Wednesday, December 4, 2024
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
PASSING THE ROCK
Shelbyville High School junior Caden Claxton looks to pass up court during Saturday’s game against Triton Central, with Cole Schene and Mar Nicholson in tow. The Bears return to action Saturday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m., at home against Connersville. | photo by TRINITY BURCHETT
NOTEBOOK:
The following building permits were approved in Shelbyville last month: 12 new homes (the least expensive estimated cost of construction was $130,000 at 31 McKenzie St., and the most expensive was $444,315 at 1155 Breckinridge Way); setting six new mobile homes on Chestnut St. and 1203 E. State Road 44; remodeling the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance office at 2915 E. State Road 44; new garage construction at 445 W. Washington St.; installing two settlestop floor supports at 712 Webster Ave.; and replacing an existing deck at 1925 Culbertson Road.
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety yesterday approved closing East Washington St., from Harrison St. to Pike St., including half of the E. Washington St. city parking lot, and Public Square and its spokes at noon on Friday for the evening’s Mistletoe Market and Holiday Parade.
North Riley Highway will be re-opened to full traffic, all four lanes, by the end of this week, Chris King, with Runnebohm Construction, told the Board of Works. “Everything is in good position for the winter, and that will pick back up in the spring, and we’ll focus on the roundabouts at that point in time,” King said. He also said progress has been made on preparing the next section of Tom Hession Drive.
The Board of Public approved the lowest bids for concrete, crack seal and overlay projects in 2025. Mayor Scott Furgeson also offered well wishes to City Engineer John Kuntz, who has accepted a position in Batesville.
The Shelbyville Public Utility Office budget request is up 6 percent from the previous budget, manager Beth Corley told the Public Utility Board yesterday. The increases are related to new housing developments, she explained. The board tabled the request for review.
Shelbyville High School alumnus Mark Drake was named yesterday to the 2025 Men’s Silver Anniversary Team by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. The recognition was given to 18 men based on their outstanding accomplishments as a senior basketball player 25 years ago, including the 11 members of the 2000 Indiana All-Star squad and seven more, including Drake, who were named to various all-state teams. Mark Drake totaled 1,145 points (14.7), 267 rebounds (3.4) and 280 assists (3.6) as a four-year varsity player at Shelbyville for coach John Heaton. Drake matriculated to the University of Alaska-Anchorage, where he totaled 1,173 points (11.0), 165 rebounds (1.5), 157 assists (1.5), set a UAA record for career free throw accuracy (.884, 130-of-147) and stands third on the UAA career list for 3-pointers (243) in four seasons with the Seawolves. He studied communications in college and has worked in sports media, broadcasting and sales over the years, including winning a 2010 “Goldie Award” from the Alaska Broadcasters Association. He also has been part of the broadcast team for several seasons for WSVX Radio in Shelbyville. He currently volunteers for the Indianapolis Scecina basketball program, works in sales for Custom MCK and is owner of Custom Machinery Enterprises. The Silver Anniversary Team will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 63rd Men’s Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. A midday reception, free and open to the public, will be held at the Hall of Fame Museum in New Castle. The evening banquet will take place at the Primo Banquet Hall, which is located on the south side of Indianapolis. Banquet reservations will soon be available on the Hall of Fame’s website or by calling (765) 529-1891. For more information, you may also email kayla@hoopshall.com.
A vehicle slid into another vehicle attempting to turn into the Shelbyville Middle School parking lot on Monday evening. In a separate incident, a vehicle slid into another vehicle on E. Broadway at the Noble St. traffic light.
Thank you to David Finkel, Tom Graham, and the Shelbyville Rotary Club for your generous $500+ plus donation to The Addison Times! Thank you to every donor for your continued support as The Addison Times forges ahead to fund 2025 and beyond. We will once again provide a quarterly publication with extra news and photos in 2025 as a gift for your support of $100 or more. This past year, we’ve covered city and county meetings, our students, local business, primary and general elections, commercial and residential development, and, of course, daily local history. Please consider a one-time or monthly donation to The Addison Times, either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor
NATIONAL NEWS: The Smarties Candy Company was founded in 1949, and while their rivals in the confectionary space have sought to diversify their offerings and innovate with new ways to consume their candy, Smarties will have none of it, deliberately producing one thing and one thing only: Smarties. They have two plants that run 24 hours a day, five days a week, cranking out 1 billion candy rolls per year, and that barely keeps up with demand. Variations in the cost of cocoa have pinched rivals who attempted to diversify into chocolate, and those desperate enough to jam nuts or legumes into their confections have been foiled by allergens that are completely absent from Smarties. Sales are up and the company is poised to post an annual record yet again. (Food Drive/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights:
Dec. 7, 1979, Part II
English course updates: Mr. Mark Millis’ freshmen class had recently completed “Romeo and Juliet.” Miss Carolyn Tudor’s sophomore class was reading the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. Students in Miss Debbie Schell’s and Mr. Ken Fallis’ 11th grade literature classes were reading Ralph Waldo Emerson and related essays. Mrs. Mary Agler’s senior class was reading “Hamlet.”
Cyndi West wrote a review of the movie “Starting Over”. “Ask yourself this: Is it possible for one man to be a nationwide sex symbol, humorous and a great actor, too?” West wrote. “Well, the answer’s yes, and Burt Reynolds is that man.”
SHS had, on average, two substitute teachers a day, Assistant Principal Jamie Orem reported. SHS had two part-time teachers to help: Kim Stillabower and Janis Campbell. Two of the regular subs were Mrs. Helen DeVoe and Mrs. Margaret Kirk.
SHS wrestlers Dave Bowen, Greg Moheban, Floyd Hastings, Eric Smith, Eric Wallien, Dan Brinson, Todd Babbit, Rex Kuhn and Doug Strobel all started the season with wins.
The boys basketball team defeated Columbus North, 70-61. Mark “Scurvy” Craft led the team with 22 points, followed by Laymond Carter and Mike Blackburn, each with 16, and Tim O’Banyon with 10.
The gymnastics team was expecting a strong season. Returning letter winners were Kim Kuhn, Tracy Branson, Lynn James and Pam Kocher. The coach was Jim Price.
SHS Reminiscent of Valley Forge
Humor Editorial by Chris Wheeler (Dec. 7, 1979)
Why is it I am reminded of Valley Forge and the Revolutionary War every time I set foot on our most distinguished school grounds?
After clambering over our giant burial mound (reminiscent of the Appalachian Mountains) in the new parking lot, I was almost killed on the Demolition Derby battlefield. I never saw so many cars come so close to crashing as on that parking lot.
I walk over to the school's main entrance, falling in each of the 114 tire tracks engraved in the school's front and side lawns. I imagine myself as a Colonial minuteman, barricaded in a trench, fearfully awaiting my enemy, the administrators.
I race around the school, sneaking behind the underbrush. I stop in the gym lobby to quench my thirst. But wait! What colors are the water fountains? Army green, that's right. All they need are a few yellow spots and some twigs sticking out in order to provide a perfect camouflage.
Next, I saunter down the hallways. I think of that fearful winter at Valley Forge. Why?
Well, the icicle hanging on my nose tipped me off.
Everyone knows that the soldiers at Valley Force didn't have much food. Well, the case is still true today, 'cept it can hardly be called “food.” They might as well give the stuff to the biology test mice and let them get sick off it. I'm still awaiting the day when I get charged $1.59 for a soy burger, some stale french fries with a dead sparrow half buried in them, and some chocolate sludge.
My final encounter with the ol' Valley comes from the despair of both students and teachers. Students are worried about getting caught cutting classes, going out to eat, graduation, and parties.
Teachers are worried about students. Will I get knifed if I give Mickey a D+? Who is going to firebomb my house this week?
But I'm tired of living in a war zone. This is a high school, not Normandy, France (as any French student will tell you).
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 by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2014: Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun announced plans to run for re-election in 2015. So far, he was the only candidate to announce. DeBaun highlighted the relationship building between the city and the county as a highlight of his first term.
2004: Ricci’s Deli, 20 S. Harrison St., closed, but owner Brian Lemmer said he hoped to re-open in another location. He said he was looking at the former Hardee’s location on S. Harrison St.
1994: Part of Evans St. was no longer part of Shelbyville’s roadways. The tenth-of-a-mile strip between Elm St. and Jefferson Ave. was claimed by the landowner. Omer Brewer closed the strip and put barriers on both sides of it, declaring it as private. Mayor Bob Williams said he would work with Brewer to reopen the street to public traffic.
1984: Robert Britton was named president of Knauf Fiber Glass in Shelbyville, succeeding Thies Knauf, who had returned to Europe. Britton was previously vice president and general manager at CertainTeed Corp.
Numerous sites were open to distribute U.S. government surplus cheese.
1974: Exterior work was completed on the new Fountaintown Volunteer Fire Department’s five-bay station. The former station had been destroyed by a tornado.
Benton County sheep rancher Sam Washburn of Fowler was named one of 12 top American farmers to receive Ford Motor Company’s Efficiency Award. Washburn was married to Barbara Brunner of Shelbyville, and was the son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Brunner, 221 S. Miller St.
Three March of dimes participants were recognized by Walk-a-Thon officials. They were: Michael Robinson, who earned a radio; Joseph Lux, 7, the youngest walker to complete the seven-mile trek; and Ken Fallis, who raised the most money but did not take a prize since he was a member of the chapter’s executive committee.
Ethel Wagoner retired after 41 years of service to the Home Telephone Co. of Waldron. Jack Knoll, head of the firm, and Dewey Knoll organized a party for Wagoner at Sider’s Steak House.
1964: Mayor Ralph VanNatta was the featured speaker at the local FOP banquet, held at the St. Joseph School dining room. VanNatta spoke about the local airport history, and pointed out that if the city continued to pay rent on the ground without purchasing it, that in a 20-year period, the rent would be more than it cost to buy the land.
1954: Joe Keffaber, 10, of Van Buren Township, won the county junior division of the Five-Acre Corn Club contest. Joe was a sixth grader at the Fountaintown school. Others earning top placements were Floyd Everhart, Carlos Gray, James Fischer, Larry Watson, Max Gosnell, Lowell Armstrong, Donald Smith, Jim Isley, Gerald Gray, Allen Kuhn, Jackie Isley, Jimmy Beyer and Stephen Eck.
1944: Four Shelbyville military men had enjoyed a brief reunion “somewhere in the Pacific theater of operations,” The Republican reported. Richard Yarling, Martin Schulz, John Haehl and Jim Jones had all spent a day together on a ship.
1934: Several purse snatching incidents had occurred in recent days, including a few near the alley between Dr. W.W. Tindall’s office and the Masonic Temple. Police were looking for more information.
1924: Local Baptist women put on a successful Bazaar, netting $350 from a cafeteria-style supper and craft show.
1914: The Nickelo motion picture theater in Waldron closed after only a short time in business.
The Republican issued a clarification, noting that Harry Griffey of Shelbyville was indeed at the Patriarchal branch of the recent IOOF lodge meeting in Morristown. Griffey rarely went to the meetings, and when he returned late at night, he was unable to recall the names of others at the meeting, making his wife suspicious. She became even more irritated when The Republican covered the event and listed attendees, and Harry was not on the list. “Harry has been having an awful hard time to make wifey believe he was in Morristown, and in order to again get Mr. Griffey into the good graces of his family, The Republican wishes to state that Mr. Griffey did attend the lodge meeting at Morristown Friday evening,” the paper said.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Morgan Adams, 34, of Shelbyville, passed away Saturday, November 30, 2024 at her residence. She was born November 29, 1990, in Beech Grove, IN. to Mark Steven Adams and Lynnette (Fox) Adams.
She attended Shelbyville Community Church. Morgan graduated from Perry Meridian High School with the class of 2008. She was an avid reader. She was very artistic in nature when it came to art, drawing and musical instruments. Morgan always enjoyed her mother time with her children.
She is survived by her father, Mark Adams; her son, Elisha Jabon; her daughters; Kylee Aulby and Janessa Kessler; her brother, Steven Adams; her sister, Brandi Parks; her grandmother, Sharon Adams and her uncle, Christopher Adams. She was preceded in death by her mother.
Visitation will be Friday, December 6, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will follow at 7 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Merry Popplewell officiating. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Morgan’s family. Memorial contributions may be given to donor’s favorite charity. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.