That was only 13 months ago.

Now they’re popping up all over Indiana and across the country.

Jonathan came back on Project Next to talk about why this is happening so fast and the enormous amount of money behind it.

It’s bigger than people simply using AI. There is a huge race happening over who controls the technology, the computing power, and ultimately the money.

Meanwhile, local communities are left dealing with the land, water, electricity, noise, tax breaks, and other impacts these massive projects can bring.

Sarah and Jonathan talk about what regular people can actually do, why local government matters, and why we have to work together if we want to protect our communities.

Pay attention. Work together. Follow the money.

#ProjectNext #DataCenters #Indiana #FollowTheMoney

This was one of the most fascinating — and hopeful — conversations on Project Next.

Sarah Blessing sat down with Terry Miller, who served 17 years as a Harrison County Commissioner, including during the transformational years when casino revenue began coming into the county.

Terry described a Harrison County government that might sound almost foreign today.

Republicans and Democrats didn’t always agree. They questioned each other. They held each other accountable. But they also worked together.

They had plans for the county’s money. They balanced budgets. They told the public what they were doing. People could ask questions — and instead of treating questions like an attack, they wanted people to ask.

Compare that to where Harrison County is today.

The last five State Board of Accounts audit periods have documented recurring financial reporting, internal-control, recordkeeping, and transparency problems. There have been errors involving millions of dollars in county financial reports and findings that continued from one audit to the next.

Our tax dollars deserve better accountability.

And that’s why this conversation matters.

Terry Miller is now running for Harrison County Auditor.

During his 17 years as Commissioner — including time serving as president of the Commission — Terry helped govern through some of the most consequential financial decisions in Harrison County’s history.

Now he wants to bring that experience to the Auditor’s office with a very simple goal:

Account for every single penny of the taxpayers’ money.

Watch this episode and hear Terry explain what Harrison County government used to look like. How Democrats and Republicans worked together. How they planned. How they handled the casino money. How they communicated with the public. And what he believes needs to change today.

Most importantly, this conversation is hopeful.

Because it proves something important:

Harrison County government doesn’t have to operate the way it does today.

We’ve done better before.

We can do better again.

But collectively, as a county, we have to decide that it’s time for change.

🎥 Watch this episode of Project Next with Terry Miller, then share it with another Harrison County resident.

People deserve to know what a functioning, transparent, and accountable local government can look like.

This might be one of the most fun Mental Fitness episodes Ellen Morrison Kelley and I have done.

We laughed. A LOT. 😂 But we also talked about something that gets into so many of our heads:

The pressure to be perfect.

Perfect parent.

Perfect wife.

Perfect employee.

Perfect body.

Perfect house.

Perfect response.

Perfect life.

And heaven forbid you make a mistake — especially where other people can see it. 😬

But here’s the problem:

Human beings are messy. Life is complicated. Most things are gray, not black and white — and NONE of us are perfect.

So why do we expect ourselves to be?

In this episode, we talk about the toxic messages we absorb from our culture and how easily they become the voice inside our own heads.

I share what I’ve learned from being heavily judged online — and how I’ve had to learn to let some of it go.

Ellen shares a story about a man who said something absolutely SHOCKING to her while she was walking in a parade. 😳

And we talk about the expectations placed on women — especially the generations of women who came before us — and how much of that baggage we’re still carrying around without even realizing it.

Thankfully, Ellen is a retired therapist, because at several points we basically had to ask:

WHY DO WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES?! 😂

One idea kept coming back:

❤️ What if we talked to ourselves the way we would talk to our best friend?

We would never expect our best friend to be perfect. We wouldn’t tear her apart over every mistake. We’d remind her she’s human, tell her to learn from it, laugh when appropriate, and KEEP GOING.

Maybe we deserve that same kindness.

This episode is funny, honest, messy and VERY relatable — and I think a lot of people are going to see themselves in this conversation.

🎥 Watch “Beating Perfectionism” and then tell us:

What pressure did you spend years putting on yourself that you finally realized you could LET GO?

And what do you do when that little voice in your head starts demanding perfection again?

👇 We really want to hear your answers.

Sarah Blessing and Ellen Morrison Kelley break down the wild world of local government in Floyd and Harrison Counties, where yearly state audits keep raising the same basic question:

Where did all the money go?

We laugh, we shake our heads, and we talk about just how crazy it is that local governments can struggle to clearly account for taxpayer dollars year after year.

But we also get into what regular people can actually do about it.

You don’t have to run for office. Grab a friend, go to a local meeting, get dinner afterward, ask questions, and start paying attention to where your money is going.

National politics gets all the attention, but local government affects our everyday lives — and it’s one place where showing up can actually make a difference.

Come for the ridiculous audit stories. Stay for some surprisingly simple ways we can all help make local government better.

