If Dixie Wooten had any concerns about a letdown following last week’s statement win over Arizona, his team quickly put those to rest Saturday night.

The Fishers Freight turned in a dominant performance at the Fishers Event Center, defeating the Iowa Barnstormers 63-33.

Fishers took control by capitalizing on Iowa’s special teams mistakes, most notably a blocked kick late in the first half that set up a short touchdown drive from the 10-yard line.

The contest was competitive early, but that pivotal sequence helped swing momentum decisively in the Freight’s favor. Iowa answered with a late first-half drive, aided by three Fishers penalties, to score as time expired. Still, the Freight held a comfortable 32-19 lead at the break.

The second half belonged entirely to Fishers.

The Freight extended their lead to 52-26 by the end of the third quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach. Entering the game as 16.5-point favorites, Fishers had little trouble covering the spread.

Offensively, it was a familiar formula under Wooten—establishing the running game early and using it to open up the passing attack. With the outcome well in hand in the fourth quarter, quarterback Felix Harper ceded snaps to wide receiver Jordan Davis, who handled the offense in the closing minutes.

Wooten also dipped into his bag of tricks with an onside kick attempt—one of his signature calls—but despite the Freight recovering the ball, the play was negated by an offsides penalty. A coach’s challenge did not overturn the ruling.

Iowa, now under first-year head coach Andre Coles, continues to rebuild after a one-win season in 2025. The Barnstormers have overhauled much of their roster, but Saturday’s result underscored that the process remains a work in progress.

The Freight now hit the road for back-to-back games, traveling to face the Tulsa Oilers next Saturday before visiting Iowa the following week.

Fishers returns home to the Fishers Event Center on Saturday, May 2, for a key matchup against the Green Bay Blizzard.

As we enter the heart of the spring season, we see a busy road construction listing from the City of Fishers.

Here is the complete list, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting the week of Sunday, April 12:

Continue reading Weekly road construction report for the week starting Sunday, April 12 →

The Fishers Freight return home Saturday night looking to continue their early-season momentum, but standing in their way is an Iowa Barnstormers team still searching for its first win—and trying to rebuild on the fly.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Fishers Event Center, with the Freight listed as a 16.5-point favorite.

Fishers enters the game at 2-1 and coming off an impressive win over Arizona, a team led by one of the Indoor Football League’s top quarterbacks. That victory helped push the Freight up to No. 3 in the latest IFL Coaches Poll and reinforced the growing belief that this team is a legitimate contender in 2026.

Iowa, meanwhile, comes into the game at 0-2, but its record may not tell the full story.

A Team in Transition

The Barnstormers are in the early stages of a rebuild under first-year head coach Andre Coles, who took over after a difficult 2025 season in which Iowa managed just one win.

The roster has been almost completely turned over, with only a handful of returning players. That lack of continuity has shown early, particularly on defense, where Iowa has allowed 46 and 50 points in its first two games.

Still, there are signs of progress.

Offensive Improvement

Quarterback Harry Roubidoux has shown steady improvement through the first two games. After a modest debut, he took a significant step forward in Iowa’s most recent game, throwing for nearly 200 yards and six touchdowns.

That kind of production suggests Iowa has the ability to keep pace offensively, particularly with a group of experienced receivers and a running game led by Nasjzae Bryant-Lelei.

Even in losses, the Barnstormers have demonstrated they can move the ball and score—something that could test a Freight defense that continues to develop.

Defensive Concerns

The bigger concern for Iowa has been stopping opponents.

In both losses, the Barnstormers fell behind early and were forced to play catch-up. That is a dangerous formula against a Fishers offense that has shown it can score quickly and often behind quarterback Felix Harper and a strong running game led by Josiah King and Dominic Roberto.

If Iowa is unable to slow down the Freight early, the game could follow a similar pattern.

A Tough Road Test

The Barnstormers’ schedule has not been easy to start the season, facing strong teams in Quad City and Green Bay before traveling to Fishers.

Saturday presents another major challenge against a Freight team that is beginning to find its identity on both sides of the ball.

For Fishers, the focus will be on avoiding a letdown.

Winless teams can be dangerous, especially those still building chemistry and looking for a breakthrough performance. Iowa has shown just enough offensive potential to make it a threat if given opportunities.

The Bottom Line

On paper, this is a game the Freight are expected to win—and win comfortably.

