With a politically charged rally planned in Fishers for August 1, Mayor Scott Fadness sat down with me at City Hall for a wide-ranging podcast conversation about free speech, public safety and what he sees as the proper role of a mayor when national controversies land on the city’s doorstep.

A group called Save Heritage Indiana, led by organizer Daniel Poynter, has scheduled a rally for 7 p.m. August 1 at a location to be disclosed only to ticket holders shortly beforehand. Organizers say the event is about the rule of law; the Southern Poverty Law Center describes the group as anti-immigrant, a characterization Poynter disputes. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is expected to appear in video remarks, and a local group is planning a counter-protest.

Fadness said the city had no role in bringing the event here. “There’s been no coordination or conversation with City Hall,” he said, adding that there are aspects of the organization “I certainly wouldn’t personally agree with.”

The mayor said he has received a flood of emails demanding he stop the rally, and he pushed back on the idea that he could — or should — have that power. “When I swore an oath to serve this community and uphold the Constitution, I did not swear an oath to ensure that you’re never offended by what others may say,” he said. “People want me to do away with the events that they don’t like. But what happens if there’s someone else in this role and they have a very different opinion about things, and they start taking away events that you support?”

On private property, he noted, the city has no authority over content unless laws are broken. The Fishers Police Department is working to identify the rally site in advance so it can protect attendees and protesters alike.

Roughly 11.5 percent of Fishers residents are foreign-born — about double the state average — and members of the city’s large Muslim community have said they feel targeted by the event. Fadness said he hopes the culture Fishers has built “is far stronger than any one event,” and described his practice of keeping an open line of communication with the local mosque and other community groups.

Asked what success looks like on the morning of August 2, his answer was simple: “That everyone’s safe.”

The conversation also covers where protected speech ends and intimidation begins, the cost of a mayor’s silence, lessons from 2020, and Fadness’s advice for disagreeing with a neighbor — starting with finding what you have in common.

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

The OneZone Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its 2027 Leadership Institute, a seven-session program designed for emerging and established professionals in Hamilton County.

The program begins with a “Meet the Class” session on Dec. 10, 2026, followed by six leadership sessions during 2027. Registration costs $650 and includes all sessions. Participants may miss no more than two sessions to complete the program.

According to OneZone, the institute combines leadership instruction, meetings with community leaders and networking opportunities. Sessions will examine local government, agriculture, education, economic development, state government and quality-of-life issues.

The program is open to professionals at different stages of their careers, including emerging leaders, mid-level managers and experienced executives.

“The OneZone Leadership Institute was created to develop the next generation of leaders while strengthening the organizations and communities they serve,” OneZone President and CEO Jack Russell said.

Russell said participants will have an opportunity to develop leadership skills, expand their professional networks and learn more about the people and organizations shaping Hamilton County.

The 2027 class will be the second offered by OneZone following the launch of the inaugural Leadership Institute. Space is limited, according to the chamber.

More information and the application are available through the OneZone Chamber of Commerce website.

“I do truly feel that I am back home.”

Those were the words of Emily Supergan Thursday morning, moments after the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board voted unanimously to approve her as the new principal of Fishers Elementary School.

Supergan comes to HSE from neighboring Carmel Clay Schools, where she has served as an assistant principal since 2021. Before moving into administration, she was a teacher and coach at both Washington Township and Carmel Clay Schools. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Mississippi, holds a master’s degree from Butler University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Indiana University. But her roots are local — she describes herself as a “proud graduate of Hamilton Southeastern Schools.”

“I am thankful for this opportunity, and I am also just so thankful for the confidence that you all have in me,” Supergan told the board.

District leadership made clear the enthusiasm is mutual. “Without a doubt, Mrs. Supergan will bring energy and enthusiasm to this role, and we are excited to welcome her to our leadership team,” said Danielle Fetters-Thompson, HSE Assistant Superintendent of Foundational Learning.

Supergan will need to hit the ground running. The first day of school is August 5 — less than three weeks away.

Fishers and much of central Indiana will face another day of dangerous heat and humidity Thursday.

The National Weather Service has continued a Heat Advisory from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday, July 16. Heat index values—the combination of air temperature and humidity—could reach 102 degrees.

The advisory covers portions of central, east-central, north-central and west-central Indiana. The National Weather Service warns that the high temperatures and humidity could lead to heat-related illnesses.

Residents are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, remain in air-conditioned locations when possible and avoid extended exposure to the sun. People should also check on relatives, neighbors and others who may be particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.

Anyone who must spend time outside should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. Strenuous outdoor activities should be limited to the early morning or evening whenever possible.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea or fainting. Anyone experiencing those symptoms should move to a cooler location, loosen clothing and drink water.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Warning signs may include confusion, loss of consciousness or a very high body temperature. Call 911 immediately if heat stroke is suspected.

