Blue River Community Foundation received a $2,500 grant from Centra Credit Union to further its mission.

This organization was nominated by Centra Team Members who feel passionate about the work they do in the community.

“Centra Team Members are really involved in our Communities, and they love being able to support the causes they care about each year. Non-profit organizations are all about ‘People Helping People,’ and we love helping them achieve their missions,” said Centra Director of Community Involvement Jenni Carr.

A total of 43 organizations have been awarded grants through nominations by Centra Team Members. A complete list of organizations receiving grants can be found at Centra.org.

These Team Member nominated donations are one of many programs the Centra

Foundation and Centra Credit Union have to give back to their Members and the

Communities they serve. In 2023, Centra and the Centra Foundation have given back more than $300,000 to their communities and Members.

“Centra’s vision is creating value for our Members, Team Members, and the Communities we serve,” Centra President and CEO Rick Silvers said. “These programs directly support our Communities and our Members. I feel honored seeing how each dollar we invest into our Communities serves the credit union philosophy of People Helping People.”

More than 25 students in the Communities Centra serves were awarded scholarships in April 2023 to support their education. Similarly, local teachers received support from the Centra Foundation through Teaming Up with Teachers, a social media contest where four participating educators each win a $500 gift card for their classrooms.

Centra also gives back directly to its Members through their Member Loyalty Rewards program. More than 75,000 Members participate in the program, and collectively, they’ve earned and saved more than $4 million in 2023. These cash rewards are deposited into a special high interest savings account to further reward Centra’s Members.

Financial support for the Communities Centra serves will continue throughout the remainder of the year with Centra’s United Way Workplace Campaign and the Centra Foundation’s Holiday Giving Program. Centra Team Members and Members donate to these programs to help support non-profits in the local communities. In 2022, more than 280 Team Members pledged a total of $103,350 to United Way agencies throughout the Communities Centra serves while the 2022 Holiday Giving Program raised more than $50,000.

In addition to financial support, Centra and its Team Members also give back to the communities they serve through volunteerism. Centra provides family and community time to all Team Members in the form of three paid days off per year. These days can be used to volunteer, and Centra Team Members provided more than 300 service hours to United Way partners in 2023.

Centra and its Team Members also support local organizations through sponsorships, many of which involve Centra Team Members volunteering their time to attend the event and host activities or giveaway prizes to attendees. Some of these events included Columbus Pride, Juneteenth and Su Casa’s Fiesta Latina.

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The Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc. recently presented State Rep. Robb Greene (R-Shelbyville) with its Legislator of the Year Award for his work on a new law to help boost job opportunities for Hoosiers with disabilities.

During his freshman year as a state legislator, Greene crafted legislation that was later included in a new law offering an added incentive for employers to hire more Hoosiers with physical or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

"As a partner in the worthy effort to better support those living with disabilities, I'm honored by this recognition," Greene said. "I look forward to working with INARF to continue our progress and helping more Hoosiers."

Greene said with the new law, employers who receive a referral from a vocational rehabilitation services program for individuals with a disability and hire them are eligible to receive a tax credit.

The amount is determined based on the employee's tenure, starting at 30% of their wages and can increase up to 50% of their wages by the third year and onward. These new tax credits will apply for those who hire a person with disabilities after Dec. 31, 2023.

“Rep. Greene has traveled the state, listening to providers of services to people with disabilities in an effort to understand the complex industry and regulatory environment INARF members experience every day," said Katy Stafford-Cunningham, president and CEO of INARF. "More importantly, he has taken that knowledge and put it into action with legislation like HEA 1454, providing tangible results to advance the employment of people with disabilities, a traditionally underemployed population of our society, with only 37.3% of people with disabilities being represented in the national labor force. This is unacceptable and Rep. Greene’s bill addresses this disparity.”

INARF is an organization that advocates for those with disabilities across the state, serving nearly 50,000 Hoosiers annually and employing nearly 15,000. Over nearly half a century, the group has worked with government agencies to create a network of providers for anyone with physical or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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The Southwestern Consolidated School Board of Trustees ratified the 2023-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Southwestern administration and the Southwestern Consolidated Classroom Teachers Association (SWCCTA) on Nov. 13.

