The Chicago Bears are headed to the Hoosier State.

The team’s board of directors voted this week to move forward with a new domed stadium in Hammond, ending a five-year stadium saga and positioning one of the NFL’s oldest franchises to play its home games outside Illinois for the first time in its 106-year history. The decision delivers a marquee economic prize to Northwest Indiana and caps a months-long push by state and local leaders to lure the team across the state line.

“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across the neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” Bears chairman George McCaskey said in a statement. The team said the specific site is still “to be selected,” though the Bears have spent months studying land near Wolf Lake in Hammond, including the city-owned Lost Marsh Golf Course property.

Indiana Leaders Celebrate a “Transformative” Win

State officials moved quickly to claim the victory. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) issued a statement Friday hailing the announcement.

“I am thrilled the Bears ownership voted to develop a world-class stadium facility in Hammond,” Huston said. “This will be a transformative project for Northwest Indiana, benefiting our entire state. The Bears have been transparent and terrific partners throughout this process.”

Huston credited local officials and Gov. Mike Braun’s administration for sealing the deal.

“Local elected leadership in Northwest Indiana and their constituents have been tremendous partners in making this happen,” he said. “This is a fantastic win for Indiana, and I thank Governor Braun and his leadership team. The Bears join a long line of companies and residents choosing Indiana to invest, grow and pursue opportunity, and I look forward to many more making that choice.”

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, who has championed the project for months and repeatedly insisted his city’s site was “clean” and shovel-ready, had warned the Bears to act fast. “If July 1 rolls around and Hammond doesn’t know for sure, I don’t think that’s a good sign,” he said earlier in the week. The board’s vote answered him with weeks to spare.

How the Deal Works

Indiana lawmakers cleared the path with remarkable speed. Three months ago, the General Assembly authorized a new stadium authority and Gov. Braun signed the enabling legislation into law, creating the financing framework to build the dome.

Under the arrangement, Indiana would commit roughly $1 billion in public funding, with the state owning the stadium and the Bears leasing it. The team has pledged $2 billion of its own money toward construction. The Bears would keep all revenue the stadium generates and hold an option to buy the building for a nominal sum once the bonds are paid off in about 40 years.

The public share would be repaid through a slate of new and increased taxes tied largely to the stadium and tourism: a local food-and-beverage tax in Lake and Porter counties, a 12% admissions tax on stadium events in Hammond, an increase to Lake County’s hotel tax, and toll revenue. Backers say the structure leans on visitors and event-goers rather than general taxpayers, and point to early projections of billions in total investment, tens of thousands of construction jobs, and a long-term boost to local employment and tax receipts in a region still recovering from decades of steel-industry decline.

The deal is not without critics. Some Northwest Indiana residents have questioned whether the state should put public dollars and bonding capacity behind a privately owned NFL team, and the leading Hammond site sits near former industrial land that environmental regulators have flagged in the past. Supporters counter that the region badly needs the investment. “They have a lot of room because the steel mills have closed. A lot of people are hurting from that,” one retired Chicago firefighter told reporters. “It would definitely benefit the residents from not only Hammond, but Gary and so forth.”

The End of a Five-Year Search — and Illinois’ Loss

For the Bears, Hammond is the destination at the end of a long and winding road. The team submitted a bid for the former Arlington International Racecourse site in suburban Arlington Heights back in 2021 and paid $197.2 million for the 326-acre property in early 2023. But it could never resolve a property-tax fight there, and over the years the search swung from Arlington Heights to a proposed lakefront stadium in Chicago and back again, with other long-shot pitches floated from Gary, Portage, Waukegan and beyond.

Team president and CEO Kevin Warren expanded the search to Northwest Indiana in December, frustrated by the stalemate over Arlington Heights property taxes. Indiana pounced. Illinois lawmakers, by contrast, ran out of time: a last-minute bill that would have let a Cook County municipality create its own stadium financing authority passed the Illinois Senate at 3:39 a.m. on the final night of the session, but the House adjourned roughly 45 minutes later without taking it up. Days later, the Bears’ board made Indiana official.

