Local News

Shelbyville Central Schools Board of Trustees to formally appoint new member Wednesday

President of the Shelbyville Central Schools Board of Trustees Curtis Johnson released the following announcement of the board's newest member:

The Shelbyville Central Schools Board of Trustees advertised for applications to fill the vacancy of the District 1 board member. This seat was previously held by John C. DePrez IV who was recently named board attorney.

Six candidates applied for the position. Interviews that were open to the public were held on Jan. 25.

The Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Katherine Garringer to fill the vacant seat. Dr. Garringer is an optometrist with McDaniel Family Eye Clinic and is a graduate of Shelbyville High School.

After the interviews board member Dr. Jim Rees commented “all six applicants would do an outstanding job, they could easily replace us with the schools being in capable hands.”

Johnson reiterated appreciation for the strong candidates and outstanding talent that applied.

Dr. Garringer will be formally appointed at the board’s next meeting Wednesday.

The entire Shelbyville Central Schools family welcomes Dr. Garringer to her new position on the board.

Wortman Family Foundation for Shelby and Hancock counties awards over $300,000 to start 2023

Advisory board members of the Wortman Family Foundation for Shelby and Hancock counties convened in January to evaluate the 32 requests received for funding through the foundation’s second grant cycle.

Nonprofit organizations serving Shelby and Hancock counties were invited to submit proposals that focused on health and education as well as projects and programs that enhanced the quality of life within the two communities.

Mr. Wortman and the Wortman Family Foundation advisory board are again pleased with the nonprofit community’s response to this new opportunity. Eleven more applications were received than during the inaugural cycle in 2022.

Blue River Community Foundation is pleased and delighted to announce this year’s grant recipients on behalf of Mr. Wortman and the Wortman Family Foundation advisory committee. Twenty-one individual nonprofit agencies were chosen through the competitive process to receive funding that totaled over $236,000.

The following organizations will be receiving funding for various projects and programs in 2023:

  • Little Yellow Jackets Preschool (Morristown)
  • Major Health Partners
  • Morristown Community Development Partnership
  • Shelby Supply Co. in care of the Bridge Ministries
  • Family Services and Prevention Programs
  • Shelby Eastern Schools
  • Girls Inc. of Shelbyville and Shelby County
  • Shares, Inc.
  • Shelby County Meals on Wheels, Inc.
  • St. Vincent DePaul Society of Shelby County
  • Turning Point Domestic Violence
  • J. Kenneth Self Shelbyville Boys Club (Waldron Elementary)
  • Shelby County Public Library
  • Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources
  • Dinner Before Bedtime
  • Greenfield Central School Foundation
  • Hancock County Children’s Choir
  • Mt. Vernon Education Foundation
  • Love INC of Greater Hancock County
  • Firefly Children and Family Alliance
  • Society of St. Andrew

In addition to the competitive cycle grantees, the Wortman Family Foundation for Shelby and Hancock Counties will continue supporting the following projects with annual gifts over the next four years: 

  • Early Learning Shelby County – capital campaign for a quality daycare facility in Shelby County
  • Hancock Health Foundation – programming for mental health and addiction services
  • Shelby County Players – capital campaign for new performance facility

The Wortman Family Foundation Fund for Shelby and Hancock Counties also provides non-competitive annual gifts to the following charities:

  • Blue River Youth Choir
  • Hancock County Children’s Choir
  • Hancock Senior Services
  • Indiana Masonic Home Foundation
  • Indiana Scottish Rites Cathedral
  • Love INC.
  • Morristown Boys and Girls Club
  • SCUFFY
  • Shelby County Pantry Pals
  • Shelby County Players
  • Shelby Senior Services

The total philanthropic contribution from the fund for 2023 is more than $340,000.

For more information about the Wortman Family Foundation for Shelby and Hancock Counties, visit https://www.blueriverfoundation.com/wortman-family-foundation.

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Greenfield-Central High School student killed in weekend car crash

A Greenfield-Central high school student was killed in a weekend car crash.

The Hancock County Sheriff's Department says the single vehicle crash occurred about two miles north of Greenfield at about 11 p.m. Saturday. The Sheriff's Office responded to the area of County Road 500 North and County Road 50 East for a single-vehicle crash near Maxwell Intermediate School.

Deputies arrived on scene and called for the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team (F.A.C.Team) to respond because of the severity of the crash.

The crash involved a 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Dylan Palmer, 17. Palmer was the only occupant.

The Mitsubishi was traveling west on 500 North from State Road 9 when it ran off the roadway and flipped near 50 East. Palmer did not survive the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The crash was witnessed by two people who stood by until rescue and police arrived.

The Hancock Sheriff's Department says at this time speed is suspected to be the leading factor. The investigation is ongoing.

County Road 500 North was closed for an extended period while officers from the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team investigated.

Members of the Hancock County F.A.C.Team including the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, New Palestine Police Department, and Fortville Police Department investigated with help from the Greenfield Fire Department and the Hancock County Coroner’s Office.

Shelbyville High School hosting 8th Grade Information Night

Any eighth grader that will attend, or wants to attend, Shelbyville High School during the 2023-2024 school year is invited to attend 8th Grade Information Night.

On Feb. 6 at 6 p.m., staff members of Shelbyville High School, 2003 S. Miller St., will present information on graduation requirements, academic opportunities, athletics and extracurricular activities.

Students and their families will start in different areas of the school and be presented with detailed information on what the school has to offer students.

All eighth-grade students and families interested in attending Shelbyville High School are welcome to attend.

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Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch testifies on Sen. Crider's SB 1 to aid behavioral health

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch testified in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday in support of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), legislation which will strengthen the direction Indiana takes in assisting Hoosiers suffering with behavioral health issues, including mental illness and addiction.

 

Authored by Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, SB 1 will transform the current 988 Crisis Hotline into 988 Response Centers and direct Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration to apply for support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand the network of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) in Indiana.

 

It is unusual for a sitting Indiana governor or lieutenant governor to testify in front of a committee on behalf of a specific piece of legislation.

 

"As co-chair of the Indiana Roundtable on Mental Health, I could have justified speaking on behalf of this bill. But for personal reasons, I was compelled to testify," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, who also is Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “One in five Hoosiers suffers from mental illness or addiction, and my family is no exception. My mother suffered from depression throughout her life, and my younger sister died by suicide in her 20s.”

 

If enacted, SB 1 will create 988 Crisis Response Centers, allowing mobile crisis teams to be dispatched to assist in a severe mental health crisis. SB 1 also addresses funding and sustainability for CCBHCs, which are designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. There are currently 19 pilot CCBHC sites in Indiana.

 

“The cost of untreated mental illness and addiction cases to the state of Indiana exceeds $4 billion annually,” said Crouch, who has been an outspoken supporter of behavioral and mental health initiatives throughout her career. “In addition to the cost of life, can Indiana afford not to do more for Hoosiers suffering from mental illness and addiction?”

 

The Senate Appropriations committee is expected to vote on SB 1 at its next meeting.

Wilson announces campaign for Shelbyville Common Council seat

Kassy Wilson, a Republican, has filed to run for the Shelbyville Common Council First Ward seat in the 2023 election.

Wilson has worked for First Financial Bank for nearly seven years, specializing in Affluent Banking as a Preferred Banker with Wealth Management.

She is married to Ken Wilson, a math teacher at Shelbyville Middle School. The couple have been married for 10 years and have two sons – Kenneth (age 9) and Lucas (7).

Wilson is a member of the Major Hospital Foundation Committee. She is vice-president of Coulston Elementary School PTO and is involved in the youth ministries at First Christian Church. She also volunteers monthly delivering Meals on Wheels with Shelby Senior Services.

“I am excited to run for City Council because I feel a need to be more involved in the community and I look forward to bringing conservative solutions to the City of Shelbyville,” said Wilson in a media release. “The City of Shelbyville has seen great investments in our local businesses and our downtown expansions in recent years and I look forward to further growing our community in a responsible manner.

Photo (from left): Aleigha Simerly-Crouch (Campaign Chair), Rob Nolley  (Chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party) and Kassy Wilson.

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City Planning Department details 2022 growth, 2023 goals in annual report

The City of Shelbyville’s Planning & Building Department has released its annual report for 2022.

The report included major projects and milestones including:

  • Working with other departments and community organizations to facilitate organizing and permitting the first full-event season of the redeveloped Public Square. That included events such as Wine Walk, Brew Fest, Taste of Shelby County, Mistletoe Market, and the weekly Farmers Markets.
  • Reviewing and approving subdivision construction documents for Stratford Place, Bear Run, Twelve Oaks and Isabelle Farms.
  • Permitting and inspecting the construction of new single family homes; an increase from 84 new homes in 2021 to 103 in 2022.
  • Overseeing all permits pulled for new residential construction, including apartments, condominiums and manufactured homes; in total there were 296 new housing units permitted in 2022 – an increase from the 105 new housing units in 2021.
  • Working with developers on a major infill development project in downtown Shelbyville. The Plant Apartments will restore the historic Coca-Cola Bottling Plant (photo below) and redevelop the former Porter Pool Center and Helipad to provide 168 apartment units.

 

 

The Plan Commission heard 24 petitions in 2022: six for annexation, four for rezoning, four for site development planning, four for planned development, three for ordinance updates and two for preliminary plats.

The total number of petitions (24) is down from 30 in 2021.

The Board of Zoning Appeals heard 19 petitions, an increase from 12 in 2021.Of the 19 petitions, 17 were for development standards variances while the other two were for a special exception request and a use variance request.

There were 564 code enforcement cases (29.1% increase from 2021), 568 total violations (29.7% increase), and 1,103 total inspections (25.8% increase) in 2022. The code enforcement function of the department works on violations of the city’s nuisance codes with regard to loose trash and debris and grass and weeds in excess of 10 inches.

