With a forecast that includes the potential for ice, heavy snow, high winds and severely cold temperatures across the central United States this week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 5 office encourages everyone to take precautions now to stay safe.

“Avoid travel and listen to local updates for the latest road conditions and closures,” said Moises Dugan, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5.  “If you must travel, make sure you have a full tank of gas before you leave, along with an emergency supply kit with food, water and blankets in your car. When it is safe, check on your neighbors or friends nearby who may need assistance.”

• Follow the instructions of state and local officials and listen to local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information. Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
• Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Do not forget the needs of pets. Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.
• Make sure your phone and other electronic items are fully charged in case you lose power.
• Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

Find even more valuable tips to help you prepare for severe winter weather by visiting www.ready.gov/winter-weather, downloading the free FEMA app and following FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5.

General update:  A new omicron subvariant has surfaced.  It is known as omicron subvariant BA.2.  It is not yet identified as a “variant of interest”, but it has shown up in multiple countries.  Not much is known yet in regard to its transmissibility or severity.  We will continue to monitor this as information becomes available. 

Shelby County’s current positivity rate matches the state’s positivity rate at 30.7%, 

FREE Covid testing and FREE vaccination clinic:  A free mobile testing and vaccination clinic will be open February 2 through February 5 from 12 pm to 8 pm at 1600 E. SR 44, Suite C (former Purdue Extension Building next to Shelby County Health Department). 

Register online at ourshot.in.gov  or call 211 (866) 211-9966.  Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are accepted.   

Inpatient unit: Thirty-four of our 40 beds are full on our 3rd-floor inpatient unit. 

• We currently have 10 critical care patients on the 3rd floor, and 7 (70%) of those patients are due to Covid. Of the seven Covid-related critical care patients, three are vaccinated.   
• We have one patient on a ventilator and said patient is Covid positive and unvaccinated.  We have nine additional patients who are on Vapotherm or BiPap, and five of those patients are Covid positive and three of those patients are vaccinated. 
• Nineteen (56%) of our inpatients are Covid positive, and fourteen (74%) of them are unvaccinated.

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes:  MHP Pediatrics has steadied in terms of walk-in patient volumes.  Priority Care and MHP Family and Internal Medicine walk-in volumes are both trending downward.        

Emergency Department:  The Emergency Department saw 72 patients yesterday, which is a slight increase compared to earlier in the week, but represents a decrease compared to the last several weeks.  

Two Minnesota men were arrested following a pursuit into Bartholomew County.

Just after 10:30 pm Wednesday, Decatur County Sheriff's Sergeant Rob Goodfellow was working overtime on Operation Pullover, Seat Belt Enforcement detail.  He observed a vehicle registering 77 mph in a 55-mph zone on Indiana State Road 3 at Decatur County Road 450 West. Sergeant Goodfellow initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. After initial contact with the driver, he asked the driver for his driver's license, at which time the driver fled the traffic stop, headed towards the Columbus area.

The vehicle continued to flee law enforcement, entering Bartholomew County, and traveling through the Hope area. With the assistance of the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office, the Columbus Police Department, and the Greensburg Police Department, tire deflation devices were placed in the area of State Road 7 and US 31. The fleeing vehicle crossed over the tire deflation devices and the vehicle came to a stop.

The driver, later identified as Say Moo of St. Paul, MN, was arrested for fleeing law enforcement, a Level 6 felony, possession of a legend drug, a Level 6 felony, possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony and reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor. Say Moo was also wanted on two warrants in two different states.

The passenger, Thay Moo, was also arrested for possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony and possession of a legend drug, a Level 6 felony.

Both the driver and the passenger were transported to the Decatur County Detention Center. 

The Indiana Department or Health will team up with the Shelby County Department of Health on a free mobile testing and vaccination clinic next week.

The clinic will be held at the former Purdue Extension site in the Professional Building at 1600 East State Road 44, Suite C in Shelbyville.

The clinic will be open February 2 – 5 (Wednesday – Saturday), 12:00 – 8:00 pm each day.

You can register online by visiting ourshot.in.gov or call 211 (866-211-9966).  Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are accepted.

No definitive cause of death has been given yet for a man found in the casino garage at Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino.

The body was found last Sunday afternoon.

The death was of natural causes.  Autopsy results will determine the exact cause.

No identification has been given yet other than the man is from Hancock County.

First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ - FRME) has reported fourth quarter 2021 net income of $47.7 million compared to $45.1 million during the same period in 2020. Earnings per share for the period totaled $.89 per share compared to the fourth quarter 2020 result of $.83 per share. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2021 totaled $205.5 million, compared to $148.6 million during the same period in 2020. Year-to-date earnings per share totaled $3.81 compared to $2.74 in 2020.

Total assets equaled $15.5 billion as of year-end and loans totaled $9.3 billion. The Corporation experienced organic loan growth of $566 million, or 6.6 percent, during 2021. This was offset by the forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans of $560 million, resulting in net loan growth of $6 million. Investments increased $1.4 billion, or 43.8 percent, during the year and now total $4.5 billion. Total deposits equaled $12.7 billion as of year-end and increased by $1.4 billion, or 12.1 percent, during 2021.

The Corporation’s Allowance for Credit Losses – Loans (ACL) totaled $195.4 million as of year-end, or 2.11 percent of total loans. Net charge-offs for the quarter totaled $4.6 million and no provision expense was recorded during the quarter or during the year ended 2021. Provision expense taken during the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2020 of $4.5 million and $58.7 million, respectively, reflected our view of increased credit risk in 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic. An increase of $74.1 million in the ACL was also recorded on January 1, 2021 reflecting the adoption of the current expected credit losses (CECL) model. Non-accrual loans totaled $43.1 million as of year-end.

Mark Hardwick, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “2021 proved to be a record year on many levels, including total assets, loans, deposits, net income and earnings per share. Our employees, customers and communities showed an incredible amount of toughness, determination, teamwork and compassion for one another during a difficult year. First Merchants’ future is bright because of this special combination of heart and grit.” Hardwick also added, “It’s an honor to lead this First Merchants team and to be part of the dynamic markets that we serve.”

Net-interest income totaled $410.7 million for the year, an increase of $28.6 million or 7.5 percent, in the face of a net-interest margin decline of 11 basis points to 3.18 percent, reflecting an asset sensitive balance sheet. Yield on earning assets declined by 40 basis points totaling 3.44 percent offset by a decline of 29 basis points in the cost of supporting liabilities, which totaled 26 basis points for the year-ended 2021. Yield on earning assets for the fourth quarter totaled 3.29 percent with cost of supporting liabilities totaling 25 basis points, resulting in a margin of 3.04 percent. PPP loans contributed 8 basis points to margin during the fourth quarter of 2021, which was a decline of 9 basis points from the third quarter 2021 and a decline of 8 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2020, as the pace of PPP loan forgiveness slowed.

Non-interest income totaled $109.3 million for the year, a $0.6 million decline from 2020. Customer-related line items accounted for an increase of $2.6 million, or 3 percent, and was offset by a decline of $6.2 million on the gains on sales of securities. Fiduciary and wealth management fees hit a record high of $28.4 million for 2021, which included an increase of $1 million from the acquisition of Hoosier Trust Company. This was offset by the headwinds of the full year impact of the Durbin Amendment adoption on card payment fees which was effective July of 2020.

Non-interest expense totaled $279.2 million for the year ended 2021, a $15.8 million increase from 2020. The increase is primarily due to higher salaries, incentives, and employee benefits costs.

The Corporation’s loan to deposit ratio now totals 73 percent and loan to asset ratio totals 60 percent. Additionally, the Corporation’s total risk-based capital ratio equaled 13.92 percent, common equity tier 1 capital ratio equaled 11.68 percent, and the tangible common equity ratio totaled 9.01 percent. These ratios continue to reflect the Corporation’s strong liquidity and capital positions.

About First Merchants Corporation

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

Kyle Barlow submitted his paperwork Thursday morning at the Shelby County Clerk's office to officially announce his intention to run for Shelby County Council.

Barlow is seeking the District 2 seat currently held by Ben Compton.

“I think this is the best fit for me,” said Barlow after discussing his candidacy with Shelby County Deputy Election Clerk Jeff Sponsel (photo). “I’ve been pushed to run for some other positions when they were open and I didn’t. And I’m glad I didn’t. This is probably where I fit the best in county government.”

Barlow is a Purdue University graduate with a degree in Ag Systems Management and a minor in Ag Business. He is the former treasurer for the Marietta Volunteer Fire Department and is currently on the Hendricks Township Advisory Board.

In recent years, Barlow has helped build a strong resistance group to solar farm proposals in southern Shelby County, where he farms approximately 1,100 acres.

With an educator for a wife and two children in the Southwestern Consolidated Schools system, agriculture and education are important to his core values and beliefs.

“I am involved with the solar stuff but it’s not the only reason I am running here,” said Barlow. “I think our county is going to get developed one way or the other. I think we need to do it responsibly. I think we need to not jump at everything that comes our way and really look into projects a little more to see if they are good or bad for the county.