The agreement increases the starting teacher salary at Southwestern from $40,000 to $46,000 per year. Experienced teachers will receive significant increases in their base salaries.

Teachers also will see a significant decrease in their medical insurance costs.

“This contract is a massive step forward for our corporation and makes us much more competitive with other districts which will help us retain quality, experienced educators,” said SWCCTA president Matt Campbell, who is a high school language arts teacher in the school system. “I am excited for our future and what we will be able to accomplish as a district.”

Campbell thanked the school board and administration for their work in the bargaining process.

“Southwestern, and rural schools like it, have always struggled to keep up with larger schools in regard to teacher pay and benefits/incentive packages. Over the past several years, teachers have chosen to leave Southwestern to take jobs in surrounding districts that pay five to ten thousand dollars more per year than Southwestern,” said Southwestern High School principal John Tindall. “Every year, we find ourselves replacing high quality educators due to that very reason. This contract breaks the rural school stigma. This agreement is an investment by Southwestern schools for the Southwestern community.”

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Hunters are being reminded to help the hungry by donating deer to the Indiana Hunt for Hunger program.

Formerly known as the Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund, Indiana Hunt for Hunger has collected thousands of deer donations providing hundreds of thousands of meals for Hoosiers since it's inception in 2008.

More available: bit.ly/47IJlqS

How it works: Take your field-dressed harvested deer to one of more than 50 participating meat processing sites who will process the meat into healthy venison burgers and donate it to area food banks. Indiana Hunt for Hunger pays the processing fees.

Find a list of participating vendors at on.IN.gov/huntforhunger.

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Let’s talk turkey.

All Shelby County Public Library locations will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. Don’t despair, though. Books, magazines, TV shows, and movies are still available electronically.

'Libby' is the library’s app for borrowing books and audiobooks. Download the app, then use set up an account using your library card number. Instructions are on the library’s web page: https://www.myshelbylibrary.org/ebooks-audiobooks-magazinesfor specific e-readers or computers advice.

Check https://libbyapp.com/ to read on a computer or laptop.

'Hoopla' is the free online streaming service the library uses for films, documentaries, TV shows, albums, graphic novels, and audiobooks. All content is commercial free with no waitlists. To use Hoopla, you will need a valid email address and your library card.

Download the app or go to www.hoopladigital.com to get started.

Come in on Friday, at regularly scheduled times for physical books, board games, DVDs, audiotapes, activities, and more.

Shelby County Public Library’s Shelbyville Main Branch and Annex will reopen at 9 a.m. on Friday.

The Velma Wortman Morristown Branch of the Shelby County Public Library will reopen Friday at 10 a.m.

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Shelby County Public Library has stocked several Adult Services activities this week, with added garnish of elementary clubs and teen activities.

Subjects of all interests are scheduled each day. The week before Thanksgiving is perfect to take some “Me Time” before family get-togethers.

Euchre Fun’s monthly meeting will be Wednesday, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. Seats are limited, so sign up in the library or telephone 317-398-7121. Play will be progressive, and if you don’t have a partner, we can pair you with another player.

The monthly craft day on Thursday offers two sessions at the Shelbyville branch to create a Chalk Couture Christmas Garland; one at 2 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. Select a time when you sign up at the library or call the front desk at 317-398-7121. Scrappy Stitches Open Craft Night will be a Morristown’s branch from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Bring Your Own Project – scrapbookers, quilters, fiber artists are all welcome. Enjoy light refreshments, great conversation and ample workspace just for you.

Molly in Youth Services at the Shelbyville branch will show teens and tweens how to create Thank You Cards.

Join DM Blake for the new DND campaign on Saturday, . from 1 to 3 p.m.  This week, teens and tweens – ages 11-19 – will meet for Dungeons and Dragons in Youth Services. Beginners are welcome to join experienced players in this tabletop gaming adventure.