For the 2023 calendar year, the Planning & Building Department also listed its goals which include modernizing the department, continuing educational training, continuing to provide learning opportunities for residents, tradesmen and developers, and streamlining applications and internal processes to make the department more competitive with neighboring communities.

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Congressman Pence Named to Energy and Commerce Subcommittees

Congressman Greg Pence has been named to the following House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittees:

 

Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security – Chair Jeff Duncan (R - SC)

 

Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce  – Chair Gus Bilirakis (R - FL) 

 

Subcommittee on Health – Chair Brett Guthrie (R - KY)

 

Pence told GIANT fm News and the Shelby County Post that he wants the U.S. to show more energy independence and reduce prices.

 

 

"The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it is an honor to return to this year to continue the important work we do vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee,” Congressman Pence explained. 

 

“Lower energy prices, more resilient supply chains, reigning in big tech, bringing down health insurance and prescription drug costs – all these issues and more are what matter most to Hoosiers and I look forward to the opportunity I have to be an advocate for our conservative values on the Energy and Commerce Committee,” Pence continued. “I want to thank Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers for her continued leadership of our full committee, and look forward to getting to work with Chairs Duncan, Bilirakis and Guthrie.”

 

 

 


Columbus man charged with throwing boiling water in a domestic dispute

A Columbus man was reported to have thrown boiling water on a woman in a domestic dispute.

 

Bartholomew County deputies Nathan Holland and Chad Williams responded to the Driftside Mobile Home Park in regards to a reported domestic battery. Upon arrival they made contact with a female victim who told them that William Guzman, 41, of Columbus, had become upset at her while having a discussion in the kitchen.  The female victim stated that Guzman grabbed a pot of boiling water that was soon to be used to make coffee and swung the pot in her direction.  The victim suffered significant visible burns on her forearm and abdominal area. 

 

A short time later Guzman who had left the residence returned and after discussing the incident with deputies was arrested on the charge of domestic battery A – Misdemeanor. 

 

Guzman was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on a 48 hour hold. 

Rushville's Riverside Park Amphitheater announces 2023 summer concert series lineup

A diverse range of national, regional and area talent will once again be featured this summer as part of the 2023 Free Summer Concert Series at Riverside Park Amphitheater in Rushville, Ind., announced by the Riverside Park Organizing Committee.

 

National recording artists Walker County plus fan-favorite music of Van Halen, Neil Diamond, Bob Seger and more will fill the Rushville night air this summer.

 

The annual Riverside Park summer concert series is a beloved and time-honored tradition we look forward to all year,” said Mike Pavey, Mayor of Rushville.The acts this season are sure to keep the excitement going all summer long and we can’t wait to host concertgoers from near and far.”

 

Warner Music recording artists Walker County will open the series on Saturday, June 10. Sisters Ivy and Sophie of Walker County have captured the hearts of fans and earned millions of streams with fan-favorite tracks such as “Bits & Pieces” and “Drag It Out.” The sister duo has appeared on CMT and The Kelly Clarkson Show and have also opened for country music legends Willie Nelson, Martina McBride and Dwight Yoakam and also Old Dominion, and will be back at it with new music coming this year.

 

Matthew Lamping will open this show. 

 

84 (The Van Halen Tribute) continues the series Saturday, June 24. 84 has become the region’s most sought out Van Halen tribute band, creating the look and feel of a fan favorites from the David Lee Roth era of Van Halen. 84 covers music from the 1978 self-titled “Van Halen” album, all the way through their most beloved album, “1984.” The authentic sound of 84 has packed venues and sold out crowds throughout the U.S.

 

Christian Terry (who was a contestant on Season 19 of American Idol) will open this show.

 

Electric Avenue (The MTV Experience) will follow on Saturday, July 15 bringing the most accurate and authentic 80s Pop Tribute you can find. They will take you back to the time of vintage synthesizers and drum machines dominated the radio sound. Electric Avenue delivers the authentic sounds of Tears for Fears, Soft Cell, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, and more 80s favorites.

 

Carfax Abbey will open this show.

 

On Saturday, July 22, Traveling Salvation Show (Neil Diamond Tribute) continues the series with an up-tempo, rock-oriented tribute to the legendary Neil Diamond. Traveling Salvation Show is a 10-person ensemble creating renditions of the energy and sound of Diamond’s live arena performances, while bringing in their own rock flair.

 

Lindsey Flannery will open this show.

 

Experience the power and energy of the legendary sound of Bob Seger with Turn The Page (Tribute to Bob Seger) on Saturday, Aug. 19. For over a decade, Turn The Page has been on the road delivering Bob Seger’s music to fans across the U.S.

 

Pavey & Company will open this show.

 

To conclude the series, Pink Droyd’s 50th Anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon complete with laser light show will be playing on Saturday, Sept. 16. Pink Droyd has mesmerized audiences with the music and energy of Pink Floyd for more than four decades, with aurally and visually brilliant shows. This year, Pink Droyd pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.

 

Tyler Hornback will open this show.

 

Sponsorship packages are available now from $5,000 to $500. Each sponsorship level will provide partners with different levels of advertisement. Also available are Friend of the Park sponsorship packages that run $100 down to $25. For more information on sponsorships, please call Carla Sharpe at 765-932-3735 or email: secretary@cityofrushville.in.gov

 

 The covered pavilion is available for rent at each event. It can be rented for $150 for half of the space or $300 for the entire pavilion per event. Vendor permits are also available. For more information on pavilion rental opportunities, vendor permits and ordinances contact Carla Sharpe at 765-932-3735 or email: secretary@cityofrushville.in.gov

 

About Riverside Park Amphitheater: Riverside Park Amphitheater is an outdoor music venue located at 100 West Water Street in Rushville, Ind. The venue is a great concert destination annually hosting live music events and creating a great family-friendly environment with all performances taking place on Saturday evenings. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase. There is a beer garden on-site for adults over 21 years of age, however no alcohol is to be brought into the park and all coolers are checked upon entry. Parking is conveniently available in gravel lots or in surrounding business lots with easy shuttle service to and from the amphitheater. Special handicap parking is also available. Past performers include Rusted Root, Georgia Satellites, Molly Hatchet, The SteelDrivers, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, The Romantics, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt, Cracker, Gaelic Storm, Clare Dunn, Clayton Anderson, The High Kings, John Waite (Bad English, The Babys), Tyler Booth, Sweet Tea Trio and many more.


Ridgeway delivers mayoral candidacy platform at town hall meeting

Shelbyville mayoral candidate Brad Ridgeway laid out his “Citizens First Plan” at a town hall meeting Wednesday at the Shelbyville VFW Post 2695.

Ridgeway, a Republican, stumped from the stage for approximately 75 minutes, detailing key points that he would address if he were elected mayor in November.

“I am excited to bring you a plan of hope, action and respect for this community,” said Ridgeway, a former common council member who was defeated in the 2019 mayoral election by Tom DeBaun, who was elected to a third term.

“The community is divided. They don’t trust the government,” continued Ridgeway. “We have to break that down. The only way we can do that is for us to go out to our citizens and talk to them, to get them involved, get them involved in the decision-making process. We have to bridge that gap. We need to go to them.”

Ridgeway’s Citizens First Plan includes:

  • Enhanced communication with citizens by holding quarterly public meetings on local government.
  • Redirect $3.2 million dollars from the budget to enhance quality of life and provide necessities for the community.
  • Reform and reconstruct tax abatement policies to bring more money into the community.
  • Recognize crime and safety as a quality-of-life issue and work on improving the morale and allocating resources to further commit to programs such as the Crime Suppression Unit.
  • Support House Bill 1278 – non-disclosure act.
  • Double down on the commitment to children in the community in wellness, health and education by focusing on working families and implementing more programs.
  • Eliminate the slush fund and bring the budget more in line with citizens’ best interest.
  • Bring back the finance committee with public hearings.
  • Start a homeowner grant assistance program to assist with aesthetic repairs, similar to Mainstreet Shelbyville’s façade program.
  • Spend a bigger portion of allocated funds on neighborhood streets that are in despair.

 

 

The small gathering at the VFW post also included DeBaun, city clerk-treasurer Scott Asher and David Finkel (photo, right), also a mayoral candidate running against Ridgeway and former mayor Scott Furgeson in the primary election.

Ridgeway’s campaign will focus on neighborhood repairs, public safety and a transparent government. He wants to improve city streets and improve public safety with more street lights in neighborhoods.

Ridgeway vows to tackle homelessness and drugs in the community, but he did not get into specific initiatives Wednesday.

“I want to lead this city with integrity, honesty, respect and passion for one another,” said Ridgeway. “And a commitment to help everyone and not just those with a political purpose.”

The Primary Election is May 2 where Shelbyville residents will select Ridgeway, Finkel or Furgeson to be the Republican candidate for mayor.

DeBaun, a Democrat, has not ruled out running for a fourth term.

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MHP celebrates new fund to help with mental and behavioral health

Fighting the stigma that goes with seeking help with mental health is one obstacle.  Another, the cost, is getting a helping hand with the creation of a new fund through the Major Health Partners Foundation.

 

MHP held a ribbon cutting Tuesday to celebrate the formation of the new Mental and Behavioral Health Assistance Fund.

 

Major Health Partners President and CEO Jack Horner.

 

 

Stephen Black is the Director of Behavioral Health & Social Determinants of Health.  He credits MHP for bringing these items together.

 

 

 

Black notes that stigma is a factor for some who choose not to seek help.  But cost is at the top of the list.

 

 

The fund has raised just over $5500 in its startup.

INDOT preparing for winter storm, difficult commutes expected Wednesday

The Indiana Department of Transportation is preparing for a winter storm expected to impact the state starting overnight Tuesday and early Wednesday.

