Tuesday, December 6, 2022
BUILDING BRIDGES
photo by ANNA TUNGATE
Representatives from USI Consultants yesterday presented county officials with a rendition comparing the former bridge on CR 600 W over Little Sugar Creek to the $1 million new bridge, constructed by Duncan Robertson, Inc. “This was one of those bridges that was in dire straits, that had a lot of deterioration going on,” Shari Hinds, with USI, said. Above, Hinds, County Commissioners Kevin Nigh, Don Parker and Chris Ross, County Highway Superintendent Kem Anderson and Michael Obergfell, USI Consultants, pose with the piece, which Hinds suggested be placed in the new county highway garage under construction. “This bridge is really a piece of art,” she said.
NOTEBOOK:
Shelby County Commissioners yesterday approved a resolution transferring the North Harrison Street bridge over Big Blue River to the county. The bridge, once controlled by the state, had been relinquished to the City of Shelbyville. However, state law mandates county commissioners oversee all bridges and maintenance. The city is transferring $300,000 to the county for maintenance over the next decade.
Yes, golf carts are considered “off-road vehicles”. Shelby County Commissioners yesterday amended an ordinance originally passed in October regarding the use of Off-Road Vehicles. Although commissioners had discussed the ordinance then in conjunction with golf carts, the carts were not specifically listed. Law enforcement officers had asked questions about the definition, so county attorney John DePrez IV added a sentence noting “for the purposes of this amended ordinance, a golf cart shall be considered an off-road vehicle.”
HOOSIER NEWS: Residential customers at four out of Indiana’s five big utilities are now paying an average electric bill that is higher than $150 per month, according to data from annual residential bill surveys available from the state utility regulatory commission. That’s nearly double what most bills were in 2000. Indiana is not alone — spiking prices in coal and gas are resulting in high electricity prices, and utilities across the country are passing those costs on. Duke has had two back-to-back increases of roughly 16% followed by another 7% on top of that. Those increases represent customers paying as much as $30 more per month than in the same period last year. Company representatives said the proposed new increase is needed because fuel markets have been volatile and there has been a “significant and prolonged” risk in the price of coal and natural gas. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: A new poll asked Americans how they felt about new kinds of development, but split the sample in two and asked half of them how they felt about building more things — playgrounds, hospitals, malls, stadiums — in their country in general, and then the other half asked the same questions but specifically asking locally, as in would they like those things in their local area. For waste management facilities, 84 percent wanted more nationally but only 48 percent wanted more locally, a 36 percentage point gap, which was followed by psychiatric hospitals (25 percentage point gap) and prisons (25 percentage point gap). In terms of what they wanted far more of locally, it’s fast-food restaurants (a 26 point gap) and bars or clubs (14 point gap), which are far more desirable nearby than they are abstractly. (YouGov)
Journey to Bethlehem Drive-Thru Event In Fairland Friday, Saturday
by LUANN MASON | photos by RACHAEL ACKLEY
The opportunity to “Journey to Bethlehem” happens outdoors at the end of this week at New Life United Methodist Church, 6145 N 400 W, in Fairland.
“It’s really a neat experience,” said Pam Meyer about the free drive-thru event that she and a committee of 15 church members have ready for everyone to experience Friday from 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, 4-7 p.m.
“I wish everybody could come and see it,” she said. “It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season. You don’t have to travel to Kentucky or elsewhere. We have it all right here.”
Planning for the event started in January. “It adds to our Christmas at the church by sharing the gospel,” said Meyer. The journey includes at least 45 actors, all dressed in Biblical attire. They range in age from six to those in their 70s.
“This is our third year,” said Meyer. “It started because of Covid (in 2019) when we couldn’t have church. Everyone was missing the Christmas experience.”
Meyer was the agriculture teacher at Southwestern High School at the time. Students helped create the props for “Journey to Bethlehem”, and researched the time period “even to the kind of dishes they ate on,” to have all aspects of the journey be authentic, according to Meyer.
Some of the scenes include: Mary and the Angel Gabriel, Elizabeth and Mary, Sleeping Joseph and the Angel, Bethlehem with a blacksmith, market cart, bakery, the well, the Inn, and the nativity.
“There will be a scroll reader at each station reading scripture from the scroll,” said Meyer. “And, this year we have a multitude of angels.” One is eight-feet tall with a 12-feet wide wingspan, she said.
