Recently, tens of thousands of us crowded downtown Fishers for our pre-Fourth of July event — the parade down the Nickel Plate District, the drone show (delayed by weather to July 31), the fireworks that closed out Spark Fishers and, this year, the nation’s Semiquincentennial. For one summer day, the city looked like the answer to a worry that has been building across the country for two decades: that Americans have stopped gathering.

The worry is not imaginary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2025 American Time Use Survey last month, and the trend line is hard to miss. The average American now spends about 35 minutes a day socializing and communicating in person, down from 41 minutes in 2015 and roughly 45 minutes in 2003. On any given day in 2025, only 30 percent of us did any in-person socializing at all — down from 38 percent a decade earlier.

Young people have pulled back the furthest. Fifteen-to-24-year-olds who once spent close to an hour a day hanging out with others now spend a little over half that. Writer Derek Thompson has called it “the anti-social century,” and the health data explains why anyone in public life is paying attention. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory declared loneliness a public-health epidemic, estimating that about half of American adults report feeling lonely and that chronic isolation raises the risk of early death by roughly 29 percent — comparable, the report noted, to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Gallup found about one in five adults feeling lonely on a given day, and AARP reported last year that four in ten adults 45 and older now describe themselves as lonely, up from about a third in 2010.

Some causes are structural, not personal. A 2025 University of Colorado Boulder study documented the steady loss of “third places” — the libraries, coffee shops, museums and houses of worship where neighbors used to run into one another. Bigger homes, bigger TVs, food-delivery apps and phones that hold a whole social world have made staying in easier than ever. Teens now average close to five hours a day on social apps, Gallup reports.

But the full picture is more complicated than a straight line down — and that is where a week like last week matters. Recent time-use data showed Americans watching less television than at any point in a decade and, notably, spending less time alone than during the pandemic years. Adults have clawed back some of the in-person time they lost after 2020, even if teenagers have not. And we are still willing to show up for things we care about: Live Nation reported about 159 million people attended its events in 2025, up 5 percent, and a Deloitte survey found 61 percent of Americans had gone to a live event in the previous six months.

Fishers looks a lot like that second story. The Saturday Farmers Market, now in its 2026 season at the Nickel Plate Amphitheater, draws more than 80 vendors and ranks sixth in the state. Spark Fishers fills days each June. The Fourth of July still empties living rooms and fills streets.

The national data is a real warning: connection is not automatic anymore, and for our kids especially, it is slipping. But warnings are not verdicts. The 35-minute average describes ordinary days — and last week reminded us we still know how to make extraordinary ones. The question for our 251st year is whether Fishers can carry a little of the Spark Fishers and Fourth-of-July habits into the quiet Tuesdays in between.

On a day when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc stole the headlines with an emotional British Grand Prix win, the Fishers Cadillac Formula 1 team quietly delivered one of its more encouraging afternoons of a demanding rookie season, bringing both cars home and gaining track position at one of the sport’s most storied venues.

Sergio Perez crossed the line 15th and Valtteri Bottas 17th in a race that finished behind the safety car after a dramatic late sequence of events. It was not the points-scoring breakthrough the team is chasing, but for an outfit that spent the winter openly warning it would run at the back of the grid in year one, a clean race with forward progress counts as a step in the right direction.

Perez, the six-time grand prix winner, made the most of the afternoon. He started 20th and but picked his way up to 15th over the course of the race, benefiting from a chaotic finish but also from the steady, mistake-free running that has become Cadillac’s calling card in its debut campaign. Bottas, who out-qualified his teammate in 18th on Saturday, brought the sister car home 17th, keeping the team’s strong reliability record intact.

The result came on a weekend that showcased both how far Cadillac has come and how far it still has to go. The team, which is constructing its permanent headquarters in Fishers, entered Formula 1 this season as the grid’s 11th team, pairing veteran drivers Perez and Bottas with customer Ferrari power. Team leadership, including racing boss Graeme Lowdon, tempered expectations from the outset, telling stakeholders that points would be a bonus rather than a target in 2026 as the organization builds toward the future.

