Shelbyville Central Schools and local law enforcement continued their investigation over the weekend into what was described as a potential threat that took place on Friday.

Dr. Matt Vance, Superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools, released the following statement regarding what is now believed to be a false report made by a student:

Following an investigation conducted by our school administration and school resource officers, it has been determined that a student made a false report with the apparent intent of misleading our staff into believing it was a genuine threat. The school will take appropriate action regarding the student, and law enforcement is still actively involved in assessing whether legal action is necessary.

I genuinely appreciate the dedication and efforts of our school administration and the police officers involved.  Thank you for your support of our schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Matt Vance

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MPD officers located and arrested an escaped inmate who walked away from a work crew at the Edinburgh Correctional Facility Monday morning.

Marion Jaynes was found at an Indianapolis residence in the 4400 block of West Vermont Street.

Jaynes is serving a 20-year sentence for burglary.

The Edinburgh Correctional Facility is a minimum-security prison at Camp Atterbury with crews that work in several areas of the camp.

A freeze warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Monday evening to 10 a.m. EDT Tuesday.

Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 22 are expected across central Indiana.

Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

The following message was sent by Shelbyville Central Schools Superintendent Matt Vance in response to a situation Friday involving  the handling of a potential threat to school safety.

No official word on the source of the threat has been provided to GIANT fm News.

Dear Shelbyville High School Parents,

I hope this message finds you well. We would like to bring to your attention an issue that has come to our notice concerning a potential threat to the safety of our students and staff. We want to emphasize that this threat is unverified at this time, but we take all matters related to the safety of our school community very seriously.

Here are the key points you should be aware of:
1. Unverified Threat: We have received information about a potential threat to the school, but at this time, the credibility and seriousness of this threat have not been confirmed. We are working closely with local law enforcement to assess the situation.
2. Safety Measures: In response to this information, we have implemented additional safety measures within the school to ensure the safety of all students and staff members. These measures will remain in place until the situation is thoroughly evaluated.
3. Police Cooperation: Local law enforcement agencies are actively involved in this matter and are assisting us in determining the validity of the threat. We are following their guidance and recommendations to address the situation appropriately.
4. Remain Calm: We understand that situations like this can cause concern and anxiety. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of your children are our top priorities. We will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.
5. Communication: We will provide any needed updates on this matter as they become available. It is essential to rely on official communication from the school for accurate and up-to-date information. Avoid spreading rumors or unverified information.
6. Report Suspicious Activity: If you or your child come across any information or behaviors that raise concerns, please report them to the school administration or local law enforcement immediately. While the StopIt app is helpful in reporting bullying and other issues, we also need first hand information in order to properly investigate.

Your child's safety is our utmost concern and we will continue to work diligently to ensure a safe and secure learning environment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Matt Vance
Superintendent
Shelbyville Central Schools

The Crossroads Air Show including the Blue Angels is in Hancock County.

The Hancock County Sheriff's Department has some items motorists should know for the weekend:

Avoid the Mt. Comfort area if you are not attending the Crossroads Air Show

Mt. Comfort Road (600 West) will remain open at all times but will be congested

County Road 400 West between 300 North and 500 North (on the east side of the airport) will be CLOSED to ALL traffic during the following times while the Blue Angels are practicing or performing:

• Friday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Saturday, 3:00 p.m - 4:30 p.m.

• Sunday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Law enforcement from numerous agencies will be present in the area to direct everyone safely through the Mt. Comfort area all weekend.

The City of Shelbyville’s new Bike Share program is ready to roll.

On Thursday at Blue River Memorial Park, the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the arrival of the new fleet of bicycles.

“I want to thank everybody for the support,” said Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun. “Over the last several years, we have tried to increase accessibility in our parks. Bicycle opportunities like this are the purest form of alternative transportation.

“And we talk about being able to provide transportation other than vehicles, so for those people that don’t have a vehicle this is a great opportunity for them to get from point A to Point B. It also promotes tourism and it brings notability to our community.”

The parks department has established three docking stations that will hold a total of 15 bicycles. The docking stations are near the main shelter house at Blue River Memorial Park, near the Mainstreet Shelbyville office in downtown Shelbyville and at the trailhead building at the N. Harrison St. bridge.

There is no cost to check out a bicycle. Through an app accessible via smartphones, riders must fill out their name, have a valid credit card on file and sign a waiver form accepting responsibility for the bicycle’s return. Once that is complete, the docking station will unlock the bicycle for use.

Bicycles, which are numbered and monitored by the parks department, can be returned to any of the three docking stations now in use. All three docking stations are near the city’s expansive trails system that is still growing.

“I am super excited,” said parks department director Trisha Tackett. “This has been worked on for months. This is not something that happened in the last two months or the last five months. This is something that has been going on for a little bit.”

The parks department will allow the bicycles to be rented from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until the bicycles are stored away for the winter months.

“This is going to be a wonderful thing for the trails and just for downtown,” continued Tackett.

The Bike Share program was created through a partnership with the Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau, Blue River Community Foundation, Duke Energy, and Major Health Partners Foundation.

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Sarah Richardt sees big possibilities as the new Executive Director of the Grover Center in Shelbyville.

A museum veteran from both the Chicago area and Columbus, Ohio, Richardt was hired to replace Alex Krach, who recently accepted a museum position in northern New York.

“My plan in life was to work in a zoo,” said Richardt from her new office at the Grover Center museum, 52 W. Broadway. “I did that for seven years. I was tired of wet feet, and you have to feed the animals every day so I was working Christmas. I didn’t think I wanted to do that for the rest of my life.”

Zoos and museums are structurally similar, according to Richardt, so that transition came seamlessly.

“They all have collections. They have to manage the collections,” she explained. “You have to manage your visitors. You have to manage your board of directors and your volunteers. They are set up the exact same way.

“A lot of zoos and museums, the professional organizations collaborate because they are the same. Again, they just have a different type of collection.”

Richardt took a position with the Lombard Historical Society in the Chicago suburb of Lombard, Illinois. One of the features of the museum was an Underground Railroad site.

Richardt followed her husband to Columbus and took a position with the Kelton House Museum and Garden – a 10,000 square foot mansion, also with ties to the Underground Railroad. Just as she settled in, her husband was transferred to Indianapolis. Her love of the Columbus museum kept her in the area for three more years. She commuted back and forth to Indianapolis to see her husband.

“In June, I said we haven’t lived together for three years and we’ve been married for 30 years,” she said. “It was probably time to live with my husband again. So I moved to Indy and found this job.”

For more on Alex Krach leaving the Grover Center, click on the link: https://shelbycountypost.com/local-news/702567/krach-leaving-grover-center-for-museum-in-upstate-new-york

The sheer size of the Grover Center is different than her previous two museum positions. She is excited about the opportunity to create bigger exhibits.

“There are some stories that I think we can really tap into that will be interesting throughout Shelby County … and how the stories here in Shelbyville and Shelby County and the Grover, how they are national stories,” said Richardt. “But everything starts local. There are things we can expand upon and teach, because we are first and foremost education. That’s what we do.

“This place is so hyper-focused on local, and that’s what is different from what I’ve been at and what I’ve seen. It is so incredibly, ‘This is Shelby County.” That is a lot different from where I’ve been personally.”

Richardt is originally from Fort Wayne and went to Purdue to study Wildlife Science which led to her first zoo job. She met her husband, had two daughters and realized zoo life was not her interest anymore.

“I kind of fell into a museum and started working with this absolutely fabulous woman,” said Richardt. “She already had her master’s degree and studied African-American history and the Underground Railroad together. I did that for a long time. I ended up being the director there.”

The desire to get away from Chicago shifted the family’s focus.

“Three of us moved to Columbus, Ohio,” said Richardt, whose youngest daughter was still in the Marines, serving in Japan.

With her husband already set up in Columbus, Richardt wrapped up her work in Lombard and moved to Ohio in April of 2020.

“I got there the middle of April and a week later he got transferred to Indianapolis,” she said. “The plan was I was going to take this little museum job and he was going to take this little sales job in a tree company. It was a big company but he was going to take a small job and we were going to kind of coast for the next 15 years and retire. We had a crazy life in Chicago.”

Now, the Richardts’ two daughters own the house in Columbus and Sarah has a new museum to nurture in Shelbyville.

“I am a museum person,” she said. “A lot of people come this way because they are not-for-profit people or they live in a town and want to be a part of something. I am a museum person. I am a public historian.”

On the job for about a month, Richardt is already dreaming up new exhibits while studying Shelbyville’s and Shelby County’s history.

“Do I know Shelbyville? Absolutely not,” she said. “I am relying on volunteers and the board and the community to help me. ... I have the opportunity to work with some really great people that are already here. I am excited about that.”

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Blue River Memorial Park is the site for the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department Halloween Fun at the Park Friday night.

The event is from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. for ages 12 and under. It will feature pony rides, games and crafts, a haunted trail, concessions with chili, popcorn, hot dogs, apple cider slushees.

There also will be a petting zoo and a trunk or treat by Poor Boys Car Club.

Kids with wristbands will receive a free pumpkin while supplies last. Wristbands can be purchased before the event at the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department, 945 S. Tompkins St., for $8. They will be $10 at the event.

GIANT fm will provide music and sounds of the season.

A traffic note for Friday -- when arriving at Blue River Memorial Park use the Lee Boulevard entrance to come in for the Halloween fun festival. There is also a softball tournament at the park that evening.

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The Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors has announced a traffic switch on U.S. 36 in Fortville. 

