Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Dec 03, 2024

FIRED UP, READY TO GO

The Shelbyville Middle School 8th grade cheer team performs during a time-out at last night’s boys’ basketball games. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS

NOTEBOOK:

Shelby County Commissioners yesterday approved the only change order for the recently rehabilitated Morristown Road for $13,268. Actual change order needs were approximately $30,000 but other project savings lowered the county’s total, Scott Dick, with USI Consultants, said. The changes involved adding substantial guardrail protections, moving a fence following a homeowner complaint and encapsulating a spring discovered during river bank restorations, in addition to other riverbank work. Three-fourths of the project’s bid cost was covered by state Community Crossing Matching Grant funds. Commissioner Don Parker lauded the project, noting, “People feel a lot safer now.”
Commissioners also approved, with the stipulation the county council approves, purchasing a local government budgeting software system, which Auditor Amy Glackman said would save the office time, as well as help with the staff transition when her term ends in 2026. The software set-up is $6,000 and the bi-annual cost is $26,000, although the county secured a 25 percent discount the first year in addition to a six-month trial.
Following the state’s legislative approval to fund local health departments, the Shelby County Health Department will receive $881,279 from the state for 2025, department director Robert Lewis said.
An out-of-town driver ran the stop sign on Howard St. at the Columbia Ave. intersection, striking another vehicle and causing it to collide with a commercial building at the northwest corner of the intersection. The driver said she did not see the stop sign. Both vehicles were towed due to damage.
A driver going north on the South Riley Highway curve, heading toward Noble St., lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete barrier in front of a home. The driver said it felt like the vehicle slipped on ice.
The Shelbyville Holiday Parade and Mistletoe Market are this Friday, Dec. 6. The lights on Public Square will be turned on for the parade, turned off afterward, and then back on to officially launch the local holiday season. A not-yet-named special guest will do the honors of turning on the lights, Mayor Scott Furgeson said.
The Shelbyville Common Council last night observed a moment of silence to commemorate the recent passing of Chapman Adams, grandson of Councilman Thurman and Mrs. Dawn Adams.
Thank you to every donor for your continued support as The Addison Times forges ahead to fund 2025 and beyond. We will once again provide a quarterly publication with extra news and photos in 2025 as a gift for your support of $100 or more. This past year, we’ve covered city and county meetings, our students, local business, primary and general elections, commercial and residential development, and, of course, daily local history. This GivingTuesday please consider a one-time or monthly donation to The Addison Times, either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor

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NATIONAL NEWS: The annual revenue of ringtone sales peaked at $1.6 billion in 2007, adjusted for inflation. That essentially came out of nowhere, and truth be told evaporated within just a few years, a multibillion-dollar blip, when ringtones accounted for more of the music business’s revenue than digital albums or single downloads did. Ringtones are still a business, but they’re definitely not an industry anymore: Revenues are down over 99 percent, hitting $10.5 million. Of the ringtone sales that do exist, it’s actually not entirely clear how much is going to the artists anyway. Who’s buying? Basically, “people who were between the ages of 14 and 20 when ringtones were popular,” as the average age of the users of the four biggest ringtone apps spans from 31 to 37. (Sherwood News/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights:

Dec. 7, 1979, Part I

A survey of American Problems classes showed that the vast majority of freshmen and sophomores opposed abortion, while almost all senior females were in favor. Senior males favored abortion by a 3-1 rate.
Ten Shelbyville teenagers, eight SHS students and two Baptist Academy students, spent the day “running” City Hall. Baptist Academy student Tammy Armstrong was mayor, and SHS student Paula Muncy was secretary. Chris Wheeler and Ryan Gross worked with Police Chief Bob Williams. Jerry Veerkamp worked with Mr. Pat Owens at the Parks and Recreation Department, and Kevin Metz was escorted around Shelbyville acting as ambulance driver. Jennifer DeVoe was assigned Fire Chief, and Dave Toll, her assistant, also shadowed Chief Meredith Mann. Russ Riggen worked with the planning department. Mrs. Delight Adams worked with Baptist Academy student Phyllis Watson.
The SHS front and side lawns had been destroyed by vehicles over Thanksgiving break, costing taxpayers $3,000 to repair.
The SHS north gravel parking lot was paved, costing $300,000. Several students told The Courier the cost was too great, that the money could have been spent on the building itself. Mike Mewborn disagreed. “The students need a place to park their vehicles where the particles of dust will not settle on them. This causes them to have to wash their cars more frequently. The dust also affects the quality of the tennis courts.”
Brad Mills wrote a rave review of Billy Joel’s recent concert at Market Square Arena. “Perhaps the biggest output of energy came on ‘Big Shot.’ Here, Joel did a punk rockers dance which started mid-stage, then went to the top of the speakers, and finally ended up on top of his grand piano.”
The math department purchased a new computer from Radio Shack for $499 that could do quadratic formulas, linear equations and games such as backgammon and blackjack. Mr. Bill Murphy and Mr. Larry Chaney were to attend training in the summer.

