Local News

July 4 holiday forces rescheduling of common council, redevelopment commission meetings

With City Hall closed Monday in observance of the July 4 holiday, two Monday board meetings have been rescheduled.

 

The Shelbyville Redevelopment Commission, which typically meets the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, will now meet July 7 at 6 p.m.

 

The Shelbyville Common Council meeting typically held at 7 p.m. the first Monday of the month will be held at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall, 44 W. Washington St.

 

The pre-meeting tomorrow, which is open to the public, starts at 8:15 a.m.

 

On the agenda are second readings of five ordinances including three rezones.

 

There also will be a first reading for an ordinance for annexation of Gordon Farms, which will eventually be developed into the Isabelle Farms subdivision by Arbor Homes.

Proposed 'Riverview' subdivision halted by Plan Commission

The City of Shelbyville Plan Commission pumped the brakes on the number of proposed housing subdivisions Monday at its monthly meeting.

 

The planned unit development concept plan for Arbor Homes' proposed "Riverview" subdivision just north of Blue River Memorial Park was denied, 5-4, to conclude a two-hour meeting held at Breck Auditorium at Shelbyville High School.

 

Citing safety concerns along Old Rushville Road and the density of the proposed subdivision, 115 homes on 40 acres of land owned by First Christian Church, Plan Commission president Mike Evans accepted a motion to deny the concept plan, which was upheld with votes from Wade Lewis, Joe Lux, Gary Nolley, Ben Hall and Doug Cassidy.

 

Evans was one of four "No" votes to deny the motion.

 

"One of the hardest things to do to sit on this board is try to remove emotion from the petition at hand and to stay to what we are allowed to address," said Evans after the meeting. "With this one, because public safety was brought up over and over and over, that's one of the reasons it swayed a few board members to rethink their decision and it swung 5-4 in denial."

 

Arbor Homes now must wait one year before reapplying its petition. 

 

Caitlin Dopher, entitlement manager for Arbor Homes, addressed the sheer number of housing subdivisions currently in the pipeline for Shelbyville with market statistics about the current lack of housing in Shelby County.

 

Earlier in the meeting, Arbor Homes received a favorable recommendation, 7-2, for its planned unit development detail plan for "Isabelle Farms" -- a proposed 263-lot subdivision along State Road 9 south of the Interstate 74 exit.

 

Dopher appeared before the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department board Wednesday afternoon seeking approval to build a retention pond for Riverview in Blue River Memorial Park to assist with drainage from the subdivision.

 

Citing the eventual need to build a pond in the park for future projects, the parks board agreed to the request from Arbor Homes.

 

Jeff Brown photos

Arbor Homes' proposed "Riverview" subdivision, which would have been built north of Old Rushville Road (left) and Blue River Memorial Park in Shelbyville, was shot down by the Plan Commission Monday night. The 115-lot subdivision was presented to the Plan Commission (top photo) but concerns over drainage and public safety along a two-lane road swayed the denial vote.

 

Several residents that live near the proposed subdivision spoke passionately to the Plan Commission Monday about traffic and drainage issues in the area that they believe would be compounded by more than 100 homes on a 40-acre tract of land.

 

Evans addressed the crowd of approximately 75 in attendance about the city not having "right of way" along Old Rushville Road to make needed improvements to the two-lane road.

 

"We, as a city, need to actively pursue that so we can upgrade that road to make it safer for both pedestrians and vehicle traffic," said Evans.

 

A pair of subdivision roads were the concern of Rolling Ridge residents in regard to the proposed Isabelle Farms project. Crest Drive and Rolling Ridge Road are stub streets within the Rolling Ridge subdivision and will be connected to streets within Isabelle Farms, which will have main entrances off State Road 9 (also known as N. Riley Highway) and Michigan Road.

 

Drainage also is a concern in the area but there are several options available to alleviate the problems, according to city plan director Adam Rude.

 

Storm drainage improvements and street light installation also have been discussed for the Rolling Ridge subdivision which has been around for over 50 years.

 

"There is not a lot of street lighting in our addition," said plan commission member Joanne Bowen, who lives in Rolling Ridge. She also is a member of the Shelbyville Common Council.

 

Bowen and Lux voted against the Isabelle Farms detail plan.

 

"Twelve months will go by in a heartbeat and it will let Isabelle Farms get off the ground," said Evans. "The problem is the additions that are under development right now ... they can't build them fast enough. There are not enough houses on the market. If we can grow our population and still keep Shelbyville as our hometown that we all know, but with increased population growth, we get the retail that everybody wants."

 

In other Plan Commission business Monday, a site development plan was unanimously approved for an industrial warehouse to be built at 1689 N. Michigan Road.

 

The commission also unanimously approved rezoning a four-acre tract of land on Saraina Road just south of The Goodwill Store from Business Highway to Two Family Residential for a proposed development of duplex-style homes.

 

A zoning map amendment also was approved to unify zoning of a large portion of land near Tom Hession Drive.

 

The city has been working with county officials to control zoning around city limits.

 

"It's a first step to clean up zoning maps where we are seeing growth and development," said Rude to the commission. "It puts zoning under one office rather than having to go back and forth with the city and county."

 

No land was annexed, just rezoned to be more consistent with expected growth in the area. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Indiana Derby draws 46 nominations including Belmont Stakes winner

The 27th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby has drawn 46 nominations, including four starters from this year’s Kentucky Derby.

 

The race is set for July 7 and will be complimented by the 26th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks.

 

A total of six stakes are slated for the program with a first post set for 2:25 p.m.

 

Trainer Brad Cox has nominated 10 horses to the Indiana Derby, including Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality. The grey son of Tapit last started in the third leg of the Triple Crown and is three of four in 2021, only missing the win in the 2021 Kentucky Derby where he finished fourth.

 

Other horses nominated from the Cox Stable include Mandaloun, second-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Derby, and Fulsome, who has won his last three starts, including the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.

 

Trainer Greg Foley had nominated O Besos, fifth-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Derby. The chestnut son of Orb finished second in his last start in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

 

Trainer Steve Asmussen has nominated Super Stock, a starter in the Kentucky Derby. The Dialed In colt finished fourth in his last start, the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park. Prior to his start in the Kentucky Derby, Super Stock won the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

 

A total of 14 horses on the Indiana Derby nomination list are Graded Stakes placed, eight of which are Graded Stakes winners.

 

The Indiana Oaks has been set up with 29 nominations. Nine of the fillies on the list are Graded Stakes placed with several California-connected horses on the list.

 

Ken McPeek has nominated Crazy Beautiful, winner of the Grade 2 Summer Oaks at Santa Anita in her last start.

 

Another filly capturing attention on the list is Army Wife, who won the Grade 2 $250,000 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico in her last start. The Declaration of War filly is trained by Mike Maker.

 

Will’s Secret also has been nominated from the Dallas Stewart Stable. The Will Take Charge filly finished third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in her last start.

 

The Indiana Derby program will include several activities, including five $1,000 Indiana Derby Megabet drawings, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance.

 

The early evening card will also include a Cigar Rolling Station, Indiana Derby Hat Contest, strolling entertainment, and extended outdoor food and beverage outlets.

 

Estimated post time for the Indiana Derby is approximately 7:45 p.m.

Shelby County Fairground stays busy even after the fair closes

Storms closed down the Shelby County Fair last Friday and postponed the demolition derby from the final night on Saturday. 

 

However, Fair board president Jeff Pruitt is still optimistic about the fair as it made the move to June from its former date around the 4th of July.

 

 

While the fair itself is over Pruitt says they are gearing up for more at the fairgrounds over the coming weeks and months.

 

 

Pruitt took over as board president this year.  Elections in the fall will further set the direction of the fairgrounds.

 

 

 

 


Large berm taking shape at Blue River Memorial Park

Building an amphitheater in Blue River Memorial Park remains a goal for the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department.

 

However, there is no design or timeline for the completion of such an amenity.

 

That has not stopped the parks department from starting to shape a large berm, or artificial ridge that will accommodate those attending events at such a venue.

 

“Over time, we are getting the berm built so we will be ready to build the rest of it,” said parks department director Karen Martin Thursday afternoon. “There is no timeline but as the Music in the Park series grows, we hope to have it to accommodate that. But there is no huge rush.”

 

Currently, the city brings in a temporary stage for the Music in the Park Series.

 

Jeff Brown photos

A large berm, or artificial ridge, is being created south of the playground area at Blue River Memorial Park. The berm will serve as a large seating area when, and if, an amphitheater is built at Shelbyville's largest city park.

 

An opportunity arose earlier this year to start setting available dirt which put street department director Doug Hunt to work.

 

The street department recently finished hauling 380 truckloads of dirt from the Shelbyville Municipal Airport to Blue River Memorial Park. Indiana Grand Racing & Casino also donated excess dirt it had for the project.

 

The plan is to make the berm about 75 feet wide and 200 feet long, according to Hunt. And it should rise about 15 feet off the ground.

 

“It has a 10-to-1 slope which means every 10 feet you go up one foot in slope,” said Hunt.

 

The amphitheater will sit south of the playground and splash pad at the park facing south toward the berm which will sit near the Blue River Cross Country Course.

 

Martin believes the berm will become a tremendous viewing point for events at the cross country course that hosts elementary, middle school, high school, and college races.

 

“I think that will be really nice,” she said.

 

Martin estimates between 500-600 people take advantage of Music in the Park, a free monthly concert during the summer months. With the addition of the berm, crowds could go as high as 2,000 to 3,000 for larger events.

 

“We have the opportunity to make a heck of a venue,” said Hunt.

Arbor Homes proposing pond with fountains for Blue River Memorial Park

Arbor Homes’ proposal for a 115-lot subdivision needed assistance from the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department Wednesday afternoon during its board meeting.

 

Caitlin Dopher, entitlement manager for Arbor Homes, presented the layout for the proposed “Riverview” subdivision that would sit across N. Rushville Road from Blue River Memorial Park, 725 Lee Boulevard.

 

Dopher explained to the parks board that not enough drainage could fit within the 40-acre project. Arbor Homes is proposing creating a detention pond on Blue River Memorial Park property with two fountains, a shelter house, boardwalk and connectivity to Riverview included in the plan.

 

The pond would sit on the site where a current storage building still stands. The parks department built a new maintenance building at the park near the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

 

“That would remove a building that already needs removed,” said parks board member Gary Bowen.

The pond would be on approximately two acres of land. The dirt removed could then be added to the amphitheater project within the park property.

 

“This creates a nice pond area for the community to enjoy and also any building in the future, this gives us a detention pond,” said parks department director Karen Martin.

 

The board unanimously approved the proposal which will be heard in more detail Monday at the scheduled Plan Commission meeting at 7 p.m. inside Breck Auditorium at Shelbyville High School.


City Engineer Matt House leaving Shelbyville for Anderson; Asst. John Kuntz to replace House

A job in a bigger city and closer to home has prompted Shelbyville’s city engineer to make a move.

 

Matt House says he has accepted a similar position in Anderson.  He starts next week.

 

 

House says the move north to Anderson will be better home life.

 

 

House says working in the private sector can often mean more money but he enjoys the role he’s played in Shelbyville.

 

 

It wraps up seven years in Shelbyville and some projects he’ll remember fondly.

 

 

As House noted, Shelbyville’s assistant city engineer John Kuntz will take over.

 

Kuntz and House have known each other since before their time in the same Shelbyville office.

 

 

 

Kuntz says he believes the transition should be a smooth one.

 

 

 

Shelby County Prosecutor elected as IPAC Chair

Shelby County Prosecutor James ‘Brad’ Landwerlen is the new Chair of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council Board of Directors after an election last week.

 

Landwerlen, prosecutor in Shelby County since 2016, was elected during a members meeting during IPAC’s annual Summer Conference. He takes over for outgoing Chair Anthony Quinn, the Dubois County Prosecutor, and will serve a one-year term. Landwerlen has been a Board member for several years and served as Vice-Chair while Quinn was Chair.

 

Landwerlen has been prosecuting since 1991 - first as Deputy Prosecutor in Shelby County, then four years as Washington County Chief Deputy Prosecutor, then 16 years as Shelby County Chief Deputy Prosecutor, and now over six years as Shelby County Prosecutor. 

 

"I was approached and asked to join the IPAC Board of Directors three years ago.  I have since remained active with IPAC – particularly the Executive Board and the Legislative Committee."

 

“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead and advocate for prosecutors across the state,” Landwerlen said. “This coming year will be filled with many challenges and opportunities and I am confident prosecutors will be up to the task.”

 

Scott County Prosecutor Chris Owens will serve as Vice-Chair and Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker was chosen as Secretary.