Beginning on or after November 6, crews will switch traffic on U.S. 36 to the south side of U.S. 36. There will be two-way traffic with one westbound lane and one eastbound lane. This traffic switch will take two days, weather permitting. All side streets south of U.S. 36 will be open except Maple Street. All northbound access from U.S. 36 will be closed.

Motorists will be able to access the north side of U.S. 36 via State Road 13 or Staat Street. 

During this new phase of traffic, crews will:

• install a temporary pedestrian crossing at Merrill Street
• mill existing pavement in the former westbound lane of U.S. 36
• saw cut approaches, new water line and storm sewer

This configuration will continue through November 2024, weather permitting. The official detour of this project is State Road 234 to State Road 9. 

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Honda announced that it will introduce the Civic hybrid in the U.S. and Canada in 2024, in both sedan and hatchback variations, advancing its electrification strategy through products and a hybrid-electric system made in North America.

Production 1 of the new Civic hybrid sedan will begin in spring 2024 at Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) in Alliston, Ontario. This will be followed shortly by the hatchback, which will be manufactured at the Indiana Auto Plant (IAP) in Greensburg, with the two-motor hybrid- electric power unit to be built by the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio and the 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine made at the Anna Engine Plant in Ohio.

Both HCM and IAP already support production of the Honda CR-V hybrid.

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A new multi-tenant commercial building site plan was approved Monday by the City of Shelbyville Plan Commission which keeps a project that will bring Smoothie King and Wingstop to the city moving forward.

The new building will be located at 1830 State Road 44 at the east end of the Rivergate subdivision near the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The 3,000 square-foot building will be equally split between Wingstop and Smoothie King, which will have a drive-thru lane for service.

MAP Shelbyville, LLC is the business owner with Morgan Highum serving as owner and franchisee of the two retail facilities.

There are still conditions to be met before construction can begin, including the finalization of the purchase of the one-acre property that will stand alone from the Rivergate businesses.

In addition, the city engineer must approve a drainage report, which had not yet been submitted as of Monday night’s meeting at City Hall, and staff approval of the landscape plan that was not yet finalized.

Wingstop features wings, fries and sides, according to its website (wingstop.com).

Smoothie King offers countless combinations for fruits, vegetables and nutritional enhancers to deliver a blend to meet your individual goals, according to its website (smoothieking.com).

Both retails outlets will purposely be designed with limited seating. Only eight seats will be in each outlet.

“With Wingstop, 75%, if not more, is delivery and take out,” said Steven Kolber of Kolbrook Design, the petitioner’s representative. “Not a lot of people sit and eat in Wingstops anymore. The capacity is designed to be grab-and-go.”

Once the site development plan is fully approved, the plan is to break ground as quickly as possible, according to Kolber.

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Attorney General Todd Rokita and 41 other attorneys general sued Meta in federal and state courts alleging that the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens. At the same time, according to the lawsuit Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users.  

“Our children are our most precious God-given gift, as they are our future generation,” Attorney General Rokita said. “This is just the next step in our endless fight to protect our youth from harmful, toxic platforms.” 

The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  

The suit states that hese practices have harmed and continue to harm the physical and mental health of children and teens and have fueled what the U.S. Surgeon General has deemed a “youth mental health crisis” which has ended lives, devastated families, and damaged the potential of a generation of young people. 

The federal complaint alleges that Meta knew of the harmful impact of its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on young people. Instead of taking steps to mitigate these harms, it misled the public about the harms associated with use of its platform, concealing the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to use of its platforms. 

The complaint further alleges that Meta knew that young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms, and knowingly collected data from these users without parental consent. It targeted these young users noting, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article, that such a user base was “valuable, but untapped.”  

While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens. Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement.  

The suit further claims Meta knew these addictive features harmed young people’s physical and mental health, including undermining their ability to get adequate sleep, but did not disclose the harm nor did they make meaningful changes to minimize the harm. Instead, they claimed their platforms were safe for young users.  

These choices, the complaint alleges, violate state consumer protection laws and COPPA. The federal complaint seeks injunctive and monetary relief to rectify the harms caused by these platforms. 

Multiple states also sued TikTok for similar conduct, following Indiana’s lead. 

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Indiana’s unemployment rate in September stands at 3.6%, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. By comparison, the national unemployment rate for September stands at 3.8%.

In addition, Indiana’s labor force participation rate sat at 63.4% for September, remaining above the national rate of 62.8%. This rate is the percentage of Hoosiers 16 and older that are either working or actively looking for work. Those not in the labor force include, primarily, students, retirees and other non-working populations, such as individuals unable to work due to a disability or illness, or adults responsible for their family's childcare needs.  

Indiana’s total labor force stands at 3,426,114 - a decrease of 3,237 from the previous month.

"Today's tight labor market is evidence that now is a great time for Hoosiers to find their dream job or get started with training to pursue a new career," said DWD Commissioner Richard Paulk. "Despite these labor market trends, there are also avenues for our employers to build and grow talent they already have, specific to their needs with resources available through our agency or regional workforce offices."

Private sector employment in Indiana increased by 7,300 jobs over the last month, resulting in a gain of 44,200 jobs from this time last year. Indiana's September private employment stands at 2,850,000, which is a new private employment peak. 

Industries that experienced job increases in September included:

• Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+5,600)
• Leisure and Hospitality (+3,000)
• Financial Activities (+700)
• Manufacturing (+500)

As of Oct. 17, 2023, there were 106,807 open job postings throughout the state. In September, 14,348 unemployment insurance claims were filed in Indiana.

Individuals looking for work, training or career information are encouraged to visit in.gov/dwd/job-seekers.

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Early voting for the November 7 municipal election is underway in Shelby County.

Voters can go to the Shelby County Courthouse Monday through Friday, today through Nov. 3, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Courthouse hours also are available on the Saturdays leading up to the election, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The final day for early voting will be at the courthouse on Nov, 6, 8 a.m. - noon.

Crossroad Community Church, 475 E. Progress Parkway in Shelbyville, will host early voting on two dates, Oct, 28 and Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Governor Eric J. Holcomb and the Indiana National Guard hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest readiness center in Atlanta.

The new facility will include approximately 66,000 square feet of space on an existing, state-owned 55-acre plot of land in Hamilton County.

"In May, I proudly signed a budget including $8 million in funding for the Indiana National Guard’s new Hamilton County Readiness Center,” said Gov. Holcomb. “Indiana will continue to invest in supporting the men and women who answer a call to serve at home and abroad, respond to state emergencies and secure our peace and freedoms."

The center will house the 38th Sustainment Brigade headquarters company, its detachment and special troops battalion, and the 338th Signal Company and approximately 300 Hoosier Guardsmen. The new facility will meet current code, American Disabilities Act and Anti-terrorism Force Protection requirements.

"The three units that will be supported here work together to support approximately 10,000 soldiers in support of large-scale combat operations and state active duty," said Gen. Lyles. "Ensuring we’re always ready means ensuring our training and our facilities are modern and that we attract talent to the thrilling and fulfilling multitude of part-time careers we offer."

In addition to the Hamilton County readiness center, which will to be a home for Indiana National Guard units in the decades ahead, the State of Indiana has invested more than $9 million since 2019 to modernize the Bluffton, Danville and Martinsville readiness centers.

The new facility is set to open in 2026.

The Greenfield Police Department is warning the community regarding computer scams.

In recent months there have been several occasions involving persons being scammed or tricked by messages on their personal computers.  During online activity, a message appears on the screen.

A common message is as follows;  

WARNING - Do not restart your computer. Your computer is disabled. Please contact Microsoft. Access block security reason for this computer. Please contact support immediately. A Microsoft engineer will help you solve the problem over the phone.  Directions are given with a provided telephone number. 

Once contact is made, the victim is informed that their bank account has been hacked. The suspect then remotely accesses the computer. Once accessed, the suspect tells you some type of criminal activity is being funded via the victim's bank. The suspect then proceeds to explain that due to a criminal investigation money needs to be transferred or paid to assist in the investigation. 

The payment is required to be sent via a bitcoin transaction. The victim is informed to withdraw cash and take it to an ATM that accepts currency and exchanges it to bitcoin. 

An image is sent via text message with a QR code.

At this point, your money is gone.

An example of the text message:

If this happens to you, please do the following:

1.  Do not call the number on your screen.

2.  Do not "X" out or close out program.

3.  Immediately restart your computer

4.  If page will not close or computer will not turn off, remove power (unplug or remove battery).

5.  Wait approximately five minutes and restart computer.

6. If warning remains on screen at start up, contact the police department

Shelby County residents and corporations are encouraged to support local nonprofit organizations for ‘Serve Shelby Day’ (National Philanthropy Day) on November 15.

Whether you want to take on a service project for a local organization, donate financially, or purchase an item for them that they need the most, we encourage you or your business to give back to our local nonprofit organizations. Anyone who wishes to contribute should contact the organizations directly.

Check off a need from a Shelby County Nonprofit’s Wishlist:

Animal Outreach of Shelby County

Contact: KerryAnn May, (317) 364-4227, kerryann@shelbycats.com

Requested Items: Canned kitten food (any brand), potty pads, baby scales or food scales, heating pads without auto-shutoff

Boys & Girls Clubs of Shelby County

Contact: Scott Spahr, (317) 512-5033, sspahr@shelbycountybgc.com

Requested Items: Prepackaged Food Items and Individual Juice Boxes (*160 children served per day)

Service Project Need: Volunteers to help with programming

Bridge Ministries

Contact: Ali Brunner, (317) 512-4647, ali@shelbybridge.org

Requested Items: Bottled Water, Disposable Cutlery (Spoons, Forks, Knives), Styrofoam Plates, K-Cups, Individual Coffee Creamers

Service Project Need: Volunteers to paint a meeting room

Friends of the Shelby County Public Library

Contact: Sandy Whitten, (317) 442-4735, shelbylibraryfriends@gmail.com Requested Items: Used Books

Service Project Need: Develop a website with merchandise & book inventory. Volunteers to ‘shelf read’ in Used Bookstore, maintain the website, and process the Friends Email Box. Gift wrap like books for easy purchasing

Human Services, Inc.