That candor has been borne out by results. Cadillac has yet to score a championship point through the opening stretch of the season, and Silverstone extended that wait. The closest the team has come was in Monaco, where Perez ran inside the top 10 on the road before a penalty erased a hard-won point. Still, the operation has impressed with its dependability — Perez has reached the checkered flag in nearly every race he has started, a rarity for a brand-new team facing the steep learning curve of top-flight motorsport.

Sunday’s race itself was a spectacle. Leclerc claimed his first win in more than a year after championship leader Kimi Antonelli suffered a mechanical failure while closing in on the lead, and a late crash for Max Verstappen brought out the safety car that ultimately decided the finish. Mercedes’ George Russell took second and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton third in front of a roaring home crowd. Amid the drama, Cadillac’s two cars ran their own race near the tail of the field, gaining ground and gathering data.

For fans in Fishers watching a hometown-connected team compete on the world stage, the takeaway is one of patience and gradual momentum. The points haven’t come yet, and the team has been honest that they may be slow to arrive. But finishing races, climbing the order, and learning with every lap is exactly the foundation Cadillac said it would build in 2026 — and at Silverstone, that foundation looked a little more solid than it did a few months ago.

FYI, the fireworks over Geist could not be safely done Saturday night, so the display is now set for Sunday, July 5, 10pm

As the fireworks fade over Fishers this Fourth of July, the harder question lingers: what does the next chapter hold for a country that just turned 250? The polling offers a portrait of a nation that is worried but not resigned — a people wrestling with doubt while refusing to give up on the ideals that got us here.

A sober mood

The numbers are candid. In Pew Research Center surveys this spring, 59% of Americans said the country’s best years are behind us, while 40% believe they are still ahead. As 2026 began, 69% told Pew they were dissatisfied with the way things are going, against just 29% satisfied. Look further out and the gloom deepens: asked about the U.S. 50 years from now, 44% are pessimistic and only 28% optimistic. Majorities expect a country that is more politically divided (66%), less influential in the world (58%), and more dangerous (56%) by 2050.

Gallup adds another data point: American pride has slipped to a 25-year low, and fewer than half of Americans now believe everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.

But not without hope

The full picture is more layered than the headlines suggest. In the same Pew research, Americans split almost evenly on the near term — 48% optimistic and 51% pessimistic about the country’s future overall. Most say they feel “hopeful” when they think ahead, and 54% describe themselves as “happy” about it. Compared with 2023, more adults now expect the economy to grow stronger and political divisions to ease in the decades to come.

The American Dream itself remains stubbornly alive. In the Milken Center–Gallup study of more than 6,300 adults, 69% still believe they can personally achieve it, and Americans across party lines agree the Dream is worth striving for. Republicans, Democrats and independents also broadly share the view that the Dream is “unfinished” — a rare patch of common ground in a divided age.

What the experts say

Scholars and commentators tend to resist writing America’s obituary. Many point to the country’s demonstrated resilience — its technological edge, economic depth, military strength and entrepreneurial streak — as durable reasons for optimism. Historians note that this is a nation that has survived a civil war, the upheavals of the 1960s, segregation, and the “malaise” of the 1970s, and emerged intact each time.

Writing in The Fulcrum, a nonpartisan civic-affairs publication, historian Joe Palaggi frames the moment in terms of that resilience. “The story of America is not the story of avoiding failure,” he writes. “It is the story of recovering from it.” The health of the republic, he argues, is measured not by the absence of disagreement but by “the ability of citizens to disagree while maintaining a shared commitment to the nation itself.” The real risk is losing confidence, because “a confident nation can confront its failures.” Ultimately, patriotism is less about believing the country is flawless than about whether “we care enough about it to leave it stronger than we found it.”

