Saturday, May 10, 2025
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MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND TIMES FOUR
Scott and Brittany Armstrong make it convenient for their four daughters, Kaydence, 8, Brooklynn, 6, Alyvia, 3, and Gracelynn, 1, to enjoy the St. Joe Festival. The annual fair wraps up this evening. | photo by JACK BOYCE
Fire Department Receives Gift for Thermal Imaging Equipment
Addison Township officials present a check to Shelbyville Fire Chief Doug Lutes Thursday for thermal imaging equipment. (L to R) Rick Moorhead, Addison Township Advisory Board; Genie Shelton, Investigator/Clerk at Addison Township Trustee Office; Chief Doug Lutes; Susan Smith, Township Advisory Board Chair; James Garrett Jr., Addison Township Trustee; and Julie Ruschhaupt, Township Advisory Board. | photo by ANNA TUNGATE
The Addison Township Advisory Board presented a $7,500 check Thursday to the Shelbyville Fire Department that will purchase seven thermal imaging cameras. Combined with funds from the Blue River Community Foundation, every Shelbyville firefighter will now have the equipment on their pack. (The BCRF portion is supported by a generous donation from Ross and Ena Sobel of the Smidt Family Foundation.)
“Thermal images were a game changer back in the day, and they just keep getting better and better,” Fire Chief Doug Lutes said. “I have guys using their clothing allowance and buying them for themselves, so that’s how good they are.”
Thermal imaging cameras find differences in temperatures, which is helpful when fighting active fires. Lutes recalled a downtown interior fire in which firefighters couldn’t see, but were able to locate a door with the technology. The cameras can also show the location of a person - at approximately 100 degrees body temperature contrasted to surrounding fire - during a search and rescue operation.
The Township gift goes beyond the contract amount the Township sends to the City of Shelbyville.
“We know the fire protection that you provide in Addison Township is greatly appreciated,” James Garrett Jr., Township Trustee, said. “So, we wanted to see what we could do to go above and beyond.”
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NOTEBOOK:
An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor is scheduled to close State Road 252 just west of I-65 on or after Monday, May 12, to complete a culvert installation project in Edinburgh. The closure will take place between the I-65 interchange and Lind Drive/County Road 900 West and is expected to be completed in early July, weather permitting. During the closure, motorists should use the official detour route, which follows I-65 to Exit 76 to U.S. 31. This work is part of a $15.4 million contract awarded in September 2024.
Today is opening day at the downtown Shelbyville Farmers Market. Details here…
HOOSIER NEWS: An Indiana University student is suing Indiana’s secretary of state and election commission to allow voting with student IDs issued by public colleges. The plaintiffs argue the ban violates the First, Fourteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments by targeting and excessively burdening young voters. The election supervisor for Monroe County estimated two-thirds of IU students used their university-issued IDs to vote in the 2024 General Election, the complaint said. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: The Colorado Rockies are off to the kind of bad start in baseball that has historians kicking the tires on whether or not this is one of those history-making bad teams. As of midday yesterday, the Rockies were 6-28, putting them 17.5 games out of first place. There are certainly shades of last year’s Chicago White Sox — a team that began their season 3-22 and won 25.3 percent of their games, the worst showing in the modern era. The situation in Colorado is looking bad, with the worst hitters in the league and some of the worst defense. Only the 1988 Baltimore Orioles had a worse 34-game start, going 5-29. However, the worst ever single-season winning percentage belongs to the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, who only won 23.5 percent of their games. (NBC News/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
Nov. 9, 1955, Part I
Thirty-five girls and nine boys were selected to serve as Concessions workers for the year, providing Cokes, popcorn, ice cream bars and other refreshments at basketball games. Mary Jane Stubbs and Jim McKeand were ex-officio members of the group. Girls would don the traditional yellow aprons. Paul Meltzer was concessions manager.
The formation of a student council was underway at SHS. Home room delegates were meeting for 30 minutes before school on Mondays to organize the endeavor, with Jim McMichael taking the lead.
A quote from Miss Kinsley: “President James Garfield lived for 80 days after he was assassinated.”
A crawfish was found under Betty Thurston’s desk in the freshman assembly. Mr. Holland came to the rescue.
Mr. Davies was making a potter’s wheel for use in Miss Williams’ art classes.
“Parking has become quite a problem around SHS. There are a few things, however, that students and faculty members can do to ease the situation. First, all drivers should park as near to the yellow line in front of them as possible, and reasonably close to the car in front. They could also park on streets adjacent to the school block to give others more room to park. The possibility of several students riding in one car has been suggested. Four or five students could take turns driving. Another suggestion is that drivers who live within walking distance of school leave their cars at home. A final suggestion is that students who ride motorbikes could park at right angles to the curb in one parking space in order not to waste any necessary spaces which could be used for automobiles. The school administration is studying the problem in order to reach a satisfactory solution, but meanwhile student and faculty drivers can do much toward easing a difficult situation by showing consideration for the rights of others. Certainly driveways should not be blocked, and requests of property owners in the school neighborhood for temporary access for delivery trucks should be promptly and courteously granted.
