I’ve had the same dentist since the mid-1980s. He was just beginning his practice when I became his patient, and over the decades, he’s provided consistent, trusted care—even after I moved out of the neighborhood and had to make a longer drive for my appointments. That relationship, built over time, speaks to the value of continuity in dental care.

But I know this level of access and consistency is not available to everyone. As my own dentist approaches retirement, I’ve started thinking more about the growing challenge many Hoosiers face in finding any dentist at all—especially those living in rural areas or covered by Medicaid.

This is a crisis affecting thousands across Indiana. Lack of access to dental care doesn’t just mean cavities or toothaches—it’s a serious public health issue. Research increasingly shows that poor oral health can lead to major medical complications, including heart disease, diabetes, and infections.

In response to this urgent need, Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana is stepping in with a bold new initiative: a student loan repayment program for dentists who commit to serving underserved communities in Indiana.

Nearly 1 million Hoosiers live in areas with limited access to dental providers. To help reverse this trend, Delta Dental is offering up to $200,000 in student loan repayment for private practice dentists who, upon completing their education, agree to work in these shortage areas and ensure that at least 15% of their patients are on Medicaid.

“The cost of dental and hygiene school continues to rise, and for too many it’s becoming cost prohibitive to enter the profession at a time where there is a growing need for dental care access,” said Jeff Johnston, DDS, chief science officer for Delta Dental. “We want to be part of the solution and help support students struggling to afford an education. We believe our loan repayment program will allow more young people to enter this profession and serve communities desperately in need of their talents and expertise.”

Indiana currently has 123 federally designated dental professional shortage areas, most of them in rural regions. These communities often rely on nonprofit clinics for care—which is why the Delta Dental Foundation is also offering up to $15,000 in loan repayment for dental hygienists and up to $75,000 for dentists who work at nonprofit clinics.

Applications for the program are now open and must be submitted by June 1. To learn more and apply, visit: https://deltadental.pub/loanrepayment

Monday, May 19, was the evening set for the regularly scheduled Fishers City Council meeting.  It did not happen.  Why?

City spokesperson Ashley Elrod says the planned agenda was relatively light and there were Council members unable to attend, leading to the cancellation decision.

No word on whether the session will be rescheduled or the next meeting will be at the regular date in June.

The Delaware Township Community Center has been temporarily shuttered after a lightning strike on the evening of May 13 caused a fire and severe flooding, inflicting significant damage to the building.

The incident rendered the popular community hub uninhabitable. Restoration efforts began the following morning and are expected to continue for several months as crews work to repair the extensive damage.

Despite the setback, township officials say the community has rallied in support of the center.

“We are grateful for the outpouring of support from our community,” said Delaware Township Trustee Debbie Driskell. “We look forward to celebrating and welcoming everyone back to the community center as quickly as possible.”

The township will provide ongoing updates as the restoration progresses and has expressed appreciation for the public’s patience and understanding during the closure.

No injuries were reported, and officials are currently assessing long-term restoration needs. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to follow the township’s website and social media channels for information on alternative arrangements and updates.

Longtime auto racing journalist Marshall Pruett calls it “the biggest Indy 500 qualifying stunner of the century.” And it all happened with a team based right here in Fishers, Indiana.

PREMA Racing, headquartered in Fishers, has made history by putting a rookie driver on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 — the first time that’s happened since Teo Fabi accomplished the feat in 1983.

That rookie? Robert Shwartzman — a rising star in international motorsport, who had never raced on an oval track until this month. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and holding dual Russo-Israeli citizenship, Shwartzman has built his reputation as a road racing specialist, with notable success in Formula 3 and Formula 2, both with PREMA.

PREMA clearly recognized something special in Shwartzman, and their belief is paying off in spectacular fashion. In one of motorsport’s most pressure-filled qualifying formats, he delivered a pole-winning run at the most iconic oval in the world — the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Congratulations to PREMA Racing and Robert Shwartzman on this unforgettable achievement.

For more, read Marshall Pruett’s full story at racer.com.

Growing pains are expected when launching an expansion franchise, and the Fishers Freight certainly felt them Saturday night in Jacksonville.

In their inaugural season as part of the Indoor Football League, the Freight were overmatched by the Florida-based Sharks, falling 59-27 in a game that was never really in question. Jacksonville controlled the contest from the opening snap.

Fishers quarterback Jiya Wright threw an interception on the very first play from scrimmage, setting the tone for a difficult evening. The Freight went on to come up empty on two fourth-down conversion attempts in the first half.

The Sharks capitalized quickly, jumping out to a 21-0 lead before the Freight finally got on the board with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7. Fishers then attempted an onside kick, but Jacksonville recovered and wasted no time finding the end zone again, extending their lead to 28-7 by halftime.

The second half opened no better for the Freight, as Jacksonville marched down the field 49 yards to take a commanding 35-7 lead. While backup quarterback Keegan Shoemaker did help Fishers put some points on the board in the second half, the gap was far too wide to close.

