Monday, June 9, 2025
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GRAND CHAMPION, BABY!
Charlotte “Lottie” Nelson celebrates being named Grand Champion of yesterday’s Baby Contest at the Shelby County Fair. She is surrounded by her parents, Jon and AJ Nelson, Shelby County Fair Queen Ellie Gosser and court members Farah Coen, Audrey Berauer and Jacklynn Corlett. | photo by JACK BOYCE
OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS
Following approximately two weeks of construction, the N. Harrison St. railroad tracks re-opened Saturday to much local relief. (A brief visit revealed two cars in the wrong corridor, apparently confused by the barrels, heading southbound.) The new smooth blacktop surface extends to the trail crossing as well. Below, a close-up of the crossing panels shows how they interface with the rail, and (right) the clearance groove provided for the train wheel rims to roll through as the train goes through the crossing. | photos by JOHN WALKER
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NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville High School boys golf team advanced out of sectionals with a third-place finish, with low team scores by Jake Garrison, Brock Wischmeyer and Logan Tobian. IHSAA Regionals will be held at Champions Point Golf Course in Henryville on Thursday morning.
HOOSIER NEWS: Indiana will limit available seats in its state-funded preschool program to 2,500 children next school year — less than half the current enrollment. The state will also reduce reimbursement rates for preschools. The cap is a dramatic cut for On My Way Pre-K, a voucher program that pays for 4-year-olds from low-income families to attend participating preschools. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, which manages the program, announced the cap on enrollment in a memo last week. The state will also narrow family eligibility for the program, according to the memo. Advocates say the cuts reverse years of growth in the program. Indiana substantially expanded programs that pay for child care for low-income families, including On My Way Pre-K, with the help of more than $1 billion in federal pandemic aid that supported child care. That money ran out, however, and Indiana lawmakers did not fill the gap. FSSA told WFYI in an email that the cuts were necessary because former Gov. Eric Holcomb’s administration had grown the program without a sustainable funding source. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: An uninhabited island called Squaxin Island in the Puget Sound exists at a a key point in the hydrological corridor such that over the course of decades there are tons of abandoned boats beached on and within the island. Washington State has worked to remove this flotsam, and since a boat removal program began in 2002, the state has removed over 1,200 derelict vessels that have washed ashore the uninhabited isle. There are still 300 more out there, and the state took some extreme measures by using one of its firefighting helicopters to haul 14 vessels that were particularly hard to get to onto the mainland. (Associated Press/Numlock)
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WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Ronald J. and Donna Sue (Harness) Martin, Shelbyville, celebrate 64 years of marriage today. They were married June 9, 1962 at Calvary Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Ind. They have three children: Bryan K. Martin, Kelli Sue (Martin) Robison and Kevin A. Martin; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Mrs. Martin retired from the College of Sports Medicine and was a member of the Red Hat Club. Mr. Martin spent four years in the U.S. Army, 49 years in the computer business, 69 years as an amateur radio operator and 20 years in the DPMA Data Processing Organization in Indianapolis. They have racked up 47,000 miles on their motorcycle, making 55 trips to Gatlinburg, Tenn. They also have taken eight cruises and one trip overseas. Congratulations on your anniversary!
SHS Courier Archive Highlights
May 17, 1968, Part II
Shelbyville High School was slated to march in the 500 Festival, the first time a Shelby County had participated. On race day, the band would march in the pre-race festivities and then be free to enjoy the race the rest of the day.
Prom had been held in the SHS gymnasium, 9 p.m. to midnight. It was the first time prom had been held in the new gym, and nails and staples, which had been used to hang things in the old gym, were banned. The walls and bleachers were covered with murals and shown by black lights. They pictured battle scenes, three mounted knights and the exterior of a castle to represent the “Camelot” theme.
