Thursday, October 2, 2025
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
Mohawks Edge Tigers in Tennis Sectional Opener
Triton Central’s Janssen Capps serves against Waldron’s Charlie Fischer during Wednesday’s sectional opener at Shelbyville. Waldron advanced with a 3-2 victory, led by wins from Charlie Fischer at No. 1 singles, Lincoln Fischer at No. 3 singles, and the No. 1 doubles team of Jackson Kuhn and Caige Sheaffer. Triton Central earned points from Brayden Hoover at No. 2 singles and the No. 2 doubles team of Graham Gast and Drayton Kermode. Waldron moves on to face host Shelbyville in today’s semifinal, while Southwestern takes on Morristown in the other match. The sectional championship is scheduled for Friday. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Foundation Awards More Than $214,000 in Progress Grants
The Blue River Community Foundation (BRCF) has awarded $214,632 through the 2025 Progress Grant cycle, investing in projects and programs aimed at making a lasting difference for residents across Shelby County.
The Progress Grant program is funded by City of Shelbyville and Shelby County government tax revenue from the casino. A portion of these funds is dedicated to charitable work across the county, with BRCF administering the program on behalf of both local governments.
This year’s cycle welcomed three new nonprofit applicants and reached every corner of Shelby County, including Shelbyville. Projects reflect the many ways philanthropy strengthens a community through arts and culture, education, health, youth development, social services and civic engagement.
“Each grant represents more than dollars; it represents hope, opportunity and progress for Shelby County,” said Jordan England, BRCF grants and nonprofit relations director. “From a child’s first day at preschool to a mother finding safe housing, these stories show what is possible when our community comes together.”
2025 Progress Grant recipients
Boys & Girls Clubs of Shelby County – $15,000
Funding will support Healthy Kids, Active Clubs, including Beam Floor Projection Exergame systems and other equipment that make learning active and fun. Hundreds of children and teens will benefit from programs combining movement, teamwork and academics.Decatur County YMCA (serving Shelby County) – $20,000
Scholarships for early learning programs will help more children in Shelby County enter kindergarten prepared, while giving parents reliable child care.Forest Hill Cemetery Association – $22,088
Phase 4 paving will improve access and safety for visitors, continuing preservation efforts at the historic site.Girls Inc. of Shelbyville & Shelby County – $15,000
The computer lab will be upgraded with new equipment, giving girls better tools for homework, coding and leadership activities.Harnessing Hope – $8,200
The grant supports The Bridge, expanding equine-assisted therapy opportunities for people facing trauma and life challenges.Marietta Community – $23,834
Funds will help develop a new community gathering space with amenities to encourage recreation and connection.Servants at Work (SAWs) – $5,000
Volunteers will continue constructing wheelchair ramps for residents with mobility challenges, restoring independence and dignity.Shelby County Players – $50,000
A new theatre technology and sound package will bring productions to professional standards and inspire future generations of performers.Shelter from the Storm – $35,000
The grant expands safe housing for women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence.Sunshine House – $20,510
The Wheels of Opportunity program will provide a van to connect residents experiencing homelessness with essential services and jobs.
For more information about BRCF’s grant opportunities or to apply for the next cycle, visit www.blueriverfoundation.com/apply-for-grants.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
The following building permits were filed in Shelbyville last month: a $30,000 remodel of 1810 East State Road 44 for Pure Strike Golf Simulator business; a $241,605 remodel of Key Bank National Association, 1620 East State Road 44; a new patio at 113 Western Trace; construction of a roof over a patio at 1986 Black Oak Drive; construction of a covered porch at 2414 Overlook Dr.; a new patio at 1041 Balto Drive; construction of new roofs over apartment entrances at 156 W. McKay Road; and construction of nine new homes.
