Bill Stuart, the lone Democrat on the Fishers City Council, is calling on residents to reject the message of Greg Bovino, the former U.S. Border Patrol commander scheduled to keynote a rally in Fishers August 1 organized by the group Save Heritage Indiana.

“I am deeply disturbed to see that Greg Bovino, the architect of President Trump’s most aggressive immigration enforcement measures, will be speaking at an event on August 1st in our hometown of Fishers promoting mass deportations,” Stuart, who represents the Southwest District, said in a written statement.

Bovino served as commander-at-large of the Border Patrol from October 2025 until January of this year, leading high-profile immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis and other cities. He was removed from that post in January following the deaths of two U.S. citizens during enforcement operations, and retired from the agency at the end of March.

Stuart called Bovino “an extremist when it comes to immigration,” citing his claim that as many as 100 million people are in the country illegally, and blaming his tactics for the deaths of American citizens “who were expressing their constitutional right to free speech.”

“As a country, we need to have constructive discussions about appropriate levels of immigration and the security of our borders,” Stuart said. “Bovino, however, simply fans the flames of hate and fear. He is someone who further divides us instead of helping to find solutions.”

Noting that a substantial share of Fishers residents were born outside the United States — most here legally and “making positive contributions to our community” — Stuart closed with an appeal: “Please join me in standing united with our friends and neighbors in Fishers and reject Bovino and his message.”

Stuart’s statement stands in contrast to the approach taken by Mayor Scott Fadness, who addressed the rally in a recent podcast interview with LarryInFishers. Fadness said the city had no role in bringing the event to Fishers and acknowledged there are aspects of the organization he “certainly wouldn’t personally agree with,” but declined to condemn the rally or its speakers, citing the First Amendment.

“When I swore an oath to serve this community and uphold the Constitution, I did not swear an oath to ensure that you’re never offended by what others may say,” Fadness said, warning against giving any mayor “the arbitrary ability to censor or shut down a person’s rights.”

The mayor said Fishers police are working to identify the rally site — which organizers plan to disclose only to ticket holders — so officers can protect both attendees and counter-protesters. A counter-protest is being organized by a local group.

The rally is set for 7 p.m. August 1.

When I played wiffle ball more than 60 years ago, the idea of a professional wiffle ball league was beyond belief. On this week’s edition of the Fridays With Larry podcast, I talk with an 18-year-old from Fishers who is living that once-unimaginable life.

Connor Smith plays professionally for the Atlanta Ballers, a team whose owners include former NFL wide receiver Julio Jones and the musician Nelly. Smith was drafted 10th overall, along with his best friend and longtime teammate, after the two won a major tournament in Texas that caught the league’s attention.

Smith’s road to the pros began during the COVID pandemic, when boredom sent him down a YouTube rabbit hole of wiffle ball videos and his father ordered two yellow bat-and-ball sets for backyard games with neighborhood friends. One of those bats broke. The other is the same bat Smith has been swinging in Atlanta this season.

After 12 years of organized baseball that came with mounting pressure and anxiety, Smith calls wiffle ball his “happy place.”

“When I walk on a wiffle ball field, I’m truly there, I’m truly in the moment,” Smith told me.

The two compare notes on how the backyard game has changed. Pitchers now cut patterns into the ball to create eye-popping breaking pitches, and Smith’s league enforces a 75-mile-per-hour speed limit on pitches to encourage offense. Games are available on ESPN+, and the league’s World Series will air on ESPN2 from the Disney Wide World of Sports complex.

Smith isn’t banking his future on wiffle ball, though. He is preparing to become an elementary school teacher and hopes the summer wiffle ball season will provide a second income alongside the classroom.

Larry uses the conversation as a jumping-off point to look at the decline of unstructured, kid-organized play. Children today spend about 35% less time in outdoor free play than their parents did, only about 6% of kids ages 9-13 ever play outside unsupervised, and teens now average roughly eight and a half hours of daily screen time. Youth sports participation is at record levels, Larry notes, but nearly all of it is scheduled, supervised and paid for — with costs up 46% just since 2019.

Also in this episode: Larry digs into an overlooked economic headline — American worker productivity is growing at its fastest pace in more than 20 years, and AI isn’t the reason — and closes with the story of more than 600 trombonists in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, who broke a Guinness World Record by playing “76 Trombones” together.

Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the podcast using this link, or watch the episode on YouTube at this link, or utilize the links below.

The Fishers Freight brought their playoff push to King Jugg Brewing Tuesday night, as broadcaster Andrew Smith hosted head coach Dixie Wooten and running backs Josiah King and Dominic Roberto for the latest edition of Coach’s Corner.

The stakes could not be clearer. The Freight (8-7) close the regular season Sunday, July 26, at 4pm against the Orlando Pirates at the Fishers Event Center, with the winner claiming a playoff spot in the Indoor Football League’s loaded Eastern Conference.

“Basically, Orlando is a playoff game,” Wooten said. “Whoever wins is in, and we get to do it in front of our fans in Fishers.”

Much of the evening looked back at Saturday’s 49-35 road win over the Quad City Steamwheelers, a bounce-back performance after a rough outing at Green Bay. Wooten credited a defense that set the tone early with a safety and a defensive touchdown, then closed the game with takeaways. Jaylin Swan read a quarterback draw and forced a fumble with Quad City driving for the lead, and a Marcus Gray tip turned into a Jacorey Benjamin interception in the final minutes.

“Our defense came to play,” Wooten said. “Those guys locked in this week.” He also praised the speed of Raneiria Dillworth at linebacker — “he doesn’t give the quarterback time to even think” — and the return of Gray, the heart-and-soul safety who had missed two games.

Special teams may have been the difference. Kicker Calum Sutherland accounted for nine points with four deuces — kickoffs through the uprights, worth two in the IFL — a rouge and a 54-yard field goal. Sutherland now has 20 deuces on the season, within reach of the league record of 22. King supplied the dagger, taking a late kickoff back for a touchdown after Quad City had pulled within a score.

“We know for a fact that if we win the special teams, we win the ball game,” Wooten said.

King and Roberto, who have combined for 37 touchdowns this season, kept things light when they joined Smith on stage. Roberto admitted he gets mad when King stays in for an extra play. “You already had your three plays,” he laughed. “It keeps it fun, it keeps it competitive. I wouldn’t have anybody else in that backfield.”

Both backs credited an offensive line that includes Navaughn Donaldson, Kordell Brewster and LaQuinston Sharp. “We’re not getting touched until the second level,” Roberto said. “We’re averaging five yards a carry, easy.”

The finale carries extra meaning for Roberto, a Furman product who spent time in a New Orleans Saints camp and played for Orlando last season before being cut ten weeks in. “I went into that game with a chip on my shoulder,” he said of the Freight’s earlier win over the Pirates, adding that nobody wants to tackle “a 230-plus-pound back every single play.”

King, a Corpus Christi native who arrived midseason last year, said the fans keep him in Fishers — along with meeting his future wife here. “It was just a big blessing.”

The Freight have a bye this week, but Wooten said his team will still practice, using the extra time to heal up and prepare for what he called the biggest game in franchise history.

Coach’s Corner returns to King Jugg on Tuesday, July 21, to preview the finale. Tickets for the July 26 game are available through the Fishers Event Center.

With a politically charged rally planned in Fishers for August 1, Mayor Scott Fadness sat down with me at City Hall for a wide-ranging podcast conversation about free speech, public safety and what he sees as the proper role of a mayor when national controversies land on the city’s doorstep.

A group called Save Heritage Indiana, led by organizer Daniel Poynter, has scheduled a rally for 7 p.m. August 1 at a location to be disclosed only to ticket holders shortly beforehand. Organizers say the event is about the rule of law; the Southern Poverty Law Center describes the group as anti-immigrant, a characterization Poynter disputes. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is expected to appear in video remarks, and a local group is planning a counter-protest.

Fadness said the city had no role in bringing the event here. “There’s been no coordination or conversation with City Hall,” he said, adding that there are aspects of the organization “I certainly wouldn’t personally agree with.”

The mayor said he has received a flood of emails demanding he stop the rally, and he pushed back on the idea that he could — or should — have that power. “When I swore an oath to serve this community and uphold the Constitution, I did not swear an oath to ensure that you’re never offended by what others may say,” he said. “People want me to do away with the events that they don’t like. But what happens if there’s someone else in this role and they have a very different opinion about things, and they start taking away events that you support?”

On private property, he noted, the city has no authority over content unless laws are broken. The Fishers Police Department is working to identify the rally site in advance so it can protect attendees and protesters alike.