Contact: Justa Clark, (317) 398-3153, jclark@hsi-indiana.com.

Requested Items: Nonperishable Food Items, Shampoo, Soap, Paper Products (Paper Towels/Toilet Paper), Personal Hygiene Items

KidZone Preschool & Childcare

Contact: Angi Elliott, (317) 398-7837, angi@kpcministry.com Requested Items: Cleaning Supplies / Paper Products, Daily Morning & Afternoon Snacks (*40 children), Arts & Craft Supplies

Service Project Need: Staining a few pieces of playground equipment to help weatherize them

MHP Pediatrics, OB/GYN

Contact: Lynne Arbuckle, (317) 398-5212, larbuckle@majorhospital.org.

Requested Items: Gas Cards, Diaper Vouchers

Pete Jarvis Organization Inc.

Contact: Brett Sturgill, (317) 427-5065, contact@petejarvisorganization.com Requested Items: Amazon Gift Cards, Kroger Gift Cards, Walmart Gift Cards, Hats, Gloves, Socks

Rupert‘s Kids

Contact: Brandy Cameruca, (317) 251-4732, office@rupertskids.com

Requested Items: Pots and Pans for Large Groups, Vacuum, Carpet Cleaner, Pillows, 25 lb Bucket of 3 in/4 in Screws for Exterior Wood

Service Project Need: Paint the Warehouse exterior; Exterior beautification of the Arcade; Finish work and paint lobby of main office

Shelby County Pantry Pals

Contact: Greg Gerline, gerlinegg@yahoo.com

Requested Items: Food donated to local pantries. Financial contributions can be made to the Shelby County Pantry Pals Fund administered by Blue River Community Foundation.

Shelby County Tourism & Visitors Bureau

Contact: Rachel Ackley, (317) 398-9623, rachael@visitshelbycounty.com

Requested Items: All-weather Brochure Rack for Outside Placement, Small Canvas Boards, Acrylic Paints, Paint Brushes

Service Project Need: Construction of the exterior brochure rack for after-hour use to acquire area guides and maps; Judges for children’s art

Shelby County United Fund (SCUFFY)

Contact: Alecia Gross, (317) 398-6231, alecia@scuffy.org Requested Items: Kroger Gift Cards, Cases of Water, Bags of Candy for Parade Giveaway

Service Project Need: Attic debris removal, windows washed, interior of outbuilding cleaned/painted

Shelby Senior Services

Contact: Kim Koehl, (317) 398-0127, kkoehl@shelbyseniorservices.org

Requested Items: Food for Pantry (*Delivered to shut-in seniors twice per month): Frozen Hamburger/Sausage (*1lb packages), Canned Fruit/Veggies, Canned Tuna/Chicken, Condensed Milk, Peanut Butter, Toilet Paper

Service Project Need: Volunteers to deliver food to shut-in seniors twice a month

Shelby Supply Co

Contact: Craig Olson, (317) 512-1293, craig@shelbysupply.co

Requested Items: Copy Paper, 55 Gallon Contractor Garbage Bags, Gallon Bottles of Titebond 3 Wood Glue, Builder’s Gift Cards, Amazon Gift Cards

Southwestern PTO

Contact: Sandi Landwerlen, (317) 398-6281, swpto600s@gmail.com Requested Items: Donations to pay for new mulch at the playground and to replace playground equipment

Service Project Need: Volunteers to remove old mulch and add new mulch

Turning Point Domestic Violence Services

Contact: Christina Thompson, (812) 657-1874, christinathompson@turningpointdv.org

Requested Items: Gas & Grocery Gift Cards, Pots & Pan Sets, Utensils, New Towels, Small Household Items

Service Project Need: “Move-in Baskets” - Laundry basket with toilet paper, cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc.; Copying intake packets and putting them in folders

Women‘s Journey to Hope

Contact: Debbie Whiteside, (317) 512-9547, dwhiteside0467@gmail.com

Requested Items: Gift Cards for Personal Hygiene Items, Gas Gift Cards for Staff, Paper Products (Toilet Paper, paper towels, feminine products, etc.), Food Donations

Service Project Need: Women to help drive ladies to and from appointments

If another day is more convenient for you to give a gift or to volunteer, simply contact the organization directly to set a date.

Attempts were made to contact all local nonprofits. If you do not see a nonprofit that is important to you listed, you're encouraged to reach out to them to find out how you can make their day. 

If you want to add your organization’s needs on the online wishlist, please contact Laura Land at lland@blueriverfoundation.com.

Serve Shelby (serveshelby.com) is an initiative of Blue River Community Foundation that is designed to help connect the Shelby County community to local Nonprofits. The website serves as a local hub for nonprofits to share their news, events and needs. Resources and grant opportunities are also shared via the website to help organizations build capacity.

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Indiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Dale Lyles, Indiana’s adjutant general, joined PR?V Mobility Ecosystem CEO John Fairbanks to announce the transformation of a section of Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh into a hub for mobility innovation.
The 10-year, $940,000 lease of state-owned roadways within Camp Atterbury’s north post will enable PR?V to provide an independent and secure location to test state-of-the-art, next generation advanced mobility innovations, including autonomous vehicles and associated technology for industry clients.
“Days like today highlight the Indiana National Guard’s commitment to simultaneously strengthening our national defense readiness, propelling industry innovation and our Hoosier economy and opening the door to even more thrilling career opportunities for Guardsmen and civilians here in Indiana,” said Lyles. “Camp Atterbury and the Indiana National Guard’s unique dual mission of serving our state and our nation are the perfect fit for this modern, model approach.”
The proving ground is located on the northern portion of Camp Atterbury, including 10.2 miles of road behind a secure fence line, making it ideal for secure and confidential research, development and testing of advanced vehicle systems and technologies. The as-is site offers configurable routes and scenarios to support testing of various levels of vehicle performance in a range of weather conditions and environments. PR?V’s upgrades and infrastructure improvements to the site will support the Indiana National Guard’s current and future base operations.
"We are excited to open this testing site with a vision for an advanced proving ground campus in Indiana that provides companies in the advanced mobility sector a premier location to safely test and validate new technologies," said Fairbanks. "As a tremendous asset for automotive and associated technology groups, mobility companies and the Department of Defense in developing, testing and deploying advancements in vehicle technologies, this flagship facility will create economic opportunity, support workforce development, and cement Indiana's position as a leader in transportation innovation.”
The future proving ground campus is envisioned to include a vehicle dynamics area, urban street grid, rural roads, off-road terrain, and support facilities for flexibility of testing scenarios. The campus will be available 24/7 for use by vehicle, system and component developers, suppliers, technology companies, researchers and government entities.

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As part of its response to public criticism of excessive bullying issues within the Shelbyville Central Schools system, the school board commissioned a summer survey of all the stakeholders in the community.

Organized by Dr. Bradley Balch of Indiana State University, the 7-minute survey was administered beginning in June and running through September. On Wednesday at the Shelbyville Central Schools board work session prior to its monthly meeting, Dr. Balch presented an executive summary of the findings.

The board members and SCS administration received the survey results earlier in the day.

“We got it today at 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. It was enough time to review it but not really to digest it,” said SCS board president Curt Johnson after the board meeting.

A total of 483 surveys were recorded, according to Dr. Balch (photo, at podium). The most responses came from parents (285) and students (102). Certified staff provided another 89 surveys.

The following are points the survey provided:

• Eighty-eight percent responded positively regarding the overall safety of the school district
• Ninety-two percent responded positively regarding the overall safety of the extracurricular or co-curricular activities
• From student questions, 76% responded they had observed someone being bullied
• 50% of students responded they have been bullied at school
• In terms of missing school because a respondent felt unsafe, 56% responded never. For those reporting missing school, 35% reported one or two times per month, and 9% reported one of two times per week
• When students were asked what adults could do better to stop bullying, 33% responded with supervise the school better
• When students were asked if they’ve ever carried a weapon to school, 98% responded “no.” However, 1% indicated they do so one to two times per month and 1% responded they do so one or two times per week
• When students were asked if they knew how to report bullying on the Stop-It app used by SCS, 54% indicated “yes,” 34% indicated “no,” and 12% indicated “maybe.”
• When parents/guardians were asked if their child had shared being bullied, 59% indicated “yes,” 40% indicated “no,” and 1% “didn’t know.”

Dr. Balch noted that the term “bullied” was not defined for the respondents.

There are more detailed breakdowns of the responses for each SCS school within the survey presented to the school board and administration. Wednesday’s work session was just an overview of the results.

“The best take away from the meeting tonight, which I had not considered, was the possibility of giving the survey again,” said Johnson. “Because we have already implemented some changes to try and address the concerns. We have to find a way to assess the data we got tonight and see how we can incorporate it in an actionable way.”

As part of the survey, an open-ended question was asked of parents and guardians to offer suggestions for improvement.

