Saturday, February 20, 2021
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Prior to yesterday’s Legislative Update (see below), hosted virtually by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, MHP Foundation executive director Angela Gill provided local data on the 4,561 Shelby County coronavirus cases documented by the State. (Gill pointed out that the case count is likely higher since some do not get tested and some people are asymptomatic.) The following data points refer to the 427 covid hospital in-patients who have been treated at MHP:
9 days: average length of stay, although usual stay is approximately 4-and-a-half days
9.1% of hospitalized covid patients passed away
81: average age of patients who died
63 years old: average age
48.8% male, 51.2% female
45.8% had a high BMI, defined as greater than 30.
41.4% had diabetes
63.3% had hypertension
42%: had history of smoking
44.9%: had history of chronic lung disease
1.6%: total death rate for county
Gill noted that case counts have been lower recently in the county and that it is hoped that everyone who wants a vaccine will have had them by the fall season.
The new MHP Community Health and Wellness Center is scheduled for completion by July 1, MHP Foundation executive director Angela Gill said yesterday. The 80,000 square-foot facility, located at Intelliplex Dr. and N. State Road 9 in Shelbyville, will house a YMCA, Shelby County Senior Services, and an MHP Lifestyle Medicine practice led by Dr. Greg Howard. The YMCA will include a fitness center, gymnasium, indoor walking track, office space and program rooms, and a warm-water pool.
Morristown boys basketball (17-4) defeated Batesville, 58-51, last night. Drake Moore scored 21, Kyle Crim had 19, and Quinton Batton added 8.
The Shelbyville Golden Bear boys (5-12) lost in overtime to Delta, 47-44. Mitch Yeend scored 14, Matthew Bunton added 12, Oliver Sandman had 8, and Hunter Hounshell, 7.
Beech Grove boys basketball defeated Triton Central (9-8), 58-38. Waldron High School boys lost to Libery Christian, 86-66. Bryce Yarling scored 32 points, Tyler Bowlby added 15, and Jacobi Percell had 10. Bowlby is at 970 career points with two regular-season games remaining.
CITY OF SHELBYVILLE PRESS RELEASE: Because the COVID-19 numbers are trending in the correct direction it has been determined that beginning Monday, February 22 we will be opening some facilities to the public. In all cases, masks and social distancing will be required at all times within city facilities. Entrance into those facilities and participation in any programming or activities will be conducted at the participants’ risk of exposure. The Shelbyville Parks Department will be opening their office as well as the Civic Center for walking, pickleball and open gym however COVID protocol must be observed. The Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter will be reopening with the following conditions: Owner relinquishment will remain by appointment only and stray animals will need to be picked up by shelter staff at the place where they are located rather than being dropped off at the shelter. The Fire Department, Street Department and Water Resource Recovery lobby areas WILL NOT be open to the public to limit potential exposure. City Hall and the associated offices will be open to the public, however, appointments are encouraged to limit exposure and masks and distancing will be required at all times while in the building. Conducting business electronically is also encouraged.
As of yesterday, the state reported 4,561 positive coronavirus cases in Shelby County, an increase of 7 from the previous day, out of 18,064 tests, an increase of 15 from the day before. The number of deaths for Shelby County increased by 1, to 90.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I received an unexpected Founding Member subscription yesterday: from myself. At 5:58 a.m., someone gave $100 under my email with an American Express card. I presume this was a mistake. If you subscribed at that time - and you didn’t receive a receipt - please let me know. I can easily switch the email accounts. I certainly appreciate the support! For others interested in remaining on the daily list, subscribe today or mail a check to The Addison Times, 310 W. South St., Shelbyville, IN, 46176: $6/mo. or $60/annually)! (If you mail a check, please let me know so that I can keep your email on the list while the check is en route.)
HOOSIER NEWS: The Indiana House has approved a plan to replace various county wind and solar power regulations with statewide standards — providing regulatory certainty to landowners, power generators, and utilities. House Bill 1381, sponsored by state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, was approved 58-38 Wednesday and now goes to the Senate. It sets minimum requirements for commercial renewable power installations that, if enacted into law, would supersede any local regulations that are more stringent, as well as open for development the 32 Indiana counties that have enacted bans on renewable power projects. “This is not the Green New Deal, and you won’t see that coming from me — no matter what you see on the internet,” Soliday said. “The Green New Deal sets renewable requirements; we’re not doing that. All we’re saying is there is a market for renewable energy, and we want to be in that market rather than buy it from someone else.” State Rep. Health VanNatter, R-Kokomo, was the sole lawmaker to speak against the proposal during House debate. He said the Legislature previously directed Indiana counties to set the renewable energy standards they believed were best for their locality, and it’s wrong for state lawmakers to now substitute their judgement for the well thought out conclusions of local leaders. (Munster Times of Northwest Indiana)
State Legislators Provide Updates to Locals
A screenshot shows Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) participating in yesterday’s Legislative Update, hosted via Zoom.