 

IPAC Membership also approved a new slate of Board members, which is as follows:

 

  • Vicki Becker, Elkhart County
  • Andrew Bryson, Union County
  • Daniel Hampton, Kosciusko County
  • Brad Landwerlen, Shelby County
  • Jeremy Mull, Clark County
  • Erika Oliphant, Monroe County
  • Chris Owens, Scott County
  • Anthony Quinn, Dubois County
  • Wesley Schemenaur, Jay County
  • Steven Sonnega, Morgan County

ACLU of Indiana sues Franklin mayor for blocking individual from Facebook page

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has filed a lawsuit against City of Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett for blocking an individual from the Mayor’s Facebook page.

 

The plaintiff, William Reynolds, was blocked from viewing or commenting on Mayor Barnett’s Facebook page after posting a video of the Mayor participating in a Black Lives Matter rally in May 2020.

 

“As our democracy moves online, access to online forums is just as important as the ability to attend and petition our elected representatives at a town hall meeting,” said Gavin M. Rose, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Indiana. “When our client was blocked from accessing the Mayor’s page, he was also denied the ability to view and comment on official updates and other matters of public concern. The right of Mr. Reynolds to express himself is a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, and a public online forum maintained by the Mayor of Franklin is no exception.”

 

The suit, Reynolds v. Barnett, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, asserts Mayor Barnett violated Mr. Reynolds’s First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution by denying him the right to comment, or even view, information available only on the Mayor’s Facebook page. While the Mayor’s Facebook page is nominally a “personal page,” it functions as an official government account because the Mayor routinely uses the page to post about official activities, events, and other issues of relevance to his constituents. 

 

Mr. Reynolds has temporarily relocated to Kentucky with the intent of returning to Franklin. 

During the rally, Mayor Barnett carried a “Black Lives Matter” poster and led a crowd in a “Black Lives Matter” chant, which was included on a video recorded by Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds subsequently posted the video to Facebook and tagged Mayor Barnett in the post. Mayor Barnett promptly untagged himself, and when Mr. Reynolds restored the tag, the Mayor responded by blocking him from the page – hence preventing Mr. Reynolds from tagging, commenting, or even viewing the page’s content.  

 

The lawsuit requests that the court order Mayor Barnett to unblock Mr. Reynolds from the Mayor’s Facebook page and prohibit Mayor Barnett from similar actions in the future based on content or viewpoint.

 

In 2019, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the interactive portion of a public official’s Facebook page is a “public forum,” so an official cannot block people from it because of the opinions they hold.

 

A copy of the complaint is available here:

https://www.aclu-in.org/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/complaint-filed.pdf

Columbus Police investigating assault at city park

Columbus police detectives are seeking information in regards to a disturbance and battery this weekend that left a man in critical condition.

 

The incident occurred near the public restrooms and playground at Lincoln Park on Saturday, June 19 at approximately 7:40 p.m.  A man, believed to have been hit with a baseball bat, is being treated in the ICU at an Indianapolis Hospital.

 

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Matt Martindale at 812-376-2631. Tips and information can be submitted anonymously.


Shelbyville's Cossairt Florist among those recognized for over 100 years of service

A longtime Shelby County business was recently recognized by a special award.

 

Governor Eric J. Holcomb awarded 101 Indiana companies and organizations with the Governor’s Century or Half Century Business Award in recognition of each company’s longevity and service to its employees, community and the state. 

The Governor’s Century and Half Century Business Awards honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for a minimum of 100 or 50 consecutive years and have demonstrated a commitment to community service. More than 1,160 Indiana companies have been recognized during the award's 30-year history.

 

2021 Century Award honorees:

Cossairt Florist and Greenhouse LLC 
125 years; Shelby County
 

Decatur County Farmers Mutual Insurance 
143 years; Decatur County
 

George P. Todd Funeral Home Inc
100 years; Rush County
 


2021 Half Century Award honorees
 

C&W Body Shop Inc
52 years; Hancock County
 

Green Sign Co. Inc 
50 years; Decatur County
 

City annexes 490 acres near Tom Hession Drive

A total of 490 acres around Tom Hession Drive was annexed by the City of Shelbyville at a special Common Council meeting Thursday at City Hall.

 

The voluntary annexation is “pulling land in to make it more easy for development in the future,” according to city planning director Adam Rude.

 

Tom Hession Drive connects 300 North (photo) to Fairland Road and provides access to Interstate 74.

 

A second annexation was approved for a property at 1258 E. McKay Road. The single parcel of land can now access city utilities, according to Rude.

 

In other business, a four-acre tract of land directly south of the Goodwill Store, 570 Saraina Road, was rezoned from business highway to two-family residential for a proposed project of duplexes.

 

The 12-building proposal from Paul Corya of Residential Development LLC would have 24 residential units.

 

The next step in its development is review by the Plan Commission.

 

Rude’s department also is reviewing land zoning in the city and county in an effort to “clean up” zoning issues before they occur.

 

The plan is to be able to “shop land with clear, consistent city zoning districts,” according to Rude.

 

The goal is to remove zonings that are partial city and partial county.

 

The next Plan Commission meeting is 7 p.m. June 28 at Breck Auditorium at Shelbyville High School. This is a change in venue for this meeting. 

 

On the agenda are both the rezoning for Residential Development LLC and zoning map amendment for approximately 1,500 acres.

 

Also on the docket are site development plan approval for industrial warehouses at 1689 N. Michigan Road as well as a planned unit development detail plan for Isabelle Farms, an Arbor Homes subdivision on 83 acres, and a planned unit development concept plan for an Arbor Homes subdivision dubbed “Riverview” that would be located directly north of Blue River Memorial Park on 40 acres.

S.R. 3 scheduled to close Tuesday in Decatur County for culvert replacement

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Paul H. Rohe Company plans to close a section of S.R. 3 in Decatur County on or after Tuesday, June 22, for a culvert replacement following a pipe failure last week.

 

The road will close between C.R. 650 N. and C.R. 1100 S./C.R. 800 N., and is scheduled to reopen by end of day on Friday, June 25, weather permitting.

 

The official detour route will follow I-74 to S.R. 244 at Exit 119.

 

The culvert is located within the current asphalt resurface project on S.R. 3 between I-74 and the Decatur-Rush County line that got underway earlier this year. Daytime lane closures and flagging are expected to continue throughout the summer.

State Sen. Michael Crider to chair Interim Study Committee on Roads and Transportation

State Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield) will serve as chair of the Interim Study Committee on Roads and Transportation during the summer and fall to help prepare lawmakers for the 2022 legislative session.

 

He will also serve on the following:

 

  • Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources;
  • Legislative Continuity Committee, co-chair;
  • Indiana Behavioral Health Commission;
  • Integrated Public Safety Commission;
  • Governor's Security Council; and
  • Indiana Homeland Security Foundation.

 

"I look forward to leading and taking part in collaborative discussions with my peers in the Indiana General Assembly as we work to address some of the most important issues facing Hoosiers," Crider said. "As we prepare for the 2022 session, I encourage constituents to contact me with any questions or concerns they may have about these topics and other topics that may come before us next session." 

 

Legislators will meet over the summer and fall months to discuss topics approved by the bipartisan Legislative Council, which is comprised of 16 voting members – eight from the Senate and eight from the House of Representatives.

 

To view study committee agendas and stream hearings online, visit iga.in.gov. To view a list of topics that will be examined, click here.

ISP Trooper Injured when car was struck by an alleged drunk driver on I-74 in Shelby Co.

An Indiana State Trooper was hospitalized with serious injuries Friday morning after a crash on I-74.

 

Just before 3:00 am, Master Trooper Jeremy Basso was assisting a construction crew on I-74 westbound at the 112 mile marker when the back of his vehicle was struck by an SUV. Basso was able to exit his vehicle on his own and radio for assistance.  He was transported by the Shelbyville EMS to a local hospital with serious injuries.

 

The driver of the SUV was also transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

 

Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Crash reconstructionists determined Basso's police car was parked in a closed lane behind a crew of construction workers with his emergency lights activated. The lane was closed approximately a half mile prior to the crash scene due to construction and was marked by several signs and orange construction barrels. A 2015 Ford Explorer struck several barrels and continued driving in the closed lane until crashing into the back of Trooper Basso's car. 

 

The driver of the Explorer, Mason Durrett, 21, of Indianapolis, is suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested at the hospital on the preliminary charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Serious Bodily Injury. 

 

The charges listed are preliminary, and merely probable cause for arrest. Formal charges will be determined by the Shelby County Prosecutor's Office upon review of the case. All crimes mentioned in this release are alleged and all suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. 

 

ISP was assisted by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Shelbyville Police Department, Shelbyville Fire Department and the Indiana Department of Transportation. 

 

 

 

City splitting Amos Road traffic study cost, seeking grant for corridor work

Traffic flow along Amos Road will continue to increase as developers keep building homes.

 

City officials know there is no easy solution to the problem that intensifies with traffic arriving and leaving both Loper Elementary School and the Golden Bear Preschool. 

 

With both the city and the housing developers in need of a traffic study, the cost of such an operation is being split.

 

Westport Homes, which is currently expanding the Twin Lakes subdivision and is closing in on the groundbreaking for a nearly 200-home subdivision further south, and Davis Homes, which is proposing a new subdivision near the preschool, will share costs of a full traffic study along with the city.

 

"We are splitting the cost with those developers that need that study," said Adam Rude, City of Shelbyville Plan Director. "We can get a traffic study of the entire road and see how we can fix the issues.

 

"Some things are obvious to fix but this one is not obvious and then will it be worth it to fix?"

 

Rude discussed the traffic study with the Board of Works Tuesday morning at its weekly meeting at City Hall. That prompted board member David Finkel to ask that the traffic study be done while school is in session to identify how congested Amos Road gets during student drop off and pick up.

 

Rude does not expect the traffic study to commence until later next month.

 

"There is still a lot of work to do before the counters go out," he said. "We will need to identify peak school days and peak non-school days. We will have to try to account for all the variations -- weekends will be different, what are the peak and non-peak times and mornings and evenings."

 

Corridor work

 

With the downtown redevelopment project in its final months, the city is already looking ahead at how to improve the State Road 9 corridor from Rampart Road south to the N. Harrison St. bridge.

 

In conjunction with the design group Taylor, Siekfer and Williams, the city will pursue grant money after a preliminary design and budget is created.

 

"There are a lot of infrastructure dollars coming down the pipeline," said Rude. "Shovel-ready projects will be funded first."

 

The city will look for aesthetic improvements such as street lights and sidewalks to the corridor that funnels south from Interstate 74 into downtown Shelbyville.

 

The entire stretch of road, now controlled by the city, also will need to be redone.

 

Rude expects the design phase to continue into late 2021 with grant money being awarded in 2022 which could push the start of the project into 2023.

Shelbyville valedictorian headed to Indiana University to study Biochemistry

Ethan Apsley was playing a round of golf when he got a text saying Shelbyville High School was switching to virtual learning for the rest of the 2020 semester.

 

"That was interesting," said Apsley, who was preparing for his junior season of golf with the Golden Bears. "We were done. It was kind of a surreal experience."

 

Despite the new academic challenges, Apsley adapted to virtual learning well which helped him maintain his top ranking in the Class of 2021.

 

The son of Kent and Marsha Apsley was recently named valedictorian at Shelbyville and will study Biochemistry at Indiana University in the fall.

 

"My dad went to IU so I've always liked IU most of my life," he said. "I thought it was the best choice because I want to go into the sciences and it felt like the right fit since they are a large research university."

 

Apsley has not mapped out his future, choosing to stay in the moment and see how his experience goes at IU.

 

"I kind of want to get into drug research but I will see how that works out. I have four years to figure that out," he said.

 

Apsley admits to being somewhat shocked when he was ranked third in his class after the first semester of his freshman year of high school. That altered his approach to school.

 

"I figured I needed to take a shot at (being valedictorian)," he said. "I changed my class schedule a little bit to give me a chance to get it."

 

One semester later he was ranked No. 1 and that never changed.

 

Apsley was a four-year golfer at SHS, played tennis for two seasons and was active in academic competitions. He was captain of the Quiz Bowl team the last two years.

 

Golf is and will continue to be a big part of his life. He is spending his summer working in the Pro Shop at Blue Bear Golf Club in Shelbyville which affords him course time. If his schedule allows, Apsley wants to play club golf during his time in Bloomington.

 

"I have to prioritize academics but I will try and make it fit in," he said. 

 

After dealing with virtual learning for the final two months of his junior season, Apsley was happy to get back into school to start his senior year. Then an upswing in COVID-19 cases forced SHS to switch to hybrid learning for a short period where students were staggered throughout the week as to when they could attend classes.

 

"I adapted pretty well to that," he said. "Hybrid was set up really well this year where we still had a great opportunity, not the same opportunity to have daily in-person conversations, but being able to have enough we could get by.