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.

2014: With police departments around the country purchasing body cameras, Shelbyville Police Chief Keith England said he was a proponent of the devices. He said he planned to review the matter further in 2015.

The upcoming girls’ and boys’ Morristown vs. Waldron basketball game would be a Military Appreciation Night. T-shirts would be on sale, with proceeds to benefit local organizations.

2004: Shelby County eighth grade students participated in Career Day at SMS, in which they listened to several community and industry leaders speak about their educational and career backgrounds. Students also took a career inventory.

1994: Shelby County Prosecutor-elect Bryan Barrett named three deputies: R. Kent Apsley, Douglas W. Brown and Michelle Barrett. Apsley was an attorney with Robison, Apsley and Good. Brown worked for Brown, Linder and DePrez. Michelle Barrett would take over child support prosecution, which she had done in Shelby and Johnson counties.

Bob Davis outgrew his auto parts department, the spare bedroom in his home, so he moved the business to 158 E. Washington St.

1984: A church group picketed two downtown Shelbyville businesses for about two hours, claiming those businesses profited from pornography. The picketed stores were Becom’s appliance store and the Gallery Book and Magazine Shop. The group had planned to picket Hunter’s Video Shop on East Broadway, but decided to wait until the following week. The protesters were members of the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Center, 54 E. Washington. Pastor Rudy Klare said there had been a surge in triple-X video in Shelbyville over the past year. Don Becom said only a back room restricted to those 18 and older was reserved for X-rated films. He added he believed the standards of the church members may not be the same as the general public.

1974: A gasoline theft touched off an investigation and sent sheriff officers scurrying for an interpreter speaking French. A French-speaking Canadian had failed to pay for gas at a service station on I-74 at Post Road. Three students, Hillery Banawitz, Debbie Phillips and John Reynolds, all third-year French students at SHS, went to the jail to assist, but the man spoke a different dialect. Maurice Finkel came to the rescue. Finkel had spent significant time in Montreal, and the man was from Quebec. Police did not reveal the contents of the translated conversation.

1964: David Linville and Kenneth Bowman Jr. purchased the Shelby Oil Co. from Paul Ross, who was moving to Bonita Springs, Fla. The business had been established in 1936 by Ross and the late Maurice Hart.

1954: Plans were set for an open house at the new ambulance garage, 53 Fourth St. Visitors could examine the ambulance and living quarters and see the first aid equipment demonstrated. Apples, donated by Polly’s Fruit Market in Shelbyville and Bill Kendall in Morristown, would be distributed as treats.

The Shelbyville Boys Club, 16 W. Broadway, was set to open Dec. 15.

1944: The Shelbyville Airport opened, located one-and-a-half miles south of State Road 29 on the Prescott Road. Flying instructions were $9 per hour.

1934: John Page, one of the four sons of the Pages who had starred on Shelbyville athletic teams, received the coveted Kiwanis football medal at a special school convocation. John was a senior and also played basketball and ran track. Wilbur Pell Sr. represented the Kiwanis Club. The following players received varsity sweaters with “S” monograms superimposed on them: Herbert Cramer, Fred Smith, Earl Snider, Frank Blackburn, Roy Anderson, Claude Hendricks, John Buell and Norman Drybread.

1924: The upcoming Bloomington-Shelbyville basketball game, played in Bloomington, would be reported by telephone from the gymnasium to Shelbyville City Hall for local fans. Admission to City Hall to receive the phone updates was 25 cents.

1914: George Peters, “one of the old and respected farmers in this county,” living five miles north on the Fountaintown Pike, was injured after a horse reared, fell to the ground and rolled on him, breaking his ankle, The Republican reported. Dr. W.C. McFadden and Mr. Will Kennedy treated the injury.