On Saturday in Morristown from noon to 3 p.m., it’s Family Game Day. Big games, small games, video games, board games, card games – bring the family to try something new or revisit old favorites. If you want to learn a new game, library staff are always willing to be player 2.

Elementary-age children have Lego clubs slated this week. Lego League meets in Morristown on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., while Lego Club meets in Shelbyville on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Baby / Toddler Play Time returns on Friday at 10 a.m. in Shelbyville Youth Services. Parents and guardians can connect while our littlest patrons enjoy a short story and creative play. While, on Saturday, families, teens, tweens, and elementary students can join Family Game Day in Morristown from noon to 3 pm. Big games, small games, video games, board games, card games-- bring the family around to try out something new or revisit old favorites! Want to learn a new game? Just ask! Library staff are always willing to be player 2.

Looking ahead for the week of Thanksgiving, the library has its regular slate of programs children, youth, tweens, and teens.

All library buildings are closed on Thanksgiving, but they will re-open on November 24.

Other big events are a Mistletoe Market Pre-Party on December 1, from 4 to 6 p.m.; then, say Hello and Goodbye to the Library Directors at an Open House on December 5.

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The Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors LP. announces lane and ramp closures near Shelbyville.

Beginning on or after Friday, November 10, crews will close the right lane of I-74 westbound from the State Road 44 on ramp to I-74 westbound. Motorists will take I-74 eastbound to State Road 244 to proceed to I-74 westbound.

This work is expected to be complete late November, weather permitting.

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Cowabunga, Dude!

Comic book writer, editor, and educator Paul Allor visits the Shelby County Public Library on Thursday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to address the writing and editing process, especially in the comic industry, and how they add concern for veterans suffering from PTSD in stories.

They were honored by the Indiana Authors Awards as the 2022 Genre Winner. See them in the Adult Stacks, by the window overlooking the community plaza, at the Shelbyville Branch, 57 W. Broadway St.

Allor’s calling card is balancing intensely character-driven stories with bombastic ideas and dynamic plotting. Paul has written comics for some of the world’s biggest properties: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Captain America and other Marvel characters, Star Trek, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, My Little Pony, and more.

Allor combines veteran-focused mental health care issues in their writing, and is known for increasing queer representation in comics.

 Their critically acclaimed run on G.I. Joe reinvented the franchise for a modern audience. One issue, which dealt with PTSD and mental health issues in veterans, is used by veterans’ mental health advocates across the country to further awareness, and won the SAVE National Media Award for Excellence in Reporting on Suicide.

Paul is also known for their work in increasing queer representation in comics, and for co-creating some of the first queer characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and G.I. Joe franchises. Earlier this year, they received national recognition for their work in developing the Death Ranger, a non-binary villain in the Power Rangers universe. Hollow Heart, the subject of this award is a gay monster love story and an allegory for queer liberation.

Their creator-owned books include Hollow Heart for Vault Comics, Monstro Mechanica for AfterShock Comics, Tet for IDW Publishing and Past the Last Mountain for CEX Publishing, among others.

Paul is currently the Editorial Director of CEX Publishing, and the primary writing instructor at Comics Experience, an online school for comic book creators. They live in Indianapolis with their blind rescue dachshund.

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Do you know a student who may be interested in traveling to our Sister City,

Shizuoka City/Kambara, Japan next summer?

The Sister City partnership is 35 years strong and is an exciting opportunity for students in grades 7-12 in Shelby County who are interested in a cultural exchange.

The 2024 student trip is planned for mid-June and will include approximately 5-7 days in Shizuoka City/Kambara as a homestay experience as well as a few days in

Tokyo.

Students and parents who are interested in learning more about the

Sister City program and the 2024 summer trip should plan to attend an

information meeting on Sunday, November 12 at the Shelbyville City Hall in the Council Chambers at 4:00 p.m.

A link to the 2024 SCIRC Student Application Packet can be found on the City

of Shelbyville’s website at www.cityofshelbyvillein.com under Japanese Sister

City. Applications should be completed and submitted by January 15, 2024

along with a $250.00 deposit.