 

"I was in school two-and-a-half days a week. It worked well so being able to take tests in person was really nice because I was focused a lot better."

 

Apsley fully believes his choice of IU is the right one but there are still concerns moving onto such a big campus.

 

"I am excited for it but I know I will have to adapt," he said. "It's way different of an environment than I've been in with the class schedule and having to do a lot of self-studying that college requires."

 

Until he moves to Bloomington, Apsley will continue to work on one of his golfing goals -- scoring a hole-in-one.

 

"I've not been stupid close yet," he said with a laugh. "I've been probably within two feet before. It's definitely a goal. I thought I would get one by now as much as I've played."

Southwestern Shamrocks shine at 2020 and 2021 Shelby Royal competitions

Showing one species of livestock at the Shelby County Fair takes months of preparation.

 

On Wednesday night at the Livestock Youth Pavilion, five 4-H senior showmanship winners took on the challenge of showing five different species of animals in an attempt to win the Shelby Royal Showmanship Contest.

 

Already having earned success at the fair this week, Ellie Gosser, Dane Kissell, Kate Spegal, Emily Tyree and Wyatt Schonfeld competed for the prestigious title.

 

Each presented swine, horses, goats, cattle and sheep to five different judges and answered on-the-spot questions to demonstrate their knowledge of each species.

 

And when the competition was over, the Southwestern Shamrocks 4-H group had plenty to celebrate.

 

Kissell (main photo), a rising junior at Southwestern, was declared the 2021 Shelby Royal champion. One night earlier, fellow Southwestern junior Camille Thopy was crowned the 2020 Shelby Royal champion -- a year later than planned.

 

“This is pretty special. I’ve been doing 4-H my whole life,” said Kissell. “I have seen people win this and it’s good to be in that group as one of the top showmen out here.”

 

Jeff Brown photo

Dane Kissell leads his randomly-selected cattle around the show arena at the Youth Livestock Pavilion Wednesday night during the Shelby Royal competition.

 

Kissell is most familiar with swine, which was the first animal to be shown Wednesday. He admitted to letting his frustration show a little too much with a cantankerous animal and had to refocus to move forward.

 

“I show pigs and I like them to be nice and show well for me. It agitated me there a bit,” said Kissell. “I had to move on and put my best foot forward and do well in the rest of the events.”

 

Gosser, who captured the Senior Showmanship title Monday night, also attends Southwestern. Spegal attends Triton Central and Tyree goes to Waldron.

 

Schonfeld is a Morristown graduate attending Purdue University.

 

The 2020 Shelby County Fair was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That forced Thopy to wait another year to compete.

 

The 2020 Shelby Royal was held Tuesday at the Livestock Youth Pavilion.

 

Jeff Brown photo

Southwestern rising junior Camille Thopy was crowned 2020 Shelby Royal champion Tuesday night at the Shelby County Fair.

 

“I was very pleased with the animals I got,” said Thopy, who celebrated with Kissell after the event. “Some of the larger animals you kind of seek out the ones that potentially can be in the royal. Not so much the smaller animals but the larger animals have tempers that are harder to handle.”

 

Each of the six species superintendents (cattle is separated in dairy and beef), in cooperation with the Shelby Royal Committee, assist in procuring animals and supplies needed for the competition. Each contestant is then provided with supplies and an animal to show.

 

“I show every species but pigs so my weak point would have been the pig but I was able to work with a past 4-H (member) to learn more about hogs and how to show them,” said Thopy.

 

Kissell took a similar route to prepare but had to study more species than Thopy.

 

“I found people that I know that has the livestock that I don’t show and work with them to get your best ideas,” said Kissell.

 

Jeff Brown photo

Kate Spegal demonstrates her swine-handling skills for a judge Wednesday at the Shelby County Fair.

 

The event does not focus on the grooming of each animal but rather the handlers’ ability to control each species, understand the species, and present them correctly.

Perry setting up busy first year at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

The one thing Austin Perry knows about his upcoming freshman year at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is that it will be busy.

 

Perry, Shelbyville High School’s Class of 2021 salutatorian, has a major but no specialty. He will join the men’s tennis program but has no idea who returns for the 2022 season. And he will sing in the choir only because Rose-Hulman does not have a show choir like Synergy at Shelbyville.

 

Not surprisingly, Perry’s interests mimic his four-year career as a Golden Bear.

 

The son of Richard and Paula Perry will major in Engineering Design at the Terre Haute-based school which will allow him time to find his area of interest.

 

“It’s a four-year career path but the first two years you learn a little about everything,” said Perry. “Then you focus in your last two years. If I did something like Mechanical Engineering it would be all one career path.

 

“So I get a little taste of everything before I decide what I want to do.”

 

Perry played tennis at SHS because his mother did not want him getting hurt playing football. He was a strong No. 3 singles player for the Golden Bears as a senior.

 

“I’ve always been the athletic type but I never really started sports until middle school,” he said. “I wanted to play football but my mom was worried that I would get hurt. So I played tennis because my buddies were on the team.”

 

Rose-Hulman’s tennis program ended its season in mid-May with a 5-1 loss to Washington & Lee in the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Tournament Round of 32. The Engineers finished the spring season 7-4 and made its sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

 

Perry comes from a musically-inclined family and he intends to keep performing while in college.

 

“My dad sings a lot and plays guitar and my sister did show choir too,” explained Perry. “I had the roots growing up so I took it on and it’s been fun.”

 

Along with singing, Perry can play the baritone ukulele.

 

“It’s like a smaller version of a guitar with four strings,” he said.

 

Perry, like many other students, did not enjoy virtual learning which became mandatory in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“It was fun at the start since you get a little break from school,” he recalled. “It was a little less work. Then it felt like forever. It got really boring and toilsome. I didn’t even want to sign in online.”

 

Perry’s senior year started in school, transitioned to a hybrid schedule where students split their week at home and in school and finished with all students back in the classrooms.

 

“It was not ideal but we took what we could get,” he said. “The masks got annoying, especially at the beginning of the year when we weren’t used to them yet, but it was good to be back in the building and see all your friends again.”

 

Rose-Hulman is preparing for students on campus this fall and in dormitories, according to Perry, who is excited for the transition.

 

“We will be in person but I don’t know yet about masks,” said Perry. “It feels like it will be a pretty normal year.”

 

There are no real summer plans in place for Perry other than a family camping trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. Once he returns, he will pack up and head to Rose-Hulman, the only school he considered for his educational track.

 

“My brother (Logan) went there so I already had some ties there,” he said. “And I saw he was challenged there. He was at the top of his class too, so if he was challenged then I feel like I will be challenged.”

Child, 8, hit by car in Shelbyville

A young boy was seriously injured when struck by a car Tuesday in Shelbyville.

 

The Shelbyville Police Department was dispatched just before 4:00 pm to the 1600 block of South RIley Highway for a personal injury accident.  Upon arrival it was learned that a white Chevrolet was northbound on Riley Highway.  The driver’s attention was briefly diverted to his daughter who was a front seat passenger.   When he redirected his attention to the road, he noticed that there was a child walking on the side of the road, and he was unable to avoid the child.   

 

The child, age 8, of Shelbyville was struck by the vehicle.  Evidence at the scene suggests that vehicle left the roadway prior to the collision. 

 

The child was lifelined to Riley Hospital with serious injuries.   No condition report has been released since.

Shelbyville - Shelby County to join others in I-74 Corridor Region to go after millions in READI money

Shelbyville and Shelby County are a part of a newly created I-74 corridor region seeking millions of dollars in state monies.

 

Governor Eric Holcomb announced the concept of READI in his State of the State address in January, and the Indiana General Assembly funded the program as a part of its new biennial budget.

Through this initiative, the state will encourage neighboring counties, cities and towns to partner to create a shared vision for their future, mapping out the programs, initiatives and projects that are critical for them to retain talent today and attract the workforce of tomorrow.

 

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) will award up to $50 million per region to support the implementation of strategies focused on making positive developments in quality of place and quality of life, innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent attraction and development. 

 

Shelby County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Brian Asher appeared before the Shelby County Council Tuesday.

 

 

Asher’s resolution request to the county council was simply one of showing support.  No funding from the council was requested at this time.  He says they are seeking $50, 000 in grant money to aid the region’s efforts.

 

 

Over the next two months, Hoosier cities, towns and counties are being encouraged to coordinate and self-identify their proposed regions. The identified regions will then have two months after July 1 to create a regional development plan that "outlines the current state of the region, its vision for the future and a game plan to invest in its growth and prosperity."

 

 

Projects could include items such as infrastructure, workforce housing developments, revitalizing blighted or vacant properties, or cultural amenities. The funding could also be used for multi-year programs, including talent attraction initiatives, public-private partnerships to advance innovation, and small business support services.

 

Asher notes the recent announcement by Five Below further emphasizes that the I-74 corridor should be considered for growth.

 

 

The IEDC board of directors will form a READI review committee to evaluate regional development plans. Each region will have the opportunity to present its vision, goals and strategies.  The committee will establish criteria to evaluate plans and will host a series of review meetings that will be open to the public. 

The review committee will make funding recommendations to the IEDC board of directors. Once approved, the IEDC will award READI funding to selected regions to advance implementation of the projects and programs.

Mini 4H Livestock Show offers first opportunities to show in arena setting

After sitting quiet for nearly two years, the sounds of kids running around the Youth Livestock Pavilion Arena and livestock rustling in nearby enclosures were prevalent Monday during the first day of the 172nd Shelby County Fair.

 

“We have quite a crowd today. It’s good to be back,” said Scott Gabbard, Shelby County Purdue Extension Director.

 

The Mini 4H Livestock Show featured young boys and girls getting the opportunity to work goat, sheep and swine in an arena setting.

 

“This is for all the little kiddos that are in the mini-4H program to give them a chance to be with the animal with the older 4Hers helping them in the ring,” said Gabbard as he surveyed the fun. “And it’s almost like, I don’t want to say a teaser, but it is a way to expose the kids who don’t have to own an animal. It gives them an experience of being in the ring with an animal.

 

“You’ve got 4Hers with them who raised these animals and it’s a nice safe way to start exposing some of these kids to being around the animals and livestock when they normally wouldn’t have had these opportunities.”

 

 

The swine showing resembled more of a demolition derby. The pigs moved around the show arena in many different directions only to end up back by a side fence all conglomerated together.

 

Some cooperated for the most part. Others, would have preferred to be left alone.

 

The goats and sheep were more cooperative making a circular lap around the pen, except for one very small goat that was removed because it wanted nothing to do with the exhibition.

 

The boys and girls were introduced before taking their presentation lap and were given instructions by older 4H participants how to handle each particular type of animal.

 

The 4H Dairy Cattle Show was the first event Monday with a 9 a.m. start time. The 4H Beef Show followed the Mini 4H Livestock Show and lasted well into the evening hours on a beautiful night at the fairgrounds.

 

 

Swine, Poultry and Sheep showing events are today with the 2020 Shelby Royal, featuring the 2019 winners, commencing at 7:30 p.m.

 

“We’ve had some computer systems change in two years (since the last fair) but other than that, it’s one of those things we did some 730 days ago and now you just have to remember it,” said Gabbard. “Other than that, it’s been great and we are glad to be back.”

 

There will be a free gospel sing at the grandstand tonight at 7 p.m.

 

The midway and buildings open at 5 p.m.

Calendar marked for August 2 in Shelbyville's downtown reconstruction

Shelbyville's downtown reconstruction is working toward a key date - August 2.

 

Tom Davis with Genesis Property Development says August 2 will feature two significant road closures as the transition occurs for the project from one side to the other.

 

 

Davis says one change is shorter than the other, scheduled for three weeks through August 23.

 

 

Davis says northbound traffic will be open again by August 23.

 

 

Also, August 2, the project will transition to the other side, or flip.

 

 

 

Nuisance property owner fails to show for Board of Works hearing

The owner of a nuisance property in Shelbyville may force the city to get a court order to bring the residence at 197 Fountain Lake South Drive up to code.

 

Despite repeated efforts to work with Donnie Tresler, the owner of a .35-acre waterfront property lot, there has been no resolution to the situation that is frustrating neighbors.

 

A hearing was held Tuesday morning at City Hall during the Board of Works meeting. Tresler, despite being asked to appear, did not attend the meeting.

 

“We started receiving complaints at the end of March that there were no utilities at the property and that there hasn’t been for a number of years,” said Adam Rude, the city’s plan director. “We visited the property and requested to inspect the home a number of times and those requests were denied.”

 

The city received an inspection warrant which led to finding numerous violations on May 18 of the minimum housing standards.

 

“There are no utilities at the home – water, electric or gas,” explained Rude. “There are no furnace or air conditioning units. There are issues with electrical and plumbing.”

 

Tresler denies living in the residence and has refused offers of assistance with cleaning up the property.

