Tuesday, September 9, 2025
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
SET POINT
Shelbyville High School volleyball players Lyla Wilson, Addy Marshall, Sydney Haehl, Taylor Abell and Addison Wooten celebrate after winning the first set against Columbus East last night. The Olympians, however, pulled out the game victory over the Bears. BELOW: Teammates intently watch the second set action. | photos by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
Shelby County Commissioners yesterday approved an agreement allowing the coroner’s office to access the Indiana Health Information Exchange for decedents’ medical records at or after the scene. Coroner Brad Rund said quicker access could reduce autopsies and staff time, noting even one avoided autopsy could offset the program’s one-time $1,000 setup fee and $1,500 annual fee.
Commissioners also tabled a request from the Accelerate Rural Indiana Regional Development Authority for a $7,500 annual membership fee, seeking more detail on how funds would be used for planning/administration as state Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) programs evolve, particularly beyond 2025–26. “This is for a program that is likely going away,” Commissioner Jason Abel said.
The Shelby County Drainage Board advanced plans to repair the Zell Patterson Ditch in northeast Shelby County, where willow roots have compromised tile and caused standing water affecting adjacent properties.
On Sunday, a two-vehicle crash occurred at Fair Avenue and Mary Street. A northbound vehicle turning west onto Fair struck the side of an eastbound vehicle. The turning driver reported not seeing the oncoming car. Damage was reported to the front bumper of one vehicle and the passenger side door of the other. No injuries were reported, and both vehicles were driven from the scene. The eastbound driver was cited for operating with only a learner’s permit.
On Saturday, a crash occurred near the 500 block of North Harrison Street. A driver turned left from an apartment complex despite a posted “no left turn” sign and struck another vehicle in the rear. No injuries were reported.
Culver’s in Shelbyville will host a “Dine to Donate” night Monday, Sept. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. Proceeds will benefit BPW-Shelbyville programs, including local scholarships and the Reality Store. Guests can enjoy a meal while supporting the cause and will have the chance to meet BPW members, some of whom will be serving food during the event.
HOOSIER NEWS: The City of Carmel is rolling out new welcome signs. Eleven of the 28 wooden “Welcome to Carmel” signs have gone missing over time due to road construction, while the remaining 17 have deteriorated from weather exposure, Holly Vonderheit, a spokesperson for the city, told IndyStar. “Replacing only the 11 missing signs with the original wooden design was estimated to cost over $52,000,” Vonderheit said via email. “Instead, the city chose to replace all 28 signs with a new, aluminum design for roughly $32,000, resulting in cost savings of $20,000.” The new, aluminum signs are more durable and are expected to last longer than the wooden signs, she said. The signs include the city’s new logo rolled out during a rebranding campaign earlier this year. The new signs also include a temporary Swim City USA plate as Carmel prepares to host the Swimming World Cup in October.
NATIONAL NEWS: Let’s say that hypothetically, you wanted to stream every single NFL game. September would set you back $84; by October, the new ESPN and Fox would lower that to $74. Then in December, you’d need Netflix and NFL+ to watch the game. In total, that’s $328 for all the regular season games, but that is not all the games. Adding the Sunday Ticket for $522, then the playoffs and lock, stock and barrel if you want to consume all of the possible football this year, you’re talking $935. (Sportico/Numlock)
The Addison Times is pleased to offer free milestone announcements. Forms are available here: Engagement Announcement, Wedding Announcement and Anniversary Announcement.
Want the daily edition read to you? Struggling with your email provider filtering out your local news? The Addison Times Substack app will solve those challenges!
YOUNG: The Methodist Building — My Skyscraper
Author’s Disclaimer: What follows blends family stories, childhood imagination and a dash of dubious property law. Any attempt to reclaim downtown real estate based on a grandfather’s tall tale should be reviewed by a licensed attorney, or at least a sympathetic bartender.
by GEORGE YOUNG
I’ve recently found myself thinking about the fate of the Methodist Building on the square. That may sound peculiar, but there’s a perfectly good reason: as a kid, I thought it was my skyscraper.
In the 1950s, when I was a free-range child, a buddy and I would ride the elevator in what I proudly called my skyscraper. By then it was self-service, which meant we could push every button in sequence or make daring express runs from the basement to the fifth floor. If a grumpy adult scolded us, we’d hop on our Schwinns and go bother some other part of town.
Why did I call it mine? My grandfather, George E. Young—the one I’m named after—told me that if the First Methodist Episcopal Church ever abandoned the land or its building, the property would revert to our family. As a child, I believed every word. The family story was that his grandfather, John M. Young, bought the first lot in downtown Shelbyville and later donated it to the Methodist Episcopal Church with the understanding it be used for worship.
