Wednesday, September 10, 2025
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No Injuries in Overnight Shelbyville House Fire
Fire damage is visible at 122 St. Mary Street, where Shelbyville firefighters responded early Tuesday morning. The blaze caused major damage to the home and spread to three neighboring houses, including the one shown at right. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation. | photo by JACK BOYCE
SQUARING OFF
Fresh brickwork now frames the rough edges of downtown buildings, at Broadway and Harrison, part of an ongoing effort to restore stability and preserve the historic walls. Crews have been rebricking the corners most days, though the site was quiet when these photos were taken. | photos by JOHN WALKER
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NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety heard from Mike Posz, owner of Hometown Hop-On, who requested a variance to operate licensed golf cart transportation services after 10 p.m. Posz said the business “wants to facilitate safe transportation for individuals returning home after evening events, concerts and community activities” and support local businesses with peak hours after 10 p.m. Mayor Scott Furgeson and City Attorney Jennifer Meltzer noted the Board of Works cannot grant a variance, and City Council would need to revise the ordinance before any variance process could exist.
The Board of Works approved a request from Blue River Community Foundation to wrap a traffic control box near the Blue River Trailhead in artwork inspired by Shelbyville artist Roland Hobart. The design includes pieces Hobart created for the 1970 Shelbyville High School prom, the city’s 1972 sesquicentennial, and the former city seal. Mayor Furgeson commended BRCF for their numerous projects. There are 21 local utility boxes that have been covered.
The Board of Works also approved closing Public Square for Mainstreet Shelbyville’s Brewfest on Sept. 20. Streets will begin closing at noon after the Farmers Market ends, with additional closures at 2 p.m. to allow businesses to display retail items. The event runs from 5:30–10 p.m.
The Shelbyville Board of Zoning Appeals last night approved two variances for a new home planned at 401 Foxridge Court. Owner Mark Stevens was granted a reduction in the required front yard setback from 20 feet to 15 feet, citing the lot’s curved cul-de-sac shape. The board also approved his request to waive a sidewalk installation, consistent with other properties in the subdivision, with the condition that a sidewalk must be added if an adjoining property owner installs one. Stevens said he is building the spec home to sell.
HOOSIER NEWS: An Indianapolis developer is seeking to demolish the 500 Festival Building at 21 Virginia Ave., recognizable for its mural of Holocaust survivor Eva Kor, to make way for a $30 million apartment project. The proposal calls for a nine-story tower with 72 apartments, ground-floor retail and a six-level parking garage. While Virginia Street Capital LLC says secure parking is needed downtown, city planners oppose the design, noting that about 70% of the building would be dedicated to parking in a district meant for pedestrian-friendly development. The mural would be transferred to the new façade if the project moves forward. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: The reading skills of American high school seniors are the worst they have been in three decades, according to new federal testing data, a worrying sign for teenagers as they face an uncertain job market and information landscape challenged by AI. In math, 12th graders had the lowest performance since 2005. The results, from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, long regarded as the nation’s most reliable, gold-standard exam, showed that about a third of the 12th-graders who were tested last year did not have basic reading skills. (New York Times)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS: The illiteracy rate worldwide has ticked up by 2.2 percent on average from 2024 to 2025, with 773 million people worldwide unable to read at all. According to the new report from the World Literacy Foundation, 2 billion people worldwide struggle to read a single sentence. The report also found that every dollar invested in teaching a child to read yields, on average, a $13 economic return. Singapore has the highest literacy rate, followed by Ireland, Estonia, Japan and South Korea. (Publishers Weekly/Numlock)
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COURIER ARCHIVES
September 26 & 27, 2013
The Courier interviewed students about Advanced Placement classes. “Senior Molly Madden takes AP Latin, AP Biology, AP Language, AP Physics and AP Calculus. And that’s all before lunch,” the paper said. Hayden DePrez said time management was the key to taking AP classes.
Homecoming queen candidates were Whitney Blair, Hayden DePrez, Kaitlyn Ewing, Molly Madden and Tina Zheng.
A large bear head was painted over the water fountain by the bathrooms near the entrance, and an “S” standing for Shelbyville was painted on the wall under the clock in an effort to promote school spirit.
Boys were gearing up for tennis season. Doubles teams Jared Wise and Derek Blain and Bobby Drake and Chris Asher, and singles J.D Cox and Sam Shammas said they were ready for a strong season.
Jacqueline Lux and Taylor Pierce would be the only two seniors on the volleyball team.
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This Day in Shelby County History
Local headlines reported on or around this date in Shelby County history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Ron Kelsay and Greg Kelsay, brothers, announced plans to open Colour Palette, a paint, flooring and window treatment store, inside the former Preston Safeway store at 514 N. Harrison St., which had sat empty for years.
1995: Maude Kuhn celebrated her 108th birthday with a party at the Heritage House. Maude was born in 1887 on a farm along Blue Ridge Road in Shelby County. She was an active member of the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. She was married to John Kuhn and had two children, who were deceased.
1985: A local woman received minor injuries when she drove her car from the Shelbyville Baptist Temple parking lot into the path of a Shelbyville police car driven by Capt. Rick Joseph, who was driving with his red lights on to a fight at Victor Place.
1975: Holthouse Furniture held a “going out of business” sale. Company officials said the store’s lease was up at 42 E. Washington St., and they had decided to close.
1965: Police Officer Leroy Kelley, 61, 332 W. Pennsylvania St., retired. Kelley joined the force in 1937, when the entire police department was composed of five men. He had served for three years as a Navy shore patrolman during World War II. Most of the time he had been on the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
1955: The youth choir of the Second Baptist Church held a sacred concert during vesper services held at First Methodist Church. No admission was charged, but an offering was taken to help fund a remodel of Second Baptist.
1945: The opening of county schools had exasperated the worker shortage at area canning operations, which were busy canning sweet corn and tomato crops. School officials said they were open to excusing students from their studies to complete the job.
1935: Police Chief Earl Trees ordered the death penalty for a dog that had killed 21 chickens belonging to Elmer Poe, 326 Goodrich Street.
1925: The interurban train offered round-trip fare to the State Fair from Shelbyville for 65 cents.
1915: Raymond Bass and Marie Crosby, Boggstown, who told family they were going on “a little trip to the State Fair,” actually first went to the home of Rev. S.J. Cross of West Street Methodist Church to get married. The couple did go to Indianapolis to celebrate their honeymoon.
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OBITUARIES
None today.