Thursday, April 10, 2025
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EN CONCERT
Shelbyville Middle School band students perform “Squirrel Chase” at last night’s concert. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
County BZA Approves Variances
The Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday unanimously approved the following petitions:
A special exception, with stipulations, allowing Chad Muckerheide to use a recently constructed barn at 610 S 250 W, Shelbyville, for storage and office space for a fuel trailer sales business. “Typically, these are ordered as already-sold trailers,” Muckerheide said. “They come in, and I finish them out.” The business averages four customers and four deliveries per month. The trailers and business items will all be stored within the barn, and there will be no signage on the building.
A variance allowing Horvath Communications/Pyramid Network Services to install a 155-foot monopole tower with a 10-foot rod/antennas cellular telecommunications facility at 8253 W 1150 W, Edinburgh, at the northwest corner of the property along I-65, to allow utilities outside of a security fence and permit the installation of motion sensor lighting. The tower would fill a service gap area in the southeast corner of Shelby County and surrounding areas for Verizon. However, the goal is for the tower, which will likely exceed a half million dollars to build, to eventually be used by multiple carriers, a representative said. The tower was approved by the FAA without a light at the top. Towers under 200 feet do not include lights to avoid light nuisances for neighbors.
A variance to allow Kevin Rice to replace an old wooden barn with a pole barn at 5539 W 900 S, Edinburgh.
A variance to allow for reconstruction of a home at 9276 N 400 W, Fountaintown, that encroaches into a front yard setback and proposed right-of-way of CR 400 W and has a front-loading garage greater than eight feet forward of the main living area of the home. A previous home on the property was destroyed by fire in 2022. The home would also lie within an Indiana Department of Natural Resources-designated floodway. IDNR does not permit new homes in a floodway, but does allow for reconstruction of homes destroyed by fire if constructed on the footprint of the previous home. The owners said the DNR was requiring the new home to be elevated five feet, even though the property had experienced no issues with flooding, even with heavy rains last weekend. The owners said they were petitioning DNR on the matter.
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NOTEBOOK:
The City of Shelbyville’s Building and Planning Departments are partnering with Shelby County officials to conduct urgent post-flood property inspections. These inspections are being performed in response to recent flooding and are aimed at documenting high water marks and assessing damage before evidence begins to disappear. As a result, citizens may notice inspectors in the field more frequently or may be approached by staff requesting access to their properties for evaluation purposes. All inspectors will be appropriately identified. Due to the urgency of this coordinated effort, response times at the City’s Building and Planning offices may be delayed through the end of the week. Residents are encouraged to leave detailed messages if they need assistance, and staff will return calls and emails as fieldwork schedules allow. For additional details, contact the Planning Department office, 317-392-5102.
HOOSIER NEWS: Indiana University announced a $75 million expansion of engineering programs on the Bloomington campus. IU will invest in new degree programs, at least 10 faculty and facilities in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. The university will offer computer engineering, robotics, bioengineering, microelectronics and electrical engineering programs (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: The new Epic Universe park in Orlando is the first new theme park to open in Orlando in 26 years. While currently in the middle of technical rehearsals, the $7 billion property will open for good May 22, the latest attempt from Universal to challenge Disney in the $92.5 billion Orlando tourism market. Disney has long been the park to beat in central Florida, which sees 50 million guests annually across six parks and 25 hotels. The new park, composed of five regions — Celestial Park, Isle of Berk (from How to Train Your Dragon, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World and The Ministry of Magic — aims to make Universal’s parks more than just the day trip you take when you go to Disney. (New York Times/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
May 20, 1958, Part II
SHS Science teacher Mr. Lawrence “Boots” Thompson was one of 40 teachers in the U.S. selected to attend a study of science at Reed College in Portland, Ore., sponsored by the National Science Foundation. “‘Boots’ has already warned those pupils planning on taking physics next year that they can expect a good hard class, since he will have learned so many new things to teach them.”
During the performance of “The Revolt of Mother”, given in Speech class, Jim Henderson found out just how angry a mother could get. “When Nancy Stine as Mother pitched the harness out the barn door, Jim, standing off stage, was right in the way. He has been wearing a sizable lump on his forehead since the collision.”
World History teacher Mrs. Simpson told the class that at the Congress of Vienna, “countries were literally passed back and forth across the conference table.” Dave Burgess called out, “Pass the Turkey.”
