Thursday, June 20, 2024
PopUps Program Continues Throughout Summer
Buck Rogers Jr. plays on the east side of Public Square at a “PopUps at the Pavilion” event in May. | photo by JACK BOYCE
PopUps at the Pavilion, a community enhancement program designed by Shelby County Players to showcase diverse musicians with connections to Shelby County, continues Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 to 8 p.m., throughout the summer.
“Our community has a rich history of fostering musical talent, and SCP is pleased to provide this outdoor performance opportunity to musicians who work, live or have family in Shelby County,” Cindy Leahy, Executive Director of Shelby County Players, said. “I knew there were a lot of talented locals who play at bars and events throughout central Indiana, but when I started booking the musicians, the pool of talent grew exponentially via a network of local musicians. I have booked 32 different performers and groups for this year's PopUps and turned away several because there wasn’t a date available.”
Starting this week, the PopUps are now held at the South Pavilion located by Cadillac Jacks and Blue River Bistro. The public is invited to bring their family and friends, lawn chairs and blankets, order carry-out from downtown restaurants or bring their own food and enjoy the PopUps live music, Leahy said in a statement. Alcoholic beverages can only be consumed at the PopUps if they are purchased from a downtown bar.
SCP is promoting “We bring the music - you bring the people” to increase awareness and attendance.
“We've had family gatherings, the SHS class of 1973, and several civic organizations schedule a social gathering this summer,” Leahy said. “PopUps is not a concert or festival atmosphere, but a come-and-go, casual social event that encourages the community to embrace our place, our family, our friends and our local talent.”
On August 29, PopUps will host an Open Mic night to allow people who want to share their talent in a non-competitive atmosphere. Additional information will be posted to the PopUps at the Pavilion Facebook page.
Upcoming shows include Joel DeLashmidt and Gary Cope, featuring Native American flute, saxophone, and Irish whistle, tomorrow night. Next week features the Blue River Community Choir on Tuesday and Amanda Hasecuster on Thursday.
Inaugural Juneteenth Celebration Continues Saturday
The community’s inaugural Juneteenth Celebration, which began last night with a proclamation from Mayor Scott Furgeson at the Grover Center, continues Saturday, June 22, noon to 5 p.m. at Sunset Park, featuring free food, live music and entertainment, games and fun for all ages. The mobile stage will feature choirs; performers; a step presentation; DJ Moxy; Norbert Krapt, former Indiana Poet Laureate; Danny Russel, Abraham Lincoln impersonator; Olivia Reimann and friends and the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Remember to bring a lawn chair.
The event is supported by the Heritage Support Grants and provided by the Indiana Historical Society, made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc. Local hosts include Second Baptist Church, Grover Center, Shelby County Tourism, Shelby County Public Library, the City of Shelbyville, Shelbyville Parks and Recreation and the Shelby County Health Department.
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Central Schools board last night approved the monthly personnel report, which included several summer changes. Approved resignations included the following: Jessica Hunt, Matt Thomas, Emily Bembenek and Betsy Davis, Shelbyville Middle School, and Meg Perron, Hendricks Elementary. New teachers hired included Sarah Kilgore and Abigail Schooler, Coulston; Elizabeth Muir and Elizabeth Spalding, Hendricks; Howard Carter and Jenna Kelley, Shelbyville Middle School; and Robyn Walsh, Shelbyville High School. The board also approved transfers for Jaycee Kellett, SCS substitute to SMS teacher, and Chelsea Caldwell, Coulston to SMS. The board also approved hiring Sara Estes as SHS Athletic Trainer.
The Shelby County Public Library is hosting a Walk in Meltzer Woods, 1522 S 600 E, Shelbyville, next Tuesday, June 25, 10 a.m. All ages welcome, although no pets please. Bring water and appropriate footwear and clothing.
The Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department is hosting “Infamous in Shelby County,” Wednesday, July 3, 7 p.m., at The Strand Theatre, part of the Community Treasure series.
HOOSIER NEWS: American consumers are holding on to their largest purchases for longer. In 2015, just 6 percent of iOS and Android users had owned their previous phone for three or more years. Today, that’s up to 31 percent of iOS users and 22 percent of Android users. The average age of a passenger car on the road has increased from 11 years in 2014 to 14 years today, and people are living in their homes for an average of 11.9 years, up from 6.5 years in 2005. Part of this is higher up-front costs, and better durability of the assets in question means less of an incentive to buy new as often as one once did. (Sherwood News/Numlock)
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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 from the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department.
2014: Complaints regarding mosquitos had dropped substantially from the prior year, from over 100 in June 2013 to virtually none in 2014. County sanitarian Robert Lewis said he expected complaints to pick up once warmer weather arrived.