Some of the feedback included:

• There is a general perception that bullying is ignored and not acted upon
• There is a desire for more cameras in blind spots
• A desire for a greater focus on student mental health and wellness
• A desire for improved communication within the schools and with parents
• A desire for a greater school resource officer (SRO) presence in all buildings
• A concern that phone usage during class time is problematic

“What we’re really trying to do is exactly what we said we were going to do,” said Johnson. “We told people we were going to pursue this. We’ve instituted some new changes already. We’re looking at the depth of the problem and seeing what we can incorporate from that.”

The school board held a public meeting in the second semester of the 2022-2023 school year to hear from parents and guardians about the perception bullying is negatively affecting students, especially at Shelbyville Middle School. That meeting was well attended.

On Tuesday, only two members of the public attended the work session that was advertised through local media and social media avenues.

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Major Health Partners continues to expand its footprint at Intelliplex Park with the opening of MedWorks Pharmacy at 2123 Intelliplex Drive.

Jack Horner, President and Chief Executive Officer of MHP, welcomed staff, city and county dignitaries and guests to the new pharmacy Tuesday for an official “Grand Opening” on the city’s north side.

“This business has been built from a really small operation,” said Horner. “It was in a closet and we just did prescriptions and it continued to expand and continued to expand where we now provide for multiple entities throughout the community, from the local government, several of our factories, the on-site piece and all of our employees and, of course, open across the board to the public.”

MedWorks Pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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The Hancock County Sheriff Department is investigating the disappearance of Charles Millis, 76.

Millis is described as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 171 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes.

He was last seen wearing a button up shirt, slacks, gray cowboy hat, and driving a blue 2017 Chevrolet Equinoz with license plate (IN) # AI193J.

Millis is missing from Wilkinson. He was last seen on Wednesday, at 12:10 pm.

The Silver Alert notes that he is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance. 

Anyone with information on Charles Millis, contact Hancock County Sheriff Department at 317-477-4400 or 911.

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Shelbyville’s two mayoral candidates took part in a debate Tuesday at the Strand Theatre organized by GIANT fm radio.

Audio from Tuesday's debate can be heard here:

Republican candidate Scott Furgeson and Democrat candidate Nic Weber addressed the audience in attendance at the downtown Shelbyville theatre as well as listeners of the live broadcast on 96.5 fm for nearly an hour.

One of the two men will be elected mayor on Nov. 7 and replace three-term mayor Tom DeBaun, who opted not to run for a fourth term, on Jan. 1, 2024.

Furgeson is the experienced candidate. He was the mayor for two terms before DeBaun and served two terms as a city councilman before becoming mayor. He is currently serving on the city council once again representing the fourth district.

“We did a lot of things when I was mayor and I am thankful to the people for putting up with what we got done at that point and time,” said Furgeson in his opening remarks Tuesday. “We have gone about things trying to change Shelbyville. We’ve been trying to change Shelbyville.

“Mayor (Bob) Williams tried to change Shelbyville. Mayor (Frank) Zerr tried to change Shelbyville. Mayor (Betsy) Stephens tried to change Shelbyville. I tried to change Shelbyville for eight years. And mayor DeBaun has tried to change what we are in Shelbyville.”

Furgeson admitted his perspective has changed 20 years after first becoming a public servant.

“I don’t know if changing Shelbyville is what I would focus on this time,” said Furgeson. “I think we are a great community. We have a lot of great things in our community. We have gone about change and all kind of done things similarly.

“I think we need to approach it in a different way. We are only as good as our weakest citizens in our community.”

Dealing with homelessness, drugs and mental health issues are key talking points in this election. Weber, a two-decade firefighter and paramedic with the Shelbyville Fire Department and a plumbing contractor for three decades, has seen the struggles of local citizens first hand.

“I believe my strongest quality to apply to being mayor will be communication and my problem-solving skills that I’ve developed with the fire department and in the plumbing business,” said Weber in his opening remarks. “You find yourself thrown into situations that many people don’t have the answer to and we just seem to figure it out, try to do the best thing for whomever we are serving at the time and try to give them the dignity they deserve and the care they deserve.”

GIANT fm News Director Johnny McCrory moderated the event. Questions and talking points included city emergency services, housing growth that could spur desired retail and restaurant growth, improving business opportunities on the city’s west side and improvements to the State Road 9 corridor from the north into downtown Shelbyville.

The radio broadcast will be available to listen to Thursday at the Shelby County Post (www.shelbycountypost.com) – the digital newspaper operated by GIANT fm – by clicking on the “Podcasts” header near the top of the page.

Weber was added to the Democratic ticket May 2. He is seeking to follow fellow Democrat Tom DeBaun into the city’s leadership role.

“I am a first-time politician. Well, I am not a politician. I am a first-time candidate,” said Weber. “This is 100% new to me. I would really like to think it’s something I’ve fantasized for years, (having) common sense applied to politics and to leadership for our community. We’ve been very fortunate to have some great leaders in our community but I feel like it’s a different perspective that I bring.”

Furgeson defeated Brad Ridgeway, the Republican candidate for mayor against DeBaun in 2019, and David Finkel, who is a member of the city’s Board of Works and is a member of the Shelbyville Central Schools board, in the primary election in May.

He is the owner of Cagney’s Pizza King restaurant in Shelbyville.

“We are going to continue to spin our wheels trying to be better but we are never going to make it,” he continued in his opening remarks. “We need more of our citizens in the work force. We need people to be active. We need to make people more productive in our community.”

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Gillman Do it Best® Home Centers will celebrate the grand opening of its 16th location in Shelbyville, Ind., with a weekend-long celebration filled with special
events, prize giveaways, and special savings opportunities for customers.
On Friday, the Gillman team will kick off family-friendly festivities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially welcoming the community to their neighborhood home improvement store at 11:30 a.m.
Throughout the day, participants can enjoy refreshments from local food trucks from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as a wood carving demonstration facilitated by local craftsman Troy Baker from noon to 6 p.m.
On Saturday, the Shelbyville Fire Department will also be distributing kids' fire helmets, and children can paint pumpkins and explore a bounce house. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., attendees can enjoy a cookout benefiting The Arc of Shelby County.
Both Friday and Saturday, the first 150 visitors will select a complimentary gift valued up to $15, and a raffle will be held on Saturday for the piece created during Friday's wood carving demonstration.
Throughout the entire weekend, shoppers will have the opportunity to register to win more than $3,000 in prize giveaways. Giveaways include a STIHL handheld battery-powered garden pruner (valued at $179.99), a Weber Genesis SI-E330 LP Gas Grill (valued at $1,299.99), and much more. The drawing
for these giveaways will take place on Saturday at 5 p.m.
200 Lee Boulevard in Shelbyville is their 16th location across Indiana and Ohio. 

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The Shelbyville Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating Devon L. Parrish.

Parrish is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Armed Robbery of an elderly couple (87 and 84 years of age) in Shelbyville, on August 18.  In the early afternoon hours, Parrish, with an accomplice, allegedly entered the home of the elderly couple, shooting and beating the elderly male, and physically assaulting the elderly female, while they were home alone in their private residence.
On August 28, an arrest warrant was issued for Parrish by Shelby County for the following charges: 

Count I: Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, a Level 2 Felony

Count II: Armed Robbery, a Level 3 Felony

Count III: Burglary, a Level 1 Felony

Parrish is known to frequent where family resides in the 2900 block of Olney St., Indianapolis. He was known to drive a silver Honda Odessey van, and may have changed his hair style.
The Shelbyville Police Department says Parrish should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information concerning this person, please contact Detective Mark Newman, Shelbyville Police Department, Criminal Investigations Division (317) 392 – 5145 or Crime Stoppers @ (317) 262-8477 (TIPS) / 800-222-TIPS / crimetips.org .

The Shelbyville Common Council will begin the advertising process for Requests For Proposals (RFP) to improve the gateway corridor along State Road 9 from Interstate 74 to downtown Shelbyville.

On Monday at the common council meeting at City Hall, the motion to advertise the RFP was approved. That will allow companies interested in assisting the city with the design and build of the project to submit bids. Representatives from at least three potential companies were in the audience Monday morning for the meeting.

With the bids come the estimated price tag for the project that would improve the corridor from Rampart St. just south of the I-74 to the N. Harrison St. bridge north of the Public Square.

“The Request For Proposal would put out a document or advertisement by the City of Shelbyville that would invite companies to submit a proposal to do that project,” explained Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun. “Those proposals would not obligate the City of Shelbyville to do the project but would give us a very good understanding of what the potential costs could be as well as timeline for completion of the project.”

City Plan Director Adam Rude presented a scope of the project at a September council meeting and stated about 30% of the corridor project design was completed. The submitted bids would help complete the design phase.

Rude’s presentation to the council included creating roundabouts to replace the stop light at Michigan Road and Knauf Drive and at the entrance to Isabelle Farms, a new housing subdivision being built by Arbor Homes along the corridor.

To read the story on the presentation, go to https://shelbycountypost.com/local-news/706543/state-road-9-gateway-corridor-improvement-to-include-two-roundabouts-sidewalk-and-trail

The project also will include adding sidewalks and a trail path along the corridor to increase safety for pedestrian traffic.

“Safety wise, it is a very large road where drivers feel comfortable driving well in excess of 60 miles per hour no matter what it is marked,” said Rude in that presentation. “There is no pedestrian infrastructure out there so from a connectivity standpoint there is no pedestrian connectivity to the north side of town. You see people walking on the shoulder all the time.

“From a character standpoint, this is one of the major entryways and gateways to our community but I don’t think it says what we want it to say … to be blunt.”

