Saturday, April 19, 2025
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Wortman Family Civic Theatre Prepares for Opening
The Wortman Family Civic Theatre will host its first production the first two weekends in May.
To Mayor Scott Furgeson, Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting at Wortman Family Civic Theatre is bigger than the opening of an arts facility. It was a sign of life on the west side of town.
“We don’t have a lot of activity out here, so this kicks our west side (initiative) off, bringing more people to this side of town,” Furgeson said.
Shelby County Players officials were pleased to show off the latest progress and finishing touches on the building, which will host its first show in May.
“We've got a host of activities, from honoring the construction workers to honoring the donors to a gala opening night, plus a full slate of productions coming up for the next season as well,” SCP Board President David Sheets said.
Sheets also sees the theatre as more than meets the eye. “The Shelby County Players’ name will be on it. The Wortman name is on it. But the hundreds, if not thousands, of donors and volunteers who have put money into this, put sweat into this, and a few of them left blood, this is a community theatre.”
The building will be formally dedicated on May 3 with Woody Allen’s comedy “Don’t Drink the Water” following. The show will be on two consecutive weekends.
B CHIC OPENS WITH FANFARE
B Chic Salon, 19 North Harrison St., Shelbyville, rolled out the red carpet for a grand opening celebration on Thursday. Cocktails and hors d’oevres were available, and owner Brittany Marye (center in the lower photo) and stylists Nellie Schuman and Molly Hallgarth were on hand to welcome guests. | photos by JACK BOYCE
SHS Basketball Distributes Annual Awards
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The Shelbyville Boys Basketball Team commemorated the 2024-25 season with its annual awards program at Shelbyville High School Thursday night.
Junior Caden Claxton became the 107th recipient of the Paul Cross/Rotary Basketball Award. Claxton, a three-year starter for the Bears, led the team in scoring and assists with 15.1 and 3.8 per game, respectively. He posted a season-high 27 points in the loss at Greenwood and recorded 23-point outings in victories over Beech Grove and Speedway.
Senior Damon Badgley received the Harry Larrabee Captain’s Award via video as the honor’s namesake made the presentation from his home in Texas. Larrabee, who follows Shelbyville basketball through WSVX radio, spoke of Badgley’s dedication and competitive spirit and hailed his leadership as a three-year Golden Bear letterman. Badgley averaged 9.1 points for Shelbyville this season. He shot 40% from the three-point line and was a 74% free throw shooter. Larrabee was named a 1970 Indiana All-Star while playing for Shelbyville and returned to coach the Golden Bears for eight seasons between 2000 and 2009. His 2006 Shelbyville squad completed an undefeated regular season and finished with a final record of 23-1.
Mar Nicholson was recognized with the Golden Bear Award for his consistent positive contributions to his teammates both on and off the court. Nicholson was the team’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. He scored 32 points in this year’s game at New Castle and turned in a 31-point performance the following night in a win against Whiteland at Garrett Gymnasium.
Claxton and Nicholson received plaques as members of the HHC All-Conference team as well as in recognition of their honorable mention selections to the IBCA Underclass All-State team. Badgley was cited for his inclusion on the HBCA All-District 3 Senior Team and for his selection to the Bob Wettig Holiday All-Tournament Team.
Brody Runnebohm was named the team’s top defensive player and was the steals leader; Gavin Reed recorded the highest 3-point percentage (51%) and received the “Guts” Award; Cole Schene was the leading offensive rebounder; most Improved Player Awards were presented to Kenny Owens and Nick Fischer.
Coaches Bryan Fischer and Doug Brown presented the junior-varsity and freshman awards. The 2024-25 junior-varsity record was 7-13, while the freshman team finished with 12 wins against 5 losses.
The program presented a special appreciation award to Coach Brown for his dedication to Golden Bear Basketball. “We are extremely grateful to Doug for his many years of hard work on behalf of our players,” said head coach John Hartnett Jr. “Doug made our kids better players and better people.”
Brown, recipient of the 1983 Paul Cross Award, has assisted the Shelbyville program in a variety of capacities for more than 20 years.
Coach Hartnett reviewed highlights from the best campaign since 2017: The runner-up finish in the 16-team Bob Wettig Tournament; the most wins since the 2017 season; the most conference wins and the best conference finish since 2018. He also praised the leadership of seniors Damon Badgley and Kenny Owens. “Damon was our captain this year and set the tone for expectations,” said Hartnett. “Kenny led by example and had so many great moments during the season. They are special guys.”
The 2024-25 team’s 18 victories represent the most wins since the 2016-17 contingent posted an identical 18-7 record and ties the latter as the most wins by a Shelbyville team since the 2006 23-1 campaign.
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NOTEBOOK:
The Strand Theatre is dark tonight due to Easter weekend, but will show “The Blues Brothers” 1980 film on Tuesday, 7 p.m. They also host the free Three Sisters Books & Gifts’ Poetry Night, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
The City of Shelbyville Planning Department has launched an Urban Tree Inventory. This effort, led by forestry specialists Dave Resource Group, will continue through Memorial Day. During this time, residents may observe specialists working on city property and along public rights-of-way on most weekdays during normal business hours. Staff will be clearly identifiable by green vests and official ID badges. This comprehensive tree inventory, funded by grants through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, is a crucial step in evaluating the condition of Shelbyville’s urban forest. It will: Identify and catalog existing trees, including species, size, and health status; Detect invasive species that threaten native ecosystems; Locate and record dead or hazardous trees and stumps in need of removal; Highlight areas where tree planting is needed, especially for native species restoration. “Urban trees do more than line our streets—they clean our air, reduce stormwater runoff, cool our neighborhoods, and increase property values,” said Adam Rude, Director of Planning for the City of Shelbyville. “This inventory gives us the data we need to make smart, lasting investments in our tree canopy. It’s about making Shelbyville healthier, more resilient, and more beautiful for generations to come.” According to the U.S. Forest Service, a single mature tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, intercept 1,000 gallons of rainfall, and lower surrounding temperatures by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining a healthy and diverse urban forest helps mitigate the effects of climate change and supports the well-being of the entire community. Once the inventory is complete, the data will inform the development of a strategic urban forestry plan to guide planting, pruning, and maintenance efforts citywide. For questions or more information, residents can contact the Shelbyville Planning Department at (317) 392-5102 or visit www.cityofshelbyvillein.com.