2004: MainStreet Shelbyville entered into a purchase agreement with the owners of the Cinema 3 theater on South Harrison St., giving the organization 60 days to come up with the money. The group hoped to return it to its original state, with one movie screen and a stage for plays and other events. The theater, once known as The Strand, had a balcony, box seats on either side of the stage and many architectural details that could be restored, MainStreet officials said.
1994: Congressional candidate Joe Hogsett stopped by Shelbyville to have lunch at the Shelby Seniors Services Inc. Strawberry Festival.
Betty Alexander retired after 14 years as nurse practitioner at Shelbyville Planned Parenthood. She had started out as a nurse at Major Hospital
1984: A Shelby County Farm Bureau Co-op truck lost its 500-gallon ammonia tank trailer on E. State Road 44 near I-74, creating a minor traffic problem. The driver was arrested for driving with a suspended license.
A new program would allow Shelbyville High School students to gain college credits. Bill Murphy, SHS math teacher and department head, called it an “honor” to be chosen to join Indiana University’s Advance College Project. Only 17 Indiana high school were invited to offer the program. Shelbyville was selected because of its students’ performances in math competitions and its graduates’ success in math courses at I.U. SHS would offer Calculus for college credit as well as English W131.
1974: The Morristown Volunteer Fire Department purchased 25 home monitors for the firemen to install at their homes, notifying them of the location of fire runs. The department also changed phone numbers, from 763-1234 to 392-4804, which would go to the Shelbyville Police Department for dispatch. Don Roberts was fire chief.
1964: Dawn Dagley, 7, was in serious condition at Major Hospital when she was struck by a car in front of her home on Miller Ave. A 74-year-old resident of W. Locust St. was charged with leaving the scene. Dagley was the daughter of Ransom Dagley, who was on duty with the National Guard in Michigan at the time of the accident, and Barbara Priedt.
1954: An Indianapolis girl narrowly escaped drowning at the Walnut Grove picnic grounds. Artificial respiration was applied by two Indianapolis firemen and three and one-half bottles of oxygen supplied by the Shelbyville Fire Department’s resuscitator unit were credited with saving the 16-year-old’s life.
1944: A soldier who had escaped from the prisoner stockade at Camp Atterbury and stole an Army staff car and a private vehicle was arrested seven miles south of Shelbyville by Sheriff Fred Courtney and Deputy Sheriff Fred Gravely. The prisoner had run out of gasoline and was attempting to secure a job on a farm. The man was returned to Atterbury.
1934: A new gas well was discovered about two miles north of Fountaintown by J. Harvey Snider, Fountaintown business man. Old wells in the area had been gradually failing, encouraging Snider to keep searching for a new one.
Vice President John Nance Garner was in Shelbyville, but few local people knew it, “or cared to know,” The Republican reported of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second-in-command. Garner’s train had stopped briefly in Shelbyville. Two local reporters boarded the train, but a porter stopped them, saying they could not speak to the Vice President without credentials. (Editor’s note: Garner later famously described the vice presidency as being “not worth a bucket of warm piss.”)
1924: Work began to take down a number of old buildings recently condemned by the fire marshal. Among them was a one-story frame building on N. Harrison St. owned by Mrs. Parrish. The building was built previous to the Civil War and was occupied by William Parrish after the war, who operated a grocery store there. It was one of the few business buildings from that era remaining in Shelbyville.
Approximately 3,200 local residents visited Major Memorial Hospital on the first day it was opened to the public. “To many of the visitors, Thursday and today were the first they had ever made into a hospital,” The Republican said.
1914: Work began on drilling an oil well in north Shelby County, on the farm of Lucretia Rohme, north of Fairland. The drillers expected to go 1,200 feet to find oil.
OBITUARIES
James C. “Jim” Branson, 79, of Shelbyville, passed away, Sunday, June 16, 2024, at his home. He was born September 14, 1944, in Shelby County, the son of Robert E. and Alberta Louise (Owens) Branson. Jim is survived by his son, Mike and wife, Bobbie Jean, of Ocoee, Florida; daughter, Amy Cruz and husband, Marcelino, of Ocoee; brother, Kenneth Branson of Shelbyville; grandchildren, Rosa, Kelly and Alexis; great-grandchildren, Azula and Zuko; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his sisters, Janet S. Jewell and Phyllis Behrends; and brother, John E. Branson.
In 1962, Jim graduated from Southwestern High School. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marines, serving during Vietnam. Jim was a farmer and had worked for the Shelby County Highway Department for 10 years. He was a member of the Shelbyville American Legion Post No. 70. Jim was also a member and director of the Indiana Milking Shorthorn Association.
Visitation will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Friday, June 21, 2024, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Military graveside rites will follow at 5 p.m., Friday, at Miller Cemetery in Shelby County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Indiana Milking Shorthorn Association, in care of Freeman Family Funeral Homes, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN, 46176. Online condolences may be shared with Jim’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.