The sun peeked through clouds at times, offering warm but comfortable weather — most importantly, with no rain — to welcome the large crowd at the 2025 Spark!Fishers Festival on Saturday, June 28. The street fair at the municipal complex and the ever-popular parade through the Nickel Plate District drew residents and visitors alike. As I strolled through the festival grounds, it was clear that everyone was enjoying themselves. This event remains one of the few annual opportunities for the Fishers community and its neighbors to come together and celebrate.
The weeklong festival, which began Tuesday, June 24, featured a lively lineup including concerts, a drone show, fireworks, a 5K run and an evening dedicated to classic cars and local artists. All festivities culminated in Saturday’s vibrant street fair and parade.
On June 19, 1865, the last enslaved Americans were informed of their freedom following the Civil War’s end — a date now commemorated as Juneteenth, a federal holiday since 2021. Fishers marked this historic occasion in 2025 with a Jubilee held at Conner Prairie. Organized by the Future Black Leaders Club of Fishers High School and the Fishers Arts Council, the event attracted a large, diverse crowd under ideal late June weather. Numerous commercial vendors, nonprofit organizations and government agencies — including the Fishers Health Department and Hamilton East Library — participated, creating a meaningful celebration of freedom and community.
In education news, Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown provided a detailed financial update to the school board on June 25. Despite challenges posed by Indiana’s new school funding legislation, Brown and Superintendent Patrick Mapes expressed cautious optimism, noting that HSE is well-positioned compared to other districts in the state to navigate these changes.
Regarding district size, HSE is among Indiana’s largest school districts, enrolling just over 21,000 students. While some sources rank HSE as the third-largest, others place it fourth, depending on how Indianapolis Public Schools’ enrollment is counted — whether including only district-run schools or also its Innovation Network charter schools. This nuance explains the differing rankings and leaves the choice of which figure to use open to interpretation.
Two new administrators were hired through the school board’s June actions. Tilmon Clark is the new co-athletic director at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Lauren Doran is the next assistant principal at Cumberland Road Elementary School. Also, HSE District Teacher of the Year Michael Teal accepted a certificate from the board for his award.
In local leadership, Fishers Chief of Police Ed Gebhart, who joined the Fishers Police Department 25 years ago after moving from California, was honored on June 16 for his dedicated service in the position. Mayor Scott Fadness praised Gebhart’s leadership before the City Council, stating, “We are safer and better for it.”
The Fishers City Council engaged in a pointed discussion on zoning policy before approving a rezone request by Pulte Homes for a 21-home development at 11052 Cumberland Road. The Gerardot Planned Unit Development (PUD) spans 9.15 acres and was rezoned specifically for this project by a 6-2 vote. Councilman Brad DeReamer criticized the plan, citing concerns about insufficient space for heating and air conditioning units, and reiterated his view that PUDs often bypass the city’s zoning ordinances. In contrast, Council President Pete Peterson supported the use of PUDs, arguing that they enable the city to negotiate favorable changes with developers.
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