Friday, August 14, 2026
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
WATERLOGGED, AGAIN
Heavy rains created flooding at Sunset Park on Wednesday. Big Blue River was expected to crest Thursday night at 18.6 feet, putting the river in the major flooding category. The river reached 20.2 feet on April 6, 2025, with both crests surpassing previous modern benchmarks, including the historic 1913 flood and 2008 high-water marks. Elsewhere in Shelby County, officials recommended voluntary evacuations Wednesday night for residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas, with those in Lee’s Camp, Johnson’s Camp and Walnut Grove strongly encouraged to leave as water levels continued to rise. | photo by JACK BOYCE
Episode 5: Daisy Barrett
Daisy Barrett, a nuclear engineering major at Purdue University and Shelbyville High School graduate, joins hosts Kristiaan Rawlings, Jocelyn McFarland and Flor Roman to talk about her educational and career journey.
Plan Commission continues work on data center regulations
The Shelby County Plan Commission continued refining a proposed data center overlay ordinance Wednesday, with much of the discussion centered on property values, noise limits and whether some protections should extend beyond data centers to other industrial developments.
The special meeting was the latest step in establishing a Data Center Overlay District for unincorporated Shelby County. The proposed ordinance includes requirements governing where data centers could locate, along with setbacks, screening, lighting, water use, energy systems and other development standards.
Planning Director Desiree Calderella said changes since the commission’s previous review included standards applying during construction and provisions addressing battery energy storage systems.
A significant portion of Wednesday’s discussion focused on whether neighboring property owners should receive guarantees against losses in property value. Residents urged the commission to consider language used by other Indiana counties that could establish appraisals or compensation mechanisms.
Commission member Jenna Martin questioned how a decline could be attributed specifically to a nearby development.
“How are you going to specifically measure it was just that one factor that affected the assessment of the home?” Martin said. “You can’t.”
Commission President Kevin Carson said he had reviewed an ordinance from Posey County containing a property value guarantee and suggested a quarter-mile radius could potentially be considered because the county already uses that distance in regulations involving confined feeding operations.
The commission ultimately discussed whether property-value protections would be better addressed through a separate ordinance covering a broader range of developments rather than data centers alone.
“I don’t like the idea of stating specific developments,” commission member Jeremy Ruble said. “If we go down this route, we state it as any industrial development. Period.”
Noise standards also drew lengthy discussion. The draft establishes different limits for A-weighted and C-weighted decibel measurements, with residents asking that the C-weighted limit be lowered because of concerns about low-frequency sound.
Martin questioned whether the ordinance’s noise standards should apply during construction, noting construction itself would make compliance with some proposed limits difficult. After discussion, members considered removing construction from that portion of the noise regulations and applying the standards to operation of a facility instead.
Calderella said construction noise may be an issue better addressed countywide.
“Whether they’re constructing a data center or constructing something else, it’s all construction,” Calderella said. “I don’t think it makes sense to just have a number for a data center.”
The ordinance also would limit data centers to High Intensity Industrial or High Impact zoning districts and require development plan approval. Proposed location restrictions would prohibit facilities on prime farmland, in wetlands or within 50 feet of wetlands, and in several other environmentally sensitive areas.
The Plan Commission’s recommendation will eventually go to the Shelby County Commissioners, who can adopt the ordinance, deny it or return it to the Plan Commission with amendments.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
The Marietta Community Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual fall fish fry from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. The event will include live entertainment from 6 to 9 p.m., with Scott Shrader performing Friday and live music Saturday, along with a pedal tractor pull at 2 p.m. Saturday and a raffle featuring prizes of $5,000, $1,000 and $600. The department is also accepting donations of pies, baked goods and cash.
HOOSIER NEWS: Central Indiana saw historic flash flooding on Wednesday, with more than 11 inches of rain reported in New Castle and more than 8 inches in Anderson and Muncie. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis issued 14 “considerable” flash flood warnings and three flash flood emergencies, far exceeding the 10 considerable warnings it had issued since adopting the warning-tag system in 2019. More thunderstorms and heavy rain were expected through Saturday, with officials warning of continued flash-flooding risks. (IndyStar)
This Week in Shelby County, a cartoon feature illustrated by George L. Stubbs for 38 years, is reproduced with permission of the Shelby County Historical Society and the Stubbs family.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: MAJOR HEALTH PARTNERS
This Day in Shelby County History
Local headlines reported on or around this date in Shelby County history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials. | edited by HANNAH BAKER | compiled by MYRON RAWLINGS
2016: Local residents Lisa Borinstein, 52, Luke Borinstein, 19, and Emma Borinstein, 15, all died in a plane crash in Virginia. Maren Timmermann, 15, of Berlin, Germany, also died. She was an exchange student living with the Borinstein family. Both Emma and Maren were students at Triton Central High School.
2006: Dean McNamara announced that the upcoming Cornstock concert would be dedicated to the memory of Pete Jarvis. The free concert event would be held on Mike Tingle’s property on E. Michigan Road. Jarvis, a founder of the Cornstock concerts held from 1970 through 1981 at Morrison Park, was a 1968 Shelbyville High School graduate who died of cancer at age 57 on June 9, Steve Talbert reported for The Shelbyville News. The Cornstock organizing committee included Dennis Hill, Keith Kocher, Kevin Kocher, Beth Linn, Dean McNamara, Nella McNamara, Ben McNamara, Scott Shrader and Carol Wagner.
