Saturday, January 13, 2024
SHS Gymnasts Look for Balance This Season
Shelbyville High School senior gymnast Renee Aldridge competes on the beam in a 2023 competition. | SHS Squib file photo by Isabella Matney
The Shelbyville High School gymnastics team’s first competition was canceled and the second, on Thursday, was a tough loss to New Palestine, so the Golden Bears are anxious for their next shot.
“My goal for my last season is to appreciate the time I have left with this sport, which has been a vital part of my life,” Ella Griggs said. “I hope to not dwell on what I haven’t or didn’t do, but to soak up every moment creating more memories for my senior year.”
She created one Thursday with the team’s top finish on the balance beam. Fellow senior Renee Aldridge also did well, leading the Bears in the floor exercise, uneven bars and the vault, and placing fifth in the all-around competition.
Home meets are held at Girls Inc., familiar to many of the gymnasts. Griggs started in the Girls Inc. program at two years old, fellow senior Faye-Lynn Voss was three and Aldridge at age four.
“Gymnastics is very different from a traditional high school sport, so most of the girls on the team have also been involved from the ages of two to six,” Voss said.
The sport provides some personalization, with athletes able to choose a song for their floor routine. Voss borrowed one from an All-American gymnast.
“Your floor music is supposed to represent your performance, so usually my music is quick and upbeat, which is perfectly represented by (gymnast) Alicia Boren,” she said.
Aldridge uses the “Ratatouille” theme song, which began as a joke four years ago, but has stuck, she said. Griggs isn’t doing the floor event this year, but has used the “Avatar” theme and a mashup by The Weeknd.
With the girls starting the program young and with fewer competitors than in many other sports, they have forged a strong bond over the years, creating nicknames to cheer for each other during meets. Last year, Griggs’ was “G’ma” because she often crocheted and knitted on the bus. Bailee Frazier, a junior, had the nickname “Mittens” because of the shape of her hands during the floor routine.
Voss was given a nickname due to her attendance. “‘Abs’ will most likely carry into this season,” she admitted.
The Golden Bears are up next against Morristown on Monday.
NOTEBOOK:
A Kroger employee at the end of her shift found “severe damage” to her vehicle in the parking lot, a police report stated. Video footage revealed a maroon GMC SUV had backed into her vehicle and left the scene. Although the identity of the driver could not be ascertained via the video, police made note to look for an SUV with rear driver’s side damage.
It was a strong close to the year for Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino in Shelbyville, which reported $25.8 million in gross adjusted revenue for December 2023, up from $23 million in November and $24.4 million in December 2022.
ON THE DOCKET: Among local government meetings to be covered next week in The Addison Times will be the Shelby County Council, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. One item on the agenda is further discussion of developing a Request for Information/Request for Proposals for the county to begin the process of finding providers for broadband services. The matter was discussed at length in the December meeting, but the council did not move forward with the RFI/RFP process at the time.
Second Baptist and First Baptist churches are celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m., at Second Baptist, 34 W. Hendricks St. Refreshments will be served following the service in the fellowship hall.
STATE NEWS: Currently, 91% of public Indiana high schools offer a foundational computer science course, yet only 7% of Indiana high school students are currently enrolled in one of these courses. (Indiana Department of Education)
NATIONAL NEWS: A new analysis of SafeGraph data found that 85 percent of counties in the United States have at least one Mexican restaurant, and only 1 percent of the American population does not live in a county without at least one Mexican restaurant. Texas and California combine for 40 percent of Mexican restaurants in the U.S., and Los Angeles county has the most of any county in America, with 5,484 Mexican restaurants. Florida, New York and Illinois all have 4 percent each of America’s Mexican restaurants, meaning that 51 percent of all Mexican restaurants in the U.S. are in those six states. (Pew Research Center) As an aside, the SHS Courier staff counted six Mexican restaurants in Shelbyville, approximately 1 per 3,340 Shelbyville residents, compared to 1 per 700 residents in Los Angeles.
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: Hibbett Sports announced they would open in one month in the Rivergate Shopping Center on East State Road 44.
2004: Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies busted a major marijuana-growing operation in Fountaintown. Paraphernalia, packaged marijuana, firearms, ammo, growing plants, cash, potting bricks and fluorescent lights were all seized, and officers made two arrests.