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory

OBITUARIES

Patricia E. Barker, 71, of Shelbyville, passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at Franciscan Health in Indianapolis. Born March 24, 1953 in Shelbyville, she was the daughter of Forrest R. Woodall and Myrtle (Gaddis) Woodall. She married Carless D. Barker in 1979, and he preceded her in December 2011. Survivors include a daughter, Shannon Goad of St. Paul; a son, Nathan Barker of Westfield; two brothers, Doy Smith (Joyce) of Shelbyville and Daniel Woodall of New Whiteland; a sister, Peggy DeWitt of Shelbyville; two grandchildren, Ashley Mack and Aaron Buchanan; and three great-grandchildren, Evelyn, Emylia, and Oliver Mack. She was preceded in death by her parents; her spouse; sister, Pansy Smith; and brother-in-law, Dale DeWitt.

Mrs. Barker had lived most of her lifetime in this area and attended Shelbyville High School. She had been employed as an assembler at Arvin Automotive, retiring after 30 years of service. Patricia enjoyed playing Bingo, attending garage and yard sales, and loved her dog Paxton.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with Pastor George Mitchell officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Wednesday morning from 11 a.m. until the time of the service, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to the Shelby County Cancer Association, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.

Marla D. Phares, 84, of Shelbyville, passed away, Monday, December 2, 2024, at Ashford Place Health Campus in Shelbyville. She was born July 10, 1940, in Shelbyville, the daughter of Earl Leon and Grace L. (McComas) Cole. In November of 1960, she married Larry K. Phares, and he preceded her in death on September 29, 2021. Marla is survived by her daughter, Lorrie Pierce of Shelbyville; son, Brian Phares and wife, Robin, of Sarasota, Florida; sisters, Shirley Disser and husband, Jack, Beverly Crosby, Faye “Peachie” Engle and husband, Ernie, Jackie Harding and husband, George, Christie Browning and husband, R.D., Sherri Krieger and Julie Wise and husband, Tommy, all of Shelbyville, and Beth Cole of Waldron; grandchildren, Ashlee Thomas and husband, Matthew, and Anna Ingle and husband, Ben; great-grandchildren, Kaylee Thomas, Henry Ingle, Jack Ingle and Maddie Ingle; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to Larry, Marla was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Betty Worland; brothers, Ronald Cole, Michael Todd Cole and Gregory J. Cole; and granddaughter, Kelly Pierce.

Marla graduated in 1958 from Shelbyville High School. She was a legal secretary for over 30 years, for the law firm off Stubbs and Meltzer. Marla was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed spending time with her sisters, creating memories with her grandchildren and going to the Monday buffet at the casino with Larry.

Private family services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cancer Association of Shelby County, PO Box 844, Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.

Montel Louis Giden, 63, of Shelbyville, passed away Saturday, November 30, 2024, at MHP Medical Center. He was born February 17, 1961 in Shelbyville, IN to Joe L. Giden and Mildred (Megerle) Giden.

Montel graduated from Shelbyville High School with the class of 1979. He then went onto further his education by earning his business degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. He pursued a career as a truck driver and retired in 2018. Montel had a love for traveling, especially to the beaches in Michigan. He also enjoyed watching westerns and war movies. He loved to learn about history. His greatest joy came from spending time with his family and friends. Montel’s family was extremely important to him all throughout his life.

He is survived by Celeste; his son, Donte (wife, Shelby) Denton; his grandchildren, Aniya Coleman, Jayla Denton, Brenna Denton and Jeremiah Denton; his sisters, Para Jones and Rhonda Robinson; his nephews, Carroll Jones, Anson Giden and Jessman Robinson; his nieces, Megan Kangwa and Whitney Hammel and a host of great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Vince Giden.

Visitation will be Friday, December 6, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Funeral services will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Tony Lambert officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Montel’s family.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Montel Giden Memorial Fund in care of Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.

Michael Allan Colee, 38, of Waldron, passed away Thursday, November 28, 2024, at IU Health Methodist Hospital. Born August 26, 1986, in Odessa, Texas, he was the son of Richard and Jackie (Banister) Colee. Survivors include his parents of St. Paul; his daughter, McKenzie Rae Colee; grandparents, Lynda Garrett of St. Paul, and Norma Ross of Shelbyville.

Mr. Colee lived most of his lifetime in this area and graduated from North Decatur High School in 2005. He had been a controls technician with TRS Group of Indianapolis for several years. He was a member of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. Michael enjoyed playing video games and was an avid San Francisco 49ers fan. He also enjoyed coaching Mt. Pisgah's girls softball team and loved the outdoors and fishing. He dearly loved his daughter, McKenzie, who was the light of his life, and his dog, Maggie.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at Mt. Pisgah Baptist church, 3718 E. Blue Ridge Road, with Pastor Robb Barlow officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. Friends may call on Saturday morning from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Lung Association, or the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.

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