1996: Shelbyville High School sophomore golfer Olivia Ash carded career-best rounds in her first two tournaments, putting her in the top 10 individuals for the 15-team tournament and eight strokes off the winning score. Dave Hunton was the team’s coach.
1986: An auction was held at DePrez Hardware to dispose of remaining store items and shelving.
Miss Connie’s Kids was the Shelby County Girls Softball D League championship team. Team members were Jenna Bartholomew, Carrie Richardson, Kyle Gruesser, Elizabeth Griffith, Shannon Daugherty, Jill Walburn, Heather Dover, Michelle Goode, Tara Griffith, Jenny Walburn, Elizabeth Theobald and Amy Woodward. Coaches were Larry Woodward, Mike Walburn and Steve Richardson.
1976: Three Penny Opra played two weekend shows at the Green Door Lounge, 108 S. Harrison St., from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. both nights.
Some 70 local area friends of Indiana Governor and Mrs. Otis Bowen honored them at a reception and dinner at the Shelbyville Holiday Inn. Dr. Wilson Dalton was a host of the fundraising event.
1966: Exterior work was completed at the new Kroger store on S. Harrison St. Glass panes were also installed in the front of the building.
The new educational building at the rear of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church on Blue Ridge Road neared completion. Construction on a bell tower was also complete.
1956: The Rainbow Grill, located nine miles south of Shelbyville on State Road 9, was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Limpus. They bought the establishment from Carl Sampson.
1946: The federal government pulled back funding for school lunch programs, leaving the matter to states. Fourteen Shelby County schools had been receiving a 50 percent reimbursement from the government for food.
1936: “Friday has become a traditional day at the local fair to honor Bert Wallace,” The Republican reported. “Last year, approximately 50 horses and their drivers paraded in front of the grandstand and then while Dr. Charles Bowler led the group in silent prayer, the many race fans bowed their heads in honor of a truly great reinsman.” Wallace, a trainer at the Shelby County Fair for 19 years, had died in 1934 in Ohio.
1926: The sixth and final day of the 1926 Chautauqua closed following a speech from W.L. Harding, former governor of Iowa, and a performance from the Scholle family orchestra.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Janet L. Amos, 82, of Shelbyville, passed away Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in Shelbyville, Indiana. She was born November 17, 1943, in Shelbyville, Indiana, to Ted and Elizabeth (Smith) Richardson.
Janet was a self-employed beautician and the proud owner of Jan’s Hairstyles in Shelbyville for 13 years. After closing her salon, she went on to serve as the activity director at Heritage House in Shelbyville, where her caring nature and love of people continued to shine. She was a member of Shelbyville Community Church for many years. Janet enjoyed working with ceramics and loved gathering around the table for a good game of cards. She especially cherished time spent with family, and nothing brought her greater joy than being with her grandchildren. Janet was a caregiver at heart. Throughout her life, she quietly stepped in when others needed her, offering her time, compassion, and care without expecting anything in return. She was someone people could count on and had a way of making sure those she loved were taken care of. Her kindness, compassion, and devotion to others were a defining part of who she was.
She married Lowell Amos on September 6, 1963, and he survives. Along with her husband, Janet is survived by her daughter, Leslie; three sons, Todd, Kurt, and Wade; as well as seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Teddy and Terry Richardson.
Visitation will be Monday, August 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Funeral services will follow at 12 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service with Pastor Brad Davis officiating. Burial will be in Miller Cemetery. Funeral directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, and Stuart Parks are honored to serve the family. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Janet’s memory. Contributions may be mailed to the Alzheimer’s Association, 50 E. 91st Street, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46240, or made online at alz.org. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Gay Lynn Mullins, 77, of Franklin, passed away on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis. In 1967, Gay graduated from Crawfordsville High School. She obtained her Bachelor’s in education from Indiana State University in 1971. Gay completed her Master’s degree in Reading and Learning Disabilities at Indiana State University in 1975. She loved education and found it very important for their grandchildren to have a college education. Gay taught first grade in Darlington from 1972 to 1983 and owned and operated Discovery Preschool at the First Christian Church in Shelbyville for 11 years, retiring in 1994. Gay was a member of the PEO Sisterhood for 10 years, and Tri Kappa for 11 years. She volunteered at the USO Camp Atterbury for 10 years. She was a member of Saint George Lutheran Church.
Growing up, Gay always had a dog, but more recently, she and Scott had three cats, Hootie, Tootie and Callie. Gay loved to travel, she and Scott had been to 30 countries, but she still enjoyed a ride in her convertible to Brown County for a picnic in the park. She was a friend of Bill W. Gay enjoyed watching the television series Bones.
She was born on June 18, 1949, in Crawfordsville, the daughter of Lawrence and Betty (VanVolkenburg) Wood. On December 18, 1971, she married her husband of 54 years, Scott Mullins, and he survives. In addition to Scott, Gay is survived by her daughter, Mackenzie Kieffer of Franklin; son, Benjamin Mullins and wife, Cassie, of Kokomo; sister, Terrie Miller and husband, David, of Crawfordsville; grandchildren, Ezra Kieffer and Lily Mullins; nephew, Nick Miller and wife, Lisa, of Longmont, Colorado.
Gay was preceded in death by her parents.
Private services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, 136 E. Washington St., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Online condolences may be shared with Gay’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.