Looking forward from here

For a community like Fishers — consistently ranked among the best places to live in the country — the same tension runs through both national and local life: real anxiety about institutions and direction, paired with an enduring belief that the work of the republic is unfinished rather than over.

Two and a half centuries in, that may be the most American posture of all — clear-eyed about the problems, unwilling to surrender the promise. The next 250 years will be written by the people who choose to keep building.

When the fireworks go up over Fishers this Fourth of July, they’ll mark something bigger than a long weekend. Saturday is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — the semiquincentennial, if you want to impress somebody at the cookout. It’s worth pausing on what those 56 men actually did when they put their names on that parchment, because it was a good deal braver than the picnic version we usually tell.

Signing was treason. Not treason as a figure of speech — treason as a capital crime under British law. The Treason Act of 1351, still on the books in 1776, defined “levying war” against the king as high treason, and the punishment was as gruesome as English law got: a traitor could be hanged, drawn, and quartered, his property seized by the Crown, his family left with nothing. These weren’t anonymous pamphleteers. They signed their real names, in a document they knew would cross the Atlantic and land on the king’s desk.

They understood the stakes. That famous closing line — “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” — wasn’t flourish. It was a list of exactly what they stood to lose. Benjamin Franklin is supposed to have put it more bluntly at the signing: “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” Historians can’t confirm he said it, but the sentiment was accurate enough.

And some of them did pay. Richard Stockton of New Jersey was captured by British forces, imprisoned and reportedly mistreated, his estate looted; his health broke and he died in 1781. Others saw homes burned and fortunes ruined in the fighting. It’s fair to note, as historians do, that no signer was executed for signing — the Revolution succeeded, and Britain never got to hold its trials. But that outcome was far from certain in the summer of 1776. When those men dipped their pens, they were betting their necks on a war they had not yet won.

Two and a half centuries on, the country they gambled on is still here — and still arguing with itself about what it has become. A new Associated Press-NORC poll, part of a series marking the anniversary, offers a candid snapshot of how Americans feel at 250. The picture is more conflicted than celebratory.

Start with the American Dream — the idea that hard work gets you ahead. Only about a third of Americans say it still holds true today. Half say it once held true but no longer does, and 15% say it was never true to begin with. That tracks with recent Wall Street Journal/NORC surveys, so it isn’t a blip. Belief in the Dream is far from evenly held: 57% of Republicans say it still holds, versus 24% of independents and 17% of Democrats. Older adults keep more faith than younger ones — 46% of those 60 and up still believe, compared with just 22% of adults under 30.

Pride in the country’s institutions has also cooled over the past decade. Just 28% of Americans say they have a lot of pride in how U.S. democracy works, down from 42% back in 2017. Pride in the nation’s history slipped from 58% to 44%, and pride in the armed forces fell from 78% to 59%. Americans still take the most pride in the military and in the country’s scientific and technological achievements — but the trend line, across the board, points down.

Ask what holds us together and what pulls us apart, and the answers are almost mirror images. The most common thing people name as uniting Americans is freedom or liberty. The most common thing they name as dividing us is politics — “political interests or values.” In other words, the thing the signers risked everything for is still the thing we most agree on, even as the political arguments around it grow louder.

There are gentler notes, too. Nearly half of Americans, 47%, still see the American flag as more of a unifying symbol than a divisive one, though only about one in five fly it at home regularly. And roughly four in ten say the 250th anniversary makes them feel “proud,” with about a third “excited” — even as a quarter say they feel “conflicted” and another quarter “indifferent.”

Put those two portraits side by side — the men who signed under threat of the gallows, and a country now split on whether the promise held — and you get something more useful than a greeting card. The founders didn’t hand us a finished nation. They handed us a bet, and 250 years later the wager is still open. However you’re marking the Fourth here in Fishers, that seems worth a moment’s thought.

It’s another summer season road construction week in Fishers. Be aware of some closures on 131st Street.  That’s just part of a long list of construction in and around our city.

