Construction Continues

"Sandwiched" between McDonald’s and Waffle House, Zaxby's, 1792 N. Riley, Shelbyville, continues construction for opening later this summer. | Jack Boyce

A VIEW FROM MY SCHWINN: Kentucky Derby 2021

Among the ladies in hats enjoying the Kentucky Derby from the clubhouse at Indiana Grand were (left to right) Jody Fortner, Dawn Fortner, Tamey Adams, and Donette Johnson.

by KRIS MELTZER

Dear readers,

Yesterday was the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby. It was going to be a beautiful day at Churchill Downs, but I decided against going to cover the event live. Skeeter could only find enough money in the budget for me to travel on Kentucky public transit, which involves using a piece of cardboard and crayon.

I elected instead to have Skeeter pump enough gas into my foreign car to get me out to Indiana Grand and back. Enjoying the Kentucky Derby from the clubhouse at Indiana Grand was a great alternative. The clubhouse was at capacity with race fans. Souvenir mint julep glasses were on each table. Ladies were in hats. The betting windows were doing a brisk business as fans watched the racing from Churchill Downs live on televisions.

I was seated at a table with several other race fans from Shelby County. Ron and Tamey Adams from Morristown were among those at the table. Ron is a former horse owner but these days he is content betting on horses owned by others. Jody Fortner and her husband, Joe, were there along with Dawn Fortner.

(I don’t remember how Dawn is related to Jody and Joe. As you loyal readers know, I usually just make stuff up for my column. I am a bit rusty doing real reporting. As a side note, I was also at the track on Thursday for the groundbreaking for the new horse barn and dormitory. When I told Skeeter that I forgot to take notes or photographs, he said not to worry because Anna Tungate was there to cover the event. You might have read her story in Friday’s paper. Anyway, I’m sure Anna wasn’t at our table today. Skeeter might be running some corrections Monday.)

The Fortners might be from Hancock County. I thought I detected just a touch of that James Whitcomb Riley dialect in their speech. Jody and Joe told me that their daughter, Olivia, competes in barrel racing. Rounding out our group were Donnette and Cory Johnson. Donnette’s father, Jon Caughman, was well known for training standard bred horses.

Enough chit chat, it is post time. I put my money on this year’s Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World. And they’re off. Two minutes later and, unfortunately, Rock Your World didn’t rock anyone’s world today. Medina Spirit, ridden by John Valazquez and trained by Bob Baffert, was this year’s winner. It was the jockey’s fourth Kentucky Derby win and Bob Baffert’s seventh. With this win, Bob Baffert now has the most wins of any trainer in the history of the Kentucky Derby.

Oh yea, the trifecta paid $1,696.90 on a one-dollar bet. I sure do miss Earl’s cat.

Crafty Saturday a Hit

From pottery and ceramics to candlemakers and noodlemakers, yesterday’s Crafty Saturday event had it all.

“I’ve been amazed at the diversity of the crafters this year,” Eileen Winkler, one of the approximate 100 members in 12 Shelby County Extension Homemakers clubs, said.

Despite a one-year hiatus, the fourth craft fair event, this time hosted in two buildings at the fairgrounds, featured 64 vendors, live music and plenty of people.

“This has been our busiest year ever,” Winkler said. “We’ve got something for everybody, foodwise: funnel cakes, elephant ears, popcorn…” The list went on.

The event is part of the Homemakers’ volunteer efforts. “We give all of our profits right back into the community in one way or another, maybe with a 4H trophy or with Headstart books,” Winkler said.