For Hammond and the wider Calumet Region, the vote turns years of speculation into a generational opportunity — a domed NFL stadium, the construction boom that comes with it, and a national spotlight on Northwest Indiana. As Huston put it, state leaders are betting the Bears are just the beginning.

Fresh off being named the No. 2 best place to live in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Fishers is heading into summer with one of its fullest event calendars yet — and most of it won’t cost a dime. From themed Saturdays at the farmers market to fireworks over Geist Reservoir, the city has stacked the season with concerts, festivals, arts programming and family events running from now through September.

The marquee dates anchor the calendar: Spark!Fishers takes over downtown June 26–27 with a drone show, parade and street festival; free Tuesday-night concerts return to the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater through June and July; and the Fourth of July brings three separate fireworks shows across town. Around those headliners is a steady drumbeat of smaller happenings — adults-only beach nights, a Polynesian lū’au, World Cup watch parties, splash pads, yoga on the sand and a Christmas-in-July pop-up. Here’s the full lineup.

Continue reading Fishers Rolls Out a Packed Summer of Free Concerts, Festivals and Beach Nights →

The Fishers Freight return home Saturday night for a pivotal Indoor Football League matchup against Tulsa, with their playoff hopes very much hanging in the balance.

Fresh off a road trip to Jacksonville, the Freight remain squarely in the postseason hunt. At this point in the season, the path forward is simple: win.

Fishers will be looking for a statement performance before a home crowd at the Fishers Event Center in one of the team’s most important games of the season. The Freight defeated the Oilers in Tulsa on April 18, edging out a 40-38 victory.

The Freight are hoping to start June on a stronger note after a difficult May, when the club suffered four straight losses. Fishers enters Saturday’s game with a 5-5 record, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and the final playoff position. Tulsa is right behind at 4-5, making Saturday’s matchup especially important in the conference standings.

The week also brought a significant setback for Fishers. The team announced that wide receiver JT Stokes is likely out for the remainder of the season after suffering an injury in last Saturday’s game at Jacksonville. Stokes had been a key part of the Freight passing attack, and his absence leaves a void the offense will need to fill quickly.

To add depth, Fishers activated wide receiver Jaylen Green this week, giving the receiving corps a fresh option as the team adjusts its rotation. The Freight also added backup quarterback Davis Black to the roster, providing additional insurance behind center for the stretch run.

How quickly Green settles into a role — and whether the offense can replace Stokes’ production by committee — could go a long way toward determining how far this team can go. With little margin for error, a home game against Tulsa is exactly the kind of test a playoff contender needs to pass.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Fishers Event Center. Tickets are available.

This week’s edition of Fridays With Larry features a conversation with Pastor Darryn Scheske of Heartland Church in Fishers, which recently marked its 25th anniversary. Pastor Darryn tells the story of how Heartland grew from 18 people meeting in his living room back in 2001 into the large and influential congregation it is today, and he reflects on the values that have shaped the church along the way.

I also share a commentary on the situation surrounding CBS News’ 60 Minutes — looking at the issue from a different angle than most — followed by thoughts on Congressional war powers and a closing look at whether the Chicago Bears playing in Hammond is really a good deal for Indiana.

Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can watch on YouTube using this link – listen using this link, or utilize the links below.

The Hamilton County Highway Department issued the following message Thursday:

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RAMP CLOSURE – 146TH STREET AND ALLISONVILLE ROAD

Please be advised, effective Friday, June 5, 2026, the contractor plans to utilize a ramp closure for the Southwest ramp for incidental construction items within the construction area. This closure will take place during the hours of 9:00AM – 3:00PM. Drivers are encouraged to seek an alternative route.

Please use extreme caution while going thru this work zone.

A Fishers family and their pets safely escaped an early-morning residential fire in the 7400 block of Timberlane Drive, near Hague Road and East 116th Street, after a neighbor spotted smoke and flames coming from the rear of the home and called 911.