“Gateway 4 Plays Louisville: The Gateway 4, a folk-rock group from SHS, is composed of Larry Lewis, guitar; Eddie Moore, piano, bass fiddle, and guitar; Doug Wood, bass; and Pat Brunner, banjo, bass, and bongos. Although the Gateway 4 is less than a year old, Larry, Eddie and Pat have been performing together off and on for the last two years. It wasn't until last summer that Doug joined them. At that time, they selected their present name. The Gateway 4 has performed at various places in all surrounding counties, plus Fort Wayne. Their last performance was Wednesday and Thursday, which was a two-day stand in Louisville, Kentucky. Spokesman and main humor for the group is Larry Lewis, who through his wide vocabulary pulvarizes (sic) the audience. (Editor’s note: I had to do a double-take on “pulvarizes”/pulverizes - perhaps the staff meant “mesmerizes”?) The musicianship and musical knowledge of Eddie is one of the group’s key factors. Doug's dynamic bass voice also adds harmony to the group, while Pat's banjo and drums help round out the sound of the Gateway 4. Adding an attractive package to the group will be Judy Elkins and Jane Brennan.”
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This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Shelby County Fair Queen contestants were Lesley Hewitt, Kahley Neafus, Morgan Thomas, Rachael McCracken, Alayna Sheaffer, Lindsey Anderson, Brittaney Moore, Rebekah Risley Jennifer McLaughlin, Cassie Cole, Courtney Grau, Andrea Sanders, Brittany Pollitt, Alyse Deutsch and Catherine Smith. The 2004 queen had been Whitney Robinson.
1995: A fire in the elevator of the Waldron United Methodist Church caused $20,000 damage. An electrical fixture inside the elevator car had malfunctioned, causing the fire. Parts of the church had smoke, heat and water damage.
1985: A van full of free books rolled into Sunset Park as part of the Read-A-Rama program, sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education. The traveling initiative aimed to boost children’s reading skills during summer break by visiting over 100 parks, schools, and libraries statewide. In its 10th year, Read-A-Rama had already handed out 285,000 free books to young readers.
1975: Local residents bundled up as early June temperatures dipped into the 40s—flirting with all-time record lows dating back to the 1800s.
1965: Plans moved forward to annex 13 acres on the southwest edge of Shelbyville for a proposed 100-unit nursing and convalescent home. Local developer William C. Theobald and associates petitioned the city council, which approved the first reading of the ordinance. The project, located near Columbus Road and McKay Road, would also allow for future business expansion and possibly a shopping center down the line.
Elizabeth Thurston was aboard the S.S. United States, the world’s fastest liner, as she was en route to Paris to serve as third secretary in the American Embassy in Paris. Thurston was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Thurston.
1955: Bulldozers were at work in Brentwoods, one of Shelbyville’s newest housing subdivisions northeast of city limits on Knightstown Road. Road construction was underway through the 25-acre development, with deep crushed stone bases being laid for future blacktop driveways as the neighborhood took shape.
1945: Mrs. Prudence Cooper of Shelbyville received news from the Navy Department that her son, Seaman First Class Paul Edward Cooper, 19, was presumed dead following enemy action in the Pacific Theater on April 8. Reported missing since April 26, the Navy concluded there was no hope for survival. Cooper, the 62nd Shelby County casualty of World War II, had enlisted at 17 and was employed by The Shelbyville Republican before joining the Navy in 1942.
1935: Street crews began plowing and leveling East Franklin and East Hendricks streets as part of a broader oiling and sanding program in Shelbyville. Street Commissioner John Graham said seven or eight additional roads would follow. Years of oil and sand coatings had created ridges, prompting the need for grading. A $6,000 appropriation was proposed for dust-proofing with tar compound, starting on South Miller Street. Meanwhile, the city awaited word on its federal PWA petition to resurface South Harrison Street.
1925: Shelbyville’s sweet tooth got a boost as Webben and Zeller, longtime wholesale bakers, opened a new retail location next to the Strand Theatre. Named The Strand Pastry Shop, the new storefront on South Harrison featured display cases of modern pastries, with cake and punch served at the grand opening. The bakery, known for its strict sanitation standards and quality ingredients, promised to bring high-end baked goods—like fancy cakes and creamery-rich treats—direct to local customers.
1915: Thirty-six men gathered at F.R. Lawson’s East Jackson Street warehouse for a hearty “goat dinner” featuring three roast kids, dressing, potatoes, and onions—all served on a table made of baled hay. The lively crowd included Enos Porter, who made it to a third helping, and Harry Hall, usually a non-stop talker, who was so full he turned “Silent Knight.” Host Will Schoelch carved so much meat he didn’t get a bite, and Harry Sorden was rumored to have gained eight pounds. One guest summed it up: “like snow in June, the kids disappeared—along with everything else.”
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OBITUARIES
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