Roughly 11.5 percent of Fishers residents are foreign-born — about double the state average — and members of the city’s large Muslim community have said they feel targeted by the event. Fadness said he hopes the culture Fishers has built “is far stronger than any one event,” and described his practice of keeping an open line of communication with the local mosque and other community groups.

Asked what success looks like on the morning of August 2, his answer was simple: “That everyone’s safe.”

The conversation also covers where protected speech ends and intimidation begins, the cost of a mayor’s silence, lessons from 2020, and Fadness’s advice for disagreeing with a neighbor — starting with finding what you have in common.

The LarryInFishers.com Podcast series is sponsored Citizens State Bank.

The OneZone Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its 2027 Leadership Institute, a seven-session program designed for emerging and established professionals in Hamilton County.

The program begins with a “Meet the Class” session on Dec. 10, 2026, followed by six leadership sessions during 2027. Registration costs $650 and includes all sessions. Participants may miss no more than two sessions to complete the program.

According to OneZone, the institute combines leadership instruction, meetings with community leaders and networking opportunities. Sessions will examine local government, agriculture, education, economic development, state government and quality-of-life issues.

The program is open to professionals at different stages of their careers, including emerging leaders, mid-level managers and experienced executives.

“The OneZone Leadership Institute was created to develop the next generation of leaders while strengthening the organizations and communities they serve,” OneZone President and CEO Jack Russell said.

Russell said participants will have an opportunity to develop leadership skills, expand their professional networks and learn more about the people and organizations shaping Hamilton County.

The 2027 class will be the second offered by OneZone following the launch of the inaugural Leadership Institute. Space is limited, according to the chamber.

More information and the application are available through the OneZone Chamber of Commerce website.

“I do truly feel that I am back home.”

Those were the words of Emily Supergan Thursday morning, moments after the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted unanimously to approve her as the new principal of Fishers Elementary School.

Supergan comes to HSE from neighboring Carmel Clay Schools, where she has served as an assistant principal since 2021. Before moving into administration, she was a teacher and coach at both Washington Township and Carmel Clay Schools. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Mississippi, holds a master’s degree from Butler University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Indiana University. But her roots are local — she describes herself as a “proud graduate of Hamilton Southeastern Schools.”

“I am thankful for this opportunity, and I am also just so thankful for the confidence that you all have in me,” Supergan told the board.

District leadership made clear the enthusiasm is mutual. “Without a doubt, Mrs. Supergan will bring energy and enthusiasm to this role, and we are excited to welcome her to our leadership team,” said Danielle Fetters-Thompson, HSE Assistant Superintendent of Foundational Learning.

Supergan will need to hit the ground running. The first day of school is August 5 — less than three weeks away.

Fishers and much of central Indiana will face another day of dangerous heat and humidity Thursday.

The National Weather Service has continued a Heat Advisory from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday, July 16. Heat index values—the combination of air temperature and humidity—could reach 102 degrees.

The advisory covers portions of central, east-central, north-central and west-central Indiana. The National Weather Service warns that the high temperatures and humidity could lead to heat-related illnesses.

Residents are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, remain in air-conditioned locations when possible and avoid extended exposure to the sun. People should also check on relatives, neighbors and others who may be particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.

Anyone who must spend time outside should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. Strenuous outdoor activities should be limited to the early morning or evening whenever possible.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea or fainting. Anyone experiencing those symptoms should move to a cooler location, loosen clothing and drink water.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Warning signs may include confusion, loss of consciousness or a very high body temperature. Call 911 immediately if heat stroke is suspected.

Children and pets should never be left unattended inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time. Vehicle interiors can quickly reach deadly temperatures during hot weather.

If you’ve driven along 116th Street at Municipal Drive in downtown Fishers on a Wednesday afternoon, you’ve likely seen them — a group of demonstrators holding placards near the Municipal Complex. They are members of Fishers Resists, and they’ve been at that corner every Wednesday from 4-6pm since September of 2025.

I had seen the group before and decided to stop and talk with them.

Amy Klodzen, one of the Fishers Resists demonstrators, told me the group has kept its weekly vigil at the same spot for nearly a year now. When I asked why she is part of the protest, her answer was direct: “this regime.”

“We see the problem with where our country’s at, and we just feel like a lot of people maybe are too busy to see it,” Klodzen said. “If they see us out here, then we’ll get them thinking.”