In this episode of Project Next, Sarah Blessing and James Coogle break down what Senate Enrolled Act 1 means for Harrison County and why our county councils and commissioners need to understand what is coming.

With less property-tax revenue available than previously projected, local governments, schools, libraries, fire protection and other community services will be competing for increasingly limited dollars.

That means now is not the time for careless spending.

We talk about Harrison County’s numbers, multimillion-dollar building purchases, and a question taxpayers should always be able to ask:

Do we actually need this — and can we afford it?

If millions of taxpayer dollars are going toward a building, the public deserves to see the need, the true cost, the alternatives considered, and the long-term impact on our community.

SEA 1 is changing the financial reality for local government. Our local leaders need to understand it, plan for it, and start being extremely careful with our money.

🎥 Watch this episode of Project Next. This is one local-government conversation every Hoosier should understand.

Sarah Blessing sits down with Rhiannon Ryan of Do Something Southern Indiana, a nonpartisan community organization working to educate, organize, and empower local residents around issues affecting Southern Indiana.

Together, they take a deep dive into Clark County’s agreement to house ICE detainees in the Clark County Jail, the questions surrounding federal funding for that agreement, and why transparency matters. Reports have raised questions about whether the county is receiving the funding originally expected, making public records requests more important than ever to understand how the program is operating and what taxpayers should know.

The conversation also examines the recent ICE operation in Clark County, where at least 28 people were detained over two days—Wednesday and Thursday, July 8-9, 2026—an event that many Southern Indiana residents still know very little about.  

Sarah and Rhiannon discuss concerns about local law enforcement’s role, why the upcoming Clark County sheriff’s race could shape the future of the jail’s ICE partnership, and why local elections often have a much bigger impact on our communities than many people realize.

Most importantly, this episode is about refusing to give in to hopelessness. Whether you agree or disagree on immigration policy, democracy works best when people stay informed, ask questions, and get involved. Rhiannon shares how organizations like Do Something Southern Indiana—and groups like Indivisible, with chapters across the country—give ordinary people a way to make a difference close to home.

If you’ve ever wondered, “What can I actually do?” this conversation is a reminder that change begins locally—and that every community needs people willing to show up, learn the facts, and care about their neighbors.

Don’t tune out. Get informed. Get involved. Be part of the solution.

After serving on her local school board, Jessica saw serious problems with how elections were being run in Porter County. It took five days to count the votes in the election she won. She ran for Porter County Clerk, won, and is now finishing her second term.

Jessica transformed the clerk’s office, improved election operations and helped develop an app that showed voters wait times at early-voting and Election Day locations. Her team’s work earned statewide and national recognition.

Now she wants to bring that same innovation and accountability to the Comptroller’s office, helping Hoosiers clearly understand how our tax dollars are being spent.

Jessica is part of an outstanding statewide team with Beau Bayh for Secretary of State and Coumba Kebe for State Treasurer. Watch this episode, meet Jessica and see why she is ready to help clean up Indiana state government.

Whether it’s a proposed data center, Flock cameras, public schools, libraries, local development, taxes, or the future of your community, local government is where these decisions often begin. The good news? This is also where your voice can make the biggest difference.

In this episode, Sarah Blessing is joined by Floyd County Commissioner candidate Ellen Morrison Kelly to pull back the curtain on how local government really works. Together, they explain why attending a meeting, asking questions, speaking during public comment, or simply staying informed can have a real impact on the future of your town.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by national politics or wondered if one person can really make a difference, this conversation is for you. Stop doom scrolling and start discovering where your time and energy can create real change. What matters most to you—protecting farmland, supporting public schools, strengthening libraries, lowering utility costs, protecting privacy, helping your neighbors, or encouraging responsible growth? Whatever your passion, there’s a place to get involved.

Real change doesn’t begin in Washington. It begins with neighbors showing up, paying attention, and working together. Watch this episode to learn why local government matters more than ever—and how you can become part of the solution.

Sarah Blessing and Ethan Sweetland-May spent nearly 90 minutes exploring that question during a powerful conversation at the historic All-Wool & A Yard Wide Democratic Club—the oldest Democratic social club in the country.

Together, they talked honestly about why so many Hoosiers feel unheard, why Indiana has fallen behind on so many measures, and why giving up isn’t an option if we want a better future for our children and grandchildren.

This wasn’t about political talking points. It was about people. About hope. About courage. About what everyday citizens can do to build stronger communities and a stronger Indiana.

The evening ended with thoughtful audience questions and an inspiring conversation about working together—even when we don’t all agree.

If you care about Indiana, your community, and the future we’re leaving the next generation, this is a conversation worth watching.