The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’s biannual legislative update, held via Zoom yesterday, may have spared lawmakers the awkwardness of the regular luncheon’s back-and-forth banter, but it maintained the tradition of focusing on hot topics. The 2021 state legislative session, which includes the biennial budget, has featured various pandemic precautions, such as the House meeting in a large conference room rather than its chamber.
“This is my 15th session, and to say that this one has been unusual is probably an understatement,” Rep. Sean Eberhart (R-Shelbyville) said.
The State House of Representatives meet on Monday to vote on the budget, at which point it will move to the State Senate. The session is nearing the half-way point overall, lawmakers estimated.
“That’s the only constitutional duty that we have, is the budget," Eberhart said. “That hasn’t precluded us from doing some other things, but the budget is our priority.”
Those “other things” were the focus of most participant questions, to which State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) and State Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield) also responded. Below are updates and selected quotes regarding current proposed bills and topics:
Education
Rep. Eberhart called the current House proposal a “structurally balanced budget with an appropriate amount of surplus, including a record number of dollars to go to public education. We have more money to spend on education than any other line item in our budget.”
Sen. Leising: One of the things that I told our appropriations chairman a couple of weeks ago was that if there was any extra pot of gold, that we ought to reward the schools that have tried hard to have kids in the classroom, because I know that many of the schools in my seven-county district have tried to do so and some of them have been very successful at doing so. But we know that some places in this state there's not been that effort, and being on the Education Committee, I'm seriously concerned about the education loss incurred by those students that have been, in some cases, almost totally virtual since last March, so that is seriously a concern.
HB 1369, Firearms Matters: repeals the law requiring citizens to obtain a handgun license. Bill is up for third reading in House.
Eberhart: Some would argue, including me, that constitutional rights, such as the right for self protection and right to bear arms, should not come with a price. You should not have to get permission and pay a fee to the government to exercise that right.
SB 202, Health Facility Visitation: requires facilities to allow visitation of a resident in a compassionate care situation.
Leising (co-author): It's going to establish language for a compassionate care program and an essential caregiver program, so hopefully, if this bill passes and we would see another upswing in the pandemic or even in the future, that we would make sure that a person in the nursing home has that designated essential caregiver that can come visit them as long as they meet the protocols of the nursing home. Also, we had people that were perhaps dying of cancer, had no COVID at all, but had nobody to be with them. It seems pretty heartless. I think that this bill, Senate Bill 202, will receive action in the House. I know it's sailed through the Senate.
HB 1381, commercial wind and solar standards
Eberhart: It’s a tough discussion. It’s a balance that’s going to have to be discussed between what belongs at the state level and what belongs at the county level. I will tell you that our statewide energy distribution, affordability and reliability is a state issue. You just need to look no further than what's happening in Texas.
I voted in favor of this bill, despite some consternation from some of my constituents. And I understand their concerns, but I want this discussion to move, and I want us to have it in the Senate as well. Nothing may happen from it.
I think there is some misinformation on this bill. Local control doesn't get totally taken away in this bill. This whole energy discussion has to happen.
Energy
Leising: I have what I call “solar fights” in at least four of my seven counties.
Leising said she sees both sides of solar and wind arguments and is interested to see setback language and sunset clauses for dealing with equipment at the end of projects.
On the other hand: “Okay, if you're a farmer that's retiring, or thinking about retiring, and you can get $900 to $1,200 an acre for solar panels, compared to maybe $200, or maybe if it’s really good ground, $300 cash rent, because you don't any longer want to farm your ground, that would say, ‘Oh gosh, from a monetary standpoint, that's an easy decision.’”
Eberhart: This leads to a larger discussion on where private property rights start and end. One reason I'm voting for (HB 1381) is to keep this discussion going. I'm not saying I wasn't a wholehearted “yes” vote, but it was a “yes” vote to continue the discussion knowing that it was going to receive that in the Senate.
I'm a big coal fan, don't get me wrong. I chaired the Natural Resources Committee, and we deal with coal issues. I'm a huge coal fan, and I want to ride that train as long as it lasts.
Crider: I tend to be philosophically more supportive of solar than I am of wind, simply because of the amount of wildlife that's killed in those wind turbines.
Leising: I know that Germany, for instance, wants to be totally renewable by 2030. Okay, I don't think we want in Indiana to be totally renewable, or even to have too high a percentage of renewables.