City officials have been discussing this project since 2019 and an original design was budgeted at $11 million, but considered too high of a cost.

The latest concept is estimated to be closer to $7 million which city officials believe can be accomplished.

No decision on the prospective bids is expected to come before the December meeting, which may be the last meeting for the current configuration of the council.

The first meeting in January will include a new mayor and at least two new council members. DeBaun’s third term as mayor is ending and he is not running for a fourth term.

Council members Rob Nolley and Brian Asher both opted not to run for another term.

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Johnson County deputies and Edinburgh Police Department officers responded to a crash on U.S. 31 at Orchard Lane just north of town.   
Initial reports were that multiple vehicles were involved, and several subjects were injured, with at least one seriously.
When law enforcement and fire personnel arrived on the scene just before 8 p.m., they located a single occupant in one of the vehicles who was pronounced deceased at the scene. 
There was a pickup truck pulling a trailer that was involved in the crash, with no subjects injured. 
There was also a secondary crash where another car hit the trailer that had been involved in the initial crash and was still across the roadway. Two occupants from that vehicle were transported to the hospital for minor injuries.
As of this report, the crash is still under investigation. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office reports there is no suspicion of impairment at this time. 

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The candidates for Shelbyville mayor will meet Tuesday  in a debate format on the stage of The Strand Theatre.

Republican candidate Scott Furgeson won the spring primary over party contenders Brad Ridgeway and David Finkel.

Furgeson announced his intention to run for office in November of 2022 featured in this story on the Shelby County Post:

https://shelbycountypost.com/local-news/662891 

The Democrat party announced Nic Weber as its candidate on the day of the spring primary.

Weber appeared on GIANT fm WSVX to talk about his decision:

https://shelbycountypost.com/local-news/688790

The doors of The Strand Theatre will open at 6:30 p.m. and the debate will begin at 7 p.m. GIANT fm WSVX News and Sports Director Johnny McCrory will serve as moderator.

The debate will also be broadcast on GIANT fm WSVX, giant.fm and the GIANT fm app.

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Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 71 million Americans will increase 3.2 percent in 2024, the Social Security Administration announced today.

On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by more than $50 per month starting in January.

More than 66 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the 3.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2024. Increased payments to approximately 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 29, 2023. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits).

“Social Security and SSI benefits will increase in 2024, and this will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.

Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $168,600 from $160,200.

Social Security begins notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December. Individuals who have a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online, which is secure, easy, and faster than receiving a letter in the mail. People can set up text or email alerts when there is a new message--such as their COLA notice--waiting for them in my Social Security.

People will need to have a my Social Security account by November 14 to see their COLA notice online. To get started, visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Information about Medicare changes for 2024 will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, their new 2024 benefit amount will be available in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security's Message Center.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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An Indianapolis man tried to fool the Postal Service to claim a reward and put another man in jail.  Now, he's serving time.

Carl Davis, 25, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement or representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States.

According to court documents, on April 1, 2022, a letter carrier with the United States Post Office was robbed in the 1200 block of South Reisner Street in Indianapolis. Immediately following the armed robbery, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced that it was offering a $50,000 reward to anyone who provided information leading to the suspect’s arrest and conviction.

On April 7, 2022, Davis called the tip line and claimed that he witnessed the robbery. In an interview with USPIS agents, under oath, Davis stated that he witnessed a man named M.S. hold a tan knife or gun to the letter carrier, take something from him and knock him down.

Further, Davis stated that he and M.S. communicated through Facebook Messenger. During this conversation, M.S. purportedly admitted to robbing the letter carrier. Davis provided investigators with images showing the purported conversation between him and M.S.

These statements were lies. Postal Inspectors discovered that the M.S. Facebook account—the one in which M.S. allegedly admitted to the robbery—was created by the Davis to set M.S. up. Davis admitted that he disliked M.S. for personal reasons and lied in hopes of getting M.S. incarcerated and collecting the $50,000 reward. M.S. did not commit the armed robbery.

“Greed and a petty personal beef do not entitle someone to lie and fabricate evidence in a federal investigation. The defendant’s attempt to frame an innocent person for a violent crime and collect the reward money was despicable,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that serious crimes like this carry serious consequences. I commend the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to quickly debunk the defendant’s lies and ensure that he is held accountable.”

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Associates at the Honda Indiana Auto Plant (IAP) marked the 15th anniversary of automobile production by celebrating the past and investing in the students who represent the future of the local community in Greensburg.

Honda associates in Indiana have produced more than two million of the company’s most popular models, now including the Honda Civic Hatchback and CR-V, since production began in 2008.

“Our associates represent the heart of what we do here every day at the Indiana Auto Plant,” said Roxanna Metz, plant co-lead, at IAP. “Our success is directly related to their commitment to quality for the customer, and a commitment to safety and the community. I look forward to continuing to build our dreams together in the coming years.” 

IAP has been committed to supporting the local community since the plant opened in 2008. This has included associate volunteer opportunities as well as a variety of corporate and social responsibility activities including the Hospital Foundation of Decatur County Healthy Fair and Tee Off Fore’ Tatas event, Decatur County YMCA, the Greensburg Public Library Summer Reading Program, the Decatur County United Fund and the Ripley County Community Foundation Birthday Box program, and many more.

In recognition of the 15-year milestone IAP will host a “thank you” community open house at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, to recognize the 15-year partnership between Honda and the community. The event will kick off with a re-creation of the Honda “H” photo on the

IAP lawn, repeating a photo that members of the local community created after Honda announced plans to build a production facility in Greensburg.

“We are proud to be a member of this community and are excited to open our doors to Honda associates and their families, as well as members of the community,” said Metz. “It is a tremendous point of pride for our team to share what we do every day with our family and friends. This milestone achievement is only possible because of their support and we look forward to celebrating together.”

In addition to a complimentary lunch, attendees will be able to tour the manufacturing facility, and ask questions of associates, learn about employment opportunities, get a close look at Honda products like the Indiana-made Civic Hatchback and CR-V, the sporty Civic Type-R and learn more about Hoosier racing heritage, with a Honda-powered IndyCar race machine.

During the month of October, IAP also will utilize the 15-year anniversary to share the Honda Engineering Roadshow with local students, an initiative that delivers hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) kits called Engineering Learning Lunchboxes to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

• Oct. 14: IAP associates will distribute kits to patrons of Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis, while also assisting with the food pantry’s drive-through distribution.
• Oct. 26: IAP associates will distribute kits to local students at North and South Decatur.

Each Learning Lunchbox contains 10 hours of STEAM content and provides five engineering-focused learning activities showcasing the diversity of STEAM careers at modern manufacturing companies like Honda. The program aims to inspire and educate youth and families about the many facets of engineering, including aerospace, chemical, electrical and structural engineering.

“Our associates have built a strong culture of giving back to the community,” said Shuji Onizawa, plant co-lead, at IAP. “It is our responsibility to positively contribute to our communities.”

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The Shelbyville Central Schools board will hear the results of the recent Climate/Safety/Bullying Survey at its next regularly-scheduled meeting on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.

Dr. Brad Balch, of Indiana State University, conducted the survey which was completed by students, parents and school district employees and constituents.

Balch will present his findings to the board in a work session hosted at the administrative building, 1121 E. State Road 44, in Shelbyville.

All SCS board meetings and work sessions are open to the public.

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Shelbyville Police responded to a report of a man threatening customers with two swords. 

The incident happened on Oct. 4 at the Pilot Travel Center on I-74 and Fairland Road. The first officer on the scene was Officer Travis Kempton, who was advised the man was in a shower stall.

Kempton cleared all the customers out of the hallway and was waiting for other officers to arrive. The man, Matthew Murphy, opened the shower stall curtain and was standing holding two swords. Kempton drew his department issued firearm and ordered him to drop the swords. He did not comply and began looking around during which time Kempton was able to transition to his department-issued Taser and kept giving commands to drop the swords.

The man finally complied and was taken into custody. 

During the investigation it was determined that Murphy had taken the swords partially out of their holsters and made threatening moves at customers including backing some into a corner. 

Murphy was charged with Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon and Disorderly Conduct. He was taken to MHP for medical clearance and then transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was remanded into the custody of the jail.

A Richmond man is behind bars as a result of tips received from the public.

Greenfield police detectives had been seeking the identity of a person that exposed his genitals to people at Walmart on Sept. 23. Community members submitted tips through a new anonymous tip platform, tip411, which led to the positive identification of the suspect, Charles G. Moore, 61.

Moore was taken to the Hancock County Jail and charged with public indecency, a Level 6 felony.

The department says it's very pleased with the new tip411 platform and want to encourage people to use it. Greenfield police have received multiple tips from this service already and have been able to clear three missing persons cases with information received from the public.

The Greenfield police app can be downloaded for both Android and Apple devices by simply searching for “Greenfield Police” in the app store. Information can also be sent by text message. To send information via text, enter 847411 in “to” line and begin your message with GPDTIP and then your information.

Another way of sending information is with the online form on the website at www.greenfieldin.org.

All information received from all methods of submission are completely anonymous.

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The Shelbyville Fire Department responded to Burger King Monday afternoon when an employee noticed smoke between an internal and external wall.

The call came in about 2:30 p.m. Smoke was spotted on the west side of the building near the drive thru. Fire crews quickly had control of the situation and the investigation into the cause continues.

The Shelbyville Fire Department was on the scene for about two hours.

Burger King, 1830 East SR 44, was going to be closed at least the remainder of the day.

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Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (OEP) begins October 15 and ends December 7.

