Thursday, February 16, 2023
LEVELING UP
Kevin Hunter Fritz tries his hand at Sound Voltex Vivid Wave at Rupert’s Arcade last night. | photos by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday approved a petition with modifications and variances for Farnsley Family Farm LLC to allow for three single-family lots to use a single private driveway at 7092 East Short Blue Road, Shelbyville. In addition to lowering the permitted number of lots from four to three, the BZA also added stipulations that include driveway design elements such as stone pull-offs at select spots to allow vehicles to pass each other without pulling off into the lawn or field.
The county BZA also approved variances to allow for new ground and directional signs at all three Triton Central schools. The signs will not be lit.
The following couples applied for marriage licenses last week: Thomas J. Tolbert, 34, and Sarah S. Brown, 36; Mark L. Luzar, 42, and Lindsay N. Burton, 39; Joseph S. Lewellyn, 52, and Holly D. Martin, 50; Camryn B. Bradford, 23, and Dylan J. Meyer, 26.
Registration for the Spring 2023 Blue River Soccer Association season, for ages 4U through 16U (depending on registration numbers), closes tomorrow, Friday, February 17. Games begin April 1 and Community Day is May 13.
HOOSIER NEWS: An Indiana senator has filed a bill that would overturn the term limits Westfield's city council put in place in 2022 for its elected leaders. Senate Bill 106, written by Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, prohibits local communities from passing local laws on elections and cancels any that were approved before 2023. Buck represents Westfield. In November, the city council voted 5-2 to limit mayors and city council members to two terms and the clerk-treasurer to three terms starting in 2024. Each term is four years. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: State and local governments have long had to compete with higher wages in the private sector in their quests to recruit talent, but they do have an ace in the hole: pensions. According to a study of government workers, 80 percent of millennial state and local government employees believe they can make more money in the private sector, but 84 percent of those workers also said that their pension benefit was the reason they’re staying in the public sector. When states kill those pension plans — like Alaska did in 2005 — they find it hard to recruit and retain public employees, and Alaska has spent $20 million a year just trying to staff its education system. (Route Fifty)
SHELBY COUNTY PEOPLE & PLACES: WILLIAM E. MORGAN
Editor’s note: In the mid- to late 1940s, The Shelbyville Republican published a series of articles by Ave Lewis and Hortense Montgomery covering community people and places. Below is one of those features.
William E. (Billy) Morgan is as much a fixture around Shelbyville as the soda fountain in the Washington Street Pharmacy, which he has managed for so many years. At 68, the little man with "the fringe on top" still runs the drug store where he first clerked when he was 16 for $1 a week. Two weeks of "Bully's" life have been lived outside Shelbyville, and these were the two weeks after his birth on May 12, 1879, in Rushville, to Thomas L. and Jessie Morgan.
Thomas Morgan fired Shelbyville's fire truck before a city waterworks existed and then, with Billy's grandfather, managed the old waterworks on Elizabeth and Noble streets. "Billy" and his sister and brothers, Leo, now a retired insurance salesman, and Charley, a printer in Alabama, spent their childhood in a house across from the old waterworks site. His sister, Mrs. Mary Louden, died from influenza in the 1917 epidemic. The Morgan children were sent to the St. Joseph Catholic school, then a frame structure housing only eight grades.
After completing the eighth grade, "Billy" carried the Cincinnati Post for several years before being hired as a dollar-a-week-clerk by Ed E. Jenkins, who had opened a drug store in 1894 where the Small & Small wallpaper store now is located. After two years and three months with Mr. Jenkins, "Billy" went to work at the "Dinkey," nickname for the Old Davis, Whitcomb and Birely furniture factory, but returned to his clerkship at the drug store in 1902. When "Billy" was 25 and still working for Mr. Jenkins, he married Miss Anna Marie Nees, an Indianapolis girl. "I used to take the trolley to Indianapolis every Sunday night to do my courting," Billy said, "and would catch the 11 o'clock car home."
The young couple started housekeeping in the 100 block on East Jackson Street, and "Billy" worked hard in the drug store until December 1916, when he took a job as a night fireman at the Albert Furniture Factory. That lasted three years, and "Billy" was back with Mr. Jenkins once more in October of 1919. In 1921, after his employer died, "Billy" ran the store for Mrs. Jenkins and has been running it for successive owners ever since.
About 10 years ago he passed a pharmacy board examination, which entitles him to fill prescriptions. After four or five previous attempts at the examination, "Billy" took an International Correspondence School course in pharmacy and made the grade.
The Morgans, who have lived at 51 East Pennsylvania Street for the past 20 years, have three sons: Edward, who works in an Indianapolis warehouse; James, an x-ray technician with Westinghouse in Chicago; and Bill Jr. with an Indianapolis air conditioning plant. James and his wife have two sons.
"Billy" belongs to the Knights of Columbus, Holy Name Society and the Third Order of St. Francis. When he was a young man, he bowled regularly at Pete Medsker's alley located in what is now the Penney store. "I held high score there for several years with a 276 game," Billy said. Foot trouble has dogged "Billy's" steps for years - caused, he says, by wearing shoes too short. Toward the end of his long day at the drugstore, "Billy" admits he "can hardly cut it." His life has been singularly calm - no fires or accidents, with a bout of typhoid, his only serious illness. He remarked drily that although he'd been paying insurance premiums ever since his wedding day, he's never collected a cent. He's also never bothered to own a car, and the farthest he's ever been from home is Cincinnati.