 

There also may be an issue with a child living with Tresler, who has repeatedly stated they are living with a family member at another location.

 

A child’s riding toy was sitting near the front door of the residence Tuesday morning while a truck was parked in the driveway.

 

Rude asked the Board of Works for an order to vacate, an order for the removal of trash, debris and fire hazardous materials and an order for the repair or rehabilitation of an unsafe building to bring it in compliance with minimum housing standards.

 

The board approved those requests 3-0.

 

According to the Shelby County GIS map located at the city’s website, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence is 1,400 square feet and valued, along with the property, at $132,900.

 

 

“What we’ve got here is, for whatever reason, an uncooperative property owner with a significant amount of violations here,” said Shelbyville mayor Tom DeBaun, who is a member of the Board of Works. “The photographs certainly represent unfit living conditions. We’ve tried to engage him with our community advocate through the fire department and he has refused.”

 

Tresler now has until July 24 to show significant improvement of the residence, which is missing siding and has plastic covering a front window.

 

A court order to enforce the violations would be the next step and that would allow for additional clean up time.

Ten city traffic light boxes getting artistic vinyl wraps

Shelbyville’s traffic light control boxes will get a makeover later this year.

 

Jennifer Jones of the Blue River Community Foundation met with the Board of Works Tuesday morning at City Hall to get approval to vinyl wrap 10 traffic boxes similar to the one at the corner of Mechanic St. and State Road 9.

 

“The community loved (the first one) and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” said Jones.

 

Loper Elementary School art teacher Eric Sutton created the artwork for the first traffic box (photo).

 

With funding secured for 10 more art projects, the foundation did a call out for artists, both locally and nationally, to submit ideas, according to Jones.

 

A committee was formed to choose the winning submissions.

 

“They will all be different,” said Jones.

 

Some of the art projects could be tied to specific locations. One particular submission has a steam component to it and it will be assigned to a traffic box near an industrial area.

 

“It’s a nice way to infuse art into everyday items,” said Jones.

 

The cost of the project is approximately $18,000 and is funded by a Lilly Endowment grant.

 

The vinyl wraps should start appearing on local traffic boxes later this year.

Vaccinations available at Shelby County Fair

The Shelby County Health Department will be offering all three Covid vaccines - J & J, Moderna, Pfizer - at the Shelby County Fair. Pfizer is available for those 12 years of age and older.

 

Walk-ins are welcome.  You can stop by the Health Department booth at the far east side of the grandstand.  You can also get a free hand sanitizer while supplies last.  

 

The Shelby County Health Department booth will be open 3:30 pm - 9:00 pm.

 

 

1892 Bartholomew Co. schoolhouse destroyed by fire

An early morning fire destroyed an old one room schoolhouse in Bartholomew County.

 

Just after 2:00 am Monday, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies Dustin Newland and Brandon Sellers responded to the area of E 250 N / N 500 E in reference to a structural fire.  They found a fully engulfed building on the east side of the roadway, a one-room school house that dates back to 1892.

 

Fire departments arrived and extinguished the fire at the former Petersville School.  There were no injuries.

 

The Clay Township Fire Department, Columbus Township Fire Department, Clifford Fire Department, and Columbus Regional Hospital EMS were at the scene early Monday morning.

 

 

TC valedictorian speaks two languages, plays two instruments and wants to cure cancer

Samantha Ackley cringes at being labeled “smart.”

 

The Triton Central High School Class of 2021 valedictorian was accelerated into a pre-Calculus class in fifth grade. Her SAT score was over 1,500.

 

She will attend Earlham College later this year to study Neuroscience with the goal of obtaining her master’s degree in Paris. Curing cancer is on her mind.

 

“I wouldn’t call myself smart as much as I call myself hard working,” said Ackley, who can play clarinet and French horn and speaks two languages. “Intelligence is measured on your ability to identify patterns. I just work harder than some people, not all people, but some people.”

 

Ackley admits being valedictorian was never a stated goal even after finding out she was ranked No. 1 in her graduating class as a sophomore.

 

“It was a curious thing, but I wouldn’t ever say the goal was to be valedictorian,” she explained. “The goal was to just do as good as I could in all my classes. It’s good to have good grades on your transcripts because you get scholarships and you get college credits.

 

“It wasn’t ever the goal to be first, it was just the goal to do well in my classes.”

 

The daughter of Travis and Rachael Ackley found too many positive options about Earlham College, located in Richmond, Indiana, to go anywhere else.

 

“It’s a nice school and campus. I think I thrive better in smaller communities,” she said. “They have a really good study abroad program and they have a really good internship program.

 

“It’s a good community and staff that cares about you and it has a lot of good opportunities.”

 

Those opportunities include minoring in French and allowing students to continue performing music without being part of the college’s music program.

 

At Triton Central, the marching band program was a huge part of Ackley’s life.

 

“I was really involved in the music department,” she said as her eyes lit up. “I was in marching band all high school, winter guard all years except one due to my injury and I played in jazz band this past year. And I was in concert band which was a class every year.

 

“I’ve done practically all forms of band you can do there.”

 

She sat up in her chair a little taller when asked to explain just how difficult marching band can be to succeed.

 

“Woo hoo … I get a lot of crap for this because people think marching band is not that tough,” she said with energy. “So I want you to jog but you can only breathe when I tell you and the rest of the time you must spend your time breathing out. It seems like a piece of cake but then you have to try and do it.

 

“You have to breathe out for like 20 seconds then I will tell you to breathe in.”

 

As for color guard?

 

“Specifically for guard, basically everyone is doing a modified version of ballet while running on the field with a heavy piece of equipment in your hands.”

 

And then there is music to learn?

 

“You have to be able to play an instrument first and a lot of people just can’t do that,” she continued. “It’s a lot of mental work. You have to memorize your music. You have to play your music well. You have to keep good posture. You have to march correctly and if you don’t do all of those things correctly it’s not going to come out well.

 

“You have to march well in order to sound good, and if you don’t sound good even when you march, what’s the point? There are a lot of moving pieces and it’s a lot of mental effort to coordinate it all together.”

 

Ackley suffered a severe neck injury in an automobile accident during her junior year which prepped her for a serious dose of virtual learning that was on the horizon.

 

“I broke my neck on Oct. 27 my junior year,” she said. “I had to stay at school and do some things and went through virtual learning until early January (2020). So I had done something similar to e-Learning for two months and then I came back and was back in school and getting to do all the things I missed out on and then I went back home.”

 

The COVID-19 pandemic put all Indiana school systems into virtual learning outside of school buildings in March of 2020.

 

“It was something I felt like I had practice with but that doesn’t mean it was fun by any means,” said Ackley.

 

Earlham College is preparing for students on campus this fall and Ackley is ready to put her post-Triton Central plan into motion.

 

“The idea is to get my general degree then I would like to do a graduate program in Paris in genetics,” she said. “There is a lot you can do with those sorts of things because we still don’t understand how genes affect neurological disorders and diseases.

 

"And if I get really good at it, one day I would like to do something with cancer because there has to be something going on with genetics that we haven’t figured out yet.”

Shelbyville's Julia Prickett crowned Shelby County Fair Queen

A Shelbyville High School graduate and Purdue sophomore plans to be on the TV screen delivering your weather forecast in the near future.

 

Right now, the forecast appears nothing sunny for Julia Prickett.  The 19-year-old is the 2021 Shelby County Fair Queen.  She was the crown during Saturday’s contest held at the Triton Central High School auditorium.

 

 

She explains why this title, and opportunity, is valuable.

 

 

Prickett says she’s ready for the weather and everything else the fair has to offer.

 

 

Joining her on this year’s Shelby County Fair Queen court:

 

1st runner-up and Miss Congeniality – Triton Central graduate and soon to be IU freshman Lillian Gahimer, 18

 

2nd runner-up – SHS graduate and IU junior Abby Miller, 20

 

3rd runner-up:  Triton Central senior Emma Hutchinson, 17

 

Two Shelby Co. residents, one a student at SHS, killed in Kentucky car crash

A Shelbyville High School student and a Shelby County woman were killed Saturday in a multi-vehicle accident in Kentucky.

 

According to a press release from the Shelbyville (KY) Police Department, law enforcement and emergency crews were dispatched just before 8:00 pm Saturday to Interstate 64 for a multiple vehicle accident.

 

An initial investigation revealed that a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica driven by Neina Marie Keel, of Fairland, IN, was traveling westbound when for an unknown reason the vehicle crossed the grassy median and struck an eastbound 2011 Chevy HHR driven by Darryl Lancaster, of Shelbyville, KY.

 

Keel was pronounced dead at the scene.  A juvenile passenger of the Pacifica was transported by helicopter with critical injuries to University of Louisville Hospital.  That juvenile, later identified as Rushelle Renee Boswell, 16, of Shelbyville, IN, died at the hospital.  (obituary information for Rushelle Boswell is available below)

 

Two other juvenile Pacifica passengers were transported to area hospitals in serious condition.

 

Lancaster was also pronounced dead at the scene.  He was the only occupant of the HHR.

 

A third vehicle was involved in the crash.  The driver was not injured.

 

As part of the investigation, toxicology reports are pending on all drivers.

 

The Shelbyville (KY) Police Department operates a joint accident reconstruction team with the Shelby County (KY) Sheriff's Office.  They were assisted by the Simponsville Fire Department, Shelby County EMS, KSP Post 12 Frankfort and the Shelby County Coroner's Office.

 

 

Rushelle Renee Boswell, 16, of Shelbyville

Rushelle Renee Boswell, 16, of Shelbyville passed away Sunday, June 13, 2021, at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

She was born September 13, 2004, the daughter of Robert L. and Susan Marie (Smith) Boswell.

Rushelle is survived by her parents of Shelbyville; paternal grandparents, Judy and Tom Settles of Shelbyville; maternal grandparents, Tom and Sherry Smith of Shelbyville; and paternal great-grandmother, Betty Reed of Shelbyville.

 

She also leaves behind her dogs, Milo and Missy.

 

Rushelle would have begun her junior year at Shelbyville High School this fall.

 

She worked in the dairy department at Walmart.

 

Rushelle enjoyed old square body Chevy trucks, going fishing and shooting, and listening to music.

 

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Carmony-Ewing Chapel, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville.

 

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, June 18, 2021 at the funeral home.

 

Memorial contributions may be made to the J. Kenneth Self Boys and Girls Club, 710 S. Miller St., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176.

 

Online condolences may be shared with Rushelle’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.

 

S.R. 44 bridge closed for superstructure replacement

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors, L.P. closed the S.R. 44 bridge over Sugar Creek Overflow between C.R. 700 E. and Sugar Creek Road on Saturday (June 12) for a superstructure replacement project.

 

The bridge is expected to remain closed for approximately 60 days. Traffic should utilize the official detour route of I-65, I-465, and I-74.

 

The project is part of a $6 million asphalt resurface and roadway reconstruction contract that will repave S.R. 44 between Franklin and Shelbyville, and reconstruct the roadway at the I-65 interchange, with the addition of traffic signals. Work began in early April and is expected to be officially complete next June.

 

Alternating lane closures will continue throughout the summer as paving progresses.

Three Hancock County, two Rush County members seek to be Indiana FFA state officer

Sixteen FFA members from across the state are preparing to interview for the opportunity to serve as an Indiana FFA State Officer for the upcoming year. Once completed, seven individuals will be selected to fulfill the roles of president, secretary, northern region vice president, southern region vice president, treasurer, reporter and sentinel.

 

During the 92nd Indiana FFA State Convention, the candidates will participate in a rigorous interview and selection process, in which, the winners will be announced at the final session on Thursday, June 17.

 

Once selected, the newly-elected officers will embark on a year of service, providing direction and overseeing the development of the student-led organization, which has more than 12,500 members statewide.

 

“Best wishes to each of the 16 candidates as they vie for an Indiana FFA State Officer position,” said Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I always look forward to meeting each of the state officer teams and seeing the impact these young leaders make on FFA members, community supporters and others throughout their year of service.”

 

Along with promoting FFA, agriculture and agricultural education, some of their responsibilities include conducting FFA chapter visits, facilitating leadership conferences, and hosting career and leadership development events, to name a few.

