Wednesday, May 14, 2025
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
City, Club Officials Host Meeting on Morrison Park Use
photo by ANNA TUNGATE
Local officials, led by City Councilman Chuck Reed, hosted an informal discussion in Morrison Park on Monday regarding a potential Parks Department partnership with the Boys and Girls Club that would give them some dedicated access to the park. (Girls Inc., also located within the block, is not part of the proposal.)
Reed said the Boys and Girls Club had approached the Parks Department to discuss expanding programming in the park, which could include fencing certain areas. He noted that the Club needs to expand, and using the Park is a better option than the facility moving “out of the heart of the community where it needs to be.”
Reading a Parks Department statement, Reed said there is no proposal to transfer Morrison Park.
“Currently, we remain in an information gathering phase only. Should the Club submit a formal proposal in the future, it will be subject to a thorough public review process. Any potential changes involving city parks would require full transparency and public input before any decisions are made,” he read.
In response to questions from the public, officials said summer camps would continue in the park. There were also questions about why the city had invested in multiple projects at Blue River Memorial Park but not as much in Morrison Park.
In response to stated concerns about crime in the park, one attendee asked why the Club was taking initiative rather than the City.
“Because the Boys and Girls Club has stepped up and said, ‘We’re going to put our money where our mouth is, and we’d like to make this park better,’” Club board member Jeff Bate said. He added that the organization would be financially responsible for staffing programs in the park. “We pay the insurance. We pay the employees. We take the responsibility.”
Parks Board president Gary Nolley said that if a formal proposal is presented, the board will carefully review the details. “We want to know specific plans, timeframe. We want to know the financials - can they support what they’re going to do - and how they’re going to maintain it,” he said.
MHP Honors Horner Legacy
MEDIA RELEASE
Yesterday, May 12, Major Health Partners (MHP) unveiled a commemorative plaque on its campus to honor the legacy of former President & CEO John “Jack” Horner. Spanning four decades of service from 1985 to 2025, Jack’s leadership, compassion, and vision profoundly shaped both MHP and the broader Shelby County community.
Jack led with heart and purpose, consistently prioritizing what was best for patients, staff and the community. With a servant’s heart and deep commitment to uplifting others, Jack’s tenure was defined by visionary thinking and a drive for meaningful change. His work helped improve countless lives through initiatives focused on social drivers of health and patient-centered care.
Jack played a pivotal role in the development of major community resources including the MHP Medical Center, the MHP Community Health & Wellness Center/YMCA, and the Sue Ann Wortman Nephrology Center. He also spearheaded the successful implementation of one of the first electronic medical record systems in a community hospital, revolutionizing patient care and safety.
We are grateful for Jack’s extraordinary contributions and proud to celebrate the legacy he built. His leadership has shaped the course of healthcare in Shelby County and will continue to inspire MHP and its mission for years to come.
Thank you, Jack — you made a lasting impact.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
Shelbyville Code Enforcement Officer Troy Merrick yesterday noted that the City would likely step in and mow the grass at the new Dollar General Market on E. McKay and assess the fees to the owner. Merrick noted that the City has issues with the upkeep at Dollar General on Miller Ave. as well.
The Shelbyville Board of Works approved having the City clean the property at 1022 Lincoln St. and assess the fees to the owner. The Board issued orders to appear for the owners of 1215 Jefferson Ave. and 510 E. McKay regarding junk and debris.
The Shelby County Public Library will present a patriotic, pre-Memorial Day walking tour of City Cemetery, 154 E. Pennsylvania St., on Tuesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. Meet at the cemetery to honor the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of Shelby County veterans who died while in the service of our country. Donna Dennison, Head of the Genealogy & History Department, will lead the tour. Please dress appropriately for the weather and walking terrain. City Cemetery is also known as Old City Cemetery and Shelbyville City Cemetery. According to county historical records, in 1824, Arthur Major bought four acres of the James Davison division and donated it to Shelbyville for a “burying ground,” which later became the official cemetery. The library’s Genealogy & History Department offers one history program and one genealogy program each month. For further information about the Cemetery Walk, visit the Genealogy & History Department in Carnegie East Wing, 33 W. Broadway St., or call Donna at 317-398-8144 (302).