 

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for all of Indiana. NWS is calling for rain transitioning to snow south of I-70, with higher snow totals along and north of I-70. Snowfall rates of up to one inch per hour are possible at times.

 

Winter Storm Warning begins in early morning hours Wednesday

Heavy snow, both in weight and volume, is expected with a Winter Storm Warning.

 

The National Weather Service has issued the Winter Storm Warning to start at 1 a.m. Wednesday and extended through 7 p.m. Wednesday.

 

Total snow accumulations of 4 - 8 inches is possible with this system.  The snow is also expected to be wet and heavy.

 

Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

 

 

Bill to inventory the number of electric cars in Indiana passes Senate

A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would inventory the number of electric cars in Indiana passed the Senate Monday unanimously.

 

Senate Bill 241 would require the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to annually report the number of registered electrical vehicles by county to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

 

"There is an increasing interest to integrate electric vehicles into the automobile market," Leising said. “If more residents continue to purchase electric cars, it is important for our energy sector to be able to withstand the increased need for electricity. This bill would help our utility companies prepare for and continue to support the growing demand."

 

SB 241 will now move to the Indiana House of Representatives for further consideration. To learn more about the bill, visit iga.in.gov.

David Finkel to run for Mayor of Shelbyville

David Finkel became the third man to announce his candidacy for Mayor of Shelbyville.

 

Finkel filed to run Friday morning ahead of his announcement from the steps of City Hall at 11 a.m.

 

 

Finkel joins Scott Furgeson and Brad Ridgeway as Republican candidates for mayor in the upcoming primary.

 

 

 

A Candle, Shoes and a Corn Cob

Dear readers,

This week’s mail included an invitation to my 50-year class reunion for 1973 graduates of Shelbyville High School. I am very thankful for my thoughtful classmates who have organized the event and invited me. If planning the reunion had been left to me, there would be no reunion.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am looking forward to attending and seeing all my old classmates. It’s just that organization isn’t a strong point of mine. When June Sanders was my boss several years ago, she put it best one afternoon when she yelled, “Kris, you couldn’t arrange a dog fight if I brought the dogs.”

I didn’t even attend any of the planning sessions. So, I really shouldn’t say anything, but there is one event planned that does worry me a little bit. This year’s graduating class is planning on honoring us at their graduation ceremony. If members of the class of 2023 talk to some of my classmates from the class of 1973, it could dampen their spirits and maybe burst their little bubble of graduation day happiness.

When we graduated in 1973, we didn’t honor the class of 1923. We could have and that would have been OK. The 50 years after 1923 brought great advancements. Talking to the class of 1923 wouldn’t have dampened our spirit. It would have been fun talking to the old-timers. 

 

 

The class of 1923 would have mesmerized us with tales of what life was like when they graduated 50 years ago.

  • Using a hand crank to start their Ford Model T.
  • The entire family gathering to listen to the radio.
  • Heating water on a wood stove to take their weekly bath.
  • Using the restroom at night required a candle, shoes, and a corn cob.
  • The thrill three years after graduation when Charles Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris.

We don’t dare tell this year’s graduating class what life was like for us 50 years ago. We would risk sending them off into a depression so deep that they wouldn’t get out into the world and get a job. We desperately need this year’s graduating class to get jobs and pay into social security, so that we keep getting our checks.

If we tell this year’s graduating seniors what life was like for us when we graduated 50 years ago, it would be:

  • Popular cars included the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. (Oops, in 50 years, I guess Ford and Chevy still haven’t come up with anything better.)
  • Popular music included The Rolling Stones and Elton John. (Oops, still touring and filling arenas with fans.)
  • Traveling by automobile 50 years ago was great. The interstate system was new and smooth. (Oops, same interstate system bumpy and always under construction.)
  • Traveling by air 50 years ago, the airplanes were jets, just as fast, but with more legroom, a meal served during the flight and no hassle at the airport.
  • Telephones 50 years ago were connected to the house by a wire. Modern cell phones seem to be an improvement but for a teenager, think again. Fifth years ago, our parents didn’t have a clue as to where we were and had no way to track us. As a teenage Martha Stewart would say, “That’s a good thing!”

See you all next week, same Schwinn time, same Schwinn channel.

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Shelby County Girls Softball league registration underway

Registration is open for Shelby County Girls Softball leagues in Shelbyville.

There will be four leagues: 8-and-under, 10U, 12U and 14U.

Individuals or full teams may register. Fees are $45 per child for girls ages 4-6 and $85 per child for ages 7-14.

Team fee is $450 until April 28; $500 after April 28.

Registration continues through April 28.

Teams will start practicing May 8. League games start the week of June 5.

To prepare for the 2023 summer softball season, Shelby County Girls Softball League is partnering with the Shelbyville High School softball team to conduct a skills camp on Feb. 24.

Registration fee is $15 for the two-hour camp that will be held in the auxiliary gymnasium at Shelbyville High School. The camp, for girls ages 4-12, will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Golden Bear softball players and coaches will conduct the camp that will feature fundamental skill development.

For more information, contact the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department at 317-392-5128.

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Man charged in politically motivated Morristown tire vandalism enters diversion program and will pay restitution

Starting in August of 2022, the Morristown Police Department received multiple complaints of nails, screws, and other metal fasteners being found in driveways along U.S. 52 and driveways within the Morristown town limits.

As a result of metal fasteners being left behind, tire damage occurred to vehicles and yard equipment and homeowners were forced to spend several hours a day cleaning and checking their driveways before and after leaving and returning home.

Metal fasteners were found multiple times a week by victims.

 

 

The incidents continued until mid-October 2022 when a vehicle was captured on surveillance video by a Morristown resident. The driver of the vehicle was actively dropping metal fasteners in the resident’s driveway while passing by. 

The vehicle description was forwarded to the Morristown Police Department along with the video. The Morristown Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Department installed covert video surveillance equipment at the locations where the incidents were occurring and were able to determine the same vehicle was passing the locations that were reporting the incidents.

Using the captured video surveillance and the Flock Safety network, an owner of the vehicle was determined.

A few days later one of the victims witnessed the suspect's vehicle entering Morristown and followed it. While following the vehicle the victim witnessed the suspect throw items from the suspect's vehicle into the victim’s driveway and witnessed the same occur at another victim’s residence. The victim followed the suspect’s vehicle notifying Shelby County Dispatch of what was being observed and giving additional details used to determine a suspect.

Due to the efforts of this Morristown resident and with assistance from the Shelby County Sheriff's Department, a warrant was requested and issued for Kevin M. Sulzer of Indianapolis. Sulzer turned himself into the Shelby County Jail in late November 2022 and was released on bond.

On Thursday, Sulzer entered a diversion program through Shelby County Superior Court 2 and was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the crimes committed.

The victims were unknown to Sulzer when the crimes occurred. It was determined during the investigation that the victims were targeted due to their political affiliation being different than Sulzer’s. The victims were targeted due to flags, yard signs, and banners displayed at their residences.

Additional victims have been located in Hancock County and a report has been filed in that county.

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FBI and partners issue national public safety alert on sextortion schemes

The FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is issuing a national public safety alert regarding an explosion in incidents of children and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for additional explicit material or money—a crime known as sextortion.

 

Over the past year, law enforcement agencies have received over 7,000 reports related to the online sextortion of minors, resulting in at least 3,000 victims, primarily boys. More than a dozen sextortion victims were reported to have died by suicide. The FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners implore parents and caregivers to engage with their kids about sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.

 

Sextortion schemes occur in online environments where young people feel most comfortable—using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications that feel familiar and safe. On these platforms, predators often use fake accounts and target minors.

 

Through deception, sextortionists convince the young person to produce an explicit video or photo. Once predators acquire the images, they often threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim sends additional sexually explicit material. Some of these criminals demand money or gift cards to keep them from releasing the compromising material in their possession. Often, these predators demand payment through a variety of peer-to-peer payment applications. In many cases, however, sextortionists release the images even if additional material is sent or payments are made. The shame, fear, and confusion that victims feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse and may drive them towards self-harm.

 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana prosecuted several “sextortion” related cases in recent years, including the following:

 

United States v. Kyle Peterson:  Between March of 2020 and March of 2021, Kyle Peterson persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Beginning on March 20, 2020, Peterson used the social media platforms Omegle and Snapchat to contact minors, including Victim 1. Victim 1 was twelve years old at the time of contact with Peterson. Knowing the victim was a child, Peterson began to groom her by sending her sexually explicit images and videos online. The material Peterson distributed to Victim 1 included an image depicting sadomasochistic behavior and images and videos depicting sexual abuse of animals.

 

Peterson engaged in sexually explicit video chats with the child and instructed her to send him sexually explicit videos of herself. When Victim 1 stopped complying with Peterson’s continuous demands, he began threatening to disseminate her sexually explicit images and videos to her family and friends and post them on the Internet.

 

Peterson was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in December 2022.

 

United States v. Buster Hernandez:  In August 2017, Buster Hernandez was initially charged with sexually exploiting a minor, threatening to use an explosive device, and threatening to kill, kidnap, or injure another person. Those charges eventually extended to include 41 separate allegations including: production of child sexual abuse materials, coercion and enticement of minors, receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, the threatened use of explosive devices, extortion, threats to kill, kidnap or injure other persons, witness tampering, obstruction of justice and retaliation against a victim. The offense conduct included the actual or attempted sextortion of at least 375 victims including those from two foreign countries, threats to kill, rape, and kidnap hundreds, and threats to use explosive devices against Plainfield and Danville High Schools, the Shops at Perry Crossing, and a local Walmart.

 

Hernandez also sexually exploited and threatened several other minor victims in Hendricks County and other cities in Indiana. When victims stopped complying with his demands, he posted sexually explicit images and videos that the victim had sent against their will and often threatened to kill them and their families. 