This is the one time each year when ALL people with Medicare have an open enrollment period to make changes to their Medicare Advantage health and Part D prescription drug plans for the next year.

During the Open Enrollment Period, you can make changes to various aspects of your coverage.

• You can switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa.
• You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or from one Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan to another.
• If you didn’t enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan when you were first eligible, you can do so during the Open Enrollment Period, although a late enrollment penalty may apply.

It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to pay close attention to the mail they receive this Fall. You may receive several important letters from your current insurance company, Social Security, and Medicare.

If your health insurance or prescription plan has made changes to your co-pays or your premiums, you should receive a letter from the company in October stating the changes. You may also receive letters concerning actions you need to take about your eligibility for State and Federal assistance programs relating to your health or prescription drug plans or coverage.

Medicare offers an online plan comparison tool that can help you compare Advantage and Part D plans side-by-side at www.medicare.gov. If you purchase a new Medicare Advantage and/or Part D plan or switch plans during the Open Enrollment Period, the changes will begin January 1, 2024.

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period then begins January 1 and ends March 31 every year. The changes you can make during this period are limited.These changes will begin the first day of the following month.

• You can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan
• You can drop your Medicare Advantage plan
• You canreturn to Original Medicare.
• You can add a standalone Part D plan, but only if you dropped your Medicare Advantage plan and returned to Original Medicare.

SHIP has more than 75 sites throughout Indiana. Look for a SHIP site near you at www.in.gov/ship/find-an-indiana-ship-location/. Our counselors can assist you in person, by phone, or virtually. SHIP participates in educational events throughout Indiana. SHIP coordinates assistance and educational events throughout Indiana. Check out our list of state-wide events at ww.in.gov/ship/ship-presentations-and-events/.

Follow SHIP on social media for informative Medicare related videos, updates, and announcements. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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Horseshoe Indianapolis has partnered with Echo Effect Arts Campus, located on East Washington Street in Shelbyville, on a few projects in 2023.

The casino and racetrack, in a joint effort, took another step this week to elevate their support for the organization with a $10,000 donation to the overall operations of the multi-faceted property.

“We strive to link our donations with organizations that do so much for the local community and Echo Effect fits that mold perfectly,” said Trent McIntosh, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “Not only does Thurman (Adams) and his team provide valuable workspace, they bring a unique business to Shelby County with state-of-the-art recording equipment. Plus, their investment in a well-traveled corner of Shelbyville shows their commitment to the community. They have become part of the vast expansion movement going on in downtown Shelbyville.”

Adams, who is joined by his wife, Dawn, in the operations of Echo Effect, is a former chaplain for the Indiana Standardbred Association. In recent years, the couple has placed their focus on sharing their love of music and other forms of art with the creation of the new facility, offering classes for painting, music production, guitar lessons, and other projects associated with the arts. The facility also includes The Echo Chamber, a recording studio which is second to none in the area.

“When we started out, we wanted to make sure we not only had the best recording studio in the area, but we would rival anything you would find in places like Nashville,” said Adams. “Our son, Chase, is currently a drummer for The Frontmen and has made many connections over the years. As a result, we were able to secure top of the line microphones, editing equipment and sound machines to create the highest quality of music possible for our clients.”

As Echo Effect Arts Campus evolved into its role in the community as a source for arts related activities, a new need arose. The facility is now utilized by more than 40 local non-profit organizations needing meeting space, which has become a staple on the property’s schedule. They have hosted a few devotional nights for Horseshoe Indianapolis’ jockey colony through Track Chaplains Otto Thorwarth and Mickey Sajche.

“When we heard our horse racing community was utilizing Echo Effect for several of their outings, we knew it was a great way for us to get involved,” added Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Echo Effect Arts Campus is providing a much needed outlet for our horsemen’s groups and we are proud to partner with Thurman and his board in this endeavor.”

Horseshoe Indianapolis conducted a special check presentation Thursday to Adams, executive director, his wife, Dawn, a board member, and Bruce Harrell, treasurer of the board at Echo Effect. Representing Horseshoe Indianapolis was Trent McIntosh, Senior Vice President and General Manager, along with Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing, and Director of Marketing Brian Lewis. The donation was a joint effort between casino and racing community giving projects for the 2023 calendar year.

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Fifty years of music from the Shelby Community Band will be celebrated Sunday at The Strand Theatre in downtown Shelbyville.

Director Angelo Anton appeared on The Morning Show to talk about the band's history and the special performance they have planned for Sunday afternoon.

It's the first Thursday in October. That means Riley Festival gets underway in Greenfield.

Saturday will be the birth date of the Hoosier Poet, born in Greenfield on October 7, 1849.

Each year, one of James Whitcomb Riley's poems is selected as the theme for that year's festival. The 2023 theme is "Nine Little Goblins."

Opening ceremonies are at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Citing too many benefits to ignore, Shelbyville Police Chief Mark Weidner stood before the Shelbyville Common Council Monday with a proposal to purchase body cameras for the city’s police force.

The purchase proposal comes from the same company that provided the City of Shelbyville’s police force with dash cameras for police vehicles in 2022. The technology has worked so well, Weidner became convinced it was time to add body-worn cameras for officers.

“I’m sorry I didn’t do this before,” said Weidner.

The total cost for the set up for Shelbyville’s police force is $149,500. The cost will be spread over a five-year period with an $101,020.68 initial investment needed to get the equipment. The year two payment would be $22,718.98 with three yearly payments to follow at $8,586,78.

The cost includes all the hardware, software and a maintenance plan, according to Weidner.

Shelbyville police lieutenant Bart Smith presented the benefits of the body cameras to the council Monday.

“Body-worn cameras have become essential in law enforcement as it provides an objective record of interaction between police officers and the public,” said Smith. “The footage captured by these cameras can be used for evidence, training and accountability purposes promoting transparency and improving law enforcement practices.”

According to Smith, the body-worn cameras will provide the following benefits:

• Aid in evidence collection in court proceedings
• Help officers record what they see in (traffic) accidents and crime scenes
• Evidence suggests civilians being recorded by officers tend to behave better and are less combative
• Provide video that keeps police officers accountable with video records of civilian encounters

Shelbyville police officers currently wear microphones that are tied into the dash cam videos. The new body cameras will sync in with the current system.

“These body cameras are not just about accountability,” continued Smith. “They also are playing a role in helping officers in difficult situations. There is plenty of evidence that body cameras are doing as much good for officers as they are for the public’s confidence and law enforcement officials.”

The police department’s purchase quote is for 40 cameras. The local police department has 37 road officers, according to Smith.

The common council agreed to the purchase pending legal review of the contract. The council did not determine where the initial purchase price would come from in the budget. That would be determined at a future date with the potential for racino or EDIT funds being used in the purchase.

“I have to say when I took this job, and for many years after, I was against this … vehemently against this,” explained Weidner when pressed by Mayor Tom DeBaun about the infrastructure of the technology and warehousing data and the concern of privacy of individuals being recorded. “I started to come around with being alright with it. And now that I’ve seen the technology they have behind this and the benefit it will get us, I can’t say no anymore.”

In other council business Monday:

A presentation was delivered by representatives of Veregy regarding the savings to the city from utilizing more efficient lighting sources and solar energy panels at city facilities.

Veregy’s initial contract with the City of Shelbyville guaranteed $258,872 in savings. Veregy’s report Monday detailed that in a period from December 2020 to August of 2023, the total savings has been $773,022 or nearly $450,000 more than initially projected.

That savings to date considers lighting measures, street lighting, solar measures, roofing, mechanical measures, City Hall windows and doors, building envelope, Solar Renewable Energy Credits and a one-time lighting rebate.

Local buildings and facilities impacted include the Accel Center, Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter, Blue River Memorial Park’s softball diamonds and Splash Pad, Community Center, Fire Station No. 1 and No. 3, Meridian Park Family Aquatic Center, McKay Road pump station, and the airport terminal building and hangar.

Halloween celebrations

The council approved Halloween Trick or Treat hours for 2023. Children may trick or treat on Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The council also confirmed a Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 21 from noon to 3 p.m. on the Public Square. Coulston Elementary’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is teaming with similar groups at Loper and Hendricks as well as Mainstreet Shelbyville to stage a family-friendly event in downtown Shelbyville.

Food trucks will be available as well as bounce houses. There will be a band to perform, according to City of Shelbyville attorney Jennifer Meltzer, who is spearheading the event.

If you would like to be part of the Trunk or Treat event, contact Meltzer at 317-398-6624 or send an email to jmeltzer@cityofshelbyvillein.com

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The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has modified its plans for U.S. 40 between Cumberland and Greenfield.

The project includes an 8.5 mile stretch of U.S. 40 from Buck Creek Bridge in Cumberland to Greenfield’s Monroe Street to preserve the corridor’s service life and reduce crashes.

During the formal comment period, INDOT hosted both a November 2022 public information meeting and a June 2023 public hearing. Some community members and elected officials expressed concern with the right-sizing configuration, including its potential impacts on traffic flow and large vehicles. Other public comments did not believe the Pennsy Trail realignment was necessary.

INDOT has updated its design based on public feedback and further traffic data analysis while still prioritizing safety concerns and extending the corridor’s lifecycle. The project updates include the following:

• The Pennsy Trail will not receive work under this project and will continue to exist along its current alignment.
• S. 40 will receive a right-sizing configuration of one travel lane in each direction from immediately east of Buck Creek bridge to C.R. 600 West. This shifts the focus of right sizing to within the Cumberland area only.
• Outside of Cumberland, C.R. 600 West to Prairie Meadows Blvd., U.S. 40 will maintain its current two travel lanes and shoulders in each direction, and receive an HMA overlay.
• S. 40 from Prairie Meadows Blvd. to Windswept Road will include a two-way center turn lane to improve left turn safety for the Prairie Meadows Apartment Complex.

