions will be in place between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Please note that overnight work will occur while traffic volumes are reduced. The City greatly appreciates residents’ patience with construction noise.
96TH STREET
Starting on or after August 15, Lantern Road at 96th Street will be closed for approximately 30 days while it is reconstructed for the new roundabout. All Lantern Road traffic will be detoured to Cumberland Road, north to 106th Street and then west to Lantern Road. 96th Street through-traffic will be shifted to the newly constructed portion of the roundabout. Access into businesses will remain. Please follow the signed detour route and drive with caution through the construction zone.
BROOKS SCHOOL ROAD
The Brooks School Road bridge over Interstate 69 is closed as Milestone Contractors rebuild the bridge deck. Traffic will be detoured to Promise Road via 126th and 136th streets. The bridge will remain closed through mid-September.
I-69
Improvements are currently underway to rehabilitate existing bridges, pavement and drainage structures along the 15-mile stretch of interstate.
Two lanes of traffic in each direction of I-69 are currently shifted to accommodate construction of the additional travel lanes. Signs direct large trucks to use the left lane while traffic is shifted toward the right shoulder through the work zone. The speed limit is reduced to 60 mph and further reduced to 50 mph when workers are present. I-69 is expected to open to three lanes in each direction between State Road 37 and State Road 38 before the end of this year. Questions about this project should be directed to INDOT at eastcentralin@indot.in.gov or 1-855-463-6848.
STATE ROAD 37
Geotechnical drilling began along the State Road 37 corridor in May as part of the final design phase of State Road 37 Improvement Project. Lane and shoulder restrictions will be active through September 30.
The geotechnical drilling will cause lane restrictions on SR 37 at the 126th Street intersection on or after August 7 and are anticipated to last until September 30. There will be no lane closures during Labor Day weekend, September 1st through September 4. Southbound restrictions begin after 9 a.m. daily and northbound restrictions will be completed daily before 4 p.m. to allow for maximum traffic flow during peak rush hours. Crews will maintain a minimum of one through-lane at all times.
The SR37 improvement project is a $124 million joint project between Fishers, Hamilton County, Noblesville and INDOT. Questions or concerns may be directed to drivefishers@fishers.in.us.
OUTSIDE OF FISHERS
On or after Monday, August 21, Hamilton County Highway Department will close Cyntheanne Road between 146th Street and 156th Street until December 1, 2017 to replace the bridge over Keiser Drain. Please contact Hamilton County Highway Department at 317-773-7770 with any questions.
County Council Weighs Decision on Solar Power
by
Fred Swift
Hamilton County Reporter
(NOTE: Commentaries by Fred Swift are posted on my blog as part of a partnership between LarryInFishers.com and the Hamilton County Reporter. Views expressed are those of Fred Swift and do not necessarily reflect the views of LarryInFishers.com)
Solar energy appears to be a big part of future electric power production. Will Hamilton County be in the lead in making use of this technology? Right now it’s in the hands of the County Council which has had a request for funding a solar system since June.
County Commissioners have asked the Council to approve spending about $8 million on solar panels and equipment that will convert collected heat to electric power for supplying lighting, heating and air conditioning at the county Corrections Complex and Health Department. Advocates of solar power make a strong case for this seemingly stable source of energy. Other governmental entities including the Indianapolis Airport, Sheridan Schools, Ben Davis Schools and the City of North Vernon have gone to this system, apparently with favorable results.
A question that often arises is, what happens when we have cloudy weather for several days? Apparently the answer is found in storage of power for just such times. But, certainly there could be a time when auxiliary electric power might have to be called upon.
Another question arises over the matter of cost recovery. Officials say the county currently pays nearly $800,000 a year in utility bills. Most of this money commissioners say would be used to repay the $8.1 million that the vendor, Johnson-Melloh Company, will charge for the solar energy system the county needs.
The solar panels, usually mounted on open ground, which amounts to a ‘panel farm,’ reportedly last at least 40 years, and still convert 80 percent of sunlight at the end of that time.
Given the good reviews, one might ask why the county does not go with this technology? As County Councilman Steve Schwartz has said, “it’s a no brainer.” But, Schwartz does not always speak for a majority of the council. Some of his fellow members express caution for one reason or another.
It is the council’s job to be cautious with public money, and there could also be just a little internal politics involved. Some council members are not always in step with ideas advanced by county commissioners.
Let’s hope this case is a matter of wanting cautious and careful study, and not anything else. When a proven plan for saving money comes along, county government should seriously consider taking advantage of it.