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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: The City Planning office, led by Tom DeBaun, issued notices to several business owners who were displaying so many items on downtown sidewalks that there wasn’t space remaining, as required by the ADA. Since the city ordinance specified that horses must also be kept off the sidewalk, DeBaun said the city would be updating the ordinance soon.
1995: A land developer who had planned on developing 60 acres across from Long Acre subdivision on Columbus Road announced he was halting the project.
1985: A SCUFFY survey showed that cost of utilities was the most serious “community problem” local people faced. Drug treatment was listed as “the most needed service.”
1975: City water bills were set to increase 20.9% starting in June. It was the first increase in 1970.
A lawsuit from adjoining farmland owners claimed that boat waves from a Fairland recreation lake were eroding their farmland.
1965: Fire destroyed the Bluebird Restaurant on U.S. 52 in Morristown. All customers had left in an orderly manner after fire broke out in a grease vent over a french fryer. The front of the building was left standing but a back wall was weakened and would likely have to be torn down. The Red and White Supermarket, west of and adjacent to the Bluebird, received smoke and water damage.
1955: The Bible Baptist Church was formed. Services would be held four miles south of Shelbyville on State Road 9 on the John Sprong property. Rev. Howard Winkler was the pastor.
Under the influence of the Davy “king of the wild frontier” Crockett legend reaching Shelbyville, librarian Ethel Thralls ordered numerous biographical materials. Thralls said the volumes were ordered after kids “whistling and humming the Crocket ode ‘pestered’” her with requests, The Shelbyville News said.
1945: “Shelbyville has resumed normal activities following a VE Day during which most of the citizenry remained at home listening to their radios and reflecting upon the historic magnitude of the occasion and looking ahead to the unfinished task in the Pacific,” The Republican said. There had been no police issues on VE Day, and only one injury, in which a boy was injured by a firecracker. VE Day meant the end of the “brown-out” orders, local officials said. The government also listed the midnight curfew on amusement places.
1935: Virginia Sosbe, a 12-year-old Shelbyville girl who had left home on her bicycle, was apprehended in Pendleton.
1925: City of Shelbyville officials received relics from the world war that had been captured by American troops from the German armies.
1915: Temperatures dropped to the 30s overnight, with a light frost on the ground.
“One of the first groups of gypsies to be seen in Shelbyville this year passed through this morning,” The Republican said. “They passed through without stop, heading for Columbus. The group looked fairly clean and prosperous.”
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OBITUARIES
Rose Marie (Cooper) (Brown) Allen, 88, of Shelbyville, passed away on Friday, May 9, 2025, at her home. She was born August 18, 1936, in Shelbyville, the daughter of Henry and Verna Marie (Chappelow) Cooper. Rose married Max Brown on November 26, 1954 and in December of 2013, he preceded her in death. On November 18, 1979, she married John Allen, and he preceded her in death on May 12, 2006. Rose is survived by her daughter, Teresa Archer and friend, Steve Snider, of Shelbyville; son, Tom Brown and wife, Lori, of Shelbyville, step-children, Steve Allen and wife, Juanita, and Tom Allen and wife, Dee, both of West Virginia, Karen Watts of Florida, and Mildred Pritt and Barbara Smith and husband, Malcolm, both of Ohio; brother, Donald Cooper and wife, Carol, of Columbus; grandchildren, Rodger Bowers and wife, Martie, Shawna Zeisloft, Jen Gould and husband, Brian, Kelly Smith and husband, Steve, Bryan Brown and wife, Molly; great-grandchildren, A. J. Nelson and husband, Jon, Ethan Zeisloft, Sherry Zeisloft, Amelia Smith, Charlotte Smith, Etta Smith, Cooper Brown, Henry Bowers, Sarah Hendershot, Tabetha Schall, Amanda McCleery and Mikayla McCleery; great-great-grandchildren, Charlotte Rosemarie, Karsyn, Ja-Leah and Gwendolyn; step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nephew, Mike Cooper of Greenfield; and niece, Laura Gage and husband, Lynn, of Warsaw. Rose was also preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Eric Zeisloft; step-sons, John Allen Jr., Keith Allen and Mike Allen; brother, Harold Cooper; and nephews, Donnie Cooper and Brett Cooper.
In 1954, Rose graduated from Shelbyville High School. She was a member of the Bengal Christian Church. Rose was the treasurer of Beech Grove Schools, retiring in 2000, with 25 years of service. She was also a member of the Saint Joseph Social Club, United Church Women, Bengal Ladies Group, Shelby Senior Services, American Legion Auxiliary and two card clubs. Rose loved to play cards, with her favorite games being hand and foot and euchre. She also leaves behind her dog, Roxy.
Visitation will be from 10 am to noon, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Bengal Christian Church, 3518 S. Shelby 750 W, Franklin, Ind., 46131. Funeral services will follow at Noon, at the church, with Pastor Scott Phenis officiating. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Rose’s family would like to thank her caregivers with MainStreet Hospice for the wonderful care she received. Memorial contributions may be made to Bengal Christian Church. Online condolences may be shared with Rose’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.