Children and pets should never be left unattended inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time. Vehicle interiors can quickly reach deadly temperatures during hot weather.

If you’ve driven along 116th Street at Municipal Drive in downtown Fishers on a Wednesday afternoon, you’ve likely seen them — a group of demonstrators holding placards near the Municipal Complex. They are members of Fishers Resists, and they’ve been at that corner every Wednesday from 4-6pm since September of 2025.

I had seen the group before and decided to stop and talk with them.

Amy Klodzen, one of the Fishers Resists demonstrators, told me the group has kept its weekly vigil at the same spot for nearly a year now. When I asked why she is part of the protest, her answer was direct: “this regime.”

“We see the problem with where our country’s at, and we just feel like a lot of people maybe are too busy to see it,” Klodzen said. “If they see us out here, then we’ll get them thinking.”

About 10 people were participating when I stopped by around 4:30pm. As I wrapped up my interview with Klodzen, more demonstrators were arriving.

The issue currently front-of-mind for Fishers Resists is a “mass deportation” rally scheduled for August 1 in Fishers, organized by a group calling itself Save Heritage Indiana. Organizers say the event will begin at 7pm, but the exact location will not be disclosed to attendees until shortly beforehand, citing security concerns. Former U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino is scheduled to speak, and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is expected to deliver pre-recorded video remarks.

“We want to be out there in opposition to that,” said Klodzen. “In my heart, that’s not what Fishers is.”

Fishers Resists, the local chapter of the national Indivisible movement, has announced its own response: a “Hoosier Hospitality” rally in support of local immigrants, set for 3-6pm on August 1 at Roy G. Holland Memorial Park.

In the meantime, Fishers Resists is hoping to build a bigger presence at its Wednesday protests. The group also holds a second weekly demonstration on Mondays at 116th Street and Brooks School Road.

Fishers officials have started preparing the city’s 2027 budget, with the process expected to follow much the same schedule as last year’s budget cycle.

Department heads are meeting with the mayor’s office to outline their funding needs for 2027, the City Council Finance Committee was told Wednesday night.

The Finance Committee will begin its detailed review of the proposed spending plan in late August or early September. That work will include projections of expected city revenue and presentations from department heads explaining their budget requests for the coming year.

The proposed budget is scheduled to go before the full City Council in September. A required public hearing will be held before council members consider final approval in October.

Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren also provided the committee with an update on the financial arrangement for the planned Fishers Fieldhouse.

Hultgren said the “high-water mark” for the city’s annual Fieldhouse-related expense is expected to be $4.5 million. Once the facility is operating, revenue generated by the Fieldhouse is expected to offset a portion of that expense.

Under the planned arrangement, Buckingham Companies will finance, construct and own the Fieldhouse, with the city leasing the facility. Hultgren described the agreement as a landlord-tenant relationship between Buckingham and the city.

The lease will run for 30 years. At the end of that period, ownership of the Fieldhouse will transfer to the City of Fishers.

The $65 million, 180,000-square-foot Fieldhouse is planned as part of the continuing expansion of Fishers District. It will accommodate youth basketball and volleyball leagues and tournaments while serving as the headquarters and practice facility for the Indy Ignite professional women’s volleyball team.

Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the Fieldhouse projected to open in late 2027 or early 2028.

For one week each summer, a select group of local high school students trades the classroom for the hospital floor. The Healthcare Academy for Medical Professions (HCAMP), hosted by Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, is a free, highly competitive weeklong day camp that puts teens on the front lines of medicine. Students must apply and be selected to participate, and each year the program draws far more applicants than it can accept.

Throughout the week, campers move through a curriculum most nursing students would envy. In Stop the Bleed training, students learn critical, life-saving wound-packing and tourniquet techniques. Surgery Day puts orthopedic surgery tools in their hands and lets them try cutting-edge robotic surgery simulators — the same technology transforming operating rooms across the country.

Then the intensity ramps up. The Mass Casualty Simulation challenges students to work in teams to triage and treat multiple “patients” in a fast-paced, simulated disaster scenario, making split-second decisions about who needs care first. The week culminates in the Trauma Simulation, a heart-pounding finale inside the Emergency Department where students manage a critical trauma case from arrival through stabilization.

I got a peek at the Mass Casualty Simulation this week, watching students work in teams to assess and treat a range of injuries in a mock emergency setting. What struck me was how quickly these teens shifted from nervous observers to confident participants, communicating like a real care team.

