Saturday, March 1, 2025
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Chamber Gala Recognizes Award Recipients, Nominees
Rising Star Award recipient Noah Schoolcraft (center) pauses for a photo with Jeremy Powers and Kent McNeely following his acceptance remarks. | photo by JACK BOYCE
The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce fulfilled its promise to “celebrate, elevate, innovate” at Thursday’s annual awards gala. The elegant backdrop of Horseshoe Indianapolis Clubhouse set the stage of an evening of gratefulness expressed by award presenters and recipients. The following are the names of each recipient and brief excerpts from their acceptance remarks.
“Dick Kitchin” Volunteers of the Year: Stephanie Amos and Joshua Georgen
Amos: Growing up, my siblings and I were taught by our parents that community is everything. Giving back is not just something we do, it's our responsibility. Shelbyville has always been home to me, and I'm able to give back to the community that has helped shape me. It's both a privilege and a responsibility I carry very close to my heart.
Georgen: Honestly, I was taken aback with a number of people who came to me since the awards were announced and congratulated me. It reassured me that Shelby County and the members of it value the positive things that are happening here.
Shelby County Community Lifetime Achievement: Tim Barrick
Barrick: We have a great community here. Shelbyville and Shelby County is my home. It's where I grew up. It's been my life, and it's going to be my life until the end of my life. Somebody asked me one time, how do I want to be remembered? And I said, “I want to be remembered as a builder of things and a doer, because I don't like to sit back and just relax. I want to be doing things that benefit the community. That's something that I think is really important, that we all strive to better the community. It's really easy to sit back and complain, but when you really engage yourself, you get a satisfaction that I can't even begin to explain.
John A. Hartnett Sr. Business Person: Brian Brammer
Brammer: My wife, Christine, and I moved here probably over 35 years ago, and raised our two wonderful kids, Katie and Jack…. We've definitely made Shelby County and Shelbyville our home, and it has been a great community to live here and have our family and have a business.
Face of Shelby County (Customer Service): Jeremy Jones
Jones: If you've been to (Boba Cafe), or ever want to come to our store, you know I’m thankful for you, and I appreciate what you've done for me…I’ve lived here my entire life, and my family's been a real big support to me.
Golden Apple Outstanding Educator: Kristiaan Rawlings
Rawlings: To follow Mr. Barrick’s remarks: It’s you - the doers, the risk-takers, the criticism-takers, the givers - who make my contributions possible. I’ll never forget that.
Outstanding Citizen of the Year: Dyan Current
Current: But the biggest thing that I am excited for is this has brought a huge light onto the community center, so our community is learning more about our homeless, and the center that we're providing a little bit of refuge for them several days a week.
Beau Browning Maverick Award (Under 40): Alison Everhart
Everhart: Beau and his family are the epitome of hard work, a servant's heart, compassion and giving back to your community. I stand here tonight due to the many, many people who have contributed so many valuable things to my life, from supporting me, mentoring me, they've completely shaped me to who I am today.
Rising Star Award: Noah Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft: There are so many people who helped me to get to where I am today. I want to thank my parents, teachers and coaches for their guidance and all that they do for me on a daily basis to make the best version of myself.
Business of the Year: Capone’s Downtown Speakeasy (nominees: HIGH BARR Real Estate, Infinity Home Health Care Plus)
Karen Smith (Capone’s): I couldn't do it without my family, my husband, who puts up with me every day with all my new ideas for the place and making it a great place to be.
Non-Profit Champion: Boys & Girls Club (nominees: Shelbyville Central Schools Education Foundation, Shelby County Active Aging Coalition)
Scott Spahr (Boys & Girls Club): We have four clubs now. There's a billboard on Michigan Road that says, “Not your dad's club.” What that means is, we're different because the needs of the kids are different. We really focus on mental health and homework and tutoring and allowing them to be a kid in a safe environment…. We serve 500 kids a day in Shelby County.
BELOW: Attendees at Thursday’s Chamber Awards Gala listen to remarks from recipients. | photo by JACK BOYCE
‘Annie Jr.’ Set for Final Show Tonight
ABOVE: “Annie Jr.” cast members enjoy “N.Y.C.” at last night’s Shelbyville Middle School production. The show returns for a final performance tonight, 7 p.m., at the school. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students. BELOW: Kat Ahmad (standing on bed), Cael Tackett and McKenzie Haehl perform “Easy Street”.
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NOTEBOOK:
It’s Mardi Gras Night at The Strand Theatre tonight, 7:30 p.m. Buck Rogers Jr. and the seven-piece La Louisianne Band will provide New Orleans/Louisiana Mardi Gras music with a distinctive Hoosier flare. This is a fun, all-ages show, children under 12 are free, with costumes welcome, prize giveaways, Mardi Gras beads and customs. Tickets are available at the door.