Here is the full road construction listing, for the week beginning Sunday, July 5, as provided by the City of Fishers:

• 96th Street and Cyntheanne Road – Full Closure
• 136th Street Widening – Southeastern Parkway to Prairie Baptist Road – follow detour route
• 116th and Allisonville Intersection Improvements Project – Down to one lane in all directions
• Southeastern Parkway & Olio Road Roundabout Improvements – Periodic lane restrictions
• 126th Street – single-lane restrictions (Beginning July 13)
• 131st Street Road Closure – Follow posted signage

Continue reading Road construction update for the week starting Sunday, July 5 →

Dangerous heat will remain a concern for Fishers and Hamilton County even after the current Extreme Heat Warning expires Friday evening.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis says the Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect until 8 p.m. Friday, with heat index values reaching as high as 110 degrees. A Heat Advisory will immediately follow, remaining in effect from 8 p.m. Friday until 9 p.m. Saturday, with heat index values expected to reach up to 105 degrees.

Hamilton County Emergency Management is urging residents to take extra precautions, especially with the holiday bringing outdoor events, gatherings and travel.

Officials say high heat can affect people quickly. Residents are encouraged to drink plenty of water, limit beverages that can contribute to dehydration, such as alcohol and caffeine, and pay close attention to how they feel throughout the day.

Anyone who begins to feel overheated, light-headed or unusually tired should get to a cool indoor space as soon as possible. If going indoors is not possible, people should seek shade and slow down until they recover.

The National Weather Service says heat-related illnesses increase significantly during periods of extreme heat and high humidity. Residents are advised to stay in air-conditioned areas when possible, avoid direct sun, and check on relatives, neighbors and others who may be vulnerable.

Officials also remind residents never to leave young children or pets in unattended vehicles. Vehicle interiors can reach lethal temperatures within minutes during extreme heat.

Hamilton County Emergency Management is asking residents to keep themselves, their neighbors and visitors safe as the holiday weekend approaches.

When a large media company bought the local newspaper in Sullivan County, Indiana, reporter Angela Allen lost her job. For a rural community in the southwest corner of the state, that meant losing something bigger than a byline — it meant losing the person who showed up to the meetings, asked the questions, and told residents what was happening in their own backyard.

But the community wasn’t ready to let local journalism disappear. By public demand, Angela was brought back on a part-time basis to continue her reporting. It was a rare and encouraging thing: readers standing up and insisting that their local news matters.

The comeback, however, came with hard realities. Part-time reporting doesn’t pay a full-time living. Angela had taken another full-time job after losing her reporter position — and she says she then lost that job as well, due to political pressure on her employer. The result has been real financial hardship for someone who simply wanted to keep informing her neighbors.

This week’s episode of Fridays With Larry tells Angela’s story in full: how corporate ownership is reshaping small-town newspapers, why her readers fought to bring her back, and what it costs one person to keep the truth flowing in a community that depends on it.

Angela is still reporting for the paper part-time, but she can’t live on that income alone. If you’d like to support her work and help her through this period of hardship, you can contribute to her GoFundMe page: Support Angela Allen — Stand Up for Truth

Fridays with Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can watch the podcast on YouTube at this link, or listen to the audio version using this link.  Or, use the links below:

The Hamilton County Democratic Party said Thursday that four new candidates have filed to run for county office this fall, giving voters contested Democratic choices in several countywide races in a county long dominated by Republicans.

The candidates filed their paperwork Thursday morning at the Hamilton County Clerk’s Office. They are Ti’Gre McNear for Hamilton County Commissioner, District 1; Charles Hollowell for Hamilton County Sheriff; Alexandra Wilson for Hamilton County Clerk; and Doug May for Hamilton County Council, District 3.

“Across Hamilton County, Democratic candidates are stepping forward because they believe our communities deserve thoughtful, accountable leadership and real choices at the ballot box,” said Josh Lowry, chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party. “The enthusiasm we’re seeing from candidates, volunteers, and voters reflects the momentum building across our county. Every office matters, and we’re proud to offer strong candidates who are committed to serving their neighbors.”