Church member Gerald Kessler portrays the centurion at the gates of Bethlehem where a six-foot star, made by church member Dave Mehl, will tower above the town. A tax collector will accept the coins visitors will receive at a tent prior to entering through an 11-foot lighted arch.
Every car will receive a mini loaf of bread at the bakery and a gift of a nativity ornament near the end of the journey.
“At the end, our pastor (Jolita Erberle) will pray with you if you’d like, accept written prayer requests, and hand a beeswax candle to each car to remind them that Jesus is the light of the world,” said Meyer.
This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.
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.
20 YEARS AGO: 2002
Ronnie Coy announced he would close Trans-Med ambulance service at the end of the year. Coy, a veteran emergency medical technician, had purchased the business in 1976 from former mayor Ralph VanNatta and Lee Fisher, former Shelby County coroner, who had founded the business in 1970 after local funeral homes quit offering ambulance services. Coy said cutbacks in Medicare and Medicaid payments and a 22-percent increase in insurance costs had contributed to the decision.
30 YEARS AGO: 1992
Local suppliers and growers of Christmas trees reported high sales - with some already selling half of their trees. Carol and Ted Burger, who grew trees near Fairland, reported stronger sales than usual. Dennis Hirschauer reported the same.
Merrie Jo Cherry was named the new Newcomers director for Shelby County. Cherry would be responsible for “officially” welcoming people new to the community and presenting them with “Newcomers kits” of local merchants’ items and coupons.
40 YEARS AGO: 1982
Twelve musical groups, Christmas decorations and a holiday-spirited crowd of 1,000 drummed a festive atmosphere into the Paul Cross gymnasium for the Zonta Christmas sing. The 23rd annual sing featured only one church choir: The Second Baptist Church sang “Rock In Jerusalem” with Anna Byrd soloing. The Youth Community Choir, directed by student Brad Priddy, sang “Sing a Song for Christmas.” St. Joseph School chorus sang “The Sounds of Christmas.” A combined choir from Hendricks and Pearson elementary schools also performed. Zonta director Mickey Wagner and her 15-woman committee had organized the event.
State Rep. Stephen Moberly penned a column noting that Indiana’s financial crisis was the most severe since 1932. A special session had been called at the statehouse to deal with the crisis, with the state facing the prospect of raising state taxes, cutting the budget and postponing planned expenditures. Moberly cited “high unemployment, low factory production, heavy welfare expenditures and an economy too wedded to durable goods manufacturing” as causes of the budget crisis.
50 YEARS AGO: 1972
Temperatures plummeted to near zero.
Efforts were underway to establish a Shelby County Park and Recreation Board. Fifty-four Indiana counties had such a board. Randy Hildebrand, city director of parks and recreation, said there should be one acre of recreational facilities for each 100 residents. Among participants at the meeting were Ron Hardwick, Jack Warble, Mayor Jerry Higgins, Dr. J.A. Davis and Jerry Kinder.
60 YEARS AGO: 1962
Preliminary architectural plans were approved by members of the congregation of Shelbyville’s First Evangelical and Reformed Church for a new church building to be erected on a 4-1/2 acre site on the east side of Columbus Road, a short distance south of McKay Road. Proposals for a new church edifice had been under consideration by the congregation since shortly after the former building at the northwest corner of Pike and Franklin Streets had been destroyed by fire in February. The new building would have a seating capacity of 200. Members of the building committee, besides Chairman Carl Scheffler, were Carl Henke, Mrs. Max Robinson, Mrs. Otto Frey, Paul Joseph, Mrs. Ancil Tungate, Vernie Adam, Howard Seitz, Frank Kirschbaum and Russell Meyerholtz.
70 YEARS AGO: 1952
A newspaper photo showed Bertha Braley ringing the Salvation Army bell inside a stand on the south side of the Square.
Two auto fires occurred within the same family. Firemen were called to Cecil Young’s garage at 20 Haymond St., where a radiator had boiled over on Young’s car and anti-freeze was burning on the motor of his 1935 Ford. An hour later, firemen were called to Public Square, where an auto owned by Harry Young, Cecil’s father, was on fire. Cause of the fire was unknown but the seat cushion and floor mat had been damaged on the 1935 Plymouth.
80 YEARS AGO: 1942
The Shelbyville Republican published an article on Gerald Owens, 26, Shelby County’s first casualty of World War II, who had died in the attack on Pearl Harbor a year prior. The Navy soldier’s parents had been notified of his death a week later.
90 YEARS AGO: 1932
“Although no shots were fired either by or at the bandits who held up the Gwyneville bank yesterday afternoon, Harold Kellar, about 25 years old, today was suffering from a bullet wound in one of his legs as a result of the holdup,” The Republican reported. Edward Evans, a local businessman and member of the bank’s board of directors, had just finished reading a letter to his wife and was about to write the address on the envelope when Mrs. Evans came in and told him excitedly that there had been a holdup at the bank. Evans immediately took a revolver from a drawer and ran out to the porch of his home, but before getting into his automobile to pursue the bandits, he thought it best to find out whether or not the revolve would still function. He fired a shot at the sidewalk. The bullet glanced off the concrete and struck Kellar.
100 YEARS AGO: 1922
“Game Wardens Make Farmers Lose Temper,” read The Shelbyville Republican headline. Walter Ford, a farmer near Flat Rock, had been arrested while he was hunting a rabbit for food for his family on the W.T. Hager farm. Ford had no license to hunt. “The protesting farmers say that game wardens overrun the township, climbing over fences and leaving gates open in quest of hunters who are violating the law,” the paper said.
The management of the Alhambra Theatre announced that a new type of organ, termed a “photo player”, had been installed. The organ was equipped with a number of attachments.
INCIDENTS
A driver who said he “blacked out” as he was traveling west on West Rampart Road collided with an unattended parked vehicle in a residential driveway. The driver’s vehicle then continued west through a yard, struck a decorative boulder in a yard and then hit the corner of a residence in the 1600 block of Fountain Lake Drive.
Thefts were reported at East River Road and E 750 S, Waldron, and the 900 block of Elm Street, 1600 block of East Michigan Road and 2000 block of S. Miller St., Shelbyville.
Burglary was reported in the 200 block of East Mechanic St., Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Usman K. Chaudhry, 33, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass; Daniel J. Kelty, 61, OVWI; Olivia B. Mitchem, 22, false informing, obstruction of justice, placement of 911 call for prohibited purpose, leaving the scene of a personal injury addicent; Seth M. Quick, 22, obstruction of justice, leaving the scene of a crash-injury.
OBITUARIES
Donald L. Gooding, 78, of Fountaintown, passed away Sunday, December 4, 2022.
He was born May 10, 1944, in Murryville, Illinois, the son of Opal (Barfield) Gooding. He married Roberta Jean Farquer, and she preceded him in death on March 1, 2012.
Don is survived by several relatives including his granddaughter, Adriana Stamps and husband, Josh; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Xander and Faith; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Melanie and Donald Farquer. In addition to Roberta, Donald was preceded in death by his parents.
Don was a heavy equipment operator for Enterprise Electrical and Mechanical, retiring in 2006. He enjoyed going fishing and racing cars. Don was a member of the Morristown American Legion Post No. 102 and the Greenfield Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2693.
Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Frazier Chapel, 124 E. North St. in Morristown. Interment will be at Fountaintown Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared with Don’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Timothy S. "Buckwheat" Fuller, 79, of Shelbyville, passed away December 3, 2022 at his residence. Services will be announced by Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home.
Judy Ann "Froedge" Bragg, 72, of Flat Rock passed away on December 2, 2022 at her residence. Born on July 9, 1950 in Metcalf County, KY Judy was the daughter of Henry G. and Annie Harper Froedge. She married Malcolm Bragg on August 12, 1967 and he survives.
In her earlier years she had been employed at Ken Joy Nursing Home in Hope and Mickey's T-Mart in Shelbyville. Judy was a member of Freedom Missionary Baptist Church. She enjoyed reading and sewing and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Judy is survived by her husband, Malcolm Bragg of Flat Rock; children, Matthew (Courtney) Bragg of Mooresville, NC and Patricia Bragg of Flat Rock; grandchildren, Asher, Madison, Nevan and Esme; siblings, Barbara (Wayne) Pierce of Shelbyville, Stella Asbury of Columbus, Janice (Kenton) Gosser of Flat Rock and Ronnie (Teresa) Froedge of Columbus and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service for Judy will be on Wednesday at 12 p.m. at Norman Funeral Home in Hope with Rev. Philip Knight officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5 to 8 pm at the funeral home and also on Wednesday 1 hour prior to service time. Burial will follow service at Hawcreek Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be donated to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, 2626 E. 17th St., Columbus, IN 47201. Judy was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Kenneth Froedge; sisters, Bernice Thompson and Betty Wicker and two nieces. Online condolences may be expressed to Judy's family at www. normanfuneralhome.net.