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: 2003
A Fairland man was arrested and faced preliminary murder charges in connection with the shooting deaths of two people in Indianapolis after a six-hour manhunt. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department had received a tip that the man was hiding in a county cornfield. He was chased 12 miles before being apprehended.
30 YEARS AGO: 1993
The Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department and the Boys Club sponsored a Billy Keller basketball clinic at the club. Keller was a former Purdue University and Indiana Pacers star.
40 YEARS AGO: 1983
Shelbyville fourth grade students assembled at Loper Elementary for a program of old-time music sponsored by the Tri Kappa sorority. The Easy Street String band performed music from America’s heritage. Students also learned to square dance.
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
Dick Dovidas, manager of the Shelbyville Hook’s Drug Store, received the company’s coveted Golden Key Award. In addition to a trophy, Dovidas would receive an extra week’s vacation, as would Assistant Managers Wayne Smith, Mike Whitfield and Bob Plunkett.
60 YEARS AGO: 1963
Waldron High School’s boys’ basketball team concluded its season with an 18-2 record and on a 12-game winning streak.
70 YEARS AGO: 1953
Chambers Corporation of Shelbyville planned a new addition to its built-in line of gas ranges. The new addition would contain the only built-in broiler and griddle in the world that was set on a countertop, company officials said. The local plant on Columbus Road had completed its Army contract to furnish thousands of gas ranges to the U.S. Quartermaster Department and had moved on to producing parts for the U.S. Air Force.
80 YEARS AGO: 1943
Shoe rationing was set at three pairs per year. Local officials said it would not cause undue hardship. They said the average person purchased four pairs of shoes per year. “He who is likely to suffer most is papa, what with mother and daughter clamoring for his coupons,” The Republican said.
90 YEARS AGO: 1933
Funeral services were held for Christopher Reiger, Civil War veteran, who had died at his home in St. Paul. He was buried in the Union Chapel cemetery. Reiger, 86, had enlisted in the 123rd Infantry in 1863 and was discharged August 25, 1865. He had married Martha Reed and later been married to Christian Murrell.
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
The residence of Martin Zinser, at Prescott, southeast of Shelbyville, was destroyed by fire. The home’s contents in the lower level were removed by neighbors, but those upstairs were destroyed. Mrs. Zinser had discovered the fire, started by a defective chimney, and sounded the alarm through the village. Mr. Zinser, who had been confined to his home by illness, was carried out by friends and taken to the home of his son, John Zinser.
INCIDENTS
A building/structure fire occurred at 3906 S. Smithland Road, Shelbyville.
Thefts were reported in the 1200 block of Hale Road, Shelbyville, and 100 block of East Jackson St., Fairland.
Indecent exposure was reported in the 100 block of W. Taylor St., Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Khen Z. Cin, 40, OVWI-endangerment; Jeremy D. Frizzell, 31, unknown hearing, hold for another jurisdiction; Mark A. Sievers, 48, unknown hearing, hold for another jurisdiction; Ragina C. Stittums, 50, house arrest violation.
OBITUARIES
Carolyn Merrick, 71, of New Palestine, passed away Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at AMG Specialty Hospital in Greenfield. She was born November 8, 1951, in Whitesburg, Kentucky, the daughter of Willie and Doris (Eldridge) Caudill. Carolyn is survived by her daughter, Gale Merrick of Connersville; sisters, Beth Shirels and husband, Tracy, of New Palestine, Irene Hobbs and husband, Charlie, of Westport, Lori Stephens and husband, Jim, of Shelbyville, and Teresa Caudill of Nashville, Tennessee; brothers, Darrell Caudill and wife, Diana, of St. Paul, and Jim Caudill and wife, Dee, of Knightstown; granddaughters, Kelsey Fox, Kaylee Fox and Lailey Hines; and many loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dale Merrick; and sister, Debbie McFarland.
Carolyn formerly worked at Continental Kitchen, retiring with over 10 years of service. She loved spending time with her family, especially her children and granddaughters.
Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Online condolences may be shared with Carolyn’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Cody Lee Veerkamp, 33, of Greenfield, passed away Monday, February 13, 2023 at his residence. He was born June 2, 1989 in Beech Grove IN to Jerry Veerkamp and Janice (Bird) Veerkamp.
Cody graduated from Shelbyville High School in 2008. He was a Network Reliability Engineer. Cody was a board member and major volunteer for the Strand Theater in Shelbyville. He had a love for the outdoors and he enjoyed the times he was able to be out camping. Cody was very intelligent and excelled at anything to do with technology. His family was very important to him and he loved the times spent together.
Cody is survived by his parents, sister, Erin Workman (husband, Corey); aunt, Jean Armstrong (husband, Andy), aunt, Debbie Moorhead (husband, Randy), aunt, Joyce Bird; his loving dog and loyal companion Cooper. He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Jim and Pat Bird; paternal grandparents, John and Mary Veerkamp; uncles, Mike and Dennis Bird.
A Rosary will be recited at Murphy-Parks Funeral Services on Saturday, February 18th at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 18 at the funeral home. Funeral services will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Murphy-Parks with Father Mike Keucher officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Cody’s family. Memorial contributions may be given to the Strand Theater in Cody’s memory. 215 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville IN. 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.