The Fishers Fire Department said firefighters arrived and quickly contained the blaze to a sunroom and rear deck, preventing the fire from spreading further into the house.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Fire officials used the incident as a reminder of the importance of working smoke alarms in every home. Residents are encouraged to test their smoke alarms regularly and replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

As budget challenges continue to squeeze Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, district staff and the school board are preparing to consider a new round of fees — covering classroom “consumables,” athletic participation and a higher monthly rate for the district’s preschool program.

The proposals are scheduled to be presented at the board’s June 10 meeting.

Consumable Fees

Indiana state law prohibits local school corporations from charging book fees or book rental fees, but it does permit public schools to charge for what are commonly described as “consumables” — the materials a student uses up while taking part in a particular class, such as art supplies in an art course.

HSE Schools currently do not charge for these items. An internal HSE committee has been studying the issue and will recommend that the board begin charging for consumables beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

State law also caps how much a student can be charged for consumables in a single year. The committee will present the following limits by grade level:

These figures represent the maximum any student would be charged in a school year; many students will not reach the cap. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch will not be charged a consumable fee at any grade level.

For more details on the proposed consumable fees, use this link

Athletic Participation Fees

The committee is also recommending that the board adopt a fee schedule for students who participate in athletics. If the board agrees, the following fees would take effect in the 2026-2027 school year:

• Grades 7-8: $50 per student, per sport
• Grades 9-12: $75 per student, per sport

According to district officials, these fees are intended to supplement — not replace — the district’s existing funding for athletics, helping cover the cost of personnel, equipment and supplies.

School officials emphasized that they will work with any family that cannot afford the fees. The stated goal is that no student be denied the chance to participate in athletics because of cost.

Preschool Fees

Finally, the committee is recommending changes to the fee structure for the HSE preschool program, effective September 1, 2026:

• Monthly Participation Fee (non-special-education students): $350 — up from $300
• One-Time Material Fee: $90 — unchanged

The board is expected to take up all three proposals at its June 10 meeting. Families with questions are encouraged to attend or to reach out to the district for more information.

The beach and swimming area at Geist Waterfront Park will open for the season Thursday, June 4, following a delay caused by conditions at Geist Reservoir.

The swimming season was originally scheduled to begin May 23, but Fishers Parks postponed the opening because of cooler water temperatures, high rainfall, elevated water levels and an unfavorable weather forecast.

Fishers Parks is advising visitors to continue monitoring its social media channels for the latest announcements regarding beach and swimming conditions.

Geist Waterfront Park is a 70-acre public park on the east side of Fishers along Geist Reservoir. The park, which opened in 2023, includes a beach, swimming area, walking trails, a pirate-themed playground and public gathering spaces, including shelters available for rent.

The park also provides water access through a non-motorized boat launch and dock for kayaks, canoes and paddle boards.

Located at 10811 Olio Road, near 111th Street, Geist Waterfront Park is the only public parcel on the 1,900-acre Geist Reservoir.

The Fishers Plan Commission voted unanimously Wednesday evening to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council on ordinance changes governing the city’s impact fees.

The action is required by changes approved earlier this year by the Indiana General Assembly as part of House Enrolled Act 1001. The new state law places additional requirements on local governments that impose impact fees on new development to help pay for infrastructure needs created by that growth.

One of the key changes involves the membership of the city’s Impact Fee Advisory Committee. Although the mayor will appoint members of the committee, the new law gives industry organizations a major role in who is selected.

Under the new requirements, the committee must include community members representing a single-family builder, a multifamily builder and a realtor. Those members must be selected based on recommendations from the statewide trade associations representing each of those industries.

The ordinance change before the Plan Commission amends the city’s existing Impact Fee Advisory Committee provisions to bring Fishers into compliance with the new state membership requirements.  The details of how the appointment process will work is not yet available from state officials.

HEA 1001 also places new limits and conditions on how impact fee zones are structured. For impact fees imposed and collected after June 30, 2026, local governments must ensure the impact zone has a functional relationship to the infrastructure being funded, provides a reasonably uniform benefit throughout the zone, and consists of contiguous areas.

The law also requires that the impact zone be connected to the new development, tied to certain utility service or distribution lines, or located within five miles of infrastructure related to road or drainage impact fees.