“Also, I want to have a voice in the political arena. I am a farmer and I want to advocate to keep as much prime farm land as we can in this county, but I’m also not adverse that sometimes development happens and farm ground gets taken out of production. I want to do it responsibly.”

Barlow’s wife, Rachael, is a fifth grade teacher at Isom Elementary School in Greenwood. The couple have a son, Kaden, age 14, and a daughter, Madelyn, age 12.

The Morrison Park beautification project is in full focus now after Wednesday’s Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department’s board meeting.

Noah Henderson, an accountant at Ryobi in Shelbyville, is spearheading a project to clean up the World War I memorial statue and add new amenities, including a walking trail, in the city’s oldest park.

(https://shelbycountypost.com/local-news/615353)

The parks department board approved Henderson to purchase the supplies for a 9-Square game, a GaGa Ball game and historical information signage for the park.

The board also was informed that the ground preparation for concrete pads for the two new games and the concrete itself were being donated to the project by local businesses to keep costs down.

Henderson, jumpstarted by a grant from the Blue River Community Foundation, learned Wednesday that Horseshoe Indianapolis, formerly known as Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, is donating $5,000 toward the beautification project.

The project should be fully-funded now, according to Henderson, although the cost of the walking trail is to be determined because the City of Shelbyville could apply for a grant to offset the costs of the trail.

What Henderson needs is volunteers to help spruce up Morrison Park on a volunteer day slated for May 28.

In other parks board news, the parks department is seeking a part-time special events coordinator. New parks department director Rob Van Til expects the job position to be posted Thursday.

Robb Greene has announced his candidacy for Indiana’s newly redrawn House District 47.

With his wife, Erin, and son, RG, Greene recently filed the necessary paperwork to make it official.

“I’m running because our Republican leadership doesn’t understand the moment we’re in,” said Greene in a media release. “For years, Party elites told us that for the GOP to ‘win,’ we couldn’t talk about the sanctity of life, the traditional family, free speech, or religious freedom. Well, do you feel like we’re winning? I don’t. And, I don’t think many Hoosier families do, either.”

Greene, 40, cited the need for new leadership that sees the threats facing Hoosier families today, but also the threats on the horizon.

“Big government has always been the adversary of conservatives, but now big government is joined by Big Tech and big business in an all out assault on our way of life,” he said, “and they’re gaining ground faster than elected leaders are acting. I’m not sure our current leaders even understand who the enemies are today, let alone have the initiative to act on it.”

As the father of a son with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Greene also is passionate about special needs families. Special needs individuals suffered some of the greatest loss of services during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and special needs families having a dedicated, conservative voice in the State House is something Greene says is imperative.

Greene invites voters to visit his website – www.RobbGreene.com – to learn more about the campaign.

A veteran of Indiana’s startup community, Greene now works as an independent logistics consultant. He and his wife, Erin, live in rural Shelby County on a small farmstead with their three children.

Indiana’s new House District 47 is comprised of portions of Johnson and Shelby Counties, and includes the communities of Franklin, Fairland, Boggstown, Trafalgar, Bargersville, Nineveh, and parts of Shelbyville and Edinburgh.

Your ticket gets you into a great party.  It gives you a chance to win thousands of dollars.  And it benefits a great cause.

Sounds like a good place to be.

The Shelbyville Boys and Girls Club is hosting its annual Mid-Winter Festival at Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino on Saturday.

A year after being just a virtual event with the annual raffle shown via Facebook due to Covid Executive Director Scott Spahr says they are back with the party, gaming and raffle. 

Somebody is going to win $5000.  And the club wins with its largest fundraiser of the year.

Shelby County authorities are investigating an early morning fatal car crash.

At 3:44 am Wednesday the Shelby County Sheriff's Office says it responded to a fatal crash in the field north of Bassett Road.

Evidence showed a car was driven north through the field when it struck a ditch. The vehicle then rolled several times and the driver was ejected. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Identification has not been confirmed as of this report.

An early Tuesday morning two-vehicle crash involved a wrong way driver on I-74.

The initial investigation, being conducted by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team, indicated that at approximately 6:00 am Tuesday morning, a 2003 Buick being driven by Daryl W. Jackson, 66, of Greensburg, Indiana was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-74 near the 140 mile marker in eastern Decatur County.  Jackson’s vehicle collided head on with a westbound 2012 Chevrolet, being driven by Kaleb A. R. Buckler, 22, of Brookville. 

Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene by the Decatur County Coroner’s Office. 

Buckler was flown to an Indianapolis area hospital for treatment of his injuries.   

Witnesses reported seeing Jackson’s vehicle traveling the wrong direction for approximately five miles prior to the crash.  Officers were attempting to catch up to Jackson’s vehicle when the crash occurred. 

It is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. Toxicology results are pending.  The investigation is ongoing.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, Greensburg Police Department, Decatur County EMS, Greensburg Fire Department, New Point Fire Department, Stat Flight Medical Helicopter, and the Decatur County Coroner’s Office.  

Congressman Greg Pence (R-IN) filed to run for re-election Monday to represent Indiana’s new Sixth Congressional District.

“It has been an honor to fight for our Hoosier values both at home in Indiana and in Washington, and I cannot give up that fight now. Now more than ever the hard-working Americans of Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District need someone who will be a voice for them over all of the political noise – and that’s why I am running for reelection,” said Pence in a media release. “I am ready to serve again.”

Indiana’s new Sixth Congressional District in comprised of portions of Pence’s previous district including Fayette, Hancock, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Union, Wayne counties, including Bartholomew County – which includes the Congressman’s hometown of Columbus. The new district also will include Johnson County and parts of Marion County.

“Nancy Pelosi and Washington Democrats are at war with our way of life. From inflation soaring to 40-year highs, out-of-control violent crime, an education crisis, and COVID mandates destroying Hoosier livelihoods, the out of touch liberal policies of those running our nation from D.C. are a disaster,” said Pence.

First elected in 2018, Congressman Pence will be running to represent Hoosiers for a third term in Congress. Greg Pence is a proud husband, grandfather, Marine officer and small businessman. He is an unwavering pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and faith-drive conservative whose roots in the Sixth District date back nearly 60 years.

The site development plan for Gillman Home and Lumber was approved Monday night at the Plan Commission meeting at City Hall.

Charlie Gillman, owner and CEO of Gillman Home Center, wants to break ground in the spring for a 24,988 square foot retail store and 19,500 square foot lumber barn on a 5.2 acre site at 200 Lee Boulevard in Shelbyville.

That lot is currently vacant but sits in a high traffic area that is appealing to Gillman, who owns and operates more than a dozen retail centers in southeastern Indiana and Ohio, including Connersville, Edinburgh and Batesville, where the company is based.

There will be 56 parking spaces for the retail store that will use approximately 15,000 square feet of the main building for retail and the remaining 9,000 square feet for storage and supplies.

The lumber barn will offer home-building materials.

The Plan Commission unanimously approved the plan 10-0, which included a vote from Winnie Souvier – one of two new county-appointed members to the commission that will have 11 voting members in 2022.

With the recommendation from City of Shelbyville Police Chief Mark Weidner, the Board of Works and Public Safety officially promoted patrolman Mark Newman to detective within the Shelbyville Police Department on Tuesday morning at City Hall.

The board also approved Globe Asphalt Paving to handle the city’s asphalt overlay projects later this year. Globe submitted a bid of $522,962.45 at the Board of Works meeting on Jan. 18.

The overlay project will include work on Fourth Street (Lincoln St. to Quesada St.), Doran Avenue (Miller St. to Meridian St.), Revello Street (Parker Ave. to Alpine Ave.), Shelby Street (Doran Ave. to Ninth St.), Victor Place (Franklin St. to Elliott St.), West Street (Doran Ave. to Evans St.), Conrey Street (alley to River Road), Conrey Street (Washington St. to Mechanic St.), Jackson Street (McLane St. to dead end east of Frances St.), Locust Street (Miller Ave. to West St.), Morrison Park Drive (Shelby St. to northeast turn), Parker Avenue (south dead end to Parker Ave.), Poe Street (Franklin St. to La Belle Ave.), River Road (Habig St. to Tompkins St.) and Third Street (State St. to Miller St.).

The board also approved “orders to appear” for the owners of 1022 Lincoln St. and 305 Sunset St. This is the fourth time the Lincoln property has been labeled a nuisance, and the Sunset property has been an issue since 2018.

Sarah Robinson grew up a Golden Bear but life circumstances have made her a Triton Central fan.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, Robinson (photo above), a 1988 Shelbyville High School graduate, attended her first Triton Central “Pink Out” game in 2009. She was front and center Friday night during the 2022 celebration, stepping out of her comfort zone to discuss with the audience her second battle with breast cancer.

“I started coming here because a friend told me about it,” said Robinson of the annual Pink Out game in Fairland. She had a good friend attend for the first time this year. “I was overwhelmed (that first time). This is a community. They really come out in full force.

“They don’t know you but when you go in that gym … you are family. I was crying. I was laughing. I was crying. All these people I’ve met, we’re all friends … we’re all sisters now.”

