

Aktion Club makes donation to animal shelter
The Shelbyville VC Aktion Club held its 10th annual dinner-dance on Oct. 22 at the Briley Family Center of Trinity United Methodist Church in Shelbyville. A total of 67 people attended the event held jointly by the Aktion Club and Kiwanis Club. Many members of the club dressed in their favorite costumes and danced to music provided by the MacNamara family. Kim Barrett and Chris Browder of the Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter served as guest judges to determine “best d


Shelby Eastern hires new superintendent
Todd Hitchcock was familiar with Shelby Eastern Schools when he applied for the superintendent job earlier this year. He was particularly familiar with Morristown, having coached basketball at the junior high level at New Palestine. Now, the current assistant superintendent at Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools in southern Indiana will be returning to the area after being hired as Shelby Eastern’s superintendent. His start date is Jan. 2, 2020, after interim Superintendent D


Sandman Brothers recognized for 100 years of service
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is honoring a Shelbyville business for its long history of service. IHS proudly presents Sandman Brothers Inc., at 56 E. Broadway St., with a 2019 Centennial Business Award. The company will be recognized at IHS’s annual Founders Day dinner, Monday, Nov. 4, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis. Sandman Brothers Inc. is known for selling cars, but the company got its sta


Asher presented 'Rising Star' award
Brian Asher, executive director of Shelby County Development Corp., has received the Rising Star Peer Recognition from the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA). In his four years as executive director, Asher has played key roles in attracting a total of $800 million in investment and over 900 jobs to Shelby County. Asher’s involvement was integral to 11 attractions and expansions, including the $310 million Greenleaf Foods LLC processing plant. Announced in April,


Pride of Morristown returning to state finals
The Pride of Morristown is becoming a regular participant at the marching band Scholastic Finals. For the fifth year in a row, the band, under the leadership of director Breanne Pickett, is returning to the finals at Lawrence Central High School. The band, scheduled to lead the day off as the opening performer at 11 a.m. Saturday, will be performing its show “Blueprint” before waiting to find out the results along with the other 14 bands in Scholastic Class B at 2:28 p.m. “I


Clothesline Project raises awareness for domestic violence
Fifty-seven shirts are displayed in front of the Shelby County Courthouse. The shirts, designed by Shelbyville middle and high school students in the Safe Date classes, as well as by members of an incarcerated support group at the Shelby County Jail, represent the number of lives lost to domestic violence in Indiana in the past year. The shirts were pinned on a clothesline on the courthouse lawn on Tuesday for the annual Clothesline Project ceremony held by Turning Point Dome


Smallfelt joins Seniors Helping Seniors
Seniors Helping Seniors has announced that Ralanda Smallfelt has joined its team as the new Care Coordinator. Smallfelt is well-known in the Shelbyville community and beyond through her work over the past several years with Shelby Senior Services. She holds an M.S. in Gerontology and has extensive experience providing services and support to older citizens and their families as they navigate the joys and challenges that accompany aging. Seniors Helping Seniors office is in Sh


Excel Center creates food initiative program
Choosing to finish an educational track once abandoned is a big step to changing one’s lot in life. Removing the obstacles to making that happen is the goal of the Excel Center. Classwork can be fast- or slow-paced. And an early learning center on site will care for children while their parents once again pursue their education. More could be done, though, and Hope Fenton saw a need within the facility to help students returning to education even more. “Many of the students c

Imagination Library program going countywide
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is growing within Shelby County. In 1995, Dolly Parton created the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee. The program provided high-quality books to children each month through the mail from birth through age five to encourage an early love of reading and learning. The books were provided at no cost to families no matter their income. The program initially was only available to members of Sevier County but it grew ra


First phase of downtown transformation celebrated
The redevelopment of downtown Shelbyville is underway. On Wednesday, City of Shelbyville officials celebrated the completion of the first portion of the East Washington Street redevelopment project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun thanked all those involved in the project before joining in with several individuals to “snip” the blue ribbon that extended across East Washington Street away from the Public Square. “This is everything we said it was go