Saturday, March 16, 2024
Name This Object
Yesterday's edition generated discussion, mostly because it erroneously identified the capital of Tennessee, which is actually Nashville. (A correction was quickly made.) Also of interest was mention of the former Shelby County Community Concert series, hosted at The Strand Theatre. David Finkel shared the above photo, which shows a giveaway from those concerts, which were organized by the likes of Mickey Wagner, Rosalie Adams and Maurice and Carol Finkel. Bonus points if you can identify the purpose of the object depicted.
Nolley Reflects on Political Service, Looks to Future
Only Rob Nolley could consider himself “semi-retired” just because he’s no longer holding local political office, or offices. Stepping down after seven years as Shelby County Republican Party chair and 20 years on the Shelbyville Common Council, Nolley is now mostly focused on Tubesock, Inc., the IT company he founded nearly 30 years ago.
Even though he declined to run for Congress this year, Nolley said he will stay connected to Republican politics.
“My earliest memories are of campaigning with my family for Ralph VanNatta when he was campaigning for (Indiana) Lieutenant Governor,” Nolley said in an interview last week.
VanNatta, Shelbyville’s first full-time mayor, had appointed Nolley’s grandfather, Robert L. Nolley, as chief of police in 1964. Although VanNatta lost the election despite winning every county except Marion, he was later appointed Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. He then hired R.L. Nolley to a position within the Bureau.
When Dan Theobald became mayor in 1980, he appointed Rob’s father, Robert M. Nolley, as chief of police. Within a few years, then-county GOP chair Jim Williams convinced Rob’s mother, Donna Nolley, to run for office.
“Jill and I were dating by then, and I think I recruited her to help,” Rob said of his wife.
Rob stayed close to local politics even after joining the Navy. He was on a layover in Anchorage, Alaska on Election Day 1988, so he called Shelby County Republican headquarters collect to find out if Theobald won a third term. (He did.)
After Nolley returned to Shelbyville, then-chairman Roger Laird convinced him to run for City Council in the 3rd Ward against Orville Branson after long-time representative Roland Stine moved to an at-large spot.
“I had just started Tubesock, and I didn’t spend money (on the race). I didn’t even campaign,” Nolley said. “Orville was out there knocking on doors and busting his butt.”
Nolley lost by three votes. But he became treasurer of the party, and when Branson opted not to run again after one term, Nolley clinched his first of five terms with a general election win over Democrat Jim Lisher, a former prosecutor who had worked closely with Nolley’s father.
By the time Rob ran for his final term in 2019, he was also serving as party chair. He spent long days growing his business, attending to numerous city initiatives and fielding calls as party chair. He also spearheaded efforts to pay off the party headquarters building early. After Republicans swept the city races last fall, giving them every major office in the city and county for the first time in county history, Nolley decided it was time to slow down.
“I can only go downhill from here,” he said, laughing.
Nolley is proud of the city’s accomplishments over the past 20 years, especially the Advantage Shelby County scholarship program, which has raised the county’s educational attainment level, pedestrian trails, the Excel Center, industrial investment and, of course, the redeveloped downtown.
“Downtown was absolutely dead. We made it walkable and enjoyable,” he said from his office above Pudders overlooking Public Square. “More restaurants are already enjoying success, and it’s only going to grow.”
But two decades on the council were enough.
“I didn’t have any intentions of running for mayor. I truly wanted to do good for the community,” he said. “I feel we did some things that made this a better community, both in my time with (Mayor) Scott (Furgeson) and (Mayor) Tom (DeBaun). I just felt I had run my course at City Hall, and it was time for some new people to get in.”
After announcing he was stepping down as party chair, he considered running for U.S. Congress given that Rep. Greg Pence isn’t running again. Nolley flew out to Washington in January to spend a hectic day accompanying Pence to committee and House floor meetings.
“I bet I put in four miles of walking between his building and the Capitol,” Nolley said.
The day included plenty of DC drama with Republicans fighting amongst themselves and with Democrats over a budget resolution. Nolley had second thoughts “after seeing nothing getting done,” he said. After returning and hearing about other self-funded candidates for the spot, he opted against a run.
With direct political responsibilities in the rearview mirror, Nolley looks forward to splitting his time between training business leaders at Tubesock and personal endeavors.
“I love coming to work every day. I love interacting with our customers and our employees,” Nolley said.
He and Jill are also mulling the purchase of a house in Costa Rica.
“I plan on spending time down there,” he said, “but I’m certainly not just going to become anonymous here.”
NOTEBOOK:
NATIONAL NEWS: While many states have begun to legalize the sale of cannabis, plenty of parts of the country are still banning it, and nevertheless in those places a vibrant marijuana trade remains. Growing that grass requires sophisticated operations, as the original entrenched interests have bailed out of the pot industry in pursuit of legal markets, local organized crime syndicates have taken over. Oklahoma is a major site for illegal weed grows, and as it stands the state is home to some 3,000 illegal grows linked to foreign mafias, and there’s somewhere between $18 billion and $44 billion worth of marijuana grown illegally there annually. (The Frontieŕ/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: The Shelby County Red Devils won the Special Olympics sectional basketball championship. Team members were William Wainscott, Shane Hill, Ben Boggs, Louis Rojas, Zach McKnight, Dusty Tucker, Billy Mark and Travis Tucker. Joe Land was coach and Abby Shuck, assistant coach.