Questions may be directed to Linda Sanders at

317-753-4319, s_linda@sbcglobal.net or to the Mayor’s Office at

317-398-6624.

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The 51st Annual Gift & Hobby Show hosted by Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Zeta Lambda Chapter, is Saturday.

The event is in the Shelbyville Middle School, 1200 W. McKay Road, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
More than 100 vendors will be selling specialties like handmade crafts, toys, florals, jewelry, woodworking, ornaments and more.

Lunch and refreshments will be available for purchase.

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Future Tiger Athletics (FTA) will host a recreational basketball league in December and January for boys and girls in grades Pre-K through eighth grade.

The league is open to all boys and girls within the Triton Central community and surrounding areas.

Registration fee is $50 and due by Evaluation Day on Nov. 11 from 9 to 11 a.m. when workouts will be held for all grade levels at the Triton Central High School fieldhouse in Fairland.

The first team practices will be held in the fieldhouse on Nov. 18. Those times are:

• Pre-k and Kindergarten from 9 to 10 a.m.
• First and Second grade from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
• Third and Fourth grade from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Fifth through Eighth grade from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m.

A second practice will be held on Nov. 25 in the fieldhouse.

December game dates are Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16 and Dec. 30. League games continue on Jan. 6 and Jan. 13.

A single-elimination tourney will be held on Jan. 20.

Volunteers are needed to serve as coaches and assistant directors. There are paid referee positions available.

For more information, contact Stephanie Collins at 317-642-9588 or send message through the FTA Basketball Facebook page.

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Hoosier voters will now have a convenient, secure way to contact the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office with election questions or concerns.

The election text hotline is simple to use. Just text the letters "IN" to the number 45995. A secure link will be returned where Hoosiers can submit their question or concern directly to the Secretary of State’s Office. Election staff will promptly receive and review questions or concerns and respond directly to the voter.

Hoosiers can text "IN" to 45995 for a wide variety of reasons.  A few examples include:

• Reporting something suspicious at a polling site
• Information about voting locations and hours
• Questions about election security

Hoosiers can always check their voting status, find polling locations, and see a sample ballot at the IndianaVoters.com website. As a reminder, Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. 

The service is free, however individual user’s text messaging and data rates may apply.

The Indiana men’s basketball program will celebrate Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame member and Big Ten trailblazer Bill Garrett at its regular season opener against Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 7 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The contest will be celebrated officially as the “Bill Garrett Game” to recognize the 75^th anniversary of the season when Garrett broke Big Ten basketball’s unofficial color barrier. That landmark moment came during IU’s Dec. 4, 1948, season opener when Garrett, a Shelbyville High School graduate, became the first Black player to start for a Big Ten team.

In a salute to that momentous event, IU will provide specialty game programs to replicate those used during Garrett’s debut varsity game and season in 1948-49.

In his three seasons of varsity basketball, Garrett helped guide the Hoosiers to a record of 50-13, including a 19-3 mark in 1950-51, a season that culminated with the No. 7 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.

Garrett was voted the most valuable player of the season by his teammates, named All-Big Ten First Team, and recognized as a consensus All-American following the 1950-51 campaign. The NCAA coaches also elected him as a write-in for the college all-star team after his name was left off the ballot.

At the time of his graduation, Garrett held the Indiana men’s basketball scoring record at 792 points after leading IU in total scoring in each of his three varsity seasons.

Garrett became the third black player ever drafted in the NBA after Boston selected him in the second round of the 1951 Draft. He graduated in June of 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.

The 1947 Indiana Mr. Basketball led Shelbyville to its first high  school state championship with a then-tournament record 91 points. He also led the Indiana All-Stars to victory over Kentucky before enrolling at Indiana University.

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Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags to be flown at half-staff in honor and remembrance of the victims of the horrific tragedy in Lewiston, Maine per President Biden. 

Flags statewide should be flown at half-staff from now until sunset on Monday, Oct. 30.

Gov. Holcomb is requesting residents and businesses to lower their flags.