HB 1465, highway work zone safety, up for third and final reading.
Eberhart (voted against): This bill isn’t entirely about the safety of workers. The issue here, I think, is something that we need to decide whether we're going to start allowing cameras to basically write tickets instead of police officers.
If this bill is to pass, it will likely be assigned to the committee I chair, and I think Mr. Beaty knows I'm supportive of the concept. I think it does still need some work...I'll do my best to give it a fair consideration if it comes to my committee.
Leising: Same concerns regarding automatic ticketing of vehicles with school bus stop-arms. “We gotta figure out individual rights, too.”
SB 34, unlawful assembly.
Crider: Expressed concerns about criminals released immediately following vandalism violations.
“Nobody is against peaceful protests, and certainly not myself. I think what happened in Indianapolis is an absolute tragedy, but (downtown) business owners that I know have told me...one jewelry store had almost its entire inventory stolen. One law firm lost $300,000 worth of glass in their building front. And so we have to figure out a way to allow for peaceful expression of opinions about societal issues to happen without having those protests hijacked by groups who really are there just to loot. What happened in Indianapolis was a tragedy; what happened in Washington D.C. was a tragedy, and those kinds of activities should not happen. We have to figure out a way to protect our police officers, our public safety officers and people who are asked to stand in the gap for the rest of us. And we have to protect the business owners in the community so that they don't lose their entire livelihood.
Next Steps:
Crider: Anything that does not move on Monday, if it hasn't already moved out of the chamber, then, of course, it starts to die. And then Tuesday, we'll have our third reading deadline. And so, you will know pretty quickly whether the issues that you're watching and you're concerned about have actually moved.
The Chamber and local sponsors will host another legislative update following the session, April 27 at noon. It has not yet been determined whether the update will be virtual or in-person.
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
The Shelbyville Common Council approved on first reading a new ordinance barring soda machines on residential properties. Plan Director Tom DeBaun had been asked to write the ordinance after officials had complained about vending machines on porches throughout the city.
30 YEARS AGO: 1991
Even though Sycamore Stores Inc. had declared bankruptcy, company officials said the Shelbyville store in the Belaire Shopping Center would remain open.Jonathan Palmer opened a law office at 409 Mary St., Shelbyville, next to Tattoo, Inc., near the fairgrounds.
Post office business was just returning to normal following an increase in postage stamp prices from 25 to 29 cents. Long lines had formed at the Shelbyville post office, and officials said service had been slowed by the unusual change combinations created by multiples of 29.
40 YEARS AGO: 1981
Two Shelbyville men, W. Paul Dickmann and John R. Phillips, formed a new partnership and purchased Dave’s Place, a local restaurant and beer business at 24 E. Hendricks St. The new establishment would be called “Coaches’ Corner.” The building had been purchased from Winfred “Winnie” Simpson, who formerly operated the restaurant. Dickmann was head of the local Dickmann Motors auto dealership.
50 YEARS AGO: 1971
The Shelbyville Police Department traded in four old squad cars and purchased four 1971 cars from Nankivell Chevrolet.Lee Fisher, head emergency unit driver, was officially appointed a member of the Shelbyville Fire Department to act in the same capacity as chief unit attendant.
60 YEARS AGO: 1961
Block walls at the new Church of the Nazarene on S. State Road 9 were nearly complete, with the cross fully formed. Construction also continued at St. Mark Lutheran Church on Old U.S. 421.Police Chief Kenneth Junken warned local motorists against double parking on E. Washington St. The chief explained that traffic flow had increased since parallel parking had been established on the south side of E. Washington St., but said that double parking was cutting down the flow of traffic.
70 YEARS AGO: 1951
The names of 152 lucky applicants were drawn for sectional tickets at Shelbyville High School. Over 400 requests had been received.All county schools were ordered closed for a week by county commissioners. “The meeting was called as it became apparent that the county’s transportation system was breaking down because of the thaw and heavy rains which transferred many county roads into quagmires,” The Shelbyville News reported. Commissioners adopted an ordinance that closed all gravel roads to trucks heavier than conventional pick-ups and established a two-ton gross limit on blacktop roads. A number of buses in the county had been unable to complete their routes due to the issues.
80 YEARS AGO: 1941
A record number of calls were answered by the local fire department when five alarms were sounded in the short space of less than 11 hours. The calls were all traceable to “over-fired heating plants” (furnaces) in homes. Temperatures had stood at 11 degrees below zero overnight. The temperature on this date in 1940 had been 40 degrees.