NOTEBOOK

Clean Shelby/Shred Day for residential use is set for Saturday, May 8, 7 a.m. to noon, at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. Accepted materials include car and light truck tires (limit 10), heavy household items, appliances and electronics, general refuse and confidential documents. Materials not accepted but can be taken to the HHW Building, 1304 N. Michigan Rd., Shelbyville, include liquids, motor oil, antifreeze, paint products, hazardous materials and propane cylinders. Contact the Shelby County Recycling District, 317-392-0904, ext. 10 for more information.
Shelbyville High School alumnus Erin Diemer pole vaulted her way to second all-time in the Southern Illinois University record books yesterday in a meet at the University of Kansas. Diemer's previous career best stood as the seventh-best mark in program history.
Triton Central golfers won the Shelby County meet yesterday at Timbergate Golf Course in Edinburgh. TCHS’s Oliver Gearlds was Medalist of the tournament with an 80, with Asher Caldwell an extremely close second, posting an 81.
As of yesterday, the state reported 4,868 positive coronavirus cases in Shelby County, an increase of 6 from the previous day, out of 19,5033 tests, an increase of 29 from the day before. The number of deaths for Shelby County remained the same, at 96. The State lists 14,121 fully vaccinated people for Shelby County as of yesterday.
What’s been in The Addison Times this week for subscribers? Details on two proposed housing developments, updates on projects in Morristown, the local union leader’s view on the legislative session, This Day in Shelby County History, daily news and obituaries and retro George Stubbs cartoons. All of this and more is available with a daily subscription! Thank you for supporting local journalism!
HOOSIER NEWS: An outbreak of COVID-19 among inmates at the Hancock County Jail has forced officials with the Sheriff’s Department to go back to pandemic precautionary measures just as the county was starting to open up. Officials at the jail learned earlier this week an inmate had tested positive for COVID-19 at a time when the jail had a total of 143 inmates. Of the 143 people, 25 of the inmates have tested positive for COVID over the course of the last couple days. Capt. Robert Harris, public information officer for the department said all of the inmates who tested positive have been moved to an isolation area away from the general population. None of the inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 are showing any type of health issues other than mild symptoms. (Greenfield Daily Reporter)
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“This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.
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
Mike Davis won the $10,000 grand prize in a money-raising event for the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. Hoosier Hawkeye LLC won an Old Hickory Furniture rocking chair. Vic and Judy Allen won a chair from Flat Rock Furniture. Brent Ross won a grill from Bishopp Appliances. Rick and Lisa Robinson won a $300 gift certificate from That’s Sweet. An unidentified person won a $500 gift certificate from Kiefer’s Furniture. That prize had not been claimed because Chamber staff couldn’t read the ticket, although it looked like “Gene” or “Jean,” staff said.
Morristown junior Gabe Caldwell won the Shelby County individual golf meet title. Waldron won the team event.
30 YEARS AGO: 1991
Shelbyville Mayor Dan Theobald announced plans to travel to Lithuania to help citizens of the Baltic states understand economic development. Theobald had accepted the invitation from the U.S.-Baltic Foundation, sponsor of the trip. “I will explain to them how in the early 1980s, we had 23 percent unemployment, and how when we started recruiting and getting industries, the unemployment rate went down,” Theobald said. “Sometimes it is unpopular for a mayor to travel to bring in new industry and create new markets even if the mayor is successful. But I will them why it is necessary.”

40 YEARS AGO: 1981
Southwestern High School senior John Baker and Shelbyville High School senior Nancy Marshall won the Shelbyville Exchange Club’s Youths of the Year.
The Shelbyville Exchange Club honored the top seniors from throughout the county. The students were chosen on the basis of grades, extracurricular activities and essays. Students were Becky Boring and Mark Rund (Triton Central); Julie Barton and Doug Stocklin (Waldron); Carmen Callahan (Morristown); Doug Ballman (Morristown); and Drew Soshnick (Shelbyville High School).
The Triton Central girls tennis team defended its BBRC championship. Team members were Suzan Thompson, Cassie Taylor, Dana Sego, Julie Honeycutt, Kari Thompson, Susan McAhren, Tracy Bottom, Dana Beaty, Becky Boring, Connie Perkinson, Nancy Smith and Cheryl New. Marvin Guffin was the coach.

50 YEARS AGO: 1971
Two 10-year-old boys drew knives on a Shelbyville News carrier salesman at Walker and Hamilton Streets. The boys were charged with drawing a deadly weapon.
Thomas A. Hendricks sixth graders collected newspapers to sell to a salvage firm to finance a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Heading up the initiative were students Jeff Conger, Mike Cheatham, Sandy VanCleve, Denise Anders, Kevin Weber, Maury Hart, Ricky Jones and Pam Brooks.

60 YEARS AGO: 1961
Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Bennett, 605 S. Pike St., were guests of the Navy as the super-aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk CVA-63 was dedicated at the Philadelphia shipyards. Their son, AO2 Cassius George Bennett, was a member of the carrier’s crew. The Bennetts toured the vessel, which had four and one-half acres of flight deck and was 25 stories high.
70 YEARS AGO: 1951
Sidewalks were built in front of W.S. Major Hospital. The walks were “designed for the convenience of hospital visitors who formerly had to walk from their cars to the main sidewalk through dust or mud, depending upon the season,” The Shelbyville News said.
Addison Township trustee Leona Leap expressed concern about increased crowding at Addison Township school with the large incoming first-grade class. Leap suggested sending the sixth-grade class to Shelbyville. Preliminary work was being done on a proposed addition to the school building.
Police Chief Maurice Moberly appointed Ezra Dagley, 142 Walker St., to the local police department. Dagley, who had been employed at the Shelby Motor Company, filled a vacancy created by the resignation of John Beatty.
The Shelbyville Board of Works approved the petition of Floyd Miller for permission to operate a root beer stand, known as “The Barrel”, located at the east edge of the city within the city limits.
80 YEARS AGO: 1941
Dr. Caroline Milleson’s Great Dane gave birth to 13 puppies in Shelbyville.

90 YEARS AGO: 1931
Approximately 200 attended the annual Bridgette Club (also known as “the Colored Club”) spring dance at Melody Hall.
Three men were sentenced in Shelby County Circuit Court to 270 days in jail just seven hours after being arrested for stealing two pigs from a farm near Fairland.
100 YEARS AGO: 1921
Early Election Day indications were that women were outnumbering men in the first municipal primary election since passage of the 19th amendment, The Republican reported.
OBITUARIES
Bette Mae Moore, 100, of Shelbyville passed away April 30, 2021, at her home.
Services will be announced by Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Online condolences may be shared with Bette’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.

The Addison Times

Sunday, March 2, 2021