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The Central Indiana Land Trust has planned for a nature walk at Meltzer Woods in Shelby County in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its National Natural Landmarks (NNL) designation.

The NNL program is a way for the National Parks Service to recognize America’s natural heritage. Meltzer Woods is one of over 600 designated NNL sites.

The walk is for all ages. It's Saturday, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. You're asked to RSVP .

What to expect and bring:

• Dress for the weather and be sure to wear pants thick enough to stand up to thorns, brush, poison ivy, ticks, and mosquitos (unfortunately leggings aren’t very protective).

• Wear closed-toed shoes that can stand up to mud.

• Bring a water bottle, preferably refillable.

Meltzer Woods is located near Shelbyville. From Indianapolis, take I74 E to IN 244 E, then turn left onto S 600 East. Staff will meet you in the parking lot.

This National Park Service program started over 60 years ago as a way to promote conservation of America’s most spectacular natural areas. Since 1962, more than 600 sites nationwide have been given the NNL honorific. Indiana is home to 30 of these nationally significant sites. Meltzer Woods was designated in 1973. The plaque was made the following year, so it gives a 1974 date.

A free math and science homework help tutoring service provided by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students has expanded its evening hours and added Spanish-speaking tutors on Tuesday nights to help even more Indiana students during the 2023-24 school year.

The AskRose Homework Help program is now available as early as 5 p.m. and until 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) Sunday through Thursday for tutoring sessions with students in grades six through 12. Assistance can be provided through computer screenshare, telephone call, email, or chat. Tutors can be accessed via the AskRose website, AskRose.org, or by calling 877-ASK-ROSE (877-275-7673).

About 100 Rose-Hulman students, attending the nation’s No. 1-ranked undergraduate engineering college, serve as tutors during each school year. They are specially selected upon faculty recommendations for their technical knowledge and ability to communicate with students of all skill and comprehension levels. Approximately 20 tutors are available each night and they have access to textbooks and many other resources to lend valuable assistance. The AskRose Homework Help program is certified by the National Tutoring Association.

Rather than give students the answers, AskRose tutors guide students through homework problems to help them better understand math and science concepts, the way they are taught in schools today.  

Student privacy is always protected, and students are never asked for their last name or telephone number.

The AskRose.org website also offers more than 500 resources available through videos and downloadable reference materials.

All AskRose Homework Help services are available at no cost to students and parents through Lilly Endowment Inc. support and financial assistance from Rose-Hulman.

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Homeschool night and Haunting Tales head the library’s activities this week, with progressive Euchre, a ghostly matinee, and ghostie paintings rounding out the regularly scheduled programs.

Check the Shelby County Public Library’s web page to find your niche: https://www.myshelbylibrary.org/

Haunting History Tales has changed it format: It’s FREE!  Still on Friday, Oct. 20 and still at 7 pm, the library’s popular haunted tours are now haunted tales of the library and county recounted by master storyteller Donna Dennison, head of Genealogy & History. Relax by the fireplace in Carnegie East Wing, 33 W. Broadway, listen to spooky stories, hear eerie sounds, and catch some glimpses of restless spirits. Patrons can also share their own brushes with the supernatural.

Velma Wortman Morristown Branch presents Homeschool Activity Night: Nature Science on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 5 to 7:30 pm. Created to enhance any curriculum, not just home educators, Homeschool Activity Night offers hands-on learning based on Nature Science this month. Homeschoolers, and anyone really, may drop in during this time. Activities are designed for ages 6 to 18; children 12 and younger will need adult supervision. November’s night will teach Art Basics.

Shelbyville hosts its monthly Euchre Fun at 6 pm Wednesday, Oct. 18, in Main Room D (for Downstairs). This month focuses on beginning players, so only patient players should attend! Euchre Fun for Beginners is perfect for teaching new generations how to play Indiana’s favorite game.

Casper, the Friendly Ghost, will appear on screen in his own movie matinee at 11 am at the Morristown Branch. The movie, starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, is fun for the whole family.

