Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Board of Works Review
New Shelbyville Police Department members Conner Hasecuster (top) and Jacob Lee (lower photo) are sworn into their new positions by Mayor Scott Furgeson yesterday. | photo by ANNA TUNGATE
In addition to the introduction of two new Shelbyville Police Officers, the city board of public works and safety yesterday considered several matters:
The board approved Pyatt Builders, which is developing the next section of Twelve Oaks subdivision, to replace the subdivision sign on Progress Parkway, which is located in the city’s right-of-way.
The board approved installing hardware on the Public Square pavilions to allow 48-inch signs to be hung to promote approved downtown special events.
The board approved closing a small section of East Washington St., from S. Harrison St. to First Merchants Bank, this Saturday, May 25, 12 to 6 p.m., to accommodate an outdoor wedding at the east Public Square pavilion. The closure will allow easier access for members of the wedding party and help prevent noise during the ceremony.
The board issued order to appear to the property owners of 321 and 329 West Mechanic St. and 200 South Harrison St.
The board informally agreed to give Jack Palmer, the owner of 639 East Jackson St., until June 11 to clean debris off his lot. A home and garage were recently demolished at the site, and debris remains.
The board approved a company to provide a design for the incoming amphitheater in Blue River Memorial Park. The contract was for $100,500, and the project will eventually cost $8 million to $9 million, Mayor Scott Furgeson said.
The board approved the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post to do a road-block fundraiser next to Walmart on Lee Blvd., Saturday, June 8. Donations will support the organization’s Buddy Poppy fundraiser.
Decorative street lights are currently being installed on the first block of East Broadway, near Sandman Brothers and Cagney’s.
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Common Council Tax Abatement Committee yesterday gave a favorable recommendation on a 10-year, declining tax abatement request from Plastic Moldings Company, 1451 S. Miller Ave. The new investment consists of a $322,412 new micro-molding press, conveyor, robot and other support equipment. Company officials said no new jobs will be created over the next year due to the investment, but the press will allow increased quality of currently produced micro-molded products. PMC has increasingly moved toward production of medical products. “They're due to pay roughly $155,780 in taxes in 2024, and they are almost at $9 million in salaries,” Brian Asher, executive director of Shelby County Development Corporation, said. PMC has been in Shelbyville since 1973.
NATIONAL NEWS: A little-known rule change has allowed federal lawmakers to score up to $34,000 a year in living expense reimbursements for life in Washington, D.C. — money to which they weren’t entitled until last year. The downside? The Benjamins would come from a pot of cash that lawmakers use for official duties, such as rent, travel and the salaries of their own staffers. (Colorado Public Media/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: Shelbyville Police Department Sgt. Bart Smith and K-9 officer Terry Curry deployed a taser on a man who attempted to run after being pulled over. The man, who had an outstanding warrant, had stepped out of his vehicle and then started to run. He later said he thought he had taken care of everything with his warrant and ran because he didn’t know why he was being pulled over.
2004: Shelbyville Police investigated why a local school secretary had two guns in her vehicle on school property. Police had received a tip from the secretary’s estranged husband. The secretary said she believed her husband, from whom she was separated, had planted the weapons in her car.
1994: Triton Elementary School student Scott Sprong captured top honors in the 1994 State Conservation Poster Contest, sponsored by the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
1984: Local government officials discussed implementing an income tax. Marion County had implemented one that would pull about $35,700 from the paychecks of some Shelby County residents during its first year. State officials said the only way to prevent those funds from going to Marion County was for Shelby County to also adopt an income tax. About one-fourth of Shelby County’s workforce worked in Marion County and would have to pay the tax.
1974: Groundbreaking was held for a 17,000-square foot building at Belaire Shopping Center. The groundbreaking was symbolic since no shovel could break through the asphalt on the southwest part of the shopping center where the building was to go up. Much of the new building would house the Montgomery Ward firm.
Local artist Roland Hobart’s offer to paint the Morrison Park bandshell was accepted by the city park and recreation board. The building would be sandblasted first.
1964: The Country Lad held a sale: five ham sandwiches for $1. Meloy’s, 214 S. Harrison St., held an Indy 500-themed sale. Pocket binoculars were $1.69 and transistor radios were $19.95. Black and white film development was 3 rolls for 88 cents.
1954: Adolf Hitler’s personal armored car, a 20-foot Mercedes, was on display on Public Square near the Woolworth Store. Admission was by donation and would benefit the Fraternal Order of Police. School children on field trips were not expected to donate. The car weighed 10,000 pounds, which included 2,000 pounds of half-inch steel armor plate and bullet-proof glass windows. Cruising speed was 90 miles per hour, with the supercharger helping it reach 135.
Louise Rahe was crowned prom queen. Philip Breedlove, president of the junior class, handled crowning duties.
1944: Lt. Robert Miller paid a surprise visit to his mother, Anna Miller of Shelbyville, when he arrived by train. Lt. Miller was making a cross-country trip with the military.
1934: The Booker T. Washington school boys quartet performed at the Business and Professional Women’s Club in the Golden Glow on West Hendricks St. Quartet members were Paul Overby, Richard Overby, Richard Byrd and James Slaughter. They sang “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” “The Gospel Train is Coming,” and other spiritual songs.
1924: A heavy frost overnight left a thin coating of ice in some areas.
Plans were made to install the cornerstone at the new St. Joseph Catholic Church school building and auditorium.
1914: Three boys - Ora Kendall, Charles Baxter and Delores Henry - were arrested for stealing a boat. The boys acknowledged rowing the boat down Blue River and leaving the boat at the Franklin bridge. The intended to go back and get it, they said, but were arrested before they had the chance.
OBITUARIES
Gail L. Gleason, 66, of Shelbyville, Indiana passed away Saturday, May 18, 2024, surrounded by her loving family at her home. Daughter of Thomas and Helen Greene, Gail is survived by her siblings, Barbara Cooper (Doug), Ed Greene (Terri) and Linda Beatty (Steve). She also leaves behind her two sons, Jacob Gleason and Rick Gleason, and her beloved dog, Koda. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law, Steve Beatty.
Gail worked many years and retired as a Journeyman Machine Repairer at Ford Motor Company. She was the first female repairer at the Indianapolis factory (one of three machine repair women at that plant). Known to be a straight shooter, she was resilient, strong-willed and never afraid to call out an elephant in the room.
With beautiful blue eyes and a green thumb, Gail cared for her indoor and outdoor plants like they were her pets. An avid bird watcher and nature lover, she enjoyed keeping the songbirds fed during the winter months and hunting for morel mushrooms in the spring. She also loved exploring covered bridges and cruising country roads to visit her many friends.
Her two sons were her pride and joy and she encouraged them both to pursue their talents in art and music. Gail loved to sing, write poems, laugh and dance and was often the life of the party. Lake Tahoe, California held a special place in her heart as did the ocean, where she loved catching sun on the beach and enjoying fresh seafood.
A Celebration of Life party will be held soon to honor her life. Please email her son Rick at celebration4gail@gmail.com if you wish to attend (Rick will contact you once details are finalized). Gail’s family would love to hear any memories or see any photos you may have to share and encourage all who loved her to attend. Gail will forever be in our hearts; she has spread her wings to fly. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Online condolences may be shared with Gail’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Sharon L. Branson, 69, of Shelbyville, passed away Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Franciscan Hospice House in Indianapolis. Born December 15, 1954 in Beech Grove, she was the daughter of William "Oat" Dillender and Eunice (Hammon) Dillender. She married Jim Branson on March 4, 1990, and he preceded her on July 20, 2022.
Survivors include a son Jeremy Cord (Crystal) of Fairland; step-daughter Monica Lawson (Jason Hensley) of Shelbyville; a brother Ron Dillender (Darlene) of Shelbyville; four grandchildren, Taylor Lawson, Chad Morton, Paige Davis, and Ema Cord. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her spouse.
Mrs. Branson had lived in this area since 1962, after moving from Fortville. She had been employed as a factory worker at KCL Corp. for over 30 years, and later employed as a custodian at Shelbyville Central Schools, retiring after 13 years of service. She graduated from Triton Central High School in 1973.
Sharon loved watching Wheel of Fortune and sports on TV. She was a big Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, and IU Hoosiers fan. She enjoyed working crossword puzzles, her pets, and spending time with her family.
Funeral services will be noon on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with Pastor Andy Lee officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Thursday morning from 10 a.m. until the time of the service, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to the Shelbyville/Shelby Co. Animal Shelter, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Richard Ferguson passed into eternal life on Feb.28th, 2024 at his home in The Canterbury. He was 92. He was born on March 11, 1931 in Lafayette, IN. He was the son of John E. Ferguson and Catherine Shirley Douglas.
He graduated from DeVilbiss High School in Toledo, OH in 1949. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1954 with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering. Following college, he served as a pilot in the United States Air Force from 1954-1957. Following his service, he moved to Melbourne, FL and worked for Radiation Incorporated and Pan AM Aerospace Division as a project engineer. He earned a MS degree in EE from Florida Institute of Technology in 1968. In 1969, Richard moved to Littleton, CO and was a staff Engineer for Martin Marietta. He worked on the Hubble Telescope, the Viking Mars Lander and Skylab. He earned an MBA from the University of Denver in 1978 and founded a consulting company; Business Enterprises.
In 1982 he moved to Rancho Palos Verdes, CA with Hughes Aircraft Company in the Space and Communications group. Richard worked on the receivers for NASA's Galileo spacecraft to receive data from the Jupiter Probe. In 1992-1995, he was General Manager for a start-up and then became Vice President of ProShot Golf Co. He finished his formal career as a contract engineer for Hughes after spending over 30 years in aerospace electronics engineering.
His "retirement" became serving his beloved Riviera United Methodist Church. He researched, purchased, and maintained all technology components from computers and AV and sound equipment, to copiers. He served on various committees over the years mainly focusing on membership care and outreach; always coming prepared with pertinent data and spreadsheets. He delivered homemade bread to every visitor. He loved music and sang bass in his church choir for over 40 years. He also sang barbershop in his younger years.
He will be lovingly remembered for his cheerful, outgoing, good-humored personality. His optimism and smile were contagious to all who knew him.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Shelby County. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial donations may be made to Pleasant Grove Cemetery, c/o John Douglas, 3300 E. Vandalia Rd., Flat Rock, IN 47234. Online condolences may be shared with Richard’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.