Black History Month is a time to honor achievement and resilience — but it is also a chance to ask what history means right here at home. In this episode, I sit down with two prominent African American residents of Fishers, Howard Stevenson and Eddie Rivers, for a wide-ranging conversation about local experiences, community progress, and the often-overlooked threads of Black history in Hamilton County.

Stevenson is a Fishers civic leader and attorney who serves as president of the Fishers Plan Commission and vice president of the Fishers Board of Zoning Appeals. He previously served on the Hamilton Southeastern School Board. He is also a founder and partner at Stevenson Legal Group and has served as an adjunct law professor.

Rivers is a West Point graduate and longtime business and civic leader. His background includes an Army career and corporate leadership, along with deep community involvement focused on mentorship and opportunity. He is also connected to local business leadership through Rivers Business Solutions (RBS), a certified diverse supplier founded in 2005.

Together, they reflect on what Black History Month should mean in a fast-growing community like Fishers — and why local conversations about history, inclusion, and civic life still matter.

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

Listen at this link or the link below.

A Fishers-based technology firm says it is redefining how organizations connect with customers through personalized video.

Spokenote announced the launch of what it describes as the first platform designed to allow organizations to scale authentic, short-form video interactions without manual editing or AI-generated impersonations. Company leaders say the new capability combines human connection with the speed and efficiency of modern automation.

According to the company, the platform enables organizations to create dynamic video experiences that adapt to individual viewers. Using modular video components assembled based on audience segmentation and interests, each message is customized for the recipient while maintaining what the company calls a “human” feel rather than a mass-produced look.

Spokenote says its system differs from traditional content marketing platforms and personalization engines by focusing on translating data into what it describes as one-to-one human experiences. The videos can be integrated into existing customer relationship management systems and deployed through SMS, email or direct mail campaigns.

“The world is saturated with automated, soulless noise. People don’t want more information; they want more connection,” said Spokenote Founder and CEO John Wechsler in a statement. “Spokenote is the first and only platform that allows a brand to look a thousand different customers in the eye and deliver a unique, authentic message in seconds.”

The company says the technology is designed for high-impact communications where trust plays a critical role, including student recruitment, donor engagement and customer appreciation efforts.

Users upload or record short video clips, connect audience data and generate personalized video experiences at scale. The platform also provides performance analytics so organizations can measure engagement and track results across the customer journey.

Spokenote is headquartered in Fishers and serves organizations seeking more direct, personalized engagement strategies in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace.

I was born on September 3, 1951. On this Presidents Day, I found myself wondering: who were the five best presidents to serve during my lifetime?

I did not want to judge them based on my own political leanings. Instead, I wanted to see how historians and scholars rank them. So I turned to academic research — most notably the Siena College Research Institute’s U.S. Presidents Study (2022) and the Presidential Greatness Project (2024).

The Siena study is based on an ongoing survey of historians, political scientists and presidential scholars. The Presidential Greatness Project draws on the views of more than 200 presidential scholars. While no ranking is definitive, these surveys offer a broad, research-based look at how experts assess presidential performance over time.

So, according to those scholars, who were the top five presidents of my lifetime?

Number 5: John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy consistently receives strong marks for public leadership and his handling of Cold War crises. Historians continue to debate how much of his reputation reflects accomplishments versus the promise of a presidency cut short, but he regularly appears near the top in expert surveys.

Number 4: Barack Obama.
Scholars often cite Obama’s management of major economic and international challenges, along with policy initiatives that have had lasting impact. In recent rankings, he frequently lands in or near the top 10 among modern presidents.

Number 3: Lyndon B. Johnson.
Johnson’s sweeping domestic achievements — particularly civil rights legislation and Great Society programs — drive his high placement in many surveys. His escalation of the Vietnam War tempers that assessment for some historians, but his legislative record remains significant.

Number 2: Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Eisenhower is praised for steady leadership, administrative competence and a measured approach to Cold War tensions. Historians often reward his stability and governance style in retrospective evaluations.

Number 1: Harry S. Truman.
Truman is frequently credited with pivotal post–World War II decisions and institution-building that shaped America’s modern global role. Scholars often highlight his decisiveness during moments of extraordinary pressure.

I am sure this list will spark debate. Some readers will disagree with who made the top five; others will argue that certain presidents were left out. I was far too young to remember Truman and recall only glimpses of Eisenhower. From John F. Kennedy forward, however, I have vivid memories of the presidents who have served during my lifetime.

Who would make your top five from 1951 to the present? My guess is there are as many lists as there are readers.

Happy Presidents Day.

The Indy Fuel closed out their three-games-in-three-days weekend on a high note, defeating the Cincinnati Cyclones 3-1 on the road to halt a stretch of tough losses.

The game opened with fireworks just six seconds in, as Jesse Tucker and Rhett Parsons dropped the gloves and were each assessed five-minute fighting majors.

The Fuel struck first midway through the opening period. At 11:41, Brandon Schultz capitalized on a breakaway opportunity to give Indy a 1-0 lead. The goal was Schultz’s first with the team this season, with Tucker earning the lone assist. Despite a cross-checking minor assessed to Will Ennis earlier in the period, the Cyclones were unable to convert on the power play. Indy carried a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission, outshooting Cincinnati 13-11.

In the second period, Tucker added to the Fuel lead at 7:21, finishing a play set up by Brett Moravec with a secondary assist credited to Lee Lapid. The goal gave Indy a 2-0 cushion and completed Tucker’s Gordie Howe hat trick — a goal, an assist and a fight — the first by a Fuel player this season.

Cincinnati answered at 9:43 when Ryan Kirwin found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Fuel penalty kill remained strong later in the period after Matt Petgrave was whistled for tripping at 16:42.