Teens at Shelbyville can join Molly and Myla to change plain thrift store paintings into things of ghostly fun. Our resident art experts will show you a ghoulishly fun time at 5 pm on Friday, Oct. 20

Check out all the library’s spooky and fun Halloween season activities, programs, and events on its Spooky Season page: https://www.myshelbylibrary.org/spooky-season-halloween-events

You may have heard about the 2024 total solar eclipse coming to Indiana on April 8, 2024. But a partial solar eclipse is also happening this Saturday.

You can view the partial 2023 solar eclipse in Indiana. Now’s the time to find a good viewing spot and build your eclipse viewers in preparation of the total eclipse.

Remember never look directly at the sun.

Several DNR properties are hosting eclipse programs on October 14 so you can learn how to safely view this cool astrological event and more! Find all the details for these events on calendar.dnr.IN.gov.

• Falls of the Ohio State Park – Multiple fossil bed hikes along with eclipse viewing: bit.ly/PartialEclipseFOTOSP

• Monroe Lake (Paynetown SRA) – Build your own solar view with solar filter paper. Supplies limited to first 100 guests, $2 donation is appreciated: bit.ly/PartialEclipseMonroeLake

• Mounds State Park – Bring a blanket or chair to watch the show: bit.ly/PartialEclipseMoundsSP

• Spring Mill State Park – Bring an empty cereal box and learn how to make a pinhole viewer: bit.ly/PartialEclipseSpringMillSP

• Tippecanoe River State Park – Bring a colander to view the half crescent sun during the eclipse: bit.ly/PartialEclipseTippecanoeRiverSP

Reserve your DNR campsite for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse now at camp.IN.gov or 1-866-622-6746. Remember:

• The minimum stay requires BOTH Saturday, April 7 and Sunday, 8 to be booked at peak summer rates.

• We plan to have water and comfort stations open for the weekend, but that is ultimately weather dependent.

• Indiana DNR Division of Forestry and Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife campsites do not accept reservations, but operate on a first come first served basis.

• You can find properties in the eclipse pathway at on.IN.gov/eclipse.

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Beware! Werewolves will show their shaggy faces on Wednesday, Oct. 11, for the Shelby County Public Library’s new Board Game Night.

Only adults 18 and older should dare tangle with One Night Werewolf at 6 pm in the Shelby County Public Library Main building, Room D. (D for Downstairs-Spooky!) Join Sean, Kyle, and Dustin for some solid hours of board gaming fun.

Eerie fun is in store all over. Join our Cemetery Walk at 6 pm Thursday. Oct. 12 with Donna Dennison, the library’s Genealogy & History Department Head. She know her way around a cemetery and can weave some good tales. Meet at Hanover Cemetery at 8489 Morristown Road.

Since this is the season to celebrate all things spooky, the library created a website page for all events and activities at both branches and all departments. Check it at: https://www.myshelbylibrary.org/spooky-season-halloween-events.  Then please return to that page to tell us what you liked.

Shelbyville Youth and Teens will make Wands and Potions on Friday, Oct. 13^th! This spooky date guarantees your wands and potions will be extra-strong! Sign up for either 2 pm or 4 pm by calling 317-398-7121 and asking for Youth Services, or sign up at the Youth Services desk. Any youth from age 6-19 may join the Hogwarts fun. House robes are optional; all Potter costumes will be welcomed with cheers.

Oh, adults, your Wands and Potions classes will be Thursday, Oct. 26 at either 2 pm or 6 pm. Sign up at the Adult Services desk or call the library.

Shelbyville Youth Services debuts Story Club, a writers club for teens. The theme on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 3 pm is "You Can't Scare Me!" Write your scariest short story to share –from 1,500 to 7,500 words and email to msturgell@sscpl.lib.in.us for printing and distribution. Sign up in Youth Services or by emailing Molly.

Looking ahead to some big events, visiting author John Wheeler will present his book “A Magical Season: Journey to Nationals” at 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16.

Haunting History at the Carnegie East Wing happens on Friday, Oct. 20, but tickets must be bought now. Tickets are $5 each, and amount is limited.