In year one, the event hosted by Triton Central’s girls basketball program raised $5,000.

“Our goal was $1,000,” said Triton Central athletic director and girls basketball coach Bryan Graham. “That’s when we knew we had something.”

Every year the event raised more money. Graham expected to raise more than $20,000 Friday – all donated to the Indiana Women In Need foundation to be dispersed to Shelby County families battling breast cancer.

In the 14 years the event has been held, more than $200,000 has been raised.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said after the event Friday.

Hailed as the “largest Pink Out game in the state,” the event has become IWIN’s largest single-event fundraiser. Founder Nancy Shephard was on hand Friday to address the crowd along with foundation board member Anne Marie Tiernon (photo above), a television anchor at WTHR-13 in Indianapolis.

Shephard noted TC’s Pink Out game has directly helped 450 men and women as a result of its tie-in with IWIN.

Robinson was in Fairland late Friday afternoon enjoying a catered dinner in the hospitality room set up for all the breast cancer survivors in attendance.

As the junior varsity game concluded, a cavalcade of volunteers set up the gym for the parade of survivors and Pink Out celebration.

With students and basketball players standing courtside, the survivors entered the raucous gymnasium for a parade walk around the court.

This year’s event honoree was Dr. Robert Goulet, who is retiring after 35 years as a breast cancer surgeon. He recognized the survivors as “fighters” and praised the advancements in treatment since he first started practicing medicine more than three decades ago.

Robinson, with help from fellow breast cancer survivor Kelli Robison, shared her story with the crowd. It was a heartfelt message to young and old that cancer is not remorseful.

At the age of 38, Robinson found a lump in her breast. She was diagnosed with Stage 2B infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast. And if the diagnosis was not tough enough, she had to tell her 6-year-old son Nick about the hardships that were coming.

“I got him a book, ‘When Mama Wore A Hat,’” she recalled. “We read it a couple of times.”

Eight rounds of chemotherapy and 33 radiation treatments took its toll and her hair but Nick was there to make her feel better.

“He would literally massage my bald head. I loved it,” she said with a big smile.

Nine years later, the cancer returned. On Feb. 12, 2017, Robinson fainted in her bathroom. It was Nick who found her on the floor.

There was a mass in her chest restricting blood flow to her brain. That fall to the floor of her bathroom saved her life.

 One month later, Robinson was told the cancer returned and metastasized to her liver and bones. She was now considered Stage 4.

“Ten years have gone by (since my first diagnosis) and it’s amazing the prognosis,” she said. “When you here Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer you think death. I was thinking death myself.”

She had no idea that the cancer was back.

“I did not have any inclination of anything. I was feeling so good,” she said. “The doctor said there is a mass on your chest, I can’t let you go.”

Robinson is having another round of chemotherapy today. She will be rechecked in seven weeks to see if the treatment is working.

Friday’s Pink Out game is a reason Robinson maintains hope.

“I look forward to this every year,” she said. “At the end, its all cries and tears but I look forward to the next time.”

So does Sarah Coffey, dubbed the grand marshal of the parade. She is currently battling cancer for the fourth time – her first diagnosis came over three decades ago.

“And I hope there are many more to come,” she said with an air of feistiness about the Pink Out games.

Robinson has not needed IWIN’s services yet. She is a staunch supporter of the foundation that offers a wide variety of support to breast cancer survivors and their families.

“IWIN is fabulous. I always donate to benefit the other women because I feel fortunate that I have a job and I have insurance,” said Robinson, who works for UA Local 440 Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVACR Service Technicians of Indianapolis. “A lot of these women don’t … they don’t have a job. This helps them function in their new normal. You don’t have a normal anymore, it’s a new normal.”

Sarah (Stieneker) Robinson is introduced to the crowd during Triton Central's Pink Out game Friday and accepts a pink flower from an Oldenburg Academy basketball player.

At the end of the Pink Out celebration on the court, each survivor is introduced to the crowd and presented with pink flowers from representatives of Triton Central’s and Oldenburg Academy’s basketball programs as well as Triton Central’s cheerleaders.

The survivors then formed entrance tunnels for both of the varsity basketball teams as they took the court for pre-game warm ups. Then they returned to the hospitality room where they were presented with door prizes.

Robinson (photo above) took a few minutes to visit the silent auction tables to up her bids before returning to the hospitality room. Her generosity was rewarded with several auction items.

“I feel like I can go on now,” said Robinson when asked what the event means to her. “There are a lot of days where I sit and cry and wonder why me?”

Robinson assists Kelli Robison (left) with doling out door prizes to all the breast cancer survivors in attendance Friday.

Triton Central won the varsity basketball game, 60-29, over Oldenburg Academy. (Game recap: https://shelbycountypost.com/sports/615481)

Graham will tell you the win has little meaning at the end of the night. It’s the joy brought to those that needed it that make Triton Central’s Pink Out night so special.

“There is a lady that has passed away now. She came the first 12 years,” said Graham. “When she passed away, her daughter called and said we are sending a check and will be there even though mom is not there because in the last 10 years, this was the one night a year that mom said nothing hurt and she didn’t have to worry about anything except coming to the Pink Out game.

“What do you say to that? When you have ladies that look forward to this night all year long, I told the (TC) girls, your goal in life no matter what you do, whether it’s job or family, when you are gone or stop teaching or stop coaching, you want to look back and say, ‘What mark did I leave?’ And I think all my assistant coaches and myself and these girls over these last 14 years … we’ve left a mark. That’s something that people will always talk about.”

Identification and cause of death have been released involving the October discovery of a body in a wooded area of Shelby County.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department responded the afternoon of October 3, 2021, to a wooded area well off the road from an address at 2968 Old Franklin Road.

Shelby County Coroner Bradley Rund says the woman found on that date was Karen Hodgins, 66, of Shelbyville.  The cause of death is described as natural.  The cause is further defined as chronic ethanolism , hypertensive atherosclerotic, cardiovascular disease.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department says no foul play was suspected.

An early morning fire damaged rooms and contents at a Shelbyville home.

The Shelbyville Fire Department says no one was home at the time of the call just after 12:30 am Monday.  The Shelbyville Fire Department encountered a fire and heavy smoke upon arrival.  They were on the scene at 9 Maple Street for over three hours.

The 911 call was made by a neighbor.

No firemen were injured.  The cause and dollar amount on the damage remain under investigation.

According to Shelby County GIS the owner of the home is Noel Group LLC.

Mike Turner had to wait following his election win to join the school board at Shelbyvile Central.  Now a member of the board with the turn of the new year, Turner joins at a very busy time with the choice of a new superintendent and Covid concerns still looming.

Turner says his wait to join the board was a good time of preparation and observation.

Superintendent Mary Harper will retire at the end of the school year.  The board is close to naming her successor after recent interviews

As for Covid, Turner says they will try to make the best decision as the pandemic continues.

Turner is a long time member of the Shelbyville Police Department.  He knows this new position is answerable to voters, parents and other school stakeholders.  It's also important at home with children of his own in the school system.

General Update: Indiana’s Covid positivity rate increased to 30.1%, and Shelby County’s increased to 28.5%. Every county in the state is in red.  The Omicron variant is estimated to be responsible for approximately 70% of the cases.  

FREE IN-HOME COVID TESTS:  Visit www.covidtests.gov to request 4 free at-home COVID tests to be shipped to your door with no upfront costs.

Inpatient unit: 36 of our 40 beds are full on the 3rd-floor inpatient unit. 

• We currently have 12 critical care patients on the 3rd floor.  10 (83%) of them are due to Covid and 8 of the 10 are unvaccinated.   
• We have 3 patients on ventilators.  ALL these patients are Covid positive, and they are ALL unvaccinated. 
• We have 7 additional patients on Vapotherm or BiPap.  6 of them are Covid positive and 4 of the 6 are unvaccinated. 
• 24 (67%) of our inpatients are Covid positive and 14 (58%) of them are unvaccinated.

Testing:  We have plenty of rapid tests available and 77 antigen tests available. 

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes: 

• Priority Care - Still busy, but we did see lower patient volumes yesterday.    
• MHP Family & Internal Medicine - Still busy, but we did see lower patient volumes yesterday.  
• MHP Pediatrics - Still busy, but we did see lower patient volumes yesterday.  Lots of COVID cases and other illnesses.    

Emergency Department: The Emergency Department continues to be busy and saw 77 patients yesterday.  They are continuing to give Remdesivir (these are 3-day infusions) over the weekend. 

Pharmacy:  We have 8 doses of Sotrovimab (a novel monoclonal antibody treatment that only requires one dose) remaining and 18 more are on the way.  We also have more than 100 doses of BAM-ETE (neutralizing antibody drugs) and a good supply of Remdesivir. 

Noah Henderson has no committee helping him with the Morrison Park beautification project.

What he has, though, is an invested community wanting to help.

“As far as organization and leadership, I am kind of leading the drive but I don’t want to down play the organizations that are calling me and asking to help,” said Henderson. “That alone has made this process very easy.