2004: A construction worker was seriously injured working at a site in the 1800 block of East McKay Road. His leg had been crushed between the bucket of a backhoe and a wall. The man was placed aboard a Lifeline helicopter for transport to Indianapolis.
1994: Randall Robinson announced plans to build 35 modular or pre-manufactured homes on Old Rushville Road near the end of James Street. Robinson filed his petition with the Shelbyville Plan Commission for a hearing later in the month.
1984: Shelbyville High School Band Boosters announced an event featuring Rick Nelson from the Ozzie & Harriet Show with The Kandells (previously “Stix & Stonz”) with “Steve, Jack, Phil and Dan,” the ad read. The event would be held at Garrett Gymnasium.
The Garment Center in the Belaire Shopping Center on East State Road 44 went out of business. The store, which had six employees, had been there over six years.
1974: About 50 people attended a new People Against Crime group meeting at city hall, organized by local businessman Jim Gray. State Sen. Robert Sheaffer and State Rep. Stephen Moberly discussed a range of topics, from drugs to the death penalty. Sheriff Norman Murnan and Police Chief Bob Wiliams also discussed criminal justice efforts.
The Holiday Inn launched a nationwide computerized Gasoline Advisory Service (GAS) in an effort to take the uncertainty out of traveling. The local Holiday Inn was participating. Each Holiday Inn would provide travelers with information on fuel availability within five miles of the hotel. The service answered four questions for callers: Is gas available? Are stations limiting the quantity? Is gas available after 6 p.m.? Is gas available on Sunday?
1964: A Shelby County couple was fined for striking their 13-year-old son several times with an ax handle. The child was unable to attend school for some time. The father told authorities he “could not remember” the reason for striking the child. Philip Brown was prosecutor for the case. The couple was sentenced to jail, but the sentence was suspended since they had 10 children to care for at home.
1954: Over 16 children were vaccinated throughout the county against whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria and smallpox.
Mildred Boles, 113 N. Hamilton St., lost $46 while at the post office. She placed a small classified newspaper ad regarding the matter. Russell Havens, who worked at Chambers and found the money, returned the money to her by cab - and wouldn’t accept a reward or let her pay for the cab. The Shelbyville News story on the matter ended with instructions on how to “phone 38 and ask for the Classified Girl” if you needed an ad.
1944: Seven girls of the 1944 Shelbyville High School graduating class were named to the May Court. The girls were Carol Beaven, Ruth Chambers, Gloria Deupree, Janice Jester, Betty Lou McCracken, Lucinda Smith and Jackie Soller.
1934: Ray Hinshaw, instructor in free courses offered as part of the National Recovery Education Program, said he needed increased attendance in the night classes. He taught Business English and a History class, which studied conditions in Russia and “Fascist Italy and Mussolini.”
1924: A fire caused major damage to 15 West Taylor St. “When the fire department arrived, flames were shooting a distance of 20 feet from the roof,” The Republican said. The blaze had been discovered by Gus Hirschauer, a volunteer member of the department, as he was on his way to work.
1914: Postmaster Elisha Sexton and Charles Moberly anounced plans to buy and sell horses and mules. They would also buy and sell other stock.
OBITUARIES
B. Joan Bassett, 91, of Shelbyville, passed away Thursday, March 14, 2024 at Ashford Place. Born March 17, 1932, in Shelby County, she was the daughter of Wilbur Gaines and Julia (Reed) Gaines.
Survivors include a daughter, Denise Rogian of New Palestine and two sons. Also surviving are several grandchildren, including Joanna Pike, and several great-grandchildren including Alexa, Keidan, and Levi Pike. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Garnet Dale Gaines; sister, Shirley Snowden; and son-in-law, Greg Rogian.
Mrs. Bassett was a lifelong resident of this area and graduated from Morristown High School. She had worked as a unit secretary for Community Hospital, retiring after 20 years of service. She had also worked for several years as waitress and manager of Frisch's Big Boy in Shelbyville, and was affectionally known to her customers as “Big Red.” She was a member of Shelbyville American Legion Post# 70 and a member of Indianapolis Moose Lodge.
Joan enjoyed sewing and crafts, cooking and baking, shopping, attending Mardi Gras with her extended family, and spending time with her family.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with Rev. David Humphrey officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday morning from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Parkinson's Awareness, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Patricia A. Ogden, 88, of Shelbyville, passed away March 14, 2024 at MHP Medical Center. Services are pending at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home.
That is a device used by a woman to dial a rotary phone if they had long finger nails.