🎥 Watch, share, and join the conversation. What stood out to you? What do you think it will take to build a better Indiana?

In this powerful Project Next conversation, Sarah Blessing sits down with Kate Hess Pace, Executive Director of Hoosier Action, to explore how everyday people can create real, lasting change in their communities.

This isn’t about telling people what to think. It’s about helping people discover that they have more power than they realize.

Sarah and Kate discuss:

• Why Hoosier Action is political but nonpartisan

• How organizing neighbors can accomplish things that individuals cannot

• Why we’ve lost so much local control over our communities—and how we can get it back

• The importance of supporting local people, local businesses, and local leadership

• Why social media profits from fear and division, while real change happens through relationships

• Why we need to build a bigger tent, not a smaller one

• How meeting people where they are—with curiosity instead of judgment—creates stronger communities

• Why there’s still so much reason to hope

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by politics or wondered whether one person can really make a difference, this conversation is for you.

To learn more about Hoosier Action and find ways to get involved in your community, visit hoosieraction.org, scroll to the bottom of the page, and sign up for their newsletter.

Across Floyd County, too many of our neighbors are struggling with food insecurity, housing instability, and the rising cost of simply getting by.

For years, the Floyd County Library has been more than just a place to borrow books. It has been a place where people found connection, resources, and hope. Today, community members are fighting to preserve the library’s Community Corner food pantry because they know that for some families, it can make the difference between having dinner or going hungry.

This week on Project Next, Sarah Blessing sits down with Lane Stumler to explore homelessness in Floyd County, the challenges facing the Floyd County Library, and why this conversation matters to every one of us.

This isn’t about politics.

It’s about people.

It’s about asking what kind of community we want to be when our neighbors are struggling.

We’ll talk about:

• Why food insecurity is growing.

• The role libraries can play in serving their communities.

• How local government decisions affect everyday people.

• What each of us can do to help.

Real change starts long before Election Day. It starts by paying attention, showing compassion, volunteering, supporting organizations doing the work, and electing leaders who understand the needs of the entire community—including those who are struggling the most.

If we want stronger communities, we have to be willing to care for one another.

Join us for this important conversation, and let’s ask one simple question:

How can we build a community where no one is forgotten?

If you are able: Please drop off needed food and bathroom items to the Floyd County Food Drive this Saturday, July 11 from 10-12. Brad Meyer is hosting this food drive to help our local communities.

Sarah Blessing sits down with Rachel, a former LifeWise teacher, and Zach Parrish from the Secular Education Association for an eye-opening conversation about Rachel’s firsthand experience working for LifeWise.

Rachel explains:

    •    Why she wanted to become a LifeWise teacher.

    •    What she hoped to accomplish.

    •    The concerns that caused her to question the organization.

    •    Her claim that a supervisor instructed her not to accurately report all of the hours she worked.

    •    Why she ultimately chose to leave.

    •    Why she believes it’s important to speak publicly about her experience.

The conversation also explores how local LifeWise programs are funded. Rachel shares her perspective that communities—not LifeWise itself—must raise significant amounts of money to keep these programs operating.

Whether you support LifeWise, oppose it, or are still making up your mind, this episode offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who worked inside the organization. Rachel’s story provides an important perspective for parents, educators, taxpayers, and anyone interested in understanding how LifeWise operates.

A sincere thank you to Rachel for having the courage to share her story, and to Zach Parrish for joining this thoughtful discussion.

Watch the episode and join the conversation. As always, Project Next encourages respectful dialogue, thoughtful questions, and a willingness to listen to different perspectives.

But this conversation is about much more than a festival or a movie.

It’s about friendship, authenticity, and what happens when we choose compassion over judgment.

Adam is one of the kindest, most empathetic people Sarah has ever known. Over the years, his friendship has helped shape her into a better person. His ability to forgive, accept people where they are, and see the humanity in everyone has challenged her to do the same.

They talk about Adam’s experience growing up and living as a gay man in rural Southern Indiana, helping start Corydon Pride, and why creating spaces where people can be themselves matters.

They also discuss Will & Harper, the powerful documentary that follows Will Ferrell and his longtime friend Harper Steele on a cross-country road trip after Harper comes out as transgender. The film reminds us that behind every label is a human being with hopes, fears, struggles, and a desire to belong.

At its heart, this episode is about a simple idea: when people are free to be their authentic selves, there is less fear, less hate, and more understanding. The more we get to know one another as people, the harder it becomes to judge and the easier it becomes to love.

Join us for an honest conversation about friendship, acceptance, and the courage it takes to be yourself.

After a long and demanding election season, Dr. Tim Peck returns to Project Next for the first time since the Democratic primary for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District. Joining Tim and Sarah Blessing is Brad Meyer, the candidate who won that primary and is now preparing to take on incumbent Congresswoman Erin Houchin in November.