Fall Festival at Shelbyville Main will be held on Sat. Oct. 28, while Morristown will host a Halloween Party at 4:30 pm Tues. Oct. 31.

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The 51st Annual Gift & Hobby Show hosted by Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Zeta Lambda Chapter is Nov. 4 in the Shelbyville Middle School, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

More than 100 vendors will be selling specialties like handmade crafts, toys, florals, jewelry, woodworking, ornaments and more.

Lunch and refreshments will be available for purchase.

For vendor information, send a private message with your name, product name and email address to our admin: https://www.facebook.com/ZetaLambda.org.

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The Indiana Horse Racing Commission approved 2024 racing dates for Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville Wednesday at their monthly meeting held at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

A total of 124 racing programs are slated for 2024 beginning with a special Total Solar Eclipse racing day on April 8. The season extends through Nov. 14.

“Our season will kick off with a unique opportunity to race during the total solar eclipse,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Horseshoe Indianapolis is in the epicenter zone of the eclipse, which will begin in mid-afternoon. Thousands of people have already made plans to visit the area for the phenomenon, and we plan to offer a fun day at the track with racing conducted literally around the total solar eclipse.”

Horseshoe Indianapolis will offer several Saturday racing programs throughout the season with the first set for May 4 during Kentucky Derby Day. The program begins at 10:45 a.m. and will extend into the evening in coordination with racing from Churchill Downs.

A special racing day will also be held June 8 during Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 10:45 a.m.

The track’s premier racing day, Indiana Derby, has been slated for July 6 beginning at noon with Indiana Champions Day set for Oct. 26, also beginning at noon.

Other Saturdays on the racing calendar are July 13 and Aug. 17 with a first post of 5 p.m.

The bulk of the season will be held on the customary Monday through Thursday schedule with first post at 2:10 p.m. Six all Quarter Horse racing dates begin June 1 and conclude Oct. 5. Two Friday cards will be held July 5, the day before Indiana Derby, and Sept. 6 beginning at 2:10 p.m.

“We have worked closely with our horsemen’s organizations and found our product has found a good fit on the national schedule of racing during the week, so we want to continue to keep that momentum going as we are coming off back-to-back record setting years in 2022 and 2023,” added Halstrom. “With a total of 12 Saturdays of racing throughout the season, we feel our schedule is diverse enough to cover all types of activities and cater to different audiences who enjoy watching the races at Horseshoe Indianapolis.”

A full list of racing dates and times may be found on the website at www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing.

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For the fourth year, Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville has hosted a unique fundraiser to benefit Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research. The Grayson Grass Challenge focuses on turf racing throughout the month of August soliciting the assistance of eight nationally known handicappers to raise funds for the cause.

“We just completed our fourth year hosting this event and the handicappers involved raised a record amount for Grayson,” said Eric Halstrom (photo, right), Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Grayson came to us a few years ago about partnering on a promotion and this special contest emerged as a result. We are elated to donate a total of $9,674.60 to Grayson this year and truly thank all the handicappers who donated their time for this promotion.”

Eight handicappers were given a $500 bankroll to spread out over five weeks of turf racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The individuals lent their expertise on various wagers and raised a total of $3,174.60, adding to the $6,500 donation from Horseshoe Indianapolis that included the bankrolls.

Scott Ehlers, representing Daily Racing Form, earned the most money with a total of $785.20 followed by Rachel McLaughlin of Horseshoe Indianapolis with a tally of $646.80. Dan Tordjman of America’s Best Racing was a close third with $633.20. Other handicappers who contributed to the cause included Ellis Starr (Equibase), Brian Arrigoni (Horseshoe Indianapolis), Jenna Otten (Caesars Entertainment Racing-Scioto Downs), and Nick Luck (NBC), who adds an international element from England.

“We recognize the health and well-being of horses is so important, and anything we can do to assist is vital to the racing industry,” said Jamie Haydon (photo, left), President of Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation. “We currently have 40 projects at 16 universities working to better understand the health of horses and allow horses of all breeds to live healthier lives. We are very appreciative of this partnership with Horseshoe Indianapolis, and this would not be possible without the commitment from management to host this event annually.”

Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research is the leading source of private funding for equine medical research, assisting all disciplines of equine performance and wellness since 1940. More than $40 million has been assigned so far through more than 426 projects at 45 universities internationally. To get more information on Grayson-Jockey Club Research, go to the Website at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

The 21^st season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Nov. 17. Live racing is held Tuesday through Thursday. First post Tuesday and Wednesday is 2:30 p.m. Thursday and select Friday racing begins at 2:10 p.m.

For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

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Secretary of State Diego Morales is reminding eligible Hoosiers that an important voter registration deadline is just one week away.

Tuesday, October 10, is the deadline for voters to register for the upcoming 2023 Municipal Election. The Municipal Election will be held on November 7. Not all Indiana counties/cities will be holding local elections.

“As Indiana’s Chief Election Officer, I take every opportunity to encourage every eligible Hoosier to register to vote! Whether it’s at the Indiana State Fair, county fairs/festivals, or speaking to high school seniors throughout the state, voting is your right and your opportunity to participate in the election process. With the registration deadline approaching, it is so important Hoosiers take a few minutes to get online and get registered.  Your vote matters,” said Morales.

Indiana residents can register to vote by visiting their local county clerk’s office or online at IndianaVoters.com.

At the website, Hoosiers can also confirm their voter registration, find out who’s on their ballot, contact local election officials, find their polling location, and get information about working the polls. 

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The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles reminds that BMV branches have new hours.

This change enables the BMV to provide service six days a week in many areas across the state. The shift in operating hours is in response to increasing customer preference to use out of branch transaction options as well as to provide BMV team members opportunity to participate in critical on the job training to ensure efficient and accurate transaction processing.

You can visit BMV: New Branch Hours (in.gov) to plan your visits on or after Monday. This page provides a list by location with new operating hours. Customers can complete an online transaction or visit a BMV Connect kiosk 24/7.

To login to myBMV.com or find the nearest kiosk, please visit IN.gov/BMV.

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Time to turn back the clock to The Story of Us: Immigrant Experience on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Third Annual Family History Fair at the Shelby County Public Library’s Carnegie East Wing.

Participate in an interactive Ellis Island encounter for a taste of what our ancestors endured to see if they were healthy in mind and body. Will you get to stay in America, or will you be sent back?

Try out the digital photo both to “picture your heritage,” and check out the continuously running Ellis Island video. The Ellis Island encounter is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room A.

The Gallery features “Lady Liberty: Mother of Exiles.” The Indiana Room displays a collection of ceramics and glassware from Germany as well as the ever-popular “Who Is It?” table.

At 10:30 am, keynote speaker M. Teresa Baer of the Indiana Historical Society Press will speak in Room B. At 1 pm in Room B, she will join the roundtable discussion on “Your Immigrant Ancestors.”  Baer is managing editor of Indiana Historical Society Press Family History Publications, edits The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections as well as books on migration and ethnic history. She has compiled and edited the book, “Finding Indiana Ancestors: A Guide to Historical Research” (2007). Baer has a master’s degree in comparative history from Indiana University.

“Shelby County Immigrants,” a presentation by Genealogy & History Department Head Donna Dennison, will begin at 2 p.m. in Room B. Dennison will focus specifically on groups of immigrants as they moved through Shelby County on their way further west and those who decided to stay here and create a community.

Stampede String Band will bring “Indiana’s freshest modern folk and bluegrass” to the Plaza from noon to 1 p.m. Band members John Bahler, Kyle Buck, and Aaron Nicely will play music from their 2023 tour, “The Last Shall Be First.” It is inspired by blind blues singers and red clay farmers who gave the nation its heart and soul. Three-part harmonies, bass, mandolin, guitar, and banjo achieve that old-time sound with all the energy and finesse of modern music.

Visitors may buy a chili lunch with all the trimmings for $10 from the First Church of Pentecost. Baked good, snacks, and drinks will also be available throughout the day. 

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