HOOSIER NEWS: The Indiana Pacers G League affiliate will have a new home and a new nickname next season. Pacers Sports & Entertainment announced Wednesday the Indiana Mad Ants will become the Noblesville Boom. The nickname honors Bobby “Slick” Leonard, who coached the Pacers to 529 wins and three ABA championships. After coaching the Pacers, he announced games on the radio, creating “Boom, baby!” for made three-pointers. The team will play in The Arena at Innovation Mile, a new 3,400-seat, 123,000-square-foot arena. The Arena construction is expected to be completed this summer, and the city expects to draw 65,000 fans annually for games, the team said in a news release. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: A new and — thanks to GPT programs — increasingly common scam has hit the market: community colleges see waves of fake enrollments in classes by fraud rings of real people who manage a network of fake student aliases to enroll in schools, collect financial aid money and then quit. In 2024, California community colleges saw fraudulent students steal $11 million in state and federal financial aid dollars, and the state chancellor’s office estimated that 25 percent of applicants to community colleges were bots. This means that real, bona fide students who want to learn are elbowed out of classrooms that otherwise appear packed to capacity because of the bots. Thanks to LLMs — and because community colleges accept all applicants — many bots even persist into courses, squandering professor time by pushing algorithmically-generated work and preventing actual humans from getting to class. (Voice of San Diego/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
Oct. 8, 1953, Part II
Mr. Day’s office assistants for the year, assigned by Miss Ashby in the commerce class, were Bev Muir, Marilyn Mohler, Carol McColley, Shirli Cole, Linda Hasecuster, Sharon Wuellner and Joan Hassinger.
Eight boys had enrolled in Home Ec III (Cooking) and reported they had already learned they could “bake a cake and make biscuits like Mother.” Maurice Scheffler was known as the best cook of the group. Others were Bob Montgomery, John Schoentrup, Charles Morgan, Richard Hawn, Kenneth Norvel, Curtis Thompson and Bob Weakley.
The 9B class had 149 students. Of those, 101 had attended JHS, the other 48 transferred in from other groups. The largest group to enter came from St. Joseph Catholic School, with 14 transfers.
Jim Tyner showed up to Miss Keith’s class late, but he had a wooden hall pass, complete with the initials of Mr. Ray excusing the tardiness.
SHS alumnus John Page was named head football coach.
Bob Mullen won the two-mile race, taking first place in a cross country meet against Martinsville.
Bill Garrett had joined the Harlem Globe Trotters. He had previously played with the Globe Trotters, but only on special one-night events. Garrett was, at the time, the only player to be awarded the Paul Cross medal twice.
Todd Kuhn brought in dead Siamese pigs to his Biology class. Other items brought in included a mud-puppy, brought by Larry Rush; a luna moth cocoon, brought by Judy Ewick; and a “walking stick” brought by Gary Long. There were two different species of lizards in room 303.
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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: Edna Parker, Shelbyville, Indiana’s oldest-known resident, turned 112. Minnie Kearby, the previous oldest Hoosier, who was six days older than Parker, had died April 7. Parker’s age had been verified by census information, her marriage license and school enrollment papers.
1995: The House, a teen center located inside the lodge at Hidden Paradise Campground in St. Paul, opened. The club offered a disc jockey and dancing, ping-pong, pool, darts and video games. The club was drawing about 30 teens per night. The Christian rock band “Crucible” had recently performed.
1985: Keith Waterman was named Boy of the Year at the 30th annnual Father and Son Banquet at the J. Kenneth Self Boys Club.
Both Hardee’s locations began staying open 24 hours a day. Breakfast was served 3 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with lunch and dinner served 10:30 a.m. to 5 a.m.
1975: Leaders of local veterans groups and county commissioners placed a plaque and flag pole in memory of war veterans on the dividing line between Forest Hill and St. Joseph Cemeteries.
1965: The Chauncey Special was the winner of the pole position for the eighth annual Purdue Grand Prix kart race in West Lafayette. Janet Modlin of Marion was the Grand Prix Queen. Steve Eck of Boggstown was one of the three men in charge of the Chauncey.
1955: Arthur Pope, resident of Fountaintown and history teacher at Morristown High School for 20 years, announced he would retire at the end of the school year. He had taught 35 years in total.
Charles Conger, manager of King’s Pantry, announced the store would build a 40-car blacktop parking lot in a lot adjoining the grocery at 36 W. Franklin St. A 12-room duplex home had been purchased from Mrs. W.F. Loper and demolished to make way for the lot.
1945: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Willey, of St. Paul, received word that their son, Second Lt. Merle Wiley, 22, was missing in action. He had last been in battle in Burma. Lt. Wiley was a graduate of Waldron High School.
1935: Perry Unger had obtained corn seeds from California to plant on his farm two miles northwest of Fountaintown.
1925: The Shelbyville Nationals opened their season at home with a win, defeating the Indianapolis Eagles, 16-5.
1915: Several locals had received letters purportedly written by Jesus Christ. Pastors had been asked to verify the letters. “One of the persons who brought the letter to The Republican left the office in a huff because publication was refused,” the paper said. The woman had believed the letter was genuine and should be published.
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OBITUARIES
None today.