1994: The new Village Pantry, at the corner of Amos Road and East State Road 44, opened. It was built by Marsh Supermarkets. The store was billed as a scaled-down version of Marsh’s regular Village Pantry stores, like the one on Vine Street. It would offer everything the full-size stores did except prepared food and eating areas. It was also the first prefabricated Village Pantry store to be constructed.
1984: The Shelbyville Boys Club hosted a state basketball tourney. A newspaper photo showed Richard F. “Swifty” Bennett, acting executive director of the club, attaching name plates for the teams to the scoreboard while John Hartnett Jr., assistant director, held the ladder.
Newly installed leaders of the Morristown Chamber of Commerce were Kim Terry, president; Patricia Spurlock, treasurer; Hazel Slider, secretary; and Robert Jones, vice president.
1974: Southwestern defeated Morristown, 71-70, in overtime to capture the Shelby County Basketball Tourney. Players were Victor Smith, Ron Hamilton, Bill Baker, Mark Gravely, Roger Burt, Brad McQueen, Vern Nightenhelser, Jerry Parmer and Jeff Lee. Cheerleaders were Jennifer Beyer and Linda Parmer. Marty Echelbarger was coach and Bill Golden, assistant coach. Dr. Al Sibbitt was principal.
1964: A blizzard-like storm created six-foot drifts of snow, shutting down all Shelby County schools and St. Joseph school, but not Shelbyville city schools. Many rural roads were closed, and strong winds made matters worse. County school officials reported 11 inches of snow and up to 40 mile-per-hour winds.
The annual Christmas tree burning in Sunset Park was held. Mayor Ralph VanNatta applied the lighted match to a fuse of gasoline-soaked paper leading to the pile of Christmas trees to start the event.
1954: The 40-year old Alhambra building was purchased by a group of local businessmen under the entity Broadway Improvement Group, owned by Nate Kaufman, Russell Gross, Bradley Hall, John C. DePrez, Chester Sandman, Frank Gibson, Major T. Jester, Paul Sirkus and Glenn Plymate. Several improvements were planned for the building, which had been erected by Frank Rembusch about 40 years prior. Rembusch had acquired the property from Louis Hoover in 1911. The Alhambra Theater was operated in the building continuously for many years until 1951.
W.F. Loper received a Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana Superintendents Association for his more than 20 years of service as a superintendent.
1944: Glenn Plymate was re-elected leader of the Shelby County Red Cross chapter.
Worland’s Pharmacy posted an ad to hire a full-time soda fountain employee and “two boys for work in drug store after school, every other night, Saturdays and every other Sunday part day.”
1934: Ralph Worland, Shelbyville pharmacist, signed a 10-year lease on a storefront owned by Nathan Kaufman at the northeast corner of Harrison and Broadway St., and planned to move his pharmacy there March 1. The location had previously been the Federal bakery. Coming improvements would include a new front, with the entrance at the corner, an 18-foot long window and a new side door, to be used for curb service. A terrazzo floor would be installed. The building had once been the Ensminger & Schroeder pharmacy, then Schroeder & Hoop, then Hoop Bros. and McBride & Groom.
1924: Mary Rouse’s leg surgery went well. She had been accidentally shot by her grandchildren, who had been playing with a gun when it went off.
A local woman was found guilty for theft. She and her nieces had been climbing into train cars and stealing coal, which was put into a cart and taken to her home. Officers said the tracks of the cart from the railroad yards to her home “could be followed plainly.”
1914: Russell Holsclaw and Carl Brown were found smoking by the traction station at 11 p.m. Police gave them “a strong lecture,” The Republican said. “They claimed that they were 21 years old but their looks did not bear out their statements. The boys were taken to their homes and their parents verified their ages.”
A horse attached to a Webben & Zeller bread wagon ran away, starting from Webber’s grocery on Franklin St. “Claud Beynon tracked the horse to the Kuhn livery stable on East Broadway,” The Republican said. “The trail was marked by 90 loaves of bread scattered along the way.”
