Hamilton County voters will not see election day voting centers in 2026 following a decision Thursday afternoon by the county’s Election Board.

A unanimous vote was required to adopt the system, but the three-member board split 2–1. Republican County Clerk Kathy Williams and Democratic appointee Greg Purvis supported the proposal, while Republican representative Raymond Adler voted against it. By contrast, county commissioners and council members have generally expressed support for voting centers.

Voting centers would have allowed residents to cast ballots at any election day location, rather than being restricted to their assigned precinct. Early voting in Hamilton County already allows voters to use any location.

After the vote, Williams said she was “disappointed” with the outcome. She noted the 2026 election will proceed under the same precinct-based model and added that implementing a new system by 2028 would be unlikely, given the larger turnout expected in a presidential election year.

Public comment on the proposal drew five speakers, most of whom favored the change. Hamilton County Democratic Chair Josh Lowry endorsed the plan, suggesting a minor language change. The Hamilton County League of Women Voters also voiced support.

Purvis introduced an amendment requiring minimum staffing and equipment levels for each voting center, which the board approved. However, Adler ultimately voted against the full proposal, blocking adoption of the voting center model.

Currently, 67 of Indiana’s 92 counties use voting centers.

A strong community response has prompted Fishers Event Center to extend its coat drive benefiting Kids Coats Hamilton County, giving residents additional opportunities to donate gently used winter gear.

Donations of clean coats, hats and gloves in all sizes—from infant to adult—are being collected outside the main entrance of the Event Center, 11000 Stockdale St., Fishers.

New collection times have been added:

• Friday, Sept. 19: 3 p.m. until the end of the second match during the Butler Volleyball Invitational

• Saturday, Sept. 20: 1 p.m. until the end of the second match during the Invitational

• Sunday, Sept. 21: 3–5:30 p.m. during the Indy Fuel Open House

The Butler Volleyball Invitational brings Butler University together with IU Indianapolis, Oakland and Eastern Michigan, offering fans a chance to see four NCAA Division I programs compete in Hamilton County.

On Sunday, the Indy Fuel will host a free open house at the Event Center, featuring the unveiling of new season jerseys, discounted merchandise in The Garage team store, meet-and-greet opportunities with special guests, and food and drinks.

Kids Coats Hamilton County distributes winter coats to families across the county at no charge. Working with local churches and organizations, the nonprofit provides not only coats but also connections to additional community resources.

Families seeking coats can register online beginning in August each year for the organization’s November giveaways, with a registration deadline of Oct. 15. Those who miss the deadline can still receive coats throughout the winter at the Merciful HELP Center in Carmel by appointment. Adults may also obtain coats during designated times after children have shopped or at the Merciful HELP Center.

For more information about Kids Coats Hamilton County, including donation and distribution details, visit this link

Northwest Bank is sponsoring this year’s Welcoming Week at Hamilton East Public Library, supporting a series of events designed to celebrate the city’s multicultural community.

As part of the sponsorship, Northwest Bank Financial Center Manager Michael Connors presented a $2,500 check to Lisa Longo, foundation director for Hamilton East Public Library. The funds will help support programming through Sept. 21, including Dance Around the World: A Global Dance Showcase. The event will feature local groups performing West African, Indian, Latvian and Mexican folk dances.

“At Northwest, we’re the bank where people make the difference,” Connors said. “Sponsoring Welcoming Week is just one way we help strengthen our community by celebrating everyone who lives and works in Fishers.”

Longo said the support is key to ensuring the success of Welcoming Week. “We are grateful to Northwest for this generous contribution and their ongoing partnership in the community,” she said. “Welcoming Week brings people of all backgrounds together to build meaningful connections and emphasize the importance of welcoming everyone.”

The sponsorship comes just months after Northwest opened a full-service financial center in Fishers, located across the street from the library.

Police say community involvement played a critical role in the arrest of three juveniles linked to a rash of vehicle break-ins across Indianapolis and Fishers.

The suspects — a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds, all from Indianapolis — were taken into custody early Monday near the intersection of Conner Knoll Parkway and Knolton Court in Fishers. Officers with Fishers Police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, and the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force coordinated to move in and arrest the teens, who were driving a stolen vehicle at the time.

Authorities now say the scale of the investigation is extensive. Since the arrests, detectives have executed 11 search warrants — four in Fishers and seven in Indianapolis. They recovered six firearms, including one reported stolen and another modified with a Switch attachment, along with multiple magazines, vehicle theft tools, and other evidence. Two stolen vehicles were also recovered.

Fishers Police reported 50 vehicle break-ins in their city alone. Investigators continue to sift through evidence and will notify victims when their property can be returned.

Officials credited residents for helping crack the case. “The public’s sending videos and reporting the crimes was instrumental in our investigative process,” Fishers Police said in a statement. “Because of their reporting and our officers, along with IMPD and the FBI, we were able to saturate the area and catch the criminals in the act.”

Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart said the case underscores the importance of interagency cooperation. “The criminals that would come out and do these crimes in all our communities don’t have borders. Our message today is, neither do we,” Gebhart said.

IMPD Chief Chris Bailey praised the joint effort but questioned parental accountability, asking, “Where were these kids’ parents?”

The investigation remains active, and more charges could follow.

Police continue to urge residents to take precautions: lock vehicles, remove valuables — especially firearms — and call 911 if suspicious activity is observed.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.

The Humane Society for Hamilton County (HSHC) has appointed Terry Massey as its first vice president and chief operating officer, the organization announced Tuesday.

In his new role, Massey will oversee the shelter’s programs, human resources, daily operations, IT services and software development projects.

“We are thrilled to welcome Terry as our new VP and Chief Operating Officer,” said Rebecca Stevens, HSHC president and CEO, in a statement. “As our shelter has grown immensely over the years, so has our need for additional senior-level leadership that will guide us through our next chapter. Terry’s proven leadership and deep commitment to animal welfare will strengthen our mission to save lives, educate communities, and complete families.”

Massey brings more than 17 years of experience in project management and operational leadership. He most recently served as senior director of human resources shared services for The Heritage Group, where he oversaw benefit administration, HR information systems, compliance and project management. Before that, he spent 13 years with Franciscan Alliance Information Services, finishing as director of the program management office and health connect.

HSHC cares for more than 4,000 animals each year, including hundreds transferred from other Indiana shelters where they are at risk of euthanasia. The organization operates under a no-kill philosophy and has maintained a live placement rate of 98% or higher since 2014.

In a joint operation early Monday morning, police from Fishers and Indianapolis, along with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, arrested three juveniles believed to be behind a wave of vehicle break-ins estimated to number in the hundreds.

Authorities say the suspects were driving a stolen vehicle when they were apprehended in a Fishers neighborhood. Officers from multiple agencies — including K9 and SWAT units, as well as drone operators — worked together to move in and safely take the suspects into custody.

Stolen property has been recovered as part of the investigation, including firearms and vehicles taken from victims in both Fishers and Indianapolis. Because the crimes involved stolen guns and spanned jurisdictions, federal investigators joined the case to ensure those arrested face consequences at both the state and federal level.

“Today, we stand united in our aggressive, collaborative efforts to stop criminals from victimizing our residents and wreaking havoc on our community,” said Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart. “Our officers will not relent in our pursuit of peace and safety for every member of our communities.”

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey praised the joint effort, saying, “By working together, we are able to quickly remove offenders from our streets and better protect the safety and security of our communities.”

FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley added that the arrests highlight the importance of federal-local partnerships in tackling violent crime.

The investigation remains ongoing. Fishers residents with surveillance video or information are asked to email fisherspd@fishersin.gov, while Indianapolis residents can contact IMPD.publicaffairs@indy.gov.

Police are reminding residents to stay alert and take precautions:

• Locking vehicles is no longer enough — bring valuables, especially firearms, inside.

• Watch out for yourself and your neighbors, but do not confront suspicious individuals. Call 911 immediately.

• Report any unusual activity without hesitation.

After a sold-out summer tour that drew rave reviews, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers HEART will extend their Royal Flush Tour into 2026, with a stop scheduled at the Fishers Event Center on Sunday, March 15. Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams will join as a special guest.

Tickets for the concert go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19, through Ticketmaster.com.

The announcement comes on the heels of HEART’s summer finale at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York, where thousands of fans turned out for what Variety called “a group whose live appearances ought to compel a mandatory pilgrimage.” The tour’s first leg featured a career-spanning set list of hits performed with the powerful vocals and guitar work that have defined the band’s five-decade career.

HEART, led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. Their catalog includes classics such as “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Crazy on You,” and “These Dreams,” songs that have helped cement their place as one of rock’s enduring acts.

The 2026 tour will bring the band back to major arenas and cities across North America before wrapping up in Fishers.

For those closely following the activities of the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board—and especially fans of the Board Docs section on the HSE District website—take note: changes are underway.

The district has been testing a new platform from a company called Diligent. This new system was recently demonstrated at a school board committee meeting and has been undergoing internal testing over the past few weeks.

In a Facebook post earlier today, the district announced that Board Docs will be phased out and officially retired by October 15. All information previously available on Board Docs will be accessible through the Diligent platform moving forward.

Additionally, community members can stay up to date on board meetings by signing up for email notifications. Simply enter your email address on the district’s website to receive updates about upcoming meetings.

Access the new Diligent program at this link.

Subscribe to updates by choosing the updates you want and entering your e-mail at this link. 

With many Indiana communities facing what Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness described as “dire shape” while crafting their 2026 budgets under new state legislative constraints, the mayor painted a much brighter picture for Fishers.

Fadness unveiled his proposed 2026 spending plan Monday night, calling for total expenditures of $203.6 million across operating, capital, and debt service funds. The plan projects nearly $67 million in cash reserves. By comparison, the city’s 2025 budget totaled $182.5 million. Fadness noted that year-to-year fluctuations in spending are normal, depending on specific needs such as major road projects.

“You should feel confident and reassured that the City of Fishers is in very sound fiscal shape,” Fadness told Council members. “We’re able to meet our community’s needs. We’re able to push forward and continue to really, truly create a desirable community today, tomorrow, and well into the future.”

I have been covering details of the 2026 budget over the past several days and recorded a podcast with Fadness and Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren last Thursday. You can listen to that conversation at this link.

The mayor also outlined proposed funding for local nonprofits. In recent years, the City Council appointed a committee to determine allocations, but that responsibility now rests with the mayor. Fadness’s 2026 plan directs $275,000 to nonprofits, including $165,000 for Fishers Youth Initiative, $75,000 for Conner Prairie, and $35,000 for Cherish Center.

With the presentation and public hearing now complete, the City Council is scheduled a final vote on the 2026 budget at its October 6 meeting.

Tyler Zerbe stepped into the role of President of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) in July. Now, he finds himself at the forefront of supporting the teachers’ union bargaining team as it begins negotiations with Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools on a new one-year contract for educators.

In this interview, Zerbe discusses a wide range of issues, including the ongoing contract talks, the impact of recent state legislation on negotiations, efforts to resolve two Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) complaints filed against HSE Schools, the union’s relationship with district leadership, and more.

Listen to the podcast at the link below.