Indy regained control in the third. Eric Martin extended the lead to 3-1 at 8:15 with a slapshot, assisted by Tyler Paquette and Petgrave. The Cyclones pulled their goaltender in the final minute, but the Fuel defense held firm to secure the win.

Indy outshot Cincinnati 26-16 in a dominant road performance that provided a strong finish to the demanding weekend.  The Fuel travel to Kalamazoo for a Friday-Saturday set of contests in Michigan this coming weekend.

As construction continues on Cadillac’s Formula 1 facility in Fishers, the new team has quietly taken an important first step on the track.

Cadillac completed its first full preseason test in Bahrain ahead of the March 8 season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. For a brand-new team, the early focus was not flashy lap times but something more basic — reliability and repetition.

According to multiple motorsports reports, Cadillac logged more than 1,700 kilometers during the Bahrain test, the equivalent of roughly five full race distances. The team reportedly ran more than 100 laps on each day of testing, a significant benchmark for any new entry trying to establish operational stability.

There were a few expected hiccups. One on-track stoppage triggered a red flag during testing, and another session required extended garage time for repairs. But the overall takeaway from credible reporting was that Cadillac accomplished what new teams most need to accomplish: get through programs, collect data, and avoid major mechanical failures.

Testing lap times can be misleading in modern Formula 1. Teams run different fuel loads, tire compounds and engine settings, often masking their true pace. Observers noted that Cadillac appeared to focus on long runs and systems work rather than chasing headline times on the timing sheets.

Drivers Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas have tempered expectations publicly while making clear the team is not entering Formula 1 simply to participate. In interviews, Pérez acknowledged that a championship challenge is unrealistic in year one, but said the team would be disappointed to finish last given the level of investment and recruitment behind the project.

Cadillac will debut this season using Ferrari power units while building its long-term technical program. Much of that development work is expected to be tied to the new campus under construction in Fishers, which has been publicly described as a central hub for the American side of the operation.

For local residents watching the Fishers facility take shape, the early signs suggest Cadillac should at least arrive in Melbourne race-ready. The more realistic short-term goal appears to be finishing races consistently, executing clean weekends and capitalizing when opportunities arise — the traditional path for new teams trying to establish themselves in the midfield.

Formula 1 history shows that year-one results rarely tell the whole story. What matters is whether a new organization can build infrastructure, refine processes and accelerate development as the season progresses.

That long game now has a visible address in Fishers.

When the lights go out in Australia on March 8, the team on the grid will represent not just a global manufacturer entering Formula 1, but a growing Central Indiana footprint aiming to compete on the world’s biggest motorsports stage.

Families planning ahead for summer break can now register for the City of Fishers’ 2026 Summer Camps.

City officials say a variety of camp options are being offered through the Fishers Community Center, Strengthened by IU Health, and the Fishers Art Center. Programs are designed to provide active, creative and engaging experiences for children of various ages.

At the Fishers Community Center, camps focus on activity, social interaction and adventure, with flexible scheduling options aimed at busy families. Offerings include full-day, half-day and enrichment camps for children ages 3 and older. New this year are half-day preschool camps for children ages 3 to 5.

The camp season runs June 1 through July 31, 2026. Full-day camp hours are available from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more on these camps, use this link.

The Fishers Art Center will again offer creative, week-long camps designed to inspire young artists. Camps are available in half-day and full-day formats for ages 4 through 18.

Art Center camps explore a variety of artistic disciplines, ranging from traditional media such as drawing and painting to hands-on work with plaster and digital design. Organizers say students will receive hands-on instruction in a supportive studio environment.

Fishers residents are eligible for membership rates at the Art Center, and multiple camp themes and sessions are available throughout the summer.

More information on the art camps can be found at this link.

City officials describe the camps as opportunities for children to explore new interests, build skills and make new friends during the summer months.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation is preparing for its largest fundraiser of the year.

The 2026 Legacy Celebration, presented by CSO, will be held Friday, February 20, at the Fishers Event Center. Foundation officials say proceeds from the event benefit all 22 Hamilton Southeastern Schools buildings.

The evening’s entertainment features performances by Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms, giving the annual fundraiser a concert atmosphere while supporting local classrooms.

Buy concert tickets  using this link.

According to the foundation, funds raised through the Legacy Celebration help provide classroom and school grants rooted in innovation across all grade levels. The event also supports student scholarships awarded through the foundation.

In addition to the live event, the HSEF Silent Auction is now open to the public. Organizers say anyone attending the concert — or supporting from home — can participate. Bidding remains open until 11 p.m. on February 20.

Among the auction offerings this year:

• Gift baskets from all 22 school PTOs
• Travel experiences to South Africa, Alaska, Croatia and other destinations
• A week at Camp Crosley
• A VIP show package from Live Nation
• Suite tickets to an Indy Fuel game
• A Traeger grill
• Autographed items from Indiana University football coach Curt Cignetti, Purdue basketball standout Braden Smith, and Colts legend Peyton Manning

Foundation leaders say the variety of items allows community members to support HSE students at multiple price points.

Those interested in viewing or bidding on auction items can register through Qtego by texting HSEF to 79230. The foundation is also posting previews of auction packages on its social media channels.

View the silent auction with this link.

Organizers say the Legacy Celebration not only raises critical funds for innovative classroom projects and scholarships, but also highlights the strong community support behind Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

It’s that time of year when we have very cold conditions followed by warmer temperatures. It is good to have the warmer weather back, but the freeze/thaw cycle creates potholes.  Be aware of city crews filling potholes throughout the city in the coming days and weeks.  Give them space to do their jobs.

Here is the full road construction report, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting Monday, February 16:

Continue reading Weekly road construction report →