Wednesday, February 15, 2023
24 Hours in Addison Township: 11:02 p.m
Cagney’s Pizza King employee Craig Prichard serves a customer at closing time last fall. His wife of 25 years, Amber Prichard, also works at the long-time local restaurant on East Broadway Street. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works yesterday ordered to clean up 554 West Taylor Street and assess the fees to the property owners’ taxes. The board had given the owners, who said last month they were waiting on a dumpster, 30 days to remove clutter and debris from the property. But City Plan Director Adam Rude showed recent photographs and said there was “very minimal change” to the property.
The Board of Works also approved the low bid, from Globe Asphalt, for an upcoming project on Jackson Street. Since Globe did the Elm Street project that led to a resident complaint regarding a curb, Mayor Tom DeBaun asked City Engineer John Kuntz to ensure Globe was working to resolve the matter.
Waldron High School senior Lucas Mitchell surpassed 1,000 career points for the boys’ basketball program last weekend, scoring 24 in a loss to Centerville. Fellow senior Bryce Yarling reached 1,000 points early in the season. Mitchell is the seventh Waldron player to reach the 1,000-point club, the Shelby County Post reports.
Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Danny Russel of Indianapolis, will present a Fireside Chat tonight, 7 p.m., at the Shelby County Public Library Carnegie East Wing’s Indiana Room. This month marks Presidents’ Day and the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
HOOSIER NEWS: Indiana senators passed Senate Bill 334 last Tuesday to simplify access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, also known as food stamps, for people over 60 or who have disabilities and their households. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 9.5 percent of people over 65 who live alone were somewhat or very food insecure in 2021, a meaningful increase over 2020. SB 334 would allow seniors and people with disabilities to stay on SNAP without having to renew their application for up to three years. The bill’s author, Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), emphasized that these changes wouldn’t expand eligibility. (Indiana Public Media)
NATIONAL NEWS: With egg prices spiking and volatile most of last year, plant-based substitute Just Egg’s once long-shot goal of reaching cost parity with traditional chicken eggs was fulfilled in no small part because chicken eggs have become really expensive, and the pourable bottle of Just Egg ($4.40) was significantly less than the warehouse price of eggs the first week of January ($5.38). Over the course of 2022, the plant-based substitute saw 17 percent sales growth, and they’ve had to increase manufacturing output by 25 percent since December to keep pace with recent demand. A recent ad campaign touted “Plants don’t get the flu.” (Food Dive)
SHELBY COUNTY PEOPLE & PLACES: JOHN C. MILLER
Editor’s note: In the mid- to late 1940s, The Shelbyville Republican published a series of articles by Ave Lewis and Hortense Montgomery covering community people and places. Below is one of those features.
The village blacksmith shop, once an integral part of every community with its ringing anvil and glowing forge, exists now in most towns only as a heart-warming memory. And with the passing of the horse age, farriers are few and far between. The forge at Shelbyville's lone blacksmith shop at 33 East Jackson Street glows fitfully now and only when ploughshares need sharpening or cultivator shovels have grown dull.
John C. Miller, the kindly smithy, works alone now - no one wants to learn blacksmithing anymore, it seems, although in bygone days a half-dozen or more young fellows learned their trade under "Uncle John's" tutelage. Louis Rosenfield and Leonard Bogeman were two of his apprentices in the smoke-darkened shop on East Jackson Street. A long row of iron rings sunk in the brick sidewall is rusted evidence that once horses stood tied to that wall from the front to the rear waiting to be shod. And higher on the wall are seven long rows of nails on which used to hang hundreds of shining new horseshoes. "Back in those days," said Mr. Miller with a nostalgic smile, "we used to have goodvtimes around here."
Many Shelbyville children, now grown men, wiled away pleasant boyhood hours shooing flies in Mr. Miller's blacksmith shop. Although "Uncle John," as he was dubbed by his youthful following, and Mrs. Miller never had any children of their own, boys and girls alike flocked to the blacksmith shop and to the Miller home on Polk Street, where they never failed to find sympathy and understanding. The smithy had quite a sideline in curing poison ivy, too. Residue at the bottom of the "slack tub," where steel is tempered, is an effective, although messy, cure for ivy poisoning when applied as a poultice. Many local persons treated by "Uncle John's" iron-water will testify willingly as to its success.
John C. Miller was born December 26, 1864, and brought up in Letts, down below Greensburg, where he learned the trade from his father, Abe Miller, a successful blacksmith in that community. When John was about 17, the board and room he received from his father as wages no longer satisfied the lad who wanted to try making his own way. So with his father's understanding consent, he came to Shelbyville to work.
It was here he met and married Miss Ella Moore, who died several years ago. Their meeting occurred at a Christian Endeavor gathering. All his life, Mr. Miller has been extremely active in activities at the First Christian Church. He was a Sunday school song leader for years and years and recently was made a life member of the Board of deacons after service on the board for nearly half a century. In addition, he served several terms on the church's Board of Trustees. Now, although his voice is cracked with years of use, he still hums a true tenor as he goes about his work.
After a partnership with Bill Bassett was dissolved, Mr. Miller opened his own blacksmith shop and has operated it for more than 40 years. He and his sister, Mrs. Maude Henry, make their home together on South Harrison Street.
Since his youth, the sturdy little smithy has been a lover of the outdoors. Some of his happiest times have been spent camping along streams in Shelby County, where he hunted and fished to his heart's content. One of his prize possessions is a book, bound in purple suede, written and prepared for him by a close friend. The book is an illustrated story of a fortnight's camping trip more than 25 years ago in a cabin on Brandywine Creek near the old Barlow-Hering grist mill, west of Shelbyville, which served the community for almost a century.
Mr. Miller says he has read the book so often he knows it almost word for word - and he had no intention of breaking the habit.
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
The home of Margaret Fuller, 405 Second St., was destroyed by fire. Fuller was not at home at the time. The fire also spread to the attic of the house at 401 Second St., owned by Larry and Nancy Caudill. The Caudills were home, and walked out of the home with their grandson when someone knocked on their window to warn them of the fire.
30 YEARS AGO: 1993
A newspaper photo showed Shelbyville varsity basketball player Kevin Kredit greeting Loper Elementary fifth-grader “reading buddy” Robert Helfer before tip-off at Garrett Gymnasium. Behind Kredit was SHS player Chris Myers.
40 YEARS AGO: 1983
Harry W. McFatridge was named a deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. He replaced Deputy Mike Beck, who had resigned to accept an instructor’s position at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. McFatridge had previously worked at Standard Register. He and his wife, Sharon, had two daughters, Dawn, 12, and Heather, 6.
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
Employees and management of Standard Register Co. met for a fifth anniversary banquet at Sider’s Steak House. Awards were presented to early employees Maggie Hasecuster, Norma Chandler, Evelyn Bedwell, Joan Jasper, Delores Sadler, Aileen Huff, Stan Cichanwicz, Ron Kessler, Linda Thomas, Betty Rady, Donna Townsend and Plant Manager “Whitey” Nartker.
60 YEARS AGO: 1963
George R. Glass resigned as chairman of the Shelby County Republican Central Committee, a position he had held since 1958. Glass cited his law practice obligations in his resignation letter. Dorothy Lutes was county vice chair. Speculation was that William Carithers was a leading candidate to fill the chairman post.
70 YEARS AGO: 1953
A local 22-year-old woman was sentenced to 30 days at the women's prison and fined for stealing a package containing a man’s overcoat from the U.S. Mail in an apartment building hallway.
80 YEARS AGO: 1943
Frances Henderson, a young lady who was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Henderson, suffered severe burns on her leg and ankle at a local restaurant. She had just been released from a hospital after suffering a severe head injury while working in a factory.
90 YEARS AGO: 1933
Due to $50,000 of county money sitting in closed financial institutions and delinquent taxes, County Auditor Claud X. Mohr said the county’s finances were in poor shape and that several overdrafts had occurred.
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
The Shelbyville Republican reported a Memorial Day bill banning all sporting events, including the Indy 500, on or near the holiday, would likely pass the state legislature. (The bill was passed, but was vetoed in March by the governor.)
INCIDENTS
A vehicle left the road, ran through a utility pole, snapping it in half, and struck the garage of a home at 1519 South Harrison Street. Another driver accidentally ran over the broken Duke Energy pole, causing his vehicle to be stuck. The upper half of the pole, with live powerlines, fell across the vehicle, trapping the driver until Shelbyville Fire Department personnel could assist with his removal. The driver of the initial vehicle said he was not clear what caused the accident but said he may have been traveling too fast approaching the curve. The driver showed no signs of impairment and tested .000% on a Portable Breath Test at the scene. The garage of the home was damaged on the exterior and interior but determined to be structurally sound.
Thefts were reported in the 2100 block of Poncianni Dr. and 1200 block of W. McKay Road, Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Donald R. Coblentz, unknown hearing, hold for another jurisdiction; Jade D. Robbins, OVWI; Dewayne C. Robinson, failure to appear; Jerrad C. Seaborn, possession of meth, marijuana, paraphernalia, hold; Daniel E. Smith, parole violation.
OBITUARIES
Betty Lou Combs, 84, of St. Paul, Indiana, passed away Sunday, February 12, 2023, at her home.
She was born September 7, 1938, in Huntington, West Virginia, the daughter of Roy and Goldie Myrtle (Williams) Allen. On March 19, 1955, she married Ted Combs, and he preceded her in death on December 11, 2004. Betty is survived by her daughters, Valerie Freeman and husband, Paul, of Waldron, Regina DeMasi and husband, Mark, of Indianapolis, and Sherry Ramp and husband, Jim, of St. Paul; son, Toby Combs of St. Paul; brothers, Ed Allen and wife, Trish, of Lavalette, West Virginia, and Jack Allen and wife, Diane, of Huntington; grandchildren, Alicia, Ryan, Ben, Tim, Tiffany, Erinn, Neal, Rachel, Logan, Megan, Tyler and Trevor; great-grandchildren, Naomi, Addy, Harlym, Violet, Jude, Benjamin, Emma, Caden, Noah, Lily, Ilya and Hudson; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to Ted, Betty was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Willie LeMaster, Elmer LeMaster, Russel LeMaster, James LeMaster, Roy Allen Jr. and Jerry Allen; sister, Chloe Blake (husband, Gailor); and sons-in-law, Bill Solada and Dennis Rhoades.
Betty was a member of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. She formerly worked as a factory inspector for STI in Greensburg, and a production operator at Shelbyville's Standard Register. Betty enjoyed caring for her flower gardens, crocheting, singing, boating and camping.
Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were captivated by her many stories and adventures of Yugo. She spoiled many a guest and family member with her cooking. Some of her specialties were her homemade fudge, chicken and dumplings, dressing and her famous biscuits and gravy. She cherished her family and loved spending time with them. John Denver's song about her birthplace, "Country Roads", filled her soul. As a result, a trip to honor her life there, with family and friends, is planned for the Spring.
Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warriors, PO Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas, 66675-8516. Online condolences may be shared with Betty’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Gregory A. (Greg) Faulconer, 72, of Shelbyville, passed away Saturday, February 11, 2023 at his residence. He was born August 8, 1950, in Shelbyville to Paul Faulconer and Delores Faye (Harrell) Diewart.
Greg graduated from Triton High School. He served in the Army and was in Vietnam 3 times. Greg worked in the construction field.
Greg is survived by his sister, Elaine Fair of Shelbyville; brother, Garry Faulconer of Florida; several nieces and nephews; especially Tommy Phelps, Seymour, IN. He was preceded in death by sister, Janet Phelps; brother-in-law, Dale Fair.
No visitation or service will be observed. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Greg’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.