The Board of Works approved the VFW’s request to raise money this Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the intersection of Lee Boulevard and Progress Parkway. The Board also approved closing the alley east of Fire Station No. 1 on Saturday for Three Crows’ annual Psychic Fair, which will be held 12 - 5 p.m.
Rush Shelby will be closing River Road today, from approximately 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. for pole replacement. The closure will be just north of 4038 E. River Road.
The second annual Tom Harding Memorial Golf Outing, hosted by Shelby County Democrats, is set for June 1 at Blue Bear Golf Course. Details here…
HOOSIER NEWS: Anyone signed up to receive emails and notices from Indiana state agencies and offices was sent phishing scam emails after the state said the private company that used to manage the email subscription services was hacked. The emails appear to come from dozens of state agencies and offices, including the Indiana Department of Revenue, State Comptroller and Department of Transportation. There were a few different versions, but all of them falsely informed recipients that they had an outstanding TxTag balance, with a link in the email to pay the purported bill. TxTag is a toll system in Texas. The Indiana Office of Technology said the scam emails are linked to a private vendor whose contract with the state ended last year, but apparently did not remove the state’s account from its system. The state said there is no evidence of malware if anyone clicked on the link in the scam emails. But if anyone put in credit card or payment information, they will need to contact their bank or credit card company, halt the payments and replace their credit card. (Indiana Public Radio)
NATIONAL NEWS: An analysis that looked at 27,268 movies found that the lead character dies in 15.9 percent of films. Lately, these deaths have actually been rarer compared to the rest of film history — lead characters dying throughout the course of a film saw its heyday in the early 1970s, when about a third of movies consistently killed off their lead — but it’s hard to make a multi-picture franchise now if the lead is dead. There are some more fatal genres than others: for example, 28.7 percent and 28.5 percent of history and biography films, respectively, end with the lead dying. This makes sense because that is what happens at the end for everyone. (Stephen Follows/Numlock)
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Blue River Community Foundation: To High School Students on Track to Graduate in 2026
Since 2017, BRCF has offered a free scholarship workshop each summer for rising high school seniors in Shelby County. Interested students can choose one of the dates and time slots below to attend. Workshops are held at the Blue River Community Foundation, 54 W. Broadway St., Shelbyville: June 19, 1 – 3:30 p.m., and July 10, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Each session will include: Understanding more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship & BRCF administered scholarship opportunities; Learning to write an expressive scholarship essay; Interviewing do’s & don’ts; Choosing the perfect recommender; Collecting tips for completing specific sections of the application; and listening to suggestions from a panel of BRCF Scholar Alumni on the transition from High School to College. Students can register for the workshop here.
SHS Courier Archive Highlights
Dec. 16, 1955
Judy Small won the SHS Voice of Democracy essay contest. Mary Jane Stubbs was the winner of the Shelby County DAR Good Citizenship Contest. It was the third year in a row the student from SHS had won, with Beth Mount and Marge Clay winning the two previous years.
Jim Hardin, class of 1952, returned to SHS as a student-teacher in Miss Moore’s English class.
Mr. Carmony’s first hour speech class was singing a Christmas song each morning to get students in the holiday spirit. Freshmen in Miss Chenoweth’s English I classes were presenting Christmas programs of poetry, legend and short stories.
“Shelbyville fans who journeyed to Martinsville on Dec. 6 hardly recognized themselves from the Artesian program on which Bob Cowherd was listed as Bob Cowlord, Charlie Vaughn was listed as Baughn, and the Tindall twins appeared as Jim and Jack Kindell. The program also stated that…we had tied none (an impossibility in basketball).”
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: MAJOR HEALTH PARTNERS
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.
2005: Shelbyville Central Schools’ Dive into Reading committee, which had set a 90 percent reading goal, announced plans to open elementary and middle school libraries one day per week over the summer to make books available to students. Active participants would be eligible for a pool party in August.