90 YEARS AGO: 1931
The Boggstown Presbyterian Church hosted a large crowd to hear “Rev. Niles and his colored quartet” perform, The Republican said. Rev. Niles lived in Indianapolis.“They are hard to get but we have seven more,” a J.G. DePrez Company newspaper advertisement read regarding “slightly used” Chambers Fireless Gas Range demonstration stoves. The white ranges were sold on payments.
100 YEARS AGO: 1921
“There has been a great deal of talk and much speculation concerning the compensation Ralph Griffith will receive for the loss of his arm in a machine last week,” The Republican reported. A likely amount was $11 a week for five years, the paper reported. (Approximately $160 per week in today’s money.) Griffith, 22, of Haymond Street, had been injured while working at the Spiegel furniture factory. The Chas. Ewing ambulance transported Griffith to the office of Dr. Will Tindall, where the amputation was performed.OBITUARIES
Our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Robert P. Inlow, M.D., passed away on February 16, 2021. Bob was born in Shelbyville, IN in 1930 to Norma and Dr. William DePrez Inlow. He was a proud graduate of Indiana University where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in 1951 and his medical degree in 1956. IU is also where he met his wife of 70 years, Roberta Graber Inlow. Bob completed his medical internship at the Ohio State University and his residency in surgery at the Mayo Clinic. Bob was also immensely proud of his service as a Captain in the United States Army.
One of Bob’s proud professional achievements was his work at the Inlow Clinic which provided medical services to the greater Shelbyville community for 68 years. The clinic was started in Shelbyville by his father, Dr. William DePrez Inlow, and uncles Herb and Fred in 1923. Bob joined the clinic in 1963, served as President and put his heart into the organization until it closed its doors in 1991. Over the years the clinic employed 40 different doctors and served countless patients in Shelby County. Bob was also proud to continue the tradition of the Mayo Clinic Priestly Society which bestowed the “Inlow Award” annually for top surgical research by a fellow in the surgical training program. Even after his retirement he continued his medical pursuits in the Medical Reserve Corps and CERT in Redondo Beach, California.
Another proud professional achievement was his service with the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He served on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Chapter ACS, and was President of the Indiana Chapter of ACS 1994-1995. He was elected to the national Board of Governors in 1995 and served as Governor at Large for Indiana from 1995-2001.
However, Bob’s proudest achievement was his family. He is survived by his wife, Roberta, their three children, Barbara Inlow-Childress (Kenneth), Dan Inlow (Laura), and Diana (Dee Dee) Inlow Pare (Thomas), as well as seven grandchildren, Amanda, Andrea and Christopher Childress, Kevin and Connor Inlow, and Claire and Thomas Pare, Jr. He was preceded in death by his brothers, William D. Inlow, Jr. and James N. Inlow.
Bob loved to travel and was an avid genealogist. He was outgoing, gregarious, and loved a good laugh. He especially loved Thanksgiving when he, ever the surgeon, always carved the Thanksgiving turkey perfectly and was surrounded by his kids and grandkids. His favorite pursuits after retiring were watching his grandchildren’s school and sporting events and watching his beloved Hoosiers. Bob touched many lives personally and professionally and will be forever in our hearts.
Due to COVID, only a family memorial will be scheduled at this time. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s honor to the American Cancer Society, 5635 W. 96th St., Suite 100, Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Online condolences may be shared with Bob’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Lynn M. Thomas, 67m, of Shelbyville, passed away Thursday, February 18, 2021 at her residence. Born December 23, 1953, in Moscow Ohio, she was the daughter of William Shroyer and Ruth (Heller) Shroyer. She married Mark Thomas in 1978, and he survives. Other survivors include three children: Ashley Larochelle (husband Jean-Marc) of Fishers, Cristin Conner (husband Nathan) of Lincoln, Neb., and Jon Thomas of Lafayette, La.; one brother, Michael Shroyer of Cincinnati Ohio; a sister, Judy Johns of Rush County; and four grandchildren: Caiden, Madelyn, Kyngston, and Anthony. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Bobby, Skip, and Terry Shroyer.
Mrs. Thomas had lived in this area for most of her life and graduated from Waldron High School in 1973. She had worked in the insurance industry for several years, including the Duffy Warble Agency in Shelbyville. She was a member of West Street United Methodist Church. Lynn loved traveling to the beach, playing cards with her card club, and spending time with her family and friends. She also had participated in the Shelbyville Shizuoka Sister City Program for over 15 years.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with Pastor Reid Walker officiating. Burial will be in Bennett Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday morning from noon until the time of the service. Memorial contributions can be made to Lucy's For Lynn, in care of the funeral home, or mail to 511 N. Range Line Road, Morristown, Indiana 46161. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
