Saturday, April 13, 2024
SHELBYVILLE SUNSET
photo by JEAN BOYCE
Forum Hosts Primary Candidates, Part II
Editor’s note: The following is the second in a series outlining the views of candidates, or their representatives, who spoke at the recent Northwest Shelby County Concerned Citizens’ Coalition forum. The next installment will run Monday. | photo by ANNA TUNGATE
County Council At-large
All seven County Council At-large candidates, one Democrat and six Republicans, participated in Tuesday’s Northwest Shelby County Concerned Citizens’ Coalition forum. The candidates first faced a question about their vision for development in Shelby County.
Charity Mohr, a member of the Shelby County Plan Commission, noted that County Commissioners more frequently deal with development than the Council, but she does want to see more detailed planning for commercial development. “I think that is really important for homeowners to know,” she said.
Troy Merrick, currently on the Shelbyville Central Schools board, agreed that the council has a limited role. “County Council does not get to choose what companies will come to Shelby County or where,” he said. However, Merrick added that the council considers tax benefits when it comes to new development, and he intends to closely consider each abatement request to ensure the company will actually increase assessed value.
Judy Lauziere, a local Realtor, focused her remarks on housing. “I am a huge proponent for having housing near the schools, and keeping the industrial people away from schools,” she said, “only because years from now you find out that the land is contaminated.” She also advocated for trails near schools.
Jeremy Ruble said he was interested in looking at county entrances to improve first impressions. “I feel there are a lot of marketing opportunities as far as our county roadways,” he said. He cited the POET Bioprocessing plant near Tom Hession Drive as a positive example. “I feel like any future industrial growth needs to be centered around that area.”
Shawn Goolsby said development planning should consider “the highest and best use of the land.” She called for controlled business growth and monitoring the number of houses allowed per acre in the county.
Candidate David Crisler, who works in higher education, called all development important, but is concerned about current methods to attract industry. “I don’t understand why we give out tax abatements like candy,” he said. “And when we do that, we don’t raise the tax base that we need to be able to provide sufficient law enforcement to provide public safety infrastructure.” He called himself “a big anti-tax abatement guy.”
Of the six Republican candidates listed above, voters can choose three on the primary ballot.
Chase Yanzer is running as a Democrat, but he will not appear on the party’s primary ballot. He will instead be listed on the general election ballot in November. Yanzer called for more high-quality jobs. “Our Republican mayor recently said, ‘I don’t want any jobs unless they pay at least $25 an hour,’ and I stand with the mayor on this issue,” Yanzer said. He also expressed concern about “out of control” home prices, and said more affordable housing is needed. “If elected, I will do whatever I can to help average folks in their everyday lives,” he said.
NOTEBOOK:
NATIONAL NEWS: A strategy being employed by brands is to immerse their mascots into the real world. This is, at best, unnerving when it’s a guy in the Mickey Mouse suit or a Pop Tart costume or the Burger King, but it’s hitting a new level as State Farm has attempted to turn spokes-character Jake from State Farm into a presence at various events. To be clear, Jake is a character played by Kevin Miles, who serves a role akin to a djinn within the fiction of State Farm advertisements in which he can be summoned to assess property damage. Jake nevertheless has 1.2 million followers on TikTok, and has appeared at BravoCon, sat with Donna Kelce at an Eagles game, and has begun to just appear places. In a newtwist, State Farm has arranged to have Jake be among the first people to congratulate Caitlin Clark upon her inevitable high draft in the WNBA draft, turning the achievement of a lifetime into an ad for insurance. (Sportico/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: Following winter weather delays, work progressed on a new $1.7 million fieldhouse at Triton Central schools. The facility would include three full-sized basketball courts and be connected to the high school.
2004: Shelbyville Baptist Temple changed its name to Hope’s Point Baptist Church. The church had been established in 1952 and moved to Miller Ave. in 1959. Church membership in 2004 was 350, with 250 to 300 members in regular attendance. Rev. Edwin Mohr was the pastor.
1994: The Shelby County Council approved funding for Treasurer Robert Laird to purchase new equipment to replace a barely functioning printer and electronic typewriter. Laird said the malfunctioning equipment had been causing stress for his office. “When you have three nice girls (working in the office) you hate to see them cuss a lot,” he said, convincing the council that new equipment would help.
1984: Spencer Gross, the 6-foot-8 Shelbyville High School basketball player who became one of central Indiana’s better centers, announced he would play basketball at Wabash College. Gross, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Major Gross, had been recruited by the team’s coach and the science department faculty. Gross had recently become the tallest-ever recipient of the SHS basketball team’s prestigious Kiwanis/Paul Cross medal.