A Shelbyville High School STEM Cheese Fundraiser is supporting the Universal STEM Trip for students, helping provide opportunities to attend STEM workshops and participate in hands-on learning experiences. The order form is available here. Orders are due by Oct. 13. Payment must be made before or at pickup. Orders are expected to arrive between Oct. 27 and Nov. 10. Families will be contacted with pickup details once deliveries are received. Cash and checks (made payable to Shelbyville High School) are accepted.
HOOSIER NEWS: Purdue University will abruptly end a statewide initiative to help more than 13,000 low-income Indiana students go to college after it was targeted by the federal government. The U.S. Education Department canceled the $34.9 million federal grant to Purdue University for GEAR UP, a federally funded program to boost college readiness and access that provided after-school, mentoring and college-prep programs in 10 districts across the state. The grant was awarded last year and expected to continue through 2031. In a Sept. 12 termination letter, the U.S. Education Department said Purdue’s grant application conflicted with federal civil rights law and the department’s policy of “prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education.”
NATIONAL NEWS: Premium butter sales are growing fast; sales of butter priced at 25 percent or more expensive than the average price are up 24.2 percent year over year. Super-premium butter (at least 75 percent more than average) is up 13.7 percent, and mainstream butter sales are up a mere 1.1 percent. At the same time that consumers have been trading down in some parts of the grocery store, butter has remained a bit of an exception since the pandemic, when a surge in cooking turned a lot of people on to the good stuff. While the average price of a pound of butter is $4.36, premium brands like Kerrygold can charge $10.99 per pound, while Les Prés Salés can fetch $24.38 per pound and Maison Bordier can go for $43.54 per pound. (Bloomberg/Numlock)
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COURIER ARCHIVES
Oct. 31, 1929
The latest girls’ fashion at school was wearing shawls. “In olden days, no grandmother felt fully equal to any occasion until she had her small shawl wrapped over her shoulders with the ends safely tucked under her apron. And now their great-great-granddaughters drape gaudy triangular bits of silk over their shoulders in strictly individual style,” The Courier said.
W.F. Loper put a hold on changing the Mackmen’s name. “Due to the widespread feeling of satisfaction with the present names of our athletic teams and the lack of interest in changing the names, no further effort will be made to effect such a change at this time,” he said.
Posters with inspirational sayings had been purchased for the junior high. One student said the best one was, “Try, try again.”
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: MAJOR HEALTH PARTNERS
This Day in Shelby County History
Local headlines reported on or around this date in Shelby County history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: The Waldron boys’ tennis team defeated Morristown to win their first sectional championship in program history. Team members were Kyle DeHart, Tony Miano, Ty Perry, John Tindall, Jason Prather, Will McComas, Daniel Schmitz, Brady Winkler, Sean Mattingly and Adam Tindall. Travis Powell was the coach, and Jon Burton was assistant coach.
1995: The Shelbyville Common Council set a vote on Mayor Bob Williams’ proposal for curbside recycling. The ordinance called for mandatory recycling with possible fines for those not complying. Another item on the agenda would be rezoning 22 acres behind the old Target store to allow for a 280-unit apartment complex.
1985: Heritage Enterprises announced plans to build a 40-unit retirement center on Shelbyville’s southwest side, north of the Heritage House Convalescent Center or to the south of Heritage Manor. Another company had previously announced plans to build a 100-unit retirement complex near Junction Shopping Center on East State Road 44.
1975: Morristown captured the Shelby County cross country championship for the third consecutive year at the Elks Club course. Team members were Jeff Moore, Jerry Terrell, Rusty Read, Daryl Kuhn, Rod Heck, Ronnie Garrett and Bill Terrell.
1965: The Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety approved a request eliminating parking on the west side of South Harrison Street in front of the courthouse and on South Harrison Street 30 feet south of its intersection with Taylor Street. The request had been made by Sheriff Edghill Moore.
Construction continued on the new International Packing Corp. plant on Smithland Road. The framework of steel was nearly complete on the previously-laid foundation.