“Going into it, I was thinking what am I going to do and how am I going to get all of this accomplished. I may be the man driving the show but I have a bus full of people that have called to get on board.”

Henderson (photo), an accountant for Ryobi Die Casting, Inc. in Shelbyville and former employee of Shelbyville Central Schools, has been working in conjunction with the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department and its board to spruce up the city’s oldest park.

The idea started with a phone call from the Grover Museum’s director to get involved in a project to clean up the aging World War I memorial (photos) in the park, located at 801 S. West St.

“Alex (Krach) reached out to me and said I know you are an officer in the Sons of American Legion, is this something the legion would like to do?” said Henderson. “I assumed I was the last guy on his list (to call). So if nobody else can do this, I would find a way to make it work. I reached out to the Sons of the American Legion and they said they could come out and help with a lot of stuff.”

Henderson saw an opportunity to do more for the park named after Laura Morrison, who spearheaded the city to purchase the land more than 110 years ago. The park was dedicated Laura Morrison Park on June 19, 1928.

Blue River Community Foundation contacted Henderson with a grant opportunity and $12,000 was forwarded to help create a beautification budget.

Henderson has been attending parks department board meetings regularly to provide and receive feedback on the project. He has settled on adding historical information stations around the park and concrete pads that will be set up for GaGa Ball and 9 Square games.

“Those games are getting very popular in youth ministries and YMCA camps because so many kids can play at the same time,” said Henderson.

In addition, Henderson wants to add a walking trail in the park. A recent conversation with city attorney Jennifer Meltzer could lead to the city writing a grant proposal specifically for the trail’s funding.

The goal is to have the beautification project complete by Memorial Day. Henderson’s plan is to have volunteer days in the spring to work on the memorial monument, the installation of the games and the informational signage.

Henderson will present the project budget, which has been bolstered by private donations, and the design plan at Wednesday’s parks board meeting.

Monetary donations are being accepted by the parks department for the project. Henderson believes the project is in good shape financially but will definitively be in need of volunteer hours this spring.

Combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient Stu Barnes-Israel today announced his candidacy for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District. Barnes-Israel is a Republican seeking to become the party’s nominee to replace outgoing Congressman Trey Hollingsworth.

Stu is a veteran of the United States Army and a recipient of both the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal with Valor for serving our country during his yearlong tour of combat duty in Afghanistan. During his time stationed in the mountains of Paktika Province, Stu fought the Taliban and worked with local Afghan citizens to create stable communities. In addition to serving on the battlefield, he also served stateside as a counterintelligence special agent preventing threats to U.S. national security.

A fifth-generation Decatur County resident, Stu was born in Greensburg, Indiana where he gained his love of country and Christian faith. He now lives in the same Greensburg family home where his grandparents lived when he was a young boy, and along with his wife Maureen, is raising two young sons – the sixth generation of Hoosiers.

“When I served on the battlefields of Afghanistan, we always put our fellow soldiers and the mission before ourselves,” said Stu Barnes-Israel. “Today, in our nation’s capital, the only people the liberal career politicians seem to want to serve are themselves. We have real work to do. We have to stop the out-of-control spending and runaway inflation that is wrecking our economy. We have to fight back against government overreach and defend our Hoosier values. We have to secure our border and make our cities safe again. I’m not a career politician. I know what it takes to keep us safe and grow the economy. When I saw Joe Biden’s disastrous exit from Afghanistan and his reckless spending plan in action, I knew it was time to step up and serve my country again. I’m going to Washington to fight for the America First agenda, to put hardworking Hoosiers first, and to defend our conservative values.

“In Afghanistan, our hut had a quote etched on the wall that said – adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. Our country today is seemingly facing adversity around every corner, but America has always revealed its genius in times of crisis and our generation will be no different. When it comes to our economic policies, we need to start thinking beyond just the date of the next election and instead implement a strategy that plans decades into the future by ensuring good paying jobs in the 9th Congressional District and dominating China in the race to lead the economy of the future. Since Joe Biden has been in office, countries like Russia and China have decided to test America’s resolve in Ukraine and Taiwan. President Trump knew that a strong America is best for the world, and we are now seeing the result of a weak America under Joe Biden.”

“In Congress, I will remind the career politicians every day that they are not somehow above the people they represent and that they need to adhere to the same standards they set for the rest of the country.”

Stu Barnes-Israel is a U.S. Army combat veteran and a fifth generation Hoosier. In 2016, Stu completed his Army service and continued his education, ultimately earning his MBA in 2018 from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, Stu used his military experience and business education to work with some of our nation’s largest businesses to grow and create American jobs. By doing so, he helped these American companies compete with countries like China and win in the global economy. 

Vandalism is taking its toll on the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation department’s maintenance staff.

Public restrooms at various parks have been under siege, forcing the maintenance workers to spend endless hours repairing sinks, toilets and stalls that have been destroyed beyond repair.

And the cost of replacing damaged items is adding to budgetary concerns.

“It is super frustrating,” said Chris Stephens, Sports Director and Maintenance Supervisor for the Shelbyville parks department. “Last year we were short on staff and we got hit harder than in the previous two years that I’ve been over maintenance. You plan things out to get done but these (repairs) require immediate attention. And it costs.”

The parks department is asking the community to help stop the vandalism that is detrimental to providing clean and safe parks.

“If you see something, call the parks department or call the police department,” said Stephens. “If you see something damaged, call us and let us know. If you are out at the park and you see somebody doing something and you don’t feel comfortable saying something, call me or call the police department.”

The most recent egregious act came Jan. 3 at Sunrise Park when the women’s bathroom door was ripped out of the foundation. The damage was severe enough to cause structural damage to the building.

“We are waiting on a repairs quote. That may be costly,” said Stephens.

The parks department also has dealt with sledgehammer damage to toilets and sinks. Partitions in bathrooms have been ripped from the floors and walls. And toilet and paper towel dispensers have been damaged or destroyed.

“Every urinal partition … they ripped every one out of the (concrete) block,” said Stephens of damage at Blue River Memorial Park.

In one restroom, the cold water handle on a sink was removed which allowed water to shoot up to the ceiling and back to the floor.

Fake blood was thrown throughout one restroom that just received a fresh coat of white paint.

Parks department staff found a damaged toilet one morning, repaired it and then returned in the evening to check the restroom and the new toilet was already damaged.

“My guys are frustrated,” said Stephens.

There are limited cameras in the city’s parks and more are on the way, according to Stephens, to help with security but there is not a feasible way to cover all the city parks on a daily basis.

Blue River Memorial Park, Morrison Park, Sunset Park, Sunrise Park, Kennedy Park and Clearwick Park have all been damaged to some extent.

“The parks are supposed to be for everyone,” said Stephens. “We try to offer a safe place. We want them as nice as they can be and as safe as they can be.

“If you see something, please say something.”

The parks department phone number is 317-392-5128.

Future Tigers Athletics has opened registration for its T-ball and coach pitch baseball leagues that run from late May to late June in Fairland.

T-ball is for boys and girls ages 3-5 while the coach pitch league is for boys and girls ages 6-8. The age cutoff date in Aug. 1, 2022.

The registration fee is $50 per child. Each participant will receive a T-shirt, socks and hat.

League play consists of 13 regular-season games and a season-ending single-elimination tournament. Teams also will have the opportunity to conduct four practices prior to the start of the season.

Deadline to register is March 5 when FTA will have a Skills Evaluation Day/TC Youth Baseball Camp on the campus of Triton Central High School.

Cost to participate in the evaluation session and camp, which runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 5, is $15.

If inclement weather, the camp will be held in Triton Central’s fieldhouse. If the weather allows, the camp will be held outdoors on the ball fields behind the main concession stand.

At 4 p.m on April 10, there will be a mandatory coaches meeting for all FTA baseball coaches in Triton Central High School’s cafeteria. Teams will be drafted at this time.

Coaches and concession stand volunteers are needed.

For more information, contact Justin Bergman at justinbergman78@gmail.com or call 317-800-8870.

The City of Shelbyville Police Department will soon have dashboard cameras in operation in all of its patrol vehicles.

On Wednesday at the city’s Common Council meeting at City Hall, police chief Mark Weidner requested $115,330 in racino funds to purchase 19 additional dash cameras.

“For probably three years now we have had at least half of the patrol division operational with these video cameras and they have been a tremendous success, both from evidentiary purposes and litigation purposes,” said Weidner to the council. “We have a case going on right now that is probably going to be litigated on the basis of what we see in the video.

“Given the climate of things going on right now, I’ve had other officers ask for these cameras that do not have them. I don’t have a way to give them to them within the budget.”

The need for more dashboard cameras was brought to the council’s attention at an April meeting. Councilman Tyson Conrady, the council’s liaison to police, fire and emergency medical services in the city, discussed the lack of cameras for nearly half of the city’s police department.

At that time, Conrady said the city would pursue grants to fund the additional cameras.

“We looked at grants for this project but we were unable to secure the funding that way,” said Conrady Wednesday afternoon.