About 10 people were participating when I stopped by around 4:30pm. As I wrapped up my interview with Klodzen, more demonstrators were arriving.

The issue currently front-of-mind for Fishers Resists is a “mass deportation” rally scheduled for August 1 in Fishers, organized by a group calling itself Save Heritage Indiana. Organizers say the event will begin at 7pm, but the exact location will not be disclosed to attendees until shortly beforehand, citing security concerns. Former U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino is scheduled to speak, and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is expected to deliver pre-recorded video remarks.

“We want to be out there in opposition to that,” said Klodzen. “In my heart, that’s not what Fishers is.”

Fishers Resists, the local chapter of the national Indivisible movement, has announced its own response: a “Hoosier Hospitality” rally in support of local immigrants, set for 3-6pm on August 1 at Roy G. Holland Memorial Park.

In the meantime, Fishers Resists is hoping to build a bigger presence at its Wednesday protests. The group also holds a second weekly demonstration on Mondays at 116th Street and Brooks School Road.

Fishers officials have started preparing the city’s 2027 budget, with the process expected to follow much the same schedule as last year’s budget cycle.

Department heads are meeting with the mayor’s office to outline their funding needs for 2027, the City Council Finance Committee was told Wednesday night.

The Finance Committee will begin its detailed review of the proposed spending plan in late August or early September. That work will include projections of expected city revenue and presentations from department heads explaining their budget requests for the coming year.

The proposed budget is scheduled to go before the full City Council in September. A required public hearing will be held before council members consider final approval in October.

Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren also provided the committee with an update on the financial arrangement for the planned Fishers Fieldhouse.

Hultgren said the “high-water mark” for the city’s annual Fieldhouse-related expense is expected to be $4.5 million. Once the facility is operating, revenue generated by the Fieldhouse is expected to offset a portion of that expense.

Under the planned arrangement, Buckingham Companies will finance, construct and own the Fieldhouse, with the city leasing the facility. Hultgren described the agreement as a landlord-tenant relationship between Buckingham and the city.

The lease will run for 30 years. At the end of that period, ownership of the Fieldhouse will transfer to the City of Fishers.

The $65 million, 180,000-square-foot Fieldhouse is planned as part of the continuing expansion of Fishers District. It will accommodate youth basketball and volleyball leagues and tournaments while serving as the headquarters and practice facility for the Indy Ignite professional women’s volleyball team.

Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the Fieldhouse projected to open in late 2027 or early 2028.

For one week each summer, a select group of local high school students trades the classroom for the hospital floor. The Healthcare Academy for Medical Professions (HCAMP), hosted by Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, is a free, highly competitive weeklong day camp that puts teens on the front lines of medicine. Students must apply and be selected to participate, and each year the program draws far more applicants than it can accept.

Throughout the week, campers move through a curriculum most nursing students would envy. In Stop the Bleed training, students learn critical, life-saving wound-packing and tourniquet techniques. Surgery Day puts orthopedic surgery tools in their hands and lets them try cutting-edge robotic surgery simulators — the same technology transforming operating rooms across the country.

Then the intensity ramps up. The Mass Casualty Simulation challenges students to work in teams to triage and treat multiple “patients” in a fast-paced, simulated disaster scenario, making split-second decisions about who needs care first. The week culminates in the Trauma Simulation, a heart-pounding finale inside the Emergency Department where students manage a critical trauma case from arrival through stabilization.

I got a peek at the Mass Casualty Simulation this week, watching students work in teams to assess and treat a range of injuries in a mock emergency setting. What struck me was how quickly these teens shifted from nervous observers to confident participants, communicating like a real care team.

Aleks Overbey, President of Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, welcomed the students on the camp’s first day and checked in on their work throughout the week. His presence underscores how seriously the hospital takes this program — not as a public relations exercise, but as an investment in the next generation of caregivers.

That investment matters. HCAMP is offered at zero cost to selected students, funded through the hospital’s community benefit dollars, removing financial barriers that might otherwise keep talented teens out. The program builds a rare bridge between local youth and the working medical community, sparking interest in nursing, surgery, emergency medicine, and respiratory therapy at a moment when the healthcare system needs new professionals more than ever.

For some students, that spark is already catching. Paige McGuckin, entering her senior year at Hamilton Southeastern High School, told me she plans to apply to nursing school.

Watch my brief video conversation with Aleks Overbey and Paige McGuckin below.