1955: Shelbyville’s new dial telephone system officially went into service, marking the end of operator-assisted local calls. More than 6,100 phones were switched to the new system in the early hours, and Indiana Bell reported the transition went smoothly with only minor interruptions.
1945: Arnold Fogle of Shelbyville received a telegram notifying him that his nephew, Pvt. Robert Scholten, had been liberated from a Japanese prisoner camp, where he had been a prisoner since the fall of Corregidor. Pvt. Scholten’s family had not heard from him in more than a year.
1935: The Shelby County Council voted 5-1 to approve the county’s share of the cost for a new courthouse, estimated at $121,000 with help from a federal grant. The lone dissenter, John Scheffler, favored building with brick instead of stone. The approval marked a key step toward replacing the aging courthouse and moving forward with formal plans and specifications for the project.
1925: Clifton Latshaw of Shelbyville earned a spot on Indiana University’s freshmen football squad. He had been a standout high school player.
1915: George Hill, a dairy farmer west of Shelbyville, completed construction on the largest silo in Shelby County. The silo stood 60 feet high and 16 feet across and was constructed with cement reinforced by steel.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Delores M. Leeper, 93, of Shelbyville, died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at the Willows of Shelbyville. She was born Aug. 11, 1932, in Lawrence, Indiana, the daughter of Billie and Dorothy (Wilson) Davis. She married Robert Leeper on June 17, 1952, and he preceded her in death in 2012. Survivors include her children, Becky Clements (Leo) of Morristown, Tim Leeper of Shelbyville and Carolyn Hood (Brian) of Shelbyville; half-sister, Vicki Bingham (Max) of Danville; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Robert Davis; and sister, Betty Zang.
Mrs. Leeper had lived in Shelby County for 60 years, after moving from Indianapolis. She was a homemaker and graduate of Lawrence Central High School. She worked at Cagney’s for more than 20 years. She loved her cats, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.
Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road. Burial will be in Miller Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until the service Monday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Nikkilas Alan Purdue, 35, of Shelbyville, died Sept. 28, 2025, after a battle with cancer. He was born in Shelbyville, the son of Christine R. Gibson-Turner and William E. Turner, and Simon H. Purdue. He was especially close to his grandparents, Walter “Cotton” Jones and Shirley Jones; his uncle, Toby Gibson; and his godmother, Kerri Shepard. Survivors include his parents and grandparents; his daughter, Katelyn Salcedo; his brothers, Trevor (Aspen) Wheeler, Tristan Turner and Jonathan Purdue; his sisters, Kelsey Turner, Shianna Golding, Tyler Colvin, Valerie Cheatham and Desiree Allen; his uncles, Chris Jones, Bob Jones, Toby Gibson and Skye Gibson; and his aunts, Sharon Asher, Dawn Jones and Rhonda Meetze. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Ronnie Gibson; his aunt, Jamie Gibson; and his sister, Morgan Purdue.
Mr. Purdue was an avid gamer who enjoyed card games, board games, video games and tabletop role-playing games. He also loved fishing, being outdoors, and browsing antique malls. Above all, he enjoyed being surrounded by the people he loved.
No services are planned. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Kenneth R. “Kenny” Bledsoe, 67, of Shelbyville, died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at IU Health University Hospital. He was born March 26, 1958, in Shelbyville, to LeRoy R. Bledsoe and Juanita (Chaney) Bledsoe.
Kenny was a talented guitar player with a lifelong love of music. He enjoyed being outdoors, especially fishing and relaxing. When he wasn’t casting a line, he could often be found following politics in the news.
Survivors include his fiancée of more than 35 years, Vickie Reddick; his brother, Danny Bledsoe; his stepson, Bobby Smith; and cousin, Allen Hewitt. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Carl Bledsoe; sisters, Vickie Stainbrook and Carol Bledsoe; and stepson, Aaron Smith.
Funeral directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Kenny’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.