The original project design included a right-sizing configuration from C.R. 700 West through Windswept Road. In partnership with Hancock County, the previous design repurposed pavement from the right-sizing configuration to reroute the Pennsy Trail along U.S. 40 between C.R. 200 West and C.R. 300 West. 

Right-sizing repositions pavement markings to allow for a center two-way-left-turn-lane to reduce crashes, create more consistent speeds, and provide wider shoulders for larger vehicles. It adjusts the number of travel lanes on a route to match the needs of traffic in the area

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The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is currently working a single vehicle accident in the 2300 block of South Mauxferry Road, Franklin.

The Sheriff’s Office received the call at 5:43 a.m. 

The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead on the scene by EMS.

Mauxferry Road between County Road 200S and 250S will be closed for the next couple hours as investigators collect evidence.

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Before the advent of turf fields, class football, postseason gridiron tournaments and round-the-clock sports coverage, Shelbyville had Ron Winton.

The six foot, three-inch quarterback (photo) served as the field general for Golden Bear football squads for two years, including 1967, one of the best seasons in school history.

The Beatles had released their seminal Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album over the summer. Lyndon Johnson was President and the Vietnam War cast a pall over the nation. But on Friday nights in the fall, Shelbyville sports fans could leave the problems of the day behind and escape into a world of Golden Bears football prosperity. 

Winton led the Golden Bears to an 8-1 record that year and was the top passer in the South Central Conference. He was selected to the 22-member All-Conference Team and was chosen to participate in the 1968 Shrine Bowl which featured the state’s top high school football players.

The exuberance that defined Shelbyville’s incredible 1967 football season was dulled by Winton’s cancer diagnosis late in the season and his subsequent untimely death on Feb. 21, 1968.

Significant medical progress in cancer treatment has resulted in consistently and dramatically improved survival rates over the course of the past six decades. Unfortunately, in 1967, therapeutic options were limited and Ron succumbed to the disease three months before his scheduled high school graduation.

Winton was the quintessential 1960’s star athlete: Handsome, skilled, big, strong, and humble; a quiet individual whose performance spoke for itself. His exceptional athleticism and diligent work ethic were the fundamentals in his prescription for success.

“Ron was a physical specimen,” said teammate and fellow All-Conference selection Fred Avant. “He could throw a football 70 yards and was big and strong so he could run when he had to. He was so gifted that he rose to a higher level at whatever he had to do.”

“You really had to see him to realize just how imposing he was,” said John Cunningham, a junior teammate of Winton’s and the 1968 McKeand Football Award recipient. “He was also a tremendous baseball player. I caught for him when we played on the same team in the Twilight League for 14- and 15-year-olds. He threw so hard that I would put a pad in my catcher’s glove for extra cushion. He received a great deal of interest from college football coaches but he would have excelled in college baseball as well.”

Golden Bears football struggled through some tough seasons in the early 1960s, but it was evident that the program was building.

“We could feel the momentum and Coach Sells had us believing that we could be very good with each succeeding year,” said Cunningham.

Tom Sells assumed SHS head football coaching duties in 1965 and posted three wins against five losses and a tie that first season. The Golden Bears won five games the following year including blowout victories in the season’s final three games, outscoring Rushville, Franklin and Aurora by a cumulative score of 98-20.

The potent running attack was gaining confidence with each game and finished with 694 total rushing yards in the final two games of 1966.

Winton was utilized primarily as a facilitator and runner his junior season as the Bears kept the offensive game on the ground for the most part. In 1967, he would be surrounded by an abundance of talent in all areas and focused on becoming a more effective passer. The improvement in Winton’s passing game was an important component in taking Shelbyville football to a higher level in 1967.  

That 1967 football team benefitted from a combination of numerous positive elements. Sells was a relentless taskmaster who pushed a team he knew had tremendous potential.

The linemen corps was strong, talented, and experienced and included Wes Miller, Bill Heck, Steve Platt, Mike Platt, John Chesser, Dave Zerr, Larry Lewis, Jim Ranochak and Doug Wood.

The skill at running back amounted to once-in-a generation talent. Avant and Rich Brown, regulars from the previous year at the fullback and halfback positions, were supplemented by wingbacks Cunningham and Kent Lockman and back-up Steve Dake.

“We had so much depth on the team that John Chesser moved from running back to the line in 1967 and became All-State,” said Avant.

A further indication of the widespread talent of the 1967 Golden Bears is the fact that its senior co-captain linebacker Mark Thomas suffered a broken leg in the jamboree and missed the entire season.

And there was Ron Winton. He had proven himself a capable quarterback the previous year as a junior, however no one could have foreseen the remarkable success he would achieve as a passer in 1967. The senior signal caller routinely hooked up with wide receivers Steve Zeller and Dennis Danner to establish a solid passing game and spread the aerial wealth by also regularly completing throws to Brown, Cunningham and Lockman.

Shelbyville opened the season at home with a 27-25 come-from-behind victory over Anderson Madison Heights. Brown rushed for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning score on a 4-yard run with only seconds remaining. Winton (photo, with center Larry Lewis) passed for 185 yards and had a 16-yard touchdown throw to Danner in the second quarter.

Shelbyville squeaked out another victory the following week at Alexandria by a 7-6 count on a rain-soaked muddy field. Alexandria led 6-0 late in the final quarter when Avant plunged over the goal line from three yards out to tie the score. Winton added the running conversion (Both running and kicking conversions counted as a single point in 1967. The high school kicking game was underdeveloped so most teams chose to run or pass on conversion attempts).

“The field was a real mess and there was a downpour all night,” recalled Avant. “It was tough to get anything done offensively. We were fortunate to win.”

Shelbyville scored a combined 161 points in its next three wins and outscored the three opponents by an average margin of 42 points per contest. Brown and Avant ran seemingly at will and, in addition to performing well as a runner, Cunningham was also frequently utilized as a receiver. Winton passed for 10 touchdowns in the three games and threw or ran for another six conversions.

The Golden Bears’ lone loss of the season came the following week at the hands of Columbus (there was only one high school in Columbus in 1967). Cunningham intercepted a Bulldog pass in the third quarter and a short time later hauled in a Winton scoring pass to cut the Bulldog lead to 12-6. Columbus quickly answered to make the score 19-6. Winton was injured later in the second half and junior quarterback Mike Wagner entered the game. Columbus extended the lead and coasted to a 32-12 victory.

In retrospect, there was speculation that the trauma resulting from his fall on the football field against Columbus had caused Winton’s recently diagnosed cancer to come out of remission.

The 5-1 Golden Bears dominated Rushville the next week, winning 20-7. Wagner assumed the quarterback responsibilities with the injured Winton relegated to the sideline.

Shelbyville’s defense spearheaded by Zerr, Heck, Steve Platt and Cunningham allowed only eight Rushville first downs and a late-game touchdown. The Golden Bears running game methodically wore down the Lions with Brown scoring twice and Avant accounting for a touchdown.

Winton returned to lead the Bears to 42-7 and 33-0 wins over Franklin and Aurora, respectively. Winton threw touchdown passes of eight and nine yards to Kent Lockman and completed a 48-yard scoring toss to Dennis Danner against Aurora. The senior also passed for a successful conversion before departing the gridiron for the last time and relinquishing the quarterback duties to Wagner.

The 8-1 Shelbyville record completed the best Golden Bears campaign since the one-loss season of 1940 and was good for a second-place conference finish. Shelbyville posted its only undefeated season in 1932 with a perfect 7-0 mark. The 1984 and 2007 teams finished 10-1 and 11-1, respectively.

Postseason accolades poured in for Winton and his teammates. Winton, Avant, Brown, Lewis, and Miller were selected to the South Central Conference’s All-Conference Team. John Chesser was chosen for the All-State team and Tom Sells was named SCC Coach of the Year.

Ron Winton’s health steady declined after the football season as his cancer progressed. He was eventually hospitalized at Robert Long Hospital at the IU Medical School and passed away in February.

“Rich and I visited Ron in the hospital. It was very sad to see this incredible athlete so sick and go downhill so fast,” said Avant. “He probably weighed less than 100 pounds when we saw him shortly before he passed away. He was throwing touchdowns in October and was gone in February.”

Avant and Winton were selected to play in the 1968 Shriner’s North-South All-Star game. Avant and Winton’s mother accepted the All-Star plaque (photo) in memory of the late SHS quarterback.

Fred Avant went on to become a four-year football letterman at Wabash College. He enjoyed a successful coaching career at Alexandria High School and retired after 43 years in education. He now lives in Tampa, Florida.

Rich Brown enlisted in the Navy after high school graduation and eventually worked for Indianapolis Power and Light. He became known as one on Shelbyville’s best adult athletes in local softball and basketball leagues for many years. He still lives in Shelbyville.

John Cunningham graduated from Ball State University and taught and coached at Shelbyville High School for five years. He moved on to a very successful business career in Frankfort, Indiana, where he currently resides.

Tom Sells moved on to coach at New Castle and later Bloomington and Bloomington South high schools. He posted a 50-game winning streak there and led the Panthers to the No. 1 state ranking in 1972. Sells later worked as an assistant coach at Ball State University. He was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He died in 1995.

