Thursday, February 6, 2025
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
Golden Bears Advance in Sectional
Sophia Asher made several big plays on both ends of the court in last night’s sectional opening win for Shelbyville High School. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
With three starters battling the flu, Shelbyville High School girls basketball coach Rebecca Hoefler has been playing double duty as team nurse.
“I have multiple hand sanitizers on me at all times. Anytime (the players) walk past me, they’re pre-programmed now to get hand sanitizer from me,” Hoefler said after a sectional opening win last night. “Our top priority is getting healthy, but they did a good job of managing it. I told them they’re allowed to be sick after the game.”
That plan seemed to work, with Savannah Collins hitting a game-opening three-pointer, and the Bears (14-10) staying in control, holding on for a 52-46 win against Rushville (7-18) in the first of three potential games to claim the sectional title at Indian Creek High School. With an SHS boys’ home game slated last night, the Bears’ student section was slim in the bowl-like stadium, but a cadre of school corporation administrators and SHS faculty, in addition to the players’ families, was on hand to see the opening round victory.
The Bears started strong, with Jayla Ash and Maddy Jones also hitting threes in the first quarter, and Hannah Baker adding her usual outstanding intensity on both ends of the court. But the Lions’ Carly Senour hit two three-point shots, cutting the lead to 15-10 at the end of the first quarter.
After a couple of botched possessions at the beginning of the second and clinging to a 17-15 lead, Hoefler called timeout to reset.
“There were moments we lacked intensity. That's why I was frustrated with them, because I always want us to be the dominant team out there,” Hoefler said.
Message received. Baker followed with a three, and Ash stole the ball, going coast to coast dicing through defenders for a lay-in. Another three by Ash gave Shelbyville a 27-16 lead.
“I think we were a little bit nervous, but once we got rolling, we were fine,” Baker said.
Strong play off the bench made a major difference.
“Sophia Asher had some big minutes for us,” Hoefler said.
Asher delivered multiple assists and had a couple of steals, then hit a three of her own with 50 seconds remaining in the half, and the Bears took a 34-25 lead to the lockers.
Despite a slow start from both teams and the Lions closing the gap with Trisha Morgan hitting her third and fourth of five three-pointers on the night, the Bears took a 39-34 lead into the final quarter.
The Lions weren’t done, with Morgan and Senour both hitting clutch threes, but Shelbyville made enough free throws in the final two minutes to advance to play New Palestine, who beat Greenwood, 51-23, in the second game. The Bears previously beat New Pal, 42-38, in December.
Baker finished with 16, and Ash with 14 points. Collins added 10, and Jones scored 9.
After failing to advance in sectionals last year, the girls look forward to carrying the momentum to Friday.
“This is it,” Baker said, standing outside the locker room at the top of the bowl. “Second round of sectionals.”
Asher and Ash said they look forward to having more fans on hand this weekend.
And the win buys the team two days to fully recover, Hoefler noted. “When we got done with the game, we all washed our hands,” she said.
Emily Kiefer, Serenity Gross and Faith Palmer cheer at last night’s sectional game, hosted at Indian Creek High School in Trafalgar. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
“Abraham Lincoln: Hoosier Hero” is on at The Strand next Wednesday, Feb. 12. Dovetailing with his birthday, Presidents Day and Black History Month, Mr. Lincoln recounts his boyhood in Indiana (age 7-21), where he loses his mother and sister, teaches himself to read, treasures the importance of books, and learns the value of hard work; Illinois prairie lawyer years, life with Mary and sons, political aspirations; and Washington, Civil War tragedy and triumph, freedom for slaves and brilliant speeches. Tickets ($5) are available online or at the door.
The Shelbyville High School boys basketball team (15-4) defeated Franklin County (5-12), 50-33, last night. Caden Claxton scored 10, Brody Runnebohm added 10, Damon Badgley had 9 and Mar Nicholson scored 8.
HOOSIER NEWS: The eight cabinet secretaries serving under Gov. Mike Braun will be some of the highest-paid employees in the state — with each taking home $275,000 for their new positions. Five of the secretaries will also directly lead an agency, though all oversee several agencies under the newly crafted cabinet structure. Those salaries push total pay for Braun’s top agency leaders to over $1 million more than his predecessor, former Gov. Eric Holcomb. Braun’s number will rise since he hasn’t appointed one key agency head and another doesn’t yet appear on the state’s transparency portal. The secretaries are all paid more than Braun, whose salary is tied with that of the state’s Supreme Court Justices, all of whom earn $220,418. Lawmakers opted to increase the governor’s pay — along with several other statewide office holders — in the last budget cycle without public testimony. Holcomb earned $133,684. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: Digital cameras — the ones not attached to phones, that is — have made a small comeback, with shipments of digital cameras reaching 8.49 million units last year. This was an increase of 10 percent, according to the Camera & Imaging Products Association. Some of the biggest demand increase comes from China. The country accounts for 28 percent of shipments, up from 15 percent in 2019, as young people there demand higher-quality imaging than is otherwise available on phone digital cameras. (Nikkei Asia /Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
April 20, 1954, Part I
Several SHS students attended Butler University’s Journalism & Field Day. C. Walter McCarthy, executive editor of The Indianapolis News, was the keynote speaker. Former Shelbyville native Wray Fleming, general counsel for the Hoosier State Press Association, also spoke. Students also toured WFBM-TV and The Indianapolis Times’ plants.
Ann Reed Clay, 3, and Steve Brown, 3, would be the train and crown bearers for May Court. Ann was the sister of SHS student Marge Clay, and Steve was the brother of Phil Brown (12th grade) and Jim Brown (8th grade). Phil Brown had been the crown bearer on the 1941 court.
