Brooke Lawson is the Mental Health Coordinator for Hamilton Southeastern Schools…Larry talked with here about a new program bringing mental health services to all school buildings

All robberies should be of concern, but when thieves strike a home in broad daylight, that adds another dimension to the crime.  Fishers Police are asking for any help local residents can provide about two such incidents happening locally, about two miles apart.

One was reported in the Cherry Hills neighborhood, the second in Sunblest.  Police say the robbers kicked in the front doors of each home and the victims report missing jewelry.

Anyone with information is asked to call Fishers Police at 317-595-3300.

Below is the text of the entire news release from Fishers Police.

==========================

Fishers Police Department is investigating two day-time residential burglaries that occurred yesterday between 8:00am and 5:00pm. Both homes are located within a couple of miles of each other in the Cherry Hills and Sunblest neighborhoods. Both homeowners reported jewelry missing from their homes. Evidence at both homes indicate the suspect(s) gained entry by kicking in the front door.
 
If you were visiting either of these neighborhoods yesterday and observed anything out of the ordinary or live in these neighborhoods and have exterior security cameras please call the Fishers Police Department at 317-595-3300 
 
Please remember to report suspicious persons, vehicles, and activity immediately to 911. Also keep in mind the following home safety tips:
 
Home Safety Tips
 
 Install exterior lights at all entrances. Consider motion detector lights.
 Install a wide-angle viewer on all exterior doors.
 Check who is at the door and do not open the door to anyone you don’t know.
 Install good locks on all doors and windows. Use those locks!
 Be sure locks on doors and windows can be opened quickly in case of fire.
 Leave a light on when you are not home. If you are on vacation, use a timer to control lighting.
 Don’t hide keys outside.
 Remove house keys from your keychain when your car is serviced.
 Talk with trusted neighbors. Keep an eye on their house and ask them to watch yours.
 Stop mail and newspaper delivery when you are away.
 Install an alarm system that will detect entry and notify police.
 Have your lawn mowed and snow shoveled when away.
 Close garage doors at night.
 Keep trees and bushes trimmed. Do not let plants block doors and windows.
 
 
Suspicious Activity
 
An event that is out of the ordinary or that makes you feel uncomfortable could be a crime in progress.
 Adults or juveniles walking casually through the neighborhood looking into windows, backyards, vehicles, etc.
 A vehicle driving slowly through your neighborhood with or without lights on.
 Something wakes you in the night. 
 Someone you don’t know rings your doorbell.
 An unknown car parked near your home containing one or more people.
 If something is suspicious to you, Call the Police!
 
Fishers Police Mitch Thompson is convinced that having a strong partnership with the police department and your neighbors will give the Fishers community its best chance in deterring and detecting criminal activity. If your neighborhood is not an active member of the Fishers Neighborhood Crime Watch Program we encourage you to call Lieutenant Dave Dunbar, at 317-595-3313, for more information.
 
As always if you see or hear something suspicious please call 911 immediately!

The Fishers City Board of Public Works and Safety approved an agreement with the Fishers Freedom Festival, providing $85,000 in cash support for the 2017 event.  In addition to the cash, the city also provides “in-kind” support in the form of public safety, public works and other support from city departments during the summer celebration.

The Fishers City Council approved the $85,000 funding as part of the 2017 city spending plan.  This agreement implements the support.  The cash amount is the same as provided by the city in 2016.

Mayor Scott Fadness told the board the city is looking at how to evaluate support of nonprofit organizations from city coffers.  Fishers spends roughly $300,000 cash per year supporting local nonprofits, such as Conner Prairie and the Freedom Festival.

The city council is establishing a structure to evaluate requests for financial support from nonprofit organizations, beginning with the 2018 budget process.  In the meantime, the board approved the agreement with the Freedom Festival to fund it at the same level as 2016.

“This contract is a new concept,” Fadness said.  “(Nonprofit groups) will have to sign these contracts prior to the City of Fishers releasing any funds going forward.”

You can read the contract at this link.

The board also approved a contract with Attorney Jennifer Messer to provide legal services to the city.  The contract calls for Messer Law to be paid a $20,000 per month retainer by the city.  The full language of the contract is available at this link.

A new parking garage for the Fishers Police Department will break ground this spring, and officers will be moving into a new headquarters building before the end of 2018.  That’s what Chief Mitch Thompson told the Police Merit Commission at the Monday morning session, assuming construction schedules go as planned.  RQAW is handling the architecture work and Hagerman Group appears to have the inside track to construct the building, under a public-private partnership arrangement with the City of Fishers.

Thompson told commission members the department is authorized to have 111 sworn officers, but Fishers currently has 103.  He described the competitive market to attract applicants, which will create a difficult environment to bring on the additional 8 officers.

