Sunday, May 1, 2022
'Cheers & Beers' to 80 Years
Former Shelbyville News editor Scarlett Syse was one of many friends packing the Trotters Chase Clubhouse last night to celebrate Dee Bonner’s 80th birthday, organized by his daughter, Kim Rumple.
Former colleagues Bonner and Syse have been the recipients of numerous awards for their work in the news industry, including Bonner’s “Best Cartoonist” designation by the Hoosier State Press Association and Syse leading the Franklin Daily Journal staff to the HSPA’s Blue Ribbon Award for best daily newspaper.
Guests last night brought a favorite Bonner cartoon to share. Despite the “Cheers and Beers” theme, non-drinkers had the option of “Phreddie Phenol” bottled water (see below), which sources said was the work of Carrie Ridgeway.
Editor’s note: Bonner’s Phreddie Phenol character harkens back to issues with Shelbyville’s water quality in the 1980s. The cartoon below, from deebonner.com, is just one of the many times Phreddie appeared on local newspaper pages.
NOTEBOOK:
Scott Gumberts only thought he needed a variance to sell the beer he’s been brewing in his South Street garage in Morristown. The Morristown Plan Commission on Wednesday gave Gumberts a green light, noting that the ordinance already allows him to sell his beer through electronic, mail order and telephone means, but he cannot sell face-to-face. Gumberts said he wasn’t planning to do that anyway. After brewing beer at home for the past six years, he wants to distribute the brew to restaurants, bars and liquor stores. He will not do retail sales or offer tasting rooms, and he plans to deliver the beer himself. “There’s not going to be a Budweiser truck rolling up,” Gumberts told the commission. He said he hopes to sell between 1,000 and 1,500 gallons a year. He can manufacture 12 gallons per batch.
The Morristown Plan Commission discussed potential future variance requests with Steve Stine, representing Bunge regarding their expansion project. Stine said Bunge’s expansion involves the manufacture of a soybean product concentrate.
The Morristown Town Council last week approved local schools to plant grass seed on a 15-foot wide swath surrounding farm land behind Morristown Junior-Senior High School. Part of the property is owned by the town. The goal is to give “a more traditional cross country” training course for runners, Shelby Eastern Schools superintendent Dr. Todd Hitchcock said.
Shelbyville High School graduate and Hanover College student Zaleeya Martin was named the the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Female Sprint Athlete of the Year.
HOOSIER NEWS: Firefighters used two aerial trucks late Wednesday and early Thursday to pour water onto the old gym building in the the Bartholomew County town of Hope. But the building suffered significant damage, Hope Volunteer Fire Chief Chad Emmert told The Columbus Republic. Damage estimates will be difficult to determine because the old gym, located next to the Hope Community Center, was in a state of disrepair prior to the fire, Emmert said. The gym was built in 1938 as a project of the Depression-era Works Progress Administration and originally had a seating capacity of 1,200. The building became the permanent home for the local high school basketball team, which had been playing in the Petersville and Taylorsville gyms. It also had a stage for drama productions and other school and community events. (Indiana Public Media)
Advice from Readers
Dear readers,
Let’s just go straight to the mailbag today. Enjoy!
Dear Kris,
Enough rambling about Cokes only costing a dime. A handful of peanuts for a penny is gone forever. But everything isn’t more expensive. TV is a bargain. I was at Walmart just the other day and saw a 32-inch color TV for $118. Of course, the sign just said TV because all TVs are color.
In 1965, when you and Terry Ogden were filling up on dime Cokes and nickel candy bars at Totten’s Pure gas station, color TVs weren’t very big. The biggest color TV I remember back then was a 24-inch, and it cost a million dollars in today’s money. (I did that calculation in my head, so you might want to check my math.)
So, if the thought of inflation is getting you down, I suggest that you buy one of those TVs at Walmart along with a two-liter of Sam’s Cola for 88 cents and invite Terry over to watch TV. Oh yeah, that 88 cent price for a two-liter of Sam’s Cola works out to only eight cents for six ounces of cola. Those old school Cokes at the gas station were only six ounces, so you will be drinking cheaper cola than you were in 1965. You can thank me the next time you see me, but please withhold my name. I don’t want everyone to start calling me for advice.
Dear Math Wiz,
You cipher about as well as Jethro Bodine. You seem to have gotten an extra naught or two in your estimate of the cost of a color TV in 1965. In today’s dollars, it would be closer to a couple of thousand dollars instead of a million. Still, you are right. TVs now are a much better value. I’m not so sure about the Sam’s Cola. It might be overpriced at 88 cents for two liters.
Dear Kris,
I never throw anything away, so claims my wife. But I cannot find my “Whip Inflation Now” pin from the Ford administration. My wife must have thrown it away for me. She does that from time to time. When she needs more room for her things, she throws away things of mine that she has determined I no longer need.
When I complained about my missing pin, she reminded me that it didn’t work when I wore it the first time. She said that she was just saving me from looking stupid, again. She does that from time to time, too.
I read that one way to save money is to wash clothes in cold water. Up to one-third of most people’s energy bill is the cost of heating water. I turned my water heater off for maximum savings. I’m guessing it will help on the water bill too. I think my wife tends to linger in the shower longer than necessary. I’ll bet she gets out a lot quicker with the water heater turned off.
Sincerely,
Thrifty in Walkerville
Dear Thrifty,
I’m guessing that you will be turning the water heater back on or you will be known as “Single in Walkerville.”
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: 2002
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works approved the final design of construction for Phase One of the Southeast Corridor. When completed, the corridor would connect E. State Road 44 to S. State Road 9.
