Tuesday, March 5, 2024
HEAD OVER HEELS
Camryn, 11, is all smiles yesterday at Berwick Park while she shows her style in 77-degree weather. | photo by JACK BOYCE
Officials Discuss Possibility of New Police Station
Law enforcement has changed since the city-county criminal justice center opened 30 years ago. But except for recent cosmetic updates, the police station remains the same.
“Before (recent repairs and flooring installation), the station was so bad, I would’ve been embarrassed to drag a criminal through there,” Furgeson said yesterday in a meeting to discuss the future of the police station.
With the number of both police and sheriff’s deputies increasing since the 1990s and the implementation of a new combined dispatch center, lack of space at the jail has become an issue.
“We’re on top of ourselves,” Sheriff Louie Koch said, “so it does make it difficult.”
Furgeson convened the group of city and county officials to brainstorm plans for a “long overdue” new station to house the department’s 62 employees. Even though they are not all in the building at the same time, early research indicates the station would require approximately three acres of land and at least 25,000 square feet.
Officials suggested several sites. The complex formerly housing Mickey’s T-Mart on South Harrison St. was mentioned, as were two on the west side of town: the former Admiral factory building in the 800 block of Miller Ave. and current farmland at the northwest corner of Miller Ave. and McKay Road. Knauf has also offered land, but it sits in a flood plain, potentially leading to increased construction costs.
Council representative Linda Sanders said she likes the idea of revitalizing Shelbyville’s west side. And given reported drainage issues at McKay and Miller Ave., Sanders said the city’s involvement might have additional benefits beyond a police station.
“If we were to build and (fix the drainage), it might make it more feasible for (developers) to do something with that property, and help that end of town,” she said.
Common Council President Mike Johnson and Council representative Betsy Means Davis said they liked a more central location, although it is not yet clear if the owners of mentioned properties were willing to sell.
In the meantime, officials asked Police Chief Dr. Bill Dwenger to compile a list of department needs and desires. One he mentioned was an area to wash police vehicles.
Although it’s too early to know costs, Furgeson told city council the station could be in the $15 million range. Funding could potentially come from the state’s READI 2.0 allocations.
The group ultimately decided to investigate several locations mentioned.
“Maybe it's looking at all these sites and trying to compare them against each other on the same metrics,” city plan director Adam Rude said.
Furgeson agreed with the approach and noted, “It’s going to be a slow process.”
TRIAL BY FIRE
The Shelbyville Fire Department hosted members from all Shelby County volunteer fire departments Sunday at the SFD fire training facility on the fairgrounds. The training was led by Deputy Chief Tennell. | submitted
NOTEBOOK:
A section of McKay Road, from Berwick Dr. to 1311 W. McKay Road, will be closed for water main work tomorrow and Thursday, 8:45 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m., after which there will be steel plates in place so traffic can proceed. A detour will be in place during the aforementioned times, from Berwick Dr. to Maple St. and then back up Premier St.
NATIONAL NEWS: Viewership of many cable channels has dropped calamitously, and to stem the bleeding many are just turning their networks into ghosts of their former selves, producing no new shows but instead putting reliable classics like Ridiculousness on MTV, Seinfeld and The Office on Comedy Central, The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon on TBS, as well as cheap reality shows with massive libraries everywhere else. MTV’s prime time viewership is down from an an average of 807,000 in 2014 to 256,000 in 2023. AMC’s prime time audience is down 73 percent over the period, USA is down 69 percent, the Disney Channel is down 93 percent, and most of the other flagship cable networks are down by more than half. (Associated Press/Numlock)
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Blue River Career Programs’ Work-Based Learning Offering Highlighted
Morristown High School graduate Maggie Lutes was a paid intern at Ryobi and is continuing her education at Trine University, majoring in chemical engineering. | submitted
How many times while in high school do you get a chance to learn and be paid at the same time? The Blue River Career Programs Work-Based Learning/Paid program allows students to gain a tremendous amount of experience while being paid. Ray Schebler, instructor, said the program has many students earning an average $10,000 while building an impressive resume before they graduate high school. The paid work study program provides for the transition from high school to the real world. Students attend school at their home high school for half the day and work a minimum of 15 hours per week. It is the goal for students to be placed in a career-oriented job that allows them to continue to refine and develop skills. The Work-Based Learning/Paid program is where education pays off in both the short term and the long term.
Students are placed in internships based on their career interest and their academic portfolio. Each student will learn and experience real-life situations every day. There are many career fields to choose from: engineering, criminal justice, education, sports medicine, nursing, radiology, business/marketing, veterinary, dental, TV/radio, physical therapy, pediatrics, and many more. These students truly get to see first-hand what a career in their chosen profession will be like daily bases. The knowledge and networking have proven to be priceless for seniors preparing themselves for successful careers. For additional information on the Work-Based Learning, contact Ray Schebler, 317-392-4191, ext. 1122.