 

“The FFA Organization is a vital pipeline that continues to equip young individuals with the skills they need to prosper in all of their future endeavors,” said Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler. “I look forward to seeing the seven young individuals tasked with leading the FFA organization make waves throughout the upcoming year.“

 

The following list includes the 16 Indiana FFA State Officer candidates:

  • Madisen Carns, Mt Vernon @ Fortville FFA
  • Shayla Crawford, Connersville FFA
  • Kayla Florian, South Newton FFA
  • Jeremiah Geise, Rushville FFA
  • Adison Hawk, Fountain Central FFA
  • Tyler Kilmer, Tri-County FFA
  • Jolene Morris, Benton Central FFA
  • Lillian Mussche, Southmont FFA
  • Nicholas Neuman, Rushville FFA
  • Kourtney Otte, Seymour FFA
  • Logan Overman, Greenfield Central FFA
  • Edwin Pluimer, Southern Wells FFA
  • Ashanti Snodgrass, South Newton FFA
  • Abigail Stuckwish, Brownstown Central FFA
  • Jordyn Wickard, Eastern Hancock FFA
  • Bonnie Witt, Sullivan FFA

“I am confident that each of the 16 candidates, if selected, would serve the Indiana FFA Organization well as a state officer,” said Indiana FFA Director Sam Miller. “No matter the outcome, I am so proud of each of these members and their commitment to furthering our organization.”

 

The 2020-21 Indiana FFA state officer team will be announced on June 17 on inffa.org and on Indiana FFA’s social media channels.

Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department asks public to simply follow rules

The Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department says those who can't follow rules don't need to be in the city's parks.

 

Prosecuted, or at least released from use of the parks.  Those are options the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department is looking at increasing with concerns of bullying and vandalism in the city’s parks.

 

Director Karen Martin says, to a lesser extent, bullying, and vandalism are going to get increased punishment and more intense scrutiny to make sure the public treats the parks, and each other, in an appropriate fasion.

 

 

Martin says it's not always criminal offenses.  She notes that if you can’t follow the rules you won’t be in the city’s parks.

 

 

Martin says, so far this season, examples of vandalism have been things like bashed in sinks at restrooms and bolts removed from picnic tables.  She says park cameras have helped them catch some of the people involved.

Abby Miller competing in Saturday's Shelby County Fair Queen Contest

Shelbyville's Abby Miller is back as a contestant in the 2021 Shelby County Fair Queen Contest after an appearance a few years ago.  And the fair is back after an off-year due to COVID-19.

 

Miller appeared on GIANT fm to set the stage for the contest hosted at Triton Central High School Saturday as the fair opens its six day run on Monday.

 

 

Also Saturday, June 12:

4-H Dog Show

4-H Project Check-In

4-H Foods Auction

Baby Contest

Little Miss & Mister Contest

TC salutatorian excited for new challenges, new experiences at Purdue

As the salutatorian for the Class of 2021 at Triton Central High School, Benjamin Riggins used his graduation speech to identify three common characteristics of his peers – competitors, companions and clowns.

 

“For competitors, I talked about all of our sectional, conference and county championships won and how our class always competes to win,” he said.

 

Riggins played both football and baseball at Triton Central.

 

“For companions, I talked about how we all stick together as friends … formed bonds and friendships that will ultimately lead us to success down the road,” he said.

 

Riggins will study Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, and while not knowing his roommate, he is comfortable knowing he has fellow Tigers also headed to West Lafayette.

 

“For clowns, I talked about how we always liked to have a good time,” he said. “It was the class clowns and the jokes that made high school the most memorable and fun.”

 

The son of David and Jennifer Riggins also was involved in Robotics, Archery, Student Council and National Honor Society at Triton Central.

 

Three times he helped build a robot that qualified for the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

 

Nothing, in his mind though, will top being on the football field when the Tigers won the program’s first regional football title in 2019.

 

“Winning that first regional title was awesome,” said Riggins, who played safety and wide receiver. “It was a Saturday game day and there were tons of people there. It was the most people I’ve ever seen at Triton Central’s football stadium.

 

“When we won it, it was a feeling like no other. It felt amazing because everyone was cheering for you and it was something no one else had ever accomplished. It’s an experience I will always remember for the rest of my life.”

 

Months later Riggins and the rest of the TC student body was sent home to start virtual learning.

 

“From an academic standpoint, it was fun the first few weeks because we got a break from school,” he recalled. “Then we had to come back and do everything virtual. We had done e-Learning days for snow days but those were one day at time. It wasn’t a six-week stretch.

 

“It was really weird trying to do all our classes online. It just wasn’t the same. We didn’t get the full experience.”

 

Riggins is excited for starting at Purdue which is expecting students on campus and in the classroom.

 

“Purdue said they will be in person and want all students to get vaccinated but they are not requiring it at this point,” he said. “Hopefully, when we get to the fall things will be more normal. I’m really looking forward to it. Purdue seems to be doing all it can to make it a regular college experience.”

 

Until then, Riggins is working this summer as a lifeguard at the Meridian Park Family Aquatic Center in Shelbyville and marking off the calendar days when he will be a freshman all over again.

 

“That is definitely something that will take getting used to,” he said with a smile. “We’ve been top dogs at Triton Central but it will definitely be a fun experience going to college.

 

“There are a lot of things I haven’t been able to experience at a small school like Triton Central. At a big school like Purdue, it will allow me to experience lots of new opportunities and meet people from different backgrounds.”

Details, info request in Shelby County death investigation

A few more details and a call to the public for any information in a Shelby County death investigation.

 

On Wednesday, a call to law enforcement reported a body discovered in the northwest corner of State Road 9 and U.S. 52.  The Shelby County Coroner’s Office has confirmed that the deceased is a male, approximately 5’6” to 5’9”.

 

So far, the race and age has not bee determined. Lab results are pending from Indiana State Police as well as the University of Indianapolis.

 

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department reports it does not believe there is any threat or danger to the public.

 

Coroner Brand Rund has asked that anyone with information that would assist with identifying the man to please contact him at brund@co.shelby.in.us or go to www.shelbycountycoroner.org/forms and submit a statement.

Kleine opted for academics over athletics in decision to attend Indiana Wesleyan

A decade ago, Morristown Elementary School celebrated the end of the year with academic awards.

 

Second-grader Rylee Kleine cleaned up. That’s when she first noticed her academic ability.

 

“At the end of the year we did awards and I realized I got almost all of the academic awards,” she said. “I didn’t really realize it too much but then we had reading levels and my reading level was so much higher than the other students in my class. I didn’t think anything much of it. I just liked to read a lot when I was younger.”

 

Several years later as a freshman at Morristown High School, Kleine found herself ranked No. 2 in the graduating class of 2021. She maintained that ranking all four years and recently graduated as the Class of 2021 salutatorian.

 

Kleine, the daughter of Brandon and Rachel Kleine, will attend Indiana Wesleyan University in the fall to study both Psychology and Entrepreneurship with the goal of working for a non-profit.

 

“I will get the business aspect of it with entrepreneurship and the psychology side for the non-profit side of it,” she explained.

 

Kleine found success on the basketball court and the track for Morristown during her high school career and was a member of National Honor Society, Student Council, Student Advisory and Student Executive Committee as well as Sunshine Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

 

Her faith and her small-town roots were big factors in her decision to attend Indiana Wesleyan, located in Marion, Indiana.

 

“I went on visits to Indiana Wesleyan, Taylor University and Marian University,” said Kleine. “Taylor was a little too small for me. I knew I wanted small since I’d been at Morristown but Taylor was a little too small.

 

“Indiana Wesleyan’s facilities are amazing. The people there were really great. I think I fell in love with the campus and how pretty it was and the facilities are so nice. And I like the Christian aspect of it and it being a private school. Marian and Taylor both have that too but I thought Indiana Wesleyan was a better fit.”

 

That choice came with a consequence, though. Education won out over athletics which has been a huge part of her life.

 

“That was the main decision when looking at college … whether I wanted to play,” she said. “The Anderson (University) coach talked to me. The Earlham coach talked to me. So I knew I could go play at a (Division III) school but would it be where I actually wanted to go to college?

 

“I really wanted to go to Indiana Wesleyan for the education aspect but it was a tough decision … I will not lie.”

 

Kleine expects to stay active athletically, playing intramural basketball and running on campus.

 

Indiana Wesleyan is planning for students in the classroom in the fall which is a relief to Kleine, who was not a fan of virtual learning in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic closed down Indiana schools.

 

“I remember that day before we didn’t come back because I was sitting in (boys basketball coach Scott) McClelland’s room and he was like, ‘Guys, I don’t think they can keep us in school,’” said Kleine. “I thought he was crazy for saying that. Sure enough, after spring break we didn’t come back.

 

“I hated e-Learning. I did not enjoy it at all. I enjoyed being in school with all my peers and the teachers who are more in their atmosphere to teach. Online it just seemed like more logistical issues than actual education.”

 

Kleine also lost her junior year of track and field where she felt poised to help break a school record held by two family members.

 

“Athletically, I was crushed because I thought our track team was going to be pretty successful,” she recalled. “We were going after that 4x800 relay record and I think we would have got it.

 

“And I hated it for the seniors.”

 

One year later, Kleine, who had been bragging to her mother she was taking that record away from her and her sister, had renewed hope with her younger sister, Raegan Kleine, Maggie Lutes and Gracie Laster in the mix.

 

“Gracie shocked us,” said Kleine. “She’s a sprinter and then comes out and runs a killer 800. So I started telling my mom, the former Rachel Nolen, that we were going to get this.”

 

It took all season but at the Shelbyville Sectional last month, Lutes was coming around the track for the final 100 and no one was cheering louder than Rachel Kleine, according to her daughter.

 

“I think she was more happy for us than anyone,” said Kleine. “And my aunt (Shari Nolen) lives in Missouri now and we Facetimed her when it was over and told her we got it.

 

“Now mom likes to joke that she gave birth to half of the (record-setting) team.”

 

As for her favorite Morristown memories, it was easy to name the best.

 

“I think the state championship for the (boys basketball team) my freshman year will be pretty hard to beat,” she said. “The atmosphere for pretty much a month from sectional to state was insane. You felt like you were walking into a pep session every day at school. We had banners up everywhere.

 

“The morale … you couldn’t beat it. You don’t get that at a big school and I love that about Morristown.”

Franklin man killed in plane crash

 A Johnson County man was one of two people killed in a Sunday plane crash in central Indiana.

 

With the assistance of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, notification has been made to the family of both occupants involved in the fatal plane crash near State Road 47 and County Road 800 E. The deceased have been identified as:

 

  • Benjamin Corbet, 21, Franklin, IN
  • Kristen Green, 28, Swisher, IA

 

ORIGINAL RELEASE

Montgomery County – The Indiana State Police are currently assisting the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation of an airplane crash. The crash occurred in a field near the intersection of State Road 47 and County Road 800 East in Montgomery County.

 

This morning at approximately 10:20 a.m., The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call reporting that a small plane had crashed in a field. First responders arrived on the scene, confirmed that a plane had crashed, and requested the assistance of the Indiana State Police to investigate.

 

There were two individuals in the plane who were pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash by the Montgomery County coroner. Their names are being withheld until proper identification and notification has been made to their next of kin.

 

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been contacted and the crash scene will be turned over to the FAA. The Indiana State Police will continue to assist the FAA, however, any determinations made relating to the cause of the crash will be released by their agency concluding a thorough investigation.

 

The Indiana State Police was assisted on scene by the FAA, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, Darlington Fire Department, Montgomery County EMA, and Montgomery County Coroner.

Ashley Furniture named in complaint for firing National Guard Captain trying to return to work

Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan announced a complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on behalf of Captain Christopher Robbins of the Indiana Army National Guard against DSG Indiana, a limited liability corporation, doing business as Ashley Home Store (“Ashley Furniture”), alleging that Ashley Furniture violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) when it failed to promptly offer Robbins re-employment after his return from active duty military service.

 

“The Department of Justice expects employers to fully comply with their reemployment obligations under the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Childress. “Where employers fall short in doing so, we will aggressively vindicate the reemployment rights of service members.”

 

According to the Justice Department’s complaint, Captain Robbins has been a member of the Indiana Army National Guard since 2006. In 2014, Robbins began working as a salesman at an Ashley Furniture Store in Greenwood. During the summer of 2017, Robbins provided notice to Ashley Furniture that his military service obligations with the National Guard required him to attend mandatory, out-of-state military training exercises with his unit. The training was scheduled for one month’s duration. The complaint alleges that at the completion of his training obligation, Robbins promptly sought re-employment as a salesman with Ashley Furniture and agreed with the company’s representatives on a return to work date. According to the allegations in the complaint, Ashley Furniture, however, did not allow Robbins to return to work on the agreed upon date. Instead, two days before the agreed upon return date, Robbins was fired by Ashley Furniture.

 

“Federal law protects the right of service members like Captain Robbins to resume their jobs when they return home,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It guarantees that members of the armed forces are not forced to sacrifice their continued employment on top of the sacrifices they have already made in order to fulfill their military obligations.”

 

This lawsuit stems from a referral to the United States Department of Justice from the United States Department of Labor, after an investigation by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service.

Two more women arrested after pursuit and theft from Edinburgh outlet mall

Two Tennessee women were arrested after they stole numerous items from an Edinburgh store and then fled in a vehicle from troopers who attempted to stop them on I-65 in Jackson County.  The women were taken into custody after being involved in a crash with a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy in Scott County.

