Wednesday, February 1, 2023
24 Hours in Addison Township: 12:44 p.m.
Shelbyville Parks Department summer employees Trey Carrell, Adisyn Bogue and Vincent Cameruca oversee the Meridian Family Aquatic Center complex on a hot, busy July afternoon. Bogue taught swim lessons in the mornings before staffing the pool in the afternoons. “I love being around kids. I love being in the sun. I love the staff,” she said. Carrell agreed. “This is my second home.” | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Mayor Reflects on Tenure, Shares Thoughts on Next Step
ABOVE: A view looking onto North Harrison Street from the Shelbyville circle, 2007. | Google Maps. BELOW: The same view via Google Maps, as of last year.
To Mayor Tom DeBaun, the legacy of a rejuvenated downtown and development throughout the city are secondary to what’s inside those new and restored buildings.
“(Our administration) has talked about the number of adults who didn’t have a high school diploma and are now going to the Excel Center, and first-generation high school graduates becoming first-generation college graduates through Advantage Shelby County,” DeBaun, who is in the final year of his third term, said in a recent interview.
A Google Map tour shows Shelbyville’s progress, including replacing the former dilapidated behemoth in the 100 block of North Harrison Street with the new Excel Center, a tuition-free high school for adults operated by Goodwill Education Initiatives, and North Harrison Senior Apartments.
The continually expanding local education options were on DeBaun’s mind long before he became mayor or even the city’s plan director, a position he held for nearly 20 years.
“I can tell you from my days as a probation officer that if we can break generational poverty and if we can break the cycles of generational abuse, that’s what I’m going to be proud of, because those are the things that are literally life-changing.”
It’s no accident the Shelbyville Fire Department reported 109 fewer runs last year than in 2021, the first decrease in almost a decade, DeBaun said, citing the addition of SFD’s Community Advocate Navigator, Emily Larrison. She has worked to identify underlying causes and find resources for those who frequently called 911.
DeBaun’s 12th year as mayor features a sprint to the finish line. The beginnings of a new Early Learning Center to be built in the Intelliplex, an indoor sports facility and more trails linking schools to neighborhoods are all on the agenda
“Other than that, it’s really going to be the day-to-day stuff,” DeBaun said of his remaining 11 months in office. (Three Republicans have filed to run for mayor and no Democrats.)
Reinvigorating existing neighborhoods and shopping centers has also been a priority. “We’re creating an attractive community, so we need housing,” the mayor said. “Those rooftops then create opportunities in other areas. This isn’t magic. It’s basic community development principles, the principles of economic development and just knowing what drives demand.”
But the City’s achievements have been in spite of growing frustration between local government and state politics.
“(The legislature wants) to be able to tell people they cut taxes. They want to tell people, ‘We’re putting more money in your pocket.’ But guess what? When I dial 911, the state fire department isn’t going to show up, we’re going to show up,” DeBaun said.
As legislators discuss tax cuts this session, the mayor continues to remind anyone listening that local government relies on funding for basic services. “I tell (legislative leaders) Indiana is only a state that works because it’s the communities that are doing all the work.”
Despite the challenges, the City’s overall tax rate went down this year. The mayor also touts accruing over $6 million in general fund reserves while redeveloping downtown.
“We probably have the most money we’ve had in the bank in decades, and we’ve continued to be pretty conservative in our spending,” he said.
While he once had to sell a vision to incoming developers, he now takes them to the second-floor Blessing’s Opera House to look down on Public Square. All the better if the meeting happens during Brewfest, the Christmas parade or a concert. “That’s all intentional so they understand what we’re trying to accomplish as a community,” he said.
Tom DeBaun has come a long way in the decades since first chatting about the mayor’s job with former mayors Ralph VanNatta and Jerry Higgins. Now he’s thinking about what’s next.
“I'd like to go to other communities and help them look holistically at the things we've done. It's interesting the number of calls that I get from communities that we used to emulate, and now they ask, ‘How did you do that?’”
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Central Schools board intends to formally appoint Katherine Garringer, OD, to fill the board seat vacated by John C. DePrez IV, who has become board attorney, at a meeting tonight. Dr. Garringer is an optometrist with McDaniel Family Eye Clinic and is a graduate of Shelbyville High School.
Frontage Road will be closed to traffic tomorrow and Friday just east of HIS Constructors for a deep sewer crossing for Central Crane. The Browning site, BlueStar ReadiMix and the residences on Frontage Road will not be accessible via Frontage Road from the west (from 850 W); they will be accessible from the east (750 W).
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works approved issuing an order to appear to the owners of 42 Gordon Street, Shelbyville, regarding nuisance issues.
The Shelbyville Fire Department congratulated two recent retirees: Battalion Chief Darin Moore, who began his career at SFD on February 2, 1989, and Battalion Chief Shane Scott, who began his SFD career January 1, 1996.
Shelby County’s Emergency Warming Shelter will be located at the Shelby County Fairgrounds moving forward. The Shelter will be opened when weather conditions become hazardous. Keyen Macklin, Shelbyville’s Behavioral Health and Justice Equity Director, is asking for the public’s help to stock the warming shelter. Items needed include socks, pillows, wash cloths, gloves, stocking hats, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Items can be dropped off between now and Feb. 14 at City Hall, 44 West Washington St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
HOOSIER NEWS: Mitch Daniels has decided not to run for U.S. Senate, clearing a path for U.S. Rep. Jim Banks. Daniels, a two-term former governor of Indiana who recently stepped down as president of Purdue University after a decade at its helm, was mulling the idea in recent weeks of a run for the seat that will be vacated in 2024 by Mike Braun, who is running for governor. Daniels announced on Tuesday morning that he would not seek the office, but would rather look for "ways to contribute that do not involve holding elective office." (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: Used-car values fell 14 percent in 2022 and are expected to fall more than 4 percent this year. That shift means many dealers may have no choice but to sell some vehicles for less than they paid. The industry’s difficulties have been exemplified by Carvana, which sells cars online and became famous for building “vending machine” towers where cars can be picked up. The company recently reported a quarterly loss of more than $500 million, and has laid off 4,000 employees. CarMax, another used-car giant, is also hurting, although it is on much steadier ground. In the three months that ended in November, its vehicle sales fell 21 percent to 180,000, and net income tumbled 86 percent. (New York Times)
Vine Street / Walkerville Bridge
Summarized from research by K.N. Money, 1975. | submitted by Mrs. Bryan (Donna) Toll
The Walkerville Bridge was built in a four-month period during the winter and early spring of 1892 at a cost of $2,706.25. It spanned a distance of 136 feet and contained an 18-foot-wide roadway and ceilings of tongue and grooved boarding into which the tops of the arches disappeared. The sides were open for a better view. The Walkerville Bridge was characteristic of most Kennedy bridges with its two footways each five feet wide. For the Kennedys, the bridge’s builders, it was the last of four arcaded bridges, but the first for Shelby County. It had arcaded walkways built into each side of the bridge structure and was the only one that had domed ornate brackets beneath the roof overhang of each gable, scroll work on the side trim of each portal and the rounded archways above each entrance. The horizontal siding added strength to the truss. The wood inside and out was painted white with paint prepared at the bridge site by stirring white lead and linseed oil in a wooden tub. Wood for the bridge was cut and sawed in Rush County and carried by wagon over the old Rushville Road to the building site. The bridge was razed in 1958.
This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.
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 from the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department.
20 YEARS AGO: 2003
A team of four firefighters from Moral Township Volunteer Fire Department participated in the 20th annual “Bop to the Top” - running 37 flights of stairs at the AUL Tower in Indianapolis - to help raise funds for Riley Hospital. Participants were Chief David Riggins, Allen Hartwig, Dave Klene and Jason Abel.
30 YEARS AGO: 1993
Becky Murnan went down in history for paying the first $5 fine for violating Shelbyville’s new parking ordinance. Murnan, secretary for City Attorney Mark McNeely, had actually typed the ordinance and was ticketed on the first day it was in effect. The new ordinance had replaced a rarely enforced 1977 ordinance.
40 YEARS AGO: 1983
The Coast to Coast store in the Junction Shopping Center started offering used Atari games for sale and an opportunity to “trade and save.”
About a dozen dog owners and dogs attended a dog obedience training at Shelbyville Fire Station 1. “Pumper,” the fire department dog, and fireman Bill Grove; “Nikki” and owner Eric Roberts; and “Lisa” and owner Dale Johns were included in a newspaper photo of the event.
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
“Clockwork Orange” was on at the Cinema on Wednesday dollar night.
Standard Register, one of Shelbyville’s newer industries, doubled its production capacity and increased its work force by one-third with the production new line of snap-out business forms.
60 YEARS AGO: 1963
All items to place signs at 872 rural intersections in Shelby County were ordered. The contract included 9-foot steel posts, sign plates, brackets and all other necessary materials.
70 YEARS AGO: 1953
A federal judge ordered the Gwynneville Canning Company to sort and relabel 436 cans of tomatoes which had been seized by the federal government because they did not comply with federal food standards. The feds said 325 cases had been contaminated and other cases mislabeled.
Local grocers reported that meat prices were generally 20 to 25 percent lower than they had been a year before.
80 YEARS AGO: 1943
A joint statement by Compton Dairy, Hill Dairy, Runnebohm & Gerling and Miller-Yarling Dairy announced that pints of milk would no longer be available due to a federal order. Milk would only be in quart bottles.
90 YEARS AGO: 1933
“Rumors of a dog and badger fight to be staged some time during this month persist, in spite of opposition from some quarters,” The Republican reported. The article said a “fierce white badger” and an “immense German shepherd dog” had been secured, as had the services of a referee. “However, in view of the character of the fight, details are not made public at present. It is understood that police have already issued a warning to the sponsors.”
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
The members of the Shelbyville Better Business Club dropped negotiations for opening a motor bus line between Rushville and Columbus. The owner of the business had approached the Shelbyville organization asking them to guarantee a certain percentage of business. The men refused to do so. The line had been proposed following the cancellation of passenger train service on the local division of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
INCIDENTS
A driver who was reaching for her water bottle on the floorboard struck a curb and sideswiped a Duke Energy utility pole on West McKay Road at the intersection of South Miller Ave.
Theft was reported in the 300 block of West Mechanic St., Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Kelli R. Hoyt, 32, OVWI-prior; Warren C. Meece, 49, unknown hearing, doc hold; Kenneth T. Simmons, 44, failure to appear; Amanda D. Swygart, 39, house arrest violation, failure to appear, probation violation; Michael A. Shelton, 70, child solicitation.
OBITUARIES
Theodore C. "Ted" Dora, 90, of Shelbyville, passed away shortly after sunrise on Saturday, January 28, 2023, on his birthday, with his family by his bedside. Born January 28, 1933 in Greenfield, he was the son of Dewey E. Dora and Hazel D. (Smith) Dora. He married Ruth (McDaniel) Dora on May 19, 1956 and she preceded him on March 4, 2001. Survivors include a son Rex Dora (wife Suzanne) of Hope; daughter Kala Paxton of Shelbyville; adopted daughter Carol Taylor of Waldron; sister Bonnie Capshaw (husband Randy) of Indianapolis; several nieces and nephews; nine grandchildren, Brittany Thomas, Teah Jacobs, Noah Britt, Bailey Britt, Bobbie Hughett, Tina Gray, Charlie Petro, Nathan Slack, and Tawnee Mellentine, whose special bond helped care for and support Ted in the last years of his life. He is also survived by seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his spouse; daughter Pennie Sue Dora; two sons, Mark Dora and Michael Dora; granddaughter Mia Dora; three brothers, Jimmy, Dewey, and Phillip Dora; and two sisters, Loretta Spencer and Lucille Cropper.
Mr. Dora had lived in this area for most of his lifetime and had been in maintenance at KCL Corp., retiring after 40 years of service. He then became a driver/carpenter for the Amish Community for 15 years. He was a long time member of Shelbyville Kingdom Hall, where he enjoyed Bible Studies and spreading the Word of God.
Ted enjoyed working on cars and engines, gardening, raising Angelfish, studying his Bible, and tinkering around his garage with anything and everything, including his homemade foundry. Even as Ted's health began to decline, he always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone. He never met a stranger and was always willing to help a less fortunate person.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, with burial in Bennett Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday morning from 11 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial contributions can be made to Shelby County Cancer Association, American Heat Association, or the American Kidney Fund, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Jeffrey Scifres, 41, of Shelbyville, passed away Friday, January 27, 2023 at his residence. He was born September 10, 1981 in Melrose Park, Ill. to Robert Scifres and he survives.
He was a wood specialist at Culpeper Wood Preservers. Jeffrey loved to go to the Moose Lodge. His favorite holiday was the 4th of July and he enjoyed watching and setting off fireworks. Some of his favorite times were spent out on his moped. Caring and loving for his children was very important to him.
Jeffrey is also survived by his sons, Brandon Scifres, Cody Scifres, Austin Scifres; daughters, Michaela Scifres, Adriana Scifres, Adeline Scifres, Abriel Scifres. sisters, Jeanie Williams, Mary Flores, Althea Johnson; brothers, Robert Scifres, Mike Scifres, Eddie Scifres, and Greg Scifres.
A Celebration of Life will be announced soon. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Jeffrey’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Martin James Scott, “Candy Man”, born February 28, 1963, was received into the arms of Jesus in the early morning hours of January 30, 2023, following a lengthy battle with lung cancer. He was the oldest of four siblings, born in Deming, New Mexico to Rodney H Scott and Carol J Greater.
Upon his parents’ death, at approximately age seven, Martin and his siblings were raised by the Ohio Soldiers & Sailors Home in Xenia, Ohio. He attended the Wayne High School of Huber Heights, OH, completing the 11th grade and then receiving his GED one month later in April 1982.
Private Martin Scott served under honorable conditions in the United States Army as a Community Specialist at Fort Lewis, Washington. While in the Army he was awarded an Army Service Ribbon and the Sharpshooter Qualifications Badge.
Martin was an avid sports fan. He loved hockey, specifically, the San Jose Sharks and the Cincinnati Cyclones. In football, he loved the Seahawks. GO HAWKS! He also enjoyed playing golf. Animals loved Martin. He’s trained squirrels and cats to stay out of the road, and had a special way with dogs. His cats French Fry, Ginger and B-Bop proceed him in death.
Martin was employed by The Salvation Army from 2008 - 2013 and later returned as a volunteer early 2020. He will be greatly missed by the team! Donations may be made in his honor to The Salvation Army of Shelbyville, Indiana, and mailed to 136 E Washington Street. A memorial with military rites will be held at The Salvation Army on Wednesday, February 15, at 10 a.m.