What makes this conversation special is not politics—it’s perspective.

Tim and Brad spent months competing for the same seat, but this episode shows what can happen when people put competition aside and focus on a shared purpose. Together, Sarah, Tim, and Brad discuss the challenges facing Indiana and our country, the growing divisions in our communities, and how we can move forward without losing our humanity.

The conversation explores why so many families are struggling, what leaders can do to help, and how we build a future where more people feel heard, valued, and supported. Brad shares his vision for Indiana’s 9th District, while Tim reflects on lessons learned from the campaign trail and the importance of staying engaged even after an election ends.

Most importantly, this episode is about unity. It’s about three people who may have taken different paths but share a common belief: that public service should be about helping others, solving problems, and bringing people together rather than tearing them apart.

Whether you’re interested in politics or simply care about the future of our communities, this is a thoughtful and respectful conversation about leadership, service, and finding common ground in difficult times.

Watch, listen, and join the conversation. The future of Indiana—and our country—depends on people willing to listen, learn, and work together.

They talk about the pressure many people feel to fit in, especially in politics and small towns, and why it can be hard for people to be themselves.

Sarah and James also discuss the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and why some politicians seem especially focused on issues involving Pride, books, and sexuality. They explore whether social pressure, fear of being different, and the expectation to conform—especially in conservative rural communities—can influence how people talk about and respond to LGBTQ+ issues. The conversation looks at why some of the strongest opposition to the LGBTQ+ community may sometimes come from people who feel pressure to hide parts of themselves or fit a certain public image.

Sarah and James also talk about misinformation and disinformation in local communities, how false information spreads, and what we can do to encourage better conversations and stronger communities.

The conversation explores sexism in politics, including whether gender bias played a role in Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump, and some of the challenges women still face when running for office and serving in leadership roles.

They also discuss why it is important to protect democracy, hold leaders accountable, and build communities where people work together instead of being divided by politics.

Join us for a thoughtful conversation about community, politics, identity, and how we can create a better future together.

Phil shares why he once supported Donald Trump, what he still agrees with, and what now deeply concerns him. Together, they discuss:

• Immigration and ICE

• Fear and division in politics

• Trans issues and cultural conflict

• Rising gas, housing, and drug prices

• The housing market and cost of living

• Media influence and fear-mongering

• Dark money and power in politics

• Why Americans are struggling while the wealthy keep profiting

Sarah and Phil disagree on several major issues — but instead of shutting each other out, they choose dialogue.

At a time when people are increasingly blocking, unfriending, and avoiding those who think differently, this conversation asks an important question:

What if listening to each other is part of the solution?

Join the conversation in the comments. We want to hear your perspective.

In our new series, “Leaving MAGA: Why My Friends Left,” Kelly opens up about her deeply personal journey into — and eventually out of — Trumpism and Christian nationalism.

Kelly talks about how she became a Trump supporter through churches, ministry culture, and the Christian adoption process after she and her husband struggled to have children. Over time, she became a one-issue voter focused on abortion, surrounded by messaging that blended faith, politics, fear, and identity. She was immersed in that world for nearly two decades and almost attended Trump’s 2016 inauguration.

But eventually, she began questioning the propaganda, the division, and the way politics was being used inside churches and communities. In this episode, she bravely shares how she broke away, what opened her eyes, and why empathy and honest conversations matter so much right now.

What made this conversation especially powerful was how much Kelly’s story mirrored Sarah’s own experiences. They are similar in age, grew up in the same area, and even attended the same church for a time. Listening to Kelly’s story felt deeply personal and familiar.

This is not about attacking people. It’s about understanding how good people can get pulled into fear and political identity — and how we begin finding our way back to truth, compassion, critical thinking, and community.

Watch now on Project Next.

This isn’t a show about Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s about people.

In this honest and powerful conversation, we talk about:

• The pressure to “pick a side” like politics is a sport

• Online bullying and public shaming from BOTH sides

• How political parties profit from keeping us divided

• Why extreme primaries often silence everyday people

• The fear of speaking up in your own town or social circle

• And how we rebuild communities that actually listen to the people living in them

Lynne shares what it was like to walk away from the Republican Party in her community — even knowing she might face criticism and isolation for it. And together, we discuss why more Americans are exhausted by the division and ready for something better.

Real democracy was never supposed to be blind loyalty to a political party. It was supposed to be neighbors working together to solve problems and build stronger communities.

If we want better schools, safer communities, functioning hospitals, affordable healthcare, and leaders who actually represent us, then we have to stop treating each other like enemies and start treating each other like human beings again.

This conversation is thoughtful, emotional, real, and incredibly important.

Watch now, share your thoughts, and help us build something better together. ❤️