 

The incident began at approximately 4:00 pm Wednesday when a dispatch was issued for a vehicle involved in a theft from the Polo Ralph Lauren Store at the Premium Outlet Mall in Edinburgh.  The Kia Optima occupied by two women was reported to have gotten on I-65 southbound from Edinburgh.  Numerous troopers from the Indiana State Police as well as officers from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Crothersville Police began looking for the vehicle.

 

Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, the driver, identified as Tatyana Burgess, age 22, Antioch, Tennessee accelerated and fled.  Officers from other agencies attempted to place tire deflation devices on the road at other locations.  Burgess eventually struck one of those placed near the Austin exit.

 

Burgess suddenly applied the brakes while on the right shoulder of I-65.  Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Elliott’s Chevrolet Tahoe collided with the rear of her vehicle, ending the pursuit.  Burgess as well as her front seat passenger, Jernithia Bell, 20, of Nashville, Tennessee were then taken into custody.  The Edinburgh Police responded to the scene and collected numerous items allegedly stolen from the Polo Ralph Lauren store.  Items believed to have been stolen from other stores were also located in the vehicle. 

 

Both Burgess and Bell were transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour after complaining of minor injuries.  They were both checked out and released from the hospital before being transported to the Jackson County Jail.

 

Burgess was charged with Resisting Law Enforcement in a Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Reckless Driving.  Bell was incarcerated on charges of Possession of Stolen Property.  Both Burgess and Bell may also face additional charges in Bartholomew County related to the theft.

 

On May 26, Indiana State Police arrested two Louisville women on I-65 who had just stolen approximately $7,000 from the same Polo Ralph Lauren store in Edinburgh.  Approximately an hour later on that same day, Indiana State Police also attempted to stop another Louisville, woman who allegedly stole thousands of dollars of clothing from the same store.  That woman, Ta’neasha Chappell, led and numerous officers on a pursuit through three counties before finally crashing and being arrested in southern Clark County.

 

Officers believe all three of these incidents may be connected.

 

Death investigation in Shelby County

There are few details at this time into an ongoing death investigation in Shelby County.

 

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department has confirmed the investigation involving a body found in the northwest corner of the intersection of State Road 9 and U.S. 52.

 

No other information has been released as of this report.

Sawyer Jones goes from basketball state champion to valedictorian

Sawyer Jones remembers being ranked as Morristown High School’s top student since his freshman year. He liked the feeling and had motivation to stay there.

 

However, in retrospect, Jones is not a fan of virtual learning and wonders if his senior year stayed out of the classroom, maybe the ranking would have changed.

 

“I may have struggled with a calculus class online,” said Jones, Morristown High School’s valedictorian for the Class of 2021. “To be back in person, I liked it way better.”

 

Jones, the son of Patrick and Linda Jones, will take advantage of Ivy Tech’s two-year, tuition-free program before transferring to Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to complete his degree in Business Administration.

 

“I plan on doing financing and accounting,” he said. “I like working with that stuff and I’ve enjoyed it so far with the classes we have here.”

 

Jones was a fifth grader when his family moved to Morristown. Four years later, he was celebrating a Class A basketball state championship with his teammates on the floor at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

 

“It was awesome,” said Jones who admitted his state championship ring is kept safe in his bedroom. “It’s still in my mind. I can’t believe it’s been four years.”

 

Jones played soccer for two years and was a varsity golfer in addition to being a key member of the basketball program. He also was a member of National Honor Society and Student Council.

 

As a young boy, Jones remembers his older brother, Garrett, struggling to speak and needing speech therapy sessions. In his desire to help his sibling, he realized how quickly he was learning things.

 

“Garrett is 15 months older than me and he could not talk until he was 4,” recalled Jones. “So he went into speech therapy and I always would go with him and sit in the corner while he was there and shout the answers.

 

“So that’s when I started to absorb knowledge quicker and that was a big advantage for me. All the way through elementary school I was pretty smart. I credit a lot of that to him.”

 

Morristown salutatorian Rylee Kleine admits leaping ahead one spot seemed unlikely but Jones still had his concerns right up to the final day of classes.

 

“Going into the last day of finals, I had my dual-credit Calculus final and I had a major paper from a college English class (due),” said Jones. “Once I knew I got a good grade on my calculus final, I think I got a 96 on that final, and I aced my last paper, I knew I had it in the bag.”

 

Jones will see the Morristown athletic season continue tomorrow as golf teammate Asher Caldwell competes in the Muncie Central Golf Regional.

 

Caldwell advanced out of the sectional Monday in a playoff against a Triton Central golfer. Both hit their first shots out of bounds, according to Jones.

 

“Asher hit one of the most spectacular shots I’ve seen in person,” he said. “He was on one side off a hill and maybe 175 yards … or more … and he puts it 12 feet within the pin and two-putts to win.”

 

And that meant the team had an added practice to schedule.

 

“He got me a free round of golf at The Players Club,” laughed Jones.

Council continues rezoning request when no representative appears for meeting

Frustration is mounting with a proposed apartment complex on the city’s southwest side.

 

No representative appeared at Monday’s Common Council meeting to discuss the vacant property located behind Martinique Village Apartments, located at 1451 McKay Road.

 

A much larger project was originally proposed by Christian Investments LLC, but drainage concerns, overall density and additional traffic issues became a concern.

 

The Board of Zoning appeals capped the proposed project at 50 additional units. The Plan Commission then looked at the project and gave a favorable recommendation through a 5-4 vote to send it along to the Common Council.

 

The next step is to get the vacant land rezoned from R2 (two-family residential) to RM (multiple family residential).

 

Steve Drake, the New Park Condo Association president, spoke to the council Monday night to continue to bring up concerns from those living near the proposed project.

 

Drake told the council “there have been no positive responses from residents in the area.”

 

And while other housing projects are getting green-lighted with little opposition, this project “has been fuzzy from the beginning.”

 

Councilman Tyson Conrady expressed the need for more rental options in Shelbyville while councilmen Mike Johnson and Scott Furgeson agreed there are density, drainage and traffic concerns.

 

Councilman Nathan Willis said “it raises red flags for me that they are not making meetings.”

 

The project was continued Monday night with no decision made by the council.

 

In other council business, the council approved a PUD ordinance with Arbor Homes to set the development standards for the proposed Isabelle Farms subdivision along State Road 9 south of Rampart Road.

 

Arbor Homes is proposing a 263-lot subdivision with homes averaging $250,000 purchase prices.

 

Caitlin Dopher, representing Arbor Homes, expressed getting full approval this fall and ground breaking in the spring.

Board of Works approves downtown street closures in August

Downtown Shelbyville will become a little tougher to traverse in August.

 

The north and south ends of the Public Square require curb work that will force N. Harrison Street to be closed from Aug. 2 through Aug. 23, according to city engineer Matt House at Tuesday morning’s Board of Works meeting.

 

Only northbound traffic will be closed off to allow new curbs to be completed.

 

Traffic will need to use Broadway St. going east to Vine St. which can then access Walker St. to avoid the necessary work that is part of the downtown renovation project that is expected to be completed in November.

 

Mayor Tom DeBaun, who is part of the Board of Works, also expressed the need to contact the transportation department at Shelbyville Central Schools to discuss downtown bus routes during that time period.

 

In other board business, three orders to appear were approved for nuisance properties at 329 E. Mechanic St., 52 Mildred St., and 717 Second St.

 

The board also approved the euthanization of a pit bull that bit a 4-year-old boy at Shelby’s Crest & Landing, 753 Shelbys Crest.

 

Pit bulls are not allowed at the complex, according to a management representative for Shelby’s Crest, unless a physician’s note states the dog is a support or service animal.

 

The animal has a history of an aggressive nature.

 

Board of Works member David Finkel also visited the dog at the Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter and stated “it was not exactly friendly.”

 

The animal shelter deemed the dog not adoptable.

Woman dies after roller coaster ride at Holiday World

An Ohio woman has died after being found unconscious on a roller coaster at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.

 

Dawn Jankovic, 47, was unresponsive as The Voyage came into station.  She was treated by medical staff at the scene and then transported via ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Jasper where she was later pronounced dead.

 

Holiday World stated in a Facebook post that, “A full inspection of the roller coaster has been performed, and it was determined that the ride operated as it was intended to.”

 

An autopsy has been performed.

Charges in nude woman's presence at Shelbyville Babe Ruth ballpark

Charges have been filed in an unexpected disturbance that sparked a call to Shelbyville Police from the Babe Ruth ball diamonds a week ago.

 

Police units were dispatched to 613 River Road Tuesday evening, June 1, in reference to a nude female in the park. On arrival, off-duty officers were restraining a female that was screaming. The female was laying prone in the grass and covered with a blanket when patrol officers arrived.  The female was still kicking her legs and yelling incoherently.

 

A witness told officers that she was watching the baseball game when she turned around and saw a nude female walking her dog just outside the center field fence. The female was identified as Alicia Pollard, 34, of Shelbyville. Pollard was told she needed to go due to her not wearing clothes and juveniles being present. However, Alicia continued to walk towards the baseball fence. The witness explained that Pollard walked up to the fence and flipped over it. Pollard was then rolling in the grass.

 

Pollard was told once again she needed to leave the baseball field.  She got up off the grass and started walking towards the victim. The victim was then jumped by Pollard. 

 

Pollard was removed from the victim and was eventually held by off-duty officers until patrol units arrived. 

 

Charges include battery, public nudity, performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor and public intoxication.

ISP investigating death of Columbus man at Bartholomew Co. Jail

The Indiana State Police was requested by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department to conduct an investigation into the death of an inmate at the Bartholomew County Jail.

 

The investigation began shortly  when a male inmate was found unresponsive in the jail.  The inmate was provided with medical care and transported to Columbus Regional Hospital where he was then pronounced deceased.

 

Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post were requested to lead the investigation which is normal practice when a death occurs inside a correctional facility.

 

The inmate has been identified as Gregory A. Leonard, age 47, of Columbus.  Leonard’s family has been notified.

 

At this time, the investigation is ongoing.  Due to the investigation being conducted by Indiana State Police Detectives, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department will not be commenting on the case. 

Waldron salutatorian found her career calling at young age

Caroline Sheaffer has been preparing to be an educator nearly her whole life.

 

Some of it was done subconsciously, like skipping recess to hang out with her teachers.

Other times, Sheaffer found herself working with children at church and giving piano lessons.

 

Now that she is a high school graduate, Sheaffer can turn her attention to getting her degree in Elementary Education.

 

The daughter of Steve and Jill Sheaffer is the salutatorian for Waldron High School’s Class of 2021. The school held its commencement ceremony Saturday morning.

 

Sheaffer admits she chose her career while still in kindergarten. She flirted with other career choices as she grew older but kept coming back to teaching young children.

 

“I have always liked little kids and being around them,” she said. “I really like helping them. Since about fifth grade I have always helped at church a lot. I have done cadet teaching at the elementary school the last couple of years and I love enjoying the feeling I get when you see them learn something.”

 

Sheaffer will attend Indiana University Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) which affords her the opportunity to stay at home, continue her work at church and offering piano lessons.

 

“I looked at other colleges and it offered basically the same thing,” she said. “The one thing it didn’t offer was playing tennis but I didn’t think where I was looking at, if I continued playing tennis, I wouldn’t be able to continue doing other things like giving piano lessons and being as involved in the church as I am.

 

“So it was convenience (choosing IUPUC) and definitely cost.”

 

Sheaffer played varsity tennis for four seasons at Waldron, was a member of Student Council, Sunshine Society, Academic Team and the East Street Singers, and she served as vice-president for National Honor Society.

 

Coming from a small-town school where class sizes are low, Sheaffer found a similar environment at IUPUC, where classes average 15 students.

 

Still two months out from starting college, Sheaffer believes all her freshman classes will be in buildings on campus and not done virtually.

 

“I did not care for virtual (learning) at all,” she admitted.

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down schools in March of 2020, Sheaffer’s junior year became more stressful.

 

“It was not fun. It was pretty hard to learn online,” she recalled. “I took AP Literature and that was not a fun class to take over Zoom calls or videos from your teacher.

 

“I did enjoy getting to sleep in though.”

 

Sheaffer maintained a rigid routine over the final two months of the 2020 school year then returned to school and found a different kind of stress that goes with being a senior.

 

“There was a lot of stuff to do,” she said. “There were a lot of scholarship deadlines to hit. I had to write a graduation speech. I decided to do Yearbook Club this year.”

 

Sheaffer has worked with fourth- and fifth-graders and is anxious for an opportunity to move into lower grades to get that educational experience.

 

Then, she can decide just what grade she wants to teach.

