HAMILTON COUNTY Hamilton County’s Hometown Newspaper www.ReadTheReporter.com REPORTER Facebook.com/HamiltonCountyReporter TodAy’S Weather Wednesday, May 19, 2021 Today: Mostly cloudy with a small chance of showers and storms in the morning. Partly sunny Arcadia | Atlanta | Cicero | Sheridan and warmer in the afternoon. Carmel | Fishers | Noblesville | Westfield NEWS GATHERING Like & Tonight: Partly cloudy. PARTNER Follow us! HIGH: 79 LOW: 62 Carmel, Telamon ready to cut the Another big political year ribbon on 3,000 solar panel array coming in 2022 The REPORTER The City of Carmel, Carmel It is said that all pol- COLUMNIST Utilities, and Telamon Corpo- itics is local, and it also ration will cut the ribbon on a seems that all politics is new solar array project – nearly at play all the time. It is 3,000 solar panels at two loca- less than a year until the tions – that will provide power next election, namely to the city’s water plant and save the primary of 2022, about $1.8 million in future util- and we can assume that ity costs. maneuvering is already underway. FRED SWIFT The ribbon cutting and The County Line dedication will take place at The local primary 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May is especially important 25 at the solar array located at because Hamilton County is heavily Repub- 4915 E. 106th St., just east of lican, and winners in the GOP primary are Gray Road. Carmel Mayor Jim usually favored in the November general Brainard, Carmel Green Initia- election. tive Director Leslie Webb, and Despite this, only about 19 percent of Telamon Vice Presi- Photo provided eligible voters cast ballots in the primary of dent Reggie Hender- partners in this proj- el Utilities more self-sufficient The combined locations are al- 2018. son will speak at the ect that will benefit in times of grid outages due to ready generating the equivalent Next May, voters will choose candidates dedication. the environment for weather, mechanical failure, of electricity that could power for U.S. Congress, state legislature, a major- “We are very many years to come.” cyber-attack or any other inter- about 1,230 homes per year. ity of county offices and all township offices. excited to see this Carmel-based ruption. The project was financed The primary election is May 6, but candidate project come online Telamon served as Construction on the $1.7 through a combination of a low filing begins in January. and provide us with the City’s consultant million project began in 2020 interest loan from the Indiana Most incumbents are expected to seek a source of clean, ef- during the construc- and features the installation of Finance Authority’s State Re- re-election. Indeed, Congresswoman Victo- fective energy that tion process. In addi- 2,988 panels that produce 365 volving Fund program and a ria Spartz (R-Ind.-05) has already said she will run for a second term. will save our taxpay- Brainard tion to saving money, watts each. In addition to the water utility bond. Carmel Utili- ers millions in future being environmental- project site at 106th Street and ties will see energy cost savings There are some exceptions. County As- utility costs,” Brainard said. ly friendly and lessening carbon Gray Road, a second location of $140,000 per year, and the sessor Robin Ward is retiring, and longtime “We are proud to join Telamon, emissions, another goal of the has been established near 106th average life of a solar panel is one of our longtime corporate project is to help make Carm- Street and Hazel Dell Parkway. 25 to 30 years. See County Line . Page 2 Opioid overdose boxes Criminals targeting places of worship with financial theft now available for free to The REPORTER inals operate by taking outgoing mail to prevent The Carmel Police De- mail from mailboxes or theft from occurring. partment has been made business offices, remov- Please report any in- all businesses in county aware that a criminal ele- ing donation checks, and stances of mail theft to the ment targeting places of wor- depositing the checks into appropriate law enforcement ship may be operating in the fraudulent accounts. agency. Places of worship Greater Indianapolis area. CPD recommends that located in Carmel may call According to CPD places of worship take steps the non-emergency dispatch investigators, these crim- to secure both incoming and number at (317) 571-2580. Fishers City Hall – a money pit? By LARRY LANNAN Hultgren went ing report found LarryInFishers.com through some of more sinking, the structure’s described as sig- Fishers City Hall is history. What nificant, as well beginning to sink into the was then Fishers as cracking of ground and keeping the Town Hall was the structure and building afloat, plus other