In the end, Conrady, a first-time city councilman,  was grateful that the process produced the desired result.

“I’m happy to see that the police department is getting the cameras in all patrol cars,” he said. “Officer safety is my main concern and like chief Weidner said, these will provide additional resources in our city’s enforcement efforts.”

Cost of the equipment is $102,030 and installation is $13,300. Maintenance of the additional cameras will be added into future budgets, according to Weidner.

The new cameras are from the same company that provided the initial cameras for the police department so all the software will be compatible.

The motion was approved 6-0. Councilman Nathan Willis was not present for Wednesday’s meeting.

The council also heard from fire chief Tony Logan about a potential new way to staff an ambulance.

Through a contract with St. Francis Hospital, an ambulance is staffed by the hospital with a paramedic, an emergency medical technician and, at times, a student in training.

There have been several times where the ambulance is not staffed which puts additional stress on Shelbyville’s fire department resources.

Logan is putting together a proposal to hire three civilian paramedics to help staff that ambulance on a full-time basis.

Logan stated after the council meeting that he believes the funding is there to make it happen but there are still technicalities that need to be ironed out such as overall supervision of the paramedics and scheduling.

The firefighter’s union voted early Wednesday morning to support the project once guidelines are put in place.

All Shelbyville firefighters are also paramedics or EMT-certified which gives them versatility on emergency runs. That will not be the case with civilian paramedics who are not firefighters, and would alter assisting with volunteer department emergency calls around the county.

The Shelbyville fire department had 5,665 runs last year stretching out resources in ways not seen before.

“We’ve had a tremendous increase in run volume,” said Logan to the Common Council Wednesday morning prior to the meeting. “Last year was an unbelievable year – a perfect storm some may call it. Not only did our run volume go up but we had the issue with St. Francis where the truck was staffed sparingly so to speak. On top of that, I had two guys on workman’s (compensation), a guy on military leave and several people out from COVID-19.”

Logan asked that the discussion be removed from the regular meeting agenda Wednesday with the goal of returning in February for more discussion.

Major Health Partners provided this Covid update on January 19.

General Update: Indiana’s Covid positivity rate increased to 30%, and Shelby County’s increased to 27.8%. Hospitalizations continue to be up across the state, 3-4 days ago it was at an all-time peak.

FREE IN-HOME COVID TESTS:  Starting today you can visit www.covidtests.gov to request 4 free at-home COVID tests to be shipped to your door with no upfront costs.

Inpatient unit: All 40 of our beds are full on the 3rd-floor inpatient unit. 

• We currently have 12 critical care patients on the 3rd floor.  9 (75%) of them are due to Covid and 7 of the 9 are unvaccinated.   
• We have 6 patients on ventilators.  ALL these patients are Covid positive and 5 of them are unvaccinated. 
• We have 7 additional patients on Vapotherm or BiPap.  5 of them are Covid positive and 4 of the 5 are unvaccinated. 
• 28 (70%) of our inpatients are Covid positive and 19 (68%) of them are unvaccinated.

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes: 

• Priority Care - Saw lower patient volumes yesterday, but volumes are increasing again today.  
• MHP Family & Internal Medicine - Saw lower patient volumes yesterday, but volumes are increasing again today. 
• MHP Pediatrics - Continue to be busy with lots of COVID cases and other illnesses.  

Emergency Department: The Emergency Department continues to be busy and saw 81 patients yesterday.  They have also had 43 patients receive Remdesivir (these are a 3-day infusions). 

Pharmacy:  We received 12 doses of Sotrovimab (a novel monoclonal antibody treatment that only requires one dose) and 18 more are on the way. 

We also received more than 100 doses of BAM-ETE (neutralizing antibody drugs).  Currently, we have a good supply of Remdesivir.  

A preliminary design is complete for a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Miller and McKay streets in Shelbyville.

At Tuesday morning’s Board of Works meeting at City Hall, a contract was approved for Zimmer Construction Engineering, the roundabout’s designer, to begin the process of purchasing right-of-way access for the project that will commence construction in 2023.

In the preliminary design (photo), the city will have to navigate the steep climb of McKay Road headed west toward Miller St., where Shelbyville High School sits.

City engineer John Kuntz admitted the roundabout will have to shift to the west to make it feasible with the hill east of Miller St.

In other board business Tuesday:

• The board opened 10 bids for overlay asphalt projects in the city in 2022. There are 15 projects on the calendar. Kuntz’s estimate for the board was $585,540. The 10 bids came in between $522,962.45 and $715,171.50. The board took the bids under advisement but did not select a winner.
• The board recently restricted parking on the north side of James St. near the Shelby County Fairgrounds to improve traffic flow. A Shelbyville Central Schools bus could not travel down the road when cars were parked on both sides. The residents of 940 James St. asked for an exemption in front of the property to allow for safer access for one of its occupants. The board needed more time to make a decision and continued without a vote.
• The board granted a 30-day extension from remediation for the owner of 1303, 1305 and 1313 Beverly St., where trash and debris are a nuisance. The properties are currently being cleaned up but more time is needed to complete the project.
• The board approved to remediate the rental property at 815 Morris Avenue, which has been a nuisance for some time. The property will be cleaned up and the cost will be assessed to the property owner’s taxes.

• Another nuisance property has a new owner. The city received ownership of the property at 111 E. Hendricks St. and tore down the crumbling residence (photo). The city then put the property up for sale in December and it was purchased by Phillip Coffey. Ownership was transferred at Tuesday morning’s meeting.

Virtually the entire city of Shelbyville will soon have access to high-speed internet service thanks to a new partnership with a firm that will plan, build and operate the system.

Shelbyville has signed a letter of intent with Meridiam to provide a minimum of 1 gigabit of broadband service. The anticipated agreement is expected to be signed in the first quarter of 2022 with construction beginning in 2022.

Residents currently without high-speed access will be enabled to participate more fully in 21st century life and the digital economy. Areas to be annexed into Shelbyville are included.

“This project is the right thing to do for many reasons,” said Mayor Tom DeBaun. “It not only makes our city competitive economically, but also opens paths for everyone to participate in everything from remote work to digital healthcare. High-speed internet will be a game-changer.”

Meridiam will fund the project through subscription fees gathered by the providers. Shelbyville will not provide funding.

The system will ultimately be open-access, meaning other internet providers can use it after a period of exclusive access by the original provider.

Registration has started for the 2022 Shelby County Babe Ruth Baseball season.

The deadline to register is March 13. The fee is $80 per player or a maximum of $240 per family. Go to www.shelbycountybaberuth.com to sign up.

Leagues at Donald L. Johnson Memorial Park are for boys and girls ages 4-13. All participants must be at least 4 years old by April 30, 2022.

Each league will consist of 12 games and a single-elimination postseason tournament except for the T-ball league, which will not have a tournament.

New this year is a fifth league strictly for 6 year olds. With elevated participation numbers, Shelby County Babe Ruth has isolated the age group believing there will be enough teams for a competitive league.

Here is a list of the five leagues and their respective age groups:

• T-ball league for ages 4-5
• Pee Wee league for 6-year-olds
• Rookie league for ages 7-8
• Minor league for ages 9-10
• Major league for ages 11-13

Player evaluation day is March 5 at Shelbyville High School’s auxiliary gymnasium. All players are encouraged to attend so coaches can evaluate and draft teams accordingly.

Evaluation times have not yet been announced.

In 2021, Shelby County Babe Ruth had 475 participants, up from 404 in 2020.

Players are not limited to Shelby County residences.

Fall league registration will open in May. There were 277 players in the fall of 2021 in the league’s third year of existence. That number of participants has risen from 209 in 2020 and 142 in 2019.

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says an EMT has been charged for an incident inside of an ambulance.

On Friday, Jeramy Goodnight, 42, of Columbus, was charged with one count of Official Misconduct as a Level 6 felony and one count of Battery as a Class B misdemeanor. The charges stemmed from a single car crash being investigated December 27, 2021, where the driver of the vehicle suffered some physical injuries and was believed to be intoxicated.

Medical personnel were brought to the scene to examine the driver. While inside the ambulance the individual began to become increasingly belligerent, and was restrained with an oxygen mask to prevent him from potentially spitting on anyone. After the individual continued to be belligerent to a female EMT inside the ambulance, Goodnight is alleged to have taken his hands, placed them over the head of the individual and pressed down on his eyelids with his thumbs, resulting in the individual screaming out in pain.

Two sheriff’s deputies were present inside the ambulance when the alleged incident took place and immediately reported it to a supervisor, who in turn requested someone from the investigations division look into the matter. The individual did not suffer any kind of serious injury.
 

According to Sheriff Duane Burgess, while it is never pleasant to have to investigate a fellow first responder, it is their obligation to do so fairly and impartially.

 
Prosecutor Joe Villanueva sympathizes with how frustrating those situations can be for first responders, but that there are certain lines which cannot be crossed.

“Police and fire personnel routinely deal with intoxicated or belligerent people.  This individual was handcuffed and not a physical threat to the safety of anyone inside that ambulance. Part of doing this kind of job is having a thick skin and letting comments slide, and that’s exactly what should have happened here. We will now seek to hold Mr. Goodnight accountable for his alleged actions in choosing otherwise.”