But Iowa arrives as a team with improving quarterback play, new leadership, and little to lose.

For Fishers, continuing its rise in the league standings will require taking care of business at home.

The Indy Ignite are headed back to the postseason.

Indy rallied Thursday night to defeat the San Diego Mojo in five sets, 25-20, 19-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-9, at Viejas Arena, improving to 17-4 and becoming the first team to clinch a spot in the 2026 Major League Volleyball Championship.

The victory did not come easily. After taking the opening set, the Ignite dropped the next two and found themselves in danger of letting a playoff-clinching opportunity slip away. Instead, Indy regrouped in the fourth set, then opened the decisive fifth set with a 6-0 run and closed out the match from there.

The playoff berth is the second straight for the Ignite franchise. According to the team’s official release, Indy is guaranteed to be one of the four teams advancing to the league championship event, scheduled for May 7 and 9 at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

Azhani Tealer led the Ignite attack with 22 kills, one shy of her season high. Kayla Lund added 14 kills and a season-high 26 digs, while setter Mia Tuaniga filled the stat sheet with 56 assists, 16 digs, six kills and two service aces in the fifth set. Libero Elena Scott matched her season best with 20 digs.

The Ignite had to dig deep into their roster to finish the match. Anna DeBeer was ruled out before first serve with a back injury, and Leketor Member-Meneh left during the third set after a collision with Tuaniga. That forced Indy to lean on its depth, and the reserves responded. Lydia Martyn, returning after missing four matches with a foot injury, contributed four kills and three blocks over the final two sets. Taylor Landfair added seven kills, five digs and a block, while Emoni Bush chipped in three kills and three digs.

San Diego made Indy work for every point. The Mojo, who entered the night on a three-match winning streak, totaled 17 blocks and were led by Grace Loberg’s 20 points. But the Ignite found another gear late, using their experience and depth to finish the comeback and secure the franchise’s latest milestone.

Indy remains in first place and now turns its attention to postseason seeding. The Ignite’s next match is Sunday at Fishers Event Center against the Atlanta Vibe, with first serve set for 3 p.m. ET.

A wide range of topics — from local classrooms to global concerns — are featured in this week’s Fridays with Larry podcast.

In the April 10 episode, I talk with Jamie Follis, a teacher at Hamilton Southeastern High School, about the growing interest in filmmaking among students. Follis has long been involved with the school’s student film club and now teaches a for-credit film class, giving students an opportunity to develop skills in storytelling and video production. He is also working on a new and different project planned for this summer and discusses how others in the community may be able to get involved.

You can help support this film project at this link.

The podcast also includes commentary on international developments, focusing on how the ongoing conflict involving Iran could affect Americans, based on analysis from a range of neutral experts.

Looking ahead to the world of sports, I raise concerns about the possibility of a Major League Baseball owner lockout ahead of the 2027 season and what that could mean for fans if labor tensions escalate.

The episode concludes with a lighter segment, featuring tips from experts on how your vehicle can serve as a place to relieve stress during a busy day.

Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can view the April 10 edition of Fridays with Larry using this link for the  video version,  or if you prefer just listening use this link.

A Fishers teenager is facing multiple felony charges in Hamilton County after investigators say they uncovered evidence of child exploitation involving multiple victims.

According to multiple media reports, Carson Springer, who was 17 at the time of the investigation, has been charged with offenses including child exploitation, possession of child pornography and possession of child sex abuse material. Court proceedings indicate the case has been moved to adult court.

Authorities say the investigation began after a parent reported discovering explicit material connected to their daughter. A subsequent forensic review of the suspect’s phone and digital accounts allegedly uncovered hundreds of illegal images and videos.

Investigators also reported finding communications with multiple juvenile victims, not only in Indiana but in several other states. Detectives said victims were identified as far away as Texas and Kansas.

According to reports, investigators believe Springer used a combination of social media platforms, messaging applications and cloud-based storage services to obtain and distribute the material.

Court records indicate the case includes multiple felony counts related to the possession and distribution of illicit material involving minors.

A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin in September.

An IndyStar report published Thursday sheds new light on the uncertain future of Prema Racing and its involvement in the IndyCar Series.

Reporter Zion Brown cited an unnamed source in a story posted Thursday morning addressing the team’s current status. Prema fielded two cars in last year’s IndyCar season, with drivers Robert Shwartzman and Callum Ilott, but has not appeared on the grid so far in 2026.