Fire damaged the Little Mexico store, 6-1/2 W. Franklin St. The Salvation Army arranged for 13 people living in apartments in the building to spend the night at Super 8 Motel.
30 YEARS AGO: 1992
A woman claiming to be the wife of an accused bad-check writer didn’t “engender” much sympathy from Shelby Superior Court 2 officials. After about $800 in bad checks had been written to various Shelbyville grocery stores and a clothing retailer, a warrant was out for the man whose name was on the checks. The individual who showed up in court had short hair, a gauze bandage over one eye and was wearing a work uniform and black shoes. The individual also wore an identification bracelet with the man’s name. But her faux deep voice didn’t fool Superior Court 2 bailiff Terri Stephen, who reported the matter to Judge Mary McQueen. State Trooper Perry Hewitt asked the individual to remove a coat. When the coat was removed, a thick vest remained. “I told her she had to take that off, and when she took the vest off, it was obvious she wasn’t a man,” Hewitt told The Shelbyville News. Hewitt said he felt sorry for the woman and that she used bad judgement. Shelby County Deputy Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen chose not to charge the woman. “She just wanted to keep her husband out of trouble, I think were the words she used,” Landwerlen said. Landwerlen said the woman had a history of writing bad checks, and he wasn’t sure if the woman even had a husband with the alleged name. The matter was still under investigation, Landwerlen said. “We have charges filed against her husband, if she has one,” he said.
Candidates for Morristown High School prom queen and king were David Fischer, Lisa Applegate, Heather Hilton, Travis Jonas, Alison McMichael, Brady Ramsey, Stephanie Stout, Gary Rogers, Jesse Berling and Misty Rohl. Prom would be at Jonathan Byrd’s Cafeteria.
40 YEARS AGO: 1982
The Shelbyville Central Teachers’ Association honored retiring teachers and presented a college scholarship during its spring banquet. Cindy Hartman, an SHS senior, won the association’s scholarship. Retiring after 41 years of teaching was Pearson teacher Marjorie Smith. She had also taught at Morristown, Triton North and the old Shelby Township School. Carter Bramwell retired after 35 years in education. His career began in Shelby County at Addison School in 1951, where he taught math, coached and served as assistant principal. He became principal two years later and stayed there until 1975, when he became Coulston’s principal. George Sheehan had spent 23 years teaching, and had taught English at Shelbyville Junior High since 1965. Pearson teacher Charlotte Kemper also retired.
50 YEARS AGO: 1972
Twenty-nine young men and women were apprehended in a raid at the Blue River Inn on charges ranging from possession of dangerous drugs and gaming to visiting a common nuisance.
A steam line accidentally became disconnected in the cafeteria dishwashing area of Triton Central High School. Virginia Gammon, Mary Atkins and Fern Shaw were brought to Major Hospital, the former for possible burns and the latter two for possible shock treatment. The kitchen area had filled with steam, a fire alarm was turned in, and the entire building was evacuated including several hundred students. An initial report of an explosion was false.
60 YEARS AGO: 1962
A fundraising campaign for Shelby County’s Community Concerts was held at the Chicken and Steak Inn. A newspaper photo showed Carol Finkel playing a Chopin waltz on the piano at the event, with Mrs. E.W. Parsons looking on.
Taking place of the Shelbyettes in the May Festival would be a rhythm dance composed of girls and arranged by Francis Chesser, Pat Gregory and Vickie Beckley. Those making up the dance team were Cathy Madigan, Cheryl Magee, Margaret Gushwa, Dianne Ewick, Anita Junken, Jane Gaines, Libby Coulston, Judy Branson, Judy Trees, Judy Wagner, Karen Duckworth, Alice Griffith, Vickie Beckley, Beverly Craig, Jackie Ivie, Gail Pedrick, Pat Gregory and Sally Wilson. The girls had worked on the dance daily for seven weeks.
70 YEARS AGO: 1952
“Hot Lips” Henry Busse and his orchestra played at the last major dance of the spring season at the Shelbyville Elks Club.
Neighbors gathered at the home of Rev. J.W. Dennis, four miles east of Shelbyville on State Road 44, to watch a gas well blown open with 40 quarts of explosives. Charles Davis and L.L. Cooper were the drillers, assisted by Fred Kuntz and Connie Wagner.
80 YEARS AGO: 1942
Jack McComas received the coveted Paul Cross award from Coach Frank Barnes. It was the first time a coach had made the presentation, which had previously been in charge of Rev. and Mrs. S.J. Cross, donors of the medal.
City schools pupils in grades 1 to 8 were dismissed from class at noon so that teachers and parents, who would be assisting in the sugar rationing sign-up, could attend a meeting for instructions.
90 YEARS AGO: 1932
Farmers Frank Kirschbaum, Charles Webber and Frank Kaster took care of Charles Warble’s spring plowing on a farm three and one-half miles west of Shelbyville on Franklin Road. Warble had been ill and unable to complete his usual tasks.
Shelbyville’s advanced typing team, consisting of Mildred Means, Mary Frances King and Virginia Williams, placed third in state competition at the Muncie Ball State Teachers College.
100 YEARS AGO: 1922
The “Heart of Maryland” was screened at the Strand Theatre, hosted by the American Legion Victory Post No. 70. American flags adorned the entrance of the theatre and oil paintings showed several different important scenes of the movie, which were displayed in the lobby. National Guard captains formed in front of the theatre with regimental colors flying high. They fired several volleys before the show.
OBITUARIES
None today