OBITUARIES
Rosemary Teresa “Rosie” Grove, 76, of Shelbyville, passed away Sunday, January 7, 2024, at her home, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born November 15, 1947, in Hayward’s Heath (Sussex), England, the daughter of Alfred James and Gladys Ena (Bowmar) Vincent. On October 12, 1971, she married her devoted husband of 52 years, William “Bill” Grove, and he survives. In addition to Bill, Rosie is survived by her daughter, Karen Johnson and husband, Jack, of Mooresville; son, Scott Grove of Shelbyville; sister, Sally Anne Adams and husband, David, of Truro, Cornwall, England; and grandchildren, Alexander James Grove and Sarah Elizabeth Grove. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Rosie was an active member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church. She was a nurse in the Royal Air Force. Rosie was a librarian, retiring in 2016, from Shelbyville Center Schools, with 24 years of service.
Family and friends may gather from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 125 E. Broadway St., in Shelbyville, Indiana. The rosary will be recited at 9:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, at the church. Private graveside services will be at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Shelbyville. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Joseph Catholic Church. Online condolences may be shared with Rosie’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Patricia Joanne Koth, 79, of Shelbyville, passed away, Thursday, January 11, 2024, at Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis. She was born November 21, 1944, in San Diego, California, the daughter of Frank and Ardith (Barden) Gierhart. On December 21, 1966, she married Michael Koth, and he survives. In addition to Michael, Patricia is survived by her son, Michael Koth Jr. of Union, Kentucky; daughters, Shannon Kotarski of Indianapolis, Jennifer Thompson and husband, Travis, of Perrysburg, Ohio, Kathleen Wilson and wife, Brittainy, of Greenfield, and Heather Koth-Snyder and husband, Adam, of Shelbyville; grandchildren, Nathan Koth, Samantha Koth, Ashlie Swain, Evita Koth, Hailey Thompson and Ryan Thompson; and great-grandchildren, Jack Swain and Joey Swain. She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Chester Gierhart.
In 1962, Patricia graduated from Regina High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received her bachelor’s in education from Edge Cliff College (Xavier University).
Patricia enjoyed substitute teaching. Spending time with her family and friends was her greatest treasure.
Friends and Family may gather from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Friday, January 19, 2024, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. A Celebration of Patricia’s life will follow at 11:30 a.m., Friday, at the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared with Patricia’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Shirley Mae Reedy, 95, of Shelbyville, passed away Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at Walker Place. Born November 30, 1928, in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was the daughter of J. Lester Diesel and Selma (Springmeir) Diesel. Survivors include two sons, Gary Berling (wife Dawn) of Morristown and Richard Berling (wife Deesa) of Madison, Wisconsin; five grandchildren, Jesse, Justin, Dazey, Renee and Brad; and several great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her stepmother, Ruth Diesel.
Mrs. Reedy had lived in this area since 2014 after moving from Cincinnati. She had been a postal employee in Cincinnati for 12 years. She graduated from Withrow High School in Cincinnati. Shirley enjoyed playing cards, dancing, and traveling all over the world, and had visited most continents.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until noon on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with burial in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery in Cincinnati. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Roy Allen Jones, 74, of Shelbyville, passed away Wednesday January 10, 2024 at Willows in Greensburg, IN. He was born April 19, 1949 in Rushville, IN. to Mintford Jones and Elsie (Dixon) Jones.
He served in the United States Marines. Roy worked at Williams Industrial in screen printing before he retired. Roy admired the Beatles. He was a supporter and an avid I.U. basketball fan and a true fan of Jeff Gordon.
Roy is survived by his daughter, Shannon Ginn; his granddaughter, Alexandria Ginn; his sister, Linda Sullivan; his niece; his great-niece; and a longtime friend, Tim Simerly. He was preceded in death by his parents, nine brothers and four sisters.
Visitation will be Thursday, January 18, 2024 from noon to 2 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. A graveside services will follow at Center Cemetery, 9112 N. 50 W., Knightstown, IN. 46148 with military rites conducted. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Roy’s family. Memorial contributions may be given to Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1St, Ste 800, Miami, FL. 33131 or American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas TX., 75284-0692 or VA Medical Center, c/o of Voluntary Services (135), Canandaigua, New York, 14424, in care Murphy-Parks Funeral Services. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
How could Arizona be skipped as having plenty of Mexican restaurants? We have a few hundred in Mesa, AZ alone plus a few New Mexican restaurants.