HOOSIER NEWS: Gov. Mike Braun signed two executive orders Thursday to reduce fraud and add new reporting requirements for Hoosiers on unemployment. He said these executive orders are in response to Indiana's loss of millions of dollars due to fraudulent unemployment insurance claims over the past few years. The first directs the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to verify applicant eligibility using state and federal new hire directories and other data cross-checking tools. DWD will provide a quarterly reports of their findings to the governor until their review is complete. It also tasks the department with investigating claims filed from a single IP address, using a similar mailing address or bank account. Braun said unemployment insurance should only be used as temporary assistance while searching for a new job. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: The NFL will adopt automated measurements of first downs in 2025, setting aside the age-old ten-yard chain measurement system with a sophisticated Sony ball monitoring system. That being said, game officials will continue to spot the ball between plays, and the physical chains will stay on the sidelines during the year as a backup and a visual aid for the players and coaches. The NFL says that the automated process takes 30 seconds to check if the first down has been made, while the existing manual process comes in at 75 seconds give or take. On average, 12 measurements were made during each week of the regular season. (Sportico/Numlock)
Thank you to every donor for your continued support of The Addison Times. Donors of $100 or more receive a quarterly print publication in the mail. Please consider a one-time or monthly donation to The Addison Times, either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor
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WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Myron and Mary Kay (Streeval) Rawlings, Shelbyville, celebrate 45 years of marriage today. They were married March 1, 1980, at Edinburgh Apostolic Tabernacle, with Rev. Grover Myers officiating. They have two children, Seth (Shina) Rawlings and Kristiaan Rawlings, and four grandchildren, Sarai, Jacob, Emma and Judah. Mr. Rawlings is retired from the U.S. Postal Service and works at MHP. Mrs. Rawlings is a legal secretary, working for attorney Robert Arnold for over 30 years and now for attorney Jacqueline Tweedy. The family will celebrate with a dinner at Kopper Kettle Restaurant.
SHS Courier Archive Highlights
November 22, 2011
Wrestling season was underway. The previous year, Tyler Uhls had won the Perry Meridian regional and was named The Shelbyville News’ Wrestler of the Year, going 32-10 with 28 pins.
Chelsee Simerly was president of Student Council, which met Wednesday mornings, 7:05 a.m.
The SHS Pep Band had played two games at Indiana University in place of the Big Red Pep Band, which could not be in attendance either night. “About that time my jaw hit the desk,” Mr. Smith, director of bands at SHS, said about the phone call request from Mr. Woodley, director of bands at IU. SHS played “Crazy Train” and “Come on Feel the Noize” as well as hits “Born This Way” and “California Gurls”. SHS had also performed at the Marching Hundred Showcase the year before.
The varsity girls basketball team would feature five seniors: Allison Gobel, Raven Hibbard, Ashley Bush, Chelsee Simmerly and Meghan Thornburg. The girls swim team had two seniors: Ashley Nolley and Kaelie Hauck.
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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: Two boys, ages 6 and 11, found a loaded gun on the sidewalk on Jefferson Ave. near First Street. A man driving by saw the boys looking at the gun and called the police. A 50-year-old man later went to the police station to claim the gun. He said he had been walking down the sidewalk and fell over a crack. He later realized his handgun was missing. Police smelled a strong odor of alcohol on the man and gave him a portable breath test, which he failed. The man was arrested for public intoxication. He later got the gun back.
1995: Melton’s Jewelry Store, 3 Public Square, closed. Albert Melton, who had owned and worked at the store for 31 years, had died in 1993. His wife, Alice, decided it was time to retire. A jewelry store had occupied 3 Public Square since 1913, when James McCloskey opened McCloskey’s Jewelry Store. He later joined up with Roy Fleming, who ran the store in 1948 when Al Melton graduated from Watch Maker School in Corydon. He took a job repairing watches at the store and bought the business after Fleming died. “You used to need a license to open the back of a watch because of the intricate parts,” Alice Melton said. “Al used to keep his license above his workbench. But now all you need to know is how to put a battery in the watch.”
1985: Paige Parmer and Yancy Wilcoxson were crowned queen and king at Southwestern’s Sweetheart Dance.
George Lux purchased a building on Public Square that formerly housed Becom’s and Serendipity from Bob Jones, a Morristown attorney. Lux planned to renovate the building.
1975: Charles D. O’Connor, an associate attorney with the Glass & Moberly firm, was the first person to file a declaration for candidacy for the position of city judge. O’Connor graduated from SHS, the University of Notre Dame and Indiana School of Law. He was a first lieutenant in the Army Reserve and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
1965: Police investigated a bomb threat at the Strand Theatre. Marty Sandefur, the ticket seller at the theatre, received a call reporting that a bomb was hidden in the theater and scheduled to go off at 7 p.m. The ticket seller notified Russell Branson, manager, who called police. Numerous law enforcement officers responded. The lights were turned on in the theater, and Branson requested patrons to leave. A search was conducted, but nothing was found.
1955: Addison Township school officials met to discuss how to accommodate about 200 more children, brought by the 140 families expected to move here due to the new General Electric Industrial Heating Plant. Attorneys Ralph Adams and Fred Cramer had helped the school move through a bonding process for a cafeteria addition and two additional classrooms.
The local emergency ambulance had made 29 runs in February, a new record.
1945: Two cars were stolen within a couple of hours. They were later found abandoned, one in a wheat field west of Boggstown, the other wrecked on Boggstown Road near the Sindlinger farm.
1935: Representatives of 65 civic clubs met to discuss establishing a recreation center in Shelbyville. John D. DePrez was elected chairman of the executive committee. Other members were Robert Griffey, Anna Flaitz, George Hearn, James McCloskey, Dorothy Hale, Marie Wilson and Floyd Roberts.
FERA officials warned Shelbyville residents that piles of ashes and trash should be moved into alleys before alley cleaning workers came through. Some residents had been placing items in the alleys after they had been cleaned, necessitating a second round of cleaning.
1925: Shelbyville merchants met to discuss decorating downtown in school colors for the upcoming sectional tournament. Several merchants were flying high school flags. Public Square featured the American flag along with flags from all 14 high school participating.
1915: Police warned two young men who had sold 85 carpet sweepers for $11 that they would be arrested for violation of the peddling ordinance if they didn’t stop going door-to-door. The same sweeper could be bought in local stores for $8.50, The Republican noted.
William Meloy told The Republican he would open up a new picture show business in the Dorsey block on South Harrison Street.
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OBITUARIES
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