A sign in the student assembly that said “Time will pass: will you?” had students wondering who designed and hung the message. After debate, students decided it was an encouragement to finish the year strong academically.
Lois Lemmon wrote about the real human skeleton kept in a brown cardboard box in the lecture room. The skeleton belonged to Mr. Royer, who previously had “Mr. Bones” on display in Morristown, where he taught. The skeleton was over 100 years old and had been in Royer’s care since 1936. Before then he belonged to two doctors and a school superintendent. The skeleton had two bullet holes in his skull, reportedly from being shot by officials trying to re-capture him from an institution for the insane. “All of the following facts are true even if you don’t believe them,” Lemmon wrote before describing the skeleton.
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: Shelbyville Central Schools published “Have you read with your child today?” posters, which were displayed throughout the district. The goal was to get 90 percent of all third-graders reading at or above grade level by fall 2008. Armed with stacks of posters and packets of information, nearly a dozen SCS teachers and staff boarded a bus to hit the streets with their campaign, visiting more than 100 businesses and organizations. The teachers decorated the bus windows with posters and letters spelling out the word “READ”.
1995: County Commissioners would discuss a wild animal ordinance at its next meeting, the released agenda noted. Conservation Officer Jerry Jackson said he knew of three Gwynneville residents who had wild animals as pets. The city of Shelbyville has passed a similar ordinance in 1994, a regulation that Pet Emporium manager Marilyn Simpson said cost the store, at 253 E. Mechanic St., about $1,000 per month in lost orders of snakes and other reptiles.
1985: The Bears Den opened for the season.
The Holiday Inn started offering a Sunday buffet for $7.75 ($24 in today’s money) and a Friday seafood buffet for $10.95 ($33 in today’s money).
1975: Mayor Jerry Higgins had nine permanent “WILLIAM GARRETT GYM” road signs created in advance of the gym dedication, which would honor the late William L. Garrett. The dedication game would be against Connersville. Two plaques - one a large portait in bronze to be placed in Garrett Gymnasium and the other to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame - would be dedicated. Frank Barnes would present the bronze plaque to Shelbyville Central Schools board president John Haehl and Superintendent John Hayes. The Hall of Fame plaque would be presented by Nate Kaufman. Others to attend the game would be J.W.O. Breck, Arthur “Doc” Barnett, Emerson Bass and J.M. McKeand. Tom Hession would be master of ceremonies.
1965: Plans were released for an addition to Shelbyville High School, which would include 12 new classrooms and a large cafeteria. The library would be converted into a 175-seat student study hall, and a shop area would be expanded. A multi-purpose auditorium would be built. A gym was also included in the plans.
1955: There were three diphtheria cases in Shelby County, county health officials confirmed. Dr. Wilson Dalton pointed out that none of the three children had been vaccinated.
1945: Sgt. John “Rudy” Huffman, 25, had been killed on Leyte Island. It was the 52nd Shelby County death of the war.
1935: The Republican noted that John Tindall had made the county his beneficiary. He also left a large diamond for the next Shelby Circuit court judge.
An audit showed that Shelby County owed Shelbyville $4,000 for street light bills in arrears. The question was in regards to approximately 20 years of light bills from the four ornamental lights in front of the courthouse.
1925: Mrs. Ellen Wilson was named manager of the Nelle Hat Shop on the balcony of Wolf Quality Store.
A large yellow monkey born in New York and owned by Charles Compton, who lived northwest of Shelbyville and operated Camp Joy, escaped by riding into Shelbyville perched on a radiator. Once in town, he climbed all over City Hall and several buildings while police stood about trying to figure out how to capture him. When approached, the monkey growled. The monkey was eventually captured.
1915: One hundred members of the Parent-Teachers’ Club of the Franklin Street School, No. 1, participated in a short lecture program. Mrs. Will Kennedy was president of the Hill Building Club.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Howard Earl “Red” Bettner, 99, of Waldron, passed away Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at Miller’s Merry Manor in Hope. He would have celebrated his much anticipated 100th birthday on March 17, 2025. Howard was one of 11 children born to Carl F. and Bertha E. (Short) Bettner. On July 2, 1948, he married his wife of 76 years, Edith Crosby Bettner, and she survives. In addition to Edith, Howard is survived by his children, Sherry Benson and husband, Jay, of Waldron, Gerald Bettner and wife, Linda, of Bloomington, Nelson Bettner and wife, Donna, of Boggstown, Shirley Saddler of Van Buren, and Max Bettner and wife, Renita, of Columbus; 19 grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Howard was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Rev. Michael Saddler; daughter-in-law, Kathy Bettner; and grandson, Travis Kelley.
He was the oldest member of Geneva United Methodist Church, where he held many positions throughout the years.
Howard was a US Navy veteran, serving during World War II. At the age of 19, he drove a landing craft onto Omaha Beach in the first wave of the Normandy invasion on D-Day. Howard was recently awarded the French Legion of Honor medal, from the French President for his bravery in liberating France in World War II.
Howard was formerly President and Manager of Waldron Die Company starting in 1957. In 1987, he opened Bettner Wire Coating Dies Inc., in Columbus. Howard was a lifetime member of the Wire Association International.
Howard enjoyed gardening (which included his prize-winning tomatoes), as well as going fishing and hunting. He was formerly a Boy Scout Leader for Troop 271. Most of all, he enjoyed his family and was a devoted father, grandfather and uncle.
Visitation will be from 1 to 3 pm, Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Funeral services will follow at 3 pm, Saturday, at the funeral home with Rev. Mark Dodd and Pastor Kristen Hanson officiating. Interment will be at Van Pelt Cemetery in Shelby County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Geneva United Methodist Church, 3107 E. Vandalia Road, Flat Rock, Indiana 47234. Online condolences may be shared with Howard’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.