 

Hernandez was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in federal prison in March 2021.

 

“Sexual exploitation of children is a despicable crime that may go unrecognized by friends and family of the victims. In this digital age, it is imperative that we stay informed of the deception and other tactics sexual predators use to harm our children,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Victims of sextortion may feel confused, embarrassed, and as if there is no escape. I strongly urge parents and caregivers to engage with the children in their lives to discuss this crime and help law enforcement agencies prevent the abuse before it happens.”

 

What if you or your child are a victim?

If young people are being exploited, they are victims of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has outlined steps parents and young people can take if they or their child are a victim of sextortion, including:

  • Remember, the predator is to blame, not your child or you.
  • Get help before deciding whether to pay money or otherwise comply with the predator. Cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail and continued harassment.
  • REPORT the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature.
  • BLOCK the predator and DO NOT DELETE the profile or messages because that can be helpful to law enforcement in identifying and stopping them.
  • Let NCMEC help get explicit images of you off the internet.
  • Visit missingkids.org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit cybertipline.org to report to us for help with the process.
  • Ask for help. This can be a very complex problem and may require help from adults or law enforcement.
  • If you don’t feel that you have adults in your corner, you can reach out to NCMEC for support at gethelp@ncmec.org or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST.

Common Council creates ordinance for golf cart use in city

The Shelbyville Common Council hammered out an ordinance Wednesday morning to clamp down on golf cart use on city streets.

Major Health Partners asked for clarification from the city with regard to golf cart use. MHP intends to start using golf carts to shuttle people around Intelliplex Park to its various buildings.

The ordinance states golf carts cannot travel more than 20 miles per hour and cannot be used on roads that have a minimum speed limit of 40 mph.

Operators of the golf carts on city streets must be of legal driving age and the golf cart must have been registered and inspected by the Shelbyville Police Department.

Other stipulations in the ordinance include golf carts having working turn signals, head lamps, brake lights and seat belts.

“This puts a rule in place, per se, to stop some of this stuff that is illegal but also permits these carts that will have to pay a registration on an annual basis, maybe even every three years,” said councilman Brian Asher.

“And they have to be inspected by the police department,” reiterated councilman Rob Nolley.

In other business at the council’s first meeting of 2023, the council elected Nolley as president, Asher as vice-president and Michael Johnson as reader. All three men held those positions in 2022.

The board also agreed to continue to meet on the first and third Mondays of each month with the first meeting held at 7 p.m. at City Hall and the second meeting at 8:30 a.m., also at City Hall.

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Register now for Shelby County Babe Ruth Baseball leagues

Spring registration is now open for Shelby County Babe Ruth Baseball.

Registration can be completed for all age divisions online through the organization’s new website at shelbybr.com.

Shelby County Babe Ruth offers five age divisions for boys and girls: T-ball (ages 4-5), Pee Wee (6), Rookie (7-8), Minor (9-10) and Major (11-13).

The T-ball division plays eight games while all other divisions offer 10-game seasons and a single-elimination postseason tournament.

Registration fee for T-ball is $60; the other four divisions are $80 per child.

 

 

The deadline to register is March 4 when player evaluations are scheduled.

Players will be assigned to their teams in mid-to-late March.

Adults also may register to serve as a head coach, assistant coach or team parent through the online registration system.

For questions or more information, contact Adam Frazier at afraze@gmail.com.

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Man wanted for murder in Ohio pursued and arrested in central Indiana

A fugitive from charges in Ohio and Georgia was arrested after an overnight pursuit in central Indiana Tuesday.

 

The Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department said an officer tried to pull over the vehicle at 3:15 a.m. on I-65 that couldn't stay in a lane.  It appeared the driver could be intoxicated or impaired.

 

The driver refused to stop and led authorities on a pursuit that came to an end on I-70 near the State Road 9 exit when a Greenfield police officer was succesful using tire deflation devices.

 

Marcus Curtis, 26, was arrested and it was soon discovered he was wanted on a warrant for homicide and parole violation in Ohio.  Another warrant, from Georgia, included charges of terroristic threats.

 

Initially, local charges included resisting law enforcement.  He was taken to the Boone County Jail to await extradition to Ohio.

 

Shelbyville Central Schools seeking new school board member

The Shelbyville Central Board of School Trustees is seeking a new member to replace John C. DePrez IV, who resigned to become the school system’s new attorney.

Deprez’s term expires on Dec. 31, 2024.

To be qualified, applicants must:

  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Reside in Marion Township, Shelby County, Indiana
  • Not be an employee of Shelbyville Central Schools
  • Not have committed various crimes under I.C. 3-8-1-5

 

 

Anyone interested in applying for the position on the school board should send a letter of interest and any other desired documents to Shelbyville Central Schools at 1121 E. State Road 44 in Shelbyville.

All submissions of interest, directed to school board president Curt Johnson, must be received by 3 p.m. on Jan. 23.

Qualified applicants will be interviewed by the school board on Jan. 25.

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Shelbyville graduate hits half-court shot at IU game

Megan Eads made 88 three-pointers during her Shelbyville High School career.

The “3” she made Saturday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington came with a $1,000 prize.

The 2021 SHS graduate who attends Indiana University was selected earlier in the week by an intern in the IU athletic department to take the halftime shot Saturday during the nationally-televised Wisconsin/Indiana game.

Eads accepted the challenge but did not factor in she would do so in front of more than 17,000 people.

“I was a little hesitant at first. I hadn’t picked up a basketball in awhile,” explained Eads Monday afternoon. “I said I don’t know if I should but then I was like I have nothing to lose so I might as well do it.”

 

Right click on the image to play the video

 

Eads got some shots up before Saturday to get her timing back. Wearing red and white candy-striped pants and a white IU sweatshirt that was covering up an IU basketball jersey, Eads took a few slow dribbles as she walked up to the half-court line and let her shot fly.

“I knew it was straight but I didn’t know if it was long enough to go in,” said Eads. “I thought I was going to air ball it. When I saw it go through the net, everybody went wild. I was jumping around. It was an unreal experience.”

After a lackluster first half that saw the Hoosiers hold a 21-20 halftime lead, Eads brought Assembly Hall to life when she made the shot. The shot and reaction started appearing immediately on Twitter.

“I’ve got a lot of attention on Twitter and a lot of text messages from friends and family. I really appreciate the support everyone has given me,” she said.

 

Eads is a sophomore at IU who has a season pass for the basketball games. She was selected to take the shot by fellow SHS graduate Makayla Terrell, who is an intern with IU athletics.

“(The interns) get to choose who does this type of stuff,” said Eads. “I guess all the interns had asked if anybody was interested in shooting the half-court shot. Normally, they just pick someone random from the crowd but (Terrell) pleaded I should do it.

“I didn’t feel obligated to do it but they couldn’t find anyone else to do it, so (Terrell) said I was shooting the shot on Saturday.”

Eads does not yet have the prize but expects to use it for college expenses.

“I will probably put it toward my education but I do like to ride my bike a lot,” she said. “I think I will put some of that money to fixing up my bike.”

Eads is studying Sports Management and Marketing at IU. She was a summer intern in 2022 at Horseshoe Indianapolis during the thoroughbred racing season.

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Leadership Shelby County street sign project closing in on funding goal

A Leadership Shelby County project to install Golden Bear street signs in Shelbyville has enough funding to place an order.

Ashley Livezey, one of seven men and women pursuing the street sign project, appeared before the Shelbyville Board of Works Tuesday morning to provide an update.

“We have almost $5,000 now and we still have funds coming in,” she said.

The plan is to install as many street signs featuring the Golden Bears logo as possible around the city.

The Leadership Shelby County group has identified 37 intersections for street sign replacement. Many of those intersections have either two or four signs.

Signs nearest the high school along Miller St. and McKay Road as well as major thoroughfares like Broadway are slated for the first signs. Discussions must still take place with INDOT for intersections that are under the state’s control.

The “final” design of how the street signs will look is not yet completed. Livezey stated the group is still seeking input from city officials before the product is finalized.

One option is a gold sign with black trim and black lettering to model after the school colors of Shelbyville High School.

A second option would be to make the signs similar to new street signs in downtown Shelbyville that have a white background with black lettering.

Once the design is finalized and a vendor is chosen to make the signs, Livezey anticipates the city’s street department will start installing the signs within two weeks of delivery.

Livezey’s group is still accepting donations for the project. Street signs are $37 each or $75 per intersection.

“The more money we raise, the more intersections we can do,” said Livezey.

Donations can be sent to the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, 501 N. Harrison St., and earmarked for the Leadership Shelby County street sign project.

Or, contact Livezey at Ashley@compass-insurancegroup.com.

Other members of the Leadership Shelby County group working on the street sign project are Tony Ricketts, Kali Moore, Ali Brunner, Kent Huber, Carlos Rivera and Amber Hinkle.

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Fire destroys Shelby County home

A weekend fire left a rural Shelby County home as a suspected total loss.

The Morristown Fire Department responded to 7763 North 500 East to a home that’s roof was fully engulfed when they arrived.

The resident was out of the home when fire crews arrived.  Initially, firemen went inside the residence but pulled back and fought a defensive fire.

A wood stove is thought to have led to the fire.

Firemen were able to save a few of the man’s personal belongings.  They were on the scene for approximately three hours.

According to Shelby County GIS, the property is owned by Nellie Christmas.

Shelbyville firemen responded to Penn Station Monday

Shelbyville firemen were called to a restaurant Monday morning to help with a serious smoke issue.

The Shelbyville Fire Department says a problem with the HVAC at Penn Station, 2558 E. State Road 44, led to smoke inside the restaurant.