Johnson County officials say both the town of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Fire Department have been very transparent and cooperative during the investigation. 

General Update: Indiana’s Covid positivity rate increased to 28.9%, and Shelby County’s increased to 21.7%.

Hospitalizations continue to be up across the state.

Inpatient unit: 37 of our 40 beds are full on our 3rd-floor inpatient unit. 

• We currently have 12 critical care patients on the 3rd floor, and 9 (75%) of those patients are due to Covid. Of the 9 Covid-related critical care patients, 8 of them are unvaccinated.   
• We have 5 patients on ventilators, and ALL of those patients are Covid positive, and 4 of those patients are unvaccinated. We have 7 additional patients on Vapotherm or BiPap, and ALL of those patients are Covid positive, and ALL of them are unvaccinated. 
• 24 (65%) of our inpatients are Covid positive, and 21 (87%) of them are unvaccinated.

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes: 

• Priority Care - Busy over the weekend and saw over 60 patients yesterday. Continue to be busy today and have seen 30 patients as of 11:30 a.m. today.
• MHP Family & Internal Medicine - Continues to be busy but a little slower this morning. Have seen 25 patients as of 11:30 a.m. today.
• MHP Pediatrics - Continues to be busy. Have seen 32 patients as of 11:30 a.m. today. Saw 60-60 kids per day last week—lots of COVID and other illnesses.

Emergency Department: The Emergency Department continues to be busy. Saw 81 patients yesterday. Infusion requests are still flowing in, and we have 39 patients that meet high risk criteria at the moment.

We are out of monoclonal antibodies but anticipate a shipment later this week. The state allocates these, and we have no control over when we receive them.  

Many Shelbyville Central Schools students are ready to dispense with wearing masks during school days.

Shelby County’s largest school system says masks will be optional for students and staff beginning Feb. 3 as long as the absentee rate in each of the system’s six buildings remains below 5%.

A surge of COVID-19 cases was expected following the holiday break. Since the resumption of classes on Jan. 3, a total of 166 cases of COVID-19 have been reported – by far the largest two-week span of the 2021-2022 school year.

According to an email sent to SCS parents, Shelbyville High School has reported 38 cases. Shelbyville Middle School has the most at 59.

In the three elementary schools, Loper has 26 cases, Hendricks follows at 16 and Coulston has 13.

The Golden Bear Preschool has reported 14 cases.

Should a SCS building reach 5% absenteeism after Feb. 3, a two-week mask mandate will go into effect at that building to quell the absentee rate.

The absentee rate will include students and staff.

Shelbyville Central Schools has narrowed the list of candidates for a new superintendent down to three.

New SCS board president Curt Johnson (photo) confirmed that three executive sessions this week are for second-round interviews.

“It’s really been a great process so far,” said Johnson after Wednesday’s school board meeting at the administrative building. “We have conducted out first round interviews and are in the process of our second round interviews.

“We have a really good batch of candidates and hopeful to have someone to announce by the beginning of February … I think.”

There were 12 candidates expressing interest in being SCS’ new superintendent. Current superintendent Mary Harper announced in September her intention to retire at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

“I think the board has done a good job so far of getting on top of it,” said Johnson. “We are very pleased with the candidates.

“The candidates each bring different things to the table. It’s going to be hard for us to go wrong. I think the school system is in a good position.”

Ben Kuhn is the new President of the Shelby Eastern Schools board.

Jason Yantiss, who was the sitting president at the end of 2021, nominated Kuhn, who was serving as Vice-President.

Brandon Kleine takes over as Vice-President and Andrew Hawk will serve as Secretary.

Taylor Hunter was retained as the board’s legal counsel, according to superintendent Todd Hitchcock.

At Wednesday’s first meeting of 2022, the board updated the school system’s COVID-19 policy.

The most recent Centers for Disease Control now recommends a five-day quarantine period for a positive COVID-19 test.

The close contact policy remains the same, according to Hitchcock. If a close contact has been determined, the student can wear a mask and stay in school or opt for a 10-day quarantine period.

With approval of a development standard variance at Tuesday’s Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, Southwestern Consolidated Schools moved one step closer to a new digital sign.

Green Signs, based out of Greensburg, Indiana, will install a larger digital sign (photo) that will replace the current one that sits in front of Southwestern High School, 3406 W. 600 South.

The installation cost is $49,994.93 and was approved at the November school board meeting, according to superintendent Curt Chase. The sign is expected to be completed this spring.

The new sign will allow emergency medical services to tap in to the message board to display information when necessary.

Green Signs recently completed the installation of a new digital sign at the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

The school board met Wednesday for the first time in 2022 and retained all of its elected positions. Jim Emerick is President of the school board and Linda Isgrigg is Vice-President, according to the school system’s website.

Also serving on the school board are Susan Smith (Secretary), Michael Burbrink, Travis Beck, Jerry Drake and Isaac Pile.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the board approved the use of ESSER III grant funds for a roof replacement project ($443,300) on the school system’s buildings and for an updated firewall ($9,300) to protect against a data breach.

The board also approved a $15,422 expense from Nading Mechanical out of the fieldhouse contingency fund to fix standing water issues on the west side of the campus.

Work is needed to keep water moving toward a drain to eliminate ponding, according to Chase.

Shelbyville Central Schools board has a new president and a new member.

At the first meeting of 2022, Curt Johnson was elected president of the board, replacing Gayle Wiley, who is no longer serving on the board.

Wiley’s board seat was filled by Mike Turner, who works for the Shelbyville Police Department. Turner was sworn in Wednesday by Johnson (photo) prior to the start of the monthly school board meeting at the school system’s administrative building.

John DePrez was elected Vice-President and Jim Rees was re-elected Secretary.

One of the board’s first actions Wednesday was to present a Certificate of Recognition to Golden Bear Preschool principal Lora Nigh, who recently received a Build, Learn, Grow (BLG) Stabilization Grant worth $432,149.

Since her inception as principal at the school that opened in 2019, Nigh has received over $600,000 in grant funding, according to the board.

The BLG grant is not tied to a specific area of education, meaning Nigh can spend the funds as she wishes to best help the preschool.

Nigh told the board she plans to spend the funds on personnel. There may be a second round of BLG funding available later this year, according to Nigh.

The board also approved the 2022-2023 school year Shelbyville High School Course Guide.

As part of the donations list being accepted, business manager Michelle Babcock informed the board that the school system received a truckload of Lysol wipes through a donation opportunity that was distributed throughout the school system.

Once it was determined SCS had an ample supply of Lysol wipes, superintendent Mary Harper reached out to local organizations, such as the Self Shelbyville Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc. of Shelbyville/Shelby County, and the parks department as well as other county school systems, and donated the remaining supplies.

A restoration project for Shelbyville’s oldest public park is slated for 2022 and a new Girl Scouts project could land there as well.

On Wednesday at the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department’s board meeting, Noah Henderson provided an update on plans to make Morrison Park more interactive.

Historical information stations and concrete pads for 9 Square and GaGa Ball games are in the discussion stages as well as a potential walking trail for the park.

Henderson is spearheading the Morrison Park renovation project and already has funding in place from the Blue River Community Foundation. He is expecting a donation from Indiana Grand Racing and Casino as well.

No official plans for the park’s restoration are finalized.

Laura Morrison Park was dedicated on June 19, 1928, nearly 20 years after Morrison asked the city to purchase the 12 acres of land. Morrison Park, 801 S. West St., is the only city park that is completely surrounded by residential neighborhoods.

Local Girl Scouts made a presentation Wednesday for a proposed Zen Garden that they would like to create in Morrison Park.

The Zen garden, a traditional Japanese meditation spot, would include trees and floral landscaping as well as a water feature and benches.

The Girl Scouts are currently collecting plastic caps and lids that will be recycled into benches.

Parks board member Tammy Knox, who works for Indiana Grand, offered up a large collection of plastic lids from her work place. Henderson offered to see what Ryobi has stored away.

Prior to the start of the presentations, the board elected Gary Bowen as president and Gary Nolley as vice-president. Also serving on the board are Tammy Knox and Terie Anderson.

The board meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 4:15 p.m. in the parks department’s board room, 945 S. Tompkins St.

A meeting of several county and city leaders and health care professionals to discuss Shelby County's Covid issue prompted a formal complaint regarding the Open Door Law.

The complaint involved a meeting in early September where a number of stakeholders discussed the county's Covid issues and how to proceed.  The county commissioners responded to the complaint filed with the Public Access Counselor replying that the meeting was attended by each of them individually and no decisions were made regarding mask mandates of Shelby County schools until a regular meeting of the commissioners that followed on September 13.

Public Access Counselor Luke Britt's opinion can be read in the document below.

Greenfield's Stillinger Family Funeral is expanding with the purchase of Hancock County's Hendryx Mortuary.  

The recent purchase of a Greenfield florist is also growing the Stilinger footprint.

