Thursday, February 8, 2024

Land Enters County Commissioner Race

Waldron area resident Joe Land files paperwork yesterday with county election deputy Jeff Sponsel to run for Shelby County Commissioner - South District on the Democrat ticket. | submitted

Shelby County residents are guaranteed a contested Commissioner race this fall, with both parties fielding a candidate for Shelby County Commissioner - South District. With Republican Don Parker opting to not seek re-election, Nathan Runnebohm filed last month to be on the Republican primary ballot. Yesterday, Joe Land, who lives in the Waldron area, entered the race on the Democrat side.

Land is Director of Employment Services at Shares, Inc., where he has worked since 2010, the same year he moved to Shelby County.

“Shelby County is a special, beautiful place. I grew up and have always lived five miles from State Road 9, growing up by the Flatrock River. Even though we grew up in Hope, we were always spending time in Shelby County,” Land said. “The county is my home now, and I am excited about the future; however, we need to be careful stewards of our resources and ensure that the smaller communities like Waldron, Marietta, Bengal, and all of the places in between don’t get left behind.”

As the owner of two small businesses and a local market farmer, Land said he knows the challenges smaller communities face. “He seeks to gather the voices of the southern part of the county and ensure that these communities are well heard and involved in county developments,” a campaign announcement said.

He is a member of the Waldron Hometown Committee and the Arc of Shelby County, as well as other organizations. 

Land graduated from Indiana University in 2010 and earned a Master of Arts in Human Services Administration from University of Illinois Springfield in 2018. He has been married to Laura Land, who works as Community Engagement Officer with Blue River Community Foundation, since 2019. They attend The Ville Church in Shelbyville.

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Shelby County Natives Reconnect in Florida

Approximately 60 attended the annual Shelby County Luncheon at Beef O’Brady’s in Punta Gorda, Fla. yesterday. Correspondent Carol McDaniel endured the 70 degree weather to report on the event.

by CAROL MCDANIEL

Another year has passed since the last Shelby County Luncheon in Punta Gorda, Fla. Shelby County residents, past or present, are invited to attend the first Wednesday in February.

An enthusiastic crowd of 60 people from all over Florida chatted the afternoon away catching up on the latest news about school chums and friends from all over Shelby County.  

Veteran organizer Pat Pallikan, along with Jim Skinner, hosted the luncheon. Pat has hosted the luncheon for many years and sends out the invitations via email. Word of mouth also plays a big part of informing those not on the list to join the festivities.

First-time attendee Sheryl DeJonge, former Shelbyville resident, has lived in Florida full-time for five years and was invited by her friend Barbara Anderson to attend.  Although she is originally a Michigan resident, DeJonge and her husband Tom were associated with Shelby Steel for many years and has many friends in Shelbyville.

“I though this [luncheon] was lovely.  I couldn’t believe how many people come every year,” DeJonge said.

Dinah Vassar and her husband have attended for about 10 years, Dinah said.

Debbie and Tom Kremer, associated with the former Chicken and Steak Inn, have attended 15 years, Debbie said.

Steve Waltz, a Morristown graduate, and his wife Lynette, a Shelbyville graduate, have been coming for about 25 years, Steve said.  

“People are delightful! There is such a variety of complex natures here in Florida.  We first came down for the weather, but now people are the reason we stay in Florida,” Steve said.

Suzanne Stine Rosborough raved about Shelby County.

“It was an awesome place to grow up.  These are the best friends in all the world. We had a class of ‘56 reunion last August,” Suzanne said.

Once again, the Class of 1964 had the largest number of attendees.

If you are interested in attending next year’s luncheon, please contact Pat Pallikan, ppallikan@yahoo.com, to get on the list for 2025.

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NOTEBOOK:

• A vehicle crashed into the San Jose Mexican restaurant building, deploying the vehicle’s airbags. The driver said she was trying to park but hit the gas instead of the brake pedal. The driver was checked by medics and released on the scene.

• A bicycle struck a vehicle on East State Road 44. A witness said the bicyclist was darting across all lanes of traffic when the accident occurred. The bicyclist was treated by medics.

• A driver ran the red light on Broadway and struck another vehicle. The driver said she did not see the red light due to sneezing multiple times while approaching the intersection.

• The Grover Center will host Elks Club Reminiscence Night, March 19, 6:30 p.m. A brief presentation of the building’s history will be followed by stories from those in attendance.

• Burglary was reported in the 2200 block of Scarlet Court (Twelve Oaks addition), Shelbyville.

• Join Zeta Lambda chapter Delta Theta Tau Sorority for a full day to scrapbook and work on your craft of choice on Saturday, March 9, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church Parish Hall, 4218 E. Michigan Road, Shelbyville.
  Register early at $30. The price increases to $35 after Feb. 24. Breakfast pastries, lunch, desserts, coffee, tea and water are included with the registration. There will be no refunds. Proceeds benefit area scholarships and local nonprofit organizations. Highlights: vendors, 50/50 raffle, raffle prizes and a silent auction. Participants must be 18 years of age or older to purchase raffle tickets. This activity is on file with the Indiana Gaming Commission. To register, send your name, address phone number and email address to 2024 Culbertson Rd., Shelbyville, IN 46176. For questions, call 317-696-8741 or email ncossairt@ yahoo.com.

