Community

How does one define community? Good question to think about.

There are lots of different communities around here.

Avon, Brownsburg, Stilesville. Northview, Trader’s Point, Fairfield. Cadets, Bruins, Fighting Quakers. Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists. Twin Bridges, Deer Creek, West Chase. Kroger, Meijer, Aldi. The list goes on. You can probably think of a few more on your own.

Last year at the Hendricks County 4-H Fair I heard a chorus of people shout, “We are Hendricks County” from one of animal the barns. No idea what it was about and have never heard it since, but I remember liking the sound of it. 

We are Hendricks County and it’s a good place to be.

Courthouse Future in Discussion

A couple of weeks ago The Republican reported on a joint meeting of the county commissioners and the county council.

One of the outcomes of the meeting was the formation of a task force in regard to the location of a county judicial center. The task force is to make a recommendation to the county commissioners on whether to overhaul the courthouse and several properties around the square or to move to a new building near the new jail on the east side of town.

Before The Republican had a chance to request to be on the task force, County Commissioner President Dennis Dawes reached out wanting us to be there for the good of the public. Thank you, county commissioners, for being proactive and transparent. 

Because of the impact on the future of Danville and county government for a long time to come, it’s important for the public to be aware of the steps taken for such a decision.

The first meeting was held on July 1, and you will find a full report in this issue.

Merge Mural Fest

If you have not heard of Merge Mural Fest yet, let me give you a brief explanation.

Our daughter is a mural artist. She and a colleague created a mural festival for Danville that panders to mural artists. The artists are free to paint whatever they want on almost 300 feet of wall behind the newspaper.

This past weekend we had the unenviable task of having to choose from 142 mural artists that applied to be in the Merge Mural Fest in Danville this coming September.

We had submissions from seven countries and 22 states. There were 24 submissions from Indiana mural artists. We gave extra weight to Indiana artists and to artists from neighboring states.

To learn more about this project stay tuned to the newspaper and go to the website at: mergemuralfest.com

Hope to you see there on September 19, 2026.

Finding a New Community

Sometimes you find a community when you aren’t even looking for one. Those are the best kind.

Our Sports Editor and human being extraordinaire Renee Bowman shares the story of how she unexpectedly found a new community:

“I’m late to the World Cup obsession. But after spending sunny afternoons of a recent Michigan vacation indoors watching tiny countries try to topple soccer giants, I’ve crossed over to the craze the rest of the world embraces every four years. And there’s no going back now.

The rest of the world, quite literally, has come to our American doorsteps, with World Cup matches being held across North America. Along with the teams came the fans, and through them we’ve learned more about the countries they represent. It’s those stories that have drawn me in, filling my living room with tales of devotion to country, family legacy, the game, and teammates. They’ve also prompted me to reflect on my own identity and heritage.

The World Cup has also deepened my connections with family and friends. My extended family held a contest during the group stage, and we’re now slowly narrowing the field as we move through the knockout rounds. At a Fourth of July party, I watched a 50-year-old and a 21-year-old spend much of the afternoon hunched over a phone together, cheering as France defeated Paraguay. Under normal circumstances, the two would have barely interacted.

The world is often portrayed as a fragmented place, divided by cultural and religious differences, language barriers, and economic inequality. But the World Cup has produced countless moments that remind us that we’re all just human beings, looking for joyous occasions when we feel like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

I’m already looking forward to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in South American next summer.”          

 Thanks for reading The Republican. Catch you next week.