 

 

Photo by Richard Romanoski

 

 

 

Column: Rise of the Machines

Dear readers,

 My first week here at the Shelby County Post has been great. I really enjoy the camaraderie. Now don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been easy.  Let’s face it, Johnny McCrory and Jeff Brown are both really sports guys at heart.

I am the new guy, so some hazing is expected. I must remember to check the spring adjustment on my chair when I come to work. Several times I have been ejected from my seat when leaning back to take my mid-morning nap. 

I have learned that Johnny is very touchy about his radio equipment. I swear I have not touched any of the switches or dials. If you radio listeners experienced any problems with the signal last week, it wasn’t my fault.

Thanks to all of you who have called or written to congratulate me on my move. A special thank you to those loyal readers who sent gifts. 

Now let’s get to this week’s mail.  Enjoy!

 

 

Dear Kris,

Congratulations on finding a new home for your column. I guess having a side hustle is more important than ever for you. I stopped by the courthouse this week and was shocked to find a cyborg lawyer trolling for business just outside the courtroom on the first floor.

My first thoughts were of you and our classmate, Warren Good. I thought, how can my friends compete with this shyster robot? 

There he stands hour after hour electrified and advertising “Indiana Legal Help.” The robot never goes to lunch or takes a coffee break.

Kris, I suppose you could get a battery-powered bow tie that spins and lights up, but what can Warren do? He will probably have to spring for some custom suits in loud colors and bold patterns to get noticed.

Oh well, all’s not lost. At least you have a side hustle writing your column and both of you are old enough to receive a social security check. I look forward to seeing you and all our classmates later this summer for our 50th high school reunion.

Sincerely,

John Richmond, SHS class of ‘73

Dear John,

Since I had written a previous column about the cashiers at Kroger and Walmart being replaced by cyborgs, I thought you were joking about the robot lawyer. A quick visit to the courthouse proved you were not joking.

I was likewise shocked to find a cyborg lawyer soliciting clients. I didn’t even realize they were admitting cyborgs to law school. As a local lawyer, I find the robot lawyer in the courthouse much more annoying than the Hammer’s billboards or Ken Nunn’s TV commercials where he makes a little check turn into a giant check.

I guess I really shouldn’t be shocked by machines taking over. Back in high school, we read a novel by Hoosier writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr. titled “Player Piano.” The story was about machines taking over in the future. 

I paid no attention to Kurt’s warning. I had a new pair of Earth shoes and mistakenly believed the future would be a utopia instead of the dystopia it is becoming. I look forward to seeing you and all our classmates at the reunion this summer.

Sincerely,

Kris

When I returned to the radio station, Johnny McCrory could tell that I was all bummed out. He and Jeff Brown convinced me that the machines haven’t won yet. Johnny pointed out that Linda Hamilton’s character, Sarah Connor, in “The Terminator” never gave up even when the cyborg came back from the future and tried to kill her. Jeff Brown, like a good coach at halftime, sketched out a play on his clipboard.

The next time I was at the courthouse, I introduced myself and on behalf of the Shelby County Bar Association welcomed the robot to town.  While I kept the robot distracted, Warren Good snuck around and unplugged it.

See you all next week, same Schwinn time, same Schwinn channel.

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Indy man identified as fatality in apparent road rage incident on I-65 at County Line Road

An Indianapolis man was identified in fatal road rage incident at I-65 and County Line Road in Johnson County.

 

Indiana State Police detectives are searching for a silver or gray sedan style car with dark tinted windows. The Indiana State Police is still seeking more information from witnesses who may have been in the area of I-65 and County Line Road, or were traveling on I-65 southbound near County Line Road Wednesday, January 11, 2022 between 6:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. 

 

Investigators believe this incident began as a road rage encounter that led to gunfire. The road rage is believed to have initiated on I-65 southbound north of County Line Road.

 

The victim was identified by the Johnson County Coroner's Office as Richard Hamilton, 43, of Indianapolis. 

 

Detectives are asking anyone with dash cameras, who were in the area of I-65 and County Line Road in Greenwood Indiana around 6:20 - 6:30 p.m. on January 11, 2023, to review their cameras and contact the Indiana State Police at 317-899-8577. Anybody with information about this crime can also anonymously report information to CrimeStoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477).

 

Original press release 


About 6:30 pm Wednesday, first responders were called to the area of  I-65 and County Line Road in Greenwood for reports of a person shot. Greenwood Police Officers, along with the Greenwood Fire Department were first to arrive, they found an adult male in the passenger seat of a white van who was unresponsive. The adult male had an injury consistent with a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene by personnel from the Johnson County Coroner's Office. There were no other people known to be injured in this incident. 

 

Preliminarily, it is believed the van in which the victim was riding in, was targeted by occupants of another vehicle as they exited I-65 northbound to County Line Road. It is unknown at this time how many shots were fired or the exact motive of the crime. The suspect or suspects were believed to be inside a silver passenger car. The victim's van was described as a white "work van."

 

 

Shelbyville woman charged in attack on two people

A Shelbyville woman was arrested for an attack on two people Wednesday.

 

Few details have been released as Shelbyville Police continue with their investigation.

According to a release from Shelbyville Police, Chelesea Nicholson, 29, of Shelbyville, was in the 200 block of West South Street.  Nicholson came into contact with two individuals who were in front of their residence.  Nicholson battered both subjects which required them to be transported to a hospital in Indianapolis.  

 

Nicholson was charged with Aggravated Battery and Battery with a Deadly Weapon and booked into the Shelby County Jail. 

 

 

Shelbyville Central in need of new school board member as John Deprez to resign and become board attorney

The selection of a familiar face to serve as the board attorney for the Shelbyville Central Schools Corporation brought some added discussion to Wednesday’s meeting of the board.

John Deprez has served as a school board member for 26 years. With longtime SCS board attorney Denny Harrold announcing he was leaving that post at last year’s end after 44 years, the board began looking into a replacement.

Board member David Finkel said that he wasn’t comfortable with Curt Johnson continuing to serve in his current role as board president if Deprez is to assume the role of the board’s attorney since both are at the same firm.

Finkel did note that he felt Deprez was the best choice for a new board attorney.

Johnson addressed the board about the attorneys working together at DePrez, Johnson, Brant & Eads, P.A. 

 

 

The Shelbyville Central Schools board will have a vacancy with Deprez expected to resign from the post as a school board member representing District 1. Johnson says they will soon accept letters from potential candidates in District 1. That will be followed by interviews and a selection of a new District 1 board member.

The board has 30 days to replace Deprez from the time of his resignation.

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Tennell elected Southwestern Consolidated Schools board president

The three newest members of the Southwestern Consolidated Schools board swayed the vote in Derrek Tennell’s favor Wednesday night to become the new school board president.

At the first school board meeting of 2023, the Southwestern board handled its reorganization process which brought a new voice to the front of the school system.

Tennell, a Shelbyville firefighter and Southwestern graduate who was appointed to the school board early in 2022 to fill a vacated seat, defeated Isaac Pile to become the new president.

“With all the new administrators we have in the building and all the new board members, I think I might be the guy that everyone can meet in the middle,” said Tennell after the meeting. “I want to make us a more cohesive board and take on these challenges.”

Pile’s nomination was supported in the voting process by returning school board members Travis Beck and Jerry Drake.

 

 

Tennell (photo, left) received votes from all three new board members – Dustin Simpson, Blake Newkirk and Brad Stamper (photo, right).

Pile, now in his seventh year on the school board, was then elected board vice-president while Beck was elected secretary.

With the retirement of board attorney Dennis Harrold at the end of the 2022 calendar year, Amy Matthews stepped into the role Wednesday. She is employed by Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim.

The newly-reconfigured school board voted to continue to meet at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in the administration building on campus.

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Man shot and killed at I-65 and County Line Road in Greenwood

Indiana State Police are asking for the public's help after a man was shot and killed in a van at I-65 and County Line Road Wednesday evening.

 

Just before 6:30 pm, first responders were called to the area of  I-65 and County Line Road in Greenwood for reports of a person shot. Greenwood Police Officers, along with the Greenwood Fire Department were first to arrive. They found an adult male in the passenger seat of a white van who was unresponsive. The adult male had an injury consistent with a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene by personnel from the Johnson County Coroner's Office.

There were no other people known to be injured in this incident. 

 

Indiana State Police Detectives responded to the scene to investigate. Preliminarily, it is believed the van in which the victim was riding in, was targeted by occupants of another vehicle as they exited I-65 northbound to County Line Road. It is unknown at this time how many shots were fired or the exact motive of the crime. The suspect or suspects were believed to be inside a silver passenger car. The victim's van was described as a white "work van."

 

Detectives are asking anyone with dash cameras, who was in the area of I-65 and County Line Road in Greenwood around 6:20 - 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday to review their cameras and contact the Indiana State Police at 317-899-8577. Anybody with information about this crime can also anonymously report information to CrimeStoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477).

 

 

Attorney Dennis E. ("Denny") Harrold announces candidacy for Shelbyville Common Council At-Large seat

Dennis E. (“Denny”) Harrold has announced his intention to seek election to the Shelbyville City Council At-Large Seat.

 

Harrold is running in order to use his experience in representing governmental entities and individuals dealing with governmental entities such as public schools to aid in Shelbyville’s controlled progress and growth. His work with government bond issues provides insight that he believes will facilitate continued City advancement while protecting homeowners’ and businesses’ assets. Having enjoyed raising his family here, he wants Shelbyville to be a place where our children and grandchildren want to return to in order to work and raise their families.

 

Harrold graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. degree in Business Administration and obtained a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from Indiana University Law School. That same year, he married his wife, Mary Ann (Padgett) Harrold, and they have two children, Teresa Michaud and Derek Harrold, who both graduated from Shelbyville High School. The Harrolds are members

of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

 

Immediately upon being admitted to the Indiana bar, Harrold entered the US Army JAGC as a Captain, and served over four years on active military service, including a 2-year stint in South Korea, with the United Nations Command. After his military service, he moved to Shelbyville in October, 1976, and has lived here ever since.

 

He has practiced law with the Shelbyville law firms of Adams and Cramer; Bate Harrold and Meltzer; McNeely Stephenson Thopy & Harrold; and most recently, Stephenson Rife, LLP. During that time Mr. Harrold represented each of the Boards of Southwestern Consolidated School District of Shelby County and Blue River Career Programs for over 20 years and represented Shelbyville Central Schools for over 44 years.

 

Mr. Harrold is a member of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, The National Trial Lawyers Association, the Indiana Council of School Attorneys, and the National Council of School Board Attorneys. He has lectured extensively on school law. Besides being admitted to the Indiana Supreme Court, Harrold is admitted before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana, and the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. He has also served as President of the Shelby County Bar Association and President of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

 

Mr. Harrold has served on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, as well as co-chair of the Major Hospital Foundation Royal Oak Society Committee; and currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Indianapolis 500 Old Timers Club.

 

He has been named as an Indiana Super Lawyer, an American Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, a Top Lawyer by the Global Directory of Who’s Who, a member of Marquis Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders.

 

Mr. Harrold is also a recipient of the Albert Nelson Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award and the recipient of the Indiana State Bar Association Civility Award. He has been named one of the Top 10 attorneys by America’s Personal Injury Attorneys, as well as a member of the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys Top 1%.

 

He is also a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and a Fellow of the Indiana Bar Foundation.

 

Recently, Mr. Harrold was recognized for 50 years of service to the legal community by the Indiana State Bar Association.

 

He looks forward to serving the needs of the citizens of Shelbyville as their Councilman At-Large.

Shelbyville's new Fastpace Health Walk-In Urgent Care Clinic celebrates with ribbon cutting

Fastpace Health has opened a new Walk-In Urgent Care Clinic at 1778 East State Road 44, Shelbyville.

 

The site celebrated Tuesday morning with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

 

Provider Lisa Lee describes Fastpace Health.

 

 

 

Lee explains why Shelbyville is a good location for Fastpace's new site.

 

 

The clinic will feature multiple exam rooms, an on-site lab, COVID-19 testing, and X-ray capabilities.

 

Lee says the clinic's hours will expand.

 

 

Patients can also take advantage of virtual telehealth for urgent care common ailments as well as medication prescriptions and refills.

 

“Patients need immediate solutions and our safe and convenient Shelbyville clinic will offer treatment for a wide range of illnesses with walk-in urgent, primary, and preventative health care services. We also offer scheduled services for behavioral, telehealth, and occupational health care needs," said Fastpace Health CEO Greg Steil.

 

The Shelbyville location is part of an expanding Fastpace network of clinics established in over 200+ communities across Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Alabama, and Louisiana.

 

More information about Fastpace Health is available at www.fastpacehealth.com/location/shelbyville.

Harbor Freight Tools signs deal to open new location in Shelbyville

Harbor Freight Tools, America’s go-to store for quality tools at the lowest prices, has announced that it will be opening a new store in Shelbyville.

 

The new store will be located at 2549 E State Road 44 and is expected to open this spring.

 

An official opening date will be announced closer to opening.

 

Construction has already begun at the location, using local workers and companies from the surrounding Shelbyville area.

 

“We’ve been looking to open a location in Shelbyville for a number of years so that we can provide the tools and equipment at tremendous values to the community,” said Trey Feiler, Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Construction for Harbor Freight Tools. “In addition to finding a great location, we were attracted by the availability of great associates in the Shelbyville area, and we look forward to having them join the Harbor Freight team.”

 

The store is expected to bring between 25 and 30 new jobs to the community, including Sales and Logistic Supervisors, Senior Associates, Sales Associates, and seasonal opportunities as well. Harbor Freight Tools offers a competitive starting rate along with a best-in-class retail benefits package that includes robust health coverage, and Thanksgiving and Christmas off. Harbor Freight provides stability and the opportunity to advance in a company that continues to grow, with over 25,000 Associates and more than 1,300 locations nationwide.

 

Harbor Freight recognizes that its people are key to its success and is committed to being the best place to work in any industry. Forbes Magazine has recognized Harbor Freight as one of the top 20 large employers in all of retail, one of the top employers in terms of diversity, and a top employer for women. For three years in a row, Forbes has named Harbor Freight as one of the country’s Best Employers for Veterans. Diversityjobs.com has also recognized the company as a top employer for its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

 

Interested applicants can apply online at www.harborfreightjobs.com/retail and search “Shelbyville, IN”.

 

About Harbor Freight Tools

For more than 40 years, Harbor Freight Tools has been America’s go-to source for affordable tools. The family-owned company started in Southern California in 1977, when 17-year-old Eric Smidt began transforming his father’s small phone sales business into a successful mail order company, bypassing the resellers, dealing directly with factories, and passing the savings on to the customer.

 

The company opened its first store in 1980. Today Harbor Freight Tools has over 1,300 stores across the country, 25,000 associates and more than 40 million customers who depend on Harbor Freight’s quality and value to earn a living, repair their homes and cars and pursue their hobbies. With core values of excellence and continuous improvement, Harbor Freight Tools works to constantly improve the quality of its products and this year will introduce more than 800 new tools and accessories. Harbor Freight Tools is one of the nation’s fastest growing retailers, opening two new stores every week.

 

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US farmers win right to repair John Deere equipment with MOU with American Farm Bureau Federation

The American Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding that ensures farmers’ and ranchers’ right to repair their own farm equipment.

 

The MOU, signed at the 2023 AFBF Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the culmination of several years of discussions between AFBF and John Deere.

 

“AFBF is pleased to announce this agreement with John Deere. It addresses a long-running issue for farmers and ranchers when it comes to accessing tools, information and resources, while protecting John Deere’s intellectual property rights and ensuring equipment safety,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “A piece of equipment is a major investment. Farmers must have the freedom to choose where equipment is repaired, or to repair it themselves, to help control costs. The MOU commits John Deere to ensuring farmers and independent repair facilities have access to many of the tools and software needed to grow the food, fuel and fiber America’s families rely on.”

 

David Gilmore, John Deere Senior Vice President, Ag & Turf Sales & Marketing said, “This agreement reaffirms the longstanding commitment Deere has made to ensure our customers have the diagnostic tools and information they need to make many repairs to their machines. We look forward to working alongside the American Farm Bureau and our customers in the months and years ahead to ensure farmers continue to have the tools and resources to diagnose, maintain and repair their equipment.”

 

The MOU sets parameters and creates a mechanism to address farmers’ concerns. John Deere commits to engaging with farmers and dealers to resolve issues when they arise and agrees to meet with AFBF at least twice per year to evaluate progress.

 

The agreement formalizes farmers’ access to diagnostic and repair codes, as well as manuals (operator, parts, service) and product guides. It also ensures farmers will be able to purchase diagnostic tools directly from John Deere and receive assistance from the manufacturer when ordering parts and products.

 

The MOU has the potential to serve as a model for other manufacturers and AFBF has already begun those discussions.

 

Read the MOU here

Northwestern Consolidated Schools administration building suffered water damage over holiday break

FAIRLAND -- Chris Hoke got a phone call the day after Christmas while on a family vacation in Hilton Head, South Carolina, to tell him there was three inches of water in his office back home.

Instead of enjoying family time and even a round of golf, Hoke, the Northwestern Consolidated Schools Superintendent, was on the phone most of the day with school staff talking about a water pipe bursting in the administration office in Fairland.

“There was a water line that froze in the ceiling that was a part of the old heating system that used to be in that building that burst,” said Hoke after the first school board meeting of 2023 Monday inside the Triton Central High School fieldhouse. The overhead water pipe burst during the bitter cold days just prior to Christmas. “We didn’t have personnel on campus and it ran for a couple days.”

Hoke’s office was one of several areas that were destroyed. Personal effects and memorabilia he had in his office are sitting in tubs drying out. There were 2-3 inches of water and insulation on the floor at the administration building.

“Probably the front one-third of the building is down to the studs,” said Hoke, who offered a tour of the administration building after the school board meeting Monday. “The ceiling completely fell in. There are probably five to six months of work when all is said and done.”

Administration staff are scattered for now but mobile construction trailers are due soon to regroup the staff that typically works in conjunction with one another.

Hoke is attempting to turn the unplanned water damage into a positive by restructuring the building he believes was built in the 1980s. The floor plan is being altered to create more functional space for the staff.

 

 

The conference room at the administrative building was spared and is now housing remnants of several offices that survived the water damage. That forced the school board to meet Monday on the second floor of the fieldhouse (photo).

The new location, which Hoke believes will be used through the end of the current school year, added more intrigue to a night where three new board members were sitting for the first time.

Travis Hensler, Kathy Humphreys and Brooke Lockett were elected to fill the seats vacated by Wendy Gearlds, Todd Brandman and Steve Steele.

Brandman was the most recent school board president.

David Ploog was voted in as new school board president with Ken Polston assuming the vice-president’s role and Cressa Rund serving as secretary. Terry Morgan is the other returning board member.

Tammy Achenbach and Kathy Cord were confirmed to continue as the corporation treasurer and school board administrative assistant, respectively.

Hoke added a key personnel change to the board agenda to formally accept the resignation of Triton Central Elementary School principal Heather Gant, who took a similar position in the Center Grove school district.

“There is an elementary school that had a change in principal mid-year and it is literally in her neighborhood,” said Hoke. “I understand it and I support her.”

Gant, who had been with Triton Central since the start of the 2021-2022 school year, finished out the fall semester last month and is now working full-time at Walnut Grove Elementary School.