Aleks Overbey, President of Ascension St. Vincent Fishers, welcomed the students on the camp’s first day and checked in on their work throughout the week. His presence underscores how seriously the hospital takes this program — not as a public relations exercise, but as an investment in the next generation of caregivers.

That investment matters. HCAMP is offered at zero cost to selected students, funded through the hospital’s community benefit dollars, removing financial barriers that might otherwise keep talented teens out. The program builds a rare bridge between local youth and the working medical community, sparking interest in nursing, surgery, emergency medicine, and respiratory therapy at a moment when the healthcare system needs new professionals more than ever.

For some students, that spark is already catching. Paige McGuckin, entering her senior year at Hamilton Southeastern High School, told me she plans to apply to nursing school.

Watch my brief video conversation with Aleks Overbey and Paige McGuckin below.

Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market in Fishers? According to veteran local realtor Laura Turner, the answer is: both — and neither.

In our latest podcast, Turner, a real estate agent with F.C. Tucker and one of the top-producing agents in the Indianapolis metro area, returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation about a housing market that has changed dramatically since her last visit.

Turner describes Hamilton County as “almost three separate real estate markets.” Carmel is still selling like crazy, higher-value homes in Fishers are flying off the market, and the middle tier — homes in the $400,000 to $600,000 range — faces stiff competition from a wave of new construction. Inventory is up about 10 percent across the region, giving buyers more choices than they’ve had in years, yet homes are still moving swiftly, with days on market up only slightly.

We dig into some of the biggest forces shaping the market right now. Turner weighs in on the national argument that America’s housing crisis is really a retirement crisis, with baby boomers aging in place rather than listing their homes — and how a few builders are finally catching on with low-maintenance products aimed at that generation. She shares her take on the new federal housing bill encouraging multi-family construction, and on the rental-housing ordinances in Fishers and Carmel that were overturned by the state legislature.

For buyers, Turner offers practical guidance: how far ahead to start a home search, when to bid above asking, and how assumable mortgages and builder rate buy-downs can ease the sting of today’s interest rates. She has candid advice for first-time buyers facing a median price above $400,000 — starting with skipping the luxury apartment and banking the difference toward a down payment. Sellers get a reality check too: the days of naming your own price and adding $40,000 over the comps are over.

Turner also looks ahead 12 months with her crystal ball, predicting more inventory and a healthier, more balanced market — roughly 60/40 in favor of buyers, by her estimate. And she closes with an unvarnished look at what it really takes to succeed as a full-time realtor, a profession where only a fraction of the 7,600 agents on her board make it their livelihood.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just watching your home’s value, this conversation is full of local insight you won’t find in national headlines.

The LarryInFishers Podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full interview at this link or the link below.

People new to Hamilton County often ask me a question about the county fair: Why is there no midway or carnival rides?

I recently posed that question to Maggie Herrington, Health and Human Sciences program assistant with the Purdue Extension office in Hamilton County.

“This is a 4-H fair,” Herrington said. “Our focus here is on the 4-H’ers, all of their hard work and outstanding achievements. We have lots of activities for public participation and for families.”

In other words, the Hamilton County 4-H Fair is intentionally different from many traditional county fairs. Instead of commercial carnival attractions, the emphasis remains on 4-H members, their projects and a family-friendly atmosphere.

The 2026 fair is scheduled for July 16–20 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds on Pleasant Street in Noblesville, near State Road 37 and the Noblesville Post Office.

When I asked Herrington which attractions are the most popular with fairgoers, she answered with two words: food and animals.

“We have a fantastic food court here,” Herrington said. “One of the secrets about our food court is they are all local nonprofit service organizations that provide the food here at the 4-H fair—the Extension Homemakers, some of our 4-H clubs and other service organizations here in the county. No for-profit food trucks at this fair.”

The arrangement means money spent at the food court supports local clubs and nonprofit organizations rather than commercial vendors.

Although communities such as Fishers have experienced rapid development and population growth, agriculture remains an important part of Hamilton County’s history and identity. Large portions of the county remain farmland.

“Just a short drive north of here, Hamilton County still is quite rural,” Herrington said.

The fair provides an opportunity for residents from the county’s increasingly suburban areas to see livestock, agricultural exhibits and the work of young people involved in 4-H.

“All the old favorites are here, all of the traditional activities that everyone looks forward to—the showmanships, the fashion revue and the ice cream contest,” Herrington said. “We also have a lot of great new activities this year.”

Those additions include a gaming day, a children’s entrepreneurship afternoon and a cornhole tournament.

The fair also features contests, animal shows, exhibits, food and activities in which members of the public can participate.

The complete schedule, fairgrounds map and other information are available on the Hamilton County 4-H Fair website.