 

“My mom said I could always look and see what other things are out there,” said Sheaffer. “So I looked and everything I came to had something to do with people or helping children. I always came back to wanting to be a teacher and being able to help.

 

“I think teaching is what I am called to do.”

Greenfield man killed in Shelby Co. motorcycle crash

A Hancock County man was killed in a motorcycle accident Friday night.

 

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department says James McKee, 58, of Greenfield, was killed in the single vehicle crash on CR 600 West near the intersection of 1200 North about 10:00 pm Friday.

 

McKee was riding a 2016 Harley Davidson when it left the roadway and traveled down into a steep ditch.  McKee was thrown from the motorcycle. 

 

Moral Township and Shelbyville medics also responded

Waldron valedictorian to study Kinesiology at Purdue University

John and Monica Douglas have now raised two Waldron High School valedictorians.

 

Madeline Douglas will lead Waldron’s Class of 2021 through graduation ceremonies Saturday morning just as her brother, Stewart, did in 2019.

 

“It was kind of a goal because my older brother was valedictorian. I put it upon myself to fill his shoes and make that goal,” she said Thursday morning prior to graduation rehearsal.

 

Douglas will again follow her brother’s lead and attend Purdue University to study Kinesiology to get on the pre-physical therapy track.

 

With a large gold “P” on top of her graduation cap, it was easy to rib Douglas that she picked a great school to attend like Indiana University. She was quick to squash that fun and say Purdue is a big part of her family.

 

“A lot of my family went to Purdue,” she said. “My grandpa went to Purdue. My dad went to Purdue. My brother goes to Purdue. I have many cousins, my aunt … it runs in the family.”

 

The school record holder in cross country, a cheerleader, and member of Student Council, National Honor Society and Sunshine Society, Douglas proclaims she is ready to leave her small hometown for West Lafayette.

 

“I think I am excited to see what more is out there,” she said.

 

Purdue is telling students they will be in the classroom this fall but there may be restrictions with regards to the pandemic. After losing two-plus months of in-class learning as a junior at Waldron, Douglas knows she can adapt.

 

“At first, it was kind of weird,” recalled Douglas. “Getting into a routine was easy and figuring out how to manage my time. I think I did that pretty well. I kind of liked being able to get up a little later and do things on my own time and schedule.

 

“I put it upon myself to get into a routine of waking up and running everyday and then doing my school work. Some classes would be really quick and some would take longer, it just depended on the class.”

 

Other than one close-contact quarantine period, Douglas was relieved to be back in school for her final year.

 

“My senior year went better than I expected,” she said. “We made the best of the year. I am thankful for all that we got to do.”

 

Douglas has been Waldron’s top-ranked student in the Class of 2021 since she was a freshman. With the goal set to stay there, Douglas stayed focused on academics throughout her high school career.

 

Now, it’s time for new challenges.

 

“I am thankful for my time here at Waldron but I am excited to be a Boilermaker,” she said.

Orthodontics manufacturer expanding Johnson Co. operations, establishing global HQ

G&H Wire Company Inc. (G&H), a manufacturer and global provider of clinical orthodontic solutions, announced plans today to establish its global headquarters and expand manufacturing operations in Johnson County, creating up to 154 new jobs by the end of 2023.

“Indiana has a rich tradition of strength in life sciences, ranking second in the U.S. for these critical exports like pharmaceuticals, medical devices and orthopedics," said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. "The state continues to provide a vibrant life sciences sector for innovative companies like G&H to not only create a foundation, but plan for and achieve future success."

G&H will invest more than $3.3 million to establish its new, global headquarters at 40 Linville Way in Franklin. The company will lease and equip a 55,000-square-foot facility to house corporate offices as well as manufacturing operations, which have outgrown the company’s current space in Johnson County. The new facility, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year, will allow the company to support its growth plans in both domestic and worldwide markets.

“Global companies like ours have many options when determining where to locate facilities," said G&H CEO John Voskuil. "This location decision was critical to continuing G&H’s success. After evaluating multiple options, we chose to relocate and expand a short distance from our existing facility. This decision was made because the city of Franklin and the state of Indiana provide G&H a very competitive business environment, a quality workforce and an excellent location for distribution of our products.”

Operating for more than 40 years and with customers in more than 120 countries, G&H manufactures orthodontic supplies including brackets, bands, tubes, wires, springs and elastomerics. To support its growth in Franklin, the company, which currently employs 151 associates in the U.S. including 141 in Indiana, is hiring for both office and production positions. Interested applicants should apply at ghorthodontics.com/careers. 

“The city of Franklin understands the importance of attracting new businesses to the community, as well as nurturing those already a part of the existing business base, " said Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett. "G&H Orthodontics has been an asset to our business community, and we look forward to watching them flourish at their new location.”  

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered the G&H Wire Company Inc. up to $1.8 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in conditional training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired. The city of Franklin approved additional incentives. 

Indiana is the second-largest exporter of life sciences products in the U.S., totaling more than $10.5 billion. More than 2,100 life science companies operate in Indiana, supporting 56,575 Hoosier jobs with average wages of more than $102,000 annually. Indiana is also a leader in manufacturing, with 9,000 manufacturing facilities and the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the nation.  

About G&H Wire Company Inc.
For over 40 years, G&H Orthodontics has embodied exceptional quality and service. As a manufacturer, we own everything we do with a level of accountability not found elsewhere. From sourcing raw materials to final inspection, we control every step and stand behind our products with a Pain-Free Guarantee. Located in Franklin, Indiana, we proudly design and manufacture our products in the USA, and are registered to sell them in 93 countries. For more information about G&H, visit ghorthodontics.com.

Waste Management celebrates official opening of Crossroads Eco-Center in Morristown

The name change was complete. Waste Management bought out Morristown's CGS Services, Inc. in the fourth quarter of 2020.

 

On Thursday, Waste Management celebrated renaming the Morristown facility the Crossroads Eco-Center. 

 

An outdoor lunch was held along with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the facility.

 

"The transition happened a long time ago but today we are making it official bringing the former CGS and the former ADS family into our Waste Management family," said Aaron Johnson, Waste Management Great Lakes Area President. 

 

Morristown staff were asked to submit names for the facility and Crossroads Eco-Center was selected.

 

Jeff Brown photos

Waste Management celebrated the official opening of the Crossroads Eco-Center in Morristown with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday (top photo). Aaron Johnson (above), Waste Management Great Lakes Area President, talked to the large crowd gathered about how the Eco-Center is more than a traditional dump or landfill.

 

"Crossroads because it's been the state motto since I was a kid," said Johnson. "And then Eco-Center because it's more than a dump. Dumps and landfills sometimes have a negative connotation when you are talking about them in the public.

 

"Dumps were 1960s technology where you buried stuff and covered it with dirt. This is an Eco-Center and we have a lot of plans to expand what we do here, what we do with the energy, what we do with the liner systems and the leachate, our plans to produce energy in the future, the composting and the recycling, the hauling and the collection, and being a community partner. That is what an Eco-Center is and we wanted to attach that to the Crossroads name."

 

CGS started in 1946 as a family-owned business with four generations of the Caldwell family in operations. Johnson can relate as a fourth-generation "garbage man" from northern Indiana.

 

"For me, this is coming full circle," he said. "My family is similar to what the Caldwells designed here. I'm a fourth generation garbage man from LaPorte, Indiana. My great-grandfather started a garbage company in 1958."

 

Waste Management bought out Johnson Disposal in 2003 where Johnson has worked ever since.

 

"When one door closes another door opens and with that brings a lot of new possibilities," said Johnson. "I think this is an opportunity to improve and evolve as a company."

 

 

Family influence has Wendling headed to Purdue to study Engineering

The pandemic allowed Ethan Wendling more time to make money.

 

Southwestern High School was forced to go to virtual learning in March 2020 because of COVID-19. Students were outside of the school walls for nearly five months.

 

“I didn’t get much of a break because my dad is his own boss in construction so I was working with him,” said Wendling, the son of Albert and Tonya Wendling. “I always worked for him in the summer but I got an extra two months to work.”

 

The extra time to work did not bother Wendling but he was surprised when he returned to Southwestern in August for his senior year how much he missed his friends and classmates.

 

“It was more the lack of social life that I missed. I was with my family all day,” he said. “When I got back to school, I kind of forgot what it was like to talk to all my friends. It was kind of nice to come back.”

 

Wendling slipped right back into his school routine and finished his final year as salutatorian of the Class of 2021.

 

Wendling will attend Purdue University in the fall to study Engineering.

 

“I have known for awhile I wanted to do engineering-type things,” he explained. “My great uncle worked at Cummins his whole life, so I got to go there and experience some things which was cool.

 

“Purdue is a really good engineering school and once I got in, I knew that was where I wanted to go.”

 

Engineering is still a broad major but Wendling likes Purdue’s approach to helping students find their area of interest.

 

“The first year, all freshmen in Engineering take the same classes,” he said. “Your sophomore year is where you go into your areas. So you get a whole year to decide what you want to do.”

 

Wendling is leaning toward Mechanical Engineering or Construction Management.

 

“I want to see more of what it’s like (at Purdue) before I choose,” he said.

 

Southwestern honored the Class of 2021 Friday with commencement ceremonies at the school. And while Wendling is officially done as a student, he still has his baseball uniform.

 

Wendling is part of Southwestern’s record-setting baseball team that will make its first regional appearance Saturday since 1999. The Spartans take on Shakamak at 10 a.m. in the first regional semifinal game at Morristown.

 

Wendling is a Southwestern lifer, coming all the way through the school system. That has led to some special memories.

 

“This year for our senior class, we kind of got our own little field day,” he said. “And we played our final basketball game at the elementary playground. We were always playing basketball every day at recess … that was the best.

 

“Some days you had people coming in mad. It was always a fun memory. One time I even rolled my ankle so bad I ended up in a wheelchair. Someone dove in water one time. It was always crazy.”

 

The next time he steps into a classroom, it will be in West Lafayette, Indiana. Pandemic protocols are still a concern for colleges and universities, though, which could send students back to virtual learning.

 

“(Purdue) wants people to get vaccines and I already have mine so I don’t have to worry about it,” he said. “They are still trying to make it normal for people not vaccinated. I think they are trying to equalize it for everyone so they don’t have to get it.”

 

Until then, Wendling will play baseball and, of course, work.

 

“I will be working and making as much money as I can and, hopefully, having a little fun before I have to leave for Purdue,” he said with a smile.

Shelby County woman passed away almost four months after car accident

A Shelby County woman has died almost four months after a two-car crash in February that sent three people to the hospital.

 

Indiana State Police say one driver, Melinda Nevins, 28, of Shelbyville, was lifelined from the scene.  Nevins passed away Wednesday, June 2.

 

The two-vehicle crash occurred on State Road 9 near 600 South just before 5:30 pm.

 

The driver of the other vehicle went by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries – Kristi Cooper, 28, of Greensburg.  A passenger in her vehicle, Paul Cox, 37, of Plainfield, was also taken by ambulance for medical treatment.

 

Obituary notice

Melinda Marie Nevins, 28 of Shelbyville, passed away on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 in Indianapolis.

 

She was born on November 21, 1992 in South Bend, Indiana to Robert “Michael” Nevins and Cristal (Vinson) Nevins.   Melinda is survived by her fiancé, Troy Dunkleberger; daughter, Ariah Dunkleberger; parents, Michael and Cristal Nevins; brother, William Nevins; nephew, Isaiah Bratcher Nevins and paternal grandparents, Mark and Judy Nevins.  She was preceded in passing by her maternal grandparents, Stiles and Diane Vinson.

 

Melinda was a 2011 graduate of Franklin Community High School and attended Ivy Tech in Columbus, Indiana.   

 

Health and fitness was a passion of Melinda’s.  She was loved by many and always had an encouraging word.

 

Melinda was a devoted mother who was nurturing and dedicated to her daughter.  She loved her family and was very passionate and loyal as a daughter, sister, fiancé, granddaughter, aunt, niece and cousin.   

 

Melinda was so excited to join Troy’s family and was loved dearly by them.

 

A Celebration of Melinda’s life will be held on Sunday, June 6 at 3:00 p.m. at Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home, 2898 North Morton Street, (U.S. 31 North) in Franklin with visitation on Sunday, June 6 from 1:00 p.m. to time of service at 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shelbyville Shelby County Animal Shelter, 705 Hale Road, Shelbyville, Indiana 46176.

 

Expressions of caring and kindness may be received to the family at www.flinnmaguire.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nude woman jumped witness at Shelbyville Babe Ruth park

An unexpected disturbance sparked a call to Shelbyville Police from the Babe Ruth ball diamonds Tuesday night.

 

Police units were dispatched to 613 River Road in reference to a nude female in the park. On arrival, off duty officers were restraining a female that was screaming. The female was laying prone in the grass and covered with a blanket when patrol officers arrived.  The female was still kicking her legs and yelling incoherently.

