July 25th, 2019

While most of us think of the summer months as LESS stressful, recent studies indicate that summer is actually MORE stressful to the average worker. Evidently the prospect of family gatherings and high school reunions coupled with the dread of returning to an overflowing inbox of emails makes workers reach for the Tums and intermittently check emails and texts during what should be a respite … and then there’s ALL THAT SUNLIGHT. Fortunately, that stress will end soon … school starts up in the next few weeks and the sunsets come earlier. We’ve had our first official “holiday announcement” that the Reynolds Farm Equipment light display is moving to Conner Prairie for the museum’s Merry Prairie Holiday Festival. Until then, stay cool and hunker down with 3 for Thursday’s latest update. 

In Search of Security . The Indiana Department of Homeland Security recently announced that it is accepting applications for the Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG), a matching state grant dedicated to safety initiatives at Hoosier schools. The grant application is open through Aug. 2. Public school corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools or a coalition of school corporations and/or charter schools applying jointly are eligible to apply for the matching grants of up to $100,000, based on the average daily membership of the school entity. Indiana lawmakers last session appropriated about $19 million to the SSSG program, expanded eligibility and adjusted the  matching formula . Meanwhile to our north, it’s a “dog’s life” in the halls of Noblesville schools as they test the viability of Labrador retrievers as one of several security measures being instituted this year. A “meet and greet” with pooches occurs tomorrow at the systems “Back to School BASH.”

Ya’ Wanna’ Bet? An emphatic, “Yes!” said Hoosiers. State gaming officials on Tuesday released the full list of sports Hoosiers will be able to bet on after the passage of a new gaming law earlier this year. It’s a long list … about the only thing it doesn’t include is the Tipton Cornhole Championship and the Annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest (but who would bet against that Chestnut guy, anyway?) The law allows the expansion to begin as soon as September 1, but state officials say all bets are off on their ability to meet what they have referred to as a “very aggressive timeline.” 

Orange Barrell Update. In the fun game of, “You can’t get there from here,” challenging your WAZE app to new heights, a few construction updates around the area of which to be aware: Guilford in front of Carmel Junior High has been undergoing major work. In about a week, construction begins on a roundabout (along with a pedestrian walkway) at Main Street and Guilford. Planning ahead, a roundabout project will have Westfield Boulevard closed at 111 ^th Street in a few weeks. Additional projects and updates for Carmel can be found here . As construction wraps up on Allisonville Road in Fishers, additional travel lanes along 96 ^th Street from Lantern Road to Cumberland Road (and a bridge replacement over Mud Creek) is slated to be underway soon. Additional info can be found here .