Thompson said there were 38 apprehensions-in-progress during 2016, the result of being more proactive in the department’s policing strategy.

Assistant Chief Ed Gebhart updated the commission on the CrimeWatch phone app, unveiled in May of 2016.  There are now over 4,000 users.  Once registered, a Fishers resident can snap a picture and report suspicious activity, with an officer in the area receiving the information real time.

The Merit Commission officers will remain the same in 2017, with Warren Henderson continuing as president.

Jason Meyer has been voted onto the Fall Creek Township Board by Republican Precinct Committeemen Saturday, replacing Doug Allman.  Allman was elected by the same group of Fall Creek Township GOP Committeemen to fill the job of Fall Creek Township Trustee, which became open when Jeff Hern was elected to the Hamilton County Council.

(NOTE: Hamilton Southeastern Schools passed a seven-year operating referendum last year….the following article deals with other Hamilton County school corporations)

By

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Voters in three of Hamilton County’s
six school districts will have an opportunity
this year to decide whether or not to
continue supplementing their local school
funding with property tax revenue. School
boards at Westfield, Sheridan and Carmel
have asked that referendums be placed on
a May 2 special election ballot.

The method of raising school revenue
through referendum is allowed by state law
as a way of giving local school districts
more money than is provided by the annual
distribution of state school assistance.

Most county schools have already
taken advantage of the referendum method
which by law also limits such a special
levy to seven years in duration. If the
school district wants to continue the levy, a
public referendum must be held, and that is
what is being prepared for this spring’s ballot.
The amount of funds to be raised is also
subject to increase or decrease at this time.

Westfield Washington Schools is also
asking voters to approve a capital fund
referendum of about 30 cents per $100 of
assessed valuation for renovation and improvements
at all their schools. The estimated
cost is not to exceed $90 million.

Sheridan Community Schools is asking
to increase its previously adopted referendum
tax rate of 19 cents per $100 to
a “not to exceed” rate of 25 cents per hundred.
This rate would be effective in 2018.

Carmel Clay Schools is expected to
be seeking a 19 cent rate which is slightly
higher than the referendum approved seven
years ago. But, due to slight decreases in
other portions of the school rate, taxpayers
will not see any overall increase in their
school taxes.

In all three referendums, voters will
simply register a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when casting a
ballot. There will be no candidates or other
questions on the ballot. Usually there is no
election in the year following a presidential
election.

In this case, the schools asked for the
special vote and will be paying for the cost
of the election.

Turnout is expected to be light unless a
referendum becomes controversial.

Governor Eric Holcomb spoke before a packed crowd at Conner Prairie in Fishers Friday morning, in an appearance before a joint Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast.   He offered comments on a number of issues while being questioned by moderator Kevin Rader, Statehouse Reporter for WTHR.  He also took a few questions from the audience.

Here are some of the issues the governor talked about during his time in Fishers”

Keith Cooper Pardon

“It’s never too late to do the right thing.”

Cancelling Cell Tower Contract

“Enough was enough.”

“We will go back to the market.”

On His Path From Senatorial Candidate to Governor

“It was, in fact, February 9th, (one year ago) when Governor Mike Pence nominated me to be the Lieutenant Governor.  So, a lot happens on the way to the office.”

Infastructure

“I feel like everybody is on the same page, in terms of…we need a truly sustainable path.”

About a 20-year plan – “A lot will change in the world over that 20-year period, so you have to make sure you are balancing – what will transportation look like in 20 years?”

  Substance Abuse Crisis  

“It’s bad enough that we need to be all hands on deck and not waste another second.  I mentioned one of those blank stares of just despair, and not knowing if someone was going to make it to the next month, and that will jar you…into action.”

“This is not just a personal crisis, it’s a business crisis as well.”

How Does He Differ From Previous Governors Pence &  Daniels?  

“I’m taller, I’m younger, I’ve made a (basketball) shot in all 92 counties.  I’m clearly not answering the question.”  (plenty of laughter)

“The most important part is to remain who you are.  Other folks can judge similarities or differences.”

Cigarette State Tax Increase

“I have remained open-minded about it.  It is not on my agenda, to be blunt.  But I recognize there are lots of things not on my agenda that I will be involved with.  I do understand the human toll.”

State Versus Local Control 

“(I) respect and believe that we leave things closest to the people to be handled closest to the people.  The state has an immense role in this.”

State Discrimination Laws

“I do think that we have it in the State of Indiana about right.”

What Made You Pick this profession?

“I think the profession picked me.”

“In life, you either swing at pitches or you don’t, or you watch them go by.  There are all different pitches.  That’s just what I’ve done.”