Hendryx Mortuaries has been a longstanding business in the Hancock County community for decades. Now, David Stillinger, owner of Stillinger Family Funeral Home Pasco Chapel, has acquired the 134-year-old business and is eager to continue the Hendryx family legacy.

Stillinger will now be the owner of both the Hendryx New Palestine Chapel and the Cumberland Chapel, respectively.

Tom Hendryx, Hendryx’s previous owner and fourth-generation funeral director, is excited for the next chapter of his family’s business and believes Stillinger is the perfect fit.

“I had heard great things about David [Stillinger] and have seen what he has done since taking over the Pasco Chapel,” Hendryx said. “Seeing the success he has had, the fact that he is a local, small business owner that holds similar values and loves our community made him easily the best fit for taking over my family’s business.”

For Hendryx, Hendryx Mortuaries has been his whole life. He grew up in the business and joined the family to work in 1978 right after his college graduation. He is ready to back away from working and enjoy the next chapter in his life.

“Working with David has given me a peace of mind that the business is being placed into good hands,” Hendryx said. “I am excited for him to implement new technology and a fresh perspective while serving the families of this community.”

Stillinger took over the Pasco Chapel in Greenfield just over 20 years ago.

Stillinger and his team will provide their existing services at both the New Palestine and Cumberland Chapel locations, including full cremation and funeral options, pre-planning, pet services, grief therapy dogs, monument sales and more.

“Our team is ready to uphold the Hendryx family’s values while also instilling our existing beliefs to create a warm, caring atmosphere for the families we serve,” Stillinger said. “I look forward to helping more families in our amazing community during their most difficult time and I am thankful to do that while carrying on both the Stillinger and Hendryx Family legacies.”

Stillinger says his son is working with him now in the business.

The other recent addition has been the acquisition of Penny's Florist in Greenfield.

Major Health Partners released its most recent information in an Incident Command Report.

General Update:  Indiana’s overall Covid positivity rate is 24.2% and Shelby County’s positivity rate is 16.9% as of January 3^rd. 

Inpatient unit: All forty of our beds are full on our 3rd-floor inpatient unit.  

We currently have 14 critical care patients on the 3rd floor, and 12 (86%) of those patients are due to Covid. Of the 12 Covid-related critical care patients, only two are vaccinated.   

We have five patients on ventilators and all of those patients are Covid positive and only one of those patients is vaccinated.  We have five additional patients who are on Vapotherm or BiPap, and all of those patients are Covid positive and only one of those patients is vaccinated. 

Twenty-five (64%) of our inpatients are Covid positive, and twenty-one (84%) of them are unvaccinated.

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes:  Priority Care was very busy over the weekend.  Over 50 patients have presented for walk-ins before 11AM today. 

MHP Family & Internal Medicine has also had over 50 walk-in patients register before 11AM today.  We now have 60 Pfizer Covid vaccine doses for patients in MHP Family & Internal Medicine. 

MHP Pediatrics has had 47 walk-in patients register today before 11AM.  The vast majority are presenting with Covid symptoms.   

The Emergency Department is averaging approximately 82 patients per day and the majority of patients continue to present with high acuity.  Wait times are longer than normal due to high volumes.  We only have a handful of doses remaining of the infusion drugs used to treat high-risk patients who are infected with Covid.    

Shelbyville Central Schools reported 59 cases of COVID-19 during the school system’s first week back from holiday break. That is the highest amount of cases SCS has reported during a weekly period since the start of the school year in August.

The previous high was 45 the week of Sept. 6. Shelby County’s largest school system had been averaging 18 cases per week since Nov. 1, 2021.

A total of 36 of the 59 cases did not require contact tracing, according to an email sent out to parents of SCS students. Contact tracing did occur for the other 23 cases.

Shelbyville High School and Shelbyville Middle School totaled 31 of the 59 cases.

Of the 15 cases at SHS, eight did not require contact tracing. A total of 83 close contacts were defined.

At SMS, half of the 16 reported cases did not require contact tracing. A total of 73 close contacts were reported.

At the three elementary schools, Coulston had six cases, Hendricks had seven and Loper reported nine. Of those 22 cases, 14 did not require contact tracing. A total of 30 close contacts were determined.

The Golden Bear Preschool had six COVID-19 cases – all required no contact tracing.

All Shelbyville Central Schools students are required to wear face masks during normal school hours through Feb. 2.

Masks will be optional starting Feb. 3 as long as building absentee rates stay below 5% due to positive COVID-19 cases and close contacts.

If a building goes over 5%, a mask mandate will be implemented in that building for two weeks. After the two-week period, if the absentee rate drops below 5% in the building masks will again be optional.

Per federal mandate, masks are still required on school buses through March 18.

Here is a listing of total students and staff in each building along with its 5% threshold:

• Shelbyville High School – 1,238 students and staff (5% = 62)
• Shelbyville Middle School – 1,015 (5% = 51)
• Coulston Elementary – 532 (5% = 27)
• Hendricks Elementary – 584 (5% = 30)
• Loper Elementary – 751 (5% = 38)
• Golden Bear Preschool – 395 (5% = 20)

SCS will allow individuals within three feet of a COVID-19 positive individual, wearing a mask and without symptoms to remain in school while monitoring for symptoms.

When masks become optional, individuals within six feet of a positive individual for greater than 15 minutes will be quarantined unless fully vaccinated or previously positive within the last 90 days.

Quarantine procedures will not apply to fully vaccinated (asymptomatic) individuals. Fully vaccinated now includes the booster dose for those eligible to receive it (ages 12 and up).

Quarantine also does not apply to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), in partnership with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD), is hosting a virtual job fair to promote multiple positions the agency has available throughout the state.

The virtual job fair is scheduled to run from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

Opportunities include Customer Service Representative (intermittent, part-time, full-time), Team Lead, Manager in Training, Assistant Branch Manager and Branch Manager. BMV leaders will discuss job opportunities in detail, along with benefits and how to apply. BMV team members also will be on hand to share why they chose to work at the BMV and how they’ve advanced their careers.

“The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles offers rewarding careers for those wanting to make an impact on the lives of Hoosiers every day,” said BMV Commissioner Peter Lacy. “We have numerous positions available with a variety of great benefits and are excited to partner with the DWD on this virtual job fair.” 

DWD Commissioner Fred Payne said, “The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles assists thousands of Hoosiers every day and enjoys great success in serving them thanks to its dedicated team members. We are pleased to partner with the BMV to announce these important opportunities to potential jobseekers.”

Those interested in the job fair but unable to attend are encouraged to still register, as a recording will be sent via email the following day.

To register, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/291863582017890316.  After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the virtual job fair.

Major Health Partners released its most recent Incident Command Update.  Included is a reminder of the Indiana Department of Health Strike Force Team that is available for Covid testing and vaccines at the Shelby County Fairgrounds through Saturday, January 8.

General Update:  Indiana’s overall Covid positivity is 20.5% and Shelby County’s positivity rate is 17.3%.  Both have increased since Monday. 

The Indiana State Department of Health on Tuesday reported 172 more deaths from COVID-19 and another increase in statewide hospitalizations. Officials said 3,207 people were hospitalized due to the virus as of Monday, an increase from 3,164 the previous day. That’s the highest number since Dec. 9, 2020.

Pediatric Covid update:  Riley Hospital for Children reports that it has admitted nearly four times as many children for COVID-19 treatment in recent weeks as in any previous wave during the pandemic. Riley Hospital was at 87% capacity on Tuesday morning. 

Inpatient unit: All 40 of our 40 beds remain full on our 3rd-floor inpatient unit. 

·     We currently have 10 critical care patients on the 3rd floor, and 9 (90%) of those patients are due to Covid. Of the 10 Covid-related critical care patients, only two are vaccinated.   

·     We have seven patients on ventilators and six of those patients are Covid positive and only one patient is vaccinated. We have seven additional patients who are on Vapotherm or BiPap, and all of those patients are Covid positive. 

·     Twenty-six (65%) of our inpatients are Covid positive, and twenty (77%) of them are unvaccinated.

Regeneron supply:  As of Wednesday morning, we have 16 doses of Regeneron remaining.  We performed a record high of 42 infusions one day last week and we infused 37 patients yesterday. 

We will run out of Regeneron today.  We expect to receive 48 additional doses later this week, but that will not last more than 36 hours.  

Urgent Care and walk-in volumes:  Priority Care saw over 90 urgent care patients yesterday.  MHP Family & Internal Medicine and MHP Pediatrics consistently see between 60-70 walk-in patients each day per office.  The Emergency Department is averaging between 70-80 patients per day and the majority of patients continue to present with high acuity. 

Don't visit an Emergency Room for just a COVID test. - This will help us in treating patients who require emergency care. 

Need a Rapid Covid test?  How about a Covid vaccine or booster?  January 5^th through January 8^th from 12PM to 8PM, the Indiana State Department of Health will be offering Covid testing and Covid vaccines and boosters at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in the Brinson Building at 500 Frank Street. 

Two parents and their children were taken for medical treatment following a Tuesday night Shelbyville house fire.