1995: Bishopp’s Appliances began offering a rent-a-phone program “for people who don’t need a cellular phone every day.” An ad read, “Now you can rent a cellular phone at Bishopp’s for short-term use. Ideal for vacations, limited business needs or other occasions that don’t justify year-round use.”
1985: Julie Cantrell, 10, Fountaintown, was selected Miss Mayflower, representing the link between the Mayflower Classic LPGA golf tournament and Riley Hospital for Children, its primary beneficiary. Julie had been three years when she was admitted to Riley where her rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed. She was a straight-A student at Brandywine Elementary.
1975: Rev. Robert Hampton, pastor of Shelbyville First Baptist Church and a veteran of the Korean War, was named special speaker at the upcoming Shelby County Memorial Day services held at the courthouse. Ted Kuhn would read the mortality list of the Spanish-American War and World War I, and Paul Davis would read World War II, Korean War and Vietnam lists.
Debbie Lux, 18, won the Lions Club Herb Runnebohm Award. Lux was a senior member of the Rec. The award was based on character, activities, scholastic standing, church attendance, relations with friends and neighbors and personal references. Ray Craft presented the trophy.
1965: Eugene McNew, 41, was appointed athletic director of Shelbyville High School, succeeding Frank Barnes. A World War II Marine Corps veteran, McNew was a graduate of New Mexico Western College. He began his teaching career at Flat Rock High School, then was a teacher, principal and coach at Noble Township Elementary before becoming an industrial arts instructor at SHS.
1955: Porter Pool manager Louis Kuhn announced the pool would open Sunday, May 29. The sun deck had been enlarged and the pool interior had been painted a tropical blue color.
The light red Squib volume arrived at Shelbyville High School. The book, created by a staff of 33, was 84 pages. Nearly 1,000 had been printed.
“French Casino Burlesque” was on at midnight at the Shelby Drive-in Theatre on U.S. 421.
1945: A small one-room house used as a residence in connection with harness racing on the fairgrounds burned down. The building had been located close to the horse barns on the east side of the grounds.
1935: The J.G. DePrez Co. store put an old velocipede on display. “The old ‘high-wheeler’ is the property of Jacob Metzler of near Blue Ridge and was placed in service for the first time about 54 years ago,” The Republican said. “It was once the property of the late Horace Montgomery of Shelbyville. The front wheel, equipped with a solid rubber tire, is nearly five feet in diameter.”
1925: Plans were announced to lay the corner stone of the Christian church in St. Paul, which was being remodeled with an addition construction. The frame part of the church would be bricked.
1915: Anderville “Toby” Shaw had to purchase fish after coming up empty on a recent fishing trip. The Republican said this was rare, because “the fish (typically) vied with one another to get caught on his hook.”
Garden lots in the Mapleton addition, just west of city limits on Washington Ave., were listed for sale for $150, which could be recouped in three years, The Republican said.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Daniel L. Compton, 80, of Shelbyville, passed away Saturday May 10, 2025, at his residence. Born on February 24, 1945, in New Castle, he was the son of Marvin Gene Compton and Rosemary (Gallagher) Compton. He married Beverly (Barton) Compton on March 8, 1968, and she survives. Other survivors include four children, Shannon Roy (Scott) of Shelbyville, and Sarah Raison (Jon) of Shelbyville, Jamie Ott (Doug) of Shelbyville, Buddy Compton (Katie Jones) of Atlanta, Georgia; five grandchildren, Coty Roy, Tyler Jones, Lilly Raison, Jason Ott and James Ott; five great grandchildren, Ava, Tylee, and Averie Jones, and Allison and Lucas Roy. He was preceded in death by his parents and son Joshua Compton.
Daniel had lived in this area his entire lifetime and graduated from Waldron High School in 1963. He was an electrician for KCL Corp for many years. He was an avid Indianapolis Colts fan and he enjoyed camping and mushroom hunting. He dearly loved his family and especially his grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 5 p.m., Friday, May 16, 2025, at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road. Burial will be in Van Pelt Cemetery at a later date. Family will receive friends on Friday from 3 p.m. until the time of the service, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Riley Children's Hospital or Shelby County Cancer Association, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeanson.com.