Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance visited the Indiana Statehouse Thursday, meeting with Gov. Mike Braun, legislative leaders, and other officials. While I was not present for the visit, our state is fortunate to have skilled journalists covering events in the capital, and they reported extensively on the day’s developments.

It’s no secret that the White House is eyeing congressional redistricting in Republican-led states, including Indiana, as part of a strategy to strengthen GOP prospects in the 2026 election cycle. Indiana currently has only two Democrats in its U.S. House delegation — André Carson and Frank Mrvan.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, representing House District 37, which includes the eastern part of Fishers, attended the meeting with Vice President Vance, and released the following statement afterward:

“I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Vice President Vance today and share many of the successes we’re experiencing in Indiana. We’ve been proud to work alongside the Trump Administration on several issues to strengthen our state and nation. We had a meaningful discussion, heard the vice president’s perspective on a number of topics, and will continue conversations as we work to advance Indiana and deliver results for Hoosiers.”

Senate President Pro Tem Roderick Bray issued a similar statement. Neither leader offered specifics about what was discussed with the vice president, and neither made any mention of potential changes to Indiana’s congressional map.

One group keeping a close eye on the issue is Common Cause Indiana, a longtime critic of gerrymandering by both major parties. Executive Director Julia Vaughn spoke at the Statehouse during Vance’s visit, firmly opposing any mid-cycle redistricting. Indianapolis Star reporter Kayla Dwyer quoted Vaughn’s warning:

“We will take any and every step we have available to us if they attempt to draw new maps mid-cycle. We will see you in court, Gov. Braun.”

The debate in Indiana is part of a growing national battle over congressional boundaries. Texas is reportedly considering its own redistricting push, while Democratic-led states such as California and Illinois are threatening to do the same to increase their party’s representation in Congress.

With so many pressing issues facing our state and nation, one can’t help but ask: why are so many leaders devoting so much energy to seeking political advantage rather than solving problems?

Classes resume Wednesday morning for the Hamilton Southeastern School District, which serves the City of Fishers as well as all of Delaware, Fall Creek, and Wayne Townships.

Drivers: Be Alert for School Zones

Motorists are reminded to be cautious and watch for school zones—something many haven’t had to think about since late May. Beginning August 6, the 25 miles-per-hour speed limit will once again be enforced in all school zones.

Start Times for Students

The school day begins at different times depending on the grade level:

• Elementary Schools: 7:30 a.m.

• High Schools: 8:30 a.m.

• Intermediate and Junior High Schools: 9:15 a.m.

Tech Glitch on the Eve of School Year

Timing is everything—and this was not ideal for district officials. A social media post Tuesday afternoon revealed that an internet outage, due to a service line break, caused the Skyward system to go down temporarily. As a result, transportation details were sent to families through the ParentSquare platform instead.

Let’s wish all students, teachers, and staff a successful and rewarding 2025–2026 school year!

Fishers Freight Head Coach Dixie Wooten has exciting news for local Indoor Football League (IFL) fans! After closing out the season with five consecutive victories, the team expects 21 players from the 2025 roster to return for training camp in 2026. It was a rollercoaster year for the Freight, the league’s only expansion team in 2025. Despite enduring a challenging nine-game losing streak, they finished strong, giving fans plenty to look forward to next season.

Coach Wooten talks about all that, and much more, in the podcast linked below.

If you have been around Fishers for any length of time, the names Tom Dickey and Shelby Bowen should be familiar to you.  Both served in staff positions for the Town and later City of Fishers.  Both are with the local firm Rebar Development and both are in the news.

Rebar announced a major leadership transition Monday, appointing Partner Tom Dickey as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. The change is part of a long-planned succession strategy, with co-founder and outgoing CEO Shelby Bowen moving into a strategic advisory role.

Dickey, who joined Rebar in January 2024, praised the smooth transition and expressed appreciation for Bowen’s leadership.

“Shelby had shared early on his intention to eventually step back from day-to-day operations – a goal I respected and fully supported,” said Dickey. “I’m proud that we’re executing on that plan together and am happy for my good friend.”

Bowen co-founded Rebar in 2017 with Jerry Ewing and has led the Fishers-based development firm through a period of rapid growth. Under his guidance, Rebar has delivered more than $300 million in public-private partnership (P3) projects across central Indiana, establishing a reputation for impactful community-focused developments.

Notable Rebar projects include:

• District South – a $32 million mixed-use development in downtown Fishers

• McCord Square – a $50 million master-planned community in McCordsville

• Union Station Lofts – a $20 million mixed-use project currently under construction in Warsaw

• Ambrose on Main – a $27 million development in Westfield co-developed with Hudson Investing

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished at Rebar since 2017 and the impact our projects have had in communities across Indiana,” Bowen said. “It’s been very rewarding to work alongside such a talented team. With Tom stepping into the CEO role, I’m confident the company is poised for even greater success.”

Bowen’s next chapter includes consulting and serving on the Board of Directors at First Farmers Bank & Trust, along with other entrepreneurial pursuits.

