Saturday, December 11, 2021
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‘TIS THE SEASON - FOR POLITICS
Jennifer Meltzer affirmed her intentions to run for State Representative at a Thursday fundraising reception. | photo by ANNA TUNGATE
Jennifer Meltzer held the first local candidate political event in preparation for next year’s election, on Thursday at Blessing’s Opera House. Meltzer formally announced her intentions to run in the Republican primary for the open Indiana House of Representatives District 73 seat.
“Some of you may primarily know me as Trent’s wife or June, Rose and Pearl’s mom,” Meltzer told supporters. “I’d like to take a couple of minutes to introduce you to who I am professionally.”
She is the current city attorney for the City of Shelbyville and previously served as a Deputy Attorney General.
“I represented a significant number of state agencies on a variety of issues, including defending Indiana abortion laws in federal court in cases that go to the administrative and state court levels to shut down abortion clinics and stop additional clinics from coming to Indiana that were in violation of Indiana law,” Meltzer said. She also cited “school choice” and “keeping the state out of our local issues” as priorities.
Many event attendees are active in local Republican party politics. Meltzer has served as Secretary of the Shelby County Republican Central Committee since 2017.
She gave the following rationale for running: “The simple answer is that I'm trained to represent you, and I've spent the last 11 years representing our elected officials because I appreciate what they have done, and I wanted to help them to represent you better.”
Although candidates must wait until January to formally file, Meltzer is joined by Robert Carmony, a fellow Republican who has also announced his intentions to run for the House. District 73 includes portions of Shelby, Decatur, Bartholomew, and Jennings Counties, including Shelbyville.
The primary will be May 3, 2022.
MOVIN’ OUT
Sales are underway at Ace Hardware on East State Road 44 as Shelby County Co-op transitions out of the hardware store business. The store was recently approved as a True Value retailer, which could be used by a new owner at the site, GIANT FM first reported. | by ANNA TUNGATE
How City Park became Morrison Park. In short, it was messy.
The dual purchase of 5 and 11 acres from the W.E. Teal estate was later called by local newspapers “the best buy the city ever made,” but the process of developing the land was contentious.
The five acres used for Shelbyville High School, constructed in 1911 and facing Tompkins Street, and the gymnasium, built in 1922 at Fourth and Meridian Streets, was straightforward enough.
But the 11 acres set aside for the city park became the impetus of a tug-of-war between City Council and the park board, which was called the Citizens Industrial Club. “There was strong opposition to improving the park ground for park purposes, the city council persisting in refusing to make any appropriation for that purpose,” The Democrat newspaper said in 1928. “Horses and cows were turned in on the ground to graze.”
That’s when Laura Morrison - daughter of Martin M. Ray, founder of the Ray Hotel and law partner of Thomas A. Hendricks, and Susan Cross, whose father had built a log tavern on the ground that later occupied Hotel Shelby on Public Square; a graduate of Shelbyville High School; wife of Judge Harry C. Morrison; and mother of 13 - organized a band of women to “take over the park” in an attempt to force the council’s hand. At their own expense, the original park board commissioned a landscape architect from Chicago to survey the city park grounds.
In 1910, the parks board issued a proclamation ordering wagons and vehicles off the park land. “Within the past few weeks, certain persons have seemingly been using the park as a public highway. The traffic has been especially heavy from Shelby to Second Street and the sod was being destroyed so rapidly that a number of persons appealed to the park board to stop the practice,” The Democrat reported. The gate leading into the park was chained to encourage foot traffic only.
Setting expectations with the public was only part of the battle. “A new city council chopped off the heads of the park board, naming a new one that did nothing,” The Democrat said.
Mrs. Morrison responded by leading the charge to raise money for trees and shrubbery, and her group of volunteers performed the bulk of the work.
“Finally, the city council woke up to the fact that Shelbyville was going to have a playground whether the city administration wanted it or not,” the paper said. “Under pressure, a custodian of the grounds was employed as well as a supervisor of play…”
Over the next two decades, subsequent councils warmed to the idea of protecting the park, and on June 19, 1928, councilmen unanimously renamed it The Laura Morrison Park of the city of Shelbyville. “Whereas, the city of Shelbyville is greatly indebted to one of its citizens for her untiring and devoted service in cooperating with said city in developing and beautifying the public park of said city known as the City Park…” the resolution began. Mayor James Emmert immediately signed the order.
Laura Morrison was out of town visiting relatives at the time and was informed of the honor upon her return. She lived another four years. Judge Morrison lived 20 more years, passing away in 1952 at 93 years of age.
Councilman H.G. Montgomery, who made the motion to rename the park, also noted Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kennedy had donated 10 acres of land in “East Shelbyville”, which Montgomery said should be called the “Fred W. Kennedy Playgrounds.”
NOTEBOOK:
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino reported a $23 million haul in taxable adjusted gross revenue last month, virtually the same as reported in October 2021, and higher than the $19.3 million reported last November.
The Shelby County Players announced Chris Cox, longtime SCP advocate and volunteer, as recipient of the E. Edward Green Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Encore Association in Indianapolis. The award is given to a person who has contributed at least 25 years of continuous, outstanding service to community theater through both participation in and encouragement of the theatrical arts.
Constituents in Sen. Jean Leising’s district are encouraged to complete the annual survey by Jan. 4.
Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Assistance Coordinator Becky Miller was chosen to receive the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney’s Council (IPAC) 2021 Victim Advocate of the Year Award. She was nominated by Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen and received the award at an Indianapolis reception this week at the Hyatt Regency.
The Shelbyville VC Aktion Club will hold “Down Syndrome Appreciation Day” at a dinner meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Briley Family Center, across from Trinity United Methodist Church on Fair Ave. Special guests will be Mike and Sally Dooley.
Yesterday, the state reported 76 new positive coronavirus cases from the previous day in Shelby County, and 87 new tests. The number of deaths for Shelby County remained the same, at 133. The State lists the fully vaccinated number for Shelby County at 22,071, an increase of 30 from the previous day.
HOOSIER NEWS: Although the vaccine has been widely available since the spring, Indiana residents have been far less inclined than those in other states to be vaccinated. Nationwide 70% of those over age 12 have been vaccinated, compared with 58.5% of Indiana residents. Indiana’s hospitals are filling with mostly non-vaccinated patients, hospital officials here say. On Wednesday the Washington Post reported that four states, one of which is Indiana, are responsible for almost half of the nation’s increase in hospitalizations. (IndyStar)
This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.
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 from the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department.
20 YEARS AGO: 2001
An old 30-by-40 vacant building formerly used as a metering station for bulk oil storage was destroyed in a fire at 804 St. Joseph St.
Roger Schwier, 5797 W 1000N, Fountaintown, replaced the worn roof on his barn with a flag incorporated into the shingles to honor those lost in the Sept. 11 attacks. (Below, an Anna Tungate photo of the flag, taken yesterday.)
30 YEARS AGO: 1991
A local developer said Shelbyville would have a “premier” public golf course by the summer of 1993. The plans called for an estimated $11.5 million project to include a clubhouse, locker rooms, offices, VIP suites and a limited-service restaurant. A major obstacle in the path of the developer’s plans, though, was the proposed extension of the Shelbyville Municipal Airport.
40 YEARS AGO: 1981
A car driven by a local woman jumped the curb and smashed into the front of Village Pantry, 425 N. Vine St.
“Wonder Woman” (an Indianapolis actress) delivered a “singing telegram” to Dr. Arthur Roberts on his birthday. The visit was arranged by the dentist’s employees.
50 YEARS AGO: 1971
Among tree and yard damage throughout the city, a large plate glass window at Pasquale’s Pizza Shop in the 200 block of S. Harrison St. was shattered by tornadic-like winds.
60 YEARS AGO: 1961
Postmaster Louie C. Neu said packages were backing up at the post office because people weren’t home to accept them. “Rural carriers seeking to deliver packages which are too large to be placed in mailboxes, sound their horn upon arriving at the home of the addressee so that the recipient can come out to get such packages,” The Shelbyville News said. “If the recipient fails to respond in this way, the package must be returned to the post office and another attempt made later to deliver it. This causes such mail to pile up at the post office, not only delaying delivery of all package mail, but also delivery of letter mail.”
70 YEARS AGO: 1951
Mrs. Dale Phares and her two children, Danny and Donna, sailed from New York on the S.S. Washington to join Capt. Phares, serving in the U.S. Air Force in Germany.
Charles Conger, manager of the King’s Pantry, 36 W. Franklin St., won a $200 Elgin wristwatch in the Pillsbury Grand National Bake-off. No baking was required in the contest.
Virginia Conger, wife of Richard Conger, 405 Sunset Dr., received a citation and defense bond award for devising a new payroll form to be adopted by the Department of the Army as a time and money-saving instrument. Mrs. Conger had been civilian payroll supervisor in charge of all payroll operations at Camp Atterbury for the previous year.
80 YEARS AGO: 1941
Locals in the northwest section of Shelbyville expressed frustration that radio interference from an unknown source had plagued airwaves in recent days, causing a delay in getting war news. Shelbyville police headquarters had been deluged with calls asking for help in running down the source of the disturbance.
The Page Milk Company issued a statement of sympathy to the family of F. Hugh Limpus, a member of the firm’s board of directors who had recently passed away.
90 YEARS AGO: 1931
Businesses on South Harrison - Kaufman Fruit Market, Floyd and Griffey’s and the Strand Theatre - created a “veritable Christmas canopy” of evergreen streamers and red and green electric lights stretched from the front of the buildings to posts at the edge of the sidewalk, The Republican reported.