1974: Montgomery Ward announced definite plans for a new catalog, appliance, paint and automotive center to be built in the Belaire Shopping Center adjacent to the A&P building. The then-current catalog store would remain open at the corner of Belaire until the new store was completed, manager Jerry Chambers announced. The new store was a prototype for the small city market.
1964: Complete renovation of the Todd-Bennett store was complete, which included modern clothing cases and racks and a vinyl floor. Store employee Dan Ivie and Louis Bower oversaw the process, with help from Cord Brothers. A grand opening would be held in three weeks.
1954: An Easter tragedy was averted when Tommy Griffith, 12, 771 Teal St., survived after being swept away by the fast-flowing Little Blue River. Griffith had attempted to cross the ford on a bicycle and was swept over the dam by the rushing water. He had managed to climb out while firefighters arrived on the scene to help. The firefighters recovered the bicycle for him.
1944: Harold Meloy, 30-year-old veteran of World War II and a local attorney, filed to run in the Democrat primary for county prosecutor. Meloy was a graduate of Shelbyville High School, Indiana University and the IU School of Law. He had served two years in the war before being medically discharged.
1934: County primary ballots were finalized. There were 458 candidates in total, with 450 Shelby County residents and the remaining running for U.S. Congress from the region. There were still a few vacant positions to be filled.
1924: The Shelbyville Republican reported that female teachers in some nearby counties were banned from having “bobbed hair” and “must let it grow during the spring and the summer, or they will not have a place in the schools of that county next fall.” The township trustees “also let it be known that the teachers will not be permitted to wear dresses without sleeves in the school rooms.”
1914: Marion Talbert, bartender at the Val Schoelch saloon and “Hon” Johnson, a “well-known” Black resident of the city, were arrested for “associating.” The $15 fines (approximately $270 in today’s money) were paid by Talbert.
OBITUARIES
Katherine E. Platt, 86, of Shelbyville, passed away Thursday April 11, 2024 at MHP Medical Center. She was born February 11, 1938 in Bartholomew County, IN. to Frank McIntyre and Lula (Hopkins) McIntyre.
Kathy graduated from Hope High School in 1957. She then went onto attending Indiana Business College. She soon began her work career at Murphy’s five and ten cent store and then onto Quality Print. She also worked at the Indiana State House. Kathy started back working in Shelbyville at Admiral Corporation and Tippecanoe Press. Kathy and her husband owned and operated the Platts Lakeview Campground for over 40 years where she specialized in bookkeeping. Her favorite job was being a homemaker and mom.
She was a member of the St. Joseph Social Club, Cub Scout den mother and girls scout leader. Kathy was a past President of the Luv Bug Square Dance Club and a past member of the West Street United Methodist Church. Kathy loved traveling all over. She enjoyed going on bus trips with St. Joseph Social Club, cruises and camping. She also enjoyed bowling, sewing, fishing and playing cards. She loved the times she was able to be with family and playing on the pontoon boat with her grandkids.
She married David L. Platt on February 6, 1959 and he survives. They had just celebrated 65 wonderful years of marriage.
She is also survived by her daughter, Debra Lee (husband, Mike) Slusser; her sons, David Alan (wife, Amy) Platt, Dennis Edgar (wife, Luann) Platt and Darun Wayne (wife, Kristi) Platt; she has seven grandchildren, one great-grandson and four great granddaughters, Bill, Ariel and Arabella Slusser; Charles, Samantha, Autumn and Elijah Slusser; Justin and Megan Platt; Emmalyn and Caleb Imel; Dalton Platt; Chelsea and Matt Brown; Caleb, Olivia, Hadley and Aubrey Platt; her sister, Mary (husband, Wayne) Followell. She is preceded in death by her parents; her infant daughter, Patricia Kay Platt; her brother, Everett McIntyre; her sisters, Rosella Irene Narwold, Marie Otte, Martha Chappelow and Nellie Shepherd.
Visitation will be Sunday, April 14, 2024 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will be Monday, April 15, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Tracy McIntyre officiating. Family and friends may visit from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Kathy’s family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to either Cancer Association of Shelby County, 31 Public Square, Shelbyville, IN. or American Legion Post 70, 1125 Miller Ave. Shelbyville, IN. or Shelby County Senior Services, 2120 Intelliplex Dr. Ste. 101, Shelbyville, IN. 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.