In conjunction with the leadership change, Rebar also announced two key additions to its executive team.

• Mark Branaman has joined the firm as Senior Vice President of Development. Branaman brings significant experience in active adult residential projects.

• Garrett Lucas has been named Vice President of Development.

Both will lead Rebar’s growing portfolio of luxury active adult rental communities. Among the projects in development are:

• CityView – a luxury, mixed-use active adult apartment community in downtown Fishers, in partnership with Tegethoff Development and Hageman

• Vallara Finch Creek – a forthcoming development adjacent to Pulte’s Del Webb community in Noblesville

Just days ago, a major announcement sent shockwaves through the world of auto racing. Roger Penske—owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar racing series—has sold a one-third ownership stake in both properties to Fox Sports. As part of the deal, Fox will extend its contract to broadcast the entire IndyCar series, including the iconic Indianapolis 500.

The reaction across the motorsports media landscape has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have hailed the deal as a move that will elevate IndyCar coverage, bring greater financial stability, and expand the sport’s audience.

Meanwhile, another major media shakeup is reportedly in the works. Multiple outlets are reporting that the NFL is about to acquire a 10% stake in ESPN. The speculation is that Disney—ESPN’s parent company—is positioning the network for the post-cable era. A big part of that strategy is its upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service, which is expected to cost sports fans around $30 a month. As part of the deal, the NFL would hand over control of the NFL Network and RedZone—its popular live look-in channel during Sunday games—to ESPN.

Again, sports media commentators are largely praising the move, calling it a win-win for both ESPN and the NFL.

Please excuse me, but I feel compelled to throw a little cold water on both of these deals. In my view, these arrangements may make business sense—but they are bad news for fans.

For decades, the model for live sports coverage has been relatively straightforward: media companies pay rights fees to broadcast the games, while maintaining editorial independence. This model worked well, striking a balance between access and accountability.

But that balance is now in serious jeopardy.

The NFL, in particular, has a long history of aggressively managing its media relationships. Networks that hold broadcasting rights are under constant pressure to avoid coverage that displeases league officials or team owners. And now, if the NFL has an ownership stake in ESPN, will reporters and commentators really feel free to cover the league honestly? Will viewers hear the full story if something controversial happens—on or off the field?

The same concern applies to Fox and IndyCar. Will Fox reporters call it like they see it when their own company owns a major stake in the sport they’re covering?

As fans, we tune in for honest, insightful, and unbiased coverage. Cross-ownership between leagues and networks undermines that trust. It blurs the line between journalism and promotion, and that should concern anyone who cares about the integrity of sports coverage.

Yes, these deals may offer business advantages to owners and media companies. But let’s be clear: they’re not in the best interest of the fans. And to me, that’s a real loss.

The summer construction season continues to be a busy one.  There are changes coming to the Clear Path project at I-69 & I-465.  Also, the Woofstock 5K is coming up August 9….be aware the the closures tied to that event.

There is a lot to review, so here is the weekly road construction report for the work week starting Monday, August 4, as provided by the City of Fishers:

Continue reading Latest Fishers area road construction update →

When covering Fishers Freight home Indoor Football League games, I run across a number of reporters.  One of them was Chris Schumerth from Indianapolis Monthly Magazine.  He was working on a piece all about the Freight and how the team ended up in Fishers.

Chris did his homework and talked to a number of people connected with the team.  His piece just recently posted on the magazine’s Web site.  He seems fascinated by the special rules needed to play an indoor football game on a 50-yard field.

I think you will enjoy reading his article, which is linked below.

Fishers Freight Ends First Season On High Note

The Before the Bell celebration has become a back-to-school tradition for Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, but weather hasn’t always been kind to the event. Last year, thunderstorms forced its cancellation. In previous years, intense summer heat put a damper on attendance.

But this year was different.

With rain moving out and cooler, comfortable temperatures settling in, the 2025 celebration at the Nickel Plate Amphitheater saw what may have been its best turnout yet.

Held Thursday evening ahead of the school year starting Wednesday, August 6, the event brought out a large crowd of students, families, teachers, and other members of the community. Teachers officially report on August 4.

The attendance was so strong that navigating through the crowd proved a challenge at times. Nearly every school in the district was represented with a table, and several nonprofit organizations and local businesses were also on hand to connect with attendees.

Thanks to perfect weather and strong community participation, this year’s Before the Bell event was a clear success—and a great kickoff to the new school year.

With Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) classes set to begin Wednesday, August 6, two key roundabout construction projects in Fishers are approaching completion.

According to City of Fishers spokesperson Ashley Elrod, the roundabout at 131st Street and Howe Road is scheduled to be completed by Monday, August 11, just a few days after the start of the school year. Meanwhile, the roundabout at 121st Street and Hoosier Road is expected to be finished by the first day of school, August 6.

Elrod emphasized that both timelines are weather-dependent and could be delayed if adverse conditions arise.

The city has communicated these updates to HSE Schools to ensure school officials are aware of any potential impacts on bus transportation routes.