Senior Student Council officers for 1958-59 were elected: Steve Moberly, Marty Kuhn, John Brant, Sue Denison, Betsi Thurston and Bill Reimann.
Five GAA girls from SHS received plaques at a convention held at IU for their athletics, good character and ability. The girls were Janet Thomas, Liz Mullen, Pat Patterson, Becky Wolf, Ramona Lee, Dixie Hendricks, Sandy Pittman and Sally Robins.
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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: Mark and Charlene Stevens purchased the former Shelby County Chamber of Commerce building, 33 E. Washington St., for $20,000 at auction. The Chamber had been located there in downstairs offices for 30 years. The upstairs was divided into three apartments, but needed total renovation. The bid price had been low partially because the building next to it was falling down. That building, 47 E. Washington St., was promptly demolished. The Stevens’ building had once been a grocery store and was the location for Democrat Party headquarters from 1969 until 1974, when the Chamber moved in.
1995: John C. DePrez was named one of five inductees to the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. (Shelbyville-born A. Wayne Coy, who had held ranking positions in the administrations of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S Truman, was also inducted.) DePrez had been publisher of The Shelbyville News from 1947 until his death in 1988. He had previously been a director of The Shelbyville Democrat in 1937 and managed the evening paper in 1938, the same year it bought the competing Shelbyville Republican. The two papers were consolidated in 1947 into a politically independent paper. DePrez had been a co-founder of SCUFFY and was instrumental in keeping Conrail freight service in Shelbyville and in helping secure funds for the late 1970s downtown renovation project.
Bob Evans, E. State Road 44, opened. The restaurant had seating for 92 people.
1985: A dark rectangular box had been found embedded in the cornerstone of Charles Major School as demolition crews hauled off the historic 63-year-old building fragments. The box was welded shut, and city officials had considered sponsoring a “guess-what’s-in-the-box” contest. After some research at the library, city officials learned the box contained a leather-bound copy of Charles Majors’ book, “When Knighthood Was in Flower.” It also had a picture of Major and his home on North Harrison Street, where his widow still lived when the school was built in 1922. Major died in 1913 at the age of 56. The box also contained a biography of Major. During the 1800s, Major had attended a seminary school on the site where the Major school was later built.
1975: The Retail Council of Downtown Shelbyville met to discuss traffic flow on Public Square. The merchants recommended enlarging the parking spaces, building four “mini malls” in each of the quadrants of the Square, redesigning information signs and restoring building facades. Dick Brown of the Sears store volunteered paint and labor for the tree containers on the Square.
1965: Jonathan Cousins, fifth-grader at Pearson, won the county spelling bee at Addison School. Kathy Wilson, sixth-grader at Pearson, was runner-up. Their teachers were Mrs. Howard and Mrs. Gruhl, respectively.
1955: Jack Rich opened a Hoosier Oxygen distributorship in the old Meloy Manufacturing Co. building at the corner of Vine and Washington St. The business included the sale of oxygen for both welding and medical purposes.
1945: A fire destroyed a barn and smokehouse on Alex West’s farm southeast of Bengal. The house also caught fire, but the county fire truck personnel extinguished the blaze before major damage occurred.
1935: Approximately 75 students from Waldron High School took a field trip to Indianapolis. The boys visited agriculture-related businesses. The girls visited bakeries and other home economics-related businesses.
1925: The school year ended for students at Fountaintown elementary schools. A pitch-in dinner marked the occasion. The Fountaintown High School would close in two weeks.
Signs had been posted overnight around town that read, “The Sheriff In This Town Has Gone Blind Looking for Bootleggers and Minors.” The signs were posted just after Sheriff George Nigh and Deputy Joe Kork had searched the abandoned Sand Hill school, which was hosting a dance party. When the officers returned to their vehicle, they found the electric wiring of their car had been cut.
1915: Rumors had abounded after a London area couple buried an infant born premature in their back yard without notifying others of their actions. When word got out, the coroner investigated the matter, citing “persisting rumors of gossiping neighbors” as the cause. The coroner called the burial “indiscreet” but said it was legal.
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OBITUARIES
Penny Louise Baker, 47, of Franklin, passed away Monday, April 7, 2025, at MHP Medical Center. She was born September 6, 1977, in Oxford, Ohio, to Carl Baker Sr. and Louise (Rhodus) Baker.