Attorney David Day, in introducing the governor, said Holcomb had made a basketball jump shot in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.  Holcomb later countered, “…most of them were set shots.”

Bill Clifford at his formal announcement of his candidacy

(Staff report from the Hamilton County Reporter)

Bill Clifford formally announced his campaign for Sheriff of Hamilton County on Wed. Feb. 8. Clifford has served Hamilton County for nearly 30 years in law enforcement. The event took place in front of the first Hamilton County Jail symbolizing his commitment to build upon the contributions of prior administrations to the safety and well-being of Hamilton County citizens.

“In the service of others is where I receive a sense of calm,” Clifford said. “Whether it be as an officer of the law or as an individual, we can all offer those in need a path to restore their safety and dignity.”

Clifford emphasized three key factors for his mission to better the community: addressing the opioid epidemic, understanding the intersection of mental health issues and law enforcement, and holding sex offenders accountable.

“There are good people who, because of a medical condition, become addicted to a pain management solution,” Clifford said. “As your next Hamilton County Sheriff, I pledge to you that working with the community to help restore our families and bring a solution to this opiate addiction will be top priority.”

With almost nine years of prior experience as a sex crime detective, Clifford knows the importance of championing the rights of the victims. Clifford wants to ensure that offenders follow the law and are held accountable.

“Everyone has a right to say no and it is important that the victim understands it is never their fault,” Clifford said. “Our message will be clear to offenders—we’re watching.”

Although Clifford is the first to announce in the race for Sheriff, he understands that more may follow.

“The other candidates, when they choose to announce, will be my friends and they will continue to be my friends,” Clifford said. “Members of the Sheriff’s department need to spend their time fighting crime, not fighting each other.”

As a local news blogger, I have focused on news in and around Fishers since starting this endeavor in January, 2012.  But other levels of government and actions outside the borders of the city can impact Fishers residents, particularly in Noblesville with county government.

As a result, LarryInFishers is happy to announce a new partnership with the Hamilton County Reporter, a daily newspaper.  Jeff Jellison and I reached an agreement to enter into this partnership.  You will be reading my news about Fishers in the Hamilton County Reporter and you will be reading news articles contained in the Reporter on this news blog.

You can read the announcement of our partnership in the Friday, February 10th edition of the Hamilton County Reporter at this link.

You can subscribe to the Reporter to have it sent to your e-mail address every day.  Just fill out the form at this link.

I look forward to partnering with Jeff Jellison and his staff at the Hamilton County Reporter.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board is looking to voluntary re-balancing as a way to reduce the student population at HSE Intermediate/Junior High on Cyntheanne Road. After a public meeting to discuss possible redistricting last week, Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board 89 families have expressed an interest in moving voluntarily to re-balance the student population at HSE Intermediate/Junior High.  The administration is in the process of making contacts with the 89 families to verify interest in moving their children voluntarily out of HSE Intermediate/Junior High.  The board took no action, awaiting the follow-up with the 89 local households.

The board received a presentation on preliminary plans to renovate Cumberland Road Elementary School.  You can view the presentation at this link.   Board members also received the preliminary proposal to renovate the central office building on Cumberland Road.  You can view that presentation at this link.

Finally, the Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation announced the awarding of grants to a long list of teachers submitting proposals for funding.  Below is a list of the winners”

• Scott Henderson (DES) DeskCycles

• Marcia Abraham (FCE) Drumming to Develop 21^st Century Skills

• Sherri Parkison (FCE) for Plein Air Painting

• Denise Jarrett (FES) Growing Starts Here

• Angela Hampton (HPE) Learning with SPRK

• Lauren Avery (HRE) for Project Monarch

• Will Hurst (HRE) for Rocket Parkour

• Stacy Peters (NBE) for Kindergarten Light Exploration

• Susan Bill (TCE) for Inquiring Kindergarten Minds

• Sarah Griffey (TCE) for StratoStar

• Adam Jahn (FCI) for 3D Printer Epitomizes STEM Education

• Brad Lowell (FCI) for STEM Explosion

• Jennifer Shults (FCI) for DRUM (Diversity, Respect, and Understanding through Music)

• Alexander King (SCI) for Vive for All

• Jennifer Renfro (SCI) for Exploring STEAM

• Bob Rice (HIJH) for Learning Heredity, Genetics, and Evolution

• Rachel Hiatt (FCJH) for Oh the Places We Can Go in STEM

• Nick Tschuor (FCJH) for 3D Printer for TechEd

• Daniel Moosbrugger (HSEHS) for Drawing in the Digital Realm

• Kimberly Pelton (District/RSI) for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connection