 

 

Triton Central High School assistant principal Rhonda Hill (photo) will assume the principal duties at Triton Central Elementary School with a job search to commence in February or March.

“I don’t want to try and find a solution now because that would narrow the candidate pool,” said Hoke. “Most people outside of living in this neighborhood won’t leave mid-year. We would be limited who we could choose from. So, we will do it for a July 1 start for the fall. Rhonda is more than capable and the staff is awesome over there.”

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Sagamore of the Wabash J.R. Showers passed away Saturday

A longtime Shelby County business and government leader passed away Saturday.

 

J.R. Showers III, 69, of Shelbyville, passed away January 7 at the MHP Medical Center surrounded by family.

 

Showers was associated with the family business, Indiana Cash Drawer Co., for over 30 years, ultimately as President and CEO. Indiana Cash Drawer was started in 1921 by his grandfather, Joseph Ralph Showers, Sr.

 

Showers served as director at Farmers National Bank and as a board member of Shelby County Youth Shelter. He was a member of the United States Power Squadron and Hoosier Power Squadron boating clubs, a Freemason with the Sugar Creek Lodge 279 in Fairland, Elks Club, Jaycees, Waldron United Methodist Church, Wi-Hub, and Columbia Club.

 

He also served as the Shelby County Republican Chairman from 2007 to 2017.

 

Showers was a proud recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash bestowed upon him by Governor Eric Holcomb.

 

Column: Tippecanoe and Typewriters Too

Dear readers,

As I peddled my Schwinn out Morristown Road to the headquarters of the Shelby County Post, thoughts were racing through my mind faster than I could peddle. 

The Shelby County Post is affiliated with local radio station Giant FM, and it is in the same building I toured as a Cub Scout in the early 1960s.  In those days, the radio station was known as WSVL, the Giant of the Blue River Valley.

I woke up every morning in my youth to the sound of WSVL. In my mind, I can still hear the broadcast from those days as clear as I can hear country music great Henson Cargill’s hit song “Skip A Rope” playing in my head. I can even hear the advertisement jingles from “who turned on the lights in the county REMC” to the ad for Tippecanoe Press, “Tippecanoe and Typewriters Too.”

In the late 1990s, I was a frequent guest on Mark Gravely’s radio program. Every Saturday morning I did my best Casey Kasem impersonation. Local attorney Mark McNeely called in every week and asked for a long-distance dedication for someone in Waldron or Boggstown. Mark always requested the same song, “Gimme Three Steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

 

The station was known as WOOO in those days, and Tom Hession was managing the station. 

Tom had a good sense of humor, but occasionally, he would tell us to tone it down a bit. One of my favorite memories is a time when we accidently broadcast a word that can’t be said on radio.

The “bad word” incident happened early one morning. Sometimes when no one was calling the station with requests, we would call regular listeners who were our friends and ask them if they had any requests.  Dale Kesterman was one of those people.

Dale was the produce manager at Mickey’s T-Mart. He had been a guest on the program in the past. Dale was well known in Shelbyville and seemed to always enjoy playing along as Gravely asked a few stupid questions along the line of, “Do you have Prince Albert in a can? If so, better let him out!”

We were already on the air when Dale answered the phone. Gravely asked Dale a question about the local candy corn harvest. Dale didn’t realize he was on the radio and said a word that shouldn’t go out over the public air waves. Without missing a beat, Gravely said, “Oops, there goes our FCC license.”

It turned out to be our lucky day. When Hession came in the station, he didn’t say anything. No one ever complained and we lived to broadcast another day.

As I peddled into the parking lot, I noticed a sign on one of the parking spots, “Schwinn Parking Only.” Johnny McCrory met me at the door with a gift basket that included an unopened package of No. 2 Ticonderoga pencils. 

Sitting down at my desk, I heard a familiar sound. Someone had thoughtfully placed a whoopee cushion on my chair. The place was exactly how I remembered it. It felt good to be home.

Recently my wife, Sandy, ran across a box of our son Trent’s papers from when he was in middle school. In one of those papers from over 20 years ago, Trent described activities that he and his dad enjoyed. In part he wrote as follows:

I enjoy playing video games. My dad prefers to play Trivial Pursuit. While I enjoy listening to the radio, dad likes to be on the radio. In his spare time my dad drinks martinis and writes a column.

It is amazing how some things never change. As for me, my new home here at Giant FM/Shelby County Post is a great start for 2023. Now if I can just find someone to buy me a martini.

See you all next week, same Schwinn time, same Schwinn channel.

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Shelbyville man sentenced to over 43 years in federal prison for crimes Including hiring a hitman to kill a child

Robert Mason Elliott, 28, of Shelbyville, was sentenced to 520 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of murder for hire, witness tampering, illegally possessing a firearm, and producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

 

According to court documents, Elliott met Minor Victim 1 in 2017, when she was 16 years old. He was later charged with domestic battery of Minor Victim 1 and barred by several court orders from having contact with Minor Victim 1. In violation of those orders, and while Elliott was on pretrial release, Elliott attempted to deliver heroin to the minor when she was home with her mother, Witness Victim 1. Elliott was subsequently charged with dealing narcotics in Shelby County, Indiana. During the investigation, officers also discovered that Elliott had produced and distributed child sex abuse material of Minor Victim 1 over Facebook.

 

Elliott was detained pending trial on these state offenses. While incarcerated in the Shelby County Jail on February 20, 2018, Elliott used a jail phone to instruct his mother to hire a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club to kill or commit serious bodily injury to Witness Victim 1 to prevent her from testifying against him. Elliott’s mother hired the Hells Angel to commit serious bodily injury to Witness Victim 1 in exchange for $500. The jail calls between Elliott and his mother, as well as the calls and texts to the Hells Angel, were recorded and intercepted by law enforcement officials.

 

After his first attempt was unsuccessful, Elliott then engaged in a second murder for hire plot from inside the Shelby County Jail. Elliott offered three different Shelby County inmates $5,000 per person to kill Minor Victim 1, Witness Victim 1, and another individual. The three inmates provided information to law enforcement officials who again thwarted Elliott’s plan.

 

On May 7, 2019, Elliott was indicted in federal court for offenses related to child exploitation and illegal firearm possession.

 

While detained in Marion and Henderson County Jails on those federal charges, Elliott again attempted to have Minor Victim 1 and Witness Victim 1 killed. This time, Elliott asked a cooperating witness to provide him with the phone number for a “cartel hitman.” Through letters, calls, and texts, Elliott hired the individual he believed to be a “cartel hitman” to prevent the witnesses from testifying against him in their state and federal proceedings. Elliott offered, in coded language, to exchange heavy duty equipment, a motorcycle, and military-grade weapons including shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapons and M203 grenade launchers for the murders. Elliott provided the “cartel hitman” with the victims’ first and last names, Facebook accounts, locations, and places of employment. Elliott conspired with his grandfather to provide the equipment, motorcycle, and military-grade weapons to the purported hitman.

 

Unbeknownst to Elliott, the “cartel hitman” he contacted during this third attempt to have Minor Victim 1 and Witness Victim 1 murdered was an undercover federal agent. All calls and texts between Elliott, his grandfather, and the “cartel hitman” were recorded. Federal agents executed a search warrant at Elliott’s grandfather’s home and recovered a 2008 Hayabusa motorcycle and at least twenty firearms, including several assault rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Elliott had agreed to provide the guns, motorcycle, and ammunition the hitman in exchange for killing federal and state witnesses. One of the firearms was illegally purchased for Elliott by another individual, who agreed to falsify federal firearms purchasing forms and provide Elliott with the gun in exchange for a meal at Olive Garden.

 

Elliott’s repeated efforts to procure the murders of his victim, her mothers, and a witness were unsuccessful.

 

On June 14, 2022, Elliott pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder for Hire, two counts of Witness Tampering, and one count being a felon in possession of a firearm. Elliott further stipulated in a plea agreement that he had produced and distributed child sex abuse material.

 

“The defendant’s heinous, violent crimes demonstrate an utter disrespect for the law or the value of human life,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “His physical abuse and sexual exploitation of a child were compounded by his relentless attempts to have the victim and her mother murdered. Only a lengthy federal prison term like the one imposed today will ensure that the victims and the public are protected from this dangerous criminal. I commend the outstanding efforts of our prosecutors, the FBI, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and the Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office to stand up for victims and hold violent abusers accountable.”

 

“This defendant’s abuse of a minor victim was beyond despicable. He physically and sexually assaulted her, sought to provide her with dangerous narcotics, and had no qualms about killing the minor victim and others in a desperate and twisted attempt to get away with it. Today, the court determined that these horrible crimes deserve a lengthy term of imprisonment.” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue our efforts with our law enforcement partners to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are protected from individuals such as this who would seek to harm them.”

 

The FBI, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Elliott be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. Elliott must also pay restitution of $5,000 each to Minor Victim 1 and Witness Victim 1.

 

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tiffany J. Preston and Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this case.

 

In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc

American Senior Communities accounts for nearly half of collections by the U.S. Attorney's Office

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana collected $12,233,320 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. 

 

Much of it involved American Senior Communities.

 

Additionally, the Southern District of Indiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $216,807 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $60,816 was collected in criminal actions and $155,991 was collected in civil actions.   

 

“The efforts and leadership of our Civil Division and Asset Recovery Unit have resulted in the recovery of millions of dollars that will assist victims of fraud and other crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “We are proud to have coordinated with so many local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to protect victims and hold criminals accountable.”

 

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

 

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, working with partner agencies and components, collected $1,964,136 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2021. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

 

For example, in August, the Southern District of Indiana recovered Nearly $6 million as part of the government’s settlement with American Senior Communities, L.L.C. (ASC). In 2017, a former employee of a hospice services company doing business with ASC filed a “whistleblower” lawsuit under the civil False Claims Act. The complaint alleged that ASC had engaged in conduct to defraud the Medicare program. Specifically, the complaint alleged that ASC was charging Medicare directly for various therapy services, which were being provided to beneficiaries who had been placed on hospice, when those services should have been covered by the beneficiaries’ Medicare hospice coverage. Based on the investigation, the estimated loss to the Medicare program was $2,795,522.33 and ASC agreed to pay $5,591,044.66 to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shelese Woods and Justin Olson handled the case for the United States

 

American Senior Communities has locations across the state including Franklin, Greensburg, Connersville, Columbus.

 

 

Morristown graduate joining Blue River Community Foundation as Lilly intern

The Blue River Community Foundation of Shelbyville has announced that Morristown graduate Rylee Kleine will join its staff as a Lilly intern.

Kleine is currently a sophomore at Indiana Wesleyan where she is a double major in Business focusing on Entrepreneurship and Marketing. She intends to use her degree to pursue a career with nonprofit organizations.

Kleine is the 2021 recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Shelby County in addition to the Paul Goble Scholarship administered through the Blue River Community Foundation. She is a member of the BRCF Scholar Alumni Group as well as the Lilly Scholars Network.

During her internship, Kleine will be assisting the BRCF staff on a variety of projects, including adding historical data about funds in an industry-based software program, helping out with development activities, and collaborating with staff on upcoming initiatives planned in 2023 and 2024.

Through the internship, Kleine will gain knowledge about nonprofit operations and grantmaking processes by attending workshops and events.

 

 

In other BRCF news, intern Sarah Meredith (photo) recently completed her final day with BRCF after accepting a position with Vox Global.

Meredith graduated from Taylor University in May with a B.S. in Public Relations/Systems with a concentration in integrated marketing. During her time with BRCF, she was able to utilize and further build on her skills in these areas.

 

 

BRCF also announced the addition of Tim Barrick (photo) to the foundation’s board. The Shelbyville native is the Chief Marketing Officer for Indianapolis-based RATIO Architects.

In addition to Barrick’s appointment to the board, several individuals are starting terms in January on BRCF committees.

  • Grantmaking Committee – Stephen Black, Melissa Mummert
  • Governance Committee – Tim Barrick, Brent Swonger
  • Finance Committee – Meghan Haynes, Rob Morgan, Seth Cunningham

New committee members added mid-year in 2022 are:

  • Grants – Nick O’Connor, Sally Vaught
  • Governance – Todd Hitchcock
  • Scholarship – Linda Warnecke

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Asher announces campaign to remain City of Shelbyville's Clerk Treasurer

Scott Asher has announced his intention to seek re-election to his current Clerk Treasurer position for the City of Shelbyville.

Asher, 51, served on the Shelby County Council from 2008 to 2019 and, most recently, has served as Clerk Treasurer for the city since 2020.

Asher and his wife, Christina, are lifetime residents of Shelbyville. The couple have two adult children: Christopher (26) and Lauren (23).

In a media release, Asher stated he has truly appreciated his past political and governmental experiences and looks forward to providing continued service for the City of Shelbyville.

“I look forward to an opportunity again to represent and serve the constituents of my community,” said Asher. “It has truly been a pleasure working for the people of Shelbyville and I would genuinely appreciate the opportunity to do so for another term. I have surrounded myself with a great team and our goal of running an efficient, modern, and transparent office remains out number one priority.”

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New Fastpace Health Walk-In clinic in Shelbyville

Fastpace Health has opened a New Walk-In Urgent Care Clinic at 1778 East State Road 44, Shelbyville.

This convenient Fastpace Health location will be open seven days a week with extended weekday and weekend hours for current residents and surrounding Addison Township communities. The clinic will feature multiple exam rooms, an on-site lab, COVID-19 testing, and X-ray capabilities.

Patients can also take advantage of virtual telehealth for urgent care common ailments as well as medication prescriptions and refills.

"Our mission to improve the health of those we serve remains true, and we aim to bring that commitment of providing a comfortable, stress-free, and professional health care experience to Shelbyville. Our staff of experienced clinicians will provide comprehensive health services that meet the needs of the community. We have built our name and reputation on our compassionate, reliable, and affordable approach to health care with services that can be scarce in smaller communities," said Fastpace Health CEO Greg Steil.

“Patients need immediate solutions and our safe and convenient Shelbyville clinic will offer treatment for a wide range of illnesses with walk-in urgent, primary, and preventative health care services. We also offer scheduled services for behavioral, telehealth, and occupational health care needs."

The Shelbyville location is part of an expanding Fastpace network of clinics established in over 200+ communities across Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Alabama, and Louisiana.

More information about Fastpace Health is available at www.fastpacehealth.com/location/shelbyville.

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Abel excited for opportunity to serve community as Shelby County Commissioner

There was no “light bulb” moment that brought Jason Abel to serving his community.

The more he paid attention to the working of Shelby County government, there more he became determined to get involved.

On Tuesday morning at the Shelby County Courthouse Annex, Abel (photo, right) participated in his first meeting with the Shelby County Commissioners, a position he was elected to during the 2022 election cycle.

“I saw a lot of things popping up on social media that, quite honestly, I hadn’t paid much attention to the workings of county government,” said Abel after Tuesday’s meeting. “It was both refreshing to see private citizens shedding light on the workings of county government and some of the ways the decisions were made. County government affects the day-to-day lives of all of us that live in the county.”

Abel defeated incumbent Chris Ross to become the North District representative. He joins Don Parker (South District) and Kevin Nigh (Center District) as Shelby County Commissioners.

After defeating Ross in the May primary, Abel was unopposed in the General Election which provided him with a seven-month training period to assume the seat.

“Since May it’s been like trying to drink from an information fire hose,” said Abel, a Shelbyville firefighter. “I have been lucky to be able to do a lot of homework, a lot of research, and talk to a lot of stakeholders in the community.”

Ross believes the way the election went allowed him to be better prepared for the job ahead.

“It was an advantage in a sense that I don’t have any political experience,” he said. “I joke that I never ran for student council in high school. It’s been an advantage to become educated on different perspectives and to get a better idea of how these issues, these opportunities that everybody are talking about, on how we can make sure the county government does the right things for the community moving forward. And also how can we make sure the community feels like a vested stakeholder in how the county comes to those conclusions.”

Despite all the preparation, Abel still felt nervous when he officially sat in his chair Tuesday morning with a nameplate in front of him.

“It’s a responsibility that I am still trying to wrap my head around,” he said. “The last two months have really made me realize the impact and the workings of county government have on everybody’s day-to-day lives.

“So was I nervous? Absolutely. Was I excited? Yes.”

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Shelby County Commissioners reorganize in first meeting of 2023

The first 2023 meeting of the Shelby County Commissioners brought about change to the three-member board.

Don Parker (South District) was appointed president of the Shelby County Commissioners Tuesday morning, replacing current president Kevin Nigh (photo, left).

Nigh (Center District) immediately offered Parker (photo, center) the opportunity to run the meeting Tuesday morning but Parker politely declined until the next meeting.

Joining Parker and Nigh, who will serve as Vice President, on the board is Jason Abel (North District), a Shelbyville firefighter who defeated incumbent Chris Ross for the seat in the 2022 election.

The commissioners voted to continue weekly meetings on Monday mornings at 8 a.m. at the Shelby County Courthouse Annex.

The commissioners ran through a host of appointments to various boards and commissions. Notable changes included Megan (Rush) Hart to replace Jordan Caldwell, who opted not to serve another term, on the Shelby County Plan Commission and Nathan Runnebohm to the Shelby County Redevelopment Commission.

In other commissioners business Tuesday:

  • Rachael Ackley, executive director of the Shelby County Tourism and Visitor’s Bureau, invited the commissioners to a tourism community report event at the Strand Theatre on Feb. 8.
  • Approved the purchase of a Jeep Grand Cherokee for $51,000 for the Shelby County Health Department to assist with transporting an immunization trailer. The health department received a grant for $60,000 to cover the cost of the purchase.
  • The commissioners appointed Abel (photo, right) chairman of the Drainage Board. Nigh will serve as vice chairman. The drainage board will meet the second and fourth Mondays immediately following the commissioners meeting.

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Waldron hosting basketball camp for athletes with special abilities

Waldron High School will be the host site for a basketball camp for athletes with special abilities.

The Waldron High School Wonder Camp for athletes with special abilities is Jan. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the main gym at Waldron High School, 102 N. East Street in Waldron.

The camp is for athletes ages 10-21.

There is no registration fee for this event sponsored by Z Shirts Custom Printing of Shelbyville. All participants will receive a free T-shirt.

The camp will teach basketball drills to develop skill level and include games to develop a love for the sport, team building and cooperative skill building.

Waldron High School basketball players as well as coaches will be running the camp.

For more information or to register, contact Waldron High School athletic director Alex Engelbert at aengelbert@ses.k12.in.us.

Registration deadline is Jan. 23.

Ridgeway announces candidacy for Shelbyville mayor

Former Shelbyville City Council member Brad Ridgeway announced his intention to file as a candidate for Mayor of the City of Shelbyville.

 

Ridgeway will run in the Republican primary election which is scheduled to take place on May 2, 2023.

 

Candidate Ridgeway provided a statement with his announcement.

 

“I will work every single day to improve the lives of Shelbyville citizens. All too often, elected officials believe their sole function is to be self-appointed leaders. Unfortunately political ‘leaders’ tend to use their own personal judgment to determine what’s best for citizens. By contrast, I believe elected officials are public servants who regularly work to determine the opinions of citizens and govern accordingly. I recognize the task will be difficult but my public record of service on the Common Council is clear. I encourage citizens to make their voices heard and get involved in the local decision-making process. After all, government works best when it works for all the people.”

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