Speculation has circulated for months regarding the team’s future, with little in the way of official comment. Brown reported that, despite financial challenges, the organization continues to operate out of its Fishers headquarters.

“Despite not having the finances to actually race, Prema is still operating daily at its Fishers location,” Brown wrote. “The company has more than 30 full-time employees and has cars built as it tries to return to IndyCar this season.”

According to the report, Prema is not expected to field entries in the upcoming races at Long Beach or the Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, the team has not ruled out a potential appearance in the Indianapolis 500 later this month.

Brown’s story outlines the financial and logistical hurdles the team would need to overcome to make the grid for the Indy 500.

Read the IndyStar story at this link (NOTE:  If you are not an IndyStar subscriber, you will likely not be able to access this story.  Once again, subscribe to your local media!  IndyStar initial subscription rates are very low)

A 45-year-old Fishers man and three co-conspirators have been sentenced in federal court for operating a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation in central Indiana, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

Eric Kendrick of Fishers received a sentence of 11 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Also sentenced were Kristopher Chavez, 38, of Gary, Indiana, to eight years and 11 months; Delray Bragg, 42, of Richmond, Indiana, to five years and 11 months; and Joaquin Ramirez-Molina, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, to four years and nine months.

Federal prosecutors said the group was responsible for distributing at least 55 kilograms of cocaine between 2019 and 2023.

According to court documents, Kendrick leased commercial property at 5641 Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis in 2019 and used the location as a stash house to store and distribute cocaine.

On May 31, 2023, authorities said Ramirez-Molina arrived at the location carrying two suitcases filled with cocaine. Around the same time, Chavez arrived with contraband in his vehicle. The pair retrieved equipment used to repackage drugs, including a vacuum sealer, heat-seal bags and duct tape, along with a duffel bag containing $200,000 in cash.

Bragg later arrived to pick up 10 kilograms of cocaine for redistribution. As he left the property, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers conducted a traffic stop. Authorities said Bragg alerted others in the operation by text message, prompting them to flee.

Search warrants executed at the stash house and related locations resulted in the seizure of more than $580,000 in cash, 55 kilograms of cocaine, multiple firearms and several vehicles.

“Shipments containing multiple kilograms of cocaine, delivered in suitcases, underscores the profound danger these drugs pose,” U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler said in a statement. “Our federal prosecutors remain steadfast in partnering with the DEA, ATF and local drug task forces to remove dealers from our streets.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Hamilton/Boone Drug Task Force.

April 9 marks the first-ever Local News Day, a national initiative designed to reconnect communities with the trusted local news sources that inform, engage, and strengthen civic life.

Modeled after movements like Giving Tuesday, Local News Day is led by a coalition of journalism organizations and nonprofit leaders working to ensure that local news not only survives, but thrives. The goal is simple: encourage readers, listeners, and viewers to support the outlets that keep them informed about what is happening in their own backyard.

That mission hits close to home here in Fishers.

For more than 14 years, LarryInFishers.com has worked to fill a critical need in the community—providing consistent, in-depth coverage of local government, schools, development, transportation, and community events that often receive limited attention from larger regional media outlets.

In an era when many communities across the country have seen reductions in local reporting resources, smaller, independent platforms like LarryInFishers have become increasingly important. They provide a level of detail and accountability that helps residents understand decisions being made at City Hall, by school boards, and across local institutions.

Local News Day organizers point out that Americans overwhelmingly believe local news is essential to democracy and everyday life. Yet, many communities struggle to access reliable, in-depth reporting. That is where local outlets—large and small—play a vital role.

Here in Fishers, that role often means covering City Council meetings, following Hamilton Southeastern Schools policies and leadership decisions, reporting on major infrastructure projects, and telling the stories behind local sports teams and community events. It also includes providing a platform for local voices through podcasts and interviews.

Local News Day is also about action. Residents are encouraged to support local journalism in a variety of ways—by reading and sharing stories, subscribing where possible, engaging with content, and simply staying informed.

For a one-person operation like LarryInFishers, that support can make a meaningful difference. Reader engagement, story sharing, and community feedback all help sustain the effort to provide consistent local coverage.

As Local News Day launches its inaugural celebration, it serves as a reminder that strong communities rely on strong local journalism. And in Fishers, that connection continues to grow—one story at a time.