Impact fees are generally charged to new development to help pay for infrastructure improvements needed as a result of growth, such as roads, drainage and other public facilities. Cities such as Fishers have used those fees as one tool to help growth pay for some of the costs it creates.

The proposed Fishers ordinance is designed to update local language on impact zones and the advisory committee so the city may continue collecting impact fees under the revised state law after the June 30, 2026 deadline.

With the Plan Commission’s favorable recommendation, the ordinance change now moves to the Fishers City Council for final consideration.

There were no comments during the public hearing.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Plan Commission President Howard Stevenson praised Angie Frazier for her service on the Plan Commission, as well as the city Arts Commission.  Mr. Frazier has served on the Plan Commission since 2024 as an appointee of Mayor Scott Fadness.  Wednesday was her last session as a Plan Commission member.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) on Wednesday endorsed Gov. Mike Braun’s decision to extend the state’s gasoline tax suspension for another month, even as the prolonged holiday revives questions about lost road funding and the limits of the governor’s emergency powers.

Braun confirmed Wednesday that he is extending the suspension of both the 7% Gasoline Usage Tax and the Gasoline Excise Tax through July 7. The existing suspension had been set to expire June 7. The governor said the combined relief saves Hoosiers more than 62 cents per gallon.

“Indiana has the cheapest gas in the country because we are using every tool in the toolbox to save Hoosier families money. Affordability is my number one priority,” Braun said. The announcement coincided with AAA figures showing Indiana’s average price for regular at about $3.59 a gallon — the lowest statewide average in the nation and well below the national average of roughly $4.26.

The move marks the latest step in a relief effort that began April 8, when Braun first declared a 30-day suspension of the Gasoline Usage Tax under an energy emergency. He extended the order on May 6, adding the excise tax, and has now extended it again. Huston has said the governor possesses the authority to keep the taxes suspended for additional time before the General Assembly would need to act.

A question of authority

The speaker’s support comes with a legal backdrop that is not entirely settled. Under the energy emergency Braun declared in April, the governor can issue relief for a maximum of 120 days without convening lawmakers. Once that window closes, Braun would have to call a special session of the General Assembly to continue the suspension.

Complicating the picture, state law governing other emergency executive orders bars a governor from renewing or extending a proclamation more than once without legislative approval — a provision that has drawn attention as the suspensions stack up. Huston has suggested the gas tax statute’s wording gives Braun room to continue, but top Republican lawmakers have acknowledged that any further extension beyond the current legal declaration would ultimately require a special legislative session. Leaders have said there has been talk of legislative action but no decisions have been made.

The cost to roads

The relief is not free. Indiana’s gasoline taxes fund road and infrastructure work for state and local agencies, and the suspension represents a loss of more than $100 million a month. Local governments have raised concerns about the impact on roadwork budgets.

Braun has said he would support diverting money from the state’s cash reserves to substitute for the lost revenue, an approach that would protect drivers at the pump while drawing down savings the state has accumulated.

Reaction across the aisle

Republican legislative leaders largely lined up behind the governor. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said he backed the extension, citing constituent concerns about affordability. “Even though Indiana has one of the lowest costs of living in the country, high gas prices continue to be a major concern for many households across our state, which is why I support the governor’s move to temporarily extend the suspension,” Bray said.

Democrats offered a more critical take. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) said Hoosiers “deserve relief from rising gas prices” but argued the suspension treats a symptom rather than a cause. “Gas prices have risen and continue to rise because of instability in the Middle East and uncertainty in global energy markets,” Yoder said. “Governor Braun is trying to shield Hoosiers from the consequences of policies he and his political allies support. While temporary relief may help today, Hoosiers deserve more than a band-aid after the damage is done.”

What’s next

The current order runs through July 7, and Braun has signaled he is weighing whether to keep the taxes suspended into early August. Whether the relief can continue without lawmakers convening — and how the state will backfill lost road money — are likely to dominate the debate in the weeks ahead. At the federal level, Congress continues to weigh a suspension of the 18-cent federal gas tax, which would deliver additional savings if approved.