Penny attended Talawanda High School in Oxford, Ohio. She had a love for nature, being outdoors and fishing. She collected many knickknacks, but mostly antique ducks. Refinishing furniture was a passion of hers. Penny enjoyed listening to music of all types, especially when it would get her in the dancing mood. She cherished all the love and memories shared with her family and grandkids through the years.
She is survived by her fiancé, Everette “Paul” Knuckles; her daughters, Jennifer Knuckles (Charles Mitchem) and Ellen Knuckles; her sons, Johnny Knuckles (Mary Bebout) and Joseph Everette; her grandchildren, Anna Berry, Jacob Knuckles, Layla Knuckles, Zoey Knuckles and Heavenly Knuckles; her brother, Carl “Punky” Baker, Jr.; her ex-husband, J.S. Knuckles; one niece and five nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Jacob Knuckles and sister, Jennie Ort.
A Graveside Service will be Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 1 p.m. with Pastor Jose Rivera officiating. Burial will be in Whispering Hope Memorial Gardens. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Penny’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Rev. Ronald C. Robinson, 88, of Shelbyville, passed away Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Waldron Health and Rehab in Waldron. He was born June 13, 1936, in Hamilton, Ohio, the son of Arthur and Effie (Watkins) Robinson. On August 31, 1957, he married his wife of 67 years, Norma Maddox, and she survives. In addition to Norma, Ron is survived by his son, Michael Robinson and wife, Carol, of Fairland; daughters, Melissa Bryan and husband, Richard, and Jennifer Robinson, both of Shelbyville; brother, Gary Robinson and wife, Melanie, of Dayton, Ohio; grandchildren, Eric Robinson, Jess Mullins and wife, Megan, Ariel Siler and husband, Zech, Katelyn Wichman and husband, Nick, Benjamin Bryan and wife, Paige, and Bethany Bryan; great-grandchildren, Sadie Siler, Benson Bryan, Lincoln Bryan, Beckham Siler and Maximus Wichman; and niece, Rhonda Dallas and husband, Patrick, of Hamilton, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents.
In 1954, Ron graduated from Hamilton High School in Ohio. He obtained his bachelor’s degree through studying at Miami University and Indiana Central College. Ron completed his seminary training at Indiana Christian University, where he taught classes after obtaining his degree. Ron ministered to the congregations at Overpeck Missionary Church from 1959 to 1965; Mount Pisgah Baptist Church from 1965 to 1975; and at Pleasant View Baptist Church from 1975 until retiring in 2000. He was a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church. Ron was very devoted to his flock and made it his number one priority to tend to “his flock.” Ron was also a member of the Shelby County Ministerial Association and American Baptist Church’s Pastor Association.
He enjoyed going fishing, playing tennis and Ron adored having a camera and taking pictures.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Pleasant View Baptist Church, 12442 Southeastern Avenue, Acton, IN 46259. Funeral services will follow at noon at the church, with his son, Michael Robinson officiating. Interment will be at Pleasant View Baptist Cemetery. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant View Baptist Church. Online condolences may be shared with Ron’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
With heavy hearts, we announce the sudden passing of Janice E. Osborne, 74, of Rushville, Ind., on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in her home. Janice was born in Utica, New York on June 2, 1950. She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles D. and Esther M. (Seldin) O’Connor.
Janice’s family moved to Shelbyville, Ind., where she graduated from Saint Joseph’s Catholic School and Shelbyville Senior High School. Janice then graduated from Indiana University with a BA in psychology. On May 19, 1984, Janice married the love of her life, Mark Osborne. Together they opened Osborne Electronics, a Radio Shack dealer, in downtown Rushville, in 1989. Besides helping in the store, Janice was active in bicycling and exercising and especially loved swimming. She also enjoyed gardening.
In addition to her husband, Mark, Janice is survived by her brother Charles (Brenda) O’Connor Jr. and her sister, Susie O’Connor; her niece, Amanda Hasecuster; her nephews, Christopher (Melissa) O’Connor, Jeremy (Melissa) O’Connor, Adam (Brittany) O’Connor, Nicholas (Abby) O’Connor; and many great-nieces and nephews who will miss her. Memorial donations for Janice are requested to the Rush County Community Foundation Schroeder Fund to benefit the swimming pool at the new Love Community Center. 117 N. Main St. Rushville, Ind., 46173.