One need not talk at great length to Avant, Brown, or Cunningham to feel the connection they maintain to their high school teammates and the appreciation they have for one another and their tremendous achievements together during that historic 1967 season.

They evince a similar special feeling of appreciation for having known and played with Ron Winton. They bring him to life in conversation with a genuine sense of esteem and admiration that enables even those who never heard of him to comprehend the essence of who he was. They want others to understand how special he was as an athlete and as a person and they effectively communicate that sentiment.

Avant, Brown, and Cunningham enthusiastically keep Ron Winton’s memory alive 55 years after his death. That is a supreme tribute.

History and testimony therefore make it rather easy to summarize Ron Winton’s legacy: He was Shelbyville’s finest.

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FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Wednesday.

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11. 

The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones. 

This year the EAS message will be disseminated as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN).

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

• Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. 
• For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration. 

Important information about the EAS test:

• The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.
• The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.

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In partnership with the City of Shelbyville and Shelby County Council, Blue River Community Foundation (BRCF) has announced the 2023 Progress Grant recipients.

Since 2010, the City of Shelbyville and Shelby County Councils have offered a grant program that is funded through Racino income they each receive annually. They recognize that there are many organizations in Shelbyville and Shelby County that continually work to enhance the quality of life in our community and support this work by offering a competitive grant cycle through Blue River Community Foundation. To date, these grants have made contributions to 62 unique organizations totaling $1,679,760.
For the 2023 City & County Progress Grant cycle, $234,580 will be distributed to 15 organizations benefiting Shelby County. These organizations offer programs or will complete projects that promote and support arts & culture, community, education, health, social service, and youth.

? Boys & Girls Club of Shelby County – This organization was awarded $49,520 to support the installation of an Exergame system. Portions will be installed in all three club locations. Exergaming is a type of interactive fitness that combines video games with physical exercise. It uses gaming consoles, sensors, and controllers to simulate real-life physical activities like dancing, running, or playing sports.

Charles Major Manor – This organization was awarded $50,000 to support the modernization of the elevator in their building which houses 51 low-income older adults or persons with disabilities. This project will help keep residents safe, secure, and give them the peace of mind they deserve while accessing their homes.

Forest Hill Cemetery – A matching grant of $25,000 was awarded to this organization to replace pavement on a portion of the roads in the cemetery.

Girls Inc. of Shelbyville/Shelby County – This grant, in the amount of $2,550, will support "You Grow, Girl!", a program that will give participating girls a chance to develop their enthusiasm and skills in STEM projects, particularly in the science realm. Participants will get an introduction to agriculture and horticulture skills, and through hands-on activities they will explore, ask questions, persist, and problem-solve.

Gleaners Food Bank - $5,000 was granted to support the Produce Hope Initiative, a program that ensures that their partner agencies have access to fresh fruits and vegetables to distribute throughout Shelby County.

Mainstreet Shelbyville – An award of $7,500 was granted to install a Shelby County themed mural. Located on a historic building in Downtown Shelbyville, this will be a colorful display of all things Shelby County in the heart of our county.

Servants at Work, Inc. – An award of $5,000 was granted to support the installation of wheelchair ramps that provide freedom to people with permanent disabilities in low-income households. These ramps serve as their gateway to the world, re-opening connections with neighbors and the larger community while providing independence and accessibility.

Shelby Community Band – This $5,000 matching grant was awarded to support the purchase of a trailer to store and transport the new percussion equipment the band recently acquired through a Community Grant.

Shelby County Fair Association – This organization was awarded $46,148 to support the purchase of new pens in the livestock barns. Updating and replacing with new metal pens will be a safer option for both kids and livestock, serving over 100 Shelby County 4-H youth livestock participants each year.

Shelby County Pantry Pals Pantries – This organization was awarded $7,562 to acquire additional cold storage and shelving units to better provide nutritious food for hungry neighbors at 4 pantries - Hands of God Food Pantry at Trinity UMC, Salvation Army of Shelby Co., Beacon of Hope, and Westside Wesleyan Church Food Pantry.

Shelby County Players - $8,500 was granted to support year-round educational programming for youth under the direction of a full-time education director who will develop and implement children's theatre opportunities, not previously included in the programming of the Shelby County Players.

Shelby Senior Services – An award of $5,900 was granted to support their new program, “Oral Living Histories from the Seniors of Shelby County”. Through audio recordings and interviews, they will capture first-hand history from seniors. This information will be kept with Grover Museum to be archived for future use.

Shelby Supply Co. - $7,500 was granted to this organization to launch their pilot educational Community Classes which will make woodworking more accessible to the community. By offering these fee-based educational classes, they are also providing sustainability to our Job-Skills Training program.

The Ville Church – This grant, in the amount of $5,000, will help support their new after-school
meal program for families. After each meal, attendees will be given an opportunity for family enrichment activities provided by Firefly Children and Family Alliance.

We Ride Bikes - $4,400 was granted to support the Cycling Without Age program. This program offers free bike rides to the elderly and less-abled in our community. This program started three years ago and the demand has steadily increased. This grant will expand their capacity to serve the Shelby County community.

In addition to the grants listed above, BRCF supported a few of these grants through funds held at the Foundation.

Girls Inc. of Shelbyville/Shelby County - $8,450 – Supported through the W. E. (Bill)
Cunningham Trust, Women's Fund of Shelby County, and the Youth Educational Memorial Fund in Remembrance of Ann Hey Davis and Emily Hey Alvis.

Shelby County Pantry Pals Pantries - $2,710 – Supported through the Laura Sly-Pilk Empowerment Fund and the Help for Homeless in Shelby County Fund.

Shelby County Players - $2,500 – Supported through the Herbert B. and Lillian N. DePrez Opera Education Fund.

We Ride Bikes - $10,000 – Supported through the Mings Fund for Health Through Cycling.

More information about these grants and other funding opportunities through BRCF can be found online at blueriverfoundation.com/apply-for-grants.

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The Shelby County Board of Commissioners has lifted the countywide burn ban in Shelby County.

The ban was ordered last week with, at the time, no significant rainfall dating back to August 18.

Shelby County experienced rainfall mid-week that provided relief for the ongoing dry conditions. Rain is listed possible in the forecast coming up on Wednesday and Thursday with cooler temperatures expected to follow this weekend with highs in the low-to-mid 60s.
The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency will continue to monitor the dry conditions and re-address the issue as need be.

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Shelby and Hancock counties are represented by seniors named as Golden Hoosiers.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch recently announced the 10 winners of the 2023 Golden Hoosier Award.

"Each of these Hoosiers has dedicated their life to serving communities across Indiana," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "They exemplify the Hoosier spirit of wanting to help, wanting to give back and being generous. Congratulations to the 2023 Golden Hoosier Award winners!"

  Bob Wortman

J.R. “Bob” Wortman of Morristown has filledWortman has established several foundations in Hancock and Shelby Counties. He serves on the Hancock Health Wortman has established funds at the Community Foundation of Hancock County, including: The Wortman Family Literacy Fund for Hancock County Children; the Wortman Family Foundation Endowment; the Robert and Sue Wortman Family Fund; and the Fountaintown Gas Company, Inc. Scholarship Endowment. All funds are perpetual and provide grants on an annual basis.

He’s is also president of the Shelby County Library Foundation.

Wortman led the fundraising and support for two medical centers honoring his wife: The Sue Ann Wortman Nephrology Center in Shelby County; and the Sue Ann Wortman Cancer Center in Hancock County.

He also served as a trustee on Operation Round Up, a non-profit funded by members and customers of NineStar Connect who round up their utility bills to the nearest dollar. He reviewed applications and performed site visits of applicants.

Wortman is proud of his membership in the Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite, having received their highest awards for community service. The former U.S. Marine and Korean War veteran has been named a Distinguished Hoosier and was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash.

  Jim Peters

From Hancock County, Jim Peters was the executive director of Love INC of Greater Hancock County for several years. Now, in his retirement, he serves his community by volunteering with the Hancock County Community Organizations Active in Disaster. There, he organizes meetings, writes and manages grants and coordinates services throughout the region. Peters puts in place disaster response and recovery plans, then organizes table-top and field exercises to practice those plans. He serves as a spokesperson in the community for the importance of disaster response preparation.

Peters spends many hours volunteering in the COAD warming shelter for anyone without safe and adequate heat during the cold months.

Peters served over 10 years on the Salvation Army of Hancock County, and he continues to assist with the Red Kettle campaign. Also, he’s assisted with the formation of several non-profits in Hancock County, including Character Council, Hancock4Kids, and Hands of Hope Communities

The Golden Hoosier Award began in 2008 in collaboration with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Aging and AARP Indiana, and annually honors senior Hoosiers for their lifetime of service and commitment to their communities. Since the start of the program, more than 200 Hoosiers have been honored.

“These Hoosiers are great examples of how acts of service in communities can help us solve our problems,” said Family and Social Service Administration Secretary Dan Rusyniak, M.D.. “I thank them for their commitment and showing us the value of service.”

To be eligible, awardees must currently be an Indiana resident, age 65 or older and have been a volunteer in the community for the past three years. Each awardee was nominated by someone in their community who recognized their significant contribution to their community.

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Three Golden Bears and two Spartans are the finalists for the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.

On Friday, the Blue River Community Foundation released the names of the five finalists for the full-scholarship award to an Indiana college or university that will be announced in December.

Shelbyville High School seniors Renee Aldridge, Ella Connolly and Bella Matney and Southwestern High School seniors Ellie Gosser and Carter Snepp have advanced to the personal interview phase of the process, which is scheduled for Oct. 18.

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