The Shelbyville Fire Department responded to 164 1st Street about 7:30 pm Tuesday.  The family of Jason and Wendy Jackson was home at the time and the parents were able to crawl through the smoke to rescue their young children.  All were transported to MHP Medical Center for smoke inhalation.

The home sustained major damage.  The cause remains under investigation but the fire department says it appears to be accidental.

Wind appears to be a factor in an early morning fatal Shelby County crash.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department says units were dispatched to Interstate 74 westbound at the 104 mile marker for an accident with unknown injury about 3:30 Wednesday morning.

A semi registered to Ryder/Amazon driven by Temirlan Baizakov, 21, of Chicago, was traveling west on Interstate 74. Baizakov stated he had a light load and there was heavy wind.  He stated due to the wind he lost control of the semi. The semi swerved, flipped over and skidded into the median on its side. Part of the trailer was blocking the left lane of Interstate 74.  Baizakov was not injured in the accident.

Baizakov stated as he was attempting to exit the semi when he heard a collision to the trailer. The semi-trailer was struck by a Mercedes bdriven by Gary E. Oldham, Jr., 30, of Shelbyville. There was heavy damage to the front driver side of the vehicle and Oldham was entrapped.

Oldham was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department says evidence at the scene supported the semi driver's statement of wind leading to the accident.

A young child was killled in a Tuesday morning I-65 crash.

Just before 10:00 am, Indiana State Police dispatchers received an emergency call about a vehicle that was disabled partially in the left lane of I-65 northbound near the 86 mile marker. As police were responding to assist, dispatchers began receiving numerous calls about a serious crash at the same location. When emergency responders arrived they located a young child entrapped in a car seat in back seat of a heavily damaged passenger car.

The child was extricated and emergency life saving efforts ensued. The child was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced deceased. Two adults were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. 

A preliminary investigation was conducted on scene by Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists. It was determined a passenger car had pulled to the left side of the roadway and stopped for unknown reasons and that vehicle was partially in the left lane. A northbound pick-up truck struck the rear end of the stationary car.

The driver of the car and the driver of the pick-up truck both suffered non-life threatening injuries. 

The northbound lanes of I-65 were closed for nearly four hours while the crash was investigated and wreckage was removed. The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information to release at this time. 

The Indiana State Police were assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Franklin Fire Department, SEALS Ambulance Service, the Indiana Department of Transportation. 

Following the Board of Works and Public Safety’s Tuesday morning decision to limit parking on James Street, a further study will be done to locate similar narrow passageways in the city.

A Shelbyville Centrals School bus cannot travel down James Street (photo) when cars are parked on both sides of the road. That prompted a conversation with neighbors to rectify the problem.

The Board of Works, which consists of Mayor Tom DeBaun, David Finkel and Bob Williams, visited with residents on James Street which narrows as it goes east. That has made it difficult for a SCS special needs bus to pass through once dropping off a student.

A bigger concern arose with getting fire trucks or other emergency services vehicles down James Street, located one block north of the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

At Tuesday morning’s first meeting of the Board of Works for 2022, a decision was made to eliminate parking on the north side of James Street.

“It’s a nice street. The conditions of the homes are very nice,” said Finkel, who has visited the area on several occasions.

There is an alley that runs behind the homes on the north side of James Street, according to DeBaun, which allows access to the homes. That is not true of the south side of the street.

“The north side just makes the most sense to eliminate the parking,” said Finkel.

Finkel asked Fire Chief Tony Logan, who regularly attends the Board of Works meetings, to survey other city streets for potential problems for emergency services vehicles.

Code enforcement officer Troy Merrick appeared before the Board of Works to ask for “orders to appear” for the owners of 815 Morris Avenue, 827 Meridian St., 1303 Beverly St., 1305 Beverly St., and 1313 Beverly St.

All but one of the properties are rental properties and are in need of attention.

The Board of Works also approved a Memorandum of Understanding for funding for the Youth Assistance Program (YAP).

The memorandum was already approved by the Shelby County Commissioners, the Shelby County Council, and, on Monday, the city’s Common Council.

The city’s portion of the funding is not to exceed $65,000.

The three-member Board of Works and Public Safety meets every Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall, 44 W. Washington St.

The Shelbyville Common Council will continue in 2022 with the same leadership structure.

At the first meeting of 2022 Monday night at City Hall, Rob Nolley was approved as President. Brian Asher was nominated and approved as Vice President. And Mike Johnson was approved as Reader of the ordinances and resolutions.

All three held the same positions in 2021.

Nathan Willis asked to step down as the council’s appointment to the Tourism Board, citing scheduling conflicts. Scott Furgeson offered to replace Willis and was approved.

The council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Youth Assistance Program (YAP) it helps fund.

YAP is co-funded by the city of Shelbyville and Shelby County. Monday’s approval stated the city will cover half of the operating costs not to exceed $65,000.

The memorandum was already approved by the Shelby County Commissioners and the Shelby County Council, according to city attorney Jennifer Meltzer.

The city was handed an oversized check for $46,610 representing a rebate check from its energy savings contract. Solar panels have been installed around the city and new light fixtures were added in many of the city’s buildings.

There was no discussion where the rebate funds will be utilized.

Tyson Conrady was the only council member not in attendance. He attempted to attend virtually but was unable to get a connection to participate in the meeting.

The Common Council consists of Rob Nolley and Brian Asher – both at large representatives, Joanne Bowen (1^st ward), Nathan Willis (2^nd ward), Mike Johnson (3^rd ward), Scott Furgeson (4^th ward) and Tyson Conrady (5^th ward).

Mayor Tom DeBaun oversees the council meetings but is not a member of  the council.

The council meets at City Hall, 44 W. Washington St. (photo), twice monthly on the first and third Mondays at 7 p.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively.

Indiana’s overall Covid positivity is 14.9% and Shelby County’s positivity rate is 15.1%. 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:  Don't visit an Emergency Room for just a COVID test. - This will help us in treating patients who require emergency care.  If you need a COVID-19 Test below are the locations currently offering them in Shelby County. 

• MHP Family & Internal Medicine; 2451 Intelliplex, Suite 260.  Mon. - Fri.: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 317.398.0121  (for established patients)
• MHP Pediatrics; 2451 Intelliplex, Suite 240, (children 18 and under) Mon. - Fri.: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 317.398.7337
• MHP Priority Care; 30 W Rampart, Mon. - Fri.: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sat. & Sun.: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. 317.398.7644
• Shelby County Health Department; 1600 E State Road 44, Suite A, Mon: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (closed for lunch 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) Thurs: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (closed for lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
• Walgreens; 1010 E SR 44, Schedule: www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing
• For additional testing options visit www.coronavirus.in.gov/covid-19-testing-information/ or DIAL 211.

Pediatric Covid update:  One of the state’s leading pediatric hospitals shared data with MHP comparing their December 2020 Covid statistics to December 2021.  The data shows an 88% increase in pediatric patients testing positive and a 35% increase in pediatric Covid admissions.   

Inpatient unit: All 40 of our 40 beds remain full on our 3rd-floor inpatient unit and that has been the case almost every day since December 11^th.  The ACC inpatient unit is nearly full with 16 patients.   

·     We currently have 14 critical care patients on the 3rd floor, and 11 (79%) of those patients are due to Covid. Of the 14 Covid-related critical care patients, only two are vaccinated.   

·     We have four patients on ventilators and all of those patients are Covid positive and none of them are vaccinated. We have ten additional patients who are on Vapotherm or BiPap, and all of those patients are Covid positive. 

·     Twenty-three (58%) of our inpatients are Covid positive, and twenty (87%) of them are unvaccinated.

Regeneron supply:  As of this morning, we had 92 doses of Regeneron remaining.  We will run out by Wednesday as we continue to infuse over 30 patients per day.      

A Shelbyville home was damaged by a weekend fire.

The Shelbyville Fire Department says fire could be seen coming out of a bedroom window at 525 South Pike when they arrived at the scene Saturday night.  The fire was extinguished quickly with the bedroom sustaining fire and water damage.  The rest of the home sustained smoke damage.

No definitive word on the cause but Shelbyville Fire does report it as accidental.

There were no injuries.

The names of residents wasn’t available as of this report.  Shelby County GIS shows the property owner as Weingarth Properties LLC.

A car had to be removed from a retention pond in Shelbyville.

Police were dispatched about 2:25 am on New Year’s Day to Saraina Road at the intersection to Shelby’s Crest.  A tan, four-door Nissan Maxima was traveling northbound when it left the roadway and stopped in the pond.

Phelps Wrecker Service towed the vehicle from the scene.

The police report indicates the car is owned by a Monica Richards.  But police say there is no evidence of who was driving at the time of the incident.  No one was at the scene when police arrived.

A Silver Alert was issued Sunday for a Shelbyville woman.  The alert was lifted early Monday morning.

Shelbyville Police confirm that they spoke with Sandra Hobbs, 79.  Hobbs had returned home on her own and was safe.

The alert had initially noted Hobbs was last seen in New Palestine driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala.