Tuesday, August 18, 2026

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS

Rev. Robb and Karen Barlow celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church on Sunday along with their children (from left) Kari Justice, Holly Everette and Adam Barlow, and numerous family members and friends. Below, Paul Freeman enjoys dessert at the surprise reception. | photos by JACK BOYCE

Shelby County Commissioners received an update Monday on flooding and the county’s response to last week’s heavy rains while also approving an annual janitorial services agreement.

• Big Blue River: Emergency Management Agency Director Denis Ratekin reported that Big Blue River crested at 16.69 feet at about 8 p.m. Saturday and had fallen to 10.5 feet yesterday morning.

• Disaster assistance: Ratekin contacted the state about disaster declarations but was told the county would need at least 10 homes considered uninhabitable to qualify for a local disaster declaration. Based on current reports, he said he did not believe Shelby County would be eligible for disaster funding, although he planned to seek clarification from the state this week.

• Sandbags: Marion County picked up 5,000 sandbags Friday, and Ratekin delivered another 15,000 Saturday as the White River rose rapidly. Marion County plans to reimburse Shelby County by replacing the sandbags.

• Road conditions: Highway Superintendent Ben Taylor said Shelby County was fortunate compared with surrounding counties, where flooding caused extensive damage to roads and bridges. No county roads or bridges had failed as of Monday, although several roads were underwater during the weekend. Crews have been removing road-closed and high-water signs and plan to inspect roads, culverts and other areas for erosion and other damage.

• Flood response: Taylor thanked James Ramsey for sending two workers Thursday to help fill sandbags for residents. Commissioners said the workers spent the day assisting with the effort.

• Janitorial contract: Commissioners approved a one-year, $110,270.52 janitorial services agreement. Facilities Manager Jose Gonzalez said the contractor provides staff, toiletries, cleaning supplies and chemicals and has worked with the county for about four years. He recommended continuing the service, saying the company has generally performed well and responds when problems are brought to its attention. Commissioners recommended developing a checklist to document completed cleaning work and creating a more direct way for county employees to report janitorial issues, such as an email address or website. Gonzalez said he would work with the company on both suggestions.

New parking areas are in use for the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church following the move of services back from St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Steel framing continues at the southwest corner of the church, while old facing bricks have been removed from the west bell tower and installation of new brick has begun at the base. | photos by JOHN WALKER

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE

• First Christian Church of Shelbyville will celebrate 125 years at its 118 W. Washington St. location with events throughout September. The church, which is 192 years old, has been at its current location for 125 years. Each Sunday in September, the congregation will share a special treat and highlight portions of the church’s history through “Moments of History,” featuring memories and milestones. The church’s Disciples Men’s Group will host a pancake breakfast Sunday, Sept. 20. The monthlong celebration will conclude Sunday, Sept. 27, with the church’s annual Worship in the Park. This year’s service will have a revival-style format reflecting on the church’s history, its current ministry and its future. Lunch will follow the service. For 125 years, generations of church members have worshipped, served and participated in community activities at the Washington Street location. First Christian Church holds worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays. The church’s September anniversary activities are open to the community.

• The Shelby County Republican Party will hold a caucus on August 31 at 5:30 p.m. in the Morristown Fire Station Community Room to fill the vacancy of the Morristown Council member position. Anyone interested in filling this position must meet candidacy criteria and file a CEB-5 with Party Chair Chris King at least 72 hours prior to the caucus. Please reach out to Chris King with any questions at cking@shelbycounty.gop.

• HOOSIER NEWS: WTIU will premiere “Timeless: Don Fischer’s Half-Century Broadcasting IU Sports,” a documentary celebrating the longtime Voice of the Hoosiers and his more than 50 years calling Indiana University athletics, on Aug. 28. The film uses archival footage, historic radio calls, interviews and personal reflections to trace Fischer’s career and his connection with generations of IU fans. A free sneak-peek screening is planned Aug. 27 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, followed by free community screenings across Indiana in September.

• NATIONAL NEWS: According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Americans are now devoting 4.96 percent of their goods spending to hobbies, an upward shift in time and money spent on hobbies that is seen across ages and generations. The fraction of money spent on hobbies rose steadily from a little over two percent in 1960 to around 4.5 percent in 2002, before gradually declining over the following decade and a half to a recent low of 3.7 percent spending in December 2018; the pandemic caused an overnight jump in hobbies’ share of American spending. While the emergence from the pandemic caused a slight drop, as of June we’ve since grown past the pandemic all-time high. (Bloomberg/Numlock)

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: Friends of the Library, a private group, filed paperwork to become a not-for-profit. Inaugural officers were Sandy Whitten, president; Nancy Mazonas, vice president; Laura Guenin, secretary; and Amy Berthouex, treasurer.

2006: Farley’s 44 Bowl owners Rhonda and Arley Farley opted to allow smoking and ban minors from the establishment. The Farleys bought the Miller Avenue facility in March and said they regretted it given the new citywide smoking ban. They said 80 percent of their customers were smokers, and based on that statistic, chose to file for a smoking-ban exemption as a bar.

1996: State Road 44 west of Shelbyville reopened following six weeks of work that included a detour up Interstate 74 and back down Interstate 65 to get from Shelbyville to Franklin. Many trucks had been using County Roads 550 W and 750 W instead of the detour, locals said.

1986: Shelby County Food Center, formerly Stop & Shop Supermarket, 2842 E. State Road 44, next to the Target store, closed. The store had 30 employees.

1976: Lee McNeely won the Lions Club golf tournament at the Elks Country Club. Other top scorers were Dr. Alan Schneider, Don Graves, Dick Dovidas, Paul Lockridge, Art DePrez, Dr. Ron McDaniel and Dick Gottlieb.

Detasseling work ended for the summer. Pioneer Hi-Bred, on U.S. 52 between Arlington and Rushville, had used 48 red and white school buses to transport teenagers to the job in Shelby and surrounding counties. Approximately 4,000 young people had worked for Pioneer and its contractors over the summer.

1966: Sgt. Laurie Alexander, 31, was killed in Vietnam. He was the second Shelby County casualty in the war. The first was Capt. Edward Handly. Mayor Ralph VanNatta directed two police officers to lower the city’s flag on Public Square to half staff. Sgt. Alexander was a graduate of Flat Rock High School. A year and a half earlier, he had led a local effort to provide clothing for orphaned children in Korea.

1956: The state announced that bids for a new Winchester bridge would be opened in September. Over the year, one driver had been killed, many injured and property damage running into thousands of dollars had resulted from wrecks on the one-lane bridge. “Even county historians will fail to shed a tear when finally the rickety, hazardous Winchester bridge is replaced,” The Shelbyville News said.

1946: Shelbyville Mayor James Pierce was one of six mayors to appear on Cincinnati’s WLW to participate in a roundtable discussion about emergency housing needs in communities.

1936: Jesse Tucker, a city garbage collector, had refused to pick up trash at the home of Ezra Pike because the trash was “too wet,” leading to an argument between the men. Pike later looked for Tucker and found him, leading to a fight and Pike’s arrest on a charge of assault and battery. A trial was set in city court.

1926: Major Hospital officials discussed installing their own laundry facility instead of contracting out the service.

City Council discussed an ordinance prohibiting loitering and “the congregation of loafers” on city streets. The council also instructed the city attorney to draft an ordinance issuing a heavy penalty for those found guilty of connecting sanitary sewer lines with storm sewer lines. Those in violation would be given 90 days to remedy the matter.

ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory

Joan Spindler, 86, passed away peacefully on August 7, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated teaching, deep compassion, and a joyful spirit. Born on August 27, 1939, in Indianapolis, Indiana, she was the daughter of Dr. Robert D. and Mary Rosalie (Hobbs) Spindler.

A proud graduate of Shelbyville Indiana High School, Joan earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from DePauw University and a Master’s in Special Education from Northeastern Illinois University. Her life’s calling was education. She spent the majority of her career teaching in the Chicago Public Schools, also taught in Milwaukee, and later used her expertise to open her own Home Tutoring Agency in retirement. Joan was a member of the Lisle, Illinois Unitarian Church. Deeply devoted to her students with special needs, Joan poured her heart into teaching. Outside of the classroom, she was vibrant and active. She enjoyed music, playing the piano, reading, hiking, and researching family history. She cherished family gatherings at Cedar Lake, Indiana. An avid animal lover, Joan treasured her dogs, Angie and Moses, and even adopted a baby elephant through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her step-mother, Isabel Baer; and her younger sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and Ed Adams, and her nephew Bobby Spindler. Joan is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Dr. James (Ellarie) Spindler of Hastings, Michigan, along with her nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A private family graveside service will be held in Salem, Indiana at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org/donate) or the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust,25283 Cabot Road, Suite 101, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, (www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/donate). Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net.