completed in floors coming required work, will cost 1992, a two-sto- apart. the city more money in the ry, wood frame In the past five future. That was the mes- building. In 1994, years, Hultgren sage Fishers City Coun- moving and set- Fadness told councilors cil members received at a tling of the Hall was discov- that $1.6 million has been Photo provided Thursday night work ses- ered, addressed, and noth- spent on maintenance and The Hamilton County Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs and the sion from Deputy Mayor ing like that was detected upgrades to City Hall. The Hamilton County Health Department have partnered to make Opioid Elliott Hultgren. until 2012. latest engineering report Overdose Boxes available to Hamilton County businesses. Each An engineering study At that time, more sink- urges more than $430,000 overdose box contains gloves and two doses of Narcan, a nasal spray completed three weeks ago ing of the structure was be spent immediately on the used to treat opioid overdoses. The boxes are available to businesses specified the price tag of found, more underpinnings building. free of charge. For more information, businesses can contact Monica work needed on the building were added and that ap- In addition, the study Greer at [email protected]. immediately and over the peared to fix the issue. coming three-year period. The latest engineer- See City Hall . Page 2 First 17-year cicadas have arrived Ivy Tech receives $200K By FRED SWIFT Folks living in areas grant from Community ReadTheReporter.com with numerous trees more than 17 years old will hear Leadership Innovation Fund The first of the 17-year and see the greatest num- The REPORTER in Hamilton County by cicada emergence has been ber of the unusual insects. In response to the expanding workforce de- reported in Hamilton Coun- Newer subdivisions de- COVID-19 pandemic, velopment opportunities. ty. Sometimes mistakenly veloped on land that was the Community Leader- The grant will sup- called the "17-year Locust," formerly farm fields will ship Innovation port immedi- they will become increas- not see many, if any, of the Fund, a fund ate workforce ingly seen and heard from cicadas. of the Central needs due to now through June 30. Scientists have yet to Indiana Com- COVID-19, in- Emma Mendez at the discover why cicadas stay munity Foun- cluding short- Photo provided Hamilton County 4-H Ex- underground for 17 years. dation (CICF), term certifi- tension office says she got ground to mate and lay appearing in July and Au- A popular theory suggests and the Ham- cate training first reports of the insects' their eggs. They will feed gust, according to Purdue that the great amount of ilton County programs to arrival over the past week- on tender twigs of young University experts. time makes potential pred- Community upskill or re- end. Their appearance lo- trees, but in most cases will The colorful insects are ators give up and find other Foundation skill workers cally was delayed this year not kill or damage a tree or not interested in humans sources of food. (HCCF), an Atkinson in high-wage, by chilly weather. other vegetation. or animals and therefore Whatever the reason, if affiliate of CICF, have high-demand fields. Ad- For the past 17 years Rodents and other wild- not dangerous. Their loud you enjoy seeing them, get awarded the Ivy Tech ditionally, this grant will the cicadas have been liv- life will eat the cicadas, but singing or buzzing is the a good look this year. If you Foundation with a incorporate Ivy Tech's ing underground, feeding there are so many that most most noticeable, some- don't like hearing them, re- $200,000 grant to support on the sap of tree roots. will survive to lay their times disturbing effect of member they won't be back vulnerable populations See Grant . Page 2 They emerge from the eggs before gradually dis- their presence. again until 2038. 2 News & Views Life Insurance Extravaganza! Affordable and Flexible Life Insurance to fit YOUR budget! Visit our website at BraggInsurance.com 317-758-5828 Home Auto Business Life Your Friends in the Insurance Business City Hall County Line from Page 1 from Page 1 recommends $2.1 million City Hall and replacing it appeared to agree that all Clay Township Trustee clerk of courts, recorder, general public, preliminary of work over the next three with a three-story steel frame options must be considered Doug Callahan will retire. assessor, coroner, one coun- politicking is already under- years, with $1.6 million of structure would cost the city based on the assessment of The county's state legis- ty commissioner, and four way for some of the 56 of- that total to be expended an estimated $18 to $21 mil- City Hall’s current condition.