The city commissary, located in the Administrative building on W. Broadway, opened to provide food supplies from the Federated Charities board. The Zeller Baking Company was providing 100 loaves of bread and several dozen rolls and donuts daily and the Page Milk Company would contribute two cases of canned milk each day.
100 YEARS AGO: 1921
After city council passed an ordinance providing for a city hospital, Mayor Lee Hoop was inundated with mail from firms offering hospital equipment for sale. “It is stated by city officials that some time will elapse before the city will take advantage of the offer of Mrs. Fannie Major to turn her property over to the city immediately for use as a hospital,” The Republican said. “Funds for the remodeling of the building to make suitable for hospital purposes, and money to maintain it as a hospital, will have to first be made available.”
A local man was arrested for taking two boxes of cigars from the Conrad Schroeder Drug Store on S. Harrison St. The boxes had been found in the man’s overcoat pocket. The man had been in ill health for some time, and was thus given a “light sentence” of a $5 fine by Mayor Lee Hoop, the newspaper said.
INCIDENTS
Theft was reported in the 5200 block of W. Marietta Railroad St., Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Joshua A. Anderson, 40, failure to appear; Joseph J. Augustine, 44, contempt of court; Amara M. Gallion, 24, failure to appear (2 counts)
OBITUARIES
Mary F. Michaels, 89, of Shelbyville passed away Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at Ashford Place Health Campus. Born August 14, 1932 in Shelbyville, she was the daughter of Noah Mohr & Florence J. (Sims) Mohr. She married Robert Michaels and he preceded her in 1977. Survivors include siblings Dorothy Fields, Shirley Verbeck, Rosie Monroe (husband Joe) and Nancy Hutchinson all of Shelbyville; several nieces and nephews, including her care givers Connie L. (Davis) Moore, and Theresa (Davis) Tennell (husband Andy) of Edinburgh. She was preceded in death by her parents, spouse, and brother Louis Mohr.
Mary had lived in this area her entire life and graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1950. She was a bank officer at First Federal Savings & Loan for many years and also worked at Shelby Co. Savings bank for several years, where she retired. Mary was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, a member of Moose Lodge Auxiliary and St. Joe Social Club. Mary enjoyed bowling, was an avid Indiana Pacers fan, and loved her trips to Branson, Missouri, photo albums, scrap-booking and her cat Scamp.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Monday, December 13, 2021 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Rd with Rev. Mike Keucher officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday from noon until the time of the service at the funeral home. Memorials can be made to OUR Hospice of South Central Indiana in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Ruth D. Harris passed away on Thursday, December 2, 2021, at Major Hospital in Shelbyville, IN at the age of 75. Ruth was born in Indianapolis in August 1946 to Albert and Laura Abraham. She went to Beech Grove HS and then attended IU where she graduated with her Master's Degree in nursing.
Ruth worked at the Women's Prison and Wishard Hospital among others until she lost her vision to diabetes. Ruth was a longtime resident of Boggstown and Shelby County. She invested her free time towards creating a better environment for her family and the future of the community.
Ruth had a love for sports, trivia, game shows, and her cat. Ruth enjoyed spending time with her family and telling stories about her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband Larry Harris and her parents. Ruth is survived by her two sons and four grandchildren: her son, Brian Harris, and his two sons, Brenden and Dylan; and her son Jason, wife Amanda, and their daughters, Maia and Hailey.
There will be a private celebration of Ruth's life at later date. You are invited to read Ruth's obituary at www.stpierrefamilyfuneral.com, where you may sign the guest book and leave a personal message for the family. Arrangements entrusted to Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory.
Joseph Dennis Zahnd, 62, of Fairland, passed away Friday, December 10, 2021, at MHP Medical Center in Shelbyville. He was born July 14, 1959, in Indianapolis, the son of Ernest R. Jr. and Esther (Crandall) Zahnd. He married his wife of 31 years, Patsy Marie St. Pierre, on October 5, 1990, and she survives. In addition to Patsy, Joseph is survived by his son, Joseph Patrick Zahnd of Fairland; brother, Charles E. Zahnd of Fairland; sister, Patricia Proctor of Mooresville; mother-in-law, Loretta Lindow of Webster, Florida; several nieces and nephews including, Brian Albert Gervais and wife, Candace of Indianapolis; and several great-nieces and great-nephews including Adrian Gervais, Ashlynn Gervais, Alden Gervais and Jazmynn Gervais. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Paul L. Zahnd and Stephen M. Zahnd.
Joseph graduated in 1977 from Triton Central High School. He formerly worked at National Starch and Chemical for 25 years, in industrial cleaning. Joseph was a history buff and enjoyed watching the history channel. He also enjoyed listening to music and going fishing and hunting. He had a photographic memory.
Private family services were observed. Services were entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Online condolences may be shared with Joseph’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.