Each Democrat will face a Republican who advanced through the party’s May 5 primary or ran unopposed, in a county where the GOP has held every countywide office for years.

In the race for Commissioner, District 1 — which covers Carmel and Clay Township — McNear will challenge longtime Republican incumbent Christine Altman. Altman was first elected to the board of commissioners in 2003 and previously served on the county council, making her one of the county’s most established officeholders.

For sheriff, Hollowell will face Republican Dustin K. Dixon, a 25-year veteran of the sheriff’s office who won a competitive GOP primary in May, defeating chief deputy John Lowes with about 63 percent of the vote. The seat is open because Republican Sheriff Dennis Quakenbush is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

In the clerk’s race, Wilson will run against Republican Beth Sheller, who currently serves as Hamilton County Election Administrator and secured the GOP nomination for clerk in the spring primary.

And in County Council, District 3 — which takes in Noblesville, Jackson and White River townships — May will face Republican Mark F. Hall.

The party framed the filings as part of a multi-cycle effort to compete more broadly across Hamilton County. Democrats said they have expanded candidate recruitment, increased volunteer engagement, and built what the party described as a year-round grassroots organization.

Residents interested in volunteering, supporting candidates, or learning more about the 2026 campaign can visit hamcodemsin.org.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

Democrat J.D. Ford’s congressional campaign announced it raised more than $365,000 in the second quarter of 2026, a haul the campaign says came overwhelmingly from Hoosiers as he challenges Republican incumbent Victoria Spartz in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District.

The campaign said more than 90 percent of donors were based in Indiana. The figures are self-reported and cannot be independently verified until quarterly reports are filed with the Federal Election Commission, due July 15.

“I’m honored and grateful for the support of our friends and neighbors,” Ford said in a statement. “This outpouring of energy shows that Hoosiers are ready for a leader in Washington who will fight for affordability and accountability.”

Ford, a state senator from Carmel serving his second term, won a crowded seven-way Democratic primary on May 5. He has said his run was motivated by Indiana Republicans’ failed effort to redraw the state’s congressional maps, which Spartz supported.

Spartz’s finances

If accurate, Ford’s quarter would far outpace the incumbent’s recent fundraising. FEC records show Spartz’s campaign raised about $1.09 million from January 2025 through April 15, 2026 — but only about $57,700 of that came in the first quarter of 2026, according to her April filing.

Her campaign has also been spending faster than it takes money in. It reported roughly $56,000 in cash on hand as of April 15, down from $258,000 at the start of the cycle, and carried $200,000 in debt. Much of the spending went to repaying $525,000 in loans Spartz had made to her own campaign. Spartz’s second-quarter numbers, covering the period after her primary win over Scott King, are not yet public.

A poll with caveats

Ford’s campaign paired the fundraising announcement with an internal poll it commissioned, which it says shows nearly two-thirds of district voters want new representation and shows Ford leading Spartz “after messaging” — that is, after respondents heard campaign arguments, a technique that typically produces more favorable results for the sponsoring candidate than an initial head-to-head. Internal polls released by campaigns should be viewed cautiously; no independent public polling of the race has been released.

An uphill district

Despite Spartz’s thin bank account, Ford faces difficult terrain. The 5th District — covering Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Grant, Howard and Tipton counties in Indianapolis’ northern suburbs and beyond — has not elected a Democrat since Jim Jontz in 1990. After Spartz won her first race by a narrow margin in 2020, the district was redrawn to strengthen its Republican lean, and she won reelection comfortably in 2022 and 2024, most recently defeating Democrat Deborah Pickett, who took about 38 percent of the vote.

Spartz, a Ukrainian-born certified public accountant from Carmel first elected in 2020, announced in 2023 that she would retire, then reversed course. She has said she is seeking a fourth term “to help get our Republic back on track fiscally.”

The general election is November 3.