Tuesday, February 6, 2024
LOCAL CONNECTION
John Rust (R-Jackson County) filed his candidacy for U.S. Senate yesterday with the Indiana Secretary of State. Observant locals may have noticed David Finkel, Shelbyville, in the background on WISH-TV’s coverage. Finkel, left, with the candidate center, has known Rust for many years, and both are theater pipe organ aficionados. Rust joins U.S. Rep. Jim Banks on the Republican primary ballot in May for the Senate seat. | photo submitted
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Common Council last night approved on first reading amending the salary ordinance, adding two positions: a Director of Public Relations at $62,000 to $65,000 annually, which will come from EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) funds, and a part-time grant-funded Community Project Coordinator position at approximately $37,500 annually. The Project Coordinator position is funded through the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration opioid settlement for approximately 18 months, with the possibility of a grant extension. The incumbent will coordinate with Shelbyville Behavioral Health and Equity Director Keyen Macklin. Mayor Scott Furgeson said the position will end when the grant runs out. “There is enough money in the grant that this should not cost the city a penny,” city attorney Jenny Meltzer said. The council also approved adjusting the salary bands for the Clerk-Treasurer’s office. The recent 3 percent raise pushed one employee over the approved salary range, so the bands were officially adjusted.
The Common Council on first reading also approved the latest round of extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and a petition from M/I Homes to lower the minimum square footage requirements at the incoming Bear Run addition off Progress Parkway. The plan commission had given unanimous favorable recommendations on both matters. The ETJ will assign city zoning classifications to approximately 375 non-contiguous acres in southeast Addison Township and northeast Shelby Township. ETJ is not the same as annexation, and is part of the city’s long-term efforts to streamline development in accordance with the comprehensive plan. The revised ordinance regarding Bear Run will change the minimum living area of 1,520 square feet for a one-story home and 1,800 square feet for a two-story home to 1,400 square feet for either type of home, which meets the existing standard of city code for residential subdivisions. M/I Homes representative Tim Westerfield said 1,400 square feet is more in line with current demands from first-time home buyers.
In other action, the council approved on first reading a $1.23 million tax abatement for Brazeway to modernize and upgrade equipment. The council unanimously approved the matter, with the exception of Councilman Denny Harrold, who abstained given his professional association with Brazeway attorney Steve Schrumpf.
You may have noticed a Ball State University bus in the Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc. parking lot yesterday, which is due to a class of 26 BSU College of Architecture and Planning students studying Morrison Park as part of an immersive learning project course. The students will visit the park three times, and parks director Trisha Tackett and planning director Adam Rude will visit Ball State twice to discuss the park. The students are planning to meet with area stakeholders at a future meeting. “They have no preconceived notions about the park,” Rude said. “So, I think we’re going to get a lot of really interesting ideas, and hopefully we can take that and turn it into an actual plan.”
Chris King has been elected new chairman of the Shelby County Republican party, succeeding Rob Nolley, who had served as chair since 2017. Also appointed to the local Republican Central Committee were Jenny Meltzer, vice chair, succeeding Jill Nolley; Jessica Pile, secretary; and Jason Clark, treasurer.
Shelby County Commissioners yesterday approved a $27,895 bid from Edge Construction to demolish a dilapidated home and structures at 2327 S. Tucker Road, Shelbyville. The home has been on the county’s radar for nearly two years, but there had been some discussion of a neighbor purchasing the property. When that fell through, the county proceeded. The winning bid was just slightly under the next lowest bid. “Five dollars’ difference,” Robert Lewis, health department director, said. “I’ve never seen that.”
Shelby Go, the public transportation service run by Shelby Senior Services, did 6,116 runs last year, up 25 percent from 2022, Kim Koehl, Shelby Senior Services executive director, told county commissioners. “I thought it was interesting that 95 percent of (the service runs are for) seniors,” Koehl said.
County Commissioners approved replacing a culvert on Vandalia Road, just west of CR 600 E.
The following building permits were issued in Shelbyville last month: new home construction at 2301 and 2315 Larkspur Lane, 1226 and 1314 Breckinridge Way, 2008 Oak Leaf Way (Twelve Oaks), 1226 Stonehedge Way; 1829 James Pierce Dr. (Bear Run addition); new detached garage at 114 Fairfield Dr.; new in-ground swimming pools at 1417 Golden Bear Lane and 2869 Kensington Court; new carport at 2014 Oak Leaf Way; repair foundation at 769 Howard St.; installation of new ceiling beam at 749 First St.; remodel area for new operating room at 2451 Intelliplex Dr.; remodel an area for new radiography room at 2451 Intelliplex Dr.; install foundation for new building at 841 Elston Dr.; remodel 1029 Miller Ave. for office space; install new wall in entryway of 1461 Valdosta Court; and remodel 622 8th St.
A vehicle ran off W. McKay Road near Peninsula Dr. and struck a fire hydrant. The driver said he had fallen asleep.
A driver accidentally hit the accelerator and ran into the Colonial Coin Laundry on Progress Parkway, damaging the vehicle and the building’s wall.
The third annual Battle of the Bowls chili cook-off, a fundraiser for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, is this Saturday, Feb. 10, 5 - 8 p.m., at the Knights of Columbus, 413 E. South St., Shelbyville. Call 317-398-8227 for more information. Today is the deadline to register to enter. Dinner tickets can be purchased at the door, $10 for adults and kids 12 and under, free. Tickets include chili, dessert and five ballots to vote for your favorites.
NATIONAL NEWS: For the first time on record, over half of U.S. students were dropped off at school or drove to school in a private vehicle, with 53 percent of students getting to school that way in 2022. The pandemic provoked a crunch in bus drivers, and many municipalities either cut service or began providing financial incentives for parents to drive their kids to school rather than running a bus service. The effect has been seen most significantly among families where at least one parent has a bachelor’s degree or higher. (Washington Post / Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: The amount of recent snowfall was causing a crunch on the Fairland town budget. The town had spent practically nothing on snow removal for two consecutive years, but continual snow in 2014 was cutting into the budget allocated for drainage project additions.
2004: The arrival of Walmart Supercenter proved to be a great deal for Shelby County Habitat for Humanity. The charitable group sold a one-third acre piece of property it owned on Range Road just across from the new Walmart. Habitat had purchased the land five years before from Marshall Shaw, who gave them a good deal. When Walmart moved in, the land’s value rose, and Habitat sold the property to a Cincinnati developer.
1994: Danny Moore, who had missed seven games with mononucleosis, returned to the Golden Bears’ lineup to score 29 points on 12 of 15 shooting. The Bears won, ending their eight-game losing streak.
Coulston Red won the Shelbyville city elementary girls basketball tournament. Members of the team were Tricia Darby, Amy Nigh, Nisha Craig, Danielle Goforth, Allison Saul, Sarah Laird, Margaret Ann Fenton, Misty Johnson, Jennifer Ross, Emily Hopkins, Ellisha Haddix and Christina Jester. Terry Nicholson and Kent Laird were coaches.
1984: The Shelbyville Board of Public Works commissioned city engineer Steve Soller to draw specifications for a sewer project on the city’s east side and for a water tower-fire station for the south side.
1974: Addison school students had started a school business enterprise. Pat Garrett had noticed the amount of school paper being discarded and decided it could be put to better use. So he and other students started collecting the paper and selling it to a Rushville man, who used it in manufacturing housing insulation. Their first collection netted one and a half tons of paper. The funds were used to rent movies for the school. Other students involved in the project were Emily White, Chris Fields, Steve Munger and Charles Richardson.
Anthony Champa was elected president of the Shelby County Bar Association, succeeding George Barger. George L. Stubbs Jr. was elected vice president and J. Lee McNeely was chosen secretary-treasurer. The annual Lawyer’s Picnic date was set for July 10, with Bob Good in charge. The Association also accepted three new attorneys for membership: John Murphy, associated with Good; Peter DePrez, associated with Terry, Robison and Graebe; and Arthur DePrez, who was not practicing law and was assistant manager of The Shelbyville News.
Shelby County Chamber of Commerce officials urged county residents to conserve gasoline by using car pools, “greater reliance on telephone communication rather than personal contacts” and “curtailing trips in company vehicles.”
1964: TAB soda, with only 1 calorie per 6-oz. serving, started being bottled at the local Coca-Cola plant.
1954: Bradley Hall Furniture Co. announced the arrival of new 7-inch 78-RPM records with the latest hits, sold for 35 cents each. “See Virginia in our Record Dept.,” an ad read.
Lara Beth Hohenberger was named Chafee Studio Baby of the Week. She received merchandise from Goodman Jester, Miller’s 29 and Vine, Fleming Jewelry Store and Farmers National Bank.
1944: The Liberty Township independent basketball team defeated the Blue Ridge independent team, 70-23, at the Waldron gymnasium. Only four players were used on each side due to a wartime manpower shortage.
1934: Ray-Glo Corporation, previously located in Ohio, announced they would move to 516 Center Street, Shelbyville, bringing 75 jobs to the city. The Center Street factory had previously been occupied by the Danziger Furniture Company. Ray-Glo built gas heaters.
1924: The pastor of the Waldron Baptist church was on trial in Shelby Circuit Court, charged with burning the church. The Methodist minister in Waldron was called to the stand, and he denied there was any rivalry between him and the defendant because “of large crowds that attended the Waldron Baptist Church.”
1914: Two Fairland women were taken to the state women’s prison for stealing 19 chickens. They were sentenced to a minimum of a year. “Seemingly not caring for their children they leave behind for the county to support, the Fairland women joked and laughed while they were waiting for the car to take them to Indianapolis,” The Republican reported.
The “Tic-Tok Dancing Club” of Shelbyville entertained women at the Odd Fellows Hall on West Broadway. The music was provided by Thomas Smith and his Shelbyville orchestra.
OBITUARIES
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