With the win, Jacksonville improves to 5-2, while the Freight drop to 2-5 on the season.

The good news? Fishers won’t have to wait long for a shot at revenge. The Sharks travel north to Indiana for a rematch this Saturday night.

Motorists will experience new traffic configurations along the construction zone on State Road 37 and 141st Street.  Traffic is being diverted to the west side of the project.  There are several other ongoing and updates construction zones in and around Fishers.

Here is the latest Fishers area road construction report provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting Monday, May 19:

Continue reading Fishers road construction report for the week of Monday, May 19 →

As many of you know, I spent over 14 years in radio broadcasting—hosting talk shows, reporting the news, and anchoring newscasts. In 1983, I transitioned into the federal civil service, where I worked until my retirement in 2011.

I’ve written before about the often unfair attacks on the news media (some criticism is certainly warranted), but I can no longer stay silent about the alarming direction of the federal civil service. Massive staffing and budget cuts are underway across government agencies, and the public will soon begin to feel the effects. Unfortunately, it won’t be pleasant.

These changes will hit home when Social Security payments are delayed and processing times slow dramatically. Mass layoffs at the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center could jeopardize early warnings about dangerous weather events. And I can’t even begin to quantify the harm being done at agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—though respected public health experts are sounding the alarm.  These are just a few examples.

I know many people believe the tired narrative that federal employees are lazy or unmotivated. But having spent 14 years in the private sector and 28 years in government, I can say with confidence that I saw more freeloading in the private sector than in the public one. It exists in both worlds, of course—but in my experience, favoritism and coasting are more tolerated in private companies, where being friends with the boss often goes a long way. That kind of behavior is far less common in government settings.

I don’t usually use this space to review books, but I want to recommend one: Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis, best known for Moneyball and The Big Short. In this book, Lewis and his team of writers tell the stories of individual federal workers who have made extraordinary contributions. One developed building designs that saved the lives of mine workers. Another discovered an effective treatment for a rare disease. Yet another tracked cryptocurrency transactions and helped take down child exploitation networks.

The central message of the book is clear: federal workers rarely get the credit they deserve. Most shy away from the spotlight, preferring to acknowledge their colleagues rather than take individual praise.

As we begin to hear about thousands of federal employees being laid off, some will celebrate. I will not. I believe in efficiency—I spent a good part of my government career working to improve it. But there is nothing efficient about indiscriminate firings.

Planes don’t land themselves. Government payments don’t process themselves. Weather alerts don’t issue themselves. Behind each of these tasks are real people doing real, important work.

The work of government matters. It’s unfortunate that only through public hardship will some come to fully appreciate that.

The Indy Fuel just finished their 2024-2025 season, but the schedule for the Fuel’s 2025-2026 season has now been released.  The first game will be at home October 17 against the in-state rival Fort Wayne Komets.

The Fuel will have three home contests to start the season, with the Komets, Toledo and Cincinnati facing the Fuel before the team hits the road for the first time.

Fuel season tickets are already on sale.

The 6th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee, a celebration of Black culture, history, and community, will return to Conner Prairie on June 19, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. Hosted by Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders club, the student-led event is free and open to the public, featuring an array of performances, local Black-owned businesses, artists, food vendors, and family-friendly activities.

Presented in partnership with the Fishers Arts Council and Conner Prairie, the Jubilee is supported by community members and local sponsors, reflecting a growing tradition of youth leadership and cultural education in Hamilton County. The event was originally founded in 2020 by Fishers Equity Awareness and has been organized by students since 2022.

“This is more than a celebration—it’s an opportunity for learning, connection, and progress,” said Jayden Rucker, president of the Future Black Leaders club for the 2024–2025 school year. “Juneteenth helps connect our community and shine a light on important stories and progress that are too often overlooked.”

Last year, the event drew over 2,500 attendees to Conner Prairie, marking its second year at the historic venue. This year’s celebration will again spotlight Black excellence through a vibrant lineup of performing artists and vendors, with space still available for those looking to participate. Approximately 30 vendor spots remain, with applications for vendors and performers open until May 19 at FishersArtsCouncil.org/Juneteenth.

Sponsorships are also being accepted, providing an opportunity for businesses—large and small—to support the event. All sponsorship tiers include booth space during the celebration.

Organizers say the Jubilee continues to leave a meaningful impression on both participants and the broader community.

“The Juneteenth Jubilee is a great way to learn about and celebrate the culture, history, and traditions of our neighbors,” said one past attendee. “It truly helps build stronger community connections.”

Les Reinhardt, executive director of the Fishers Arts Council, praised the students for their leadership and vision.

“We are proud to support these students and the community-focused event they create year after year,” Reinhardt said. “The student leadership makes all the decisions regarding vendors, entertainment, and promotions. It’s truly amazing to see what our youth can make happen in Fishers.”

For more information, to apply as a vendor or performer, or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit FishersArtsCouncil.org/Juneteenth.