• NATIONAL NEWS: Fox Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney are going in on a new joint streaming venture that will combine all of the sports programming on all of the ESPNs, all the FS1s, TNT, TBS, as well as their other various networks that bear sports programming. Pricing will be north of the $20 to $30 of your typical RSN but south of the $75 to $80 per month a typical live digital package runs. Combined, they control 85 percent of the sports rights market in America. (Variety/Numlock)

• The Addison Times publishes essential news and historical content to build our Shelby County community, and is free thanks to the generosity of supporters. Those who donate a minimum of $5 a month (or $60 one-time) receive an exclusive quarterly Addison Times magazine as an appreciation gift.

• Want the daily edition read to you? Struggling with your email provider filtering out your local news? The Addison Times Substack app will solve those challenges!

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This Day in Shelby County History

2014: Blue River Careers Program students Derrick Hager, Cody Russell, Nick Staker and Josh Knight earned top honors at the Skills USA Region competitions. They were Auto Collision Repair Technology students. Hager and Russell were Triton Central students and Knight and Staker were Shelbyville High School students.

Shelbyville resident William Shanahan won $65,000 on the Hoosier Lottery’s Cash 5 game.

2004: Mayor Scott Furgeson shared plans to build a road and bridge in the new park, located on E. Morris Ave. The bridge would be parallel with I-74, and a tree-lined boulevard would run along the east side of the 199-acre park property to meet up with the bridge.

1994: Shelby County Sheriff Mike Herndon announced plans to run for re-election. Herndon was completing his first term of office after coming up through the department ranks, serving first as a reserve deputy before becoming a jail officer and a patrolling deputy. He was a detective before being elected sheriff in 1991. He was a 1964 Shelbyville High School graduate. He and his wife, Marilyn, lived in Union Township with their son, Joshua, and daughter, Sara.

The Shelbyville-Shelby County Public Library added 20 computer outlets and eight computers.

1984: A newspaper photo showed Robert Meredith, plant supervisor for Compton’s Dairy, performing a test to insure quality control at the cream separator station. Meredith had been with the company for 24 years. “I come to work when it’s dark and leave when it’s dark. I’ve always taken a lot of pride in the quality of milk products we put out,” he said.

1974: The Bradley Hall Furniture Store, which had been in operation in the southeast segment of Public Square, announced plans to move to the Hall’s Outlet location at the southwest corner of Washington and Vine Streets.

Police Traffic Safety Officer Lt. Jim Pruett conducted seven “Officer Bill” programs for first graders. The course taught bicycle, pedestrian and traffic safety, warned children to beware of strangers and attempted to convince youngsters that police officers were their friends. The program was sponsored by Carmony Funeral Home and police department.

1964: Morristown seniors received verification from the Archivist of the United States that the flag which the class had purchased was flown above the Capitol the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, student reporter Mary Beth Haseman reported. The school was hosting a poetry contest on the subject of the American flag. The school’s English department would determine the winner.

1954: Five pieces of fire-fighting equipment, including the department’s newest 750-gallon-a-minute pumper on a Ford chassis, were lined up between Jackson and Broadway streets for public inspection.

1944: C.W. Shew was appointed pastor of the Pentecostal Church, 905 S. Pike Street. He had appeared in Shelbyville in an evangelistic capacity several times before. (Note: Below is a photo of the church circa the late 1960s, which was later named Apostolic Tabernacle.)

1934: R. Ray Banker announced his candidacy for mayor of Shelbyville on the Republican ticket. Banker, a lifelong city resident, was an insurance agent and Republican Central Committee treasurer for Shelby County. He was a 1912 SHS graduate.

William F. Loper, principal of Shelbyville High School for seven years, was named superintendent of schools. W.O. Breck was named acting principal of the high school.

Nellie Brown and Callie Mae Smith, sisters, were arrested for and fined $11 each for fighting on the front porch of Smith’s home. The fight was the culmination of a dispute over payment of repairs on a broken wringer, they said. Police described the fight as “a hair-pulling contest.”

1924: A newspaper ad from the First Methodist Episcopal Church said “The church does not oppose Sabbath breaking in order to force people to go to church, but does oppose Sabbath breaking because it is wrong. A true Christian will respect the laws of the nation.” The ad listed service times, adding, “The evening service will be devoted to ‘sacred music.’”

1914: The Baptist church hosted a session on “Life’s Most Important Day” for “men and boys” and the First M.E. Church hosted “Ought Women to Work” for “women and girls,” according to newspaper ads.

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OBITUARIES

Kristopher M. Zamudio, 38, of Carthage, passed away February 3, 2024 at I.U. Health Methodist Hospital. He was born February 14, 1985 in Del Rio, TX. to Ernest Zamudio and Beverly (McGaha) Gilaspy.

Kris attended Walnut Ridge Friends Church. He had a close group of friends that he enjoyed riding around with, working and playing cards together. Some of his favorite times were spent making memories with his family. Kris loved the times he was able to go out to eat, visit haunted houses and especially his walks to the bridge with Emma.

Kris is survived by his mother, Beverly (husband, Greg) Gilaspy; his daughter, Emma Zamudio; his sons, Spencer Stroops and Tristen Love; his uncle, Tim (wife, Bee) McGaha. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Zamudio; his uncles, Randy McGaha and Keith McGaha; his grandparents, Wanda and Ralph Thomas, Bob Gilaspy and Billy Joe McGaha.

A Gathering of Friends will be Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. A Celebration of Life will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Jake Brown officiating. Burial will be in Walnut Ridge Cemetery, 8956 W. 800 N. Carthage, IN. 46115. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Kris family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.