This Day in Shelby County History
2014: A public hearing at City Hall for Phase I of the Fairland Road project, a proposed extension from CR 400 North (Fairland Road) to CR 100 N (West Mausoleum Road) drew heated debate. The $12 million project had been on the table since 2007, but some Fairland residents and officials weren’t buying the argument. “We’ve heard these stories every year, that this company or that company is coming. I think you people have watched ‘Field of Dreams’ too many times,” Jeremy Miller said.
2004: The former Compton’s building on South Harrison St. was demolished. Gas America planned to build a new facility and open within 90 days.
1994: Discussion continued on ownership of the 2.5-mile abandoned railroad Conrail spur. City Attorney Mark McNeely said the land from KCL on Hodell St. to St. Joseph St. and Evans St. to Jefferson St. was not conveyed to the city, so it would revert back to adjacent property owners. City officials had hoped to transform the abandoned rail into a fitness trail.
Although the timing hadn’t been announced, several residents along Taylor and Polk streets had come out to watch Sheriff Mike Herndon transfer inmates from the old jail into the new one. The Shelbyville News reported residents enjoyed the “colorful display of artwork,” e.g., inmates’ tattoos. “Some of the tattoos were small; others covered all visible areas of the inmates’ arms,” the paper said.
1984: Tempers flared at the Shelby County Commissioners meeting as four-month-long talks continued on whether to purchase a new computer system for the courthouse. Some officials wanted to have an outside firm evaluate the entire system’s needs. Auditor Tom Duvelius called for immediate upgrades. “I’m sick and tired of all this hem-hawing around!” he said.
1974: The Shelbyville Parks board approved sandblasting the band shell at Morrison Park and discussed ways to improve the acoustics. The board also purchased a scuba for use in cleaning Porter Pool. Paul Lay, local diving instructor, agreed to instruct pool employees on using the scuba.
1964: The Crescendos of Triton Central High School organized to perform at various school and community events. members were Marijo Pfendly, Pam Eck, Carol Bassett, Ila Asberry and Betty Asher. Connie Pryor was accompanist.
1954: Harold Griffith, 10, Teal St., ran into the side of a moving vehicle near Hendricks school. Harold was being chased by another boy and ran into the street, causing the incident. He escaped serious injury.
The temperature was 14 degrees.
1944: A local “alleged window-peeper” was killed by Paul Merritt, 28, The Republican reported. Merritt, who had used a .22 caliber rifle, was charged with manslaughter.
Seventy-four more Shelby County men were drafted into service.
1934: C.R. Hurst, Moral Township farmer, announced he was running for township trustee as a Republican, and would not take a salary. “He promises to reduce the taxes for the township to the least point possible in consistent and efficient administration, and appeals to Democratic voters particularly for their support,” The Republican reported.
1924: The Republican newspaper criticized County Commissioners for accepting gravel as payment from some men who bought a county road and made it private. The gravel turned out to be pulled from a County Commissioner’s property. Under the headline, “Shelby County Commissioners Have a New Kind of Currency,” the article asked, “If gravel is to become currency in Shelbyville, why not send the good wife to some store to buy half a yard of gravel’s worth of coffee? Or why not order a few tons of coal for the county farm and pay the coal merchant in perfectly clean river-washed gravel taken off the farm of a County Commissioner? Why not?”
1914: Seventy-five of the 203 high school basketball teams in Indiana agreed to meet in Bloomington for a three-day tournament. “The Shelbyville team will not be entered in the tournament this year, as it was not thought by the management that their chances of winning were exceptionally bright,” The Republican said. The paper, however, described the almighty Franklin team as “very chesty.”
OBITUARIES
Jo Ann Coots, 84, of Morristown, passed away Thursday, February 29, 2024 at Morristown Manor. Born September 11, 1939 in Lebanon, Kentucky, she was the daughter of Luther Murphy and Pearl (Grammer) Murphy. She married Hursel P. Coots on July 29, 1956, and he preceded her on November 14, 2014. Survivors include two daughters, Rita Drake (Jerry) of Edinburgh and Connie Cross (Tony) of Greenfield; six grandchildren, Rena' Bulmer (Jeremy), Abby Drake (Allen Danner), Kimberly (Harley) Ayers, Jamie MacMillan (Innes), Chelsie Sweazy (Doug), Courtney Meyer (Ross); 14 great grandchildren- Gabe Bulmer (Elyzabeth), Gavin Bulmer (Brianna Tucker), Greer Bulmer, Gidget Bulmer, Joseph Danner, Lucy Ayers, Judah Ayers, Lennon Ayers, Fergus MacMillan, Struan MacMillan, Collin Sweazy, Carolina Sweazy, Maverick Meyer, and Macie Meyer. She was preceded in death by her parents, her spouse, and a grandson, Joshua Drake.
Mrs. Coots had lived in this area for over 70 years after moving from Lebanon, Kentucky. She had been a machine operator with KCL Corp. retiring in 2000, after 33 years of service. Jo Ann enjoyed listening to country music on her “boombox”, watching birds, but most of all, she loved spending time with her family.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with Tony Cross officiating. Burial will be in Miller 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 Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com