Thursday, August 6, 2026

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS

Loper Elementary School faculty and staff gather for a group photo the day before the start of the 2026-27 school year. Pictured are (front row, from left) Brandi Vierling, Wendy Keppel, Maiah Helfer-Vasquez, Traci Cox and Eric Sutton; (second row) Margaret Battles, Natalie Wagner, Bailee Kale, Dawn Blackwell, Bonnie Bate, Alyssa DeWitte, Lora Cole and Joni Connor; (third row) Paula Chappelow, Miranda Vaiagae, Katy Larson, Christine Neeman, Teresa Meredith, Dana Montgomery, Katie Cunningham and Whitney Uhls; (fourth row) Cari Faulconer, Abby Mullen, Kim Berry, Michael McFadden, Alexis Fountain, Michelle Page, Brooke Clark and Courtney Sherwood; (fifth row) Jason Huffer, Beth Small, Jennifer Clark, Stacy Lewis, Makayla Dobbs-Manning, Elyse Cory, Paige Bertsch, Stephanie Branson, Ashley Swonger and Kristen Shively; (sixth row) Angie Brown, Jasmine Cable, Jessica Rowland, Grace Orem, Lisa Lee, Jarrett Mohr, Shelley Drake, Kaylee Gaddie and Adam Miller; and (back row) Assistant Principal Jessica O'Connor and Principal Adam Harpring. | photo by JACK BOYCE

Recent police pursuits were the focus of discussion during Tuesday’s Shelbyville Police Merit Commission meeting, where Lt. Mike Turner outlined the department’s pursuit policy and stressed that officer and public safety remain the highest priorities whenever a chase occurs. Turner addressed the commission after recent pursuits drew public attention. He explained that officers undergo annual emergency vehicle operations training and continuously evaluate whether continuing a pursuit is justified.

“If it’s deemed that it’s not worth it, officers can terminate that pursuit,” Turner said.

Supervisors may also end a pursuit if conditions become too dangerous, he said, adding that officers weigh numerous factors, including traffic, weather, school zones, vehicle speeds, the seriousness of the suspected crime and whether the driver has already been identified. If officers know who the driver is, they may end the pursuit and seek an arrest warrant later rather than continue the chase.

Turner said officers are trained not to exceed their own abilities or those of their vehicles, and the department uses tools such as spike strips, coordinated supervision and, in limited circumstances, PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuvers to end pursuits as safely as possible. He noted that while pursuits can appear chaotic in videos posted to social media, officers are making constant decisions designed to reduce risk to the public, the suspect and fellow officers.

“We want everybody to be safe,” Turner said. “That includes the person we’re chasing. We definitely don’t want to see anything bad happen to them. We definitely don’t want to see anything bad happen to a third party ... nor do we want to see one of our officers get hurt.”

In response to a question about pursuits through residential neighborhoods, Turner said officers or supervisors may immediately terminate a pursuit if conditions become too hazardous, but cautioned that adopting a blanket policy prohibiting pursuits could encourage suspects to flee because they know officers will not follow.

Commissioner Mark Mason added that the decision to initiate a pursuit begins with the suspect’s actions, not the officer’s, and noted that the department’s policies provide safeguards to end pursuits when the risks outweigh the benefits.

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE

• The following building permits were filed in Shelbyville last month: a new screened-in porch at 1443 Bush Way; 18 new homes; an in-ground swimming pool at 1026 Fallway Drive; foundation only for future grain bins and set an office trailer at POET Biorefining, 2373 W 300 N; room addition at 905 S. West Street; two new mobile homes at 1203 E. State Road 44; remodel 513 Tom Van Arden Dr.; construction of a wall to support case work at the YMCA, 2120 Intelliplex Dr.; and a new storage barn at 2016 S. Riley Highway.

• The Fairland Town Council on Tuesday approved several police department purchases and addressed a variety of community issues. The council approved the purchase and outfitting of a new Chevrolet Silverado police vehicle, dispatch software, communications equipment, vehicle graphics and other equipment. Town Marshal Ben Moore said he hopes to have the department “road ready” by Christmas. Council members also approved a $4,500 donation to Fairland Senior Services after coordinator Kathy Miller reported the Thursday program now averages about 48 people attending in person each week while also providing meals to dozens of homebound residents. Officials said a homeless encampment on Jackson Street remains under investigation as the town determines property ownership before deciding how to proceed. The council also adopted Resolution 2026-01 establishing fees for public records requests, including 25 cents per page for black-and-white copies, and heard concerns from residents about speeding and increased truck traffic on Main Street. Town officials said they plan to pursue Community Crossings funding to widen the roadway, add sidewalks and improve safety, while the new police department will help address speeding once it becomes operational.

• Major Health Partners has again earned national recognition after being named one of Forbes’ Top Hospitals by State for 2026, marking the second consecutive year the local hospital has received the distinction. MHP Major Hospital was one of seven Indiana hospitals to earn Forbes’ highest five-star overall quality rating, which is based on patient outcomes, hospital best practices, value and patient experience. The recognition follows MHP's recent inclusion on Becker's Hospital Review’s list of the nation's 100 Great Community Hospitals for 2026.

• The Shelbyville High School Class of 1981 will celebrate its 45th class reunion Sept. 26 with an evening gathering from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus. Reunion weekend activities also include a golf outing on Friday and a tour of Shelbyville High School on Saturday morning. Additional information is available on the SHS Class of 1981, Shelbyville, IN Facebook page or by emailing goldenbears45reunion@gmail.com. The reunion committee, composed of Jack Bass, Todd Bass, Steve Antle, Todd Babbitt, Susan Smith (Woolen), Jackie D’Agostino (Noe), Diane Francis (Zimmerman) and David Willis, has been meeting since January to plan for the event.

• The Flat Rock Volunteer Fireman’s Festival parade will begin at 1 p.m. on Aug. 15, and head north on Main Street in Flat Rock. Registration and staging will begin at 11 a.m. at the Christian Church, and the parade is expected to include Jeeps, classic cars, large trucks, floats, tractors and marching bands. The event also will feature food, games and activities.

• HOOSIER NEWS: A record 38 Indiana school districts placed property tax referendums totaling about $500 million on the November ballot after a new state law limited school referendums to once every two years, prompting many districts to seek early renewals before their next opportunity in 2028. Most requests are for operating expenses such as salaries, benefits and supplies, with only one district seeking a construction referendum and one pursuing a school safety levy. School officials say rising costs and reduced property tax revenue have forced many districts to consider referendums, while State Rep. Gregory Porter is urging the state to return $98 million from its budget surplus to K-12 schools to help offset funding pressures. (IBJ)

• INTERNATIONAL NEWS: The village of Le Porge in the south of France is experiencing a secondary negative effect from the wildfires hitting that country when a large cache of 400 heretofore unknown World War II explosives were detonated by the heat. The ammunition depots were buried inside the village by both the French and the Germans and subsequently forgotten about. (BBC/Numlock)

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This Week in Shelby County, a cartoon feature illustrated by George L. Stubbs for 38 years, is reproduced with permission of the Shelby County Historical Society and the Stubbs family.

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: MAJOR HEALTH PARTNERS

Local headlines reported on or around this date in Shelby County history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials. | edited by HANNAH BAKER | compiled by MYRON RAWLINGS

2016: Local Harry Potter fans gathered at Three Sisters Books & Gifts to celebrate the midnight release of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” the eighth installment in the series. Attendees dressed as Hogwarts characters, played trivia games and enjoyed themed activities before purchasing the book at midnight.

Anthony Muir, Joyce Plisinski and Sara Gaitler placed first through third, respectively, in the 10th annual adult derby race in Morristown.

2006: More than 200 inmates were in the Shelby County jail, which was built to house 192. “People keep getting arrested, and we keep putting them in jail,” Sheriff Tom Debaun explained to inquiring media.

1996: Frank C. Wright, 33, was hired as assistant principal at Shelbyville Middle School. He replaced Maury Smith, who had resigned to become principal at Brown County Middle School.

1986: Michael D. Bowlby was selected as a deputy at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, replacing veteran Norman Collins. Bowlby, 27, a reserve officer with the department since 1983, was selected out of 21 applicants.

An 8-year-old girl was arrested for burglary after stealing $875 worth of items from a home on South Meridian Street. The girl had used a pairing knife to cut away a window screen to get inside the house. Once inside, she poured orange juice and soft drinks on the floor and broke eggs over the furniture. She also smeared makeup on the walls before stealing jewelry and a telephone. Det. Kehrt Etherton worked the case.

1976: County Commissioners adopted a four-way stop at the intersection of Smithland Road and County Road 450 South, only to rescind the ordinance after residents circulated a petition with 98 signatures arguing the stop signs created a greater traffic hazard than they solved. Because the repeal did not take effect until the next commissioners meeting, the ordinance remained in force for just one day, earning a place in local history as what The Shelbyville News called “the shortest-lived ordinance in county history.”

Russell J. Sanders III joined the law practice of J. Lee McNeely, and the firm was renamed McNeely & Sanders. The offices were at 39 W. Washington St.

1966: The old Wiley Methodist Church on South Pike Street, built in 1892, was torn down by the city street department. The old parsonage at the rear of the church was also demolished and burned. The former church had not been in use for several years.

1956: “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers” and “The Werewolf” were on at the Moonlight Drive-in at the junction of State Road 9 and U.S. 52.

1946: Mrs. Howard Davis, of St. Paul, received a fractured right ankle while participating in a musical chairs event at the Shelby County Fair. She was taken to the hospital by Army personnel stationed at the fair, who were with the military exhibit.

1936: Members of the Mt. Pleasant community turned out en masse to gravel the two driveways of the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. More than 100 men and boys worked most of the day, and 35 women and girls prepared lunch. There were 13 wagons and eight trucks hauling the gravel.

1926: Local canning factories would begin operating at capacity on August 16, The Republican reported.

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory

Aila Rose Bradley passed peacefully in the arms of her mother and father on July 29, 2026. During her short 39 minutes on Earth she touched many lives and was loved deeply by family and friends. Her life was a brief gift that will live on through her parents, Baily Gellizeau and Patrick Bradley, who will hold her again in heaven one day. Aila is survived by her parents, grandmother Katie Pearson (Nick Shoufler), grandfather Casimir (Stephanie) Gellizeau, grandmother Amber Hicks, grandfather Erick (Mikayla) Bradley, great-grandfather Jack Pearson, great-grandmother Nancy Gross, great-grandfather Jim Hicks, great-grandmother Marianna Hunt, as well as five aunts and eight uncles. Aila is preceded in death by her great-grandmother Carolyn Gross and uncle Bailey Crafton.

A visitation will be held at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A celebration of life will follow, beginning at 3 p.m. with Rev. Keshia Southern officiating. Funeral directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Aila’s family. Online condolences may be shared at murphyparks.com.

Scott Schuck, 58, of Shelbyville, passed away Aug. 2, 2026. He was born Oct. 15, 1967, in Shelbyville to Norman and Wilma (Schofner) Schuck. He graduated from Shelbyville High School with the Class of 1986. A lifelong lover of the land, Scott found his greatest joy outdoors. Whether he was working in the fields, tending his garden or spending quiet mornings hunting, he embraced the simple pleasures of nature. He was happiest with dirt on his boots, fresh air in his lungs and surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors. While he loved the outdoors, nothing meant more to Scott than his family. He will be lovingly remembered for his kind heart, unwavering strength and the countless memories he created with those he loved. He is survived by his beloved daughter, Brittney Shroyer, and his brother, Michael Schuck.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at a later date. Funeral directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Scott’s family. Online condolences may be shared at murphyparks.com.

Gary L. Everhart, 68, of Indianapolis, formerly of Shelbyville, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Franciscan Hospice House in Indianapolis. He was born on October 29, 1957, the son of Floyd and Beverly J. (Steele) Everhart. Gary is survived by his father, Floyd Everhart of Manilla; his wife, Kay Campbell, of Indianapolis; his daughter, Brandi L. Tobian and husband Andrew, of Shelbyville; his step-daughter, René Veith and husband Bob, of Carmel; his sisters, Debbie Davis and husband Danny, Janet Everhart and husband Mike, and Tammy Myers, all of Morristown; grandchildren Jordan Reneé, Bradley Jay, Maliah Jade, and Logan Ellis; four great-grandchildren; and several nephews and a niece. He was preceded in death by his mother and his son and best friend, Brady Ellis Everhart.

Gary was a graduate of Waldron High School. Throughout his career, he worked as general sales manager for several car dealerships and later owned Integrity Auto Sales. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville.