Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Ruble Joins Republican County Council Race
Jeremy Ruble, candidate for Shelby County Council, pictured with his wife, Lauren, and daughter, Lina, in this submitted photo.
Shelby County Republicans will have a contested primary election this May for three open at-large County Council seats.
Jeremy Ruble yesterday announced his candidacy, joining candidates David Crisler, Shawn Goolsby and Troy Merrick. Winnie Soviar has filed on the Democrat ballot. The filing period remains open until Feb. 9.
Ruble has been a Shelby County resident since 2016. He and his wife Lauren (Rush), a 2008 graduate of Southwestern High School, have a four-year-old daughter, Lina, and are anticipating the arrival of their second daughter.
In a statement, Ruble said he has a passion for and dedication to serving Shelby County residents and a desire to bring about positive change. His commitment to public service is deeply rooted, he said, tracing back to his grandfather, who served as a Decatur County commissioner for 12 years. His grandfather’s legacy kindled Ruble's interest in local politics, propelling his commitment to making a meaningful impact.
Ruble was appointed by Shelby County Commissioners in 2022 to serve as a county representative of the fringe district on the Shelbyville Area Plan Commission. He is employed at Knauf Insulation as a Process Engineer. With over 12 years of experience as an engineer, combined with his involvement in public service for the past two years, he is uniquely positioned to bring a well-rounded perspective to the Shelby County Council, he said.
“I look forward to utilizing my skills to address community concerns, champion local initiatives, and contribute to a prosperous future for all residents. I believe a stronger Shelby County can only be achieved by engaging with residents, truly understanding their needs, and working collaboratively to accomplish our goals.”
The primary election is May 7.
Exchange Teacher Enters Home Stretch
Japanese exchange teacher Misako Wakasugi splits her time between Coulston Elementary and Shelbyville High School.
by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Although the mission of public education is similar in both her home country and in Shelbyville, Japanese exchange teacher Misako Wakasugi appreciates the subtle differences.
“I really like the culture of giving compliments to each other here,” Wakasugi said. “Even kindergarten students will say to me, ‘I like your shirt’ or ‘I like your eye color.’ It helps people have confidence in themselves.”
Wakasugi is the eighth Japanese teacher to spend much of the year in Shelbyville Central Schools. The first was in 2014, with a new teacher coming each year until the pandemic. The program resumed last year, and Wakasugi, an elementary teacher, has split her time between Coulston Elementary and Shelbyville High School. She arrived in late July and is staying with retired teacher Susan Coers until leaving the country mid-March.
Living in Shelbyville has been a new experience despite at least 10 previous trips to the U.S.
“I loved Disney and movies (when I was a child), so in order to get more information about Disney, I had to learn English,” Wakasugi said, laughing. All of her prior trips have been to either California or Florida to, you guessed it, Disney properties. She has branched out during this experience, though, visiting Illinois, New York and Missouri.
Her services in Shelbyville add value to students at both schools. She works with 16 Japanese students enrolled at Coulston, who range from new to proficient English speakers, and works with the high school Japanese teacher, Steve von Werder, to teach local students taking all levels of the language, including Advanced Placement.
The teacher exchange program is part of Shelbyville’s Sister City relationship with Shizuoka in Japan, now in its 35th year. The Japanese language program at Shelbyville High School started in the 1990s, which von Werder has guided since 2005.
As she enters her final stretch in Shelbyville, Wakasugi will continue teaching and delivering presentations to churches and service organizations in town. Upon arriving home, she will make the circuit presenting on her experiences.
There won’t be much time to rest.
“Our school year starts in April, so I need to get ready for the new year,” she said.
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Board of Works yesterday approved making the intersection of Summerway Drive and Theobald Street in Clearview an all-way stop, following a recommendation from the Shelbyville Police Department. There were already Stop signs on Summerway, but not on Theobald. (Editor’s note: Incidentally, a unanimous vote to install a Stop sign has been a rarity over the past 12 years. Former board of works member Bob Williams typically voted against the installation of Stop signs.)
The board of works also issued an order to appear for the property owner and tenant of 217 E. Hendricks St. The board will oversee a hearing regarding 549 Eastern Ave. at next Tuesday’s meeting.
HOOSIER NEWS: A city or town in Indiana can’t prevent residents from beekeeping — but homeowners associations still can. A state House bill, HB 1337, aims to change that. Under the bill, HOAs wouldn’t be able to keep people from having beehives as long as they’re actively maintained for honey and adhere to other Indiana laws. HOAs would still get a say under the bill, said its author Rep. Karen Engleman (R-Georgetown). “They can still make rules and say how many active beehives a person may maintain, the location of the beehives," she said. Engleman said honey bees are important because they pollinate Indiana’s crops. The bill passed the House, with Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (R-Shelbyville) voting in favor, and now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
NATIONAL NEWS: There are just 13 markets in the United States that have a team in the MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL, and one of them is Minnesota, which thanks to a tough finish to the Vikings’ season will now extend the longest active streak of championship appearance droughts to 32 years. Mind you, that’s not a drought of winning the championship, but merely of appearing in one, and it’s about 10 years longer than the runner-up in Arizona. The last time Minnesota appeared in a championship was in the victorious 1991 World Series, with the Twins. (ESPN/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: City of Shelbyville officials announced plans to donate several vacant lots to Shelby County Habitat for Humanity: 253 E. Mechanic St., 732 Labelle Ave. and 609 W. Franklin St., which had not been purchased in a recent tax sale. Habitat for Humanity had been working on South Pike St. and East South St.
2004: Mitch Daniels, Republican candidate for governor of Indiana, was the keynote speaker at the Shelby County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, held at Occasions, 415 E. Hendricks St.
Renovations were complete at Blue River Bowl, formerly Blue River Lanes. Owners Tom and Jill Hebbe had begun improvements in March 1996, shortly after buying the business. They had toyed with new snazzy name ideas, such as Irresisti-Bowl and Unbelieva-Bowl, but decided to stick with the familiar. They had added Cosmic bowling, new scoring machines and new seating in 1997.
1994: Larry Lee Smith, 39, Fountaintown, died in a midget car racing accident in the Hoosier Dome. He had been struck by a midget race car that had lost control, left the racetrack and plowed through a crowded infield pit area.
Local Republicans announced Rex Early, the former state Republican Party chairman, would be speaker at the annual Lincoln Day dinner, to be held at Shelbyville Middle School.
1984: The Gloria Marshall Figure Salon, Belaire Shopping Center, offered “personal figure counselors” that helped women, according to the ad, lose weight with “no strenuous exercises or need to change clothes.”
Local police and the county sheriff’s offices purchased videotape cameras to record crime scenes and tape confessions from suspects. Sheriff Rick Isgrigg said the cameras would also help in court. “Juries and judges see these people arrested for DWI a day later when they are not staggering around and look presentable. I think it would be helpful if they could see them in the state they were in the night before.”
W.S. Major Hospital started offering rental infant and toddler safety seats to help protect young children and to keep parents from breaking the new state law requiring young children to be protected by safety seats or seat belts when in moving cars or trucks. An infant seat could be rented for $10 for a nine-month period and toddler seats for $15 for a six-month period.
1974: A local man who appeared in city court on five traffic charges walked away from the police station holding room where he was waiting to be returned to jail. He was apprehended eight minutes later in a downtown apartment.
Gary Lee Bates, 10, of Fountaintown and a fourth-grade student at Triton North Elementary, became the county’s first traffic fatality of the year when his mini-bike hit a car head-on a short distance from his home.
Prosecutor Jerry Lux promoted R. Robert Yeager to the position of his chief deputy and appointed Peter G. DePrez to a deputy prosecutor post. Yeager succeeded Anthony Champa, who resigned to devote full time to his private practice.
1964: Two county businesses changed hands. A manufacturing business, The High Speed Delivery Fork Company, which had opened in Shelbyville in 1937, was sold by Mrs. C.G. Shepard to Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Phares. The business was located at 410 N. Harrison St. The company made a device used for instant pick-up of messages along railroads rights-of-way, principally by freight trains where electronic communications did not exist. Also, a grocery business at Wilson Corner was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Corley of Fountaintown from Mr. and Mrs. James Harper. Wilson Corner had been the location of some sort of business, including a grocery, wayside inn and blacksmith shop, since Civil War days.
1954: Shelbyville’s new second fire station, at Jackson and Vine Streets, went into operation at 7 a.m. It was the first time the city had two stations. Under the two-station system, emergency phone number 999 was called and the phone rang at both stations at the same time. It was answered by Station No. 1 while Station No. 2 listened on the line. If the alarm was in the east part of town, No. 1 dispatched the new truck by phone from Station No. 2. The station was formerly a used car garage and lot.
1944: County Clerk Morris DePrez was one of 20 men accepted for service with the United States Navy. His wife, Katherine, would serve in his role during his absence. DePrez was the second county official called to service. Coroner Paul Fix was inducted for service in 1943. Dr. C.J. Price filled that position during his absence.
1934: Two carloads of government coal, of about 50 tons each, were delivered to local dealers for redistribution to the needy of Addison Township. The dealers were paid $1.40 per ton to deliver the coal.
1924: A Fairland minister preaching a revival in Greenfield was arrested “on statutory charges,” The Republican reported. It was his second arrest, and he was released while a grand jury pondered the matter. He returned to the church and, while in the middle of his sermon, another minister showed up and forcibly removed him from the pulpit in front of the congregation. The second minister was arrested on a charge of assault and battery and disturbing the peace.
All of the more than 1,800 seats in Paul Cross Gym were sold for the upcoming Muncie-Shelbyville game. Principal W.S. Peters said “standing room” in the gym would be sold at the door “until the chief of the fire department, or his agent, orders that no more be admitted.” School officials had asked the school board to purchase more seats in the summer, but the board had not moved the matter forward.
1914: Several locals, including Vernon Randall, Mr. and Mrs. William Neu Jr., Dr. Shontz, Herbert Neal and Charles Pettit, left Indianapolis at 9:30 p.m. on the I & C Traction line and reached Shelbyville at 7:30 a.m. On Prospect St., the car had run into an electric light that had dropped down and tore the light wires for several hundred feet. When the light wire connected up with the trolley power wire and wrapped around the top of the car, pandemonium broke loose. “The passengers sure thought their time had come as fire was on top and around the car, but nobody was hurt,” The Republican said. Mr. Randall said it was the most exciting 50-cent ride of his life.
OBITUARIES
Joseph N. “Joe” Mohr, of Wilmette, Illinois, formerly of Shelbyville, Ind., passed away Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Born December 19, 1945, he was the son of Kenneth L. Mohr and Lois M. (Shadley) Grimes. In September 1971, he married his wife, Kathryn (Bonnie).
Joe was a 1964 graduate of Shelbyville High School and a 1968 graduate of Lake Forest College. He played football in both high school and college, as a tackle. He also received his masters from Northwestern University.
In addition to Katie, Joe is survived by his sister Milly (Mohr) Debaun and husband Tom of Waldron, nieces Sonja Clark and Nicole Eslinger, both of Indianapolis, Sarah Dagley of Knightstown and nephew Scott Debaun and wife Tisha of Waldron. He is also survived by two great-nieces and six great-nephews.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Steve.
In keeping with Joe’s wishes, there will be no memorial services.
Janice “Jan” Lynn Morris, 65, of Edinburgh, passed away Monday January 29, 2024 at her residence with her family by her side. She was born February 17, 1958 in Akron, OH. to Charles Boyle and Anna Mae (Wanzie) Boyle.
Jan graduated from Kenmore High School in 1976. Jan was a member of the Sassy Southerners Group. Among her favorite hobbies were cooking, gardening, and most of all shopping. She also loved to read in her down time. She was very witty and always had a funny story or one liner to add to any conversation. Jan enjoyed adventuring out and trying new food and different restaurants. Family was extremely important to her and the time spent with her daughters and grandkids were her favorite.
She married James K. Morris on July 18, 1996 and he survives. They spent 27 wonderful years of marriage together.
She is also survived by her daughters, Stephanie Faith and Logan Morris; her step-sons, Eric Morris and Derek Morris; her grandchildren, Ozzy Mutindi, Ella Morris, Daci Morris, Haven Canner, Derek Morris and Damon Morris; several aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Michael Stanford.
A Gathering of Friends will be Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Celebration of Life will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Jose Rivera officiating. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Jan’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Langley (Wayne) Alexander, 73, of Shelbyville, passed away Tuesday January 30, 2024 at Ashford Place Health Campus. He was born November 26, 1950 in Osgood, IN. to James R. Alexander and Stella Mae (Keeton) Alexander.
Wayne served in the United States Army. He was a truck driver for Estes Express and he retired in 2018. Wayne retired from the military after 24 years of service. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. One of his favorite things to do was spending time with his family.
He married Rita (Milby) Alexander on April 21, 1973, and she preceded him in death on February 1, 2022. He is survived by his daughter, Monica (husband, Mike) Cox; his son, Michael (wife, Rebecca) Alexander; his bothers, JB Alexander and Bob (wife, Susan) Alexander; his sisters, Wanda Milby, Louise (husband, Jerry) Flynn, Barbara (husband, Bob) Wade and Sylvia Alexander; his grandchildren, Makayla Byrd, Zachary Sneed and Jonathan Sneed; three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
Visitation will be Thursday, February, 1, 2024 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will be Friday, February 2, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Mark Myers officiating. Military rites will be conducted by our Local Veteran Organizations. Burial will be in Whispering Hope Memorial Gardens.
Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Wayne’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