 

A witness told officers that she was watching the baseball game when she turned around and saw a nude female walking her dog just outside the center field fence. The female was identified as Alicia Pollard. Pollard was told she needed to go due to her not wearing clothes and juveniles being present. However, Alicia continued to walk towards the baseball fence. The witness explained that Pollard walked up to the fence and flipped over it. Pollard was then rolling in the grass.

 

Pollard was told once again she needed to leave the baseball field.  She got up off the grass and started walking towards the victim. The victim was then jumped by Pollard. 

 

Pollard was removed from the victim and was eventually held by off-duty officers until patrol units arrived. 

 

At this time this is still an open investigation and charges are being considered.  

Southwestern valedictorian ready for new challenges at Indiana University

Christian DeArmitt had to think about the question, “When did you know you were smart?”

 

Ethan Wendling had the quicker answer, “When he was born.”

 

That brought a big laugh to DeArmitt, Southwestern High School’s Class of 2021 valedictorian. Wendling is the salutatorian.

 

DeArmitt has decided to follow in his family’s footsteps and attend Indiana University in the fall to study Business. Both his father and grandfather are IU graduates.

 

“It’s kind of a family thing,” said DeArmitt, the son of Mike and Jennifer DeArmitt.

 

With a little more thinking, DeArmitt came up with his own answer to the question.

 

“(Education) was definitely pushed from a young age. I was going to a bunch of summer stuff even before preschool,” he said. “That got me into reading at a young age, which is huge.

 

“I think in fourth grade when we saw some of the test scores, that kind of solidified things. My parents setting high expectations and starting at a young age, it put a lot of pressure on me but I guess it paid off.”

 

The road to graduation did not come easy, though. The COVID-19 pandemic made schools switch to virtual learning in March of 2020 and kept students out of the school setting for almost five months.

 

“It was a mixed experience,” said DeArmitt. “We were supposed to have a great baseball team and (the season) got cancelled. That was horrible.

 

“As far as school, I had some classes that took five minutes and some classes that took an hour. I was spending more time on some classes virtually than I would have in the classroom. So it was a mixed experience but I think we handled it pretty well compared to other schools.”

 

While his senior year was anything but normal, a full school year was held without resorting back to virtual learning.

 

“I give a lot of credit to the school administration and the teachers,” he said. “This was about as normal that I’ve heard schools getting comparatively to other states and other schools. It’s been a great experience.

 

“I got (close contact) quarantined a couple of times but that is part of it. For the most part, it’s been great athletically. Academically, it’s not been the best experience you could ask for in the middle of a pandemic.”

 

DeArmitt is now officially a graduate of Southwestern High School. Commencement ceremonies were Friday night. However, his athletic career is not yet complete.

 

DeArmitt, and Wendling, are members of the Spartans’ record-setting baseball program that captured its first sectional title Monday since 1999. Southwestern, now 22-4, will face Shakamak at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Morristown Regional.

 

Once the baseball season ends, DeArmitt can fully turn his attention toward IU and its pandemic policies, which are still being determined.

 

“What they have told us so far is they are going to try and do everything in person again … make it normal,” he said. “And vaccines are required. I already have mine. It will still be different but it will be a lot more normal than it has been.”

 

It will take some time away from Southwestern for DeArmitt to fully appreciate his senior year but he already knows it has turned out pretty special.

 

“I’m really enjoying this senior year winning all these sectionals,” he said. “This whole senior year has been pretty cool.”

Hillenbrand announces CEO retirement and succession plan

Hillenbrand, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: HI) announced today that Joe A. Raver, President and Chief Executive Officer, plans to retire at the end of 2021. The Board of Directors has appointed Kimberly K. Ryan to succeed Raver as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2022, at which time she will also join the Hillenbrand Board. She will become Executive Vice President of Hillenbrand effective immediately.

 

Kimberly (Kim) Ryan

 

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, the management team, and Hillenbrand's 11,000 employees, we want to thank Joe for his leadership and impact over his more than two decades with the organization," said Joe Loughrey, Hillenbrand Chairperson. "A steadfast and strategic leader, Joe has guided Hillenbrand since 2013. During his tenure, he played a significant role in transforming the Company from a $600 million death care business in North America to the approximately $2.5 billion global diversified industrial company it is today. In addition, Joe has been instrumental in the evolution of the Hillenbrand Operating Model and the Company's inorganic growth strategy, including the transformative acquisitions of Coperion and Milacron. The Board is sincerely grateful to Joe for his dedication to Hillenbrand and wishes him nothing but the best in this next chapter."

 

Ryan's selection is the culmination of a robust, multi-year leadership development and succession planning process led by the Board with the help of an independent external management consultant.

 

"With an experienced leadership team guided by the Hillenbrand Operating Model, a focused portfolio and a strong balance sheet, Hillenbrand is poised for success through this transition," added Loughrey. "For the past six years, Kim has led Coperion, and with her deep experience and strong track record of global leadership and execution, she is the right choice to lead Hillenbrand through its next phase of continued growth and shareholder value creation."

 

Ryan joined the Batesville Casket Company in 1989 and in her 33 years with Hillenbrand, has held many senior roles, including President of Batesville. Since 2015, she has been President of Coperion, Hillenbrand's largest business, where she built a strong management team and drove excellent results – achieving 30% revenue growth to approximately $1 billion in 2020 and over 500 basis points of improved EBITDA margin – while establishing Coperion as a clear global industry leader.

 

"It has been an honor to serve as CEO of Hillenbrand during this period of transformation and growth, and I want to offer my sincere thanks to our employees whose hard work and dedication have allowed us to achieve so much," said Raver. "I also want to thank our customers, communities, colleagues, shareholders, and the Board of Directors for their ongoing support. I have worked with Kim for many years and am confident she will be an excellent leader for Hillenbrand. I look forward to working closely together for the balance of the year to ensure a smooth transition."

 

The CEO transition begins June 2, 2021. Effective immediately, Ryan will have responsibility for the Company's businesses, including Mold-Masters, Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion, Coperion, and Batesville. The leaders of these businesses will report directly to Ryan, and she will lead the development and execution of their strategies and business plans to drive profitable growth. The other members of the Company's Executive Management Team will continue to report to Raver during the transition. As EVP, Ryan moves out of her role as President of Coperion. Ulrich Bartel, President of Coperion's Polymer Division, has been named Coperion President and joins the Hillenbrand Executive Management Team, effective immediately.

 

"I want to thank Joe Raver for his distinguished leadership at Hillenbrand and also the Board for its confidence in me as I step into this role," said Ryan. "I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to work with our talented leadership team and employees around the world to advance Hillenbrand's profitable growth strategy."

 

About Hillenbrand
Hillenbrand (www.Hillenbrand.com) is a global diversified industrial company with businesses that serve a wide variety of industries around the world. We pursue profitable growth and robust cash generation to drive increased value for our shareholders. Hillenbrand's portfolio includes industrial businesses such as Coperion, Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion, and Mold-Masters, in addition to Batesville, a recognized leader in the death care industry in North America. Hillenbrand is publicly traded on the NYSE under "HI."

 

Shelbyville Central Virtual School opening in fall

Shelbyville Central Schools has added a new school – one without walls.

 

Shelbyville Central Virtual School will present students with a different educational opportunity beginning this fall.

 

“It is a necessary move going forward and continuing to provide the education that students need,” said Andy Snow, the virtual school’s director. “And it is a necessary step because we’ve lost some students throughout the years to virtual programs and we are trying to bring those students back to Shelbyville Central Schools.”

 

The application process is underway. The registration form is at Shelbyville Central Schools’ website (scs.shelbycs.org).

 

For questions and more information, contact Snow (photo) at 318-398-1106 or send emails to aasnow@shelbycs.org.

 

Through the virtual option, students can avoid classrooms on a daily basis. However, the online curriculum will match what students are working on at each grade level and there will be an accountability factor.

 

“They will have the same expectations as if they were in the classroom as far as attendance goes,” said Snow. “They will need to log in five days a week and we have a set number of hours for each grade level that they are expected to be there.

 

“And based on their attention span and grade level, all the lessons will be differentiated for their grade level.”

 

Snow, SCS Technology Integration Specialist and a former teacher at Loper Elementary School in Shelbyville, will monitor all virtual students’ progress with the online learning system Edgenuity.

 

“It will provide educational support because every lesson provided has a video component to it, an instructor on screen just as if they were sitting in a classroom watching an instructor,” he said.

 

And if students are struggling with a particular subject, there will be teachers within the SCS system assigned to provide assistance.

 

“We will have instructors for each content area – a math instructor, a language instructor, a science instructor and so on so we can provide them with the instruction they need to be successful,” said Snow.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced school systems to improve online learning as an option but Snow believes virtual education was already trending toward reality in grades K-12.

 

“I think that this is a direction that education was headed even without the pandemic. I think the pandemic sped the process up,” he said. “I graduated from Western Governors University, which is an online college – and that was pre-pandemic. A lot of your colleges were already headed in that direction and I think K-12 education would eventually have followed suit.”

 

SCS has looked at other virtual schools as models and Edgenuity will meet all Indiana state standards for education.

 

While students will not be in an actual classroom, they will have the opportunity to join athletic programs at Shelbyville High School, Shelbyville Middle School and the elementary schools, and they can participate in Blue River Career Programs.

 

Those enrolling also will receive iPads from SCS and access to hot spots if they have limited internet access, according to Snow.

 

“There will a technology fee associated with it, but it would be about the same if they were in-person,” he said.

 

SCS currently had approximately 258 students district-wide learning virtually in 2020-2021.

 

Shelbyville Central Virtual School is capped at 300 students between kindergarten and 12th grade.

Purdue University renames its acclaimed equine hospital to the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, in support of the Indiana equine industry, is pleased to announce its partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the renaming of the college’s equine hospital in Shelbyville, Indiana, as the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital.

 

“We are delighted that Caesars Entertainment will be part of the mission of our hospital,” said Dr. Ellen Lowery, director of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. “Everything we do there is state of the art and involves the most current diagnostics and therapeutics, so I’m excited to see the continued innovation we are able to provide for our patients and clientele.”

 

Located near Indiana Grand Racing and Casino, the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital was opened in 2017 by Purdue as a satellite facility to provide medical support for Indiana’s growing equine industry. Since 2019, Caesars Entertainment has contributed close to $1.5 million to the hospital.

 

“We are honored Caesars Entertainment’s name will be on one of the most technologically advanced equine hospital and surgical centers in the country, right here in Shelbyville,” said Steve Jarmuz, senior vice president and general manager of Indiana Grand Racing and Casino.

 

Trent McIntosh, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, said, “Caesars Entertainment remains committed to supporting the communities in which we operate, including this premier hospital and the students of Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine. We are thrilled to share in all the benefits this facility brings to the growing horse racing community in Indiana.”

 

The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital provides an expert level of medical services to performance horses. Dr. Timm Gudehus, the hospital’s senior equine surgeon, said the facility offers specialized services such as advanced equine surgery, including long-bone fracture repair; orthopedic examinations involving advanced diagnostic imaging, including nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan); other diagnostic services such as digital radiography, ultrasound and dynamic endoscopy; and treatments that incorporate a range of biologics and stem cell therapy.

 

Adding to its already innovative services, the hospital will soon install a specialized large gantry helical CT scanning machine, which, Gudehus said, will be the first installation of its kind in the United States.

 

“The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital is an integral piece of Indiana’s racing community and continues to prove itself as a vital resource for horse owners, trainers and breeders,” said Joseph Morris, Caesars Entertainment vice president of racing. “Providing foundational and experiential learning for Purdue students, this pioneering facility is blazing trails in the advancement of care for the horse.”

Lack of state Pfizer supply to Shelby Co. to be repaired by clinics this week at Mt. Pisgah

Issues scheduling children in Shelby County for Pfizer vaccinations may be relieved with a shot clinic hosted by the state this week.

 

Robert Lewis with the Shelby County Health Department told county commissioners on Monday that scheduling kids for vaccines has ended with many turned away because the county hadn’t received vaccines from the state.

 

 

Lewis also notes what are called “breakthrough cases” in the county.

 

 

The vaccination clinics at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, 3718 East Blue Ridge Road, will be from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm June 2, 3 and 4.

 

Shelby County honors Memorial Day with courthouse service

Shelby County hosted Memorial Day services Monday on the steps of the Shelby County Courthouse.

 

Assistant Adjutant General – Army, Brigadier General Daniel Degelow served as the guest speaker. 

 

 

Degelow is a Rushville High School graduate. He serves as a principle advisor to the adjutant general and is responsible for assisting in formulating, developing, and coordinating programs, policies and plans affecting the Indiana Army National Guard and more than 11, 000 citizen – soldiers.

 

 

 

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