Family papers tell the story this way: When Shelbyville was platted in 1822, John M. Young bought Lot No. 1 on the northwest corner of the square—the first town lot sold. On June 15, 1850, he deeded a portion of Lot No. 1 to the trustees of the First Methodist church “forever, in trust,” specifying it be used as a place of worship. John M. was a devout Methodist, known to shout when the Spirit moved him.
In 1928, the church incorporated The Methodist Building, Inc., and raised $150,000—nearly $3 million today—to construct Shelbyville’s first five-story “skyscraper.” On April 13, 1929, an estimated 5,000 people toured the gleaming new building on opening day. Offices filled quickly, providing income for the church. Doctors, lawyers and dentists hung their shingles there for decades; for a long while, it was downtown’s crown jewel.
The original church stood until 1968, when it was razed for parking to serve a new sanctuary across the alley. In 1971, the Methodist Church sold the commercial building to help pay for that new sanctuary. Over time, as ownership changed, tenants thinned and plans came and went, the building slipped into disuse. Proposals have surfaced over the years—some ambitious, some promising—but the structure still waits for a future that fits.
I share this not to press a claim or lecture anyone—least of all city leaders who have to balance history, budgets and practical realities. It’s simply a hometown memory of a place that loomed large in my childhood, and a hope that we can find a path forward—whether through a patient private investor, a public-private partnership or preservation work—that honors both the building’s past and Shelbyville’s future.
I have patiently watched and waited these 54 years since the church ceased using Lot No. 1. It is finally time I take action: I am fully prepared to pay back the original dollar John M. received for this chunk of downtown prime real estate. Heck, I’ll even adjust for inflation to $41.
COURIER ARCHIVES
Winter 1985
The Courier interviewed Mr. Hamner , U.S. History teacher and coach, about the importance of athletics. Hamner attended Southwestern High School, and said Jack Tindall, his cross country and freshman basketball coach, had been a positive influence. Hamner also worked with the Bobby Knight Summer Basketball Camps. He had most recently roomed with Dan Dakich at the camp.
Students shared spring break plans. Meg McNeely and Sharlene Thompson were going on a cruise to the Bahamas. Greg Kranz and Jeff Wertz were going to Beveraly Hills, California, to check out the Rolls Royce Corporation. Lori Turner was heading to San Francisco, and Becky King was flying to Arizona. Some Spanish students were taking a trip to Spain. Jayne Eubanks, Shelby Metze and Jill Griffey were rooming together on the trip. James Kern was heading to Florida. He said the only reason he was going was to “see all the girls.” Also heading to Florida were Chuck Prather, Bret Engle, Greg Totten, Jay Cherry, Jeff Britton, Rodney Brokering, Ernie Smith, Phil Brunner and Shayne Yeager.
The following unattributed article described the experience of attending regionals for basketball.
Have you ever wondered what the fans of the Shelbyville High School Golden Bears go through during regional weekend?
It all begins today at 2:50. As soon as the last bell rings, we sprint to our cars and we rush home (trying hard to stick with the speed limit).
When we get home, we empty our last cent out of our piggy banks and grab our suitcases—Regional Bound for the whole weekend. We decide to leave early just in case we run into problems, for example, flat tires, roadblocks, or smart cops (shouldn’t be a problem with our fuzz buster mounted on the dash).
After we stand in line to sign in at the hotel, get our keys to our room, find which room is ours and get situated, it’s time to go to the game and cheer our Bears on to a Regional Championship.
After getting to Columbus North High School, we have to park at least two miles away. We push our way through to the front of the line, just like getting into a concert. We are so tired by then, and we are extremely happy to see the black and gold pom poms waving in the air, because we know we’ve found our fellow Bear fans.
While standing up through the whole game and being hit in the back with pom poms all through the whole game, and yelling until we are hoarse, we’re actually looking forward to getting back to the hotel to sit in the jacuzzi.
After cheering on a Bear victory, stopping our friends to tell them to stop by our room in the Holidome, and weaving through the traffic, we finally reach our destination. Wait a minute is this the Holidome or is it Grand Central Station? Everyone must have had the same idea we have—staying in the Holidome.
When we get in our room, it always seems that no one is ever satisfied where they’re gonna sleep. While five people argue over who’s gonna get the king-sized bed, the surprising pull-out sofa, who gets the hard floor, and who uses the bath tub, we all need a refreshing dip in the pool, and relax a while until the hotel starts rockin’ with Bear fans.
After socializing till dawn, I decide to go and check out the sleeping situation since I want to have some energy left to cheer the Bears on to a regional championship. As I push open the door, I trip over something in the doorway. I turn on the light and find half the student body in our room, leaving me no floor space at all.
During the day, we swim, play miniature golf, and play a few pranks, also a few friendly arguments with the opposing teams in the hotel.
At about 6:30 we go back to the championship game, and then we celebrate a regional championship. For us, our Bears, it’s all worth it.
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: After years of fundraising and determiation, the new Manilla fire station on W. State Road 44 opened. Amish cinnamon rolls were served at an open house. For about 30 years, the community of Manilla had been planning to build a new fire station to replace the one on S. Washington St., constructed in 1955. The fire station was on land where the old Manilla School stood before it was demolished in the 1970s.
1995: Many locals went to Indianapolis to see the new $319 million Circle Center Mall downtown Indianapolis. The anchor stores were Nordstrom and Parisian. The mall included more than 50 stores and restaurants.
1985: Overnight storms brought sub-90 degree temperatures for the first time in days, but toppled several trees and caused power outages.
1975: Crystal Flash opened its new self-serve convenience store at N. Harrison St., Boggstown Road and North State Road 9. Wonder bread was on sale, three loaves for $1.
1965: The 1965 Shelbyville High School Squib won first place in a regional yearbook contest. Terry Richardson was the editor.
Rev. Kenneth Jewell was the new pastor at First Church of the Nazarene on S. Riley Highway. He had previously been pastor of a church in North Vernon. He and his wife had four sons, David, Kenneth, Paul and John. The family would live in the parsonage on S. Tompkins Street. The former pastor, Rev. Clinton Gadbow, planned to enter the field of evangelistic work.
1955: A newspaper photo showed the new sewing machines installed at Shelby Manufacturing Co., 660 E. Jackson St. Machine operators pictured were Louise Tart, Patty Gilles, Jacqueline Crenshaw, June Dalrymple, Helen Paulus, June Fox, Peggy Coonts, Pearl Preston, Betty Lucas, Dorothy Carr, Carol Collier, Mary Nell Hedges and supervisor Larry Schneider.
1945: Dr. Frank McCarty, one of the first dentists in Shelby County, died at his home in New York City at age 77. Dr. McCarty opened a dental practice on North Harrison Street that was later occupied by Dr. F.G. Blackburn. Dr. McCarty’s wife, Maggie, of Shelby County, had died several years prior.
1935: Gordon Thurston, local attorney and former Shelby County Democrat chairman, was appointed postmaster of Shelbyville. He had previously served as editor of three local newspapers.
1925: There were 47 school buildings in Shelby County. One was a one-room frame structure in VanBuren Township, the only frame school building in the county. There were 27 other one-room buildings also in use. There were 2,870 students countywide.
1915: Gordon’s Children Home hosted a dinner for county officials. Mrs. Senour, house matron, prepared a fried chicken dinner for all.
City Council adopted a resolution expressing gratitude to the late William S. Major for donating his stone residence on West Washington Street for use as a city hospital.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Theresa Jean Wright, 64, of Carmel, formerly of Shelbyville, died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, at her home. She was born Dec. 10, 1960, in Franklin, Indiana, to Lester Smith and Wilma Jean (Goodwin) Smith.
As a child, Theresa attended First Church of the Nazarene. She graduated from Shelbyville High School. She sold real estate for many years and also worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a clerk. She volunteered with several charities through the years. Theresa loved interior decorating and enjoyed shopping, especially with coupons. She cherished vacations and watching dolphins from the beach. Her greatest joy came from time with family. She especially loved dancing to “Boogie Shoes” with her great-grandchildren.
On Jan. 1, 2017, she married Kelly Wright, who survives. She is also survived by her mother; her daughter, Heather Crowe; her stepdaughter, Shayla Wright; her grandchildren, Caitlynn Brandenburg, Brock Smith (Kenna Clark), Adam Smith, Megan Smith, Josh Vinson and Jett Flores; her great-grandchildren, Quinn Vinson, Ozie Vinson, Ava Jean Vinson and Dahlia Riggan; her brother, Rick (Linda) Carver; her sister, Patricia Newbold; her brother, Lester (Tammy) Smith; her sister, Robin (Ron) Phelps; and her beloved dog, Lulu. She was preceded in death by her father; her first husband, Sonny Crowe; her daughter, Skye Crowe; her son, David Wright; and her beloved dog, Lexi. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Funeral directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Theresa’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.